Roasted Cashew Butter

I needed a dessert.  I had to have it!  This becomes a dangerous time for me because I love to cook and sometimes, I would do anything to quench the craving for something sweet. I will go out of my way, bust out the Kitchen Aid mixer and search the pantry for chocolate chips. Doing just that, I searched and searched for the ingredients to make cookies but no chocolate chips were to be found.  In my crazed state, I reached for my purse and my jacket ready to head out the door to some awful place to get my fix, probably a blizzard from Dairy Queen...

I took a deep breath, a step back, and put my purse and keys down then went back to the pantry.  You can do this, I told myself.  There on the shelf, sitting very pretty in their plastic bag were raw cashews.  I smiled and thought about how happy these boomeranged shaped vessels of loved made me feel.  They were comforting and that's exactly what I needed at this point.  I thought to myself, I'm going to make this easy.  Puree these little puppies up into cashew butter!  I love, love, love nut butters but have never made cashew butter before.  It's so decadent and rich! And, let me tell you, it's way too easy!!!  

Cashews have a delicate flavor and when they are roasted the flavor turns slightly buttery.  And the aroma...sigh, is so delightful!!  I used to think that they were just a fancy nut that didn't have many qualities, but as it turns out, they weren't just a pretty face. Cashews have a lower fat content then you might think when compared to other nuts and the fats they do have are 75% unsaturated fatty acids.  Also, of this unsaturated fatty acids, most of it contains oleic acid, the same heart healthy monounsaturated fat that can also be found in olive oil.  Cashews are good for your heart and they can also reduce high triglyceride levels in the blood stream. They are also a good source or magnesium which is vital for healthy bones.  Magnesium is also great for reducing muscle spasms, migraines, cramps, lowering blood pressure, and even asthma.   

Interesting note:  If you eat cashews or any nuts raw, make sure to soak them in water for 4-12 hours.  The reason is, nuts and seeds have enzyme inhibitors.  What's that, you ask?  Well, Mother Nature is smart.  Nuts and seeds have been equipped with these inhibitors until the right conditions come about for them to sprout and start to grow.  Bad thing about these inhibitors is that they can cause digestion problems when eaten, even preventing our own enzymes from breaking down the food in our digestive tracts.  That means we cannot absorb the nutrients and vitamins of that food.  Also, the nutrition value of soaked nuts are even greater than the unsoaked variety! So make sure that you soak those nuts! 

Another way to release the enzyme inhibitors is by roasting them.  And that's what I did here.  It's very easy to make nut butter and you don't have to worry about added preservatives, oils, high fructose corn syrup or anything else nasty. I have a craving, let's get to it!!

Roasted Cashew Butter

Makes about 1 cup

Ingredients:

2 cups of raw cashews - make sure they are not roasted and salted

1 tbsp of raw honey (optional) 

1 tbsp of coconut oil (optional)

Pinch of sea salt (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 300 F.  Place raw cashews on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes. They should be golden in color and have a wonderful fragrance.

2. Let the nuts cool before adding them to a food processor.  Blend on high for a few minutes until the cashews look sandy.  Scrape the sides of the container down and continue to blend.  After a few minutes the cashews will start to release their oils and create a smooth butter.  I added the coconut oil to make it a smoother consistency.  Taste, if you like you could also add 1 tablespoon of agave nectar for added sweetness and or a pinch of sea salt.

3. Place contents into an air tight container and store in the refrigerator for up to a month, but I doubt it will last the week.

Tips: Use this nut butter in place of peanut butter in your favorite recipes.  Also if you want a chunkier butter you could add chopped cashews to the smooth butter after you're done blending.  You could also make this using raw soaked nuts to make a butter but that will have to be another post.

With love,
K

My Morning Green Smoothie

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, I give you my first recipe! Instead of drinking green beer, you could be drinking green smoothies. This is only my second post but it might be the most important, if not the most healthy recipe that I will ever share with you.  This is my morning smoothie, a part of my green ritual. When I start my day with this pure goodness, I feel awesome and nourished throughout the day. Green beers got nothin' on me!! This is a long post but I promise there will be a lot of great information and hopefully it will convince you to blend it up in the A.M. 

At my last job in Chicago, I worked in a cubical and people often saw my green smoothie.  The usual response was, "Ew, gross! What on earth is that?!"  WARNING: This smoothie scares people.  Yes, that's right, it scares people, either when they see me drinking it or hear me talking about it.  Occasionally, I could persuade a brave soul to try a sample (I usually drank from a different cup than the container I brought it in just for this reason). And usually, these brave souls were amazed that such a green drink could taste so good and so fruity.  But the truth is, there isn't that much fruit in it at all!  In fact, it has nearly 4-5 times the amount of vegetables as it does fruit and there is a reason for that.  

So what's in it??  I change it up on occasion but here's the gist.  I stick with a 3:1 ratio of vegetables to fruit. Why? Because, fruit has sugar and too much can raise your blood sugar.  For most people, it's easier to eat fruit than greens.  Well, those people who ACTUALLY eat fruits and vegetables.  The truth is, and I'm sure you know this, but the majority of people in the U.S. do not get enough fruits and vegetables in their diets, if any at all! And no, the lettuce on a McDonalds burger does not count as a vegetable, nor do the french fries!  Fresh, raw, organic fruits and vegetables is what we really need, and the more the better!  This smoothie makes it very easy to get a lot of dark leafy greens in your system everyday.  If you were to drink this entire smoothie, you get all of the recommended daily servings of both fruits and vegetables.  

Sorry, I digress, as I often do.  So what's in it, you ask?  The smoothie I made for you today has cucumber, spinach, curly kale, lacinato kale (A.K.A dinosaur kale), collard greens, rainbow chard, one small minneola tangerine, a handful of local organic strawberries and juice from two lemons.  Additionally, there is coconut water and aloe vera juice as well as purified water and ice cubes.  I also like to put a couple tablespoons of flax seeds and hemp seeds.  For added sweetness I like to use stevia but you could also use agave nectar or raw honey.  But you don't have to use the same ingredients as I do.  Stick with the 3:1 ratio of veggies to fruit and you'll be fine, great even!   

That being said, I want to explain why I use what I use.  Cucumbers are always in my smoothies because they provide a lot of juice, have a mild sweet flavor, contain vitamins K and C and also have alkalizing properties.  I always have spinach on hand so I add a good handful.  It is a great source of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant which helps prevent disease and cancer, also contains fiber and as well as being an excellent source of beta-carotene which protects you from damaging free radicals (I know they sound cool but they really suck).  The small minneola tangerine gives this smoothie a wonderful sweet and tangy flavor.  The few I picked up from the store were particularly juicy, even though they were small.  Minneola tangerines contain folate and vitamin C.  I love their shape and their deep orange color, it's hard for me to resist them.  They're also a yummy snack just on their own.

These are all delightful things to have in your smoothies but the real awesomeness can be found in these ingredients below.  Again, you do not have to add all three (kale, chard and collard greens) into your smoothie but I do recommend adding at least one, and it should probably be kale.

Kale - Oh kale...where do I begin?!  To me, kale is a superfood.  It is a part of the cruciferous family and this family rocks.  Kale is an excellent source of manganese, iron, copper, calcium, protein, dietary fiber, and vitamins C, B1, B2, B6 and vitamin E.  The benefits of eating kale are staggering!  This dark leafy green power house has been linked to fighting cancer (such as breast and colon) due to the abundance of antioxidant nutrients. Fight those free radical jerks! It can help prevent heart disease.  Kale is so rich in vitamin K, an anti-inflammatory nutrient, that when eaten on a regular basis (perhaps every morning in a smoothie) could significantly lower the risk for chronic inflammation which is associated with many health problems.  Kale fights cancer, reduces inflammation, prevents disease, is great for the cardiovascular system, helps detoxify the body, has fiber, vitamins, protein...need I go on??  Eat kale daily, raw organic kale.  Cut it up and put it in salads, add 3-4 leaves of kale in your smoothies. Do it already!  It makes me laugh to think how kale was only used as a garnish.  Remember?  On the side of the plate that no one touched?  If only we knew!

Collard Greens - Also apart of the rockin' cruciferous family known for having heart healthy benefits in its chlorophyll blood.  Collard greens stands out among the rest of its cruciferous family with it's ability to lower cholesterol.  This DLG (dark leafy green) is also an excellent source of vitamin K, A and is a great sources of many other vitamins and minerals including fiber and protein.  Collard greens also helps prevent cancer by supporting our detox and anti-inflammatory systems.  Inflammation...bad.  Anti-inflammatory...good!  

Rainbow Chard - Yes, chard is also another excellent source of vitamins K and A (I think we have a trend going on here) and is a great source of many other vitamins and minerals and also contains protein (in fact, many vegetables have protein).  But its ability to help regulate blood sugar is what makes it stand out.  Chard contains a flavonoid called syringic acid, which is located in its lovely colored veins. In studies, this flavonoid inhibits certain enzymes that cause the breakdown of carbs into sugars.  When these enzymes are inhibited by syringic acid, fewer carbs are broken down into simple sugars, therefore keeping the blood sugar in balance. That, my friend, is a good thing.  Keeping your blood sugar in balance is important to avoid pre-diabetes, diabetes, insulin resistance, and overweight issues.  Eat chard!  Put it in your smoothies.  The rainbow variety makes it even more exciting!  Just look how pretty it is!

Strawberries - These are one of my favorite fruits and it only takes a handful to make this smoothie taste more like fruit then vegetables.  Strawberries need to be organic, they are one of the most sprayed produce and usually top the Dirty Dozen list.  If you can't find them fresh and organic then try looking for frozen organic strawberries.  Strawberries aren't just cute, they are anti-aging fighters that have vitamins C, B2, B5 and K. They are rich in manganese, fiber as well as iodine.  Did I mention potassium and folate?  I didn't think so. Strawberries are awesome!  

Coconut Water - I just started adding coconut water into my smoothies when I found out how amazing it is.  In one cup it has 495mg of potassium, that's more than one whole banana.  Coconut water is super hydrating and also contains magnesium, sodium, calcium, phosphorus, and essential electrolytes.  I add about 1 cup to each smoothie.

Aloe Vera Juice - Aloe Vera juice helps support a healthy immune system, healthy digestion throughout the entire digestive tract and helps keep you regular!  Yay!  It's great for muscle, joint, and tissue function as well as maintaining healthy oral hygiene.  I use aloe vera juice instead of using the gel inside a leaf of aloe vera because it's just easier.  However, if for some reason you have access to organic aloe vera leaves then I'd say go for it! You will get even more benefits from the gel of the leaf than you would from store bought juice.  Either way, since I've started adding aloe vera juice it has reduced the rumbling in my tummy...if you know what I mean.  ;)

Hemp Seeds - Thanks to my sister Kara (Happy Birthday!), I started adding hemp seeds to my diet.  Hemp is a great source of protein!  Just 3 tablespoons will give you 11 grams of protein and contains all 10 of the essential amino acids!   Hemp foods also have omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, digestible proteins, vitamins and nutrients, minerals and fiber.They have a yummy nutty flavor and can be added to many dishes.

Flax Seeds - Omega - 3 fatty acid.  They have anti-inflammatory benefits, protect bone health, protect against heart disease, cancer and diabetes, and help prevent and control high blood pressure and also contains fiber. There are many other great benefits associated with flax seeds.  You can add these seeds to smoothies, salads, pasta, breads, nut butters, just about anything really.  They also have a delicious nutty flavor.

So here you go!

My Morning Green Smoothie
Makes about 6 cups
15-20 minutes

I am lucky enough to have a Vitamix blender, but if you don't, it will be fine.  Just be aware that your blender might not be able to blend everything as smooth, but it will still taste good!  (You can get a Vitamix blender at Costco in store for around $379.)   

1 cucumber (peeled if not organic)
1 piece of citrus (I used minneola tangerine but an orange works well too)
Handful of strawberries 
Handful of spinach   
3-4 leaves of kale (curly or dino or both!)
3-4 leaves of chard
3-4 leaves of collard greens
1-2 lemons (juice only)
2 tbsp flax seeds
2-3 tbsp hemp seeds
1 cup coconut water
1 cup aloe vera juice
Purified water (as needed)
1-2 tsp of Green Stevia Powder or Stevia leaves even! (or more if you want it sweeter)
Ice cubes 

This is my routine.  You could do this in any order, really.  
1. Peel and cut the cucumber into 1 inch chunks, add to blender.  
2. Quarter the tangerine, peel and add the flesh into the blender.  
3. Rinse the strawberries, take off the leaves on top, you can just tear them off, no need to cut, then add to blender.  
4. Add spinach, one cup of coconut water, flax seeds, hemp seeds, stevia and juice from lemons.  
5. Then blend the contents of the blender, it will be easier to fit the rest of the ingredients if you blend halfway through.  
6. Then I wash the kale, chard and collard greens and tear the leaves from the stems.  You really don't want to add the stems as they are quite bitter.  Add to blender, use a spoon or the paddle that came with your blender to push the leaves into the blended mixture.  Be careful not to push down to quickly, sometimes it can be messy.  
7. Then blend it up!  I like it to be very smooth occasionally adding purified water to thin it out.  
8. I usually add the ice after everything has been incorporated.  Blend on high until smooth.
9. When all is done, and if there's room, I add the aloe vera juice at the very end.  I noticed that if I add the juice before the end, the smoothie tends to be very foamy and hard to drink.  Adding it at the end prevents that from happening.

Then voilà!!  Drink away, my friends!!  This usually makes enough to have 3 cups in the morning and a snack in the afternoon.  Sometimes I'll share with my husband.  ;)  

Some tips:  If you pre-wash your veggies before hand and place the clean dry ingredients of your smoothies into bags for each day.  Also you might want to shop twice a week for fresh produce.  The fresher and more local ingredients you can get, the more nutrients and enzymes they will have.  Farmers markets!! 

Also you might want to get up 20 minutes earlier so you will have time to blend.  Aren't you worth the extra 20 minutes?!  

To wrap things up, if you decide to partake in the festivities of St. Patrick's Day, eh hmm...getting trashed on green beer (yes I'm talking to all you party people in Chicago!) I'd like to suggest replenishing with this drink the following day accompanied with lots of water and B complex vitamin.  

Cheers!  
K

What's all this Green Ritual stuff about?

Hello and Welcome to The Green Ritual!

I’m coming to you live from Southern California where the sun always shines (usually) and palm trees line the streets...well, some of the streets.  My husband and I moved here from Chicago, about six months ago, where we lived the city life and loved every minute of it.  Now we live just a few miles from the Pacific Ocean in a magical place that boasts the highest number of 72°F days than anywhere else in the world!  Can you say paradise??  (I'm sorry!  I couldn't help myself!)  Life is so different here on the west coast and there are some great advantages.  Such as the fresh local organic produce.  I can find a farmers market that is relatively  close to where I live nearly every day of the week!  Another great advantage is the consistent warm weather (I promise that will be the last time I mention the awesome weather...this post...)  And, of course, seeing the ocean and mountains everyday!  A friend once asked me "if you had to chose where to live, would it be near the ocean or near the mountains?"  Luckily, where we are, we do not have to choose.  

But I didn't just start this blog to brag about where I live. I started The Green Ritual to share my passion for a healthy lifestyle, something that comes fairly easy to the people who live in paradise.  ;)  But seriously, there is a lot of information regarding health and nutrition out there, but sadly this information can be controversial, sometimes misleading and most of the time straight up confusing!  I want to show you simple tips and techniques that will help you to feel more balanced and most importantly, to feel connected with your role as you journey to find what works best for you.  I am a Holistic Nutrition Counselor studying how living a whole foods, green lifestyle plays the biggest part in my health and happiness as well as others.  My goal is to help people make healthy, sustainable decisions for their lives by adopting a whole foods, mostly plant based-diet.  In this blog I will share healthy delicious recipes (husband approved), my passion for REAL food and what it can offer, and many other aspects of my daily ritual.  


So here are the 5 W's.


Who:  My name is Kristen Shumaker (a.k.a. K) and I am a Holistic Nutrition Counselor.
What: The Green Ritual (we are getting to that part, read below.)
When:  Right now!  And every week I hope to post something new and informative and hopefully exciting! 
Where:  We already discussed this part.
Why:  Because this is my passion!  I gave myself my twenties to figure out what I wanted to do with my life.  Some people know when they are kids, some people never really know.  I am fortunate to have figured it out and it's all coming together!  I don't need to get into the obesity epidemic that is going on in our nation to explain why either.  We all know there needs to be a change.

To help you understand a little more about the name of my blog (and my counseling practice) I wanted to share what a ritual means to me.  A ritual is something that is done repeatedly, it has been established as part of your life and allows you to feel a connection with something.  My ritual has done many things for me, it has grounded me, it has connected me to nature, with the air I breath, and has allowed me to see how precious life is.  This connection allows your body to heal itself using the awesome force of nature, it allows your mind to be at peace and allows your heart to feel strong, loved and connected with others. 

I encourage you all to find your own ritual, one that makes you feel whole, inspired, and motivated to do what’s right for you and your health.  My ritual just happens to be a green one.  


But we'll get into that later.

With love,

K