Raw Chocolate Chip Cookies

My favorite treat for some years was Pillsbury chocolate chunk cookies. I would always volunteer to make them so that I could eat the batter while I chopped up the cookies – I would then be too sick to eat the cooked ones…  As you can imagine, Pillsbury cookies are not part of the clean eating plan, so I’ve had to find a healthier, but still tasty, treat replacement.   This recipe is easy to make, it requires no baking and it is also gluten-free and vegan.

Dough:
- 1 3/4 cups raw cashews
- 3/4 cup raw oats
- 1/4 cup agave nectar or maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
-1/4 cup coconut oil

Chocolate chips:
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 cup cocoa powder (you can also use half cocoa, half carob powder)
- 4 tablespoons agave nectar or maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Place all dough ingredients in a blender or food processor and mix. I like the cashews and oats to be ground up, almost like flour, maybe slightly chunkier.

Place all ingredients for the chocolate chips in a bowl. Mix well.  Roll the dough out with a dough roller on parchment paper.  Place the chocolate in freezer for 30 minutes.  Once done, cut the chocolate into chunks – you can use a knife or a pastry slicer.

Once the chocolate chips are ready, mix the chips into the dough.  I like to make the cookies into balls, but you can flatten them or form them into whatever shape you like.  Once done, place cookies in fridge to harden for about 25 minutes.  I usually place them in a baggy because I like to freeze them later – it’s part of my attempt to not eat them all and have SOME will power!

This recipe is courtesy of oh she glows.

I hope you enjoy these cookies.  If you have any feedback or have a clean cookie recipe, please share!


7 Tips for a Successful Detox

We are getting closer to the fun part of a detox, actually starting it!  First I wanted to give you some tips to get you in the right frame of mind.  There are many different detox programs out there.  Since everyone is different, I do not always recommend a “one-size-fits-all“ approach to detoxification.  

Some detox programs require that you buy a ton of supplements and their packaged foods or snacks.  If this works for you then great, I on the other hand prefer to go the whole and clean foods approach. You can add a couple of supplements to help support the process, which I will discuss tomorrow. In the meantime, here are 7 tips to get started thinking.  If you choose to follow these guidelines alone, you will feel the benefits of a detoxification.

1. Eat whole foods. This means taking out all processed foods.  Stick to vegetables, fruit, good quality protein (but skip the red meat), gluten-free grains*, legumes, nuts and seeds. If you can, try to eat organic whenever possible, as you want to reduce the toxins in your body.

2. Eliminate sugar, wheat, gluten, dairy, red meat, caffeine and alcohol. Why? These are the foods that most people are allergic to or have sensitivities to. They are also the foods that many individual consume the most, so you want to give your digestive system a break. With just a bit of planning, this will be easier than you may think!

3. Eat your greens. Green vegetables, especially dark leafy greens, detoxify the body naturally.  They are high in fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, helping to alkalize the body and prevent disease.  Add dandelion greens, kale, spinach, parsley, Swiss Chard or broccoli.

4. Don’t forget the fiber. Fiber is essential especially during a detox since it is important that you are eliminating the toxins from your body.  Eat plenty of vegetables and fruit.  If you need an extra boost of fiber, add 1-2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed in a glass of water in the morning.

5. Water! Drink at least 8 cups of water a day – this can include herbal tea.

6. Get moving.  Exercise is important because it gets the body moving.  The circulatory and lymphatic systems play significant roles in the detoxification process.  You may not want to go for a 10 km run while on a detox as your body is working hard to clear the toxins from its system and needs the rest.  Instead go for a walk, do some yoga or stretching.

7. Breathe. Be conscious of your breathing.  Breathing deeply helps the oxygen circulate throughout your system.  Take 10 minutes a day for yourself to sit still and breath in and out.  This time helps to reduce stress, which is the number one cause of inflammation in the body.
 
* Gluten Free Grains include rice, quinoa, millet, buckwheat and amaranth to name a few...

I hope you are starting to get excited for a spring cleanse!  Please share any questions as I would love to hear them.

Almond Butter

Almond butter is a healthier alternative to peanut butter. Not only is almond butter tasty, it’s also packed with nutrients – from manganese, vitamin E, magnesium and tryptophan. Other health benefits of almonds include:

- Lowering your LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol linked to heart disease and atherosclerosis) and reducing your risk of heart disease. These benefits are partially due to their high monounsaturated fats content, the same type of health-promoting fats that are found in olive oil, which is associated with reducing the risk of heart disease. Almonds are also high in antioxidant vitamin E.
- Almonds protect against diabetes and cardiovascular disease by decreasing the after-meal rises in blood-sugar and by providing antioxidants.
- Eating almonds promote weight loss. Studies have shown that when one incorporates almonds into their diet, they are less likely to reach for foods that encourage weight gain, such as processed carbohydrates.
- Almonds are high in protein. A quarter-cup of these nuts contains 6.5 grams of protein, which is more than an egg, which contains 5.5 grams.

Here is the recipe for almond butter:

Ingredients
2 cups almonds
A pinch or two of sea salt (optional)

Directions
Place the almonds into a food processor. Start your food process and scrape the sides to ensure that all the almonds are blending. Process for about 10 minutes. The almonds first start off as powder, they will eventually turn somewhat doughy. You'll want to keep processing until they become buttery. After approximately 10 minutes of processing (it could take longer depending on the strength of your processor) your raw almond butter is done. You can add a pinch or two of salt and mix by hand - I don't but feel free to.

Store in an air-tight, glass container in your refrigerator for up to one month.

And you may notice that my almond butter is totally creamy, but that's based on preference.

If you have tried making almond butter or have a different variation of the recipe, I’d love to hear about it.