It's all about The Dirt:

A variation from Fresh Cracked Pepper

• 1 cup walnuts

• 2 tsp. raw cacao powder

• 1/2 cup shaved coconut

• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil

• 1/4 cup melted coconut spread (or butter)

• 1 tbsp. raw agave nectar

• 2 tbsp. chia seeds

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1/8 tsp salt

• 1/2 cup raw or toasted sesame seeds (you can buy ‘em pre-toasted or do it yourself: keep an eye, they burn fast!)

Chop the walnuts in blender and toast the sesame seeds (we kept them raw). In a bowl, add remaining ingredients and stir until it’s a dough-like consistency. Shape into 3/4″ round balls, and then roll into sesame seeds. Chill or freeze for up to a month, but if you’re like us, they won’t last that long.

These make a great snack on a bike ride, hike or snowshoe. It’s a cool weather snack though…they will melt and be mushy in warm temps.

My little helpers/tasters. One for the plate, one for me…one for the plate, one for me…

Part IV, Sugar Cheats: Confessions of a sugar junkie.
How I find ways to treat myself, but to stay true to my beliefs.

My sugar alternatives:

Stevia is a GRAS herb (Generally Recognized As Safe by the FDA) that is 300 times sweeter than sugar. According to Wikipedia, it’s low-carb, low-sugar and medical research has also shown possible benefits of stevia in treating obesity and high blood pressure. Stevia is widely used as a sweetener in Japan, South America, and parts of Asia. Even Coke and Pepsi are getting in on the action.

Baked sweet potatoes with butter.
I swear this is candy that is loaded with vitamin A. You can’t go wrong. Enjoy the sweet flavor and trick those taste buds into indulging in a nutrient dense food. Bake them until the skin is crunchy and get a potato chip texture.

Fruit.
A juicy, sweet orange.
Fresh raspberries or a ripe banana you can enjoy with melted coconut oil, stevia and a teaspoon of raw cacao drizzled on top.
An apple with peanut, almond or cashew macadamia nut butter.

Agave nectar.
A plant similar to the yucca that’s 1.4 to 1.6 times sweeter than sugar, according to Wikipedia. It’s derived from the sap, so it’s similar to the consistency of honey. Agave nectar is notable in that its glycemic index and glycemic load are lower than many other natural sweeteners on the market. Beware though, it’s still pretty high in calories and is sweet, so use it sparingly.

Unsweetened Licorice.
I have a tea in the morning called Breathe Deep that’s sweet because it has licorice in it. As stated in Wikipedia, studies have shown that it can soothe an upset stomach, has a strong anti-viral effect, and has a sweet after-taste. Zagarese makes a strong, organic, sugar-free licorice candy in small bits that’s very sweet, and it comes in different flavors like mint, anise and citrus.

♥ I eat fat, but I don’t get fat! For those of you who know me, I physically work my butt off right now. But before I moved to Durango (where it’s unacceptable to be a deadbeat, unless you’re a tourist), I was just running after kids. I didn’t include intense exercise until three years ago, but fat reigned in my diet.

Back then and now, I don’t count calories and eat nuts, butter, coconut oil, eggs, heavy drizzles of olive oil on salads, and cheeses. The fat and fiber keeps my blood sugar steady so I don’t bonk or crash, and then crave. Just no sugar and small amounts of carbs! Carbs carve dimples in your thighs, bloat you and give you a false sense of feeling full, in addition to the pounds.

♥ This is my dessert almost every night: Frozen raspberries (or other berries), 1 tbsp. raw cacao powder, 3 tablespoons of shaved coconut, 1 scoop of Health-fx whey advanced protein powder (contains stevia), 1 tbsp. unsweetened carob chips, and unsweetened hemp milk. I mash it up a bit to a smoothie consistency, and it gives me a chocolatey, rich, sweet, satisfying dessert that hits the spot. Yum!

♥ Bliss-in-a-bite works for me. A scoop of ice cream, a bite of a cookie, or a square of chocolate. But I don’t always feel the need. Simplicity, not over-abundance. Nibble, chew slowly, and taste it. Appreciate the bouquet of flavors released in your mouth. What ever happened to tasting our food, rather than inhaling it? This is a monthly treat for me, otherwise I can get carried away.

I look at my diet and food as painting a picture: Create, design, make it colorful, be crafty and clever. It’s just like when kids are more willing to eat the food that they whip up. It does wonders for the body and soul. We are what we eat.

Are you willing to paint a different food picture?
Can you dare to be different and step out of the SAD diet?

I just gave you the paint, canvas and some paint brushes…now go!!!

Photo credits:
(Sweet potato fries)
(Licorice plant)
(food guy painting)
(Stevia plant)

Pumpkin Almond Pancakes

Time To Table: 15 minutes
Serves: 4
Excellent Source of: Magnesium, Protein, Vitamin E, and Riboflavin
Good Source of: Calcium, Fiber, Iron, Selenium, Zinc and Vitamin A

Ingredients

- 3 large organic, omega-3 eggs (local pasture-raised is best!)
- 1-1/4 cup almond flour*
- 1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 C pumpkin puree
- 2 tsp. coconut oil
- 1 tbsp. of agave

Preparation

Add all ingredients to a medium mixing bowl. Mix with a fork or whisk until smooth. Heat a safe, non-stick skillet over medium heat. Oil the pan with a ½ tsp coconut oil or butter. Pour batter into pan to make pancakes (silver dollar-sized work best). Cook about 1 minute per side; flip. Continue making batches and adding oil as needed.

* Almond flour is available by Bob’s Red Mill. Look for it online or at your local health food store. Alternatively, you may grind almonds to a fine meal, using a Magic Bullet, Vita-Mix blender or food processor.

Recipe slightly altered from http://www.wellnessbakeries.com/GuiltFreeDesserts.htm

Santa Fe Chicken

Marinade ingredients:

☼ Juice from 3 limes
☼ 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
☼ 1-1/2 tsp. olive oil
☼ 1-1/2 tsp. chili powder
☼ 1-1/2 tsp. ground cumin
☼ 1-1/2 tsp. ground coriander
☼ 6 cloves of garlic
☼ 1 tsp. honey or agave

The rest:

☼ 2 medium sized chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
☼ 3 tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro
☼ 1/4 cup white wine

Mix together marinade ingredients in a bowl, stirring thoroughly. Pour into a shallow baking pan and put the chicken in. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat the broiler. After 1 hour, when the chicken has absorbed all the flavors of the marinade, pour in the white wine. Broil the chicken under a medium flame for 8-10 minutes, basting it with the juices to keep it moist. Serves 4.

Nutritional Info per serving (not including extras):

212 calories, 4.4 g fat (46.8% of calories from fat), 30.1 g protein, 13 g carbohydrates, 72 mg cholesterol, .9 g fiber

What we do:

Warm some Food for Life sprouted corn tortillas, place the sliced chicken on top with fresh cilantro, salsa, fresh guacamole, shredded organic mexican blend cheese, and shaved carrots.

It’s one of the biggest hits in our house of five…everyone snarfs it down.

Photo credit
Recipe from “The Healthy Kitchen” By Andrew Weil, M.D. and Rosie Daley