Add to your juicer:
2 peeled blood oranges
4 carrots
1″ piece of ginger
What I’ve been eating lately – june/july
I hope everyone is enjoying their summer! I thought it be fun to write about what foods and beverages I’ve been including in my diet lately. What foods and drinks I gravitate towards always changes with the seasons. Lately, I’ve been really keeping it simple with my meals, and am drinking a lot of smoothies.
Brown Rice Noodles :: My husband and I love to make veggie stir fries with brown rice noodles, then add Sriracha, Bragg’s Liquid Aminos or homemade peanut sauce. You can find them in the Asian Section of your grocery store.
Homemade Sauerkraut :: Real sauerkraut is actually pretty easy to make! By real sauerkraut, I mean no canned or pasteurized – if you’re not buying it in the fridge section of the store it’s not the real deal. It’s great for gut health, and it’s pretty darn tasty. I add it to salads, as a topping to stir fries, or own its own as a snack. If you want to DIY your own, try this recipe.
Coconut Water :: It’s hot out and I live at a high elevation. Mix that with running several times a week, and that equals dehydration! Coconut water has natural electrolytes, and always energizes and revives me. If you ever get a headache on a really hot and sunny day, try drinking some coconut water for relief. I go for plain coconut water, no pulp, whatever’s cheapest.
Cherries :: The organic cherries in season right now are SO GOOD. I can’t stop eating them! Coming in second place are organic strawberries. I love fruit in the summer.
Tiger Nuts: I recently discovered these at a conference. They have a sweet, almost maple, taste and are pretty filling. They are actually not a nut, but a small root veggie – weird! Don’t be scared, try em. I buy this brand.
My new favorite smoothie :: This is inspired by a smoothie recipe in The Plant Power Way cookbook, which I highly recommend. It is so refreshing on a hot day.
Blueberry Basil Smoothie:
1/2” slice of ginger
1/2” slice of beet
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 frozen banana
2 tablespoons hemp seeds
2 handfuls of spinach (or 2 large kale leaves, stripped off stems)
8 basil leaves
1/2 lemon, peeled
2-3 cups water
Blend!
Tiny Mighty Chia Seeds
Chia seeds – these little seeds are pretty popular these days, so I thought we’d take a closer look at chia seeds today. Chia seeds have been used as a source of nutrition for hundreds of years, and are known to be eaten by the ancient Aztecs. Aztec warriors survived on chia seeds – they are light and easy to carry in small amounts. In his book Born to Run, Chris McDougall observes the chia seed as a staple of the diet of the Tarahumara – a Mexican tribe of superathletes who routinely do runs of 50 to 100 miles.These little black or white seeds are packed with protein, antioxidants, fiber and omega 3 fatty acids. Chia seeds can help restore energy levels and have been used to help combat dehydration. If you’re a child of the 80s you may remember chia seeds from chia pets!
The chia seeds themselves have a pretty subtle flavor. This makes them easy to include in many recipes pretty easily. They form a gel when mixed with liquid, so you can make an easy, healthy pudding. You can also include them in granola, oatmeal and smoothies.
Vanilla Chia Pudding
Gather:
3 Tablespoons Chia Seeds
1 cup almond milk
Pinch of vanilla bean powder
Pinch of cinnamon
1 tsp of maple syrup (optional)
For topping: raspberries, coconut flakes, hemp seeds
THE NIGHT BEFORE: Whisk all of the ingredients (except for toppings). Let sit for a half hour. Whisk again. Transfer to a pint-sized mason jar and store in the fridge overnight.
In the morning, stir and add toppings to taste. I love this topped with fresh berries, with hemp seeds sprinkled on top.
*Requires prep the night before
Cherry Cacao Smoothie
It’s no secret that I kinda love smoothies. I drink one most days as my breakfast or post-work out. This is my absolute favorite smoothie recipe. It is loaded with nutrients, antioxidants, protein and healthy fats. And, it’s freakin’ delicious and tastes like dessert!
Gather:
3 leaves of kale, stripped from stems
1 frozen banana
1 cup frozen cherries
2 tablespoons hemp seeds
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 teaspoon cacao powder
1 tsp cacao nibs
5 Brazil nuts (or 10 almonds)
2 cups water
Make:
First, add the water and kale to your blender and blend. Then add the seeds, nuts and cacao, put the frozen fruit on top, and blend. Serve with some hemp seeds and cacao nibs sprinkled on top if you want it to look pretty. This makes one large smoothie.
Steel Cut Oats with blackberries, coconut and hemp seeds
I’ve been on a big oatmeal kick lately. It’s the best on cold spring mornings. Steel cut oats take a little longer to cook, but you end up with several servings.
Gather:
1 cup steel cut oats
Almond milk – about 1/2 cup
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tablespoon coconut oil
Pinch of sea salt
Toppings: blackberries, flaked coconut, hemp seeds
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Slowly stir in the oats, cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Keep boiling until it starts to thicken. Then, turn heat to low and simmer the oats for about 30 minutes – until its a thick porridge consistency.
Turn heat off, and stir in the almond milk and coconut oil. Top with blackberries, flaked coconut and hemp seeds (or make up your own toppings).
Banana Baked Oatmeal
Spring is finally here! Even though the days are getting warmer here in Colorado, the mornings are quite cold. I made this baked oatmeal recipe on a lazy, cold, Saturday morning recently. It was delicious! Try topping with a drizzle of maple syrup and some fresh blueberries.
Serves 4
Gather:
2 cups oats
2 cups almond milk
1 banana pureed or thinly sliced
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp of vanilla powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Coconut Oil
Preheat oven to 375.
Grease a baking pan or cast iron pan with coconut oil. The cast iron pan I used here is 9″ diameter.
Mix the oats, almond milk, banana, spices and baking powder. Put into the cast iron pan.
Top with the walnuts and pecans and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Cori Bernardo 