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If you’ve been following this blog for some time, you’ll know I’m a fan of dessert, but not a fan of sugar. Raw desserts – creations made with natural sweeteners and without refined grains – are a perfect compromise for me. They’re delicious, and nutrient dense, but they’re not toxic. That means you’re far less likely to binge on them. And if you do, you’re getting all kinds of vitamins and minerals that you wouldn’t be getting from a Marie Callendar equivalent (sorry Marie).

Today’s recipe comes from therawdessert.com. I surely don’t need to explain this site. While I do not agree with the author’s philosophy of an entirely raw diet, I think his creations look scrumptious.

RAW CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE WITH MINT GANACHE

(looks like the real thing, doesn’t it!)

Crust

2 cups Pecans
4 Dates, fresh or soaked
2 Tbsp Cacao
Pinch of quality salt

Cheesecake

4 cups Cashews, soaked
1 cup Agave
1 cup  raw Cocoa Butter (or coconut oil)
1 cup  Water
1 tsp Vanilla

Ganache
1/2 cup Cacao
1/2 cup raw Cocoa Butter (or coconut oil)
1/4 cup agave
1/4 tsp mint extract

Equipment needs
Food processor or blender
Spring form pan or pie plate

Crust: Process pecans in food processor, then add dates, cacao, and salt.  Spread on pie plate. Place in freezer to set.

Cheesecake: Melt cocoa butter or oil. Pour it, along w. agave, 1/2 c water, and cashews into blender. Slowly add more water if needed. Do not let mixture get hot while blending! Pour into pie crust and set in freezer.

Ganache: Melt cocoa butter or oil. Mix it, along w. cacao, agave and mint, in a warm bowl. Pour evenly over cheesecake – it will set very quickly so you won’t really have time to spread it.

Enjoy!

I’m so excited for the feast of feasts coming up. And I’ve been reading a LOT of foodie blogs lately. So I thought I’d design my dream Thanksgiving meal using recipes and photos I’ve stumbled upon. Enjoy!

I like the idea of one very simple appetizer. I tend to fill up on apps, especially if I’m having a drink at the same time. Lately I’ve been a big fan of this cheese:

In medieval England, cheese was consumed during meals as a digestive.  Starting out with a good quality fromage helps to prepare the stomach for what’s ahead.

Lately I’ve been avoiding wheat, even sprouted wheat. Most people can’t digest it well. In America we breed it for high gluten content, so our baked goods get nice and puffy. But gluten is very irritating to many of us. Next time you consume wheat, check in with yourself to see how you feel.  Are you sluggish? Irritable? Does your stomach bloat? Do you get migranes?

All that is to say that I wouldn’t have wheat bread or crackers with my cheese. But I might do some Mary’s Gone Crackers, which are gluten free.

As long as I’m referencing the UK, here’s my drink of choice.

There’s a reason for this. Wine and beer tend to bloat many people, myself included. Also, if you’re sensitive to sugar, wine or beer can act as a ‘gateway drug’, sending you into binge mode. If this sounds like you, trying hard alcohol might help.

I would, without a doubt, get a heritage turkey.

These guys are the ancestors of today’s Broad-breasted white industrial birds that dominate the market. They’re much closer to the fowl that the Pilgrims and Wampanoags would have feasted on.

These roasted brussels sprouts with toasted almonds and parmesan are calling my name.

I don’t have my cranberry sauce recipe posted, but it’s simply cranberries, pears, apples, orange juice, orange zest, cinnamon and maple syrup.

And of course I can’t forget the sweet potato: I’d make this Sweet Potato, Parmesan and Goat Cheese Galette. Thanks to Janetha at Meals and Moves for the inspiration!

I haven’t had pecan pie in ages since it’s so sugary, but I would love to try this Raw Pecan Pie – the dates provide enough sweet!

And I’m actually doing an organic pumpkin pie sweetened with maple syrup, with a raw nut crust.  Can’t have Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie.

What treats will you be  preparing??

It’s fun getting people gifts when you’re inspired. But if you feel obligated to spend $40 on an ugly scarf for CeeCee just because you happen to sit next to her at work…don’t. The holidays are a perfect time to present coworkers and family members with delicious and nutritious homemade treats. Sugar abounds at this time of year, and we all know how toxic that stuff is (check out Nancy Appleton’s 146 Reasons Why Sugar is Ruining Your Health).  How about trying some naturally sweetened alternatives? You can introduce your community to the concept of healthy indulging. Even better, include a recipe with the gift so that they can try it on their own.

I recently stumbled upon this site and felt super inspired by the abundance of easy desserts. Try:

RAW VEGAN CHOCOLATE TURTLES

RAW VEGAN PEANUT BUTTER CUPS

RAW VEGAN ALMOND BUTTER COOKIES

And of course, a few stevia recipes:

WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIP CHERRY COOKIES

STEVIA CHEESECAKE, BROWNIES, AND MORE

Don’t forget to  let me know what you think!

Had a wonderful teleclass last night on COOKING AND STRATEGIZING FOR THE HOLIDAY TABLE.

We discussed:

five reasons to avoid sugar

five proven ways to curb your sugar cravings

four strategies for taking care of yourself during the holidays

plus a lot of other information.

The participants left saying “you’ve given us a lot to think about”.

Half-jokingly, I mentioned that I might start a support group for people wanting to get off sugar. At least three participants really liked the idea. What do you think?

Today I’m sharing my four strategies for taking care of yourself during the holidays.

3. CREATE SUPPORTIVE STRUCTURE. It’s crucial to build self-care into your schedule. This is especially true when you are in a stressful situation. Set aside time each day to give yourself what you need. So if you’re going to be spending from 8 am to 8 pm with your family on Xmas, and you know that’s just going to be too much, decide where you might want to build in breaks. Do you need to duck out for a walk at 11? Perhaps a trip to the bathroom at 3 pm? Figure this out in advance and promise it to yourself.

4. TAKE SPACE. If a situation arises that is particularly nasty or uncomfortable, don’t forget it’s okay to remove yourself while you decide on your next step. Just making the excuse that you have to visit the bathroom, or go outside to for some fresh air, will work fine. This way you can figure out what the situation calls for without being directly in the heat of the moment.

Achieving a goal is a powerful thing.

Sometimes we lose motivation along the way. We beat ourselves up for slipping, doubt our ability to make it. We can’t work up the drive to work out. The cruel things we’ve heard in the past echo in our head.

To fight these demons, we need to summon our strength. And music’s a great way to do it.

Some of these suggestions will inspire you and some of them will make you laugh. Either way they’ll shift your mood and get you out of the funk.  Feel free to contribute your own via comments!

I Won’t Back Down – Tom Petty

Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey

Mama Said Knock You Out – LL Cool J

Eye of the Tiger – Survivor

We Will Rock You – Queen

You Gotta Be – Des’ree

Fighter – Christina Aguilera

Stronger – Britney Spears

I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor

Crazy – Seal

Hero – Mariah Carey

Lose Yourself – Eminem

I Hope You Dance – Lee Ann Womack

Survivor – Destiny’s Child

A client emailed me a few days ago to ask what she should eat for dinner.

I wasn’t sure how to respond initially…and then I realized I have an entire philosophy as to how meals can be structured. I wrote her a novel-length description of her various options, and with some editing, I share it with you today. Let me know your thoughts.

*

When you think of how to create your meal, begin with what I call the “Holy Trinity” (no offense to any Catholics): protein, starch and vegetable. Now, this needs to be modified for everyone depending upon what works for their body, and this is the kind of thing you consult about with a nutritionist. Also, generally, you don’t need starch at EVERY meal, though some people get really hungry if they don’t have it often. And we don’t tend to eat vegetable at breakfast, although there’s no reason why we can’t have some eggs over sauteed greens.

So there are a few ways to conceptualize the Holy Trinity at dinner. Here are some ideas:

1. A “one pot” route with the base being a vegetable starch. This would fall under stews. Chop up a yam or potato, boil it up with some broth, blend it, and then simmer with some assorted vegetables and meats such as chicken or beef. You can also use cabbage, carrot, or squash as a base. Often times sausage is nice to add to these peasant type soups. You might need to add a bit of grain i.e. sprouted bread on the side, or a bit of extra fat, i.e. cream or coconut oil or olive oil in the soup, in order to feel full. You might not. Play with it and see what works for you.

2. “One pot” with grain. This would be a “grain salad” using quinoa, buckwheat, brown rice, brown rice pasta…boil up your grain with broth and add vegetables and proteins. You can go Mexican style by starting with brown rice, adding avocado, shredded beef or chicken, lettuce, tomato, cheese, etc. You can go Thai by using coconut milk when you boil the rice, and adding baby corn, bamboo shoots, sauteed carrots and bok choy, fish…or Mediterranean style with sun-dried tomatoes, olives, feta or parmesan, smoked oysters, a sauteed green such as spinach, chard, or beet greens, good quality deli meats…that kind of thing.

3. The “1950s” route where you just have each element on a plate in its own area. This is where you would mix and match your favorite protein, starch and vegetable. The benefit of going this way is that they don’t actually need to harmonize all that well. You can use that can of tuna that’s been in your cupboard for months, add some lettuce, and have a side of leftover squash soup…

4. The last way I can think of is using a non-starchy raw vegetable as the base, i.e. salad, and omitting the grain. I personally can eat this way at lunch but not dinner – I get hungry in the middle of the night if I have no starch in the evening.  So you have to play with it and see how you feel. This would generally look like a salad and as you know salad has infinite possibilities. The other issue with salad is that we are entering colder weather, and eating uncooked vegetables at this time of year can make people cold. As always, it comes down to checking in with yourself to see how each food makes you feel.

Halloween is nearly upon us. Ghosts made of sheets blow eerily from leaf-covered porches. Cotton cobwebs stretch across doors, featuring plastic hairy spiders lurking and waiting for prey. Cutouts of Frankenstein and warty witches appear in windows…and of course, my personal favorites, the jack-o’-lanterns, cast their illuminated grins in the dark.

If you have a sweet tooth, you may be anticipating the onset of this holiday with apprehension, concerned about the abundance of candy corn, mini Snickers, and bite sized Reeses. If you enjoy magical iconography, your imagination may be stirring up visions of silhouettes on broomsticks crossing the night sky. If you love delving into the squashy abundance that autumn offers, you may be getting excited about the pumpkins.

Pumpkins are indigenous to North America. Native Americans used them for weaving mats as well as enjoying them as an edible  roasted delicacy. Brought to Europe by the Spanish Conquistadors, the Greeks called these round orange fruits “pepon”, which means “large melon”. The English version, “pompion”, can be found in Shakespeare’s Merry Wives of Windsor, and references to the American colonial settlers’ “pumpkin” are abundant in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Cinderella, and, naturally, the poem Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater.

The tradition of carving jack o’lanterns originated in Ireland centuries ago. As legend goes, a man called Stingy Jack played multiple tricks on the Devil. When he died, God refused to let such a deceitful character into heaven, but the Devil had promised Stingy Jack he wouldn’t bring him to Hell. So instead, the Devil sent Jack to wander the earth with only a coal to light his way. Jack placed the coal into a carved turnip and commenced his ramblings. Irishmen and women carved and lit potatoes and turnips to ward off Jack and other dark spirits. In England, beets were used. And when English and Irish settlers arrived on American shores, they found the pumpkin a perfect vehicle for this tradition. An unusual amount of excitement around pumpkins continues to this day. For example, some of my friends are hosting TWO pumpkin parties this October – one for carving and one for cooking – in order to reach their goal of “Fall of 100 Pumpkins”. What is is about these vivid squash that we  find so appealing?

Pumpkins are not only key holiday iconography and fun carving material, but they’re nutritious too. Their bright orange hue signals that they are rich in beta-carotenes. Once in the body, these anti-oxidants convert to Vitamin A, which supports, among other things, vision, skin, and the reproductive system. They are also plentiful in potassium and Vitamin C.

While most people buy pre-made cans of pumpkin puree, making your own is healthier, more fresh, and a really enjoyable tactile experience. Proceed as you would with carving a jack-o’-lantern:  cut a circle around the stem, yank off the top, and extract the guts and seeds with your hands, enjoying the pleasantly smushy feeling. Rinse off the seeds and set them aside for toasting with salt and dulse. Then chop the pumpkin into four to six pieces and using a peeler, peel off the outer skin. Chop into even smaller pieces, place in a pot, cover with water and boil until tender. Then blend in a food processor, and you have your own homemade pumpkin puree, ready for soups, pies, or puddings.

Here’s a very simple recipe from University of Illinois extension’s website. I like it because it strikes me as something that the colonial settlers might have created.  It’s mild and sweet without any refined sugar, and a healthy treat to enjoy while everyone else is giving themselves headaches by eating too many Butterfingers.

Pumpkin Pudding

Makes six servings.

• 4 eggs
• 1 one-pound can of pumpkin
• 1/2 cup light molasses
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1 cup milk

1. Break the eggs into a large bowl, and beat with a fork until light yellow.
2. Add the pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, molasses, and milk. Stir well.
3. Pour mixture into a greased casserole dish. Bake at 350º for 1 hour or until the pudding is firm in the middle.
4. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Smart Choices is a new nutrition labeling program created by a group of “nutritionists”, scientists, and others in the food industry. They intend to help guide your supermarket  decision making process via a nifty little logo so that you can rest assured of the healthfulness of your selection. If you eat the food decorated with the wee green design saying Smart Choices,  you’ll grow up big and strong!

BAH!

I am sure you are already cringing in fear of the misguided choices they are making. Well, I will not hesistat e to deliver.

COCOA PUFFS! COCOA PUFFS is a “Smart Choice”!

So are Frosted Flakes, Breyer’s Fat Free Chocolate Brownie Ice Cream,  and Keebler Cookie Crunch!!!!!

FROOT LOOPS!!!!

Walter C. Willett, chair of the Nutrition department of the Harvard School of Public Health, calls these “horrible choices”.

Just because a box says “Fortified with Vitamin D” does not make it a smart choice!!! If I fortified sugar and high fructose corn syrup laden cardboard with a synthetic, difficult to digest form of Vitamin D, would that make it a smart choice? NOOO!!

Here’s why this really upsets me. It’s taking advantage of the many, many Americans who simply lack education about what really is nutritious. Faced with so many conflicting messeages, they trust the government to steer them in the right direction. Instead they’re being steere d straight into the hands of dentists, quick fix diet cults, and the health care system. And their dollars are going straight into the pockets of industry giants like Kelloggs, General Mills, and Kraft Foods. Oh, and by the way, companies who sign up to participate in Smart Choices must pay up to $100,000 a year to the program, with the fee based on total sales of its products that bear the seal. Kinda rules out all the little mom and pop businesses, doesn’t it.

“Ok, so if Special K really isn’t that special, and Raisin Bran actually ISN’T helping me out with my constipation, what can I eat in the morning?” you might ask. Glad you did!

Here’s my suggestion. Instead of a sugar-coated cereal with synthetic vitamins and minerals added back in once the ones from the actual food have been stripped during the refining process (gasp), how about a whole grain? Many of my clients who enjoy something crunchy and sweet in the morning respond well to making their own Museli with oats (not instant!), raw dairy milk or nut milk, some fruit and nuts. The more adventurous have even been known to add sprouts for extra Vitamin C and extra crunch.

You can treat any grain like oatmeal too. For example, take the leftover brown rice from dinner and add a splash of milk, some cinnamon and stevia, and a handful of crushed pecans. Just be sure to get a good dose of protein in along with your carb. THIS is a Smart Choice.  Cookie Crunch? Not so much.

photo credit: nagillum

Medicinal mushrooms have been all the rage in Asia for, oh, the last 2,000 years and it  seems like we here in the West are finally catching up to the idea. Taken in food and capsule form, mushrooms have been used for everything from treating cancer and digestive ailments, curing asthma, reducing blood sugar and blood pressure, and improving immunity.  The word mushroom is a sort of umbrella term for many of the gilled and fruiting bodies of various fungi and it is their antioxidant properties, in the form of beta glutans and polysacharrides that are being so fervently studied by western scientists today. These medicinal mushrooms look, taste, and act nothing like the anemic white button mushrooms that we are so familiar with, however, and are well worth exploring for all their various benefits. The top of the list?

Reishi: The oldest known mushroom to have been used as medicine, it was typically reserved for royalty.  Composed mostly of complex carbohydrates, cheifly water soluble polysacharrides, proteins and amino acids, Reishi has been found to have anti-tumor properties, immune boosting ability, and also lowers blood pressure. The ganoderic acids in reishi have also been found to aid liver ailments, reduce allergies by inhibiting histimine release, and improve oxygen utilization in the lungs. As an adaptogenic herb, reishi is considered a gentle, everyday tonic that works on the areas of the body in which it is most necessary. Reishi can be taken dried and made into a wonderful tea or in capsule form.

photo credit: Nathan (Mushroom

Shiitaki: Long thought of as a gourmet mushroom in fancy restaurants, shitaki have amazing health benefits as well, with the added bonus of being delicious and versatile–the dried variety enlivens soup and gives a meaty taste to stir  fry and casseroles. Shiitaki are energizing, restorative and good for the skin and nails, along with being thought of as another cancer preventor.  They are rich in B vitamins, trace elements, and minerals they improve the functioning of the nervous and digestive systems.
photo credit: Simon Blackley

Cordyceps: Okay, this one is wild. Cordyceps is a type of fungus that is parasitic, that is it grows on an insect. In this instance, the insect is a catepillar. Cordyceps has long been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine as an aphrodisiac (with a success rate in many studies of up to 64% among men!). However, in the recent past, it has been used as an energy enhancer, a cellular regenerative tonic, and to lower cholesterol.  It appears to increase blood circulation and is a great lung tonic (it has been used in the high Himalayas for hundreds of years to breathe better at altitude).  It increases stamina and is wonderful for the immune system as well. Don’t let this little fungi’s humble beginnings gross you out!

photo credit: pellaea

Maitake: This last mushroom is a wonder, whose japanese name means the dancing mushroom, some say because of the shape–which traditionally is supposed to look like a dancing nymph, or because it is so rare in the wild that those who find it dance for joy. Another great tasting mushroom, studies have shown a typical immune boosting response when taking or eating maitake. It has also been shown to stabilize blood sugar and insulin production as well as increase metabolism and lower cholesterol levels. Find this great mushroom fresh at asian grocery stores, dried or in capsules on the web.

photo credit: Laurel Fan

Introducing any of these mushrooms into your diet is a great start to increasing the health of your diet and your body. If you want to go further, many can be easily grown at home on special logs. This makes a fun project for goods or just a good way to grow some fungi on your own. One caution with mushrooms–if you have issues with yeast or fungus it is a good idea to clear it up as even these wonderful medicinal aids can aggravate certain yeast conditions in the body.

photo credit: Vik Nanda

I found the original recipe at www.steviashop.com, but it called for peanut butter. Many of us who strive to avoid sugar are doing so for candida reasons, and if we are trying to cut out fungus as well, the moldy peanut is not the best choice. So in this case I’m subsitituting almond butter, but feel free to experiment with a cashew or hazelnut butter as well.

For flour, I recommend teff, an ancient Ethiopian whole grain that’s well suited to baking. You can find it at your local food co-op. The oil should be one with a high smoking point, so butter would do the trick. Coconut oil would add a nice flavor as well.

Almond Butter Cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp stevia concentrate powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk or water
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
6 TBS oil
2 TBS vanilla

How to Prepare:
Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl, mix moist ingredients in another bowl until smooth. Gradually add dry ingredients. Take a teaspoon of dough and roll into a ball, place on cookie sheet and place a whole peanut into the centre. Bake for 10 minutes at 350.

photo credit: annia316

If you want to lose weight, you have to keep your blood sugar stable. You do this by avoiding sugar. Any sweetener, in fact, aside from stevia, which makes a frequent appearance in these Low GI Treat recipes. (Oh, and don’t go there with artificial sweeteners: those cancer and obesity-causing powders of Beelzebub.) Incidentally, stevia’s also the only natural sweetener that doesn’t aggravate candida.

If you’re a frequent reader of these recipes, though, you might be a little sick of hearing about stevia, so we’re going to discuss fruit today. Now, fruit is really not a crucial food. It’s nice and it’s tasty, but veggies contain everything fruit contains, and more. Didyou know, for example, cauliflower and asparagus happen to be very high in Vitamin C? But for some of us cutting out fruit is unrealistic, so let’s explore which fruits will create the lowest blood sugar spike.

There’s no rhyme or reason when guessing which fruits are the most sugary. Dried apricots happen to be very low at 31, while watermelon has a GI of 72! On the whole, it’s best to stick to citrus such as grapefruit and oranges, and berries such as blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, gooseberries, huckleberries, etc. Interestingly, most berries, aside from strawberries, contain so few carbs that it’s difficult to actually test their GI. They are estimated by various sources as ranging from 32 to 40. The fact that they are that low carb means their GI will be very low as well, so feel free to enjoy them. Other good choices include cherries at 22, plums at 25, and apples at 38.

photo credit: Steven Fernandez

A word about fruit juices. It’s unfortunate that their marketing as a healthful addition to one’s diet has been so successful. “Oh, I’m sick! I’ll get orange juice!” “Oh, I had a serving of apple juice this morning; that’s one of my five dailies of fruit/veg!” Please remember that fruit juice will spike your blood sugar more than if you consume the whole fruit at once. This is because the fiber present in the whole fruit slows the digestive process, thereby mellowing out the blood sugar. Also, vitamins begin to oxidize (break down) the moment they hit the air, so if you are drinking a bottled or canned juice you purchased at the grocery store, you are not getting many nutrients. If you want to prepare some fresh juice specifically for vitamin and mineral purposes, go right ahead, but not the best choice for weight loss.

photo credit: chatirygirl

We may be moving into spring, but here in Boulder it was 34 degrees this morning, and there’s snow in the forecast for the Mid-West, mid-week. So cocoa is still appropriate.

Dairy’s one of the most common allergens. Most of us can’t actually digest it. We may experience immediate symptoms such as stomach ache or bloating, or longer term effects such as a compromised immune system, increased susceptibility to colds, and excessive mucus production. It’s really only a traditional food for people of Western European heritage, and even many of them lose the ability to process it as they age.

Milk in its raw form is a beautiful, nutrient-rich food that, prior to pasteurization, humans were consuming for thousands of years without significant side effects. This process, which supposedly “kills the bacteria”, also destroys the milk’s lactase – the enzyme used to help the digestion of lactose. This means that unless your body produces a lot of lactase inherently, which most bodies don’t, you are out of luck when it comes to milk.

If you think you might have difficulty with cow’s milk you can always try sheep’s or goat’s milk, which are more easily digested. It’s also worth seeing if you have a farm in your area that might supply you with raw milk. If you can’t do any animal milk, there are a wide array of nut and grain milks that are easily substituted. Almond milk, hazelnut milk, rice milk, and hemp milk are just a few that can be found at your local health food store. Please check the labels because many brands unnecessarily add sugar or the euphemism “cane juice”. I do NOT recommend soy milk for reasons enumerated in this post.

Which brings me to today’s recipe. Cocoa is traditionally prepared using cow’s milk. Do I want to post a recipe to which most of my readers will be allergic? I think not. This one will be even better because it is made with the tropical flavor of coconut milk. I combine it with almond milk to cut the richness, but you don’t have to. A few spices add some Mexican style flavor. You won’t miss the marshmallows, trust me.

Coconut milk

Almond milk

Cacao

Stevia

Cayenne

Cinnamon

Mix 2/3 cup coconut milk and 1/3 cup almond milk in a saucepan on the stove.

Bring to a simmer over low heat.

Add 1-2 heaping spoonfuls of cacao, 4-6 drops stevia, and a dash of each spice.

Stir and simmer for a few minutes.

Pour into your favorite mug and drink. Caution, the beverage you’re about to enjoy is extremely hot.

photo credit: visualpanic

If you are a habitual reader of the BODA blog, you will know that I am obsessed with a few food items, pumpkins and stevia being two of them. This recipe combines them in an irresistible baked good. I made these on Halloween and I’m embarrassed to admit how many I consumed. But as I mentioned on my last Low Glycemic Index post, if you overdo it, at least you’re overdoing it on whole grain and fruit goodness that’s offering you an abundance of nutrients such as Vitamin E and beta carotene. Best of all, you know you’re not actually creating a blood sugar spike: stevia has a stabilizing effect, and the protein of the nuts and eggs counter any spike potentially created by the maple syrup, which is actually a beautiful natural sweetener.

This recipe is from thewelltrainedkitchen.wordpress.com, created by Rachel Jones.

photo credit: law_keven

When it comes to desserts, Americans have the monopoly on processed and allergenic food-like substances. If so many of us are intolerant to wheat or dairy, and if sugar is so toxic, why is standard post-dinner fare ice cream, cake, or cookies? When we’re waiting in the airport for a delayed flight, and we decide to mosey on over to Starbucks to pass the time, why are our options croissants and muffins? When we decide to treat ourselves to an indulgent Sunday brunch, why are pecan-stuffed french toast and Nutella pancakes our options to kick off our day and fuel up our tank?

I am not anti-dessert. Let me say it again: I AM NOT ANTI-DESSERT! I am anti the form it often comes in. As one of the five tastes, sweet is connected to Earth and offers us a grounding and comforting energy…IF we eat it in the right form. IF we don’t objectify it and use it as a mood-altering substance. IF we can connect to it the same way we connect to the other four tastes: as just one element of a day’s balanced food intake, offering us a feeling of calming and peace. NOT if it shoots our blood sugar up sky high and then causes us to crash into “food coma” as so many of us are known to do after one of those pecan-stuffed french toast breakfasts.

Raw desserts are a really wonderful way to explore dessert in its most pure form. If you’re not familiar with the raw diet, it consists entirely of vegan whole foods that have not been heated to above 116 degrees – the temperature at which the food’s nutrition begins to be destroyed. Raw foodists make liberal use of soaking, sprouting and fermenting, which are all ancient techniques that increase nutritional bioavailability as well as digestability. A raw food diet ensures alkalinity and if you read Jen’s post below you understand the importance of maintaining the right pH. I wouldn’t advocate for this diet as a lifestyle because it’s too low in protein, and particularly in the winter eating predominantly raw can be harmful to your immune system. I for one can’t even eat a piece of raw celery if it’s below 45 degrees out or I start to shiver. However, integrating more raw foods into your meals offers you more vital life force, and it’s especially nice in summertime when you want to cool off or if you’d like to try a cleanse for a few days.

photo credit: Doonvas

Old-school root beer: sassafras, allspice, ginger, wild cherry bark, vanilla beans, sarsaparilla, licorice, molasses

Modern-day root beer: artificial flavors, benzoate anions

Side effects of old-school ingredients: detoxifies organs, purifies blood, stimulates digestion, kills bacteria, pain reliever, astringent

Side effects of modern-day ingredients: allergies, asthma, gastric upset, hyperactivity, migranes, nausea

We’ve come a long way, baby…in the wrong direction. Will the real root beer please stand up?

Root beer has been made for centuries. Termed “small beer”, the first concoctions were a collection of herbs and spices tossed together and simmered.  This powerful medicinal concoction was first carbonated in 1876, and as the food industry grew more mechanized and concerned with shelf life, artificial flavors and preservatives began to replace the potent and benevolent plant forces present in the original drink. How lucky for us that we can still make our own!

Although I’ve never been a soda fiend, I know plenty of people who love to have a sweet, crisp, bubbly and fluid taste in their mouths. If you fall under that category but you are focused on losing weight, never fear. You can indulge in this scrumptious homemade root beer, enjoying an ancient tradition while keeping your blood sugar stable AND filling your body with miraculous beneficial herbal medicine.

ROOT BEER

Ingredients
3 Tbsp. sarsaparilla root (about 1/2 ounce)
1 Tbsp. licorice root
1 qt. purified water
2-3 tsp. dried Stevia leaf  -OR-
3-4 Stevia teabags
2 qts. carbonated water

Procedure
Simmer the sarsaparilla and licorice root in the quart of water for about 45 minutes.  DO NOT BOIL — it brings out bitter principles.  Add the Stevia leaf or teabags and simmer for 15 minutes longer.

Strain the plant material and return the pan to the burner.  Simmer on very low until liquid is reduced to half.  Remove from heat and strain through a cheesecloth.  Will be left with about 12 ounces of concentrate.  Chill in refrigerator.

Add two ounces of concentrate to 10-12 ounces carbonated water.  Add Stevia extract to taste, if more sweetener is desired.

Yield: About 6 large glasses

Suggestion: May use 2 tbsp. of sarsaparilla and 2 tbsp. licorice root OR add any other barks or herbs of your choice.

(This recipe from BAKING WITH STEVIA, BOOK 2)

A few days ago I evoked sugary, gooey, frosting-topped childhood memories in a post about sugar. Today we’ll explore the connection between sugar and emotion.

FIRST ONE’S FREE

photo credit: schoschie

Sugar is a drug.

That’s right. I said it.

You might be laughing. It’s  sold everywhere, it’s associated with celebrations and feel-good times, it’s a fun indulgence, it comes in pretty colors like pink and blue. Well…so does alcohol. Another very sugary substance, in fact.

A drug is defined as “any absorbed substance that changes or enhances any physical or psychological function in the body”. As a culture, we’ve tended to sort drugs into categories of  “good”  (prescription drugs, for instance) and “bad”. Sugar’s got this – well – sugary sweet reputation, but after reading my last post on its harmful effects on the body, you may begin to question whether it actually falls under the category of “good” after all.

And there’s no question as to whether sugar alters mood. We’ve all witnessed or experienced first-hand how cake can temporarily satiate loneliness, how Gummy bears can trigger a hyperactive frenzy, or how a dish of ice cream can produce a blood sugar crash that causes grouchiness and depression.

Just as with any other addictive substance, some of us are more susceptible than others. I know plenty of people who  enjoy trying a special mousse or pie occasionally, but don’t have an intense commitment to it. I also know people, myself included, who “cannot have just one”. They do not see the point in eating sugar unless they are eating large quantities of it. Each day they plan when they are going to have it. They crave it and feel panicked or cranky if access is somehow denied or thwarted. It’s a special part of their day, and they become excited in anticipation. They’ve had periods where they’ve tried to stop, and they may have even experienced withdrawal symptoms – headache, nausea, irritability. Perhaps they hide their consumption because they’re embarrassed. This is addiction.

COMFORT FOOD?

photo credit: foundphotoslj

There are many perspectives on the etiology of addiction. Some say it’s all genetics, some say it’s environment, some argue poor nutrition. In my experience it’s usually a combination of the three. But regardless of how it begins, sugar, like any addiction, ultimately works as an emotion suppressant. You do it to avoid feeling what you don’t want to feel. Ironically, it only becomes a vicious cycle, since after an initial high, the sugar intake tends to compound the feelings that you’re running from in the first place.

“I’m lonely”. Ah, that classic image of the lonely woman on the couch in front of the television, drowning her sorrows in a pint of Ben and Jerry’s (and for some reason it does always seems to be Ben and Jerry’s…those merry pranksters from VT seem to have a monopoly on this one). In this case, the image is pervasive because it’s true. Many of us can relate to soothing ourselves with sugar. It’s our friend. It won’t leave us. The problem is that it does. When you look into the abyss (of the empty container), the abyss looks back at you. Your spoon scrapes up the last melted bits, and you’re alone. And you have used the ice cream as a wedge between yourself and your feelings, yourself and the world. You’re even more convinced now that you will remain lonely and alone because you are slowly turning into a monstrous ice cream whale. And this thought prompts you to get up and look in the cabinet for those peanut butter cookies. The cycle continues.

Some other reasons people use sugar…

“I’m angry”. In our culture, unless you are getting paid millions per year to beat people up professionally, it is unacceptable to show anger. Some of us use sugar to knock ourselves out so we won’t knock someone else out. But it shuts us up. What happens when you keep telling someone to shut up? They get angrier…and angrier….and they need more and more sugar to shut themselves down.  What would happen if you started admitting some things, like “I can’t stand my career”? “I hate my partner”? “I’m overwhelmed, I have too much too do and no one is helping me”? You might actually have to take a look at your situation and make some changes. And that’s scary. Which brings me to…

“I’m scared”. In our culture, we prize stress. Worked 70 hours this week and fit in a 10k run every day? Great, you get to brag about it. Got world-famous clients screaming at you on the phone? How tough you must be. Actually, how terrified you must be. Stress is a form of anxiety, which is, essentially, fear, and it is not a natural state for us. Our cortisol shoots up, then our blood sugar follows. When it plummets, we want to eat – and fast – and sugar, preferably. Keeps us running, keeps us going (caffeine does the same, incidentally). The sugar spikes our blood sugar, and creates another crash, and we take more sugar, can’t stop, can’t slow down…What happens when we crash?

“I’m ashamed”. Once again, in our culture, many of us wear the cloak of shame. There are multiple ways we are told every day that we’re not good enough. There are two approaches to dealing with this. One is to cave in to these voices, to take on the belief that our body is wrong, our voice is wrong, our personality is wrong, our life is wrong. We are flawed. Since we aren’t addressing the shame directly, we medicate…and sugar can step in here to shut those voices down and make us feel loveable again, if only temporarily. But another approach to dealing with this is to fight back against those voices. It’s harder and it takes more strength.

Recognize yourself in any of these scenarios? Reducing or eliminating sugar from your life may be something you might want to explore. Stay tuned for my post on natural sweeteners, which can help to transition away from “the other white powder”.

photo credit: mauren veras

“Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down…in the most delightful way.” –Mary Poppins

Do you have childhood memories of crying over some fourth grade trauma, then taking refuge in the gooey, glossy cupcakes from the local bakery?

Do you remember being rewarded for good behavior at the bank with a lollipop, or reveling in the scent of freshly baked brownies as you walked in the door from school?

What about digging through a pint of cookie dough ice cream to locate the best chunks? Lemonade on hot summer days? Cotton candy at fairs? Milk Duds at the movies, candy hearts on Valentine’s Day, cake at birthday parties, pancakes at sleepover breakfasts…

photo credit: Flóra

And now that I’ve got you drooling, allow me to introduce John Yudkin MD, Ph.D., F.R.C.P., F.R.S.C., F.I. Biol., Prof of Nutrition at London University:

“If only a small fraction of what is already known about the effects of sugar were to be revealed in relation to any other material used as a food additive, that material would promptly be banned.”

I evoke these youthful reminiscences to illustrate how interwoven childhood is with sugar. From the get go, we’re assaulted with one of the most noxious substances that has ever been introduced into our food supply. We’re taught to associate it with comfort, appreciation, joy…but it’s actually rotting our insides.

Have you ever considered the fact that almost all of the degenerative diseases that plague us today were practically nonexistent just 200 years ago? Without a doubt, the biggest change in our diets has been our sugar consumption. Yes, sugar, also known as sucrose, brown sugar, corn sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup, dextrose, glucose, lactose and maltose. The average American eats 152 pounds of sugar per year!

Sugar is a refined food. It contains no nutrients; it’s pure starch. Its digestion takes such a toll on the body that in order to neutralize its effect, calcium, potassium, and magnesium are leached from the bones and sent out into the bloodstream. This results in a brittle, weak skeletal system. Osteoperosis, anyone?

The valiant liver, purifier of blood, stores sugar as a toxin to prevent it from reaching other areas of the body. Eventually, though, it gets overloaded. A daily intake of sugar has been known to cause the liver to expand like a balloon. At this point the overflow sugar begins to float throughout the bloodstream and is stored in the body as fat. It’s also absorbed by other organs such as the heart and kidneys, and it predictably slows them down, clogging them with fat. Eventually the entire body is affected and the immune system is drastically compromised. Multiple studies and unfortunate events have actually demonstrated that subsisting on sugar and water is actually worse than subsisting on water alone, and will probably kill you.

photo credit: erix!

Sorry to be so gloom and doom. But it’s true, and many people just aren’t aware of it. There have been countless studies documenting the impact of sugar on an individual’s health. You’ve probably heard sugar causes dental decay, gum disease and obesity. Did you also know it causes hyperactivity, depression, anxiety, dizziness and migranes…weakened eyesight, premature aging, cataracts, emphysema, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular disease….ok, I’ll stop for now and just link you to a list of ways sugar can impact your health.

“I give you bitter pills in sugar coating. The pills are harmless: the poison is in the sugar.” –Stanislaw Jerzy Lec

Unfortunately, various villanous industries seeking to capitalize upon sugar’s weight-gaining effects have released a flood of artificial sweeteners into the market. But beware! These are just as toxic. Here’s a quick rundown on a few of our most notorious figures of the shadowy saccharin underworld:

ASPARTAME given to animals in low doses results in lymphomas, leukemia, and brain tumors. When metabolized by the body, its by-products include methyl alcohol, aspartic acid, and formaldehyde. Methyl alcohol is knoown to cause blindness; formaldehyde, used as a wood preservative and to preserve laboratory specimens, is lethal in large doses; aspartic acid excites brain cells and disrupts neural function – contributing to hyperactivity, emotional stress, behavior changes and loss of focus. Check out this youtube video documenting the fascinating link between the some-say-toxic Donald Rumsfeld and Aspartame….

SUCRALOSE, AKA SPLENDA is made from normal sugar which has been chlorinated, producing a host of chlorine byproducts that contribute to the pollution of our waterways. These chemicals work their way up the food chain and into our bodies – and they stay there, lodged in fat cells. Dioxins contribute to cancers, hormone imbalance, birth defects, and infertility, and they suppress the immune system. Research on sucralose in animal studies has shown effects including: shrinking of the thymus gland, enlarged liver and kidneys, reduced growth rate, decreased red blood cell count (anemia), extension of pregnancy period, birth defects and atrophy of lymph follicles.

SACCHARIN, AKA SWEET’N'LOW appeared on the US FDA’s carcinogen list from 1998 to 2000. Like the others, it’s synthetically made. It appears in only one place in nature – as a component in coal tar.

photo credit: kevindooley

Great. I’ve knocked out all your options for decadent desserts. Or have I? Tomorrow, we’ll address the emotional aspects of sugar addiction, and explore some natural alternatives that are just as sweet as the artificials – and much better for you.

photo credit: bcmom

One important weight loss technique is choosing a breakfast of high-quality protein. Organic, grass finished, free range, hormone, antibiotic, nitrate-free, is of course the ideal. Sometimes, though, all those adjectives means we’re spending a little bit more than we’d like. So do what you can within the confines of your budget…or get some chickens for your backyard. Fresh, Omega-3-rich eggs…yum.

There’s no doubt that omelets day in and day out can get dull, not to mention placing stress on the kidneys as they try to handle all that protein. It’s also not good to eat the same foods over and over again. And sometimes, especially in the winter, we humans are known to crave something hot and starchy to start off our day. Of course, french toast and pancakes aren’t ideal for weight loss: grains are carbohydrates, so they will raise your blood sugar where proteins and fats won’t. But, and this is very important, whole grains will raise it significantly less than refined grains. A slice of white bread toast has a GI up to 87, while some whole grains, such as barley, could be anywhere from 48 down to only 22.

If you’d like to keep your blood sugar from spiking like crazy, but you’re also wanting a  warm, sweet, and crunchy breakfast, try the recipe below. Quinoa has the highest protein content of any grain – 15 – 20%. Its GI is only 55, which is still fine for a low-GI diet. If you’d like to avoid grain in general, one option for this dish is to leave out the quinoa entirely while adding more nuts and sprouts. This cereal is sweetened with stevia, which is the ONLY natural sweetener shown to actually stabilize blood sugar rather than raise it.

Nutty Sprouty Breakfast Cereal

All measurements are approximate. Feel free to adjust to taste, or to your personal appetite.

10 crushed almonds (or walnuts, or pecans, or hazelnuts…any nut you have on hand)

1 cup sprouts (see the sprouting technique under our “Recession Cuisine” section)

1/2 c quinoa (dry)

1 tbsp shredded coconut

5-7 drops of stevia

1/4 tsp sea salt

dash of almond milk, hemp milk, or rice milk (or whole, raw milk if you can do dairy)

seasonings: allspice, garam masala, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamon, ginger, vanilla extract – whatever you enjoy

1. Soak the quinoa overnight in water. This removes the saponins, which give it a bitter taste. It will also speed up the cooking process in the morning. You will see that the grain will have transformed and the endosperm will have uncurled (looks like a ring around the seed, or a little tail).

2. When you’re ready for breakfast, drain off any water that’s still remaining in the soak boal. Add the quinoa to a pot with only a dash of fresh water and the rest of the ingredients.

3. Boil for 3-5 minutes.

4. Taste and adjust seasonings.

5. Eat…slowly, chewing everything well.

photo credit: avlxyz

One of the keys to weight loss lies in stabilizing your blood sugar. Blood sugar can spike from a number of things – for example, consuming sweets, experiencing stress, drinking caffeine, or lack of sleep – and that same sugar, when not burned off, ends up being stored in your body as fat. Avoiding sugar and refined carbs, and sticking to low glycemic index foods, will help you reach your weight goal…as will reducing your anxiety and practicing mindfulness!

What if you’ve got a sweet tooth but you’d like to shed a few pounds? Never fear. Every Monday we will be featuring a tasty low GI snack that will actually work towards stabilizing your blood sugar by making use of the wonderful plant Stevia as a sweetener.

Today we are introducing the STABILIZING SHAKE. Most smoothies contain a banana for texture. However, bananas, and fruit in general, are high Glycemic Index foods and not ideal for weight loss. Instead, this shake is thickened with half an avocado, one of the best plant sources for Omega-3. Rather than using dairy, a common allergen, the recipe calls for coconut milk. Full of good, hearty saturated fats, the oil in coconut milk has been shown to aid weight loss by increasing metabolism. You can make this a vanilla, chocolate, almond, or any other flavored shake depending upon what you add to it, so you’ll never get sick of it. And it will always have that lovely hint of coconut. This shake is filling and satisfying and won’t give you a blood sugar rush. What more can you ask for?

STABILIZING SHAKE

6 oz coconut milk

2 oz almond milk

½ avocado

4-6 drops stevia

Your choice of flavoring: almond extract, vanilla extract, a spoonful of cacao, a handful of mint leaves…

Add everything to your blender and mix. Drink and enjoy, but remember to chew slightly in order to encourage your saliva to begin to digest the smoothie!

NOTE:  If it tastes bland, it could need some salt. Don’t hesistate to toss in a pinch – it heightens any pre-existing flavor. If you’ve accidentally over-salted, just add more stevia…

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