Easy-going menus for summer can be a breeze, with a wealth of fruit and produce available to help make short work of meal preparation.
Here's a trio of ideas for making the most of grapes, which need little "cooking" and combine well with both sweet and savory items. The recipes provide a simple but stylish breakfast dish, a juicy salad to accompany lunch or dinner, and a versatile cheese-grape special that would work as an appetizer or dessert.
Breakfast parfait
1 cup halved seedless grapes
1 cup lowfat vanilla yogurt or other flavor of your choice
1/2 cup crushed almond biscotti (about 3 large biscotti)
In a parfait glass, layer 2 mounded tablespoons grapes, 2 mounded tablespoons yogurt and 2 tablespoons crushed biscotti. Repeat layers. Top with 2 tablespoons each yogurt and grapes.
Try a Fruit and Vegetable Salad, a versatile and refreshing addition to the menu, served on orange slices. The salad is made up of grapes, radishes, carrots and red onion, tossed with Spicy Lemon Dressing.
Makes 2 servings. Preparation time 10-15 minutes.
Nutrition information per serving: 299 cal., 8 g pro., 8 g fat, 49 g carbo., 50 mg chol., 2 g dietary fiber, 174 g sodium.
Fruit and Vegetable salad
1 1/2 cups halved seedless grapes
1 1/2 cups sliced radishes
3/4 cup coarsely shredded carrots
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 large orange
Spicy Lemon Dressing
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon honey
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon lemon peel
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon bottled hot sauce
Combine all ingredients and mix.
Makes about 1/3 cup.
Nutrition information per serving: 129 cal., 1 g pro., 7 g fat, 18 g carbo., 0 mg chol., 2 g fiber, 420 mg sodium.
Lightly toss grapes, radishes, carrots and onion with Spicy Lemon Dressing. Peel and thinly slice orange. Serve salad on sliced orange. Total preparation time: 30 minutes.
Grapes & Baked cheese
Breakfast Parfaits are a simple but stylish dish made with seedless grapes, yogurt and crushed almond biscotti.
8 ounces fresh goat-cheese log
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
3 tablespoons melted butter
2/3 cup chopped pecans or almonds
1 pound seedless grapes
Slice cheese log into 1/2-inch rounds. Combine flour and basil. Dredge each slice of cheese in flour mixture. Dip slices in butter then coat with chopped nuts; press nuts lightly into cheese.
Place cheese on a plate or small tray and refrigerate 1 hour or until completely chilled.
Place on a nonstick baking sheet (line the baking sheet with parchment paper if it does not have a nonstick surface). Bake at 400 F for 6 to 8 minutes, or until nuts are crisp and cheese is warm. Cut grapes into clusters of 6 to 8 grapes. Serve cheese with grapes as an appetizer or dessert.
Makes 8 servings.
(Preparation 1 hour for cheese slices to chill; 15 minutes for preparation and baking)
Nutrition information per serving: 217 cal., 8 g pro., 15 g fat, 13 g carbo., 32 mg chol., 2 g fiber, 175 mg sodium.
- Recipes developed by the California Table Grape Commission
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