Vishesh's Berry Tostadas

Tostada means "toasted" in Spanish. Usually, the "toasted" is referring to the golden fried tortilla upon which toppings, usually of the savory variety, are piled. Owing to the delightful cornucopia of seasonal ingredients at the Ratty and the boundless creativity of Brown students, tostadas at the Ratty need not be restricted by their usual meat and salt-laden accompaniments.

Special thanks to Vishesh Jain for emailing us with this elegant recipe for berry tostadas! According to Vishesh, these crunchy chips can be topped with "all kinds of yogurts and berries" - truly a recipe that is only limited by one's imagination (and the whims of the Ratty).

Vishesh's Berry Tostadas
strawberries, sliced
raspberries
blueberries
tostada chips
whipped cream
honey
mint leaves, shredded

Spread tostada chips in a circular monolayer on plate. Put dollops of whipped cream on top, then top with berries. Garnish with mint and a drizzle of honey.

Sunday Morning Crepes

Are crepes for breakfast or dessert? Why can't breakfast be dessert, you ask? Ah my friend, that's the spirit. Of course, if you load on the berries and some freshly sliced bananas, you can justify any dessert/breakfast. Get your calcium and protein fix from some vanilla soft serve (of course that's why we put it on everything...), and you'll be primed to seize the day. 

Sunday Morning Crepes

3 crepes

crepe fillings of choice: chocolate sauce, whipped cream, cream cheese and jam

strawberry compote

pineapple compote

2 bananas, sliced

vanilla soft serve

Spread a different filling on each crepe. We used chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and cream cheese/jam. Fold each crepe in half twice and plate them slightly overlapping. Garnish the crepes with strawberry and pineapple compote, vanilla soft serve, and banana medallions. Savor with a cup of tea and the Sunday morning paper. 

Abigail's Banana Pancakes with Peanut Butter Syrup

Tired of pancakes with maple syrup? Get creative with the toppings! This lovely pancake was made by Abigail Braiman, and we think Elvis would've approved as well.

Abigail's Banana Pancakes with Peanut Butter Syrup 

1 pancake (type/flavor of choice; whole-wheat chocolate chip pictured)

1 banana, sliced

1/2 cup peanut butter (It's easiest if you put it in a coffee mug)

 Slice up banana and arrange on top of pancake. Microwave the peanut butter on high (setting 6 on the dining hall microwaves) for 1 minute. Pour on top of pancake/banana. Enjoy!

Green, Purple, and Orange Salad

Ah, the start of another year.
Gotta take advantage of those stone fruits while they're in season.

Green, Purple, and Orange Salad

mixed greens
sliced green bell pepper
sliced cucumber
feta cheese
plums
apple cider vinegar
olive oil

Mix up the veggies, fruit, and cheese and drizzle with olive oil and apple cider vinegar.

Lily's Glorious Cream of Wheat with Golden Raisins

Things you should never pass up for tests and papers: sleep, breakfast, and golden raisins from the Ratty.

A hearty thanks to our friend Lily for providing us with the inspiration for this recipe! Simple yet wholesome, healthy yet flavorful, this elegant take on cream of wheat is sure to satisfy a hungry appetite during finals week.

Lily's Glorious Cream of Wheat with Golden Raisins

cream of wheat

skim or whole milk

golden raisins

Mix together and enjoy!

Fruity Easter Salad

A fresh fruity salad hits the spot for brunch on a sunny Easter Sunday.

Fruity Easter Salad

baby spinach

romaine lettuce

green beans with sesame

cantaloupe, pineapple, honey dew melon chunks

cucumbers, sliced

golden raisins

feta cheese

balsamic vinegar and olive oil

Toss everything together and enjoy!

Fruity Caprese Salad

March is National Nutrition Month! This year's theme is Eat Right with Color: http://www.eatright.org/nnm/.

In honor of the month, we've amped up the color spectrum on a typically tri-colored classic: caprese salad. Still infused with its lovely basil/mozz/tomato flavor combo, this new take on the traditional favorite is packed with even more antioxidants and those flu-fighting vitamins.

Fruity Caprese Salad

baby spinach

1/2 tangerine, peeled with segments sliced in half

2 basil olive oil infused mozzarella balls (from the Ratty's caprese salad)

3-4 cherry tomatoes (from caprese salad)

3-4 sliced peaches (salad bar)

2-3 roasted beets, sliced thinly

Toss everything together and enjoy! If there happens to be basil infused olive oil at the salad bar, feel free to drizzle it over the salad.

Tropical Sunrise Drink

On a hot day, what could possibly beat a construction-worker-vest-colored drink with a cheesy name?

Tropical Sunrise Drink

ice

cranberry juice

passionfruit guava juice

segmented orange and grapefruit

1. Get a cup of ice.

2. Dispense 1 second of each juice.

3. Garnish with orange and grapefruit segments.

4. Pretend you are on a beach in Hawaii, sit back, and watch your worries fade into the sunset.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Plum Sundae

The soft serve machine at the Ratty has gotten an intense workout lately. While we're at it, why not make a fancier dessert? Plums are in season, and apparently so are giant chocolate chip cookies. I don't know why the cocoa puffs are there. You can leave them out if you prefer no crunchy interferences with your creamy cool soft serve.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Plum Sundae

1 giant chocolate chip cookie

1 plum

1 split-second dispense of Cocoa Puffs

1 not-so-split-second dispense of vanilla soft serve

1. Cut the cookie into eighths, like a sliced pizza.

2. Cut the plum into eighths, like a...sliced plum.

3. Add the cocoa puffs.

4. Add the soft serve, attempting to create a pretty swirl. Evidently, we were not so successful.

Kiwi , Peach, Grapefruit Salad

The peppery taste of arugula provides just the right accent for fresh salad greens, which are topped with sharp feta cheese, tangy balsamic vinegar, fragrant pumpkin seeds, and a blend of sweet and tart flavors from the kiwi, peach, and grapefruit chunks. A thin drizzle of honey enhances the sweetness of the fruits and adds a deeper flavor dimension.

Kiwi, Peach, and Grapefruit Salad

arugula

mixed salad leaves

feta

balsamic vinegar

pumpkin seeds

kiwi slices

peach cubes

grapefruit sections

drizzle of honey

1. Plate the leaves and top with everything else.

Roasted Strawberries and Yogurt

I love these strawberries, and undoubtedly they are good with whipped cream and pound cake, but they are just as good (and good for you!) paired with cool, creamy yogurt and heart-healthy wheat germ flakes.

Roasted Strawberries and Yogurt

1 bowl of yogurt

1 tsp honey

2 roasted strawberries and some juice

2 Tbsp wheat germ

1. Top the bowl of yogurt with an even drizzle of honey.

2. Sprinkle wheat germ on top and garnish with strawberries.

Peach Ice Cream Swan

Okay, we confess. The swan was unintentional. So even if your attempt doesn't resemble a swan, don't worry because it will still taste good.

Peach Ice Cream Swan

1/2 cup peach slices

1/4 cup ice

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp cinnamon

vanilla ice cream

honey

waffle cone

1. Fill a bowl with peaches, ice, and spices.

2. Top with vanilla ice cream.

3. Drizzle honey on top and garnish with waffle cone pieces.

Banana Split Chocolate Cake

An extravagent dessert from the V-Dub. This cake combines the classic unbeatable pairings of bananas and chocolate, strawberries and bananas, strawberries and chocolate, chocolate and vanilla, and strawberries and cream. In short, a pillow of happiness.

Banana Split Chocolate Cake
1 square slice chocolate cake
1 large banana, sliced
2 Tbsp chocolate ganache
1/4 cup sliced strawberries in juice
whipped cream

1. Slice cake into 3 sections.
2. Sandwich banana slices and chocolate ganache between the sections.
3. Garnish with banana slices, strawberries, and whipped cream.

Grapefruit Cinnamon Honey Yogurt

If you picked up a copy of the Brown Daily Herald for Tuesday 12/1, then you'll likely recognize this yogurt creation from the front page! We would like to extend our thanks to Monique for interviewing us and writing about Ratty Gourmet, and I might add that the finishing touch of adding granola to this recipe was Monique's brilliant suggestion.

Grapefruit Cinnamon Honey Yogurt

3/4 cup plain yogurt

1 tsp cinnamon sugar

1/2 grapefruit

drizzle honey

sprinkling of granola

1. Spoon yogurt into bowl. Evenly sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top.

2. Cut grapefruit into small sections and arrange on top of yogurt.

3. Add a drizzle of honey, a sprinkling of granola, and enjoy.

Fruit and Yogurt Salad

It takes a little patience to cut the fruit, but it's worth it! (especially if the kiwis are ripe, the contrary to which we have all adversely experienced) Needless to say, honey with plain yogurt is a classic combo you just can't beat.

Fruit and Yogurt Salad

1 kiwi, cut into bite-sized chunks

1 orange, cut into bite-sized chunks

melon and pineapple chunks

1/2 banana, sliced

1/2 grapefruit, cut into bite-sized chunks

1/2 cup plain yogurt

2 tsp honey

1. Combine fruit in a bowl.

2. Spoon yogurt on top and drizzle with honey.