Tofu Cream Cheese
This vegan cream cheese recipe is perfect on bagels, sandwiches, or anything else that needs a creamy, mildly sweet spread.
Yield 1 cup
Time 5 minutes, plus refrigeration
Tools
* kitchen towel
* food processor or blender
* small container with lid
Ingredients
* 1 c soft, medium, or silken tofu
* ¼ c cashews
* 1-2 T water or soy milk
* 2 t sweetener: raw sugar, maple syrup, or brown rice syrup
* 1 t salt
* ½ t pepper
Drain the tofu, wrap in towel, and squeeze out excess moisture.
Place all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Taste and adjust: add more tofu/water for a thicker/thinner consistency; more sweetener/dash of lemon lemon for sweeter/less sweet flavor.
Transfer to container, cover, and - for best flavor - refrigerate overnight. Use within 4-7 days.
Jazz up this simple recipe with garlic, green onions, herbs, dried fruit, or sun-dried tomatoes.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Cashew Patties
Burger night at our house and I asked the girls what kind of patties they wanted. One requested cashew patties on buns; the other requested falafel. Ok. I can make both :) Side it with some skinny cauliflower/potato mash and some lemon garlic broccoli and we are good to go. Enjoy :)
Cashew Patties
Ingredients
1/2 c raw cashews or walnuts
3 eggs
1 brick cream cheese
1 c cracker crumbles
1 small onion, diced
Poultry seasoning to taste
Garlic powder to taste
Gravy:
1 can cream of mushroom soup with roasted garlic mixed with 1/2 can of milk
Instructions
Except for soup and milk, mix all ingredients together. Pour batter into patties into hot skillet and fry til brown on both sides. 2-3 minutes each side. Place them in 9x13 baking dish and cover with the soup gravy. Bake 350 for 30 minutes.
Cashew Patties
Ingredients
1/2 c raw cashews or walnuts
3 eggs
1 brick cream cheese
1 c cracker crumbles
1 small onion, diced
Poultry seasoning to taste
Garlic powder to taste
Gravy:
1 can cream of mushroom soup with roasted garlic mixed with 1/2 can of milk
Instructions
Except for soup and milk, mix all ingredients together. Pour batter into patties into hot skillet and fry til brown on both sides. 2-3 minutes each side. Place them in 9x13 baking dish and cover with the soup gravy. Bake 350 for 30 minutes.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
The Agave Blues
Copyright 2010 David Wolfe (www.davidwolfe.com)
The Sweetener Wars are heating up. Dr. Mercola and Mike Adams “The Health Ranger” have come forward listing agave as the worst “bandito” of all sweeteners — a claim reminding me of the “Most Wanted” posters of Mexican criminals I would see whenever I crossed the border between San Diego and Tijuana as a child.
My Experience with Agave
I was first exposed to agave by Dr. David Jubb who espoused its health benefits years ago claiming that it was low glycemic. My former company Nature’s First Law/Sunfood Nutrition (whom I no longer represent) and I sold different forms of agave for years. Originally, the agave was supplied by Joanne Cuddigan and David Korn of Holistic Enterprises. Eventually, the agave was supplied by Christopher Daugherty of Essential Living Foods who eventually had to admit that the agave was in fact cooked and not a raw-food product. According to various raw-food websites and www.foodprocessing.com, agave is cooked at 140 degrees Fahrenheit for 36 hours. Years of anecdotal feedback about agave and subsequent testing by Dr. Gabriel Cousens indicated that various yellow agave syrup products were, in fact, not only cooked, but high glycemic.
Then Robert Williams, the product sourcing professional for Ultimate Superfoods, gave me his take on agave. He claimed that high fructose corn syrup in the form of broken Mexican sugar candies were being added back into agave syrups and nectars. He brought to light that his research indicated that agave was heavily controlled by at least two very serious and very dangerous tequila mafias and that most of the products on the market were a complete fraud. Upon finding this out, I recommended that my business and I go only with Ultimate Superfoods clear (high inulin) agave (www.ultimatesuperfoods.com). Even though Ultimate’s product is not a cold-processed product, it was still the best product on the market as far as I could tell. My business partner (now former business partner) strongly rejected this plan causing at least one of the major rifts that caused me to exit my old company Sunfood Nutrition.
Currently Ultimate Superfoods claims their clear agave is around 50% fructose with a few percentage points of glucose — the rest being inulin. This is the claim, and only a chemical analysis will confirm if this is accurate. And that's where I am at with any claim — chemical analysis is what we all require as proof now.
Agave and Pulque
Agave products originally began to be consumed as a New World beverage in ancient times, probably in Mexico. The agave plant (sometimes called “The Century Plant”) is a very hardy desert succulent that has been categorized in its own Linnaean Family, now termed the Agavaceae. After about ten to twelve years, the edible agave varieties (blue agave, etc.) begin to develop a large fruiting stem at their center. This stem grows very strongly and rapidly eventually opening up flowers in its upper reaches that after pollination (usually by hummingbirds) turn into seeded fruits. The shape and structure of this flowering and fruiting stem is so unique that they were used in the background of original Star Trek episodes as alien plants on alien planets. The dried agave fruiting stems are often cleaned out, polished, and turned into didgeridoos.
Historically, the center-growing stem, once it began to form, would be cored or cut out. This would cause the agave to bleed a thin milky sap that was captured in a bowl each day. According to research done by author Jonathan Ott (and cited in my book Naked Chocolate), agave (once cored) can bleed 1,000 liters of liquid sap in the two months that it takes it to finally die. This is a huge amount of liquid to be liberated in a dry desert (like finding a spring). This thin milky sap would typically ferment forming a very popular beverage in ancient Mexico known as pulque.
To see agave sap being collected, watch this video. Pulque, a mildly alcoholic wine, is the original beverage, consumed right alongside chocolate drinks on the streets of Mexico City for over a thousand years and probably much longer. Processed pulque is still available today in nearly all major Mexican cities and in Los Angeles.
Fructose
“While agave syrup does have a low-glycemic index, so does antifreeze -- that doesn’t mean it’s good for you. Agave syrup has the highest fructose content of any commercial sweetener — ranging from 70 to 97 percent, depending on the brand, which is FAR HIGHER than high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which averages 55 percent.” — Dr. Joseph Mercola
According to Dr. Robert Lustig, fructose is to blame for agave’s blues. Ten years ago, sucrose was the enemy. So which one is it? Sucrose or fructose? Over the last 40 years, sucrose consumption has actually been going down and fructose consumption has been going up. Obviously, obesity in the West has been increasing, and Dr. Lustig of UC San Francisco claims that the primary culprit is fructose.
To see Dr. Lustig’s presentation on fructose, click here.
Fructose is a sugar that is 1.73 times sweeter than sucrose (Source: Wiki). Like glucose and sucrose, fructose is known to be food for candida albicans and cancer cells. Sugar in many of its small and medium chain carbohydrate forms has been reported to rapidly elevate blood sugar levels causing the small gland known as the pancreas to secrete insulin to control blood sugar levels. Due to the intensity and quantity of sugars and carbohydrates being ingested daily by people all over the world and also due to the lack of minerals available to feed the pancreas so it can do its job properly, human metabolism begins to malfunction. This begins as mood swings and ADD symptoms in children as well as obesity, and eventually develops into hypoglycemia and/or diabetes. Hypoglycemia occurs when blood sugar sharply drops after an overproduction of insulin; causing low energy, mood swings, and intense hunger. Diabetes occurs when an underproduction of insulin causes blood sugar to elevate wildly; causing excessively sweet urine and body fatigue. Diabetes can eventually lead to demineralization, diabetic coma, and even death.
Natural fructose in fruits and honey is bound to other sugars and is therefore less glycemic and more natural than free fructose. High fructose corn syrup and common agave products contain free fructose. This free fructose appears to be the primary focus of the current controversy about sweeteners.
Mike Adams “The Health Ranger” states that: “The average person consumes about 98 pounds of highly refined corn fructose per year in the USA, that roughly translates into half a cup of refined fructose per day.”
According to Dr. Mercola, fructose, and especially free fructose, in quantities greater than 25 grams a day can cause an unhealthy increase in uric acid production, lead to weight gain, and, as Dr. Mercola told me in a private conversation, can become a major contributing factor in the development of a fatty liver.
Other problems with Agave
I have been to agave processing facilities in Mexico where Tequila is made. When the agave plant is mature (just as it starts its flowering stage) they trim off all the succulent and barbed leaves of the agave plant until it looks like a giant pineapple or the fruit of the pandanus tree. They then wrap a chain around it and tear it out of the ground with a truck. The entire agave plant is then cooked down, hydrolyzed with enzymes, and converted over through other chemical processes into a fructose syrup.
According to Dr. Mercola, here is a partial list of the chemicals many producers use:
* Activated charcoal
* Cationic and ionic resins
* Sulfuric and/or hydrofluoric acid
* Dicalite
* Clarimex
* Inulin enzymes
* Fructozyme
All this chemistry obviously has nothing to do with how pulque was originally made and how the agave plant was originally used. The use of these chemicals also puts any organic certification of agave into question.
And that’s not the only problem, boiling down the entire agave plant may release toxic saponins present in the agave and yucca families of plants. These steroidal, abortive, and/or purgative compounds have not been confirmed to be present in agave products, however, exercise caution when using agave. In addition, agave products should be avoided during pregnancy until more research is conducted.
Conclusion
If you select agave as a sweetener, only use certified organic clear agave of the type Ultimate Superfoods distributes (www.ultimatesuperfoods.com). Be sure to request that every company selling agave provide laboratory data that their product is free of chemicals, contains a low percentage of fructose, contains a high percentage of inulin, and is free of toxic saponins.
After dealing with the agave blues, you may want to select another sweetener. Here are some options (in alphabetical order):
* Coconut Palm Sugar: This is now available as a sweetener. It is usually heat processed, yet unconfirmed reports indicate raw coconut palm sugar is now available from Balinese sources. It is processed using lime (chalk) or mangosteen sap to neutralize acidity. Because of the calcification problems associated with eating chalk and the magic associated with the mangosteen tree, mangosteen sap processed coconut palm sugar is preferred.
* Erythritol: Erythritol is made by breaking down plant starch into glucose. Then the yeast Moniliella pollinis is added to the glucose. Through fermentation, the glucose breaks down into erythritol. Metabolic, toxicological, and clinical studies covering areas as diverse as cancer, nervous system health, and allergic reactions have found erythritol to be safe. Erythritol has GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status in the United States. Seek out organic erythritol or products containing it.
* Honey (raw, organic) is always the natural sweetener of choice. Look for wild honey because it is lower in fructose and higher in trace mineral content. Also, look for richer dark honeys (e.g. NoniLand honey, etc.)
* Inulin: A long-chain polysaccharide that is mostly too long a sugar to absorb into the blood stream. Inulin may be isolated from Jerusalem artichoke or properly processed agave. Look for inulin powder or Jerusalem artichoke syrup. Too much inulin intake can cause digestive distress in certain people.
* Lo Han Guo: A non-glycemic sweetener from Chinese medicinal tradition made from a type of wild cucumber.
* Lucuma: Lucuma’s sugar content is low. The percentage amount present in the dried pulp from mature lucuma fruit is: 8.4% glucose, 4.7% fructose, 1.7% sucrose, and 0.06% inositol (http://www.buywholefoodsonline.co.uk/lucuma-powder).
* Maple syrup: this is the only sustainably-harvested, large-scale, forest sweetener in the world. Maple is likely the richest source of minerals found in any sweetener other than dark honeys and molasses. Look for organic maple syrup and maple crystals as an ingredient.
* Molasses: Select unsulfured, organic sugarcane molasses because it is fairly rich in vitamins and minerals and has been purported (like fresh sugar cane) to have “anti-stiffness factors” that break down detrimental calcification (see my book The LongevityNOW Program).
* Soak water: This is a natural sweetener from dried fruits such as date water, goji water, or dried fig water. Shop for organic dried fruit products and soak them in spring water for several hours to make your own fresh soak water.
* Stevia: I recommend dried powdered leaves over extracts. This is a wonderful and easy plant to grow. It contains no real sugar, so therefore it does not feed candida or cancer. Look for organic stevia products.
* Xylitol: This could be the sweetener of the future if it could be obtained with certified organic quality. Xylitol does not feed candida or cancer, but tastes normally sweet. Originally isolated from birch syrup; it is now available as a white powder.
* Yacon: An extraordinarily easy to obtain and abundant subtropical to tropical tuber, relative to the Jerusalem artichoke. Yacon is commonly available as dehydrated chips and as a syrup. Look for organic products. Yacon syrup is rich in iron and only mildly glycemic.
Other sweeteners to avoid, besides common agave:
* Refined white and brown sugars made from beet, sorghum, or sugarcane of all sorts, primarily due to genetically modified crop contamination, including:
* Evaporated Cane Juice: Rapadura is one of the many names of this highly processed and highly heated product. This is almost pure sucrose, like maple, but lacks in minerals. Evaporated cane juice is known to aggravate all sugar-sensitive conditions from diabetes to candida to cancer. Evaporated cane juice can be certified organic. This product often sneaks into chocolate products, pre-made smoothies, and lots of vegan treats (because it is not processed with bone char).
* Sorbitol: This sweetener is typically made from genetically modified corn starch. It was originally isolated from stone fruits of the genus Sorbus.
Other Considerations
The market is flooded with companies and products using all different kinds of sweeteners. Always select products containing certified organic sweeteners due to potential contamination from genetically modified corn and other crops that may contain glufosinate herbicides that damage your friendly healthy bacteria. Remember that certified organic sweeteners cannot be genetically modified (GMO).
Some companies, such as Sacred Chocolate (www.sacredchocolate.com) have avoided organic agave and use only organic maple crystals, coconut nectar, inulin, erythritol and stevia instead.
If organic agave is in a product, select only reputable companies that rigorously review all their ingredients, such as Superfood Snacks (www.superfoodsnacks.com).
References
Books
* Naked Chocolate by Shazzie and Wolfe
* The LongevityNOW Program by Wolfe
* The Sugar Blues by William Duffy
* Natural & Health Sweeteners by Diana Allen (www.woodlandpublishing.com). This book contains an extraordinary chapter on sweetener alternatives known as polyols (sugar alcohols) such as: xylitol, sorbitol, maltitol, isomalt, lactitol, mannitol, and erythritol.
Websites
Agave:
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agave_syrup
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agave
* http://www.foodprocessing.com
Fructose:
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fructose
Sucrose:
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sucrose
Dr. Mercola on Agave:
* http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/03/30/beware-of-the-agave-nectar-health-food-fraud.aspx
Mike Adams on Agave:
* http://www.naturalnews.com/024892_fructose_food_health.html
Retrieving Agave Liquid for Pulque:
* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wg3WiWVdtTs&feature=related
Dr. Gabriel Cousens
* www.treeoflife.nu
Dr. Lustig on Fructose:
* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM
High Inulin Agave Resource:
* http://www.ultimatesuperfoods.com
Maple Sugar as a Better Sweetener:
* http://www.sacredchocolate.com
Lucuma:
* http://www.buywholefoodsonline.co.uk/lucuma-powder
Erythritol:
* http://abouterythritol.homestead.com
Sorbitol:
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorbitol
*Notice how low maple syrup is in fructose. This is another positive for maple-sweetened foods.
The Sweetener Wars are heating up. Dr. Mercola and Mike Adams “The Health Ranger” have come forward listing agave as the worst “bandito” of all sweeteners — a claim reminding me of the “Most Wanted” posters of Mexican criminals I would see whenever I crossed the border between San Diego and Tijuana as a child.
My Experience with Agave
I was first exposed to agave by Dr. David Jubb who espoused its health benefits years ago claiming that it was low glycemic. My former company Nature’s First Law/Sunfood Nutrition (whom I no longer represent) and I sold different forms of agave for years. Originally, the agave was supplied by Joanne Cuddigan and David Korn of Holistic Enterprises. Eventually, the agave was supplied by Christopher Daugherty of Essential Living Foods who eventually had to admit that the agave was in fact cooked and not a raw-food product. According to various raw-food websites and www.foodprocessing.com, agave is cooked at 140 degrees Fahrenheit for 36 hours. Years of anecdotal feedback about agave and subsequent testing by Dr. Gabriel Cousens indicated that various yellow agave syrup products were, in fact, not only cooked, but high glycemic.
Then Robert Williams, the product sourcing professional for Ultimate Superfoods, gave me his take on agave. He claimed that high fructose corn syrup in the form of broken Mexican sugar candies were being added back into agave syrups and nectars. He brought to light that his research indicated that agave was heavily controlled by at least two very serious and very dangerous tequila mafias and that most of the products on the market were a complete fraud. Upon finding this out, I recommended that my business and I go only with Ultimate Superfoods clear (high inulin) agave (www.ultimatesuperfoods.com). Even though Ultimate’s product is not a cold-processed product, it was still the best product on the market as far as I could tell. My business partner (now former business partner) strongly rejected this plan causing at least one of the major rifts that caused me to exit my old company Sunfood Nutrition.
Currently Ultimate Superfoods claims their clear agave is around 50% fructose with a few percentage points of glucose — the rest being inulin. This is the claim, and only a chemical analysis will confirm if this is accurate. And that's where I am at with any claim — chemical analysis is what we all require as proof now.
Agave and Pulque
Agave products originally began to be consumed as a New World beverage in ancient times, probably in Mexico. The agave plant (sometimes called “The Century Plant”) is a very hardy desert succulent that has been categorized in its own Linnaean Family, now termed the Agavaceae. After about ten to twelve years, the edible agave varieties (blue agave, etc.) begin to develop a large fruiting stem at their center. This stem grows very strongly and rapidly eventually opening up flowers in its upper reaches that after pollination (usually by hummingbirds) turn into seeded fruits. The shape and structure of this flowering and fruiting stem is so unique that they were used in the background of original Star Trek episodes as alien plants on alien planets. The dried agave fruiting stems are often cleaned out, polished, and turned into didgeridoos.
Historically, the center-growing stem, once it began to form, would be cored or cut out. This would cause the agave to bleed a thin milky sap that was captured in a bowl each day. According to research done by author Jonathan Ott (and cited in my book Naked Chocolate), agave (once cored) can bleed 1,000 liters of liquid sap in the two months that it takes it to finally die. This is a huge amount of liquid to be liberated in a dry desert (like finding a spring). This thin milky sap would typically ferment forming a very popular beverage in ancient Mexico known as pulque.
To see agave sap being collected, watch this video. Pulque, a mildly alcoholic wine, is the original beverage, consumed right alongside chocolate drinks on the streets of Mexico City for over a thousand years and probably much longer. Processed pulque is still available today in nearly all major Mexican cities and in Los Angeles.
Fructose
“While agave syrup does have a low-glycemic index, so does antifreeze -- that doesn’t mean it’s good for you. Agave syrup has the highest fructose content of any commercial sweetener — ranging from 70 to 97 percent, depending on the brand, which is FAR HIGHER than high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which averages 55 percent.” — Dr. Joseph Mercola
According to Dr. Robert Lustig, fructose is to blame for agave’s blues. Ten years ago, sucrose was the enemy. So which one is it? Sucrose or fructose? Over the last 40 years, sucrose consumption has actually been going down and fructose consumption has been going up. Obviously, obesity in the West has been increasing, and Dr. Lustig of UC San Francisco claims that the primary culprit is fructose.
To see Dr. Lustig’s presentation on fructose, click here.
Fructose is a sugar that is 1.73 times sweeter than sucrose (Source: Wiki). Like glucose and sucrose, fructose is known to be food for candida albicans and cancer cells. Sugar in many of its small and medium chain carbohydrate forms has been reported to rapidly elevate blood sugar levels causing the small gland known as the pancreas to secrete insulin to control blood sugar levels. Due to the intensity and quantity of sugars and carbohydrates being ingested daily by people all over the world and also due to the lack of minerals available to feed the pancreas so it can do its job properly, human metabolism begins to malfunction. This begins as mood swings and ADD symptoms in children as well as obesity, and eventually develops into hypoglycemia and/or diabetes. Hypoglycemia occurs when blood sugar sharply drops after an overproduction of insulin; causing low energy, mood swings, and intense hunger. Diabetes occurs when an underproduction of insulin causes blood sugar to elevate wildly; causing excessively sweet urine and body fatigue. Diabetes can eventually lead to demineralization, diabetic coma, and even death.
Natural fructose in fruits and honey is bound to other sugars and is therefore less glycemic and more natural than free fructose. High fructose corn syrup and common agave products contain free fructose. This free fructose appears to be the primary focus of the current controversy about sweeteners.
Mike Adams “The Health Ranger” states that: “The average person consumes about 98 pounds of highly refined corn fructose per year in the USA, that roughly translates into half a cup of refined fructose per day.”
According to Dr. Mercola, fructose, and especially free fructose, in quantities greater than 25 grams a day can cause an unhealthy increase in uric acid production, lead to weight gain, and, as Dr. Mercola told me in a private conversation, can become a major contributing factor in the development of a fatty liver.
Other problems with Agave
I have been to agave processing facilities in Mexico where Tequila is made. When the agave plant is mature (just as it starts its flowering stage) they trim off all the succulent and barbed leaves of the agave plant until it looks like a giant pineapple or the fruit of the pandanus tree. They then wrap a chain around it and tear it out of the ground with a truck. The entire agave plant is then cooked down, hydrolyzed with enzymes, and converted over through other chemical processes into a fructose syrup.
According to Dr. Mercola, here is a partial list of the chemicals many producers use:
* Activated charcoal
* Cationic and ionic resins
* Sulfuric and/or hydrofluoric acid
* Dicalite
* Clarimex
* Inulin enzymes
* Fructozyme
All this chemistry obviously has nothing to do with how pulque was originally made and how the agave plant was originally used. The use of these chemicals also puts any organic certification of agave into question.
And that’s not the only problem, boiling down the entire agave plant may release toxic saponins present in the agave and yucca families of plants. These steroidal, abortive, and/or purgative compounds have not been confirmed to be present in agave products, however, exercise caution when using agave. In addition, agave products should be avoided during pregnancy until more research is conducted.
Conclusion
If you select agave as a sweetener, only use certified organic clear agave of the type Ultimate Superfoods distributes (www.ultimatesuperfoods.com). Be sure to request that every company selling agave provide laboratory data that their product is free of chemicals, contains a low percentage of fructose, contains a high percentage of inulin, and is free of toxic saponins.
After dealing with the agave blues, you may want to select another sweetener. Here are some options (in alphabetical order):
* Coconut Palm Sugar: This is now available as a sweetener. It is usually heat processed, yet unconfirmed reports indicate raw coconut palm sugar is now available from Balinese sources. It is processed using lime (chalk) or mangosteen sap to neutralize acidity. Because of the calcification problems associated with eating chalk and the magic associated with the mangosteen tree, mangosteen sap processed coconut palm sugar is preferred.
* Erythritol: Erythritol is made by breaking down plant starch into glucose. Then the yeast Moniliella pollinis is added to the glucose. Through fermentation, the glucose breaks down into erythritol. Metabolic, toxicological, and clinical studies covering areas as diverse as cancer, nervous system health, and allergic reactions have found erythritol to be safe. Erythritol has GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status in the United States. Seek out organic erythritol or products containing it.
* Honey (raw, organic) is always the natural sweetener of choice. Look for wild honey because it is lower in fructose and higher in trace mineral content. Also, look for richer dark honeys (e.g. NoniLand honey, etc.)
* Inulin: A long-chain polysaccharide that is mostly too long a sugar to absorb into the blood stream. Inulin may be isolated from Jerusalem artichoke or properly processed agave. Look for inulin powder or Jerusalem artichoke syrup. Too much inulin intake can cause digestive distress in certain people.
* Lo Han Guo: A non-glycemic sweetener from Chinese medicinal tradition made from a type of wild cucumber.
* Lucuma: Lucuma’s sugar content is low. The percentage amount present in the dried pulp from mature lucuma fruit is: 8.4% glucose, 4.7% fructose, 1.7% sucrose, and 0.06% inositol (http://www.buywholefoodsonline.co.uk/lucuma-powder).
* Maple syrup: this is the only sustainably-harvested, large-scale, forest sweetener in the world. Maple is likely the richest source of minerals found in any sweetener other than dark honeys and molasses. Look for organic maple syrup and maple crystals as an ingredient.
* Molasses: Select unsulfured, organic sugarcane molasses because it is fairly rich in vitamins and minerals and has been purported (like fresh sugar cane) to have “anti-stiffness factors” that break down detrimental calcification (see my book The LongevityNOW Program).
* Soak water: This is a natural sweetener from dried fruits such as date water, goji water, or dried fig water. Shop for organic dried fruit products and soak them in spring water for several hours to make your own fresh soak water.
* Stevia: I recommend dried powdered leaves over extracts. This is a wonderful and easy plant to grow. It contains no real sugar, so therefore it does not feed candida or cancer. Look for organic stevia products.
* Xylitol: This could be the sweetener of the future if it could be obtained with certified organic quality. Xylitol does not feed candida or cancer, but tastes normally sweet. Originally isolated from birch syrup; it is now available as a white powder.
* Yacon: An extraordinarily easy to obtain and abundant subtropical to tropical tuber, relative to the Jerusalem artichoke. Yacon is commonly available as dehydrated chips and as a syrup. Look for organic products. Yacon syrup is rich in iron and only mildly glycemic.
Other sweeteners to avoid, besides common agave:
* Refined white and brown sugars made from beet, sorghum, or sugarcane of all sorts, primarily due to genetically modified crop contamination, including:
* Evaporated Cane Juice: Rapadura is one of the many names of this highly processed and highly heated product. This is almost pure sucrose, like maple, but lacks in minerals. Evaporated cane juice is known to aggravate all sugar-sensitive conditions from diabetes to candida to cancer. Evaporated cane juice can be certified organic. This product often sneaks into chocolate products, pre-made smoothies, and lots of vegan treats (because it is not processed with bone char).
* Sorbitol: This sweetener is typically made from genetically modified corn starch. It was originally isolated from stone fruits of the genus Sorbus.
Other Considerations
The market is flooded with companies and products using all different kinds of sweeteners. Always select products containing certified organic sweeteners due to potential contamination from genetically modified corn and other crops that may contain glufosinate herbicides that damage your friendly healthy bacteria. Remember that certified organic sweeteners cannot be genetically modified (GMO).
Some companies, such as Sacred Chocolate (www.sacredchocolate.com) have avoided organic agave and use only organic maple crystals, coconut nectar, inulin, erythritol and stevia instead.
If organic agave is in a product, select only reputable companies that rigorously review all their ingredients, such as Superfood Snacks (www.superfoodsnacks.com).
References
Books
* Naked Chocolate by Shazzie and Wolfe
* The LongevityNOW Program by Wolfe
* The Sugar Blues by William Duffy
* Natural & Health Sweeteners by Diana Allen (www.woodlandpublishing.com). This book contains an extraordinary chapter on sweetener alternatives known as polyols (sugar alcohols) such as: xylitol, sorbitol, maltitol, isomalt, lactitol, mannitol, and erythritol.
Websites
Agave:
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agave_syrup
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agave
* http://www.foodprocessing.com
Fructose:
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fructose
Sucrose:
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sucrose
Dr. Mercola on Agave:
* http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/03/30/beware-of-the-agave-nectar-health-food-fraud.aspx
Mike Adams on Agave:
* http://www.naturalnews.com/024892_fructose_food_health.html
Retrieving Agave Liquid for Pulque:
* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wg3WiWVdtTs&feature=related
Dr. Gabriel Cousens
* www.treeoflife.nu
Dr. Lustig on Fructose:
* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM
High Inulin Agave Resource:
* http://www.ultimatesuperfoods.com
Maple Sugar as a Better Sweetener:
* http://www.sacredchocolate.com
Lucuma:
* http://www.buywholefoodsonline.co.uk/lucuma-powder
Erythritol:
* http://abouterythritol.homestead.com
Sorbitol:
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorbitol
*Notice how low maple syrup is in fructose. This is another positive for maple-sweetened foods.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Applesauce Cake
Apple Sauce Cake with Caramel Icing
Servings:About 20
Prep time:15 - 20 minutes
Cook time: Approx. 1 hour
Total time:1 hour 20 minutes
Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1/2 - 3/4 cup homemade applesauce
2 eggs
4 cups apples, peeled,small chunks
2 cups flour
2 tspn baking soda
1 tspn nutmeg
1 tspn cinnamon
ICING
1/4 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup Carnation evaporated milk
Directions:
Combine sugar, applesauce & eggs.Add apples.Stir. Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg.Add to apple mixture. Pour into greased 13 x 9 pan. Bake 350 degrees for about an hour, glass pan even less.Very moist cake...yummy, too.
ICING
Mix together, boil 2 minutes and pour over hot cake...careful icing is very hot!!!
Spicy Bean Dip
Spicy Bean Dip
Servings: Makes about 3 cups
Ingredients:
1 can cannellini beans drained and rinsed
1 can pinto peans drained and rinsed
1 sm. can diced green chile peppers, (use your favorite peppers here, I used this because it is what I had on hand, but jalapenos or chipotle in adobo sauce would be GREAT too. Add according to your taste and tolerance to peppers)
juice of 1 lime
5 coarsely chopped scallions
2 tsp. cumin
3 oz. tomato paste
3 cloves minced garlic
handful fresh cilantro or 1 T dried
Salt and pepper to taste if preferred, and the lime juice zips it up nicely.
Directions:
Throw all into food processor and pulse until smooth. Serve with chip or fresh veggie dippers. Takes 5 minutes and tastes great! Just as good as store bought maybe better and its healthy too!!
Servings: Makes about 3 cups
Ingredients:
1 can cannellini beans drained and rinsed
1 can pinto peans drained and rinsed
1 sm. can diced green chile peppers, (use your favorite peppers here, I used this because it is what I had on hand, but jalapenos or chipotle in adobo sauce would be GREAT too. Add according to your taste and tolerance to peppers)
juice of 1 lime
5 coarsely chopped scallions
2 tsp. cumin
3 oz. tomato paste
3 cloves minced garlic
handful fresh cilantro or 1 T dried
Salt and pepper to taste if preferred, and the lime juice zips it up nicely.
Directions:
Throw all into food processor and pulse until smooth. Serve with chip or fresh veggie dippers. Takes 5 minutes and tastes great! Just as good as store bought maybe better and its healthy too!!
Mango Lime Slurry
Mango Lime Slurry
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients:
4 Mango cheeks
1 cup of Milk
1\3 cup of sugar
1 tub of vanilla yogurt
4 limes juiced
Directions:
Place all in blender blitz up and serve slice of lemon\lime on side of glass & enjoy have the glasses chilling in fridge or freezer prior to serving
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients:
4 Mango cheeks
1 cup of Milk
1\3 cup of sugar
1 tub of vanilla yogurt
4 limes juiced
Directions:
Place all in blender blitz up and serve slice of lemon\lime on side of glass & enjoy have the glasses chilling in fridge or freezer prior to serving
Pecan Cookie Waffles w Honey Cinnamon Butter
Pecan Cookie Waffles with Honey-Cinnamon Butter
Waffles made with cookie dough---can you believe it??
Servings: 6
Total time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
Honey-Cinnamon Butter
1/2 cup Butter, softened
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Waffles
3/4 cup Chopped Pecans
1 roll (16.5 oz) refrigerated sugar cookies
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup half-and-half
Directions:
In small bowl, beat butter, honey and cinnamon with electric mixer on medium-high speed 1 to 2 minutes or until light and creamy; set aside.
2. In 10-inch skillet, cook pecans over medium heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently until pecans begin to brown, then stirring constantly until light brown. Remove from skillet to plate to cool.
3. Heat oven to 200°F. Heat waffle maker. (Waffle makers without a nonstick coating may need to be brushed with vegetable oil or sprayed with Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray.)
4. In large bowl, break up cookie dough; add eggs and vanilla. Beat on medium speed about 2 minutes or until smooth. Slowly add half-and-half, beating until batter is smooth and thin. Stir in 1/2 cup of the pecans.
5. Pour 1/3 cup batter onto each waffle section. (Check manufacturer’s directions for recommended amount of batter.) Close lid of waffle maker. Cook about 3 minutes or until waffles are golden brown. Carefully remove waffles to heatproof plate; keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining batter.
6. To serve, top each waffle with about 1 tablespoon honey-cinnamon butter and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the remaining pecans
Waffles made with cookie dough---can you believe it??
Servings: 6
Total time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
Honey-Cinnamon Butter
1/2 cup Butter, softened
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Waffles
3/4 cup Chopped Pecans
1 roll (16.5 oz) refrigerated sugar cookies
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup half-and-half
Directions:
In small bowl, beat butter, honey and cinnamon with electric mixer on medium-high speed 1 to 2 minutes or until light and creamy; set aside.
2. In 10-inch skillet, cook pecans over medium heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently until pecans begin to brown, then stirring constantly until light brown. Remove from skillet to plate to cool.
3. Heat oven to 200°F. Heat waffle maker. (Waffle makers without a nonstick coating may need to be brushed with vegetable oil or sprayed with Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray.)
4. In large bowl, break up cookie dough; add eggs and vanilla. Beat on medium speed about 2 minutes or until smooth. Slowly add half-and-half, beating until batter is smooth and thin. Stir in 1/2 cup of the pecans.
5. Pour 1/3 cup batter onto each waffle section. (Check manufacturer’s directions for recommended amount of batter.) Close lid of waffle maker. Cook about 3 minutes or until waffles are golden brown. Carefully remove waffles to heatproof plate; keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining batter.
6. To serve, top each waffle with about 1 tablespoon honey-cinnamon butter and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the remaining pecans
BBQ Salad
Barbeque Salad
Hearty salad served with a tangy bbq dressing
Servings: 4
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients:
1 lb veggie chicken, sliced (I'm using the Worthington frozen chicken roll
1 c veggie bacon bits
Mixed lettuce greens (I use 2 bags - 1 romaine & 1 spring greens)
1 red onion, cut into thin slices or big chop - less the 4 tbsp. needed for the salad dressing
1-2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
3-4 eggs, boiled & sliced
Grated romano cheese, optional
Barbeque Dressing:
1 c. mayo (I use light)
1/2 c. barbeque sauce (any kind works)
2 tbsp. lemon juice (I have used lime juice when I was out of lemons)
4 tbsp. minced red onion
Directions:
Toss together all salad ingredients or you can leave each ingredient separate and let each person make their own with the ingredients they prefer.
Whisk dressing ingredients together and refrigerate several hours or overnight. Serve on the side so each person can add as much as they prefer.
I serve this salad with a hearty bread or crusty rolls, but it would also be good with homemade croutons.
Hearty salad served with a tangy bbq dressing
Servings: 4
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients:
1 lb veggie chicken, sliced (I'm using the Worthington frozen chicken roll
1 c veggie bacon bits
Mixed lettuce greens (I use 2 bags - 1 romaine & 1 spring greens)
1 red onion, cut into thin slices or big chop - less the 4 tbsp. needed for the salad dressing
1-2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
3-4 eggs, boiled & sliced
Grated romano cheese, optional
Barbeque Dressing:
1 c. mayo (I use light)
1/2 c. barbeque sauce (any kind works)
2 tbsp. lemon juice (I have used lime juice when I was out of lemons)
4 tbsp. minced red onion
Directions:
Toss together all salad ingredients or you can leave each ingredient separate and let each person make their own with the ingredients they prefer.
Whisk dressing ingredients together and refrigerate several hours or overnight. Serve on the side so each person can add as much as they prefer.
I serve this salad with a hearty bread or crusty rolls, but it would also be good with homemade croutons.
Velvet Chicken Soup
Chicken Velvet Soup
Servings: 6-8
Ingredients:
1 1/2 sticks margarine
3 ribs celery, pureed
1 lg. onion, pureed
3/4 c. flour
6 c. water
2 oz. veggie chicken broth base(I'm using McKays)
1 c. Half and Half
1 lb veggie chicken, diced (I'm using the Worthington frozen chicken roll)
salt and white pepper to taste
Directions:
Cut up onion and celery and puree in food processor. Heat margarine to bubbling hot in a large, heavy saucepan. Add celery and onion mixture, reduce heat to medium and cook until thoroughly softened, but not browned. Add flour and stir together to form a smooth paste. Reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Slowly add chicken base and water, whipping constantly to ensure smoothness. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for 1 hour.
Add Half and Half and blend well. Add chicken, salt and pepper to taste, and simmer for 5 more minutes.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Strawberry Poke Cake
DD has a birthday this week and so, for a special occasion, I grant her something a little different. :)
*STRAWBERRY 7-UP POKE CAKE*
Cake:
1 box strawberry or white cake mix
3 large eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup cold water
1 cup carbonated 7-Up soda drink
Topping:
1 (3 oz) box strawberry flavor gelatin
3/4 cup boiling water
2 tbsp sugar (or to taste or you may omit)
3/4 cup very cold water
3-4 cups fresh sliced ripe strawberries (or as needed to cover the cake)
Frozen Whipped topping, thawed (you may use as much as you like)
Strawberry fans for garnish
Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
In a bowl, combine all the cake ingredients on low speed beat for 1 minute, then increase to medium-high and continue beating until very smooth (about 3 minutes) transfer to prepared baking pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the cake tests done. Cool completely.
For the topping; dissolve the gelatin in boiling water with the sugar and mix until no granules remain. Add in the cold water; mix well.
Using a straw, poke holes all over the top of the cake about 1-inch apart. Drizzle the jello mixture evenly over the top of the cake. Lay the strawberry slices evenly over the top. Refrigerate for 2 or more hours. Before serving top with whipped topping and strawberries. Refrigerate any leftovers.
Pilaf Pico de Gallo
I made this for potluck today and it seemed to go over pretty well. Connie asked that I post it. Here you go. I doubled the recipe, layered rice, black beans, then pico. Topped the whole thing w avocado. It was simple and yummy. Btw, I did add extra cilantro and tons of garlic to both the pico and the black beans. Enjoy :)
Pico de Gallo Pilaf
Prep 20 min
Cook 20 min
Total: 40 min
Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup orzo pasta
1 cup white rice
2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 can black beans (season well w EVOO,garlic,onion & cilantro)
4 plum tomatoes, halved, seeded and finely chopped
1 small onion, red or white, finely chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
A handful cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1 lime, zested and juiced
Salt
Directions
Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a sauce pot over medium heat. Add the orzo and toast until deep golden. Stir in the rice and broth and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and simmer for 17 to 18 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine the tomatoes, onions, jalapeno, cilantro, and lime zest and juice. Season with salt, to taste.
When rice is cooked, fluff with fork. Layer the rice, black beans and salsa. Serve.
Pico de Gallo Pilaf
Prep 20 min
Cook 20 min
Total: 40 min
Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup orzo pasta
1 cup white rice
2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 can black beans (season well w EVOO,garlic,onion & cilantro)
4 plum tomatoes, halved, seeded and finely chopped
1 small onion, red or white, finely chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
A handful cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1 lime, zested and juiced
Salt
Directions
Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a sauce pot over medium heat. Add the orzo and toast until deep golden. Stir in the rice and broth and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and simmer for 17 to 18 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine the tomatoes, onions, jalapeno, cilantro, and lime zest and juice. Season with salt, to taste.
When rice is cooked, fluff with fork. Layer the rice, black beans and salsa. Serve.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Veggie boullion
Wandering thru 101 today and landed on this. Doesn't it sound delicious? Gonna try it as soon as time allows. :) And lookie those pictures!!
Homemade Bouillon
This recipe requires a food processor. I have a 8-cup / 2 liter / 2 quart model, and needed every cubic inch of it. I found the best approach if you are tight for space in your food processor is to add a few of the ingredients, then pulse a few times. The ingredients collapse and free up more space for the next few ingredients. If you don't find yourself using much bouillon, I will suggest making a half batch of this. And for those of you wanting to do a version with no salt, freeze the pureed vegetables in small amounts - say, ice cube trays, just after pureeing them. Introduce salt in whatever amount you like later in the cooking process.
5 ounces / 150 g leeks, sliced and well-washed
7 ounces / 200g fennel bulb, chopped
7 ounces / 200g carrot, well scrubbed and chopped
3.5 ounces / 100 g celery
3.5 ounces / 100g celery root (celeriac), peeled and chopped
1 ounce / 30g sun-dried tomatoes
3.5 ounces / 100g shallots, peeled
3 medium garlic cloves
9 ounces / 250g fine grain sea salt
1.5 ounces / 40 g flat-leaf parsley, loosely chopped
2 ounces / 60g cilantro (coriander), loosely chopped
Place the first four ingredients in your food processor and pulse about twenty times. Add the next four ingredients, and pulse again. Add the salt, pulse some more. Then add the parsley and cilantro. You may need to scoop some of the chopped vegetables on top of the herbs, so they get chopped. Mine tended to want to stay on top of everything else, initially escaping the blades.
You should end up with a moist, loose paste of sorts. Keep 1/4th of it in a jar in the refrigerator for easy access in the coming days, and freeze the remaining 3/4 for use in the next month. Because of all the salt it barely solidifies making it easy to spoon directly from the freezer into the pot before boiling.
Start by using 1 teaspoon of bouillon per 1 cup (250 ml), and adjust from there based on your personal preference.
Makes roughly 3 1/2 cups.
Homemade Bouillon
This recipe requires a food processor. I have a 8-cup / 2 liter / 2 quart model, and needed every cubic inch of it. I found the best approach if you are tight for space in your food processor is to add a few of the ingredients, then pulse a few times. The ingredients collapse and free up more space for the next few ingredients. If you don't find yourself using much bouillon, I will suggest making a half batch of this. And for those of you wanting to do a version with no salt, freeze the pureed vegetables in small amounts - say, ice cube trays, just after pureeing them. Introduce salt in whatever amount you like later in the cooking process.
5 ounces / 150 g leeks, sliced and well-washed
7 ounces / 200g fennel bulb, chopped
7 ounces / 200g carrot, well scrubbed and chopped
3.5 ounces / 100 g celery
3.5 ounces / 100g celery root (celeriac), peeled and chopped
1 ounce / 30g sun-dried tomatoes
3.5 ounces / 100g shallots, peeled
3 medium garlic cloves
9 ounces / 250g fine grain sea salt
1.5 ounces / 40 g flat-leaf parsley, loosely chopped
2 ounces / 60g cilantro (coriander), loosely chopped
Place the first four ingredients in your food processor and pulse about twenty times. Add the next four ingredients, and pulse again. Add the salt, pulse some more. Then add the parsley and cilantro. You may need to scoop some of the chopped vegetables on top of the herbs, so they get chopped. Mine tended to want to stay on top of everything else, initially escaping the blades.
You should end up with a moist, loose paste of sorts. Keep 1/4th of it in a jar in the refrigerator for easy access in the coming days, and freeze the remaining 3/4 for use in the next month. Because of all the salt it barely solidifies making it easy to spoon directly from the freezer into the pot before boiling.
Start by using 1 teaspoon of bouillon per 1 cup (250 ml), and adjust from there based on your personal preference.
Makes roughly 3 1/2 cups.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Vegan Apple Cinnamon Pancakes
My 1st try. They're good and flavorful, but too dense. I think maybe an extra pinch or 2 of baking powder and baking soda would give them some lift. Suggestions for improvement are more than welcome. :)
2 c Bisquik
3 tsp egg replacer
4 Tbs water
1 1/2 c soymilk (I had original Silk on hand. Vanilla would be better, I think)
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 c applesauce
1 Tbs pumpkin honey (my current indulgence :))
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
Stir it all up until batter is desired consistency and fry away :)
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Cilantro Lime Rice
Cilantro Lime Rice
* 1 Tbsp. olive oil
* 1 cup basmati rice
* 1 1/2 cups veggie chicken broth
* 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
* zest from one lime
* 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
* 1 tsp. salt
Directions:
Add the oil to a sauce pan and heat on low. Add the garlic and rice to the oil and saute for 2 minutes on medium heat stirring frequently.
Add the chicken broth, salt, lime juice and bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low for 15 minutes or according to rice package directions.
When the rice is done, add lime zest and chopped cilantro and stir to mix in. Serve immediately.
If you are using regular long grain rice, follow the cooking directions on the box regarding the amount of liquid to use and the cooking time.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Non-dairy avocado "sour cream"
Nondairy Avocado "Sour Cream"
Ingredients:
1 Ripe avocado, peeled, pitted
10 1/2 oz Extra firm silken tofu
2 tbl Nutritional yeast
2 tsp Tamari sauce
1/2 Lemon, juiced
6 tbl Water
2 tsp Chopped dill weed
1 tbl Chopped chives
1 tbl Chopped garlic chives
Directions:
In a blender combine all ingredients except dill, chives, and garlic chives, and process until smooth. Stir in herbs and serve.
"Great on top of potatoes or with raw vegetables, vegetable burritos, tacos, or scrambled tofu - anywhere you might use sour cream."
Ingredients:
1 Ripe avocado, peeled, pitted
10 1/2 oz Extra firm silken tofu
2 tbl Nutritional yeast
2 tsp Tamari sauce
1/2 Lemon, juiced
6 tbl Water
2 tsp Chopped dill weed
1 tbl Chopped chives
1 tbl Chopped garlic chives
Directions:
In a blender combine all ingredients except dill, chives, and garlic chives, and process until smooth. Stir in herbs and serve.
"Great on top of potatoes or with raw vegetables, vegetable burritos, tacos, or scrambled tofu - anywhere you might use sour cream."
Breaded, Fried, Softly Spiced Tofu
Breaded, Fried, Softly Spiced Tofu
Ingredients:
* 1 (16 ounce) package extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed
* 2 cups vegetable broth
* 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 teaspoon sage
* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Directions:
1. Cut pressed tofu into 1/2-inch thick slices; then cut again into 1/2-inch wide sticks. Place tofu in a bowl, and pour broth over the top. Set aside to soak.
2. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, yeast, salt, pepper, sage, and cayenne.
3. Warm oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Remove tofu sticks from broth, and squeeze most (but not all) of the liquid from them. Roll sticks in breading. (You may have to roll sticks twice to end up with a fairly dry outer layer of breading.) Place tofu in hot oil; fry until crisp and browned on all sides. Add more oil if necessary.
Ingredients:
* 1 (16 ounce) package extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed
* 2 cups vegetable broth
* 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 teaspoon sage
* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Directions:
1. Cut pressed tofu into 1/2-inch thick slices; then cut again into 1/2-inch wide sticks. Place tofu in a bowl, and pour broth over the top. Set aside to soak.
2. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, yeast, salt, pepper, sage, and cayenne.
3. Warm oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Remove tofu sticks from broth, and squeeze most (but not all) of the liquid from them. Roll sticks in breading. (You may have to roll sticks twice to end up with a fairly dry outer layer of breading.) Place tofu in hot oil; fry until crisp and browned on all sides. Add more oil if necessary.
Tofu veggie pancakes
Tofu kartoffelkuchen
tofu vegetable pancakes
Servings: makes 8 6" cakes
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes per cake
Total time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
8 medium potatoes,grated
1/2 lb.tofu,blended
1 large onion
1/4 cup fresh parsley,chopped fine
1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3 tbsp.unbleached white flour
Directions:
for each pancake,brush skillet with oil and heat to medium heat. spoon about 3/4 cup of potato mixture into pan and flatten to about 1/2" thick.Fry about 7 minutes on each side until golden brown.Serve with applesauce on the side.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Florentine casserole
Florentine Casserole
Prep: 30 min
Baking time: 15-20 min, 30-45 if refrigerated, 1.5-2 hr if frozen
Baking temp 350, 300 if frozen
1 lb burger substitute
1 med onion, chopped
1/4 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp oregano
1 TBS EVOO
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 TBS all-purpose flour
1 cup veggie beef broth (McKay's)
1 cup sour cream
1 pkg 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, cooked and drained
4 oz Mozz or Jack cheese
Brown the burger, onion, mushroom, garlic, and oregano in EVOO over med-high heat. Add salt and pepper. Stir in flour. Add broth and cook til thickened. Stir in sour cream. Add drained spinach. Pour mixture into 2 qt casserole. Sprinkle cheese on top. Bake 350 for 15 -20 minutes or until heated through. For 8 servings, double the ingredients but use only 1 2/3 c broth.
Prep: 30 min
Baking time: 15-20 min, 30-45 if refrigerated, 1.5-2 hr if frozen
Baking temp 350, 300 if frozen
1 lb burger substitute
1 med onion, chopped
1/4 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp oregano
1 TBS EVOO
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 TBS all-purpose flour
1 cup veggie beef broth (McKay's)
1 cup sour cream
1 pkg 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, cooked and drained
4 oz Mozz or Jack cheese
Brown the burger, onion, mushroom, garlic, and oregano in EVOO over med-high heat. Add salt and pepper. Stir in flour. Add broth and cook til thickened. Stir in sour cream. Add drained spinach. Pour mixture into 2 qt casserole. Sprinkle cheese on top. Bake 350 for 15 -20 minutes or until heated through. For 8 servings, double the ingredients but use only 1 2/3 c broth.
Orange Pecan Muffins
Crunchy Orange Pecan Muffins with Sprinkly Cinnamon Topping ~~
Servings: 10-12 (regular-size) muffins
Ingredients:
For the muffins:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 Tbsp. veg. oil (I use melted butter instead.)
2 cups biscuit mix
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
For the topping:
1/3 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 or 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 Tbsp. butter
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400F.
Line muffin cups with paper liners.
Combine 1/2 cup sugar, orange juice, egg, and oil in a medium-size mixing bowl and blend well. Add biscuit mix and beat vigorously for 30 seconds to combine. Stir in orange marmalade and chopped pecans.
Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling 2/3 full.
For topping:
Combine 1/3 cup sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle topping over muffin batter.
Bake muffins in preheated 400F oven for 20-25 minutes.
*Sometimes when I'm in a Sweeter mood, I drizzle the tops of the baked and cooled muffins with ready-made vanilla icing which has been warmed in the microwave. But don't warm the icing in the plastic tub it comes in; spoon some into a microwave-safe measuring cup for easier drizzling.
Servings: 10-12 (regular-size) muffins
Ingredients:
For the muffins:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 Tbsp. veg. oil (I use melted butter instead.)
2 cups biscuit mix
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
For the topping:
1/3 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 or 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 Tbsp. butter
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400F.
Line muffin cups with paper liners.
Combine 1/2 cup sugar, orange juice, egg, and oil in a medium-size mixing bowl and blend well. Add biscuit mix and beat vigorously for 30 seconds to combine. Stir in orange marmalade and chopped pecans.
Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling 2/3 full.
For topping:
Combine 1/3 cup sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle topping over muffin batter.
Bake muffins in preheated 400F oven for 20-25 minutes.
*Sometimes when I'm in a Sweeter mood, I drizzle the tops of the baked and cooled muffins with ready-made vanilla icing which has been warmed in the microwave. But don't warm the icing in the plastic tub it comes in; spoon some into a microwave-safe measuring cup for easier drizzling.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Key Lime Pie
I made this for the Easter potluck this weekend and even though the pie is still in one piece, I can tell you the mixing bowl and spoons were licked clean. Totally decadent!!!! Probably the best tofu cheesecake I've ever had. You can't even tell it's tofu!
Key Lime Pie
Credit to VegWeb.
SERVES 6 -8
1 (12 1/3 ounce) package mori-nu firm silken tofu (I use lite)
8 ounces soy cream cheese
1/2 cup key lime juice
2 teaspoons freshly grated lime rind
2 (4 ounce) packages mori-nu mates vanilla pudding mix (must be this brand, it's made to go with the tofu)
1 tablespoon liquid sweetener, to taste (I use honey but that's not vegan!)
1 (9 inch) baked pastry shells or graham cracker crust (I prefer graham)
Directions
Drain any excess water from the tofu.
Blend tofu and lime juice in a processor or blender until creamy and smooth.
Add the rest of the ingredients (except crust!), and blend again until smooth.
At this point, I had to transfer the mixture to a bowl and beat on high speed with an electric mixer, since it was too thick and stiff for my blender.
Pour the mixture into the crust and chill 2-3 hours or until firm.
This sets up very firm.
It also makes a great pudding or little tartlet filling for fancy desserts!
Note for those who try with other pudding mixes. Make sure your mix is Vegan. Commercial mixes can contain meat by products making them not Vegan or Vegetarian.
Key Lime Pie
Credit to VegWeb.
SERVES 6 -8
1 (12 1/3 ounce) package mori-nu firm silken tofu (I use lite)
8 ounces soy cream cheese
1/2 cup key lime juice
2 teaspoons freshly grated lime rind
2 (4 ounce) packages mori-nu mates vanilla pudding mix (must be this brand, it's made to go with the tofu)
1 tablespoon liquid sweetener, to taste (I use honey but that's not vegan!)
1 (9 inch) baked pastry shells or graham cracker crust (I prefer graham)
Directions
Drain any excess water from the tofu.
Blend tofu and lime juice in a processor or blender until creamy and smooth.
Add the rest of the ingredients (except crust!), and blend again until smooth.
At this point, I had to transfer the mixture to a bowl and beat on high speed with an electric mixer, since it was too thick and stiff for my blender.
Pour the mixture into the crust and chill 2-3 hours or until firm.
This sets up very firm.
It also makes a great pudding or little tartlet filling for fancy desserts!
Note for those who try with other pudding mixes. Make sure your mix is Vegan. Commercial mixes can contain meat by products making them not Vegan or Vegetarian.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Dessert ... Easter Style
So this weekend is the Easter potluck and so I thought I'd bring a variety of tofu pies, all in Spring color. I've already posted the strawberry pie. Here's the lemon. I might post the lime and orange later, too. It's a toss up :)
Vegan Lemon Bars
-- source: The Joy of Vegan Baking, by Colleen Goudrault
If you don't have an electric mixer, blender or food processor, a sturdy wooden spoon and a big whisk will work. It's more labor intensive and takes longer, but that's how it was done in the good old days before electric labor saving appliances!
Makes Sixteen 2 Inch Squares: These lemon bars are best eaten the same day, but they can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Wait until you're just about to serve your lemon bars before you sprinkle them with the confectioners' sugar. Otherwise, it will soak into the bars and you'll miss out on the pretty presentation.
Crust Ingredients:
* 1/2 cup non-hydrogenated, non-dairy butter, at room temperature
* 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
* 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
Filling Ingredients:
* 1/2 cup silken tofu (soft or firm)
* 1 cup granulated sugar
* Zest from 2 lemons
* 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (2 to 3 lemons)
* 2 Tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch
* Confectioners' sugar, sifted
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Grease an 8 x 8 baking pan with canola oil (or use a cooking spray) and sprinkle with just a light dusting of all-purpose flour
3. To make the crust, cream the butter and confectioners' sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the flour, and beat until the dough just comes together
4. Press the crust mixture into the bottom of your prepared pan. Bake for about 20 min, or until lightly browned
5. Remove crust from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool while you make the filling
6. To make the filling, blend the tofu in a food processor or blender until creamy, about 1 minute
7. Add the granulated sugar to the tofu, and blend until nice and smooth
8. Blend in the lemon zest, lemon juice, flour, and cornstarch
9. Pour the filling over the baked shortbread crust and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the filling is set
10. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool - if the filling isn't completely set, it will set as it cools
11. To serve, cut into squares or bars and dust with the sifted confectioners' sugar
Vegan Lemon Bars
-- source: The Joy of Vegan Baking, by Colleen Goudrault
If you don't have an electric mixer, blender or food processor, a sturdy wooden spoon and a big whisk will work. It's more labor intensive and takes longer, but that's how it was done in the good old days before electric labor saving appliances!
Makes Sixteen 2 Inch Squares: These lemon bars are best eaten the same day, but they can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Wait until you're just about to serve your lemon bars before you sprinkle them with the confectioners' sugar. Otherwise, it will soak into the bars and you'll miss out on the pretty presentation.
Crust Ingredients:
* 1/2 cup non-hydrogenated, non-dairy butter, at room temperature
* 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
* 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
Filling Ingredients:
* 1/2 cup silken tofu (soft or firm)
* 1 cup granulated sugar
* Zest from 2 lemons
* 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (2 to 3 lemons)
* 2 Tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch
* Confectioners' sugar, sifted
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Grease an 8 x 8 baking pan with canola oil (or use a cooking spray) and sprinkle with just a light dusting of all-purpose flour
3. To make the crust, cream the butter and confectioners' sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the flour, and beat until the dough just comes together
4. Press the crust mixture into the bottom of your prepared pan. Bake for about 20 min, or until lightly browned
5. Remove crust from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool while you make the filling
6. To make the filling, blend the tofu in a food processor or blender until creamy, about 1 minute
7. Add the granulated sugar to the tofu, and blend until nice and smooth
8. Blend in the lemon zest, lemon juice, flour, and cornstarch
9. Pour the filling over the baked shortbread crust and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the filling is set
10. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool - if the filling isn't completely set, it will set as it cools
11. To serve, cut into squares or bars and dust with the sifted confectioners' sugar
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