Healthy Desserts

If pecan pie is on your mind, you and your guests will love this raw and healthy version.

While this recipe calls for only healthy ingredients, it produces a super-rich and sweet pecan pie that is best served in small portions. Rather than serve this pie in traditional triangular portions, I recommend that you use a good knife to divide the pie into 2-inch squares. One or two squares are enough to satisfy the fiercest of dessert addicts among your family and guests.

This easy and delicious fudge recipe calls for protein-rich almond butter and antioxidant-rich raw chocolate powder, making it a decadent treat that is much healthier than conventional store-bought fudge.

Although this fudge is made with all-natural ingredients, it is best to eat only one or two small pieces at a time, as eating honey-rich foods can stress one's blood sugar-regulating mechanisms.

When we first started eating goji berries in our household, we ate them mainly straight out of the bag, and occasionally used them to flavor water or tea.

Over the past several weeks, I tested more than ten unique recipes that call for goji berries. I made so many batches of different goji berry recipes that I started to feel like the Barefoot Contessa, minus the butter, mayonnaise, and sour cream!

What follows are the goji berry recipes that received the highest grades from my family members. I hope that you enjoy them as much as we do!

In last week's newsletter, I shared a quick and simple dessert recipe that requires only three ingredients: raw chocolate nibs, raw pecans, and liquid honey. Enough people wrote in thanking me for this recipe that I thought it would be a good idea to post it here on our blog for visitors who don't receive my weekly health newsletter.

This fig-pecan energy bar recipe produces a truly delicious energy bar that is rich in potassium, calcium, iron, fiber, and healthy protein. Think of this energy bar as one of the most mineral-rich healthy snacks that you can use to fuel your body in between meals.

This scrumptious dessert recipe calls for two healthy and protein-dense plant foods: almonds and sesame seeds. Sesame seeds are also an excellent source of calcium.

This recipe also requires the use of a Champion juicer, which comes with a flat plate that allows you to make all-natural ice cream out of bananas, all-natural nut butters, and desserts like almond sesame squares.

Crust:

Ingredients:

1 and 1/4 cups of almonds, soaked for 6 to 12 hours, then drained
1 cup of dates, soaked for 1 to 2 hours, then drained

Directions: Read more »

Ingredients:

2 cups of raw hazelnuts, soaked in water for 5 hours, then dried in a towel and roughly chopped
1 cup of dried black mission figs, soaked in water for 1 hour, then drained
1/2 a cup of dates, soaked in water for 1 hour, then drained
1/4 cup of raw carob powder
1/4 cup of water
1 cup of sesame seeds, soaked in water for 5 hours, then dried in a towel
1 cup of shredded coconut Read more »

Ingredients:

1 lb. pecans
1/4 cup rolled oats
10 pitted dates
2 tablespoons of almond butter or raw tahini
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of all-natural vanilla extract
1 cup pre-soaked raisins (2 hours), drained on a dish towel

Directions:

Finely grind pecans and oats in a food processor. Set aside in a medium to large bowl. Use food processor to blend dates, almond butter or raw tahini, cinnamon, and vanilla into a paste.

Mix paste into finely ground pecan-oat mixture using clean hands or a wooden spoon. Add raisins and continue to mix gently until raisins are well distributed. Roll mixture into small balls.

This recipe makes about 10 balls. Enjoy!

From the Fall 2001 edition of Health Science magazine

Ingredients:

3 cups raw sunflower seeds (soaked in water overnight, drained)
10 pitted dates (soaked for 1 hour, drained)
1 cup chopped dried apricots (soaked for 1 hour, drained)
1 cup raisins (soaked for 1 hour, drained)
1 cup almond butter
1 tablespoon vanilla (optional)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Directions:

Blend all ingredients in food processor to a nutty consistency. Roll into small balls and flatten out to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cover and refrigerate for one hour before serving. Read more »