I had no idea what I was going to do with the two bags of Meyer lemons I picked up on a recent grocery run – but I couldn’t resist them. Bright yellow and shiny, I’d never tried one, never even seen them before. Meyer lemon is a citrus fruit that is a cross between mandarin orange and lemon. They’re smaller and rounder than regular lemons and have a wonderful spicy smell.
Right after my purchase I heard about the So Delicious 3 Course Recipe Contest and an idea was born: a creamy, tart-sweet, crunchy parfait with Meyer lemon juice as the star – and a bit of lime as character actor. (Thank you, Sarah, for bringing this contest to my attention.)
Healthy Vegan Fridays is BACK – - and I shared this here recipe with Herbivore Triathlete!
Meyer Lemon, Lime, & “Graham Cracker” Parfaits
Makes 6
2 cup raw cashew pieces, soaked for 8 hours or overnight, rinsed and drained
7 dates, soaked for a few hours, drained
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk (I used So Delicious brand)
1/2 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh lime
1/4 cup plain coconut yogurt (I used So Delicious brand)
1/4 cup firm tofu* (not silken), optional
1 tbsp. pure maple syrup
zest of 2 Meyer lemons
zest of 1 lime
2 cups pecans
1 tbsp. sesame seeds
3 dates
1 tbsp. pure maple syrup
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
In a blender, combine the cashews, dates, coconut milk, lemon & lime juice, yogurt, tofu (if using), maple syrup and zest. Process until very smooth.
In a food processor, combine the pecans, sesame seeds, dates, maple syrup, and cinnamon. Process until crumbly and of uniform size.
Put 1 heaping tablespoon of pecan mixture at the bottom of each of 6 bowls or glasses. Top with about 3 tablespoons of lemon mixture. Continue alternating layers of pecan mixture with the lemon mixture until you’ve used up both. Top with fresh fruit and additional zest, if desired.
*the tofu will make for a thicker consistency
Fill in the blank: The last unusual or exotic fruit I ate was ______________.
Chocolate cake reminds me of my mother, who in my humble opinion, baked the best chocolate cake on earth. It was coated in a creamy, buttery frosting that wasn’t too awfully sweet. This cake is a single-layer, dim tribute to her shining, multi-tiered one – but it is rich, moist, and bursting with warm, complex flavors from the orange and spices. The sweet potato replaces butter/oil and the frosting couldn’t be easier: melted chocolate chips sprinkled with chopped nuts (toasted coconut would be nice, too).
Father’s Day. It’s coming. Except in my case, I call it Pop’s Day, cuz that’s what I call my dad. I can’t really send him flowers or a little piece of jewelry like I can my mother on her special day. He no longer needs ties and has more tools, shirts and logo baseball hats than he can ever use. So what do I send my old man to let him know how special he is? Bake him a batch of (healthy) cookies that host his favorite flavors.