dessert

  • Jan042019

    what’s the best sweetener?

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    Diving into another misunderstood topic today… SUGAR! Thank you for everyone who sent your feedback on this topic on my Insta stories last week! Some of my followers have been asking about this for a long time and the most asked question, “what is the best sweetener to use?”. Cane sugar, maple syrup, honey, agave, brown rice syrup, coconut nectar, coconut sugar, date sugar? The list could go on forever. But the truth is, when it comes to added sugar, sugar is sugar. All “added” sugar contains 4 calories per gram. Replacing your cane sugar with coconut sugar isn’t going to magically make you a healthy skinny person. There is also no use bragging on the health benefits of any of these sugars either, because they are empty calories. I recently saw a very popular influencer on Instagram posting about how she just loves to give her son these little Manuka honey packets to keep him healthy. I mean come on, there are a lot more nutrients in a carrot that a honey pack. Just because honey may have trace minerals, they are TRACE, and it is still SUGAR.

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  • Nov162018

    pumpkin pie chia pudding

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    Chia pudding makes a nice breakfast or dessert and you can flavor it with whatever you like! You may remember I posted recipes for vanilla, chocolate and strawberry last year. Today I’m sharing a seasonal spin on the original recipe. The homemade nut milk, dates, and vanilla make all the difference in this recipe and it only takes minutes to make in the blender! Chia seeds are a concentrated source of omega-3 fatty acids as well as dietary fiber. They are nutrient rich and contain a significant amount of vitamins and minerals compared to their size. The word “chia” is actually the Mayan word for “strength” which is fitting since chia seeds are a complete protein (meaning they contains all the essential amino-acids we need as humans). If you’re unfamiliar with chia seeds, they become gelatinous when soaked. In herbalism they are known as a demulcent which is cooling and soothing for those with compromised digestion.

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  • Oct232018

    guilt free chocolate chip cookies

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    I’m generally not good at coming up with my own baking recipes so I was absolutely thrilled when Laura from The First Mess posted this recipe for date sweetened chocolate chip cookies! Oh and not to mention they are gluten free, vegan and can be made sans nuts for an allergy friendly version! (head over to her site for better pictures than mine, including the sunflower meal). As you probably know if you’ve been following me for awhile, I always go to dates as my method of sweetening because they are packed with fiber and iron! This is the only chocolate chip cookie recipe I make and they are packed with whole food ingredients! I honestly would be fine with my kids having these for breakfast (minus the sugar in the chocolate chips)! Go make these STAT!

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  • Sep192018

    date sweetened zucchini bread

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    One of my clients recently asked me for a healthier version of the zucchini bread she had been making for her kids. My husband isn’t really into sweet breads or anything that resembles a cake so I don’t usually bake zucchini bread or I end up eating the entire loaf myself! This was a nice challenge though and I’m happy with the result. I did try a gluten free version of this bread but I wasn’t thrilled with the outcome so I didn’t want to share. After baking three different loafs I was kind of over it. If I try again I will definitely update the recipe to include a gluten free version. On that same note, you’ve also probably heard me talk about how most people who are sensitive to gluten (not celiac) can often tolerate ancient varieties of wheat like einkorn and spelt. So maybe you want to give this a try! Einkorn and spelt are much more nutrient dense and are easier to digest than the very hybridized modern wheat. If you make any variations of this loaf, I’d love to hear how it comes out so comment here or on Instagram!

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  • Sep122017

    guilt-free brownies

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    Yes, these guilt-free brownies actually taste amazing and are good for you! When I make these for other people I always ask them what they think they’re made out of and no one ever guesses the secret ingredient… BEANS! Yes, beans… packed with protein, fiber, and cancer fighting, blood sugar lowering, and stroke reducing properties! The high fiber content in beans prevents blood sugar levels from rising rapidly after a meal as well as lowering cholesterol levels. In other words, you can feel really good about eating one of these brownies! I would love to hear what you think of them!

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  • Aug222017

    chocolate ice cream

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    Dr. Hyman has said, “dairy is nature’s perfect food… but only if you’re a calf.” We now know that consuming dairy is not necessarily healthful. Studies have shown that countries with the lowest consumption of dairy also have the lowest rates of osteoporosis and hip fracture. Dairy is acidic to our bodies, which signals calcium to be released from our bones to alkalize our blood, in turn creating weak bones (the opposite of what most people think). Approximately 75% of the world’s population do not even have the digestive enzymes to break down dairy causing indigestion, bloating, diarrhea, and wreaking havoc in the gut. Dairy is also associated with increased risk of cancer as well as causing chronic ear infections (especially in children), sinus issues, eczema and acne.

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  • Jul182017

    pina colada popsicles

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    You asked for some of our favorite summer treats so here’s another super easy four ingredient popsicle recipe! There’s no need for any added sugar, the fruit is so sweet on its own! If you don’t like “coconut” flavor, you may still like these. I hate shredded coconut but the mild, real coconut flavor that comes from the coconut milk is delicious. Oh and there’s not actually alcohol in these despite the name, so they’re great for kids too. If you let the pops freeze just until they’re frozen through but not rock solid, they have a wonderful creamy texture that is just perfect!

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  • Jun212017

    watermelon currant popsicles

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    Happy first day of summer! Today I’m sharing a super simple, four ingredient, guilt-free ice pop recipe with no added sugar (approved by my 20 month old)! I have a Zoku quick pop maker at home which I absolutely love! It makes ice pops in less than ten minutes! This isn’t a sponsored post, I just think this product is great! You can use any pop maker of course, but sometimes you just don’t want to wait five hours for an ice pop!

    Watermelon is a great source of antioxidant lycopene which has been shown to fight cancer. As I’ve mentioned before, berries (including raspberries) also have cancer-fighting antioxidants as well as loads of vitamin C. Currants and limes add even more vitamin C to the mix as well as lots of other nutrients! So you can feel really good about eating one (or two) of these!

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  • Feb142017

    no-bake lemon goji bites

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    Today I’m sharing another easy four ingredient snack (or dessert) with you, similar to the raw cacao bites I shared back in August. They are packed with healthy fats, biotin and vitamin E from the almonds and fiber and iron from the dates. Lemon and goji berries lend a nice dose of vitamin C to boost your immune system.

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  • Jan172017

    guilt-free chocolate mousse

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    One of the most common concerns I hear when people start talking about changing their diets to eat whole foods is that they will feel deprived or they won’t be able to enjoy the sweets they crave. I tell people over and over that the more whole foods they eat, the less they will even want the processed sugar and desserts. It is really a hard concept to wrap your head around but it is true! It doesn’t happen overnight but it did happen to me and I also watched it happen to my husband over a few years’ time. He jokes with me and asks me what I did to him (he seriously is a different person now), but really it wasn’t me, it was his taste buds changing as he added more and more whole foods into his diet. He even agreed to write about it so you know I’m not making it up.

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