Prickly Pear-Photo

Cactus Blossoms

Cookies
1/4 c acorn flour
1/4 c mesquite flour
1 c whole wheat flour
1 T dry egg replacer
1/2 t baking powder
1/3 c sugar (optional)
1/4 t dry ginger
1/2 c pine nuts
1/4 c oil
1/3 c milk, soy milk or rice milk
2 red cactus apples
1/2 orange

Measure out dry ingredients and mix. Peel cactus apple and push through strainer in order to keep cactus seeds separate. Discard seeds. Place the orange and cactus apple mixture in the blender. When liquefied, mix fruit mixture with oil and milk and then add to dry ingredients and stir. Spoon onto cookie sheet, making a depression in the center of each cookie and bumpy edges to resemble petals. Bake for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Frosting
1 T natural buttery spread
1/2 powdered sugar
Red and yellow food coloring

Mix the spread and sugar together. Separate into two bowls. Add red food coloring to one and yellow to the other. When the cookies have cooled, frost edges of cookies. Place a yellow center in the red blossoms.

Thanks to Sara Cunningham for help with presentation.

Kiwi Cactus Pads

Kiwi
Red Cactus apple

So simple. Slice kiwi lengthwise and place on plate as cactus pads. Cut 1/4 red cactus apple into small pieces and top pads with small "flowers".

Jalapeno Jicama Opuntia

1/2 jicama
1/2 red cactus apple
Mint jalapeno jelly
Lime, orange and lemon wedges

Slice jicama into long vertical slices. Peel. Coat with mint jalapeno jelly and a little lime juice. Arrange like cactus pads. Cut ends off red cactus apple and peel. Place small amount at top of jalapeno jicama cactus pads to resemble blossoms. Place wedges of citrus at base with more jalapeno jelly. Very refreshing!

Blooming Cactus-Photo

Desert View-Photo

Palm Grove Cookies

The fan palm is native to California, but not the coconut palm, which can only grow in areas where temperatures never fall below 5o degrees. Although this recipe does not contain native ingredients, it is a reminder of the canyon groves of fan palms found in the Southern California desert.

Sugar Cookies
1/8 c natural buttery spread
1/2 c light brown sugar
1 egg or egg replacer
3 c whole wheat flour
1/4 t salt
3 t baking powder
1/2 c milk/soy milk/rice milk
1/2 t vanilla extract

Mix together spread and sugar, add egg and beat well. Add dry ingredients, milk and vanilla. Roll on floured board and cut with palm tree cookie cutters. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

Frosting
1/4 c natural buttery spread
1/2 c powdered sugar
Green and yellow food coloring

Thoroughly blend the spread with sugar and add one or two drops of food coloring. Frost cookies.

Desert Floor Omelet

3 eggs
1/2 c chopped red pepper
1/4 c chopped cactus
1 chopped green onion
1 finely chopped broccoli floret
1/4 t garlic salt
Salt and pepper to taste

Chop ingredients and add to beaten egg. Chopped cactus can be washed and dried with a towel so that it won't be so gelatinous. Add garlic salt and salt and pepper. Spray frying pan with oil. Cook on low or medium heat until the egg mixture is soft but slightly firm. Turn omelet over and cook until other side is done.
Other breakfast foods, biscuits, etc can be added to this base by placing around them around the
edges of the omelet.

Red and Green Cactus Apple Sorbet

Green Cactus Apple Sorbet
6 Green Cactus Apples
1/4 c Strawberry Kiwi Juice

Red Cactus Apple Sorbet
5 Red Cactus Apples
1 Orange
1/2 c Strawberry Kiwi Juice

For both these recipes, cut the ends off the cactus apples which have been washed. Then make a slit down the center and gently peel the skin off. Put juice in blender and slowly add pieces of fruit. Some persons leave the seeds in, but this example has been strained. You can try different fruit juices and add bits of different refreshing fruits to the final mixture. Pour into small bowls and freeze.

Topping or Addition (shown above on the plate above)
Finely chop rind and a bit of the fruit from a lime, lemon and an orange. These can be added to the blended mixture or placed on top as a garnish. You can also try other types of fruit such as pineapple or kiwi.

Desert Glow

2 Red Cactus Apples
1 Orange

Here is another simple breakfast wake up. After cutting both ends off a red cactus apple, cut it in half and place it in the center of the plate. Then section the other cactus apple and the half and place them in a spiral around plate. Alternate with orange sections.