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If you're looking for ideas for healthy desserts, this one is easy.  The raw brownies can be made in a food processor.  The "ice cream" requires a high speed blender.

 

Raw Brownies

Ingredients:
1 cup pitted dates
1 cup raw unalted pecans (or walnuts)
1/4 cup raw cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla

Put all ingredients in a food processor and proces until it comes together.  Press into a glass or ceramic dish.

Pecan Not Ice Cream

Ingredients:
3 peeled bananas, cut in thirds, frozen for at least 24 hours
1/2 cup raw unsalted pecans
1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (or unsweetened soy milk)
1 tsp vanilla

Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender.  If not using right away, store in a container in freezer.

        

I like to brighten up Winter menus with fresh fruit salads or even a combo of fresh and frozen fruits.  Here are some recent ones:

#1 Papaya, mango, raspberries, blueberries and banana.  All fresh.

 

#2 Oranges, mango, pears, blueberries, banana, frozen strawberries.

 

#3 Pears, papaya, blueberries, banana, frozen dark sweet cherries.

 

#4 A salad of chopped baby spinach topped with leftover fruit salad.

 

#5 Strawberry "Fluff" made from pureed white beans, frozen strawberries, unsweetened soymilk and vanilla, topped with raspberries and blueberries.

 

Have you had your fresh fruit serving today?

        

I'm a real pomegranate lover and I eat a lot of salads so discovering a delicious salad dressing with pomegranate as its base is a big winner in my books.  And I think I've done it!  My friend Anne from Dr. Fuhrman's member forum mentioned to me that she'd been making a salad dressing using pomegranate juice and I had one of those "I should've had a V-8" smack your forehead moments.

I couldn't think of any other kitchen project until I'd experimented.  This is a great salad dressing, particularly with a Spring greens type lettuce mixture that has a little bite (like some baby arugula, endive, or frisee).

Susan's Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Ingredients:
- 8 fluid ounces 100% pure pomegranate juice (no sugar or additives)
- 1/8 cup good balsamic (start with less and add to taste)
- 2 TBSP pomegranate molasses/concentrate (100% pomegranate, no sugar added, cooked down to a syrupy texture. You can buy this in Mediterranean stores or some Whole Foods carry it.)*
- 1/2 cup mixture of chopped parsley, 1 raw garlic clove, 2 scallions, chopped finely
-  2-3 TBSP tahini (depending on how creamy you want it; you could use unhulled sesame seeds)

Blend everything except the parsley mixture in a high-speed blender until it is smooth.  Add the parsley mixture and just pulse a bit to incorporate it but not liquefy it.



I'm in love with this salad dressing!

*If you can't find the pomegranate molasses you can make a facsimile by cooking a cup of pure pomegranate juice down until it I very concentrated.

        

For the inaugural run of the new Breville juicer, I made something plebeian:  celery and carrot juiced to make a broth to simmer a Channa dal dish.

I branched out on day 2 with what turned out to be a great combination:



I adapted it from the recipe that came with the juicer:  carrot, celery, roma tomatoes, English cucumber (could use those little Persian ones), parsley, onion, red bell pepper, fresh garlic.



Juiced Gazpacho for lunch.  I loved it.  Next time I'll add some spinach.

        

I've had an ancient and somewhat ineffective juicer for ages and finally decided to replace it with a Breville. I wanted the Green Star too (for its ability to juice greens more effectively), but the budget doesn't allow that. I decided I'd buy the Breville Fountain Elite with its two speeds, which will do a great job on vegetables and fruits plus it will juice greens (just not as effectively as the Green Star).  I bought mine at Bed Bath and Beyond (with a 20% off coupon).

I don't know about you, but I've got finite kitchen counter real estate. So if something arrives and wants to reside on the counter... something has to say Adios!

So I'd like to say a fond kitchen counter farewell to my stand mixer:



You have been lovely to look at and met every challenge with grace. But I don't use you but once every 6 months (maybe). You have a great dough hook but I only bake bread about once or twice a year. I don't do any traditional baking, so I'm not mixing things that require you. I don't whip egg whites. I don't whip cream. Therefore, you must take up residence in the garage with the other seldom used things (as pretty as you are).

Welcome to the counter I say to Ms. Juice Fountain Elite.



May we live long and prosper.

        

Wishing everyone a Happy and Healthy New Year!

If you've vowed to improve your diet in 2010, this post is for you.  Eating more healthily doesn't have to be complicated but it can require that you change your thinking about food.  Consider this approach to eating:



It can be quite simple.  Base your diet on fruits, vegetables, beans/legumes, with some whole grains and nuts.  Limit all animal products, oils, processed foods, and sweets.

This food pyramid was created by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, who is also the author of many books related to nutrition, diet, and health.

Reading one of his books, Eat to Live, changed my life.  By adopting his suggested eating approach, I lost 25 lbs almost effortlessly.



If you're ready to be inspired to change your eating habits, I highly recommend reading Eat to Live.  Dr. Fuhrman's scientific approach to nutrient-density makes a lot of sense.  The book includes a beginning six  week plan including recipes.

Since then, Dr. Fuhrman has also published a two book set, Eat for Health, that offers a more gradual way to change your eating habits, including a four phase approach with lots of recipes.



Many have found his phased approach to changing cooking and eating habits is an excellent way to move their diets from the standard American diet which is full of fat and cholesterol, and often devoid of nutrition to a more healthful approach which promotes well being and weight loss. 

        

A tasty, healthy, smoothie  with chocolate made in the Vita-Mix to start your day off right:



1 apple, cored and quartered
1 small tangerine, peeled
1 cup frozen papaya chunks
1 cup frozen dark sweet pitted cherries
2 TBSP raw cocoa powder
1/2 cup water
3-4 oz baby spinach or kale (added after the fruit is blended a bit to allow room)

Blend the fruit, cocoa powder and water using the tamper at a lower speed at first.  When there's room, turn off the machine, then add the greens, then blend on high until smooth.



Now this is my idea of a chocolate "milkshake".  Delicious!

A happy, healthy holiday to all.

        

When you see a label on orange juice that says "100% Pure Juice" or "Not from Concentrate" do you assume it is an entirely natural product?  Not so for most commerical orange juice.

        

If you're buying presents for someone who truly loves to cook, I might have some suggestions.  This post comes with a warning, though.  Don't buy kitchen stuff for anyone who doesn't LOVE cooking.  Make sure your intended likes receiving kitchen stuff (like me) or is someone who has some dire need like setting up his or her first abode... and even then I would tread with care. 

Some ideas are pricey... some are stocking-stuffer priced.  So, in no particular order, some kitchen things I'd want as presents if I didn't already have them.  

• The top 'o the line blender extraordinaire:  a Vita-Mix (www.vitamix.com). I'm not sure you can still get one delivered in time, but heck, even the promise of one might be welcome.  I use mine at least once a day.  Price tag:  $400-$800.
• The best slow cooker I've ever owned - the big All-Clad Stainless Steel.  It's souped up with a cast iron insert that can go on the stovetop to sauté in before slipping it back into its very attractive stainless steel home.  Available at Williams-Sonoma  and probably other places too.  I love mine.  Price tag:  $300-$500 depending on sales and discounts etc.  Try www.chefscatalog.com too.  They often have good prices.
• A fresh nutmeg mill that also houses whole nutmegs well.  Fabulous idea.  Works well.  Looks cute.  Price tag:  $30.  Available at Sur La Table and probably other places.
• A simple but ingenious garlic peeler.  Why would one want one?   If I'm going to chop garlic, I usually just whack it with a knife, take the peel off and chop.  But if I want to use whole intact cloves to impart a more delicate flavor to a dish (as in garlic mashed potatoes), this peels the cloves beautifully.  Price tag:  $9

 I'm thinking of buying myself a new electric pressure cooker for Christmas this year.  My pressure cooker was ancient and scary so it had to go.

        

Another dish that was extremely well received at my Thanksgiving dinner was the Wild Rice Mushroom & Lentil Timbales.  These were excellent!  Quite easy to prepare too.

Click here to see the recipe on Susan V's blog for Wild Rice Mushroom & Lentil Timbales.

You do have to plan ahead to make this dish, unless you routinely happen to have already cooked wild rice and lentils on hand.   But that's the only tricky part about the recipe.  Otherwise, they are quite easy to put together in the food processor.

You take a couple of large slices of bread (whole wheat is great), pulse to crumbs, then add mushrooms, tofu, garlic and sherry (if you're using it), then pulse until smooth.  The lentils, tomato paste, and herbs are pulsed next, before you turn the mixture out into a bowl and stir in the cooked wild rice.

They are cooked in ramekins placed in a water bath.  I loved their texture.  Creamy with a slight chewiness of the wild rice.  I served them with mushroom gravy on the side.



They can be made somewhat ahead and then just reheated in their water bath.  I really enjoyed them and will certainly make them again.