It is officially summer! I am so happy to be back on the west coast experiencing the beautiful Bay Area weather. We made our way up to Napa Valley, spent a few days in San Francisco and are now enjoying the beautiful California coast in Carmel and Monterey. If you are making a trip out west, I highly recommend experiencing city life, the sprawling Napa Valley vineyards and California coast line. That’s part of the beauty of California-the diversity makes it a one of a kind place to visit.
Today I am sharing a light summer appetizer to complement a heartier spread: crostini made with ricotta, white beans and lemon zest. Crostini are my go to appetizer because no only do they look visually elegant and appealing, they are the perfect summer vehicle for seasonal toppings like fresh fruit and herbs. Your basic crostini involves slicing up a crunchy baguette, brushing it with olive oil and baking in the oven until crisp. This popular Italian appetizer will be making a few more appearances on the blog later this summer!
Nutrition:
Lemon: Lemons have powerful antioxidant capacity due to the the citric acid that neutralizes free radicals linked to aging and disease. They also aid in the absorption of nutrients by dissociating them from anti-nutrients like phytates and increasing their bioavailbility in the body.
White Beans: Beans are an excellent source of fiber and complex carbohydrates. High fiber foods digest steadily and blunt energy spikes and dips. 
- 1 cup white beans, cooked
- 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 loaf of crunchy bread
- 1/4 cup lemon zest
- 1/2 cup arugula
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Cut loaf of bread into 1-inch thick slices.
- Brush both sides of bread slices with olive oil.
- Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and top slices of bread with ricotta cheese.
- Place arugula leaf on each slice of bread and top with a teaspoon of white beans and garnish with lemon zest.
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