Category Archives: Appetizers

Easy Cornbread

easy cornbread

This easy cornbread recipe uses a box of Jiffy corn muffin mix, a can of cream of corn, and an egg. That’s it. It’s so easy and you can make it a day or two in advance for a summer barbeque or thanksgiving. During the pandemic, I’ve been using more pantry ingredients and Jiffy corn muffin mix and a can of creamed corn will both last a long time in your pantry.

Surprisingly, cream of corn is dairy free and the main ingredients are chopped corn, cornstarch and sugar. I try to use non-gmo brands, but any brand will work in this recipe. Creamed corn is my secret ingredient, so I don’t recommend substitutions. Especially, since it helps provide a fresh sweet corn flavor and keeps the cornbread moist, while adding some texture with chopped up bits of corn.

While you can put this mix in muffin tins, I like using an 8×8 baking dish, greasing it with vegan butter, and adding parchment paper to make it easier to remove the cornbread from the pan. Then I chop it up in squares and store it in the fridge or serve it.

Easy Cornbread
 
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Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 1 box of jiffy corn muffin mix
  • 1 egg
  • 1 can of creamed corn
  • 1 tbsp earth balance vegan butter
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Cut parchment paper to fit bottom and sides of 8x8 baking dish.
  3. Then grease baking dish with vegan butter and add parchment paper on top.
  4. Mix egg in a stand mixer or handheld mixer.
  5. Then mix in the can of creamed corn.
  6. Then slowly mix in the jiffy corn muffin mix.
  7. Then pour mix into baking dish and cook for 20-25 minutes.
  8. Use a toothpick in the center and if it comes out clean you are finished baking.
  9. Let it completely cool and remove it from pan and cut into squares before serving.

Avocado Deviled Eggs

avocado-deviled-eggs

Avocado deviled eggs make a delicious paleo friendly appetizer for Easter. I used a mix of paprika and cumin to sprinkle over the top and a cilantro leaf in the middle for the garnishes. I didn’t have a piping bag, so I used a small spoon and just scooped it on. I actually think it makes them look more modern, which fits nicely with the avocado themed twist on this classic.

I love deviled eggs, especially for Easter, but I normally make my classic deviled egg recipe. This recipe still uses some of the same flavors like lemon and dijon mustard, but avocado is used instead of mayo. I’d love to hear what your favorite deviled egg recipes are in the comments.

Using the instant pot to hard boil your eggs is a game changer. It makes them so much easier to peel! It’s actually one of the main reasons we bought our instant pot and the recipe for Instant Pot Hard Boil Eggs is an eggcellent way to easily meal plan breakfast.

Avocado Deviled Eggs
 
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Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 8 eggs
  • 1 large avocado
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp dijon mustard
Topping
  • ¼ tsp ground paprika
  • ¼ tsp ground cumin
  • 16 fresh cilantro leaves
Instructions
  1. Hard boil egg in instant pot by adding one cup of water to pot, then add eggs on metal rack.
  2. Use high pressure for 6 minutes and quick release. Then add eggs to an ice bath.
  3. Peel eggs and slice them in half then add cooked egg yolk to a food processor.
  4. Add avocado, lemon juice, sea salt, and dijon mustard to the food processor with the cooked egg yolk and puree together until smooth.
  5. Then spoon puree into hard egg whites.
  6. Mix paprika and cumin in a small bowl and sprinkle over deviled eggs and garnish them with a fresh cilantro leaf in the middle.

Sweet Corn Guacamole

sweet-corn-guacamole

Sweet corn guacamole is a delicious way to use some of your canned or frozen corn. For a more paleo friendly option, use chopped pineapple or mango instead. This was my first time using sweet corn and I have to say my husband and I were fans. We both loved the subtle hint of sweetness with the spicy guacamole and it went great with my taco shrimp and quinoa.

I didn’t have any jalapenos, so I used some leftover guacamole salsa from Hernez but a salsa verde would work in a pinch as well. An easy guacamole hack is to mix avocados with salsa if you don’t have the time or ingredients to make it from scratch. We usually use pico de gallo but feel free to get creative.

Sweet Corn Guacamole
 
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Serves: 3
Ingredients
  • 2 diced avocados
  • ½ cup of chopped cilantro
  • 1 can of sweet corn
  • 2 tbsp guacamole salsa (or salsa verde)
  • 2-3 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • ½ tsp sea salt or to taste
Instructions
  1. Drain and rinse canned sweet corn then chop cilantro.
  2. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and serve

Salmon Dill Cucumber Bites

salmon-dill-salad

If you love salmon like I do, then you will love these salmon dill cucumber bites. I added lemon, dill, and dijon mustard to enhance the flavor of the fish. I used canned salmon since I’m buying and experimenting with pantry staples during this epidemic, but when all this craziness dies down I would love to use fresh salmon instead.

I use canned tuna all the time for my tuna salad recipe, but this was my first time working with canned salmon. Even though it said it was boneless,  I did see some bones, that I did my best to pick out. I really love lemon and dill with fish so I might see how with tastes with tuna next time.

Salmon Dill Cucumber Bites
 
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Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 2 cans of salmon
  • 2 tbsp of chopped fresh dill
  • ⅓ cup of diced red onion
  • ⅓ cup of avocado oil mayo
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp of fresh lemon juice
  • ½ tsp of fresh lemon zest
  • 1 cucumber sliced
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, combine the salmon, dill, red onion, mayo, dijon mustard, lemon juice and lemon zest and mix.
  2. Slice cucumber and spoon salmon dill salad over each cucumber slice.

Easy Oven Roasted Baba Ganoush

baba_ganoush_web-v02

This easy baba ganoush recipe roasts baby eggplants in the oven and then combines everything in a food processor. Feel free to play with the recipe and make it your own. I found that it tastes much better after it sits overnight in the fridge, which I love, because make-ahead recipes are great for entertaining and so are dips. I also added a lot of raw garlic, because I love garlic, but if that’s not to your taste, use less, or roast the garlic cloves to make it milder.

I also added some fresh flat leaf Italian parsley, because I already had it in my fridge and since it has a nice mild flavor that goes well with lemon and eggplant. I’m not going to claim that this recipe is authentic, but I thought it tasted good and I would definitely make it again for friends and family to snack on.

Easy Oven Roasted Baba Ganoush
 
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Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 4 baby eggplants
  • 2-3 medium cloves of garlic, pressed
  • juice from half a lemon
  • ½ cup of fresh flat leaf Italian parsley
  • 2 tbsp of tahini
  • ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil
  • sea salt to taste
  • (optional) garnish with fresh parsley, olive oil, and smoked paprika
Instructions
  1. Cut baby eggplants in half, then brush the cut side with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
  2. Put eggplant cut side down on a baking sheet and roast for an hour at 375 degrees.
  3. Take them out and let them cool. Then scoop out the insides of the eggplant and remove skin.
  4. Place eggplant insides into a food processor with tahini, remainder of olive oil, and 2 or 3 pressed garlic cloves, juice of half a lemon, and parsley and blend until desired consistency.
  5. Add sea salt to taste.
  6. Refrigerate overnight.
  7. (optional) When ready to serve, make a swirl with a spoon and drizzle in olive oil and sprinkle smoked paprika and fresh parsley.
Notes
Feel free to sub sweet paprika for smoked paprika.
Use more or less garlic and sea salt, to suit your tastes.

 

Roasted Shishito Peppers with Bonito Flakes

Roasted Shishito Peppers with Bonito Flakes - Healing and Eating

This recipe for roasted shishito peppers with bonito flakes is not only easy, but a quick appetizer to make that will wow friends and family. I attempted to recreate a recipe that I had at a really awesome sushi place close to my apartment, which started my love for bonito flakes. If you don’t know what bonito flakes are, they are shaved pieces of smoked and dried bonito, which is a type of tuna. Bonito flakes are commonly used in Japanese cooking, usually as an ingredient in fish broth. These flakes have a really unique umami, salty, and smokey flavor that makes a delicious and pretty garnish. I picked up mine at my local Japanese grocery store, since my neighborhood has a large Japanese community. You can also find them on amazon.

Most of the time these peppers are mild, but a few can be pretty spicy so I recommend serving it with a refreshing dipping sauce. I think my lemon garlic aioli would taste delicious with it, but the sky is the limit, so feel free to be creative. The aioli can be made ahead of time as well, so these can be quickly made right before or even during a party.

Roasted Shishito Peppers with Bonito Flakes
 
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Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 12 oz shishito peppers
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp coconut aminos
  • ⅛ tsp sea salt
  • 3 tbsp bonito flakes (or more to taste)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  2. Mix peppers with olive oil, coconut aminos, and sea salt. Then wrap it all in foil and let it roast for 6 minutes.
  3. Then unwrap peppers from foil and broil peppers for two minutes. Then move them around on the baking sheet so they blister evenly and broil for another two minutes, or until desired amount of blistering occurs.
  4. Transfer peppers to a serving dish, and drizzle with additional coconut aminos and sprinkle bonito flakes over top and serve immediately.

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