Here follows a full disclaimer : When the temperature hits 28degrees Celsius and every Capetonian runs to the beach, I retreat back indoors and into the comfy surrounds of my kitchen.
The main cause for excitement is that my number one cooking essential for every delicious dessert that you can imagine; my coconut oil, is in its yummy, runny, lovely to work with natural state. Just looking at the opaque liquid in its glass bottle on my kitchen shelf
Hmmmmmm my imagination is running wild with pictures of styled Raw Cheesecakes, Raw Chocolate tarts, Raw Avo Lemon tart …. you get the picture , right ?
All naturally plant based and without any gluten or refined sugar. It is summer after all and part of self-care and self-love is respecting your body and everything you put into it.
It is as easy as blending:
3 heaped cups of pineapple
1 cup of coconut oil
1T lemon juice
2T Agave
Pinch of salt
and pouring that glorious oozing liquid over a tart base made of:
1 cup of cashews,
½ cup of desiccated coconut
½ cup of coconut oil
Ground to a cookie crumb consistency in your favourite food-processor.
Put the whole lot in the freezer for 4 hours.
This recipe works best when using the small individual metal pie dishes with the removable metal plate, or like I did this time, in one 25cm pie dish with removable bottom.
I normally take the little precious gems out of the freezer 30min before serving to slightly capture the ooze character of the coconut oil.
When last have you been able to have your slice of tart and get right into that swim suit with not a guilty thought in site?
Coconut oil is anti-bacterial , anti-fungal and with almost 43mg of lauric Acid per 100ml you have a built in acne fighter and any microbial infections covered. Zero cholesterol and zero carbs.
Pineapple, our hero of the moment is packed with Vitamin C, B Vitamins, fibre and Manganese.
Pineapple also contain the active ingredient Bromelain which is known for its function to reduce inflammation, swelling aids with wound healing – particularly burns and also plays an active role in promoting healthy digestion.
Welcome to the world of yummi , healthy , raw baking ! xx
This article has been inspired by a combination of factors : the shocked looks I get when telling people how many avo’s and liters of olive oil I consume in a month , putting an end to the belief that fats only equal expanded waistline and the super inspirational book : Fats that Heal Fats that Kill written by Udo Erasmus.
All the scientific references are based on the phenominal research done by Udo Erasmus – with a little input from my own background as an Analytical Chemist.
Just as all proteins are not equal , all fats are most definitly not equal. It is simply impossible to write an articles on the good and the bad of fats without adding a little bit of biology into the context. We will look at two main groups : Saturated Fatty Acids ( SaFAs ) and Unsaturated Fatty Acids ( UFAs). Below is a scetch of each one’s molecular structure.
( Butyric Acid – found in butter )
In short – the Saturated Fatty Acids have no double bonds and any of them that contain more than 12 Carbons are called long-chain SaFAs. They are insoluble in water , carry no electrical charge – making them stick together , with this resulting in the detrimental role they play in Cardiovascular disease by plague formation deposited onto cells , organs and arteries. Udo calls them sluggish molecules.
They are especially in abundance in beef , mutton , pork and dairy products.
Saturated Fatty Acids also decrease oxygen supply to our tissues , this makes our red blood cells stick together , less mobile – resulting in less oxygen being delivered to the cells.
A quick worth mention is that short-chain and medium-chain SaFAs with Carbon counts up to 12 such as Butyric acid ( 4 Carbons ) helps feed the friendly bacteria in our colons , Caprylic acid ( 8 Carbons ) inhibit growth of yeast and candida and Medium-chain SaFAs ( 6 – 12 Carbons ) are often used by athletes before work outs for a boost of energy.
A very well known medium-chain SaFAs is Coconut oil. It contains : Caprylic acid , Capric acid ( 10 Carbons ) and Lauric acid ( 12 Carbons ).All of these show incredible immune enhancing properties due to their natural anti-viral, anti-microbial , anti fungal properties. Laurel acid is know for it’s anti-viral properties. The recommended intake per day is 1 – 4 tablespoons. I find it an easy add on to my Chia Meal Breakfast ( Rawlicious brand ) or smoothy blend.
At this point I need to introduce a well known bad element namely : Refined Sugar.
Refined Sugar is almost always broken down into fats and mostly the unwanted SaFAs. Increased blood sugar also interferes with the release of Linoleic acid ( LA ) a crucial Essential Fatty Acid ( EFAs) I will mention a little later.
( Oleic acid – found in avocado’s )
Unsaturated Fatty Acids ( UFAs ) contain one or more double bond between their carbon atoms , as is noticeable in the sketch above of Oleic acid. Notice that it is the Hydrogen atom ( H ) – two at each double bond that has been given up. This simple shift in structure contributes to all the amazing health benefits we get from UFAs.
Each UFAs has it’s own unique quality and benefit to our wellbeing as listed below:
Oleic acid ( 18 carbons , double bond between 9 and 10 ) – found in olives , avocado , cashews , peanuts , pistachio , macadamia and pecan nuts and keeps our arteries supple.
In his book : Eating for Beauty by my favorite mentor and general genius David (Avocado) Wolfe makes mention of high Oleic acid content in avocado , contributing to beautiful skin , being reason enough to have at least one of these a day.
He also makes special mention of the lessen known macadamia nut. In addition to the Oleic acid value , it is the richest source of the UFAs , Palmitoleic acid which acts as an antioxidant , has hydrating qualities , prevent cell membrane deterioration and has shown to be helpful in restoring damaged and burned skin.
David makes special mention of how the high calorie content of the macadamia nut is negligible due to the increase in fat metabolism caused by the EFA quality and content of the calorie source.
Alpha-linolenic Acid ( LNA ) – Omega 3 and
Linoleic Acid ( LA ) – Omega 6 – found in flax , hemp seed , linseeds, walnuts and dark leafy greens are called Essential Fatty Acids ( EFAs ).
The naming of omega-3 , omega-6 and omega-9 is simply derived from the positioning of the first carbon where a double bond is formed within the molecular structure.
EFAs attract oxygen and once again I have to make reference to Udo calling these beauties oxygen “magnets”. EFA’s are part of all our cell membranes.
EFAs has a slight negative charge , making them act in an opposite fashion to the “sticky” UFAs. They repel each other , making them super reactive and keeping the membranes fluid.
EFAs are also the precursors to prostaglandins. They are short lived , hormone like substances which regulate many cell functions.
This quality makes their presence in the structures responsible for: protein synthesis , secretion of substances out of cells , transport of substances in and out of the cells , release of energy out of cells , storage of products made by the nucleus of the cells and the chromosomes which carry the entire operational system plan of our body – vital to our optimal health.
LA and LNA shorten the recovery time for fatigued muscles due to their input during the conversion of lactic acid to water and carbon dioxide.
LA specifically help produce red blood cells ( hemoglobin ).
Linoleic ( LA ) acid is also the EFA with the highest daily requirement.
EFAs , particularly the omega-3 family are strong anti-oxidants , provide an immune boost , burn excess fat and play an important role in beautiful skin.
Hemp seeds are the only food that has the exact ration of omega-3 to omega-6 for optimal functioning. It also contains Gamma-linolenic Acid ( GLA ) part of the omega-6 family. Flax seeds provide a therapeutic quantity of omega-3.
Eicosapentaenoic Acid ( EPA ) and
Docasahexaenoic Acid ( DHA ) form part of the omega-3 EFAs family.
From the general qualities discussed above , we can understand why these EFAs are such key components to the most active organs in our body : brain , nerve relay stations ( synapses ) , sense organs ( retinas ) , adrenal glands and testes.
We are all familiar to the better known source of these two – being fish oils , especially mackerel , salmon , trout and sardines.
The challenge we are facing with our current water pollution situation is that the measures of radioactive compounds and mercury content are at toxic levels. To make the situation worst , both mercury and radioactive compounds are particularly attracted to fatty tissue – making the choice of getting our EPA and DHA from the ocean no longer a viable option.
Over the last decade more and more mention has been made of eating lower down on the food chain. It lessens the possibility of environmental toxicity captured in the tissue and also offers environmental relief on the massive environmental resource demand of producing large quantities of live stock.
The good news is that DHA and EPA can be manufactured by LNA , which as mentioned before is abundantly available in flax , hemp and also Chia seeds.
The one very important bit of information I have been holding back is .. when avo’s are not in season and your flax and hemp seed containers are empty – just ensure you always have a bottle of Udo’s oil in your pantry.
Udo Erasmus made it his life work to put together the perfect proportion of omega-3 , omega-6 , omega-9 our bodies want to perform at peak level.
After years of intense research on the topic he found the the ratio is :
Omega -3 , 6 , 9 = 2 : 1 : 1
He also found that the most damaging fats are found in margarines , shortenings and heated oils.
After reading all of the above – and once again realizing a lot of scientific names and terminology had to be used – I am hoping to see guilt free gulps of olive oil , bigger slices of avo , jars – abundant with macadamia nuts and hemp seeds as standard pantry items in your house. ( A bottle of Udo’s oil – purchased from your favorite Wellness Warehouse branch needs not even be repeated )
Also , if you would so wish , a copy of Dr Udo Erasmus’ book on your reading shelf. Even as it might not be a summer romance , I promise chapters of inspiring red wine drinking and how to keep your fur kids healthy – all just to much to squeeze into one article J
It is with a sense of sadness that a recent health issue my Mom experienced -brought to my attention the fact that the culture of popping a pill to solve any health issue has made its way into the world of Nutritional Supplementation.
In a society of only treating the symptom and not the reason for the illness – it is no wonder that chronic medication is simply part of life when you reach a certain age.
Calcification is a topic not often heard in discussions among health care professionals – rather the Bone density issue and how to cure with some Calcium supplements.
In the Longevity Now program which David Wolfe offers he talks in depth about the negative effect of calcification in the body.
Let me list a few illnesses and diseases directly linked to calcification:
Aches in your muscles or arthritic joint pains
Cataracts in your eyes
Loss of hearing
Kidney stones
Calcification of the coronary artery
Hardening of body systems – traditionally blamed on the natural process of aging.
..just getting older and more wrinkled
Hmmmm – got your attention ?
The body can only absorb that which it recognizes as natural goodness – any foreign substance is stored as toxic waste either in the fatty tissue, liver, plague growth in the blood vessels, or other organs.
Most Calcium supplements are “dead” calcium – oyster shell residue , coral residue , mineral residues from the earth. ( calcium citrate / calcium carbonate ) Imagine how your insides would feel if you go outside and munch on a few spoons full of soil – not so great , right ?
Scientific experimentation done at the university of Kuopio in Finland by E.Olavi Kajander and Neva Ciftcioglu has successfully identified the presence of shell forming Nanobacteria in these substances which are responsible for the recycling of organisms by forming a biofilm around the dead creature which then hardens into a calcified dormant state of Calcium Phosphate.
These nanobacteria also has the ability to reproduce , forming aggregate – clogging up our system silently until a calcification disease shows it’s ugly head.
Great way of nature to “clean up” – not so good to be happening on the inside of your body.
We are lucky to have various studies like the China Study where several accurate scientific experiments have been performed to indicate that all nutritional elements are more readily available for human absorption if it originates from a plant based source.
This is also true for Calcium. “Bad calcium” is positively charged. Good calcium contain a surplus of electrons, making them negatively charged – which is what naturally occurs in plants , vegetables , wheatgrass , citrus fruit , carob and mesquite.
The ground breaking research of French scientist Professor CL Kervran also proved the transmutation of supplemental silicon ( horsetail , hemp leaf , sprouts ) and magnesium ( chlorella, cacao , green leafy vegetables ) into calcium in the bones. Indicating once again that the theory of taking in calcium for your bone density might not be the most accurate solution.
Rudolph Steiner has been a keen activist on horsetail and nettle for bone strength – supporting the research of Professor Kervran.
I am naturally a firm believer of growing your own organic food from nutrient rich soil as far as possible to ensure you do get all the nutrition the plant offers.
Good news is that our wonderfully body is completely capable of reversing the damage done by calcification.
Start shopping for your calcium in the organic produce section of the shop and stop any “dead” calcium supplement ( pearl calcium is the only exception)
Dissolve the “bad” calcium by consuming citrus ( one lemon or lime a day – as more can make the body too acidic )
Taking products such as Zeolites , MSM and Fulvic acid to eliminate the toxic substance from your body.
Boost your immune system with medicinal mushrooms and garlic extracts.
Rejuvenate your body with adaptogen herbs , probiotics , superfood Vit C powders , marine phytoplankton.
Sunday afternoons have always given me a bit of a twilight zone feeling – enough time has passed to rest and recover from the week’s activities – but not quite enough time to feel ready for Monday morning.
Naturally , I find myself in the kitchen trying out new recipes I have marked with posted notes , stuck up on the fridge or saved on my computer screen during the week.
This Sunday it is fun and lovely raw vegan date balls with a dash of feelgood Peruvian superfood Maca.
As a nutritional couch trained by Raw food guru David Wolfe – the one thing I am very passionate about is the endless possibilities of combining Superfoods into everyday meals and treats.
Nothing feels better than biting into a yummy , gooey date ball – knowing that every ingredient from the brain food walnuts to the Magnesium rich cacao is packed with healthy goodness.
..and without further delay :
Into a food processor place 1 and 1/2 cups dates ( covered in water for 2 hours )
1/4 cup of the date liquid ( you can save the balance of the date liquid for sweetening your morning smoothie )
1 cup dessicated coconut
1 cup walnuts
3 tablespoon Cacao powder
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 tablespoon Maca
Combine till a gooey paste consistency – and enjoy every moment of rolling into balls of your desired size.
I try to get 24 little gems out of a batch.
Now I am ready for Monday and every day of the week after ! 🙂
Be sure to pack one or two into your lunch box – that afternoon energy slump will be something of the past – with every bad sugar slump you have ever known.
In every country traveled I find there are lessons to be learned – passed down from generation to generation – ingrained into the very essence of the culture.
When I am fortunate enough to stumble across these , normally happily shared by a generous local , I treasure the experience and find a way to take it home with me and incorporate into my every day life.
From the French – I have copious little habits and rituals … some of them have become such a part of how I live that it would be unimaginable for me to think there was a time these little culture treasures where unknown to me.
I want to share two of these with you today.
The first is to always buy the best ingredients available. From time to time this might make for a smaller portion of your chosen dish.
You see – the French know that with amazing flavor and taste – the taste buds are happy and fulfilled long before the tummy is filled to capacity.
In this lies a big part of the secret to all the fabulous French ladies we see enjoying a buttery croissant while fitting into their lovely chic outfits.
The second secret is presentation. Even a busy workday can leave space for a sit down – lovely prepared , and presented salad – made with the best ever ingredients.
I share with you my Monday “pick up and go” green salad :
Big hand full of Rocket and Sunflower sprouts
1/3 Cucumber sliced and cut into chunks
1 Tablespoon Capers
5 Green olives
Vegan mayonnaise – made by blending : 2T apple cider vinegar , 1/4 cup olive oil , 1t honey , pinch of salt and a garlic clove – with a 3/4 cup water
As it is Monday and we are embracing the French way – lets finish this off with a single delicious chocolate truffle and a little espresso?
Over the years I have quietly come to realize that most of those “old-wife tales” are very true and still relevant in our modern times.
One of them is : breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
From personal experience I have come to see , the days I take the time to prepare a beautiful healthy breakfast and sit down and enjoy every bite … I feel full of energy , inspired and can have a super productive morning till my tummy send me those – time for a little lunch break message 🙂
The alternative is not a pretty picture .. me with a grumpy , edgy personality and not a three year old with a zoo-cracker is safe in my company .. you get the picture ?
So , this morning with the full romanticizing moment of stepping out with a fresh espresso and picking the first three fully ripe , lovely tomatoes from my own garden made for the beginnings of a perfect morning.
I have fallen in love with the combination of tomato and green olive paste – all piled onto a slice of gluten free sprouted bread topped with freshly picked basil and a thick slice of avocado.
Yummy , foodie happiness