Crust:
1.5 cups raw almonds
5-6 moist medjool dates, pitted & chopped
¼ teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
Olive oil or coconut oil

Filling:
1 cup raw cashews
1/8 cup extra virgin coconut oil
¼ cup freeze dried Acai powder
½ cup full-fat coconut milk
½ cup frozen wild blueberries, thawed
5-6 moist medjool dates, pitted & chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh squeezed

1 pint fresh blueberries, garnish

Crust:
In a food processor, pulse whole almonds until they are coarsely ground. Add dates, vanilla and sea salt and process until fully combined. Use the oil to fully coat a spring-form pan. Press the almond mixture into the pan. Use a flat-bottomed bowl to evenly distribute the crust and work it up the sides. Use your fingers to pinch the edges of the sides to make it pretty and hold together. Set aside while making the filling.

Filling:
In a food processor with the S-blade attachment, combine cashews, coconut oil, Acai powder, coconut milk, blueberries, dates, and lemon juice. Process until completely smooth, about 5 minutes. Pour into the nut crust and use a rubber spatula to smooth it out. Carefully arrange fresh blueberries in a circular pattern and gently press to set. Place in the freezer for 30-45 minutes to set. Remove from the spring-form pan before slicing.

The Amazon superfruit Acai berry is loaded with antioxidants such as polyphenols and flavanoids as well as healthy mono & polyunsaturated fats and vitamin C. We all know blueberries are an excellent low-glycemic and antioxidant rich fruit, so pair the two for a super-healthy super-fruit dessert or conveinient snack, in the form of Wild Thyme Kitchen’s Superfood Bar in Acai Blueberry Cacao flavor!

Frozen wild blueberries:

Freeze-dried acai powder www.navitasnaturals.com

Serves 2

1 cup raw cashews
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4-1/2 cup raw agave nectar or raw honey
1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil

Place the above ingredients in a high-speed blender and process until smooth. Place in the freezer for 30-45 minutes and serve with fresh strawberries. This dessert is super-fast and fresh, it can also be used as a frosting or vegan yogurt.

Serves 4

1 cup mini sweet peppers or bell pepper, minced
1/2 cup green onion, minced
2 cups oil packed artichoke hearts, drained & chopped
1 cup black pitted Kalamata olives, halved
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, minced
3 cups baby Romain lettuce or baby spinach
Sea salt & fresh ground black pepper
Avocado slices, for garnish

Combine salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl, season with salt & pepper, and toss well until greens are fully coated with the oil from the artichokes. Place a serving on each plate with avocado slices over the top. Create a complete meal by adding grilled chicken, fish, shrimp, or add some hemp seeds and pine nuts for added protein.

Crust:
1.5 cups raw almonds
5-6 pitted dates
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Combine above ingredients in a food processor using the S-blade. It helps to stream the vanilla in while the motor is running. When the mixture begins to ball-up on the sides it is ready. Transfer to a spring-form pan. Use a flat bottom bowl to press the crust evenly into the pan. Work the crust up the sides and use your fingers to pinch the top of the crust to make it pretty. Set aside.

Filling:
2 cups raw cashews, soaked 1 hour and drained
4 cups fresh pineapple, chopped
3/4 cup raw honey
1/3 cup lemon juice, fresh squeezed
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon natural yellow food coloring, optional
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup extra virgin coconut oil

Place above ingredients in a high-speed blender and process until smooth, about 3-5 minutes. Scrape the sides down with a spatula. Pour half of the mixture onto the crust and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until the filling has set. The whole pie should be able to be removed from the spring-form pan and hold its shape. This is such a delicious and healthy spring dessert. For the second half of the filling you can make another crust (see above) or use it as a vegan yogurt with fruit for breakfast.

makes 26

1 cup hazelnut flour
3/4 cup brown rice flour
3 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup hemp seeds
1/2 cup coconut palm sugar or sucanat
1/3 cup raw cacao nibs
1/4 cup mesquite pod powder
1 cup raw chopped walnuts
Pinch of sea salt
3 large organic eggs, beaten
1/4 cup almond milk
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/3 cup extra virgin coconut oil, softened
Olive oil spray

Preheat oven to 350° F. In a large mixing bowl, combine flours, oats, coconut, hemp seeds, sucanat, cacao nibs, mesquite, walnuts and sea salt and mix well. In a separate mixing bowl, combine eggs, almond milk, maple syrup and coconut oil, whisk well. Pour wet mixture over the dry mixture and stir until well combined. Use a measuring spoon as a guide to form balls (2-tablespoons worth) and place on a cookie sheet sprayed with olive oil spray. You may need two cookie sheets. Bake for 10-14 minutes depending on your oven. They will firm up and set as they cool, so be careful not to over-cook them. When they come out of the oven, you can use a fork to gently press them flat. Hold the edges gently with your fingers so they don’t crumble. Cool for 10 minutes before devouring!! You can find most of the superfoods at Navitasnaturals.com

Give them a try and let me know what you think! M

Serves 4

Tropical Curry Sauce:
1 cup coconut milk
2 cups fresh pineapple, rough chopped
1/2 cup strawberry jam, good quality
3 medium cloves garlic
2 tablespoons green jalapeno pepper, minced
1.5 tablespoons mild curry powder
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
Sea salt & fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Shrimp:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon organic butter
30 medium raw shrimp, peeled & tails removed
1 cup sweet onion, sliced half-moons
Sea salt & fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Sweet Potato Mash:
4 cups orange sweet potato (A.K.A. yam) peeled, diced, steamed & mashed

Wilted Spinach:
6 cups baby spinach, firm packed
1/2 tablespoon organic butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
Sea salt & fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Garnish:
2 cups fresh pineapple, chopped
2 cups fresh papaya, chopped

Method:

Tropical Curry Sauce:
In a blender, combine above ingredients and blend until smooth.

Shrimp:
In a large, non-stick saute pan, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add shrimp, onion, salt, and pepper. Pour the Tropical Curry Sauce over the top, cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 8-10 minutes or until shrimp are pink.

Wilted Spinach:
In a large Saute pan, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat, add spinach, reduce heat to low, cover and steam for 3 minutes. Remove from heat, stir, add salt and pepper and set aside.

To assemble:
Place 1/2 cup sweet potato mash in the center of each plate. Divide wilted spinach evenly over-top of each mound of sweet potato. Use a slotted spoon to place the curried shrimp over-top of the wilted spinach. Garnish with equal amounts of fresh pineapple and papaya and serve.

Sweet potatoes are high in anti-oxidant beta-carotene and complex carbohydrates, pineapple has anti-inflammitory properties as well as digestive enzyme bromelain. Papaya contains the digestive enzyme papain and spinach is high in iron, calcium and folic acid.

Makes 2 cups

1/4 cup dried goji berries
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup almond or hemp milk
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1/2 cup frozen blueberries

In a small bowl, combine goji berries, chia seeds and water; soak for 10 minutes. In a blender, add banana, milk, strawberries and blueberries. The goji berries and chia seeds should be soft, having absorbed the water. Add them to the blender with the soaking water and blend on high until smooth.

If I recently talked you into goji berries or chia seeds here is a quick and delicious way to get these superfoods into your diet! MMM

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon organic butter
1 (8-ounce) package turkey bacon
4 cloves garlic, crushed
8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups dry yellow split peas, found them at Fresh Abundance
1 tablespoon tamari, soy sauce or (1tablespoon barley miso dissolved in water)
Salt & Pepper, to taste

In a large saute pan with deep sides or medium sized stock pot, heat pan to medium heat. Add oil and butter, when butter begins to bubble, add onion, bacon, and garlic. Saute for 5-8 minutes or until onions are soft.

Add broth, and return to a boil. Once boiling, add split peas, cover and reduce heat to low and cook for 45-60 minutes.

Once peas are soft, add tamari or miso and transfer to a food processor. Blend on high until smooth.

If you want a thinner soup, add water or broth, I would say about 2 cups would do. I served mine thick and creamy as a mashed potato-type base for a chicken dish. Loads of protein and fiber.

I am so excited about my new Swiss Diamond Pans, I got them at The Kitchen Engine, of course, they were designed just for me. They don’t scratch, they are filled with real diamonds, (a girls Best friend), non-stick with-out chemicals, and you don’t need really need oil.

For example, last night I had a hot dog and french fries for dinner. Shocked? Well, let me explain.  My hot dog bun was Ezekiel brand made from sprouted grains, the hot dog was organic spicy chicken sausage, topped with organic (high-fructose corn syrup-free) ketchup, organic mayonnaise, raw enzyme-rich saurkraut, and organic stone-ground mustard. My french fries were, oven-baked, olive oil tossed, organic sweet potato french fries. (found in the organic freezer section) high in beta-carotene & fiber.

For every indulgence there is an equal and opposite healthier option. Sometimes it is a matter of giving your taste-buds a chance to adjust, but give these products a try, and before you know it you will begin noticing positive changes without struggle or even exercising self control. Start shopping your local health food store like Huckleberries or Fresh Abundance for healthier versions of your favorite snacks, also Fred Myers and Yokes have quite a selection of organic and all natural products.

My best piece of advice when shopping for pantry, refrigerator or freezer products is to read the ingredients list. Too many people focus on the calorie, fat, and protein content of a product and not on the actual ingredients.

Do not buy anything with:

*High-fructose corn syrup
*Hydrogenated, partially hydrogenated, or fractionated oils AKA trans-fats.
*MSG
*Artificial colors
*Artificial flavors
*Products claiming to be diet, run for your life!
*Products claiming to be sugar free, artificial sweeteners are worse than sugar & when they are sugar free they almost always have trans-fats.
*Products claiming to be fat-free, they will almost always have high-fructose corn syrup.

NOW FOR THE UP-GRADES:

LETS START WITH YOUR BREAD

Ezekiel is made from sprouted super-grains and seeds such as wheat, barley, millet and spelt as well as beans and lentils. This bread higher in nutrients, with 4 grams of protein per slice! Ezekiel also makes hot dog and hamburger buns as well as pasta’s of all shapes. The breads and buns will mold very quickly, because the grains are actually alive, so they are best stored in the freezer.

YOU DON’T HAVE TO GIVE UP ON PASTA

Yes, eating whole grains are ideal, like quinoa, brown rice or millet, but pasta products made from whole-grains are a huge improvement over white flour pasta products. These are a couple examples, but I also love quinoa elbows and buckwheat or Soba noodles.

UP-GRADE YOUR CRACKER

You probably can’t tell from the packaging but they are both made from whole grains and seeds such as flax seeds, millet, brown rice, quinoa, amaranth, sorghum, and sesame seeds. They are both great, but the one to the right is really crispy, which I like, just letting you know. These are a great snack with salmon or hummus.

WHOLE GRAINS & PSEUDO-GRAINS

Hopefully you weren’t brainwashed by the low-carb craze, but all carbs are not created equal. True whole grains & pseudo-grains AKA super-seeds are a far cry from refined & bleached white flour products, which will yes, expand your waist-line. Whole grains contain all of the grains original parts, which are meant to balance each-other out. The fiber in the outer hull, slows the release of the starch from the center of the grain. The outer hull is rich in vital nutrients such as calcium, protein, B vitamins and zinc. They help to balance blood sugar and cleanse the colon. When trying a new grain, I suggest forking out the little bit extra to buy a bag with cooking instructions on it versus buying bulk. Or you can buy my cookbook, which will also tell you how to cook each grain.

EAT FAT, FOR GOD’S SAKE

If you weren’t brainwashed by the low-carb phase then you may be of the generation effected by the low-fat and fat-free craze. Some of you, I’m not naming names have survived both of these era’s. My poor mom! Fat has made a strong come-back, and it is here to stay. Our bodies need fat, especially essential fatty acids 3, 6 & 9- for our brains, heart, and skin, we also need cholesterol to create hormones. If we deprive our bodies of healthy fats found in nuts, seeds, fish, flax and even natural butter, yes, butter, then our bodies will crave the closest nutrient it associates with said deficiency, ie. french fries. This is similar to what happens to malnourished children who crave minerals and eat chipping paint from the walls for the “heavy” minerals because it contains a resembling nutrient, ie. lead.

THERE’S MORE TO LIFE THAN PEANUT BUTTER

Nut and seed butters are a great way to get a variety of necessary fats, which balance your blood sugar and help you feel full longer. Each “butter” is high in different nutrients so I like to mix it up. For instance pumpkin seed butter is high in zinc, which strengthens your immune system, helps heal wounds, supports the prostate, (not my main motive) whereas sesame tahini is an excellent source of calcium. Try spreading different “butters” over toast and top with fresh berries, and if you are ever so inclined, top that with some organic yogurt, yum!

YES, YOU CAN STILL EAT DESSERT!

Once you give up refined sugar and high fructose corn syrup, you will never want to go back! There are so many natural sweeteners, each have different flavor profiles and textures, good for different dishes. I have my favorites, agave nectar, honey, brown rice syrup, sucanat, and of course dates. The darker syrups like yacon or barley malt are good in BBQ sauce or stews. Just play a little and it doesn’t hurt to buy “Recipes for Radiance” sorry I couldn’t resist!

OK NOW FOR SOME SERIOUS HEALTH FOOD!

Fermented foods may possibly be the most under-appreciated food group. They contain friendly bacteria which colonize our digestive system and help absorb nutrients, break down foods, improve digestion, and boost immunity. Many fermented foods also contain live enzymes which are vital to our digestion and overall health. Start investigating fermented foods and see which ones you like. Stir miso into broths or make sauces. Add kim-chi or saurkraut to “healthy” hot dogs or use plain yogurt as you would sour cream.

NOW FOR THE GOOD STUFF, WARNING: NOT FOR SISSY’S!

Sea vegetables are another under-appreciated food group. Sea vegetables contain on average 10X more minerals than land vegetables, they have the ability to remove heavy minerals and chemicals from the body, and contain anti-cancer compounds such as fucoidan. It doesn’t take much to reap the benefits, such as improved hair, skin & nails! The best way to start is to buy a shaker of the Gomasaio which is a combination of sesame seeds, sea salt, and flaked sea vegetables. There is a whole section in my cookbook about the benefits, types and uses for sea vegetables.

Well, I hope my 2010 pantry makeover inspires you to upgrade your grocery list and I hope to see you in a cooking class soon. If you are interested in a private health-food store tour or pantry analysis send me an email- editor@wildthyme-kitchen.com

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO INSPIRES & SUPPORTS ME IN FOLLOWING MY PASSION! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Superfood Snowballs
Makes 22 balls

1 cup pitted dates, chopped
½ cup raw pumpkins seeds
1/8 cup hemp seeds
1/8 cup chia seeds
1/8 cup raw cacao powder
¼ cup cashew or almond butter
½ teaspoon maca root powder
1 tablespoon mesquite powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil
1/8 cup maple syrup
½ cup almond or hazelnut flour
½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut, for coating

In a food processor, combine above ingredients, except coconut. Blend until well combined and scrape edges down if needed. Spread coconut onto a plate and place “batter” into a medium sized bowl. Use a tablespoon as a guide and create balls by rolling one tablespoons worth between your palms. Then press into shredded coconut and gently roll to coat and set aside on a clean plate. Repeat process until finished. Place the plate, covered in the refrigerator or freezer for 30 minutes before storing or freezing. These delicious, coconut crusted truffle-like snacks are great for biking, hiking or skiing as well as an addictive yet healthy sweet-treat.