Babycakes!!!!

There is a fantastic bakery in New York City called Babycakes.  They specialize in gluten free, dairy free, and quite often, sugar free baked goods.  How can baked goods tasted delicious without the usual sins of butter, eggs, milk, etc?  Well, try these recipes out and post your comments!!!!

Double chocolate chip cookies

I often make these cookies for large gatherings at my place and my friend Rachel ADORES them (as does everyone else!!)  You can easily double the recipe if you wish.  The original recipe calls for Coconut Oil which although it does have a great kick of nutrients, also wallops quite a saturated fat punch.  So, I have substituted canola oil instead and they are just as delicious.

1 cup canola oil
1 1/4 cups organic cane juice (which can be hard to find; if you cannot, organic cane sugar works just as well)
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons pure vanilla extract (PLEASE ensure you are buying the real thing and not artificial)
1 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill gluten-free all-purpose baking flour (available at most supermarkets)
1/4 cup flax meal
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum (used in place of eggs to make the batter stickier; available at Whole Foods and most health food stores and also some regular supermarkets carrying organic groceries)
1 cup vegan chocolate chips (use regular if you are not adverse to dairy)

Preheat oven to 325.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  In a medium bowl, mix together the oil, cane juice / sugar, applesauce, cocoa, salt and vanilla.  In another medium bowl, whisk the flour, flax meal, baking soda and xanthan gum.  Using a rubber spatula (if you have one), carefully add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and combine until a dough is formed.  Gently fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.

Using a melon baller (or your hands), scoop out a ball of dough and place on parchment sheet about 1 - 2 inches apart.  Flatten with the palm of your hand.  Bake on center rack for 14 minutes, turning 180 degrees after the first 9 minutes.  The finished cookies will be crisp on the edges and soft in the centre.

Let the cookies stand on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container (IF there are any left!!!!) at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Lunch box ideas

I recently emailed this post to a few friends but thought I would share it on the blog too.  Sending nutritious lunches to school is always a challenge, especially given the myriad of restrictions that abound!  (no peanuts, no meats, etc. etc. etc.)  Here are some ideas and more to follow next week... 


 Potato, pesto and tuna salad...(4 servings)

1 lb new potatoes, cut in half (scrub well but leave skins on; most of the vitamins are in the skin!)

2 large handfuls of green beans

2 tablespoons pesto

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup canned tuna in water, drained (for minimum mercury exposure, always use LIGHT tuna, not WHITE (ie albacore)....light tunas (skipjack, etc) are smaller fish and thereby have less mercury in their bodies

a handful of cherry tomatoes, cut in half

Boil potatoes until cooked  (about 15 minutes).  Trim the beans, cut in half and add to the boiling potatoes.  boil two more minutes.  Drain the potatoes and beans.  Mix together the pesto and olive oil in a large bowl.  Add the potatoes and beans, tuna and tomatoes.  Mix everything together, let cool and store in fridge.

  Bits and Bites salad

A great entree of cheese and veggies, disguised as finger food!  As possible, please try to use organic produce if serving raw fruits / vegetables!

1/4 cucumber, cut into bite sized pieces

2 stalks celery, cut into bite size chunks

2 carrots, cut into sticks and / or red bell peppers into thin slices

a handful of red grapes (sliced in half if for toddlers)

a small piece of cheddar (about 1-inch square) cut into bite sized chunks

a handful of raisins

Mix all the vegetables together. Add the grapes, cheese and raisins.  Serve with a soft bun or flatbreads

Some dairy (cheese) sandwich ideas....

1.  Ploughman's lunch - put a big handful of grated cheddar into the middle of a bun (kaiser or other), add 1 chopped tomato, top with finely chopped lettuce

2.  Cheese and Apple - grated cheddar and grated apple on a wholewheat roll.  If desired, spread a teaspoon of low-fat mayo on the bun.

3.  Cream Cheese and sun-dried tomato - low fat cream cheese on a bagel / bun with 1-2 finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes

4.  Cream cheese and red bell pepper - spread low fat cream cheese on your bread of choice and top with 1/4 red pepper, finely chopped

5.  Cream cheese and pesto

6.  Cream cheese and pear (top pear with a little lemon juice to prevent browning)

7. Cream cheese and cucumber

8.  Cream cheese and avocado (again, use a few drops of lemon juice to prevent browing)

9 Cottage cheese and pineapple - mix two tablespoons cottage cheese with a few pieces of    chopped pineapple (fresh is best but if canned in juice it's ok too!).  Spoon onto bread

A note about buying fish, given the disaster in Japan...

Since the nuclear disaster in Japan, the amount of radiation seeping into the Pacific waters remains unknown.  For this reason, please ensure the fish you purchase is ATLANTIC based and not from the PACIFIC waters, unless it is frozen fish which pre-dates the disaster.  Some GTA supermarkets I have spoken with (including Longo's at York Mills & Leslie and Whole Foods) are not carrying Pacific fish at all (Longos) or only carrying fish that was frozen prior (Whole Foods)...please ask and if management are not able to provide an answer, skip it for now until the issue is better understood.  Also remember this if you are eating sushi -- some fish (tuna, butterfish, etc) are brought in from the Pacific region.  The owner of Wakame (a popular local Japanese haunt)  has told me that his fish is now sourced from the Atlantic waters as he was informed that there is a Canadian government prohibition from importing Japanese fish at the moment.  Hopefully that is in fact the case.  In any event, be safe -- ask, confirm the sources, they buy.

Delicious soup recipe while the temperatures are still in single digits!

This is a minestrone-type soup but with TONS of nutrients...it is vegan but if you are not adverse to dairy, put a few fresh parmigian curls on top for an extra kick...I love this recipe because it uses kale, which is said to help reduce the risk of cancer and cataracts. It is also a good source of folate and calcium. It has the highest antioxidant ability of all the leafy green vegetables. It is also rich in the phytochemical lutein (for eye health).  I tripled the recipe for a huge pot of soup and it came out perfectly.  The recipe below serves about 6 - 8. 

 

2Tbs Olive oil

1 large leek, thinly sliced white and light green part only

2 cloves garlic minced

1 Tbs poultry seasoning

4 cups kale, tough stems removed, leaves cut into 2" pieces

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes

1 small can diced mild chilies

3/4 cup dried black-eyed peas

1 litre low-sodium vegetable broth

1/4 cup bow tie pasta

 

Heat oil in large pot over medium heat.  Add leek - saute 5 - 7 minutes or until soft.  Add garlic and poultry seasoning and saute 1 more minute.  Stir in kale and cook 5 - 7 minutes or until leaves are wilted, tossing occasionally.  Add diced tomatoes, chilies, black-eyed peas, vegetable broth and 7 cups water; season with salt and pepper.  Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 45 minutes.  Stir in pasta and cook 7 - 10 minutes or until pasta is al-dente and black-eyed peas are tender.  Garnish with parmesan curls if using.  Enjoy!!

A fantastic dessert after a romantic dinner! Poached Pears in Wine

4-6 peeled, cored and sliced pears (recommend Bosc or Anjou -- organic if possible please!)

1 1/2 cups of red wine (Zinfandel, Shiraz or Merlot)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 Tablespoons of lemon juice (if you like citrus, add the lemon zest too)

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Combine all ingredients (except pears) and bring to a boil.  Once the wine mixture is boiling, turn down heat to a simmer and add the pears.  Simmer for about 10-15 minutes and turn pears.  Cook another 10-15 minutes or until they are tender and easily poked with a fork.  Remove pears and let them cool.  Boil wine sauce until the liquid has been reduced by half.  Pour sauce over the pears.  Top with frozen yogurt (Chapman's makes a great, low-fat Madagascar Vanilla!!) or creme fraiche / devonshire cream if you are feeling particularly decadent!!!