Cooling the Summer heat with popsicles - even if it has to be done without a blender!

(Em português)

It's been at least one or two Summers since I've been willing to post a recipe for popsicles, I don't recall it precisely.
In the meantime I have been thinking of how to make popsicles that won't come out as ice blocks, but that also won't give me too much trouble (by which I mean: don't require a stand mixer, or re-stirring every 30 minutes) nor take weird industrialized ingredients.
Hummm. How to make it simple?
Well, I have found out a few things about this process through trial and error, and I think finally I can share a "formula", as I did with the crunchy bars. Although, before I jump into the recipe, I would like to tell that I have been interviewed by Melanie Moreira for the site Receitas sem fronteiras, talking a bit about the ways that lead me to the kitchen. It is only available in Portuguese, but if you want to check out anyway, click here.
The picture illustrating the interview is by Nicole Samperi.
Are you feeling like going to the kitchen too? :)

Routine - who would say? - is something likeable. A post about formulas and savory (or not) energy bars.

(Em português)

I don't know about you, but I am a person who likes food. Really.
It gives me severe bad mood if I get hungry/ crave for food, and have nothing to nibble.
And the plot thickens, as I've been in this healthy-eating-well wave.
Because sometimes I could give it a way having snacks at any bakery down the street, but I haven't been feeling like it lately (besides, each little bite you buy around São Paulo represents a significant percentage of one's monthly budget).
So, in May 2012, gathering information here and there and testing a little, I found myself happy about a recipe/ formula that I came up with for oatmeal granola bars.
You see: they are just the way I like it. Crunchy, and accepting a wide variation of ingredients.
The point is: if I'm hungry, I urge for something savory. And that is just not possible with the recipe mentioned.
There are some options of savory bars being sold out there. But I heard that mostly they taste weird.
Anyway, there are possible.
So, there goes Flora looking in the internet for savory energy bars recipes. But they are not easy to find, not at all.
I had found a website which I really enjoyed, I read it on my mobile in the subway, then never found that link again.
I remember the person who wrote that post worked at a hospital, and s/he commented how clumsy it was to eat trail mixes for a snack.
The idea is good, allright. However, it is not functional:
Picture yourself in the bus/ your car/ in the middle of a film set/ at the office, wherever, holding a bag or a cup of nuts in one hand while feeding yourself with the other one.
So, it seemed like a good idea to merge all of the ingredients into one bar.
This person had some vague ideas of ways to put it together, nothing very concrete.
Going on with my research, I found a post at No meat athlete. Then I figured:
I did not need a recipe, I needed a formula. What a smart guy!
It so happens that his formula wasn't exactly what I was looking for, despite of it filling all nutritional needs etc etc etc.
Next step? Make mess in my kitchen until I found a formula I liked.

Party time! - Panettone.

(Em português)

Well, since christmas is around the corner and panettone is a tradition, here it goes.

In my opinion, it makes for great gifts.

I made it a bit different, but used Susan's recipe as a guide.

Red dawn.

(In Portuguese)

Granola with dried cranberries + iced hibiscus tea.

Oh, really?

(In Portuguese)


I was finishing reading some texts last night,
thinking I should go to sleep early, because I was very tired.
So, what's better than a cup of tea, right?
So I made some yerba mate tea, cozy and stuff.
Well, I just found out that mate contains a whole lot of caffeine.
In fact, twice as much as there is in coffe.
So I ended up going to sleep at 3am or something, to wake up at 7am.
Anyway, for unknown reasons, I woke up great.
I enjoyed my newly-discovered caffeine source, which made a fabulous breakfast
along with the granola.

Pesto.

(I've put three basil twigs in water with some flowers, in the hope they will develop roots.)

(In Portuguese)

It's delicious, quick and easy...
I can't remember any cons, only pros.
Since yesterday I had dinner with a friend, I was shy to take pictures of the food.
I made some simple pasta, with store bought tomato sauce, topped with cubed white cheese and pesto.