Healthy Food

In Defense of Salt + Crispy Zucchini Recipe

May 1, 2019

I was at the grocery store the other day, having a friendly conversation with the butcher about the picky taste buds of toddlers. He explained to me that his son hated carrots, until he finally “gave in” and salted them. Then, he loved them. He was hesitant to do so because he was told that we shouldn’t salt our kid’s food because it “ruins” their taste buds and makes them want salt on everything.

I, being the unconventional girl that I am, was confused. Why is that a bad thing? I thought. Salt is good for you.

I told the story to my husband, and he, too, agreed with the butcher. Why would I want to encourage our daughter to eat more salt?

Well, where do I begin?

Let’s start with the fact that we have been repeatedly told that we need to lower our salt intake based on old research that has since been seriously questioned by newer research. Here’s a shortened review.

In Favor of Salt Studies

New England Journal Study

A study from the New England Journal of Medicine looked at the sodium levels of 101,945 persons from 17 countries, examining the association between sodium excretion and outcome of death and major cardiovascular events (sodium excretion correlates directly with sodium injestion). After a little less than four years observation, they found that those with the lowest sodium excretion had the highest rate of death or cardiovascular events. Those who had the highest sodium excretion had a 24% lowered death or cardiovascular event rate compared to the lowest group.

Source

American Journal of Medicine Study

A 2006 study published in the American Journal of Medicine tracked the sodium intake of 78 million Americans (whoa.) over the course of 14 years. The results (in short)? Lower sodium diets led to higher mortality rates among those with cardiovascular disease.

Source

Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) Study

With 3681 people as their test subjects, the researchers found that systolic blood pressure, but not diastolic pressure is affected by changes in sodium intake. However, this systolic blood pressure association did not result in higher risk of hypertension or CVD complications. In fact, lower sodium intake was associated with higher CVD mortality.

Source

Before I go getting all Food Babe on you (i.e. self-righteous blogger), I think it’s only fair to present the studies that still find the fault in salt.

Fault in Salt Studies

New England Journal Study

Combining data from more than 100 sodium-related studies in 66 countries, the researchers found that there would be 1.65 million fewer deaths per year worldwide if the average sodium intake was decreased to 2,000 mg a day (the average sat at 4,000 mg a day).

Source

Trials of Hypertension Prevention (TOHP) Studies

Researchers in the late 80s/early 90s tested the impact of lifestyle changes on people — one of which being to reduce sodium intake (this was tested independently of other changes so the results could be controlled). Over the 18-36 months of trials, results showed small decreases in blood pressure with sodium reduction. Ten to fifteen years later, the researchers checked in on their participants again to find that A) participants in the sodium-reduction groups were 25% less likely to have a heart/blood pressure-related conditions or to have died from them, and B) the higher the potassium to sodium, the lower their chances were of said conditions. Coming to the conclusion that both lowering sodium and increasing potassium is the winning combination.

Both of these studies bring up some interesting and valid points. The potassium/sodium balance discovered in the TOHP trial is a huge finding (and this is just one of many studies that have found it). We’ll come back to this. Promise.

Secondly, one very important point is missing from all of these trials, and that is the importance of the type of salt consumed.

Salt Jekyll and Salt Hyde

There are two types of salt: Refined salt and unrefined salt. And the fact is that they could not be more different from each other.

Refined salt (i.e. table salt):

  • 97.5% sodium
  • 2.5% man-made chemicals
  • 0 minerals
  • Causes acidosis (lowered pH) (source)
  • Excess leads to fluid accumulating in your tissues

Unrefined salt (Real Salt, Himalayan salt, Celtic salt):

  • 84% sodium chloride
  • 16% naturally-occurring trace minerals
  • Carries nutrients throughout your cells, helping to maintain your acid-base balance
  • Increasing the glial cells in your brain (in charge of creative thinking) and necessary for firing of neurons
  • Maintain and regulate blood pressure
  • Helps your brain talk to your muscles through the sodium-potassium ion exchange
  • Supports adrenal glands

Source 1

Source 2

The Sodium-Potassium Love Connection

As discussed in one of our previous research studies, the key to reduced blood pressure and relaxed arteries is not to take salt out of your diet. It’s to add potassium into it (source).

Salt does not work well alone. It needs it's laid-back buddy Potasssium. Potassium lives inside your cells, unlike sodium, which lives outside them. Its job is to relax the walls of your arteries, prevent muscle cramping, and lower your blood pressure.

A 2014 study, found that women without high blood pressure who took in the most potassium had a 21% reduced risk of stroke. In addition, a meta-analysis (dissecting 29 trials) also found that low levels of potassium resulted in higher systolic blood pressure readings.

The most common recommendation is that you keep your potassium to sodium ratio at 5 to 1. This works great if you’re consuming a mostly unprocessed, home cooked diet. But if you’re eating a lot of canned soups and using store-bought salad dressing, then that level of potassium is going to be really tough to reach. In this case, the first step is to eat more real food. Sounds simple. I know it’s not. But I’m telling you, the more unprocessed, home-cooked meals you’re eating, the less you'll have to think about it. The correct balance will happen on its own. Here’s a few food items that really pack in the potassium.

  • Swiss chard, 1 cup = 1 gram potassium
  • Lima beans, 1 cup = 1 gram
  • Avocado, 1/2 Florida variety = 0.8 gram
  • Dried apricots, 1/2 cup = 0.9 gram
  • Baked potato, 1 large = 0.9 gram
  • Winter squash, 1 cup = 0.9 gram
  • Cooked spinach, 1 cup = 0.8 gram
  • Beets, 1 cup = 0.4 gram

So let’s sum it up.

  1. Salt isn’t bad for you.
  2. Multiple studies have challenged the claims that salt is “bad” for you or increases hypertension.
  3. There are studies that have concluded salt is bad for you. And they're right, it can be. But what hasn't been addressed in these studies is…
  4. There’s a big difference between refined salt and unrefined salt. As much as you can, put yourself in the unrefined camp. The best options for this include the following brands: Real Salt, Himalayan salt, Celtic salt. And no, I am not getting any money for you to click on these links. You're welcome 🙂
  5. Up your potassium level. Salt works its best when it has its sidekick.

Long story short, yes, I am happy to salt my daughter’s breakfast, lunch, and dinner. No guilt. Not sorry.

 

Slightly Crispy, Perfectly Salted Zucchini

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Ingredients:

  • 4 zucchinis
  • Unrefined salt (I use Real Salt here, but also recommend Celtic Sea Salt and Himalayan Salt) to taste
  • Avocado oil spray (or a very light use of the bottle)

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
  2. Prep a baking sheet with parhment paper
  3. Slice zucchini into small cubes (about 1/2 an inch thick). Do this by first slicing one in half. Then into planks (i.e. flat pieces, cut vertically). Then cut your planks into sticks. Then cut your sticks into cubes.
  4. Spread the zucchini cubes onto the parchment paper so that they have room to breathe
  5. Spray with avocado oil or very very lightly drizzle with oil from bottle and spread evenly over cubes. The light use of oil is imperative here. Too much oil and you'll drown them, resulting in mooshy non-crispy zuchinni. 
  6. Sprinkle with unrefined salt, and don't be shy about it.
  7. Bake for 15 minutes, check on crispiness. If they still aren't slightly browned at the sides, stick in for another 5 minutes and continue to do so until they're done. I know this is a pain in the butt, but it is the best way you can get them at their best possible texture and taste. 

 

Much Love,

HealthyStaceySignature

 

 

 

 

Vitamin Food

January 15, 2018

BrazilNuts_650

Tell me what you see when you look at this picture. Nuts? Brazil nuts? Nope. WRONG. These are my selenium vitamins.

I've never been one for vitamins and supplements. From a young age I absolutely hated swallowing pills. It took me at least 137 tries to gulp a multi-vitamin down, no matter how much water I downed it with. 

Fast forward to today, and I'm still not a big fan. I can do it if I have to — and I did when it came time to take prenatal vitamins. But as far as my nutrition routine goes, I'm all about food as vitamins rather than choking down horse pills. 

That’s why every morning, I look forward to my “vitamin routine.” I very rarely let a day go by without consuming these foods in some shape or form every day. You know what they say, "Two brazil nuts a day keeps the doctor away!"

Captain Obvious PSA: I am NOT a medical professional. This vitamin routine is my opinion based on my own experience and should not be taken for medical advice.

2 Brazil Nuts

I consider myself a bit of a nut connoisseur. Macadamia nuts, almonds, walnuts, pistachios — I am crazy for them all (note how I did NOT go for the easy pun there; I can do better). 

Brazil nuts are not quite as popular as your average almond or walnut, but that's because they are totally under-appreciated. They're big, crunchy, buttery, and happen to be ridiculously good for you. I love taking these right after I swallow down my prenatal vitamins as a bit of motivation at the end of the hard-to-swallow rainbow. One Brazil nut has 90 micrograms of selenium, or 129 percent of the daily intake recommended by the U.S. government. 

This helps with…

  • Hormone Balance
  • Skin and Breast Cancer protection
  • Heavy metal protection (particularly mercury — what you get from eating a lot of fish)

Source

1 Slice of Liverwurst

Liverwurst_650

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Liver is one of the best things you can eat for your health. You could literally eat a slice of liverwurst or a few bites of liver and onions a day and get nearly as many nutrients as a multi-vitamin, plus do wonders for your digestive system and hormones. I love getting already prepared liverwurst from US Wellness Meats because it prevents me from having to make it from scratch (not pleasant, as you can imagine).

A 3.5-ounce serving of liverwurst sausage contains 6.4 milligrams of iron. Men need 8 milligrams of iron a day; women need 18 milligrams. It also provides 14 grams of protein, 2.3 milligrams of zinc, and 4.3 milligrams of B vitamin niacin.

All this helps with…

  • Healthy red blood cell count
  • More energy
  • A healthy immune system
  • A healthy nervous system

Source

 

2 Pasture-Raised Eggs

PasturedEggs_650

An egg is like that kid in school that was so easy going and likable that everybody could hang with him. My day has not begun until I've eaten at least two eggs. I like them over easy, covered in sautéed kale, and topped with avocado and a couple leftover sweet potato fries. It’s heaven. I promise. But the key to making sure they are really contributing to your health is to get them pasture-raised. Which has become a whole lot easier since Vital Farms made them widely available. 

Hens that are free to graze on pasture have significantly higher levels of Omega-3 and Vitamin E (as much as 200%) to caged hens. In one study, a pasture-raised egg versus an organic egg produced:

  • 1/3 less cholesterol
  • 1/4 less saturated fat
  • 2/3 more vitamin A
  • 2 times more omega-3 fatty acids
  • 3 times more vitamin E
  • 7 times more beta carotene
  • 3-6 times more vitamin D

Source

1 Teaspoon of Camu Camu (in my yogurt or a smoothie)

I must admit, the first time I tried Camu Camu, it was because I got it for free from a work project and I was NOT impressed. I added an entire tablespoon to my smoothie thinking — Oh it's pink, so it probably tastes like pink Starbursts! WRONG. Camu Camu is very sour and not something you want to go around eating by the spoonful. However, this wonder food contains as much as 60 times vitamin C than that of an orange. It also includes amino acids and phytochemicals and minerals that can help the body in a variety of ways.

I highly recommend putting no more than a teaspoon in your smoothie or yogurt and making sure to fill it up with other delicious fruits and toppings to off-set the sour face. Real convincing, I know. But come cold and flu season when you find that your cold is lasting half as long as everybody else, you'll thank me for the increased immunity as well as these benefits…

  • Decreased inflammation
  • Improved gum health
  • Improved eye health
  • Improved mood

Source

1 Heaping Spoonful of Fermented Food (sauerkraut, carrots, kefir, pickles, etc.)

FermentedCarrots_650

Fermented food has been the missing link in our diets for the last hundred plus years. Somewhere along the line, the food makers decided to skip the natural fermentation process and start preserving pickles and sauerkraut in vinegar instead. But with this shortcut, you lose their best benefit — probiotics. I'm sure we've all hopped on the probiotic bandwagon at some point or another, but I'm telling you, getting them through food is always going to be your best bet.

Food like sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, and fermented carrots contain vitamins, minearal, and phytonutrients that are more bioavailable to the body. Plus, when you switch up the types of fermented food and eat a variety on a regular basis (rather than take the same pill every day), you provide the body with a cross-section of probiotic strains. A probiotic food such as sauerkraut provides high levels of fiber and significant levels of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, and B vitamins.

All of this helps with:

  • Enhanced digestion
  • Increased blood circulation
  • Improved heart health
  • Improved energy
  • Strong immune system
  • Strong bones
  • Reduced cholesterol
  • And inflammation elimination

Source

What do you consider your "vitamin food?" Comment below, shoot me an email or hit me up on Instagram!

Much Love,

HealthyStaceySignature

Paleo Fast Food + US Wellness Meats Featured Chef + Giveaway (YAY!)

November 30, 2017

Before I get to my chit chatting, I'm going to guess you saw "Giveaway" in the title and might want to cut straight to the chase. Here's the deal. I'm December's US Wellness Meats Featured Chef and we're running a contest together until December 10th (Woohoo!). Sign up to win ALL OF THIS STUFF from US Wellness Meats at the link below. 

HEALTHY HAPPY HOLIDAY FEATURED CHEF PRIZE PACK


In May of this year I decided to send an email to one of my favorite companies to tell them how much I love their products. I had just put in an order with them and was thinking how much easier they had made my life by making grass-fed meat and bones (for my broth!) so much more accessible (Why do I care about grass-fed? I explain here). Much to my surprise, they emailed me back thanking me, and also with a special request:

Would I be their featured chef for December?

Umm, YES! I thought. Is that a rhetorical question? At the time I was still only 5 months pregnant and had no idea how life would be for me come December. 

LiverSaladsPaleo_HealthyStacey

When their marketing representative emailed me in November with a reminder — it was time for me to write my post — I may have had a heart attack. With a 6-week old baby who would not nap for more than 15 minutes, and me going on little to no sleep, how could I possibly find the time to write a post and create recipes for them? For the first time in my life, I truly understood what my readers mean when they tell me that they DO NOT HAVE TIME TO MAKE PALEO FOOD. 

SkilletMeal_Paleo_HealthyStaceyFastFood

Before Charley arrived, I had only myself to take care of. I had no idea how much time I spent in the kitchen tinkering with recipes and making complicated meals until I didn't have it anymore.

I am now the proud parent to a beautiful, rambunctious, curious, curly-haired, smushy-faced 2-month old. I’m going to state the obvious here, but I am madly in love with her and I can’t imagine life without her in it now. As expected, my whole world has been turned upside-down and priorities look very different than they did just a few months ago.

YogurtParfait_PaleoFastFood_HealthyStacey

Every waking moment is spent feeding her, changing her diapers, changing her (poopy, spit-uppy) clothes, tickling her, smiling with her, shhhh-ing her, rocking her, bouncing her, and loving on my Charley girl.

YolkyEggs_HealthyStacey_PaleoFastFood

Come breakfast or lunch time, I’m waiting for just the right moment to throw something on a pan or in a bowl, and shove it down my (very hungry) throat. I’m not saying that I’m resorting to McDonald’s drive-thru runs or Lean Cuisines (no judgement if you do). I still put eating whole, unprocessed food very high on my list of priorities — not to mention that I’m breastfeeding which means what I eat, Charley eats. But what I needed was to simplify.

BoneBrothPaleoFastFood_HealthyStacey

I pulled it together and got US Wellness Meats their recipes, using some of my favorites from past posts. In fact, their beef liverwurst was the perfect thing to work with because it literally takes no cooking at all, but gives me the nutrients of three different organ meats and it's DELICIOUS.

You can see the post here (eek, my head looks HUGE as the header). But this little exercise also made me think about the kind of cook I need to be at this time in my life. I can no longer be the spend-hours-in-the-kitchen type of cook. But that doesn't mean I have to stop cooking all together. 

So I started taking all the last-minute recipe searching, marinade-ing, spice mixing, and time-intensive meals out of the equation. I finally realized that this is a time for fast food. Or at least, faster food. All I ask is that my meals are Paleo-ish, comforting, and satisfying. But they should all take 15 minutes or less to cook. I searched the interwebs looking for such a guide, but could not find one. So I created my own.

I give you…

My Paleo-Friendly Fast Food Cheat Sheet

PROTEINS:

Pork Chop or Loin
Cook Time: 5-8 minutes per side on the stove top (depending on how well done you like it)
Method:

  1. Season with Salt
  2. Turn pan to medium-high heat and let sizzle on side 1 for about 5 minutes
  3. Turn over and put temperature reader in pork until it reads 145 (medium rare) to 160 (well done).
  4. Let rest for 3 minutes before serving.

Optional: Before cooking, add Dijon mustard and sprinkle seasonings of choice (thyme, oregano, cumin, paprika, etc.) on top of sauce.

 

Ground Meats (Beef/Lamb/Chicken/Turkey/Pork/Bison)

Cook Time: 5-10 minutes depending on meat

  1. Heat pan on high until sizzling, and plop meat in pan (I usually avoid adding fat because it creates so much on its own)
  2. Add in seasonings (cumin, cayenne, chipotle powder, etc.) + salt, chop up into small chunks with spatula, turning over frequently; turn pan down to medium heat
  3. Cook until you no longer see pink; season to taste.

 

Fish

Cook Time: About 10 minutes (rule of thumb is to cook about 10 minutes per inch of fish, turning it halfway through cooking; internal temperature of 145 degrees

Method:

  1. Season your fish with salt and pepper (other seasonings welcome, such as dill, tarragon, cumin, parsley, basil, etc.)
  2. Heat your skillet over high heat, add fat of choice
  3. Lower heat before you plop fish on and let sizzle for 2-5 minutes per side (see rule of thumb above).

 

Yolky Eggs

Cook Time: 5-8 minutes

Method: 

  1. Heat pan till sizzling and add fat of coice
  2. Crack egg over pan and let sizzle for approximately 3 minutes
  3. Sprinkle salt and cover pan with lid. TURN OFF burner and let sit for 2 minutes (I like my egg yolk runny, but let it sit longer if you want a more solid egg yolk)

 

Bone Broth

Cook Time: 2 minutes (re-heating)

Method: 

  1. Re-heat homemade (see my recipe here) or store-bought broth on stove or in microwave
  2. Add leftover meat, chop up vegetables, wilt in spinach…or just drink it straight with a sprinkling of salt and seasonings of your choice

 

Liverwurst Sausage

Cook Time: 0 minutes

Method:

  1. Slice into thin circles and use it to top salads, eggs or crackers. No need to cook.

*Note: I recognize that this one is not easily available at most stores so I highly recommend ordering it from US Wellness Meats. All of their meat is grass-fed and finally gives us a way to get this incredibly nutrient-dense food into our diets easily and quickly. This Liverwurst is a mixture of grass-fed beef, liver, heart, and kidney. DAMN. That is a whole lotta healthy.

 

Sardines

Cook Time: 0 minutes

Method:

  1. Throw canned sardines with extra virgin olive oil (ideally, wild caught) on a big bowl of lettuce – I like this brand.
  2. Add chopped veggies (if you have time)
  3. Toss with lemon juice and sprinkle salt.

 

Smoked Salmon

Cook Time: 0 minutes

Method:

  1. Take it out of the package and toss it on a big plate of greens 
  2. Toss with lemon juice and sprinkle salt.

 

VEGETABLES
Asparagus

Cook Time: 4-5 minutes

Method:

  1. Drizzle with avocado oil/ghee/coconut oil/olive oil
  2. Sprinkle with salt
  3. Put in oven at 425 for a quick flash of heat — just enough to get it hot and crunchy

 

Bed of Greens

Cook Time: 0 minutes

Method:

  1. Literally lay your protein over a bed or a big bowl of greens.
  2. Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice.
  3. Sprinkle salt. Done.

 

Broccolini (unlike broccoli, it's ready to cook – no chopping required) 

Cook Time: 5-10 minutes

Method:

  1. Heat up large pan on medium-high heat, once it’s sizzling add fat of choice
  2. Toss in broccolini with plenty of room for them to breath
  3. Sprinkle with salt
  4. Stir fry on high heat until desired doneness (less time = more crunchy).

 

Baby Bok Choy

Cook Time: 2-3 minutes

Method:

  1. Slice baby bok choy into strips,
  2. Sauté on pan at medium-high heat
  3. Sprinkle with salt

 

Much Love,

HealthyStaceySignature

Date Recipes for an Easy(er) Labor

September 12, 2017

DateRecipesforEasierLabor_HealthyStacey_WiderShot

If you’ll remember quite a few posts back, I quit my full-time job to pursue my dream of becoming a health & wellness entrepreneur. Today, my work no longer fits into a neat little box. One that I clock in, and clock out of, and that has one title. Instead, it’s messy, volatile, and all over the place. And I love it.

At the moment, I work for five different “jobs,” or rather, clients. One such client is called the Institute for Functional Medicine. It is my responsibility to read dozens of clinical studies on a particular topic, and summarize them into one succinct article.

I’ll admit, it’s one of the toughest jobs I’ve ever had. It requires quite a lot of brain power, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Why? Because it makes me smarter. It forces me to read scientific studies, understand the language, and make decisions based on concrete information rather than internet regurgitation.

Recently, I came across a study that was of particular interest to me because of my current condition (pregnant).

HealthyStaceyPregnant_36weeks

It was called “The effect of late pregnancy consumption of date fruit on labour and delivery.”

Researchers at Jordan University of Science and Technology followed 114 pregnant women over the course of a year. During that time, they gave 69 women six dates per day for four weeks prior to their estimated delivery date. The 45 women in the control group consumed none. The results were nothing short of awesome, in my opinion. Here’s the gist:

  • The “date women” had significantly higher cervical dilation upon their labor day compared with the “non-date women.” 3.52 cm vs. 2.02 cm.
  • 96% of the “date women” experienced spontaneous labor, compared to 79% of “non-date women.”
  • 28% of “date women” needed hormones to progress labor (prostin/oxytocin), compared to 47% in “non-date women.”
  • The “date women” were in the first stage of labor for a mean of 510 minutes, vs. 906 minutes for the “non-date women.”

In conclusion, eating dates in the last 4 weeks before labor significantly reduced the need for induction or intervention in labor and produced a more favorable delivery outcome. 

Hell yes.

As someone who is planning on having a natural labor, I need all the help I can get for a “favorable” outcome. So I followed suit. At 36 weeks, I started diligently eating my 6 dates a day. And I must admit, it’s not as easy as it sounds. Six dates a day is a lot! Especially for a girl who normally watches her sugar intake. But guess what? I’m a chef. Why just eat dates when you can eat dates baked in, topped on, and rolled into other delicious ingredients? I called for reinforcements.

I just happen to have a friend who is a fellow personal chef and also in her third trimester of her first pregnancy – SMALL WORLD, right? So wonderful Whitney of a Shared Plate and I made a Date “Date.” (See what we did there?).

It involved a lot of taste testing, a little swearing when I accidentally dumped a tablespoon of nutmeg into the pumpkin batter (that stuff is STRONG), and four swollen ankles by the end of the day. But we were both very happy with the results. And hopefully our babies will agree come labor day.

Before I hand over the goods, I just want to say that I’m not naïve enough to think that dates alone are going to make labor easy or painless. The study I cited here tested a smaller sample size, and was also conducted in Jordan — a large exporter of the date fruit. I have found plenty of anecdotal evidence from other women who've found labor improvement through date eating, but there really is no guarantee, right? Sometimes, though, I think we all need something to feel like we have a bit of control over a very out-of-control condition. Heaven knows, this is the last time for a long time that we can feel we have control over anything.

Though pregnancy has been a wonderful experience for me, these last few weeks have been a true test of patience and letting go — knowing that I must have faith that it will all work out. I plan to write back again once Charley girl is born with knowledge and wisdom. But right now, I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing. So with that, I raise a date to you. Here's to being totally clueless, scared out of our minds, but also more excited than we ever have been to experience love like we never knew we could. Cheers!

Much Love,

HealthyStaceySignature


Labor Day Date Recipes

Per the study cited above, you should start your date obsession at 36 weeks of pregnancy, or rather 4 weeks before expected delivery date. Six dates a day? With these recipes? No problem.

Zucchini Date Bread

Why use raisins when you can use dates? Why use sugar when you can use dates? Any possible ingredient that could be subsituted with dates, we did. The result was a soft, hearty zucchini bread with a subtle sweetness. If you're feeling really indulgent, slather it with almond butter. Or heck. Just butter. Remember, fat is good for you and the baby.

GlutenFreeDateZucchiniBread_HealthyStacey

Recipe courtesy of Katie at the Healthy Seasonal Recipes blog, with tweaks from Whitney and Stacey.

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup boiling water
  • 1 cup pitted and quartered Medjool dates
  • 2 cups gluten-free flour
  • 1 cup sprouted spelt flour
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 3 large pasture-raised eggs
  • ½ cup coconut oil
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 pound zucchini, shredded (about 3 ½ cups)
  • ¾ cup rolled oats
  • Additional cup dates, chopped

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 2 1.5-quart loaf pans with coconut oil.
  2. Pour boiling water over the dates and let sit until softened, about 15 minutes.
  3. While you’re waiting, stir together gluten-free flour, spelt flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
  4. Transfer dates and their soaking liquid to a food processor and process until smooth.
  5. Add eggs, oil, honey and vanilla and process until smooth.
  6. Pour date mixture into a large bowl. Stir in zucchini. Add the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Add the oats and extra chopped dates and stir until just combined. Divide the batter between the two prepared pans.
  7. Bake until golden brown, puffed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 55 minutes to 1 hour.
  8. Allow loaves to cool in their pans at least 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.

 

Pumpkin Crisp Date Bars | Gluten-Free, Vegan

I couldn't possibly make baked goods in September without satisfying my pumpkin obsession. And oh boy, did this do it. The filling is made by blending dates and pumpkin puree together, along with all the necessary fall spices. If you wanted to make this paleo, then I would recommend using a combination of ground nuts and shredded coconut to replace the oats. OR, you could just make the filling and eat it by the spoonful. No shame in that, my preggo friends.

PaleoPumpkinDateBars_Overhead_HealthyStacey

Recipe courtesy of Sarah McMinn from My Darling Vegan

Ingredients

(Pumpkin Date Filling)

  • 1 cup packed medjool dates, pitted
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
  • zest of 1 large orange, about 2 teaspoons

(Oat Crumble)

  • 2½ cups gluten-free rolled oats
  • 1 cup almond meal
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • ½ cup coconut oil

Directions

  1. Soak the pitted dates for 30 minutes.
  2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat an 8×8 baking sheet with coconut oil and set aside.
  3. For the oat crumble combine oats, almond meal, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Stir together. In a smaller bowl whisk combine coconut oil and maple syrup. Add the coconut oil/syrup mixture to the oats and stir to combine.
  4. Once your dates are done soaking, drain and place in a food processor along with the remaining pumpkin filling ingredients. Blend until smooth. Set aside.
  5. Pour half of the oat crumble on the bottom of the prepared baking sheet and press down. top with the pumpkin filling, smoothing even with a spatula. Finish by sprinkling the remaining oat crumble evenly over the top. Press down lightly.
  6. Bake for 30-35 minutes until crumb is golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely before slicing into 16 even pieces.

 

Raw Chocolate Date Brownies | Paleo, Gluten-Free, Vegan, Raw

Of all the date recipes made, this one might take the cake. I've never experienced something so decadently brownie-like, without actually being a brownie. It blows my mind that these are essentially made up of just 3 ingredients: dates, walnuts, and cacao. Bonus points for giving me the small kick of caffiene (from the cacao) I need every day without resorting to coffee. Whitney had the fantastic idea that on the next go-round of these (and there WILL BE another go-round), we should add hazelnuts to the mix. Done and done.

PaleoRawBrownieDateBars_HandShot_HealthyStacey

Recipe courtesy of Katie from Chocolate Covered Katie, with tweaks from Whitney and Stacey

Ingredients

  • 2½ cups loosely packed pitted dates
  • 1 1/2 cups walnuts
  • 6 tbsp cacao or cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp water
  • 1/4 + 1/8 tsp salt

Directions

  1. Combine the dates, walnuts, 6 tbsp cocoa, 1 1/2 tsp vanilla, water, and salt in a food processor. Process until completely smooth, scraping down as needed – It may seem dry at first, but don’t add any extra water. 
  2. Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking pan, or line the pan with parchment or wax paper.
  3. Transfer dough to pan and press very firmly until dough is evenly distributed in the pan.
  4. Refrigerate brownies for at least 2 hours, to set. Leftovers can stay covered at room temperature for a day, or up to 2 weeks in the fridge, or 1-2 months in the freezer.

 

Kitchen Sink Date Energy Balls & Bars | Paleo, Gluten-Free, Vegan, Raw

I personally love recipes that have very lax guidelines. So I created this gem for you so you can easily make your own date ball or bar. Think of it as a "choose your own adventure" recipe. No matter what nuts or seeds you choose, you'll get the added benefit of combining a protein (nuts/seeds) and a fat (coconut oil) with your dates. This will keep your blood sugar from spiking as you gobble them down.

PaleoDateBarsandBalls_SideShot

Original recipe from Healthy Stacey, intended to be customized to your tastes (and/or lack of having the exact ingredients on hand becasue…life)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of nuts (i.e. almonds, walnuts, brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, pistachios)
  • 1 cup of seeds (i.e. pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc)
  • 1 cup of shredded unsweetened coconut
  • 2 cups of Medjool dates, pitted
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon of your favorite spices mixed together (e.g. cinnamon, turmeric, cayenne, etc)
  • Optional: superfood toppings to roll the balls in such as cacao nibs, goji berries, or more shredded coconut

Directions

  1. Process the nuts, seeds and coconut in the food processor
  2. Add in the dates, coconut oil, salt and seasonings, then pulverize again
  3. Roll mixture into balls or flatten into a pan
  4. Freeze for an hour
  5. Cut into squares if flattened into a pan
  6. Eat one, and put the rest in the fridge for daily snacks until your labor day!