Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce

It's true, I've been holding out on you. You see, I first made this recipe back in September. Wow, that sounds so long ago, but really just a few short weeks, so I really haven’t been holding out on you for too long.

Since I first made this sauce, I've made it many, many times. I can't get enough of this Alfredo sauce! It's just that delicious!

This sauce is butter free and gluten free. Yet it still has that creamy texture and flavors so characteristic of your classic Alfredo sauce.

Funny thing is when I first made this sauce, I did not have any milk or cream on hand, so I decided to use canned coconut milk. I had no idea if it would work in this sauce or if it would end up tasting like coconuts.

Boy, was that a great substitute for the milk, because it turned out amazing! The coconut milk gives this sauce its creamy texture without tasting like a coconut. This sauce is so good I can eat this stuff straight out of a bowl with a spoon!

If you haven’t tried a cauliflower Alfredo sauce yet, this is one healthy recipe substitution you NEED to try.

If you want to make this a dairy-free and Paleo friendly sauce, just leave out the parmesan cheese and add a little more olive oil for flavoring.

Let me know how you like it by leaving me a comment below, as I always love hearing what you think.

Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce

Recipe by Julie Murphy

A creamy cauliflower Alfredo sauce.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 to 35 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Yield: 36 ounces
Ingredients

• 5 to 6 large cauliflower florets
• 1 - 32 ounce container vegetable broth
• 2 to 4 cups water
• 8-12 garlic cloves, diced
• 2 Tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup canned coconut milk, full fat
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 Tablespoon freshly grated parmesan cheese

Cooking Directions

1. In a large pan, add cauliflower florets. Pour vegetable broth over florets. If needed, add water to pan, enough to almost cover cauliflower. Bring to a boil and continue cooking until you can easily pierce the cauliflower with a fork. Once this happens, turn off heat.

2. In a small skillet, heat olive oil. Once olive oil is heated, add diced garlic. Sauté until garlic is softened. Remove from heat.
3. In a large blender, add coconut milk, salt & pepper, 1 cup vegetable broth from pan, cauliflower, sautéed garlic with olive oil, and parmesan cheese.
4. Pulse on High until sauce becomes smooth in texture and there are no more cauliflower clumps. Add more broth or milk until you reach desired sauce texture.
5. Serve over pasta and enjoy!
6. Store in an air tight container for up to 1 week in your refrigerator.

*Helpful Hints*

  

- Add in a little more olive oil to help keep the sauce smooth and add more flavor.

- Use your blender as directed when it comes to blending hot liquids. You may need to let ingredients cool off to room temperature before placing into your blender. Also, Do Not fill blender all the way to the top when blending Hot ingredients.

All content and images are property of Sweet and Spicy Monkey. Please do not reprint this content without my permission. If you wish to include this recipe on your site, please re-write in your own words and use your own photographs and link back to this post for original recipe.

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Salted Caramel Sauce - Paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan

Remember last year about this time when I shared the caramel sauce from Faith over at Edible Mosaic? A caramel sauce that's so awesome it should be called "Awesome Sauce."

An easy, homemade caramel sauce that is such a better alternative to the sugar-laden filled caramel sauce you buy at the stores.

Last years Salted Caramel Sauce

Well, I just did it better! I cut the butter and used coconut oil so now it's not only paleo friendly, vegan and gluten-free, but it's also dairy-free. And since awesome sauce is already taken, I'm calling this one "Super Awesome Sauce."

But don't just take my word, go make some yourself and you'll see what I'm talking about. Just consider yourself warned as you will want to put this caramel sauce on everything you eat.
E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G.

Or maybe just eat it out of the jar.

Don't say I didn't warn you!

Salted Caramel Sauce - Paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan

Recipe by Julie Murphy

A dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, and paleo friendly Salted caramel sauce.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: less than 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour
Yield: 1 and 1/2 cups
Ingredients

• 1 can unsweetened coconut milk, full fat
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup organic coconut sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 Tablespoon organic virgin coconut oil

Cooking Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, add coconut milk, maple syrup, and coconut sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk.
2. Bring to a rolling boil while you continue to whisk mixture. Turn heat down slightly, while still maintaining a boil. Continue whisking so mixture will not burn. (Nothing taste worse than burnt caramel, just saying, not like I've done this).
3. Mixture will become thicker and darker in color as it continues to cook.
4. When it becomes darker in color and the amount of mixture seems to be reduced to 1 and 1/2 cups (this takes approximately 45 minutes), remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients of vanilla, sea salt, and coconut oil.
5. Let cool before serving.

*Helpful Hints*

 

- You can use honey instead of maple syrup.

 

- Makes for a delicious dip for apples and pears. Can be served over ice cream, cakes, pies, popcorn, cookies, pancakes, waffles, and French toast.

- Store in an air tight container for up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator.

All content and images are property of Sweet and Spicy Monkey. Please do not reprint this content without my permission. If you wish to include this recipe on your site, please re-write in your own words and use your own photographs and link back to this post for original recipe.

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Crispy Coconut Chicken Strips with Pineapple Ginger Sauce and Coconut Rice

 

*Disclaimer - This is a sponsored post by Tyson and The Daily Meal. Recipes and opinions are 100% my own.*

Baby its cold outside! And what do we do when it gets cold and dreary out? We start daydreaming of sunny days, sandy beaches, warm blue waters, and start planning our summer vacations.

But I have a quicker and much tastier escape from these cold winter days that doesn't cost as much but reminds you of summer. I’m sharing with you my recipe for Crispy Coconut Chicken Strips with a Pineapple Ginger sauce for dipping and Coconut Rice.

You know how I L-O-V-E my coconut and I especially love it when I get to use it in new ways.

The creamy coconut and juicy pineapple flavors will whisk you away to the tropics, making you wish summer would hurry up and get here already. Especially those of you who live in the northeast corner of the country that’s blanketed with snow.

I simplified this recipe by using Tyson Crispy Chicken Strips instead of raw chicken. Tyson Crispy Chicken Strips are not only made with 100% all natural ingredients but they’re also fully cooked when you buy them to help simplify your time in the kitchen. Not only do they make a quick and healthy meal for the family, but they also make for easy and nutritious after school snacks for the kids.

And let’s not forget about this weekend’s Superbowl party, where you can serve them with any type of dipping sauce from Ranch, barbeque, to my Pineapple Ginger sauce to satisfy any manly craving.

Anywho, back to the recipes I'm sharing with you, no matter what the weather is like outside, these Crispy Coconut Chicken Strips with Pineapple Ginger sauce will whisk you and your family away to the tropics with just one scrumptious bite.

 Reminding you again, that summer days are just a few months away.

Crispy Coconut Chicken Strips

Ingredients for Crispy Coconut Chicken Strips

1 package Tyson’s Crispy Chicken Strips

1 – 14 ounce bag flaked, sweetened coconut

Egg whites, 1 egg per 2 pieces of chicken strips

Honey for drizzling, at least 6 ounces

Directions for making Crispy Coconut Chicken Strips

Preheat oven to 400F degrees.

Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Place chicken strips on prepared cookie sheets and cook for 20 minutes at 400F degrees.

Remove from oven.

Place egg whites in a small mug. Set aside.

Pour flaked coconut onto a clean plate.

After removing chicken strips from oven (be careful not to burn your fingers) cut strips into 2 to 3 inch pieces.

Grab a chicken piece and gently brush entire strip with egg white.

Drizzle a little honey over sides of chicken strip.

Roll coated chicken strip in flaked coconut until strip is covered.

Place back on cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Place back into the oven for 10-14 minutes, turning strips over halfway through after 5-7 minutes, so the bottoms can brown.

Remove from oven after 10-14 minutes or until coconut flakes are lightly browned.

Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Remove from sheet with flat spatula.

Best served with pineapple ginger dipping sauce and Coconut rice.

Pineapple Ginger Sauce

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients for Pineapple Ginger Sauce

1 and 1/2 cups pineapple chunks with juice

Juice of 2 limes

4 Tablespoons brown sugar, packed

2 teaspoons ground ginger

4 Tablespoons pineapple jam

2 Tablespoons molasses

Dash of red crushed peppers (optional)*

Directions for Pineapple Ginger Sauce

Place pineapple + juice, lime juice, brown sugar, and ginger into a blender and puree until all ingredients are blended. Pour into a small saucepan.

Add in pineapple jam, molasses, and red pepper flakes*

Over medium heat, bring to a boil. Once boiling turn heat down to low and simmer for another 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pour into small bowls for dipping.

Coconut Rice

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients for Coconut Rice

1 and ½ cups Jasmine rice

1 – 15 ounce can coconut milk

1 cup water

3 fresh basil leaves, washed and coarsely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

½ teaspoon sea salt

Directions for Coconut Rice

Add all ingredients into a medium saucepan. Stir together over medium heat. Bring to a boil.

Turn heat down to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, remove from heat and let sit for 15 minutes, still covered, before stirring.

Serve warm.

All content and images are property of Sweet and Spicy Monkey. Please do not reprint this content without my permission. If you wish to include this recipe on your site, please re-write in your own words and use your own photographs and link back to this post for original recipe.

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Shared with: Savoring Saturdays #47, Sweet and Savoury Sundays #98

Cranberry Cherry Sauce

Can you believe Thanksgiving is just four days away? FOUR DAYS!!!???!!! Eeek!

But seriously, I can't believe how fast this year has gone by and the Holidays are once again upon us.

With that in mind, I thought it was only appropriate to share a traditional holiday recipe with y'all today. Well, not really traditional because there's a little spin on it.

The traditional recipe is cranberry sauce and the recipe I'm sharing with you is a cranberry cherry sauce. Similar yet different. And so much better than store bought.

Not to mention you can make this ahead of time so you won't have to worry about it on the big day. Which actually works out better since it needs to chill overnight.

I soaked my cherries overnight in apple cider with two tablespoons of red wine. You can probably use any type of wine you like best - white, rose, or red, which will make this dish more personable to you. Plus you can always add in a little more wine if you like {wink}.

And you can make a non-alcoholic version for the kids, by just leaving out the wine.

Just remember which one is which when serving time comes!

Cranberry Cherry Sauce

Makes 8 ounces

Ingredients

1 cup sweet apple cider

2 Tablespoons red wine

1 cup frozen cherries

12 ounces of fresh cranberries, rinsed

1 cup + 2 Tablespoons coconut sugar

1/3 cup orange juice

2/3 cup water

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 Tablespoons orange marmalade

3/4 to 1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

a pinch of orange zest for topping

Directions

Either the night before preparing or early the day of, add cherries, apple cider, and wine to an airtight container. Let refrigerate overnight or at least 8 hours before making.

After soaking cherries, place in medium saucepan with cranberries and coconut sugar. Add in orange juice, water, cinnamon, and nutmeg and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring continuously.

Once sauce starts to simmer, turn heat down a little and continue to cook for about 20 minutes or until cranberries have popped. You will start to hear little popping sounds as mixture heats up. Use the back of your spoon to gently pop any stragglers.

After sauce has reached desired thickness (remember it will thicken as it cools), remove pan from heat and add in vanilla and orange marmalade, blending throughout sauce. You can add in more sugar if you prefer a little sweeter sauce.

Fold in walnuts.

Let cool to room temperature and serve warm or let chill.

Top with orange zest before serving.

Watch me make this here  on Simmer.


*Helpful Hints*

- Can also use granulated white sugar instead of coconut sugar

- Best if made at least 2 days before serving, 1 day for soaking cherries overnight, the next day for chilling sauce before serving.

- All measurements are US

All content and images are property of Sweet and Spicy Monkey. Please do not reprint this content without my permission. If you wish to include this recipe on your site, please re-write in your own words and use your own photographs and link back to this post for original recipe.

Follow Julie's board Sweet and Spicy Monkey on Pinterest.

Featured at ~  Munching Mondays #69 and Host Favorites Recipes and Crafts

Shared with: Share it Sunday {55}, The Southern Special Week 34, Wine'd Down Wednesday 63, Tasty Tuesday Recipe Link Up, Inspire Us Thursday Link Party #77, Foodie Friends Friday Recipes, Crafts, Diy Linky Party , Pinworthy Projects Link Party #45, Snickerdoodle Sunday #58, Munching Mondays #68, Tickle My Tastebuds Link Party, Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends #59

Bourbon and Brown Sugar Sauce

Remember the other day when I told you it didn't get any better than my No Churn Bourbon and Pumpkin Ginger Spice ice cream? I may have been wrong about that. I say wrong, because at that time, I really didn't know any better.

Until I came across this recipe by Jim Beam for bourbon and brown sugar sauce and tried it over my Bourbon and Pumpkin Ginger Spice ice cream. Love. At. First. Taste.

This rich and creamy sauce with the velvety, spiciness of my old time favorite, Southern Comfort, and a handful of pecans makes for a wicked blend of sinful indulgence.

This sauce is so good you'll be licking the spoon right from the sauce pan before serving it up!

Drizzle this over my  Bourbon and Pumpkin Ginger Spice ice cream and you will become weak in the knees.

Please do make sure you’re sitting down before your first taste of this sauce, as I’m not responsible for what happens next. I truthfully believe....

It. Doesn't. Get. Any. Better. Than. This.

Can you ever forgive me?

Bourbon and Brown Sugar Sauce

Ingredients

2 cups brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 and 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 to 8 Tablespoons bourbon (3 to 4 ounces)

2 cups pecans, chopped

Directions

In a medium saucepan, add melted butter, cream, and brown sugar. Stir together.

Place saucepan over medium heat and cook until sugar granules are melted and sauce becomes smooth.

Remove from heat and add in vanilla, bourbon, and pecans, blending all ingredients together.

Serve warm over my Bourbon and Pumpkin Ginger Spice ice cream.

Inspired by ~ Jim Beam's Bourbon and Brown Sugar Sauce recipe.

*Helpful Hints*

- This sauce is only intended for those over the age of 21 years, as the alcohol is not cooked out.

- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

- Best when served warm.

- This recipe is made with Southern Comfort as the bourbon of choice so it pairs nicely with my Bourbon and Pumpkin Ginger Spice ice cream.

 - All measurements are US

Disclaimer ~ I am not affiliated with Jim Beam or Southern Comfort, nor was I compensated for this recipe by using Southern Comfort. It's just one of my favorites.

All content and images are property of Sweet and Spicy Monkey. Please do not reprint this content without my permission. If you wish to include this recipe on your site, please re-write in your own words and use your own photographs and link back to this post for original recipe.

Follow Julie's board Sweet and Spicy Monkey on Pinterest.

Featured at ~

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Homemade Cranberry Sauce

I can't believe there are only 7 more shopping days until Christmas. This holiday has just snuck up on me this year! And you know what 7 more shopping days of Christmas mean? Only 7 more days to make and bake something Christmassy (is that even a word?? Not quite sure Webster's dictionary recognizes Christmassy, but I'm using it today!).

Anyhow, I discovered something over Thanksgiving and that was how to make my own cranberry sauce. I can't believe my mom never made fresh cranberry sauce. Oh she made one version, the ground up kind, but nothing as good as this! She made the cranberry relish, which was ok, but I prefer the cranberry sauce. And believe me when I tell you, the canned version has nothing on the homemade sauce! The canned version is more like, well, a condensed Jell-O mold. While the homemade sauce is just that, a sweet and tart sauce made with fresh cranberries. I discovered this because I am trying to use fresh ingredients and stay away from preservatives and additives in the foods I make.

There are many recipes out there for homemade cranberry sauce and they are all really simple to make. As I'm trying to be more healthy, I substituted honey for white sugar. You can also substitute Agave nectar for honey but I found that version a little too runny for my taste (or maybe I just didn't cook it long enough, but nonetheless, slightly runny). Where the honey, like the sugar version, cooked to a thicker sauce and tasted just as sweet. Yes, so far I've made this with sugar, Agave nectar, and honey (in separate batches) and this has only been since Thanksgiving! Can you say "Addicted to fresh cranberry sauce", yep, that's me!

I put fresh cranberry sauce in my oatmeal or put it on top of plain yogurt...Yum! I never thought I would eat plain yogurt as a kid, but Fage plain yogurt is delicious! Not bitter and sour like many other brands of plain yogurt. Plus by eating plain yogurt, you cut out a lot of the added sugars and preservatives used in the fruit mixes . And even though I put fresh cranberry sauce on top of my plain yogurt, I control what it's made of and how much. So there ya go, another reason to make your own homemade cranberry sauce!

Here's my recipe for a healthy, delicious cranberry sauce that you can enjoy not only around the Holidays but throughout the year :)

Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients

2/3 cup Honey
1 cup water
4 cups (1- 12 ounce package) fresh or frozen cranberries

*Optional - pecans, raisins, berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries), chopped apples, orange/lemon zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, or orange marmalade.

Directions

Place cranberries in a strainer and rinse well, picking out any bad ones. Add water and honey to a saucepan and heat to boiling, stirring often to help dissolve the honey.

When it comes to a boil, add the cranberries and then turn down the heat to a simmer. Continue to simmer, while constantly stirring, for approximately 10-15 minutes or until cranberries start to burst (you will hear the little popping sounds they make) and desired thickness of sauce. Just keep in mind the sauce thickens as it cools, so it will still be a little runny during this stage.

At this time if so desired, you can add the optional ingredients. Add optional ingredients to your own taste. This is when I add two (2) tablespoons of Smucker's Sweet Orange Marmalade to give it that orange zest I like (that and it was the only other orange flavoring I had in the house on the first day I made this recipe) and a good choice it was!

Remove saucepan from heat and let cool at room temperature before refrigerating. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.

Just a few tips : 

- You can substitute orange juice for the water.

- You can substitute 2/3 cup Agave nectar or 1 cup of white sugar for the honey. I looked it up, 1 cup of sugar is equal to 2/3 cup honey or Agave nectar.

- When adding the cinnamon, nutmeg, or allspice I just put a dash of each since they add quite a zing of flavor with a small amount. So season to your own liking while keeping that in mind.

- I have added apples with the cranberries too. I just chopped up 1 small apple, leaving the skin on, and added it with the cranberries. I have yet to make it with the berries, but you would probably add them with the cranberries so they could also cook.

- I add two tablespoons of the orange marmalade and like any other recipe, you can add to your own taste.


You can make this in approximately 20 minutes and not even make a big mess of the kitchen! I hope you find this recipe as delicious as I do and Wow! your family and friends with a homemade version of the classic cranberry sauce!

 

 

All content and images are property of Sweet and Spicy Monkey. Please do not reprint this content without my permission. If you wish to include this recipe on your site, please re-write in your own words and use your own photographs. Or you can link back to this post for the recipe.