Comunidad Health Foods

When you need to wake up a full 1 ½ - 2 hours earlier than you’d ideally like – especially if you need to do so for an extended period of time – breakfast better be something special. You just need something to look forward to when your alarm starts harassing you. This morning, I was so not into waking up that I didn’t even register that my alarm was going off until it was well into its “desperation mode.” I don’t know about your alarms, but mine starts with a nice calm audio of waves crashing against the sand. Then the seagulls start. And then, if you’re really stubborn and don’t turn it off, the fog horn  from the fishing ship starts. Well today, not only did I awake to fog horn extravaganza, but the frequency of the horn was speeding up, as if my phone was saying, “ALRIGHT JESS, NO MORE MR. NICE PHONE!” Probably revenge for all the times I bad-mouth my phone in its presence.

Anyway, all of this to say, some mornings, a plain cup of yogurt or a bowl of cereal just won’t cut it. Some mornings, you wake up, and you can tell – this day is going to be a doozy. You have to prepare yourself. And I can think of no better way to make having to wake up early bearable than knowing that you have ice cream to look forward to for breakfast.

Ok, sorbet really. Sorry, I’m a dietetic intern – only on rare occasions do I support cracking open a pint of Ben & Jerry’s as the sun is still rising. Still, this might as well be ice cream to your taste buds – it’s cold enough to give you brain freeze, yet creamier than a popsicle or Italian ice. And did I mention it’s healthy? Yup. Totally breakfast worthy. So you may be treating yourself to something that feels indulgent, something that will make you totally excited to hear that fog horn blaring from your phone, because it means it’s time for breakfast….without feeling like you’re sacrificing those awesome healthy habits you pride yourself in during less cranky times.

I call this Summer Sunrise Sorbet and I highly suggest that you make it for breakfast (and pretend you’re eating ice cream for breakfast), but it’s really wonderful any time of day. Plus it’s easy and doesn’t require any fancy ice cream maker. Did I mention that it’s awesome? Because it is.

One Year Ago: Feta-Stuffed Burgers with a Greek Side Salad

Two Years Ago: Strawberry-Mango Power Smoothie

Yield: 1 serving

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes

(printable recipe)

1 heaping cup frozen cantaloupe chunks¹

1 heaping tablespoon plain, non-fat greek yogurt

2 strawberries, chopped

2-3 teaspoons slivered almonds

Add the cantaloupe to a food processor or blender and process until the mixture resembles shaved ice or a granita (it will be blended but not smooth). Add the yogurt and 1 ½ strawberries and blend further until smooth, pausing to scrape down the sides as necessary. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and top with the remaining ½ strawberry and a sprinkling of slivered almonds.

Source: Floptimism Original

So first, I tell you about a humble and frugal French toast casserole on National Caviar Day. You couldn’t expect me to tell you about anything other than sophisticated Champagne Gelato on National Junk Food Day, right? That’s what I thought.

This gelato, originally a sorbet but since I’ve gone and added milk in place of the juice, I can’t really call it that anymore, is nothing short of incredible. It is decadence in a cone/cup/champagne flute. It’s rich. You may not be able to eat a full serving. You definitely will wish that you could. There’s no mistaking the flavor for anything but champagne, and its richness is just begging you to top it all off with some chopped fresh strawberries or raspberries. It’s smooth and creamy, and even after a month and a half of sitting in my freezer (I’ve been so distracted by all of the desserts we have in my house!), the consistency is still spot-on. The alcohol prevents it from freezing solid, giving it a very smooth slushy-type consistency. There’s nothing like it on a hot, summer day. You’ll feel like royalty with each spoonful. 

There’s just one caveat: I didn’t save the recipe. Well, I saved the original, but this is so far from that, it’s hardly the same recipe anymore. I really shouldn’t tell you about it, because for all I know the changes that I remember making are not at all the changes that I actually made. There’s this chance that I’m leading you down a path to failure. But I can’t not tell you about this gelato, either. I can’t look at it every time I open my freezer and pretend that it isn’t there. And who knows how long it’ll be before I’m faced with a half-empty bottle of champagne that I need to use up. You’ll just have to risk it this time. If it makes you feel any better, I’m pretty confident in my memory.  And the next time I find myself with extra champagne, you can bet I will make it again – and this time, I will save my notes like a good little food blogger.

One Year Ago: Avocado and White Bean Wrap, Grilled Turkey, Veggie Stuffing & Sugar Snap Peas

Two Years Ago: Healthy Tzatziki Chicken Salad, Healthy Thai Chicken Salad

Yield: approximately ½ quart

Prep Time: 20 minutes plus overnight chilling

“Cook” Time: 20 minutes plus 6 hours chilling

(printable recipe)

¾ cup sparkling wine or champagne¹

½ cup granulated sugar

½ tablespoon light corn syrup

½ teaspoon lemon zest

¾ cup unsweetened almond milk

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Combine the champagne, sugar, corn syrup, and lemon zest in a medium saucepan and bring to a vigorous boil. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove the pan from the heat and strain into a glass or stainless-steel bowl. Place the bowl in a larger bowl filled partially with ice cubes, and add the remaining ingredients. Stir until it has come down to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight to chill completely.

The next day, chill the champagne mixture in an ice cream maker according to the machine’s directions (mine took approximately 20 minutes). It should have a mostly-frozen, slushy-like consistency. Transfer the gelato to a freezer-safe container and place in the freezer to firm up even more, at least 6 hours. Serve straight from the freezer; no thaw time needed.