My Favorite 5 Ways to Use Orange Blossom Water

My darling neighbor recently gifted me with a bottle of fragrant Orange Blossom Water. I'd never used it before, though I knew that it should be used in very small quantities to impart a delicate floral aroma to dishes. Luckily I stopped my fiance from chugging it straight from the bottle before I had a chance to explain that it was not, in fact, orange flavored water!

I was sipping some iced tea and thought that the orange blossom water could be a nice addition. I added a few drops, and was wowed at the subtle but delicious difference it's delicate flavor made. It turns out, orange blossom water can be incorporated into a lot of things I'm already used to making!

See my 5 favorite ways to use orange blossom water below.

Iced Vegan Pumpkin Spiced Latte

Even here in Southern California, it's beginning to feel like fall! The nights are slightly chillier; it was cool enough this morning that I pulled my blanket out of the closet for the first time in months (in the summer we sleep with just a top sheet and a duvet cover). While the mornings are cooling off, the days have still been warm, and to combine my love of fall with the reality of the daily temperature, I decided to try my hand at iced vegan pumpkin spiced lattes.

Easy Pink Lemonade

My favorite time of year in Southern California is Winter. The days are warm enough for lemonade, and the nights are cool enough for a hot cup of tea. 

And....CITRUS IS IN SEASON. I am so, so lucky to live somewhere where local, seasonal produce is readily available. Even better - the local seasonal produce is so varied that even when heirloom tomatoes and peaches and the bounties of summer can't be found, I can replace them with succulent grapes, more kinds of kale then I've ever seen, squashes galore - and, of course, LEMONS!

Passion Fruit Mojitos

Passion fruit is in season right now, and I have been LOVING these passion fruit mojitos. I mentioned them in a post last week, and I ended up making them again this morning (...without the rum!).

These virgin passion fruit mojitos are tart, sweet, and fizzy — the perfect drink for a hot day like today

Fruity White Wine Sangria

It's stone fruit season, and peaches, nectarines, and plums are at their peak, along with edible novelties like pluots, apriums, and peacotums (peach/apricot/plum crossbreed!). Last week I brought home 5 lbs of the various fruits (I got overexcited at the farmer's market), and though we almost finished them, come Friday we had a few leftovers (and really couldn't bring ourselves to eat them plain anymore).

So, armed with a chilled bottle of Pino Grigio and my trusty chef's knife, I set out to make some Sangria.

Fruity White Wine Sangria

Thanks to my neighbor for this amazing jar!

1.5 mL bottle of inexpensive Pino Grigio, Chardonnay, or Sauvignon Blanc

1/4 c brandy

1/4 c triple sec

4 various stone fruits, pitted and sliced

1 green apple, cored and sliced

1 lemon, sliced and seeded

1 lime, sliced and seeded

sugar, to taste (I used about 3 Tbsp)

Club soda

Add sliced fruit, sugar, brandy, triple sec and wine to a large jar or pitcher. Stir to combine. Put in refrigerator and chill for 2-3 hours. 

To serve, put some of the fruit in a wine glass. Fill with the sangria, and top with club soda.

You can also leave out the brandy and triple sec for something a little less potent; adjust the amount of sugar accordingly. Alternatively, add more club soda to your glass to dilute the drink.

Refreshing, citrusy, and effervescent, this white wine sangria is the perfect refreshment for a hot summer day. 

Simple Strawberry-Orange Smoothie

This is one of my favorite breakfast treats, and it couldn't be easier to make.

Simply add 5-6 frozen strawberries and 8 oz of orange juice to a blender. Blend until smooth. The end result is both sweet and tart, frosty, and light. You can buy frozen strawberries at the store, but making them yourself is a great way to get the most out of a fresh basket. I buy three pints of fresh strawberries each week at the farmer's market, and when one starts getting soft, or weird enough that I don't really want to eat it raw, I hull it and pop it into a container in the freezer. By the end of the week, I have enough to make a Saturday smoothie.

Last night for dinner I made veggie fajitas for one (Nate is in Spain!)

Lots of colorful, fresh ingredients.

I didn't really use a recipe. Just saute 1/2 red onion, 3 minced cloves of garlic, and 1 diced jalapeno until soft. Then crank up the heat and add 1 bell pepper cut into strips, 3 chopped scallions (white/light green parts only), and 2 summer squash cut into half-moons. Add some cumin, paprika, oregano, salt + pepper to taste. Cook until the veggie are a little browned on the edges and the bell pepper is tender. 

Serve with freshly sliced tomato, whole wheat tortillas or wraps, Monterrey jack cheese, and salsa. 

The best part of it all?

I had lots of help!

Stay tuned for homemade white pizza with summer squash, zucchini, and garlic, followed by a clafoutis (gotta make something while cherries are still in season!