I don't know about where you are but here in Brooklyn it has been quite hot. There is just no way I was turning on the oven or the stove top last night. So the grill it was!
Being that it was a Saturday night, my fridge was down to the last of the week's groceries. I didn't have much but I did have some produce still. A nice big eggplant, couple of bell peppers, radishes, spring onion...and skewers were just the obvious choice to use them all up. I've said it before and I will continue to say it again and again - I LOVE the bounty of fresh produce available at farmer's markets during the summer! Today I bought so many beautiful things...heirloom tomatoes, peaches, peppers, apricots...and of course the 2-in-1 treat of radishes with the greens still attached. Many people toss the leaves out not realizing they are edible and insanely delicious too!
What's worse than having a fever and sore throat? Having a fever and sore throat right in the middle of summer. Unfortunately this is my current situation. Usually I would baby myself with lots of hot tea and warm chicken noodle soup, but when it is 90 degrees outside those are kind of the last things I want.
When I'm sick I refuse to let it spoil eating food that I enjoy. I still have great food but make sure that it is something that will benefit me and help me feel better. So I decided to make myself a delicious smoothie that would be hydrating and full of all the vitamins I need to not just feel better but get better! Yes, I am a little crazy...I mean, it's like 100 degrees out and super humid so naturally I decided this was a perfect day to bake. I was going to be hot anyway, right? But I'm happy I'm crazy. Because boy did I come up with a treat!
You might recall earlier in January when I posted my recipe for Iced Blood Orange Shortbread Cookies. In that post I mentioned that the basis for any shortbread cookie I make is the same. Think of these as that cookie's tart, summery cousin. Baking on a hot day may be crazy, but enjoying the flavors of lemon and cherry in crisp buttery form makes it well worth it. Just last week I was talking to my friend Anais on a train ride home after a work event. She came up with a wonderful idea to tell the other an ingredient to make something with and we had one week to do it. I told her to make something with zucchini (can't wait to find out what it is!) and she told me to make a savory dish with mango.
Honestly, I had been feeling like I was at sort of at a standstill with post ideas. But this little exercise was just what I needed to get my creative juices flowing again! And let me tell you...I made a savory mango dish that I will certainly be making again. |
AuthorAli is a Brooklyn based blogger and Certified Health Coach with the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, providing you with recipes to inspire you to cook more at home! She is a firm believer in knowing that eating healthy can be made easy and inexpensive if you simply know how to cook and understands that for the average person there needs to be balance between "healthy" and "unhealthy". Whether you are looking for easy weeknight recipes, delicious snacks, or want to try something new, Ali's recipes are easy to follow at all skill levels! For more info about Ali and her offerings, check out the About page. Categories
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