The Green Dish Blog

Watermelon & Feta Salad with Basil (Salada de Melancia & Queijo Feta com Manjericão)

Refreshing, vibrant, and effortlessly elegant, this watermelon and feta salad with basil is the perfect summer side dish. The sweet juiciness of ripe watermelon pairs beautifully with the salty creaminess of crumbled feta, while fresh basil adds a fragrant, herbaceous twist. Light, colorful, and full of contrast in both flavor and texture, this salad is ideal for picnics, BBQs, or a quick and healthy snack on a hot day. With just a few simple ingredients, you can bring together a dish that’s as beautiful as it is delicious. Take a look:

Refrescante, vibrante e elegante sem esforço, esta salada de melancia e queijo feta com manjericão é o acompanhamento perfeito para o verão. A suculência doce da melancia madura combina perfeitamente com a cremosidade salgada do queijo feta, enquanto o manjericão fresco adiciona um toque aromático e herbáceo. Leve, colorida e cheia de contrastes de sabor e textura, esta salada é ideal para piqueniques, churrascos ou um lanche rápido e saudável em um dia quente. Com apenas alguns ingredientes simples, você pode preparar um prato tão bonito quanto delicioso. Dê um olhada:

Ingredients:

4 cups cubed seedless watermelon

3 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

2-4 leaves basil, cut into little ribbons

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

Sea salt and black pepper

Directions:

In a small dish, whisk together olive oil, vinegar and honey. Add sea salt and black pepper to your taste. In a large bowl, add the cubed watermelon, crumbled feta cheese and basil. Pour dressing and toss everything together. Serve at room temperature or cold. Enjoy!

Ingredientes: 4 xícaras de melancia sem sementes em cubos 85 g de queijo feta esfarelado 2 a 4 folhas de manjericão cortadas em tiras finas 2 colheres de sopa de azeite 1 colher de sopa de vinagre de maçã 1 colher de sopa de mel Sal marinho e pimenta preta Modo de preparo: Em um recipiente pequeno, misture o azeite, o vinagre e o mel. Adicione sal marinho e pimenta preta a gosto. Em uma tigela grande, adicione a melancia em cubos, o queijo feta e o manjericão. Regue com o molho e misture. Sirva em temperatura ambiente ou frio. Aproveite!

0Comments

, by Caroline

In Entrees, Recipes

Greek Pasta Salad (Salada Grega de Macarrão)

Greek pasta salad is a refreshing and flavorful dish made with cooked pasta tossed with crisp cucumber, tomatoes, onion, briny Kalamata olives, and creamy feta cheese. It's all brought together with a zesty vinaigrette made from olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, minced garlic, and dried oregano, seasoned with salt and black pepper. This vibrant salad is perfect cold for the hot weather days, as a light lunch, a side dish, or a crowd-pleaser at picnics and potlucks. Take a look:

A salada de macarrão grega é um prato refrescante e saboroso feito com macarrão cozido misturado com pepino crocante, tomate, cebola, azeitonas Kalamata salgadas e queijo feta cremoso. Tudo isso harmonizado com um vinagrete feito com azeite, vinagre de vinho tinto, suco de limão, alho picado e orégano seco, temperado com sal e pimenta preta. Esta salada vibrante é perfeita para os dias quentes, como um almoço leve, um acompanhamento ou para piqueniques. Dê uma olhada:

Ingredients:
2 cups shell pasta
1/2 english cucumber, chopped
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
1 small red or yellow onion, chopped (I used yellow, I don't really like the strong flavor from the red)
1/2 cup sliced black or kalamata olives
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large pot, add enough water and bring to a boil. Salt the water and add pasta, cook pasta until al dente. Rinse with cold water and drain well in a colander. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper, reserve. In a large bowl, combine pasta, cucumber, tomatoes, onion, olives and feta cheese. Pour vinaigrette over the pasta and toss well. Cover and chill for a couple of hours. Serve and enjoy!

Ingredientes:
2 xícaras macarrão de conchinha
1/2 pepino inglês, picado
2 tomates italiano, picados
1 cebola pequena vermelha ou amarela, picada (eu usei amarela, eu não gosto muito do sabor forte da vermelha)
1/2 xícara de azeitonas pretas ou Kalamata, fatiadas
1/2 xícara de queijo feta
1/2 xícara de azeite de oliva
1/4 xícara de vinagre de vinho tinto
1 colher de sopa de suco de limão
2 colheres de chá de orégano seco
2 dentes de alho, picados
Sal e pimenta preta a gosto

Modo de preparo:
Em uma panela grande, adicione bastante água e leve para ferver. Adicione sal a água e o macarrão, cozinhe o macarrão até ficar al dente. Lave com água fria e escorra bem em um escorredor. Em uma tigela pequena, misture o azeite, vinagre, suco de limão, orégano, alho, sal e pimenta preta, reserve. Em uma tigela grande, misture o macarrão, pepino, tomate, cebola, azeitonas e queijo feta. Despeje vinagrete sobre o macarrão e misture bem. Cubra e leve à geladeira por algumas horas. Sirva e aproveite!

0Comments

, by Caroline

In Desserts, Recipes

Key Lime Mousse

0Comments

, by Caroline

In Desserts, Recipes

Mini Tart with Cream & Cherry Sauce

0Comments

, by Caroline

In DIY, Life

Right Flowers for Your Garden

Choosing the right flowers for your garden involves considering several factors to ensure they thrive and complement your garden’s design. Here’s how to choose the best flowers for your garden:

1. Consider Your Climate and Hardiness Zone

Climate: Choose flowers suited to your local climate. Some flowers do well in warm climates, while others thrive in cooler areas.
Hardiness Zone: Use a USDA Hardiness Zone Map to determine which plants will survive the winter in your area. This helps you pick flowers that are resilient to temperature extremes.

2. Know Your Soil Type

Well-Draining Soil: Most flowers prefer well-drained soil. If your soil is heavy clay or very sandy, you may need to amend it with organic matter like compost.
Soil pH: Some flowers prefer acidic soil (like azaleas), while others do better in neutral or alkaline soils (like lavender). Test your soil to determine its pH level.

3. Assess Sunlight Exposure
Full Sun (6+ hours a day): Flowers like sunflowers, roses, and lavender thrive in full sunlight.
Partial Shade (3-6 hours a day): Flowers like impatiens, begonias, and astilbes will do well in partial shade.
Shade (less than 3 hours of sunlight): Look for shade-loving flowers such as hostas, ferns, and foxgloves.

4. Choose Flowers Based on Bloom Time
Spring, Summer, and Fall Bloomers: To maintain color throughout the year, choose flowers that bloom at different times. For example, daffodils and tulips bloom in spring, while coneflowers and sunflowers bloom in summer, and asters or mums bloom in fall.
Perennials: These flowers return year after year. Some examples are lavender, peonies, and daylilies.
Annuals: These flowers last for one growing season and then die. However, they often provide vibrant, long-lasting blooms. Examples include marigolds, petunias, and zinnias.

5. Match Flowers to Garden Style
Formal Gardens: Choose well-shaped flowers like roses, tulips, and lilies for structured, neat flower beds.
Cottage Gardens: If you prefer a more relaxed, informal look, go for a mix of wildflowers, daisies, and lavender.
Wildflower Gardens: Opt for native flowers like black-eyed Susans, lupines, and echinacea that are adapted to your region and attract pollinators.

6. Consider Maintenance Needs
Low Maintenance: Some flowers, like black-eyed Susans and coneflowers, require little upkeep once established.
High Maintenance: Flowers like roses may need more care, including regular pruning, pest control, and feeding.

7. Think About Color
Color Palette: Choose flowers that complement each other in terms of color. You can create harmonious color schemes by selecting flowers with shades that match or contrast nicely.
Seasonal Color: Consider mixing flowers that bloom at different times to ensure color throughout the growing season.

8. Consider Flower Size and Height
Tall Flowers: Use taller flowers like sunflowers, delphiniums, and hollyhocks in the back of garden beds or as focal points.
Shorter Flowers: Plant shorter flowers like pansies, marigolds, and primroses in the front or along the edges of beds for a neat and colorful border.

9. Attract Pollinators
Pollinator-Friendly Flowers: Many flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Examples include lavender, echinacea, zinnias, and asters. These will also support your local ecosystem.

10. Budget and Availability
Budget: Some flowers can be expensive, especially when buying in large quantities. Look for plants that offer good value for their price.
Availability: Check your local garden centers or online stores for the flowers available in your region, and consider buying native varieties, as they’re often more adaptable.

By considering these factors, you can create a beautiful, thriving flower garden that fits your space, style, and climate.

Happy planting!

0Comments

, by Caroline

In Breakfast, Recipes

Blackberry & Muenster Cheese Panini (Panini de Amoras & Queijo Muenster)

A panini with blackberries and Muenster cheese is a delightful fusion of sweet and savory flavors. The creamy, slightly tangy Muenster cheese melts perfectly between the toasted bread, creating a rich and indulgent base. The fresh blackberries offer a burst of juiciness and sweetness, cutting through the richness of the cheese and adding a refreshing contrast. Together, these ingredients create a unique combination that’s both comforting and exciting, with the warm, crispy exterior of the panini enveloping the harmonious blend of flavors inside. Each bite delivers a satisfying balance of textures and tastes, making it a memorable and unexpected treat. Take a look:

Um panini com amoras e queijo Muenster é uma fusão deliciosa de sabores doces e salgados. O queijo Muenster cremoso e levemente picante derrete perfeitamente entre o pão torrado, criando uma base rica e indulgente. As amoras frescas oferecem uma explosão de suculência e doçura, cortando a riqueza do queijo e adicionando um contraste refrescante. Juntos, esses ingredientes criam uma combinação única que é reconfortante e excitante, com o exterior quente e crocante do panini envolvendo a mistura harmoniosa de sabores por dentro. Cada mordida oferece um equilíbrio satisfatório de texturas e sabores, tornando-o um snack delicioso. Dê uma olhada:

Ingredients (serves 1):
2 slices of bread
1/3 cup blackberries
Few slices of Muenster Cheese
1 tablespoon butter

Directions:
Pre heat panini press. In a small dish, add the blackberries and mash blackberries using a fork. Butter both sides of each slice bread. Spread the mashed blackberries onto one bread slice, top with cheese and top with the other bread slice. Gently place the sandwich onto hot panini press and let cook for about 2 minutes, it should be golden in color and cheese melted. Serve hot and enjoy!

Ingredientes (serve 1): 2 fatias de pão 1/3 xícara de amoras frescas Algumas fatias de queijo Muenster 1 colher de sopa de manteiga Modo de preparo: Pré-aqueça a prensa de panini. Em um prato pequeno, adicione as amoras e amasse as amoras usando um garfo. Passe manteiga em ambos os lados de cada fatia de pão. Espalhe as amoras amassadas em uma fatia de pão, cubra com queijo e cubra com a outra fatia de pão. Coloque delicadamente o sanduíche na prensa de panini quente e deixe cozinhar por cerca de 2 minutos, quando tiver dourado e o queijo derretendo. Sirva quente e aproveite!