Cilantro Lime Rice

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Cinco de Mayo may be over, but that doesn't stop me from still consuming mass amounts of Mexican food. And what better to pair it all with than this tasty, simple side dish. Most recently we had it with the Black Bean Spinach Enchiladas and it was fantastic. If you like a bold lime flavor, go with two tablespoons juice or more. I usually add the juice from one large lime because I love the flavor and freshness. You can even add lime zest for an additional flavor boost. If you want to fancy it up a little, other possible additions are sweet corn, jalapeno, green onion, or garlic just to name a few. Check out the 40+ Mexican Made Meatless recipes if you want more ideas on what to pair this with!

Ingredients
1 cup uncooked white basmati rice
1-2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
3/4 cup cilantro, stems removed and roughly chopped
Salt to taste
Optional add-ins: lime zest, sweet corn, jalapeno, green onion, garlic

Directions
Cook rice according to package instructions. Let sit for about 10 minutes.
In a bowl, add cooked rice, cilantro, and lime juice. (The heat from the rice will slightly wilt the cilantro.)
Stir well to combine. Salt to taste.

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Roasted Vegetable Panini with Pesto

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This is our (current) all-time favorite sandwich. We are obsessed. The recipe makes a large amount because I always figure... if I'm going to roast veggies, I'm going to ROAST veggies! I love having plenty because roasted veggies are a total weakness of mine and I can't resist snacking on them as I assemble the paninis. And if there are any leftovers, I save and reuse them in something else. Every other time I've made these, I've also used asparagus which I recommend that if it's available.

Makes about 4 large paninis (reduce if desired)

Ingredients
3 bell peppers (I use 2 red, 1 orange)
1 onion
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
Asparagus
Shredded mozzarella
Feta
Pesto
Italian bread (2 slices per sandwich)
Olive oil
Kosher salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 425.
Cut pepper and onion into strips, and asparagus in half.
On a baking sheet, toss veggies with olive oil and kosher salt.
Roast for about 25-30 minutes.
On a skillet over medium heat, place a slice of bread. Sprinkle mozzarella and feta.
Add a generous layer of vegetables. Spread pesto on a second slice of bread and place on top, lightly pressing down.
Heat about 5-8 minutes on each side or until warmed through and cheese is melted.

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Southwestern Chopped Salad with Cilantro Dressing

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Hello you gorgeous-nutritious-delicious burst of color! I just love scooping up this colorful salad. I'm revisiting the recipe from a while ago because we make it often and love it, so I wanted to get better photographs to share with you all. That and I recently started making a homemade creamy cilantro-lime dressing to toss it with so I'm digging it even more now. For us, one recipe of the cilantro dressing is a great match for the amount of salad below.

Ingredients
Large head of romaine
15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 large orange bell pepper
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 cups corn (I used frozen, thawed)
5 green onions
Creamy Cilantro-Lime Dressing or other dressing of choice

Directions
Finely chop romaine, bell pepper, tomatoes, and green onions.
Place all ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine.
Toss with desired dressing.

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Creamy Cilantro-Lime Dressing

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I've been wanting to make my own creamy cilantro dressing ever since we tried the one from Trader Joe's last year. Store-bought dressings are convenient, but making your own brings a whole new level of flavor and freshness that's hard to beat. Plus you can control the ingredients, leave out additives/preservatives, and tweak it so it suits your taste buds just right. Greek yogurt is a perfect healthier alternative for achieving creaminess and it works fantastic in this dressing. You can serve it right away, or make it ahead of time to chill in the fridge so it's ready to go whenever you are. It's great on salads, wraps, drizzled on tacos for an extra flavor boost, and as a fun veggie dip. We love tossing it with Southwestern Chopped Salad - SO delicious! :)

Notes and variations
We love this basic, light, refreshing dressing as is, but it's also easily customizable. Here are just a few ideas if you'd like to play around to please your own taste buds:

To add heat, use cayenne pepper or some jalapeno with ribs and seeds.
For a different flavor combo, add cumin, more garlic, or more lime juice.
For a little tang, add white wine vinegar in addition to the white vinegar (we love this!)
For vegan/dairy-free, try plain non-dairy yogurt (soy, coconut, or almond-based varieties). People have also had great success with avocado in place of yogurt!

Recipe yields 3/4 cup dressing

Ingredients
1 cup loosely packed cilantro, stems removed and roughly chopped
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice (about 1/2 lime)
1-2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. white vinegar
1/8 tsp. salt

Directions
Puree all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth.
Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

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Spinach + Tomato Quesadilla with Pesto

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 I needed a quick lunch this past week so I found some odds and ends around the kitchen, channeled my inner Napoleon, and made myself a dang quesa-dilluh :) I love the two cheese combo of mozzarella and feta. The mozzarella holds everything together while the feta adds awesome flavor. The spinach wilts as it heats, so don't be afraid to pile it on!

A peek inside

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients
1 roma tomato, thinly sliced
Baby spinach
Pesto
Feta crumbles
Shredded mozzarella
2 large flour or whole wheat tortillas

Directions
Place a tortilla on a skillet over medium heat, and spread a layer of pesto on top.
Add a light layer of mozzarella cheese, then feta.
Add tomato slices, spinach, and top with another layer of mozzarella cheese.
Place the other tortilla on top, heat for about 5 minutes, flip, and heat for another 5 minutes or until cheese has melted.

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