AMAZING SOY-FREE MORINGA CHICKPEA TOFU

I follow a plant-based highly raw vegan diet, but I'm not a 100% raw, and will eat cooked foods, including grains, sporadically.

I simply love chickpeas, no matter how it's made, although most of the time I'll have it as a homemade hummus, or falafel. This time I wanted to try something different, a more creative recipe, as long as it was plant-based and vegan.

And browsing the net, I came across this genius vegan recipe of Chickpea Tofu at My New Roots. 

Yes, you read it right: soy-free homemade chickpea tofu. How cool is that?

I had some moringa at home, and wanted to innovate the recipe even further, so I thought "Why not add High Quality Moringa powder to my chickpea tofu and see how it goes?".

Bingo! It was exactly what I was looking for, even though I had no idea of it when I started my search! It turned out to be a silky, tasteful, and filling soy-free tofu, which I added to a big green salad, and also to a fresh Spring roll. Just like you would with tofu.

Apart from tempeh and miso on a few ocasions, I don't really eat soy-based foods, and this is really a genius recipe if, like me, you are also not too keen on soy.

As per the moringa, it's a superfood I've been adding more frequently to my diet, and its leaves are highly rich in protein, minerals, and vitamins A,B and C. I read that Moringa helps against anemia, joint pain, high blood pressure, and also increases sex drive, acting as an aphrodisiac.

Soy-free Chickpea Moringa Tofu:

I slightly changed the original recipe, and reduced the quantities, as I was cooking only for myself.

Ingredients:

• 100g chickpea flour (also known as garbanzo flour)
• 1 Liter filtered water
• 1 tsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp pink Himalayan salt
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tbsp moringa powder

Directions:

In a large pot, combine the chickpea flour and water, and let it sit overnight, or about 12 hours.

After the resting period, carefully remove about 400ml of water from the mixture with a ladle, and discard.

In a medium pan, melt the oil, and carefully pour in the remaining liquid, without disturbing the bottom too much, leaving only the thick chickpea sludge. Add the spices, whisk well to combine, and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until the mixture begins to simmer.

Add the chickpea sludge, which will act as a thickener agent, and whisk continuously for 10 minutes, until thick.

Line a baking pan with a clean cotton tea towel, and pour the thickened chickpea mixture into it. Fold the edges of the cloth over the top and let it sit at room temperature for about 8 hours.

To remove the tofu from the pan, place a cutting board on top and flip it over, pulling the cloth away. You can store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Raw Vegan Chocolate Cake Recipe

This is our raw chocolate cake recipe that blends the best of both worlds, taste satisfaction as well as nutritional quality. 

Made with freshly ground whole cacao beans for that extra special pure cacao flavor, this is a flourless cake recipe using walnuts, dates and coconut to create an cake-like consistency very similar to that of "ice cream cake." 

As an alternative to the average oven-baked desserts, many raw vegan versions, like cakes, pies and cheesecakes are commonly chilled slightly before serving to produce a firm, sliceable and/or buttery smooth texture.

For the coconut-cream frosting we use a blend of fresh coconut meat, coconut oil, cacao butter and natural sweeteners to replicate the traditional buttercream frosting, but without all the dairy products or high glycemic sugars.

As with many of our desserts we always try to incorporate different superfoods whenever possible and this cake is no exception. This recipe stars our absolute favorite medicinal mushroom variety and one of our mentioned top 10 superfoods, the reishi mushroom. 

Using straight powdered hot water reishi extract as well as a tea blend, decocting the whole mushroom powder, reishi works very well in cacao recipesand gives this one a slightly bitter dark chocolate and subtle caramel-like flavor that, we think you will agree, is absolutely delicious.

Because one small piece of this cake is very filling and incredibly satisfying, we tend to make it in small portions but the ingredients can be easily doubled to create a medium-size cake if you happen to have many mouths to feed. So, depending on your needs or whether you are making it for a group or just one or two people, you might want to make necessary adjustments.

This raw chocolate cake recipe can be conveniently stored in the fridge, or even freezer to extend its shelf life and to provide an instant piece of chocolate cake whenever you get the craving. Generally, in the fridge it will last many days, usually up to a week. In the freezer, it can be stored in an airtight container for long term storage and will usually slice easily with a sharp knife due to the high fat content.

We like to save this deluxe dessert recipe for special occasions, birthdays or family gatherings. Most people won't even know that is it completely raw and 100% vegan.

All Natural Whole Food Ingredients

This is a whole foods cake, using completely natural ingredients. The base of the recipe includes two of our favorites, walnuts and coconut, both of which provide a nice cake-like quality when blended with puréed dates and figs. Although this combination might sound a little strange at first, you'll be surprised at how delicious the end results. These fruits add sweetness as well as texture and blend well with the other natural sweeteners used, like raw honey, lucuma and a small amount of stevia.

Of course, no chocolate cake recipe is complete without the use of fresh vanilla bean. Single vanilla beans or pods can usually be purchased at any health food store and are commonly found in the bulk herb section. Simply put, there is nothing like the flavor of freshly scraped vanilla seed paste and when blended with raw cacao, it is a truly amazing taste sensation.

Using Raw Cacao

We like to go straight to the source for this chocolate cake recipe and that means using real raw cacao beans that have been fermented, but not high heat roasted. Raw cacao contains more nutritive qualities and provides higher amounts of antioxidants as well as mood elevating neurotransmitters like anandamine, serotonin, and phenylethylamine (PEA). 

In addition, using freshly ground raw cacao beans, as opposed to nibs or powders, really adds a lot more flavor to this cake in our opinion. However, for the frosting cacao powder works best to provide a creamy smooth texture.

Superfood Nutrition

Reishi is a highly prized major tonic in Chinese herbalism, ranking close to ginseng for its broad spectrum of health benefits. Referred to as "the mushroom of immortality", it has been valued as a Shen tonic adaptogen for well over 2,000 years. 

The energetic attributes of reishi, in Traditional Chinese Medicine, are believed to nourish and "open the heart" and it has been used throughout history by Taoist monks and spiritual seekers to build will power, inner awareness and encourage a meditative state of being.

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We like to incorporate concentrated tonic teas whenever possible and desserts are one of the easiest ways we have found to do this. Along with dried reishi power, we also decoct rhodiola root and pau d'arco bark, both of which make very pleasant tasting teas. Rhodiola is a natural herbal stimulant and overall energizing tonic, while pau d'arco adds cleansing elements.

Two other famous superfoods added to our chocolate cake recipe include mucuna and maca root. Mucuna is a popular Ayurvedic herb used for calming nerve related disorders and helps to balance the theobromine content found in cacao beans. Maca root is a Peruvian superfood known for its energy-instilling properties beneficial for increased strength and endurance for physical activity.

Raw Chocolate Cake Recipe

This is a stacked double-layered cake with a frosting center about 6-7 inches (15-17cm) in diameter and is approximately 2 ½-3 inches (6-7cm) thick. As we mentioned, these measurements are for a small size chocolate cake recipe, for a medium size cake you will need to double the ingredient amounts.

Ingredients:

The Cake

• 3/4C cacao beans or nibs
• 3T cacao butter (melted)
• 2C walnuts
• 1C dried shredded coconut
• 3/4C dates (pitted)
• ½C dried figs 
• 2T maca powder
• 1T mucuna extract
• ½ vanilla bean (scrapped) or equivalent
• reishi tonic tea (see below)
• 3t reishi power extract or 12 opened reishi capsules 
• 1t stevia (green powder) or ½ white stevia powder

The Frosting

• 1C or so fresh coconut meat (usually two Thai coconuts)
• 1C soaked cashews
• 3T cacao powder
• 1T carob powder
• 2T coconut oil (soft or melted)
• 3T cacao butter (melted)
• 4T raw honey
• 2T lucuma
• ½t stevia white powder (or 1t green powder)
• coconut water (from the Thai coconut)
• ½ vanilla bean (scrapped) or equivalent

To Make Reishi Tonic Tea Concentrate:

Decoct or simmer in a 1/2 quart of water.

• 3T reishi mushroom pieces (or 1½T ground powder)
• 1T rhodiola root
• 1T pau d'arco bark

You will no doubt have some left over tea, but you can enjoy it straight with a piece of cake or use it for other dessert recipes.

Directions:

For the Cake:

1. Soak the figs and dates in one cup reishi tonic tea overnight or at least several hours to soften.
2. Powder whole cacao beans with or without skins in a high speed blender, like a Vitamix, Blendtec or NutriBullet.
3. Place in a mixing bowl.
4. Grind the dry coconut in a blender to create a fine flour. Add to the mixing bowl.
5. Grind the dry walnuts in blender until a flour or nut butter type consistency. Add to the mixing bowl.
6. Blend the soaked figs and dates (with liquid) into a paste. Add to the mixing bowl.
7. Melt cacao butter in a small dish inside a hot water bath or double broiler.
8. In a food processor, add the mixing bowl ingredients along with the rest of the cake ingredients.
9. Process until a dough-like texture is created.
10. Split the cake dough in half and mold in two separate layers, using either a spring-form pan or other cake mold form that measures  6" in diameter (or 12" in diameter if you double the recipe).
11. Place your cake in the freezer to set for at least 1 hour.

For the Frosting:

1. Soak the cashews for 20 minutes in enough coconut water to barely cover them.
2. Place all ingredients into the blender.
3. Blend until smooth and creamy in a high speed blender.
4. Add more coconut water if necessary, but not too much because you want it as thick as possible.
5. Refrigerate to thicken for 1 hour.
6. Place frosting on middle section of cake, then the top section and sides of cake.
7. Decorate the sides with cacao nibs and the top with raw chocolate pieces.

Store it in the fridge and eat immediately after serving or store the cake in the freezer and take out 20 minutes before serving to soften slightly.

To make the raw chocolate pieces, mix 2T melted cacao butter with 3T cacao powder and 1t white stevia powder. Place in a squeeze bottle or piping bag and squeeze out into squiggly shapes on a teflex dehydrator sheet and allow to chill before breaking apart for the cake topping.

This is a great chocolate cake recipe to take to a potluck, community gathering or festive event. Remember... it is a small cake, compared to standard cake sizes, but that's because you don't need much to feel completely satisfied. 

You can also substitute carob powder for cacao in this recipe for those that are sensitive to the sometimes stimulating effects of chocolate.

http://www.superfoods-for-superhealth.com

Do you know the Most Nutrition Grain?

FONIO: THE CROP THAT HOLDS THE ANSWER TO THE WORLD’S FOOD CRISIS!!
ITS MEDICAL PROPERTIES HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO MANAGE DIABETES AND OBESITY

EAT FONIO AND REMAIN HEALTHY FOR LIFE!

Fonio is highly rich in amino acids and iron. It is also very nutritious for pregnant women and children. It is free of gluten and is a great alternative for gluten-intolerant people, in particular those living with Celiac Disease.
Due to its high fiber content, this grain is also recommended for the elderly, and for people suffering from digestive problems. Moreover, because of its insulin secreting properties, Fonio products have found that diabetics are their key customers.

Fonio is richer in calcium, magnesium, zinc and manganese than other grains. This grain also contains high levels of methionine and cystine, amino acids essential to our health which our body cannot produce on its own. Fonio grains can play a vital role in nourishing human health. These nutrients are missing in today's major cereals.

Fonio does not contain any glutamine or gladding proteins which are the constituents of gluten, making this cereal suitable for people with gluten intolerance.

Fonio is the most nutritious of all grains. Not only does this crop deserve much greater recognition, it has a big future. It is one of the world's best-tasting cereals. 

Now here's the interesting part:
 How can you find Fonio? It's easy if you know where to look. You can only find it in Africa. Few markets in Africa carry it, but how close are you to them? Lucky for online shoppers, who can now order Fonio  (Raw or Precooked) from any part of the world from Amadin Consulting Services.

Culinary Uses of Fonio Grains
There are many uses of this ingredient and it is considered as the best tasting cereal. It can be used instead of rice or grains and can also be added to regular flour for its nutritional values. Flour from this crop can also be used for making cakes and fritters. It can be used for baking bread and traditionally, it is eaten as couscous or gruel (thick or thin).

Popular Fonio Recipes
Children and elderly popularly consume it, since it can be easily digested. Those on diets will find it pleasing to taste since Fonio is low in fat. Another popular recipe is a combination of sesame with this grain.

*Pilaf Fonio Recipe

In fry oil, thin sliced onions, garlic and parsley crushed, tomatoes peeled, deseeded and cut and the tomato purée. Add salt and add 2 liters of water, spices and herbs and simmer for about 1 hour. At mid-time cooking, add vegetables washed and regularly cut. Take out the vegetables as they are cooked and set aside in a serving dish. Add to the vegetables and keep it hot. “Sprinkle” precooked Fonio in the remaining bouillon while stirring; the bouillon must cover Fonio. Cover the cooking pot and simmer while stirring from time to time. Serve hot with vegetables.

Health and Nutritional Value of Fonio Grain
• Highly rich in amino acids and iron, its tiny grains are very nutritious for pregnant women and children.
• The husked grain of fonio contains 8-10 % proteins, 85% carbohydrates, 4% fats and 1% ash.
• Fonio grains are immensely rich in methionine, cystine and other amino acids which play a vital role in nourishing human health. These nutrients are missing in today's major cereals.
• The protein analysis of white fonio in comparison with a whole egg is: 7.3 percent of methionine, 46 percent of lysine, 72% isoleucine, 90-100% of valine, tryptophan, threonine, and phenylalanine, 127% of leucine; 175% of total sulfur; and 189 percent for methionine.
• Furthermore, fonio does not contain any glutenin or gliadin proteins which are the constituents of gluten, making this cereal suitable for people with gluten intolerance.

http://www.foniocereal.com/default.html

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Do You Suffer From Poor Circulation?

Do You Suffer From Poor Circulation? Here Is How To Solve Your Problem In Just 20 Minutes

If you are one of those who suffer from poor circulation and high pressure, then you know that these patients like you are constantly trying to find some remedy and solve their problems.

However, as advised by experts, you can significantly improve your circulations by regular exercising.  The following exercises will keep the tone and condition of your body, and will take only 15-20 minutes of your time during the day.

Swimming

Swimming is especially good for individuals who suffer from muscle and joint pain and it can be good practice for people of all ages. This exercise does no tension to the body, but engages all body muscles and stimulates oxygen flow to the heart and lungs.

Yoga

Yoga is breathing control technique which improves blood circulation in the muscles and oxygen concentration in the blood.

Walking

Walking is undoubtedly the best exercise to improve your blood circulation. It tightens and relaxes the leg muscles and stimulates blood pumping throughout the body. Also, it reduces blood pressure. At the beginning, you should start with short walks, 2-3 times a week.

Stretching

In the morning, before you get up from bed, stretch! It is the first thing you should do, stretch well your legs and arms.

Push- ups

In the morning, before showering, do a set of 10 push-ups, and you will provide the needed energy for the following day.

Raising heels and toes

Sit with your knees on the floor creating an angle of 90 degrees. Raise your toes from the floor while keeping the heel on the floor. Then put them back on the floor. First do this one leg, and then repeat with the other. Next try with your both feet at the same time and eventually complete the exercise by swinging the heel to the toes.

Feet rotation  

Sit on a chair and rotate your foot in a clockwise direction. By doing this you will improve the blood circulation and flexibility of your legs. You should repeat this exercise 10 times.

Joint exercise

In a standing position, lift up on your toes and come down on your heels, with your muscles tightened. This exercise should also be done 10 times, at least.

Neck exercises

Turn your head to the left and then to the right, to relax your neck. Count to 10. Next, roll your head around and bend it down until it touches the chest. Do not worry if you hear cracking sound while performing the exercises. They are normal and show that you stretch the neck ligaments successfully and that you are performing the exercises properly.

Hand exercises

First stretch and spread the fingers of your hand. Next, make a fist and hold that position for a couple of seconds. Then loosen your joint and spin your hand in a circular movement from the shoulder, for one minute. This is an excellent exercise to improve blood circulation and prevent cramps.

Cycling and dancing

Dancing is an excellent way to activate your body and improve your blood circulation. On the other hand, cycling is another amazing exercise for improving blood flow in the lower part of the body.

Try to do these exercises whenever you have some free time, and you should also ride a bicycle or swim for at least 45 minutes at the pool. You will soon feel the results.

Source/Reference: keepyourbody.com

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