Thursday, May 24, 2012

Preparing for summer….

I think these last few days were a little sneak peak of what’s to come this summer!  Thankfully the thermometer has come down a few notches today and we’re enjoying a beautiful breezy day.  All this heat got me thinking that it is about time to start bringing out those “cool” summer recipes.  For me, I envision a summer of weekend trips to the farmers market, frozen treats and refreshing salads….can’t wait!

I know it’s not quite summer yet, but I couldn’t help but prepare myself with this easy fresh salad. 

*Note: I found it best to make this salad at least 6 hours before serving not only to allow the flavors to blend, but to get it nice and chilled.  The salad will hold several hours without refrigeration, which makes it great for those summer picnics and bbq’s!

DSCN4101 Marinated Bean Salad

Yields 15 (1/2 cup servings)

Ingredients:

1 can organic kidney beans

1 can organic black beans

1 can organic Great Northern Beans

1 can organic garbanzo beans

1 can organic cannellini beans

1 red onion, sliced thin or chopped (I prefer mine chopped!)

1 organic red pepper, chopped

1 Tbsp dill

2-3 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped fine

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

1/4 tsp oregano

4 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp gluten free balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Rinse all the beans in a colander, then drain.  Transfer the beans to a bowl.

Add the onion and red pepper.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together the dill, mint, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, oregano, olive oil and vinegar.  Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss until the beans are evenly coated.  Cover and refrigerate for 6 hours.

DSCN4098 The flavors were spot on and I loved the touch of mint…it added that “cool” element to the salad!DSCN4099

And what would summer be without some fun frozen treats?  I found these fun little snacks over at Peas and Thank You and tried whipping up a batch of our own.  DSCN4127They’re easy, they’re fun, they’re healthy and they’re refreshing on a hot day!  A perfect snack for the princesses to make and eat all on their own (well, I hope they would save a couple for me and the hubs)!

Frozen Yogurt and Banana Treats

Ingredients:

2 bananas, cut into pieces

1 container of your favorite Greek yogurt (we used raspberry)

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (we used Enjoy Life)

1/4 cup granola (we used Nature’s Path Hemp Granola)

Directions:

Arrange banana slices on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.  Add a teaspoon full of yogurt to the top of each banana slice.  Top with a few chocolate chips and a sprinkle of granola.

Place the bananas in the freezer for about 45 minutes.  Enjoy your frozen treat for breakfast, lunch or after dinner dessert!

DSCN4125Perfect for little mouths and not “too” messy!

What’s your favorite summertime frozen treat?  I just popped some watermelon “balls” in the freezer (they make great ice cubes!) and we’re looking forward to homemade fruit and yogurt popsicles for sure! 

Blessings,

J’lene

This post is also shared on Allergy Free Wednesdays!

1 comment:

  1. Thank you for linking up this yummy recipe on last week's Allergy-Free Wednesdays! I can't wait to make it. I chose it as a feature on my website for today's link-up party. As a part of the feature, it is also mentioned on my Facebook page and pinned on pinterest. Thank you for sharing it with us! We hope you'll link-up again today. You can find the feature here:
    http://willingcook.com/allergy-free-wednesday-may-30-2012/

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