It’s hard to believe anything could be better than ice cream. Well, we may have a winner with this perfect Summer dessert.

Take a trip to Italy, when you serve this classic semi-frozen, as the name tells us, creamy dream. The original recipe takes some experience and patience. I’ve found a way to cut a few of the more temperamental steps out. This semifreddo is filled with Summer Strawberries, and all the wonderful ingredients every summer dessert should have. L’estate e qui! Summer’s here!

First, line a loaf pan, bowl, or pretty mold with plastic wrap. Set aside.

*Prepare your whipped cream for the semifreddo first and chill.

Strawberry Sauce

• 1 1/2 cups Strawberries, cleaned and hulled
• ¼ cup Agave, Honey, or sweetener of your choice
• 1 Tbls Lemon Juice
• 2 Tbls Water
• pinch of Salt

Put all ingredients in a saucepan and cook 12-15, minutes or until Strawberries are soft and juice is thick. Set aside to cool. Once cool, pour into blender and blend until smooth.

Semifreddo

• 3 cups Vanilla Ice Cream of your choice, softened (I used Coconut Bliss Vegan Ice Cream)
• *2 cups Cream, whipped with Sugar and Vanilla (I used Coconut Cream).

Fold whipped cream into softened ice cream and scrape into your prepared pan. Carefully pour the Strawberry Sauce into the cream/ice cream mixture in a pattern or in dots. Run a knife through the sauce and cream to create a beautiful design on and in the semifreddo. Cover carefully with plastic wrap and freeze at least 4 hours.

When you’re ready to serve, temper either in the refrigerator or at room temperature 10-20 minutes. Remove from pan or mold and slice. Use remaining sauce under your slice of semifreddo, for that 5-star effect. Decorate with fresh strawberries and whipped cream.

Tasty Tip: Add leftover Strawberry Sauce to club soda for a healthier spin on canned beverages.

Phyte Bites

Strawberries are a great way to preserve your eyesight. High in Vitamin C, they keep the fluid in the eye healthy and decrease our risk of cataracts.

Strawberries offer protection from UV radiation, as well.

Most of us believe that whipped cream couldn’t possibly belong in the “good-for-us” category, but here’s some good news: cream is high in Alpha Lipoic Acid, a powerful antioxidant that increases the bodies ability to control blood sugar, mood, skin aging, and also improve nerve function, thus decreasing the possibility of Parkinson’s, ALS, and other motor-neuron diseases. If you choose Coconut cream, you’re improving brain health, decreasing your chances of Alzheimer’s, and slowing the aging clock, too.

Get more great recipes from Tina Martini — her book, Delicious Medicine: The Healing Power of Food is available to purchase on Amazon. More than a cookbook, combining 20+ years of experience, along with her love of coaching, cooking and teaching, Tina offers unexpected insights into the history and healing power of clean eating, along with recipes to help reduce your risk of disease and improve overall wellness so you can enjoy life!

Affectionately referred to as The Walking Encyclopedia of Human Wellness, Fitness Coach, Strength Competitor and Powerlifting pioneer, Tina “The Medicine Chef” Martini is an internationally recognized Naturopathic Chef and star of the cooking show, Tina’s Ageless Kitchen. Tina’s cooking and lifestyle show has reached millions of food and fitness lovers all over the globe. Over the last 30 years, Tina has assisted celebrities, gold-medal athletes and over-scheduled executives naturally achieve radiant health using The Pyramid of Power: balancing Healthy Nutrition and the healing power of food, with Active Fitness and Body Alignment techniques. Working with those who have late-stage cancer, advanced diabetes, cardiovascular and other illnesses, Tina’s clients are astounded at the ease and speed with which they are able to restore their radiant health. Tina believes that maintaining balance in our diet, physical activity, and in our work and spiritual life is the key to our good health, happiness and overall well being. Visit her website, themedicinechef.com

The main reason to eat meat of any kind is the top quality Heme-Iron that isn’t present in plants (Non-Heme Iron).

Beef also contains a big dose of stress-reducing B vitamins as well as Zinc. Anytime we eat foods high in Zinc, our bodies produce Super Oxide Dimutase, or SOD. This is a supercharged anti-aging antioxidant! And, your body does all the work for you.

This salad is perfect as the weather warms up. The taste and health benefits are amazing. Bone building, hormone balancing, and heart health are just a few of the wonderful “side effects” of one of my most requested recipes. It’s a fresh and vibrant side dish to liven up any BBQ, picnic, or potluck.

Ingredients

• 1 cup jicama, julienne
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• ¼ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
• ¼ cup purple onion, minced
• ¾ cup grapeseed oil mayonnaise (Follow Your Heart brand)
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 2 tsp fresh horseradish, shredded
• 1 Tbsp honey

Directions

Toss first four ingredients together in a bowl and set aside. Combine Grapeseed oil mayo, lemon juice, fresh horseradish and honey in a separate bowl.  Pour over vegetables and toss to coat.  Chill and serve.

Phyte Bites

Horseradish relieves pain, reduces inflammation, and stimulates the metabolism.

Broccoli is a powerful weapon against hormone-based cancers (prostate, cervical, breast, and lung.)

Parsley is high in Apigenin and is a great bone strengthener. Harvard School of Medicine thinks Apigenin may possibly lead to a cure for ovarian cancer.

All of the ingredients listed contribute to strong bones, ligaments, and tendons. Grapeseed oil is the only oil we know of that actually clears plaque from our arteries. This combination of ingredients is a powerhouse of antioxidant activity.

Get more great recipes from Tina Martini — her book, Delicious Medicine: The Healing Power of Food is available to purchase on Amazon. More than a cookbook, combining 20+ years of experience, along with her love of coaching, cooking and teaching, Tina offers unexpected insights into the history and healing power of clean eating, along with recipes to help reduce your risk of disease and improve overall wellness so you can enjoy life!

Affectionately referred to as The Walking Encyclopedia of Human Wellness, Fitness Coach, Strength Competitor and Powerlifting pioneer, Tina “The Medicine Chef” Martini is an internationally recognized Naturopathic Chef and star of the cooking show, Tina’s Ageless Kitchen. Tina’s cooking and lifestyle show has reached millions of food and fitness lovers all over the globe. Over the last 30 years, Tina has assisted celebrities, gold-medal athletes and over-scheduled executives naturally achieve radiant health using The Pyramid of Power: balancing Healthy Nutrition and the healing power of food, with Active Fitness and Body Alignment techniques. Working with those who have late-stage cancer, advanced diabetes, cardiovascular and other illnesses, Tina’s clients are astounded at the ease and speed with which they are able to restore their radiant health. Tina believes that maintaining balance in our diet, physical activity, and in our work and spiritual life is the key to our good health, happiness and overall well being. Visit her website, themedicinechef.com

The biggest question right now is, how do I really boost my immune response? This is my 3 step protocol. The foundation of my 90 day Cancer Eradication program and a valuable tool to assist in prevention of all disease. Before we…

Adding vegetables to whole grains always makes for a hearty side dish that can easily double as an entree. This is an easy way to start the transition to a plant-based diet, too. It’s one of my personal go-to’s when I’m tight on time, or when I feel like something a little lighter in the evening. You know spring has sprung when you see asparagus! As we move closer to summer, serve this chilled, over tender lettuce.

Asparagus Flavored Quinoa

• 1/2 lb Asparagus
• 1 1/2 cups Vegetable Broth
• 1 cup Quinoa, toasted
• Cheesecloth or light kitchen towel

Dressing

• 1 tsp Lemon zest
• 1 tbls Lemon juice
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsps Olive oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste (I like white pepper for this recipe)
• 2 Tbls Pine nuts

Wash and dry asparagus. Nature will tell you where to remove the fibrous part of the spear. By holding the spear, one end in each hand, begin to bend the asparagus into an arch. The spear will snap at just the right spot; no guesswork involved. Do this until all spears are free of these inedible ends.

Chefs, you know we don’t throw anything away! Let’s infuse our broth with delicious and nutritious asparagus flavor. Pour broth into a medium saucepan. Add the fibrous ends, and bring to a boil. While infusing your broth, cut the remaining asparagus into 1-inch pieces. Set aside.

Rinse quinoa thoroughly. Once you can smell the aroma of asparagus, remove ends from broth with a slotted spoon and discard. Whisk Quinoa and Asparagus pieces into the infused broth. Bring back to a boil. Reduce heat, cook uncovered 15 minutes. Turn off heat, drape towel over pan, cover with tight-fitting lid. This technique keeps condensation from falling onto our cooked grains and making them mushy. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together lemon zest through salt and pepper. Warm a serving bowl and fluff quinoa with a fork. Gently pour finished quinoa into serving bowl. Drizzle with dressing and fluff lightly. Sprinkle with pine nuts and some beautiful asparagus tips.

Phyto Facts

To date, asparagus is our greatest hope in finding the cure for ALS, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease. The phytonutrient, Sarsasapogenin, prevents motor-neuron cell death. It’s also housed in inulin. A fibrous carbohydrate, it lowers blood sugar due to the small intestines inability to break it down. This allows the nutrients to make their way to the large intestines, where it feeds good bacteria, making it a very effective probiotic. This combination of natural activity makes it very effective in treating degenerative disease, i.e., ALS, Type 2 Diabetes, and Crohn’s Disease.

The presence of four other phytonutrients, known as anti-inflammatory powerhouses: Kaempferol, Quercitin, Rutin, and Isorhamnetin, give it major cancer-killing abilities. I have used asparagus, with great success, in the treatment and complete eradication of melanoma. Being very high in minerals, and antioxidants like Vitamins C and E, it is, generally speaking, a great way to prevent nutrient deficiency overall.

Asparagus also contains a good amount of Glutathione — a combination of three amino acids combined into one molecule. This, many researchers believe, will eventually be the cure for Parkinson’s disease. Rich in soluble and insoluble fiber, asparagus not only breeds good bacteria in the digestive/intestinal tracts, it’s also a vegan’s best friend, as it is one of the richest sources of veggie protein.

The odor when one urinates after eating asparagus: sulfuric compounds. This group of phytonutrients prevents hormone and digestive based cancers better than any other group of phytos. This odor lets you know you are digesting the nutrients effectively. This is about the only time stinky pee is a sign of good health! So, enjoy… the asparagus, not the odor.

Get more great recipes from Tina Martini — her book, Delicious Medicine: The Healing Power of Food is available to purchase on Amazon. More than a cookbook, combining 20+ years of experience, along with her love of coaching, cooking and teaching, Tina offers unexpected insights into the history and healing power of clean eating, along with recipes to help reduce your risk of disease and improve overall wellness so you can enjoy life!

Affectionately referred to as The Walking Encyclopedia of Human Wellness, Fitness Coach, Strength Competitor and Powerlifting pioneer, Tina “The Medicine Chef” Martini is an internationally recognized Naturopathic Chef and star of the cooking show, Tina’s Ageless Kitchen. Tina’s cooking and lifestyle show has reached millions of food and fitness lovers all over the globe. Over the last 30 years, Tina has assisted celebrities, gold-medal athletes and over-scheduled executives naturally achieve radiant health using The Pyramid of Power: balancing Healthy Nutrition and the healing power of food, with Active Fitness and Body Alignment techniques. Working with those who have late-stage cancer, advanced diabetes, cardiovascular and other illnesses, Tina’s clients are astounded at the ease and speed with which they are able to restore their radiant health. Tina believes that maintaining balance in our diet, physical activity, and in our work and spiritual life is the key to our good health, happiness and overall well being. Visit her website, themedicinechef.com

This is medicine-in-a-mug with a side of comfort. If you have been to Italy, it’s sure to remind you of their amazing hot chocolate, which is really more like a warm pudding. Delicioso!

This recipe is perfect for traveling. I developed it for a rock climbing and mountain biking resort. It freezes perfectly; thaw and stir, you’ll never know it was frozen. Think of this as vegan tuna salad. The tempeh absorbs flavor easily. Great on a sandwich, served by the scoop over greens, or on your favorite cracker or chip.

• 8 oz Tempeh, any flavor
• 2 tsp Avocado Oil
• 2 tsp  Low SodiumTamari
• Salt and Pepper
• 3 tbls Celery, small dice, use leaves too
• 2 tbls Carrot, shredded
• 1 tbls Purple or Green Onion, minced
• 2 tbls Sweet or Dill Pickle Relish (Which one did your Mom use?)
• 1/3 c Grapeseed Oil Mayonnaise
• 2 tsp Yellow Mustard
• 1 tsp Red Wine Vinegar
• 2 tsp Dill

Heat oil in a medium saute’ pan, crumble tempeh and add to pan. Season with Tamari, salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat until lightly browned. Remove from pan and spread on plate or sheet pan to cool. Place all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl, stir gently just to combine. Taste for seasoning, cover, and chill.

Phyto Facts

Every time we eat protein, our body produces ammonia as a by-product of the digestive process. The kidneys are responsible for clearing this potentially hazardous chemical. By eating small amounts of protein, we allow our kidneys to clear themselves. When we eat nothing but protein, our bodies don’t have the opportunity to do this. The build-up of ammonia in our bloodstream and kidneys can lead to kidney disease, and eventual kidney failure.

It is estimated by many nutritional researchers that we eat as much as 350% more protein, and especially animal protein, than is required in a balanced diet. This leads to all kinds of other health problems later on in life. Plant based proteins, such as Tempeh, are much easier for the kidneys to tolerate.

Grapeseed oil is very high in antioxidants and helps keep arteries clear and flexible. Bioflavonoids in the grapeseed oil are among some of the most effective youth-preserving of phytonutrients. Add any veggies that your family likes; dried fruit also makes a nice addition.

This salad is a good source of fiber too. Fiber is like exercise from the inside out. Insoluble fiber, like the ingredients found here, tone and strengthen our intestinal walls preventing diseases like diverticulosis.

This was one of my dad’s favorite recipes. We used to enjoy it on Sunday, as a special brunch treat. Strawberries and blackberries work well, too. The dumplings are light, with the tang of cheesecake, from the buttermilk…

This is one of my most requested holiday desserts. The chocolate is so decadent and the cheesecake filling adds another layer of moist richness to the cake. Plus, you can include a spider web design inside the cake using a marbling technique — perfect for Halloween!

A splash of good coffee brings the super chocolate flavor and aroma. And, you’re adding some powerful brain health and feel-good neurotransmitters to the party!

Cheesecake Filling

• 1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked 4 hours and drained
• 1 large lemon, juiced (scant 1/4 cup)
• 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp coconut milk
• 1/2 cup agave nectar or maple syrup (or honey if not vegan)
• pinch of salt

Flavor Options

• 2 tbsp salted natural peanut butter
• 1/4 cup berries
• 3 tbsp caramel sauce

Place all ingredients into a high speed blender. Process until completely smooth and creamy. Add any flavor options and pulse to create a swirl effect. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill, while making the cupcake batter.

Cupcakes

• 2 cups gluten free flour
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 rounded tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp applesauce or coconut oil
• ¾ cup coconut sugar
• 3 tbsp Chia bloomed in ½ cup coffee (this is your egg replacement)
• 1 ½ tsp Vanilla
• 3/4 cup Buttermilk (¾ cup vegan milk plus 1 tbsp white vinegar or lemon)
• 2/3 cup vegan butter (Earth Balance)
• ½ cup vegan chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place 24 cupcake papers in pans and spray lightly with pan spray.

Mix all dry ingredients and set aside. Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Stir in applesauce. Add Chia “eggs” 1/3 at a time. Blend well after each addition. Stir in Vanilla. Now, add dry ingredients, alternating with Buttermilk. Be sure to end with Buttermilk for a lighter texture. Gently fold in chocolate chips. Spoon batter into prepared cups and top with a dollop or swirl of cheesecake batter.

Use toothpicks or a bamboo skewer to pull white batter into a spiderweb design. You can also fill cupcake liners with a little chocolate batter. Add a good dollop on top and cover with additional chocolate batter, for a cheesecake surprise cupcake. Bake approximately 15 minutes. Any cracks should appear moist inside. Cake will spring back to a light touch.

Coconut Cream Ganache

• 1 cup vegan chocolate chips
• ¾ cup coconut cream
• ¼ tsp vanilla
• pinch salt

Warm coconut cream gently in small saucepan. Pour chocolate chips into a heatproof bowl. Pour warm cream over chocolate chips and allow to sit 2 minutes. Stir until smooth and glossy. Add vanilla and salt and cool until slightly thick. Dip cooled cupcakes into ganache and place back on cooling rack, to set ganache.

Don’t want to cover your spiderweb design? Place ganache in fridge and chill 40 minutes. Whip with hand mixer on high to create a fluffy ganache mousse. Pipe around outside edge and your spiderweb will have a delicious frame. Feeling really brave? Let your little ghouls and goblins dip their own cupcakes into the ganache.

Phyto Bites

When you’re cooking with The Medicine Chef, we always look at the #DeliciousMedicine contained in our recipes. This decadent dessert is no different: loaded with amino acids and phytonutrients of all types… but, sometimes it’s good for the soul to just enjoy the moment and allow yourself to have some indulgences and fun!