If you’re like me and you have a sweet tooth the size of Tasmania, there are times that it makes sense to have a dessert with a bit less sugar AND keep your sweet teeth happy. This dessert ticks all the boxes.
The spiced oranges are made with red wine, orange juice, cinnamon sticks and Natvia, a sugar free sweetnener made from Stevia and bits from melons and grapes. A few years ago I grew some stevia, just because I could, and before I popped those little tips into my mouth I would have never said a leaf that looked like that could taste sweet. I would have lied. I stood there in the garden eating leaves!
When the folks at Natvia contacted me and asked me if I’d create a dish using Natvia, I could give away $100 worth of Natvia products as a giveaway. I’m nothing if not up for any challenge. I wanted to do a dessert but I wanted it quick and easy and these oranges do that just fine. Not only that, they taste great.
Everyone loves an orange right out of its jacket but the wine and cinnamon make it very special indeed. It just looks elegant sitting on a plate. Each orange is peeled with a sharp knife to remove all the pith and then sliced horizontally into 3 pieces. It makes eating a whole lot easier.
The spiced sauce is so simple. 2 cups of any red wine — maybe a claret or burgundy but any sweetish red wine will do. 1 cup of unsweetened orange juice and 2 cinnamon sticks. That’s it. Boil the sauce for a couple of minutes and while that’s boiling you peel the oranges.
Cool the sauce for about 10 minutes, add the Natvia and then pour the sauce over the oranges and place in the fridge to cool. Bingo. It’s dessert. AND… there’s no sugar in there. Guilt free and happy is a good way to end the meal.
Hubs did say, “Maureen, a bit of ice cream would be great with some of this sauce drizzled over the top,” and I think I’d agree but that would put this in the not so sugar free. Honestly, he’d eat ice cream or cream on toast so you might not agree.
I haven’t tried ice cream with Natvia yet. That’s on the list! They also have a drinking chocolate that I’m going to play with next. Maybe that’s my ice cream.
Now, if you don’t know anything about Natvia (I didn’t) here is some information you might find helpful.
1) Made from 100% Natural Ingredients. Natvia is made from the freshest tips of Stevia plants blended with a naturally occurring nectar found in melons and grapes.
2) Natvia does not contain aspartame, sugar or saccharin.
3) Natvia is low in calorie. 95% fewer calories compared to sugar – only 0.6 calories per serve!
4) Natvia is low in carbohydrates and is fructose free.
5) Natvia has a clean, sweet flavour with no unpleasant aftertaste.
6) Specially crafted for coffee and tea.
7) Great for cooking and baking.
8) Available in Coles and Woolworths nationwide.
9) Distributed to over 23 countries internationally.
10) 8000 cafes Australia-wide are using Natvia.
I know all of these reasons are good to know but what’s important to me is how it tastes. Yes, I like that it doesn’t have aspartame, sugar or saccharin but it has to fit in with the orgasmic taste and I have been really pleased with it. We all thought the sweetness of the spiced oranges was perfect.