Tag: light

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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!

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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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