Carrots & Almond Butter

Ever get a hankering for a snack enriched with both fat and crunchiness?  "Yes!" you say?  Typically us Americans love to resort to potato chips when we're laden with such cravings.  While potato chips aren't awfully evil, health gurus can list a variety of reasons why one may want to avoid indulging in chips in large quantities.  (Such reasons include the fried nature of most potato chips (unless you select a baked variety) and the related oxidizing effect that fried nature can have upon your body's cells; the fat-to-carbohydrate ratio with essentially no protein which can exacerbate health conditions such as being overweight and obesity; and high sodium content which can promote high blood pressure and related mood/health complications.)

So we have a happy surprise for you!  We've discovered that fresh-ground, roasted (or raw) unsalted almond butter is a great treat to enjoy with raw vegetables - particularly carrots!  Fresh-ground, unsalted almond butter is noteworthy for serving as a healthy source of both unsaturated fats and proteins, and is void of added sugars, salts, and extra unnecessary fats such as vegetable oils (e.g. palm, sunflower, canola) that are typically added to canned/jarred nut butters and peanut butter.  With their high protein content almonds are full of amino acids.  Additionally almonds are noted for their vitamins and trace metal content; signature vitamins include E, A, and a suite of B vitamins.  Trace minerals include iron, calcium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, and zinc.

Carrots & Almond Butter:
1 c baby carrots, peeled & washed (you can buy these in a bag pre-peeled and washed for you)
1/4 - 1/2 c almond butter

*We recommend use of organic ingredients where possible.

Take one baby carrot, dunk it in almond butter and much happily!

NOTE: If you find you enjoy this healthy snack as much as we do, feel free to sample the almond butter with other veggies and decide what combination you like best!

Coconut Mango Lassi

Lassis are scrumptious drinks native to Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan.  Traditionally they are made with yogurt (a good source of probiotics), sugar or spices (depending upon whether the intent is to make them sweet or savory), a bit of water and some fruit.  They may be topped with cream as a final touch to their preparation; this, of course, enhances their rich fatty flavor.  Common sweet flavors include mango, rose, strawberry, and lemon.  Savory lassis are often made with saffron, various spices, and/or butter.

Here at Happy Food Living we LOVE mango lassis.  With time we've developed a dairy-free alternative to traditional lassis that is nutrient rich, filling, and sates our appetites.  With mangoes as an essential ingredient (and also the national fruit of India...aren't Indians smart? ;-), these lassis are enriched with carotenoids noted for their cancer-fighting and antioxidant potential.

Coconut Mango Lassi:

1 c light coconut milk

1/2 - 1 c frozen mango chunks OR 1 whole ripe red mango

2-3 ice cubes

*We recommend use of organic ingredients where possible.

Mix all ingredients in a blender, power up and enjoy!

Amaranth and Quinoa: Two Plants with Great Protein Content

Traditional Medicinal's Everyday Detox - Dandelion

This is a great tea for the evening, especially after a heavy meal.  Another awesome offering from Traditional Medicinals...

(NOTE: It may be too strong for you to drink on an empty stomach.)

Best Sugar for the Planet, for You

So many kinds of sweetener!  Some people say all sweeteners are all the same, while others say This One or That One is the best.

After voluminous research we've concluded that high-fructose sweeteners (like corn syrup, agave nectar, & honey) can be harmful, especially if they are cooked at high temperatures. (source).  Scientific research indicates fructose has a lower immediate effect on blood sugar level as the majority of it is first processed by the liver...but in high amounts it may eventually damage the liver (and lead to fatty liver disease), contribute to glucose intolerance, and help cancer cells metastasize.  Research indicates glucose can also have damaging effects upon your body; it can contribute to the initiation of various forms of cancer and type II diabetes.

Ultimately it appears that sugar in excess is just plain hard on our bodies.  Therefore in tune with our holistic approach to mind- and body wellness, we here at Happy Food Living aim to indulge in low amounts of sugar (most of which are derived from fruits), exercise regularly (which is believed to be associated with a variety of health benefits including blood sugar moderation and mitigation of cancer development), and generally adhere to a low-carbohydrate, grain-free diet (grain-based diets are believed to be associated with type II diabetes and cancer as well).

Therefore it seems the best approach to meet our goals of sustained health and well-being is a low-sugar, low carb diet (link to perfect diet discussion, ie create another post on this blog).  With this, however, we acknowledge that as long as we're going to be baking we need to use some sugar, so why not choose the cheapest, most environmentally sustainable kind?  We found Florida Crystals cane sugar to be a high-quality product, produced sustainably using energy from sugar cane biomass.  Florida Crystals sugar is also Fair Trade certified.

NOTE: You may find this sugar reasonably priced at Walmart.