Whole Wheat Vegan Pancakes Fruit - A Nice Alternative to Syrup

Light and healthy whole wheat pancakes.

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Pancakes
Pancakes always seem like a special meal to me. Maybe because they are generally served on weekends when we have a bit more time. I used to love making little silver dollar-sized ones when the kids were little. And I'll admit that I occasionally still make the little guys for myself. 

Pancakes themselves can make a light and healthy meal. But when weighed down with butter on every layer and drowned in sugary syrup, not so much. A great alternative to that is to smother the pancakes in fresh berries and fruit. One of my favorite combinations is raspberries and chopped mangos. Bananas and strawberries or peaches and blueberries also make great toppings - the combinations are endless!  

A touch of powdered sugar goes a long way and makes a nice presentation. Place one half teaspoon of powdered sugar in a fine mesh strainer and shake over each serving of pancakes. One half teaspoon of powdered sugar only adds 5 calories.

Low sugar jam is another good alternative to butter and syrup. Low Sugar Strawberry Jam is delicious on pancakes or French toast. My eBook has an entire chapter dedicated to making healthy jam. 

But if you do use butter (or a vegan buttery spread) and syrup, use it sparingly. A little will give you the flavor you need. This stack of pancakes has only a single tablespoon of maple syrup over the top. 

Pancakes also make a great dinner when served with vegan sausage!

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Whole Wheat Pancakes
Vegan
[makes 4 servings]

1 cup King Arthur white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon aluminum free baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil plus some for griddle
1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave nectar

Place the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a 1-quart pyrex pourable glass container. Stir to combine.

Mix the milk, oil, and maple syrup (or agave) in a 1-pint container.

Heat a large, lightly oiled griddle on medium heat.

Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Pour pancakes onto the griddle using about 1/4 cup for each pancake.

Cook until you see bubbles on top, about 3 minutes or so. Flip over.

Cook another few minutes until done and brown on both sides.

Serve immediately. Top with fruit, low-sugar jam, or syrup.

Per serving (pancakes only): 153 calories, 5 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 4 g protein, 21 g carbohydrates, 3 g dietary fiber, and 597 mg sodium.

A Simple Raw Vegan Asian Pear And Raspberry Crisp With Walnut Hempseed Crumble

This no-cook crisp features pears and fresh raspberries

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Crisps - The Perfect Dessert!
I love fruit crisps. When they are baked, they fill the house with yummy aromas. When they are raw, they truly capture the flavor of the fresh fruit. As the holidays approach, consider serving a fresh crisp! Last fall I posted a raw Pear and Apple Crisp with Raisins. Today's crisp uses Asian pears, fresh raspberries and an omega-3 rich crumble made from English walnuts and hempseeds. I think you're going to love it! It's so fresh and healthy, I just ate the leftovers for breakfast! 
Unlike my other crisp recipes, this one is easier. I made a quick crumble to sprinkle under and over the fruit and that's it, we're done! I wanted to limit the handling of the fruit as the raspberries are so delicate.


Asian Pears
There were some beautiful Asian pears in the grocery store this weekend. If you haven't had one of these wonderful fruits yet, you should try them. Unlike traditional pears, they are firm when ripe (more like an apple),  crisp and far less perishable. 

A Niitaka Asian pear

Adding Hemp to the Crumble Topping
I usually make crumble topping with English walnuts, almonds or other raw nuts. Today's recipe uses a combination of walnuts and one of my favorite "power seeds", raw hemp seeds. Hemp seeds are tender with a nutty flavor and unlike chia or flaxseeds, they don't need soaking. I sprinkle them on fruit or green salads, on oatmeal and cream of wheat and occasionally I just eat them out of the package with a spoon! They are a wonderful source of ALA omega-3 fatty acids and they contain a surprising amount of high quality "complete" protein. Three tablespoons of hemp seeds has as much protein as 2 medium eggs! So the next time someone asks you, "where do you get your protein", tell them you eat hemp seeds! One of my favorite brands is Nutiva organic shelled hempseeds.

3 tablespoons of shelled raw hemp seeds have:
174 calories
11 grams protein
3 grams omega-3 and 7.5 g omega-6 fatty acids

Spread fruit out in a pan over 1/2 cup of crumble topping

Sprinkle remaining crumble on top

Simple Asian Pear and Raspberry Crisp
Raw Vegan, Gluten Free
[serves 10]


For the topping
3/4 cup raw English walnuts
3 Medjool dates
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raw, shelled hemp seeds
3 tablespoons shredded, unsweetened coconut
For the filling
6 cups peeled Asian pears, thinly sliced and cut into smaller pieces
2 teaspoons Fruit-Fresh produce protector (or 1 tablespoon lemon juice)
1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries


To make the crumble topping, place walnuts, dates, cinnamon and salt in a food processor with an S blade and process until the mixture begins to stick together. 
Add hemp seeds and coconut and briefly process to incorporate. Set aside.
Prepare pears and place them in a large bowl and toss with Fruit-Fresh product protector or lemon juice to prevent discoloration. Gently fold in raspberries.
Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the prepared crumble topping on the bottom of a 9 inch round  pie pan or an 8"x8" square pan. Spread all the fruit over the crumble making sure the raspberries are evenly distributed.
Sprinkle the remaining crumble topping over the fruit.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate or serve immediately. Raspberries are very perishable so eat within 1 or 2 days. 


Per serving: 180.8 calories, 10.9 g fat, 1.7 g saturated fat, 1.6 g omega-3 and 5.4 g omega-6 fatty acids, 0 mg cholesterol, 4.8 g protein, 18.7 g carbohydrates, 5.9 g dietary fiber and 59 mg sodium.

How To Make Organic Low Sugar Raspberry Jam

Make jam that tastes like fruit, not sugar!

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Raspberries are in Season

Whole Foods had a big sale on raspberries last Saturday. My friend Mitzie loves raspberries and I knew that I would be seeing her the next day so I bought her 1/2 a flat. She was excited! The following day, about 45 minutes into the drive to her house, I noticed a cherry stand which made me think of fruit which made me remember that I left all her raspberries back at the house! I was so upset that she would be disappointed but it would have taken an hour and a half to back track. I begged her forgiveness and hoped that she would find beautiful raspberries nearby.
When I got home, I realized that I had nearly an entire flat of these beautiful berries - the ones we bought for her and the ones we bought for ourselves! After 3 days of eating as many as we possibly could eat, I decided to make a few jars of low sugar, raspberry jam! 
I've written a number of times about Pomona's Universal Pectin. This wonderful product has allowed me to make healthy jam over the years. Other pectins call for more sugar than fruit! 

With 4 cups of mashed fruit (about 2 lbs of fresh raspberries), you can use less than a cup of sugar when you use Pomona 

What You'll Need
* 4 one cup jars with 2 piece caps. Although the bands can be reused, always use new lids.
* A boiling water canner - since I only was making 4 small jars, I just used a deep pot with a rack inside. The pot should be deep enough so that the jars are submerged at least 1 to 2 inches under boiling water.
* A small masher to mash the fruit.
* Measuring cups and spoons.
* A wooden spoon.
* A saucepan to cook the jam.
* A jar lifter (my favorite tool to move hot jars around without burning your hands).
* A plastic funnel to help you fill the jars.
* A small ladle to transfer the jam into the jars.


Directions to make 4 cups of organic, low sugar, raspberry jam - Instructions from Pomona
4 cups mashed raspberries (I started with about 2 pounds of berries)
3/4 cups organic cane sugar
2 teaspoons pectin powder
2 teaspoons calcium water
A boiling water canner full of boiling water (make sure you have it boiling by the time you are filling the jars with hot jam!)


1. Make calcium water by putting 1/2 teaspoon of the white calcium powder into a small clear jar with a lid and adding 1/2 cup of water. Shake well before using and store in the refrigerator between uses. 

This makes much more calcium water than you will be using. It will last several months in the refrigerator. Discard if the white powder discolors or gets moldy.
This recipe only calls for 2 teaspoons of calcium water.

2. Wash and rinse jars (run them through the dishwasher if you have one to get them sterilized).
Pomona says you should let them stand in hot water but I generally take them out of the dishwasher and turn them upside down on a clean towel until I need them.
Bring the lids and rings to a boil in a small saucepan: turn down the heat and let them stand in hot water.


3. Mash the raspberries until you get 4 cups of mashed fruit. 

Raspberries are fragile and mash very easily.

4 cups of mashed raspberries

4. Place the mashed raspberries into a pan and add 2 teaspoons of calcium water. Stir well.

Stir calcium water into the mashed raspberries.

5. Measure sugar into a separate bowl. 
Add 2 teaspoons of the tan pectin powder to the sugar and mix them thoroughly.

Thoroughly mix the pectin into the sugar.

6. Bring fruit to a boil.
Once boiling, add the pectin-sugar to the boiling raspberries.
Stir vigorously for 1 - 2 minutes, until the pectin-sugar mixture dissolves. 
Return to a boil and remove from heat.

It only took me a minute to dissolve the small amount of pectin-sugar mixture into the boiling raspberries.

7. Fill jars to 1/4" to the top. 
Wipe rims clean and screw on 2 piece lids.

You can use a plastic funnel to help you ladle the hot jam into the jars or you can just carefully spoon it in. 

8. Using a jar lifter, place filled jars into boiling water canner. Make sure they are covered with at least 1 to 2 inches of boiling water. 
Cover the pot and boil 10 minutes (add 1 minute more for every 1,000 feet above sea level). 

This isn't a boiling water canner. Since I was only making 4 one cup jars, I just used a deep pot with a circular rack on the bottom.

9. Carefully lift the hot jars from the boiling water bath with a jar lifter.
Let jars cool on a rack. When they cool, they will make a big popping sound! That means they are sealed but check the seals to make sure. They should be sucked down.

Carefully remove jars from boiling water.

Cool on a rack. They will POP when they seal. I love that sound!

10. Now for the best part. Eat the jam on toast, muffins and bagels. It also makes a great topping for pancakes and waffles. For a treat, use it as a topping for ice cream!

Eat on toast

What's better than chocolate ice cream and raspberry jam?

You can use this same recipe for Strawberry, Kiwi, Currant, Gooseberry, Sour Blackberry, Sour Cherry, Sour Plum and Pineapple!
Other fruits may require the addition of lemon or lime juice and varying amounts of calcium water and pectin. You'll find these instructions inside each box of Pomona Universal Pectin.
Enjoy!

Manila Mangos Are Here! These Sweet And Delicious Fruits Are Great In Raw Salsa And Chia Pudding- Two Easy Vegan Recipes!

Manila mangos blend beautifully with avocados

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T'is the Season!
Manila mangos are here! They are smaller, sweeter and less stringy than other popular mangos. They also have a very thin skin so the best way of peeling this type of mango is with a potato peeler. Their pit is very thin so you get lots of fruit per mango. They are a great source of dietary fiber as well as vitamins A and C.

These little guys are a just a bit over half a pound each.

Unlike some other mangos, their pit is very thin.

Our Favorite Way to Eat Mangos
When these mangos are available, Doug and I kid about falling below the "minimum mango" level. That means we have less than 4 in the house and it's time to buy more! Almost every day we enjoy chia pudding with diced mango and sometimes we add some berries. This healthy dessert is under 200 calories with over 3 grams of omega 3 per serving! 
For a great appetizer, we mix a mango with an avocado and make a quick salsa. Here are two yummy, healthy and easy recipes to enjoy!

Manila mango salsa with organic blue corn chips.

Raw Vegan Manila Mango Salsa 
[Serves 4]
1 Manila mango, peeled and diced
1 California avocado, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons red onion, diced
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped (remove seeds if you want less heat)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice


Combine all ingredients and mix gently. Serve with organic chips or slices of jicama, bell pepper and cucumber.


Per serving (salsa only): 86.2 calories, 5.3 g fat, 0.8 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 1 g protein, 11.5 g   carbohydrates and 3 g dietary fiber.

This delicious and healthy dessert only has 164 calories but packs more than 3 grams of omega 3 fatty acid and 7.5 grams of dietary fiber!

Vegan Vanilla Chia Pudding with Manila Mango and Raspberries
[serves 4]
2 cups vanilla Living Harvest hemp milk
5 tablespoons chia seeds
1 Manila mango, peeled and diced
1 cup fresh organic raspberries


Early in the day, or the night before, combine chia seeds with vanilla hemp milk and stir vigorously with a fork for a minute or so. Let sit for 15 minutes and stir again until the chia seeds are well blended and separated. Let the mixture sit out for an hour, stir one more time and refrigerate at least 8 hours or until thickened and firm.
When thickened, stir the mango into the pudding and place in serving bowls. Top with raspberries and serve.


Per serving: 164 calories, 7.1 g fat, 0.6 g saturated fat, 3.3 g omega 3 and 2.7 g omega 6 fatty acid, 0 mg cholesterol, 3.5 g protein, 22.8 g carbohydrates and 7.5 g dietary fiber. 

Low Sugar Vegan Mixed Berry Crisp With Strawberries, Blueberries And Raspberries - How Berries May Prevent And Reverse Age-Related Memory Loss

5 cups of mixed berries provides brain healthy polyphenols.

Berries act as "Housekeepers" for the Brain

In a recent study presented by Shibu Poulose of the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, it was reported that berries, and possibly walnuts, activate the brain's natural "housekeeper" mechanism that removes toxic proteins linked to memory loss and mental decline due to aging. Cells in the brain called microglia act as housekeepers. They remove and recycle debris that could end up interfering with brain function.

"But in aging, microglia fail to do their work, and debris builds up", Poulose says. "In addition, the microglia become over-activated and actually begin to damage healthy cells in the brain". He goes on to explain, "our research suggests that the polyphenolics in berries have a rescuing effect. They seem to restore the normal housekeeping function. These findings are the first to show these effects of berries".

So eating lots our favorite berries may help our aging brains stay healthy and young!

How do Berries do this?

Poulose reports, "the good news is that natural compounds called polyphenolics found in fruits, vegetables and nuts have an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect that may protect against age-associated decline". He and James Joseph, who died June 1, 2010, did some ground-breaking research on how antioxidants in fruits and nuts prevent cognitive decline due to aging.

In a previous study, they showed that feeding laboratory rats a diet containing 2% extract of strawberries, blueberries and blackberries resulted in a reversal of age-related declines in brain function.

What other Foods are Rich in Polyphenolics?

Besides berries and walnuts, Poulose encourages people to eat other fruits and vegetables that contain polyphenols emphasizing the importance of consuming the "whole fruit" that contains hundreds of plant-chemicals.

Polyphenols are found in many rich colored foods.

Besides berries, other fruits include dark grapes, cherries, apples, dark plums and citrus.

Most vegetables provide polyphenols, especially ones that are brightly colored - red, orange, blue, yellow, purple and green.

Whole grains, beans (especially soybeans) and nuts are good sources.

Coffee, tea (especially green tea), red wine and chocolate also contain good amounts of this important plant chemical.

Here's a healthful and delicious recipe that contains many of these high polyphenol foods and takes advantage of all those fresh berries that are in season! Besides polyphenols, each serving provides nearly 5 grams of fiber and over 700 mg of omega 3 fatty acid.

Feel free to change the relative amounts of the berries or to substitute different kinds. Just make sure you end up with a total of 5 cups of berries.

***

Vegan Mixed Berry Crisp

[serves 8]

2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced

1 cup fresh raspberries

2 cups fresh blueberries

1/2 cup white whole wheat flour (or regular whole wheat)

1 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup English walnuts, chopped

3 tablespoons organic cane sugar

4 packets Stevia extract (optional, for added sweetness)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup Earth balance (vegan buttery spread)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine berries in a 9X13 inch pan. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, oats, walnuts, cane sugar, stevia extract and cinnamon. Cut in buttery spread until the mixture is crumbly.

Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the berries.

Bake for 40 minutes or until fruit is bubbly and the topping is golden brown.

Per serving: 226.4 calories, 12.1 g fat, 2.8 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 3.6 g protein, 26.9 g carbohydrates, 4.8 g fiber and 734 mg ALA omega 3 fatty acid.

Jennifer Cornbleet's Raw Vegan Jumble Berry Upside-Down Cake A Big Hit At Sonoma County Raw Health Expo

Jennifer's latest book on raw desserts.

Jennifer Cornbleet at Sonoma Country's Raw Health Expo

Once again, Jennifer Cornbleet whips up a dish in minutes in front of an adoring crowd at the recent Raw Health Expo in Sebastopol. Jennifer has always been one of my favorite raw chefs and has been the inspiration for many of my healthful raw recipes. What sets her apart is her ability to make delicious dishes in minutes, not hours, and without the use of fancy or expensive equipment.

At this raw food demonstration, she made a beautiful upside-down cake with a mixture of seasonal fresh blueberries, raspberries and strawberries. She did this at the very end of the discussion of her latest book, "Raw For Dessert", in which this recipe can be found. As the time keeper started flashing cards saying, "15 minutes left", then "10 minutes left", I kept wondering when she was going to make this cake? Finally, with only 5 minutes to go she began whipping up the raw crust and scooping berries into a pan. Minutes later, after pressing two layers of berries and 2 layers of crust into a parchment lined cake pan, she quickly ran a knife around the edges, turned the pan upside down and voilà, a beautiful dessert! I will definitely be serving this at my next dinner party!

But How Healthful is this Cake?

Although raw desserts tend to be high in fat and calories, the ingredients of dates, nuts and coconut are natural, unprocessed and free of cholesterol. Jennifer points out that in raw recipes these ingredients take the place of processed sugar, high cholesterol butter and white flour found in traditional cake recipes. I did an analysis of the nutritional content of her recipe and found the recipe to be under 250 calories per slice (pretty good for a rich cake). Though high in fat (16.2 g of fat, 6.9 g of which is saturated), the fats come from omega 3 rich walnuts and tropical oils. In fact each slice has a whopping 1.3 grams of omega 3 essential fatty acid. In addition, each slice provides over 5 grams of fiber, far greater than what you would find in a traditionally made cake. I wouldn't call this cake a "health food" that you should consume everyday, but for a special dessert, this fresh and delicious dessert is a keeper.

With Jennifer's permission, I will share this wonderful recipe with you. Here it is!

***

Jennifer Cornbleet's Jumble Berry Upside-Down Cake

From her book, "Raw For Dessert"

[One 6 inch cake makes 8 servings]

The Berries

1 cup fresh blueberries

3/4 cup fresh raspberries

3/4 cup sliced fresh strawberries

1 tablespoon light agave syrup (optional)

The Shortbread Crust

1 cup unsweetened shredded dry coconut

1 cup raw English walnuts (unsoaked)

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 pitted Medjool dates

Place the berries and agave syrup in a mixing bowl, toss to combine and let sit for 5 minutes. She left out the agave syrup during the demonstration and I don't think it's necessary either. But the agave will make it sweeter and juicier.

To make the shortbread crust, place the coconut, walnuts and salt in a food processor fitted with the S blade. Process until finely ground. Add the dates and process until the mixture begins to stick together. Don't over-process. Set crust aside.

Line a 6 inch cake pan with parchment paper. Place half of the berries on the paper and top with half of the crust, distributing it evenly. Press down with your hand to compact. Repeat with the remaining berries, and then cover with the remaining crust. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 12 hours before serving.

To serve, run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cake. Place a serving plate upside down on the cake pan. Invert, then lift the pan off. Remove the parchment.

Covered with plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator, Jumble Berry Upside-Down Cake will keep for 2 days.

Per serving (with agave syrup): 247.4 calories, 16.2 g fat, 6.9 g saturated fat from tropical oils, 0 mg cholesterol, 3.2 g protein, 25.4 g carbohydrates and 5.4 g of fiber.

Per serving (without agave syrup): Reduced to 239.9 calories, 23.4 g carbohydrates and the rest of the nutrient values are the same as above.

Raw Fruit and Greens With Papaya Seed Dressing. The Health Benefits Of Papaya.

Papaya seeds look and taste like black pepper.

Papaya seed salad dressing.

One of our Favorite Fruits

My husband and I absolutely love papaya. Whenever we travel to a warm place like Hawaii or Mexico, the first thing we look for are papayas. Their sweet, buttery taste is unique and although we would love to restrict our shopping to local produce, this is a case where it's worth making an exception. Hawaii papayas are pear shaped, about 7 inches long, have orange flesh and weigh about a pound. Mexican papayas can be much larger and can weigh up to ten pounds or more. Because of the size, the flavor of the Mexican papaya is a bit less intense than the papayas from Hawaii but I think both of them are wonderful!

Ten Interesting Things to Know About Papaya

1. Papaya contains the digestive enzymes, papain and chymopapain that aid in the digestion of protein.

2. Because of its high antioxidant content (vitamin C, E and beta-carotene) and its enzymes, papaya helps reduce inflammation, lower the risk of heart disease and and may help reduce symptoms of arthritis.

3. Papaya seeds are edible and look and taste like black peppercorns.

4. Rich in lycopene, papaya consumption may help lower the risk of prostate cancer.

5. Papayas is associated with latex-fruit allergy syndrome so if you have an allergy to latex, you may be allergic to papaya. (Ditto for avocado and banana).

6. Ripe papaya has been used as a topical remedy against ringworm.

7. Unripe papaya can cause uterine contractions and should not be eaten in early pregnancy. Green papaya has been used as a folk remedy to prevent pregnancy.

8. Papaya seeds are said to reduce male fertility and are used as a folk remedy as birth control (don't count on it!).

9. Some papayas can grow as long as 20 inches!

10. Christoper Columbus called papaya "the fruit of the angels".

The Black Peppery Seeds

Pop one in your mouth and notice the peppery taste of the seeds. When blended in a VitaMix, the seeds look like specks of black pepper! Adding the papaya and strawberries, the dressing has the look and consistency of a thousand islands dressing. If you want larger "chunks" of black pepper, add the seeds at the end with the olive oil.

***

Fruit and Greens with Papaya Seed Dressing

[serves 4]

For the salad dressing:

1/4 cup raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon papaya seeds (or to taste)

1 tablespoon water

1/2 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)

1 clove garlic, chopped

6 to 8 drops stevia (or 1 tablespoon agave or honey)

1/2 cup papaya, cubed

1/2 cup strawberries, sliced

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

For the salad:

1 head butter lettuce, cleaned and torn

4 large strawberries, sliced

1 avocado, sliced

1 cup papaya, sliced

16 raspberries

Clean and prepare all salad ingredients and place them in a salad bowl and set aside.

Place all salad dressing ingredients except the oil, in a high speed blender. Blend until smooth. Add olive oil and blend briefly until combined. This makes one cup of dressing. Toss desired amount into salad and serve.

Per serving of salad: 85.8 calories, 5.3 g fat, 0.8 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 1.6 g protein, 9.8 g carbohydrates and 4.9 g of fiber.

Per tablespoon of dressing: 34.1 calories, 3.4 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0.1 g protein, 0.8 g carbohydrates and 0.2 g of fiber.