The obesity epidemic that currently affects all countries worldwide can be directly traced to the collapse of home cooking and the popularity of processed, conveniently prepared foods at the supermarket.
It means a return to the way nature intended us to eat – raw. Eating “raw” not only eliminates the culprits that have been linked to degenerative diseases and weight gain – including “bad carbs” (white flour and white sugar for example) and “bad fats (saturated and trans fats) as well as the raft of unhealthy chemicals and preservatives that dress the grocery shelves these days, but it eliminates the age old tradition of baking itself!
The days of eating processed and chemically laden foods are a thing of the past as more and more people get educated on the dangers and dead promises that these nutrient poor foods offer.
When you start your recipes with unprocessed ingredients (raw, natural foods), you’ll naturally end up with less additives and other unhealthy ingredients in your meals, snacks and treats. You’ll lesson the negative impact that added chemicals in our foods and exposure to food allergens like wheat, dairy and gluten expose us to.
And, believe it or not, raw snacks offer much more flexibility than baked goods ever did so don’t be afraid to change things around or substitute other similar ingredients if you need to. Ground nuts can replace flour, coconut oil and avocados can be used to replace butter, cream and eggs and dried fruits are the perfect replacement for sugar.
Getting more “raw” foods into your diet can be a challenge, but worth the effort. Your healthy diet will not only help prevent disease and control your weight, but it will also slow the aging process.
As your intake of whole fresh foods ingredients grows so too will your body get healthier, leaner and more energetic. Best of all, these type of recipes are all “guilt free!”
Getting healthier not only means “getting to the gym” (or an equivalent workout at home), but it means “getting back to the kitchen” and taking control.
And, that’s exactly what is happening, women aren’t the only ones returning to the kitchen. Popular chefs such as Gordon Ramsey and Bobby Flay are bringing men into the kitchen in record numbers.
Truth is, home cooking is the single best thing you can do for yourself and your family’s health and well-being. It makes good sense because it offers a pleasurable, daily creative, economic, healthy and vital link to the natural world and best of all, cooking at home puts you in full control of what goes in or what stays out of your finished product.
Here’s a decadent raw dessert recipe to tantalize your sweet buds and get you started: (remember to adjust any recipe you attempt to fit your needs and tastes. If you prefer something a little sweeter or less sweet, richer or softer, then go for it.)
For more exciting, tasty gluten, sugar and white flour free desserts and treats:
50 Healthy Raw Desserts and Treats Volume One and Two.
Each volume offers 50 healthy, raw, desserts and treats the whole family will love. Cashew Cream is the perfect compliment to many of these super healthy sweet treats.
For more tools and resources from Carolyn Hansen to assist you in attaining your health and fitness goals and achieving the success you desire in life, please visit:
- 1 cup almonds
- 1 cup dried cherries
- ¼ cup coconut oil (warmed until liquid)
- ¼ cup desiccated coconut
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup cacao nibs or chocolate chips
- Process almonds until they are finely blended. Add honey and cinnamon and process again until mixture is smooth.
- To assemble - Spread the filling on 8 of the cookies. Top with another cookie and press down gently.
- Place in fridge for an hour or two before serving.
- Process almonds until they resemble breadcrumbs.
- Add cherries, coconut oil, coconut and honey and pulse until well combined.
- Finally, add cacao nubs and pulse until just combined.
- Take tablespoons of the mixture and make into 16 balls.
- Flatten into cookie shapes and place on a tray.
- Place in fridge or freezer to firm up and set while you make the filling.
- /2 cup almonds
- tablespoons honey
- /2 teaspoon cinnamon
