Emily Luchetti is a James Beard Award-winning pastry chef and the executive pastry chef at Waterbar and Farallon Restaurants in San Francisco. She’s the author of, most recently, A Passion for Ice Cream and is working on the forthcoming The Fearless Baker, out in Spring of 2011. Emily is an organic food afficionado — and, she’s my aunt!

During a recent visit, Emily agreed to collaborate on a recipe to suit Practically Green readers: easy, quick, healthy, and appropriate for green living.

I use the freshest, best-quality ingredients available and never mask their basic flavors by adding too much sugar. Chocolate desserts taste like rich bittersweet chocolate; peach desserts taste like ripe, juicy peaches.

My mouth was watering already.

The recipe we finally decided on was Bountiful Berry Compote with vanilla ice cream:

Berry Compote
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons sugar (we used sugar in the raw, organic works too)
Large pinch of kosher salt
1 pint (2 cups) fresh organic strawberries, hulled and quartered if small, cut into eighths if large
2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 pint (1 cup) fresh organic raspberries
1 pint (2 cups) fresh organic blueberries

To make the compote: Put the orange and lemon juices, sugar, and salt in a large sauté pan. You can add sugar to taste, depending on how sour the orange juice is and how sweet the berries are. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved and the liquid reduces slightly, about 2 minutes. Add the strawberries, blueberries and butter, gently stirring until the butter is almost completely melted, about 2 minutes. Add the raspberries and continue to cook just until the raspberries are warm, about 30 seconds. Do not overcook, or the berries will break apart.

Scoop some vanilla ice cream into bowls and spoon the berries and some sauce over the top. Or, separately pass the ice cream and compote in two large bowls. Serve immediately.

Strawberries and domestic blueberries are in the “dirty dozen”, and you can get PG points for knowing and for buying organic.

To further explore the notion that this dessert is healthy, I decided to research which vitamins the berries have and why they’re good for you and your family:

Strawberries:
• One cup contains over 100 mg of Vitamin C, necessary for immune system function and strong connective tissue; Calcium, for strong bones; and Magnesium, good for your heart and may protect against some diseases.
Blueberries:
• One cup of blueberries will also give you Vitamin C, a little less than strawberries, but blueberries have fewer calories. They also contain Lutein, important for healthy vision.
Raspberries:
• Have the least amount of calories of the three, and also contain Lutein.

→ Did you know that the pigments that give berries their gorgeous blue and red colors are also good for you? The phytochemicals and flavonoids in them can potentially help prevent certain forms of cancer, and the ones in blueberries may help prevent bladder infections.

Phytochemicals? Flavonoids? Back to researching….

Phytochemicals are natural chemicals in fruits, veggies, nuts, and legumes that positively affect your health. Flavonoids, found in colorful skins of fruits and veggies may work as antioxidants.

Antioxidants protect the cells in your body from “oxidative” damage. As the body uses oxygen, by-products known as “free-radicals” can cause damage to cells. Antioxidants, like the ones in blueberries, are known to repair these free-radicals.

Phew, I need some ice cream after that.

Emily chimed in on how desserts fit into her healthy, practical lifestyle:

Too many people falsely believe that you have to sacrifice desserts to be healthy and physically fit. But the key is moderation, not abstention. Avoid processed foods and enjoy an occasional dessert. I eat well and exercise to stay healthy but also because I want to be able to eat desserts.

You can visit Emily’s website here, check out her books here, and her blog here.

Buy some organic fruit, organic juice, enjoy with a nice bottle of eco-friendly wine, there are PG points for all of that.