Lactose-free *KBAM!* fruit mix gelato

There are many happy moments in life. From big moments like becoming a home owner, to medium moments like getting a discount on a great pair of shoes, to little moments like eating ice cream on a sunny day, or any day for that matter (I'm easily amuse, what can I say...)

Then there are sad moments...  From losing someone you love, to seeing a baby bird with a clipped wing, to hearing someone say: "Oh... no ice cream for me, I'm lactose intolerant..."

In those lactose related moments, I always feel a little bad that I'd be enjoying my cone of ice cream in the person's face. So the other day, while pondering about such matters, I wondered why they don't make lactose-free ice cream, or at least gelato, since gelato is made with milk and there is definitely lactose-free milk. Maybe the demand isn't high enough?

Whatever the reason may be, I've got a recipe for you if you are in a rut with milk... KBAM! Actually, that  just stands for Kiwi, Banana, Avocado, Mango and the ! is really just my excitement expressed in writing. LOL!!!

Lactose-free *KBAM!* fruit gelato

(makes about 3-4 cups) 
 
Fruit mixture

• 1 Ataulfo mango, ripe, chopped
  
• 5 kiwis, chopped (3 for the blending and 2 for added chunks)
  
• 1 avocado, ripe, chopped
  
• 1 medium banana, ripe, chopped
  
• a splash of lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1-3 tbsp milk (to make the blending easier on your machine, lactose-free in this case)

Blend everything except for 2 kiwis, in a blender. Place in fridge to cool for a few hours. Put the rest of the chopped kiwi in the freezer.

Custard

• 2 eggs, whole
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/3 - 1/2 cups sugar (depend on how sweet u like it)
• 1 cup milk 2% (lactose-free in this case)

Whisk eggs and sugar together until blended. Add milk and stir well. Put mixture into a pot over low heat, cook and stir constantly until mixture is a custard (check that it coats the back of the spoon) Remove and cool completely.

Mix custard and fruit thoroughly, then cool again in the fridge for at least a couple of hours or over night. Then churn in ice cream maker as according to manufacturer's  instruction.  At the last 5 minutes of churning, throw in the frozen kiwi chunks.

Freeze your ice cream until ready to enjoy.

The result is a creamy, fruity, satisfying concoction that won't be stomach-stabbing. The best part for me in all this is to hear: "I was perfectly fine after eating it!!!!"

I will be trying out other flavors soon, so keep an eye out! Let's get together to save lactose intolerant people, one spoon of gelato at a time ;)

P.S: Here is a peek into my latest cakes :D You may also check them out on my Flickr page here!!!!

Spinach, berries & smoked salmon salad with strawberry balsamic reduction

We just got back from Miami and a cruise in the Caribbean and now we are back to the freezing weather of Montreal. So usually, I would have opened this post with something along the line of "reality sucks!", or "it's like ripping the bandage off", but with all that is going on in Haiti, it just sounds... well... bratty and inappropriate. I don't think I need to say more on the horrible situation, as I'm sure everyone are well informed. I do sincerely hope that everyone there will get all the help they need, and that everyone over here continue to support all the volunteers who are working hard to make that happen (And here is one of the many ways to show it)

As for the cruise, I think we definitely brought winter along with us. The trip was great nonetheless. We had a few sunny, warm bikini days, but the rest was more like I-will-be-in-denial-and-wear-short-shorts-but-I-am-bringing-my-sweater-along kind of weather. It was our first cruise, and although it was an awesome experience, I don't think we would do it again anytime soon. Maybe when we are more like... 60-70 years old? (Not because of any negativity, but because we prefer to do a little more than just being pampered all day)

They had a great entertainment program for us every night. The crew was awesome: exceedingly polite, caring and friendly. And boy, did we eat...I'm not kidding when I say that we would go to a sit down restaurant, have the whole 3 course meal and then get up and go to the buffet for a second round... Needless to say, we were in the gym everyday running all that food off keeping ourselves in good health. It was so good.

So after a whole week of being spoiled, I haven't felt like cooking again just yet. I'm eating out, pulling out things from the freezer and and making meals that require no effort. And I successfully achieved my goal tonight.

It's a straight forward what-you-see-is-what-you-get salad: avocado, baby spinach, berries and smoke salmon with a strawberry balsamic reduction. Ok, so the reduction is the most "work", but I made this in advance, and keep it in a squeeze bottle in the fridge. Initially, I made them separately, and then mixed only part of both so I have 3 different sauces on hand.

Balsamic reduction  

(makes about 1 cup)

• 1 bottle of balsamic vinegar 500 ml
  
• A few cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
  
• Dried herbs: rosemary, parsley, thyme, etc

Put everything in a medium sauce pan, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let simmer for 40-60 minutes, depending on how thick you like it to be. (The result will reduce significantly to about 1/3 of what it was in the beginning, and it is so worth it) Strain if you'd like and bottle once cooled.

Strawberry sauce:

(makes about  1 cup)

• 15 big strawberries, chopped (I froze some back in the summer, it works very well)
• 1 Tbsp water
• About 1 Tbsp sugar (more or less depending on how sweet the strawberries are)
  
• 1 Tbsp jam, optional (I used boysenberry because that's what I had)

Put everything in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil and whiz everything up with a hand-held blender (or use a normal blender and then transfer back to the saucepan afterward) Mix well, then strain if you prefer the sauce to be seedless. Cool completely.

I mixed equal parts of both for this salad, but you can adjust it to your taste, to be more balsamic-y or berry-ish.


***You can use the strawberry sauce for ice cream or plain yogurt!

Enjoy the healthy salad, know how lucky we are to be alive and well. Send your thoughts to those in need today (contribution too, if you have!!!) We should all spread the love!!!

A sweet goodbye

-Grandma, there you are!!!!!!!! Good morning grandma!!!!!!!

-Oh good morning my lovely bunch! Did you have sweet dreams????

-Yes grandma, sweet sweet dreams. What are you doing here staring out the window?

-Well, my darlings, I have been preparing myself for the trip ahead. The time has come for me, your parents, uncles and aunts to get on the road, and be useful for a dinner of friends and family. Something we were born to do.

-We don't get it... You are leaving us?

-*sigh* Oh I will miss you children! You see, we were all born for a reason, and one day, you will know what your purpose in life is. On that day, you will become the talk of the table. They will know that your legend is real. And you, just like me, will carry on our family tradition of great reputation.

-WOW!!!! Tell us more, grandma!!!

-You see, we are from a family of proud fruit tarts. We carry within us sweet luscious vanilla pastry cream. We display with extravagance, our arrays of colorful fresh fruit that come with each season of the year. Above it all, we never disappoint with our slightly sweet, buttery melt-in-their-mouth shells with the secret layer of dark chocolate.

-Awesome!!! You mean, we will get to do the same thing as you one day???

-Of course my sweets! You will be the adorable bites that they will "Oooh!" and "Aaaaw!" over at the potluck, or the work lunch gathering. You will see, the light will shine upon you, and you will know, that your name will live forever.

What a tart!

If I were a dessert today, I'd probably be a fruit tart (because tomorrow is another day and I might wanna be chocolate cake, who knows!!!)

What I don't get, is why is it insulting to call someone a tart... I mean, look at it!!! It should be a compliment...

NOO? That wasn't convincing enough, was it? *sigh*
How about now...????? Look closer!!!

Fruit tart with lemon curd
for 3 tarts of 4.5 inches

• 1 batch of lemon curd
• your favorite tart dough ( i used sugar cookie dough that I found on Annie's Eat)***
• 2 oz bittersweet chocolate (that's 2 Baker's squares)
  
• strawberries, grapes, pineapple, etc (fruits that won't change colors when cut) washed and sliced

Roll out your dough to about 1/8 inch, press into bottom & up the side of tart pan. To even out, pass your roller over the edge of the pan. Prick with a fork so dough won't bubble up while baking.

Bake crust according to recipe (with pie weight, or line crusts with parchment paper & fill with rice or dry beans) Cool completely.

Melt chocolate in the microwave (since it's not a big amount, no need to use a double boiler) with medium power setting for about 1 minute, then stir to completely melt.

Brush crust with melted chocolate on bottom and side. I simply used a spoon. No need for perfection since the curd will hide it anyway. Just make sure the surface is well covered, so the crust won't get soggy.

Spoon lemon curd into tart shells. Place fruit pieces as according to your liking.

***note: you will have left over dough for probably another batch of fruit tarts :)

Now share them with your family & friends, because or else you will end up eating all of them! Well... that's not such a bad thing is it...? :P