Hello Spring! Yummy layered Spring or Easter Dessert

Hello Spring!

Spring or Easter layered Dessert

I adapted this recipe to make it a little healthier. It is still in the treat category.  The colors in it were a lot of fun for Spring. It was a light and fluffy dessert. It tasted yummy. It would make a great Easter dessert. It is like eating Spring in a dish. :) Hope you are are in enjoying the Spring season. I have been going on some nice evening walks. It is so refreshing to be outside. Love it!

Directions:
1st layer
1/2 C melted coconut oil
1 1/2 Spelt or whole grain flour
1/2 C chopped pecans

1. Blend the oil into the flour and nuts in food processor or by hand in a bowl.
2. Press into a 9x13 glass pan. Bake at 325 for about 20 min until light golden.

2nd layer 
4 oz of   neufchatel cream cheese
1 1/2 C  whipping cream *
1/4 tsp vanilla or almond extract
yellow food coloring

 1. Beat all the ingredients together until light and fluffy. Add food coloring till you get to your desired yellow color.
2. Spread onto cooled first layer. Place in the fridge while you prepare the next layer.   

3rd layer
1 to 1 1/2 C washed strawberries sliced
2 to 3 sliced and peeled kiwi

1. Place the fruit evenly over the 2nd layer. Return back into the fridge.

4th layer 
 Ingredients (for 4 servings)

4 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
2 c. milk
2 egg yolks
3 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
green food coloring

1. Stir together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in small saucepan. Gradually add milk. Cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat until mixture thickens and becomes bubbly. Lower heat and cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from heat.

2. Beat egg yolks gently. Take a small amount of cooked mixture and stir it into egg yolks to temper egg. This will prevent eggs from becoming scrambled in your pudding. Return egg yolk to the mixture, stirring constantly. Bring to a slow boil. Cook and stir 1 minute longer. Remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla.
Stir in the green food coloring in til you reach your desired color.

3. Cool for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spread over the fruit layer. Place back into the fridge.

5th layer
2 C whipping cream*
2 T powdered sugar * optional
1/4 tsp vanilla or almond extract
red food coloring

1. Beat  the whipping cream till soft peaks. Beat in sugar if desired.
2. Beat in the vanilla and food coloring until desired pink is reached.
3. Spread over pudding layer. Store in fridge until you are ready to eat. Can also be frozen if well covered. Allow time to thaw.

*You could garnish with additional sliced strawberries and kiwi.
* You could replace the whipping cream with coconut milk here is directions how to use it.

Triple Onion Cream Soup

This is not a low fat meal, but it tasted really good. You could cut down the fat by using half and half. Which I usually do, but this time I splurged. I incorporated 3 different kinds of onions. Yellow onions are a sweeter onion and a little more potent. White onions have a little less tang to them. Leek added another dimension as well. The picture does not do it justice.

Ingredients:

1/2 C unsalted butter
3 white onions sliced
3 yellow onions sliced
1 leek chopped fine
2 bay leaf
8 C chicken stock or vegetable stock
1 1/3 C heavy cream (You could use half milk)
a little lemon juice (optional)
salt and pepper , croutons, chopped chives to garnish


Directions:

1. Melt 1/4 C butter in large pan. Stir in all of the white onions with the bay leafs. Stir to coat with butter and cook on low for 30 minutes. Onions should be soft but not brown.

2. Turn up the heat and add the broth, and leek. Add a little salt and pepper too. Bring to a boil lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. Set soup aside to cool down. Take out the bay leaves. Puree the soup in a blender or food processor. Pour the soup back into the pan.

4. Melt the rest of the butter in a frying pan. Cook the yellow onions slowly until soft, but not brown. Take off the lid and continue to cook until the onions are a golden yellow. (These onions add a nice texture and buttery flavor to the soup.)

5. Add the cream to the soup, in the pan with heat on low until the soup is hot. You can add some lemon juice for a nice added flavor. Pour in the yellow onions. Stir for 1-2 minutes. Serve with croutons, chopped chives, or crackers. Yum!