Holiday DisStress
For many people the holidays are a hectic time fraught with the stresses of internally and externally imposed obligations and expectations. There are usually far more places to go, people to see, and things to buy, wrap, and send than you have the time, energy, or money for. Holiday eating, with its varied temptations, can be equally stressful for most people.
Eat and Be Merry
Everybody loves to eat, and the availability of sugar-laden goodies is at an all-time high this time of year. Tempting as many of the sugary treats may be, eating them can send many an otherwise merry old soul into an all-time low mood. It’s certainly possible that much of what passes for holiday depression may in fact be a sugar-induced "brain fog" and the lower end of the blood-sugar roller coaster that many people experience in an exaggerated form during the holidays.
Welcome Relief
Since most people are besieged with desserts made from highly refined, processed, starch- and sugar-rich treats from Halloween through the New Year, why not lighten their sugar load by making, sharing, and giving low-impact holiday treats? Whether you’re fixing food for an after-dinner treat, a party, potluck or buffet table, or a personalized gift plate or basket, you will be letting friends, family, and neighbors know that you care about their health and happiness.
A Sweeter Solution
Stevia is a natural, herbal sweetener processed from the leaf of a plant native to Paraguay which has been used for more than 1,000 years with no ill effects. It is the sweetener of choice in Japan. Unlike other sweeteners, it is non-cariogenic, contains no digestible carbohydrates or calories, does not affect blood-glucose levels, and has none of the side effects of artificial sweeteners. Because it is a product of nature and cannot be patented, it is a threat to companies which make and market artificial sweeteners, such as Aspartame. Possibly as a result, U.S. law forbids the sale of stevia as a sweetener. You can find it in health food stores, but it is sold as a dietary supplement.
Stevia comes in several forms, each with a slightly different flavor. White stevia extract powder and stevia extract liquid are the most popular and easy to use. The powder is more economical; the liquid is more convenient for teas and other unpurged beverages. Although the price may appear steep, a small bottle will last a long time.
Stevia extracts are 300 to 400 times sweeter than sugar. To replace one cup of sugar in a recipe, you will generally need only one teaspoon of stevia extract powder and even less of the liquid extract. (Other adjustments will be required, so consult a cookbook or download stevia resources from the internet.) To sweeten one cup of herbal tea, try a minuscule pinch of the powder or two to four drops of the liquid.
The following recipes have been taken from my cookbook in progress, tentatively titled The Next Generation Nutrition Cookbook. Look for it late next year.
If you find a recipe you like, either here or in a favorite cookbook, make it for your friends. Then, to keep on giving even after the holidays, write the recipe on an attractive recipe card, complete with serving suggestions, and the recipe author’s name and contact information. (Recipes are copyrighted, and anyway, authors love to get credit for their creations!) Attach the recipe cards to your food gifts, slip them into a gift basket, or put them on the buffet table next to your holiday offering, so that your friends can keep making and giving the gift of health all year long.
Nutty Carob Protein Balls
Prep: 15 minutes
Yield: 12 tablespoon size balls
Cooking: none
Serves: 4-6 as a snack, 6-12 as dessert
This is a take-off on the Carob Balls found in The Fat Burning Diet, by Jay Robb. These moist confections get all of their sweetness from carob and dried fruit. All of the ingredients can be found in a natural foods store or health food co-op. Nutrition profile for the entire recipe: 850-912 calories, 67 grams protein, 70-80 grams carbohydrate, and 36 grams fat.
Basic ingredients:
3 Tablespoons raw or lightly roasted carob powder
3 ounces (3 rounded scoops) powdered egg white or Jay Robb Enterprise vanilla egg white powder protein or 3/4-1 cup plain unflavored egg white protein powder (Now brand)
1/2 cup raw or lightly roasted almond, cashew, hazelnut, or pecan butter
6-8 chopped, pitted dates or 3-4 coconut date rolls (made from pulverized dates formed into logs and rolled in coconut)
1 Tablespoon apple fiber
Purified water (about 1/4 cup or as needed to mix)
1/2-2/3 cup shredded, unsweetened, sulfite-free coconut for coating balls
1. Mix all ingredients except water in a bowl with a fork. Add water a little at a time, stirring until stiff and thick. Chill several hours or shape right away. Moisten hands with cold water. Form mixture into uniform Tablespoon sized balls.
2. Pour coconut into a sixteen-ounce wide-mouth jar. Add balls one at a time, then shake to coat balls. Transfer balls to a container with a lid. Separate servings with wax paper or parchment paper, then cover and refrigerate.
Variations:
Nutty Chocolate Protein Balls: Add two Tbsp. cocoa to the recipe above. If additional sweetness is desired, add one-quarter tsp. stevia extract powder.
Rachel’s Protein
Pumpkin Pudding
Prep: 10 minutes (single or double batch)
Yield: 1 1/4-2 cups
Cooking: none
Serves: 1 as a snack, 3-4 as dessert
Kids and adults who love the taste of pumpkin pie will enjoy this. You will love its simplicity and the surprising lack of refined sugars or side effects. It’s a snap to make if you’ve cooked squash with a few meals and days in mind. Vary the kind of squash, spices, or nut butter. The chocolate version below has won over finicky children who would not otherwise eat orange vegetables! Profile for entire recipe: 300-450 calories, 24-44 grams protein, 20-30 grams carbohydrate, 10-12 grams fat.
Step 1
Mix the following:
1/3 cup boiling hot purified water
1-1 1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin powder
Step 2
Mix the following:
1-2 ounces (1/4-1/2 cup) plain, unflavored powdered egg white or Jay Robb Enterprises vanilla egg white protein powder
1/2-1 teaspoon pure vanilla or maple extract in a non-alcohol, glycerine base
1/8-1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, apple pie spice, or ground cinnamon, ginger, or nutmeg
1/2-3/4 cup (approx. 100-150 grams by weight) baked, peeled, mashed winter squash: Delicata, sweet dumpling, butternut, buttercup, kabocha, or honey delight
1/4-1/3 cup preservative-free coconut milk (Thai Kitchen brand) or 4 teaspoons unsweetened cashew or almond butter
3-4 ice cubes (made from purified water) or 1/4-1/3 cup purified water as needed to blend
Optional: 1/8-1/4 teaspoons white stevia extract powder (start with less; add more only if needed)
1. Add hot water to blender. Cover and turn on low. Sprinkle gelatin in through top feeder. Whip until frothy, about thirty seconds.
2. Add remaining ingredients, except ice and stevia. Cover and blend. Turn off and scrape down sides with a spatula to remove lumps. Add ice or water as needed to create a smooth texture and yield one and a half total cups. Taste. Add stevia as desired.
3. Pour into one individual container for a snack or three to four wine goblets or custard cups for dessert.
Variations:
Chocolate Protein Pumpkin Pudding: Add two to three teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder in step two.
Use one-half to two-thirds cup sweet winter squash and two chopped, pitted dates above. This variation is naturally sweet. Taste before adding additional sweetener.
Protein Pumpkin Pie: Make a double batch, then pour into a ten-inch deep dish glass pie plate or nine-inch square pan and chill.
Cranberry-Apple Compote/Cranberry Apple Sauce
Prep: 15-20 minutes
Serves: 4-8 (or 3-4 times for 2)
Cooking: 30-35 minutes
Serving size: 2/3-1 cup
This festive dessert can be assembled in minutes. It makes a great finale to a meal, as-is or topped off with chopped nuts or Fluffy Tahini or Fluffy Cashew Cream. Granny Smith apples are my favorite, but other tart-sweet apples, such as JonaGold, Jonathan, Macintosh, or Braeburn will work. Don’t use Red or Gold Delicious apples; they are too watery and often very mealy!
Note: The high pectin content of Granny Smiths acts as a natural thickener; if you use another variety of apple you may need to thicken the sauce with arrowroot.
Basic ingredients:
3/4-1 cup unsulphured raisins (less for sweet apples; more if tart)
2 cups fresh cranberries, rinsed, drained
4 large or 5 medium sized tart semi-sweet apples, washed, cored and chopped, skins left on or off
1/4 tsp. sun-dried, mineral-rich sea salt
1/3-1/2 cup purified water to just cover the bottom of a pot by 1/4- to 1/2-inch
Optional: 1 Tablespoon arrowroot powder or kuzu dissolved in 1/4 cup cold or cool purified water
Optional Topping:
1/3-1/2 cup chopped, raw or toasted walnuts, almonds, pecans, or hazelnuts
1/2 cup Fluffy Tahini or Fluffy Cashew Cream (approx. 1-2 Tablespoons per person for dessert)
1. In a three-quart saucepan layer basic ingredients (except arrowroot). Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer thirty to thirty-five minutes, without stirring. Use a heat deflector if desired. Alternatively, bake in a covered casserole dish for twenty to thirty minutes at 350 degrees.
2. Stir with a large wooden spoon. For a thicker consistency, dissolve arrowroot in cold water, add to pot. Simmer and stir to thicken. For a smooth sauce, purée in a blender or food mill.
Serving suggestions: Ladle into individual dessert cups. Garnish if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers. Serve at room temperature or steam briefly in custard cups.
Fluffy Tahini
Prep: 10-15 minutes
Yield: 2 cups
Cooking: none
Serving size: 2 Tablespoons per person
Seed and nut butters are very concentrated in oil and calories. I make them go twice as far by emulsifying them with warm water. When chilled, the mixture becomes creamy and quite fluffy (hence the name) and much more spreadable. Each tablespoon contains half the fat and half the calories of undiluted tahini or nut butter.
Basic ingredients:
1 cup (raw or lightly toasted) sesame tahini (not sesame butter!)
1 cup warm purified water
1/2 teaspoons sun-dried, mineral-rich sea salt, finely ground
1. If opening a fresh jar of tahini (or nut butter), don’t discard the oil at the top! Transfer the tahini (or nut butter) to a bowl, suribachi (Japanese ridged mortar), or food processor. Stir or blend, then pour the mixture back into the original jar.
2. Pour half the hot water into a nine-inch or larger suribachi or a food processor or blender. Add sea salt, stir to dissolve. Add remaining water and tahini. Blend until smooth and creamy and lumps are dissolved. It will appear thin at first but will thicken as you stir, and more after refrigeration.
3. Pour into a jar. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight before serving. Refrigerate any leftover tahini or nut butter. Serving suggestions: This can stand in for sour cream, yogurt, mayonnaise, salad dressing or butter on top of winter squash, sweet potato, cooked fruit and also be used to replace mayonnaise in deviled (angeled?) eggs for party trays.
Variations:
Fluffy Cashew Cream: Use raw or lightly roasted cashew butter in place of tahini.
Fluffy Almond Butter: Use raw or roasted almond butter in place of tahini in the basic recipe.
Fluffy Pecan Butter: Use raw or roasted pecan butter in place of tahini in the basic recipe.
Rachel Albert-Matesz is a freelance nutrition journalist, cooking instructor, and Healthy Cooking Coach, currently based in Toledo, OH. She has been teaching natural foods cooking classes for thirteen years and is the author of more than 150 published articles. She can be reached at 419-476-2967.
Jay Robb’s protein powders are available by calling 800-862-8763.