Good Food: No-Bake Strawberry Shortcakes

I came up with this recipe last summer when we were experiencing a string of hot days, but we also had a surplus of fresh strawberries that were begging to be enjoyed. It's perfect for when you want that shortcake experience, but without turning on your oven.

the good

Obviously these aren't a match for baked biscuits, but they do a pretty darn good job at standing in for the real thing. And you don't have to get your kitchen all heated up on an already hot day, which means you aren't sweating by the time you get to enjoy these.

the medicine

Strawberries themselves are low in sugar and high in a number of antioxidants, especially polyphenols. They support heart health, brain health and skin health.

Oats are rich in fiber and some trace minerals. Coconut flour is also rich in fiber and adds a nice dose of healthy fats (it also gives these shortcakes more of a "fluffy" feeling).

Dates are a wonderful natural sweetener, providing a good amount of magnesium and fiber. They're actually rich in quite a few B-vitamins and trace minerals.

tips

My favorite way to enjoy these is by cutting them in half and putting a dollop of thick coconut yogurt on each side in place of whipped cream. Boost your dessert with some probiotics - why not? Plus the slight tang works well with the sweetness of everything else. You can buy coconut yogurt or make your own at home (this is my super simple go-to method). Then I smother the biscuits with the juicy strawberry mixture and garnish with some mint or edible flowers. You can also sift powdered coconut milk on top as a substitute for powdered sugar.

I imagine you could sub almond flour for the oats to make these paleo and grain-free, but I haven't tried it yet. Let me know if you do!

No-Bake Strawberry Shortcakes

prep time 15 minutes / total time 45 minutes
makes 6 shortcakes

strawberries
2 pints fresh strawberries, sliced
1-2 tsp coconut sugar

shortcakes
1 cup oats
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 heaping cup dates (soaked in warm water for 10 min if not already soft)
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1-2 tbsp warm water

garnish
coconut yogurt
fresh mint
edible flowers
coconut whipped cream
 

directions

1.    In a bowl, toss strawberries with coconut sugar and set aside.
2.   Add oats, coconut flour and salt to a food processor or blender. Process until oats are broken up into small pieces.
3.  Add the dates, coconut oil and 1 tablespoon of water. Process until the ingredients are incorporated and the mixture starts to ball up. You may have to stop and scrape down the sides a few times. You want the dough to be on the dryer side, but if it’s not sticking together, add another tablespoon of water.
4.  Divide the dough into 6 portions and form biscuit-like shapes. Put them in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes or until ready to serve. 
5. When ready to serve, I like to slice the biscuits in half, put a dollop of coconut yogurt on each side and then smother with the strawberry mixture. Feel free to add your favorite garnishes and ENJOY!

Good to Know: Why Water Filtration Matters

This blog post contains affiliate links. If you use them, I might be rewarded a commission of the sale (at no extra cost for you). Please note that I only recommend brands that I personally use and love and I always have my readers' best interest at heart.

I never really thought about the quality of my water much until a couple of years ago. Growing up in the Midwest, we always drank tap water. When I moved to Portland in 2012, I was vaguely aware of the fact that the city doesn't fluoridate its water. When I moved to Camas, WA in 2016 I was way more into health and wellness than ever before and it occurred to me that the city most likely fluoridates its water.

What's up with fluoride?

When I thought of fluoride, I thought of those weird styrofoam trays stuffed with slightly fruity sour foam that you clenched down on for a couple minutes at your dentist appointment. That kind of fluoride - topically applied - can benefit your dental health by making your teeth more resistant to acid from bacteria in the mouth.

This was the reasoning behind adding it to the public supply of drinking water. Except there's one problem - ingesting fluoride doesn't provide the same protective benefits as applying fluoride to your teeth topically. Even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) acknowledges that there's no dental benefit to adding fluoride to the water. Please note, fluoride is a naturally occurring compound and humans do fine with small amounts of it. In excess is where we start to have trouble.

A few other things you should know:

1. The United States is one of the only countries in the world that fluoridates its public water supply. And according to the World Health Organization (WHO), there's no difference in incidence of tooth decay between countries that fluoridate vs. those who do not.

2. The fluoride that's used in drinking water is NOT the same kind that's found in natural sources. It's actually a by-product of industry (gross).

3. There's a considerable body of evidence that shows the fluoride in our water is an endocrine disruptor that can affect our bones, thyroid, pineal gland, brain and more. There are over 100 animal studies and 34 human studies that link excess fluoride to brain damage.

So why is fluoride added to the water supply?

Good question. A lot of people don't know about fluoride, and if people don't know they aren't out there voting to take it out of our water supply.

The more conspiracy-theory side of me (and many others) believe that since fluoride causes all sorts of health issues, there's incentive for the US to keep it in the water supply. When people are sick, they're going to the doctor. They're taking medications for their symptoms. There is potentially huge profit for the pharmaceutical industry by keeping us a little sick.

Another, perhaps more out-there, point is that fluoride builds up and calcifies in your pineal gland. Your pineal gland is your major control center - it regulates your circadian rhythm and affects your hormone levels which impact stress levels and physical performance. It's also known as the "principal seat of the soul" or your "third eye" point. Aside from the fact that this can cause health problems, I've heard some people theorize that it makes populations easier to control and that's why it's continually added to our drinking water. Hey - I'm just putting it out there.

What can you do?

The only way to be sure your water is as clean as possible is to filter it. But you want to know what's really annoying? Fluoride isn't easy to get rid of. It doesn't boil off and standard water filters typically don't filter it out - it requires a higher-tech filter. When I was looking at water filters that got rid of fluoride a couple years ago, the only options were those large countertop filters which run around $250 on the low end. Or under-sink filters that were even more expensive and required installation. Considering I'm a renter, I'm not interested in investing that kinda money into a place I don't own.

I ended up going with a popular pitcher that filtered other things like chlorine and lead, but not fluoride. It felt like better than nothing.

Enter - Aquagear. When I found Aquagear - I was THRILLED! It's literally exactly what I was looking for two years ago and I was so excited when I saw it on my friend's Instagram. I immediately contacted the company and applied to be an affiliate. I was going to buy the pitcher regardless of whether or not I got accepted, but this way I could represent a company whose product I was stoked about.

I've been using the Aquagear pitcher for about two weeks now and I LOVE IT. I was actually shocked at how different this water tastes. It's noticeable. Like I said, I've been using a top brand filter pitcher but it definitely doesn't compare to how clean this water tastes.

The best part? My water is free of fluoride. Aquagear also filters out all the other usual suspects that show up in our drinking water: lead, chlorine, mercury, chloramine and chromium 6.

The other best part? It's affordable. The pitcher + your first filter only runs you about $70. The other brand I was using costs about $40 for the pitcher + 1 filter, which needs to be replaced every 2 months. The Aquagear filter is a little more expensive, but only needs to be replaced once every 6 months. All in all, you end up paying $20 more you first year of using Aquagear. (Can you tell I'm a budget shopper?). But am I willing to pay $20 more a year for NO FLUORIDE in my water? Heck yes. Based on everything I just told you about fluoride and all the potential effects in can have on your health, it feels like a small price to pay.

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I urge you to think about the quality of the water you're drinking and using in your home. It's something that's often overlooked - I overlooked it for a long time myself. But every little thing we put in our body adds up. Aquagear is one of the most simple and affordable ways for you to have access to fluoride-free water. They even have a 30-day trial period and they offer discounts for students and military personnel. They're also a mission-driven company - for every filter purchased, they provide 6 months of clean drinking water by installing water filters in developing communities. Like, come on?! That's pretty amazing.

Interesting in having one of your own? Get yours here.

Still have questions about fluoride or water filtration? Please leave a comment below! I'd love to hear from you.
 

Sources:

1.  http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/dwq/chemicals/fluoride.pdf

2.  https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/04/30/water-fluoridation-facts.aspx

3.  https://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/how-fluoride-damages-pineal-gland-health/

4.  https://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-the-pineal-gland/

Good Food: Santa Fe Ranch Salad

There's a chain called Corner Bakery Cafe that had a location in the town where I grew up. Corner Bakery does sandwiches, salads and soups. Their food has a big time nostalgic pull for me - me and my friends would hang out there for hours from middle school all the way through college. Me and my best friend were obsessed with one salad in particular - the Santa Fe Ranch.

Does it sound weird that one of my favorite "comfort foods" is a salad? For sure - but this is a really good salad. BUT - restaurants generally use shitty oils, sugar and other questionable ingredients - even in “healthy” items like salads. So I wanted to recreate my favorite salad using ingredients that I feel 100% good about.

My version of this salad includes making many of the components from scratch, so you know exactly what’s in them. I ditched the cheese and replaced it with avocado (duh). I also ditched the chicken and used jackfruit instead to make it vegetarian. If you wanted to replace the jackfruit with organic shredded chicken, that would be cool – or you could even omit it altogether and the salad would STILL be good.

PS - you could opt to buy a few of these salad components because I realize it looks like a lot of effort (although each step is really pretty simple).

the good

The ranch dressing makes this salad, hands down. So don’t skimp on that part. And don’t be afraid to really lather your lettuce. Opt for crunchy romaine lettuce – it holds the dressing well. The corn salsa – wow, this stuff is way better than even I was expecting. The crunchy tortilla bits, the chunks of avocado… Actually it’s the symphony of everything all together that make this salad so damn good and satisfying. Be heavy handed with the toppings. Make this salad a MEAL.

the medicine

Romaine lettuce is a powerhouse of nutrition – it’s packed with trace minerals, vitamin C, vitamin K, beta-carotene and folate.

Cashews are a great source of healthy fats, vitamin E, vitamin K and minerals like copper, zinc, phosphorous and more. They also pack some antioxidants. Cashews support heart health, eye health and blood health.

People are generally confused about corn, myself included. What you need to know is that the corn that our ancestors ate was vastly different than our GMO, subsidized-by-the-government varieties that dominate the grocery stores today. Corn is also used as a filler in processed foods and of course, turned into high-fructose corn syrup. This is why I will be firm when I say that you should seek out organic, non-GMO corn products and consume them in moderation. That being said, corn actually does have some nutritional value, including fiber, slow-digesting carbohydrates and antioxidants.

Jackfruit, relatively new to the mainstream food scene, is a great source of antioxidants, phytonutrients, vitamin C, magnesium, calcium and vitamin B6.

Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, a potent antioxidant know to fight cancer and also help to maintain bone density.

Avocado – the darling of my and so many other people’s lives. Packed with heart healthy monounsaturated fats and fiber. So tasty and so satiating.

tips

Finding jackfruit – you can find fresh jackfruit at Asian markets, but most grocers are now carrying canned jackfruit. Trader Joe’s even has canned jackfruit!

Don't be a pyscho like me (unless you want to be) - you definitely don’t have to make every component of this salad from scratch. My intense desire to make as much from scratch as possible is a personal issue. Really the only thing I insist you make is the dressing. You could easily buy pre-made corn salsa, use crushed tortilla chips and omit the jackfruit or replace it with chicken or black beans.

DON’T SKIMP ON THE DRESSING - that will be the last time I tell you.

Santa Fe Ranch Salad

total time 30ish minutes
serves 2 but you'll likely have some leftovers

the salad
1 head of romaine lettuce, washed + chopped
1 cup of ranch dressing
½ cup jackfruit
½ cup corn salsa
1-2 small roma tomatoes, diced
½ large avocado, diced
tortilla strips
fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped (optional)

directions
1.    In a large bowl, toss the chopped romaine with the ranch dressing until lettuce is well-coated.
2.    Divide the salad between bowls. Add the rest of the ingredients on top of the salad. These are suggested quantities, no shame if you add more.
3.    Enjoy the tastiest most satisfying salad ever and maybe one day salad will be your comfort food too!

ranch dressing
1.5  cups cashews, soaked overnight
¾ cup water
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
juice of one small lemon
1 clove of garlic
1 tsp onion flakes
1 tsp salt
pepper to taste
¼ cup chopped parsley

Place everything except parsley in a high speed blender or food processor. Process until the cashews are completely smooth. Add chopped parsley and pulse a few times until it’s incorporated.

jackfruit
1 can of jackfruit, about 1 cup
1 tbsp olive or avocado oil
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp liquid smoke
salt + pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Allow to sit and marinate as long as you can, up to 24 hours. You can use it as is or warm in a pan before adding do your salad.

corn salsa
16 oz bag of frozen organic corn, thawed, or about 3 cups fresh organic corn kernels
½ red onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 poblano pepper, finely chopped
juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp olive oil
salt to taste

Mix everything in a bowl and allow to sit for a few hours for flavors to blend. You can make this a full day ahead of time if you’d like.

tortilla strips (honestly so easy, but feel free to just buy organic tortilla chips)
4 organic corn tortillas
coconut, olive or avocado oil (if you have one of these in a spray can, use that)
salt

Preheat the oven to 350. Slice the corn tortillas into long strips. Toss with oil and salt until there’s an even sheen on the tortillas. Place in oven. Check at 10 minutes. If they’re not done yet, keep checking every 2 minutes until your desired doneness.