Suja Juice 3-Day Cleanse

I love juicing fresh fruits and vegetables - whether for breakfast, a post-workout snack or even a healthy dessert. Juicing makes it easy to eat a handful of raw kale with a cucumber and orange, all in one glass.

PB Toast and Nectarine break.fast

hi friends. A few things to share with you today.

one. I made this delightful breakfast the other week before a long beach day. I needed some protein (go peanut butter!) to keep me energized. Combined with some fresh fruit and yerba mate tea - it hit the spot. 

two. You should all go visit the lovely Chelsea of Chelsea's Culinary Indulgence, in hopes of winning an adorable apron from Pink Butterfly Aprons. The giveaway closes Thursday at midnight, at which point one lucky lady (or gent) will win the apron of their choosing. Even if you don't want/need a new apron, you should still stop by and browse her amazing recipes, including creations like Maple Bacon Donut Bites and Watermelon and Goat Cheese Bites. {who doesn't love bite sized goodies?}

three. I have been cooking and baking quite a bit lately, even if I haven't been blogging much. But not to worry, all kitchen successes (and flops) have been well documented and will be shared soon.

Hope you have a wonderful day!

A Funny Named Fruit

That's right, we're talking about Kumquats.

A fruit that I have only recently discovered. For years I confused them with another "quat", the loquat.

Kumquats however, are quite different. A sweet, edible rind coats an almost unbearably sour, juicy inside. These little bad boys will have you near tears with their sour pucker. But if you're a citrus fan (I am! I am!) you will find them almost addictive.

A co-worker brought in a large bag of them a few weeks ago. I had to be coaxed into eating one. "You mean you eat the rind? Really?" But, being one who is always game to try new things, I gave it a shot. It wasn't long after that I took a handful for myself.

A friend recommended refrigerating them. Not necessary, but a definite enhancement. There's something about eating them cold that brings out the sweet flavor of the rind to perfectly contrast the acidic flesh of the fruit.

Since then I've been on the lookout to find them again. My local grocer, farmer's market.... no such luck, until last night. There they were, packed and saran wrapped in a small basket. Without hesitation I plopped them in my cart. Forget dinner, as soon as I got home I was washing and soon after devouring them. I ate so many my lips were tingling from their sour punch.

As of yet, I've only been eating them on their own. But I found a few recipes around the web in case you'd like to try them prepared. Enjoy!

 Kumquat Sorbet 

Candied Kumquat Ice Cream

 Kumquat Sour

Kumquat Marmalade Jam

I'd love to try them, but I can't seem to stop eating them long enough to use them in a recipe. Do you like kumquats?