Tasty gingerbread has never been so healthy! This
recipe is low in fat and high on nutrition, made with
whole wheat flour and wheat germ, and topped with a
sweet maple-flax frosting. Wheat germ is a very good
source of B vitamins and minerals, including zinc,
which is often low in the vegetarian diet. The ground
flax provides plenty of Omega-3 essential fatty acids
and acts as a nifty thickening agent for the frosting.
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup raw wheat germ
5 teaspoons baking powder
4 teaspoons ginger
4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 over-ripe medium banana (half a cup mashed)
1/4 cup maple syrup or other natural liquid sweetener
1 1/4 cups water
FROSTING INGREDIENTS:
6 tablespoons ground flax seeds (flax meal)
6 tablespoons maple syrup
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. In a medium-large
mixing bowl, mix up all the dry ingredients.
Separately, in a blender, combine the water, 1/4 cup
of maple syrup (or other natural liquid sweetener),
and over-ripe banana (far too ripe to peel and eat),
and liquify. Add the liquid mixture to the dry mix
and mix well, until it is completely uniform. In
a lightly greased or nonstick 8 x 8-inch or 9 x 9-inch
baking pan, spread the mixture. Bake for 12-14
minutes.
To make the frosting, simply combine the 6 tablespoons
of ground flax seeds (flax meal) with 6 tablespoons of
maple syrup in a small bowl and mix well with a spoon.
When the gingerbread is done baking, spread the
frosting evenly and allow the finished product to cool.
Cut evenly into 16 2-inch squares. (16 servings. Each
has 100 calories, 2.5g protein, 1g fat, 20g carbs.)
Blueberry Smoothie
5 oz. Frozen Organic Blueberries
2 Bananas
2 cups of Ice
1 Cup of filtered water
Super Healthy Bean Dip
submitted by Katherine Lawrence of www.plantbasedhealth.com
This bean dip is packed with fiber, calcium, protein, iron and vitamins A and C. The flavor of the spinach is masked by the salsa and cumin, so it a great way to add nutrition to a delicious snack.
1 1/2 c. cooked Black Beans
1 c. Spinach
3/4 c. Salsa
1 t. Cumin
Pinch of Salt
Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Serve with vegetable pieces or homemade baked tortilla strips.
Red, White, and Blue Fruit Terrine.
Here's a light, summery dessert that will dress up any picnic table and not blow your diet. I used a white grape/peach 100% juice blend and added agar to create a healthy, updated "Jell-O" mold. The red, white, and blue layers are also 100% fruit--and 100% adaptable. Use your favorite combination of fruits, though some, such as kiwi, pineapple, fresh figs, papaya, mango, and peaches, contain enzymes which break down the gelling ability of agar (although cooking the fruit seems to solve this problem).
2 cups white grape-peach juice (or juice of choice)
1 1/2 tsp. agar powder
2 tbsp. agave nectar (optional--use only if your fruit is not very sweet))
10 ounces strawberries
2 bananas
1 1/2 cups blueberries
Put one cup of the juice in a saucepan, and sprinkle the agar over it and allow it to soften for a few minutes. Then, heat on medium-high, stirring, until the agar is completely dissolved and the juice begins to boil. Stir in the remaining juice and the agave (optional) and remove from heat.
Allow the agar mixture to cool slightly while you prepare the fruit. Be sure to stir the juice every minute or so.
Remove the stems from the strawberries and slice them lengthwise. Place them on the bottom of a loaf pan, prettiest sides down. Slice the bananas and place them on top of the strawberries. Put the blueberries in an even layer on top of the bananas.
Gently pour the juice mixture evenly over the berries. It will start to jell immediately, so work from side to side to make sure it's distributed evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely chilled and jelled. Invert over a platter to serve (you may need to lower the pan into a large bowl of hot water to loosen the edges and run a knife along the inside of the mold.)
Strawberries and blueberries are among the most antioxidant-rich foods; blueberries especially have been proven to do everything from improving night vision to fighting cancer to lowering cholesterol! Each week, Cate at Sweetnicks hosts a round-up of antioxidant-rich recipes from blogs around the world, and this is my contribution for the week. Check out the other entries when she posts the round-up later today.
Inspiration for this delicious dessert came from Berry and Banana Terrine at Simply Recipes.
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Curried Tofu with Peanuts
* 3/4 cup chopped peanuts, whole or chopped
* 1 pound tofu, drained and cubed
* 3 tablespoons oil
* 1 onion, chopped
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 teaspoon curry powder
* 1 cup peas (fresh, frozen, or canned)
* 1 carrot, diced
Saute the onions and garlic in oiled frying pan. Add remaining ingredients and cook over medium heat for 10-20 minutes. Add a little water if needed.
Variations: Use garlic powder or ginger instead of garlic. Use different nuts or vegetables.
