Tzatziki Dip

Posted on September 2, 2014 by skibootsinthekitchen

I hope you all had a wonderful Labor Day weekend! We had gorgeous weather in Park City, which was a welcomed change from all the rain and gloomy weather we’ve been having here. I keep telling myself that all this rain now… means LOTS of snow this winter, right? I kicked off my long weekend with a BBQ with some friends, like I am sure many of you did as well. I was looking for a different appetizer to bring to the BBQ than the usual hummus and carrots or veggie platter which are so over done!

We have been getting a lot of cucumbers in our CSA lately so I thought it would be perfect to use some of them up. This recipe for Tzatziki is super light and refreshing- it uses about half the amount of sour cream that most recipes call for, making this the perfect dip or condiment! I also love putting this Tzatziki on my Greek chicken gryo’s (recipe to come!) Serve this dip with some pita chips and enjoy!!

Greek Tzatziki Dip

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon white wine or champagne vinegar
2 gloves garlic, minced or pressed using a garlic press
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
4-5 turns of fresh pepper
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 cup sour cream
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced (smaller is better)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill (I use freeze dried sometimes too)

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix to combine, set aside.
Peel cucumbers and slice them lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop the seeds from the flesh and discard them. Diced the cucumber into small bite size cubes.
In another medium bowl, use a whisk to blend yogurt with sour cream.
Add the olive oil mixture to the yogurt mixture and stir until none of the oil remains.
Fold in cucumber and dill until fully incorporated. Chill for 1-2 hours before serving.
Serve with pita chips

Kale Monster Detox Smoothie

Posted on December 8, 2013 by skibootsinthekitchen

I hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving! Sorry for the delay in posts- I’ve been recovering from cooking and eating overload! I can’t wait to share some of the awesome recipes I made for our Thanksgiving feast. I was in serious need of a detox after the holiday weekend- I ate pumpkin pie for breakfast Friday, Saturday and Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend… Sorry I’m not sorry- it was delicious! BUT with only two and half weeks until Christmas and all those holiday parties around the corner, I’m feeling the need for a healthy dose of green goodness. If you’re looking for the ultimate super food or “queen of greens” its KALE. It literally has all the good stuff- it’s an excellent source of antioxidant vitamins A, C, and K, its also packed with fiber and anti-cancer health benefits- You get the picture, this stuff is GOOD! I understand, drinking straight kale in the morning doesn’t sound super appealing- but you throw some strawberries, banana and almond milk in the picture and you’ve got a delicious, healthy and detoxifying breakfast! Enjoy!

Kale Monster Detox Smoothie

Ingredients:

5- 6 large frozen or fresh strawberries
1 large frozen banana, cut into pieces
1/2 a large cucumber, peeled and sliced
1 1/12 cups vanilla almond or soy milk
4 large kale leaves, chopped (stems removed)
1 large handful spinach
1 tablespoon ground flax seed (optional)

Combine almond milk, frozen banana and cumber in a blender. Add kale, spinach, strawberries and flax seed. Blend until smooth. If the smoothie is looking too thick add more almond milk until desired consistency. If you’re using fresh strawberries you may wish to add a hand full of ice. Enjoy!

From Mrs. Hardy’s Kitchen… Spicy Peanut & Chicken Soba Noodles

Posted on July 8, 2013 by skibootsinthekitchen

My apologies for the long absence and lack of posts- June was kind of a busy month for me. I traded my ski boots and apron for cowboy boots and wedding dress. Yes, I got married! It was a beautiful day surrounded by friends and family. Now that the craziness is over and I have lots of new kitchen gadgets… I’m back at it! We are in the middle of a horrible heat wave here in the mountains, which means my desire to be anywhere near a stove or hot flame is nonexistent. That is why this chilled soba noodle salad is perfect for a hot & humid summer night! This also makes great leftovers for lunch or is perfect for beach picnics and mountain side concerts! Enjoy!

Spicy Peanut & Chicken Soba Noodle Salad (Click for printer friendly version)

Recipe By Ski Boots in the Kitchen (Serves 4-6)

1 rotisserie chicken, meat removed from the bones and shredded (I do this with my hands, its easier)
1 large bell pepper or 8 mini sweet peppers like the ones above, chopped
1/2 a large English cucumber, chopped
1/2 a package buckwheat soba noodles
2-3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons peanut oil
Green onions for garnish
Raw peanuts for garnish, chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste

Spicy Peanut Sauce

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
2-3 teaspoons Sriracha (you can add more or less depending on your spice tolerance)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Juice from 1/2 a lime
Salt and Pepper

Directions

Chop the peppers, cucumbers and cilantro, set aside.
Pull chicken from the bone and allow to cool on a plate while the water for the soba noodles is coming to a boil.
Cook soba noodles according to the directions on the package (Don’t over cook them! they cook very fast!)
While soba noodles are cooking, in a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the spicy peanut sauce. If the sauce seems too pasty and thick, add a little water and continue mixing to thin it out (it should be the consistency of a creamy salad dressing)
When the noodles are done cooking, drain them and rinse them under cold water. Transfer the noodles to a large bowl and toss with peanut oil immediately to avoid them from sticking together.
Add chicken, veggies, cilantro, peanut sauce and toss together. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate or serve immediately.
Garnish with green onions and chopped peanuts.