If a person could buy stock in almond butter, I’d say sign me up.

It’s my go-to dip for apples, celery and carrot sticks, crackers, and more. One of my favorite ways to enjoy creamy raw almond butter is in these chewy and gooey snack balls. Packed with plant-based protein and healthy fats, just one will really stick with you. But heads up: they can be very addicting, especially for almond-lovers like me. You’ve been warned!

I feel all the more virtuous about eating almonds and almond butter every day because they’re a super food! Almonds are packed with monounsaturated fats (the same ones you’ll find in olive oil), which have been linked with a lowered risk of heart disease. These super nuts may also aid in balancing blood sugar. Some studies have shown that eating almonds with higher glycemic index foods (like carbohydrates) can prevent your blood sugar from spiking after the meal. Pretty cool, huh? If you want to know more about almonds and their superpowers, head over to WH Foods, one of my favorite nutrition data websites.

So what else can you do with almond butter besides eat it straight from the jar with a spoon? (Yes, I do this. Frequently.) Look no further than the list of fabulous almond butter recipes below gathered from around the web. You’re guaranteed to find something you’ll love.

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15 Way to Use Almond Butter

Monster Cookies from The Spunky Coconut

Cranberry Almond Loaf from Elana’s Pantry

Banana Pumpkin Chai Muffins from Daily Bites

Sea Salt & Honey Almond Butter from Two Peas & Their Pod

Superwoman Green Smoothie from Healthful Pursuit

High Protein 5-Minute Muffins from Tessa the Domestic Diva

Chocolate Almond Butter from Diet, Dessert and Dogs

Zucchini Nut Bread from Simply…Gluten-Free

Almond Butter Freezer Fudge from The Detoxinista

Maple Cinnamon Almond Butter with Hemp, Flax, & Chia Seed from Oh She Glows

Almond Chickpea Cookies from Family Fresh Cooking

Vanilla Almond Flax Butter from Healthful Pursuit

Chocolate Almond Butter Cake from The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen

Apple Coconut Snack Balls from Daily Bites

Almond Butter Blondies from Elana’s Pantry

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What is your favorite way to use almond butter? Leave a comment to share.

Almond Butter Health Balls
Makes 20-25 rich and gooey balls

1 cup creamy raw almond butter
scant 1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/3 cup (packed) pitted Medjool dates, chopped (about 5 dates)
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/3 – 1/2 cup raw sesame seeds, for rolling

In a large bowl, mix the almond butter, honey, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and salt to combine. Stir in the shredded coconut, dates, and sunflower seeds.

Form the dough into 1 1/2-inch balls, handling them as little as possible to avoid melting the almond butter too much. Roll the balls in the sesame seeds to coat. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. (The balls taste best after they have had a chance to firm up in the refrigerator for several hours.)

P.S. I was really touched by all of the kind comments left on my Raw Power Salad post earlier this week. If you commented or just sent me some “virtual good vibes,” thank you! They’re working. This week is miles better than the past few have been.

You know those weeks where you feel like every day is just another test of your patience, another drill in perseverance, another lesson in learning to stay calm and keep your cool?

That was last week for me. To a T. I’ll spare you the details and just leave it at Mega Downer.

I’ll be the first to admit that when the going gets tough, I’m not that glass-half-full person that pulls up their bootstraps and faces the day with a smile no matter what. Frankly, those people kind of irritate me. It’s because I wish I were more like them. It irks me that glass-half-fullness doesn’t come easily to me, that I’m naturally inclined to have a more realistic (read: empty glass) outlook when life gets a little rough.

Last week got in my face in a big way. In some respects, my active mind got the best of me…but it also raised important questions that I’ve been needing to answer for a long time. I did some serious thinking, nail biting, and talking with others. I don’t have all the answers, but I definitely feel like I’m on a better track this week. More importantly, I’m okay with not having all the answers right now.

Someday, when this weird but really kind of wonderful stage of life is behind me, maybe I’ll fill you in on the details of what’s been going on. For now, though, I’m good with just knowing you’re here reading every week and that we can share some great food together.

When I find myself doing serious thinking, I almost always end up doing some serious cooking, too. In the midst of last week’s roller coaster, I chopped to my heart’s content and ate tons of salad. It’s what I do when I’m nervous and wired.

Through the cooking comes peace, clarity of mind, and the small but comforting promise that everything will be okay. Food speaks to me in subtle ways that make life more bearable, even when it seems like it’s two inches away from falling apart.

I’m planning to make more of this salad this week to keep me fueled and nourished as I make positive strides in the right direction. I call it “Power Salad” because that’s literally how you feel after you eat it: strong, empowered, and super duper healthy.

My dad knew that I was having a tough time last week, so he gave me a little something to cheer me up. It’s a magnet that reads:

“Courage does not always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.’” (Mary Anne Radmacher)

I’m going to keep it at my desk as a reminder to live my days as the courageous person I know I can be. And although I may not succeed every time, I will try and try again. I will remind myself that life is not about getting from Point A to Point B as fast as possible. It’s not about racing through the day-to-day in the fleeting pursuit of greener grass.

It’s about finding joy in the journey and hope in life’s quiet promises. I will remind myself that peace is not the absence of conflict, but rather the presence of joy that flows from within despite my circumstances.

It takes a courageous heart to hold on to peace. And an even more courageous one to say this: I’m up for the challenge.

Raw Power Salad
Serves 3-4

3 cups finely chopped kale (stems removed and discarded)
1 cup broccoli florets, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and shredded
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons raw sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons raw sesame seeds
2-3 pitted Medjool dates, chopped
2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Grade B maple syrup or honey
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger root
Sea salt, to taste

In a large mixing bowl, combine the kale, broccoli, carrots, bell pepper, scallions, parsley, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and dates.

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, maple syrup, and ginger to combine. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt. Let salad stand at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving.

In today’s second part of the interview, we’re going to focus on Dr. Bauman’s other newly released book (he’s been busy!), Flavors of Health. I am so thrilled to share more about this amazing cookbook with you.

What Inspired Flavors of Health?

Flavors of Health is the product of more than 40 years of “exploring, tasting, learning and teaching about culturally diverse, delicious, traditional healing foods,” Dr. Bauman says. All of the recipes in the book are original creations of Dr. Bauman and co-author Lizette Marx, N.C.

Dr. Bauman began his career in the holistic nutrition field as an organic farmer in Massachusetts in 1970. As a self-professed “city boy from Washington, D.C.,” he believes that learning about food and cooking must start, literally, from the ground up.

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Keep It Simple

What I love most about the recipes in this book are their simplicity and purity. Although it’s not 100% gluten- or dairy-free, the book incorporates so many whole, natural foods that I hardly notice. (And there are many gluten- and dairy-free options.) Speckled throughout the book, Dr. Bauman offers “Nutrition Gems,” which are insightful snippets about super healthy ingredients such as flax, Thai herbs and spices, and jicama.

Dr. Bauman doesn’t believe that food should be complicated. “It’s just a matter of getting a few things together to go back to again and again,” he advises. For those that lack money, Dr. Bauman believes that one can eat pretty darn well on beans, rice, nuts, seeds, and vegetables. And his book is certainly proof that those foods need not taste bland or boring!

My mouth is already watering at the Persimmon, Pomegranate, and Pecan Salad; Fresh Gingered Beets; Vegetable Biryani; and Chewy Ginger Buttons.

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Easy Reading

Flavors of Health reads like a novel. Despite the fact that it’s jam-packed with great recipes and health information, it’s easy to read and absorb mentally. Even a complete beginner in the kitchen could understand these recipes.

As Dr. Bauman says, this book “is aimed at people who are in the beginning or middle of their cooking career.” For those concerned with how they will incorporate seemingly unusual ingredients such as sea vegetables and spices into their cooking, Dr. Bauman recommends taking it one step at a time by introducing new flavors “gradually.”

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Last Words

I asked Dr. Bauman if he has a favorite recipe from the book. “That’s a tough question,” he replied. “I love all the recipes!” He did pull out the Coconut Thai Soup as a favorite, though, “which can be made with chicken or tofu, depending on personal preference. The blend of fresh lemongrass, ginger, and turmeric…with seasonal vegetables opens up a new meaning to the term comfort food.”

I also asked Dr. Bauman what three foods could always be found in his kitchen. “Fresh seasonal fruit, nuts, and salad fixings,” he said. “I love Greek yogurt (organic cow or goat) as it is so digestible and versatile to use with fruit, veggies, grains, or in a dip or sauce.”

You can find more information about Dr. Bauman, his work, and his books here. Be sure to follow him on his blog, too!

If you know me and my style of cooking, you’re well aware that I try to use natural sweeteners in my baking projects instead of refined sugar. I could easily eat raw honey straight from the jar with a spoon. (And if I’m totally honest, I could probably do the same thing with blackstrap molasses.) Dried figs and dates are my go-to snack when I have a sweet tooth. Stevia makes its way into not only my baked goods but also my quinoa porridge, salad dressings, and the occasional less-than-perfect green smoothie.

Life without refined sugar isn’t so bad at all, really, once you get used to it. I understand, though, that not it’s not an overnight switch. Transitioning to a naturally sweetened lifestyle takes time. But thanks to Wholesome Sweeteners, that transition just got a whole lot easier.

The good people at Wholesome Sweeteners have just released a brand new product that happens to be one of my favorite natural sweeteners: coconut palm sugar! Here are just a few reasons to love this delicious ingredient:

• It’s flavor is terrific! I love the subtle caramel undertones of coconut sugar.
  
• It’s an easy replacement for granulated white sugar. I love how simple it is to swap in coconut sugar for white sugar in bread, muffin, and dessert recipes. Although it’s not quite as sweet as regular sugar, I find that I can usually use less than the original recipe calls for because coconut sugar packs a whole lot more flavor.
• It actually has nutrients! Okay, it’s not like coconut sugar is the next kale or anything. But still, it does contain small amounts of magnesium, iron, and zinc.

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In addition to coconut sugar, Wholesome Sweeteners is my go-to source for other natural organic sweeteners like honey, agave nectar, and blackstrap molasses. But I must say, I’m thrilled that they are now adding coconut sugar to their line of products. I have worked with several brands of coconut sugar in the past. For the most part, they all have roughly the same texture and consistency. But I have found the Wholesome Sweeteners product to be a bit finer, sandier, and less gritty than other brands.

These energy cookies are an easy-to-make treat guaranteed to stick with you! Soft and moist, the flourless cookies are packed with fiber and healthy fats from the nuts and seeds. The coconut sugar and mashed bananas lend subtle fruity sweetness, making them the perfect morning pick-me-up or afternoon snack.

More recipes you’ll love with coconut sugar:

• Cinnamon Swirl Scones
• Chocolate Buckwheat Cookies
• Nutty Chocolate Candy
• Mini Cocoa Cheesecake Pops

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The Giveaway

UPDATE 5/14/12 – This giveaway is now CLOSED. Thanks to all who entered!

Wholesome Sweeteners has generously offered to give away an assortment of some of their incredible products to one lucky Daily Bites reader! Included in the package:

• NEW Organic Coconut Palm Sugar
• Organic Raw Blue Agave Nectar
• Organic Fair Trade Raw Honey
• Organic Fair Trade Amber Honey
• Organic Fair Trade Blackstrap Molasses

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It’s simple to enter. Here’s how:

• Leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite flavor of cookie.
• Follow Wholesome Sweeteners on Facebook and/or Twitter and leave a comment saying that you did.
• Follow Daily Bites on Facebook if you do not already and leave a comment saying that you did.
• Follow Daily Bites on Twitter if you do not already and leave a comment saying that you did.

This giveaway is open to residents of the United States, age 18 or older. The giveaway will remain open until Sunday, May 13, 2012 at 6:00 pm CST. Winner will be contacted via email.

Good luck!

Soft Banana Energy Cookies
Makes 12 hearty cookies

2 medium ripe bananas
1/3 cup Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Coconut Palm Sugar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup raw walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup quinoa flakes
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In the bottom of a large bowl, mash the bananas until mostly smooth with very few chunks. Add the coconut sugar, olive oil, and flaxseed. Stir to combine. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.

Drop the dough onto the lined baking sheet, using about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie. Flatten the cookies with your fingertips to about 1/2-inch thick. Bake for 12-14 minutes until golden brown and just firm to the touch, rotating the pan once halfway through. Cool completely before serving. Store in an airtight container.

Disclosure: Wholesome Sweeteners is sponsoring this giveaway, but opinions expressed about the product(s) are strictly my own. I love to promote products that I personally use, endorse, and recommend! So don’t worry. I will always publish my honest opinion and cannot be “bought.”

The focus of our discussion was largely devoted to Dr. Bauman’s two new books, both of which are incredible resources that I’m thrilled to let you know about over the next two weeks. Today we’re going to focus on The Whole-Food Guide for Breast Cancer Survivors. (Don’t worry, we’ll get to Dr. Bauman’s new cookbook, Flavors of Health, next week. And trust me, you won’t want to miss learning about this fantastic resource!)

Why This Book?

When I asked Dr. Bauman why he wrote The Whole-Food Guide for Breast Cancer Survivors, his answer really touched me. “My mother died of breast cancer 30 years ago,” he said. “I was a practicing whole food nutritionist at the time. I presented her oncologist with oncologist Max Gerson’s book 50 Cancer Cases, to show him evidence that nutrition can extend both the quality and duration of  life…but he dismissed it. Consequently, I lost my mom, but vowed to help women with cancer, especially breast cancer, recognize how to take charge of their health even when undergoing chemotherapy and radiation, to optimize treatment outcomes, and to minimize often devastating side effects.”

Dr. Bauman pointed out that his new book is also a risk reduction guide for those looking to prevent cancer of all kinds. When people get worn down, he explained, illness really accelerates. This book is all about keeping your immune system strong and supported to fend off illness.

Interestingly, nowhere in the book does Dr. Bauman advise against chemotherapy or other traditional cancer treatments. It’s a guide for people who’ve gone through treatment in the past or are currently doing so. It’s not a book about curing cancer. Instead, it’s about giving the body the support it needs to heal and be well.

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Food Sensitivities & Cancer

Of course, I couldn’t let our conversation go by without asking Dr. Bauman about his thoughts on gluten and dairy sensitivities/allergies and their affect on cancer. He explained that following a hypoallergenic diet during cancer treatment and recovery can be beneficial for several reasons.

First, people with reactive immune systems (even those like me who don’t necessarily have celiac disease but still react negatively to gluten) do not optimally absorb their nutrients when they are eating foods that provoke an immune reaction. By eliminating the provocative foods, these people will in turn “have a higher uptake of the foods and nutrients that they are eating,” Dr. Bauman said.

He also made the point that eliminating allergenic foods can give a person more energy. Increased energy means more activity and exercise, a key element in cancer prevention and recovery. When a person has more energy, they’ll also be less likely to consume caffeine, sugar, and other stimulants to perk them up.

I took away this “bottom line” from our conversation: While going gluten-free is not a direct cure for cancer, for those with sensitivities it can be a very helpful tool in speeding up the healing process and achieving overall wellness.

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What About Vegan & Vegetarian Diets?

When I asked him about his thoughts on vegan or vegetarian diets and their relation to cancer, Dr. Bauman made clear that meat in it’s pure and proper form (organic and grass-fed) is very “helpful and healthful” for most cancer patients because of it’s nutrient-density. People who are very weak need dense nutritional support through their treatment and recovery process. “Animals concentrate nutrients,” Dr. Bauman explained. They also concentrate contaminants, which makes it all the more crucial to seek out clean, pure proteins whenever possible.

Dr. Bauman developed his nutrition model, Eating for Health™, in 1989. The model emphasizes eating a diversified whole foods diet that is plant based, “which means 80% or more of the foods we eat come from seeds, nuts, whole grains, legumes, plant fats (such as olives, avocados, coconut and their oils), and four types of carbohydrates, which include colorful leafy, crunchy, and starchy vegetables and unsprayed fresh fruits.” So while there is a place for animal protein in this model of eating, nutrient-packed plants take center stage.

Outlined in The Whole-Food Guide for Breast Cancer Survivors, the Eating for Health™ model “is not a diet,” Dr. Bauman pointed out. “It’s a sensible system of choice based on taste, temperament, and need. Eating for Health™ is all about expanding choice, not limiting it.”

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Be Nourished

Toward the end of our conversation, Dr. Bauman said something that really stuck with me. “Foods don’t fight cancer,” he said. “Foods nourish cells.”

I left the conversation with this conclusion: combating disease is all about nourishing our bodies in a holistic way, both through what we eat and drink as well as through our emotional, mental, social, and cultural choices. Health is created through the decisions we make each and every day.

Stop by next week for the second part of my interview with Dr. Bauman, where we’ll be focusing on his cookbook Flavors of Health. I know you’ll love this resource!

In the meantime, keep up with Dr. Bauman on his blog. More information Bauman College and Dr. Bauman’s books can be found here.

If I’m being honest, sometimes it’s hard to write these blog posts every week. Not because writing is hard for me or because I don’t have anything worth reading to say about the food. It’s because I’m a homebody, a lover of old fashioned come-over-for-lemonade hospitality, and because I love nothing more than to share my food in person with people who enjoy it.

When holidays roll around, I plan for weeks in advance to make sure I have everybody’s favorites on the menu. I even blast out a menu email in advance to ensure people are satisfied with what we’ll be eating. (They always are more than appreciative!) For family birthdays and celebrations like Father’s Day or Independence Day, I love spending hours in the kitchen making Dad’s favorite cookies or pie. It’s just in my nature, I guess. My mom did the same thing back in the day when I was younger, so I think she passed her spirit of hospitality down to me.

It’s a bittersweet inheritance, because here I am writing about food every week, and yet you’re sitting where you are, worlds away from me, and we can’t share the meal in person. I wish we could.

So today we’re going to play a little make-believe. If you haven’t played it since elementary school, don’t worry. It’s like riding a bike.

Let’s pretend that we’re sitting on my front porch, and let’s pretend that it looks like one of these. There’s a crab apple tree blooming a few yards out of the frame, so the air is fragrant and ripe with the scent of spring. The air is warm on our skin while the wind twirls its fingers through our hair.

We’re thirsty.

We find a heavy-laden cardboard box of freshly picked strawberries in my kitchen. (We’ll pretend the kitchen looks like this. I know, but we’re just pretending. It could be true in a pretend world.) We pull out my trusty Vitamix (no pretending here—I really have one!! and love it) and whirl up a cool and refreshing smoothie with the strawberries and a few other pantry staples.

We relish the afternoon sipping our smoothies and chatting like old friends do, riding high on the rush of untainted happiness that only spring can bring.

Okay, pretending over. We can dream, can’t we?

For now, this space will have to be our virtual front porch of sorts where we share delicious food and lazy afternoon chats. I can live with that.

But I can’t live without this smoothie. You can’t either. I know you’ve been going along living your life without it for years, but I’ll venture to say you haven’t really truly been living if you haven’t slurped down a glass of this Strawberry Lemonade Smoothie. Nothing quite compares to its fruity, tangy flavor and creamy texture.

A smoothie like this one is the ultimate refreshing snack on a warm spring or summer’s day. Leave it to the Vitamix to yield a luxuriously smooth texture. I’ve sung the praises of my Vitamix before and I’ll do it again and again. This machine is my right-hand Ma’am in the kitchen. From super-creamy smoothies to soups to dips to dressings to frostings, I use it to make loads of delicious recipes on nearly a daily basis. It is used more than any other appliance in my kitchen.

If you’ve thought about getting a Vitamix for a while but have been teetering on the fence, unsure of whether or not to take the plunge, I’m coming through your screen right now as the Smoothie Fairy and telling you in a my most angelic voice: Do it now. You won’t be sorry.

Strawberry Lemonade Smoothie

Makes 1 smoothie

Cool and refreshing, this delectable strawberry smoothie is perfect for spring. If you don’t have a high-speed blender, replace the cashews with 1 tablespoon of almond meal/flour or add a scoop of ripe avocado for creaminess.

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1/2 cup fresh strawberries, preferably organic

1 large Medjool date, pitted

2-3 ice cubes

1/2 cup unsweetened almond or rice milk

1 tablespoon raw cashews

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon (packed) finely grated lemon zest

Place all ingredients in a Vitamix or high-speed blender. Blend on high until creamy and smoothie. Enjoy immediately.

Looking for more healthy gluten-free recipes? Check out Slightly Indulgent Tuesday.

I was talking with a friend the other day and she mentioned that she thinks lentils are an under-utilized ingredient. I couldn’t agree more.

Inexpensive and quick cooking, lentils offer an excellent source of plant-based protein in addition to fiber, iron, magnesium, and B vitamins. Unlike other beans, lentils do not require soaking in advance. Green lentils cook in about 25 minutes and are as simple to make as boiling a pot of water. You really can’t go wrong with these nutrient-packed gems.

My mom first introduced me to lentils years ago when she would make a delicious red lentil and vegetable soup during the winter for our family. It’s still one of my favorite cold-weather meals. But with the days growing longer and the temperatures creeping a little higher each week, my mind has turned to salads.

This very versatile salad can be served warm, at room temperature, or refrigerated. Picnic in the park, anyone?

If you don’t have sunflower seeds on hand, swap in any other nut or seed you like. (Just don’t do what I did and spill your seeds all over the kitchen floor in the process. Classy, huh?)

The roasted carrots add earthy sweetness to the dish, but roasted sweet potatoes would also work. I have a few butternut squashes in the pantry given to me by friends who harvested them from their garden last fall. Roasted with a little balsamic vinegar and dried herbs, they would be a great addition to this salad, too.

You might also like my recipe for Lentil Salad with Currants & Mint. The mint adds mouthwatering fresh spring flavor.

A few other recipes for lentil-lovers:

• Lebanese Lentil Salad from Kalyn’s Kitchen
• Pesto Lentil Patties from Healthful Pursuit
• Persian Lentil & Raisin Rice from Wheat Free Meat Free
• Greek Lentil Soup from Healthy Green Kitchen

Roasted Carrot, Lentil & Sunflower Salad
Serves 3-4 as a side dish

3/4 cup green lentils, rinsed and drained*
1/2 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup sunflower seeds, lightly toasted
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the lentils in a medium pot and cover by several inches with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the lentils are tender to bite but not falling apart. Drain well and transfer to a large mixing bowl.

While the lentils cook, roast the carrots: toss the chopped carrots with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil on the lined-baking sheet. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Roast for 15-20 minutes until tender and shriveled.

Add the carrots to the cooked lentils. Gently stir in the onion, parsley, sunflower seeds, vinegar, garlic powder, paprika, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

*Ingredient note: Pick over your lentils before rinsing to remove any small stones or other grains that may have found their way into the mix.

P.S. Do you follow Daily Bites on Pinterest? I’m pinning all sorts of fantastic looking recipes, health tips, and entertaining ideas. Follow me here!

Find more healthy recipes at this week’s edition of Wellness Weekend.

Food is all around us. Billboards, TV commercials, books, blogs, magazines, advertisements, shopping malls. Everywhere we look, food is staring back at us.

Whether it’s the salted pretzel kiosk in the mall, the commercial for the latest and greatest orange juice on the market, or the millionth food blog post popping up in our Google readers, food is an ever-present constant in our lives.

Why then, with food being such a fundamental pillar in our society, do we find ourselves with the mid-afternoon munchies so often as our bellies grumble with dissatisfaction? Welcome to what I call Real Life Hunger Games. Like it or not, you and I play them every day.

But don’t give in to defeat just yet, because I’m here to give you a few strategies for conquering the hunger beast and staying not only satiated but also energized all day long. Are you ready to get in the game? Well then put on your grittiest football face and keep reading!

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1. Eat Regularly

I will never understand how people go from 8 o’clock in the morning until 6 o’clock at night with nothing more than a bowl of oatmeal in their belly. I am a big believer in frequent eating. If you eat regular meals and snacks, you’ll be less likely to become “over-hungry.” Shaky legs, blurry vision, foggy brain? This is over-hungry! Even if your stomach is not physically growling, eating balanced meals or snacks every 3-4 hours helps maintain stable blood sugar and fend off cravings.

Another tip: you’ve gotta eat breakfast, folks! I recently watched a clip on the 7 Habits of Slim People hosted by Dr. Oz who, incidentally, people say looks a lot like my dad. I don’t see the resemblance at all, but anyways…back to breakfast. Dr. Oz himself declared that slim people eat a healthy and hearty breakfast every morning. He’s spot on! Eating a morning meal gets your metabolism up and running for the day and supplies energy to accomplish all those tasks on your to-do list.

(No time for breakfast? Just grab a few of these Fruit & Nut Breakfast Treats. Something is better than nothing!)

2. Eat Enough

Pick up any fitness magazine and you’ll quickly discover that staying thin is all about portion control, right? Although not overeating and keeping portions in check is an effective way of staying slim, it’s equally important to ensure that you’re eating enough. Yo-yo dieting not only restricts calories, it also restricts nutrients. Our bodies cannot function optimally without food!

Many people, women especially, try to live on fewer calories thinking it will help them shed unwanted pounds. Going into “starvation mode” only weakens your body’s immune system and wreaks havoc on the way your metabolism fires. Restricting calories also disrupts your body’s insulin secretion and reception processes. (The details are really scientific and sleep-inducing, so I’ll leave it at that!)

So how do you eat enough to stay satisfied and balanced without overeating and gaining weight? It’s all about the foods you choose.

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3. Eat the Right Foods

Fruits and vegetables offer the most bang for your buck nutritionally, but calorically they are lightweights. If you want to stay satisfied and keep hunger at bay, you’ll want to focus on incorporating healthy fats and protein into your diet in addition to plenty of plants.

• Eat protein with each meal. A simple lettuce-tomato-and-onion salad just won’t it cut to keep you full. But don’t think that protein means meat, meat, and more meat. While animal protein sources like eggs, poultry, and grass-fed beef are healthful options, remember that protein also hangs out in beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, and alternative grains like quinoa and millet. Aim to incorporate a dense source of protein into your three main meals.
• Focus on fiber. Why? Because fiber fills you up! When it comes to fruit, I try to eat fruits that have skins and seeds. They stick with me longer. Apples and pears (with the skin on) and berries contain more fiber than fruits like oranges and bananas. They’re also lower on the glycemic index and cause less of a sugar surge for me.
• Practice effective food combining. If I eat a piece of fruit for a snack, I’ll be hungry minutes later. (Yes, minutes!) But if I pair that piece of fruit with a handful of almonds or walnuts, I’m set for hours. Same thing goes with constructing meals. A bowl of rice and vegetables (purely carbs) will keep me satisfied for an hour or two, but I’ll find myself hungry and getting shaky shortly after eating. Tossing in some chicken or toasted nuts with that bowl of rice and veggies will round out the meal and provide lasting energy.

(Need a high fiber snack on the go? Try this delicious and nutrient-packed Spiced Carrot Hummus. It’s fab!)

4. Listen to Your Body

I can’t stress this enough. Everybody is unique. We all process foods differently. For one person, carbs may be a fantastic energy source and a crucial element to balancing blood sugar. To another, proteins and fats might keep them going strong while carbs quickly bring them down digestively. You may need to eat four or five times per day, I may need to eat six or seven times. You may stay satisfied on a vegan diet, I may need animal protein to feel my best.

Everyone reacts differently to different foods and lifestyle factors. It’s all about tuning into your body’s specific cues, reactions, and physical signals.

I think we’d all also do well to tune out the media. If I ate and exercised and lived my life the way the latest magazine told me to, I would feel so lousy both physically and emotionally. The fact is you and I don’t have “cookie cutter bodies.” We’re different in hundreds of ways.

Let your body’s signals be your guide to how you eat and live.

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5. Stay Emotionally Nourished

Don’t rely on food calories alone for nourishment. It’s vital to remember that we’re not only satisfied by what we eat and drink, but also by who we spend time with, the activities we engage in, and the hobbies we pursue. When we think we’re hungry, we’re actually often bored, lonely, or depressed. Pursuing optimal emotional health, not just physical, will lead to lasting success in staying truly satisfied in multiple areas of our lives.

• Surround yourself with people you admire and respect for how they live their lives, overcome obstacles, and make decisions. A strong, supportive, positive social circle will help you stay focused on your wellness goals.
• Identify your “trigger foods.” We all have them. Trigger foods are the ones that start the domino effect of mindless eating, leaving us unsatisfied and taking bite after bite after bite of food that we shouldn’t be eating. All that nibbling leads to feelings of guilt that give way to emotional weakness. Reducing or eliminating trigger foods in your diet will help you stay on track with eating foods that truly satisfy. (Hint: refined carbs and sugar often fall into the trigger food category.)
• Engage in hobbies that keep your mind and body active. Idle hands lead to boredom and boredom leads to overeating for many of us. Food is a hugely important part of life, but life shouldn’t revolve around food. If you find that your life revolves around eating, work on developing hobbies and engaging in activities that enrich your life with non-food nutrition.

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How do you battle it out in the Real Life Hunger Games? What are your favorite ways to stay spiritually, emotionally, and physically nourished?

Sorry to disappoint you, but I don’t have a cool story to share with you about this recipe. I wish I did. Cinnamon scones deserve a good story.

I wish I could tell you that my great-grandmother handed down a timeworn cinnamon roll recipe to her daughter, who passed it along to her daughter, who passed it along to me. But that would be a lie. I think the only cinnamon rolls my grandmother ever made were the kind from a tube.

I wish I could tell you that I’ve slaved long and hard to develop this recipe for months, working on it every Saturday morning religiously. But that wouldn’t be true either. I got lucky and nailed these scones on my second attempt.

I wish I could tell you that my non-gluten-free neighbors raved over these, that they couldn’t even tell they were gluten-free (not to mention dairy-free and naturally sweetened) and that they begged me to open up a bakery and sell these exact scones. Truth is, I don’t know my neighbors very well and they’ve never even tasted my baked goods.

So I guess we’ll have to make up a story for these delicious breakfast treats, hmm? Alright, here goes. (Be warned that this is entirely a work of fiction.)

Once upon a time, there was a girl who wanted to make cinnamon rolls. But the very thought of proofing yeast and waiting for dough to rise and making icing and doing it all without gluten and dairy made her head spin! So she decided to take the less traveled road and make a humble scone instead.

She used only dates and low-glycemic coconut sugar as the sweeteners in her recipe, pairing them with healthy coconut oil, cinnamon, almond flour, brown rice flour, and a handful of other kitchen staples.

Although the dough was a bit delicate to maneuver, the girl found that any cracks could easily be pinched back together as she formed the rolls. She loved their rustic, homemade look. The dough itself was moist and tender inside with a perfect crumb. The girl confessed guiltily to her poodle later that day that she would happily eat the cinnamon filling with a spoon. (But shh! Don’t tell. It was okay for her to tell the poodle, because poodles are very good at keeping secrets.)

The girl declared the scones a smashing success. She and her poodle lived happily ever after, eating cinnamon scones for all their days.

THE END.

Okay, that’s my best shot. Now go make some scones.

Cinnamon Swirl Scones
Makes 12

Filling:
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup pitted Medjool dates
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil, at room temperature (not melted)
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Dough:
1 cup (134 grams) brown rice flour
1/2 cup (54 grams) arrowroot starch, plus extra for rolling
1/2 cup (48 grams) blanched almond flour*
3 tablespoons whole psyllium husks
1 tablespoon coconut sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons virgin coconut oil, at room temperature (not melted)
1/2 cup unsweetened almond or rice milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease 12 cups of a standard muffin pan with coconut oil.

Make the filling: in a food processor fitted with the steel blade, process the coconut sugar and dates until the dates are finely chopped, about 30 seconds. Add the coconut oil and cinnamon and pulse just to combine, about 10 one-second pulses. Set aside.

Make the dough: in a large mixing bowl, whisk the brown rice flour, arrowroot starch, almond flour, psyllium husks, coconut sugar, baking powder, and salt to combine. Using a pastry cutter, work the coconut oil into the dry ingredients until pieces of oil are no larger than a small pea. Stir in the milk and egg.

Flour a piece of parchment paper with arrowroot starch. Roll out the dough into a rough rectangular shape about 1/4-inch thick, flouring the dough lightly with arrowroot as needed to keep the rolling pin from sticking. The dough will be fairly delicate, so be gentle. Sprinkle the cinnamon filling evenly over the dough (leaving a 1/2 – 1 inch border around the edge).

Carefully roll up the rectangle, using the parchment paper to help you maneuver the dough if needed. Pinch any cracks in the dough back together as you work. Cut the dough into 12 rolls. (A bench scraper or sharp chef’s knife works well for this.) Place the rolls in the greased muffin pan.

Bake the scones for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and firm to the touch. Cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.

*Ingredient Note: Bob’s Red Mill almond flour will also work for this recipe, even though it’s not the brand linked to above.

Find more healthy recipes at Slightly Indulgent Tuesday.

As I mentioned last week, I recently had the privilege of working with Lindsay Olives on a photography project for one of their naturally gluten-free recipes. This fabulous sweet and briny relish is simply scrumptious!

Lindsay Olives produces a line of gluten- and casein-free gourmet olives that make a great addition to salads, salsas, omelets, dips, and more. Visit their expansive recipe archive to browse through some great ideas for what to make with olives.

This relish is fantastic served over grilled chicken, fish, or steak, but would also make a flavorful topping for beans and rice, cooked quinoa, or steamed vegetables. I love the sweet and salty flavor combination going on here. Paprika and parsley add color and a savory element.

In last week’s  post, I linked to a handful of recipes featuring Lindsay Olives in a blogger outreach event that took place last summer. That post got me hankering for more briny goodness, so I dug up a few more delicious olive recipes speckling the blogosphere that look equally tasty:

• Millet & Butternut Squash Pilaf from Diet, Dessert and Dogs (this recipe is actually one from my book!)
• Black Quinoa & Red Lentil Salad with Parsley from Healthy Green Kitchen
• Caramelized Baked Chicken with Green Olives & Prunes from Jeanette’s Healthy Living
• Roasted Vegetable Greek Salad from All Day I Dream About Food

Portuguese Orange, Tomato, & Black Olive Relish

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients:
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 teaspoons finely shredded orange peel
1 fresh orange
1 cup sliced Lindsay® Greek Kalamata Pitted Olives or 1 (3.8 oz.) can Lindsay® Sliced Ripe Pitted Olives, drained
1 teaspoon smoked paprika or sweet Hungarian paprika
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste (optional)

Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes and orange peel. Peel and section the orange over the bowl to catch any juice. Stir in the olives, paprika, olive oil, and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper if desired. Serve at room temperature or chilled. The relish will keep, covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Makes 12 (1/4 cup) servings.

(Recipe reprinted with permission from Lindsay Olives)

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