After pondering raw food sweeteners and wondering if could make a treat with Yacon Syrup, I created this raw treat to satiate my sweet tooth without messing with my glycemic index.  I think they are better tasting than the ones I make with Agave, so I will certainly keep experimenting with Yacon!

Almond Chocolate Chip Truffles 

The almond pulp left over from making almond milk. A little less than a cup of pulp.
1/4 cup raw cocao powder
1/2 T vanilla powder
1/4 cup Yacon Syrup
3 T melted coconut oil
2 T currants
2 T cocao nibs (the chocolate chips)
1/2 tsp almond extract
Pinch of salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Roll into balls and then roll into raw cocao powder to coat the outside.

Freeze for 15 - 30 mins. So they firm up a bit.

They will keep in the refrigerator for one week or they keep in the freezer for 2 months.

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This is my question.

I've read a lot of articles like this in the past year:

Agave Not a Healthy Sugar Alternative After All

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/agave-not-a-healthy-sugar-alternative-after-all-1040266/

I use Agave a lot. When I started the raw food living diet a year ago, I bought many raw-food un-cook books to learn about my new chosen lifestyle. Most all of these books tout the benefits of Agave and proclaim it as the sweetener of choice in the raw diet.

There are clearly two sides of the Agave argument. I try to buy only the really RAW agave (not heated over 115 degrees and therefore un- processed) but it's not easy to find. Manufactures can get away with claiming that it's RAW, but it may not be truly raw. There are tons of Agave Syrups on the market shelves that don't even say RAW, so I definitely avoid those!

It's a bummer that there is so much confusing information out there about how to have "sweets" in you diet in a healthy manner.

Better alternatives might be:

1. Dates - great for sweeten desserts. Cheaper and more flavorful and full of fiber!
2. Stevia is a good alternative, but it's bitter tasting.
3. Yacon Root Syrup-Yacon is a glucose-free but it's expensive (about $14 for 8 oz)  It also has a distinct flavor that some people may not like. I'm learning to like it.
4. Raw Honey - easy to get, not too expensive.
   

"Natural" sugar is "natural" sugar, and if people try to eat as little as they can, and completely avoid the processed stuff like, white processed "table" sugar, high fructose corn syrup and the many others versions of this, and the fake sugars like Splenda, NutraSweet, Aspartame, (which are pure poison) they will better off health-wise. 

I'm not counting sweet fruits in this category of natural sweeteners.  There is so much MORE nutrient-wise in fruit, so getting more fruit in your diet is a good thing. Futhermore, we do actucally NEED sugars. This is great article by David Wolfe about sugar.

I love sweets and do not want to feel deprived by cutting them out completely! I will continue to search for the right sweetener and experiment more with Yacon.

More on Yacon Syrup...

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People always ask me...Where do you get your protein?
This is the big question I get about being on a raw food living diet.

My answer is this: I get more than enough protein from whole, plants-based foods like greens, vegetables, seeds, nuts, fruits and grains in their raw and un-cooked “living” form.

I start my day with a green smoothie: 1 bunch of fresh kale or spinach, some fruit and water in a blender. Pound for pound Greens have more protein than chicken. Greens of all kinds (lettuces, kale, chard, bok coy, spinach, arugula, beet greens, carrot greens, parsley and endive to name some) have an abundance of high-quality protein that allows for a slow and steady synthesis of new proteins, which is the healthiest type of protein to eat because your body can actually USE it.

So for example, in my green smoothie today, I had:

Plants            Grams of protein

2 cups Kale             5
2 cups Collards       8
2 cups Chard          6
2 bananas               2
1 cup blueberries    1
1 apple                    2

Total grams of
Protein                  24

A women needs only 30 grams of protein per day, so before lunch I’m 80% to my daily requirement! A man needs only 40 grams per day.

I also love to snack on sprouted and dehydrated sunflower seeds which I spice-up with a yummy sweet curry seasoning. 1/2 cup of this snack packs 16.5 grams of protein!

My point is, it’s very easy to get well over 40 grams of high-quality plant-based protein each day my just eating fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds!

The idea that “high-quality” protein is only found in and is synonymous with "animal meat" is a myth and marketing concept that we’ve all been “sold” for decades, if not centuries!  Now that I'm all veg, I actually have much more sustainable energy and strength throughout my day, which includes more energy in my workouts! Before adopting a raw plant-based diet, I was a self proclaied "meat-girl"! So that fact that I don't eat meat anymore is shocking to me. But without the animal fleah, I feel much more "powerful" in every way. If you think about it, many of the strongest and muscular animals, such as horses, also eat only plants!

I don't "miss meat", either. Reading Doctor T. Colin Campbell's Book The China Study taught me about all the bad, disease-causing stuff that comes with animal protein.  What's that phrase?....Ignorance is bliss? Well, I'm not ignorant anymore, so I can't blissfully enjoy a steak, hamburger or peice of crispy bacon ever again...not now that I am informed. I highly recommend this book. It changed my life and I even went so far as to get Plant-Based Nutritiion Certified through Dr. Campbell's graduate program taught by Cornell University.

   

Click here to download:

Where_do_you_get_your_protein.zip (104 KB)

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Lately I've been a bit obsessed with greens! I crave them all day long, which has inspired me get a little more creative beyond my usual morning green smoothies.

The fresh mint and kale at the market today was so beautiful, on my drive home I started dreaming of how yummy a mint shake would be and how the kale could not only punch-up the green coloring, but enhance the nutrient content as well.

Fortunately I already had some fresh almond milk in the refrigerator ready to go for this DELICIOUS concoction:

Krazy Kale Mint Shake:

1.5 cups chilled almond milk
4 kale leaves
2 soft dates
1 small frozen banana
1 small bunch of mint - about 20 large leaves.

Blend in a high speed blender - I use a Vita-Mix.

For a chocolate version add 1.5 T of raw cocao.

       

Click here to download:

Krazy_Kale_Mint_Shakes.zip (379 KB)

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With Sunchokes still in season and Asparagus getting into full swing, these two lovelies caught my eye and the imagination of my taste buds today to the Alemany Farmer's Market.

This creamy, raw soup takes 5 minutes to make:

Asparagus Sunchoke Soup

1 bunch of asparagus (ends cut off). Chopped it measures 2 cups.
1.5 cups chopped sunchokes
1 small avocado for extra creaminess (but this is optional)
3 cups hot water
1 clove garlic
juice of one lemon
1/3 cup raw pine nuts
1 T light miso
3/4 tsp salt

Blend everything oh high in a powerful blender (I use a Vita-Mix) until creamy-smooth and warmed.

Add-Ons:These toppings  made it prettier: Cracked black pepper, sliced asparagus tip and drizzle of truffle oil.
12-15 basil leaves added and nice light basil complexity.

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What a treat to get this lovely whole food delivered by Albert and Eve each week!

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A warming winter soup packed full of living whole food nutritious goodness! Today this soup really satisfied, as it was both comforting and energizing!...And when I say "creamy", you need to know that it's also dairy-free!

Creamy and Spicy Kale Soup

Ingredients:

1 head kale, just the leaves, stems removed - about  4 cups
1 pint cherry tomatoes (12 oz)
1/3 cup of fresh basil
1/4 cup raw pine nuts
1/4 cup red onion
1/4 cup carrots
1/4 -1/2 jalapeno pepper - spice as hot as you prefer
1/2 lime or lemon juiced
2 T light miso
1-2 clove garlic, depending on your taste for garlic - I always opt for more when it comes to garlic
1/4 tsp salt - I used smoked salt.
2 cups hot water

Blend in a high-speed bender like a Vita-Mix until creamy-smooth and heated.

This makes enough for 2 very large bowls!

When I skip my morning green smoothie on cold winter days because a chia breakfast pudding or warmed apple spiced cookie seems more appealing, I still crave the greens!

This soup and is a way to get in the greens for lunch or dinner!....um, and it's YUMMY!

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Chocolate Green Smoothie - For Breakfast or an afternoon snack when you need a chocolate fix!

You can make it in the morning and take it to the office in a glass mason jar. It will last 3 days refrigerated.

• Two big handfuls of kale (any kind)
• One large frozen banana
• Two big pitted dates (or 1 T of Agave Syrup)
• Two tablespoons of Raw Cacao Powder or Cocoa Nibs
• Dash of cinnamon
• Water

For a Chocolate Mint Version - add 10-12 mint leaves

I hesitated to try this because I follow the green smoothie guidelines set forth by the author of Greens for Life, Victoria Boutenko. I never usually add anything but fruit to my greens. However, I'm happy to report that I did not have any digestion problems by adding the dates and cocao, so I hope you don't either if you try this recipe. It's a great starter smoothie for those resistant to greens for breakfast!

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Monday, March 8th 6:30 - 9:30pm

The Raw Food Diet - Making it real...easy!

Learn an easy way to start eating a 75% raw food diet by learning delicious breakfasts and portable lunches. Simple meals for the busy person that won't strap you for time or cash! The evening's instruction also includes a delicious raw dinner with wine and dessert.

Date:               Monday, March 8th
Time:               6:30 - 9:30 pm
Location:         San Francisco
Cost:               $75
Sign up:          email bycenter@gmail.com
Co-Host:         Marnie Northrop of Becoming Health

ONLY 1 SPOTS LEFT!

Why Breakfast and lunch?
Between the time you wake up until the time you have dinner, you will usually have eaten about 75% of your food intake with your breakfast, lunch and snacks. This offers you a great opportunity to dip your big toe onto the raw-food waters without stress or much planning because breakfast and lunch are the easiest meals to prepare raw!

You will learn how to make green smoothies so tasty, even the pickiest kid will ask for more! Other breakfast items we’ll cover are: Granola, Warm Chia Porridge, Nuts Milks (Almond and Hazelnut), Hazelnut Latte and more. The lunches you will learn are 5 minutes soups (which travel well) and wraps (the raw foods world's version of a sandwich).

I’ve had profound health benefits from adding raw “living” food to my day: In only 12 months I’ve lost 27 pounds, cured my chronic back pain and I have much more energy that I’ve EVER had (on much less sleep!) My hair is shinier, my nails are stronger and my skin feels and looks better… just to name a few great benefits.

Oh yeah, and I’m having FUN!!... which is the part I want to share with you the most!
I do not eat a 100% raw food diet, 100% of the time. I have learned how to find the right percentage of raw food for my lifestyle, so that I can live easily in the “real world” with a busy work schedule and robust social life.

         

Click here to download:

Learn_how_to_eat_75_raw_with_B.zip (4145 KB)

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Today's "go juice" Green smoothie is:

One bunch of red chard- just the leaves

2 ripe persimmons

1/2 bag of frozen organic blueberries.

1.5 tsp of vanilla powder

2 T ground flax seed

Two 11 oz containers of coconut water

It will be a purplish brown color.

       

Click here to download:

Blueberry_Persimmon_Chard_Gree.zip (599 KB)

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