Tag: lemon

Greek Chickpea Salad

Categories Recipes, Sides, Snacks3 Comments on Greek Chickpea Salad

Delicious all on its own, atop a slice of toasted fresh bread, or served with pita slices to share, this Greek Chickpea Salad is such an easy, fresh, springtime meal, snack, or party contribution.  It also works wonderfully as a meal prep option to have on hand in the fridge throughout the week.

This recipe could very easily be made vegan if the feta was replaced with a vegan cheese.

If you’re feeding a larger group, it’s simple to double the quantity.

Finally, it’s super versatile if you prefer to add more or less of any of the ingredients!

Servings: Approx. 5

Ingredients:

  • 3 Tbsp Finely Chopped Fresh Dill 
  • 1 Tbsp Finely Chopped Fresh Rosemary
  • 1 Finely Chopped Cucumber
  • 21 Sliced Kalamata Olives
  • 2 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 3 Cups Prepared/Canned Chickpeas
  • 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
  • 1/2 Cup + 2 Tbsp Feta Cheese Crumbles
  • 2 Chopped Medium Tomatoes
  • Sea Salt, To Taste
  • Black Pepper, To Taste
  • Red Pepper Flakes, To Taste

Directions:

Chop the fresh herbs, cucumber, tomato, and olives, and set aside

Squeeze the lemon juice and set aside

Drain, rinse, and dry the chickpeas

Optional – Peel the chickpeas (This is not required, but I find them to be more enjoyable this way!  After the rinsing process, you will see the outer layer beginning to peel off of them naturally.  They will pop out of their casings easily.)

Place the chickpeas in a large bowl

Add in the olive oil, cucumber, lemon juice, and herbs, and stir

Add in a small amount of salt, pepper, and red pepper, and stir again (You can add more later if needed.)

Next, mix in the feta, tomatoes, and olives

Add additional salt, pepper, and/or red pepper to taste

Serve, and enjoy!

[Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge.]

Love these types of flavors?  Check out my Easy Greek Pasta Salad too!

Blueberry Lemon Breakfast Bites

Categories Recipes, Snacks1 Comment on Blueberry Lemon Breakfast Bites

Blueberries and lemon go hand in hand, and these Blueberry Lemon Breakfast Bites are such a fresh and comforting springtime treat.  Warm and fluffy, they work wonderfully as either a convenient breakfast on the go, or for a more leisurely morning at home (paired with an iced coffee on the side). They’re also nice to have on hand when the afternoon sweet tooth arrives!

Whether you’re enjoying them fresh from the oven, or reheated in the microwave, these are definitely best enjoyed at warm temperatures.  This will ensure peak taste and texture!

Be it the sprinkled sugar on top, or the lemon glaze, choosing at least one of these toppings is what will tie these little muffins all together.  The batter is minimally sweet, so the extra sweetness on top in either topping choice is a must.  The sprinkled sugar option is quick and easy, and the glaze option will provide an extra dose of lemon.  My recommendation would be to go with the sprinkled sugar if you want them for breakfast, but the lemon glaze if you’re looking for something a little more “dessert-y”.

Servings: 12 Muffins

Ingredients:

MUFFINS

  • 2/3 Cup Unsalted Butter (melted) 
  • 3/4 Cup Cane Sugar
  • 1 Egg
  • 1/2 Cup Plain Nonfat Greek Yogurt
  • 2 Tbsp Lemon Zest
  • 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1.5 Cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/4 Tsp Baking Soda
  • 1/2 Tsp Sea Salt
  • 1.5 Cups Fresh Blueberries

TOPPING

Sprinkled Sugar

  • 3 – 4 Tsp Decorative / Demerara Sugar

OR

Lemon Glaze

  • 1 Cup Powdered Sugar
  • 2 Teaspoons Lemon Zest
  • 2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice

Directions:

(If opting for the glaze, make this first and set it aside – Simply stir together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl)

Preheat the oven to 350º

Line your muffin tray with muffin liners

Prepare the lemon zest and set aside

Melt the butter in a large bowl in the microwave

Add the sugar to the bowl

Add the egg

Beat the butter, sugar, and egg together until smooth

Add in the greek yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla, and beat slowly again

In a second smaller bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt with a fork

Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and blend until smooth

Gently stir in the blueberries

Spoon the batter into the muffin liners (they will be on the fuller side) 

If the sprinkled sugar is your topping of choice, add it here before baking

Bake for 20 minutes

If the glaze is your topping of choice, add it to taste once the bites have finished baking and cooled slightly, and then let it solidify

Rewarm whenever ready to eat

Enjoy!

[Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container or ziplock bag in the fridge, and warmed in the microwave.]

Ingredient recommendations linked!

Dad’s Famous Salmon Dinner

Categories Recipes1 Comment on Dad’s Famous Salmon Dinner

If you’ve never been a salmon lover, I’m about to change your mind!  My Dad didn’t think he liked salmon either, but in 1999, my mom gifted him James McNair’s “Salmon Cookbook”. He took on a combination of recipes, adjusted them to his particular taste, and created the ultimate salmon dinner.  Ever since, whenever friends or family come to visit, even those who say they don’t like salmon, he serves up this particular plate and wows them every single time!

Between the butter, lemon, shallots, and super soft texture, the fish will literally melt in your mouth.

–

THE FISH

The book’s “Herb-Roasted Salmon” recipe

Adjustments

-Of all the herbs listed, only dill is used

-He adds extra butter atop the fish in the oven; roughly 4 tablespoons (or to taste!)

-When removing the skin, he also removes the majority of the dark meat along the backbone.  Yes, this reduces the Omega 3 content a bit, but it’s the secret to removing the “fishy” taste for those who prefer that!

THE FISH SAUCE

The book’s “Beurre Blanc” recipe

Adjustments

-Instead of letting the majority of the liquid evaporate as indicated, he leaves a bit more of the liquid intact in the pan

SIDES

A Garlic and Olive Oil Couscous (such as the 365 option from Whole Foods)

Grilled Yellow, Orange, or Red Bell Peppers Bell Peppers (in your marinade of choice, such as an Italian dressing)

GARNISHES

Extra dill, lemon slices, and bell pepper tops (or whatever you have on hand!)

–

Based on his dedication to plating the meal perfectly, I think it’s safe to say I know where I got my love of food photography from!

It goes without saying that we all highly recommend the cookbook.  It has inspired countless great meals in our house!

Visit my Amazon Storefront to pick up a copy for yourself: www.amazon.com/shop/bakeandbewell

#CommissionsEarned #Ad

Breaded Lemon Pepper Chicken & Asparagus

Categories Recipes2 Comments on Breaded Lemon Pepper Chicken & Asparagus

We all need a few easy go-to dinners that require minimal ingredients, minimal time, and have crowd-pleasing flavors.  This breaded lemon pepper chicken with oven roasted lemon asparagus on the side is exactly that!  Easy, delicious, inexpensive, and full of fresh summer flavor!

(Of course if you’d like to prepare only the chicken or only the asparagus, take either part of this recipe and add it into your given meal of choice, but they really do pair wonderfully together!)

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

FOR THE ASPARAGUS

1 Bunch Asparagus (around 50 small/thin stalks)

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Sea Salt (around 7 grinds or to taste)

Black Pepper (around 15 grinds or to taste)

1/2 Lemon

FOR THE CHICKEN

1 – 1.5 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, Thinly Sliced (I used 1.4 lbs)

1/2 Cup Flour of Choice (I used White Whole Wheat)

1/4 Cup Dangold Lemon Pepper Seasoning

4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter

1/2 Lemon

Directions:

FOR THE ASPARAGUS

Preheat the oven to 425°

Rinse the asparagus and trim off the ends

Place them in a ziplock bag, pour in the olive oil, and distribute until evenly coated

Add the salt and pepper into the bag and evenly cover

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and evenly spread the asparagus across the pan

Cook for 9 minutes, flip, then cook for another 9 minutes, or until they’ve reached your preferred texture

Once they’ve been removed from the oven, squeeze fresh lemon juice over top before serving

FOR THE CHICKEN

While the asparagus is cooking, place the flour and lemon pepper seasoning onto a plate and mix together

Melt half of the butter in a medium-large pan on medium heat

Coat each piece of chicken with water, then cover them with the flour and spice mixture

Cook the chicken in the pan for around 4 minutes per side if thin (adding time for thicker pieces until cooked all the way through)

The remaining half of the butter can be added into the pan between cooking chicken pieces if it runs dry

Once the chicken is all removed from the stove, squeeze fresh lemon juice over top before serving

Plate the chicken with the asparagus

Enjoy!

Ingredient recommendations linked!

Iced Lemon Cake

Categories Recipes1 Comment on Iced Lemon Cake
Iced Lemon Cake Squares_Post_web2
Iced Lemon Cake_Crop2_web

I am such a huge fan of all things lemon.  Our wedding cake had three tiers: Vanilla, Cinnamon, and Lemon.  The lemon was the winner by a landslide!

For my husband’s birthday, I whipped up this simple lemon cake.  The glaze is a perfect textural combination with the light cake-y texture!  It’s delicious served all on its own, but also works wonderfully side by side or topped with some vanilla ice cream.

Servings: Approx. 9

Ingredients:

For the cake:

2 Sticks Unsalted Butter (Or Cultured Unsalted Butter!)

1 1/2 Cups Cane Sugar

4 Eggs

1 1/2 Cups White Whole Wheat Flour (I love King Arthur‘s)

1 Teaspoon Salt

2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice

1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest

For the glaze:

1 Cup Powdered Sugar

2 Teaspoons Lemon Zest

2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice

Directions:

For the cake:

Let the butter soften to approximately room temperature

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on low, combine the butter, sugar and lemon zest

Beat in the eggs

Beat in the lemon juice

In a separate small bowl, stir together the flour and salt

Slowly beat the flour mixture into the wet ingredients

Grease a 9 inch square or circular pan with a speck of butter and pour the batter in

Bake for around 35 minutes…Keeping an eye on it until a toothpick in the center comes out clean

For the glaze:

Simply stir together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl

Wait until the cake has cooled to spread the glaze evenly across the top

To let the glaze solidify, it’s best to let it sit and harden for a few hours

Enjoy!

Ingredient recommendations linked!