This and that: Fruit

Showing posts with label Fruit. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Smoothies

We start most of our mornings off with a smoothie. It is a quick breakfast that I can make for my hubby as he leaves out the door for class. Full of fruits and yumminess. I make mine different every morning depending on what fruit I put in. I love a mixture of fruit and depending on my mood and what I have on hand I use strawberries, raspberries, peaches, mangoes and bananas. I always throw my fruit that is getting soft into the freezer, just for this purpose.

Berry Salad with Basil Chia Vinaigrette

I love summer and fresh fruit. We have a small strawberry patch that this year is producing very well. Or at least I think so. I have also been able to get to them before the critters which helps. Before this year, I would pick and throw out the strawberries that had bites taken out but this year I decided to leave them. Low and behold they seem to be coming back to eat the strawberries that they had already started to eat~ I do hope this continue and they don't go for the new ones.

I decided to make a salad with the strawberries and a dressing. My basil is also starting to come up and basil and strawberries go so well together so came up with this recipe.

Berry Salad with Basil Chia Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

sliced strawberries

blueberries

pomegranate seeds

assorted lettuce or spinach ( I used romaine and spinach)

glazed walnuts

sliced chicken (optional)

for vinaigrette:

1/2 cup oil

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1 tsp dijon mustard

2 tsp fresh minced basil

1 tbsp chia seed

1/2 tsp honey powder (or you could use what ever sweetener you like)

Directions:

Make vinaigrette by mixing all ingredients together and let sit while you prepare your salad.

Assemble lettuce, add fruit, walnuts and chicken.

Drizzle vinaigrette over salad and enjoy.

Vinaigrette will keep in the fridge for 3-7 days depending on what you put into them. With fresh herbs, I have read that they don't last as long. I do keep mine longer but I don't recommend it to others. I throw them out when they start smelling bad.. that is my clue that I need to make some more.

Links: Foodie Friends Friday, Thursdays Treasures

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Fruit Infused Water

Do you have trouble getting all your water in?

I usually do very good at work, but at home it seems to be a hardship and I am not sure why...

So, I decided to get on the bandwagon of doing drink fruit infused waters.

They are simple to do and you can use any fruits or even vegetables to get the flavour you want.

Put in herbs...

Stick the container in the fridge for a few hours and

Voila you have......

Fruit Infused Water

The water is refreshing and much easier to drink when it has some flavour. I have been using fruits that are starting to wilt and not as fresh and crisp as I like. Instead of throwing them in the freezer, I throw them in a pitcher, fill with water and drink them. I also have the benefit that my fridge likes to freeze things so they last longer. I continue to add water until I think the fruit needs to be tossed out. I add water for about 4 -5 days. You might not use them that long.

My first try was with citrus fruits. I cut up one lemon, one orange and 1/4 grapefruit and fill the pitcher with water. My pitcher holds about a gallon. The result refreshing tasting water.

My second attempt was strawberry lemon. My strawberries were starting to get spots on them and they were starting to get soft. So I cut off the spots, threw them in my pitcher, added a lemon and a few sprigs of thyme. Let it sit in the fridge for a few hours and yum.. Some great tasting water.

You can use water ever fruit you want... peaches, pears, citrus, berries and some vegetables would be good like cucumbers. Add herbs like mint, basil, thyme, rosemary and you won't find it so difficult to drink the water you need. You can also eat the fruit if you would like, but I find that it doesn't have very much taste left after it has been sitting in water for a few days.

Use your imaginations

and

Drink your water

I would love to hear what you have used to make your water taste better. What is your favorite fruit, vegetable or herb?

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Granola Bars... the most delicious ones yet.

Fri

I love granola bars and my husband eats them like they are going out of style...

and I finally found a bar that works for us...

tastes good, not too sweet

and has fruit..

YUM!

Fruity Granola Bar

adapted from All-recipes.com

2 cups rolled oats

1/4 cup brown sugar*

1/2 cup flax

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup shredded coconut

3/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup dried fruit (I use cranberries, apricots and mangoes)*

1/2 cup honey

1 egg beaten

1/2 cup coconut oil ( I use Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil) melted

2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish generously.

In large bowl mix together rolled oats, brown sugar, flax, cinnamon, nutmeg, coconut, flour, salt, and dried fruit. Make a well in the center of ingredients. In separate bowl mix honey, egg, coconut oil and vanilla and pour into dry ingredients. With hand mix everything together and pat into baking dish.

Bake for 30 - 35 minutes until edges start turning brown. Cool for 5 minutes and then cut into bars. Cool the rest of the way. You need to cut them after 5 minutes or they will be too hard to cut.

*I have omitted the brown sugar entirely and they still turn out.

* when using dried fruit the majority is the cranberries and then added cut apricots and mangoes for the rest. Cut in small pieces

** I have also doubled the recipe and still used the 9 X 13 pan.. they are thicker and I cut them into thinner pieces.