Category Archives: Appetizers
Spinach & Pepper Jack Hummus
I love hummus and I wanted to try making my own so I tried out this recipe. It is very tasty and makes a generous amount. You can always change it up depending on your particular taste.
What You Need
1 can of chickpeas (16 oz.) drained and rinsed
2 Tablespoons of tahini (ground sesame seeds)
2-3 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
lemon juice from 1/2 a lemon
2 cups of fresh, roughly chopped spinach
1/4 cup of shredded pepper jack cheese
2 tablespoons of olive oil
sea salt & pepper to taste
How To Prepare
1. Put chickpeas, garlic, tahini and lemon juice in a food processor. (Don’t forget to drain and rinse the chickpeas first.)
2. Pulse until fully combined and all chickpeas are broken up.
3. Add in spinach, salt, pepper, cheese, and olive oil. Pulse until smooth and creamy.
4. Take a taste test and add more salt, pepper or lemon juice if necessary.
Serve with pita chips and refrigerate any leftover hummus.
I like to eat this with Stacys multigrain pita chips that I purchase at my local grocery store.
recipe adapted from: healthywithheather.com
Honey Lime Grilled Shrimp
I made this shrimp for a party and it was very very tasty! It can be served as an appetizer or part of your main course.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
2 lbs raw, shelled, de-veined shrimp
1 jar (4 oz) hot chili paste
(look in the ethnic section of the grocery store. I used Thai Kitchen brand)
1 cup of honey
1/2 cup of lime juice (about 4 or 5 limes)
1 Tbsp fresh minced garlic
1/4 cup fresh minced ginger
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup canola oil (you could substitute with coconut oil)
Approx. 10 bamboo or metal skewers
HOW TO PREPARE
1. Rinse shrimp and place in a large ziplock bag.
2. Put all the remaining ingredients in a bowl and mix together.
3. Set aside 1/2 cup of the marinade to use when ready to cook.
4. Pour the rest of the marinade in the bag and coat the shrimp.
5. Put the bag of shrimp w/ marinade in a bowl/container to prevent from leaking.
6. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours, but no more than 48 hours.
(I marinated mine for about 35 hours)
7. When ready to cook, thread the shrimp onto the skewers and fire up the grill.
- *Some people recommend soaking bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes before grilling to avoid them catching fire. I have read that it doesn’t really help, but use your own judgement. I didn’t soak my skewers, but I also lined the grill with foil.
- *I baked a few in the oven to try them out before I served them at a party. So if you wish to bake them instead of grilling, they will still turn out delicious. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
8. Put shrimp on the grill and pour the reserved marinade on top.
9. Cook the shrimp for a few minutes on each side until pink.
*Be sure to keep an eye on them because shrimp cook very fast!
10. Once fully cooked, take off the grill and pull off the skewers to serve in a bowl. You can give each person an individual skewer if you prefer.
This recipe was adapted from: ourbestbites.com
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