Healthy Happy Hour
I find happy hour is the toughest time to stay on a healthy track!
My friend Hana, owner of Cafe Shu, had me over to show me some of her tips and tricks for throwing a healthy and delicious cocktail party! Hana doesn't just like food, she LOVES food and really cooks with a lot of heart! I came over and met with Ruby, Hana's bulldog / sous chef in-training. We got right to cooking!
:: Ruby, taste tester extraordinaire! ::
On the menu: Caesar salad bites, herbed mushroom goats cheese balls, beet romesco dip, and a pineapple-lime cocktail to wash it all down!
Chicken Caesar Salad Bites
These tasted amazing! The dressing was made with tofu and mustard as a base – making the bites completely vegan and delicious! So much better than cheese and oil!!
Hana told me her secret to the chicken is cooking it with a lemon rub and also shredding instead of cubing chicken, it holds more sauce and has a much nicer texture. It really did make a big difference!
Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, baked with salt, pepper and olive oil
1 package silken tofu
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbs Dijon mustard
Juice of 1 lemon
Lots and lots of fresh ground pepper
Salt to taste
Romaine or endive leaves
Directions:
Roast chicken at 400F for 25-30 mins, until cooked through. Shred with two forks and set aside. In food processor, combine remaining ingredients (except for romaine/endive). Adjust seasoning to desired taste (adding more Dijon, garlic, pepper or salt). Pour sauce over shredded chicken and mix until well combine. Spoon chicken Caesar mixture into romaine or endive leaves.
Wild Mushroom Goat Cheese Balls
Hana whipped these up in 5.5 seconds and they were SO good! I love goats cheese and the combo with the mushrooms was to die for.
Ingredients:
1 cup button mushrooms
1 clove of garlic
1 package of goat cheese
1 bunch fresh basil
Directions:
Sautee 1 cup button mushrooms with 1 clove of garlic. Set aside.
Mix 1 package of goat cheese with mushroom mixture until well incorporated. Roll goat cheese into bite-size balls.
Finely chop 1 bunch fresh basil. Spread chopped basil on a plate and roll goat cheese balls in basil until covered. Let sit in fridge for at least 30 minutes to set.
Beet Dip
I've never had a dip quite like this, it was awesome! A hummus-like flavour but with a little more punch!
Ingredients:
6 medium beets, roasted
½- 14oz can chickpeas
4 cloves garlic, roasted
¼ cup white wine vinegar
1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
Water as needed
Directions:
Roast beets and garlic in tinfoil packages for at least 1 hour. Let cool. In food processor, combine beets and garlic. Add chickpeas and white wine vinegar and combine. Add parsley and blend again. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add water as needed until desired consistency is reached.
Pineapple Cocktail
Directions:
If possible juice 1 whole pineapple and 2 whole limes (remove rinds). Mix well. If buying store bought juice, make sure there is no sugar added. Mix 1 cup pineapple juice with 2 TBS lime juice. Mix well. Add 3 parts pineapple lime juice to 1 part vodka….ENJOY!
Cocktail party ready to go!
You can visit Hana anytime at Cafe Shu! She has great catering options with any and all of the food you see here today! She also makes an awesome juice cleanse and will have special offers for Bod Squaders this summer!! Thanks so much Hana for giving us your awesome recipes!
