This Mocktail-Cocktail is the PERFECT addition to these sunny days we’ve been enjoying in NYC.

I call it a Mocktail-Cocktail because it was originally made as a mocktail (for #mocktailmonday !!) but of course, like all good mocktails, it also tastes great with a splash of Gin or Vodka. If you’re not down for this Strawberry cucumber smash – check out some of our other mocktails like this one & this one!

I think there is something super special about muddling strawberries. It always smells like Summer to me. Adding in Cucumber means you get hit with this super refreshing smell right off the nose and finishing with Mint just solidifies this as the drink of the summer for us!

This Strawberry Cucumber Smash really does have a little bit of everything, fruits, vegetables, herbs, bubbles!

What more could you ask for

I’m all about herbs in my drinks, how do you feel about them? Once I realized you could add herbs to Mocktails, cocktails, salads etc. I feel like my life changed forever! There probably isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t use at least three types in my food and beverages! I think I may have to start up a subscription at Farm.One here in the city to get my herbs, micro greens & flowers delivered!

We hope you try this and love it as much as we do! As always tag me @ivgreenhosue if you do!

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We love fish in our home, but always seem to forget how easy and versatile it is!

If you’re the same, then this recipe will, for sure, get you back into the swing of cooking fish on a regular basis for your family.

It is SO EASY and SO QUICK to whip up!

We love buying fresh fish from the grocery store, however, sometimes there’s no time for that! We’ve recently been making sure that we always have some sustainably caught frozen fish in our freezer. Fresh Direct has this amazing deal on a bag of Atlantic Cod, so it’s pretty much been a staple since our move a few weeks ago!

We know how much I love a good Sunday Roast (check out our Spatchcock Chicken here!), however the other day, our friend who is pescatarian was coming over and I decided to change our usual Sunday roast into a fish supper!

I am so glad I did because it really reminded me how easy, simple & delicious it can be. Also, this may just be me, but fish makes me feel good, it makes me feel healthier & lighter somehow. Sometimes that is much needed on a Sunday night to prepare you for your week ahead.

Doing a quick marinade on this fish adds a little extra something and you can use the same oils, garlic & herbs in the baking dish, so it’s a win/win! Also, this may be a controversial opinion, BUT, always slightly undercook your fish, it will keep cooking in the baking dish and even on your plate and nobody wants a tough or dried out fish!

Let us know if you make this and how you like it!

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OK, so this Cilantro Paloma came into my life last August and it might have just changed it … for the better!

We were putting on one of our first outdoor events and my most beloved task is creating the welcome cocktail. I think we all know by now that cocktails are one of our greatest passions in life here at @ivgreenhouse!

Welcome cocktails have to be two main things…

1. Easily Batchable! (Create in large containers for multiple people at once!)
2. Unexpected & Delicious! (You’re setting the tone for the entire evening here!)

This one was a real winner.

Really I’m not sure why I had never tweaked the classic Paloma recipe before! Grapefruit & lime are staples in the classic and don’t get me wrong, it’s a classic for a reason and I’m definitely not reinventing the wheel here, but THIS CILANTRO GRAPEFRUIT PALOMA is EVERYTHING.

The addition of cilantro gives it that really fresh herbaceous kick taking it up just a notch. It is for sure going to knock you friends socks off, or just your partner or maybe just yourself depending on where in the world you are and what restrictions look like for you!

Also been having a lot of fun with cocktail reels & stories over on Instagram so if you’re inclined, go follow us @ivgreenhouse!

So really, let’s get to it! Grab your favorite cocktail glass, the tequila and let’s make this delight together!

(If you’re not in the mood for grapefruit but still on the tequila train, check out this oldie but goodie Spicy Jalapeño Margarita!)

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Sunday Roast Dinners are my ULTIMATE favorite dinner EVER.

Recently, this recipe for the easiest roasted spatchcock chicken has been on REPEAT in our house. Every single Sunday as soon as Lily goes down for her nap, out comes the Chicken and I get to work. My all time favorite type of work.

Spatchcocking, (I think) people assume is a lot scarier or more difficult than it really is! I was fortunate to have an awesome Chef friend Eliza (see her work here!) show me how on a Quail of all birds! It was a lesson I will never forget and I am very thankful for! But ultimately spatchcocking just means splitting the chicken so it can lay flat on your roasting dish and cook more evenly in a shorter time!

Who doesn’t want their Chicken juicier AND ready faster??

This recipe is SO easy and I promise you anyone can wow their family & friends by taking the extra step to spatchcock the chicken! I could explain the ins and outs of HOW to spatchcock, but I am a visual learner and if you’re so inclined, you can watch this really great youtube tutuorial!

So my next favorite ingredient…BUTTER!

If you know me, you know I am not scared of butter, in fact, I truly believe that everything is just a vehicle for it? “Do you want some toast with that butter?” is a question I receive ALOT, haha. To make this roasted spatchcock chicken extra special, adding fresh herbs like sage, rosemary, Thyme, GARLIC, salt and pepper is where the magic happens.

So let’s get to it and make the BEST roasted spatchcock chicken of your life!

Grab your Chicken, lemon, garlic, onion, butter, herbs & LET’S DO THIS!

If you’re looking for a vegetarian dish to serve alongside this amazing spatchcock roasted chicken – try this Cauliflower Steak with Quinoa & Asparagus!

The post The EASIEST Roasted Spatchcock Chicken appeared first on IVGreenhouse - Exploring Food.

Don’t you just LOVE a refreshing drink as soon as the sun comes out?!

I cannot get enough of cucumber in cocktails. Anyone else obsessed with the super refreshing twist it gives to a drink?

One main reason I love this vodka cucumber rickey is that it is EASY. It has so few ingredients, that if you’re anything like me, you’ll already have them on hand in your fridge at all times.

Let’s talk about those ingredients! Ice (duh). Vodka (any type works, BUT if you want to add an extra kick of cucumber, SquareOneOrganicSpirits Cucumber infused vodka is a real winner!) A handful of mint leaves, Lime Juice, cucumber slices and a touch of agave (which you can sub simple syrup or honey for). Lastly Seltzer to add that Sparkle factor!

This cocktail can be as labor intensive or as lazy as you like. By this I mean, you can muddle by hand straight into a glass and stir, top and garnish! OR you can get a bit more technical and muddle, shake, strain, top & garnish! Then for the last super duper lazy way – no muddling required! Your vodka will taste stronger this way as it will not have been masked by the muddling of the other ingredients, but some people will love that!

The BEST thing about cocktails is that they’re made BY YOU FOR YOU

and this Vodka Cucumber Rickey is no exception!

We have a really strong passion for cocktail experiments at our house! Check out some older ones here!

The past few weeks, we’ve really up’d our game, so check back for more each week! I’m feeling like a Cocktail making ebook for the adventurous home bartender is in order! Let me know if this is something you’d be interested in either in the comments or over on IG @ivgreenhouse!

The Greens

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This Dip is EVERYTHING.

It is wholeheartedly inspired by my favorite restaurant in Brooklyn, Miss Ada. They have a whipped ricotta on their menu and I have told almost everybody that will listen that it is most definitely the last meal I would want before I died.

Now I understand that is a BIG statement, but for this whipped ricotta, it could not be more true!

I had to do my best to recreate it at home! Due to the crazy times we are living in, getting out to Brooklyn is a luxury. We eat all of our meals, 99% of the time at home now. It is a rare occasion we get to enjoy the sidewalk restaurants of the city! (We do order in sometimes however and we urge you to do that same, as we all have to support local as much as possible!!)

It is lovely though to create a perfect night in with something as easy and delicious as this dip. Pair it with a delicious glass of your favorite wine or try out this Mocktail which would be killer with it! Light some candles, put on your favorite music and enjoy time with the one or ones you love! We really have to make the most of every minute/hour we get with our families, now more than ever.

So, back to the whipped ricotta; Just 4 delicious ingredients, a tiny food processor & a saute pan and you’ve got yourself a winner. It is PURE VELVET, the perfect amount of sweet and salty plus the nuttiness from the brown butter. It is utter comfort in a pot. It pairs perfectly with some toasted or grilled pita breads. (We’ve been told it goes pretty well in crepes too…hang tight for some recipe inspiration there!)

Please tell me you’ll make it this weekend? If you do, please tag us (@ivgreenhouse) so that we can see how you’re enjoying it!

The Greens X

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Let me tell you about this drink.

We honestly made this drink almost by accident! It was a strangely warm day in March and we had one of our best friends Cassie & Lily’s grandparents staying with us. We had just finished working crazy hours & their help with Lily was immeasurable! Just having them around was amazing! We were able to get to some house projects done that were long overdue and make sure our home was ready to be put back on Airbnb as we had made the final decision to move back to NYC for good!

More on that decision another day! But on this beautiful day in March, we were all in need of some refreshing hydration! We had a bag of cubed watermelon in the fridge, some fresh mint from our Uncles Garden on the side and some limes (always have all of the limes!). We just decided to throw it all in the blender with some ice and see what happened.

IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER …

It was somehow amazingly creamy, refreshing & delicious all in one beverage. And then, of course, someone (Allen…) said, we should really add some tequila … and oh WOW. Not that it isn’t amazing totally sans alcohol, it truly is, but adding the tequila made it into one of the most intriguing margarita style drinks we’ve had!

We then made it on repeat that month and recently introduced it to other people, friends in the city (who enjoyed it as much as we did with the tequila!), my pregnant (yay!) sister in the UK, who had it the original way (sans alcohol, of course) who’s direct quote was “What is this magic?! It’s literally the best thing, I’ll never need alcohol with this!” which I would say is a pretty good review?! Haha.

So my recommendation to you is, MAKE THIS!

Now? This Summer? This Weekend? Anytime, just promise me you’ll make it? You won’t regret it! And then please, tell me all about it! Tag me (@ivgreenhouse), leave a comment, any or all of the above! We can’t wait to hear about it!

Love, The Greens

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This Dressing

I just can’t even describe it you adequately enough for you to understand its greatness! It is based on a (heavier) version from one of our favorite restaurants.

It is so light, sweet & tangy all in one. Plus, it goes so perfectly with our quinoa salad! You can use this dressing not only for salads, but also on a cous cous dish or even drizzled over fresh fish. It truly is the most delightful addition to almost anything!!

When our best friend was over from the UK she told us she would drink it daily…good job she knows how to practice moderation or she might have bathed in it too! But seriously, if she loved it, we loved it & almost everyone else we know also loves it…we think it’s worth a try?

We’ve realized over the past year that having certain items prepped and ready to go in the fridge on a weekly basis really is a GAME CHANGER when it comes to meal time. We know there is value in meal prep (I’m just not that great at being so structured in my personal life, seen as though it is what I do all day…!) but this is our version!

We make sure to have two different dressings in the fridge, a Tupperware of cooked fluffy quinoa, a Tupperware full of rice & a pickled veggie (usually red onions).

These few items (that all take under an hour to throw together) elevate even the blandest of lunch!

We really hope you make this & love it as much as we do! If you do make it, please tag me @ivgreenhouse so I can see what you choose to do with yours!

Love, The Greens

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