I finally got around to making Heidi Swanson’s Honey and Rose Water Tapioca, since buying her second book months ago. I love tapioca pudding. My mom made it for my sister and I when we were little, and today it is still a comfort food favorite. I essentially love any dessert created around crème anglaise (mix of sugar, egg yolks and hot milk, often flavored with vanilla). Heidi’s unique version calls for lemon zest and rose water (instead of vanilla), topped with a bit of chopped pistachio nuts.

A few tips for making tapioca:

1/3 cup tapioca pearls, cooked with 3 cups milk generally yields 4 to 6 servings. Before cooking, soak the pearls for 15 to 30 minutes in one cup of the called for milk. When you are ready to begin, whisk in the egg yolks, salt, honey and remaining milk. Bring the mixture barely to a simmer, over medium low heat. Cook, stirring constantly for approximately 10-15 minutes. You know the tapioca is fully cooked when the pearls swell up and become almost entirely translucent. The pudding will also thicken significantly. As excited as you may be to eat your creation, make sure the pudding cools before tasting or you will burn your mouth. I prefer tapioca at room temperate or cool. Although Heidi’s version was a  lovely  change-up, I like traditional tapioca (with vanilla and a touch a nutmeg best). Here is my recipe:

Ingredients

3 cups whole milk

1/3 cup small pearl tapioca

2 egg yolks, lightly beaten

1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

1/3 cup honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

dash of nutmeg

Fresh berries, to garnish

Statement from Lundberg Family Farms

Lundberg Family Farms stands behind the safety, nutritional value and health benefits of all our rice products. We are proud of our 75 year history of producing the finest quality rice and rice products as well as our commitment to organic and sustainable farming.

As we look into the findings of the study released on 2/16/12, we will consider all of the published research on the overall safety and healthfulness of organic rice products. It is important to remember that U.S. grown rice has been a wholesome source of nutrition, both here at home and internationally, for over 300 years. Because arsenic is naturally occurring, some levels are present in all rice, and a wide range of fruits, vegetables, grains and seafood, as well as present in the air and drinking water.

At present, there are no requirements for testing arsenic levels in a wide range of food products grown in the U.S., including rice. We favor additional and more extensive scientific research as well as an evaluation by the U.S. FDA regarding the appropriate amounts in food.

I think all my readers know that not only do I eat brown rice, I eat a lot of it and I use brown rice syrup on occasion. To this point, I contacted Lundberg directly to see if they could ease my fears and help me feel that, although obviously not intentional, I haven’t encouraged my clients to eat a potentially toxic substance. Here’s our conversation:

Ashley Delorey | Lundberg Family Farms

Hi Hanna,

Thank you for contacting us on this issue as your concerns are very important to us. While the most recent study states that brown rice syrup is high in arsenic, there is no data that suggests the levels are unsafe for human consumption. We stand behind the safety, nutritional value, and health benefits of all our rice products, including the brown rice syrup. We currently do not test for arsenic in our rice or rice products, but due to this recent development we are evaluating the next steps in doing so.

There are a couple of other resources that you may want to refer to:

-Our company’s official statement on this report can be found at http://www.lundberg.com/Info/announcement.aspx

-Learn more about the Arsenic compound from the CDC at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaqs/TF.asp?id=19&tid=3

I hope that this addresses your immediate concerns. Please let me know if you have any other question

HFR

Hi Ashley,

Thank you so much for your prompt response. What I would love for you to confirm for me is that Lundberg (as I know you can’t speak for other growers) does not use arsenic in the growing process of your crop. Arsenic is something that is found naturally in rice. Am I correct in saying that or is arsenic used as a chemical additive?

Ashley Delorey | Lundberg Family Farms

Hi Hanna,

You are correct, Lundberg Family Farms does not use Arsenic as part of our farming practices. If Arsenic is present in Lundberg Family Farms rice (which is unknown at this point) it is because the compound is naturally occurring in its growing environment.

Arsenic is a naturally occurring element widely distributed in the earth’s crust. In the environment, arsenic is combined with oxygen, chlorine, and sulfur to form inorganic arsenic compounds. Arsenic in animals and plants combines with carbon and hydrogen to form organic arsenic compounds.

Inorganic arsenic compounds are mainly used to preserve wood. Copper chromated arsenate (CCA) is used to make “pressure-treated” lumber. CCA is no longer used in the U.S. for residential uses; it is still used in industrial applications. Organic arsenic compounds are used as pesticides, primarily on cotton fields and orchards.

What happens to arsenic when it enters the environment?

• Arsenic occurs naturally in soil and minerals and may enter the air, water, and land from wind-blown dust and may get into water from runoff and leaching.
• Arsenic cannot be destroyed in the environment. It can only change its form.
• Rain and snow remove arsenic dust particles from the air.
• Many common arsenic compounds can dissolve in water. Most of the arsenic in water will ultimately end up in soil or sediment.

Fish and shellfish can accumulate arsenic; most of this arsenic is in an organic form called arsenobetaine that is much less harmful.

How might I be exposed to arsenic?

• Ingesting small amounts present in your food and water or breathing air containing arsenic.
• Breathing sawdust or burning smoke from wood treated with arsenic.
• Living in areas with unusually high natural levels of arsenic in rock.

Working in a job that involves arsenic production or use, such as copper or lead smelting, wood treating, or pesticide application.

Source: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaqs/TF.asp?id=19&tid=3

Our bodies know how to process plant and animal fats, but think about what happens when we eat fat that has been hydrogenated. Picture that jar of Skippy that has an infinite shelf life. Now think of it in your internal organs; it never really goes away. When consumed, hydrogenated oils become part of our cells membranes, raising blood insulin and LDL cholesterol levels, also interfering with the livers ability to detoxify the body. I’m sure you have heard or read that the consumption of trans fats increases the risk of coronary heart disease. Here is my highly abbreviated, biochemical explanation of why this is indeed true. HDL and LDL are the carriers of cholesterol. HDL is named the “good” type because it carries cholesterol away from your arteries and back to the liver to be processed. Conversely, LDL is labeled “bad” because it transports cholesterol from the arteries towards the heart. I chose to eat marbled steak, pork butt and full fat yogurt on occasion, but refuse to eat margarine, non-dairy whipped dessert toppings, non-dairy coffee creamers and tub cake frostings. Although you certainly don’t want to eat animal fat in excess, at least it is real. Fat that has been tampered with also tampers with your body. As I mentioned before, products containing hydrogenated fat tend to be solid, not liquid. If you see a product with one of the following words in its description: Chewy, Creamy, Lite, No animal fat, No cholesterol, there is a good chance it contains hydrogenated oil.

REAL FAT

• Butter
• Vegetable Oils (minimally processed or cold pressed)
• Lard

SYNTHETIC FATS

• Margarine
• Vegetable Shortening (hydrogenated oil)
• Olean (synthetic fat)

OTHER

• Earth Balance – I put this vegan buttery spread in a category by itself, because essentially it is dairy free margarine made from soybeans, palm, canola and olive oils, with the addition of natural flavor and color. Although the ingredients are certified non-GMO and none of the oils are hydrogenated, to me, it just isn’t real and I like to stay away from it.

MY FAVORITE FATS

• Avocado – Rich and creamy, melt-in-your mouth fruit that is high in “good” monosaturated fat and contains little to no sugar or starch. Avocado pairs perfectly with citrus and spice (heat). Avocados ripen after then have been picked, so buy them a few days in advance and keep them out on your countertop and out of the fridge to maintain the integrity of their flavor and texture.
• Bacon – It tastes great and it’s real. Try these brands: Applegate’s Natural Sunday Bacon, Niman Ranch
• Coconut – When it comes to saturated fat, coconut oil is the easiest for our bodies to digest. Coconuts contain lauric acid, which is also found in breast milk. Coconut oil is cooling and incredibly soothing to the body. It is antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal. Coconut oil improves digestion and nutrient absorption, supplies fewer calories than other fats, supports immune system function, helps prevent premature aging and wrinkling of the skin.
• Milk – grass-fed, unhomogenized
• Nuts
• Olive Oil – A great source of vitamin E and other antioxidants
• Pasture Butter

FURTHER READING

http://www.westonaprice.org/

http://www.ninaplanck.com/

I have been meaning to make this tart again – the same one my sister and I made on a whim Christmas Eve (from My New Roots’ Holiday Reader Recipe Challenge: Megan B.’s Cranberry Pear Tart). I love this dessert. It’s easy to make, beautiful to look at and tastes amazing. Keep in mind also, that it is vegan, sugar-free and filled with nutritious fruit, whole grains, nuts and seeds, calling for only moderately refined sweeteners and fats.

The crust is out of this world, so definitely keep the recipe on-hand and use it for any and all tarts that call for a “pressed crust”. You can swap out walnuts, almond or hazelnuts for the pecans. But please, pecans are pretty close to perfection, so I suggest you use them.

The sweet pear and tart cranberries pair perfectly together, but I’m also curious to try other combinations like blackberry-plum or raspberry-peach. The other thing, you may want to consider is arranging the pears on top, because they look so beautiful all laid out, but then get covered up by the cranberries – also lovely in their own right. Regardless of your fruit pairing, the combination of ground chia seeds with brown rice syrup and coconut oil makes for a fabulous “binder” for the fruit.

Cranberry & Pear Tart (slightly altered from the original recipe)

Serves 10 

Ingredients:

For the crust:

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup pecans

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup coconut oil

1 tsp. vanilla (I used ½ a vanilla bean, scraped, plus ½ tsp. extract)

1 scant tsp. salt

2/3 cup whole grain flour (I used whole-wheat graham)

For the filling:

2 pears, sliced thin

2 cups fresh cranberries, rinsed and dried off

1/2 cup brown rice syrup

2 tbsp. ground chia seeds

5 tbsp. water, plus 1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1/4 cup coconut oil

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. cardamom

zest of 2 organic lemons (reserve zest of one lemon for garnish when tart comes out of the oven)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Combine all of the crust ingredients in a food processor and pulse to mix. Grease a 9” tart pan with a little coconut oil and press crust evenly along the bottom of the pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to get the bottom crust really evenly flat and the side of the cup to press the filling into the pans corner curves. Place pear slices in a layer on top of the crust.

3. For the filling, combine the chia with the water & lemon juice and set aside until a gel forms. Mix the cranberries with remaining ingredients and stir until well combined. Add the gel and fold to mix. Pour filling on top of crust and pear layer and spread evenly. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Allow tart to cool completely before removing from tart pan (approx.1 hour, or place in the fridge).

4. Garnish with lemon zest. Slice and serve with an optional dollop of crème fraiche, whip cream or ice cream.

Cacao Coconut Smoothie Recipe:

1 cup unsweetened, organic coconut milk

2 tablespoons cup raw cacao nibs

2 tablespoons ground hemp seeds

1/3 cup (approximately 1 small) frozen banana

Sprinkle of cinnamon

Add cacao nibs to Vitamix and blend on high speed, to a fine powder. Add all remaining ingredients and blend until silky smooth. No sugar, no sugar substitutes, good fat, protein, minerals…does a body good. Enjoy.

• For a refreshing alternative, add  fresh mint leaves or zest of an orange, if you like that combination.

If sugar is so bad for us, why do we crave it? Putting highly processed, modern sugar aside, all human beings are genetically wired to seek out sweetness for pleasure. As infants, our first taste of nourishment comes from our mother’s breast milk, which is inherently sweet, as is formula. It is from this moment on that our bodies continue to crave sweetness, for we have been taught that sweetness is literally the fuel of life. Beginning at childhood, we are rewarded with sugar. If we behave, we are given a sweet treat. I am not saying that sugar should be part of life, but rather acknowledging a definitive reason for our desire for it. Sugar comes in many different forms, all of which are absorbed, processed and utilized differently by our bodies. Second to fats and oils, sugar is the most concentrated source of calories. Despite the fact that sugar is pure energy, due to its caloric density, it is completely void of nutrients.

Lets’ take a look at sugar from more of a cultural perspective. According to Chinese Medicine and Macrobiotics, sugar is considered expansive because it enables rapid growth within the body. Diseased cells (cancerous for example) feed directly on sugar. When sugar is consumed, it immediately sends our body into frenzy, searching for the nutrients that sugar inherently lacks. We learned before that our bodies naturally know how to digest whole foods, but when presented with a “partial food” like sugar, the body goes to desperate measures to fill the void, extracting minerals from our very own bones and teeth. Every wonder why you “crash”, feeling absolutely exhausted after eating sweets? The term sweet tooth all of a sudden becomes hauntingly ironic.

With Valentine’s Day rapidly approaching, let’s change things up this year and NOT give our loved ones candy and or other treats loaded with sugar. I give myself a pass on dark chocolate (%75 or higher) and here is a brand that I am crazy for.

Want to really impress your loved one this year? Buy them a Vitamix, so together you can enjoy a decadent, guilt free, sweet treat smoothie like this:

Cacao Coconut Smoothie Recipe:

1 cup unsweetened, organic coconut milk

¼ cup raw cacao nibs

2 tablespoons ground hemp seeds

1/3 cup (approximately 1 small) frozen banana

Sprinkle of cinnamon

Add cacao nibs to Vitamix and blend on high speed, to a fine powder. Add all remaining ingredients and blend until silky smooth. No sugar, no sugar substitutes, good fat, protein, minerals…does a body good. Enjoy.

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WHOLE GRAINS:

• Amaranth
• Millet
• Muesli – Raw oats with a mixture of dried fruit, nuts and seeds. FYI, granola is the cooked version, but tends to have added fat and sugar. Bob’s Red Mill is my favorite brand.
• Oats
• Quinoa
• Rice

Cook each of the grains above in water with a pinch of salt. The ratio of 1 cup grain to 1 ¾ cups water works for all except for amaranth, which requires more like 2 ½ cups water to 1 cup of grain. Cooking 2 cups of the heartier grains and will yield enough to last you throughout the workweek.

I’ve been on a big muesli/ oat kick lately. Instead of boiling the oats with water, I add milk or yogurt and let it soak for 5 to 10 minutes before eating. This is also a good tip for summertime breakfasts when you don’t want to eat something warm.

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LIQUIDS:

• Unsweetened Organic Almond Milk (try to find a brand that lists just almonds and water as ingredients)
• Unsweetened Organic Coconut Milk
• Organic Milk
• Unsweetened Organic Soy Milk
• Organic Plain Yogurt (Try this brand available at Whole Foods)

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Okay, you’ve got your grain mixed with your liquid of choice, now let’s jazz things up a bit and add flavor, texture and more nutrients with some seeds and supplements.

SEEDS AND SUPPLEMENTS:

• Chia Seeds – High fiber, great source of Omega 3.
• Flax Meal – In a 2 tablespoon serving size (13 grams) the fiber content is 1.33 grams of Soluble Fiber and 2.67 grams of Insoluble Fiber. Ground Flaxseeds are a good source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids.
• Hemp Seeds – Hulled hemp seed is high in Omega-3 and Omega-6 essential fatty acids and an excellent source of protein - containing all of the essential amino acids.
• Maca Powder – Used to increase stamina, boost libido, combat fatigue, and balance hormones overall. Has an earthy taste that is slightly nutty with a hint of butterscotch.
• Pumpkin Seeds – Good source of omega 3 and zinc.
• Sunflower Seeds – Supply significant amounts of vitamin E, magnesium and selenium.
• Tahini – Not only are sesame seeds a very good source of manganese and copper, but they are also a good source of calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, vitamin B1, zinc and dietary fiber.
• Wheat Germ – The heart of the wheat kernel. A two tablespoon serving provides two grams of dietary fiber, thirteen percent of recommended daily value of folic acid, ten percent of recommended daily value of phosphorus, magnesium and zinc, and fifteen percent of your vitamin E and thiamin requirements. It is a cholesterol and sodium free food, and its fat is unsaturated. Has a subtle nutty flavor.

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For added crunch, flavor and healthy fats add toasted nuts. Or for a smooth, creamy texture stir in a couple tablespoons of nut butter.

NUTS:

• Toasted Nuts (almond, cashew, hazelnut, pecan)
• Nut Butters (almond, cashew, peanut, pecan)

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Sweeten your cereal with any one of the listed ingredients below.

FRUITS AND SWEETENERS:

• Applesauce
• Banana
• Brown Rice Syrup
• Currants
• 100% Fruit spread, no sugar added
• Goji Berries
• Honey
• Maple Syrup
• Raisins (try Hunza)

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Here are some of my favorite breakfast bowl combinations:

• Short Grain Brown Rice with Warm Spiced (Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cardamom) Coconut Milk, Flax Meal, Maca Powder and Anjou Pear
• Muesli soaked with Soy Milk, Flax meal
• Quinoa with Tahini and Apricot Fruit Preserves
• Millet with Warm Milk and Honey

Brown Sticky Rice, Coconut Milk, Dried Mango, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Sesame

Banana, Almond Butter, Oatmeal, Flax Meal, Raw Honey

Where to Buy:

http://www.bobsredmill.com/

http://shilohfarms.com/

http://www.navitasnaturals.com/

Sources: http://www.whfoods.com/ and http://www.bobsredmill.com/

The start of a new year is a time when we feel we can start fresh. So if you are on your 11^th day of incorporating whole foods into your diet, congratulations! Here are two important food thoughts to live by to keep you on track:

• Your body is not a black hole. Food doesn’t just disappear once you swallow it down. If you don’t like the thought of a donut dispersing throughout your bloodstream, streaking your internal organs with sugar and fat, then don’t eat it! Okay that’s an extreme example, but I’m just trying to get my point across. Whole foods are untainted and “clean”, so you don’t have to think twice about how they may affect your body negatively, because they don’t.
• Balance your day. Your body inherently seeks balance. If you’ve been good, it’s okay to splurge. Contrarily, if you’ve splurged at lunch, be more discipline at dinner. Try not to eat the same thing twice. It is so easy to toast a piece of bread or an English muffin for breakfast, but I try to eat oats or brown rice if I know that I’m going out for lunch or dinner, where bread ends up in a majority of menu items. With that said, if I want a whole-grain bagel for breakfast, I eat it, but I know that I’ve had my bread for the day, so I’ll have to get creative through dinner time. If I spread almond butter on my English muffin, I don’t eat nuts for a snack. The only exception to this rule is vegetables and sometimes fruit. You can never eat too many vegetables, especially leafy greens.

The Food Journal below is a chart that summarizes a week of eating (mostly whole foods). Now this is my personal food journal, so the things on it may seem odd to many of you. I don’t really specify quantities, because again, we are all individuals and you know how much you should or should not be eating. Some of you may require more animal protein or can’t tolerate as much grain for example. The only universal diet that works is one consisting of whole foods.

HFR Food Journal

Escarole Salad with Avocado and Grapefruit  Recipe:

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1 small grapefruit, supremed (reserve juice)

sprinkle of: salt, pepper, cayenne, coriander, cumin

1 scallion, sliced

1 celery stalk, sliced

2 cups escarole, chopped

1 avocado, cubed or sliced

1/4 cup toasted pepitas

1 tablespoon fresh dill, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon fresh mint, roughly chopped

Procedure:

In a medium sized bowl, add spices and scallion to grapefruit juice (letting the onions sit in the acidic juice will mellow the flavor while you prep the other ingredients. Add all other ingredients, toss and eat!

For my 30^th birthday and Christmas this year, my husband took me to Paris. A city known for it’s exquisite art and architecture, haute cuisine and romance – all of which I drank in to the very last drop. I feel as though over the past five days, I was able to check off things I have only dreamed of doing – seeing da Vinci’s Mona Lisa at the Louvre, countless works by Monet at Musée d’Orsay, the Eiffel tower illuminated by night…strolling, sipping and tasting my way through the charming streets.

As my sister said to me before I left, “You better do it right.”…referring to my phobia of sugar and flour…as you can see below, I sure did. It was a trip I will never forget.

 TUESDAY

• Baguette with butter and tea

Lunch at Le Dali  at Le Meurice –  228 Rue de Rivoli

• Gingered Beef Stock with Miso
• Seasonal vegetables “en papillote”

Coffee at Les Deux Magots
Chestnuts on the Street

Dinner at Royal Madeleine - 11 Rue Chevalier de Saint Georges

• Champagne
• Andouille and Chestnut Croquettes (What I want to eat on my death-bed)
• Meursault
• Sole Meniere
• Profiteroles

WEDNESDAY

Croissant and Cappuccino

Le Cigale Récamier - 4, rue Récamier

• Green Salad
• Cheese Soufflé with Truffle (elegant, decadent, yet light as air)
• Red Wine
• Coffee

Tea and Crepe with Walnuts and Honey in a café near the Eiffel tower

Brasserie Lipp - 151, Bld. Saint-Germain

• Champagne
• Celery root Roumelade
• Cotes du Rhone
• Escargot
• Steak Frites
• Haricot vert
• Brandy

THURSDAY

Coffee and pain au chocolat

Lunch at Café St. Regis (my favorite) - Ile St. Louis

• Onion Soup
• Fromage
• Beer (can’t remember what kind, but it paired perfectly with cheese and onions)
• Croque Madame

Tea and Macaroons at LaDurée (delicate and lovely to look at, but too sweet for me (even though we did taste eight different flavors!) I’m a pâte à choux and pastry cream girl).

Dinner at Benoit - 20, Rue St. Martin

• Champagne
• Notre PÂTÉ EN CROÛTE, 
feuilles de laitue à l’huile de noix et chapons aillés
• LANGUE DE VEAU LUCULLUS, cœur de romaine à la crème moutardée
• 2006 Chateau Margaux Bordeaux
• CASSOULET MAISON haricots blancs (Absolutely stuffed after dinner, we didn’t order dessert, but perhaps the best pastries we had were brought to our table with the check: a tiny almond madeleine and praline chocolate truffle – to die for.)

FRIDAY

Angelina (is to Paris what Sarabeth’s is to Manhattan)

• Soft boiled eggs and baguette, coffee

Lunch at the Louvre (which turned out to be Angelina again)

• Vegetable Soup
• Watercress Salad
• Croque Monsuere
• Tea

Le Moulin de la Galette - Montmartre. 83, rue Lepic

• Château Caronne St Gemme, Haut-Médoc 2007
• Salade de cresson de Méréville, crottin de chèvre au miel du Gâtinais
• Château de Pibarnon, Bandol 2004
• Pigeon ramier (palombe) aux figues violettes et pommes de terre rattes du Touquet (I bit down on two shots/ bullets while eating my dinner…something I’m used to from eating with my dad…but how’s that for wild meat in a restaurant?!)
• Paris-Brest (a delicious pastry of pâte à choux and chantilly cream and hazelnuts)

Champagne at le Moulin Rouge!

SATURDAY

Cappuccino

Salad, House Wine, Steak Frites and Profiteroles at le Relais de l’Entrecóte

Happy New Year and many thanks to our friends who made so many excellent recommendations and pointed us in the right direction. And most importantly, thank you Taylor, for an incredible trip that I will never forget (and I apologize, but we will be eating vegetables, beans and rice for the next two weeks).