S AMPLE R ECIPES | Chocolate-Raspberry Cake     Chocolate Icing |   Asian Lasagna A combination of cuisines (style from Italy, ingredients from Asia) for a dish more nutritionally-dense and complete than the original Italian lasagna. INGREDIENTS FILLING 2 cups broccoli florets 1/2 cup broccoli stalks -- peeled, sliced (florets and stalks from 1 bunch) 1 1/2 tablespoon dark (toasted) sesame oil 180 grams portobella mushrooms -- sliced 1/2" thick (about 2 large mushrooms, stems chopped) 1 large onion -- diced 4 medium carrots -- sliced 1 medium red bell pepper -- cubed 1/2 pound collard greens -- chopped (about 8 collard leaves) 6 garlic cloves -- minced 1 1/2 tablespoons ginger juice, fresh (squeezed from fresh, grated ginger root) 1 tablespoon sweet sherry -- (e.g., mirin) 1/2 tsp sea salt TEMPEH 1 tablespoon dark (toasted) sesame oil 8 ounces tempeh -- defrosted 1/4 cup water 1 tablespoon Tamari soy sauce 1 tablespoon sweet sherry -- (e.g., mirin) SAUCE 18 ounces no-salt-added vegetable broth (or water) 14 ounces coconut milk 2 tablespoons ginger juice, fresh (squeezed from fresh, grated ginger root) 8 garlic cloves -- crushed 3 tablespoons tahini (adjust tahini depending on your tastes) - (use more if you want a richer dish) - (use less if you want a lighter dish) 1/8 teaspoon sea salt 4 tablespoons brown rice flour (or whole-grain spelt flour, but only if the dish can have some gluten) 1 tablespoon white miso PASTA 1/2 pound no-boil/oven-ready rice lasagna noodles (or no-boil/over-ready whole wheat lasagna noodles, but only if the dish can have some gluten) - (about 9-12 inch pieces) GARNISH 4 tablespoons basil, fresh -- chopped 3/4 cup green onions -- chopped (about 6 stalks)   PREPARATION FILLING To prepare the broccoli: a) cut off the florets, b) peel the stalks, and c) dice the stalks.         To prepare the filling, heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. Saute mushroom, onion, sliced broccoli stalks, carrots, red bell pepper, collard greens, broccoli florets, and garlic, sealing them one at a time (about 40 minutes total). After sealing, season vegetable mixture with ginger juice, sherry, and salt. Turn off heat.         TEMPEH During this process, prepare tempeh. Steam the tempeh for 20 minutes. Slice tempeh into long 1/4 inch strips. Dab the oil on all sides of all the tempeh strips, then heat a pan over medium-high heat and add the tempeh. Seal on all sides. Combine water, tamari soy sauce, and sherry. When finished, turn down heat and pour combined liquids over the tempeh. Cook gently until all moisture is absorbed by the tempeh, and then turn off the heat.         SAUCE As time allows, prepare the sauce. Combine all sauce ingredients, except flour and miso, in a sauce pan. Slowly sprinkle in flour stirring continuously so lumps do not form. If you use less tahini, you will need a little more flour. Heat over low to medium-low heat for about 7 minutes to integrate and thicken. The sauce should be not get too thick. Add additional water if needed to make a thin sauce texture (or add additional flour to thicken more). Take a 1/4 cup of sauce out of the sauce pan, and dissolve the miso in it. Add this back to the sauce, and stir. Turn off heat.         ASSEMBLY To assemble, use a large (about 9"x13") baking pan. Spread a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of the pan (about 3/4 cup). Place 3 pieces of lasagna noodles (about 1/3 of the noodles) in the bottom of the pan. You don't want the noodles to overlap since the pasta will expand during baking. Spread another thin layer of sauce over the noodles. Lay half of the tempeh slices on this, and then spread half of the vegetable filling on top and around the tempeh. Continue this noodle-tempeh-filling layering until all filling is used, and then top with the last layer of noodles, covering it thoroughly with sauce. There should be 3 layers of noodles, and 2 layers of tempeh/filling.         Cover pan with foil, and bake in a 375 degree F (190 degree C) oven (no need to preheat oven) for 40 minutes, then remove foil and bake 10 minutes more to give the top layer a golden brown appearance. Serve garnished with basil and green onions. VARIATIONS - For a lower fat dish, replace coconut milk in the sauce with an equal amount of water plus 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract/flavoring. - Use even more coconut milk in place of some of the water in the sauce. Note: this will give the dish a higher fat content. - You can use any type of lasagna noodles: if you use noodles that are not oven ready, prepare the noodles as described on the box and then use in this recipe as described; if you are not concerned about gluten in the dish, you can use regular (wheat) lasagna noodles. - Use pressed tofu in place of tempeh. Per serving : 358 Calories; 19g Fat (43% calories from fat); 14g Protein; 44g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 319mg Sodium Serving Ideas : Serve brown rice with "Cilantro Sauce" (see recipe in A Taste of Vitality) as a side to the lasagna. top Chocolate-Raspberry Cake Refer to the "Cake Notes" in the main cookbooks for information about making cakes (including how to cut the fat or make the cake "decadent"). An easy way to grind flax seeds is in a coffee grinder. INGREDIENTS CAKE 1 1/2 cups brown rice flour (or spelt flour if the cake can contain gluten) 1 1/2 cups sorghum flour (or spelt flour if the cake can contain gluten) 4 tablespoons tapioca flour -- finely ground 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds 1 1/4 cup cocoa powder -- (unsweetened) 3/4 teaspoon sea salt 1 tablespoons baking powder -- (double acting) 1/2 cup walnut oil, refined (or canola oil) 4 tablespoons applesauce, unsweetened (or could blend up about 1/3 of an apple) 1 3/4 cups maple syrup 1/2 cup sucanat sugar (or granulated sugar) 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract 14 ounce coconut milk -- (or water) 1 cup water FILLING 10 ounces raspberries, frozen (or 10 ounces fresh raspberries) - (or .5 cup jam mixed with 1 Tablespoon lemon juice) 1 tablespoon brown rice syrup -- (or maple syrup) GARNISH 20 servings Chocolate Icing -- (see next recipe) 4 ounces fresh raspberries 1 teaspoon citrus zest -- in long, thin strips (from 1 pieces of citrus fruit) 1 teaspoon chocolate, bittersweet, dairy-free -- shaved 1/3 cup pecan halves -- toasted, glazed   PREPARATION Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Oil and flour two 10 inch round spring form pans (it is also possible to use a 9 inch by 13 inch pan) (for more information refer to the Cake Pan discussion in the "Cake Notes" in the cookbooks on this web site).         CAKE Sift dry ingredients together (except ground flax seed). Stir in ground flax seed. Blend liquids, then stir into the flour mixture. Pour into the prepared cake pans.         Bake for 30-40 minutes (longer if using a 9 inch by 13 inch pan). Test to be sure the cakes are finished: the cakes should slightly pull away from the sides of the pan, and a toothpick inserted into the cake should come out fairly clean (not wet with batter clinging to it). Also be careful not to overbake the cakes because they can become too dry and dense in this case.         FILLING When making a layered cake (using 2 identical sized pans), make the raspberry layer filling by lightly cooking the frozen raspberries with brown rice syrup, adding tablespoons of water as needed.         GARNISH Once raspberry layer filling has cooked down a bit, and after the cakes have cooled, place the bottom layer of the cake on a serving plate (with parchment paper under the edges), and spread filling over the top of this first layer. Then place the second layer on top of the first, and frost/ice the entire cake.         Garnish cake with fresh whole raspberries, citrus zest, shaved chocolate, and toasted, glazed pecans (chopped nuts around the edge and halves for the top). VARIATIONS - "Carob-Raspberry Cake" - Use carob powder in place of cocoa and carob chips in place of chopped chocolate/chocolate chips, and "Carob Icing" in place of "Chocolate Icing" (see recipe). This will yield a lower fat cake. - "Black Forest Cake" - Use cherry jam in place of the raspberry filling, and then garnish with pitted cherries (either fresh or drained cherries from a can). - "Chocolate Sambuca Cake" - Add 5 tablespoons of Sambuca liqueur to the batter, and add 4 teaspoons to the icing. Additionally, glaze the pecans with the liqueur after they are toasted. Per serving: 382 Calories; 15g Fat (32% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 64g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 150mg Sodium top   Chocolate Icing If you have time, make this icing a day in advance and refrigerate it. It will make the icing thicker, and therefore easier to spread on a cake. INGREDIENTS 100 grams chocolate, bittersweet, dairy-free (about 2/3 cup when cut) - (or 2/3 cup dairy-free chocolate chips) 12 1/3 ounces tofu, low-fat silken -- (extra-firm) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 cup brown rice syrup -- (or maple syrup) 1/4 cup maple syrup 1 tablespoon sucanat sugar (or granulated sugar)   PREPARATION Blend all ingredients with a small electric hand blender (easier clean up) or a food processor until smooth.         Refrigerate icing to firm it up and make it easier to spread on a cake.         Spread on cooled cake, and if necessary, refrigerate briefly to set the icing to the cake.         Should have enough icing to cover a double-layered-10-inch round cake. VARIATIONS - As the sweetener, any combination of unrefined liquid sweeteners (maple syrup, brown rice syrup, barley malt syrup, agave syrup, etc) can be used, and in varying amounts depending on your tastes (see "Dessert Notes" for more information about sweeteners). - For a lower fat icing, use 2/3 cup cocoa powder in place of 100 grams of dairy-free, bittersweet chocolate. Although this icing will not be nearly as rich and smooth, this will yield an icing which contains only 12% calories from fat (about 0.5 grams of fat per serving). - "Carob Icing" - on a carob cake, use chunks of dairy-free carob bars or chips in place of chocolate (or carob powder in place of cocoa powder if making the low fat variation listed above). Per serving: 56 Calories; 2g Fat (31% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 8g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 15mg Sodium top   e-mail vitalita@vitalita.com
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