Two thoughts for today + Chocolate Mousse

Yep....gonna say it yet again.  Sugar is poison.  It's toxic.  It should be avoided.  I'm also gonna repeat my saying that high cholesterol is not a disease - it doesn't need to be treated.

To me, sugar is public enemy #1.  Fortunately, the word is spreading.  Here is another like-minded individual's take on the subject:  http://www.truthaboutabs.com/toxic-sugar.html  Apparently 60 Minutes (CBS) and I are on the save wavelength - they re-broadcast their segment, "Is sugar toxic?" tonight.  Missed it??  Watch it here: 60 Minutes: Is Sugar Toxic?

I have also been reading more and more about how bad statins and other cholesterol-reducing drugs are for you:  http://www.glutenfreesociety.org/gluten-free-society-blog/gluten-and-high-cholesterol/  I will revisit cholesterol levels later - stay tuned!

There are healthy alternatives to sugar.  Here are few I use (with links to my amazon store so you can try them for yourself):

STEVIA:   Stevita liquid - love all the different flavors you can get - I prefer to use this in drinks and cooking rather than baking

ERYTHRITOL:  NOW Foods Erythritol - good for baking

XYLITOL:  Health Garden Xylitol - good for baking

BUT...how do they taste????   I posted my "go to" Chocolate Mocha Cake a while back as well as my No Bake Cheesecake.  Try these and see for yourself.   

OR....try my Chocolate mousse:

Chocolate Mousse

1 cup whipping cream

8 oz cream cheese (room temperature)

2 tbsp peanut butter (optional)

2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa 

1 cup sweetener of choice

Whip the cream until stiff peaks form and set aside.

In separate bowl, beat cream cheese until very smooth. Beat in peanut butter (if desired), cocoa and sweetener until well mixed. Take a large spoonful of the whipped cream and blend it into the cream cheese mixture to soften it a bit more. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture and refrigerate.

aaahhh.....Summertime

And the living's ....hectic?  I don't know about you, but my summer has been flying by - filled with activities and family commitments.  Haven't had a lot of time to post - I hope to do better.

My hubby and I recently hosted our annual July 4th party at our lake house.  Because it has been so hot and dry here in Wisconsin this summer, we had to forgo fireworks for the first time.  But with good food, icy beverages, a little pontooning, lots of shady trees, and plenty of good friends and family, a good time was had by all.

Salads were popular this year and I was concerned about them sitting out in hot sun (it reached 102º on July 4!!).  My friend, AW, to the rescue.  She brought an inflatable salad bar cooler for our use.  Filled it with ice, added our salads, and it kept them cool and crisp all afternoon.  I immediately ordered two for my own use.  I'm now ready for more July 4th parties, tailgating at Brewer games, picnics and outdoor parties!  You might be interested in getting your own - they are available through my amazon store:  Inflatable Salad Bar.

Two salads were especially tasty - my Italian Pasta-less Salad and a Mozzarella/Basil/Tomato Salad brought by friend DB.  Here are the recipes for those:

Italian Pasta-less Salad

  

2 medium cucumbers (peeled, seeded, and diced)

2 cups chopped cauliflower (steamed or raw)

1 green onion (just the green part) finely chopped

1/4 cup green olives (cut in half)

1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes (cut in half)

2 Tbsp shredded carrots

16 slices of pepperoni (cut in fourths)

Combine everything in a large bowl.  Dress with the following Italian Dressing: 

Italian Dressing

1/2 Tbsp dried oregano
1/2 Tbsp Celtic Sea salt 
1/4 Tbsp dried parsley
1/4 Tbsp garlic powder
1/4 Tbsp onion powder
1/4 Tbsp sweetener
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
4 Tbsp red wine vinegar (or 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar and 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar)

2 Tbsp chopped roasted red pepper 
1/2 cup extra virgin Baja Precious olive oil

Combine everything into a blender or Magic Bullet.  Blend until smooth  Pour over salad and toss to coat.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Mozzarella/Basil/Tomato Salad

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes (cut in half)
8 oz fresh mozzarella balls (you could also use regular mozzarella, cut into cubes)
1 avocado, diced
4 Tbsp extra virgin Baja Precious olive oil
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp sweetener
18 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/2 tsp Celtic Sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder

Add the tomatoes, mozzarella, and avocado to a medium bowl. Drizzle the olive oil and red wine vinegar over the tomatoes and mozzarella. Add the basil, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powders and gently toss all the ingredients.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Fats = Thin (now eat a piece of cheesecake)

Announcement:  Eating fat doesn't make you fat - quite the opposite in fact.  Here's a quick read to explain it in more technical terms:   Enjoy saturated fats...Dr. Mercola

So....since we should be eating more fat, how about a nice, creamy cheesecake??

No-Bake Cheesecake

10 oz cream cheese - softened

2 TSP vanilla

1 TSP lemon juice

1/2 cup sweetener of choice

1 cup whipping cream

Whip cream until stiff peak.

Mix cream cheese, vanilla, lemon juice and sweetener together until smooth.  Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture until well mixed.  Pour into cooled crust (below) and chill.

Almond flour crust

1 cup almond meal/flour

2 TBLSP melted butter

2 TBLSP sweetener of choice

Mix together and press into pie pan.  Bake @ 375 until golden.  Cool thoroughly before filling.

 

The Incredible Cauliflower

Happy Memorial Day Everyone!  


Summer has officially and finally arrived.  Sitting on the deck of our lake home and contemplating the upcoming July 4 extravaganza we host every year, I recalled conversations I've had with friends about how holidays are associated with specific types of foods.  "It can't be Christmas unless I eat fill in the blank food."  Seriously, "what is Thanksgiving without turkey??"

On this train of thought, I got to thinking about my traditional holiday foods.  For Easter and Thanksgiving, I love having sweet potato casserole and pumpkin pie.  For Memorial Day, July 4, and Labor Day, I immediately think of burgers on the grill, hot dogs, brats (or bratwurst for those of you who don't live in Wisconsin), coleslaw, potato salad, watermelon, brownies - you get the idea. 

But...what do you do when following a no sugar/no grain/low carb diet like I do?  Sure, it's easy to have your burger/hot dog/brat without a bun.  Turkey for Thanksgiving is a natural fit as is.  The real trouble comes with trying to find alternatives for sweet potato casserole and potato salad.  My solution?  Bring on the incredible cauliflower!

Anyone who has done a low-carb way of eating knows the amazing versatility of cauliflower.  It is a wonderful vegetable that can be roasted, steamed, microwaved, sauteed, etc, and it can take the place of rice, potatoes and even pizza crust.  Low in calories - about 25 in a cup (raw) - 3 grams of fiber and loaded with Vitamins C and K, it is a very healthy, cruciferous veggie. 

I have quite a few cauliflower-based recipes and I'll post them in the future.  But today, in honor of Memorial Day, here is a "Potato" Salad featuring our incredible cauliflower!

"Potato" Salad

16 oz bag frozen cauliflower 
4 large eggs, hard boiled and chopped 
2 stalks celery, chopped 
3 green onions, finely chopped
3 TBLSP yellow mustard 
1/2 cup mayonnaise (or 1/4 cup mayonnaise and 1/4 cup sour cream)
2 TBLSP pickle relish
salt and pepper to taste

Paprika (optional)

Steam cauliflower until just done - soft but not mushy.  Drain well and let cool.  Cut into bite-sized pieces and place into your serving bowl.  Toss with chopped hard boiled eggs, celery and onions.  In separate bowl, stir mustard, mayonnaise, pickle relish, salt and pepper until well mixed.  Fold mustard mixture into cauliflower mixture.  Sprinkle with paprika, if desired.  

Cover and chill for at least two hours.  This makes 6-8 servings.

(As with all mayonnaise-based dishes, take care when eating outside on hot days.)

Mocha Chocolate Cake

Everyone has a "go-to" dessert.  Mocha chocolate cake is mine.  This has a really intense dark chocolate flavor.  Everyone loves it - especially my non-sweet loving hubby.  I got the recipe from Maria's Nutritious and Delicious Journal blog.  Changed it a little bit to make it less work.  It's pretty easy now.  You can make it with either almond flour or coconut flour.  I haven't made it with coconut flour yet - but will try someday.

The original recipe calls for an 8" or 9" baking dish.  Today I made little individual cakes - perfect for entertaining (you can get custard cups/ramekins here).  I also put some in a loaf pan to cut up into brownies.  I'll freeze some for later enjoyment and give the brownies to my mom who is recovering from a hospital stay.  She's diabetic, so these will be perfect for her.  Know anyone who's diabetic and has a sweet tooth?  Maria's book, Nutritious and Delicious, may be the answer.

Mocha Chocolate Cake/Brownies

1 1/2 cups Ideal Brown Sugar
4 Tblsp coconut oil
3 eggs*
1 1/2 cups almond flour* 
3 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted (or 9 Tblsp cocoa powder PLUS 3 Tblsp coconut oil, melted)
3/4 cup sour cream

1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup hot coffee
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt

Coconut oil Spray

*If using coconut flour, you need 6 eggs PLUS 3/4 cups coconut flour

Pre-heat oven to 350˚.  In a saucepan using low heat, combine the coconut oil and unsweetened chocolate squares (or the cocoa powder and all 7 Tblsp of coconut oil) until melted and blended.  In a large bowl, beat Ideal Brown sugar with your eggs.  Add your melted chocolate mixture and  sour cream - mix well.  Add the coffee and vanilla and mix well again.  Sift the coconut/almond flour and baking soda in a small bowl.  Stir into the chocolate mixture. Spray your baking dish(es) with coconut oil spray and pour in batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  This will vary with the size baking dish you use.  I did about 25 minutes with the small ramekins...the larger loaf pan took about 5 minutes more.  For an 8"-9" baking dish, try checking around 30-35 minutes.

Serve warm or room temperature.  You can dust with powdered sugar or whipped cream if desired.

This does freeze well.  Make sure you cool thoroughly first and tightly wrap.

Almond Flours

One of the more difficult tasks of being grain-free is finding a good substitute for breads, muffins, wraps and the like.  For me, coconut flour, flaxseed meal, and almond flour have been good solutions.  I have listed some of these items in my amazon store.

Almond flour, is the easiest and most versatile of all of my alternatives listed above.  Especially since I've found three different varieties of almond flours that work differently in recipes. 

NOW Foods Almond Flour is the nuttiest and grainiest of the flours I use.  It has a coarser texture than the others that makes it very well-suited for pie crusts. 

Bob's Red Mill Almond Flour is finer in texture than NOW Foods - this is my go-to flour when baking.

But some of my recipes work out better with an even finer texture almond flour.  I discovered by accident that I could make a really fine almond flour when trying to make almond milk for the first time.  As you can see by the picture above, this flour is noticeably finer than the other two.  This is the flour I use when making my Cheesy Biscuits and it does make for a much fluffier biscuit than if I used one of the other almond flours.

The best part of making your own almond milk is that you do end up with your own almond flour - it's like getting two products for the price of one!!  Make sure you buy raw and not roasted almonds.  Here's the process:

Almond Milk

• 1.5 cups whole or slivered RAW almonds (you can either buy them with or without skins)  
• Water for soaking (optional) 
• 4 cups water

          You will also need:  blender, strainer, large bowl, cheesecloth/cotton dish cloth, 
          cookie sheet

If you buy skinless almonds, you can move onto the next step.  If, however, you buy almonds with the skin on them, you'll want to remove those first.  It's not hard, just takes a little time.  Blanch your almonds in boiling water for 20-30 seconds - doesn't take much to loosen the skins.  Then you can "pop" the almond out of the skin by squeezing it.  You may need to work on some more than others.  I do recommend using skinless almonds as you will end up with a whiter and less starchy flour later.

My next recommendation is to soak your almonds for at least 4 hours or even overnight.  You can skip this step, but soaking them first makes the almonds softer and easier to blend.  Put your almonds in a pot and cover with cold water. 

Once the almonds are soft, drain all of your soaking liquid.   Put your almonds in your blender and add one to one and a-half cups of water.  It is easier to blend the almonds into a smooth paste if you don't use the entire four cups of water at the beginning.  Blend for one to two minutes, or until it is a nice, smooth paste.  Now you add the remainder of your water.  I sometimes don't add the entire four cups of water - my resulting milk is a bit thicker and richer this way.  If I want to use the milk for drinking, I can always dilute it later.

Your almond milk is basically finished right now, but it is really chalky and grainy....not something you would really want to drink.  So the next step is to strain out all of the almond solids.  Take a large strainer and line with either a clean, cotton dish cloth or several layers of cheesecloth and place this into a large bowl.  I prefer to use a cotton dish cloth as I think it's easier to strain out just the milk than with cheesecloth - your mileage may vary.  Use what works for you.

It is easier to work with this mixture if you only pour a small amount of your almond milk through the cloth of your choice and strainer into the bowl.  Gather all ends of your cloth and start twisting the ends together.  Some milk will strain out into the bowl.  Now really twist and squeeze and twist and squeeze and twist and squeeze until you can't get anymore liquid out.  Turn out the remaining almond solids onto a cookie sheet and repeat the process until you have processed all of your almond/water mixture from your blender.  I like to strain the milk one more time after this.  Pour your almond milk back into the blender - you will also get most of the remaining almond paste out of your blender this way.  This time, you can probably pour all of the milk through your cloth and strainer at one time because most of the almond solids have already been removed.  Gather up the ends of your cloth and twist and squeeze and twist and squeeze and twist and squeeze until you get all of the milk out.  Again, turn out the solids onto your cookie sheet.

Your almond milk is now done!!  If you want, you add honey, a sweetener of your choice, vanilla, cinnamon etc.  I prefer to keep my milk plain and flavor as I use it if I want.  This will keep about a week in your fridge.  I have found, however, you can freeze it and then thaw it out for later use.  I like to freeze it in one-cup containers - I like these Ball 8 ounce freezer jars.

Almond Flour 

By now you have cookie sheet loaded with globs of almond paste.  Time to make flour!  Spread out the solids as much as you can and place your cookie sheet into a 200º oven.  Bake the almond flour until it is totally dry - this may take up to an hour.  Stir and turn the solids frequently.  If you notice the flour starting to brown, turn off the heat totally and finish drying with the oven turned off.

Once this cools, you have little nuggets of dried almond flour.  Put these nuggets in your blender or Magic Bullet and process until a fine powder.  Voila!  Home made almond flour!

Fabulous Olive Oil - Verdict

I told you about Baja Precious Extra Virgin Olive Oil in my last blog post.  Life has been a little complicated of late, so I'm just now getting around to telling you Yay or Nay on it.  

A resounding YAY!  This is a very tasty Olive Oil.  Perhaps the closest to a true olive taste of any Olive Oil I've tried.  This is what the "foodies" say is a fruity Olive Oil.  I finally understand what that term means now.  A definite must buy!!

 Visit my amazon store and get a bottle (or two) of Baja Precious Olive Oil!!