Here it is! My absolute favorite dessert (other than Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory). The extra bonus is that it is gluten-free (I’m sorry to say that it is not guilt-free, but for me it’s an occasional MUST HAVE).

On one of my return trips to California to visit girlfriends a few years ago, they prepared a special dinner in my honor, which was so touching. The baker in the group asked what I’d like for dessert and of course I knew immediately it had to be flourless chocolate cake. I do not have her recipe, but I found this one through the Gluten-Free Goddess (glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com) and it is amazing. So, now you know. If you ever want to make dessert for me, this is my number one all-time favorite. I hope you love it as much as I do. Bon apetito!

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE (from the Gluten-Free Goddess)

Ingredients:
16 oz. Belgian dark chocolate (or use your favorite dark chocolate bars)
1 cup organic light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup organic cane sugar
3/4 cup very hot strong coffee (or use espresso power in very hot water)
2 sticks organic unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons unsweetened organic cocoa powder
8 large organic free-range eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon bourbon vanilla extract (yes, a tablespoon)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 10-cup Springform pan by lining the bottom with buttered parchment.

Note: Using a smaller cake pan will result in a longer baking time; adjust accordingly and keep an eye on the edges; if it browns too much while the center is still wet, wrap edges in foil; or if you are using a smaller pan, try placing it inside a warm water bath as Dorie Greenspan suggests.

Break up the dark chocolate pieces and pour the chocolate into the bowl of the food processor. Pulse until the chocolate breaks up into small bits. Add the sugar. Pulse until the chocolate and sugar turns into an even, sandy grain.

Pour the hot water or coffee slowly into the feed tube as you pulse again. Pulse until the chocolate is melted. Magic!

Add the butter pieces and the cocoa powder, and pulse to combine. Add the eggs and vanilla, and process till smooth. The batter will be liquid and creamy.

Pour the batter into the lined Springform pan. Wrap the outside of the whole pan with a big piece of foil. Bake at 350 degrees in the center of the oven, till puffed and cracked and lovely–about 55 to 65 minutes. (Note–it took an hour plus 15 minutes when I baked this at high altitude.) Use a wooden toothpick to check the center of the cake; pick should emerge clean, with maybe a crumb.

Place the cake pan on a wire rack to cool. The cake will deflate. Don’t worry! When cooled a bit, press down on it gently with a spatula to make it even if you wish. Or not.

When the cake is completely cooled, cover, and chill it for at least three hours (best up to eight hours) until serving. Overnight is even better.

Serve slices with drizzled chocolate sauce or a sprinkle of sifted powdered sugar. Garnish with fresh berries or mint leaves.

Yield: 15 slices

It’s a new year, and I intend to once again post weekly recipes on Thursdays. To kick off 2012, I’m sharing this wonderful treat I discovered during the holiday season.

For New Years, I wanted to find something special to deliver to our neighbors. Thanks to Whole Foods Market’s website, I found this recipe that combines a bit of tartness with sweetness to create a very satisfying taste. I especially liked that it was sweetened with honey rather than sugar. Since we’d all consumed more than enough sugar throughout December, I assumed my neighbors would also appreciate a short reprieve from super sweet foods. (Of course, I baked one for our family as well and we all loved it!)

I hope you’ll give this a try this winter. Please let me know if you like it. Bon apetito!

CRANBERRY NUT BREAD

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 cup honey
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest
1-1/2 cups all purpose flour (I used finely ground whole wheat flour; you can also substitute with gluten-free flours)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chopped dried cranberries (I use the ones sweetened with fruit juice rather than sugar)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and honey together in a large bowl. Stir in eggs, orange juice and orange zest; set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt and add to honey mixture in thirds, beating after each addition. Stir in cranberries and walnuts, then transfer batter to an oiled loaf pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until cooked through.

My daughter Alix is getting back into the kitchen little by little. Her favorite form of expression, besides writing, is to take a recipe and make it her own. I am in awe of her ability to explore ingredients and quantities as she creates her own amazing variations on a theme.

In recent weeks, we’ve enjoyed a new waffle recipe (which I’ll post next week–sorry Nonna) and a great stuffing that can be enjoyed at any time. The following is Alix’s Everyday Stuffing, greatly modified from a rice stuffing recipe she found at wholefoodsmarket.com. In her opinion, this can accompany any roasted bird, but her favorite is turkey. You can eat the stuffing right out of the oven and left over:

ALIX’S EVERYDAY STUFFING

1 yellow onion
3 cloves garlic
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1 cup pecans or walnuts
1-1/2 cups chopped celery
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried sage
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
4 cups vegetable broth
6 cups dried bread, cubed (we used sprouted hamburger buns)
salt & pepper to taste
Olive oil

1. Place cubed bread on baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees until bread is toasted and brown.
2. Saute the onion, garlic, dried cranberries and nuts in olive oil.
3. Add thyme, sage, parsley, ginger, cinnamon, salt, pepper and celery. Continue to saute.
4. Pour toasted bread into pan and add the vegetable broth. If you need more liquid, add additional broth or water.
5. Bake in over 20-25 minutes. Serve immediately.

It’s been so long since I posted a recipe. With the season of fall underway, it seems like the right time to start thinking about those indoor recipes. Since in our home, we won’t be grilling quite so often, we are beginning to crave soups and stews. Not only do they provide warmth to our bodies, but they provide rich smells that fill up the house with yummy goodness.

As the snow fell yesterday here in Colorado’s front range, we craved something warm and hearty. Here is the version of split pea soup I made for our family last night–it turned out great. Whether you use my recipe or one from your own family, be sure to start incorporating soups and stews into your diet. Our bodies crave them in fall and winter and they are a great way to stretch our food dollars. I always make enough for two meals. Whether we serve it for lunch the next day or another dinner, it saves me time and money.

For a nice large pot of soup that can feed a family of four two meals here’s my quantities:

BELLISIMA’S SPLIT PEA SOUP

3 cups split peas, rinsed and drained
6-8 large carrots, diced
1 bunch celery, diced
4-5 small russet potatoes, in small cubes
1 yellow onion, diced
2-3 bay leaves (personal preference)
1/2-1 teaspoon dry thyme (personal preference)
salt and pepper to taste
9 cups water

Put all ingredients into a large pot. Stir and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and allow to simmer until peas are softened and soup takes on a creamy texture (2-3 hours).

Serve with a side salad and fresh bread.

As an alternative, serve with a side of brown rice (I like to add my brown rice into the soup, giving it a “crunchier” texture).

Bon apetito!

I and my daughters are back from Hawaii. I admit it’s been hard to get back into the swing of things. At times, I’m still floating on my air mattress on the ocean in Waikiki, basking in the glow of the sun, feeling the ocean breezes and the light and darkness pass over me as the clouds move across overhead. It was such a wonderful time for relaxation and healing between the females in my family–my mom, sister, me and my daughters. We had a glorious two weeks, and I am grateful.

Today, the man who helped me see the need to integrate western and eastern practices, as I chose my course of action when I had cancer four years ago, is undergoing his second brain surgery. A year ago, he was diagnosed with gliablastoma and underwent brain surgery shortly after that diagnosis. He continued treatment following his surgery and has been a part of the Chopra Center activities as much as possible.

After I was diagnosed with cancer in February 2007, I attended a week-long program at the Chopra Center in May and had the opportunity to meet with David one-on-one. He helped me see that integrating surgery and other conventional treatment with “alternative” methods (such as Ayurvedic practices) would give me the best chances of achieving “perfect health.” His book, “Return to Wholeness: Embracing Body, Mind and Spirit in the Face of Cancer,” helped me tremendously. I’ve shared this book with many others.

David is currently writing a new book entitled, “The Five Awakenings,” in which he’ll share–on five themes–the awakenings he has had since his diagnosis: silence, nature, love, dharma, and healing. I look forward to more wisdom from a man who has shared his wisdom, love, and compassion through many other books and through the work he does at the Chopra Center.

I received an email last night asking to keep David in my thoughts and prayers today. I share this so that others can also send out thoughts, prayers, intentions for healing and a successful surgery. Over the past year, he’s asked that people send jokes and funny stories, stories about how David has touched their lives, as well as prayers and good wishes via his blog at www.lovefordavid.com. If you’re so inclined, I ask that you post on his blog as well. Laughter is truly the best medicine, and so is pure love.

Through his blog, which he doesn’t post on often, it is apparent that he accepts what is happening to him. He’s made peace with this unfolding journey. However, it seems that he has more to share with all of us. It is not yet time for his voice to go silent. For that, I am truly grateful.

Today I send him light and love for a successful surgery, a smooth and quick recovery, and the ability to continue to share his light and love with those closest to him and the world.

Namaste, David.

My husband found the original recipe online through the San Francisco Chronicle.

I took the recipe and modified it for our family’s eating preferences. Here is the “Bellisima” version of Salmon Tortilla Soup.

SALMON TORTILLA SOUP

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika (I didn’t have this, so left it out–the taste was still good)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 quart low-sodium chicken broth (you can substitute vegetable broth, for a vegetarian recipe)
1 can (14.5 ounces) low sodium diced tomatoes
1 cup shredded cabbage
1 large avocado
2 8-ounce filet salmon, partially cooked, quartered and sliced very thin
1 can (14.5 ounces) black beans (optional)

Preparation:

In a medium-sized pot over medium-low heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic, and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the oregano, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper, and continue to cook until the onion softens, about 4-5 minutes. Add the broth, and bring to a boil. When the broth just starts to boil, add the can of diced tomatoes. Bring back up to a boil.

Add the cabbage and salmon. Add the drained black beans, if desired. Continue to cook until the cabbage softens & salmon is fully cooked. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with diced avocado and tortilla chips. You can squeeze lime juice over it and top with sprigs of cilantro.

We also added prepared brown rice to each bowl, to give the soup more thickness.

VARIATION ON A THEME: If your family members don’t like salmon and prefer meat, feel free to substitute chicken for the salmon.

Bon apetito!

In our four-family household, second only to our house payment expense is the cost of our food, including meals out. Outside dining represents about 15%-20% of our monthly food expenditures. In doing some research, I found that our household falls into the minority for how the average American home spends its food dollars.

Most people assume that it will require a lot of extra money to eat an organic, whole foods diet. In addition to costing more, many assume it will be more difficult (i.e., less convenient) to eat in a healthier way. Through my own experience, I’ve learned it’s not only easy to eat an organic, whole foods, healthy diet, but it’s also possible to do it on a budget.

One area to take a look at is where your food dollars have been going thus far. If you don’t already do so, plan to save your receipts from groceries and eating out for a few weeks. This will give you the necessary data to help you begin making plans for the future of your food expenditures. First, it will allow you to see what your buying patterns have been up to now. For instance, are you one of the less than 30% of Americans who tends to buy fresh food to cook and eat at home—with an occasional meal out—or do you fall into the majority who are spending nearly half of their food dollars on restaurants and fast food? There’s even a small percentage of our population who spend more than a third of their food budget on alcohol!

Once you know where you stand, you can begin to make your food dollars stretch further, which will include what you buy, how you eat, and what you drink. As you consider strategies to incorporate, remember that you don’t have to do everything all at once. The goal is to create permanent lifestyle changes. You’re more likely to stick to those lifestyle changes if you’ve had a chance to adopt and incorporate them a little at a time and then get comfortable with those changes before adding more. There are really three paths to follow: develop a food-efficient diet, keep a food-efficient kitchen, and spend your food dollars as wisely as possible. Hopefully, you’ll find that not only are these changes enjoyable and good for your wallet, but they can also maximize the flavor and nutrition of the food you’re eating.

There are five main principles to follow which will help you develop a food-efficient diet. In the weeks to come, I’ll elaborate on those principles as well as all three paths to follow. I intend to provide tips and strategies so you can s-t-r-e-t-c-h your food dollars while enriching your diet.

In the meantime, this might be a good week to take a look at your past spending. Remember to separate food at home from outside dining. Be sure to also include those little extras, such as drive-through coffee or stops for an after-school ice cream or smoothie.

Good luck!

I had the honor of assisting with a special taekwondo class that started last night. This special class has been created to help an awesome woman who is dealing with Stage 4 cancer and a small group of her friends and family to achieve their black belts.

Reconnecting with this group of students–who I knew from a former school we all attended–both humbled and filled me with abundant gratitude. Having had cancer in 2007 and today thriving and living life fully, I know that her story could have been mine. Her story could be anyone’s. It is not unique, yet the experience she is going through right now is uniquely hers.

As I witnessed her commitment to progressing towards her black belt, I was reminded of my own journey to achieving mine. In the midst of my training I was diagnosed. I continued training while I simultaneously worked to build up my immune system. About midway through my training, I had a mastectomy. I tested for one of my belts four weeks post-op. Ultimately when I tested for my black belt, I was required to create my own form (a series of planned moves which demonstrate combinations of punches, blocks and kicks). I chose to do my form to Melissa Etheridge’s “I Run For Life.” My choreographed form, accompanied by her lyrics and music, reflected the power of my mind to strengthen my body, connect with the Divine, and endure the experience of walking through cancer. When I performed that form, it was one of the most powerful moments I’ve lived thus far.

As I watched this brave woman begin the work towards her personal goal to achieve her black belt I thought about what it takes to accomplish such a goal. When we set our mind and our sights on a desired achievement, we can do anything.

I am proud to walk with this woman of courage along with her family and friends towards her awesome goal. In my opinion, she is already a black belt at heart because she’s chosen to begin this journey.

On February 17, I posted a recipe from Whole Foods Market, Wild Coho Salmon with Sunshine Rice. Since that date, we’ve enjoyed this recipe as written and with some modifications. Today, I’m sharing with you a modification of the recipe that we especially loved. This is a very affordable dish that easily serves four. It is also high in protein, fiber, and gluten and dairy free. This variation using quinoa is much quicker to cook too.

If using wild-caught coho salmon, the price for one 12 oz. package is $8.99. Whole Foods sells organic roasting chickens for $2.99 per pound. Here is a way to stretch your food budget that we follow weekly. The first night, roast your chicken surrounded with russet and sweet potatoes. Serve alongside a salad. On day 2, I use the leftover chicken and make dishes such as Chicken Chili, Broccoli Chicken Pasta, or the recipe that follows. For less than $10 a meal (when using chicken), we have two great dinners. There are usually enough leftovers for the quinoa dish to be served a second night. So, you have 2-3 nights dinner–depending on whether you started with salmon or the leftover chicken. If your family doesn’t mind leftovers (mine doesn’t), this is a great way to stretch your food budget while giving everyone plenty of nutritious foods. Add salad or other veggie side dish to give everyone plenty of food at each meal.

Here’s how I’ve modified the Salmon-Sunshine dish. I’ve placed in bold my changes to the recipe. I’ve made this recipe using either salmon or chicken. My family loves both. Bon apetito!

WILD COHO SALMON OR ROAST CHICKEN WITH SUNSHINE QUINOA
Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 cups of quinoa
2 cups small cauliflower florets
5 cups water
1-2 tbls. grapeseed oil
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 teaspoons turmeric
sea salt to taste
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, with their liquid
1 lemon, halved, divided
12 ounces boneless, skinless wild Coho salmon fillet, cut into large chunks
Instead of salmon, use shredded roast chicken
2 tablespoons chopped parsley or cilantro

Method:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Add grapeseed oil and heat in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Saute onion.

Stir in cauliflower, water, onion, curry powder, tomatoes, quinoa and juice from the lemon. Cover tightly with foil and the Dutch oven lid and bake until quinoa is almost tender, about 15-20 minutes. Uncover, then arrange salmon or chicken on top of quinoa and continue to bake, uncovered, until salmon is just cooked through or chicken warmed up, about 10 minutes more; garnish with parsley.

As promised, here is Part Two of Tapping Into Your Inner Pharmacy. Our inner pharmacy is made up of our five senses, the pathways through which we experience the physical world, allowing us to connect with the creation of perfect health. As we learn to engage in practices that nourish our five senses, we can feed our body physically, mentally and spiritually to create balance. Through sounds, feelings, sights, tastes and smells, we can nourish and heal ourselves.

Last week we looked at the senses of hearing and touch. This week we’ll look at sight, taste and smell.

3. Healing Through Sight: The images we focus on, shapes, and color can all have a powerful effect on our body, mind and emotions. Choosing nourishing visual input is as important as choosing nourishing food. Think about the colors you surround yourself with in your home decor and clothing. Do they make you feel vibrantly alive, peaceful, safe? Do they feed your soul? Are you drawn to pastel shades or earth tones; cool, soft colors such as blues, greens and whites; or are you attracted to bright, strong, bold colors with vivid shapes and designs that enliven you?

Think about other visual stimulation you expose yourself to. Do you watch violent movies and television shows? If so, those violent scenes can trigger stress hormones which flood our circulation and agitate every cell in our bodies. What scenes could increase your sense of peace and calm? Sunsets and sunrises are good examples. Think about how you feel as you experience the sun’s arrival or departure. Usually soothing, pleasure chemicals are generated, which provide us with wonderfully peaceful and serene feelings.

In your home or workspace, choose artwork and other visuals that elicit feelings of joy, serenity, vitality, peacefulness, and other emotions that are positive and uplifting. If photos of friends and family elicit feelings of connection and happiness, surround yourself with them. It’s important to surround yourself with images that enhance your sense of well-being and improve your living and working environments.

4. Healing Through Taste: The Ayurvedic word for taste is rasa which also means emotion or mood. So, what we taste impacts and elicits emotions. Only when we experience all six tastes at a meal–sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent–do we feel completely satisfied. Sweet is considered the taste of energy, sour is the taste of acid, salty is the taste of the ocean, pungent is the taste of digestive fire, bitter is the taste of concentrated nutritional information and astringent is the taste of concentration. Most foods have more than one taste. Here are just a few examples:

Sweet: grains, dairy, bread, honey, oil, nuts
Sour: citrus fruits, sour fruits, tomatoes, yogurt, vinegar, alcohol
Pungent: hot peppers, ginger, salsa, thyme, basil
Bitter: green and yellow veggies, turmeric
Astringent: Beans, legumes, lentils, pomegranates, tea (these are most lacking in the Western diet!)

Look for ways to incorporate foods from each category into every meal.

5. Healing Through Smell: Aromas and scents can trigger healing powers within and invoke states of well-being. Think about the scent of the earth after the first spring rain, cut grass, the aroma of a homemade meal at your grandmother’s house, the scent of a newborn baby. Our sense of smell connects us directly with our emotions, memories, and instincts. Through a process known as neuro-associative conditioning, we can link a healing response to the experience of a particular smell. For example, each time we sit down to meditate, if we burn sandalwood incense, we soon learn to associate the feeling of relaxation with that aroma. Simply smelling that scent will trigger a sense of quiet relaxation at any time.

Identify an aroma you are especially fond of and inhale its essence whenever you are feeling relaxed, at peace or are having a particularly good day. Gradually, your body will associate these pleasurable feelings with the use of the aroma. Before long, just the smell will evoke a heightened state of well-being.

As the Chopra Center points out, it’s important to remember that health is not the absence of disease–it’s the dynamic state of physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Health, happiness, vitality, and beauty are the fruits of a balanced life which is achieved through lifestyle choices that nourish body, mind and soul. Our environment has a profound influence on how we feel. Engaging all five senses in multiple ways daily can enliven our inner pharmacy. Creating a harmonized daily routine is a necessary step to achieving perfect health.

What can you begin doing today to engage your inner pharmacy?