Frozen Grapes

I know, I know, you're probably thinking, "I have neither the time nor the culinary prowess to put grapes in the freezer." But girl, I believe in you!

This is one of my favourite warm-weather treats. It ain't no chocolate ice cream, but frozen grapes make for a delightfully sweet-tart munchie. Purple, green--they're both delicious. Just make sure you buy seedless grapes and wash 'em well. Pop 'em in the freezer and go about your biz while they freeze. My favourite way to enjoy these lil guys is when they're mostly frozen but just a tad soft--otherwise they can be a little hard on the ol' teeth.

You Decided to Dip, and Now You Wanna Trip

For those of you who are NOT Beyonce fans: you may refer to this dish by its alternate name, "Dilly Cottage Cheese Dip" (but you should also note: we're not friends anymore.) 

I remember the first time I ever tasted this dip. Here's how it went down: It was a dark and stormy night. I was in 5th grade. I really, REALLY didn't want to take a shower before I went to bed, so my mom promised me that when I got out of the shower, I could have a special snack. Obviously, that changed everything, and I made a mad dash for the bathroom. To my grave dismay, however, THIS DIP was waiting from me when I got out. Hello, are you crazy?? Cottage cheese? Thanks, mom, but I'm in 5th grade; I'd rather die than stand here in my towel eating cottage cheese. See you.

Anyway, I remembered this creative creation when I was at the store a few days ago. I picked up a tub of cottage cheese (normally, I'm all for the fat-free dairy, but in the case of cottage cheese, I recommend 2%) and a package of fresh dill, and decided I'd experiment when I got home. Lo and behold, all I had to do was combine the herbs and cottage cheese, sprinkle a little s&p and paprika on top, and I finally understood what my mom was thinking when she tried to serve cottage cheese to her 10-year-old. Mmmm, folks.

Ingredients:

1 16-oz. container 2% cottage cheese (fat-free is too yucky)

1/2 cup fresh dill, minced

salt & pepper

your favourite spice(s) for a personal touch

Dice up the dill and toss it into the cottage cheese. Season to taste. Dip homemade pita chips, carrot sticks, or slices of your favourite veggie into this fab dip.

UPDATE: this post has been edited, and offensive language has been removed, following a dual scolding by my parents via text & email. guess not much has changed since 5th grade.

Homemade Pita Chips

Now, I'm sure ya'll have tried pita chips (I won't mention brand names; I don't know what it takes to get a girl sued 'round here...) but my issue with anything you buy at the store, no matter how healthy, is that you can't control what's in 'em. Making things from scratch is often out of the question, but pita chips are a glorious exception to that rule. You can buy 100% whole wheat pita at pretty much any grocery store (read the ingredients to make sure they're not full of preservatives and other long-named ingredients,) and as long as you have a little olive oil, s&p, and your favourite spice handy, you're good to go! 

Ingredients:

1 package whole wheat pita bread (4 whole pitas; 8 servings)

2 Tbsp olive or canola oil (both good for your heart)

fresh-ground salt & pepper

your favourite spices for a-shakin' (my fave combos: smoked paprika & garlic powder or basil, oregano & parmesan cheese)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice pitas in half, then gently pull apart the two sides. Slice or tear the bread into bite-size pieces.

2. Spread the pita pieces out on baking sheets (you'll probably need more than one; you can also do multiple batches.) Measure 2 Tbsp. oil (FYI: 2 Tbsp = 1/8 cup.) Despite what you may think by the time you're through oiling the pita, you DON'T need more than this; keep it heart-and waist-line healthy, ya'll.

3. Brush oil onto pita pieces, using a pastry brush or your finger. You really only need a dot on each side of the pita pieces. I have an awesome brush with rubber bristles, which comes in handy with this project, because I can really get all the hiding oil out when I mash the bristles down onto the bread surface.

4. Grind salt & pepper, and add whatever other spices you like. Bake for 10 minutes. Voila!