Passionfruit Butter

Concoction is our name for the stellar combination of mint tea/lemonade. The Arnold Palmer — iced tea + lemonade — but this takes it to an entirely new level. I don’t know why this isn’t the drink of choice for every person everywhere. The lemonade gives it a tart sweetness, but the peppermint stands up to it (whereas the regular iced tea in an Arnold Palmer could get lost in the bright lemon flavor). We brew a batch of Bigelow Plantation Mint tea and mix it in with Crystal Light (no joke!) lemonade… the fact that it has zero calories is all the more reason for me to inhale this as sustenance through these hot, humid, torrid NOLA summer days. And really, it couldn’t be easier to make.

Broccoli chips. When you go to the store to buy a big head of broccoli, you probably take it home and use the florets (which is all well and good; raw broc swabbed in Italian dressing is one of my favorite snacks) and then proceed to throw away the dense pale green stalk, which doesn’t lend itself well to the same steaming or dipping. But rather than get rid of it, here’s what you can do: slice the stalk into “chips” — not too thin, not too thick; I’d say a half to a full centimeter? — and toss it with some extra virgin olive oil, just enough for a light coating. Lay the chips on a baking sheet, sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, and roast in the oven (you’ll want a high temperature – 400 or 500). Check frequently until the edges are browned. What you get is sweet, alternately chewy and crisp, and such an incredibly delightful (simple) treat. I’m telling you, people will fight each other for these things (particularly the smaller bits that are caramelized to a crispy golden brown all around) — it’s happened to me.

Sorry there aren’t any pictures. Please just take my word for it. These are two simple, easy summer snacks that will flat out make your life better.