10 Symptoms of Chronic Stress and 15 Ways to Turn On Your Relaxation Response; Including Eating Brownies
Do you love chocolate? Cacao is actually a superfood which helps reduce stress and balance hormones . Here's how and why you should enjoy this gooey chocolatey treat that's actually good for your mind and body.
What is your relationship to stress? For many of us stress is a part of our daily lives, which raises the questions, how do we react to it and how do we relieve it?
If we can’t immediately remove the root cause of our stress, then discovering ways to relax is important because chronic stress causes many negative affects on the body. It causes our main stress hormone, cortisol to rise. Cortisol is created by our adrenal glands. Most of the cells in our body have cortisol receptors, which is why cortisol affects so many bodily functions.
Cortisol is the fight or flight stress hormone, which gives us the strength to out run a predator and keeps us from dying of famine. Cortisol dramatically increases energy production at the expense of other bodily functions that are not required for immediate survival. Trouble is, relentless stress can keep this survival mechanism constantly turned on high, damaging the body. When cortisol levels are chronically elevated the immune system is compromised, weight loss is virtually impossible and risks for chronic diseases are increased.
Cortisol also plays an important role in our nutrition, regulating energy by selecting the right type and amounts of carbohydrates, fats, or proteins the body needs to meet its physiological demands. Cortisol is a key component in the body’s effort to carry out its processes and maintain homeostasis.
When cortisol spikes from stress, it tells the body to eat something high in calories, which is great for survival if you need energy to flee a lion in the jungle, but it’s not so great if you're fretting over the demands of daily life, like juggling work, family and paying the bills.
Are your cortisol levels elevated? Symptoms of high cortisol levels are
Stubborn weight gain, especially belly fat
High blood sugar
High blood pressure
Muscle weakness
Depression, anxiety and irritability
Lack of sex drive
Irregular periods in women.
A round puffy face
Increased thirst and frequent urination
Skin changes and bruising.
So how can we balance the fight or flight response with the rest and repair mechanism? Fortunately there are many relaxation responses to lower high cortisol levels.
Eat dark Chocolate! (See my sweet potato brownie recipe below)
Pound a pound of vegetables every day.
Eat sweet potatoes.
Eat 3-5 smaller meals per day, so your adrenals know you’re not starving of famine.
Say "Om" and meditate - in whatever way works for you.
Listen to music you love.
Get 8 hours of sleep.
Sip green tea.
Hang out with someone who makes you laugh.
Get a massage.
Do something spiritual- like a walk in nature's temple- in the woods or on the beach.
Breath deeply in and out of your nose for a few breaths.
Have an orgasm. It raises oxytocin (love hormone) 500 times. An instant stress reliever!
Open a page from any book by Eckhart Tolle, Thich Nhat Hanh, Jiddu Krishnamurti, or Paramahansa Yogananda and read an excerpt.
Eat sweet potato brownies.
These delicious and healthy chocolate treats have been given a thumbs-up from some very discerning taste testers in my family.
Sweet Potato Brownies
Sweet Potato Brownies
Ingredients
2 large sweet potatoes or about 4 C roasted (or steamed) sweet potatoes
10-12 medjool dates
1 Tbs. vanilla
¼ chia seeds
¾ C water
1 Tbs. flax meal
1 C raw cacao powder
1 C raw cacao nibs
2 Tbs. sweetener (coconut sugar, coconut syrup, brown rice syrup, date sugar, maple sugar or maple syrup)
Process
Bake the sweet potatoes until they are soft and caramely.
Combine chia and water and let stand until thick about 20 minutes.
Remove pits from the dates and cut in half
Add dates to food processor and mix until a ball if formed.
Peel sweet potatoes and add to dates in food processor.
Process dates and potatoes until smooth.
Add vanilla and process again.
Pour the three ingredients from food processor into a large bowl.
Add melted cacao butter and stir to fully incorporate.
Add sweetener of choice.
Add ½ C of the chia mixture.
Add flax meal
Add cacao powder and mix gently.
Add cacao nibs and fold in.
Taste batter and add more vanilla, sweetener or cacao powder to preference. (this batter is so delicious that you want to eat it all raw)
Line baking pan with parchment paper
Pour batter in pan evenly.
Bake in 350 degree oven for 35-45 minutes
Test with a knife or toothpick for doneness. Do not over-bake because the cacao oil will hold everything solidly together once the brownies cool.
After baking, cool at room temp, and then refrigerate to set before slicing.
These babies last a good week in the fridge (if you don’t eat them all before then) and about three weeks in the freezer.
Thanks for joining the rawception!
How To Live The Sweet life Every Day
Do you lack the energy to get through your busy day and fulfill your highest and truest potential? If you need more energy, then you’ll want to read this.
Six years ago, I faced several life changes all at once. I needed to change my diet and lifestyle to generate surplus energy to create a new life for myself and get through my busy workday.
As a plant based chef and certified holistic health coach, I originally developed nutrient dense recipes for myself as an experiment in my test kitchen. I worked with a variety of organic whole food and super foods to perfect the Energy Diet recipes. The recipes helped transform my sluggishness into lasting energy and sustainable weight loss.
After I experienced the results, I perfected the recipes and began to share this system in my health coach practice. I live the Energy Diet way and I'm excited to share my first Energy Diet eBook: Module 1, with you, without the cost of my health coaching programs.
This eBook will guide you to generate your core energy. Energy that’s instant and lasts all day! I promise, you’ll never want to feel any other way. And think of what you can achieve with renewed energy.
Included are 10 easy and delicious recipes, important nutrition information, energy food concepts such as "adding in", "crowding out" "soul food", "mood food", and "eating the rainbow". Module 1 of the energy diet also provides a 7-day meal plan with a comprehensive grocery list, and a guide to set up your new healthy pantry and fridge. Plus, tips for eating for energy while away form your kitchen.
Generating real energy is multifaceted, but core energy stems from our digestion. Energy food establishes a healthy gut and aids in digestion. Whole food contains living enzymes, phytonutrients, and high fiber, which cleanse and detoxify our gut on a cellular level. A healthy gut balances hormones, builds a strong immune system, reduces inflammation, efficiently extracts energy and nutrients from food, and allows healthy bacteria to make B and K vitamins, all of which provide powerful energy. The body needs energy to heal itself and cleanse itself from toxins. A healthy gut is the key to energy production and overall wellness.
Here’s a quick and yummy energy diet recipe that will satisfy your sweet tooth without the bad carbs and refined sugar. After all, who doesn't crave sweet things? Sweet words, sweet gestures, sweet relationships, and sweet treats. But all sweets should be healthy and healing.
Chocolate & Strawberry Torte
Ingredients
8 strawberries, sliced thin
1 medium apple, peeled and sliced in ¼ inch circles, or shape of your choice
Almond Chocolate Spread
2 Tbs. almond butter
1 ½ Tbs. coconut butter
1 Tbs. raw organic honey (use maple syrup for vegan)
1 ½ Tbs. raw cacao powder
½ tsp. chia seeds
Process
Chocolate Spread
Mix all ingredients by hand with a spoon
Add extra cacao powder if the consistency is not thick enough.
Torte
Using a round cookie cutter, cut out the peeled apple rounds into six uniform pieces.
On a round dessert plate, begin building layers with an apple layer at the bottom.
Spread a generous amount of cacao spread on apple slice.
Top with 3 slices of strawberry.
And so on until the torte is 6 layers tall.
Add three extra strawberry slices to the very top to decorate.
Share with your sweetie.
Sweet Success
Having a few tools of the trade is well worth the investment in your health. I suggest three kitchen tools to help you successfully uncover your core energy. A high speed blender, a food processor and a sharp chef knife.
Vitamix:
I recommend the Vitamix Pro750 high-speed blender. It has been the best investment in my health. I bought one for each of my kids too. You can purchase it at Williams Sonoma or Amazon.com
BlendTec:
I have experience with this BlendTec brand and I like their unique functions. You can shop at blendtec.com or amazon.com
The Magic Bullet:
The Bullet is a good starter-blender for about a hundred bucks. It’s an efficient little machine but won’t have the variable functions or lifespan of the bigger blenders. You can buy one at bed bath &beyond or amazon.com
Cuisinart Food Processor:
A 10-14 cup size food processor is great. I use the Cuisinart brand and love it. You can shop at Williams Sonoma, Sur La Table, or amazon.com
A Chef Knife:
If you can only invest in one good knife make it the “Shun" classic 8", chef knife. The Shun knife creates beautiful cuts and lasts for years. You can purchase it online at Williams Sonoma, cuttleryandmore.com and amazon.com
For setting up your fridge and pantry for success see my Energy Diet eBook 1. Organizing your pantry is like cleaning out your closet, garage or attic. Getting rid of old belongings that no longer suit you or your lifestyle. Creating an organized and clean closet makes getting dressed more efficient and fun; it’s the same idea with food. Your pantry, fridge, and freezer are your food closets. Purging all the unhealthy, expired and processed foods that no longer serve you is empowering and sets you up to succeed.
Thanks for joining the Rawception.
A Deliciously, Nutritious Cheesecake Recipe That Will Delight Even The Toughest Vegan Critics
Who doesn't like cheesecake? I've always loved it. But as usual I want a healthy version. I won't lie-this recipe isn't exactly a-zero-calorie treat. However, not all calories are created equal.
Science based evidence shows that a one hundred calories from an apple behaves very different in the body than one hundred calories of fast food fries. One turns on the good genes and the other turns on the bad. Take a guess at what does what.
You can enjoy this indulgence without any guilt because this healthy cheesecake is full of good fats and protein from coconut and nuts, low glycemic sweetness from dates and maple syrup and it's full of antioxidants from raw cacao. So go ahead. Eat cake!
Raw vegan white chocolate and chocolate cheesecake.
Ingredients for Base
1/4 C dried coconut flakes
1/4 C raw almonds
1/4 C raw cashews
1 Tbs. raw cacao powder
5 dates
Pinch sea salt
1 Tbs. coconut oil, added last
Ingredients for Filling
2 C cashews
3/4 C maple syrup
1 lemon, juiced
1 vanilla pod
3/4 C cacao powder
Pinch salt
1/2 C coconut oil, added last
1/4 C cacao butter, melted and added last
Ingredients for ganache topping
1/3 C cacao powder
1/3 C maple syrup
1/3 C coconut oil
1/3 C cacao butter, melted
Pinch sea salt
Process Base
In a food processor, mix raw almonds and cashews until it becomes a meal (but not butter).
Add nut meal to a large bowl and mix
In a food processor, mix dates until they become a ball, add to bowl
Add all other ingredients to bowl except for oil and mix well by hand
Then add coconut oil and mix well by hand
Cut parchment to fit the bottom of a spring form pan.
Press crust into parchment until its a uniform crust.
Place in fridge and begin filling
Process Filling
In a high speed blender, mix soaked cashews and all ingredients except coconut oil and cacao butter.
Melt cacao butter
Gradually add oil and melted butter last and blend until a think creamy consistency.
Pour over chilled crust
Place in freezer.
Begin the ganache layer
Process Ganache
In a high speed blender, mix all ingredients until smooth and think
After the filling has set enough, pour ganache over filling and place in the fridge until set.
Cut into 10 slices.
Like and comment if you like this recipe!
Tri-Color Crackers
I don’t like waste; never really have. I started recycling newspapers and plastic in college in 1980 because I wanted to do something good for the planet and it was my little contribution.
I realized that many things have nine lives. The challenge is to remember to get resourceful and try to repurpose an old thing into something new.
Every time I juice at home, I feel terrible throwing the fibrous vegetable pulp in the garbage. I can hear the voice in my head say “I should make something out of this pulp” but I either run out of time or get lazy and never do, Until now. And after how amazing these crackers taste and quick they are to make, I’ll recycle my juice pulp from now on!
Juice Pulp Crackers
I juice the same color veggies for uniform color pulp, but if all the veggie colors mix together that’s cool too!
Ingredients
3 C vegetable pulp from juicing
2 1/2 C spring water
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1 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. nutritional yeast
1 Tbs. psyllium husk
1 Tbs. flax meal, freshly ground
¼ C raw buckwheat flour (or any non gluten flour)
¼ C sprouted sunflower seeds
¼ C sprouted pumpkin seeds
¼ C chia seeds
¼ C flax seeds
¼ C sesame seeds
¼ C fennel seeds
Process
In a high speed blender mix the pulp and water until smooth.
Transfer to a mixing bowl.
Add in all remaining ingredients.
With a plastic spatula, stir by hand until the batter is thick enough to spread on a non stick sheet.
Scoop ½ the batter onto a non-stick dehydrator mat or a baking “silpat” mat.
With a pastry spatula, spread the batter until flat and 1/8 -1/4 inch thick. Perforate smooth batter into squares if you prefer square crackers or you can just break crackers into rustic shapes after cooking. You will need two mats.
Dehydrate for 4 hours, then flip crackers onto a mesh dehydrator tray and peel away nonstick mat and continue to dehydrate overnight at 115 degrees.
**Alternately, bake crackers in the over on a “silpat” mat at 300 degrees until crispy.
**Optonal: smash an avocado and sprinkle with sea salt and eat on crackers!
L’amour
It’s that time of year when love is celebrated. I'm so grateful for the unconditional love of my parents, siblings, loving my beautiful children beyond words, the love of dear friends, and of course, my romantic love relationship which is constant and unwavering. I feel such gratitude for the gifts of love I receive and to have the privilege to give so much of the wonderful stuff back.
There’s a lot of talk from the spiritual community these days about love. Unconditional Love, Love Now, The Daily Love, and A Return to Love. And I love all of it. It seems there’s not enough love in this world, which is sad because love is infinite and costs nothing. No market share to worry about; plenty for everyone.
The things I’m learning from these spiritual visionaries is to be aware of the present moment, to tap into the Love that’s within each of us, to commune with Love (or the higher Source) daily. To embody Love, to surrender to Love, and make our life’s purpose to serve Love, by living at our highest vibration in the form of our most authentic creative selves. And to treat all human beings lovingly. I must be a seeker on the Love path and it’s quite a journey.
I was also moved by what Marianne Williamson says about Love in this thoughtful Ted Talk. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHRE10ZiYjM&feature=share
And I recently read her book “A return to Love” which enlightened me in many ways. Lots of highlighted sections and dog eared pages.
My love and I have independently begun daily meditation practices to find what we’re seeking. Self Love and Divine Love. I think we’re both looking in the right place.
Raw Chocolate Covered Strawberries
24 large strawberries
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1 C cacao paste
1 C cacao butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 C agave or other liquid sweeter
Pinch sea salt
Process
To temper the chocolate, finely chop the cacao paste and butter.
Place n a metal bowl.
Dehydrate at 115 degrees until its mostly melted.
Remove from dehydrator and stir to be sure all bits are melted.
Add remaining ingredients.
Place back in the dehydrator for 5 more minutes.
Remove from dehydrator and dip strawberries.
Place chocolate strawberries on parchment paper to dry for a few minutes before eating.
Share with someone you love.
"Be Mine" Linzer Cookies
These cookies are super special to present to your love. It’s a very fun craft project creating these sweets for your sweet, not to mention they’re delicious and beautiful. I imagine this recipe could be baked in the oven as well, however I’ve never done it so if anyone does, I’d love to know the results! Remember to love yourself first, then pass it on, because there’s never enough love to go around.
Jam Ingredients
1 C strawberries or raspberries or a mix of both
1/4 C dates, chopped
2 tsp. lemon juice
½ tsp vanilla extract
Pinch sea salt, optional
Process
In a high speed blender, blend all ingredients until smooth
Place in the dehydrator for 2-3 hours to thicken or cook on the stovetop over low heat until reduced and thick
Refrigerate
Pastry Ingredients
1 ½ C almond flour
1 C coconut flour
½ C macadamia nuts, ground
¼ C Plus 2 Tbs. agave
2 Tbs. raw honey or maple syrup
½ Tbs. lemon zest
1 Tbs. lemon juice
2 Tbs. coconut oil, melted
Pinch of sea salt
Process
In a food processor, mix the almond flour and 1/3 C of the coconut flour until well combined
Add remaining ingredients and process until dough is formed
You may need to add a few tablespoons of water to make this soft enough to work with.
With a rolling pin, roll our dough to be approximately ¼ inch thick. You want the dough to be thin.
Using a cookie cutter, cut into shapes, making an even amount of cookies .
Cut half of the cookies with a cut out, the other half without.
Dehydrate 10-12 hours or until cookies are very crisp
Assembly
Spread about 1 teaspoon of jam on a solid cookie and top with the cut out cookie to make a sandwich. Dust lightly with coconut flour.
Kale Kick!
Kale Granola
I love sneaking veggies into sweet treats to up the antioxidant quotient. Kale and many other veggies have a relatively neutral flavor and add an extra crispy crunch to the granola. I love this kale granola and I know you will too.
Kale granola Ingredients
Wet ingredients
6 dates
6 dried Turkish apricots (or 1/4 C golden raisins or 1/4 C figs)
1 Tbs. lemon zest:
Dry ingredients
6 leaves of shredded kale
1/4 C sprouted almonds
1/4 C sprouted pumpkin seeds
1/4 C sprouted sunflower seeds
1/4 C golden raisins (or dried blueberries, cherries, mulberries, gojiberries)
Optional flavor add in: 1/4 C Cacao powder
Process
In a food processor with a metal blade, mix wet ingredients until a ball forms.
lace in mixing bowl.
Process dry ingredients briefly, just until chunky
Add to mixing bowl.
Mix by hand until all ingredients are well incorporated. (if too wet, add more nuts, seeds, and vice versa)
Press batter by hand onto a cookie sheet. (optional: lightly oiled with melted coconut oil)
Slice into bar shape before baking.
Dehydrate for overnight at 115 degrees or bake at 300 degrees for about 10 -15 minutes until firm.
Berry Good
The sign of a great food experience for me, is immediately imagining a repeat. As was with this muffin. While un-cooking is my specialty, I do enjoy fire, so I employed my raw pastry techniques and produced this nutritious, moist and super delicious very berry muffin recipe to share on rawception.
Been spending time in New York lately. My heart belongs to someone from that state. He shares my birthplace in one of the boroughs, but my family moved to the Midwest two years later so I didn’t grow up there as my mother and grandmother had. Somehow at midlife, love has brought me back full circle. I always feel in my element in New York, especially Manhattan. Always have.
Wandering up to First Avenue to check out a health food grocery, I passed a cute little vegan bakery. In I went. One delicious blueberry muffin later I emerged. I don’t regularly eat baked goods (even vegan) although I love them. But I was in NYC and getting to know the neighborhood, so why not?
The sign of a great food experience for me, is immediately imagining a repeat. As was with this muffin. But even more than a re-eat, I wanted to recreate it myself in a healthier, no white sugar, no earth balance, kind of way.
While un-cooking is my specialty, I do enjoy fire, so I employed my raw pastry techniques and produced this nutritious, moist and super delicious very berry muffin recipe to share on rawception. I had blueberries and raspberries in the fridge so I used lots of both for flavor and color. This recipe is easy to make and super good, so bake these, and treat yourself and that someone your heart belongs to.
Very Berry Muffins
Preheat over to 350 degrees
Ingredients
½ C soft tofu
1/3 C almond milk
1/3 C coconut oil
¼ C mashed ripe banana
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 C brown rice flour
1 C. almond meal
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbs. flax meal
1 Tbs. raw honey
1 Tbs. yacon or brown rice syrup
½ tsp cinnamon
1 C blueberries
1 C raspberries
Process
In a blender, mix all wet ingredients
In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients
Add wet ingredients to the bowl
Mix by hand
Adjust if too wet or too dry. It should be fairly wet batter
Gently incorporate berries
Grease a muffin pan with coconut oil and spoon into muffin rounds.
Alternate: Grease a cheesecake pan and pour batter into the pan for a coffee cake shape.
Bake for 15 minutes on middle or lower rack, to estimate doneness.
Bake for another 10-15 minutes until golden brown.
Puncture with a toothpick to be sure center is cooked.
Allow to cool completely before removing from pan.
Chocolate Cake
This is one of all time favorite raw desserts. It's ridiculously delicious and It's not at all difficult or time consuming to make. Share this with someone you love. They'll think you were in the kitchen for hours. On the other hand, keeping it all to yourself isn't a bad idea.
Chocolate Cake Ingredients
Bottom Layer of Cake
¼ C date paste
2 Tbs. almond milk
2 Tbs. agave
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
2 Tbs. coconut oil, melted
1 C almond flour, sifted
1 C sprouted buckwheat groat flour,sifted
½ C desicated coconut, ground into fine flour, sifted
¼ C cacao powder, sifted
1 pinch salt
Top Layer of Cake
½ C cacao powder, sifted
½ C maple syrup
¼ C coconut butter
Whisk all ingredients until very smooth.
Process
In a blender, combine all wet ingredients until smooth. Set aside.
Mix dry ingredients by hand in a bowl.
Make a bird’s nest and gently add wet ingredients into middle of dry bowl until batter is formed.
Add extra flour if too sticky.
Roll the dough into a ¼ inch thick sheet.
On parchment form the bottom layer with round or shaped ring molds.
Cover with the top layer and freeze until set.
Refrigerate until ready to eat.
Crêpe Du Jour!
This raw vegan Nutella crepe is even better than the ones on the streets in Paris. Eat as many as you want!
I love writing recipes that re-create food I've experienced while traveling. The flavors instantly transport me back to a specific time in my life and I linger in the memories of a past trip or experience. This raw vegan Nutella crepe is even better than the ones on the streets in Paris. Eat as many as you want!
Nutella Crêpes
Crêpes
1 pear
1 C coconut meat
1/2 C water
2-3 tsp lemon or lime juice
1/4 C date - apricot paste*
1 tsp vanilla
Process
In a food processor place 3/4 C each pitted dates and dried apricots. Process until a ball forms.
In high speed blender place al ingredients and blend until smooth. Spread into large round circles on a reflex sheet and dehydrate 8 hours or overnight.
Nutella Spread
1 1/2 C hazelnuts
1 C dates
1/4 C cacao powder
1/4 C plus 2 Tbs hazelnut milk
Process
In a food processor process hazelnuts until finely ground. Sift out flour and process remaining into butter. Add dates and process util incorporated. Add cacao powder and mix. Add milk until creamy.
Assembly
Spread hazelnut spread evenly onto round crêpe. Top with banana chips or anything you like. Fold and eat! RAW 4 NRG!
Pure and Simple Truffles
Fortunately my recent chocolate cravings coincide with learning that raw cacao is one of the most important antioxidants and beneficial super foods!
A confessed pastry lover, yes! But I’ve never been a chocoholic until recently with the onset of peri menopause. Cacao has officially crept onto my radar. Now, when it's chocolate I want, nothing else will do! Fortunately my recent chocolate cravings coincide with learning that raw cacao is one of the most important antioxidants and beneficial super foods! I’ve also learned to listen to what my body tells me it needs, and these truffles are so healthful we all need to eat them!
Along with Cacao's antioxidant powers, this super food is loaded with PEA (the feel good, love neurotransmitter), resveratrol, vitamin A, B1-B6, C, E, Omega 6 fatty acid, tryptophan, serotonin and a host of trace minerals and enzymes. This recipe can also be spiked with tonic herbs too; a dropper of schizandra and goji berry to cleanse your liver or ho shu wu extracts to increase your stamina and up the healing ante.
There are many versions of raw cacao truffles but most include loads of cashew butter, cacao butter and agave which are calories and fat laden, albeit good fats. However, these super creamy dreamy chocolaty truffles are from my “pure and simple” pastry line which contain just fruit, nuts and spices, a small amount of healthy fat and no sugar.
Raw food lends itself exceptionally well to sweets. For taste alone, I’ll choose a raw desert over a traditional baked version hands down. Try a raw cookie, ice cream, cinnamon roll, pie, cheese cake, brownie or truffle but be ready it’s the gateway drug to raw food!
Hazelnut Cacao Truffle Base
1 C dates
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½ C. hazelnut meal
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. hazelnut extract (or vanilla extract)
¼ C. cacao powder
Topping
½ C. hazelnuts,
1 tsp. cinnamon
coconut sugar.
Process
Topping: Process topping ingredients into a fine powder. Set aside.
Truffles: Process dates until they form a ball. Remove ball from food processor and set aside. In processor, pulse hazelnuts, cinnamon and flavored extract of choice until finely mixed. Add date ball until combined. Add ½ of the cacao until well incorporated. Add second half and process until smooth. Roll into a big ball, cover and refrigerate over night. Roll truffles into small balls and roll through agave and then toss in powder topping. Refrigerate until ready to eat.
Garam Masala Truffle Base
1 C. dates
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4 C. cashew meal
½ tsp. garam masala
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. coconut sugar or one dropper of liquid stevia
¼ C. cacao powder
Topping
¼ C. garam masala
2 Tbsp. coconut sugar
Process with above instructions.
Berry Truffle Base
1 C. dates
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½ C. macadamia nuts
¼ tsp. ground ginger
¼ freeze dried berry of your choice
½ tsp. vanilla extra
Topping
1 pkg. freeze dried berries
½ tsp. vanilla powder or extract.
Process with above instructions.
Super Squares
These are so nutritious that a couple of squares count as a square meal or snack chock full of antioxidants, resveritrol, protein, and just plain deliciousness!
It’s a cookie! It’s a power bar! It’s super squares!
I really didn’t know what to call these when I created this recipe late one night when I wanted a big spoonful of cookie dough but also something nutritious, sweet and sensible that I could take traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday. These are so nutritious that a couple of squares count as a square meal or snack chock full of antioxidants, resveritrol, protein, and just plain deliciousness!
Many raw foods have methyl groups which combat toxins. (cooked foods do not) Goji berries contain CH3 (three methyl groups) which is excellent for cleansing toxins and bad estrogens. I include goji's in as many recipe's as possible. Nutritionally, goji's "pow, bam and zonk" all over raisins or cranberries.
So be a man or woman of steel and make these super squares!
Ingredients
¾ C. date paste
2 Tbsp agave (optional)
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1 ¼ C. almond meal
1 C. cashew meal
¼ C. hemp seeds
1/8 C. chia seeds
¼ C. pumpkin seeds
1 Tbsp. coconut butter
1 Tbsp. maca powder
1 Tbsp. lucuma powder
1 Tbsp. mesquite powder
¼ C. goji berries
¼ C. golden berries
¼ C. dried mulberries
¼ C. cacao nibs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch salt
Chocolate Syrup
¼ C. Cacao powder
2 Tbsp. date syrup, maple syrup or agave
1 Tbsp. coconut oil melted
Process
1. Mix all chocolate syrup ingredients in a vitamin. Set aside.
2. Add 1 C. dates and 1/3 C. water in a high speed blender until smooth and creamy. Add extra sweetener of choice if desired. Set aside.
3. Process raw almonds and raw cashews (separately) into a flour consistency, but stop before the oils break down into butter.
4. Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. Add date paste mixture and combine by hand.
5. Spread onto a teflex sheet and dehydrate overnight. Remove and cut into squares. Drizzle with chocolate syrup and dehydrate another 24 hours.
6. These stay fresh in the fridge for a couple weeks!
Quality vs Quantity
When it comes to cooking, using fewer ingredients, but the highest quality organic ingredients, make all the difference in flavor and presentation.
When I was younger I always wanted more, but with age, I grew to appreciate the concepts of less is more, quality over quantity and simplicity over multiplicity.
Think about how impactful a brief, but deep conversation can be versus a long surface level chat. And isn’t quality time being truly present with family and friends so much more rewarding than catching up on the run? When it comes to cooking, using fewer ingredients, but the highest quality organic ingredients, make all the difference in flavor and presentation.
If choosing quality means choosing less, it’s an easy choice! Quality things lasts longer, taste better, and pay off over time. Accumulating too much stuff can indeed become “trappings” and you really can’t take it with you!
The key to these fruit tartlets is combining just a few specific, high quality ingredients.
Crust Ingredients
½ C medjool dates, pitted and chopped
½ C dried white mulberries
½ C raw sprouted almonds, finely chopped
Vanilla and Strawberry Cream Ingredients
1 C coconut butter
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbs. raw, honey
¼ C organic strawberries
Topping ingredients
¼ C organic strawberries, sliced
½ organic peach, sliced
Process
For crusts:
In a food processor, process the almonds into a fine meal. Remove almond meal and set aside. In the same food processor bowl, process dates and mulberries until they process into a smooth ball in the processor bowl. Set aside dried fruit mixture in a bowl. By hand (with gloves if you prefer) mix the almond meal with date mixture. If it’s too loose add more meal and vs. Line two mini tart pans with removable bottoms, with saran wrap to line the bottom, press crust mixture into tartlet pans. Refrigerate or freeze to set.
For vanilla and strawberry cream:
Soften coconut butter until it’s creamy and smooth by adding very warm water in a bowl and setting the coconut butter in another container that floats in warm water until softened/melted. Add all ingredients except strawberries, in a high-speed blender. After fully creamed, remove half of mixture in half and set aside. Add 1/8 C strawberries to mixture and puree together. Add a few more strawberries but don’t allow the cream to become too thin. Fill crusts with cream. Refrigerate to set about 30 minutes.
Garnish:
Vanilla cream crust with sliced peaches. Garnish strawberry cream crust with sliced strawberries.
Pretty Pops
Fresh coconut water is one of the richest natural sources of electrolytes which makes it the best sports drink around.
Summer is here, and it's important to stay hydrated in the heat, or any time. Drinking enough water is something I struggle with, so I made these healthy, hydrating treats to add to my liquid intake.
Coconut water has so many amazing health benefits (see my post "Island Inspired" for the complete list) but when the temps rise, its the way in which the coconut water hydrates the human body that's so remarkable. Fresh coconut water is one of the richest natural sources of electrolytes which makes it the best sports drink around. So grab a coconut and a straw and you're good to go!
The key, however, is to get the water fresh from the young Thai coconut. Breaking open a coconut is potentially tricky but once you practice a few times, you'll be a pro. I use an old sturdy, large chef knife and a hammer. I gently pound the knife with the hammer at the top of the coconut on three sides to make a triangular opening.
After I pour the delicious sweet water into a jar, I cut the coconut in half and carefully scoop out the rich coconut meat avoiding the brown pith. The meat is a precious commodity to make egg salad, noodles, ice-cream and so many other yummy raw delicacies. The coconut meat and the coconut water can both be frozen for a few months and easily defrosted it in the refrigerator overnight.
Recipe
Ingredients
2 young Thai coconuts
1 handful edible Nasturtium flowers
**or any edible pretty decoration.
Process
Open the top of the fresh coconut. Pour coconut water into a jar or bowl. Stir in flowers or any other edible decoration. Pour into the popsicle mold and push the wooden stick down a few times to push down flowers because they tend to float to the top. Freeze overnight.
Strawberry Surprise
This is one of my all time favorite energy food recipes because it truly is the one of the most deliciously nutritious desert I've ever tasted. The hazelnut cream is dreamy, and the cake is moist and rich. The strawberries make it eye poppingly irresistible and top it off with natural sweetness. It's a desert to to impress.
My father’s favorite birthday dessert has always been strawberry shortcake. Homemade of course. My sisters and I have all shared the task over the years! So I created a healthy raw version for him a couple years ago. The hazelnut cream is dreamy, and the cake is moist and rich. The strawberries make it eye poppingly irresistible and top it off with natural sweetness. This recipe is so delicious he didn’t miss the “real” whipping cream one bit! It's a desert to to impress.
Strawberry Hazelnut Shortcake with Candied Strawberries
Shortcake
1 cup hazelnut pulp, wet
½ cup coconut flour
¼ plus 2 Tbs agave syrup
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp almond extract
pinch salt.
Candied Strawberries
1 cup strawberries, sliced
1 Tbs maple syrup
Vanilla Cream
1 cup coconut meat
½ cup cashews
½ cup hazelnut milk
1/3 cup agave
¼ cup maple or date sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp soy lecithin
½ cup coconut oil
Strawberries
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries, sliced
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Process
Shortcake
Combine all dry ingredients.
Stir in wet and mix all ingredients by hand.
Press into individual size round molds.
Dehydrate for 3- 4 hours.
Vanilla Cream
Blend all ingredients, except coconut oil, in a high speed blender until smooth.
Then blend in coconut oil last.
Place in ice cream machine and process.
Candied Strawberries
Slice strawberries and coat with maple syrup.
Dehydrate on teflex sheets for 12 hours.
Turn each slice over and dehydrate another 8-12 hours or until crispy.
Presentation
Place one short cake on a round plate centered.
Gently place one heaping scoop of cream on top of cake.
Place as many sliced strawberries into cream as possible at all angles.
Fill in with candied strawberries!
Enjoy this deliciously nutritious treat with your loved ones. They will love you for it.
Thanks for joining the Rawception!
Sour Cherry Granola
I love this brown-sugary-oatmeal-cookie-like granola! It reminds me of growing up in the Midwest when once as a teen my mother took me to visit an amish town near my hometown in Illinois. The Amish are known for their baked goods and beautiful wood furniture made with no electrical tools. I bought an oatmeal cookie at one of the amish bakeries. It was the most delicious cookie I had ever tasted, then and since, until this granola! I eat it as a snack by the handful or sprinkle it generously on raw coconut yogurt topped with fresh berries for a beautiful and yummy parfait! (recipe to come!)
Have fun creating your own flavor variations using this base recipe. I’ve listed a couple of my favorites below. While this is a simple recipe, the process is as important as the ingredients, so I encourage you to take a moment to read the recipes from start to finish, note the recipe breaks, gather your mise en place and then begin. I promise it will be a much more zen creative experience. PS: I also suggest a double batch! It’s so good it goes fast!
Sour Cherry Grawnola
Granola
1 C golden raisins
1 C. dried turkish apricots
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1Tbsp. lemon zest
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. ground ginger
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1 C. almonds, soaked 8 hrs.
½ C. brazil nuts, rinsed only
½ C. macadamia nuts, rinsed only
½ C; sprouted buckwheat groats
½ C. sunflower seeds 6-8 hrs.
½ C. diced apple
1 C. dried sour cherries or bing cherries
Process
In a food Processor mix the dried fruit until it forms into a ball.
Add extracts, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and zest to food processor and process until combined.
Place the fruit and spice ball in a large mixing bowl.
Process nuts into small chunks.
Add nuts, seeds and fruit to mixing bowl and combine by hand. You might prefer wearing powder free disposable gloves.
Add additional nuts, seeds or almond meal if mixture is too loose.
Spread granola mixture in small handfuls on dehydrator sheets and dehydrate for 24 hours or until crunchy.
Flavors Options:
Blueberry Granola
Replace cherries with 1 C. dried blueberries
Replace brazil nuts and macadamia nuts with 1 ½ C. pecans, soaked 8 hrs.
Replace ginger and nutmeg with1 tsp. cinnamon
Replace almond extract with 1 tsp. vanilla
Superfood Granola
Replace dried blueberries with 1 C. mixed dried goji berries, golden berries, mulberries, raspberries, blackberries or cranberries
Add 1 tsp. maca
Add 2 tsp. mesquite
Add 1 Tbsp. hemp seeds
Add ½ C. cacao nib
A Healthy Holiday Cookie That Will Generate Your Energy Without The Sugar Crash
I love cookies at the holidays. But I don’t love the sugar high and inevitable slump. The recipe I’m sharing below is a vegan version of an almond crescent cookie my Czech grandmother always made at the holidays. My sister now carries on her tradition every year. I love the taste of my grandmother's cookies which are made from just butter, sugar, flour and almonds. In my recipe I substituted almond butter for the dairy butter, powdered raw coconut sugar for the white table sugar and a little coconut flour for the white flour. These cookies are delicious without any carbs but lots of good fat and protein. Because they're not particularly sweet, I love to pair them with a cup of tea or coffee. I liken them to a biscotti. Happy Holidays, Everyone!
Almond Crescent Cookies
½ C almond butter
¼ C plus 2 Tbs. almond milk
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2 3/4 C finely ground almonds
1/4 C coconut flour
1/2 C powdered coconut sugar, plus an extra ¾ C powdered coconut sugar for topping
Process
In a vitamix or coffee/spice grinder, finely powder about 1 C coconut sugar.
In a vitamix or coffee/spice grinder, finely powder 2 3/4 C raw almonds
In a large bowl, with a spoon mix all dry ingredients and make a well in the middle.
Add all wet ingredients in the well.
With a spoon, incorporate all ingredients by hand, until you can form a large ball of dough.
If the dough is dry or crumbly, add more almond milk, one tablespoon at a time.
Cut the ball in quarters, and then each quarter in four pieces again, then cut each piece in half. This should be about the right amount of dough for each cookie.
Roll the small amount of dough between your palms until a small tube is formed.
Bend it into a crescent shape.
Place all crescent cookies onto a parchment paper on a baking sheet.
Bake at 300 degrees for 15-20 minutes on the middle rack.
Dredge all cookies in powdered coconut sugar one at a time.
A Raw Cacao Truffle Recipe for a Healthy Halloween
Do you want to have a healthy Halloween? We kid ourselves that we're buying the halloween candy for the kiddos, but most adults eat a lot of it too. Eating too much candy never makes us feel good the next day. If we make a healthy Halloween treat then we're less apt to dive into the really bad stuff. Try this recipe. It has only three ingredients and is scary satisfying!
I almost didn't write a Halloween blog, which is why this quick mini-blog is so late to arrive in your in-box. I'm kind of a Halloween Scrooge, but just about the sugary, candy part. The costume, dress up part is wonderful.
Sugar is very addictive and causes so many health problems. But yes, anything in moderation is fine, unfortunately it can be difficult to find balance with sugar or any addictive substance.
I want to share a quick and easy chocolate truffle treat that's super healthy and fun to make. It only has three ingredients and it's kid-friendly so the little ghost and goblins can help roll these chocolate truffles and sprinkle them with a host of healthy powdery toppings.
Raw vegan cacao truffles coated with three different coatings: (top) cacao powder , (middle) turmeric & coconut sugar powder and (bottom) matcha & coconut sugar powder coating.
Raw Vegan Cacao Truffles
Three ingredients truffles: coconut butter, raw cacao and raw organic honey!
Ingredients
1/2 C raw cacao powder
1/2 C coconut butter, softened
1/4 C raw honey
Coating Options
Cacao powder
Matcha green tea powder mixed with coconut sugar powder (Ratio: Equal parts matcha to coconut sugar)
Turmeric powder mixed with coconut sugar powder (Ration: equal parts turmeric to coconut sugar)
Chai spice mix: cinnamon, cardamom powder, clove, ginger (Ratio: equal parts chaï parts to coconut sugar)
Açai powder
Coconut water powder
Halloween-Themed Garnish: Goji Berry Eye Balls
Goji berries, cut in half can but placed into each raw chocolate truffles as eye balls.
Process
In a large bowl, mix the 3 ingredients together with a spoon until smooth.
Place the mixing bowl and truffle batter in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to chill.
Remove from fridge and form truffles into small balls. Then place the truffles on a plate or tupperware and place them back into the refrigerator until firm, about 10 minutes.
When firmer, remove from fridge and using a toothpick, poke two eye-balls holes in each truffle.
In three small bowls, add coating powders and roll each truffle through powder.
Cut goji berries in half and place the pointed edge into the eye hole sockets to make "truffle insects".
