Fruity Sorbet Ice Cream (dairy free)

Every so often I get a new idea for something healthy to replace ice cream. This one has a lot of flavor and texture. Not smooth like ice cream - more like a combination of that and sorbet.

Use perfect fruit!

Wash it all well and remove the strawberry leaves. Cut the tips and stem area off the lemon and mandarin, then cut them lengthwise to take out the center core area. Chop the lemon and mandarin into chunks to be sure there are no seeds, but leave the peel on.

Pour the coconut milk into your blender jar. Add 1/3 - 1/2 cup of Maple syrup, the chopped fruit and blend on high a couple minutes. Pour this into an ice cube tray, pint containers or a loaf pan. 

Freeze only until the whole mixture is solid before serving. Beyond that point, you'll have to leave it out on the counter before scooping since this freezes very hard.

One of my favorite ice creams is Häagen-Dazs Rum Raisin. I might try duplicating that using coconut milk, raisins, Maple Syrup and Mexican vanilla. LOTS of vanilla since I really don't want a big bottle of rum. If that turns out well, I'll post it here. . .Lin

Whole 30* - Orange-Berry-Banana — Coconut-Almond Ice Cream

Ohhh, Boy!

This Whole 30 recipe creating has really stirred my interest!

Someone in one of my Whole 30 Facebook groups mentioned ice cream and was sad she couldn't have it for a while. I thought, hmmm, yeah, 'I'm on it!' I used to make frozen yogurt quite often, but since dairy is off the table right now, I started thinking of cream and whole milk Greek yogurt alternatives. I've heard of coconut based yogurt, but I already grocery shopped twice this week, and I never go to the store for just one or two items. Then I remembered the coconut-almond milk I put together for a dairy-free coffee creamer and also used it in mashed potatoes a few days ago, so I needed to make more. Just in time to experiment! *I just discovered that Whole 30 says 'no treats' yet. . .the coconut-almond milk and all the fruit is compliant, so. . .I guess proceed at your own risk.

For the 'Ice Cream'. . .

Fill a blender container half way with frozen fruit. 1½ big bananas (or 2 sm.-med.), 1½-2c frozen strawberries and blueberries and after I took the picture, I also cut up a Cutie mandarin orange, including the skin, and added that. ( I thought about adding a handful of chopped dates for sweetness but decided against that.)

I then poured in about 10oz. of the coconut-almond milk and blended. I actually had to let it just sit there and thaw 15 minutes or so before it would blend - so be patient - don't add any more liquid! Blend this well, then pour into a 32oz. container and freeze.

Adding bananas helps to keep it a bit softer and *easier to scoop, not to mention all the nutrients they add to this type of ice cream. I'll be making varieties of this recipe far into the future!! . . . Lin

EDIT: *The bananas might keep this soft if they were the main ingredient, but sadly, this froze hard as a rock. The flavor and health aspects of it however, make working with this worthwhile. Put the container on your counter, at least a half hour before scooping.

A Smoked Salmon Rice Cake with Fruit

This isn't a recipe, rather more an idea for a quick and very healthy lunch or dinner.

Spread your favorite type of rice cake with smoked salmon spread from the deli. Top with chopped grape tomatoes, dill and black pepper. 

Wash and cut the fruit. Today it was a couple beautiful strawberries and a golden kiwi, which I didn't peel for less mess and more fiber. They have much smoother, thinner skin than the green kiwis. These were drizzled with fresh lemon juice and a sprinkle of turbinado sugar for crunch. 

Garnished with Kalamata olives. . .Lin

Chicken-Pecan-Strawberry Waldorf Salad

In a big non-stick pan, melt 2T coconut oil and add 8oz. rotisserie chicken meat, cut into bite-size pieces. Stir gently, occasionally, until it's browned and a little crispy.

In a big bowl, combine:

the browned chicken

4oz. whole pecans

10oz. sliced strawberries

DRESSING *

In a smaller bowl whisk together these ingredients and pour over everything in the bowl.

2/3c± mayonnaise

3T brown, grainy mustard

3T fruity white Balsamic vinegar

  ~ or fresh lemon juice

fresh ground black pepper

* If you'd rather use a vinaigrette, this one is my favorite, or, your favorite Raspberry Vinaigrette. Another great one would be the one I LOVE the most on my homemade coleslaw - by Briannas.

Slice everything shown on the cutting board AND one Opal or Golden Delicious apple (not shown). Gently mix everything together. Serve in a bowl as is, or over a bed of crispy Romaine lettuce. . .Lin

Strawberry-Broccoli-Chicken Salad

1 broccoli crown - washed and dried

Break this up into florets. Cover with a damp paper towel in a single layer, in a flat bowl. Microwave for 90 seconds. Uncover and add:

2c chopped celery
4 sliced green onions
2oz. chopped walnuts
5-6oz. cubed roasted chicken
1/4c Asian Yum Yum Sauce
. . .or poppy seed dressing. . .
2T fruity white Balsamic vinegar
1t Everything Bagel Seasoning
fresh ground black pepper
quartered strawberries

At this point, you can cover the salad with plastic wrap and chill it to serve within the next several hours, or a day or two, or serve right away.

To serve, scoop some into a bowl then toss a bit, since it's a layered salad, to coat everything with the dressing.

This is a really good salad! . .Lin

Pineapple-Strawberry Pico de Gallo

Earlier this summer I knocked my own socks off when making one of my 5 Ingredient Salads. I was in the chopping-slicing stage when I discovered my tomatoes were less than stellar. I checked the fridge and there it was - a perfect container of strawberries. Okay then, worth a try!?! What a great salad! Try substituting strawberries for tomato the next time you make a big, fresh, garden salad!

Today I was thinking I'd make salsa when I saw my perfect tomatoes. I changed it to pico, then wondered about strawberries. . .In the end. . .Strawberries Won! I don't know if anyone else ever uses celery in pico or salsa. I had 2 big bunches of it, and this celery heart really wanted to marinate with its 'fridge mates in the bowl, and, Who Am I, to say no to such gorgeous celery?

1 lg. clove garlic

1/3 poblano pepper

1 celery heart and tops

10 oz. cleaned strawberries

4 oz. frozen pineapple

1 lemon - zest and juice

1 oz.+ fresh cilantro

1 med.-lg. Vidalia onion

1t fresh ground black pepper

1/2t Himalayan pink salt

1-2t fruity white Balsamic vinegar

Finely mince the garlic and pepper, chop the rest and gently combine in a medium glass bowl. Serve with corn chips or quinoa chips. Grind it up a bit, and spoon it over any grilled meat: chicken, fish, shrimp, steak, burgers. . .This would also be great over a wedge salad with a drizzle of poppy seed dressing.

Or just grab a fork - Pico Salad! 😉 Lin

Strawberries with Peppery Nutmeg Whipped Cream

I was shopping at our local wholesale grocery (and everything) store the other day.  I went into one of the cold rooms where the fruit is kept and immediately was enveloped by the scent of strawberries. . .I didn't expect them to be absolutely perfect, at this time of year, here in northern Minnesota. . .But they were!

Tonight I fixed a big bowl of them. My favorite thing to do is sprinkle them with a little cinnamon sugar, but I remembered I had heavy cream. Hmmm. Pour the cream in a small bowl. Add a little sugar or honey, a good shake of ground nutmeg and several grinds of black pepper. Yes, pepper! Stir and let the flavors blend and the sugar dissolve in the 'fridge, for half an hour. Whip with a beater, a whisk, or an immersion blender. Plop it on the berries. .☺️. .Lin

Fresh, Fruity Strawberries and Cream

This is a grab and assemble sort of thing.  I didn't create a recipe, since amounts, and even some ingredients, are for you to determine. But for sure, it has have really good strawberries! Fresh, juicy, bright red STRAWBERRIES! When you know how many servings you want, then decide how much of each of the following to add, following the directions below.

fresh lemon juice and zest

local organic honey

thin slices of candied ginger

little pieces of dried pineapple

a good shake of black pepper (!)

cashews, macadamias or blanched almonds

sour cream (really!)

Combine the first group in a medium bowl and microwave 30 seconds, stir to coat everything. This will rehydrate and soften the pineapple. Set this aside while you wash, core and chop the strawberries into quarters. Add them to the bowl, stir in the nuts and serve in individual bowls. Top each with a big dollop of sour cream, give everything a tiny, gentle stir to incorporate it just a little and blend the flavors. Mmmm, it's good! . .Lin

Tossed Salad with Strawberries

More and more lately, tomatoes are ending up simmered in my kitchen.  In one way, that's a healthier option, since the Lycopene in them is released when they're cooked. Since my Roma's aren't ripe yet. . .it's just another reason to substitute some beautiful strawberries in my salad today.

This began with a lettuce mix of chopped: romaine, green cabbage, spinach, celery, carrot, Vidalia and green onion.  Once the lettuce was washed well, and spun dry I tossed in all the other sliced, clean, dry vegetables that will keep nicely, covered in the 'fridge for up to 5 days.  

For this salad, I combined a big handful of the lettuce mix with cilantro, crumbled feta cheese, macadamia nuts, 4 big strawberries, half an avocado, a good shake of Everything Bagel Seasoning and some Raspberry Vinaigrette dressing.

This was quick, easy, healthy and delicious...Lin

Orange-Strawberry-Rhubarb Cobbler

OH MY. . .SO Much Rhubarb!!

When I first moved here; that spring, several years ago; I noticed a little mound forming in my back yard. It grew daily. Finally, curiosity won. I cut through the landscaping mesh that had been laid down during reseeding my back yard, to find a TINY patch of rhubarb, trying really hard to make itself known! I had to laugh! These tiny leaves and stalks occupied a whole 8"x10" area, but they were SO determined to break free! I pulled the grass around it and watered it when I remembered.

I had some landscaping done a few years later and my landscape guy insisted transplanting it was a waste of time. Well, au contraire Mr. Landscaper—Rhubarb Expert! I took this photo just now. This is after already harvesting 8 cups between me and my next-door neighbor. Sometimes, things just need time, space and someone to believe in the possibilities. . .

 

2c diced rhubarb

3 Cutie mandarins - diced with peel

diced strawberries - enough to bring this fruit mix to 4 cups

1T good quality pure vanilla

3/4c light brown sugar

2t pumpkin pie spice

1T corn starch

Combine the fruit ingredient group in a medium glass bowl, then pour it into a greased 9" casserole.  Preheat your oven to 375° then assemble the pastry-batter, for the topping.

1-1/4c flour

~ I used 1/2c corn flour

~ and 3/4c all purpose flour

a pinch of salt

1T baking powder

3T pure cane sugar

1/2c sour cream - mixed with. . .

~ 1 beaten egg + 1-2T water

6T very cold -or- frozen butter - grated into the bowl

Drop batter in spoonfuls and spread over the fruit mixture, swirl both layers together a little if you'd like, then sprinkle coarse sugar over the top (I used turbinado and coconut sugars) Bake for 40 minutes.

It's RHUBARB SEASON! 😁
Bake up something special today..😊..Lin

A Quick Orange-Strawberry-Rhubarb Cake

A friend posted a simpler variation of this from today's NY Times who published it as "Pudding Cake or Spoon Bread?" It sounded good, although maybe a little plain. I wasn't in the mood for a biscuit-type dessert, nor something resembling shortbread or something like a molten lava cake. . .I wanted real cake! With a little more fruit and spice. So, I made changes: increased the fruit, added orange peel, vinegar to make the milk into 'buttermilk' - which always creates more flavorful cake, muffins, pancakes. I also added an egg, pumpkin pie spice and cardamom.  Other than that...followed, almost word-for-word! 😉 🙃 😊 

6-8oz. frozen strawberries and rhubarb

1 'cutie' finely chopped orange peel only

~ eat the orange ~ 🙂

⅓c light brown sugar

Chop the fruit, mash it a little if necessary, add the brown sugar, stir and set aside.

1 stick butter - melted

⅓c light brown sugar

½c coconut almond milk
(¾c coconut almond milk)*

1t white vinegar-optional-vinegar combined with milk 
turns it into buttermilk, which adds more flavor

½t salt

1 egg

Barely melt the butter, then remove from heat. Add the next ingredients whisking after each. Before adding the egg, check the temperature. If it's too hot, cool everything before adding it.

1c all purpose flour
*¼c corn flour
*¼c Linwoods seeds-berries

1t baking powder

1t+ pumpkin pie spice

½t+ cardamom

*I thought of these additions after I baked and posted this.  I'll make it this way next time.

Preheat your oven to 350°. Whisk the dry ingredients together well, in a separate bowl, then stir them into the other bowl of wet ingredients. Stir only until all four is absorbed. Pour into a greased 8"x8"  baking pan. Spoon the thawed, stirred fruit and sugar mix on top and swirl it into the batter a little, with a knife. Sprinkle the top with coarse turbinado sugar, for a little added crunch. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until it passes the toothpick test. Cool an hour. 

This is SO good!  The areas on each edge where it touched glass are nice and crispy!  Serve as is, for dessert or as a coffee cake, or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. . .Lin

S.T.R.A.W.B.E.R.R.I.E.S. ! !

Aldi's had beautiful strawberries a few days ago when I shopped.  1# containers for $1.29 each.  I saw them later at another store, didn't look nearly as fresh, at 2 / $5.00.  I separated them according to ripeness.  The ripest ones needed to be preserved somehow, so I washed, sliced, sugared, peppered and added orange zest.  Wait, you say. . ."Peppered??"  Yes.  Black pepper and fresh fruit go SO well together.  One of my favorites is ripe Bartlett pears sliced, drizzled with a little fresh lemon juice, fruity balsamic vinegar, and a sprinkle of turbinado sugar and black pepper.  Serve those over crisp sliced romaine lettuce, with your favorite strong crumbled cheese.  Mmmm.  So back to the strawberries.  Today I had half a lemon cut so I used that for the juice and the zest from a CaraCara orange.

1# fresh ripe strawberries

fresh lemon, lime or orange juice

2T light brown sugar

zest of a lemon, lime or orange

a generous sprinkle of good black pepper

These will keep 3-5 days in the refrigerator. Good with plain Greek yogurt and granola, on top of vanilla ice cream, or just like this, out of the bowl. Also combined with other fruits for a flavorful fruit salad, halved grapes, cherries, pineapple, kiwi. Or here, a CaraCara orange, mini avocado a sprinkle of salt and pepper.   . . .Mmmm. . .

Buy Strawberries - The Season is short!  Lin

Strawberry Salad

butter lettuce or baby spinach

½ medium onion – sliced

¼-½ c slivered almonds

4-5 big ripe strawberries – sliced

½ sliced avocado – optional

feta cheese crumbles

raspberry vinaigrette dressing

Combine all in a large bowl. Top with cheese and drizzle with dressing. Makes one very large or two side salads. . .Lin