Food as High-Octane Fuel

Food as fuel is a powerful image. Do we eat with our eyes, or do our food choices reflect greater consideration of how food is ultimately going to make us feel and serve us.

The longer I eat with nutrient density top of mind rather than merely counting calories or MACRONUTRIENTS, carbohydrates, protein and fat, the more I reject the idea of eating food that is not going to allow me to function at the highest level, either now or later.

Gone are the days of feeling deprived eating healthy. Today, the delicious possibilities of either home-cooked food or food that is prepared by caring, conscious folks invested in the collective well-being of others offers overwhelming hope for what is possible in the future.

"Natural healing is to nurture your body with natural medicine and avoiding foods that cause disease and fatigue. Feed yourself with Mother Earth's healing medicine everyday to be proactive instead of reactive."  @lawofpositivism on Twitter

You do not have to be sick and tired. You can be unstoppable.

The Ultimate Plant Pure Protein Bite

Sometimes you whip up a batch of something and it just exceeds expectation. These clean energy bites are raw, vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, refined sugar-free, dairy-free and DELICIOUS!!!

PLANT-PURE PROTEIN BITES

Ingredients:

1 packet Aloha Organic Protein (Vanilla)

1 cup Trader Joe's  Almond Flour

1/2 cup Trader Joe's Almond Butter (I used crunchy.)

1/4 cup local, raw honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Lily's stevia-sweetened dark chocolate chips

Chia Seeds

Toasted Pecans

Pinch of Maldon Salt

Directions:

Place all ingredients into a bowl and mix with wooden spoon or spatula, slowly incorporating the ingredients. If the batter is too dry, add a drop more honey or nut butter. If batter is too wet, add more protein powder. Today, I used these exact measures and they came out perfect.

Once all of the ingredients are incorporated (don't over-mix batter!), and batter is just moist enough to form a ball, roll out balls of batter onto a plate using up the whole mixture.

I freeze mine, and take them out as needed, rather than keep them in fridge where they might dry out. It depends how fast you eat them and how many others will be grabbing up these plant-powered treats!

Bet they would be good half-dipped in melted chocolate chips and rolled in toasted pecans. I loved them just as is today.

These are the perfect pick-me-up at the office, before or after the gym and for a fast breakfast get-away in the morning.

Sweet.

Foods with a 'Health Halo' Need an Upgrade

Upgrade traditional comfort foods that carry a health 'halo' to nutrient-packed superfoods tand beat inflammation associated with hyper-processed ingredients (aka junk food!)

I loved discovering grain-free granola. Eating granola without grains in the ingredient list is my preference now. I feel lighter after eating it, and it offers me considerably more staying power (sustained energy) until my next meal. When feeling adventurous, I like to make my own granola with minimal ingredients including unrefined coconut oil. This granola is delicious over fresh berries and yogurt.

HOMEDMADE GRAIN-FREE GRANOLA

⅔ cup Brazil nuts

⅓ cup pumpkin seeds

2 tablespoons chia seeds

⅓ cup ground flaxseeds (I like hemp seeds as well) 

⅔ cup pecans

¼ cup coconut flakes

⅓ cup raisins

5 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

4 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 180°F. 2. Chop Brazil nuts and pecans in a food processor. Mix in a bowl with all the other nuts, seeds, and coconut flakes. 3. Combine melted coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix until everything is well-coated. 4. Place in the oven to cook for 30 minutes.

(Hormone Balancing Granola courtesy Dr. William Cole via Mind Body Green)

And if you don't feel like preparing Grain-free granola at home , my current favorite grain-less granola on store shelves from Paleonola tastes it like it came from your oven!

Who can resist a healthy breakfast that resembles a soft-serve bowl of ice cream?

I add Paleonola religiously to my morning bowls with dairy-free yogurt and frozen/fresh/dried fruit depending upon the season. Plant perfect.