Pudding, Snacks and Salad, Oh My

Tonight was our twice a month healthy living meeting, and this meeting was packed with tips on nutritionally powerful foods and how to use them.

We talked about a dehydrated black tree fungus called compressed auricula, which swells to ten times its compressed size when soaked in water and is great for lowering cholesterol.

We explored the differences between raw and processed honey, the origins and benefits of manuka honey and where to purchase them. According to WebMD,  "Some kinds of honey may be 100 times more potent than others."

We tried some delicious natural foods, including a power packed smoothie, some apple ginger water kefir, kale chips, goji balls, chocolate chia pudding, and a red cabbage salad. I agreed to post the recipes for a few of them here on the blog tonight. Get ready to enjoy some real treats.

Healthy Raw Goji Balls
Goji berries, like wolfberries, are nutritional powerhouses and high in antioxidants. These balls were easy to transport and delicious!
1 cup dried goji berries
1 cup nuts (almonds or cashews)
1 cup dates
1/2 cup dried cranberries or cherries
Place ingredients in food processor and pulse until roughly chopped. These can then be rolled into 1/2 - 1 inch balls or pressed into a pan for bars. 
Variations: Add 1 Tbsp coconut oil, 1/4 cup pumpkin or other seeds, 2 Tbsp shredded coconut, 1 tsp spirulina, dash of vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp baking spices, 2-4 drops of your favorite essential oil. Add more coconut oil if needed to hold together.

Chocolate Chia Pudding
I try to use all raw, organic ingredients. Chia and hemp seeds are high in protein and are excellent for colon cleansing. Raw cacao powder has one of the highest levels of iron, magnesium, manganese and is considered a superfood.
2 Tbsp chia seeds
2 Tbsp hemp seeds
2 Tbsp raw cacao powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1/4 tsp vanilla powder
3/4 to 1 cup almond/coconut milk (depending on desired thickness)
2 Tbsp raw agave nectar
2 Tbsp chopped nuts (pecans, almonds or hazelnuts)
2 Tbsp chopped dried unsweetened cherries
Mix the seeds and powders together to blend. Add liquid and stir with a whisk until all lumps of powder are broken up and incorporated into the liquid. Stir every two to three minutes for 10 minutes to keep the seeds from clumping as they become gelatinous. Add nuts and cherries and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until thickened.

Simple Red Cabbage Salad
Red cabbage is part of the cruciferous vegetable family and contains two substances known to fight cancer.  Walnuts are high in omega-3. An apple a day...doesn't hurt either. 
1/2 head red cabbage, shredded
1 fuji or gala apple, chopped
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1/2 lemon, juiced
dash of celtic sea salt
Combine all ingredients until mixed thoroughly. Add more lemon juice if too dry. Let sit in refrigerator for an hour to combine flavors.