Yerba Mate

Yerba Mate is a favored drink of many health conscious people.
It is a tropical plant whose leaves and twigs are dried and then made into tea, know as Mate. The common misconception is that Yerba Mate does not contain caffeine when if fact it does. Many people believe that it is caffeine free and only boosts your energy naturally.
I tried it with that misconception in mind.
Well, I got the boost and wow, was it a boost.
Maybe I have been off of caffeine for too long and my body was simply jolted, but I can honestly say it works. So well in fact that after a week of drinking it every morning I found that I was a bit irritable and anxious. After stopping the Mate, those symptoms subsided.

I recently came across a brief note on the Mayo Clinic's website with their input on Yerba Mate.
If you are a Yerba Mate drinker...It is worth reading.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/yerba-mate/AN01774

Quinoa

If you have not tried this grain, it is a "must" to add to your list of food to try!
Quinoa is a grain that is loaded with nutrients.
It contains protein that is complete, which means it has all 9 essential amino acids. Amazing! It is a relative of leafy green vegetables like spinach and swiss chard.
It is a great source of manganese and also fits the bill as being a Whole Grain food... which makes it especially valuable in regulating blood sugar.

Now, the flavor of Quinoa....
It has a nutty flavor that is delicious on it's own and excellent paired with mild seasoning. You can use it in place of any dish that calls for rice or couscous.
Imagine...adding a nutrient dense food to your cooking that actually taste great!
One key tip to making your quinoa...
Be sure to rinse the quinoa thoroughly before cooking. It has a natural saponin coating which makes it bitter if not rinsed. This is one of the culprits for turning people off to the flavor of Quinoa. Without that bitter coating it is wonderful.

• Try a Moroccan dish and use Quinoa instead of couscous as your side dish. Add some slivered almonds and currants. It will delight your taste buds.
  

• Cook up a batch of quinoa on Sunday and keep it in the refrigerator for quick and easy weekday meals.

• Serve it up for breakfast warm with a bit of milk/soy milk, Cinnamon, and agave... YUM.

A New year is around the corner...
Gear yourself up to try some New healthy food options that will fuel your body
and by the way....taste great!

Soy Whipped Cream

I have a NEW find!...

A soymilk based whipped cream. It is amazingly tasty!
I usually prefer fresh whipped organic cream, however, my desire to slow down my dairy intake has put a damper on that craving. I still have that from time to time but, most often I enjoy Soyatoo. You will be amazed at how great this tastes.

Whip up some hot chocolate or your favorite coffee drink then top it with this creamy soy based whip cream. You won't be disappointed... plus, all of you lactose intolerant people will feel blessed that you can enjoy whipped cream without the discomfort of dairy.

I found Soyatoo at Whole Foods Market. Check it out..and be sure
to follow the directions!
I have lost too many cans of this stuff by thinking
I could ignore the directions.
You would think it should be simple to spray a can of whipped cream, right?
Seems odd, but You'll see.

Happy Dairy Free Holidays!