Tagged with 'paleo'

Soup made with cauliflower + turmeric never tasted so delicious! Sip solo or pair with any entree. It also makes awesome leftovers.

Begin your day with a gut-healing, metabolism supporting latte. It's dairy-free, Paleo & delicious!

If you've never tasted raw brownies, you're in for a treat. They are a healthy-yet-decadent treat, and are even more fantastic with the addition of reishi mushroom powder.

This smoothie is full of healthy fat and protein, and is an excellent way to start your day.

A growing body of research demonstrates the Paleo style of eating is a powerful tool for reversing chronic diseases (metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, CV disease).

A chocolate cup with a creamy pumpkin filling. Yum! This treat is easy to make, vegan, paleo-friendly and gluten-free.

These paleo and AIP-friendly gummies are easy to prepare and full of health benefits.

Protein-packed pancakes to fill you up and curb your cravings all day.

If you love brownies but not all the sugar, check out these Paleo brownies. The sweetness comes from banana and maple or coconectar syrup (depending on which you choose), which also provide some nutrition (unlike cane sugar). The nut butter and cacao contribute fats and protein, which add a lot of flavor + they're satisfying and filling.

L I S T   of   I N G R E D I E N T S 

½ ripe banana

1 ripe avocado

1 cup creamy cashew butter or almond butter

1/3 cup pure maple syrup or coconectar syrup

3 tablespoons cacao powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ cup dark chocolate chips or cacao nibs (optional)

Glaze (optional)

1 to ½ tablespoon coconut oil, melted

1 to ½ tablespoon cacao powder

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup or coconectar syrup

the  M E T H O D

1. Preheat oven to 350^oF and line an 8x8-inch pan with parchment paper.

2. Into a food processor, add the banana and avocado flesh. Puree until smooth.

3. Add the cashew butter and blend again to incorporate.

4. Add the maple syrup, cacao powder and baking soda. Blend again.

5. Pour the batter into a medium bowl and stir in the chocolate chips.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake 10-15 minutes or until the center is set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.

7. To make the glaze, whisk together the coconut oil, cacao powder and maple syrup in a small bowl. Drizzle over the cooled brownies and enjoy!

Recipe courtesy of Paleo Magazine. 

You've heard about the Paleo diet, but what exactly does going Paleo mean? And why would you do it?

What Can I Eat on The Paleo Diet?

The Paleo diet calls for eating like our ancestors did: no grains, dairy, legumes, refined sugar, or processed foods. Rather, fill your plate with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, seafood, grass-fed/free-range meat, eggs, nuts & seeds, and healthy oils. The outcome is supposed to be weight loss, lower blood sugar, and less inflammation in your body. 

The History of The Paleo Diet

The theory behind Paleo is this: people’s genetics haven’t changed much in the past 10,000 years, but farming, food production and food availability certainly have! Some doctors and scientists think the dietary habits adopted over the past 100 years have led to an increase in heart disease, diabetes, and a variety of autoimmune disorders. These heath conditions were virtually unknown among hunter-gatherer and pre-agricultural human beings — their “caveman diet” consisted of fat, lean meat, occasionally roots, berries, and other sources of carbohydrates.

Unfortunately, our country's SAD (Standard American Diet) has become a diet loaded with sugar and carbohydrates that come mainly from processed grains. The Paleo thinking is our bodies haven’t evolved to keep pace with these changes and we don’t have the genetic wiring to process that type and quantity of grain, hence many of our health problems, including weight issues. 

Why the Paleo Diet Works

The Paleo diet isn't necessarily low-carb, but it replaces those high-glycemic index, grain-based foods that don't do a body good. Reducing those high glycemic foods has many benefits:

• Less inflammatory response because you aren't eating gluten and sugar.
• Increases the body's sensitivity to insulin.
• Minimal blood sugar spikes and therefore less insulin being released.
• Helps you lose weight. 
• Decreased risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Reduces hunger and keep you fuller for longer.
• Minimize energy crashes.
• Minimize carbohydrate cravings.

The Paleo diet is easy to follow and relatively quick with results. Give it a try!

Kelly Harrington, MS, RDN

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Healthy Goods

I’m jumping on the pumpkin everything bandwagon this Fall season, and here's another delicious way to incorporate it into your life.

The nutrition in this recipe is great for supporting your immune system and reducing inflammation. It also contains a lot of heart healthy fat.

Pumpkin spice granola is full of immune-boosting antioxidants! Pumpkin is known for being packed with beta-carotene, which is converted to Vitamin A in your body. Vitamin A not only maintains a healthy immune system overall, it also keeps mucous membranes in top form. The Vitamin E in the sunflower seeds is also a powerful antioxidant and plays an important role in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. 

The ginger and cinnamon in the pumpkin pie spice pack a nutrition punch. Cinnamon is studied for its numerous health benefits, including helping blood glucose levels. Ginger is high in antioxidants and known to reduce inflammation. 

Ingredients

½ cup sunflower seeds  

½ cup pumpkin seeds   

2 Tablespoons chia seeds   

1 cup of unsweetened coconut flakes

1/3 cup coconut oil  

½ cup pumpkin puree

¼ cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (to stay Paleo, use non-imitation vanilla or vanilla bean powder)

1½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or ½ teaspoon each ground ginger, nutmeg, cloves)

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of sea salt  

½ cup dried apples or dried mangos (chopped into pieces), dried cranberries, or goji berries

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

2. Combine the seeds and coconut flakes in a large bowl.

3. Melt the coconut oil over low heat in a small saucepan. When coconut oil is melted, remove from the heat and add the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, vanilla, spices, and sea salt and whisk together until smooth.

4. Pour the spiced pumpkin mixture over the dry ingredients in the bowl and mix until well coated.

5. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Spread the granola evenly on the baking sheet and bake for 40-50 minutes.

6. Stir every 15 minutes or so to be sure the granola is cooking evenly and not burning. Remove from the oven and let the granola cool completely.

7. Once cool add the dried fruit and transfer to an airtight container until ready to serve. 

Enjoy this delicious, Paleo-friendly recipe!

In Health and Happiness,

Kelly Harrington, MS, RDN

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Healthy Goods

Recipe courtesy of Natural Grocers Healthy and Delicious Recipes.