Have a Healthy Halloween

These have been sitting on my desk for the past two weeks, putting me in the Halloween spirit.

Halloween conjures a feeling of magic, wonder and and a desire to  unlock ancient mysteries within. This holiday, based upon the ancient Celtic festival called Samhain (pronounced sowen) is deeply rooted in lore, magic and spirits. It has nothing to do with candy or sweets, but is a day to honor the dead and to commune with those who have passed before us.

This also marked the beginning of a new year in the Celtic holiday. Old events were now history, and it was time to make goals for the coming year, to welcome new possibilities and adventure. Today I am somewhat honoring these old beliefs by cleaning my house and starting new ventures and challenges. Today really does feel as if it is time to start making changes and new goals, and I am excited for all the wonderful possibilites which await me.

I made my own Halloween candy today. Rather than buying processed sugar candy, which will quickly accumulate into a lot of plastic trash, I opted for a sugar free (and sweet free) peanut butter cup candy recipe. It’s almost like a Reece’s, but much healthier and SO much better. I used organic peanut butter in this recipe, but you can feel free to use any nut butter of your choosing (I totally recommend Almond Butter!).

Healthy Halloween Peanut Butter Pumpkin Cups

Homemade Healthy Peanut Butter Cups Halloween Candy

1/2 cup liquid coconut oil (you can use half melted butter)
1/2 cup cocoa or carob powder
1 TBSP. Honey or 1/4 tsp. Powdered Stevia (to taste)

3/4 cup Organic Peanut Butter
1/4 cup cream cheese or sour cream
1/3 cup Xylitol, powdered
1/4 tsp. Powdered Stevia Extract
2 TBSP. Organic Butter, melted

Mix the melted coconut oil (and butter, if using) with the cocoa powder and sweeteners, if using. Set aside. Grease candy molds with olive oil and freeze for about 10 minutes. After freezing, place 1/2 tsp. or so in the candy molds and spread around to make a shell. Freeze until solid.

Mix together peanut butter, cream cheese, sweeteners and butter together in a small bowl. Place 1/2-1 tsp. of peanut butter mixture into the frozen chocolate shells. Cover the peanut butter with more melted chocolate and freeze.

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I didn’t sweeten some of these, because I’m really not doing that well with sweetened items any more. After being off of them for a few weeks now, the slightest taste of something sweet makes me a bit sick to my stomach. You can use as much of the sweetners as you would like to get it to your level of sweeteness.  I used these pumpkin ice cube trays as my candy molds, but paper cupcake liners are more traditional for these type of candies.

Pumpkin Ice Cube Trays

Another thing I did for Halloween was wake up to a nice Halloween breakfast. Actually, I woke up to make the nice Halloween breakfast, but I still enjoyed it.  I made pumpkin waffles for my sister, who isn’t a grain free, gluten free type of person like me, but still enjoys eating healthy. I made these waffles with organic soaked whole wheat pastry flour and wheat bran. Soaking these grains improves their digestibility and nutritional availability, so I almost never make an exception when cooking grains.

These pumpkin waffles turned out pretty awesome, if I do say so myself, as I broke my grain-free rule just for today to eat them. I reasoned that because I soaked them, and because pastry flour is lower in gluten than other types of flours, I would enjoy it this Halloween morning.

Soaked Pumpkin Waffles for a Halloween Breakfast

1 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup wheat bran
3/4 cup almond milk, OR homemade coconut milk (WITHOUT guar gum)

1/2 cup pumpkin puree (you could also use butternut squash)
1/2 cup of melted coconut oil (or half coconut oil, half melted butter)
1 egg + 1 egg white

1 TBSP. grain free baking powder
1/2 tsp. Celtic Himalayan Sea Salt
1/4 tsp. Stevia + 2 TBSP. Xylitol
1 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
-1/2 tsp. cinnamon
-1/4 tsp. ginger
-1/8 tsp. allspice
-1/8 tsp. nutmeg

Soak pastry flour and wheat bran overnight with almond milk. You could add a TBSP. of lemon juice or whey, but it isn’t crucial to increasing nutrition availability.

In the morning, stir in the pumpkin, followed by the eggs and melted coconut oil. Once combined, stir in the baking powder, salt, stevia, xylitol and spices. Mix well.

Greese your waffle iron well. Preheat the waffle iron, and when ready, add 1/2-3/4 cup of the lumpy batter to the iron. Spread out a bit and close. Cook for exactly 7 minutes. The waiting is the most important step.

Take out the waffle with a spatual and enjoy! Top with melted organic butter, whipped cream, berries or pure maple syrup.

Makes 3 large, Belgian waffles.

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10 Ways to Make Halloween Healthy

1. Make your own candy, like the recipe I have for you above. This will allow you to add your own amount of your favorite sweetener. When cooking healthy you have to make adjustments, especially for candy. However I believe that this candy will get me through the holiday (and quite a few days after that!).

2. Go to a pumpkin patch festival, over at PickYourOwn.org, you can find local pumpkin patches. Go there on Halloween to see if they are having a Fall Festival. Many times they are, and you can also pick up a pumpkin while your at it!. I carved one today. Don’t you love it?

Can't wait to see what it will look like with a candle inside!

3. Give out organic candy to trick or treaters. Sugar is sugar, but at least your not exposing little bodies to dangerous pesticides and chemical additives. Organic candy should be made from real sugar, whether it’s sugar cane, honey or brown rice syrup.  Sweeteners like Sucralose or high fructose corn syrup have no place in organic food.

4. Give out small toys to trick or treaters. Your local party supply shop should have small party favors at a really inexpensive price. Give out the toys along with the candy, so that children won’t feel left out when other fellow goblins, witches and ghosts go to your door and get organic sugar confections. Try to give out more toys than you do candy, though, to lessen the amount of sugar you give to them.

5. Walk throughout your neighborhood on Halloween to see the happenings this night. If you are trick or treating with your kids, keep the car at home and walk throughout your whole neighborhood. This will give you exercise while having fun at the same time.

6. Get back to your pagan roots and write down goals you desire to accomplish next year. I’m not asking you to convert, but look towards new beginnings. Clean your house if you like. We could both be doing that together!

7. Watch Halloween movies with your family instead of trick or treating. This might be a stretch for some kids, or pretty easy for others. Get scared tonight by watching the original Halloween. Watch old classics like White Zombie (I fell in love with this movie the other day when it came on TCM), Nosferatu (silent flick about Count Dracula–cool film) and The Mystery of the Wax Museum. I LOVE classic films, and I especially like watching these types of films during the Halloween season. I’m finishing Nosferatu on my iPod right now, with The Mystery of the Wax Museum following right behind. Watch Hocus Pocus and Halloweentown for some good Disney fun.

8. Cook a healthy Halloween dinner with foods like squash, pumpkin, vegetables, sweet potatoes, walnuts, cranberries and any other fall foods. This isn’t only a warming Halloween feast, but it is a great meal for the Autumn months. Limit your amount of carbohydrates through these foods, however, if suffering from blood sugar issues.

9. Go to a haunted house. Now I’m not one to do this, but if you’re up to it, then go for it! Heck, it gets you out of the house as well as a good amount of exercise. In fact, you might even get some interval cardio going on during your visit, as monsters take small breaks before scaring you again, catapulting your body into quick movement (aka–“get me the heck out of here!”).

10. Eat a candy a day if you do go trick or treating. When I was a child, I would still have half a large pumpkin left over with candy still in there up until Easter. I ate only one small piece of candy a day to save as much as I could as long as I could. Little did I know that I was keeping my sugar intake low but enjoying myself at the same time. Savor your candy (or your child’s candy, 😉 ) so that you only need one to two pieces a day. I can imagine there are people who gorge on sugar and candy, but I know you’re not one of them. Teaching children to do this as well helps keep their bodies strong, which is crucial for the growing periods.

I hope you enjoy a safe, healthy and Happy Halloween! Listen to some Halloween music tonight when it’s dark, have your own party with a pumpkin lighting (and pumpkin carols!–remember “It’s a Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”?) and be healthy at the same time.

This is The Healthy Advocate.

Raw, Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream: Part I

Homemade, Vegan Raw Ice Cream

This recipe is part of Penny Wise Platter Thursday over at The Nourishing Gourmet

This raw, vegan  ice cream recipe was my go-to summer concotion this year, inspired by the recipes of the raw food diet. I’m not 100% raw (although I am about 85-90% these days), but I enjoyed this vegan dessert very much when I was still doing sweets.

Right now I’m enjoying my raw green smoothies about 3-4 times a week. This provides sweetness. However I am still drinking my tea unsweet and not indulging in any sweet desserts. I’m only “breaking” my rule on my green smoothies to get more raw greens in my body. I will cut down , though, and start making large salads for lunch and dinner to get the same amount of raw vegetables without the sweet taste.

For those who like to enjoy their sweets moderately, then this vegan ice cream is for you. I still want to work it out so that it is *perfect*, but so far, it’s still good. You can use carob instead of the cocoa, if you desire, to have that malty, chocoalty taste without the caffeine or oxaletes presented in the cocoa. This ice cream recipe is nutritious and satisfying. Make it for yourself and find out.

Raw Chocolate Ice Cream Recipe

1 cup homemade coconut milk
1/2 cup almond milk
1/4 tsp. Guar Gum (vegan version) OR 1 Organic Egg Yolk
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

2 tsp. chia seeds, soaked in 1/4 cup water
2 TBSP. cocoa or carob powder
1 Medium avocado
1 small banana
1/8-1/4 tsp. pure stevia extract
1/8 cup xylitol or coconut sugar
1-2 tbsp. raw honey (if omitting, increase xylitol/coconut sugar to 1/4 cup, or to desired sweeteness)
Cinnamon
100% dark chocolate bar, broken into chunks (optional)

Blend coconut milk, almond milk, guar gum or egg yolk and vanilla together for about 20 seconds in blender. Add chia seeds and blend well until seeds are broken down and mixture is emulsified.

Add cocoa powder, avocado, banana and sweeteners. Blend on high speed for 30 seconds or more to make sure everything is well blended and broken down.

Freeze in ice cream maker and make according to manufactures directions. Or, freeze in a plastic container and blend in blender every 2 hours. Thaw for 30 minutes before serving, or until soft. Garnish with cinnamon (to lower blood sugar levels and increase antioxidants) and/or dark chocolate chunks.
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I like to blend in cinnamon to this ice cream to help bring down my blood sugar after ingesting the sugar from the banana or the honey (which I rarely add). Experiment with this recipe and see if it works for you. You might need to adjust the sweetness to your level of taste. Test taste it before freezing to make sure.

Until next time, this is The Healthy Advocate.

By the way, if you like this recipe, please share below using the social media icons. Tweet it, stumble it and show your friends on Facebook. Thank you!

Healthy, Simple Pumpkin Soup Recipe: Dairy Free, Vegan

 

Vegan Pumpkin Soup

 

This post is part of The Nourishing Gourmet’s “Penny Wise Platter Thursday“!

Fall has crept up within me, filling me with thoughts of pumpkins, gourds and hayrides. It makes me extremely fond of the changing foliage which inhabits the forests and the mountains. Autumn is promoting images of walking along in the cool, crisp air, the smell of fresh, hot apple cider in my grasp. The feeling is here, and it is within me.

However, all of these are in my mind. Living in Texas, you don’t get to experience these things often, unless you close your eyes. While I imagine these things, and pretend that I experience them, I also continue to start my fall cooking. Pumpkin is the centerpiece, along with healthy sweet potatoes, salads, soups and grain free breads (pumpkin bread, of course).

This simple pumpkin soup recipe was inspired by (1) my love for pumpkin (2) Better Homes and Gardens, (3) my love for Fall and everything Autumn. This simple pumpkin soup recipe is packed full of nutrition (vitamin A and C, fiber, medium chained fatty acids), and will satisfy the Autumn lover inside you. It is dairy free and vegan.

Healthy, Simple Pumpkin Soup Recipe: Dairy Free, Vegan

1 medium carrot, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. Coconut Oil or Organic Butter

3/4 cup pumpkin puree
3/4 cup homemade vegetable broth
3/4 cup homemade coconut milk

1/2 tsp. Himalayan Sea Salt
1/4 tsp. Ground Ginger

Saute chopped carrot and onion, and cook for five minutes, or until carrot is soft. Remove from heat.

Combine pumpkin, broth and coconut milk to the mixture. Stir thoroughly. Add the salt and ginger.

Let the soup cool and then blend on high speed in the blender until very, very smooth. (You can omit this step, if you like.)

Bring back to stove. Boil and then reduce heat. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Serve.

Makes about 3 3/4 cup servings.

I used fresh pumpkin for this recipe. I can’t usually eat fresh pumpkin as it makes me sick. However, this soup was so good, nourishing and smooth, and my body handled it very well. It is incredibly filling (due to the fiber of the pumpkin), and is amazing for the skin (vitamin A through and through!).

If you love Fall, please share that love and tell me about it. Also, be sure to share this post with others, if you wish. I have just enabled my blog to be easily shared through all the social media channels (the most common ones), and if you find something you like on here, please let others know! It’s fun to connect with as many people as possible to help better the health and wellness of all.

This is The Healthy Advocate.

The Best High Protein Breakfast: Crispy, Fat Burning Omelette Recipe

 

Fat Burning, Crispy Omelette

 

This post is part of “Penny Wise Platter Thursday” at The Nourishing Gourmet

This nourishing omelette was concocted after trying to find ways of having a high protein breakfast without taking any supplements or whey protein powders. Whey protein can be incredibly helpful in making a high protein breakfast or smoothie, but sometimes it isn’t readily available. What is a health conscious person to do? Go to the egg!

The egg is a complete protein, suitable for ovo-vegetarians and meat eaters alike. The egg yolk contains vitamin A, D and lutein, as well as other valuable nutrients. Only eating egg whites is not natural–keep it whole, as nature intended it. An omelette made with real, whole eggs (hopefully from cage free, local eggs) are a great high protein breakfast choice that will help keep you full for hours, and provide enough energy to help bun fat and increase metabolism.

The Incredibly Healthy Omelette

2 whole eggs
2 TBSP. Coconut Milk
1/4 TBSP. Butter or Coconut Oil
1 oz. Shredded Raw Chedder Cheese
1/4 cup Chopped Green Onion
1/4 cup chopped white onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup shredded Spinach, Kale or other Organic Green Vegetable
Chopped Tomato
Himalayan Sea Salt
Black Pepper

Mix eggs with coconut milk until well blended. Melt butter on medium heat in skillet. Evenly grease the pan well with the melted butter. Saute onion, garlic and greens in the melted butter or coconut oil until fragrant.

Add another 1/2 tsp. of butter or coconut oil to the pan, and mix well. Pour egg mixture on the pan of cooked onion, garlic and vegetables. Spread the mixture evenly around the pan, enough so you can turn the omelette over with a spatula.

After 3-4 minutes of cooking on medium heat, very carefully move spatula around the diameter of the omelette. Place cheese on top of the omelet, and when ready, fold one half of the omelette over the other half. Cook for another 1 minute, or until desired doneness.

After 1 minute of cooking, transfer the omelette to a plate and serve. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired.

Makes 1 serving.

300 calories, 24 grams of healthy fat, and only 2 grams of carbohydrates (these measurements are not exact), 19 grams protein

This is a really good low carb, high protein breakfast that keeps me going for hours, usually until about 1 PM in the afternoon. Even then I don’t get too hungry. The fat and protein (up to 19 grams!) keeps you satiated, as well as keeps your leptin and grehlin hormones working properly, as well as stabilizing your blood sugar.

There is a lot of fat in this recipe, but rest assured it is a very healthy fat that will nourish your body from the inside out. It is a low calorie breakfast item as well. Compare this omelette with one at McDonalds for 770 calories! There is 38 grams of fat, so not that far from ours, yet 64 grams of carbohydrates! Never mind the calories, that omelette will get your blood sugar and insulin levels in a tizzy!

For now, this is The Healthy Advocate.

Sunflower Seed Butter – Revisited

Homemade Sunflower Seed Butter Recipe

If you have read a previous recipe of mine for RAW, homemade suflower seed butter (or “sunbutter” recipe), then you’ll already know how much I love this smooth peanut butter alternative. The raw butter is great; however, the color seems to be a bit offputting for most. Having a gray seed butter on your homemade crackers or bread isn’t extremely appetizing for many.

How do you fix this problem? You roast the sunflower seeds of course! Now this recipe isn’t raw, but the seeds are soaked prior to roasting, making the sunflower seed butter easily digestible which aids in a healthy digestive system. We should always look for a great way to incorporate easily digestible foods into our diet everyday. I try to do this by avoiding grains and gluten, sugar and pasteurized dairy (raw dairy I do drink, but even that is very little and rare).

To make creamy sunflower seed butter, be sure to add oil to the recipe after it forms a butter in your food processor. I like pure olive oil and coconut oil. You could also use flax oil, if you like. Since sunflower seeds are very high in omega 6’s, it would be important to try and add as many omega 3’s with the flax oil to balance it out.

Homemade Roasted Sunflower Seed Butter (“Sunbutter”!)

2 cups raw, organic sunflower seeds – soaked for at least 4 hours
1/4 tsp. Himalayan Sea Salt
1-3 TBSP. Olive, Coconut or Flax Oil (to desired consistency)

Drain sunflower seeds and discard excess water. Rinse the sunflower seeds and drain once more.
Lay sunflower seeds evenly on a lightly greased baking pan. Make sure all sunflower seeds are evenly distributed, without having any seeds on top of each other.
Place baking pan in a 250 degree F oven for 45 minutes, or until dry and lightly browned (be sure not to burn them).
Let sunflower seeds cool. Add them to a food processor, along with salt. Process sunflower seed butter on high until a butter forms (usually takes about 10 minutes). The butter will collect at the sides of the bowl. Continue scraping down and processing until butter forms (usually forms into a ball and then distributes into a smooth butter).
Once turned into a stiff butter, add desired oil, one teaspoon at a time, while processing. Once the butter gets to the smoothest stage that you can stand, scrape the butter out of the food processor into a small glass jar for storage (and eating!).

Sunflower Seed Butter

It’s Day 2 on my Sweet Free experiment, and I have to thank everyone for their support! I couldn’t do it without you guys–you truly are behind me. I’m also behind you guys who are challenging yourselves as well, because there is always something we want to change, and it starts with the first step!

I was tempted to put sweetener in my sunflower seed butter recipe this morning, but remember my experiment. I was also tempted to put stevia in my tea and another recipe I was making this morning. In fact, it grew to be such a habit, that I found myself going to the pantry to get the natural sweetener. I now know that it was a habit, and I’m very grateful to be taking this step to not rely on sweet tastes anymore.

I hope you are enjoying your weekend. Eat well, move your body every now and then, and rest. It is finally October (yes!), so expect Halloween-ish type recipes to come up during the month. Be well!

This is The Healthy Advocate.