No-Bake Lemon Cherry Cheesecake

No-bake is just about right at the moment, with temperatures soaring over 30 degrees in addition to the humidity which steps things up another 10 degrees here in southwestern Ontario. I never mind the heat, really, but even for me, who was freezing to the point of sickness for the duration of a never-ending long Canadian winter, it's a bit much. Perhaps more surprising is that this savory girl wanted to make a dessert in the first place, but sugar in moderation isn't going to hurt you and this cake has some healthy additions besides.

This recipe appealed to me in particular because it didn't have a graham cracker base, but a blend of oats, walnuts and dried fruit. The original recipe called for raisins, but I used a combination of dried cherries and cranberries instead. Either way, you are in for a treat, especially when fresh cherries are in season for a wonderful fresh-tasting no-cook cherry sauce served over top.

No-Bake Lemon Cherry Cheesecake

Easy, rich and creamy no-bake lemon cheesecake with a healthy nut and dried fruit crust served with a delicious fresh no-cook cherry sauce Print this recipe Base: 1 1/2 cups rolled oats 1/2 cup walnuts 2/3 cup dried cherries 1/3 cup dried cranberries 1/4 cup grapeseed or canola oil 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated Cheesecake: 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, room temperature 3/4 cup ricotta cheese 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest juice from 1 lemon (3 tablespoons) Cherry sauce topping: 1 1/4 cup pitted sweet cherries 2 tablespoons honey or agave 1 teaspoon pure vanilla 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional) 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves Instructions: Line the bottom of a 9-inch or 10-inch springform pan or cake pan with parchment paper. Pulse the oats and walnuts together in a food processor to achieve a fine blend. Add the dried cherries and cranberries, oil and ginger, and continue t pulse until you have a well combined moist mixture. Press this mixture evenly and firmly into the prepared pan. Chill in the refrigerator while you prepare the cheese filling. In a large bowl, cream together the cream cheese, ricotta, sugar, lemon zest and juice until smooth. Transfer to the base and spread evenly with a spatula. Chill in the refrigerator for a few hours. Next prepare the cherry sauce. Combine the cherries, honey or agave, vanilla, almond extract (if using) and cloves in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. If desired, strain to remove pieces of cherry skin. To serve, drizzle some cherry sauce over slices of the chilled cake. Makes 6 to 8 servings

Black-Eyed Pea Salad with Indian Spices

With sweltering weather hitting much of the Western hemisphere, more salads are served up on kitchen and patio tables. Spice it up is my motto, and so I was inspired to make an earthy Indian-style black-eyed pea salad with a hot, tart and tangy seasoning that required very little prep and cooking time. While the peas are boiling, chop up the ingredients needed and measure out the spices. It all comes together in no time at all once the black-eyes have cooled a bit.

I served the salad up in some radicchio leaves along with some lightly toasted crusty bread topped with some goat cheese and fresh dill and then quickly broiled for a few minutes. An Indian flatbread would be a nice addition to the meal, or a simple rice dish such as cracked black pepper rice.

This is my contribution to No Croutons Required, hosted this month by me. The theme is legume salads. I am also sharing with Jac's Bookmarked Recipes.

Black-Eyed Pea Salad with Indian Spices

Simple summer salad of earthy and nutty flavored black-eyed peas tossed with a hot, tart and tangy blend of Indian spices Print this recipe Black-eyed peas: 1 cup dried black-eyed peas 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon sea salt Salad: 1 large tomato, partially seeded and diced 4 green onions, trimmed and chopped 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated or minced 1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, finely chopped 1 green or red chili, seeded and finely chopped 1/2 teaspoon chat masala juice from 1 lime (2 tablespoons) Seasoning: 1 tablespoon oil 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon rock salt (optional) To serve: radicchio leaves or mixed greens Instructions: Rinse the black-eyed peas and soak in enough water to cover for 6 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a medium saucepan. Pour in 1 3/4 cups of water and add the turmeric and sea salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the peas are tender but not falling apart — about 45 minutes. Add more water as necessary. The water should evaporate, but if not, drain and let the peas cool. Transfer the cooked peas to a large bowl and add the tomato, green onions, ginger, mint, chili, chat masala and the lime juice. Stir well to combine. Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. When hot, toss in the cumin seeds and stir for 1 minute. Add the chili powder, ground cumin, paprika and rock salt if using, and stir for another 30 seconds. Stir the spices into the salad. Taste for seasoning and serve at room temperature or chilled in radicchio leaves or over mixed greens, sprinkled with a little chat masala if desired, along with some rice or some crusty bread. Makes 4 servings

Sweet Potato Chickpea Soup

After a week of high temperatures and humidity, there is again a chill in the air and a fair amount of rain. A hot bowl of this colorful and gently spiced homemade sweet potato and chickpea soup is just the thing to heat the body up and raise the spirits. So simple to make, the act of putting together and simmering a pot of comforting soup to warm and nourish yourself and your loved ones is sure to brighten your day and table, and the tender pieces of sweet potato have a wonderfully sunny disposition, don't you think?

Sweet Potato Chickpea Soup

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on July 29, 2013 Simple, warming and nourishing soup with chickpeas, sweet potato and gentle spices Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 cup dried chickpeas (3 cups cooked or 2 14 oz cans) 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped 1 clove garlic, minced or crushed 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced or grated 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1 large potato, diced 1 sweet potato, diced 1 celery stalk, sliced 3 cups vegetable stock or water 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste fresh ground black pepper Instructions: Rinse the chickpeas and soak in several inches of water for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a large saucepan and cover with at least 4 cups of fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the chickpeas are tender. Drain and reserve 2 cups of the cooking liquid. Wipe the saucepan dry and add the olive oil. Heat over medium heat, then add the onion, jalapeño and garlic, and stir for 3 to 4 minutes or until the onion is soft. Toss in the ginger, stir for 30 seconds, then stir in the spices. Add the potato, sweet potato and celery, and stir to coat the vegetables with oil and spice. Pour in the reserved chickpea cooking liquid and vegetable stock or water, raise the heat to medium-high, and bring the soup to a low boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 20-30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Remove from heat and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve hot or warm. Reheat leftover soup on medium-low heat and thin with a little extra water. Note: If using canned or already cooked chickpeas, increase the amount of vegetable stock or water in the recipe to 5 cups. Makes 4 to 6 servings

Pinto Bean and Avocado Burritos

Summertime is perfect for easy meals that can be enjoyed on the patio. Mind you, these zesty and creamy pinto bean burritos would be delicious any time of year but wrapping up vibrant Mexican-spiced goodness in a handheld burritos seems especially suited to warm summer days. Apart from a bit of chopping and cooking the beans, this fresh-tasting burrito filling with avocado, corn and cilantro all comes together in very little time. Vegans may leave out the cheese and sour cream, of course, and the results would still be most pleasing to serve up. Spicy and cooling, and packed full of flavor, this one comes highly recommended from my kitchen.

So, what did I make to please my husband and best friend so much?

Pinto Bean and Avocado Burritos

Vibrant, zesty and creamy fresh-tasting pinto bean burritos with avocado, cilantro, corn and spices — refreshing on a warm summer day Print this recipe Beans: 1 1/4 cups dried pinto beans 1 ancho (dried poblano) chili 1 bay leaf 1/2 red onion 1 avocado, peeled and chopped or diced juice from 1 lime (2 tablespoons) 1/4 cup cilantro, leaves and stalks, chopped 8 7-inch flour or corn tortillas, warmed Sauce: 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 large shallot, finely chopped 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 to 2 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon paprika pinch or two of cayenne (optional) 2 large plum tomatoes, partially seeded and finely chopped 1 cup fresh or frozen corn 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste fresh ground black pepper to taste 1 cup fresh grated extra-old Cheddar cheese 2 tablespoons sour cream Instructions: Rinse the beans and soak for 8 hours or overnight in enough water to cover. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a medium saucepan and cover with several inches of fresh water. Add ancho chili, bay leaf, and onion, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour or until the beans are tender. Drain and transfer to a large bowl to cool. Discard the onion and bay leaf. Scoop out the seeds from the ancho chili and set aside. When the beans have cooled, gently toss in the avocado, lime juice, ancho chili seeds and fresh cilantro. Heat the oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan. When hot, toss in the shallot and stir for 2 to 3 minutes to soften. Add the cumin seeds, jalapeños, chili powder, paprika and cayenne if using, and continue to stir for another minute. Now add the tomatoes and cook, stirring often, for 10 to 15 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Stir in the corn and cook for another 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and then stir in the Cheddar cheese and sour cream. Taste for seasoning and stir the mixture into the beans and avocado. Serve wrapped in warmed 10-inch flour or corn tortillas with sour cream, hot sauce, chili powder or cilantro as garnish, or serve as a dip with crunchy baked tortilla chips. Makes 8 7-inch burritos or 4 servings

No Croutons Required - The Winner for July

The challenge for July was to come up with a vegetarian legume salad. The contributions are sure to stimulate your appetite and culinary imagination. We do have to crown a winner though and the most popular this month is Rachel Cotterill's Warm Halloumi Salad with Lime Dressing. Bursting with flavour and goodness, the textures and variety in this salad are impressive. Congratulations Rachel. I can't wait to try your dish.