Easy Holiday Cookie Recipe To Help You Entertain
Welcome to the season of the pop-in, when the unexpected, uninvited, absolutely can’t-wait-to-see-you someone stops by to spread some holiday cheer.
Of course you can’t just open the door and welcome someone into your home without giving them a little something to eat. What will you serve? No worries. We’ve got you covered. Here’s an easy holiday cookie recipe to have on-hand during pop-in season.
Try our FIG JAM DOT COOKIES Recipe & Shop our MARVELOUS SUMMER FIG PRESERVES.
Fig Jam Dot Cookies
Yields 24 Cookies
Ingredients
1 cup whole wheat flour or cup for cup (gluten free flour)
1 cup sliced almond, ground
1 cup oats, ground
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ cup grape seed oil
½ cup maple syrup
½ cup fresh orange juice
1 tsp vanilla
1 9-ounce jar of Marvelous Summer Fig Preserves
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine dry ingredients.
Combine wet ingredients except fig preserves.
Mix wet with dry ingredients.
On cookie sheets lined with parchment paper or silpat, drop by large Tablespoons or 1 ounce scoops.
With small spoon or thumb, make a dent in middle of each cookie for fig preserves.
In each dent, place a small drop of fig preserves in each cookie.
We love Pamela’s understanding of nutrition, and more importantly how to implement it into our kitchens. You’ll enjoy her recipes that are both good for you and delicious. She’s been a guest presenter in our Golden Door Kitchen on several occasions to demonstrate best practices to achieving nutritious and delicious meals at home. Guests can attend a Wellness Cooking Class to receive tips on how to source the freshest foods, recipes, and taste delicious samples!
PAMELA’S DIETARY PRINCIPLES: • Eat as many whole foods as possible. • Eat a wide variety of food. • Eat as much organic food as you can afford or find. • Cook as much as possible to control what goes into your food and to impart your loving energy into the food you serve. • Eat seasonally. • Shop locally. • Listen to your body.
1½ pounds eggplant, unpeeled, cut into 1” cubes (you should have 8 cups)
¼ cup water
1 cup grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese
½ cup fresh Italian parsley leaves and tender stems, chopped
¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
4 eggs, beaten (you can use between 2-4 eggs, but I like to use 4 for extra protein and to hold the meat-balls together better)
1 ½ cups dried breadcrumbs (you can use 1 cup, but the meatballs will be much softer)
1/8 teaspoon of sea salt and a few grinds of black pepper
½ recipe of Marinara Sauce, recipe on reverse, or about 3 cups of sauce
Preparation
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Warm olive oil and sauté garlic until just fragrant and barely starting to lightly brown, about 30 seconds. Add eggplant and water. Reduce heat to low and cover the skillet.
Allow eggplant to steam until soft, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, if you have time.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper.
Place the eggplant mixture in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until well chopped, but not pureed. Or just do this on a cutting board with a knife.
Transfer eggplant to a large mixing bowl and add cheese, parsley, basil, eggs, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. Stir mixture well to combine using your hands or a wooden spoon. The mixture can be refrigerated at this point, covered for up to a day. It is easier to roll into meatballs when the mixture is cooled down. (If doing so, preheat the oven 30 minutes before baking the meatballs.)
Roll mixture into 1 ½ ” balls and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, or until firm on the outside and light brown underneath.
Transfer meatballs to a large saucepan with marinara sauce and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
Notes
You can add crushed red pepper with the garlic to add some heat. You can also shape these into veggie burgers. If fresh basil isn’t available, you can add a few dashes of dried basil and dried oregano.
Homemade Tomato Sauce
Recipe by: Pamela Salzman
Ingredients
¼ cup unrefined, cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 pounds fresh, ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced or 2 28-ounce containers of crushed tomatoes
1 7-ounce jar of tomato paste (for a richer, thicker sauce)
Sea salt
A few leaves (a small handful) of fresh basil, thinly sliced*
Preparation
In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions and sauté gently until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute.
Add the tomatoes and tomato paste (if using) with 2 generous pinches of sea salt and bring to a simmer. Cover the sauce and simmer for about 20 minutes. Taste for seasoning.
Puree about half the sauce with an immersion blender or pass through a food mill. (You can also blend half the sauce in a blender or food processor.) Put the sauce back into the saucepan.
Add the basil and simmer for another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Notes If fresh basil isn’t available, you can add a few dashes of dried basil and dried oregano
Heart-Healthy Dessert
Dessert doesn’t have to be a healthy-eating faux pas with our CHOCOLATE AVOCADO GANACHE recipe. Sweet and satisfying without the guilt—our dessert is both scrumptious and healthy.
The key to enjoying your favorite sweet treat, while still following a healthy diet, is to consume in moderation. You can indulge in this heart-healthy dessert and serve it at your next dinner party. We hope you enjoy!
Chocolate Avocado Ganache
Serves 20, Serving size 1 Tablespoon
Ingredients
5 ounces dark chocolate (60-72%), cut into pieces
1 avocado (peeled and diced)
Optional for Garnish
Mint leaves
Berries
Preparation
In the top of a double boiler, melt chocolate over medium heat. Do not mix chocolate with water. Let cool slightly. Alternatively, if you do not have a double boiler, add chocolate to a metal bowl placed over a saucepan filled about 1/3 with water and heat water to medium heat and allow chocolate to melt while stirring occasionally.
In food processor, blend chocolate with avocado until smooth.
Remove and place in bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 1-2 hours.
Remove from refrigerator and with a small melon ball size scoop or large Tablespoon, scoop mixture onto serving plate.
