Fruit Compote

In the summer,fruit is a refreshing way to jazz up your breakfasts and lunches.This recipe is one I have adapted from one my neighbor and friend Phyllis gave to me.I have kept it for years.She served it to me one summer when we were without power for several days.

Ingredients:

3 grapefruit peeled and broken into sections
1/2 cup of orange marmalade
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups fresh cranberries
2 bananas sliced

Preparation:

Remove membranes from sectioned grapefruit,collecting any juice that runs off
Set aside
In a small saucepan,add grapefruit juice and enough water to make 1 cup,then add sugar  and orange marmalade.
Boil mixture until sugar is dissolved
Add in the cranberries and boil entire mixture until the cranberries pop,about 10 minutes
Cool mixture
Put prepared grapefruit in a dish.A nice compote dish would enhance the presentation.
Pour cooled mixture over grapefruit
Add sliced bananas and serve

Serves 4

Apple Raisin Salad

This recipe is one I have adapted from a salad my neighbor makes. It is super healthy and very filling.

Ingredients: 
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp honey
1 head of Bib lettuce, torn into bite sized pieces
1 Fuji apple cored and sliced
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup glazed walnuts chopped
1/2 sliced avocado

Preparation: 
Combine first 5 ingredients. Using immersion blender, emulsify the dressing. Combine lettuce, apple, raisins in salad bowl. Top with nuts and avocado. Drizzle generously with dressing and serve.

                     

The Berry Bowl

One of the mainstays in our family is the berry bowl. It is used as part of the dessert table for most of our gatherings. It is easy to make, has a bit of the Wow factor but is really loaded with nutrients fiber and and antioxidants.The problem is that some of the berries are pretty sour, and adding sugar defeats the whole  purpose of a fruit dessert. In the past, I have used Splenda to sweeten up the bowl, but recently have discovered Nectresse, also made by the Splenda folks. Nectresse is made from monk fruit which is 200 times sweeter then sugar. It is called monk fruit because it has been grown by monks in southern China and northern Thailand. Not only does the sweetener make the berries less sour but it gives the bowl a patina of frost that is very inviting.

Ingredients:
1 16oz carton of strawberries,washed and sliced
1 6oz carton of blackberries washed and dried
1 6oz carton of raspberries washed and dried
2 6oz cartons of blueberries,washed and dried
3 to 4 tablespoons of Nectresse

Preparation:

Place strawberries in bowl and sprinkle with Nectresse. Add  blackberries and sprinkle with Nectresse. Add  raspberries and sprinkle with Nectresse. Add blueberries and sprinkle with Nectresse. Serves 6.