Sweet Perfection Copy-Cat recipe (All-Natural Sugar Substitute)

This is an all-natural,  super simple sugar-free formula to make at home. 

IMO powder - A fabulous sugar substitute.

We like to make our own Sugar-Free sweeteners. We make several intense sweetener blends, bulking sugar blends and several mixtures combining both bulk sweeteners with added intense sweeteners. We make many different formulas for different applications. It gets complicated, but we love it.

We already have posted some sweetener blends on this blog that you can make yourself:

Stevia Glycerite (Now brand Copy-Cat)
Copy-Cat Truvia
Low-Carb Vanilla Sugar
Low-Carb Brown Sugar
Low -Carb Pancake Syrup #1

We love IMO powder and (IMO Syrup). We also love erythritol, and xylitol. We love using stevioside (stevia), although not usually alone. We also love monk fruit extract and citrus extract. There are more, but most of them are not available to the public. We would LOVE to introduce them to you, maybe with time, we will be able to be a source for you.

Make a small batch of sweetener at first and then try sweetening mild herbal tea with it or try it in a smoothie. It's easy to adjust. Its easier to add more IMO that it is to reduce the amount of stevia, obviously.

Look online for IMO powder, monk fruit extract, and pure, white stevioside extract.


Sweet Perfection contains:

99 % Oligofructose from chicory root fiber (a prebiotic fiber that doesn't increase blood sugar)

1 % Organic stevia

Serving size: 1 t. and contains 3 calories and 3 g fiber.
Each 20-ounce bag costs $22.95 and contains 3 cups.


To duplicate this I use:

99%   IMO powder (like VitaFiber from http://www.bioneutra.ca/faq.htm)
1%   95 to 98% pure stevioside powder (without maltodextrin or other bulking fillers)

Method:

Mix ingredients together Very well. Putting in a blender on very low speed works great.
Store air-tight and use as you would sugar.



A newer Sweet Perfection formula contains:

99.5% Oligofructose from chicory root fiber
Organic stevia
Monk fruit


To duplicate this I would try:

99.5%   IMO powder
0.5%   Combined intense sweeteners:
      0.3%   95% to 98% pure stevioside powder
      0.2%   Lo Han Guo (monk fruit) concentrate powder

Method: 

Premix your intense sweeteners.
Dilute a tiny amount in water and see if you like the ratio of stevia to monk fruit. Adjust as desired.
Mix VERY well with the IMO powder.
Store air-tight.
 

Note: IMO stands for isomalto-oligosaccharide

Sweet Perfection's label.

Have fun experimenting!

Leila & Nancy.

Copy-Cat TRUVIA Sugar Replacement Recipe

Copy-Cat Truvia Recipe (Sugar-Free Sweetener Substitute)

At way less than half of the cost of Truvia, it is well worth making your own! This is sweeter cup-for-cup than regular sugar, as this recipe is meant to mimic Truvia's sweetening profile.

Erythritol does not dissolve as easily as regular sugar, so you may need to help it along by heating it with the liquid you are putting it in and then stirring until completely dissolved. This blend is great for sweetening hot herbal teas for example.

Erythritol is extremely low in carbs and has a glycemic rating of almost zero, so it is great for low-carb diets. Nice.


Copy-Cat Truvia Recipe:

Yield: 1/2 cup (recipe easily multiplies)

1/2 c. granular erythritol *
1/4 t. pure white stevia extract powder **

Method:

Mix by shaking together very well in a sealed glass jar and store air-tight.


Tip: 

You can powder the erythritol with the stevia in a seed mill to get a finer textured sweetener. Just do not over-mix or the erythritol will start  to heat up, sticking to the seed mill's blades. A way to combat this sticking issue and still get a "powdered sugar", is to add about 10% tapioca starch before you grind it.

* You may also use Lakanto's White granular sweetener, which is erythritol enhanced with monk fruit.

** Like Carbohydrate-free NuStevia NoCarbs Blend (substitutes erythritol for the usual corn-based maltodextrin)


Have fun,

Leila

Easy Decadent Fruit Salad (Sugar-Free, Gluten-Free & Reduced Carb)

The BEST Fruit Salad

- Great for spring, summer, or anytime you can get your hands on sweet juicy fruits!

Decadent Fruit Salad

This is our favorite fruit salad. 

This wonderful fruit salad is much lower in carbs than any other fruit salad out there, which is a bonus. I kinda don't care though because this salad is so awesomely delicious. I like that is uses NO pudding mix, NO non-dairy whipped chemical toppung, NO Jello, and NO chemical sweeteners or artificial food coloring.

It is so easy and delicious...You'll see.

We like the almond extract flavor to be pretty pronounced here. Peaches, apricots, raspberries, and cherries are also incredible in this salad. I'm not a fan of marshmallows in salad, especially this salad, but do what moves you. I'm going to try it with my newly made sugar-free marshmallows, just for kicks & giggles. Probably just a one-time thing...

For whatever reason, I have actually lost weight when including this salad in my menu. Weird, but I'm going with it :)

Decadent Whipped Cream Fruit Salad Recipe:

1 c. cold heavy whipping cream

1/8 t. cream of tartar

1 t. real vanilla extract

1/4 c. powdered xylitol, powdered Lakanto white zero-cal sweetener, raw honey, or powdered sugar

1/4 to 1/2 t. stevia glycerite, to taste (see recipe on blog)

1 1/2 to 2 t. almond extract, to taste

2 c. sweet red or green seedless grapes

3 c. diced sweet pineapple

3 c.ripe strawberries

4 sweet  tangerines

2 ripe bananas

Method:

Wash and cut up the fruit into bite-sized pieces. You want a total of about 12 cups of assorted sweet, ripe fruits, in season.

Whip the very cold whipping cream with the cream of tartar. The cream of tartar stabilizes the whipping cream. I like to freeze the beaters while I am preparing the fruit.

Add the vanilla, almond extract and  sweetener of choice.

Taste for sweetness and add stevia glycerite to kick up the sweetness a notch, to taste.

Mix the fruit into the finished whipped cream and serve immediately.

Whip heavy whipping cream with the cream of tartar for stability.

Wash and cut up fresh ripe fruit into bite-sized pieces.

Mix the fruit gently into the finished whipped cream.

Fruit salad ready for serving. Transfer to a pretty serving bowl.

Fruit salad ready to eat!

I'm thinking that some homemade sugar-free marshmallows could be good in this salad too - If you are into that sort of thing.

Enjoy,

Leila

P.S. I just tried this salad with my sugar-free marshmallows and it was pretty good...

Easy Chicken Chile Verde Soup (with 2 variations) PLUS How to Caramelize Onions Faster!

Here is another EASY pantry meal: Chicken Chile Verde Soup. Iv'e been doing a lot of sugar-free candy formulating lately (like marshmallows and caramel), so I have needed quick meals for the family, preferably ones that make great leftovers!

Creamy Chicken Chile Verde Soup

I felt like creating a new Mexican-style soup using the batch of home made chicken stock I just made. We like to buy rotisserie chickens from Costco for a quick meal. I then usually make chicken stock from what ever is left of the chicken. Having so much freshly made chicken stock on hand, I am always seeking new ways to use it because we like variety at our house.

Today I felt like Mexican, but I didn't want a black bean soup, or a tortilla soup, or even a red Mexican soup. So tomatillos came to mind, and roasted green chilies...and I was off!

The recipe posted here is what I came up with. I am pleased with the results, especially when my husband said it is now one of his top favorite soups ever. The rest of the family really enjoyed it too.

I like to stock my pantry with some Mexican staples, which makes putting this soup together very quick and easy.

This soup has a lot going on. It is loaded with goodies. It has a nice tang and brightness from the tomatillos and lime, and is accented with a touch of sweetness to balance out the flavor of the roasted peppers. It also has an appealing smoky depth from the chipotle and smoked paprika. And we always love what caramelized onions bring to the party, right?

Here is a tip about caramelizing onions more quickly and creating a more flavorful result: 
Add a pinch of baking soda, and for the best flavor a pinch of salt while you are sauteing the onions. They will brown faster and have superior flavor this way. The baking soda changes the pH in a way that affects something called the Maillard Reaction (the browning process). Now you know.

I created 2 soup varieties.: A dairy-free version and an extra creamy version. I served the extra creamy version.


Leila's Easy Chicken Chile Verde Soup (2 ways):

1-2 T. coconut oil and/or butter
A pinch of baking soda
4 large garlic cloves
1/2 t. smoked paprika
1/2 t. cumin
1/4 t. Mexican oregano
25 grinds black pepper, to taste
A pinch ground chipotle pepper, to taste
1/4 t. granulated garlic (or garlic powder)
1 4.25-ounce can chopped pitted black olives
1 7-ounce can Fire Roasted Diced Green Chilies  (La Victoria brand has the best roasted flavor)
1 15-ounce can crushed tomatillos (like Hatch brand)
1 15-ounce can Great Northern beans (white beans), undrained
1 28-ounce can green chile enchilada sauce (like El Paso brand)
1 29-ounce can Mexican Style Hominy (like Juanita's brand), drained
1 quart home made chicken stock, or organic boxed chicken stock
1/4 c. good quality white wine, optional
2 t. BioSalt or sea salt
1/2 t. onion salt
Shredded chicken meat (about a pound), to taste
1 lime, juiced
3 T. Brown Just Like Sugar and/or raw honey (I used 2 T just Like Sugar and 1 T. honey) *

1 block (8-ounces) Neufchatel or cream cheese, optional for the creamy version of this soup


Garnishes:

Minced cilantro
Avocado slices
Mexican cheese
Diced ripe tomatoes
Sour cream
Smoked paprika


Method:

Saute the onion in the oil, adding a pinch of baking soda and a pinch of BioSalt to caramelize the onions faster.

Smash the garlic with some of the salt called for and add to the almost finished onions. Saute.

Add the smoked paprika, cumin, Mexican oregano, garlic powder, fresh ground black pepper, and chipotle powder. Saute until fragrant to bloom the flavors of the spices.

Add all of the canned goods and chicken stock and let the soup simmer about 30 minutes or so. The soup will thicken slightly.

Add the cooked and shredded chicken meat.

To make the creamy version of this soup: Cut up the block of Neufchatel or cream cheese into cubes and stir into the soup, and let simmer a few minutes to let the cheese melt, stirring to speed the melting process. Turn down the heat so that the soup doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.

Add the rest of the BioSalt called for and the juice of 1 lime.

Add the Just Like Sugar and/or raw honey. If using honey, add just before serving so that you don't boil the honey. Taste the soup and adjust seasonings if needed.

Serve hot with garnishes of choice.


Note: You may also use Lakanto's golden zero-calorie granular sweetener instead of Just Like Sugar.


Tip: I think a lovely appetizer would be my Chili"s Copy Cat Salsa recipe and corn chips!

Get your ingredients ready.

Caramelizing the onions.

Adding the canned ingredients to the soup.

The finished Dairy-Free Chicken Chile Verde Soup (not the creamy version).

The Dairy-Free Soup Version garnished and ready to eat.

The Creamy Chicken Chile Verde Soup is finished (with the cheese added).

The Creamy chicken Chile Verde Soup is served.

How I like to smash my garlic, releasing the maximum amount of flavor oils.

Brown Just Like Sugar (a healthy sugar-free brown sugar replacement).

Enjoy,

Leila.


P.S.   In case you were curious about how my sugar-free candy testing is coming out...

Sugar-Free Hand Wrapped Vanilla Caramels.

Fluffy Sugar-Free Vanilla Marshmallows.

Author, Leila.

The BEST Waldorf Salad (Sugar-Free, Gluten-Free)

Delicious Waldorf Salad - 

Perfect for a light lunch or as a sassy side to almost any meal.

Waldorf  Salad

This recipe is more than just the boring mayo stirred into diced celery and apples. This salad has a well balanced dressing that is a bit tangy, a bit sweet and a bit savory. It's perfect. it has been a classic in our homes for a long as I can remember. there is room for some unusual add-ins, like avocado, which tastes amazing. I like to add a touch more seasoned salt to the dressing if I'm using avocado.

When I was pregnant with my 3rd child, this salad got me through the long period of morning sickness. I'm glad it wasn't ice cream or chips that I craved! this salad has a nice balance of  healthful ingredients that my body must of needed then. Anyway, I still love this salad and I think you will too.


Perfect Waldorf Salad Recipe:

2 large red crisp apples, diced (about 2 cups)
4 large celery ribs, diced (about 2 cups)
1/2 to 1 cup crispy pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped
1/2 to 1 cup organic raisins or sweetened dried cranberries
2 large ripe avocados, diced, optional

Dressing:

1 cup mayonnaise (you can mix 50/50 regular and diet mayo)
1/2 c. sour cream (try Kitchen Cheetah's Sour Cream Blend on this blog)
2 t. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 to 1 1/2 t. seasoned salt, to taste
2 T. raw honey, xylitol, Lakanto zero-cal sweetener, or raw sugar to taste
A pinch of cayenne powder, optional for a bit of heat


Method:

Mix up the dressing ingredients to taste in a medium sized serving bowl.

Wash and dice the produce, add to the dressing and mix well.

Add the avocado if using. Gently mix and check for seasoning and adjust as desired.

I like to sprinkle the nuts and dried fruit on top at serving time.

Make seasoned salt available at the table for sprinkling on top of the salad as well.

Serve immediately.


Notes:

You can make the dressing in advance and store in the fridge until needed. I will even make a bigger batch of dressing to use in multiple salads.

This salad is best eaten immediately once made.


Enjoy!

Leila & Nancy.

DIY Copy Cat Low Carb Brown Sugar Recipe - using Erythritol

Make your own EASY LOW CARB BROWN SUGAR 
(with 2 varitions)

There are some brown sugar imitations on the market, but maybe you are like me and want the convenience of being able to quickly make your own. Making your own saves you money too, always a good thing. Most Of the "brown sugar" replacements on the market use artificial sweeteners in them too. I don't know about you but I avoid artificial chemical sweeteners. I think sugar is better for me than those, but that's my own opinion...

Anyway, erythritol is the base I have chosen for this healthy, low carb brown sugar replacement. You could also use part xylitol if you want to. Xylitol is a lot sweeter that erythritol (about 90% as sweet as sugar) but isn't quite as low carb as erythritol. Another thing to note is that when you combine sweeteners, they are synergistic with each other, enhancing each others sweetness. SWEET!

You may also want to put in the tiniest amount of a high quality white stevioside powder (a high intensity natural sweetener) to up the sweetness of your blend. Just add the stevia very slowly and mix it together VERY well. Write down your formula so you can easily remake more.



LOW CARB BROWN SUGAR Recipe:

Difficulty level: Easy Peasy

1 to 2 c. Erythritol, granular
1 t. Blackstrap molasses


Method:

In a bowl of a food processor, thoroughly mix the blackstrap molasses into the granular erythritol.

Use immediately or store in an airtight container in your pantry for future use.

If you want a lighter brown sugar, just mix in more erythritol.

Remember to write down your proportions for future reference.


Lower Carb Variation:

2 c. Erythritol
2 t. Yacon syrup
A pinch stevioside powder, to taste



NOTES:

Traditional brown sugar has 276 calories per 1/2 cup (71.1 g carbs).
The Lower Carb Variation with yakon syrup has only 7 calories per 1/2 cup (2.8g carbs).

Blackstrap molasses is darker and more flavorful than regular molasses, so you need only half as much, which lowers the carb count of this sweetening blend even more.

Use a natural high intensity sweetener, or a blend of two (like stevia and luo han guo) to increase the sweetness level, if desired.

Erythritol has only 6% of the calories of regular sugar.

Erythritol has about 60 to 70% of the sweetness of regular sugar.

Erythritol is best used as a bulk sweetener in part of a sweetening blend.

Erythritol is not quite as soluble as sugar, it takes a little more heat to dissolve it.

Erythritol has a much higher gastric tolerance than any other sugar alcohol, up to 3.5% is safely used in beverages, for example.

Erythritol will not activate yeast in baking applications. Use a little additional fructose to activate and feed the yeast, and then your dough will rise normally.



Note: You could use Lakanto's golden granular zero-calorie sweetener instead of the plain erythritol for best flavor.



Future Project: I want to make a brown sugar blend that is as sweet as regular brown sugar using a combination of:

erythritol (bulking sugar)
oligosaccharides (inulin chicory root fiber) (bulking fiber)
stevia extract (high intensity sweetener)
luo han guo (monk fruit) (high intensity sweetener)
natural color (carob or cocoa powder)
natural flavor


I'm thinking about 70% erythritol, 20% inulin, and just a kiss of everything else.

I'm just thinking out loud... on paper, er, computer screen.



Have a great day,

Leila.

A healthy raw chocolate milk recipe - you can even make this sugar-free!

Quick & Raw Chocolate milk 


This delicious & healthy milk can easily be made dairy free, nut-free, sugar-free, low-carb, vegan, paleo, whatever you want. Nice, right?

This is one of my mother's healthy raw food recipes. It is very versatile, and quick to make. Prepare it ahead of time and store it in a quart jar in the fridge, just shake a bit before serving.

You can make this in larger batches once you know how much cocoa and sweetener you like to add.

This is easy to make sugar free, just use erythritol and/or xylitol, then enhance the sweetness with a coupe drops of stevia glycerite. A recipe to make your own stevia glycerite may be found on this blog. It will save you a lot of money to make your own, or use Now brand stevia glycerite.

Our chocolate milk is a much better post-workout option than sugar-laden, commercial chocolate milk! Maybe you heard that the Dairy council made a recommendation last year about chocolate milk as being the ultimate post workout beverage. It was then put on the worst nutritional advice for the year list. Well, fortunately, you get to decide for yourself. I say, have the best of both worlds, and drink this chocolate milk instead...

"Chocolate Milk As A Sports Drink Has To Be The Worst Health (But Admittedly Delicious) Suggestion Of The Year" http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/

http://www.dairyreporter.com/

Kitchen Cheetahs Quick & Raw Chocolate Milk Recipe:

2 c. raw milk or a 50/50 blend of coconut milk & almond milk (or Brazil nut or cashew milk)
2 to 4 T. raw cacao powder (2 T. of this can be raw carob powder), to taste
2 T. (1-oz) baby Thai coconut puree or 1/8th to 1/4th t. guar gum, if more thickness is desired
Golden Lakanto, raw agave or sweetener of choice, to taste
1/2 t. real vanilla extract (or a small piece of vanilla bean)
Raw rice protein powder, to taste (like Sun Warrior brand)


Method:

Blend together in a blender (like a Vitamix). If using a piece of vanilla bean, make sure it is pureed well. Taste for flavor and sweetness and adjust as desired. Serve cold.


Tips:


We like to add protein powder to enhance the nutrition of this beverage.

Recipes for nut milks may be found on this blog. Any combination of nut milks may be used.

You can make up a large batch of nut milk and and freeze part of the batch for later use.

For convenience, you can prepare a large batch of baby coconut puree and freeze it in 1-ounce portions in ice cube trays. Store frozen cubes in freezer-safe containers or freezer storage bags.





Enjoy,

Leila & Nancy.

Addictive Cream Cheese & Walnut Stuffed Dried Plums (Gluten-Free Confection)

Exotic Sweet Cream Cheese & Walnut Stuffed Turkestan Prunes

Turkestan Stuffed Prunes

There is something so Arabian Nights about these exotic confections...

I have absolutely loved these since I was a little girl. I still love them. These are a wonderful sweet treat. They are really unique with their sweet, fluffy, anise flavored cream cheese centers, paired with the crunchy walnuts - which perfectly compliment the sweet, soft dried plums. You really must try them.

I remember asking my mom to make these often, and I always wanted more anise extract added.

We did not have candy, soda, and chips in our home when I was growing up. My mom did sometimes make honey taffy with me - and occasionally we would get some carob or chocolate covered raisins, or halva, real maple candy or sesame seed candy from the health food store.

Life was good. My mom has always been a great cook, so I certainly didn't suffer from missing out on junk food! She did me a big favor. Thanks mom!

It is true that the foods we ate as a young child become our comfort foods as an adult. It makes you think twice about what you feed your young children, doesn't it?



Turkestan Prunes Recipe:

1 8-ounce package cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese, softened
1 T. raw honey (or vegetable glycerine, or agave syrup)
1 t. anise extract (or a very few drops anise essential oil, to taste)
A few drops stevia glycerite to taste (recipe on this blog)
1/4 c. chopped "Crispy Walnuts" (recipe on this blog listed as crispy almonds)
1 t. "Frosting Thickener" (recipe below), optional
Softened pitted prunes

Method:

Place the softened cream cheese in a medium sized mixing bowl.
Pour in your sweetener of choice and mix together with a hand mixer until creamy.
Add the anise extract, to taste, mixing in very well.
Taste and adjust sweetening to taste with the stevia glycerite (add just a few drops at a time).
Beat in the Frosting Thickener, if using.
Stir in the Crispy walnuts by hand.
With your fingers open the softened prunes (dried plums) and form into boat shapes.
Fill the formed softened prunes with the cream cheese-nut mixture.
Chill in an air-tight container.


FROSTING THICKENER Recipe:

Measure the ingredients by weight

75% Arrowroot starch or tapioca starch
25% Coconut flour


Method:

Mix the starch and coconut flour together.
Grind together as finely as possible in a Krups seed mill (or as long as you have the patience for).
Store in an air-tight container in your pantry.


Note: I like to use 4 drops essential oil of star anise and no more than 1/8 t. stevia glycerite. Start with less stevia and see if it is sweet enough before adding more. At times I also double the crispy walnuts.

Mom's Recipe card

Crispy Walnuts

A unique treat that is quick and easy to make.

Make little cups out of the soft dried plums.

"Come to mamma"

Enjoy!

Leila & Nancy

The Kitchen Cheetahs

Exotic Thai Papaya Cucumber Salad recipe form Fiji

Exotic Thai Papaya Cucumber Salad

My family owned a lovely place in Fiji for several years. The tropical fruit, handmade fresh coconut oil, Fijian ice cream, colorful tropical flowers, fresh fish, and beautiful beaches were amazing, among other things. I would love to be there right now enjoying a baby coconut and some tree ripened mangoes, feet in the sand...

Fiji - the view from our deck

Our family has several recipes that evolved from the time my parents spent living in Fiji, that we would like to share with you on this blog. My mom is always creating, and these recipes have a Fijian, Asian, as well as an Indian influence.

You too can enjoy a taste of the islands!

This beautiful Thai salad is a great recipe to start with. it is so easy and versatile, and so fresh tasting - you will love it!



Thai Papaya Cucumber Salad Recipe:

Salad Ingredients:

Peeled Japanese cucumbers, cut into matchsticks, or julienned
Firm papaya cubes
Mung bean sprouts
Fresh chopped cilantro (lots!)
Clear noodles, prepared according to package directions (like mung bean noodles)
Slivered Napa cabbage
Red Jalapeno rings, to taste (or sweet red bell pepper slivers if you can't take the heat)
Grated carrot, a little for color, optional


Thai Dressing:

2 T. Peanut butter (if Paleo, use almond butter)
2 T. Thai fish Sauce
2 to 4 T. Agave/Vegetable glycerine mix (this sweetener recipe is on this blog), to taste
2 T. Bragg's Aminos
1/4 c. Rice oil
2 T. Fresh lime juice, to taste


Garnish:

Toasted peanuts or roasted cashews (Paleo), chopped


Method:

Prepare the above salad ingredients to fill a regular sized salad bowl, to taste.
Mix the Thai dressing ingredients together, to taste.
Pour dressing over salad and toss.
Serve immediately.


Variations:

You can omit the nut butter completely and substitute with 1 T. raw or toasted sesame tahini.

For a lighter salad, you may also omit the sesame tahini or any other nut butter and just add a teaspoon of toasted sesame seed oil. This is our favorite way to prepare this salad.

The Thai Salad before the noodles were added - you may omit the noodles if desired.

This time I used fresh rice stick noodles - They soak in boiling water 10 seconds and then they are done!

Pour Dressing over and toss well. Serve immediately.

The freshly mixed dressing.

Salad ready to serve.

Salad garnished with peanuts.

Papaya Tree

Enjoy!

Leila

Fijian flowers arranged by one of my daughters.

Poppy Seed Dressing - the 3rd in a series of excellent Raw Food recipes

Raw Poppy Seed Dressing

I am posting a series of RAW FOOD RECIPES created by my mother Nancy Glazier and her good friend Irene Hauver. 

Together, as raw food pioneers, they complied an amazing collection of unique recipes that they used in teaching a series of raw-food-living un-cooking classes. We have a selection of delicious raw food recipes big enough to fill an entire cookbook. I know, cool, right?

These recipes are amazingly tasty! This is doing raw food right. Most raw food recipes are seriously lacking in taste and texture - well, not this collection. These beautiful ladies don't do anything half way! We are excited for you to try them.

This Poppy Seed Dressing is a favorite at the Hauver household. You can vary the flavor by using different fruits - So have fun with it!


POPPY SEED DRESSING Recipe:

Yield: Makes 1 1/2 cups.

Ingredients:

1/4 c. Fresh lemon juice (or juice from 1 lemon)
1/2 c. Strawberries, fresh or frozen (about 8 strawberries, or 12 raspberries, 1 apple, or jam to taste)
3/4 c. Olive oil
16  Honey dates, soaked and pitted (or 6 T. Sucanat) (or 1/2 c. date sugar)
2 T. Raw onion (up to 1/4 c. fresh onion)
1 t. Sea salt
1/2 t. Dry mustard
1/4 t. Beet powder (optional for color)
1/4 c. Purified water (to thin as needed)
2 t. Poppy seeds


Equipment:

Blender


Directions:

Place all of the ingredients, except the poppy seeds, into the blender. Blend until smooth. thin as necessary to get a pourable dressing. Taste for flavor. Adjust if necessary.

Stir in the poppy seeds. Chill until ready to use.

Keeps 1 week in the refrigerator.

This dressing is great over spinach salad.


Five times the recipe to make 7 1/2 cups:

1 1/4 c. Fresh lemon juice
2 1/2 c. Strawberries
3 3/4 c. Olive oil
80 Honey dates, soaked and pitted
10 T. Raw onion
5 t. Sea salt
2 1/2 t. Dry mustard
1 1/4 t. Beet powder (optional for color)
1 1/4 c. Water (to thin as needed)
10 t. Poppy seeds


Recipe created by the Kitchen Cheetahs, Nancy Glazier & Irene Hauver.


Enjoy!

Leila

Almond Sour Cream - The 1st in a series of excellent Raw Food recipes

Raw Almond Sour Cream

I am posting a series of RAW FOOD RECIPES created by my mother Nancy Glazier and her good friend Irene Hauver. 

Together, as raw food pioneers, they complied an amazing collection of unique recipes that they used in teaching a series of raw-food-living un-cooking classes. We have a selection of delicious raw food recipes big enough to fill an entire cookbook. I know, cool, right?

These recipes are amazingly tasty! This is doing raw food right. Most raw food recipes are seriously lacking in taste and texture - well, not this collection. These beautiful ladies don't do anything half way! We are excited for you to try them.


BEST ALMOND SOUR CREAM Recipe:

Ingredients:

Yield: 5 cups

1 cup raw almonds, soaked 8 hours and drained
2 c. Purified water
1 c. Olive oil
1 1/2 t. Onion powder
1 t. Sea salt
1/4 t. Vitamin C powder (ascorbic acid), optional
1/4 t. Garlic powder
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice (or juice from 1 lemon)


Equipment:

Blender


Directions:

Place all the ingredients into the blender. Process until smooth and creamy. Taste for flavor. Adjust if necessary.

Use immediately or chill for future use. This dressing may thicken upon standing. To thin just stir in a little water. My mom prefers this Almond Sour Cream thick, Irene prefers It pourable.

This is great over salads, as a cream base for soups, as a substitute for mayonnaise, and to spread on crackers topped with an avocado.


Double this recipe to make 10 cups:

2 c. Almonds, soaked
3 c. Purified water
3 c. Olive oil
3 t. Onion powder
2 t. Sea salt
1/2 t. Vitamin c powder
1/2 t. Garlic powder
1/2 c. Fresh lemon juice



Note: This is my mom's favorite raw sour cream ...And she loves sour cream!



Recipe created by the Kitchen Cheetahs, Nancy Glazier & Irene Hauver.


Enjoy!

Leila

A delicious unique salad recipe - Easy to make and very good for you

Flaked Broccoli Stem Salad

Finally a great use for those broccoli stems you don't know what to do with. When you are preparing broccoli, reserve the stems for this salad. It's yummy. I had this salad at my parents house in 2005. It's another of my mom's creations. It is very high in fiber and makes a great lunch or side. The texture is great, and there is an array of complimentary flavors, like sweet, tangy, savory... YUM.

Look on this blog for the recipe for Dad's Dressing. It is very easy to make and is preferred for this salad.


FLAKED BROCCOLI STEM SALAD RECIPE:

1 pound raw broccoli stems, peeled and flaked into 1 1/2-inch lengths (can use a sharp vegie peeler)
1/2 to 2/3 c. cubed roma tomatoes, or 2 to 4 T. flavored sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
Pitted black olives, to taste

Dad's Dressing, to taste

Garnish: Pine nuts, "Crispy Walnuts", or Spicy Seasoned Pepitas (pumpkin seeds)


Method:

Mix up the salad to taste, toss with "Dad's dressing", and garnish as desired.
Serve immediately.



Note:

See the recipe for "Crispy Soaked Almonds", to see how to make in advance the Crispy walnuts. the process is the same. Our method makes walnuts have a much better taste and texture!

Enjoy,

Leila

The best applesauce I've ever had

Golden Lemon Apple Sauce

This was my favorite applesauce when I was growing up. I have good memories of helping my mom make it. The Golden Delicious apples are perfect for the fresh lemon used in this recipe. Since I love the lemon in it so much, I might add a drop or 2 of organic lemon essential oil to amp up the flavor.

You can add another healthy sweetener of choice, but the honey does taste fabulous!


GOLDEN LEMON APPLESAUCE Recipe:

Ripe organic Golden Delicious apples
Apple juice
Raw honey or powdered erythritol
Fresh grated lemon zest
Fresh squeezed lemon juice
Ascorbic acid powder (Vitamin C)


Method:

Wash the apples. cut out the 'belly buttons" and cut into chunks.
Cook with a little apple juice until the apples are soft.
Run the apples through a colander, to remove seeds and skin.
Sweeten to taste with raw honey or healthy sweetener of choice.
Add some lemon juice, lemon zest, and ascorbic acid for tang, to taste.
You can store the applesauce in Zip-lock freezer bags in the freezer.


Tip:  A good ratio of apples to lemons is 12 apples to every 1 lemon (or more lemons if you like).

Note: It is best to use organic lemons for obvious reasons.


Enjoy,

Leila

Make your own healthy protein powder drink mix - it's easy!

Vanilla Protein Powder Formula #1 (Multi-Protein Blend)

Almost every time I turn a package of protein powder around to read the ingredient list, I am VERY disappointed. I see lots of artificial sweeteners (aspartame, Sucralose, Acesulfame-K), or they use fructose, high-fructose corn syrup solids, and real sugar, which is an improvement compared to the artificial sweeteners most use. If the commercially prepared protein powder is flavored, it is usually with artificial flavoring, and sometimes artificial coloring too.

Plain protein powder has it's disadvantages too. It usually tastes yucky on it's own, it's gritty and makes a thin, unappealing beverage. You can doctor plain protein powder up with flavorings, sweeteners, fibers & gums, fruits, and on and on - where's the time savings in that?

I wanted a fast protein drink mix that I can take on the road. One that isn't gacky. I want to be able to just dump some in a shaker jar with cold water and go.

I created this formula back in 2010, with ingredients that are easy to find (if you go to a health food store). This is my first attempt,at making a vanilla protein drink mix and it is pretty good. There will be more protein drink mix formulas added in the future (think chocolate)...

Soy and rice protein have more grit to them than whey protein does, just so you know. Egg white protein powder is very smooth and disappears in liquids nicely, not leaving a weird taste behind, so I like using it. I would try a high quality whey protein isolate if you don't have issues with dairy. there are even some that are now lactose-free. I do like to use different types of proteins to widen the range of absorption time (quick-acting and slow-release) so that it stays with me longer. That's one reason for the added fibers too, plus the fibers thicken the drink slightly.

Warning: Hemp protein and most pea protein is really gacky. Hemp is especially healthy - and gacky.

An added note about protein: I feel it is a good idea to change the type of proteins you use frequently. This lowers your chances of you body deciding it's had enough of 1 type of protein, and start reacting negatively to it.

A lovely idea would be to add a couple drops of pure vanilla essential oil to the premix as you are blending it well in the blender to disperse it. It is an expensive oil though. You might also try the Sucre Vanillé Recipe that I have on this blog, in place of the plain xylitol and erythritol.

The point is, enjoy having a better protein drink choice and experiment with this formula! Let me know what works for you.


Benefits Of My Protein Formula:

Good for maintaining healthy blood sugar levels
Contains fibers and probiotics (inulin and psyllium)
Contains plant-based sugar-free sweeteners (xylitol, erythritol, and stevia)
Customization ability with the protein formula
Calcium and magnesium enriched
Contains benefits of coconut
Contains natural flavoring
The lecithin improves fat digestion
Chemical sweetener free
No unwanted additives
The salt is a beneficial mineral salt
Gluten-free

PLUS, you can change the types of protein powder you use, to your liking (vegan, egg or soy-free).



VANILLA PROTEIN POWDER Recipe:

8 ounces plain unsweetened fermented soy isolate powder
4 ounces plain unsweetened brown rice protein powder
4 ounces plain unsweetened egg white protein powder
0.50 ounce coconut milk powder
56 grams xylitol
56 grams erythritol (Lakanto erythritol is a great choice)
40 grams vanilla powder
20 grams Inulin powder
2 grams white 80% strength stevioside powder
16 grams lecithin granules
7 grams BioSalt or sea salt (recipe on blog)
28 grams calcium/magnesium powder
20 grams psyllium husk powder, finely ground


Method:

In a large blender (VitaMix), mix all but the protein powders to disperse ingredients evenly (start on low speed!). Grind finely to powder the xylitol and erythritol.

Add egg white powder and blend on low.

Add more protein powder until the blender is filled to it's maximum fill line. Blend on low.

Dump blended protein mix into a large mixing bow..

Sift in the rest of the protein powder and whisk together very thoroughly with a wire whisk.

Transfer to an empty protein powder container and shake well.

Store in a cool, dry place.


To Mix Up A Protein Drink:

To an 8-ounce glass of purified water add 2 T. of the prepared protein powder drink mix.


Tip: You can use this protein drink mix in smoothies too.


Note: If you desire a less-sweet protein drink mix, cut the xylitol and erythritol in half.



Sources:

Honeyville Grain has dried egg white powder (more affordable than Jay Robb's)
Good Earth Health Food Store has bulk protein powders, sea salt, xylitol, etc...



Have fun!

Leila