Blueberry Chili Hot Sauce

Remember those blueberries my husband and I picked this summer? Well, he had this brainstorm that they’d make a kickin’ hot sauce.

Ya know what? He was right!

I have to hand it to him…I never would have put blueberries and hot peppers together. It totally impressed me.

This recipe came together very quickly—the color is magnificent and the sauce is hot! And my husband uses it on everything. It’s amazing what a hot sauce lover will put the spicy stuff on—sandwiches, potatoes, veggies, you name it.

Me, I’m a lightweight when it comes to the hot stuff.  I’ve tried this one and it’s good. I just don’t think I’ll be putting in on my veggies.

Isn’t the color magnificent?

Blueberry Hot Sauce

Combine in a small pot over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer:

1 cup hot chili peppers*, stem and seeds removed and coarsely chopped
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
¼ cup onions, diced
1 plum tomato, skin removed and diced
8 whole cloves
3/4 cup distilled white vinegar
½ teaspoon kosher salt.
4 teaspoons sugar

Once the mixture begins to bubble, reduce heat to low, cover and continue to simmer until peppers are tender—about 10 minutes.

Take the sauce off the heat and let it cool until it’s at a safe temperature for handling. Pour into a blender and purée.

Pour the sauce into a 2-cup size glass or ceramic bowl and let it sit (with loose paper towel on top) until cool.

The sauce may be used as a thick puree OR strain through a fine sieve or food mill if you prefer it more of a liquid hot sauce.

Keep refrigerated in a sealed jar. Will last up to three months. Makes about 1 ½ cups.

*The heat depends on the heat of the chilies you use. You can always replace some of the chilies with sweet red peppers if you’d like to tone down the heat.

To learn more about the variety and heat of chili peppers visit The Cook’s Thesaurus: Fresh Chile Peppers.

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Raw Rustic Nutella

Prior to making this Raw Rustic Nutella I wasn’t much of a nutella fan. I know. I know. The world is having a love affair with nutella and I’ve been on the outside looking in. I just didn’t get it….at first.

Then my foray into the raw foods world ignited a desire to experiment. Even if going raw is not for you it does makes sense to add more raw foods to your diets where possible. Raw foods are just that much more packed with nutrients.

So, experimentation commenced and raw nutella was born. Why Raw Rustic Nutella? Well, it isn’t the super creamy version. It’s almost fudge-like at room temperature. Not to worry…it’s flavor is superb.

This recipe is ridiculously simple and quick. Smear it on toasted GF bread, or to keep it really raw, an apple or celery. Eat it by the spoonful if you want!

Raw Rustic Nutella

Place in the bowl of a food processor (or a high speed blender such as a Vitamix or Blendtec):

1 ½ cups raw hazelnuts

Process until the nuts are ground into fine flour. The finer the flour at this stage the smoother the nut butter will be. My food processor did not get the flour as fine as I would have liked but it didn’t seem to hamper the result.

Add and mix in thoroughly, taking the top off the processor and scraping the sides from time to time:

½ teaspoon cinnamon
a pinch each of nutmeg, allspice and cloves
¼ cup raw cacao powder

Replace the top and turn on the food processor mixing until all the ingredients are combined and cacao butter is pulverized.

Scrape down the sides, replace the lid and while the processor is running add the following until the nut butter is formed:

4 tablespoons raw cacao butter (melted)*
2 tablespoons raw coconut oil (melted)*
3 tablespoons raw honey or agave

Place in an airtight glass container and store in the fridge for future use.

Best when served at room temperature.

Substitutes

If you don’t have some of the raw ingredients called for you can use more available ingredients.

Instead of …

…raw nuts use blanched or lightly roasted (unsalted) nuts.

…raw cacao powder use cacao nibs or dutched cocoa powder.

…raw cacao butter use coconut oil. (Based on a comment below add less & add slowly until it reaches the desired consistency.)

…raw honey use agave nectar.

…raw hazelnuts try raw cashews (or a mix of both kinds of nuts) for a different spin on an old favorite.

*How to “melt” raw coconut oil—or raw cacao butter.

Place the amount of coconut oil (or cacao butter) you wish to “melt” in a small glass bowl.

(If you’re melting cacao butter grate or finely chop it. I used a standard cheese grater for this purpose.)

Pour hot tap water (about 100-105 degrees) into a shallow pan and place the bowl holding coconut oil—or grated cacao butter—in it being careful not to allow the water to spill into the bowl holding the coconut oil. Gently stir the coconut oil until it has become liquid.

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