Fig Carpaccio With Balsamic Reduction

A simple and delicious way to enjoy fresh figs.

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Fresh Figs
What's better than a fresh fig? My wonderful neighbors surprised me with a basket of large, juicy, fresh figs for my birthday. I'm in heaven! Of course my favorite way to eat a fig is to just stuff one in my mouth but if you want to serve them as an elegant dessert with a fancy, schmancy name, here's a simple preparation.

Fig Carpaccio with Balsamic Reduction
Carpaccio is the name of pretty much any raw meat, fish, vegetable or fruit with a drizzle of vinegar, oil, pepper, and/or other seasonings. Sweet figs go very well with the complex flavor of balsamic vinegar, especially when it's reduced.

Pretty Simple Preparation
Start with some big, juicy figs - one large or two small figs per person.

This large fig weighed in at nearly 3 ounces.

Thinly slice each fig and place on a small plate.

Prepare the balsamic reduction.
You don't need much so you can start with as little as 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar in a very small saucepan. That's more than enough to drizzle over 4 dessert plates. You can reduce it as is or stir in a tablespoon of honey, agave, or maple syrup as well as a tiny pinch of salt and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until it reduces to about 1/2 the volume. Don't overdo or it will get too thick when it cools.

Let cool and drizzle over the sliced figs and serve immediately.
Enjoy!


A large, fresh fig provides 47 calories, 0.2 g of total fat, zero cholesterol, 0.5 g protein, 12 g carbohydrates, 2 g dietary fiber, and 0 mg sodium. 

What To Do With Fresh Figs - Enjoy Them Now But Freeze Some For Later! Plus Recipe For Fig Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Figs are high in dietary fiber, potassium,
magnesium, and vitamin B6.

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It's Time for Figs
Our neighbor's fig tree and our fig tree are both presenting us with heavenly sweet figs. Unfortunately figs are so perishable and have such a short season, most people have very little time to enjoy this magnificent fruit.

A few years ago we planted a Janice Seedless Kadota fig. It's a fairly new breed of white fig that is exceptionally sweet and has very few seeds. It had a slow start because we decided to move it to a new location,  but it is now starting to produce very lovely figs.

Janice Seedless Kadota Fig

Ways to Enjoy Fresh Figs
Besides popping them in your mouth, diced figs are wonderful in a morning fruit salad or sliced and tossed in a green salad.

Add diced figs to your breakfast fruit salad.

Add sliced figs to your green salads.

They also make a wonderful fig balsamic vinaigrette.

Fig Balsamic Vinaigrette
1/2 packed cup chopped, ripe figs
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons cold-pressed hemp oil
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup cold filtered water, or more
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place all ingredients into a high-speed blender, such as a Vitamix, and blend until smooth. If it's too thick, add more water or some almond milk.

Fig balsamic vinaigrette.

Freeze Some to make Smoothes and Soups All Year Long
One of my favorite things to do with figs is to add them to my smoothies. They thicken and sweeten any smoothie recipe, like this Raw Vegan and Gluten-Free Apple Pear Green Smoothie.

Or use them to add sweetness to a blended soup recipe, like this Raw Vegan and Gluten-Free Butternut Squash Soup with Fresh Figs.

In order to enjoy figs in your smoothies or soups all year long, vacuum seal them.
First, wash and dry the figs. Cut them in half and place them on a cookie sheet.
Place in the freezer.

Freeze on cookie sheet

Once the figs are frozen, vacuum seal them using a product like FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer. Our figs last in the freezer for an entire year when properly sealed. And if your fig tree is as prolific as most, you'll have plenty to save!

Food Saver Vacuum Sealer

Fresh Figs With Arugula And Romaine - Raw Vegan And Gluten Free

This delicious raw salad uses very nutritious greens.

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Figs, Finally!
My friend and neighbor has the most wonderful fig tree. By the end of the summer we are usually swimming in big, juicy figs. This summer, for some reason, they never came. But yesterday, after much anticipation, I received a big bowl of this delicious fruit! If you are lucky enough to have access to local, fresh figs, here's a lovely salad to make with them.

You many remember my article on selecting salad greens that showed how arugula and romaine lettuce were among the most nutritious of all salad greens. This salad uses a combination of both.

Fresh Figs with Arugula and Romaine Lettuce
Raw Vegan, Gluten Free
[4 servings or 2 large entree-size servings]

For the salad dressing
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon raw honey or agave nectar *
1/4 teaspoon salt


For the salad
4 ounces baby arugula (4 handfuls)
Small head, hearts of romaine lettuce (8 ounces)
2 large fresh figs, cut vertically into 8 wedges
1/2 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
1/4 cup raw English walnuts
Freshly ground black pepper


* I think the honey in this recipe tastes better than the agave nectar but for vegans who avoid honey, you can make it with agave.

Make the salad dressing by combining all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisking until they are well combined.

To make the salad, clean the greens and chop the romaine lettuce into bite-size pieces. 

Place the arugula, romaine lettuce and fig wedges in a large bowl. Add the desired amount of salad dressing and toss until well coated.

Divide the salad onto 2 to 4 plates. Top with the avocado slices and walnuts. Top with freshly ground black pepper, if desired, and serve.

Per serving (4 servings): 168 calories, 11 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 819 mg omega-3 and 3511 mg omega-6 fatty acids, 3 g protein, 24 g carbohydrates, 4 g dietary fiber and 161 mg sodium.

Vegan Butternut Squash Soup With Fresh Figs - Gluten Free, Low Calorie And Low Fat

Big mugs are a convenient way to serve soup

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Happy November!
I can't believe November is here already. This is the month of my FAVORITE holiday - Thanksgiving! So you'll be seeing lots of recipes preparing us for that wonderful feast. It's also time for warming foods as the weather turns cold. What's better than hot soup?


The Last of the Figs
I never know what's available where you live but we are finally seeing some figs here in northern California. I'm going to put some in the freezer so that I can make this soup later in the month. I haven't tried making this with dried figs. I would imagine they would need to be rehydrated for hours and cooked longer than the fresh ones. If anyone gives that a try, please send in a comment. Another thought is to substitute the figs with another sweet fruit like chopped apples or ripe pears if you cannot find them. I hope you have access to some fresh figs because they pair beautifully with the butternut squash.

We had a very cool summer so figs were very late this year

Low in Fat
Most recipes begin with cooking the onions in oil but that's really not necessary. If you are trying to eliminate excess fat in your diet, you can just cook the onions in the broth along with the other ingredients. To get a touch of fat on the palate, I stir in a teaspoon of Earth Balance right before serving. This adds less than a gram of fat to each serving. If you are going totally fat free, you can eliminate the Earth Balance completely.
I'm not a believer in living fat free. It's good to reduce unnecessary fat. Especially if you are trying to loose weight or reverse cardiovascular disease. But dietary fat is important, especially omega-3 fatty acids found in flaxseeds or wild salmon, or other good fats found in avocados, nuts and seeds. Many of our important vitamins such as A, D, E and K are fat soluble and need dietary fat to be best utilized in the body.

Freeze figs when in season so you use them in winter dishes

Add fresh figs in the last 10 minutes of cooking

Blend soup until smooth but don't over process

Stir in a teaspoon of earth balance at the very end

Butternut Squash with Fresh Figs
Vegan, Gluten Free
[serves 4]


5 cups veggie broth
5 cups cubed butternut squash
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion
1 packed cup chopped fresh figs
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
Pinch or two of cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon Earth Balance vegan buttery spread (optional)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper to taste


In a 5 quart Dutch oven, add broth, butternut squash and onions and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes or until squash is tender.
Add figs, salt and cayenne and cook another 10 minutes.
Put soup in a blender and process until smooth but don't over process.
Return mixture to the pot. Adjust salt, if needed, and stir in lemon juice.
Stir in 1 teaspoon of Earth balance. (If you want a fat free soup, you can skip this step)
Serve in 4 small bowls or mugs and top with fresh thyme and freshly ground black pepper.


Per serving (with Earth Balance): 161.3 calories, 0.9 g fat, 0.3 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 2.0 g protein, 38.2 g carbohydrates, 6.4 g dietary fiber and 861 mg sodium. 

Per serving (without Earth Balance): 153 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 2.0 g protein, 38.2 g carbohydrates, 6.4 g dietary fiber and 851 mg sodium.

The Mother Of All Smoothies! Healthy And Delicious, High In Fiber And Omega 3. Also, How To Freeze Seasonal Fruit!

Fruits, veggies plus healthy additions make this the Mother of All Smoothies.
Contains almost half the daily requirement of dietary fiber and over 3 grams of ALA omega 3 fatty acid!

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Chemistry in the Kitchen
My morning smoothies are like a chemistry experiment. Every day, for the last week, I've been drinking and perfecting this recipe. It has a number of the healthful ingredients I've used in previously posted smoothie recipes.
I always start with some dark green veggies like kale, spinach or chard. Lately I've been adding other vegetables like cucumbers or celery. 
To make the smoothes sweet and delicious, I add a small banana and some big juicy figs that I still have in the freezer from my neighbor's last years crop. ( I also drop in a packet of stevia for added sweetness). To get lots of vitamin C and some "detoxing" pectin, I throw in an orange from my tree, skin and all! Sometimes, instead, I use an apple or pear, depending on availability.
And, of course, I always keep a huge bag of frozen blueberries in the freezer so I add a cup of them for their high antioxidant properties. Sometimes I throw in the tops of strawberries that I keep in the freezer too.
To make this the "Mother of all Smoothies", I add some healthy additions:
* Brazil nuts for their enormous selenium content. Selenium is a mineral with high antioxidant properties.
* Unfiltered Flaxseed oil for its ALA omega 3 fatty acid content.
* Vitamineral Green - my absolute favorite green "superfood"  by Healthforce Nutritionals.
* Matcha powdered green tea, known for its many health benefits.

This brand of UNFILTERED FLAX OIL provides 6.2 g ALA omega 3, plus 10 - 14 mg SDG lignans.
Lignans contain phytoestrogen substances which are associated with lowered breast cancer risk, heart health,  improved immune function and many other health benefits.
I noticed this product is manufactured in the same plant as wheat products so I don't think it is guaranteed gluten free.

VITAMINERAL GREEN contains a large collection of green foods like wheat grass, broccoli and kale juice, nettle leaf and many others.
From the waters are spirulina and chlorella.
 From the oceans are sea vegetables like kelp, dulse, laver, bladderwrack and more.
Each heaping tablespoon contains necessary digestive enzymes and probiotics.
If you experience beneficial cleansing reactions, start out with a lesser amount.
Latest formulation is vegan and gluten free.

Green tea is my favorite beverage. I enjoy hot Sencha tea and I use a powdered "Matcha" in smoothies.
MATCHA POWDERED GREEN TEA contains the potent cancer fighting catechin antioxidant, EGCg.
It has an ORAC rating of 1300 units/g (higher than blueberries and chocolate).
Its high chlorophyll content removes metals and chemical toxins from the body.
It contains L-theanine, a mood enhancing amino acid.

STEVIA is a plant native to South America.
This natural sweetener has been used by the Indigo people for hundreds of years.
It's been used as a sweetener in Japan and Brazil for 3 decades.
It was only approved by the FDA as a food additive in 2008.
It's a good, natural sweetener for diabetics and others wanting to avoid sugar.

Freezing and Preserving Seasonal Fruits
In the summer, you may end up with lots of beautiful fresh fruit. You may have fruit trees or a generous neighbor with fruit trees. Or, you may find wonderful deals at your local farmers market. In any event, you will have to figure out what to do with it all! 
You may want to use some to make Low sugar jam but if you want to enjoy raw smoothies throughout the year, your best bet is to freeze it.
Just throwing fruit in a freezer bag doesn't work very well. In a matter of weeks you'll have freezer burn and the fruit may turn a different, unappealing color. To successfully freeze fruit you'll need a heavy plastic bag and a vacuum sealing machine. 
There are a number of products available. Since we bought ours a while back, I don't really know which is currently the best on the market. I can only say it was one of the best purchases we ever made. 
The trick to successfully freezing fruit is this:
1. Clean fruit and dry it.
2. Halve or quarter figs or slice peaches or apricots but make the slices big enough so that they can stand up on a cookie sheet.
3. Place fruit skin side down on a small cookie sheet that fits in your freezer.
4. Freeze the fruit until it is hard.
5. Place frozen fruit in the plastic bag that comes with the vacuum sealing machine keeping the fruit pieces in a single layer.
6. Seal the bag with the machine making sure the fruit remains in a single layer. 
7. Place in freezer.

A FoodSaver vacuum sealing machine that we bought years ago.

You can buy individual freezer bags or a continuous roll that allows you to adjust the size.

We froze these figs 9 months ago and they were still fresh and delicious in this morning's smoothie!
Notice how we kept figs in a single layer. That makes it easier to break off the frozen pieces as needed.

The Mother of all Smoothies
Vegan or Raw Vegan options
[makes 4 cups or 2 breakfast servings]
1 1/2 cups cold organic vanilla soy milk*
2 Brazil nuts
1 cup organic kale, stems removed, chopped
1 cup organic celery, chopped (or organic cucumber with skin)
1 small banana
2 medium figs, cut in half
1 small organic orange, seeds removed, with skin
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 tablespoon unfiltered, organic, high lignan flaxseed oil
1 heaping tablespoon Vitamineral Green **
1 teaspoon Japanese powdered Matcha green tea
1 packet stevia natural sweetener


* For a completely raw smoothie, replace soymilk with 1 1/2 cups cold water, 12 soaked, raw almonds and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.
** Cut down the amount to start with to avoid a possible cleansing reaction.


Add all ingredients to a Vitamix or high speed blender.
Process until smooth and serve immediately.


Per serving (with soy milk): 384 calories, 12.4 g fat, 2.3 g saturated fat, 3.2 g ALA omega 3 and 2.2 g omega 6 fatty acid, 0 mg cholesterol, 11.2 g protein, 59.5 g carbohydrates and 10.9 g dietary fiber.


Per serving (with raw almonds, water and vanilla): 345 calories, 12.9 g fat, 1.8 g saturated fat, 3.2 g ALA omega 3 and 3.9 g omega 6 fatty acid, 0 mg cholesterol, 8.2 g protein, 54.3 g carbohydrates and 11.6 g dietary fiber.

Raw Apple, Pear and Fig "Green" Smoothie - A High Fiber Breakfast or Snack

Fiber - Why it's Important

I recently had a discussion with a woman who was complaining of severe and chronic constipation. She asked me what to do. When discussing her diet, she admitted that bread, pasta and desserts, all made with processed white flour, are her weakness. Now I know that this isn’t an appetizing topic, especially when you probably came here around mealtime looking for a delicious recipe, but the fact is most Americans eat far less than the recommended 25 to 35 grams of fiber per day. Fiber is extremely important in preventing constipation. It’s no wonder that this is an extremely common condition.

Eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds can give you the fiber you need. Eating a diet high in meat and processed grains will leave you falling way short. Meat has zero fiber since fiber only comes from plants. A slice of white bread only has 1 gram because processing the grain removes the fiber-rich bran. A raw pear, on the other hand, provides 5 grams of fiber. Just one serving of this delicious smoothie made from fiber rich pears, apples, figs and chard, delivers a whopping 11 grams!

Fiber also has been shown to reduce cholesterol and help prevent hardening of the arteries and cardiovascular disease. It also helps keep blood sugar levels under control which is very important for people with diabetes and hypoglycemia. Fiber can also help prevent colon cancer because it quickens the removal of toxins from the large intestine.

Are YOU getting enough fiber? If not, consider adding more to your diet but remember to add it gradually to prevent any GI distress and remember to drink lots of water.

Start Your Morning with a Fiber Rich Smoothie

Doug and I start almost every morning with a smoothie made from raw fruits and vegetables.Today's recipe is a good one to try right now since apples, pears and figs are at their peak flavor and availability. If you are lucky like we are, you may have some generous neighbors offering you these freshly picked ingredients from their trees. Besides the fiber rich fruit, I always like to add some greens to my morning smoothie. Chard is a super star. Besides being high in fiber, it is an excellent source of vitamin A, C, E, K, iron, magnesium, potassium and manganese and a very good source of vitamin B2 (riboflavin), B6, calcium, phosphorus and copper.

I've added both flaxseed oil and hemp milk to this recipe to give you significant amounts of essential fatty acids. One serving provides nearly 3.0 grams of omega 3 and 2.6 grams of omega 6. Feel free to replace the hemp milk with soymilk, rice milk or almond milk. For a totally “raw” smoothie, replace it with your favorite raw nut milk. For a “live” experience, use probiotic-rich goat Kiefer or yogurt.

Apple, Pear and Fig Smoothie with Chard [serves 2]

2 small apples with skin, cored and quartered

2 small pears with skin, cored and quartered

2 medium figs, cut in half

1 cup Living Harvest vanilla hemp milk

2 teaspoons flaxseed oil

2 chard leaves, stems removed

1 cup cold filtered water

A few ice cubes (optional)

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.

Per serving: 303.3 calories, 7.6 g fat, 0.6 g saturated fat, 0 g cholesterol, 3.0 g protein, 66 g carbohydrates, 11 g fiber, 2.9 g omega 3 and 2.6 g omega 6 fatty acids.

Fresh Figs with Raw Almond Butter and Coconut

Dried Figs Can't Compare

Growing up in an Italian American home, I was often presented with dried figs for dessert. I couldn't imagine why anyone would eat these things. They were difficult to chew and the hard seeds made them unpalatable. I swore that I would never make my children suffer through a dessert like this.

As a young adult, I went to visit my friend Isabella who lives in Rome. After dinner, she served a bowl of beautiful, fresh figs. It took some convincing, but I tried one and immediately fell in love. I could hardly believe that this was the same fruit that I so disliked in its dehydrated form. It instantly became by favorite fruit but unfortunately I realized that they were not that easy to find.

Since figs are extremely perishable, the ones in the store are pretty expensive and don't always look fresh. To avoid this problem, I began planting my own fig trees where possible. I encourage you, if you live in a warm climate, to plant a fig tree. I've had luck growing them in Texas and California. Figs grow easily and come in many varieties. My favorite is the Kadota fig which has a green skin and usually produces late in the summer and early fall. Since my husband and I just moved to a new home, one of the first things we did was plant a "Janice" fig, which is a seedless Kadota. I anxiously await the first harvest. Calimyrna figs are also light skinned. Dark skinned figs include black mission and brown turkey figs.

Figs and Almonds, a Wonderful Pair

Today's simple dessert combines the distinct flavors and health benefits of fresh figs and raw almonds. Figs are a good source of dietary fiber. Many people fail to meet the minimum daily requirement of 25+ grams of fiber, vital in the prevention of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, diverticular disease and other health issues. I've often thought that if a person could do one thing to improve their health, they should eat lots of fiber from fresh foods and whole grains (not just high fiber cereals). Figs are also a good source of potassium and manganese. Potassium helps regulate water and acid-base balance and is important in regulating blood pressure. Manganese is important in the metabolism of carbohydrates and amino acids. It supports bone health, blood sugar balance and energy production. Almonds are also a very good source of manganese as well as vitamin E. Vitamin E is an important antioxidant and difficult to get from a raw food vegan diet. It's also a good source of protein and magnesium. Magnesium is key for the proper functioning of muscles and nerves. It also supports energy production.

If you have a fig tree or are lucky enough to have a neighbor with one, you can make a tray of these and serve them at a party. They make wonderful "finger food".

***

Fresh Figs with Raw Almond Butter and Coconut [serves 4]

4 large fresh figs, split in half vertically

4 teaspoons raw almond butter

4 teaspoons raw, unsweetened, shredded coconut

Spread almond butter on top of each fig half. Sprinkle shredded coconut over the almond butter. Arrange on a plate and serve.

Per serving: 86.6 calories, 3.6 g fat, .8 g saturated fat, .4 g cholesterol, .7 g protein, 13.3 g carbohydrates and 2.5 g of fiber.