If you have a food processor, this is a quick raw cranberry side-relish or sauce that adds a mega-dose of vitamin C to any meal!

Raw Cranberry and Persimmon Sauce Recipe:

• 16 oz (one pound) organic fresh crannberries
• 4 very ripe persimmons - choppped
• 8-10 soaked Medjool dates
• the zest and juice of one lemon
• the zest and flesh of one orange
• 1/2 teasp. ses salt

Put everything into a food processor with the s-blade and process until well incorporated. It will need to run for about 30 seconds to get the dates chopped/incorporated.

Add more dates if you want a sweeter sauce

Omit the lemon if you want a less-tart sauce

This recipe makes a BIG AMOUNT: 32 oz (one quart) of sauce. Can't finish it all? You can freeze it, share it with friends in a cute mason jar or add 2T to your breakfast smoothie for a dose of vitamin C and antioxidants! It will last in your refrigerator for 5 days.

Cranberries are actually a type of acidic berries that are rich in vitamin C and believed to contain excellent infection fighting properties.

A source of phytochemicals known as condensed tannins; these berries are powerful antioxidant with anti-inflammatory effect. 

Benefits of Cranberries

• Improve the body's circulatory system.

• A daily glass of cranberry juice will treat diseases like cystitis.

• Provide relief for asthma patients.

• Condensed tannins in cranberries can inhibit the oxidation of bad cholesterol and as a result protects body against atheroscelrosis.

• Tannins are also considered an important contributor to a healthy heart.

• Acts as bactericide and affects the acidity of the urine. In effect, it disrupts the development of kidney stone formation.

Hmmm

This raw, delicious and dairy free beverage is my new coffee with cream replacement.

Just perfect for a rainy, cold morning or an afternoon treat.

Put all of the following ingredients straight into your blender:

• 16 oz of hot water 
• 2 T raw cacao powder 
• 1 T raw maca powder 
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, sm. pinch cayenne pepper and pinch sea salt 
• 5 small pitted honey dates-soaked overnight or 2 big soft Medjools (no need to soak) 
• 10-12 whole, raw cashews 

Makes 2 servings

Blend on high for about a minute. It will be frothy, warm and slightly spicy.

Variations can include:

• Hazelnuts (10) or brazil nuts (4) instead of cashews 
• 1.5 T of maple sugar or coconut nectar instead of dates for sweetness.

Here's what Tamara Grenier, owner of Sacred Medicine Roots,  posted in her blog about Maca:

Maca is an adaptogen, a plant that provides non-specific benefits without inducing negative side effects. Adaptogens enable the body to increase resistance and adapt to external conditions. They assist the body’s natural rhythms to re-build weak immune systems, re-mineralize undernourished bodies, increase energy and endurance and promote homeostasis. Maca is believed to have a balancing and normalizing effect, especially on the endocrine glands and hormone production. Maca is capable of restoring balance irrespective of the direction of change from the physiological norms caused by a stressor. As an example, it is reported to be equally effective at restoring Thyroid balance in under or over-reactive thyroid conditions.

Maca is a highly nutritious food; a single root may contain up to 60 phyto nutrients. It contains 60% carbohydrates, at least 10% protein, 8.5 % dietary fiber, and 2.2% fats. Maca is rich in essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron and selenium and contains linoleic fatty acid, which the body is unable to produce on it’s own and which is essential for cell growth and maintenance. .(See attached nutrient composition chart)Maca is also an effective emulsifier when used in recipes, drawing sugars and starches together with fats and oils, blending and rounding out the flavors.

Medicinal benefits of Maca include: enhancement of energy and nutrition, improvement of memory, correction of hormonal imbalances, alleviation of menopausal symptoms, improvement of libido, increased oxygenation of blood, and increased neurotransmitter production. Maca also has a balancing and nourishing effect on the adrenals and other endocrine glands and is believed to increase fertility in humans and animals.

To read the full article which incudes a great list of resources click here: http://www.sacredmedicineroots.com/eat/superfoods/maca/

These two yummy shakes are loaded with nutrient dense and alkalizing Kale, and you'd never know it. Any picky eater will devour and ask for more. I prominse!

The greatest benefit of drinking green smoothies is the increased absorption of important nutrients. All plants cells are surrounded by a cell wall that must be broken open to release the nutrients inside. As a result, most of the valuable nutrients contained within these cells never enter our bloodstream. Blending raw, leafy greens guarantees a higher percentage of nutrients absorbed into your bloodstream. By just chewing your food you absorb about 15 - 25% of the nutrients, but blending makes your body able to absorb up to 95%!

Click here to see the recipe and full article on the onemedical EAT WELL blog!

http://www.onemedical.com/blog/eat-well/delicious-kale-smoothies/

http://www.onemedical.com/blog/eat-well/delicious-kale-smoothies/