Tropical Blueberry Cranberry Chia Jam

Have you opened your freezer only to move aside that bag of cranberries you may have forgotten you opened only to have little frozen cranberries spill all over the freezer shelf??  Did you happen to be in a rush so you decided you would remember they were there and promised yourself you'd clean them up as soon as you had a moment?  Did you then forget and next time you opened the freezer find those same frozen cranberries still sitting loose in your freezer shelf?

Don't be like me... always place opened bags of berries in a zip top bag.  And, don't let those nutritious berries sit there taking up freezer space till next Thanksgiving only to realize there are fresh ones in the store so you end up throwing them away.  Cranberries aren't just for the holidays anymore.

With cancer fighting properties cranberries can be slipped into smoothies or quick breads. Or, how about pairing them with another antioxidant filled super food - blueberries - and simmering together a sweet/tart chia jam perfect for topping a crispy slice of toast or slathering over freshly ground almond butter?

Combining blueberries with cranberries brings a virtual powerhouse of nutrition only enhanced by a few tablespoonfuls of protein-filled chia seed.  Sweetened naturally with pure maple syrup you can feel good serving a jam with no artificial sweeteners or processed sugars.

So what are you waiting for?  Blueberry Cranberry Chia Jam = Antioxidant Super Food.  Don't wait for the holidays.... Bring it now!

Shout out to my new favorite bread, that just happens to be vegan, gluten-free and Non-GMO.  Have you tried BFree?!  This Brown Seeded Bread toasted to perfection and became even a bit more heavenly when slathered with our Tropical Chia Jam!

Maple Orange Cranberry Sauce with a Touch of Grand Marnier

Ahhh Cranberry Sauce!  The ultimate Thanksgiving condiment.  Lovely on your holiday table, but in my opinion, even better on a day after sandwich or spooned atop a dollop of goat cheese baked in puff pastry.  But however you enjoy it, homemade is ultimately better than the one from a can.  Though I do have friends who will oppose that statement...

Over the years my tastes have moved from super sweet mostly sugar sauces to versions boosting the cranberry flavors which bring with them loads of health benefits.  

Did you know the cranberry outranks nearly every fruit in disease-fighting antioxidants with only the blueberry ranking higher?  Filled with vitamin C and fiber, cranberries have been associated with lowered risk of urinary tract infections, prevention of certain types of cancers, improved immune functions and decreased blood pressure.

But how did Cranberry Sauce come to be a Thanksgiving tradition?  A native to northeastern North America, the pilgrims most likely had cranberries available to them, however sugar was much harder to come by.  As such, cranberry sauce probably did not accompany the first Thanksgiving.  But, the Native Americans mostly likely taught the new settlers how to use cranberries and their natural preservative power - cranberries were mixed into dried meat meals to extend its shelf life.  The beginning of cranberries at Thanksgiving??  Perhaps.

Whatever the origin, cranberry sauce is here to stay and making your own couldn't be simpler.  Making a no refined sugar version this year I think I've stumbled upon a new favorite with the addition of rich pure maple syrup and sweet, freshly squeezed orange juice.  The splah of Grand Marnier??  Just adding a dash of heaven to tie it all together.

Happy Thanksgiving my friends, may your holiday be filled with delight!

Vegan Blueberry Cranberry Mini Cashew Icebox Cheesecakes

I'm usually quite the rule follower, but today I broke the rules and I have the sweet Kate from Kate's Kitchen to thank!

With this installment of Blogger C.L.U.E, our group's prompt for November is "Pie".  Now I have to admit I'm not much of a pie person.  Not that I would turn away a warm slice of sweet Apple Pie, but I really don't like making it.  Pie just seems to take so long and needs to be planned ahead.

Enter dear Kate.  A blogger I've been following since the Foodbuzz days, Kate hails from Indiana and cooks with her sous chef extraordinaire (and husband!) Connie.  Cooking in a new kitchen (decked out with white cabinets I can only dream of!) Kate and Connie bring spectacular dishes to the table and truly love creating and then enjoying the bounty.  A girl after my own heart, I'd love to share a Pineapple-Chili Margarita with her.

Which brings us to the pie.  Kate is a little like me and doesn't have many pies on her blog ( that Pear Frangipane Tart ?  Divine!), but a post from a prior Blogger C.L.U.E Installment brought a lovely Blueberry Icebox Pie.  Filled with bright blueberries, yogurt, cream and a dash of my beloved Grand Marnier I found my recipe!!  However... my family is dairy-free.  And plant-based.

Our Blogger Clue Group likes our post recipes to remain as close to the original as possible with a goal of introducing new bloggers to our own readers, and here's where I broke the rules.  Going off-grid, I took Kate's recipe as a base and turned it into a dairy-free recipe that has just made our Thanksgiving menu.

Cheesecake has been my sons favorite dessert since he was little and he asked for it for his birthday right up until the moment he became lactose intolerant.  Even after the intolerance began, he would enjoy a few bites along with some lactose pills and still be ok.  But as time passed his intolerance has become severe and now he simply foregos anything with any dairy, and cheesecake has become a thing of the past.

Now I've seen those cashew "cheesecake" versions and while I've wanted an alternative, I've always turned my nose up at them - just too weird.  Basically, if we can't have the real thing we just won't have it.  But my poor son... could there really be a substitute?

Searching the internet for advice on how to turn the heavy cream and yogurt into something dairy-free for Kate's icebox cake took me time and again back to frozen cashew cheesecakes.  "Fine... I'll try it," I thought - doubtful of the result.

So I soaked my cashews and then blended them up with the other ingredients.  Hesitantly taking a taste, the maple syrup and vanilla brought a delightfully sweet flavor to a surprisingly creamy concoction.  Not at all bad.

Freezing them into my favorite Mini Cheesecake Pan (we gave up full size cheesecakes years ago and I'm ever so thankful not to have to cut the cake anymore!) I cheated again and added a bit of cranberry to the blueberry topping for a holidayish (and healthy) addition.

Popping the minis out of the pan I have to say they looked pretty darn cute.  Letting them thaw as I did my photo shoot, they ended up just about the perfect consistency at about 30 minutes out of the freezer - so note to self, remove them as you sit down to dinner and they will be ideal when dinner is finished!

But the true test came with my taste-testers, Liv and my husband.  Now Liv is not a fan of cheesecake in the first place, and for her Kate's graham cracker crust was her favorite part - but I noted that she did eat an entire mini cheesecake.  Not something she's done in the past.

Asking my husband to take a bite he said, "You know I don't want to eat dairy."  I told him to just try it, it's for a post and I needed an honest opinion.  Taking a bit he thought a minute, then took another.  His comments were as follows:
 
"Nice and creamy, and I love the tartness.  The blueberry is awesome.  But you know I don't want to eat dairy.  Why did you even make that?"

Smiling, I call that success.  Even more fun was his face when I told him the cheesecake didn't actually have any cream cheese in it and that it was totally plant-based.

Thank you Kate!  I haven't told my son yet, but my boy will be having cheesecake when he comes home for Thanksgiving this year, and he will be ever so thankful.  We owe this success all to you!

Check out what the rest of our C.L.U.E member made this month!

Liz from That Skinny Chick Can Bake

   

Kate from Kate's Kitchen

   

Christiane from Taking on Magazines

   

Heather from All Roads Lead to the Kitchen

   

Stacy from Food Lust People Love

   

Lisa from Authentic Suburban Gourmet

   

Christy from Confessions of a Culinary Diva

   

Azmina from Lawyer Loves Lunch

   

Kelli from Kelli's Kitchen

   

Kim from Liv Life

   

Anna from annaDishes

   

Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm

   

Jean from Lemons and Anchovies

   

Debra from Eliot's Eats

   

Lora from Cake Duchess

   

Kathy from A Spoonful of Thyme

   

Rebekah from Making Miracles

   

Aly from Cooking in Stilettos

   

Sue from A Palatable Pastime

Cranberry Vanilla Chia Jam

Certain foods have become associated with the holiday season, but in reality there is no reason we shouldn't eat them all year.  Cranberries, for instance.  How often do you see a cranberry dish in summer?

With the super health benefits of these brilliantly hued berries, it's unfortunate we don't keep them around all year.  The high nutrient and antioxidant qualities of cranberries launch them to "Super Food" status and brings an array of immunity and disease fighting phytonutrients (along with a healthy dose of fiber).

Mix those berries together with chia and fresh orange and you get even more health benefits.  Maple syrup adds a lovely sweetness to balance the tartness of the berries, vanilla rounds out the flavors with its ethereal flavors and a splash of Grand Marnier is simply for pure pleasure (purely optional, of course...).  All put together, this jam is up there with the best I've ever had.

Extraordinarily tart on their own, cranberries are not to everyone's taste, but the rich maple syrup in this jam had even my ultra-sweet loving Liv asking for more.  Whether slathered on an almond butter sandwich or topping as a dollop on goat cheese on a slice of bread, cranberries are good for more than just sauce on Thanksgiving.

Easier than getting in the car and running the the store, this jam goes together with no pectin and is done from start to finish in about 20 minutes.  So next trip to the store stock up on a few extra bags of cranberries and stash them in the freezer for a summertime cranberry fix.

Cinnamon Raisin (Cranberry) Oatmeal Bread ~ #ChristmasWeek

Welcome to Day #4 of Christmas Week, a multi-blogger event co-hosted by Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic and Jen from Juanita's Cocina! Each day we will be celebrating the holidays with a different set of Christmas-themed treats, as well as a fabulous Christmas giveaway. We hope you enjoy this fabulous event. Tune in each day starting today, Monday, December 9th and ending Saturday, December 14th.

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Ahhh... cinnamon!  Wafting through your kitchen it seems to be the aroma of the holidays.  From cookies to cider to steaming French Toast, cinnamon is nearly universally welcomed.  We love our cinnamon treats, but with the cookie and treat overload these past few weeks, I've tried to incorporate holidayish flavors into a hearty and healthy bread.

Personally, I find making homemade bread incredibly fulfilling.  Knowing exactly what ingredients are in my loaf allows me to tweak the bread as I see fit for that day.  Need something more healthy?  We can always add more grains.  Need a bit of a treat?  A nice white loaf usually does the trick.  But want something in between?  We've got the answer right here in this soft, tender Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal Bread.

Hearty with whole oats, yet sweet with cinnamon and either raisins or cranberries, this bread makes fabulous toast and a mean PBJ.  French Toast becomes extra special with a double dose of cinnamon and a drizzle of pure maple syrup, and with each serving the bread brings servings of heart healthy fiber and whole grains.

So why not join me in a slice and a cup of tea as we visit the rest of today's #ChristmasWeek participants?  I'm certain they have treats to make us swoon!

• Mini Sugar Cookie Houses aka Hot Chocolate Mug Perches by Cravings of a Lunatic
• Eggnog Cookie Truffles by The Weekend Gourmet
• Spiked Candy Cane Hot Chocolate by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks:
• Gingerbread Texas Sheet Cake with Lemon Frosting by Chocolate Moosey
• Swirl Cookies by Noshing With The Nolands
• Caramel Apples by My Catholic Kitchen
• Homemade Caramels by Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts
• Puff Pastry Ravioli Mince Pies by Food Lust People Love
• Mounds Brownie Cupcakes by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Hot Chocolate Pull Apart Bread by The Dutch Baker’s Daughter
• Sugared Grape and Phyllo Tart by See Aimee Cook
• Taffy Tan Fudge by Mom’s Test Kitchen
• Double Chocolate Pecan Cookies by Cooking In Stilettos
• Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal Bread by Liv Life
• White Chocolate Candy Cane Fudge by Rants From My Crazy Kitchen
• Devil’s Food Cake Cookies by Try Anything Once Culinary
• Cinnamon Whiskey Balls by Home Cooking Memories
• Pumpkin Chiffon Pie by Jen’s Favorite Cookies
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Dough Truffles by Cupcakes and Kale Chips
  • 1. Candy Cane Blossoms by Like Mother Like Daughter

And that brings us to today's giveaway courtesy of Swissmar.   Le Cordon Bleu has been a worldwide leader in gastronomy and hospitality for over 100 years and is widely considered the guardian of French culinary technique.   Swissmar now combines this culinary expertise with their own knowledge and brand recognition to introduce this fantastic new line.   The Le Cordon Bleu ceramic ovenware from Swissmar is all freezer safe, oven safe, dishwasher and microwave safe.  The French-inspired Charmant Collection 5 qt. Rectangular Roaster has scalloped edges and is beautiful enough to go straight from oven to table.  Want one for yourself??  Enter to win a Swissmar Roaster  with the Rafflecopter below! 

***This giveaway is for one Swissmar Charmant Collection 5 qt. Rectangular Roaster (winner's choice of color: blue, yellow, red, or white).  This giveaway is open to Continental US residents only.  When the contest concludes, the winner will be chosen by random draw.  The winner will be notified through e-mail and they will have 3 days to respond or another winner will be chosen.***

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rustic Orange Pistachio Biscotti with Cranberries

December, for me, usually represents a touch of indulgence.  Somehow because it's the "holiday season" I give myself permission for that 3rd or 4th cookie on the plate, the extra cheese and crackers with my wine, and one more piece of Mom's Rocky Road Candy that I'm devouring even though it's safely hidden in the freezer.  Knowing I really won't get back on the full healthy eating track until after the New Year, I try to add healthier ingredients where I can, and I'm feeling pretty darn good about these Rustic Pistachio Biscotti.

Biscotti, with their low fat content, tend to be a healthier choice when cookie indulging, but adding nuts, cranberries and whole wheat flours to the mix makes them an even better choice in my book.

Receiving a care package from the lovely people at Hodgson Mill, their box arrived just in time for my baking duties for a fundraiser for Liv's high school dance team where these biscotti received the ultimate compliment.  Set out as part of an array of treats for an afternoon fashion show and tea, one of the grandfathers in attendance proclaimed these biscotti "The best treat on the table!"  As my heart swelled with pride, I felt pleased knowing these treats brought a healthier cookie choice to the event.

Choosing Hodgson Mill's White Whole Wheat Flour, I feel I can easily incorporate whole wheats into my baked goods while still keeping the treat, well... sweet.

White whole wheat is named for it's lighter color, and while it's actually tan, the flour lends a lighter, whiter color than its red-colored cousin.  Milder and sweeter than the red wheat, I use the white wheat frequently in cookies, pancakes, muffins and other baked good where I don't want a heavy wheat look and/or flavor.

Hodgson Mill is a flour I often turn to as I know their flours have no added chemicals or preservatives and they aren't bleached.  Stone ground at Hodgson Mill's mill, this whole wheat flour includes the entire healthy wheat kernel including the bran, germ and endosperm bringing fiber along with all the nutrients, protein and minerals the wheat plant grew.

Want to try Hodgson Mill flours for yourself?  First off Hodgson Mill is offering a $1.00 off coupon for a 5lb bag of flour or cornmeal, but better yet, they have provied us the opportunity to run a giveaway in celebration of their 25 Days of Grain Holiday for a prize pack filled with Hodgson Mill goodies (Gluten Free option available - Prize valued at $25).

~ Hodgson Mills #GRAINholiday Giveaway ~

The Fine Print...

• No purchase necessary
• Open only to residents of the United States (no P.O. Boxes please...)
• Duration:  Wednesday December 4rd through Tuesday, December 10th at noon PST
• Use PromoSimple Widget to enter
• Winner will be selected by PromoSimple within 48 hours of the sweepstakes closing and contacted by email. Winners have 24 hours to respond to their notification email to claim their prize. If they do not respond, another winner will be chosen. All prizes will be awarded.
• Prize Description:  
  Whole Wheat Prize Assortment:
  ·         A copy of the Hodgson Mill Cookbook
  ·         1 2LB bag Whole Wheat Flour
  ·         1 bag 9-Grain Bread Mix
  ·         1 box Whole Wheat Angel Hair Pasta
  ·         1 package Quinoa & Brown Rice (Garlic and Herb flavor)
  ·         1 package Steel Cut Oats
  ·         A variety of promotional products spatula, measuring spoon, pizza cutter
  
  OR
  Gluten Free Assortment:
  ·         A copy of the Hodgson Mill Cookbook
  ·         1 package Gluten Free Brown Rice w/ Golden Milled Flax Seed
  ·         1 box Gluten Free Sweet Yellow Cornbread mix
  ·         1 package Gluten Free Seasoned Coating Mix
  ·         1 package Quinoa & Brown Rice (Garlic and Herb flavor)
  ·         A variety of promotional products spatula, measuring spoon, pizza cutter
• Giveaway sponsored by Hodgson Mills
• VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW

I can't tell you how envious I am of the lucky winner here... I'd love to see a copy of that cookbook!  For additional info and ways to win Hodgson Mills products be sure to check out their "25 Days of GRAIN Holiday” Sweepstakes!

Secret Ingredient Mixed Berry Smoothie

For the last few weeks my life has been that of a Dance Mom.  Lucky for me, my Dance Mom world is unlike the popular reality show and fills my days with love and the most amazing support as all of us moms work together to get our girls on stage.

Hours have been spent applying glittery rhinestones, sewing elastic bands and embellishments on hats, shopping for the perfect color socks and hair pieces, and planning menus that will fuel the girls for their moments in the spotlight.

While shopping for and creating the costume items is indeed time consuming, I know the job will get done.  It's getting the proper foods into the girls that requires actual skill.  The intense rehearsals and competitions that these talented girls participate in place them firmly into the athlete category, and their bodies need to be fed as such.

As the girls come off the stage, moms can be heard coaxing water, fruits, and proteins.  Dehydration causes cramping and with the energy exerted the girls can quickly find themselves short on water and fuel.  However, Liv tells me that eating after just getting off the stage and getting ready to go right back on leaves her stomach a bit off, but sipping something seems to work well.

Our girls in action!

Enter the smoothie.  Care needs to be taken though, that the chosen smoothie is filled with healthy ingredients and not topped off with ice creams and/or refined sugars.  Hence we frequently make our own so we can control the ingredients.

With an invitation from DailyBuzz Food to try and review Ocean Spray's Diet Cranberry Juice coinciding with last weekend's Competition Showcase, I took the opportunity to bring a version of Ocean Spray's Mixed Berry Smoothie to the performance.  Cranberry has been a favorite of my kids since they were little, and with 1 cup bringing 100% of the recommended daily value for Vitamin C, it has earned a spot in our smoothie ingredient list, however the full juice version can pack a caloric punch.

Using the Diet version, Liv's smoothie brings fewer sugars, and filling in with protein filled, low fat vanilla bean yogurt and a rainbow of frozen mixed berries and mango even more vitamins are added to the mix.  Missing in my rainbow though was the color green.  But that was an easy fix!

Adding the spinach can be your little secret...

Long ago I discovered that my kids don't really care for green foods.  I'm not sure if it's the taste, or simply the color, but more often than not any green foods served on the plate stayed right there... on the plate.  However, sneaky mom that I am, I've tried angle after angle to get the green in and I've discovered that spinach in a smoothie is nearly undetectable if blended properly.  Adding a simple handful of organic baby spinach to a smoothie brings a multitude of vitamins and minerals including a decent dose of calcium which the bones in each of these strong dancers can use.

Packing our smoothie on ice did the trick for Liv's 12 hour dance-filled Sunday.  She sipped her fruits and spinach while chomping on a few almonds, and her energy-filled performance brought tears to my proud eyes.  Together with her teammates, the girls put on a dazzling show showcasing their skill and talent leaving us Dance Moms beaming with pride.
 

Cranberry Pomegranate Almond Granola with Orange Essence

Pulling together the last of our holiday gifts, I've reluctantly packaged up the end of my batch of Cranberry Granola.  Filled with toasted almonds and pepitas, this granola seems to brightly shine with the addition of freshly grated orange peel.

2012 was my granola discovery year.  Even though I am a child of the 60's, I always looked at granola as "hippie food" (not that there is anything wrong with that...) and life took me through some 45 years before I gave granola a try.  Now that I have a number of recipes under my belt, I can't seem to get enough of the crunchy goodness, and I'm thrilled to make it cheaper and healthier at home.

On the forefront of the natural food revolution, granola made a name for itself in the 1960's as young adults took a stand against processed food.  Adding fruit and nuts to a mixture of baked grains, hippies of the 60's revived the crunchy cereal and soon had others referring to them as "Crunchy" or "Granola Heads".

Lately granola has again made a resurgence of sorts, and recipes for all kinds of flavors can be found across the internet.  Often thought of as "health food", one does have to be careful though, as the cereal can be sugar and fat laden, becoming more of a crunchy dessert than a healthy breakfast.

Enter the homemade version.  Inexpensive, lower in fat and sugar, and tailored to your exact preference, what's not to like?  Filled with the whole grain goodness of oats, flax, rye or wheat germ, you choose the grains.  Bound with oils, eggs, fruit purees or nut butters, you choose the fat content.  Sweetened with brown sugar, maple syrup, agave or even apple sauce, you choose the sweetener.  And so on.  Add in your favorite nuts and dried fruits and you have an ideal crunchy topping for yogurt, a delightful bowl with milk or a tasty, energy providing snack eaten out of hand.

Placed in a cute jar or simply tied in a cellophane gift bag, granola is easy to package and works wonderfully as a homemade gift.  With a decent shelf life, granola can be made ahead of time, or tossed together at the last minute when a quick gift is needed.

Celebrating the season, Liv and I tossed together this simple Cranberry Pomegranate Almond Granola and added freshly grated orange peel bringing a beautiful, bright, and healthy treat that is sure to be appreciated.  Our recipe is below, but now that I can claim to be a real Granola Head, I've got a few additional recipes that just might pique your interest:

Peanut Butter Granola
Slightly higher in fat, but I think this one is my all time favorite!

Tahitian Vanilla Granola

Lower in fat, this granola brings a tropical twist.

Maple Granola

Pure Maple Syrup brings you a sweet breakfast in a bowl

 

Pumpkin Granola

Filled with heart healthy ingredients, this granola also brings flavors of Pumpkin Pie

And now we bring your our latest version.... Cranberry Pom Granola with Almonds and Orange Essence.  Package some up for a neighbor today!

Cranberry Orange Muffins

Since she was born, Liv has had quite a penchant for sugar.  As a matter of fact, when asked her favorite food she will often respond, "Sugar!", and she does indeed like it straight from the sugar bowl.

Usually I do my best to tailor recipes to reduce this sweet ingredient, but baking for my carpool girls today, I felt the need for something special.  I went full out, and Darla at Bakingdom provided us with a most ideal recipe not skimping on the sugar.  Not only do her muffins use a full cup of sugar in the batter, but the tops of the tender muffins are not only dipped into a sugar glaze, but then dipped again into a fabulous orange flecked sugar which provides a perfectly delectable topping.

Pulling out my rarely used over-sized muffin tin, 6 extraordinarily generous muffins lent an aroma of heavenly orange to my kitchen as they baked.  Dried cranberries provided the perfect tart foil to the muffin sweetness, but I have to admit that the orange flecked sugar topping won our hearts.

For your sugar fiend, these muffins are sure to be a hit.  As I made the recipe exactly as printed on Darla's blog, I'm going to send you there for the recipe... let her know we sent you, and then let us both know what you think of your own version.  We call ours irresistible.

Cranberry Orange Muffins ~ Click these words to see the recipe at Bakingdom!