By Julie Morris on March 2, 2010
Straight out of bed each morning, my stomach is talking to me, letting me know that it’s a priority. Indeed, I know what it wants, and we have an understanding. I’ll don my slippers and scuffle over to the kitchen. Most days will begin with some juice, a sweet fruit, and then a bit later I’ll whip up a thick smoothie for delicious easy energy. In turn, my stomach shuts up for several hours and I am free to go along my business. Carpe diem always starts with a solid breakfast . . . at least that’s what my stomach likes to say.
But the rainy season really puts a (pardon the pun) damper on the usual breakfast plan. With the air so damp and chilly, cold foods seem completely inhospitable. Counter-top ripened bananas are a maybe, and hot tea of course is nice, but I crave the heavier, denser, sweetly satisfying foods. I want something prepared that I don’t have to think about: grab-and-go style. I want . . . a breakfast bar.
Good-choice breakfast bars have a combination of instant energy-providing simple sugars, complex carbohydrates for more lasting energy, and a bit of healthy fat to further smooth over the morning hungries. They are also potentially the perfect canvas for a beautiful collection of natural ingredients. Of course, many store-bought breakfast bars are laden with refined white sugar, refined grains, and probably a little more white sugar to, I don’t know, be on the safe side I guess. That’s why I like to make my own. I make a big batch, cut and wrap them up, and then I’ve got my go-to breakfast all week. One hour spent for a whole week’s worth of easy goodness.
Try a batch of these crave-worthy soft squares — my Lemon Coconut Breakfast Bars — and tell me your morning doesn’t get going just a little bit better.
Posted in Freshly Made, Health On A Budget, Natural Lifestyle | Tagged agave, alkaline, Articles, bars, breakfast, chef, chia, chia seed, coconut, dates, easy recipe, essential fatty acids, facebook, food, fresh, gluten free, handmade, Healthy Lifestyle, healthy living, Julie Morris, la, lemon, local food, los angeles, medjool, natural, nutrition, oat flour, organic, plant-based diet, recipe developer, Recipes, slow food, socal, southern california, superfoods, sustainalbe, vegan, vegetarian, warm, Weight Loss |
By Julie Morris on January 25, 2010
I sharply remember the battles of preschool naptime. All of us classmates, lying on the floor atop of big blue vinyl-coated foam mats in a small room darkened by curtains, coaxed into a daytime sleep. Was no one else aware there was playing that needed to be done? Would no one rebel with me? I fought as hard as I could while lying there, with a carefully honed foot fidgeting technique that was casual enough to seem accidental, yet frequent enough to send a clear message “I am not asleep.” Being a little kid is tough sometimes.
But vintage naptime had one good thing going for it that even my 3 year old self could appreciate: the post-sleep graham cracker snack. This was a very exciting point in the day, where if our 30 minutes of rest was a success, we each received 2 crackers (which broke into a total of 8 rectangles) accompanied by a glass of juice. The world was a much better place when there were graham crackers around.
No extra motivation is needed for naps these days, but the graham cracker lure has far from ceased. I mean, just think about them: kinda like a cookie, kinda like a biscuit, it’s always a good time for a graham cracker – am I wrong? I like to make mine with buckwheat flour – one of my favorite flours to use for its generous flavor. This is definitely graham cracker version 2.0 (and also free of gluten and dairy), with a revamped ingredient set including ground flax for extra nutrition, sweet mesquite powder for extra flavor and protein, palm sugar for a brown sugary goodness that has less of a glycemic impact, and coconut oil because, well, coconut oil is just good in everything. These are really, really good – and even better with a smear of almond butter. You can also add in a bit of cinnamon for a spiced-up twist. Playtime.
Buckwheat Graham Crackers
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups buckwheat flour
¼ cup mesquite powder
¼ cup ground flax seeds
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sea salt
½ cup palm sugar (date sugar may be substituted, or sucanat)
1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
¼ cup maple syrup (grade b, if possible)
¼ cup coconut oil
2 Tbsp vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS:
In a food processor,* pulse all the dry ingredients together, including the sugar, until combined. Add in the remaining wet ingredients, and process until a dough has formed. If dough is too dry, add additional almond milk, one tsp at a time. Dough will be firm and slightly sticky. Divide in half and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place one chilled dough half on a large piece of floured parchment paper (use additional buckwheat flour or preferred kind). Place a second piece of parchment paper on top, and use a rolling pin to roll very flat – about 1/8 inch thick. Place on a baking sheet, and carefully remove top layer of parchment. Using a pizza cutter or ravioli roller (or simply a knife), cut the dough into squares. Use a fork to score the crackers with decorative dots. Repeat with second dough half and place on a second baking sheet. Bake crackers for 22-28 minutes or until dried out but not burned. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes, then place crackers on a wire rack to finish cooling and become crisper. Makes about 5 dozen 2” crackers, and will keep in an airtight container for about 2 weeks.
*You can mix all of this by hand, but it’s infinitely easier with a food processor
Posted in Freshly Made, Natural Lifestyle, Traditions | Tagged Articles, buckwheat, coconut oil, diet, easy recipe, essential fatty acids, flax seed, food, fresh, gluten free, gluten free recipe, graham cracker, health, healthy desserts, Healthy Lifestyle, healthy living, homemade, how to make, Julie Morris, los angeles, mesquite powder, nutrition, organic, palm sugar, plant-based diet, protien, recipe, sucanat, superfoods, vegan, vegetarian, Weight Loss |
By Julie Morris on December 24, 2009
Ever wanted to be a hero? Just bring someone a warm mug of hot chocolate and it’s pretty much the same thrill. The ooohs, the ahhhs, the first slurp, and the inevitable look of pure gratitude and appreciation. That’s the power of hot chocolate. Love in a mug.
Since my good ol’ Southern California home isn’t exactly designed for the makings of a picturesque white Christmas, the past week I’ve taken it upon myself to maintain festive cheer the one way I know best: sharing good food. Steamed local cauliflower and hearty kale salads have become some of the staples for dinner, and it’s inevitable that the almond gingerbread men and acai berry fudge plate gets at least 3 visits a day.
But the big hit this season has been, indeed, in the hot chocolate category: my uber awesome recipe for Candy Cane White Hot Chocolate.
Homemade, using ingredients you can feel really good about, and scoring 1000% on the “special” test, make this delight for yourself and those you love and tell me you don’t see smiles. Luxuriously creamy and sweet with a tickle of candy cane flavor, this warm drink is like confronting a polar bear who (instead of being big and scary) was really friendly and gave you a belly rub and a candy cane for your time. I know these things.
Happy Holidays & Good Tidings!
Posted in Freshly Made, Green Tips, Natural Lifestyle, Traditions | Tagged agave, Articles, cacao, cacao butter, candy cane, christmas, dessert, easy recipe, eggnog, environment, essential fatty acids, eve, family, food, gluten free, gluten free recipe, Healthy Lifestyle, healthy living, hemp, hemp foods, hemp milk, hempmilk, holiday, hot chocolate, Julie Morris, local food, los angeles, mint, natural, new years, nutrition, organic, peppermint, plant-based diet, raw food, recipe, resolution, stevia, super food, superfoods, tradition, vegan, vegetarian, warm |
By Julie Morris on December 18, 2009
So it’s the holidays. And just when it’s time to spread good cheer, the flu decides it wants to spread its love too.
So far I seem to have been a-ok this year from a flu and cold standpoint. But oh no no no – that doesn’t mean I’m not prepared to go into battle if needed. In fact, when it comes to getting sick, I pretty much have my system down pat, ready and poised for the first sign of attack:
Tissues: yes.
Self-pitying fuzzy blanket: yes.
Helpful healing herbs: yes.
And most importantly, ingredients to make my special miso soup: always.
Whether you’re in the middle of a full-on flu battle or simply just a little run down, I’m telling you, miso soup just FEELS good. It feels RIGHT. Get your bowl ready.
Used now for almost 2 milleniums, this special soup is composed mainly of miso paste – made from fermented soybeans, grains, or rice. It acts as a flavorful salty soup base containing a vast amount of healthy elements like minerals (including cold-busting Zinc), and even elusive vitamins like B12. Adding in the traditional wakame seaweed into a miso soup mixture adds an even higher potency of minerals . . . and it doesn’t hurt that wakame is also amongst the most alkalizing foods around. Add a dash of cayenne to really get the blood flowing. And maybe throw in some optional kelp noodles for a fun, calorie-free take on an old-fashioned chicken noodle fix (which, quite honestly, has very little to brag about – despite what grandma says).
Quick and easy to make, the biggest key to a great miso is not to boil the paste, else many of the beneficial healthy agents are destroyed. That’s why, instead of putting the miso in a pot, I make each bowl individually using the “smear method” (as described below). Healthy holidays . . .
Simple Miso Soup
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cup water
1/2 cup kelp noodles, rinsed (optional)
1½ Tbsp wakame flakes
pinch of cayenne, to taste
1 Tbsp yellow miso paste
¼ cup firm tofu, cut into small ½” cubes
1 Tbsp finely chopped scallions (white part only)
DIRECTIONS:
Heat the water, wakame, cayenne, and kelp noodles to just below a low simmer in a small saucepan (about 3-5 minutes).
In a large soup bowl, smear the miso paste with the back of a spoon to thinly coat the bottom of the bowl. Add water and noodles, and stir until miso has dissolved. Stir in tofu and scallions. Allow to rest for a minute or two before consuming. Serves one.
NOTE: Can you use other types of miso (aka Red or Yellow)? YES! I simply like the White the best as it is the most mild in taste.
Posted in Cleanse, Freshly Made, Green Tips, Natural Lifestyle | Tagged alkaline, antioxidants, Articles, budget, chinese, cold, depression, disease, easy recipe, flu, food, gluten free, gluten free recipe, healing, Healthy Lifestyle, healthy living, illness, iron, japanese, Julie Morris, kelp noodles, los angeles, miso, natural, nutrition, organic, raw food, remedy, soup, swine flu, tofu, vegan, vegan chicken noodle, vegetarian, wakame, Weight Loss |
By Julie Morris on November 27, 2009
Yay – I have a fresh-off-the-press cooking show episode to share. I’ve been making this super cool jam recipe made from acai berries and chia seeds for a while now at home, and I wanted to demonstrate just how easy it is to make it yourself. For anyone who’s looking to make small changes for a healthy gain (because those small changes really DO add up!) this recipe is really a perfect fit. And, oh my gosh: SO so so easy.
You can view this episode along with my other videos under the Cooking Show section, HERE.
With its stellar ingredient list, this jam is a bona fide superfood in and of itself, so you can feel really good about incorporating it in your diet. Acai berries have a very mild berry flavor, resulting in a jam that looks and tastes similar to boysenberry preserves. If you like extra-sweet jams, I would recommend adding a touch of white stevia at the end for a natural (and sugar-free/calorie-free) sweet boost.
Posted in Cleanse, Freshly Made, Green Tips, Natural Lifestyle | Tagged acai, alkaline, antioxidants, Articles, canning, chia, cooking, demo, Detox, diabetes, diet, easy recipe, environment, episode, essential fatty acids, fiber, food, gluten free, gluten free recipe, health, Healthy Lifestyle, healthy living, how to, instructions, jam, jelly, Julie Morris, los angeles, natural, nutrition, organic, plant-based diet, preserves, protien, raw food, Recipes, show, Super Foods With Jules, superfoods, vegan, vegetables, vegetarian, Weight Loss |
By Julie Morris on November 17, 2009
INGREDIENTS:
Corn Syrup.
Sugar.
Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and/or Cottonseed Oil.
Mono and Diglycerides.
Malic Acid.
Salt.
Artificial Flavors.
Lecithin.
Blue #1.
Red #40.
Yellow #6.
Seriously?
Everyday, thousands of packages of this “concoction” (anonymous leading brand candy) are purchased in grocery stores, sold as “food,” and bought with the assumption of being “safe to eat.” Correct me if I’m wrong, but it’s probably not exactly a good thing when the safest items on your ingredient list are “sugar” and “salt.”
To be fair, even those of us drowning in complete nutrition ignorance have at least a general notion that candy is bad. No breaking news here – eating candy is clearly a conscious choice to partake in its sinfully sweet “badness.” I get that, and I’m sure the guy who’s chewing his fillings out right now on some sugary garbage gets that too.
I don’t think it’s cimantics though when I suggest that there’s “bad” and then there’s “unnecessarily bad” – the latter being the road modern day candy manufacturers have taken. Looking at the list above, it seems almost an act of cruelty to formulate what ends up inside some of those colorful wrappers. The ridiculous part is that for thousands of years many cultures have made and enjoyed candies — truly delicious candies — a large portion of which are not “unnecessarily bad” (or even “bad”) in the slightest. Using whole ingredients like nuts, dates, natural syrups and spices, these candies are sweet, flavorful, and are quick to satisfy even the most hard-core sugar cravings. One of the first ever documented candy recipes comes from ancient Egypt — 1600 BC style. This authentic recipe looks fantastic (source – Scholastic):
You’ll need a cup of fresh dates, a teaspoon full of cinnamon, a half teaspoon with cardamom seed, a half a cup of fresh walnuts, a little bit of warm honey, and dish full of finely ground almonds. Mix the dates with some water to paste. Mix cinnamon and cardamom seed through the paste. Knead the ground walnuts through it. Roll these into candy-sized balls. Spread the candies with honey and then dip these into ground almonds.
Funny, no Red #40? I’m shocked.
To my palate, the Greeks really have the candy thing down with their traditional Pasteli, which is essentially a chewy and crunchy treat usually made from just sesame seeds and honey. Such a simple combination, yet as sweetly comforting as it gets, with its pure whole food ingredients. In my version, I like to use yacon syrup (from the yacon root) instead of honey, as it lends a more sophisticated flavor alluding to molasses and hints of apple. Plus yacon syrup has about half the calories of honey, a substantially lower amount of sugars, and the bees get to have the rest of the day to go off and do bee things.
Here’s my version of Pasteli candy, which, in addition to the yacon syrup, has one more superfood secret fantastically tucked away inside . . .
Posted in Freshly Made, Natural Lifestyle, Traditions | Tagged alkaline, Articles, dessert, diabetes, diet, easy recipe, environment, food, gluten free, gluten free recipe, health, healthy desserts, Healthy Lifestyle, healthy living, hemp, hemp foods, iron, Julie Morris, nutrition, organic, protien, superfoods, vegan, vegetarian, Weight Loss |
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Buckwheat Graham Crackers
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