Béchamel sauce is a simple white sauce made from a "roux" typically made with butter,white flour and whole milk. Here, I get rid of the saturated fats and make it with regular "smart balance" spread instead of butter, skim milk or unsweetened soy milk instead of whole milk, and whole wheat pastry flour, instead of plain white flour to add fiber. It is so versatile--I use it ... Read More »
Welcome Home Banana Bread
I love to have this banana bread in the oven when my kiddies come home for the holidays! Aaaaaaah...... it fills the house with that wonderful aroma that just warms your heart and says welcome home! It is the quintessential banana bread filled with the natural sweetness of ripe bananas so it is relatively low in added sugar. I also use whole wheat pastry flour for the ... Read More »
Fresh Fruit Clafoutis
This is a hearty French peasant custard filled with fresh mango, blueberries and strawberries. The traditional version of this wonderful dessert is made with cherries, cream, eggs, lots of added sugar and sometimes even butter as well. In this recipe, the cream & butter are done away with, the amount of sugar is reduced significantly (some has been replaced with the ... Read More »
Almond Orange Chocolate Torte
This dark chocolate torte tastes lusciously rich and moist yet it has all of 2 Tbsp of canola oil! The secret lies in the addition of the ground almonds with their healthy unsaturated oils as well as the applesauce and fat free plain yogurt. This is one dessert you will be able to “indulge” in without any guilt! It is a little more time consuming than my other desserts but it ... Read More »
Rustic Apple Cranberry Galette
Here is a variation on my rustic galette theme (sounds like I should have Bach playing in the background!). This one is with apples, fresh cranberries and a sprinkle of cinnamon! YUM! I also make it with fresh plums, apricots, peaches, you name it! Galettes are the crusty free-form versions of those more sophisticated tarts or pies. They are more rustic and "rough around the ... Read More »
Sneaky Macaroni & Cheese
A classic go-to-dish for kids, or, in other words: the perfect occasion to sneak good nutrition into your child's tummy! Here you have it: Simply Caulifower mashed into a creamy cheesy Béchamel sauce with smart balance instead of butter, skim milk instead of whole milk and soft wheat flour, instead of plain white flour. The top crust is made out of wholegrain cereal (Organic ... Read More »
Sneaky Cheese Pizza
It looks and tastes just like a plain cheese pizza--you know-- the kind kids just love. But you and I don't have to tell 'em there is nothing plain about this pizza! First of all, it sneaks soft wheat flour (it's called whole wheat pastry flour at your regular supermarket) in its perfectly chewy on the inside yet crisp on the outside crust. I intentionally don't make it 100% ... Read More »
Rustic Plum Galette
Galettes are the crusty free-form versions of those more sophisticated tarts or pies. They are more rustic and "rough around the edges" so you can just eat a slice with your hands--no need for forks here! I just love them! The only problem for me is that the traditional ones are made with plain white flour and lots of butter. In fact, I had just resigned myself to the ... Read More »
Soft Wheat Buns
I use a mixture of soft wheat flour (you will find it at the supermarket as whole wheat pastry flour), bread flour and wheat gluten for these wonderfully light and chewy buns. These are much lighter and fluffier in texture than my Whole Wheat Boule which I think makes them the perfect bun for my turkey mushroom burgers, my Mini BBQ Burgers and my Vegan Burgers. I also love ... Read More »
Apple Almond Cobbler
Another classic to put all your apples to use! This is another easy fool-proof recipe that is a little more time-consuming than my Peach Almond Cobbler or my Strawberry Apple hazelnut Cobbler. That's because the apples have to cook first in their own juices before baking, so that they are perfectly moist. This makes them so sweet and flavorful. In fact, there is no added ... Read More »
