recipes Archives - Denise Belisle

March 5, 2016February 2, 2018

Turmeric able to ‘smart kill’ cancer cells…

Turmeric has long been one of the most prized spices from the East, but its benefits extend far beyond the wonderful flavor and color it lends to many recipes. The health-promoting properties of turmeric have been known for millennia, but only recently has it been discovered that the bright orange spice is also a powerful ally in preventing and curing cancer.

It’s been cultivated for more than 5,000 years in the tropics of Asia, where the brown-skinned root with the bright-orange flesh has been valued for the treatment of a number of conditions including “toothache, chest pain, urinary tract infection, flatulence, jaundice, menstrual discomforts, bruises, hemorrhage, and colic.”

The spice made its way to the West through Arab trade routes during the 13th century and has become popular throughout the world. Turmeric is now grown in tropical regions such as India, the Philippines, and the Caribbean, and is probably best known as one of the fundamental ingredients of curry dishes.

It has more recently been discovered that turmeric has the potential to replace chemotherapy and radiation in the treatment of certain cancers – and it has been proven to prevent and fight virtually every type of cancer.

From TheTruthAboutCancer.com:

Turmeric’s active ingredient is an extracted compound called curcumin. Studies have shown that curcumin helps prevent several forms of cancer including breast, lung, stomach, liver, and colon because of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It stops the development of cancer by interfering with the cellular signaling aspects of the chronic disease.

Curcumin’s nearly miraculous “smart kill” properties work to inhibit the growth of tumors and the spread of cancer in fundamental ways at the cellular level. It has the laboratory-proven capability to inhibit a particular cancer-promoting enzyme (COX-2), impede blood supply to cancer cells, induce tumor-suppressing genes, stop metastasis (the spread of cancer throughout the body’s organs), kill lymphoma cells and prevent the regrowth of cancer stem cells.

The ability to target cancer stem cells is one of curcumin’s most powerful anti-cancer properties, as a recent study revealed.

From GreenMedInfo.com:

[T]he study describes the wide range of molecular mechanisms presently identified by which curcumin attacks cancer stem cells (CSCs), which are the minority subpopulation of self-renewing cells within a tumor colony, and which alone are capable of producing all the other cells within a tumor, making them the most lethal, tumoriogenic of all cells within most if not all cancers. Because CSCs are resistant to chemotherapy, radiation, and may even be provoked towards increased invasiveness through surgical intervention, they are widely believed to be responsible for tumor recurrence and the failure of conventional treatment.

It can only be hoped that the FDA and Big Pharma don’t find a way to outlaw curcumin since it seems to have as much promise as marijuana as a cancer preventative and cure. That statement is made only partly in jest because, as always, if a potential cure for a disease can be found in Nature, the pharmaceutical drug makers have no use for it since it cuts into their profit margins.

When natural cures and preventatives are proven to have merit, the drug industry will typically go to great lengths to denounce and prevent their use, or at least find ways to synthesize and patent them so that they can be sold to the public for enormous profits, whether their versions are safe and effective or not – and often the pharmaceutical versions are neither.

So it’s a good idea to begin introducing turmeric into your diet now (if you haven’t already) – and it happens to be a very versatile spice.

Curries wouldn’t be the same without turmeric – it’s one of the main spices found in most variations of the dish and provides its distinctive color and taste – but it’s also a fantastic ingredient that can be used in many other recipes, including soups, meats, rice dishes, and stews. It’s also great with eggs, potatoes, and even smoothies. In addition, you can also pair it with black pepper, which helps make curcumin more effective.

The amazing spice turmeric is yet another proof that Mother Nature provides us with everything we need…

Sources:
GreenMedInfo.com
TheTruthAboutCancer.com
TheKitchn.com
Turmeric.NaturalNews.com
Science.NaturalNews.com

Thanks to: http://www.naturalnews.com/053073_turmeric_cancer_cells_conventional_medicine.html#ixzz423po25qV

March 4, 2016January 26, 2020

Chocolate Banana Cream Pie

If you know me you know that I love bananas. I also love coconut cream. I always have a stash of Trader Joe’s coconut cream in the cupboard. I little while ago Trader Joe’s was out-of-stock and I almost went crazy! Well, not quite but close.

I would like to share one of my favorite recipe that is really easy to make and is guaranteed to please your guests for any occasion. If you are not vegan, you can use real whipped cream too. This will save you a trip to Trader Joe’s.

Continue reading “Chocolate Banana Cream Pie”

March 1, 2016February 2, 2018

Golden Milk Tea Recipe

The healthful properties of turmeric and ginger are just now beginning to emerge in the West.

Asian cultures have used these herbs for millennia, not only for their flavor but for their medicinal power.

Everyone likes a warm drink on a cold day.

Rather than imbibing on a cup of sugar or caffeine, you can enjoy something that will not only give you that warm, fuzzy feeling but will help your body as well.

Savory Flavor with an Impressive Impact

The rhizomes of turmeric and ginger are used in cooking and teas and as supplements. Turmeric is known for its deep yellow color and is what makes golden milk golden.

A common herb used in curry, turmeric has a little bite to its otherwise rich, metallic taste. The curcumin in turmeric has been shown to reduce blood pressure [1], perform better than Prozac at treating depression, and protect the body from various toxins. It also is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. Sounds very much like a superfood.

Ginger could be referred to as a super herb. Whether used to aid digestion, as a detoxifier or to fight cancer, ginger also has a flavor kick that adds depth.

Raw ginger is carried by most large markets and will keep for a long time if kept cool and dry. Fresh turmeric is more difficult to find but health and Asian markets carry it, more so in the winter months. Either in its powdered form is a viable second choice.

Honey is a superfood whose benefits for human health are too numerous to list here. With antioxidant and antibacterial properties, it is used in this recipe because it is a healthy sweetener.

A Warm, Delicious Superdrink

Food is all about chemistry: individual ingredients interacting and combining to form different compounds. Given the nutritive factors of turmeric, ginger, coconut oil, honey, and milk, when combined their impacts expand:

When turmeric and ginger are mixed with coconut oil, they become more readily absorbed by the body (one of the important features of healthy saturated fats). Combined with piperine found in black pepper, absorption of the curcumin in turmeric is increased exponentially.

All that being said, here is a recipe for a delicious drink that will warm and nourish your body.

Golden Milk Recipe

Turmeric Paste

Ingredients:
¼ cup turmeric powder or 1-inch knob of fresh turmeric, finely grated
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup filtered water
Optional: 1/8 teaspoon powdered ginger or ½-inch piece of fresh ginger, finely grated

Directions:
Cook all ingredients together in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir well until the mixture thickens—it doesn’t take long. When a paste has formed, remove from heat and allow to cool.

Golden Milk

Ingredients:
1 cup milk (almond, coconut, or organic cow’s milk)
1 teaspoon raw organic coconut oil
¼ teaspoon turmeric paste (or more, to taste)
Honey, to taste (unpasteurized and local, if you can get it)

Directions:
Combine all ingredients except honey in a small saucepan. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly. When completely blended and hot (but not boiling), remove from heat and add honey to taste, stirring until dissolved.

Thanks to http://dailyhealthpost.com/turmeric-ginger-golden-milk-drink-recipe/

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January 10, 2016February 2, 2018

Neapolitan Raw Cheese Cake

This was a nice treat for New Year’s Eve. I had saved a few pieces of Neapolitan raw cheesecake I had made for a dinner I had with friends the week before. I wanted to save these pieces to end the year with a Bang!

This raw cheesecake is so good and smooth that it is a great alternative to the lactose version. It is pretty easy to make and a little more time consuming if you make it in 3 colors, but it is worth it.

Ingredients:
Crust:
1 cup raw almonds (pecan or walnuts will also work)
1 cup soft Medjool dates
½ tsp vanilla extract
¼- ½ tsp sea salt

Filling:
3 cups raw cashews, soaked for at least 5 hours, overnight is best for a very smooth texture
juice of 4 lemons
the seeds of 2 whole vanilla bean (or 2 tsp vanilla extract)
2/3 cup raw coconut oil, melted
2/3 cup raw honey (solid or liquid.)(Vegans use agave nectar.)
½ cup (or more to taste) sifted raw cacao
1 cup strawberries (thaw completely if using frozen)

Directions:
Crust:
1. Place the nuts in the food processor and pulse to chop until the large pieces are broken down.
2. Add the dates, sea salt and vanilla and pulse to chop until it starts to stick together. (It is preferable to have a finer crust than a chunky one). If you find it hard to get it to stick together, just add a few drop of water as you pulse and it should do the trick.
3. In a 9″ spring-form pan place in the bottom a cut round wax paper. This will help avoid your crust to stick to the bottom of your pan.
4. Scoop out the mixture and evenly tap it in the bottom of the pan. Place it in the freezer.

Filling:
1. Warm coconut oil and honey in a small saucepan over really low heat until liquid.
2. In the most powerful food processor/blender you own (if you have a Vitamix or Blendtec, use that) place all liquid ingredients (melted coconut oil, honey, lemon juice, vanilla) and mix well.
3. Drain and rinse the cashews and gradually add them to the liquid.
4. After you have mixed it well and you get a homogeneous mixture, you should have a little over 5 cups of thick liquid. you now have to separate it in 3. 2 cups for the vanilla part, 2 cups for the chocolate part and 1+ cup for the strawberry part.
5. Mix the sifted cacao with 2 cups of the mixture and pour it on top of the crust and place it back in the freezer for it to harden a little.
6. Mix the melted or fresh strawberries with the 1+ cup of the mixture until smooth. Pour on top of the chocolate mixture. You might have to wait until the chocolate part in the freezer has hardened a little. Then pour the remaining vanilla mixture on top of the strawberry and place in the freezer until solid.

To serve:
Remove the raw cheesecake from the freezer at least 30 minutes before serving.
Run a smooth, sharp knife under hot water and cut into slices.
Serve on its own, or with fresh fruit or make a strawberry coulis by melting 2 cups of strawberries and mix it in the blender until smooth and pour on top of the cut pieces. If you find it too bitter, you can add some sweetener.
Store leftovers in the freezer (if any).

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January 10, 2016

Are you, like me, part of the statistics?

Are you making New Year resolutions? How long are you able to stick to it? Only 8% of people achieve their New Year’s resolutions. Most resolutions last about 4-6 weeks, after that excuses are taking over. The #1 resolution is losing weight. On average the top 3 are related to improving physical wellbeing.

I am part of the statistics as my own resolution is part of these top 3. Pretty much every year I have the same resolution… or should I call it a continuation resolution: “Having a vibrant and healthy life”. The reasons why I do it every year is because it is not something I can achieve and then say “I’m done”. Having a vibrant and healthy life requires a constant awareness of what I do and what I eat. I have had different health problems over the last few years and I spent 2015 getting rid of quite a few of them. I am now ready to soar and get back to the health level I really want to be. I am not expecting it to be an easy trip but I am in for the long run! As I am getting older, I find that there are more road blocks on my way. These used to be pebbles and year after year they seem to grow larger. I realized that some of them are inevitable and I just have to take my time and do all I can to either chiseled them down or simply go around.

If you are also on the top 3 and wish to improve your physical wellbeing, that’s great. I will be right there with you and we can support each other along the way. Accountability is one of the biggest tools to success. I welcome you to share with me your goals and aspiration for 2016. Let me know how I can help you achieved them. How can I be of assistance? What tools would you like me to share with you? Just email me, I would love to hear from you!

November 29, 2015February 2, 2018

Succulent Chocolate Mousse Cake

Rich, succulent and melting in your mouth is the best way to describe this recipe.

I was out for dinner a few weeks ago and I ordered a dessert and got really surprised with the taste and the texture. I had to ask the server what were the ingredients of this amazing dessert. The one that gave me an Ah Ah moment was the full-fat coconut cream… When I heard it, I say “Of course!” and it gave me the idea to create this dessert.

I am sure you will love it and don’t be shy to share it with your friends and family.

Crust:
½ cup pecans
½ cup walnuts
½ cup raisins
½ cup Medjool dates
1/8 tsp salt

Filling:
2 cans of full-fat coconut cream
¼ cup maple syrup
½ cup cacao powder
1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping:
½ cup cacao powder
¼ cup of melted coconut oil
½ cup of maple syrup or liquid sweetener of your choice

Crust direction:
1. Place the nuts, raisins, and dates in a food processor and mix well until the mixture stick together.
2. Mix in the salt
3. Press the crust in the bottom of a 9 in x 9 in or equivalent glass pan.

Filling Direction:
1. Pour the 2 cans of coconut cream into a large bowl.
2. Mix well with a hand mixer until you get a soft mixture.
3. Add the vanilla and maple syrup.
4. Add the cacao powder slowly and keep mixing as you do so.
5. Keep mixing until you get a smooth uniform mixture.
6. Pour the mixture on top of the crust and place in the freezer.

Topping directions:
1. Mix the coconut oil, maple syrup and cacao powder until uniformly mixed.
2. Once the filling is frozen, pour the chocolate mixture on top of it and spread uniformly.
3. Put back in the freezer.

Remove from the freezer 20-30 minutes before serving.

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