The recipe rallying cry is “buy it while it’s in season.” July is a wonderful month for fresh fruit, including cherries, blueberries and peaches. Here are some recipes that combine these in-season fruits with some recipes great for hot weather.
Peaches and ‘Cream’ Sundae
Prep: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 (4 block) meals
Here’s a simple way to dress up peaches for breakfast. You can mix up the topping the day or night before you need it.
Vanilla “Cream” Sauce:
2 cups organic low-fat yogurt (2 2/3 cup if yogurt does not contain non-fat dry milk)
16 chopped macadamia nuts
4 (1 ounce) scoops vanilla egg white protein or whey protein
1 teaspoon cinnamon or ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, in nonalcoholic base or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla in alcohol
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon stevia extract powder or liquid (optional)
Fruit:
9 large peaches, halved, pitted and sliced (or 6 3/4 cups thawed, frozen sliced peaches)
24 fresh pitted sweet cherries (or 1 cup thawed, frozen, unsweetened, “sweet” cherries)*
Instructions:
Combine ingredients for vanilla cream (except stevia). Stir and taste. Add 1/16 teaspoon stevia if protein powder is unsweetened or a sweeter taste is desired. Blend and taste again. Add more stevia as/if needed. Cover and chill for several hours or overnight if time permits. Divide peaches between 4 serving bowls. Top with protein-enriched cream sauce. Garnish with cherries and serve immediately.
Variation:
Replace cherries with three more peaches.
Blueberry-Peach and Yogurt Smoothie
Prep: 10 minutes
Yield: 1 (4 block) meal or 4 (1 block) snacks
12 unsalted cashews
1/2 cup organic low-fat yogurt (2/3 cup if yogurt does not contain non-fat dry milk)
1 ounce scoop vanilla egg white protein or whey protein powder
1 sliced fresh peach
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon or apple pie spice
2 teaspoons NOW apple fiber powder (optional)
1/16 to 1/8 teaspoon stevia extract powder or 2 to 4 drops stevia extract liquid (optional)
1/4 cup water or two ice cubes (optional)
Instructions:
Pulverize nuts in blender. Add yogurt, protein powder, fruit, and spice, and apple fiber if desired. Cover and process until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides with spatula. Add 1/4 cup water for a thinner texture or two ice cubes for a frostier texture. Add 1/16 teaspoon stevia if protein powder is unsweetened and/or a sweeter taste is desired. Blend and taste again. Pour into one tall glass for a meal or four small cups for snacks and serve immediately. Or pour into a wide mouth thermos and chill or freeze for later use. Allow a large frozen smoothie to thaw for several hours in the refrigerator or a cooler.
Variation:
Blueberry-Peach and Yogurt Pops: Yields 4 (1-block) snacks. Pour blended mixture into four small paper cups or Popsicle molds. Freeze until firm. If using paper cups, place a stick in each cup once after 1 to 2 hours, when mixture has started to ice up, then continue to freeze or serve the mixture with spoons. Allow cups to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving or run under warm water to loosen Popsicles.
Very Cherry Yogurt Smoothie
Prep: 10 minutes
Yield: 1 (4 block) meal or 4 (1 block) snacks
1/2 cup organic low-fat yogurt (2/3 cup if yogurt does not contain non-fat dry milk)
12 unsalted cashews
1 ounce scoop vanilla egg white protein or whey protein
1 cup pitted, sweet cherries
1 teaspoon minced fresh or bottled ginger or 1/4 teaspoon dried ginger
2 teaspoons NOW apple fiber powder (optional)
1/16 to 1/8 teaspoon stevia extract powder or 2 to 4 drops stevia extract liquid (optional)
1/4 cup water or 2 ice cubes (optional)
Instructions:
Combine yogurt, oil or nuts, protein powder, fruit, and spice. Add apple fiber if desired. Cover and process until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides with spatula. Add 1/4 cup water for a thinner texture or two ice cubes frostier texture. Add 1/16 teaspoon stevia if protein powder is unsweetened or a sweeter taste is desired. Blend and taste again. Pour into one tall glass for a meal, or four small cups for snacks. Serve immediately. Or pour into one or more wide mouth thermos bottles and chill or freeze for later. Allow a large frozen smoothie to thaw for several hours in the refrigerator or a cooler.
Variations:
Very Cherry Yogurt Pops: Yields 4 (1 block) snacks. Pour blended mixture into four small paper cups or Popsicle molds. Freeze until firm. If using paper cups, place a stick in each cup once after 1 to 2 hours, when mixture has started to ice up, then continue to freeze or serve the mixture with spoons. Allow cups to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving or run under warm water to loosen Popsicles.