Chia Seed Recipes I enjoy!

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Chia seeds are packed full of beneficial nutrients, vitamins and minerals, fiber, and protein - which puts this little seed on the rankings of a "Super Food"! 

WHAT IS A SUPER FOOD?

Super foods are rich in vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. They are minimally processed foods, such as fresh fruits or vegetables, that provide your body with the maximum amount of nutrition. These foods are full of flavor and are versatile in many recipes. You can eat super foods each day to to provide your body with multiple nutrients, without consuming too many calories.

Identification

Super foods are nutrient dense, which means they offer multiple nutrients while providing minimal calories. Nutrient-dense super foods are the colors of the rainbow. They are red, orange, pink, yellow, purple and green. These are the colors of super foods such as blueberries, bell peppers, spinach, salmon, kidney beans and grapefruit.

Source: http://www.livestrong.com

WHERE CAN I BUY THEM?

They are a small virtually tasteless seed, that you can find at most health food stores, and Organic Markets. There are also many low priced options and markets online to purchase them through. Here are a few I found through Google Shopping. 


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Recipes: 

Vegan Zucchini Bread

4.9 from 7 reviews

Print

Source: Hell Yea It's Vegan

Ingredients

• 6 tbsp ground flax seeds or chia seeds - or mix the two.
• ½ c warm water
• 2 c turbinado sugar (or light brown sugar)
• ½ c oil
• ½ c applesauce
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 to 2½ c grated zucchini (~3 medium-sized ones)
• 2 c all-purpose flour
• 1 c whole wheat flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 c chocolate chips or raisins, optional

Instructions

1. Grease two loaf pans.
2. Mix together flax seeds and warm water.
3. Add sugar, oil, applesauce, and vanilla; beat well.
4. Add grated zucchini; stir til combined.
5. In a separate bowl, sift together remaining dry ingredients.
6. Add dry mixture to wet and stir just until dry ingredients are moistened and everything is incorporated evenly; some lumps are fine. If adding additional mix-ins, fold them in now. Divide batter between prepared pans.
7. Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes, or until knife inserted in center of loaf comes out clean. Let cool a few minutes before slicing.

Raw Chocolate-Chia Energy Bars

Source: Vegetarian Times

Makes 8 bars

30 minutes or fewer

Whole chia seeds add nutritional punch and crunch to these chocolate treats.

• 1 ½ cups pitted dates
• ⅓ cup raw unsweetened cocoa powder
• ⅓ cup whole chia seeds, such as ReNew Life Ultimate ChiaLife
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract, optional
• ¼ tsp. almond extract, optional
• 1 cup raw slivered almonds or raw shelled pistachios
• Oat flour for dusting, optional

1. Place dates in bowl of food processor; purée until thick paste forms. Add cocoa powder, chia seeds, and vanilla and almond extracts, if using. Pulse until all ingredients are combined. Add almonds; pulse until nuts are finely chopped and well distributed through date mixture.
2. Spread large sheet of wax paper on work surface, and dust with oat flour, if using. Transfer date mixture to wax paper, and use paper to press mixture into ı/2-inch-thick rectangle. Wrap tightly, and chill overnight.
3. Unwrap block, and cut into 8 bars. Dust edges and sides with oat flour, if using, to prevent sticking. Rewrap each bar in wax paper.

nutritional information

Per Bar:

• Calories: 195
• Protein: 5 g
• Total Fat: 8 g
• Saturated Fat: <1 g
• Carbohydrates: 31 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg
• Sodium: 2 mg
• Fiber: 7 g
• Sugar: 22 g

Power packed Chia Pudding FOR KIDS!

Source: Raw Crave

Power Protein Smoothie

Source:  Naomi's Nutrition Nook (Me)

Hope you enjoy these tasty recipes, and try one out today - Or, better yet, try them all! 

Please comment below with any other way's you like to incorporate chia seeds into your food - Add a video, too, if you have one.

You can also FOLLOW MY BLOG by entering your email below, or by joining on the right! 

Thank You!

~Peace and Love always~

13 Health Benefits of Banana's

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Bananas are such an amazing fruit, that taste great anytime, and are really one of the original 'fast food' snacks! But, do you know WHY banana's are SO awesome? Here are some amazing facts about the sometimes over looked, bright yellow, sweet Super food!

According to the Dole Website: Note - the Anti-Viral properties listed! Wow!

Fat Metabolism 

 Bananas contain resistant starch, which ferments in your large intestine, creating by-products (butyrates) that block conversion of some carbohydrates into fuel, forcing your body to rely on fat stores instead. 

Anemia 
Bananas might boost iron absorption in two ways. First, they contain vitamin C which helps "prep" the iron in plant sources for absorption. Second, they contain resistant starch which one Cornell study showed increases iron absorption by up 28%. 

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• Lung Health
 Bananas may help kids breathe easier. Children who ate just one banana each day for a year had a lower chance of developing asthmatic symptoms, according to preliminary British research. 

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• Blood Pressure
Bananas are a good source of potassium which helps regulate blood pressure. One Indian study showed that just two bananas per day may lower blood pressure by 10%, possibly by providing potassium. 

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• Regularity
Bananas can help restore normal bowel action because they are a good source of fiber. Plus bananas' 75% water content helps prevent dehydration, which can also contribute to constipation. 

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• Hangovers
Eat bananas to possibly help overindulgence. Scientific evidence suggests hydration, vitamins B6 and C -- all supplied by bananas -- may make hangovers more bearable.

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• Bone Strength
Bananas supply prebiotic fiber which boosts the absorption of calcium; potassium helps minimize calcium loss while vitamin C, another banana nutrient, improves bone mineral content. 

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• Muscle Mass
Bananas protect against muscle loss? Seniors with higher potassium intakes had more lean muscle mass than their potassium-poor peers. The metabolic by-products of potassium help to maintain the body's alkaline balance, counteracting the breakdown of muscle driven by excess acidity.

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• Sports Performance
Bananas are an athlete's staple because they supply both instant and lasting energy due to their combination of natural sugar and complex carbohydrates. Bananas' potassium may also help alleviate muscle cramps.

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• Anti-viral?
 The beloved banana may offer a near term solution to sexual transmission of HIV. Laboratory results from the University of Michigan found that a banana lectin (type of protein) called BanLec latches onto HIV molecules, preventing the virus from binding to other cells in the body.

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• Childhood Leukemia
Eating bananas and oranges might reduce a child's risk of leukemia, according to research from the University of California, Berkeley. Regular consumption of bananas and oranges during the first two years of life was associated with a reduced risk of childhood leukemia in this preliminary research. 

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• Stroke
A banana a day might cut your risk of stroke, thanks to potassium, which is linked to lower stroke risk according to preliminary research as published from the University of California-San Diego in the New England Journal of Medicine. 

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• Colorectal Health
Bananas may cut colorectal cancer risk. A preliminary study published in Nutrition and Cancer found that those who consumed bananas three or more times per week had a lower risk of colorectal cancer compared to those who consumed them less than one time per week

SO, what are you waiting for?? Go eat those bananas and know you are doing something amazing for yourself!

Enjoy!

~Peace and Love~

Comment below with your favorite and creative ways to include more banana's into your diet.

Be yourself: Start by healing yourself from the inside out!

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Today I wanted to discuss a topic that I feel effects everyone at some time or another! This issue can effect your healing, and needs to be addressed, so you can move forward! Have you had a struggle or periods of time, where your self esteem was at a low point and you just didn't feel you were valuable or appreciated for who you are? Understanding where these feelings stem from, or what triggers them, is a great start to the road to self acceptance and confidence within yourself -to know that it's ok to be you.


The reason I wanted to cover this topic is when we are on the road to healing, and aren't living with health and vitality, some of our baggage can be holding us back from true healing. And I will cover some great ways to address and heal those feelings, so you can move forward! I want you to consider, and address, any issues that may be holding you back from being the amazing, beautiful, confident, and healthy you that you deserve to be every precious day!

Identify Negativity in your life: What, if any, are any negative influences in your life? Are they coming from someone else, something else, or from you? A negative influence usually involves things/people which do not lift you up, but burden you. They make you feel down, sad, upset, frustrated, stressed, hurt, less then, trapped, like a victim, defensive, not safe, not good enough, that the world is conspiring against you, that nobody loves you, powerless. 

Does the negativity help you, or hold you down?: After identifying the sources of negativity in your life, consider how they effect your daily life . Are these people or thought processes serving you and helping you, or dragging you down and making the hole look too deep to climb out of? 

What roles does negativity play in your daily life?: Sometimes people hold onto negative thoughts or people in their lives, because that is really how they view themselves inside, and how they view the world outside..So really, negative people and thought processes reinforce and even justify your bad feelings about yourself. 

Haven't you wondered or thought things like- "why does this always happen to me?" or "Sure just go ahead and take advantage of my time and energy, I don't mind" or "Why doesn't anybody love me?" and "I must be crazy" or "There is no point in living, life sucks" or "Why doesn't that happen in my life?" or "I'm never going to get out of debt" and "They must just be lucky, I'm never lucky" and "Why does my life have to be such a struggle all the time?"......


Acknowledge what role negativity plays in your life, and realize, that it does not serve your healing or your healthy growth!

If you are in a situation that is not happy and it hurts you, or where someone is constantly taking advantage of you - or taking you for granted - Or around people and things (media, others drama, gossip), that take your energy away from healing and filling yourself with hope, love, happiness, joy, peace, excitement, smiles, and significance, and acceptance. **Then something has to change, and that is up to you to identify and make appropriate changes. 

You only have one life, and you deserve that life to be filled with all of those things and more! Stop wasting it with negativity, and letting negativity steal your joy and abundance in life!

1. You are beautiful

2. You are Worth it

3. Your past shapes who you are today

4. You are NOT your past!

5. Live today, and realize that you never know how long you have.

6. Appreciate the people in your life who love you 

unconditionally and support your healing!

7. Appreciate those that don't judge how you choose to heal and find joy.

8. Love yourself, because if you don't, who will?

9. Once you do that, others will know the authentic you, and love you for who you are as a genuine person in their life! 

10. You CAN change, heal, and have the life you WANT!

Now, as you think through these things I want you to know that this is written from a place of complete love, understanding, and compassion! If no one has told you your worth, and beauty, and strengths in this life, I will be proud to be the first to proclaim all of the above to you! 

Healing involves many aspects of one's life. Thoughts and feelings are aspects of you that are very important to consider in your healing, and learning new ways to grow in positivity, happiness, love, and joy! Be strong in who you are, and use that strength and softness inside to help others learn the same lesson and to spread your happiness like a ripple on a pond.  

You're a super star and have a purpose! Don't let anyone treat you any other way, and don't let yourself believe anything different! Be confident in your own skin :)

Be the person who raises others up, and love the one's in your life that do the same for you - and distance yourself from the one's who don't! 

~Peace and Love Always~

Please comment below with your thoughts

Vegan Peaches 'n Creme Dark Cherry Dream Sorbet "Ice Cream"

Summer time delight- Seasonal fresh organic and vegan sorbet for your sweet tooth, and to beat that unrelenting heat! Who doesn't like sorbet/ "ice cream", with no added sugar!? Will be included in me new E-Cookbook coming soon!

Follow me here for more information and great tips on staying vibrant, healthy and cancer free, while eating amazing foods and losing weight! 
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Peaches n' Creme Dark Cherry Dream Sorbet

(Raw, Organic,Vegan, Sugar-free, Gluten Free)

By: Naomi's Nutrition Nook

Prep Time: 20 mins.

Freeze/set time: overnight

5 large Peaches 

5 Dates (pitted)

5-7 Dark Cherries (pitted)

2 1/2 cups Coconut Milk

1-2 tsp. Stevia (to preferred taste)

Kitchen List: Vita Mix/ Blender, Ice Cream Maker, Medium Sized Glass Bowl, Plastic Wrap, Knife, Measuring Cups, 

1. Pit Peaches, Cherries, Dates. 

2.  Add cut up peach slices of 2 peaches at the bottom of the blender, pour in 1/2 cup of coconut milk, blend until chunky.

3. Repeat step 2 until all peaches are blended in
4. Cut all dates in half add to blender, blend until smooth.
5. Add pitted cherries and Stevia, blend for a slight pink color, and beautiful cherry pieces.*
6. Pour mixture into medium sized glass bowl cover with plastic wrap, place in refrigerator for a couple of hrs to add air.
7. Remove from fridge, place in Ice Cream blender- blend for 15-20 minutes until 'sorbet' consistency.
8. Freeze mixture in mixing bowl covered over night.
9. Serve with fresh fruit and vegan whip cream. I used melted carob as a topping. (melt in water bath for smooth consistency, will freeze hard on sorbet)


*Finished liquid content should be around 48 ounces


Serves: 5-6 people
Enjoy!

If you enjoyed this recipe! Please subscribe below with your email address, to receive more amazing recipes, and tips right to your inbox! Don't miss out on keeping your health and vitality with a little help from Naomi's Nutrition Nook. Thanks for visiting my blog, and please share with friends! Peace and Love always <3

Power of Positive Affirmations

Your thoughts have a large impact on your success, sense of confidence, self love, relationships, and completely shape your reality daily. Taking that into consideration, this is one small change will affect the rest of your life, and most importantly the quality of your life!

What are positive affirmations?

Positive affirmations: statements you repeat that affect the subconscious mind, making it act to attract success and improve your life.

                                            Defeating negative self-talk

Negative self talk is a downward spiral of your mind focusing on the things it DOES NOT like, want, appreciate, wants to avoid, or seek revenge in some way on someone or some event....Read that again...Now, the power of the mind is that it MANIFESTS in your life, what you FOCUS upon the most! Wow! Now look at your life, does this ring true to you?

There are a myriad of excuses or reasons individuals can come up with, to explain their constant negative self talk. But, unless the negative behavior or habit is pointed out the them, most individuals do not realize they are doing it as often as they are. This unconscious learned behavior creates limitations on their own personal ability to achieve their goals. 

                                       Steps to defeat negative self-talk

1. Realize and identify the times when you spiral and focus on something or someone that bring up negative thoughts, attitudes or moods. 

2. Once you realize and have identified any culprits or triggers to negativity, acknowledge the feelings then tell yourself to STOP -think of a big red stop sign in your mind- and tell yourself.."NO, this is NOT worth my time or energy I could be using to spend thinking about what I DO want!" Then train yourself to switch your thought patterns faster each time!

3. Replace your negative subject matter/thoughts, with POSITIVE affirmations.

                      Examples of daily positive affirmations

Here is an AMAZING site I found with a HUGE list of positive affirmations for everything from friendships, to love, to ADHD, to even quitting smoking! 
List of Positive Affirmations 

source: (www.Affirmations-For-Radical-Success.com) 

                                                    Here is a great video description!

                   

         Peace, Love, Prosperity, and Success to you every day!

'Feed' or 'starve' cancer with food?

Can what we eat, starve cancer through Angiogenesis?

It is a proven fact that cancer cannot grow with enough oxygen in your cells, an alkaline blood ph, and a strong immune system mainly created from your intestinal system. But, where do blood vessels come into the equation, and what is Angiogenesis? What does that have to do with cancer? Here is William Le discussing the study of Angiogenesis, which describes that what you eat, can actually starve cancer growth, and inhibit blood vessels from feeding tumor growths in unhealthy cells. 

Comment below with your thoughts.