Tag: dessert

  • Apple Butter

    Apple Butter

    Apple Butter

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    Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
    Ingredients Method Notes

    Ingredients
      

    • 4 pounds assorted apples
    • 3 ½ cups water
    • 1 ½ cups cane sugar
    • 1 teaspoon apple or pumpkin pie spice

    Method
     

    1. Peel, core, and cut apples into quarters then place in a saucepan and add water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Gently simmer for approximately 30 minutes or until apples are soft. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon to help the apple break down.
    2. Carefully place cooked apples in a blender and blend until very smooth, about 1 minute. Return apples to a clean saucepan and add sugar and pumpkin pie spice.
    3. Bring blended apples to a simmer and cook for 40-50 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.
    4. Cool and test the consistency. It should be spreadable and stay on the end of a knife. If it doesn't, heat again and cook for 10 more minutes. Store in a clean jar in the refrigerator. Enjoy!

    Notes

    Makes approximately 3 1/2 cups
  • Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

    Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

    Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

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    Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
    Ingredients Method Notes

    Ingredients
      

    • 3 cups all-purpose flour or cake flour
    • 4 teaspoons baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon sea salt
    • 12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter softened
    • 1 ½ cups cane sugar
    • 3 egg whites
    • 1 cup buttermilk
    • Zest and juice of 2 medium lemons
    • 1 pound unsalted butter softened
    • 2 cups confectioner's sugar sifted
    • ¾ cup strawberry jam divided
    • 10 ripe strawberries halved

    Method
     

    1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
    2. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and cane sugar together until pale in color. Whisk in egg whites until batter is smooth.
    3. Fold in half the dry ingredients, then half the buttermilk and repeat. Fold in lemon zest and juice.
    4. Line two cupcake pans with cupcake liners and fill ⅔ full of batter. Bake for 20 minutes (rotating pans halfway through baking) or until a toothpick inserted in the centers come out clean. Set aside to cool completely.
    5. Cream butter and add sifted confectioner's sugar. Beat frosting until smooth then mix in ½ cup of strawberry jam. Place in a piping bag fitted with a star piping tip.
    6. To decorate cupcakes, pipe frosting in a circular pattern over the top of the cupcake leaving a well in the center. Place a teaspoon of strawberry jam in the center of the frosting. Top cupcakes with a strawberry half.

    Notes

    Makes 18-20 cupcakes
     
    Cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Before serving, allow cupcakes to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.
  • Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

    Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

    Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

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    Servings: 2
    Ingredients Method

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup milk (whole, almond, oat, etc.)
    • ½ cup plain yogurt
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ¼ cup chia seeds
    • 2-4 tablespoons agave syrup
    • 3 tablespoons cocoa powder sifted
    • 1 teaspoon mushroom powder
    • Pinch of salt
    • Shaved chocolate for garnish
    • Sliced almonds for garnish

    Method
     

    1. Whisk together all ingredients through salt in a mixing bowl until smooth. Adjust sweetness to taste and place in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours to thicken.
    2. Spoon pudding into serving dishes and garnish with shaved chocolate and sliced almonds.
  • Blood Orange Granita

    Blood Orange Granita

    Blood Orange Granita

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    Servings: 4
    Ingredients Method

    Ingredients
      

    • ¼ cup dry rosé wine or water
    • ¼ cup cane sugar
    • 2 cups fresh blood orange juice from about 8-10 medium oranges
    • Mint for garnish

    Method
     

    1. In a small saucepan, combine the wine or water and sugar.Heat on low until sugar has dissolved. Pour into a shallow pan and let cool.
    2. Add blood orange juice to the sugar syrup and mix to combine.Place in the freezer. After 1 hour, break up ice crystals by stirring with a fork. Continue to check every hour until all the mixture crystalized, approximately 3 hours.
    3. To serve, scoop into chilled serving dishes, garnish with mint and serve immediately.
  • Tropical Fruit Salad

    Tropical Fruit Salad

    Tropical Fruit Salad

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    Total Time 20 minutes
    Servings: 6
    Ingredients Method

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 large pineapple
    • 1 pint strawberries
    • 2 large ripe mangoes
    • 4 kiwis
    • 2 large white-flesh dragon fruit
    • ½ cup apricot preserves
    • 2 tablespoons lime juice
    • 1 ½ tablespoons red grapefruit juice
    • ¾ teaspoon poppy seeds
    • Fresh mint optional

    Method
     

    1. No more than four hours before serving, prepare fruit. Peel, core, and chop pineapple. Hull and halve strawberries. Peel, pit, and chop mango. Peel and slice kiwi. Peel and chop dragon fruit. Store fruit in the refrigerator until it's time to serve.
    2. In a small bowl, whisk together apricot preserves, lime juice, grapefruit juice, and poppy seeds.
    3. Pour dressing over fruit and gently combine. Serve with optional mint garnish.
  • Quick Peach Melba

    Quick Peach Melba

    Quick Peach Melba

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    Total Time 30 minutes
    Servings: 2
    Ingredients Method Notes

    Ingredients
      

    • 4 ripe peaches stoned and chopped
    • 2 pints fresh raspberries
    • 2 tablespoons cane sugar divided
    • 1 quart non-dairy vanilla frozen yogurt (or ice cream)
    • Fresh mint for garnish

    Method
     

    1. In a small bowl, toss raspberries with 1 tablespoon sugar or to taste and set aside. If raspberries do not release juices, press with the back of a spoon. In another bowl, toss peaches with remaining sugar and set aside.Allow fruit to rest for 15 minutes or until juices release.
    2. To serve, place peaches at the bottom of serving dishes and scoop frozen yogurt on top.Spoon over raspberries and garnish with fresh mint.Serve immediately.

    Notes

    Frozen fruit can be substituted as needed.
  • Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

    Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

    Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

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    Total Time 1 hour
    Servings: 2 loaves
    Ingredients Method

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 stick unsalted butter room temperature
    • 1 cup cane sugar
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 3 ripe bananas mashed
    • 2 large eggs
    • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
    • ⅓ cup cocoa powder sifted
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • ½ cup sour cream
    • ¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips

    Method
     

    1. Cream butter, sugar, and vanilla together until pale in color. In a separate bowl, whisk together bananas, and eggs. Add the banana mixture to the creamed butter and mix until just combined. Preheat oven to 350°F.
    2. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Fold into wet ingredients.
    3. Add sour cream and fold the batter again until just combined then fold in chocolate chips.
    4. Grease loaf pans with butter or baking spray, optionally, line them with parchment paper. Divide batter evenly between the two prepared pans.
    5. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow banana bread to rest for 10 minutes before removing from pan.
  • Cook with mint

    Cook with mint

    Cook with mint

    Fast and fresh summertime recipes

    Let’s bring the refreshing flavor of mint into the kitchen this summer. With its distinctive flavor profile and heady aroma, mint is the perfect herb to incorporate into a variety of fresh, summery dishes. Read on for inspiration and then run, don’t walk, to grab your nearest bunch of mint and whip up some delicious fresh mint dishes today.

    Mint Chip Smoothie Breakfast Bowl

    Who wouldn’t want to eat ice cream for breakfast? This cool and creamy concoction only feels like an indulgence. Packed with fiber from bananas, spinach, mint, and oats, this breakfast is sure to keep you feeling full and satisfied until lunchtime.
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    Servings: 2
    Ingredients Method Notes

    Ingredients
      

    • ½ cup plain yogurt
    • ¼ cup rolled oats
    • ⅔ cup packed fresh spinach leaves
    • ⅔ cup packed fresh mint leaves plus extra for garnish
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 3 medium frozen bananas chopped into 1 inch pieces
    • 1 ½ tablespoons raw cacao nibs plus extra for garnish
    • ½ cup fresh raspberries for garnish

    Method
     

    1. In blender, combine yogurt, oats, spinach, mint, and vanilla until smooth. Add frozen bananas and blend, scraping down sides of blender as needed, until thick and creamy. With blender turned off, fold cacao nibs into smoothie mixture.
    2. Divide smoothie into 2 serving bowls. Garnish each bowl with some extra cacao nibs, fresh raspberries, and a few mint leaves. Serve immediately.

    Notes

    Each serving contains: 307 calories; 8 g protein; 6 g total fat (3 g sat. fat); 58 g total carbohydrates (28 g sugars, 10 g fiber); 55 mg sodium

    Minted Watermelon and Rice Noodle Salad

    This vibrant summer salad works equally great as a side dish or light lunch. It also travels well. Leftovers keep well refrigerated for a few days.
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    Servings: 5
    Ingredients Method Notes

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
    • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
    • 1 tablespoon liquid honey
    • 1 tablespoon water
    • 1 teaspoon sambal oelek or 1 finely chopped bird's eye chili
    • 1 tablespoon + ⅓ cup loosely packed mint leaves divided
    • 1 cup snow peas ends trimmed
    • 1 cup bean sprouts
    • 5 ½ oz rice vermicelli noodles
    • 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
    • 14 oz watermelon cut into bite-sized pieces
    • ¼ cup loosely packed Thai basil leaves or regular basil leaves
    • 2 green onions thinly sliced
    • 2 tablespoons roughly chopped toasted peanuts (optional)
    • 1 lime cut into wedges for serving

    Method
     

    1. In small bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, fish sauce, honey, water, and sambal oelek or chopped chili until well combined. Finely chop 1 Tbsp mint leaves and stir into dressing. Set aside while preparing salad, or transfer to airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
    2. Bring large saucepan of water to boil over high heat. While water is coming to a boil, prepare ice bath by placing a couple of handfuls of ice into large bowl and covering with cold water. Set aside.
    3. Blanch snow peas in boiling water for 10 seconds. Using slotted spoon, transfer to ice bath for 1 minute before placing on clean kitchen towel to drain. Repeat blanching and ice water bath treatment with bean sprouts, taking care to blanch bean sprouts in boiling water for only 5 seconds. Place bean sprouts to drain on clean kitchen towel alongside snow peas.
    4. Cook rice noodles according to package instructions and place in large bowl. Add about half the reserved dressing and toss to combine.
    5. Cut snow peas into bite-sized pieces and add to bowl with noodles along with bean sprouts, cherry tomato halves, watermelon pieces, torn basil leaves, green onion, and remaining 1/3 cup torn mint leaves. Drizzle with remaining dressing before gently tossing all together. Pile onto serving plates and garnish with a sprinkling of chopped peanuts, if using, and lime wedges.

    Notes

    Each serving contains: 215 calories; 6 g protein; 2 g total fat (0 g sat. fat); 45 g total carbohydrates (11 g sugars, 4 g fiber); 590 mg sodium

    Sweet Mint Pesto with Grilled Peaches

    For this recipe, sun-kissed peaches are used; however, other fruits such as pineapple, mango, nectarine, or plums would work equally well. Paired with a refreshing minty pesto sauce, this speedy dessert is sure to be a hit at your next BBQ.
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    Servings: 4
    Ingredients Method Notes

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 cups packed fresh mint leaves
    • 4 tablespoons grapeseed oil divided
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • ¼ cup raw pine nuts, raw cashews, or raw sunflower seeds
    • 2 tablespoons honey
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • Pinch of salt
    • 4 ripe peaches
    • Your favorite vanilla ice cream to serve, if desired

    Method
     

    1. Preheat barbecue grill to medium-high.
    2. While barbecue preheats, make mint pesto sauce. In blender, place mint, 3 Tbsp grapeseed oil, olive oil, pine nuts, honey, vanilla, and salt. Blend, scraping down sides of blender jug as needed with rubber spatula, until pesto is mostly smooth, about 30 seconds. If pesto is too thick, thin with water, adding 1 Tbsp at a time until desired consistency is achieved.
    3. Cut peaches or your chosen fruit in half and discard pits. Rub cut side of fruit with some of the remaining 1 Tbsp grapeseed oil. Place fruit cut-side down on preheated grill and cook, moving as needed so fruit does not burn, until warm and grill marked, about 2 minutes.
    4. To serve, divide grilled fruit among serving bowls and top with some mint pesto. While delicious just as is, topping with a scoop of ice cream is highly recommended, as it gives the final dish more depth and richness.

    Notes

    Each serving contains: 271 calories; 4 g protein; 19 g total fat (2 g sat. fat); 26 g total carbohydrates (21 g sugars, 5 g fiber); 70 mg sodium

    By Lawren Moneta

    Article Courtesy of Alive Magazine

  • Decadent Chocolate Mug Cake

    Decadent Chocolate Mug Cake

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    Decadent Chocolate Mug Cake

    Servings 1

    Ingredients

    • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
    • 2 tbsp cocoa powder
    • 2 tbsp cane sugar
    • ¼ tsp baking powder
    • ⅛ tsp grated nutmeg
    • 6 tbsp whole milk
    • 1 tbsp avocado oil
    • 2 tbsp chocolate chopped

    Instructions

    • In a 12-ounce mug, whisk together dry ingredients.
    • Add milk and oil and add to the dry ingredients. Stir until smooth and there are no lumps. Top with chopped chocolate.
    • Place mug in microwave and cook for 1 minute. Continue to cook in 10 second increments until cake has set. Allow cake to cool for 5-10 minutes before eating.

    Recipe Courtesy of INFRA

  • Banana-Chocolate Crumb Cake

    Banana-Chocolate Crumb Cake

    Banana-Chocolate Crumb Cake

    Bananas and chocolate are a classic combination for good reason. They simply taste better together! Try this banana-chocolate crumb cake with fair trade ingredients for a dish that tastes as good as it is for people the people and the planet.

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    Banana-Chocolate Crumb Cake

    Servings 6

    Ingredients

    Crumb Topping

    • ½ cup all-purpose flour
    • ⅓ cup light brown sugar
    • ¼ cup cane sugar
    • 3 tbsp unsalted butter softened

    Batter

    • 2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 tbsp baking powder
    • ½ tsp grated nutmeg
    • ½ tsp sea salt
    • 2 ripe bananas mashed
    • 4 tbsp unsalted butter softened
    • ⅔ cup cane sugar
    • ⅓ cup light brown sugar
    • 2 large eggs
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • 1 cup buttermilk
    • ¾ cup chocolate chips

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 by 9 inch baking pan and line with parchment paper. In a small bowl combine the crumb topping ingredients until well mixed. Set aside.
    • In a large bowl combine remaining flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together remaining brown sugar, and cane sugar until well blended. Beat in eggs, one at a time until incorporated. Stir in bananas, and vanilla.
    • Add half of the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Stir gently to combine. Add half the buttermilk and stir gently to combine. Repeat with remaining dry ingredients and buttermilk.
    • Fold chocolate chips into the batter. Pour batter into the prepared baking pan and top with crumb mixture. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cake to cool 10 minutes before removing from pan.

    Recipe Provided by INFRA