Author: Jessica Minahan White

Music. Holistic Health.

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Confession: I despise cold weather.  Every winter, I consider uprooting my family and moving to the tropics for this reason. Yet, there is something positive about the Fall and Winter, and that is the delicious spices of the season!  This recipe has a unique twist of carminative spices like cinnamon, clove and a big punch of ginger to give gut flora a healthy boost with a festive flavor. This pairs well with winter squash or salad greens, or even a steamed sweet potato. (more…)

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I love the texture of this chocolate vegan freezer fudge that seems to be a family favorite in our house.  However, with Winter brewing, and persimmons and warming spices all around, I was inspired to try this new fudge idea.  For my taste buds it turned out oh-so-good! It makes a wonderfully light, refreshing and unique snack… yet healthy enough for breakfast! Persimmons come around every winter, bringing sweet juicy goodness to the season. I hope you will try it, and would love to hear how it turned out for you! (more…)

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“Change is the only constant.” – Heraclitus

Every time change comes, our bodies need grounding things inside us and around us to keep us more stable and secure in spite of whatever uncontrollable situation(s) around us.  It is my opinion that mineral and nervous system weaknesses can easily become exasperated in times of change or stress. Why? Because minerals are ESSENTIAL for nerve transmission and overall function: minerals help keep our electrical firing & wiring system working properly.  Our nervous system is put to the test when our bodies, emotions, or mind encounter stress. (anyone “”getting on your nerves”” literally as of lately?…). So when you need to be grounded physically, emotionally, spiritually you can get started by allowing nature’s mineral-rich foods from the ground equip you with the right nutrition on the inside as you encounter change and/or stress.  This juice recipe below provides just that! It is a green juice, but appears in a beautiful purple hue from the lovely beets. (Royalty, anyone?) (more…)

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In today’s world it’s not easy for the fungus not to be among us! This junk will linger dormant in our bodies, waiting to show its gnarly little face when we encounter times of chronic stress, emotional struggles, or if we decide to improve our health and eliminate toxins from our body. The big question is, how and where is this yucky stuff gonna come out? The most simplistic and common way the body tries to purge itself of fungus is through the largest eliminative organ in our body: THE SKIN! (Ewe!). Rashes, hives, athletes foot, yeast infections, thrush, acne, kerotis pilaris… and even canker sores can be placed under the vast umbrella of fungus and candida. (more…)

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A salad is not a salad without a delicious dressing… agreed? Just don’t sabotage the health benefits of your salad greens with a salad dressing full of processed ingredients that aren’t nourishing! This wholesome and healthy sauce is sure to please on many levels. It honestly reminds me of Chick-Fil-A Honey Mustard Sauce, just oh-so-much-healthier! (more…)

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Did you know that blueberries protect the brain, and also prevent insulin spikes from occurring? This makes blueberries the perfect addition to any breakfast food that uses any form of concentrated simple sugar, such as cane sugar, maple syrup, honey, or agave nectar.  Here’s the catch: research also shows that in order to unlock these protective benefits of blueberries, 1 cup or more needs to be consumed with the high-sugar foods. This recipe below is a perfect example of the proper ratio! (more…)

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Here goes again. Another dessert recipe. It’s the Autumn now, and sweet treats seem to be raining from the sky… it starts with Halloween in October and continues on until January hits, when people make those traditional “New Year’s Resolutions” to lose weight, or cut out sugar, or whatever fad “diet” that continues to bypass the root issue of needing a lifestyle shift. It’s a terrible and frustrating cycle… I know because I was in it for enough time to be sick and tired of it. Enjoying sweet foods that are complementary to longterm healthy lifestyle goals is surprisingly easy to do however….  those are the kinds of recipes that I tend to whip up in my kitchen. (more…)

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These nuggets of deliciousness contain that gooey and dense texture. I grew up eating these, and still have the traditional recipe my mom used.  Tweaking it to a vegan twist was simple and didn’t sacrifice a bit of texture or flavor. It still has a flaky top, slightly crispy edges, and a thick, soft and gooey center. (more…)

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Making healthy snacks instead of purchasing them can truly extend a grocery bill! While I do prefer more than anything to make homemade Lara bars for my children or for myself, this recipe includes oats and ripe bananas to further extend our grocery budget and offer a less-fat, higher-fiber snack. Oats are naturally gluten free, but for true gluten allergies, you will want to make sure that you purchase oats with a certified Gluten Free oats to ensure no cross-contamination in the processing facilities.

Banana Oat Bars

  • Servings: 8
  • Difficulty: easy
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Sweet enough for dessert, healthy enough for breakfast

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup almond butter (nut allergy? Substitute coconut oil or cocoa butter instead)
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup or coconut nectar
  • 1/2 cup mashed ripe bananas
  • 3 cups organic oats, coarsely ground
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp sea salt

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine all the wet ingredients (peanut butter, agave, mashed bananas)
  3. Add the dry ingredients (oats, cinnamon, sea salt) until thoroughly combined.
  4. Pour container into an 8×8 glass dish (no need to pre-grease)
  5. Bake for 30 minutes, until the edges reach a golden brown color.
  6. Allow to set for 10 minutes before cutting into bars. Makes 16 square bars.
  7. Enjoy! Store at room temperature in a covered container or well-sealed bag.