Tropical Fruit slushie bowl

My most farvorite recent dessert is this smooth, sweet, healthy slushie!

Ingredients:
1 cup Frozen Tropcal fruit Blend (Mango, Pineapple and Strawberry)
1/2 cup frozen Strawberries
1 frozen banana
1-2 cups unstweetened Vanilla almond milk
Granola (your favorite granola...like Nature Valley Oats 'n Honey crunch) 
Monk fruit sweetener (5-10 drops, to your sweetness preference)
2 cups of ice

*Makes at least three decent sized servings, but only 410 caleried for the whole amount!

Directions:
Blend all ingredients except the banana and granola.  Blend until fine and soft.  Chop up frozen banana and sprinkle granola ontop. And you have a cool, sweet, refreshing treat with a crunch.

Cortisol levels & weight gain - maca

Could This Be The Cause Of A Sudden Weight Gain?

By Food Babe

Last week I was catching up with a friend who I haven’t seen or heard from in a while and she told me something alarming. She said “Vani – I haven’t changed my diet, or my exercise routine, but I’ve gained 15 pounds in the last 2 months! I gained it all because of stress!” She’s currently working on a big project and was worried about her sudden weight gain. When she went to the doctor, the doctor checked her cortisol levels. She found out, “they were through the roof!”

Did you know cortisol levels can increase from elevated stress and cause sudden weight gain? Fat accumulates near the stomach because the cells in the stomach are more sensitive to cortisol, and very effective at storing energy. I don’t know about you – but knowing that fact alone makes me want to drop everything and check into the spa.

Hearing her story was a huge wake up call to myself, I’m a workaholic and if I don’t watch it, the balance in my life can totally take a free fall. Her story also got me motivated to share a superfood ingredient that can help your body handle stress better and reduce cortisol levels (and help you in the nooky department too, which I know also reduces stress!).

Benefits of Maca Superfood

Superfoods are nutrient dense foods that pack a powerful punch when it comes to antioxidants, polyphenols, vitamins and minerals. Basically SUPERFOOD = SUPERMAN!…or WOMEN! Eating superfoods has been shown to reduce the risk of chronic disease and prolong life.
Way up high in the Peruvian Andes grows the prized superfood called Maca. It’s the highest altitude crop on earth. With a growing altitude of 13,000 feet, this plant is not for your home garden (unless your garden happens to be on the top of the Andes).

Over its 3,000 year cultivation maca has earned itself a pretty long list of benefits, some of which include… get ready…

* Increased energy
* Reduced stress
* Improved sexual function (improved libido)
* Improved physical and emotional well being
* Improved mental clarity
* Improved hair growth
* Improved thyroid health
* Ability to balance hormones
* Ability to protect skin against ultraviolet radiation
* Ability to treat PMS
* Improved skin tone
* Ability to raise sperm count
* Helps prevent osteoporosis
* Ability to treat depression
 
In an extensive study of the maca plant, Dr. Gustavo F Gonzales found that maca can enhance the ability for an individual to “adapt” to a stressful environment by “improving homeostasis” in the body. This can positively effect energy, endurance and oxygen in the blood (which makes maca a great cure for altitude sickness…it’s no coincidence that it is grown in high altitudes). Maca can also affect the happy chemicals in your body that control libido, balance the endocrine system, adrenals, hormones, thyroid, and one’s mood! That is a lot for just one scoop of powder a day.

Throughout its history, the consumption of maca has been used by Peruvian natives for having strong effects on fertility and energy in both humans and animals. It is said that during the Incan empire, warriors were give maca to give them strength and stamina in battle but were then denied maca when they returned home in order to protect the women from their strong sexual desires. Whoa. This stuff is like nature’s viagra. Check out this article where my friend Dr. Mercola lists maca as one of the top natural supplemental ways to enhance sexual function.


Maca Nutrition

Dried maca contains 59% carbohydrates, 8.5% fiber, and slightly more than 10.2% protein. The protein in maca contains seven essential amino acids. Maca is also rich in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and iron. Add to that the vitamins B1, B2, and C and you can easily understand what makes this a superfood! Some researchers even argue that Maca’s ability to treat a disorder like depression comes simply from the fact that the food is so nutritionally dense and that people become happier because they are getting the nutrients they need!
So, the good news is ever since the reemergence of maca in the 1980 access to this powerfully medicinal food is becoming easier and easier. And now, thanks to the beautiful world wide web you can have maca show up at your door, which is way easier than hiking up the Andes, let me tell you!

 
How To Use The Maca Powder
 
Maca is a member of the cruciferous family which includes brocolli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, turnips and radishes. Maca is grown for its root which resembles that of a radish. Maca root can grow in a variety of different colors and can be consumed in several different ways, of which the most popular is dried and ground into a powder, maca powder.
Maca powder is definitely the easiest way to add maca to your diet. I love throwing 1 tbsp in morning smoothies for extra energy, in homemade hot chocolate (recipe below) and in desserts like brownies or anything with chocolate! It goes really really well with chocolate – yum! Did I say chocolate?
When I was in Peru recently, Maca caramels were everywhere, I’d love to try to make those at home one day. You can also check out more recipes and the subtle differences between red, black and cream maca from my affiliate The Maca Team here.

Food Babe’s Maca Hot Chocolate

Prep time 5 mins
Cook time 5 mins
Total time 10 mins
Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 2 and ½ cups nut milk (coconut or almond)
• 4 tablespoons raw cacao powder
• 1 tablespoon of maca powder
• 2 dates pitted
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth
2. Place ingredients in a small sauce pan and slowly warm to temperature desired

Notes

***Please use all organic ingredients if possible***

I make my hot cocoa very similarily, making one serving with one tbs of raw cacao, 1 tsp of maca, almond milk and stivia powder. 

Sweet Potato & Cinnamon Muffin

Ingredients:
1 box of OneEarth Sweet Potato & Cinnamon muffin mix
3 eggs
1/2 cup of coconut oil
1banana
 

Recipe:
Preheat oven to 325 F. 
Mix together the muffin mix, 3 eggs, oil and banana.
scoop into muffin tin, and bake for 18-25 minutes...until done

 

Chocolatey Nutty Bliss Balls

  

I made a larger batch, so I didn't measure the ingredients as specifically as I usually do 

Ingredients

• raw cocoa powder
• carob powder
• almonds
• walnuts
• pecans
• raw soaked sunflower seeds 
• raw soaked cashews
• Essentially Raw fudge cream (raw organic extra virgin coconut oil, raw organic coconut nectar, raw organic cacao powder, raw organic vanilla bean powder)
• 1 tbs heaped of organic raw Lucuma powder
• 1 tbs heaped organic raw Mucuna powder
• 1 tbs heaped organic raw Maca powder
• 1 tbs level of organic raw Mesquite powder
• 1 tbs level organic raw Deer Antler Velvet powder
• 2 tbs vanilla raw whey protein powder 
• raw coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp Himalayan salt
• Drizzle of raw honey
• 1tsp vanilla 
• 10 oz of dates
• cup of shaved coconut to coat chocolate balls
• frozen bananas chopped up into bite size pieces

Recipe:

• If you choose to have some banana bites as well, make sure you freeze the bananas the previous day. You can freeze the whole banana, and peal and chop right before use...sticking it back in the freezer until the moment you use it. This dessert is very hands on, so either wash your hands very well or use disposable gloves. 
• Blend the almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews and sunflower seeds...it's ok to leave in a few chunks for texture. I like to blend each separately because they blend differently. The raw soaked nuts almost turn into a butter paste.
• Mix together the cocoa powder, carob powder, Mucuna powder, Lucuma powder, Maca powder, Mesquite powder, Himalayan salt, drizzle raw honey and vanilla extract.
• Blend the dates with coconut milk for a creamy consistency and blend into mix.  I also add the coconut oil and the vanilla bean seeds to the blended mix for more moisture and a creamy outcome
• Mix all ingredients together now and massage with hands into a nice firm batter
• Roll into small balls, flatten some for a different shape
• Roll in coconut shavings and you are done! Store in Freezer

To make the banana filled balls

• Take out the bite size frozen bananas from the freezer (don't take out before hand they will get soggy as they defrost and become very hard to cover in chocolate. I take out half a chopped banana at time. 
• Take a mold of the chocolate mix and wrap around the banana pieces. Roll in hand gently, flatten, wrap around banana, roll up and roll in coconut shavings to coat.

 All ingredients

 I used this raw chocolate paste instead of plain coconut oil

 Good stuff ^_^

 Essentially Raw fudge cream (raw organic extra virgin coconut oil, raw organic coconut nectar, raw organic cacao powder, raw organic vanilla bean powder)

 roll chocolate balls and coat in coconut:)

Gluten/Dairy Free banana muffins

Monkey Muffins – Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Banana Bread Using No Refined Sugar or Oil

Ingredients

DRY MIXTURE:

• 1/2 cups Flour (you can use any combination of flour – I used 1 cup Gluten free all purpose flour (it's all I had left) then added 1/2 cup coconut flour) 
• 1 tsp xanthan gum
• 1/2 cup Ground Flax Meal (I grind mine fresh, which is preferable) this substitutes the oil...as it's baked the flax oil mixes in
• 2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/4 tsp Himalayan Salt

WET MIXTURE:

• 3 Ripe Bananas (the riper they are, the better & sweeter they will be)
• 1/3 cup Honey (1/2 cup if you prefer them a little sweeter)
• 1 Cup Almond Milk
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract (I made my own, which was wonderful)
• 1 Large organic Egg

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS / INGREDIENTS

• Dehydrated ‘Shredded’ Coconut (all natural – no sugar) 
• Chopped Nuts (I added chopped almonds and walnuts to some)
• Chocolate chunks (dairy free is an option...preferably dark)
• Raisins
• Shredded Carrots

Recipe:

1. Pre-Heat Oven to 350 degrees.
2. In medium sized bowl, combine dry ingredients.
3. In small bowl (or Blender), beat wet ingredients until smooth and well pureed.
4. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and whisk together until smooth.
5. Fold in any optional ingredients.
6. Pour mixture into greased (preferably with coconut oil) or papered muffin pans.
7. Garnish with optional toppings before baking.
8. Bake for approximately 15 – 25 minutes until tops brown and toothpick comes out clean. Mine took 25 minutes because of the coconut flour I added that I find tends to take longer to bake.
9. Let muffins cool completely before storing.
10. Store muffins in refrigerator for up to 4-5 days (they will get moist) or in freezer for up to 2 months.

Yield: about 18 Large or 24 Mini Muffins
Preparation & Cooking Time: Approx. 25-35 minutes

 All Ingredients

 Mix all dry ingredients - grind flax and add

 Mix all wet ingredients...bananas look overripe...but they were prefect

 Blend all wet ingredients with an electric mixer

 Dry and wet ingredients

 Blend all ingredients

 Either grease muffin tray or use paper cups...my little helper in the background

 Decide what toppings you want- I added almonds to some, walnuts to others, coconut shavings to a few and left some plain

 Ready to pop in the oven 350

 My little helper ready for a taste...but not quite ready yet...although have a wonderful banana aroma

 I decided to make the remaining batter a little more of a treat and added 2 tsp of raw cacao powder and chopped up dark chocolate

 Wasn't ready after 15 minutes, so I put them in for 5 more, then another 5 more- total 25 minutes until they were done in my oven

 Surprisingly they were still super moist as banana bread should be...even without the oil.  The sweetness was very subtle (which I think was great!) but if you want them sweeter you could drizzle some raw honey on top:)

 The chocolate ones turned out wonderfully...also not too sweet since I used very dark chocolate.

 Nice and gooey and cholatey...as I dove in before they fully cooled. To have them come off the paper cupcake cups, wait until they are fully cooled, and they will peal off effortlessly.

Yerba Mate/Chanca Piedra/Hibiscus Tea

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon Organic  unsmoked Yerba Mate 

1 teaspoon Raw Wildcrafted Chanca Piedra

1 teaspoon dried Organic Hibiscus Flowers

Recipe:

Boil water on the stove in a ceramic pan until it comes to a boil.  Place one teaspoon of each tea into the teapot infuser, and slowly pour in the hot water.  Slowly, it's a process as the tea steeps and slowly fills the pot. You can either leave the tea leaves in the infuser to increase the strength or remove it, as I did.  It was at the perfect strength for me by the time I filled the pot.  Sip and enjoy!

Yerba Mate

Drinking Yerba Mate throughout the day will help keep your energy levels up without the jitters.

In addition to Yerba Mate's pleasant taste, it is consumed to boost immunity, cleanse and detoxify the blood, tone the nervous system, restore youthful hair color, retard aging, combat fatigue, stimulate the mind, control the appetite, reduce the effects of debilitating disease, reduce stress, and eliminate insomnia.

Traditionally, the dry leaves are placed in a cup, or gourd called a mate, then cold water is added to moisten the leaves and protect the nutrients and flavor. Next, hot water is added until all the leaves are covered. Rather than removing the leaves, you sip the tea through a straw called a bombilla which has a filter or strainer at the bottom to prevent the leaves going through the straw. As you drink the tea, you add more water to the cup.

Yerba Mate contains xanthines, chemicals that boost your metabolic rate by 10% and is rich in pantothenic acid, which prevents overstimulation of the nervous system. Yerba Mate has a host of anti-oxidants that boost immunity and protect against colds and flu. Furthermore, researchers say that Yerba Mate is a rich source of magnesium that has been proven to ease anxiety. 

Chanca Piedra

The remedy normally comes in the form of a standard infusion or weak decoction of the whole plant or sometimes its aerial parts. In the main it is used are for any type of biliary and urinary condition including kidney and gallbladder stones.

It is also for hepatitis, cold, flu, tuberculosis, and other viral infections. It is also widely used for liver diseases and disorders including anaemia, jaundice and liver cancer and is now also thought to be an ideal liver detox, particularly helpful in detoxing "Western excess".

Traditionally is has also been used for bacterial infections such as cystitis, prostatitis, venereal diseases and non specific urinary tract infections.

It is also widely employed for diabetes and hypertension as well as for its diuretic, analgesic, stomachic, antispasmodic, febrifugal, and cell protective properties in many other conditions. Tome and again Chanca Piedra has proven effective to the indiginous peoples who use it, so is it any wonder that chanca piedra is now used for so many purposes in herbal medicine...and is becoming morer widelty available in "the West".

In clinical research over the years, the plant has demonstrated antihepatotoxic, antilithic, analgesic, hypotensive, antispasmodic, antiviral, antibacterial, diuretic, antimutagenic, and hypoglycemic properties.

As far as Western medicine is concerned, drug companies have been researching Chanca Piedra Since the mid-1960s, where they have been looking closely at phytochemical make up of the plant to try and ascertain what the active ingredients are.

Chanca Piedra is certainly hugely rich in phytochemicals, and the trick is that many of these important phytochemicals are only found in Chanca Piedra or the wider Phyllanthus genus. 

These “active” constituents are attributed to biologically active lignans, glycosides, flavonoids, alkaloids, ellagitannins, and phenylpropanoids found in the stem root and leaf of the herb. Common lipids, sterols, and flavonols are also found in abundance.

Hibiscus Flowers

The flowers of the hibiscus plant are used all over the word in making herbal teas that are very healthy and aid the digestive system. The tea made from hibiscus is a natural diuretic and consumed by people with kidney disorders and high blood pressure all over the world. Hibiscus tea is also very high in vitamin C and very good to drink if you are suffering from the flu.

Hibiscus tea is a very versatile tea with many well-proven health benefits. It can be sipped hot or cold and mixed with other beverages and tea flavors. Hibiscus tea is made from the red hibiscus flower, which is native to warm, temperate regions such as Jamaica, Australia, and parts of Africa. Many studies have shown that the hibiscus lowers blood pressure, but like any other floral tea, it is a delicious drink as well.

In one particular study, those who drank 3 cups of hibiscus tea per day for 6 weeks had a significant drop in blood pressure compared to the placebo group. Many tout hibiscus tea for its positive effect on hypertension and blood pressure. In Egypt it is commonly used as a medicine to treat high blood pressure. 

 

Livestrong claim that hibiscus tea can aid in weight loss and reducing bloating, and many claim it is a diuretic as well. While these claims have not been studied in as much depth in the West, hibiscus tea has been used as various types of medicine around the world for centuries. To see the health benefits, it must be taken in large quantities, as in the study mentioned above. Since it is not caffeinated, drinking around 3 cups of tea or juice per day is perfectly healthy.

Amaranth Raw Chocolate balls

After popping some amaranth for my niece it gave me the idea to add it to my raw chocolate dessert I often make.  These raw super powder chocolate balls are one of my favorite healthy desserts/food.  

I made a few alterations and additions from my usual recipe. 

You can find the recipe by clicking my previous blog with photos here~~~> Coconutty-frozen-banana-chocolate-balls

Here are the ingredients I used for this recipe:

• 1/2 cup of raw cocoa powder 
• 1/2 cup carob powder
• 1/2 cup almonds
• 1/4 cup Pecans
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 3/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 1 heap tsp organic raw Lucuma powder
• 2 heap tsp organic raw Maca powder
• 1 tsp dear antler powder 
• 1 heap tsp Mucuna powder
• 1/2 tsp Shilajit powder
• Himalayan salt (a pinch in 3tbs of warm water...to use a tbs of the water)
• 9 dates
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• 1 raw vanilla bean
• 1 frozen bananas chopped up into bite size pieces
• amaranth (if you haven't tasted popped amaranth...it tastes like popcorn!)

Recipe:

The recipe remained the same as the previous blog.  Blended all the nuts, and mixed in all the powders. I blended the almond milk and the vanilla bean seeds with the dates into sweet paste. I then added it to the dry ingredients, along with the coconut oil and mixed it well with my hand. Because the mix was a little sticky, I let it sit in the fridge for half an hour.  It firmed up a bit because of the coconut oil that is a solid at temps under 75 degrees F. Being winter, my coconut oil remains a solid in the kitchen, so I put the glass container in a bowl of hot water to slowly melt as much as I need. At that point it was easy to mold into the balls, and sticky enough to roll in the amaranth and coconut flakes. 
I made 4 variates. One plain, just rolled in coconut flakes. One plain rolled in popped amaranth (see blog about it here~~~> amaranth), one first rolled in amaranth then coconut flakes (I gave them one more roll to make sure the coating stays, and the last with frozen banana pieces inside rolled in coconut flakes (I didn't re-roll them which is why they appear whiter).

 The chocolate balls covered in amaranth on top half and the ones with both amaranth and coconut on the bottom half

 

The plain chocolate balls on the left side, and the banana filled ones on the right side

 An amaranth coated one

 One coated in both amaranth and coconut flakes

           The banana center chocolate ball...looks much like the plain ones but bigger

Organic India: Fiber Harmony

Organic, with No artificial sweeteners, colors or flavors

Description

• Heart Healthy
• With Psyllium, Aloe Vera & Inulin
• USDA Organic
• Sugar Free
• Dietary Supplement
• 48 Servings
• Certified Organic by Ecocert

About Psyllium
India grows 85% of the world's Psyllium crop. Psyllium husk powder is a bulk forming natural dietary fiber which promotes good digestive health and regularity. Doctors recommend Psyllium as a convenient way to increase intake of dietary fiber. Psyllium husk can play an important role in the maintenance of a healthy gastro-intestinal function.

Organic Tri-Active Blend
They combine the benefits of Psyllium, Inulin, Aloe Vera Leaf, and Marshmallow Root to provide us with a daily fiber formula that vitalizes and soothes the digestive tract, keeps our colon healthy and provides us with heart healthy soluble fiber. Inulin, a prebiotic, helps grow beneficial bacteria needed to maintain a healthy colon. Aloe Vera helps promote digestive health by protecting the intestinal tract and aiding protein digestion and assimilation. Marshmallow Root helps soothe the digestive system.

Great tasting, all organic Orange Fiber Harmony is a healthy, effective way to start and end your day!

For heart health soluble fiber from foods such as psyllium in Fiber Harmony, as a part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease. A serving of Fiber Harmony provides 2.5 grams of the 7 grams of soluble fiber from psyllium necessary per day to have this effect.

Recommended Intake:
Adults and Children over 12 years: One serving up to 3 times daily. Best taken before or between meals. Mix serving size with at least 8 oz of water, or milk substitute. Stir and drink immediately. If too thick, add more liquid and stir. Drinking an additional glass of water afterwards is advisable to ensure adequate hydration. I find it tastes great just in plain filtered water...but prefer to have it in 2/3 fresh squeezed organic orange juice and 1/3 filtered water.  It added more sweetness, flavor and Vitamin C.