Nutrition for Empowered Women » Fast Healthy Cooking

Alex’s Snacks: Coco-Choco Truffles

Alexandra — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 17:51:57 +0000

I was craving chocolate – again! Could have been the incessant ice-cream truck jingle outside my apartment, or because I walked about 10 miles with the family this weekend. Either way, my body wanted something dark, rich and sweet!

Since I don’t handle caffeine and sugar well (let’s face it – most of us don’t) I decided that the traditional chocolate truffles weren’t going to work, but I still wanted something bite-sized, slightly gooey and dark.

After checking out some raw-food recipes, I decided to dive in with my own take on a truffle. The carob in this recipe is mild and chocolate-like, while adding a whopping dose of iron. The cashews are creamy and provide minerals and protein, which I love:

1 cup cashews (soaked overnight in water), drained

4 tablespoons raw carob powder

5 large Medjool dates, pitted

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

I simply threw this all in a food processor, and blended the mixture until it was smooth. I scraped down the sides a few times as well. Then I rolled tablespoons sized scoops in coconut to create nice truffles. Delicious and healthy! My 3 year old really likes them too – and I don’t mind him having a few since they’re a good source of protein and iron.

Missing Cheese? Try Mochi!

Alexandra — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:06:33 +0000

Mochi is a wonder-food based on a traditional Japanese recipe of pounded sweet rice. Simply stated, this totally natural brick food can be used like cheese for those of us who desire to avoid dairy! It’s gluten free, too, making it appealing to many with food allergies.

You can grate it on top of baked dishes so it melts, you can bake it so it puffs up like little chewy, cheesy poofs, or you can “melt” it to make a cheesy sauce. A wonderful whole-grain treat that kids and adults enjoy!

The main company in the US that creates this natural food is Graiaissance makes flavors like Raisin-Cinnamon, Sesame-Garlic, Super Seed, Cashew-Date, Original, Wheatgrass with Mugwort, and Pizza.

Check out the Grainaissance website for more easy recipe ideas, but here’s the basic idea to get you started:

Cut mochi into 1 inch squares (use a sharp knife – this brick is stiff!), about 12-16 squares.
Pre-heat oven to 450. Spread mochi squares so they’re not touching and bake for 8-10 minutes until they puff up and turn slightly brown.
Stuff with your favorite condiments: nut butter, mashed beans, dipped in sauce or spread with jam.

Mindful Menu Planning for Easy Healthy Meals

Alexandra — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:00:05 +0000

Nutrition for Empowered Women

June 22^nd E-Bite

Mindful Menu Planning 101

Want to save money, eat healthy and save time? Me too! Make your healthy eating goals a reality with a few simple planning tips:

Plan the meals you’re going to eat for the next week – as someone’s football coach once said, if you fail to plan, your planning to fail.

Use a grid printout to make your menu and shopping list. This simple practice will easily cut down on stressful, end of the day grocery store dashes, and will save you from relying on take-out or fast food.

Start with these two printable charts from Organizedhome.com: