Fig newtons, my favorite snack! Over the past year, I’ve been buying my family the organic fig newmans. I love them, however, as I’ve been on a quest to making more of my own food, I decided to give them a try since I usually buy a pack a week. Sad thing is they only last us a few days before they’re gone! I found a recipe and started there but it just wasn’t what I was looking for. After a few attempts I came up with my own batter and filling recipe. What I’m pretty excited about is that this recipe is so versatile. Meaning there are many variations I’d still like to try including one of my favorite herbs anise. So here is a recipe I came up with including fresh organic apricots, dried figs, and one of my all time favorite fruits, Oranges!

Ingredients:

For the Dough

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour soaked overnight in 1 cup of homemade or plain yogurt.
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 tbls butter
• 1/2 tbls orange zest

For the Filling

• 5 dried figs
• 5 apricots
• 3 tbls honey
• the juice of 1/2 an orange

The quickest way for me to do this is to make the filling on the same night that I soak my flour. That way the next day all I need to do is roll out the dough, place the filling, seal and bake. Saves me alot of time!

Filling

1. Peel the apricots. Bring a pot of water to a full rolling boil. Place the apricots in the boiling water for 30 – 40 seconds. If your apricots are ripe their peel should slide right off.

   

2. Once the peel has been removed, remove the pit and dice the apricots.
3. In a small pan, heat the apricots and 2 tbls of honey. Heat through until the apricots break down. About 5 minutes.
4. In a food processor blend the figs, apricots, juice of 1/2 of an orange and 1 tbls honey.

Dough:

1. The next day after soaking, stir in the maple syrup, butter and orange zest. Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Assembly:

1. Divide chilled dough into 4 parts
2. Add unbleached white flour to dough and work space to prevent sticking.
3. roll out 1 part of the dough into a 10 x 4 inch rectangle, ¼ inch thick
4. Spread ¼ of the filling evenly down the right side (lengthwise) of the rectangle

   

5. Fold the dough in half resulting in a 10 x 2 inch bar
6. Pinch to close

   

7. Repeat with 3 remaining parts of dough and filling
8. Transfer each bar to a parchment lined baking stone; bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes
9. Cut bar every 2 inches to form the fig newtons

They were so delightful with a slight splash of orange! Enjoy!!

*If you havn’t already, make sure to sign up for my Wholesome Sweeteners Giveaway which ends this Friday!

I’m thrilled! After 31 years, I’m finally getting my Spanish Citizenship!! Woo Hoo!! I’ll have dual citizenships from the United States and Spain. My mother just returned from the Spanish embassy in Chicago with all the paperwork necessary. To commemorate, my family had a fantastic bbq including a staple in our house called Aliño. A Spanish potato salad with a variety of flavors including olives, tuna and Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It has a nice spice created by the onions and complemented by the Olive Oil.

Aliño

Ingredients

• 6 medium sized potato’s, cubed
• 2 small tomato’s, diced
• 1/2 white onion, diced
• 2 cans of tuna in Olive Oil
• 1/2 cup Spanish olives, sliced
• 4 farm fresh eggs, sliced
• 1/2 – 3/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Kosher/Sea Salt to taste

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil.
2. Add the potato’s and eggs to the boiling water, cover and boil for 15 minutes.
3. In a large bowl add the boiled potato’s, tomato’s, onion, tuna, olives and eggs. Mix in 1/2 – 3/4 cup of Olive Oil, the salt and mix through.
4. Refrigerate before serving. (The Aliño can be served at room temperature or cold.)

That’s really it! Buen Provecho!!