Beef Stroganoff with Cabbage Noodles

1 pound ground beef, or thinly sliced beef
Butter, for frying
Half a small onion
LOTS OF MUSHROOMS:)
1 tsp tomato paste
1 clove crushed garlic
2 cups beef broth
1/2 cup sour cream

Fry the meat and mushrooms in butter on medium/high heat. Remove from the skillet and sautee onions and garlic till onions are tender. Add tomato paste, then the meat. Pour enough beef broth to almost cover the meat. Simmer on low till meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hour... and about 30 minutes for ground beef. Most of the broth should have evaporated. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste. Add in the sour cream and heat through.

Serve over Cabbage noodles

Cabbage Noodles

Slice cabbage into egg noodle widths. Stir fry in butter (or you could boil it in water) for 5-10 minutes or until very tender.

Nutritional info (per cup)
White Pasta = 43 carbs, 5 fiber, 246 calories
Cabbage = 5 carbs, 2 fiber, 22 calories

Cabbage: Contains vitamin C and folic acid. Cabbage protects against stress, infection and heart disease, as well as many types of cancers, according to the American Association for Cancer Research. To avoid gas after eating cabbage, add a few fennel, caraway or cumin seeds before cooking. Cabbage is also a good source of blood-sugar-stabilizing fiber, and the raw juice of cabbage is a known cure for stomach ulcers.

Archives :June 2010

June 3 Tropical Fruit Pops

June 6 Wild Blueberry rolls

June 8 Eat abd Beat Diabetes Review and Brownies

June 11 Soy Eadamame "Meat balls" with Chilled Peppercorn Yogurt Sauce

June 13 Purple Escarole with Preserved Lemon Salsa

June 16 No Churn Almond Banana Chocolate Ice cream

June 19 Barley Stuffed Cabbage with Herb Ginger Sauce

June 22 Broccoli Stalks Cold Soup

June 23 Chunky Cherry Ice Cream

June 27 Chocolate Pavlova With Avocado Chocolate Mousse and Summer fruit

June 28 Tropical Fruit Barley Risotto

Graham Crackers

Do you enjoy Graham Crackers? Well, they aren't very nutritious; basically made out of overly processed flour, refined sugar, and unhealthy oils...

Ingredients: UNBLEACHED ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE {VITAMIN B1}, RIBOFLAVIN {VITAMIN B2}, FOLIC ACID), SUGAR, GRAHAM FLOUR (WHOLE GRAIN WHEAT FLOUR), SOYBEAN OIL AND/OR PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED COTTONSEED OIL, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, HONEY, LEAVENING (BAKING SODA AND/OR CALCIUM PHOSPHATE), SALT, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, SOY LECITHIN - AN EMULSIFIER, CORNSTARCH. CONTAINS: WHEAT, SOY.

*Note: Click on ingredients to discover where to find them.

Try these instead:
1/2 cup vanilla whey or egg white protein
3/4 cup almond flour
1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/4 cup butter or coconut oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup erythritol
1 tsp stevia glycerite

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a medium bowl, stir together the whey, almond flour, sweetener, spices and salt. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until the butter lumps are smaller than peas form a stiff dough. On parchment paper (lightly sprayed with coconut oil spray: click HERE to find it), roll the dough out to 1/8 inch in thickness. Using a pizza cutter, cut into squares and "score" with a fork (to look like graham crackers). Place parchment onto cookie sheets. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes in the preheated oven (remove and score the cookies again...they will bake together otherwise), bake an additional 5 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks. Makes 24 crackers.

Enjoy with a glass of unsweetened vanilla almond milk.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per cup)
Skim Milk = 90 calories, 12g sugar
Unsweetened Almond Milk = 40 calories, 0 sugar

Nutritional Information (per 2 crackers) = 82 calories, 1.5 carbs, 0.75g fiber

Balance Your Brain

In this blog, I want to help find and adapt recipes so we can enjoy our favorite foods, but I also want to help people feel better in other ways too.

Yesterday, I had an interview with the ever so famous Jimmy Moore. One of my specialties is balancing my clients' brain chemistry through food. Have you ever gone on a diet and no one wanted to be around you? This is what happens when we consume "diet food," our neurotransmitters drop and we become another person.

For 90% of dieters, a deficiency in one of four key brain chemicals can trigger weight gain, fatigue, and stress. The key to losing weight doesn’t lie in deprivation diets; it lies in balancing our neurochemicals. Many nutritionists and advanced practitioners are focusing on how the brain affects our health.
1. Dopamine controls metabolism
2. Acetylcholine regulates fat storage
3. GABA curbs emotional eating
4. Serotonin influences appetite.
When these primary brain chemicals are balanced, our bodies are more able to lose those unwanted pounds.

How DOPAMINE impacts personality:
Dopamine regulates activity in the frontal lobe, the area of the brain that governs communication, motivation and the ability to experience pleasure. Deficits of this chemical have been linked to psychological symptoms like social anxiety, self-criticism, procrastination or difficulty maintaining relationships. But once deficiencies of this chemical are corrected, women often feel more energetic, sociable and confident.

How ACETYLCHOLINE impacts personality:
Acetylcholine influences activity in the parietal lobe, the area of the brain responsible for processing sensory information, learning, memory and awareness. Insufficient levels of this chemical can cause attributes like forgetfulness, difficulty prioritizing tasks and an inability to relate to others. But as acetylcholine deficits are corrected, most women experience increased mental clarity, greater creativity, quicker thinking and improved empathy.

How GABA impacts personality:
GABA is the primary neurotransmitter in the temporal lobe, the area of the brain that governs perception, attention, speech and motions. Low levels of this chemical have been linked to psychological symptoms such as insecurity, anxiety, excessive worrying, fear of new experiences, poor concentration and lock of impulse control, explains. But as GABA shortfalls are corrected, women regain calmness, dependability and objectivity.

How SEROTONIN impacts personality:
Primarily produced within the occipital lobe, the area of the brain that regulates sight, serotonin is associated with mood, ambition, decision making and the ability to experience pleasure. Research in the journal Science suggests that low levels of this brain chemical can cause psychological symptoms like depression, impulsivity, suspiciousness, shortsightedness or aggressiveness. Fortunately, increasing levels of serotonin quickly improves confidence, restores rationality and boosts feelings of happiness.

Here is the link to the podcast:
http://www.thelivinlowcarbshow.com/shownotes/wp-content/uploads/llvlc376-maria-emmerich-cj-hunt.mp3

Here is my book that reveals the science behind balancing your brain.

You can find it HERE on www.amazon.com

Happy Eating and Happy Reading!

Tropical Fruit Barley Risotto -Tropical Temptations Challenge

Soaked in with the warmth of the sunny tropics,the luscious sweet tropical fruits make up a good part of my fruit feast.Although I was raised in tropics,I wasn't a vivid fruit lovers as a child,only recently did I discover the bounty of tropical fruits.Limited to a few that make it up to the north,there are still so many more to try,if only I could take trip to the exotic lands and devour some more.



It was one of those days I had the plethora of tropical delights in my fruit basket and the theme of tropical fruits stuck me.
The barley risotto,that I normally cook up with vegetables ,got a whole new look and taste with the sweet fruity make over.Barley for all its excellent benefits makes a perfect substitute for the starchy arborio rice that is normally used to give the risotto a creamy consistency.The richness of coconut milk and the mellow appealing tropical fruit makes this a very special kind of risotto,which I would say makes a great breakfast\brunch meal or a dessert course.
I wouldn't encourage cooking the soft and sweet fruits,its best to add the fruits towards the end of the cooking process for this risotto.

Recipe : Tropical Fruit Barley Risotto
Serves 2-3
Ingredients
1 cup barley,rinsed
2 cups light coconut milk
1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
2 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon Agave nectar or honey
1 kiwi,peeled and sliced
quarter of a papaya,peeled and sliced
1 small ripe mango,sliced
1 very ripe plantain,peeled and sliced
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoon virgin pressed coconut oil
1/8 teaspoon salt

Method
Heat oil in a large sauce pan,add the sliced plantains and a teaspoon of sugar,cook 4-5 minutes on each side until caramelized.Set aside.
In the same pan,add the barley and saute until pearly white,stir in the sugar,now start adding the coconut milk ,about 1/4 cup each time and stir until the barley absorbs it all,cook until is soft and creamy. Add the pine apple pieces,vanilla and agave nectar towards the end of cooking process.
To serve,lay the caramelized plantains,kiwi and top the sliced fruit over the risotto.



Health Nut Challenge 7 : Tropical Temptations

I am very pleased to reveal Tropical fruits as the next theme of Health Nut challenge.This has to be a simpler challenge than the previous.Satiate your fruity desire,pick the most exotic or common tropical fruit found in your part of the world,and dish up a tropical fruit temptation and share them at the Health nut challenge.

Here are the challenge 7 guidelines:
* Prepare a healthy appetizing dish with any one or all of the tropical fruits.Mention about the nutrition and health benefits of each of the fruit.
-> Avocados
-> Bananas
-> Coconuts
-> Mangoes
-> Kiwi
-> Papaya
-> Plantains
-> Pine apples
-> Jack fruit
-> Star Fruit
-> Dragon fruit
-> Passion fruit
-> Guava
-> Lychee
-> Tamarind
-> or other exotic tropical fruits known to you.

* Limit 3 entries per blogger.Please use the logo(the big or smaller in the side bar) and link your post to this announcement page.Send the entries before last day of September 2010, using the form below.

Health Nut Challenge Form

Your Name
Your Email Address
Blog Name
Recipe Name
Recipe URL
Picture of the dish(300 pixels wide)
Image Verification Please enter the text from the image: [ Refresh Image ] [ What's This? ]

Powered byEMF Web Form

I'm allowing ample time for this challenge in scope of more entries and also the next couple months(Aug-Sept) your truly is planning for a vacation and blog in inactive mode.
The Ice cream Challenge round up is scheduled for next week,so you can still send in the entries till the end of this week.

Pinwheel Crackers

Here is a great "gluten free" cracker that is WAY better for you than anything coming from a box. If the first ingredient is RICE FLOUR, stay AWAY.

I love making these to take camping. They pack well and no additional cheese needs to be packed along; these are SO flavorful! They also make a great addition to a side of veggies.



1/4 cup butter, softened at room temperature
8 oz crumbled blue cheese
1 1/2 cup blanched almond flour
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
Pinch of Celtic sea salt (optional)

In a large mixing bowl, use a mixer to beat butter and cheese until smooth. Add almond flour, and salt and mix until well-combined. Dump the dough onto a piece of parchment or a greased piece of plastic wrap, press it into a ball, and roll into a 12-inch long log. Brush the log completely with the egg wash. Spread the walnuts in a square on a cutting board and roll the log back and forth in the walnuts, pressing lightly, and distributing them evenly on the outside of the log. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or for up to 4 days.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut the log 3/8ths-inch thick with a small, sharp knife and place the crackers on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 22 minutes until very lightly browned. Rotate the pan once during baking. Cool and serve at room temperature. Makes 18 servings (36 crackers).

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving):
Traditional Nut Thins = 130 Calories, 2.5g fat, 3g protein, 23 carb, trace fiber
“Healthified” Nut Crackers = 145 calories, 12g fat, 6g protein, 2.6 carb, 1.2g fiber


This recipe was inspired by Ina Garten.

Chocolate Pavlova with Avocado Chocolate Mousse and Summer fruit

Chocolate Pavlova with Avocado Chocolate Mousse.


The June 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Dawn of Doable and Delicious. Dawn challenged the Daring Bakers’ to make Chocolate Pavlovas and Chocolate Mascarpone Mousse. The challenge recipe is based on a recipe from the book Chocolate Epiphany by Francois Payard

The fluffy sweet confection,Meringue is one those seemingly easy recipe with simple ingredients - Egg whites and Sugar.But not until the two are married with utmost care ,the result can be disastrous.To understand the chemistry behind the amazing dessert in short,breaking the egg protein until it can expand to about 8 times the original volume while whipping in the sugar to stabilize the multiplied volume.The glossy mixture when baked at moderate temperature results in an airy melt-in-your-mouth dessert.
Meringues gives a deliciously divine touch in some of the popular desserts - pies,cakes,pavlova,baked Alaska and macaroons(the meringue cookies)

Crucial tips to yield perfect meringue :
*Use clean, dry bowl,preferably a glass bowl, ceramic or copper.Even a minuscule amount of fat can ruin the meringue.
*Separate the eggs when cold and then let the whites reach room temperature before beating them.
*Besides the sugar,use either cream of tartar or white vinegar or lemon juice to stabilize the meringue. Add 1/8 teaspoon of one of these per egg white to the unbeaten eggs.
*Only super fine sugar works ,any kind of sugar substitutes fail to hold the meringue.
*The flavoring can affect the acidity of the meringue,be sure to use dry ground flavors- Cocoa,coffee,saffron,macha tea,dried shred coconut are some of the best.
*Bake at low temperature,200-250F is ideal.If the temperature is too high, the the top browns before the water inside has time to evaporate.


A lovable dessert - pavlova,is pure meringue confection.The daring challenge was to make it all chocolaty ,using cocoa for flavoring the meringue and topping with the rich mascarpone mousse.I was looking for a lighter pavlova,lower in calories.I could not possibly fiddle with the meringue ingredients,cause no sugar substitute works,plain white sugar is the only kind of sweetener fit for a perfect meringue.But for the topping could certainly be replaced with a lighter vegan Avocado mousse,chocolaty and guilt-free.


Summer Fruit Pavlova with toasted coconut.
My first trial was plain meringue.Kept the height in this one,the slice of this looked much prettier with myriad of summer fruits.How ever both plain and chocolate were equally sweet and enjoyable.
Believe it or not,I used a hand held whisk,that amplified the effort of making the meringue,takes about 10-12 minutes of effortful non-stop beating, compare that to 5-6 minutes in a machine whisk.My ever so curious toddler was excited at sight of cracking the eggs,thinking mom's making a special omelet,soon started wondering about the endless whipping.The glossy texture seemed like a delectable cream,but the baked result with an even exciting marshmallow-like treat.

Recipe :Low Fat Chocolate Pavlova with Avocado Chocolate Mousse.
Ingredients
3 Egg whites
2/3 cup fine white sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar(to stabilize the meringue)
1 tablespoon 100% cocoa powder
1 teaspoon instant coffee powder
pinch of salt
1 cup Vegan Avocado Chocolate Mousse(Click the link to see the recipe already posted).
Sliced peaches and fresh mint for garnish.

Method
In an impeccably clean bowl,add the egg whites and using an electric mixer, with the whisk attachment or a hand held whisk, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until they hold soft peaks.Add the cream of tartar and sugar, a tablespoon at a time, and continue to beat until the meringue is glossy and holds very stiff peaks.


Using a spatula transfer the meringue on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper,you could either spread it with slightly hallow center or keep it high.Alternatively one can use a pastry bag and pipe the meringue into whatever shapes you desire.

Bake for about 2 hours or until the meringue is dry and crisp. Cool and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

To serve the chocolate pavlova,spread the avocado chocolate mousse,top with the sliced peaches,mint and slice.

For the plain Pavlova ,do not add the cocoa and the coffee powder.While spreading on the baking sheet,keep the meringue high.Rest of the recipe remains same.When done,garnish with toasted coconut.Sprinkle the cocoa powder on the serving plate,slice the meringue with a sharp knife, and serve with fresh fruits alongside.




Fall in love with more Pavlovas at Daring baker's blog roll.

Zucchini Coconut Bread and THYROID Health

Many Americans suffer from symptoms such as cold hands and feet, low body temperature, sensitivity to cold, a feeling of always being chilled, headaches, insomnia, dry skin, puffy eyes, hair loss, brittle nails, joint aches, constipation, mental dullness, fatigue, frequent infections, hoarse voice, ringing in the ears, dizziness, loss of libido, and weight gain, which is sometimes uncontrollable. Approximately 65 percent of the U. S. population is overweight; 30 percent is clinically obese. Research is pointing to the fact that an under active thyroid might be the number one cause of weight problems, especially among women, in the US today.

Many dietary oils can negatively affect thyroid health. We cook with them almost every day and they are plentiful in commercially prepared foods. It is possible they are among the worst offenders when it comes to the thyroid. They are known as vegetable oils or polyunsaturated oils. The most common source of these oils used in commercially prepared foods is the soybean.

Unsaturated oils block thyroid hormone secretion, its movement in the circulatory system, and the response of tissues to the hormone. When the thyroid hormone is deficient, the body is generally exposed to increased levels of estrogen. The thyroid hormone is essential for making the ‘protective hormones’ progesterone and pregnenolone, so these hormones are lowered when anything interferes with the function of the thyroid. The thyroid hormone is required for using and eliminating cholesterol, so cholesterol is likely to be raised by anything which blocks the thyroid function.

Coconut oil, on the other hand, is a saturated fat made up primarily of medium chain fatty acids. Also known as medium chain triglycerides (MCTs), medium chain fatty acids are known to increase metabolism and promote weight loss. Coconut oil can also raise basal body temperatures while increasing metabolism. This is good news for people who suffer with low thyroid function.

So here is my thyroid-supporting zucchini bread:

3/4 cup loosely packed shredded zucchini
6 eggs, separated
1/2 cup coconut milk (or 2 more eggs)
1/2 cup coconut oil (or butter) melted (plus extra from greasing pan)
1/2 cup Just Like Sugar (or 1/4 cup Erythritol and 1 tsp stevia glycerite)
1 tsp pure vanilla
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt
3/4 cup coconut flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
Unsweetened coconut flakes (optional topping)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan with coconut oil or butter. Separate 4 eggs into two bowls. Whip the egg whites until very fluffy. In the other bowl, blend together the 4 egg yolks, zucchini, oil, coconut milk, sweetener, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Then add the other 2 eggs (or 4 if not using coconut milk), one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine coconut flour and baking powder and sift into batter. Blend until there are no lumps. Fold in nuts. Gently fold in the egg whites to the batter. Pour into a greased pan. Top with unsweetened coconut flakes and bake for 60 minute or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool and enjoy! Makes 14 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Zucchini Bread = 377 calories, 43 carbs. 2 fiber
“Healthified” Zucchini Bread = 135 calories, 5.2 carbs, 2.3g fiber

Coconut Strawberry Pops

For those of you who enjoyed the cream cheese pops...here is another version that is "dairy free."



1 cup coconut milk
1 cup sliced strawberries
2 packets Truvia (or a few drops of stevia)

Mix the coconut milk and sweetener together. Slowly add the strawberries (they will probably make the milk red). Place in Popsicle molds and freeze.

Nutritional Info:
Serves 4
Per serving: (using Trader Joe's coconut milk...they only have "lite," otherwise I would have used regular) 49 calories, 4.4 carbs, .7 fiber, trace protein

Chunky Cherry Ice Cream

Bountiful fruity bits in chilled creamy goodness,this frozen treat calms the craving for the cool.With fruit lovers as in my family,the fresh berries and stone fruit rarely make it to recipe,a smoothie at the best or an ice cream or fruit pops are always worth waiting for.


I haven't done anything hugely different in this Ice cream,except for flavoring with generous load of fresh cherries,otherwise it follows the same method as in all the ice creams that I recreated or adapted from Rachel Albert-Matesz's Ice Dream Cookbook.The vegan healthy ice cream,uses dairy free substitutes as Coconut milk for heavy cream and low calorie sweetener for plain sugar.You can find more details about these ingredients used from my earlier post.

Recipe : Dairy free Chunky Cherry Ice Cream ,inspired by Rachel Albert-Matesz recipes as in Ice Dream Cookbook.

Yields 1 3/4 cup
Ingredients
one 14 ounce can Coconut milk(preservative free,I use Thai Kitchen brand)
1 pound fresh cherries,seeded and chopped
1/4 cup honey,agave nectar or 1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup cool or cold filtered water
2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin or 3/4 teaspoon agar agar powder (not the flakes)
pinch of salt


Method
1.Warm the water in small sauce pan.Sprinkle the gelatin or agar-agar,do no stir,let dissolved completely 4-5 minutes.Turn off the heat.
2.Process halve of the chopped cherries in a food processor or vitamix until finely chopped,the add the coconut milk,sweetener(honey or agave),salt,the gelatin or agar-agar mixture and blend again until well combined and smooth.
3-Pour into one or more wide-mouthed jars. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before churning.

4-Scrape the chilled custard into the canister of your ice cream maker. Churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions.Mix in the rest halve of the chopped cherries.

5-Serve immediately or spoon into several 8-to 16-ounce freezer safe containers. Cover and freeze for 3 or more hours for a firmer texture.

6-Soften solidly frozen dessert by placing it in the refrigerator for 30 to 45 minutes or on the counter for 15 to 30 minutes before serving.

Without the Ice cream machine method
After the step 2,transfer the Ice Cream mixture in to a freezer proof container,preferably air tight.Freeze for about an hour,then get the container out and whisk the mixture using a spatula or hand held whisk or electric whisk to break the ice crystals forming over the edges of the container.Freeze and whisk again after 30-40 minutes ,repeat this for about 6 hours until the mixture is almost frozen.Serve immediately or freeze.Do as in step 6 to serve.



Have you screamed for Ice cream yet?What's keeping you from?.The heat is on,inspirational ideas are here.Wait no more,feel the joy of home made ice cream.Create one healthy frozen and share the recipe with Health Nut Challenge 6 :I Scream for Ice cream before June 30th.

Fruit Roll Up

Again, food manufacturers have created a snack that will increase our waistline with added Corn Syrup and TRANS-FAT!!! Even TIMES MAGAZINE claims that fruit roll ups are one of the top foods NOT to feed your children!

Yellow 5, Red 40, and six other widely used artificial colorings are linked to hyperactivity and behavior problems in children and should be prohibited from use in foods, according to the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest. The group today formally petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to ban the dyes, several of which are already being phased out in the United Kingdom. The other six dyes are Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Orange B, Red 3, and Yellow 6.

Synthetic food dyes have been suspected of disrupting children's behavior since the 1970s, when Dr. Ben Feingold, a San Francisco allergist, reported that his patients improved when their diets were changed. Numerous controlled studies conducted over the next three decades in the United States, Europe, and Australia proved that some children’s behavior is worsened by artificial dyes, but the government did nothing to discourage their use and food manufacturers greatly increased their reliance on them.

Fruit Roll Up Ingredients: Pears from Concentrate, Corn Syrup, Dried Corn Syrup, Sugar, Partially Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oil, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Acetylated Monolycerides, Fruit Pectin, Dextrose, alic Acid, Vitamin C, Natural Flavor, Color (Red 40, yellows 5& 6, blue 1)

SO, the prepackaged fruit roll ups have: Added Sugars, Processed Oils, Preservatives, Dyes, Low Ingredient Quality, 0 Fiber, and 95 mg Sodium. Click HERE for my book that has Tons more info.



"Healthified" Fruit Roll-Up:
4 cups strawberries (or other fruit)
1/2 cup water
4 TBS Just Like Sugar (TOTALLY OPTIONAL)

Place strawberries (and sweetener if using) in a food processor and blend until smooth add in the water. Place the mixture in a saucepan and bring to a simmer for 10-15 minutes to cook the fruit.

Lightly spray a large cookie sheet or baking dish (I used 2 lasagna pans) with coconut oil spray. Turn oven to 140 degrees and dehydrate for 8 hours. Make sure to keep your oven low enough so you don't bake the fruit, just dry it. OR you can use a dehydrator. Click HERE to find the one on my "wish list!" Makes 8 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Store Bought Roll Up = 55 calories, 0.5g fat, trace protein, 13 carbs, 0 fiber
"Healthified" Roll Up = 23 calories, 0.2g fat, 0.5g protein, 5.5 carbs, 1.4g fiber

Look at that beautiful color! These tasted great with no chemical, plastic-like flavor.

JUST LIKE SUGAR is a sweetener made from chicory root, calcium, vitamin C, natural flavor, orange peel.
SWEETNESS = Same as table sugar. Use cup for cup.
CALORIES = 0
Just Like Sugar has none of the strong aftertastes of stevia or artificial sweeteners.
BENEFITS = Keeps ice cream soft, makes perfect caramel sauce, makes cookies soft on the inside and chewy on the outside, it tastes great. Click HERE to find Chicory Root Benefits.

Strawberry Creamy Pops

I LOVE Ben and Jerry's Strawberry Cheesecake Ice cream. But check out these stats!
230 calories

13g Fat
27g carbs
21g sugar
3 protein

And check out these ingredients! Cream, Skim Milk, Water, Liquid Sugar, Strawberries, Sugar, Soybean Oil, Corn Starch, Egg Yolks, Cream Cheese, Unbleached Wheat Flour, Graham Flour, Milkfat, Palm & Palm Kernel Oil, Salt, Natural Flavor, Guar Gum Molasses, Honey, Concentrated Lemon Juice, Carrageenan, Soya Lecithin, Pectin, Baking Soda, Elderberry Juice (for Color)



Eat this instead:
1 cup strawberries, sliced
4 oz cream cheese or coconut cream, softened
1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
4 TBS Swerve (or erythritol and 1 tsp stevia glycerite)

In a bowl, mix cream cheese, almond milk and sweetener until smooth. Slowly stir in slices of strawberries. Pour mixture into Popsicle molds. Place in freezer for at least 2 hours and serve. Makes 4 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving):
Ben and Jerry's = 230 calories, 13g Fat, 3g protein, 27 carbs, 0g fiber
"Healthified" Pops = 112 calories, 10g fat, 2.4g protein, 3.5 carbs, 1g fiber

Best out of Waste : Broccoli Stalks Cold Soup

Its either ignorance or abundance that leads to good food go waste.Out of my sheer inexperience,just the florets were utilized and the nutritious broccoli stalks trashed.Fresh broccoli is not cheap,a head of broccoli costs about $2.25 per lb.And to let more than half of it go waste,is not just careless loss at nutrition but also to the wallet.Thanks to a this brilliant recipe,the stalks are now devoured in entirety.

A good source of calcium,there are about 30 calories per stalk,has 6 grams of carbs and 3 grams of protein.The broccoli stalks can be sliced or shred ,cooked or used raw in salad,in any recipe were broccoli is used.



In addition to the unused broccoli stalks,other versatile vegetables can be used in this chilled summer soup.

Recipe : Broccoli Stalks Cold Soup
Serves - 2
Ingredients
2 cups Broccoli Stalks(about 1 whole broccoli stalk) ,sliced
1 cup leafy greens(Spinach,kale or other mild greens)
2 cups vegetables(carrots,corn,peas,broccoli florets,cauliflower or others of choice)
1/2 a medium onion,chopped
few sprigs fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger root,minced
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds(optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup low fat yogurt,whipped
2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Method
Heat the oil in a saute pan,add the onions and let sizzle for about a minute,then add the rest of the vegetables,ginger,fennel seeds and broccoli stalks.Cover and cook until veggies are all lightly tender,about 5-6 minutes.Season with salt and pepper.Blend the cooked veggie mixture with 1 cup of water and the thyme leaves until smooth.In summers chill in fridge for 2-3 hours.Can be served warm in cold season.
Serve along side the thyme shortbread(recipe coming up later) ,swirl the whipped yogurt on top.


This is my contribution to the Best out of waste Food event.And also to the Souper Sundays

A question for my viewers,"What fruits\Vegetables have you learned to use efficiently?"

"Mac" n Cheese

Here is a yummy way to get your veggies!

Cheese sauce:
1/4 cup butter
3 TBS Cream Cheese
1/4 cup beef/chicken broth
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
Sea salt and pepper (to taste)

In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in cream cheese and broth. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat. Add the cheeses, stirring until cheese is melted. Add salt and pepper to taste

Eggplant:
Cut eggplant into noodle like shapes (I also peeled the outside off). Place on a baking sheet, spray with olive oil spray and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes (or until soft).

Pour cheese sauce over eggplant and enjoy!

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per cup)
1 cup Noodles = 246 calories, 43 carbs, 5 g fiber
1 cup Eggplant = 20 calories, 5 carbs, 3 fiber

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

Now that zucchinis are poking out of everyone's garden, here is one idea... We didn't even plant any this year and they are everywhere! The seeds must have survived the winter!

1 cup blanched almond flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
2 eggs
1/3 cup Truvia(or Erytritol plus 1/2 tsp stevia glycerite)
1 TBS coconut oil or butter, melted
1 TBS unsweetener almond milk
3/4 cup grated raw zucchini
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine almond flour, salt, cocoa powder, cinnamon and baking soda into medium-sized bowl. Beat eggs and sweeteners for about 2-3 minutes. Then add in butter and almond milk.

Grate the zucchini. Squeeze out the water of zucchini if it seems wet, then measure out 3/4 cup of grated zucchini. Add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans.

Stir the wet and dry ingredients together, only stirring enough to combine. Gently fold in the zucchini and nuts. Spray 6 muffin tin with coconut oil spray, then divide mixture evently into cups. Bake muffins about 45 minutes, or until top is browned and toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Yum! Makes 6 muffins.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per muffin):
Traditional Chocolate Zucchini Muffin = 217 calories, 29.7 carbs, 0.9 fiber
“Healthified” Zucchini Muffin = 157 calories, 6.7 carbs, 3.2 fiber

Barley Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Herb-Ginger Sauce

Savoy Cabbage

It's not fair when a nutritious vegetable like Cabbage gets a bad rap for the stink.Did you know,cooking with aromatic spices and herbs considerably reduces the odor while cooking cabbage?.And most importantly over cooking should be avoided with cabbage.
Cabbage was never a hostile vegetable in my family,in fact the way mom used to cook the vegetables ,enriching with herbs and spices,all the strange odor was pleasantly masked.So if you have been avoiding the vegetable for this reason,try the flavorful way of cooking the cabbage,that might just change your view of the healthy vegetable.



The antioxidant rich member of cruciferous family of vegetables,Savoy cabbage, is the frilly kind of cabbage,its large outer leaves are perfect for the rolls.And the inner core is excellent for the coleslaw.


The mellow stuffing consists of wholesome barley(you could use any other whole grain - freekeh,whole millet,brown rice or broken wheat),bell peppers,onions and spices.The wilted leaves are rolled with the stuffing ,then can be steamed and drizzled with the herb-ginger sauce or cooked with the sauce,which ever method works.I for one,used the former method.

Recipe : Barley Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Herb-Ginger Sauce
Ingredients
12-14 large outer leaves of Green or Savoy Cabbage
1/4 teaspoon salt.

For Stuffing
2 cups barley,cooked
2 cups of bell peppers(red or green or orange or all),sliced
1 medium onion ,sliced
1 teaspoon spice mix(I used ground cumin,coriander,cinnamon and cloves)
1 clove garlic,chopped
1/2 inch ginger root,minced
1/2 teaspoon hot chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoon canola oil

Method
Wilt the leaves in salted boiling water for a 4-5 minutes.Drain and drop in cold water to stop any further cooking.Drain all the water.

Heat the oil on high and saute the onions and sliced peppers,for 4-5 minutes.Add the garlic,ginger,salt and rest of the spices.Cook for 2-3 minutes.Mix in the barley ,turn off the heat.

Start rolling the leaves,place about a tablespoon of filling on each leaf,roll up firmly,folding in sides to enclose filling.

Steam the rolls in a bamboo or other kind of steamer until soft 8-10 minutes.Then to serve ,drizzle with the herb-ginger sauce.

If you don't use the steamer.Pour the herb-ginger sauce over the rolls and cook in covered skillet for 8-10 minutes or bake at 375F for 10-12 minutes.


Herb-Ginger Sauce
Ingredients
2 cups of fresh herbs and greens(I used spinach,mint and cilantro)
1 teaspoon fresh ginger,minced
1 medium onion,finely chopped
1 hot pepper(green chilli or jalapeno),seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon spice mix(I used ground cumin,coriander,cinnamon and cloves)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon canola oil

Method
Saute the onions in oil until lightly browned,add the spices,greens and herbs.Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes.Blend for smooth sauce.Use as directed in the above recipe.



The rolls are sent to the CWF - Whole grains : Barley event.And also the real food event,Two for Tuesdays.

In case you missed ,get more recipe ideas of Cabbage and other Cruciferous vegetables.

Cinnamon Rolls

1/2 cup blanched almond flour
1/2 cup vanilla egg white or whey protein
1 tsp baking powder
3 TBS butter or coconut oil, softened
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sift almond flour with whey and baking powder. Add the rest of the ingredients together until you have a smooth dough.

Place a sheet of plastic wrap on counter, then spray with coconut oil spray. Place dough on greased plastic, push the dough down a bit, and spray with another layer of coconut oil. Top with another sheet of plastic wrap. Roll the dough out with a rolling pin until a long rectangle shape (9x12) or so. Then remove the top layer of plastic.

CINNAMON FILLING:
3 TBS Butter or coconut oil, softened
3 TBS Cinnamon
3 TBS Swerve (or erythritol and 1/4 tsp stevia glycerite)


Mix all ingredients together and spread evenly over the dough...make sure the top layer of plastic is off. Roll up dough using the edge of the plastic to make a tight log. Cut into 2 inch pieces. Bake for 8 minutes or until baked through (insert a toothpick to check doneness...the toothpick should come out clean).

FROSTING:
6 TBS cream cheese or coconut cream, softened
3 TBS butter or coconut oil, softened
2 TBS Confectioners Swerve (or erythritol and 1/4 tsp stevia glycerite)
A little almond milk (to thin it out)

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per roll)
Make 6 Rolls
"Cinnabon" Cinnamon Roll = 730 calories, 199 carbs, trace fiber...YIKES!!!
"Healthified" Cinnamon Roll with frosting = 323 calories, 3 carbs, 1 fiber
"Healthified" Roll without frosting: 172 calories, 2 carbs, 1 fiber

No-Churn Almond Banana Chocolate Ice Cream

No ice cream maker needed to make this Ice Cream.Amazingly simple ingredients and easy grind-blend-freeze method ,the ABC ice cream is sumptuous summer treat.The creamy ground raw almonds and caramelized banana mixture freezes perfectly without any crystallization.The chocolate craving is quenched with flavonoid-rich cocoa powder and the semi-sweet chocolate chips.


The raw almonds have more vitamins intact which are otherwise lost in roasting the almonds.Nevertheless the other nutrients like calcium,vitamin E,essential fatty acids and minerals remain unharmed in roasted almonds 1.
Store raw almonds cool in fridge for better flavor and prolonged freshness.For the ice cream one can choose between unsalted raw or roasted ground almonds or unsweetened almond butter.

Recipe : No-Churn Almond Banana Chocolate Ice Cream
Ingredients
1 cup raw almonds
2 very ripe bananas
1 tablespoon virgin pressed coconut oil
2 tablespoon 100% cocoa powder
1/2 cup vanilla almond milk or soy milk
1/2 cup agave nectar or honey
pinch of salt
Semi sweet chocolate chips and raw almonds for garnish.

Method
Peel and slice the bananas.Heat the oil in a saute pan,lay the banana slices in the pan and let cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until caramelized.Cool before blending.

Grind the almonds in a high performance blender like vitamix for 1-2 minutes until finely powdered.Add the milk and the caramelized bananas,sweetener and salt,blend for another minute on high until smooth and creamy.Transfer in a freezer proof container and set in fridge for 4-6 hours until firm and frozen.
To serve,thaw for 15 minutes,scoop out in a store-bought waffle bowl,top with semi sweet chocolate chips and more raw almonds.


Remember to submit your best healthy Ice Cream recipe for the Health Nut Challenge 6 : I Scream for Ice Cream before June 31st.And one best recipes takes home Rachel Albert-Matesz's Ice Dream Cookbook.

“GOLDFISH” CRACKERS

I make a huge batch of these and bring them everywhere. These are perfect for camping trip, days at the park or zoo...you name it! Throw them in your bag and go.

When I see parents feeding their children Goldfish Crackers, I want to say, STOP, you are filling them with trans-fats and hurting their brain! Even TIMES MAGAZINE claims Goldfish as one of the top foods NOT to feed your children!

INGREDIENTS in Store-bought GOLDFISH CRACKERS: *Bold = Trans-Fat!
Unbleached enriched wheat flour [flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), folic acid], cheddar cheese [(pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes), water, salt], partially hydrogenated vegetable shortening (canola, soybean, cottonseed and/or sunflower oils), contains 2 percent or less of: salt, yeast, sugar, yeast extract, leavening (baking soda, monocalcium phosphate), spices, annatto (color), and onion powder.

Try this instead!
1 1/2 cups finely shredded hard cheese (Gouda or Parmesan works great)
1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
3 TBS cold water to hold the dough together

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Pulse all the ingredients (except for the water) together in a food processor or blender. Add the cold water to the dough, a bit at a time, until the mixture is holding together well enough to work into a ball or two. Separate into two balls of dough, and place each ball parchment paper, or other non-stick surface, then transfer to a baking sheet. Roll each dough ball out until flat and about 1/8 to 1/4 inch in thickness. Using a pizza cutter or knife, score the dough into squares, OR if you have a Goldfish cookie cutter, that would be cuter:). Bake for 25 minutes, or until crackers are browned. The darker, the crispier. Makes 12 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving):
Store Bought Goldfish = 140 calories, 5g fat, 4g protein, 20 carbs, trace fiber
"Healthified" Goldfish = 141 calories, 11g fat, 6.5g protein, 3.2 carbs, 1.5g fiber

CLICK HERE TO FIND THE COOKIE CUTTER!

Purple Escarole with Preserved Lemon Salsa

An exquisite member of endive family,Escarole is rarely spotted in purple.Purple or not,its delicately mild bitter flavor and tender crunchy stalks makes escarole completely edible salad green.If not raw,lightly saute in extra virgin olive oil with garlic or simmer in stew,to enjoy these elegant greens.These greens are available throughout the year,is high in vitamin A, calcium, folate and fiber.


The preserved lemons that I pickled last spring,had a perfectly ripe rind,ready to make a tangy addition in salads and stews.The zesty preserved lemon salsa spooned over crisp outer escarole leaves is easy and satisfying snack or start of a meal.


Escarole with Preserved Lemon Salsa

8-10 outer leaves of escarole
For Salsa
1 plum tomato,seeded and chopped
1 jalapeno,seeded and chopped
Quarter of a preserved lemon,rinsed and chopped
1/2 an onion,finely chopped
6-8 inner leaves of escarole,finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Mix the salsa ingredients and let sit for few minutes in the fridge before serving over the escarole leaves.

Purple Escarole is my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging #238 ,hosted this week by Rachel from The Crispy Cook