What a Sweet and Healthy Start!

Well, another year has come, I have a brand-new calendar up on my wall, and there are only 6 days left until Andrew and I celebrate our third anniversary (yay!). With a new year comes resolutions... to eat healthier, excersise more, stop smoking, maybe volunteer your time, all worthy aspirations. My personal resolution for this year is to put my all into the baking program I'm beginning on the 12th at George Brown college (like Ivonne and Eric have before me) and to pass along anything that I may glean from this experience to you!

Hopefully, everyone's New Year's Eve celebrations were everything they hoped for, without too much overindulgence! If you have a desire to chase away those winter sniffles (or hangovers...) that everyone (me included) seems to suffer with at this time of year, I may be able to help you out with a heavy shot of vitamin C (almost 200% of the RDA per serving!), beta-carotene and zinc that comes along for the ride in this side dish. Honestly, it's tasty enough to just eat on it's own with some crusty bread, but that's just me :D. Hopefully Cate over at Sweetnick's doesn't need the extra nutrient boost, but that everyone enjoys this ARF / 5-A-Day submission anyway!

Broccoli Pomodoro
Serves 4
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups fresh or canned diced tomatoes
3 tbsp red wine
1 tbsp dried basil
2 tsp oregano
1 pound broccoli florets
salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add garlic, and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Pour in the tomatoes with their juices and wine, and simmer until the liquid has reduced by about ½.
4. Place the broccoli on top of the tomatoes, and season with a little salt and pepper.
5. Cover, and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender and bright green.
6. Toss to blend well before serving.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 99.2
Total Fat: 3.8 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 251.7 mg
Total Carbs: 11.1 g
Dietary Fiber: 4.5 g
Protein: 4.6 g

This next, odd-looking lump was the last product of my aforementioned birthday / Christmas baking bonanza for my best friends James and Heather (I missed their birthdays due to their school schedule and my Thanksgiving plans). This was James’ present, a rich, tangy lemon loaf cake with a light drizzle of raspberry icing. Don’t worry about the it's name… though it is a golden pound-cake style of dessert, it is by no means as dense as a brick, nor does it contain any eggs! Silken tofu to the rescue once again!

Gold Brick for a Belated Birthday
Serves 8
¼ cup butter, softened
¼ cup margarine, softened
2/3 cup sugar
½ 12-oz package silken tofu
1 tablespoon honey
¼ cup whole milk
¼ cup lemon juice
1 ½ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
Zest of 2 lemons, grated
2 tbsp pure raspberry jam
1/3 cup sifted powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350F, grease and lightly flour a loaf pan and set aside.
2. Cream butter, margarine and sugar until fluffy.
3. In a blender or food processor, blend tofu, honey, milk and lemon juice until creamy.
4. Stir into creamed mixture until well blended.
5. In another bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt and lemon rind.
6. Pour into creamed batter, and stir just until blended.
7. Bake 55 to 60 minutes, or until tests done.
8. Cool in pan for 10 minutes.
9. Remove to wire rack and cool completely.
10. In a small bowl, blend together raspberry jam and powdered sugar, adding milk if required, until a thick glaze – type icing is achieved.
11. Drizzle over cooled cake, and allow to stand a minimum 2 hours to harden.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 313.6
Total Fat: 12.5 g
Cholesterol: 16.3 mg
Sodium: 80.5 mg
Total Carbs: 47.2 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.1 g
Protein: 4.3 g