Browsing Tag

strawberry

Roasted Strawberry and Oat Breakfast Bowl

April 26, 2016
Roasted Strawberry and Oat Breakfast Bowl | Fake Food Free

You have no idea how much restraint I’ve been exercising lately. I have held off for as long as I possibly can. I can no longer avoid posting about strawberries!

You see, the season began here about 3 weeks ago. Out of respect for those of you with a lingering winter, I avoided posting about them for as long as I could. I mean, I hate to brag and wave around posts about freshly picked, juicy, sweet strawberries. And about the fact that we have a strawberry patch with a farm stand on just about every corner in town. The kind that allows me to swing in at any point during the week to get baskets of berries like these that were picked that very morning. 

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Strawberry, Mango and Avocado Cupcakes with Strawberry Avocado Frosting Recipe

May 3, 2013
 
 
 
I was still caught up in the amazing California citrus season when the strawberries began to arrive at the Farmers Market. It started with one or two vendors offering a few containers. Now, they are everywhere – organic, conventional, big, small, full flats, or small pint baskets – you can get just about anything you want. 
 
I’ll admit they aren’t quite as tasty, or as rewarding, as the buckets we used to pick from our own garden, but they will certainly do. I’ve been buying loads, eating some and freezing others to use in my oatmeal when the season is over. 
 
 
With ataulfo mango season falling at the same time as the strawberries here, and with easy access to avocados, I felt compelled to combine all three.
 
I also can’t seem to get over the desire to play with avocados as a substitute for butter in my baked goods. First it was the Avocado Pound Cake with Blood Orange Glaze, and now cupcakes.
 
 
These cupcakes are soft and fruity, and the frosting? I think I may be making my frosting with avocado from here on out. I’ll admit, I tried it with just avocado and it was a little too green-tasting (for lack of a better term). The addition of strawberry puree did the trick. It sweetened it up and balanced the flavor of the avocado.
 
These don’t keep long. I’d suggest baking them just before you will need them, cool, frost and eat soon after. If you don’t plan to finish them off, keep unfrosted cupcakes in the refrigerator for only a day or two. The oils from the avocado tend to surface when they sit for over a day. 
 

Strawberry, Mango and Avocado Cupcakes with Strawberry Avocado Frosting

Makes: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

½ cup mashed avocado (about 1 Hass avocado)
2 large eggs
1 cup raw sugar
½ cup pureed strawberries
½ cup pureed mango
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 ¼ cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
3 ½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon fine ground salt

Frosting
2 tablespoon mashed avocado
5 ¼ cups powdered (confectioner’s) sugar
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk (any variety)
½ tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoon pureed strawberries
Pinch of salt
 
Prep
 
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place cupcake liners in a 12-cupcake baking pan. Spray the liners with olive oil or non-stick cooking spray. 
 
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the avocado, eggs and sugar until blended, 60 to 90 seconds, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the strawberry and mango purees and mix just until all ingredients are combined. Add the vanilla. 
 
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients (a little at a time) to the wet ingredients, stirring gently, just until everything is combined.
 
Transfer the batter to the cupcake tins, filling each liner with an equal amount. 
 
Bake 15 to 17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcakes comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool.
 
For the frosting, add the avocado and powdered sugar to the bowl of a mixer. Using the whisk attachment, mix on medium-high until the two are combined to create a very thick paste. 
 
With the mixer on low, add the milk, lime juice and strawberry puree. Continue to mix until all ingredients come together to form a spreadable frosting. Mix in the salt. 
 
Use a small cookie dough or ice cream scoop to top each cupcake with about 1 tablespoon of frosting. Serve right away. 
 
 
Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.  

Strawberry-Lime Salsa with Homemade Flour Tortillas

May 7, 2012

Strawberry-Lime Salsa with Homemade Flour Tortillas | Fake Food Free

It’s strawberry season! For the second year in a row we’ve been blessed with plants that keep on giving. For the past two weeks we’ve been getting one or more boxes of berries like this almost everyday.

Kentucky Garden Strawberries and a Strawberry-Lime Salsa Recipe | Fake Food Free
 
While I may get overwhelmed with herbs and peppers throughout the summer, that never happens with strawberries. Any that aren’t going in my mouth are going in the freezer!
 
It’s difficult to eat them any way but straight out of the box, but I’ve managed to create a few things that aren’t berries in a bowl or berries in oatmeal. One is this salsa.
 
Strawberry-Lime Salsa with Homemade Flour Tortillas | Fake Food Free
 
I’ve always liked a little fruit in my salsa, but I was introduced to strawberry salsa last year through a recipe program with the Kentucky Proud local food project we have here and Cooperative Extension.
 
I wasn’t sure how I’d like strawberries and tomatoes together, but one bite and I was sold. It’s so good.
 
This is my take on strawberry salsa. I decided to serve it up with some mini flour tortillas. I have been hooked on these tortillas from the Homesick Texan. I’ve made corn tortillas, but I just made these flour tortillas for the first time a couple weeks ago and I’ve made them two more times since! This time I made them much smaller to create an appetizer-sized serving plate for the salsa.
 
Strawberry-Lime Salsa with Flour Tortillas
 
Makes: 24 bite-size snacks
 
Ingredients
 
4 Roma tomatoes, de-seeded and chopped
1 cup diced strawberries
3 green onions, whites and greens sliced
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Juice and zest of one lime
½ to 1 teaspoon fine ground sea salt
Plain Greek yogurt or sour cream for serving (optional)
 
Prep
 
Combine the tomatoes, strawberries and onions in a bowl. Add the cilantro, lime juice and lime zest. Stir to combine all ingredients. Stir in the salt to taste. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
 
You can find the flour tortilla recipe at the Homesick Texan. When you are ready to cut the dough, cut it into 24 small pieces and follow the instructions provided there. Be sure to roll it very thin. It will puff up during cooking.
 
To serve, top each tortilla with a tablespoon of salsa. Garnish each with a ½ teaspoon of yogurt or sour cream, if using. Serve right away.

Strawberry-Lime Salsa with Homemade Flour Tortillas | Fake Food Free
Strawberry-Lime Salsa with Homemade Flour Tortillas | Fake Food Free

 

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.  

Strawberry Rosemary Shortbread

June 3, 2011
Strawberry Rosemary Shortbread Recipe | Fake Food Free

One thing that frustrates me most is the lack of time to post. That is preceded only by the lack of time to cook and take photos. Usually I’m really good at making time, but June is turning out to be one crazy month.

That being said, I should also probably mention that I am so excited it’s June! Summer is finally here, perhaps not by calendar date, but certainly by weather. The garden is growing, the mornings are muggy and the days are long.

I used to despise the heat of summer. But there is something about living in South America and now having my own garden that has made me give summer it’s due. I actually kind of like it now.

Although, it does mean one, very sad thing – we have seen the last of the fresh strawberries. I have no reason to complain. We got many more than we ever expected, but I can often be found in the kitchen saying – what am I going to do without my strawberries! They have been my go to snack for weeks.

Before they were gone, I tried out a strawberry shortbread. I’m loving the flavors of herbs in my sweets so it didn’t take me long to decide on adding rosemary.

It doesn’t take much to make a good shortbread which is why they are one of my favorite cookies. The small amount of strawberry puree in these turn them just barely pink and have a slight strawberry flavor that doesn’t overpower the rich, buttery shortbread. Every now and then you’ll get a tiny burst of earthy rosemary flavor.

Strawberry Rosemary Shortbread Recipe | Fake Food Free

Strawberry Rosemary Shortbread
Makes 12 to 14 cookies
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Ingredients
  1. ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  2. ¼ cup Demerara sugar
  3. 2 tablespoon pureed strawberries
  4. ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
  5. 1 cup white whole wheat flour
Instructions
  1. In an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together on medium-high, about 2 minutes. Mix in the strawberry and rosemary. Finally add the flour and mix just until combined.
  2. Shape the dough into a log and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes, until firm. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  3. Slice cookies at about ¼ inch thickness and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or just until slightly firm in the middle and the edges are browned.
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Strawberry Rosemary Shortbread Recipe | Fake Food Free
 
Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.  

Strawberry Rhubarb Bread

May 21, 2011

One of the best gifts anyone can give me is an ingredient. While others may want a ready-made food – a cookie, a bread, etc. I’d much rather have the berries, the chocolate or the oil, which I will then turn into the final product.

Yeah, I’m that person on your gift list that doesn’t take much work at all.

So I was thrilled earlier this week when a friend gave me some rhubarb. As I mentioned last spring with my rhubarb experiments I was never a fan of it growing up, but as I’ve learned of more things to do with it, I actually kind of like the stuff.

Another source of my rhubarb inspiration has been Two Peas and Their Pod. Maria shares her love of rhubarb in her recipes such as the Rhubarb Apple Bread which got me thinking about how to use my rhubarb.

Strawberry Rhubarb Bread Recipe | Fake Food Free

Since we have so many strawberries, I just had to go with the classic combination. So I played around with a few ingredients and came up with a bread of my own.

There is something about a slice of seasonal quick bread and a cup of coffee on a beautiful Saturday morning that makes the entire weekend complete!

Strawberry Rhubarb Bread Recipe | Fake Food Free

Strawberry Rhubarb Bread
Adapted from Rhubarb Apple Bread from Two Peas and Their Pod

Makes: 1 loaf

Ingredients

 1 ½ cups white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
1 egg
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt (I use 2% or full-fat)
3 tablespoon butter, melted
¼ cup mascavo sugar
¼ cup Demerara sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup whole or 2% milk
¾ cup rhubarb, finely chopped
1 cup strawberries, finely chopped

Topping
1 tablespoon Demerara sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Prep

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8×4 inch loaf pan. (I used coconut oil.) (I also used one mini loaf pan and one 8×4 so I could give a small loaf away. My larger loaf was just a little smaller than yours will be. )

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and ground allspice. Set aside.

In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the egg and yogurt. Blend well on medium speed. Be sure your butter has cooled and slowly add that to the yogurt and egg.

Add ¼ cup of Demerara sugar and the mascavo sugar, mix on medium-high for about 2 minutes. Mix in the vanilla and milk.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl. Mix on low just until the flour is incorporated. Remove the bowl from the mixer and gently fold in the rhubarb and strawberries, being careful not the break up the berries too much.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Mix the remaining Demerara sugar and cinnamon for the topping. Sprinkle it evenly over the loaf. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a toothpick or knife inserted in the center comes out clean. (My mini loaf took 20 minutes and the less full 8×4 took 30 min.)

Strawberry Rhubarb Bread Recipe | Fake Food Free
 
 
Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.  

Strawberry Pecan Pancakes

May 15, 2011

Here come the strawberries! I say that with excitement and a fair amount of warning. Excitement because our fridge is overflowing with little red bites of sweetness and warning because recipes may be very strawberry-centric for a while.

See this container? Take that times about five. And that’s just within the last week with many more to come. Awesome, right?

Strawberry Pecan Pancakes | Fake Food Free

After some discussion we decided not to make jam this year. I made a ton of peach jam last year and even after giving most of it away, we still have too much. With the amount of sugar added to it, we find that we just don’t eat it that often so we think strawberry jam isn’t the way to go for us this year.

But, pancakes, ice cream, salads and bowl after bowl of fresh sliced berries? Yeah, that will work. All the extras will be frozen for use in baked goods and smoothies later this year.

Let’s start with these pancakes. They begin with a base of white whole wheat flour and ground flax seed. Strawberry puree adds the seasonal flavor and chopped pecans give you a bit of a crunch in each bite. Top with chopped fresh berries and maybe a little maple syrup and breakfast is complete.

Strawberry Pecan Pancakes | Fake Food Free

I think I’ve mentioned this before, but I do have to give my husband credit for the beautiful griddle job on these tasty cakes. I can mix up a good batter, but when it comes to actually cooking pancakes I am a destroyer. I burn them every time. So this recipe was very much a group effort complete with pugs swiping a few pieces of strawberry that fell on the floor during the process.

Strawberry Pecan Pancakes | Fake Food Free

Strawberry Pecan Pancakes

Makes: 6 pancakes

Ingredients

 

1 large egg, slightly beaten
1 cup whole or 2% milk
1 tablespoon mascavo sugar
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
1/3 cup fresh strawberries, pureed
½ cup pecans, chopped
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoons salt
1 cup white whole wheat flour
Virgin coconut oil for the griddle

Prep

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, milk and sugar. Stir in the flax seed, strawberry puree and pecans. Next mix in the baking powder and salt. Gently stir in the flour until all ingredients are combined.

Heat a griddle over medium to medium-high heat. Add about a teaspoon of coconut oil, if desired. Work in batches and drop the batter by a heaping ¼ cup into the skillet. Once the batter begins to bubble, flip and cook the same amount of time on the other side. Serve warm with fresh strawberries and maple syrup. 

Strawberry Pecan Pancakes | Fake Food Free
 
Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.  
 

Whole Grain Rhubarb Waffles with Strawberry Butter

June 1, 2010
Whole Grain Rhubarb Waffles with Strawberry Butter | Fake Food Free
 

I’m always inspired when I read about other food bloggers taking on challenging ingredients. It is usually something like a root veggie or an over abundance of cabbage in a CSA box. While there is apprehension at first, the final result is always beautiful even if you don’t prefer the star ingredient.

Rhubarb has been my challenging vegetable as of late. It was a staple in our garden growing up, but when I had the opportunity to grow it myself, I declined. But since my parents had an over abundance, I was offered some of this year’s harvest. Seeing it as a culinary challenge, I accepted.

I feel a bit sorry for rhubarb with its poisonous leaves. It really isn’t a nutritional superstar either; just a stalk that is often in the shadows of fruits like strawberries, in order to be enjoyed.

Whole Grain Rhubarb Waffles with Strawberry Butter | Fake Food Free

I like the flavor of rhubarb, just not the texture. This is especially true after growing up at dinner table with brothers who made disgusting jokes about said texture while eating the pie. Thus, be careful of the way you perceive and communicate perceptions of foods to children. I’m proof that those comments hang around and can control food preferences later in life!

But now, I was up for the challenge of tackling my rhubarb apprehension. With plenty on hand I had to come up with something that would present the flavor, but not the texture.

My first thought? Waffles!

Ever since I got my waffle maker last Christmas I’m always thinking about new waffle recipes. For this one, the rhubarb blended in nicely to the whole grain waffle and while it wasn’t quite as strong as I would have liked it was still good. I topped it off with some strawberry butter and breakfast was complete.

Whole Grain Rhubarb Waffles with Strawberry Butter | Fake Food Free

Whole Grain Rhubarb Waffles with Strawberry Butter

Makes: About 6 waffles

Ingredients

 

1 cup rhubarb, chopped
4 tablespoon water
¼ cup demerara sugar

1 cup white whole wheat flour
¾ cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup unsalted butter melted, plus 2 tbsp more for waffle iron
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Prep

In a sauce pan, combine the rhubarb, water and sugar. Cook on medium-high heat, stirring often until the rhubarb cooks down to a jam-like consistency, about five to seven minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

rhubarbrhubarb-cookedrhubarbpan

In a large bowl, sift together the flours, baking powder and salt. Stir in the cooled melted butter, eggs and rhubarb. Stir to combine all the ingredients.

Heat your waffle iron and lightly brush each side with melted butter. Pour a heaping 1/3 cup of batter onto the iron, close and cook for about four minutes. Remove and repeat with the butter for the next waffle. Top waffles with strawberry butter (below) before serving. 

Strawberry Butter

I really enjoy fruit butters in place of syrup on waffles. We used to make them all the time when I worked in a bakery. There are a variety of ways to create them, but the easiest is with jam and butter. I used some strawberry freezer jam that my mom made with this year’s fresh strawberries.

Ingredients

¼ cup butter, unsalted, slightly softened
2 teaspoon strawberry jam, the thinner the consistency the better

Prep

Place ingredients in a small food processor. Process until everything is blended and the butter is soft and spreadable.

For more info, the University of Illinois Extension Service has a helpful page about rhubarb.

 

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.  

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