These refreshing treats make your mouth tingle with the taste of peppermint. The cocoa provides a great lift before or after any workout. Mesquite is high in protein and soluble fiber and has a nice molasses flavor that works very well in raw sweet treats. Most important, though, it has been known to help stabilize glucose levels in the blood.
INGREDIENTS:
½ cup hemp 70% protein powder*
¼ cup mesquite powder or tiger nut powder or coconut flour
½ cup cocoa or carob powder
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
¼ cup raw honey or coconut syrup
2–3 tsp peppermint extract (depending on how minty you like it)
¼ cup coconut butter, soft
DIRECTIONS:
1. Run powders through a sieve into a bowl to combine evenly.
2. Place all ingredients into the bowl and stir together. Place in refrigerator for about 3 or 4 minutes to firm up slightly.
3. Using your hands, form into small patties and place on parchment paper inside of a container with a lid. The butter may heat up and become more liquid as you work, but the patties will harden again once cool. These patties must be stored in the fridge or freezer—they do not travel well due to their melting factor.
* Other dairy-free protein powders will work but may be gritty.
Makes 16 cookies.
You don’t need to be trekking through the forest to enjoy a good trail mix. It is a great snack to have on hand anytime you need an energy boost, whether you are on the go in the city or on a hike in the woods. The main recipe for this trail mix is savory, with the anti-inflammatory spices turmeric, coriander, and cumin, while the variation is a sweet one, with cinnamon, cacao, and coconut sugar.
INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp ground flaxseeds
2 tbsp water
1 cup cashews
1 cup hazelnuts
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup sunflower seeds
2 tsp turmeric
½ tsp coriander
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cardamom
1 tsp pink rock salt or gray salt (or to taste)
½ cup dried cranberries (apple juice—sweetened)
½ cup dried cherries
FOR OPTIONAL SWEET-AND-SPICY FLAVOR:
Replace turmeric, coriander, and cumin with:
1 tbsp cinnamon
2 tsp raw cacao powder
1 tsp coconut sugar
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 200°F. Mix flaxseeds in water until you create a slurry. Set aside.
2. Mix nuts and seeds in a medium mixing bowl and stir in flax mixture.
3. Mix spices and salt in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over mix.
4. Place on a pan in oven and dehydrate for 1 hour until dry and crunchy.
5. Place into a large mixing bowl, add dried fruit, and store in a Mason jar until ready to enjoy.
Makes 16 servings.
I created this recipe after traveling through Virginia for a friend’s wedding. We stopped for gas in a small town and, miraculously, I stumbled upon a health food store. I popped in to look around for some healthy snacks and found these tasty squares. As good as they were, I managed to save one so that I could make my own version when I got home. I promise you that this nutritious treat tastes just like chocolate! Consider doubling the recipe and freezing some.
INGREDIENTS:
⅓ cup raw honey or rice syrup
¼ cup tahini
¾ cup carob powder
½ tbsp pure vanilla extract
½ tbsp spirulina
½ tsp pink rock salt or gray sea salt
½ cup hemp seeds
½ cup sunflower seeds
½ cup pumpkin seeds
OPTIONAL SUPERFOOD BOOSTERS:
1 tsp maca powder or ashwagandha powder
DIRECTIONS:
1. Blend honey and tahini in a large mixing bowl until well combined. Add carob one tablespoon at a time until mixture becomes stiff and has a smooth consistency.
2. Add vanilla, spirulina, maca powder (if using), and salt, and mix to combine.
3. Stir in hemp and sunflower seeds, then evenly roll out the mixture onto a parchment-lined cookie tray to a ½-inch thickness. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds on top and press down with a cutting board to ensure they stick.
4. Cut into squares and cool in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving.
5. Wrap squares individually and store in the fridge or freezer.
Makes 30 1-inch squares.
These raw, vegan, gluten- and soy-free snacks beat anything you would find on a supermarket shelf. Dehydrating the kale in a low-temperature oven not only retains all the vitamins and minerals, it transforms it into a crispy chip that answers the craving for a crunch while the chocolaty coating satisfies a sweet tooth.
INGREDIENTS:
12 cups kale leaves, washed and thoroughly dried
½ cup hemp seeds or sunflower seeds
¼ cup raw cacao powder
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
¼ tsp pink rock salt or gray sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon
¾ cup unsweetened coconut beverage (2% fat) or unsweetened non-dairy milk (hemp, almond)
5–6 large pitted Medjool dates, chopped
DIRECTIONS:
1. Cut kale into 3-inch strips and pat down with a dry, clean dish towel to remove moisture. (It is important that the kale is thoroughly dried after washing or it will take too long to dehydrate.) Place kale in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
2. In a blender add seeds, cacao, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and non-dairy milk and blend until smooth. Add dates one at a time until a smooth paste forms.
3. Pour mixture over kale and mix with hands until kale is evenly coated.
4. Spread evenly over two baking sheets and, ensuring pieces do not overlap, place in a 170°F oven for 2 to 2 ½ hours. Crack open the oven door to allow steam to escape. If using a dehydrator, place on nonstick sheets at 155°F for 3 hours. Flip kale chips over after 1 hour. Every oven is different, so check to ensure all the kale is crispy before removing from oven, but be careful to avoid burning.
5. Allow chips to cool completely and store in a tightly sealed container to keep them crisp. This treat has a long shelf life if kept dry.
Makes 6 servings.
I know that banana bread is a comfort food for many, so I cut the sugar and enriched white flour and came up with these bars that give you all the indulgence without the painful ingredients! Flaxseeds are high in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids as well as phytochemicals called lignans, all of which have powerful anti-inflammatory benefits. Make sure you grind the seeds yourself and store them in the freezer to preserve these nutrients. This treat is best made in a dehydrator, but the oven method works well too.
INGREDIENTS:
3 large ripe bananas
1½ cups Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
2 cups flaxseeds
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla powder or pure vanilla extract
1½ cups pumpkin seeds
1½ cups sunflower seeds
1 cup hemp hearts
OPTIONAL ADDITIONS:
½ tsp pink rock salt or gray sea salt
1 tsp maca powder or ashwagandha powder
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a food processor, blend bananas and dates to create a thick paste.
2. Grind flaxseeds, then add to banana mixture along with the cinnamon and vanilla. Mix until blended (about 10 seconds) and then transfer into a large mixing bowl.
3. Add pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp hearts, and maca and salt (if using) to mixture until well combined. Don’t hesitate to use your clean hands to combine.
4. Scoop mixture onto parchment paper sheets on a dehydrator tray or cookie sheet and spread to ½-inch thick. Cut and separate into bar shapes 2 x 3 inches. Leave space around each bar to speed up drying time. Dehydrate at 145°F for 6 hours or in oven at 170°F for 5 hours. Flip bars halfway through the drying process.
Makes 24 bars.
FRUIT FUNDUE WITH COCONUT CARAMEL SAUCE
This recipe works well at a cocktail party or an event as part of a buffet, but I think that it is most fun served as an after-dinner treat when everyone is sitting around the table socializing. The caramel sauce gets its “melt in your mouth,” creamy, rich consistency from raw coconut butter, which you can find in most local health food stores. Coconut butter is different from coconut oil in that the meat of the coconut, including its natural oils, is puréed into a creamy butter. Eating coconut has been shown to increase metabolism and energy, which helps to maintain a healthy body weight. The sauce lasts in the fridge for over two weeks, so enjoy on fruit anytime.
CARAMEL SAUCE:
1 cup raw honey
½ cup coconut butter
½ cup coconut milk
¼ tsp pink rock salt or gray sea salt
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
½ cup tahini
DIPPING FOOD IDEAS:
Chunks of bananas, apples, and pears; clementine orange sections; whole strawberries
TOPPING IDEAS:
Finely chopped nuts (e.g., pecans, almonds, and/or hazelnuts), ground cocoa nibs, black sesame seeds
DIRECTIONS:
1. Place all caramel sauce ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a fondue pot or medium bowl.
2. Serve fruit on a sectioned platter and arrange each topping in a separate bowl.
3. Arrange fruit and toppings around the fondue pot or bowl containing the dipping sauce. Using a wooden or metal spear, pierce fruit and dip into the caramel sauce and then into the topping of your choice.
Makes 20 servings.
For a delicious, healing, and balanced snack, mix half a cup of harvest applesauce with one tablespoon hemp protein powder and/or sprinkle with hemp seeds.
INGREDIENTS:
10 cups Ambrosia apple slices
1–2 tsp ground ginger (or to taste)
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cardamom
½ tsp ground cloves
1 cup apple juice
1 cup blueberries or cranberries
DIRECTIONS:
1. Add all ingredients to a pot and bring to a boil.
2. Turn down to a simmer and cook until fruit is soft, about 12 minutes.
3. Mash fruit with a fork or blend with an immersion blender. Add the sauce to heat-safe glass containers (wide-mouth Mason jars are ideal) while hot. Stores well in refrigerator for up to a week.
Tip: For a low-carbohydrate version, replace 1 cup of juice with water and add ½ tsp of stevia powder or 10 drops of stevia liquid.
Makes 8 cups.
Coconut butter and cocoa powder make this creamy, chocolaty treat a great drink that will be beneficial before or after your workout. Cocoa powder contains caffeine, which has been shown to delay the onset of muscle fatigue by helping the body use its fat stores as energy. Coconut butter is high in medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which are rapidly absorbed by the body and immediately converted into fuel for the organs and muscles to use during a workout. This treat is also great for after a workout because the body is primed to absorb these calories and use them to replace the glycogen in the liver.
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups unsweetened coconut beverage (2% fat)
1 tbsp coconut butter
2 tbsp hazelnut butter
¼ cup raw cocoa powder
¼ cup raw honey
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
Pinch pink rock salt or gray sea salt
⅛ tsp ground ginger
OPTIONAL SUPERFOOD BOOSTER:
2 tbsp lacuma powder or tiger nut powder or mesquite powder or 1 tbsp extra honey
DIRECTIONS:
1. Place coconut beverage in a medium pot and heat until hot but not boiling.
2. Add remaining ingredients to a blender, finishing with hot coconut beverage, and blend until well combined. If not using the sweet superfoods listed, be sure to add the extra honey, or taste and adjust sweetness to personal preference.
Makes 4 cups.
LOW-CARB VANILLA COCONUT COOKIES
If you ever find yourself craving something sweet to go alongside a cup of herbal tea in the afternoon, these cookies will come in handy. They are made with low-carb coconut flour, an exceptionally good source of the mineral manganese, which is crucial to a healthy nervous system and thyroid and balanced blood sugar levels.
WET INGREDIENTS:
½ cup melted virgin coconut oil 1 cup unsweetened coconut beverage (2% fat)
6 eggs, preferably free range and organic
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
½ cup xylitol crystals (or ⅔ cup coconut sugar or ¾ tsp liquid stevia)
FOR OPTIONAL LEMON FLAVOR, ADD IN STEP 2:
½ tbsp vitamin C crystals (ascorbic acid)
DRY INGREDIENTS:
1 cup coconut flour
¼ tsp pink rock salt or gray sea salt
½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Whisk wet ingredients until xylitol is partially dissolved.
3. Add flour, salt, and shredded coconut to wet ingredients. Whisk until the mixture forms a thick paste.
4. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, place 1-inch dough balls 2 inches apart. Using a fork, push into the ball. Turn the fork 90 degrees and press into the ball again, making a cross pattern on the cookie.
5. Bake for 24 minutes for stevia cookies, 25 minutes for xylitol cookies, or 28 minutes for coconut sugar cookies. Store in airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. These cookies freeze well.
Makes 34 cookies.
This great gluten-free summer treat is perfect for a potluck BBQ or outdoor dinner party. The combination of sweet juicy peaches and tart summer berries is delicious and satisfying. Give your guests the gift of great taste and nutritional healing power all in one. Besides being packed full of fiber and water, peaches are also very high in beta-carotene. Recent studies have suggested that beta-carotene plays a role in regulating some aspects of the fat-burning process.
INGREDIENTS:
FILLING:
4 cups organic fresh or frozen berries
3 cups sliced apples
6 cups sliced fresh organic peaches
⅓ cup unsweetened berry or apple juice
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
OPTIONAL SUPERFOOD BOOSTER:
½ cup organic goji berries
TOPPING:
1 cup rolled quinoa flakes
½ cup almonds or hazelnuts, chopped
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup sunflower seeds
½ cup raw honey
2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp pink rock salt or gray sea salt
4 tbsp coconut butter or chilled coconut oil, cut into 8 pieces
OPTIONAL ADDITION:
2 tsp maca powder
FILLING DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a medium bowl combine berries, apples, peaches, and goji berries (if using). Add the berry juice, lemon juice, and spices.
3. Toss thoroughly and transfer to a 9 x 13—inch baking dish.
1. In a large bowl, combine quinoa flakes, nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, honey, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Place coconut butter on top of flour mixture. Using your hands, blend until mixture looks like coarse meal.
2. Sprinkle topping evenly and loosely over fruit mixture, leaving fruit visible in a few spots for the juices to bubble up.
3. Bake crisp for 35 minutes or until top is brown and fruit juices are bubbling at the edges. If using maca powder, sprinkle on top when crisp comes out of the oven.
Makes 12 servings.
HORMONE HEAVEN PUDDING
Send your hormones into orbit with this perfect pudding. Ashwagandha is an adaptogen that has the ability to maintain homeostasis and combat stress. It balances your thyroid gland to improve metabolism and works with your hormones to energize or calm you, depending on what you need.
INGREDIENTS:
6 tbsp raw cacao powder (or ⅔ cup carob powder)
6 tbsp raw honey
⅛ tsp pink rock salt or gray sea salt
3 tbsp hemp hearts
2 ripe avocados
½ cup unsweetened coconut beverage (2% fat)
OPTIONAL ADDITION:
2 tsp maca powder or ashwagandha powder
DIRECTIONS:
1. Add all ingredients to food processor and blend until smooth. Enjoy immediately or store in fridge for up to 3 days.
Makes 6 servings.
THE BEST NO-BAKE APPLE CRUMBLE
Never mind baking an apple pie—the nutrient value is so much higher if you keep it raw! Make sure that you leave the skin on the apples, since the quercetin content in the apple skin has the ability to reduce the histamine response, a cause of painful inflammation.
INGREDIENTS:
FILLING:
5 large organic Ambrosia apples
1 lemon, juiced
¼ cup dried cranberries
2 tbsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground ginger
2 tbsp raw honey
CRUST:
1 cup hazelnuts
1 cup cashews or pecans
½ cup chopped Medjool dates
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp virgin coconut oil
TOPPING:
¼ cup hazelnuts
¼ cup cashews
¼ cup rolled quinoa flakes
¼ cup dried cranberries
Pinch pink rock salt or gray sea salt
Note: For a nut-free version, substitute dried coconut and hemp hearts for hazelnuts and cashews.
DIRECTIONS:
1. Slice the apples with a mandoline on the thin setting and put them in a bowl with the lemon juice, cranberries, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and honey for 30 minutes. If you don’t own a mandoline, slice apples as thinly as possible.
2. To make the crust, place nuts in a food processor with dates, vanilla, and cinnamon. Pulse until mixture sticks together and is the texture of crumbs. Use coconut oil to coat a 9 x 13—inch lasagna pan, then press in crust ingredients. Put pan in freezer for 20 minutes. Drain apples and place inside crust.
3. For topping, put hazelnuts, cashews, quinoa flakes, and cranberries into a food processor and pulse until fine. Spread topping ingredients over apples.
Makes 12 servings.
This sweet and subtly tart dessert is the perfect thing to bring to a summer BBQ. You can use strawberries or raspberries in this recipe, or both if you prefer. Berries are at the top of every superfood list because they are low in sugar, high in fiber, and absolutely bursting with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients—not to mention flavor!
INGREDIENTS:
CRUST:
1½ cups unsweetened shredded coconut, dried
10 pitted Medjool dates
¼ tsp whole vanilla bean powder or ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tbsp virgin coconut oil
FILLING:
3 cups blueberries
1½ cups sliced strawberries or raspberries or combination
10 pitted Medjool dates
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut, dried
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a food processor, combine all crust ingredients until well blended. Press into a 10-inch pie dish and set aside.
2. In food processor, combine filling ingredients until well mixed, but avoid liquefying ingredients. Spread into crust and let pie set in the fridge for 2 hours before slicing.
Makes 12 servings.
Maca is an adaptogenic root whose B vitamins help your body handle stress. I call the truffles my rockets because when I need a boost before a TV segment, I enjoy a huge jolt of energy from one or two of these treats. Cocoa is great for energy and mood, and is high in antioxidants. Maca is known for increasing libido and nourishing the adrenals. Try it in smoothies, baked goods, and treats.
INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp maca powder
Pinch pink rock salt or gray sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon
⅔ cup cocoa or raw cacao or carob powder
1 cup nut butter, stirred well
¼ cup raw honey
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
TOPPING CHOICES:
1 tbsp cocoa or carob powder
1 tbsp dried shredded coconut or sesame seeds
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a bowl, stir together maca powder, salt, cinnamon, and cocoa until well mixed.
2. Slowly add nut butter, honey, and vanilla and mix by hand.
3. Roll into 1-inch balls and dust with cocoa or carob powder, or shredded coconut or sesame seeds. Keep chilled in fridge until serving.
Makes 24 balls.
I had my very own “aha” moment when I created these bars. Let’s face it—with our busy lives sometimes a “salad to go” can be difficult. This tasty recipe made me realize I can be running out the door and still have time to grab a salad to go. Using a dehydrator would be best but is not strictly necessary for this recipe. With a list of ingredients like this, it’s hard to spotlight just one. The synergy of the nutrients in the foods listed below makes these salad bars a handheld package of tasty, anti-inflammatory goodness.
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup ground flaxseeds
¾ cup water
2 cups grated carrots
2 cups grated beet
1 cup kale leaves or collard greens, tightly packed
1 cup parsley leaves, tightly packed
1 tsp pink rock salt or gray sea salt
1 tbsp umeboshi paste or 6 pitted black olives (kalamata is best)
1 cup hemp seeds
1 cup sunflower seeds
OPTIONAL ADDITION:
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (if using black olives)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Soak ground flaxseeds with water in a bowl for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, grate carrots and beets in a food processor and transfer to a mixing bowl.
2. Add soaked ground flaxseeds, kale, parsley, salt, and umeboshi paste or olives, and vinegar (if using) to the food processor. Using an S-blade, blend to paste consistency. Scrape down the sides as needed.
3. Transfer to mixing bowl with carrots and beets. Add hemp seeds and sunflower seeds.
4. Mix all ingredients together and spread smoothly onto parchment sheets to a thickness of ¼ inch.
5. Dehydrate in 200°F oven (or 155°F dehydrator) for 4 hours. (If using oven, create a tinfoil ball and prop the door open slightly to vent the moisture.) Remove from oven, place another piece of parchment paper on top, flip over and remove the paper. Cut and separate into 2 x 3—inch bars and return to oven or dehydrator to dry for another 1 to 2 hours.
You can also spread the mixture out more and increase drying time by another hour to make a hard cracker that will keep in an airtight container for 2 weeks out of the fridge.
Note: If you don’t have ground flax, this recipe will work with whole flax by increasing soaking time to 20 minutes. Start with the flax in the food processor, pulsing until flax creates a paste.
Makes 24 bars.
Pumpkin pie is a favorite in our house at Thanksgiving, so my sister, Lynn Daniluk, came up with a version that tastes as good as the original but doesn’t contain all that sugar and fat. This no-bake pie will be a hit at your dinner table, and it won’t take up any prime real estate in the oven of a busy holiday kitchen! Consider making it in 8 individual ramekins for easy serving.
INGREDIENTS:
CRUST:
2 cups pecans
2 tbsp raw honey
⅛ tsp pink rock salt or gray sea salt
½ tsp cinnamon
FILLING:
¾ cup coconut butter
3 cups cooked puréed pumpkin
¼ tsp pink rock salt or gray sea salt
½ cup raw honey
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tbsp cinnamon
½–1 tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ginger
½ cup agar-agar
DIRECTIONS:
1. Put pecans in a food processor and process until it becomes a meal. Add honey, salt, and cinnamon and pulse until well combined. Press mixture into a 10-inch pie plate.
2. In a large pot on medium-low heat add coconut butter, cooked pumpkin, salt, honey, vanilla, and spices. Stir until well blended. Add agar-agar and continue to stir until mixture begins to thicken.
3. If mixture is too chunky, let cool slightly, transfer to a food processor, and mix until smooth.
4. Pour pumpkin mixture into crust. Chill in fridge for 3 hours to let pie set.
Makes 8 servings.
