Refreshing Peach, Blueberry, And Chia Seed Smoothie - Vegan And Gluten Free

Local peaches are in season and blend beautifully with blueberries in this delicious smoothie!

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Blenders are a Blast!

I love to see how excited people get when they buy their first high-quality blender. Most of them immediately get hooked on smoothies and start blending up every imaginable fruit and vegetable. We bought our first good blender at least 15 years ago. It was a Vitamix. We feel so strongly about how it has contributed to our health that we have bought one for each of our children.

Smoothies - The Special Nutritional Benefit over Juice
Juicing is great. This process allows you to consume far more fruits and vegetables than you could ever get by eating and chewing. Juices deliver critical nutrients and phytochemicals to your body in their purest form. Consuming nutrients in the form of juice can be very important therapeutically, especially when your body is in a weakened state, needs to conserve  energy, and assimilate nutrients instantly. 

Juices also deliver an enormous amount of sugar without the benefit of dietary fiber, which is stripped out in the juicing process. Blending, on the other hand, retains the dietary fiber and requires fewer (but ample) fruits and veggies to make a nice thick 8 ounce smoothie.

Whereas juice can cause a spike in blood sugar, dietary fiber can stabilize it. Fiber also makes you feel full longer, protects against colorectal cancer, and reduces the risk of coronary heart disease. Although juicing may help you get your 5 to 9 fruits and vegetables per day, it will not help you get to your 25 to 35 gram recommended daily fiber intake. 

Watch for the Sugar
One large apple provides more than 5 grams of dietary fiber, which is great. However, it also contains the equivalent of nearly 6 teaspoons of sugar. You might throw one or two into a smoothie where the fiber would help prevent your blood sugar from spiking. But you might use far more than one or two apples to make a glass of apple juice and it will have zero fiber to protect your blood sugar from spiking.

Carrots are another good example. I generally throw one large carrot in a smoothie but to make juice, I might use 10. A large carrot provides 2 grams of dietary fiber and the equivalent of almost 1 teaspoon of sugar. And one carrot is all you need to get 241% of your daily requirement of vitamin A. But juicing 10 carrots strips out all of the fiber and delivers 8.5 teaspoons of sugar.

I'm not suggesting that you give up your juicer, I'm just suggesting that you may want to juice in moderation and lean towards making more smoothies. And whether you are juicing or making smoothies, use fewer fruits and always try to include low carbohydrate green vegetables like spinach or kale. When making smoothies, you can also throw in a handful of nuts or seeds to provide some protein and healthy fat.

A Great Investment in your Health
A good blender is expensive costing around $400. But they last for years and years and if used for healthy smoothies, raw or cooked soups, dips, sauces and other healthy dishes (and not just for margaritas) they are a great investment in your health. I have lots of kitchen toys but if I could only have one, it would be my high-speed Vitamix blender.

 I prefer this model of Vitamix because it has a variable speed dial.

Blendtec is also a very highly recommended brand.

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Peaches and Blueberries
These fruits really complement each other and although the deep purple blueberries hide the  color of the peaches in this delicious smoothie, they certainly don't mask their wonderful peachy flavor. This smoothie is low in calories, provides over 800 mg of omega-3 fatty acid and a whopping 8 grams of dietary fiber per serving!
    
Peach, Blueberry and Chia Seed Smoothie
Mostly Raw, Vegan, Gluten Free
[makes 2 (2-cup) servings]

1 cup unsweetened almond milk 
4 teaspoons ground chia seeds
3 medium peaches, pits removed and cut in 4 pieces
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 cup chopped kale
1 packet stevia, or to taste
1/2 cup ice

Place the almond milk and ground chia seeds in the blender, pulse briefly and set aside while preparing the other ingredients.

Place the remaining ingredients in the blender and process until smooth. Serve immediately.

Per serving: 163 calories, 2 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 842 mg omega-3 and 592 mg omega-6 fatty acids, 0 mg cholesterol, 4 g protein, 37 g carbohydrates, 8 g dietary fiber and 16 mg of sodium.


For more ideas on how to create healthy smoothies, see my ebook Health Begins in the Kitchen.

How To Make Very Low Sugar Organic Peach Jam With A Touch Of Stevia

Organic Peach Jam - only 13 calories per tablespoon!

See more healthy jam recipes in my ebook:
 Health Begins in the Kitchen

Peaches are in Season - Time to Make Jam
I no longer have a peach tree but luckily the roadside stands and farmers' markets are loaded with fresh, ripe peaches. They have found their way into my smoothies, raw breakfast salads, raw crisps, cooked crisps, and salads. But looking ahead to when they will no longer be available, I need to make some delicious jam.

It's Fruit Jam, Not Candy!
As my longtime blog followers know, I'm a big fan of Pomona's Universal Pectin because it allows me to make jam with little or no sugar. Most pectin products require tons of sugar in order to activate the jelling process resulting in jam tasting more like candy than a fruit spread. But Pomona's Universal Pectin is extracted from citrus peel and is activated by calcium, NOT sugar. The result is that you can make jam or jelly with a little sugar, no sugar, concentrated apple or grape juice, agave nectar, honey, or no calorie sweeteners like stevia. I love this product so much that I have dedicated an entire chapter in my ebook, Health Begins in the KItchen: Delicious and Easy Vegan Recipes and Seasonal Food Plan, to making jam with Pomona's Universal Pectin. You can buy this pectin product at your local health food store or, if they don't have it, you can purchase it online from Pomona's website or Amazon.

Each box comes with calcium powder and pectin.

Select Organic Peaches
According to the Environmental Working Group, certain fruits and vegetables contain more pesticides than others and each year they list the "Dirty Dozen Plus". So when you buy fruits and vegetables that are on the "Dirty Dozen Plus" list, you should buy organic produce when possible. In 2013, the list includes peaches. The total list is as follows:
* Apples
* Celery
* Cherry Tomatoes
* Cucumbers
* Grapes
* Hot Peppers
* Imported Nectarines
* Peaches
* Potatoes
* Spinach
* Sweet Bell Peppers
* Kale/Collard Greens +
* Summer Squash +

Making VERY Low Sugar Jam
For low sugar jam, I generally use 1 1/2 cups of sugar for every 4 cups of mashed fruit. To cut the sugar down even further in this recipe, I use only 1 cup of sugar and 1 tablespoon of stevia powder (or the equivalent of 1/2 cup of sugar). The resulting jam is only 13 calories per tablespoon! 

Please note, this recipe is for sugar plus stevia. Or, you can omit the stevia and use 1 or 1 1/2 cups of sugar. But do not omit the sugar as It is an entirely different process to make jam with only stevia. The technique for making sugar-free jam with stevia is mentioned in the directions that come with each box of Pomona's Universal Pectin. I also give detailed instructions and several example recipes for stevia-sweetened jam in my book.

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Very Low Sugar Organic Peach Jam
Vegan, Gluten Free
[makes about 144 tablespoons or 9 cups]

For the calcium water:
1/2 teaspoon Pomona's calcium powder
1/2 cup water

For the jam:
1 cup organic cane sugar
1 tablespoon gluten-free stevia powder (equivalent to 1/2 cup sugar), or to taste
2 tablespoons Pomona pectin powder
About 6 pounds of peaches
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons calcium water
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon or lime  juice

Make the calcium water by mixing the white calcium powder and the water in a small jar with a lid. Set aside.

Make the jam: Wash the jars in hot, soapy water. Rinse well and let them stand in hot water. 
Wash the lids and bands in hot, soapy water. Rinse well and place in a pot of simmering water, simmering for at least 10 minutes. Remove as needed.

Fill a large canning pot with water and bring to a boil.

Mix the sugar, stevia and pectin powder in a small bowl. Set aside.

Sugar, stevia, and pectin powder.

Prepare the peaches. Score each peach with a little X.
Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Drop in the peaches, a few at a time, for 30 seconds to a minute. Remove them with a slotted spoon and place them in a colander. When cool enough to touch, remove the skin from the peaches. Place the skinned peaches on a cutting board.

Place peaches briefly in boiling water.

Remove skin.

Cut the peaches in half, remove pits, and then dice. Place diced peaches in a bowl and mash with a potato masher.

Mash peaches

Measure 8 cups of mashed peaches and put them in a pot with the lemon or lime juice. 
Shake the calcium water to combine and add 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons into the pot of mashed peaches and stir well. (Save the remaining calcium water in the refrigerator.)

Shake calcium water well. 

Bring the peach mixture to a boil. Add the pectin-sugar-stevia mixture to the pot and stir vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes until the pectin mixture dissolves. Return to a boil and then turn off the heat.

Immediately fill each jar with jam to 1/4 inch from the top. Wipe the jar rims clean, screw on the 2-piece lids and submerge filled jars in the canning pot of boiling water to cover. 
Cover and boil for 10 minutes. If you are above sea level, add 1 minute more for every 1,000 feet above sea level.

Always use a jar lifter when placing jars in or removing jars from the canning pot full of boiling water.

Remove the jars from the water using a jar lifter and place upright on a rack or towel spaced several inches apart from each other. As they cool, the seals and lids will be sucked down. Let the popping begin!

You'll hear the lids pop as the jam cools.

Label with the contents and the date. Store in a cool pantry. Once opened, the jam lasts about 3 weeks. 

Per tablespoon: 13 calories, 0 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 g omega-3 and 16 g omega-6 fatty acids, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 g protein, 3 g carbohydrates, 0.3 g dietary fiber and 0 g sodium.

Whole Grain Weetabix Turns Your Morning Fruit Salad Into A Hearty Vegan Breakfast!

Weetabix turns your fruit salad into a hearty, vegan breakfast!

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Have you tried Weetabix?
I discovered and enjoyed Weetabix breakfast cereal a while back while visiting London. I was thrilled to find it when I got back to the U.S. 
Two of these delicate whole grain treats have only two grams of sugar while providing 4 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber. If you can eat wheat (these are not for those of you who are gluten intolerant), they can make a very healthy addition to your breakfast repertoire. 


The Weetabix company began as the British and African Cereal Company in 1932 and became available in the US in 1968. Today their products are offered in over 80 countries.


My New Favorite Way to Eat Weetabix
The other night I had a dream that I was layering fresh fruit with crumbled Weetabix biscuits. (I know, a compressed biscuit of wheat isn't as sexy as dreaming of Brad Pitt but hey, that's just who I am). That next morning, as soon as I woke up, I gave it a try. (The recipe, not Brad Pitt - just to clear that up). The result was a delicious, hearty breakfast with 3 servings of fruit layered with wholesome whole wheat goodness topped with heart-healthy, non-dairy, organic soy milk. The first day I made this, I just topped it with a few more blueberries but today I made it even more hearty by topping it with some raw English walnuts and hemp seeds. Here's what I did:

To make 2 servings you'll need:
 4 Weetabix biscuits
2 cereal bowls
 1 large peach, thinly sliced and chopped
1/2 cup of fresh blueberries (or strawberries)
 1 banana, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons or more of chopped, raw English walnuts
2 tablespoons raw hemp seeds
Your favorite non-dairy milk

Cover the bottom of each bowl with 1/4 of the sliced peach.
Crumble 1/2 Weetabix biscuit over each bowl of peaches. 

Add half of the blueberries to each bowl.
Crumble another 1/2 biscuit over each bowl of blueberries.

Add half of the sliced banana to each bowl.

Crumble another 1/2 biscuit over each bowl of sliced bananas.

Divide the remaining peach slices among the 2 bowls.

Crumble another 1/2 biscuit over the peaches in each bowl.
Top with English walnuts and hemp seeds or just a few more blueberries.

Right before eating, add desired amount of non-dairy milk.
Weetabix gets soggy so don't add it until you're ready to eat.

If possible, eat your breakfast in the sunshine!
Enjoy!

Celebrate Peach Season With Baby Arugula And Peach Salad - Raw, Vegan And Gluten Free!

Arugula and peach salad with slivered almonds.

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Peaches are in Season
On Sunday you could find peaches at almost every stand at the local farmer's market. In Sonoma county, everyone waits for Dry Creek peaches. Last year, while in Colorado, I was introduced to the wonderful Palisades peach. No matter what peach you have access to in your local area, they are a welcome sight when they finally arrive! And they pair beautifully with arugula in this quick and easy salad.


Arugula - A Nutritious Green!
Arugula, also known as rocket, has a peppery and slightly bitter flavor. Some people are put off by the bitterness of arugula while others are drawn to it for that very reason. If you haven't acquired a taste for bitter greens quite yet, try mixing them in with spring greens. I must admit, I wasn't always an arugula fan but now I love the taste, especially of delicate baby arugula.


Arugula is packed with nutrients. It's a very good source of vitamin A, C, K, folate, calcium, iron and potassium. It even provides some omega-3 fatty acid!  A two ounce serving of arugula is only 14 calories yet it provides:

1328 IU vitamin A 

8.4 mg vitamin C

61 mcg vitamin K 

54 mcg folate 

90 mg calcium 

206 mg potassium 

.8 mg iron

95 mg omega-3 fatty acid

Arugula and Fresh Peaches
I got the idea of pairing arugula and peaches from a recent recipe in the Press Democrat. Sadly, like so much of the rich food in wine country, they felt compelled to mask the beautiful, natural flavor of these 2 ingredients with prosciutto and goat cheese. I know some of you are saying, "yummm, prosciutto and goat cheese". Well, if those are your favorite food groups - go for it. But here's a light and healthy version of this recipe that I think you'll enjoy. 


Baby Arugula and Peach Salad
Raw Vegan, Gluten Free
[makes 4 servings]


2 small peaches, pitted, peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
8 ounces baby arugula, cleaned
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cold pressed hemp oil or extra virgin olive oil
salt to taste
2 tablespoon slivered almonds (or raw pecans or walnuts)


Place peeled peaches in a small bowl and toss with lemon juice. Set aside.
Place arugula in a salad bowl and toss with oil and salt until nicely coated. Transfer to 4 plates.
Divide and mound peaches over arugula along with remaining juices. 
Top with nuts and serve.


Per serving (using hemp oil): 103 calories, 6.9 g fat, 0.6 g saturated fat, 863 mg omega-3 and 3368 mg omega-6 fatty acid, 0 mg cholesterol, 2.7 g protein, 23.5 g carbohydrates, 2.2 g fiber and 39 mg sodium (plus sodium from added salt). 


This recipe is appropriate for use during a raw food cleanse.