Strawberry Sensations for a Heatwave

Wimbledon fortnight! 

30C tempertures.  Hot nights.  Shorts & vests.  

Strawberries!!

Here's a choice of wonderful strawberry treats, ranging from luxury to budget, many of them healthy, some low-fat/sugar and easy prep.

LUXURY

Creamy, Boozy Fruity Chocolate Pudding

Pretty looking and pretty tasty pudding which uses up leftover bits of chocolate ...

Dream-like pudding for a special occasion
'So beautiful! And delicious.' 'Liked the brandy undertones.'

Posh Strawberries 'n Cream with a Sweet Ginger Twist:

Strawberries 'n Cream but not as we know it, Jim...it's even better!  Sophisticated twist on a classic: sweet ginger in syrup with ginger nut biscuits; tasters said: '...unexpected but stunning!'

THE REST

Strawberry Lime Cordial

Lively strawberry lime fizz, a gorgeously fruity thirst quencher perfect for a heatwave...

Perfect for adults and kids, strawberries & a hint of lime need just fizzy water or white grape juice OR champers and white wine or vodka. Easy to make, it's prepped in advance.   

Healthy Strawberry Ripple Fro-Yo Ice: 

0-fat, 0-Cream, Vegan Option - but wonderfully tasty.  Easy-peasy. Budget-friendly

Budget Creamy Fresh Strawberry Pud:

Easy yoghurt-based dessert with a knock-out glaze that looks like a million pounds but costs pennies! 

Strawberry Muscovado Sugar lower-fat Creamy Pud

Strawberrry & Orange Platter: Vegan

Fresh, colourful guilt-free dessert: Low-sugar, healthy, frugal, easy.

Skinnier classic dessert of fresh orange slices in a sugar and orange liquor syrup, 

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This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  They may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.

Everything You Need to Know About Strawberries

Why is it so easy to love strawberries?  

• annual appearance of strawberries marks the unofficial bedding in of summer.  
• their bright red color is so attractive; their flesh is sweet &juicy and their aroma is utterly tantalising  
• we love the way the appearance of strawberries in the shops celebrate English institutions like Wimbledon and Eton 
• We love them eaten by the handful, fresh from the punnet, OR drizzing them thickly with double cream OR stirring them into thick double cream studded with broken meringues and drizzled with dark chocolate
• Strawberry flavours are popular everywhere.  In food: jams, baked goods, ice cream, coffee toppings, milkshakes.  Elsewhere: in soaps, lip gloss and perfumes

But there health benefits, too, right?  They're:

• nutritionally rich
• low in sugar
• high in fibre
• low calorie
• high in Vitamin C
• contains good levels of magnesium (the current mineral de jour) which helps nerve funvction and can relieve depression

Are strawberries quintessentially English?

Actually no.  They were cross-bred in 17thC France from species in eastern North America and Chile. From a botanical point of view, the strawberry is not even a proper berry.   It's an 'aggregate accessory fruit', meaning that each seed  on the outside of the fruit is actually one of its many flower ovaries, with a seed inside it.^[4]

Strawberries 'n Cream though, is English.  It was created by Thomas Wolsey in the court of KingHenry VIII when strawberry farming was in demand.  

What is the strawberry business worth worldwide?

World demand for strawberries continues to climb.  The top three srtrawberry producers are China (by far), the United States and Egypt (sources: World Population Review & Tridge )

Global producetion has risen 39% in the 10 years to 2022. 

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This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  They may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission

RICE SALAD WITH GRAPES & HOISIN CHICKEN: easy, satisfying, portable, healthy, low-sugar & fat

Quick nutritious and tasty salad of rice, grapes and chicken provides lashings of energy for a busy life...

Fruity spicy rice'n chicken dish for a busy life

We all know what it's like trying to eat healthily and well during an election.  If, at the same time, you're trying to balance a second committment, food prep can become a big distraction.

That's why this salad was created.  Make enough of the ingredients for 2-3 servings, assemble as needed, pack one for now and another for later.  

67 used rice as the carbohydrate base but it can be repolaced with pasta or cold potatoes.  

The chicken, easy-peasy but with a spicy more-ish sauce, is easily cooked in an air-fryer or oven.

All ingredients remain fresh and zesty for three days (including cooking day).  

With M&S higher welfare chicken legs still at around £1.50 for 2, the recipe is not going to bust the budget.  In fact, it's worth buying an extra packet of legs, marinading and cooking them at the same time, and freezing for another time when cold. 

Cost: £2.50'ish (6/24)

Makes: 2 servings

Ingredients:

Salad

1-1.5 mugs cooked & cooled brown rice (pref), white rice, pasta or potatoes

2 whole chicken legs, raw

small bunch firm purple/red grapes

1/2-3/4 mug fresh green beans or mange tout

handful spinach or lettuce leaves

Marinade:

3 tbsp hoisin sauce

1 tsp orange zest

1.5 tbsp orange juice

1/16th tsp (if that!) chilli crisp or hot sauce like tobasco or siracha (opt)

Orange Yoghurt Mayonnaise

   3 tbsp strained 0-fat yoghurt 

   1.5 tbsp mayo

   3/4 tsp orange zest

   2 tsp Hoisin sauce

   pepper & salt

Method:

LIME & ALMOND SHORTBREAD THINS, easy indulgence

When an unexpected indulgence is required, this recipe meets the need...with bells on!

Lime & Amond Shortbread Thins

It was created for a guest who, it was revealed, was   celebrating a birthday.  

Based on the popular 4-ingredient Bottom of the Barrel Shortbread, the Lime Almond Thins are a delicious little treat.

The lime sings of summer, the richness of butter and icing (not granulated) sugar produces a tender crisp mouthful, and the tiny nuggets of nuts make for an entrancing texture.

At least an hour's resting time is needed but otherwise the recipe takes little time to prep, bake and ice. 

It's a godsend.

Cost: £1.75 (6/24)

Makes: 20 'ish biscuits, depending on size

Ingredients:

 

Biscuits

  100gm/3.5oz soft salted butter

             40 gms/1.4oz icing sugar

         3/4 tsp lime juice

         2 generous tsp lime zest

     

         110gm/3.8oz plain white flour 

         25gm/4/5 oz ground almonds 

              

         generous handful finely chopped almonds (not blanched) 

Flowing Lime Icing 

2 tsp lime juice

1/2 cup icing sugar

     

Method:

1. Whip butter until structure breaks down (a few seconds);  beat in sugar until pale & fluffy - a few minutes; beat in lime juice; blend in lime zest
2. Add ground almonds, mix; then flour, slowly mix until soft dough forms; stir in finely chopped almonds  distributing as evenly as possible  
3. Form into a log of chosen size, wrap in cling film, twisting ends to even out lumps and bumps; refrigerate at least 1 hour
4. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 180c/350f
5. Carefully (the dough is delicate) slice biscuits 1/4 inch/generous 1/2 cm thick.  Using a fish slice or palette knife, transfer to baking tray/s lined with greaseproof paper or a silicone mat, leaving   space in between
6. Bake in oven or air-fryer 11 mins; cool on baking  tray 5 mins; transfer to cooling rack
7. Make Lime icing: mix lime juice with icing sugar, if necessary adding more juice little by little until the icing flows but hardens quickly.  
8. When the biscuits are completely cold, either drizzle the icing with a fork or spoon OR fill a small sandwich bag, snip off a corner and squeeze icing onto the biscuits OR dunk the biscuits into the icing until half is coated (you'll need double the icing recipe in that case).  Alternatively, serve plain, OR drizzle with or partially dip in melted white chocolate 
9. Store cookies in an airtight container

Comments:

• 'The biscuit was glorious to eat; it had a gorgeous texture, and the lime icing really 'took the biscuit'.  Retired writer
• These are very good; the best!'

Tips:

• If you don't have ground almonds, replace with wholemeal flour....the texture and flavour will change but it'll still taste good
• Replace chopped almonds with any other nuts

Please leave a comment in the box below

This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.