Apricot-Lavender Sauce

You'll definitely want to make this sauce while apricots are fresh, not from frozen ones at other times of the year.

In a saucepan, combine 1/2 cup raw sugar with 1/4 cup water and 4 cups halved and pitted apricots - if you slice a gentle circle with a knife around the center of an apricot, the two halves separate easily, and the pit slips right out.

Cook over high heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently - the fruit will be broken down and the mixture slightly thick.

Remove from heat an add 1 and 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh lavender; let stand for 10 minutes. Look for lavender with other packaged herbs at the grocery store, or at farmers' markets. You can substitute dried lavender, too, but in that case use only 1/2 a teaspoon.

Strain the mixture through a sieve over a bowl, discarding the solids. Let cool to room temperature before covering and storing in the fridge.

2 tablespoons of sauce is 60 calories - this makes enough for 1 and 1/2 cups total, but because it will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks, double the recipe if you like. It is delicious over soy ice cream and soy yogurts. The original recipe also suggested it would be good over angel food cake. Although I don't know of any store bought vegan angel food cakes, I did try it over Amy's Orange Cake (sold in the freezer section), which was delicious.

Cost:
apricots $4.99
lavender $2.49