One of the most common questions I receive from viewers: “How do I make a glaze that is very glossy, but uses no Cornstarch?” This prompted me to create fast, easy, and very shiny glazes from fruit….

These vegan and gluten-free cheesecakes taste authentic and provide well-balanced nutrition. Protein from the Cashew Cream, and flavored with sweet summer fruit, this recipe will keep everyone’s blood sugar stable. Enjoy straight from the freezer or allow to thaw at room temp, for an extra creamy treat.

Crust

• 1 cup packed pitted dates*
• 1 cup raw walnuts, pecans, or almonds

Filling

• 1 1/2 cups raw cashews, quick-soaked*
• 1 large lemon, juiced (scant 1/4 cup)
• 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 cup + 2 Tbls coconut milk (see instructions for note)
• 1/3 cup natural sugar of your choice-agave, maple syrup, honey, coconut palm, fruit juice or fruit
• 1/4 salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Handy Hints

*If your dates are too dehydrated, soak them in warm water for 10 minutes then drain. Pat dry to prevent
the crust from getting soggy.

*To quick-soak cashews, pour boiling hot water over the cashews, soak for 1 hour uncovered, then drain and use as instructed.

Flavor Ideas

• 2 Tbls salted natural peanut butter
• Berries of your choice, blended and strained or decorate with whole berries
• Caramel sauce

Alternative Crust

• 3/4 c oats
• 3/4 c raw almonds
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 Tbls coconut palm sugar
• 4 Tbls coconut oil 2 Tbls Earth Balance Vegan Butter, melted

Everything gets blitzed in your food processor. Press into your pan and bake 15 minutes at 350. This crust can be served raw as well.

Preparation

Date/Nut Crust: Add dates to a food processor and blend until small bits remain and it forms into a ball. Remove and set aside. Next, add nuts and process into a meal. Then add dates back in and blend until a loose dough forms – it should stick together when you squeeze a bit between your fingers. If it’s too dry, add a few more dates through the spout while processing. If too wet, add more almond or walnut meal. (Optional: add a pinch of salt to taste.) Lightly grease a standard, 12 slot muffin tin. Make these in a mini muffin pan, for a popable snack.

To make removing the cheesecakes easier, cut strips of parchment paper and lay them in the slots. This creates little tabs that make it easier to pop out once frozen. Next, scoop a heaping tablespoon of crust into prepared pan and press with fingers or a small glass. The back of a spoon also works to compact your crust. Set in freezer to firm up. If using an alternative crust, bake and cool well before topping with cheesecake filling.

Filling: Add all filling ingredients to a blender and mix until very smooth. For the coconut milk, scoop the “cream” off the top it provides a richer texture. But if yours is already all mixed together, just add it in as is. You don’t need a Vitamix for this recipe, just a quality blender. Taste and adjust flavorings as needed. If adding peanut butter, add to the blender and mix until thoroughly combined. If flavoring with berries or caramel, wait and swirl on top of plain cheesecakes.

Divide filling evenly among the muffin tins. Tap a few times to release any air bubbles, then cover with plastic wrap and freeze until hard – about 5 hours. Once set, remove by lifting the tabs or loosening them with a butter knife. Set them out for 10 minutes before serving to soften. They are good frozen as well. Store in freezer up to one week. This is a great do-ahead, for entertaining.

Phyto Facts

Cashews are a Drupe, just like the Coconut. Packed with minerals, particularly Magnesium and Manganese. These minerals are craving crushers! If you are having a craving for greasy foods, and/or sugar, it is generally due to a deficiency in these minerals. Grab 1/4 cup Cashews, and the craving will generally stop, unless it’s a “head” craving, (i.e., stress, fatigue, loneliness, and boredom).

Cashews are high in B vitamins, another stress manager. Cashews are a good source of Selenium, Copper, and Zinc, these minerals are antioxidant co-factors. This means they help the body produce very powerful antioxidants from the food we eat. Selenium is a co-factor for Glutathione; excellent for keeping our nervous system healthy. This helps prevent such diseases as Parkinsons and ALS, aka Lou Gehrig’s disease. Copper and Zinc are the co-factors to the production of Superoxide Dismutase, a powerful anti-aging antioxidant that also ensures proper growth and function of every bodily system. Cashews protect us from heart disease and with a small amount of Zeaxanthin, our eyes are less likely to develop macular degeneration. Who needs whipped cream, when you can have Cashew Cream!

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 the pizza crust I developed for my gluten free corporate lunch and learns. I needed a crust that was fast and easy to handle. GF recipes are often unstable and difficult for a novice GF baker to execute. The ground flax seeds and chia slurry give this crust structure and stability, while maintaining a light, airy crispness. It also has the much desired “chew factor” that great Napolotano-style pizza has. Your family will say, “pi’u la pizza per favore!” “More pizza, please!”

Crust

• 1-1 1/2  Cup GF Beer, room temp (Just enough liquid to bring the dough together)
• 1 tsp Dry Yeast
• 3 cups GF all purpose flour
• 1 Tbls Ground Flax seeds
• 2 tsps Salt
• 2 1/2 tsps Baking Powder
• 1/4 cup Olive Oil
• 2 Tbls Chia Seeds, bloomed in 1/2 cup Water

Prepare two rimmed cookie sheets with parchment lightly sprayed with olive oil

In a small mixing bowl, pour 1 cup of beer in and sprinkle yeast over beer. Set aside. When using a stand mixer, the paddle will give the best results; or use a wooden spoon to mix by hand. Stir flour, flax seeds, salt, and baking powder together. With mixer running, slowly stream in beer/yeast mixture. Add olive oil and chia slurry. All GF dough tends to be sticky. Please, do not over mix, this leads to a tough crust. Lightly coat a large mixing bowl with olive oil. Place dough in a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rest in a warm place for 75-90 minutes. When dough is puffed (it doesn’t rise the same way traditional crust does,) divide in half. Place each piece of dough on the prepared cookie sheets. Brush a small amount of olive oil over the top of each. Cover with plastic wrap and press dough into desired thickness and shape. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and slide parbaked crusts to a wire cooling rack. From here, crusts can hold at room temperature up to four hours, or when completely cooled, wrap in plastic and then in foil. Freeze up to one month. Remove frozen crusts and top with sauce and other toppings. Bake at 500 degrees for 10-12 minutes using a preheated pizza stone or cookie sheet.

Fresh crust on the day of: One hour before baking, place pizza stone in middle of oven. Heat oven and stone to 500 degrees. Top parbaked crust with sauce and toppings. Slide pizza onto heated stone. Bake as directed above, or until cheese is golden and bubbly.

Sauce

• 1 28 oz can San Marzano Tomatoes
• 2 Tbls Tomato Paste
• 1 Tbls Basil
• 1 Tbls Oregano
• 1 Tbls Thyme
• 3/4 tsp Red Chili Flakes (Optional, but very traditional)
• 2 tsps Balsamic Vinegar
• *This sauce is very herbaceous at this measurement. Decrease to 2 tsps if you don’t want the herbal flavor at the front of the palate

Mix all ingredients in a large saucepan, except vinegar. Cook over medium heat mashing and stirring the tomatoes as the sauce reduces. Cook 30-40 minutes or until moisture is gone and sauce is very thick. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar. Set aside until ready to assemble and bake your masterpiece!

Phyto Facts

Celiacs vs. Coeliac

Most of us have heard of Celiac disease by now with the marked increase in the mainstream population. Most of us, however, have never heard of Coeliac Disease. Coeliac is derived from the Greek word, “koiliakos,” meaning, “to suffer in the bowels.” Grains and other fibrous foods pass through the stomach and upper intestines in their crude form. This causes great pain, acid reflux, and indigestion in general. The inflammation caused from this poor digestion is painful along with the host of other side effects that go along with being Coeliac. But, it is not fatal like Celiac can be. It all comes down to the inability to break down gluten and other plant proteins. Gluten is the general name for the proteins found in grains. The three grains that are highest in gluten are Wheat, Barley and Rye. Other grains such as Kamut, Duram, Spelt, and Farina are cousins of wheat, and can cause irritation and inflammation, particularly in those with Celiac disease. The mass production of wheat has genetic consequences: there is mounting evidence that the genetic modification of our grains is leading to a marked increase in inflammation of the digestive tract and brain, as seen in Autism. Clinical depression, Parkinson’s, ALS, Alzheimer’s/Dementia and the slow output of Leptin (the fat burning hormone) are all being connected to GMO grain in the latest research.

Apigenin

The herbs we’re using are high in Apigenin. I’ve written about the research concerning its powerful effect on ovarian cancer. Apigenin also calms anxiety and is showing promise as a protective agent for strengthening the brain in a fetus. There are many case studies linking a chronically agitated nervous system to clinical depression later in life. Omega-3s and Apigenin are critical to avoiding this in adults and children. Besides our leafy herbs; flowers are very high in this phytonutrient. Specifically, Chamomile tea. Mommies, please check with your OB/GYN to confirm a nightly cup of Chamomile fits with your prescribed regimen. Here’s to babies that sleep through the night!

Lycopene

Lycopene, in the sauce, can slow aging. It is one of the best internal beauty secrets we have. Lycopene also reduces Sun damage by as much as 40%, keeps our hearts healthy and strong, and will someday be the cure for Prostate cancer. Sloan-Kettering is a leader in this technology. It truly is Delicious Medicine.

Dry rubs are my “thing!” I love the deep flavor and crispy crust that dried herbs and spices impart. Dry rubs are any combination of dried herbs, spices, sugar, and salt that you like. Jerk celebrates the flavors of the Carribean and is generally very spicy, with the use of the native Carribean chili, the scotch bonnet. I used cayenne and a mild chili powder blend here, but if you can find dried scotch bonnet, you’ll truely transport your guests to Jamaica. Hang on to your extra rub, chef’s! This recipe makes enough for two to three recipes.

Dry Rub

• 3 tsp dark brown sugar or coconut palm sugar
• 2 tsps each, allspice, thyme, ground ginger, granulated garlic,
• 1 1/2 tsps each, chili powder blend (or Scotch Bonnet), salt
• 1 tsp each, cinnamon, paprika, black pepper, cayenne
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves

Measure everything into a small mixing bowl, or jar. Mix all dry herbs and spices together using a whisk, or put a lid on your jar and shake it! (a little Zumba music, please!) Be sure to label and date the jar.

Turkey Burgers

• 1 1/4 lb ground Turkey
• 2 Tbls Tomato paste
• 1 1/2 Tbls Jerk rub
• extra Jerk rub to season burgers while cooking

Mix all ingredients together. Please don’t over-handle the meat, this makes a tough burger. Form four patties. Put a dimple in the center of each pattie. Sprinkle with a little extra rub on both sides, and grill over medium-high heat, four minutes each side. Rest 3-5 minutes before service.

Tasty tip: Turkey Burgers have a reputation for being dry. This is due to the leanness of the meat, naturally. Slice Oranges into 1/4” slices. Make a “bed” for your burgers, and grill on the moist fruit slices. Finish directly on the grill to create that irresistible Jerk rub crust.

Peach Salsa

This bright fruit salsa will compliment many of your family favorites. Serving fruit with meat is an age old practice, as the enzymes in the fruit help break down animal proteins. The classic pork with pineapple is a great example of this principle. I like the cool peach flavor, against the very spicy jerk seasoning. The hot off the grill spicy turkey burger served on tender butter lettuce, and topped with the cool peach salsa…now that’s a summer burger!

• 3 Peaches, peeled, and small dice
• 1/2 Red Bell Pepper, small dice
• 1 small Jalepeno, seeded and minced
• 3 Tbls Purple Onion, minced
• 2 Tbls Cilantro, remove stems, chop fine
• Juice of 1 Lime
• 2 tsps Honey
• 1/2 tsp Salt

Gently toss all prepped ingredients, and chill until service.

Turkey Burger Phyto Facts

Turkey is packed with minerals, especially Selenium and Zinc. As we’ve talked about before, Selenium is at the top of the cancer-fighting list. It is also considered a longevity nutrient, as it slows the aging clock. Zinc acts as a catalyst in our bodies: every time we eat foods high in Zinc, our bodies produce a very powerful antioxidant called Super Oxide Dismutase. This is why Zinc has a reputation for building immune system response. It’s really the S.O.D. we create, after ingesting Zinc.

Skinless Turkey is one of the best ways to prevent pancreatic cancer, providing the Turkey has been raised organically, and is pasture fed. This amazing protein source helps us burn body fat, and induces deeper sleep.

Turkey also has a very favorable ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3. We always want higher Omega-3; Omega-6 is healthy, but too much, and it can cause malignant tumor growth.

All of the spices and herbs used contain medicine too. After all, the medicines we’re familiar with every day came from herbs. Cinnamon and Allspice are Mother Nature’s antibiotics, they stabilize blood sugar, and lower blood pressure. Chilis open the arteries and are anti-inflammatory. Thyme brings a woman’s menses down, and eases hormonal discomforts. Black pepper cleanses the liver. As you can see, all of nature’s gifts have health benefits when used properly.

Another nutrient is in the tomato paste. This is one of the most concentrated forms of Lycopene because tomato paste is cooked down to such a strong concentration. Two tablespoons of organic tomato paste per day is a great preventative measure against prostate cancer. Please be mindful of the acid. We don’t want to create an imbalance in our digestive tract.

Peach Salsa Phyto Facts

Yellow peaches contain Beta-Carotene which the body uses to make vitamin A. This kind of vitamin A is skin repair, reduction in sun damage, cancer prevention, and an immune booster. The honey is nature’s moisture magnet: these two together are some of the best skincare we can eat! The bell pepper also contains those valuable carotenoids, high in vitamin A and C, they help us repair tissue damage, and move fresh oxygen out to the cells efficiently.  Cilantro contains Apiginin, this offers protection against Ovarian cancer, as well as being high in Chlorophyll. The green in plants refreshes the bodily systems, repairs damaged cells, and assists in the carrying of oxygen. This is effective Delicious Medicine to eat, if you felt a summer cold coming on.

The dressing used in this recipe isn’t really a dressing at all. It’s more of an Asian-inspired pesto. We generally associate pesto with Italian food. But, if you study different cuisine from around the world, you’ll find a version of…

Cannelini beans are an overlooked nutritional goldmine. They are a versatile and mild bean, with a very creamy texture. They thicken soups and sauces. Make a velvety dip base and accept flavor profiles from every culture. This twist on an international favorite can be used to stuff enchiladas and tacos, too.

Ingredients

• 1 small can organic cannellini beans, drained, and ice bathed*
• 1 small can organic black beans, drained, and ice bathed*
• 2-3 Tbls olive oil
• 1 1/4 tsps ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• 2 tsps chili powder blend, mild
• 1/4 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp lime zest
• 2 tsps lime juice
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• 2 tsps lemon juice
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 cup tahini

Tina’s black bean hummus tostada. Includes her black beans hummus with kale and orange salad on a coconut oil fried tortilla

Directions

• Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl.
• Place 1/2 of the ingredients to a food processor, blend until smooth
• Transfer to a serving bowl, repeat process.
• Chill and serve with your favorite gluten-free chip or cracker.

About Wheat

Wheat is a phytoestrogen. This is generally a good thing, unless the wheat has been genetically modified. We’re hard pressed to find wheat that is non-GMO. Wheat in it’s natual state is inflammatory. We definitely don’t want that, with regard to preventing disease. So we can see that there is good and not-so-good characteristics in all foods. For many reasons, it does us good to take a break from wheat, and wheat products, whether we’re practicing a gluten-free nutrition plan or not.

*About BPA in canned goods

When in treatment for a hormone based cancer like breast cancer, it is imperative that you buy BPA free cans. It will indicate this on the lable. BPA is a chemical that creates confusing, and incorrect messages in the endocrine system. It is thought that BPA is one of the main contributors to the rise in infertility. It’s really best to cook dried beans from scratch whenever possible.

Phyto facts

Beans are a great source of omega 3 fatty acid, the most talked about of all essential fatty acids. What we don’t speak of enough, is the ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6. We are exposed to processed oils more than we might think, in our everyday foods. These oils are almost always out of balance. Even foods in their natural state can be too far out of balance with their ratio. Too much Omega-6 can actually cause tumors to grow. All beans are great! I don’t want to discourage any bean eating! My only message, as always, is variety. Traditional Hummus is a huge staple in our culture now, but garbonzo beans have a very bad Omega 3 to Omega 6 Garbonzos are full of Delicious Medicine, just don’t eat them everyday. Black beans have a very good ratio, and they’re really purple when you look closely. Kidney beans come in white, as we’re using here, and red. Each color offers a different profile of phytonutrients.

Fiber is the real healer here, though. Beans contain both soluble and insoluble fiber. Fiber collects circulating estrogen like a sponge in the bloodstream. We all think of one thing when we think of fiber: Yep! I’m going to say it, POOP! The estrogen is eliminated, ahh, much nicer word, through our bowel movements. If estrogen doesn’t hang around, it can’t become malignant. This provides great protection against breast cancer, generally speaking. Here’s the kicker, if you don’t clear your bowels at least once per day, the estrogen is reabsorbed into the body. Please be sure to drink enough water always, but especially when eating a high fiber meal.

Sesame seeds, like Flax, have shown tremendous results with regard to the prevention, and treatment of breast cancer. High Lignan content is the primary healer here. Lignans not only balance hormones, but they also protect receptors from damage. This is crucial in preventing tumors from forming. Nature provides clues as to what the food is good for.

Citrus is the shape of mammaries, and bioflavonoids keep the breast tissue youthful in appearance, and hormone health. Hello men, this isn’t just about “The Girls,” or weird hippies living on veggies, we care about your hormones, too. A long and healthy life means more great sex!

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