Blackberry Yogurt Swirl Paletas

   

    I know everyone is enjoying cool fall weather, but here it is still quite warm. The low was 73 today (and that was in the middle of the night) but I still wore a scarf and a cardigan to celebrate haha! I love autumn- crock pot meals, boots, football, pumpkin and salted caramel everywhere- it's a lot to love. But while it's still warm here, I'll be enjoying delicious frozen treats like these beautiful blackberry swirl paletas! 

    I made some full size pops and some tiny shot glass pops for quick snacking. I love the way the fruit complements the lemon-honey yogurt- a perfect combination of sweet, tart, creamy and cool. 

• What You'll Need:
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 lemon
• 1 1/2 cups plain unsweetened Greek-style yogurt

• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 cups fresh blackberries or other berries of your choice
• 
  
• What To Do 
• 1. Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, just until the mixture comes to a boil and the sugar has dissolved.
• 
  
• 2. Rinse the lemon and then slice off the zest, but not the underlying pith, in long strips. (Save the underlying lemon for a different use.) Add the strips of lemon zest to the pan, lower the heat to medium, and simmer for 5 minutes. Let the syrup cool to room temperature. Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve, then refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.
• 
  
• 3. Add the yogurt and honey to the chilled syrup and stir until thoroughly combined. Place some of the sweetened yogurt mixture into each of the molds, filling to about halfway.
• 
  
• 4. Place blackberries, a sprinkle of sugar and a couple of drops of water in a blender or food processor. Blend until a consistent textured liquid. Pour fruit into popsicle molds and swirl with a popsicle stick. Pour more yogurt mixture over to fill. 
• 
  
• 5. If using conventional molds, snap on the lid and freeze until solid, 3 to 4 hours. If using glasses or other unconventional molds, freeze until the pops are beginning to set (45 minutes to 1 hour), then insert the sticks and freeze until solid, 3 to 4 hours.

Recipe from Paletas by Fany Gerson 

Lime Pie Paletas

Although I think I've come a long way bridging the cultural gap between my darling Hispanic students at OMBC and my very Caucasian self, there were some interesting learning moments along the way. 

On our very first trip as student minister and youth group, we were canvasing flyers in an apartment complex. And every time we went, tinkling music played as an older man pushed a freezer cart full of frozen treats. The kids would get super excited, dig for their cash and run after him. 

"Where are you going?" I asked one student. "The paleta man!" she replied. 

Insert confused face here. "Huh?" I had no clue what they were talking about. Thankfully one of them took pity on me and explained that a paleta is basically a popsicle- a frozen treat on a stick. It was my first experience with paletas (which I also coughed up a dollar daily to enjoy) but definitely not my last! This past year I lived right by an elementary school and the paleta cart was there at the corner every day for the children (and neighbors) to enjoy.

I came across Paletas by Fany Gerson and some $1 popsicle molds at Walmart and it has been a beautiful combination.  I bookmarked so many recipes to test! These lime pie pops got my immediate attention because I happened to have sweetened condensed milk in my pantry and limes are currently 10 cents each. They are fantastically creamy, tart and sweet! I love how the fresh squeezed juice really shines through. Plus, they're ridiculously easy to make. Juicing the limes is the hardest part. 

This recipe makes 8 full size pops or 24 mini pops. The photo displays paletas molded in 1 oz measuring shot glasses. I think these are the perfect size for a party or just for casual snacking! 

What You'll Need:

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup half and half

3/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 4-5 small limes juiced)

1 tsp lime zest 

pinch of salt 

green food coloring (optional)

2 cups crushed Graham Crackers 

What To Do:

Whisk together the milk, half and half, lime juice,  zest and salt until completely uniformly mixed. Add food coloring if desired and stir well. 

Pour into your molds. (If using shot glasses/Dixie Cups or other unconventional molds, freeze for 1 hour and then add popsicle sticks.) Freeze for 4-5 hours. 

Run warm water around the molds before gently removing your paleta. Before serving, roll each paleta in cracker crumbs to complete the perfect pie combination! 

Recipe adapted from Paletas

DIY Mocktail Bar

Sometimes skimming Pinterest can be a little disheartening for non-drinkers. Cocktails look so pretty in their fancy glasses with fresh fruits, herbs and bubbles. Well if you're not drinking alcohol for whatever reason, you're in luck. Here is a basic recipe to get you started experimenting with mocktails!

We set up a DIY bar at our Girls Day for ladies to create their own handcrafted soda/mocktail. It's so easy!

What You'll Need:
clear glasses
a muddling tool- we used a metal ice cream scoop
fresh, juicy fruit- we used blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries
a carbonated beverage- we had Ginger Ale and Sprite. (Plain club soda works as well but consider using agave nectar, simply syrup or honey for sweetness)
citrus- we used limes but lemons, oranges or grapefruit would be fantastic too.
(optional- herbs such as basil, mint, rosemary or lavender) 
ice 
pretty straws

What To Do:
Be sure all of your fruit, even citrus, is thoroughly washed!

In your fancy glass, muddle a handful of berries (or fruit of the choice) in the bottom. Pour ice and soda over the fruit. Squeeze citrus over the top and leave peel in the drink for added flavor. 

Garnish your drink with a slice of citrus and a pretty straw and enjoy!

The flavor combination possibilities are endless! Here are some to get your started:

peaches + club soda + honey + lemon

blackberries + Sprite + lime

strawberries + ginger ale + basil + orange 

blueberries and raspberries + club soda + agave nectar+ mint + lemon

What is your favorite mocktail?

Watermelon Limeade

This has been a summer of fun, fresh, fruit flavors- including strawberry pineapple lemonade (pureed strawberry, canned pineapple and lemonade powder), sparkling strawberry limeade, mango ague fresca, and now- watermelon limeade.

If you think biting into a juicy slice of watermelon is refreshing, wait until you take a sip of this balanced, sweet and tart, fresh fruit juice! The notes of watermelon leave a stunning pink color and a distinct taste- with almost the same hint as cucumber- light, lovely and summery. The limes add complementary tartness, coupled with simple syrup (or agave/honey/etc), to make this drink well-rounded. 

There is plenty of room to adjust according to taste with the recipe. In fact, I did not follow a recipe when I prepared the giant batch for our group- I just adjusted by taste. I am including estimations of how much you'll need, but adjust for your liking!

What You'll Need:
1 cup diced watermelon
2 cups cold water
2 limes
1/4 cup simple syrup*

What to Do:
In a blender, combine watermelon and water until homogeneous. Strain liquid through a fine mesh strainer to catch any seeds and pulp. Squeeze limes directly into watermelon mixture, add simple syrup, stir and pour over ice! 

*To make simple syrup, simmer one cup water with one cup sugar, stirring frequently, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Allow the syrup to cool and then measure and add to your drink!

___

After posting on Instagram, my friend Jackie posted a photo of her girls making the watermelon limeade and I was so tickled! If you ever try a recipe I have posted, please let me know! I love seeing how they turn out in other people's kitchens :)

Mango Agua Fresca

Summer in Texas is hot. Especially when your car AC is out! This sweet, healthy treat is so refreshing and delicious, perfect for warm weather anywhere. 

It's full of fresh fruit juice and the simple syrup can be substituted with agave or honey if you're steering clear of processed sugars! The flavor can be adjusted with more or less water, syrup, or fruit. I made a huge batch with lots of flavor.  It actually might have bordered on mango limeade. Which is totally okay in my book. 

I can't wait to try this with different fruit flavor combinations!

What You'll Need:
(serves 2)

• 1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted and cut into chunks
• 2 cups cold water
• 1 freshly squeezed lime
• 1/4 cup simple syrup*
• Lime wedge for garnish

What To Do:
Blend mango and water until completely smooth. Strain into a pitcher through a fine mesh strainer. Add lime juice and simple syrup and stir well. Add ice to glasses, pour  juice over and garnish with lime slices and a fancy straw!

*To prepare simple syrup, combine equal parts water and sugar. Stir over medium heat until sugar is completely dissolved and allow to cool.

Recipe adapted from Whole Foods

Peanut Butter Banana Waffles

Thinking about breakfast for dinner? This dish is sure to please! Peanut butter packs your waffles with flavor and protein, and pairs perfectly with nutritious bananas. This is a great recipe to make use of over-ripe bananas. It is a great stand alone meal but can also go great with turkey bacon (as pictured above), eggs, or fruit for a fuss-free dinner. 

What You'll Need:

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup smooth peanut butter

1 ripe banana, mashed

1 1/2 cups milk

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

What To Do:

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and brown sugar. Blend the peanut butter, banana, 1/2 cup milk, egg and vanilla in a blender or food processor until mostly smooth. There may be some banana chunks still, but that is fine. (I used the beater on my stand mixer and it worked perfectly) 

Whisk the peanut butter into the flour blend. Add the milk and stir until the batter is smooth. Cook the waffles according to your waffle iron's directions, top with butter, sliced bananas and maple syrup. Serve hot!

Recipe adapted from Savvy Eats

Infused Water

As warmer weather approaches, I am reminded of the necessity of staying hydrated. [Okay actually I tried to sell plasma to raise money for a friend's mission trip and they told me I was too dehydrated to donate. Lame.]  And I don't actually like water. I would much rather have Dr. Pepper or iced coffee... or lemonade... or really anything with some flavor! In an effort to satisfy by taste buds and my hydration needs, several infused water flavors were tested.

So here are some simple and delicious ways that I spiced up my water- by infusing them with fruits, vegetables and herbs! I stored the water in Mason jars, mostly because they're airtight and I don't have any pitchers with lids. I removed the lime slices after 3-4 hours because the rind started to leave a funny taste in the water. 

Pineapple-Blueberry Infused Water. This flavor was really delicious! The blueberries tinted the water a pretty pink hue and the pineapple left sweet notes in every sip. 

Cucumber Lime, Blueberry Lime, and a mess of Cucumber, Lime, Jalapeno and Cilantro.

The Cucumber Lime water was crisp and refreshing! I really liked it. 

The blueberry lime was very pretty and pretty tasty as well- be sure to muddle the blueberries for more of their flavor! 

The spicy water was super spicy. If I do it again I will definitely cut down on the amount of jalapeno I use and how long I let it soak. 

I have gotten some great suggestions for other combinations to try such as strawberry basil, watermelon mint and raspberry lime. What is your favorite flavor of infused water?

Baked Coconut Tilapia with Strawberry Avocado Salsa

So, Shawnda posted this recipe and I was greatly intrigued by this strawberry-avocado marriage. After all, those are two of my very favorite things and two sure signs of warm weather and happy days. 

But (and hopefully this will change at some point), I'm not a huge fan of salmon. Then I remembered that I had this recipe bookmarked from Jessica. I ended up adjusting that a little as well and the end result was light, summery, and delicious- a blend of sweet, spicy and savory. 

What You'll Need:
for the salsa:
1/2 pint of strawberries, hulled and diced
1 large avocado, diced
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
Small handful of cilantro, chopped

Juice of 1/2 orange
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Pinch of salt
for the fish:

4 tilapia filets  
2 egg whites
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

What To Do:

Combine all of the salsa ingredients in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate. 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a small small, beat egg whites with a hand mixer until soft peaks form. Place cornstarch and coconut on two separate plates. 

Dip the fish lightly in the cornstarch, then the egg whites, then finally in the coconut coating, being sure to coat them well. Place coated fish on cookie sheet and bake for 15-17 minutes or until coconut is golden brown. Flip over halfway through to ensure even browning.

Serve hot, covered in salsa! 

Homemade Blueberry Sauce

I love adding blueberries to my cereal, smoothies or yogurt, but sometimes I have a hard time finishing a carton by myself. With my last little bit I simmered them down into this delicious blueberry sauce- with no processed sugars! It would be perfect over waffles or pancakes (obviously), ice cream, or yogurt! 

It is a perfect blend of sweet and tart and I didn't feel guilty at all smothering it all over these vanilla honey waffles. Plus it only takes about five minutes to prepare so would be great for mornings on a schedule.

What You'll Need:
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup 100% apple juice (I used Simply Apple)
2 tsp cornstarch, mixed with 2 tsp cold water
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
optional- 1 tbsp honey

What To Do:
Add blueberries, lemon juice and apple juice to a small pot and bring to a slow boil, stirring frequently. Combine the cornstarch and cold water and pour into the pot slowly, stirring carefully as to not crush the berries. Simmer about five minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Add vanilla. Check the consistency and sweetness of the sauce and adjust accordingly- adding honey for sweetness or more apple juice to thin out the sauce. Serve over waffles or your favorite treat! 

inspired by My Baking Addiction

Chipotle Battered Fish Tacos

It has been rainy and cold and dreary here for the past few days so I whipped up this delicious summery treat to remind me of sunny days. It is absolutely delicious, from the spicy chipotle echoed in the batter and the dressing to the soft homemade tortillas to the refreshing salsa. 

What You'll Need:

(serves 2)

2 tilapia fillets (or other white fish)

3/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

2 chipotle bullion cubes
3/4 cup water

2 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tbsp olive oil 

mango salsa

avocado slices

chipotle ranch

flour tortillas

What To Do:

Rinse and pat dry the fish fillets. Cut into strips. Prepare batter my mixing together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, salt and chipotle cubes. Slowly mix in water, careful to avoid any lumps. 

Heat butter and oil in skillet over medium heat. Dip fish strips into batter and carefully place in pan, cooking one minute or until brown on each side. Remove from pan and allow the fish to rest on paper towels to drain oil. 

Layer tacos with flour tortillas, fish, mango salsa, avocado slices and chipotle ranch. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from here. 

Fresh Strawberry Cake

One of the best things about spring and summer is fresh strawberries. I made this delicious cake for a dessert auction, and although its appearance was what caught peoples' attention- the taste was just as impressive!


I love that it is made with real strawberries- no artificial flavors or coloring- and is still very pink and strawberry-ish (yep, that's now a word). The cake is moist and firm enough to handle layers or fondant. 


I spread remaining strawberry puree and cream cheese frosting between the layers, and used cream cheese frosting as a crumb layer. I then used a vanilla swiss meringue buttercream for the roses. Stick around for the frosting recipes and an easy as 1-2-3 tutorial on those gorgeous roses! 

What You'll Need:

• For the strawberry puree:
• 24 oz very ripe strawberries, hulled 
• 1-2 tsp sugar (optional)
• For the cake:
• 1/4-1/2 cup milk, at room temperature
• 6 large egg whites, room temperature (4 whole eggs can be substituted)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cup cake flour, sifted
• 1 3/4 cup sugar
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 12 Tbsp unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), at room temp

What To Do: 

1. Hull, slice and toss the strawberries with a teaspoon or two of sugar and cover. Let them sit at room temperature for a couple of hours, until nice and juicy.
2. Place strawberries in a food processor or blender and puree.
3. Reserve 3/4 cup puree for the cake. 
4. Use leftover puree to fill the cake or fold into the frosting, if desired. It's also fabulous spooned over ice cream... and eaten straight with a spoon.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare two 8- or 9-inch pans: spray inside with baking spray with flour (or use some sort of grease/flour combination).
6. In small bowl, combine puree, milk, egg, vanilla and mix with fork until well blended. In bowl of stand mixer, add sifted flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and mix to combine. Continue beating at slow speed and add butter. Mix until combined and resembling moist crumbs.
7. Add wet ingredients and beat at medium speed for about 1 minute or until full and evenly combined. Stop mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl and hand beat for 30 more seconds.
8. Note: The batter will not get any pinker in the oven so if you're disappointed in the color from your berries, maybe consider adding a drop or two of pink or red food coloring.
9. Divide the batter evenly among the pans and smooth tops.
10. Bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (time will vary). Let cakes rest in pan for about 10 minutes and turn out onto wire racks. Let cakes cool completely (about 2 hours).

Yields: ~12-16 servings

From Confections of a Foodie Bride,

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated Classic White Cake and Good Things Catered

Grab and Go Breakfast Bars

I've mentioned before how hard mornings are for me

I totally agree with Zooey.

pinned here

When I wake up, I don't have the mental function or energy 

to whip up a delicious breakfast,

so last week I whipped up a batch of these one evening and grabbed one 

on the way out the door each morning. It was super easy!

These are a great alternative to sugary cereal bars 

for a simple and nutritious, on-the-go breakfast!

These bars are packed with good-for-you ingredients

and have no added sugars (not even honey!)

What You Need:

(makes 12)

1/2 cup peanut butter or other nut butter

2 bananas, mashed

1/2 cup whole nuts (choose your favorite)

1 ½ cup total of dried fruits (cherries, cranberries, apricots, raisins, coconut, etc.)

1 cup rolled oats

1 tsp vanilla (optional)

Pinch cinnamon (optional)

1/4 cup pumpkin or sunflower seeds (optional)

What To Do:

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a food processor, coarsely chop nuts and dried fruits. Mix nut butter and bananas until a paste forms. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix. Spoon into lightly greased muffin cups and bake for 15 minutes. (I used cupcake liners so I didn't have the wash the muffin pan. Score) These can be stored in refrigerator for 5 days.

For one granola bite (12 in recipe) = 190 calories, 8.4 g fat, 26.7 g carbohydrates, 5.4 g protein, 3.1 g fiber, 52 mg sodium, 5 PointsPlus

Recipe from Snack Girl 

Grilled Fish Tacos with Mango Cucumber Salsa and Chipotle Crema

These tacos were fresh, delicious and healthy.

Plus they're very quick to prepare! I spent the majority of prep time dicing produce.

I also didn't use a recipe... hooray! 

But that also may mean my measurements are a leetle bit off.
The salsa is a perfect balance of sweet, spicy and refreshing.

What You'll Need:

Serves 2

for fish:

2 med-large tilapia fillets 

for salsa:

2 mangos, diced 

1 limes 

1/2 yellow onion, diced

1/2 cup chopped cilantro, divided in two

1/2 large jalapeno, diced 

1/2 cucumber, diced

black pepper to taste

for crema:

1 chipotle in adobo sauce

2 tbsp reserved adobo sauce

1/2 cup buttermilk 

1/4 cup mayo

1/4 cup sour cream

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1 lime

1 tbsp sugar 

warmed tortillas (I prefer the uncooked flour tortillas that you warm on the stove)

avocado, sliced 

black beans

What To Do:

Dice your mango, onion, 1/4 cup cilantro, cucumber and jalapeno into very small pieces. If you've never diced a mango before, watch this video first! 

In a separate bowl, combine mango, cucumber, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, and the juice from one lime. Add salt and black pepper to taste.

In a food processor, combine chipotle, adobo sauce, buttermilk, mayo, sour cream, garlic, remaining cilantro, juice from 1 lime, and sugar. If you'd like a thinner consistency, add more buttermilk and/or less mayo and sour cream. 

Salt and pepper fish fillets. Grill for 2-3 minutes on each side or until they are white and flake with a fork. 

Serve each taco in a warm tortilla with 1/2 fish fillet, scoop of salsa, chipotle cream, and a slice of avocado. Serve with black beans and tortilla chips.

The salsa is also great with tortilla chips, and the chipotle crema is perfect for salads!

I warn you... I'm kind of a wimp but I thought the crema was preeetty spicy. If you're not a big fan of hotness, you might add half a chipotle first!

Hummingbird Cupcakes with Dried Pineapple Flowers

(please excuse the iphone quality photo)

As I was baking these beauties on a late-night whim

and talking to my sister on the phone,

she exclaimed- "Hummingbird cupcakes?! That sounds gross!"

Well, have no fear ladies and gents.

No hummingbirds were harmed in the making of these cakes!

I made these for one of my students' 18th birthday

and since not all of my students are chocoholics like me

I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to test out this cake in cupcake form!

In the past, I've used this recipe from Southern Living and it received rave reviews

(but unfortunately both times I made it, I didn't get to try it!)

But this time I turned to my trusted source for all things delicious- Annie's Eats

The cake is deliciously moist

with bursts of refreshing banana and pineapple flavor 

and a perfect creamy cream cheese frosting.

It's perfect for celebrating spring time

and would also make a lovely addition at any bridal or baby shower!

What You'll Need:

For the cupcakes:
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
11 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1¼ tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/3 cups mashed ripe banana
2/3 cup crushed pineapple, drained
2/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted 

For the frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2½ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

What To Do:

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; whisk together and set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, vanilla, and sugar and beat until blended and smooth.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Mix in the mashed banana.  With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated.  Gently fold in the pineapple and nuts with a spatula until evenly mixed.

Divide the batter between the prepared liners, filling each about ¾ full.  Bake for 20-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Beat on medium-high speed until well combined and smooth, about 2-3 minutes.  Mix in the vanilla extract.  Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until totally incorporated, increase the speed and then beat until smooth.  Frost cooled cupcakes as desired. 

Note- I made half of the cake recipe and the whole frosting recipe. If you love frosting as much as I do, you might increase your frosting recipe a little!

Now, the pineapple flower garnish is completely edible 

(pretty delish actually) and super simple to make!

Mine don't look too stellar because I did not leave myself enough time to let them set...  but even without being perfect they added a lot to the presentation of the cupcakes!

What You'll Need:

a fresh pineapple

What To Do:

• Cut the top and bottom off of the pineapple, using a large knife. 
• Slicing down, cut off the rind of the pineapple leaving just the fruit. 
• Pop out any remaining seeds or peel.
• Slice the remaining fruit into very thin rounds. (This is definitely the hardest part!)

• Lay rounds onto a baking sheet (line with parchment paper or a baking mat if desired) and bake at 225 for 30 minutes. Flip rounds a bake for another 30 minutes. 

• Watch the fruit carefully so it doesn't burn! It will be ready when the edges brown and they have dried out almost completely. 

• Set each piece in the round of a muffin tin to help it form a flower shape. They may need to sit for several hours to retain the shape. ( I skipped this step due to time restriants)
• Top your frosted cupcakes with a dried pineapple flower for added flair!