This is a treat of a smoothie with hints of Mexican Chocolate. I prefer Ancient Nutrition Bone Broth Protein & Designs for Sport Bone Broth Protein, both of which are available in my Fullscript Dispensary.* If you want it extra chocolate, add a tbsp of …
Allow me to introduce the best method of cold brew I’ve found. I’ve tried nut milk bags in jars, the Kilner system, the Ball system and French press system (that one is still a favorite). Now… this contraption pictured is not a Toddy, but if …
The school year has begun and I have not quite hit my rhythm yet. Kids and homework, yes. Studying for my Nutrition course and blogging? Not so much. One thing at a time. Right now my youngest is happily attending her first day of preschool for the year and I am enjoying a precious few hours to get some things done!
I have been meaning to post this for quite some time. It is something I make literally every day for my husband and it seems to prevent the migraines that have plagued him ever since I met him. That being said, I must state that this is not medical advice and his migraines are fewer and further between when he is not eating grains and sugar. I would generally say that if you don’t want headaches you should avoid foods that trigger them for you. I know that some people cannot avoid them though, and a lovely beverage with benefits is a nice way of coping.
I slowly acclimated my kids and husband to milk kefir. I drink coconut kefir these days as I can’t do dairy (made the same way just with bpa free coconut milk) but this can go both ways. I have tried it with cultured hemp milk as well and it is also a winner. I can’t really speak for anyone else but when I drink kefir my brain feels alive. And wet. As weird as that sounds. My husband has expressed a similar feeling… as though the moment it hits your stomach and starts to process, your brain just wakes up. As our gut and brain are connected through the gut-brain axis, this now makes scientific sense to us. You can read more about how probiotics boost cognitive function here and more about milk kefir here.
I have slowly built on this smoothie for the sake of my husband’s migraines, and it works on my brain fog as well. The base is kefir and a bit of cold brew (but you can leave that out if you like). I add cinnamon because of it’s brain boosting benefits, it’s tasty, complements the kefir and the two together act as a metabolism booster, and lion’s mane because it is a healing nootropic mushroom. It enhances brain function, has immune boosting properties and is a powerful anti-inflammatory. I have a blend of cinnamon and lion’s mane with my tea stash as well as a matcha with lion’s mane blend. I use it that much and for good reason. Turmeric is a great booster as well as it thins the blood.
I took a punt that it would be helpful for Steve’s headaches when I started putting it in and it surely helped. I will sometimes add a bit of cream of tartar for potassium and a couple drops of milk of magnesia for magnesium if it is a particularly rough day. For me, I will drink those salts straight after a workout if I am getting foggy so I figured it would help here and it seems to. But again, this is not medical advice. If you don’t have kefir grains to make your own kefir usually someone local will sell some. I sell them here. You can buy kefir at the store as well but it is less powerful than homemade so I would not necessarily recommend cutting the recipe with water as I do below. I put collagen in ours for both general and brain health but if you are a vegan I would recommend mct oil or powder to boost ketones as ketones are a powerful anti-inflammatory as well. I have also found broad-spectrum (non-psychoactive) hemp oil or cbd oil to be an effective substitute. I will sometimes add a blend of mushrooms including reishi and chaga as well. Give it a shot and let me know what you think!
pinch of pink salt for sodium (ketones are going to be much more effective)
1 drop liquid monk (optional)
Method:
In a pint mason jar, add cold brew followed by collagen, cinnamon, vanilla, lion’s mane, bhb salts/exogenous ketones OR cream of tartar and milk of magnesia (if using) and stevia/monk.
Seal with a leakproof lid and shake shake shake!
Add your kefir and water, seal and shake it up again.
Drink!
Look at that cinnamon vanilla goodness. Nom.All shaken up. Beaut.
[lt_recipe name=”Cold Brew Kefir for a Happy Brain” servings=”1″ prep_time=”3M” difficulty=”Beginner” summary=”A great drink for a pick me up, for those who get eye strain from staring at a computer all day and for rehydrating to prevent headaches. (Not medical advice) You can sub the vanilla with maple or caramel flavoring or leave it out if you like your coffee pure.” print=”yes” image=”https://www.brennamay.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/img_9214-300×300.jpg” ingredients=”1/4 cup cold brew;1 cup milk kefir or coconut kefir;1-2 scoops collagen peptides;1/4-1/2 tsp cinnamon;1/4-1/2 tsp lion’s mane;1 tsp vanilla (or other no sugar flavoring);1 scoop bhb salts/exogenous ketones OR ;1/2 tsp cream of tartar;a few drops milk of magnesia;1 drop liquid stevia or monk (optional)” ]In a pint mason jar, add cold brew followed by collagen, cinnamon, vanilla, lion’s mane, bhb salts/exogenous ketones OR cream of tartar and milk of magnesia (if using) and stevia/monk.;Seal with a leakproof lid and shake shake shake!;Add your kefir and water, seal and shake it up again.;Drink!;[/lt_recipe]
No Sugar, Paleo, Chocolate, Espresso, Nut-free, Keto-Cycling Protein Muffins This is a recipe I have been working on for months, trying to come up with a guilt-free antioxidant and protein rich breakfast muffin. It came out of the time of year when the greens do …
(Paleo, Keto maintenance, Vegan) Hullo! Here we are with the chocolate again! I know what you’re thinking… this lady likes her chocolate. Well, yes I do. I am not ashamed. I like it dark and bittersweet and most store bought chocolates under 72% used to …
These are a remake on my last diy chocolate post. They are sweeter, due to being a little more flexible in my sweetener options these days. They won my husband over but they’re still dark enough for my liking and they are full of prebiotic fiber and antioxidants to feed all the probiotics I eat so win win!
a couple silicone molds (if you don’t want to be seen hacking at a giant bar of chocolate and losing it all over your kitchen)
Method:
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and turn on low heat.Stir together until everything is melted and combined.
I have done this in a heavy cast iron melting pot, which yields fine results, or with the double boil method: find a saucepan and a pyrex bowl that fit well together. Fill the pan with about an inch of water and set the bowl on top, hovering above the water. Set in all ingredients and bring the water to a simmer until the ingredients melt together
There are several ways to get your crunchy bits into your chocolate… one is to add it in to the sauce directly (not to be done with chia seeds) and then pour into your molds, the other is to pour a bottom layer into your silicone molds, add your dried raspberries or any other fillings you fancy: pumpkin seeds, hempseeds, nuts, cacao nibs, red chili flakes, toasted quinoa or whole espresso beans.
Pop in the freezer for 10-20 minutes until solid.In cooler weather, these can be stored at room temperature, but the wee fat bombs are better hidden in the freezer anyway and it’s a no-brainer in warm weather.
** Chicory root fiber sweetener and Sukrin Fiber Gold Syrupare both loaded with pre-biotic inulin fiber. You may sub with raw honey or pure maple syrup if you are not concerned about sugars.
Semi-Sweet Paleo Chocolates with Raspberries
Brenna May
These are a remake on my last diy chocolate post. They are sweeter, due to being a little more flexible in my sweetener options these days. They won my husband over but they’re still dark enough for my liking and they are full of prebiotic fiber and antioxidants to feed all the probiotics I eat so win win!
1/2tbsppure vanilla extractor simmer 1 vanilla bean in 1/2 cup cold brew
pinchHimalayan pink salt or sea salt
2tspfinely ground espressooptional
10drops Liquid Stevia of choice
1tspchicory root sweetener**
1tspSukrin Fiber Gold Syrup
freeze dried raspberries
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and turn on low heat. Stir together until everything is melted and combined.
I have done this in a heavy cast iron melting pot, which yields fine results, or with the double boil method: find a saucepan and a pyrex bowl that fit well together. Fill the pan with about an inch of water and set the bowl on top, hovering above the water. Set in all ingredients and bring the water to a simmer until the ingredients melt together
There are several ways to get your crunchy bits into your chocolate… one is to add it in to the sauce directly (not to be done with chia seeds) and then pour into your molds, the other is to pour a bottom layer into your silicone molds, add your dried raspberries or any other fillings you fancy: pumpkin seeds, hempseeds, nuts, cacao nibs, red chili flakes, toasted quinoa or whole espresso beans.
Pop in the freezer for 10-20 minutes until solid. In cooler weather, these can be stored at room temperature, but the wee fat bombs are better hidden in the freezer anyway and it’s a no-brainer in warm weather.
Notes
** Chicory root fiber sweetener and Sukrin Fiber Gold Syrupare both loaded with pre-biotic inulin fiber. You may sub with raw honey or pure maple syrup if you are not concerned about sugars.
(Paleo, Ketogenic, Vegan & Kauffman Compliant) This is my new favorite treat. It produces about an 80% cacao bar, but if you cut out the coconut oil or divide it and the cocoa butter by half it will yield an 85% version. I tried quite …