Women's Wellness from Within Event

I will be providing the food for this wellness event held at the Atco Family Chiropractic Center in Atco, New Jersey.

Come join me and other women for a day of pampering, wellness, coaching, shopping and workshops. Enjoy delicious hors d'oeuvres and tasty desserts; network and listen to workshops focusing on wellness and business; experience relaxing chair massages; enhance your natural beauty, try on the latest makeup trends; and shopping!

Date: Saturday, November 22nd
Time: 11:00am to 3:00pm
Location: 2129 Atco Avenue, Atco, NJ
Phone: 856-753-7225
Email: gethealthy@atcochiro.com
Cost: $10

For more information and to register for this event call Event Mood Corp at 609-518-1259 or send an email to the event organizer, Lavinia Awosanya at lavinia@eventmood.com.
Or call the Atco Chiropractic office at 856-753-7225.

Zucchini Bread, Whole Wheat and Gluten Free Versions

We are full swing into the squash season here in Southern New Jersey and zucchini have been plentiful at the local farmer's markets. I took these pictures earlier this year in my friend's garden back in California. Most people have not seen the blossom that grows off the end of a squash before it matures and falls off. These squash blossoms are popular in restaurants during the summer and are often served stuffed and fried.

I wanted to make some sort of bread and thought about pumpkin, but it is not quite Fall yet so I decided to do zucchini! I love breads that are part healthy and part dessert. I could not help myself and just had to throw in a couple chocolate chips too, just to make them a little more fun. This bread came out beautifully and I wanted to taste it so badly that I ended up making a gluten free version as well a couple days later. I tell ya, it gets to you after awhile when everyone else is saying how good it tastes and you cannot taste it yourself.

So here is the regular bread recipe:

Zucchini Bread
makes 2 loaves

3 cups flour, (I used 2 cups whole wheat and 1 cup all purpose)
3 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg (a little less that 1/4 tsp)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 cup olive oil or grapeseed oil
1 1/2 cups sugar (I used part Sucanat and part organic white sugar)
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini
1/4 to 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips by Sunspire

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Oil and flour 2 bread pans ( 8 x 3 1/2 or 4 inch). Cut 2 pieces of parchment paper to fit into the baking pans so that they lay over the sides. This will help in preventing the bread from sticking to the pans.

3. In a small bowl stir together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt until well mixed.

4. In a large bowl whisk the eggs and then stir in the oil, sugar and vanilla. Add zucchini and stir again.

5. Add the flour mix into the wet mix and stir well to combine. Add chocolate chips and stir again.

6. Pour mix into prepared baking pans and bake for 60 minutes, turning half way through cooking time. Test with a skewer in the center to make sure it comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool. Use the sides of the parchment paper to lift the bread from the baking pans. Enjoy!

These came out great as muffins as well, makes about 2 dozen.

And now here's the Gluten Free Conversion:

For the 3 cups of regular flour replace with:
1/4 cup Tapioca Starch
1/4 cup Potato Starch
1/4 cup Millet Flour
1 cup Brown Rice Flour
1 1/4 cups Sorghum Flour
1 1/2 tsp Zanthan Gum
Follow the procedure above using this mix for the 3 cups flour. Everything else stays the same. I had to leave this one about 5 to 8 minutes longer in the oven.

The bread came out moist and chewy, but just a little more crumbly than the wheat version. I like using a varied mixture of GF flours so that I get a texture as close to wheat as possible, and more nutrients. Tapioca and Potato Starches are high in carbs and low on fiber and vitamins, so I like to add Millet and Sorghum Flours which are higher in fiber, minerals and vitamins. Together they make for a more dense and nutritious product.

Quinoa Salad

Quinoa is a valuable super food for vegetarians and vegans who are concerned about getting enough protein in their diets. It is the only grain that contains all nine essential amino acids which means less need for food combining. It is also high in lysine, an amino acid necessary for tissue growth and repair. Quinoa has a nutty flavor and is similar to rice in its texture and in the way it cooks. It is lumped in the grain category but it is actually the seed of a leafy plant, related to spinach and swiss chard. You can see what the quinoa plant and harvest looks like here. It comes in both the white version pictured below and red.

Ingredients
1 ½ cups quinoa
3 cups vegetable stock or water
½ tsp sea salt
1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight (or 1 ½ cups canned)
1 piece kombu, about 1 inch x 2 inches
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeds removed and diced
2 large tomatoes, chopped
¼ cup green onions, sliced thinly
½ cup parsley, minced
¼ cup fresh mint, minced
¼ cup fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp sea salt fresh cracked pepper, about 6 turns
1 ripe avocado, diced

Procedure
Place quinoa in a mesh strainer and rinse under cold water for a few seconds. Place in medium pot over high heat with the vegetable stock and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork and set aside to cool with the cover off.

To cook the chickpeas, drain soaking liquid, then place in medium pot. Add kombu and enough water so there is 2 inches of water above the level of chickpeas. Place over high heat so that it comes to a boil. Reduce heat just enough so that the pot remains at a gentle boil and cook for 1 hour. Check on the chickpeas occasionally to skim off any foam from the surface and add water if necessary. Once cooked, drain chickpeas and then return to the pot, set aside to cool.

Place the quinoa, tomatoes, onion, parsley, mint, lime juice, oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl and stir to mix. Taste for seasoning and add more lime, salt or pepper to taste.
Add chickpeas and avocado and stir to mix again. Serve at room temperature or cold.

This Week's Menu

Been working hard on the next menu for my Gourmet Vegetarian Lunch Delivery Service. Everything is organic and homemade. Here's what we are having.....

Monday
Brown Rice with French Lentils and Caramelized Onions
Citrus Marinated, Pressed Cabbage Salad
(I just love this rice and lentil dish. I have made it with brown rice and green lentils, red rice with brown lentils and am now going to try out this 3rd version. French Lentils are prettier and smaller than the green/brown ones. They are speckled when raw and then lose the speckles and turn more green when cooked.)

Tuesday
Quinoa Salad with Local Jersey Cucumbers, Tomatoes and Corn
(I love working with quinoa, especially for vegans and vegetarians since it is a complete protein super food as it contains all nine essential amino acids. It tastes great warm or cold and will be complemented by our local produce. I am also going to use some beautiful heirloom tomatoes in this dish.)

Wednesday
Millet and Vegetable Croquettes
Crunchy Cauliflower Slaw with Dill Dressing
(the creaminess of the dill dressing on the cauliflower will go great with the crunchy, fried croquettes!)

Thursday
Double Sesame Skillet Red Rice with Baby Lima Beans and Greens
(the rich undertones of toasted sesame oil along with a topping of sesame seeds on the rice make up the "double" sesame theme for today. I am hoping to find fresh lima beans, but if not, dried will do just fine)

Friday
Zucchini Noodles with Cashew “Alfredo” Sauce
with Pan Fried Tofu Sticks
(This is a mainly raw dish. The spaghetti "noodles" are made on a saladaco, and then topped with the cashew sauce making it a raw version of fettuccine alfredo. It is a great summertime dish. The cashew sauce also goes well over real pasta!)

Dessert: Zucchini Bread with some organic chocolate chips thrown in.

For more information on the Vegetarian Lunch Delivery Service including how to order, click here.

FDA OKs Irradiated Lettuce and Spinach

Rather than dealing with the problems inherent in a disease-ridden factory-farmed food system, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced in mid-September it will allow the irradiation of lettuce and spinach.

Food irradiation is the controversial practice of bombarding food with high levels of x-rays (ionizing radiation) in order to destroy disease causing pathogens. Unfortunately, in the process of irradiation, other hazards arise, like the creation of toxic free radicals, vitamin and nutrient loss, and the formation of carcinogenic chemicals. A product bearing this green radura symbol above has been irradiated.

While irradiated lettuce and spinach must be labeled in supermarkets, there are currently no labeling requirements whatsoever for restaurants, schools, hospitals, or nursing homes serving irradiated produce or other nuked foods such as beef. Over the past decade, OCA and our allies in the organic community have prevented corporate agribusiness and the nuclear industry from contaminating organic standards. Food irradiation is prohibited on any product labeled as "organic."

There is currently a 30 day comment period for the FDA's new rule. Make your voice heard! Click here to send the FDA a message during the 30-Day Comment Period

Article above is from the Organic Consumers Association.

My Favorite Gluten Free Chocolate Cake

This gluten free chocolate cake recipe continues to impress. I made it for the first time here, but looking back I realized that I never posted the recipe. I adapted it from the Chocolate Cake recipe by Carol Fenster, Ph.D in her book "Special Diet Solutions". I have made it for a health fair that I worked at, and also a 40th Anniversary cake I did where only 2 people in the bunch were GF. Everyone there loved the cake and could not believe it was GF. It is so moist that the texture is almost fudge-like, but still springy and light. It is sweet enough that it does not have to be frosted.

Well, I needed something fun to take to a party Friday night and decided to make mini-cupcakes out of this recipe. That way people can take "just a bite" and not feel bad for eating an entire slice of cake. The only problem is when you forget just how many you have eaten.

The original recipe is for a 1 layer cake with an 8" or 9" pan. I am going to leave those instructions as is and then put some notes afterwards for using the mini cupcake pan. I have also tried different kinds of sugars and it always comes out fine. So if you need to substitute another sugar go ahead. When I use sucanat I put it through a coffee grinder first to make it finer as I find the sugar crystals are a little large and I want to make sure they dissolve with the rest of the ingredients.

Ingredients:
½ cup brown rice flour
¼ cup millet or sorghum flour
¼ cup potato starch
¼ cup tapioca flour
½ cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1¼ teaspoons baking soda
1 cup maple crystals, sucanat or regular sugar
¾ teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon vanilla
½ cup almond, rice or soy milk
½ cup butter, room temperature
1 egg, lightly beaten
¾ cup coffee, room temp

Procedure:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 inch round cake pan with butter or coconut oil. If your pans tend to stick, cut a round piece of parchment paper and place in the bottom of the pan and then grease that as well.

Put all dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir to mix. Add vanilla, milk, butter and egg and mix on low speed with a hand mixer until smooth, about 1 minute. Add coffee and blend for another minute until coffee has been completely mixed in. Batter will be thicker than non-gluten-free batters.

Pour batter into cake pan and smooth out the top with a rubber spatula. Place in oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, turning pan half way through baking time. Remove from oven when a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes and then remove and set on a rack to cool completely. Finish with your favorite frosting.

Mini Cupcakes

This recipe makes 50 mini cupcakes. Fill holes halfway with batter. Reduce baking time to 11 minutes, turning halfway through cooking time if your oven heats unevenly. I topped mine with some cocoa butter cream frosting and then a single coffee bean at the peak of the frosting.



Regular Cupcakes

I have also made regular-sized cupcakes, but I don't remember how many the recipe yielded. The best part about them was the cracked Souffle look some of them had when they came out of the oven. I left those ones unfrosted.

Crispy Zucchini Cakes

This is a recipe that I made over a year ago and keep meaning to finish writing out the procedure for. At this point it would be safe to say the details may be a bit fuzzy. It is zucchini season here in Southern New Jersey so this recipe is great for all those squashes that are ready to pick but you dont know what to do with. I adapted this one from "small bites" a fun cookbook I picked up on a whim. There is something about attractively arranged small foods that just appeals to me. Perhaps that is what is behind the Tapas trend in restaurants. They are best eaten immediately after frying as they lose some crispyness after sitting. Serve these with Yogurt Dill Sauce.

Ingredients:
1 large zucchini

1 tbsp salt

1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs*

6 green onions

2 eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled*

1/4 cup mint leaves, finely chopped

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

salt and ground pepper to taste

1/2 cup rice flour

about 2 cups coconut oil

Procedure:

Grate zucchini, place in a colander and sprinkle with the salt to remove excess moisture. Let sit for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Set aside 8 tbsp of breadcrumbs and spread the remaining on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper. Bake for 5 minutes, stir and then bake for another 5 minutes until golden and crisp. Let cool.

Rinse zucchini and squeeze out excess liquid with your hands. Pat dry with a towel. Mix zucchini with onions, eggs, feta, reserved 8 tbsp breadcrumbs, mint and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper.

Dust hands with rice flour and then form round 2-inch wide patties with the zucchini mix. Roll patties in toasted breadcrumbs making sure they are completely coated and lay on a cookie sheet.

Heat oil in large frying pan with high sides over medium-high heat. Use enough oil so that each patty is submerged half way. Fry the patties for about 3 minutes, then flip over and fry on the other side, until crisp and golden color. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels.

Serve immediately with Yogurt Dill Sauce (recipe below).

Dill Yogurt Sauce
1 14 oz container plain, whole yogurt
2 tbsp fresh dill
1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly cracked pepper

Place a piece of cheesecloth over a mesh strainer and then place strainer over a bowl. Pour the yogurt into the strainer on top of the cheesecloth and let sit a couple hours or overnight in the refrigerator so that excess moisture drips through. This will help to make the sauce thicker.

Pour yogurt into a small bowl and stir until smooth. Chop dill into small pieces and then add to yogurt along with the salt and pepper. Stir to mix and then place into serving bowl. Serve.

Notes:

*For the cheese in the cake mixture I used a raw goat's milk feta I found at Bonterra Market in EHT.

*The breadcrumbs are made of Berlin Natural Bakery's Whole Grain Spelt. I can tolerate spelt in moderation and I think these taste as close to wheat as possible, which is a nice transition for people who are not gluten-free.