Tag Archives: glutenfree

“Never rub another man's rhubarb.”
Jack Nicholson as The Joker, ‘Batman’ (1989)

You know spring has sprung when brightly colored crisp rhubarb catches your eye in the produce section. Rhubarb is 95% water and a rich source of vitamin C, dietary fiber and calcium, although the calcium is combined with oxalic acid and not easily absorbed by the body. However, the oxalic acid in vegetables (and Rhubarb is a vegetable) is broken down in cooking and doesn't interfere with the absorption of calcium present in other foods, tofu for instance, that you might eat at the same time.  Therefore, enjoy this vegan and gluten-free Rhubarb Strawberry Fool topped with some crumbled Hail Merry® Blonde Macaroons, featuring organic virgin coconut oil, and fresh mint sprigs. One cup diced Rhubarb contains about 26 calories.

RHUBARB STRAWBERRY FOOL

2 cups rhubarb* (about 2 large stalks), diced in 1–inch pieces

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger

1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

¼ cup fresh orange juice

1 cup strawberries hulled and cut into halves (or use whole raspberries)

Stevia or organic maple syrup to taste- add by teaspoon until desired sweetness reached (or sweetener of choice)

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

8 ounces soft silken tofu (optional)

Garnish with Hail Merry® Blonde Macaroons & fresh mint sprigs

1. Combine the rhubarb, ginger, orange zest, and juice in a medium–size heavy saucepan. Stir well and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat, loosely cover, and simmer for 4 minutes.
2. Add berries and cook for 1 minute longer. Remove from heat and add sweetener and vanilla extract. Cool for 5 minutes.
3. In a food processor, purée silken tofu until smooth. Add in cooked, cooled puree and blend until smooth. Spoon into serving bowl or individual cups. Cool in refrigerator.
4. Serve alone, layered with fresh sliced berries. Top with crumbled Hail Merry® Blonde Macaroons and fresh mint sprigs. The fool can be made several days ahead and refrigerated.
5. If you omit the tofu, serve the compote over yogurt or ice cream.

*Rhubarb leaves are inedible. Trim the stalks and remove all leaves completely. Then cut off the flat brown part from the bottom of each stalk. String the rhubarb only if the stalks are very large and green.

This colorful vegetarian Spanish Peasant Soup is a beautiful blend of garbanzo beans and fresh vegetables accented with paprika, turmeric, basil, cinnamon, and cayenne. It can be prepared in less than 45 minutes start to finish and perfect for a light alkalizing meal. Just one large bowl full will supply your body with three recommended daily servings of vegetables and one large recommended daily serving of beans. What more could you ask for? It is a nutritional powerhouse in an Impressionist landscape.  Enjoy some olives and Hail Merry Chimayo Chili Pecans while the soup simmers. Feed Your Body Royally!

VEGETARIAN SPANISH PEASANT SOUP

(From the Gluten-Free Good Health Cookbook)

6 Servings

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
2 cloves crushed garlic
2 cups sweet potatoes*, peeled and diced into 1 inch pieces
½ cup diced celery
1 cup diced tomatoes**
1 cup diced yellow peppers
1½ cups cooked chickpeas
3 cups of stock or water
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon basil
1 bay leaf
Dash of cinnamon
Dash of cayenne
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. In a medium stockpot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, sweet potatoes, and celery. Sauté for 10 minutes. Add seasonings and stock.
2. Simmer, covered, for fifteen minutes. Add remaining vegetables and chickpeas. Cover and simmer another 15 minutes.
3. Remove bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

Cook's note: One 15-ounce can of beans equals 1½ cups of cooked beans. One cup of dry beans yields 3 cups cooked. One pound of dry beans yields 6 cups cooked.

*Carrots or butternut squash can be substituted for sweet potatoes.
**Recommend Muir Glen® Organic Diced Fire Roasted Tomatoes.

Special occasions make it hard to eat healthy, let alone gluten-free, vegan or raw.   Declare Your Love with this delicious decadent Raw Chocolate Pudding Pie made with a crust of Hail Merry Macaroons.  Yes, the whole pie is gluten-free, vegan and raw- even the macaroons! Experience this harmonious marriage of taste and health in your mouth!  Chocolate + Organic Coconut Oil= xoxo  from Hail Merry.

Crust:

16-20 Hail Merry Chocolate Macaroons (use Blondes for a more traditional crust)

Bring macaroons to room temperature and press evenly into 8 or 9-inch pie pan. Use the bottom of a glass cup to help smash macaroons into place.  Refrigerate until ready to fill.

Chocolate Pudding:

(Adapted from Matthew Kenney’s Milk Chocolate Pudding Recipe)

2 large avocadoes, pitted and contents scooped out

1 cup water

1 tablespoon raw almond nut butter (or any nut butter)

¾ cup organic maple syrup

¾ cup organic dark cocoa powder or raw cacao

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons organic coconut oil, melted

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

¼  teaspoon sea salt

Blend all ingredients in a blender (Vita-Mix) until smooth.

Place pudding into prepared Macaroon crust. Refrigerate while preparing topping.

Raspberry Coulis:

1 cup frozen organic raspberries  (or 1 ¼ cup fresh)

1 tablespoon local raw honey

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender until well combined.  If desired, press mixture through a fine mesh strainer for a smooth consistency.  Pour on top of pie in the middle and spread evenly and decoratively. Serve immediately or refrigerate. The pie is best consumed within 2 days.  Feed Your Body Royally with Hail Merry!

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Superbowl Sunday is just around the corner and this raw & vegan sour cream recipe forms a perfect base for so many healthy party dips. Mix in some shallots, garlic and herbs for a creamy Vegan French “Boursin” Cheese dip, or pureed red peppers, chili and cayenne for a spicy “Southwest” variation perfect with cut up jicama, celery and carrots. For die-hard fans add pureed raw beets, fresh dill and parsley.  Why eat raw? Raw food is rich in enzymes, which are protein molecules that act as biological catalysts for every chemical reaction in the human body including digestion. Enzymes give us energy to aid digestion and nutrient absorption. Cooking food at high temperatures destroys many of these living enzymes, which then requires our body to give energy to aid digestion and nutrient absorption.  A diet rich in whole organic raw foods is energy giving and strengthens our immune system! Diets rich in cooked processed GMO foods deplete energy levels and compromise the immune system. Check out this past blog for more favorite raw food recipes. Feed Your Body Royally- eat more raw foods! Hail Merry has a line of delicious fresh on-the-go gluten-free raw snacks for home, school, office or travel.

Raw Sour Cream Recipe

Makes approximately 1 cup

1 cup cashews, soaked 4-6 hours and drained

½ cup water

¼ cup olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1-2 teaspoons raw organic apple cider vinegar

½ teaspoon salt

1. Blend all the ingredients in a blender until completely smooth. Serve immediately or keep refrigerated for up to one week.