Dark red, blue, and purple berries are rich in antioxidants, lovely to look at, and loaded with flavor. Add the crumble to provide protein and you have a wonderful and nutritious dessert.
Makes 6 Servings (serving size: about ½ cup)
5 cups berries (blackberries, blueberries, strawberries), lightly rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons brown-rice flour
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, not instant
1 cup whole-wheat flour
½ cup sunflower or olive oil
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Place berries in 8-by-8-inch baking dish to within 1 inch of rim. Gently stir in rice flour; set aside.
3. In a bowl, mix oats, wheat flour, and oil until crumbly. Spoon onto berries and pat into an even crust. Bake (uncovered) for 30 to 35 minutes, until berry juice bubbles at topping edges. Serve hot in individual serving bowls.
Nutrition (per serving): calories 408; fat 21g (saturated 3g); protein 8g; carbohydrate 51g; sodium 9mg
This is a simple and tasty dessert you can enjoy all year. Select a variety of apple that is naturally sweet, such as Fuji, Gala, or Honeycrisp. This is a versatile recipe, so add different spices, or make with pears, peaches, or other fruit.
Makes 4 Servings (serving size: about ¾ cup)
½ cup apple juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
4 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch-thick rings
1. In a small bowl, whisk together apple juice, lemon juice, and cinnamon.
2. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat, add apples, and cook until golden, about 2 minutes each side.
3. Drizzle juice mixture on apples, cover, and cook for about 5 minutes until apple rings are glazed and tender.
4. Serve warm.
Nutrition (per serving): calories 76; fat 7g (saturated 1g); protein 0g; carbohydrate 4g; sodium 1mg
Variation: You can also make the crumble from the Berry Crumble recipe (page 229). Spoon the glazed apples into a small baking dish, sprinkle the crumble over the apples, and bake for about 20 minutes in a 350° preheated oven.
You will enjoy this easy-to-prepare dessert, which can be made with food items from your pantry. I like keeping this as a backup when I have unexpected guests and want to serve a quick and easy dessert.
Makes 6 Servings (serving size: about ½ cup)
1 fresh pineapple, whole (or canned unsweetened rounds, drained)
Vanilla bean powder, for garnish (optional)
Coconut, flaked, shredded, or freshly grated, for garnish (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. To prepare fresh pineapple, peel, cut lengthwise into eighths, and core. If using canned pineapple rounds, drain in a colander over a bowl; reserve juice for another use.
3. Place fruit on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes.
4. Remove and cool slightly. Serve warm on dessert plates and garnish with vanilla bean powder and coconut.
Nutrition (per serving): calories 32; fat 0g (saturated 0g); protein 0g; carbohydrate 8g; sodium 1mg
Once you try this amazing dairy-free treat, you’ll never throw another over-ripe banana away! So good tasting and so good for you. Plus, you can top with berries and/or nuts and make the dessert even more delightful.
Makes 4 Servings (serving size: about ½ cup)
4 medium over-ripe bananas
Sliced berries, chopped nuts (optional)
Natural peanut butter (optional)
1. Slice the bananas and place on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper; place in freezer long enough to freeze (30 to 60 minutes).
2. Transfer the frozen bananas into a blender or food processor; blend until creamy, frequently scraping down the sides.
3. You can serve now as a custard consistency, or transfer to a bowl, cover, and return to the freezer for 60 minutes and serve as a more typical ice cream consistency.
4. Top with sliced fresh berries and nuts if desired.
Nutrition (per serving): calories 105; fat 1g (saturated 0g); protein 1g; carbohydrate 27g; sodium 1mg
Another easy way to prepare dessert packed with potassium and other trace minerals that are good for your health.
Makes 1 Serving (serving size: 1 banana)
Firm ripe bananas; uniformly yellow (no green or dark spots on skin)
1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Place one or more bananas in a casserole dish. Cut skin tip to tip along top of fruit. Position an aluminum foil tent over the fruit and place in preheated oven. Immediately reduce heat to 300°.
3. Bake for 10 minutes or until juices begin to flow. Use spatulas to transfer fruit to plate, and then use forks to part skin. Spoon excess juice on fruit. Serve warm.
Nutrition (per serving): calories 105; fat 0g (saturated 0g); protein 1g; carbohydrate 26g; sodium 1mg
Variation: You can also sprinkle the cooked banana with cinnamon or dab with peanut butter for a little extra flavor.
For a chewy or crispy snack, keep these healthy treats on hand. They’re also great for school or work snacks or even in the car as a quick and satisfying bite.
Makes 4 Servings (serving size: ½ cup)
3 large apples, sweet variety, stemmed and cut into ¼ inch thick strips Cinnamon (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 275°.
2. Place apple strips in a single layer without overlapping on two large baking sheets lined with parchment paper (or use stick-free or lightly oiled baking sheets).
3. Bake 2 hours or until apples are dry and crisp. For chewier crisps, remove from oven at 1½ hours.
4. Using a spatula, transfer crisps to wire rack to cool.
Nutrition (per serving): calories 95; fat 0g (saturated 0g); protein 1g; carbohydrate 23g; sodium 1mg
Kale chips are a low-fat and satisfying alternative to potato chips. They’re crunchy, are sure to stir conversations at a party, and are a healthy way to crunch.
Makes 2 Servings (serving size: ½ cup)
1 bunch fresh kale (approximately 5 ounces)
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt, for seasoning (omit, if using cayenne pepper to season)
Cayenne pepper, for seasoning (omit, if using salt to season)
1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Wash and fully dry kale leaves. Remove stems and central veins.
3. In a bowl, tear leaves into 2- to 4-inch pieces; drizzle with olive oil and toss to assure kale is evenly coated.
4. Using tongs, arrange kale on a large baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt or cayenne pepper and bake 10 minutes or until chips are crisp but not brittle. Remove and serve or let cool.
Nutrition (per serving): calories 170; fat 14g (saturated 2g); protein 3g; carbohydrate 10g; sodium 44mg
It’s easy to prepare these nutritious legumes. Munch them for an energy boost between meals or use to garnish salads, soups, and hot dishes for a contrasting and tasty crunch. Use cayenne pepper for spicy heat or garlic salt for tangy zest. This is a nutritional superstar — high in protein and fiber.
Makes 8 Servings (serving size: ½ cup)
4 cups chickpeas, home cooked or canned (rinse first if canned)
3 tablespoons olive oil
seasoning as desired (ground coriander, ground cumin, garlic salt, chili powder, paprika, etc; add more seasoning if desired — hot sauce, such as Tabasco, works great, as does dry steak seasoning)
salt for seasoning as desired
1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. On a paper-towel-lined rimmed baking sheet, scatter peas and let stand for about 15 minutes to allow ample draining. Once water is drained, transfer peas to a container or bowl. Add olive oil to coat peas. Then add seasoning mix.
3. Place seasoned peas on an aluminum-foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Spread thoroughly on sheet.
4. Place peas in oven and roast about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Or for extra crispy peas, return to oven for an additional 5 to 10 minutes (possibly using the broiler) until peas are crisp and golden. Transfer to a bowl and mix with additional spices or salt to taste.
6. Serve. Store in airtight container.
Nutrition (per serving): calories 170; fat 6g (saturated 1g); protein 7g; carbohydrate 22g; sodium 500mg (or less if you decide to use less salt)
Viewed as a meal-replacement shake. See the following shakes and those in chapter 13.
Makes 1 Serving (serving size: about 1½ cups)
1 cup almond, rice, soy, or oat milk
1 large banana, sliced
½ cup cooked oatmeal
1 tablespoon vanilla protein powder (vegan)
1 tablespoon flaxseed
In a blender, puree ingredients until smooth. Add water or 1 to 2 ice cubes to achieve desired consistency.
Nutrition (per serving): calories 543; fat 11g (saturated 2g); protein 25g; carbohydrate 92g; sodium 84mg
Sweet and tart from the cherries, orange juice, and bananas, this healthy liquid meal will delight your taste buds.
Makes 2 Servings (serving size: about 2½ cups)
1 cup cherries, frozen, canned, or fresh (pitted)
2½ cups orange juice
1 large banana, sliced
1 cup ice cubes
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
1. In a blender, puree all ingredients until smooth.
2. Cinnamon can be omitted from blending process and added to individual servings or omitted altogether.
Nutrition (per serving): calories 236; fat 1g (saturated 0g); protein 3g; carbohydrate 56g; sodium 7mg
A little different than the fruitier smoothies, this one packs lots of nutrients in every swallow!
Makes 4 Servings (serving size: about 1½ cups)
10 to 15 medium carrots, trimmed and chopped (steamed until barely tender, if desired)
1 bunch Italian parsley, coarsely chopped
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
½ ripe avocado, peeled
2 to 3 cups water
Salt and pepper, to taste
1. In a blender, combine half of the carrots with parsley, ginger, and enough water to cover ingredients. Puree, and then add remaining carrots and enough water to achieve a smooth consistency.
2. Refrigerate before serving. Add salt and pepper, to taste, to individual servings.
Nutrition (per serving): calories 131; fat 4g (saturated 1g); protein 3g; carbohydrate 24g; sodium 78mg