Category: Sweets

Raspberry Coconut Chocolate Eggs (Dairy-Free)

Raw, sugar-free, dairy-free chocolate eggs using 5 ingredients.

Who doesn’t love an egg hunt? Dairy-free chocolate eggs are hard to come by, but very easy to make. Did you know eggs and bunnies are symbols of spring and fertility? According to Gaelic, Druid and Pagan beliefs, Eostre is the Goddess of Spring, Fertility and New Life, all beautiful things worth celebrating this weekend. So with just 5 ingredients and no baking required, you can whip these up tonight!

Raw Vegan Easter Egg Chocolate

Ingredients (makes 9):

  • ¼ cup melted coconut oil
  • ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa or cacao powder
  • ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 0.5 – 1 pint of raspberries (organic if accessible)
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • mini muffin pan or chocolate mold

Raw Vegan Easter Egg Chocolate

How to:

  1. Melt coconut oil by warming its jar in a bowl of hot water.
  2. Use a food processor or blender to puree raspberries (or mash by hand).
  3. Pour raspberries into a small mixing bowl and add all other ingredients.
  4. Whisk until well-combined.
  5. Scoop spoonfuls into your mold or unlined muffin pan.
  6. Freeze overnight.
  7. In the morning use a knife to loosen the edges of each chocolate. They should pop out. If not, freeze for longer.
  8. Keep cool in freezer or fridge until eaten.

Raw Vegan Easter Egg Chocolate

PCOS Powers:

  • cocoa powder (or cacao which is less processed) = high in antioxidants, may lower LDL cholesterol, can reduce high blood pressure, and may act as an antidepressant
  • raspberries = low glycemic load, high in antioxidants, high in fibre, may help lower inflammation
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More chocolate recipes found here.

Gingerbread Pecans (Sugar-Free)

Reduce inflammation and keep your heart healthy with omega 3s.

Pecans roasting on an open fire… and toasted to perfection! These roasted nuts have a festive twist and provide plenty of nourishment. Nuts are packed with omega 3s which reduce inflammation and keep our hearts healthy. Specifically, one study found that pecans may help lower levels of LDL cholesterol enough to decrease the risk of coronary heart disease by as much as 25%. These spiced pecans are free of refined sugars and make a great snack on their own, or are lovely sprinkled on oatmeal or granola. Warning: may cause kitchen to smell like a bakery.

Gingerbread Pecans

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup pecans
  • 1/2 tbsp avocado oil
  • 1 tspn cinnamon
  • 1/4 tspn ginger
  • 1/4 tspn all spice
  • 1/4 tspn nutmeg
  • pinch of salt
  • splash of pure maple syrup

Gingerbread Candied Pecans

How to:

  1. Preheat oven to 250 deg F (cooking nuts above 250 deg F can produce harmful toxins).
  2. Stir oil, spices, and syrup in a small bowl.
  3. Drizzle over pecans in a larger bowl and toss to coat them.
  4. Spread out pecans in one layer on a baking sheet (I lined mine with parchment paper) and cook for 40-50 minutes.

PCOS Powers:

  • pecans = high in ellagic and oleic acids which may help lower LDL cholesterol, protect against cardiovascular disease and lower breast cancer risk, high in magnesium which is anti-inflammatory and lowers blood pressure
  • cinnamon = may help balance glucose levels, lower cholesterol, and decrease triglycerides in blood
  • ginger =  anti-inflammatory, may help decrease LDL cholesterol, fasting blood glucose and HbA1c
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Gingerbread Candied Pecans (sugar-free)

References:

  1. S. Rajaram, K. Burke, B. Connell, T. Myint and Joan Sabate’. 2001. A Monounsaturated Fatty Acid-Rich- Enriched Diet Favorably Alters the Serum Lipid Profile of Healthy Man and Women. Journal of Nutrition 131:2275-2279.
  2. Sherman L. Cinnamon improves blood pressure and blood sugar in diabetics. The Journal of Chinese Medicine. 2011:76.
  3. Najarzadeh A, Mahammadi M, Jalali B, Mozaffari-Khosravi H, Talaei B, Fallahzadeh H. The Effect of Ginger on Blood Glucose, Lipid and Lipoproteins in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Double-Blind Randomized Clinical Controlled Trial. Journal of Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences. 2012;20:383-395.
  4. Grzanna R, Lindmark L, Frondoza C. Ginger-an herbal medicinal product with broad anti-inflammatory action. J Med Food. 2005;8:125-132.

Cinnamon Turmeric Pumpkin Seeds

A fun, nutritious, anti-inflammatory snack idea.

One of my favourite fall activities is carving pumpkins and then roasting the pumpkin seeds. I think you may fall in love with this recipe (pun totally intended). These make a great snack on their own, or to sprinkle on overnight oats or granola. Not only are pumpkin seeds packed with magnesium, manganese, copper, protein, and zinc, but they also have amazing health benefits specifically beneficial for people with PCOS (read more below in ‘PCOS Powers’). What are you waiting for? Get carving, cooking and snacking!


Turmeric Cinnamon Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups pumpkin seeds (2 large pumpkins made this amount)
  • 4 tsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 4 tsp pumpkin spice (2 parts cinnamon to 1 part each all spice, nutmeg, ginger)
  • pinch of salt

How to:

  1. Scoop out pumpkin seeds along with the inside of the pumpkin.
  2. Separate pumpkin seeds from pumpkin goop (technical word, I know) and rinse clean.
  3. Spread seeds out on baking pans, pat dry with paper towel, and leave out overnight to dry.
  4. Preheat oven to 200 deg. F (very low).
  5. Mix spices and oil together in a small bowl.
  6. Pour over seeds in a large bowl and mix to coat seeds.
  7. Spread out seeds in one layer on parchment paper on a baking sheet.
  8. Cook at 200 deg. F for about 45 min.

PCOS Powers:

Pumpkin Seeds

    • contain tryptophan which is a precursor for serotonin (can help induce relaxation and improve brain health)
    • contain phytoestrogens which can help increase HDL cholesterol and lower blood pressure
    • contain beta-sitosterol which may inhibit conversion of testosterone to DHT

Cinnamon

Turmeric

Ginger

For more information on spices that support our mood, check out this post.