Raw Persimmon Pudding

Fall is the season for persimmons, which if you have not tried one, I highly recommend them.  They have a delicate, but sweet flavor that is hard to describe.  You want to make sure your persimmon is incredibly ripe for the sweetest flavor.

I saw a recipe for Persimmon Pudding, which was not vegan or raw and I thought, I bet this can be made vegan and raw with Chia.  Chia seeds are so amazing.  You can make a pudding out of any fruit or milk with chia.  I absolutely love it!  You can find chia seeds at most health food type stores, but you can get a really nice quality chia from Sunfoods, which is a great super food supplier:
http://bit.ly/SunfoodsChiaSeeds
This pudding will make a hardy breakfast food or a delicious dessert.  It almost reminds me of pumpkin pie.  This recipes serves one to two people.

Raw Persimmon Pudding 

• In a high speed blender or food processor, add 1 to 2 very ripe persimmons.  
• Add 2 tablespoons chia seed
• Add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
• Blend until smooth and creamy, kind of peanut butter consistency
• Top with chopped or whole pecans and goji berries.
• Enjoy~
• http://bit.ly/SunfoodsChiaSeeds

This recipe is sooo amazing...great for Thanksgiving, the coming Holiday Parties or just a warming, healthy treat.
I actually like to substitute the coconut palm sugar with Yacon Syrup because Yacon Syrup is a naturally occurring sweetener that has glycemic index of 1.  It has kind of a malty flavor, but this really enhances the desserts or beverages' flavor.  It's a great substitute, especially for those that need to watch their sugar intake.
Here's a link for Yacon Syrup, which you can purchase from the Sunfood website:
http://bit.ly/YaconSweetener

Lucuma Eggnog

This recipe is absolutely perfect for fall and the colder months of the year. Lucuma adds a rich caramel flavor, and the coconut sugar and vanilla powder round out the recipe. Creamy and delicious, you won’t miss your regular, less healthy version of eggnog. Make it for friends and family and enjoy!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup lucuma powder
11/2 cups almond milk
1/2 tsp vanilla powder
3 Tbsp coconut palm sugar
1/4 tsp nutmeg + 1/4 tsp for garnish
1 tsp chia seeds, ground into powder
dash of Kalahari or Himalayan Salt
Combine all ingredients into high speed blender. Adjust flavors as necessary and place in fridge to set for 15 minutes. Garnish with ground nutmeg and serve!

Of course you can find all of these high quality ingredients at SunFood:
http://bit.ly/SunFoodLink
Stay cozy and warm!

2 Minute Beauty Food Video

I wanted to add this video I came across on YouTube to supplement an earlier post I did about Hannon's Beauty Foods Handbook:  http://bit.ly/beautifulfood

Enjoy!

Beautiful You! Beauty Food!

First off, everyone on this planet is BEAUTIFUL already.  I just wanted to make that disclaimer.

That said, have you ever noticed that after eating certain foods, you actually feel beautiful from the inside out?  To me that feeling is absolutely priceless and totally amazing that foods can actually have such a powerful effect at the cellular level and our psyche.

I actually came upon this AMAZING beauty foods handbook that is so simple and clear it's one of my favorite reference books when I want to feel extra beautiful.
http://bit.ly/beautifulfood

It was written by this fabulous Natural Beauty Consultant; Hannan.  She is passionate about this topic, has done her research and knows her stuff.  Here are some of the topics you can find in the book.  I grabbed this right from her web page:

• My coveted “Fifty-Cent Botox Alternative” that takes about 7 minutes to prepare, less than $.50 to make, and leaves you looking as if you just went to a Tox Party (just without those red, blotchy marks and needle marks!)
• Which foods you can use topically (this is NOT a diet) that instantly improves the tightness and texture of your skin...
• The Eastern shiny hair secret that blows away any shampoo...
• The "Persian Princess" mixture that I use on myself and my clients to give your neck area a fantastic younger look
• Tips for younger looking hands (ladies, you know how important hands are!)
• How best to avoid future wrinkles, and how to deal with the ones you may have right now
• The very few store-bought items I recommend (there are not many)... and ladies, these are not required (I just wanted to be thorough)
• Simple "add this food" tips that will help you slow the aging process... and no, this is not a diet (personally I don't enjoy dieting at all, but I love these tasty foods!)
• The real reasons we age faster than we should, and what you can do about it, starting today...
• And much, much more... 
• http://bit.ly/beautifulfood

You would think that secrets like these would cost a fortune, because like I said they are indeed priceless, however, the actual price is only $10 and for a short time she's actually selling her book for $7.99.  I took her up on that deal and I bought a few extra copies for gifts...yes, it's nearing that time of year. :)

I hope you check out her website:
http://bit.ly/beautifulfood
It's really a valuable resource that everyone should have in their home.
So have a beautiful Friday and keep on shining the Beautiful Light that is YOU!

Maca Pumpkin Smoothie!

It's that time of year to take advantage of all the wonderful pumpkins, squash and other fabulous gourds out there.  I came upon this recipe from This House of Joy, which has amazing recipes.  It takes two of my favorite things and combines them into a super hearty, healthy morning smoothie.  It's the perfect way to kick off the day!

What is MACA? 

• Maca is a plant from the Peruvian Andes.  Its root has been prized for thousands of years due to its ability to increase energy, stamina and fertility for all people and animals who eat it.
• Maca is very nutrient-dense.   Dried Maca root contains 13-16% protein, 8.5% fiber, 19 essential amino acids, vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C and D, minerals iron, magnesium, copper, zinc, sodium, potassium, calcium, several glucosinolates, 20 free fatty acids, and unique compounds called macaenes and macamides.  Beyond that, Maca is one of only a handful of foods considered to be an “adaptogen.”
• Maca can aid in hormone balancing, endocrine and thyroid function enhancement and even immune system enhancement.

In addition to maca, this smoothie is boosted with:

• Collagen for hair, skin, nails, and gut health.
• Coconut oil for fatty acids, metabolism, and anti-microbial properties.
• Bee pollen for energy and a boost to the immune system.

If you are wondering where can I purchase some maca?  Many health food stores and co-ops carry it.  Also you can order it online.  Sunfoods carries a very nice quality maca that I use:

http://bit.ly/SunfoodMaca 

 

Superfood Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• ¼ c pumpkin puree
• 1 c milk (I use fresh cashew or coconut milk or canned light coconut milk)
• ¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tbsp collagen (Vital Proteins or Great Lakes)**
• 1 tbsp coconut oil (Tropical Traditions is great)
• 2 dates
• 1 tbsp red maca
• ½-1 tsp bee pollen
• ¼ tsp vanilla
• Handful of pecans (around ⅛ cup)
• stevia, raw honey, or maple syrup to taste (I used 4 drops stevia)
• 1-2 cups ice
• Optional: Whipped cream or coconut whipped cream to garnish
• **If you are vegan, omit the collagen, bee pollen, and honey and choose a vegan protein powder and sweetener.

Instructions

1. Place everything except ice in the blender and blend until smooth
2. Add ice and blend to desired consistency
3. Top with whipped cream or coconut whipped cream

 Enjoy~
http://bit.ly/SunfoodMaca

Mala Bead, Benefits of Meditation

http://bit.ly/MeditationTools
The holiday season is just around the corner, and I couldn't think of a better time to begin a meditation practice.  The busier we are, the more we really need to time for ourselves and let our mind wander and relax on the "unimportant things".  It seems counter intuitive, but by allowing your mind to take just a 5 minute break or even pausing for 3 very mindful breaths and it's like we hit the reset button for our day, our current perspective and even our life.  It's that easy and that Amazing!!!

There have been countless studies that have documented the benefits of meditation, which is the good news.  I will list some of meditation's valuable benefits:

• It lowers oxygen consumption.
• It decreases respiratory rate.
• It increases blood flow and slows the heart rate.
• Increases exercise tolerance in heart patients.
• Leads to a deeper level of relaxation.
• Good for people with high blood pressure as it brings the B.P. to normal.
• Reduces anxiety attacks by lowering the levels of blood lactate.
• Decreases muscle tension (any pain due to tension) and headaches.
• Builds self-confidence.
• It increases serotonin production which influences mood and behaviour. Low levels of serotonin are associated with depression, obesity, insomnia and headaches.
• Helps in chronic diseases like allergies , arthritis etc.
• Reduces Pre- menstrual Syndrome.
• Helps in post-operative healing.

If you still aren't convinced, try it out.  Start with 3 minutes and then gradually add more time.  If you meditate at the same time everyday, it will soon become a much needed vacation for the mind, and you will have formed a healthy new habit!  You will start to feel the amazing effects of meditation and it will become easier to add more time...you will actually want to stay in the meditation bliss for longer periods of time.

http://bit.ly/MeditationTools

Health and Yoga has started selling these really cool meditation aids called Mala Beads.  I have some and I absolutely love them.  They are such a simple way to start meditating and keep our mind on the task at hand.

I grabbed some info off of their page to more clearly articulate how they are used in meditation:

What is a Meditation Mala?

A mala is a string of 108 beads with one bead as the summit bead called a 'sumeru'.
It is a tool used to keep your mind on the meditation practice. Malas are generally made from different materials such as tulsi (basil) wood, sandal wood, rudraksh seeds or crystal. Each type of material has certain properties which subtly affect the subconscious mind of the practitioner.
Why use the Mala?
Meditation can be quite a tricky practice because the mind is like a naughty child. By its very nature, the mind tends to wander off during the meditation practice. If ones energy is low at the time of meditation, falling asleep can result. If the energy is too high, fantasy and distraction become the barriers. At such times, the mala provides the much needed anchor.
The mala beads are moved in rhythm with the breath and the mantra, so that both-sleep as well as excessive mental distraction-are prevented by this action upon the beads.
For wearing:
A personal mala is a wonderful accessory to meditation, which when used regularly with a personal mantra, absorbs the vibrations of the practice. It becomes like a close friend or a comfortable piece of clothing!
How to Use?
The mala is traditionally held in the right hand and used in two ways -
In one method, the mala is hanging between the thumb and the ring (third) finger. The middle (second) finger is used to rotate the mala by one bead towards oneself with each repetition of the mantra.
In the other method, the mala is hanging on the middle finger, with the thumb used to rotate the mala just as explained - one bead at a time.
Either way, the index finger is never used to touch the mala.
The practice begins at the summit bead (sumeru) and continues around the loop until the summit is reached again. The summit bead is never passed over. So if you plan to do more than 1 round, the mala is turned around to proceed again in the reverse direction
Whenever the mala is taken up, it automatically conditions the mind to the meditative state.
 http://bit.ly/MeditationTools

Warming Winter Noodle Soup (Vegan)

Some very cold days have hit the Pacific Northwest and other parts of the country.  It is officially time to bundle up, find some good books to read and warm up with a healthy, hearty and warming winter soup:

Vegan Soba Noodle Soup
Note: It is important not to boil the miso to keep the cultures alive in the fermented bean paste.  Also, the kombu may be removed before serving and discarded or eaten.

The layers of flavor in this soup come from the subtle kombu base, mellow-sweet miso, and exciting nori topping!

Ingredients:
4 Small bunches dry soba noodles
3 Carrots, peeled and chopped
1 Large bunch spring onions, chopped (roots and all).  Set green parts aside from white parts & roots
3 Dried shiitake mushrooms
(1) 2×2 inch piece of dry dashi kombu seaweed (optional)
2 Teaspoons mellow white miso (fresh, not powdered)
1 Teaspoon nama shoyu (aged unpasteurized soy sauce) or soy sauce
1 Teaspoon crushed red pepper

Half of a sheet of toasted nori, torn into small pieces for sprinkling
Soak the shiitake mushrooms in warm water for 10 minutes or so while you prep the other ingredients.  Then rinse the mushrooms, remove the stems, and slice thinly.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add the soba noodles and return to a boil.  Cook 5 minutes, drain and return noodles to the warm pot.  Cover to keep noodles from drying out.

In another large pot on medium high heat cook the carrots and white parts & roots of spring onions in 1 cup of water.  Stir occasionally and cook for 5 minutes, until carrots are softened.  Add the kombu, shiitake mushrooms, and 5 cups of water.  Bring to a boil for 5 minutes more.  Add a little of the broth to a small bowl with the fresh miso and mix until the miso paste is dissolved.

Remove the broth from heat and add the dissolved miso, green parts of spring onions, and the soba noodles (option: keep the noodles separate until served in a large bowl).  To serve, ladle some soba noodles, broth, and veggies into a bowl, add a few dashes of the nama shoyu and sprinkle with some crushed red pepper and nori.

Enjoy with friends or a loved one and stay warm!