Paleo Zucchini Bread

My sister-in-law is an avid gardener.  She sent my husband home with some very large zucchini--as she says, they were the size of baseball bats!  In any event, once this squash becomes this large, it's best used in breads and other cooked dishes, as it's not as tender as it once was.  So my husband and I decided to try a couple of new recipes.  Here is one for Paleo Zucchini Bread.  It does not contain any grains, and it can be made using a blender!  How convenient is that? And what's even better--it's moist and delicious!

Yield: 1 loaf (14 to 16 servings)

WW Points: 2 per serving

Marietta's Almond Butter Cookies

I'm always looking for ways to put a new spin on old recipes.  This year I used a recipe for classic peanut butter cookies as a template for a new twist on an old favorite...and it was a hit!

Image source: Wikimedia

Marietta's Almond Butter Cookies

1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup additional to roll cookies

1 stick butter, at room temperature

1 egg

1 cup smooth almond butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cups flour

3/4 cup almond flour

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a baking sheet.

 In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter. Beat egg into mixture. Mix in almond butter and vanilla until smooth and creamy.

Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, combine salt, baking soda, and flours and blend the together with a whisk. Add dry ingredients to moist ingredients in two or three increments. 

Roll dough into 1 inch balls and then roll in sugar. Place on baking sheet and flatten with fork. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Homemade Maple Walnut Cranberry Sauce

Now that Thanksgiving is over, I have some time to sit down and share with you a wonderful recipe for home made cranberry sauce.  It comes from, "The New Basic Cookbook" which is authored by the two women who owned and operated The Silver Palate, a takeout gourmet business that was popular in New York City some years ago.

I have made this recipe many times over, and it's always a winner!

Maple Walnut Cranberry Sauce

10-12 servings

12 oz. bag fresh cranberries, rinsed

zest of 1 orange

1 cup cranberry-raspberry juice

1 cup pure maple syrup

1 cup walnut halves

Place the rinsed cranberries, orange zest, cran-raspberry juice and maple syrup in a sauce pan on the stove.  Bring the contents to a boil, stirring often.  

Reduce heat to medium and allow to simmer for 10-12 minutes. You will notice that the cranberries will pop open and a foam will appear on top as you proceed.  Keep stirring until the cranberries are pretty much all popped open and the sauce has thickened. At that point, remove the pan from the heat.

If any foam remains on top of the mixture, skim it off. Stir in the walnut halves an allow to cool>

Once it is cool enough to handle, place mixture in an airtight container and store in refrigerator until ready to eat.  

This sauce will stay fresh under refrigeration for a few days...try some during this holiday season. If you like cranberry sauce, you will enjoy this!

Recipe source: New Basics Cookbook

Image source: Wikimedia