Easy Jammin': Homemade Fig Preserves for Everyday Eating

Every time I walk into a speciality foods store I am inundated with adorable jars of jams, preserves and spreads. But sometimes the flavor just isn't there! Too sweet, the consistency isn't right, I am all about taking short cuts when cooking, but making your preserve is so easy and quick, you'll think I'm kidding! Except that I'm not...

I had some figs in my fridge getting a little too soft to serve in salad or along side some meats and cheese, so cooking them down was my only option rather than tossing them in the trash. Now figs are pretty seasonal, so making a jam or preserve is an awesome way to keep those fruits you love and crave, in your cupboard, all-year round.

I'd NEVER made my own preserve...can you believe it?! Such a simple condiment with potential to get jazzed up or stay true to it's fruit, it's a shame it took me this long to venture it my own jamming. It's, by far, one of the easiest things I've made in under 30 minutes. The results were pretty delicious.

The shelf life of this jam is like any other natural preserve or jam you might buy, just note that once you open that bad boy up, you'll need to store it in the fridge. Otherwise, it could literally last months, well that is if you don't gobble it all up! It's honestly a great gift idea...  if you are going to someone's home and want to bring something with a homemade touch, or something to give away for the holidays, jams and preserves are excellent gift given it's longevity on the shelf. 

So I had mine the next day for breakfast on some toast with a bit of goat cheese! I couldn't resist! Make it savory, or keep things sweet, this jam isn't overpowering in sweetness but the flavor is BIG, so a little can go a long way.

Balsamic and Cardamom Fig Preserves

Ingredients:

• 16 oz. of figs, washed and quartered
• 1 Tbl. honey
• 1 Tbl. balsamic vinegar
• Lemon zest to taste
• 1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
• Canning jar (cleaned!) - think small mason jar with a lid

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash and trim the ends of your figs. Cut them into quarters and place them in a baking dish.

2. Add honey, lemon zest, balsamic vinegar and cardamom to figs. Toss the figs in your dish to evenly coat.

3. Let the fruits cook and soften in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the natural liquids of the fruit and other ingredients surrounds your baking dish.

4. Let figs cool for about 3-5 minutes before blending in a food processor.

5. In a food processor, or blender (I used my ninja!), mix your figs for about 1-2 straight. You'll see the seeds still intact, but for a smooth and less chunky preserve, blend on high speed for at least 1 1/2 minutes in your processor or blender.

6. Using a spatula, spoon your fig preserves into a clean jar. NOTE: Place a mason jar and lid in your dishwasher to sanitize it; it should be dry with no water in it to prevent any molding. 

7. Fill your jar up to the top and wait for jam to cool at room temp before putting a lid on it.

8. Once you break open your preserves, be sure you place it in the fridge after use and avoid getting any water or using a dirty knife with other foods on it to keep your preserves lasting longer and staying fresh! This recipe makes one 6 oz. jar of preserves.

Holiday Healthy: "Baked Not Fried" - James Bond

Well I'm sure this is something James Bond would say if he tried these doughnuts.

After being nice to your health this holiday season, I think that it's finally, time to let your hair down a little for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and celebrate all of the decadent confections that the season has to offer. So, go on, let out your naughty side out and indulge in a fanciful Christmas breakfast or post-Christmas Eve dinner treat! 

These pumpkin and cinnamon sugar doughnuts stay true to the Kneading Sass motto of simple and skinnied, and have been baked (instead of fried!) to perfection. Go ahead and dunk these sassy sweets in your morning coffee or perhaps, a piping cup of spiked, hot cocoa. ;)

 

You'll certainly have a sweet start to your Christmas festivities as these baked bounties are only 

253 calories each! JOY TO THE WORLD INDEED!

Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts Topped with Cinnamon Sugar

Adapted from Kirbie Cravings

Ingredients: 

• 1 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour 
• 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• cooking spray, for doughnut tin

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

• 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray doughnut pan with cooking spray to prevent doughnuts from sticking. I recommend re-spraying between batches.

2. Mix all the wet ingredients and then all of the dry ingredients until batter is smooth.  

3. Fill greased doughnut pans 3/4 of the way, as the batter will expand when baking. 

4. Allow for doughnuts to bake for 15 minutes. Let doughnuts cool for a few minutes before dipping in cinnamon sugar.

5. Combine 3/4 cup sugar and 2 tsp of cinnamon in a bowl. Dip slightly, cooled doughnuts in cinnamon sugar. Serve immediately. This recipes makes 21 doughnuts. 

Note: If you are not serving immediately, do not dip in sugar. Place in an airtight tupperware, lined with parchment paper. Dip in cinnamon sugar, when it's ready to be served. I served these with some chocolate whipped cream on the side! It altered that calorie count, but it was well worth it!

Holiday Healthy Series: Guilt-Free Carb Loading, Making the Impossible, Possible!

Maybe you're not running a race, but you're craving carbs this holiday and that just seems like the LAST thing you want to consume. If I've learned anything about healthy eating (not just during the holiday!), is that it's important to pay attention to your cravings, because ignoring them is torture! So if you eat regularly, healthy meals, exercise as often as you can and stay active, indulging in a craving certainly won't undue anything! 

I feel like a common craving and overindulgence for many, are carbs...complex carbs to be exact. Pasta is a quick, easy and inexpensive dish to prepare on a moment's notice, but it's gotten a lot of bad rep because it's super starchy and usually piled high with ooey gooey cheese and other gut-busting ingredients. I've had my qualms about using wheat and whole grain pasta, but for heavier,  (sometimes cream based pasta dishes), a wheat pasta holds the thick sauces well and is often masked by the heaviness of the dish all together. Plus wheat pasta rations well, it's heavy enough that hefty second and thirds, are just not possible. Remember, with the right seasoning, no one will never know it's wheat!  

Pumpkin puree is plentiful these days, but pumpkin anything is SO overdone. Adding pumpkin puree in lieu of masses of heavy cream and lots of cheese, makes for the creamiest, most delightful fettuccine! Trust me, you won't lose that creamy texture when reheating days later!

By making this pumpkin fettuccine I've learned you can indulge in the best, without often indulging at all. I know you are thinking lies, but using a few substitutions (that you will barely notice!), will help you stay on track...not just this holiday season, but all year round! 

Make this your go-to carb loading dish with these guilt-free substitutions: 

• 1 cup of canned pumpkin puree instead of 2 cups of heavy cream
• 3/4 cups low-fat milk + 1/2 Tbl. of butter instead of heavy cream
• 8 oz. of whole wheat fettuccine pasta instead of 8 oz. regular fettuccine

Creamy and festive

Note: For those sassy readers that are vegan or lactose-free, almond milk and margarine, nicely replace the milk and butter in this recipe. Shout out to my gluten-free sassy cats! You can always sub the wheat pasta with rice pasta instead. 

Pumpkin and Sage Fettuccine

Piping hot and delicious! 

Adapted from Camille Styles

Ingredients:

• 1 cup, canned, pumpkin puree
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 oz. wheat fettuccine pasta, cooked to pasta instructions (or rice pasta if you are gluten-free)
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbl. butter or margarine (for garlic)
• 1 Tbl. butter or margarine, melted (added to milk)
• 3/4 cup low-fat milk (or 1 cup plain, almond milk) 
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning 
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 4-5 fresh sage leaves, stems removed and julienned (this means thinly sliced!)

Directions:

1. Boil pasta as directions recommend. Once pasta is done, set aside and drain, do not rinse with cold water!
2. In a large saucepan, add olive oil and 1 Tbl. butter to medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook until slightly golden and fragrant, about 3 minutes. 
3. Add pumpkin puree, additional, melted 1 Tbl. of butter and low-fat milk. Stir in Italian seasoning (made my own!), nutmeg (brings out that lovely, pumpkin-y flavor), chili flakes salt and pepper. 
4. Stir and simmer sauce until ingredients combine thoroughly and sauce becomes smooth, about 6-7 minutes on medium-low heat. 
5. Add in pasta to sauce, coating evenly. 
6. Garnish with fresh sage (and maybe a sprinkle of Parmesan too!) 

Thanks MP for taking these great photos!

Holiday Healthy Series: The Skinny on Mozzarella Sticks and What To Do with that Leftover Kale?

DOUBLE WHAMMY! Yes, there are two, recipes in this week's holiday healthy series.

I imagine that these skinny mozzarella sticks are perfect for tailgating or freezing for the next party that comes around (these keep VERY well in the freezer, by the way). So the question is, why not just buy store bought? Give this recipe a try and you will taste the difference. The double Panko breadcrumbs layering on these bad boys make these crunchy, gives lots of texture and is way less soggy than anything you might buy store bought. I added my own Italian seasoning to the breadcrumbs and I could really taste the difference.

Frozen sticks? Thaw these guys for at least 15 minutes at room temperature. For long term storage, store in plastic tupperware.

I used about 2 inches of canola oil to fry these puppies! Look at that golden crust!

Run-of-the-mill bar food, or a gourmet appetizer that is not only vegetarian, but will keep hungry party-goers nice and full. 

These sticks are served great with marinara, honey mustard, or chipotle aioli (if you are looking for a kick!)

Skinny Mozzarella Sticks

Adapted from The Vegetarian Ginger 

Ingredients:

Here's how I set up my assembly line!

• 1 pack of 24 low-fat Mozzarella string cheese
• 1 3/4 cups of Panko breadcrumbs
• 4 tsp. of your favorite Italian seasoning blend ( I used: oregano, basil, garlic powder and black pepper)
• 3/4 cup of flour
• 4 eggs, beaten until fluffy
• Canola oil, filling pan at about 2 inches

Directions:

1. In 2 separate plates, pour flour and then Panko breadcrumbs. Season breadcrumbs with herbs and mix well. 
2. Beat eggs in a separate bowl until fluffy. 
3. Unwrap cheese and half mozzarella string cheese, to make 24 whole sticks into 48 halves. 
4. Roll cheese in flour, shaking off any excess. Then batter in egg and finally roll in breadcrumbs. 
5. Repeat battering cheese stick in egg and second layer of Panko, this will make it extra crunchy! 
6. Place breaded mozzarella sticks on a cookie sheet. Once all of the cheese has been breaded, place them in the freezer for at least 2 hrs and cover loosely with plastic wrap. This will allow the breadcrumbs to set, making sure that the breading does not fall apart once it goes  into the hot oil. 
7. In a shallow pan (a wok works well for this as well!), heat 2 inches of canola oil on medium-low heat. Test the oil with a breadcrumb to make sure that it does not sink to the bottom of the pan, but rather floats to the top. Once it does this, fry 5-6 mozzarella sticks at a time. 
8. Remove them as they begin to brown and crisp (about 4 mins.) and let the oil drain on a plate covered in paper towel. Serve immediately, or line tupperware with parchment paper to reheat at 200 degrees later. 

Holiday Healthy Series: A Hearty Winter Salad, Is There Such A Thing?

The answer is a resounding, YES! I know that beginning of the holiday season and winter signals many of us to go into hibernation mode, thus justifying our unhealthy eating habits. So how do we satisfy cravings for something hearty, filling and comforting; a winter salad? Serving this superfood salad at your next holiday party or dinner will not only impress your guests because it's delicious, but actually leave them full!

Let's just gloss over why this salad is packed with superfoods, great flavors and a delight for any holiday celebration:

• Dark greens: Using a leafy green such as kale, often leads to a full tummy because it's full of fiber. Hint: Kale absorbs dressings and oils pretty slowly, so the longer you let the your kale soak (think like 30 minutes), the better it will taste. This is definitely to your advantage if you are severing kale salad at a potluck or party because you know your salad won't be soggy or ruined if you leave it out for longer than usual. 
• Protein: Adding seeds or nuts give salad a less than boring texture and will trick your mind into feeling fuller with all that crunch! Plus the added benefit of protein in just a 1/4 cup!
• Homemade dressing: Making a dressing using vinegars, oils, citrus and spices; create a few robust flavors that take your dressing from blah to BAM! Add a little greek yogurt to slim down creamier, dressing recipes. 
• Using avocado: Will often do the trick, in place of cheese, especially if you are looking for a creaminess. 
• Balance out flavors with fruit: Use fruit year-round. There are plenty of winter fruits, like persimmon, that are abundantly available. Persimmon is often used in sweeter dishes and puddings, but is perhaps seldom used, all together, because of its faux tomato appearance? Note: Persimmons are for the more patient food enthusiasts, as they are often too hard to eat and ripen over a week or two of sitting on the kitchen counter. BUT if you a forgetful one, maybe this is blessing in disguise? 

Persimmons not quite soft yet? Leave them for a week at room temperature to ripen

While some people don't really view salad as a stand alone meal, pairing it with a lean protein like chicken breast (need a recipe, find it here!) or salmon, might coax you into eating more salad this winter, rather than a side of (your favorite starchy dish here).

Have I convinced you yet?

If these vibrant pictures don't convert you to salad this winter, maybe some "skinny" Mozzarella Sticks and homemade aioli, featured in Kneading Sass's next Holiday Healthy series, will get to your waistline...or not! :)

Persimmon and Kale Salad

This colorful salad is a great addition to any holiday party!

Kneading Sass original

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of lacto or dinosaur kale, washed, dried, torn off the stem
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1 persimmon, washed and sliced thinly
• 1/4 cup of pepita seeds, or any chopped nut such as walnuts or pecans (perhaps candied!)
• 1/4 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese (optional)

Dressing:

• 2 Tbl. olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 Tbl. honey or agave
• 1 Tbl. balsamic vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, minced finely
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Wash kale bunch and dry throughly. Tear kale leaves from stem, which is distastefully, sour. Coarsely chop kale and set aside in a large mixing bowl. Juice half of one lemon over kale and "massage" kale until throughly coated. This process allows the kale to soften a bit and allow for the flavors to saturate the kale better.
2. To make the dressing: In a bowl combine olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, agave, garlic, salt and pepper with a whisk. Set aside to pour over kale later.
3. Slice persimmon in half, and then into paper thin slices. Add to kale. Slice avocado and add crumbled gorgonzola to kale as well.
4. Toast pepita seeds, or leave them raw (like I did!). There is also the option to use chopped walnuts or pecans in this salad.
5. Toss kale with dressing until it coats leaves evenly. This salad soaks the flavors of the dressing as you leave it out longer, but serving immediately is fine as well!

Holiday Healthy Series: Festive Pesto

The holidays are in full swing for some, but for those who do most of their entertaining around Christmas time (ahem, me), I know many that of you are watching your waistline (or trying to!). Trust me, it can be rather challenging to serve dishes that are healthy, yet satisfying to all types of palates and diets you might be catering to this season. It's very tempting when I see a recipes for homemade peppermint bark, fudge, cookies, cupcakes etc., ooey gooey this or that, stuffed x, y, z...it's all lovely until the holidays are over, leaving many of us feeling sluggish from excessive eating, bitter from the cold weather and participating in little exercise.

Let's change that.

I've decide to write a series of "holiday healthy" appetizers, main dishes, sides and desserts; believe me, your guests will thank you later for thinking of their health! Each week I'll feature a dish that celebrates the slightly cheesy, but cheery spirit of the holidays, while sneakily cutting calories where you don't need them!

So focus on eating and preparing amazing food this holiday. Start 2013 feeling sassy as ever, rather than feeling guilty about indulging this winter!

Let's talk about pesto; it is so universal, that I had to feature it again! It can be used in a number of ways: use it as a dip, perhaps on top of your favorite goat cheese or chevre (alongside some crostini or fancy crackers), get creative and spread it on sandwiches, wraps or homemade pizza, stir it into your favorite pasta (or spaghetti squash!), layer it in a lasagna, or serve it on top of some homemade polenta...as I've done below.

I added some sun dried tomatoes to make this pesto festively, red and green. Guests will be impressed with the fact this is homemade, healthy and unbelievably addictive....just don't tell them it took you less than 10 minutes! :)

Okay, so here's the awesome the thing about polenta: it's healthy (the sugar in corn is natural), it's gluten-free (as is the pesto); with a consistency similar to grits, it's a relatively, rich and filling main dish, so a little goes a long way.

Polenta does take some TLC to make it just right, so you might be at the stove, stirring, occasionally, for about 20-30 minutes.

Creamy Polenta Topped with Sun Dried Tomato Pesto and Spicy Andouille Sausage

Ingredients:

For Pesto (slightly, amended recipe below):

This pesto packs a lot of flavor without the calories

• 1 large bunch of fresh basil, washed and dried throughly 
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3-4 Tbl. extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 1/2 cup dried, sun dried tomatoes (I found these at Trader Joe's) 
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

For Polenta:

• 1 cup loose polenta grains (can be found in the baking section of your local grocery store)
• 4 cups water
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 Tbl. butter
• Grated Parmesan to sprinkle on top

Directions:

For Pesto:

1. In a food processor, blend basil leaves, torn off the stems and about 2 Tbl. of extra virgin olive oil. Blend until basil looks like a paste.
2. Toast pine nuts in a skillet for a few minutes on medium heat to rid of its bitterness, when eaten raw. Once toasted, let pine nuts cool and then blend into basil paste.
3. Add garlic, blend; then add Parmesan cheese and blend again. I used the "puree" setting on my food processor to chop the ingredients as fine as possible. 
4. Add sun dried tomato, remaining olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Blend until mixed well. Color will be an slightly, unattractive, red/brown, but let me tell you...the taste is DIVINE!
5. This recipe makes about 1-1 1/2 cups of pesto. Store in air tight container for 5-7 days or freeze in ziploc bag for up 2 months. 

For Polenta:

1. In a non-stick saucepan, boil 4 cups of water with 1 tsp. of salt. 
2. Once water is boiling, add 1 cup polenta and whisk until thick (about 2-3 minutes). 
3. Reduce heat to medium-low, stirring polenta occasionally for about 25-30 minutes until thick. 
4. During last few minutes of cooking add in butter and pepper; continue to stir. Consistency should be thick and similar to cooked grits. 
5. Top with freshly grated Parmesan, sun dried tomato pesto (and spicy sausage, as I've done here!) Shredded chicken or slow cooked chicken, ground beef or turkey would be great on this dish as well. Try topping a runny or sunny side egg for a delicious, gluten-free brunch!
6. Store polenta in air tight container for up 3 or 4 days. 

Speaking of Pumpkin Pie...

Don't you hate when you get five tins of fudge during the holidays?! Somehow I receive three dozen cookies, each year and I am certain that I can barely get through a dozen of any baked goods, on my own, let alone sharing gifted, baked goods with family and friends. I feel a bit guilty, because whoever took the time, effort and love to make those delicious morsels of holiday goodness, was probably overwhelmed by the number of friends, family and neighbors he or she was expecting to give gifts too...now their homemade fudge that took 2 days to make, is now in the trash. It really is a shame.

But the reality of the matter is that you are embarrassed at the fact that you've doubled up (again!) on generic pumpkin pie from Costco, knowing that probably only half of one pie will be eaten? We've all made this blunder, it's the gesture that counts.

So, now, what's an alternative solution to making baked goods that reflect the warmth and kindness of the holiday seasons, without spending too much time, money and (unintentionally) unrecognized effort? 

The answer is tassies and they are fabulous! At first, I thought tassie was a typo or some made up cutes-y name, but it's a real name to describe a miniature sized pie. It seems to have come from the word "taza", or cup, in Spanish, because that is exactly what it is...a mini pastry cup that holds all of the flavor and decadence of a pie, in one small bite. DEFYING SCIENCE (or so I'd like to think!)

Below is recipe for Pumpkin Almond Tassies; it's buttery, full of vibrant pumpkin spice, a touch of sweet maple and a nice crunch of almonds to finish; it aspires to quell the desire to overindulge, especially alongside other tempting desserts lingering around the Thanksgiving table. 

Behind, a whole slice of pie, in one bite! Pinch yourself, THIS IS REAL.

Pumpkin Almond Tassies

Feel like you can never have too much pumpkin pie!

Adapted from Lauren's Latest

Ingredients:

• 15 oz packaged rolled refrigerated pie crust (2 crusts) (or you can make your own pie crust as well!)
• 3/4 can of pumpkin
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/3 cup of sliced almonds (or any other nut you have on hand would work nicely with this dessert)
• 2 Tb brown sugar
• 1 Tb melted butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• pinch of salt
• maple syrup (optional, for drizzling over cooked tassies)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare mini cupcake tins by unrolling pie crust. Using 2 1/2 inch round cookie cutter.  I used a small leaf-shaped cookie cutter and used 4 leaves to fill the bottoms, ensuring that there were no gaps for the filling to seep through. 
2. To make the filling: combine pumpkin, sugar, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Add in egg and stir until combined. Gradually add in milk, until just combined. 
3. For almond topping: stir together almond slices, brown sugar and melted butter.
4. Spoon 1 teaspoon of filling into each pastry-lined cup. Top each with a sprinkling of almond topping.
5. Bake for about 35 minutes, until filling is set and crust has a golden brown coloring. Removing tassies might be difficult when the tin is hot out of the oven; try waiting about five minutes and use a spoon to aid in removing finicky tassies. If desired, when tassies are still warm, top with a drizzle of maple syrup, it should soak up quickly into the filling. 
6. Serve warm or at room temperature. These bad boys would go amazingly with a small dollop of whipped cream. Serving size for this recipe is 24 (or two dozen)

To store: Place tassies in a single layer in an airtight container; cover. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months; thaw about 1 hour at room temperature before serving.