The Ultimate Protein Shake

I have seen a million protein shake recipes. This one has the best ingredients. This also could be modified quite easily. Add frozen fruit, nuts etc.

JNL Talks about Juicing

Nutrition Controversies in Video

Here are some very interesting videos on nutrition that I have really enjoyed.

This video is about the discoveries of the Weston Price Foundation, which I whole-heartedly agree with. Basically we must become puritans with our food choices. I'm not even against meat or animal products, I think we need to eat foods in their whole, unprocessed state.

 

I think it's important to note the end where she discusses the purity of our food. Don't eat rancid oils or pesticide laden fruits and vegetables. Every diet I have ever researched talks about eating different percentages of macronutrients and neglects to point out the elephant in the room: purity matters. Whole foods matter!

Nourishment is our BIRTHRIGHT.

Here is a video about Magnesium Deficiency.  

Note that the "anti-depresents" cause depression and imbalance!

This video has three pro's battleing it out. Is fat good or bad? Nobody knows for sure. I think Weston Price did though. He called fresh, organic fats from healthy sources the "X" factor to vitamin and mineral obsorption. Like I said before, whole foods is the key.

 

All of these experts are right in at least one area: reduce refined foods. Obesity and disease is caused by imbalance. Eating refined foods is the same as eating extracts of foods, not whole foods. I don't care if you eat animal products either, you can avoid animal cruelty by eating healthy free-range animals, and in moderation. Eat a variety of WHOLE FOODS in a pure, natural and HEALTHY state and you will find more balance in your life. Amoungst WHOLE FOODS eat WHAT YOU CRAVE. Your body is uniquely hungry for specific nourishment. We are creatures of sense for a reason, we feel and crave and enjoy those things that ensure optimal living. If you exercise alot, eat more complex carbs if you crave them. Never surpress your bodies cry for nourishment. But when you eat outside of nature, those sensors are tricked. So eat what you crave amoungst whole foods.

Sweet Cream-Chocolate Fruit Sushi

My most popular food post so far is my Banana Apple Fruit Sushi . So I decided to feature some of my more complex fruit sushi inventions! This recipe has a few component recipes. You can make it as simple or as complex as you want. I promise this one is absolutely delicious!

Sweet Cream & Chocolate Fruit Sushi

Ingredients:

Romaine Lettuce Leaves
Strawberries
Blueberries
Cheesecake-Cashew-Coconut-Whipped-Cream
Coconut-Candied-Walnuts
Your favorite organic chocolate syrup,
OR  
Easy Chocolate Sauce
1/2 Cup Agave
1 Date
2 Tbsp. Raw Cocoa Powder
1 Tbsp. Peanut Butter


Instructions:

Wash your strawberries.

Cut them up carefully, these peices will be on display, after all :)

Wash the organic romaine lettuce leaves, being careful not to tear the fibers since this needs to hold creamy fillings! Wash the blueberries as well.

Lay the romaine out flat and cut of peices that are brown or that make it hard to bend the leaf.

Now we have arrived to the good part! Smear on some raw coconut cashew cream!

Add a handful of blueberries.

Add sliced strawberries!

If you have any granola on hand, this is a really good addition. Or use my Easy Coconut-Candied Walnuts recipe.

 

 Roll up the fruit carefully into the romaine lettuce leaf. On its side, poke several toothpicks obout two inches apart and then cut in-between to create a mini skewer. Or you can just eat it just like this!

A delicious fruit burrito! It's really good without the chocolate sauce too. This would make it really easy because you could have the cream on hand, pre-made and just make a snack!  

Take a white plate and squirt little designs of chocolate onto the plate. If you are making your own chocolate sauce, like I did, then fill a zip-lock bag with the sauce and then cut a tiny end off (cut the corner off), so as to make a very small opening. This is like a cheap pastry-frosting bag.

Place a strawberry and a blueberry slice on top of the exposed top.

I added some baby mint leaf shoots.

Yum! I ate the whole plate, no guilt :)

Easy Coconut Candied Walnuts

Use this on top of yogurt, in parfaits or on top of oatmeal with fresh fruit, feel free to add any dried fruit or nut/grain of your choice. This is grain free, gluten free, vegan.

Easy Coconut Candied Walnuts

Granola:
3/4 Cup Chopped Walnuts
4 Tblsp. Coconut Flour or Shredded Coconut

Spiced Syrup:
2 Tbsp. Agave Nectar
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Directions: Chop the walnuts. Mix the Coconut into the walnuts. In a seperate bowl mix the spiced syrup together. Mix the syrup into the nut mixture. Lay this mixture out on an oven proof sheet and toast for 2-3 minutes in a toaster over or oven at 400 degrees. You may want to stir the mixture halway through toasting. Watch the mixture carefully as coconut burns easily.

Walnuts are my favorite but this basic recipe will work well with almost any variation.

Chop the walnuts.

In a seperate bowl mix the spiced syrup together.

Mix the Coconut into the walnuts.

Mix the syrup into the nut mixture.

Lay this mixture out on an oven proof sheet and toast for 2-3 minutes in a toaster over or oven at 400 degrees. You may want to stir the mixture half-way through toasting. Watch the mixture carefully, as coconut burns easily. You can also eat this raw, but it gets a delightful crunch when toasted! You can make your own coconut flour by putting shredded coconut into a vitamix and pulsing the blades, or just use dried shredded coconut.

Cheesecake Cashew-Coconut Whipped Cream

This whipped cream is instant gratification. You don't have to soak any nuts overnight or stick a can of coconut milk in the freezer overnight. As long as you have frozen bananas and coconut meat on hand (leftover from making smoothies etc) then there really isn't any other make-ahead items.

Raw Cashew-Coconut Whipped Cream

Ingrediets:

1/2 Cup Frozen Young Coconut Meat
1/2 Cup Dry Raw Cashews
7 Deglet Noor Dates
1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
1/2 Frozen Banana
1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
Zest of 2 Lemmons

Directions: Add all ingredients into the blender and blend at variable low and high speeds. Scrape down the sides and move the cream in towards the blades. Let the blender sit for a few minutes as it will take several runs to get this to a silky smooth consistency and you don't want to bake the cream by letting the friction of the blades heat it up. Refrigerate the cream for 30 minutes afterwords if it gets too warm.

You will need a small strainer and a zester or fine grater. Zest the lemons first, then juice them.

Lemon zest smells so good!

You can use a small hand strainer or use an electric citrus juicer. Don't let seeds get in the cream!

Ingredients for the cream!

Blend up the cream. Be sure to scrape down the sides to get the date fragments incorporated.

Scrape the cream out of your vitamix (or other high speed blender).

Its creamy, coconuty, and tastes like lemon cheesecake!

Store in a glass container. Eat it chilled.

It's better when its very cold.

This keeps really well in the fridge for several days. I have several recipes (soon to come!) that work so well with this creamy delight. It is delicious with fresh fruit. I will be posting more soon!

Frosty Deglet Noor Nut Milk (In 15 seconds!)

This milk can be made in a high speed blender in literally seconds! I love making nut milk, especially when it is this delicious and this FAST! Plus, you don't need a nut milk bag! This is also a delicious creamy banana milkshake all by itself. It's loaded with vital nutrients as well: Bananas are a good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Potassium and Manganese, and a very good source of Vitamin B6. While Almonds are loaded with Protein, Calcium, Magnesium and Manganese with  Zinc, Copper and other trace minerals. Dates are a powerhouse of energy, and a great source of Fiber, Folate and some Trace Minerals (not to mention an amazing caramel flavor!).  

Frosty Deglet Noor Nut Milk (In 15 Seconds!)

Ingredients:

1 ½ Cups Water

1 Frozen Ripe Banana

3 Deglet Noor Dates

2 Tbsp. Almond Butter

1/8 tsp. Stevia Powder

1/3 Cup Ice  

Optional: 1/4 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice or Cinnamon

Directions: Blend in a high speed blender until thick and creamy.
Pour over 1 cup of ice for a cold milkshake.
Use in place of milk for Cereal, Granola, Oatmeal etc...
There are so many uses for this delicious cold milk!

This is all you need for the quickest, creamiest, most delicious nut-milk you've ever had! I used Maple Flavor Almond Butter, MaraNatha brand. Any raw nut butter should work just fine (I would suggest either Almond or Cashew). You could make your own nut butter to ensure great taste and a fresh consistency, try this recipe created by Angela Liddon for 'Kitchen Sink Nut Butter'. Or, buy a raw nut butter from the health food store.

I love finding new products. Recently, I was shopping in Salt Lake City, I went to my favorite store, Sunflower Farmers Market. I found one of the most delicous finds! Fresh, moist, juicy Deglet Noor Dates! I usually use Medjool dates from Costco, but these literally taste like soft buttery caramel! And, the best part is,....... drumroll!..................... each date is only 20 calories ! I am so facinated by dates... there are so many delicious varieties!

Have you ever seen a Date Tree?

Nature is so amazing!

The Deglet Noor dates came from Hadley Farms, California.

Ashlee Crozier, (my amazing vegan sister, the genius behind plantinfusions.blogspot.com!) pointed out to me that if you take something away from somone you need to give them something even better in place of it. Say no more...