Perfect for Summer! ♥
Ingredients ♥
(1lb) cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
pinch of salt and pepper
(5oz) burrata
1 cup fresh basil
Directions ♥
Drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil and balsamic.
Grill over high heat for 10-15 minutes until charred and blistered.
Season with salt and pepper then drizzle with more olive oil and Balsamic.
Serve with burrata and fresh basil. enjoy! ♥
It's the Fourth of July and here are some healthy ideas for your menus! ♥
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It's almost the Fourth of July and here are some healthy ideas for your menus! ♥
This a perfect flavorful summer pasta salad and it's gluten free! I am using my favorite sponsored product Mezzetta sun ripened dried tomatoes.
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Ingredients ♥
12 oz. gluten free pasta
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup light mayo
Zest of half a lemon
1/4 C lemon juice (1 large lemon)
2 t maple syrup
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or 1/2 teaspoon for extra heat)
1 tsp garlic salt
Ground black pepper
3/4 C chopped white onion or thinly sliced scallions (1 bunch scallions)
1/2 C chopped oil-packed sun dried tomatoes Mezzetta brand
3/4 C chopped pitted black olives (about half a can)
1 C halved baby tomatoes or chopped seeded tomatoes
1 can (15 oz.) garbanzo or white beans, drained and rinsed (optional)
About 20 sliced fresh basil leaves
Directions ♥
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a teaspoon or two of salt, then stir in pasta. Cook until just tender, 8 to 9 minutes for most gluten free brands and shapes. Be careful not to undercook. Drain pasta and rinse with cold water for a minute. Transfer cooked pasta to a large mixing bowl and toss with a tablespoon of oil.
While pasta cooks, make the dressing. Whisk mayo, lemon zest and juice, maple syrup, red pepper flakes, garlic salt, and a generous pinch or several grinds of black pepper until well blended. Refrigerate until ready to use.
To the pasta, add scallions, sun dried tomato, olives, fresh tomatoes, beans (if using), almost all the basil, and about 3/4 of the dressing. Stir gently to combine until all ingredients are coated in the dressing. If needed, add remaining dressing (you’ll likely need it if you included beans) and more salt and pepper. Garnish the whole salad or each serving with remaining basil. Chill at least an hour and serve, or refrigerate, well covered, up to 2 or 3 days. Refresh salad with a little more cold mayo and lemon juice, plus seasoning as needed, just before serving
Today is the Russian Orthodox Easter, here is a collaboration of traditional Russian Easter dishes that I ate growing up, Easter or Paskha is the most important religious observance of the year in the Russian Orthodox Church. Easter in Russia is a lot more than just a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In Russia Easter is usually celebrated later than in the West. This happens because Easter dates are determined by different calendars. When the Catholic and Orthodox churches separated in the 11th century, they both calculated the date of Easter in the same way. However, the Catholic church adopted the Gregorian calendar in the 16th century, and the Orthodox church continued to use the old Julian calendar. Because the two calendars had a difference of 13 days by the 21st century, and because both churches use March 21 for the date of the vernal equinox instead of the observed equinox, the date of Easter is different in both churches. Preceding Easter is a 40-day long Lenten fast during which no meat and dairy products, fish, eggs, or alcohol are allowed. The fasting begins with Maslenitsa or Pancake week which is celebrated during the last week before the Great Lent. Though meat is already forbidden, Maslenitsa represents the last chance to partake of dairy products (russian pancakes, blini) and those social activities that are not appropriate during the more prayerful and introspective Lenten season. Holy Week, beginning with Palm Sunday is a busy time in Russian families, when houses are cleaned and Easter food is prepared. On Holy Thursday, Russians paint Easter eggs using their traditional method of boiling them in onion peels or other natural dyes. Painted eggs are a universal symbol of Easter, but in Russia they take on even greater significance.
On Holy Saturday, a strict day of fasting in which no food at all is allowed, families are nonetheless busy preparing for the Easter feast. The feast served to break the fast after the midnight mass, includes the Paskha cake and Easter eggs which are blessed by the priest on Holy Saturday. Sunrise services in Russia are not common on Easter morning, instead, Orthodox churches hold a midnight mass, with a procession around the church. When the clock strikes 12, church bells announce the resurrection of Christ.
Here is a medley of Russian dishes and recipes I hope everyone has a blessed, safe, and Happy Easter!♥
Russian Easter Ham "Buzhenina"
Russian Easter "Pascha" Dessert
Russian Easter "Kulich" Dessert
And here is a little flashback of me as a child at Easter! ♥
