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don't miss dairy

Emily Stokes
I'm a lady who loves cheese, sour cream, & ice cream, but I recently became lactose intolerant. My key focus in recreating dairy recipes is taste, but I try to be as health conscious as possible. Some of my recipes are low lactose rather than dairy free. I'm also a writer, teacher, nanny, dog mom, housewife, native Yinzer, current Californian, and social organizer extraordinaire.

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Honey Fruit Salad

Veggies & Sides, , ,

I made up this fruit salad for one reason alone: to use up fruit leftover from entertaining visitors. It was so amazing that I made it again for a ladies shopping party. There were no leftovers, so I figured it was a hit!

Ingredients:

2 navel oranges, cubed
2 small baskets strawberries (20-24 berries), tops removed and halved
2 bunches red grapes
2 apples, cored and chopped
2 tablespoons blackberry honey
2 teaspoons white sugar or SPLENDA
1 lemon
1 teaspoon lime juice
8 fresh mint leaves, sliced

Directions:

1. Rinse all your fruit. In a large bowl, add the fresh squeezed juice of 1 lemon.

2. Chop your apples first, tossing them in the bowl with the lemon juice so they do not brown. Add the rest of your fruit: peeled and cubed oranges, sliced strawberries, and whole grapes.

3. Add the lime juice. Toss all fruit with the lemon and lime juice to mix and coat.

3. Warm your honey in the microwave for 10-15 seconds, until thinned. Drizzle over fruit and toss to coat. Sprinkle white sugar or SPLENDA over fruit and toss to coat until desired sweetness–just a couple of teaspoons is enough. You do not want to overpower the other flavors.

My favorite honey from the Mountain View Farmer’s Market.

4. Finally, add sliced mint leaves and mix well. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve 🙂

                                        

Herby Quinoa

Veggies & Sides, , , ,

Did you know that quinoa is a seed? It comes from a type of plant called a goosefoot, or Chenopodium, a species of annual herbaceous flowering plants. It looks like this as a plant:

I made the following quinoa recipe to go with our Turkey Meatballs last night. It’s not my recipe, but I tweaked it a bit to fit my likes and needs. I feel that quinoa by itself is too bland, but I love it mixed with other flavors. This a flavorful side dish to compliment meatballs or steak.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon Smart Balance Buttery Spread Light
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 14.5 oz. can (or 2 cups) vegetable broth
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
1/4 teaspoon lime juice (optional)

Directions:
1. Melt 1 tablespoon of Smart Balance Buttery Spread in a saucepan over medium heat. Add quinoa and toast, stirring often, for about five minutes. This is what uncooked quinoa looks like:

2. Stir in vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Start to caramelize onions (see step 3). Reduce to simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes or until quinoa has sprouted and liquid is absorbed. It should look like this when it is done:

3. While your quinoa is cooking, in a separate pan, melt 1 teaspoon of Smart Balance Buttery Spread over medium low heat. Add onions and cook for about 5 -10 minutes.

4. In your saucepan of cooked quinoa, toss in caramelized onions, garlic, parsley, thyme, and lime juice and mix thoroughly. It’s so delicious!