Simple Super Snack: Cacao-Yacon

I discovered yacon syrup when researching my upcoming booklet on Natural and Healthy Sweeteners (to be published Spring 2009 by Woodland Press). And boy, is it ever good!

Made from the starchy root of the yacon plant, a sunflower relative native to regions of the South American Andes, yacon syrup is low glycemic, low calorie and prebiotic as well as delicious. The taste evokes a light, fruity molasses - tangy and delightful.

Yacon and cacao are a match made in Mayan heaven. True, both are on the pricey side, but if you only eat a little at a time, the cost per serving remains low and your supply will last a while. Here's my new favorite quick snack and natural mood elevator using these two superfood treats.

Cacao-Yacon Bowl
Put a handful of whole raw cacao beans, say 6 - 12 beans, in a little dish. Stir in a teaspoon of yacon syrup to coat. Then, eat the sweetly glistening beans one by one, preferably while thinking about mist rising over the ruins at Machu Picchu.

You can find whole raw cacao beans at many Whole Foods stores, your local health food store (if you're lucky) or online. I got my latest bag at Matt Monarch's RawFoodWorld.com for a great price.

Enjoy!

Ode to Deaf

I know it sounds strange, but I woke up at three o’clock this morning and for some reason, started thinking about this delicious peanut butter I used to love (and I mean LOVE) back in the late 1970's and early ‘80’s when I was first getting into health food. Thing of it was, I couldn’t remember the name of the stuff. What was it called?

For the better part of a pitch black hour I lay awake in bed, watching my mind strive to unfold the knowledge I knew was in there. What was the name of that darn peanut butter? I knew it was somebody’s actual name. Dean something? Not quite, but getting nearer…

Finally, my memory center retrieved a name that sounded close: Deaf Mills. Knowing I was hot on the trail, I left the warmth of covers and hit up Google in the next room. And voila! The answer was revealed: Deaf Smith peanut butter, made by Arrowhead Mills from the finest Valencia peanuts grown West of the Mississippi.

I found links to Wikipedia entries that explained the derivation of the name (the historical man Deaf Smith fought in the Texas Revolution; the county in Texas named after him is famed for its naturally fluorine-rich soil and tasty Valencia peanuts). Another link led to a blog page where for the past four years, people have been stopping by to sing the praises of Deaf Smith peanut butter, and longingly bemoan the fact that it is no longer available. (See here: http://citycomfortsblog.typepad.com/cities/2004/07/deaf_smith_coun.html)

I must agree that Deaf Smith peanut butter was, indeed, something very special... the best ever of all peanut butters, IMHO. Crunchy and salted was my hands down favorite. I actually had a little "problem" with Deaf Smith peanut butter, in that it was so satisfying and delicious I could eat practically a whole jar in one sitting, tablespoon by luscious tablespoon. (This was not a good idea.)

Alas, there is no modern peanut butter to compare (a blessing in disguise no doubt). Instead, I'm now a fan of crunchy raw almond butter, which is not quite the same thing, but comparably tasty in its own sweet wholesome way, and healthier, too. Unlike acidifying peanuts, almonds are widely regarded as the most alkaline Queen of nuts...and they do not harbor the peanut-associated aflatoxin mold, a known carcinogen.

It’s tough today to find domestically grown raw almonds that are truly raw, as an unfortunate 2008 legal action caused all raw almonds to undergo a “pasteurization” process prior to sale. Organic almonds are pasteurized using steam, conventional almonds are gas-treated, so I think the organic are worth the extra cost. Raw organic almond butter is crazy expensive ($15 a jar!) so I buy it rarely and treat it as a precious commodity when I do. This Split Banana recipe uses only one teaspoon per serving, making it a rich and affordable indulgence. Enjoy as a between-meal snack, a quick dessert or a special occasion breakfast like I did this morning, following my wee hours Deaf Smith detective adventure.

Split Bananas with Chocolate Almond Filling

1 teaspoon each: raw almond butter, raw cacao powder, agave syrup
1 ripe banana
cinnamon and/or cayenne (optional)

Mix together the almond butter, cacao and agave until a thick paste forms. Split a banana lengthwise and remove top half. Cover the bottom half with the chocolate-almond paste, distributing evenly. Replace the top banana half and press down gently to seal. Slice into rounds and arrange on a plate; sprinkle with cinnamon and/or cayenne if desired… and eat! (Feel free to substitute regular cocoa or carob powder for the cacao, and honey, maple or yacon syrup for the agave.)

Ginger Green Juice

The fudge didn't last long but green juice continues to be a daily drink, even after my new year's fast! Here's a favorite recipe with lots of ginger to help keep the internal fires burning in wintertime. The taste is tangy with a hint of sweetness; the bonus is oodles of nutrition, including eye-healthy lutein, blood-fortifying iron, bone-building calcium and other minerals. If you have an Omega or Champion-style juicer like me, try alternating the squishier items (apple, cuke, lemon) with the more fibrous celery and greens to help keep everything moving smoothly through the gear.

Ginger Green Juice

1 large hunk of ginger (up to an inch long, or more!)
1/2 large cucumber
2-3 celery ribs
2 large leaves kale OR equivalent - use any dark green or blend of leafy greens (parsley, romaine, spinach, chard, etc.)*
1 granny smith apple
1/2 lemon, peeled and pitted

*For the juice in the photo I used about 10 sprigs each dandelion, watercress and curly parsley in place of kale

Juice Fast & Raw Fudge

As promised, here is the update on my New Year juice fast, now behind me (making it a fast in the past).

I went with a 3-day rather than a 5-day fast, due to logistical issues. I also have to say 3-days is a good length for a short fast - easy to complete and very rewarding/renewing! Each day I drank up to three tall glasses of fresh-pressed veggie juice with apples and ginger, plus plenty of herb tea (sometimes with raw honey) and plain water. I also had miso soup at dinner time on days 2 and 3.

Fasting is most definitely a natural high. I got a little spacey and the miso soup help ground me. Veggie broth is often "permitted" on a juice fast; this was like instant veggie broth. Miso is a wonder food, providing immune-boosting probiotics in addition to yummy flavor. I like the mellow/sweet white miso from South River Farms best of all.

Breaking the fast is always the challenge. After resting the digestive organs, we don't want to stress them with too much quantity of, or too dense quality of food. Fresh fruit, salad, avocado are recommended, which is what I did, although I must confess some of my homemade Christmas Rosemary Spiced Nut Mix did slip in there... whoops! And truth be told, it gave me a little tummy ache, just to prove that light foods are better than heavy when breaking a fast. (I knew that would happen...!) They are delicious, though - made in the dehydrator with tons of fresh rosemary and just the right amount of cayenne pepper and agave for the hot & sweet effect.

Anyway, other than the nut thing, the fast breaking went really well, and today I am ready to jump into 2009 with a clean body and energized outlook. In fact, I like this feeling so much that I've decided to do a once-weekly fast day for the month of January. If that goes well, I may commit to continuing through to Spring. (You see, rather than making a mammoth New Year resolution, such as "I'm going to fast once a week for the entire year," I'm going with a shorter, "renewable" resolution to up my success potential - a little trick given to me yesterday from my wise mother. Thanks, Mom!)

In honor of eating again. I made a special treat for dessert last night: Raw Cacao Walnut Fudge. OMG - was this ever yummy! And so quick to make, adapted from the brownie recipe in Jennifer Cornbleet's excellent uncook-book, Raw Food Made Easy. I'm planning to experiment with this one, adding coconut to the next batch, or maybe currants or mint extract or goji berries or.... but I digress. Here's the recipe in its pristine purity:

Raw Cacao Walnut Fudge

This almost-instant recipe makes eight squares of rich, chewy, chocolatey inch-high fudge.

1 cup raw walnuts
5 Medjool dates
1/3 cup raw cacao powder
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch Himalayan pink salt (or any high quality sea salt)
additional walnuts for topping (optional)

In food processor, pulse 3/4 cups of the walnuts into a fine meal. Pit the dates and add to food processor with salt and vanilla. Process until smooth and transfer to bowl. Finely chop remaining 1/4 cup walnuts and mix by hand into walnut-date blend. Press the fudge into a small rectangular container (about 4"X6") so that fudge is about one inch tall. If desired, press additional chopped walnuts, about 1/8 cup, into top. Or press in 8 small walnut halves, one for each future serving. Refrigerate to help fudge set, then slice into eight squares and enjoy!