Fruit Kebabs & Mango Dipping Sauce

Recipe for Fruit Kebabs with Mango Dipping Sauce. Dip them in Mango Dipping Sauce for that healthy but naughty feeling. Fruit skewers make an excellent addition to parties, BBQs, wedding receptions, brunches etc.

Ingredients: (or preferred choice of fruits)

• 5 large strawberries, halved 
• 1/4 honeydew and watermelon, cut into balls or cubes 
• 1/2 pineapple, peeled and cut into chunks 
• some seedless grapes 
• few mini bamboo skewers

Method:

1. Prepare the fruit by washing the selected fruits. 
2. Thread the strawberries, honeydew, watermelon  and grapes alternately onto skewers, placing at least 5-6 pieces of fruit on each skewer. Arrange the fruit skewers decoratively on a serving platter.

Mango Dipping Sauce:

• 2 mangoes, peeled, pitted, and sliced 
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 drops vanilla essence
• 1 tbsp mint leaves - chopped finely

Method:

1. Puree mangoes and yogurt in a food processor or blender until smooth.
2. Transfer puree in a mixing bowl.
3. Add 2 drops of vanilla essence and sugar. 
4. Add chopped mint leaves. Mix well.
5. Keep cool in refrigerator before serving with fruit kebabs.

Note: Instead of Mango Dipping Sauce, try drizzling melted chocolate over fruit. These fruit kebabs really help children get to like and eat more fruit.

Image Credit: Eleanor (WHU)(Very busy) 
Recipe Submitted by: Velu Tim

Pear Charlotte Healthy Birthday Cake

Pear Charlotte is something new for me.  We usually find mango, strawberries kind of fruits on cakes, but pear is quite rarely used.  May be it is time consuming to poach pears.  The cake shop manager recommended this to me as a healthy cake which is not too sweet, light and delicious.  Though my brothers’ blood sugar levels are at the border of diabetes and my cholesterol (HDL) is very high, we still feel comfortable having it. 

My two brothers and I were born in late June (22, 25, 27).  This year our birthdays happen around Dragon Boat Festival (23).  So we had a family gathering on 24 to celebrate all.

The restaurant served us Chinese style birthday buns free of charge.  But I had a cake coupon from Island Shangri-La (because I’m a member of their Health Club), so I also brought my own birthday cake.  Unlike wine opening, most restaurants in Hong Kong won’t charge cake cutting fee.  They even helped to arrange birthday songs while cutting and serving the cake.  Of course we paid a little more tips as appreciation.

Pear Charlotte

Poached Pear on top and inside ladies fingers

The June Birthday Trio of the Yuen Family - from left to right - 27-25-22

PS:  Enjoying a delicious dessert at the end of a great meal is one of life’s sweetest pleasures. 

But we often feel guilty for indulging in sweet treats. After all, most desserts are filled with sugar, refined carbohydrates and unhealthy fats, and they pack more calories than the meal itself!

The healthiest desserts are home-made.  There is a book called Guilt-Free Desserts which guides you through better baking.  It was written by Kelley Herring the Founder and CEO of Healing Gourmet, and also the Editor-in-Chief of a four-book series published by McGraw-Hill including: Eat to Fight Cancer, Eat to Beat Diabetes, Eat to Lower Cholesterol and Eat to Boost Fertility.

It will change the way you think of desserts. Even if you don’t decide to buy the book, you should opt in to subscribe it’s free newsletter and get instant access to two free reports Eat Your Way Into Shape: Your Get Fit with Food Guide - including a fat-burning 7-day meal plan!

Hong Kong Food Blog - Healthy Dessert