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Pineapple and Mango Spritzers

Playing bartender with 3 out of the 4 of my girls. We’re non drinkers but still love fancy glasses and fun drinks! With so much fresh fruit in Costa Rica we came up with some delicious concoctions. Sparkling water Lime juice Chunks of Mango Chunks of Pineapple Mint The key to good flavor is adding fruit, lime, mint, and ice first and “muddling it”. That means crushing it all together to get all the yummy flavors out. Then top with sparkling water. We all drink these fun drinks in the summer but I say get out your fancy glasses and bring a little summer today!

Fish Tacos

So simple. So healthy. So delicious! I am adding more fish tacos to my dinner menu when I get home. Grilled Mahi Mahi (almost undercooked) Grilled corn or flour tortilla Thinly shredded cabbage Pico de Gallo (Red onion, Roma tomatoes, cilantro, jalapeño, lime juice)

Costa Rican Rice and Beans

Dreaming of this Cost Rican breakfast from Sunday as I’m munching on my Quest bar. Costa Rican Rice and beans (from what I gathered as I watched the cook) 2 cups cooked black beans, plus 3/4 cup bean cooking liquid 3 cups cooked long-grain white rice 1 Tbsp vegetable oil 1/2 onion, diced 1 bell pepper, diced 1/2 cup diced celery 2 large cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp thyme S&P to taste Chopped cilantro for garnish Sauté onion, garlic, thyme, pepper, and celery in oil. Add beans, rice and liquid once cooked through. Continue cooking until incorporated. Serve with corn tortillas, eggs, avocado, and fried plantains.

Road Trip Snacks

Road Trippin’ this V-day weekend. Healthy protein filled snacks for the caravan (of adults).

Israeli Crepe

I got in a lot of trouble for taking this picture. This was a cross between a tortilla and crepe and was delicious! We opted for a savory one and they added: Goat cheese Extra Virgin Olive Oil (best in the world) Za’atar (ground dried thyme, oregano, marjoram, or some combination thereof, mixed with toasted sesame seeds, and salt, though other spices such as sumac might also be added) Chili paste

Fresh Lemon & Mint Juice

Loving all the fresh juice here! Blend: Fresh Lemon Juice Mint leaves Ice (A little sugar or stevia if you need some sweetness)

Tomato and Egg Bake

This has been one of my favorite breakfasts in Israel. It’s low-carb, healthy, and hearty! The chef explained the dish to me this morning and this is what I came up with. 1 large onion, thinly sliced 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced 1 jalapeño, deseeded and diced 3 garlic cloves, chopped 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp sweet paprika 1 Tb sugar ⅛ tsp cayenne +|- 1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes with juices, coarsely chopped or crushed with hands 2 Tb tomato paste S&P Feta cheese, crumbled 6 large eggs Chopped cilantro, for serving Hot sauce, for serving Heat oven to 375 degrees. Sauté onion, peppers, and jalapeños for 20 minutes. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes; stir in cumin, paprika, cayenne, and sugar and cook 1 minute. Pour in tomatoes and tomato paste and season with S&P; simmer until tomatoes have thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in crumbled feta. Gently crack eggs into skillet over tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until eggs are just set, 7 to 10 minutes….

Stuffed Dates

There are dates on every corner here in Jerusalem and it reminded me of an appetizer I had made a while ago and never posted. Sliced dates Goat cheese or Blue Cheese Chopped pistachios Bacon, cooked and chopped Balsamic reduction Stuff dates with cheese, pistachios, and bacon. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. I put my stuffed dates on a Traeger grill and it was salty, sweet, and perfectly smoky. Drizzle with bottled balsamic reduction. If you have leftovers, slice them up and add to a chicken salad for lunch or dinner the next day! (Instead of cooking an entire batch of bacon for this recipe, just buy a small amount at your grocery store salad bar.)

Israeli Pastry

Best pastry I’ve ever had! I’m not a baker, so I know I’ll never try to recreate this. Sweet cheese in pastry, fresh out of the wood burning oven.

Israeli Salad

We are eating a lot of fresh and pickled veggies and crudités before each meal. I have a goal to have more hummus, cut veggies, and healthy snacks out for my kids and I to snack on instead of junk. The Israeli salad was served with every meal. Simple fresh flavors can be delicious. Make a big bowl and add to salads, on top of hummus, on top of avocado or cottage cheese, over fish.. there are so many healthy options! Use any veggies you want, chop them very small, and serve at room temperature. Israeli salad: Tomatoes, chopped Persian Cucumber, chopped Onion, minced Parsley, minced Dressing- I part EVOO 1 part lemon juice S&P