Mums, stop here! Hand this over to your kids (or husbands if your kids need help with reading).
Kids, are you paying attention? All year round, your mum does her best to make sure you are happy, healthy and loved. This Mother’s Day don’t you think she deserves a little pampering in return? Made with lots of vitamin-powered fruit and a few simple ingredients, these home-made gifts are a perfect way to show your appreciation and are sure to put a smile on mum’s face.
These kid-friendly recipes are easy to make and don’t require any stove or oven cooking, so your parents shouldn’t be too worried about accidents. However, it’s always a good idea to have an adult—ahem, dad—supervise. Dad can be your sous-chef and do the cutting, chopping and slicing, while you take charge of dipping juicy strawberries into melted chocolate, rolling truffles in yummy toppings or threading colourful fruit onto skewers. Mum’s surprise won’t be complete without a pretty package, so go wild with ribbons, coloured paper and a home-made card to dress up this gorgeous gift.
Decadent Dark Chocolate Strawberries
Makes 20 strawberries. Chocolate and strawberries are a classic combination, and these beauties are the perfect treat to show your mum some love.
Ingredients and special tools
- 20 strawberries
- 170g of good quality dark chocolate, chopped or broken into small pieces
- Wax paper or non-stick paper
- Baking tray
Directions
- Rinse and gently pat dry the strawberries. They must be dry or the chocolate won’t stick.
- Using a microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate for one minute in the microwave. Stir and repeat heating until the chocolate is smooth. Don’t let it burn, and be careful handling the chocolate and the bowl—hot, melted chocolate can cause serious burns.
- Holding a strawberry by the stem, dip it into the melted chocolate and let the excess chocolate drip off.
- Transfer the dipped strawberry on to a baking tray lined with wax paper. Repeat with the remaining strawberries. If the dipping chocolate starts to harden, simply warm it in the microwave.
- Refrigerate the strawberries for at least 30 minutes until the chocolate is firm. Serve in a pretty bowl. Covered, the dipped strawberries will keep for up to three days in the refrigerator.
Fruity Flower Pot
Serves one. Say “I Love You, Mum” with a beautiful bunch of fruity flowers. Be sure to choose the ripest fruit to make this an extra sweet treat. If an adult isn’t available to help you prepare the watermelon and pineapple, you can purchase already sliced fruit from the produce section of the grocery store. Select a pretty coffee mug or drinking glass to use as the vase. Add some calcium-rich yoghurt as a yummy and healthy dipping sauce.
Ingredients and special tools
- Watermelon, seeded and cut into 2cm-thick slices
- Pineapple, peeled and cut into 2cm-thick slices
- Three blueberries, cut in half
- One bunch of green grapes
- Fresh mint, washed and dried (optional)
- Flower-shaped cookie cutter
- Six wooden skewers, cut to approximately 20cm or an appropriate length to fit your vase
Directions
- Using the cookie cutter, cut out three watermelon and three pineapple flowers.
- Thread each flower onto a skewer, positioning the skewer as the stem.
- Add a blueberry half, cut side down, to the centre of the flower. The blueberry should easily stick.
- Fill your mug or vase with grapes and nestle the skewers between the grapes.
- Fill any gaps with sprigs of mint and serve.
Dairy-free, chocolate date truffles
Makes 12 to 16 truffles. Fibre-rich dates make these a healthier alternative to store-bought chocolates. All you need is a food processor and a good dough ball-rolling technique. If you can’t find Medjool dates, soften your dates of choice by soaking them in hot water for ten minutes and letting them dry completely before making the truffles. Get creative and think of flavours that mum loves—how about topping the truffles with some shredded coconut, crushed peanuts or pistachios? Pack the chocolates in a pretty gift box with coloured tissue paper and you’ve got a super Mother’s Day gift.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Medjool dates, pitted
- 2–3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder plus extra for coating
- Coconut oil or unflavoured vegetable oil
- Toppings of choice, such as shredded coconut, chopped nuts or goji berries
Directions
- Place the dates and cocoa powder in a food processor and mixture until smooth. You may need to scrape down the walls of the food processor with a spoon or spatula to make sure the ingredients are well combined. The final mixture should be sticky to touch.
- With lightly oiled hands, scoop out a tablespoon of the mixture and roll into a ball. Place on a baking tray lined with non-stick paper. Repeat until the mixture is finished.
- Gently roll each ball in cocoa powder or other toppings.
- Serve in truffle paper cups, mini muffin cups or a small serving bowl.
