Saag Paneer

Slow Cooker Saag Paneer

6 medium or 4 large garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsp minced (or grated) ginger (can sub 1 t dried, if necessary)
3 medium yellow tomatoes, chopped
1 Tbsp garam masala
1 Tbsp ground coriander
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (if desired)
1 can low fat coconut milk
2 16 oz. bags frozen spinach (or 3 10 oz. boxes), thawed
1 bag fresh baby spinach
1 container of extra firm tofu, cubed into 1/2" squares

Place all ingredients except the fresh spinach and tofu into your slow cooker, stir well to combine, cover, and cook on low for 4 hours. Pulse with an immersion blender (or transfer to a regular blender in small batches), until everything is well mixed and slightly creamy. Add fresh spinach and tofu, and cook for another hour on low. Serve over fragrant rice (I like jasmine rice with a pinch of turmeric and cardamom), and enjoy!

Recipe originally from Healthy Girl's Kitchen
 

Rustic Peach Gazpacho

Rustic Peach Gazpacho

3 ripe peaches
maple syrup
6 sm-med tomatoes, chopped - heirloom are my favorite!
1 small (or half of a large) English cucumber, peeled and chopped
1/2 c sweet onion, finely chopped
25 mint leaves, rinsed
1/4 c fresh basil (or about 50 leaves), rinsed
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 T red wine vinegar
1 T fresh lemon juice
1/2 T tomato paste
1/4 t smoked paprika - yes, you MUST used smoked instead of regular - it's the magic ingredient!
1/2 t sea salt
fresh ground pepper to taste
1 T extra virgin olive oil

Slice peaches in half, and remove the pits. Arrange on a baking sheet, cut side up, and drizzle with maple syrup. Place under a broiler for 3-5 minutes, or until deep golden brown. Remove, and let cool.

Combine all ingredients except olive oil in a large bowl. Use an immersion blender to blend everything to a creamy consistency, or, you can use a traditional blender or food processer and blend the ingredients in small batches - then combine. Once you have achieved a smooth soup, continue blending as you slowly drizzle in the olive oil.

Let chill for at least 8 hours. I usually make mine the day before we eat it - as with most gazpachos, the flavors really come together over time.

Garnish with croutons, chives, and peach slices, if desired.

This soup is amazing alongside sandwiches or paninis, excellent as an interesting first course, and also pairs well with BBQ.

Original recipe found HERE on the Emma Frisch blog. As usual, I just tweaked it a bit to suit our tastes and my cooking style!

Dilly Stuffed Tomatoes

Today I have a favorite no-cook summer recipe to share. These are fancy enough for company too. Hope you enjoy! Please note: this is very much a throw-in-as-much-as-you'd-like-because-you-really-can't-mess-it-up kind of recipe, so feel free to experiment with the ingredient ratios to taste.

Dilly Stuffed Tomatoes

4 nice sized tomatoes - any variety
10 crackers of your choice - crushed
1 can of albacore tuna - drained
1/4 c sweet onion - finely chopped
1/4 c Parmesan cheese
1 t dill weed
1/2 t garlic granules (or 1 t garlic powder)
1/4 - 1/8 c mayo
Freshly milled pepper to taste
Paprika


Slice the tops off of the tomatoes, and scoop out the insides with a spoon. Drain upside down on a paper towel while you prepare the filling. Discard the seeds, but chop up the "meat" of the tomato and place in a mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients using just enough mayo to hold it together. Stuff tomatoes to overflowing, and refrigerate until serving. Serve over a bed of mixed greens or spinach with a dusting of paprika.

Watermelon Gazpacho

Got a yummy taste of fresh-summer-in-a-bowl to share with you today: Watermelon Gazpacho.

Last time we stayed at our beloved Keswick Hall, the Villa chef made a delicious version of this refreshing cold soup for lunch. It was love at first bite (sip? slurp?) and I was determined to find or make a similar recipe when we got home. After a little experimenting, and using other recipes I found as guides, here is my final product. We love it, and think it tastes even better if you make it, and then let the flavors meld overnight (the onion mellows overnight, so don't freak out if it's strong when you first make it). So easy, light, fresh, healthy, and delicious, everyone should put some Watermelon Gazpacho on their menu for the week. Great as an appetizer, first course, BBQ side, or paired with a panini.

Watermelon Gazpacho

1 large tomato, chopped
1 serrano chili seeded and chopped (in leiu of this, you can use 1/2 t red pepper flakes)
3 cups watermelon, chopped or balled
1/4 cup sweet onion (or less, if you don't like an oniony after-taste), chopped
1 small cucumber peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 medium yellow bell pepper, seeded, and chopped
1/8 cup fresh mint leaves
3 T fresh lime juice
2 T raspberry wine vinegar

Use an immersion blender to liquefy all ingredients -OR- blend all ingredients together in small batches using a blender or food processor. Combine all batches, stir well, cover, and refrigerate until serving. Garnish with mint if desired. Tastes even better the second day!