Archives for May 2015

Raw Honey Flax Banana Crepes

May 24, 2015 by Sarah

Okay, so they’re more like banana fruit roll-ups.

Buuuut, crepes sounds more fun and you can utilize them like you would crepes too (the sweet kind, not necessarily the savory kind) 😉

So what can you do with these bad boys?!

Layer with fruit and eat for breakfast
Layer with homemade chocolate sauce or this chocolate hazelnut cream sauce, coconut whipped cream or banana ice cream and fruit (especially berries) for dessert
Eat alone as a perfect little snack

Raw Honey Flax Banana Crepes

Author: Sarah

Recipe type: Snack, Breakfast

Ingredients

4 bananas
½ tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. mesquite powder (optional)
2 tsp. raw honey
¼ cup water
1½ tbsp. ground flax seeds

Instructions

Puree ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
Spread out evenly on Teflex sheets or unbleached parchment paper and place in the dehydrator at 115 degrees for 8-12 hours (overnight).
Peel away crepe when completely dry and roll up or fold over.

If you do not have a dehydrator, you can try lining a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat and baking it on your oven’s lowest setting for 4-5 hours. If that’s over 170 degrees, you can either prop the door open or let it preheat, turn it off and repeat every hour.

With love,

What to do When you Feel ‘Hungry-Not-Hungry’

May 19, 2015 by Sarah

Have you ever felt like you weren’t hungry yet you find yourself looking in the pantry for something to eat? Maybe you kind of ate junky during the day and know you need some sort of nutritional boost or some ‘real food’ even though you aren’t necessarily all that hungry? Or you feel your metabolism is being kind of sluggish yet you feel the need to eat because you think you should be eating?

This is what I like to call ‘hungry-not-hungry’. And I felt it today. Maybe I’m the only one who gets this feeling every once in awhile, but I have a feeling I’m not. I can’t be certain, but I can take a stab and suggest that maybe your body (at least I feel my body anyway) is basking for some nutrients.. you know, some vitamins and minerals from real, whole, nutrient-dense food. And can you guess where’s a great place to start? Yup, you got it – raw vegetables.

Next time you find yourself in that ‘hungry-not-hungry’ state, don’t reach for more snack food. I know those chipotle black bean chips look oh so crunchy and appealing, but give your body something it will feel satisfied with without shoveling down more calories, which your body probably doesn’t want anyway since you don’t feel hungry. Raw vegetables will not carry the caloric load, but will give you nutrients your body is most likely yearning for.

Next time you get this feeling, try one of these two things:

1. Snack on some raw veggies or make a small salad with a variety of vegetables.

There are plenty of times I used to get home from work late and even though I wasn’t all that hungry, I would make a nice little salad with greens and veggies we had on hand. I felt like my body really wanted it, and it was something I didn’t mind eating even before bed. Start with a variety of greens on the bottom, cut up some veggies and put a small amount of dressing, preferably homemade, on top to jazz it up a little. A little lemon or lime juice with avocado is always nice!

2. Juice, juice, juice away!

That was the answer for today. What was even more perfect is that there were some veggies in the fridge that I needed to eat up – I’ll admit, I just didn’t feel like having a nappa cabbage-broccoli-asparagus salad. Wasn’t in the mood for it. But the minute I thought about juicing I started getting thirsty 🙂 It was perfect; I ended up juicing nappa cabbage, a big broccoli stalk, asparagus ends (I keep the tops to steam), a thumb of ginger, a whole organic lemon and some cantaloupe! Juicing vegetables when feeling ‘hungry-not-hungry’ is such a fantastic way to satisfy your confusing craving – you hydrate yourself while giving your body readily available nutrients to utilize for carrying out its many intricate processes.

Now over to you!! What is your favorite way to satisfy that ‘hungry-not-hungry’ feeling?

With lots ‘o love,

Rhubarb Sauce with Kiwi and Banana Ice Cream

May 9, 2015 by Sarah

Who is pumped UP about rhubarb season?! When I saw those jolly stalks on the top shelf of my local grocery store, a smile spread big and wide across my face. I’ll have to say I have some fond memories of rhubarb because of my mother; she would often make strawberry rhubarb pies and also a sauce to put over vanilla ice cream. There was just something about the tart and tangy taste mixed with the slightly gelatinous texture when made into a sauce that made it make such an imprint on my 7 year-old dessert-loving heart.

You are four steps and four ingredients away from late spring treat bliss. Ready, Fred?

Step one: make some plain ‘ol banana ice cream. I only did bananas, but you can add any flavor you’d like (like vanilla!).

Step two: Slow Mo drizzle rhubarb sauce over ice cream.

Step three: Place bits of kiwi on top.

Step four: Devour while the rhubarb is still warm!!

Rhubarb Sauce with Kiwi and Banana Ice Cream

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

15 mins

Author: Sarah

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 2

Ingredients

1 cup rhubarb, washed and chopped in 1-inch pieces
⅛ cup raw sugar, turbinado or sucanat (other preferred natural sweetener)
2 bananas, frozen
1 kiwi, cut up into small pieces

Instructions

Place fresh or frozen rhubarb and sugar in a saucepan and heat on low-medium heat until very tender. Stir occasionally and test by pressing with a fork to see if the rhubarb falls apart.
Make banana ice cream by placing bananas in a food processor and processing until they reach an ice cream consistency. You may need to stop it and press contents down every now and then to help it along if the bananas get stuck.
Place ice cream in the freezer as you finish up the rhubarb sauce.
Put sauce into the food processor and process for about 5 seconds until smooth.
Take ice cream out of the freezer and place sauce and kiwi on top!

* Most sauce recipes call for water, but I didn’t because my mom never did, and I kind of like it a little more concentrated.

With love,

3-Ingredient Raw Applesauce

May 7, 2015 by Sarah

Easy-peezy lemon squeezy pretty much sums up this recipe! This raw applesauce is so simple and fresh tasting it’s ridiculous.

When apple season comes, you’ll be ready to take it by storm.

Time to rev up those food processors and give it a go 🙂

3-Ingredient Raw Applesauce

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

Author: Sarah

Recipe type: Snacks, Sides, Breakfast

Serves: 1

Ingredients

2 apples (I like to mix varieties and use organic if possible)
juice from ½ lemon
cinnamon and/or nutmeg, to taste (use less nutmeg than cinnamon)

Instructions

Place the ingredients in a food processor and process with the 'S' blade until smooth.

This applesauce is best consumed right after making or the next day!

With love,

When you Take the Time to Really Enjoy Nature…

May 4, 2015 by Sarah

My April challenge was to walk outside or spend time in nature everyday. I was traveling for the first week so a lot of my walking was in Chicago and Minneapolis. Other than that, I really made an effort to find new places and just be out in nature!

I can’t even tell you how much these challenges are benefiting me. Every month I just can’t stop thinking to myself, “I’m so glad I’m doing this challenge!”

So what happened when I took the time to really enjoy nature? I’ll let some notes from the month (and pictures) do the talking.

April Nature Challenge Notes

4/5 – This challenge has been a little tough because I’m traveling, but we’ve done tons of walking downtown and outside though. I will try to get in nature more when I get back! I really miss my other challenges like journaling and meditating especially!

4/10 – Off day today and I went and ran/walked downtown. I meditated in the woods and just being outside helped calmed me so so much. It rejuvenated me. It reminded me of exploring in the woods as a kid. It really just lifted my spirits being out there and taking it all in. It was pretty swampy and I had to hard-core maneuver to avoid getting my shoes wet. I failed. Ha! They still got wet and muddy.

4/11 – I went on a run and did hills at the end of the road. I really pushed myself and it was great! Then after, I went into the grassy/wooded bunker area on the side of the road and sat in the grass. I breathed and just felt the sun shine on me and warm me up. It felt so nice to do that after my run. Looking for places in nature and going off the beaten path really brings out the curious, adventurous, exploratory side of me. Makes me feel young and alive. I absolutely love it.

4/13 – Today was really neat; we went to these trails behind the neighborhood. We went off path for awhile and walked on these huge fallen trees and navigated across this small swampy/river area. It was fun! Our shoes got nice and muddy. Then we walked downstream and there were TONS of frogs mating. The were so loud! It was so cool listening and seeing how many there were everywhere. I’ve never really been that immersed in nature life. All I could think about was how I wished I had my phone to record it! haha. And how glad I was that we got out and did that. You really don’t experience things like that on a daily basis unless you put yourself in that situation by choosing to make it happen. I believe that putting yourself in nature and allowing yourself to slow down, breathe, look and appreciated all that’s around you helps you find your inner kid. You get to make your own set of footprints, and I really believe it has the ability to increase quality of life. There’s nothing quite like it.

4/18- Today’s nature challenge was crazy good. It was so warm out!! I went over and walked by the Fire Station. There was this path and I took off my shoes and walked around it! Then I went and sat off the path in the sun and soaked it up! It was fabulous and so great. I also did some breathing and really just tried to seize the moment. I didn’t even know that path was over there! I love the woods so much.

4/22 – Today was tough to do my challenge because it’s freezing out! It’s been snowing today – auckyyy! I went and walked in the wooded area behind the complex and it was so fun again. I can’t get over how much I LOVE being out in nature. I did not think I would totally love this as much as I do!! I guess I just feel so carefree and whimsical haha! It really honestly feels like a reset button, and I just feel so glad every time I get outside and go off paths and discover new places. I got my shoes wet again (for the third time) and they were so cold!! Can’t wait to find some more new places to explore!

4/23 – I went and did some sprints at the track and then hopped up all the seats on the bleachers. The workout was quick and effective (just how I like ‘em). I sat/laid in the grass after then stretched too! It was just on the side of the track, but being in the nature and feeling the grass underneath me give me pure contentment. When I was folded over I saw the light shining through a blade of grass and thought it was so awesome looking! I was able to snap a cool pic of it! I love taking the time to notice the little, beautiful things. I never used to really acknowledge any of it because I was always just going going going. I feel so much better when I slow down and am at peace and fill up on the simple things.

4/28 – Today I got a nice big dose of nature. I went on a walk early this morning (okay 9am, but I’m never really up around then!). I even found some swings! I got to enjoy the MORNING SUN – it feels so different and refreshing. The grass was being cut too so I got to enjoy the nice smell of fresh-cut grass. I went golfing later and the scenery was so pretty.. it was by these farms and it was vast natural landscapes wherever you looked. I was really tired, but I still liked being outside.

4/29 – I got in my car and it was dead :/ so I walked to the spot where I do hills and just chilled in the bunker again and enjoyed the sun going down. It gave me a chance to really reset and clear my head. I’m trying to figure out where to live and what to do next in life, and I just felt really overwhelmed. Once I went for my walk and sat and got to see the sun setting, I immediately felt exceptionally better. I even brought a little notebook and wrote about the things that really make me happy/feel my best. It helped me get in a good spot for the rest of the night to really buckle down and get some things done that I’d been wanting to get done.

I highly encourage you to do a nature challenge of your own, especially since summer is approaching! I also highly encourage you to do challenge every month, you will be surprised to see how much some can impact your life! Watch this video for more details 🙂

Blessings,

Why and How to Include Sea Vegetables and Algae in your Diet

May 1, 2015 by Sarah

Why can it be beneficial to eat sea vegetables and algae?

In general, these foods can provide you with a slew of nutrients you may not be getting from land vegetables, especially since a lot of the soil that these foods are grown on is nutritionally-depleted due to things like soil erosion or aggressive farming techniques. Since many, many people suffer from mineral imbalances and deficiencies, sea vegetables and algae can come to the rescue by providing our bodies with trace minerals.

Trace minerals (or sometimes called microminerals) consist of elements that come directly from the periodic table. Although our bodies do not need all of these elements, trace minerals are the ones our bodies need in very small amounts, which are ones like manganese, iodine, copper, iron, zinc, fluoride, selenium and chromium. Oppositely, macrominerals are the minerals our bodies need in larger amounts, which are ones like calcium, sodium, potassium, chloride, phosphorus and magnesium.

Because of the minerals in sea vegetables and algae, they may also help with circulation, detoxifying heavy metals, pollutants and carcinogens, balancing hormone and thyroid function, boosting energy levels, promoting relaxation, sleep and bone health, aiding in digestive health and alleviating constipation.

What are some common edible sea vegetables and algae?

Brown Algae – generally high in iodine
- Kombu/Kelp – Contains the most iodine, dark greenish brown with thick fronds. Kombucha is a fermented tea made from powdered kombu. Good when added to beans to make them more digestible, used to make dashi (soup stock), which is a staple food in Japanese cuisine, good source of fiber, iodine, vitamin B1 and vitamin A, calcium, magnesium, iron and potassium. Contains glutamine, a sweet amino acid that acts as a flavor enhancer. Can get kelp granules for sprinkling on food.
- Arame – ‘Sea Oak’ is a mild, sweet brown species of kelp, good source of Vitamin K, magnesium and calcium.
- Wakame – Large, brown algae, commonly used in miso soup, high in fiber, folate, manganese, magnesium and potassium. Like Kombu, it also contains glutamine.
Red Algae
- Nori – Seaweed paper used to cover sushi (the link comes with a bamboo mat to make sushi!).
- Dulse – A popular, robust, red algae, nutritional powerhouse packed with protein and iron, alkaline, used as a seasoning by crushing it.
- Agar – Vegetable alternative to gelatin.
Green Algae
- Sea Lettuce – Can get whole leaf or flakes, resembles land lettuce. Best served raw, but can rehydrate with lemon juice and water. High in iron, protein, iodine, aluminum, magnesium and nickel.
- Chlorella – Rich in chlorophyll, anti-cancer properties, beneficial compounds (antioxidant carotenoids) called lutein, detoxification capacity, protein and vitamin B12. Make sure it’s from a good source! Otherwise they can bring heavy metals and other toxins into your body.
- Spirulina – Blue-green microalgae. Easily digestible, complete protein containing all the essential amino acids, chlorophyll-rich, immune booster, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, ‘brain food’.

What are some good ways to include these foods into my diet?

As seasonings (dulse, kelp, sea lettuce)
As snacks (nori)
They can accompany numerous savory dishes like soups, noodle broths, salads, sauces, omelettes, fish and vegetable dishes, stir fries (arame, wakame, nori, kombu/kelp, sea lettuce)
With grain or tempeh burgers (arame, dulse, kelp, nori)
Added to homemade bread, rice, whole grains, pasta, savory tarts, with cheese (kombu/kelp, wakame, arame, kombu, nori, dulse)
Sushi (nori)
Added to smoothies (spirulina, chlorella) and other drinks (kombucha, seaweed tea)
Desserts (agar)

Where can I buy seaweeds like these?

You can find many of these online or at Asian markets or gourmet markets, health food stores, or the Asian food section of your grocery store. Sea vegetables may contain inorganic arsenic or other heavy metals so it is important to buy from a reputable source where the seaweed is grown in areas not affected by industrial waste. Look for organic if possible, and of course, consume in moderation. Also, store tightly sealed in a dry place at room temperature, and they should last for years.

Sources:

http://www.kurakonusa.com/seaweed/uses_of_different_seaweed.html

http://www.edenfoods.com/store/index.php/wakame-sea-vegetable-cultivated-hand-harvested-raw.html