STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING / a British dessert

the British dessert, Sticky Toffee Pudding

moist, cake-like squares

cake bakes in the oven, then toffee

topping cooks on the cake under the broiler

INGREDIENTS:

Cake-

3/4 cup chopped, pitted dates

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/4 cups boiling water

3/4 cups sugar

1/4 cup Earth Balance

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 cup flour

1 tsp. baking powder

Sauce-

3 Tbsp. Earth Balance

5 Tbsp. brown sugar

2 Tbsp. almond milk

DIRECTIONS:

Mix the dates, soda, vanilla and boiling water.  Set aside.

Beat the sugar and Earth Balance nil fluffy.  Add the egg.

Sift the flour and baking powder, add to the butter mixture, beating well.  Add the date mixture, beating until smooth..  Turn into a buttered 8 x 6 inch baking dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, remove to a wire rack.  Heat the broiler and prepare the sauce.

Combine the sauce ingredients together in a small saucepan.  Heat and simmer 3 minutes, until thickened.

the before sauce, pale

toffee color developing after only 3 minutes

Pour the sauce slowly over the top of the cake and broil approximately 4-5 inches from the heat for 2-4 minutes, watching carefully.  

Serve warm or room temperature.  Serve plain or with whipped cream.

the dates make this an extra moist dessert

RAW BERRY ICE CREAM

YUM

INGREDIENTS:

2 frozen bananas
1 cup frozen berries (I used blueberries)
3/4 cup almond milk

DIRECTIONS:

Put all into a high speed mixer and whip.

VEGAN CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

I blended three different recipes for chocolate mousse

and came up with this one.  Really tasty!

INGREDIENTS:

1 package of silken tofu

2 tsp. vanilla

1 Tbsp agave nectar

1/4 cup chocolate chips (or carob for VEGAN) melted IF NOT using a Vitamix

3 Tbsp. baking cocoa

2 ripe avocados

DIRECTIONS:

Place the tofu, vanilla, agave nectar and both chocolates into the Vitamix / blender.  Blend all together until really smooth.

Peel the avocados and cut them in half lengthwise.  Scoop out the pits with a spoon and discard them.  Add the cubed avocado to the blended mixture and run blender to completely combine. 

You can eat this immediately, chilled (gets thicker), layer it in dessert dishes OR use it in a pie crust.

What a great healthy treat!!! 

avocado added to the mixture

the end product, thick creamy delicious chocolate mousse

who wouldn't serve this to their children???

SORBET in seconds

 

my fruits of choice, blueberry and peach

 

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

about 2 cups frozen peaches, semi-thawed

1 cup frozen blueberries

1/2 tsp. vanilla

generous squirt of agave nectar

1/2 cup ice

 

 

DIRECTIONS:

 

Put all of the ingredients into a high speed blender. 

 

Increase the speed slowly to high.

 

Blend for 30 to 60 seconds

 

In a Vitamix, the sound of the motor will change AND four mounds should form.

YUMMY GOOD FOR YOU OATMEAL COOKIES

YUM!!!

yield:  one nice plateful

(after a few were eaten)  :)

INGREDIENTS:

2 ripe bananas, mashed until smooth & creamy

1/3 cup almond butter

2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce (I blended 2 whole apples, 2 squirts agave nectar, cinnamon &    water and then cooked on high Vitamix setting; let cool and measure out the 2/3 cup)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. butter flavor extract

1 1/2 cup old fashioned oats

1/2 cup chopped cocoa covered almonds, chopped (or use any other nut)

1/4 cup carob or chocolate chips

2 tsp. chia seeds

the almonds I used

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix mashed banana & almond butter until completely combined then add in the applesauce, the extracts, mix again until all are completely combined. 

Add in the oatmeal, nuts, chips & chia seeds.  Mix well.

mix well

Let dough rest for 10 minutes.

Drop cookie dough, by spoonfuls, onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet & flatten cookies into rounds.

Bake cookies approximately 30 minutes, or until golden brown & finished.  Remove from oven & let rest on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then move to cooling rack.

When cookies are completely cool, store in a covered container. 

ready to bake

hot from the oven



A HINT OF DARK GOOEY BROWNIES TO COME

Anyone see Kelly Rippa's morning show featuring Dr. Joel Fuhrman, my guru?  He featured a dark, gooey looking chocolate brownie...I swear NO bad foods in it.

I'll be making a batch this weekend.  Stay tuned to see how they turn out!!!

COLUMBIA HOUSE / GREAT BREAD PUDDING

sandwich served with plantain chips / YUM!

this is the reason I eat at the Columbia House / best bread pudding I've ever eaten

garnished with shaved chocolate and fresh mint leaves

When traveling in Florida I always try to eat a meal at Columbia House in Sarasota.  They have been dishing up their infamous  lunch, "1905" Salad and Spanish Black Bean Soup with warm crusty bread, since 1905.  This soup is flavored with sausage BUT a delicious 100% vegetarian Cuban Black Bean soup is available.  The soup is served with rice but they will happily serve without at your request. 

The real reason I keep returning to the Columbia House is the White Chocolate Bread Pudding.  This dessert is absolutely THE BEST I've ever eaten.  It's dense, moist and flavorful, served warm with melty chocolate.  The ingredients include white chocolate, Cuban bread, milk and eggs.  It's topped with Don Casimiro Classic Silver Rum sauce. 

I'm on the hunt for a similar recipe.  If anyone has a GREAT bread pudding recipe, PLEASE SHARE.

great outdoor atmosphere

SIMPLY PEACHY DESSERT

a good SIMPLE HEALTHY dessert last night

This is so simple and so delicious.  For dessert:

Heat grill to medium temperature.

In a small bowl, mix some agave nectar with a good quality cinnamon.

                      (Penzeys - I LOVE the Indonesia Korintje)

Meanwhile cut the peaches into halves and remove the pits.

Baste the cut sides of the peaches and grill that side for 5 to 8 minutes, depending on YOUR grill.

Baste the skin side and turn those over to the grill side.  Continue grilling for an additional 5 minutes. 

The peaches will be softened but not mushy.  Serve warm.

These could also be served with lemon tofu cream (recipe posted soon).

NOTE:  I made these wonderful fresh grilled Georgia peaches AGAIN this am.  I finished them off with a small amount of almond butter in the center.  Nice flavor combination!

yum

HEART HEALTHY SNACK

HEART HEALTHY SNACK

Every Christmas, my brother Jon, sends me a case of the infamous Altoona  (Benzels) http://www.benzels.com/  

pretzels, assorted shapes and sizes. 

While it is true that there isn’t much nutritional benefit to pretzels; they still make a good easy to grab low fat snack.  One serving of pretzels contains 1 gram of fat compared to potato chips’ 10 grams.  If salt is an issue, choose the non-salted version.  As with any snack, limit your intake.

I particularly love turning these pretzels into a spicy snack mixture.  Actually, it’s good enough to serve with drinks or give as gifts.   Warning: addictive!

SPICY PRETZELS

1 lb. bag of thin pretzel, small or crushed/mix types

¾ cup canola oil

1 ½ Tbsp. garlic powder

1 ½ Tbsp. Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing mix

1 tsp. dill

1 tsp. lemon pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Combine the oil, garlic powder, dressing mix, dill and lemon pepper.  Put the pretzels  (break up any large pieces) into a large bowl.  Drizzle the oil mixture over the pretzels, stirring well.

Spread the pretzels out over 2 large cookie sheets. 

Bake 10 minutes.  Toss with a spatula.

Bake an additional 10 minutes  (pretzels will start to turn dark).   Cool and package either in plastic bags OR jars.

DARK CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Dark Chocolate Truffles

Try this healthy version of sweet fun food.


Ingredients:

1/2 cup apricots (or prunes)
1/4 cup pitted dates
3 Tbsp. almond butter
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup finely grated unsweetened coconut (don't like coconut? use some unsweetened cocoa powder)

Directions:

In a food processor, drop the apricots and dates through the feed hole one by one.  Scrape the processor bowl and run until the apricots and dates are smooth.
Add remaining ingredients except for the coconut.  Run until smooth and scrape the processor bowl with a spatula as needed.
Roll the mixture into 12 one-inch balls and roll in coconut to coat.  Refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour.

So I've noticed that most people have trouble with their diets because of their sugar cravings.  I am always amazed that people can eat a full meal and then order dessert.  Students used to walk into school eating skittles and drinking sugared drinks for breakfast.  I WAS and continue to be appalled. 

Sugar's effect on your health

The average American consumes an astounding 2-3 pounds of sugar each week, which is not surprising considering that highly refined sugars in the forms of sucrose (table sugar), dextrose (corn sugar), and high-fructose corn syrup are being processed into so many foods such as bread, breakfast cereal, mayonnaise, peanut butter, ketchup, spaghetti sauce, and many microwave meals.

read more on the drawbacks
Fresh pineapple is a great after meal dessert, quick and natural.  Some companies claim that pineapples help to filter out the mercury of fish.  mercury  When you crave something a little special or company is coming, try this Raw Vegan Coconut Cake.  It's easy to make and delicious.


RAW VEGAN COCONUT CAKE
CAKE
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup almonds
1 cup pecans
1/2 cup dried apricots (or apples)
1 cup dates
Finely chop nuts in the food processor; slowly add fruits and dates
Add vanilla & process till smooth
Mold dough into the desired shape (I like the round one layer cake)

ICING
1 cup dates
1 cup pine nuts
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 - 2 Tbsp water
1/2 cup coconut
Process dates and nuts and vanilla until smooth and creamy. 
Add water as needed.
Spread on cake - press coconut onto the top and sides of the cake.
Serves 8