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Winter picnic with Chicken Salad in Pita pockets & hot Blueberry Soup.

Posted in Chicken, Uncategorized, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , on March 3, 2013 | 5 Comments »

Winter is a fantastic season.

Yes, it is cold, but it is also so beautiful. The best of course is when the sun is out, the ground is covered with glistening snow and you have a day off to enjoy it. As soon as there is a sunny day, we love to take advantage of every little sunny second. These would be the days we would go on a winter picnic. We would fill up a thermos of hot chocolate and/or one with hot blueberry soup, make some sandwiches and pack some other snacks. If we felt like dragging it along, we would also pack a lamb skin to sit on. When finding the right picnic spot, we would dig out a little “seat” in the snow and put the lambskin down. It has been a few years since I went on a winter picnic, but this winter we finally did it. It was just so nice to be out in the snow on a sunny winter day. It is highly recommended. If you have kids, this could be a great tradition, to go on “off-season” picnics. Try it…

The tradition of drinking hot blueberry soup is very Scandinavian. It is a great way to stay warm  and it also gives you energy.

Once a year, there is a huge cross-country skiing competition taking place in Sweden. It is called “Vasaloppet”. There are blueberry soup stations along the way. The skiers gets a cup of hot blueberry soup to heat them up and to give them continued energy. The race is 90 km long, so it is well needed.

“Vasaloppet” is taking place this weekend.

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Chicken salad in a Pita pocket.

1 baked/boiled or grilled chicken.

2-4 small pita breads.

Lettuce.

1 c. seedless grapes, cut into halves.

1/2 c. lightly crushed walnuts.

1/2 c. mayo.

3-4 tbsp. ranch dressing powder (or 1/2 c. of ranch dressing, store-bought).

Splash of hot sauce.

Black pepper to taste.

Directions;

Cook the chicken (or you can even buy a rotisserie chicken in the store if you are short of time). Let cool down slightly. Take off all the meat from the bones. Add the mayo, ranch powder (or the just the ranch dressing), crushed walnuts, hot sauce and pepper into a mixing bowl. Mix well. Taste it. If you would like more ranch dressing or mayo, add some but be careful not to add too much. Pour in the chicken pieces & grapes. Mix again. Take a last taste and make sure it is to your satisfaction. Let sit in the fridge covered for a few hours or even over night if you make this ahead of time.

This chicken salad gets better and better after a few days when all the tastes has “married”.

Place a little lettuce in half a pita bread. Add some chicken salad. You can add any vegetable of your choice or just skip that.

Enjoy!!

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Blueberry soup.

2 c. blueberries.

 A few tbsp. of sugar (I use brown sugar. It is up to you how sweet you want the soup. I recommend it not to be too sweet though. It should be nice and fresh with a “true” blueberry taste).

3 c. water.

1- 1 1/2 tbsp. potato starch.

Directions;

Let  blueberries, sugar and water come to a boil and cook on medium heat for a 5-10 minutes. Make sure  the right amount of sugar is added by tasting the soup. Mix the blueberry soup with a hand mixer or in a blender until nice and silky. Whisk in  the potato starch into some cold water. Add little by little into the blueberry soup. Let it come to a boil and then take it off the heat. The blueberry soup is ready.

You can drink it hot as it is or eat it totally cold with a splash of milk. I drink hot soup in the winter and cold soup in the summer. It is perfect as a night “snack”.

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A thermos full of hot chocolate is a staple for a winter picnic.

A thermos full of hot chocolate is a staple for a winter picnic.

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Steamed Edamame with sea salt and some Chipotle & honey roasted cashews are perfect picnic snacks.

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We would carry with us a lamb skin to sit on. You just dig out a perfect “seat” and add the skin on top. This is perfect and you stay nice and warm.
If you would have a winter picnic outside but close to the house, you could use a larger skin or even a reindeer hide.

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I always keep a look out for great coolers and food storage solutions. This is the little cooler bag my husband and I got as a present from Caesars Palace Las Vegas when we got married. It contained two bottles of champagne and some champagne flutes at the time. We keep using this for all kinds of occasions.

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Vasaloppet (literally, The Vasa race) is an annual long distance (90 km) cross-country ski race (ski marathon) held on the first Sunday of March in northwestern Dalarna, Sweden between the village of Sälen and town of Mora. It is the oldest, the longest, and the biggest (in terms of participants) cross-country ski race in the world.In the 80th race, held on 7 March 2004, some 15,500 skiers competed in the main event. More than 40,000 participated in one of the seven different races held during the first week of March. The race was first run in 1922, inspired by a run by King Gustav Vasa in 1520. The winner of the first race was Ernst Alm from Norsjö, 22 years old, who is also the youngest ever winner of the race. Vasaloppet is one of the races in the long distance cup Ski Classics.

ref- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasaloppet

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Breadfruit, the “potatoes” of the Caribbean.

Posted in Uncategorized, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , on February 25, 2013 | 6 Comments »

S:t Lucia is just now celebrating its 34th Independence day.

So, in honor of that, I would like to show you what a breadfruit is. Before I met my husband, I had no idea myself. Now it is one of my favorite carbs. Breadfruit is very common in the Caribbean but even more so in Asia. It is eaten as a “potato” to any meal. My mother-in-law has taught me how to buy it and cook it. You have to smell it in the store. It has the most fragrant smell ever. Just like a sweet perfume. To cook it, you can steam it, boil it, fry it, bake it & also roast it over fire. This is a  common way to prepare it in Jamaica. My Jamaican neighbor almost fell over the fence the first time she saw me roasting breadfruit on my BBQ grill in the back yard. She said, “I must call my friends and tell them that this Swedish girl next door is roasting breadfruit just like a Jamaican!” Ha, Yes and I also eat them like a true Caribbean girl!!! A treat for me is roasted breadfruit. If I can choose only one thing to eat for the rest of my life, this is a great contender. A Puerto Rican friend also taught me how to make tostones out of breadfruit. So there you go, try breadfruit if you are given the chance. It truly is so good. I never thought I would say this, but it almost beats potatoes (and I love potatoes).

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A beautiful Breadfruit.

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The breadfruit tree is usually a very large tree (unless you keep trimming it). The fruits themselves are very heavy and you better be careful walking underneath a tree.

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You need to cut out the steam and make a little hole so that the heat from the fire can penetrate into the center of the breadfruit. Keep turning it while roasting.

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Don’t be afraid of it charing. It is supposed to. When it is totally back, it is done.

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When cut in half, it is very beautiful. When you cook it, you must cut off the peel and also quite a bit of the center.

It is easier to do this if you cook it in “quarters/cut into 4 pieces”.

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Enjoy!!!

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Tofu & eggplant in a miso broth.

Posted in Asian food, Soups, Uncategorized, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , on January 19, 2013 | 2 Comments »

Like everybody else, I feel like eating a little lighter. It is the beginning of the year and the start of all our healthy promises.

But right now, I have to eat “soft” food since I just had a tooth removed. Yikes… But It is what it is. It had to be done…

Tofu hasn’t really been my thing but my friend Lisa has been introducing me to different kinds of Tofu and I must say, it can actually be really good. Lisa get’s sticky rice from a Korean place we go to sometimes, and to that she eats super soft Tofu. In the beginning, it looked really bad to me and a little plain, but she is right, it does taste pretty good. I tasted it the first time when she had dunked a big chunk of it into my Udon noodle soup. She is faster that the eye sometimes… I survived and now I actually buy tofu on my own. That is a big step for me. But I feel good about being good, if you understand what I mean. While being out with my husband the other day, I actually ordered crispy Tofu at my favorite noodle place. NO NOODLES!! Wow, what a victory that was.

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Tofu & Eggplant in a Miso broth.

serves 2-3.

One eggplant, cubed into aprx. 1″ pieces. (If you use Japanese eggplant, take a bout 3-4 since they are so small).

2-3 scallions. Cut on the diagonal, into small pieces.

1 fresh hot pepper. Any kind (Optional. You could also use a little dried red pepper flakes).

1/2 -1 box of soft Tofu (or the Tofu of your choice). Cut into 3/4″-1″ pieces.

2 c. water.

2-4 tbsp. Miso paste. Any color.

A splash of oil for frying the eggplant.

You can add any herbs or spices of your choice. It happens that I add a splash of soy sauce or tempura sauce.

Directions;

Heat up the oil in a medium low heat pan. Fry the eggplant until it is starting to get a little soft. Add the miso paste and water. Taste as you go, and add as much of the Miso as your taste buds require. I usually would take about 3 tbsp. for a pot of Tofu & eggplant. Add the Tofu. Let heat through slightly, don’t let it cook. Sprinkle over the chopped scallions and hot pepper.

This is perfect with any kind of meat as well. 

Soft, fast and easy… Not forgetting that it is also healthy.

Enjoy!!!

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“Risgryns Gröt”/Rice Porridge & “Ris a’ la Malta”.

Posted in Desserts, Holidays & Special Occasions, Uncategorized, Vegetarian, tagged , , on December 14, 2012 | 2 Comments »

I know it sounds crazy but a few hours after haven eaten all that Christmas food, it is time for the Christmas Rice Porridge. I don’t understand how we were able to eat anything… But we did. Every year. I can’t do that anymore. It is too crazy. Instead, we eat it in the morning of Christmas day. Since my family comes from different parts of the world we have adopted different traditions. Mine is to celebrate on Christmas Eve and my husbands is the morning of Christmas day. We eat all the traditional Swedish food on the eve but save the rice porridge for the morning after. Since my husband loves eggnog, we drink that at the same time, all while opening Christmas presents.

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Christmas Rice Porridge.

serves 4-6.

1 c. water.

1 tbsp. butter.

1/2 tsp. salt.

1 c. unboiled rice. The round and short kind. Regular rice is not good for this.

4 c. whole milk. (add a little more as needed).

2-3 cinnamon sticks.

1 blanched almond.

Directions;

Use a large pot. Put on a low medium heat. Melt the butter. Add the rice & cinnamon sticks. Let it become a little translucent in the butter. Add the water & salt. Let all the water get soaked up by the rice. Add the milk, little by little. Keep stirring so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot. Turn down the heat so that it is on very low. It will take about 40-60 minutes for the rice porridge to get done. It depends on the size of the pot and how much rice you have added. Make sure that the rice is cooked all the way through. It should not have a hard center but be soft a silky all the way through.

Take off the heat and let sit for a while. Serve it lukewarm with sprinkled ground cinnamon, sugar and some milk.

We blanch an almond (put almonds in boiling water for about 1 minute and snap off the skin). Add to the risgryns gröt. In my family, the person who got the almond had to make a “rhyme”. Other traditions are that the person who would find the almond would receive a small “almond present”.

 

 

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Ris a’ la Malta / Orange Rice.

This dessert is made of the leftover Rice porridge.

Rice porridge.

1 tbsp. powdered sugar.

1 tbp. vanilla sugar  or 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract. (How to make vanilla sugar- Take some powdered sugar and add a vanilla bean. Let sit for a week or so).

1 c. whipped heavy cream.

zest from an orange.

Cut pieces from 1-2 oranges (optional).

Candied nuts (optional).

Directions;

Take the rice porridge (the leftover from before or if you make it from scratch).

Mix in the orange pieces, orange zest, powdered sugar & vanilla sugar (or vanilla extract). Fold in the  whipped heavy cream. Decorate with slices of orange (and candied nuts) and a little orange zest.

Enjoy!!

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Asian Pear Chutney.

Posted in Condiments & Other, Uncategorized, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , on September 23, 2012 | 3 Comments »

It’s about that time again…. The time when I feel anxious and just want to pickle, preserve, make jam & chutney. Do all the things that belongs to fall.

Chutney is something I try to always have in the house. You can “enhance” any meal by adding a little chutney. There are so many versions of this excellent condiment. I use any fruit and spice. The key ingredients are usually curry & ginger. But then again, they belong to my favorite spices. Chutney is typically made in India or South Asia. They used to be made in a mortar pestle but these days one usually use a food processor. I personally don’t. Instead, I cut all ingredients very small and fine and cook it for a long time. A chutney contains spices, fruits or vegetables, vinegar and/or citrus fruits (lemon or lime) & some kind of sugar.

I am not sure why, but my mother always made different kinds of chutney. It is a little bit of a puzzle since it is very far from the typical Swedish food. But then again, my mother was always very adventurous in the kitchen. She experimented and came up with the most tasteful food. I am very fortunate to have learned so much from her.

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Asian Pear Chutney.

1/2 lb apples.

1 1/2 lb Asian pears.

1/2  c. apple cider vinegar (or balsamic vinegar.)

2-3 tbsp. minced or shredded fresh ginger.

1/2 – 1 finely chopped fresh hot pepper.

1/2 – 3/4 c. of brown sugar.

1 lemon. I use both the juice and the zest.

6-8 cloves of minced garlic.

4-6 tomatillos (optional).

1-2 large onions, finely diced.

1/2-1 c, raisins, any kind.

2-3 cinnamon sticks.

2 – 3 tbsp. curry powder.

1-2 tbsp. Madras powder (optional).

1 tsp. salt.

Directions;

Wash and dice the apples and Asian pears (you can use them with or without the peel). Cut up the onions, ginger & pepper (if you prefer a less “hot” chutney, discard the seeds & the membrane of the pepper.)

Mix all ingredients in a big pot. Let come to a boil and then simmer for about 1 hour or until all apples and Asian pears are nice and soft. Make sure to stir ever so often so that it does not burn. Don’t add all sugar at once. Add some and then taste it. If not sweet enough, add more brown sugar.

The chutney should have a marmalade like consistency. When done, pour into well cleaned glass jars. Let cool and then put on the lid. (You can also preserve it through regular canning techniques.)

Keep the jars in a cool and dark place.

You can use the basics from this recipe and just change the ingredients some. Make it your own kind.

I use this to meat, chicken, fish, vegetables… Well really everything and anything. At times, I also use it as a spice for cooking.

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Asian pears. It is a really juicy and sweet fruit. Very delicious.

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Power bars & Trail mix to give us strength for the Olympics!!!

Posted in Baking, Breakfast, Condiments & Other, Desserts, Fast Food, Uncategorized, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 29, 2012 | 4 Comments »

And so it is finally here. The 2012 Olympics!!!!!!

I love watching the Olympic games. Unfortunately everything else around me has to take a backseat during these weeks of competitions. The routine and organization around the house and my time keeping go out the window. In the morning you can tell which people in the subway and at work has been up all night watching the games.

In my house we have three teams to route for; Sweden, USA & of course S:t Lucia. It is great to have “choices”. But ultimately of course, I will sit and cheer for the Swedes. Sorry, but I have to do it.

I think there will be lot’s of “take outs” and “sandwich or non-cooked” dinners going on around the world.

Or, you could do as I do, prepare multiple meals ahead of time. I cook weekly meals and just pop them in the micro wave or the oven. It is all about speed & simplicity during sports events, right??

And, to make sure we last through our days, here are some home-made “Olympic Power bars” and some Trail mix for all of us.

Just a little note. I have used a whole lot of different berries, fruits and nuts in both the power bars and the trail mix. You really don’t have to do that. It is just that I have so many different kinds in the house that I have the luxury of using such a variety. For example, for the power bars It is just as good to only use raisins, oats and almonds if that is what you have at home.

Enjoy the games!! May all your favorite (or all the Swedes) win!!!

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Home made Power bars.

Makes about 14-18 bars.

1 c. old fashion oats.

1 c. dried fruits & berries. I used a mix of dried cranberries, bananas, pineapples, figs, blueberries & mangoes.

1 c. of chopped nuts. I used a mix of hazelnuts, raw cashews, pecans & almonds.

1/2 c. dried coconut flakes or shredded coconut.

1 tbsp. ground cinnamon.

2 tbsp. chopped Gojji berries. (This is not necessary, but I always have it in my food pantry so I used it.)

1/2 c. low or non-fat greek yoghurt.

1 tsp. ground ginger. Fresh or dried. (optional).

1/2 -1 egg (optional).

1-3 tbsp. good tasting honey. 

Dark chocolate (optional).

Directions;

Chop up nuts, fruits & berries. Add to a bowl. Mix in the coconut, honey, yoghurt, and all the rest of the ingredients.

If you add the egg, they become more chewy and dense and a little bit more “baked”. But, the egg keeps the bars better together.

I have made both with and without the egg. I actually prefer without.

Add the mixture to a parchment paper lined large pan. Spray the paper with cooking spray so it is easier to get it out after baking. Make sure to press the mixture down and distribute it well into corners all around.

Bake in a 350 degree oven (fahrenheit) for about 25-30 minutes, or until you see it is drying up very slightly at edges.

Take out of the pan and put on a cutting board. Cut perfect squares. Add them to a drying rack. Let the bars cool down and dry out a little.

If you would like to, melt some dark chocolate and dip one end of the bars into it. It looks really good and professional.

Well, that is really it. These bars are great to keep around the house.

Store them in air tight containers.

Enjoy!!!

Trail mix.

To make your own trail mix, you just need to mix nuts, dried fruits/berries & seeds together.

It is healthier if you use “raw” nuts. Not toasted.

Use any amount you would like too. Just remember to balance it with somewhat equal parts nuts and fruits/berries.

I used;

Dried mangoes, bananas, cranberries, apricots & blueberries. Cashews, hazelnuts, peanuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds & sunflower seeds.

Cut up the dried fruits & berries if needed. Mix all of it together. Portion it into small “snack bags” for easy access for when you are “on the run” or just a big air tight container.

Enjoy!!

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Quick pickle or 1-2-3 pickle.

Posted in Condiments & Other, Uncategorized, Vegetarian, tagged , , on May 12, 2012 | 4 Comments »

Many things can be pickled.

Sometimes I have an urge of something sour/sweet/pickled.

The most common pickling at home would be the quick pickle. Super fast, super easy and super yummy.

You can make it just a little before the dinner is served or days before. I always have a jar with quick pickled cucumbers in the fridge.

When you run out of cucumbers in the jar, keep the pickling liquid and just add more cucumbers.

Quick pickled cucumbers.

1 cucumber.

Dill

1/2 hot pepper. Optional.

3 parts (for ex. 1 1/2 cup)  water.

2 parts ( for ex. 1 cup) sugar. I prefer brown sugar.

1 part (for ex. 1/2 cup) white vinegar.

Directions:

Add water, sugar and white vinegar into a bowl. Let the sugar dissolve. Add chopped dill and pepper. Wash the cucumber. Slice it very thin. If you have a mandolin, cheese slicer or shredder, use that, otherwise, just slice by hand. Add the slices to a big glass jar. Pour over the liquid so that it covers the cucumbers.

Ready to eat a little after it is made. I prefer for it to sit a couple of hours. A trick I learned during my catering days was that when doing regular pickles one can add some ice cubes into the liquid and jar. This makes the cucumbers crunchy.

You can pickle cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, you name it. Try out new ideas. Think Korean. They pickle anything and everything. Actually, in many arabic countries, they serve pickled veggies before or to the meal.

Enjoy.

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Butternut squash soup with a twist.

Posted in Soups, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , on February 24, 2012 | 2 Comments »

What beats a bowl of nice hot soup on a cold dreary day?

It is so easy to make a soup , that it’s almost a crime not to make one. You can spiff up those “bottom of the fridge” items, by putting them into a soup. I know I say this a lot but there are really no rules for what you can make. One of the easiest ways would be to just simmer (slowly boil) vegetables, beans, peas or lentils (or whatever you choose to use in your soup.) When soft, just puree them with a hand mixer. Take out a little bit of the ingredients before mixing, then put them back into the pureed soup, so that you would get a little “crunch”. Spice it up and there you have it, a yummy soup.

I never liked butternut squash soup, since it was a little too sweet for me the way most people made it. Here is my version with a little bit of a twist.  Less sweet and “blend.”

Butternut squash soup with an orange twist.

1 butternut squash.

2 cups of broth (I use chicken, but vegetable broth is fine.)

2 tomatoes, chopped.

1 orange, squeezed.

The zest of the orange.

Hot sauce or any kind of pepper or spice/ herb. I like the taste of thyme to this soup.

Sour cream (optional)

Directions;

Peel and cut the squash into 2″ pieces. Put on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. If you don’t have parchment paper you can do without. Roast the squash pieces in the oven for about 20 minutes or until soft. Keep an eye on them so that they don’t burn. Turn them a couple of times.

Pour the chopped tomatoes, roasted squash pieces, chicken broth, spices. and the squeezed orange juice into a pot. Allow to come to a boil then let simmer for about 8-10 minutes. When all is soft and broken down, take off the heat and puree with a hand mixer directly in the pot. Put the soup back on to the heat.

Mix in the orange rind.  Pour soup into individual bowls. Shred a little green apple or a fresh carrot on top of the soup. Decorate with a sprig of thyme (or any herb of your choice.)  You could also add a tablespoon of sour cream into the soup.

Enjoy.

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Love is in the air. Happy Valentine’s day!!!

Posted in Desserts, Holidays & Special Occasions, Seafood, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , on February 12, 2012 | 4 Comments »

Happy Valentine’s day!!

I got married on February 14th, this was my husband’s idea, to get married on the most romantic day of the year.

Valentine’s is what you make it. You could make “stuff” in heart shapes all day. Or maybe you would choose typical “romantic foods” such as white wine/champagne & shrimps or oysters. A little note in a lunchbox or pocket could even be enough. I think it is a little boring with chocolate dipped strawberries or boxes. I love it, but it’s very predictable.

You can  make your favorite food served in a romantic way. It’s really not all about what you eat, but how you eat it or how it was presented, you can spiff up any meal to make it romantic or sexy…

I cut rose petals into little hearts. You just fold them over and cut half a heart. They are really pretty and different.

Here is my Valentines 3 course dinner.

* Potato pancakes with caviar.

* Baked Lobster tails.

* Strawberry mousse.


Potato pancakes with caviar.

1 potato per person. Grated.

1 tsp of very finely sliced onion. White or yellow.

Butter & oil for frying.

Salt and pepper.

Directions;

Grate the potatoes. Add into a bowl, potatoes, onions, salt & pepper. Mix well with your hands.

Take a small handful of the potato mixture and squeeze out the liquid. Add to the cookie cutter in the frying pan. Pack it well into the edges. Fry on a very low heat so that they are cooked all the way through.

Serve with a dab of sour cream and caviar. I love white caviar, but you can use any kind you like. If you don’t like caviar, just use finely chopped onions. In that case, don’t add any onion in the potato mixture. Let the heart-shaped potato pancake rest on a bed of micro greens. Sprinkle your favorite vinaigrette around it. My favorite is a light walnut/raspberry vinaigrette. Decorate with a couple of pieces of chives.

Baked Lobster tails.

I lobster tail for 2 people. Cooked. (If you buy it raw, steam the tail for about 6-7 minutes in water, a sprig of dill and some salt. Let the tail cool in the liquid.)

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheese.

1 tbsp bread crumbs.

1/2 onion. (Or 2-3 shallots.) Finely chopped.

1/4 cup of white wine (or sherry.)

1 tbsp butter.

1/4  bell pepper (or zucchini). Very finely chopped.

2-3 tbsp finely chopped herbs. Use your favorite. Basil, thyme, dill or parsley….

1 tbsp mango chutney.

Splash of hot sauce (optional.)

Salt & Pepper.

Directions;

Melt butter. Fry the onions and peppers (zucchini).  Add the wine & chutney. Let simmer down for about 5-10 minutes. Let the sauce cool down slightly.

Take out the meat from the shells. Cut into bite size pieces. Clean the shells. 

Mix all ingredients together. Pour mixture into the shells. Sprinkle some of the breadcrumbs over the tails. Put the tails into an oven safe dish.

Bake in a 450 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until golden brow (cheese has melted.)

Serve with a salad or rice. I used  some passionfruit & physalis as decoration since it is Valentines.

It is so much easier than one thinks to do fancy stuff.

To make a chocolate heart, take good dark chocolate. Melt it either in a double boiler on the stove or in the microwave (if using the microwave, look at the chocolate every 10-15 seconds, stirring ever so often.) Make a paper cone out of parchment paper. Pour in the chocolate. Note it is hot. Draw hearts on a piece of parchment paper. Turn the paper upside down on a flat surface. Cut of the tip on the chocolate cone. Start “tracing” the heart shape with the chocolate. Make sure the hearts are not totally solid. you would like for there to be some holes. It looks prettier that way.

Let them cool. If you are in a hurry, put them in the freezer to harden. Stick them in to the mousse. It is really beautiful.


Strawberry mousse.

Makes 4-6 servings.

1 package of fresh strawberries.
1 envelope unflavored gelatin.
1 cup heavy cream.
1/4 cup powdered sugar (can be eliminated if the strawberries are very sweet. I don’t use sugar in my mousse )
1 tbsp of any kind of fruit or berry liquor. I used a wild strawberry liquor. (Optional)
Directions;
Clean the strawberries. Puree them well in a blender.

Prepare the gelatin as per directions on the box. 

Add the strawberry puree into the gelatin. Cool the mixture for about 30 minutes to thicken slightly.

Whip the cream separately. Make sure not to whip it too stiff. If using powdered sugar, add it into the cream gradually, beating constantly, until the cream is thick.

Fold the whipped cream into the strawberry and gelatin mixture. Pour into some nice looking glasses or dishes. Let the mousse chill in the fridge for an hour or until firm. Add the chocolate hearts and a sliced up strawberries for decoration. You can skip the hearts and just use strawberries for decoration, if you rather do that.

If you don’t feel like making a mousse, just serve a nice ice-cream, frozen yogurt or sorbet decorated with the chocolate hearts.

Enjoy.

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