Vegan Chocolate Mousse

Vegan Chocolate Mousse
Creamy, Chocolatey, and Dairy-Free
Prep Time
2 hours 10 minutes, plus 10 minutes Cook Time
Number of Servings
Serves 4
Ingredients
Directions
  1. Place Cocoa Edensoy, agar flakes, and sea salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil while stirring frequently.
  2. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer 5 minutes to dissolve the agar.
  3. Turn off the heat and add the chocolate chips, stirring until dissolved.
  4. Place in a blender and pulse several times to dissolve any remaining agar and chocolate chips.
  5. Place back in the saucepan and let cool to room temperature.
  6. When the liquid is room temperature, place the aquafaba in a bowl and whip to the consistency of whipped cream with a stand or hand mixer.
  7. Combine the foamed aquafaba with the soymilk and mix until thoroughly blended.
  8. Pour into dessert cups and refrigerate two to four hours or overnight.
  9. Remove from the refrigerator and garnish with fresh berries or other fruit, and chocolate chips or grated chocolate.
Nutrition Info
211 calories, 14 g fat (51% calories from fat), 6 g protein, 23 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 79 mg sodium

Black Sesame Flan

Black Sesame Flan
A Healthy Twist on a Traditional Dessert
Prep Time
2 hours, plus 15 minutes cook time
Number of Servings
Serves 2
Ingredients
Directions
  1. Place the water and agar flakes in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, Reduce heat to medium and simmer while stirring constantly until agar dissolves.
  2. Place kuzu in a measuring cup, add 1 Tbsp cold water and dissolve. Add Edensoy, 1 Tbsp maple syrup, and sesame butter. Mix thoroughly and add to the saucepan with the agar.
  3. Stir constantly until liquid thickens. Stir in the vanilla. Place 1 teaspoon maple syrup in each of two ramekins. Pour the liquid equally into each. Let sit on the counter for 1 hour to cool. Then place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Nutrition Info
165 calories, 6 g fat (32% calories from fat), 5 g protein, 23 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 44 mg sodium

Apple Cherry Melon Berry Kanten

Apple Cherry Melon Berry Kanten
Prep Time
[q:1 1/2] hours, plus 5 minutes cook time
Number of Servings
4
Ingredients
Directions
  1. Place juices, sea salt and agar flakes in a pot. Bring to a boil. Stir occasionally to dissolve the flakes. When it comes to a boil, reduce the flame to low and simmer 3 to 4 minutes.
  2. Place the sliced fruit and berries in a serving dish. Pour the hot juice over it. Set aside on the counter or a cool place until gelled, about 1 to [q:1 1/2] hours.
  3. Slice into squares or spoon out and serve.
Nutrition Info
94 calories, 0 g fat (3% calories from fat), 0 g protein, 24 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 46 mg sodium

Homemade Fruit Snacks

Homemade Fruit Snacks
Adorable, easy, healthy, and tastier than store-bought!
Ingredients
  • [q:1/2] cup juice of choice
  • 1 Tbsp gelatin
  • 1 Tbsp honey
Directions
  1. In a small saucepan, add the juice and sprinkle with the gelatin. Let the gelatin bloom for 3 minutes.
  2. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until the gelatin melts. (Do not boil.)
  3. Transfer the liquid to silicone candy molds. Refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight and remove from the molds.

Kiwi, Melon, and Mint Fruit Sorbet

Kiwi, Melon, and Mint Fruit Sorbet
Prep Time
25 minutes, plus freeze time
Number of Servings
Serves 8
Ingredients
  • 6 kiwifruit, peeled and cut into chunks
  • [q:1/2] galia melon or honeydew melon (approximately 12 oz), peeled, deseeded, and cut into chunks
  • [q:3 1/2] oz caster sugar or superfine sugar
  • 4 sprigs of mint, leaves picked off
Directions
  1. Place all fruit in a freezer bag and freeze until firm. When ready, bring sugar and [q:3 1/2] fluid ounces water to boil in a saucepan. Simmer until sugar has dissolved. Cool until it is just lukewarm. (A quick way to do this is to place the saucepan in a basin of cold water.)
  2. While sugar syrup is cooling, remove fruit from freezer to soften a little. Place fruit in a food processor along with mint leaves and blitz, pouring in sugar syrup slowly. Continue blending until completely cooled. Mixture should have a soft-serve texture, meaning you could serve it straight away. Or, you could give it a few more hours in a freezer-proof tub in the freezer to firm it up before serving.
Nutrition Info
95 Calories, 1 g Protein, 24 g Carbohydrates, 2 g Fiber, 0 g Total fat (0 g sat), 10 mg Sodium, [nutrition:5] Vitamin C, [nutrition:1] Vitamin K

Blackberry and Orange Fruit Sorbet

Blackberry and Orange Fruit Sorbet
Prep Time
10 minutes, plus freeze time
Number of Servings
Serves 8
Ingredients
  • 1 lb, 5 oz frozen blackberries
  • 5 Tbsp maple syrup
  • Grated zest of 2 oranges and juice of [q:1/2] orange
  • [q:1/2] Tbsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
Directions
  1. Place frozen blackberries, maple syrup, orange zest and juice, and vanilla bean paste into a food processor. Pulse until silky smooth. 
  2. Transfer to a freezer-proof container and freeze until needed. 
  3. Remove from freezer 10 minutes before you are ready to serve to soften sorbet slightly.
Nutrition Info
70 Calories, 1 g Protein, 17 g Carbohydrates, 4 g Fiber, 0 g Total fat (0 g sat), 2 mg Sodium, [nutrition:2] Vitamin C, [nutrition:1] Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), K

Explosive Shrub Punch

Explosive Shrub Punch
Ingredients
  • Fruit, juices, and spices of your choice.
    • Holiday flavors and colors:
      • cranberries and orange juice
      • apples
      • pomegranate juice
      • citrus peel
      • ginger
    • Deep flavors:
      • frozen blueberries
      • green grapes
  • Sugar
  • Vinegar
  • Seltzer or bubbly water
  • Granish (optional)
Directions
  1. Prepare the fruit.
    • Macerating Method
      1. Macerate the fruit with sugar (or the sweetener of your choice).
      2. Let it sit to help the natural sugars thicken.
    • Simmering Method
      1. Put your fruit, juice and other ingredients into a saucepan, combined with half as much sugar.
      2. Simmer until thickened, and then pour through a fine strainer, pressing the solids to squeeze out all the syrup.
  2. Measure—by cup or by eye—how much syrup you have. Add that same amount vinegar.
  3. Mix equal parts shrub and seltzer or bubbly water in a big beautiful bowl. Add lemon slices and other garnishes. Serve.

Breakfast Trail Mix

Breakfast Trail Mix
Great for grab-and-go
Prep Time
5 minutes
Number of Servings
About 3 cups
Ingredients
  • 1 cup bran flakes
  • 1 cup crispy rice cereal
  • [q:1/2] cup pecan halves
  • [q:1/2] cup banana chips
  • [q:1/4] cup yogurt-covered raisins
  • handful diced dried fruit
Directions
  1. Gently toss ingredients together.
  2. Store in an airtight container.
Nutrition Info
Per serving (serves 4; made with 1 cup dried apricots): 362 Calories, 5 g Protein, 0 mg Cholesterol, 54 g Carbohydrates, 33 g Total sugars (6 g Added sugars), 9 g Fiber, 18 g Total fat (9 g sat), 49 mg Sodium, [nutrition:5] Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Folate, [nutrition:4] Vitamin B1 (thiamine), Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), [nutrition:3] Phosphorus, [nutrition:2] Vitamin B3 (niacin), Vitamin E, Iron, Magnesium, Zinc [nutrition:1] Vitamin A, Calcium, Potassium

Fruit Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing

Fruit Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing
Prep Time
20 minutes prep time
Number of Servings
Serves 6
Ingredients
  • [q:1/8] cup fresh lime juice
  • [q:1/8] cup honey
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cup halved, hulled fresh strawberries
  • 2 cup diced peeled, cored pineapple
  • 2 cup seedless red or green grapes
  • 2 kiwi fruits, peeled and chopped
  • [q:1/2] cup blueberries
Directions
  1. Whisk together lime juice, honey, and vanilla extract in a small bowl until well blended.
  2. Combine fruit in a large bowl. Add dressing and gently toss.
  3. Let stand for 10 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Serve.        
Nutrition Info
124 Calories, 1 g Protein, 32 g Carbohydrates, 3 g Fiber, 3 mg Sodium, [nutrition:5] Vitamin C, [nutrition:1] Vitamin B6, K

What Is a Kumquat?

What Is a Kumquat?
Jes Gallagher
Kumquats growing on the tree.

Have you ever come across a bunch of bite-sized fruit that look like mini oranges? This little fruit is known as a kumquat, pronounced kuhm-kwot.

What is a Kumquat?

Native to China and Japan and now grown in the United States, Europe, and other countries, kumquats are found in literature dating back to the 12th century. Kumquats grow on trees with dark green leaves and white flowers, and one single tree can produce thousands of kumquats each year!

Kumquats are about the size and shape of grapes with an orange, gold color. The thin peel is edible and has a sweet taste, especially compared to the juicy flesh, which is tart. Together, peel and flesh provide a unique sweet-and-sour flavor combination packed in nutrients.

Not a fan of tart foods? No problem! The sweet peel contains more nutrients than the flesh, so you can avoid the sour flesh while still reaping health benefits.

Kumquat Nutrition Value

Kumquats are nutritional powerhouses that provide vitamin A, B vitamins, calcium, iron, and even some heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Packed with water and fiber, kumquats make a great low-calorie, but filling snack. Just five kumquats provide about 6 grams of fiber, which is 20 percent of the daily recommendation.

Kumquats are a great source of immune-boosting vitamin C, which also acts as an antioxidant. Eating foods rich in antioxidants can help the body neutralize harmful free radicals that damage cells and cause inflammation. High levels of free radicals are linked to many chronic diseases, such as cancer and heart disease.

Kumquats get their orange color from plant pigments called carotenoids that are also antioxidants. A 2015 study found certain carotenoids in the kumquat pericarp, or the fruit wall, stimulate natural killer (NK) cells. The activation of these NK cells has been shown to create an immune defense against cancer and various infectious diseases.

How to Use Kumquats

Kumquats can typically be found in stores from November to April. They’re a great snack on their own but can also be incorporated into various dishes. Try slicing them thin and adding them to your cottage cheese, yogurt, or salads.

Kumquats can add a unique citrusy twist to chicken or fish dishes, and also make a great flavor for homemade marmalades, jellies, and jams. Next time you are looking for a snack, consider adding kumquats to brighten up your day!

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Contributor
Melissa Rifkin MS, RDN. CDN
Tags
fruit
antioxidants
cancer

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