Snacks Archives - Modern Pineapple

If I had to name my favorite cuisine, it might be Greek. Really. It would even possibly edge out Mexican, which is saying a lot. I love the bright flavors, fresh ingredients and overwhelming sense of family I get when I dip into a bite — but maybe that’s my love of My Big Fat Greek Wedding talking (the dad in that movie is classic). The craving for Greek food hit me when I realized it was Xristos Anesti last weekend (a holiday I always remember thanks to my favorite Greek and college roommate Alexandra Sarris) coupled with the warm weather.

I mentioned it in a post earlier this week, but we dipped into said Greek fare last Friday. It was the first time I tried my hand at tzatziki, but it’s always the first thing I order when we go down the street to Mazi. I found a recipe in one of my very favorite wedding presents: Two in the Kitchen cookbook from Williams-Sonoma.* It was so easy that I almost got mad I haven’t been making it all these years, but it was too good to be upset. Side note: the recipe made quite a bit more than the two of us could handle on our own, or that we felt friends at a party would eat. I’ve halved the recipe here for you to enjoy — perfect for summer nights with crudites or small crackers.

Summer Snacks: Perfect Tzatziki for Two

1/2 cucumber, halved and seeded
1/2 lemon
250 g Greek yogurt (1 cup)
1 Tbsp minced fresh dill
1 Tbsp minced fresh mint
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Using a box grater, coarsely shred the cucumber into a fine-mesh sieve. Let the water from the cucumber drain for about 10 minutes in the sink. Squeeze the cucumber to remove any remaining moisture. Halve a lemon, and grate one half into a bowl. Then squeeze the juice of the lemon into the bowl. Stir in the shredded cucumber, yogurt, dill and mint. Season with sea salt and pepper. Refrigerate for later, or as I did, serve immediately.

*The cookbook is from my cousin Ben and his wife Kelsey, and is inscribed with a wonderful quote shared with the wisdom of several beautiful years of marriage behind them: “Cooking is like love: it should be entered into with abandon or not at all.”

I’m so excited to share this little recipe with you! I always like to have something easy to eat on the go, as my husband and I are always running around during the weeks. I don’t want us to have just anything though, rather a snack that gives us energy for the next activity. Enter these delicious Energy Balls. I had seen versions of this marketed in grocery stores, so decided to find a way to make my own. Of course, I headed to Pinterest. This is the recipe I found and modified just a bit to fit our needs. My version is below, and I use it time and time again. My husband loves them {a true sign of a successful recipe!}. Enjoy these sweet bites!

Nut Butter Energy Balls

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
1 and 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup nut butter {smooth}
1/4 cup honey
1/2 tsp vanilla extract, plus a little extra

Combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir together. Scoop the mixture with a small cookie scoop or spoon. Mold in your hands to create a ball {this is a little messy but you’re in the kitchen so no big deal}. Place the formed ball onto parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Note: make sure you’re using a baking sheet that fits into your fridge. Chill in the fridge until set, about an hour. Store in an air-tight container.

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