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If your heat wave is anything like the heat wave in the MSV neighborhood, you're more than ready for this recipe.
This fresh fruit salad features lovely little blueberries and sweet red grapes stuffed into a wedge of cantaloupe, finished off with fresh mint. But not before being tossed in a creamy mix of equal parts coconut milk (for richness) and silken tofu (for a little protein-based structural assist). You'll mellow those two distinct flavors out with—what else?—sugar, lemon, and a little vanilla.
Serving the little guys in the melon wedge accomplishes three things. First, it looks beautiful. Second, it saves you melon-chopping time. Finally, you get great big unadorned scoops of melon just garnished with the creme-coated sweet small bites. That interplay really is nicer than just tossing everything in a bowl, so don't feel strange about treating yourself to a fancy presentation that saves time and boosts flavor.
Serving this with grilled zucchini planks crusted with panko crumbs and almonds won't steer you wrong for a blissfully low-key and summery meal at any hour, but if you keep a batch of chickpea salad on hand, you'll have a protein-packed accompaniment that means pulling whole meals straight from the fridge. No sweat.
Lemon Creme Fruit Salad
serves 2
half of 1 medium ripe cantaloupe
generous 1/4 cup fresh ripe blueberries
generous 1/4 cup red grapes, halved
2 TBSP chilled Lemon Creme, recipe follows
fresh mint, finely chopped, to finish
Seed cantaloupe half and cut in half to make two large wedges.
In a small bowl, toss blueberries and grapes with creme. Spoon into melon wedges and sprinkle mint on top, to taste. Serve immediately.
Lemon Creme
yields a generous 3/4 cup (300 mL)
4 oz firm silken tofu (preferably water-packed)
1/2 cup chilled coconut cream
2 TBSP plus 2 tsp lemon juice
2 TBSP natural cane sugar (evaporated cane juice)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Blend all ingredients until smooth, ensuring the sugar has dissolved completely. Chill several hours before using, preferably overnight.