Not Too Sweet Treats Mmmm...sweet treats. When I'm having a sugar craving, I can sometimes nosh on a sweet veggie (see the Sweet Sensation recipe below). But other times, I just really would like a cookie. Can you relate? Here's a fab recipe that went over incredibly well at my last Sugar Blues workshop. The main sweeteners are brown rice syrup, stevia and dried fruit, which I find is not as likely to put me on that unweildly sugar rollercoaster. Thanks to Jennifer Medley for passing this recipe on to me and thanks also to the people who attended the workshop for requesting I post the recipe here. What a great idea! CHEWY OATMEAL SPICE COOKIES
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
Yield: 3½ dozen
INGREDIENTS:
¾ cup brown rice syrup
3 packets stevia
¾ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 egg white
1 tablespoon soy milk or rice milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt (optional)
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
3 cups rolled oats (uncooked)
1 cup diced dried mixed fruit or raisins
INSTRUCTIONS:
Heat oven to 350°F.
In a large bowl, blend brown rice syrup, stevia and apple sauce. Add egg white, milk and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg; mix well. Stir in oats and raisins (dried fruit); mix well. (Dough will be moist.)
Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheets.
Bake 15 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.
Note: To make chewy oatmeal spice bars, press dough onto bottom of baking pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely in pan. Store in tightly covered container. Makes 32 bars. *for a pure sugar alternative, use ¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar and ½ cup granulated sugar (instead of brown rice syrup & stevia), and use 1 cup apple sauce (instead of ¾ cup) and 2 egg whites (instead of 1). *for a yummy nonspiced version, omit spices & dried fruit, and use 1 cup chocolate chips instead Savory Tahini Sauce One more request from my most recent Sugar Blues class attendees: This is the recipe for a tahini dip I served with fresh organic veggie slices.
1/2 cup raw tahini
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons tamari
2 tablespoons agave nectar (or maple syrup)
1 teaspoon miso (I used red miso)
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
Optional: pinch of cayenne to taste 1. In a bowl, whisk together tahini and water until combined - it will look separated at first, just have faith and keep whisking!
2. Add remaining ingredients until combined.
3. Adjust flavors according to taste and consistency.
4. For Asian-inspired meal, add more tamari or some toasted sesame oil.
5. Serve with a variety of tasty fresh veggies or with some olive oil as a dressing.
A Makeover for Leafy Greens
Who knew kale could be so yummy? Well, I did. But I'm glad everyone else thinks so now, too. My roommate is hooked...along with everyone else in my school. This recipe comes from one of our school lunch menus. But it doesn't take a lunch lady to ace this easy prep. Coconut Kale 1 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 sliced red pepper
1 bunch kale
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons tahini Directions:
1. Place oil and garlic in pan over medium heat.
2. Add sliced pepper and cook for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add kale and water, cover and let cook for 2 minutes.
4. Remove lid, stir and add tahini. Mix well.
5. Remove from heat and serve.
Optional - Sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper or tamari.
Glorious Greens Here is the "un-recipe" for making Glorious Greens. It's so simple, you'll love it! Step One - Buy greens: choose kale, collard greens, spinach, broccoli, cabbage or anything else green and leafy that looks interesting to you. Step Two - At home, take out a medium sized sauce pan or pot. Put 3/4 inch to 1 inch or water in the pot. Step Three - Take the greens out of the bag, tear them into bite-sized portions (tearing the stem off or leaving it on... you choose!) and toss the leafy pieces into the pot. Put the lid on the pot. Step Four - Put the pot on the stove and turn the heat on medium. Step Five - Stand there and watch the leaves turn a bright green. If you don't have a glass lid of the pot, just lift the lid up a bit to check every 30 seconds or so. It should only take 2-5 minutes, depending on the type of leaf and how many. Step Six - When the leaves have turned a bright green, happy color, turn the heat off and pour in some cooler water to stop the leaves from cooking. Step Seven – Drain water, put leaves on a plate and enjoy. (You can even drink the drained water for an extra boost!) There you go.... seven steps to easy, glorious greens! Green veggies are the food most missing in modern diets. They are especially good for city people who rarely see forests, fields, and other natural greenery. It helps build your “internal rain forest”. Make plenty at a time. My motto is cook once, eat 2-3 times! Sweet Sensation Do you crave sweets? I do. I find that if I add more sweet flavors into my meals all day, I won't crave as many sweet treats later in the day. Step one - Buy yummy sweet veggies. Try one or a combo of three or four of any of these vegetables: Corn, Carrots, Beets, Winter Squash, Sweet Potato, Yam, Turnip, Parsnip, Rutabaga Step two - At home, chop the harder veggies into smaller pieces and the softer veggies into larger chunks. Step three - Put the veggies into a pot. Put the harder ones toward the bottom as they will be cooked more than the ones on top. Step four - Add enough water to cover the bottom half of the veggies in the pot. Step five - Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium for 20-30 minutes. Frequently check the water level to make sure there is still enough in the pot. Also, check the tenderness of the veggies. If you can easily stick a fork in them, they're ready to eat. Step six - When they've cooked long enough, empty the veggies into a large bowl. You can even use the left-over cooking water as a sweet sauce or a zippy drink. Extra credit - For the adventurous: You can blend the ingredients together to make a creamy soup. Mmmmmm.... Comfort Kasha In the fall and winter, we crave foods that give us warmth. I have found Kasha to be a very nice way to get that comfy feeling - first thing in the morning or for a late night snack. This recipe will keep you toasty. 1 cup of buckwheat (kasha)
2 cups of water
Pinch of sea salt
Sunflower seeds
Cinnamon powder Step one - In a medium sized pot, combine water and kasha. Step two - On medium heat setting, stir contents several times to make it smooth. Step three - When the mixture thickens, put the lid on the pot and reduce heat to a simmer fo 15 minutes. Step four - Sprinkle with sunflower seeds and cinnamon (as much or as little as you like!) Enjoy!
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