BERRY SUMMER SMOOTHIE

I have been loving having berries around now that the warmer weather seems to be here, Hello Spring and then Summer!

This is one of those make shift recipes where it really just a guideline to what I throw in my blender (so please adjust according to your taste).

Vegetarian
Summery
Fruity
Quick
and could be vegan if you sub the honey for maple syrup.


BERRY SMOOTHIE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

+/- 2 cups of berries (I used strawberries and mulberries)
1 medium banana
1 cup organic coconut milk
2 -3 Tablespoons hemp seeds
1 teaspoon honey. 

1/4 cup filtered water (if to thick - OPTIONAL)

METHOD
Blend and adjust sweetness and thickness to taste. 

serve. 

Comment and tell me what your favorite smoothie combo is below.

STRAWBERRY FROZEN YOGHURT

How bright and luscious are these strawberries?


I like my frozen yoghurt to taste more like the flavour its supposed to be and less like yoghurt.
So my fruit to yoghurt ratio is around 2 parts fruit to 1 part yoghurt.

PINA COLADA POPSICLES

The delicious combination of pineapple and coconut reminds me of summer. Add banana to the mix and you have the most delicious smoothies ever!!! Add rum and you have adult drinks - kind of like a pina colada. 

I dipped them in chocolate for added summer fun. And who doesn't like chocolate?

PASSION FRUIT MILK ICE

My Aunt gave me a packet full of passion fruit picked straight from her vines. I couldn't resist making something yummy from these beautiful plump fruit...although eating straight out their shells was delicious too. They sat on my counter for a few days. Then on Saturday afternoon while preparing a potato bake to take off to Brazen's house I thought why not mix up some of the passion fruit juices with some pineapple juice and quickly place it in my ice cream machine for a quick-ish sorbet. 

So what started out being a sorbet - then I threw in some milk at the last minute to make it go further, (which means its no longer a sorbet as sorbet contains no dairy). I'm guessing this is milk ice as it DOESN'T have a custard base so I can't call it ice cream... YIP Milk Ice it is. And its DELICIOUS!

INGREDIENTS
anything between 6 - 18 Passion fruit (Granadillas)
1 & a half cups Pineapple or Apple juice
2 tablespoons honey (vary to taste)
1 cup of milk
2 egg whites (organic if possible) BEATEN to medium peaks

METHOD
Dissolve the honey in a tiny bit of the pineapple or apple juice by heating it slightly in a small saucepan on the stove and stirring until the honey has dissolved. Then place this little bit on the freezer to cool down.
Cut open your passion fruit and scoop out with a spoon into a bowl. If you don't want any pips in your Milk ice then sieve them out now or leave them in its up to you (I left about 2 passion fruts worth of pips in and sieved out the rest)
Now stir it in with the remaining juice and add the juice from the freezer once it has cooled a bit.
Stir in your cold milk from the fridge.
Freeze and mix in your ice cream machine or in a low dish in your freezer.
Add the all ready beaten egg whites.
Stir and freeze or serve immediately
Freezes well in a sealed container (I use CONSOL glass jars - preserving/ Mason jars) for roughly 6 weeks.

*if you don't have an ice cream machine and are freezing it in a dish = then beat the mixture and return to the freezer twice before adding egg whites

Beautiful for this heat we've been having

EASY NECTARINE & YOGHURT DESSERT

I always hope to give my family healthy food. Delicious... but healthy. This is one of those times it really works. Fresh fruit full of vitamins and Greek yoghurt filled with dairy. There is a little brown sugar in there but I did mention it was a little.
Lying below the layer of yoghurt could be any fruit your fancy - Adapt this recipe with fruits like fresh soft plums, peaches, cherries or even bananas.
The time that the bowls sit in the fridge allows for the sugar and fruit to make a small amount of syrupy juice that gives it an extra yumminess. (could make a nice breakfast too)

INGREDIENTS
Nectarines (organic if you can get) OR Fruit of your choice
Greek Yoghurt
Organic Brown Sugar

METHOD
Wash your nectarines and then slice up into thin-ish slices. Take ramekins or teacups and line the bottom of the dish with slices of the fruit until you have a nice layer in each.
Sprinkle a thin layer of sugar on the fruit.
Cover with the Yoghurt until you can't see any fruit peeking through. *all the fruit must be covered*
Sprinkle a thin layer of brown sugar on top of the yoghurt and place in the fridge for an hour or 2 for the sugar to turn to syrup.

Serve


*if the yoghurt doesn't cover ALL the fruit then the air may cause your fruit to brown

LEMON CREAM CHEESE ICING / FROSTING

Cake garnished with blueberries and dripping smooth lemon cottage cheese icing

It the time of year for festive happiness and Christmas cheer :) and what better to cheer you up than some zesty and sweet icing or frosting for your cakes.
Super easy and simple to make.

INGREDIENTS
Icing Sugar (+/-250 grams)
1 lemon
Cream Cheese or Smooth Cottage Cheese
Milk

METHOD
Depending on weather you use cream cheese or smooth cottage cheese will depend on how much icing sugar you need. Start by placing your cheese (which ever you pick) in a medium bowl. Beat the cheese until soften slightly then sift over icing sugar a bit at a time and mix in until smooth.
Cut your lemon in half and squeeze some of the juice into the bowl - taste and add as much as suits your taste. If your icing is too thick add a little milk until it is the desired thickness. The same applies if it is to runny, add more sifted icing sugar until thick enough.
Then ice / frost your cakes

Happy tea time

enjoy