Easy drink recipes of dragon fruits

In 2011, an entrepreneurial and creative girlfriend who grew up in Shenzhen, China and did her graduate study in Cambridge, England came to live in Singapore for half a year. Having neither seen nor tasted dragon fruits before, she was fascinated by and loved eating them very much.

You tend to grow loving things and people whom your inspiring friends - your influencers - also love.

Since then, I have developed an appreciation for dragon fruits, also known as pitaya / pitahaya / 龙珠果, which are often served cut in lunch or dinner buffets in Singapore.

You will hardly miss dragon fruits sold in tropical markets or supermarkets, thanks to their beautiful vibrant magenta skin.

In contrast to its eye-catching outer appearance, the mildly sweet flesh of dragon fruits offers delicate aroma. The sweetness reminds me on melon, honeydew and pear, but dragon fruits are softer in texture than them.

Widely grown in the tropics, dragon fruit has been reported as potential anti-cancer (PMID 21535651), thanks to its anti-oxidant phenolic content in both skin / peel (more!) and flesh.

Blending pitaya hopefully helps to break its black and crunchy seeds, which are indigestible unless chewed. Please do not forget to treat your olfactory senses to the subtle fragrance of pitaya, before gulping them down to quench your thirst.

In this post, I lovingly share two drink recipes of dragon fruits. Enjoy!



Dragonfruit detox juice (火龙果排毒果汁)
Ingredients:
♥ 1 ripe dragonfruit (火龙果)
♥ 1 stalk organic celery (有机芹菜)
♥ 1 tsp honey (蜜糖)
♥ 150 ml water (过滤水)

♥♥♥

Dragonfruit banana smoothie (龙珠果香蕉冰沙)
Ingredients:
♥ 1 ripe dragonfruit (龙珠果)
♥ 1 ripe banana (香蕉)
♥ 100 ml fresh milk (鲜奶)

Directions:
1. Wash dragofruit, cut into halves. Use a large spoon to scoop out its flesh. Trim away any extra inedible skin. Cut into chunks.
2. Peel & chunk banana.
3. Blend dragonfruit, banana, milk together.

Tips: Since the skin has higher anti-oxidant content, consider using its flesh-facing side as a mask before throwing away.

由于火龙果的皮肤具有更高的抗氧化剂含量, 扔掉之前, 请考虑使用它的肉面对侧作为面膜。



Other recipes that I love:
♥ Dragonfruit and black sesame mochi ice cream by Maya, a scientist by training @ Foodiva's Kitchen, Brunei Darussalam, Borneo
♥ Dragon fruit mock mojito by Elizabeth @ Frugal Mom Eh! Canada
♥ Pitaya sorbet by Yolanda Bertaud @ Byzantine Flowers

Check also our other #5minutemeal recipes.

With love,
ServicefromHeart
Spring 2014

S for strawberry for #AtoZChallenge: strawberry macaroni salad recipe

Strawberries -- succulent and sweet -- are one of baby Ren's favorite. Adorned with only less than 8 front baby teeth, he has enjoyed strawberries since he turned 8 months old. We introduced a little piece of his finger size, then two little pieces, then a strawberry, which is cut into little pieces, few days later 2 strawberries and he always wants more! Since strawberries are an excellent choice for getting vitamin C, flavonoids, folate and fibers, we are happy that he appreciates strawberries. 



I love preparing baby tomatoes, also known as cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, as one of our salad ingredients. They come handy for little fingers, who love practicing pincer movements in a path of becoming future prolific guitarists or mechanics or surgeons. We also love salad as a warm meal, all rich colors, tastes and textures mixed in a bowl or a plate.

Coriander, also known as cilantro, Chinese Parsley, contains antioxidants and anti-bacterial chemicals. Coriander is stronger than parsley in fragrance, and I love it with Hainanese chicken rice in Singapore. This meal will be the first one in which I introduced coriander to baby Ren. It is funny to see a finely-chopped coriander piece on his cheek, while he points indicating he wants more of his meal.

For #AtoZChallenge on 2014 April 22 Tue, I lovingly present a recipe of strawberry macaroni pasta salad by ServicefromHeart. This recipe is inspired by a strawberry aficionado-in-making, baby Ren!



Servings: 2 (2 adults + 1 toddler)
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 5-8 minutes

Ingredients:
♥ 175 g dried macaroni pasta
♥ 1/2 tsp salt
♥ 8 cherry tomatoes, quartered
♥ 1 water apple
♥ 1 tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped
♥ 1 tbsp sesame oil
♥ 1 tbsp olive oil
♥ 1 tbsp sesame seed
♥ 1/4 tsp pepper
♥ 1 clove garlic, minced
♥ 1 lettuce 

Directions:
1. Gently whisk dressing of garlic, pepper, oil, coriander, sesame seed. Stir until smooth.
2. Cook macaroni pasta in boiling salted water according to package instructions*. 
3. Meanwhile, wash thoroughly lettuce, strawberries, tomatoes, water apple. Cut them into bite chunks (toddler-size).
4. When macaroni pasta is ready, drain and immediately combine with dressing.

* It takes 5 minutes to reach al dente, but I cooked longer so the macaroni would be softer for toddlers.

Tips:
♥ For better fragrance, lightly toast sesame seeds over medium heat. For toddler recipe, I skip this stem to minimize too much heat in the meal.
♥ Since this recipe is intended for a toddler, the taste is mild. If you want stronger taste, you can use higher quantity for dressing ingredients. ♥  Some people may be allergic to strawberries, check with doctors if white-fruited strawberry cultivars (without Fra a1 allergen) are okay for them.



Other recipes that I love:
♥ Bridget's sweet strawberry pasta (Bake at 350)
♥ Kevin Lynch's strawberry and avocado spinach salad in raspberry balsamic vinaigrette at Closet Cooking
♥ Ali Ebright's avocado strawberry spinach salad with poppy seed dressing at Gimme Some Oven 

For faster-to-ready meals, see also our other #5minutemeal recipes.

With love,

ServicefromHeart

20140422

I for ice cream for #AtoZChallenge: strawberry ice cream princess {#ministory}

Ice cream always makes us happy, especially on hot summer days. A frozen yet smoothly textured dessert made of milk or cream, sweetened & flavored with fruits, the making of ice cream requires slow stirring while cooling to prevent large ice crystals from forming.



Enjoy a bowl of ice cream bejeweled with generous amounts of fruits.



Listen to a beautiful song.
Share a story or ministory to our little friends.
Life is beautiful! 

  

♥ ♥ ♥

Both baby Ren and I love the song Let It Go from Disney's 2013 animated feature film, Frozen. 

My favorite version is sung by Lexi Walker. Her beautiful voice is a blend of an innocent little girl & a smart mature young woman.



The original lyric, composed by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez:

"The snow glows white on the mountain tonight
Not a footprint to be seen.
A kingdom of isolation,
and it looks like I'm the Queen
The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside
Couldn't keep it in;
Heaven knows I've tried

Don't let them in,
don't let them see
Be the good girl you always have to be
Conceal, don't feel,
don't let them know
Well now they know

Let it go, let it go
Can't hold it back anymore

Let it go, let it go
Turn away and slam the door
I don't care
what they're going to say
Let the storm rage on.
The cold never bothered me anyway

It's funny how some distance
Makes everything seem small
And the fears that once controlled me
Can't get to me at all

It's time to see what I can do
To test the limits and break through
No right, no wrong, no rules for me,
I'm free!

Let it go, let it go
I am one with the wind and sky
Let it go, let it go
You'll never see me cry
Here I stand
And here I'll stay
Let the storm rage on

My power flurries through the air into the ground
My soul is spiraling in frozen fractals all around
And one thought crystallizes like an icy blast
I'm never going back, the past is in the past

Let it go, let it go
And I'll rise like the break of dawn
Let it go, let it go
That perfect girl is gone
Here I stand
In the light of day
Let the storm rage on

The cold never bothered me anyway!"

 

♥ ♥ ♥

For #AtoZChallenge on 2014 April 10 Thu, I lovingly present a #ministory of strawberry ice cream princess, inspired by both Frozen and baby Ren, who loves Frozen's song Let It Go and strawberries.




During a cold winter, a young beautiful girl has caught cold after spending entire morning working hard outdoor.

When she was about to take a rest inside her tiny hut, which has no fire place, her stepmother shouted at her, "Quick! Make your sister some strawberry ice cream!"

Her sister is actually her stepsister without blood relationship, but the girl loves her sister. She would love to make her sister strawberry ice cream, if possible.

"But mother, where do I find strawberries in these winter days?"the girl gently replied, knowing how unreasonable the order was. 

Her stepmother fiercely replied, "I don't care! Don't come back before you find them!"

So the girl walked out to the mountain. She braved the storms and affirmed to herself, "be the good girl!" like her father's final words before being sent to a war. 

A day passed. Two days had gone. No matter where she looked for, she found no strawberries.

Hungry. Her tummy complained louder than ever, yet she persisted.

Tired.

Finally, she fell down on soft snow. "Oh ... God! Please don't let me frozen to death," she weakly whispered to the bone-chilling wind.

Fortunately, a bear soon found the girl laying cold and almost lifeless.

He used his furry body to cuddle the girl like a warm thick blanket.

He fed her honey to nourish her body, for many days ... until summer arrives.

The bear brought the girl to a patch of berries, including strawberries. The girl remembered her unfinished task to make her stepsister strawberry ice cream.

After collecting a  basket of succulent strawberries, she bid farewell to the bear, "My savior bear, when will I see you again?"

Inside her heart, she knows that she may not see the bear again.

The bear sincerely pleaded, "Good girl, please marry me and you will see me everyday of your life."

Before the girl replied, the bear kissed her - as red as strawberries - lips, and transformed into a handsome prince.

He was under a spell by a witch whom he angered for challenging her.

The good girl nodded and tears flowed down her cheeks. The prince brought her to his majestic kingdom, where she was crowned as a princess and both live happily ever after.

Every year, the filial good girl makes strawberry ice cream for her stepsister and visits her stepmother. Hence, people also dearly address the good girl as the strawberry ice cream princess!



With love,
ServicefromHeart
20140410

DIY homemade fruit vegetable spray

Do you grow your own fruits & vegetables? If yes, I am really envious of you. For many of us who rely on commercially produced fruits & vegetables, there are concerns of pesticide residues found on the skins of many fruits & vegetables.

The Dirty Dozen chart put out by the EWG (US-based Environmental Working Group) lists the fruits and vegetables most impacted by chemical pesticides and fertilizers.

Image is a courtesy of Cybele Masterman @ Blah Blah Magazine

While the soft skins of fruits are edible and contain nutrients, I often peel them away. 

In the past, I just used water to clean our fruits & vegetables before consuming. Now, I try to wash more thoroughly using homemade wash. 

Baking soda & vinegar have been great helps!  Baking soda is also known as sodium bicarbonate. 

***



PRO of sodium bicarbonate:
♥ weak disinfectant properties
♥ a potential effective fungicide against some organisms
♥ absorb musty smells
♥ clean things; (1) use cold water for steels as hot water solutions of sodium bicarbonate can corrode steel (2) do not use sodium bicarbonate for cleaning aluminium things.
♥ an antacid by dissolving with water, to treat acid indigestion and heartburn
♥ enhance crispness of fried foods
♥ tenderize meats

Please be careful:
"In patients consuming a high-calcium or dairy-rich diet, calcium supplements, or calcium-containing antacids, the use of sodium bicarbonate can cause milk-alkali syndrome, which can result in metastatic calcification, kidney stones, and kidney failure."

***

Vinegar is typically 4-18% acetic acid by mass. Table vinegar tends to be more diluted (4% to 8% acetic acid).

PRO of vinegar:
♥ have antibacterial and anti mold properties.
♥ The acetic acid in vinegar can effectively kill mycobacteria, even highly drug-resistant strains (PMID: 24570366)
♥ remove clogs from drains. Agnes has used vinegar to remove stains from toilet bowl.

Please be careful:
Acetic acid is a strong eye, skin, and mucous membrane irritant. Concentrated acetic acid is corrosive, please use dilution with water.

***

To make a do-it-yourself (DIY) fruit-vegetable spray:

Ingredients:
♥ 1 tbsp baking soda (苏打粉)
♥ 250 ml white vinegar (白醋)
♥ 250 ml filtered water (过滤水)

Directions:
1. Put all ingredients for homemade spray into a spray bottle, please be careful as it will foam up. I do it over a sink.
2. Shake gently to mix.
3. Spray on vegetables or fruits.
4. Allow to sit for about 5-10 minutes.
5. Scrub & rinse thoroughly using room temperature water.
6. Air dry for a while before storing them in the fridge. Wet vegetables will not last long, alternatively use clean kitchen cloth towels to wipe.
7. Leftover spray can be kept in the fridge.

Other tips that I love:
♥ DIY All Natural Fruit and Veggie Wash by Chanda @ My Pure Pursuit
♥ Veggie Cleaner Spray by Sophie Ulian @ Oprah
♥ DIY homemade vegetable fruit soak by ServicefromHeart

Check also our other #5minutemeal recipes.

With love,
ServicefromHeart
20140302