September 29, 2015

Mexican Cold Chocolate

September 29, 2015/ Emily

Chocolate with a bit of a twist courtesy of yours truly (Emily, here!). I've been free from sugar for the last couple of weeks (read here, here, & sign up for the free teleseminar here), and man oh man, were the cravings hitting me hard for delicious chocolate. But, nixing the sugar habit has brought on a desire for richer, more complex flavors, and I wanted something yummy that still made me do a happy dance around my room. So I started mixing a little of this and a little of that, added a dash of this, messed up the recipe, started all over again too many times, and was left with a creation that filled all of my requirements.

The recipe is worthy of honor because it's ...

less than 10 ingredients
rich
chocolatey
high in nutritional goodness
sweet
spicy
filling

With a frosty-like consistency, this is spoonable greatness. In only the best way possible, spices take over the initial sweet spoonful with enough of a kick to keep you coming back for more. The high nutritional profile gives you all of the body-revving benefits within a sinfully delicious bite of chocolate. Really, could it get any better? I've really outdone myself with this one - see my smoothie of love, the training wheels smoothie, & smoothie bowls - so take down the ingredients & get to whirling this goodness up. If you don't, I promise you'll be missing out. Why take that chance?

What is it we love so much about this recipe? There are so many bennies, it would be exhausting, so a quick recap. Bananas are added for potassium, fiber, and the sweetness addition. Mangos are high in vitamins A, B6, C, E, and K, a great source of others minerals like thiamine and magnesium, and contain antioxidant phenols and beta-carotene. Cinnamon, turmeric, nutmeg, and cayenne come together in a sickness-fighting power team. Cinnamon is a great manganese source and good holder of calcium, contains antioxidant anthocyanidins and is no stranger to cold and flu remedies all over the world. Tumeric is high in manganese, iron, a good source of vitamin B6, potassium, and has been attributed to it's antiseptic and antibacterial, medicinal properties. Since turmeric has been touted for it's efficacy in helping digestive disorders, I pop it into a lot of my recipes - more to come to the site - and it has been a surprising yet awesome find. Cayenne comes in for the one-two punch, neutralizing acidity in the body, stimulating circulation, and acting as a great anti-agent for inflammation, colds, and other illnesses, besides just adding a whole other dimension to my new favorite recipe.

Recipe and steps after the jump ...

Mexican Cold Chocolate

+ 1 Banana (frozen)
+ 1/3 c. Mango (frozen)
+ Almond Milk (1/2 c. +)
+ 2 tbsp - 1/4 cup cacao or cocoa powder (to taste)
+ 2-3 Dashes of Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Tumeric
+ 1 Dash of Cayenne (a little goes a long way)
+ Featured: Coconut Butter (recipe coming next week) and Hulled Hemp Seeds
+ Optional: replace part of liquid with coconut water or if neither is on hand, just use water; add 1/3-1/2 c. of spinach; if you need more sweetness, try adding honey or maple syrup

Throw all of your ingredients, minus the liquid, into a blender. Fill with your choice of liquid to just below your ingredients - this helps with the frosty consistency, but if you accidentally add too much liquid, just toss in more frozen banana or mangoes, and it's all fixed. Give it a whirl, pour it into a bowl or big mug, and top with your choice of additions. Some that I like that aren't featured above: granola, toasted buckwheat groats, chocolate brown rice cereal, i.e. the options are endless. Enjoy! Xx.

+ what's your take on spicy foods that are 'supposed' to be sweet?
Tell me your thoughts in the comments below or on Facebook.

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May 20, 2015

R E C I P E // A Little Yum: Smoothie Bowls

May 20, 2015/ ekfriend

Green Smoothie BowlSpinach & Banana, Naturally

R E C I P E || what is a smoothie bowl? it's an amazing blend of frozen fruit and veggies that comes out in a frosty-esque consistency, perfect for upending into a bowl and eating with a spoon. It's cold, it forces you to really slow down and enjoy the nutrients (unlike guzzling a smoothie like a person who has just crossed the finish line in the Boston Marathon), and it's perfectly top-able and delicious. I love these over the summer for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and sometimes it tastes so good I want another. If the green freaks you out, try adding some cacao or cocoa and make it a chocolate frosty. You don't taste the greens in my opinion, but sometimes it's easier to eat something that looks like chocolate ice cream, am I right? I left the recipe purposely vague so you can experiment, and find your favorite combination. Starting with the base of banana and spinach (both frozen so it's super spoonable), anything else goes -- if I don't have almond milk, I'll use just water; if chia seeds and flax seeds are at a low, I'll omit or throw in a different seed if I have it on hand; if I don't want oatmeal in my smoothie (I normally add it on the days I run), I don't put it in there ... you guys get the idea, right? It's simple!

+ 1-2 cups of Non-Dairy Milk
+ 1-2 cups of frozen spinach (if new to the world of green smoothies, start at 1 cup and work up)
+ 1 frozen banana (peel the banana and break it up into bite size pieces -- makes it easier on the blender -- and then place it in the freezer in a baggie or on a tray until frozen. they last forever so feel free to freeze in bulk)
+ Flax & Chia Seeds
+ 1-2 tbsp oatmeal
+ Almond butter to drizzle heavenly on top
+ Spices of Choice (I love cinnamon and nutmeg)
+ Ice (optional)

Add all of the ingredients* (minus the almond butter if you want to drizzle it on top) to a blender until all is combined. I've tried it with my nutribullet and it works just fine!

*You want the milk to just cover the frozen banana and spinach. After you run it through the blender to get it started, you add very small amounts to help it blend completely, but not too much that it becomes any ol' smoothie -- it's all about that spooning action! If you made it too runny, no worries! Add a little more frozen banana or ice to it and thicken it right back up -- it's almost too simple to call it a recipe.

Why do we love Green Smoothies? The one above packs potassium, manganese, folate, fiber, vital vitamins and nutrients (think B6, C, E, omegas), as well as protein and more, and it's all jam packed into something that tastes amazing ;-). Plus, it makes your body glow from the inside out and feel like it can go for hours (if you're wondering how filling a simple recipe could be, try it out -- I think you'll be pleasantly surprised).

For another smoothie recipe, check out this Berry & Beet Smoothie or the non-bowl version of this recipe, The Training Wheels Green Smoothie.

+ have you tried smoothie bowls before ? was this a new idea for you? comment below or on facebook!

Want to feel like a million bucks with high energy, self-love, and freedom from fad-diets? Let’s work together.

Xx. Remember, always listen to your body and soul when fixing yourself food -- it's generally in there that you'll find just what you need.

April 09, 2015

|| R E C I P E + V I D E O || Emily Goes Into New Territory | 4.9.15

April 09, 2015/ ekfriend

The Training Wheels Green Smoothie -Spinach & Banana (and other things of course)

The Training Wheels Smoothie from Emily Friend on Vimeo.

R E C I P E

+ 1 cup of Non-Dairy Milk (I normally use almond milk and add water to thin my smoothies)+ 1-2 Cups of Spinach (if new to the world of green smoothies, start at 1 cup and work up) + 1 banana + Flax Seed (anywhere from 1/2 - 1 tbsp) + Almonds (anywhere from 5-15; alternatively, use equal amounts flax and chia seeds or hemp seeds) + Spices of Choice (I love cinnamon and nutmeg) + Ice (optional)

Add all ingredients to a blender until all is combine and no longer in chunks -- there really isn't a better word for this, is there? To thin, add more non-dairy milk or water. To thicken, add more ice or plan ahead by freezing the bananas in small pieces.

Why do we love Green Smoothies? The one above packs potassium, manganese, folate, fiber, vital vitamins and nutrients (think B6, C, E, omegas), as well as protein and more, and it's all jam packed into something that tastes amazing ;-). Plus, it makes your body glow from the inside out and feel like it can go for hours (if you're wondering how filling a simple drink could be, try it out, and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised).

For another smoothie recipe, check out this Berry & Beet Smoothie. + have you tried green smoothies before? was this a new idea for you? comment below!