Snacks

August 17, 2019

Superfood Guacamole

I love guac, you love guac, we all love guac!! (I know some small subset of the population doesn’t, but this isn’t for them. It’s for those of us with a soul. Lol. I kid, I kid. If you don’t like guac, it’s ok. But I’m sorry for your loss.

It’s really hard to do guacamole better than it already is on its own…BUT the other night while I was whipping up some guac, I thought about upgrading it to have a bit more of a “superfood” pizazz.

I know “superfood” is a total buzzword and honestly just a marketing term to make health nuts more interested in buying something. However, it did get its roots in some merit- certain foods do have a high concentration of nutrients that provide health benefits for humans. Are these foods a cure-all or miracle food? Of course not! No single food can be! But they sure as heck can be a major health, wellbeing, and longevity-booster when consumed consistently and over the long-term.

So I say why not eat some “superfoods”?! In addition to the fact that guacamole can be a healthy part of our diet (healthy fats and fiber from the avocados!!), this recipe gets a boost from 3 fun ingredients: spirulina, turmeric, and collagen.

So first up, what is spirulina? Spirulina is a blue-green algae that is a rich source of many nutrients. Amino acids magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin K, and vitamin B12 are a few of the power players. Plant antioxidants like chlorophyll and zeaxanthin promote glowing skin, detoxification, and contain anti-inflammation properties, too. Always opt for an organic or responsibly sourced spirulina that is tested for toxins, as the quality of the water they are grown in effects the level of contaminants in the spirulina, and obviously we would want that to be low!

How about turmeric? Turmeric is a root that has a vibrant golden color. There are a couple popular ways to consume it- use the fresh root like you would a root of ginger. (Chop or mince, or use a nob to add flavor to dishes from soups to smoothies). It also comes in powder form, which is what I used for this recipe. In terms of its benefits, the most powerful component is its anti-inflammatory properties. This comes from a compound called curcumin. To maximize the anti-inflammatory benefits, pair turmeric with black pepper, which can increase the absorption by 2000%!! All disease starts with low-grade, chronic inflammation so bringing inflammation down in a natural way with turmeric is a great disease-prevention strategy (along with a balanced diet).

Finally, let’s talk about collagen. There are a lot of health claims out there about collagen, and it’s important not to fall into the hype. There isn’t enough research yet to support many of the health claims and disease-curing claims being thrown around. However, many people DO note improvements in skin elasticity/hair/nails or even their gut health and joints when taking collagen consistently over at least a few months time. The best suggestion is to try it out and see if it works for you. There has been no known harm to taking collagen, so if you enjoy it as part of your health routine, or notice improvements that you are seeking in your overall wellness, by all means, add a scoop of collagen to your guac! Personally from a youth preservation standpoint, I like collagen for the skin elasticity benefit.

Without further ado, let’s get into the recipe! If you are looking to play around in the kitchen with some superfoods in a unique way, this guac is right up your alley!! As for dipping options, chopped veggies are rad, and if you are craving a chip, I love Siete grain-free chips. They are made with avocado oil and are non-gmo.

Superfood Guacamole

Ingredients:

3 avocados

Juice of 2-3 limes

Several sprigs of cilantro, stems removed and leaves torn

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/4 teaspoon coriander

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon spirulina

1 scoop plain collagen

To make:

Scoop out the flesh of the avocados and mash them slightly in a bowl until they just start to break down into smaller chunks.
Add lime juice, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Mix to combine.’
Add the rest of the spices/superfoods to the mixture and stir and mash to combine ingredients and reach your preferred guac texture.
Bon appetit! Enjoy with chips, chopped veggies, or as a condiment on all the things!

What’s your favorite way to eat guacamole? What ingredients do you use? Are you a purist, or do you add unconventional ingredients? Let me know!

Have a great week!

XO, Alexandra

June 24, 2017

Lemon+Mint Summer Smoothie

Summa summa time! Hands down my favorite time of the year. Everyone relaxes a bit (which I def need to do), the days are longer, and there is a feeling of freedom and adventure in the air. When it’s hot outside and beach days are on the horizon, my go-to snack or meal becomes the smoothie. It’s quick, easy, and oh-so refreshing. Plus, what’s cuter than toting a little mason jar or tumbler to a beach picnic? (Nothing)

Ice cold lemonade, lemon sorbet, or even a little limoncello are all reminiscent of the sunshine days of summer. Add a little mint, and it’s like the cooling cherry on top. In the summer, I love to eat foods that help prevent bloating, keep skin looking fab, and obviously keep you cool in the heat. This smoothie does all three! Time to pull out the umbrella straws!

The way we are using lemon in this recipe might be a littttle unconventional, but hear me out. We use the whole lemon (except for the seeds). I’m talking rind, pith, everything. Why you ask? Well the external parts of the lemon are seriously full of nutrients! Once the lemon is all blended up, you won’t even be able to tell that the whole fruit was used.(No funky texture or bitter aftertaste like you might expect). When life gives you lemons, instead of making lemonade, you should make this smoothie! Let’s break down the benefits below.

Lemon: Crazy-potent source of vitamin C (even more in the peel!) which is great for quenching free radicals and promoting healthy collagen production #foutainofyouth. It contains plant nutrients like quercetin and limonene that act as antioxidants, preventing inflammation. Limonene has also been studied for its anti-cancer properties. Quercetin fights inflammation linked to many chronic diseases, from heart disease to diabetes. Citrus fruits are one of the best sources of quercetin, and most of it is found in the peel and pith. How many times have you squeezed a lemon for its juice then thrown away the peel? Wash it well, go for organic if possible, and then use the whole thang in this recipe!

Blueberries: One of the most potent food sources of antioxidants. Research shows they have anti-cancer properties. Other benefits include memory-boosting, anti-aging, and overall anti-inflammatory goodness. That gorgeous dark color holds powerful polyphenols like anthocyanins, which are great for disease prevention and beautiful skin.

Mint: Freshens breath, soothes the stomach, and promotes digestion. If you have tummy woes, mint is your friend. If you are someone who gets a “gurgly stomach” or nausea, mint is great to incorporate into your diet, and this smoothie is an easy way to do so.

If the body-loving benefits of this smoothie aren’t enough, it just tastes like an indulgent lemon bar or one of those Italian lemon shortbread cookies. So. good. I’m thinking these would make amazing popsicles to enjoy poolside…just sayin’! I would also whip this one up post-workout, and add a little tahini for some healthy fat. How rad that this doubles as post-workout fuel AND dessert?! What more could you ask for?

Lemon+Mint Summer Smoothie

Serves 2

1 cup frozen blueberries

1/2 cup mint leaves, packed

1/2 lemon, seeds removed, skin on

2 scoops protein powder

1 cup flax milk (or other non-dairy milk of choice)

2/3 cup water

Put all ingredients into blender. Blend on high for 30 seconds. Enjoy!! Easy peasy lemon squeezy!

What’s your favorite smoothie combo? What are the foods that you love to have every year that are just the epitome of summer? For me, summer isn’t complete without watermelon, homemade gazpacho, lots of fresh guacamole, plus a little zesty lemon flair on everything. And all the “al fresco” dining of course!!

Talk soon!

XO,

Alexandra

February 11, 2017

Heart Beet Red Velvet Doughnuts

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and whether you are celebrating solo, with gal pals, or a special someone, a sweet #treatyoself doughnut is in order. Nothing says “I love you” like a delicious, homemade doughnut, am I right?

When I made these, every time I took a bite, I was like “Yasss, slay, you are your own best Valentine. Dough not kill my vibe.” I couldn’t even make myself share them, so if that isn’t the definition of selfless love, I don’t know what is. HAHA!

I got a little punny with the name “Heart Beet Red Velvet Doughnuts since there is a not-so-secret ingredient that adds a dazzling shade of pink/red to the doughnuts: beets! Yup, beets work their magic so you don’t have to mess with any icky food coloring or dyes. Cuz what is red velvet, anyway? Just sugary red? A spoonful of cocoa powder and red? Sugary Red… how appetizing.

With these doughnuts, we are keeping it totally natural and minimally processed. If beets in baked goods freaks you out, I promise you cannot taste any beet-ness; we are just using beet juice here, which has a light, earthy sweetness on its own. Totally undetectable in the doughnuts, like a secret admirer.

These doughnuts are indulgent tasting, but you can totally feel good about eating them. They are low-sugar, gluten-free, and vegan, so all of the loves in your life will be able to enjoy them. They are baked-not fried- and have a dense texture similar to a cake doughnut.

Obviously this recipe is ideal for a dessert, but they are wholesome enough that they can double as breakfast. The healthy fats from the coconut toppings will keep you full and prevent blood sugar from spiking. These not only show your tastebuds some love, but they show your body love, too.

I’m all about balance and treating yourself to a favorite indulgence, but I also love giving a healthy makeover to some fave treats because they keep you feeling good from the inside out. There are foods we eat to keep our health and fitness goals, there are foods we eat to keep our sanity, (pretty sure Gigi Hadid said something similar??) and there are foods that fall magically into both categories. Get yourself a doughnut that can do both. Hint, hint… it’s this one.

Heart Beet Red Velvet Doughnuts

Makes 10 doughnuts

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup brown rice flour

1 tablespoon cacao

2 tablespoons coconut sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

pinch of salt

1 1/2 cups milk of choice

2 tablespoons flax seeds mixed with 1/4 cup water

1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

1 teaspoon vinegar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups chopped beets, or 1 cup beet juice, 1/2 teaspoon reserved for topping

For the toppings:

2/3 cup coconut butter

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/2 teaspoon beet juice

To get the beet juice, either buy beet juice (easy), or run 1 1/2 cups of beets through a juicer. Alternatively, you can blend the beets with a small amount of water in a blender, then pour it through a strainer to get out any large pieces. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl (coconut flour through salt) and mix well. Add all wet ingredients except for the beet juice to the dry ingredients and stir well to combine. Adding one tablespoon at a time, mix in beet juice until desired color is reached. The batter should be loose enough to be squeezed through a piping bag into doughnut molds. To make the doughnuts, fill a piping bag or ziplock bag with a corner cut off. Squeeze the batter into the moulds. (If you don’t have a doughnut pan, you can make cupcakes in a muffin tin!)

Place doughnuts into oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. let cool, and remove from pan. Lay doughnuts on parchment paper or another flat surface you don’t mind getting messy. Drizzle each doughnut with coconut butter. You can warm the jar under hot water to make it easier to pour. To make the coconut shreds pink, toss them with a 1/2 teaspoon of beet juice. Put coconut shreds on a plate, the dip the glazed donuts top-down. Serve up doughnuts on a pretty platter to make your lover swoon.

What are your plans for V-Day? I will be in class all day, and cooking up a storm in my cooking class in the afternoon, so tag along on my Insta story @bouquetsandbaguettes if you want a drool-worthy peek. I’m also doing a little Gal-entine’s celebration with my sissy that I’m sure will involve movies, spa treatments, and some Valentine-y treats.

Have a love-filled Valentine’s Day!

XO,

Alexandra

January 27, 2017

Sweet and Easy Date Paste

Today’s post is a fun one! (I know “date paste” sounds a bit questionable, but bear with me). It’s a quick, easy recipe that literally anyone can make. Honestly, it is next to impossible to make this wrong. All you need are Medjool dates (truly nature’s candy, as they are quite sweet and almost caramel-y), and water. So simple, right?

So, how bout them “all natural” sweeteners? There are so many refined sugar-free sweeteners floating around on the market (agave, coconut nectar, brown rice syrup, to name a few) but it’s so simple to make your own 2-ingredient date paste and keep it in a cute jar in the fridge to use whenever a recipe calls.

Plus dates are a good source of potassium, some B vitamins, and fiber, so they have an added nutritional benefit over white sugar and many other sweeteners in that regard. Really, what other sweetener is going to have some blood-sugar balancing fiber??

It’s important to remember that not all “natural” sweeteners are created equal. That natural halo can actually be misleading. Take agave nectar for example. It is highly processed and has been treated in a way that any beneficial compounds and enzymes are destroyed. Agave Nectar is not a sweetener that I recommend consuming on a frequent basis. Whenever we process a food product, the more likely it is that beneficial compounds are removed by the sheer nature of the processing (chemicals, heat, pressure, etc).

If keeping beneficial nutrients of food up (enzymes, phytochemicals, antioxidants) and the processing down interests you, this date paste is going to be your jam, er paste. Even dietitians like to have a sweet treat, and this is one ingredient that I like to have on hand to maximize the nutritional value of my homemade treats if I have the option. It’s rich, caramel-y, and holds up well in recipes.

Let’s cut straight to it and get to the no-brainer recipe!

Sweet and Easy Date Paste: Two ingredients, Refined Sugar-Free

1 cup Medjool dates, pitted and soaked 4 hours or overnight, soaking water reserved

1/4-1/3 cup reserved soaking water

Add dates and 1/4 cup of water to a high speed blender. Blend until smooth. If mix is too thick, add more water, one tablespoon at a time.

Yields about 1 cup

Fave ways to use date paste:

Stirred into tea lattes
Substitute for sweetener in baking recipes (quick breads, muffins, cashew cream)
Sweet element of marinades/dressings
Over banana ice dream
As a raw, vegan caramel sauce sub
Any recipe that calls for honey, coconut nectar, or liquid sweetener

Have you used date paste before? I would love to know if you try adding this to recipes. I’m always looking for recipe inspiration, so tag me on insta (@bouquetsandbaguettes) so I can see how you use it!

Have a fab week!

XO,

Alexandra

October 19, 2016

Winter Antioxidant Smoothie

Amongst all the stress that gets thrown at us this season-holidays, shifts in the weather, school and work deadlines- (I know, I just began to admit to myself that summer is definitely over), our bodies can take some major blows. All that stress causes oxidative damage and inflammation, which truly is the root cause of most diseases. However, even plain ol’ day to day life, certain foods, and exercise can also lead to oxidative damage/inflammation and buildup of free radicals in our body. That’s why it is so essential that we nourish ourselves with antioxidant-rich and anti-inflammatory foods when we can.

I want you to note this, also. More antioxidants does not always mean better. Many research studies show that too much of this good thing can actually cause harm! So no need to stock up on expensive antioxidant supplements- get your dose of antioxidants from whole food sources…which brings me to this smoothie!

If you are feeling run-down and lackluster, this smoothie is perfect to add into your rotation. It is so full of nutrient-rich ingreds that I will breakdown below. A little bonus: not only is this recipe gonna work wonders for your insides neutralizing all those free radicals and bringing down that inflammation, it’s gonna be beautifying, too. Think of it as a brightening, anti-aging face mask that you drink 🙂 . In this case, you are what you eat, which means you will be deliciously refreshed both inside and out! If you find no other reason to drink this smoothie, do it because it is dang tasty!

So let’s talk ingredients, shall we?

Pomegranate seeds: Our wintery jewel in this smoothie! This fruit is brimming with antioxidants and polyphenols. It’s truly one of the OG superfoods before acai came on the scene. Plus, one pom contains 40% of your daily vitamin C needs, which is crucial if you want youthful, glowing skin.

Cacao nibs/powder: you are gonna notice a trend here, but say hello to even more antioxidants! This is the cacao bean (where we get chocolate) in a very minimally processed form. There should only be one ingredient: cacao! Cacao is rich in polyphenols, is a good source of many nutrients including iron and magnesium, and it’s a major mood booster that has been shown to raise serotonin levels.

Flax seeds: These are a great source of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. Plus they are a great source of fiber and…antioxidants! Purchase them ground (or grind your own), because that makes it much easier for our body to absorb the nutrients. As an FYI to make it easier when you are navigating the store, ground flax seeds are the same as “flax meal”.

Chia seeds: More fiber, more omega-3 fatty acids, more antioxidants. Are you surprised? Can’t go wrong with a spoonful of chia and plenty of water to help improve digestion, too. Chia seeds absorb tons of water, so they help to make the smoothie thick in texture.

Matcha green tea powder: Ahhhh yes, this whole leaf green tea that is ground into a powder is all the rage now. As someone who has been consuming matcha for the past decade, I sometimes feel like a matcha connoisseur who has been waiting patiently for this to catch on. Been trying to get people to have this green drank for a verryyy long time. Matcha is full of EGCG, a type of polyphenol that has very high antioxidant activity. Plus that bright green color means it’s full of chlorophyll, which increase the blood’s capacity to deliver oxygen throughout the body. Love it!

Ready to get a serious antioxidant boost? Recipe is below!

Antioxidant Beauty Smoothie

Serves 2 as a snack, 1 as a meal

Ingredients

1 cup pomegranate seeds

1 1/2 cups milk of choice (I used unsweetened flax milk)

1 scoop protein powder- helps with satiety and stabilizing blood sugar levels

2 Tbsp cacao nibs

2 Tbsp cacao powder

1 Tbsp flax seeds

1 Tbsp chia seeds

1 tsp matcha green tea powder

Put all ingredients in blender, then blend it up, baby!

What are some of your favorite smoothie ingredients? I love smoothies, but sometimes in the winter they can seem a little “summery”, which is why I like to shift toward adding warming spices like cinnamon and nutmeg and Fall/Winter produce like pumpkin, pomegranate, and persimmon!

Talk soon! Let me know what posts/recipes you are interested in as we approach sweater weather and the “season of indulgence”.

XO,

Alexandra

Superfood Guacamole

Ingredients:

To make:

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