Desserts | Cybele Pascal

Tess Masters launches new cookbook The Blender Girl Smoothies plus Kitchen Aid Giveaway

Dear Readers:

Today is July 1st, to me the true beginning of summer and the perfect day to share the news that Tess Masters has published a new cookbook: The Blender Girl Smoothies. 100 gluten-free, vegan, & paleo-friendly recipes, to help you “blast your way to good health and blended bliss”, all summer long. Hurray!

To those who read my blog, you probably already know, I’m huge fan of Tess Masters’ work. I was wowed by her first cookbook, the Blender Girl, and wrote about it here. Tess has taken something seemingly mundane and turned it into a high art form. She’s created levels of flavor and texture that one never could have imagined possible in a glass. Her blender sensations are truly a sensorial delight, and chock-full of nutrients for optimal health to boot.

I’m somebody who works smoothies and juicing into my diet, sometimes for a meal, sometimes for a day, and at the start of every season, for 3 days. I have gone as long as 10 days on a liquid diet, but that was before I’d discovered Tess’s recipes and at the time, it was too darn long. I was bored, and felt deprived. Well, good bye deprivation! With this book, I’d happily take a month to revel in the endlessly delicious possibilities of drinking smoothies all day! Just look at a brief snapshot of the beauties you get to choose from!

The Blender Girl Smoothies book is based on The Blender Girl Smoothies app that launched in October 2014. To celebrate the launch of the book, the app is being offered at the special rate of 99c until July 6th. Get it while it’s cool!
In addition to this, in honor of the book’s launch, Tess is hosting a huge giveaway with KitchenAid. One LUCKY winner in the U.S has a chance to win a KA Gift Pack (Torrent Blender, Pro-Line Stand Mixer, and Pro-Line food processor) valued at $2,000! The giveaway runs for the whole month of July and is open to residents of the US. To enter, here’s the link.

And for a sneak peak, read on….

pomegranate slam it!

With a complex, mind-blowing flavor that explodes like a firecracker (don’t omit the cayenne), this is a heart-healthy delight. Pomegranate lowers blood pressure, keeps arteries supple, decreases inflammation in blood vessels, and helps manage cholesterol. Its phenolic antioxidants (also in strawberries) combat oxidative stress, making this an antiaging tonic.

serves 2

1 1⁄2 cups (360ml) unsweetened pomegranate juice

1 orange, peeled, seeded, and quartered

1⁄4 cup (35g) chopped red bell pepper

1⁄8 cup (3g) loosely packed arugula

1⁄2 small avocado, pitted and peeled

1 cup (160g) frozen strawberries

1 cup (125g) ice cubes

optional boosters

1 tablespoon pomegranate powder

1⁄2 cup (15g) loosely packed chard leaves

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Throw all of the ingredients into your blender and blast on high for about 1 minute, until smooth and creamy.

nutritional facts (per serving)

green mojito

This is a cold-and-flu buster and potent detoxifier, all in one zesty cocktail! The bromelain in pineapple suppresses coughs and loosens mucus, while mint clears respiratory congestion, soothes sore throats, and alleviates nausea. The vitamin C in limes has antibiotic power, anti-inflammatories in kale and pineapple combat arthritis, and ginger boosts immunity, aids digestion, and adds a powerful zing.

Serves 2

1 cup (240ml) coconut water or water

1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest

3 limes, peeled and quartered

1 cup (25g) torn-up curly green kale leaves (1 or 2 large leaves with stalk removed)

1/2 cup (18g) firmly packed mint

2 cups (320g) frozen pineapple

5 drops alcohol-free liquid stevia, plus more to taste

Throw all of the ingredients into your blender and blast on high for 30 to 60 seconds, until smooth and creamy.

Boosters

1 teaspoon wheatgrass powder

1 teaspoon minced ginger

1 teaspoon coconut oil

TESS MASTERS BIO

Australian-born Tess Masters is an actor, cook, and author of The Blender Girl cookbook, The Blender Girl Smoothies, and creator of The Blender Girl Smoothies app. She shares her enthusiasm for healthy living on theblendergirl.com.

As a presenter and recipe developer, Tess collaborates with leading food, culinary, and lifestyle brands. She has been featured in the L.A Times, Washington Post, InStyle, Real Simple, Prevention, Family Circle, Clean Eating, Vegetarian Times, Living Without, Allergic Living, Thrive, New Idea, The Age, Today.Com, Yahoo.com, Shape.Com, Glamour.Com, FootNetwork.Com, Parents.Com, Chow.Com, among other websites, blogs, and publications around the world.

Away from the blender, Tess enjoys a diverse performance career. She has toured internationally with stage productions, worked in film and television, and lent her voice to commercial campaigns, audiobooks, and popular videogame characters.

Follow Tess on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, You Tube, and Google +

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Old Fashioned Strawberry Tart

Old-Fashioned Strawberry Tart

Makes 9½-inch tart

Free From gluten and all top 8 allergens

This beautiful tart disappears in only a few hours at my house; it’s that good. Nobody would ever guess it’s gluten-free and allergy-friendly. Look for small sweet fresh strawberries at your local farmers’ market and use fresh squeezed orange juice for the biggest burst of flavor. To make sure every last bit of the juicy filling makes it into your tart, I highly recommend using a rubber spatula when transferring the sauce and jam.

Shortbread Tart Crust

1 1/2 cups my Basic Gluten-Free Flour Mix, or Authentic Foods GF Classical Blend

¼ cup + 2 tbsp confectioners’ sugar

¾ tsp xanthan gum

⅛ tsp salt

10 tbsp dairy-free soy-free vegetable shortening

1-2 tbsp orange juice (see instructions)

Strawberry Filling

5 cups hulled/de-stemmed strawberries, 1 cup sliced, 4 cups halved

½ cup granulated sugar

1½ tbsp cornstarch

1 tbsp orange juice

¾ tsp unflavored gelatin or vegan gel

Pinch salt

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

¼ cup plus 1 tbsp strawberry jam, divided

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9½-inch tart pan with removable bottom.

2. In bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, sift together flour mix, confectioners’ sugar, xanthan gum, and salt. Add shortening (be very exact about this measurement) in tablespoon-sized pieces. Mix on medium speed to create a coarse meal, about 1 minute.

3. Add orange juice (1 tablespoon if using classic vegetable shortening, 2 tablespoons with palm shortening) and mix until dough begins to ball in the center, about 20 seconds. It should be the texture of soft new play dough.

4. Turn out dough onto a sheet of parchment or waxed paper and form into a ball. Top with another sheet of parchment or waxed paper, flatten into a disk and roll out to make a ¼-inch thick circle, 1 inch wider than your tart pan.

5. Remove top sheet of paper, flip crust into prepared tart pan and press down with the palm of your hand. Gently peel off remaining sheet of paper and finish pressing in dough, patching the sides or any breakages as necessary. Trim by running a rolling pin over top of the tart pan. Prick dough with a fork 8 times.

6. Bake crust for 20 minutes, or until set and very lightly golden. If it puffs up while baking, prick crust a couple more times. Let cool on a wire rack.

7. While crust is cooling, make strawberry sauce for filling. Puree 1 cup sliced strawberries in a blender until liquefied. Add granulated sugar, cornstarch, 1 tablespoon orange juice, gelatin and salt, and puree until smooth.

8. Transfer strawberry sauce to a small saucepan and stir in vanilla. Bring to a boil over medium heat while stirring continuously with a wooden spoon. Reduce heat to low, cook and stir for 1 minute, or until thickened like pudding. Transfer to a bowl and let cool to lukewarm (not cold), stirring a few times to help the process.

9. Warm jam over low heat in a small saucepan or in the microwave, stirring vigorously to thin. Using a pastry brush spread a thin layer of the jam on crust bottom. Chill crust in refrigerator for 10 minutes.

10. Gently combine 4 cups halved strawberries with remaining strawberry jam in a large bowl. Add lukewarm strawberry sauce and lightly toss until the strawberries are well-coated. Transfer filling to the cooled tart crust, evenly distributing strawberries.

11. Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours before serving. This pie is best served the day of, but it is also excellent the next day. Optionally, top each slice with your whipped topping of choice.

This recipe first appeared in the Spring 2014 issue of Allergic Living Magazine

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Allergy Friendly Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Squares

Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Squares

Rich, decadent and flavorful, this hybrid dessert takes dairy-free indulgence to a whole new level. Thank you, Daiya, you’ve made the world a better place with your vegan dairy-free cheeses!

Makes 16 squares

Free From: gluten and all top allergens

Chocolate Layer Ingredients

½ cup + 4 tbsp dairy-free milk alternative (such as rice milk), divided

1½ tsp powdered egg replacer (such as Ener-G)

1¼ cups my Basic Gluten-Free Flour Mix or Authentic Foods GF Classical Blend

1¼ cups sugar

½ cup + 2 tbsp cocoa powder

1¼ tsp baking soda

⅝ tsp double-acting baking powder

⅝ tsp salt

½ tsp xanthan gum

½ cup + 2 tbsp warm water

¼ cup + 1 tbsp canola oil

¾ tsp vanilla extract

Cherry Cheesecake Layer Ingredients

2 tbsp dairy-free milk alternative (such as rice milk)

1½ tsp powdered egg replacer (such as Ener-G)

4 oz dairy-free, soy-free plain cream cheese alternative (such as Daiya)

2 tbsp dairy-free soy-free vegetable shortening

2 tbsp + 2 tsp sugar

1 tbsp my Basic Gluten-Free Flour Mix or Authentic Foods GF Classical Blend

⅜ tsp vanilla extract

1¼ cups cherry pie filling

Chocolate Drizzle

¼ cup allergen-free semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 tsp dairy-free soy-free vegetable shortening

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a 9-inch baking pan with foil, extending ends over sides of pan and lightly grease.

2. For chocolate layer, whisk together 2 tablespoons milk alternative and egg replacer in a small bowl, until frothy.

3. In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, whisk together flour blend, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt and xanthan gum.

4. Add remaining ½ cup + 2 tablespoons milk alternative, warm water, oil, vanilla and egg replacer and beat on medium-low speed until smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

5. Transfer batter to foil-lined pan. Bake 25 minutes.

6. For cherry cheesecake layer, whisk together milk alternative and egg replacer in a small bowl, until frothy.

7. In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat cream cheese alternative and shortening on medium speed until smooth. Mix in sugar and flour. Add egg replacer and vanilla and beat on medium speed until creamy and slightly fluffy.

8. When chocolate layer has baked 25 minutes, remove from oven and immediately spoon cheesecake mixture and cherry pie filling over top, alternating heaping tablespoons of each in a checkerboard pattern. Use a spoon to swirl together until marbled, leaving a little chocolate visible around edge of cake.

8. Bake 35 minutes, until chocolate layer starts to pull away from pan sides and filling edges are puffed and set. The center will still jiggle slightly.

9. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Transfer to refrigerator and chill at least 4 hours.

10. Grab edges of foil on both sides and lift cake out of pan. Cut into squares, wiping the knife blade clean after each cut. Transfer squares to individual cupcake liners.

11. For chocolate drizzle, place chocolate chips and shortening in a small microwave safe bowl and microwave on high 30 seconds. Vigorously stir. If not melted, microwave on high 30 seconds. Vigorously stir until smooth. Drizzle over squares and let stand 5 minutes. Serve immediately or store tightly covered in refrigerator up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.

This recipe first appeared in the Fall 2014 issue of Allergic Living Magazine

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