Spoonful of Sugar Free

Registered Dietitian

recipes

Kuna Cocoa

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I’ve talked about the benefits of chocolate before on my blog; but while driving home today I listened to another great testimony of chocolate’s wonderful health benefits, so I decided to talk about it again.

I don’t know exactly what radio station it was on, but I found an article that talks about it similarly HERE. I recapped what I learned and what I thought was the most interesting below.

(Picture Source) 

A medical professor at Harvard University, Dr. Norman Hollenburg, spent years researching the Kuna tribe in Panama. Some of the Kuna people still live on an island off the coast of Panama, but others moved on to live in the mainland. Dr. Hollenburg found that four of the most common killers, stroke, heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, affected fewer than 1 in 10 of the Kuna living on the island compared to the much higher percentage of people living on the mainland. He also said that he has yet to find a Kuna from the island with Alzheimer’s. What’s the difference? Those living on the island drank an average of 5 cups of cocoa every day. 

This cocoa they drink is not the Hot Chocolate we are used to. This is pure chocolate scraped fresh from the pods and made into a paste to make the cocoa drink. No milk. No sugar. Just pure chocolate. Chocolate contains a powerful flavanol called epicatechin, which can also be found in tea, wine, chocolate and some fruits and vegetables.

So get your chocolate on!

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Grain-Free Bitter Chocolate Cake for One

Chocolate Covered Almonds

Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day:

What is the darkest chocolate you will eat? If you don’t like chocolate, your crazy.

I can’t eat anything less than 100%. I like it bitter.

I am Cookie Monster!

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Give me Cookies!

I am going to be out of town for a tennis tournament again this weekend, so I made a huge batch of High Protein Cookies.

Ginormous.  Huge. Like a triple batch of my original recipe.

They will probably be all gone by this weekend.

Why shouldn’t I eat cookies for all my meals?

They are High in Protein.

They have Vegetables in them.

And they’re full of Healthy Fats!

Not to mention super yummy!

Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day:

 

If you were to eat one type of food all day long what would it be?

Perhaps eat pounds of nuts and nutbutters? Vegetables all day long? Eat an entire Chocolate Cake?

I would probably choose various types of oatmeal because I could change it up to create savory or sweet oatmeal.

 

Banana Blueberry

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Have you made Breakfast Oat Cakes yet?

They are easy to make, portable, versatile, filling, tasty, and healthy.

This batch I made “muffin-style” by baking it in muffin tins with liners instead of on a cookie sheet. Works just fine.

I added 2 mashed bananas to the batter and a handful of fresh blueberries. 

Perfect for breakfasts on-the-go, brunches, or even an afternoon snack.

Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day:

When you are in a rush in the morning, what do you usually grab to eat? Or do you eat breakfast?

I usually like to plan ahead if I know I am going to be busy the next morning by making some Oat Cakes, a smoothie, or some High Protein Cookies. However, if I don’t have time to do this, I will grab a piece of fruit (usually a banana) and some nuts.

Maitake Miso

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Thanks for all of your get-well wishes! They really made me smile 😀

I am feeling a lot better today, too. Not 100%, but definitely better than yesterday. Maybe it was because of the healing soups and beverages I drank!

Fresh Celery-Cucumber-Lemon juice and Spicy Tomato Tea Cure.

The Spicy Tomato Tea cure is a recipe found HERE. It really does wonders. I would make this any time you are congested or have a sore throat. In fact, I would make it even if you didn’t have a sore throat because it tastes so good! I’ll write more about it tomorrow.

The best way to eat soup is in a mug!

 Recognize these mushrooms? I decided to make a maitake miso soup with them. Thanks to Caysee for giving me the idea and telling me that the maitake are great immune boosters!

Miso soup is extremely easy to make. It only takes a few minutes, which is perfect for when you are sick and don’t want to be on your feet for more than that!

Maitake Miso Soup

~You can add whatever vegetables and ingredients you like. Traditional miso soup also has tofu in it, so feel free to add cubes if you wish. 

Ingredients

  • 5 cups water (or vegetable/chicken stock)
  • 3.5 oz. Maitake mushrooms (the whole package of this)
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced (or 1 small white/yellow onion)
  • 3 Tablespoons Miso paste (any kind will do. I used brown rice miso)
  • Optional: sliced carrots, tofu cubes, brown rice, watercress, ginger
In a large saucepan, heat water/stock to a boil and add mushrooms, scallions, and any other vegetable (if using). Simmer for 15 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Take a fourth cup of the stock out of saucepan and mix miso paste in until well-combined. Add back into soup and stir.
It tastes great with a dash of liquid aminos! (or soy sauce)
Health Benefits
  • Miso: Contains all essential amino acids, making it a complete protein, has healthy probiotics and helps with digestion, good source of vitamin B, strengthens immune system, lowers LDL cholesterol, and is high in antioxidants which protects against free radicals.
  • Maitake: This mushroom contains beta-glucan, which helps boost the immune system. It also helps lower blood pressure and fight harmful diseases. It also can help regulate blood sugar levels.

Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day:

What do you eat or drink to make you feel better when you are sick?

Fungus Experts Needed

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I received these three packages of organic mushrooms from my Organic Co-Op this week. The problem is, I have never heard of these mushrooms before. I don’t know what they taste like, and I don’t know how to cook them. Frankly, I am a bit intimidated by them.

I’ve got some…

Maitake (Hen of the Woods)

Bunapi (White Beech Mushroom)

Eryngii (King Oyster Mushrooms)

I’m in the mood for mushroom soup, but I don’t know if these mushrooms will taste good in the creamy soup. My second thought would be to simply stir fry them, but again, I have no idea what these babies can do.

Does anybody have any experience cooking these mushrooms? Any good recipes to try?

Grain-Free Pumpkin Pancakes

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The mystery pancakes were Pumpkin Pancakes! So Val and the Flourishing Foodie were right!

I know Pumpkin is not a summer flavor, but it is full of vitamin A, fiber, and it is delicious! I saw a huge can of it at the store, so I had to buy it.

Grain-Free Pumpkin Pancakes 

~The almond extract really makes these pancakes. It is at almost every grocery store, and I highly suggest buying a bottle. Grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, and, of course, sugar-free! 

Ingredients

  • 1 cup pumpkin
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 Tablespoon garbanzo bean flour (or flour of choice. I have also tried millet and coconut flour. Both work fine.)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Mix all ingredients together until smooth. Heat skillet to medium heat and grease with oil of choice (I used coconut oil). Drop batter by spoonfuls on skillet.
Flip after about a minute or until the pancakes hold together and are slightly browned. Take of skillet and serve with toppings like shaved coconut or chopped almonds.
Serves one. Each serving makes about 15 small pancakes. Feel free to double or triple recipe as needed.
Leftovers make great snacks for later!
I topped mine with Homemade Coconut Butter. The coconut really compliments the pumpkin well.
Health Benefits of Pumpkin:
One cup of pumpkin has 7 grams fiber, 2650 IU Vitamin A, 564 mg potassium. It also boasts a truckload of antioxidants like Alpha-carotene and Beta-carotene.

Thought-provoking, mind-prodding question of the day:

Favorite Pancake Flavor?

Blueberry, chocolate, banana, cinnamon, pumpkin?