What Are You Hungry For? (33 page)

Toss with fresh pasta.

Use as a pizza topping.

Serve with plain rice.

Spread on sandwiches in place of mustard or mayonnaise.

Add to Italian soup for extra flavor.

Serves 4

In a small sauté pan, warm the berries, adding a little water as needed to prevent burning. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the cloves and cinnamon and continue to simmer until the berries begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and place in a mixing bowl to cool slightly. If the berries produce too much liquid, spoon them into the bowl with a slotted spoon.

Add the yogurt and vanilla and mix well. Sweeten to taste with maple syrup. Serve with granola or hot cereal for breakfast or enjoy as a light dessert or snack.

Applesauce and tofu give this chocolate cake a rich, moist texture without the many grams of saturated fat contained in traditional recipes. It is an excellent dessert for celebrations with loved ones.

Serves 12

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Oil an 8-inch round pan or a 9-by-13-inch pan and set aside. Use a food processor or blender to purée the tofu, canola oil, maple syrup, applesauce, and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and combine. Gently fold in the chocolate chips, being careful not to overmix.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Once the cake cools, ice it (see the recipe that follows).

Chocolate Icing

Melt the butter and chocolate chips in a saucepan over low heat and stir until smooth. In a food processor or mixer, blend the tofu and maple syrup. Add the melted butter and chocolate to the tofu mixture. Allow the icing to cool to room temperature before frosting the cake.

These flavorful cookies have a wonderful soft, chewy texture created by the mixture of mango, coconut, oats, and dried fruit.

Makes 20 to 22 cookies

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Grease baking sheets or spray them with vegetable oil. Combine the mango purée, sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla. In a separate large bowl, combine all of the other ingredients. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with your bare hands.

Use a ¼-cup measure to portion out the dough and roll it into balls. Place on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 15 minutes, until golden brown.

Ginger tea is a powerful cleansing drink that removes toxins and restores balance to the body. It also benefits the digestive system and helps diminish cravings for sweet and salty foods. The Chopra Center recommends drinking two to three cups of hot ginger tea every day.

To make 1 quart of ginger tea:

Chop an unpeeled 2-inch piece of whole ginger into coarse pieces and place in a 2- to 3-quart pot with 1 quart purified water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and allow the tea to simmer for 15 minutes. Strain the tea and store in a thermos bottle or glass jar.

To make 1 cup of ginger tea:

Take a piece of whole, unpeeled ginger root and grate 1 heaping teaspoon. Stir the ginger into a cup of hot water and let steep for 2 minutes. Strain or let the ginger settle at the bottom of the cup.

Lassi is traditionally served at the end of a meal to aid digestion. It is best consumed in warmer weather.

Serves 4 to 6

Combine all of the ingredients in a large jar and shake, or place in a blender and blend for about 30 seconds.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

A new book makes me feel how fortunate I am to see my words reach publication as if by the touch of a button. There is no button, of course, but the dedicated work of many people behind the scenes. Thanking them here is a small token of the appreciation they deserve.

The team at Harmony Crown has stood by me and believed in my work even as the publishing industry goes through anxious changes. Tina Constable, publisher at Crown, Mauro DiPreta, Tara Gilbride, Meredith McGinnis, and Ayelet Gruenspecht have been unswerving supporters.

Gary Jansen, aided by Amanda O’Connor, has proven many times over what it means for a writer to be backed by a talented, enthusiastic editor. Our relationship has become one of trust, affection, and mutual respect.

The seed for this book was planted by Bob Marty, who went on to develop it as a program on PBS. Many thanks for your creativity and enthusiasm.

My day-to-day life is expertly managed by the inspiring Chopra Center staff, who are as near and dear as family, beginning with Carolyn and Felicia Rangel. For the special needs of this book, I must also thank Sara Harvey, Kathy Bankerd, Kyla Stinnett, Teresa
Long, and Attila Ambras. You have all taught me what “the spirit in action” means.

Since we came to the United States in 1970 as newlyweds, my wife, Rita, and I have had the joy of seeing our family grow. Now it embraces Mallika, Sumant, Tara, Leela, Gotham, Candice, and Krishu.

Let these brief thanks stand in for how much I owe you and how deeply you are appreciated.