Superfood Morning Smoothies set me up for the day to have a clear mind, no aches and pains.  I am feeding my body information that is going to set me up for feeling great all day long! Liz Lipski, from The Future of Nutrition Conference

Of course I have consumed smoothies, but mainly fruit blends made at Kauai (serving deliciously good and good for you food fast in South Africa).  I first read about the idea of consuming super nutrient smoothies regularly in August 2012 when I read Abs Diet by David Zinczenko.  At that stage I didn’t have a blender, so I just made a mental note that it was an interesting idea.   My daughter-in-law made me my first super nutrient smoothie in June 2013.  She told me about the ginger and lemon – which I have come to realize are absolutely essential for a great tasting smoothie!

I’ve been practicing making and drinking superfood smoothies for over six months now and would like to share my method.  It’s not a recipe, because no two batches are ever the same.  It is a method for using what you have and making something nutritious and delicious.  I LOVE my superfood smoothies.

I think of the ingredients for the smoothie in terms of three categories:  items I collect from the Cupboard, Refrigerator, and Freezer.

I try to keep these three places stocked with what I am going to be needing.  However, if I run out of anything, I simple make it without!

1. Cupboard

The ingredients that I store in the cupboard I usually purchase on-line from either Vitacost or Amazon.  If you find a better source, or better prices, please let me know.

• Goji berries*
• Raw Cacao* (powder, nibs or whole beans)
• Maca powder* (a high priced item that I don’t always have available due to budgetary constraints!)
• Aloe Vera* bottled gel or fresh aloe vera (my local Kroger stocks whole fresh aloe vera)
• Spirulina* powder (when I have it.  Beware, the strong green color TOTALLY DOMINATES the smoothie, which is fine for me, but some newbies might object)
• Coconut flakes* (once opened I keep in the freezer, sometimes I also add a Tablespoon of coconut oil)
• Hemp seeds* (once I open them I keep them in the refrigerator)
• Chia seeds
• Honey*, 1 Tablespoon (or to taste)
• Cinnamon, 1 teaspoon or to taste
• Pinch Himalayan crystal salt

* Superfoods that made David Wolfe’s Top 10 list

How much??  Well, that is entirely up to you.  Do you have a huge stock on hand – be generous!  Not too much left in the bag? Then go a bit easier.  Generally two heaped spoons of most of the items, except for the honey, cinnamon and salt.

2.  Refrigerator

• 1 – 2 apples** I put the whole apple, cut into quarters – seeds, core and all
• 1/3 – ½ lemon – organic preferred because I use the peel, but remove seeds
• fresh ginger – gives it a bit of a bite.  I use about 1 inch, but you might start with less
• 1-2 sticks Celery**
• 1/3 – ½ cucumber**
• fresh coriander
• kale**
• kefir or yogurt (don’t always use this, but I intend to start making kefir and will include it regularly)
• kiwi or other seasonally available fruit

**These are part of the dirty dozen so you should really buy organic, or at least peel them.

3.  Freezer

• ±1 frozen banana.  I buy extra bananas, peel them and chop or break them into a container and keep them in the freezer.
• Any other frozen fruit:  blueberries, mangos, peaches, etc.
• Ice cubes made with raw milk or spring water (sometimes)
• Coconut flakes* a handful

I have a Vitamix.  I just dump everything in, and then add spring water. I process on high till it seems like it is all mixed, pushing down with the tamper as needed.  I haven’t ever tried with any other brand of blender. You can let me know how it goes, or what modifications you have to make if you have a different type.

I distribute the mixture evenly among 4 x 16 oz containers (500 ml) and they are usually 3/4 full.  It makes enough for John and I to have one today and have two to put in the freezer for tomorrow.  For the freezer, if I remember to transfer it from the freezer to the refrigerator just before I go to bed, it is the perfect consistency in the morning.

Since organic fruit and vegetables are so expensive, I try to utilize every bit.  I sometimes collect the little bits of leftover apples, or celery and put them into a container and store in the freezer for the next smoothie.

I love my morning smoothie.  I love the taste.  I love the fact that the cucumber, celery and cilantro are naturally helping my body to detox.  I love the fact that the Superfoods are providing my body with nutritious dense ingredients.  I love how I feel all day long.  I love the fact that I’m not hungry for a long time and even if there aren’t too many options for lunch, I know my body has what it needs!

Tell me about your best habits that promote your health….

This version of my Raw Chocolate earned high praise from my daughter, “Mom, these are the best you’ve made!”

My friend asked me to share a recipe for raw chocolate.  One challenge I have with recipes is that you have to write down what you do in order to be able to do it again! Raw chocolate is something you can experiment with.  It is really good, and good for you.  Raw Cacao powder is loaded with minerals and has an outrageously high ORAC score.  Coconut oil is a healthy fat which provides more benefits than I can explain!

Just make it – and eat it and enjoy!

In a small saucepan combine, and melt slowly on the lowest heat possible (or you can use a double boiler). Quantities are just rough guidelines. Use what you have.

• ±½ Cup peanut butter (organic ground peanuts)
• ±¾ Cup coconut oil
• ±¼ Cup or more raw local honey
• ±¼ Cup cacao butter (if you can find any)

Blend in blender or finely chop and add to the above mixture when it is fully melted:

• ¼ – ½  Cup  coconut flakes (unsweetened)
• A handful of goji berries
• 10 whole cacao beans, or cacao nibs
• ±¼ – 1/2  Cup pecans, walnuts and/or cashews

Add:

• A sprinkle of cinnamon
• A pinch of salt
• 2 Tablespoons hemp seed
• ¼ – ½ Cup Raw Cacao powder
• raw organic oats

Stir together and put into silicon chocolate molds, a glass dish or BPA free plastic containers.  Put into the refrigerator (or freezer if you need it quickly) until hard. You can keep the chocolate in the refrigerator or the freezer, cut into pieces as needed.  Raw chocolate melts easily, so don’t hold it in your hands for long!

If you don’t have any cacao butter, goji berries, cacao beans or hemp, just leave it out! Don’t let, “not having all the ingredients” keep you from experimenting with delicious Raw Chocolate.  I add these superfoods, when I have them, to boost the nutritional value.  If you do leave them out, you might need to add more cacao powder. You can vary the type and quantity of nuts depending on what you enjoy.  In fact, you can vary most everything! My daughter-in-law didn’t believe it when I told her that you can’t mess up this recipe.  She was thrilled with the chocolate she made and said “It’s so rare for a recipe to work for me!”

Author: Becky Hastings, wife, mother, grandmother, passionate follower of Jesus Christ and truth seeker, especially in the areas of health and children. Facing a world quite different from the one in which I grew up, I seek to research and understand the true route to health, freedom and joyful family living!

I quickly need to write down my recipe so I don’t forget how to create this frozen deliciousness!  It was 100% an experiment with no outside input.  I did read about raw cacao last night from David Wolfe’s Superfoods – which is probably where I got the inspiration.  Or maybe I dreamed it up during the night.  Anyway, first thing this morning I just had to try mixing the following ingredients together in my Vitamix (like most of my recipes, everything is more or less – an approximation.  I apologize to those for whom this drives them crazy, i.e. Gary).

• 1-2 Cups of raw milk with lots of cream included (don’t tell my microbiologist husband).  (I think it was actually 1 1/2 Cups, but I didn’t measure)
• 1/2 Cup coconut* oil (I did not melt it, I might try melting it next time)
• 1-2 Tablespoons flake coconut*
• 1-2 Tablespoons goji berries*
• 1-2 Tablespoons hempseed*
• 1-2 Tablespoons honey*
• 5 heaped teaspoons (Menchies plastic spoon) raw cacao powder
• pinch Himalayan salt
• 10 or so almonds (save till last)

I added everything to the Vitamix and blended for nearly a minute, then I dropped the almonds in last in the hope that some of them wouldn’t get too blended.  I was hoping for a bit of crunch.

If you don’t have a Vitamix you can either blend or grind or chop the chopable ingredients and then shake everything else together.  The hard part is distributing the coconut oil evenly throughout, which is why melting it might work better.

I then poured it into some empty Talenti gelato containers.  My plan was to put it in the freezer and shake it every so often on its way to getting frozen.  I only managed one shake before I had to go out.  It doesn’t have a genuine smooth creamy ice cream consistency, but it is GOOD!  Now my ‘reluctant to enjoy truly healthy foods’ thirteen year old daughter, was not quite as excited about this concoction as I was, so it may have more appeal to those already enjoying their journey towards health!  Truly, I think it was better than any chocolate ice cream around – because I know every ingredient is good for me and it wasn’t too sweet.  But we have to allow for differences of opinion and also growth!

* The ingredients marked thus are all listed as the top 10 Superfoods according to David Wolfe.  Count them – there are 5 different super nutritious foods in this unique frozen blend!  I tried to think of as many of them as I could that I had available and that would add to the flavor and nutritional content of this delightful dairy blend. Next time I hope to add Maca Powder.

Did you know?  Some of the benefits of raw cacao:

• it is off the charts for its ORAC score (which means it is VERY HIGH in antioxidants –  about 100 times higher than blueberries)
• it is a natural great source of magnesium – which is great for so many reasons
• it is a natural appetite satisfier – which means you won’t feel so hungry
• it has a lot of other good minerals too – in fact, it’s like taking a mineral supplement!
• it makes you feel good!

That’s all I can tell you from memory, but I do recommend reading Superfoods.

Top 10 Superfoods:

• Goji Berries
• Raw Cacao
• Maca
• Bee products, including Honey
• Coconut
• Spirulina
• Hempseed
• Aloe
• AFA Blue Green Algae
• Marine Phytoplankton

Please experiment and let me know how yours turns out.  It really was super super easy and super super nutritious!  You can do this!  Let me know if you enjoy Superfood Rich, Guilt free, Chocolate Ice Dream!

This is a great way to eat coconut oil and cacao deliciously! Coconut oil is a great healthy fat. It will help you beat your cravings, with a lot of other benefits. Cacao has so many minerals that it is like having a mineral supplement!

The following quantities are approximate only!  More or less of anything doesn’t impact too much.  I don’t usually measure too fastidiously.

Melt together in a double boiler, or in a bowl placed into a pan of hot water over a low heat on the stove. Raw chocolate must not be heated too hot or the nutrients will be destroyed.  Just melt it so you can mix it well.

• 2 Tbl organic coconut oil
• 1 – 2 Tbl local organic honey

Optional, but highly recommended:

• ground peanuts (i.e. peanut butter) or other nut butters

Optional:  Cacao butter or cacao paste, if you can find it or afford it.

Remove from the heat.  Add to the coconut oil mixture:

• Himalayan salt, a couple of turns
• 1/3 – ½ Cup cacao powder (the more, the higher the % dark chocolate)
• 1/3 – ½ Cup pecan or almond nut flour (optional, when I have it)
• ½ – 1 Cup unsweetened coconut (flakes or shredded, or both)

Stir thoroughly with wooden implement.

More options:

• ± ½ Cup Cacao nibs,
• cashews,
• pecans,
• goji berries,
• cranberries,
• raisins,
• espresso bits,
• fresh ginger finely chopped,
• cinnamon,
• orange or lemon peel,
• chili.

Use your creativity to mix and match your personal favorite flavors. Look at combinations in some processed chocolate bars and experiment. If you want a great energy bar, add hemp.  But be sure to only eat the hemp bar early in the day or else you might not sleep too well!

Stir everything together and pour into a suitable dish (or chocolate molds), either glass or BPA free plastic.  If needed, press down into the corners. Allow to set in the refrigerator (or faster, in the freezer).  Cut into pieces and be careful not to eat too much!  You also might have to hide it from other family members – or else you might go looking for it and find an empty dish – it’s happened to me!

Also, raw chocolate will melt on your fingers – so warn people. It needs to be eaten with clean fingers so you can lick all the deliciousness off!

Let’s do a chocolate collaboration.  What are your favorite options?

Raw cacao powder – packed full of nutrition

deviant |ˈdēvēənt|, adjective, departing from usual or accepted standards, esp. in social or sexual behavior: deviant behavior | a deviant ideology.

Ingredients:

• ½ Cup cacao butter
• 1/3 Cup cacao powder
• 4 Tablespoons honey
• 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 2 eggs (organic)
• zest and juice from one lime (organic)
• pinch salt
• almonds (raw, organic)

Method:

Add desired amount of almonds to a food processor, process until they are the consistency you desire. Dump all the rest of the ingredients except the cacao butter and process to blend.

Melt the cacao butter over low heat, or in a double boiler. Remove from the heat and add to the food processor and blend with the rest of the ingredients.

Oil a glass dish or pie pan with coconut oil.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  When it is done the top should be slightly cracked but the middle will still be soft and wiggly.   Allow to cool and then refrigerate overnight.  If you are very aware of presentation, you can decorate with sliced or chopped almonds and cacao powder on top before serving.

Commentary:

I doubled the recipe when I made this for Thanksgiving Eve 2013.  The cacao butter was REALLY REALLY hard, so I didn’t manage to use the full amount required. I added some coconut oil to make up for the lack of cacao butter. Of course, I didn’t measure anything (except the can of coconut milk, because that was really easy), so the results are only approximate! I doubled the recipe and processed it in a food processor half at a time.  I cooked it for longer at a lower temperature. After cooking, I put it outside to cool because it was about at freezing temperature where we were.  It didn’t have time to set overnight in the fridge, so when it was time for serving, it wasn’t at its peak.  The overall response was tolerable, but I enjoyed it.  It looked more promising than it tasted. A bit more honey (not sure I used the full amount) would have made it better for some of the less whole, natural food enthusiasts amongst us.  After tasting the batter, I must confess that I added some cream cheese, about 5 Tablespoons, to the double batch, because it seemed as if that might give the taste an umpph. Since there was some leftover, I enjoyed eating it the next day after it had set in the fridge. There weren’t too many takers for my Deviant Mousse Cake the following day, but it was also Thanksgiving with a lot of sweet treats around to choose from!

I would definitely make this again and may experiment with quantities.  I might also try to make a nut/date crust for the bottom.

I named this cake because I loosely based it on a recipe I found at http://spirithealers.blogspot.com/2013/11/gluten-free-chocolate-mousse-cake-with.html

but I deviated significantly from it.  It was also a big deviation from the rather mainstream types of mousse or cheese cakes which my audience was more familiar with.  The benefits of raw cacao, cacao butter and coconut are certainly deviant thinking for many of us!

What is your favorite healthy treat?