Category Archives for Sweets

Spiced Date Syrup

Yields 1-1 1/2C (about)spiced date syrup

Happy Anniversary Guaya Gourmet!

Somehow we are at our first year anniversary!  Last year when I began blogging here, Claire was 5 months old and spent most of her time in the kitchen with me in her carrier.  Now, she spends her time climbing on and off the footstool, opening drawers and cabinets and subsequently hiding my measuring cups and spoons, and helping me by mixing or adding ingredients.  Oh, and we also live in a foreign country.  A lot has changed.

Other surprises over the past year include; gathering quite a following (THANK YOU for reading and following!), developing relationships with other bloggers via social media networks, learning a ton about social media and how useful it is, learning and working with the developing taste buds and moods of a baby foodie, and being consistently amazed about the people I meet as a result of the food that inspires and delights me.

It has been a fruitful and eventful year.  And with every meal that has made it to these pages and all the meals that haven’t, we have been grateful.

That was my toast.  Now on to the real reason you’re here.

For our anniversary blog post, Claire and I thought it would be most logical to write about a local ingredient.  We miss maple syrup (along with kale) and while it is available here, it is prohibitively expensive and well, not very local.  Enter dates!

Dates are incredibly nutritious and the best part about this syrup is that it is a whole food.  You are getting the sweetener without any of the fiber removed so it is much easier assimilated and processed by the body and your body doesn’t get a shock from the sugar.

What makes dates special?  FIBER, POTASSIUM, B-COMPLEX VITAMINS, and ANTIOXIDANTS do!  Let’s do a quick recap on why we should care about these characteristics.

Fiber:  Soluble fiber (remember the peas?) dissolves and becomes gel-like traveling slowly through your digestive tract, makes you feel fuller and longer and it binds to cholesterol lingering around your body and escorts it out.

Potassium:  A mineral that is critical for muscle contraction.  So, dates are especially good if you’ve got an exercise regime you adhere to.  But, even if you don’t, you know what else is a muscle…your heart!  ”A critical electrolyte, potassium allows our muscles to move, our nerves to fire, and our kidneys to filter blood. The right balance of potassium literally allows the heart to beat.”¹

B-Complex Vitamins:  This is a team of vitamins that are essential for many bodily functions such as making blood cells, maintaining blood glucose levels and they are also key for mind-related health such as mood, memory and stress.  Click here for more detailed and fascinating info.

Antioxidants:  I love these.  Dates have polyphenols which are particularly effective at protecting the body, destroying free radicals roaming around.  We’re all vulnerable to oxidative stress so you can’t ever really get too many antioxidants!

You can use this syrup in your baking, as a topping on pancakes, waffles, granola, oatmeal, yogurt, in your smoothies or even as a sweetener for your morning coffee.  However you use it, enjoy every delicious minute of it!

You’ll need:

12-15 pitted dates, Medjool or Halawii

1-1 1/2 C water- I had some coconut water so I added that, too.

3-4 (slightly crushed) cardamom pods

To make:

1.  Place pitted dates and cardamom in a bowl or jar and add just enough water to cover dates.  Let sit for at least 4 hours or as in my case, overnight.

2.  Remove cardamom pods and blend water and dates until syrup forms.  If you want, you could run it through a sieve or cheesecloth for a finer consistency.

3.  That’s it!  It will keep refrigerated for 2-3 weeks.

4.  Enjoy!

¹http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/potassium-and-your-heart

Honey Flax Banana Bread

Honey Flax Banana Bread

This was our first baking endeavour in our new kitchen with our new oven.  Besides the fact that I had missed baking, I needed to bake something to bring to our first ever dinner party in UAE…and as a family.  If you’ve never been to a dinner party with 6 kids before, you should try it.  It’s actually quite a lot of fun.  There were also chickens, cats and yes parents, too but that’s all for another post.  (Can you guess where I’ll be getting my free-range, organic eggs from?)

So, I HAD to bake something and since I’ve been working on versions of this banana bread for years now, it has become my default recipe to gift.  The only hiccup was that I could not find vanilla extract anywhere in this country.  When I commented on this seemingly odd fact, my husband reminded me that it’s because of the alcohol content.  So, no vanilla extract but loads of “vanilla flavor”…nein danke.  (If you think you’ll be seeing a recipe for homemade vanilla extract soon, you know me all too well:)

Regardless, the banana bread emerged smelling promising.  I increased the cinnamon to compensate a bit for flavor and did the same with the honey instead of using maple syrup or agave.  The result was, well let’s just say there was a lot of silence and not a crumb to be found.  This is music to any cook’s ears!

Honey is an incredible sweetener.  And, it has an incredible story.  Bees feast on flowers and carry the nectar from their feast in their mouths to the hive.  The nectar mixes with the bees’ saliva, which has special enzymes to turn it into honey.  The flutter of the busy bees’ wings provides enough air to keep the honey from collecting too much moisture, making it just perfect for us to consume!  Read more about it here.

The enzymes are why raw honey is superior to other pasteurized and processed honeys.  Honey in its raw state is chock full of anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties.  It also has anti-inflammatory properties which should be ringing all kinds of bells as far as health is concerned!  (Remember, inflammation is often the root cause of MANY, MANY oft preventable illnesses.)  And, in case you were wondering, yes, there are anti-oxidants in there, too.  In ancient Egypt, honey was used to dress wounds and more recently, Manuka Honey especially is still being used as an effective treatment for burns.  Honey has a low Glycemic Index which means that the sugars enter the bloodstream slowly and steadily allowing the body time to deal with processing it.  This makes it a much healthier sweetener and one suitable for diabetics…in moderation!

It’s also a great sweetener for kids.  (Just be aware that it is advised that honey not be given to babies under one year of age.)  It’s sweet without that artificial-tasting sweet.  Trust me, it makes a difference!

You’ll need:

1 C spelt flour

1/2 C oat flour

1/4 Ground Flax Seeds

1 T cinnamon

2 t baking powder

1/4 t baking soda

1/2 t sea salt

3 very ripe bananas

1/2 C raw honey (if you have it:)

2 large organic eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 C unrefined extra-virgin coconut oil or melted unsalted butter (organic &/or pastured if you have it:)

1/2 C chopped walnuts (optional)

To make:

1. Preheat oven to 350 and line a 8.5″X4.5″ bread loaf pan with parchment paper. (I made 3 smaller ones, but this recipe will make one nice sized loaf.)

2. Mix all dry ingredients thoroughly.

3. In a medium bowl, mash bananas well, add honey and stir to combine.  Let sit for a few minutes before adding the eggs and oil (butter).  Then combine all well.

4. Make a well in the center of flour mixture and add wet mixture.  Stir to combine but don’t over mix.

5. Add mixture to loaf pan and top with walnuts.

6. Bake in oven for 45-50 minutes or until top and edges are golden brown.  It’s a good idea to turn the bread around midway through baking time for a more evenly baked and moist loaf.

7. Enjoy!

Cranberry Hazelnut Guaya Bars

Makes 16 squares

This is another variation of the original Energy Bars I posted ages ago…well, it seems like ages ago anyway.  It’s adapted from Rebecca Katz whose recipes are just delicious.  As head cook (most of the week anyway) in our home, I’ve taken charge of my hubby’s diet as he trains for the NYC Marathon.  Snacks are often the downfall of any program so it’s important to make those snacks work for you despite what regimen you’re on.  (Pregnant and nursing moms, these are great for you too.)  And, snacks are another opportunity to capitalize on serious nutrition and real energy.  We should never underestimate the power of a snack.  They get us through to the next meal and if done right, your body will be thankful all day long.

Hazelnuts, sometimes referred to as Filberts even though they’re actually different nuts, are native to Turkey.  (Most of our hazelnuts now hail from Oregon.)  These nuts are high energy nuts! They’re rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids including the essential fatty acid linoleic acid.  These fats are key to our health because they lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol which is what we want.  Hazelnuts also pack dietary fiber along with several vitamins and minerals into itself.  Most notably are folate (unique for nuts) which is why these are super for expectant mommies to snack on.  They also pack in other B-complex vitamins making it a pretty awesome little nut. They are high in Vitamin E, that lovely fat soluble anti-oxidant that does wonders for cell integrity and is great for the skin!  It’s an important vitamin for runners because as they increase their training, the oxidative stress also increases.²  Vitamin E keeps that in check.

They are second only to almonds in their calcium levels.¹  Some minerals include magnesium which plays a critical role in endurance performance such as long distance running.  ”Magnesium mainly exists in muscles and bones, where it assists with muscle contractions and energy metabolism.”³  Other biggies are iron and zinc.  Iron is a necessary mineral for the production of hemoglobin, which “carries oxygen from the lungs to the working muscles”.²  Without enough iron, which is lost through sweat, fatigue starts to get the better of you.  Zinc is key for a healthy immune system.  Excessive exercise depletes zinc and thus can reduce immunity.  (The body is busy repairing itself.)  A little goes a long way…so take these squares on your next long run!

I’ve mentioned moms-to-be and runners in this post because I made these for my runner husband and a pregnant friend, but really these are super for everyone.  There are even suggestions to make these beauties both gluten-free and vegan!

On your marks, get set…bake!

You’ll need:

1/4 C spelt flour (For a GF version, use 1/4 C oat flour.)

2 T flax seeds, ground (or chia seeds)

1/2 t baking powder

1/4 t baking soda

1/2 t cinnamon

1/2 C rolled oats

1 C hazelnuts

1 C walnuts

2 T quinoa puffs (optional-I got these from Nuts.com which is a great site with great products.  Shredded coconut works beautifully here, too!)

2 C whole dried cranberries (alternatively, you could do 1 C of cranberries and 1 C of your choice of dried fruit)

1/4 C semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional-if you want to keep your sugar consumption in check, omit these)

1 egg (For a vegan version, add 3 T water to 1 T flax meal (in this order) and then refrigerate for minimum of 15 minutes…up to an hour is ok, too.)

1/4 C maple syrup

2 T coconut oil

To make:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.  Place nuts on a sheet pan and toast for about 7 minutes or until fragrant.  Let cool.  (This toasting step can be skipped and you’ll still get super yummy Guaya Bars, but the toasting adds a nice depth of flavor.)

2. In the meantime, add first 6 ingredients to a food processor and process for 5 seconds, until well combined.  Transfer to a large bowl.

3. Add cooled nuts to food processor and process for about 5 seconds to roughly chop the nuts.  Add quinoa puffs and dried fruit and process for another 10 seconds or until a coarse dough is formed.  Add chocolate chips and process for another 5-10 seconds.  Add to flour mixture.

4. In a separate bowl, combine egg, maple syrup and coconut oil and whisk well.  Add to flour and nut mixture.

5. Using your hands, squeeze the dough so that all ingredients get fully incorporated and sticky.

6. In a baking pan (I used 2, 9X9 pans) lined with parchment paper, add 3 or 4 generous handfuls (I have small hands so play with the right amount for you.) and flatten evenly.  (I prefer them thicker but cut smaller, but this part is entirely up to you.)

7. Bake in the oven at 350° for about 20 minutes.  You’ll want to check on it to make sure it doesn’t get too browned or dry.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes.

8. Remove the entire block using the parchment paper and cut into desired shapes/sizes on a cutting board.  Let cool completely before serving.

9. Enjoy…again and again!

*The bars will keep for 4-5 days in a ziploc bag, but they freeze really well…I’ve kept extra batches for over a month and they’re still chewy and yummy and ridiculous!

¹ Rebecca Wood, The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia

² http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-300–12314-2-1-2,00.html

³ http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-300–670-0,00.html

Fig Spread

Makes 1 C

Figs are one of those fruits that evoke a sense of mystery.  Its very shape, the thread like center surrounded by hundreds of seeds in the cavity, is unlike anything else.  They’re chewy (flesh), crunchy (seeds), and smooth (skin) making them a culinary delight to play with.  They are also succulent, juicy and delightfully sweet.  Figs are known to be delicacies in their own right.

Figs have been found in myths throughout the world.  There are images of the fig tree in the Garden of Eden and it has associations with Dionysus (Bacchus for the Romans), and Priapus, a satyr associated with sexual desire.  But my favorite comes from India.  According to Buddhist legend, Siddhartha Gautama (or the Buddha!) achieved enlightenment while sitting under the bodhi (bo is a type of fig) tree.¹  I can just picture it.  That was back in 528 B.C.

What can figs do for us today?  Dried figs (what’s used in this recipe) have more dietary fiber than prunes.  Remember that fiber benefits our gut (improves digestion) and our colon.  It also makes us feel fuller so we are less likely to overeat.  According to Rebecca Wood, dried figs are higher in calcium, “ounce for ounce” than cow’s milk.²  They are also high in protein, iron (for red blood cell formation), copper (necessary for production of red blood cells), potassium (vital component of cell and body fluids that help control heart rate and blood pressure) and phosphorous (works closely with calcium for strong bone development).*  And apparently, they are also helpful to those on that inward journey.  Would anyone like some enlightenment with their figs?

What to do with this jar of bliss?  Spread it on a piece of millet toast with some cultured butter, put a dollop on your granola or in your yogurt and top with nuts or get creative and let me know what you come up with!

Namaste fellow gourmands.

You’ll need:

1 C dried figs, chopped (I used about 9 Turkish figs)

1 C water

1 T fresh squeezed lemon juice

Pinch of sea salt

To make:

1. Place figs and water in a saucepan and heat over medium heat until they reach a simmer (light bubbling), then reduce heat to low and cook until water is almost completely evaporated.  (You still want a tiny bit of liquid…it will be thick like a reduction.)

2. Once the figs have cooled, place them and the lemon juice and salt in a food processor and process until smooth.

3. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate.  It will keep for 7-10 days.  (Though I’ve used it after 2 weeks with no problem;)

4. Enjoy!

¹ http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Fi-Go/Fruit-in-Mythology.html#b

² Rebecca Wood, The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia

* http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/fig-fruit.html

Fruit Tart Confessions

with coconut sabayon

Makes 24 mini tarts

Let’s start with the sabayon.  Anything French is basically gourmet by default.  This sabayon, or French custard, came about by mistake.  I had intended this to be tarts filled with fruit and topped with whipped coconut cream.  But, when my cream wasn’t behaving I was forced to fix it.  I heated then refrigerated it and the sabayon was born!  Love when that happens!  I guess that was confession #1.  The list goes on.

Confession #2: I tried this recipe with brown rice flour and it came out a bit too crisp.  I swapped it out for oat flour and yummy, tender tart shells were the result.  Yes, this is a gluten-free goody!

The main ingredient and quite frankly the understated star of the show, is the almond…in this case, almond meal.  Almonds are a special nut.  They are a cousin of stone fruit such as peaches, plums and apricots.¹  Almonds contain cyanidelike substances that are medicinally powerful, so much so they inhibit cancer growth.  Its phytosterols contribute to this incredible anti-cancer powerhouse and also reduce cholesterol.¹  Its Vitamin E content and monosaturated fats (holy fats again!) also contribute to reducing LDL cholesterol and improving conditions for the heart.  Magnesium, a special mineral that almonds contain, is responsible for clearing the arteries of any calcium build-up.²  Your heart is smiling if Mg is present!  They also lower the glycemic index of the meal you’re eating.  Good news for our blood sugar.  Great news for diabetics.  One interesting tidbit is that eating almonds with their skins actually makes them work harder than they already do.  So, heart is happy, blood sugar is happy, cholesterol is in check, cancer cells won’t even think of setting up shop…I’d say almonds are great addition to everyone’s diet.  Good thing I had almonds and not pecans which were the nuts I had intended for this tart…confession #3!

They are extremely versatile, too.  Enjoy them chopped on salads or sautéed with greens.  Have some almond butter on that toast or with crudite.  Trail mix and energy bars are other goodies, too.

Finally, for the last confession:  My husband, not a fruit tart lover at all, confessed that this was one of his favorite desserts yet!  Bon Appetit!

You’ll need:

1 C almond meal

1/2 C coconut flour

1/2 C oat flour

1/4 t ginger

1/4 C maple syrup

1/4 C coconut oil + more as needed and for brushing tart pan

1 recipe Whipped Coconut Cream (but make sure to read below, too)

2 C mixed berries of choice (I used blueberries, raspberries and strawberries which I cut to fit in the tart shells.)

To make:

Tart shells:

1. Pulse the almond meal and flours together in a food processor.  Add the ginger, maple syrup and coconut oil and pulse until a dough is formed and you can squeeze it together in your hands.

2. Form the dough into a ball and then pinch off about a T or so to start pressing into the (oiled) tart pan.  Press evenly so that all the sides are about the same thickness and it bakes evenly.

3. Refrigerate tart shells in pans for 30 mins.  (Confession #4: Claire’s bedtime coincided with this and I left the tart shells in there for closer to 1.5hrs.  They were completely fine:)

4. Preheat the oven to 350°.  Bake tart shells for about 10 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.  Remove from oven and let cool.

Coconut Sabayon:

Before preparing the whipped coconut cream as per the recipe, please read to see how my mistake turned out to be a great surprise.  I had forgotten to refrigerate the coconut milk which means I attempted to make the cream without separation of water and cream/fat.  Obviously this didn’t work.  I added the kudzu (as per the recipe) and while it thickened, it wasn’t exactly rich and dreamy.  I added another T of kudzu just for kicks.  From here:

1. Add the coconut milk mixture to a saucepan over low-medium heat and bring to an almost simmer (just bubbling at the edges).  Stir often to keep it even.  Keep it over low heat for 15-20 minutes.

2. Remove from heat and let cool before storing in an airtight container in the fridge.  Chill for at least 2 hours before assembling tarts.

Assemble your tarts:

1. Measure about a teaspoon of sabayon to fill each tart shell and top with your desired fruit.

2. Enjoy!

*Assembled, the tarts will last overnight in an airtight container.  Otherwise, the tart shells will last 2-3 days and still be fresh if kept in an airtight container in the fridge.  Ditto the sabayon.

¹Rebecca Wood, The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia

² http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=20

Kingdom Date Truffles

Makes 20 ridiculously amazing truffles

I had the good fortune of getting my hands on some Kingdom Dates, which just means they came from their original home.  The Date Palm Tree is native to Saudi Arabia and dates back over 10,000 years.  This little wonder has stuck around for good reason.  Nowadays, most of the dates we get are grown in California.  Not exactly local for us on the East Coast, but we can make an exception.  Especially for yummy, whole food sweetness like this.  (There are a variety of dates though these were the ubiquitous Medjool dates as they were soft and semi-dry.)

Dates are sweet.  Make no mistake about it.  They are my preferred sweetener actually.  I use them in my smoothies and in baked goods and the sweetness is real, not sugary.  Because they are so sweet by nature, they aren’t suitable for those with diabetes (even pre-diabetics are advised against them) or cancer.  That’s the bad news…sorry!  Now for the good news.

There is an abundance of dietary fiber in dates, which means a healthy gut and colon.  Dates are a good source of Vitamin A as well as other anti-oxidants.  Bye-bye free radicals!  It’s also got great cancer fighting properties, particularly against colon, prostate, breast and pancreatic cancers.¹  Sugars in Libyan dates were shown to have some anti-tumor properties while another sugar, beta-D-glucan slows the absorption of glucose.²  Dates are also a good source of iron, potassium, copper and calcium.  Not bad for a little morsel of sweetness.

This is a great dessert especially for these summer months since there’s no baking involved.  It’s also gluten-free and vegan (don’t tell your non-gluten-free/non-vegan friends) so everyone at the party can enjoy and share in the date joy.

You’ll need:

2 C pitted dates, roughly chopped

1/4 C cacao powder

1 T ground flaxseeds

1/4 C unsweetened shredded coconut, separated

1 T coconut oil (+ more for rolling truffles)

1/4 t cinnamon

1/2 t vanilla extract (optional)

For coating:

1/4 C unsweetened shredded coconut

1/4 C hazelnut meal (or crushed hazelnuts)

1/4 C sesame seeds

To make:

1.  Place all the ingredients in a food processor and begin to process.  It will be noisy and tough to break up the dates, so it’ll take some time.  Add 1 T of water at a time to help loosen it up, but do so slowly so the mixture doesn’t get too wet or sticky.  If it does (it happened to me), add more coconut and a touch more cacao powder.

2. Refrigerate mixture for 20 minutes or so before rolling into little truffles.

3. Put some coconut oil on your hands before rolling.  Measure about a scant T and roll away.  I ended up with 20 exactly…kind of lucky I think, but of course it’ll depend on how large or small you roll them.

4. Coat the truffles in your desired coating or mix and match.  Then refrigerate for about 30 minutes or longer.  Just let them sit at room temp for a few minutes before serving.

5. Enjoy!  I know you will!

¹http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/dates.html

²Rebecca Katz, The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen

Frozen Hot Chocolate

Makes 4 C

Frozen hot chocolate, like fried ice cream, really does a number on us left brainers.  We analyze and over-analyze to make sense of this apparent contradiction.  Not until we let our tastebuds take over do we then realize such analyses are unnecessary.  It’s decadent, it’s rich, it’s delicious.  Who cares if it’s an anomaly.

Chocolate is a gift from the gods.  No, really, it is a gift from Central and South America and was regarded by the great Maya and Aztec as a favored bitter drink valuable enough to be their currency.  It was the Swedes who coined it “theobroma”, food of the gods, in Greek.¹  There are many wonderful things about cacao or cocoa.  It is anti-inflammatory and it’s got delicious flavonoids that  seem to have chemo-protective effects.²  It’s also high on the anti-oxidant list, boasting around 3-4 more times than green tea.  (The darker the chocolate, the better!)  As for minerals, chocolate grants us copper (important for heart health and iron absorption), magnesium, potassium, and iron.³ All these goodies contribute to cardiovascular health, lowered hypertension, and increased blood flow (read, lowered risk of plaque build-up).  Oh, it was also widely considered an aphrodisiac and overall makes us feel good, happy, giddy even.  Good thing chocolate got around!

The caveat is, don’t OD on it!  Quantity destroys quality in anything!  There is still theobromine (caffeine relative) in chocolate which can be irritating to the GI tract, cause anxiety or insomnia and hyperactivity in kiddies.

One last note; spontaneous acts of love have been known to occur after consumption of this elixir.  Have fun with that!

You’ll need:

1 can organic coconut milk (whole fat)

1 cinnamon stick

2 T organic (fair trade preferable) cacao powder

2 T agave nectar

1 bar (approx 3 oz.) organic, fair trade dark chocolate (I had 73%), roughly broken

5-6 ice cubes

Ground cinnamon, for garnish

To make:

1. Heat coconut milk and cinnamon stick in a saucepan over low heat until the edges start to bubble.  Stir in cacao powder and agave nectar and let the edges begin to bubble again.  Remove cinnamon stick.

2. Place dark chocolate bar in a separate bowl and pour hot coconut/cacao mix over chocolate to melt.  Stir well.  Let cool.  (Or if you have time, you can let it cool and then refrigerate for up to 1 day.)*

3. In a blender, add hot chocolate and ice cubes and blend until frothy.  Serve with coconut cream and some ground cinnamon.

4. Enjoy!

*If you put hot chocolate in the fridge, it will thicken quite a bit.  It’s like a ganache.  Simply scrape into the blender and add water (coconut water would be ideal) to the consistency you want.  Go slow so that it doesn’t become too thin.

¹ Rebecca Wood, The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia

² Rebecca Katz, The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen

³ http://www.allchocolate.com/health/basics/

Claire’s Spiced Carrot Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

I’ve been on the market for a new breakfast food.  Around this time I’m kind of done with oatmeal and its variants.  Granola and cereal just don’t seem appealing these days.  I can only eat so many eggs per week and the fun breakfast foods, i.e. pancakes, waffles and the more decadent players, are pretty much reserved for weekends.  Then I thought about a breakfast muffin.  I wanted something substantial, in that it was filling, nutritious, delicious and minus all the sweetness.  As I was thinking about this fantasy muffin, my daughter Claire was chewing on a raw carrot, an impromptu teething ring.  From there my imagination grew to include nuts and spices and oats.  No, these are not seasonal flavors, but they certainly satisfied my need for another breakfast option!

Let’s talk about carrots.  Most of us associate this incredible vegetable with good vision.  While they may be beneficial for our eyes (surprisingly not so much research has been done in this particular area), it seems carrots have much more to offer.  They are super-high in Vitamin A which is good for lung health and are potent anti-carcinogens, too.  All carrots, purple, red, orange, yellow, have incredible anti-oxidant properties.  This is important because anti-oxidants protect our cells from oxygen-based damage, especially critical in our cardiovascular systems.

“Antioxidant nutrients in carrots are believed to explain many of the cardioprotective benefits provided by these root vegetables. The many different kinds of carrot antioxidants are most likely to work together and provide us with cardiovascular benefits that we could not obtain from any of these antioxidants alone if they were split apart and consumed individually, in isolation from each other. The synergistic effect of carrot antioxidants is a great example of a whole food and its uniqueness as a source of nourishment.“*

That last bit is really important to keep in mind.  Read it again!  I couldn’t have said it better!

You’ll need:

3/4 C whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 C spelt flour

1/4 C oat flour

1 t baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

1 t cinnamon

1/2 t freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 t ground cardamom

1/4 t ground ginger

Pinch of sea salt

2 organic eggs

1/2 C maple syrup

1/3 C olive oil

1 t vanilla extract

2 cups grated carrot, (about 4-5 carrots)

1/2 C pecans, chopped and toasted

1/2 C golden raisins

a handful of rolled oats to top muffins

To make:

Preheat oven to 350.

1. Toast the pecans in a small sauté pan over low heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes.

2. Combine dry ingredients (first 10) in a large bowl.

3. In the meantime, whisk eggs, maple syrup, olive oil, in a small bowl.  Add carrots and stir well.

4. Add wet mixture to dry mixture and stir gently until just incorporated.  Fold pecans and raisins into batter.  (The trick to moist, yummy muffins is to NOT over mix!)

5. Divide the batter into 12 muffin cups and top with some oats.  Bake for about 25 minutes.

6. Enjoy!

*www.whfoods.org (emphasis, mine)


Guaya Popcorn (think trail mix-ish)

Makes 8-10 cups

Snacks became an important part of my diet when I first got pregnant.  It was the only way to quell the incessant nausea.  It was relentless for about 17 weeks, after which I couldn’t complain because I was lucky to find 2nd trimester bliss where I know many women who felt ill throughout.  The good news is that the worse you feel, the better it is for the baby growing inside!  Knowing that bit of info was one thing that got me through it.  This popcorn/trail mix was another!

Corn has gotten a bad rap lately and it’s for good reason.  Because we produce so much of it here, and it’s heavily subsidized, it sneaks it’s way into EVERYTHING we eat!  It becomes our sugar, oil, starch, and animal feed, so that the burger (not the grass-fed one) you’re eating is also CORN!  But, corn, in its whole form is full of wonderful health benefits.  It is high in Vitamin C and manganese and is a great source of fiber.  Fiber is essential for a healthy digestive system and plays a key role in leveling blood sugar too, particularly when combined with protein which corn is naturally high in.  The different colors offer a wide range of antioxidant phytonutrients.  That’s good news for our cardiovascular health.

Ready for more good news!  Drying corn, whether separated as kernels or still on the cob, doesn’t significantly lower the corn’s antioxidant potency.  Traditional cultures such as the Native American tribes (in all Americas) relied heavily on dried corn throughout the cold winter.  One need not look further than how traditional cultures prepared and ate their food.  They were connected to the land that bore their food and understood it in a way that is lost upon us, as a whole, now.  But rest assured, it is the most healthful and most delicious way to eat.

If you have the chance to pick up some heirloom kernels, do so! They’re smaller and come in all those beautiful colors that will indeed up the gourmet-ante on this delicious snack.

You’ll need:

1 C organic corn kernels

2 T refined coconut oil

Sea salt, to taste

1/2 C raw almonds, chopped

1/2 C raw cashews, chopped

1/2 C pumpkin seeds

1/2 C raisins

2 T organic butter, (pastured if possible:)

1/3 C honey

1 t cinnamon

1/4 t cardamom

To make:

1. In a large (deep) stock or soup pot, heat coconut oil over medium-high heat.  After a couple of minutes, drop 2-3 kernels in to test.  When they pop, take pot off the heat and add the full cup of kernels to cover bottom of pot in one layer.  Add some sea salt and then bring back to medium heat.  Keep partially covered.  When you hear the popping, give the kernels a hand by shaking the pot back and forth a bit, to prevent any from burning.  Keep this up till you have a nice full pot of fresh popped corn.

2.  Spread the popcorn out on 1 or 2 sheet pans.  Add nuts, pumpkin seeds and raisins.

3.  In the pot, melt the butter and honey and add spices.  Add this mixture to the popcorn mix and blend well.

4.  Optional step:  I sometimes (time permitting) throw these sheet pans into the oven at 350 for about 5 minutes just so that everything gets extra crispy.  It’s not the end of the world if I don’t get to this step, but it does last longer and stays crispier.

5.  Enjoy!

P.S. For a vegan version, substitute the butter for the same amount of extra virgin coconut oil and sweeten with agave instead of honey:)

Update; April 14, 2012:

Just found this article - http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120325173008.htm  It talks about the antioxidant level in popcorn!  Check it out!

GF Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yields 24 cookies

 

As much as I love to cook, I love to bake.  I particularly enjoy experimenting with healthy versions of all the goodies out there.  I favor organic flours and natural sweeteners just because they are healthier.  Of course, binging on these isn’t a good idea either…trust me!  But when you’re in the mood for something sweet, there’s no need to head to the refined alleys of dessert-ville.  There are a myriad of choices out there (some better than others) especially if your diet is somehow restricted.  I have had better luck with my GF baking experiments than I’ve had with vegan ones, though I just made a delicious vegan and GF tart that just may have to make its way to these pages!

This version of the cookie uses very little sweetener because I relied on the sweetness of the dried cherries.  Dried fruit goes a long way.  Cherries are very low in sodium and high in vitamin A and dietary fiber. They support joint health and are helpful for those with arthritis, rheumatism and gout.  The one catch is that this dried fruit is a bit higher on the sugar content than other fruits.  If you don’t love this idea, any dried fruit would work wonderfully!  If you do experiment, please leave me a comment and let me know how they came out!

You’ll need:

1/2C organic butter (1 stick), softened

1/4C coconut or date sugar

2 large organic eggs

1 t vanilla extract

1C almond meal or hazelnut meal

1C Brown Rice Flour

1/3C oat flour

1 t baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t sea salt

1/2 C semi-sweet chocolate chips (or more if you want them chocolatey)

1/2 dried cherries, roughly chopped

a handful of pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

To make:

Preheat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

1. In a food processor, add butter and coconut sugar and process until creamy (about 30 seconds should do it).  Add the eggs and vanilla and process to blend.

2. Add the almond meal, rice flour, oat flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and process until dough forms.

3. 2 options: 1. You can add the rest of the ingredients and pulse to blend.  This will break up the chocolate chips and make chocolatey ‘streaks’ in your cookies.  Or 2. Place dough into a bowl and using a rubber spatula, incorporate the chocolate chips, cherries and pepitas.  (I go with the first option because it’s easier and there’s less to clean…every little bit helps when you’ve got a 5 month old to look after!)

4. Make walnut size balls (I use a heaping tablespoon as my measure) and press down lightly on each one.  Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.  Let cool completely before digging in!

5. Enjoy!