When I was growing up in Vermont, nothing said “winter” like a snow day and a steaming cup of hot cocoa. But as I’ve become more health conscious over the years, the thought of having lots of sugar and milk with a little cocoa powder is no longer as appealing. While cocoa powder has been shown to have powerful antioxidants and a long list of health benefits (For more information about the health benefits of cocoa powder watch this video), unfortunately adding milk has been shown to suppress the health benefits of cocoa powder. And we all know refined sugar isn’t something we need to add to our diet!
So here’s what I’ve come up with instead. A truly healthy, deeply chocolatey, slightly sweet, hot chocolate that you can enjoy with a smile, knowing that you are giving yourself a treat that is actually treating yourself well.
There are only three ingredients, but all of them have been well thought out. Be sure not to use dutch cocoa powder also known as alkaline cocoa powder. Alkalized cocoa powder has dramatically reduced antioxidant levels. For more information take a look at this study. For the sweetener, I used date molasses which is lower in sugar than other natural sweeteners and retains some of the healthful benefits of dates.
Healthy Hot Cocoa
Serving size 1
Ingredients:
1 Cup Unsweetened Soymilk (or other non-dairy milk)
1 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder (unsweetened and non-alkaline)
2 Teaspoons Date Molasses
Directions:
1. Over a medium low flame warm up the soymilk.
2. When the soymilk starts to steam add the cocoa
powder and date molasses and whisk all the
ingredients together until well blended.
3. Pour carefully into a mug and enjoy!
These delicious recipes are from my recent Healthy Fitness & Food Workshop. Make a bunch of them at the start of the week and have healthy, gourmet, whole foods to eat all weeklong.
Kale Pesto Spread
I created this recipe after being inspired by the vegan pesto recipe in The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen by Donna Klein.
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups raw kale, rinsed thoroughly
1/4 cup raw walnuts (lighly toast for a more rich flavor, or use them raw)
2 cloves garlic, chopped and sauteed
3 tablespoons olive oil (use 6 tablespoons to make a pesto sauce for pasta)
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
DIRECTIONS:
Put the kale, walnuts, garlic and salt into a food processor. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the olive oil and blend until smooth and well mixed.
Carrot and Grapefruit Salad with Honey and Cardamom
This simple, delicious recipe is a great way to enjoy something sweet while getting in lots of vegetables and fruits.
INGREDIENTS:
Grate or spiralize 4 large raw carrots. It is especially beautiful to use multi-colored carrots if available
1 large grapefruit sliced into small bite size pieces
1-2 tablespoons honey
1/8 teaspoon cardomom (freshly ground is preferable)
Toss all the ingredients together and adjust honey and cardamom to taste. This gets better the longer it sits. Also, the juice at the bottom of the bowl is wonderfully sweet, and rich in flavors.
Chia Seed Pudding
This recipe makes a perfect breakfast or desser. Make up a big bowl and store it in the fridge to use throughout the week.
INGREDIENTS:
4 tablespoon chia seeds
1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk, I prefer soymilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
1/2-1 tablespoon pure maple syrup or other natural sweetener (optional)
Fresh or frozen fruit
Mix the chia seeds, milk, vanilla, and maple syrup together and allow to sit overnight or for at least 2 hours. It will be prettier if you add the fruit after, but I usually add it in for the soaking so that it is ready immediately and I can take it to go.
Any color cauliflower is delicious, but the purple one is especially fun!
Roasted Purple Cauliflower
INGREDIENTS:
One large head cauliflower, washed, patted dry, and chopped into florets
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
With your hands, stir the cauliflower in the oil and salt in a large bowl until coated well. Put on a baking dish in the oven around 400 degrees. Let roast for 20 minutes before stirring and shaking the pan. Repeat until the cauliflower have become soft and juicy.
Quinoa Salad w/ Lemon, Avocado, and Pistachios from Vegetable Literacy by Deborah Madison
INGREDIENTS, plus my notes:
2 heaping cups of cooked quinoa (I used red, the recipe calls for black, you can use white or any color. It will not effect taste so much as presentation).
8 ounces or more of greens (such as beet greens, chard, spinach), cooked, drained, and finely chopped. I used an enormous head of chard. It will boil down so don’t worry about putting in too many greens!
Grated zest of 1 lemon
3 Tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
sea salt to taste
10 mint leaves, slivered
A heaping Tablespoon of chives
1 Avocado; I used 2 small ones 🙂
Crumbled Feta, ricotta salata, or smoked ricotta; I did not include cheese
Pistachio nuts, coarsely chopped
DIRECTIONS, plus my notes:
To cook the quinoa, first rinse 1 cup of quinoa under cold water to remove the saponin, which can taste bitter. Boil 2 cups of water in a saucepan, then add a 1/4 teaspoon salt and the quinoa. Lower the heat, cover the pan, and simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the spiral of the germ is visible, 12 to 15 minutes. Let it sit for 5 minutes. If there is still liquid in the pot, but it seems like it’s cooked, drain the water out.
Toss the cooked quinoa with the finely chopped cooked greens, using your fingers to distribute the greens.
To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the lemon zest and juice, oil, cumin, and a pinch of salt. Pour it over the quinoa and greens, add the mint and chives, and toss to coat. Toss in the avocado and nuts, which last in the refrigerator all week without turning brown! Taste for salt and lemon.
Winter Squash Puree with Tahini, Green Onions, and Black Sesame Seeds from Vegetable Literacy, by Deborah Madison
INGREDIENTS, plus my notes:
2 Cups cooked winter squash. The squash can be cooked in advance or the day of.I roasted a large squash in the oven at 400 degrees for about 30-40 minutes. It made 3 cups squash, so I used it all
1/4 Cup tahini
Sea salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small bunch thin green onions, including a bit of the greens, thinly sliced (also known as scallions)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons black sesame seeds, toasted in a dry skillet until fragrant, to finish. I did not toast them, and you can make this without the seeds, or with white sesame seeds
DIRECTIONS, plus my notes:
Heat the cooked squash in a saucepan over medium heat if it’s cold. Stir in the tahini and season to taste with salt.
While the squash is warming, heat the olive oil in a small skillet. When the oil is hot, add the green onions and cook to wilt slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir them into the squash and then stir in the sesame oil. Finish with the sesame seeds.
Green Lentils with Roasted Beets and Lemon from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison
INGREDIENTS, plus my notes:
5 beets, about 1 pound
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup french green lentils, you could use another kind of lentils
1 carrot, finely diced
1/2 small onion finely diced
aromatics: 1 bay leaf, 4 parsley branches, 2 thyme sprigs
1 preserved lemon, or 2 teaspoons lemon zest, I used the lemon zest
1/3 cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped mint, plus mint for garnish
Lemon Vinaigrette (see below for recipe)
DIRECTIONS, plus my notes:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Peel the beets and cut them into small cubes. Toss the cubed beets with the oil, season with salt and pepper, and bake on a sheet pan until tender, about 35 minutes, stirring once or twice. Meanwhile, put the lentils in a pan with water to cover, add the carrot, onion, aromatics, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until tender but still a little firm, about 25 minutes. Drain well.
Toss the lentils with the roasted beets and the vinaigrette, the lemon zest, parsley and mint.
Lemon Vinaigrette from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison
INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely chopped lemon zest
salt and freshly milled pepper, I used regular black pepper
1 shallot
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or to taste
DIRECTIONS, plus my notes:
Combine the lemon juice, zest, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and shallot in a small bowl. Let stand for 15 minutes, then whisk in the oil and season with a little pepper to taste. I don’t think that I let it sit for 15 minutes.
Don’t worry! You can put the red pepper in the broiler instead!
Muhammara (Red Pepper and Walnut Spread)
My sister in-law, Sammi, made it as an appetizer at a Christmas party and I think I probably ate the majority of it by myself!
When I made it for the workshop I was out of bread crumbs, so I threw in a small amount of toasted oatmeal. While the flavor was a little different, it was delicious and the texture came out just right.
The Life Changing Loaf of Bread from the blog My New Roots
The Bread! I think this nut bread may have been the biggest hit of the workshop. It is a recent new staple in my kitchen thanks again to my sister-in law, Sammi. It takes a few minutes to throw all the ingredients together, soak overnight (or during the day) and then cook in the oven for 40 minutes. It is really easy. The only tricky thing is that you need psyllium powder to hold it together. You can find this at a supplement store like GNC.
Morgana Tessler is a Certified Orthopedic Personal Trainer, Yoga, Pilates, Meditation and Barre Instructor based in NYC. Morgana offers private and group fitness sessions. For more information visit www.morgana.nycFacebook, Instagram
To be clear, I am not a nutritionist. The following information is based on my own personal experience of transitioning to an animal free diet as well as stories from friends, and clients. As a Personal Trainer, Yoga, Pilates and Barre Instructor based in New York City I think a lot about health, both for myself, my clients and the world at large. I see the issues of people’s physical and mental health, as intertwined with each other and the other people and animals that live on this planet. Eating a more plant based (or exclusively plant-based) diet is one of the simplest and most effective ways to dramatically improve our own personal health while having a big impact on climate change and other global economic and social issues. It is a true win win choice.
The Environment: According to a 2006 report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), our diets and, specifically, the meat in them cause more greenhouse gases carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, nitrous oxide, and the like to enter the atmosphere than either transportation or industry. Meaning you can make more of an impact by cutting out meat than getting rid of your car! And this is not even factoring in the enormous amount of land, water, fertilizers and antibiotics that get used to produce meat, dairy and eggs.
Health: In terms of health benefits, a well-planned plant-based diet is rich in protein, iron, calcium and other essential vitamins and minerals. Furthermore, the sources of these nutrients tend to be low in saturated fat, high in fibre and rich in antioxidants, helping to reduce some of the major health issues like obesity, heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Studies have also shown that vegans and vegetarians tend to have lower BMI’s and smaller waistlines.
With all the studies and information available about the enormous benefits of adopting a more plant based diet the truth of the matter is that it is very hard for many people who are accustomed to eating meat, dairy and eggs. If you feel overwhelmed by making a change or don’t know where to begin here are a few simple and easy ways to begin making a change in your diet. I often suggest to people that if you’re not interested in becoming strictly vegan or even vegetarian, try being an “omnivore making vegan choices”. This means recognizing that even a small choice can have an impact.
Tip 1: Focus on adding not subtracting
For many people it is easier to add more foods than to eliminate or reduce the ones they like and/or are used to. For example, if you’re planning on having a chicken sandwich for lunch, add a large salad to your meal as well. It will prevent you from feeling deprived and have the immediate effect of adding nutritious and tasty items to your meal. The eventual goal is that you will eat enough fruits, veggies, whole grains and nuts that you will feel more full and as a result start to eat less meat, dairy and eggs.
Tip 2: Focus on the plant-based foods you already like
Rather than thinking of this new shift as a time to eat your least favorite veggies, focus on adding the plants you already know and love. Fruit and nuts are usually the most obvious easy choice in this case. By increasing your fruit and nut intake you are adding loads of fiber, vitamins and minerals to your diet while enjoying yourself.
Tip 3: A chance to try something new
A friend of mine recently told me that becoming vegetarian meant she tried many new foods she would never have tried before. While dining out at a restaurant she usually went for the same types of things, but with meat no longer an option she branched out and learned she loved other items on the menu.
Tip 4: Go to ethnic restaurants
Indian, Thai, Chinese, Mexican and Japanese to name a few, are often easy to make vegetarian or vegan choices. The foods are usually rich, flavorful and spicy without relying heavily on meat or dairy for flavor.
Tip 5: Tastes can change
One of the biggest things I learned for myself when I completely eliminated all animal products from my diet is that my tastes changed. Things I previously didn’t like as much started to taste really good. We often think that our taste buds are set and permanent, but they can learn to acquire new flavors and in some cases even grow to not like the old flavors any more!
Tip 6: When in doubt add Avocado
Anytime I feel like I want cheese, I add avocado and find it far more enjoyable and satisfying. Coconut is another great way to satisfy a desire for something creamy, fatty and delicious.
Try a quick easy dairy and egg free cookie recipe!
My favorite cookbooks:
Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison is my number one go to cookbook. I have cooked many of the recipes from this book and they always come out amazing even on the first try.
The Oh She Glows Cookbook by Angela Liddon is beautifully illustrated and inspires a wholesome clean diet that is full of delicious and fun meals.
THUG KITCHENeat like you give a f**k is a #1 New York Times Bestseller. While full of raunchy ridiculous jokes this book actually has a lot of great recipes and the instructions are no-nonsense and easy to follow.
Morgana Tessler is a Certified Orthopedic Personal Trainer, Yoga, Pilates, Meditation and Barre Instructor based in NYC. Morgana offers private and group fitness sessions. For more information visit www.morgana.nycFacebook, Instagram
Green Lentils with Roasted Beets and Lemon from 
Tip 6: When in doubt add Avocado