Chimichurri Sauce

I came across this sauce a few years ago, and never thought to try it. But one day, I decided to give it a whirl with a lovely ribeye steak we were grilling.

I was surprised that it worked so well with steak. It seemed to just brighten the natural flavors of the beef.

So I urge you to give it a go. I suspect it works nicely with any grilled meat.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup fresh (flat-leaf) parsley leaves, tightly packed
• 2 Tbsp. fresh oregano leaves, tightly packed
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• ¼ tsp freshly-ground black pepper
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• ½ cup good-quality olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Put everything in a food processor and whir it up.

SERVES: 1 cup

NOTES: You can easily half this recipe although it keeps well in the fridge. Just remove and bring to room temp before serving.

SOURCE: Gimme Some Oven

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie*

This is simply the best substitute for a regular chocolate chip cookie I’ve found. It’s my new favorite. With this base, you can probably do about anything you desire with other flavors adding and subtracting as the mood strikes you.

All manner of dried fruit, nuts, other things like peanut butter chips, or mint will work here just fine.

Make this in a brownie pan just as easily as a pie dish.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cans white beans or garbanzos (drained and rinsed)
• 1 cup quick oats (or certified-gf quick oats)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 3 tbsp oil (canola, veg, or coconut)
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 C sugar substitute of your choice
• 1 cup chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Blend everything (except the chips) very well in a good food processoR.
2. Mix in chips, and pour into an oiled pan (I used a 10-inch springform pan, but you can use a smaller pan if you want a really deep-dish pie.)
3. Bake at 350F for around 35-40 minutes. Let stand at least 10 minutes before removing from the pan.

SERVES: 9-12

NOTES: Add anything at all that strikes you. Coconut, dried cherries, any nuts you like. Vary the chips and flavorings. Substitute another flavoring for vanilla.

SOURCE: adapted from Chocolate Covered Katie

Chocolate Oh My Mousse*

I’ll walk a mile for a good mousse. Two for a good chocolate one. This sure fits the bill.

I have to say that avocado works well in making puddings but in the back of your mind you always have this green image in your mind that does not comport with chocolate.

This one doesn’t offend my sense of what goes with what.

This is purely heaven.

INGREDIENTS:

• 12 oz silken tofu
• 1 tsp cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp milk of choice or a bit more if needed
• 1/8 tsp salt
•  1-2 tbsp sugar/sweetener of choice

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Melt the chocolate, either on the stove or in the microwave.
2. Then throw everything into a food processor and blend until super-smooth.

SERVES: 6

NOTES: Again, this is stiff enough that it will work as a cake filling or topping on a cream pie.

SOURCE: Chocolate Covered Kate

Sugar Free Plum Jam

I think people balk at making jams because they think they are too hard and too labor intensive. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Mix together a few ingredients and then simmer away until you like the consistency then dip in a water bath for a few minutes and you’re done. The process may take some time, but your involvement is actually fairly minimal.

And did I mention that your jam will be utterly wonderful?

This relies on natural pectin to do the thickening, so it could not be easier.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 quarts chopped fruit (8 cups)
• 1-2 cup sugar substitute (I used stevia granular and about 1 c) (based on taste)
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. The fruit need not be in small dice, just roughly chopped getting out the pits.
2. Add all the ingredients but the sugar into a sauce pan.
3. Bring to a soft boil and continue bubbling for up to two hours (or more if needed) until the mixture has reduced to a thickness you like.
4. Once it is where you want it, add your sugar and mix in until it melts.
5. Ladle into sterile jelly jars. Cap as usual and add to a hot water bath and boil softly for 10 minutes. Remove and cool.
6. Check lids for proper sealing and store in a dark cool place until ready to eat.

SERVES: 4 half-pints

NOTES: While Stevia is heat stable, I don’t want to push it when the mixture has to boil for several hours. So I added the sugar at the end. I’m not certain the water bath is essential but better safe than sorry.

SOURCE: Jarspot