Exciting times!!
Is it Christmas? Nope! Is it Mardi Gras? Nope! Back to school time for the kids? Nope…they’re still in there silly?!
It’s…
FARMER’S MARKET SEASON!!!!!!!
We live in Georgetown, Ontario Canada and believe it or not (purely coincidental and in no way part of our house hunt locale check list) 5 minutes walking distance from the local summer farmer’s market extravaganza. I know…lucky ducks!
No matter how crammed the town streets or how hot and humid the produce and back bacon perfumed air is, the market vendors and patrons are all so cheerful and friendly. I think it’s the giddiness of a shiny new choice of buying fresh from the garden rather than fresh from the grocery store. I’m sure fresh from the grocery store was fresh from a garden once upon a time, then fresh from a boat, plane or train, local courier, grocery truck and produce worker cart. Or something like that.
Even if you don’t buy a ton at the market it’s just good for the soul to get down there. Bring the family for a walk about. Buy a fresh baked apple strudel to wow your weekend dinner guests. Buy a bunch of peonies that you’ve always longed for but haven’t the wherewithal to plant in your own garden. Buy some spicy sausage, or as my dad calls them, “heart torpedoes” to kick your pita pizzas up a notch. And don’t forget to buy some fresh, delectable strawberries and blueberries to use in your next homemade baby food concoction!
If you’re ever in the area, check out the Downtown Georgetown Farmer’s Market, or find one in your own community to explore.
This week’s homemade baby food is for all of us. I was inspired by the sweet scent of the fruit and berries surrounding us as the Farmer’s Market along with the Ice Cream Truck driving by our street with the masses of children running behind frazzled at the thought of not catching him in time. We don’t need no ice cream truck with questionable dairy swirls…we have fruit that we can freeze and make the best fruit ice cream ever!
To achieve the undeniable, creamy (dreamy) texture of ice cream, I use bananas and avocados as the foundation for each recipe. Take some fresh, ripe bananas and peel them and split them in half and freeze a bunch in a freezer bag so you have them ready whenever the ice cream making mood strikes. For avocado, make sure you start with a very ripe and soft avocado, slice through the middle, twist to open, take out the pit, and scoop all the flesh out and away from the skin of both halves and freeze in a freezer bag until ready to use. With your frozen foundation options at the ready all you need to add for each concoction are some fresh or frozen berries or fruit and little bit of milk. Whirl around in a food processor until smooth and presto…delicious, nutritious ice cream!
Ready…Set…Evolve…
Fruity Freeze Trio
Ingredients
Avocado Peach Fruity Freeze
- Frozen flesh from 1 avocado
- ½ cup fresh or frozen peach slices
- ¼ cup of milk
- 1 tbsp of honey
- 1 tbsp of fresh squeezed lime juice
Banana Strawberry Fruity Freeze
- 1 frozen banana
- ½ cup fresh or frozen strawberries
- ¼ cup of milk
Banana Blueberry Fruity Freeze
- 1 frozen banana
- ½ cup fresh or frozen blueberries
- ¼ cup of milk
Baby Steps
- No matter which recipe you are making simply add all ingredients into a food processor and whirl until you achieve a smooth and creamy consistency. If it’s a bit thicker than you would like, add some water, a tbsp. at a time, to thin out the consistency a bit.
- Serve immediately or add into freezer containers to scoop out whenever your family has a hankering for ice cream.
Makes: About 1 cup of fruity freeze for each recipe.
Note: Definitely give the avocado peach fruity freeze recipe a try for fellow adults in the house…it has a great mix of citrus and sweet creaminess that is a refreshing update to traditional ice cream. And we all know how amazing avocados are for our health. Probably much better than a double scoop of rocky road.
So don’t forget to scope out a farmer’s market in your area and bring the kids. They will love the outdoor time and chats you can share as you walk to and from the market. My 5 year old typically uses the time to try out his newly manufactured jokes with the captive audience. “Why do elephants have big ears”? “Because they’re so short!” Right, that makes exactly no sense at all but I dare you not to laugh when a 5 year old tells it to you then busts a gut laughing.