Good Food: Chocolate Cinnamon Maca Balls

the good
Ever since I came up with this recipe, I've been making it weekly. I love it so much. It's the perfect sweet treat that will take me through the afternoon until dinner. I even enjoy it as a dessert occasionally!

the medicine
Healthy fats from the walnuts, seeds and coconut fill you up & help keep blood sugar stable so you're not crashing a few hours later. 

These also include one awesome ingredient - maca. Maca is a root from South America & was used medicinally for thousands of years by the Peruvians. At one point it "was considered such a potent and valuable herb, its use was restricted to the royal court and the imperial family". Maca supports energy, balances hormones, supports fertility, supports immunity, & has positive effects on mood. It also has a slightly sweet, malty flavor so it's perfect to pair with dessert or throw in smoothies. I love it - I add it to smoothies & morning bevvies all the time. If you don't have maca - don't worry this recipe will still work & is still awesome.

tips
You can make these keto-friendly by omitting the dates & sweetening with stevia instead. They won't be as "sticky" but can still be rolled into balls. Alternatively you can press them into a pan, let them harden and then cut into bars.

Chocolate Cinnamon Maca Balls

total time 10 min/makes 20ish balls

ingredients
1 cup walnuts
1 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup hemp seeds
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup coconut butter, soft
2 tbsp cacao powder
2 tbsp cacao nibs (optional)
1 tbsp maca (optional)
1 tbsp cinnamon
4 dates
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt

directions
1. If your dates aren't already super soft, soak them in warm water for a few minutes while you put everything else in a food processor. 
2. Process all ingredients for a couple minutes until dates, nuts & seeds are broken down & it's a mostly smooth mixture.
3. Form the mixture into bite-sized balls. This is best done by kind of squeezing the dough into a ball shape & tossing it from hand to hand, gently squeezing & shaping. It doesn't roll between your palms like most energy balls (because it has much fewer dates - aka that sticky binding agent).
4. Arrange on a plate & stick in the fridge for an hour or so to set. Once set, you can store them in the fridge for a week or so, or in the freezer for much longer.

Good Food: High Energy Super Snacks

the good

I've given you two options for these nut mixes - one sweet and savory to accommodate your snacking mood. These are super fast to make, you can make a lot and have snacks on deck for weeks, plus it's cheaper than buying store-bought stuff!

the medicine

Nuts & seeds are packed with healthy fats, protein & other important vitamins & minerals to help keep energy high & tide you over until your next meal. They're also easy to grab & take on the go. I roast them at a low temperature to keep their healthy  fats intact (high heat can damage oils found in nuts & seeds). Also if you're feeling like a super star, you could soak & dehydrate your nuts ahead of time.

Curried Nut + Seed mix

active time: 5 min/total time: 30

ingredients:
1 cup walnuts
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup coconut chips
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt + pepper to taste

directions:
1. Preheat oven to 250. Put walnuts, pumpkin seeds & coconut chips in a small bowl & set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, gently warm olive oil, curry powder, garlic powder, salt & pepper. Mix well. Once small bubbles start to appear in the oil, turn off the heat & let sit for 5 minutes.
3. Pour oil & spice mixture over nuts. Toss to coat evenly. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet.
4. Bake 25 minutes, or until just starting to turn golden (the coconut chips are a good gauge). Let cool completely & store in an airtight container. 

Sweet + Spiced Nuts

active time: 5 min/total time: 30 min

ingredients
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup hazelnuts
1/4 cup coconut chips
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp clove
generous pinch of salt

directions
1. Preheat oven to 250. Put pecans, hazelnuts & coconut chips in a small bowl & set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, gently warm coconut oil, cinnamon, clove & salt. Mix well. Once small bubbles start to appear in the oil, turn off the heat & let sit for 5 minutes.
3. Pour oil & spice mixture over nuts. Toss to coat evenly. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet.
4. Bake 25 minutes, or until just starting to turn golden (the coconut chips are a good gauge). Let cool completely & store in an airtight container. 

Good Advice: Boost Your Immunity

It's brutal out there trying to protect yourself from everyone's germs, recycled air in planes & offices, & the lurking threats of superbugs that we're creating from our overuse of antibiotics.

I thought I'd share a few of my go-to strategies for upping immunity. While all of these methods are useful at the onset of symptoms, they are all wonderful for keeping your immune system strong all year long. Definitely amp them up if you start feeling under the weather!

1. Probiotics

You've probably heard by now that all health starts in the gut. A strong microbiome means a stronger immune system. So how to make sure your good bugs are fighting the food fight in there? Eat fermented foods daily - sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, kombucha, yogurt. If you're not a fan of fermented foods or need some extra support, a good quality probiotic supplement is key to have on hand. I would recommend Garden of Life or another reputable brand. Make sure to eat foods with lots of fiber, which acts as a prebiotic (ie, food for your good bugs!). Hint: fruits, veggies & whole grains are good sources of fiber.

2. Triple Threat: Garlic, Ginger & Turmeric

This trifecta is my go-to for supporting immunity in everyday cooking (not to mention, tasting amazing). Garlic is antimicrobial, antibacterial, & antiviral. Ginger is antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory. Turmeric is anti-inflammatory, an antioxidant, antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, antimicrobial. See what I mean?

The easiest way to incorporate all of these herbs in one dish is to make a vegetable curry with coconut milk - there's turmeric in the curry powder (no harm in adding some extra) & by grating some fresh garlic & ginger into the curry, you'll reap the benefits of all three herbs.

Other ways to incorporate these amazing immunity boosters on a daily basis:

• Ginger: juice it on its own & take "shots" of it or incorporate it in other homemade juices, grate it fresh into smoothies, grate it fresh into sauces & dressings
• Garlic: grate it fresh into sauces & dressings, add some fresh garlic whenever you're sauteeing or roasting veggies, chomp on a whole clove raw (this as an extreme but effective method when cold symptoms are coming on fast)
• Turmeric: add fresh or powdered turmeric to smoothies & juices, add to soups, add it to whatever you're cooking (it won't alter the flavor of your dish in small amounts), or try the ever amazing Golden Milk

3. Vitamin C

This is probably the oldest tip in the book, but for good reason. Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant & packs serious immune support. Most fruits & vegetables contain vitamin C, but some of the best sources are: citrus fruits, papaya, pineapple, kiwi, strawberries, all peppers, cayenne pepper, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, dark leafy greens, winter squash & carrots.

Some tips to incorporate more vitamin C in your diet:

• Smoothies. I'm a big fan of smoothies for their ability to pack a lot of nutrients into one easy-to-digest glass. Amp up the vitamin C content by including some of the fruits & vegetables listed above.
• Start the morning with lemon water. This is a good habit to get into anyway - lemon water helps to wake up the digestive system, hydrate you & give you a dose of vitamin C. Sometimes I sprinkle in cayenne pepper for additional vitamin C & to clear the sinuses. Apple cider vinegar is another great add-in (more on that in a minute).
• Fresh juices. There's a lot of controversy about the merit of juice, especially fruit juice. I am a juicing advocate & while I tend toward veggie-based juices, I don't think a little fruit in your juice every once in awhile is that bad. Look for juices that are a veggie/fruit blend. Citrus & pineapple are especially high in vitamin C. And if they have some ginger in there, all the better!

4. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is a folk remedy & has a long list of health benefits including: alkalizing the body, supporting gut health, curbing sugar cravings, regulating blood sugar, aiding in weight loss, increasing stomach acid (which helps you to break down & extract nutrients out of your food), can help with heartburn, can lower blood pressure, & supports lymphatic drainage. It's pretty awesome.

The easiest way to consume ACV is by diluting 1-2 tbsp with water & drinking it. I like having it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. It's a great thing to do regularly as a preventative measure. I also use it often in salad dressings & sauces. Make sure you buy a brand that is raw & unpasteurized. ACV is a fermented product so a lot of the health-promoting benefits are in the beneficial bacteria, so you want those alive! Bragg's is a reliable brand & even Costco sells an organic, raw, unpasteurized ACV.

5. Less Stress, More Sleep

Nothing crushes your immune system quite like stress. When you're stressed, you body gets depleted of nutrients & the balance of bacteria in your gut changes for the worse, which lowers your immunity. When you don't get enough sleep, your body doesn't have time to heal & repair itself. Plus, it stresses your body out. Stress in our lives can cause sleep disturbances like insomnia or restlessness. It's one of those vicious cycles.

Reducing the amount of stress in your life & finding ways to manage the stress you can't avoid is going to be very helpful in keeping your immune system strong & ready to fight. Getting enough rest means you'll probably be able to better handle the stress you do encounter, plus it gives your body an opportunity to do work on a cellular level, which will keep your immunity up. 

Other Products & Practices

oil of oregano, fire cider, Phytocillin, bone broth, astragalus, all fresh herbs like rosemary, oregano, sage, & thyme, vitamin D supplementation, meditation, sauna use, regular exercise, dry brushing, acupuncture, & using a neti pot.

Even if you're doing all the things to keep your immune system strong, sometimes you just get sick. And that's okay. Take the time to rest & take care of yourself. It's often a sign from your body that it needs some downtime. Keep eating & drinking well & getting plenty of sleep - you'll feel better in no time!