Deluxe Banana Split Soft-Serve

Last night I was craving - of all things - a banana split from Dairy Queen.  I don't know about you, but I have wonderful memories of heading to Dairy Queen after school, or on the weekends, or with my mom, for a special ice cream treat.  Sometimes I ordered a Chocolate Dip Cone, other times I ordered a Peanut Buster Parfait (come on...you know you remember it!), every once in a while I would order an Oreo Blizzard; but undoubtedly - at least eight times out of ten - I ordered a Banana Split!  There was just something about the combination of vanilla soft-serve, strawberries, cherries, peanuts, and chocolate syrup that made my taste buds go crazy!

And although Bo and I didn't head out to a Dairy Queen last night, YOU BETTER BELIEVE I got my banana split fix!

To start, I used my recipe for Homemade Peach Compote to create a delicious - but healthy - strawberry sauce.  I honestly think that I could have eaten this straight out of the jar with a spoon and been pretty happy!

Then the real work fun began!  I:

• whipped together a decadent chocolate sauce;
• chopped some salted peanuts; and
• got out all of the ingredients for my favorite Secret Ingredient Soft-Serve.  

After preparing all of the separate components of the Banana Split, it was time to assemble my delectable masterpiece.

Seriously...doesn't that look SO good?!

Deluxe Banana Split Soft-Serve
Serves 2

For the Strawberry Compote:
15 strawberries, diced
1/2T cornstarch
2 packets stevia
2T maple syrup
2T water

For the Chocolate Syrup:
2T dark chocolate chips
1/2tsp coconut oil

For the Banana Soft-Serve:
2 frozen bananas
2T almond milk (or milk of choice)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

For Garnish:
salted peanuts, chopped
maraschino cherry, optional

Directions:

• For the Strawberry Compote: Toss the diced strawberries with the cornstarch to coat.  Place the strawberries, stevia, maple syrup, and water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium; continue cooking at a low boil for 5 minutes.  Use a potato masher to mash the strawberries (until a jam-like consistency is formed).  Pour into a small jar and refrigerate until cooled and set.
• For the Chocolate Syrup: Place the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a small bowl.  Heat - in 30 second increments - in the microwave until fully melted and incorporated.  Keep warm until ready to serve.
• For the Banana Soft-Serve: Place the frozen banana chunks in your food processor; process for 1-2 minutes until bananas are broken up and beginning to smooth out.  Add the almond milk and vanilla extract and process until smooth.
• Next, spoon 2-4T (depending upon taste and preference) of the Strawberry Compote into the food processor with the Banana Soft-Serve.  Pulse a couple of times until the compote is swirled into the soft-serve.
• Note: At this point - depending upon whether or not your soft-serve is beginning to get too soft - you may need to freeze it for 5-10 minutes to re-harden.
• Pour the soft-serve into small bowls, drizzle the chocolate syrup on top, and garnish with the chopped peanuts and cherry.
• Enjoy IMMEDIATELY as the soft-serve will melt quickly!

I was even nice enough to make one for Bo too!  

Go ahead - admit it - I have that "Wife of the Year" award in the bag. ;)

Question of the Day:

Do you like traditional banana splits?  If not, what is your favorite ice cream treat?!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

Saturday Fun

This morning Bo and I woke up and decided to do something we had been planning to do for weeks...go to the Riverside Art and Farmer's Market!  Looking back on it, I don't know what took us so long, but whatever it was, we shouldn't have let it hold us back because this farmer's/art market is seriously awesome!

The Riverside Arts Market is "Jacksonville's Premiere Outdoor Arts & Entertainment Venue [and is] located ...under the canopy of the Fuller Warren Bridge."

Here's a panoramic view of part of the market located underneath the bridge.  

Pretty cool, huh?!

As we began to meander our way up and down the markets' first aisle, whaddya know but a little birdie wanted to let me know that he was overhead.

What, exactly, does that mean - you might ask.  

Well, let me enlighten you. 

It means that a bird pooped on my head!

I mean seriously...what are the odds?!

Thankfully my hair is light enough that you couldn't tell too much.  Bo used one of our re-useable grocery bags to try and pull most of it off of my scalp, but I couldn't perform proper damage control until we got home.  Oh well, I don't think anyone except Bo and I actually noticed.

With that said, now I know that birds pooping on people's heads isn't just something you see in the movies...lucky me. ;)

With the birdie-poop-incident behind us, Bo and I decided to concentrate on the abundance of produce around us.  In addition to the produce being absolutely beautiful, I was particularly thrilled that every fruit and vegetable in the entire market had been grown within two hours of Jacksonville, FL!  It doesn't hardly get more local than that!

And I have to say, buying produce that is locally grown leaves your feeling really good as a customer.  It feels so - I don't know...right?! - to know that you are funneling money right back into the community you call home.

Bountiful ears of corn.

Handmade bars of soap in dozens of flavors.  

I think that these would make great gifts.  At the very least, I know that I would love to receive something like this with which I could pamper myself!  Christmas presents perhaps?!

Sweet potatoes. Eggplant. Zucchini.

Just look at the colors!

Eggplant, zucchini, and crooked-neck squash by the bucket full!

What's red, yellow, and green AND tastes juicy and delicious?!

No. Obviously it's not a stoplight...

...it's a tomato!

These gorgeous portabello mushrooms had me envisioning a mushroom spaghettini right away...

...recipe to (hopefully) come soon!

Citrus of all kinds: lemons, grapefruits, and oranges.

In addition to all the food and art vendors that were selling their goods, there were also a number of food stands that were offering baked goods for breakfast (scones, muffins, turnovers, and doughnuts), hot coffee, freshly squeezed lemonade, raw juices, and one fusion cuisine station that REALLY caught our attention!

Let's just say that the next time we come to the Riverside Arts Market we are coming closer to lunch time AND with empty stomachs!

To top it all off, there was LIVE music to boot!

Next time I envision that, after we have bought our goods for the day, we will grab a bite to eat from the alligator, cop a squat in front of the band, and enjoy a peaceful and relaxing lunch to the sounds of live music and community.  Honestly, what better way is there to spend a Saturday?!

Once we got home, I couldn't wait to spread out all of our purchases on the breakfast table.  I couldn't believe how much we ended up walking away with!

All together now.

I could hardly believe it, but our total haul only cost us $35.00!  

Just in case you can't tell from the pictures above and below, here is a list of all the produce we brought home with us:

• 1 bunch kale;
• 1 bunch arugula;
• 1 basket of green beans;
• 1 basket of portabello mushrooms;
• 2 beets;
• 2 avocados;
• 2 cucumbers;
• 4 tomatoes;
• 4 pears;
• 5 peaches;
• 2 banana peppers; and
• 2 baskets of strawberries. 

It didn't take me long to come up with a delicious use for our farmer's market goods! 

For dinner, to go along with Honey-Roasted Carrots and Bo's Dijon-Basted Chicken Breast, I whipped up an amazing salad that had both of our taste buds dancing!

Farmer's Market Arugula, Strawberry, and Avocado Salad (ASAS)
Serves 2

1/2 medium bunch of arugula, roughly chopped
7 strawberries, sliced
1 avocado, diced
1/8 C sliced almonds
2 T apple cider vinegar
1 T lemon juice
1 T EVOO
1 T Dijon mustard
1 tsp dried crushed mint
1 tsp honey

Directions:

• Add the arugula, strawberries, avocado and almonds to a medium salad bowl.
• In a small Mason jar, combine the apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, EVOO, Dijon mustard, mint, and honey.
• Shake well.
• Pour 1/2 to 3/4 of the dressing over the salad.
• Toss to coat.
• Chill until ready to serve.

Like eating summer on a plate, this salad is light, sweet, and peppery!  I am telling you, the next time you pick up fresh strawberries MAKE. THIS. SALAD.!  It really is delicious.  And if you aren't a fan of cooked carrots (although you should be...if you know how to cook them correctly!), you could make this salad a meal in and of itself my simply topping it with baked chicken or broiled tofu.  Done and done.

Question of the Day:


Is there a farmer's market where you live?  If so, do you visit it regularly?  What is your favorite thing to pick up while you are there?!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo

Dark Chocolate Chip Pancakes with Berry Compote

I am a morning person.  Perhaps my favorite time of day is right before the sun rises.  In those brief moments, it seems like the whole world is quiet, in a state of expectation, embracing all of the potential of the day that is being born.  Maybe that is why breakfast, with a piping hot mug of tea, is my favorite meal of the day.  I wake up excited to greet the final moments of night, and to devour the meal awaiting me!

Although all mornings are special in my book, I have a particularly special love for Saturday mornings.  Usually there is nothing on the calendar that requires you to rush out of the house before noon.  As a result, Bo and I frequently end up lounging in our pajamas until late in the morning (Yeah...that actually means afternoon, or sometimes all day.  Shhhh - don't tell anyone!), sipping on orange juice or hot tea, and devouring a special breakfast/brunch.

This past Saturday I whipped up something extra special...

...with chocolate...

...dark chocolate to be exact!

As you might remember, last Saturday was St. Patrick's Day.  Although our brunch didn't have anything green in it, per se, I decided to serve our piping hot pancakes on green plates.  So there!  You can't pinch me! :)

It is also worth noting that this is the first semi-baking recipe that I came up with on my own!  As I talked about in this post, I have a certain fear of recipe-creating when it comes to baking.  Baking is a science that I don't truly understand, so it was a HUGE success for me when this recipe actually worked!

A HUGE hit with the hubby, these pancakes hit the perfect balance between being sweet, but not too sweet.  Combined with the berry compote, there is hardly any need at all for maple syrup!

Dark Chocolate Chip Pancakes with Berry Compote
Serves 2

2/3 C all-purpose flour
1/2 C bread flour
1/2 C oats
3 stevia packets, divided
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 banana, mashed
1 C milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 C dark chocolate chips
5 strawberries, diced
1/4 C berries (I used blackberries)


Directions:

• Preheat a large skillet over medium heat (about a six out of ten on the heat scale).
• In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the flours, oats, two packets of stevia, baking powder, and cinnamon.
• Add the mashed banana, milk, and vanilla to the flour mixture.  Mix thoroughly.
• Dollop 1/4 C circles of batter onto the skillet.
• Top with chocolate chips (this ensures that the chips will not "bleed" into the batter).
• Cook until bubbles begin to appear and pop.  Flip, and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
• In a separate bowl, place the assorted fruit, and top with one stevia packet.
• Microwave the fruit for 1-2 minutes.
• Top each pancake stack with the berry compote and maple syrup!

Next time - an update on Lola (i.e. her first veterinary appointment, puppy school, and crate training)!

Question of the Day:

White vs. Milk vs. Dark - which type of chocolate do you prefer?!

Blessings,
Ally and Bo