What's Wrong With 365 Days of Lattes? Evidently A Lot

I inadvertently did a little "health" experiment over the last year that I won't be repeating.

It kind of just "happened"—an experience born out of being exceedingly busy and a preoccupation with writing at Barnes & Noble or local coffee shops. I started indulging in daily drinks of decaffeinated lattes—flavored AND sweetened! UGH! I knew better than to succumb to them. But once I passed the one month hurdle, I was committed.

Here's the truth about what happened to my body.

1) Hair loss. My hair started falling out. At first I didn't notice how much. Then suddenly, as hair dropped all over my bathroom floor, I knew that something was going down (yes, it was my hair going down—the drain, clogging the pipes, getting caught in my bottles. EW!)

2) Zits. Let me just say it like it is. All that sugar wreaked havoc on my body. My hair knew it and so did my skin. It looked worse than it had in years!

3) Sluggishness. There's not much appealing about a slug (no offense to them at all, but I've never seen a pet slug. Just saying.) Likewise, a body that feels sluggish isn't appealing either. The energy plummets at inopportune times during the day. It completely runs dry.

4) Heart palpitations. It's as disturbing as it sounds. Sugar floods the body with a surge of energy that burns like a brush fire. When the body can't assimilate all that glucose, it pumps harder and faster potentially leading to a slew of sugar-related problems (diabetes, etc.).

5) BIG headaches. My monthly headaches got so much worse. I used to be able to sleep them off without taking painkillers. They turned into migraines where I took to my bed and couldn't get up.

6) Weight gain. Empty calories lead to a fuller waist—among other body parts.

7) Unceasing sugar cravings. You feed the little critters in your body a bit of sugar, and they clamor for more. Do you remember the way Gremlins multiplied? It's that gross and that insidious. The only way to wipe them out is to stop feeding them.

8) Wrinkles. Yes. Wrinkles are a natural sign of maturing skin and life experience. But this change felt more drastic and seemed tied to the high sugar content too. Sugar has been shown to age the skin due to advanced glycation end products.

As skin care expert Julie Lindh says in this post: "Excess sugar attaches itself to collagen which will cause wrinkles and make your skin lose its natural resilience."

9) Dehydration. Decaffeinated drinks deceive you into thinking they're better for you. They're not. Most caffeine removal requires washing the coffee beans with chemicals. YUCK! Plus, drinking leads to the false belief that you just hydrated your body. Coffee does the opposite, even when it's decaffeinated.

10) Hard on the wallet. A $.25 drink that costs about $4.65 + $.60 for soy milk adds up over time. That's $139.50 per month without the soy milk, if it's a daily indulgence. It goes up to $157.50 with soy milk, and more for extra shots and add-ons.

Excess sugar attaches itself to collagen which will cause wrinkles and makes your skin lose its natural resilience. - See more at: http://jlskinfitness.com/magento/index.php/blog/why-your-diet-is-making-you-look-older/#sthash.DWqUToIp.dpuf

Excess sugar attaches itself to collagen which will cause wrinkles and makes your skin lose its natural resilience. - See more at: http://jlskinfitness.com/magento/index.php/blog/why-your-diet-is-making-you-look-older/#sthash.DWqUToIp.dpuf

Excess sugar attaches itself to collagen which will cause wrinkles and makes your skin lose its natural resilience. - See more at: http://jlskinfitness.com/magento/index.php/blog/why-your-diet-is-making-you-look-older/#sthash.DWqUToIp.dpuf

Are you wondering what's in these lattes that's so awful?

Just as an example—ahem—here is the label that a VERY BIG coffee chain offers for a Grande (mid-size at 16 fl. oz.) Iced White Mocha with Soy Milk (though generally I brought my own unsweetened Almond Milk) and no whipped cream:

Nutrition Facts Per Serving (16 fl oz)

Calories 340	Calories from Fat 70
	% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g	12%
Saturated Fat 4.5g	22%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 180mg	8%
Total Carbohydrate 58g	20%
Dietary Fiber 1g	4%
Sugars 53g
Protein 10g
Vitamin A 8% Vitamin C 2% Calcium 35% Iron 6%
Caffeine 150mg**
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
**Each caffeine value is an approximate value.

As you can see, it doesn't list ingredients, but look at the WHOPPING sugar content at 53 grams and Caffeine at 150 mg! But wait! This same drink served hot increases the sugar level to 58 grams with total carbs at 61 grams.

Soy milk is hardly a healthy replacement for dairy. It congests the body plus has an estrogenic effect that creates its own health issues.

This is no benign, five dollar drink! In fact, it started costing me my health.
By the end of my stint, a Grande no longer cut it—I wanted a Venti (20 oz. and 74 grams sugar). I knew it was time to get off the treadmill and take back my health! So I did, and I'm already feeling better.

For a lovely chai latte recipe that's organic and environmentally-friendly, head over to this post on the Green Beauty Team website. 

Do you have a latte addiction? Maybe it's time to consider brewing your own alternative or asking for unsweetened tea, if you must indulge. 

XO


Photo credits: Ralph Loesche/photos.com, Starbucks.com 

The One Food That Settles Upset Tummies

When my sisters and I were growing up, there was only one food that cured nausea and throwing up.
You’ll laugh when I tell you—that miraculous comfort food is kasha.
That’s right—plain buckwheat stops nausea right in its tracks.

NO! Not Buckwheat from “The Little Rascals,” though I love him too!
THIS kind of buckwheat:

I’m not saying all throwing up is bad.  In fact, vomiting eliminates toxins from the body. Sometimes that’s encouraged.
However, at some point, when a child or adult starts to feel hungry or shaky after a bout of elimination and they can’t seem to hold down anything else—grab a box of buckwheat groats and work some magic!

How does it work?  I’m not really sure!  But it DOES work.

It turns out that buckwheat is a gluten-free super seed, not a grain, with amazing properties.  There is mounting evidence proving that it stabilizes blood sugar levels, helps lower cholesterol, and can regulate diabetes.

Buckwheat contains the eight essential amino acids, including lysine, as well as high amounts of manganese, magnesium, and fiber according to an article in Natural News found below (Three Reasons to Eat Buckwheat).

It also contains two flavanoids: quercitin and rutin.
Quercitin has been shown to support healing in the body.  Rutin is an antioxidant shown to potentially inhibit cancer. Rutin also strengthens the capillaries and circulation, and may reduce painful varicose veins.
When suffering through a stomach ailment where vomiting presents, blood sugar levels usually drop. The stabilizing effect of the kasha brings the sugar levels back into equilibrium.

Don’t you just LOVE how simple natural solutions can be?
I know I do!

Recipe
Here’s the easy recipe on Wolff’s Kasha box that I make for my kids, when needed:

• 2 Cups broth or water (I use Imagine No Chicken Broth)
• 2 Tbs. butter or margarine (Earth Balance margarine is non-hydrogenated.)
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
• 1/8 tsp pepper (I leave this out when treating stomach upset, as it might be harsh on irritation.)

In separate bowl (egg is optional for vegans, so leave this coating part out):

• 1 Cup kasha
• 1 egg or egg white

1. Lightly beat egg in bowl with fork. Add kasha, stir to coat kernels.
2. Heat liquid, butter, and seasoning to a boil.
3. In a separate medium-size skillet, add egg-coated kasha. Cook over high heat 2 to 3 min, stirring constantly until egg has dried on kasha and kernels are separate. Reduce heat to low.
4. Quickly stir in boiling liquid. Cover tightly; simmer 8 to 11 min. until kasha kernels are tender and liquid is absorbed. Makes about 4 cups

For more advice on cooking kasha, check out this helpful link: Cooking Buckwheat.

Related Articles and References:

Cooked kasha. (Wikipedia)

• Three Reasons to Eat Buckwheat
• The Health Benefits of Buckwheat
• Foods That Heal: Buckwheat
• Buckwheat: 9 Great Reasons to Know It, Plant It, Grow It, and Eat It

• Buckwheat For Cooking (buckwheathealth.wordpress.com)
• Buckwheat Can Help With Diabetes (buckwheathealth.wordpress.com)
• Buckwheat for Clearer Skin (buckwheathealth.wordpress.com)

Photo credits: Buckwheat plant (illinoiswildflowers.info), Buckwheat the character (Courtesy of rollingout.com), Buckwheat (Courtesy of dailyperricone.com),

Awesome Vegan Pesto For Glowing Skin

This recipe elicits murmurs of "Mmmms" and "Ahhhs" whenever I've served it. Not only is it supremely delicious, it has powerful ingredients that enhance beautiful skin and overall good health.

For optimum skin, a balanced acid-alkaline internal climate eliminates blemishes, rashes, and other signs of imbalance.  Disease breeds and thrives in a body that is either overly acidic or overly alkaline, so achieving equilibrium is not only desirable—it's absolutely essential.

With the body's natural pH at 7.365 (in blood), eating foods with higher pH levels helps bring the acid-alkaline levels into balance—particularly if you're overly acidic. Each of the ingredients in this recipe neutralize acidity to restore the body's pH to its ideal state.

Parsley (pH 9.0)
Herbs make a welcome component in any beauty regimen both inside and out as they assist in alkalizing the body. The two herbs used in this recipe are particularly beneficial.
Parsley contains vitamin C, manganese, calcium, and potassium. "The vitamin C in this herb speeds collagen production, and its other qualities can help regulate oil production, cleanse pores, and soothe tired eyes," said the WiseGEEK website.
Since these are the ALKALIZING MINERALS, parsley is a winner!

• Calcium: pH 12
• Cesium: pH 14
• Magnesium: pH 9
• Potassium: pH 14
• Sodium: pH 14

Basil (pH 9.0)
Basil neutralizes acne and blemishes of all kinds. It's anti-bacterial, anti-spasmodic, and anti-inflammatory, making it an ideal herb to incorporate into a diet to support good skin.

Lemon Juice (pH 2.0 but becomes alkaline in the body)
"Lemon provides a huge dose of the free radical fighting antioxidant vitamin C, which helps keep skin even-toned and wrinkle-free," said Dana Oliver, senior beauty editor at The Huffington Post, in this post. It also detoxifies the liver, allowing toxins to flush out of the system.

Pine Nuts (Neutral pH 7.0)
Rich in vitamin E and zinc, pine nuts protect skin from oxidative (cell) damage and support healthy skin and hair growth.

Garlic (pH 9.0)
Garlic's list of benefits could extend for miles! It contains Allicin, Sulphur, Zinc, and Calcium, compounds that promote multiple health benefits, beauty benefits, as well as carrying antibiotic and antifungal properties. Garlic provides a rich source of selenium, known to fight cancer and boost antioxidant power when combined with vitamin E.

Sea Salt
Salt meets the body's requirement for sodium, a mineral essential for the bioelectrical system to function effectively. However, most salts found in supermarkets are refined, processed, and heated. The best option is to use high quality sea salt like Celtic Sea Salt, RealSalt, or Himalayan Crystal sea salt. These natural salts leave essential minerals and trace elements intact.

Black Pepper
Often overlooked, black pepper aids digestion, acts as a diuretic, and some studies show it burns fat. It promotes healing in cuts due to its antibacterial properties. The freshest way to incorporate black pepper is to buy peppercorns and grind them.

Olive Oil
The base for this recipe is olive oil. Olive oil and other oils are not water soluble so their acidity cannot be measured in terms of pH. Oils that are cold-pressed or raw have a low acidity while lower quality oils will be more acidic.

Olive oil's numerous benefits have been extolled many times. Among other advantages, the high content of polyphenols (antioxidants), vitamins E and K, and fatty acids dose the body with skin and health loving properties.

Vegan Pesto Recipe

• 3 cups basil leaves, loosely packed
• 1 cup parsley leaves, loosely packed
• 2/3 cup organic extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh garlic (4 - 6 cloves)
• 1 cup toasted pine nuts (or walnuts if you'd rather)
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (2 or 3 lemons)
• 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper or to taste
• 1 tsp salt or to taste

Blend all ingredients in a blender or Vitamix. I like to keep it a bit chunky and not too creamy by pulsing slowly and then one or two high speed mixes. Serve with crudités or as a companion to gluten-free pasta, fish, or salad. It's great layered over sliced tomatoes and avocados too.

Enjoy!
[Original recipe found on Savvy Vegetarian and slightly modified.]
Photo credits: draghicich/photos.com, Kaitlin Gruss/photos.com, manu10319/photos.com, Maksym Khytra/photos.com, YekoPhotoStudio/photos.com, joanna wnuk/photos.com, TatjanaBaibakova/photos.com, AndreyGorulko/photos.com, Svetl/photos.com

Related articles

• 4 Steps to Achieving Beautiful Skin (ediblefacial.com)
• Easy ways to boost your salad's nutritional value (nourishingisrael.wordpress.com)
• 3 Easy Meals That Make Your Skin Glow (beautyhigh.com)

3 Powerhouse Skin Tonics to Get Your Glow On

Green drinks are the latest and greatest nutritional powerhouses to hit the juice bars.  And who better to share them than the following health and beauty mavens.

Julie Lindh is the ultimate holistic skin care guru with a sublime spiritual twist.  I posted about her here.  I'm sure you will enjoy her easy-to-prepare recipe for glowing skin that she shared in a newsletter.  Julie offers advice and products here and her signature Skin Fitness program here.  (Don’t you love the sound of a fitness program for skin?  Your skin receives quite the workout with her special treatment!)

So…without further ado, let’s get to the delicious and nutritious green drink menu.

Glowing Skin Juice Shot

• 1 T Spirulina powder (I like this green powder from The Synergy Company or Clean Chlorella Powder from Natural News)
• 4 2-inch cubes of watermelon
• 1 stalk of celery
• 1 stalk of kale
• 1 cup of cold water

Blend all ingredients together in a mixer until liquified. Drink all in one serving, or split into 3 shots and drink one before breakfast, lunch and dinner. Delicious and nutritious!

[Reprinted from Julie Lindh's July 2013 newsletter.]

Kimberly Snyder shared this Glowing Green Smoothie recipe in her first book, “The Beauty Detox.”  It is her cornerstone drink for the beauty detox diet that has created quite the stir among A-list celebrities and people like you and me—assuming you’re not a celeb (though if you’re reading this post, you’re definitely on MY A-LIST).

So here’s how to transform into a glowing green Goddess without actually turning green.

• 2 cups of water
• 1/2 head organic spinach
• 1 head organic romaine lettuce
• Juice of 1/2 organic lemon
• 2-3 sticks of organic celery
• 1 organic banana
• 1 organic pear
• 1 organic apple

Follow the directions above or here. The GSS lasts for two days in the fridge when covered.

What makes blending greens so great?

Here’s what Kimberly Snyder has to say about that:

Greens have more valuable nutrients than any other food group on the planet. You might be surprised to learn that greens even have high-quality, easily-assimilated amino acids – enough to build the protein that supports the muscle mass of the mighty, greens-eating gorilla, which pound-for-pound is the strongest animal on earth!

Blending makes the nutrients in greens more bio-available to the body.  The creamy consistency allows for maximum absorption.

Want to add a little kick to your day?  Sip a virgin Mint Mojito Smoothie conjured up by Well+Good NYC resident mixologist, Jennifer Kass.

• 1/2 lime, including the rind
• 10 mint leaves
• 1 c coconut water
• 1/2 cucumber
• 1/4 avocado
• 1 tsp coconut sugar
• Optional: Protein powder

Here are some of the benefits Well+Good shares on the website:

Fresh mint stimulates digestion and is said to help dissolve fats, and the water content in cucumbers helps flush out anything that makes us sluggish. Lime adds antioxidant vitamin C and boost alkalinity, and the rind also contains a medicinal oil used for digestive issues.

What’s in your juicer lately?  Do you have a favorite combination?  Personally, I grab whatever I’ve got—like frozen organic berries, açai, chia seeds, flaxseeds, bananas, spinach, kale—and throw them into a base of freshly juiced organic apples, carrots, beets, cucumber, celery, and sometimes ginger, then blend. The beets lend a robust red juicy color that I find very appealing.

Related articles

• How to Get a Natural Glow by Exfoliating with Baking Soda (naturalbeautyatanyage.wordpress.com)
• The Blood Sugar Balance Plan (holisticvanity.ca)
• Green Watermelon Cooler (soletshangout.com)
• You’ve Got To Try This Great Juicing Advice (jeremiblog1.wordpress.com)
• I’ve discovered more greens and yummy recipes! (pinklemonsandrainbows.com)
• 9 Tips For Gorgeous Glowing Skin! (hollysticwellness.wordpress.com)

Photo Credits

1. (Courtesy of So…Let’s Hang Out Blog—great recipes too)
2. Kim's Beauty Detox
3. Well+Good NYC

My Crazy Good Recipe-free Smoothie

Find foods to nourish the spirit and feed the soul. If you can’t eat them, blend them!
My smoothies are usually so random.  Absolutely no measurements are required to make a delicious health-enhancing cocktail!

For the Base Liquid
Often—if I feel like cleaning the juicer AND the Vitamix afterwards—I’ll juice my own base liquid of organic carrots, celery, maybe ginger and beets, and heavy on the apples.

For the Body
Then into the Vitamix, I’ll throw in the pre-juiced liquid, plus any veggies and berries on hand: kale, spinach, parsley, avocado, frozen or fresh blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, a fresh—usually sadly overripe—banana, and sometimes even pineapple.

The Add-ons
Then if I’m really adventurous, in go some chia seeds, hemp seeds, aloe vera juice, or Udo’s 3-6-9 Oil Blend (or any nutritious oil high in omegas like hemp seed oil or raw coconut oil).

The Scary Part
There’s a lot of mixing at that point, and people run and hide. (Vitamix can get noisy.)
Usually this looks so delicious that I think I’m salivating now just thinking about it!
Actually, it really doesn’t look that good every time. It’s kind of a
crapshootmystery that way. It depends on how heavy on the fruit and beets I’ve gotten. (Sorry! Is crapshoot a bad word? Where are my manners today?!)

So there you have it–my recipe-less smoothie that tastes really, really good. Just ask my finicky husband who used to never eat veggies (no joke).

He’s like Mikey in the classic Life cereal commercial: “Hey, Mikey! He likes it!” And then the kids proceed to guzzle down the formerly repugnant “healthy-looking” cereal.

My husband drinks this and doesn’t have to be forced…most of the time (*sheepish grin*).
Thus far no luck with the kids though. So I’m still feverishly devising the perfect formula.

Incredible Edible Herbs & Their Health Benefits

Why Homemade Almond Milk Is Better For Your Health

There is something so totally healthy about making your own nut milks.  Think: fresh, non-denatured, and enzyme-rich when foods are not packaged and processed.  Plus I’ve been reading a lot about avoiding carrageenan, a seaweed that’s a commonly listed ingredient in boxed nut milks. (Dr. Andrew Weil writes about it here).

For a great article about the health benefits of various nuts, including weight loss and reducing stress and heart disease, read this Huffington Post article.

Source imported organic, non-irradiated, and non-fumigated almonds (please see the Natural News article to find out why).
That’s the hardest part!  Then, simply gather up the following

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw almonds
• water for soaking nuts
• 3-4 cups water for every 1 cup almonds
• 2 dates or 1-2 Tbs. maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp vanilla (optional)
• A pinch of full-spectrum salt
• A blender
• A nut milk bag (You can buy the nut milk bag here. I highly recommend this one!)
• 1 large bowl

To start, soak the almonds in water for 6 hours or so. You can also do this in a hurry by skipping the soaking step, but soaking them results in better milk extraction.  It also releases enzymes from the almonds and makes them more digestible (that's true for soaking all nuts, seeds, and dry beans to initiate the sprouting process).

Simply place the almonds and the water in the blender, then blend into a nice milky liquid. Add water if you prefer a thinner consistency.

Pour this liquid into the nut milk bag, which you should place in a large bowl. Now squeeze the nut milk bag over and over again until all the liquid is squeezed out. This is great exercise for your hands and fingers too, by the way. It’s a lot like milking a cow, actually…

Now you’ve got almond milk!  Refrigerate it and it’s good for a couple of days, but as with all things raw, it’s best to consume it sooner rather than later.

Here’s a Natural News video that shows this process in more detail.  I love that he recommends using the strained nut powder for cookies so that nothing gets wasted.




Photo Credits and Related Articles

1. The Unrefined Kitchen (Nice alternative recipe that is a bit sweeter here too!)
2. Mens Cosmo (For 16 amazing health benefits of almonds, click the link.)
3. Is Carrageenan Safe? (greenmedinfo.com)

 

 

 

Chocolate Smoothie Dreamin'—Great for Breakfast or After a Workout!

You make the big decision to eat for wellness not just for weight loss.  This means adhering to a diet largely consisting of plants, quality proteins, good fats and oils, lower sugar intake, and other nutrient-dense foods.

Not too long into this radically enormous lifestyle change, the unthinkable happens—you begin to crave chocolate!  What’s a junkie turned health-foodie to do?!
This craving demands some serious and immediate attention or else those addictive Trader Joe’s milk chocolate caramel balls that you’ve successfully been avoiding are gonna find their way off the shelf and into your palm. And once that happens…I shudder to think.

Some Chocolate May Be Good for You

Fortunately, not all chocolate is created equally.  Those that are laden with sugar and dairy additives are not the optimum choices.  However recent studies show that the darker the chocolate—the kind with a high percentage of antioxidant-rich cocoa—the better.  In fact, I wrote an entire article about how chocolate can be good for your skin here and in what amounts.

Emotional Eating

You may also be interested in exploring what brought on this craving from an emotional perspective.  For a FANTASTIC article that delves into the emotions associated with specific food cravings, click on this link.

In the article, Linda Wojcik, a nutritional kinesiologist and spiritual intuitive, explains how emotions get stuck and need to be fed.  She says, “When we choose to live in the emotion instead of choosing to move through the emotion…it becomes a repetitive pattern.  Eventually, through repetition, this energy finds a place to call home within our bodies.”

As it turns out, chocolate, caffeine, and/or sugar seem to feed several stuck emotions like disappointments, frustration, obsessive thoughts and behavior, as well as anger.  (Surprise, surprise!)

Until reaching such resolution, here’s the edible antidote to the chocolate yearning.  Follow the link to the recipe for homemade almond milk to make this raw.  It can be vegan—just swap out the honey.  And it’s deeeeluscious.

So instead of feeding your emotions, you will be nourishing your body and soul healthfully.
The original recipe can be found on About.com.  I’ve adapted it with a few tweaks that boost the nutritional profile, but it is mainly the same since it came out so yummy.

Raw Chocolate Banana Milkshake:

 
You will need:

• 2 whole, ripe bananas 
  
• 3-4 T. raw cacao powder, cocoa powder, or cacao/maca blend
  
• 1/4 C. raw organic honey Replace raw honey with maple syrup for the vegan alternative.
• 1/4 cup raw organic creamy almond butter
  
• 3 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk (click here for a recipe to make your own), vanilla coconut milk, or other vanilla-flavored dairy-free milk alternative.
• 1/2 cup ice cubes (or pre-frozen, chopped bananas instead)

Preparation:

Place all the ingredients in the blender.  Blend until smooth and creamy.  Serve immediately.  The original recipe suggests garnishing with shredded dark dairy-free chocolate.  If someone wanted to SERVE it to me that way, I’d take it.
 
Other Variations:
I LOVE add-ons in a smoothie because you can rarely distinguish the flavors, so it’s a great way to sneak in extra nutrition.  Avocado is a favorite of mine since it boasts close to 20 essential health-boosting nutrients and allows the flavors of the smoothie to remain in tact.  Coconut oil makes a wonderful addition too.  Both these healthy fat options can replace the nut butter, in case of nut allergy.  (We will have to discuss good fats and oils in another post!  For now, the link leads to an informative blog post written by a naturopath about healthy fats and oils.)
A few tablespoons of hemp seeds, a splash of aloe vera juice, a small handful of greens (like spinach), a tablespoon of nutritional oils, and/or a cup of frozen or fresh raspberries or strawberries enhance the recipe.

Sip slowly and satisfy the urge!  It is so filling that you will not be hungry for hours, nor will your blood sugar spike then dip suddenly.  That’s why it makes a terrific breakfast or after-workout high protein/good carb fix.

Find out what makes this shake so awesome:

Bananas High in vitamin B6, vitamin C, manganese, fiber, and potassium.
Raw organic cacao Great source of magnesium, calcium, zinc, iron, copper, and potassium. To read about the difference between raw cacao and cocoa powder, Nourish My Life blog offers a thorough and well-referenced discussion.

Maca powder Adds a dose of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and sterols that can support general health, immune function, boost stamina, enhance libido, regulate hormones, and reduce exhaustion.
Raw organic honey  Packed with live enzymes, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and healing agents.
Maple Syrup Not to be confused by the imposters called “pancake syrup” or “breakfast syrup,” real maple syrup comes in several grades. It’s an excellent source of manganese and zinc, both immune boosters among other benefits.
Raw organic almond butter Excellent source of protein and high in Vitamin E and Manganese.  (The original recipe calls for raw peanut butter which is technically a legume and many people are allergic to it, so I opted out.  Cashew butter and other nut butters work nicely too.) 

Related articles

• Five Milk Solutions for Vegans (dairyfree.answers.com)
• Fat Facts: Interview with nutritionist on the fats we should all be eating (hipandhealthy.co.uk)
• The Foods that Feed Our Emotions (healingyou101.blogspot.com)
• Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie (about.com)
• Homemade Almond Milk (purelywholesomelife.com)
• Gone Nuts (theartiscooking.wordpress.com)

Photo Credits

1. From Cupcakes to Crossfit Blog
2. NPR.org

The Breakfast of Champions

I’m always on the hunt for nutritious foods that will prepare my family and me for our activity-filled days. It’s also important for the food to supply sustained energy and enhance (or at least not detract from) concentration levels.

My recent food infatuation is kasha, a.k.a. buckwheat. I already wrote about it here, as a surefire way to settle upset stomach. Kasha offers numerous health benefits such as weight loss, preventing high blood pressure, and being a great source of iron, protein, magnesium, phosphorous, and free radical preventing anti-oxidants.
Because it is so soothing and filling to the tummy, it makes a fantastic breakfast food for kids and adults that keeps them satisfied without the typical highs and lows of sugar cereals. In my humble opinion, it wins as the real breakfast of champions!

I just made a delicious version of it with cream of buckwheat this morning and thought I’d share it with you.
The cream of buckwheat package says use 1¼ cup milk/water/non-dairy alternative to ¼ cup cream of buckwheat but I prefer a thicker cereal and used ½ cup of cream of buckwheat.

What you need to do:

• Bring 1¼ cup milk/water/non-dairy alternative (I used unsweetened almond milk) to a boil
• Add ½ cup cream of buckwheat, bring to boil, then cook while stirring for about 10 minutes.
• Add a pinch of natural sea salt (I used pink Himalayan salt)

Optional:

• Add Cinnamon to taste. I used about a teaspoon, but I’m not gonna lie: I really just shook it over the top and kept adding until I enjoyed the flavor.
• Add one teaspoon organic vanilla extract
• Add organic maple sugar or other low-glycemic sweetener to taste. (Also poured this over the top until reaching desired sweetness. Then mixed it in.)
• Add 1-2 tsp. organic, raw coconut oil (this really makes it hunger-curbing hours after eating)

I’ve been looking for ways to add cinnamon to my diet and skin care because of its amazing health benefits. For more information, click this link for the 10 surprising health benefits of cinnamon.
This breakfast feels like comfort food to me. My youngest daughter is LOVING regular kasha for meals. Her tummy thanks her for it too!

Helpful Mama Tip: Are your mornings hectic and rushed? Make this cereal the day before. When it cools, refrigerate it directly in the pot. In the morning, take out the pot and prepared cereal. Reheat, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Warning: The enticing scent of cinnamon and maple will cause mouths to water. VOILA! A warm way to start the day!

Photo Credits

1. Courtesy of mazmuse.com
2. Courtesy of cardamom-kitchen.com
3. Courtesy of gfggrocery.com

Related articles

• The One Food that Settles Upset Tummies (ediblefacial.com)
• Breakfast is served… a little late but it’s here!!!! (gluten free recipe) (fighttheinnerfoodie.wordpress.com)
• Chocolate Chia Goodness Pudding (A Portable, Instant Breakfast, Perfect for Travel) (tastespace.wordpress.com)