Key ingredients: fresh mint, limes, sugar, ice, rum, club soda and in this case blueberries.

Oh my.  How I love a Mojito.

Muddle lime wedges, mint leaves, and blueberries with a couple teaspoons of sugar.  For my Classic Mojito recipe I make a mint simple syrup. 

This time around I put the sugar straight into the glass with the lime juice and muddled away.  It dissolved quite well.

Fill the glass with ice, then add rum with the muddled mixture and give it a good shake.  Finish with a float of club soda.  The Blueberry Mojito tastes as refreshing as it looks.  Remember…. in mere minutes.

I thought it would be fun to learn a little more about the origins of this beloved cocktail.  As it turns out the Mojito was a way for Cuban farmers to get down their cheap (fire water) rum.  They’d add a little of this and a little of that (lime juice, mint, sugar cane syrup) until it was tolerable.  Here’s a fun article with a little more history on this captivating cocktail.

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Blueberry Mojito

Servings 1

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 lime cut into wedges
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 10 fresh mint leaves
• 2 ounces light rum
• 2 ounces club soda
• ice

Instructions

• Reserve 3-4 blueberries for garnish. Place remaining blueberries in tall glass or shaker with 2-3 lime wedges, juice of remaining wedges, sugar and fresh mint. Use a muddler or end of a wooden spoon and muddle until well smashed.
• Add ice and rum to shaker and shake. Pour into a tall glass and top with club soda.

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The crisp flavor of fresh squeezed Ruby Red Grapefruit and Lime are super refreshing.

I was on a mission to develop a new Friday Night Cocktail. 

This cocktail needed to represent Summer Thyme, because while I’m always excited about Autumn…I in no way want to rush through the last month of ‘official’ summer.

The vanilla simple syrup will appear in this kitchen again this fall….perhaps drizzled over roasted squash or pumpkin.  Yes, I said pumpkin.

I’m certain I get as excited about preparing a cocktail as I do drinking it. 

After assembling most of the ingredients I headed to our backup fridge in search of club soda, sprite, sparkling water or anything resembling a fizzy neutral beverage to top off our Mojito. 

There laying on it’s side on the top shelf a single bottle of Vanilla Cream Soda. 

I can’t make this stuff up.

I hope you’ll trust me on this one. 

Red Grapefruit, citrus, mint and yes, vanilla go really well together.  And when you add rum, the ingredients sing….

…like my girl on karaoke night.

TGIF!! Weekends are precious. 

Hope yours is filled with as much adventure and/or relaxation as you can stand.

I hope you’ll give this Red Grapefruit Mojito with Vanilla Simple Syrup a try. I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments below. Your feedback is so important to me (and keeps the cocktails shaking).

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Red Grapefruit Mojito {with Vanilla Simple Syrup}

Red Grapefruit Mojito with Vanilla Simple Syrup is the perfect seasonal segue. Citrus, mint and yes, vanilla go really well together. 

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For vanilla simple syrup…

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2-3 vanilla beans
• 1 tsp. vanilla

For the mojito…

• 3 Ruby Red Grapefruits
• 1 lime
• 4-5 fresh mint sprigs
• 4 ounces white rum
• 6 ounces vanilla cream soda or club soda to top
• ice

Instructions

For vanilla simple syrup…

• In a small saucepan, combine water, sugar, vanilla beans and vanilla. Bring to a boil and simmer for 4-5 minutes until sugar is dissolved. Cool completely.

For mojito…

• Squeeze juice from 2 1/2 grapefruits. Cut wedges and sections from remaining half.
• In a tall glass add 4-5 grapefruit sections, 2-3 lime wedges, a handful of fresh mint leaves, 1 ounce vanilla simple syrup. Muddle gently. Top with ice, 2 ounces rum, and 2-3 ounces vanilla cream soda.
• Garnish with grapefruit wedge and mint sprig.

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It’s Mother’s Day and on this year, also my birthday. 

I’m feeling doubly blessed. Enjoyed a wonderful lunch out with my family. 

Received many birthday wishes & calls from family & friends.  And now…now I’m sipping on a this gorgeous cocktail.  And it is good.

~ Strawberry Mojito ~

6-8 fresh strawberries
3 Tbl. sugar
1 lime
2-3 sprigs fresh mint
2 ounces white rum
club soda

Slice strawberries, sprinkle with sugar, squeeze juice of half a lime.  Allow to macerate for at least an hour.
Place in glass with mint leaves and 2-3 lime wedges.  Muddle.
Add ice, rum and top with club soda.
Enjoy!!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook!

All my best,
xo Libby

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I’m not sure why I’ve waited so long to make homemade Tabouleh.  It’s packed full of fresh herbs and aromatics, my absolute favorite way to enhance flavor.  Today, I introduced this dish to several friends, who I think now also share my love of this Middle Eastern salad.

A wonderful weekly Farmers Market has sprouted within walking distance to our house.  Many of the vendors are selling yummy edible homemade goods and are more than willing to let you sample their offerings.  I must admit, I’ve been spending extra time with Hummus and Tabouleh Guy.  What he makes is amazing and I’m certain far more authentic.  Having said that, it’s also very punchy with lots of lemon juice and very little couscous (or bulgar).

I chose to make a Tabouleh & Couscous Salad which still delivered the wonderful fresh herb flavors, but in mild fashion.  I began with a batch of couscous, although this salad would be equally tasty with bulgar or quinoa.  For the tabouleh, I pulled out my food processor and added fresh parsley, mint, cilantro and garlic and gave it a whirl.  The herbs are combined with the couscous, fine diced tomato, fresh squeezed lemon juice, olive oil and salt & pepper.

Tabouleh, or Tabbouleh as many spell it, is a such a lovely example of the term ‘layers of flavor.’  The fresh herbs each bring their own personality and the lemon juice delivers just the right amount of pop.  Personally, I love tabouleh served with a base of couscous, which takes it from a dip to a salad, or easily a meal.

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Tabouleh & Couscous Salad

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 cup couscous
• 2 cups fresh flat leaf parsley stems discarded
• 1 cup fresh cilantro stems discarded
• 1 cup fresh mint stems discarded
• 2 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 med. to lg. tomato fine diced
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 – 1/3 cup olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

• Prepare couscous according to package instructions. Cool to room temperature.
• In the bowl of a food processor, combine parsley, mint, cilantro and garlic. Pulse until herbs are finely chopped but not paste. Scrape into a medium bowl and add desired amount of prepared couscous.
• Then fold in diced tomato, lemon juice, and olive oil. Stir to combine. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

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Here’s to a fresh and healthy start to the New Year.  I’ve only had my new Vitamix blender for a few days now but I’m certain I’m going to love it.  I’ve made Orange Vanilla Vinaigrette and Thai Pumpkin Soup using recipes from the Vitamix cookbook.  Both were delicious.  This morning I made this Going Green Smoothie without a recipe.  We’ll call it a trial run.

I pulled together a good assortment of ‘greens’ from my fridge.  Kiwi, green grapes, celery, a lime wedge, a sprig of fresh mint, and two big handfuls of kale.  I knew adding pineapple or banana would sweeten the mixture but I vowed (to myself) to keep it green.

So in addition to all the green goodness, I added a 1/2 cup of water, a cup of ice, and a squeeze of agave nectar into the blender container and gave it a whirl for about a minute.

Voila!  I don’t think it can get any greener and it definitely had a smoothie-like texture.  But how did it taste?

Before we get to that, let me come clean about a secondary reason for craving a Going Green Smoothie.  Last night I posed this question to our facebook friends “Is it wrong that I just layered a Biscoff cookie with jalapeno peanuts, topped with a mini-Twix bar and popped them in the microwave for just a few seconds?”

This morning the evidence was still laying on the counter as if to say you might ponder this question a bit longer.

One friend suggested that I might be experiencing some cravings.  But my favorite response to that question was this “Your choice, your belly, nothing wrong with that…except to ask…is it possible you’re experiencing cravings due to a lack of some nutritional factor?…just saying. Love your page!”

Last year when I first suggested that I thought I would love a Vitamix, there was concern that it would become another gadget that rarely got used.  I tried to recite all the fabulous ‘health’ reasons that demo man had given for owning a mega-blender, but he wasn’t buying in.  Flash forward a year, good things come to those who wait.  It’s too early to rule on whether my new Vitamix will keep it’s prime spot on our kitchen counter or whether my body will begin to crave raw juices and soups instead of airplane cookies and leftover Halloween candy.

But for now, my Going Green Smoothie was delicious, in a slightly earthy ‘green’ kind of way.  The fresh mint and lime were front and center, but the veggies were present as well.  No recipe to go with this trial run yet, other than I followed the ‘method’ suggested by Vitamix.  Water in first, fruits and veggies next, topped with ice.  Turn on blender set at the lowest setting then gradually increase speed.  Blend until smooth, about 1 minute.

In the process of typing up this post I’ve now also made Tomato Basil & Avocado Soup served hot right out of the Vitamix.  I think I’m hooked.

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Mango Salsa.

You really ought to give fresh fruit a chance.  I know I’m preaching to the choir for many of you, but there are a good number of people who don’t want to be bothered with fruit.  Ahem.

For this salsa, basic ingredients come together so nicely when fresh herbs have a chance to join in.  I love cilantro and mint together and any time fruit is involved I invite lemony thyme to the party.  A basic rice vinegar and sugar dressing is all that’s needed.  We served this Mango Salsa with Grilled Vietnamese Chicken Thighs.  It would also be fabulous served with tortilla chips.

This may be very basic for some, but considering I haven’t always known “How to cut a mango” I thought I’d share the basics.

1. There is a large almond shaped pit in the center of a mango.
2. Using a sharp knife, cut down either side of the pit, coming as close to it as you can.
3. Use the knife to score a criss-cross pattern in the flesh, trying not to cut through the skin.
4. Use your hands to turn the scored mango half inside out.  Take the sharp knife and cut off cubes of mango.
5. Repeat with second half.  You may also be able to trim additional mango from around the pit.
6. Enjoy!

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Mango Salsa

Course Appetizer, Side

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author lightly adapted from Weight Watchers

Ingredients

• 1 large mango seeded and cut into small dice
• 1/3 cup red onion fine diced
• 1/4 cup fresh mint & cilantro leaves
• 2-3 sprigs fresh lemony thyme leaves
• 3 Tbl. rice vinegar
• 1 tsp. sugar

Instructions

• Cut mango into a small dice, discarding seed and skins. Dice onion. Chop fresh herbs. Stir together all ingredients and chill.

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Crisp Cod Cakes with Peach Basil Relish.

I had a moment yesterday.  A really big moment.  I was on my way to work via McDonald’s drive-thru when my phone rang.  The voice on the other end said “Lib, I’ve got to do something.”  I pulled my car into a parking lot and sat and listened.  She proceeded to share a conversation she had with her 7 year-old daughter that morning…a conversation that brought us both to tears.

I turned my car around and began driving to meet her, never hanging up the phone.  When she said “I’ve got to do something” a rush of numb sick tingle came over me.  She was referring to taking control of her health, in particular her weight.  She and I have traveled down this path together several times before.  Over the years, we’ve both seen success and sadly experienced set backs.  I too knew I had to do something, but I wasn’t ready to get back on the scale.  I hadn’t made up my mind that I was committed to sticking to a plan.  After all I love to eat and love to cook, how was this ever going to work.  I kept driving towards her, both of us verbalizing our fears and excuses.  The tears turned to laughter as we recognized how pathetic our attempt to talk each other out of what had to happen was.

As we arrived at Weight Watchers parking lot, we stepped out of our cars, took each other’s hand, and marched took two steps forward and one back until we finally reached the door.  We can do this, we must do this.

While I was there I bought a new cookbook for inspiration :)  I came home during lunch yesterday and made Crisp Cod Cakes with Peach Basil Relish.  It’s my start.

The recipe paired the Cod Cakes with a Peach Basil Relish, which I loved.  It was tart and full of fresh summer sweetness.  It would also be lovely with Fresh Tomato Salsa….now there’s an idea for next time.

I wanted to share this recipe and my big moment while it was fresh, like Peach Basil Relish.  While the cod cakes were quite good, on their own without the relish they were rather ‘plain’ for my taste.  Next time (with only 4 WW Pts+ per cake there will definitely be a next time), I will experiment with different seasonings and herbs.  I see lots of potential for recipe creativity with this one.

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Crisp Cod Cakes {with Peach Basil Relish}

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Total Time 22 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 152kcal

Author Weight Watchers (slightly adapted)

Ingredients

For Peach Basil Relish…

• 2 large peaches pitted and cut into 1/4″ dice
• 1/4 cup fresh basil chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh mint chopped
• 1 shallot finely chopped
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. honey or agave nectar

For Cod Cakes…

• 1 lb. cod fillet skinned and cut into small pieces
• 1 shallot chopped
• 2 Tbl. fresh parsley
• zest of 1/2 a lemon
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp. olive oil

Instructions

For Peach Basil Relish…

• Combine all ingredients in a serving bowl and reserve.

For Cod Cakes…

• In a food processor, combine cod, shallot, parsley, lemon zest, salt, pepper and cayenne. Pulse until finely chopped. With damp hands form mixture into 4 (1/2″ thick) patties.
• Heat oil in a non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Cook patties until browned and cooked through, about 6 minutes per side.
• Serve with Peach Basil Relish

Notes

Per Serving (1 cod cake & 1/2 cup relish) = 4 WW Pts+

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Whole Roasted Tandoori Cauliflower with Mint Chutney.

I realize this recipe is not for everyone.  Someone in my house was a bit skeptical himself.  Having said that, if you’ll follow this picture montage to the end, you’ll see what a whole roasted tandoori cauliflower looks like, only 17 minutes after it comes out of the oven.  And I didn’t work alone.

This dish begins by making a heavenly Tandoori Spice Blend.  I’m thrilled that it’s recipe yielded enough for use in this dish plus extra to share.  I also learned that a coffee grinder is one powerful little gadget.  Yes, the cinnamon sticks go in whole and come out as part of this blend.  Pretty amazing.  I can’t wait to sprinkle this goodness on all kinds of dishes.

Next comes the Tandoori Marinade, which is PUNCHY right out of the bowl.  Thankfully it mellows out beautifully while roasting and actually leaves you craving more.  This same Tandoori Marinade can be used to make Tandoori Chicken.  Watch for it soon :).

The whole cauliflower is then rubbed liberally with the marinade and refrigerated for up to 12 hours before roasting.  We went 4 hours, next time I’ll go longer to see if the flavors permeate further.  We oven roasted for an hour which was about perfect, might have been able to go a little longer.

The roasted cauliflower is wonderful drizzled with EVOO and lemon juice and served with a side of Mint Chutney.  Cilantro Mint Chutney with garlic and shallot and honey.  Oh my.

We have My New Roots to thank for this lovely recipe, that was clearly enjoyed by all.

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Whole Roasted Tandoori Cauliflower {with Mint Chutney}

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 1 large head cauliflower washed well, leaves removed

For Tandoori Marinade

• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 Tbl. minced ginger
• 1 Tbl. tandoori spice blend
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ cup plain yogurt

For Mint Chutney

• 2 cups loosely packed mint leaves
• 1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
• 1 shallot minced
• ½ red chili minced (optional)
• Juice of 1 lime
• ¼ cup plain yogurt
• 1 Tbl. extra virgin olive oil
• A couple pinches of salt
• 1 tsp. honey or agave nectar

Instructions

For Tandoori Marinade…

• In a mortar and pestle (or food processor) smash garlic and ginger into paste. Add the tandoori spice, lemon and salt and mix until well blended. Fold in the yogurt.
• Place the whole cauliflower in a large bowl and spread the marinade all over, making sure to coat the bottom as well. Place in the fridge to marinate for 1 hour minimum up to 12 hours maximum.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place cauliflower on a foil lined baking sheet and roast for 45-60 depending on the size of the cauliflower. Garnish with cilantro leaves, lemon juice and a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

For Mint Chutney…

• Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse to form a chunky pesto-like sauce. Season to taste. Store leftovers in fridge for up to 5 days.

Notes

Cooking Time does NOT include 1 – 12 hours to marinate the cauliflower before roasting.

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Thai Beef Salad.

What a lovely way to enjoy a good piece of beef.  I know most recipes call for using lean flank steak.  And while I’m sure that’s very nice on this salad, on the rare occasion that we have steak, I prefer the most tender cut I can find.  And that would be a filet.  Grilled to medium-rare.  Sliced nice and thin.  It was that thought alone that inspired this recipe post.  Every bite of this Thai Beef Salad is a flavor explosion.

For both the marinade and the dressing, it’s all a matter of taste.  If you lean more towards sweet, you can add a little extra brown sugar or honey.  If you like spicy, sriracha is a fantastic way to add a little heat.  And whatever you do, don’t skimp on the fresh herbs.  The fresh cilantro, mint, and basil leaves are essential.  If you take the route I did and opt for a filet, limit the marinade time to no more than 4 hours.  Whereas flank steak will love to go overnight.

Thai Beef Salad is a lovely lunch or light dinner and would be fantastic for entertaining.  The steak can be grilled in advanced and sliced before serving.  Enjoy.

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Thai Beef Salad {with Fresh Herbs}

Course Salad Entree

Cuisine Thai

Servings 2

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the marinade…

• 2 Tbl. soy sauce
• 1 Tbl. fish sauce
• 1 Tbl. fresh lime juice
• 1 Tbl. fresh orange juice
• 1 Tbl. canola oil
• 1 tsp. red curry paste
• 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
• 1 tsp. brown sugar
• 1 Thai or Serrano chile, sliced
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 Tbl. fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 Tbl. fresh mint leaves

For the salad…

• 6- ounces flank steak or filet mignon
• 3 cups mixed greens
• 1/2 cup fresh herbs like cilantro mint, and basil; reserve 2 Tbl. for garnish
• 1 radish thinly sliced
• 1 Fresno pepper matchstick sliced
• 8-10 snap peas
• 2 scallions thinly sliced
• 2 Tbl. peanuts
• Cherry tomatoes halves (optional)
• Cucumber sliced (optional)

For the dressing…

• 2 Tbl. fresh lime juice
• 2 Tbl. fresh orange juice
• 2 Tbl. sesame oil
• 1 Tbl. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. rice vinegar
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
• 1 Thai or Serrano chile, seeded and minced

Instructions

• Combine marinade ingredients in a zipper top bag, add steak. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 – 24 hours.
• Grill steak until medium-rare. Allow to rest 15 minutes, then thinly slice.
• Combine dressing ingredients and reserve.
• Combine salad ingredients in a medium bowl. Toss with 2-3 Tbl. dressing. Divide salad between two plates. Top with sliced steak. Garnish with fresh herbs, then drizzle with a little extra dressing.

Notes

Steak will need to marinate from 2 – 24 hours before grilling.

Thai Beef Salad can even be served open faced on a homemade bagel as a midnight snack.  If anyone wanted a midnight snack.

The post Thai Beef Salad {with Fresh Herbs} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

For the Cilantro Mint Pesto, combine cilantro, mint, oregano, almonds, honey, and vinegar in a small food processor.  Fine chop ingredients and with processor running drizzle in olive oil.  Then season with salt & pepper. 

Mint is an herb I struggle to work into recipes, however I am learning that when added to savory dishes it releases beautiful flavors.  The kind that make you go hmmm….

This pesto would go beautifully with chicken or pork, but tonight it’s married to North African Lamb Kebobs.  xo

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Cilantro Mint Pesto

This pesto could be paired beautifully with chicken or pork. We loved it with our North African Lamb Kebobs.

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves
• 3 Tbl. sliced almonds
• 1 Tbl. honey
• 2 Tbl. white vinegar
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste

Instructions

• Combine cilantro, mint, oregano, almonds, honey, and vinegar in a small food processor.
• Fine chop ingredients and with processor running drizzle in olive oil.
• Season with salt & pepper.

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