In August, melons are plentiful and inexpensive in the produce aisle. If you are a fruit lover, watermelons, cantaloupes, and honeydews are very sweet and ripe this time of year.
My husband knows I love cantaloupes and bought a few too many last weekend because he couldn't pass up an offer to buy one and get one free.
So I had to put on my Julia Child hat and find some creative ways to gobble up the cantaloupes before they turned into a science experiment on my kitchen counters.
I took to the Internet for some ‘Good and Cheap’ recipes and I stumbled upon an ebook written by Leanne Brown. This inventive 29 year old has written a 132-page recipe book, which is free online, for those on a budget.
One of her recipes included an easy recipe for melon sorbet which serves four. Other recipes include vegetarian jambalaya, Mexican sweet corn, cornmeal crusted vegetables and banana pancakes.
This ebook contains a huge variety of recipes for anyone who is looking to stretch their dollar.
Fast Melon Sorbet
Ingredients
2 cups frozen melon
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla or lime juice (optional)
Instructions
When you see lovely watermelons, honeydews and cantaloupes on sale, buy them up. Eat half, then cube and freeze the other half. When you want a quick dessert or smoothie, pull out a bag of frozen melon and whip this up.
Add all the ingredients to a food processor or blender until just smooth. Don’t blend too much, or the sorbet will become overly soft. Serve immediately or stick it into the freezer to enjoy later.
For Brown’s free recipe book, click here.
Another recipe in the ebook was for the traditional Mexican Melon Agua Fresca which is a sweet cantaloupe juice, and an alternative to cola or iced tea. It is very refreshing and great after a workout or working in the garden or lawn.
Cantaloupe Agua Fresca
2 cantaloupes
1.5 limes
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cups of water or sparkling water
A gallon pitcher
Cut up cantaloupes and mix in the blender.
Add sugar and the juice of 1.5 limes to the pitcher. Stir.
Place a strainer over the pitcher and pour cantaloupe juice into pitcher.
Stir contents and add water to pitcher.
Refrigerate for a delicious sweet drink.
Use remaining lime as a garnish.
You can add more or less water, depending on your taste buds.
Enjoy your summer and these alternative ways to enjoy cantaloupes.
Sources:
Leanne Brown: Cookbooks. Web. 06 Aug. 2014.
http://www.leannebrown.ca/cookbooks
Leanne Brown’s free recipe book . Web. 05 Aug. 2014.
https://8b862ca0073972f0472b704e2c0c21d0480f50d3.googledrive.com/host/0Bxd6wdCBD_2tdUdtM0d4WTJmclU/good-and-cheap.pdf
Taylor, Victoria. "'Good and Cheap': 4 Recipes You Can Make for Less than $5."NY Daily News. Web. 05 Aug. 2014.
http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/eats/good-cheap-5-recipes-5-article-1.1877081
Roberts, Molly. "Cheap Eats: Cookbook Shows How To Eat Well On A Food Stamp Budget." NPR. NPR, Web. 05 Aug. 2014.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/08/01/337141837/cheap-eats-cookbook-shows-how-to-eat-well-on-a-food-stamp-budget
Edited by Jody Smith