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Obesity’s Answer

It’s Not Your Fault

‘Fruit Done Better’ Topics

Exotic Fruit Salad

Makes 4 servings.  An ideal fruit salad or desert for winter because the tropical fruits are available year-round and ripen naturally.  The riper and more fragrant the fruit, the better the salad!

Dressing
1� cups water
3 tbsp honey
� vanilla bean, split
3 coriander seeds
1 whole clove
� tsp Chinese five-spice powder
� tsp fresh ginger, chopped
zest of one lime
zest of one lemon
1 sprig fresh mint
1 tbsp fresh lime juice

Fresh fruit
� of a fresh pineapple, cored and diced
1 mango, peeled, pit removed, and sliced
2 large kiwis, peeled and cut into thin wedges
2 passion fruit

1. In a small saucepan, combine water, honey, vanilla bean, spices, mint, lime and lemon zest and mint.  Simmer over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.  Take off the heat.  Strain dressing and stir in the lime juice.  Cool in the refrigerator.  The dressing can be made up to one week ahead or may be stored in the freezer for several months.

2. Prepare the pineapple, mango and kiwis.  Arrange them into 4 shallow soup bowls, overlapping the fruit into decorative patterns.  Pour one quarter of the dressing over each of the bowls.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. 

3. Just before serving, cut the passion fruit in half.  With a teaspoon, scoop out the pulp of one half onto each bowl of fruit.  Serve immediately.

*gluten-free

Baked Cherry Apples

A truly wonderfully bubbly tart desert!  Outstanding with pork chops.
Makes 4 servings

2 large or 3 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced thin
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons arrowroot
1 tsp vanilla (gluten-free brand)
1/2 tsp almond extract (gluten-free brand)
16 oz bag of frozen cherries, unsweetened
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Prepare apples and set them aside.
2.  Place orange juice, arrowroot, vanilla and almond extract into a large zippered plastic bag.  Seal and smush the bag around until all the lumps of arrowroot are dissolved.
3.  Add in the apples and mix well.  Add cherries to the bag.  Again, mix well.
4.  Pour bag into a 9-inch square baking dish.  Cover with aluminum foil.  Bake for about 30 minutes.
5.  Take out of the oven, mix the fruit with the sauce, cover again and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes. 
6.  Top with slivered almonds before serving.

*gluten-free with the right ingredients