Tag: fruit

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Sweet

Plate Parfaits

one and a half slices greek yogurt parfait recipe cacao nibs
OneandahalfSlices food blog recipes One and a half Slices Virginia eat local

The OneandahalfSlices Plate Parfait

There are several OneandahalfSlices signatures: The Signature Salad, The Signature Cocktail, Skillet Cornbread (and how OneandahalfSlices got its name). This indispensable Plate Parfait is definitely a signature for the list.

For whomever has rushed into OneandahalfSlices headquarters (aka my house) mid-afternoon after eight hours at the office and claimed to be starving (you know who you are)… For whomever has woken up at HQ in the morning with only 10 minutes to spare… You have probably been served a OneandahalfSlices Plate Parfait. What is a Plate Parfait? Well… it’s a Greek Yogurt Parfait… on a plate.

It is high in protein, low in fat, great for gut health, and deliciously satisfying at almost any time of day. The go-to breakfast. The I’m Starving snack. The dessert when you really want ice cream but don’t need the sugar.

#equalpartsdisciplineandindulgence 

what you need to know

There is really no incorrect way to make a plate parfait.

Below are the ingredients I use and an example of the assembly.

one and a half slices greek yogurt parfait recipe cacao nibs
  1. berries. strawbs, blackberries, pomegranate seeds, or finely diced peaches and apples are my fruits-of-choice.
  2. nut butter. almond, walnut, sunflower, peanut, thin enough to drizzle.
  3. greek yogurt. no fat or full fat; loving my Skyr recently from Iceland.
  4. granola. homemade granola or my gluten-free amaranth granola.
  5. honey. make sure it is local. did you know that eating local unpasteurized honey can help you build tolerance to local pollens which makes allergy season less dramatic?
  6. flax seeds. for fiber and digestion.
  7. chia seeds. for antioxidants.
  8. cacao nibs. for antioxidants, mood, and immunity.

Now that you’ve got all your favs, go ahead and use a spoon to spread that thick greek yogurt onto a plate using a circular motion. Drizzle with honey and a little cinnamon if you’re feeling fancy. Then pile your fruit high in the center, drizzling the whole ordeal with your nut butter. Now it’s time to sprinkle: granola (no more than 2-3 tablespoons), chia, flax, and cacao. A little toasted fresh coconut can go a long way here as well. Ooh, and toasted chopped hazelnuts (life changing)! But you get the picture. Improv is the main game here with the Plate Parfait. 

🍓🌰🍎

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Categories
Cocktail

Autumn Sangria

one and a half slices sangria wine recipe cocktail
OneandahalfSlices food blog recipes One and a half Slices Virginia eat local

Autumn Sangria

I am pretty sure we all think of Sangria as a summertime cocktail. Definitely something to be consumed, along with tisana, while wandering the Costa Brava during the summer months. But my food philosophy states that sangria can be consumed any time of the year. In fact, it can even be a bit Christmassy. All you need is to spice it up with a little seasonal flavor.

🍂🎄❄️

Traditional sangria is made by letting fruit marinate in light red wine and fortifying it with brandy. Those who have had this kind of sangria are left disappointed by the boxed red wine + lemon wedges + Sprite situation we so often find here in the United States.

I’ll be honest, when concocting my autumn sangria I may have riffed a little on the Blackberry Farm recipe. It was their idea to take sangria up a notch with… are you ready for it? Beetroot. *gasps*  I promise it isn’t as root-vegetably as it sounds, but it does give the sangria a distinctively earthy quality. For that reason, I believe it pairs exceptionally well with my winter root vegetable soup and simple croutons.

Happy Fall , happy Christmas, happy Saturday!

what you need

Recipe makes 1 pitcher. 

For the sangria: 

1 bottle pinot noir or red wine of choice

1/2 cup citrus juice (blood orange, orange, lemon, blend, all fair game)

1/2 cup brandy or cognac (I used Courvoisier)

1/4 cup citrus liquor such a Grand Marnier or Cointreau (I used Solerno)

1/2 apple sliced thinly

1/2 orange sliced thinly 

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup beetroot simple syrup

 

For the simple syrup:

2 1/2-3 cups water

2-3 small-medium beets, peeled and halved

1 cup sugar

2 sprigs of thyme

two dashes of cardamom 

how to make it

For the simple syrup: Place the water over medium to high heat stovetop and add the beets, sugar, thyme, and cardamom. (Should you need some actual beats for this process, check here 🎶). Bring to a gentle boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the mixture begins to bubble light brown and take on a thicker texture.

Remove the fresh thyme sprigs and discard. Remove the syrup from the heat and let stand in the pot for a few minutes while you deal with the beets. Place the beets in a high speed blender with a little bit of water and blend until very, very smooth. You may need to add more water to play with the consistency until the pureed beets are more or less pourable. Then add the pureed beets tablespoon by tablespoon back to the simple syrup, stirring well until you have a very thick, sticky liquid.

Pro tip: aside from the massive sugar content, I am pretty sure the pureed beets would make great baby food. I do not own a baby, so I would not know. Store the simple syrup in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

The sangria itself is far from difficult but it is best if it sits for at least a couple hours before you serve it. In a serving pitcher or large vessel (candidly, I used a flower vase), place the sliced apples and oranges. Pour the citrus liquor, citrus juice, cognac, and beetroot simple syrup over the fruit. Stir well. Add the wine and the water, and let sit refrigerated for several hours. Garnish with fresh fruit and serve. 

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Cocktail Local

Sprinkled Lemonade

oneandahalfslices sprinkles lemonade summer
OneandahalfSlices food blog recipes One and a half Slices Virginia eat local

Sprinkled Lemonade!

and other announcements…

oneandahalfslices sprinkles lemonade summer

“if it costs you your peace, it’s too expensive”

paolo coehlo

what you need

4″ chunk of fresh, juicy watermelon

1-2 strawberries

1 oz lemon juice

2 tablespoons sugar

2 oz vodka

2 oz water

(optional) sprinkles

**but, really, when are sprinkles ever optional?

🍉🍓🍉

how to make it

Muddle the watermelon, strawberries, lemon juice, and sugar together in a cocktail shaker. 

Add the vodka and water. Shake vigorously with ice until frothy. 

Rim a coup or cocktail glass with lemon juice and dip into sprinkles of choice. Strain the cocktail into the glass and top with a paper thin strawberry slice. 

Tips! Use other fruit (like raspberries). Let the melon, berries, vodka, lemon juice, and sugar soak for 20 minutes before making the cocktail for stronger flavors. Make it frozen by blending frozen watermelon chunks with all ingredients and adding water and/or plant-based milk as desired.  

There are some big things “happening at OneandahalfSlices this year. I know, I know… I’ve been quiet. I’ve been absent. I’ve been exploring. More than just The Balkans, it turns out.

I’ve been going through a pink phase (well, it’s really more of a rose phase, but nevermind). I’ve been going through a sprinkle phase. And I’ve been trying to figure out how to love. my. day. Because in the space between a global pandemic and a PhD, I forgot how.

So I’m planning a transition. A transition out of my full time job, into good vibes – to make space, to get deliberate and slow, to be quiet, to travel, to require less, to live more, to love deeply, to discover without seeking, to find what is around me without looking forward, to relinquish progress to make room for natural energy, curiosity, and strength.

Merigold Analytics and OneandahalfSlices come together in a meaningful way around flavor, health, and authenticity. 

So stick with us friends, colleagues, vibe seekers, wanderlusts, gamers, thalassophiles, entrepreneurs, and our nation’s youth… we’re about to get vibey. 

🍉☀️🍉

oneandahalfslices sprinkles lemonade summer
oneandahalfslices lemons lemonade summer

wear sunscreen

eat color

recognize the beauty of your body

indulge without overindulging

allow things to come and go

get out of your comfort zone

stretch

hydrate

appreciate

LOVE YOUR DAY

eat food, not too much, mostly plants

introspect

adore

measure less, live more

no bull, all love

“in the kingdom of glass, everything is transparent and there is no place to hide a dark heart.”

#oneandahalfslices

🍉🍋🍉

Endless Summer

“summertime and the livin’s easy.”

– lana del rey

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Sweet

Mini Pavlovas

one and a half slices cardamom pistachio pavlova dessert recipe
OneandahalfSlices food blog recipes One and a half Slices Virginia eat local

Mini Pavlovas with Cardamom Cream

one and a half slices cardamom pistachio pavlova dessert recipe

Alright, you’ve all probably tried my Pavlova cake by now which quickly became the favorite dessert of last summer. Light, airy meringue with freshly whipped cream, and plenty of berries, what’s not to love? If you want to give them a try this summer, here is the recipe for individual serving cookie-style pavlovas. For more topping suggestions, check out the Pavlova Cake post. Enjoy!

🍓🍓🍓

what you need

1 cup white sugar + 2-3 tablespoons extra

4 large egg whites

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon cream or tartar (sub arrowroot, rice wine vinegar, or lemon juice)

1 teaspoon corn starch

2-3 teaspoons cardamom

1 pint heavy whipping cream

1/2 pack of strawberries, sliced (for serving)

1/2 cup finely chopped and roasted pistachios (for serving)

how to make it

Preheat the oven to 350 and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Base. Beat the egg whites until peaks are stiff and stand upright when the beaters are inverted. Add in the sugar and continue beating until the peaks are stiff and glossy. This should take just under 10 minutes. Stir in the cream of tartar and cornstarch.

Spoon meringue into 6-8 small dollops and lightly press down into a 2-3 inch circle with small dips in the middle.

Bake. Place in oven and immediately reduce oven temperature to 200. Bake the mini Pavlovas for 30-40 minutes total, until turning slightly golden and beginning to crack on top. Remove from oven and cool.

Top. Beat the heavy whipping cream (I use just under a pint) until soft peaks form. Add desired amount of sugar for sweetness (2-3 tablespoons for me) and beat until medium peaks form. Add the cardamom for cardamom cream. Pro-tip: try adding cinnamon and/or maple syrup to the whipped cream to sweeten and flavor. Spoon whipped cream onto meringue base and use a spatula to spread it and smooth it to desired aesthetic. 

Decorate. Top with sliced strawberries and pistachios. Serve immediately.

You can easily make the meringue base and whipped cream in advanced, and assemble the Pavlova at the last minute for serving.
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Veggie

Peach Caprese

OneandahalfSlices food blog recipes One and a half Slices Virginia eat local

Peach Caprese Salad

This is a continuation of my summer eats ‘glorified snack dinners’ (see Watermelon Feta Salad). For when the summer months take hold, the cicadas ring true, and the humidity is as thick and sticky as fresh Florida honey against a sunset sky, you need something super fresh! During these months, my CSA tends to have all-you-can-take tomatoes, which the Piemaker and I willingly turn into tomato-soup-and-grilled-cheese-movie-marathons (see Roasted Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese recipes. All you need for this recipe is one of those tomatoes and a handful of garden basil. I fancy it up a bit here with a sweet nectarine and some unnecessary accoutrement, but it does not disappoint as an appetizer, snack, or full summertime dinner plate.   

what you need

1 fresh peach or nectarine

1 heirloom tomato

a handful of basil leaves

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 round of fresh mozzarella cheese

salt, pepper, lemon zest 

how to make it

Slice peach and tomato into thick slices. Peel mozzarella and layer over the top of the tomatoes and peaches. Drizzle with olive oil and top with a sprinkle of salt black pepper, and lemon zest. Top each mound delicately with a piece of basil and serve. 

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Veggie

Watermelon Feta Salad

OneandahalfSlices food blog recipes One and a half Slices Virginia eat local

Watermelon Feta Salad

Sometimes when the summer turns hot and the appetite begins to naturally wane, the fresh and light, zesty and fruitful begin to take precedence over the hearty. My solution to that is a collection of fruit-forward glorified snack meals that inventively leverage my latest CSA harvest and don’t fill me up to the point of sluggish (Like Peach Caprese Salad). Summertime is the time for watermelon – the hydrating, vibrant, impossibly sweet fruit that gave me my childhood moniker ‘Watermelonie.’ A favorite springtime flavor combination is strawberry-basil or strawberry-mint. Turns out that this also works well with watermelon. So if you’ve got one to spare this summer, try this as a salad or a snack. It’s got 3-4 total ingredients and won’t disappoint in the flavor category.  

🍉🍉🍉

what you need

As much watermelon as you want

As much fresh basil as you want

Some feta cheese

Maybe a little lemon zest, but only if you’re feeling fancy

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Cocktail

Sunshine Water

one and a half slices local simple recipes food

Sunshine Water

one and a half slices healthy recipe sunshine water glow

When the Winter begins to give way, I am overcome with gratitude for warm sun rays, vibrant cherry blossoms, and that lime-y green that we only see once a year for a few weeks when the natural world begins to emerge from its hibernation. That crisp, warming air calls for something fresh, something bright, something cleansing. That thing is Sunshine Water. During the pandemic, I got in the habit of making a pitcher of this stuff when I woke up in the mornings I worked from home, and sipping on it all day long. It is a great way to wake up the digestive system before coffee. I’ve always found that citrus has an energizing effect. So mix up a pitcher and enjoy on your next sunny day with the windows open! Also, check out the Windows Open playlist to accompany.  

what you need

1 knob fresh ginger root

1 knob fresh turmeric root 

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 lemon

1 orange of choice 

(optional) fresh strawberries or raspberries

(optional) 1-2 tablespoons fresh honey

Approximately 1 liter of water

how to make it

Using a juicer, juice the lemon and the orange, and pour the juice into the pitcher. 

Drizzle the inside of the pitcher with honey (if using).

Using a fine grater, grate the peeled ginger and turmeric root into the pitcher. Add the cayenne. 

Fill pitcher with water! Drop in a few sliced berries on top. Give it a good stir and enjoy!

Want a wintertime version that really packs in the immunity boosters? Try my Fire Cider.
Categories
Omni

Chops

Wild Boar Chops
cropped-Transparency-01

Perfectly Juicy Pork Chops

I am always on the hunt for that impressive but foolproof date night meal. You know, the one you can cook with enough confidence that you won’t completely mess it up but that will garner more praise than a jar of Prego + Barilla. My go-to has always been charcuterie. Elaborate charcuterie. Or “picada” as we call it in Argentina. But these chops are date night perfection. This recipe is adapted from Adventures in Cooking (who has much more convincing photos). 

🍇

Have you ever wondered how to make pork chops tender? What separates the salty-yet-slightly-sweet chop that you can cut with a butter knife from the dry, stringy chop cooked stovetop? I’ll tell you a secret… it has nothing to do with cooking time or method and everything to do with brining. Yep. Brining. Basically soaking the chops in salty water overnight before you cook them.

Funny story about the foolproof date night meal though… I got very comfortable with these chops a couple of years ago. This method works on just about any chop (pork, wild boar, venison) and I make these chops on the reg when a special date night meal is required, or sometimes just for friends that I like to spoil. Each time, without fail, the chops come out perfectly. Tender, juicy, salty, and slightly sweet. It is a thing of beauty… until the fire alarm goes off.

As it turns out, my beautiful Valley House kitchen has no stove hood. There is a fan, sure, and from the sound it produces, I am pretty sure it generates enough power to launch a Boeing 747. But the steam and smoke the fan intakes… where does it go? Straight into the cabinet just above the stove where I house my extensive tea collection. In other words, it does not exit the house. 

So there I am with a nice glass of wine, my guest looking at me expectantly, with some ambiance and chill vibes to spare, when all hell breaks loose and the atmosphere in the room goes from elegant to tornado drill in under 3 seconds. Smoke billowing out of the oven (even though nothing is burning); cats zooming around the house at speeds unknown to light and sound. And a frenzied attempt by me and my befuddled guest to open every window and door in the house. Recently, I have taken to opening the patio door in advance and rushing steaming chops and other smoking cooking endeavors out to the deck to rest for a few moments before sliding them back into the oven… this seems to cut down on the smoke a bit. Either way, I am likely going to need to invest in a kitchen hood in the next several years. These chops are that good.

what you need

2 large bone-in, thick cut pork chops

1/4 cup salt

Black pepper

Several clusters of red grapes still on the stem, the larger the better

(optional) 1 tablespoon olive oil

(optional) 1 table spoon balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, or Tamari

For best results, use cast iron skillet

how to make it

The night before (!): Place chops in deep dish or water-tight bag along with enough room-temperature water to cover them. Add a ton of salt and mix a bit until it dissolves. Let chops brine overnight in the fridge. 

The day of: Preheat oven to 400. Once heated, toss the grapes (little clusters; 5-8 grapes per stem) in the olive oil, and vinegar or soy, place them on a piece of tinfoil and roast them in the oven until the skins begin to shrivel and split, ~20 minutes. Remove the grapes and set aside.

Now start heating your cast iron skillet stovetop. High heat. We want to sear these chops well. 

Remove the chops from the brine, rinse them, and pat them dry with paper towels. You can sprinkle them with a bit of olive oil and black pepper if you wish but they do not need any more salt at this point. The brine took care of that. 

Once the pan is hot (flick some water in it to see if it sizzles and to make an interesting cooking show for your guest), place both chops in the skillet. You want to place them and let them rest where they landed – do not pat them down, do not move them around. The searing occurs on the meat’s first contact with the pan. Put them in the skillet and leave them alone. Sear for 3-4 minutes on each side depending on the thickness of your chops. 

Then get ready to transfer the chops to the oven. If you are using locally-sourced chops (I get mine from Longstone Farm), chances are they’ve got a good bit of fat on them which has begun to collect in the skillet (you can pour this out if you want the chops to smoke less in the oven). If you’re using store-bought chops and the skillet is dry, now would be the time to throw in a tablespoon of butter. I will occasionally add a splash of white wine and some sprigs of rosemary as well if I have them on hand and feel a little fancy.

Flip the chops a second time and then transfer all this to the oven. The cooking time here depends on the thickness of your chops and it is best to have a meat thermometer on hand. You want the internal temperature of the chop to reach 145 degrees which usually takes anywhere from 10-20 minutes. Due to the brining, you’ve got a little room to overcook the chops but not much, so watch them carefully. It is normal for the pan to smoke as the butter/fat in the skillet burns off – this does not mean the chops are burning. 

You can also cook the chops on the grill, in the cast iron or direct #openflame

How to Serve

Serve with grapes on stems placed on top.

I like to accompany the chops with a green vegetable like crispy roasted brussels sprouts or blanched asparagus. It also does well with a simple arugula salad. The pork meat becomes very salty in the brining process so pairing it with a darker, more bitter green vegetable is a good call.

Also, plums, apples, or peaches may be used in addition to or in lieu of the grapes. The sweetness of these fruits pairs well with the salty pork, but plum skin can become bitter and they are difficult to find when not in season, hence my predilection towards the grapes.  I once made a plum and black currant reduction (supa fancy) that accompanied the chops beautifully but it was a little labor intensive.  

pork chops
Pork Chops
Wild Boar Chops