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Frozen Cranberry Dessert

Some desserts may look strange or the ingredient list may not sound super appetizing. Then you take a bite, and you just can't stop eating it. This recipe is a take on a family favorite that has been at all of our Thanksgivings for decades. I look forward to it all year, and love the leftovers as long as they last. The dish is taken to the next level thanks to our Pastamore Dark Sweet Cherry Balsamic Vinegar mixed with fresh whipped cream. This recipe could also be made with marshmallow fluff if you were looking to go vegetarian or for a different texture. Be warned, this recipe makes a full 9"x13" pan, so you may want to consider a half batch at first.

Ingredients:
1 lb - fresh cranberries
3 - red apples, medium
1 cup - sugar
1 10 oz package - mini marshmallows
1.5 Tbsp - Pastamore Dark Sweet Cherry Balsamic Vinegar
1 cup - whipping cream

Directions:
1. Place mixing bowl into the freezer.

2. Rinse cranberries. Add to food processor, and pulse 4-5 times. Move to a large mixing bowl.

3. Rinse apples and remove cores. Add to food processor, and pulse 7-8 times. Add apples and 3/4 cup sugar to the mixing bowl and stir until combined. Allow to sit for 30 minutes.

3.  Add 1/4 cup sugar, whipping cream, and Pastamore Dark Sweet Cherry Balsamic Vinegar to chilled mixing bowl. Use a mixer to mix until the whipped cream makes stiff peaks.

4. Add whipped cream and marshmallows to bowl of apples and cranberries. Fold gently until evenly mixed. Transfer to a 9"x13" glass dish. Cover and place into the freezer.

5. Chill overnight and serve with a drizzle of Pastamore Dark Sweet Cherry Balsamic Vinegar.

Maple Ginger Cranberry Sauce

It is that short time of year where you can easily find fresh and cheap cranberries in the store. I've written a cranberry recipe before, and this is a slightly different take for a new year. You will have a hard time moving back to the usual canned cranberry sauce after just one bite. This recipe uses our Pastamore Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar and delicious maple syrup to create a festive and tasty side dish or sauce. More maple syrup can be added depending on your sweet tooth.

Ingredients:
1 lb - fresh cranberries
2 cups - orange juice
1 thumb - fresh ginger
1/4 cup - real maple syrup
1 Tbsp - Pastamore Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar 

Directions:
1. Sort and thoroughly rinse cranberries. Crush ginger.

2. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add Pastamore Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar and all other ingredients to pot. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Stir often.

3. Cook until sauce has reached desired consistency and cranberries are tender (20-30 minutes). Adjust sweetness as needed.

4. Refrigerate overnight and serve cold.

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Dessert Pizza

Sometimes the only thing better than pizza is dessert pizza. This recipe combines our Pastamore Dark Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar with peanut butter and bananas. This dessert could be turned into a nod to Elvis if you were to top it with some crumbled bacon. Either way, this is a tasty and filling dessert treat.

Ingredients:
1 - small premade pizza crust
2 Tbsp - natural peanut butter
1 - medium banana
1 Tbsp - Pastamore Dark Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 F.

2. Slice bananas into 1/4" thick coins.

3. Place premade pizza crust onto a baking sheet. Spoon on peanut butter and evenly spread leaving a crust. Place bananas on top of peanut butter. Place into oven.

4. Cook until crust is browned, 8-12 minutes. Finish with a drizzle of Pastamore Dark Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar. Cut into slices and serve.

Spicy Sausage Pizza

Grabbing a pizza on the way home can be an easy dinner, but those cheap $5 pizzas have a hilariously long ingredient list. Using a "natural" premade crust can give you a healthier choice than those you might bring home. That paired with your own ingredients help you feel better about knowing what is in your dinner. This recipe uses one of our old recipes, Pastamore Pizza Sauce. This sauce mixed with our Pastamore Fresh Jalapeno Oil makes for a quick, tasty, and spicy dish.

Ingredients:
2 - small premade pizza crusts
2 - spicy chicken sausages, precooked
1/4 cup - Pastamore Pizza Sauce
2 tsp - Pastamore Fresh Jalapeno Oil
1 cup - shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 F with pizza stone in oven. If you do not have a pizza stone, make the pizzas on a baking sheet instead.

2. Combine Pastamore Pizza Sauce and Pastamore Fresh Jalapeno Oil. Mix well with a whisk. Cut sausage into 1/4" thick coins.

3. Once preheated, carefully remove pizza stone from oven or place premade crusts onto baking sheet. Add sauce evenly to the pizza crusts. Spread with a spoon, making sure to keep an uncovered crust. Next, add the cheese and top with the sausage. Return to the oven.

4. Cook until cheese is melted and crust is browned (8-12 minutes). Removing from oven and cut using a pizza cutter. Plate and enjoy.

7 Tips for Having a Healthier Holiday

It's that time of year that is great for your taste buds, but it might not be that great for your waist line. The time between Halloween and New Years is often referred to as the holidays, but it might as well be called the danger zone. From candy corn to candy canes, you are surrounded with tasty treats at work, parties, and at home. Check out these 7 tips to help avoid those few pounds you might find around the holidays.

Slow Down and Savor
Food is fuel and needed to get you the nutrients you need. But food is also supposed to be fun and enjoyed! Eating quickly makes it difficult to really taste the full flavor of the food. Slowing down and savoring the food allows you to enjoy your favorite foods without overdoing the portion size.

Watch Your Alcohol Intake
A nice glass of wine or a holiday cocktail can really liven up the party. Overdoing it with the alcohol adds up the sneaky calories that pile up over the night. While that may be an obvious side effect, you may not consider that your plans of avoiding seconds or another dessert may go out the window when you're three sheets to the wind. Have a limit going in and try your best to stick to it.

Focus On Family and Friends
Food is not the reason for the season. Use this time to connect with family and friends, and use outings as an opportunity to focus on conversation. If you are going to a party alone, try to invite a friend so you don't find yourself bored and next to the snacks.

Bring Your Own Treats
If you know you are going to an event with food ask if you can bring your own treats. You may not know what will be available, so planning ahead can be helpful for providing good choices. Veggie trays, fruit, and healthy dip choices are great options that travel well.

(https://www.flickr.com/photos/erlingfiallos/540747396)

Don't Show Up to an Event Hungry
Showing up hungry at an event with food can be as dangerous as grocery shopping while hungry. You don't know what you've done until you made it home with three different kinds of cookies and a half eaten candy bar. Eating a healthy snack of vegetables or lean protein can be a great strategy for avoiding hunger. Eating high volume foods like salad or soup before heading out can also help avoid grazing throughout the night.

Fill Up on Healthy Choices...
If you fill up on good choices it leaves less room for seconds and thirds of dessert. Focus on filling up on vegetables, salad, and lean protein (like turkey). Grab one plate, don't stack it high, and avoid seconds and you will have a great start.

...Eat the "Must Haves"
Maybe it's your aunt's pecan pie or your mom's mashed potatoes, but there are foods during this time of year that you wait for the day after the leftovers are gone. Depriving yourself of your favorite foods can lead to binging and disappointment. Enjoy reasonable portions of your favorite foods and avoid the foods you know you won't be able to stop eating once you start.

Follow these tips, and you may have yourself a healthier holiday. Please comment if you have any other strategies for staying on track during this time of year!

Acorn Squash with Shredded Chicken

Eating chicken all the time can be tedious. That's why adding shredded chicken into the mix can be a good way to change of the typical texture. This recipe combines the fall flavors of rosemary and acorn squash and pairs them with our Pastamore Roasted Garlic Balsamic Dipping Oil . This dish would be great served with brown rice or over quinoa.

Ingredients:
1 lb - chicken breast
3 cups - low sodium chicken broth
1 - large acorn squash
1 Tbsp - butter
1 Tbsp - Pastamore Roasted Garlic Balsamic Dipping Oil
1/2 tsp - rosemary
1/2 tsp - garlic powder
1/4 tsp - paprika
To taste - salt and black pepper

Directions:
1. Heat a large pot on the stove over high heat. Add chicken breast and 3 cups chicken broth. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.

2. Cut acorn squash in half from top to bottom. Remove seeds with spoon. Cut off top and top and bottom of squash and remove skin. Chop into 3/4" cubes.

3. Heat a large pan on the stove over medium heat. Once hot, add the butter, acorn squash, and rosemary. Cook until tender, stirring often. Decrease heat or add water to pan if squash is browning too quickly.

4. Cook chicken until internal temperature has reached 165ºF. Remove chicken from pot and shred, pulling the chicken apart with two forks.

5. Add chicken and Pastamore Roasted Garlic Balsamic Dipping Oil to the acorn squash. Mix well. Serve and enjoy.

Pumkin Thai Citrus Ginger Linguini

It is that time of year where you can find pumpkin everything. Why fight it when you can make this tasty dish at home? This recipe combines a few fall favorites to give you the flavors of your favorite cranberry sauce. The citrus notes in the Pastamore Thai Citrus Ginger Linguini offers bright notes that liven up the pumpkin sauce. This recipe would be great served with ground turkey or chicken breast.

Ingredients:
1 12 oz package - Pastamore Thai Citrus Ginger Linguini
1 cup - fresh cranberries
1 15 oz can - pureed pumpkin, unsweetened
1.5 cups - water
 1/2 - yellow onion
1 Tbsp - olive oil
1 tsp - low sodium soy sauce
1/4 tsp - red pepper flakes
1 pinch - cinnamon
To taste - salt and black pepper

Directions:
1. Heat a large pot of water on the stove over high heat.

2. Rinse cranberries and remove skin from onion. Dice onion into 1/4" x 1/4" pieces. Heat a large frying pan on the stove over medium heat. Once hot, add olive oil, onions and cranberries. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring often.

3. Add Pastamore Thai Citrus Ginger Linguini to boiling water.

4. Add water, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, cinnamon, and pumpkin to the cranberries. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

5. Cook pasta until al dente and drain using a colander. Add to pan of pumpkin sauce and mix well. Adjust seasoning as needed. Serve and enjoy.