Recipes: 3 Summer break-time ideas

For once, the UK has been enjoying a decent spell of warm weather, but of course, many of us are still working hard, keeping on top of those to-do lists and deadlines. It’s so important to take a break though, so Sally Meier and Catherine Frawley have come up with three lovely snacks to treat yourself to either in the garden or in a park near your office. (2 out of 3 of these can be packed up and brought with you to work!)

Lemon & Pistachio Biscuits {perfect mid-morning break-time}

Makes 30 biscuits approx.

 Ingredients: 

• 100g unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into cubes
• 75g caster sugar
• 200g plain flour, extra for rolling
• Zest of 1 large unwaxed lemon
• 50g pistachios, finely chopped, keep 2 tbsp back to sprinkle on top
• 1 egg yolk
• 2-3 tbsp milk (if needed)

 Method:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pre-heat the oven to 180C
• In an upright mixer, cream together the butter and sugar, then add all the other ingredients (remember to keep back some of the pistachios)
• This may mix into fine breadcrumbs so to create the dough, add a tablespoon of milk at a time and this will combine the breadcrumbs to form a lovely biscuit dough.
• Flour your surface, roll the dough to ½ cm and cut out your biscuits. Place on the baking tray, sprinkle with the remaining pistachios and bake for 12-15 minutes.
• Allow to cool before transferring to a rack to cool completely.

NOTE: These will keep in an airtight container for up to a week.

Sugar Free, Strawberry Milkshake Lollies & fresh lemonade {a refreshing afternoon treat}

LOLLIES: You will need lolly sticks and lolly moulds. Makes enough for 10 moulds.

Ingredients:

• 400g strawberries, hulled, keep a few back and cut into 10 slices
• 600g Greek yoghurt (we used full fat)
• 2 tbsp honey

Method:

• Blitz the strawberries in a food processor until smooth
• Add a tablespoon of blitzed strawberries to the bottom of each lolly mould.
• Add the yoghurt to the remaining strawberries and blitz until combined, it should turn a lovely pink colour.
• Fill your moulds, add a strawberry slice to each, insert your sticks (or however your moulds work)
• Freeze for at least 3 hours.

TIP: To loosen from the mould run briefly under hot water.

LEMONADE: 

Ingredients:

• 6 lemons
• 150g golden caster sugar
• Mint leaves

Method:

• Cut the lemons in half. Leave half a lemon aside for later and squeeze out all the juice from rest. Pour into a jug and add the sugar.
• Pour 2 mugs of boiled water into the jug and stir until all the sugar has dissolved.
• Add 600ml of cold water and mix together. Put it in the fridge and leave to cool.
• Slice the leftover lemon and add to jug with a few mint leaves and lots of ice.

G&T and melon salad {end of the day wind down snack}

Ingredients: 

• Galia melon or similar
• 1 lime
• 2 mint leaves

Method:

• Chop the melon into large bite size pieces.
• Cut the lime in half and squeeze the juice over melon.
• Chop the mint leaves finely and scatter over melon.
• Pour yourself a large gin and tonic and add a slice of lime.
• Relax!

Photography: Catherine Frawley / Styling: Sally Meier