Garden fresh tomato and herb salad

3 medium to large ripe tomatoes, diced
1/2 large cucumber quartered, and then sliced
1 small green pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 C. chopped fresh basil
1/4 C. chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp basamic vinegar
salt and freshly ground pepper

Mix first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Mix remaining ingredients in a small bowl, and pour over veggies. Mix well. Refrigerate for at least an hour.

Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 (8-ounce) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
3 large eggs
1 large egg white
3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (8-ounce) carton lemon low-fat yogurt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°.

Beat first 3 ingredients at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 5 minutes). Add eggs and egg white, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 2 tablespoons flour and blueberries in a small bowl, and toss well. Combine remaining flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with yogurt, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in blueberry mixture and vanilla; pour cake batter into a 10-inch buttered and floured tube pan. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Tzatziki - Greek cucumber-yogurt salad

1 16 oz container Greek yogurt

1 large English/hothouse cucumber, peeled, coarsly grated

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp fresh or 1 tsp dried dill

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, refrigerate at least an hour.

Black bean mango salsa

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 mango, peeled and chopped
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 large red onions chopped
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
juice of one fresh lime
grated peel of lime
2 tbsps chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Stir together ingredients in a medium bowl; cover and chill 1 hour or up to 24 hours. Serve with tortilla chips.

Roasted red pepper and gabranzo bean dip

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 (16-ounce) can garnazo beans, rinsed and drained
1 (7-ounce) bottle roasted red bell peppers, rinsed and drained
2 large garlic cloves
2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place first 5 ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth. With processor on, slowly add oil through food chute. Stir in salt and black pepper.

Moroccan Couscous

1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
1 red, green, or yellow bell pepper, cut into 1" pieces
2 zucchinis, halved lengthwise and cut into 3/4 inch pieces
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 teaspoon kosher salt
grated zest of one orange
1 (14.5 ounce) can low sodium garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cup whole wheat couscous


Place a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Stir in the cumin, ginger, cloves, cayenne, cardamom, coriander, and allspice; gently toast until fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in oil and onion, cook until softened. Stir in the bell pepper, and zucchini; cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the raisins, salt, zest, and garbanzos.
Pour in the broth and orange juice; turn heat to high and bring to a boil. When the mixture is boiling, stir in the couscous and remove from heat; cover, and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

4th of July Cheesecake

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons white sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
2 (8 ounce) packages 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
1 cup light sour cream
3/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 eggs
about 1/2 cup blueberries

about 1/2 box strawberries, quartered

Combine crumbs, 2 tablespoons sugar and butter. Pat mixture into the bottom of a 7 x 11 inch rectangular pan. Bake on 325 for about 10 minutes.
Mash cream cheese until soft and creamy. Gradually beat in sour cream, 3/4 cup sugar, vanilla and flour. Beat in eggs one at a time.
Pour mixture into crumb-lined pan. Bake in a preheated 325 degree F (165 degrees C) oven for 1 hour or until firm to the touch.

place blueberries in the top left corner, and create lines with the strawberries.