Category: Articles and Recipes

Chocolate Bark with Ginger and Pistachios

Ingredients

• 3 oz. bittersweet dark chocolate (70% to 72% cacao), chopped (1/2 cup)
• 2 Tbs. chopped salted pistachios
• 1 Tbs. chopped crystallized ginger

Instructions

1. Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Prepare the pistachios and ginger.
3. In a double boiler (a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water) melt the chocolate. (Do not let the pan touch the water!) Continue to stir until the chocolate is melted and just warm to the touch.
4. Spread the melted dark chocolate into an approximately square ~5×5-inch.
5. Sprinkle with the chopped pistachios and ginger and press gently to set them into the chocolate.
6. Chill in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
7. Break into pieces and serve. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Ingredients

•    1 can (16 ounces) pureed pumpkin
•    3/4 cup sugar or sucanat (or I use 1/2 cup maple syrup)
•    1/2 teaspoon salt
•    1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•    1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
•    1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
•    1 teaspoon ground allspice, optional
•    1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional
•    2-3 tablespoons cornstarch or arrow root to firm up the      pie filling
•    1 package (10-12 ounces) silken/soft tofu
•    1 9-in unbaked vegan and/or gluten free pie shell
• Top with non-dairy topping

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 F

Blend the pumpkin and sugar.
Add salt, spices, cornstarch and tofu, mix thoroughly.
Pour mixture into pie shell and bake for 15 minutes.
Lower heat to 350 F and bake for another 60 minutes.
Chill and serve.

Don’t use the low fat tofu, then the pie tastes like it was made with tofu.

This pie is so yummy, it will fool almost anyone.

Serves: 8
Preparation time: about 1 hour + chilling time

INGREDIENTS

Butternut squash muffins

• ½ pound peeled, seeded and cubed butternut squash (I used 2 ½ cups cooked squash or pumpkin or a mixture of the two)
• 1 1/2 cups rice flour
• ¼ cup rice protein powder (optional)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice = (3/4 t ginger, 1/8 t clove, 1/8 t nutmeg, 1 t cinnamon)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2-4 Tablespoons of maple syrup or agava nectar
• 3/4 cup milk or milk substitute like rice milk or hemp milk
• 2 egg, beaten (egg substitute – 1 tablespoon of flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons of water per egg)
• 1-2 tablespoon butter, melted or melted coconut oil or earth balance
• adding nuts and seeds is a tasty variation

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a 12 cup muffin pan.
2. In a medium saucepan with enough water to cover, boil squash 20 minutes, or until tender. Remove from heat, drain, and puree in a food processor.  I bake the squash the night before and just mash them instead of using a food processor it adds more texture.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, protein powder, baking powder, cornstarch, salt and pumpkin pie spices.
4. In a medium bowl, thoroughly mix together milk, vanilla, eggs, sweetener, and butter. Stir in squash. Fold the squash mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened.
5. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan, filling cups about 1/2 full.
6. Bake 40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. (I often have to cook longer).
7. Remove from muffin pan and cool on a wire rack.

Original recipe yield: 12 muffins modified from allrecipes.com

By Joan Haynes, NMD

High in nutrients and low in calories, kale is an ideal food to eat regularly. There are over 60 nutrients found in kale. It is a rich source of the antioxidants lutein, zeaxanthin, beta-carotene, and vitamin C. Kale also contains manganese, copper, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, folic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin E and potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, iron, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, niacin and protein.

Kale also provides a large amount of sulfur compounds. Sulfur compounds increase the liver’s ability to produce enzymes that neutralize potentially toxic substances and may help in the prevention of cancer.

This is an easy way to incorporate kale into your daily diet.

Massaged Kale

Ingredients

• 1 bunch kale (Curly Kale works best for this)
• 1 tsp sea salt or Celtic salt

Instructions

De-stem the kale leaves and save for soups or stir fry. Slice the leaves into ribbons (1/4 – 1/2 inch wide), sprinkle salt and start massaging the salt into the leaves. After a few minutes you’ll be able to feel the kale soften, making it much easier to chew and digest. You can store this kale for days in an air tight container and sprinkle it on your morning eggs, lunch time salads or add
to dinner in stir fry or soup.

Massaged Kale Salad

I’ve adapted this recipe from The Wellspring School for Healing Arts in Boise. It is a sure-fire  hit at pot lucks for your foodie friends.

Mix Together

• 1 bunch kale & 1 tsp salt – chopped, salted and massaged
• 1 bunch fresh spinach – washed and chopped
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1/3 cup currants
• 3/4 cup diced apple
• 1/3 cup sunflower seeds, toasted
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 TBSP apple cider vinegar or seasoned rice vinegar
• Optional – 1/3 cup Roquefort cheese, crumbled, sheep cheese is a good option

by Joan Haynes, NMD

Here’s a great recipe for Gluten-Free Tortillas (Italian Crepes).  These can be used as pancakes, crepes, wraps, or even sandwich bread.  These are great to make in big bunches and store in the freezer.

This recipe makes 6

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs (one egg per tortilla)
• make your own Gulten Free flour:
  ¾ brown rice flour
  3 tablespoon arrow root powder
  ¼ cup tapioca
• 1 and 1/4 cup dairy free milk
• 1/4 cup olive oil (in the batter or melted coconut oil if you like that flavor)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

Oil the pan well. No more than medium heat. Pour the batter in the middle of the pan and then work your way out towards the edges.  Most of the cooking is done on the first side then completed more quickly on the second.