HopeFULL is frozen poetry of mindful eating

I can’t stop thinking of new HopeFULL ideas. Of course, there’s the coolest flip card recipe book ever, with photos, inspirational poems and general tips on living life. Taste of Thailand puts coconut milk, spiach leaves, lime juice, peanut butter, lime, soy and brown sugar into a frozen pop. I wonder if kids in Thailand would have even thought of that. Next page over is Cocobanana Bean, with coconut milk, black beans, banana and vanilla yogurt. Pink Utopia has beets. I started small with a banana and peanut butter blend, then got bold in my second experiment of yogurt and cut up hemp cake. I want play with pumpkin, carrots, peas, pineapple, etc. This pop method doesn’t involve much more than an orange silicone mold, wooden spoons as holders and your imagination. You can download a tracking chart of your HopeFULL/BellyFULL ideas from www.the HopeFullcompany.com. They have a Rambler lunch bag made from stretchy wet suit material. Before you begin gobbling you treats, consider the mindful eating exercise where eaters are asked to slow down and consider the taste and feel of food as well as the nutrition they are about to intake. I love everything about this business, including the ending of the little writing that comes with the Zucchini Bread pop recipe:

“The only thing that could ruin this day is the fear of it ending.”

Zucchini Bread

1 cup chunked raw zucchini

1 cup vanilla soy milk

½ cup infant oatmeal cereal

4 tablespoons apple butter

1 tablespoon walnut oil

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Add zucchini and soy milk to a blender and liquefy. Add remaining ingredients and blend until completely smooth, scraping down the sices if necessary. Pour into HopeFULL tray, add wooden spoon-sticks and freeze.

Classic Maker’s Mark is onto a trend

Mixologists are making fresh produce the talk of the summer. I recently had a drink with muddled cucumber and vanilla. Apparently you can now see tenders of bars scouring farmer’s markets as thoroughly as chefs. Sugary mixes and artificial syrups are out and fresh fruits, herbs and veggies are in, according to those in the know. Look for the unexpected, such as Thai basil and strawberries. Here’s an idea from promoters of Maker’s Mark:

In New York City, bars including Macao Trading Co., Saxon and Parole, and Ward III serve renowned fresh produce cocktails made with Maker’s Mark. (I will add that the traditional recipes to enjoy this red-sealed wonder are still in vogue. I found plenty of this popular blend for sale on the streets of New Orleans and while I’ve tried several new blends, I’m still down with the simple mixology of sugar and Maker’s Mark over a jar of raisins. Just a few of these little fruits will brighten your brunch.)

The Ward 3

Recipe by Ward III, New York

Muddled Fresh Strawberries

¾ part Fresh Lime Juice

½ part Simple Syrup

1 Egg White

2 Dashes Peychaud's Bitters

2 parts Maker's Mark® Bourbon

Nutmeg

1. Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice.

2. Shake vigorously and pour into a rocks glass.

3. Garnish with a shaving of nutmeg.

Granny’s Grains

My mom often cooks for one, which is how she passed on a few bags of grains with just a few tablespoons of product left in each. After pondering how what to do with it all, I decided to combine and cook. My shrimp and broccoli had a side dish of orzo, pilaf and cous cous. It all worked out well in the end. Unless, of course, you let my mom know I referred to her as “granny.”

ddoiron@panews.com