Mango Berry Fruit Salad with Mint

One thing I can always get my kids to eat is fruit and this fruit salad is one of their favorite ways to eat it.
This salad is quick and easy to make yet bursts with sophisticated flavors.









2 mangoes cut into cubes
1-2 cups blueberries
1-2 cups raspberries
1-2 cups strawberries, sliced
Handful of fresh mint leaves cut into thin ribbons
1 T sugar
honey
lime juice- optional

Combine all fruit into a bowl and stir in sugar.  Let fruit sit and macerate.  Stir in mint and a splash of lime juice.  Drizzle honey over the top and serve.  This salad is also yummy over vanilla yogurt.        

Enjoy!

Kathy :)

Tomato Basil Soup

I had never like tomato soup.  Then I learned it didn't have to come from a can and I began to love it.  This is one of our family's favorite summertime dishes. I'm hoping that soon I can harvest some of my own tomatoes to make it!

Serve it with some crusty French bread on the side and enjoy!





1 cup chopped onion
About 6 large tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 carrot, cut into small rounds
1 can vegetable broth
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 large bunches basil chopped into fine ribbons
1 T sugar or honey
salt and pepper
2 T butter
2 T olive oil
1/2 cup whipping cream
fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Heat oil over medium heat in large stock pot.  Saute onions and carrot until onions become translucent. Add garlic and saute for about 1 minute.  Stir in chopped tomatoes.  Simmer until tomatoes have softened and lost their shape.  Stir in basil.
 
Use an immersion blender until there are no more chunks left.  Add vegetable broth and simmer uncovered about 10 minutes.  Season with desired amount of salt and pepper.  Stir in either sugar or honey and test the soup's acidity.  Depending on the tomatoes you use, you may need more or less sugar.  Add butter and cream and stir.  Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and a small basil leaf.  Serve with your favorite crusty bread and enjoy!

Kathy:)

Veggie Stew with Couscous

This is a great dish for a meatless night.  It's full of bold flavor and leaves you feeling satisfied.  The recipe is based off one I found in Madhur Jaffrey's wonderful book World Vegetarian.  I made a few changes to suit our taste buds and we were thrilled with the results.


Veggie Stew with Couscous  

1/4 onion diced
2 cloves garlic
1 zucchini or summer squash sliced then quartered
1 1/2 -2 cups butternut squash cubed
1 jalapeno pepper
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 15 oz can vegetable broth
1 15 oz can chickpeas
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground paprika
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cinnamon stick, 1-2 inches
3 T golden raisins
1 T agave nectar or honey
1 bunch fresh parsley finely chopped
olive oil
salt to taste
1 box instant couscous


In a large pot heat olive oil over medium heat.  Saute onions and zucchini until onions are translucent.  Add garlic and cook about 2 minutes until fragrant.  Add tomatoes, broth, butternut squash, jalapeno pepper, chickpeas, raisins and spices.  Simmer about 15-20 minutes or until butternut squash is tender and sauce thickens a little.  Add desired amount of salt.  (I used about 1/2 tsp)  Add agave nectar and parsley.  Let simmer over low until couscous is finished.

In a separate saucepan make instant couscous according to directions on the box.

Serve stew over couscous and enjoy!

Kathy :)  

Spring Herb and Mushroom Pasta

This is a very lightly flavored pasta dish.  Perfect for a warm Spring evening.  Pair with a bottle of white wine and some crusty bread and you have the makings of a great night.

1lb fresh fettucine pasta
1 shallot chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 cup wild mushrooms, sliced
1/2 tomato chopped
1/4 cup fresh chives chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
salt
pepper
3 T butter
1/2 cup whipping creme
1/2 - 3/4 cup pasta cooking water
handful of fresh chive blossoms to garnish
fresh grated parmesan cheese

Bring large pot of water to boil.  In a saute pan, saute mushrooms in 2 T butter until they just start to brown.  Add shallots and garlic and saute another 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Put fresh pasta into boiling water and cook about 3 minutes or according to package (if using dried pasta cook according to package directions).  Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water and drain the rest. Pour pasta into serving dish.

Pour 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of the cooking liquid into the saute with the mushroom-tomato mix.  Cook over medium heat and stir until saucy consistency. Add fresh herbs.  Whisk in cream and 1 T of butter.  Add desired amount of salt and pepper.  Pour sauce over hot pasta and toss until well incorporated.  Break apart several chive blossoms and sprinkle over the top along with parmesan cheese.

Enjoy :)

Kathy