739. Mango, banana and mint sorbet

Recipe Swap 2

   
   After Dawn paired us up for the January Food Bloggers Recipe Swap, I had every intention of immediately checking out my partner Sarah Schwarz's blog Cook At Home. However, that did not happen as I was in a holiday mood. When Sarah sent me an email asking me questions to know a bit more about me, I thought I too better get cracking. However, on holiday and no access to a kitchen  I thought I'd go through her blog and decide on what I'd like to make. As I cruise through her blog I see the phrases like Whole 30 and Paleo. Frankly I didn't know what Whole 30 meant till I googled the phrase. So I knew I would find some healthy recipes on her blog, which I did...plenty of them.

  Let's get to know Sarah a bit more. 

Where do you live?

Currently we live in Salt Lake City, Utah but was born and raised in South Australia.  We also lived in Chile for 2 years before coming to the US.

What made you start a food blog?

Discovering that I was gluten intolerant and having to go out of my comfort zone of baking and cooking.  I would make meals for friends and they'd ask for the recipe, so instead of sending out lots of paper recipes, I decided to put them on the website so everyone could access them.  Also helps when I have traveled ... and want to make one of my recipes!

Most of your recipes are healthy. Is there a particular reason for that?

I try to be healthy.  I have a major weakness for cookie dough and cake batter, so I think that if I make more things with fewer processed ingredients, I'm better off if I do indulge a little too much at times.  It's a constant battle though - I do love my sweets!

What are your other hobbies/interests besides cooking?

Is there life outside of cooking and baking?  Seriously, my family are a big part of my life.  I spent 11 years travelling around the world for work and missed a lot of time with my husband and kids.  Now I am home every night and want to make the most of every minute with them.  We go camping, hiking, chilling out watching Eurovision. But I also love cooking with the kids as well!

Is there a particular cuisine you love?

I love Indian food.  And Thai food.  I'd love to get more into the Middle Eastern cuisine but haven't had much opportunity recently with all my special dietary issues.

Who are your favorite chefs?

I love Jamie Oliver and Mary Berry/Paul Hollywood - just shows what a huge influence British cooking has on Australian cuisine.  If I had the opportunity to meet any of them I would jump at the chance!

   As and when I would get time, I would try and narrow down on what I'd  like to make from Sarah's blog(I was not checking out the dessert section!). The words turmeric, chia seeds and omelettata caught my attention. Saved the link on my notepad and thought I was all prepared as soon I reach home.

   As I opened the recipe Turmeric Chia Omelettata to jot down the ingredients, I thought let me check out the desserts (new year resolution-- to steer away from sugar!). As I was clicking on the dessert, I thought " Mayuri you're inviting trouble. You'll get tempted and then crave for something sweet." The first recipe I check out was mango banana sorbet. I was literally jumping for joy as there was no refined sugar in the recipe. It didn't take me a second to change my mind. Living in a tropical region means that I get bananas and mangoes practically throughout the year. Right now, mangoes are in full season and they are so so so sweet. 

   Sarah prepared the sorbet in her ice cream machine. I didn't have the ice cream maker bowl in the freezer ready for use so changed the recipe a bit. I froze the mango chunks and the over ripe banana. Next day put that in the blender along with some water, handful of mint and a generous pinch of salt to balance the sweetness. Hey presto the sorbet was ready in a matter of minutes. Since the weather is pretty hot, I left the sorbet for 1 hour in the freezer before serving. Otherwise it would have been more of a slush than a sorbet. This minty dessert was definitely delicious with a hint of maple syrup taste. 

   Sarah thank you so much for making a guilt free dessert. Definitely going to check out the other desserts too. 

   What did Sarah make from my blog? Click here to find out.

MANGO, BANANA AND MINT SORBET
4-6 servings

1 large ripe mango (approx 300g or 1½ cups diced mango)
1 very ripe banana
15-20 fresh mint leaves
a generous pinch of salt
1-2 tbsp maple syrup (depending on the sweetness of the fruits)
½ cup water

1. Peel and dice the mango.
2. Peel and slice the banana.
3. Put the sliced fruits in the freezer overnight. I layered it on a tray.
4. Add the frozen fruits, water, maple syrup and salt into a powerful blender.
5. Process till you get a smooth slushy consistency. Occasionally you may need to press down the mixture with a spatula.
6. Remove the sorbet into a freezable container. 
7. Let it set in the freezer for 1 hour before serving.

Tips:

• I cut the fruit pieces into small pieces so that processing it is easier.
• I used only 1 tbsp of maple syrup as both the mango and banana were very sweet.
• If you don't have maple syrup, replace it with honey.

You may want to check out my other sorbet recipes:

Watermelon and Mint Sorbet

mango sorbet

Honeydew Melon Sorbet

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