In the late part of summer, the gardens and farms are laden with fruit and veggies.  What an amazing opportunity for eating fresh and healthy.  And when I eat all these wonderful veggies and fruits, I feel great.  And I feel great supporting a local farmer or gardener.   Subscribe to your local farmers delivery service and support your local farmers markets.

This recipe IS the freshness of the season.  Is there anything better than fresh tomatoes with salt?  Still warm from the sun?  NOPE.  NOTHING.

Beauty Shot:

Gazpacho with spicy citrus shrimp

Ingredients:

64 oz. Tomatoe juice (try to use organic and only tomatoes as the ingredient)

1 T. Worcestershire Sauce

2 T. Kikkoman Soy Sauce

1 tsp Celery Salt

5 garlic cloves finely chopped

1 heaping T of Better than Bouillon Beef base

2 Avocados chopped + 1/2 of one for serving

3 Ripe Roma tomatoes chopped

3 Persian cucumbers chopped

1 Yellow Bell Pepper chopped

1 Large Jalapeno chopped

1/2 Large red onion chopped

2 Ears sweet corn charred on grill, kernels cut from cob  (if you are doing keto, leave this out)

Small bunch of green onion chopped for serving

Fresh Cilantro for serving

4 Limes

1 Lemon

1 T Red pepper flakes

1/4 C EVOO

1 lb Large shrimp or prawns

Red Tabasco Sauce, to taste

Sour Cream for serving

Salt and Pepper.

Putting It Together:

In a soup pot, put all the tomatoe juice, chopped garlic, soy sauce, beef base, Worcestershire sauce, celery salt.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Heat till just below simmering.  Cool the soup base.  Drizzle with EVOO.

While soup is cooling, chop the vegetables.   When soup has cooled, add the veggies.  Stir and add Tabasco.  I like it spicy so I add 10 hearty shakes to the soup.  Return to refrigerator to allow flavors to blend.

While soup is sitting, prepare the shrimp.

Spicy Citrus Shrimp

2 limes pressed for juice

1 large lemon pressed for juice

1 T red pepper flakes

1/4 C EVOO

1 lb of shrimp (make sure shrimp is clean, patted dry and tails and veins removed)

Grab a large Ziploc bag and add all ingredients.  Let marinate for at least an hour.   Put the shrimp on skewers for grilling.

Start your grill and cook till done.  These can be served warm or cooled.  Personally, I prefer cool.  Especially on a hot summer evening.

Assembly~

Spoon soup into bowl.  Add 4-6 shrimp into bowl as an entree serving.  Top with a dollop of sour cream, handful of chopped green onion, avocado, chopped cilantro and additional Tabasco.  Top with Salt flakes or Red Salt if desired.

 

Can’t you just taste summer in this bowl?

Enjoy!

Terri

 

 

There are things in life that make you appreciate everything or small things.  Holding a new puppy in your arms, watching an incredible sunset, turning a corner on a hike and having the world open up before your eyes, seeing your children grow up to be kind and wonderful humans.  Each of these makes your heart well up~ And we should have moments like this every day.  Go out there and find your happiness!

I love food that’s filling and you can find joy in preparing and eating them.  So to that end, I give you marinated steak salad with blue cheese.  Get your grill on!

Tasty Beauty Shot:

Wild Strawberries foraged while fly fishing.   Such intense flavors!  Spent an hour hunting these tasty morsels.  Got multiple handfuls.

Marinated Steak Salad with Blue Cheese

Ingredients:

2 lbs sirloin steak  (You will have leftovers.  Yum!  Make a french dip the following day for lunch!)

Marinade:

1/2 C EVOO

4 cloves smashed garlic

Juice of half a lemon- large

3 green onions sliced diagonally

Salt and pepper to taste

Salad:

1/2 container baby arugula

2 soft boiled eggs

grape tomatoes

1/2 cup of crumbled blue cheese

Sliced green onions, 2-3 sliced diagonally

French fried onions  (optional)

Lemon Olive Oil Dressing:

3/4 cup EVOO

1 Heaping T of Grey Poupon

Juice of 1 lemon, medium

Salt and Pepper to taste.

Dash of Celery Salt (I LOVE this condiment.  I personally add a tsp to dressings)

Putting It Together:

Marinate the steak for at least an hour, preferably 2-3 hours.   Then remove from the refrigerator and bring to room temp.  Fire up the grill. When the grill is ready, place the steak on the grill and cook till medium rare.  Please use a meat thermometer as steak thickness will definitely impact cook times and finish.

Remove steak when cooked to desired level.  Cover with tin foil and let rest.  While steak is resting, create your salad.  Chop romaine and place on platter.  Toss lightly with salad dressing.

Add tomatoes and blue cheese.  Slice the steak across the grain and arrange steak slices on salad.   Cut eggs into quarters lengthwise.  Place artistically on salad.  Drizzle with a bit more dressing.  Salt and Pepper to taste.  I love the french fried onions for added crunch.  And I use the Kroger Gluten-free brand.  tasty!

Enjoy!

Terri

 

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