MELON GRANITAS

(Diabetes Friendly and Gluten Free)

I finally received my first Foodtown magazine (yea!) and I found the perfect summer treat to start off in there. It has been very hot here lately...great for swimming and beach play, but not so great for culinary creativity. Anyway, when I saw this recipe I went out to buy my rock melon (aka cantaloupe) and honeydew immediately...I even bought a watermelon for good measure.

One thing to note too is that this particular publication actually provides the nutrition info (Joie, you might like this!). These granitas are just 584 Kilojoules (139 Calories) and 0.1 Gms of fat (remember this info will vary slightly according to the fruit you choose to use). The magazine claims these are diabetes friendly and gluten free as well, for anyone keeping tabs on that.

Now, Dad always chilled melons for us before we had the opportunity to taste them and I must say that they always tasted (and smelled) nicer when they were really, really cold as opposed to the lukewarm versions in restaurant fruit salads so, into the fridge mine all went.

What is a granita, you might ask? Well, imagine a snow cone or shaved ice treat made primarily out of fruit puree rather than plain unflavoured ice and syrup. That’s basically what we have here. Granitas have more flavour because the majority of the ice is actually frozen pulp rather than water.

With this particular recipe, the colder your ingredients are, the faster it will eventually freeze and therefore the sooner you may devour them...and you will! This is just a basic granita recipe but you can pretty much use any fruit you like…whatever happens to be in season…but melons are particularly refreshing, especially after a nice meal. Some people opt to pour liqueurs or spirits over them (pineapple flavoured rum, Malibu, or midori, for example) sort of margarita or daiquiri style, but we like them just like this!

Here you go…


INGREDIENTS:

2 Cups of Melon/Fruit Chunks
1½ Tbsp Lime or Lemon Juice
1½ Cups Water
½ Cup Sugar


DIRECTIONS:

Heat the sugar & water together in a saucepan until the sugar is completely dissolved, then put it aside to cool.

Puree the fruit & juice together, then pour in the syrup and pulse the blender a few times to combine everything well.

Pour it into a shallow airtight container & freeze.

After a few hours, mix it all up with a metal fork and scrape any ice crystals off the sides and bottom to mix back into the middle. Repeat every couple of hours until it's well frozen.

Now, when ready to eat, scrape it into a pile of ice bits with a metal fork and scoop it into a glass or bowl and eat it! It's like a fruity snow cone or shaved ice, but way healthier!!!

YUMMO!

DR. PEPPER vs ROOT BEER

FUN KIWI 'TASTE TEST' EXPERIMENT

Just a couple of months ago, I discovered another new treasure trove of goodies down under. The place is called Davis Trading Company in Petone, just north of Wellington City, and I discovered that they stock a good amount of items I like to have on hand, most of which can be a challenge to find down here. This is where I buy most of the things I use to make my Asian dishes but it is also a great place to stock up on spices and/or some bulk items such as, nuts, seeds, potato/tapioca flour, rice, etc..

Not too long ago, I was preparing to make my Pancit Canton and needed some Chinese sausages, so I trecked off to Petone…when right next to the meat fridge, there they were and I couldn’t believe my eyes! I hadn’t seen Dr. Pepper in a couple of years and it had been even longer since I had seen or tasted Root Beer. I was quite understandably excited…I couldn’t wait to have my Kiwi mates try a Root Beer Float or taste Dr. Pepper.

I have tried many times to explain what it tastes like, but find myself at a loss for the right words. I even ended up buying a few cans of Diet Dr. Pepper and Cream Soda on that trip as well. I don’t often drink sodas (or "pop" as it is referred to in Oregon) anymore – perhaps once a month or so… I usually have to settle for Sprite (aka lemonade here), Coke or Pepsi because those plentiful here, so I was happy to have a little favourite treat or two. My Dad and I love the Dr and Mom and I always enjoyed an occasional Root Beer.

So…a few weeks later, I decide to surprise my friends with a can of each for a taste test. It was one of the funniest things I had seen in some time. My friend and neighbour, Linda, poured a bit in several glasses starting with the Dr. Pepper. She stops the glass halfway to take in the aroma as you would do with a fine wine. Next, with a look of trepidation on her face, she takes a small sip and tries to hide the disappointment of her face as the others look on as if to see whether Linda would swallow or not. Linda makes an attempt at a smile and says, “Now that’s interesting…”, as the others suspiciously taste theirs.

The overall consensus on the Dr. Pepper was that it wasn’t all that bad and that the taste reminded them of almond essence (or Christmas cake marzipan) and a hint of cherry. Most of my mates didn’t mind the flavour and I think that one of them (Nadine’s family has ties to North America via Canada) actually liked the stuff! Linda never liked almond flavouring in sweets, so she said that is what turned her off the Dr. Pepper.

It was a whole different ball game with the Root Beer though. Again, I think Linda’s face was priceless and was a bit of advanced warning (not to mention comedic expression) for everyone when the glass was once again raised halfway for a good sniff first. “Aw, geez, this stuff smells just like liniment!”, she says…”I don’t know if I can drink this stuff, yuck!” Once the laughter died down, the group all pretty much concurred, that, yes, this one does smell funnily like medicine but the few brave souls courageous enough to take the first sips encouraged the rest to just try it because it wasn’t really that bad if you can get past the smell. I think it took Linda at least ten full minutes to work up the willpower to sip it, but I am pretty sure they all gave up on the Root Beer quick enough. The idea of combining it with any sort of ice cream probably sounded sacrilegious since Kiwis do truly cherish their ice cream! (Even in the winter!)

Anyway, the taste tests did make for a fun afternoon and even though I had to finish the Root Beer alone, I had a much better idea of how to explain these flavours to a Kiwi, or an Aussie, who perhaps had never tasted the stuff before.

More recipes coming soon, so stay tuned.

Cheers!

SPEAROLE

(GREEN TEA WITH SPEARMINT, OLIVE LEAF, AND GRAPE SEED)

CAN HELP FIGHT OBESITY

I saw this in the news yesterday and thought it was particularly interesting. Keep an eye out for this product in your health food shops.

Courtesy of:

BRISBANE POST / THE INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Monday, November 24, 2008

Three cups of green tea a day could keep obesity at bay. Research shows the tea helps the pounds melt away, even while still eating junk food.

Spearole Tea, a blend of green tea, spearmint, grape seed and olive leaf, also cuts blood pressure and makes it easier for the body to process sugar.

Researcher Dr. Lindsay Brown said: “If someone had told me you could do all these things with something as simple as green tea with olive extract I would said they’d been out in the sun too long. It is simply amazing.”

Dr. Brown, a pharmacologist at Brisbane’s Queensland University, studied the effect of the tea on the health of a group of rats. The creatures were fed a fat and sugar-laden diet caused the amount of fat around their bellies to double in eight weeks and their blood pressure to soar.

When Spearole Tea was added to their diet, their waistlines and their blood pressure quickly returned to normal.

This was despite the continuing to eat junk food, the Australian Health and Medical Research Congress will hear.

Dr. Brown said it was likely three cups of the tea a day could also help people stay trim, improving overall health.

Warning that the obesity epidemic threatened to wipe out the gains achieved by improvements to heart health, he said: “The UK, the US and Australia all have something like 60 per cent of the adult population overweight or obese. The decrease in cardiovascular mortality in the last 40 years has added on average six years to life expectancy. That is the biggest increase in life expectancy in one generation in the history of the species. The control of cardiovascular disease has had an amazing effect on survival and that is at risk from obesity.”

CRÈME DE MENTHE

(Makes approximately 2 Litres)

This is a very refreshing liqueur that is great on ice cream or even on it’s own as an aperitif. A good place to keep it (if you have the room) is in the freezer.

Unfortunately, the Kiwis are particularly fond of their doll-sized appliances (don’t get me started on the laundry situation), so I keep my homemade liqueurs in a small storage area where hubby likes to keep his wine collection…it’s also a nice storage area for Santa when he needs to drop off a few items early.

One upcoming recipe to watch for will be Grasshopper Pie, using this lovely liqueur. I may even make a Grasshopper milkshake or two with a lovely Kapiti Coast Vanilla Bean Ice Cream…mmm. We can hardly wait! Summer is nearly here – bring it on!!!


INGREDIENTS:

2 Cups Water
5 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Fresh Mint Leaves
2 Tbsp Peppermint Essence/Extract
2 Tsp Green Food Colour
1 Litre Vodka


DIRECTIONS:

In a stockpot, combine water and sugar and bring to a boil to form a syrup base.

Allow the syrup to simmer approximately 2-3 minutes then remove from heat and gently stir in mint leaves.

Leave it in a cool place for a few hours until the syrup reaches room temperature again, then remove mint leaves and discard them.

Now add the peppermint essence, food colouring, and vodka then mix well.

Next, pour the mixture into sterilized glass bottles and make sure to use an airtight seal once they are full.

Store in a cool, dark place for at least 2 weeks before consuming.

See? This is ‘easy as’ and really yummy. The hardest part is waiting to try it! These make great gifts too, so make sure you get the appropriate size when purchasing your decorative bottles.

Enjoy…

KAHLUA

Makes about 4 (1-Litre) bottles

I know that for some of the Kiwis and Aussies out there, it may be difficult to imagine, but I generally don't drink alcohol. I have an amazing uncle in Oregon who is an award-winning winemaker for Willamette Valley Vineyards, and yet I probably don't fully appreciate his work. As generous as he is, I usually just ask for him to bring "the sweet stuff" like rieslings, muskats and Müller-Thurgau...the rubbish of the wine world, but my favourites nonetheless. Beer usually gives me headaches with the first sip, so I never tried the "hair-o'-the-dog" remedy.

There are a few liqueurs I do enjoy on the odd special occasion...Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays, etc.... My personal favourites are probably, Kahlua, Creme de Menthe, and good ole Irish Cream. I have recipes for all three, but I have so far only tried out this one. Creme de Menthe might be next, as I would love to post a 'Grasshopper Pie' or 'Grasshopper Shake' recipe at some stage too.

Kahlua and vanilla ice cream are made for each other too, so...let's get going on this one so we can try some! (It still takes about 4 weeks or so to fully develop the flavour though...bugger!)

INGREDIENTS:

7 Cups Water

1.5 Kilos (3.3 Lbs) Sugar (about 1 small bag)

1/2 Cup Instant Coffee (Dark Roast or Espresso Strength)

6 Tbsp Vanilla

4 Vanilla Beans, split (optional)

2 Bottles Vodka (2 Litres total)

DIRECTIONS:

First split vanilla beans and scrape the goo from inside each bean with a knife. Add the scrapings to a stock pot with the water, sugar and vanilla (extract/essence). Put the split beans into sterilized bottles for storage later.

Bring the pot of water, sugar and vanilla to a rolling boil for approximately 10 minutes (just long enough to dissolve all of the sugar).

Remove the pot from the heat and slowly stir in the instant coffee until all of the coffee is completely dissolved.

Now let it sit (covered) until it reaches room temperature.

Once completely cooled, add vodka and pour into bottles (with airtight seals) immediately.

These bottles are great for gifts, but please remember that it will take about 4 weeks to fully develop the flavour. For added smoothness, I understand a teaspoon of glycerin can be added, but I, personally, don't find it necessary.