Mango Fro-Yo, Hræringur and a Whole Wheat Crusted Tart

Mango Fro-Yo

One of the best things I've ever done with mango! Super simple and fabulously tasty!!

Backstory – We've taken up eating Siggi's™ Icelandic-Style Skyr.  Skyr (skeer) is the thousand year old Icelandic version of yogurt, made from skimmed milk.

Skyr is roughly 12% protein, 3% carbohydrates and 0.5% fat!  Really healthy stuff that's not as 'sharp' tasting, and much creamier textured than even the best conventional yogurt.

We've been getting the single serving cups of Siggi's, flavored with various fruits and berries, but the other day I picked up a large container of their plain skyr for 'testing purposes'. How many of you can take even some of your grocery bill as a tax deduction???

On the underside of the foil lid of the container was a recipe for Peach Frozen Yogurt.

Nope. Not a peach in sight. But I do have a couple bags of frozen mangos left from last season's crop. Hmmmm!  Not particularly Nordic, but what the heck!

2 cups frozen Mango slices or fillets

¼ cup Sugar or Splendatm

1 cup Siggi's Plain Skyr

1 tsp Lime juice (lemon might do as well)

Fresh grated Nutmeg to taste

In the food processor, combine the fruit and sugar. Pulse until things are finely chopped. Add the yogurt, nutmeg and lime juice. Continue to whizzzz until everything is pureed. Transfer mixture to a wide shallow container (it will freeze faster that way) and freeze for 2-3 hours.

Process the mixture a second time until very smooth. Serve immediately, or transfer to a sealed container and re-freeze until ready to use (or both). Makes 4 servings ramekin sized servings.  Will last a month in the freezer.

I've had a lot of mango flavored ice cream, gelato, etc., over the years. This is hands-down more intensely flavored, richer, and smoother textured than even the best I've had from professional frozen-treat makers!

Hræringur

I think this is pronounced “h-r-air-ing-gur” but don't quote me until we get back from Iceland in September. Yes, we're spending three days in Reykjavik on our way to two weeks holiday in Scotland.

In reading up about Skyr, I discovered that one of the many uses for the product is mixed in with “porridge” which is usually oatmeal. Sweet or savory additions like berries, jam or honey, or herbs etc. are also used.

So I made steel-cut oatmeal for breakfast yesterday, then added a nice big dollop of plain Siggi's Skyr. Sally topped hers with mango (not very Nordic!) and I added some marmalade to mine. Wow! Really filling! Much more than even you ordinary bowl of oatmeal!

Oatmeal or Hræringur isn't very photogenic; besides we were so hungry that we were half finished before I remembered the camera! Here's a photo from

 www.realsimple.com of a fancy bowl of oatmeal with yogurt and marmalade, taken just before someone would stir it all together.

Whole Wheat Crusted Savory Tart

I was trying to “make healthy” for Sally the other day, and made a version of my No-Fail Tart Crust, using half whole wheat flour and half AP flour. That combination is nearly a Fail in the crust department – too dry and flaky. Perhaps I should have used whole eggs rather than just yolks, to hold things together.

We had some goat cheese in the fridge that was starting to turn green; so I cut the moldy bits off and spread it on the still-warm crust. Then I added a layer of pencil asparagus, garlic and chopped Roma tomato, dusted it with Italian Seasoning; then I finished with a shredded cheese blend. The topping combination was really tasty.

I'm not particularly fond of the taste of whole wheat bread products, but Sally thought the flavor was good. The texture needs more work, as I said.