Guilt Free Desserts: Bananas Foster

This is the dessert to go along with Dustin and Becky's Fancy Pants Dinner.  Again, happy anniversary guys! 

Bananas Foster is my absolute favorite dessert.  The traditional way of making it involves a lot of butter, sugar, full fat ice cream, and rum.  While it is certainly tasty, I wanted to come up with a version that I could enjoy more than once a year and not feel guilty about.  Try out this healthier (and vegan!) version, and let me know what you think about it! 

Bananas Foster with Spiced Caramel Sauce over Soy Ice Cream

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe bananas, sliced into rounds
• 2 tbsp. vegan margarine (or butter)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3 tbsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg, allspice, or pumpkin pie spice
• Seeds from one vanilla bean, or 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp. dark rum (optional)
• Soy ice cream

Directions:

1. Melt butter in skillet.  Add cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar. 

2.  Stir constantly, making sure the sugar has dissolved and is no longer gritty.  Add in the vanilla bean seeds or extract and rum (optional).  If you do add rum, move the pan away from the stove while adding, unless you want to lose some eyebrows!  Cook until sauce has thickened like a caramel.  Be sure to stir constantly so it doesn't burn!

3.  Add in the sliced bananas, and stir to coat completely in the sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until the bananas are soft, but not mushy.

4.  Layer in a glass with soy ice cream, or even yogurt for a delicious treat!  Enjoy!

Fancy Pants Dinner: Spinach Salad with Warm Balsamic Vinaigrette and Homemade Ravioli with Brown Butter Sage Sauce

My dear friend Dustin approached me with the challenge to make a special menu for him and his awesome wife Becky's anniversary.  I was very excited for this challenge and the idea of making something special for someone else.  So with the brain cells in overload, I decided what is more special than making homemade pasta?  Not just that, but ravioli!  *Flashback to the days before culinary school graduation when my friends turned into little ravioli making minions and cranked out hundreds of these suckers and were found in the hallway covered in flour and mumbling to themselves.... shudder...*  Anyway, this menu and the following dessert are my tribute to them.  Although hubby and I sure didn't mind tasting it for, uh, research purposes... yeah, research purposes.  Who wants a soggy spinach salad shipped from Austria anyway??? Without further ado, here are the recipes.  I hope you all enjoy them, and a very happy anniversary to Mr. and Mrs. James, you guys are awesome!

Spinach Salad with Warm Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

• 1 large bag of pre washed baby spinach
• 1 small red onion, sliced thinly
• 1/2 cup slivered or sliced almonds (you can also use toasted sesame seeds if there is a nut allergy)
• Sliced radishes (optional, we just had them to use up and it tasted very good!)
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 large shallot, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (you can use 1/2 cup balsamic if you don't have cider vinegar)
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp. dijon mustard
• Juice of one lemon
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1.  Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add shallots and garlic, and sautee for 2-3 minutes.

2.  Add vinegars, mustard, salt, pepper, and lemon juice.  Bring to a boil, and let cook for 2-3 minutes, whisking constantly. 

3.  Assemble salad, by layering spinach, onion, almonds, and radish.

 4.  Pour warm dressing over salad, and toss until all spinach is coated.  Serve alongside your homemade ravioli, and enjoy!

Homemade Ravioli with Brown Butter Sage Sauce

Ingredients

Note- The filling can be made the day before hand, and fully assembled ravioli can be stored overnight, but storing the dough by itself overnight will make it tough and very hard to work with. So, either plan enough time to make the whole thing the day of, or just make the filling the day before to save a little time.    

Dough:

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 4 tbsp. olive oil
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon salt

Filling:

• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 zucchini, diced very, very small
• 1 squash, diced very, very small
• 1 lb. mushrooms, diced very small
• 5 sage leaves, chopped finely
• Juice from one lemon
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• Splash of balsamic vinegar
• Salt and Pepper

Brown Butter Sauce:

• 1/2 lb unsalted butter
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 8-10 sage leaves chopped finely

Directions:

 Filling:
1.  Start by preparing the filling so that it can cool while you make the pasta.  Sautee the shallots and garlic in olive oil for 2-3 minutes, or until soft. 

2.  Add in the mushrooms, zucchini and squash, and let cook for about 8 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. 

3.  Add in salt, pepper, juice from one lemon, splash of balsamic vinegar, and sage leaves.  Let cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.

4.  Place filling inside a collander over a bowl.  This will allow the rest of the liquid to drain off, and ensure your filling doesn't make your ravioli soggy.  This is a very important step, don't skip it!

Dough:
1.  Place your flour and salt into a mixing bowl.

2.  Add your olive oil, and stir until dough becomes crumbly.

3.  Pour in your water, and mix until dough begins to come together.

4.  Pour dough onto a floured surface, and knead for about 5 minutes.  The dough should be elastic and cohesive.  If it is too dry, add a little water.  If it is too wet, add a little more flour. 

5.  Roll dough into a ball, and let rest for about 15-20 minutes under a damp towel.

6.  After dough has rested, cut it into 6 equal pieces.  Work with one piece at a time, and make sure other pieces stay under a damp towel to prevent drying out. 

7.  Roll dough out into a long log, then flatten the log with the palm of your hand so you can roll it out. 

8.  Using a rolling pin (or a cup, if you don't have one) flatten the dough out into a long, wide rectangle.  Make another piece the same size to be the top layer of your ravioli.

9.  Place one tablespoon of filling at a time on the dough.  Space filling mounds one tablespoon apart.  There should be a large enough edge around each mound to cut the ravioli. 

10.  Place the other piece of dough on top of the filling.  Using your fingers, press the dough down between each filling mound.  Press firmly, so that the filling doesn't come out of the dough.

11.  Using a small glass, press the rim of the glass over the mound of filling.  Press firmly, so that the dough is severed, and a round ravioli comes out. 

12.  Take excess dough from outside the ravioli and re roll it to use again.  When not using the dough, keep it under a damp towel.  Once your ravioli are all cut out, use a fork to seal the edges.  Press the tines of the fork around the outer edge, making sure not to pierce the part of the dough with the filling in it. 

13.  Once your ravioli has been sealed all around, dust it with flour and place on a plate while you finish the rest.  At this point, you could wrap the plate in plastic wrap to cook the next day. 

14.  Place ravioli in boiling water, and let cook for 2-3 minutes.  The ravioli are done when they float to the top. 

Sauce:
1.  Melt 1/2 pound of butter in a skillet and add salt, pepper, and sage leaves. 

2.  Add in a splash of balsamic vinegar, and let the sauce cook for about one minute.  You will see bubbles rise to the top, which you can skim off.  The butter that is left underneath will be very brown. 

3.  Add in your boiled ravioli, and toss around in the butter sauce until all the ravioli are coated. 

4.  Place into a serving dish, or plate and serve immediately.  You can top this with fresh parmesan cheese, but the brown butter really provides a depth of flavor without it.  Enjoy!!!

Unprocessed: Behind the Scenes of My Journey, Part 1

WARNING:  This post is long, personal, and may offend some.  It's just my way of answering the questions of why I am doing this, what I am doing, and the emotional process of going through this journey.  I hope that you will take the time to read it, and let me know how you feel about it.  Most of all, I sincerely hope that some of you can relate, and realize that your journey is never over.

The Early Years- How I Got Here 
I have ALWAYS been a little overweight.  At least as long as I can remember.  Call it a cocktail of genetics (sorry mom and dad!), living in the land of biscuits and taters, my lack of willpower, or my general disdain for any type of physical activity.  Whatever you blame it on, the fact is, I was a chubby little kid.  In our society that leads to a life of being picked on ruthlessly by little snot nosed, punk kids all through your elementary school career.  I remember coming home crying many days because of being called names like fatty, elephant butt, and my personal favorite "whaley."  Looking back on it, I never really was that much bigger than any of the other kids, but you know how kids are.  They like to take the one person that is different than them and place a big bullseye on them for daily ridicule.  Somewhere deep down, these things started to take root and I really began to believe that I was different than everyone else.  My family did a wonderful job of trying to relieve those feelings, telling me that I was important, smart, and a very special person.  Thank goodness they did, or things might have ended up very differently. 


The Middle Years- The Awkward Phase
Fast forward a few years to the middle/high school age.  If there is ever a time when you begin to notice that you look different than other kids, this is it.  Girls start wearing makeup, tighter clothes, and really start caring about what the opposite sex thinks of them.  When you don't fit the Hollywood stereotype of height to weight ratio, there is little chance you will be part of the 'in' crowd.  I wasn't involved in any sports or physical activities growing up, unless you count singing around your house for hours on end into your hairbrush a sport (again, sorry mom and dad!).  So between the non-physical lifestyle, down south type eating, and an already chubby frame, these middle years saw an even bigger rise in my BMI, and an even bigger drop in my self esteem.


The Dark Years- When I Met Ed
One day, about half way through high school, I woke up and decided I was done being fat.  I thought if I was suddenly skinny that I would feel better about myself, boys would flock to me, I would become a famous singer, and all my troubles would be over.  For a couple of weeks I took to walking around the neighborhood every day, eating salads, and doing push ups and sit ups in my bedroom at night before I went to sleep.  At the end of these weeks, I hadn't lost a single pound and I was absolutely furious.  I watched some cheesy Lifetime movie about a girl who had an eating disorder that was really skinny.  I think the point of it was to teach young girls that it was dangerous, but  it was really more of a how-to movie for me.  And so it started.  Slowly at first, with just eating a little less at meals.  Then skipping meals.  When that became suspicious, I would eat the meals and then purge them later.  It worked.  I dropped dress sizes fast, got more friends, got a boyfriend, and felt like I was a 'normal' person.  The best part about the whole thing was that nobody knew! On the outside, I was beginning to be the person I wanted to be.  On the inside, I was battling a daily war with myself on where to draw the line between dropping a few pounds and becoming like that girl on the movie. 

The College Years- Finding the Real Me
Moving away from home and going to college was an interesting experience for me.  I could do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, and with whoever I wanted.  Instead of going crazy like some college kids do and partying and meeting boys, I turned this liberation to my relationship with food.  I would go without food as long as I could, then eat a week's worth of calories on takeout, then spend the rest of the night purging.  Some days I would purge up to 16 times.  Seriously.  Even with all this, I NEVER achieved that 'skinny girl' status I was so desperately looking for.  I was too afraid that someone would find out if I got too small.  So, I used it as a maintenance tool not to get any bigger.  Until my abrupt wake up call.  One day after purging I began to cough up blood.  Not a little, a lot.  I was absolutely terrified.  I ran over to the campus clinic and the doctor told me that my esophagus was basically eroding away and that if I didn't stop immediately I was going to permanently damage myself.  I was shocked.  I figured that as long as I didn't get skin and bones skinny, that nothing would be wrong with me if I had Ed.  Clearly, I was wrong.  Not only was I not skinny, I was hurting myself, and I was absolutely miserable. 

I know this next part sounds cheesy, but it is my experience and my belief (and my blog!), so here it is.  I broke the cycle that day.  I went home, collapsed on the floor, and prayed.  Prayed that God would change my desires, prayed that God would change my heart, prayed that God would open my eyes and let me see myself the way that He sees me.  I layed on that floor praying all night and until the next afternoon when my roommate came home and found me.  I didn't feel anything wash over me, hear voices from above, or anything like that, but I just knew that things were going to get better.  And they did.  Christ became a very important part of my life, and I was surrounded by Christian women who told me all the lies I had come to believe about myself throughout my life.  Slowly, I began to tear down those lies and reveal the truths behind them.  I wasn't perfect, but I was perfectly made.  I wasn't Hollywood beautiful, but I was beautiful to God.  I was not a size 0, but my size truly didn't matter.  I was important, and no amount of dieting could ever take that away from me. 


The Married Years- Getting Comfortable
When I married my amazing husband, we got comfortable.  Comfortable in our eating habits, health regime, and our looks.  I would cook big meals every day and we would constantly go out to eat to celebrate the little things.  They were wonderful times, but very bad for both of our health concerns. We tried several times to get fit by working out, eating healthier, eating out less, etc.  We had success, both of us losing weight, only to put it back on again.  Before long, I fell back into my binge/purge cycle and I knew I had to put an end to it immediately.  This time, I sought professional counseling and she suggested that instead of running away from food, that I embrace it.  I had always wanted to go to culinary school, so we decided that I should.  I started my own cake business, went to culinary school, was working 2 jobs, and life was crazy.  Needless to say, I became comfortable with food again.  A little too comfortable in some areas.  Before long, my weight began to absolutely skyrocket.  By the time school was over, I was the heaviest I had ever been.  I hadn't learned the fine line in being a chef between 'tasting' the food that you make for the public, and just flat out eating it!

The Married Years- Getting Uncomfortable
The year after culinary school was the craziest year of my life.  I was working from 6am-6pm every day at 'real' jobs, then working usually until wee hours of the morning and on weekends at my cake business.  I was stressed, exhausted, and overwhelmed, but I was happy because I was doing something that I enjoyed.  My weight continued to creep up because convenience meals usually won out over prepared meals.  Processed food and take out became the norm, and my health showed it. 

The Married Years- Failing Health
Over the past year and a half, I have had a lot of health scares.  Some were serious, some were not, but it was still enough to make me wake up and think. With heart disease, all types of cancers, strokes, neurological diseases, and other health concerns all plaguing members of my family, I did not want to be part of the statistics.  Here is a little recap of all that has happened.

• 5/10- A routine trip to the doctor reveals a strange looking patch on my shoulder that the doctor believes is cancerous.  Removed, tested, and a second surgery is required to remove the remaining abnormal tissue.  Tip- wear your sunscreen, folks!
• 8/10- Another abnormal patch of skin removed and tested, non cancerous.  yay!
• 10/10-  After 9 glorious and miraculous weeks, we lost our first child.  An unbelievably heartbreaking time, which we have chosen to not make public until recently.  We weren't given any explanations as to why this happened, only that we could try again.  And that losing weight would increase our chances.
• 12/10-5/11- Several random instances of dizziness, lightheaded episodes, feeling run down, and all the while, the lymphnodes on the side of my neck are enlarged.
• 5/11- Immobilized neck with very bad pain for several days and very large lumps on my neck leads to ct scan.  CT scan reveals dozens of enlarged lymphnodes on each side of my neck, and a biopsy is performed to determine why.  Biopsy reveals no cancerous tissue, and there is once again, no explanation given for the symptoms I experienced.  
• 6/11-7/11- Very severe bouts with excruciating stomach pain, indigestion, acid reflux, and the like.  Started taking prilosec to relieve symptoms.  

So, after all these things, I began to research.  I wanted to know if there was a connection between them, and what I could do to alleviate and prevent these things.  After hours, days, weeks of research, I believe I have found my answer in a mostly plant based diet that eliminates processed food.  Now that you know how I have gotten here, I will share with you the information that I have learned, what specific things I am incorporating and eliminating, and what tips I have for anyone looking to switch to this lifestyle. 

Thank you so much for reading my story, and tune in to part 2 tomorrow for how you can begin your journey to health. 

Easy Rustic Vegetable Tart

This is one of those entrees that is easy enough for a weeknight dinner, but special enough for Sunday company.  It is very versatile and can be adjusted to any seasonal vegetables or picky taste buds.  This crust is also very versatile and can be used for a sweet pastry, vegetable pot pie, or anything with a traditional pie crust.  This tart is very hearty and satisfying on its own, but could be served along with some grilled chicken or fish for the meat eaters in your life.  As always, I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Easy Rustic Vegetable Tart

Ingredients

Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, plus more for dusting the counter
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 cup iced water

 Filling:

• 4 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1 large red onion, sliced into rounds
• 1 large zucchini, sliced into thin rounds
• 1 large tomato, sliced into thin rounds
• 1 large squash, sliced into thin rounds
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
• Olive oil for drizzling
• Salt and Pepper for seasoning

Directions:

 1.  Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Slice tomato, zucchini, squash, and red onion very thinly and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.

 2.  Place all your vegetables (except spinach) on a parchmented baking sheet in a single, flat layer.  Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the veggies are soft and just starting to brown.  While the vegetables are baking, prepare the dough.

 3. Place flour and salt into a large mixing bowl.

4. Add in olive oil and stir until it just comes together. 

5.  Add in ICE cold water and stir very well until a soft dough begins to form.

6.  Turn out onto a floured surface and knead 15-20 times until a cohesive dough is formed. 

5.  Roll out dough on floured surface into a large, rough circle.  You want the dough to be large enough to make a folded edge, and thick enough to support the vegetables.  You could also make smaller, individual tarts for a brunch buffet.  Place on parchment paper and onto a baking sheet to prepare for filling. 

6.  Place fresh spinach on bottom of dough and then layer your roasted vegetables on top.  Make sure to leave about 1 1/2 to 2 inches of your dough around the edge for folding. Sprinkle pine nuts on top of vegetables and drizzle with olive oil.

7.  Slowly and gently fold the edges of your dough up to create the edge of the tart.  There is no right or wrong way to design your crust, just make sure there are no tears. 

8.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15- 20 minutes, or until crust is crispy and golden brown.  Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing. 

9.  Slice into wedges and serve with a soy-herb dressing.  Round out this meal with a nice side salad or a light summer soup.  Enjoy!

Guilt Free Desserts: Poached Pears with Orange and Vanilla Bean Sauce

This is another easy, tasty, and light summer dessert that will satisfy your sweet tooth without sabotaging your weight loss progress!  Be sure to buy the freshest pears you can find, any variety will work.  I really hope you all enjoy this one!

Poached Pears with Orange and Vanilla Bean Sauce

 

Ingredients:

• 3 firm, fresh pears- any variety
• 1/2 cup white wine (or increase water by 1/2 cup and omit wine)
• 3 1/2 cups water
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 vanilla bean, split (or 2 tsp vanilla extract)
• 1 orange- zested and juiced
• 1/4 cup agave nectar (or honey)
• Soy or Regular vanilla bean ice cream

Directions:

1.  Using a peeler, remove all the outer skin from the pears, making sure the stems stay intact. 

2.  Turn the pears on their side, and use a small teaspoon to scrape the inside of the pears and remove the seeds.  Be careful not to remove too much of the outer fruit, so the pear stays intact when you poach it.  

3.  Add your wine, water, agave nectar, cinnamon, orange zest, orange juice, orange slices and a split and scraped vanilla bean to a medium sized sauce pot.  

4.  Add the pears to the pot and make sure they are submerged in the liquid.  If not, add a little more water until they are almost covered.  Bring mixture to a boil and then turn down to a simmer.  Simmer for 5 minutes, or until pears are tender but not falling apart.  

5.  Remove pears from the liquid and place in the refrigerator to cool while the sauce reduces.  

6.  (Sorry, I forgot the photo on this one!)  Turn the sauce back up to a boil and cook until the sauce begins to get thick, like a syrup.  This takes about 5-8 additional minutes.

7.  Place a scoop of your ice cream (or soy cream!) into a fancy glass and pour a liberal amount of your spiced syrup on top.  

8.  Place your cooled pear, stem side up, in your glass.  Garnish with an orange slice and enjoy immediately!