Holiday Fruit Tray

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.

 

 

 

Tis' the season of overindulgence on sweets. Everyone seems to be in the kitchen whipping up goodies for gifting, holiday parties, or just because it's a fun thing to do this time of the year. It's so easy to over do it on the sugar intake without even realizing it. I always notice that the dessert table usually has as many offerings as the main course at Christmas, and I'm guilty of being one to contribute to the sweets pile with my chocolate chip cookies and buckeyes, which I spend my whole birthday on the 23rd baking. So in an effort to cut down on the sugary treats and maybe enjoy some free time on my birthday for once, I decided to skip the holiday baking this year. I know my family will probably not be pleased about that, but I plan on bringing something sweet to snack on with a healthier twist. This Holiday Fruit Tray recipe from Golden Blossom Honey is a great alternative to those sugary snacks that are in abundance at the holidays, and I think that it has so many yummy, sweet fruits piled on top, not a single person is going to miss a table with a little less dessert stacked on it.

 

Yes, I do realize that fruit and honey contain natural sugars, but it's a much healthier option over the processed sugars that you find in cakes and cookies. And while I've always had a sweet tooth myself, I have noticed over the years that if real, whole foods are offered, I tend to reach for those more than the unhealthy choices. While this holiday fruit tray is a breeze to toss together, it's a real time saver as well. If you're the parent of younger children, chances are you do the family gift exchanges on Christmas morning, then have to spend the afternoon making a side dish or dessert to take to the grandparent's house that evening, followed by getting everyone cleaned up and out the door on time. We had many years that we had 2 extra stops to make on Christmas day, and I remember being plain exhausted before nightfall. I am so glad those days are behind us now! I would have loved to have thought of something like this holiday fruit tray to save me time and sanity back then. Alas, this is my gift to you this year. The wisdom to say no to the extra baking, no to the extra unnecessary treats, and yes to more free time along with healthier offerings during the holidays. You're welcome. 

 

Ingredients

1 pomegranate

2 large oranges, peeled and thinly sliced

2 small grapefruit, peeled and sectioned

6 dried figs, halved

1 1/2 cups red and/or green grapes, halved

1/3 cup pistachio nuts, shelled and coarsely chopped

4 Tablespoons RAW GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE  

 

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey, and be sure to Pin It on Pinterest! 

   

What are your favorite non-sugary snacks during the holiday season?  

Italian Cheese Fruit Trifle

Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.

 

 

I've been on this planet long enough to know that we're in fool's spring right now, but with the warm spring-like temperatures and bright sunny days, it sure is tempting to think that we've left winter in the dust already. I had to force myself to leave the garden untouched this week because I don't want to disturb any slumbering pollinators that will be beneficial to my garden this summer, so I directed my energy into the kitchen instead. I wanted to do a trial run of this Italian Cheese Fruit Trifle, a Golden Blossom Honey recipe, that I thought would be amazing to share with our loved ones this Easter. I don't use mascarpone cheese often, other than for my tiramisu, and I wanted to make sure to note any adjustments before presenting it to others for the holiday dinner.  

I want to point out that while I always try to bring you budget-conscious recipes each week, this one does not fall into that category. I've been saving it for probably a year or two because it was hard for me to justify sharing a splurge recipe in these uncertain economic times that many of us are struggling through, and I calculated that ingredients ran a little over $50 for this dessert. While I appreciate that you can get a bakery made dessert for less than that, there's also something to be said for presenting a truly remarkable trifle that you prepared at home with the freshest ingredients possible. Thankfully you don't need to do a trial run though since I did that for you. And better yet, I can say that other than doubling the raspberry juice to dip your margherites, nothing needed adjusted or tweaked. This was a sweet, creamy, sinful dessert that I probably shouldn't push for Easter with that description, but it's a dessert I'm willing to sin for, so there's that. The only issue I did run into is margherites were hard to find locally, and the only place I could find them online was Amazon, which only offered the chocolate and vanilla combo variety.  But I personally like both flavors, so that was just a bonus for me. You could probably substitute madelines and still have a very similar turnout. If you don't celebrate Easter, no worries. With the red, white, and blue coloring, this would work for Independence and Labor Day, or really any time during the summer months, but I'd recommend taking advantage as soon as the berries are in season since it will really add maximum flavor and sweetness to the trifle, giving more bang for the buck that way.

Ingredients

6 Tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

1 (10 oz) package frozen raspberries in lite syrup, thawed

1/4 cup Chambord Raspberry Liqueur

2 (14 oz) packages Stella D’Oro Margherites

24 ounces mascarpone cheese (available at gourmet food stores or cheese shops)

1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract

1 pint strawberries

1 pint raspberries

1 pint blueberries

1 (10 oz) package frozen strawberries in lite syrup

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE

 

 

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey, and be sure to Pin It on Pinterest! 

   

What's your splurge recipe? 

Mixed Berry Spoon Cake

Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.

 

 

Normally I wouldn't share two fruit recipe posts back to back, but something about the upcoming summer temps we're supposed to be getting next week, coupled with the fact that I didn't lose a single fruit tree or bush since last year has me all up in my berry feels right now. I thought I lost one of my two blueberry bushes, but as I was foraging for mint yesterday, I saw new life growing on the one that I thought was a goner. My cherry tree has so many flowers, it's promising me a bounty of cherries this year (about time too, since I've been growing that baby for over 5 years!) And, my raspberry bush is looking mighty healthy. I feel like the stars are finally aligning in my garden and this will be the first year that I get more than a few measly handfuls of fruit from each. I had a different recipe in mind to share with you this week, but my garden excitement had me change directions and pointed me to this Mixed Berry Spoon Cake, a Golden Blossom Honey recipe, instead. 

 

While the pictures are of store bought fruit because mine aren't nearly ready for picking, you don't need to worry about having fresh fruit on hand because this recipe calls for frozen mixed berries. Though I am pretty sure that when summer is finally here and if you're lucky enough to have a bountiful fruit harvest, you could swap out the frozen for fresh with the same results. Also, this cake can be eaten as is, but even though the recipe says it's optional to serve with a scoop of ice cream, I'm going to disagree and say it needs to be mandatory. I paired mine with vanilla bean ice cream and woweee! It was a match made in heaven!

 

Ingredients

Fruit:
1 (16 ounce) container fresh strawberries, quartered
1 (10 ounce) package frozen mixed berries
1/3 cup GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Cake:
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons butter, melted

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey, and be sure to Pin It on Pinterest! 

  

Will you be growing any fruits in your garden this year? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Raspberry Peach Tart

*Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.


Is it too early to start thinking about 4th of July desserts? I mean, I haven't even put up my Independence Day decorations yet, but I've been running down the menu in my mind for at least 2 weeks now. We're attending a combination birthday and early 4th party next weekend and I also need to bring a dish to that event. Since it's out of town, I needed to think of something that would be enjoyed by all and would travel well without spoiling. Chocolate would probably melt on the way and anything with dairy wouldn't hold the whole trip, but I found the perfect solution with this Raspberry Peach Tart from Golden Blossom Honey.  

Made with just 5 simple ingredients, this recipe is not only easy to make, but delicious too. I used my tart pan and a homemade pie crust, but if you want to save even more time, just grab a pre-made pie shell from your grocers freezer and it will turn out just as good. This fruity tart will be perfect for your 4th of July BBQ's and picnics, or just keep the recipe on hand for when you have leftover summertime fruits. You can never go wrong using up your extra fruits in a tart like this!

Ingredients

1 uncooked pie crust, use your favorite recipe or purchase a ready-made crust
4-5 medium fresh ripe peaches, peeled, halved, pitted and sliced thinly
1 cup fresh raspberries
1/4 cup GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey!

What are your favorite summertime fruits?

 

Summer Fruit & Spinach Salad

*Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items. 


I feel like a bear waking up from hibernation this month. The weather has been so perfect that I've been spending the majority of my days outdoors. We've already got done a little bike riding, a little road tripping, and a little exploring around Chicago this month. I did get my herbs planted for the summer, and if the weather stays glorious, this weekend I'll be planting the rest of my vegetables and my summer flower bulbs. This is truly my favorite time of the year, and I am already envisioning the upcoming BBQ's with family and friends. One dish that will for sure be going on our picnic and BBQ menu this year will be this amazing Summer Fruit & Spinach Salad that I snapped up off of Golden Blossom Honey's recipe page. 

The fun thing about this recipe is you can use any summer fruit and it will taste amazing every single time. The next time I make this, I'll add in more fruits from my garden like strawberries and blueberries, and maybe even a few raspberries or blackberries as well. The dressing pairs well with most fruits, so I don't think there's any wrong combination to toss together on this platter!

Ingredients

Dressing:
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup RAW GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon fresh basil, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
Fruit:
1/2 cantaloupe or other melon, peeled and cut into chunks
1 peach, peeled and cut into chunks
3 kiwis, peeled and cut into slices
baby spinach leaves

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey!

Have you participated in any summer activities yet this year?

 

Fruit & Oatmeal Chia Breakfast Pudding

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, right? I've been finding myself turning from a night owl into a morning gal (shocker, I know!) and when I wake up in the morning I want a steaming mug of tea and something delicious to fill my belly to help me start my day off on the right track. Normally, I reach for a box of cereal because it's quick, easy to prepare, and it's delicious. However, I find that it's not good at sustaining my hunger all the way until lunch.

Two days a week I wake up super early and work out before I have to drive my daughter to school, and on those mornings I usually have a breakfast smoothie which has oats and chia seeds mixed in. I have found that on those days, I am usually full up to lunch and mid-morning cravings never kick in. That's because the chia seeds are filled with fiber, which make you feel fuller longer. So, I decided to try a new recipe for Oatmeal Chia Breakfast Pudding that I've been meaning to make for some time now.

Because I have an autoimmune disorder, I try to add chia seeds to any recipe that I can because they are great at promoting an efficient digestive system. I know some of you are into the New Year, New You weight loss goals, so this recipe is one that would be right up your alley since chia seeds are rich in fiber, and high fiber diets are usually great at supporting weight loss.

What I love most about this recipe is how simple it is to whip up and it can be made the night before. Nothing makes me happier than already having breakfast done as soon as I crawl out of bed. Plus, you can use any fruit you want as a mix in, so if you have it several times a week and use different fruits each time, it doesn't feel like you are having the same thing over and over again. Strawberries, bananas, blueberries, kiwi, raspberries and blackberries are all great options. Toss in some pomegranate seeds too if you like. Really, the combination possibilities are endless.

Yield: Serves 2 Author: Theresa M

 

Oatmeal Chia Breakfast Pudding

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ½ cups vanilla almond milk
• ¼ cup chia seeds
• ¼ cup rolled oats
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 tsp ground cinnaon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup sliced fruit of your choice

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a medium bowl, combine the alond milk, chia seeds, oats, honey, cinnamon, and vanilla until well blended.
2. Place the mixture into the refrigerator and let stand for 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed into the oats and chia seeds.
3. Top with fruit of your choice. Serve.
4. This recipe can be made the night before. Just cover and place in the fridge, then serve in the morning. Serves 2.

Original Recipe adapted from The Everything Vegan Cookbook

http://www.theresasmixednuts.com/2018/01/fruit-oatmeal-chia-breakfast-pudding.html

What kind of fruit do you like to mix into your morning meals?

Live A Fruitful Life

Because of my autoimmune disorder, I have to have biologic infusions every 8 weeks. I have a love hate relationship with them. On one hand, the meds are making me feel better, but on the other hand, I'm usually super tired for a day or two after the infusion. Plus, I can think of many other things I'd rather do than sit in a chair with a needle in my arm, bored out of my mind for 2 whole hours.

On infusion day, I declare a cheat day for my diet. Calories just don't count. I grab myself a frappucino from the coffee house on my way in, then as soon as I get home, I grab a snack then pass out for the rest of the day. In June, Jason came home and said, "Where did the entire tub of hummus go?" "I ate it all, then went to bed." This was said with a direct stare in his eye daring him to make any negative comment about his wife's piggy snacking. He's a smart man though, and quietly moved along to finding something else to munch on.

Yesterday I had another infusion, but this time I planned ahead and made myself a fruity tart to avoid eating an entire container of hummus. I have a lot of summer fruits to use up and I couldn't think of a better way to put them to good use. Fresh blueberries are one of my favorite summertime fruits and the best place to get them is at the You-Pick organic blueberry farm a few short miles from my house.

Sure, it's easier to buy a few pints of berries from the store, but getting to choose every beautiful berry fresh from the stem makes your recipes that much sweeter. Plus, the girls think it's a fun way to kill a few hours together.

I could have just stuck with a plain blueberry tart and would have been happy with that, but instead I decided to add in some peaches for a little extra fruity pizzazz. I had an old recipe from Taste of Home that I decided to modify a bit and put my own tasty spin into the creation.

The blueberries and peaches are such a delicious summertime flavor combination. Finished off with a sweet crumble topping, it's like taking a bite out of heaven. Monday will be the unofficial ending of summer here, so what better way to say farewell to the season than with this mouthwatering tart? Make this for your Labor Day celebrations and you'll be the hit of the party.

Author: Theresa M.

Blueberry Peach Crumble Tart

INGREDIENTS:

Tart + Filling

• 1 ½ Cups All-Purpose Flour
• ¼ Cup Granulated Sugar
• ¼ TSP Ground Cinnamon
• ½ Cup Butter, melted
• 2 Cups Fresh Blueberries
• 2 Cups Fresh Peaches, sliced
• 1 TBS Honey

Crumb Topping

• ½ Cup Granulated Sugar
• 1/3 Cup All-Purpose Flour
• ¼ Cup Butter, Cubed
• 1 ½ TSP Ground Cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a small bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Stir in butter until blended. Press mixture into the bottom and up the side of a 9 inch tart pan. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes, or until the the crust is lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.
2. In a large bowl, combine the blueberries, peaches, and honey, tossing to coat.
3. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly.
4. Poor mixture into cooled crust. Sprinkle with crumb topping. Bake at 350°F for for 40 minutes, or until topping is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool on a wire rack. Serve.

http://www.theresasmixednuts.com/2017/08/live-fruitful-life.html

Original Recipe adapted from Taste of Home

Don't worry, I controlled myself and only had one slice. But, I figure if I did want more, it's full of fruit so that makes it healthy, right? ;)

What's your favorite cheat day treat?


  
*affiliate*

When Life Gives You Lemons, Make A Lemon Blueberry Cake

Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.


So, a few weeks ago I was editing my photos when all of a sudden my computer starts making an awful screeching noise. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought a pterodactyl was about to come crashing into my living room. My screen locked up, I did a reboot on my computer, then... nothing. After a lot of attempts at fixing it, and a lot more cussing, I did eventually get it to run again, but needless to say, that was the beginning of the end of my old laptop. Jason bought me a new computer and we have been very slowly getting everything transferred over. I am one who hates change, so getting used to a whole new computer has been frustrating to say the least. I found out Microsoft stopped supporting my old email platform 3 months ago, so the email I've used for 15 years is no more, and now I have to adjust to a new email setup. When it rains it pours, people. It does feel like life has thrown a lot of lemons my way this month, so I decided to take the high road and turn those lemons into a tasty treat. I found this Lemon Blueberry Cake on Golden Blossom Honey last week and knew that it would be the ticket to adding a little ray of sweet sunshine to my rainy days. 
 

I sprinkled a little powdered sugar over the top, but you could also add a good lemon glaze over it as well. You could even substitute the dried blueberries for dried cranberries or cherries if that's more of your flavor preference. This cake would be perfect for Easter brunch, or to serve on a warm spring day while enjoying a cup of tea with friends.  

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY
4 eggs, beaten well
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon rind, grated
1 cup dried blueberries
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup walnuts, chopped

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey!

What are your favorite fruits to add to springtime cakes?

 

Frozen Fruit Yogurt

*Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.

Last week I told you that Golden Blossom Honey has added some new products to their lineup, and I introduced you to their Honey Mustard. This week is all about their Raw Honey! I love using the raw honey because it offers amazing benefits over its processed counterparts. Golden Blossom's Raw Honey is delicious, spreadable, 100% Pure U.S. Honey!

One of my summer bucket list items was to make homemade ice cream with the girls. Jason and I had thought about buying an ice cream machine because we spend an obscene amount of money going out for the tasty treat, it would probably be wise just to invest in one, right? I haven't had much time to look into what machine would be best for our family yet, but I did have the opportunity to make my own Frozen Fruit Yogurt without a machine last week, and I was pretty psyched at how easy it was to make on my own!

Make this with pineapple or mango for a refreshing summertime treat. I think I'd also like to try it with strawberry too, because I am really digging a strawberry mint combination right now.

Ingredients

Mango:
32 ounces plain yogurt
1/2 cup GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY
1/2 cup mango juice or nectar

Pineapple Mint:
32 ounces plain yogurt
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple
1/2 cup GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
zest of one large lemon

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.

If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey!

Do you have an ice cream maker? Would you rather make your own ice cream or buy it?