Sangria Fruit Ice Cream - vegan & gluten free

Can you believe it's already almost Memorial Day weekend? Can we talk about that for a second? Because I really can't seem to wrap my mind around it. At work, we're planning and prepping for a busy weekend, as we are at home, but I really just can't take it in that it's already the beginning of summer. Maybe if we had fireflies here it would be easier to grasp? (yes, sad fact. no fireflies on the west coast)  I just...whew this year is flying.

"Anyway, moving on" as my dad would say. Are you hosting or attending a party this weekend? I don't know what else you have planned, but I recommend sangria and ice cream. Both are perfect harbingers of summer, and both are crowd pleasers. They are also show stoppers that are easy to prepare and easy to prepare for a group.

First, let's talk sangria. Here are some mouth-watering recipes I pulled from my Pinterest collection of drinks:

• Summer Sangria with Pineapple & Mango
• Mango, Mint & Peach Sangrias
• Two Classic Sangrias from Smitten Kitchen
• Sparkling Grapefruit Sangria

If you make one or four of them, invite me! I'll bring brownies and my ice cream maker.

Alas, I can't invite you over to my place because, well, it's gonna be full. I have good friends coming for a visit (yay!), and a sister-in-law graduating with an MBA (yay!), which means parents-in-law will also be in town (yay!), and, well, I think you can agree that the weekend sounds pretty full. If I were more on top of things and didn't have to, um, work, perhaps I'd be the one cooking a celebration feast. If I were, sangrias sound like a festive must-drink.

The beauty of this "recipe" is that it's really just a guide. Use what you have and it will be delicious.


Sangria Fruit Ice Cream - vegan & gluten free

Below are the volumes that I used, but the point of this recipe is really it's versatility. Have more than a cup of fruit? Add some more milk. Have less fruit but more people? Add some "regular" fruit and/or some more milk. Want a lighter ice cream? Add a second can but use light coconut milk and/or add some more fruit. Consider reserving some fruit for garnish. Mostly, though, just use what you have, and I can pretty much guarantee that no one will complain that it's not ___ enough. If they do? They're probably having a terrible day, and you may want to grant them a little leeway. And maybe a drink. 

1 C sangria fruit (I used a mix of berries)
1 (~15oz) can full-fat coconut milk
agave, honey, or sweetener of choice (optional, see below)

Use a food processor, blender, or immersion blender to fully combine the milk and fruit. Taste, and add a little sweetener if needed. Mix to combine. Chill in refrigerator for at least a couple of hours, or overnight.

Transfer chilled mix to your ice cream machine and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Fresh Pea Hummus - vegan & gluten free

Hello and happy Monday! I hope the mommas out there had a good Mother's Day and felt loved and appreciated. Maybe you got a pasta necklace? or perhaps a fill-in-the-blank poem? My cousin got one that included a line about her smelling like jelly beans. That was my favorite part.

Now that we're fully into May, I hoping more of you out there have access to a nearby farmers' market. Perhaps you got a chance to go this weekend? (here are my top ten tips for having a great farmers' market experience) I have year-round ones available on Saturdays, but a local Thursday night one runs May-September only, and I got a chance to go for the first time last week. It felt so nice to be back! I got to check out my favorite farms and see the new booths. I learned that it's going to be a very short cherry season this year (#sadface) because winter here in the Bay Area was so weird (i.e. warm and dry). I forgot to ask if the same would be true of stone fruits like peaches, but I'd like to find that out this week (otherwise, I'm going to obsess about it, since we all know I'm somewhat in love with peaches). 

Anyway, among my purchases were my first peas of the season. Now, some people (ahem, mom.dad.) may express surprise at this since growing up I showed very little interest in peas. And I admit that they are still not my favorite vegetable in the world, but I've learned that fresh peas are dramatically better than frozen. They're sweet and tender and taste, well, pretty good. I like them raw in salads, mashed up into pesto, or, now, smooshed into hummus. Can you call it hummus if there are no garbanzo beans? 

This hummus is fast, easy, and you don't even need to turn on the stove. It's great with chips or as a sandwich topping. It's easily double-able, and if you don't have quite the right amount of an ingredient, don't sweat it. You can make it anyway, and it will still be tasty. 

Fresh Pea Hummus - vegan & gluten free
adapted from Whole Living

I think this would be good with several other variations, including using mint (or parsley or basil) instead of cilantro, or increasing only the volume of peas so that you taste them more. It's also tasty with roasted garlic in place of the raw. 

I found I didn't need to because my peas were fresh & tender, but should you wish to cook your peas, bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Add peas and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Drain, then run under cold water or put into ice bath to stop cooking.

1 C fresh shelled peas
1/4 C fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp tahini
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 small clove minced garlic
1/8 tsp ground cumin
pinch of salt

In food processor (or blender), pulse peas, cilantro, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and cumin 30 to 40 seconds. Season with salt to taste.