This may be one of the easiest desserts…ever! These Mini Pecan Pies work great for parties, appetizers, snacks or quick desserts. Like the real pie, they are just like candy!
Mini Pecan Pies
Choose Medjool dates.
Slice open and pit date, checking for any “bad dates.”
Fill halves or stuff the whole dates with pecans (or even walnuts!).
Sprinkle with cinnamon for a little seasonal spice.
Naturally gluten, dairy, refined sugar free.
One of my all time holiday season, breakfast favorites!!! Bursting with flavor, beautifully colorful and slightly sweet! …and still innocent! Perfect for the season. Enjoy!
½ cup golden flax
⅓ cup coconut flour
1¼ cup gluten free flour blend (choose a high fiber brand)
½ cup xylitol
½ tsp KAL stevia*
½ tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp + 2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp xanthan gum
2 eggs, beaten
2½ Tbsp applesauce (unsweetened)
¼ cup coconut oil
1 medium orange, peeled, seeded, and pureed
1 Tbsp orange zest
1 tsp vanilla
⅔ cup almond milk (unsweetened, vanilla)
3 Tbsp raw honey
1½ cups fresh cranberries,** sorted, rinsed, drained and chopped
Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Combine all remaining wet ingredients with dry and stir (except cranberries). Gently fold in chopped cranberries. Scoop into lightly greased muffin pan. Bake at 350° about 28-30 minutes.
Makes 12 muffins
* Amount may vary by brand
** To prevent “pink, red or purple” muffins, chop hard-frozen cranberries immediately before folding into batter
Cranberries at Thanksgiving. You can’t get much more American during this season. Literally. Cranberries are actually 1 of only 3 fruits (with blueberries and Concord grapes) native to the United States. They’ve certainly grown to be one of my favorites during the holiday season, as I treasure fond memories from days at my Grandma and Grandpa’s house. Yes, my taste buds have grown up too…and I was probably spoiled by my Grandma’s real cranberry relish and not the canned version. (Look for it! The recipe will be coming out in my book early Spring 2017!)
I think their brilliant color won me over! Or, maybe it was the fall I visited a cranberry bog in Massachusetts with my dearest friend from college. Such beauty! Such magnificence!! And such deliciousness! I guess cranberries are a little extra charming to me.
They can be for you too. Whatever your tastes, be amazed with me by the benefits and uniqueness packed into this beautifully rich berry! Check out these benefits to be enjoyed any time of year:
1- Work as potent antioxidants
2- Boost the immune system with antioxidants and Vitamin C
3- Prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs)
4- Support dental health
5- Promote heart health
6- Fight cancer
7- Reduce inflammation
8- Help digestive health
Research is still a bit early in determining the best form and dose. However, it does appear that to get the most benefits, you’ll want to choose something with the whole berry, as each of their unique components seems to work best together in a synergistic effect.
Cranberry Shopping and Snacking Tips
Here’s to making your holiday season extra rich, delicious and stunning!
and share the deliciousness with a friend!
My love for sweets came down to me through my genes! Grandma always stocked the cookie jar with fresh cookies, Grandpa made the best ever peanut brittle and continually filled his candy dish with chocolate kisses and Mom baked all kinds of amazing breads and desserts. I could easily hold the “dessert queen” title growing up loving baking, sweets and anything chocolate. My absolute favorite…chocolate chip cookie dough and the hot, melty, gooey cookies!
I know my “sweet tooth” is not alone, since American adults eat an average of 140 pounds of sugar and kids under 12 eat about 49 pounds per year. Sugar finds its way into almost every food product from salad dressing to peanut butter and even canned soups! At these quantities, it’s no wonder the rates of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity have risen dramatically, playing a major role in the “health-crisis” in America. We have moved so far away from the real fresh, nutrient-dense foods we were meant to eat to filling our bodies with instant, processed, packaged and empty-calorie food choices. Millions worldwide are suffering with malnutrition (defined as inadequate nutrition), not from low supply and availability, but from eating too much sugar and processed foods.
I too refused to give up my sweets for the longest time…until my health required it of me. It was a miserable process at the time, not knowing much about the natural sweetener options nor how to use them. Now, however, with the wide variety of delicious, natural sweeteners your sweet tooth and your palate need not be deprived! Keep an eye open for more tips, as I share what I’ve learned to make your journey more delicious and fun.
Be amazed with me, as we rediscover some of the treasures packed in real, naturally sweet foods! Raw honey is an absolutely delicious choice to replace processed sugar. Fascinatingly, back in ancient times, honey was an important commodity, being used not only as a tasty treat, but in cultural and religious traditions, for its numerous medicinal and cosmetic properties and even as a form of currency. Understandably so, since it’s estimated that 60,000 bees visit over 2 million flowers and accrue 55,000 flight miles to produce just 1 pound of honey. Raw honey, recognized by its thick, opaque and creamy consistency, is loaded with some incredible and relatively unknown and forgotten health benefits. By eliminating the heat processing (which makes most honey clear and syrupy), raw honey retains its live enzymes and numerous phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals. Modern science now can validate the traditional uses, showing honey components can work in the following ways:
Love it that such incredible properties are packed into something that tastes SO good!
So this holiday season (and the next time you want something sweet), reach for the honey to sweeten your treat. Experiment and substitute sugar in your favorite recipes with honey and/or a combination of other natural sweeteners. Look for new ideas using honey to replace old favorites. Add a spoonful instead to your coffee or tea. Consider your body’s needs and don’t settle for empty, processed foods, when you deserve only what will nourish you and help you be your best! Your body will thank you for it…and you’ll love its deliciousness.
Raw Honey Shopping Tip: Look for the creamy, thick, opaque varieties that specify “raw” and “unprocessed.” Natural food markets and farmer’s markets are great places. For added benefits, look for raw honey from local bee farms. Anecdotal stories report raw honey from local sources may also reduce allergy symptoms.
For facials and skin benefits: mix a dab of honey (the size of a “pea”) with a few drops of water to use alone or add fresh aloe, and/or olive or coconut oil or a dab of your favorite moisturizer. This makes it easy to spread and keeps it from being sticky. Massage gently onto your face and enjoy the lovely benefits.
For brilliant, shiny hair: mix 1 tsp honey with 4 cups of warm water. Pour through hair after shampooing. Don’t rinse out, but style as usual.
Be sure to pass the goodness on to a friend!
***Caution: honey should not be fed to infants under 12 months.
The delicious possibilities are endless!
Here are a few fun ideas…for kids of all ages:
*add peels and trimmings to a smoothie
Fun idea?? Share it with a friend!
Try these super easy, innocently sweet and deliciously satisfying gluten, dairy, sugar free treats:
Coconut Almond Drops
2 c coconut flakes, unsweetened
2 c almonds, ground into meal/flour
6 Tbsp raw honey, maple syrup or agave
6-8 Tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp vanilla (or almond extract)
Sea salt (~1/16-1/8 tsp)
Blend coconut, almond meal and sea salt in food processor until light and fluffy. Overbeating will make it oily. Blend in sweetener, oil and vanilla until desired consistency. Drop by spoonfuls on cookie sheet and shape into balls. Roll in coconut, top with chocolate chips or even sprinkle with cocoa, cinnamon, or top with other dried fruit.
Makes about 32.
Share the sweetness with a friend!
Step out of the busy-ness with me into the crisp, fall air. Walking down the wooded path, dry leaves crunch beneath your feet, while brilliant reds, fiery oranges and bright yellows shout of the majestic beauty all around you. Sniff the smoke wafting from a nearby fire, calling you to its warmth in the chilly air. Ahh! The loveliness and coziness of fall…and the season where the generations before us took this time to go “nutting,” yes, the official term for “foraging nuts” for the winter.
Stepping back into today, we can get in on the harvest in a much simpler way at our local market and easily enjoy the delicious treasures anytime! Here’s a fresh look at a few of the old myths that often hide the nutrient-rich gems, full of some amazing benefits.
Myth: Nuts will make me fat!
Actually…frequent nut consumption is associated with reduced risk of weight gain.
People who ate nuts more than 2 times each week were 31% less likely to gain weight than those who did not.
Myth: Nuts are just full of fat.
Actually, yes, nuts are a concentrated energy source, but the fat and oils are essential to life. In addition to giving the body energy, these oils keeps you feeling full longer, are required to absorb some vitamins and make up each of our trillion cells’ membranes, our brain, glands, organs, and even our hormones.
—Some nuts give distinct types of oils, particularly walnuts! They provide a rich source of Omega 3s, which studies show can help to:
—Raise HDL “good cholesterol” and lower LDL “bad cholesterol”
—Lower blood pressure
—Reduce risk of blood clots
—Promote improved brain function
—Reduce inflammation throughout the entire body – asthma, arthritis, skin disorders, heart/blood vessels, etc. – lowering the risk of development of numerous diseases
—Improve moods
—Reduce depression
—Improve behavioral and attention disorders
—Help maintain mental clarity with aging
—Support brain development in children
In addition to oils that are essential to health, nuts also contain many other nutrients:
—high quality protein
—fiber
—vitamins, especially B’s & E
—minerals: magnesium, manganese, iron, zinc, copper, potassium and selenium
—very high antioxidant and phytonutrient content—pecans, walnuts and chestnuts rank highest in antioxidants of the tree nuts, although almonds and peanuts are also great contributors
Myth: Nuts don’t really have any health benefits.
Actually, in 2004, the FDA approved the first qualified health claim to be printed on walnuts, showing the relationship of nut intake with the reduced risk of heart disease.
Eating nuts 4 times each week showed a 37% reduction of heart disease compared with those who didn’t eat nuts and each additional serving, reduced heart disease 8.3%, increased vessel elasticity, and thus, vessel health by 64%.
Actually, additional studies show eating nuts may also:
—reduce the risk of strokes, developing type 2 diabetes, dementia, macular degeneration and gallstones
—lower inflammation and blood sugars
—improve blood lipid and triglyceride levels and insulin resistance
—fight cancer and lower overall risk, especially colon, endometrial and pancreatic forms (reducing risk by 24, 42, 32% respectively)
So, cozy up this fall and every season with a handful of nuts. Try to eat them daily. Choose raw or sprouted nuts when possible to give your body maximum benefits. Many of the roasted nuts add extra oils and sugars (usually not healthy in themselves), which when roasted at high temperatures can change their structure into forms that lower the benefits and even become harmful to the body. Look for nut butters without hydrogenated oils. Make them more easily digestible by soaking them in water overnight to start the life-giving process inside. This breaks down proteins into easily absorbed amino acids, increasing the protein content and making them easier to digest.
Here are a few nutty ideas to get these benefits “squirreled away” in your body:
—Sprinkle them on salads
—Add to whole-grain cereals
—Spread almond, peanut or cashew nut butter on celery, apple slices, whole grain crackers or bread
—Snack on them with dried or fresh fruit
—Munch on trail mix
—Make “nut spreads” by processing nuts with herbs & spices. Spread on large leafy greens, top with variety of sliced or chopped veggies and roll.
—Use them in desserts
Helpful? Pass the tips on to your family and friends.
References available upon request.
Whoo-hoo! Pumpkin spice season is here…and can stay! Check out this no-guilt comfort treat…and it’s dairy free and sugar free too!
1 cup pumpkin, frozen to “slushy”*
1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 scoops KAL Stevia extract powder**
2 Tbsp coconut sugar
2 Tbsp cashew butter
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ginger
Pinch sea salt
Pinch cloves
1 cup coconut milk, frozen into ice cubes
Blend all in high-powered blender until well blended and very thick, ice cream texture. Left overs can be frozen into popsicles for kids of all ages.
Makes 3 cups
* the colder the ingredients the better the ice cream consistency will be
**use scoop that comes in sweetener bottle
PSL (pumpkin spice lattes) and pumpkin pies seem to win in culinary, pumpkin popularity from September through December, but you can pretty much find pumpkin-everything throughout the fall and winter season. Besides its comforting flavor, yearly traditions, warm holiday memories and versatile, creative tastiness, pumpkin is loaded with benefits for your entire body! Check them out:
1- Supports vision: With 200% of the “Recommended Daily Allowance” (even though this is simply an estimate to prevent deficiency) for Vitamin A in the beautiful orange flesh, it can help with sight even in low-lighting situations.
2- Protects vision: Loaded with two antioxidants, lutein and zeaxanthin, it can help prevent and slow the development of cataracts and macular degeneration.
Hormone support for men and women:
3- Men – Shrinks and prevents enlarged prostate: Pumpkin seed’s phytosterols and zinc help support prostate health, shrinking an enlarged prostate and reducing urinary-related symptoms, even preventing enlargement.
4- Women – Improves fertility: Seeds rich in iron can help promote fertility.
5- Supports pregnancy and breastfeeding: Rich beta-carotene content converts to vitamin A, essential for hormone production during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
6- Reduces menopausal symptoms: Pumpkin seed oil is rich in natural phytoestrogens, which can significantly lower menopausal symptoms in post-menopausal women: lower blood pressure, hot flashes, headaches, joint pains and also increase HDLs (good cholesterol).
7- Fights anemia: As a rich source of iron, seeds can help maintain normal iron levels.
8- Aids in weight management: Fiber in pumpkin (3-5grams/cup) slows down the digestion of foods, balancing blood sugar levels, and making you feel full longer throughout the day. It’s also low-glycemic and low-calorie, yet packed with flavor!
9- Keeps skin young and beautiful: Loaded with beta-carotene, its potent antioxidant effect not only protects from UV and environmental toxins, but helps skin cells exfoliate and rejuvenate.
Try a Pumpkin Mask: 1 Tbsp pureed pumpkin (not pumpkin pie), 1 Tbsp scrambled raw egg, 1 tsp raw honey, 1 teaspoon organic yogurt and a ½ tsp lemon juice. Mix, apply, let sit 20 minutes and rinse off with warm water.
10- Flushes out toxins: High potassium content makes pumpkin a natural diuretic, helping flush out toxins and unwanted waste from your body.
11- Builds Immune System: As one of the richest sources of carotenes and Vitamin A, combined with Vitamin C, zinc and other antioxidants, it works to boost immunity, fight infections, bacteria and viruses and…
12- Protects against cancer: Beta carotenes are excellent cancer fighters, especially against prostate, colon and lung forms.
13- Helps balance blood sugar: Pumpkin has been shown to reduce blood sugars and even increase the body’s insulin production, aided with its unique B-vitamin composition: B1, B3, B6, pantothenic acid, folate and other unique phytonutrients.
14- Fights Inflammation: Beta carotene in both the fruit and seeds can naturally protect against joint inflammation and arthritis.
15- Recharges after workout: Lots of potassium (more than in a banana!) helps aid in rebalancing electrolytes after a workout, keeping muscles functioning optimally.
16- Boosts moods: Pumpkin seeds also contain tryptophan, a natural mood booster that helps produce serotonin.
17- Improves sleep: Pumpkin seed’s tryptophan content boosts serotonin which converts to melatonin (sleep hormone), and has been shown to provide restful sleep and even improve insomnia.
So what kind of pumpkin will YOU have today? Get creative and make pumpkin and pumpkin seeds a regular part of your everyday life, not just during fall and holidays. For the most benefits, make your pumpkin choices low in sugar or sweeten naturally. As for seeds, choose raw then season (cinnamon, sea salt or spicy and savory with garlic and a pinch of cayenne) and toast them lightly yourself to maintain the most benefits from their nutrient-rich oils: 15-20 minutes at 160-170.°
Preparation Tips:
Pass on the pumpkin goodness to a friend!
In honor of wrapping up the weekend’s celebration of Garlic at the Queen Creek Olive Mill Garlic Festival, after sniffing the roasting garlic, sampling it in un-imaginable (think dessert and delicious!) forms, and enjoying some delicious meals, it seems only appropriate to share in a bit more detail how this this little white beauty becomes such a secret weapon for the body. Check out these big benefits:
Garlic Strengthens Heart Health
1: Improves blood and blood vessel health
–Lowers blood triglycerides (5-15%)
–Reduces total cholesterol (5-15%)
–Protects blood cells and blood vessels from inflammatory and oxidative stress
2: Protects against atherosclerosis
–Coronary calcification was 3 times slower for those using garlic
3: Can prevent blockages and clot formation by its anti-clotting properties
–Keeps “stickiness” in check
–Lowers risk of platelets clumping together and forming a clot
4: Improves circulation
–Eating less garlic = poorer circulation
–Eating more = better circulation
5: Can even “reverse the early stages of heart disease”
Garlic Boosts the Immune System – Anti-viral and Anti-bacterial
6: Helps control yeast and fungus growth
7: Kills at least 13 types of bacterial and viral infections
8: Can reduce colds by more than 50% percent
–58% fewer colds
–61% fewer days with colds
–21% fewer symptoms
Garlic Fights Cancer – Lowers risk of virtually ALL cancer types with Daily Intake
9: Lowers risk of colon and kidney cancer with Moderate Intake of garlic (“several times per week”)
10: Helps modify all “critical cell responses”
11: Prevents potentially cancerous cells from forming
12: Increased garlic consumption decreased cancer risk up to 54% compared to eating Minimal Amounts
So how will YOU eat more garlic this week? Comment and let me know!
