Strawberry Balsamic Jam

I love strawberry jam with almond butter on my toast. How can I make my own jam that doesn't drown in all that sugar. So this afternoon, I was reading Eating Purely (a cookbook that I won online recently), I found this wonderful strawberry balsamic jam recipe. I tried it today and immediately got hooked! It doesn't call for pectin. I am not against pectin but if I can avoid it the better.

Strawberry Balsamic Jam
by Eating Purely (Elizabeth Stein)

Ingredients:
1 lb. strawberries (fresh/frozen)
¼ cup coconut sugar
⅛ cup balsamic vinegar
½ tbsp chia seeds

Combine the strawberries, coconut sugar, balsamic vinegar, and chia seeds in a pot. Let it simmer for 30 minutes at low medium heat or until the juice is thickened. For smoother consistency, place in a blender or food processor when cooled. Store in the fridge.

Chia Seed Coconut Cream Pudding

This photo of my chia pudding may not look at all appealing but this is so scrumptious! Here is the best thing, all you need is four ingredients!

¼ cup Chia seeds
1 can of Coconut cream or coconut milk
Maple syrup (to taste)
½ tsp vanilla extract

Mix the ingredients all together and cover. Let it rest in the fridge overnight. This is good for two people.

In the morning, you can eat it just like that or you can top it with your favorite fruit and toasted almonds. For me, this goes well with ripe mango.

Hungarian Crescent Bread (Kifli)

My husband being Hungarian has been telling me about Hungarian Kifli, this is actually a bread that has a crescent shape, which is crispy on the outside and tender inside. I, myself, had an experience eating kifli in Hungary, but the one that I tried was not really crunchy but still good with Hungarian salami, Hungarian paprika, and cheese. To me, it was just like a crescent shaped roll. My husband said that one was not the Hungarian Kifli that he grew up on. Gardony, where my in-laws live, do not sell the original Kifli's anymore. Been searching for the authentic recipe online for months but all I could find were the sweet and fruity kifli's not the plain ones. I finally stumbled on http://zsuzsaisinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2011/11/bakery-crescents-pek-kifli.html and was very excited to try. The kifli turned out really delicious as it was also very easy to make. 

However, my husband commented that it was sweet, the Hungarian Kifli that he remembers is not sweet. And it should not have an egg wash before baking but just water. But still all of the kifli's that I made was gone in a day. My kids enjoyed them plain. We ate it with Italian salami, sliced green peppers, and Swiss cheese. Also, this tasted delicious with olive oil and a splash of Balsamic vinegar. I did not think that baking bread at home is that easy. Next time, I will lessen the sugar and maybe omit the egg wash to make the kifli a little more authentic. So many possibilities... might even make it whole grain to make it healthy. 

Here is the recipe from http://zsuzsaisinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2011/11/bakery-crescents-pek-kifli.html

Hungarian Kifli 

4 cups flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 package active dry yeast 
1 cup milk, lukewarm
1/4 cup butter, melted
3 Tbsp sour cream 
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp butter for brushing
1 egg yolk for egg wash

• In a large bowl measure out the flour with the 1/2 cup scoop-and-sweep method .
• Whisk together the flour, sugar and the instant dry yeast.
• Add the lukewarm milk, melted butter, sour cream and the salt. [Add the salt last, because it can inhibit the yeast action.]
• Combine ingredients; the dough will be firm but not stiff.
• Kneed the dough until smooth and elastic. 
• Shape the dough into a ball and cover with the bowl.
• Let the dough rise until it doubles in size.
• Meanwhile line 2 baking sheets with parchment and lightly brush with butter.
• When the dough has doubled in size, divide into two equal parts.
• Roll the first dough to a 32 inch X 8 inch rectangle. 
• Cut into 8 squares. 
• Repeat with the remaining dough. You now have 16 squares. 
• Place a square on the board and with a rolling pin stretch the 4 inch square to a 5 inch by 5 inch square.
• Turn the square on its end; you now have a fat diamond shape.
• Stretch out the closest corner with the rolling pin.
• Roll it up starting from the top and curve it into a crescent.
• Place on a greased baking sheet.
• Repeat the same procedure with the rest of the squares.
• Brush the tops with melted butter.
• Let crescents rise until doubled in size.
• Then glaze the tops with egg wash.
• Preheat oven to 400F.
• When the oven temperature is at 400F, place the crescents in the oven and bake until light golden brown.
• These are best fresh; eat them on the same day.