Deserts are the perfect conclusion to a wonderful family dinner. Ingredients can be as simple as a couple of bananas dipped in chocolate to complicated souffles and parfaits. Some of the names are hard enough to spell out, so you can only imagine how difficult it must be to prepare! With creative use of local ingredients and fresh fruits, here are a few ideas for some quick and easy desserts which can be made in a matter of minutes.
Simple fudge: Chocolate, condensed milk and a couple of toppings of your choice. Probably the simplest of all desserts to make, just mix everything together and let it set in the fridge.
Peanut butter fudge: Who doesn’t love peanut butter? Nothing can replace the classic P&B jelly sandwiches which packs all our school lunch boxes on any given day. But instead of using condensed milk, just mix peanut butter with the toppings of your choice to be served chilled. The salty creamy texture of peanut butter mixes well to cut through all that heavy sweetness.
White chocolate Oreo fudge: Bored of dark chocolate fudge? Just swap it with beautiful white chocolate mixed with a couple of crushed Oreos. The preparation method is just as easy as your regular fudge with a selection of toppings of your choice.
Crepes: Not as fancy as it sounds and deceptively simple to make and serve, even for a dessert. Just substitute the filling inside with some chocolate ganache filling with fruits and berries or even Nutella, because well everybody likes Nutella!
Chocolate covered pops: Melt some chocolate in a bowl, add a little bit of spice to it if you want and just dip any fruit or berry you like to make delicious chocolate covered pops. Simple fruits like bananas, apples, different berries and even bacon wraps can be dipped in melted chocolate to be served chilled on a stick just like a Popsicle.
Baked custard: Simple to make with just milk, a couple of eggs, some vanilla extract and spice to top it all off. Custards have a jelly like texture, but just melt in your mouth with that spoonful. Plop it in the oven or microwave to be served later, a perfect conclusion to any three-course meal.
Many other easy to make dessert recipes which just feature three to five ingredients can be found online, with step by step instructions on preparation and serving methods. Experiment with substitute ingredients to make some of these recipes gluten free also.
We are a coffee-drinking nation and every form of the beverage – decaf, regular, expresso, latte, cappuccino, macchiato and ristretto is consumed everyday by millions of us. It’s the first thing we need in the morning and the last (for some) after dessert. Black, with cream, with sugar, no sugar, flavored, each of us has a preference with regard to strength. Nespresso’s taken heed of this and given us a gift in a pod with the Nespresso capsules. Available in the regular Arabica and Robusta capsules, they have some amazing seasonal flavors as well.
Nespresso capsules are hermetically sealed in a capsule that holds 5-7 gms of coffee – enough for one serving of coffee. They offer five ranges in Ristretto (25ml), Espresso (40 ml), Lungo (110 ml), Decaffeinated (40 ml and 110 ml) or Flavored (40 ml).
The variations in Nespresso coffee capsules Ristretto range are:
Ristretto Origin – Made from South and Central American Arabicas, it has toasted flavors with cocoa notes and woody undertones.
Ristretto Origin India – A blend of the finest Arabicas with a smidgen of Robusta from Southern India, this full-bodied coffee has hints of spices.
Ristretto Intenso – A strong blend of South and Central American Robustas and Arabicas, the Ristretto Intenso is a full-bodied coffee with a creamy texture and peppery notes.
The variations in Nespresso coffee capsules Espresso range are:
Espresso Origin Brazil: A pure Arabica coffee, it has a mild sweet flavor.
Espresso Leggero: A blend of South American Arabicas and Robusta, it has smooth notes of cocoa and cereal.
Espresso Forte: Exclusively made from South and Central American Arabicas, it has an intensely roasted balance of espresso and fruity notes.
The variations of Nespresso coffee capsules Lungo range are:
Lungo Leggero: Lightly roasted East African, South and Central American Arabicas, with mild notes of jasmine is what makes up this delicious brew.
Lungo Forte: A complex mix of South and Central American Arabicas, this coffee has heavy roasted notes with a slight hint of fruit.
Lungo Origin Guatemala: A mix of Arabica and washed Gourmet Robusta coffee, Lungo Origin Guatemala is smooth and well balanced with dry and malty cereal notes.
The variations of Nespresso coffee capsules in the Decaffeinated range are:
Espresso Decaffeinato: Dark roasted South American Arabicas with a touch of Robusta enhances the cocoa flavors and roasted cereal undertones of this decaffeinated espresso.
Lungo Decaffeinato: This is a slightly more complex blend of separately roasted South American and East African Arabicas. It includes toasted cereal and sweet notes with subtle and floral hints of East African Arabicas.
The variations of Nespresso coffee capsules Flavored range are:
Espresso Vanilla: This silky-flavored coffee is the result of a base of Espresso Forte, which is a complex and heavily-roasted blend of South and Central American Arabicas and a slightly caramelized aroma of vanilla. Espresso Caramel: On a base of Espresso Forte, this complex and intensely roasted blend made from South and Central American Arabicas has the sweetness of caramel.
Here are a few easy and healthy recipe ideas that are both quick to make and light to digest on hot summer days. With very few ingredients, the preparation of these recipes is a breeze. So go on, enjoy these easy, healthy recipes that are brimming with nutrition and taste heavenly too!
Greek Cucumber Rolls
Ingredients (Serves 2)
Directions
This is popular among easy and healthy recipes. Slice cucumber into thin flat strips using a vegetable peeler and arrange them in slices of two on a clean tray. Smear the hummus on top of each slice, then toss some feta cheese, black olives and cut tomatoes on each of the cucumber strips. Squeeze a little lemon juice and sprinkle some finely chopped dill and cilantro. Finally, roll the strips, serve the Greek cucumber rolls and see them being gobbled up by the young and old alike!
Flavorful fettuccine pasta with vegetables
Ingredients (Serves 2)
Directions
Cook the fettuccine pasta according to the directions on the label. In a thick bottomed pan, heat the olive oil and sauté the chopped garlic and shallots. After about a minute or so, add the other vegetables along with salt and toss them gently for a few minutes. The vegetables must cook and be crunchy at the same time. When they are done, add the cooked pasta, Parmesan cheese, and some freshly ground black pepper to it and mix well. Serve this flavorful fettuccine pasta with vegetables for lunch or dinner as a filling, yet light meal.
Sunshine juice
Ingredients (Serves 2)
Direction
Squeeze juice from the oranges and blend the strawberries in a juicer. Then in a pitcher, take the orange juice, strawberry juice, and chilled water together and mix well. Refresh yourself with this yummy sunshine juice with ice cubes on a hot day.