Posts Tagged ‘dairy free’
Amazing Sugarless Date Squares
What I usually find with date squares is that they are too sweet. So I have made my own version which are less sweet and taste even better. Find it hard to stop at only one.
Ingredients:
1 large apple finely chopped
2 cups dates, chopped
1 cup water
Juice of ½ lemon
½ cup vegetable fat or butter
1/3 cup rice syrup
1 tsp. salt
1 ¾ cups rolled oats
¼ cup potato flour
¾ cup Brown Rice flour
Directions:
1. Simmer apple water till soft.
2. Add dates and simmer till soft.
3. Mash well.
4. Add lemon juice and set aside.
5. In a separate bowl, mix vegetable fat, rice syrup and salt.
6. First add flour; mix in.
7. Then add oats, mix well.
8. Pat 2/3 of the mixture into an 8 X 8 pan.
9. Spread the date mixture on top of the oat mixture.
10. Then sprinkle the other 1/3 of oat mixture on top of the dates.
11. Lightly press down.
12. Bake in preheated oven at 400º F. for 25 to 35 minutes.
Benefits of Dates:
- Dates are rich in natural fibers and lots of nutrients: calcium, sulfur, iron, potassium, phosphorous, manganese, copper, magnesium and many other trace nutrients.
- They are easily digested so they are great for giving quick energy.
- Have been found to help in the growth of friendly bacteria in the intestines.
- Studies have shown that they can be good for those with a weak heart.
- Hear that they are good as a tonic for improving sex stamina and sterility.
Oatmeal Nutrition:
- Oats have lots of manganese, are a very good source of selenium, vitamin B1, dietary fiber, magnesium, protein & phosphorus.
- 1 bowl of oatmeal a day (3 grams of soluble oat fiber) typically lowers total cholesterol by 8-23%.
Hermit Cookies – Gluten Free
As I had promised to share this recipe right away I am posting it before I normally would. These have a dryer texture then the ones with wheat in them and I will be fine tuning this recipe. We will post below this one the Wheat Hermits soon. Both cookies are not overly sweet which is why we like them.
Ingredients:
¾ vegetable fat
4 tbsp sucanat
1 tbsp molasses
¼ tsp stevia
4 tbsp soy flour
1 cup water
1 cup white rice flour
¾ cup brown rice flour
¼ cup potato flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp cloves
¾ cup walnuts
¾ cup sultanas
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Combine butter, sucanat, stevia, and molasses until creamy.
3. Stir in soy flour and water
4. Then mix in other flours, baking powder, salt, and spices.
5. Mix in fruit and nuts.
6. Roll into 1 inch balls and flatten with a fork on a greased baking sheet.
7. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes.
Cinnamon is one of the oldest known spices. The darker the cinnamon the better it is.
Benefits of Cinnamon:
• In traditional Chinese medicine, cinnamon is used for colds, nausea, diarrhea, and painful menstrual periods.
• It can improve energy, vitality, and circulation.
• Recent studies have shown that cinnamon maybe have a beneficial effect on blood sugar.
Special Vegetarian Dinner
This special occassion vegetarian dinner is easy to prepare and a balanced meal in terms of acid/alkaline and food combining. The most time consuming is the nut loaf but it is so delicious that it is worth it and does not take as much time as cooking a turkey. Also, it is full of protein from all of the nuts and seeds…even my non-vegetarian friends and family like it.
NUT LOAF
Ingredients:
½ cup cashews
½ cup almonds
10 almonds for decoration
2/3 cup sunflower seeds
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
½ cup walnuts (chopped)
1 cup short grain brown rice
1/3 cup soya flour
4-6 tbsp soya sauce
1 onion
2 pieces of celery
¼ cup water
2 tsp basil
2 tsp. marjoram
2 tbsp flax meal
Directions:
1. Lightly roast cashews, almonds, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds in the oven.
2. Chop and sauté onion and celery.
3. Chop all the nuts and seeds.
4. Mix all the ingredients together and moistening with water.
5. Pat mixture into a well-oiled bread tin.
6. Decorate top with 10 almonds and line bottom of tin with grease proof paper.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes.
Serve with mushroom or onion gravy.
Usually the problem with cranberry sauce is that it is full of sugar. Here is my version of the popular Cranberry Sauce without any sugar which is no easy thing when is comes to cranberries as they are so tart
Cranberry Sauce (sugar free)
Ingredients:
1 Package whole, organic cranberries (fresh, not frozen)
1 Organic Apple, cored and chopped
1 Cup Apple juice
1/4 Cup Organic, Brown Rice Syrup
1 tsp Stevia (Sunny Dew is best)
Pinch of salt
Directions:
1. Put all ingredients into a sauce pan and let simmer for a few moments.
2. Remove and let cool.
3. Taste and add more Stevia or Brown Rice Syrup if you like it sweeter.
Nutritional Tips: Cranberries are high in vitamin C, and have antioxidant and antibacterial effects in the body.
In clinical studies cranberries have been shown to help maintain a healthy urinary tract and be especially beneficial to the eyes (significantly improve symptoms of cataracts, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy)
ASPARAGUS WITH LEMON JUICE
Ingredients:
1 pound asparagus, washed, trimmed, and cut diagonally into 2 inch lengths
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 lemon juiced
Dash of Spike seasoning
Directions:
1. In a large frying pan over low heat, heat the olive oil
2. Add Asparagus and cover and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add Spike and stir cook an additional 1 minute.
4. Add lemon juice stir well and serve.
Nutritional Tips: Asparagus is full of nutrients! It is a very good source of vitamin K, the B vitamin folate, vitamin C, vitamin A and also numerous B vitamins (B1, B2, B3 and B6) as well manganese, copper, phosphorus, potassium and protein.
Here is a simple dish to make and have in the oven at the same time as your nut loaf.
BAKED SQUASH WITH VEGETABLES
Ingredients:
1 medium squash
2 sweet potatoes
2 medium carrots
2 parsnips
10 very small onions
3 – 7 cloves garlic, sliced (optional)
1 tsp rosemary
3 tbsp. vegetable oil or butter
Salt to taste
Directions:
1. Cut carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes and squash into 2 inch pieces.
2. Remove skins from onions and leave whole.
3. Place all vegetables into a glass casserole dish.
4. Mix in sliced garlic, rosemary, vegetable oil, and sprinkle with salt.
5. Bake in 450º F. oven for 35 to 45 minutes till tender.
6. Stir occasionally while baking.
Healthy Party Dips
So many of the dips that I find at parties are full of unhealthy ingredients. These two are full of healthy ingredients, chemical free, sugar free, dairy free, gluten free….and very delicious,
What I like about this raw avocado dip is that it is full of vegetables; adding the celery makes it crunchy and not so rich…healthier.
AVOCADO VEGETABLE DIP
Ingredients:
1 ripe avocado, peeled & pitted
1 stalk of celery, finely chopped
1 – 2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tomato, chopped
Spike Salt to taste
Directions:
1. Mash avocado.
2. Add celery and lemon juice and mix in well.
3. Gently mix in chopped tomato.
4. Season with Spike salt to taste.
5. Place in serving bowl on a plate surround with cucumber rounds, slices of radishes and corn chips.
This is a creamy dip that is also dairy free.
BUTTER BEAN DIP
Ingredients:
1 cup Butter beans (cooked)
1 Tbsp Olive oil
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1/2 Onion, finely chopped
1-2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
Salt to taste
A few sprigs of fresh Parsley chopped
Olives & Watercress or Parsley for garnish
Directions:
1. Mash butter beans until smooth and creamy.*
2. Add rest of ingredients.
3. Mix together until well blended.
4. Adjust seasoning to taste (salt, Lemon juice, olive oil, garlic)
5. Put into a decorative bowl and garnish with olives & watercress.
6. Serve with corn chips or whole meal crackers.
* you could use a blender, when I developed this recipe I did not have one by choice!
Copyright © Diana Herrington You are welcome to share this article with anyone who you think may benefit from this information as long as you give credit to Real Food for Life by including the link to the home page www.RealFoodforLife.com or the direct link to this post.
Christmas Party Recipes Part 1
Would you rather take something healthy to the party? Here are a few recipes that taste great and are fast to prepare.
HOT MULLED CIDER
Ingredients:
2 liters of apple juice
3 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice of one lemon
Grated peel of 1 lemon
Pinch of nutmeg
Directions:
1. Put all ingredients in a big pot, preferably stainless steel or pyrex. Simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Do not let it boil or get very hot.
3. Serve hot.
CREAMY SUNRIDER CHAI
Ingredients:
4 cups hot water
4 cups almond milk or soya milk or rice milk, warmed
1 bag Calli Cinnamon
1 Fortune Delight – Cinnamon
1 squirt Liqud Stevia* (or to desired sweetness)
Fresh ginger, grated (optional)
¼ tsp ground cardamom or even better cardamom seed crushed.
Pinch of cloves
Directions:
1. Place Calli bag into hot water and remove bag after steeping approximately 10 minutes.
2. Add Fortune Delight and Suncare Plus to Calli
3. Add milk and keep hot.
Great on those cold winter days.
* Suncare from Sunrider is best
Copyright © Diana Herrington You are welcome to share this article with anyone who you think may benefit from this information as long as you give credit to Real Food for Life by including the link to the home page www.RealFoodforLife.com or the direct link to this post.
Brown Rice Pudding
This brown rice pudding, and the creamy sauce that goes with it, is sugar free, dairy free, and egg free…..and tastes great! It is a favorite desert of mine that has gone through many changes through the years. I often do not even bake it. I just cook it on top of the stove in a pot till it is the consistency I like.
Ingredients:
1 cup short grain brown rice, cooked
½ tsp. salt
1 ½ cups rice, almond or soya milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 tbsp. coconut oil or butter
1 tsp. – 2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup sultana raisins
½ cup dates, chopped
½ cup unsweetened coconut
½ cup walnuts, chopped
Directions:
• Cook rice.
• Mix cooked rice in a glass baking dish with remaining ingredients except for cinnamon.
• Sprinkle cinnamon on top.
• Bake at 400º for 40 – 50 minutes.
• Serve with “Cream Sauce” on top.
CREAM SAUCE
Ingredients:
1¼ cup rice, almond or soya milk
¾ cup apple juice
3 tbsp. arrowroot
2 tbsp. coconut oil or butter
1 tsp. lemon juice
Directions:
• Mix the first 3 ingredients together.
• Add the remaining ingredients
• Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until thickened.
• Add lemon juice and coconut oil
Serve on top of Brown Rice Pudding.
If you try this recipe out please comment below and let others know how it worked out!
Or…..do you have a favorite healthy recipe that you would like to share? Please do so below. We may even use it in our coming recipe book and give you recognition!
Copyright © Diana Herrington You are welcome to share this article with anyone who you think may benefit from this information as long as you give credit to Real Food for Life by including the link to the home page www.RealFoodforLife.com or the direct link to this post.
BERRY CRUMBLE
Blueberries have more antioxidants than any other popular fruit which helps prevent cancer, diabetes, age-related memory loss and are anti-inflammatory. They are also rich in potassium, fibre, and vitamins A & C.
"Inflammation is a key driver of all chronic diseases, so blueberries have a host of benefits," says Ann Kulze, MD, of Charleston, S.C.
Interesting Fact: The paint the Shakers used for the wood work on their houses was made from sage blossoms, indigo, blueberry skins & mixed in milk.
BERRY BASE
Ingredients:
1 – 2 apples
2 cups berries (blue berries, blackberries, Saskatoons, currants or strawberries)
Stevia – light liquid (Sunny Dew is best)
Directions:
1. Core and slice apples.
2. Simmer apples with a few spoons of water in a covered pot.
3. Mix in berries and simmer a few minutes.
4. Sweeten to taste with stevia.
5. Place berry/apple mixture in a baking dish
CRUMBLE TOPPING
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups rice flour or whole wheat flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 tsp. salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
1/4 tsp Stevia – light liquid (Sunny Dew is best)
Directions:
1. Mix dry ingredients together
2. Mix oil, stevia and honey and add to dry ingredients.
3. Mix thoroughly.
4. Sprinkle on top of fruit
5. Bake at 350º F. oven for approximately 40 minutes.
Oatmeal Nutrition:
- Oats have lots of manganese, are a very good source of selenium, vitamin B1, dietary fiber, magnesium, protein & phosphorus.
- 1 bowl of oatmeal a day (3 grams of soluble oat fiber) typically lowers total cholesterol by 8-23%.
