guilt free recipies!

Quinoa Cookies
Once you have cooked quinoa on hand, you can eat it plain, throw it into shakes
or smoothies as a thickening agent, use it as a cereal or substitute it for rice or
pasta in your favorite dishes. My fave: cookies! Quinoa is loaded in nutrients and
contains all essential amino acids making it a complete protein source.
Ingredients:
4 large ripe bananas
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 cup uncooked quinoa flakes
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
2 tbsp MacaSure Powder*
½ cup coconut sugar
½ cup dark, unsweetened chocolate chips OR
MacaSure Chocolate Bar*, broken in small pieces
Directions:
Preheat oven to 380˚ F.
In a large mixing bowl, mash bananas in bowl with a fork and add vanilla, quinoa,
coconut, maca and coconut sugar.
Mix until well combined.
Stir in chocolate chips. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and drop
heaping tablespoons of batter on to cooking sheet.
Bake for 25-30 minutes – until cookie holds together. Remove from oven and let
cool on a wire rack.
BONUS: Replace the chocolate chips with ¼ cup of cacao powder to turn this
recipe into chocolate quinoa cookies!
*What is Maca?
Maca is a cruciferous root vegetable indigenous to the high Andean mountain plateaus of Peru. Also called
“Peruvian Ginseng” Maca is an exceptionally hardy plant growing where no other crops can survive. At
altitudes of 14,000 ft., Maca must endure extreme conditions ranging from freezing cold, fierce winds, to
intense sunlight, often all within a period of 24 hours. Herbalists believe that resilient plants are especially
valuable from a medicinal perspective and in this category, Maca knows no equal.
Who benefits from Maca?
Everyone! The most exciting news about Maca is that it strengthens and balances the endocrine system of
both sexes in the appropriate gender-specific manner. Its action focuses on the hypothalamus/pituitary axis,
which governs the intricate and delicate hormonal system of our body. Maca is an ideal addition to the
daily diets of both men and women to promote greater energy and stamina improve ability to handle stress
and enhance sexual and reproductive health and wellness.
Where can you get it?
Online or your local health food store like Vitamin Shoppe or Health Hut
No Bake Brownies
Prep Time:10 Minutes | Total Time:10 Minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup medjool dates, pits removed
1 cup raw walnut pieces
½ cup cacao powder
Pinch of sea salt
1 Tbsp – ½ cup Navitas Naturals Sweetened Cacao Nibs, or regular raw
cacao nibs (use quantity to taste)
Directions:
Mix: Place walnuts in a food processor and grind for a couple seconds to
form a coarse flour. While machine is running, add pitted dates, cacao
powder and salt, processing until a moist, crumb-like dough has formed.
Form: Spread into an 8×8 inch pan, sprinkle with cacao nibs, and press
firmly into a solid brownie layer. Cut into bite-size squares and serve.
Alternately, press and roll brownie dough into small balls to make brownie
bites.
Makes about 2 dozen small squares
Chocolate chip chia cookies – compliments of Chef Lissie
cheflissie.net
Makes roughly 25 cookies
I came up with this cookie after refining my chocolate chip cookie recipe. I
wanted something closer to a gluten containing cookie, chewy, chocolatey and
slightly sweet. The problem is when I use honey, I still find it too sweet but
also the cookies are too soft. I used coconut sugar and palm nectar for this
cookie and the end result was spot on delicious and exactly what I was
looking for. I handed out samples today to clients, kids and family. It was
thumbs up all around.
This cookie is a perfect example of how I program foods for my clients and
myself. Yes it is a cookie yet healthier than most! When making recipes for
cookies, I try to adhere to the same principle of health choices; no refined
sugar, no dairy, and healthy fats. The almond flour and chia give this cookie a
protein boost and also contain healthy fats that are good for the body. This recipe is also in favor of time
management, taking approximately ten minutes to prep.
Now, lets talk money and where you can save. I have been using coconut sugar in baking for some time
and Costco has now started selling it. Coconut nectar again is low glycemic and doesn't give me the sugar
jitters like honey does. Again, a little hard on the wallet, so raw honey or pure maple syrup can be
substituted.
Ingredients:
3 cups almond flour
2 tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup coconut oil (warmed)
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup coconut nectar (honey or maple syrup will work well too)
2 eggs, whisked
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips or cacao nibs
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl combine the almond flour, chia, baking soda and sea salt.
In a separate bowl combine the warmed coconut oil, coconut sugar, nectar,
vanilla and eggs. Pour the wet ingredients into the almond flour mixture and
stir to combine. Mix in the chocolate chips.
Scoop the dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet with a small ice cream
scoop. Bake for 10 minutes, remove and let cool for a few minutes before
placing on a wire rack to cool completely.