Celebrating The Year Past, Celebrating Life
This Summer Holiday Edition:
- Know which foods will Nourish and Sustain you
- Christmas Raw Recipes to impress!!
- Herbal Brews to calm the nerves
Food to Nourish & Sustain
How can you stay trim throughout the summer festivities?!
Choose your food wisely throughout this season.
I've put together a short-list of foods that you should keep on hand as a staple.
Lots of juicing, salads and stir-fries!
Simple Treasures
- Leafy Greens (spinach/kale/silberbeet): Rich in calcium, potassium, magnesium, folic acid, amino acids, fiber, vitamin K, vitamin C. Benefits - Bowel health/regularity/ enhances metabolism of Carbohydrates (reducing LDL levels)/ Immune boosting
- Beetroot: Rich in glutamine, amino acids, fiber. Benefits - Enhances metabolism of Carbohydrates (reducing LDL levels)/ Immune boosting
- Carrot: Rich in glutamine, amino acids, fiber. Benefits - Enhances metabolism of Carbohydrates (reducing LDL levels)/ Immune boosting
- Daikon Radish: Rich in amino acids, fiber, potassium, vitamins K & C. Benefits - Enhances digestion (especially starches)/ dissolves hard fat deposits/ supports immune system
- Ginger: Deserving of an entire blog to itself, ginger is your gem. For now, just to spike your interest ... Benefits - may protect your liver and stomach against the toxicity of alcohol/ protective against electromagnetic radiation/ alleviate nausea/ lower serum cholesterol levels (LDLs, VLDLs)/ protect against free radicals/ regulate blood sugars/ pain relief in arthritis/ alleviate cramps/ boost immune system/ enhance digestive function
- Coconut Milk (use in your stir-fry): Rich in amino acids, potassium, omega 6. Benefits - protective against detrimental bacteria, fungi and viruses including - Chlamydia trachomatis, Helicobacter pylori, Hemophilus influenzae, Listeria monocytogenes, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus agalactiae, Candida albicans and Herpes Simplex (1 & 2)
- Bee Pollen: Rich in amino acids, B-vitamins including B12, minerals and over 5000 types of enzymes ... and much, much more! Benefits - protects liver/ reduces fatigue/ lung health/ boosts haemoglobin
Honey Dew Refresher
- 2C Honey Dew Melon, diced
- 2tsp Coconut Sugar or Agave Syrup
- 1/8 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1C Ice
- 1C Water
*Blend well and enjoy!
Hot Pink Salad
- 1C Beetroot, grated
- 1C Carrot, grated
- 1C Daikon radish, grated
- 1C Apple, grated
- Juice from half a lemon, freshly squeezed
- Olive oil/Hemp seed oil, drizzle
Options: Add 1C chopped tomatoes or soak half cup Loving Earth Salad Sprinkles in 1/4C olive oil while grating your ingredients before mixing through. 1C chickpeas are also nice in this dish.
Raw Christmas Fruit Cake
Trust me!! This is one impressive cake, even if i do say so myself!
AND - nobody will ever guess it is raw.
Time needed - 15 minutes preparation, 2 minutes washing dishes, 1 day to set (freezer)
*Nuts and seeds - remember to always soak nuts and seeds overnight in water for better digestion
*Any of the fruits or nuts may be substituted for others you prefer or can find at your local store.
- 1+1/4C Almonds, soaked & chopped coarsely
- 1/2C Hazelnuts
- 1/2C Currants
- 1/2C Sultanas
- 1/2C Apricots, chopped (if using dried apricots, soak in water until soft)
- 1/4C White Mulberries (Loving Earth)
- 1/4C Pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- 1/4C Sunflower kernels
- 1+1/4C Cacao powder
*Halve the mixture.
*Blend half in a food processor moderately (or speed #6 in a thermomix) - roughly to a muesli bar texture. This will determine the texture of your cake, so it's up to you how crunchy you keep it.
- 1/4C dried Cranberries
*Now add the remaining half of your mixture to the already blended half ... very gently (i used #2 Reverse speed in my thermomix)
- 1+1/4C Dates, pitted & soaked
- 1Tbs Agave Syrup
- 1Tbs Water
*Add date paste to fruit & nut mixture, stirring well.
*Press mixture firmly into a small round bowl or cake tin that has been wiped very lightly with coconut oil/butter. Put in the freezer and leave for 24hrs.
Option: Shape mixture into small truffles ... have some fun with this recipe!
- 1/2C almonds, soaked
- 1/2Tbs Agave Syrup
- 1Tbs Coconut oil/butter
*Add remaining ingredients and process until a smooth paste.
*Take cake out of freezer after 24hrs and turn upside down onto a serving plate.
*Spread paste over cake, garnish with almonds - and have a wonderful Christmas xo
Herbal Brew
Infuse your own unique blends for a
Balance of Taste and Health!
These herbal brews taste just as good hot
from the teapot or chilled over ice.
Enjoy!
Lemon Balm: Infuse 4g loose tea per cup for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Drink throughout the day when you are feeling nervous, anxious or depressed. Lemon Balm lifts your spirits! If you are having trouble sleeping drink an infusion of Lemon Balm with Valerian before bed.
Passionflower and Lavender: Infuse for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Passionflower is another herb that may reduce nervousness, anxiety and insomnia. Lavender is very calming and effective during times of stress, anxiety, depression, nervousness and insomnia. Brew Passionflower with Lavender for a beautiful flavor.
Next month ...
- Herbal Tea Blends to Support Your Health - learn how to make more tasty herbal brews!
- Food to Nourish and Sustain - Coconut, Maca, Hemp seed ,Klammath Lake Blue-Green Algae
- Recipes - Juice, Raw Pumpkin Pie .. and something savoury!
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