Strawberry Basil Mojito with Lime

A strawberry basil mojito is cool, refreshing, and the perfect way to relax after a long, hot, summer day.  Much as I love standard mojitos, this version is even better.

The berries add extra sweetness, the basil adds freshness (and the whole combination just shouts “summer!”). Then you get the added sweet-sour citrus punch from the lime.

I use minimal sugar, particularly in June, when the strawberries are at their peak, but you can add more if you like it sweeter, or if the strawberries aren’t sweet enough.

Coating the edge of the glass with sugar and lime juice transforms your everyday mojito cocktail into something that looks like you got it at an upscale restaurant.

Pour your strawberry mojito into a tall glass, slice yourself some cheese, put out some crackers and olives and you have a party for one. Then, close your eyes and pretend you’re lounging on a soft, white beach surrounded by palm trees. Ahhhhhh.




 

Ingredients and Tools for Making Your Strawberry Mojito

cuisinart stick blender

Cuisinart  Immersion Hand Blender

Use this to make your mojito, for smoothies, to make salad dressing, to puree soups, or for milkshakes.  The cleanup is minimal (just push a button and remove the part with the blades). It comes in lots of colors, so you can get one to match your kitchen.

 

More Strawberry Recipes

strawberry banana yogurt popsicles plateStrawberry Banana Yogurt Popsicles

An easy sweet treat, with ingredients you can identify (unlike store-bought popsicles). Delicious and soo refreshing on a hot day.

 

strawberry balsamic grilled cheeseStrawberry Balsamic Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Take the usual grilled cheese and elevate it by adding strawberries and balsamic vinegar. Not a combination you might expect, but the tangy vinegar offsets the sweet strawberries beautifully.

strawberry spinach salad with balsamic dressing and feta cheeseStrawberry Spinach Salad with Balsamic Dressing and Feta Cheese

When the strawberries are at their peak, and too good to fuss with, turn them into an entire meal. Add earthy spinach, and salty feta, then top it with homemade balsamic vinaigrette.

 




Pasta with Broccoli, Mushrooms, and Chicken Sausage

This pasta with broccoli, mushrooms, and chicken sausage recipe is based on a recipe invented by Kimberly Chapman (from Eat the Evidence; she makes astonishing desserts and “Ace of Cakes” cakes too).

She had this wonderful English, locally raised bacon and fresh asparagus and decided to make pasta with it (her recipe is here).

It looked so good I wanted to try it.  But I didn’t have bacon (or asparagus).   I could have gone out and bought asparagus, but I’m not a huge asparagus fan, unless it’s drenched in Hollandaise sauce.  I did have some chicken sausage and frozen broccoli though.  So, I decided to follow her technique while changing the ingredients a bit.

I used chicken sausage instead of bacon, kept the mushrooms, added red bell pepper (as I had part of a pepper leftover from something else and had to use it up).  Then, I changed the cheese to Manchego instead of parmesan, because that’s also what I had on hand.

Tip:
When your chunk of parmesan, Manchego, or other hard cheese gets hard to grate with a box grater, use a microplane instead.  You can also save the rinds (or even buy them at the market) and use them for soup. Just put them in a plastic bag in the fridge. They’ll keep indefinitely.

Back to the recipe, you essentially, cook the sausage (or bacon), add the veggies, then the pasta, some chicken broth, and top it all with grated cheese.




More Pasta and Broccoli Recipes

oven roasted lemon garlic broccoli

Oven Roasted Lemon Garlic Broccoli

Broccoli gets a bad rap for being bitter, but roasting gives it a sweet, nutty flavor, enhanced by the citrusy lemon and the mellowed garlic.

 

Lmab keema with potatoes and broccoliLamb Keema with Potatoes and Broccoli

Think of this as Pakistani shepherd’s pie. It’s good with beef or lamb, and comes together all in one pan.

 

quick and easy summer pastaQuick and Easy Summer Pasta

Ideal for hot, humid days when you don’t want to cook much, this pasta is great either hot or cold.  No mayo, so you can take it with you.

 

spaghetti spinach lemon cream sauceSpaghetti with Spinach and Lemon Cream Sauce

Leafy greens and citrus pair beautifully together in this light summer pasta.  Make it as is with spinach, or swap that for broccoli.

 




Chicken Salad with Greek Yogurt and Dried Currants

Making chicken salad with leftover chicken certainly isn’t a new idea, but this recipe is a bit different.  I usually follow (mostly) a chicken salad recipe from the Silver Palate Cookbook which calls for sour cream, walnuts, and tarragon. Incidentally, that is one of my favorite cookbooks.  I’m on my third copy!

The Silver Palate recipe is very good, but yesterday I felt like something different.  I didn’t have all of those ingredients, but I did have some Greek yogurt, black currants and a bit of leftover red  bell pepper.

It’s common to use celery in this sort of salad, but not being a big celery fan, I never have any in the fridge.  I thought that the currants would add sweetness and the bell pepper would give the salad a bit more color as well as some extra sweetness and a satisfying crunch (without any celery!).

This chicken salad is a bit lighter than most chicken salads because it uses a mixture of Greek yogurt and mayonnaise, rather than just mayo. Much as I love rich and creamy foods, I somehow happen to prefer chicken salad that’s a little less “mayonnaisy.”  The yogurt adds a bit of tanginess that contrasts with the creaminess of the mayonnaise. Use about three parts mayonnaise to one part yogurt.

It was easy, quick, tasty, and great for a hot day when I didn’t feel like cooking or fussing in the kitchen.




Chicken Salad with Greek Yogurt and Dried Currants Substitutions and Variations

  • If you don’t have dried currants, use grapes or raisins instead; particularly a raisin mixture (Trader Joe’s has a great one)
  • Top with spinach or lettuce for extra color and crunch
  • If you don’t have yogurt, substitute sour cream
  • Try cranberries instead of the currants

More Chicken Salad Recipes

chili citrus avocado chicken salad

Chili Citrus Avocado Chicken Salad

Ideal for hot summer days, as there’s no cooking needed.  Use leftover chicken, or a rotisserie chicken. There’s plenty of flavor from citrus, chili, and crispy veggies.

 

apple almond chicken saladApple Almond Chicken Salad

Crispy apples, crunchy nuts, and tangy sour cream add zip to this chicken salad. An easy weekday or weekend lunch.

 

mixed greens egg potato chicken salad

Mixed Greens Egg Potato and Chicken Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

A hearty lunch (or dinner) with very little mess or fuss. Boil an egg and a potato and toss in leftover chicken.  Then use whatever veggies and greens strike your fancy.

Asian chicken salad with cabbageAsian Chicken Salad with Cabbage

Colorful, crispy, and slightly spicy chicken salad topped with a ginger sesame dressing.

 




Cottage Cheese Yogurt and Fruit

Summer is in full swing. It’s hot, it’s sticky, and I really wasn’t terribly motivated to cook the other day (gasp). I wanted something quick, refreshing, and truly easy to make.  I looked in the fridge and saw that I had some cottage cheese yogurt and fruit (mango in this case).

Then I remembered that there used to be a store near me that sold fresh Greek yogurt with fruit, honey, and vanilla. They had all sorts of combinations: mango, blueberry, peach, and fig.  It was delicious.

Sadly. they’ve closed up and moved away from my neighborhood now, so I can’t get their yogurt without making a special trip.  While  I can’t recreate their yogurt exactly, I can use Fage plain yogurt instead.

Trying to recreate that yogurt salad sounded like a good idea, but I did want something just a bit more substantial than just yogurt and fruit, so I added cottage cheese as well to make a cottage cheese yogurt and fruit salad.

The proportions are about two parts cottage cheese to one part yogurt.




I’ve put this under “15 minute meals” but it isn’t even that much.  It’s closer to five minutes.  Just dump, mix, and drizzle.  Easy!

Cottage Cheese Yogurt and Fruit Substitutions and Variations

  • This works with strawberries, blueberries, peaches, figs, blackberries and raspberries.
  • Or use a combination of fruits instead.  It does not work well (in my opinion) with apples or grapes.

More Salad Recipes with Fruit

apple almond chicken saladApple Almond Chicken Salad

Sweetened with crisp/tart apples, crunchy nuts, and not too much mayo. An easy lunch for a summer’s day.

 

blueberry feta spinach saladBlueberry Spinach Salad with Feta Cheese and Walnuts

No actual cooking required for this salad. Mix together your favorite greens, spinach, salty feta, and crunchy walnuts.

 

strawberry spinach salad with balsamic dressing and feta cheeseStrawberry Spinach Salad with Balsamic Dressing and Feta Cheese

Tangy balsamic dressing and sweet summer berries are an unbeatable combination. Just toss and serve.

 

 




Blueberry Spinach Salad with Feta Cheese and Walnuts

I was so pleased with last week’s spinach and feta salad with strawberries that I decided to try another variation, this time with blueberries. Plus, the spinach and the blueberries at the market looked so fresh that I couldn’t resist buying them. So now, we end up with blueberry spinach salad with feta cheese and walnuts.

I changed the dressing from balsamic vinaigrette to a lemony vinaigrette made with olive oil, vinegar, and lemon peel. I topped it all off with a mixture of nuts, raisins, and sunflower seeds.

I bought the nut/seed combination already mixed, you can add some, or all of the ingredients, depending on what you have in your pantry, your personal taste, or whether you feel like going to the store to get anything you haven’t got handy.  You definitely don’t have to add all of them!

The resulting blueberry spinach salad with feta cheese and walnuts is crispy, a little salty (from the feta), tangy from the lemon, and sweet from the blueberries.

And, it’s even red, white, and blue. It would be great for a Fourth of July picnic or party.  Just throw it together ahead of time and add the dressing when it’s ready to serve.  Gotta have something healthy in-between all those hot dogs!




Substitutions and Variations for Blueberry Spinach Salad with Feta Cheese and Walnuts

  • Don’t have spinach? Try mixed greens or arugula instead
  • Or, add some mushrooms
  • Try adding some carrots or zucchini
  • Swap out different kinds of nuts (or nut mixtures)

More Spinach and Feta Recipes

spinach and feta cheese omeletteSpinach and Feta Cheese Omelette

The flavors of spanakopita (spinach feta pie) in an omelette. Much easier to make, and simply delicious.

 

spinach and egg frittataSpinach and Egg Frittata for One Person

Perfect for brunch or a light lunch and packed with herby and savory flavor from spinach, eggs, nutmeg, coriander, and fresh dill.

 

strawberry spinach salad with balsamic dressing and feta cheeseStrawberry Spinach Salad with Balsamic Dressing and Feta Cheese

Sweet local strawberries balanced against tangy balsamic vinegar and feta cheese.  Great for a hot summer day (no cooking!)

 

penne with feta cheese and sundried tomatoesPenne with Feta Cheese, Sun-dried Tomatoes, and Olives

The intense sweetness of sun-dried tomatoes is a perfect foil for briny olives and salt feta.  The recipe comes together quickly and is a great summer meal.

 




Strawberry Spinach Salad with Balsamic Dressing and Feta Cheese

Strawberry season has finally arrived! They’re wonderful just right out of the box, but much as I love strawberries, they’re not a complete meal.  This strawberry spinach salad with balsamic dressing and feta cheese is easy to make, delicious, and even healthy (all those greens and Vitamin C). And the colors look pretty too.  The tartness of the balsamic vinegar, and the saltiness of the feta cheese complements the sweetness of the strawberries. The almonds on top add a bit of extra crunch.

Since I wanted more veggies than just spinach, I added carrots, red cabbage, and tomatoes for extra color and more nutrition (I was trying to make up for indulging at a party!).

Make the dressing first, and let the flavors blend together while you fix the rest of the salad.

This is a great quick lunch or dinner. Just double the spinach, and add more tomatoes. You might want to increase the dressing recipe too (I like less dressing than most people).




 

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Balsamic Dressing and Feta Cheese Substitutions and Variations

  • Try mixed greens instead of the spinach
  • Use goat cheese rather than feta
  • Swap the strawberries for blueberries
  • If you’re wary of the balsamic, try a lemony vinaigrette dressing instead
  • Top it all with some mixed nuts or walnuts

More Entree Salad Recipes

smoked salmon artichoke saladSmoked Salmon Artichoke Salad

Colorful and delicious, this salad has bright and sweet citrus,  earthy spinach, crispy veggies, and plenty of flavor,  all topped with a savory dressing.

 

chili citrus avocado chicken saladChili Citrus Avocado Chicken Salad

A great summer salad with leftover chicken, tangy lime, and rich, smooth avocado.  The chicken comes with a kick, so it’s a festival of sweet//spicy flavors.

 

cottage cheese yogurt and fruitCottage Cheese Yogurt and Fruit Salad

Healthy and easy to make. I used mango, but you can use strawberries, nectarines, peaches, or blueberries if you like. Or mix them all up.  Just pour everything into a bowl. Done!

cold leftover steak saladCold Leftover Steak Salad with Goat Cheese and Red Wine Vinaigrette

Forget the classic steak sandwich for a minute and use your leftovers to make this salad instead.  Chop some veggies, add goat cheese, and make a quick red wine vinaigrette. A full meal with no cooking! Ta da!




Sweet and Sour Turkey Meatballs

This recipe for sweet and sour turkey meatballs with jelly and chili sauce is comfort food that’s grown up and gone to the big city.

When I was a kid, my grandma used to make those classic grape jelly meatballs. Kind of sweet, but comforting and simple. As my tastes have gotten more sophisticated, I wanted something with more complex and “grownup” flavor: not quite as sweet, a little more sour, and with a bit of a spicy kick.

I replaced the grape jelly with no sugar strawberry jam (it’s sweetened only with juice, there’s no sugar or artificial sweetener), then added chili sauce, a bit of Tabasco and apple juice and got sweet and sour turkey meatballs.

My parents were visiting one day, and decided to stay for dinner. I had ground turkey and the rest of the ingredients in the fridge. I whipped up a batch of these, and I swear you’d think they’d never eaten before. Dad was sopping up the sauce with bread. Heck, he practically licked the plate! Maybe I should have called these “lick the plate clean sweet and sour meatballs.”

You make this recipe in two stages, first the meatballs, and then the sauce.  Put the meatballs in the oven for a few minutes to keep them from falling apart when you add them to the sauce.



Sweet and Sour Turkey Meatballs with Jelly and Chili Sauce Substitutions and Variations

  • Use beef instead of turkey
  • Replace the oatmeal with breadcrumbs
  • Try cranberry juice instead of apple cider (it will be a bit more tart)
  • Experiment with different jam flavors: strawberry, raspberry, four-fruit, sour cherry (you could even go back to good old grape)

Tools and Ingredients for This Recipe

St. Dalfour preserves

St. Dalfour Strawberry Conserves

This jam (technically conserves) is sweetened only with juice. There’s no sugar and no artificial sweeteners. The other thing I like about it is that there aren’t any extra thickeners added (like maltodextrin) to bulk it up.

Black and Decker food chopper

Black and Decker mini food chopper

I’m not sure which I use more, this chopper or the immersion blender. If you make the recipe with oatmeal, this little gadget is great for grinding it up. It’s also good for chopping onions, potatoes, or whipping up a small batch of pesto. The bowl doubles as a storage bowl (it comes with its own lid).


cookie scoop

OXO Good Grips Medium Cookie Scoop

Ever hear of a cookie scoop? I hadn’t, until recently. Ice cream sure, but not cookies. The more I think about it the more uses I come up with.

It would be great for meatballs, cookies, or the perfect scoop of tuna, egg, or potato salad. It has a soft handle that’s easy to grip (it was originally developed for someone with arthritis, but it works well for everyone). Dishwasher safe too.

More Turkey Recipes

quick spicy turkey soupQuick and Easy Spicy Leftover Turkey Soup

Not the usual turkey soup. This one is inspired by south of the border flavors with tangy lime,  spicy cayenne, and cool sour cream.

 

easy leftover turkey soupEasy Leftover Turkey Soup Recipe

If you prefer the more traditional route, try out this turkey soup. It’s packed with veggies, including potatoes, carrots and (don’t tell anyone) frozen veggies. Less chopping!

 

Cranberry Chipotle Turkey Burritocranberry chipotle turkey burrito

Another south of the border inspired way to eat up all those leftovers.  This one is sweet, spicy, and quick too.

 

turkey pot pie for one personTurkey Pot Pie for One Person

Turkey, peas, and carrots, enrobed in a flaky all-butter crust.  And, this one is scaled down for one person.

 




Banana Smoothie Recipe for One

A banana smoothie certainly isn’t a complete meal, but this recipe makes a delicious, refreshing drink. It’s perfect with a crisp strawberry and spinach salad on a hot day (yes, we’re back to summer again).

The nice thing about smoothies is that they’re easy and quick to make.  It’s also a good way to use up extra bananas.  The bunches of bananas look so good in the store, but you get them home, eat a few, and then watch the rest turn brown if you don’t eat them quickly enough. In the winter, I make banana bread, but in the summer I really don’t want to run the oven that long.

So, I make smoothies instead.  This time I just used banana, but you could add strawberries or blueberries (it will turn purply though) if you want to.

Sometimes, I take the extra bananas, peel them, and pop them in a bag in the freezer.  When you want a quick smoothie,  just take out a frozen banana (and reduce the ice in the recipe a bit).

Or, take your banana and drizzle it with chocolate syrup.  Instant dessert!




More Fruit Recipes and Cocktails

watermelon smoothie/slushWatermelon Slush

Cool, refreshing, and just perfect for blistering hot days.  All you have to do is get out your blender (or blender stick), pop in some melon, ice, and lime, and go.

 

cinnamon sugar bananasCinnamon Sugar Bananas with Brandy

An easy dessert that’s great all year round. And it only takes a few minutes to make.

 

strawberry basil mojitoStrawberry Basil Mojito with Lime

Just the thing after a long, hot day.  Get the full flavor of summer berries, plus a refreshing rum kick.  Or, make it a mocktail with club soda.  This will also work with other berries.

mango cottage cheese and honey

Cottage Cheese Yogurt and Fruit

A meal without cooking (that takes under 5 minutes to prepare).  Perfect when it’s too hot to do just about anything.

 

 




Chili Garlic Chicken Thigh Recipe for One

I love Buffalo chicken wings, but wings are getting increasingly expensive.  The supermarket had a great sale on chicken thighs and legs so I decided to experiment and make a chili garlic chicken thigh recipe instead.

In addition to substituting thighs for wings, I gave the recipe a bit of a twist by replacing hot sauce with chili garlic sauce and making chili garlic chicken thighs.

The great thing about this recipe is that it’s pretty easy, and you don’t have to fuss with it.  You get great flavor without a lot of ingredients, no chopping, and very little mixing.

Using the chili garlic sauce is best, but if you don’t have it I’ve listed substitutions below.

Also, sharp-eyed readers may notice I’ve changed the instructions. The results are better if you bake the chicken at a higher temperature, make the sauce, and then slather it over the chicken once it’s cooked. Not to mention, this way is faster.




I served it with microwaved broccoli (cooked for two minutes and seasoned with lemon pepper) and fried potato wedges (parboiled, then fried in a pan like home fries).

Chili Garlic Chicken Thigh Substitutions and Variations

  • Use sriracha.  If you do, I would reduce or eliminate the apple cider vinegar, since the sriracha already has vinegar and sugar, and add some minced garlic.
  • Try it with chili paste, add garlic, and cider vinegar.
  • If you don’t have either of those, use hot sauce, the cider vinegar, and garlic.

Tools and Ingredients for Chili Garlic Chicken Thigh Recipe

huy fong chili garlic sauce

Huy Fong Chili Garlic Sauce, 8 oz

I love this stuff. I put it on chicken, add it to hamburgers, or mix some with scrambled eggs. Basically, use it to add extra kick (and a hit of garlic) wherever you’d usually use Tabasco, sriracha, or ketchup.

huy fong sriracha

Huy Fong Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce, 17 Ounce Bottle

If you prefer a bit of sweetness with your heat, use the sriracha instead of the chili garlic sauce. It’s also more spreadable than the garlic sauce (the consistency is closer to thin ketchup, while the garlic sauce is more like salsa).

 

More Chili Chicken Recipes

honey sticky garlic chickenHoney Sticky Garlic Chicken

Delight your taste buds and clear your head with this spicy chicken.  And, the marinade comes entirely from your pantry.

 

sichuan chinese chicken and eggplant with garlic sauceSichuan Chinese Chicken and Eggplant with Garlic Sauce

Spice up your life with this easy version of a takeout classic. Make it as is, with chicken, or skip the meat and have it purely vegetarian. Delicious either way.

 

stir fry chicken peanut sauce recipeStir Fry Chicken with Peanut Sauce

Peanuts, honey, hoisin sauce, and a generous squirt of lime.  The lime brightens the sauce, and the honey adds a hint of sweetness.

 

szechuan chili noodlesSchezuan Chili Noodles

Easier and faster than takeout, this version of dan dan noodles is streamlined for home cooking. Spicy, vibrant, and easy too.

 




 

Summer Pasta with Green Olives and Feta Cheese

After a rather chilly spring, summer is suddenly here in full force. It’s hot, it’s sticky and I do not want to stand over a hot stove for one second longer than I have to. That means it’s time for salads, pasta, eggs, and other quick meals that require as little cooking time as possible.  So, with that in mind, today’s dish is a simple, but delicious summer pasta with green olives and feta cheese. This is sometimes called Greek spaghetti (their name for pasta is makaronia).

The feta cheese and olives are slightly salty, while the tomatoes add sweetness.  And really, fresh summery tomatoes (and strawberries) are the best!

I ate my pasta hot, because I was hungry and didn’t want to wait for it to cool, but I suspect it would work just as well as a cold pasta salad. It would probably be great for a picnic. Since there’s no mayonnaise it will travel well to a park or the beach.

It’s easy to make too. Just boil the water, cook the pasta, and chop up a few ingredients. Perfect when you don’t want to cook, but you still have to eat. And it’s a lot easier and cheaper than going out or ordering in to get something.

I kept it simple with just the olives and tomatoes, but you can change that if you want. Don’t fuss too much about measuring the vegetables. It’s hard to mess this up!

 




Summer Pasta with Green Olives and Feta Substitutions and Variations

  • Add extra vegetables like spinach, bell pepper, or mushrooms
  • Try goat cheese or Boursin instead of the feta
  • Use sun-dried tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes for an extra burst of flavor

More Pasta Recipes

pasta olives tomatoes capersPasta with Olives Tomatoes and Capers Puttanesca

Spicy sauce, briny olives, and sweet tomatoes, a classic combination that’s flavorful and ready quickly too.

 

quick and easy summer pastaQuick and Easy Summer Pasta

Summer in a bowl, with fresh veggies, tomatoes, and pasta. This works hot or cold too.

 

spaghetti with green olives and lemon pankoSpaghetti with Green Olives and Lemon Panko

A dish packed with zesty garlic, earthy fresh spinach, tangy capers, briny olives and a burst of citrus. Crispy, golden-brown panko crumbs mixed with dill and lemon zest add a finishing touch.

pasta with tomato artichoke saucePasta with Tomato Artichoke Sauce Recipe

A fresh change from the usual tomato sauce, this dish has marinated artichokes, a generous helping of oregano, and red pepper flakes. Spicy, fresh, and delicious.