Raw Halloween Treats - Almond Butter Cups

Wednesday night Denise and I held our second raw living foods seminar at Amoskeag Chiropractic in Manchester... And this time we served up raw almond butter cups and coconut crisps, yum! Of course, Denise and I are cleansing, so we couldn't eat the almond butter cups. Boo.

In the seminar, we shared all of the wonderful benefits of eating raw, as well as the abundance of amazing nutrients in one of those raw almond butter cups such as... protein, calcium, folate, iron, B2, fiber (and that's just the almond butter!), antioxidants, magnesium, chromium, manganese, zinc, copper, vitamin C, omega-6 fatty acids (the cacao!)... Then we spoke at length about the MANY virtues of coconut oil. We couldn't cover all of the wonderful things about coconuts in this seminar, so we will have a separate seminar dedicated solely to the coconut.

There is one glaring myth about coconut oil, which I would like to dispel here. Coconut oil was wrongly given a bad reputation by the very producers of cooking oils, because tropical oils are expensive to produce in the United States. They wanted to switch the population over to cheap, easy to produce oils such as vegetable, canola, corn, etc. So, they started putting it out there that coconut oil is a saturated fat (which it is), and that it's therefore bad for you (which it's not). The truth is, coconut oil is rich in medium-chain triglycerides, or MCTs. MCTs are unique in that they are a form of saturated fat, but one which the body utilizes very differently. Their digestion is nearly effortless. Within moments of being consumed, MCTs are converted to energy by the liver instead of getting stored in the cells (like fat that does not contain MCTs). Because of these "direct burn" properties, coconut oil is THE oil of choice for maintaining a lean frame and optimal health. I can truly go on and on about this, but instead, I'll leave it for the next free seminar at Amoskeag all about the coconut.

We also spoke at length about fructose (sugar), because we used agave in the almond butter cup recipe. I will say this often, so don't expect it to change: sugar should be eaten in SMALL quantities and only on OCCASION. Definitely not every day. This is sugar in all it's forms - fructose, glucose, etc. Why, you might ask. Sugar is a drug that disrupts all sorts of delicate chemical balances within the human body, and is a direct cause of obesity in this country. Our daily fructose (sugar from plants) consumption should stay below 25 grams per day. That's the equivalent of 2 pears! That's it! Someone may think their eating really healthy having lots of fresh organic fruits every day, meanwhile they are consuming way too much sugar and spiking their insulin levels continuously. This is causing the mitochondria in their cells to starve, and therefore every cell in their body is screaming for them to 'eat more'. This is because although the cells are being fed, they are not being NUTRITIONALLY fed. Trust me, it's not the fat that's making Americans obese, it's the sugar.

What makes our raw almond butter cups a much better sweet treat than traditional peanut butter cups (aside from being organic, etc), is that the other ingredients are SO nutrient dense they slow the release of insulin into the blood and your cells can get some of the nutrients being made available to them. The recipe...

ALMOND BUTTER CUPS

Mix together until smooth and creamy:

- 1C cacao powder

- 1C agave

- 1/2C melted coconut oil

Line an 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish with wax paper, and pour half of the chocolate sauce in. Spread evenly and set in the freezer.

Mix together in a food processor:

- 1 jar organic, raw almond butter

- 1/2 to 3/4C agave (to your taste)

- 1/2C melted coconut oil

- 1T Celtic or Himalayan salt (not table salt!)

Layer this on top of the now solid first layer of chocolate, and return to the freezer. Wait 20-30 minutes before layering on the last layer of chocolate using the remaining half of the chocolate sauce. Return to the freezer to become solid, preferably overnight.

Once completely solid, pop it out of the dish (the wax paper makes this super easy) onto a cutting board. Cut it into serving size pieces, and then store in the freezer for a (mostly) healthy snack!

Enjoy!

Augusta

More Information About Agave...

We said we'd continue to get to the bottom of the "agave is as bad as HFCS" article, and sure enough, there is a wonderful article by Susan of Rawmazing which helps to clarify and dispel myths and misinformation.

She spoke with Stephen Richards, the founder of BetterBody Foods and Nutrition, asking him to respond to some of the points made in the Mercola article. Mercola's article is in quotations, followed by Stephen's responses in italics.

"In spite of manufacturer's claims, agave "nectar" is not made from the sap of the yucca or agave plant but from the starch of its pineapple-like root bulb. the root is comprised mainly of starch, similar to corn, and a complex carbohydrate called inulin, which is made up of fructose molecules. the process by which agave starch and inulin are converted into "nectar" is VERY similar to the process by which cornstarch is converted to HFCS1."
There is no starch in the agave plant. the agave plant contains fructans which are broken down into sugars by simply applying low heat. the process by which it is broken down is not even close.

"The agave starch is converted into fructose-rich syrup using genetically modified enzymes and a chemically intensive process involving caustic acids, clarifiers, and filtration chemicals."
Xagave is a USDA organic certified product and we have a GMO free certification. Thus the statement that chemicals, genetically modified enzymes and caustic acids are used is incorrect - with respect to Xagave. Again, I cannot speak for other brands.

The fructose content of Xagave is less than sugar (sucrose), about the same as honey, and less than HFCS. In addition, Xagave has less total sugars than the above mentioned sweeteners. Xagave has a glycemic index of 30 (date paste has a GI over 103), and contains inulin, (a prebiotic fiber, promoting the healthy function of your lower intestine that has also been shown to promote regularity, boost the immune system, increase calcium absorption and increase bone density).

Interestingly, onions also promote regularity, boost the immune system, increase calcium absorption and increase bone density... and also contain inulin. When I worked at Stoneyfield Farm Yogurt, I learned that they add inulin to their yogurt. Just a little aside!

I hope this information is helpful to you on your quest to know the truth about agave. Like anything we purchase to feed our bodies with, no two products are created equal... There are good tomatoes and toxic tomatoes, even though they are both called tomatoes. The same is true of agave.

To read Susan's full article on Rawmazing, click here: Agave: Hero or Villain. To learn more about Xagave, including independent lab tests, click here: Xagave.

Augusta

More thoughts on agave...

There is a new article on Mercola.com about the "evils" of agave - worse for you than HFCS! It's very easy to believe every word of this article, and start dumping any agave you may have down the drain. But what I'd like to know, before I jump on the "agave is the devil" bandwagon, is who paid for the studies that produced this new information? Was it paid for by the stevia people? Or the sugar people? Or some other competitor? I trust Dr. Mercola as a good source of information, but it is still important to check the original source of that information. And Mercola has been known to make a retraction or two in the past.

There is one tiny little paragraph buried in the article that caught my eye the second time I read it through: "It is worth mentioning that some websites mention that a natural raw agave product does exist in Mexico, made from the actual sap of the agave, but availability is limited because it is so expensive to produce. By far, the vast majority of agave syrups offered commercially are not this unprocessed raw agave from the sap." Nothing more is said about this, but it does mean that raw, unprocessed agave does exist somewhere in the world.

I personally don't purchase agave found in stores. I order mine from Ultimate Super Foods online, and they do sell a RAW agave. If you just compare the color and consistency of what I buy with what's found in stores, there is a profound difference. I will try contacting Ultimate Super Foods to learn whether the agave I've been purchasing from them is truly unprocessed raw agave or not, now that I'm armed with new information.

I truly believe it's a good practice to not immediately cry wolf without doing some investigating first. This is true about any incendiary information! And I also believe it's a good practice to limit ANY sweeteners in your diet, including raw honey. Stay tuned...

Augusta

Just Desserts Night... Recipes

Our Just Desserts class last night, in Londonderry, NH (thank you Maureen!), was amazing fun as always. We had a fabulous group of women, and we ate, and ate, and ATE! Per usual, Denise and I prepared a couple of treats for the class that we do not teach during the class - one of which last night because it's in the experimental stages. Several requests were made for these recipes... Following is the latte recipe...

"Strength" Mocha Latte
- 1/2 C brewed burdock root tea (brew and strain)
- 1 C almond milk
- 1 to 2 t agave (or honey or maple syrup)
- 1/4 t vanilla
- 1/4 t shilajit (optional, but gives you calm energy)
- 1/2 t maca powder (gives it a malt flavor)
- 1 to 2 t cacao powder (or more if you like)

Blend ingredients together to incorporate and make them frothy. Serve chilled in the summer. Or warm in a Vita-Mix. If you make this the moment you brew the burdock root tea, it will be warm already. You can purchase the shilajit and agave at Ultimate Super Foods. I also reference other great places to purchase products online on the Humbaba World website.

Augusta

The Myth of Agave as a "Healthy" Sugar Subtitute?

Oh boy. Just when you think you're doing the healthy thing... There's new evidence to the contrary! I know it can certainly feel like this sometimes, and with what I've recently learned about agave (the sweetener I use for EVERYTHING)... Well, let's just say I've been momentarily derailed.

What I belived about raw agave is that it was a healthy sugar substitute - better than sugar, artificial sweeteners, corn syrup, maple syrup, or even raw honey - and a low glycemic food. I was very careful only to buy raw (very, very light in color - unlike the brown syrups you typically see). However...

I very recently read a piece on Mercola.com that was educational, if not discouraging. In this article, it is explained that agave is mostly all fructose, not low calorie (same as table sugar), and may not have a low glycemic index. No clinical studies have been done on its safety for diabetics, so presently the claim that agave is a safe alternative is purely speculative. The less heat used to process the agave, the lower percentage of fructose - but still at least 50%. This makes agave an illogical choice if you're hoping to avoid the high levels of fructose in high fructose corn syrup.

Glucose in sugars are converted to blood glucose. Fructose is converted to fat and cholesterol by your liver. A danger is that fructose does not stimulate your insulin secretion, nor enhance leptin production, which is thought to be involved in appetite regulation. Therefore, dietary fructose can contribute to increased food intake and weight gain.

This information just goes to show, no matter your nutritional type, we should all try to remember that sugar is not good for us!

So, what to do? My personal plan is to experiment with stevia - a natural, sweet herb. It is much sweeter than sugar, so very little is needed. I asked Alissa Cohen her opinion on stevia vs agave, and she is using whole leaf stevia whenever possible - avoiding agave. You can grow it fresh in the summer, like any herb, or buy it dried at Mountain Rose Herbs.

- Eliminate all artificial sweeteners
- Avoid high fructose corn syrup
- Limit sugar
- Limit raw, organic agave (avoid all other forms of agave)
- Use raw, organic honey in moderation
- Use whole leaf stevia in moderation (but avoid stevia-based sweeteners like Truvia and PureVia)

As I experiment with stevia as a sweetener, I'll post ratios and comparison amounts to help all of us transition away from the liberal use of agave I know I was enjoying. And Denise and I will incorporate more stevia (or other sweet things like dates) into our class recipes.

Augusta