Jello reminds me of summer vacations! My mom made killer jello, she layered it in all kinds of colors and flavors... It is too bad regular gelatin is made with animals. Its kind of inconceivable how something so pretty and sweet is made from such violent products! Thankfully my cooking teacher Divya Alter showed me how to make this beautiful cruelty free Jello using Agar Agar!
You may be asking what is agar agar?
Agar, also known as agar-agar, is a mix of carbohydrates extracted from seaweed specifically Red Sea algae. It’s also known by its Japanese name, Kanten. Agar-agar has no flavor, odor or color so it’s helpful as a culinary ingredient. Agar has no calories, no sugar, no carbs, and no fat. It is free from soy, corn, gluten, yeast, wheat, starch, milk, egg, and preservatives. It is a great source of fiber, calcium, and iron.
The best part of Agar is that it is said to help digestion and help detox the body by acting as a mild laxative. It absorbs bile and is believed to help the body dissolve more cholesterol. It passes through the digestive system quickly and inhibits the body from storing excess fat. There are a few differences between agar-agar and gelatin. Agar sets more firmly than gelatin so recipes will be less jiggly and less creamy.
Now that you have read all the benefits of agar-agar, get of your phone or computer and whip up this super easy dessert!
enjoy!
serves: 4
cooking/setting time: 1 hour
2 Cups Water or Fresh fruit juice like apple, strawberry or orange. ( I used white sapote juice in the pictured dessert)
1 tsp Sweet leaf Stevia sweetener
3 Tbs Agar Agar powder
1/2 tsp vanilla (optional)
pinch of fresh ground Cardamom (optional)
1 cup of your berries of choice
Place the water or juice in a sauce pan and bring it to a boil. Add the Agar Agar powder or flakes and sugar and whisk for a minute or until the agar is dissolved.
Place half the berries in 4 ramekins or small glass containers, pour the agar mixture on top.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour
serve and top with the rest of the berries! you can also drizzle it with cashew whipped cream!