Raw Chocolate Coconut Truffles

August 25, 2010

Coco-Choco Truffles

These truffles are amazing and made with real raw cacao powder which is filled with anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals.  Also, raw chocolate is one of the best sources of magnesium!

2 cups cashews (soaked overnight in water), drained

8-9 tablespoons raw cacao powder (look for in your local health food store or Whole Foods)

10 large Medjool dates, pitted

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 T. agave nectar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Blend all of the above ingredients in a food processor until smooth, scraping the sides of the container several times.  Then roll tablespoon-sized scoops into balls and roll in coconut to create the coconut coating.

Super Hydrating Pineapple Lassi

June 5, 2010

HAVE to share this recipe!  It’s a steamy one here in DC today and this cool drink was super refreshing and hydrating after a nice vinyasa yoga class this morning.

You’ll need:

  • 5-6 pineapple chunks
  • 1 cup organic plain or Greek yogurt
  • 8 oz. coconut water* (or plain water)
  • 2 tsp. agave nectar
  • 4-5 ice cubes

Blend the ice, yogurt, and coconut water until smooth.  Then add pineapple and agave nectar.

*Coconut water is the perfect summertime beverage.  It is full of electrolytes and naturally rehydrates your body.  Plain coconut water tastes great on ice or blended into smoothies or lassis.  I also like the brand “VitaCoco.”  They blend real fruit into their coconut water to flavor it (no additional sweeteners)!  I like the mango peach and surprise, surprise the pineapple.  Try rehydrating yourself after a workout with coconut water instead of sugar, corn syrup, and additive filled sports drinks.

Two Foods that will Help You Burn Fat this Spring

April 2, 2010

With the beautiful weather warming us all up this week in DC, I’m inspired to share ideas about lightening up your diet for this new spring season. Did you know that there are two foods in particular that will encourage your body to mobilize and burn stored body fat? Spring is the time of year when your body is naturally designed to burn more fat. See my top 3 tips below to find out about these foods.

1. Switch out your breakfast oatmeal or cereal for an energizing homemade smoothie! Try this recipe:

  • 1 banana (try peeling and freezing your bananas for a thicker smoothie)
  • 1 serving hemp protein powder (try Manitoba Harvest brand available at Whole Foods)
  • 1 T. almond butter
  • 1 T. raw honey*
  • About 8 oz. of almond milk or your favorite milk substitute
  • Optional ingredients: (Handful of fresh or frozen blueberries/ strawberries or raspberries, 1 T bee pollen, 1-2 T. flax seed, 1 T. hemp oil or raw/ extra virgin coconut oil)

*Raw honey is an excellent food to add to your diet in the spring. It is great for both immune and digestive health AND it helps your body mobilize and burn fat stores. Real raw honey is loaded with vitamins, minerals and tons of enzymes which are super energizing to the body and unlike sugar and regular honey does not raise your blood sugar levels. Raw honey is cleansing and removing toxins and mucus from the body which is especially helpful for those with seasonal allergies. You want to look for raw honey that is unheated and unfiltered in your local health food store, farmer’s market or Whole Foods. . . hint: It’s NOT the squeezable honey that comes in the little bear:)

2. Eat fresh fruit by itself as a snack and wait 30 minutes before eating any other type of food. Fruit is very easy for the body to digest, is a great source of energy and is highly cleansing to the body. Try incorporating the last of the grapefruits and oranges you can find as a healthy/hydrating snack. Grapefruit eaten alone is also helpful in mobilizing body fat to be burned for energy. You can actually add some raw honey to your grapefruit and you have an amazing snack that’s tart and sweet.

3. Get creative and eat more salads! Add in as many leafy greens and vegetables as possible to your diet this spring. Here’s a vegetable recipe that I absolutely loved:

Ingredients:

  • Cauliflower
  • Dried Cherries
  • Fresh lemon juice
  • 2 T. Capers
  • Drizzle of olive oil
  • Sea salt

Chop up a head of cauliflower (or buy some pre-cut florets for convenience.) Spread out evenly on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Roast in the oven for about 10 minutes on 375 degrees. Cook a little longer for softer cauliflower. Remove from oven and toss with a handful of dried cherries, fresh lemon juice to taste and capers. Sprinkle fresh sea salt to taste. Enjoy!

A high energy, portable, easy food to add to your diet. . .

March 22, 2010

Mmmmm. . . while there are many foods that fit this description, today I’d like to briefly share the virtues of Ezekial bread.  Why?  Because as the official 2nd day of spring we could all use some more real, live,  high energy food in our diets.  Unlike other breads containing flour, gluten, and other possibly undesirable additives, sweeteners, and preservatives that will weigh you down Ezekial is made from sprouted grains and is completely flourless.  What does this mean for you?  It’s easier to digest, provides you more long-lasting energy, AND is highly alkalizing to your body.

Why is it easier to digest than other breads?  Because the whole grains have been sprouted they contain enzymes that assist in digestion instead of drawing from your own enzyme stores.  What about energy?  Eating live foods like fruits, vegetables, and sprouted whole grains give you more energy because they contain high levels of nutrients AND because your body has to do less work in breaking them down thus reserving you more energy to enjoy.  Finally, all foods contribute to either acidity or alkalinity in your body.  Most people in the United States are too acidic.  This is due to lifestyle and diet.  Too much stress, highly processed foods, soda, sugar, white flour and meat in the diet will contribute to acidity.  To alkalize your body eat more fruits, vegetables and sprouted grain breads like Ezekial.

My two personal favorite Ezekial bread snacks/breakfasts are 2 pieces of toasted Ezekial bread with either sliced avocado or almond butter and sliced banana.  You can also try Ezekial brand sprouted tortillas and roll up your favorite veggies with beans, brown rice, and avocado for a tasty lunch.

Energizing Warm Winter Pinenut and Raisin Salad

December 8, 2009

Getting ready to present at lululemon tonight on “Holiday Thriving: Indulge in Nourishing Food and Guiltless Self-Care” and decided to make a tasty warm winter salad to provide me some grounded energy and focus. I’d recommend eating this salad along side some chicken or turkey sausage. I like the brand “Lou’s Famous” … I’ve never met Lou but I think his chicken apple sausage is delicious!

Here’s the recipe:
Kale
Raisins
Pinenuts
1/2 apple
1 T. olive oil
1 clove garlic
sea salt

Strip kale from stalks and tear into pieces. Wash and dry well- (use a salad spinner if you have one). Sautee kale with garlic and olive oil for about 5 minutes or until wilted and warm. Remove kale from pan and place in a bowl. add pine nuts and raisins to warm pan. Sautee until pine nuts are browned and raisins plump up. Add to kale and sprinkle with chopped apple and a pinch of sea salt.

Important! Pre-party Noshing

December 5, 2009

Hear are a few quick tips to keep you energized and not starved when you arrive at upcoming holiday parties and dinners:

1. Eat regular meals especially on the day of a holiday party and enjoy a pre-party mini-meal so you’re not starving when you arrive, otherwise you will set yourself up to overeat and drink at the party. Remember, your brain runs on glucose and the first food you naturally want to eat when you’re really hungry is sugar or something that turns to sugar very quickly.

Healthy pre-party snacks you might enjoy:
Sliced apple, pear, or banana with almond butter
Hummus with whole grain pita or raw vegetables like carrots, broccoli or celery
Edamame (flavored with lime, sea salt and a little cumin or chili)
Olive tapenade with rice crackers
A bowl of vegetable lentil soup (I like Amy’s low-sodium brand and I add a cumin to it to add additional flavor)

Once you get to the party you won’t be totally famished and you’ll still have an appetite to enjoy some of your favorite holiday foods. Remember, deprivation is not healthy or festive:) There are foods that only come around once a year, [like my Nana's clam dip... ok, maybe we have that anytime there's a big family gathering but who's counting;)] that are good to savor and enjoy.

The key is to have a few bites of those special foods and enjoy them!

Cool food

November 3, 2009

Anyone ever try making spaghetti squash?  WHOOAA… it is seriously one of the coolest foods I’ve ever cooked with.  I had heard about it but until a few short weeks ago had never actually tried it or made it myself.  Imagine my surprise when I sliced the spaghetti squash in half… it didn’t look like spaghetti and I actually doubted that I would actually get that squash to turn into anything resembling spaghetti!   This was quite a discovery process… here’s what I did:

  • Bought a nice looking squash (it is the size of a butternut squash, but shaped like an oval and yellow in color)
  • Sliced in half and scooped out the seeds and stringy middle section
  • Put the squash halves face down on a baking sheet with about 1/4 inch of water
  • Baked in the oven at about 425 degrees for between 30 – 45 minutes (may take longer depending on oven temp)
  • Let it cool and low and behold… (this is the cool part…)
  • Took a fork and scraped the inside away from the skin… this is where it magically turns into spaghetti!

Use this spaghetti squash just as you would regular spaghetti… toss with marinara sauce, pesto sauce or olive oil and veggies and meat of your choice.

I tossed mine with marinara sauce, artichokes, kalamata olives, broccoli, pinenuts and red pepper.  Great vegetarian meal (add extra pine nuts for healthy fat and protein).   Enjoy!

Love it when this happens…

September 14, 2009

… a few things milling about in the refrigerator/freezer that make a surprisingly delicious meal!  I had brown rice that I made yesterday in the fridge, some marinara sauce made a while back in the freezer and a couple of fresh vegetables: baby bok choy and baby broccoli that I didn’t want to go bad.

I liked how this dish came together because it felt Italiany without the pasta which usually makes me feel too heavy.  The brown rice was a perfect substitute.  I didn’t event heat it up because the hot marinara sauce did it for me.

Here’s the recipe:

Chop the bok choy and broccoli (or whatever you have on hand) and lay out on your roasting pan (I use a cookie sheet) and drizzle with olive oil, dried herbs and sea salt.  Place in the oven that’s been pre-heated to about 375 degrees.  The veggies roasted in less than 10 minutes.  Take your favorite marinara sauce and pour over brown rice.  Top with the roasted vegetables and serve.  So simple and delicious!

Radical concept…

September 1, 2009

This idea might be so far from what you’ve ever considered that you just might try it… ok… here it is…

Vegetables for breakfast.  What?!

Yeah, I’m serious… eating veggies in the morning could quite possibly give you a serious edge on your day… everyone else eating bready stuff and you… eating vegetables.  Everyone else: foggy and low-energy, and you: clear and energized.

Why not try it if only for a day and see how you feel?

Where to start?  Well, many of you have surely eaten vegetable omelettes and those are certainly yummy and a good place to start.  For those of us who are pressed for time in the morning try hardboiling eggs (in advance) and eating them along with some chopped raw veggies and a drizzle of olive oil.  You could also try topping chopped raw veggies with some greek yogurt.  This morning I ate chopped tomatoes, (from my friend’s garden) green pepper, and avocado with a little sea salt.  I also experimented with one of the recipes listed in the article I’m linking to below… salad # 24.

I love this article for 101 Simple Salads… this has been part of my inspiration to encourage you to try more veggies in the morning.  With all of these delicious recipes you may want to eat salads at every meal… radical concept.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/22/dining/22mlist.html

Amazing Sweet and Healthy Summer Treat!

August 31, 2009

Excited to tell you about a new healthy sweet I discovered today!  It’s coconut milk ice cream and it’s sweetened with agave nectar instead of sugar!  Also has 6 grams of fiber per 1/2 cup serving which is impressive.  Here’s the link to more information: http://turtlemountain.com/products/purely_decadent_Coconut_Milk.html

I ate a couple of scoops with some slivered almonds sprinkled on top.  Really rich and delicious!  Great alternative to ice cream as we enjoy these last weeks of summer…


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