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

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Chipotle Honey Chicken Kabobs

This was a great sauce and so perfect with chicken.

Truth is you can use it with breast, wings or any cut at all. I used boneless thighs for this one. Stringing the meat on a skewer is not necessary but does make it easier to handle.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 pounds chicken thighs skewered three on a stick
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp ancho chili powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• For the glaze:
• 2 tbsp chipotles  in adobo finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon of the adobo sauce
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoons soy sauce

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Sprinkle the chicken with the combined baking powder, chili powder, and salt, cover and leave in the fridge until ready to grill.
2. Mix the rest of the ingredients in a small blender and whirr until smooth.
3. Grill the chicken by your preferred method until done.
4. Baste with the sauce and return to the grill until crisped and the edges are blackening.

SERVES: 4

NOTES: You can adjust the chipotles back if you want a milder form and add a bit of ketchup to tame it down.

SOURCE: Meatwave

Sexy Puttanesca Sauce

I adore this sauce. It’s spicy and so full of flavors that it begs for special attention.

Not that it takes much time. In fact it’s very quick to put together. But it will be ordinary unless you use the best of ingredients. So splurge a bit and get the best and you will end up with a masterpiece worthy of company, or yourself for that matter.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 anchovy fillets, roughly chopped, rinse well if you are not overly fond and to remove some of the saltiness
• 1 tablespoon freshly minced garlic (about 3 medium cloves)
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, roughly broken up by hand (again buy good quality Italian canned Roma tomatoes)
• 1/3 c good quality red wine
• 1/2 cup black olives, preferably oil-cured, pitted and coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoon capers, drained
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lb of your favorite pasta cooked al dente

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place olive oil, anchovies, garlic, and crushed red pepper in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until bubbles form around the garlic, about 2 minutes.
2. Add the wine and reduce to about half.
3. Stir in tomatoes, olives, and capers and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer until sauce has slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately over pasta.

SERVES: 4

NOTES: It is in my opinion best if you use the oil-cured olives usually available in markets in an olive kiosk. If you can’t get them, substitute kalamata as the next best choice.

SOURCE: Substantially taken from Serious Eats

Apple Pie Filling*

Nope, it’s not a canning recipe, so relax. It’s just a good method of storage either in the fridge or in the freezer.

This was a recipe for making apple enchiladas which I just changed by eliminating the enchilada part focusing on the filling which has so many uses that, well you should consider putting it up in quantities in the freezer for use throughout the year.

It’s simple to make, and you can reduce the sugar to zero if you wish, which makes it a great condiment for those on sugar/carb restricted diets by choice or otherwise.

Do add it to your repertoire.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 1/2 cups chopped apples (about 4 1/2 small apples)
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot
• scant 1/4 tsp pure stevia extract, or 1/2 cup sugar of choice
• 1 cup apple juice (I used all-natural)
• 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place 2 cups of the chopped apples in a medium saucepan with the water. Bring to a boil, then cook on low heat for 8 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, combine remaining 2 1/2 cups apple with all other ingredients in a blender, and blend until completely smooth.
3. After the 8 minutes, add the blender contents to the saucepan and bring to a boil again. Once it begins to boil again, turn heat to low. Cook 30 minutes, stirring very occasionally (just like 3-4 times).
4. Let cool, then put in the refrigerator, uncovered. Wait at least 4 hours before using as the mixture thickens as it cools.

SERVES: about 3 cups

NOTES: You can further reduce the sugar content by substituting the apple juice with apple extract and you can make your own here.  (you can also buy it on the internet if your store doesn’t carry it) If you do the extract, add another cup of water and use about 1 tsp of the extract.  Depending on the sweetness of the apples you use, you can play a bit with how much of the sugar substitute you use as well.

SOURCE: Apple filling is from Chocolate Covered Kate

Chicken with Green Chile Aioli Sauce

There is, it seems, always a new way to enjoy chicken. And this is surely one of them.

But this sauce a basic aioli, which also has infinite variations, goes with just about everything. It makes a great sandwich spread, goes with pork, beef, fish, seafood, you name it.

Make it a staple in your fridge and you will always have something to brighten up even the most mundane of meals.

 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 whole chicken breast, divided into 4 fillets
• EVOO
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 lemon
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 c good quality mayonnaise or make your own
• 1 lg chile (Hatch, Poblano, Anaheim), roasted, peeled and seeded
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 lime

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place 1/3 c of EVOO together with 2 minced cloves of garlic, the juice of 1/2 of the lemon and salt and pepper into a plastic bag. Add the chicken and massage to insure all pieces are covered. Place in the fridge for 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
2. Place the mayo, diced up chile, sliced up garlic clove and juice of 1/2 the lime into a blender. Whirr until smooth and then drizzle EVOO as the machine runs until you have a pourable sauce.
3. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Grill or Saute the chicken until done.
5. Serve the sauce on the side at the table.

SERVES: Makes 1/2 cup

NOTES: You might want to flavor the chicken with either cilantro or parsley or even fresh oregano. Add this to the marinade. Keeps well in the fridge.

SOURCE: Sherry Peyton

Powdered Sugar*

It’s bad enough that sugar substitutes like erythritol cost a fortune in comparison to regular sugar, but if you need powdered sugar, they charge you even more.

And that’s just wrong, since it’s simple to make your own.

So do make your own and save yourself a bit of cash.

 

 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 c sugar substitute
• 1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place in a food processor and whirr away. A bit of whirring and you have fine sugar, continue and it powders up.
2. Add the cornstarch which will add about 7 carbs to the total recipe if you wish to make a large batch and store.

SERVES: about 1 1/2 c

NOTES: The cornstarch prevents clumping together so if you are going to use all you make at one sitting, omit it and save the carbs. And even if you intend to store some, you can always use a sieve and accomplish the same thing.

SOURCE: Everywhere on the Internet.

Sweetened Condensed Milk*

Oh this is great. There are wonderful desserts that require sweetened condensed milk, something that carries a very hefty carb count and thus it means that we have to miss out on a lot of those poke cakes and such.

Well, you don’t have to. You can make your own. And it’s not hard and doesn’t require a lot of ingredients.

So do try this, if you are missing some of your favorite desserts because they call for condensed sweet milk.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup heavy cream (do not use all cream, it will get to thick and clumpy!)
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup Swerve Sweetener or granulated erythritol or anything you prefer
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/8 tsp xanthan gum
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 15 drops stevia extract

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a medium heavy saucepan, combine cream, milk and erythritol over medium heat.
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 1 1/2 hours, stirring frequently, until mixture is reduce by half. (No matter how often you stir, thick bits of milk will form on the sides. Leave it there, and try not to disturb it when stirring, or you will get chunky bits in your condensed milk).
3. Add butter and let melt, then briskly whisk in xanthan gum. Let mixture cool to room temperature and stir in vanilla and stevia extracts.

SERVES: 2 Cups

NOTES: This should keep well in the fridge for quite a good while I believe.

SOURCE: All Day I Dream About Food