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Posts Tagged ‘Vanilla Stevia’

Raw Vegan Brownie Truffles

Posted in Desserts, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on October 8, 2012 | 2 Comments »

It’s been done before.

Just not by me.

While your typical treat is unarguably tasty, more often than not, the “bad” usually outweighs the pleasure. A lack of quality ingredients, generally a concoction of processed flours, refined sugars and artificial additives, leaves you satisfied only for the moment it tantalizes your tastebuds. You will need more to continue on that temporary high.

This is because Supermarket Fantasy Foods offer no real nutrients. They add no value, but rather temporarily feed the body’s desire for glucose, fill the stomach, slow digestion, and fuel the overgrowth of toxic bacteria. So while you may feel like you’ve eaten a lot (or maybe that you “can’t get enough”), the ending result is usually none to pleasant. Which is not so satisfying.

I call these “treats” –TRICKS.

NOT treats.

(Read more here about Emotional Eating, and how I decipher treats from tricks).

These raw brownie truffles, on the other hand, are composed of blended whole raw foods and are a far cry from Supermarket fluff (poison). 

Naturally rich and creamy (without the cholesterol, milk, butter, or excess sugar), these truffles are a wonderful source of magnesium– an essential beautifying mineral found in nuts and many veggies.  Sweetened with medjool dates, and a bit of Vanilla, these truffles are both decadent, and satisfyingly delicious.

While I cannot guarantee you will only want to eat one of these little delights, contrary to their “processed boxed fantasy” counterparts, these desserts are quite nutrient dense (especially in comparison), and filling.

Raw Chocolate Cashew Truffles

  • 1 cup raw hazelnuts
  • ½ cup raw cashews
  • 1 ½ cup medjool dates, pitted
  • ½ cup raw cashew butter (or almond butter)
  • 4 tbsp raw cacao, or unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (or ¼ tsp Vanilla Stevia, Not HSH)
  • 3 tbsp unsweetened, shredded coconut

Place hazelnuts and cashews into food processor and process until finely ground. Add dates, raw cashew butter and cacao powder and process until completely mixed. Add more or less cacao depending on how rich you would like the truffle. Scoop tablespoon portions onto a tray, and then use hands to roll into a ball shape. Sprinkle organic dried coconut shreds onto a separate plate and then roll the truffles in the coconut until delicately covered.

Not bad for my first go.

I’ll try to get more creative next time around…

What are your favorite raw treats?

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Stevia Giveaway! Enter a fun recipe to win!

Posted in Recent Posts, Recipes, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on August 5, 2010 | 26 Comments »

I try to avoid sugar for many reasons, but I am not afraid to admit that I like my life sweet. That being said.. aside from my usage of raw honey, and agave, I am loyal to NuNatural NuStevia (recipes), because honestly it is the best tasting Stevia I have ever tried!  I am particularly fond of their Vanilla NuStevia, but I used to be infamous for carrying around a handful of NuStevia packets in my purse (hey! You never know when you will want to sweeten up something, and you won’t see me reaching for Splenda, or carrying around my own personal container of raw honey).

Check out one of my sisters favorite Chocolate Banana Pudding Recipes!

Thanks to my generous friend Ron at NuNaturals, and to welcome me to my new home in Dallas… we’ve got two exciting offers (and one is a contest, and I love contests!)

1.  15% off to all of my readers that enter in the code BLG930 when they place an order (any amount) at NuNaturals.com.  I highly suggest you try their Vanilla NuStevia… life changing…  Even cooler… Free Shipping on orders of $35 and more.  I can honestly tell you that this will be money well spent (especially if you think you may have Candida, or other sugar intolerances).  Calorie free, and versatile, I have made some of the most amazing recipes with their Vanilla NuStevia!   While I do not consider any Stevia to be a “health food” — I think that it wonderful for anyone trying to ween themselves off sugar, and other artificial sweeteners.

Now for the WELCOME TO DALLAS CONTEST… WIN NUNATURALS NUSTEVIA

2.  NuNaturals will send four (4) of my readers (U.S. Only):

 one (1) box of our NuNaturals White Stevia Powder, 50 ct. packets, PLUS one (1) bottle of our Vanilla Stevia Liquid, 2 oz.

 

Starting yesterday… I will be looking for (4) of you that comment below with some cool ideas of what they would make with their prize of NuStevia.  It doesn’t have to be crazy creative, but I would love to see some refreshing ideas if you have them!  And seriously, if you can’t think of anything… I still want you to win, so anything yummy will do!  What are you dying to make?  Comment below with your recipe, and then retweet this!  Spread the word!  (I had some pretty cool recipes last time, so I am pretty excited about this WELCOME TO DALLAS contest!)

Additionally, these “(4) four contest winner’s recipes will be submitted to NuNaturals, WITH THE ENTRANT’S PERMISSION, for consideration to be added to the NuNaturals ALL-STAR RECIPE COLLECTION that we offer all of our customers around the world. This is a proud collection of recipes supplied to us by Award Winning Chefs, Authors, and Professional Nutritionists in the world of Food & Health.”  It is a pretty hefty collection of fun recipes using Stevia!

Contest ends on Tuesday Aug 17th at Midnight!  Winners to be announced on Wednesday, the following day!

I so look forward to your responses!!

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Healthy Sun-Dried Tomato Mayo (Sans Mayo), Giveaway, and Discount

Posted in Recipes, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 4, 2010 | 10 Comments »

A fast food junkie for over 17 years, I have always adored condiments and creamy dressings.  Even after becoming more nutritionally aware, I still do.  While I still have a childlike reaction to the occasional taste of ketchup (there is not a whole lot I consume on a regular basis that requires ketchup, or I am sure I would eat it more– even though I have 100% flavored up a “bland” salad with it before) I absolutely love, love, anything that reminds me of my “old-time” favorites:  Ketchup.  Mayo. Creamy Marinara…

This creamy sun-dried tomato mayo is a wonderful additional to any of your favorite dishes, and a fabulously healthy replacement for traditional mayos, dressings, and marinades.

Healthy Sun-Dried Tomato Mayo uses:

  • Use instead of mayonnaise on your favorite sandwich
  • Sweeten with a touch of agave, and use instead of ketchup, or BBQ sauce
  • Marinate raw veggies, cooked veggies, or even poultry, and white fish dishes
  • Use instead of hummus or guacamole, or even add to hummus and guacamole for a fun and untraditional twist
  • Use as a dip for your favorite crackers, and chips
  • Use as a creamy dressing, or add water, (or a touch of olive oil) for a thinner, and more consistent dressing
  • Spread over toasted sprouted grain breads for a delicious Italian tasting treat
  • Double up the recipe for an amazingly “raw” marinara sauce, perfect for raw pastas, or cooked pasta dishes

Ready for it!?

Raw Sun-Dried Tomato Mayo

this picture is obviously not beautiful, but seriously… when was the last time you saw a photograph of condiments hanging in someone’s house?

In your high speed blender combine:

  • 1/4 cup fresh basil
  • 16 sun dried tomatoes (soaked for 10-15 minutes in warm water)
  • 2 tbsp garlic infused olive oil
  • 11 tbsp warm water
  • 1 pinch cayenne spice
  • I also threw in 2 pinches fresh whole gourmet peppercorns

Blend until it is creamy… and enjoy!

~-~

How did you like this recipe?  How did you modify it?  How did you use it??

GIVEAWAY

***

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****

Back to my love for ketchup, I have been asked, many a time, “Why is ketchup unhealthy?”  Without jumping into a lengthy diatribe, it is safe to say that ketchup is more, or less, a beautiful concoction of tomatoes, vinegar, and SUGAR.  Lots and lots of sugar.  I try to avoid sugar for many reasons, but I am not afraid to admit that I like my life sweet. That being said.. aside from my usage of raw honey, and agave, I am loyal to NuNatural NuStevia (recipes), because honestly it is the best tasting Stevia I have ever tried!  I am particulrly fond of their Vanilla NuStevia, but I used to be infamous for carrying around a handful of NuStevia packets in my purse– hey! You never know when you will want to sweeten up something, and you won’t see me reaching for Splenda! 

So… Thanks to my generous friend Ron at NuNaturals, and to welcome me to my new home in Dallas… we’ve got two exciting offers (and one is a contest, and I love contests!)

1.  15% to all of my readers that enter in the code BLG930 when they place an order (any amount) at NuNaturals.com.  I highly suggest you try their Vanilla NuStevia… life changing…  Even cooler… Free Shipping on orders of $35 and more.  I can honestly tell you that this will be money well spent.  Calorie free, and versatile, I have made some of the most amazing recipes with their Vanilla NuStevia!  And if you want to make your own ketchup, try the above recipe sweetened with their Stevia.  Sugar-free!  Delicious!  Great for anyone trying to ween themselves off sugar, and other artificial sweeteners.

Now for the WELCOME TO DALLAS CONTEST… WIN NUNATURALS NUSTEVIA

2.  NuNaturals will send four (4) of my readers (U.S. Only):

 one (1) box of our NuNaturals White Stevia Powder, 50 ct. packets, PLUS one (1) bottle of our Vanilla Stevia Liquid, 2 oz.

Starting today… I will be looking for 4 of my readers that comment below with some cool ideas of what they would make with their prize of NuStevia.  It doesn’t have to be crazy creative, but I would love to see some refreshing ideas!  What are you dying to make?  It can be raw!  Vegan!  (Non-Vegan), Cooked, Vegetarian, Dessert!  Breakfast, Dinner!  Whatever!!!… Comment below with your recipe, and then retweet this!  Spread the word!  The 4 readers that retweet, and send me over a mouthwatering recipe, will win their own NuStevia (and I had some pretty cool recipes last time, so I am pretty excited about this WELCOME TO DALLAS contest!)

Additionally, these “(4) four contest winner’s recipes will be submitted to NuNaturals, WITH THE ENTRANT’S PERMISSION, for consideration to be added to the NuNaturals ALL-STAR RECIPE COLLECTION that we offer all of our customers around the world. This is a proud collection of recipes supplied to us by Award Winning Chefs, Authors, and Professional Nutritionists in the world of Food & Health.”  It is a pretty hefty collection of fun recipes using Stevia!

Contest starts NOW, and ends on Tuesday Aug 17th at Midnight!  Winners to be announced on Wednesday, the following day!

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Save Your Skin, Carob Pudding and Stevia Giveaway!

Posted in Recent Posts, Recipes, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on January 8, 2010 | 9 Comments »

We have been talking a lot about pH, and how a healthy internal pH (neutral being 7.0 and slightly alkaline being above that) affects the whole body, including the beauty of our skin.  Start at this article to catch up.

However, eating an alkaline diet does not mean sacrificing the treats we love. Here is one recipe that I whipped this morning, while I was looking for the comfort of my childhood favorite– chocolate pudding.

So creamy. I chose raw carob because it is a caffeine free and more alkaline-forming food than cocoa.

Save Your Skin Carob Pudding Recipe: “pH estimate is bolded”

  • Meat of 1 young thai coconut (aprx 1/2 cup)    (slightly alkaline-forming)
  • 1/2 ripe avocado  (moderately alkaline-forming)
  • 5 tbsp of warm water  (N/A)
  • 7 drops of Vanilla NuNaturals NuStevia (you may use more for extra sweetness) (According to the books I am utilizing, it explains that Stevia is (moderately alkaline-forming) but that is brand dependent.  Sugar, on the other hand, is listed as being extremely acid-forming and artificial sweeteners– even worse!!!).  So once again, I vote Stevia!
  • 1 squirt agave nectar (optional)  (N/A –but probably slightly acid-forming)
  • 1 tbsp and 1 tsp carob powder  (slightly alkaline-forming)
  • 1 pinch sea salt (slightly alkaline-forming)

*These pH estimates were taken from the book entitled “Alkalize or Die” by Dr. Theodore A. Baroody.  In the book, Baroody assigns pH values to each food.  Considering it would be hard for us to depict the pH value of our organic/non-organic/etc. avocado, I made it simpler by correlating the given pH numbers assigned by the Dr. to their level of acidity/alkalinity.

The above recipe seems relatively alkaline-forming*.  Wouldn’t you agree?

Being that other chocolate flavored puddings contain artificial ingredients, pasteurized milks and creams, white sugar, and cocoa, which are all very acid-forming… the above Carob pudding wins by a landslide.  Even if you choose to add raw cocoa over the raw carob powder.

“Alkalize or Die” is quite interesting.  I would not walk away from it accepting all of the pH estimates as “absolute,”  but the information is right on, in theory-  and I guarantee that you would notice a difference in your overall health, if you followed his food pH guide.  Another book I use often is entitled “Home Test pH Kit” by Deborah Page Johnson, BFA.  Her book comes with litmus paper which lets you actually test your own pH.  Her findings are very similar to the findings of Dr. Baroody AND! You can see the results of your alkalinity or acidity on the paper. Pretty cool stuff, eh?

In addition, young thai coconuts and avocados are a wonderful source of digestible* fat.  ”Good” fats, like these (that are raw and not processed), are great for the body and skin.  They are extremely nourishing, which is why both ingredients are often present in natural facial creams and face washes.  *Even though this pudding is technically high in fat, when eaten in the right combination (see My Philosophy), you should not have any trouble digesting it.

Do you make any special foods or natural remedies/nourishment for your skin?

This little guy could be yours! Thanks to the amazing folks at NuNaturals!!

Remember!!!!  Don’t forget about the contest that ends on Monday the 11th at Midnight, for your chance to win Vanilla NuStevia by NuNaturals.  See contest rules here!!

What creative recipe would you make if you won?

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