With it being Valentine’s Day and all, it’s safe to say there’s a lot of chocolate in the air. But don’t let all that indulgent deliciousness fool you: chocolate is, in fact, a superfood.
Of course, not all chocolate is created equal. Many commercial brands strip chocolate of its benefits by overcooking it, adding dairy fats, excess sugar, and preservatives. But real, “raw” chocolate, known as cacao, has incredible benefits in small amounts. Sure it’ll please your taste buds, but check out some of the other ways cacao is good for your whole body:
Cardiovascular Protection: Numerous studies have shown that the antioxidants in chocolate — called flavonols — help lower blood pressure and relax blood vessels.
Relaxation: Magnesium is a mineral that helps relax muscles, and cacao is one of the highest sources of magnesium of all natural foods. Third party testing has shown some cacao powders to contain as much as 475 mg per 100 grams (the recommended daily intake for men is 400 mg and women 310mg).
Natural Sunscreen: The same favonols that enhance heart health also enhance skin health, by helping circulate blood to the surface of the body. Incredibly, researchers have found cacao may help protect against UV rays.
Mineral Rich: Cacao is high in many trace minerals, and is especially high in blood-building iron, and bone-strengthening calcium.
Mood Boost: Chocolate helps naturally increase seratonin production – the “good mood” chemical in the brain. It also contains other phytochemicals that have mood-elvating effects, like phenethylamine, which enhances the release of pleasurable endorphins.
Anti-Aging: Cacao offers cell protection like no other with its soaring levels of polyphenol antioxidants. Cacao powder has the most concentrated form of these antioxidants, which have tested up to a jaw-dropping 95,000 ORAC/100 grams. Compare that to antioxidant-rich blueberries, which average around 7,500 ORAC, and it’s easy to see why cacao is so impressive!
Remember, the higher the cacao content of your chocolate treats, the better. Get creative by making your own delectable concoctions, like my Mini Chocolate Cupcakes, or purchase high-quality ready-made chocolate with extra mindful ingredients.
What’s on your master plan for this year? A renewed change-the-world crusade? A resolution to make amends with someone you’re at odds with? A commitment to exercise an extra hour a week? Or maybe just a firm ban on any and all jelly beans from entering your house ever again? Whatever your new mantra, it’s a perfectly healthy ritual to reevaluate life choices, while perhaps seeking places to trim the fat a little … pun, yeah, intended. The quest for personal evolution is constant; “perfect” is an always-fleeting ideal. But it’s not that imperfections are stressfully inevitable, it’s that improvements are motivatingly attainable.
Resolve to evolve.
When it comes to food, it’s with this mindset that I dodge the idea of “diet” or limitation. Bleh, boring. Instead, I like to look at health and all of its edible backdrop as an exciting collection of ways to make my body feel, perform, and look its best … and like most people, I’m constantly adding to my healthy “collection.”
So to start things right off this year — and add to YOUR healthy collection — I’d like to announce and invite you to participate in a fun new project with me: the Smoothment. Head up by the superfood masterminds at Navitas Naturals, the Smoothment is a healthy movement that aims at improving personal well-being through the simple step of including one healthy smoothie a day. As I’ve mentioned on more than a few occasions, I think smoothies are a tremendously remedial answer for those who wish to make their health a priority, but also lead a busy (aka modern!) life. Now, with the Smoothment, you can join a growing army of like-minded people who are making the pledge to make 2012 a vibrant year, with a smoothie-a-day commitment. By joining the Smoothment (as mentioned, it’s totally free), for the first week you and I will meet in the kitchen via a series of quick recipe videos. In each video I’ll show you a new “60 Second Smoothie” recipe, so by the end of the week you’ll have a whole new library of frothy magic at your fingertips. You’ll also have access to all the written recipes, smoothie building tips, daily superfood prizes, and even a special coupon code for 30% off all smoothie ingredients at Navitas.
Personally, I can’t wait to make 2012 absolutely deliciously awesome. Will you join me?
In my opinion, there are two types of people in the world: munchers and mealers. Munchers are the types who graze throughout the day … grabbing a handful of this, snagging a small bite of that, never getting too hungry, or too full. Mealers, on the other hand, are people who eat meals … big portions of food, just once or twice a day, getting their fill in one condensed swoop. For those of us in the former category, it’s understood that finding high-energy small snacky foods is a neverending hunt. Fruit, nuts, and good quality cereals all fall under this category, and are a core part of any good “munch” program – they’re crunchy, they’re munchy, and if done correctly, they’re healthy.
Of course, I love making my own cereals, usually in the form of granolas which tend to be a little more hearty than their puffed grain counterparts, as they’re a great opportunity to play with unusual flavors and extra-beneficial ingredients. Now that it’s fall, warm spices like cinnamon seem to feel as timely as a good pair of boots, and apples are the best friend fruit of the season. For my cereals, I like to combine these instinctive ingredients with sprouted buckwheat, which I’ll explain how to make below. It may seem like an extra effort, and well, it is, but it’s so profoundly nutritious (protein! minerals! enzymes!) and such a delightful snack that it’s truly in the “worth it” catagory. I’m also like to add in some other complimentary superfoods like chia seeds (so you’ll likely find this recipe surprisingly filling, unlike other cereals) as well as yacon powder, which adds an extra sweet apple-like flavor that enhances the rest of the recipe package. This is the type of recipe that’s great to make large batches of and store in an airtight container, perfect for breakfast or scooped out as a small snack. Munchers, meet your heaven recipe, and mealers, you may just find yourself impressively satisfied too. Munchies aren’t always a bad thing…
Yacon Buckwheat Cereal
Buckwheat is one of the easiest (gluten-free) grains to sprout – taking this extra step in preparation not only increases the nutrition, it also provides an improved texture once dehydrated.
Sprout the Buckwheat: Soak the buckwheat groats in the water for 30 minutes. Drain into a colander, and rinse very thoroughly, to remove the excess starch. Place the colander on a counter away from direct sunlight to allow the groats to begin germinating. After 4-8 hours, rinse the groats very thoroughly with water again. Repeat this process 2-3 more times over the course of 2 days, until the groats just begin to show a small white tail. Rinse again before using, and drain well.
Mix the ingredients: Transfer the buckwheat to a large bowl, and add the chia, yacon powder, maple syrup, cinnamon, sea salt and vanilla. Mix well. Add the apples, walnuts and raisins, and toss to combine.
Dry the cereal: Divide the buckwheat mixture onto 4 perforated/mesh dehydrator sheets, spreading into flat layers to ensure even drying. Dehytrate at 115 degrees (or desired temperature) for 10-12 hours, or until dried through and crispy. Store in an air-tight container. Makes about 8 cups.
All I wanted to say in this video was that my new cookbook, Superfood Cuisine, talks about what superfoods are, why they’re incredible, and showcases how to use them in over 100 delicious recipes. Instead… I got excited.
Book release is June 15, 2011. For a limited time, you can now pre-order a signed copy from the link on the right!
Life is too short for blandness and blahness (which is, indeed, a philosophy I live by for food and beyond). But flavor aside, a food’s function is also a top priority … what benefits can it offer? It’s always my mantra to marry the taste/function combo in any recipe I make.
Currently, with the warmer weather getting started, I’m SO ready to rev up my running schedule, which has been on a lighter “maintenance” mode while I was finishing up my new book. I have all the running motivation I need: a new pair of *amazing* athletic crop pants (I may never take them off), the nag of a new yellow bikini (no polka dots, sorry), and a brand new post-workout smoothie recipe that’s 100% bland/blah-free while FULL of function.
Post-workout nutrition is of premium importance: not just because you’re hungry after being active, but because any kind of activity essentially breaks down the body, so that it can rebuild itself even stronger. It makes sense that if we eat properly after a workout, we’re giving the body the tools it needs to construct the strongest and healthiest machine possible. While a slice of pizza may not make this “eat properly” cut, a delicious superfood smoothie certainly does. Hydrating, filling, and easily assimilated, these smoothies are among the most efficient ways to stockpile nutrients after a workout – be it a bike ride, a hike, a yoga session, or in my case, a run. I’ll admit, I often rely upon a “lazy” smoothie, using premade formulas like Vega Sport which provides everything I need in one trustworthy fell swoop. But sometimes I like to make my own blends too, as I enjoy being conscious of each and every good ingredient I’m putting into my body.
So while sharing my newest post-workout superfood smoothie recipe below, in addition to the “how” of the recipe, I also wanted to shed some light on the “why” – aka the function. There’s no scientific proof that being keyed into the nutrition of food actually makes it any more beneficial, but I like to think that self-satisfaction is a virtuous nutrient in its own right.
Strawberry-Banana Post-Workout Smoothie
This smoothie refuels the body with over 20 grams of protein, immune-boosting vitamins, lubricating healthy fats, and stress-reducing superfoods.
INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbsp hemp protein powder(A concentrated and easily-digestible protein – essential for building/repairing muscle tissue.) 2 Tbsp hemp seeds (Packed with essential fatty acids – lubricates joints and decreases inflammation; another protein source as well.) 2 Tbsp cashews(Full of minerals like copper and magnesium – supports collagen production and muscle relaxation.) 1 tsp maca powder(A potent adaptogenic herb – supports the adrenal glands [which get heavily taxed during exercise], responsible for regulating stress and hormones.) 1 banana (Easily digestible carbohydrates – needed for re-energizing.) 2 cups frozen strawberries(Concentrated source of antioxidants and vitamin C – essential for supporting the immune system.) 1½ cups coconut water or regular water(To rehydrate and replace electrolytes.) stevia, to taste(To sweeten without adding unnecessary post-workout refined sugar.)
DIRECTIONS:
Use a blender to mix all the ingredients together (except for the stevia) until smooth. Stir in stevia to taste to adjust sweetness, if desired. Serves one-ish.
Note: Length of activity, exertion level, and body size will dictate the amount of smoothie/calories/nutrients needed after a workout; this smoothie is intended as a guideline.
Superfood Cuisine: Cooking With Nature’s Most Amazing Foods
I’m so, so excited to share the news with you that I have a cookbook coming out. (!!!) This has been such a fun, rewarding project to work on. In case you’re wondering, the book cover above features a shot of one of my favorite recipes: a silky-smooth Carrot & Yacon Root Soup, topped with plumped goji berries and microgreens (insanely good, fantastically easy, and majorly glow-inducing).
I’m sure you’re aware of the exciting culinary revolution that’s taking place – the beneficial mantra of natural, organic, whole foods and plant-based diets is hotter than ever before! And now, superfoods are coming to the forefront as a fabulous (healthy!) way to even further fast-track our energy levels and longevity. This book explains the philosophy behind a superfood-strong lifestyle, and demystifies how to use them through delicious new dishes.
Superfood Cuisine includes:
- Over 100 plant-based, superfood recipes
- Full-color photography
- A guide to over 30 top superfoods and healthy pantry staples
- A convenient “pantry list” of what you need and where to find these special foods
- Natural cooking techniques and product sources
The book will be available late spring of this year (launch date and ordering details announced soon)! In the meantime, please join me at Superfood Cuisine on facebook for the latest updates, inside information, and bonus material. I’d love to see you there, and I cannot WAIT to share this special book with you!
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