March 5, 2025

This Veggie Soup Is Rich with Antioxidants

Moringa Vegetable Soup In Africa and Asia, where protein-rich moringa plants grow in abundance, people add the tiny leaves to soups and stews just before serving. The leaves are wilted by the hot liquid but are not fully cooked, so their vitamins stay intact. I also like the flavor of moringa combined with antioxidant-rich squash, eggplant, and okra (another African ingredient). For this soup, any smoked fish, such as salmon, can be used. To make this soup vegan, use vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock and omit the fish or fish sauce. To give this soup an Asian […]
February 18, 2025

Velvety Vegan Chocolate Mousse

Chocolatey, rich mousse is a perfect dessert for Valentine’s Day or any time of the year, really. Heart-healthy compounds abound in cocoa, so a lightened-up, vegan version of this classic recipe will benefit you and the ones you share it with. Many mousse recipes use chocolate chips for flavor, but this one features pure baking cocoa for an antioxidant punch and tangy bitterness to balance the sweetness of the syrup. Using vanilla almond or soy milk as well as vanilla extract offers depth in flavor aside from pure chocolate. Be sure to garnish with fresh strawberries or cherries for texture, […]
November 5, 2024

Prune and Walnut Bars Are an Age-Defying Dessert

Prune and Walnut Bars Prunes and walnuts are both exceedingly high in antioxidant power. Both are listed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on the ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) scale with over 10,000 units. Eating a ¼-cup serving of prunes, or about four prunes, provide you with 12% of the daily value for fiber, 32% of the daily value for vitamin K and 9% of the daily value for potassium. A hundred grams of prunes (about ½ cup) provides at least 9% of your daily needs for the B vitamins, niacin, riboflavin and vitamin B-6.  Walnuts have heart-healthy omega-3 […]
October 8, 2024

Heart-Healthy Green Tea Noodles Ramp Up the Flavor

Green Tea Noodles with Edamame Green tea, with its powerful theaflavins, is a strong antioxidant with vigorous anti-inflammatory properties, a heart-healthy addition to anyone’s diet. Green tea is wonderful to drink on its own, but it also can be incorporated into recipes.  I use an old Asian trick for mixing more green tea into your diet with my Green Tea Noodles with Edamame. It’s an easy and budget-friendly recipe. Just boil soba, udon, or ramen noodles in green tea instead of water. Green tea has far more age-fighting power than water. If you want to eat these noodles cold, rinse […]
August 12, 2024

This Berry Salad Is Colorful AND Refreshing

Aztec Berry Salad With Chia Dressing The Aztecs recorded using chia seeds as far back as 1540. This colorful and refreshing salad is perfect for summer afternoons and evenings. Serve this salad as a starter, side dish, or light summer meal. Benefits: Chia seeds provide energy in the form of healthy fats (including anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids) and plant-based protein. Fresh, seasonal berries provide a concentrated source of beneficial antioxidants such as vitamin C and anthocyanins, which improve capillary function in the brain, eyes, and skin. SERVES 4 Ingredients For the salad 2 cups (packed) roughly chopped baby spinach 1 […]
November 17, 2023

Chocolate Chip Spice Cookies

Chocolate Chip Spice Cookies These chocolate chip and spice cookies are packed with wholesome ingredients like walnuts, rolled oats, whole-wheat flour, and applesauce to reduce caloric content while maximizing nutrients. They are made without butter and without white or brown sugar, yet they maintain a traditional taste and texture. Oats have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-itch, and anti-irritant properties. The fiber and omega-3 fatty acids in oats help lower your cholesterol. Cinnamaldehyde is a powerful antioxidant found in cinnamon. The spice also contains coumarin, a natural blood thinner. YIELDS 24 Cookies Ingredients 1 cup rolled oats (not instant or steel-cut) 1 cup […]
September 24, 2023

Classic French Apple Tart

Pear and Apple Tart In this dessert, I take the recipe for the classic French dessert tarte tatin–with its quercetin-containing apples–and add pears for their copper content and pecans and cinnamon, which are high in antioxidants. It is worth noting that when used in sufficient amounts, cinnamon also has anti-blood-clotting agents and anti-inflammatory properties and may help stabilize blood sugar levels. SERVES 6-8 Ingredients 6 Tbs. butter, cut into small pieces 1/2 cup sugar, combined with 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon 4 apples (Braeburn, Granny Smith, Gala, or Fuji), peeled, cored, and cut in half 2 pears (Bosc), peeled, cored, and […]
August 30, 2023

This Avocado Dressing Is Homemade & Versatile

Whole, natural foods combine in minutes to create this simple, creamy dressing. Avocado creates a rich base full of detoxifying fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. High levels of healthy fats in this dressing increase satiety and support cells for optimal vitality. Keep in mind that avocado dressing isn’t just for salads! You can use it as a dip or dressing for a variety of crackers or other veggies you love. Toss all of these unprocessed ingredients into a food processor or blender and enjoy a delicious, homemade dressing in minutes. YIELD about 1.5 cups Ingredients 1 whole, ripe avocado, peeled […]