Melon and Mint Salad

This refreshing combination screams "I'm not ready to let summer go just yet!"

Ingredients:

1 cup diced cantalope

1 cup diced watermelon

1 mini cucumber, sliced (or 1/2 cup cubed cuc)

2 tbsps chopped mint leaves

a handful of cherry tomatoes, halved

Dressing:

1 tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp honey

1/2 tsp light soya sauce or tamari

black pepper to taste (optional)

Prepare the fruits and vegetables in a bowl. Mix the dressing ingredients together and pour into the bowl. Mix together.

Refrigerate for a few hours then use a slotted spoon to serve, leaving the excess liquid behind.

Serves 2-3

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Whole Grilled Pineapple

Tropical side dish or sweet and juicy dessert right here!
Personally I like it as a side but I would not be against having a big old scoop of vanilla ice cream with a spear of grilled pineapple!

Ingredients:
1 whole pineapple
2 tbsps coconut oil
2 tbsps brown sugar

Start by scrubbing the outside of the pineapple with a potato brush. Then stand it on end and leaving the leaves intact slice off the pinepple bark. (Stick the bark in the freezer to have with fish at a later date...see below)

Brush the pineapple with coconut oil and sprinkle all over with brown sugar.

On the barbecue grill the pineapple on indirect medium heat  for 35-45 minutes, turning every 5-10 minutes per side.

Remove from heat and cut into spears. Slice off a strip where the core is and serve
.

Serves 4-6

Here's why you should save the pineapple bark...
Barbecued Salmon in Pineapple Bark
https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2015/05/barbecued-salmon-in-pineapple-bark.html

Fruit and Corn Salsa

Tropical yumminess right there!

1/4 cup niblet corn
1/2 cup cubed honeydew melon
1/2 cup cubed papaya
1/2 cup cubed pineapple
1/2 cup cubed watermelon
pinch or 2 hot pepper flakes
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp lemon or lime juice
1 tbsp sweet chili sauce
chopped coriander or parsley to taste 

Once you have all the fruit cubed just mix the dressing up, chill and serve.

I like it with fish. Seen here with my Barbecued Salmon in Pineapple Bark and Mushroom Rice Quinoa Pilaf.

If you want to keep that tropical vibe going here are the links to those recipes:

http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.ca/2015/05/barbecued-salmon-in-pineapple-bark.html

http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.ca/2017/05/mushroom-rice-quinoa-pilaf.html

Watermelon Ice Cream

Just 3 ingredients and no ice cream churn needed!

6 cups cubed and frozen watermelon
1 can sweetened condensed milk (300 ml or 10 oz)
2 tbsps lemon or lime juice

Makes 7-8 cups

I had this watermelon that was probably a little past it's prime. Taste was there but it was getting a bit soft. No one wanted to eat it, soooo........ I froze it.

I started by defrosting this big slab of frozen watermelon for about 15 minutes until I could break it apart.

Because I don't have a big heavy-duty blender I used my food processor and blended in small batches. First blending some of the watermelon with some of the condensed milk and the juice.

Then blending watermelon alone and mixing it all together with any remaining condensed milk.

If you want a smoother consistency then blend it all together, but I wanted some bits of watermelon in mine.

Pour into a freezer-friendly container with lid and freeze until firm.

Then defrost 15-20 minutes, scoop and serve

Original recipe from: https://macthelm.blogspot.ca/2016/05/no-churn-watermelon-sherbet.html

Clementine Wreath

This clementine wreath is easy to make and is a unique hostess, teacher or neighbour gift. It looks great on the table as a placemarker too!

Unroll your cellophane, enough to wrap around 7 clementines about 1 1/2 times. Put  2 or 3 pieces of tape on the edge to hold it in place.

Using string or raffia, tie between each fruit then gather both ends and tie them together as well.

Add a name tag and it's ready for gifting or the dinner table. You can place it on each plate like I did here or hang it over the spindle back of each chair.

Blueberry Orange Yogurt Pops

Lots of blueberries in the stores now.  

1/2 cup blueberries
1 cup vanilla yogurt, divided
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp orange zest

Mix a pinch of the zest with 1/4 cup yogurt and pour into molds. 

Put blueberries, zest, honey and 1/2 cup yogurt in blender and pulse a few times. Spoon into molds then top off with remaining 1/4 cup of yogurt. Put the sticks in and freeze.

When you want to unmold them simply stand the mold in a glass of water for a minute and it should pop right out.

Now go sit in the shade and enjoy!

Fruit Kebab Watermelon

So simple, and yet your guests will love the presentation.

Take a watermelon and slice a couple of rounds off it.  Now cut in wedges on a plate.

Make some fruit kebabs, whatever fruit you like, and stick them into the watermelon base.

When the kebabs are done, the watermelon wedges are ready to eat!