Summer’s Coolest Soup: Spicy Watermelon Gazpacho

Watermelon in Gazpacho? Now, that's something different!!

It's been extremely hot and humid this week and I've made my simple but tasty gazpacho on a few of the nights. Nothing is easier than tossing a few juicy vegetables into the blender for a delicious cold soup. 

However, this time, I added some watermelon to my basic recipe for a little variation.  It's interesting how the flavors all mingle so nicely. 

Creamy White Bean and Mushroom Appetizer

An ordinary appetizer? Not this bold and magnificent dip/spread! Sautéed mushrooms, pine nuts, creamy white butter beans, fresh herbs and tasty seasoning make up this delightful blend. Got company coming? This will be a hit!!

Vegetable Tian - A Colorful and Flavorful Side Dish

This French inspired baked vegetable tian blends summer's abundant vegetables and fresh herbs to create an amazingly delicious healthy side dish.

It looks a little intimidating to make, but a classic tian is actually fairly easy to prepare and makes a truly beautiful presentation at the dinner table.  

Muffin Tin Entertaining for Snacks, Crudités, and Dips

Muffin tins are practical and can be used for more than just baking muffins. They are also ideal for serving and entertaining! 

I'm sharing lots of ideas in this post! 

Giggle Juice

It's party time!! I very seldom post an alcoholic beverage, but this giggle juice just needed to be shared! I think the name says it all to get a party going!

I saw the recipe on a blog called The Chef MiMi Blog and had an immediate attraction to it. It could actually be made as a mocktail too   without alcohol. 

My 2nd Best Hummus Recipe Is Oil-Free

Are you looking for the best, yet easy, homemade lower fat hummus recipe? Well there is a reason I call this my second best (which is great).

Homemade hummus is so easy to make and most people like it.

The weather has been warm enough to invite family and/or friends to our deck for some casual outdoor dining. Homemade hummus is usually one of the appetizers that I like to serve to give guests when they get here to give them a chance to mingle and take the edge off their appetite before the meal. 

My new updated hummus recipe is light and creamy, absolutely delicious, and is always a hit!

My deck and chairs and table

My peonies are in full bloom 

Influenced by recipes from our Middle Eastern heritage, I am happy to share what I consider my 2nd best homemade hummus recipe because it is made without tahini or olive oil and is not strictly traditional like my Best Homemade hummus (recipe link).

I still like the hummus recipes that I've  previously shared with you on the blog. However, I'm always modifying my chickpea hummus recipe, so it is easier to make, uses less ingredients, and contains less oil and fat making this recipe heart healthy, weight watchers friendly, and oil-free. Of course all of my recipes are always gluten-free and now totally vegan since 2019. 

One easy way to reduce the calories is to reduce the fat. I did that in this recipe without sacrificing taste. I had 5 test tasters for this recipe and all concurred that is was a "5" out of 5!! (Included my 2 older grandkids)

This recipe calls for only five ingredients: 

Cooked chickpeas, whole sesame seeds, aquafaba (the starchy liquid that is a result of cooking dry chickpea or the liquid in the can of chickpeas) freshly squeezed lemon juice, and whole cumin seeds (plus any seasoning you like such as salt, pepper, or garlic powder). 

I Use Sesame Seeds Instead of Tahini Paste

You may have noticed that this delicious recipe omits one of the  traditional ingredients in hummus- tahini !

I do like the taste of the thick white tahini paste, but did you ever open a container of it? It's swimming in oil. 

For this recipe, I've eliminated  the intensely caloric tahini from my recipe. However, I brought the sesame flavor back in with some whole sesame seeds. 

Great Flavor 

Truthfully, I was surprised that I could leave out the tahini and still create a great  authentic tasting hummus that was simple and healthy.

I used my food processor and processed everything until I reached a very light, smooth, and creamy whipped consistency.

The aquafaba (cooking liquid from the chickpeas)  is the secret. It really adds a lovely flavor and a little extra starch to the recipe.

At the end, I always love to garnish the dip with some whole cooked chickpeas and a little salt. 

If you are looking for a healthy dip to serve to company or as a snack for yourself- THIS IS IT!!

It feels like summer!!

Ingredients: 

2 cups of cooked chickpeas (or one 15 ounce can)

(save 6 chickpeas for garnish) 

2 tablespoons of whole sesame seeds

1/4 cup of cooking liquid from the chickpeas or can (aquafaba)

1/4 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon of cumin seeds (plus more for garnish)

Optional: salt, ground pepper, or garlic powder to taste

Directions: 

Place the sesame seeds and chickpeas in the food processor. Pulse until begins to come together. With the motor running, slowly begin to add the lemon juice. Then add as much of the aquafaba as needed to get a thick yet creamy whipped consistency. (you may only need a tablespoon of the 1/4 cup). Add the cumin seeds and pulse once. 

Spread on a flat plat, decorate with a few chickpeas and additional cumin seeds if desired. 

Again, if you are looking for my absolutely best traditional hummus recipe follow the (recipe link for hummus)

My Notes: 

Tahini contains

 90 calories/tablespoon. 8 grams of fat and 2 grams of fiber 

Sesame seeds contain

 52 calories/tablespoon, 1.6 grams of fat and 1.06 grams of fiber 

My friend Laura spills off all the oil from her tahini paste to reduce the calories leaving thick dry paste.

This recipe is oil-free, gluten-free, vegan, kosher, -perfect for most of your guests. 

Brie with a Fruity Topping

I

Brie is one of those appetizers that everyone seems to love and  gluten free.I don't know about you, but when I entertain I like to make delicious food that is as easy as possible to prepare and serve. It doesn't get easier than brie and a delicious fruit topping! 

Brie requires very little preparation and can be made at the last minute. It tastes great with fresh fruit, jams, and nuts.

Fruit Infused Vitamin Water - Rejuvenate and Relax

Fruit infused vitamin water makes a lovely presentation and what could be more rejuvenating than a beautiful glass container filled with icy cold fresh fruit flavored water using colorful raspberries, blueberries, or strawberries to quench your thirst?

This low calorie no sugar added drink is sure to delight your tastebuds and your guest's tastebuds on a hot humid day. The vitamins that are infused from the fruit and herbs into the water give you a little added lift. 

What is the Idea Behind Vitamin Water? 

Vitamin water is created when a fruit, vegetable, herb is placed in a container of water and allowed to sit to infuse for about 4-5 hours. During that time vitamins from the fruit, vegetable, or herb infuse into the water. Why? Fruits and vegetables are water soluble which means that the vitamins leach into the water. Why buy commercially prepared vitamin water (that has additives, sugar, and is expensive) when it is so easy to make at fresh vitamin water from organic fruit at home.

The first time that I had fruit infused vitamin water was at a luxury Spa in the Riviera Maya in Mexico. Spa Palace was a serene, beautiful, and healing space.  It offered a full itinerary of spa services and catered to pampering its guests. 

They kept large pitchers filled with water, strawberries, and mint in the spa lounge. It tasted divine and they explained that it was important to hydrate before and after a massage.

Prefer Not to Mix The Fruit Into Your Water? 

If you prefer not to eat the fruit, I use a special pitcher   Fruit Infusion Flavor Pitcher that has a tube to keep the fruit from floating into the water so you can just enjoy the flavor and vitamins but not have to deal with the fruit. 

The one I use is BPA free,  shatterproof, and can be used outdoors without fear of breaking the  Fruit Infusion Flavor Pitcher. It separates the fruit from being in the water

What do you do? 

Spas serve fresh vitamin water for vitality and rejuvenation

Other More Savory Ideas:

Don't like fruit?  There are a variety of more savory flavor combinations that you can use to create your own special infused water based on your own preferences. The possibilities are endless.

•  fresh mint 
•  fresh basil 
•  lemon slices
•  lime slices
•  fresh ginger
•  cucumber slices 

How about cucumber slices and mint? : 

cucumber has a mild delicious flavor that is cooling and refreshing. Make it alone or add mint. 

How a sparkling water mojito?

My Favorite Vitamin Water Mojito: 

Lime, mint, stevia and plain water- infuse in the refrigerator for 4-5 hours. Add crushed ice and sparkling water upon serving.

Patriotic Colors for July 4th Celebrations

I love this idea of using red and blue berries for the 4th of July weekend celebrations. 

The colors are patriotic and look so festive.  

Choose from strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and even sneak in watermelon balls. 

How about kiwi, blackberries, and lime? 

Peel the kiwi and the lime- slice add blackberries to a pitcher  - place in the refrigerator for 5 hours - Add sparkling water or crushed ice when serving

Don't forget about blueberries. It's blueberry season. I freeze batches to use in drinks. 

Cut blueberries in half add to a pitcher of water / allow to infuse in the refrigerator fo 5 hours

The combinations are limitless and all up to your imagination and personal taste. 

Tips:

1. Use organic fruit- why soak pesticides into your water? 
2. Cut berries, grapes, and in half
3. Peel all citrus and kiwi
4. Always keep a pitcher or Mason jar filled in the Refrigerator to reach for when thirsty

Decorative Lids for Mason Jars

You can purchase decorative mason jar lids for serving. 

These cute lids can be festive for a party. I use  COSMOS 8 Pcs 4 Different Colors Decorative Mason Jars Lids with Straw Hole for Mason Jars Canning Drinking Jars. They are reasonable and fun. 

In addition, they keep your mason jar covered so you can take it outside to protect from dirt or bugs flying into your drink.

This post was shared on Beth Fish Reads ( weekend linky) 


Disclaimer:  I am an affiliate for Amazon, which means that if you click on a link from my blog and make a qualified purchase, I will receive a small compensation at no cost to you. This helps me defray the cost of running a blog. I really appreciate your support.

COSMOS 8 Pcs 4 Different Colors Decorative Mason Jars Lids with Straw Hole for Mason Jars Canning Drinking Jars

Chocolate -Dipped Strawberries or Figs- Easy Gluten-Free Party Dessert

Looking for an easy party dessert that looks elegant but takes just minutes to make? These chocolate-dipped strawberries or figs are the answer. Dipped in rich semi-sweet chocolate and coated with either ground hazelnuts or cinnamon, they’re a naturally gluten-free dessert that’s light, delicious, and perfect entertaining party dessert. 

A Dessert Born from a Storm

Sometimes the best desserts happen completely by accident. Case in point: Hurricane Irene. I was supposed to be in New York City with friends, sitting in a theater and enjoying a Broadway show. Instead? My plans were washed away—literally. All shows canceled due to the storm (we live 1 and half hours away).

Instead we ended up staying home and pulling together a last-minute get-together with neighbors. Which left me staring into my kitchen thinking: Okay, what can I whip up with whatever’s already here?

 I had just done a Trader Joe’s run the day before and had a container  of black mission figs and a container of juicy red organic strawberries. That’s when I remembered a recipe idea I’d seen in one in one of my cookbooks, Small Bites by Jennifer Joyce: chocolate-dipped figs. Perfect! I made them on the spot. I added a cinnamon version too. Let me tell you—chocolate plus cinnamon are a match made in dessert heaven.

Why You’ll Love This Chocolate-Dipped Fruit Recipe

• Quick and easy – Ready in about 15 minutes plus chilling time.

• Gluten-free and naturally sweet – Perfect for guests with dietary restrictions.

• Beautiful presentation – They add instant color and elegance to a dessert table.

• Versatile – Pair with coffee or red wine and any desserts.

.Ingredients:

Fresh Figs, washed and dried

Fresh strawberries, washed and dried

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips, melted

1/2 cup ground hazelnuts or cinnamon ( or dip in both)

Directions:

Wash and dry strawberries and figs, but do not take off greens or stems. Using a sharp knife start at the end opposite the stem and cut down the middle so all fruit is halved.Grind hazelnuts till well ground in a Vitamix or food processor.Put into a small bowl. Put chocolate chips into a microwave proof container and microwave for about a minute stir( check and it might need more) . If you are not happy using a microwave, put the chocolate chips over a double boiler until melted. 

Holding the stem, dip the tip of a strawberry or a fig into the melted chocolate and then dip it immediately into the ground hazelnuts or cinnamon.  Arrange on a plate, refrigerate for at least an hour and serve from the refrigerator.

Wash and dry figs and strawberries ( Must be very dry to dip)

When dry, slice strawberries and figs in half starting at the end opposite the stem



Grind 1/2 cup of hazelnuts in food processor or Vitamix ; put chocolate chips into a microwave proof dish

                         and microwave for about 1 minute until melted.


Dip fruit halves one by one into the chocolate and then the ground nuts or cinnamon and place on a parchment covered cookie sheet. Refrigerate for a minimum of an hour - 
Arrange on a dessert plate and serve.

Elegant and easy, these chocolate-dipped figs or strawberries are the perfect gluten-free dessert for holidays, parties, or special dinners.

My Notes:
I'm thinking about using other fruits as well such as sliced apples- yum . Have you dipped fruit for parties? What's your favorite? 

Figs, Strawberries and Goat Cheese Appetizer

We have been playing poker with two other couples for many years.
We play every other month and rotate houses.  It is a friendly group ( we don't play for money), and it is all about the food and socializing. The cards are just an excuse to get together.

We serve appetizers and snack food before and during the game- dessert when we finish playing .
When the guests arrive, the first thing they do is head directly for the refreshment table. It is kind of like a tradition, and it is actually funny. We stand around, eat, have a glass of wine, and chat for about 45- minutes to an hour before we start to play cards. ( of course everyone has just had dinner before they came).

As I said, its all about the food .
Each host/hostess tries to use his/ her imagination to think of some intriguing  appetisers or snacks.
I made it easy for myself- I purchased basic foods and simply assembled!

                                                                         Fresh Figs and Feta

Moist Black Mission figs and creamy goat cheese is a simple idea, but is really delicious. 

How I assembled

I lined up the black mission figs alongside the cheese log. The idea being that you would eat the figs with the goat cheese. ( of course I added more of the wonderful figs as we devoured them) The sweet taste of the figs really blended well with the tangy goat cheese. Or how about some walnuts to stuff the figs!

 I also had two little dishes on the side. One was filled with pitted Calamata olives ( traditionally Mediterranean)  and in the other little dish I had a sweet and sour cranberry apple chutney

The olives, the figs, and the cranberry chutney  each provided an interesting taste  with the goat cheese. I also used some fresh strawberries for garnish.Not shown: gluten free crackers.

I also had a platter of cilantro and jalapeno humus , roasted eggplant garlic dip, sweet peppers and flax seed chips ( Trader Joe's)

I try to keep the appetizers low in carbs so I choose peppers, humus, and eggplant dip. Everything on this plate is from Trader Joes'. ( love that place!!)  They have a wide selection of gluten free or gluten friendly foods. These adorable peppers are sweet, not hot! And I do mean sweet. We used them as dippers for the spicy eggplant garlic dip and the cilantro humus dip. 

Did you notice how I put the humus in a bell pepper? I just cut off the top, cleaned out the seeds, and filled it with cilantro humus... yum and pretty. The chips are flax seeds and soy and according to my guests , " you just can't eat one. "

 In addition, I had some little snacks.

 This trio is composed of dark chocolate covered almonds,  peanut brittle and  mini Hershey bars- all gluten free. ( you gotta have chocolate)

There were six of us and by the end of the evening,  EVERY morsel on those plates were gone!  Gone...!


For dessert, I made a traditional Northern Italian dessert ( Panna Cotta) that I topped with fresh strawberries soaked in Amaretto liquor. I am not going to show you the dessert because  the Pann Cotta is going to be one of my next blog posts with step by step pictures.

Some additional desserts:
sugar free, gluten-free, egg-free, and milk-free - moist and tender oatmeal raisin cookies

coconut flour , gluten free- banana muffins or banana loaf

Gluten Free Pumpkin choc chips torte

My favorite; 3 minute cake in a mug- gluten free of course and easy

A quick gluten free, egg free, milk free, nut free cake made in a mug AND it is GOOD!

(If you are not gluten free, you can make it with regular flour and still enjoy)

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