Count down to the 4th! Citrus Chive Tzatziki and Beet Chips

Summer’s best holiday is only days away! BBQ, parades, cold beer, sparklers, family, friends and fireworks – sounds like my ideal way to spend a summer day. Whatever your plans may be this 4^th of July I hope they will involve lots of delicious food!

Whether you’re hosting friends or family for a celebratory feast or are traveling somewhere for festivities, no 4^th of July party is more complete without some tantalizing appetizers. I’m counting down to Independence Day with a Dip a Day.

There’s nothing more refreshing than a cool, citrus infused tzatziki sauce at the beginning of July! This recipe uses non-fat yogurt and takes a slight turn from the traditional recipe by using a combination of lemon and limes.  Plus, with this quick preparation you’ll be sipping on a cocktail and relaxing in no time.

Citrus Chive Tzatziki

1 cup non-fat plain yogurt (I prefer European style)

4 heaping tbsp finely diced chives, divided

4 cloves crushed garlic

1 tsp lime zest

1 tsp lemon zest

2 tbsp lemon juice

Kosher salt and pepper

  

European style yogurt works better for this dip than thicker varieties, like Greek yogurt, which is strained multiple times for a more dense texture.  Strauss or Emmi brand yogurts are made in the European style. Trader Joe’s also carries a European style yogurt.

In a medium bowl, mix yogurt, garlic, 3 tbsp chives, lime and lemon zest.  Using a whisk slowly add lemon juice until sauce is smooth. Chill for at least 1 hour. Before serving, top with remaining 1 tbsp chives.  Pair this dip with crispy beet chips for a colorful, healthy and tasty dipping device.

Beet Chips

4 golden beets, peeled and ends removed

4 red beets, peeled and end removed

2 tbsp olive oil

Kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Using a mandolin, or very sharp and heavy knife, slice beets to 1/16^th of an inch thick. I always wear plastic gloves when working with beets to avoid staining my hands. Gloves made for salon use (i.e. the kind a stylist wears while dying hair) tend to work the best since they’re a little thicker and fit more snug than normal plastic gloves. Most beauty supply shops carry salon use gloves. You can always use dishwashing gloves in a pinch, but I feel that you lose some nimbleness in your fingers since they have a looser fit. However, being caught red-handed with these tasty beet chips does make you one of the more popular party guests J

Toss beets, olive oil and salt in a large metal bowl until the beets are thoroughly coated with olive oil. If you like to keep your golden beets golden, I suggest mixing the red and golden beets in separate bowls with 1 tbsp of the olive oil for each bowl. This will preserve the nice sunshine color of the golden beets. But mixing the two varieties together can be fun, too. You usually end up getting a pink-yellow tie-dye effect.

Spread beets in a thin layer on two large cookie sheets and bake for 15-20 minutes. Check beets at about 12 minutes to see if any thinner or smaller slices need to be removed a bit early. Beets should be lightly browned on the edges and slightly crispy. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate and cool. The beet chips will continue to become crispier as they cool.

Enjoy your patriotic chips alone, or with your tzatziki sauce!

Wheel Barrel Peppers

It almost goes without saying that I was one of those kids who was easy to have at the dinner table. Unless someone made me eat some brown, gooey looking tuna casserole I was up to try any new food. There were very few airplanes and choo-choos used to get me to eat my veggies, yet this post is inspired by that very trick that parents use to coax their bib-wearing toddlers to take a bite of peas.

“Wheel Barrel Peppers” are a slightly different take on stuffed peppers with a name that’s much more fun to say. Instead of slicing off the top of a pepper, I slice it right now the middle to make a little scoop for your food.  Now that’s much more exciting than a pretend airplane made out of peas :)

Another great element about this dish is the flexibility you have with the stuffing. While the recipe below is filled with protein-rich quinoa, vitamin D boasting mushrooms and nutrient rich kale (which is a good source of calcium- who would’ve thought- and vitamin C), you can switch it up to fit the ingredients you have in your fridge. Some favorite combinations of mine include granny smith apples, walnuts, black beans, parsnip… the possibilities are up to your palate!

Wheel Barrel Peppers

2 medium bell peppers, cut in half through the stem

2 tbsp olive oil, plus 1 tsp

¼ brown onion

3 cloves of garlic

¾ lb cremini mushrooms, diced

1 cup chopped kale, chopped with stems removed and chopped (I used Lacinato a.k.a Dinosaur kale)

1 Belgian endive, chopped (save some for garnish)

½ cup cooked quinoa

½ tsp cumin

¼ tsp white pepper

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375° F.  Cook quinoa per package instructions.  While the quinoa is simmering, heat the olive oil, garlic and onions in a medium skillet over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms, kale and endive to the pan and cook for 2 minutes.  Add cooked quinoa, cumin, white pepper, salt and black pepper and stir to combine.

Slice peppers down the center and through the stem, using a paring knife remove seeds and membranes. An ice cream scoop or mellon-baller with cleanly remove any membranes that are more stubborn.  Rub the inside and outside of the peppers very lightly with the 1 tsp of olive oil. Then place peppers curved side down in an 8”x11” baking dish and fill with the sautéed mixture. Carefully fill the dish with a ½ inch of water. If your peppers are too curved to the point where it’s difficult to get them to stand on their own, use a 9x9 cake pan instead, so that they won’t tip over. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and back for another 5 minutes.  I like my peppers to have a good crunch to them, but for those of you who prefer a softer texture leave the peppers baking covered for 30 minutes and then cook uncovered for another 5 minutes. You might have to extend or reduce the timing based on your preference and the size of the peppers.  Top with some of the chopped endive you set aside. Eat alone or serve with any protein you desire. I typically pair these with grilled chicken or pork chops.

Enjoy and feel free to play with your food! Wheel barrel wars anyone? :)