Gluten Free Sweet Potato Brownies

Makes 15 brownies

While everyone else is posting pumpkin pie and stuffing recipes, I'm posting chocolate recipes!! This might seem strange at first, but when you understand the benefits of raw cacao and organic chocolate, you might change your mind.  Chocolate is one of the highest food sources of Magnesium, which many have called the magnificent mineral.  Magnesium has over 300 mechanisms in our bodies and has powerful natural relaxing properties and who doesn't need more of that as we step into the holiday season!

 3 small sweet potatoes (about 2 1/2  cups)

 20 medjool dates-pitted

 1 cup of almonds (ground until a course flour consistency)

 3/4 cup of buckwheat or brown rice flour 
 1/4 cup succanat or coconut sugar (brown sugar if you're in a pinch)

 ½  tsp Real Salt

 1/3 cup of raw cacao/or organic coco powder

 2 tsp vanilla extract

 ¼ cup of pure maple syrup
 20 drops Liquid Stevia

 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
 2-4 tablespoons lite coconut milk 

Start by pre-heating the oven to 350, then peel the sweet potatoes. Cut them into small chunks and place into oven for about twenty minutes.  Once they are perfectly soft and beginning to fall apart, remove them and put them a food processor with the pitted dates – process until it forms a nice creamy mix.  Add all the remaining liquid ingredients (use just 2 T. of the coconut milk) and process.

Put the dry ingredients into a bowl, mix to blend.  Add the sweet potato mix and stir well. If the batter is too dry and the dry ingredients will not hold together, then add an additional 1-2 T. of coconut milk.

Pat mixture into a baking dish lined w/parchment paper and cook for about twenty minutes, until you can pierce with a fork and bring it out clean. Remove the tray and allow it to cool for about ten minutes – this is really important for time to stick together! Remove the brownies from the tray, wait another few minutes before cutting them into squares – then dig in and enjoy!

Aloha, a healthy lifestyle inspired brand has some more great healthy recipes over here https://aloha.com/mag/recipes

Something else to nurture yourself with during this season is a once a week nice hot epsom salt bath with lavender oil.  The epsom salts are full of magnesium that will help relax those aching muscles, sulfur to detox, and the lavender oil will sooth your mind. I hope you will gift yourself with a little bit of time to experience and enjoy this little slice of heaven.

Sara's Arugula Caprese Kale Pesto Salad

As I become busier in my practice, helping people heal, I'm finding that I have less time to play in my kitchen to create new recipes.  Yet, I always like to bring something new and delicious, and easy to you each month so that you will be able to increase your repertoire of recipes that will help you to use food to keep your taste buds happy and to keep your body and brain happy too!  

To solve the dilemma this month, I've borrowed a recipe from one of my favorite food blogger's Sara Forte.  I re-discovered Sara's blog, The Sprouted Kitchen a couple weeks ago when I was doing a search for sprouted quinoa.    I had met Sara, at least 5 years ago in a yoga room.  She was actually one of my students-very serious in the yoga room and very playful when writing and in the kitchen.  Back then, she was already blogging and coming up with amazing recipes, but only as a hobby.  What was a hobby then, has become what she does pretty much does full time and she is oh so very good at it!!!  I have never been disappointed when I've tried Sara's recipes and her photographs are almost as yummy as her dishes.  She's also published a beautiful cookbook where you can find her mouthwatering, body nourishing recipes and photos.   So here is Sara's Arugula Caprese Kale Pesto Salad. Buon Appetito!

 ARUGULA CAPRESE SALAD WITH KALE PESTO // Serves 6





Adapted from The Sprouted Kitchen Cookbook

This will make more kale pesto than you'll need to dress this salad. It is excellent on eggs, as a sandwich spread, an alternative to pizza sauce, tossed in with some noodles or as a dip. Baby tomatoes are up at the farmers market, I love the sweet 100's, but any ripe baby tomato is just fine here.

• 1 small bunch Tuscan/lacinato kale
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup lightly toasted walnuts
• handful fresh basil leaves
• 1/3 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• juice of one lemon
• 3 Tbsp. water
• sea salt and pepper
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 lb. baby tomatoes
• 8 oz. small mozzarella balls (bocconcini or pearline)
• 3 cups baby arugula
• flaked sea salt, optional
• 

 For the kale pesto, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cut the tough stems from the kale and roughly chop the leaves. Blanch the kale leaves for about 30 seconds, transfer to a strainer and run cold water over them to stop the cooking. Once the kale is cool, squeeze out the excess moisture. This should yield about 1 1/2 cups blanched kale.

In a food processor, combine the garlic, walnuts and pulse to chop. Add the kale, basil, parmesan, red pepper flakes, water, lemon juice, 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper and pulse to combine. Turn the processor on and drizzle in the olive oil until you get the consistency you like. Thin with a bit more lemon juice and a splash of water for a more dressing-like consistency. Taste and adjust as needed.

Slice the baby tomatoes and mozzarella balls in half and collect them in a large mixing bowl. Add a few spoonfuls of the kale pesto and toss gently to coat, adding desired amount of dressing. Toss in your arugula, add a pinch of flaky sea salt and serve.

Make ahead tip: The tomatoes and mozzarella can be dressed hours in advance and kept covered in the fridge, I actually recommend that they marinate in the pesto for better flavor. Just leave the mix at room temperature for awhile so the pesto dressing will distribute easily. Add arugula just before serving.

Workshop, Meditation, Living Foods

MINDFULNESS MEDITATION &

RESTORATIVE YOGA  PLUS
HOW LIVING FOODS CAN HEAL AND  TASTE WONDERFUL TOO!

IN THIS COMPREHENSIVE WORKSHOP, YOU WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRACTICE MINDFULNESS MEDITATION WHILE IN RESTORATIVE YOGA POSES FOR DEEP RELAXATION.

AN ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITY IS TO FOLLOW THIS 2- HOUR WORKSHOP WITH A “LIVING FOODS” LUNCH & LESSON

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2013

RESTORATIVE YOGA AND MEDITATION: 9:30 am - 11:30 am

$35.00

LEARN AND LUNCH WITH LIVING FOODS: 11:30 am - 1:00 pm

$25.00

BOTH WORKSHOPS (9:30 am - 1:00 pm)

$55.00

These wonderful workshops will be held at beautiful Blue Heron Portal Studio

3337 Laguna Canyon Rd, A, Laguna Beach, CA 92651 

SUSAN M. RUBIO HAS BEEN TEACHING HATHA YOGA SINCE 1993 AND MEDITATION CLASSES FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS. CURRENTLY SHE COMBINES 3 OF THE 8 LIMBS OF YOGA IN HER TEACHING- ASANA (POSES), PRANAYAMA (BREATHWORK) AND SAMADHI (MEDITATION)

 

CINDY DUPUIE is a Functional Medicine Nutritionist and with a private practice in Irvine. She has always felt that the human body is an absolutely amazing machine with its own innate ability to heal itself given the right tools.  Good, healthy, yummy tasting food is a passion of hers and she loves bringing wonderful recipes and ideas to anyone who is willing to listen!

TO ATTEND: PLEASE REGISTER IN ADVANCE FOR THE WORKSHOPS BY SEPTEMBER 18, 2013. There is limited space.
To reserve your spot, please sign up quickly!

MAIL CHECK FOR REGISTRATION TO: SUSAN RUBIO, 2083 GOLF LINKS DRIVE, PRESCOTT, AZ. 86301.  YOU MAY ALSO USE PAYPAL TO REGISTER.

Easy Savory Gluten Free Chia Nut Bread

Savory Chia Nut Bread

This hearty, savory, dense bread can almost be a meal in itself.  It takes 5 minutes to throw together and about 25 minutes to cook.  It's a no brainer and packs a lot of fiber, good fat and protein as well as wonderful flavor. I hope you will try it!!!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup chia seeds
• 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cups gluten-free rolled oats, ground into a flour *
• 1/4 cup raw buckwheat grout, ground into a flour *
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp Real Salt
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 cup currents or chopped raisins
• 1 cup water

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 325 F and for easy clean up line a 9-inch square pan with two pieces of parchment paper, one going each way.
• Add rolled oats and buckwheat into a high-speed blender or food processor.  Blend or process until a fine flour forms.
• Place all dry ingredients into a large bowl and stir until well combined. Stir in dried fruit and water.  The mixture will be  watery and runny at first, but it will thicken up fairly quickly due to the chia seeds.  Place mixture into the pan and smooth it out evenly with moist hands or a spatula.  You may want to lightly sprinkle the top with a course salt. 
• Bake at 325F for about 25 minutes or until firm to the touch.  Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes and lift out and place on a cooling rack.  
• Slice into 4 squares and then each square in half on the diagonal.

I love topping it with a little bit of arugula and a thick spread of goat cheese.  It's like biting into a little slice of heaven.

Make a sandwich with avocado, and navy bean hummus in the middle and you have an easy lunch.  Just add a piece of fruit and your body and mind will be satisfied for hours.

*Note: you may substitute the oat flour with brown rice flour and you can always purchase the oat flour and buckwheat flour already ground and ready to go.  And I prefer the currents over raisins.

Amazingly, Delicioso Raw Tacos

I am so excited to share this recipe!!! Everyone will love these wraps!  Even your meat eaters will surprise themselves and ask for more.  These little wraps are full of texture and flavor in a surprisingly blend that will tickle your taste buds.  They are gluten and dairy free and chock full of nutrients. The walnuts, when pulsed, have the texture of meat.  All you will need is a food processor. A really good blender can do the trick as well.

This recipe makes 3 wraps

            Serves 1-2

(I can easily eat this all by myself at one sitting)

1/2 Cup walnut pieces

1 Tablespoon chili powder
2 Tablespoon cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 of a red onion sliced
1 Tablespoon Braggs Amino

1/2 chopped tomato
1/4 ripe mango sliced
1/2 avocado sliced
1/2 red or yellow bell pepper
3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
3 lime wedges

3 collard green leaves with stems broken off (they make a wonderful wrap and are chock full of

Pulse the walnuts and spices about 3-4 times.  Then add onions and Braggs and pulse 4-5 times.  It's very important to not over pulse.  You don't want to make a spread but keep the nuts chunky.

To make the wrap; Take a whole collard green leaf with the tough stem cut off.  Lay it down length wise.  Spoon 1/2 of the nut mixture on one side of the stem running through the center the leaf.  Add a couple slices of mango, avocado, and bell pepper, 1 T. tomato and about 1 T. chopped cilantro.  Squeeze a little bit of lime on top then get ready to roll into your wrap.  Roll the long end of the leaf completely over the mixture 1 time + and then fold both outside ends in and continue to roll the long end until it is compleley rolled up.  Cut the wrap in half and enjoy!!!