Something Refreshing & Light

Winter fruits are sometimes the most refreshing and sweet. They give your metabolism a kick start and help break up the heavy cold winter style foods like casseroles, and stews. 

 Winter Fruits

1 pomegranate

2 oranges

2 grapefruits

2 crisp apples (such as fuji or honeycrisp)

1 ripe yet firm pear

1 tablespoon sugar

Slice the pomegranate almost in half, from the crown halfway to the bottom. Use your fingers to break the two halves apart, then squeeze the halves over a large bowl to release the seeds and juices. Don't worry about getting all the seeds out; just get as many as you can without pulling out the membrane. Squeeze out as much juice as possible. Remove any bits of membrane from the bowl.

For each orange and grapefruit, slice a little off the top and bottom. Using a serrated knife, go around the fruit and cut off the skin and white pith. Holding the fruit in one hand and working over the fruit bowl, carefully cut the segments out from between the membranes. Be sure to cut only until you reach the middle of the fruit. Squeeze the remaining membrane over the bowl to release all the juice. Cut the apples and pear into slices and toss with other fruits. Add sugar and toss well, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Chickpea Fritters with Yogurt Sauce

Sometimes we think fritters are kind of heavy and depending on the ingredients put in the mix they can sit hard in your belly. These chickpea fritters are light and airy because of the baking powder and a perfect meal served up top a salad or alongside your fruit salad from the recipe above. Remember that chickpeas are one of the most versatile ingredients, cumin, coriander, paprika, garlic and lemon give them a new flavor that can liven up any side dish. 

Fritters

1 15-ounce can of chickpeas*
1/2 of 1 jarred roasted pepper, finely chopped

1/2 shredded zucchini (squeezed)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon tahini 

zest of 1 lemon

pinch of cumin
Kosher salt
Vegetable oil for frying OR lightly saute them in a pan with lite olive oil. (I also have baked them and they are just as good and even crispier. 

Add all ingredients into your food processor except for the baking powder and flour. Sift the flour and baking powder together and set it aside. Mix up in food processor until they are incorporated, but not mealy. Remove from container and mix in the flour and baking powder mixture with a spatula. Don't over work the flour to much or it will become glutenous and gummy. 

*For more flavor, soak a small bag of chickpeas in 1/2 cup of lemon and lime juice, spiced with 1/2 tsp celery salt, 1 crushed glove of garlic and a pinch of ground coriander. they make your chickpeas have an amazing flavor, if you have the time. 

Yogurt Sauce:
1/2 large cucumber, shredded on the large holes of a box grater. 

1 small shallot grated or a white onion

1/4 cup greek yogurt (or sour cream) 

small splash of white vinegar

Lemon juice

Kosher salt and cracked black pepper

And to make things a little sweeter. This isn't lite by any means, but maybe if you only have a spoonful it wont feel too heavy. I bet you couldn't just have one bite though. 

Nutella and Banana Bread Pudding

1 tablespoon butter
12 ounces mini croissants (about 4 to 6 croissants)
2 bananas, sliced into 1/2-inch disks
1/2 cup Nutella spread
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cream
1/4 cup sugar + 2 Tbsp. brown sugar

4 eggs, beaten

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 350°. Butter and 8- by 8-inch
baking pan and set aside. Slice croissants in half lengthwise and arrange half of
them along the bottom of the buttered dish. Scatter sliced bananas over halved
croissants, then dollop Nutella on top of bananas. Whisk together milk, cream,
sugar, and eggs and pour half of milk mixture over croissants. Place remaining
halved croissants on top, then pour over remaining milk mixture. Allow bread
pudding to sit for an hour, or up to overnight. Place in oven and bake until egg is
set and puffy, about 30 minutes. Allow to sit for 15 minutes before serving.