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?

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.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups buckwheat groats

6 cups water

1/4 cup chia seeds”

1/2 cup yacon powder

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons cinnamon powder

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup fresh apple, minced fine

1/3 cup walnuts, finely chopped

1/4 cup raisins

DIRECTIONS

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.

For many years now, best-selling author, professional triathlete, and health activist Brendan Brazier has been on a convincing crusade promoting a plant-based diet and its relationship to both long-term health and performance. Perhaps you’re already familiar with his award-winning line of health products called Vega, or his two previous books, Thrive and Thrive Fitness. His philosophies about upholding a nutrient-dense plant-based diet for optimum health are 100% synonymous with the cornerstone concepts behind the energy-giving superfood recipes I create, such as the ones in Superfood Cuisine. So, needless to say, when Brendan asked me to develop a chunk of recipes for his new third book, Thrive Foods, I couldn’t wait to get my hands, uh, covered in food.

I was especially excited to work on this project for two reasons. First, Thrive Foods is so much more than “just” a cookbook. Rather, it’s an innovative and compelling examination of the environmental resources used to produce food, explained through Brendan’s “nutrient to resource ratio.” I have to say, as a food lover with an environmental conscience myself, I found it fascinating to look at the environmental cost of the food choices that we make in such a well-researched manner. And, selfishly, it made me feel even better about my plant-based natural foods and superfood choices (hint: there’s more to environmental eating than JUST eating local food).

Second, half of the book’s 200 recipes are contributed from some of the top chefs in North America, including some of my personal favorites like Matthew Kenney, Tal Ronnen, Angel Ramos (Candle 79), and SO many more. You know that question people sometimes ask “if you could have a dinner party and invite 10 people, who would they be?” Well, I’d invite the chefs from this cookbook. And then I’d officially change the dinner party to a potluck.

As for my own recipes in Thrive Foods, I have to say they turned out beautifully – it was such a fun project to work on. You’ll likely recognize a few items directly from my blog here, like the Asian Carrot Avocado Salad or Parsnip Oven Fries amongst a few others, and the remainder of the 90+ recipes are all brand new! In the next post I’ll share one of my recipes from Thrive Foods with you that’s perfect for autumn and also happens to be one of Brendan’s favorites. In the meantime, I have another exciting announcement: I’m giving away a copy of Thrive Foods, signed by Brendan Brazier!

1) Like Superfood Cuisine by Julie Morris on Facebook
2) Send a tweet: Environmentalism meets 200 great recipes in new book, Thrive Foods. Win  a signed copy via @greenjules here: http://tinyurl.com/3nyhcel
3) Follow @brendanbrazier on twitter
4) Like Brendan Brazier on Facebook
5) Leave a comment below about one thing you do, big or small, that is an eco-friendly part of your lifestyle! Food-oriented or not…

Already like/follow some of the above? (Thanks!) You can still earn entries for these with a comment. The giveaway closes September 30th! Good luck!

*Giveaway open to North American residents only.

She’s also a mom of two, and from the looks of things, her kidlets are sprouting into little superheroes of their own. In fact, her five year old son, Bryce (see picture above), has taken a particular interest in his nutrition. After babbling about “antioxidants” since he was a toddler, Bryce has recently crowned himself with the honorable title of “The Grand Chia Master.” (I believe this position of power is a “forever” kind of deal, in case you were wondering.) GC Master looks forward to the event of making homemade superfood smoothies (aka a “science experiment”), adding in colorful powders, vivid fruits, leafy greens, and chia seeds (of course!) before creating the most awesomely delicious kid-friendly sludge.

Did I mention he’s five?

Kids may be picky, but it’s not the nutrients in food they’re picky about; many times it’s the way nutritious food is offered in the first place. When presented with tasty healthy options — and given the opportunity to make their own choices — the beneficial foods children gravitate toward is often genuinely inspiring.

A while back, I read about a fascinating study done on sugary cereal. The goal was to test how much sugar made a child happy enough to eat his or her breakfast. In the study, two separate groups of young children were allowed to help themselves to cereal, fruit, sugar packets, milk and juice for breakfast. The only difference between the two groups was that while one group was offered sugary cereal like Fruit Loops and Frosted Flakes, the other group was given low-sugar cereal like Rice Krispies. The children were instructed to simply prepare breakfast for themselves.

Although both groups ate almost the same amount of calories, the calories derived from sugar in the sugar-cereal group were almost double compared to the low sugar cereal group — even though many children in the low-sugar group added sugar packets to their bowl. Additionally, “more than half of kids given low-sugar options added fruit to their bowls, versus 8 percent of those eating sugary cereal.” Can you imagine the results if they included a third group, with a make-your-own smoothie option?

Children eat profoundly instinctively — very much on a “want” basis — and although taste (and presentation) is a defining factor too, sometimes it’s just about presenting a child with a choice (such as the choice to include sugar in cereal as opposed to a pre-sweetened variety). Including abundant nutrient-dense superfoods like yum-worthy seeds, berries, and even hidden greens, can be excellent ways to keep children happy, stocked with healthy nutrition, and inevitably too full/satisfied to crave refined or sugary foods. This method is known as the “crowding out” theory.

In fact, the crowding out theory works with adults too. Which, if I’m not mistaken, means the Grand Chia Master indeed has a lesson to share with us all.

Bryce’s Grand Chia Master Superfood Smoothie Recipe

frozen mango chunks, to taste

frozen mixed berries, to taste

1 frozen acai smoothie pack

1 banana

18 drops Chloroxygen (liquid chlorophyll drops)

2 tablespoons chia seeds

2 tablespoons ground flax powder

2 tablespoons hemp seeds

2 tablespoons cacao nibs

2 cups arugula

1 scoop Macro Greens powder

2 cups coconut water

Blend until awesome, and serve.

It’s high-time we feature a delicious recipe from Superfood Cuisine here, don’t you agree? Doing so, on my end at least, has not been a particularly easy process. Indeed, like picking a favorite child, I’ve been utterly at loss while deciding which of the 100+ superfood recipes to share. Seriously! I love them all (obviously), and each is worthy of the extremely fancy spotlight of a blog post. Which oh which recipe to choose?

Attempting to summon my recipe decision-making mojo earlier today, I took a walk outside. Ironically, it was there I found my answer staring me in the face, right inside my little herb garden. If you have a garden or have visited the produce section at the market lately, you’re likely aware that this time of year has a way of making some herbs, like basil, a little, well, “overly ambitious.” My homegrown basil is certainly no different, and though I love its flavor, I couldn’t help but pass a little judgment upon the plant today as I observed it unabashedly hogging up almost the entire pot it’s supposed to share with other green savories. Calm down there, basil; clearly it’s time we put you to use. And by “use,” I of course mean it’s an ideal time to make my “Secret Pesto” recipe from the cookbook.

I call this recipe a secret not because I’m not going to tell you how to make it (I’ve never understood recipe secrets – I mean, it’s FOOD, not the blueprints to a rocketship). Rather, this pesto is “secret” because it includes a profoundly nutrient-rich superfood within the sauce that you would NEVER guess was there: wheatgrass. Wheatgrass? You bet I’m serious. While most people easily embrace “everyday” superfoods like spinach or quinoa, if you have family or friends who are skeptical of including more niche superfoods like wheatgrass, this is the perfect way to show them just how easy it is to boost a meal’s nutrition with superfoods without compromising flavor. I like to sneak in the “secret,” serve this awesome meal up, and then share the extra good news after the bowls have been licked clean.

Like all the recipes in Superfood Cuisine, the food is designed not only to be aesthetically attractive and full of fabulous flavor, but also packed with health-giving purpose. From this recipe, here are just a few of the things you can look forward to…per each fabulous serving:

• 8 grams of protein from grain-like quinoa
• 5 grams protein + iron and minerals from hemp seeds
• Anti-inflammatory Omega 3 fats from EFA Oil
• Around 50% RDA Vitamin A from basil and spinach leaves
• Over 70 vitamins & minerals from wheatgrass powder

Amazing, yeah? I think so too. Some secrets are too good not to share.

Quinoa with Secret Pesto & Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Makes 4-6 hearty servings

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup (packed) sun-dried tomatoes
2 cups (packed) chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup hemp seeds
1/3 cup EFA oil
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon freeze-dried wheatgrass powder
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon minced garlic
4 cups cooked quinoa
2 cups (packed) baby spinach, cut into chiffonade (aka extra thin)

DIRECTIONS:

Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in some hot water for 30 minutes or until soft. Slice thinly.

Use a food processor to blend the basil, hemp seeds, both oils, wheatgrass powder, nutritional yeast, sea salt and garlic into a pesto sauce. In a large bowl, toss some of the pesto (use as much as desired) with the quinoa, sun-dried tomatoes and spinach. Serve cold or gently heat.

- Recipe and photo from Superfood Cuisine: Cooking with Nature’s Most Amazing Foods

YAY!!!!!!!!!

That’s all, just yay. (Actually there was a little dance that went along with the yay, but luckily it doesn’t translate through writing).

I have good (great!) news and some mildly-bad-but-not-really-so-bad news.

Good news: I am unbelievably proud and thrilled to announce that my first book, Superfood Cuisine: Cooking with Nature’s Most Amazing Foods is now available. I just got my first small shipment of books today and holy WOW, what a feeling that is. Good news indeed. YAY.

Mildly-bad-but-not-really-so-bad news: Due to the amazing response from the pre-orders (thank you!), this first shipment is already (!) SOLD OUT. The next book shipment will get in next week (it will be much larger). If you already had your order in prior to today, it will ship out asap. If you haven’t ordered a signed copy from here on my site yet but do it now, it will be shipped next week. Amazon orders (that have been already been placed, or that you place now) will ship to the Amazon warehouse next week, where they will then go out to all of you who ordered (thank you again!). And even more thanks, overall, for your patience, for your support, for your readership, and for your interest in cooking with superfoods! ENJOY!

-Signed copies will be available for a limited time on this website through the link on the right.
-Feel free to be in touch with any questions about ordering: info[at]juliemorris[dot]net
-Watch the Superfood Cuisine book trailer