Whole Foods Dessert: Blueberry Kiwi Tartlets

This dessert is not only fun and easy to make but is also vegan, gluten-free and sugar free. The wonderful thing about making raw desserts is the quick clean up and minimal use of tools. All you need is a food processor, a spatula, a muffin tin or tart form, and some bowls for soaking. However, the most satisfying aspect of raw desserts is the ability to make something super delicious and satisfying that is made out of whole food ingredients--ingredients that not only provide you with energy but also contain a whole host of additional nutrients. You alone are the sole processor of the dessert from start to finish.

So you might be asking yourself, what is a whole food? And what is a whole foods diet? Here are some great questions to ask yourself in order to understand if the foods you are eating are in fact “whole foods” (1).

1.  Can you imagine it growing?
2.  How many ingredients does it have?
3. Have any of the original parts been removed?
4. What has been done to the food since it was harvested?
5.  How long has this food been known to nourish humans?

Example: Blueberry

1.  Yes I can imagine growing.
2.  Only 1 ingredients, itself.
3. Nope, the whole blueberry is still there.
4. The blueberry is stored either fresh or frozen.
5. Blueberry has been around a very long time.

If you can answer all these questions about your food with the same answers, then YES, it is a whole food and it is apart of a whole foods diet.

However, there are also some whole foods that may have been processed or refined prior to your consumption. In reality there are only minimal foods that require zero processing or refining prior to eating, for instance an apple.  An apple is usually eaten just as is with the skin and all. However, an orange does need a little bit of refining. We peel the thick skin in order to eat the juicy, sweet orange flesh. However, the orange itself is still considered a whole food.

In order to understand processed vs. refined I will define the words for you below.

Processed: When a food is changed from its original form. For instance steaming asparagus, baking a potato, or chopping an onion (1).

Refined: When one or more original parts of the food is removed and discarded. For example juicing an orange or extracting oil from an olive (1).

The examples listed above are simple processes or refinements, ones that you yourself could do in your own home. However, today most foods we consume have been processed and refined multiple times over prior to its consumption in your meal. Food items sometimes no longer even resemble their natural form, losing their natural color, taste, texture, and aroma and not to mention their nutrients and phytochemicals. Instead additives, such as starch, sugar, salt, or fat, replace what has been removed from the initial whole food. Meanwhile the physical properties of the foods are altered, causing potential health problems.

So today I made tropical blueberry kiwi tartlets out of 90% whole food ingredients, which were processed or refined only by myself.

Blueberry Kiwi Tartlets

Serves 14

Whole Food Ingredients:

2/3 cup Almonds (raw)

1 cup Cashews (raw)

1/3 cup Sunflower Seeds (raw)

1 Tbsp Whole Flax Seeds (raw)

6 Medjool Dates

2 Kiwis

1 cup Frozen Wild Blueberries (Trader Joes)

1 Lemon

1 Vanilla bean

¾ tsp Himalayan Pink Sea Salt

Minimally Processed or Refined:

2 Tbsp Coconut Milk (without added guar gum, Natural Value is a good brand)

1/4 cup Almond Milk (homemade)

1 ½ Tbsp Organic Maple Syrup

1 tsp Ginger Powder (could use freshly grated ginger to taste)

Directions: 

Don't let the long list scare you from trying to make this recipe. I just tried to be very clear with each step. Also, this recipe can be tailored to your liking. Its easy to swap nuts or use what you have on hand. Feel free to get creative and use what you have available at home!

Getting Ready:

1.  Pit the Medjool dates and coarsely chop them. If they seem really dry you may want to soak them for 5 minutes. However, if they seem fresh and gooey then toss them into the food blender and skip the soaking.
2. Use a coffee grinder and grind the 1 Tbsp of flax seeds. Place the ground flax seeds into a bowl and mix with 3 Tbsp fresh water.
3.  Place cashews in separate bowl and cover with fresh water.

Making The Crust:

1. If dates needed to be soaked, drain the water, and place the dates into a food processor along with the almonds and sunflower seeds. Add ½ tsp of pink sea salt and zest of 1 lemon. Process until mixture resembles a coarse dough. It will naturally form a ball.
2. If making individual tartlets, form 14 individual small balls and place 1 into each mini cupcake form. Using your thumb and finger tips press the ball down into the tin and up the walls to form a “crust”. If making a single large tart, use all the “dough” and form a crust bottom and wall.
3. After pressing the “dough” into your cupcake tin or tart form place it into the freezer while making the “blueberry mousse”.

Making the Mousse:

1. Drain the water from the cashews and place the cashews into the processor. Peel the kiwis and add into the processor. Finally add the ground flax mixture, the 1 cup of frozen wild blueberries, juice of 1 lemon, 1 vanilla bean (scraped inside only), 2 Tbsp coconut milk/cream, ¼ cup almond milk, ¼ tsp salt, 1 tsp ginger, and 1 ½ Tbsp maple syrup.
2. Process until smooth. Taste and adjust flavors if needed. Here you can have some creativity. If you like things very gingery, add more ginger, if you want to have more lemon, add more lemon….you get the idea. If you like it as is, great!
3. Transfer the “mousse” into a 2 cup liquid measuring cup. Pull out your frozen crust and slowly pour enough mousse into each crust until they are very full. You should have about 1 cup of mousse left over. Pour the remaining mousse into a mason jar and seal for later use. Place into refrigerator.
4. Put the dessert tins back into the freezer. Allow the dessert to freeze at least an hour

Assembly:

1. If making tartlets remove the cupcake tins from the freezer and allow to unthaw about 5-10 minutes. Then using a butter knife cut the sides loose of each mini tart and scoop out the mass with a small spatula. Place all the mini tarts into a an airtight container and return to freezer.
2. If making a whole tart, place into an airtight container or into a plastic bag until you are ready to serve.
3. When serving, pull the dessert out of the freezer and allow to sit at room temp 5-10 minutes to soften the texture.  Use the remaining mousse as pretty “glue” by placing a spoonful onto each plate where you plan on plating the tartlets or tart slices. Enjoy!

References: 

1. Lair, C. Whole Foods Production. 12 April 2012.

The Overlooked Beauties and Their Health Benefits....ROOT VEGETABLES!

I am nutrient rich, sometimes lightly sweet or even spicy, versatile and easy to prepare, found in many different colors, but often overlooked…what am I? I am a root!! A parsnip, a turnip, a rutabaga, a yam, a sweet potato, a russet, a carrot, or even perhaps a radish, a chioggia beet, or a sunchoke, gosh I am everywhere!!

Root vegetables are a great source of complex carbohydrates, meaning the digestive track has to work harder to digest the sugars within. This is great news, because the sugars are not able to immediately spike our blood sugar, as would a slice of white bread. This allows our body to produce a constant stream of energy versus a whole bunch at once. In addition, root vegetables pack quite a bit of fiber, helping to strengthen colon muscles, which reduces the risk for diverticulosis. Also, fiber helps clean the colon by sloughing off old cells including those that may be carcinogenic, and can help reduce cholesterol by trapping the molecule as the fiber works its way through the digestive tract.

Fiber, in its natural form, found in fruits, vegetables, and grains, is part of balanced diet. Did you know that the recommended intake of fiber for women is 25 g/day and for men 38 g/day? Sadly, many people do not get nearly enough fiber in their diet, consequently increasing their risk for GI diseases.

However, I know that besides potatoes and carrots, root vegetables seem to bring even the good cooks some anxiety. They are cheap and often grown local yet many people overlook these nutritional storehouses. It seems as though over the last generations roots have lost their dominance in the kitchen, but I am here today to prove to you why they should return as a mainstay in yours! Perhaps they intimidate you, perhaps you don’t even think about them, either way its time to give them a shot.

Rutabagas are peppery and delicious. When roasted they turn bright yellow and look beautiful mixed with a variety of other root vegetables.  Rutabagas are a great source of vitamin c, and are considered a good source of potassium, vitamin A, and of course fiber. Why is potassium important for health? It is a natural electrolyte which helps maintain normal body functions and may even protect against high blood pressure.

What to look for:

A smooth, heavy for its size rutabaga without cuts or dents.

Beets are one of my favorite root vegetables. They come in many different colors, yellow, red, and even striped pink and white. If you like to get creative with color, beets can be a fun root vegetable to add to your plate. Full of phytonutrients called betalains, beets are able to provide anti-inflammatory, detoxification, and antioxidant support. They also contain excellent amounts of folate, which is an essential nutrient especially for women of childbearing age. Beets are also a very good source of fiber and a whole host of minerals needed for optimal health.

What to look for:

Chose small or medium sized beets that have a smooth surface void of any cuts, shriveled spots or bruises. If consuming beet greens, make sure they look crisp and tender.

Sweet potatoes taste just like their name and are a healthy substitution for potatoes. If baked or roasted they shine all by themselves, and all they need is a touch of salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Sweet potatoes are unique because they are a good source of vitamin B6, which is needed to reduce high levels of homocysteine in the blood. A high level of homocysteine is found to have toxic effects on heart health. In addition sweet potatoes are a good source of fiber and other minerals.

What to look for:

Chose firm sweet potatoes without damage marks or shriveled skin.

An easy and tasty way to incorporate root vegetables into your diet is by roasting them! Simply preheat the oven to 400 degrees and meanwhile wash, peel and dice your root vegetables into chunky bite size pieces. Toss them with melted coconut oil (or even olive oil), salt and pepper and spread out on to a large baking sheet. Do not let them overlap, and make sure to give them space. Then let them bake about 20 to 30 minutes, stirring them about every 10 minutes. I just set a timer for 10 minutes which makes it really easy. When they are tender and slightly crispy along the sides they are done!

I like to toss these nutrition gems into my salads, make soups, use them as a side, or even eat them raw!

How to Beat the Winter Blahs

With the cold temperatures, sniffling noses, and less hours of sunlight per day, it can seem as though our total energy is lacking compared to the warm summer months. Long hours at work, less exercise, and poor diet choices can have a huge impact on how we feel. But how can you change that? Simple daily choices and activities can have a great impact.

Here are some easy ways to boost your energy, feel rejuvenated, and minimize stress. Check out my post on the Zing Bars Blog, to find 4 ways to naturally boost your energy. Plus, today I share with you one specific exercise that can have a huge impact on our health and stress management.

Don't Forget To Breathe...

We usually resort to short shallow breathing during the day, and deeper heavier breathing during the night. However with deep focused breathing meditations, you can reduce stress, reduce your blood pressure, and supply much needed oxygen to your red blood cells. This enables red blood cells to interact with tissues throughout the body, including the brain, exchanging nutrients and oxygen for debris and toxins. This interaction stimulates the brain to send signals of relaxation throughout your body, alleviating your body from the “fight or flight” mode by reducing the hormone cortisol. In a recent study by Iglesias and team, 52 undergraduate students were selected to test the effectiveness of 3 stress management programs, including a mixture of deep breathing exercises, meditation, guided imagery, relaxation response, and cognitive behavioral techniques. The results proved that with the combination of the above stress management techniques, stress could be effectively alleviated by reducing salivary cortisol levels and lowering anxiety, anger, neuroticism, hopelessness, and respiratory rate (1). Since deep breathing exercises can be done anywhere try this easy form of detoxification and stress alleviation at home or in the office.

• A great 4-minute exercise is this soft belly breathing exercise. Try it out!

*Remember check out the additional "4 Ways to Beat the Winter Blahs" on the Zing Bar Blog.

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Reference:

1.   Iglesias SL, Azzara S, Argibay JC, et al.  Psychological and physiological response of students to    different types of stress management programs. Am J Health Promot. 2012 Jul-Aug;26(6):e149-58.