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Berry Fig Yogurt Parfait

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Parfaits are fun. And this berry fig yogurt parfait is delicious and energizing!

berry fig yogurt parfait

It’s getting to be the dog-days of summer — but if you’re a dog lover like I am, it’s not a bad thing at all! Yes, I know, nobody likes those ridiculously hot and humid days — the ones where the air is heavy and everything seems to move in slow motion. But summer is awesome! Even when it’s hot! You can go outside with nothing but shorts and a tank. You can walk down the street drinking the hugest iced coffee or smoothie. You can smell that warm, sweet, summery scent of the flowers and trees…

And here, in NYC, where everyone aspires to leave the city in the summer, I am happy as a clam. I’m not crazy though. I don’t turn on my oven much, and I stick to the shady side of the street. And, I eat things like this awesome berry fig yogurt parfait.

I hesitate to even call this parfait a recipe — because really you can make it however you like — but I am including the recipe for how I made this one because it’s so delicious and cooling and refreshing.

By the way, I made my parfait dairy-free by using the most delicious coconut yogurt I’ve ever had. I used Anita’s coconut yogurt — it’s so good, I might even say it’s life-changing!

If you’re feeling really ambitious, here’s my recipe for Homemade Coconut Cinnamon Yogurt.

berry fig yogurt parfait

This parfait is as easy as it is healthy:

In Asian medicine, we use coconut to strengthen the body, reduce swelling, and stop bleeding. Coconut kills viruses, bacteria, and parasites. It’s good for all types of infections and viruses in the body, including the flu, bronchitis, tapeworms, urinary tract infections, and herpes. And perhaps most importantly, it helps you keep your mind sharp and it makes it easier for you to focus.

Figs have the highest amount of calcium of any fruit and are a good source of fiber. They are good for anemia, constipation, indigestion and fever, and they are also good at fighting fatigue and boosting memory retention.

All berries are good for you and contain antioxidants. As a general rule, the darker the color, the more antioxidants, making blackberries even better than other berries at fighting cancer and other illnesses. Blackberries also can help relieve intestinal inflammation and diarrhea, and they are good for your skin. And, even more importantly, they taste great…

Research shows that pumpkin seeds may reduce blood sugar and increase bone density. And, because they are rich in iron, they are good if you are tired or have anemia. In Asian medicine, pumpkin seeds are sometimes used to get rid of intestinal parasites and to decrease inflammation in the body.

Bee pollen is considered one of the most nutritious substances you can put in your body. It is higher in protein than anything animal-based and it contains an amazing amount of amino acids. It’s good for your energy, your skin, your breathing and your allergies. Add a spoonful to whatever you can. I know there are differing opinions as to whether bee pollen is vegan; so if you would prefer to leave it out, that’s just fine.

berry fig yogurt parfait

Berry Fig Yogurt Parfait
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Recipe type: breakfast, lunch, snack, dessert
Cuisine: vegan, vegetarian, grain-free
Author:
Prep time:
Total time:
Serves: 1
This is the perfect summer breakfast, snack, lunch... anytime treat. It takes only a few minutes to prepare and it's healthy and refreshing!
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Place a little bit of each topping in the bottom of a glass or bowl.
  2. Spoon half of the yogurt on top of those toppings.
  3. Add more toppings, then more yogurt, then more toppings.
  4. You are done!
  5. Enjoy!

berry fig yogurt parfait

Creamy Vegan Chocolate Mousse

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This creamy vegan chocolate mousse is so delicious that nobody will miss the dairy!

creamy vegan chocolate mousse

Last year when I was on vacation in Carmel, California, I had the best chocolate mousse in the world. I’m not being overly dramatic. It really was The Best. Chocolate. Mousse. Ever. You know how sometimes out of the blue, for no reason at all, something just pops into your head? Well, the other night that chocolate mousse popped into my head. I really, really wanted some.

OK, so I don’t eat dairy now and I don’t eat sugar now, so what was I to do?

Also, I love eating dessert but I am not a great baker/dessert maker.

I posted a recipe for a healthy chocolate mousse a long time ago, so I looked it up. I remembered it being good, but it really wasn’t that same creamy decadent goodness as the mousse now stuck in my head. So, I played around with the recipe. And now, this recipe is awesome; it’s really, really creamy. Maybe it’s not the same as that full-on dairy-ed up version in Carmel, but it’s just as satisfying. And, don’t worry, it’s not just me who loves it… Steve (my dairy-eating husband) gives it a big thumbs up too!

Oh yeah, did I mention that this creamy vegan chocolate mousse recipe requires no cooking. It’s raw. All you need is a blender. I used my Vitamix and it came out silky and dreamy. I don’t know what the texture will be like if you use a regular blender, so if you try it please let me know.

And, if you want to try another great raw chocolate dessert, try my Raw Chocolate Bark recipe next time.

creamy vegan chocolate mousse

Here are some of the great ingredients:

Avocados are one of my favorite foods, both for their health benefits and because they taste great. In Chinese medicine, some practitioners recommend avocados to raise the sperm count. I like them because they are good for anemia, dry skin, palpitations and hot flashes due to menopause.

Raw cacao is a superfood. It is packed with magnesium, iron, zinc and other minerals. Not only is it packed with health benefits, but it actually has properties that help the body absorb nutrients better and it’s filled with antioxidants. Cacao can actually be translated as “food of the gods”… Raw cacao can help lower blood pressure, promote healthy heart function, improve digestion, and may even help increase the libido.

Cashews are good for a host of conditions including fatigue, frequent urination, knee and lower back pain and low libido. They are also great for energy, constipation, and dizziness. This recipe uses cashew butter to make the mousse deliciously creamy.

Maca Root is one of the superfoods I take every day. It has many healthy benefits including increasing libido, helping menopausal symptoms, relieving menstrual cramps, regulating hormones, and increasing energy.

In Asian medicine, nuts are known to be good for your brain, heart, skin and reproductive system. Almonds are particularly nutritious. They are a good source of protein and they give you energy. And, they are gluten-free. Almonds will help relieve a cough and asthma and are also good for constipation. Even if you are not on a dairy-free diet, almond milk is the way to go.

creamy vegan chocolate mousse

 

Creamy Vegan Chocolate Mousse
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Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: vegan
Author:
Prep time:
Total time:
Serves: 3
This is the creamiest chocolate mousse ever! It's vegan. It's healing. It's amazing. And, it's raw -- that's right, no cooking required!
Ingredients
  • flesh of 1 avocado
  • ¾ c almond milk
  • 3 Tbs raw cacao powder
  • 1 Tbs plus 3-tsp pure maple syrup
  • 1-1/2 Tbs cashew butter
  • 1 tsp maca root powder (optional)
  • For optional topping: vegan chocolate chips (or any chips you like)
Instructions
  1. Put all of the ingredients (except the topping chips) into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
  2. Spoon into small ramekins.
  3. Top with chips if you like.
  4. Cover with plastic wrap.
  5. Refrigerate until cold, at least a few hours.
  6. Enjoy!

 

creamy vegan chocolate mousse

Paleo Lemon Cake

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Paleo Lemon Cake! This is so delicious; it’s kind of like a cake grandma used to make, but way healthier!

paleo lemon cake

I’m a chocolate lover. But when I tasted this cake, I thought to myself: hmmmm… I think this might be better than chocolate.

And then, I remembered that it was grain-free. Yup, I actually forgot this is a paleo cake when I tasted it… it’s that good!

If you’ve been following me at all, you may know that I don’t consider myself the best baker. I’m a great cook, but baking… not so much. I’m not much of a measurer or a perfectionist, but with baking when you just wing it or go with the flow, sometimes it’s just a hot mess.

I saw a recipe for lemon bread on a blog called Connie’s Finally Losing It. Connie calls it a bread, and I’m sure hers is perfect and delicious. When I made it, mine didn’t look quite as perfect, and it tastes more like a cake, but OMG, it is just delicious!

And yes, it’s really as good as chocolate. I think part of this is due to the fact that when I made the glaze and poured it over the cake, instead of it sitting prettily on top of the cake, mine soaked into the cake and made it so sweet and lemony, that I can’t imagine doing it any other way.

I put the leftovers in the fridge and we’ve been eating it cold all week. So, put your chocolate bias aside, and try this lemony, sweet, tart, amazing cake!

paleo lemon cake

You should make this cake because it’s delicious. But you should also make it because it’s so good for you:

Lemon peel contains calcium, potassium and vitamin C. Lemons are good for your digestion, they help detoxify your body, they balance your pH, and they act as an antibacterial. They also can soothe a sore throat, lessen a cough, and hydrate the body.

I am a big proponent of eating the whole egg. So many of the nutrients and the taste are in the yolk; I’ll never understand separating nature’s perfect food. Eggs help with many types of dryness in the body. If you have a dry cough or a frog-in-your-throat, try eating some eggs. They have also been shown to help women with various conditions during and after pregnancy.

Honey is an amazing food. It is also a Chinese herb (Feng Mi). Raw honey is honey in its purest form; it has not been filtered, strained or heated above 115 degrees. This means when you eat it, the enzymes, anti-oxidants and nutrients haven’t been disturbed. I use raw honey in my tea, smoothies and in any recipe that calls for honey. Raw honey is solid and may need to be melted before you use it, but this is easy and only takes a minute or two. Honey helps with constipation, some coughs, and some stomach ulcers.

Coconut strengthens the body, reduces swelling, and stops bleeding. It kills viruses, bacteria, and parasites. It’s good for all types of infections and viruses in the body, including the flu, bronchitis, tapeworms, urinary tract infections, and herpes. It’s the coconut flour in this recipe that holds it together, and there is also some coconut oil in this cake.

paleo lemon cake

 

Paleo Lemon Cake
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Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: recipe adapted from: Connie's Finally LosingIt
Author:
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8-10
This lemon cake is sweet, and tart, and when I ate it, I forgot it was grain-free! It's so healthy and delicious and simple -- it will become your new favorite dessert!
Ingredients
  • 1 Tbs coconut oil to grease a loaf pan
  • For cake:
  • 6 large eggs
  • ¼ cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
  • juice from 2 lemons plus enough almond milk to equal a total of 1 cup liquid
  • zest from 2 lemons
  • ⅓ cup raw honey, melted and cooled slightly
  • ⅔ cup coconut flour
  • 1-1/4 tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • For glaze:
  • 2 Tbs coconut oil
  • 2 Tbs raw honey
  • 2 Tbs almond milk
  • zest and juice from 1 lemon
  • ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Grease a loaf pan with the coconut oil.
  3. Put all of the cake ingredients into the bowl of a mixer and mix until well combined.
  4. Pour into the loaf pan.
  5. Place on the middle rack of the oven and bake until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown. Mine took 49 minutes. (Please watch the cake carefully, because the original recipe calls for only baking the cake for 32-45 minutes.)
  6. Remove the cake from the oven and let the pan cool on a rack.
  7. When the pan is cool, remove the cake and let it cool completely on the rack, out of the pan.
  8. Make the glaze: put all of the glaze ingredients into a small pot and simmer over low heat until it's all melted together. Turn off heat and let cool slightly
  9. When the cake is completely cool, pour the glaze over the top of the cake. (My glaze was very liquid, but I poured the whole thing over the cake and let it soak in and it was delicious. In the original recipe, the glaze in the picture looks while and thick and pretty... I'm just letting you know that either way it should be delicious!)

 

paleo lemon cake

Grain-Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

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You’ll swear there’s oatmeal in these grain-free oatmeal raisin cookies, but nope… totally grain-free!

grain-free oatmeal raisin cookies

These grain-free oatmeal raisin cookies are magical. I say that because there is no way you can tell that they are grain-free. You can’t tell by the texture — they have the exact texture of traditional oatmeal cookies. You can’t tell by the taste –nthey taste better than most oatmeal raisin cookies!

Full disclosure: I am not the magician here. The original recipe is from Danielle Walker’s Against All Grain, cookbook, so kudos to Danielle! I took some liberties with the recipe when I made it (because I am pretty sure I am incapable of not changing a recipe…), and I (not being the best baker in the world) was so impressed with the end result that I ended up making a ton of these cookies and putting bags of them in my freezer! Another disclosure: they are so good that sometimes we eat them frozen instead of waiting for them to defrost…

A few weeks ago I had some old friends over for dinner. It was the first dinner party I had in our new apartment. But more importantly, the women who were coming are amazing women who I re-connected with after many years and I really wanted the serve special food.  I knew some of my guests would bring dessert (at least those that were not bringing wine) so I just wanted to have something here that was healthy to nibble on so I wouldn’t go crazy eating all of the decadent desserts I expected would be on the table. Well, my friends did not disappoint. Yes, we had lots and lots of wine. But, between the Italian pastries and the cheesecake and the prettiest boxes of cookies I ever saw, I set a basket of these grain-free oatmeal raisin cookies. And, they were able to withstand the competition! They really are that good!

If you like chocolate chip cookies, but don’t want the grains, try my Flourless Chocolate Walnut Cookie recipe.

grain-free oatmeal raisin cookies

Here are some of the reasons these cookies are awesome for you:

In Asian medicine, nuts are known to be good for your brain, heart, skin and reproductive system. Almonds are particularly nutritious. They are a good source of protein and they give you energy. And, they are gluten-free. Almonds will help relieve a cough and asthma and are also good for constipation. Even if you are not on a dairy-free diet, almond milk is the way to go. This recipe uses almond meal instead of a grain-based flour.

Coconut strengthens the body, reduces swelling, and stops bleeding. It kills viruses, bacteria, and parasites. It’s good for all types of infections and viruses in the body, including the flu, bronchitis, tapeworms, urinary tract infections, and herpes. It’s the coconut flakes that mimic the texture of oatmeal in these cookies, and there is also some coconut flour included.

Raisins help relieve constipation, can help bring down a fever, and can be good for you if you have anemia. Research has also shown them to be effective in helping to ward of cancer because they increase antioxidant levels in your body.

Cinnamon is one of the best herbs to warm the body. It’s great if you have a cold. If you are nauseous or have diarrhea, go for the cinnamon. It also gives you energy and helps with menstrual pain. Cinnamon is used in different forms in Chinese medicine: “gui zhi” is the cinnamon twig and “rou gui” is the cinnamon bark. Both are warming and are used for a variety of ailments. In the winter I add cinnamon to all sorts of foods. It helps with the common cold, swelling, various menstrual issues and some aches and pains. Be careful with it if you have a fever because it is so warming.

Goji berries are a Chinese herb (Gou Qi Zi). They are great for your blood. I prescribe them to some people with chronic pain in the legs and lower back. They are also good for men experiencing impotence and can be used to treat some eye problems. Women who are pregnant and people with intestinal issues should be careful not to eat too many gojis, but the amount in these cookies shoud be fine for anyone.

Honey is an amazing food. It is also a Chinese herb (Feng Mi). Raw honey is honey in its purest form; it has not been filtered, strained or heated above 115 degrees. This means when you eat it, the enzymes, anti-oxidants and nutrients haven’t been disturbed. I use raw honey in my tea, smoothies and in any recipe that calls for honey. Raw honey is solid and may need to be melted before you use it, but this is easy and only takes a minute or two. Honey helps with constipation, some coughs, and some stomach ulcers.

grain-free oatmeal raisin cookies

 

Grain-Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Print
Recipe type: dessert, grain-free, paleo
Cuisine: Recipe adapted from: Against All Grain
Author:
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 2 dozen
These are oatmeal cookies with no oatmeal... but no one will ever know!
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. In a mixer bowl, place the shortening and egg and mix until well combined.
  3. Add the honey and vanilla and mix until creamy.
  4. In a separate small bowl, combine the cinnamon, nutmeg, almond meal, coconut flour, baking soda, salt, and flax meal.
  5. Add these dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix for about one minute, scraping down the sides as necessary.
  6. Add the coconut, raisins, and goji berries and mix again until combined, about one minute.
  7. Using a tablespoon, place balls of dough onto 2 parchment-lined baking sheets. You should end up with about 2 dozen balls.
  8. Wet your palm and gently flatten each ball. I like my cookies kind of thick, so I didn't flatten mine too much.
  9. Bake for 6 minutes, then swap the tray positions so they will evenly cook. Then cook for 4 minutes and then swap again and cook for another 4 minutes. Then repeat for 3 minutes in each position.
  10. *This is how long my cookies took to bake; be aware and check the cookies often -- if they are thinner than mine were (see how thick mine are in the photos), they will cook faster. The original recipe calls for 12 minutes total cooking time.

 

grain-free oatmeal raisin cookies

10 Clean Eating Recipes

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These 10 clean eating recipes are one’s you’ll make again and again!

Shredded Kale

Okay, so Day One is here! If any part of your New Year’s resolution involves clean eating, you’ll love these recipes.

Here are 10 of my favorite easy to make clean eating recipes. And, each one can be made in advance, so you can make enough for the week in one batch and store the rest in the fridge for the week.

Make a few of these each week and I promise you will feel better. Really. All that bloat that you have from the holidays (okay… all that bloat that I have from the holidays…) will start to disappear. I mean it.

Are you with me? Click on the recipe links beneath each picture and let’s get cooking!!!

Here they are:

This is the best soup.  It’s healthy.  It keeps well in the fridge.  And you can change it up each night with different toppings…

 

This chickpea salad can be treated like chicken salad, but it’s vegan. Make sandwiches, salads, or eat it plain…

 

Here’s your new favorite breakfast. Switch it up by experimenting with different fruits and berries…

 

This is a genius recipe. Make one chicken and you can eat all week; top your salads, stuff your wraps…

 

You need a dessert, right? This “nice cream” is made with bananas. It’s vegan and it’s amazing…

 

This is my favorite pasta recipe ever! It’s grain-free and it’s fabulous…

 

This is a copy-cat version of my favorite raw foods restaurant’s vegan Caesar salad…

 

The best vegan chili ever! And, it’s filled with superfoods…

 

A pot of healthy and spicy comfort food is just what the doctor ordered…

 

Here’s a seafood salad that tastes great the next day, is so healthy and clean, and tastes amazing…

10 Clean Eating Recipes

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Fudge

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Keep this pumpkin peanut butter fudge in your freezer and you’ll always have an awesome healing dessert ready to grab!

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Fudge-0012

Open your freezer right now. Look in. Is there a healthy grab-and-go bite-size dessert in there? If not, think how happy you would be if a tray of this deliciously creamy no-guilt fudge was starting at you.

This is how it works. I make at least one tray of petite freezer-friendly dessert every week. After dinner or when we are binge-watching TV shows, I don’t have to worry about it when Steve grabs his idea of healthy snacks (which somehow he can rationalize as being fried chips with a whole tub of dip), because I can just open the freezer and grab the best desserts ever.

This fudge is not one of those desserts that “tastes good for something that’s healthy.”

It IS really good… even if it wasn’t healthy you would grab it. I mean it. Really.

With this pumpkin peanut butter fudge in the freezer, the chips in our cabinet went stale. Yup, this one’s a winner and even trumped the chips in flavor.

A great thing about this fudge: you can  have 2 or 3 pieces without killing your diet. It’s actually good for you, tastes like a combination of decadent peanut butter fudge co-mingled with an ice-cream bonbon, and no cooking experience is required.

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Fudge (single)-0047

I’ve made many batches of healthy fudge, but this one is my favorite. Here’s what’s in it and why it’s so good for you:

Pumpkin can help reduce pain and fever and can soothe stomach irritations. It’s a great food to treat constipation, allergies and asthma. It’s high in vitamin A and can help protect your lungs and intestines from cancer.

Cashews are really a multi-tasking nut. I use them all the time so I say it all the time: Cashews have a lower fat content than most other nuts. Most of the fat in cashews is unsaturated and is made up of oleic acid; this is the same acid that is found in olive oil, making these nuts a heart-healty choice. For this fudge I used cashew butter and it really is just perfect — I like the creaminess it lends to the fudge and it tastes awesome. I know some of you have a problem finding raw nuts sometimes — I’m happy to try to help you locate them if you need shopping suggestions, so just leave a comment and I will try to help. I buy then whenever and wherever I see them. I’m also lucky enough to live near a Whole Foods, so I sometimes buy them from the bulk bins here.

Dates are rich in potassium, dietary fiber and tannins. Fiber is good for your gut and tannins help the body fight inflammation and infection. Dates are also rich in vitamin A and iron. The most amazing thing about dates is that they can be used to replace sugar in almost anything. I stopped using sweetened protein powders in my smoothies and now I use unsweetened ones but I add a few dates. This fudge requires no sugar because we fill it with dates — amazing, really!

Goji berries are a chinese herb (Gou Qi Zi). They are great for your blood. I prescribe them to some people with chronic pain in the legs and lower back. They are also good for men experiencing impotence and can be used to treat some eye problems. Women who are pregnant and people with intestinal issues should be careful not to eat too many gojis, but the amount in this fudge should be fine for anyone.

Cinnamon is one of the best herbs to warm the body. It’s great if you have a cold. If you are nauseous or have diarrhea, go for the cinnamon. It also gives you energy and helps with menstrual pain. Cinnamon is used in different forms in Chinese medicine: “gui zhi” is the cinnamon twig and “rou gui” is the cinnamon bark. Both are warming and are used for a variety of ailments. In the winter I add cinnamon to all sorts of foods. It helps with the common cold, swelling, various menstrual issues and some aches and pains. Be careful with it if you have a fever because it is so warming.

Maca Root is one of the superfoods I take every day. It has many healthy benefits including increasing libido, helping menopausal symptoms, relieving menstrual cramps, regulating hormones, and increasing energy.

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Fudge (closer)-0044

 

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Fudge
Print
Recipe type: dessert, fudge
Author:
Prep time:
Total time:
Serves: 15-18 pieces
It's like a dream come true: fudge that will actually heal your body. And it tastes like real fudge. Amazing!
Ingredients
  • 1 15-oz can pumpkin puree
  • ¼ cup coconut oil
  • ½ cup almond milk
  • 6 Tbs cashew butter
  • 2 Tbs peanut butter
  • 1 Tbs goji berries
  • 20 pitted dates
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp maca root powder (optional)
  • For topping:
  • ¼ cup chopped pecans
  • 2 Tbs raisins
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients (through maca root powder) in a food processor and process until smooth.
  2. Pour into a parchment-lined loaf pan.
  3. Top with nuts and raisins.
  4. Let set in freezer at least a few hours or overnight.
  5. Cut into squares.
  6. Keep leftovers on a tray, covered in freezer.
  7. Enjoy!