Tag: dark cherries

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Cherry Cashew Power Bites


If you’re like me and you’re always on the go, it can get hard to eat three healthy meals a day let alone snacks. Healthy eating takes planning. To help you incorporate more whole foods into your busy lifestyle  I’ve come up with an easy snack recipe that you can make on the weekend, store in the fridge and enjoy for the next 10 days.

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These Cherry Cashew Power Bites are perfect for pre-workout fuel because they’re a balanced combination of fat/protein/carbs that will keep you energized but not overly full (which can detract from the task at hand). Every ingredient is a whole food that your grandma would recognize. Best of all, there’s no added sugar so you don’t run the risk of a glycemic spike and resulting crash.

If you’re not a fan of dried cherries, opt for dried mango or wild blueberries–just make sure they are unsweetened and unsulphured.

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CHERRY CASHEW POWER BITES

 What You’ll Need:

  • 2/3 cup raw cashews
  • 1 cup  dried dark cherries (unsweetened)
  • ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut, plus more for garnish
  • seeds of 1 vanilla bean
  • 1/2 tbs lime zest
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric (optional)
  • 1/4 tsp chili powder (optional)

How to Make Them:

1. Soak cashews for 3-4 hours. Drain and rinse.
2. Soak cherries for 20-30 minutes until slightly softened and plump.

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3. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until a sticky dough is formed.

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4. Use a teaspoon to spoon out enough to make a 1″ ball. Squeeze the dough in your palm to bring it together and roll between your palms until you get a nice ball.
5. Roll in shredded coconut to coat.

Recipe makes approximately 20 power bites. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

At approximately 110 calories per ball. I like to snack on one or two of these 30 minutes to an hour before I workout. They give me the energy my body needs to move and play but don’t weigh me down.

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My Top 5 Green Smoothie Recipes

It’s officially Cherry Blossom season here in the District, which means spring (real spring, not teaser spring) is just around the corner! To honor the onset of my favorite time of year in DC, I thought I’d share 5 of my favorite “Greenie”recipes. My Greenies are healthy vegan  smoothies that bring together fruit, dark leafy greens, plant-based protein and nutritional superfoods in one tasty and satisfying blend. At under 400 calories for 16oz of smoothie (that’s two full glasses!), all of these recipes are are great way to start your day. They’re also packed with dietary fiber (thanks to the flaxseed and chia seeds in there) and protein to keep you full and focused. Best of all, they have anywhere from 3 to 5 servings of fruits and veggies so by the end of breakfast you’ll have either met or surpassed your recommended daily intake. Now, that’s no excuse to eat junk for the rest of the day, but it is mighty nice to know that you’re giving your body much of what it needs for optimal function from the get-go. Also, studies show that if you start your day with a healthy breakfast you’re less likely to be obese, more likely to have good/stable blood glucose levels (and consequently more energy and less moodiness), and less likely to be hungry later in the day.

If you’re not a fan of almond milk substitute your favorite unsweetened rice, hemp, soy, coconut or skim milk, or try fat-free plain Greek, soy or coconut yogurt in lieu of almond milk yogurt. Coconut water is another good liquid to swap, just beware of its sugar content. Several brands really jack that up. My favorites are Blue Monkey, C2O, and–la crème de la crème–100% Raw Coconut Water.

 

 

(1) Banana-Berry Breakfast Greenie:

  • 8 oz unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 banana
  • 1 cup frozen whole strawberries
  • 2 handfuls baby spinach
  • 1 tbs almond butter
  • 2 tbs ground flaxseed
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

287 calories, 14g of dietary fiber, and 10g protein per serving.

(2) Blueberry-Kale Protein Greenie:

312 calories, 22g of dietary fiber, and 27g of protein per serving.

(3) Blueberry-Beet Power Greenie:

  • 8 oz unsweetened almond milk
  • 2 medium beets (boiled)
  • 1 cup frozen wild blueberries
  • 2 handfuls baby spinach
  • 1 tbs grated fresh ginger
  • 1 tbs fresh lemon juice
  • 3 tbs hemp protein powder
  • 2 tbs ground flaxseed

319 calories, 21g of dietary fiber, and 25g of protein per serving.

(4) Pineapple-Mango Vitamin-C Greenie:

  • 8 oz unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 cup frozen mango
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen pineapple
  • 2 handfuls of kale
  • 1 tbs chia seeds
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

341 calories, 13g of dietary fiber, and 10g of protein per serving.

(5) Dark Cherry Goji Greenie:

381 calories, 21g of dietary fiber, and 25g of protein per serving.