What are superfoods?

Superfood is a term sometimes used to describe food with high phytonutrient content that may provide health benefits as a result. For example, blueberries are often considered a superfood (or superfruit) because they contain significant amounts of antioxidants,, vitamin C, manganese, and dietary fiber. You don’t need specific foods for specific ailments. A healthy diet incorporating a variety of the following superfoods will help you maintain your weight, fight disease, and live longer. One thing they all have in common: Every superfood is going to be a ‘real’ (unprocessed) food, you don’t find fortified potato chips in the superfood category.

How can I use and incorporate superfoods in my daily life?

go to the grocery store and buy superfoods from the following list:

* Beans

* Blueberries

* Broccoli

* Oats

* Oranges

* Pumpkin

* Salmon

* Soy

* Spinach

* Tea (green or black)

* Tomatoes

* Walnuts

* Yogurt

if you click on the words above I offer other posts I’ve written with more info about the wonderful superfoods and also a few recipes to use them in!

other superfoods that you can buy at a health food store:

*maca *spirulina *goji berries *acai berry *tocos *hemp seeds *chia seeds *bee pollen

I add all of these into my smoothies at different times depending on what I’m needing that day.

And Finally, the Yummiest Superfood Yet … Dark Chocolate

New research has shown that dark chocolate is packed with antioxidants and can lower blood pressure. It’s recommended that you look for chocolate with 60% or higher cocoa content; the darker, the better! In addition, the darker it is, the lower the fat and sugar content. Now that’s my kind of health food!

here are two recipes using dark chocolate/cacao (chocolate in it’s most raw form):

1. Peppermint Patty (raw, vegan, gluten-free, superfood rich)

2. Chocolate Cake (raw, vegan, gluten-free, superfood rich)

Here’s an awesome breakfast I’ve been making lately–super filling and superfood rich!

Superfood Oats

Superfood Oats

*1 Cup Steelcut oats (follow instructions on the box)

*2 Tbsp flax seed or chia seed

*1 Tbsp maca powder

*1 Tbsp goji berries

*1/2 Organic Canned Pumpkin

*2 tbsp almond butter

*2 Tbsp Agave or Honey

*Cinnamon to taste

*Nutmeg to taste

1. follow instructions on box for cooking steelcut oats.

2. The last minute or so, add the pumpkin, maca, flax/chia seeds, goji berries and spices. Stir all ingredients until mixed.

3. After you take the oats off the heat, add the agave and almond butter and mix well.  Save the rest in tuppaware containers for easy power breakfasts in the next few days!

A friend of mine wanted me to make a raw, gluten-free, dairy-free cake for her co-worker who loves chocolate.  Here’s the recipe I used:

Crust:

raw chocolate cake!

• 1/2 C cacao powder
• 1/2 C carob powder
• 1/2 C ground raw almonds
• 1/3 C agave/honey
• 1/4 C cacao butter
• sea salt to taste

Filling:

• 2 C Cacao powder
• 1 1/2 C agave
• 1 C coconut butter (melt by placing in a warm/hot bowl of water)
• 1 tbsp lucuma powder

1. take all ingredients for the crust and mix in the food processor. Once they are combined, take the filling and push it into a pie/tart pan with your fingers. (the best kinds are the ones that have a removable bottom) Chill in the fridge for an hour or freezer for 30 minutes.

2. Mix the filling ingredients and add on top of the filling. Put back in the fridge or freezer for at least an hour. Viola!

You’ll never know (or anyone else) that this is completely gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free and HEALTHY for you! Cacao is the highest ranked antioxidant in the world!

*Top with raspberries, strawberries and/or nuts and drizzles of cacao! (an easy cacao topping is mixing cacao powder and agave with a spoon until it’s runny)

Recipe:

*8 oz Coconut Milk (coconut butter + filtered water) or Almond or Oat Milk (can buy boxed)
*2 Tablespoons Cacao Powder
*2 Teaspoons Cacao Nibs
*1 scoop (2 Tablespoons) Protein Powder of your choice (Raw, Brown Rice or Whey)
*2 drops of chocolate stevia concentrate
*2 drops of vanilla creme stevia concentrate
*handful or two of ice

Optional:

*maca powder- 1-2 teaspoons
*banana or dates (take out the pit!) for sweetener instead of or in addition to stevia
**toppings: buckwheat grawnola, goji berries, cacao nibs

This amazing raw chocolate smoothie will leave you dreaming of it. (hence the name)

Raw cacao is the most abundant antioxidant in the WORLD, (far beyond blueberries and red wine) and will give you amazing energy and mental clarity. It also has a great amount of Magnesium in it, which most people are deficient in and don’t even know it. Make this as a caffeine free alternative to an energy boosting cappuccino or frappaccino, or a healthy indulgence…raw chocolate mylk-shake

ORAC scores for the Top 10 Antioxidants Foods (per 100 grams)

1) Raw cacao powder* 95,500
2) Raw cacao nibs* 62,100
3) Roasted cacao powder 26,000
4) Organic Goji Berries* 25,300
5) Acai Berries* 18,500
6) Dark Chocolate 13,120
7) Milk Chocolate 6,740
8 ) Prunes 5,770
9) Raisins 2,830
10) Blueberries 2,400

Source: US department of Agriculture/Journal of American Chemical Society

*Brunswick Laboratories MA, USA

Smoothie Recipe: Delicious Chocolate Dream

• 1 cup almond milk/oat milk/coconut milk or water -maybe more if you want the consistency thinner
• 1 Banana (Tip: I keep them frozen once ripe in a ziploc bag for easy access!)
  
• 1 small avocado (to make it creamy and for the good fats)
• 1/4 cup raw cacao nibs
• 1/4 cup raw cacao powder
• 1/4 cup agave (less or more depending on sweetness desire) or 1 packet Stevia
  
• 1 tbsp coconut oil (consistency and for the good fats)
• 2 tsp maca
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon (lowers blood sugar levels)
• handful or two of ice
  (to make this a complete meal/more filling you could also add hemp, raw or brown rice protein)

This smoothie will give you an abundance of ENERGY! Forgot coffee, this smoothie will keep your energy high for hours with no “come down” like caffeine provides. Enjoy! It’s DELICIOUS!

Cacao Nibs