Where would celebrations be without sweets? We are used to colossal cakes for birthdays, pies and cookies for holidays, and plenty of ice cream for summer fun. Unfortunately, this bonanza of refined sugar is doing no favors for your health or longevity. While I am against excessive sugar and food with no nutrition, I heartily believe there is room for dessert at the table. Personally, I eat a bowl of mouthwatering mixed berries with soy yogurt drizzled on top almost every night.
Here you will find a small selection of yummy deserts that are a sweet ending to any meal and also a boon for longevity. When studying centenarians, I noticed that they did indeed eat sweets after dinner, usually fruit, but they waited about a half an hour after dinner to indulge. I recommend you do the same, to give your digestion time to process your last meal before laying on the sweets. Bon appétit!
BENEFITS: HEART + IMMUNITY + BRAIN & VISION
This is a dessert I could eat every night! I don’t eat dairy and I try to avoid sugar, so when I am out with friends, I leave the chocolate cake to them and order a bowl of berries. Just about every restaurant has berries to offer, which they usually use for garnish, but they always bring it for me without a problem. Chock-full of vitamin C, fiber, antioxidants, and natural sweetness, these free-radical fighters make the perfect dessert.
SERVES 4
| ½ | cup strawberries, hulled and halved |
| ½ | cup blueberries |
| ½ | cup blackberries |
| ½ | cup raspberries |
| 1 | tablespoon finely grated orange zest |
| A small bunch of fresh mint, chopped | |
| Lowfat, unsweetened yogurt, for serving |
1. Mix the strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, orange zest, and mint gently in a serving bowl until combined.
2. Serve the fruit in bowls with a few dollops of yogurt for a refreshing summertime treat!
In Chinese medicine, red foods like strawberries are thought to be supportive of the heart-small intestine network. Indeed, the strawberry’s content of folate, fiber, high antioxidants and phytochemicals are an ideal combination for heart health. Like blueberries, antioxidant-filled strawberries are supportive of neurological function. And just one serving, about eight strawberries, provides more vitamin C than an orange. Choose organic whenever possible to protect yourself from the high pesticide levels in conventionally grown berries.
benefits: Brain & Vision
I fell in love with this pecan recipe when I was having dinner at the home of a friend. I begged for the recipe, and she eventually shared it with me. We can all benefit from her generosity in sharing, because this is one delectable dessert that is as healthy as it is mouthwatering! Pecans and walnuts have a similar highly nutritious profile; they are both brain foods, filled with beneficial fatty acids and also boasting a high protein content.
SERVES 4
| 2 | cups soy milk |
| ½ | cup pecans or walnuts |
| ¼ to ⅓ | cup maple or brown rice syrup, or to taste |
| 3 | tablespoons arrowroot powder, kudzu powder, or sweet rice flour |
| 2 | tablespoons carob powder |
1. Put the soy milk, pecans, ¼ cup maple syrup, arrowroot powder, and carob powder into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a small saucepan. Taste the mixture and add a little more syrup if you want it sweeter.
2. Heat the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, until the pudding thickens and just begins to simmer. Immediately remove from the heat and serve warm.
A nutritionally very balanced food, pecans have a high content of iron, making them helpful for women. Pecans are full of phytosterols, plant compounds that decrease bad cholesterol in the body, and they provide 10 percent of the recommended daily amount of fiber, which also benefits cholesterol levels and aids in digestion. Additionally, pecans may help control high blood pressure, reduce risk of cancer, and defend against neurological disease. They can be a part of a weight management program, but don’t eat more than a handful a day, as they are high in calories.
BENEFITS: HEART + ANTI-INFLAMMATION + DIGESTION
A patient of Mexican descent served this dish, her grandmother’s recipe, at her home, and I enjoyed it so much that I asked for the recipe. The original used sugar and cream, so I adapted it to be gluten- and dairy-free. Quinoa, considered a sacred grain by the Incas, appears here in flour form, offering its high protein and excellent cardiovascular benefits. The apples are fiber-rich and full of vitamin C. A slice a day keeps the doctor away!
MAKES 1 CAKE
| 1¾ | cups quinoa flour |
| 1 | cup dried cranberries |
| ½ | cup chopped walnuts |
| ½ | teaspoon baking soda |
| ½ | teaspoon baking powder |
| ½ | teaspoon sea salt |
| ½ | teaspoon ground cloves |
| 1 | egg, beaten |
| ½ | cup virgin coconut oil, plus more for greasing pan |
| 2 | large apples, peeled, cored and diced |
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan.
2. Mix ¼ cup of the flour with the cranberries and walnuts in a small bowl and set aside. Put the remaining flour into a large mixing bowl and add the baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cloves; whisk to combine. In another bowl, whisk the egg and oil together until combined, and pour it into the flour bowl. Mix until just combined, and then fold the apples, cranberries and walnuts into the dough. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
3. Cool the cake for 10 minutes in the pan on a rack before inverting and cooling completely. Slice and serve.
Apples contribute to a healthy heart with their rich pectin content, which decreases cholesterol levels. Pectin also helps prevent colon cancer, one of the top causes of death in adults over age sixty. Additionally, apples reduce the risk of breast and lung cancer. A great source of vitamin C and peptides, apples support skin health. The apple peel is filled with antioxidant polyphenols, which protect you from free radical damage and unwanted inflammation in the body.
BENEFITS: CLEANSING + ANTI-AGING BEAUTY
This recipe from China was created for the empress to preserve her beauty and her youthful complexion. Asian pears have a high content of copper, and lily bulbs contain a good amount of vitamin C and biotin, both antioxidants that are very supportive to the skin. All told, this dessert will help you put your best face forward for years to come!
SERVES 4
| 4 | Asian pears |
| 1 | lemon, halved |
| ½ | cup local wildflower honey |
| ½ | ounce (15 grams) lily bulb powder |
| ½ | ounce (15 grams) dried lily bulb pieces |
| 4 | cinnamon sticks |
| Seeds of ½ pomegranate, for garnish |
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Wash, peel and core the pears. Squeeze lemon juice all over them to prevent oxidation and put them in a shallow baking dish.
3. Using a pastry brush, coat the outside of each pear with honey, followed by sprinkling of lily bulb powder. Bake the pears uncovered until slightly browned on the outside, 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, set up a bamboo steamer basket over a wok or large skillet of gently simmering water. Transfer the pears to small serving bowls. Insert a cinnamon stick into the center of each cored pear and sprinkle some lily bulb pieces over each. Put the bowls in the steamer, cover, and steam until tender, about 10 minutes.
5. Carefully remove the pears from the steamer, garnish with lily bulb pieces and a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds, and serve warm.
Lily bulbs have been used medicinally for centuries. Even children in China know to use lily bulbs to relieve cough and mucus. They are used to help strengthen the respiratory tract, prevent coughs and colds, and induce peaceful sleep. You can easily find lily bulbs in Asian markets, herbal specialty shops, and online.
Asian pears, a cousin to the more traditional European pears, have brownish-yellow outsides and a juicy, crisp white center with a texture similar to an apple. Traditional Chinese medicine uses them to detoxify, quench thirst, relieve restlessness, promote urination, treat constipation, heal skin lesions, promote overall skin health, lubricate the throat, and relieve a cough. Asian pears are especially prized by Chinese herbalists as a way to eliminate dark circles under the eyes. With their content of copper, fiber, vitamin C, and other antioxidants, Asian pears are a nutritious snack.