Fruit Cup

Courtesy of Wikipedia

 Peach flower, fruit, seed, and leaves 

as illustrated by Otto Wilhelm Thomé, 1885

A simple morning aside, especially good for children, and as a alternative to fruit juices, even those that are "not from concentrate."   Slice up a fresh peach, combine with one or two other types of fruit - e.g. banana slices, small pieces of strawberry or a few grapes, pieces of cantaloupe, a scissor-snipped fig.

Feel like elaborating?  Add a dolup or two of cottage cheese or non-fat plain yogurt (vanilla, too, will suffice), sprinkle with 1-2 tablespoons of wheat germ, mix, add fruit.

Mango Smoothie

courtesy of wikipedia

posted by Vinayaraj
a mango tree in full bloom in kerala, india

mango smoothie

appliances

blender

tablespoon or large spoon

tall serving glasses

ingredients

about the equivalent of one-two frozen mangos, depending on size, the fruit chopped into bite-size chunks

1 fresh banana

1/2 - 1 cup non-fat plain yogurt (alternatively, plain greek yogurt)

a couple of cups of orange juice (preferably not from concentrate, no pulp)

condiments, to taste

chocolate syrup

non-fat whipped cream in a can

chopped walnuts (alternatively, chopped almonds or pecans)

spices, sprinkled

cinnamon
nutmeg

courtesy of wikipedia

photographer:  Magnus Manske

Banganpalli mangoes sold at Guntur, India

procedure

1.  clean your hands and break your banana up in the blender.

2.  add your frozen mango chunks, spoon in your yogurt, and pour in your orange juice.

3.  blend to desired thickness, pour in glasses, leaving some room for your condiments.

4.  in the following order, add to each glass a few swirls of chocolate syrup, then a twist of whipped cream, sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg, and top with chopped walnuts.

Enjoy!  Serve with spoons on plates for any spillage or mess.

courtesy of wikipedia

posted by Böhringer

walnut seed shell inside its green husk

variations

instead of mango, use frozen raspberries or strawberries or blackberries.  frozen blueberries work too.

other stuff

health benefits of mango here, banana here, berries here. 

the 1913 nobel prize winning poet from India, Rabindranath Tagore loved mangos, and uses lovely imagery from the trees, fruits, and blossoms in his poetry. a example via poemhunter and beneath a photo of Rabindranath and Gandhi ..

The Gardener XIII: I Asked Nothing

I asked nothing, only stood at the
edge of the wood behind the tree.
Languor was still upon the eyes
of the dawn, and the dew in the air.
The lazy smell of the damp grass
hung in the thin mist above the earth.
Under the banyan tree you were
milking the cow with your hands,
tender and fresh as butter.
And I was standing still.
I did not say a word. It was the
bird that sang unseen from the thicket.
The mango tree was shedding its
flowers upon the village road, and the
bees came humming one by one.
On the side of the pond the gate of
Shiva's temple was opened and the
worshipper had begun his chants.
With the vessel on your lap you
were milking the cow.
I stood with my empty can.
I did not come near you.
The sky woke with the sound of
the gong at the temple.
The dust was raised in the road
from the hoofs of the driven cattle.
With the gurgling pitchers at their
hips, women came from the river.
Your bracelets were jingling, and
foam brimming over the jar.
The morning wore on and I did not
come near you.

Simple Yogurt Dip

courtesy of Wikipedia

photographer:  Rainer Zenz

Turkish Cacik made with yogurt and cucumber

simple yogurt dip

appliances

small bowl

1 tsp or tbsp

chopping knife & board (if using fresh herbs)

ingredients

about 1 cup of non-fat plain yogurt

fresh dill, chopped - or 1-2 tsps. dry dill

1-2 tsp mayonaise (optional)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste


procedure

add your dill, optional mayonaise, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper to the yogurt.  mix with your spoon, et voilà!  A lovely, non-fattening, and nutricious dip.

you can garnish this simple yogurt dip with a piece of fresh dill or mint, and it's great served with chips and raw vegetables, or a main dish like kebabs or falafels. 

courtesy of university of maryland

college of agriculture and natural resources

cucumbers on a trellis in a raised bed

variations

(a)  leave out the mayonaise, add chopped cucumber, and serve as a small side dish to accompany spicy entrées and curries.

(b)  leave out the mayonaise, add a dash of olive oil, lemon juice, 1-2 garlic cloves (minced or crushed), fresh mint.  (this gives you a Turkish cacik recipe, as pictured above.)

courtesy of timesunion.com

photo credit:  posted at Capitol Confidential by Rick Karlin

moo!  upstate new york gets yogurt boom

discussion

i wonder if this recipe evolved out of indian yogurt salads (as in the "a" variation) or Turkish cacik (the "b" variation - and pictured above via wikipedia). 

whatever, it is a great way to satisfy your munchies without adding to your waistline, while getting important nutritional needs met, for yourself or other family members.  it is an easy dip serve-up for guests, and when you are busy with other meal preparations.

personally, i prefer plain yogurt to, say, sour cream with any number of recipes such as wraps, potatoes, or topped on soups or stews.  i mix it in oatmeal and top it on omelettes with an olive.  tastes great, much heart-healthier, and another way to "sneak nutrition" into children's dishes.

courtesy of wikipedia

photographer:  Shizhao

eggplant flower

 

mmm! i am suddenly thinking about slices of eggplant sautéed in olive oil and served up with yogurt and cumcumber!

yogurt is making a come-back as an american industry.  the new york times had this article in january about sales of Greek yogurt booming (Greek yogurt can of course be used in this recipe, and some prefer its creamier quality). 

courtesy of The Detroit News

photographer:  Mike Groll/AP



Two employees work in the labeling plant

at Chobani Greek Yogurt in South Edmeston, N.Y.

Chobani reported adding 900 jobs in upstate New York, with plans to add another 100 there and another 400 jobs in Twin Falls, Idaho.