Project Foodie - Trick or treats?

Trick or treats?

Save Recipe: Strawberry Agar-Agar with Young Coconut & Cashew Nut Ice Cream

This time of year usually provides us abundance for our sweet tooth. But as we know this also leads to over abundance for our waistline and extra work for our pancreas.

Have you ever noticed that as the year draws to an end you feel more and more sluggish, your brain gets cloudy and you feel tired in the morning, even with a full nights rest? There may be many things to blame due to the busy holiday season, but one major culprit is diet.

This time of year, especially, remember the basics. Take more of the salad, less of the baked yams with marshmallows, more of the turkey breast, less of the mom's fried chicken, more 100% Concord grape juice, less of the fermented kind, more of the fruit, less of the fruit cake. Meals tend to be too heavy, too sweet and accompanied by alcohol. Everything in moderation is fine…I'm a firm believer in that, but the holidays always seem to push the envelope on what "moderation" really means. This year, try some new desserts that not only won't give anyone a sugar hangover, but actually provide healthy nutrition…don't worry you don't have to tell them!

To get you started here is a sugar conversion chart with some of the sugar alternatives. Keep in mind that each of these sugar alternatives have different flavors than refined sugar. You may want to taste them first before replacing refined sugar in your favorite recipe. Also, all sweeteners should be consumed in moderation, but weaning ourselves off refined sugar is one of the best things to do for your health, start with your desserts this holiday season!

Sugar Conversion Chart

Sweetener	Replace one cup of refined sugar with:	Reduce liquids by:
Agave Nectar: a natural extract from a Mexican cactus of the same name, tastes and has a texture similar to honey	3/4 c	1/3 c
Barley Malt Syrup: Roughly half as sweet as honey or sugar. Made from sprouted barley and has a slight nutty, caramel flavor	3/4 c	1/4 c
Brown Rice Syrup: A relatively neutral flavored sweetener that is roughly half as sweet as sugar or honey. It's made from fermented brown rice.	1 c	1/4 c
Blackstrap Molasses: This syrup is a liquid by-product of the sugar refining process. It contains many of the nutrients of the sugar cane plant. It has a strong, distinct flavor (think molasses cookies).	1/2 c	1/4 c
Date Sugar: A granulated sugar produced from drying fresh dates.	2/3 c	0
Fruit Syrup: The preferred method of sweetening involves soaking, then blending raisins and dates with filtered water to create a sweet syrup. Try ½ cup raisins with 1 cup water and experiment to find desired sweetness.	1 c	1/4 c
Sucanat: Abbreviation for Sugar Cane Natural. It is a granular sweetener that consists of evaporated sugar cane juice. It has approximately the same sweetness as sugar. It retains most of the vitamins and minerals of the sugar cane.	1 c	0
Stevia: (available in powder or liquid). Stevia is a plant that originates in the Brazilian rainforest. The powdered form is between 200-400% sweeter than white sugar. It is non-caloric, does not promote tooth decay and is said to be an acceptable form of sugar for diabetics and those with blood sugar imbalances.	1 tsp	0

Now for the adventurous - If you're really into dessert and want to make something really special, but keep it healthy, try these recipes given to me by Sydney native Chris Miller, the Executive Chef at COMO Shambhala Resort and UMA resort in Bali, Indonesia. Each separate part of this recipe can be used individually as a dessert if making all four parts seems a bit too daunting!

Strawberry Agar-Agar with Young Coconut & Cashew Nut Ice Cream

Ingredients for one serving:

1 scoop Young coconut ice cream
1/2 cup strawberry agar-agar
1/4 cup fresh julienne young coconut
3 inch square piece cashew nut crackers

Young coconut and cashew nut ice cream

Serves 8 portions

2 cups raw cashews, soak for 4 hours
2 cups coconut meat
1 cup water
1 cup agave nectar
¼ cup coconut butter
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
½ vanilla bean seeds
½ teaspoon sea salt

In vita-mix or high speed blender, blend all ingredients until completely smooth. Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator and then process in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Strawberry, rose, pineapple & sage agar-agar

2 1/4 cups strawberry puree
1 1/2 cups pineapple juice
1/4 cup fruit syrup (see above chart for fruit syrup instructions)
1 pack dried agar-agar (swallow brand)

In a vita-mix or high speed blender, puree the strawberries until completely smooth. Mix with fresh pineapple juice and fruit syrup. Take 1/3 of pineapple/strawberry fruit syrup mix and mix with dried agar-agar and cook until warm (do not boil). Remove from heat and mix with rest of pineapple/strawberry/fruit syrup mix. Pour mixture into a small mould. Cool until set.

Cashew nut crackers

2 cups cashew nut
½ cup water
½ cup sugar syrup
2 tsp honey

Mix all ingredients until smooth. Using spatula spread the mixture to the edges of the dehydrator trays. Dehydrate the mixture at 110 F for 8 or 10 hours.

About the Nutritionist

Amyjo Johnson has a Bachelors of Science in Human Nutrition and is currently working on her Certification and Masters in Nutrition through the nationally accredited American Health Science University and the National Institute of Nutrition Education. For two years, Amyjo has been providing nutrition consulting to the on-site food service team and employees at Google, Inc. She provides information on assuring nutritionally balanced menus, excellent ingredients, and food choice nutritional education for ideal productivity and health. Through her company, Food for Change, Amyjo provides individuals and businesses counseling and consultation on a variety of nutritional situations and needs. Contact her at: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it