Sicilian Lemon Granita

Ingredients

1 kg lemons

500 ml water

250-300 g white sugar

Method :

Slice lemons squeeze  to make 500 ml lemon juice filtered .

In a large non-reactive pot, heat the water first, bring to a boil add sugar and simmer 2 minutes, stirring to make sure the sugar is dissolved. 

Let the sugar water cool for 30 minutes. 

Strain the mixture into one or two non-reactive containers that will fit into your freezer.  Let cool to room temperature, cover and freeze until partially frozen, which should take several hours. (If mixture become totally frozen, don’t worry- I realize you have a life and may not be hanging around checking the granita on an hourly basis.) 

Take the partially or completely frozen granita out of the freezer and leave it at room temperature until you can break it up into hunks with a large spoon.  Grind these hunks in a food processor or blender until it is the consistency of soft snow.  Return to freezer until ready to serve.  If it freezes too hard, let the granita sit at room temperature for a few minutes, then work the mixture with the back of a large metal spoon until soft. 

Serve in glasses or small bowls garnished with lemon verbena or mint.  Serves 9-10 cups.

No bake berry cheesecake in jars

Ingredients

2 cups plant-based whipped cream

1/2 cup vegan unflavored cream cheese ( We have oat based and soy based cream cheeses here and the unflavored ones are kind of like "philadelphia" cream cheese)

1-3 tbsp maple syrup or other light syrup Adjust flavor to taste

1-2 tbsp lemon juice

optional: zest of 1/2 organic lemon to intensify the lemon flavor

1/8-1/4 tsp pink pitaya powder or use ~1 tsp raspberry powder or You can also use freeze dried / fresh raspberries and adjust the color to your liking.

1 cup any crumbled cake, muffin, brownie, cookie OR you can also use rawnola / granola

1/3 cups raspberries or any other berries you like

Instructions

NOTE: The flavors and colors intensify overnight. So ideally I would recommend you to make this a day before serving.Mix whipped plant-based cream, vegan cream cheese, lemon and syrup with a hand mixer until you have a fluffy and thick cream. Divide into two parts and color one part with, pink pitaya powder and raspberries.Taste and add sweetener / lemon if needed.Place crumbled cake / cookie / granola on the bottom of a jar. Add the coloured cream first and then the white one , top with fruits or even home made strawberry sauce ( click for recipe )

Pink Pitaya Red Orange infused water

INGREDIENTS

3 Big Red orange , one thinly sliced and two squeezed

Fresh Roasmary  (about 3 sprigs)

8 cups water (about 2 liters)

1/2 tsp Pink Pitaya organic powder

sugar to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Thinly slice one red orange . Add 1/2 tsp pink pitaya powder with 2 squeezed orange juice .Combine all ingredients in a large glass pitcher  and add sugar as you like the taste of sweet and enjoy!

You could make it alcoholic , enough you add a bit of rum and it's done !!

NOTES

Letting the water infuse for at least 2 hours will give you a stronger flavoured detox water. You can continue to refill your infusion pitcher with water until it starts to lose flavour (3-5 refills)

The Pitaya powder that I use has no taste , 100 % organic.

I use @unicornsuperfoods or @iswari and both are great .

If you decide to buy , don't forget to use VGNBITES15 code to get 15% discount .