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So Pretty, But So Wrong

The colors of the juice were so pretty and appetizing, but the flavors were oh, so very wrong!

It was primarily the rosy pink that seduced me. The pretty drink in the very earth-conscious bottle made of 100% recycled plastic looked positively delicious. It even had the word "Berry" in its name: "Berry Veggie" to be exact. I should have paid more attention to the "veggie" and less to the "berry." The rosy pink shade was not only reminiscent of raspberries, strawberries and cherries, but also of purple carrots (?) and beets. As in borscht from beets.

If you haven't experienced Naked Juice, well, I'm not really sure words can do it justice.

It comes in more colors and corresponding flavors, of course. The "Green Machine" doesn't have the same appeal as the blushing "Berry Veggie," in fact, it's sort of a noxious pond-scum green. But unlike the deceitful pink stuff, "Green Machine" actually tastes pretty good. Think kiwis and green grapes. It's not bad at all.

So, true to form, I figure that if this Naked Juice is so healthy (and each unique flavor does pack its own jackpot of vitamins, fiber, anti-oxidants and other nutritious stuff) that it was something I wanted to work with. What to make from juices?  Why, gelatin molds, of course!

The good news is that Naked Juice takes to gelatin like salt to nuts. It's a perfect match. And I'm not talking the pre-sweetened, chemically colored and laboratory flavored brand-name stuff, but the unadulterated, no nonsense packs of plain gelatin. Soften two envelopes of powdered gelatin in half a cup of cold water, then dissolve it thoroughly in a cup of really hot water; stir in about two cups of which ever Naked Juice strikes your fancy, and by the next morning you'll be turning out perfectly jiggly, shiny fruit-colored molds.

For the sake of honesty, though, I must admit one unfortunate fact.
The rosy pink molds still taste exactly like purple carrots and beets.

Dreams of Sugar Plums

  Dairy-Free Sugar Plums - Is it only a dream?

With each passing season and holiday I'm discovering more possibilities and more dreams-come-true. Christmas Cookies present a particular problem, since, as Mark Bittman recently observed, they really are nothing more than butter, sugar and flour composed in various shapes with various flavorings. Remove the butter, and there is not much left.

But there are options. One would be butter-flavored shortening, which might sneak into the kitchen under the guise of a rare holiday necessity. But that excuse is pretty flimsy considering the unhealthy qualities of partially  hydrogenated  vegetable oil, artificial colorings, artificial flavorings and artificial everything that goes into that can.

The time-tested and deeply rooted traditional option is lard. Contrary to all the warnings of recent decades, natural lard is not the heart-killer medical science once believed it to be. Compared to partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, lard qualifies as a health food. Lard also produces amazing pastries and delicious cookies. Read more on this posting.

A third option would be good quality oil. Neutral flavored canola oil works in many recipes, but olive oil is delicious in some Mediterranean sweets. Both the Brownies and the Biscotti listed below use oil.

Finally, there are a few genuinely dairy-free margarines available, but read the labels carefully. If you plan to use them in recipes, beware of "lite" and "low fat" margarines whose fat-to-water ratio could ruin a batch of dough.

So, here are a number of my very favorite Christmas Cookies and holiday treats, with more to come in future postings.

Basic Oatmeal Cookies

Nurnberger: Fat-Free Honey Spice Cookies

Christmas Cookies, Butter Optional

Magic Peanut Butter Cookies

Lemon Almond Biscotti 

Brownies: The High Class Dessert