Editor’s note: Olivia is a new member of our team. She recently graduated from Natural Gourmet Institute and specializes in dairy-free and gluten-free recipe development. We can’t wait to see her strut her stuff at the class she’s teaching this Thursday at the Park Slope Food Coop.
Once you recall how to use tape without screwing it up in a ball of rage, there’s a certain satisfaction in wrapping Christmas presents. But this has nothing on the feeling of creating edible treats that the special people in your life will share and talk about for months to come. Recapture the childish magic of Christmas this year, not with glitter glue cards, but by making gifts for your loved ones that are free from refined sugar, gluten and dairy.
Join me this Thursday, December 3 at 7:30 p.m. at the Park Slope Food Coop to learn to make:
- Orange-infused cranberry sauce (recipe below)
- Freshly-popped vegan cinnamon caramel corn
- Miniature vegan holiday gingerbread cakes
- Chewy chocolate and orange-blossom almond cookies
We’ll explore alternatives to refined sugar, gluten, eggs and dairy. We’ll discuss how to adapt the recipes for your loved ones’ tastes and I’ll be demoing how to can the cranberry sauce and giving suggestions for packaging your gifts.
The demo is part of a series of classes that run once a month through a partnership between the Natural Gourmet Institute and the Food Coop. Tickets are $4 each and are available to Coop members and non-members alike, but are sold on the night on a first come, first seated basis — so arrive early to avoid disappointment!
I look forward to seeing you there!
Orange-Infused Cranberry Sauce
Homemade cranberry sauce is a simple way to enhance any Christmas table, the tart-sweet balance pairs well with both savory and dessert items, such as crispy Brussels sprouts or pumpkin pie with vanilla ice cream, and it couldn’t be simpler to make.
Makes 9 pint jars
5 pounds frozen or fresh cranberries
4 cups agave syrup
Zest of 8 oranges
8 cups of orange juice (approximately 20 oranges, if using freshly squeezed juice)
½ cup lemon juice
8 cups of water
1 cup sour cherry cordial (20% alcohol volume) or 2/3 cup Cointreau (40% alcohol volume) (to taste, optional)
9 pint jam jars
In a large saucepan, combine the cranberries, agave, orange zest and juice, lemon juice and water. Bring to a simmer and leave uncovered until all the cranberries have burst and the sauce is shiny and thickened (approximately 30 minutes). Add the sour cherry cordial and simmer for a further two minutes. Can while still hot.
