by Peggy Kingery, from the March 2000 Newsletter

My husband gazed wistfully at the restaurant’s dessert tray.

"I guess none of those are macrobiotic, huh?" he sighed.

As the chief cook in our home, I aim to please; his comment inspired me to experiment with the sweeter side of macrobiotic cooking.

Desserts may be enjoyed on the macrobiotic diet several times a week. The chief ingredients used in making them are grains, fruits, nuts, seeds, and beans. Macrobiotic cooks avoid using sugar, honey, and molasses, as well as eggs, dairy foods, white flour, chocolate, spices, baking powder, and yeast. Wow, I wondered, if not these traditional dessert ingredients, what else can I use to create a sweet treat?

In baking, sesame, corn, or canola oil may be used. Kuzu or arrowroot flour thickens as well as cornstarch or egg whites and is used in puddings and fruit toppings. Whenever flour is called for in a recipe, only whole grain varieties are used (whole wheat, oat, millet, etc.). Nut butters and nut and grain "milks" can be used in cookies and puddings. Ginger root and cinnamon are exceptions to the "no spices" recommendation and are used to flavor a wide variety of desserts.

While desserts made with naturally sweet foods (temperate fresh or dried fruits, vegetables such as winter squash or carrots) are easiest on our bodies, natural sweeteners may be added occasionally to satisfy the desire for a stronger sweet taste. These include barley malt, brown rice syrup, amasake, mirin, and maple syrup. Although it’s natural, honey is not recommended because it’s as rapidly assimilated in the bloodstream as refined sugar is.

Barley malt is made by fermenting barley and cooking down the resulting liquid. It is a thick, brown syrup with a rich, toasted flavor and can be used in pies, cakes, puddings, and other desserts. Brown rice syrup is amber in color and has a milder flavor and more delicate texture than barley malt. Because it adds subtle sweetness, it’s perfect for pancakes, cookies, baked goods, and to sweeten tea. These two sweeteners are also available in powdered form.

Both amasake and mirin are made from fermented sweet rice. Amasake is beige in color, thick, and creamy. It is chiefly used in making puddings, cakes, and pies, but is also delicious served right out of the container as a warm or cold beverage. Mirin is used primarily as a seasoning but may be added to frostings and dessert sauces.

Maple syrup is the most concentrated of the sweeteners used in macrobiotic desserts. It contains about 65% sucrose (compared to refined sugar which has 99%) and enters the bloodstream more rapidly than either barley malt or rice syrup. Because of this, it’s used sparingly. For those in transition from refined sugars, it’s a good substitute until a taste for the less readily-absorbed sweeteners is acquired.

Refined sugar production relies heavily on the use of fertilizers, pesticides, and other chemicals. After the cane is harvested, it is shredded, liquefied, treated with chemicals, and boiled (removing vitamins, minerals, and other organic nutrients). The crystals are separated from the liquid and bleached, forming a product made almost completely of sucrose, a simple carbohydrate. Sucrose is absorbed rapidly into the bloodstream, but doesn’t provide long-lasting energy.

Whole grains, beans, and vegetables, on the other hand, contain complex carbohydrates (polysaccharides) which are absorbed slowly in the intestines and release sugar in the bloodstream at a gradual rate, providing a steady source of energy for the body. Barley malt and brown rice syrup contain maltose, a disaccharide, which is also absorbed more slowly than simple carbohydrates. Changing to these natural sweeteners can contribute to a smoother metabolism, reduce blood sugar levels, and have beneficial effects on mental, emotional, and physical health.

With all this knowledge in my head, now came the challenge — making a macrobiotic dessert that would satisfy my husband’s sweet tooth. While flipping through my macrobiotic cookbooks, I discovered a wide variety of baked items to choose from (cakes, pies, strudels, cookies, and crisps); cooked fruit purees and baked fruit glazed with a sauce made from apple juice, kuzu, and raisins; kanten, an all-natural gelatin made from agar-agar and enjoyed plain or with sliced fruit, beans, or nuts; and puddings made with rice, millet, or other grains, amasake or apple juice, and nuts or seeds. I’m happy to report my experimenting met with much success! Here’s two of our favorites, adapted from The Self-Healing Cookbook by Kristina Turner.

Creamy Rice Pudding

1 cup amasake (rice milk works, too)
1/2 cup apple juice
2 cups leftover brown rice
3 Tblsp raisins
3 Tblsp sunflower seeds
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla (optional)

Combine all ingredients except vanilla in a saucepan. Heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking, until thick and creamy. Stir in vanilla and serve warm or chilled.

Apple Crisp

Topping:
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cup rolled oats
2 Tblsp corn oil
1/4 cup brown rice syrup
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
2 Tblsp chopped walnuts
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Filling:
8-10 peeled and sliced apples
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup apple juice
1/3 cup water
1 heaping tsp kuzu

Place flour and oats in a bowl. Heat oil and rice syrup until mixed, then stir into the flour and oats. Add seeds, nuts, salt, and cinnamon and set aside.

Spread apples and raisins in a 9 x 12 inch baking dish. Dissolve kuzu in juice and water, heat and stir until thick. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour over fruit and spoon on the topping. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes until bubbly. Serve warm or chilled.

-------------------

Peggy Kingery loves to write and to cook, and has a deep admiration and respect for the natural world. She lives in Moscow with her husband, Jim, a very willing taste-tester!

 

Copyright: Copyright on articles and recipes are jointly held by the Moscow Food Co-op and the respective authors, except were otherwise noted.

Return to Recipe List

For additions or corrections to this page, please contact the Webmaster.