potato-basil-cheese_bites

Here is a quick little treat for you all, and trust me, when I say it is a treat – one that is not only delicious, but healthy and perfect for outdoor party weather! I wouldn’t leave you hanging with anything less than super yummy.

This will be my last post for a week or so – we are migrating to Vermont any day now, and although I will have internet access, it will be quick and sporadic. Then as soon as we get there, we have to get a garden started! I am sorry that I haven’t been around the bloggy world much these past weeks to see everyone’s delicious creations, but I have been up to my ears in boxes, with a quick day off to celebrate 2 years of wedded bliss, yesterday! 🙂

Anyway, this dish was inspired by two things – one, my ever-present leftover using principles and two, my desire to bring something to a party I knew I could eat. This is the cumulative efforts of pairing delicious raw goat cheese with soaked raw nuts, both of which were leftovers.

I love canapes, crostini, bruschetta and the like, but when I indulge in these generally bready things, I pay for it later. So I figured why not make canapes with potatoes that needed to be used up – which I could enjoy absolutely guilt free! I topped these delicious roasted potato rounds with a raw cashew, raw goat cheese basil pesto, with some sun dried tomatoes mixed in for POP.

These are so good, my extremely picky cat, Nimue, actually went up on the counter to eat the leftovers I had saved for my mom (sorry, mom!).

These were seriously easy to make and ended up looking great and party worthy! I will certainly be making them often this summer for backyard barbecues, parties and potlucks! Hope some of you can join us up at our place in Vermont! 🙂 But be prepared to get your hands dirty!

Potato Canapes

INGREDIENTS:

6 organic potatoes, sliced
hefty drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
salt&pepper to taste
pinch of dried oregano – any herb will do – thyme, etc.

big handful of fresh basil
drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
splash of meyer lemon vinegar
salt&pepper to taste
pinch of dried sumac
1 cup soaked raw cashews
½ cup raw goat cheese
2 TBS sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 425F. In a bowl mix potato slices with olive oil, and seasoning. Place evenly in rows on two cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Roast for about 20 minutes on one side, flip and continue to roast for another 10-15 minutes, or until golden on both sides. Set aside to cool.

In a food processor place basil, olive oil and vinegar together with the salt and pepper and sumac , pulse until smooth. Then add the cashews and goat cheese and pulse quickly one or two times – you want those to be a bit chunkier. Fold in the chopped sun-dried tomatoes.

Place a bit of the pesto on each potato round and serve. Perfect amount for a potluck!