Brown Sugar Strawberry Scones and Monthly Posts

Ah, interwebs. How I've missed you.

HighAltVeg will be switching to monthly posts, due to some unexpected medical issues on my end (see: neurological disorders). This means you get extra deliciousness and heavier testing on the recipes, and it means that I get to focus a bit more on my professional practice and volunteering here in Fort Collins. So as posts slow down, know I'm not leaving the blog: just slowing it down to fit the relaxed, easy-going vibe of Colorado. (I know, I become more and more of a "granola" hippie every day, and I love it!)

Moving on....

Ah, scones. How I've missed you even more.

Scones are, for some reason, rumored to be notoriously hard to make and always super unhealthy. While the hard to make part may not be true, the unhealthy part normally is. To give you an idea, a popular coffee shop across the US has seasonal fall scones that clock in at 34g of sugar and 18g of fat.

Gross numbers.

At a local place in Fort Collins, though, I can never go in without getting one of their scones. They're packed with local strawberries, the sweetness of sugar (so much sugar), and then topped with a slightly tart lemon glaze that refreshes and balances the sweetness. And, of course, they're packed with butter and oil.

My obsession with these scones became a bit too much after I kept driving and getting one every single day, which led to a hit in my small paycheck (because: college). So one day, when I just couldn't resist having a scone anymore, I decided to recreate them. I wanted the superb flavor, but without the negatives of daily doses of fat and sugar.

IT WORKED.

These scones cut the fat and calories significantly, while utilizing a majority of sugar from the natural sweetness of the strawberries. A touch of brown sugar makes it extra delectable. Instead of doing a powdered sugar and lemon glaze, I added some creaminess and depth by mixing lemon with vanilla nonfat greek yogurt. These taste (and look!) just as good as the ones from my local coffee shop, which is awesome.

NOM NOM NOM.

Brown Sugar Strawberry Scones with Lemon Glaze
Serves 8

Scone Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
• 2/3c. all-purpose flour
• 1/3c. packed brown sugar
• 1T baking powder
• 1/2t baking soda
• 1/4t salt
• 3/4c. fat free vanilla Greek yogurt
• 3T warm water
• 1 large egg
• Zest of one lemon
• 8 strawberries, thinly sliced

Glaze Ingredients:

• 1T lemon juice (or more, depending on glaze consistency desired)
• Zest of one lemon 
• 1/2c. fat free vanilla Greek yogurt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Combine flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Mix well and sift if there are any lumps. Add Greek yogurt, water, egg, and lemon zest, and stir (don't whisk) until just combined.
3. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead for one minute. Expect the dough to try and fall apart a bit, and don't worry about it. 
4. Divide the dough in half and shape into rounds, then place on baking sheet. Pat down until each round is about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch thick. With a wet knife, cut each round into quarters but don't separate them. Place the equivalent of one strawberry on each to-be-scone, pressing down slightly so they stick. 
5. Place baking sheet in middle of oven and cook for 15-17 minutes, until a golden brown. Allow to cool slightly.
6. While scones are cooling, combine lemon juice, zest, and yogurt in a small bowl. Mix well, then drizzle over the scones. Store in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. 

Nutritional Information:
Sodium: 315mg
Total Fat: 1.1g
      Saturated: 0.3g
      Trans: 0g
Protein: 7.5g
Sugar: 17.1g
Calories: 188

Lemon Cheesecake with Blueberry Topping

 There's something about cheesecake that makes it acceptable any time of the year.

It really is one of those desserts that can fit any occasion. You can do a Fall Pumpkin cheesecake. A birthday rainbow sprinkle and chocolate chip cheesecake. There are recipes for cheesecake dip and cheesecake bites and vegan cheesecake and on and on and on. It's very much unlike hot soup, which I can't stand in the summer, or fruity Popsicles, which do not belong in Colorado winters. 

This cheesecake was inspired by a huge lemon binge that I've been on recently. Everything has been so bright and sunny (84 degrees today!) and the sky has been so blue, and my cravings are really influenced by the weather (cough, see the picky statements above, cough). 

It almost tastes like blueberry lemonade, which is what I came very close to calling it, before I decided that was too stereotypical. Plus, lemonade has a certain.... sweetness to it most of the time that replaces the bright and fresh lemon flavor. This cheesecake keeps that flavor, and the blueberry reduction on top just balances it all out beautifully (and makes it look so nice).

Almost all of my recipes end up being brought to work, because it's just me at my house (and my boyfriend, but he doesn't like sweet things very much), and I had a ton of people ask for the recipe. One woman asked, "Alright, this is delicious, how bad is it for me?" and then I told her it wasn't, she was shocked. It's a really rich-tasting cheesecake that is lightened up significantly with the low fat cream cheese and the nonfat Greek yogurt. I also used two eggs and twp egg whites instead of four whole eggs to cut back a bit on the fat, and Splenda to reduce the sugar amount (you can use sugar if you want, but it increases the gram amount to 46... yikes! That's why I went with the much lower Splenda version.) 

Nom nom nom. 

Lemon Cheesecake with Blueberry Topping
Serves 9

Ingredients:

• 1 graham cracker crust, of your choosing 
• 1 (8 ounce) package low fat cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 whole eggs
• 2 egg whites
• 2c. fat free vanilla Greek yogurt
• 2/3c. splenda (can use sugar if wanted)
• zest of two lemons
• juice of one lemon
• 2 cups frozen blueberries

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. 
2. Meanwhile, place cream cheese in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on high for two minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add egg whites, one at a time, and mix until combined. Add the whole eggs and Greek yogurt, and beat well for at least one minute or until fully mixed. Add in the sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice, and mix just until evenly combined.
3. Place cheesecake on a baking sheet for easy placement in oven. Bake at 350F for 60 min, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cheesecake comes out almost clean. 
4. Remove cheesecake from oven. Cheesecake will likely puff up when baking, but will even out when let to rest. Allow to sit at room temperature for one hour, then place in fridge for at least 7 hours and up to 24. 
5. On the day you are serving the cheesecake, place the frozen blueberries in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cover until the blueberries thaw and you can see the juice at the bottom of the saucepan. When this occurs, turn the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, for three minutes, or until juice thickens and becomes sauce-like. The natural sugars and pectin in the blueberries will allow it to thicken by itself, so adding sugar or cornstarch is not necessary. 
6. Remove the saucepan from heat, and let sit for five minutes. Spread blueberry topping over the top of the cheesecake, and serve.

Nutrition Information (with splenda):
Sodium: 236mg
Total Fat: 10g
       Saturated: 5g
       Monounsaturated: 3g
       Trans: 2g
Sugar: 16g
Protein: 9g
Calories: 222

Nutrition Information (with sugar):
Sodium: 236mg
Total Fat: 10g
       Saturated: 5g
       Monounsaturated: 3g
       Trans: 2g
Sugar: 46g
Protein: 9g
Calories: 337

Basil-Lemon Cucumber, Tomato, Mozzarella, and Garbanzo Bean Salad

Holy hell of a long salad name, amen! I can't imagine saying the name of this Basil-Lemon Cucumber, Tomato, Mozzarella, and Garbanzo Bean Salad three times fast.

Anyone want to try?

Seriously, though, this salad is packed with all the good stuff. Cucumbers are dirt cheap right now, as are tomatoes, which makes this an easy recipe to feed a crowd. The recipe itself makes ten servings, which is perfect for a big BBQ or a summer picnic, but it can easily be halved or portioned to whatever size you want. Plus it is easy to make. SO easy! I basically cut stuff up, threw it in a bowl, poured the basil-lemon mix over it, and then tossed it in the fridge to sit and marinate for about an hour.

It's a strangely complex salad, in the best way? You get some bright acidity from the tomatoes and lemon juice, and then a cooling crunch from the cucumber, which balances it out nicely. The mozzarella adds just a touch of richness, while the garbanzo beans add some much-needed texture. And of course, what is summer without basil and lemon?

Not summer, that's what.

(On a side note: cucumber-lemon water is my drug right now. I am chugging that stuff by the gallon).

I got in the mood to make this because it is finally, finally getting warm here. And it's probably going to rain tomorrow since I just declared it to feel like summer. Colorado is sassy and likes to go against whatever weather anyone predicts. Wasn't there a Garfield comic once where the weather forecaster said that the estimation was between negative 50 and 1000 degrees? Well, that's Colorado. So I'm taking advantage of the nice weather while it lasts, and making a ton of summery food!

Hope it is just as nice where you all are (and if not, I'll send some good weather vibes your way! It's not like Colorado would listen to them anyway)

Basil-Lemon Cucumber, Tomato, Mozzarella, and Garbanzo Bean Salad
Serves 10

Ingredients:

• 3 large cucumbers, washed and cubed (a bit larger than dicing)
• 10 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 (15 oz) can no salt added garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 8 ounces part skim mozzarella, diced 
• 1/4cup fresh basil, finely chopped
• zest of two medium lemons
• juice of four medium lemons
• 1/4c. olive oil
• 1/2t crushed black pepper
• 1/4t kosher salt

Instructions:

1. Combine cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, garbanzo beans, and mozzarella in a large bowl. Toss to combine, and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, black pepper, and salt. Whisk thoroughly for one minute. Pour lemon-basil mixture over the cucumber mixture.
3. Refrigerate for thirty minutes to 24 hours. Serve cold. Best served within four days.   

Nutritional Information:
Sodium: 209mg
Total Fat: 10g
     Saturated Fat: 3g
     Monounsaturated Fat: 5g
     Trans Fat: 0g
Sugar: 5g
Protein: 10g
Calories: 197

Update (Where I've Been) and some Pearl Barley Salad

Wow, long time no write!

I am so sorry about the almost month-long hiatus. I could give you a detailed list of exactly why I've been lacking in my normal weekly updates, but none of you really want to hear about that! Instead, I'll give you a fun little story: I've been working on a student-body political campaign for the last two weeks.

And guess what?

WE WON!!

So all of the sweat (literally), tears (literally), and blood (ok, maybe just a little of this one) were completely and totally worth it. But helping to run a campaign, even if I was just volunteer coordinator, really sucked up a ton of my time. My eating bills this month skyrocketed, because I was on a tight schedule that left no room for actually making food. I would get up at 5AM, bustle around getting all the campaign stuff ready, be on campus by 7, have classes and work from 8-4, go to campaign meetings from 4-6, and then head to the nearest coffee shop and do all my actual school work until about 1AM. Rinse and repeat.

Needless to say, I ate a lot of pre-made food. Even in Fort Collins, which is super granola and all about fresh/local, I felt so weighed down after about the first week. There's something about making a huge plate of vegetables at home, the way you like it, that is immensely more satisfying than scarfing down a bagel or even a pre-made salad. It just tastes better and lighter and all-around more fantastic.

Today is the first day I've really been able to sit back and get all of my daily routines and chores back on schedule. I ran a 5k this morning with a close friend called The Flying Pig, which was great, and then I came home and cleaned everything (I just get in these obsessive moods sometimes where I have to clean?? Does anyone else experience this?? The kind of mood where I-have-to-clean-before-I-can-even-think-of-anything-else?).

And then I cooked for the first time in two weeks.

When I was looking in my fridge I was trying to figure out what the heck I could do with all the random (almost dying) vegetables, and so I naturally moved to the pantry. The Pearl Barley was found, and voila. Introducing a chilled pearl barley salad with tons of vegetables.

This is totally customizable, y'all. It's wonderful. You can throw in whatever vegetables you like. Personally, I always have mushrooms, carrots, and spinach on hand, and then I grabbed some frozen peas in to add a tiny bit of a pop and some more beautiful green color. When I tasted it initially, it was lacking some salt and zing, so to make it more interesting I added feta cheese and lemon juice (which, I admit, it my go-to. If something isn't perfect, cheese and lemon juice usually fix it). The pearl barley adds some awesome texture. It's so close to being like rice but with a bit more substance, almost chewy but no exactly?

Words are hard.

But yes, feel free to mix it up in any way you want. I made enough to last me the whole week, which is awesome because HOMEMADE FOOD. I've been missing it. Cooking and I used to be tight, but the past two weeks strained our relationship. So, clearly, I just need to make all the delicious things that way we can be friends again.

That's how it works, right?

Chilled Pearl Barley and Vegetable Salad
Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 5 large carrots, sliced into rounds
• 12 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced in half
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1 cup cooked pearl barley
• 1 cup spinach, chopped
• juice of one lemon
• 1/2tsp salt
• 1/2tsp pepper
• 1/2c. reduced fat feta cheese

Instructions:

1. Steam the carrots and mushrooms, either by microwaving them with 1 tablespoon of water for approximately five minutes or bringing them to a simmer in a large pot with 1/4cup water and then removing from heat and sitting, covered, for ten minutes. (Or until tender).
2. Meanwhile, combine the peas, barley, and spinach. Add the steamed vegetables, and immediately squeeze the lemon juice over the mixture. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Move to the fridge and allow to chill for at least thirty minutes.
3. Before serving, sprinkle with feta cheese. 

Nutrition Information:
Sodium: 383mg
Total Fat: 2g
        Saturated: 1g
        Trans: 0g
Sugar: 5g
Protein: 10g
Calories: 198

Citrus Rainbow Vegetable Salad

Traveling as a vegetarian (or vegan) can be hard.

I've spent too many airport visits desperately trying to find a sandwich without meat or scarfing down a dry muffin in an attempt to fill my rumbling stomach before a flight. Don't even get me started on road trips, which I've done both as a vegetarian and omnivore (years ago). Let me tell you, omnivoring (is that even a word? It is now) was waaaaay easier. More restaurants are thankfully trying to be more vegetarian-friendly, but I can't even imagine the pain that my vegan friends experience when attempting to get delicious food without having to travel down a back-country road to find a fruit cup.

Basically, I've given up buying things in the air or on the road at this point, and just bring my own. I brown-bag it, if you will. There are a few recipes that are super easy for me to transport and are equally as easy to prepare, since cooking is the last thing I want to be doing on the night before a trip. I can barely manage to remember to pack my toothbrush and deodorant, yet alone make something time-consuming in the same period.

I'm traveling to Arizona at 4AM tomorrow (or, I guess, it will be today by the time I post this on Monday), and I planned ahead. One trip to Whole Foods (yes, I am that person, but how can you blame me? Whole Foods is so cozy and everyone is so granola, plus there are so many kinds of cheese) and I was all set. Because I've found that the one go-to thing that I can pack on a consistent basis without messing it up is roasted vegetables.

You can use whatever combination of vegetables that you like, but I personally enjoy basically eating a rainbow and because of that like to pack in as many colors as possible. Add a touch of salt and pepper, plus some lemon juice, and a roasted vegetable salad works as the perfect pick-me-up. Because, being realistic here, we all know that traveling on a plane or driving for hours in a car isn't always the most invigorating experience. Citrus makes me feel way more refreshed and awake, which helps make the trip just a tad more bearable. Plus this travels so well and can be eaten with fingers if necessary.

It's happened.

Don't judge.

Citrus Rainbow Vegetable Salad
Serves 8 sides, or 4 mains

Ingredients:

• 1 large head broccoli, florets only, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 small head purple cauliflower, florets only, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 small head orange cauliflower, florets only, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• Cooking spray
• 1 large yellow onion, sliced into 1/4-inch half-ringlets
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and quartered
• 5 carrots, sliced into rounds (approximately 1.5cups) 
• 1 cup chopped fresh kale
• 7 cloves garlic, whole but peeled
• 1 large shallot, sliced into 1/4-inch half-ringlets
• Juice of one lemon
• 1/4t salt
• 1/2t pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Meanwhile, combine broccoli, both cauliflower, and one tablespoon of olive oil in a large bowl. Toss to coat the vegetables with oil. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray, and dump vegetable mix onto the sheet. Spread into an even, single layer.
3. Repeat step 2 with the onion, bell pepper, kale, garlic, shallot, and remaining one tablespoon oil. Spray a medium baking sheet with cooking spray, and dump second vegetable mix onto the sheet. Spread into an even. single layer.
4. Put both trays in the oven. Cook vegetable mixture number 2 for approximately 15-20 minutes, and vegetable mixture number one for 25-30 minutes, or until tender. 
5. Remove from oven and immediately transfer both mixtures into the same heat-proof bowl. Pour lemon juice over the vegetable mix, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Best served semi-warm or cool, and can be stored for up to five days in the fridge.

Chile-Garlic and Lemon Roasted Sweet Potatoes

I have a story for you.

A few posts ago, I talked about really trying to simplify my life.

I think that, unfortunately, I partake in a culture that is really about consumerism. We have way more than we need, but we convince ourselves that getting even more will be happy. How strange is that? I always find it hard ti wrap my mind around the fact that we're tricked into thinking that things, not people and memories, will make us happy.

So I was thinking a lot about simplifying, and that morning I went to the Larimer County Food Bank to do my bi-weekly volunteer shift. And I was looking around and thinking about how amazing it is that the Food Bank provides this, and that people in turn provide to the Food Bank, because it is so selfless. People giving up their food for other people is just so beautiful and inspirational.

So I was already feeling really passionate, and then one of my professors sent me an email telling me about a documentary she thought I would like. It is called A Place At The Table, and it's absolutely fantastic (and nope, I'm not being paid to say this). It examines food insecurity in the United States and takes a super up-close, micro-level, personal view, along with examining the societal and governmental structures that are inhibiting food equality. It's on Netflix and was totally worth the short hour and thirty minutes that it took.

Literally the day after, I had an interview with Hunger Free Colorado, which is an organization here in the state that focuses on reducing food insecurity. I got accepted into their POD Squad which, ironically enough, was actually based off of A Place At The Table! How cool is that?? They were really encouraging and I pitched an idea to them that I haven't told anyone about before, ever. I've really wanted to start a club about food insecurity here on campus at Colorado State, but I was afraid I wouldn't have the resources or support to do it. But the coordinator really spurred me on and helped me feel empowered... so I'm now the President of a club called Rams Against Hunger!

EEEEEE!

It's so exciting to think that a group of like-minded students will be making a difference here in Fort Collins in the issue of food insecurity. I can't wait to educate both myself and others about the realities versus the stereotypes, and to do activities that expand our mindsets along with help reduce hunger. Even a small step is something! I've never done something like this before, so I'm kind of winging it as I go, but hopefully it will be educational and have an impact. I just really want to give back more to the community that has been so kind and wonderful to me as a student. It makes me happy to look into the future and see the club as a part of my life.

Anyways, that was my storytime. Story over. I was just SO excited, and I couldn't wait to share the news. If you're actually here expecting, uhmm, vegetarian food, we're finally going to get to the part that you want! (Because, let's be honest here-- we are all actually in this for the food. And maybe me. But almost entirely the food).

This is, going along with the idea of simplification, a simple recipe. You take a sweet potato, cut it up, toss it with some smooth olive oil and spicy chili-garlic sauce, and shove it in the oven for 45 minutes while you do something else (I always clean when something is baking. Is that weird? It makes me feel doubly productive). Then you add some zing with a bright pop of lemon citrus, a touch of depth with fresh black pepper, and some cilantro to seal the deal!

If it sounds good, you can't even imagine how awesome it was to eat it.

Chile-Garlic and Lemon Roasted Sweet Potatoes 

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1tbl chili-garlic sauce (Sambal Oelek works great)
• 2tsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1.5 lbs sweet potatoes, cut into approximately one-inch pieces
• 1tbl lemon juice
• 1/4t salt
• 1/4t black pepper
• 1/4cup chopped cilantro

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Prepare a baking pan with some aluminum foil and set aside.
2. While oven is preheating, combine chili-garlic sauce and olive oil in a medium-sized bowl. Add sweet potato pieces and evenly coat with the sauce. Dump out onto the baking pan and arrange in an even layer.
3. Bake for approximately 30-45 minutes, or until pieces are tender, with some structure, throughout. While potatoes are baking, combine lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Remove potatoes from oven once done and allow to cool slightly. Drizzle with lemon juice mixture, and top with cilantro just before serving.

Nutrition Information
Sodium: 274mg
Total Fat: 3g
      Saturated Fat: 0g
      Trans Fat: 0g
Sugar: 3g
Protein: 15g
Calories: 176

Lemon Cannellini Bean Salad

My garden is growing!

Despite the sweltering weather, Sacramento is treating my vegetable garden really well. I had an incident with a wilted plant the other day, but some water and less sunshine fixed it right up. My tomatoes have sprouted like crazy, nearly as tall as I am now, and my pepper plants are starting to bud out. Basil is taller, but I have no clue how to tell when basil is at it's peak growth period. All I know is that everything looks, and smells, awesome! Anyone else gardening now? What are you growing?

Gardening is something that I always associate with summer, because I have various family members who always garden. There are other things that I think of for summer, too, like frozen yogurt and anything bright. Both in color (hello blue flowered shorts) and flavor. Citrus, in particular, is a huge thing for me during summer. I've been making a ton of lemon water and squeezing limes on everything. I had some leftover lemons and I figured I should do something fun with them. My eating has been kinda wacky the last few weeks so I decided to make a salad...  without the greens.

I love bean-based or grain-based salads, in particular because they offer some variety and remind me that not everything that's healthy has to have dark greens. Don't get me wrong-- I love taking kale and arugula, maybe some mustard greens, and letting them take the stage for my dinner salad. But sometimes it's nice to just have a break from the norm. This salad combines hearty cannellini beans with celery for some crunch, and then some lemon and paprika jazz up the flavor even more.

As you can see in the photos, I use celery leaves. People really underestimate how much of the celery they can use and often only stick to the middle section, and it bothers me to no end to see how most people waste the slightly sweet, mild flavor of the celery tops. Don't throw those away, guys! They add the perfect amount of complexity to this dish. Which, by the way, is obnoxiously easy to make.

(Oooh, also! One serving of this gives you 59% of your iron, which is the most common nutritional deficiency anemia in the world.)

Lemon Cannellini Bean Salad
Serves 2         Serving Size: 0.75 cup

Ingredients:

• 1c. unsalted cannellini beans (rinsed and drained, if from can)
• 1/2c. celery tips/leaves, chopped
• Juice of 1/2 large lemon
• 1T olive oil
• 1/4t paprika
• 1/4t pepper

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Toss to coat.

Nutrition Information:
Sodium: 81mg
Total Fat: 7g
         Saturated: 1g
         Mono: 5g
         Trans: 0g
Sugar: 2g
Protein: 8g
Calories: 186
Iron: 59%

RWB Angel Food Cake with Lemon-Almond Cream and Berries

Independence Day is just five days away, everyone! Any fun plans? I've been seeing fireworks stands all over and I've been making myself resist buying some, partly because I think I would totally cause a disaster. I grew up in drought-ridden Arizona for the first eighteen years of my life, so we were always excited when they let the city shoot off fireworks (they didn't want to set the nearby forest on fire). If you guys have heard about that huge fire that started in Oak Creek and scooted up near to Kachina, that is right by my hometown, Flagstaff. Fires were an unfortunately normal occurrence; when I was fifteen, my boyfriend at the time went on a hike with his family at the 13,000ft mountain near town and they got caught in the middle of a fire that basically burned half of the trees on the peaks. They had to run with all their camping gear as the ash rained down on them. Being a typical teenage boy, he stopped to take pictures of the flames for me. 

Because, you know, safety.

So let's all remember to be careful with our bonfires, BBQs, and fireworks this fourth! Yeah? Sounds good. Anyways, moving onto the food, which is what we are all actually here for, right?

By now you guys have seen your share of red, white, and blue all around: in the grocery store, on the streets, and in the recipes floating around online. I want to throw my own recipe into the mix. What's better during summer than a light dessert with the fruits of the season? That's pretty much what my mindset was when I created this recipe. It's another one from my old blog (Michelle's Healthy Bites) and it's good enough that I can't help but share it again. I just love it so much. First you have the fluffy, sweet cake. Then you add on some lemon-almond whipped cream (to DIE for and so easy, I promise) and fresh berries.The cream adds a slight floral nuttiness and depth, and the fruit brightens it up (not only taste-wise, but also for a stunning presentation). Raspberries contribute a slightly tart, but still sweet element that rounds out the entire dish.

Basically, this is heaven. And perfect for a party.

A Fourth of July party...

Coincidence? I think not!

(Also good for other parties because the entire world isn't America, even thought Americans tend to want to think so. To all my international/ non-American readers: this is still yummy and patriotism aside, an awesome recipe). 

Angel Food Cake with Lemon-Almond Cream and Berries

Serves 12

Ingredients:

• 12 large egg whites
• 1 cup sugar*
• 1 and 1/4c. splenda*, divided
• 1c. cake flour
• 1 and 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1tbl water
• 1/2tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4tsp salt
• 2c. light whipped topping (such as cool whip or a non-dairy alternative), thawed
• 1/4tsp almond extract
• The zest of one large lemon
• 2c. fresh raspberries
• 2c. fresh blueberries

Instructions:

1. Allow the egg whites to come to room temperature in a large, clean, covered bowl (takes at least 30 minutes, and remove egg whites from the egg before doing this).
2. Preheat oven to 350F. 
3. Add 1 cup sugar and 1/4 cup splenda into a food processor. Pulse the sugar a few times. This makes it finer, and gives the cake a lighter texture. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP. It really does make a difference!
4. Add the flour to the food processor and pulse a few times to combine, or sift the flour and the sugar twice so it is nice and fine.
5. Add cream of tartar, water, vanilla extract, and salt to the egg whites. Beat on high with an electric mixer (hand-held or other) until it becomes very foamy. Slowly add in the remaining 1c of splenda.Continue to beat the eggs until medium (between soft and stiff) peaks form. At this point, switch to a spatula and gently, gently fold in the flour mixture, 1/4c. at a time. Take this nice and slow, and incorporate the entire mixture.
6. Gently spoon the batter into two 8x8 square UNGREASED baking pans. Lightly run a knife through the batter to get rid of bubbles (I just did three lines each way) and place in the oven for 20-30 minutes. You will know they are done when the cake springs back when lightly touched or when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (but I personally like the touch method more).
7. As soon as they are out of the oven, turn them upside-down on a heat-safe surface. Don't try to take the cakes out: let them cool for 30 minutes. I'm serious when I say thirty minutes. If you don't do this, expect ruin and sadness. After 30 minutes have passed, the cake will have receded slightly from the edges of the pan. My first cake separated from the pan by itself; the second one needed to be convinced to leave. Just run a thin spatula on the bottom, very gently, and turn the pan upside-down.
   
   Very Important Note: Angel food cake is often said to taste "eggy," and that is because the cooks do not let it cool for long enough. Wait at least 3 hours before you frost or slice into this cake.
    
8. To make the cream, combine the whipped topping, almond extract, and lemon zest in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined.
9. To assemble the cake, cut each “loaf” into 6 slices. Evenly divide berries and cream among the twelve slices.

Nutrition Information*

Sodium: 111mg

Total Fat: 2g

      Saturated: 1g

      Trans: 0g

Sugar: 21g

Protein: 5g

Calories: 174

 

*Note: this recipe contains splenda. Scientific evidence indicates that there is nothing wrong with moderate amounts of artificial sweeteners, and I have calculated the amount in this recipe so it is well within safe limits. However, all sugar can be used if you so desire. The nutrition information for the all-sugar recipe is below: 

Sodium: 111mg

Total Fat: 2g

      Saturated: 1g

      Trans: 0g

Sugar: 42g (you can see why I use splenda now)

Protein: 5g

Calories: 255
*Also, here is if you used all splenda (which also works quite well):

Sodium: 111mg

Total Fat: 2g

      Saturated: 1g

      Trans: 0g

Sugar: 5g

Protein: 5g

Calories: 109