Strawberry Cucumber Salad

Strawberry Cucumber Salad tossed in Honey & White Wine Vinegar

Have you heard? I can grow a badass cucumber! It all started in the compost

…I’m one of those people who will see something in a picture and more often than not, convince myself  “Hey, I can do that!”, and off I set to do ‘whatever‘ without really researching the ‘how to’ behind the project… Sound familiar? Know anyone else like this? Well in this instance, it was composting. I mean seriously, how hard can it be to allow stuff to decompose, Right?  So I built a box out of pallet leftovers setting a drum from an old washing machine in the center to hold my ‘stuff’. cucumbersMaking sure the cover would lock to keep critters out, ensuring airflow ~ I felt good about my recycling endeavor and started filling the drum with kitchen scraps & garden trimmings, turning it daily as I had interpreted from the pic. Payday happened at the beginning of Spring 2018 when my efforts were rewarded with beautiful black rich soil! WHOOT! I was so excited at my success! 🙂 As soon as it was warm enough that black gold was spread over every single raised bed, used in all my pots and even layered in some ground areas. Anticipation grew as I soon started seeing little sprouts everywhere. Yay! I was all happy with myself; maybe I do have a green thumb… HaHaHa, If Only! Ya see, all the sprouts were IDENTICAL. Every pot. Every bed. Every spot I used my black gold had the exact same sprout. 

Each sprout I have since learned was a cucumber plant! (a few were cantaloupes)

Apparently, I need to research more about composting because when I discarded my cucumber vines with some cucumbers last year, the seeds did not decomp as I expected and were dispersed throughout my entire garden this year! SMH! Imagine my surprise when cucumbers started coming up where I had planted corn! And cantaloupe! And tomatoes in my potatoes! WTH? It’s funny now but I’ve had to do some serious searching for cucumber inspired recipes…

Thus, bringing this ingenious lovely into my life! Simple, easy, 4 ingredients! Think of it as ‘Summer in a Side’!SAM_0429

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup Honey
  • 1/8 – 1/4 cup White Wine Vinegar
  • 1 large Cucumber
  • 1 pint Strawberries

Mix vinegar & honey in a small bowl. I suggest this motto: “Less is Best, Taste as you Go” to ensure the vinegar isn’t overpowering the sweetness I started with 1/8 cup and continued until it fancied my flavor! 😉

Peel and slice your cucumber into rounds

Slice the strawberries after washing and removing stems, adding to bowl of cucumbers. Pour the honey mixture over the fruits, tossing gently to dress each slice. Cover and chill before serving.SAM_0431

 

 

SAM_0433

 

Oh, food for thought: to cut small fruits like strawberries, olives, or mushrooms I ♥ this ~ Works Perfectly so hands of grands can assist without concern of cutting themselves!

Surfing through Pinterest as I usually do for inspiration I stumbled across a pin that led me to Karen over at   https://thefoodcharlatan.com with her re-make from the cookbook Our Sweet Basil Kitchen by Oh Sweet Basil. Both recipe curators use balsamic for this dish. I chose white wine vinegar as it has less bite IMO compared to balsamic versions. But don’t take just my word, you should try all three for yourself!

Til Next Time ~

Domesticate Rebellion

THRIVING ~ Have you witnessed the testimonies? It’s not about weight loss; it IS about feeling better from the inside out! If interested I would love to help you! Knowledge is Power! Sign-up for a FREE account & information at https://domesticated.le-vel.com

DISCLAIMER: This post may contain affiliate links meaning if you click & buy, I may be compensated. So, Thank you!

CRUNCHY ZUCCHINI BITES

Crunchy Zucchini Bites

Have you noticed summer is here? I assure you it is peaking in my neck of the woods.  Bringing record-breaking, scorching, hell-like heat with it too! WOW! Sadly, for many of my garden edibles the heat has been nothing less than brutal. The increased temps left me just a single zucchini ready for picking this morning. Hmph! Nature can be a beast sometimes. 😦

However, being the single beauty was of good size I decided I wanted to stretch it between the hubs & I as a side.

And I Did! Just look at these crispy bites of yum! Here is how I did it:  SAM_0407

  • 1 zucchini
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
  •  2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • salt/pepper to taste
  1. Peel zucchini then cut into 1/8″ rounds
  2. Grate 1/2 cup parmesan cheese into the Panko, add garlic powder & mix well
  3. Beat 2 eggs
  4. In a fry pan, heat some oil to medium – high
  5. Dredge the rounds in your flour
  6. dip thoroughly in egg
  7. press into the panko parm breading mix being sure to cover each side
  8. Fry in batches about 2-3 minutes each side until the centers are soft and the outside is crispy, crunchy golden brown .
  9. Remove from oil, place on paper towel salting to taste

SAM_0415These lovelies were paired with grilled chicken, fluffy potato and out of this world crunchy zucchini bites! If you’re a texture person as I am, then you will enjoy the crispy crunch ~ A total knock out thanks to the Panko (Japanese bread crumbs).

Another “Thank you” to Chungah over at #DamnDelicious for her recipe inspiration!SAM_0439

During all seasons we get to enjoy grilling thanks to my counter-top grill. Electric, removable grate & removable drip pan. ♥♥♥

Such an effective way to 71tRQFahuML._SL1500_bring the flavors & textures of outdoors inside without feeling the heat!

If you enjoy grilling as much as I do, but don’t want to melt in the rising temperatures outside, here is a newer version counter-top grill by Hamilton Beach   https://amzn.to/2LuVlpFd. 

Time to get your grill on!

Til Next Time ~

Domesticate Rebellion

THRIVING ~ Have you witnessed the testimonies? It’s not about weight loss; it IS about feeling better from the inside out! If interested I would love to help you! Knowledge is Power! Sign-up for a FREE account & information at https://domesticated.le-vel.com

 
  • DISCLAIMER: This post may contain affiliate links meaning if you click & buy, I may be compensated. So, Thank you!

 

 

 

 

 

Roasted Tomatoes

IT’S OFFICIALLY SPRING Y’ALL!

I know its been a minute since I last posted but see, we have these lil peoples that sometimes like to visit ‘the farm’. Not our littles but ‘Grand Littles‘… Hmm, catchy… Remember you heard it here 1st if it becomes a thing.  🙂  So, we’ve had a few of our grands out sporadically over the past couple of weeks. Assisting this Mimi in getting into the Spring of things… We cooked, we gardened, we explored & hunted, and we painted rocks. We had lazy mornings, some cReAtiVe afternoons, and fun evenings ending late into the night. But alas, giggles, grins, and all things ‘grand’ come to an end as they go back home returning to friends, school and routine ~ leaving the hubs and I to return to our less structured but nonetheless routine as well.

*sigh*

I’m sure some of you can relate that after a couple of weeks of consuming more than our fair share of pizza, mac & cheese, waffles with whipped cream, chili dogs, chicken nuggets and s’mores 260(and more) my body is demanding what it has been lacking: Some healthy! Yes, we ARE those kind of Mimi/Papa’s and Yes, I seriously feel like a Weeble

“🎼Weebles wobble ♪ but ♪ we don’t fall down ♪.”   

Perusing the isles of the market the other day we spotted some beautiful plump hot-house tomatoes & I just had to have them. They screamed to me: “SPRING IS HERE”.  I was hoping to find some inspiration for a light yet filling dinner & here it was.  Now, I’m not a science guru so don’t get all nerdy on me because I’m not 100% sure just how ‘healthy’ tomatoes are. However, what I do know is we love them and they are not full of sugar or carbs. So in my book – that’s healthy enough for tonight! I’ll consult Google on the matter later tho. 😉

We made it home with our purchases in hand and a grumble in our stomach. It didn’t take long to prep & pop these babies in the oven. Easy Peasy folks!

Imagine if you can… 250

Tomatoes roasting, sizzling in EVOO, complete with garlic, basil, rosemary, thyme and oregano… Scrumptious bits bursting with flavor in each mouth-watering bite! Just enough tang to get your jaw to slightly clinch initiating your saliva glands into some double duty action. AhHaha Yes, you DO know! 🙂

However, no one eats just tomatoes for dinner! Although fresh fruits serve as a delightful snack the hubs requires a bit more substance in his meal so these beauties were paired with some polenta to complete our light but yet filling dinner!

18953912cdaa467b255f9ef0b44cf4f6Polenta is a dish that originated in Italy. It is a dish of boiled cornmeal that was historically made from other grains. It may be served as a hot porridge/cereal, or it may be allowed to cool and solidify into a loaf that can be baked, fried, or grilled.  I always use the brand Bob Mills. Food for Thought: I originally believed polenta & grits were the same. They are not. Polenta is yellow corn while grits are white corn, specifically hominy. (Ah ha, that explains my dislike of grits!)

To make this preheat oven to 425 degrees and gather up:

  • 4-5 ripe tomatoes, slice & lay out on a sheet pan lined with foil/parchment or a Silpat 
  • 2-3 Tbs EVOO to drizzle over all
  • 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced & sprinkled evenly over each slice
  • Mix together 1 tsp each: Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano and Basil (or use 1 1/2 Tbs Italian herb mixture) and sprinkle over each tomato slice
  • Salt & pepper to liking

Roast tomatoes for 30-45 minutes. Plenty of time to prepare the polenta your favorite way and shred some parmesan cheese. MMMmmm, Our belly’s said “Thank you”!  Do you like roasted tomatoes? Let me know what you would pair with them.

Note to Self: One thing for sure, Grands remind me that I am not as young as I once was but I am as young as I ever will be again!

Til Next Time,

Domesticated Rebellion

THRIVING ~ Have you witnessed the testimonies? It’s not about weight loss; it IS about feeling better from the inside out! If interested I would love to help you! Sign-up for a free account at https://domesticated.le-vel.com

 
  • DISCLAIMER: This post may contain affiliate links meaning if you click & buy, I may be compensated. So, Thank you!

 

For the Love of Spring

Hey folks, Is it cold where you live? Fall has arrived in my corner & while I was going through my images I was transported back to early June when veggies were ripening in the garden and bursting with the best flavor.

This image makes my mouth water! Seriously!

This delicious salad is one that I typically only get when we go out to eat. Until now!

This past Spring/Summer season, I started my very first little veggie garden to see if I have green thumbs or not.

Well, my thumbs are not green (but at least I have thumbs!) LOL

And while this was suppose to be healthy aka not so tasty, I made a home-made red wine vinegar and honey dressing that knocked it out of the park! Even the hubs enjoyed! #Score

Next year #fresh will be better than ever!

Strawberry Spinach Almonds Avocado Oh My

Til Next time ~

Domesticated Rebellion