Boy, do I know how to pick ‘em. Yes, I’m being sarcastic and yes, I chose another batch of less-than-stellar summer fruit that I neither wanted to eat plain nor throw out. I’d been quite impressed by the fresh apricots that I bought at Trader Joe’s about a month ago, so I expected this bunch to be just as sweet and juicy. Not quite. In fact, these stone fruit were borderline sour which leads me to believe they were picked prematurely, before they had the chance to properly ripen.

Rather than pout and complain, I remedied the rather unfortunate situation by transforming the lackluster apricots into a deliciously simple jam. No need for either pectin or a gluttonous amount of sugar, this jam turned out perfectly thick and sweet. Given apricots’ natural affinity for a variety of foods, I bet this jam would be great as a glaze for grilled chicken, layered with plump blueberries and granola in a yogurt parfait, or spread with goat cheese on a piece of toast.

Apricot Jam

Ingredients:

• 2 cups pitted & chopped fresh apricots (about 5 apricots), preferably organic
• 1-2 Tbsp evaporated cane juice or granulated sugar, depending on sweetness of the apricots
• 1 Tbsp water

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a small non-stick saucepan over medium heat.
2. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently to dissolve sugar.
3. Maintain boil for 10-15 minutes, or until apricots begin to break down and form a thick jam, stirring often to keep jam from sticking to pan.

Happy second day of summer!

Along with 2 1/2 months off from work, I have been eagerly anticipating the return of farmer’s markets. This time of year, various locations throughout Boston showcase vibrant, fresh, and aromatic produce ripe for the picking. Last Friday I walked to Copley Square with visions of lush fruit, sweet corn, and perfectly ripe tomatoes growing more vivid with each step. Along with other farm-fresh goodies, I arrived home with a carton of ruby-hued strawberries, picked just that morning.  I wasted no time gently rinsing the still-warm berries in preparation for that first blissful bite.

Oh boy, was I disappointed. The deceivingly gorgeous strawberries were watery and seriously lacking in the flavor department. Not to be deterred from enjoying these rather expensive berries, I brainstormed an easy way to “dress them up”. I initially thought of making strawberry jam, but a) didn’t have pectin on hand and b) didn’t want to add a ton of sugar to the lackluster berries. A simple strawberry sauce lightly kissed with agave nectar came to mind, and it came together in little time with minimal effort.

Use this luscious sauce as a…

• topping for waffles, pancakes, or french toast
• mix-in for plain yogurt (think homemade “fruit on the bottom” yogurt):

• layer in a fruit/yogurt/granola parfait
• topping for vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt
• dipping sauce for a peanut butter & banana sandwich/panini
• layer in a whipped cottage cheese & graham cracker crumb “strawberry cheesecake” parfait
• treat straight from the container!

Strawberry Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 lb freshly picked strawberries, preferably organic (even better if local!), washed, hulled & sliced in half
• 1-2 Tbsp agave nectar, (I used Madhava Pure Organic Vanilla Agave Nectar), or more or less depending on sweetness of the berries

Directions:

1. Combine prepared strawberries and agave nectar in a medium saucepan over high heat.
2. When the agave begins to bubble, decrease heat to low and simmer until the strawberries break down and the mixture thickens slightly – about 40 minutes – stirring often.
3. Allow to cool before coarsely mashing with a spoon.
4. Store in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.

Unlike those strawberries and these apricots, the blueberries and nectarines used for this Summer Fruit Crisp were near perfect in their pure, unadulterated state. I typically have no problem tearing through a pint of berries or a bagful of stone fruit before they surpass their state of prime ripeness, but in this case I needed to put to quick use the dregs of a two pound carton of blueberries and a couple of soft nectarines.

You see, as we near the end of the season for these and other summer fruits, I have been buying more than I can eat. In one trip to Trader Joe’s I snagged the previously mentioned two pounds of blueberries in addition to two pounds of sweet red cherries, 1 lb of strawberries, a small container of raspberries, and four nectarines… not to mention my staple bunch of bananas. <Side note: for anyone who claims that organic produce is not affordable, go to the nearest Trader Joe’s. ASAP.>

Now, I could theoretically consume all of that fruit in one week, but I wouldn’t be eating much protein, whole grains, vegetables, or dairy to supplement… and my food philosophy is all about balance.

My solution to the overcrowded refrigerator produce drawers was to bake these individual crisps, one of which I ate for dessert later that evening, and the rest of which I wrapped up and stored in the freezer for future enjoyment.  You might do a double take when you see that the last listed ingredient is – gasp! – butter. It’s no secret that I rarely cook or bake with this ingredient, but a crisp just isn’t a crisp without a bit of butter mixed into the topping. This is inarguably a lighter version of a classic fruit crisp, but it is sweet and buttery enough to satisfy my craving for an indulgent dessert.

Summer Fruit Crisp

yields 5 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 cups fresh & ripe summer fruit, pitted and chopped if including stone fruit (I used 2 cups organic blueberries & 2 cups chopped organic nectarines)
• 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp Sucanat or brown sugar, divided
• 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp whole wheat pastry flour, divided
• 1/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp chilled unsalted butter, cubed

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Coat 5 individual ramekins with canola oil cooking spray.
3. In a medium bowl, toss fruit with 1 Tbsp Sucanat and 1 Tbsp flour. Spoon mixture into prepared ramekins.
4. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the remaining 1/4 cup Sucanat, 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup rolled oats, and cinnamon. Pulse a few times until mixed. Add cubed butter into dry ingredients and pulse until crumbly. Sprinkle crisp mixture evenly over fruit-filled ramekins.
5. Bake for 30 minutes, or until fruit filling is bubbly and crisp topping is golden.

Enjoy Your Summer Fruit Crisp!

Sunday evening is typically the one night per week I reserve for a long-cooking homestyle dinner.  Especially in the winter, I find it comforting to spend the late afternoon hours preparing a main dish that perfumes the apartment with intoxicating aromas while simmering on the stove or braising in the oven.

Today was such a Sunday. While the Wine-Braised Beef slowly cooked in the oven, I whipped up the perfect starchy accompaniment to soak up all of the succulent beefy juices: Blue Cheese Smashed Potatoes. Although they sound decadent, these smashed potatoes are actually quite healthy.  I wanted to pair the rich meat with lighter side dishes, and the roasted asparagus and blue cheese smashed potatoes were a great fit.

Yukon golds were the potatoes I had on hand, but red potatoes would be an excellent stand-in. Skim milk and 2% Greek yogurt are healthier options than the traditional whole milk and sour cream, and blue cheese punches up the flavor factor.  Blue cheese pairs particularly well with red meat, but these smashed potatoes would compliment chicken and pork as well.

If you’re looking for a way to liven up mundane smashed potatoes, toss in some blue cheese and you’ll be good to go!

Blue Cheese Smashed Potatoes

serves 4

• 1 pound yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into quarters (about 2-inch pieces)
• 1/4 cup skim milk
• 1/2 Tbsp margarine or butter
• 2 Tbsp 2% plain Greek yogurt
• 3 Tbsp crumbled blue cheese, or more to taste
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Cover potatoes with cold water in a medium stock pot. Bring water to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, and cook the potatoes for 10-15 minutes, until easily pierced with a knife.
2. Drain water from the pot, and add to the potatoes the milk, margarine, Greek yogurt, and blue cheese. Smash with a potato masher until desired texture is achieved. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Thanks for reading!

I challenge you to come up with a more comforting, soul- & body-warming winter meal than chili. Whether it’s Texas-style beef chili, turkey and bean chili, Cincinnati-style spaghetti chili, vegetarian chili, or white chicken chili, this filling one-pot dish is a hands-down favorite of many people during the winter months.

As I mentioned in this post, Sunday is typically the night of the week I devote to making a slow-cooking dinner. Chili is one of my favorite slow-cooking meals to make for many reasons: once all of the ingredients are in the pot, you can forget about it for 1-2 hours; the aroma it emits while cooking is nothing short of intoxicating; although chili warms you up, when prepared healthfully, it doesn’t weigh you down; and there is almost always extra chili in the pot after dinner, which inevitably tastes even better as leftovers.

This recipe marks my first foray into making white chicken chili, and it managed to surpass my high expectations. The rotisserie chicken remained tender and succulent, and the white Northern beans held up surprisingly well during the long simmering process. The slight heat from the jalapeno hot sauce was nicely balanced by the cool Greek yogurt and tart lime juice. If you’re not a fan of cilantro (hi Dad!) feel free to omit it, but it is a tasty & fresh finishing touch for those of you who – like me and John – love the herb.

I’m already excitedly anticipating a steaming bowl of leftover chili for lunch!

White Chicken Chili

Yields 6-8 servings

adapted from Monkey See, Monkey Do…

• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion, about 1 medium
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp ground cumin
• 1 Tbsp dried oregano
• 1 Tbsp dried coriander
• 2 (4 oz) cans chopped green chiles
• 3 cans Northern beans, drained but not rinsed
• 3 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
• 2-3 cups chopped, skinless rotisserie chicken
• 1 Tbsp jalapeno hot sauce (such as Tobasco), plus more if desired
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
• Greek yogurt, for garnish
• lime wedges, for garnish

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add in the cumin, oregano, coriander, and green chiles. Saute for 30 seconds.
2. Add beans and chicken stock to pot, bring to a boil. Add in the chicken and hot sauce. Reduce stove heat to low, cover pot, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
3. Season to taste with salt and pepper, as well as extra hot sauce if desired.
4. Serve with fresh cilantro, Greek yogurt, and a squeeze of lime juice.

Find more Recipes here.