HEALTHY HOMEMADE MARGARINE (Herb Infused)

One issue I have with going "vegan" is that a lot of times you end up substituting "real food" for  processed ones! Especially when it comes to dairy and cheese alternatives. It may be that the long list of ingredients is at the end "harmless" to you, but my gut feeling still tells me that this isn't real food, therefore it must be eaten with caution!

This is part of the reason I prefer diets that focus on eating REAL FOODS, such as Dr. Fuhrman's nutritarian one. But eating REAL FOODS (straight up from nature) can be a very difficult thing to do, especially nowadays when life is constantly on the move, and when most people spend more time outside than actually inside their homes. Add to that a toddler and a baby, then you're really in trouble! :)

So yes, I fail at this "real food only" thing! I end up adding some processed stuff to my meals daily, with dairy alternative milk being a staple at our home. I would LOVE to make my own almond milk, but it's simply not practical with my daily life...I guess making breastmilk is all I can do for now ;) hehe...  But as any "health conscious" person out there, whenever getting a processed food, I always shoot for the one with the least amount of ingredients in it, and hopefully all things I can pronounce!

The Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread that I normally purchase to enjoy on occasion or in recipes that calls for it (I usually get the soy free version), can have a quite extensive list of oils, natural flavors and natural coloring ingredients. So when my nutritionist cousin gave me this 3 ingredient margarine spread recipe, I couldn't wait to try it!

Of course it's so simple that you keep wondering, "why didn't I think of this before?"

Here goes the RECIPE:

So basically all you do is blend (I use my Ninja Bullet, but any blender will do) Extra Virgin Olive Oil with fresh basil leafs (you can actually use any herb you like!) and a little bit of salt to taste. After you blend it, you just put in a glass container in the fridge and wait for it to turn into a margarine-like consistency! Simple, eh? 

I didn't add measurements because I didn't get any, and just eye balled the entire process. You can't go wrong here! Keep tasting it and adjusting to your liking of the herb taste and salt. 

Very yummy on a piece of bread!!! :)

ENJOY!

NOT 4 HEALTH COOKING: A Little Piece of Heaven...or not???

Wow...it has been a long while since I've last posted here! 

What happened you may ask? Well...first came Valentines Day (remember that unexpected valentine surprise at the end of this post?), then came pregnancy, then came horrible sickness for 8 months, then came the best gift ever: our second little girl!!! :)

Now 5 months after my sweet baby has arrived, I finally feel ready to start blogging about my many food adventures again! 

I decided to start with this one because it is literally the most AMAZING food experiences I've had  in my life! After baby was born, I had some wonderful friends bring me meals, and one of them brought me some slices of this dessert along with the meal. When I took the first bite, I immediately knew that this was the best dessert I had ever tasted! Creamy, crunchy, sweet....simply heavenly! 

Since then, I've made this dessert three times, and every single time it is a HUGE hit! I've never had a person eat it and not ask for the recipe. Now I give the recipe and tell people if they are going to make this for others, bring the recipe along! They will for sure ask for it.

I made it first for Thanksgiving, and when my mother-in-law took her first bite of it, the first thing she said was: "Uhmmm....dos deuses" (translation: "Yummm....of the gods") but she really meant "of God!" For Christmas I made this dessert again, and as soon as my sister-in-law took her first bite, immediately she said: "um pedacinho do ceu!" (translation: "a little piece of heaven!") And that is what I have been calling this dessert since! 

But to be honest, a more accurate description would be "a little piece of hell"...hahaha...because eating it, feels very much like a sin! The Bible says that sin leads to death, and that even though it may taste or feel wonderful while you're doing it (in this case, eating it), the consequences are always destructive! Same with this dessert! For someone who was doing a "mostly vegan diet" before pregnancy, trying to follow Dr. Furhman's nutritarian diet...one that actually "leads to health," or one could say, "a diet that leads to life," this dessert is anything BUT vegan! It is a little bomb of cholesterol & refined sugar! It's NOT real food. It's NOT good for our bodies and health! But it tastes oooohhhhh soooooo good!!!!

Recently I have experienced a gallbladder attack (if you've ever had one, you know it is NOT FUN!!!), I'm guessing as a consequence of all my Holiday indulgences that just would not end once the Holiday season was over! So I have now, FINALLY gone back to my "almost vegan" nutritarian diet! I've decided that this "Little Piece of Heaven" will only be indulged once a year, either during Christmas time or Easter, so I can enjoy it in remembrance of Christ! Celebrating the fact that He has conquered death, and that I will one day have a glorified body in Heaven, that shall not perish in the presence of Cholesterol, Dairy or Sugar! :-D AMEN to that!

Without any further ado, here is the recipe for this life changing gastronomic experience:

Butter Brickle Frozen Delight

Adapted from Allrecipes

Yield: 8×8-inch springform pan

Ingredients: 

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 3/4 cup chopped nuts
• 1 (16 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (8 oz.) tub frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 (14 oz.) jar caramel dessert topping

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, 6 tablespoons melted butter, white sugar, and cinnamon. Press gently and evenly into the bottom of a lightly-greased 8-inch springform pan. Bake in preheated oven for 6 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.
2. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Using the same bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, 1/2 cup melted butter, and nuts. Spread in a thin layer across baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown. Crumble while hot, and set aside to cool.
3. In a large bowl, beat together condensed milk and cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Fold in frozen topping. Spread half of the mixture on top of cooled crust, then sprinkle half of the butter brickle crumb over this layer. Cover evenly with half of the caramel dessert topping. Repeat layering.
4. Freeze until firm (best overnight), then remove springform pan sides before serving. Serve with additional caramel if desired.  

  
This is the recipe I got, but instead of the caramel I used "Dulce de Leche" from a La Lechera can (usually you find this at the Spanish food aisle or Spanish Supermarkets). SOOOOO much better and richer than caramel! I also added some cinnamon to the crumbs. And two other times that I've made this, I used the ready made Graham Cracker crust, and just placed the whole thing inside of the springform pan, and it works wonderfully! I actually liked that crust better than the one that came out with this recipe above. But feel free to use whatever crust recipe you like.

 

I will make it my culinary mission to find a way to veganize this dessert so that I can enjoy it more often without the guilt! And if someone has already done it, PLEASE let me know!

 Without the mention of names, I have to say that some people after eating this dessert have gone as far as saying that, "it is better than sex!" Try it, and you be the judge of that 

;)

ENJOY!!!