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Sweet summer treats that beat the heat

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(Family Features) Whether your family’s ideal summer day consists of swimming, hiking, biking or simply enjoying the sunshine, all that time in the heat calls for a sweet way to cool off. It’s hard to beat a homemade treat loaded with favorite summertime flavors that’s as cold and creamy as it is sweet and delicious.

For a lighter, better-for-you solution, this Watermelon Gelato has about half the fat and fewer calories than traditional ice cream but with equally mouthwatering flavor. In fact, the word “gelato” means “ice cream” in Italian, and while the two frozen desserts have much in common, gelato is typically lower in fat with more density.

If you’re looking for an added touch of tastiness, try adding a few chocolate chips to the mix in the last few minutes of churning in your ice cream maker, or simply add some on top before serving.

When a summer weekend offers opportunities for morning kitchen lessons with the kiddos, they can help measure ingredients for Watermelon Ice Cream Bars and watch the magic happen as you mix up a watermelon curd, homemade crust and whipped cream. Once your creation freezes completely throughout the day, turn out and cut into bars for a cold afternoon treat following all that fun in the sun.

While sweet and tasty, these desserts also provide a bite of hydration with the power of watermelon, which is 92% water for a delicious way to rehydrate. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, daily fluid intake is defined as the amount of water consumed from foods, plain drinking water and other beverages, meaning you don’t have to rely only on what you drink to meet your fluid needs.

Because what you eat also provides a significant portion of daily fluids, fruits and vegetables like watermelon can help you and your family stay hydrated for whatever summer days bring your way.

Find more sweet summer recipe ideas at Watermelon.org.

Watermelon Ice Cream Bars

Servings: 8

Watermelon Curd:

  • 3/4 cup watermelon juice
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 3 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), cut into small cubes

Crust:

  • 8 graham crackers, crushed
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
  • basil leaves, for garnish

Whipped Cream:

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  1. To make watermelon curd: In medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine watermelon juice, lime juice, honey and salt. Stir to combine then add eggs.
  2. Place pan over medium heat and cook, adding cubed butter to pan and stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and coats back of wooden spoon. Immediately remove from heat and carefully pour through fine mesh sieve. Cool completely in refrigerator.
  3. To make crust: Preheat oven to 350 F.
  4. In food processor, pulse graham crackers until rough crumbs form. Add honey, salt and melted butter; pulse until mixture resembles wet sand.
  5. Line 8-by-8-inch pan with parchment paper then press graham cracker mixture into bottom of pan in even layer. Bake crust about 10 minutes, or until just beginning to brown. Allow crust to cool completely.

Watermelon Gelato

Servings: 8

  • 2 cups pureed watermelon
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 cup fat-free half-and-half
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup whipping cream
  1. In blender, blend watermelon, sugar, cornstarch, half-and-half, lemon juice and whipping cream until smooth.
  2. Using ice cream maker, process gelato according to manufacturer’s instructions.
  3. To make whipped cream: When crust and curd are completely cooled, in large bowl, whip cream until stiff peaks form.
  4. Gently push cream to one side of bowl and pour in watermelon curd. Using spatula, gently fold cream and watermelon curd together until no streaks are visible.
  5. Pour creamy watermelon mixture over graham cracker crust. Freeze dessert completely, 4-6 hours or overnight.
  6. When ready to serve, loosen sides with small spatula or butter knife. Turn out onto cutting board and use large spatula to flip so graham cracker crust is on bottom. Cut into eight bars and top each with basil leaf.


SOURCE:
National Watermelon Promotion Board

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EDIBLES

Simplify family dinners with easy, one-pan meals

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(Feature Impact) When busy weeknights leave little time for prepping dinner – or cleaning it up afterward – simple recipes can make a difference. With a few flavorful ingredients and a single pan or casserole dish, you can get a satisfying meal on the family table without spending hours in the kitchen or leaving behind a sink full of dirty dishes.

Convenient ingredients like rice lend themselves well to a variety of easy recipes. For example, this zesty, Asian-inspired Lime-Ginger Shrimp Fried Rice combines sauteed shrimp with sweet mango, citrusy lime, savory bok choy and fragrant Success Boil-in-Bag Jasmine Rice in a weekly favorite that’s ready in about 25 minutes using just a wok or large skillet.

With no additives or preservatives, and now available in a shareable 32-ounce family size, the certified kosher, gluten-free, non-GMO long grain rice’s sweet buttery flavor makes it an easy base for the customizable dish. While the recipe calls for bok choy, you can mix and match vegetables based on what vegetables you already have on hand, including leftovers from another meal, such as carrots, onions, peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, snap peas or corn.

For another easy option, this Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole comes together in just four simple steps and requires a single casserole dish for baking. Using no measure, no mess Success Boil-in-Bag White Rice ensures perfect, fluffy rice that folds into a creamy combination of cream of mushroom soup, broccoli and cheddar cheese for a bubbling, hearty dinner straight from the oven in about half an hour.

For more recipes that make it easy to get a homemade meal on the table with less cleanup, visit SuccessRice.com.

Lime-Ginger Shrimp Fried Rice

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4

  • 2          bags Success Boil-in Bag Jasmine Rice
  • 2          tablespoons canola oil
  • 1          pound peeled, deveined medium shrimp, tails removed
  • 8          baby bok choy, trimmed and quartered
  • 1/2       cup diced fresh mango
  • 1          tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
  • 1/4       teaspoon salt
  • 3          tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2          tablespoons lime juice
  1. Prepare rice according to package directions. Allow to cool completely.
  2. In wok or large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add shrimp, bok choy, mango, ginger and salt; saute 3-5 minutes, or until shrimp start to curl and bok choy starts to wilt.
  3. Stir in rice. Cook 2-3 minutes, or until well coated. Stir in soy sauce and lime juice; cook 2-3 minutes, until rice is heated through.

Tip: If you don’t have bok choy on hand, use small broccoli florets, trimmed green beans or leftover vegetables of choice.

Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4-6

  • 1          bag Success Boil-in-Bag White Rice
  • nonstick cooking spray
  • 1          can (10.75 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
  • 2          cups frozen broccoli florets, thawed and drained
  • 1 1/2    cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
  • 1/2       teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2       cup crispy fried onions
  1. Prepare rice according to package directions. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. Coat 2-quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. In medium bowl, combine soup, broccoli, 1 cup cheddar cheese and pepper. Fold in rice.
  3. Pour mixture into prepared dish and top with remaining cheddar cheese.
  4. Top with crispy fried onions. Bake 20 minutes, until bubbling.

SOURCE:

Success Rice

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EDIBLES

4 ways to enjoy fresher foods at home

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(Feature Impact) Fresh fruits and vegetables add color, nourishment and satisfaction to life. Knowing your food was grown from the earth and nurtured by the sun and rain can add a whole new dimension of enjoyment to your meals, which processed foods often can’t replicate.

However, if you’ve ever bought a cart full of produce with the best intentions – only to watch as half of it goes bad before you’ve managed to use it – you aren’t alone. Eating fresh foods is often easier in your healthy-eating dreams than in reality. With small habit changes, though, you can transform your household into a place where fresh, whole-food ingredients are at the center of your daily routines.

Consider these suggestions from the fresh produce experts at Avocados from Colombia.

Shop with a Plan

Meal-planning before you shop can help ensure every ingredient you buy has a purpose within its shelf life. Instead of picking out fruits and vegetables with vague aspirations of figuring out something to do with them later, you can simply consult your list and remember you need peppers, onions and avocados for that breakfast burrito recipe you want to try.

Pay Attention to Where Food Comes From

The source of your food can make a big difference in its freshness. When produce is grown and harvested with care then shipped quickly to its destination, it preserves quality and simplifies the journey from the farm to your table.

Consider fresh fruits like Avocados from Colombia, which aren’t just grown but raised at high altitude in rich volcanic soil, nourished by mountain rain and harvested by the hands of growers who care about their land and their craft. The fruit reaches U.S. shipping ports in as little as 3-5 days, so you can confidently choose flavorful produce that arrives as fresh as possible from beautiful Colombian orchards.

With two harvest seasons across nine growing regions, fresh Colombian avocados can be enjoyed throughout the entire year, whether you want to serve bright guacamole or dice an avocado as a cool, creamy topping for a warm winter chili.

Use Fresh Ingredients in a Variety of Ways

It’s always easier to use fresh ingredients when you’re brimming with ideas of things to do with them. For instance, avocados can be transformed into guacamole, creamy salad dressing or flavorful sauces; sliced for use in grain bowls, salads or avocado toast; or frozen to blend into smoothies. This also makes it easier to buy produce in bulk or take advantage of sales.

Find Inspiration Online

Recipes like these Chicken and Avocado Rollups can be an easy solution for putting fresh avocados on the menu, offering the type of everyday joy the growers behind Avocados from Colombia hope you taste. Their new “Raised by Colombia” short film puts faces to that idea, following Don Hernando, a grower of 40 harvests, and his granddaughter Camila, who brought the science of growing home. It ends where your avocado does: at a family table, where the grandmother of the house serves it in a kitchen like yours.

To watch the film and discover more recipe ideas, visit AvocadosColombia.com/RaisedByColombia.

Chicken and Avocado Rollups

Recipe courtesy of Avocados from Colombia
Total time: 20 minutes
Servings: 5-6

  • 2          tablespoons mayo
  • 2          tablespoons sour cream
  • 1          tablespoon lime juice
  • 3          large flour tortillas, warmed
  • 1          large avocado, smashed
  • 2          Roma tomatoes, diced
  • 1/4       cup red onion, diced
  • 3          tablespoons cilantro, chopped
  • 1          cup cooked chicken breast
  • 6          slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • salt, to taste
  • pepper, to taste
  1. In small bowl, mix mayo, sour cream and lime juice.
  2. Place tortilla on flat service and spread with lime crema followed by smashed avocado.
  3. Layer with tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, chicken and bacon. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  4. Roll tortilla into tube shape and cut into pieces. Repeat with remaining tortillas and fillings.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock (avocado on cutting board)

SOURCE:

Colombia Avocado Board

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EDIBLES

Enjoy a tangy, spicy Buffalo Chicken with Superfood Swap

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(Feature Impact) When you’re craving a specific comfort food, other flavors just aren’t going to hit the spot the same way. The good news: It only takes one or two simple ingredient changes to satisfy your taste buds while leveling up the nutrition of a meal.

Watch video to see how to make this recipe!

https://youtube.com/watch?v=MtmGlJZJqgk%3Fsi%3D3povqSwlt4EsTVDq%26controls%3D0

For instance, if you’re jonesing for the zesty kick of buffalo sauce, your mind might initially go to pizza and wings. This Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Sweetpotatoes recipe featuring North Carolina Sweetpotatoes invites you to rethink that takeout order and enjoy the same bold, satisfying flavors in a more nutritious way. They’re a little sweet and a little spicy with savory chicken and creamy avocado stuffed jacket-style inside a nutrient-dense baked sweetpotato.

Sweetpotatoes – deliberately spelled as one word to better differentiate this unique root vegetable from traditional potatoes – are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. The American Diabetes Association even calls them a “diabetes superfood,” as they raise blood sugar more slowly than other starchy foods while allowing you to savor some natural sweetness. They’re also a great choice for athletes, thanks to complex carbohydrates that boost energy and nutrients that support endurance and recovery.

Find more ways to level up your favorite flavors at ncsweetpotatoes.com.

Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Sweetpotatoes
Recipe courtesy of the North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4

  • 4 sweetpotatoes
  • 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
  • 1 1/2 cups buffalo sauce
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 2 tablespoons diced chives
  1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Place sweetpotatoes on lined baking sheet and use fork to pierce each one for venting. Bake 45 minutes, or until tender.
  2. Let sweetpotatoes cool slightly then use knife to gently cut each open lengthwise and crosswise. Use fork to lightly mash inside sweetpotatoes.
  3. In large bowl, combine shredded rotisserie chicken with buffalo sauce until evenly coated.
  4. Spoon buffalo chicken mixture into each sweetpotato. Top with diced avocado and chives.

SOURCE:

North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission

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