Fruity Gelatin Gummies

These are a family favorite and a kid-approved healthy snack in my house. When I am not making Elderberry Gummies, this recipe is my go-to for a gut-supportive, nutrient-dense snack. I also love that it takes maybe 5-10 minutes to prep. I love incorporating gelatin into my family’s diet this way. Gelatin is a protein product derived from collagen and besides being super nourishing for the digestive tract, there is evidence that it plays role in joint health and brain function, and may improve the appearance of skin and hair. It is flavorless and colorless and when it dissolves in warm water and takes on a jelly-like texture as it cools.

Makes about 18 gummies

Ingredients:

• 8 Ounces organic unsweetened 100% fruit juice (I like the Santa Cruz, Lakewood, and RW Knudson brands)*

• Options: I like to mix it up and even mix juices within the gummy, 4 ounces each, my favorites include pineapple, pomegranate, tart cherry, blueberry, and orange

• 1/4 cup grass-fed gelatin (I like Great Lakes, Further Foods, and Perfect Supplements)

• 1 tbsp raw honey (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine syrup, juice, and gelatin in a medium saucepan.

2. Heat to medium and stir well until gelatin is completely combined.

3. Add echinacea drops and honey if included and stir again.

4. Remove from heat and pour the mixture into silicone molds or a square baking dish.

5. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set.

6. Pop them out of the molds or cut them into square inch pieces.

7. Store in refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Enjoy!!!!

*Juices to try for different flavors and their benefits:

• Orange juice - high in vitamin c, supportive of adrenals (stress) and immunity

• Pineapple or papaya - contains enzymes that are digestion and inflammation supportive

• Tart cherry - supportive of melatonin production/sleep and inflammation

• Pomegranate - high antioxidant content support brain health, inflammation, and sleep
  
  
  

Reishi Hot Chocolate

Known by many as the “King of Mushrooms”, Reishi mushrooms are type of fungus native to several parts of Asia including China, Korea and Japan. They tend to be bitter-tasting with a tough texture which is why they are known more as a medicinal mushroom vs. a culinary mushroom. You are much more likely to find them in tincture or powder form.

Reishi mushrooms are considered by many to be adaptogenic, meaning they help your body deal with the negative effects of stress including inflammation, low energy, and hormonal imbalances. Studies have repeatedly shown that reishi mushrooms contain nutrients and antioxidants that strengthen the body’s defenses against cancer, autoimmune conditions, heart disease, allergies and more.

While generally considered very safe to consume it is always good to check with your doctor if you are unsure. Bio-individuality is key, as with any supplement or food. Consuming reishi can cause side effects for some so you definitely want to proceed with caution if you are pregnant, breast feeding, about to have surgery, have a blood disorder or high/low blood pressure.

The following recipe is one of my favorite treats for my whole family and is a great way to incorporate some reishi mushrooms into your diet. Even my daughter loves this hot chocolate!

Yield: 2- 3 Servings

Ingredients:

• 3 Cups milk of choice (I like almond, coconut, hemp or flax)

• 4 Teaspoons organic raw cacao powder

• 1 Tablespoon reishi mushroom powder (I like Four Sigmatic)

• 3 - 4 Tablespoons pure maple syrup

• 2 Scoops grass-fed collagen powder (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients into medium-sized saucepan and heat over medium heat. Whisk or stir to combine as it warms.

2. Continue to whisk or stir until all of the cacao powder, reishi, and collagen dissolves into the hot chocolate. 

3. Serve warm. Feel free to add marshmallows, cinnamon or whipped cream!

Sources:

• https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/reishi-mushroom

Salted Tahini Freezer Fudge

• Ingredients

• 1 Cup tahini

• 4 Tablespoons cacao powder

• 2 Scoops collagen peptides (optional)

• 4 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted

• 2-3 Tablespoons pure maple syrup

• 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract

• Coarse sea salt (or Redmond Real Salt) to taste

Directions

1. Add all of the ingredients, except for the salt, into a bowl and mix well. I like to use a bowl with a spout or a large measuring cup so I can easily pour it into the molds.

2. Pour the batter into small silicon molds or a parchment-lined 8x5 bread loaf pan, sprinkle with salt.

3. Place pan or mold in the freezer for an hour or until solid.

4. Remove the fudge and break fudge out of molds or cut into squares if needed.

5. Store in freezer until ready to serve. Enjoy!

Healthier Smoothies: AHB Smoothie Formula

While I generally recommend that my clients eat nutrient-dense, whole foods, rather than drinkable meals, like smoothies or green juices, smoothies are a favorite of many of my clients as a fast and convenient way to get in nutrients and energy. I agree so long as the smoothie contains the right balance of ingredients to be as nourishing as a proper meal. I often make them as an afternoon snack and I tend to crave them more in the morning during the warmer months.

Smoothies can be rough for blood sugar balance if you don’t build them appropriately but a healthy smoothie is possible! It’s important to limit higher sugar fruits and include plenty of quality fats, protein, and fiber to keep you satiated until your next meal.

Because a smoothie is essentially a bunch of foods blended together, is important that you chew it. While blending does make it easier on the digestive system, your body won’t digest it properly without the initiation of the digestive process. When consuming the smoothie, swish it around your mouth before swallowing it in order to get your digestive juices flowing. You can even try adding a crunchy ingredient as a garnish on the top and eating it with a spoon! Drinking your smoothie at room temperature rather than ice cold is also easier on digestion and can keep you from getting a brain freeze too.

A Healthy Balance Basic Formula (for one serving)

• 8 to 12 ounces of liquid

• 1 serving of protein

• 1-2 tablespoons fat

• Up to one tablespoon fiber (start small and increase the amount over time)

• Up to ½ cup of fruit (add more if your body needs an adjustment to less sweet smoothies and decrease the amount over time)

• Up to 1 cup of vegetables (more even if you want!)

• Extras

Below are my favorites for each of the components.  Some ingredients may overlap in multiple categories.

Liquid

• Pure, filtered water

• Organic, non-dairy, unsweetened milk

• Organic, unsweetened yogurt (dairy if tolerated, or non)

• Coconut water (reduce sugar by adding water for half the liquid)

Protein – Choose high quality un-sweetened, grass-fed animal proteins and third-party tested vegan proteins when possible

• Organic pea protein powder

• Organic hemp protein powder

• Hemp seeds

• Grass-fed collagen peptides

• Grass-fed whey protein powder (beef or goat)

Fat

• Avocado (1/4 – 1/2)

• Seed or nuts/butters (organic peanut, almond, cashew, sesame/tahini, pumpkin seed etc.)

• Coconut butter

• Coconut oil

• Cacao butter

• Freshly ground flax

• Chia seeds

• Ghee

• Extra virgin olive oil

Fiber

• Chia seeds

• Freshly ground flax

• Acacia fiber

• Avocado (1/4 – 1/2)

• Rolled oats

• Hemp seeds

• Shredded coconut

Fruit

• Organic berries (blueberries, raspberries, cherries, strawberries, blackberries etc.)

• Lemon (juice or flesh)

• Lime (juice or flesh)

• Apples

• Pears

• Peaches

• Kiwi

• Banana (Green tipped)

Vegetables

• Cauliflower

• Zucchini

• Greens (kale, chard, spinach, bok choy, dandelion, mustard, basil, arugula etc.)

• Raw, steamed or roasted beets

• Cooked pumpkin or winter squash

• Cilantro, mint, parsley (or any other fresh herb!)

• Sprouts

• Cucumber

• Fennel

• Carrots

Extras – These are not mandatory by any means, but adding spices, adaptogens, and superfoods can add nutrition and boost your energy, immunity, reduce inflammation, balance hormones.

• Pinch or two of sea salt (for electrolytes)

• Ginger (I store in freezer and just grate it into the container)

• Cinnamon, cayenne, nutmeg, turmeric

• Vanilla extract or bean paste

• Maca

• Mushrooms (reishi, corydyceps, chaga etc.)

• Cacao powder or nibs

• Matcha

• Moringa

• Spirulina

• Greens powder

• Probiotic powder

A sample of my go-to recipes for a healthier smoothie:

Good Morning Smoothie

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk

• 1 serving collagen peptides

• 1 tablespoon nut butter

• 1 tablespoon hemp seeds

• ½ cup frozen blueberries

• 2 giant handfuls of spinach or kale

• Pinch of sea salt

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Afternoon Treat Smoothie

• 1 cup coconut milk

• 1 serving collagen peptides

• 1 -2 tablespoons nut butter

• ¼ large or ½ small avocado

• ½ cup frozen banana

• ½ cup frozen cauliflower rice

• 1 heaping tablespoon cacao powder

• Pinch of sea salt

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Superfood Trail Mix

Serves 4-8

Prep time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup raw pecans, pistachios, walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts or a blend
• 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds/pepitas
• 1/2 cup dried coconut, large flakes
• 1/2 cup dried mulberries (I use Nativa Organics brand), goji berries or cherries work too
• 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips, more if you like chocolate!

Directions:

1. Mix together and store in a cool dark place.  Enjoy by the handful, or two or three!

Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes 12 cookies

Prep time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup grass-fed butter

• ¼ cup coconut sugar

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

• 1 large egg

• 2 teaspoons vanilla

• 1½ cups blanched almond flour

• 2 tablespoons coconut flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• ½ teaspoon sea salt

• ¼ cup cacao nibs

• ¼ cup chocolate chips + 1 heaping tablespoon

• 5 – 6 drops food grade peppermint essential oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a food processor, mix the butter, coconut sugar, maple syrup, egg, and vanilla until smooth (30 seconds or so)

3. Add the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, peppermint essential oil and sea salt and mix again until combined. Feel free to scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed to mix everything together.

4. Move batter to a medium sized bowl and add the chocolate chips and cacao nibs, stirring until combined

5. Using a tablespoon, scoop out dough and form 1 ½ inch (approximately) diameter balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten them slightly with your fingertips or the back of a spoon.

6. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until slightly golden around the edges.

Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs

Prep time: 1 minutes

Ingredients:

• 6-8 eggs
• 1 cup water

Directions:

1.  Place the stainless steel insert pot into the Instant Pot base, along with the included steamer insert. Pour in one cup of water.
2. Arrange the desired number of large eggs on top of the steamer insert.  I usually do six to eight eggs at a time.
3. Lock the lid on top of the Instant Pot and make sure the steam release knob is turned to "sealing".
4. Press the "manual" button on the front. High pressure should automatically be selected, but if it's not, make sure you change it.
5. Use the plus/minus buttons to bring the time to five minutes.
6. When the timer goes off, let the steam release naturally.  Feel free to release though if you are in a hurry.
7. Once the pressure is released, press the cancel button to turn the warming function off.  Remove the lid and transfer the eggs to a bowl and allow eggs to cool on counter for 5-10 minutes before eating or placing them in the refrigerator for later use (up to one week).

Persimmon and Pomegranate Fruit Salad

Prep time: 15 minutes

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

• 3 fuyu persimmons, chopped (1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces)
• 1 cup pomegranate seeds
•  3 apples, peeled, cored, chopped (1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces)
• Juice from one lemon
• 2 teaspoons honey (optional)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (more if you like cinnamon!)

Directions:

1. Gently toss all of the ingredients together.  Enjoy!

Gut-Friendly Berry Gummies

Author: Stephanie Selinger

Prep time: 15 minutes

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 heaping cup of your choice of blueberries or raspberries or a blend of the two

• 4 lemons (or 2/3 cup lemon juice)

• 1/4 cup of unflavored, grass fed gelatin

• 1-3 tablespoons raw honey or maple syrup (depends on if you want tart or slightly sweet gummies; can be omitted entirely)

Directions:

1. Place berries into small saucepan and heat over medium until berries pump up and liquid is bubbling (around 8 minutes).

2. Let the mixture cool slightly and move to blender. Add the juice of all four lemons and honey or sweetner if using.

3. Blend until smooth; add the gelatin and blend again.

4. Pour into silicone candy molds or a 9x9 baking dish and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes. Once they are set you can remove from the molds or cut up into squares. They will store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.