Tis the season to be jolly so take your festive family recipes up a notch by bringing luscious plums, peaches and nectarines to your yuletide table.
If you are spending Christmas in this year, take advantage of these summer fruits and create delicious new vegan dishes. Besides packing a low-calorie nutritious punch to counterbalance indulgent summer holiday temptations, these juicy stone fruit are incredibly versatile when it comes to festive entertaining. From fresh and succulent salads, to decadent yet light desserts and deliciously fruity cocktails, everyone will be asking for seconds, so don’t expect any leftovers!
Even the colours of these sensational summer fruits are perfect for sprucing up your festive table and there is no need to be concerned when the little ones start tucking into the decorations.
Let stone fruit add that extra zing to your festive plant-based recipes this year by getting the celebrations off to a peachy start with a vegan-friendly prosecco cocktail. Put a new festive spin on coleslaw with finely sliced plums and peaches. A spicy Mexican-style nectarine salad is another sure way to add cheer to your menu. This colourful fresh and fruity dish pairs sweet with heat using sweet corn, nectarines, red pepper, sugar snap peas and jalapeno peppers. End your festive feast with the sweet seduction of dark red citrus poached plums and dollops of vegan vanilla ice cream. You will have everyone licking their lips for more.
Stone fruit are in season all summer long and perfect for snacking on their own, so make sure to put plums, peaches and nectarines on your holiday shopping list.
Feel inspired by following @juicydelicioussa on Instagram or visit www.juicydelicious.co.za for a wide selection of tempting recipes.
Peach Prosecco Cocktail
By Justine Drake
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 peach-flavoured tea bags
1 cup (250 ml) boiling water
¾ cup (183 ml) white sugar
4-8 basil leaves
1-2 peaches, thinly sliced
1 bottle (750 ml) vegan-friendly Prosecco or sparkling wine
Method:
Pop the tea bags into water and infuse to make a strong tea.
Place the tea and sugar in a pot and boil to reduce by half and create a simple peach syrup. Allow to cool.
Place 1 Tbsp (15 ml) of the peach syrup at the bottom of each champagne flute.
Add 2 peach slices and 1 basil leaf and top with ice cold Prosecco.
Simple Citrus Poached Plums
By Justine Drake
Serves 2
Ingredients:
2 cups (500 ml) water
1 cup (250 ml) fresh orange juice
½ cup (125 ml) sugar
Peel of 1 lemon
Peel 1 orange
1 cinnamon stick
6 whole plums, halved and pitted
Method:
Combine water, juice, sugar, citrus peel and cinnamon stick in a saucepan.
Stir over a low heat until sugar dissolves.
Poach plums in the syrup for 20-25 minutes or until tender.
Remove plums from syrup and slip off their skins.
Boil syrup to reduce by half.
Serve plums with a vegan-friendly vanilla ice cream topped with toasted, flaked almonds.
Stone Fruit Slaw
By Justin Bonello
Serves 5
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
A splash of olive oil
Pinch of brown sugar
Juice and rind of 1 lime
Salt and black pepper to taste
½ red onion, chopped
1 red chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped
A piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
2 spring onions, finely sliced
3 peaches, pitted and sliced into strips
3 plums pitted and sliced into strips
Mint leaves, finely chopped
Coriander leaves, finely chopped
Method:
To make a vinaigrette for the slaw, mix together all the ingredients in a salad bowl except the fruit, mint and coriander.
Finish by tossing the fruit into the dressing and serve topped with fresh mint and coriander.
Mexican style nectarine salad
By Jenny Morris
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
3 cups of fresh sweet corn kernels
4 large nectarines cut into cubes
1 cup of cubed cucumber
1 small red pepper, diced
1/3 cup of finely chopped red onion
½ cup of roughly chopped fresh coriander
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
Sugar Snap Peas
Radishes
Baby cucumber ribbons
Baby gem lettuce
Dressing:
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp honey
½ tsp ground cumin
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 cup of vegan-friendly cream alternative (e.g. Orley)
Method:
For the dressing, stir all the ingredients together, taste and adjust the seasoning. Pour over mixed salad ingredients.
Categories: Juicy Delicious
