Holding Onto the Taste of Summer

Well, we are officially through Labor Day, and supposedly it’s a crime if you are still wearing white (at least that’s what I overheard while I was shopping at Old Navy today for white capris)! Who makes these rules anyway? School is in full swing, and it feels like summer is over (technically it is not until September 21st), but I’m breaking the rules by wearing white AND using some summer fruit in my recipe for today.

My Mom’s birthday was a few weeks ago, and she loves the Macrobiotic Blueberry Pie that I make, so I thought I would surprise her with it. Please don’t let the word macrobiotic scare you. The word macrobiotic means lengthening the life span, and cooking macrobiotically involves cooking with food that is meant to keep you healthy, strong, and hopefully living a very long life. If I sparked your curiosity, please visit my dear friend Rosemary’s website, Cooking Green with Rosemary, where you can get more information about a macrobiotic lifestyle. I’ve taken lots of cooking classes from Rosemary, and they were filled with good people, good food, and good lessons. Don’t let the word healthy scare you either. The healthy food I cook is also very delicious, and my kids eat it, so “souper” moms have no fear!

This is my first post in a series that I plan on publishing about healthy food that will put your entire household in a “good mood” and banish any fear you might have about cooking a little alternatively. Think of it as flexing your “souper” mom muscles! Please see the Good Mood Cafe menu on my home page for information.

With this recipe, I introduce you to a few products that you might not have heard of before – Agar Agar Flakes and Kuzu Root Starch, both of which you can get at Whole Foods or you can order online at Eden Foods. Agar Agar (also known as Kanten) is a sea vegetable. Wait! What? Okay, maybe I just should have told you that they have the same effect as gelatin and are tasteless and left it at that, but remember, you are flexing your “souper” mom muscles, and it’s just not me to beat around the bush. Kuzu isn’t so frightening! It is a thickener used in sauces, gravies, soup, and desserts.  Now admit it! You feel smarter (and super) after that little health food lesson, don’t you!

Eat up!

Macrobiotic Blueberry Pie

1 pint blueberries

1 1/2 cups pecans

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons brown rice syrup or maple syrup

1 1/4 cups unsweetened apple juice

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 tablespoon agar agar

2 tablespoons kuzu

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly oil a pie plate.

Put pecans and oats in food processor and grind finely. Transfer to a mixing bowl, add oil and brown rice syrup, and mix well. Press this mixture into the pie plate, making a crust. Bake for 20 minutes or until crust is crisp and lightly browned.

Allow the crust to cool slightly, then pour the pint of blueberries on top.

In a medium saucepan, heat the apple juice. Add the agar agar and cook until dissolved, about 5-8 minutes. DO NOT BOIL! Add the maple syrup. Dissolve the kuzu in a little cold juice in a bowl, then add to the heated apple juice. Stir constantly until the mixture turns thick and relatively clear, about 10-15 minutes. Pour this mixture over the blueberries, and allow this to cool and set for at least 2 hours. It will cool and set sooner if placed in the refrigerator. Serves 8.

Note: You can make this pie with any fruit of your choice. Rosemary made hers with peaches, and it looks scrumptious.

Brown Rice Syrup

Agar Agar

Kuzu

Pecan and oat mixture

Crust pressed into pie plate

Baked crust

Topped with blueberries

Apple juice mixture covering the pie

I greatly apologize for forgetting to take pictures of the dissolved kuzu and the apple juice mixture. I will get the hang of photography eventually!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

The first slice

Seconds? Most definitely!