Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Posts Tagged ‘Kumquats’

Sunshine Smoothie with Kumquats and Turmeric

Posted in Breakfast, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on January 30, 2014| 7 Comments »

Sunshine Smoothie with Kumquats and Turmeric | Relishing It

Another round of snow paired with a gray sky in the midwest this morning– at least the temperatures aren’t so bad.   I needed to brighten up my surroundings, so I blended up a Sunshine Smoothie.  I’ve likely mentioned this before, but I go through a bit of a kumquat love-fest this time of year.  They’re brilliant in this marmalade, perfect in vinaigrettes for salads, and they are downright fabulous blended into smoothies.

Sunshine Smoothie with Kumquats and Turmeric | Relishing It

This time, I’ve decided to craft a smoothie using kumquats as the star ingredient.  Yes, I love a smoothie loaded with greens as much as the next person (this one is my personal favorite), but sometimes I want something…a little less green.  The kumquats give this smoothie a fresh vibrancy that will wake you right up.  I also recommend using either fresh or frozen organic mango.  Plain yogurt is the protein that will keep you from getting hungry– I suggest using whole milk yogurt to also help with that.  And turmeric– a fantastic, healthy ingredient that you should eat more of anyway.  You can read about it’s specific properties here.  Curries are a great way to incorporate more turmeric into your diet, or throw a little into a soup, such as this one.  Adding just a bit to this smoothie completely works, too.  It pairs wonderfully with the cinnamon and citrus flavors.  No need to peel the kumquats, just cut them in half and remove the seeds.  Place everything in a blender or food processor and whiz it together.  Hope you enjoy!

Sunshine Smoothie with Kumquats and Turmeric | Relishing It

The Recipe:  Sunshine Smoothie with Kumquats and Turmeric

(makes 1 cup)

7-8 small organic kumquats, cut in half and seeds removed

1/3 cup diced fresh or frozen organic mango

1/3 cup organic whole milk yogurt

1/4 cup organic, unsweetened almond milk

1 teaspoon honey

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

Place all of the ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.  Serve with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top.  Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by Relishing It today!

Laurie

Read Full Post »

Winter Salad with a Kumquat Vinaigrette

Posted in Salad, tagged , , , , , , , , , on January 24, 2014| 7 Comments »

Winter Salad with a Kumquat Vinaigrette | Relishing It

Apparently I’ve been craving a little color lately.  I recently bought a couple of brightly colored sweaters (orange and electric blue).  I just replaced my everyday-lipstick with a few colors that have a bit more pizzazz.  Yep, I just need to see a bit more color this time of year.  The dull gray skies and monotonous white snow just don’t do it for me by late January.   So…this colorful salad fits the bill perfectly.  And aside from the visual beauty, this one is delicious.  I could eat it every day.  Actually, I pretty much did for month straight last year.

Winter Salad with a Kumquat Vinaigrette | Relishing It

Winter Salad with a Kumquat Vinaigrette | Relishing It

Let’s start with the red cabbage.  I rely on it a lot during winter.  It tastes great, works both hot or cold, and it can hang out it your refrigerator for a while.  This last reason is important, because if you don’t happen to want to eat a salad every day, this ingredient will be waiting for you.  Tuscan kale is another great ingredient.  It’s perfect in soups or massaged and made into a simple salad.  Red peppers were on sale at our co-op the other day, so I bought a few of those too.  My kids love to snack on them all summer long, but they go through withdrawal in winter.  They were probably happier than I was when I brought them home.

Winter Salad with a Kumquat Vinaigrette | Relishing It

Finally, I present to you the kumquats.  They have such a fresh, powerful citrus flavor.  Take a look at this kumquat marmalade that I shared here a while back.  Kumquats always remind me of sunshine, which is obviously just what I need right now.  They’re sweet, tangy, and so fragrant.  I love them thinly sliced and tossed into salads– no need to peel them.  Just remove the few tiny seeds that will be inside. In this recipe, I blend them up (peel too) into a delicious vinaigrette that goes perfectly with any winter salad.  I also add a touch of honey to it to bring out the sweetness a bit more.  It’s a bit on the thick side for a vinaigrette, because the acidic component (the kumquats) is blended whole– but I think it’s absolutely lovely and the hearty winter vegetables work well with it.  The almonds are the perfect finishing touch to the salad.  I hope you give this little salad a try if you need to brighten up your day– I bet it will.  Enjoy!

Winter Salad with a Kumquat Vinaigrette | Relishing It

The Recipe:  Winter Salad with a Kumquat Vinaigrette

Serves 2

For the Vinaigrette:

10 kumquats, cut and seeded (leave the peel on)

1 teaspoon finely chopped shallot, white, or red onion

1 teaspoon honey

pinch of kosher salt

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

For the Salad:

About half of a small red cabbage, cored and finely sliced

handful of Tuscan kale (6-7 stalks) stems removed and thinly sliced into ribbons OR a handful of fresh spinach

1/2 red pepper, julienned

handful of almonds, coarsely chopped

3-4 kumquats, seeded and thinly sliced

To make the vinaigrette, place the kumquats into a small food processor and pulse a few times until they are finely chopped.  Add the shallot, honey, and salt.  Pulse a few more times until nearly smooth.  Add the olive oil and blend.  This vinaigrette will remain somewhat thick.  Adjust salt, if necessary.

It’s best to place your salad ingredients (sans almonds and kumquats) into a bowl and pour the vinaigrette on top of them.  Toss to coat.  Plate the salads and top with the almonds and kumquats.  Leftover vinaigrette can be stored covered in the refrigerator.  Let it come to room temperature before using.  Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by Relishing It today!  Have a wonderful weekend.

xo

Laurie

Read Full Post »

Kumquat Marmalade

Posted in Breakfast, tagged , , , , , on March 22, 2012| 26 Comments »

For the last few weeks, I’ve been obsessed with kumquats.  I’ve been blending them to make salad dressing, slicing them thin as a salad topper, and making this delicious marmalade.  For those of you who haven’t tasted a kumquat, they are quite tart.  I guess the best way to describe their flavor is like a cross between an orange and a lemon– with the emphasis on the orange-like qualities.  And they’re perfect for this citrus-obsessed girl.   I almost decided not to share this recipe, since it’s hardly a recipe at all.  I thought it might be ridiculous to write about something made from just three ingredients– one of them being water.  But I kept on making batch after batch of this amazing marmalade, and eventually figured I had to share it.

I’ve been enjoying this marmalade on sandwiches with brie and arugula.  Sometimes I even throw a piece of bacon on top, because bacon goes with everything (I know we’ve already established this).  It’s true though.  The salty bacon works so beautifully with the sweet, yet tart flavors of the marmalade.  Sometimes, for a little added punch, I like to sprinkle some red pepper flakes on top.  And aside from brie, this topping goes well with both ricotta and goat cheeses.  Fresh herbs, such as thyme or rosemary, are also great additions.  Come to think of it, I may even throw a sprig or two into the next batch.  It would make a dramatic topping for a rich vanilla cheesecake…with a bit of rosemary for garnish!

The most time-consuming part is slicing all of the kumquats, but after that it’s smooth sailing.  The recipe here is for one jar, but I usually increase the ingredients to make four or five at a time.  Since I love to give homemade things away for little gifts, I’ve been using the larger batches for that purpose.  It’s like giving a little jar of sunshine.  Make some of this fabulous marmalade, give some away.  It’ll make you happy.  I promise.

The Recipe:  Kumquat Marmalade

(Makes enough for an 8 ounce jam jar)

15 Kumquats

3/4 cup granulated sugar OR 1/3 cup honey (both versions are equally delicious!)

1/2 cup water

To make the marmalade, wash the kumquats.  Slice them as thin as as you can — peelings and all.  Carefully remove the seeds, as you come across them.  In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat add the kumquats, sugar or honey,  and water.  Sir with a wooden spoon.  As you do this more tiny seeds may float to the top of the water — remove them with the spoon. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to an aggressive simmer.  Cover with the lid and stir frequently.  After about 30 minutes the kumquats should be tender, though it may happen sooner depending upon your heat level.   Remove the lid, raise the heat, and let cook a bit longer until the mixture becomes your desired consistency.  About another 15-20 minutes is where I like mine, though it will depend on how high your heat was.  Keep in mind that it won’t completely thicken until it is chilled in the refrigerator.   Remove from the heat and let cool a bit in the pan before you pour it into your sanitized jam jar.  Put into the refrigerator to chill.  It will keep for about a month — though it will be long gone before then.

Thanks for stopping by Relishing It!  Have a great weekend.

Laurie

Read Full Post »

%d bloggers like this: