Rose-Scented Plum Compote with Cardamom Ice Cream

Last year around this time, I began The Seasoned Traveler, not knowing a thing about blogging and uncertain where it might take me. This year-long adventure has been an amazing experience, one that has taught me a lot about food, photography, and writing, and brought me much joy as a creative outlet, but I’ve decided it’s time to travel onward and tend to new (and old) things. Thank you, all of you who supported and followed my cooking trials, let me open my heart up to you and share 150+ varied recipes along the way.

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Summer Fruit Crisp

The best summer desserts to me take advantage of summer’s bountiful ripe berries and stone fruits and are not too fussy. This one is easy enough to pull together for any occasion, anywhere, even (preferably) at a little rustic cottage. Roll up your sleeves and combine your favorite summer fruit with a simple oat topping. The oven’s magic will turn the fruit jammy and aromatic and the topping crisp; what could be more perfect on a summer evening? It’s delicious served with a scoop of ice cream but is lovely as is, especially if shared with good friends & family. Enjoy!

Summer Berry Mini Tarts

For the first time in a long time, we are spending the Fourth of July in the U.S., and it feels great to be part of our nationwide birthday celebration.

Cherry Phyllo Tartlets with Lemon Mascarpone Cream

A while back, I made some phyllo tartlets with some of the first fresh strawberries of the season and loved them for both their flavor and ease. I recently made some with cherries, after cooking them slightly and making a simple syrup from their juices. The tart-sweet cherries combined with the lemon mascarpone cream reminded me of a cheesecake, and the crisp phyllo gave it a great crunch. Just three bites and I was reaching for another one…

Rainy Day Mixed Berry & Spice Bars

I made these berry and spice bars hoping they would be chewy & crisp, the kind of bars we could pack on a picnic or bring along for a walk in the forest. They instead turned out crumbly and gooey, best eaten right at home, which is what we did during a rainy afternoon yesterday. I’m still on the lookout for a packable & crisp fruit bar for our outings (do you have a good recipe to share?), but these tasty, crumbly ones with jammy fruit oozing out the sides made for a sweet afternoon of nibbling. They’re also a great way to use up a stash of frozen fruit, which I did, to make room for berry-picking season.

Rose, Berry & Pomegranate Panna Cotta

I made this little dessert as an ode to moms, but specifically my mom. I wanted it to have a touch of rose, for the bountiful gardens she tends. It had to be multi-layered, for the way she has constantly re-invented herself through the years, from a young wife supporting her husband through graduate school, to a stay-at-home mom, a working mom, a successful business owner, a teacher, and a community leader. It would need a variety of toppings, for she’s worn many hats throughout motherhood, as maker of our home, nurturer, provider and role model. It had to be something solid but with a rounded softness and lots of give, for the many ways my sisters and I have depended on her and the countless ways she is giving to everyone around her.

Swedish Pancakes with Strawberries

With Mother’s Day around the corner, I thought I’d revisit this tried-and-true recipe with a fresh spring topping. The special moms in your life deserve breakfast in bed, don’t they? What’s better than fresh crepe-like Swedish pancakes, warm from the pan, and topped with whipped cream and strawberries? If it’s your day, moms, and you’re not sure what awaits you on Sunday morning, you might want to print this recipe out and leave it somewhere conspicuous. These are similar to traditional French crepes, but have slightly more eggs and less flour in them — making them easier to cook, springier in texture, and more flavorful, in my opinion. For more topping ideas and tips, please visit my original posting for Swedish Pancakes with Sweet Clementine Sauce. Enjoy!

Chocolate Mousse Parfaits with Cardamom Cream

It’s been a while since I posted a chocolate recipe, and I decided that task needed my utmost attention. A pesky broken oven this week couldn’t thwart me.

Rhubarb-Strawberry-Ginger Sorbet

Photo by James Ransom

I entered this recipe in a Whole Foods Market Cooking contest for “Your Best Rhubarb Recipe” and won! One of the best things about winning was having my sorbet tested and then photographed so beautifully by the talented James Ransom (above photo). I’m thrilled, and grateful to fellow blogger Suzanne @ A Pug in the Kitchen for encouraging me to enter the contest! Here’s my original blog posting:

Date & Cinnamon Baked Bananas

A dessert to go bananas over — this is gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined-sugar free, but you’d never know it. Medjoul dates and maple syrup give this all the natural sweetness it needs, and the cinnamon and cardamom scent imparts comfort and warmth. Inspired by an ayurvedic recipe from Eat-Taste-Heal and a need to use up ripe bananas, this dish comes together in under 20 minutes. The toasted almonds on top give it some extra protein and a satisfying crunch. I made this for a mid-afternoon treat with my daughter, and wished I had more bananas to make it again for breakfast the next day – it’s so simple but satisfying and warming on a chilly spring day.