Mini Tarts with Cherry-Fig Compote

“I received free samples of Breton Gluten Free Original with Flax and Breton Gluten Free Herb and Garlic from Dare Foods Incorporated mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by Dare Foods Incorporated and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.”

What do you bring to a last minute dinner party when you have zero desire to go to the store, mostly because it will interrupt your already planned day of being lazy, maybe doing some Pilate's and getting in at least an hour of afternoon pool time. I know, I have it rough. Well, I know we will be having wine during and after dinner so I thought some cute mini tarts filled with a fig-cherry compote would be a fantastic idea. Maybe I'll stop and pick up a bottle of port to go with them.

note to self: don't eat all of the tarts before dinner even though your house smells heavenly.

I can do this.







I've remade these from an older recipe of mine for fig bars using mostly oats and flax for the crust. This time I tried using Breton's Gluten Free Crackers with Flax for half of the mixture and they turned out great. Don't look at me like that, I had to try one.... o.k. two you know, just to make sure they were blog and dinner party worthy. The things I do for you people!

Compote (French for "mixture") is a dessert originating from 17th-century France made of whole or pieces of fruit in sugar syrup. Whole fruits are cooked in water with sugar and spices. The syrup may be seasoned with vanilla, lemon or orange peel, cinnamon sticks or powder, cloves, ground almonds, grated coconut, candied fruit, or raisins.  

The French invented compote believing that fruit cooked in sugar syrup balanced the effects of humidity on the body. The name is derived from the French word compote, meaning mixture. Compote was originally served as an afternoon snack with sour cream and biscuits. During the Renaissance, it was served chilled at the end of dinner. 

Pulse the oats and Breton Gluten Free Flax crackers into a flour.

Snip the little stems off of the figs.

Coat a mini muffin pan with cooking spray. Using a small spoon, scoop a small amount of the dough into the muffin tin pressing down with your fingers to form a hole in the center, leaving some dough on the bottom and up around the edges of each cup.

Mini Tarts with Cherry-Fig Compote

Mini Tarts with Cherry-Fig Compote

TIME     30 MINUTES       YIELDS    12 MINI TARTS

Filling:


6 ounces dried Figs (preferably Organic)

4 ounces dried Apricots OR dried Cherries (preferably Organic)

2 tbsp. chopped almonds

2 drops anise extract (optional)

1 tbsp  local, Organic honey (local honey help with outdoor allergies!) 

2 tbsp. water

2 tbsp. orange juice OR lemon juice

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground ginger


Snip off the figs' stems, and put them, the apricots, almonds, water, honey and spices into the food processor. Pulse to a coarse paste. Spoon out of food processor and set aside in a small bowl.

Crust:

1 cup regular or quick oats 

1/2 cup whole oats

12 Breton's Gluten Free Crackers with Flax

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 ounces unsweetened apple sauce

1 tablespoon local, Organic honey

1/3 cup water

Directions: 

 Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Stir in the wet ingredients, mixing well to a thick consistency.

Place 1 cup of  oats and the crackers into your food processor or blender. Pulse until you have a flour.  

Coat a mini muffin pan with cooking spray. Using a small spoon, scoop a small amount of the dough into the muffin tin pressing down with your fingers to form a hole in the center, leaving some dough on the bottom and up around the edges of each cup.
Spoon the fig mixture into each cup. 

Bake at 375F for 15-20 minutes until crust is golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack before removing tarts. Serve warm or at room temperature with afternoon tea or with wine for dessert. 

Now, off to quickly fold some laundry, if that's possible with the amount of laundry we have in this joint. Second thought, forget the laundry. Off to do 45 minutes of Pilate's which brings me to my happy place and then go sit by the pool.


Have a great weekend my friends!






   

    An InLinkz Link-up
   

A Perfect Mediterranean Tapas Table for Back Yard Entertaining

“I received free pistachio samples from the Pistachio Health Institute mentioned in this post. By posting this pairing I am entering a contest sponsored by Pistachio Health Institute and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.”




Would somebody please explain to me why I do this again?

Look at me, I'm the lady with 4 kids, 1 part time job, volunteer at a preschool and grade school, has had a bad cold for 3 days and hasn't had a pedicure in months maniac who thinks its fun to try and pull together a nice Mediterranean tapas table and then photograph it in peace and solitude.

Cray-Cray!





I even allotted plenty of time, early in the day for once to do this thing put together a post and it still was a struggle.  Pllleeeeasssee  tell me the pictures aren't blurry, lopsided and soaked with Sauvignon Blanc after I knocked the bottle over twice! {Alcohol abuse!}


I had one sick (faker) child home from school and one very obstinate and needy 4year old princess at my toes while attempting to organize my thoughts and this table. The sky was a very unusually overcast grey at 2:00 in the afternoon here in Phoenix and so I had to lug all of my props and junk outdoors.

Aaaaaaaand it's crazy windy out. In Phoenix. In January. Seriously?


Dill weed does not do well in the wind, nor do pistachio shells, napkins or one empty bottle of Sauvignon Blanc  (errrr, it's empty for a reason my friends).

But, Alas, it's ok because in all honesty and sincerity I love doing this. I love food, obviously and prepping it, cooking it and mostly making it all look pretty. Well, a close second to eating actually. I'm not ashamed. 

This English cuk turned out to be a beautiful, crunchy vessel in which to spread some herbed goat cheese and smoked Norwegian Salmon on top of along with some dill and chives.


Actually, this post is all about food pairings and wine of course. How to choose and pair simple foods to make a lovely and most importantly, palatable tapas, in Spain or a Meze in Greece spread.


As a member of the Recipe Redux team we were asked by the Pistachio Health Institute to put together a group of foods or snacks that paired well with in shell pistachios. Pistachios are one of my all time favorite snacks and I almost always have a container of them in my car and locker at work. Why do I keep a bag of them in the shell instead of the more conveniently shelled variety? One, they are much cheaper than the shelled variety and two, it takes a bit more work to take them out of the shell one by one and therefor I enjoy savor them and don't consume a bucket full as I do when I scoop them out of the bag by the handful.

People who consumed in-shell pistachios ate 41 percent fewer calories than those who consumed pistachios without shells.

Research continues to show that nuts offer good nutritional value and cardio-supportive benefits. Because of their fiber, fat, and protein content, pistachios are also considered to be a satiating snack. All nuts, however, are not created equal. Pistachios are one of the lowest calorie, lowest fat nuts and offering more nuts per serving compared to any other snack nut.

I decided to go the Mediterranean route with my In shell Pistachio pairing. The Mediterranean diet varies as it involves many different countries from Greece to Spain but typically it consists mainly of fish, whole fruits and vegetables, cheeses, olive oils,  nuts and grains. And wine of course.

Ultimately, I chose a simple, yet very satisfying arrangement of smoked salmon on seedless cucumber with goat cheese rolled in fine herbs and one in garlic. This was the savory component of the small meal. The in shell pistachios of course were the salty component but also make a nice snacking center piece since people will tend to gather round and unshell them one by one as they pop them into their mouths and wash them down with a bubbly Sauvignon Blanc.

Then of course, we had to have a sweet treat to round out the table. The Mediterranean diet involves dried fruits such as dates, figs and apricots and so I made up a batch of healthy, home made almond, oat and flax thumbprint cookies and spooned apricot preserves in the middle a little immodestly.

And to wash it all down? A heavier, balanced, slightly fruity Sauvignon Blanc. I chose one that is a bit sturdier than most Sauvignon Blancs so it would stand up to the smoked salmon, earthy pistachios and nutty cookies. I poured in some club soda to make it crisp and bubbly on the tongue.

 I was born to be a Sommelier!




The Tapas Menu

Herbed Goat Cheese & Smoked Salmon with Dill & Chives on English Cucumbers

In Shell, Salted Pistachios and Dried Apricots

Almond and Oat Thumbprint Cookies with Apricot Preserves

 Sauvignon Blanc Spritzer

   

    An InLinkz Link-up
   

Healthy Almond and Oat Thumbprint Cookies with Apricot Preserves

Disclaimer: The following post will leave you with an emergency cookie craving condition that can only be cured by immediately making Apricot Thumbprint cookies and devouring 3 or 4 with a big glass of cold milk.

These little cookies are the perfect solution for sudden sweet tooth emergencies. With a very short ingredient list of pantry staples you can have these naturally sweetened cookies in your hot little hands in minutes. What?!! Mom made cookies!!! and the "HIP HIP HOORAY'S" continued for minutes while the little darlings danced around and hugged each other.

note to self, make cookies more often for the poor children.

I made these cookies as part of a fun little project I'm putting together so check back soon for that! They will be incorporated into a make shift Mediterranean noshing platter that would be perfect to serve for a "girls night in" or any little gathering of friends and family.

Just a handful of healthy ingredients go into these cute little cookies. Making them a better-for-you thumbprint cookie than the typical shortbread variety.

plus a bit of walnut oil, not pictured

If you own a blender or food processor, making you own "Almond Meal" is super easy and tons cheaper than store bought! I use Raw almonds that I've soaked in water previously, dried and store in an airtight container. Soaking almonds removes the naturally occurring phytic acid in the nuts which block the minerals from absorbing in your body.

Throw the almonds in your food processor or heavy duty blender like a Vitamix and pulse for 20-30 seconds till you have a floury substance. Don't over mix or you'll get almond paste.

Instead of using wheat or white flour in your cookies try using oat flour. Again, it only takes 20 seconds to blend up your own flour and it will save you a ton of money. Make big batches ahead of time and store in an air tight container for future use. I love Coach's Oats for the toasted, cracked flavor and the whole grain goodness.

Mix it all up, form into walnut size balls and use your thumb to make room for the jam! 

You know the drill.

Enjoy!

recipe adapted from Whole Foods Market


YIELDS   18-20 COOKIES        TIME 20 MINUTES

Ingredients

1 cup blanched, unsalted, raw almonds or pecans
1 cup Whole rolled oats (I use Coach's Oats)
1/2 cup gluten free flour mix or unbleached, white whole wheat flour 
2 tablespoons flax meal (optional, adds Omega 3's a healthy fat)
1/2 cup expeller-pressed canola oil or Coconut oil
1/2 cup honey or maple syrup 
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
6 tablespoons naturally sweetened Apricot Preserves


Preheat oven to 350°F. Put almonds and oats into a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground, about 20 seconds. Transfer to a large bowl and add flour, oil, syrup and salt. Stir to combine well. Roll walnut-sized balls of the dough in the palm of your hand to form each cookie. Place a sheet of parchment on a large cookie sheet and arrange balls 2 inches apart. Press your thumb gently down into the center of each cookie to make an indentation. Spoon a small teaspoon of jam into each indentation. 

Bake cookies until golden brown and just firm around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack to let cool completely, then serve immediately or store between layers of waxed paper in an airtight container.

notes/substitutions

Sunflower or pumpkin seeds can be subbed for those with nut allergies.

Whole grain oats such as Coach's Oats or steel cut are a healthier option than over processed quick oats which have been processed usually with the bran stripped from it's original state and pre-cooked all before it gets to you.

You can try subbing 1/2 of the oil for applesauce but the cookie may flatten out a bit and will have a more cake like texture.  

Maple syrup is 'wetter' than honey so if you use honey your mixture will be a bit crumblier.

Chocolate Chip Clouds

Light, airy and chewy with chocolate chips in every bite. These cookies are a must for Santa, we've been making them for years and everyone loves them. Made with egg whites, sugar and chocolate, they are very light, gluten free and just melt in your mouth.

The perfect chocolate treat, and when you make them the night before, they are chewier the next day, which is just how I like them. Hope you enjoy and wishing everyone a Merry Christmas!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

To Die For Coconut Cookies

'Tis the season, so I thought I what a perfect time to revive some of my older Holiday recipes from the archives. If you like coconut macaroons you will love these cookies! Similar to a macaroon, but with the addition of cornflake crumbs, they are sweet and delicious and easily made gluten-free.

Coconut lovers... this is a must! With the holidays quickly approaching, I'm sure lots of you are busy baking so I am dedicating the rest of this week to skinny holiday sweets. 

This recipe was emailed to me a while ago by a woman who told me these were "to die for" hence the name. I held on to it for a while with intentions of trying it for the holidays and I was super pleased with the results–I think you will be too! For the cornflake crumbs, you can buy gluten-free crushed cornflakes in many supermarkets, but if you wish to make your own, just put them in the food processor and crush until very fine. If gluten free is an issue, check the labels on the cornflakes, not all are gf.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Dark Chocolate Oatmeal Lace Cookies

These delicious cookies are light, crisp and chewy, made with basic ingredients like oats, flour, butter, sugar and spices– then once baked they are sandwiched together with melted dark chocolate. If you're baking cookies for Holiday parties, or just to leave Santa, these are a must!

Holiday traditions in my family always included baking cookies with the kids. My Mom did it with my brother and I, and she still does it with my children. To ease some of the guilt, I try to include some lighter cookie recipes in the mix and these lace cookies are one of my favorites. Of course, I do practice restraint and tracking (and exercise) helps keep me in check this time of the year.

One thing to keep in mind when baking these cookies is the batter will spread once baked so don't put them too close together on the cookie sheet. Once baked they will keep well in an airtight container.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Monster Eyeballs! {Purple Berry Macaroons}

Happy Halloween peeps! Everyone knows that Halloween means you're in for a sugar overload. If your a mom you know that the entire month of October means sugar overload central, prepare the insulin for a diabetic coma any second sort of situation. Seriously. I volunteered at my 3rd graders Halloween party (still amazed someone hasn't petitioned, rallied and picketed that it be renamed "Fall Harvest Festivities Celebrations") and the amount of cookies, cupcakes, candies, fruit punch and crackers that were involved made me cringe.






Why people? Why must Halloween be associated with buckets or pillowcases full of sugar? Every year I struggle with either not passing out anything at all (which I just can't bring myself to do) or handing out prizes and toys which I tried one year and got egged for the trouble. Damn teenagers.


Which coincidentally brings me to cookies. Obviously. Am I a hypocrite? Possibly, but I'm talking macaroons people. Yes, coconut is a sugar, natural or not. I've debated this to death and am standing my ground that...

a. Yes, sugar is sugar but all things in moderation.
b. Not all sugar is created equal, natural is better than processed.
and
c. I like coconut so who gives a crap.

 Creepy, [naturally] sweetened cookies. 

Berries + Coconut + Bananas & Chocolate = ?

Deliciously spooky monster eyeballs of course! Frieking out your little ones is just an added bonus.

These come together in minutes, literally. Confession: I am not the worlds greatest baker. Anything involving sifting, fluffing, or basically measuring precisely quite frankly puts me off. 

These macaroons I made with ease with the help of my 4 year old, who oddly enough 'loooooveees' to bake.

You could use marshmallows which honestly would probably hold their shape and color better than these bananas did but I wasn't going for show quality here. 

I used a bigger, restaurant type straw to punch holes in the center of the bananas so that the

chocolate pieces would stay put. I used chocolate covered Acai berries to put in the middle but

any type of small chocolate candy will work.

Recipe from Leanne at Healthful Pursuit

PREP TIME 15 MINUTES      BAKE TIME    30 MINUTES      YIELDS    24 COOKIES

Ingredients 

2 teaspoon freshly ground chia seeds3 tablespoons water1 cup frozen mixed berries1 tablespoon honey½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1½ cups shredded unsweetened coconut1 banana, sliced with holes punched into the middle of each slicechocolate covered Acai berries or other chocolate pieces 

Instructions 

1. Combine chia and water in a small dish and set aside.

1. Preheat oven to 300F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat. Set aside.

1. Add mixed berries, honey, and extracts to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Begin to stir constantly until liquid reduces to half and it fairy thick but not syrupy. Remove and place in a medium-sized bowl.

1. Add chia mixture. Add coconut and mix with a spoon until it’s completely coated.

1. Place tablespoon amounts in the palm of your hand and work into circles. Press down to make into a coin shape and place on the prepared baking sheet.

1. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes.

1. Remove from the oven and place banana and chocolate piece on top.

1. Return to the oven and cook for 2-3 minutes. 

1. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before removing from the cookie sheet and placing on a cooling rack.

Healthy Pumpkin Quinoa Cookies

I am pretty sure that I was an extremely well mannered and very grateful child. I know that I  NEVER traded my lovingly packed brown sack lunch which was made up of either  PB&J or Spam sandwiches, yes Spam, and crudités for unhealthy, sugar laden treats like Ding Dongs (which were gloriously wrapped in tin foil) and Twinkies that the other kids (who's parents obviously didn't love them) sported in their Rainbow Bright lunch boxes. Indeed, I was an unusually thoughtful and agreeable child (not to mention cute and lovable) who never, ever, EVER complained about or threw away her healthy, home made lunches. 

The End. (Nobody who reads this knows my parents right?)

My children, my own flesh and blood are tempting my patience when it comes to eating healthy, home made foods. Yes, I have succumbed to the fact that each of my 4 children go through their phases of not liking one thing or another, never at the same time mind you. And I have relented to the reality that dinner time is more akin to an ugly, major court hearing where I am the judge, lawyer, jury and henchman.  

What manages to get on my very last, frazzled nerve however is that my spawn  children begged and pleaded on their adorable little knees to pleeeease make them lunch because the school lunches were "gross" (can't disagree there). So I did. Again.

And they are complaining about it.

Again.

I roasted a 'pie' pumpkin at 400F for about 40 min. then scooped out the flesh and pureed. Your cookies will be much lighter in color then if you use canned pumpkin. Make sure you poke several holes in you pumpkin before roasting to let out steam! Otherwise it can explode, trust me. :(

 In fact, child numero dos had the nerve to tell me that he "changed his mind, the school lunches weren't so bad after all."  Punk.

I mean I have been making these cute little treats packed lovingly with a love note from Dear ol' Mom.

Pinterest pinners must not have boys.

These pumpkin cookies were a hit with the Spawn, the Kale pesto turkey wraps, not so much. Baby steps. I think I will stick to making these for breakfast cookies and after school snacks. 

Recipe Source:  Healthful Pursuit

YIELDS  24 SMALL COOKIES       PREP TIME  15 MINUTES    BAKE TIME 30 MINUTES

Ingredients: 

• 1 1/2 cup water
• 3/4 cup raw quinoa
• 1 cup (150 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar 
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup (130 grams) pureed pumpkin
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 egg white 
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Directions:

Add quinoa to a fine mesh stainer and rinse well. Add water and quinoa to a saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Uncover, remove from heat and allow to cool for a few of minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat.

Add flour, sugar, ground flax, pumpkin spice mix and salt to a large bowl. Add 1½ cups of the cooked quinoa to the dry ingredients. Stir until combined.Add pumpkin, oil, vanilla, egg white and maple syrup to a small bowl and stir well. Pour the wet mixture in with the dry mixture and stir to combine. Scoop into small balls and place on prepared baking sheet. They will not spread out, so you can keep the cookies close. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until cooked through and golden. Remove from the oven, let cool on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack and allowing them to cool for a couple of hours. Cookies will become firmer as they cool.

Pumpkin Spice Quinoa Breakfast Cookies

These good-for-you cookies made with quinoa and pumpkin spice are the perfect Fall treat, whether you have them for breakfast, snack or a post workout bite!

I just returned from a fabulous weekend in Park City, Utah for the Better Blog Retreat and asked Leanne to guest post in my absence. Please welcome today's guest poster and Holistic Nutritionist, Leanne Vogel of Healthful Pursuit.

Hi Everyone! I was testing recipes a couple of weeks ago and figured out that oats could be replaced with cooked quinoa in just about any oat-based cookie recipe. Since then, I've gone a little cookie crazy. I've made these Quinoa Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies, Quinoa Zucchini Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookies, and Quinoa Banana Bread Bread Breakfast Cookies. They're just SO good! Gram for gram, quinoa has less fat, less calories and less carbs than rolled oats. And, the super, ultra bonus to it all? Quinoa is naturally gluten-free and isn't considered a "grain" (it's a seed!), which means it's going to be easier for your body to digest it. This little super seed has it all... and so does this breakfast cookie recipe that I've made for you today ;) Enjoy!
 
 

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Breakfast Cookie

Oats, ripe bananas and chocolate chips – these healthy, "breakfast" cookies are chewy and delicious, and made with just three ingredients.

I was craving chocolate this morning, and decided to whip up a batch of these yummy cookies for breakfast (I ate 4 cookies, for 4 points). Some of you may recognize them, in the past I made them with walnuts in place of chocolate chips.

I would never eat cookies for breakfast, but these are made with healthy ingredients – oats, bananas, and a handful of chocolate chips (antioxidants, right?) with no added sugar or flour. If you wanted, you could replace the chocolate chips for cocoa nibs, raisins, craisins, whatever! Perfect for breakfast, snack or any time you crave a sweet healthy treat. And these are nut-free, gluten-free and egg free so they are perfect for different diet restrictions.

The riper your banana the better, so make these when your bananas are almost black and freckled with dark spots.

I personally think these are best eaten warm, right out of the oven. They taste almost like mini banana bread muffins, the texture is soft and chewy, not crisp like a dessert cookie. If you're expecting a crispy cookie you would keep in your cookie jar – you WILL be disappointed. But if you have a very ripe banana hanging around your counter, and you are craving chocolate... make these! You will be happy you did.

If you want more of a "traditional" oatmeal cookie recipe, then try my Low Fat Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies instead... but I wouldn't eat them for breakfast.

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...

Skinny Pumpkin Spiced Snickerdoodles

These cookies should really come with a warning label, because they are so good and hard to stop at just one! A snickerdoodle is a type of sugar cookie made with cream of tartar and rolled in cinnamon sugar. This pumpkin spice version was inspired by my Skinny Snickerdoodles. I wanted to see what would happen if I coated them with pumpkin spice instead – pumpkin spice heaven!

They are lighter than traditional Snickerdoodles, made with white whole wheat flour, but they taste every bit as sinful. I notices some people commented on the original skickerdoodle recipe that the dough was too dry, and yes, the dough will be dry. I've made them several times with success; using wet hands to form them into balls is a must and will help moisten the dough. Next time I make these, I may add a little more pumpkin spice to the dough to make them extra pumpkin-licious!

Click Here To See The Full Recipe...