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| Deserted Beach in Costa Rica |
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Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Monday, May 20, 2013
Recipe: Pineapple Granita (Gluten, Dairy, & Sugar Free)
My son loves ice cream and gelato, but now that he's dairy free again, it's harder to find cool summer treats that aren't full of sugar or chemicals. It's hot here in Costa Rica, and fruit is cheap, so after visiting a farmer's market and buying ton of fruit, I decided to make some granita. Granita is a typical Italian dessert of flavoured shaved ice. It's super easy to make, and doesn't require any special equipment. This recipe is granita at the most basic, but there are so many simple ways to dress it up as a fancy dessert.
We made pineapple granita because pineapples are everywhere in Costa Rica, so we bought 2 of them for about $2. We used one for smoothies, but the other was perfect for granita.
**This recipe doesn't call for sugar because I used ripe pineapple that was very sweet. To choose a ripe pineapple, pull on one of the middle leaves on top. If it comes out easily, the pineapple is ready to eat. Check the bottom to ensure there is no mould. Taste the pineapple before freezing. Add a bit of sugar or honey to mix if a sweeter taste is desired.
Pineapple Granita
Equipment
1 non-stick metal baking pan (cake pan or something similar with sides)
1 blender
Fork (I know, high end stuff)
Ingredients
1 pineapple, cleaned, cored, & chopped in pieces
1 cup water
Directions
1- Combine pineapple chunks with water in blender and mix until smooth. Pour mixture into baking pan.
2- Freeze mixture, stirring every 30 minutes or so with a fork because the water tends to separate. Continue until completely frozen solid. To serve, take the side of a fork and scrape the icy shards off the top and into a serving bowl. Serve immediately.
Depending on how cold your fridge's freezer is, freezing times vary. It keeps well in the freezer covered with plastic wrap to avoid freezer burn.
We made pineapple granita because pineapples are everywhere in Costa Rica, so we bought 2 of them for about $2. We used one for smoothies, but the other was perfect for granita.
**This recipe doesn't call for sugar because I used ripe pineapple that was very sweet. To choose a ripe pineapple, pull on one of the middle leaves on top. If it comes out easily, the pineapple is ready to eat. Check the bottom to ensure there is no mould. Taste the pineapple before freezing. Add a bit of sugar or honey to mix if a sweeter taste is desired.
Pineapple Granita
Equipment
1 non-stick metal baking pan (cake pan or something similar with sides)
1 blender
Fork (I know, high end stuff)
Ingredients
1 pineapple, cleaned, cored, & chopped in pieces
1 cup water
Directions
1- Combine pineapple chunks with water in blender and mix until smooth. Pour mixture into baking pan.
2- Freeze mixture, stirring every 30 minutes or so with a fork because the water tends to separate. Continue until completely frozen solid. To serve, take the side of a fork and scrape the icy shards off the top and into a serving bowl. Serve immediately.
Depending on how cold your fridge's freezer is, freezing times vary. It keeps well in the freezer covered with plastic wrap to avoid freezer burn.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Weekly Gluten Free Menu Plan
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Recipe: Easy Fried Plantains
One of my favourite foods to eat is the plantain banana. They can be prepared so many different ways and always add some great colour and flavour to a meal. What used to be considered an exotic fruit is now easily found at most local supermarkets. If you've never eaten plantains before, it can be a bit confusing to choose the right banana for the dish you want to make. For this dish, you want really ripe plantains that are soft to the touch, but not mushy. The skin should be yellow in colour with some black already on the outside. You want them to be soft to cook, but not mushy so that they fall apart.
This side dish is sweet and great for kids. It can be served as is, or served with sour cream (or crema) to balance the flavours. It could also be served as a dessert with some honey or rum, or with a scoop of ice cream.
Ingredients
(Serves 4)
4 plantains, peeled and sliced diagonally
Oil to coat the bottom of a frying pan (Canola or another tasteless oil works best)
Directions
1- Coat the bottom of a frying pan with oil and heat at medium high. Oil is hot when a drop of water sizzles when dropped in the pan.
2- Arrange plantain slices in a single layer in the frying pan. You may have to cook more than one batch. Fry, flipping once or twice, until bananas are soft and begin to caramelize. How long you cook them for is personal preference. I like mine almost burnt, but it's more common to see them cooked to a deep golden yellow.
Serve while still warm.
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| Sliced and ready to cook |
This side dish is sweet and great for kids. It can be served as is, or served with sour cream (or crema) to balance the flavours. It could also be served as a dessert with some honey or rum, or with a scoop of ice cream.
Ingredients
(Serves 4)
4 plantains, peeled and sliced diagonally
Oil to coat the bottom of a frying pan (Canola or another tasteless oil works best)
Directions
1- Coat the bottom of a frying pan with oil and heat at medium high. Oil is hot when a drop of water sizzles when dropped in the pan.
2- Arrange plantain slices in a single layer in the frying pan. You may have to cook more than one batch. Fry, flipping once or twice, until bananas are soft and begin to caramelize. How long you cook them for is personal preference. I like mine almost burnt, but it's more common to see them cooked to a deep golden yellow.
Serve while still warm.
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