Having Your Just Desserts

So with all of these tasty and healthy recipes, how about a little dessert up in here? You got it.

I'm not a baker. I'm a cook; a chef I sometimes like to think. But baking, and dessert making in general, just does not hold the appeal for me that cooking does. I'll whip up the occasional homemade dessert for special occasions, but it's rare. That being said, sometimes you want a little something sweet after your meal, without going into a lot of time and effort to get it. Enter the quick fix dessert.

See, it's common to want a little something sweet after a meal, and there's a reason for that: the sweet taste helps to move the energy of the liver to help you digest and assimilate your food. However, this does NOT mean we need dessert after every meal or even every day, and it does NOT mean you're going to help your liver OR your digestion if you dive into a big bowl of ice cream or a giant slice of cake. With desserts, as with meat, dairy, and animal food in general, and the more extreme foods like sugars, salts, fats, and alcohol, less is more and quality is the key. Go for desserts that are simple and only contain real, natural, unrefined ingredients, and indulge with a small amount rather than overloading your body with a dose of sweetness that will leave you feeling overly full and your body feeling imbalanced. When looking for desserts or making your own dessert recipes, great natural options to look for instead of refined sugar are agave nectar, honey, pure maple syrup, brown rice syrup, barley malt, and molasses. Also, remember that our desire for sweet food is meant to be satisfied by a small amount and not on a frequent basis; it's easy to go overboard, so keep portions small and remember it's about taste and satisfaction, not about filling up. You'll appreciate dessert more and balance your body more easily if you go for quality not quantity and savor that dessert indulgence a few times a week at most, rather than loading up on sub-par sweets every day.

So what to do when you're craving something sweet at home and want to follow the above guidelines but also enjoy an indulgence that's quick and easy? Read on for some fun Fall ideas for super quick, no sweat desserts that you can whip up with things you already have on hand.

Here's a super simple, quick and easy dessert that is creamy, sweet and a little spicy, and only packs 100 calories...making it a much better option than packaged "100 calorie" desserts on the market that are full of preservatives and sugars. This is a drink dessert, so you can sip it slowly and really savor it, and because it's liquid it gives you a cozy full feeling without filling you up too much. And it's also a healthier but still fun use for your martini shaker! Come holiday time, this is a great substitute for egg nog.

Almond Milk Frappé

1 cup natural unsweetened almond milk (skip brands like Almond Breeze with a lot of added sugar; many brands have some added sugar but the lower the better)
1/2 tablespoon agave nectar, honey, or pure maple syrup
several shakes of powdered cinnamon
2 ice cubes

In a beverage shaker, combine all above ingredients. Cover, and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Strain into a large wine glass or fancy glass, and enjoy! For a slightly thicker consistency, blend all ingredients in a blender including ice, resulting in a frostier drink.


Want something chewy and cake-y instead of smooth and liquidy? Try this delicious treat, it's like a combination of the recently popular olive oil cake and a more traditional pound cake, but way less calories and fat and not even a fraction of the time to prepare: this is really easy breezy.

Sweet Sticky Salty Toast

1 slice Brown Rice Bread (chosen because of it's dense, uniform, "cake-like" texture)
honey
olive oil
sea salt

Lightly toast the bread until soft and just beginning to crisp on the outside, do not toast until dark. Once warm and toasty, baste one side of the bread with olive oil, or drizzle and spread with a knife. Next, drizzle honey over the same side of the bread and spread with a knife. Finally, sprinkle sea salt over the same side of the bread. Enjoy warm. Easiest thing ever, and boy is it delicious!


Wanting something crunchy and more textural, with a nice dose of fruit and richness? Got you covered:

Happy Trails Dessert Mix

2 tablespoons plain almonds, pecans, or walnuts, or a mix
2 tablespoons raisins, dried cranberries, or dried blueberries
1/2 tablespoon sesame seeds
honey, maple syrup, agave nectar, or brown rice syrup
1 teaspoon olive oil or sesame oil
light sprinkle sea salt (optional)

serve with:
100 % natural applesauce, store-bought or homemade (optional)
or
Apple slices (optional)

Heat 1 teaspoon olive or sesame oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat, do not boil or bubble oil. Add nuts and dried fruit and saute a few minutes, until nuts start to brown and dried fruit starts to puff up. Remove from heat, transfer into a tiny dish or fancy cup, and drizzle with natural sweetener of your choice from recipe list above (remember the dried fruit is already providing sweetness, so you don't need much sweetener). Sprinkle with sesame seeds, and small sprinkle sea salt if using, and enjoy! This mixture is delicious on it's own, or it can be used as a topping for a small bowl of applesauce, or spooned onto thin slices of fresh apple.

So there's a few quick and tasty options for easy desserts when you want something delicious and healthy without getting the oven involved. Happy Eating!


Interested in finding out more about what foods are right for your own body and why? Looking for personalized information and support to help you change your eating and lifestyle choices in order to achieve your own specific goals for health and wellness? Contact me to set up a consultation: erica@wellnessrealized.com

Reality Check- Clearing Up Food Myths

I've noticed something funny. People love to talk about how something that was previously thought to be good for them is actually bad for them, and how something that was previously thought to be bad for them is actually good for them. When this trend combines with our cultural demand for a quick fix, have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too approach to food and health, we can really be led astray. First and foremost, let's bring it back to common sense and instinct, both of which are tools that are essential but sorely lacking in the modern day answer to the eternal question of what to eat .

If a food grows out of the ground provided by nature and is eaten in it's original unaltered state, does it make sense that this food would be bad for us? Likewise, if we take something that has traditionally been treated as an occasional indulgence food, such as cake or cookies, and twist and augment that food to be low fat, low calorie and low carb by altering the nature of all of the ingredients, do we have any reason to think that food is "healthier" than the original version?

It's time to get rid of the nonsense and get back to eating REAL FOOD. So I am here to help you clear a few things up, starting with the undeservingly maligned foods below:

Avocado- the myth is that it's too high in fat to be healthy. WRONG. The fat that avocado provides is a healthy, unrefined vegetable fat that helps to lubricate tissues of the lungs and intestine, build the blood, and soften hair and nails. The fat in avocado is easily digested and assimilated, making it a good choice for those who have trouble digesting heavier fats. Avocado is also high in protein, fiber, potassium, vitamin E, and copper, which assists in red blood cell formation. Thinking cap alert: avocado is a natural souce of lecithin, a known brain power food. Use the extra brain boost from eating avocado to help you to determine whether or not it makes any sense that a fruit that grows on a tree would be unhealthy for your body!

Peas and Beans- the myth is that they are too high in carbs to be healthy, valuable sources of protein. WRONG. The carbohydrates in beans and legumes are in the form of complex, slow burning carbs that deliver valuable, long lasting energy due to the fact they they are accompanied by high levels of protein and a powerful dose of fiber. When we digest carbs, they are converted into sugar and passed into our bloodstream to be used as energy. Which means that when we eat refined carbohydrates, such as products made from white flour and white rice, the protein and minerals and fiber have mostly been stripped away in the refinement process. So this means that those carbs are mainly only giving us glucose, and are therefore going to be converted into blood sugar very quickly, more quickly than most of us can use them- meaning that excess sugar in the bloodstream will be packed away and stored as fat. Whereas when we consume a complex carbohydrate such as a whole grain or a bean or legume, we have to break down all three components together- protein, fiber, and carbohydrate- which means a much slower, steadier release of sugar into the blood and therefore a much greater chance of using it before it's converted into fat for storage. It also means staying full and satisfied for longer, and no nasty energy peak-and-crash cycle. Best of all, by incorporating beans and legumes you can get all this healthy carb power AND satisfy your protein needs for your meal.

Carrots- the myth is that they are too high in sugar and/or carbs to be considered a healthy vegetable. WRONG. The sugars in carrots are arrive in a seriously vitamin packed parcel, delivering high doses of eye-healthy Vitamin A as well as supplying Vitamin B, phosphorous, iodine, calcium, and additional nutrients that provide anti-cancer properties. Carrots assist in digestion and elimination of waste due to their high fiber content, they also support the lungs, spleen-pancreas, and liver, and they strengthen the kidneys. Perhaps best of all, they actually aid in the lowering of blood sugar in the body while purifying the blood. I don't like to quote TV personalities but I'm gonna have to call on Oprah here: "Nobody ever got fat from eating carrots!".

Grains and Grain products- the myth is that they only provide calories and sugar in the form of carbohydrates and are therefore an enemy of weight loss and "unhealthy". WRONG. In addition to the way which they break down in the body stabilizing blood sugar and minimizing fat storage as described above, whole grains provide an impressively complete amino acid (protein) profile as well as rich content of minerals such as magnesium, which helps with loosening of tight and stagnant tissue (i.e. mitigating migraines, constipation, joint stiffness) and selenium, which assists in brain function and focus and mood stability. They are a powerhouse of fiber, protein, and healthy carbohydrates, providing us with energy to burn along with a whole host of strengthening and grounding nutrients. Best bet is to eat whole grains in their original form for the bulk of your carbohydrate intake, but foods like pasta and bread and other baked goods have been part of our culinary culture for a long time, so enjoy these products on a moderate basis but buy/make the whole grain versions to get the most benefit.

The point is to return to traditional wisdom about food. Does it make any logical sense that a fruit or a vegetable would be unhealthy for us, given what we know about fruit and vegetables and their role as vitamin and fiber providers in our diets? No. Is there any use in cutting valuable complex carbohydrates out of our diets when they have been the most basic, consistent and steady source of energy in the human diet for most of our history? Nope. Does it stand to reason that beans and legumes are inferior sources of protein when in many areas of the world they are and have been a traditional building block of protein consumption that can feed more people for less money using less resources and providing in some cases superior health benefits due to their plant based nature? I think you see my point.

So what about the things you always thought you should consume in moderation but are now being touted as "good for you" either because a study has been released saying so or because they've found a way to twist and tweak it to change whatever was considered indulgent about it in the first place? Ask yourself what makes sense. Coffee is being touted for it's antioxidants, and yet the caffiene in coffee is known to tax the kidkeys and adrenal glands, while dehydrating the body and creating an overly acidic environment. So does it make sense to start drinking coffee more than occasionally for antioxidant purposes, or to keep it as a sometimes-indulgence when you really want it and get your antioxidants from vitamin packed vegetables and fruits? I would go with the latter. Or what about the low-fat, low-calorie, low-carb versions of foods that were traditionally higher in these areas and were therefore used as accessory foods or special occasion foods? Consider this: switching to the fake version to save yourself the calories, carbs, or fat just means you're getting a fake food, and that in most cases the difference has been made up by adding unecessary refined sugars, chemicals, additives, preservatives, and flavoring agents, all of which are at best unnatural and and at worst toxic for your body. So why not skip the low fat low carb cake, and instead wait for someone's birthday party or a dinner out and have a small, real piece- savor it and enjoy the indulgence, because it is one. Or, take it a step further and make your own baked goods using whole grain flour, natural sweeteners like honey and maple syrup, and fruit for extra moisture rather than loading up on the heavier fats. Don't bother with fat free cheese or butter substitutes- if you really want to partake of those foods, have the real thing and have less of it and less frequently, knowing that it's more satisfying, and much more natural, to eat real food.

So take a break from all the hub-bub and contradicting theories out there, and go with your gut. We all have an instinct about food and what to give to our bodies in order to fill our needs, it's how we've always known how to eat as a species, and it's only recently that our commercial culture and "food science" industry is leading us away from that. We do need to empower ourselves with information, but we also need to trust ourselves to use our common sense and instinct to choose our food. It's time to bring it back to basics: real healthy food that makes real healthy sense.

Go Forth and Eat Real!!!


Interested in finding out more about what foods are right for your own body and why? Looking for personalized information and support to help you change your eating and lifestyle choices in order to achieve your own specific goals for health and wellness? Contact me to set up a consultation: erica@wellnessrealized.com

It's the Holidays, Here Comes the Sweet Stuff!

Cravings for sweets aren't always a bad thing. It's true that often when we are craving sweets it is because of some other need that is going unfulfilled; many needs both emotional and physical will present themselves as a craving for sugar when really it is that we are lonely, or restless, or bored, or tired, or over-caffeinated, or dehydrated, or have eaten too much protein or fat and are trying to balance it out. All of these needs can be perceived as a strong desire for sweets. Unfortunately, many people respond to such cravings by going for processed, refined sugars and sweet foods, which act like a drug in the body by making the body want more while also straining the body's resources even further and resulting in more cravings, thus becoming a viscous cycle. This is why it seems impossible to avoid the candy bowl or the cookie plate once you've caved in and had a nibble.

However, it is natural for our bodies and palates to seek out sweetness in foods, so it's good to satisfy that desire- but it is important to do so with natural, wholesome, unrefined foods. Wholesome sweet foods benefit the liver as well as the spleen-pancreas, while also giving us a sense of satisfaction and well being: the "sweetness of life". They key is to pay attention to quality and amount. Some often overlooked healthy sources of sweetness are sweet vegetables such as sweet potatoes, sweet squashes like kabocha (green pumpkin), acorn, butternut and pumpkin, carrots, rutabaga, parsnips and beets, as well as a plethora of fruits. At this time of year, avoid tropical fruits that can be too sugary and cooling for our winter systems- instead opt for fruits such as pears, peaches, apples, berries, cherries, and melons, which are lower on the glycemic index (meaning they cause less of a surge in your blood sugar) and can be grown in locales most similar to where we live.

Aside from fruits and veggies, experiment with making life sweet using all natural, wholesome sweeteners such as pure maple syrup, brown rice syrup (a little-known but wonderful and healthful condiment), barley malt syrup, honey or agave nectar. Try drizzling one of these sweeteners over toasted nuts mixed with raisins, or heat up some leftover brown rice or other grain and add a sprinkling of nuts, a shake of cinnamon, and a drizzle of one of these delicious sweeteners for a warming, substantial sweet snack.

Also, rather than thinking of desire for sweets as something only satiated by snacks and desserts, bring sweetness into your main course meals. "Sweet" is one of the tastes our bodies are programmed to want naturally, so when we include the sweet taste IN our meal, we are less inclined to go for dessert or sweet snacks later. For example, tonight I will be making aduki beans (small, red beans that lend themselves well to sweet flavor) cooked together with chunks of sweet, tender acorn squash and sweetened with a little bit of pure maple syrup, served over a bed of quinoa with sauteed garlic green beans on the side. After a meal as sweet as that, who needs dessert?


Interested in finding out more about what foods are right for your own body and why? Looking for personalized information and support to help you change your eating and lifestyle choices in order to achieve your own specific goals for health and wellness? Contact me to set up a consultation: erica@wellnessrealized.com

Wanna Cool Down With A Sweet or Frosty Treat?

With temperatures rising and the sun shining, many people are finding themselves craving cool, sweet treats. Instead of reaching for the ice cream or calorie-laden iced coffee drinks, here are some ideas for super easy cool treats and desserts that won't run down your body or sabotage your waistline. (Note: the following treats are cooling to the body, so it is not best to indulge when nursing a seasonal Spring cold or flu....wait until you feel better, and then enjoy!)

Apple Frosty:

Pour 4 ounces (half a cup) of 100% natural apple cider or no sugar added apple juice into a freezer safe glass or cup. Freeze for long enough that it becomes thoroughly slushy, but not completely frozen. Remove and eat as is with a spoon or add a splash of filtered water, mix, and enjoy as a sweet frozen drink. Apple juice is more easily processed by the body than citrus juices, which are acidic and can tax the liver and kidneys.


Iced Chai Latte:

Steep one bag of chai tea (use the brand of your choice, Tazo works well) in 8 ounces boiling water for 5-10 minutes, until dark. Add three ounces of organic rice milk or soy milk and 2 teaspoons of agave nectar, maple syrup, or honey, and stir well. Pour over a tall glass of ice and enjoy as is, or blend with ice in a blender for a frosty iced drink.

(note on the two above: iced drinks and beverages are very cooling in nature and can weaken the kidneys if overused, so use these in moderation, and consider drinking your other beverages throughout the day either at room temperature or at least without ice)


Tofu Mousse (makes 2 servings):

Cut a block of store-bought tofu in half, blend in a blender with 1 tbsp maple syrup and a shake of cinnamon to taste (or mash thoroughly with a fork if you don't have a blender) . Divide into two small bowls, top each with 1 tbsp chopped nuts of your choice if desired. This tasty dessert contains lots of fiber and protein and is a great substitute for dairy desserts, which often pack saturated fats and extra calories while also requiring more effort by the body to process due to the more complicated nature of animal foods. Tofu is a cooling food by nature, so if you run hot by nature or are feeling overheated, this is a great choice!


Banana "Ice Cream":

Peel and freeze a banana until frozen but not rock solid (if the bananas are frozen solid, leave them out of the freezer long enough to just soften). Mash with a fork until you achieve a smooth, frozen consistency. In a small saucepan, warm 2 tbsp of raisins mixed with 1 tbsp maple syrup, honey, or agave nectar, and drizzle over banana "ice cream". A sprinkling of chopped nuts or cinnamon can be added if desired. Bananas are rich in potassium and fiber, and when frozen provide a low calorie but still sweet and filling alternative to ice cream.


Frozen Avocado-Lime Mousse (makes 2 servings):

Puree one avocado, the juice of one lime, and 1 tsp agave nectar either in a blender or thoroughly mash with a fork. Divide into 2 small freezer safe bowls, and freeze until firm. Remove and eat immediately, or leave out for awhile before eating for a softer mousse. Avocados are packed with fiber, protein, and healthy Omega-3 fats, while small amounts of lime juice are strengthening and cleansing for the liver. Happy Eating!


Interested in finding out more about what foods are right for your own body and why? Looking for personalized information and support to help you change your eating and lifestyle choices in order to achieve your own specific goals for health and wellness? Contact me to set up a consultation: erica@wellnessrealized.com