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Fresh Berry Sauces

This year we have a “motherload” of sweet, fat, juicy berries in the Northeast! They’re scrumptious and full of anti-oxidants, but are also prone to mold, so keep them dry by storing in well ventilated containers and refrigerate or freeze soon after picking. Wash fresh berries just before eating and eat within 2 or 3 days of harvest.

I usually use fruit juice or nut milk for the base of my berry sauces and thicken with either arrowroot or kuzu* (kudzu) root starch. Both are less refined, less allergenic and more nutritious than cornstarch or flour (wheat). Use the same proportion of thickener to liquid—1 tablespoon of root starch for each cup of liquid—and be sure to combine both with cold liquid before heating.

Basic Berry Sauce
Yields 3+ cups
2 c. nut milk, or fruit juice (no added sweetener is necessary with juice)
2 Tbsp. arrowroot, or kuzu root starch
2 to 4 Tbsp. sweetener of choice (I like xylitol or maple syrup)
2 to 3 cups of fresh berries, washed and drained (sliced, if strawberries)
1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Heat 1 1/2 cup of liquid in a 1 quart sauce pan (stainless, glass or porcelain coated). Combine thickener of choice with the remaining 1/2 cup of unheated liquid. When the liquid in the sauce pan begins to boil, stir in the thickener solution. Stir continually while the sauce thickens to prevent scorching or lumping. Add sweetener, berries, and lemon juice, and bring back to a simmer,
continuing to stir. Cook for a few minutes to soften berries a little. Pour into a serving dish and cool on a rack, then refrigerate to thicken more, or serve warm.

*Kuzu, known as “the weed that devoured Dixie”, is actually a very useful plant! It’s used therapeutic-ally to treat alcoholism and hypoglycemia. It’s soothing to the digestive tract and creates a thicker more, custard-like texture than arrowroot. It’s my favorite starch thickener because of its high antioxidant content and texture.

Eggless Whole Millet Waffles

Light and crisp Millet/Chia Waffles with
Strawberry Sauce (thickened w arrowroot*)

Millet /Chia Waffles
Yields 4, 61/2 inch (round) waffles
1 c. whole millet
1 1/4 c. coconut milk, or nut milk
1 Tbsp. chia seed, whole
1/2 tsp. 5 Spice Powder (a blend of cinnamon, fennel, clove, star anise and white pepper)
1 tsp, vanilla extract (or glycerite for alcohol-free)

Soak millet in 2 cups of water overnight. Drain and rinse, then add to the blender with coconut milk and process until creamy. Add remaining ingredients and blend briefly to disperse. Let stand for 5 minutes to develop the fiber in the chia seeds. Heat waffle iron to medium high, then lubricate with melted coconut oil or spray lubricant just before pouring the batter. Bake until steaming subsides. Cool and freeze extras--pop into the toaster to thaw and serve.

*Arrowroot is a source of calcium and iron and other nutrients. It is said to have been used by the Arawak Indians to draw out the toxins from poison arrows! It is known to be easily digested and soothing to the stomach, hence its popularity in infant foods.and Kuzu is rich in antioxidants.
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/archive/index.php/t-3684.html A tea made from raw arrowroot is s broad spectrum anti-microbial.