Here is a Scottish dessert that not only has a twist, but is turned on it's head. A traditional cranachan uses raspberries. This one uses blueberries and bananas. It is healthy and very tasty. If you aren't partaking in alcohol, use orange juice. This would make it a good breakfast then, as well.
1/2 cup rolled oats (toasted)
1 cup whipped cream (sweetened with 1/4 c. confectioners sugars and a 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract.)
1 cup blueberries http://www.littlebluedynamos.com
2 tbsp. honey
2 bananas (sliced)
2 tbsp. whisky (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
(175 degrees C). Spread oats out in a thin layer on a baking sheet.
Toast in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, or until nut-brown.
Set aside to cool. Remove them from the pan for faster cooling.
Mix the honey into the blueberries.
To assemble layer banana slices, then oats, then blueberries amongst 4 dessert cups. Then a dollop of cream. Repeat, but before the final whipped cream dollop pour in a bit of whisky in each dessert cup. Serve.
A twist to an English cream tea. The scones are enhanced with coconut and the cream is coconut cream. Enjoy this with coffee, or tea.
Scones:
2 1/4 cups flour
4 tsp. baking power
2 tbsp. sugar
pinch of salt
1/3 cup butter
1 cup milk
1/3 cup coconut
Preheat oven to 450 deg. Make a course meal texture out of the dry ingredients and the butter. Use you hands and a mixer. Add the milk and form into a soft dough. Roll into a disc an inch thick on a floured surface. Now cut into six even triangles. Bake until golden about 20 minutes. cool slightly.
Coconut cream:
1 can full fat coconut
2 tbsp powdered sugar
Place the can of coconut milk in the refrigerator overnight. Now scoop the firm white cream off the top of the can. Put in a mixer and add the sugar. Whip into a firm whipped cream.
Blueberry Jam:
2 c. + 24 fresh blueberries http://www.littlebluedynamos.com (reserve the 24 blueberries to garnish the final product)
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 1/2 c. sugar
1 pouch fruit pectin
Prepare fruit in saucepan on stove. Stir sugar into fruit. Mix well. Bring mix to full boil for 5 minutes over high heat; stir
constantly.
Pour pectin pouch into fruit and continue to
boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off
foam. Let this set in the refrigerator about an hour.
To assemble, I do it the Cornish way. Jam and then cream. Split the scone in half, spread with jam and top with coconut cream, Sandwich the top of the scone and enjoy.
A new blueberry sweet treat! All the flavors balance on a nice crispy toast. To make these little ones start by making a small yield blueberry jam, here is a basic recipe:
2 c. + 24 fresh blueberries http://www.littlebluedynamos.com (reserve the 24 blueberries to garnish the final product)
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 1/2 c. sugar
1 pouch fruit pectin
Prepare fruit in saucepan on stove. Stir sugar into fruit. Mix well. Bring mix to full boil for 5 minutes over high heat; stir
constantly.
Pour pectin pouch into fruit and continue to
boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off
foam. Let this set in the refrigerator about an hour.
The next step is to reduce 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar with 2 tbsp sugar dissolved in it. Bring to a nice syrupy consistency.
Now make a batch of hard shell chocolate, to do this:
Melt 7 ounces of chocolate, either on a double boiler, or a microwave works nicely, then stir in tbsp of coconut oil. Make sure all ingredients melt and are incorporated.
To assemble lay out 2 dozen melba toasts on a tray. Spread each one with blueberry jam. Drizzle with reduced balsamic. Now you can dollop some chocolate in the center and place a blueberry on top of each toast. Place the tray in the freezer for a few minutes to set the chocolate. Now you can display on a clean platter. Serve.
Here is a healthy side dish with a slightly sweet element in the form of blueberries.
To make this recipe start by preparing a rosemary vinegar. To do this bruise several sprig of rosemary and add to a 1/2 cup white wine vinegar. Let marinade for 1 or 2 days.
Blueberry Broccoli Quinoa Salad With Rosemary Vinaigarette
1 cup Quinoa (lightly toasted in a dry pan)
2 c. water
1 cup blueberries http://www.littlebluedynamos.com
1 head broccoli cut into flowerettes (cook til tender and cool)
1 bunch scallions, chopped
1/2 cup rosemary infused white wine vinegar (strained)
3/4 c. oil
2 tbsp. whole grain mustard
2 tbsp. honey
salt and pepper to taste
Bring the quinoa to a boil with the water and then turn the heat down to med. Cook until water is absorbed approx. 15 to 20 minutes. Cool. Fold in broccoli, blueberries and scallions place in the refrigerator. Prepare the dressing by whisking the vinegar with the mustard and honey. Gradually add the oil while whisking and whisk until thick. Stir into quinoa salad and serve.
