Cooking Your Way to Gorgeous (27 page)

Ingredients:

1/3 cup chopped almonds

1/3 cup soaked and sprouted sunflower seeds

1/3 cup goji berries—low-cal superfruit

1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

1/2 cup chopped dried apples

1/3 cup chopped dried black mission figs—fiber; surprising sweetness serves as a sugar substitute

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1/4 teaspoon fresh nutmeg

1 teaspoon orange zest

Pinch Himalayan crystal salt

2-1/2 cups Greek yogurt—probiotic/good intestinal bacteria

1/3 cup blueberries, as garnish—low-cal superfruit

Preparation:

Coarsely grind the almonds and sunflower seeds in a food processor with the S-blade and set aside. Blend all the other ingredients, except for the yogurt and blueberries, until the fruit is chunky. Stir the nut mixture into the Greek yogurt, add in the chunky fruit mixture, and serve with whole blueberries on top.

Sweet Couscous with Almond Milk

Makes 4 Servings

T
his mellow dessert is known in Africa as seffa. Almond milk can be used in cakes, breads, muffins, and other baked goods to replace dairy. It’s an easy swap because with almond milk, there is no need to adjust the quantity. The substitution can affect the baking time, however, so you may need to remove your dish from the oven a few minutes earlier than the recipe indicates.

Ingredients:

1 cup almond milk

1/2 cup very finely chopped or ground blanched almonds

4 tablespoons butter

1-1/2 cups couscous—selenium

Salt

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup chopped dried apricot—fiber

1/4 cup chopped dates

1/4 cup Truvia Baking Blend, to taste

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, to taste

Preparation:

1
Combine the milk and almonds in a saucepan with a lid and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

2
Turn off the heat, cover, and let it sit while you proceed with the recipe.

3
Put 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan and turn the heat to medium-low.

4
When the butter melts, add the couscous and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

5
Add 2¼ cups water and a pinch of salt to the couscous.

6
Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down very low.

7
Cover and cook until all the liquid is absorbed, about 7 to 12 minutes.

8
While the couscous is cooking, soak the raisins, apricots, and dates in warm water for about 20 minutes to rehydrate them. Drain.

9
Pour the couscous into a large serving bowl and stir in the remaining butter along with the drained fruit.

10
Fluff the couscous and break up any lumps.

11
Add the Truvia Baking Blend and cinnamon, and stir; taste and adjust seasonings, if needed.

12
Strain the almond milk and pour over the couscous and serve.

Soy-Berry Cobbler

Makes 4 to 6 Servings

H
ere you get a classic cobbler with a berry good-for-you twist. Antioxidants in body-strengthening soymilk and soy flour provide energy to keep your body functioning at its finest. Soy is naturally high in essential fatty acids, proteins, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and this powerful triumvirate of free-radical fighting berries is sure to satisfy a tangy tart-sweet craving.

Ingredients: Fruit Filling

2 cup blackberries—low-cal superfruit

2 cups blueberries—low-cal superfruit

2 cups raspberries—low-cal superfruit

1/2 cup raw sugar

1/4 cup soy flour blend*

Crust

1-1/2 cups soy flour blend

3 tablespoons Truvia Baking Blend, plus 1 teaspoon for topping

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons margarine

1/3 cup soy milk

1 egg, beaten

*
To make soy flour blend:
Combine and mix 7 cups of all-purpose flour and 1 cup of soy flour. Use as needed for the above recipe and keep the rest in a canister for use in any recipe that calls for all-purpose flour as an ingredient.

Preparation: Fruit Filling

1
Place the blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries in a large mixing bowl.

2
Combine the raw sugar and soy flour blend in a small bowl, then add to the fruit mixture, lightly coating the fruit. Place the coated fruit in a greased 8 x 8-inch square baking dish.

Crust

3
In a large bowl, combine the soy flour blend, Truvia Baking Blend, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the margarine until blended. Add the soy milk and blend until the mixture forms a soft dough.

4
Place the dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper and roll out to fit the top of the fruit in the baking dish. Place the dough on top of the fruit, brush with the beaten egg, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of Truvia Baking Blend. Bake at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Wedges

Makes 8 Wedges (One 9-Inch Pie)

A
creamy, luscious snack is a decadent way to incorporate high-nutrient pumpkin into your dessert repertoire outside of Halloween or Thanksgiving time. Pumpkin is great year-round, and it’s loaded with protein, vitamin A for skin clarity, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids for smoother looking skin. If you have sweet potatoes on hand, you can use them instead of pumpkin; they will take on the sweetness of the other ingredients.

Ingredients: Crust

1 cup animal-cracker crumbs—you can use gluten-free cracker crumbs

1 teaspoon flaxseed meal—alpha-linolenic acid can help reduce LDL, the bad cholesterol

4 tablespoons liquid coconut oil or melted butter

Filling

1 (8-ounce) package of Neufchatel cheese or cream cheese, at room temperature

1-1/2 cups pumpkin purée—rich in antioxidants

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup Truvia Baking Blend

2 eggs

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation: Crust

1
Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2
Make the crust by blending the animal-cracker crumbs, flaxseed meal, and oil until thoroughly combined.

3
Press the mixture into a 9-inch pie pan and bake for 5 minutes. Let cool.

Filling

1
Start the filling by combining all the ingredients in a high-speed blender (such as a Vitamix) or food processor and blending until smooth and creamy.

2
Pour the filling into the prepared crust.

3
Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the middle is barely set. Allow to cool before slicing.

Pineapple Cake with
Cream Cheese–Ginger Frosting

Makes 12 Servings

A
fun and easy dessert to make with kids that’s finger-licking good with a few sneaked-in ingredients that are good for kids, too. Goes down nicely with a hot mug of soothing green tea, which contains L-theanine, a known calming compound, for focused, even-keeled energy (without the peaks and valleys of caffeine from coffee and espresso).

Ingredients: Cake

2 eggs

1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice—superfruit that softens skin and fights free radicals; it also makes a powerful raw food face mask

2 cups flour

1 cup Truvia Baking Blend

1 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup chopped walnuts—protein

Frosting

1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese

1/4 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon camu camu extract or powder—off-the-charts vitamin C

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine all the cake ingredients and pour into an ungreased, 13 x 9-inch Pyrex pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Combine the frosting ingredients and spread on the pineapple cake once it has cooled.

Speedy Scrumptious Sorbet

Makes 4 Servings

T
his light, refreshing, frozen dessert is always a great option when you want something sweet without calories from fat. Getting in your superfruit antioxidants is a breeze when you’re spooning away at a cold dish of sorbet.

Ingredients:

2 cups strawberries

2 cups blueberries

1/2 cup Truvia Baking Blend

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Pinch of salt

Preparation:

Blend strawberries and blueberries with ½ cup of water. Add Truvia Baking Blend, powdered sugar, and a pinch of salt. Purée until smooth. Pour the puréed berry mixture through a sieve to strain seeds and skin, and then put the mixture in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for around
2 hours. Allow it to thaw a few minutes before serving.

No-Bake Brownie Truffles

Makes 15 Truffles

T
hese luscious sweet truffles are perfect after a long hard day. They’re an easy way to get hefty doses of protein, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants, and a touch of comfort, too. Make them on the weekend so they are ready to eat during the week. These are fun for small children to scoop, shape, decorate, and, of course, devour.

Ingredients:

1 cup almonds (no salt added)

15 dried pitted dates (vitamins A, B6, C, E, K)

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting

1 tablespoon honey—antiseptic properties

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons cocoa, or confectioner’s sugar, or finely chopped dried fruit, or finely chopped nuts, or unsweetened flaked coconut for rolling, optional

Preparation:

1
Add the almonds to a high-speed blender (such as a Vitamix) or a food processor. Pulse until ground.

2
Add the dates, cocoa powder, honey, and water to the almond mixture. Pulse until the mixture just begins to form a sticky mass. (You may need to add a few drops of additional water to get the right consistency.)

3
Using clean hands or cookie scoops, make balls the size of golf balls.

4
If you’d like to add a coating, put cocoa, confectioner’s sugar, finely chopped dried fruit or nuts, and/or flaked coconut on a plate. Drop the balls onto the plate and roll to coat.

Chocolate Candy
Crunchies

Makes 12 Servings

W
hile these look and taste like candy, there is no added refined sugar. All the sweetness comes from the raisins and chocolate, two powerful antioxidants. Since you are now an expert in the fact that everything that goes into our bodies should nourish us, you can relax and enjoy these “crunchies” because they certainly do the trick. When I put these out at parties, or offer them on the dessert table, there are never any leftovers. Perfect for any festive occasion.