I could never figure out how my mom made her sweet potatoes until I had her come over and make them in front of me. I remember that day so clearly, because she lit up with excitement getting to share this. Now that she’s gone, I realize how special that day was. She was the queen of comfort food and had no problems dowsing the sweet potatoes with maple syrup, orange and apple juice and brown sugar.

I’m thrilled to say I was able to make a very similar dish, only sugar free/

Stove Top Sweet Potatoes

• Sweet Potatoes
• Sugar Free Maple Syrup (I use Choc Zero)
• Orange or Orange Zest
• Lemon
• Cinnamon
• Cinnamon Sticks
• Black Strap Molasses

It’s not a complicated recipe but a very delicious one. She surprised me by telling me we don’t need to turn on the oven. These are stove top sweet potatoes. How did I not know that? The good news here is that you can make these at the last thirty minutes while the turkey is taking up the oven.

How to Cut Sweet Potatoes

The first thing you have to do is peel the potatoes and cut them into discs. I cut them completely differently here, but you can do it either way. I tend to think her suggestion of discs is a better idea, because you can cut them more evenly.

If you are making these for a big dinner like thanksgiving, you can peel and cut them ahead, stick them in a plastic bag and refrigerate.

I did not use erythritol for this recipe because Choc Zero Maple Syrup is a better choice. I also used a small amount of black strap molasses to take the place of the brown sugar. Orange, lemon, and cinnamon sticks add brightness and flavor.

If you’re not familiar with Choc Zero, they make all kinds of amazing sugar free products, which is why I chose to be an affiliate earning a small commission. Their chocolate chips and maple syrup are my two favorite products and I use them in my keto bakery because they are sugar free and low carb.

If you don’t want to use a whole orange (because of the sugar), you can use just the orange zest.

If you have sweet potatoes left over, make some grain free sweet potato biscuits.

Can You Freeze Cooked Sweet Potatoes?

Yes, you can place the cooled sweet potatoes in a bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

Recipes You Might Love

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Sugar Free Orange Maple Sweet Potatoes

Sugar Free Stove Top Sweet Potatoes made with with butter, orange and cinnamon.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 1 sticks butter
• 1/4 cup sugar free maple syrup I use Choc Zero
• 1 teaspoon black strap molasses
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 large sweet potatoes peeled
• 1 large naval orange cut into 4 pieces
• 1/2 lemon
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1/2 cup water more If needed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• black pepper

Instructions

• Cut peeled sweet potatoes across into 1/2 discs.
• Add In sugar free maple syrup
• In a dutch oven (large enough to fit all sweet potatoes), melt the butter with black strap molasses. Add cinnamon.
• Add in sweet potatoes.
• Squeeze oranges over potatoes. Put orange skins in pot.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Add in cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, and water. You will need to judge how necessary adding liquid is.
• Cover and cook on low heat for about an hour, stirring every ten minutes or so.

The post Sugar Free Orange Maple Sweet Potatoes appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

This Christmas apple cranberry slab pie reminded me of the flavor profiles on the show.  The cranberries add a necessary tang to all the sweet and combine beautifully with the apples.

I’m not new to slab pies, as I made a summer version with blueberries and peaches here.

The key to this Christmas pie is flavors and cooking down the apples with butter, cinnamon, orange zest, vanilla, cardamom, and nutmeg. You can choose to mix it up anyway you like, but keep the cinnamon!

Pushing the flavors of old time Christmas, the cranberries do their job.  I used two kinds of apples. The granny smith which cooked down, yielding a lot of juice. To those I added 3 gala apples which don’t cook down in the same way.

This is the first time I’ve mixed my apples, and I rather like it. Gala apples are usually my apple of choice because they keep some of their crispness. You can mix up your apples (see notes in recipe).

The filling for the apple cranberry slab pie is absolutely delicious.

It tastes like an old fashioned pie you might eat in Europe, so rich in flavors.

I trimmed the dough around the sheet pan, but you could do something more decorative if you choose. I felt I had enough dough and the corner pieces would have too much.

Blind bake Apple Cranberry Slab Pie for 15 minutes. 

Since my apple filling was pre-cooked, I blind-baked the bottom crust for 15 minutes to ensure it remain crisp when cut. It worked perfectly, and there was no soggy bottom.

Use any cookie cutters you like. I like these Christmas cookie cutters.

This is the perfect crowd pleaser. Pre-cut into squares in the pan before serving. This pie also freezes well.

I’ll be adding this to my Apple Desserts with Decorative Crusts

Summer Slab Pie Here

More Apple Recipes from Spinach Tiger

• Pennsylvania Dutch Apple Pan Dowdy (Gluten Free)
• Bourbon Caramelized Apple Hand Pie
• Low Carb Apple Upside Down Cake
• Caramelized Apple Tart with Stove Top Brown Sugar Apple Filling
• Keto Apple Muffins

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Apple Cranberry Slab Pie

Winter Apple pie with cranberries baked in a sheet pan.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 35 minutes minutes

Servings 15

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

Apple Cranberry Pie Filling

• 8 apples
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 cup fresh cranberries can sub with raspberries
• 1/3 cup brown sugar may need a few tablespoons more
• 1/2 orange for juice and zest
• 4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
• 3/4 cup sugar (See Notes)
• 1/2 orange
• 2 tablespoons sifted corn starch
• Pie Dough
• 3 3/4 cups all purpose flour 448 grams plus more for dusting
• 12 ounces Unsalted Butter 24 tablespoons or 3 sticks
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup iced cold water 2 more tablespoons, (if needed

Instructions

• Make Pie Dough below first and refrigerate for one hour while making apple filling.

MAKE APPLE FILLING

• Peel and core apples. Y≈
• Slice apples about 1/4 inch thick.
• Zest orange and juice orange.
• Put 4 tablespoons butter in frying pan with 2 tablespoons brown sugar.
• Toss apples with sugar, juice of half orange, orange zest. Add 1 tablespoon corn starch.
• Cook apples and cranberries on top of stove on low in large frying pan, until somewhat softened. The granny smith apples will cook down more than the gala apples. There will a lot of liquid, after about 15 minutes.
• Drain liquid and use in another recipe.
• MAKE PIE DOUGH
• Cut butter into small pieces. Freeze for 10 minutes.
• Mix flour, sugar, salt in food processor or kitchen aid mixer. You can whisk and do this with your hands.
• Cut butter into flour mixture. I prefer my kitchen aid mixer but a food processor works well too
• You can, however use a pastry cutter and mix butter into flour, making sure to keep the pieces pea sized.
• Add in ice cold water. Mix just enough to be able to squeeze dough together.
• If the dough stays together when you press, it’s processed enough.
• Put in plastic bag, separating it into 1/3 and 2/3. Bring it together in bag. Refrigerate for one hour. You can do this a day in advance of recipe.
• Bring out twenty minutes before rolling.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange rack in oven on bottom third.
• Once you are ready to assemble, first roll out 1/3 dough to make stars. You can make 15 large stars or 18 smaller stars. You can use more dough from the other section if need be. The recipe will make the stars and the remaining dough is just enough for the sheet pan.
• Make the cut outs and place in refrigerator, while rolling out the dough for the bottom.
• Roll into rectangle and place in sheet pan.
• Fork holes all over the bottom. Place in freezer for a few minutes.
• Arrange apples cranberry mixture.
• Before placing stars over fruit, using your finger, rub milk over each star, and sprinkle raw sugar
• Bake for 35 minutes. Check halfway through and turn pan around.
• Check at 30 minutes and loosely cover with foil if it’s already golden brown.
• Allow to cool before cutting.
• Keep at room temperature, covered with foil.
• Can be frozen for 60 days. Take out and allow to defrost at room temperature. Can be reheated in oven.

Notes

Apples: I mixed my apples, but you can use all gala which stay a little crisper and require less sugar. If you use all granny smith apples, you will need all the sugar. Taste filling as you go, since it’s cooked stovetop. 

The post Christmas Apple Cranberry Slab Pie appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

You may be asking the same thing I was asking when you saw this recipe for grilled lamb loin chops with mint chimichurri. Allow me to answer a few general questions you might have.

Lamb Loves Mint

I love that my deck is full of fresh herbs, and I always have one pot devoted to mint. It’s great for drinks, lemon water, pesto, pistou, garnish and more.

What are Lamb Loin Chops?

These chops come from the loin, which is located between the ribs and the leg of the lamb. They are thicker than rib chops and have more meat.

Kitchen Items in this Recipe

• Herb Chopper
• Tongs for Grilling
• Pan for Grilling Vegetables (game changer for grilling asparagus)

What is difference between Lamb Chops and Lamb Loin Chops?

• Lamb Loin Chops are thicker and more meaty.
• Lamb Loin Chops are a more affordable cut.
• Lamb Chops cut from the rack of lamb are more tender, a little more flavorful, but do come with a hefty price.

First of all, just looking, you can see the difference. The lamb chops you are probably most familiar with come from the rack of lamb, and the chops are recognizable by a long thin rib bone. They are considered more flavorful, more tender, and while true, this should not rule out the lamb loin chop (similar to the T-bone steak), which is more meaty and equally delicious.

More Recipes You Might Like

• Lollipop Lamb Chops
• Greek Feta Lamb Meatballs with Mint Pesto
• Skirt Steak with Chimichurri
• Za’atar Rack of Lamb
• Mint Pistachio Pesto
• Blackberry Mint Julep
• Hunger Games Lamb Stew
• Lamb Party Bites

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Grilled Lamb Loin Chops with Mint Chimichurri

Grilled Lamb Loin Chops Reverse Sear, delicious South American Condiment, Mint Chimichurri

Course Entree

Cuisine American

Keyword chimichurri, lamb, lamb loin chops

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Marinate Time 2 hours hours

Servings 4

Ingredients

Skirt Steak

• 6 lamb loin chops
• 1/4 cup chimichurri for marinade

Chimichurri

• 1 cup fresh Italian parsley finely chopped
• 1 cup fresh mint
• 1 lemon zested and juiced
• 1/4 orange zested and juiced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 3/4 cups extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pinch red chile flakes
• sea salt
• black pepper

Instructions

Chimichurri

• Finely chop parsley, mint and garlic.
• Zest lemon and orange onto the herbs.
• Juice lemon and orange.
• Add all ingredients to olive oil.
• Season with salt and pepper
• Make chimichurri advance to use some of it for marinade.. Use a few tablespoons of this to marinate the skirt steak.

Grill Lamb Loin Chops

• Take 1/4 of the chimichurri and marainate lamb loin chops for 2 hours up to overnight.
• Take lamb chops out of refrigerator 30 minutes in advance to take the chill off of them.
• Light one half of gas grill on medium heat. Place lamb on indirect heat until the internal temperature is 115 F. degrees.
• Turn the other side of grill up to high. It's time to sear. Place chops on the hot side of grill for one to two minutes per side until the internal temperature is at 135 degrees for Medium Rare. Or if you prefer, 145 degrees for medium.
• Top with chimichurri.
• Allow to rest for at least five minutes before eating.
• Season again with salt and pepper as needed.

The post Grilled Lamb Loin Chops with Mint Chimichurri appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

A few weeks ago we went to New Orleans, and one of the restaurants inspired this dish of orange beets.

Compere Lapin served us a beautiful beet salad made with pistachios and kale pesto. When I purchased the beets to attempt to make this, the beet greens were so fresh I couldn’t discard them. Thus, beet greens pesto. If you can’t find beets with healthy beet greens attached go ahead and use kale or serve with this homemade basil pest0 or this seven herb garden pesto.

Beets are no stranger to Spinach Tiger. I have over 25 beet recipes and the most popular one has always been my red beet smoothie.

There are months that beets go off my radar, but that shouldn’t happen because the health benefits are just too powerful. 

Beets contain betaine, a substance that relaxes the mind and is used in other forms to treat depression. It also contains tryptophan which is also found in chocolate and contributes to a sense of well being, promotes the health of internal organs and a growing body of evidence shows that betaine is an important nutrient for the prevention of chronic disease. Beet Greens are also extremely healthy, high in iron, Vitamin K, magnesium and much more.

I’ve sauteéd beet greens in this recipe but this is the first time I’ve used them raw.

Ingredients

• Red Beets (feel free to use beets of other colors)
• Olive Oil
• Basil
• Garlic
• Orange
• Lemon
• Pistachio Nuts

Roasted Orange Beets with Beets Greens Pesto is the Foodie Salad for Health Nuts

I roasted the beets after dousing with a little olive oil and a lot of freshly squeezed orange. The beets greens were mixed with some olive oil, a little basil, garlic, orange and pistachio nuts. I had my doubts that this would work, but when you take a bite of the beet with the beet greens pesto, lemon it comes together well.

This is a simple dish, but it has complex flavors and layered textures. You could add in some goat cheese and make this a meal all by itself or serve it with a more subdued fish dish.

More Beet Recipes from Spinach Tiger

• Ginger Roasted Salmon with Orange Roasted Beets
• Golden Beets Carpacio
• Red Beet Risotto with Goat Cheese
• Red Beet & Bacon Goat Cheese Flatbread
• Raw Red Beet Pesto
• Red Beet Smoothie
• Beet Greens and Candy Striped Beet Salad
• Red and Golden Beet Crostini with Goat Cheese
• Roasted Golden Beets

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Roasted Orange Beets with Beet Greens

Orange Beets salad with a pesto of beet greens, pistachios and lemon for a wonderful side dish.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 1 pound red beets with beet greens attached
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• juice and zest of one orange
• squeeze of half lemon
• 1/4 cup pistachio nuts roasted salted
• 1 clove garlic
• few leaves of basil optional
• sea salt
• black pepper

Instructions

• Trim off beet greens. Wash well.
• Using a pairing knife or potato peeler, peel skin from beets and cut into quarters or large bite sized pieces.
• Douse with a tablespoon of olive oil and juice of half of the orange with zest.
• Wrap in foil and roast in oven at 350 degrees for 35-50 minutes or until tender. Check at 15 minutes and turn.
• Remove and douse with remaining orange and zest of that orange while still warm.

Beet Pesto

• Mix in small food processor or blender, beet greens remains olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and two tablespoons pistachio nuts. Blend until smooth. Taste to season with salt and pepper. Add more olive oil if needed.
• Bring beets to room temperature. Drizzle with more olive oil if needed. Season with salt and pepper. Top with beets pesto and remaining pistachios.

The post Roasted Orange Beets with Beet Greens Recipe appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

A visit to Puerto Vallarta before I knew Mr. Spinach Tiger with someone else I refer to as the surfer heel, if I can use a very old fashioned word, led me to a near death experience and an authentic lunch in the middle of nowhere in Mexico.

The Near Death Experience.

Our hotel had a secluded beach and a riptide someone forgot to tell me about. The surfer heel insisted we venture further out into the water from the shore and as usual he went ahead not looking back. He never noticed that I got caught in an undertow only a few feet from shore. The good looking outdoor bartender came to my rescue, got me out of the water and somehow my top, that came off in the rough waters, got back on. I was too frightened to care about that at the time and am grateful there were no cell phone cameras back then to embarrass me.

The guests were stunned. Not because of my wardrobe malfunction nor my near drowning, but that surfer heel didn’t even look back or take notice. Finally, he realized I wasn’t there and he came back to find himself at odds with all the guests. They shook their heads with disgust and wondered what a nice girl like me was doing with someone like him. This was the vacation that led to the demise of this relationship and that wasn’t the worst of it.

The Unsettling Beach in the Middle of Nowhere, Mexico

The next day, he insisted we rent a car and drive from the semi-safe tourist part of town to a smaller town where odd looking stray dogs run wild and tourists are no where to be found. While he was surfing, I had the pleasure of sitting on a very unsettling beach, scared to death that something worse than an undertow was going to come along. It was time to end this relationship and wait for a real man who put me first.

Mexican Lunch in the Middle of the Nowhere, Mexico
The food was surprisingly good and that’s when I tasted my first real guacamole, assembled from chunks of avocado with simple ingredients

Budro’s Tableside Guacamole

The next time I tasted anything as good was at Boudro’s Texas Bistro in San Antonio. I had dinner there with Mr. ST one Valentine’s week many years ago, comforted in the realization that I had waited for the right man.  They took a picture of us on the patio wrapped in blankets which Boudro’s provides its guests.  Romantic that he is, he framed the picture and has it on his desk.

He became just as smitten with the their famous tableside guacamole and recreated the recipe as soon as we got back home, adapting it to his own taste. The serrano pepper can be left out, but we love it. 

His guacamole is legendary, and there is none better anywhere here in Nashville. He’s very particular about it, and I enjoy watching him do his table side magic especially because it always takes us back to that night in San Antonio, serving as a reminder to me how different my life could have been with the wrong person. (Although I’m not sure about those sunglasses. I think they are long gone, but he thought he looked like Bono. I laughed too).

Table-side Presentation for Authentic Guacamole

Table-side guacamole is something you can do when your guests arrive, but give them a drink first. The entire assembly takes about five minutes.How to  Make Sure the Avocado is Ripe Enough, but not too Ripe

There is a little brown stem (button) on the tip of an avocado. If you flick it off, you will see either a brown spot (too ripe) or a green spot (ripe enough)

Peel Your Avocados. Did you know you can peel avocados. Let me show you here.

Chop your cilantro with this Tuo Cleaver, my new favorite kitchen tool.



Tableside Guacamole and a Beautiful Presentation

The key to a beautiful presentation is to have everything ready to chop freshly on the spot peel the avocados. This is much easier than you may think and I did a post on it.  Peeling the avocado makes it easier to cut into attractive slices for some dishes or nice chunks for this one. It might be a good idea to have your onion pre-cut, but dice the tomato fresh.

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So tell me, did you wait for Mr. or Mrs. Right? Did it take you as many dogs as it took me?

More Avocado Recipes from Spinach Tiger

• How to Peel an Avocado
• How to Ripen an Avocado
• Avocado Margarita
• Avocado Shrimp Salad
• Avocado Chicken Pasta
• Chocolate Avocado Smoothie (low carb)
• Baked Avocado Egg with Lime Hollandaise

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Authentic Guacamole and Tableside Presentation

Authentic Guacamole and how to do a nice tableside presentation.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• Note: To make enough guacamole: use 1 avocado per person and adjust ingredients accordingly.
• 4 avocados
• juice squeezed from 1/2 large orange
• juice squeezed from one lime
• sea salt black pepper
• 1/2 purple onion diced
• 1 small tomato diced
• handful of cilantro chopped
• 1 serrano pepper diced very finely (optional)

Instructions

• Assemble the following into a bowl:
• Peel avocados or carefully spoon out the flesh, keeping the avocado and intact as possible. Cut into large chunks.
• Squeeze the juices of orange and lime over avocado.
• Season with salt and pepper
• Add in chopped onion, tomato, cilantro
• Carefully mix together. You don’t want the avocado turned into mush.
• Season again with salt as needed, perhaps another squeeze of lime.
• Serve immediately.

Video

The post Authentic Tableside Guacamole appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Do you remember how refreshing the creamsicle was when you were a kid? It was one of my favorites with vanilla ice cream centered between orange sherbet. There is something about the combination of orange and vanilla that soothes the soul. It’s a happy bite.

This low carb orange creamsicle cupcake is really a combination of two recipes already posted here at Spinach Tiger, and I can’t believe I’ve never put this together before. Orange cake and Low Carb Vanilla buttercream are just brilliant together.

Made with my orange cake batter, using real whole navel oranges, the orange taste is bright, fresh and has a wow factor.

You can make this recipe into an 8 inch layer cake, 12 extra large cupcakes, or a six inch triple layer cake. You will need more frosting for layer cakes than cupcakes.

Why I Use Swerve and What is it?

Macros: Net Carbs – 4 (see more nutrition in recipe)

You might be surprised that you can enjoy something orange and it still be “keto.” This recipe uses the entire orange, including orange peel, which adds fiber and there is one orange per 12 servings. This is very different than a sugar spiking glass of orange juice. There are only 4 net carbs per cupcake if you make 12.

More Keto Citrus Recipes from Spinach Tiger

• Orange Olive Oil Bundt Cake with Orange Butter Glaze
• Orange Dutch Baby with Cinnamon Glaze
• Orange Cranberry Bread
• Lemon Butter Cake

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Low Carb Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes

Grain Free, Sugar Free, Low Carb Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes

Course Cake, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cranberry orange bread, keto cake, orange cake

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 12 slices

Calories 394kcal

Equipment

• Muffin Liners
• Vitamix Blender (Or super blender)
• Baking Sheet

Ingredients

Preparation for Bundt Pan

Bundt Cake

• 1 large navel orange

Dry Ingredients

• 260 grams blanched almond flour 2 1/2 cups
• 28 grams coconut flour 2 tablespoons
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

Wet Ingredient Group

• 1 cups Granulated Swerve
• 1/2 cup avocado oil
• 6 extra large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 Orange

Vanilla Buttercream

• 1 1/2 cups Swerve Confectioner's Sweetener see notes
• 1 1/2 cups Salted Butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

• Spray liners with baking spray. This batter may make more than 12 depending on the liners you are using.
• Preheat oven to 350 Degrees. Keep on bake, not convection bake if oven has that mode to keep from browning, but it's fine to use a convection oven too.

Orange Mixture

• Wash Navel orange and trim off the bottom, if necessary.
• Cut into quarters. Put in cold water. Bring to boil for 30 minutes. Drain. Reserve 1/4 cup water.
• Add to Vitamix or super blender. Pulse until you have a texture of course puree, with a little bit of zest showing. You may need to add a little of the reserved water in bottom of blender. Set aside to cool. This can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. It can also be made ahead and frozen.
• Reserve a tablespoon of orange mixture for the glaze.

Dry Ingredients

• Whisk together almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, salt, xanthan gum, Swerve granulated. Set aside.

Make Batter

• Beat eggs for five minutes. I use my whipping wand.
• Slowly stream in oil.
• Add vanilla extract.
• Add orange mixture to batter.
• Add dry mixture beating on low.
• Use an Ice cream scoop to scoop batter onto each liner.
• Bake for 15 to 22 minutes depending on what liner you use. Use a food thermometer. It needs to be between 207 and 210 F.
• Cool completely before frosting.

Low Carb Vanilla Buttercream

• Whip butter for a few minutes.
• Add vanilla.
• Add confectioner's sweetener 1/2 cup at a time, until all is mixed thoroughly.
• Top each cake with buttercream.

Notes

Swerve Confection: You can put Swerve (or Lakanto) into a Vitamix and pulse to make a confectioner’s sweetener.

You can skip the glaze and sprinkle with confectioner’s sweetener as an option.

Nutrition

Serving: 1of 12 | Calories: 394kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 37g | Fiber: 4g

The post Low Carb Orange Creamsicle Cupcake Recipe appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Cucidate, little fig cookies, while appearing quite demure in appearance, hit the senses, as a true Christmas cookie,  first with an aroma of the dried fruits soaked in a liquor and then  ombined with nuts, cinnamon, and honey, wrapped in a delicate pastry.

Cucidate, the Italian Fig cookie from Sicily is a tribute to my grandfather.

Biaggio came to America twice before he actually decided to stay, and I can understand his trepidation to settle in the United States, after visiting his hometown some years ago.

As I walked around the village of Isnello outside of Palermo, I rested my eyes on one of the most beautiful mountain backdrops I’ve ever seen, while the ocean was only twenty minutes away.

Sicily is an earthy place of tradition, created by many visiting cultures over centuries of acquisition. 

The people are humble, and yet rich in a food culture that is probably the most flavorful and robust of Italian cuisine, much like their personalities. American television has done a great disservice to Sicilians, using hyperbole, stereotypes and the sensationalism of organized crime. Most Sicilians are victims of crime, are not murderers and are not one dimensional.

This is probably a little extra special for me, because my grandfather had a fig tree he treated like a bab. Right before he died, he kept talking about “her.” Yes, he had decided his fig tree was a she, and he was worried, that she needed to be covered up for the winter or in his words, “shessa gonna die.”

My grandfather was never part of any organized crime, so please scratch your ideas about the people of Sicily.  He was a kind soul who extended everyone who knocked on our door in for coffee. The family joke would be that we might find him serving coffee and cake to a burglar that tried to rob the house.

I found his warmth and patience compelling, especially contrasted with my grandmother who was an Italian diva, sometimes warm, and sometimes a little too sure of herself. They always seemed a mismatch, as she was born in America as a first generation Italian and exuded first class glamour. His kind would be referred to as “from the old country,” and that was considered a step down in status from first generation born.

She was divorced with a small child (my Aunt Rita of the stuffed shells legend) and yet could have had her pick of any man. How in the world my grandfather snatched her as a bride is quite stunning, and one of the good things that happened for me prior to my life.

They had a daughter, my mother (Retro Rose) who inherited more that Sicilian hospitality.   I can’t tell you how many times, I would visit her apartment and she was feeding the maintenance men. She’s making someone a pot of meatballs at least weekly. When I first gave her some of these cookies, her first words were “can you make these for one of the elders at church.” I emphatically said no, these are just for the family. This attitude needed to be adjusted. Her desire to give the elders these special cookies is what being Sicilian is all about.

Cucidate Make a Great Gift

I had to think about that because aren’t Christmas cookies something we make to give away, to show our love for others?  After researching  these cookies, I read many stories about how often these cucidate are given away as gifts, and it got me thinking that I should plan to make several batches.

These cucidate excude the heart of the Sicilian culture. The dough is sweet; the fig filling full of flavor and life, and they make the perfect Christmas cookie gift, because they hit the heart.

The Process for Cucidate, Italian Fig Cookies

• Soak the raisin in bourbon for at least an hour.
• Chop figs or use a fig jam.
• Bring figs, dates (or dried plums/prumes) together with marmalade, honey and walnuts and process.
• Allow this filling to be refrigerated overnight to meld the flavors.
• Make pastry same day you make the filling and refrigerate overnight.
• Take out one pastry roll at a time and roll out and cut in squares.
• Fill and bake.
• Top with glaze and Italian sprinkles.

There are many ways to roll and fold the cookies. I did some in triangle, some folded over evenly. Some will turn the seam on the bottom, so you can’t see it. You can choose your own way.

Orange Glaze for Cucidate

I made an orange glaze and poured this over the cookies when hot, then sprinkled with these Italian cookie sprinkles I found in an Italian grocery store.

So tell me do you have a traditional cookie you like to give away as a gift? Have you ever had cucidati, the ultimate Sicilian fig cookie?

More Italian Christmas Recipes

More Cookie Recipes

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Cucidate – Sicilian Fig Christmas Cookies

An Italian Christmas Cookie from Sicily made with figs, dried fruit, liquor, nuts.

Course Cookie

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 1 day day

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 day day 15 minutes minutes

Servings 36

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

Fig Filling

• 2 cups dried figs or 2 cups fig jam
• 2 cups dried dates or dried plums
• 1 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup bourbon or Grand Marnier Cognac or Brandy
• 1 cup almonds or walnuts chopped
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup orange marmalade
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Pastry

• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup sugar I always cut my sugar. I used 2/3 cup sugar
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter cold
• 2 eggs
• 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Glaze

• 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons orange juice) I used juice of one satsuma.
• small colored sprinkles

Instructions

Fig Filling

• Soak Raisins in bourbon for an hour up to overnight.
• Add to the rest of the ingredients.
• Grind all ingredients in food processor or Vitamix. The mixture should be ground enough to spread in the cookie. I substituted fig jam for dried figs and dried plums for dates.
• Refrigerate filling overnight.

Pastry

• Mix flour, baking powder, sugar together.
• Cut butter in. I used the Kitchen Aid Mixer. You could cut in with pastry blender or use a food processor also.
• Beat eggs and milk to together. Reserve 1 tablespoon milk. You may not need it.
• Add to flour mixture, and form a dough. Add the extra milk of it’s too dry.
• Separate dough in 4 sections. Wrap each in plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate for one hour or overnight.

Glaze

• Mix confectioner’s sugar with orange juice. Add water a little at a time, until you have a thin glaze.

Assembly

• Work with one section of pastry dough at a time.
• Roll each section into a tube. Divide into two sections to make it easier to work with.
• Flatten out each tube. Put mixture in center. Pull sides up to reach. Cut into 1 1/2 inch cookies.
• Bake at 375 Degrees F, 190 C. for 15 minutes.
• Spoon glaze over each cookie. Top with sprinkles.

The post Cucidati – Sicilian Fig Christmas Cookies appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

You might recall the muffin version for this, and now I want to show you how to turn this same recipe into two little loaves. 

Use a Whole Orange in this Recipe

Cut an orange in quarters and boil until softened 20-30 minutes. Once cooled this will go into your batter. Trust me on this. Your orange cranberry bread will be just right, moist and sweet with tart from the cranberries.

This screams holiday season for me and it’s quite pretty too.

Ingredients for Keto Orange Cranberry Bread

Why do I Make 2 Small Loaves instead of One Large Loaf?

I use these small loaf pans because almond flour tends to burn and get a little crusty if baked too long. Baking one large loaf may brown too much while cooking the necessary 45-50 minutes for a large loaf. Baking in smaller loaf pans only takes 25-30 minutes and each will yield 10 slices. The other loaf is perfect for the freezer or a friend.

Tips for Making Keto Orange Cranberry Bread

• Beat eggs first until frothy
• Add olive oil in slow stream
• Add a cup of the orange mixture.
• Mix all dry ingredients well before adding in.
• Do a taste test. Microwave 20 seconds one teaspoon of batter.
• Use parchment paper.
• Bake small loaves.
• Cool completely before glazing.

What Sweetener do I use for Keto Baking?

I use Swerve, a powdered erythritol. Read my article here on why I chose Swerve.

Macros for Orange Cranberry Bread

I already know people will write me and tell me this is not keto friendly because I’m using an orange and cranberries. Twenty servings from one orange and one cup of cranberries results in 2 net carbs a slice.

Total Carbs 5 g Fiber 3 g Net Carbs 2 g Calories 131 Fat 11 g Protein 5 g

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More Orange Cake Recipes from Spinach Tiger

Take a look at my Amazon recommendations for what I really use in my kitchen! As an affiliate I earn a small commission.

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Keto Orange Cranberry Bread

Grain Free, Sugar Free, Low Carb Orange Cranberry Bread

Course Cake, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cranberry orange bread, keto cake, orange cake

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 20 slices

Calories 131kcal

Equipment

• Bread Pans
• Vitamix Blender (Or super blender)
• Baking Sheet

Ingredients

Preparation for Orange Cranberry Bread

• 1 large navel orange

Dry Ingredients

• 260 grams blanched almond flour 2 1/2 cups
• 28 grams coconut flour 2 tablespoons
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

Wet Ingredient Group

• 1 cups Granulated Swerve
• 1/2 cup avocado oil
• 6 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup fresh cranberries

Glaze Icing Option

• 1 cup Swerve Confectioner's Sweetener see notes
• 2 tablespoons orange juice

Instructions

• Spray liners with baking spray. This batter may make more than 12 depending on the liners you are using.
• Preheat oven to 350 Degrees. Keep on bake, not convection bake if oven has that mode to keep from browning, but it's fine to use a convection oven too.

Orange Mixture

• Wash Navel orange and trim off the bottom, if necessary.
• Cut into quarters. Put in cold water. Bring to boil for 30 minutes. Drain. Reserve 1/4 cup water.
• Add to Vitamix or super blender. Pulse until you have a texture of course puree, with a little bit of zest showing. You may need to add a little of the reserved water in bottom of blender. Set aside to cool. This can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. It can also be made ahead and frozen.
• Reserve a tablespoon of orange mixture for the glaze.

Dry Ingredients

• Whisk together almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, salt, xanthan gum, Swerve granulated. Set aside.

Make Batter

• Beat eggs for five minutes. I use my whipping wand.
• Slowly stream in oil.
• Add vanilla extract.
• Add orange mixture to batter.
• Add dry mixture beating on low.
• Use an Ice cream scoop to scoop batter onto each liner.
• Bake for 15 to 22 minutes depending on what liner you use.

Glaze

• Mix orange juice, water with Swerve Confectioner's for sugar free (or confectioner's of your choice, until you get a consistency you can drizzle. Drizzle over each muffin or on cranberry orange bread.

Notes

Swerve Confection: You can put Swerve (or Lakanto) into a Vitamix and pulse to make a confectioner’s sweetener.

You can skip the glaze and sprinkle with confectioner’s sweetener as an option.

Nutrition

Serving: 1of 20 | Calories: 131kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 11g | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g

The post Keto Orange Cranberry Bread, Gluten Free appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

The sweet orange batter against the tart of the cranberries is a great bite and makes you think of Christmas.

What combination of flours are low carb?

The batter is made with a combination of almond flour and coconut flour. The xanthan gum prevents the gluten free cranberry orange muffins from crumbling.

What Sweetener will Make this Recipe Sugar Free?

I use Swerve Granulated and Confectioner sweetener. You can use the sweetener of your choice. Always do a taste test by microwaving a tablespoon of butter before baking so you can make adjustments.

Ingredients for Low Carb Gluten Free Orange Cranberry Muffins

Orange Glaze for Keto Cranberry Orange Muffins

• Swerve Confectioner’s Sweetener
• Tablespoon of Juice of Orange
• Water

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You can also make cranberry orange bread, but I will bring you the recipe in a separate post.

More Related Recipes from Spinach TIger

• Keto Orange Bundt Cake
• Keto Raspberry Muffins
• Keto Blueberry Crumb Muffins
• Lemon Blueberry Muffins
• Pumpkin Streusel Muffins
• Keto Orange Dutch Baby

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Low Carb Cranberry Orange Muffins

Grain Free, Sugar Free, Low Carb Orange Cranberry Muffins

Course Cake, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cranberry orange bread, keto cake, orange cake

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 12 slices

Calories 285kcal

Equipment

• Muffin Liners
• Vitamix Blender (Or super blender)
• Baking Sheet

Ingredients

Preparation for Bundt Pan

Bundt Cake

• 1 large navel orange

Dry Ingredients

• 260 grams blanched almond flour 2 1/2 cups
• 28 grams coconut flour 2 tablespoons
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

Wet Ingredient Group

• 1 cups Granulated Swerve
• 1/2 cup avocado oil
• 6 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup fresh cranberries more If needed

Glaze Icing Option

• 1 cup Swerve Confectioner's Sweetener see notes
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 2/3 cup Swerve Confectioner's Sweetener see notes

Instructions

• Spray liners with baking spray. This batter may make more than 12 depending on the liners you are using.
• Preheat oven to 350 Degrees. Keep on bake, not convection bake if oven has that mode to keep from browning, but it's fine to use a convection oven too.

Orange Mixture

• Wash Navel orange and trim off the bottom, if necessary.
• Cut into quarters. Put in cold water. Bring to boil for 30 minutes. Drain. Reserve 1/4 cup water.
• Add to Vitamix or super blender. Pulse until you have a texture of course puree, with a little bit of zest showing. You may need to add a little of the reserved water in bottom of blender. Set aside to cool. This can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. It can also be made ahead and frozen.
• Reserve a tablespoon of orange mixture for the glaze.

Dry Ingredients

• Whisk together almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, salt, xanthan gum, Swerve granulated. Set aside.

Make Batter

• Beat eggs for five minutes. I use my whipping wand.
• Slowly stream in oil.
• Add vanilla extract.
• Add orange mixture to batter.
• Add dry mixture beating on low.
• Use an Ice cream scoop to scoop batter onto each liner.
• Bake for 15 to 22 minutes depending on what liner you use.

Glaze

• Mix orange juice, water with Swerve Confectioner's for sugar free (or confectioner's of your choice, until you get a consistency you can drizzle. Drizzle over each muffin or on cranberry orange bread.

Notes

Swerve Confection: You can put Swerve (or Lakanto) into a Vitamix and pulse to make a confectioner’s sweetener.

You can skip the glaze and sprinkle with confectioner’s sweetener as an option.

Nutrition

Serving: 1of 18 | Calories: 285kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 29g | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g

The post Keto Cranberry Orange Muffins appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

My Vitamix is truly a workhorse and a natural doctor in the kitchen. Just look at the color of this cold fighting smoothie which has blueberries, oranges, kale, apples, carrots, and even a little bit of red beet (for color). This was developed to boost the immune system of a sick child who had no appetite. The response upon the first sip, was “this is the best drink you ever made.” And, he drank the whole thing.

When kids are sick, they tend to refuse food, even homemade chicken soup. When I originally posted this, the boys were only 7 years old, bringing home colds. Today, the concern of a parent is even bigger, and it’s good to get pro-active and feed healthy super nutrition dense foods. 

That’s when my Vitamix performs its magic by taking whole foods and crushing them to a delicious, icy cold refreshing drink, delivering not just nutrition, but some needed quick energy.

Blueberries contained the most active antioxidants of any fresh fruit, thanks to their high levels of anthocyanins—one of the most potent antioxidants. Blueberries are also a brain food, so it’s a win all the way.

Kale helps clear congestion especially in the lungs.

Apple boosts the immune system, clears toxins through the liver,  aids in diarrhea and constipation (often a part of a cold virus.)

Carrots, rich is beta-carotene (Vitamin A). Aids immune system and lungs.

Beets – Aside from these healthy benefits, beets are high in carbohydrates. When children are sick, they don’t eat much, and beets can serve as energy fuel. I added a little bit of beets to this drink, more for color, as blueberries and kale together don’t look appetizing and kids see their food first. Make it look good. 

This cold fighting smoothie is dairy free. 

The benefits of a cold fighting smoothie with blueberries, orange and kale are enormous, but the main thing about smoothies is that they are not all created equal. This is completely free of any dairy products which may promote mucus, and are tasty enough for someone not feeling so well to enjoy.

So tell me what kind of winter has it been at your house? This cold fighting smoothie is not just for when kids get a cold. It’s a great preventative measure.

More Smoothies from Spinach Tiger

Vitamin C Smoothie and Tips for Treating a Fever

Two Green Smoothie Recipes

Low Carb Chocolate Smoothie with Avocado

Red Beet Smoothie

Carob Peanut Butter Carob Banana Smoothie

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Vitamix Cold Fighting Smoothie for Sick Kids with Blueberries, Orange and Kale

A smoothie made in the Vitamix with kale, blueberries and oranges, designed to boost the immune system and help with cold symptoms.

Course Smoothie

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 1 orange peeled
• 1 handful kale
• 1 handful spinach
• 1 carrot
• 1 apple cut in half, core and seeds removed
• 3 cups of blueberries
• 1 small raw red beet peeled
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup ice

Instructions

• Place ingredients in Vitamix, and hit the smoothie button, or mix until all the ingredients are pulverized into a smoothie. Add more water if necessary.

The post Cold Fighting Smoothie for Sick Kids appeared first on Spinach Tiger.