Five Fruit Recipes to Beat the Summer Heat

Photo Credit: Drive Me Hungry

Take advantage of seasonal summer fruits with the five delicious fruit-based recipes below! Each recipe contains ingredients you can find at your local grocery store, and takes less than twenty-five minutes to make. Keep in mind that you can substitute the fruits suggested below with any other fruit of your choice.

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Japanese Strawberry Sando

Ingredients:

• 2 slices of bread (I recommend milk bread)

• Strawberries 

• 4 tbsp granulated sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Materials: Plate, knife, stainless steel/glass bowl, hand mixer, spatula 

Instructions:

1. Whip the heavy cream in a chilled stainless steel/glass bowl.

2. Gradually add sugar until stiff peaks form.

3. Optionally, add vanilla extract to the whipping cream and mix until incorporated. 

4. Spread a thin layer of cream on a slice of bread. Then place strawberries sideways on one of the slices of bread.

5. Spread more cream on any remaining space the slice of bread has.

6. Place the second slice of bread on top of the one with the whipped cream, then slice diagonally.

Smoothie Bowl

Ingredients:

• Frozen strawberries 

• Frozen pineapple 

• Frozen mango

• Banana 

• Optional sweetener (honey, agave syrup, maple syrup, etc.)

• Liquid (coconut water, milk, or juice)

Toppings:

• Dried fruits (cranberries, pineapple, apricots, etc.)

• Fresh fruits (kiwi, banana, blueberries, mango, etc.)

• Nuts (cashews, almonds, macadamias, pistachios, etc.)

• Granola

Materials: Blender, bowl

Instructions:

1. Blend together fruits with a splash of your liquid of choice, and, optionally, sweetener in a blender. 

2. Gradually add more liquid until smoothie is a thick consistency. 

3. Place smoothie in a bowl and arrange with the toppings of your choice. 

Fruit Popsicles

Ingredients:

• Liquid (coconut water, milk, or juice)

• Frozen raspberries 

• Frozen blueberries 

• Yogurt (any flavour)

Materials: Popsicle molds, blender

Instructions:

1. Make a smoothie by blending fruits with the liquid of your choice. 

2. Alternate pouring the yogurt and smoothie in the popsicle mold and then freeze it. (You could also use a toothpick to make swirls.)

Blueberry Scones

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 5 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 3/4 cup butter (cold)

• 1 cup milk 

• 1 egg (beaten)

• Fresh blueberries

Materials: Oven, large bowl, small bowl, fork, pastry blender 

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. 

2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Mix with a fork.

3. Cut the cold butter into dry ingredients with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles small crumbs. 

4. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and egg. Pour them into the dry ingredients along with the blueberries, and mix. 

5. Form dough into a disk shape on a lightly floured counter, then divide it into wedges and place it on the prepared baking tray.

6. Bake for 15–20 minutes or until golden brown. 

Summer Fruit Salad:

Ingredients:

• Cherries

• Peaches

• Blueberries

• Mangoes

• Blackberries

• Lemon juice

• Orange juice 

• Sweetener (honey, agave syrup, maple syrup, etc.)

• Mint

Materials: Whisk, bowl, serving dish

Instructions:

1. Whisk together lemon juice, orange juice, and sweetener in a small bowl to create the dressing.

2. Rip mint leaves and add them into the dressing. 

3. Cut fruits and add to a bowl. Drizzle dressing and lightly toss the fruits. 

4. Garnish with more mint leaves.