Relish the Day! Bourbon Cranberry Apricot & Pecan Relish Recipe

Posted on November 22, 2013 by Jennifer FIsher

After getting three kids out the door with special class party snacks, finishing a running workout of mile repeats in this relentless humidity fest which is central Texas and hitting the grocery store with my daily list, you’d think I’d be too bogged down to celebrate National Cranberry Relish Day. But no way! I really relish all the nuances of this sweet -tart dish that makes not just a great side dish but also is a superstar salsa for chips, crave-worthy condiment on wraps, and tasty topping for Greek yogurt. Sometimes I wonder why people only make this recipe during the holiday season?!

There are so many versions of cranberry relish and everyone seems to have a favorite. Some like molded cranberry sauce right out of the can while others prefer the texture and taste of fresh relish. We have a family recipe for raw cranberry relish that’s been around forever — I can’t remember a Thanksgiving without it! Basically, its fresh cranberries, sugar and an entire orange (unpeeled!) thrown into a food processor and pulsed. I guess back in the day, Grandma just chopped it up with a knife, old-school style.

My recipe for Bourbon Cranberry Apricot and Pecan Relish is inspired by the not overly-sweet tang of this beloved family recipe, but adds some new and exciting ingredients — err, namely the bourbon! The brief cooking process burns away all of the alcohol content, so you don’t have to worry about getting your little ones loopy! However, if you’d rather not use the liquor, simply substitute ounce-for-ounce with more orange juice.

Here’s an interesting fact that my kids figured out – cranberries bounce! Apparently, small pockets of air inside the fruit make them bouncy and buoyant (that’s why they float when harvested in the bogs). It’s also why you will hear them popping in the sauce pan.

Bourbon Cranberry Apricot and Pecan Relish Recipe

Only six ingredients, so simple!

12 ounces fresh cranberries
2/3 cup coarsely chopped dried apricots
2 ounces bourbon whiskey
2 ounces fresh orange juice (from medium orange)
1 teaspoon orange zest (from medium orange)
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup pecan pieces
Garnish: fresh mint

In a large saucepan, bring all the ingredients (except pecans and mint garnish) to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries pop and the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes; let cool. Stir in pecans. Serve warm, room temperature or cold – it’s good every way!

Serves 6 – 8.

So, as I mentioned earlier, my workout today was 5 mile repeats. And, thank goodness, it was not my “One-Derful” WOD which includes not only mile repeats but also lots of other tough stuff. With Thanksgiving coming later this year, I didn’t realize that my marathon (Dallas) was just over 2 weeks away. I guess I’m going into taper mode and I am completely NOT ready for the marathon. But I never am. So what do my friend and I like to do after we run? We always take crazy pictures at her CrossFit box (BVM CrossFit) – I’m sure you’ve seen some of them before. Nothing like walking around in a handstand with one of your legs stuck in a gymnastic ring. I added some sparkly disco lights to distract from my lack of flexibility!

Jennifer & the Giant Peach Obsession – Bourbon Peach Frozen Yogurt with Caramel-Pecan Swirl

Posted on August 13, 2013 by Jennifer FIsher

Okay, this is my last peach post for the summer, I promise. Maybe. After I prepped and put up most of the peaches in the freezer and we ate all we could, I still had plenty of ripe peaches begging for love. A couple nights ago I made a Pecan Peach Crisp for my gluten-free guests, served with vanilla ice cream melting at just the right speed to fill in every nook and cranny in the almond meal and oat crust. The rich, decadent ice cream got me thinking about a lighter version for “every day” indulging. So, I hauled out the electric ice cream maker, threw in a carton of plain, no-fat yogurt sweetened with a bit of Stevia and blended with a couple of those juicy peaches I had sautéed earlier with a splash of bourbon. I snuck a spoonful in for quality control and my hunch was confirmed – to-die-for delicious! But what if I swirled in a few ribbons of low-fat caramel sauce and a sprinkling of sugared pecans? Oh my! Find out every luscious detail and how to make the recipe yourself on my recent blog post for Living Litehouse, “Sublimely Summer, Bourbon Peach Frozen Yogurt with Caramel-Pecan Swirl.”

Don’t forget to visit the Litehouse Foods blog, Living Litehouse for more photos.

Sublimely Summer, Bourbon Peach Frozen Yogurt with Caramel-Pecan Swirl

3 ripe peaches; peeled
pitted and sliced
3 Tbsp bourbon
3 cups unsweetened no-fat plain yogurt
6 packets Stevia*
½ cup Litehouse Foods Low-Fat Caramel Dip (room temperature)
1/3 cup honey pecans (or plain pecans) coarsely chopped

Directions

1. In a small skillet, add peaches and bourbon over medium-high heat. Continue stirring for approximately 3-4 minutes until the juices are browning and the alcohol has burned off. Allow to cool to room temperature.

2. Place the peach mixture, yogurt and Stevia in a blender; puree until smooth.

3. Transfer the peach mixture to work bowl of electric ice cream machine and process according to manufacturer’s directions (usually about 20 minutes).

4. Spoon peach frozen yogurt (still soft-serve) into 9”x 9” pan and drizzle the room-temperature caramel dip into large ribbons across the top. Sprinkle evenly with pecans. Drag back and forth across the pan with a dull knife to gently redistribute some of the caramel and nuts.

5. Serve immediately or transfer to a container and allow to firm up for an hour or two in the freezer.

*If you prefer, skip the Stevia sweetener and substitute vanilla-flavored non-fat yogurt for the plain yogurt.

Superfoodie: 16-cal Strawberry Lemonade Coconut Water Pops

Posted on May 24, 2013 by Jennifer FIsher

Are you ready to cool off with Strawberry Lemonade Coconut Water Pops? Just as yummy as a tall glass of the summer-time sipper (maybe even tastier) and loaded with potassium from the coconut water – a great way to replace the nutrient lost through sweat while running or working out.

Strawberries are a bona fide superfood, high in vitamin C and other antioxidants. Studies show that eating this red fruit has a myriad of benefits including reduced inflammation and cell damage, increased folate levels for heart health, and a lessened chance of age-related ocular issues. These are just a few perks!

And, there’s no need to feel guilty about enjoying this frozen confection, each pop only has 16 calories! I’m also sharing with you some fun facts about strawberries and some strawberry-inspired recipes from some fellow Fitfluential foodies.

Strawberry Lemonade Coconut Water Pops Recipe

1 6-ounce bottle coconut water (I used Zico)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons Stevia
1 ¼ cups fresh sliced strawberries

Place all ingredients in a blender and pulse on and off for about 30 seconds until everything is blended. The strawberries should be a little chunky. Pour liquid into 3-ounce freezer pop molds. Freeze for at least 3 hour or until frozen solid. Makes 6.

There are 200 seeds on the average strawberry.
Organic strawberries have more vitamin C and antioxidants than regular berries.
Regular strawberries have one of the highest concentrations of pesticide residues of all produce tracked by the USDA. If organic berries aren’t available, soak your strawberries in water for 2 minutes before eating.
Strawberries stop ripening as soon as they’re picked. For best taste, select bright red berries with their caps intact.
Don’t wash strawberries until ready to eat them, otherwise they’ll spoil too fast.
Along with cherries and grapes, strawberries are one of the few sources of ellagic acid, a compound shown to prevent carcinogens from turning healthy cells into cancerous ones.
Every man, woman and child in the US each eats 3.4 pounds of fresh strawberries per year plus another 1.8 pounds of frozen strawberries.We should all eat more!
One cup of strawberries has just 46 calories.