Category: My Story Page 7 of 13

Two Soups for You! {Moroccan Chickpea & Curried Butternut}

On November 14, 2015

In Anti-Inflammatory, Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Gluten-Free, Holidays, My Story, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

It’s the perfect time of year for a nice big bowl of soup. As the weather cools, my body starts to crave foods like that, so I give it what it wants!

Soup is the ultimate savory comfort food for fall. Remember back to when you were a kid and your parents gave you a bowl of chicken noodle soup when we were sick? How about a dippable bowl of creamy tomato soup for your crunchy, buttery grilled cheese sandwich?

Foods like these are comfort foods because they give emotional comfort to us when we eat them.

Today I’m going to share recipes for two soups we recently tried from culinary translator and food as medicine guru, Rebecca Katz.

I recently wrote a post about her cancer-fighting, brain-boosting, longevity-promoting cookbooks and her famous Magic Mineral Broth. If you missed it, check out that post here. You’ll use the mineral broth in both of these soups, which is why we made it in the first place!

I love the rich flavors of today’s soups, especially the Moroccan Chickpea and Vegetable Soup. When I lived in Spain in college, I was in the southern town of Granada, so I was just a couple hours north of Morocco.

It was at that time that I first started to get comfortable trying new foods and experimenting with what I put on my plate. It also served as my introduction to Moroccan food.

I can’t say that I was always excited to be more adventurous with food, but the payoff has been incredible! I now enjoy so many different types of food and ethnic cuisines I would have not even thought to try before that experience.

The second soup uses my favorite fall squash – butternut – and incorporates healing spices like turmeric, ginger, and cumin along with a rich, creamy can of coconut milk.

Butternut Squash Closeup

I found it to be a little thinner than I prefer, but you can always use less broth to start and then add more to thin it out.

If you’re looking for some immune-boosting, heart-warming, soul food for this weekend or upcoming week, try one of these two soups! They are delicious and packed with flavor.

Get the recipe for the Moroccan Chickpea and Vegetable Soup.

And the recipe for the Curried Butternut Squash Soup.

Warm & Cozy Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal {Gluten-Free}

By Rachel Druckenmiller

On November 3, 2015

In Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Gluten-Free, Inspired, My Story, Products I Use, Vegan, Vegetarian

Sometimes we read books that transform us and the way we think, and once we’ve read them, we’re never the same.

That’s how I feel about a book I recently finished reading, The Slow Down Diet by Marc David.

I’m putting together a separate post about the key takeaways from the book, but as a sneak peek, one of them is to SLOW DOWN and listen to your body.

Sure, it’s not a mind-blowing revelation, and it’s something most of us have been told before, but I’m finally at a point in my life where I’m open enough to hear it.

The other day, after I woke up, I drank a tall glass of water, sipped my cinnamon tea, set up my oil diffuser (like a candle but better!), and did a video session of Yoga with Adriene.

I’m going through her 30 Days of Yoga series and am LOVING it!

It helps me stay focused and grounded first thing in the morning and brings more oxygen into my mind and body for clearer thinking and a boost to digestion.

After my yoga session, I was ready for breakfast and headed into the kitchen.

I’ve started being more intuitive about what I eat. Instead of just gulping down a smoothie on my way out the door, rushing to get to whatever is waiting for me for that day, I’ve been taking more time with eating. I’ve been pausing before making decisions about what to eat and paying attention to what my “gut” is telling me.

So, instead of robotically slamming a smoothie every day (typical time to belly = 60-90 seconds), I’ve gone back to basics and have been enjoying some of my favorite breakfast foods, foods I can chew.

Foods that are warm. Foods that are packed with flavor and texture.

The first image that popped into my mind as I was standing at the door of the fridge that morning was a warm and cozy bowl of oatmeal, perfect for the cooler weather we’ve been having.

For me, oatmeal is one of the best comfort foods for fall, especially when it’s full of flavors like cinnamon, ginger, clove, and maple.

My favorite oats to use are Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-free Oats. Almost every grocery store sells them. I even got to meet Bob Moore himself at the Natural Products Expo last month.

It was super cool!

I’ll be sharing a recipe for Banana Nut Oatmeal in November, but in the meantime, give this pumpkin spice version a try and let me know what you think!

Servings: 3-4

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups water
Pinch sea salt
1 cup gluten-free rolled oats (old-fashioned, not quick cooking)
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons almond butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon ground flax seed (flax meal)
2 tablespoons 100% pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons chopped pecans, lightly toasted
Optional: scoop of unflavored protein powder (I like Vital Proteins collagen peptides)

Directions

Bring water, salt, and oats to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat to a simmer and stir for 5 minutes.
Stir in pumpkin puree, almond butter, vanilla and protein powder and stir. Remove from heat and cover for 5 more minutes.
Stir in ground flax meal and maple syrup.
Pour into serving bowl and top with chopped pecans.

Vegelicious Quiche: Perfect for Brunch (Or Any Meal!)

By Rachel Druckenmiller

On October 30, 2015

In Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Gluten-Free, My Story, Recipes

I’ve always been a fan of breakfast.

As a kid, breakfast was special because it gave me time to read the back and sides of cereal boxes. Cereal was my prefered breakfast of choice, so I’ve read hundreds of boxes at this point in my life.

Until my early 20s, I was a pretty picky eater, and I liked plain, simple foods.

I remember going to brunch every now and then (not something we did regularly!) and seeing that quiche was always one of the dishes served.

I wasn’t a fan. I didn’t like vegetables mixed into things…or touching each other. I liked them on their own, coated with spoonfuls of Kraft Parmesan cheese, thank you very much.

Now that I’m an adult, I’ve expanded my breakfast options beyond a bowl of Cheerios and am much more adventurous about how I start my day.

I now LOVE quiches, frittatas, and omelets, and as recently as the past year have come to love both overeasy and sunny-side up eggs. Our friend, Joe, has been known to call the latter “dippy eggs.”

My culinary nutrition instructor, Meghan Telpner, came out with her first cookbook (The Undiet Cookbook) earlier this month and in it is a recipe for a cool new spin on a breakfast quiche, one that uses a single, inexpensive, simple ingredient as the crust – millet.

If you’re scratching your head wondering what millet is, I’m here to help.

I’m going to bet that everyone reading this has seen it before, even if you’ve never eaten it.

It’s one of the main ingredients in…birdseed.

But, fortunately, this ancient gluten-free grain is not just “for the birds” and was cultivated in East Asia as far back as 10,000 years ago!

You can use it in recipes just as you would use couscous, quinoa, or rice, but you can also turn it into a crust, which is what Meghan did for this recipe.

If you don’t have one of the veggies called for in this quiche, swap them out for what you do have. Dishes like this are versatile and lend themselves to modification, so be creative!

If you’d like to up the flavor of the crust, I suggest adding maybe a half teaspoon of sea salt to the millet while it cooks. You can also cook the crust itself for 10-12 minutes before adding the egg mixture to it.

The next time I make it, I think I will saute a couple cloves of garlic in the pot the millet cooks in, so that flavors gets infused into the crust. I might even press some fresh thyme leaves into the crust before adding the egg and veggie mixture on top 🙂

Want the recipe for this vegalicious quiche? Get it here!

Stop Playing Small…Who Are You NOT to Be Great?

By Rachel Druckenmiller

On October 18, 2015

In Inspired, My Story

I was going to write an entire post dedicated to a recipe for a yummy chicken salad from one of my favorite blogs, Nourishing Meals.

The authors of that blog have also written a few of my favorite cookbooks, including Nourishing Meals and The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen.

But because of all of the exciting events over the past week, I felt more inspired to reflect on and share a life lesson that has really transformed my life and what’s possible in it.

Earlier this year, I wrote about how Bill and I started the year by declaring how we wanted to FEEL (vs. a laundry list of all the things we wanted to ACCOMPLISH) in 2015. I narrowed down how I wanted to feel to five words and have intentionally taken action to do things that make me feel RADIANT, CLEAR, FLOWING, CONNECTED and WORTHY.

When I’m speaking, teaching, or presenting about a topic near and dear to me, I feel radiant, flowing and connected. Something in the deepest part of me unlocks and I radiate only goodness and positivity. I become the best version of myself.

I feel energized, inspired and ALIVE.

I lose track of time. I’m in a “flow” state, and everything seems effortless.

I’m joyful. I’m authentic.

I’m boldly and unapologetically me.

What a relief that is.

I haven’t always felt so CLEAR or so completely myself.

In March 2015, I was recognized by WELCOA as the #1 Health Promotion Professional in the Country, and won a trip to San Diego to attend their summit. I had the privilege of being able to share a few words with my peers during an acceptance speech and was stoked to do that.

As I was sitting at the conference listening to all of the awesome speakers, I thought to myself, “I want to do that one day.”

I reflected on the time I spent in San Diego at the Wellness Council of America (WELCOA) Summit and the American Journal of Health Promotion Conference, and I wrote down a list of declarations on the last page of my journal.

It’s been pretty mind-blowing to see how many of those intentions have become realities over the past 6 months.

On a warm, sunny day in late August, I received a call from Sara Rauch, the Director of Strategy and Planning for WELCOA. She invited me to be one of the speakers at the 2016 WELCOA National Summit in Orlando!

I was elated/joyful/on top of the world/stoked and couldn’t stop smiling. It was literally a dream come true.

Since then, a few of the other intentions I’d written down in April have come to be.

1) I’ve spoken at multiple SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) conferences.

I presented at the Maryland State conference in Ocean City in September, at Chapter meetings for the DCSHRM and Baltimore County SHRM, and most recently, at the Carroll County SHRM’s Annual Fall Conference. I’m slated to speak at the Montgomery County SHRM and possibly two other regional SHRM groups in 2016.

2) Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to speak at a CEO group in Baltimore. The event was put on by the Hunt Valley Business Forum and was focused on Health and Wellness for the 21st Century Woman. I was one of the four panelists, each with different areas of expertise in the health and wellness field.

My friend and favorite group exercise instructor Jacob, who I’ve known for nearly a decade, invited me to be on the panel, and I felt SO alive and invigorated before, during and after the event. I met some amazing women who are doing great things in Baltimore and beyond.

hvbf flyer 3) I’ve had the privilege of presenting at the Institute for Integrative Health multiple times.

I co-presented a Sweet Confessions event with Dr. Chris D’Adamo in July, taught a Yummy Snacks for Healthy, Happy Kids cooking class and workshop in September, and felt totally on fire and “in the zone” teaching this week’s workshop, “Going Gluten-Free without Going Crazy.”

Have you ever walked away from a project and just felt like, “THAT is what I’m meant to do!”?

That’s exactly how I felt after Wednesday’s class. It was incredible!

We’re in the process of planning programs for next year, and I’ve been asked to speak at the Annual Health and Wellness Conference put on by the University of Maryland Center for Integrative Medicine and hosted by the Institute for Integrative Health in April 2016. I’m pumped!

I share all of this with you not to brag or be arrogant but to prove that point that we have to BELIEVE things are possible in our lives and make room for them before they’re likely to happen.

If we NEVER think we’ll get that job, have a healthy and thriving relationship, run that half marathon, cook from scratch, get a raise, or be happy, then we probably won’t. If we believe deep down that something is impossible, then subconsciously, we’ll do things to sabotage anything that comes close to looking like what we actually want to happen in our lives.

We’ll end up shutting it down before it even has a chance to come into being.

In the spirit of transparency and being totally honest and open with you, I feel compelled to share that one of my deepest fears and insecurities is that people won’t like me, that I will be TOO successful and that, ultimately I will be alone.

I know it might sound crazy to hear me say that, but ALL of us, no matter how “successful” or accomplished we become, deal with those feelings in some way or another.

Because of that, I have to be hyper aware of that tendency, so I don’t sabotage myself or sell myself short. I love what Marianne Williamson has to say about that…

That inspiration comes from her book, A Return to Love, and the complete passage reads like this:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

So, what about you?

What would your life look like if you were honest with yourself about what makes YOU radiate and bring light and joy into the world?

Each one of us has the power within us to be great.

So stop playing small.

And start living the life you were meant to live!

Sunbutter Buckeyes {Nut-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo}

By Rachel Druckenmiller

On August 25, 2015

In Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, My Story, Paleo, Products I Use, Recipes, Savor, Tips & Tricks, Vegan, Vegetarian

When I was a kid, I loved everything about going back to school.

From our annual trip to JC Penney to buy fall clothes (which was kind of irrelevant because we wore uniforms) to hitting up Staples for our back-to-school supplies, I was in heaven.

I was a picky eater as a kid, so I brought some interesting lunches to school like carrot sticks, yogurt, fruit and crackers or chips, since I didn’t like sandwiches.

I know other parents struggle with feeding their kids healthy food, so I’m here to give you options for them and you!

As I’ve been gearing up for a cooking class I’m teaching about Yummy Snacks for Healthy, Happy Kids on September 16^th, I’ve been doing lots of research and recipe testing to make sure the workshop and recipes are awesome. Click here to register (we’re capping the class at 30 so make sure you sign up soon!).

After finding out that a lot of schools now have peanut and tree-nut restrictions these days due to increased concerns about food allergies, I started testing out more recipes made with seeds instead of nuts.

My friend, Missy, a rock star mama of three, tried the original version of these a couple of weeks ago. She loves sunflower seeds and since they’re made with sunbutter and sunflower seeds, she was a fan.

You can leave them as sunbutter bites, and they taste great!

But, she offered one suggestion to make them irresistible to kids.

Dip them in chocolate.

That’s how I came up with these Sunbutter Buckeyes.

All they needed was a little hint of chocolate to turn them from Bites into Buckeyes 🙂

My friend Tim and Katie’s son, 20-month old son, Jack, tried these the other day and his smile afterward was all the approval I needed!

I’ve since taste-tested them with over a dozen moms and kids (from 18 months to 8-years old), and they were a hit.

You’ll love them, too! 🙂

Ingredients

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds, unsalted
1/3 cup shredded coconut
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup Medjool dates, packed and pitted (about 10 dates)
1/3 cup sunflower seed butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup Enjoy Life chocolate chips
1 teaspoon coconut oil

Directions

Combine pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, coconut, salt and cinnamon in a food processor until it reaches a fine meal.
Add dates, sunflower seed butter, and vanilla, and run food processor until all ingredients are combined.
Roll dough into tablespoon-sized balls and put on parchment paper in refrigerator to chill.
Make your own double burner to melt the chips. Fill a small saucepan with 1 inch water and place a small glass bowl on top. Set the burner to medium low heat. Put chocolate chips and coconut oil in the glass bowl and stir until melted.
Remove bites from fridge and dip halfway into chocolate. Set on a sheet of parchment paper and put in fridge to harden (about 10 minutes).

If you haven’t already, make sure you sign up to come to the Yummy Snacks for Healthy, Happy Kids workshop in Baltimore on Wednesday, September 16th!

The Power of Disconnecting: 7 Life Lessons from the Adirondacks

By Rachel Druckenmiller

On August 8, 2015

In Inspiration, My Story

I know how important it is to nourish myself with more than food, but I’ve been running myself a bit ragged over the past few weeks and haven’t made that much of a priority.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day busyness and lose sight of what matters.

Amazing things happen when we physically get away and give ourselves space to just be.

My recent vacation to Upstate New York was exactly what I needed to reset, recharge and refocus my body and brain.

It nourished my soul.

Most people who live in Baltimore spend their summers at the beach, but my vacation has always involved an 8-hour drive to the Adirondack Mountains in Upstate New York. It’s where my mom spent her summers as a kid and where her parents lived for as long as I can remember.

I have so many great memories of spending summer vacations “Up North” as a kid, and I’ve grown to appreciate it even more as an adult.

My parents think of it as their heaven on earth, and it has become something similar for me in recent years. As much as I’m running around all the time at home, I can’t help but disconnect and refocus myself physically and mentally when I’m up there.

It’s such a special, centering, and grounding place.

One of my favorite things to do is hike the mountains. The air is crisp, clear and free of pollution, and the views are absolutely breathtaking.

As my husband, Bill, and I were hiking one of the 46 High Peaks with my parents (both in their 60s!), it started to hit me how much hiking and life have in common.

Whether we’re trying to reach a goal related to weight, movement, or what we’re eating, having a healthy perspective around the journey, destination and challenges along the way can help us stay on the path instead of being deterred or discouraged.

I’m always open to inspiration, no matter what I’m doing, and our hike up Phelps Mountain ended up being the perfect time to take in the lessons life had to teach me that day.

When we take time to nourish our entire being and realize that there’s more to life and being well than kale salads and green smoothies, we can learn tremendous lessons.

Lesson #1: Be prepared and have a plan

When you go for a hike, you don’t typically do it on a whim.

You pick a trail you can physically handle and usually a peak with good views. For example on one of the iconic Dreamland Safari tours, you might find yourself exploring the breathtaking Vermilion Cliffs. You check the forecast to make sure the weather is going to be nice. Clear days are the best days for views at the summit, so you plan for those as best you can. You pack food, water, a trail guide, first aid supplies, a camera, and whatever else you’ll need to stay hydrated, fueled, and safe.

Some of my favorite snacks to take on a hike!

The same goes with life. The more we set aside time to think through a plan and map out what we’ll need to be successful, the more likely we are to end up where we want to be.

I know quite a few people who plan each day the night before, so they can live intentionally and start each day focused on what they want to get out of it instead of just letting it pass by.

Planning time is not wasted time. It helps us be more productive, focused and intentional, so make time for it in the midst of the busyness.

Lesson #2: Enjoy the journey

The goal of hiking isn’t just to get to the summit and climb back down. Relative to the total hike, you spend a sliver of time at the top and most of the time getting there or back.

Getting through the hike makes you appreciate the summit that much more, so instead of anticipating the outcome at the expense of appreciating the journey, enjoy the entire hike, from the ascent to the summit to the descent.

Stop and pick the blueberries, look for beauty, take off your shoes and rest your tired feet in the ice cold spring water.

Stopping to pick blueberries on Blueberry Mountain

Someone else spelled this out on one of the lookouts. So cool!

Bill taking a break along the trail

We stopped at a stream to put our toes in the water on our way off the mountain

As the daughter of two entrepreneurs and someone with passion and desire to continually raise the bar, I often forget to do this. I’m so focused on “getting somewhere” that I don’t appreciate where I am in the moment and end up stressed as a result.

Enjoying the journey as much as the destination is about being fully present to where we are in the moment instead of wishing it away.

Lesson #3: It’s okay to get lost or go the “wrong” way

Hiking trails aren’t always clearly defined. Sometimes you make a wrong turn or get lost and have to figure out how to get back on track.

One time, Bill and I completely missed a sign and ended up hiking up a ski trail (talk about tiring!). It actually ended up being a bit of a shortcut but was a tougher climb than the actual trail would have been. We may not have gone the “right way” but we ended up where we needed to be.

The same thing happens in life. We can be so afraid of making mistakes or doing something “wrong” that we don’t even try.

Who says your way isn’t the right way just because other people do it differently?

Lesson #4: Trust your gut; it’s smarter than you

When we talk about having a “gut” feeling, that’s a real thing. We have neurotransmitters and nerve endings in our digestive system that are directly connected to our brain. When we were on our hike with my parents, we didn’t see trail markers for a solid half hour, and my mom started to worry if we were going the right way.

But we instinctively knew we were on the trail. Eventually, we saw trail markers, but we didn’t wait until we saw them to keep moving up.

In life, there aren’t always giant, in-your-face signs telling us what to do or where to go.

If we’re always waiting for a definite, clear-cut answer about what to do before moving forward, we might miss out on something or never get to where we’re meant to be.

Sometimes, we just have to trust our gut and listen to what our intuition is telling us.

Lesson #5: You’re going to have some “Holy S#@!” moments

The High Peaks are infamous for some pretty steep rock beds and scrambles as you approach the summit. When you’re hiking, you’re usually looking not more than a few feet in front of you, so you don’t always see them up ahead.

I remember on our hike that I looked up at a steep pitch at one point and just thought to myself, “Holy S#@!” as I tried to figure out how the heck I was going to get beyond it.

This happens in life a lot. We’re in the midst of our day or our journey, and roadblocks or barriers come out of nowhere and rattle us.

Sometimes, we have no idea how we’re going to get around them. But we assess the situation, consider a few possible options and go with what makes the most sense or “feels” right. We have to take action, or we won’t move forward.

Lesson #6: Get support from others along the way

Some people like to hike alone for the solitude, and I can totally understand why. But I find so many aspects of hiking are more fun when I’m with at least one other person.

It means we can share the load of whatever we have in our packs. We have another set of eyes and intuition to guide us along the trail. We have someone who can help us over physical obstacles like ladders or steep pitches. We have someone to talk to and take pictures with throughout the hike.

The same goes with life. When we bring other people on our journey with us, they can support and guide us along the way and celebrate with us when we reach our goal.

Struggles and celebrations are easier when we go through them with other people.

Lesson #7: Soak in the summit

One of the most magical moments of a hike is when you reach the peak of a mountain. The views are stunning, especially on a clear day, that you can’t help but be silent and take in the beauty and peacefulness of your surroundings.

When we hike, we usually spend a solid hour at the summit. We take our shoes off, down some water, and enjoy our well-deserved lunch. We take pictures, lay on the rocks, bask in the sun, and take in the entire experience.

I find this hard to do in my life. When I accomplish something, I’m quick to move on to whatever the next project or goal is and rarely appreciate what I’ve just done.

I don’t take time to celebrate victories.

But last week, the mountains reminded me that there’s something incredibly satisfying about pausing to treasure and honor something we’ve worked hard to accomplish, to fully soak in the awesomeness of that moment.

Sometimes we have to step away from the crazy busy worlds most of us live in to reflect on our journey and what we’re trying to accomplish on a daily basis. I hope some of these reflections speak to and inspire you today to reset, refocus and take on a new perspective along your journey, no matter where you are on the path.

Sweet Tooth Truths Part 4: The Best Choices for Natural Sweeteners

By Rachel Druckenmiller

On August 6, 2015

In My Story, Products I Use, Tips & Tricks

In this fourth and final post of the Sweet Tooth Truths series, I’m going to give you the scoop on natural sweeteners. From agave to yacon syrup, we’re going to take a look at some of the most common natural sweeteners and what we know about how they impact our bodies.

One of the common questions that stood out during the Sweet Confessions talk was, “How much sugar should/can we eat?”

The reality is that even the experts can’t seem to agree on a magic number. The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests no more than about 12 teaspoons per day, while the American Heart Association (AHA) says 6 teaspoons for women and 9 teaspoons for men.

Regardless of whom you ask, the main thing to keep in mind is that we don’t want to eat a lot of sweeteners, even if they are from natural sources. They’re meant to be used in moderation but aren’t an essential part of our diet.

They just happen to taste really good and make food more enjoyable 🙂

Dr. D’Adamo rounded out his presentation making this point about sweeteners in general:

So keep that in mind as you read through this list of sweeteners and what’s recommended for each.

If you want to get even more detailed information about each of these sweeteners and others not covered in this post, check out this website. It’s an excellent resource!

Agave

The Basics: Indigenous to Mexico & South America, agave is the slow boil of sap of the agave plant. There are many species, but it’s usually derived from “Blue Agave.” Tequila is fermented agave. Agave is marketed as a “low glycemic” sweetener because its glycemic index (GI, which measures the impact of a carbohydrate on our blood sugar) is 15, but it’s primarily made up of fructose, which can be tough on our liver and favors fat storage.

Where to Find It: Syrups, cereals, nutrition bars

The Controversy: Most modern agave is highly refined, full of pesticides, genetically-modified and has minimal antioxidant content. “Raw” & organic agave is less refined and likely more nutritious but we want to limit consumption even if it is raw and organic for a number of reasons:

Very high in fructose (up to 90% fructose compared to HIGH fructose corn syrup which is 55% fructose!), which is primarily metabolized in the liver
Increases triglycerides (fat in our blood) and VLDL (dangerous cholesterol)
Increases appetite

Stevia

The Basics: Obtained from South American shrub yerba dulce, stevia is an herb that has been used for thousands of years for sweetening. It’s nearly calorie-free and is 100 times sweeter than sugar but can have a slightly bitter aftertaste.

Where to Find It: Truvia, PureVia, SweetLeaf, stevia extracts, flavored water, diet soda, yogurts

The Controversy: In the 1990s, it was rejected by the FDA, Canada and Europe for use as a sweetener because of concerns over reproductive problems in rats and hamsters, but it has been used in South America and Japan for many years. In 2008, the FDA classified stevia as GRAS (“Generally Regarded as Safe”), and the food industry started including it in beverages and marketed it heavily as a natural alternative to artificial sweeteners.

The other compound in stevia has not been linked to tumors or reproductive problems in rats over several generations. However, those studies were funded by the food industry and can be found here and here.

There have been few independently-funded human studies on stevia, but those that have been done have found it does not increase blood sugar more than placebo and lowers blood pressure.

Recommendation

Choose your stevia wisely. As always, read labels, choose organic if possible, avoid additional ingredients (for instance, Truvia contains erythritol and natural flavors and Stevia in the Raw contains dextrose and maltodextrin), and use stevia in moderation until more is known.

Honey

The Basics: Honey is made when bees collect flower nectar, combine it with salivary enzymes, and store it in their hives. Honey has been used as food & medicine in Ayurveda, traditional Chinese Medicine, and by the Greeks for over 5,000 years.

There are many varieties of honey, including clover, buckwheat, manuka, thyme, lavender, etc. The color varies by the nectar of different plant sources. There are also several forms of honey, including liquid, creamed and honeycomb.

Where to Find It: Cereal, granola, yogurt, nut butters, nutrition bars

What Science Says

Honey has multiple health benefits, including the following:

Strong antioxidant & antimicrobial effects
Effective in wound healing
Reduce coughs in children better than dextromethorphan
Contains nutrients that protect against cancer
Contains probiotic bacteria & prebiotics that promote digestive (and therefore overall) health
Provides relief from seasonal allergies (many prefer local honey for these purposes)

Reasons for Concern

Avoid honey in infants under one year because it may cause botulism
Often contaminated by environmental factors, including pesticides, heavy metals, genetically modified plants, etc. For that reason, it’s important to know where your honey is sourced

Recommendations

Use in moderation because it’s high in sugar (GI = 50, but relatively high in fructose)
Best choice: organic (less exposure to pesticides), local (likely to benefit seasonal allergies), raw honey (more enzymes, nutrients)
Darker honey has more nutrients (include buckwheat, honeydew, manuka)
Traditional or creamed is not likely to have any health difference but is traditionally easier for teas, and creamed honey is easier for spreading

Other Natural Sweeteners

Blackstrap Molasses

“Unsulphured” blackstrap molasses has the most antioxidants and potassium of any natural sweetener and come from cane sugar manufacturing. It’s also very high in iron, so it’s sometimes used as a supplement for people who have anemia—Phillips (2009) J Am Diet Assoc. 109(1):64-71. Be aware that, despite its health benefits, it has a GI of 55 and is 30% fructose, so it’s not suitable for diabetics and should be used in moderation, as with all other sweeteners.

Maple Syrup

This natural sweetener comes from the sap of maple trees. Rich in antioxidants and high polyphenol (protective nutrients in plants) content. Dark maple syrup is high in magnesium, potassium, etc. (Theriault (2006) Food Chem 98:490–501). Its GI is 54, and it is about 35% fructose, so use it in moderation.

Make sure you are buying PURE maple syrup (not Log Cabin or Aunt Jemima, which are usually full of high fructose corn syrup). We prefer Grade B maple syrup, as it’s darker and richer than Grade A.

Coconut Palm Sugar

With a look similar to brown sugar, coconut palm sugar comes from the flower blossoms growing on palm trees, which produce a liquid nectar. It has a low GI (35) and low fructose content (<30%), so its use is encouraging but does not yet have much supporting science. Also, even though it contains more vitamins and minerals than white sugar, it doesn’t contain any fiber and is essentially pure sugar, so enjoy it in moderation.

I use coconut sugar in my Snickerdoodle bites and this fruit crumble.

Luo Han Guo (Monk Fruit)

The plant is native to southwestern China, where it has been known for hundreds of years and used for medicinal purposes. It’s used as a natural, zero-calorie sweetener with a glycemic index of 0, so it’s suitable for diabetics. It’s about 300 times sweeter than sugar.

Here is a site with more info about Monk Fruit.

Yacon Syrup

A natural sweetener made from the root of the Yacon plant in South America. It contains fructooligosaccharides, which promote the creation of beneficial bacteria in our digestive system, and helps to “bulk up” our stool to remove waste from the body.

Several studies have shown Yacon syrup to be effective as a weight loss tool, but it’s very expensive (about 30 times as much as sugar!), so it’s not widely used.

Dates

Usually dried or in the form of date sugar or date paste. They’re a better option than other sweeteners because they are a whole food and are high in tannin antioxidants. Like most dried fruit, they are high in fructose, so moderate your consumption. I prefer Medjool dates to Deglet dates because they have more of a caramel texture and work better in recipes.

Berries

The best “sweetener” for many health benefits, including fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. Enjoy a variety because different berries have different nutrients.

So, there you have it! Those are some of the top natural sweeteners to include in your diet. It’s ideal to eat them in moderation, but food is meant to be enjoyed, and they make food more enjoyable for sure 🙂 Didn’t see a sweetener you’re curious about on the list? Check out this guide or a FULL list.

If you want to go back and check out the previous posts in this series, here they are!

Part 1: Why We Can’t Get Enough of Sugar

Part 2: The Secret to Cutting Sugar Cravings…Naturally!

Part 3: The Skinny on Artificial Sweeteners

31 Inspirations @ 31

By Rachel Druckenmiller

On July 9, 2015

In Inspired, My Story

Yesterday, I was blessed to celebrate yet another year on this earth, and what a year it’s been!!

So many incredible things have happened in my life that I would have never imagined a year ago.

I set an intention at the beginning of the year to feel these Radiant, Clarity, Flowing, Connected, and Worthy and I’ve been feeling all of them in BIG ways!

From the WELCOA award and San Diego trip to the birth of our niece and countless opportunities to speak to, present and teach at the local, regional and national level, I’ve felt radiant and have been “in the zone,” doing what I love.

I’ve met several inspiring and passionate people who are making a big difference in the field of health and well-being, including Dan Buettner, Dr. David Katz, Tom Rath and the Food Babe. Connecting to these people and others, like my CNE community, has been so energizing.

Everything that has happened this year has brought me closer to realizing that I’m “enough” or “worth it,” feelings I’ve struggled with my whole life.

I was reminded of this the night before my birthday when Bill surprised me with a garden in our backyard (and a cute little RNK Rachel’s Nourishing Kitchen sign!).

As someone who is known for killing plants and not being able to keep anything alive, I’m hopeful that having an actual garden will turn things around!

Inspired by my friend, Jessica, I now take off on my birthday and do exactly what I want to do, spending the day at my favorite place – Belvedere Square.

I worked out at the gym in the morning (awesome, high energy class with Angel!) and then grabbed a juice at Plantbar.

I ran into my friend Celeste and made a new friend, Monyka, who is another woman driven to do big, meaningful things in Baltimore.

I had lunch with Lola, who I’ve known for almost a decade but whose Nia classes I just started taking a few months ago. I LOVE Nia! The best way I can describe it is judgment-free joyful movement 🙂

She was kind enough to treat me to a yummy lunch and give me this flower as a gift!

In it was a note and one of her signature phrases:

“Do it with passion, or don’t do it at all!”

Yes!

After lunch, I went to my favorite chocolate place – Pure Chocolate by Jinji – and got a little goodie bag of chocolate treats, including one of these black raspberry lemon thyme chocolates.

One thing I noticed is that raspberries were everywhere.

They’ve always been my favorite fruit, so I felt particularly special to have them in everything from my salad to my tea to my chocolate 🙂

It’s so neat when fun things like that happen, isn’t it?

My sister-in-law, Layne, brought her two cutie pie kiddos to visit me a little while later (adorable!). We wandered around the market, a mesmerizing place to explore for a 2-year-old!

I spent the rest of the afternoon writing this post before Bill took me out to dinner at Great Sage.

I wouldn’t have changed a thing.

I was energized and inspired by all of the people I physically spent time with and all of the texts, phone calls, emails and Facebook messages people took the time to send.

I felt so abundantly loved!

Last year, as I reflected on turning 30, I wrote this blog post about my 30 Truths at 30.

Since then, I’ve learned even more from all of the amazing teachers and experiences in my life and the books I’ve read.

So, another year later, after taking time reflect about what inspired me most over the past year, here are my 31 Inspirations at 31 that have shaped my thinking and influenced my “doing.”

I hope they speak to you, too 🙂

Mint Chocolate Chip Bliss Balls {Paleo, Vegan}

By Rachel Druckenmiller

On July 6, 2015

In Anti-Inflammatory, Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, My Story, Paleo, Products I Use, Recipes, Savor, Vegan, Vegetarian

Whenever I think of my birthday, I remember the mint chocolate chip ice cream cake I had EVERY YEAR growing up. I looked forward to it as much as the presents.

From the creamy, minty ice cream that instantly coated and cooled my tongue to the chocolate crunchies layer in the middle of the ice cream bliss, that cake was the BEST.

Since removing dairy from my diet a few years ago once I learned how it was triggering health issues, I’ve had to find other ways to recreate a similar experience.

Hence these little mint chocolatey bliss balls 🙂

They’re a serious upgrade to my Carvel cake and are full of superfoods like raw cacao powder, cacao nibs and hemp seeds. Check out just a few of the awesome benefits of these foods:

Raw Cacao Powder & Nibs: This is chocolate at its best…raw. When we hear people talk about chocolate being good for us, THIS is the stuff they’re talking about. In its raw form (cacao), chocolate is packed with anti-aging and disease-fighting antioxidants along with mood-boosting and anti-inflammatory compounds. It’s a food we can enjoy every day. Lots of my sweet treat recipes are made with raw cacao, so check them out!

Hemp Seeds: Don’t worry – in case it’s crossing your mind – these hemp seeds won’t give you the “high” you’re thinking of, but they DO have lots of other benefits. They’re a great source of plant-based protein, high in healthy fats that naturally balance hormones and promote heart health, and rich in soluble and insoluble fiber to keep us feeling full and satisfied. For more benefits of hemp seeds, click here.

So, not only are these ingredients really good for us, but these bliss balls taste aaaamazing!

You should have seen my husband Bill’s face the first time he bit into one of these. He was in heaven! 🙂

Yields: 16-18 balls

Ingredients

2 cups raw walnuts
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/2 cup hemp seeds, divided
1/2 cup raw cacao powder
1 1/2 cups Medjool dates, pitted (about 15 dates)
5 drops therapeutic grade peppermint essential oil (a little goes a long way!…or 1/2 tsp peppermint extract)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla powder
2 tablespoons raw cacao nibs

Directions

Combine walnuts, 1/4 cup hemp seeds, cacao powder and sea salt in a food processor and process until finely ground, about 15-20 seconds.
Add dates, peppermint oil and vanilla and process until combined.
Add raw cacao nibs and pulse a few more times until everything is incorporated. Then, remove dough from the food processor and roll it into one big dough ball.
Pinch off one chunk at a time to make 1-inch fudge balls. Roll balls in hemp seeds and store in the fridge, so they can firm up. After that, you can leave them in the fridge or freezer.

Enjoy 🙂

My #1 Secret to Resist Food Temptation

By Rachel Druckenmiller

On June 29, 2015

In Inspired, My Story, Tips & Tricks

Most of us have good intentions when it comes to eating well.

But sometimes, despite the best of our intentions, tiredness and temptation get in the way.

We know we “should” eat what tastes good and leaves us feeling satisfied and energized, but most of us struggle to actually do that on a daily basis.

The next time you’re in a social situation where food is involved and you’re feeling pressured to make a choice you really don’t want to make, I’m going to let you in on a little secret – the main way I respond when someone offers me something I would rather not eat.

I first heard it in Hungry for Change (one of my favorite food documentaries!), and it has stuck with me ever since.

Instead of saying, “I want it, but I can’t have it,” say:

See what we did there??

The first response is all about the deprivation-oriented dieting mentality and makes it seem like we’re not choosing what we eat. But, we’re all adults, and we know that everything we eat or drink IS our choice, so let’s own that.

The new way is a freedom-based response. It says,

“Sure, I can eat anything I want because I’m an adult and make my own choices.

BUT I care about my body and want to fill it up with food that makes me feel good and energized, so I’m choosing to eat something nourishing. Thank you.”

I don’t know of anyone in my life who would continue to bug me after getting a response like that.

Be firm and confident about WHY you’re doing what you’re doing.

After all, it’s YOUR life, so you have the final say about what goes at the end of your fork 🙂

Category: My Story Page 7 of 13

Get the recipe for the Moroccan Chickpea and Vegetable Soup.

And the recipe for the Curried Butternut Squash Soup.

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*Want the recipe for this vegalicious quiche? Get it here!*

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Lesson #1: Be prepared and have a plan

Lesson #2: Enjoy the journey

Lesson #3: It’s okay to get lost or go the “wrong” way

Lesson #4: Trust your gut; it’s smarter than you

Lesson #5: You’re going to have some “Holy S#@!” moments

Lesson #6: Get support from others along the way

Lesson #7: Soak in the summit

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Agave

Stevia

Honey

Other Natural Sweeteners

Blackstrap Molasses

Maple Syrup

Coconut Palm Sugar

Luo Han Guo (Monk Fruit)

Yacon Syrup

Dates

Berries

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“Do it with passion, or don’t do it at all!”

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

“Sure, I can eat anything I want because I’m an adult and make my own choices.

BUT I care about my body and want to fill it up with food that makes me feel good and energized, so I’m choosing to eat something nourishing. Thank you.”

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Want the recipe for this vegalicious quiche? Get it here!