Southwestern Corn Salad

Looking for a new twist on tired summer salads? Here it is! The great part about this recipe is that you can use all organic ingredients without breaking your budget. First:

1. Put two tablespoons of organic olive oil in a giant pan over medium heat on the stove top.

2. Chop and add the following to the pan:

• One organic red bell pepper
• One organic orange bell pepper
• A bunch of scallions
• Three garlic cloves

NOTE: Let's just take a moment here and think about how many brightly colored cancer fighting veggies are in this dish. The brighter your veggie, the more cancer fighting power it has. And garlic is like the superfood of all cancer fighting veggies. It boosts your immune system, is a powerful antioxidant and helps maintain low cholesterol.

3. Cook about five minutes, until the veggies soften a bit. Then add the following:

• Two bags organic corn kernels (If you have fresh corn, cut it off the cob and toss it in!)
• Two quartered and squeezed limes
• One can rinsed organic black beans

4. Warm up your corn salad (to taste) with southwestern spices, such as:

• Cumin
• Cayenne pepper
• Paprika

5. Take your salad off the heat, put it in a room temperature dish and let it cool. Toss in some chopped cilantro just before serving and enjoy!

What are some of your favorite summertime salads?

Suzie

Mini Veggie Sandwiches

Whenever I cook for parties I'm super conscious about creating enough treats for vegetarians. A couple weeks ago, I made sliders (or mini beef burgers) for a BBQ, so I decided to make a veggie version too.

To delight your vegetarian friends with a yummy appetizer, do this:

1. Slice two zucchinis crosswise into half inch thick pieces.

2. Cut the same amount of tomato slices or roasted red peppers. Either one will work.

3. Slice the same amount of cucumber slices.

4. Make a garlicky bean spread. Or use store bought hummus.

5. Salt, pepper and douse your zucchini with olive oil. Then grill it at medium high heat until you get nice grill marks. Maybe two or three minutes a side.

5. Slice up a baguette.

6. Spread bean spread on the baguettes.

7. Stuff zucchini, cucumbers and tomatoes or red peppers in between the bread and spread.

Enjoy mini veggie sandwiches!

Suzie

Bean Dip

Bean dips are fantastic appetizers. They're full of protein and fiber yet because they're dips, they feel decadent. Put out some pita slices or sliced veggies like cucumbers and carrots and dig in!

Here's how to make it:

1. In a mini food processor, combine:

• One can drained organic garbanzo beans
• One clove garlic
• One half lemon squeezed
• A quarter cup of olive oil (add more if hummus is too thick)
• A tablespoon tahini paste
• Paprika, salt and pepper

Voila! You've got a delicious bean dip!

The great part about this recipe is that you can mess around with it. For a creamier texture, use canellini beans. If you'd rather go woodsy than warm, sprinkle in Italian seasoning instead of paprika. Or if you have fresh rosemary, use that instead.

The bean is your base. You can flavor it however you want. What would you add to your bean spread blend?

Suzie

Awesome Artichoke Salad

Looking for a special summer salad? Here it is. Perfect for a BBQ crowd, lunch or dinner - it's cheap and easy to make.

1. Boil a pot of salted water.

2. Cut ends off a half pound of string beans.

3. Blanch string beans until they become bright green. No more than three minutes. Pull them out of the water immediately and drop them in an ice bath to stop the cooking.

4. Once cooled, pat the string beans dry and put them in a bowl.

5. Add three cans organic artichoke hearts.

6. Add sundried tomatoes (packed in oil) to bowl.

To make dressing, in a blender, combine:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 garlic clove
• a bunch of basil leaves
• salt
• pepper
  

7. Pour dressing over artichokes, beans and sundried tomatoes. Then mix it all up.

Not only is it delicious, it's gorgeous! Enjoy!

Suzie

Nachos Supreme

If you're going to make nachos, you might as well do them right. They may not be the healthiest treat, but they are a treat!

This great appetizer is party perfect, although making the chips is very time consuming. But it's totally worth it. Here's how to make delicious nachos:

1. Buy pre-made corn tortillas and cut them into quarters.

2. Heat about an inch of canola oil in a deep frying pan over medium high heat.

3. Drop the tortilla quarters in the oil. Once they are golden, lay them on paper towels.

4. Salt them immediately so the salt sticks to the oil.
5. Break out a large baking sheet, spread your chips on them and add your favorite toppings. Mine include:

• Tomatoes
• Black beans
• Green Onions
• Jalapenos
• Cheddar Cheese

6. Pop the tray in the oven for about 5-8 minutes at 425 degrees.

7. When the cheese is melted, take the tray out and drizzle with sour cream.

What are some of your favorite appetizers?

Suzie

Grilled Salmon

Nothing says summer like grilling up fish. But before I tell you how incredibly simple it is to make, I need to tell you why it's important to eat.

Salmon is low in calories and saturated fat, yet high in protein, and omega-3 essential fatty acids. As the name implies, essential fatty acids are essential for human health, but because they cannot be made by the body, they must be obtained from foods.

In addition to being an excellent source of omega-3s, salmon is an excellent source of selenium, a very good source of protein, niacin and vitamin B12, and a good source of phosphorus, magnesium and vitamin B6. Which are all good for heart health and brain function. And if you eat salmon with those tiny bones in it, it's a great source of calcium too.

So now that you know why it's good for you, here's a simple way to make it:

1. Heat grill to high.

2. Coat salmon filets in olive oil.

3. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. (I believe fish should taste like fish. You don't need fancy marinades or rubs ot make a great piece of grilled fish.)

4. Grill skin side down for 5 - 8 minutes. When you slide a spatula under it and the skin peels off you know it's ready to flip.

5. Flip it and cook the other side for another 5 to 8 minutes.

6. Pull it off the grill. Let it sit for 2 or 3 minutes, serve with mixed greens and enjoy!


How easy is that?

Suzie