Indian-Spiced Quick Oats - By Superfoodie Christa Collie

Gluten Free, Nut Free, Soy Free, Corn Free, Vegan!

This recipe is so versatile feel free to use whatever you have in your pantry and to fine tune to your eclectic or traditional tastes. It can make for a great side dish, main or next day lunch! However you use it...enjoy!

Ingredients:1/2 cup Mum's Original Quick Flake Oats (gf)
1 cup boiling water
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp Mum's Original Premium White Chia Seeds
1 tbsp Mum's Original Slow Roasted Hemp Hearts
Pinch Mum's Original Himalayan Rock Salt
Few dashes dulse flakes w/ garlic
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp Mum's Original Goji Berries or currants
1 tbsp Mum's Original Delores Hemp Hearts
splash non-dairy milk 

Directions:1. Mix together all dry ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Stir in boiling water and coconut oil until everything is wet and not clumpy
3. Cover bowl and let stand for 5 minutes
4. Top with goji berries and Delores hemp hearts and non-dairy milk (as much or as little as you like)
5. Feel free to add in some curry seasoning, hot sauce  or garam masala to taste. Enjoy!

About our Superfoodie:

Christa is a plant-based food lover and aspiring nutritionist. Since her diagnosis of Celiac Disease 11 years ago, she has slowly discovered how foods, especially superfoods, have an immense impact on healing the body naturally. A loving wife of over 11 years, she makes Calgary her home, and the mountains her playground. You can find more about Christa’s  journey and passion for health and well-being at her blog here.

Mums Original Apple, Quinoa, Goji Cake

This recipe by: Superfoody Gemma Slaughter

A wonderful rich tasting summer dessert option. Easy to make and great the next day! Gluten free, nut free, soy free and vegan!

2 Apples (skin optional) cored and grated (about 1 cup lightly drained

1/2 cup Mum's Original Coconut Sugar

3/4 cup Coconut Oil

2 cups Mum's Original Heirloom Quinoa

2 tsp. Mum's Original Ground Chia Seeds
2 tsp. Pure vanilla extract

1 tsp. Apple cider vinegar
1 cup Un-sweetened Applesauce

1/2 cup Mum's Original Delores Hemp Seeds

1/2 cup MumsOriginal Goji Berries

1-1/3 cups MumsOriginal Oat Flour

1 tsp. Baking powder

1/2 tsp. Baking soda

1 tsp. Ground ginger

2 tsp. Ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. MumsOriginal Himalayan Rock Salt

1/4 cup MumsOriginal Quick Flake Oats

1. Preheat oven to 350F (180C) & grease rectangular pan with coconut oil.
2. In a medium bowl, mix the grated apple, coconut sugar, oil, quinoa, ground chia, vanilla, vinegar, applesauce, hemp seeds and gojis.  Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, soda, ginger, cinnamon, and rock salt.   Add the oats. 
4. Add the wet mixture to the dry and mix well.  Pour into prepared pan and smooth the top.  
5. Bake for 30 minutes. Allow to cool before cutting into slices.

Help beat heart disease with these top heart-healthy superfoods

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD),  are a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels.  Heart attacks and strokes are the most common form of CVD which are basically blockages that prevent blood from flowing to the heart or brain.  CVD is the leading cause of death in North America and especially those with diabetes.  This prevalent disease  kills more North Americans each year than all of the different forms of cancer put together. [1] Along with a healthy lifestyle including regular exercise, no smoking, blood pressure checks, and maintaining a healthy weight - you can help beat CVD by using one useful weapon….superfoods.

Powerful antioxidants found in a variety of superfoods help to fight off harmful free radicals which also contribute to a heart disease and a whole number of health issues such as diabetes. In addition, a diet that includes superfoods containing high fiber, Essential Fatty Acids and anti-inflammatory properties all work to reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, chronic inflammation and blood clotting in the human body which are other nasty contributors to CVD and diabetes.[2]

You can easily decrease your risks of developing CVD and diabetes by using these top delicious superfoods daily and help to maintain a healthy heart:

Wheat Free Oats

• High in fiber, folate and essential fatty acids.
• Helps keep arteries clear and levels of bad cholesterol down.
• Keeps you feeling full for longer, reducing cravings for unhealthy, sugary snacks.
• Consuming low glycemic Oats/Oat products can help reduce your risk for developing diabetes which is a risk factor for heart disease.
• Opt for nutrient dense, high fiber quick flake or steele cut oats for maximum benefits as opposed to instant options -  they contain bad for your body sugars that your body doesn’t need.
• Reach for Oat Flour instead of White Flour to increase fiber content in baking and cooking.

Raw Cacao

• Blood thinning effect helping to avoid blood clots and reduce stress on heart.
• Reduces inflammation in the body.
• Contains oleic acid, a heart healthy monounsaturated fat that can help to reduce blood pressure.
• One of the richest natural sources of antioxidants (a staggering 98,00 ORAC score for raw cacao powder), higher than red wine and green tea. These antioxidants help improve blood vessel dilation and lower LDL (bad) cholesterol.
• 1 to 2% of cacao is Theobromine (an anti-bacterial) which helps to dilate blood vessels resulting in the heart not having to pump as hard.
• An excellent source of magnesium which relaxes blood vessels.
• Ensure 2 Tablespoons a day of raw cacao nibs or raw coconut cacao nibs for benefits, and ensure that raw cacao powder is used instead of the over processed and nutrient deficient Dutch or processed cocoa powder.

Quinoa

• Good source of magnesium – a mineral that helps relax blood vessels.
• Works as a prebiotic, providing the body with healthy bacteria to help fight off damaging free radicals.
• Help to reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and blood sugar.
• Long term studies indicate that 6 servings of whole grains per week can help slow the progression of atherosclerosis (plaque that narrows blood vessels) and stenosis (narrowing of the diameter of arterial passageways).[3]
• Swap out your gluten rich pastas and high starch white rice dishes for nutrient rich quinoa ones.

Goji Berries

• Reduces LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and increases HDL (good) cholesterol.
• Contain cyperone (an active ingredient), a sesquiterpene that benefits the heart and blood pressure.
• Anthocyanins (the red flavonoid pigment in Goji berries) help to maintain the strength and integrity of coronary arteries.
• Rich source of four polysaccharides can help to reduce blood pressure.
• Can neutralize free radical superoxide by up to 40%.[4]
• Use gojis instead of high sugar low nutrient dried fruits like raisins or apricots. A handful a day keeps CVD away!

White Chia

• Reduces blood sugar swings by up to 40% as it slows down the conversion of carbohydrates to simple sugars – beneficial for diabetics and therefore reducing risk of heart disease.
• Helps to thin blood up to 22% so your heart doesn’t have to pump as hard without affecting coagulation.
• Extremely high Essential Fatty Acid content (3:1 - Omega 3:Omega 6) which supports our cardiovascular system.
• 2-4 Tablespoons of chia a day will have huge heart effects. Simply sprinkle on foods that you use!

Coconut

• A natural anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-microbial which help to eliminate bacterial/viral lesions on artery walls.
• Can reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and reduce insulin levels.
• Regulates blood cholesterol levels as well as triglycerides to help with heart disease prevention.
• Coconut sugar is a low glycemic natural sweetener that will decrease body's insulin levels and keep liver-fat-forming-fructose to a minimum!
• Extremely high fiber in Coconut Flour to help reduce bad LDL and increase the healthy HDL.
• Prevents oxidization of cholesterol, one of the main causes of atherosclerosis.
• Swap out bad flour choices for coconut flour. Use coconut oil in lieu of canola or olive oil when frying and opt for coconut sugar for baking and daily use as a sweetener. Your heart will thank you.

Banana

• Contains oleic acid, a heart healthy monounsaturated fat that can reduce blood pressure.
• High in fiber which helps control blood sugar levels by slowing down the release of sugars from the digestive tract, therefore reducing your risk of heart disease later in life.
• Soluble fiber content helps lower cholesterol levels by promoting the excretion of bile to excrete bad cholesterol from the body.
• Eat a banana a day, or more simply use 1-2  Tablespoons of banana powder in smoothies,  add to  dips, use in salad dressing and in baked goodies.

Visit us at www.mumsoriginal.com to find out more about these amazing super healing superfoods and how to use them with our fabulous recipes!!

---

[1] http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/lcod.htm

[2] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16407732

[3] http://www.ahjonline.com/article/S0002-8703(04)00507-1/abstract

[4] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=chinese%20study%20on%20goji%20and%20SOD

---

Garbage In, Garbage Out

Ever heard of that familiar saying, you are what you eat? Its true. That’s because your body’s daily performance is run on fuel that we get from our daily diet. Ever find yourself in too much of a hurry to prepare a wholesome lunch for your break at work that you opt to go through a drive through for fast food instead? These unhealthy eating habits all contribute to your short and long term health.

The bad vs the good

If you are fueling your body with bad poor quality foods, don’t expect to get any more than that out of your daily performance. The foods you eat effect the way you think, function, feel and look, effecting your general health and wellbeing.

On the other hand, by eating a healthy balanced diet with good wholesome foods will help you function at your best. Healthy food and lifestyle provide the necessary vitamins and minerals needed for certain bodily functions. The body needs vitamins A, D, E, K, C and the B vitamins along with minerals and essential fatty acids to stay healthy. By starting a healthy diet now, you could save yourself from certain health risks in your future such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

Grab some vitamin A along with essential fatty acids to keep your eyes, skin and hair in top notch shape from foods such as mangoes, hemp, chia and spinach. Vitamin C can be found in any citrus fruits, tomatoes and bell peppers. Our brain requires vitamin B6 and essential fatty acids in order to keep our body running smoothly and efficiently, and this can be found in foods such as hemp and bananas. [1]

So how do you ensure your cutting out the ‘bad stuff’ completely? Basically, by avoiding anything processed. Foods that contain saturated fats, trans fats and bad cholesterol such as store bought fatty cheeses, ice cream, cookies, chips and donuts. If theres nothing wholesome about it and you cant pronounce half the ingredients on the packaging… Do you think its going to do anything good for your body? No – your body cant pronounce them either. Opt for wholesome, superfoods to get the most out of your diet.

Ways to get to a better you

• Cut out any fake, processed, or fast foods
• Eat healthy from a young age – this will aid in prevention of health risks later in life
• Don’t cut out your fats completely – just replace your fat intake with healthy good fats instead.. your essential fatty acids (abundantly found in hemp and chia). These will help in brain development in children and adults keeping you sharp and will improve conditions of your skin, hair and nails, keeping them strong and beautiful on the outside, as well as the inside
• Opt for foods high in protein such as beans, hemp hearts, chia, quinoa which are also high in fibre, pushing those bad toxins our of your body – for good
• Add foods high in antioxidants such as raw cacao, goji berries and blueberries to aid in cleansing your digestion system leading to a better, healthier YOU!

[1] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16770950

---