From Better Eating For Life, Step Seven: Got Calcium?”

Serves 8

• 4 slices 100% whole-wheat bread, cut into
• 1/4-inch cubes, divided
• 2 cups blueberries, divided (Other fresh, frozen or drained, chopped, canned fruit can also be used. If using frozen fruit, let thaw in refrigerator or microwave lightly to defrost.)
• 1 1/2 cups part skim ricotta cheese, divided
• 1 cup evaporated skim milk
• 6 large egg whites or 3/4 cup liquid egg substitute
• 1 cup low fat blueberry yogurt
• 2 Tbs. sugar
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

Clafoutis aux olives noires confites

Clafoutis is a tender batter cake from the French Limousin countryside traditionally prepared with very dark cherries.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

• 1/2 cup pitted black olives
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup blanched almonds
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk

Makes 16 bars

• 1 cup whole cranberry sauce
• ¼ cup raisins (one quarter)
• ¼ cup snipped dried apricots (one quarter)
• ½ cup brandy (one half)
• 1½ cups flour, divided (one and one half)
• 1 1/3 cups packed brown sugar, divided (one and one third)
• ½ cup butter (one half)
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ cup broken walnut pieces (one half)
• powdered sugar, for garnish

In small saucepan combine cranberry sauce, raisins, apricots and brandy; bring to boiling. Remove from heat and let stand 20 minutes.

Spicy, sweet grilled plums pair well with Sharon’s Lemon Sorbet, available in our frozen section.

• Cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 large or 8 small plums, halved and pitted
• 2 cups lemon sorbet
• fresh mint for garnish

Coat an outdoor grill or stove-top grill pan with cooking spray and preheat to medium-high.

Agave nectar is very versatile: use it in hot or cold drinks, cereal & baked goods. Since it’s sweeter than sugar, you’ll need to use less of it. In recipes, use about 1/3 cup of agave nectar for every cup of sugar. For baked goods, you’ll also want to reduce your liquid by about 1/3 and reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees. Here’s a recipe to get you started:

½ cup agave nectar
½ cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup butter
¼ cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
6 ounces chocolate chips

Use any combination of citrus for this recipe, and use a microplane grater to remove the zest before juicing.

Makes one 10-inch bundt cake

Cake:

• 3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 eggs, at room temperature
• ¼ cup grated citrus zest
• ¾ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed citrus juice
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• few drops orange or lemon oil
• 2 cups dark or semisweet chocolate chunks

Syrup:

• ¼ cup sugar

• 1 ripe golden pineapple
• 1 can (14 ounces) unsweetened coconut milk
• 1-1/2 cups turbinado sugar or granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Sprigs of fresh mint, for garnish
• 1 quart Pumphouse Creamery ice cream or nondairy sorbet, for serving (optional)

Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat to high.

Peel, slice, and core the pineapple. Shake the coconut milk well before opening the can. Pour it into a wide, shallow bowl. Place the sugar and cinnamon in another wide, shallow bowl and stir with a fork to mix.

Makes 4 servings

• 8 egg yolks
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• pinch salt
• 2 cups milk
• 1 ounce semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream

Earl Grey is a distinctive black tea blend of Indian and Sri Lankan leaves flavored with oil from a small acidic orange called bergamot. Charles Grey learned this combination from one of his Chinese mandarin friends. Grey, the second earl in his line, was prime minister to King William IV in the early 19th century.

Makes 12 madelines

• 5 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons Earl Grey tea leaves
• ¾ cup flour (three quarters)
• ½ teaspoon baking powder (one half)
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup sugar (one third)
• 2 tablespoons honey
• grated zest from one lemon

Agave nectar is naturally low-glycemic, meaning it won’t spike your blood sugar levels and won’t cause ups and downs in your mood and energy like sugar does. Find agave nectar on aisle 3.

1/3 cup flavored agave nectar (Irish Crème, Hazelnut, Amaretto or Vanilla)
2 cups heavy whipping cream

Using an electric mixture, beat whipping cream to soft peaks. Add agave nectar and continuing whipping until you reach the desired consistency. Serve with coffee, desserts or fresh fruit.