Category: Condiments

Cranberry -Apple Crisp -53 Calories

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A Treat For The Holidays!

Pucker up for a tart twist to traditional Apple Crisp. This recipe is only 53 calories per serving! Both a delicious side dish for your entree or a light a dessert with a dollop of Greek Yogurt. Try low calories–> Peach Crisp–> click here.

Cranberry -Apple Crisp ~ Light & Sugar free!

Cranberry Apple Crisp takes a lot less effort then pie. You’ve heard of tangy rhubarb/strawberry pie. Y-U-M! This is another great combo. Cranberries adds that tangy taste.

Cranberry Apple Crisp

  • Servings: up to 16
  • Difficulty: easy
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INGREDIENTS

– 5 apples (any variety)
– 1/2 bag of cranberries
– 1/2 cup brown sugar (Truvia, brown MONK FRUIT*)
– 1 tsp ground cinnamon
– 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
– 2 tbsp fresh orange juice (I had clementines that day)
– 1/4 cups almond flour -or any gluten free flour
– 1/4 cups uncooked old fashioned oats
– 1 tsp ground fresh cardamon (use mortor and pestal-or-bullet blender)

INSTRUCTIONS
1, Slice the apples into julienne-type sticks. Put them in a large bowl with half a bag of cranberries.
2. Mix together the orange juice, 1/4 cup of Zero Cal. brown sugar, and the cinnamon, then stir that mixture into the apples.
3. Spray a baking dish and spoon in the apple mixture in.

4. In another bowl, mix the oats, 1/4 brown sugar, 1/4 cup almond flour. If you’d like, you can add 3 Tbsp margarine or vegan buttery sticks (I did not add to this recipe: thus the low calorie count.)
5. Distribute this oat topping on top of the apple-cranberry mixture in the pan.
Bake at 350 F for 45 minutes.
Number of Servings: up to 16
Presentation : Thanksgiving Dinner Main course side dish

*MONK Fruit: Monk fruit extract contains zero calories, zero carbs, and is about 150 times sweeter than table sugar. It doesn’t raise blood glucose levels, making it a useful choice for people with diabetes. tart with less sugar – taste; it before adding more. You’ll get it to match your own palate.

53 Calories!

This is a very thin topping. You can use the crisp instead of plain cranberries at your holiday dinner. If you slice this up into 16 portions you will get 53 calories per serving.

Holiday Dinner with Turkey, Stuffing, Veggies, and Cranberry Apple Crisp (53 calories)!

Is your Dessert TOO SWEET?

I wanted to make a tasty “CRISP” that did not have overly abundant amount of sugar. Not sure why some recipes are loaded with sugar. A friend commented about apple crisp recipes (not mine):-She decreased the brown sugar to 1/2 cup ( 50% less) and increased the oats to a scant cup. Also, she was gifted with a basket of pears and substituted pears for apples. Plus added a handful of slivered almonds. I feel the flavors were better with the decrease of sugar. I have made this for several gatherings and it has been quite a hit.

VARIATIONS: Get Creative!

It’s fun coming up with different fruit and vegetable combinations. Squash and apple always paired well together. Make this recipe, add walnuts and fill your acorn squash and bake as usual.

Kimchi O-So-Easy! Holiday Gift

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Kimchi is made with the hope of healing the world!

(One gut at a time)

A traditional Korean side dish of salted and fermented vegetables: napa cabbage, Korean radishes, and seasonings 🔥 . Totally natural and oddly delicious.

Holiday Gift Ideas 🎉 🌟 🎁

How to Make Simple Vegan Kimchi

There are over a hundred different kinds of Kimchi recipes! The recipe for mak kimchi, or simple kimchi is a great place to start. Yield: 1 quart.

Simple Kimchi

  • Servings: 1 quart
  • Difficulty: medium-easy
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INGREDIENTS
1 medium head napa cabbage (about 2 pounds)
1/4 cup iodine-free sea salt or kosher salt
Water, preferably distilled or filtered
1 tablespoon grated garlic (5 to 6 cloves)
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce (or salted shrimp paste, or 3 tablespoons water) to taste
1 to 5 tablespoons Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
8 ounces Korean radish or daikon radish, peeled and cut into matchsticks -optional
4 medium scallions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
½ cup julienned carrot (about 1 small -adds colour you can add julienned red cabbage)
DIRECTIONS
1. Cut the cabbage. Cut the cabbage lengthwise through the stem into quarters. Cut the cores from each piece. Cut each quarter crosswise into 2-inch-wide strips.
2. Salt the cabbage. Place the cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle with the salt. Using your hands, massage the salt into the cabbage until it starts to soften a bit. Add enough water to cover the cabbage. Put a plate on top of the cabbage and weigh it down with something heavy, like a jar or can of beans. Let stand for 1 to 2 hours.
Rinse and drain the cabbage. Rinse the cabbage under cold water 3 times. Set aside to drain in a colander for 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, make the spice paste.
3. Make the spice paste. Rinse and dry the bowl you used for salting. Add the garlic, ginger, sugar, and fish sauce, shrimp paste, or water and stir into a smooth paste. Stir in the gochugaru, using 1 tablespoon for mild and up to 5 tablespoons for spicy (I like about 3 1/2 tablespoons); set aside until the cabbage is ready.
4. Combine the vegetables and spice paste. Gently squeeze any remaining water from the cabbage and add it to the spice paste. Add the radish and scallions.
Pack the kimchi into the jar. Pack the kimchi into a 1-quart jar. Press down on the kimchi until the brine (the liquid that comes out) rises to cover the vegetables, leaving at least 1 inch of space at the top. Seal the jar.
5. Let it ferment for 1 to 5 days. Place a bowl or plate under the jar to help catch any overflow. Let the jar stand at cool room temperature, out of direct sunlight, for 1 to 5 days. You may see bubbles inside the jar and brine may seep out of the lid.
6. Check it daily and refrigerate when ready. Check the kimchi once a day, opening the jar and pressing down on the vegetables with a clean finger or spoon to keep them submerged under the brine. (This also releases gases produced during fermentation.) Taste a little at this point, too! When the kimchi tastes ripe enough for your liking, transfer the jar to the refrigerator. You may eat it right away, but it’s best after another week or two.

Kimchi ~ Dos and Don’ts

Rely on your own sense of smell and taste and you’ll end up with a fine batch. A word of caution: too much garlic can make the kimchi bitter, and too much ginger can make it sticky. Adjust the amount of other spices to your liking. Kimchi can be mild or fiery, it’s your choice. I have received all kinds of opinions. Some cooks swear by a little bit of sugar, others completely shun sweeteners. There are people who include carrots and there are people who wrinkle their noses at the idea.

25 Fermented Recipes

Want to Eat More Fermented Foods? Here Are 25 Recipes You’ve Got to Try.

Kimchi Grilled Cheese

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 slices Sour Dough Bread
  • ½ cup Mozzarella Cheese (shredded)
  • ¼ cup Kimchi (fine chop)
  • 1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter

MY FAVORITE KIMCHI: Leftover water melon rind – (pictured above) – Watermelon rind contains citrulline, which is loaded with antioxidant properties that convert to arginine, an essential amino acid. Arginine is great for the heart, immune system and circulatory system.). Add seeds such as chia, black sesame or pumpkin seeds. You choose. Add the watermelon rind – include the green part. Delicious! I like adding cumin seeds and maybe mustard seed and turmeric.

Storage

If you are planning to keep it in a fridge, make sure that all of its ingredients are fully covered in the brine before you reseal it.

Kimchi can last 3–6 months in the refrigerator. It continues to ferment as it matures, though, becoming more acidic and softer. So, If you prefer a milder flavor or crunchier texture, you may want to eat up your kimchi before 3 months. 

Napa cabbage: A broom that sweeps {your system} clean. Kimchi: Contains protease, lipase, and amylase enzymes making it good for breaking down and absorbing protein, fat, and carbs.

The beneficial power of kimchi comes from vitamin C, vitamin A, thiamine (B 1 ), riboflavin (B 2 ), calcium, and iron. According to some researchers, the antioxidants, and the lactic acid bacteria in kimchi helps with digestion, heart disease and diabetes. Good in a weight loss plan and clear skin. Kimchi boosts your immune system.

David Chang adds sugar to his kimchi along with salty shrimp. Making authentic kimchi with sugar – helps in the fermentation and acts as a preservative and improves the flavour. The probiotics actually consume sugar during fermentation.

David Chang: Chef and Owner of Momofuku, New York

Kimchi hot dogs!

Kimchi pairs well with fried rice, dumplings, and summer rolls, or, ahem, straight out of the jar.

Garlic Scape Pesto…. ‘Scape The Ordinary!

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GARLIC LOVERS REJOICE because we are making pesto from garlic ‘scapes’. Early to mid June is the when scapes start to curl and grow as garlic begins to mature. The flavour of garlic scapes is milder than garlic cloves. They are a cross between spring onions and garlic. Garlic scapes are high in antioxidants, which can protect the cells of the body against bacteria and viruses. After COVID, we should jump on the good health bandwagon.

NEWS BULLETIN: 🧄 Marchand Lamarre, Ontario Garlic 🧄 🧄 farmer extraordinaire is now boxing his Ontario Garlic Scapes for you. Order now: delivered to your doorstep –click—https://garlicloves.com/products (limited season)

These garlic curls are the next best thing to fresh garlic bulbs. Snip them off as soon as you see them curl up; before the garlic ripens!

The reason you want to remove the garlic scapes from your garlic plant is that it will suck the life out of your precious garlic bulbs below the ground if you leave them on.

Once you snap the scapes from the garlic plant give them a smell. A-H-H-H-H-H-H-H ! 😊

Garlic Scape Pesto: Fresh or Frozen

Pesto ‘Muffins’ are frozen, then placed in plastic freezer bags and stored in the freezer. Freeze in ice cube trays or small plastic containers or glass jars. Lighter colored pesto has more parmesan cheese added. (see frozen pesto cubes). The small pesto cups have no cheese. Very dark green. It is good to try different recipes.

Garlic Scape Pesto

  • Servings: 5-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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INGREDIENTS
10-12 garlic scapes ( approx. 1 cups)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (feel free to leave out if you don’t eat dairy)
2 teaspoons fresh ground pepper (add as desired)
1 teaspoon salt (add as required to taste)
1/2 cup basil leaves
1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds or pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1/2 cup avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon (juice)+ 1 tsp lemon zest

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Wash and clean your garlic scapes trimming off any hard bits, brown parts or wilted ends.
2. In a food processor add your cleaned scapes and mince them up.
3. Add the seeds, lemon juice + zest and seasoning and stream the avocado oil through the top of the processor until the pesto is combined.
4. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese until blended.
5. Scrape out your pesto into a container or mason jars and store in the refrigerator up to 3 weeks or freeze for up to 6 months.
6. Yield approximately 2-3 cups or small mason jars.

Buying And Storage TIPS

Fresh Garlic Scape Pesto tastes the best.
  1. Garlic Scapes keep well in cold storage.
  2. Keep scapes in the refrigerator in a paper bag to avoid sliminess (one month).
  3. Look for long, curved, or curly stalks that are firm and vibrant green.
  4. Scapes freeze well. Although they will lose some of their garlicy heat.

VARIATIONS

My favorite garlic scape pesto is on a grilled pizza with fresh mozzarella, basil and mushrooms, drizzled with garlic oil and sprinkled with red pepper flakes. Many garlic scape recipes vary from pine nuts, walnuts, no nuts, cashews, pistachios, almonds, pumpkin seeds, nutritional yeast and sunflower seeds. Your classic basil is sometimes added plus swiss chard or kale. Parmesan cheese is optional. And…they all taste good!

More Variations

  • Pickled Garlic Scapes–  Prepare them just as you would making homemade pickles. Great to munch on like pickles.
  • Garlic Scape Butter– Jazz up your butter with minced garlic scapes to create a garlic butter to die for!!!
  • Garlic Scape Salad Dressing– This was an easy recipe for us because we use garlic quite a bit in our salad dressing especially for summer tomato salad. Simply add some of your garlic pesto or minced scapes to your dressing and shake away.
  • Garlic Scapes and Spinach Frittata– Quick and easy to make and easy to share with the whole family
  • Garlic Scape Soup– Garlic scapes make a delicious broth base for just about any soup that you’d want a hint of garlic.

VARIATION: Add Swiss Chard, fresh parsley, fresh oregano in your pesto blend, 1-2 tbs. nutritional yeast ( I always add 1 tbsp. of the edible yeast )

Garlic Scape Pesto Pasta!

(A) Add fresh, thinly sliced, long strips of garlic scapes to the cooked pasta (B) Add a few tablespoons of Garlic Scape Pesto to your finished pasta.

Garlic Scape Pesto Braided Bread

Pesto Braided Bread Recipe -> https://www.ticklingpalates.com/braided-pesto-bread/

Mango Chutney – Extraordinaire

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This is a tasty and healthy condiment will add a “je ne sais quoi“ to your dinner or appetizer.  This is my best version of mango chutney.   Everyone loves it!  Add mango pizzazz to your  crab cakes, chicken schnitzel and veal.
print_recipe
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INGREDIENTS

  • 1 large mango cubed
  • 1 small red onion, minced
  • 1/2 red pepper, minced
  • 1/2 jalapeño pepper, minced
  • 1 T. cilantro* (aka. coriander) leaves minced
  • 2 T. dried black currants
  • Juice of 2 lime (or 1 lemon + 1 lime)
  • Olive oil

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DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients. Drizzle with some olive oil and toss.
Serve with crab cakes, chicken, veal or scallops.
To plate an appetizer, place chutney on plate and food on top.


DID YOU KNOW?
*CILANTRO
Like a rose by any name will smell just as sweet. Call it what you may, hara dhania, CILANTRO or coriander. They are, one and the same ingredient.
*Coriander: Coriander is also known as Chinese parsley. But, commonly known as cilantro in North America.
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YOUR HEALTH IS YOUR  WEALTH
One cup of diced mango is 100 calories. YUM! The 20% folate (a form of vitamin E) in a mango is metabolized in the liver. Any drinkers with fatty livers will appreciate this fact. All peppers are loaded with antioxidants, but none as much as the brightly colored reds, yellows, and orange. Currents have more antioxidants than blueberries. Mango and peppers are a dynamic duo! Right Batman!