Tag Archives: fruit

Watermelon Granita Cocktail

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We’ve been having some 90+ degree days here in Seattle and for us.. well, that’s pretty hot. We start melting. Especially since no one has air conditioning. Anyway, we put on fans, eat icy treats and pretend we can deal with the heat.

I plant myself in the shade while the kids splash and run around.. I like to think we look like we’re in the serene setting a Pottery Barn summer catalog.. you know the double fold showing a gorgeous patio with a large glassy pool and beautiful outdoor furniture with lush greenery in the background? But really it’s just the blue plastic kiddie pool and my chaise lounger on the yellow straw that is Seattle grass in summer.

Anyway, if you have some leftover Watermelon Granita, add some vodka or tequila, shake it up and call it a summer frozen refresher. The natural watermelon flavor says summer!

watermelon granita cocktail blog (1)

Ingredients

  • 2 cups frozen Watermelon Granita
  • 1 shot Triple Sec
  • 1 or 2 shots vodka or tequila
  • Mint for garnish

Directions

  • Shake everything up well and pour in two glasses
  • Garnish with mint
  • Serve immediately
  • Happy summer! 🙂

dit-elle-Esther

Balsamic Strawberries

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I discovered strawberries with balsamic recently – wow – yum! Strawberry goodness with a pop from the vinegar and pepper. Try it!

balsamic strawberries blog

Ingredients

  • 2 cups strawberries, rinsed and sliced
  • 1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp Sugar (optional, omit for paleo version)
  • Pepper to taste
  • Mint for garnish

Directions

  • Combine all ingredients and let marinade for at least an hour or up to four
  • Enjoy!

dit-elle-Esther

Watermelon Bites with Fresh Basil and Halloumi Cheese

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These are ridiculously easy to make and a delightful combination!

Watermelon, grilled or fried Halloumi (Greek cheese) and fresh basil on a skewer makes for a lovely appetizer.

watermelon halloumi basil skewers blog (2)

watermelon halloumi basil skewers blog (3)

watermelon halloumi basil skewers blog (1)

Ingredients

  • Watermelon
  • Fresh basil leaves
  • Halloumi (Greek cheese)

Directions

  • Fry or grill the Halloumi for a minute or two, then slice it into small <1″ cubes
  • Slice watermelon in cubes
  • Layer watermelon, Halloumi and basil on skewers
  • Serve and enjoy!

dit-elle-Esther

Blackberry Crisp with Vanilla Ice Cream

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As mentioned in my blog post on the topic last week, Blackberry season is in full swing and so much fun! The berries are fun to pick, eat and make yummy things with. Today, a Blackberry Crisp.. pretty much paleo, but add some vanilla ice cream for some non-paleo, but totally delicious, goodness!

Blackberry paleo crumble 2016 with vanilla icecream for blog

Ingredients

  • 4 cups blackberries
  • 1/4 cup sweetener like honey or sugar as needed (if you have very ripe blackberries this may not be needed and you can certainly make it without sweetener for a slightly tarter crisp)

For the topping

  • 1 cup almond meal
  • 1/2 cup golden flax meal (or any ground flax)
  • 1 Tbsp honey
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • Vanilla Ice Cream and mint leaves for garnish

Directions

  • Rinse blackberries, drain well and pour into glass baking dish (9×11″ works well) and drizzle with some honey or sprinkle with sugar (as needed)
  • Mix topping ingredients with a fork until butter is distributed and ingredients are combined well
  • Sprinkle topping evenly over berries
  • Bake @ 350 for 35-45 minutes with tinfoil on. Remove tinfoil and bake for another 10 minutes as needed or until crust is a golden brown.
  • Enjoy with your favorite vanilla ice cream or drizzled with some cold coconut milk

Modified quite a bit, but thanks for the inspiration http://paleoleap.com/berry-crumble/

dit-elle-Esther

Blackberry Season

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It’s blackberry season in Seattle! The season can be pretty long depending on weather. A bunch can have flowers, little green berries, ripening red berries and juicy sweet blackberries all at once! 🙂

Blackberries are known for their fiber and nutrients (like vitamin C and K) and antioxidant properties.. and of course, their tastiness! They are a great berry for pies, cobblers, crisps, shakes, cordial and other drinks.

We have a lot of recipes with blackberries on this blog, simply type in the keyword on our homepage! Because blackberries tend to grow wherever the vines reach, it’s a great activity for big and small.. berries are often found at or near ground level. Pick, eat, enjoy! And I’ll be posting more recipes as the summer goes on! 🙂

Blackberries july 2016 for blog (1)Blackberries july 2016 for blog (3)Blackberries july 2016 for blog (2)

Enjoy blackberry season! 🙂

dit-elle-Esther

White Sangria with Summer Fruit

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This is a perfect summer drink! Pick fruits that are in season.. I used peaches, cherries, raspberries and blackberries.. but you could add some citrus fruit, other stone fruit or other berries! Serve chilled.. lovely on a hot summer day!

white sangria with summer fruit and berries blog (3)white sangria with summer fruit and berries blog (2)white sangria with summer fruit and berries blog (1)

Ingredients

  • 1 bottle white wine
  • 1/2 cup triple sec (or brandy, or rum)
  • 1-2 cups chopped summer fruit or berries
  • 1/2 cup peach juice

Directions

  • Mix all ingredients and refrigerate until ready to serve
  • Serve with ice

dit-elle-Esther

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp with Coconut Topping

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You know summer is just around the corner when rhubarb is ready for the picking! Love rhubarb? So do we! Check out the “Rhubarb Collection” of recipes below, in addition to my latest FAVORITE Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp with Coconut Topping ! 🙂

rhubarb strawberry paleo crisp blog (2)rhubarb strawberry paleo crisp blog (1)

Ingredients

Filling

  • 6 large stalks of rhubarb, cleaned and cut into 1/8″ slices (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • 2 lbs fresh strawberries, hulled
  • 2 Tbsp arrowroot powder (this is a thickener)
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

Topping

  • 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1/4 cup golden flax meal
  • 2 Tbsp coconut flour
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil or butter
  • 2 Tbsp honey

Directions

  • Oven to 350
  • For filling: place rhubarb and strawberries in a large bowl
  • In a small bowl, mix orange juice and arrowroot powder until dissolved and then toss thoroughly with fruit
  • For topping: pulse together shredded coconut, flax, coconut flour in food processor
  • Add oil or butter and honey and pulse until dough forms
  • Sprinkle topping over fruit
  • Cover dish with tinfoil and bake 30-40 minutes until bubbling.. remove tinfoil and bake an additional 10 minutes until topping is crispy and golden
  • Serve warm!

I love making paleo dishes and then adding something totally non-paleo like ice-cream. 🙂 This crisp is on the tarter side, so vanilla ice-cream or simply some coconut milk actually adds a delicious balance! Without the ice-cream, this dish is paleo, gluten-free, dairy free, soy free, vegetarian, vegan.. you get the picture. Enjoy however it works best for you! 🙂

Thank you for the recipes and inspiration Elana’s Pantry.

Enjoy!

dit-elle-Esther

Coconut Panna Cotta with Tropical Fruit

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We’re excited for warm and dry season so we can eat all meals on our deck! Nothing says summer like Panna Cotta with fresh fruit or berries. Coconut Panna Cotta with Tropical Fruit is a wonderful twist on the classic Panna Cotta with Berry Coulis.

coconut panna cotta with tropical fruit (2)

The number one challenge in photography is lighting! Too bright or too dark creates different challenges. This past week has been a rainy grey one in Seattle. To maximize lighting, I have been running outside between showers to try to get good shots! Welcome to my mini studio! 🙂

 

coconut panna cotta with tropical fruit (4) coconut panna cotta with tropical fruit (3) coconut panna cotta with tropical fruit (1)

Ingredients

  • 2 (7-gram) pouches gelatin (5 teaspoons)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 1/4 cups grass-fed whole milk or heavy cream
  • 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
  • 1/4 – 1/2 cup granulated sugar (I used 1/3 cup coconut sugar)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 6 tablespoons shredded coconut + more for toasting and sprinkling on top
  • Sliced mango, pineapple, kiwi or banana, for serving

Directions

  • In a saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over water and let stand for 1 minute. Place over medium heat and stir constantly until granules are dissolved, about 3 minutes. Add milk or cream, coconut milk, sugar and vanilla. Stir over medium heat until sugar is completely dissolved, 3 to 5 minutes.
  • Pour mixture into 6 ramekins; sprinkle coconut on top. Chill in the refrigerator until set, about 3 hours.
  • Optionally (I did not do this step) to serve, dip each ramekin in boiling water for a moment to loosen panna cotta. Turn onto a serving plate. Arrange sliced fruit beside each panna cotta and serve.
  • Optionally (I added this step) toast some coconut and sprinkle on top.

Thanks for the inspiration PCC Natural Markets!

dit-elle-Esther

Fruit Platter

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Need a beautiful addition to breakfast, brunch or a garden party? Try this super simple, colorful and lovely, fruit platter. Select fruits and berries that are in season, and arrange to your liking! That’s it! Want fancier? See my Basil Lime Fruit Salad here.

Happy Spring! 🙂

fruit platter blog (2)fruit platter blog (1)

Ingredients and directions

  • As mentioned, select fruits and berries that are in season for you
  • I made this for my Easter Brunch Party and used: pineapple, mango, papaya, raspberries, and kiwi
  • Clean fruit and then slice or dice to your liking
  • Arrange on platter
  • Serve immediately or store covered in refrigerator overnight
  • Enjoy!

dit-elle-Esther

Papaya and Lime

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Papaya is one of those super foods with all sorts of amazing nutrients in it including antioxidants, phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals and special digestive enzymes. When Papaya is in season I will cut it in half to make a ‘boat’, discard the seeds and eat the papaya straight out of the peel. As previously blogged, t’s the perfect Island Breakfast served with coconut milk. I was serving Papaya for brunch the other day though and wanted an easier way to present it, than a “Papaya boat”. Super simple. Cut in half, discard seeds, peel, and slice. Serve with lime wedges!

Enjoy!

dit-elle-Esther