Mother's Day Breakfast Ideas: Chili Lime Fruit Salad Recipe

If you ever visit a San Diego farmers' markets, then chances are you'll see several people milling around who are holding tall, clear plastic cups filled with deliciously ripe fresh fruit such as mangoes, pineapple, and watermelon that have been doused with lime juice, salt, and chili pepper. They may be eating the fruit with a long toothpick (or just with their hands, if they don't mind sticky fingers).

These fruit cups, called copas de frutas in Spanish, are the inspiration for today's recipe: salty, sweet, and tangy Chili Lime Fruit Salad. I have incorporated seasonal fruit such as fresh strawberries, blood oranges, and kumquats, but feel free to substitute what's available where you live.



I added jicama (pronounced hee-kah-mah), also known as a Mexican potato or turnip. It's a large, dense root vegetable with a thin beige peel and a juicy, creamy white flesh. What does jicama taste like? Jicama tastes sort of like a cross between an apple, a potato, and celery. It's mildly sweet and exceptionally crunchy, like a water chestnut.

For your Mother's Day breakfast, serve the fruit salad in individual bowls or glasses, or if it's easier, in one large dish, family-style. It'll be delicious no matter how it's served.


(jicama)

Chili Lime Fruit Salad
Serves 6-8
Print recipe only here.

This salad is highly versatile. Feel free to substitute any fresh fruits you prefer or that are in season where you live. Navel oranges, pineapple, watermelon, cantaloupe, and kiwi are delicious alternatives. For the fullest flavor, serve fruit at room temperature.

2 medium ripe mangoes peeled and cut into thin slices
2 clementines, peeled and sectioned, with white pith removed
2 blood oranges peeled and sectioned, with white pith removed
1 pint strawberries, rinsed, hulls removed, and quartered
1/2 cup jicama, peeled and cut into 1-inch long pieces
1/3 cup sliced kumquats
2 limes
cayenne pepper
coarse sea salt
lime zest curls, for garnish

Place the fruit in a large bowl, and gently toss. Start by sprinkling the fruit with the juice of 1 lime, and season with cayenne pepper and sea salt. Taste it. Then adjust seasonings accordingly. Place in a serving bowl or dish, and garnish with lime zest curls. Serve at room temperature.

Alternative garnishes: unsweetened shredded coconut and fresh chopped cilantro or mint.


Have you gotten this week's earlier Mother's Day breakfast recipes?

Cherry, Prune, and Almond Granola




Apricot, Ginger, and White Chocolate Scones




Spinach and Ricotta Frittata (alternative method for baked eggs included)





Here are more ways to enjoy jicama:
Grilled Corn, Mango, and Jicama Salad with Honey Vinaigrette at Pinch My Salt
Quesadillas with Mango-Jicama Salsa at The Garden of Eating
Jicama Slaw with Roasted Pablano Dressing at Elly Says Opa! (plus a great entry on jicama)

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Mother's Day Breakfast Ideas: Cherry, Prune, and Almond Granola

I first made this cherry, prune, and almond granola in January as a way to use up leftover Christmas prunes. It was so deliciously chunky, chewy, and sweet, that I have made it several times since. Enjoy it for breakfast with low-fat or skim milk or sprinkled on top of your favorite yogurt or cottage cheese.

For your Mother's Day, breakfast, let your guests decide how they'd like to enjoy it. Pour the granola is a pretty bowl with a serving spoon and have milk, yogurt, and cottage cheese available for them to choose.

Tart cherries and sweet prunes compliment each other beautifully in this granola, though feel free to make your own substitutions based on what's in your cupboard. Some other tasty combinations include: cherries and dates, cranberries and prunes, and cherries and apricots. Just about any kind of nut from walnuts to pecans work well. Just don't skip the vanilla and spices, which add subtle flavor and enticing aroma.

Cherry, Prune, and Almond Granola
Yield: 6 cups
Print recipe only here.

4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1 cup whole almonds
3/4 cup prunes, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup dried tart cherries
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup unsalted butter (or butter substitute such as Smart Balance)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 /2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl.

In a small pan over medium heat, melt honey and butter. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Pour honey-butter mixture over the oat mixture and stir until well coated. Spread out mixture on a large rimmed baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake for 10-15 minutes, stirring once or twice, or until granola is golden brown. Cool completely.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

You might also like:

Breakfast Quinoa with Dried Cherries, Raisins, and Pecans





Banana, Coconut, and Medjool Date Bread





Healthy Muffins






More granola recipes I would like to try:
The Best Granola at Alexandra's Kitchen
Glorious Granola at Cookie Baker Lynn
French Chocolate Granola at Orangette

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Mother's Day Breakfast Ideas: Apricot, Ginger, and White Chocolate Scones

Perhaps it's their association with English tea and ladies' garden luncheons that make scones so deliciously feminine. Since they're one of the easiest baked goods to make and are always well received, they're an ideal addition to your Mother's Day breakfast.

These Apricot, Ginger, and White Chocolate Scones are a new creation of mine -- the spicy ginger compliments the sweet apricots and white chocolate, while the slivered almonds provide just the needed crunch. They pair especially well with spiced coffee and, of course, hot tea.



For a pretty, unfussy presentation, serve scones in a linen or cloth-lined basket for your Mother's Day breakfast.

Apricot, Ginger, and White Chocolate Scones
Makes 8 scones
Print recipe only here.

3/4 cups heavy cream or half 'n half
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus 2 tablespoons
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter)
1/4 cup dried apricots, thinly sliced
1/3 cup slivered almonds, plus 2 tablespoons for tops of scones
1/3 cup white chocolate chips
egg wash: 1 egg, lightly beaten OR 1 egg mixed with 1 teaspoon milk, lightly beaten


Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place oven racks in top and bottom thirds of the oven. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, whisk cream, vanilla, nutmeg, and ginger; set aside.

In another bowl, mix dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add chilled butter (in small pieces), and mix with a pastry blender or fork, until a coarse meal forms with tiny pea-sized butter pieces. Mix in apricots, almonds, and chips. Add the cream mixture to the flour mixture and, using a fork, mix until just combined. Do not over mix, or the dough will become leaden.

Using a floured surface, shape the dough into a disk, about 1/2-inch thick. With a wet knife (to make slicing easier) cut the dough into 8 triangular shaped scones. Place scones on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.

Brush egg wash over the tops of the scones and sprinkle with slivered almonds, pressing lightly with your fingers so they adhere.

Bake scones for 15 minutes, rotating pans mid-way through. Bake until puffed and golden; transfer to a rack to cool.

You might also like:

Fresh Apricot Muffins




Date, Fennel, and Pistachio Scones (Heart Healthy & Low Fat!)




Here are a few more to try:
British Scones and Clotted Cream at Cherrapeno
Blueberry Maple Scones at more than burnt toast
Cherry Almond Orange Scones at Sass & Veracity

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Mother's Day Breakfast Ideas: Spinach and Ricotta Frittata Recipe

Mother's Day is in one week. Are you prepared? Skip the flowers and the gift certificates, and make Mom a beautiful breakfast that she won't forget.

To help you out, each day this week I will post an easy, homemade, delicious recipe for a memorable Mother's Day breakfast. I have six recipes in total from which you can choose.

I'm starting with an easy frittata inspired by my mom. Nutmeg has an affinity for spinach. I learned that from her. OK, so she didn't say "affinity," but she loves them together. So will you.


(For individual servings, bake the eggs in ramekins.)

I'm sharing my frittata with dear Nuria of Spanish Recipes, who is hosting her first blog event: Blog Your Omelete, which runs through May 15th. Fortunately, there's enough to share with Ivy of Kopiaste... Of Greek Hospitality, who is hosting a Celebrating Mother's Day event through May 10th.

Spinach and Ricotta Frittata
Makes 8 servings
Print recipe only here.

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups white mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 cups baby spinach, thinly sliced
8 large eggs
4 ounces (1/4 cup) whole milk ricotta cheese, drained
4 ounces (1/4 cup) grated Grana Padano cheese, divided
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg or fresh grated nutmeg
a liberal helping of salt and freshly ground black pepper

Melt butter in an 8-inch non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Add mushrooms; saute 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add spinach and cook just until wilted. Season with salt and black pepper.

In a medium bowl beat eggs. In a small bowl, mix the ricotta, 1/2 of the Grana Padano, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Add to the eggs and lightly mix. Pour into the skillet.

With a fork, gently move the egg mixture from side to side allowing the egg to seep to the bottom of the pan. Do this for 5-7 minutes, until the eggs start to solidify and a crust begins to form around the edges. Give the pan handle a jiggle, and when the eggs appear nearly set, evenly sprinkle the second half of the cheese over the top of the frittata.

Remove the pan from the stove top and place under the broiler for 4-5 minutes, or until the top puffs up and turns golden brown. Keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn. Let cool for a couple of minutes before slicing into wedges. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Optional garnish: In a small bowl toss 1 cups of halved cherry tomatoes with a little extra virgin olive oil, salt, black pepper, and fresh herbs such as basil, dill, or parsley. Serve atop the frittata.

Alternative cooking method:
If you'd like to make individual servings, then you can bake the eggs in ramekins. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat 6 (4 oz.) ramekins with cooking spray; place on a large baking sheet. Divide the egg mixture evenly among ramekins filling no more than 3/4's full. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until puffed and golden. Cool slightly before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.


You might also like:

Heuvos Rancheros with Salsa Verde




Italian Asparagus, Mushroom, and Parmesan Frittata




Swiss Chard, Potato, and Parmesan Frittata




And a few more:
Spinach with Eggs at Almost Turkish Recipes
Onion and Mushroom Frittata at eat me, delicious
Kale and Cheddar Frittata at Orangette

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