Tag: the dolce diet

DOLCE DIET LIFESTYLE:
Surviving The Holidays Healthy-Style

The holidays somehow manage to bring out our infamous alter egos: Bad Snack Man, Quick Candy Chic, and yes, even the notorious, boozed up Lazy Lush. Below is a list of ways to stay on the good guys’ side during this festive season while still enjoying all the goodies the holidays have to offer.

Keep the focus on fun, not food

Most holidays are associated with certain foods. Christmas at your house might not be the same without your aunt’s green been casserole, but that doesn’t mean food has to be the main focus. Instead, throw yourself into the other rituals a holiday brings, whether it’s caroling or tree trimming.

Indulge in only the most special holiday treats.

Skip the store-bought cookies at Christmas, but do save some calories in your ‘budget’ to sample treats that are homemade and special to your family, such as your wife’s special Yule log cake. Training yourself what to indulge in and what to skip is much like budgeting your mad money: Do you want to blow it on garbage that you can buy anywhere or on a very special, one-of-a-kind souvenir? Just don’t completely deprive yourself on festive days – your willpower will eventually snap, and you’ll end up overeating.

Make the change!

The habit: Staying physically active during the holidays.
The result: Gaining less weight over the years.
The proof: A study conducted by the U.S. government found adults gained, on average, more than a pound of body weight during the winter holidays – and that they were not at all likely to shed that weight the following year. (That may not sound like a lot now, but it means having to buy roomier pants after a few Christmases pass.) The good news is that the people who reported the most physical activity through the holiday season showed the least weight gain. Some even managed to lose weight.

Stock the freezer with healthy meals.

Everyone’s overly busy during the holidays, and most of us want to spend our time shopping, decorating, or seeing friends and family, which leaves less time to cook healthy meals. Take defensive action several weeks ahead of time by cooking meals intended specifically for the freezer. You’ll be thankful later when you can pop one of the meals into the oven or microwave and turn your attention instead to writing out holiday cards with a personal message in each.

Pour the gravy and sauces lightly.

You may not be able to control what’s being served at a holiday meal, but you can make the turkey, roast beef, and even mashed potatoes and stuffing much healthier by foregoing the sauce or gravy or spooning on just a small amount.

Toast the new year with just one glass of bubbly.

You may be celebrating, but that doesn’t mean that that you should send your meal plan (and your judgment) on holiday. Alcohol can interfere with your blood sugar by slowing the release of glucose into the bloodstream; it also contain a lot of calories – 89 calories per glass of white wine or champagne, 55 calories in a shot of vodka, and 170 calories in a pint of stout beer. What’s more, alcohol breaks down your inhibitions and judgment, which makes you that much less likely to resist the junk foods that you would otherwise be able to pass up.

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Weird Facts You Never Knew About Your Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving is filled with traditions passed down from generation to generation…And also with oddities. Here are four fun ones we enjoyed reading.

1) Sweet Potatoes Were Henry VIII’s Favorite Aphrodisiac

Many foods have been considered aphrodisiacs, but sweet potatoes were more famous than most for “procuring bodily lust.” Their powers are mentioned by no less a poet than Shakespeare, who writes in The Merry Wives of Windsor, “Let the sky rain potatoes; let it thunder to the tune of ‘Green Sleeves’; hail kissing-comfits and snow eringoes; let there come a tempest of provocation, I shelter me here.” Today they’re a staple of upscale burger joints, but at the time they were a new food from an exotic land, introduced into a culture hungering for sweetness. We know that Henry VIII liked sweet potatoes, and probably would have had them either boiled with prunes or made into what we would now consider to be a spiced sweet potato pie.

2) Cranberries Can Prevent the Formation of Bacterial Biofilms

Cranberry juice is famous for helping people fight urinary tract infections. If you’ve ever had one, there’s a 90% chance it was caused by the celebrity bacteria, E. coli, as that is what’s responsible for nine out of ten of what scientists tactfully refer to as “community-acquired UTIs.” Cranberry juice helps, but only recently have scientists figured out exactly how it helps.
Since it would be unethical to infect people with E. coli, or leave them untreated if they were already infected, scientists restricted themselves to collecting the urine from uninfected people. Some of those people were asked to drink a lot of water, and some were asked to drink cranberry juice. When exposed to urine filled with cranberry juice, the E. coli bacteria suddenly became less able to stick to each other or anything else. This loss of adhesion meant they couldn’t get together and form biofilms, slick sheets of bacteria that foster further growth. Cranberries don’t kill bacteria directly, but they do run bacterial social clubs out of town.

3) Cornbread Used to Be Made With Ashes

Cornbread has become progressively less sad over the years. While it was always a staple food, it was rarely made by people who actually wanted to eat it. The earliest cornbreads were just corn mush, water and salt that was baked in the ashes of the fire.
Then the ashes started to do something. Ashes from the fire were often saved and boiled with potassium salts. The resulting white mixture could be made into soap or other cleaning agents. Cooks found that, when they were making sourdough, they could cut the sour taste by adding a little “potash” to the bread. Then they found that the bread made with potash rose more quickly.
Up until then, the only way to make bread rise was to add some yeast. Even cakes were yeast-based. Anything that didn’t rise with yeast didn’t rise at all. Potash was a quick way to fix that. By the 1800s, cooks all over America were turning into chemists, mixing potash and acids in their cornbread to make it rise. The risen dough had a bitter taste, so they added sweeteners. Cornbread stopped being what you ate when you couldn’t get anything else and became more of a treat. Eventually, homemade potash was replaced by commercially-made baking soda, giving us the slightly sweet, fluffy cornbread we eat today.

4) Turkey Makes Urine Turn Purple

Purple urine isn’t great, but to be fair to turkey, it might be seen more as a useful diagnostic tool than a problem. Purple urine is a sign that a person has a bacterial infection.
It starts with tryptophan, which is found in turkey. The chemical does no harm, and as it goes through the digestive system is naturally broken down into indoxyl sulfate. If it has to go stay in the digestive system for a while, bacteria get at it and further break it down into indoxyl. Bacteria can turn urine alkaline. In an alkaline environment, the indoxyl turns into indirubin and indigo. When the urine comes out, especially if it comes out of a patient in a hospital who is catheterized, it can turn green, blue, or sometimes a deep purple. The condition has come to be known as Purple Urine Bag Syndrome. That’s one way to enliven Thanksgiving.

-Excerpt from Esther Inglis-Arkell’s top 10 list for io9.com

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DOLCE DIET LIFESTYLE:
Unique Thanksgiving Side Dishes

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

Instead of your typical mashed potatoes with gravy and green bean casserole, try out these festive side dishes, guaranteed to please your friends and family. Or at the very least, add these as additional options, and let your guests choose to go traditional or more contemporary.

Cranberry, Brussels Sprouts & Quinoa Salad
Serves 4-6

Ingredients
• 1 lb. Brussels sprouts, rinsed and ends trimmed, then halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 2/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• Dressing (see below)
Orange Vinaigrette Dressing
• 1/4 cup freshly-squeezed orange juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• pinch of salt and pepper
Directions
1. For salad, toss all ingredients together until combined.
2. For dressing, whisk all ingredients together until combined.

Apple & Cranberry Sweet Potato Salad
Serves 2-4

Ingredients
• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 8 oz. sweet potatoes, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped
• 1 apple
• 3/4 cup shredded red cabbage
• 1 tbsp. organic maple syrup
• 2 tbsp. crushed pecans
Directions
1. Warm the cider in a skillet over medium heat.
2. Add the sweet potatoes and cover. Sautee for 4 – 5 minutes.
3. Add cranberries, apple, and cabbage, and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add the syrup, and stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Sprinkle with the crushed pecans.

Mashed Butternut Squash
Makes 3 cups

Ingredients
• 1/2 of a butternut squash
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
• 3 tbsp. grass-fed butter
• 3/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. sage
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place butternut squash on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the squash is soft when poked with a fork.
3. Remove squash from the oven and scoop out the squash from skin.
4. Place squash flesh into a bowl and discard skin.
5. Add butter to the squash and mix with a potato masher until the butter has melted.
6. Add remaining ingredients and continue mashing with the potato masher until the ingredients are completely combined.
7. Scoop mixture into a food processor and blend it until it becomes fluffy and smooth.

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DOLCE DIET LIFESTYLE:
Protein-Packed Vegan Recipes

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

If you happen to be vegan, sometimes it can be challenging to consume adequate amounts of protein within the day. But look no further for some high quality, protein-packed, vegan-friendly dishes. Here we’ve got you covered for breakfast, lunch/dinner and a snack.

Gluten Free Vegan Bars
14g protein per bar

Ingredients
Crust:
• 1½ c. oat flour
• 6 dried apricots
• ¼ c. cocoa powder
• ¼ c. organic maple syrup
Layer:
• 1 cup oat flour
• ½ cup oats
• ½ cup vegan chocolate protein powder
• ¼ tsp. sea salt
• 1½ tbsp. chia seeds
• 1½ tbsp. hulled hemp seeds
• ½ cup peanut butter or almond butter
• 1 flax egg [1 tbsp. ground flax + 3 tbsp. water, mixed together in a small bowl]
• ¼ cup honey
• ½ cup + 2 tbsp. coconut milk
Topping (optional):
• ⅓ cup vegan chocolate chips
Directions
1. Combine ingredients for crust in the food processor until crumbly, thick dough forms. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients for the next layer, using a fork to mix well.
3. Combine flax and water in a small bowl, stir, and set aside for a few minutes until it starts to gel.
4. Add honey, peanut butter, coconut milk, and flax egg to the dry ingredients. Mix then add mixture to the food processor.
5. Blend until the mixture is smooth – adding more coconut milk if it is too dry.
6. Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper. Spoon crust into the pan and press it out as evenly as possible. You can use a rolling pin or the back of a large spoon with a touch of coconut oil for lubrication to help with spreading.
7. Place the next layer on top of the smoothed crust and spread it out. May require your hands instead of utensils.
8. Place pan in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
9. If desired, melt ⅓ c. vegan chocolate chips in a double boiler.
10. Lightly drizzle the chocolate across the bars over the top.
11. Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Tofu Scramble
Serves 2 – 21g protein per serving

Ingredients
• 1-14 oz. package firm tofu, drained and cut into ½ inch cubes
• ½ tsp. ground turmeric
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 1/8 tsp. ground cayenne pepper, optional
• 2 tbsp. grapeseed oil
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 5 oz. fresh spinach, chopped
• 1-2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• ½ cup fresh basil, chopped
Directions
1. Combine tofu, turmeric, ½ tsp. black pepper, ¼ tsp. sea salt and cayenne in medium bowl. Toss well to combine and set aside.
2. Heat grapeseed oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add scallion whites and cook, stirring until soft, about 1 minute.
3. Add tofu mixture, stirring occasionally, until the tofu is lightly brown and looks like scrambled eggs, about 5 minutes.
4. Add spinach, lemon juice, and ½ tsp. sea salt and stir until spinach wilts, about 1 minute.
5. Add tomatoes and scallion greens and stir until tomatoes are heated through and start soften, about 1 minute.
6. Remove from heat, add basil and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Avocado & White Bean Salad
Serves 2 – 13g of protein per serving

Ingredients
• 1 can white beans
• 1 avocado, chopped
• 1 Roma tomato, chopped
• ¼ sweet onion, chopped
Vinaigrette:
• 1 ½ tbsp. olive oil
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• dried basil to taste

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• garlic powder to taste
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 tsp. mustard
Directions
1. Whisk vinaigrette ingredients together then pour over salad base and mix well.
2. Refrigerate for a few hours before serving.
3. Serve with 2 slices of whole grain bread (additional 4g protein per slice)

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DOLCE DIET LIFESTYLE:
Fall Drink Recipes

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

You’ll need some tasty, healthy beverages to accompany those holiday cookie recipes we posted the other day. Try out these, fall-inspired drinks this holiday season! They’ll be big hits at holiday gatherings, or a nice way to compliment that special holiday dessert.

Gingerbread Chai Protein Smoothie

Ingredients
• 1½ frozen bananas
• ½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1 handful of spinach
• 1 scoop of “The Dolce Whey Protein Isolate”
• 1 tbsp. blackstrap molasses or organic maple syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp. ground ginger
• pinch of ground nutmeg
• pinch of pumpkin pie spice
• dash of all spice
Directions
1. In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth.

Apple Pie Smoothie

Ingredients
• 1 cup ice
• 1 organic apple, washed with peel on, sliced
• 1 tsp. honey or agave
• ¼ tsp. cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
• ¼ cup of plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
• Dash of organic vanilla
• ½ frozen banana, slices
Directions
1. In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth.

Vanilla & Fig Cashew Milk
(okay, so this one isn’t a smoothie, but it’s so good we had to include it!)

Ingredients
• 1 cup cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours
• 3 dried figs, soaked for at least 2 hours
• 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 4 cups water
Directions
1. In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend for about 2-3 minutes.
2. For a less gritty consistency, strain liquid in a fine mesh strainer.
*You can also try this one warm and/or blended into espresso!

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DOLCE DIET LIFESTYLE:
5 Best Snacks for Weight Loss

1. Nuts

Virtually all (unsalted) varieties work here, but almonds, cashews and walnuts are packed with fiber, protein and omega-3s.

2. Oatmeal

Filled with fiber to help you feel fuller for longer, plus a great source of protein and carbs.

3. Hardboiled Eggs filled with Hummus and Greek Yogurt (instead of only the yolks)

Ingredients
• 12 hardboiled eggs
• 2 hardboiled egg yolks (as a base)
• ¼ cup hummus
• ¼ dill relish
• 1 tbsp. yellow mustard
• ¼ cup finely chopped onion
• 2 tbsp. plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
• Cut each hardboiled egg in half.
• Mix ingredients in large bowl and fill each hardboiled egg half.

4. Gazpacho

Ingredients
• 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
• 2 tbsp. chopped celery
• 2 tbsp. chopped red bell pepper
• 2 tbsp. chopped onion
• 2 tbsp. chopped cucumber with skin
• 1 tbsp. chopped cilantro
• 2 tbsp. ground flaxseed
• Wedge of lime
• Pinch of salt
• 1 c ice water, divided
• Hot sauce
• Pita chips for dipping
Directions
• Blend tomatoes, celery, bell pepper, onion, cucumber, cilantro, flaxseed, squeeze of lime juice, salt, and ¼ cup of the water in blender or food processor.
• Pulse for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the mixture is finely chopped.
• Add up to ¼ cup more water and pulse to combine.
• Season to taste with the hot sauce.

5. Kale Chips

Ingredients
• ½ bunch of kale, about 10 stems
• 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ tsp coarse salt
• ⅛ tsp garlic powder
• ⅛ tsp onion powder
• black pepper to taste
Directions
• Preheat the oven to 250° F, and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats, and set aside.
• Remove the stems from the kale and tear the leaves up into bite-size pieces and wash.
• In a large mixing bowl, gently massage the oil into the kale leaves to coat them.
• Lay them out in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets and evenly sprinkle the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper over all of the chips.
• Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate the baking sheets and bake for an additional 15 minutes, until crispy.
• Let stand for 3-5 minutes before eating.

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DOLCE DIET LIFESTYLE:
Healthy Holiday Cookie Recipes

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

The holidays are approaching fast. These cookies are great to pack up in a pretty tin and give as gifts or simply for entertaining guests at home. Either way, these healthier twists on the classic holiday cookies are sure to please!

Sugar Cookies

Ingredients
• 3/4 cup spelt flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp + 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tbsp. almond milk
• 1/4 cup grass-fed butter, melted
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325F. Then combine dry ingredients and mix well.
2. In a separate bowl, add melted butter, then stir in vanilla and almond milk.
3. Combine bowls and mix again.
4. Form balls or roll out, then use a cookie cutter to make shapes, if desired.
5. Bake for 9 minutes.
6. Let cool for 5 minutes before touching (will look undercooked at first, just be patient).

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients
• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp. coconut sugar
• 1 tbsp. + 2 tsp organic white sugar or evaporated cane juice
• 2 tbsp. dark chocolate chips
• 1 tbsp. coconut oil or grass-fed butter, melted
• 1-2 tbsp. almond milk of choice
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375F. Then blend first 5 ingredients together in a food processor, blender, or Vita-Mix/Blend-Tech type mixer. Mix with other ingredients
2. Form into cookie shapes, and place on a greased cookie sheet.
3. Bake for 6 minutes.

Oatmeal Almond Butter Cookies (also gluten-free)

Ingredients
• 1/2 cup almond butter or all-natural peanut butter, softened to a stir-able consistency
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. oats
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 cup stevia
• 2 tbsp. applesauce
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together all ingredients to form a dough.
3. Form cookie dough balls with your hands and place on the cookie sheet (do not flatten).
4. Bake 8 minutes. (will look a little undercooked when you remove them from the oven).
5. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before picking up a cookie.

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DOLCE DIET LIFESTYLE:
How to Get Back to Pre-Marriage Weight

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

Life happens and sometimes our own health gets away from us. Looking to shed some unwanted pounds? Once the honeymoon phase is over, take back control of your health and get your sexy back!

Swap full- or low-fat items for nonfat

• i.e. plain, nonfat Greek yogurt and add “toppers” for extra flavor like frozen berries, honey and chia seeds).

Choose lean proteins

• Such as, chicken, turkey, buffalo, lean beef, eggs, and kangaroo (1g of fat and 25g of protein in a 3.5oz serving and tastes like ground beef).

Have smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day

• In other words, “graze” in order to keep your metabolism running at a higher rate. Just be sure to graze healthfully.
• This will also help keep blood sugar levels more stable.

Always choose whole grains

• Doing so reduces your sugar and refined starch intake, both of which spike blood sugar levels quickly.
• Ezekiel bread, brown rice pasta, quinoa and amaranth are excellent choices.

Sweet Cravings

• Choose dark chocolate over milk chocolate, make your own trail mixes and frozen yogurts.
• Try 1 cup of plain, nonfat Greek yogurt, ¼ cup of frozen blueberries and drizzle of honey. Mix together until purple, and enjoy a decadent dessert with frozen bursts of freshness.

Start strength training

• Yes, bouts of cardio are great for your heart health and to lose some of that visceral fat, however, strength training is where you really start to burn more calories at rest.
• The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn at rest, or in other words, the higher your basal metabolic rate.
• Most people tend to think that cardio is what sheds the pounds, when in reality it is a sound mixture of the two. And no ladies, you won’t get “too big”.
• There are lots of different ways to strength train. One way is low reps, heavy weights, or high reps, light weights. It depends on your goals, but it’s never a bad idea to incorporate both. Remember, you want to mix up your routine anyway.

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DOLCE DIET LIFESTYLE:
Pack on That Muscle with Our Protein Recipes

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

Here are some easy recipes utilizing our very own The Dolce Whey Protein Isolate. Don’t stop just because the holidays are coming! You can easily incorporate these recipes into your holiday eating plans. Try them out at holiday gatherings. They’re great finger foods and/or desserts! Make those GAINZ!

Dolce Protein Pancakes
Makes about 5 medium-sized pancakes

Ingredients
• 3 scoops The Dolce Whey Protein Isolate
• 1 scoop oats (use same scoop from protein powder)
• ½ cup almond milk
• 1 egg
• 1 scoop organic dark cocoa powder (optional)
Directions
1. Mix all ingredients together and pour onto griddle (try using an old ketchup bottle to make more even pancakes with less mess)
2. Drizzle with The Dolce Diet Fresh Berry Syrup (Living Lean Cookbook)

Sweet Potato Protein Power Balls
Serves 4

Ingredients
• 1 large sweet potato, roasted
• 1 scoop The Dolce Whey Protein Isolate
• 2 Tbs. hemp hearts
• ¼ cup oats
• 2 tbs. peanut butter
• 1 tbs. chopped walnuts
• 1-2 tbsp. chopped raisins
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
Directions
1. Roast sweet potato at 400 F for about 30 minutes and peel skin.
2. Add flesh to a large bowl along with protein powder, hemp hearts and oats. Stir to combine.
3. Add peanut butter and cinnamon. Stir to combine.
4. Mix in walnuts and raisins and allow to sit in fridge 20 minutes or longer (do this while sweet potato is roasting).
5. Roll into 16 equally sized balls using slightly wet hands.
6. Be sure to store in an airtight container in the fridge. Lasts a few days.

Chocolate Protein Popcorn
Serves 4

Ingredients
• ¼ cup white organic popcorn kernels
• ½ tbs. coconut oil (for popping)
• 2 tbs. coconut oil (for sauce)
• 1 scoop The Dolce Whey Protein Isolate
• 1 – 2 tbs. all-natural peanut butter
• 1-2 squares organic dark chocolate
• ¼ cup peanuts (optional)
Directions
1. Preheat a large pot with lid over medium heat. After preheated, add coconut oil and allow it to melt, then add popcorn kernels, cover and shake to ensure all popcorn is covered with oil.
2. Let sit for 1-2 minutes, then shake and stay by the pan. You’ll need to keep shaking (another option is to use an air popper).
For the chocolate sauce:
3. In a bowl, melt the coconut oil and the peanut butter, over double boiler.
4. Add protein powder and stir to combine. Add chocolate square(s) and allow to melt into the chocolate sauce, stirring to incorporate.
5. Drizzle chocolate protein sauce over popcorn, and stir.
6. Add peanuts, if desired, and stir again.
7. Place in freezer for 10 minutes.

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DOLCE DIET LIFESTYLE:
Happy Holidays Side Dishes

by Samantha Coogan, MS, RDN, LD

These warm, super easy recipes are the perfect sides to go along with your favorite Dolce Diet dishes year-round, or save them for the holidays! They’re sure to be a hit!

Pumpkin Bean Dip

Ingredients
• 1 heaping cup organic canned pumpkin
• 1 cup black beans, rinsed
• 1/2 cup cannellini beans, rinsed
• 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• juice from 2 lemons
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
Directions
1. Blend all ingredients in food processor until smooth.

Sweet Potato with Blueberries

Ingredients
• 1 large sweet potato, cleaned
• ½ cup wild blueberries
• 1-2 tbsp. ricotta cheese
• 2 tbsp. roasted pecan pieces
• 1 tsp. organic real maple syrup
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp allspice
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of sea salt
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Poke holes in baked potato and wrap in aluminum foil. Bake 45-60 minutes, depending on the size of the potato.
3. Once cooled, carefully slice open top of potato and scoop out flesh into a small bowl.
4. Place potato shell onto small baking dish or cookie sheet.
5. To the potato flesh, add ricotta cheese, spices, maple syrup and mix until well combined. Taste and adjust spices as necessary.
6. Carefully spoon mixture back into potato shell and reheat in oven until warmed through, about 10 minutes.
7. While sweet potato is reheating, toast pecans in dry sauté pan. Set aside.
8. Heat blueberries in small sauce pan until warmed through.
9. Serve sweet potato topped with blueberries, sprinkle with pecans, and drizzle maple syrup, if desired.

Maple Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients
• 3 cups of Brussels sprouts
• 1 tbsp. organic of maple syrup
• 1 tbsp. of sesame seed oil
• 1 tbsp. of fresh ginger, finely chopped
Directions
1. In a small pot, cook ginger in oil for 2-3 minutes over medium flame.
2. Add maple syrup, mix in with ginger, and then add the Brussels sprouts.
3. Cook for 5-7 minutes on medium-high flame with the lid on, until the sprouts are a deep golden brown. Enjoy!

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