Healthy Raw Treats!

Today is Day 4 of the 30-day group detox in Raanana. This week we have eliminated sugar and artificial sweeteners from our diets. Some of us, present company included, also kicked the coffee habit as well.

Wow, holy headaches! Today is the first day I haven't felt like my head was going to explode. Makes you think twice about eating sugar and coffee if it's that painful to kick it! I wasn't even a big coffee drinker - 1 or 2 a day - but my sugar consumption was reaching alarming proportions.

So, how to kick the sweet stuff and still enjoy that sweet taste we all crave? I have some recipes of course! Easy, raw, no sugar or flour, filled with fiber, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals and super delicious too:

Raw Brownies

adapted from Jennifer Cornbleet's Raw Food Made Easy

1 1/2 cups walnuts

15 dates, pitted

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder or carob powder

dash salt

dash vanilla

dash water as needed to hold the brownies together

Grind walnuts in food processor until fine. Add other ingredients and whir. Press mixture into a pan and cut into squares (or roll into balls). Eat. Yum!

Raw Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

from Any Phyo via VegNews Magazine

1 cup raw oats

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup firmly packed pitted dates

1/2 cup raisins

Combine oats and cinnamon in food processor and grind until fine. Add dates and raisins. Form into cookie shapes or balls (or eat with a spoon right out of the FP bowl, not saying who did that!)

Creamsicle Smoothie

ala myself

1 banana

1 orange, peeled and seeded

1 nectarine or peach, pitted

1 T tahini paste or almond butter

1 T ground flaxseeds (optional)

1 T psyllium husks (optional, just adds fiber)

12 oz water

Place all in blender and blend into a thick frothy sweet shake!

HI-YA Sugar, Take That!