Month: October 2020

Less movement, more snacking, and added stress. Let’s just call it the “quarantine trifecta”, shall we? If this sounds familiar, you’re definitely not alone, and odds are your body is crying out for something full of enzymes, vital nutrients, and probiotics to help support gut health. We’ve got the perfect recipe!    Why eat enzymes?    Enzymes are biological molecules (proteins) that catalyze and speed up the processes happening within our cells. When it comes to the biological process of digestion, specific digestive enzymes are needed to ensure the optimal and complete breakdown and assimilation of the foods we eat. Raw fruits, vegetables, and sprouts naturally have an abundance of enzymes that help boost our own body’s own enzyme production, lessening the burden on our digestive organs. Fresh pineapple, in particular, is rich in an enzyme called bromelain which helps break down protein.    The importance of probiotics    Probiotics are live microorganisms that live within the gut and are vital in keeping us healthy. They are a critical part of our immune system function and digestive processes. When we ingest probiotics on a daily basis our body is better equipped to fight off pathogens, and we also experience better digestive health overall.    This green juice is a refreshing and invigorating blend of fresh pineapple for extra Vitamin C and digestive enzymes, kale and celery for a wealth of minerals and phytonutrients, ginger to help stimulate digestion and turn up the heat, lime for its alkalinizing and cleansing properties, and Sunbiotics organic probiotics for added digestive support. It’s also delicious!    Enjoy a tall glass and your body will feel cleansed and renewed and your gut will thank you.    

The Recipe Pineapple + Probiotics Green Juice   Makes 1 large, or 2 small juices   Ingredients
7 stalks celery

2 stalks green leafy kale

1.5 cups chopped pineapple 

1 apple

1/2 large lime (use 1 whole lime if small)

1/2″ chunk of fresh ginger root   1/3 tsp Sunbiotics vanilla probiotics with prebiotics

Instructions   1. Clean and prep your fruits and veggies, and run them through your juicer. If you don’t have a juicer, you can also blend ingredients in a blender with a little extra water, then strain through a nylon mesh nut milk bag.    2. Stir in your probiotics and enjoy!

If you’re all about that plant-based, gluten-free life and haven’t yet discovered zoodles, you’re in for a real treat.

While they may seem fancy upon first glance, zucchini noodles – also known as “zoodles” – are actually one of the easiest things to make. All you need is zucchini (or yellow summer squash!) and a handy dandy spiralizer and you’re good to go. Simply wash the zucchini, cut off both ends, cut in half crosswise, and then spiralize it. Voila! Fresh zucchini noodles – no cooking required. If you don’t have a spiralizer worry not, you can also use a mandoline slicer or even a basic vegetable peeler to create thin ribbons for linguine style noodles.

Now that you have your zoodles prepped you have plenty of options. You can keep them raw, or lightly saute them on a skillet over medium heat for a minute or two to soften. The serving options are also diverse. You can go traditional with a red spaghetti sauce or marinara, keep it ultra-simple and serve with a drizzle of cold-pressed olive oil, salt, and pepper, or go with a refreshing pesto – like this recipe here!

This pesto is packed full of delicious vibrant flavor from basil, garlic, walnuts and pine nuts. Instead of using whole pine nuts, we utilized our Dastony wild pine nut butter which is impossibly creamy and decadent. Because this butter is rich with natural oils, it also means you can easily leave out the olive oil. Served with avocado and sweet cherry tomatoes, this is the perfect easy recipe for a late summer lunch or dinner.

The Recipe

Vegan Zoodles with Creamy Pine Nut Butter Pesto

Makes roughly 8 oz of pesto 

Ingredients

1⁄2 cup raw walnuts

1⁄4 cup Dastony wild pine nut butter

2 cups fresh basil (packed)

1 small lemon, juiced

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tsp nutritional yeast

1/4 tsp black pepper

1⁄4 tsp Himalayan sea salt

Zoodles

4 medium-sized zucchini  – spiralized

Steps 

1. Prep your zucchini by washing, cutting off both ends, then slicing in half crosswise, then spiralizing. Saute if desired, or keep raw. 

2. In a food processor, combine pesto ingredients until the desired texture is achieved – you want it to be nice and creamy but not overly processed. You can also use a blender, but you’ll need to stop the blades and scrape the sides often. 

3. Combine pesto with noodles in a large bowl and toss to thoroughly coat each noodle. Enjoy! 

Yes, these vegan cheesecake bars are both delicious and beautiful. They’re also vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, (almost) raw, and are completely free of refined sugar. But the benefits don’t end there. They also contain billions of probiotics and prebiotics to boost digestion and your immune system. Wait just a minute – a cheesecake that’s guilt-free, nutrient-rich, and good for your gut!? You bet!

These bars are packed with nutrient-rich ingredients like raw walnuts and cashews, coconut butter, dates, and berries to energize your body and give you a sweet tooth fix without a blood sugar crash or sugar coma. Adding a teaspoon of Sunbiotics vanilla probiotics to the cake filling means each bar will contain billions of probiotics (1/3 a tsp has 20 billion CFU’s!) without changing the flavor of your recipe at all.

Each bite is smooth, dense, and creamy – just like a cheesecake should be. The swirls of sweet mixed berry puree perfectly compliment the zestiness of the lemon and sweet vanilla in the filling. And no baking is required. If you’re a raw dessert fan or love cheesecake in general, this is a must-try!

The Recipe

Mixed Berry Probiotic Cheesecake Bars

Makes 1, 8 x 8″ square baking pan (6 cheesecake bars)

Ingredients

Cheesecake filling

1.5 cups raw cashews, soaked
1/2 cup full fat coconut milk  
1/2 cup Dastony stone ground raw coconut butter
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 lemon, juiced
1 heaping tsp fresh lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 pinches Himalayan crystal salt
1 tsp Sunbiotics vanilla probiotic powder

Berry layer

1.5 cup frozen mixed berries
1 Tbs maple syrup

Crust

1.75 cups almond flour
1 cup raw coconut flakes
3/4 cup Dates
1/2 cup raw walnuts
1 Tbs Dastony stone ground raw almond butter
1 tsp melted coconut oil
2 pinch Himalayan crystal salt

Steps

Line an 8×8 inch tin with parchment paper or cling film.

1. Crust Prep the base by blending all the ingredients together in a food processor until it creates a crumbly, sticky texture. Test it by pressing it together with your fingers. It should bind but not be too wet. If it’s too crumbly you can add a tiny splash of water.

2. Press the mixture into the bottom of the tin – make sure it’s even.

Filling

1. Place all cheesecake filling ingredients in blender except lemon zest. Blend until smooth and creamy – this may take a full minute to fully blend. The smoother you can get it, the more authentic it will be in texture. Then add zest and blend again briefly. 

2. Pour the cheesecake filling on top of the base mixture and smooth with the back of a spoon.

3. Place frozen berries in pan and place on the stove on low heat. Add maple syrup and let it simmer for just a minute or so. You don’t want it to become overcooked as it will lose too much of its water. If you’re using fresh berries you can also add those to a blender with the maple syrup and simply blend until smooth.

4. Pour berry mixture over filling, and using a knife or a chopstick swirl the puree around.

5. Cover the tin with foil or cling film and leave to set in the fridge for at least 6 hours, or freezer for at least 2 hours before serving. Can be stored in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for months and thawed before serving.