Blackberry-Lemon-Lime Water

august is quickly approaching.... the month i've been anticipating for about 9 months now.

since i entered into trimester 3, i have made good efforts to avoid sugar. (honestly, not as valiant an effort as with baby #1, but i'm trying, man...) simple, refined sugars are simply not your friend during pregnancy. gestational diabetes or not, pregnant women's bodies don't tolerate glucose (sugar) as well. and during the third trimester for sure, all that excess sugar is being shunted to the baby. this risks a big baby, possibly requiring c-section or difficult delivery. um, no thanks. i'm doing my best to set aside my sugary sweets (although next week there may be an angel food cake post that i had to taste once or twice) and opt for fresh fruits instead when the cravings hit (ie. every night when after the little guy hits the hay).

trying to stay hydrated during a summer pregnancy is also an important effort. ice water is great. i drink a lot of it. but sometimes i want some flavor that doesn't involve sugar, sugar substitutes or caffeine. so i gave this a go... and apparently, according to my mother who recently visited a very cool hotel in san antonio, naturally-flavored waters are all the rage.

i like to use organic berries. pesticides are hard to clean off their little seedy bodies. and organic citrus too, if i'm using the rind. this water is not particularly sweet, but it's very freshly-flavored and was a nice change from the average glass 'o water. the blackberries add a gorgeous color and a little flavor. the citrus adds the strongest punch. add a couple drops of stevia if sweet is what you're looking for.

give it a try. and swap out your favorite fruits, if you'd like. go ahead. be kind to your body and hydrate without all those extra sugars and calories!

Blackeberry-Lemon-Lime Water

12     ounces fresh organic blackberries
1       organic lemon, sliced
2       organic limes, sliced

Place berries, lemon and lime slices in a pitcher. Muddle or mash with wooden spoon. Fill pitcher with ice. Fill with water. Cover and chill in fridge for 3 days.

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Recipe Redux: Chilled Blueberry Soup with Mint

luckily my little neck of the woods is getting some much needed rainstorms and barely cooler weather, but i know many parts of the country are still suffering drought and rarely seen high temperatures. 

this month's recipe redux challenge is certainly fitting for this hot summer. this recipe and all included below are "no cook" recipes, requiring no heat to add to the battle your air conditioner is already fighting.

with the beautiful bounty of berries around these days, i loved the idea of making a cool berry soup. what better, too, than blending up a bushel of blueberries with all of their well-known antioxidants and health properties. mix in some easy honey, mint, a dash of cinnamon, and some dairy-free coconut milk, and you have a lovely, jewel-toned, cool, perfectly sweet soup. 

this is one of those dishes that would really fit any time of day. honestly, i ate it with breakfast this morning. but how pretty would it be on a high tea buffet or a sweet amuse-bouche served in a little demitasse cup...

Chilled Blueberry Soup with Mint

1         pint fresh organic blueberries

1         (6-ounce) container plain coconut milk yogurt
1/2      cup canned full-fat coconut milk
4         fresh mint leaves
2         tablespoons honey
1/8      teaspoon cinnamon
extra canned full-fat coconut milk

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve; discard remaining seeds and skins. Chill mixture. Stir well; add additional coconut milk to achieve desired consistency, if desired.

Serve with fresh mint leaves and a few drops of coconut milk, if desired.
Yield: 2 cups.

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Nectarine-Chicken Salad with Cumin

i am having a hard time believing that the summer is more than half over. how is it that july is ticking away so quickly?

there have been so many distractions in my world that only lately have i realized how soon i'll be having this baby. an extra-large belly and pathetic lack of energy now keep me from forgetting. and the heat isn't helping... so in the middle of an insanely warm summer, i am grateful for refreshing swimming pools and an easy, cool chicken salad always waiting in the fridge.

i love all of the fresh, ripe stone fruits available this time of year. and i've always loved throwing fresh and dried fruits into a chicken salad for a sweet bite in the midst of a savory dish. to make it all the more easy, i always take advantage of a cooked, store-bought rotisserie chicken. the hard work is done, just needs to be picked and chopped. and then there's dukes... if you've never tried duke's mayonnaise, you must. and if you have, you know there's none better!

Nectarine-Chicken Salad with Cumin

1/2         cup mayonnaise
1            teaspoon ground cumin
1/2         teaspoon salt
1/4         teaspoon pepper
dash       garlic powder or garlic flakes
3 1/2      cups chopped, cooked chicken
1 1/2      cups chopped, ripe nectarines
1            cup toasted walnuts
1/2         cup diced celery
1/4         cup currants
1/4         cup diced red onion
1            tablespoon chopped cilantro

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl; stir until combined. Serve immediately or chill.
Yield: 4-6 servings.

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Blackberry-Raspberry Cobbler

in the midst of 100+ degree weather and multiple forms of chaos occurring in our family, we decided to take our little family to a berry patch. 

i know i've mentioned several times how blessed i feel to have so many vineyards and orchards surrounding us here in virginia. we've hit many of them in the past couple of years, though this was our first time to pick blackberries.

something about fresh berries calls for something comforting and easy. this morning, that meant a simple cobbler. honestly, we ate it for breakfast. and we're just about to have some more for dessert. 

so while things are hot and busy and, at times, very stressful, sometimes it's good to take a break with family and dig in to something fresh and sweet...

next stop... peach orchard.

Blackberry-Raspberry Cobbler

Berries:
2     cups fresh blackberries
2     cups fresh raspberries
1/4  cup coconut sugar
1     tablespoon cornstarch
2     teaspoon lemon juice
1/4  teaspoon cinnamon

Topping:
1     cup gluten-free Bisquick Mix
2     tablespoons coconut sugar
1     cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
2     tablespoons softened butter

2     tablespoons butter
Coconut sugar for sprinkling on top

Preheat oven to 350°.  Combine berries, 1/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and cinnamon in a large bowl.

Combine Bisquick, 2 tablespoons coconut sugar, coconut milk and softened butter in a medium bowl.

Place butter in a 10-inch iron skillet; place skillet in oven until butter has melted. Spoon berry mixture evenly into skillet. Evenly spoon and spread topping mixture over berries. Sprinkle with a bit of coconut sugar.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until topping is golden and berries are bubbly. 
Yield: 6 servings.

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