The End of Dieting: How to Live for Life (35 page)

Multigrain and Seeded Breads:
Breads containing mixed grains and seeds can appear to be healthful, but many of them fall short when compared with
100 percent whole wheat or 100 percent whole grain breads. Some consist mainly of processed white flour, with grains and seeds making up only a small proportion of the ingredients. A “multigrain” label only tells you that the bread contains different kinds of grains; it doesn’t mean they haven’t been refined.

White Bread:
You should avoid white bread because it lacks the nutrients contained in less processed grain products. Some labeling terms can be misleading and make products appear healthful. The terms “wheat flour”; “unbleached wheat flour”; “enriched wheat flour”; “stone-ground wheat flour”; “multigrain,” “five grain,” or “seven grain”; and “100 percent wheat flour or bran” are all sometimes merely a way of saying “refined white flour.” Wheat flour is just another name for white flour. Any time you see “enriched,” you know that you’re getting white flour. Flour that has been refined and stripped of its bran and germ must have some of the B vitamins and iron replaced by enrichment.

In addition to the form of grain used in a bread product, watch out for unhealthy fats. Don’t choose a product that contains hydrogenated vegetable oil,
trans
fats, partially hydrogenated oil, or vegetable oil shortening. Also avoid products containing high-fructose corn syrup or a high level of sodium. A slice of bread should contain no more than 180 milligrams of sodium per slice and should provide at least 3 grams of fiber.

Table 19 lists some bread products that I recommend.

DESSERTS

Apple Surprise

Serves: 6

1 cup raisins

¼ cup water

8 apples, peeled, cored, and diced

½ cup chopped walnuts

4 tablespoons ground flaxseeds

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Place raisins in a pot and cover with ¼ cup water. Place diced apples on top. Cover and simmer to steam the apples over very low heat for 7 minutes. Transfer apple/raisin mixture to a bowl and mix well with remaining ingredients.

Note:
This recipe keeps well in the refrigerator for 7 days.

PER SERVING: CALORIES 260; PROTEIN 7g; CARBOHYDRATES 48g; TOTAL FAT 8.8g; SATURATED FAT 0.8g; SODIUM 7mg; FIBER 7.9g; BETA-CAROTENE 51mcg; VITAMIN C 10mg; CALCIUM 59mg; IRON 1.7mg; FOLATE 21mcg; MAGNESIUM 51mg; ZINC 0.7mg; SELENIUM 1.8mcg

Banana Mango Sorbet

Serves: 2

1 ripe banana, frozen

2 cups frozen mango

4 slices unsweetened dried mango

¼ cup almond, hemp, or soy milk

6 ice cubes

Add all ingredients to a high-powered blender and blend until smooth and creamy.

Note:
You can substitute 4 Medjool or 8 Deglet Noor dates for the dried mango.

PER SERVING: CALORIES 308; PROTEIN 4g; CARBOHYDRATES 79g; TOTAL FAT 1.3g; SATURATED FAT 0.2g; SODIUM 21mg; FIBER 8.1g; BETA-CAROTENE 902mcg; VITAMIN C 51mg; CALCIUM 62mg; IRON 1.1mg; FOLATE 47mcg; MAGNESIUM 64mg; ZINC 0.5mg; SELENIUM 3.0mcg

B
E
R
EADY
W
ITH
F
ROZEN
B
ANANAS

Bananas are a great ingredient for a number of desserts. Peel ripe bananas and wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or place in a plastic bag. Freeze at least 12 hours before you want to use them.

Black Cherry Sorbet

Serves: 3

3 cups frozen sweet black cherries

1 cup vanilla soy, hemp, or almond milk

1 ripe banana, frozen

½ cup walnuts

3 Medjool or 6 Deglet Noor dates, pitted

Blend all ingredients in a high-powered blender.

PER SERVING: CALORIES 249; PROTEIN 6g; CARBOHYDRATES 37g; TOTAL FAT 11g; SATURATED FAT 1.1g; SODIUM 34mg; FIBER 5.3g; BETA-CAROTENE 273mcg; VITAMIN C 8mg; CALCIUM 60mg; IRON 1.6mg; FOLATE 35mcg; MAGNESIUM 64mg; ZINC 0.9mg; SELENIUM 3.9mcg

T
HE
S
ECRET TO
M
AKING
E
ASY AND
D
ELICIOUS
S
ORBETS AND
T
HICK
S
HAKES

Blend together one bag of frozen fruit with one fresh fruit and a little non-dairy milk. To make a creamy ice cream instead of a sorbet, add a healthy fat source such as hulled hemp seeds, cashews, coconut flakes, or macadamia nuts. Frozen desserts that contain some fat from nuts or seeds will stay softer and can be stored in the freezer before serving.

Blueberry Banana Cobbler

Serves: 2

1 banana, sliced

1 cup frozen blueberries

¼ cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1 tablespoon dried currants

¼ vanilla bean, or ¼ teaspoon alcohol-free vanilla extract

2 tablespoons chopped raw almonds

2 tablespoons unsweetened, shredded coconut ¼ 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.

PER SERVING: CALORIES 195; PROTEIN 3g; CARBOHYDRATES 35g; TOTAL FAT 6g; SATURATED FAT 1.9g; SODIUM 3mg; FIBER 6.2g; BETA-CAROTENE 39mcg; VITAMIN C 8mg; CALCIUM 32mg; IRON 1.4mg; FOLATE 25mcg; MAGNESIUM 66mg; ZINC 0.7mg; SELENIUM 4.8mcg

Chunky Blueberry Walnut Sorbet

Serves: 4

1¼ cups unsweetened soy, hemp, or almond milk (use 1 cup for thicker sorbet and 1½ cups for thinner sorbet)

3 cups frozen blueberries, divided

2 ripe bananas, frozen, one chopped into bite-size pieces

¾ cup chopped walnuts, divided

1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds

Blend nondairy milk, 2 cups frozen blueberries, 1 frozen banana (unchopped), and ½ cup walnuts in high-powered blender. Empty into a chilled bowl and mix in remaining blueberries, chopped banana, and remaining walnuts. Serve topped with ground flaxseeds.

PER SERVING: CALORIES 303; PROTEIN 8g; CARBOHYDRATES 35g; TOTAL FAT 17.4g; SATURATED FAT 1.7g; SODIUM 44mg; FIBER 7.5g; BETA-CAROTENE 326mcg; VITAMIN C 8mg; CALCIUM 67mg; IRON 1.9mg; FOLATE 55mcg; MAGNESIUM 82mg; ZINC 1.3mg; SELENIUM 5.8mcg

Cocoa Ice Bean

Serves: 4

2 ripe bananas, frozen

½ cup raw cashews

¾ 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

½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or ½ 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.

PER SERVING: CALORIES 254; PROTEIN 10g; CARBOHYDRATES 38g; TOTAL FAT 9.5g; SATURATED FAT 1.9g; SODIUM 37mg; FIBER 7.6g; BETA-CAROTENE 236mcg; VITAMIN C 5mg; CALCIUM 49mg; IRON 3.2mg; FOLATE 76mcg; MAGNESIUM 125mg; ZINC 2mg; SELENIUM 8mcg

Medjool 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.

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

½ vanilla bean, or ½ teaspoon alcohol-free vanilla extract

½ cup natural nonalkalized 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 a 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-by-8-inch baking pan. Bake for 1½ 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

½ cup water

4 tablespoons natural nonalkalized cocoa powder

5 Medjool dates, pitted

Blend topping ingredients in a high-powered blender.

PER SERVING: CALORIES 125; PROTEIN 4g; CARBOHYDRATES 25g; TOTAL FAT 2g; SATURATED FAT 0.5g; SODIUM 2mg; FIBER 5.6g; BETA-CAROTENE 18mcg; CALCIUM 40mg; IRON 1.5mg; FOLATE 50mcg; MAGNESIUM 58mg; ZINC 0.8mg; SELENIUM 0.9mcg

Agar is a vegetarian gelatin made from seaweed that you can use as a thickening agent in a variety of recipes. It’s available at many health food stores and in some supermarkets. If using agar flakes instead of powder, double the amount.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Filled with Blueberry Jam

Serves: 14

1½ cups blueberries

1 cup red or black grapes

½ teaspoon agar powder (see
Box
)

2 teaspoons arrowroot

2 ripe bananas, mashed (add extra banana if batter is too dry)

1½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats

½ cup raisins, soaked in water for 30 minutes, then drained

⅓ cup chopped almonds or walnuts

¼ cup unsweetened, shredded coconut

½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or ½ teaspoon alcohol-free vanilla extract

⅛ teaspoon 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 constantly. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Place in covered container and refrigerate until ready to use. Makes 2 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 and seeds 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.

ONE COOKIE: CALORIES 98; PROTEIN 4g; CARBOHYDRATES 19g; TOTAL FAT 2.4g; SATURATED FAT 0.6g; SODIUM 2mg; FIBER 2.4g; BETA-CAROTENE 14mcg; VITAMIN C 4mg; CALCIUM 11mg; IRON 0.8mg; FOLATE 10mcg; MAGNESIUM 38mg; ZINC 0.4mg; SELENIUM 3.3mcg

Strawberry Panna Cotta

Serves: 4

For the Panna Cotta:

2 cups frozen strawberries

2 cups soy, hemp, or almond milk