Ever notice how the the more you glow, the more others glow back?  Spreading the glow with this Golden Milk Granola infused with the super powers of anti-inflammatory turmeric, spicy ginger and warming cinnamon. Food is truly magical and has so many healing powers. Today I’m taking inspiration from classic golden milk with this gluten-free and no-bake granola that is amplified with cinnamon and vanilla infused maple syrup from Runamok. Get the dEATS below on the recipe, a special discount for this delightful maple syrup and a round-up of the top anti-inflammatory spices to integrate into your diet stat.

If you’ve seen the bevvy of vibrantly colored lattes littering Instagram, you may have come across Golden Milk. Some of these bright hued drinks are just for the ‘gram, if you know what I mean, but others, like Golden Milk, have mega healing powers. It’s a beverage that’s been used in Chinese and Ayurvedic medice for centuries containing turmeric (which gives the beverages it’s golden color), ginger, cinnamon, black pepper and coconut milk. It’s the curcumin in turmeric that is one of the world’s strongest anti-inflammatory resources. In addition, curcumin is a powerful antioxidant that wards off free radicals and oxidative stress, which can cause wrinkles, cognitive decline and even chronic disease. Read this mbg article for more on the powers and benefits of curcumin.

Many of you know that I was diagnosed years ago with ankylosing spondylitis, which is a potentially debilitating form of arthritis in the rheumatoid  family that primarily impacts the spine, but also other joints. As a result, I’ve spent a lot of time researching ways to calm my symptoms and ward off inflammation. Modern medicine has some great solutions, but so do foods and spices, which often don’t have the dramatic side effects of medications.

According to U.S. News, here are the top 10 anti-inflammatory spices:

1.) Turmeric: a brightly hued spice often found in Indian dishes.
2.) Black pepper: this common seasoning enables the absorption of turmeric.
3.) Garlic: sulfur compounds in garlic ward off proteins that cause inflammation.
4.) Cinnamon: helps to maintain insulin levels to keep inflammation at bay.
5.) Cayenne: the capsaicin in cayenne lends heat and anti-inflammatory powers.
6.) Ginger: polyphenols in ginger prevent the formation of inflammatory cytokines.
7.) Cloves: one study showed it took only 7 days for cloves to take their effect on cytokines.
8.) Saffron: crocin and crocetin add color and anti-inflammatory properties to this pricey seasoning.

Incorporating these seasonings into your diet can add some excitement to your normal routines and add a festive touch – like the Cinnamon and Vanilla Infused Maple Syrup from Runamok. The warming cinnamon flavors make this syrup perfect adding a special touch to French Toast, tea or even cocktails. This barrel-aged maple syrup from Vermont comes in a wide variety of fun infusions like Cardamom, Jasmine Tea and Elderberry. And, until December 25, you can get 20% off with my code, SHOOKS20.

The holidays are around the corner and this no-bake gluten-free golden milk granola with chopped apricots and cashews is an easy recipe to make for you and your family! I love this on it’s own with a bit of almond milk, on top of yogurt bowls or smoothies.

Golden Milk Granola
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:
-3/4 C Quaker Old-Fashioned Oats
-1 C of Rice Krispies
-1 C creamy almond butter
-1/4 C Runamok Cinnamon + Vanilla Infused Organic Maple Syrup
-2 tsp cinnamon
-1 1/2 tsp ginger
-1 tsp turmeric
-1/4 tsp salt
-1/3 C chopped, roasted salted cashews
-1/3 C chopped dried apricots
-1/3 C unsweetened flaked coconut

Directions:
Step 1: Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Toss together the Rice Krispies, oats, cashews, apricots and coconut in a large bowl.
Step 2: Place the almond butter, maple syrup and seasonings in a sauce pan over low heat on the stove top. Stir constantly until smooth and fully combined, about 30 seconds. Be careful not to overheat the almond butter otherwise it will get tough and dry.
Step 3: Pour the almond butter mixture over the oat mixture and stir to combine. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared pan, pressing firmly to form a compact, even layer. Chill until fully set, about 30 minutes. Break apart and enjoy!

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Strawberry shortcake, blueberry pie, who’s gonna be my lucky guy? A, B, C, D…anyone remember that jump rope rhyme? J is for Jeb, the birthday boy who I made this strawberry rhubarb cobbler for earlier this week. And the best part about birthdays is sharing, so I’m sharing with you this paleo cobbler. Jump to the dEATs below!

So who remembers that jumping song? Or am I aging myself? And do kids still jump rope? I’ve been doing this workout lately that includes jumping rope in between body weight exercises and let me tell you, it is not for the faint of heart! I’m remembering when I used to do the Jump Rope for Heart fundraising events for the American Heart Association in elementary school and wonder where I found the energy to jump rope for literally hours! In my 30’s, 5 minutes feels like a 5k. Seriously, go jump rope for 5 minutes and you will have more than earned a heaping bowl of this cobbler!

What makes this cobbler a whee bit healthier (though let’s be real, it’s a treat), is that it’s paleo, gluten free and sweetened with better-for-you coconut sugar and maple syrup? The filling is oozing with warm bubbling strawberries and rhubarb, with just a touch of coconut sugar and a bonus of chia seeds, which adds omega-3’s and a seed-like texture. The “biscuit” on top is made of almond flour, coconut flour and arrowroot flour for a dynamic trifecta that creates this a gluten-free crust with a hint of sweetness from pure maple syrup.

We all know that we should limit our sugar intake, but not all sugars are created equal. What makes coconut sugar and maple sugar better options? Coconut sugar contains small amounts of short-chain fatty acids, potassium and zinc. It also contains inulin fiber, which studies show helps to slow absorption of glucose. That means it helps to keep blood-sugar levels balanced vs spiking right after you’ve eaten something like a donut. We’re all familiar with that “sugar high” when we eat something with refined sugars, and the energy slump that closely follows. It’s a roller coast for your energy levels and coconut sugar can help to mellow that effect.

Maple syrup is a less processed form of sugar that comes straight from the tree sap. It contains a multitude of inflammation-fighting polyphenol antioxidants and similar to coconut sugar, is a source of good-for-you minerals like zinc. Make sure to buy 100% pure maple syrup (the other stuff may be laced with high fructose corn syrup). Also, the dark, the more antioxidants!

Don’t count on either coconut sugar or maple syrup to be your source of these nutrients though since you’d have to eat a lot to make a difference. And, they’re still sugars. For more on the good, the bad and the ugly of various sugar options, check out this article from mindbodygreen.

Recipe: Paleo Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler
Servings: 8

 Ingredients:
Filling
3 C of strawberries, cut in quarters
3 C of rhubarb, sliced
2 T arrowroot flour
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 T coconut sugar
2 T chia seeds
Crust
1 1/2 C coconut shreds
2/3 C almond flour
1/2 C arrowroot flour
4 T coconut flour
1/2 C coconut oil, melted
1/2 C maple syrup

Directions:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Add the filling ingredients to an 8×8 glass pan or ceramic casserole dish. Set aside.
Step 2: Prepare the crust by combining the coconut shreds and flours in a medium mixing bowl. Stir in the coconut oil and maple syrup.
Step 3: Using your hands, gently crumb the crust over the top of the filling to cover the full dish. Place in the oven for 35-45 minutes, or until the top is crispy and slightly browned. Set aside to cool and enjoy by itself with scoop of coconut whipped topping or with Greek yogurt (not Paleo) as shown above.

The post Strawberry-a-go-go appeared first on The Shooks Life.

I dip you dip we dip…for vegan chocolate avocado mousse. Droppin’ strawberries like it’s a bad habit into this sweet treat with the rich flavors of  @navitasorganics cacao. Try to stop at one dip. I triple dog dare ya. Get the dEATs below!

So here’s the deal, no need to count those dips with this little delight. The base of the mousse is healthy fats like avocado and coconut cream, sweetened with maple syrup and vanilla, with a super rich chocolatey flavor derived from superfood cacao.

Hold up, chocolate is a superfood? Yes ma’am. But there’s a difference between traditional cocoa and cacao. Two different things, not a spelling error (hello, I was a journalism major).

So here’s the deal. Cacao is the purest form of chocolate, produced by cold-pressing unroasted cocoa beans. It maintains a majority of the nutrients from the cacao beans while removing the fat (serious magic). In this whole form, it delivers an abundance of jam-packed nutrients such as magnesium, flavanoids (antioxidants that support the immune system), iron and phenylethylamine (PEA) – often called the “love drug” since it boosts mood and energy levels. Yes, please.

Cocoa looks like same, but don’t be fooled. Cocoa powder is raw cacao that been roasted at high temperatures, reducing the overall nutritional value (womp womp). In addition, many companies will add sugars to cocoa mixes, so watch those labels!

Now that you’ve discovered all the goodness of superfood cacao, dip on into this delectable mousse! P.S. Bonus points if you get the song reference from this post!

Vegan Chocolate Avocado Mousse
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
– 4 large, ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
– 1 1/2 C coconut cream
– 1 1/4 C Navitas Organics cacao powder
– 1 C 100% pure maple syrup
– 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
– 1/2 teaspoon salt
– 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
Serve immediately with fresh fruit or store in the fridge.

Happy dipping, friends!

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