Have you noticed how the weather has a serious hold on our food mood. Hot, sunny days? Salads, watermelon, smoothies. Rain? Give me seven different types of potato. Cold, wintery day? Roast dinners, pie and mash, stews.
But with the higher temps comes snacks on skewers and convenient light bites that can be rustled up in a matter of minutes.
We can pick back up with hearty comfort food in October, but for now these summer snacks we all want and need.
Tomato Feta Salad
Cherry Tomatoes
Red onion, diced
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 grounded black pepper
2 tbsp basil leaves, chopped
2 tbsp parsley, chopped
3/4 pound feta cheese
Cut the tomatoes in half and place them into a large bowl. Add in the onion, olive oil, salt, pepper, basil and parsley and toss well. Dice the feta cheese, crumbling it as little as possible. Gently fold in the salad ingredients and serve.
Getting bored of a bready pizza base, well have you tried a cracker pizza base. Crunchy base, bubbly cheese and ready in under 10 minutes. Winning!
Cracker Pizza
Tortillas
Tomato pizza sauce
Mozzarella cheese
Basil
Optional
Pepperoni
Ham
Sweetcorn
Oregano
Garlic powder
Black pepper
Spread the tomato pizza sauce evenly over the tortilla, then add the cheese and sprinkle over some basil leaves. If want more than just tomato and cheese, then go right ahead and add whatever you fancy.
Once you’ve added everything onto your pizza, it’s now time to bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted or the crust is crispy. Leave to cool so you don’t burn your taste buds, then bon appetit.
Cheesy Nachos
For the nachos:
Large bag of tortilla chips
1 pound mince beef
1 tsp vegetable oil
2 cups refried beans
1/4 cup water
2 cups cheese, grated
1 sliced jalapeno, pickled or fresh
Optional topping:
Guacamole
Salsa
Sour cream
Sliced onion
Shredded lettuce
Corn
Hot sauce
First preheat the oven to 180ºc. If you’re wanting a taco spice, then combine all the spices together in a small bowl. Heat the vegetable oil over a medium heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, place the mince beef into the pan and cook for about 8 minutes or until the meat has browned. Drain the fat using a colander and return the meat to the pan, add the refried beans and water. Heat the mixture until the beans are smooth and warmed through. Reduce the heat to low to keep the mixture warm whilst you prepare the chips.
Place the tortilla chips in a single layer, slightly overlapping them on a non-stick baking tray. Toast the chips in the preheated oven for 5 minutes. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and top with half of the shredded cheese. Allow the heat from the chips to melt the cheese slightly before topping the chips with the beef and bean mixture.
Lastly sprinkle the remaining cheese over the beef and return the pan to the oven for a few minutes or until the cheese has full melted. Top the nachos with sliced jalapeno or any of your preferred toppings. Serve hot.
Fruit Salad
For the salad
2 peaches, sliced
1/2 cup cherries, pitted and sliced
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup raspberries
10 strawberries, sliced
Dressing
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp maple syrup, Optional
1/2 tsp grated ginger
pinch of sea salt
Whisk together the lemon juice, lime juice, maple syrup, ginger and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Toss together the strawberries, peaches cherries, blueberries, raspberries in a large bowl. Drizzle over the dressing on top and toss to coat. Garnish with basil and mint, if you desire and serve.
