Hippie Appetizers

What are hippie appetizers you ask? They are quick easy appetizers that most likely include: organic incredients, inexpensive ingredients, sustainable ingredients and of course, flowers and herbs! Some great ideas for a quick get together. Low stress, easy, pretty & yummy to eat.

Nasturium Cheese Ball

Gather approximately 12-15 nasturtium blossoms and set aside.

Take 8 oz. cream cheese and mix with 3 T. chopped chives and
4 T. chopped green olives. Roll the mixture into little balls. Place one ball inside each petal blossom and serve chilled. Serve with whole grain/or sesame seed crackers.

Cardomom Dates

Take fresh dates, slice in half. Sprinkle with cardomom spice and cover with flaked coconut.

Roasted Olives with Lavender and Truffle Oil

8 10 - ounces imported black olives (Kalamata, Gaeta, or Alfonso), pitted or unpitted
1/4 cup organic extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon culinary lavender flowers or your own organic lavender - Do not eat flowers from florists, nurseries, or garden centers. In many cases these flowers have been treated with pesticides not labeled for food crops.
1 1/2 teaspoons white truffle oil
Pinch of crushed red pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large baking dish, spread the olives in one layer; drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the lavender flowers. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring the olives at least 3 times. Remove from oven.

Using a slotted spoon, remove baked olives from remaining olive oil and place in another bowl. Drizzle with truffle oil and sprinkle with crushed red peppers; stir to combine.

Rosemary Potato Crisps

Preheat the oven to 400ºF,

Toss the potato slices in a bowl with the oil, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, and turn with a spatula.

Bake them until golden brown and crisp, for about 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Minted Fruit Kabobs

1 kiwi, peeled, sliced into 4 slices, and quartered
1 banana, peeled, sliced into 1-inch thick slices, and slices cut in half
1 red apple, cored and cut into bite sized chunks
1 small can mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon dried mint leaves or 3 tablespoons fresh, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

Mix mint leaves into orange juice.
As soon as you cut the banana and apple, place in minted orange juice so they do not brown. Toss well in orange juice and then remove
Place kiwi quartered slices and mandarin orange pieces in minted orange juice; toss well; remove.

Using wooden skewers, make 16 fruit kabobs by alternating the kiwi, banana, apple and mandarin orange segments.
If you make these ahead, place them in a long shallow container and pour the minted orange juice over the top; cover and refrigerate. Remove from juice and arrange on a platter for serving.