Fresh Strawberry Mousse for Two
It’s finally strawberry season here! I usually make jam or strawberry shortcake but I wanted to elevate them somehow and this recipe feels very summery and elegant! I love that you can make it up to 48 hours in advance too.
This make-ahead strawberry mousse is rich, creamy and full of intense berry flavor! Processing the strawberries into small pieces and letting them sit with sugar and a little salt causes them to release liquid. Reducing that into a syrup before adding it to the mousse reduces the amount of moisture in the dessert and concentrates the berry flavor. Pureeing the juiced berries results in bright, fresh berry flavor. Gelatin adds structure and cream cheese gives the mousse the perfect rich and creamy texture!
- 1 pound strawberries, hulled (3 1/4 cups)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- Pinch salt
- 3/4 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
- 2 ounces cream cheese, cut into 4 pieces and softened
- 1/4 cup heavy cream, chilled
- Cut enough strawberries into 1/4-inch dice to measure 1/2 cup and refrigerate until ready to garnish. Pulse the remaining strawberries in a food processor until most pieces are 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick about 6 to 10 pulses. Transfer strawberries to a bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons sugar and salt. (Don't clean the processor.) Cover the bowl and let strawberries stand for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Strain processed strawberries through a fine-mesh strainer into bowl, you should have about 1/3 cup juice. Measure out 1 1/2 tablespoons juice into small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over the juice, and let sit until the gelatin softens, about 5 minutes. Place remaining juice in small saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until reduced to 1 1/2 tablespoons, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat, add softened gelatin mixture, and stir until the gelatin has dissolved. Add cream cheese and whisk until smooth. Transfer mixture to large bowl.
- While juice is reducing, return strawberries to empty processor and process until smooth, 15 to 20 seconds. Strain the puree through a fine-mesh strainer into medium bowl, pressing on the solids to remove seeds and pulp, you should have 3/4 to 1 cup puree. Discard the solids in the strainer. Add strawberry puree to juice-gelatin mixture and whisk until combined.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip cream on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form, 1 to 3 minutes. Gradually add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and whip until stiff peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk whipped cream into the strawberry mixture until no white streaks remain. Portion into dessert dishes and chill for at least 4 hours or up to 48 hours. Serve, garnishing with reserved diced strawberries.
- If chilled longer than 6 hours, let mousse sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
Healthy Grab ‘n Go Breakfast Muffins
Do you eat most meals alone? I know I do.
I was reading where people are eating alone more often and I always eat breakfast alone during the week. Most weekday mornings are a rush for my husband to get out the door so eating breakfast together is definitely out, as it is I believe for most people. I have been trying to make breakfasts easier, faster and healthier so make-ahead, grab and go meals are the perfect solution. This healthy breakfast muffin has everything you need to feel like you’re starting your day off on the right foot!
Flavorful add-ins like carrots, banana, and dried cranberries keep these muffins moist while ground flaxseed adds a gold mine of omega-3 fatty acids; just two tablespoons contains more than 100% of your recommended daily intake for those heart-healthy fats. Flaxseed is also rich in fiber and lignan, an antioxidant that’s been shown to protect against breast cancer. I threw in some toasted pecans to amp up the nutrition even more. Pecans contain more than 19 vitamins and minerals including vitamins A, B, and E, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc! Holy moly that’s a lot of nutrition! Make a batch of these on Sunday and store them in the fridge. Microwave them a few seconds before heading out for the day and feel really great about your delicious, healthy breakfast! If you have to eat alone, make these and make the best of it! If you guys have great grab and go breakfast ideas, I’d love to hear about them, just comment below!
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar, use light if that's all you have on hand
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2 Tbsp ground flaxseed
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup skim milk (I've also used lowfat buttermilk with great results)
- 1/2 cup toasted, chopped pecans
- 4 medium carrots, shredded
- 1 medium ripe banana, mashed
- zest of half of orange
- Juice of half of orange
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.
- Whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, flaxseed, nutmeg, and salt.
- Stir in oats, cranberries and nuts.
- Whisk together oil, egg, milk, carrots, banana orange zest and juice until blended.
- Mix the wet ingredients into the dry just until blended.
- Divide batter between muffin cups.
- Bake for 20 to 23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Cool on wire rack completely before storing in an air-tight container.
- You can sub out the cranberries for raisins and leave out the nuts with no problem. I like the flavor the orange zest adds but you can certainly leave that off if you like.
