Sometimes the best dinner isn't a dinner at all, but a picnic. Grazing and nibbling on dips, crackers and cashew feta can be so much more enjoyable than a formal sit down meal. These are some of our favorite small bites to snack on, and are the perfect addition to a summer outing! Enjoy.
Mediterranean Platter
Babagonoush
Ingredients:
1 large eggplant
1/4 cup tahini
4 cloves garlic
2 lemons, squeezed
1 pinch cumin
1/2 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
Peel and chop eggplant into one-inch slices. Place in colander with a pinch of salt and allow to sit about 20 minutes. Rinse eggplant and place on baking sheet. Place in oven and bake about 15 minutes. Flip eggplant and bake on the other side, about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Remove eggplant from pan and place in food processor with tahini, garlic, lemon juice, cumin, and salt. Blend together. Top with olive oil and chopped parsley.
Cashew Feta
Ingredients:
3/4 cup raw cashews
6 tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon tahini
1 1/4 teaspoon Himalayan salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
Directions:
Place cashews in a bowl and cover with water. Soak overnight in fridge.
Rinse cashews and place in food processor with remaining ingredients, except black pepper. Blend until creamy, adding water if necessary.
Place mixture in cheesecloth and roll into a 6-inch oval loaf. Place in strainer bowl and allow to sit at room temperature for 12 hours, then place in fridge.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Roll out cheesecloth into longer cylinder-like shape, about seven inches. Twist ends of cheesecloth together and bake about 35 minutes, turning occasionally. Cool and sprinkle with cracked pepper.
Olive Tapanade
Ingredients:
1 cup olive oil-brined olives
1/4 cup parsley
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Directions:
Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend well. The olives are super salty, so definitely taste before adding any salt.
Marinated Peppers
Ingredients:
1 quart of water
2 tablespoon Himalayan pink salt
2 carrots
2 anaheim peppers
1 jalapeno pepper
1 banana pepper
3 whole cloves of garlic
1/8 teaspoon mustard seed
1/8 teaspoon dill seed
1/8 teaspoon coriander
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cabbage leaf
Directions:
Stir together salt and water. Chop peppers and carrots.
Add spices to the bottom of a one-quart jar. Add your vegetables, followed by the brine. Cover the top of the vegetables with cabbage leaf. Cap the jar tightly and allow to sit in 65-85 degrees for about ten days. For the first few days, check jar pressure: slightly unscrew lid to release pressure, then retighten lid. Once fermentation is reached, store in fridge.
Rosemary Flaxseed Crackers
Ingredients:
For 1 large sheet of crackers, about a dozen
1 cup flax seeds
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt (plus more to sprinkle on top)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chopped rosemary
1 garlic clove, minced
2 large egg whites
Directions:
Preheat oven to 300° degrees F
Mix flaxseeds, rosemary and fine sea salt in a large bowl. Pour large white egg over the dry ingredients and mix well to combine with a fork.
Pour the batter out onto a baking sheet lined with a silicon mat or a greased parchment. Spread as thinly as possible with a spatula. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut across the batter. This won't "cut" the way a cookie cutter cuts through dough, but it will create lines that make it way easier to break up the crackers after they've baked.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until completely dry and crisp. Cool on cooling rack, break apart and store in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Comments