Cashew Tart Crusts with Fresh Berries
Chocolate-Orange Spice Muffins
Fruit Parfait with Almond-Peach-Ginger Cream
I’m a pragmatist at heart. A lot of people with cancer have heard that they should forgo sweets because refined sugar is bad, bad, bad for them. Yet cancer treatments can often increase the craving for sweets, especially for people who find they have a bitter or metallic taste in their mouth. I’ve seen some of these folks swear off sugar as long as they can, then go off on a Ding Dong binge.
Not a good thing. I’ve tried to come up with a better approach. The sweet bites you’ll find in this chapter all have one thing in common: they contain no refined sugar. There are so many better, healthier ways to get a sweet taste. A small amount of organic Grade B maple syrup is enough to sweeten these bites, which also use fruits, nuts, oats, and some surprise ingredients (coconut oil!) to pump up the yum.
As my grandmother would say, everything in moderation, including moderation. Whether it’s the Gingerbread, the Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies, the Fruit Parfait, or any of these recipes, you’ll find they’re so rich that just a morsel will indulge and quell those sweet cravings. And we’ve even filled those normally empty calories with lots of nutrition. Bet you didn’t think you could find a sweet treat that was so good for you to eat!
This recipe was born of desperation. I had a client struggling with his appetite. He was losing weight and had completely lost his connection with food, with one exception: he loved chocolate chip cookies. Of course, the cookies he ate were full of refined sugar and empty calories. Instead of fruitlessly arguing with him or nagging him to eat “better” foods, I figured it made more sense to meet him where he was most comfortable. I came up with these cookies, which contain no dairy or refined sugar. The only question was whether my client would like the taste. He took one bite and a huge smile spread across his face.
Makes 30 cookies
See the Appendix: Quick Reference Chart for a list of preparation times, storage times, and what ingredients can be prepared ahead
½ cup finely chopped blanched or raw almonds, pulsed in a food processor to form small granules
2 cups organic all-purpose unbleached flour or organic spelt flour
1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 cup dark chocolate chips
½ cup melted coconut oil
½ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine the pulsed almonds, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and chocolate chips.
In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and ½ cup water. Pour into the dry ingredients. With a spatula, mix the dough until very well combined.
Form cookies by placing 1 tablespoon of dough at a time on the prepared baking sheet. Use a spoon to flatten the tops. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. The cookies are done when the bottoms are deep golden brown and the tops are lightly brown. Transfer to a rack and cool.
Once cooled, these cookies can be frozen in airtight containers for 2 months. Take out a few and warm in a toaster oven for 5 minutes at 350°F for that fresh-baked bite.
If you prefer, try walnuts or, if you’re feeling decadent, macadamia nuts. Don’t worry if your doctor has said to pass on nuts. This recipe also works without them.
PER SERVING Calories: 119; Total Fat: 7 g (4 g saturated, 0 g monounsaturated); Carbohydrates: 15 g; Protein: 2 g; Fiber: 1 g; Sodium: 56 mg
I chanced into this recipe while cooking at Commonweal. For some reason, we had an abundance of berries in the kitchen. I took one look at the weather—it was a cold, damp morning—and decided it was time to have some fun with breakfast. I looked back at the berries, glanced over at a bowl of mixed nuts on a countertop, and saw a possibility. The berries got tossed with some spices, the mixed nuts got pulsed in the food processor, and the makeshift crisp went into the oven. Within minutes the kitchen smelled like a bubbling berry bonanza. Did it work? Put it this way: An hour later, the pie plate came back to the kitchen clean as a whistle.
Serves 8
See the Appendix: Quick Reference Chart for a list of preparation times, storage times, and what ingredients can be prepared ahead
1 teaspoon kudzu root powder
2⅔ cups organic fresh or frozen blueberries (2 10-ounce bags)
½ teaspoon powdered ginger
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons maple syrup or other organic sweetener
⅛ teaspoon sea salt
3 cups Anytime Crunch, pulsed briefly in the food processor
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil or butter a 9-inch glass pie plate or 9-inch square baking dish.
In a small bowl, dissolve the kudzu in 2 tablespoons of cold water. In a large bowl, combine the blueberries, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, lemon juice, maple syrup, salt, and kudzu slurry. Let the fruit sit for about 15 minutes so the spices are absorbed. Pour into the prepared baking dish, top with the Anytime Crunch, and use a large spoon to pat the topping down into the fruit. Bake for 25 minutes, or until bubbly. Cool for about 15 minutes. Serve in small bowls warm or at room temperature.
Any fruit—raspberries, peaches, apples, or a combination—can be used. And if you don’t have time to make the Anytime Crunch, use granola or a hearty healthy cereal.
PER SERVING Calories: 500; Total Fat: 34 g (3 g saturated, 6 g monounsaturated); Carbohydrates: 43 g; Protein: 12 g; Fiber: 9 g; Sodium: 85 mg
I love using cashews in this dessert because it results in a buttery crust without even a smidge of butter. These crusts are also much healthier than the tart crusts that populate most supermarket shelves, which are high in trans fats. The dough doesn’t need to be beaten into submission with a rolling pin; simply press it into a tart pan with your fingers. This crust’s uses are limited only by your imagination. This version has a small amount of goat cheese as a base for fresh strawberries and blueberries. The crust is also so rich that a little slice of whatever you decide to put in will be very satiating.
Makes one 12-inch, two 8-inch, or six 4-inch tart crusts (Serves 8)
See the Appendix: Quick Reference Chart for a list of preparation times, storage times, and what ingredients can be prepared ahead
1 cup raw cashews
½ cup Spectrum unrefined expeller-pressed safflower oil
¼ cup maple syrup
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1¾ cups organic unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ cup organic goat cheese, mascarpone, or farmer’s cheese, at room temperature
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon grated lemon zest
¼ teaspoon maple syrup
2 cups stemmed and sliced fresh strawberries
¼ cup fresh blueberries
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a tart pan with parchment paper.
In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, process the cashews to a fine texture, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as necessary. With the food processor running, add the oil, maple syrup, salt, and baking powder. Process for about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides, add the flour, and process until a ball starts to form.
Transfer the dough to a large bowl. Knead the mixture with your hands until the flour is fully incorporated. If the mixture is too dry, add a few drops of water.
Press the dough in one 12-inch, two 8-inch, or six 4-inch tart pans. Fill the shells with pie weights and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the weights and continue to bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until golden.
In a small bowl, combine the cheese, lemon juice and zest, and maple syrup. Com-bine well and set aside. When the tart crust has cooled, spread a thin layer of the cheese mixture on the bottom of the tart crust. Be careful not to get too close to the edge; it may crumble. Top the cheese layer with overlapping concentric circles of strawberries and sprinkle the blueberries on top. Chill for several hours before serving. Serve in small wedges.
Pie weights can be anything from half a bag of rice or dried beans to metal weights purchased at a cookware store. Cut an oversized piece of parchment paper, lay it over the tart dough, and add your weights. Leave enough overhang of paper so you can easily lift the weights out halfway through the baking process. Pie weights prevent the tart from shrinking and puffing up on the bottom. Speaking from experience, don’t skip this step.
Almonds can be substituted for the cashews. When using almonds, decrease the flour to 1½ cups. You can also substitute hazelnuts, pecans, walnuts, and pine nuts for the cashews.
For a nondairy treat try Fruit Parfait or Sweet “Ricotta,” also topped with berries. Or sauté some currants, diced apple, and diced pear until tender and add them to the crust. Chill for several hours and serve.
PER SERVING Calories: 408; Total Fat: 29 g; (6 g saturated, 15 g monounsaturated); Carbohydrates: 35 g; Protein: 7 g; Fiber: 2 g; Sodium: 186 mg
I hate when the sugar police come knocking at my door. I came up with these cookies to keep them away. They’re a variation on the thumbprint cookies many of us made with Mom as kids. They’re legal because we’ve replaced the sugar with Grade B organic maple syrup and spices. These cookies provide just enough sweet to satisfy.
Makes 24 cookies
See the Appendix: Quick Reference Chart for a list of preparation times, storage times, and what ingredients can be prepared ahead
1 cup organic raw almonds (whole or slivered)
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup organic, unbleached all-purpose or spelt flour
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon grated fresh ginger, or ⅛ teaspoon powdered ginger
⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom
⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup safflower oil
½ cup maple syrup
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Jam, for filling
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, grind the almonds into coarse flour, about 2 minutes. Add the oats, flour, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, and salt and process for another minute.
Add the oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Continue to process until well combined. The dough will quickly form into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Form 1 tablespoon of dough into a ball, place on the prepared baking sheet, and make a thumb imprint in the center of each cookie. Fill with your favorite organic jam or other filling (see sidebar). Place the cookies on the baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Bake for about 15 minutes; the cookies are done when the bottoms are browned.
The choices of fillings are unlimited. Try organic almond or peanut butter (high in nutrients) topped with a few organic chocolate chips (omit the cin-namon, ginger, cardamom, and nutmeg for a more traditional cookie). Bake the cookies with chocolate chips and then sprinkle with toasted coconut when removed from the oven, or bake the cookies topped with raspberry jam and chocolate chips. You can also add ¼ cup currants or chopped raisins when you add the liquid. These cookies can be frozen in airtight containers for up to 1 month. Bring them to room temperature and warm for a few minutes in a 200°F oven.
Sometimes the toughest thing for someone recovering from cancer is ensuring their family eats well. The problem is compounded when little ones are involved. One woman recovering from colon cancer found this recipe to be family friendly. “My husband and I enjoy them, and we don’t feel guilty eating them.” She says her four-year-old helps, using her thumb to indent the cookie dough so they can be filled with peanut butter.
PER SERVING Calories: 132; Total Fat: 8 g (0 g saturated, 6 g monounsaturated); Carbohydrates: 14 g; Protein: 2 g; Fiber: 1 g; Sodium: 26 mg
Even for the chronically baking-impaired, this is one of those easy desserts people will think you slaved over. This flourless torte relies on egg power for leavening, so beat those yolks until thick and foamy, but watch the egg whites—without added sugar they can get too dry in a hurry. Don’t have a stand mixer? No problem! Pull out the hand mixer and whip yourself into a frenzy. If you beat the egg whites first, you won’t have to wash the beaters when you move on to the yolks.
Serves 8
See the Appendix: Quick Reference Chart for a list of preparation times, storage times, and what ingredients can be prepared ahead
3 large organic eggs, at room temperature, separated (no yolk in the egg whites)
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Pinch of cream of tartar (optional)
⅓ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups (7 ounces) almond meal
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Fresh seasonal fruit, for topping (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch cake pan with a parchment paper circle cut to fit the bottom. Spray the sides lightly with natural oil spray.
Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk, beat the egg whites with the salt and cream of tartar on medium high until stiff, but not dry, peaks form. Transfer the egg whites to a clean bowl.
Using the same mixer bowl (no need to wash bowl or whisk), add the yolks and beat on medium speed. Gradually add the maple syrup and the almond extract and beat on high speed until the mixture is thick, light in color, and foamy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Beat in the almond meal and the vanilla extract.
Fold the beaten egg whites into the batter quickly and gently with a rubber spatula, beginning by scooping in about one-fourth of the egg white mixture to lighten the batter. Fold in the remaining egg whites, taking care not to deflate the mixture too much.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top gently with a spatula. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Run a small metal spatula around the edge of the pan and unmold the torte onto a lightly oiled rack. Reinvert the cake to cool completely.
Serve in wedges, topped with your favorite seasonal fruit.
This dessert is like a blank canvas … plenty of room for improvisation. During the summer, top the torte with blueberries, blackberries, or peaches; in the spring, top with fresh strawberries. In the fall, sauté apples and pears with a little bit of cinnamon, lemon juice, and a tablespoon of water; and in the winter, try adding 1 tablespoon orange zest to the batter and top your torte with ¼ cup of toasted coconut and 2 tablespoons of shaved dark chocolate. Yum! You could also try adding 1 tablespoon orange or lemon zest and currants, raisins, or dried cranberries to the batter. Or bake mini almond muffins with ¼ cup blueberries added to the batter.
Not all almond meal is created equal. Some brands of almond meal are coarsely ground, which gives the torte a rustic texture. If you want a smoother texture, or if you want to make your own almond meal, pulse 7 ounces of almonds until they are fine, but don’t let them get oily. When they start to adhere to the side of the bowl, it’s time to stop pulsing.
PER SERVING Calories: 200; Total Fat: 14 g (1 g saturated, 8 g monounsaturated); Carbohydrates: 14 g; Protein: 7 g; Fiber: 3 g; Sodium: 101 mg
Chocolate-Orange Spice Muffins
My friend, a breast cancer survivor who’s always eating on the go, loves to pour the Flourless Almond Torte batter into a mini-muffin tin and bake muffins to carry around in the car for a high-protein snack. I took her idea a little further and added cocoa and orange zest to make these tasty little muffins.
Serves 8
Zest of 1 orange, grated
3 tablespoons sifted cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
Freshly grated nutmeg
2 cups (7 ounces) almond meal
3 large organic eggs, at room temperature, separated (no yolk in the egg whites)
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Pinch of cream of tartar (optional)
⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon maple syrup
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Add the orange zest, cocoa powder, cinnamon, allspice, cardamom, and a few gratings of nutmeg to the almond meal. Use your fingers to mix, breaking up any clumps.
Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk, beat the egg whites with the salt and cream of tartar on medium high until stiff, but not dry, peaks form. Transfer the egg whites to a clean bowl.
Using the same mixer bowl (no need to wash bowl or whisk), add the yolks and beat on medium speed. Gradually add the maple syrup and beat on high speed until the mixture is thick, light in color, and foamy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Beat in the almond meal mixture and the vanilla extract.
Fold the beaten egg whites into the batter quickly and gently with a rubber spatula, beginning by scooping in about one-fourth of the egg white mixture to lighten the batter. Fold in the remaining egg whites, taking care not to deflate the mixture too much.
Scoop the batter into a muffin tin lined with muffin cups, filling each cup almost to the top. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove the muffins from the pan and cool completely.
PER SERVING Calories: 218; Total Fat: 14 g (1 g saturated, 8 g monounsaturated); Carbohydrates: 17 g; Protein: 7 g; Fiber: 3 g; Sodium: 101 mg
When I was growing up my mom made the most incredible gingerbread, which we smothered in applesauce. One day our recipe tester Linda and I were making soup for about a dozen students when it suddenly hit me. “I wish we had some gingerbread to go with this,” I said. “I have a great recipe for gingerbread,” replied Linda. She did. Using maple crystals, which result from exaporating granulated maple syrup, greatly cuts the sugar load without sacrificing any taste. This goes from the mixing bowl to pan to oven to plate to mouth in less than an hour. It makes the house smell delightful, too.
Makes 1 (9-inch) square loaf or 2 small loaves (Serves 12)
See the Appendix: Quick Reference Chart for a list of preparation times, storage times, and what ingredients can be prepared ahead
1⅔ cups organic, unbleached all-purpose flour or spelt, plus extra for dusting
1¼ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 large organic egg
½ cup maple crystals
½ cup unsulfured blackstrap molasses
½ cup boiling water
½ cup safflower oil, plus extra for coating the pan
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil and flour a 9-inch square baking dish or 2 small loaf pans.
Sift the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, salt, and fresh ginger into a bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, maple crystals, and molasses. Pour into the dry ingredients (the mixture will look like thick cookie dough at this point).
Pour the boiling water and the ½ cup oil over the batter and mix thoroughly with an electric mixer until smooth.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s). Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the edges have slightly pulled away from the pan. Transfer from the oven to a cooling rack. Cool to room temperature in the pan. Transfer from the pan, slice, and serve on a platter.
To lightly oil the pan, use a paper towel with a small amount of safflower oil. You can dust the pan with cocoa powder instead of flour.
I have made this recipe in a food processor as follows: Put the dry ingredients in and pulse for 30 seconds. Add the fresh ginger, maple crystals, egg, and molasses and process for 1 minute. Pour the water and oil through the feed tube and process until thoroughly mixed. Pour into the baking pan(s) and bake as directed.
PER SERVING Calories: 207; Total Fat: 10 g (0 g saturated, 8 g monounsaturated); Carbohydrates: 28 g; Protein: 2 g; Fiber: 0 g; Sodium: 186 mg
Serves 8
See the Appendix: Quick Reference Chart for a list of preparation times, storage times, and what ingredients can be prepared ahead
FRUIT PARFAIT
1 tablespoon kudzu root powder
2½ cups chilled unsweetened apple juice
2 tablespoons agar agar flakes
2 cups chopped fresh fruit
ALMOND-PEACH-GINGER CREAM
1 cup raw blanched almonds
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons maple syrup
¼ teaspoon almond extract
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, or ½ teaspoon powdered ginger
Pinch of ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 medium ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced
To make the fruit parfait, in a small bowl, add the kudzu to ½ cup of the apple juice. Whisk to dissolve and set aside.
In a medium pot, combine the remaining 2 cups apple juice, the agar agar, and half the fruit. Bring to a boil over high heat, decrease the heat to low, and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the agar agar is thoroughly dissolved.
Whisk the kudzu mixture into the hot liquid, stirring constantly, until the mixture just starts to bubble again. Immediately remove from the heat, pour into a heat-resistant shallow pan, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until firmly set.
To make the almond cream, pour 1 cup water into a blender or your Vita-Mix followed by the almonds, lemon juice, salt, maple syrup, extracts, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and peaches. Blend until very, very smooth. Add a squeeze of lemon juice or a pinch of salt to finish, if necessary.
Transfer the parfait from the refrigerator to a food processor fitted with a metal blade and process until smooth. Pour into a medium bowl and fold in the second cup of fruit. Pour into a clear glass bowl, or individual serving bowls in alternating layers with the Almond-Peach-Ginger Cream. Chill and serve.
Make sure you blend the almond cream until it’s velvety smooth. You may have to add some more liquid, or, if you want it thicker, add a few more nuts.
Fresh and frozen fruits both work well in this treat. I like raspberries or skinned and sliced apricots with apple-apricot juice or 1 cup blue-
berries and 1 cup raspberries.
You can make a tart by pouring this mixture into the Cashew Crust along with the second cup of fruit. Chill well before serving and top with an additional dollop of Almond-Peach-Ginger Cream.
Substitute ½ cup of orange juice for ½ cup of the water; substitute cashews or other nuts for the almonds; or substitute any seasonal fruit, such as pears, apricots, plums, or berries, for the peaches.
PER SERVING Calories: 148; Total Fat: 6 g (0 g saturated, 4 g monounsaturated); Carbohydrates: 22 g; Protein: 3 g; Fiber: 2 g; Sodium: 85 g
