strawberry

Three Variations on Strawberry Jam

September 30, 2015 by Stella 12 Comments

An extraordinary spin on the original strawberry jam: infuse your strawberries with the irresistible scent of elderflower or lavender, or complement the sweetness of strawberries with the tartness of rhubarb. Three kinds of strawberry jams all very different but equally delicious, not to be missed!

Summer is over and in a matter of hours September will be as well (I just can’t believe it, where did September go?!). We have been lucky to be able to enjoy such warm and sunny weather and though I still spy strawberries at some stalls in the farmers’ market, we have to accept that their season is soon to be over and we will have to wait until May/June next year to enjoy them again. *sighs*

So as a farewell, I present to you these three variations on strawberry jam I made this summer. Give them a try either with some of this year’s last strawberries or save the recipes for next year. (Just one advice: trust me these will disappear in no time, so you better make more!)

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Strawberry Mango Asparagus Salad

August 2, 2015 by Stella 33 Comments

A deliciously fruity and colourful strawberry mango asparagus salad, perfect for a quick summer lunch or to accompany grilled BBQ meat.

Fruity and Colourful Strawberry Mango Asparagus Salad

It’s no secret, anyone who knows me knows that I love asparagus. When it’s in season, you can always find one or two bunches in my fridge (there was even a time when I bought 7 … yes, I’m totally the Asparagus Hoarder if you want to know my not-so-secret superhero name 😉 ) .

The only problem with having so much asparagus at home is that after the second day of eating cream of asparagus soup or steamed asparagus I want to jazz things up a bit, but curiously neither my large collection of cookbooks or the internet is abundant in asparagus recipes. Don’t know why, since asparagus is amazingly healthy: since 93% of asparagus is made up of water, it is very low in calories and sodium. Also:

It is a good source of vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium and zinc, and a very good source of dietary fibre, protein, beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, thiamin, riboflavin, rutin, niacin, folic acid, iron, phosphorus, potassium, copper, manganese and selenium, as well as chromium, a trace mineral that enhances the ability of insulin to transport glucose from the bloodstream into cells.
(Source: Wikipedia)

But in addition to its many health benefits I love its fresh and spring taste, and its unique texture, how it snaps under my teeth. And the tips, mm those are tender and soft, and as I learned from Wikipedia are also called “love tips” or points d’amour.

But let’s get back to my asparagus salad from the biology lesson and let me tell you about this exciting strawberry mango asparagus salad. Of one thing I can assure you: jazzed up it definitely is. It has steamed asparagus, sweet juicy mango, fresh strawberries, crunchy red onion slices and some orange juice in the dressing to complement the sweetness of the mango and strawberry with some much appreciated tartness.

Another great bonus (besides the fact that it looks fabulous on a plate) is that this strawberry mango asparagus salad comes together in less than 30 minutes, so ideal for a quick lunch or easy dinner when you are in a rush and still want to eat something delicious and extraordinary.

I made it vegan, but if you want, you can add some feta or goat cheese, or sprinkle it with crunchy baked bacon bits or toasted pine nuts to add more colours and textures to the salad.

Strawberry Mango Asparagus Salad

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

25 mins

A deliciously fruity and colourful strawberry mango asparagus salad, perfect for a quick summer lunch or to accompany grilled BBQ meat.

Serves: 2 persons

Ingredients

500 gr asparagus chopped up
½ tsp salt
½ a mango diced
1 cup strawberries sliced
1 red onion sliced

For the dressing:

2-3 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
1-2 tsp honey or coconut sugar if needed (optional)

Instructions

Wash and chop up the asparagus into 2 inch bits, sprinkle with salt and steam for about 10 minutes, until the asparagus become soft.
While the asparagus cooks, cut up the mango, strawberries and red onion.
For the dressing mix together the orange juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper, if you find it too sour you may add a bit of honey or coconut sugar to sweeten it.
Once the asparagus is cooked, strain it and let it cool.
When the asparagus has cooled down, mix it together with the mango bits, strawberry and red onion slices, pour on the dressing and mix well.
Let it rest for 10-20 minutes before eating, and season with more salt, pepper or chili flakes if you wish.

Notes

You may add baked bacon bits, goat cheese or feta, sprinkle some toasted pine nuts atop to add more variety to the salad's texture.

Lavender Coconut Cream-Filled Strawberries (Vegan, Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Refined Sugar-free)

July 14, 2015 by Stella 1 Comment

An easy yet unusual and extraordinary combination of juicy strawberries filled up with lavender infused coconut whipped cream, a light yet unforgettable summer dessert treat, that adults and kids alike will devour.

Seeing the first strawberries appear on the farmers’ market always makes me smile. Not only because the bright red fruits are cheerful with their cute green leaf-hats (though they are), but because it means that summer is just around the corner! And who doesn’t rejoice at the thought of long summer nights, BBQing in the garden, the palette of fresh fruits and colourful salads? *mmm*

From the moment I see them appear I start to have more and more plans: that I’ll make strawberry citrus lemonade, that I’ll make strawberry-rhubarb jam, strawberry-coconut pie, strawberry-apple galette, and I could go on. The only problem is that strawberry season is over before I get around to realize all my strawberry-baking plans. *sighs* (ETA: Actually this post was in the making for several weeks, I just got around to select and edit the photos, and strawberry season is almost over.)

The past weekends I got busy, not wanting to miss out on much: I made layered strawberry cream cheese dessert, vanilla strawberry-rhubarb jam (that was so popular with anyone who tasted it, that I had to make another batch with elderflower and another with lavender – recipes to be posted soon, until then, you can find all recipes with strawberries here).

So I was busy making the most of the boxes of strawberries I bought, yet I wasn’t tired of strawberry. I was up for tasting another strawberry themed treat but after so many hours spent in the kitchen I was looking for a quick and easy to make dessert.

I looked for inspiration in Christina Ross’ Love Fed, which feature “Purely Decadent, Simply Raw, Plant-Based Desserts”.

Let me tell you that I spent a good time reading through the recipes and looking at the gorgeous photos, and though there are many recipes I have bookmarked to try out later, this time I decided on Christina’s lavender coconut cream-filled strawberries as they filled the bill to perfection: the perparation didn’t take long, I had all the ingredients at home and the combination of the different tastes weas too tempting, I had to try it.

And I have to say the tartness of the strawberries with the creamy sweetness of the coconut cream spiced up with the fragrant lavender blossoms was definitely an extraordinary yet simple dessert.

You can use any left-over cream as a special flavoured whipped cream, it will complement brownies or fruit tartlets/crisps wonderfully.

Another variation I could see once the weather turns truly hot: mix cut up mint leaves in the coconut cream to add some icy freshness to the mix!

Lavender and Coconut Cream-Filled Strawberries (Vegan, Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Refined Sugar-free)

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Prep time

15 mins

Total time

15 mins

Ingredients

15-20 bigger strawberries hulled (only 18 fit on my plate)
2 cups chilled coconut cream (the rich, heavy kind not the light, liquid cream!)
¼ tsp vanilla powder or vanilla extract
2 tbsp coconut sugar (or honey/maple syrup - just be mindful so that it doesn't make the cream runny)
1 and ½ tsp fresh or dried lavender blossoms (if using dried lavender, leave it steep in the cream filling for 1-2 hours for the blossoms to release their scent and taste)

Instructions

Wash and hull the strawberries, then set them aside on a plate.
Pour the chilled coconut cream in a bowl and beat it with your mixer in low speed until fluffy (for the best results chill the coconut cream for a few hours or even overnight, and chill your bowl and mixer as well).
Once the coconut cream is almost whipped, add the vanilla powder, coconut sugar and lavender blossoms and beat until well incorporated.
Fill a pastry bag with the cream and pipe enough cream in the hulled out strawberries so some cream pokes out at the top.
Garnish with additional lavender blossoms, cacao nibs or black chia seeds if you wish.
May be served immediately or stored in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Notes

With this amount of coconut cream for 20 big strawberries, I had some left-over cream, that can be enjoyed as a special flavoured whipped cream with any cake, ice cream or other dessert (delicious with brownies or fruit crisps/crumbles!)

Adapted from Christina Ross' Lavender and Coconut Cream-filled Strawberries recipe featured in her Love Fed cookbook.

I received a review copy of Love Fed via NetGalley, my opinion of the recipe and the cookbook are purely my own. I plan on making a bit more detailed review of the cookbook soon.

You can buy Love Fed at most retailers like Amazon and Book Depository (free international shipping!).

Mango Strawberry Basil Infused Water

June 18, 2015 by Stella 1 Comment

A colourful mix of mango, strawberry and basil make this fruit infused water a refreshing and exciting beverage to sip on hot summer days. Enjoy it with ice and/or a straw, beach and vacation are optional, thanks to this flavourful mix summer is wherewer you drink it!

Summer is in full swing. Not only are the farmers’ markets full of vibrant red strawberries and cherries, the sun is scorching, the weather is hot and I wish I could spend the day reading a book in the shades on the beach or in my parents’ garden.

Well if you are lucky and are on vacation, this is the perfect summer drink to sip while reading your novel or magazine on the beach, but if you are like me and are stuck in the city working, enjoy this fresh and fruity infused water to sweeten your day and daydream of lazy summer days. ;-)…