Breakfast Cookies - Fill the Cookie Jar

Cookies for breakfast; why yes of course!

Blueberry Spinach Burgers - Crazy Ingredient Challenge

It's that time of the month again... NO! not that time but Crazy Ingredient Challenge time and I hope that you will like what I came up with using Blueberries and Spinach.

Berry Salad with Basil Chia Vinaigrette

I love summer and fresh fruit.  We have a small strawberry patch that this year is producing very well.  Or at least I think so.  I have also been able to get to them before the critters which helps.  Before this year, I would pick and throw out the strawberries that had bites taken out but this year I decided to leave them.  Low and behold they seem to be coming back to eat the strawberries that they had already started to eat~ I do hope this continue and they don't go for the new ones.

I decided to make a salad with the strawberries and a dressing.  My basil is also starting to come up and basil and strawberries go so well together so came up with this recipe.

Berry Salad with Basil Chia Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

sliced strawberries

blueberries

pomegranate seeds  

assorted lettuce or spinach ( I used romaine and spinach)

glazed walnuts

sliced chicken (optional)

for vinaigrette: 

1/2 cup oil

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1 tsp dijon mustard

2 tsp fresh minced basil

1 tbsp chia seed

1/2 tsp honey powder (or you could use what ever sweetener you like)

 Directions:

Make vinaigrette by mixing all ingredients together and let sit while you prepare your salad.

Assemble lettuce, add  fruit, walnuts and chicken.

Drizzle vinaigrette over salad and enjoy.  

Vinaigrette will keep in the fridge for 3-7 days depending on what you put into them. With fresh herbs, I have read that they don't last as long.  I do keep mine longer but I don't recommend it to others.  I throw them out when they start smelling bad.. that is my clue that I need to make some more.

Links:  Foodie Friends Friday, Thursdays Treasures

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Red, White and Blue Parfait

I saw this recipe today on Facebook from  Pinch My Salt and thought it would be perfect for our Red, White and Blue Party on Foodie Friends Friday.  I had all the ingredients so had to make it... take pictures and write the post quickly...  It is a wonderful light dessert that you could make any time.  Pinch My Salt's recipe only used a strawberry rhubarb compote but I wanted it blue so made a blueberry sauce too.

Red, White and Blue Parfait

adapted from Strawberry - Rhubarb Fool

Ingredients:

For compote

Rhubarb

Strawberries

Raspberries (total of 2 cups of fruit)

Sweetener to taste- I used honey

For Blueberry Sauce

Blueberries (used only about 1/4 cup)

Sweetener to Taste

For Topping

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/3 cup vanilla yogurt ( I used Chobani Greek Yogurt)

Instructions:

Rhubarb, Strawberry, Raspberry Compote ~ Add rhubarb, strawberries, raspberries and sweetener in sauce pan with a small amount of water (about a tablespoon).  Cook on medium heat until it is mushy and start to thicken.  Let cool.  I cooled mine in the freezer.  Set aside.

Blueberry Sauce ~Add blueberries and sweetener to saucepan, cook over medium low heat until they start to have some liquid.  I didn't cook mine all the way through.  Set aside to cool.

Topping ~ Add whipping cream, powdered sugar and yogurt in mixing bowl.  Whip until peaks form.

Assemble:  Layer Rhubarb, Strawberry, Raspberry Compote and topping.  Top with blueberry sauce.  Enjoy

This would also taste good with some granola.  

Links:  Swap and Share , Random Recipe Roundup, Dial Moms Monday, Wednesday Extravaganza, Weekend Re-treat

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