Fig & Banana Smoothie

 

I’m finally back in the States after spending most of my Summer in Taiwan. What I miss the most is having fresh tropical fruits on a daily basis. So now that I am back, I have been trying to incorporate more fruits in my diet. I bought two pounds of fresh brown turkey figs because they’re delicious, in season and I got them for $5!

California’s Fresh Figs Seasonal Chart

Chart and descriptions below from California Fresh Figs

• Fresh Brown Turkey Figs 

They are a light purple to black skinned fig with pink flesh and a robust flavor.

• Fresh Black Mission Figs

They are a purple to black skinned fig with pink flesh and an intense earthy flavor.

• Fresh Kadota Figs 

They have a creamy amber color when ripe with a light delicate flavor.

• Fresh Calimyrna Figs 

They are large pale yellow skinned figs with a nutty, sweet flavor.

I enjoy figs in all recipes, but what I love the most is eating them fresh. I’ve been making this smoothie for a couple of days now and still have not gotten tired of it. I love figs!

Fig & Banana Smoothie Recipe

Serves: 1

Cook Time: 5-10 min

• 3 Fresh Figs
• ½ Banana*
• ½ tbp Shredded Coconut
• 1 cup of Soymilk or Coconut milk
• ½ cup of Ice
• ½ cup of Water
• Agave or Honey to taste**

*I used frozen banana chunks. My bananas were softening so I cut them up and put them in the freezer.

**It was sweet enough for me without adding anything extra.

To Make: Add all ingredients in blender and blend

Enjoy!

Tofu Pudding (dou hua)

dou hua from V.P. Tofu

When I tell people I’m vegetarian, one question always follows. What do you eat, tofu?

Why is tofu always the enemy? Tofu’s been nothing but amazing to me. I’ve had it in countless dishes- sautéed, fried, boiled, steamed, salty, sweet and spicy. It never disappoints.

A few years ago, V.P. Tofu opened in Monterey Park, Los Angeles. They make fresh tofu (medium, firm, fried) and soy milk (sweetened and unsweetened) daily. When I’m in the area, I go for the tofu pudding (dou hua). They sell 12 ounces for only $1.25.

Video shows you how much of a pain it is to make fresh soy milk and tofu. The music doesn’t help.

Dou hua is an Asian tofu dessert. It has a smooth silky texture and melts in your mouth. Traditionally, it’s served hot with a sweet ginger syrup. Typically, you can find this prepackaged in Asian supermarkets with the tofu and syrup separated or at dim sum restaurants.

One variation that you can’t find in the markets is the pandan flavored dou hua. V.P. only makes this on weekends. Pandan is a a green plant that has a distinct yet subtle flavor. The green color and flavor is found in Southeast Asian desserts and is often paired with coconut.

pandan flavored dou hua with coconut milk

If you are near a Chinatown or in the Los Angeles area, I suggest giving dou hua a chance. It’s good to try it and even better to try it fresh!

I don’t recommend following these instructions. Another How To link. I can guarantee that you will not enjoy dou hua. If you don’t have an Asian market near you, please wait till you (1) go to Asia or (2) go to a city that has dou hua available.