Cucumber Cream Dip Served on French Bread

We loved this it tastes delicious on toasted french bread or toasted baguettes. The crunch of the bread is a great combination with the dip. My daughters were over and they loved it.


Ingredients

1 C cashew cream *
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp chili powder
4 green onion with stems cut off
1/2 cucumber washed
1 T dried parsley
1/2 cucumber diced
3 roma tomatoes diced
french bread sliced toasted with olive oil
garnish with dried parsley optional

Directions

*(Cashew Cream) The process for making the cashew cream. You soak 2 C cashews as long as you can or overnight. In 2 C water in covered in the fridge. After soaking is complete drain out the water and rinse, then add 1 C water while you blend in a blender till creamy. Set aside.

1. In a blender blend cashew cream, salt, chili powder, green onion and half of the cucumber. Pulse until mostly smooth.
2. Fold in the remaining diced cucumber.
3. Toast the french bread with olive oil spread on top. Toast until light brown.
4. Spread dip on toast. Top with tomatoes and parsley if desired.
5. Serve right away. You can have people make their own so the bread doesn't get soggy.

* Would also be great with crackers or  cut up vegetables.

Whole Grain Holiday Wraps with Vegetables (fun appetizer)

Happy Holiday Wraps

Ready to Roll!

All rolled up!

New product

 I got this fun idea for a fun holiday appetizer. I changed it to make it healthier. This would be fun to take to a holiday party or just enjoy at home. It was fun to find a new product at the store "Greek cream cheese" or you can make your own here. If you are feeling ambitious. I think it would be fun to try different vegetables next time too. You can be creative and come up with your creation.


Ingredients
1 8oz package Greek cream cheese, or Greek yogurt, or cream cheese (softened)
1 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 pepper
1 tsp basil
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes *optional
4 green onions chopped up
1 red pepper diced
3 T dried parsley or fresh parsley chopped * optional
other options: chopped broccoli, or chopped spinach, and dried cranberries
7-8 wholegrain tortilla wraps or I made these
freshly ground pepper

Directions
1. Put softened cream cheese in a bowl. Add the parsley, garlic, onion, salt, pepper, basil, and * red pepper flakes. Stir until it all combined. Set aside.

2. Lay out the tortilla on a clean counter top and divide the mixture evenly on to the tortilla and spread all the way out to the edges. Then evenly distribute the vegetables (You can put on the amount of vegetables you want) on to the tortillas. Then sprinkle on the parsley and pepper if desired.

3. Roll them up. Cover in plastic wrap, and put in the fridge until ready to serve.

4. When ready to serve take out of the fridge unwrap. Slice in about 1/2 inch slices. Place on plate. Serve.     

Grape Peach Salsa

By posting this recipe I am entering in a recipe contest sponsored by the California Table Grapes Commission and am eligible to win prizes. I was not compensated for my time.

One last grape recipe for you! We couldn't let the Recipe Redux's challenge go away without posting this last recipe. This was fun to make a salsa with grapes. I have never done that before. The grapes added a nice sweetness to salsa. We put this salsa on our baked chicken last night. It would also be delicious on chips, fish, beef, pork etc... Be creative.

Grapes of all colors are not only tasty, they are good for you. Grapes contain resveratrol, a polyphenol antioxidant that appears to be involved in reducing the risk or slowing the development of cancer, heart disease, degenerative nerve disease, viral infections, and Alzheimer's disease. Resveratrol is especially found in the skins of grapes. One serving of grapes (3/4 cup) contains just 90 calories, no fat, no cholesterol, and virtually no sodium, and also provide potassium and are good source of vitamin K. 

Ingredients
1 clove of minced garlic
3/4 C of quarted purple grapes
1 jalapeno minced
3 green onion chopped
1 ripe peach (or switch out for mango!), diced into small pieces
2 T diced purple onion   
1/2 lime juice
salt and pepper and to taste

Directions
1. Place in bowl garlic, grapes, jalapeno, green onion, peach, purple onions, Stir all together.
2. Then stir in lime juice and salt and pepper. Let the flavors meld together if possible. Serve.