Not only does this appetizer make a beautiful presentation, many steps may be made in advance of your simple celebration. You can either serve this as an appetizer or put 3 on each plate and make it a first course.
Shrimp, Avocado and Sun-Dried Tomato Crostini
Servings 9
Ingredients
- 1 sourdough baguette sliced into 18 pieces
- 1 ½ Tbsp olive oil
- 18 X-large raw shrimp shelled and deveined
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
- 4 ounces low-fat cream cheese room temperature
- 1 tsp fresh dill minced
- 1 tsp red onion diced
- 1/2 ripe avocado sliced into 18 small slices
- 18 pieces sun-dried tomatoes cut into small pieces
Instructions
Baguette (can be made earlier in the day)
- Preheat oven broiler.
- Place 18 slices on baguette on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Put 1 Tbsp olive oil in a small bowl and brush oil over each baguette slice.
- Broil until slices turn slightly brown. This will be a quick 1 -2 minutes.
Shrimp (can be made earlier in the day)
- Heat 1/2 Tbsp olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat.
- Add shrimp, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Cook shrimp until it turns pink and curls, about 4 minutes
- If you are not assembling the appetizer at this point, refrigerate the shrimp and take out about 30 minutes in advance to let it get to room temperature.
Cream Cheese Mixture
- Place cream cheese, dill and red onions in a small bowl and stir.
Assembly
- Place baguette slices on a platter. Spread the cream cheese mixture over each piece.
- Next place a shrimp, avocado slice and sun-dried tomato over the cream cheese and serve.
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If you need an appetizer that requires no cooking, comes together in less than five minutes and is easy to transport, this shrimp dip is for you!
Cold Shrimp Appetizer
Servings 6
Calories 140kcal
Ingredients
- 8 ounces reduced fat cream cheese softened
- 2 Tbsp light mayonnaise
- 4 1/2 ounce can deveined shrimp rinsed and drained OR cooked shrimp
- 3 Tbsp dried minced onions or 1/4 cup minced fresh onion
- 1 Tbsp fresh dill minced
- 2 dashes hot sauce
- 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Mix cream cheese and mayo until creamy.
- Add onion, dill, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce and stir.
- Fold in the shrimp and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
Serve with your favorite crackers.
- Made with fresh shrimp
Originally found in Eating Well Magazine, Vicki put her own spin on this recipe and amped up the flavors. Purchase microwaveable brown rice, add some flavored salt and fresh ground pepper, and you have a great side in minutes. The recipe serves two, so double or triple for your needs.
Grilled Salmon with a Taste of India
Servings 2
Calories 350kcal
Ingredients
- 3/4 lb. fresh wild salmon - skin on
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil divided
- 1/4 + tsp flavored salt we used an herbal salt, divided
- 1/4 + tsp freshly ground pepper divided
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced cucumber
- 1 1/2 Tbsp thinly sliced shallots
- 1 Tbsp lime juice
- 1/4 cup non-fat plain greek yogurt
- 1/8 tsp curry powder
Instructions
- Brush 1/2 Tbsp olive oil over the top of the salmon. Season with a 1/8 tsp each of salt and pepper or to your taste.
- Heat the grill and place salmon on oiled grates. The fish will take around 10 minutes to cook. Once your fish is cooked, use a spatula to take the fish right off the skin.
- While fish is cooking, combine dill, cilantro, cucumbers, shallots, 1/2 Tbsp olive oil and a little salt and pepper in a small bowl. Stir and keep in the refrigerator until ready to assemble your dish.
- Mix together the yogurt, lime juice, curry powder and 1/8+tsp. of both the salt and pepper.
- To assemble, take a teaspoon and place half of the yogurt sauce in the middle of each plate. With the back of your spoon, spread the yogurt in a semi-circle motion. Place salmon on top of the sauce. Top salmon with the cucumber mixture.
- Serve with a side of brown rice.
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Here’s a dinner solution that is chock-full of fresh flavors. Throw it together before you head out the door, all the tastes will meld together, and dinner will be ready to serve when you return home!
Cold Shrimp Salad
Servings 4
Calories 186kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound extra large cooked shrimp shelled and deveined but with tails left on
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon zest
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 Tbsp good quality mayonnaise
- 1/2 Tbsp aged white wine vinegar
- 2 tsp rinsed capers
- 1/3 cup cucumber finely chopped and seeded
- 1/4 cup red onion minced
- 2 Tbsp fresh dill minced
- sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a bowl and carefully mix together.
- Refrigerate for at least one hour.
Notes
Serve with crusty french bread and a glass of Rosé.
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We love smoked salmon and wanted to develop a dip that was on the “lighter” side. In order to do this, we used creme fraîche instead of typical cream cheese. The cucumber adds a fresh crunch to the other delicious flavors. This dip turned out great. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
Smoked Salmon Dip with dill and cucumber
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 8 ounces smoked salmon chopped
- 7 ounces creme fraîche
- 1/2 cucumber peeled seeded and diced
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
- 2 tsp rinsed capers
- 6 dashes hot sauce
- Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
- 3 Tbsp red onion minced (optional)
Instructions
- Place creme fraîche in a medium bowl. Stir until smooth.
- Add the remaining ingredients and fold together, being careful not to break up the salmon.
- Place in the refrigerator for at least one hour to let the flavors meld. Serve with crackers.
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Have you ever bought fresh herbs for a recipe and you have some left over, but aren’t sure what to do with them? This recipe is a simple, fresh, and tasty solution to using herbs before they go to waste.
Penne Pasta with Fresh Herbs
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 12 ounces penne pasta plain, spinach, any flavor
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tsp olive oil
- 4 large cloves of garlic minced
- 1 cup minced fresh herbs - any combination such as dill and basil
- kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook penne according to package directions and drain. Place in a large pasta bowl.
- While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil over medium heat.
- When warm, add garlic and stir for 2 minutes.
- Finally, add the fresh herbs and stir until slightly wilted, about 30 seconds.
- Pour sauce over pasta and season with salt and pepper.
- Add parmesan cheese and stir.
- Place additional grated parmesan cheese on table to pass around.
Notes
You can add sliced sundried tomatoes or poached chicken to this dish for a little variety.
Serve with a simple salad and a sliced baguette.
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