Elizabeth Barrette
Beltane is a holiday of love, romance, and passion. It comes at the height of spring when everything is bursting into new life. As the weather warms, outdoor activities become appealing again. Lovers take long walks and picnics in the park. Single people mingle and sometimes form new relationships. Everything is full of excitement and hope.
Flower Salad
Lettuces, herbs, and other greens are among the early harvest of spring. Edible flowers add color and a festive touch. Fresh fruit represents the sweetness of life.
Prep time: 5–10 minutes
Servings: 4–6
1 package (10 ounces) spring mix salad greens
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup mixed fresh herb leaves
1 cup assorted edible flower petals
1 cucumber, sliced
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 pint fresh raspberries, rinsed
Into a large salad bowl, put 1 package spring mix salad greens. Over the bowl, use kitchen scissors to snip 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves and 1/2 cup mixed fresh herb leaves. Toss gently.
Add 1 cup assorted edible flower petals. (I start with marigolds because they give many petals per head. Bee balm, apple blossoms, nasturtiums, pinks, roses, and violas all work.) Toss gently.
Add 1 sliced cucumber, 1/4 cup sunflower seeds, and 1 pint rinsed fresh raspberries. Toss gently.
Serve with a light vinaigrette, such as the citrus one described in the Winter Solstice Salad.
Passion Fruit Smoothie
Passion fruit embodies positive energy. It encourages passions of the flesh and of the spirit. The passion vine enjoys a thriving symbiosis with ants, feeding them nectar in exchange for their protection from pests and herbivores. That makes it a great support for healthy relationships. Its extravagant flowers bloom in shades of purple, pink, and red, making them a dramatic symbol of amorous interest. In addition to the previous associations, passion fruit also relates to friendship, harmony, magic, and sleep.
Prep time: 10–15 minutes
Servings: 3
1 cup passionfruit juice
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1 passion fruit
1/2 banana
1 mandarin orange
2 tablespoons fresh pineapple or canned crushed pineapple
2 tablespoons fresh or frozen mango chunks
2 tablespoons fresh or frozen papaya chunks
2 tablespoons fresh or frozen strawberries
1 teaspoon freeze-dried goji berry powder or 1 tablespoon dried goji berries
1 tablespoon hemp seed hearts
1 tablespoon coconut milk
1/2 cup ice
(For a dairy-free version, substitute nondairy yogurt or plant milk.)
Put the liquid ingredients into the blender first: 1 cup passion fruit juice and 1 cup vanilla yogurt.
Rinse and pat dry the passion fruit. Using a serrated knife to get through the rind, carefully cut it in half. Scoop the juice and seeds out of the rind into the blender. Don’t scrape hard because the rind is bitter and you don’t want any of it to get into your smoothie.
Peel the banana. Cut it in half. (Save one half for the next recipe.) Cut one half into chunks and put them in the blender.
Peel the mandarin orange. Pull apart the segments to check for seeds, removing any that you find. Add the segments to the blender.
To clean a pineapple: Twist off the spiky top. Slice off the top and bottom so the fruit stands on end securely. Slice down the sides to remove the outer rind, leaving a cylinder of fruit. Cut the cylinder in half, then in quarters, then in eighths. Lay each eighth on its side and cut away the pointed edge to remove the tough core. Cut the remaining fruit into bite-sized chunks. If you don’t have a fresh pineapple, you can use canned crushed pineapple, but include both the fruit pulp and its juice. Add 2 tablespoons pineapple to the blender.
To clean a mango: Slice the plump side “cheeks” away from the big seed. Use a knife to score vertical and horizontal lines through the fruit, forming cubes, without cutting through the peel. Push the peel so the cubes stick out, then shave the fruit away from the peel with a knife. Alternatively, you can use frozen mango chunks. Add 2 tablespoons mango to the blender.
To clean a papaya: Cut the fruit in half. Scoop out the seeds. Rinse the fruit. Then scoop out the soft pulp with a spoon or melon baller. You could also use frozen papaya chunks. Add 2 tablespoons papaya to the blender.
Fresh strawberries should be rinsed and patted dry. Use a paring knife or strawberry huller to remove the stem and the core around it. Drop the strawberries into the blender whole. You can also use frozen strawberries. Add 2 tablespoons strawberries to the blender.
Add 1 teaspoon freeze-dried goji berry powder or 1 tablespoon dried goji berries to the blender. Add 1 tablespoon hemp seed hearts if you want to blend them in. (If you prefer them as a crunchy topping, put 2 teaspoons into the blender now, and reserve 1 teaspoon to put on top of the smoothie when served.) Add 1 tablespoon coconut milk and 1/2 cup ice.
Put the top on the blender and lock it down. If your blender has a “smoothie” setting, use that. Otherwise, blend until smooth.
Chia Pudding with Tropical Fruit
Tropical fruit symbolizes the joy and freedom of the warm season. Chia seeds and plant milks create the rich base to the pudding. The spicy, floral flavor of cardamom evokes a festive mood.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooling time: refrigerate 4 hours or overnight
Servings: 4 (1 cup) or 8 (1/2 cup)
1 can (13.5 ounces) full-fat coconut milk
4 cups almond milk (18.5 ounces)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup sugar (if using unsweetened milks)
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
a pinch of sea salt
1 cup chia seeds
1 cup crushed pineapple
1/4 cup coconut chunks or flakes
1/2 banana
In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 can full-fat coconut milk and enough almond milk to make 4 cups. Whisk in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
If using unsweetened milks, add 1/4 cup sugar. Whisk in 1 teaspoon ground cardamom and a pinch of sea salt.
Whisk in 1 cup chia seeds. Wait 1 minute, then whisk again. Wait 2 minutes, then whisk again. Wait 5 minutes, then whisk again. This minimizes the tendency of the chia seeds to float to the top and form a skin.
There are two ways to serve chia pudding: One is to measure individual servings into dessert cups. Another is to put all of it into a large bowl or dessert ring. Transfer the chia pudding into your chosen container(s) and place it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Just before serving: Distribute 1 cup crushed pineapple evenly over the surface of the chia pudding. Make small piles using 1/4 cup coconut chunks or flakes. Thinly slice 1/2 banana and make a little fan of banana slices beside the coconut on each serving of chia pudding.
This recipe makes four 1-cup servings as a light lunch or eight 1/2-cup servings as a dessert.