It occurred to me that I might be able to get the same result more easily by subjecting the apple to the grater I use to shred up carrots for my salads. Not only was is easier, it was a lot faster as well.
Blueberry Banana Cobbler 1 banana, sliced 1 cup frozen blueberries 1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats 1 tablespoon dried currants 1/4 vanilla bean, or 1/4 teaspoon (alcohol-free) vanilla extract 2 tablespoons chopped raw almonds 2 tablespoons unsweetened, shredded coconut 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon Combine banana, berries, oats, currants, and vanilla in a microwave-safe dish. If using a vanilla bean, scrape pulp and seeds from bean with a dull knife and add them to the mix; discard pod. Microwave for 2 minutes. Top with almonds, coconut, and cinnamon and microwave for 1 minute. Serve warm.
Cocoa Ice Bean Serves 4 2 ripe bananas, frozen 1/2 cup raw cashews 3/4 cup cooked black beans, or canned no-salt added or low-sodium black beans, drained 3 tablespoons natural nonalkalized cocoa powder 5 Medjool dates or 10 Deglet Noor dates, pitted 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or 1/2 teaspoon alcohol-free vanilla extract 1 cup soy, hemp, or almond milk Blend all ingredients together in a high-powered blender until very smooth. If using a vanilla bean, scrape pulp and seeds from pod with a dull knife and add them to blender; discard pod. Add additional nondairy milk if needed to adjust consistency. Pour into bowl and freeze until firm. Allow to soften slightly before serving. Midjool dates are larger and sweeter than the more common Deglet Noor date. In recipes that call for dates, substitute 2 Deglet Noor dates for 1 Medjool.
Chunky Blueberry Walnut Sorbet Serves 4 1 and 1/4 cup unsweetened soy, hemp, or almond milk (use 1 cup for thicker sorbet and 1 and 1/2 cups for thinner sorbet) 3 cups frozen blueberries, divided 2 rip bananas, frozen, one chopped into bite-size pieces 3/4 cup chopped walnuts, divided 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds Blend nondairy milk, 2 cups frozen blueberries, 1 frozen banana (unchopped), and 1/2 cup walnuts in high-powered blender. Empty into a chlled bowl and mix in remaining blueberries, chopped banana, and remaining walnuts, Serve topped with ground flax seeds.
Correction: Empty into a chilled bowl and mix in remaining blueberries, chopped banana, and remaining walnuts. Serve topped with ground flax seeds.
Agar-agar Known as just agar in culinary circles, this is a plant-based gelatin derived from a variety of seaweeds. The white and semi-translucent vegetable gelatin is sold in flake, powder, bar, and/or strand form in many health food stores and some supermarkets. You can use it in several dairy-free and vegan recipes as a stabilizing and thickening agent. If using agar flakes instead of powder, double the amount. (NOTE: This information was provided on page 280 of Dr. Fuhrman's dessert recipes, which has the Fudgy Black Bean Brownies described in the next post. However, it is called for by the recipe on the next page—the Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Filled with Blueberry Jam on page 281, hence its being accidentally positioned somewhat early in this entry here.)
Fudgy Black Bean Brownies Serves 12 2 cups cooked black beans or canned no-salt-added or low-sodium black beans, drained 10 Medjool or 20 Deglet Noor dates, pitted 2 tablespoons raw almond butter 1/2 vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon (alcohol-free) vanilla extract 1/2 cup natural non-alkalized cocoa powder 1 tablespoon ground chia seeds Preheat oven to 200°F. Combine black beans, dates, almond butter, and vanilla in a food processor or high-powered blender. If using vanilla bean, scrape pulp and seeds from pod with a dull knife and add them to blender; discard pod. Blend until smooth. Add cocoa powder and chia seeds and blend again. Spread into a very lightly oiled 8 × 8 inch baking pan. Bake for 1 and 1/2 hours. Cool completely and apply topping if desired. Cut into small squares. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Optional Topping 1 ripe avocado 1/2 cup water 4 tablespoons natural non-alkalized cocoa powder 5 Medjool dates, pitted Blend topping ingredients in a high-powered blender. (Again, unless stated otherwise, these recipes are coming from The End of Dieting: How to Live for Life, by Joel Fuhrman, M.D.)
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Filled with Blueberry Jam Serves 14 1 and 1/2 cups blueberries 1 cup red or black grapes 1/2 teaspoon agar powder (see Post #28) 2 teaspoons arrowroot 2 ripe bananas, mashed (add extra banana batter is too dry) 1 and 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 1/2 cup raisins, soaked in water for 30 minutes, the drained 1/3 cup chopped almonds or walnuts 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or 1/2 teaspoon (alcohol-free) vanilla extract 1/8 teaspoons cinnamon To make the blueberry jam: Combine blueberries, grapes, agar powder, and arrowroot in a high-powered blender. Transfer to a small saucepan and slowly bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Boil for 2 minutes (but no longer), stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Place in covered container and refrigerate until ready to use. Makes two cups. To make the cookies: Preheat oven to 325°F. Combine mashed banana and oats. Add soaked raisins, nuts, coconut, vanilla, and cinnamon. If using a vanilla bean, scrape pulp from pod with a dull knife and add them to mixture; discard pod. Mix well. Drop by tablespoons onto a nonstick cookie sheet. Flatten a little, make an indentation in the center of the cookie, and add blueberry jam in the indentation. Bake for 13 minutes, or until golden. Makes 14 cookies.