This past week included its fair share of frozen pizza and scrambled eggs, but I do have a few highlights to share with you.

These shrimp were peeled then marinated for about 30 minutes in a mixture of 1 tablespoon minced fresh mint, 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger, the juice of one lime, a swirl of extra virgin olive oil, plus salt and pepper. We had the grill on low heat for fear of burning them, but we decided that in the future we’ll have to crank it up just a smidge as they took a little longer than they should have to cook. We also grilled up some asparagus that I tossed in olive oil, salt, and pepper, but we weren’t thrilled with it. Until now, I never considered eating asparagus raw, but these ultra-slender shoots were full of flavor and quite tender prior to cooking. Because of their small size, they didn’t stand up very well to the heat and most of their flavor was lost. In the future, I think I’ll grill larger asparagus, while saving the skinny ones for a scrumptious salad.

I teased you with this photo on Instagram a few days ago, but I think you’ll find the details were worth the wait. This simple chocolate soft serve is composed of 1 can of coconut milk, 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, and 3 tablespoons of pure maple syrup. I whirled the ingredients in the blender for 30 seconds in order to incorporate the cocoa quickly and fully, then into the ice cream maker it went. (I got the idea after seeing Alice Currah’s 4 Ingredient Chocolate Cookies ‘n’ Cream Ice Cream recipe via Two Peas and Their Pod.) The chocolate flavor in this is strong but not overpowering, and I love the combination of it with the coconut and maple. Despite the delicious taste, I must say that my favorite part of this treat (besides the ease!) is the texture. So creamy and luscious!

Lastly, we had this grilled corn and tomato bruschetta last night, and it was fabulous. Again, I rehashed a recipe I saw elsewhere (in this case, it was an appetizer that someone brought to our church community group on Wednesday). For the bread, I used a baguette that I sliced on the bias (this helps maximize surface area), brushed lightly with olive oil, then grilled until crisp. Once the pieces were toasted, I rubbed them gently with a clove of fresh garlic. The topping is composed of diced fresh tomato (seeded), red onion, minced cilantro, grilled white corn that I scraped from the cob, the juice of one lime, salt and pepper. These ingredients were combined about an hour prior to dinner time, and I just let them hang out at room temperature to allow the flavors to merry. When it was time to eat, I portioned the mixture onto the bread slices, and finished them with a sprinkling of crumbled queso fresco. This was my first experience making bruschetta, but it certainly won’t be the last – everyone loved it!

Temperatures are forecasted to be in the upper 80’s today (which is HOT for us wimpy Seattleites!), so I’m thinking a cookout after church and running through the sprinkler with Eowyn is likely in my future. I couldn’t think of a better way to spend a Sunday.