Chaga Coffee

I am a coffee drinker so especially during detox time, on mornings when I can't go without I try to find ways to increase the nutritional impact.  Superfoods like the medicinal "mushroom" chaga is a perfect response.  In addition to it's high antioxidant value and immune boosting effects, the nice thing about chaga, is you could actually skip the coffee all together and  just keep the chaga.  It's the right color of brown. 

Many recipes will tell you to grind the chaga, but using the whole piece is just as effective, and can be reused until it's no longer providing color, just remember to dry it between uses. 

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 T you favorite ground coffee - preferably organic
  • 1 inch lump of Wild Chaga
  • 8 cups of Water
  • Optional 1/4 Cup Organic cow milk or during detox, unsweetened nut milk (coconut, almond, hemp) 
  • Dash of cinnamon
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DIRECTIONS

  1. Boil water in a kettle
  2. Add coffee and chaga to bodum French press
  3. Pour boiled water over
  4. Steep 3-5 minutes
  5. Press plunger down
  6. If you would like to turn it into a latte, then warm your milk to scalding point. Froth it with a milk whizzer, of if you do not have one, put the warmed milk in a glass jar with a tight light- shake rapidly until frothy.
  7. Sprinkle with cinnamon

Protein Breakfast Cookies

Supplement:  Plant-based Protein Powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Makes 6 cookies with 4g of protein each, and equivalent fiber.

These cookies have no sugar added because the sweetness comes from the stevia in the protein powder. If you use an unsweetened protein, you may want to add a Tablespoon of honey with the wet ingredients or 1/4 teaspoon of all natural stevia to the dry. 

Mix together  Dry Ingredients:

  • 1 scoop plant protein (I used TLS Plant-based protein powder, made from pea and rice protein)
  • ½ cup organic rye flakes (can use whole oats)
  • 1 tsp golden flax seeds
  • 1 T pumpkin seeds
  • 1 T organic Thompson raisins
  • ½ tsp cardamom seeds

Fold in wet ingredients one at a time

  • 1 pastured egg
  • 1 T all natural peanut butter

Mix until wet

Drop on parchment lined cookie sheet – flatten slightly.

Cook for 15 minute or until slightly golden

Great to grab and go, give to your kids for a snack, or even have for desert, when you're craving something sweet. 

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Milkshake Smoothie

Serves 1, with a little extra. 

Make it berry, berry delicious! You could also call this an Ice Cream Smoothie as it tastes exactly like ice cream. You're gonna love it. I couldn't believe the flavor of this shake. It's thick, sweet, creamy, like ice cream ... but it's healthy! It could also could act as a meal replacement as it has protein, fiber, good fats and vitamins.

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup of fresh berries (I used strawberries - but I ran out so I garnished with a raspberry - any berry is delicious!)

1 Scoop TLS vanilla nutrition shake (you can use veggie protein as well)

1/4 cup Nutrametrix Ultimate Aloe (I used Strawberry Kiwi, but could use natural or any other flavor)

1 scoop Advanced Fiber Powder

1/2 organic avocado

1/2 cup unsweetened, organic soy milk (you could use almond, coconut or kefir water)

1 cup of Ice

*This is the exact recipe to match the flavor and texture- but I encourage substitutions if you really want to make it today, but don't yet have the ingredients.

DIRECTIONS:

Blend in your blender or use hand mixer until smooth and creamy but still frozen. Garnish with fruit or mint.

 

Healthy Chia Pudding

In order to cut cravings, eating breakfast everyday is essential. This healthy recipe for Chia Pudding is a great option! While you don’t have to eat a lot, it’s best if your breakfast fills a couple of important criteria for stabilizing blood sugar, improving mood, revving metabolism and energizing you. First: it should have protein. Protein repairs the body and increases metabolism. Second: Fiber. Fiber is the calorie-FREE carb that expands in your intestines, buffers sugar spikes and bulks stool. Lastly, you want to include something fresh with mood lifting nutrients to improve metabolism. Clean energy fruits and veggies are a must at every meal. Check out this recipe for Chia seed pudding that meets all these criteria, and them some!

chia-pudding

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup water

  • 1/4 cup coconut milk/cashew/almond mylk (unsweetened)

  • 3 tablespoons chia seeds

  • 1 tablespoon shelled pistachios, chopped

  • 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds, blueberries, fresh mango puree (as shown)/slices or frozen peaches

  • 1/2 tsp carob powder, dash of cinnamon, Sprinkle of Celtic sea salt or Himalayan

Instructions: Whisk together mylk, carob and chia seeds in a small bowl; refrigerate or cover overnight. Layer chia mixture with fruit slices, puree or yogurt, and top with pistachios and pomegranate seeds.

Options: Swap out the milk for unsweetened apple sauce – so filling and delicious!

Easy Coconut Yogurt

This Easy Coconut Yogurt recipe is simply divine. If you are dairy-free, on a detox, or just looking for a simple slow-food recipe to try, give it a whirl. I put it on granola, muesli or eat it alone with berries. You can use it to make a yogurt sauce, dressing or add it to smoothies. It also makes an incredible dip for fruit. Your friends will be so impressed.

Ingredients:

What You’ll Need for 2 servings:

  • 1 can 13.5 oz full fat coconut milk
  • 1 tablet of probiotic to use as your starter (crush between 2 spoons or with a mallet) 
  • 3 Tablespoons of Organic Flaked Coconut (optional for texture)
  • Other optional flavorings: pure vanilla bean, cinnamon, dark cacao nibs or powder
  • A Mason jar that’s big enough to hold the contents of the can of coconut
  • A vacant oven for 24 hours (with a light)

Directions:

Step 1: Sterilize the jar (two methods)

  • Sterilize the glass first by boiling it in water for 10 minutes
  • Sterilize the glass jar by putting it in the cold oven until it heats up to 350 degrees – this way you have to cool your oven before putting the yogurt mixture in.

Step 2: For Added thicknesss refridgerate the can of coconut milk

Be sure to use full-fat canned coconut milk. Native Forest is organic and BPA-free in the linings of their cans, so I recommend it. For thicker texture, refrigerate the can (unshaken) for 3 hours so that the cream rises to the top. Use the cream only for “Greek-Style Yogurt” (extra thick = extra calorie = extra richness). Use the remaining water in a smoothie, in this case.

I use the whole can of coconut milk. It’s runnier but that’s ok.  This way you get the full serving of yogurt this recipe states.

Step 3: Blend the 3 Ingredients

So simple as there are only 2 - 3 ingredients.  Place the coconut milk, or just the cream if you choose, as well as the coconut flakes into the sterilized glass jar with either the tablespoon of powder from the crushed probiotic tablet. Then mix it up with a wooden or metal spoon.

If you’re flavoring the yogurt, it could change the consistency so I recommend trying it once without flavorings first.

Step 4: Wait.

Put the sealed jar of yogurt in the oven with the light on. DO NOT TURN THE OVEN ON. Just close the oven door and turn on the oven light. Even in the midst of a freezing cold winter in New York, the closed oven and the light generate a stable temp of about 105-110°F, perfect conditions for the coconut milk to incubate. At 80°F it might take 2 days.

coconut-yogurt-jar

Eating cultured and fermented foods are some of the best ways to increase our immune system in the gut. Improve your digestion, skin, lose weight, feel happier and prevent colds and flus by eating cultured foods. Buttermilk, kefir, regular yogurt, kombucha, sauerkraut, borscht soup, pickles and all other deliciously tangy fermented things ought to be made this way.

Breakfast Smoothies

Stuck in a rut over breakfast? I love smoothies, especially using 3 of my favorite ingredients; avocado, chia seeds and wheat germ. I enjoy turning savory items into liquid goodness. Try them in popsicles as well. You will be impressed by how much protein, greens, and good healthy omega fats can go into a blended meal!

smoothie

Sunrise Smoothie

Protein source: Greek yogurt. Use organic!
Take a (sort of, not really) vacation when sipping this tropical-tasting smoothie. It calls for Greek yogurt and antioxidant-rich berries, an orange, and banana. Add wheat germ to cut the sweet and boost the vitamin E content.

Kale, Berry, and Acai Power Smoothie

Protein source: Kale, flax seeds, chia seeds, hemp protein powder
Green smoothie ingredients sometimes get a bad rap, but superfood banana and berries mask the bold taste of kale in this recipe. Bonus: The tablespoon of acai powder boosts energy, while cinnamon helps reduce inflammation.

Roasted Strawberry Protein Smoothie

Protein source: Cottage cheese, dairy milk, chia seeds
For a serious flavor boost, roast strawberries (yet another superfood!) before tossing them into this blend. The creamy cottage cheese is a tasty alternative for those not partial to Greek yogurt’s tangy flavor profile.

Coffee Banana Smoothie

Protein source: Greek yogurt, flax seeds
Enjoy a breakfast of yogurt, banana, and coffee—all from the same cup. Caffeine pairs with protein for an exceptional energy boost.

Hot Chocolate Protein Shake

Protein source: Dairy milk, egg, whey powder
A volatile vortex means it’s worth having this warmed-up recipe on hand at all times. Not to mention it makes a (healthy) meal out of classic hot chocolate, working in both protein-packed whey and unsweetened cocoa powder.

Skinny Green Monster Smoothie

Protein source: Peanut butter, Organic plain yogurt
Holy vitamins, Batman! The spinach alone serves up vitamins A, C, K, fiber, magnesium, and calcium!

Coconut Almond Ginger Protein Shake

Protein source: Almonds, protein powder
Switch up a savory breakfast when opting for this sweet, still-healthy smoothie. Almonds and spices deliciously complement the crazy-versatile coconut oil.

Peanut Butter, Banana and Oat Smoothie

Protein source: Peanut butter, flax seeds
All the fixings of a healthy breakfast—peanut butter, banana, and rolled oats—but with a creamy taste of a milkshake. Need we say more?

Banana Raspberry Chia Smoothie

Protein source: Greek yogurt, protein powder, chia seeds
Frozen bananas, raspberries, and spice make busy mornings nice (and full of antioxidants!). The best part: This recipe takes only five minutes to make.

Almond and Cookie Butter Protein Shake

Protein source: Protein powder, almond butter
Cookie butter (essentially gingerbread cookie crumbs mixed into almond butter) is totally a thing, and the littlest bit doesn’t really offset the nutritional quality of this protein-rich, almond-butter-based smoothie. #blessed

Strawberry Banana Smoothie with Chia Seeds

Protein source: Chia seeds
Don’t fix what isn’t broken, right? Bland but nutrition-packed chia seeds sneak protein into the classic strawberry-banana smoothie combo.

Spinach, Kiwi, and Chia Seed Smoothie

Protein source: Chia seeds
A green smoothie that tastes anything but. Bananas sweeten it up, while tart-tasting kiwis keep it from feeling too much like dessert.

Blueberry Mango Smoothie

Protein source: Greek yogurt, dairy milk
Really, you can sip this smoothie anytime—but the fresh taste of antioxidant-rich blueberries and mango is a convincing reason to get out of bed in the morning.

Liquid Lunch

Protein source: Sunflower Sprouts, sprouted pumpkin seed butter

Okay granted, it's called lunch, not breakfast, but sometimes you feel like a savory breakfast. A base of fresh carrot juice or apple juice poured into the blender, 1/2 lemon peeled, a big bunch of sunflower seed sprouts, 1 T sprouted pumpkin seed butter, a whole green apple and 1/2 an avocado. A dream in a glass. You can add some spinacy, a tsp of spirulina for an extra dash of nutrition, or a clove of raw garlic for a bit more superpower.