Spicy Chai

I recently learned that the word 'chai' means 'tea' in India and other parts of the world. I realized how little I knew about the beverage and what it did for me so I did some research. Here's a brief description: Chai is a drink that contains black tea, a combination of spices, milk, and a sweetener. The spices vary depending on the region, but they all make up a warming and nourishing beverage. Chai is great for digestive health, supports the immune system, and boosts mood. It is full of antioxidants and is anti-inflammatory (if made with dairy-free milk).

I've been making this chai on a weekly basis lately and I'm excited to share the recipe with you. This is a bit different from a chai latte since it doesn't contain steamed milk, but it's still just as delicious and has way less sugar than the concentrates that we find at stores and coffee shops. Enjoy it hot or cold.

Ingredients

4 cups water

1-inch piece of ginger root, sliced

2 cinnamon sticks

6 cardamom pods

5 peppercorns

4 whole cloves

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

2 Tablespoons loose leaf black tea (or 3 tea bags)

½ cup milk, unsweetened (almond milk, coconut milk, cashew milk, hemp milk)

½ Tablespoon coconut sugar

Procedure

1. Grind spices cardamom, peppercorns, cloves, and fennel seeds in spice grinder or mortar and pestle (make your own with a bowl and a rock or back of a spoon).

2. Place water, all spices, and ginger root in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off heat. Add tea and let steep for 5-6 minutes. Remove tea.

3. Add milk and sweetener and mix. Strain and serve.

Makes ~4 cups

Massaging Raw Kale [Video]

I know what you're wondering. What the heck does massaging kale mean and why would I want to do that?

Kale is a very powerful leafy green because it's packed with nutrients. But raw kale is tough, fibrous, and very bitter, making it hard to digest. It is recommended to lightly steam, sauté, or massage kale before eating it in order for its fibers to bind better with acids in the digestive tract. The more digestible kale is, the better its nutrients are absorbed. Massaging kale is just a simple way to aid digestion and make it less bitter without having to cook it. Once you've massaged kale, you can use it to make a salad or side dish.

Health benefits of kale:

• Lowers cholesterol
• Anti-inflammatory
• Lowers cancer risk
• Detoxifies the body
• High in antioxidants
• High in vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C
• High in manganese, fiber, copper, calcium, iron, potassium, and tryptophan

How to massage raw kale:

1. Place chopped raw kale in a bowl. Sprinkle with sea salt and lemon juice and massage with both hands for 2-5 minutes, until wilted and dark green.

Any variety of kale works. You can also get creative and dress it up with other ingredients such as tahini, extra virgin olive oil, avocado, or nut butter.

Source: whfoods.com

Green Superfood Granola

This granola is one of my favorite treats. It is grain-free, gluten-free, low in natural sweetener, high in healthy fats, and packed with energy boosting ingredients. It won't give you that sugar crash other granolas and cereals may give you due to their high amounts of refined sugars and oils. I sweetened this green granola with coconut sugar, which has a low glycemic index and won't spike your blood sugar. So what makes it green? Spirulina powder (Click the link to see the brand I buy). Spirulina is a nutrient-dense superfood that has great health benefits and is a great supplement to a healthy diet. Spirulina has a strong and overpowering taste, but just a little bit provides great nutrition. The taste can be masked with fresh fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats (add it to your smoothies and you won't even know it's there). Check out my Superfood Ice Popsicle recipe for another nourishing spirulina treat.

Aside from spirulina powder, I also used maca root powder and mesquite powder in this recipe. These are two other 'superfoods' that contain lots of health supporting nutrients even if using small amounts. Both maca and mesquite powders have a nutty, sweet taste to them. I often use them in recipes to add sweetness without having to add an actual sweetener.

This green granola has the perfect balance of bitterness and sweetness to take care of that sweet craving, but also provides a nutrition punch. I crave it all the time but only let myself make it every so often because it's so addicting. Even though it's addicting, it's still good for you compared to store bought granolas. You can enjoy it sprinkled on yogurt, chia pudding, or in a smoothie. Eat it dry as an afternoon snack, or pair it with almond or coconut milk to make a delicious healthy cereal.

Ingredients

2 cups coconut flakes

1/2 cup chia seeds

1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeeds

1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds

1/4 cup raw sesame seeds

1/4 cup melted coconut oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1-2 teaspoons spirulina powder (I used 2 tsps)

2 teaspoons maca powder (optional)*

1 Tablespoon mesquite powder (optional)*

1/2 - 1 Tablespoon coconut sugar (I used 1/2 Tbsp)

pinch of sea salt

*maca and mesquite powders are optional, but since they add sweetness to the recipe, you might want to increase the coconut sugar a bit if you omit them.

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 225 F.
2. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
3. Spread out on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and let cool. Store in a sealed container.

Makes ~3 cups

Pumpkin Spice Smoothie

It's about that time. Pumpkin everything! Although I prefer starting my day off with greens, today I decided to switch up my green smoothie for a non-green but still nutrient dense smoothie. Pumpkin spice came to mind. And it was perfect.

Pumpkins are not only delicious and great to bake/cook with, but they also provide good nutrition. They are high in fiber, high in antioxidants, and low in calories which provide health benefits such as: aid weight loss, support immunity, support vision health, and reduce risk of cardiovascular and heart disease.

Here is my version of a pumpkin spice smoothie. Protein is optional, but it is great for stabilizing blood sugar and keeping you full longer.

Ingredients

1 heaping scoop of protein powder (I used brown rice protein powder, unflavored)

1/2 cup pumpkin puree (unsweetened, homemade or canned)

2 medjool dates, pitted (can use a banana to sweeten instead)

3/4 cup coconut water (can use nut milk)

1 Tablespoon sunflower seed butter (can use any nut/seed butter)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon maca powder (optional)

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon cloves

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

6 ice cubes

Procedure

• Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Serve.
• Garnish with coconut flakes, nuts, seeds, or more cinnamon.

Makes 1 serving

Superfood Ice Popsicles

Don't be intimidated by the color, these are sweet and refreshing on a sunny day. What makes these popsicles so great is spirulina powder. Spirulina is a blue-green algae that is super nutrient dense. It contains protein, vitamins, and minerals that provide great benefit to your health. Spirulina is good for the skin (eczema, acne, rashes), boosts energy, supports the immune system, helps fight depression, lowers bad cholesterol, and helps prevent diseases such as diabetes and cancer. When purchasing spirulina, make sure to buy organic and from a trusted brand.

Ingredients

1/2 cup greek yogurt (I used full-fat)

2 Medjool dates, pitted

2 tsp spirulina powder

1/3 cup almond milk

2 tsp chia seeds

Procedure

1. Place all ingredients except chia seeds in a blender and blend until smooth (make sure dates are fully blended or you'll have chunks).
2. Place 1 teaspoon of chia seeds into each mold (you can also mix it in the mixture but I chose to put it at the bottom for the visual effect). Pour the yogurt mixture into molds and freeze for at least 4 hours.

Makes 2

Almond Truffles

Yet another great way to use up your leftover almond pulp after making almond milk. If you don't have almond pulp, you can use almond flour instead. Ingredients

~2 cups Almond pulp, dried out* (or almond flour)

15 medjool dates, pitted

3 Tablespoons melted coconut oil

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)

zest of 1/2 lemon

Procedure

*To dry out almond pulp: Line a sheet tray with parchment paper and spread out pulp on top. Place in oven and turn the oven light on (oven should stay off). Leave in oven with oven light on for about 12 hours or until completely dried out. I place it in the oven in the afternoon and check it the next morning. It should be completely dried out.

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until dates are chopped up and mixture sticks together when pressed. If mixture is too dry, add some water (start with 1 Tablespoon). If mixture is too wet, add more almond flour. Taste and adjust flavoring if needed.
2. Roll out mixture into small balls (about 1 inch in diameter) and place in the freezer until ready to serve.

Raw Brownies

These raw brownies are simple and delicious. They are gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free. They are sweetened with natural sugar from fresh dates. Dates are high in sugar and should be consumed in moderation, but they are a great alternative to refined sugars. Just one is enough to curb a sweet craving, they are a great afternoon snack. Besides their sweetness, they are also a good source of fiber, some B vitamins, magnesium, potassium, and copper.

This is a simple recipe that you can use as a base and add toppings/spices/flavors of your liking. I almost never make the same recipe. I'm always experimenting with different ingredients. My favorites are grated ginger, lemon zest and juice, vanilla extract, protein powder, orange zest, spices, and different nuts and seeds. Anything goes. Get creative.

Ingredients

1 cup medjool dates, pitted

1 cups raw nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans)

1/4 cup raw cacao powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, optional

pinch of sea salt

Procedure

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor (can use blender but you will have to move things around with a spatula throughout the process) until dates are finely chopped and mixture sticks together when pressed with fingers. If mixture doesn't stick and is too dry, add more dates.
2. Press into a parchment-lined baking dish and place in freezer for about 20 minutes.
3. Cut into 2 x 2 inch squares and enjoy!

Store in refrigerator.

Kale and Walnut Pesto

I love pesto. Pesto is a great way to incorporate healthy fats, greens, and herbs into an every day diet. It is high in protein and pairs well with almost any type of vegetable or meat. I use it as a spread, dip, marinade, or dressing. There are many different recipes and types of pesto. Here is a recipe that I recently came up with and I eat with absolutely everything! 

Ingredients

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted

8 small kale leaves (about 2 cups), stemmed

2 Tablespoons thyme leaves

1 clove garlic

Juice of one lemon

3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 + 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 300 F.
2. Place walnuts on a parchment-lined baking sheet and toast in oven until fragrant, about 8 minutes. 
3. Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Taste and adjust with sea salt or lemon juice. If pesto is too thick, add more olive oil. 

Notes

• Toasting of nuts is not necessary, but it will enhance their flavor. 

Almond Pulp Crackers

Don't know what to do with that left over almond pulp from making almond milk? Here are some ideas. There are lots of ways you can use the remaining pulp without sending it to waste. You can use a dehydrator to make almond flour and use it in baking, make dips with it, make crackers, or simply sprinkle it on your salad or throw it in your smoothie. If you're not planning on using the pulp right away, you can freeze it and use it at a later time.  My favorite way to use the left over pulp is to make crackers with it. These crackers are a great high-fiber snack and are vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free. Enjoy them with some cheese, hummus, or your choice of spread. 

Ingredients 1 cup firmly packed almond pulp (or however much you have leftover from Almond Milk Recipe) 2 Tablespoons ground flax seeds 1 Tablespoon extra virgin coconut oil (melted) 1 Tablespoon cilantro, finely chopped 1/2 teaspoon curry powder 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper Procedure

1. Preheat oven to lowest temperature possible (mine only goes as low as 170 F)
2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and press into a ball
3. Transfer "dough" to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roll out to 1/4 inch thickness
4. Cut dough into squares with a knife or pizza cutter
5. Bake for about 17 hours, or until crunchy (I leave them in the oven overnight)
6. Let crackers cool completely on baking sheet before serving

Notes Get creative and use your favorite herbs and spices to create different flavors.  Store crackers in a cool, dry place. They will only keep for about 4 days (Trust me, they'll be gone sooner than that) Sources Adapted from Elana's Pantry www.elanaspantry.com