Beautiful Indian Rose Lassi - Low Carb

Sugar-Free Rose Lassi

For my birthday a while back, my daughters treated me to dinner at my favorite Indian restaurant. I tried my first Rose Lassi there. I fell in love. Again.

Rose lassi is a yogurt-based drink. It comes in different flavors (like yummy mango). It contains a lot of sugar though. So, I decided to create my own version of rose lassi that wasn't sugar loaded.This recipe contains healthy probiotics and protein from the yogurt, and is colored a pale pink from the dried beet root powder. Beet root powder by the way, is loaded with wonderful antioxidants and makes a very healthy food coloring. I use it a lot in my kitchen. You can buy beet root powder at the health food store.

Rose lassi makes a great breakfast or snack, and we love it at our house. I hope you pamper yourself with this unique drink.

ROSE LASSI Recipe:
Serves 2 to 3

2 c. yogurt (or Greek yogurt or buttermilk)
1 c. water or organic milk
4 T. xylitol or erythritol or Lakanto (or organic evaporated cane juice - not sugar-free), to taste
1 T. rose water (not rose syrup)
1 c. ice 
1/8 t. dried beet root powder, optional
1 pinch BioSalt, optional (recipe on blog)
1/4 t. cardamom powder, optional
Stevia glycerite, to taste, if the drink is not sweet enough (recipe on this blog)

Method;

Place all ingredients except the ice in a blender and blend until frothy.
Add the ice and just crush the ice in the blender, so that there are small chunks of ice throughout.
Serve at once in chilled glasses.

Perfect to serve with an Indian meal.

Enjoy!

Leila

Best Healthy Pina Colada Recipe (Sugar-Free, Protein-Enriched, Dairy-Free)

Pina Colada

Sugar-Free Pina Colada

Our family loves smoothies. The only problem with that is most smoothies contain a heavy dose of sugar. I like to create healthier options. Since pineapple is naturally sweet, just a bit of stevia does the trick here, with out any weird aftertaste. I like adding protein to our smoothies...and the problem with that is, most protein has "that taste" that protein powder gives you, ruining perfectly good food! Plain egg white protein is very neutral tasting so it does not interfere with the pina colada's taste. Nice.


Fresh Pina Colada (sugar-free, protein-fortified) Recipe:

2 c. fresh pineapple chunks
6 ounces fresh baby Thai coconut flesh
8-10 ice cubes (8 to 10 ounces)
4 T. plain egg white protein powder, optional (like Jay Robb brand)
2 T. coconut milk powder
10 to 12 drops stevia glycerite (like NOW brand)


Method:

Place all but egg white protein in a blender. Blend until smooth, adding the egg white protein at the end (egg white protein makes the drink foamy if added in the beginning).


Variations:

If you don't have fresh pineapple, you may use 1/2 c. unsweetened pineapple juice plus 1 cup purified water instead. (I prefer fresh pineapple for the protein digesting enzymes it contains.)

You can use 6 frozen ice cubes of Thai baby coconut puree instead of 6 ounces fresh baby coconut.

You can prepare baby Thai coconut puree in advance by freezing the puree in ice cube trays, and transferring to zip-lock bags once frozen. I like to use the ice cube trays that make 1-ounce sized ice cubes (the standard size).

You could use a rich canned coconut milk instead of the fresh baby coconut, and omit the coconut milk powder if you don't have it. Start with 6 to 7 ounces coconut milk.


Tip: Never buy "Light" coconut milk. It is just watered down regular coconut milk! As in, they just add about 35% tap water. I can do that myself. Remember, the fat in coconut is a healthy fat and it's a good idea for a person to consume 2 T. a day of the stuff. So save your money and buy the richest coconut milk that you can find.


Enjoy!

Leila

Cranberry Seed Oil - High in Omega-3's!

The Amazing Cranberry Seed Oil

Photo: http://www.fruitessentials.com

I'm very excited about this discovery and wanted to share it with you. I found this when researching healthy fats for the body. This oil is pleasant to the taste and is great for internal use, as well as for cosmetic use. I plan on using it in salad dressings, smoothies , and as a garnish for foods. I have already been using it in some of my cosmetic formulations and hair care formulations. I love this oil.

Cold Pressed American Cranberry Seed Oil is a quite stable oil having a shelf-life of 2 years, and is one of the few oils that contain high amounts of the beneficial Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Hemp Seed Oil is another highly beneficial oil, but it has to be shipped from outside the United States. Flaxseed oil is another choice but it oxidizes and goes rancid extremely quickly, plus it doesn't taste the greatest. Then there is my most favored oil, chia seed oil, which is about 60% omega-3 fatty acids, and has the perfect ratio of omega fatty acids; 3:1 (3 parts omega-3 to 1 part omega-6). Chia seed oil can withstand high-temperature cooking and tastes great, but good luck finding it (for now).

Note that Hemp Seed Oil has from 19 - 25% omega-3 fatty acids, 43 - 62% omega-6 fatty acids, and about 7 - 9% omega-9 fatty acids. Flax Seed Oil has about 28% Omega-3 fatty acids and 7% omega-6 fatty acids. See +www.mountainroseherbs.com

We tend to get too much omega-6 fatty acids in our diet and not nearly enough omega-3 fatty acids. Using cranberry seed oil is a great way to change that for the better. You can mix the cranberry seed oil with coconut oil or olive oil to improve the benefits of these oils, plus cut down on the cost of using cranberry seed oil alone. I have plans to create more healthy oil blends for food and cosmetic use. I'll let you know how it goes...

Some Benefits of Cold Pressed American Cranberry Seed Oil:

Very high in antioxidants, containing the highest tocotrienol (Vitamin E) level of all the edible oils.

Cranberry seed oil is one of the only oils with balanced high levels of both Omega-3 and Omega-6 essential fatty acids.

Cranberry seed oil has a 1:1 ratio of omega-3:omega-6 fatty acids (35% omega-3 and 35% omega-6).

So there you go.


See: +http://www.fruitessentials.com/cranberryseedoil/cranberry_health_benefits.html
+http://www.camdengrey.com/essential-oils/cranberry-seed-oil.html


To your health,

Leila

P.S. Here is a short article about what oils are safe to cook with and why. Most oils I never cook with, I just use them raw.

+http://www.immunitrition.com/uploads/Cooking_with_Grape_Seed_Oil_or_Rice_Bran_Oil_-_Is_it_Safe.pdf

Cafe Rio Copy-Cat Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette (Sugar-Free)

Cafe Rio Copy-Cat Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette (Sugar-Free)

I love this dressing. I had to recreate it. I did side-by-side comparisons until it was right. It will last a few days in the refrigerator, but I like it best fresh. The tangy-sweet balance of flavors goes great on a Cafe Rio-style Mexican salad, and on tacos or tostadas, along with the Cilantro Lime Rice recipe. I chose to use white wine vinegar instead of white vinegar for health reasons. If you decide you want to use sugar instead of xylitol, Just replace it with an equal amount of sugar. I hope you enjoy this as much as our family does.


Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette Recipe (Sugar-Free)

2 to 3 garlic cloves, finely minced (to taste)
1 T. finely minced sweet onion (to taste)
1 large bunch cilantro with stems
Fresh lime zest from 2 limes
1/2 c. fresh lime juice (from 4 limes)
1/2 t. fresh ground coriander
1/4 c. white wine vinegar (not regular white vinegar)
6 T. xylitol (to taste) (or Lakanto zero-cal sweetener)
1 T. BioSalt (recipe on blog)
1 1/2 c. salad oil



Method:

1.  Dissolve the xylitol and BioSalt into the vinegar by gently heating together in a  microwave-safe 2-cup measuring cup 20-30 seconds. Stir until completely dissolved. Set aside.

2.  In a food processor, place the cloves of garlic, process until minced fine.

3.  Add the onion and mince fine.

4.  Roughly chop the cilantro with stems and add to the food processor. Chop fine.

5.  Add the lime zest, lime juice, and coriander. Pulse to blend.

6.  Pour in the salad oil and vinegar mixture. Process just until mixed (do not puree).


Tip: If you do store it in the fridge, let it come back up to room temperature if the oil has solidified.


Enjoy!

Leila

Cafe Rio Copy-Cat Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe (A healthier Version)

Cafe Rio Copy-Cat Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe

This is my version of Cafe Rio's rice. There are several copy-cat versions online, but I wanted to create one that tasted more authentic. I think the cilantro should be added after the rice is cooked, not before. Cilantro's delicate volatile oils disappear when cooked. Cooked lime juice and lime zest also looses it's brightness. The flavors are balanced in this easy recipe.

I use a rice cooker to cook the rice first. Then I stir in the cilantro, lime juice and lime zest. I put the rice on the "keep warm" setting and close the lid. In a few minutes the flavors meld beautifully.

In addition, coconut oil is a healthy oil for the body, so I chose to use that, and BioSalt is a healthier, balanced salt. You can choose either brown or white basmati rice (Cafe Rio uses white rice). I hope you enjoy it.

CILANTRO-LIME RICE Recipe:

2 c. brown basmati rice (or white basmati rice)
4 c. purified water, divided
1 t. organic chicken base
2 garlic cloves, mashed in a mortar & pestle
1 t. BioSalt (recipe on this blog)
1/2 sweet onion, chopped fine
1 T. coconut oil (deodorized 76 degree coconut oil does not interfere with the dish's flavor)
zest and juice of 1 lime
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped


Method:

In an automatic rice cooker, place all but the lime juice, lime zest, and cilantro.
Push down the rice cooker's COOK button.
When the rice is done cooking, fluff the rice.
Add the cilantro and the zest and juice of the lime. Toss well to mix.


Tip: I like to mash garlic with the salt called for in a recipe. The salt makes it easier to do.

Enjoy!

Leila

French Creme Fraiche Recipes

French Creme Fraiche 


Creme Fraiche is a delicious alternative to traditional sour cream.  It has the benefit of not curdling when simmered, like sour cream does, and it is much easier to make than yogurt. Sour cream has a firmer texture and a blander taste than creme fraiche, but they are pretty much interchangeable. Try creme fraiche in salad dressings and sauces. It is also wonderful for topping fresh strawberries or fruit omelettes (add a little vanilla and xylitol to sweeten).

FRENCH CREME FRAICHE Recipe:

2 c. heavy cream
2 T. buttermilk

Method:

In a glass jar, stir together the cream and buttermilk.
Let stand on your kitchen counter top overnight or until fairly thick.
Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to thicken further.


Note:

This can be stored for several days in the refrigerator and the tangy flavor will continue to develop.


Variation:

My mom makes another version of  creme fraiche. Try them both and see which you prefer.

1 c. heavy cream
1/4 c. sour cream

Method:

Mix the cream with the sour cream in a glass jar and let sit in a warm place for 12 hours. Then refrigerate 2 days to fully develop a nice tangy flavor.


Enjoy,

Leila

Gluten-Free Wheat Bread Project (Jiffy Bread)

Gluten-Free "Wheat" Bread Project!

Up and coming TASTY gluten-free bread

There is a saying, "If it looks like a fish, smells like a fish, and tastes like a fish...it's probably A FISH!"

Well, we are working on a special project in the Kitchen Cheetahs Test Kitchens. It's wheat bread...but it isn't wheat bread. But it IS "Wheat " bread.

What I mean is, It looks like wheat bread, it smells like wheat bread, it feels like wheat bread, and it tastes like wheat bread! But it's NOT wheat bread! But you will think it is wheat bread. Got it?

This is a teaser of what is to come. As I mentioned in our very first post, we are professional food formulators. we specialize in gluten-free and sugar-free formulas. Most gluten-free recipes are full of sugar and starch, so in reality, you are only exchanging one problem for another! Our goal is to create Truly healthy recipes that will fool anyone into believing that they are eating the real thing. That's a tall order. I said before, "Food should taste good." I don't want to eat healthy, only to miss even more, the old "unhealthy" foods, and I know I am not alone in this.

Gluten-free bread seems to be the carrot dangling before the horse, longed for but never achieved - successfully. True?

Well, we are nailing it! We are working on several gluten-free bread formulas right now. Some of these formulas we will soon be able to share with you.
       
So far we have breads that are like a 50% whole wheat/50% white bread, Challah bread, corn bread, and a "white" sandwich bread that we are making great progress with. These breads have a yeasty flavor and smell like real bread, they have nice spring and hold their shape beautifully for sandwiches and toast. The texture is amazing in the mouth. They are not at all gummy, or sawdust-textured. They are not a gritty, rice bread, or a heavy coconut flour bread, or a dense almond bread. they are not loaded with starches, and they do not have weird off-flavors.

What these breads DO have is a healthy high-fiber content and a very low carb count (great for curbing appetite and aiding in weight loss).

We are very excited to share this with you.

Below are some photos of our gluten-free bread that takes the place of a regular 50/50 whole wheat/white flour gluten-containing bread. we wish you could smell and taste this bread. We really don't think you would miss real bread anymore.

Slices of our easy gluten-free bread

Look at the structure of this gluten-free bread

Perfect for toasting

Yeah baby!

Please stay tuned,

Leila.