Balsamic Glazed Strawberries

My summer has been whizzing by with birthday parties and BBQ's and of course lots of delicious food. This dish is quick to whip together and a crowd pleaser. I know it sounds like a strange combination but it's worth a try and you won't be disappointed.

Balsamic Glazed Strawberries

Fresh strawberries, cut in half (about 16oz)

2 T balsamic glaze

2 T granulated sugar
Black pepper, freshly ground to taste

Place the strawberries in a bowl and drizzle with the balsamic glaze and sugar. Stir to coat the strawberries evenly and allow to sit for about an hour. Grind black pepper over the strawberries before serving. I don't put a lot of pepper on them but about 10 grinds makes me happy.

The balsamic glaze I use is from Olivelle. It's great on steak and with my grilled polenta w/ bruschetta recipe.

Grain Free Salmon Cakes - GF & DF too!

Salmon cakes are a staple in our house and I love the leftovers, they're so good cut up and served with salad greens, mmm. I've mentioned that I'm avoiding all grains and my standard salmon cake recipe calls for GF bread crumbs so I had to come up with a grain free alternative. Two tries in and I was a happy camper, this is my new standard recipe for salmon cakes.

Salmon Cakes - Grain Free

3 cans of wild Alaskan salmon - skinless & boneless

1/4 C onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 T dried parsley

1/4 C almond meal

3 dashes of red pepper flakes

4 T mayo

1 T dijon mustard

1 egg

Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl and shape into 2 inch patties. Heat a skillet to medium-medium high heat (325 degrees) and spray with cooking spray. Cook the patties on each side for about 3-4 minutes or until browned. Serve with tartar sauce, ranch, or wasabi mayo, mmm. No one will ever know that these are gluten, dairy, and grain free.