Dharma Feast Cookbook (42 page)
Read Dharma Feast Cookbook Online
Authors: Theresa Rodgers
| R AW H AZELNUT OR A LMOND M ILK |  |
Homemade is the way to go with nut milks. You can buy a special bag for straining the nut pulp from the milk but we use a fine mesh strainer—it does the job, it’s easy to clean, and we didn’t have to spend money on another kitchen tool. Make only what you will use in about 3 days.
| M AKES 6 CUPS | PREP TIME 20 MINUTES USING VITAMIX OR BLENDER (WITHOUT SOAKING TIME) |
1 cup raw hazelnuts or almonds 1 cups filtered water, for soaking 6 cups filtered water ¼ cup raw honey or several Medjool dates (optional for sweetening) | Using Vita-Mix Soak nuts in 2 cups of water overnight or up to 24 hours, then drain and rinse. Put 6 cups of fresh water, nuts, and honey or dates, if using, in Vita-Mix. Turn on to low speed, increase variable speed to 10, and then switch to high. Blend on high for 2 ½ minutes, until milk is smooth. It will be quite foamy on top. Let milk sit until foam settles down, about 5 minutes. Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a glass storage container or jar, using a rubber spatula to press the liquid from the almond pulp. Refrigerate. Shake before serving. Using Blender Soak nuts in 2 cups of water overnight or up to 24 hours, then drain and rinse. Place half the nuts and 3 cups fresh water into blender. Blend on high speed until smooth. Pour through fine mesh filter into a storage container or jar. Repeat with second half of nuts and 3 cups water. If sweetening, pour 2 cups of the milk into the blender container and add honey or dates. Blend well and add to the rest of the milk. Mix well. Refrigerate. Shake before serving. Notes |
D
ESSERTS
Dessert can be the perfect last touch to a meal shared with good company. We think that dessert made with processed sugar and flour does not fit well with a beautiful meal of whole, delicious foods. This does not mean it’s never appropriate to have desserts made with these ingredients, but the mood created during a meal can be destroyed if dessert turns into nothing more than a way to satisfy our “sweet tooth” or an indulgence in large portions.
Most sweeteners are simple sugars which convert instantly to energy and wreak havoc with blood sugar levels, causing mood swings, fatigue, and even immune system malfunction. Many studies show that two of the most highly-processed sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup and refined white sugar, are at the root of a variety of the health issues in the U.S., yet they are found in most of the processed foods sold in grocery stores and served in restaurants, and are in virtually every commercially-produced and homemade dessert.
The dessert recipes we offer here are made with natural ingredients and sweeteners. They tend to be light and don’t have the same impact on the body that more processed desserts do. However, we only eat these on special occasions. In Germany and France, desserts are served in small portions and in general are not nearly as sweet as desserts in the United States. In Europe, they are a food served as part of a meal, rather than a neurotic indulgence. Part of the Japanese macrobiotic diet is to eat a small sweet with most meals, as a part of this diet’s emphasis is on having all four tastes at most meals.
Many of these recipes use blanched almond flour. Two sources in the U.S. that we are familiar with are Benefit Your Life (
www.benefityourlifestore.
com or 1-877 295-2407) and Honeyville (www. store.honeyvillegrain.com or 1-888 810-3212). Or make your own in a food processor. Use blanched (the brown skin has been removed) slivered almonds. Use a fine strainer to get the bigger nut pieces out. For a finer flour, you can use a coffee grinder dedicated just to grinding spices.
Dark chocolate is a simple dessert that doesn’t need to be prepared. We consider it to be a food, not a candy, because it’s made from cacao beans which contain all the nutrients of beans. This is not true of milk chocolate. Because of its added milk and sugar, milk chocolate is really nothing more than candy.
The higher the percentage of cacao “solids” a dark chocolate bar has, the better. Cacao contains minerals such as copper, magnesium, potassium, calcium, and iron. It has been proven to contribute to heart and cardiovascular system health. It contains concentrated amounts of anti-oxidants, which rid the body of free radicals, which can cause chronic disease.
This is not an invitation to over-indulge in chocolate. We bring attention to our relationship to sweets and are careful not to eat them mindlessly, which is often the case if because we are addicted to them.
| D ATE -N UT B ALLS |  |
A mother we know invented these so her children could have a healthy “sweet.” We love these
Date-Nut Balls
and if you use raw nuts and sun-dried dates, they make a wonderful raw dessert. They can also be served with
Chai
or mint tea. We think the Medjool dates provide just the right amount of sweetness. If you want them to be less sweet, substitute walnuts for the pecans.
| M AKES ABOUT 4 DOZEN SMALL BALLS | P REP TIME 30 MINUTES |
1 cup pecans 1 cup almonds 2 cups pitted Medjool dates Shredded, unsweetened coconut (optional) | Toss everything, except the coconut, into a food processor and process until it starts to “ball up.” (This will be obvious.) It should still be a bit chunky, not totally smooth. Form the mixture into small (about 2 teaspoon-sized) balls and roll in coconut, if desired. |
| S TUFFED D ATES |  |
For several years, whenever our friend from Mexico came to visit us, we put her to work making stuffed dates for festive occasions. Now we call her the “Stuffed Date Specialist.” These dates along with hot mint tea, when enjoyed in good company, catalyze a mood of friendship and appreciation for each other.
| M AKES ABOUT 60 DATES | P REP TIME 45 MINUTES (WITHOUT CHILLING TIME) |
1 cup raw almonds ½ cup crystallized ginger, sliced ½–¾ stick of butter 1 teaspoon vanilla 60 pitted Medjool dates | Put all ingredients, except dates, into a food processor and chop until roughly blended to your satisfaction. Slit dates on one side lengthwise. Fill amply but don’t overstuff. Put into freezer for 10 minutes to chill. Serve. (from |
| A PPLE P UDDING |  |
Originally a dessert, we also recommend it as a breakfast. It is warm and nurturing in the morning, especially in the winter.
| S ERVES 4 | P REP TIME 40 MINUTES |
¼ cup rolled oats 2 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced ½ cup apple juice 1/3 cup water ½ cup cooked brown rice ¼ teaspoon cinnamon 1 tablespoon honey or Grade B maple syrup Dash of allspice | Lightly roast oats by stirring in a dry saucepan over medium heat until they smell toasty. Add apples and other ingredients. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on lower heat for 20 minutes. Blend until completely smooth in a blender. Serve topped with chopped roasted almonds or sunflower seeds. Note |
| T ART S HELL (G LUTEN -F REE ) |  |