If you’re not sipping an acai and kale superfood smoothie and throwing back a double shot of matcha, followed by an ACV (apple cider vinegar, duh) chaser every morning, like, what are you doing with your life?

*insert eyeroll as big as an Instagram mega-influencer following*

With new “superfoods” and fad diets popping up on the daily, it can be near impossible to keep up with the hype. Even worse, it seems like two minutes later there’s evidence that the latest crown jewel is actually a cheap knock-off. So how are we supposed to navigate the moguls of the new food landscape? Read on for my take on “superfood” or “super hype”.

Acai Bowls

These Amazonian berries are all the rage with the smoothie bowls trend. While they have high amounts of inflammation-fighting antioxidants, the issue is that pure acai is quite bitter. And to maintain its nutrient level and make the voyage to the U.S., acai berries need to be ground up or frozen within 24 hours of being harvested.

Often, this process includes mixing in loads of sugar. Those frozen packets of acai? Check out the second ingredient: sugar. And that dried acai powder? It’s usually being blended with sweetened almond milk at your favorite smoothie shop and drizzled with honey. Not to mention, acai bowls are never complete without sugary toppings like granola, more berries, coconut flakes, etc.

In fact, one of the popular acai bowls has 67g of sugar! That’s 2-3 times the amount you should have in a DAY. Yes, a whole day, according to the American Heart Association.

Verdict: SUPER FAD

Chia Seeds

Remember those clay figurine Chia Pets that sprouted grass-like fur (maybe I’m showing my age here)? Those same chia seeds are being popularized for their ability to energize and keep you full due to ample amounts of fiber, protein and omega-3’s.

The tiny seeds expand when added to wet ingredients and are commonly used in smoothies, sprinkled on top of yogurt or oatmeal, or used to create chia pudding by adding the seeds to nut milk (one of my favorites is this PUMPKIN CHIA PUDDING).

While these little bundles are quite nutrient-dense, there are still limited studies to prove that continued use leads directly to weight loss, if that’s your end goal. However, they contain all nine essential amino acids that our body needs, but cannot make, to build muscle. That’s a big woo-hoo for plant-based protein!

Verdict: SUPERFOOD

Coconut Oil/Butter

Consuming fat is back in vogue and as a result, we’ve seen the proliferation of avocado toasts and coconut butter “bombs” deemed as “healthy” sweet treats, especially for those following the keto diet.

But ACCORDING TO DR. ALICE H. LICHTENSTEIN, Tufts University professor of nutrition science and policy, “there’s virtually no data to support the hype” behind coconut oils and butter. In fact, coconut oil is high in saturated fat, which is linked to high cholesterol and heart disease. Refined, bleached and deodorized (R.B.D.) versions are so processed that many of the good essential fatty acids and antioxidants are destroyed, such as lauric acid (a medium chain fatty acid that raises good H.D.L. cholesterol).

However, less processed versions like virgin coconut oil may not have the same harmful effects, despite still being high in saturated fat.

Verdict: SUPER FAD

The post Superfood or Super Fad? appeared first on The Shooks Life.

Poppin’ these paleo pop tarts like I’m back in the 5th grade skipping down the street with my Lisa Frank Trapper Keeper in clean white Keds. Except these aren’t your average sugar laden pop tarts. Made with clean ingredients so you can happily snack while you Skip-It. Totally aging myself at this point, but if you want to take a trip down memory lane, check out the dEATs for these Paleo Pop Tarts with Strawberry Chia Jam.

Lately I’ve been curious about all those newfangled grain-free flours, but also uber confused. Anyone else? Most white or wheat flours are bleached and tough to digest, whether you’re Celiac or not. And there are tons of alternatives that deliver the same results with added nutritional benefits. Here’s a quick overview of some of the most popular options:
1.) Coconut Flour is a good alternative for white or wheat flours in baked goods with the added benefits of healthy saturated fats, fiber to aid digestion and a low glycemic load so that your blood sugar won’t spike. It’s great for those interested in a paleo or vegan diet and is a main ingredient in these paleo pop tarts!
2.) Oat Flour is a gluten-free flour has a lot of the benefits of your morning oatmeal and those vitamins and minerals are even easier for your body to digest in flour form. Benefits including lowering cholesterol, fiber that keeps you pull longer and immunity-boosting power.
3.) Tapioca Flour is primarily used as a thickening agent (for example, a good replacement for cornstarch). It’s one of the purest forms of a starch, so while it has almost no sugar or fat and is low in calories, it doesn’t add much nutritional value beyond carbohydrates. Tapioca flour derives from the root of the cassava root and is bleached, so it’s a more processed version of cassava flour.
4.) Cassava Flour is made by grating and drying the cassava root. It’s high in vitamin C and low in fat, calories and sugar, without much more added nutrient benefit.
5.) Arrowroot Flour is another good thickening agent similar to tapioca flour (and used in this recipe). Unlike tapioca flour, it maintains more nutrients since it isn’t processed with high heat, which depletes a lot of the benefits. It’s a good source of fiber, potassium, iron and B vitamins. It’s great in sauces, baked goods or as a coating to add crispiness to veggie fries.
6.) Almond Flour is loaded with vitamins and minerals including magnesium, copper, potassium, calcium and heart-healthy L-arginine. Almonds have been shown to lower bad “LDL” cholesterol and are also high in fiber. It’s incredibly versatile and used in my 5-ingredient cacao pancakes.
7.) Buckwheat Flour, believe it or not, is wheat and gluten-free. It’s actually derived from a seed and is packed with B vitamins, manganese, zinc, iron and folate. It’s a high-protein option that is often used in pancakes.
8.) Rice Flour is often used in gluten-free pastas. Brown rice flour is always a better option over white rice flour since milling and polishing brown rice to convert it into white rices destroys much of the B vitamin, iron, manganese and phosphorus content, while completely depleting the fiber and essential fatty acids.
9.) Sorghum Flour is a heavier flour that delivers high quantities of fiber and antioxidants. It also contains tannins, which are thought to help obesity. However, it works best in small quantities or when paired with lighter gluten-free flours.
10.) Teff Flour was the least familiar to me. It’s the world’s smallest grain and is high in B vitamins, phosphorous, calcium and iron. It supposedly aids circulations, boosts the immune system and improves circulation as well as PMS symptons. Like sorghum, it is a heavier flour, so used alone can make baked goods heavy or course.

Now let’s dive into exploring some of these newfound flours! We never really had pop tarts growing up because they’re pretty nutritionally devoid. These paleo pop tarts are super clean and full of nutrients from a base of coconut flour, mashed banana, arrowroot flour and maple syrup for an added touch of sweetness. While you can load these with store-bought jam, I was also curious how hard (or easy!) it would be to make my own jam. And surprise, it was super simple and keeps for a few days in the fridge. I found other uses for the strawberry chia jam beyond just toast – it was a great addition to a bowl of creamy oatmeal and a perfect use for strawberries that otherwise would have gone bad in the next day or two.

Admittedly, these pop tarts do take time and patience, but are a fun afternoon activity, especially when decorating is involved! I’d suggest using plenty of coconut oil when rolling out this dough and cutting. You may also want to consider refrigerating the dough for 20-30 minutes to reduce the stickiness. I decorated these with Pearl Butter adaptogenic coconut butter for the fun colors and superfood boosters, but you could definitely use any raw coconut butter. I’d suggest heating over the stove vs the microwave since it is easy to burn coconut butter, which gets gritty when heated too quickly.

Now, let the fun begin! Hope you enjoy traveling back in time with these Paleo Pop Tarts!

Paleo Pop Tarts with Strawberry Chia Jam
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
Pastry Dough
-1/4 C maple syrup
-1/4 C ghee (or unsalted butter)
-1/4 C water
-1 tsp vanilla
-1/4 tsp salt
-1 ripe banana, mashed
-1/2 C arrowroot flour
-1/2 C coconut flour

Strawberry Chia Jam
-2 1/2 C strawberries, chopped
-4 T maple syrup
-2 T chia seeds
-1 T fresh lemon juice

Icing
-Your favorite raw coconut butter, melted (shown: Pearl Butter Smarty Pantsuit)

Directions:
Step 1: Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Add the syrup, ghee (or butter), water, vanilla and salt to a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil on the stove top, then remove from the heat.
Step 2: Add the arrowroot flour, coconut flour and mashed banana. Mix until it forms into a dough. Option to refrigerate for 20-30 minutes to make it easier to work with the dough (reduces the stickiness).
Step 3: Roll the dough on a piece of parchment paper to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Cut into rectangles with a pizza cutter or knife, greasing with coconut oil as necessary to avoid sticking. You should be able to make roughly 8 rectangles or 4 pop tarts.
Step 4: To make the jam, add the strawberries and maple syrup to a medium-sized sauce pan. Stir together over medium-heat on the stove top for roughly 5 minutes, or until the strawberry mixture becomes watery. Lower the heat and mash the strawberries until you obtain your desired texture.
Step 5: Add the chia seeds to the pot. Cook for an additional 5-7 minutes on low heat until the jam thickens. Once thick, remove from the heat, add the lemon juice and allow to cool.
Step 6: Spoon 1-2 T of the jam over half the rectangles. Top the rectangles with the remaining pastry rectangles to form the pop tarts. Seal the edges with a fork. Place the parchment paper on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 25 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.
Step 7: Allow the pastries to cool. Heat a couple tablespoons of coconut butter over the stove top. I placed in a metal measuring couple directly over the heat, stirring frequently. You could also use a double broiler. Just make sure to heat at a low temp, stirring frequently to avoid burning or creating a gritty texture. Once viscous, drizzle the coconut butter over the top of the pop tarts and enjoy once fully cooled!

You may have extra dough and will likely have extra jam. Feel free to make thumbprint cookies with the extra dough/jam and store the jam in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week.

Recipe adapted from A Girl Worth Saving

The post Pop it like it’s hot appeared first on The Shooks Life.

Feelin’ that berry bliss. Just got my delivery of @pearlbutter Pearl Butter adaptogenic coconut butters and can’t wait to play. It’s all the wonders of rich coconut butter in fun colors like this vivid blue from superfood spirulina.

Check out my unboxing video below for more dEATs!

I first discovered the wonders of coconut butter on Pinterest when hunting down the elusive unicorn – a decadent treat without the guilt-laden sugars. I was hooked after making these Turmeric Glow Bars with the rich creamy flavor of coconut atop a naturally sweet crust made of dates and shredded coconut.

Coconut butter has oodles of benefits beyond its decadence.

• It’s rich in immunity-boosting lauric acid.
• It’s loaded with healthy fats to keep you feeling full longer.
• It’s jam-packed with other goodies like amino acids, calcium and magnesium.

Hello white unicorn! Except, the fun doesn’t end there.

Pearl Butter makes a line of raw coconut butters colored with superfood adaptogens like spirulina (blue), turmeric (yellow) and papaya (pink). The flavor and color are insane!

So what exactly do you DO with coconut butter? Lots!

• Drizzle over yogurt or berries for a delightful dessert
• Spread over toast, waffles or pancakes in place of boring butter
• Add a dollop to coffee or matcha for a rich flavor that will keep hunger at bay.
• Make your smoothie into a tropical treat
• Decorate your favorite dessert

It’s playtime, friends! Check back to see what I make next!

The post Butter Me Up appeared first on The Shooks Life.