Good Measure Meals

Are you searching for a new frozen fruit dessert recipe? I’ve got one for you – it’s called “Tri-Color Fruit Terrine”. This recipe was prepared by my classmates during the “Flourless and Frozen Dessert” practicum at the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts. It was of my favorites because it’s simple, looks impressive, contains antioxidants, fiber-rich fruit, and it would be deliciously refreshing on a hot summer day.

The version we made in class was layered with cherries, strawberry- banana and pineapple-banana.

To make your own version, choose three frozen fruits – any will work! Puree each one separately in a blender and place them in individual covered containers in the freezer to harden for about 20 minutes. Line a terrine or loaf pan with plastic wrap. Remove one of the fruit purees from the freezer and spoon it into the bottom of the pan. Use the back of the spoon to spread the fruit puree into a flat layer. Place the pan in the freeze for 20 minutes to refreeze the layer of fruit. Repeat this step, using a different color of fruit for each layer. To serve, turn the pan onto a serving platter and pull and remove the plastic as the frozen fruit slides out. Slice and serve immediately.

I have a new appreciation for pasta after learning about it during the Pasta Course in the Chef’s Training program at The Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts. There are two main types of pasta – fresh and dry. Both can be appreciated for their unique qualities. Fresh and dry pasta have similar ingredients – ground grain or flour, sometimes eggs, sometimes water, and sometimes oil. These ingredients are mixed together to create a dough that is cut into different shapes, using special machines. The difference in these two types of pasta comes mainly from how they are produced.

Dry pasta is commercially produced. It is known for its ability to be cooked “al dente”. This means that it has more bite and texture when cooked properly. Dry pasta becomes hard in the drying process and requires a longer cooking time than fresh. It has a fairly long shelf life and should be stored covered at room temperature. To cook dry pasta, place it in boiling, salted water for about 6-15 minutes (depending on variety) and drain.

Fresh pasta cooks much faster – in about 2-3 minutes, but “al dente” is harder to achieve because the texture of fresh pasta is much more tender and delicate. Fresh pasta has to be handled with great care and has a much shorter shelf life (only 1-2 days). When cooking, it’s best to lift the pasta up and out of the cooking water, instead of draining  it, to ensure that the noodles don’t stick together or fall apart. The greatest advantage of fresh pasta is the opportunity for the cook to create various combinations of flavors, flours, and fillings.

I had the opportunity to practice my creativity during the pasta course at Natural Gourmet Institute. Our instructor taught the class techniques for making fresh pasta and the group practiced by making fettuccini, angel hair, lasagna, tortellini, cannelloni pasta, ravioli, and gnocchi. It was a lot of fun and not as hard as I had imagined.  We were encouraged to get creative by changing the types of flour (whole wheat, semolina, spelt, buckwheat, and cornmeal) and flavors (fresh herbs, spinach, saffron, tomato, black pepper, beet, mushroom, and eggless). Each version was unique and delicious in its own way.

The next time you purchase pasta or are trying to decide between fresh and dry – ask yourself if you want an al dente texture or if you want a more delicate and soft texture. Also, look for pastas that use whole grain flours that provide some fiber. This will help you feel fuller and eat less. The portion of pasta should look like a side-dish that occupies no more than a quarter of your plate. You can stretch the portion size by mixing in your favorite vegetables, fresh herbs, beans, lean meats and toppings.

Wondering about the different shapes of pasta? Click here

What to learn how to make fresh pasta? Click here

Need ideas for pasta recipes? Click here

What to learn about the taste comparison of whole grain dry pastas? Click here