Tag: Strawberries

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Lemon Lavender Spritzer with Strawberries

Lavender Lemon Spritzer with Strawberries -- A Picnic Drink | A Couple CooksLavender Lemon Spritzer with Strawberries -- A Picnic Drink | A Couple CooksLavender Lemon Spritzer with Strawberries -- A Picnic Drink | A Couple CooksLavender Lemon Spritzer with Strawberries -- A Picnic Drink | A Couple CooksLavender Lemon Spritzer with Strawberries -- A Picnic Drink | A Couple Cooks

Last weekend, Alex and I took a trip to Bloomington, Indiana: home of our alma mater and our dear friend Shelly, the very talented lady behind both the magazine Driftless and Vegetarian Ventures. Since Alex and I were in town for a wedding that afternoon, the three of us arranged to meet up for a quick picnic in the park beforehand. We each prepared a few recipes in advance and met at the grocery to buy some remaining ingredients: mainly bread, cheese, and chocolate (of course).

Everything was simple and came together wonderfully, as if we’d planned it thoughtfully in days in advance (though we were mainly winging it). Alex had the idea to make a drink with some lavender from our garden; he first created a simple syrup with lemon and lavender, then at the picnic site combined a few tablespoons of the syrup with some sparkling water and sliced strawberries. It was fragrant and refreshing; a fantastic signature drink to accompany our picnic.

I love these bright and sunny photos Alex captured of the day — the drinks in the grass remind me of the whimsical style of Erin of Forest Feast for sure. We plan to share the remainder of the picnic menu and photos this week; in the meantime, check out Shelly’s beautiful photos of the day here!

Lemon Lavender Spritzer with Strawberries
 
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Serves: 10 drinks

What You Need
  • 3 large sprigs lavender, plus more for garnish
  • Zest of ½ lemon
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup sparkling water per drink
  • 1 strawberry per drink

What To Do
  1. In a small pot, combine 3 large sprigs lavender, zest of ½ lemon, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup water. Simmer for 15 minutes, making sure that it does not boil. Cool slightly. (Note: Lasts for 1 to 2 weeks refrigerated.)
  2. To assemble each drink: combine 1 to 2 tablespoons simple syrup with 1 cup sparkling water. Garnish with sliced strawberries and a small sprig of lavender.

 

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Almond Butter Toast with Honey & Strawberries

Almond Butter Toast with Strawberries & Honey | A Couple CooksAlmond Butter Toast with Strawberries & Honey | A Couple CooksAlmond Butter Toast with Strawberries & Honey | A Couple CooksAlmond Butter Toast with Strawberries & Honey | A Couple Cooks

Here’s another in the “not really a recipe, more of an idea” category, but honestly, those are my favorite. When I’m stuck in a rut with meals, it’s nice to have a little inspiration even if it’s just to put almond butter on toast. Or tomatoes with spaghetti and fresh basil. Or yogurt with cherries and honey — those easy combinations that are somehow easily forgotten.

This meal is an easy breakfast / snack idea using all local goodies from our local farmer’s market: bread from Amelia’s, almond butter from Pure Good Foods (hi, new friend Rachel!), strawberries from Annabelle’s Garden, and honey from Wildflower Ridge. It’s fun to stretch your imagination to combine local goods together, which is actually how we got into cooking in the first place. When we first began learning about food, we found it was easier to be creative within parameters, the sort of Iron Chef approach of making something with what’s on hand (basil, tomato, zucchini – go!). We hope this simple idea sparks some inspiration for you; we’ve included our friend Ashley’s almond butter recipe below if you’re ready to give it a go yourself.

On a more personal note, it’s almost the middle of summer in the blink of an eye! Next week, we’re headed off to Alaska for a summer vacation with my family. I’m especially excited to see my sister, who lives in Burma, since visits are few and far between when you’re halfway across the world. We’ll be spending most of our time in Juneau and the surrounding area. Let us know if you have any travel tips, and we’d love to know if we have any readers in that part of the country?

Hope you are all well and enjoying your summer–let us know what you’re up to in the comments below. (Seriously, we’d really love to hear from you.) And if you’d like, follow along on our travels / kitchen on Instagram – we love to share life and hear from you over there too!

Almond Butter Toast with Honey & Strawberries
 
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Serves: 1

What You Need
  • 1 slice whole grain, artisan bread
  • 2 tablespoons almond butter (homemade or purchased)
  • 6 local strawberries
  • ½ teaspoon local honey (optional if almond butter contains sweetener)

What To Do
  1. If desired, make the almond butter.
  2. Slice a thick piece of artisan bread and toast it.
  3. Core and thinly slice the strawberries.
  4. When the toast is done, spread liberally with almond butter and drizzle with honey. Place strawberry slices on top and enjoy.

 

 

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