Be Good.
Food has always been a sense of comfort in households. Whether you are stressed out from work or want to celebrate a birthday, food is the centerpiece. As more people are forced to stay indoors due to Covid-19, we wanted to give you some ideas for easy recipes to prepare when the summer heat has you saying, “Oooo weee”. Bobbie Cheri Gobert picks her favorite summer recipes from her cookbook, Don’t You Dairy, that are sure to be a hit at the dinner table. Oh, and if you are lactose-intolerant then we got you. All her dishes are made without any dairy products. Below, Bobbie pens the story behind each dish.
By Ashley O.
Photo courtesy of @dontyoudairy_
Balsamic Tomatoes
Have you ever read a recipe and based off of the ingredients you questioned how good the dish would be? I’m sure you may wonder about this simple appetizer. First of all, less is always more unless it’s Gumbo. I love these balsamic tomatoes by themselves, on top of a salad or as a crostini. The tang from the balsamic vinegar paired with the acidity of the tomatoes and topped with the saltiness from the vegan cheese is the perfect party in your mouth. If this ain't summer I don't know what is.
P.S. I'm sorry that summer sucks this year!
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tomatoes
Handful of fresh spinach
Daiya mozzarella style shreds, finely chopped
Directions:
In a mixing bowl, using a whisk, combine balsamic vinegar, Italian seasoning, and salt together.
On a cutting board, place the tomato on its side and cut a thin slice off the top where it is connected to the vine and the bottom. These two pieces will not be used so you can discard or cut up and use later.
Slice one tomato into 3 to 4 slices. Continue this process with remaining tomatoes.
Add tomatoes to bowl of balsamic vinegar. Turn the tomatoes over a couple of times in the mixture so they are well coated.
Place tomatoes and liquid in a large freezer bag. Seal tightly and place the bag on a dinner plate. Spread the tomatoes inside the bag so they are as flat as possible. Place both bag and plate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
On a baking sheet lined with foil, place tomatoes down, add 1 to 2 leaves of spinach, and sprinkle a little mozzarella on top.
Bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven and serve.
Curried Cauliflower Rice
If I can just be honest, I am not the biggest cauliflower fan. I only eat it prepared two ways. One, roasted with my blackened spice mix. And two, curried cauliflower rice. When I think about the things that I don’t really care to eat, they all have the same issue. I have to do a lot to them to make them taste good. The ingredients in this dish get me excited about cauliflower. I never met a curry that l didn't love. You can enjoy this recipe hot or cold.
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons Canola oil
1 (12 ounce) bag cauliflower rice
1/2 cup chopped red bell peppers
1/4 cup chopped onions
1 tablespoon curry powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/2 teaspoon ginger paste
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 cups fresh spinach
Directions:
In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil on medium high heat.
Add cauliflower rice, bell pepper, onion, curry powder, and salt. Cook 12 to 13 minutes, stirring occasionally with a spatula.
Add garlic, ginger, and sugar. Cook 2 to 3 minutes.
Add spinach and stir until spinach is wilted and well combined.
Remove from heat and serve.
Shrimp and Crab Pasta Salad
If there ever was a dish I would not stop bringing to the BBQ’s, it would be this. There’s never enough, first and foremost. I understand why it’s a hit, though. It has all the stuff we love: the fat, the sweet, the salt, and the boujee carbs. I personally can’t think of anything better. It’s the perfect summer time dish because it’s served cold. Think of this dish as boujee macaroni salad. Boujee but will still fight you!
Ingredients:
FOR THE NOODLES
3 quarts water
1 tablespoon salt
2 cups small elbow noodles
Directions:
In a medium pot, on high heat, bring water and salt to a boil.
Add noodles, stir 10 to 12 seconds with a spoon, and cook 7 minutes.
Drain, rinse with cold water, place in a bowl, and let cool for 20 minutes.
FOR THE SHRIMP
1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1 tablespoon olive oil
DIRECTIONS
In a skillet, heat oil on medium high heat.
Add shrimp and Cajun seasoning. Cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
Remove from heat, place in a bowl, and set aside.
FOR THE MIXTURE
1 (8 ounce) can lump crab meat
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
3 tablespoons sweet pickled relish
1/4 teaspoon Ac'cent flavor enhancer
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 cup Best Foods mayo ( or Vegan mayo as an option)
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients with a spoon.
Add cooked shrimp and cooked noodles. Stir until well combined.
Refrigerate 4 hours.
Summer Breeze
My cousin Karmen loves to host just like I do. It’s funny how she thinks she’s the only one who knows how to make a good cocktail. I have to give her credit where it is due for this one though. She made this cocktail for us and it’s been “Karm can you make that cocktail?” ever since. This summer cocktail is taken from Karm's cocktail, a recipe in my cookbook. This in my opinion is the perfect cocktail. Why perfect? I love a good froth, let’s start there. You can almost use any alcohol you want and it’s still bomb.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup Peach Ciroc
2 teaspoons basil simple syrup ( see below for recipe) add more if needed
Egg white
handful of ice
1/2 cup agua fresca ( watermelon juice)
Watermelon chunks or blueberries for garnish
cocktail shaker
Directions:
In a shaker, add all ingredients except garnish. Shake vigorously until cocktail is frothy.
Pour in glass and garnish.
BASIL SIMPLE SYRUP
Ingredients:
I bunch of fresh basil
2 cups water
2 cups granulated sugar
Directions:
In a small saucepan, Heat water and sugar on high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add basil leaves and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover with lid, and let sit for 30 minutes.
Strain and pour liquid in jar with a lid. Place in refrigerator when cooled off.
Bobbie also shares a video of how to prepare a simple dish like avocado toast but with a twist.
Don’t You Dairy
50 Dairy-Free & Delicious Recipes
By Bobbie Cheri Gobert
Do you want more of Bobbie’s delicious recipes to try? Click the link below and get a quick glimpse inside.