Stressed! Need Chocolate! Best Healthy Chocolate Chunk Cookies Ever!
So I just got the call that I will be having surgery (a simple cosmetic procedure) bright and early this Monday morning. I am super stressed about the anesthesia! All I can hear is the “freak liposuction accident” from Clueless. Call me crazy I know. It got me thinking that stress is another big factor in tired skin and the elevation of high blood pressure. Which of course, I have…that is the high blood pressure thing. Hopefully, that will go away or at least ease up a bit with the below recipe. These cookies are amazing and filled with delicious dark chocolate. Dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants called flavonoids which many studies have shown to reduce stress. Keeping it healthy, these have no eggs or dairy. They are amazing! Even approved by my picky 15 year old daughter. Enjoy!
- 2 cups almond flour (blanched)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 6 tbsp melted coconut oil
- 1/4 cup 100% pure maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp water
- 1/2 cup 70% dark chocolate chunks (I used a bar and chopped up)
- 1/2 cup finely shredded coconut (unsweetened)
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large cookie sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine almond flour, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Use a whisk to break up any lumps.
- In another bowl, whisk the oil, syrup, vanilla extract and water.
- Add wet ingredients to dry and stir with a spatula until well combined. Fold in the dark chocolate chunks and coconut. Don't eat the batter! I had a hard time moving forward from here.
- Use a 1/4c measuring cup and scoop out 8 cookies. Flatten a little until a perfect round cookie forms.
- Bake for 15 minutes and then let cool on the sheet. Transfer to a cooling rack after 10 minutes. The cookies will be a little crumbly and a little gooey. Just the way we like it!
- Enjoy with a tall glass of regular or Almond milk!
Forever Young Recipe for Tired Skin
I have to admit, this week I had one too many glasses of wine almost every night. It is Summer after all. However, there is nothing cute about tired skin the next day! You know those days. When you know you look like a St. Bernard….ugh! This week’s recipe is inspired by how to keep your skin youthful and alive from within. And due to the South’s continuous heat wave, I found an amazing recipe for cool and refreshing Papaya Sorbet from Eating Well. Indigenous to South America, papaya’s are packed full of Vitamin C and antioxidants to boost the skins elasticity. I replaced the sugar with Stevia for a lower calorie option. Amazing and so easy to make. Time to glow!
Makes: 8 Servings
- 8 cups peeled, seeded and diced ripe papaya (about 8 small – ripe when yellow and orange with a little give when squeezing gently)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup sugar (1/4 teaspoon Stevia or to taste for lower calorie option)
- 1/4 cup light coconut milk, divided
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon lime zest divided
- 2 pinches sea salt
Directions:
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Arrange diced papaya in a single layer and freeze overnight.
- Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is completely dissolved and syrupy, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour the syrup into a glass measuring cup and let cool for 15 minutes. Remove the papaya from the freezer to defrost while the syrup is cooling.
- Transfer half the frozen papaya to a food processor. Add half the syrup, 2 tablespoons coconut milk, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon lime zest and a pinch of salt. Pulse two or three times then process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides and stir as necessary. Transfer the sorbet to a large serving bowl. Repeat with the remaining ingredients; add to the serving bowl. Serve immediately or freeze until ready to use.
Forever Young Salad – Let’s start at home!
To feel forever young and have amazing energy, the first recipe has to start right here in the U.S. And no, just because we love our fries, pizza and burgers means this country does not have any authentic foods/recipes indigenous to the land. None of those are from here any way. In fact, there are many! Two that you may or may not know are corn (maize) and blueberries. Yumm! The health benefits of corn are numerous to include, a rich source of vitamins and minerals, can preserve the skin and vision (bonus!), reduce cholesterol absorption of the body and much more. And we all know how amazing blueberries are. They are one of the highest sources of antioxidants and one of the world’s healthiest foods. For anyone who suffers from the embarrassing memory stump that has you reaching for your smart phone – new evidence shows blueberries may have benefits to improve your brain function! One of the many recommendations by nutritionist is to eat foods in their whole state to soak up all health benefits. The recipe below is for a delicious corn and blueberry salad. I find it best to make the night before. It is a perfect forever young, healthy recipe to pair with grilled lemon chicken, fish, or mix in some chickpeas for a vegetarian option. Light and refreshing for Summer! Even my carnivore husband devoured it.
Corn and Blueberry Forever Young Salad (check out your local farmer’s market) – Serves 6:
- 6 ears corn (check out your local farmer’s market)
- 2 cups blueberries
- 1 cucumber thinly sliced
- ¼ cup chopped red onion
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 Jalapeno pepper
Dressing/Marinade:
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (do not use that little plastic lime bottle)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoons raw honey
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground fresh pepper
Instructions:
Husk and cut corn from the cobs and set aside. Keep raw instead of cooking for the body to soak up all of the forever young nutrients. It will cook some from the dressing. Rinse the blueberries and pat dry. Mix all salad ingredients together in a large bowl. Whisk together the dressing ingredients until “frothy”. Gently fold into the salad. Let sit in fridge overnight and serve. Enjoy!
Dear God I am Getting Old – Help!
Recently, during cocktails with friends, I was asked my age by someone I was introduced to. I know, the audacity, right? Anyhow, I stated “36….no!….37”. It was at that point I realized I was in denial about the whole aging process. I know I may still sound young to some, but it’s all relative. One thing I know for sure, I am at the point where it is all about preserve, preserve, preserve! One of the best ways to stay and feel young is from the inside out. You can see this practice all over the world from the beautiful French to the ageless Greeks. It comes from what we put into our bodies first and foremost and then how it is prepared. That’s why I decided to share with the world what different cultures view as foods to keep you looking and feeling young. Stay tuned for my first finding this Friday! Operation preservation to stay young commence!
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