Apple Pie Smoothie

Recipe (vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free).

If you’ve been enjoying apple season like I have, try this green smoothie that is a new twist on an old favorite….

Ain’t Your Grandma’s Apple Pie:

2 apples, cores removed 2 handfuls kale, spinach or other greens 1/4 cup raisins 1/8 cup almonds (about 6 to 8 almonds) 1 tsp hemp seeds or chia seeds 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp apple pie spice or sprinkle of cloves 1 cup water

Put all ingredients into a good blender and blend until smooth.  Add more water if it is too thick.

In Oriental Medicine, apples are said to benefit the stomach, spleen and lung.  They stimulate the appetite, relieve diarrhea, clear heat, and moistens the lung.

They are also medicinal for the liver and gall bladder, to help thin bile that is too sludgy, and to help soften cholesterol-based gall stones.

Apples contain calcium, potassium, iron, sodium, phosphorus, Vitamins A, C, and B1 and B2, niacin, fiber and flavones.

Enjoy!

Dawn Potter, AP, Dipl.OM

#greens #detoxify #fruits #fiber #greensmoothie #phytonutrients #complimentarymedicine #wholefood #plantbased #nutrition #orientalmedicine

Everything Cookies

Recipe (vegan, no refined sugar, low fat, can be made gluten-free).

When you just need a cookie, these are the favorite around our house.  We don’t make them often, because we avoid sugar, flour and oil. But I adapted this recipe to reduce the amount of oil needed, and to replace the white sugar.  This is taken from several cookie recipes in the book, “Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar” by Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero.

Everything Cookies (adapted by Dawn):

1 very ripe banana, medium 1/6 cup coconut oil 1/6 cup applesauce, unsweetened 1/6 cup dark agave nectar (raw) 1/6 cup brown rice syrup 2 Tbsp xylitol natural sweetener powder (or Whole Earth sweetener) 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, or gluten-free all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 2 cups rolled oats (gluten-free oats if you prefer) 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 1/2 cup dried cranberries 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips

1.  Preheat oven to 350 F.  Lightly grease two baking sheets.

2.  In a mixing bowl, mash the banana well.  You can use a fork or your hands.  Add the oil, applesauce, agave, brown rice syrup, and xylitol and mix with a strong fork.  Add the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and mix until the dry ingredients are just moistened.  Add the oatmeal, walnuts, cranberries and chocolate chips and mix well.  It is actually good to use your hands for mixing when using oats, to make sure the oats get nice and moist. If the dough is very slippery, add a few extra tablespoons of flour – it really depends on how big your banana was.

3.  Scoop the dough into scant 1/4 cup portions (a floured 1/4 cup measuring cup works well for this), and place on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.  If they want to fall apart, just press them together with your hands.

4.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until lightly browned.  Let them cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to wire rack.

(for an even lower-fat, lower-sugar cookie, skip the chocolate chips).

Enjoy!

Dawn Potter, AP, Dipl.OM

#breakfastcookie #healthydessert #nutrition #plantbased

Awesome Asian Kale Salad

Recipe (vegan, sugar-free & gluten-free).

I have made this salad several times, doubling the recipe, and taken it to parties. Amazingly, even though most people would say they don’t like kale, (especially raw kale), this salad is completely devoured within an hour of setting it out.  And many people demand to know the recipe.  So, here it is…

SALAD:

1 bunch kale, ribs removed, thinly sliced 2 small carrots, peeled and shredded 1 red, yellow or orange bell pepper, diced 1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds 2 Tbsp sesame seeds

DRESSING:

3 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp grated fresh ginger 1.5 Tbsp sesame or canola oil 2 Tbsp water 2 Tbsp Bragg’s Aminos (you can use Tamari or Soy Sauce instead, if you prefer). 1.75 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (or brown rice vinegar)

1. Combine kale, carrots, and bell pepper in large bowl. 2. Prepare the dressing.  In  a small bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients and mix well. 3. Pour the dressing over the kale mixture and marinate for at least 1 hour.  The longer the salad marinates, the stronger the dressing flavors will be, and the softer the kale leaves will become. 4.  Toss with pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds before serving.

(Note:  if you really want the kale leaves to be soft, you can get your hands into the mix, and massage each leaf with the dressing, being sure each surface is well coated, before leaving it to marinate).

Enjoy!

Dawn Potter, AP, Dipl.OM

#salad #vegetables #vitamins #greens #kale #detoxify #fiber #phytonutrients #leaf #wholefood #plantbased #nutrition