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Nightshades are a fascinating family of over 2,000 species of plants including: Ashwagandha, Bell peppers (aka sweet peppers), Bush tomatoes, Eggplant, Goji berries, Ground cherries , Hot peppers (such as chili peppers, Jalapenos, habaneros, chili-based spices, red pepper, and cayenne pepper), Paprika, Pepino (aka pepino melon), Pimentos, Potatoes (but not sweet potatoes), Tomatillos, & Tomatoes While many nightshades are tasty, many are quite deadly, like the notorious Locoweed (Datura stramonium) or Belladonna (Atropa belladonna).  Nightshade sensitivity is an underlying cause in many inflammatory conditions today, particularly those including: muscle and joint pain, morning stiffness, arthritis, insomnia, heartburn, GERD, and autoimmunity. Along with soy, many common nightshades are relatively new to the Western and European diets, not arriving to North America until the 18th century. In fact, the tomato was initially used only as an ornamental plant because it was believed to be poisonous like some of its relatives. Despite their relative new-ness to the Western diet, nightshades are everywhere today: french fries, mashed potatoes, tomatoes, pizza, hot sauce, and let’s not forget tobacco. Here’s why you might want to reduce or avoid these powerful plants all together for a period of time:  1. They are “calcinogenic”. This means they can cause soft tissues to calcify (calcinosis) due to their positive effect on blood calcium levels. The body does not like high blood calcium, so the quickest way to remedy this situation is to deposit the extra calcium into the soft tissues. Each hypercalcemic episode lasts only a few moments but also leaves a small deposit behind. Over time, these deposits lead to the condition known as calcinosis, contributing to hardening of the vasculature. 2. They contain acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. Solanine and similar glycoalkaloids found in nightshades inhibit the breakdown of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. This causes extended muscle contractions and a major reason why those sensitive to nightshades experience morning stiffness. Solanine also disturbs digestive function (common in IBS-sufferers), gene expression of intestinal cells, and inhibits proteolytic enzyme activity.  3. They contain nicotine, a substance that is both addictive and inhibits proper inflammation in the body when out of balance.
And let's not forget saponins... 5. Saponins can poke holes in your gut - All plants contain saponins, but Nightshades are quite high in an especially corrosive class of them. Saponins are detergent-like compounds that protect plants from predation by dissolving cellular membranes. This is great for protecting the plant’s seeds from predation, but not so great when those saponins damage the cells that line our gut (enterocytes). Saponins can literally poke holes through our cells’ protective walls, creating a case of leaky gut. Essentially, the holes allow things to pass through that shouldn’t be in our bloodstream. While some saponins are beneficial and allow for the absorption of certain minerals without harming the cells, others can be more corrosive and damaging to our intestinal wall. Glycoalkaloids, abundant in Nightshades, are one such class of saponins that aren’t so gentle. Glycoalkaloids (alpha-solanine and alpha-chaconine in potato, alpha-solanine in eggplant, and alpha-tomatine in tomato) are very well studied and have revealed issues with absorption and inflammation in many animal studies. For people dealing with systemic inflammation, autoimmune conditions, and issues with digestion, taking a break from Nightshades is a wise choice. The low-level toxic exposure from glycoalkaloids can aggravate the issues we are trying to resolve. Resources:
In, F. T. A., Out, F. T. A., & Reintroductions, P. ALL ABOUT NIGHTSHADES. McFarland, E. (2013). The Link between nightshades, chronic pain and inflammation. GreenMedInfo LLC. Robertson, P., & Roberts, P. (2003). The Solanaceae and their paradoxical effects on arthritis and other degenerative disease states You know us - we love finding creative ways to add our favorite herbal remedies into every day. This moist and fluffy applesauce squares are revved up a few notches with our golden spice blend of Turmeric (Curcuma longa), Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum or Cassia cinnamomum), Ginger (Zingiber officinale), Nutmeg (Syzygium aromaticum), and Black Pepper (Piper nigrum). People are crazy about curcumin these days, the identified "active constituent" of Turmeric, but did you know that all the constituents minus curcumin possessed more anti-inflammatory qualities than just curcumin alone? This doesn't surprise us - the power of plants lies in the matrix of 1000s of plant compounds all working together to deliver balanced, effective medicine. RECIPE
Preheat your oven to 350 F. Grease and a 9” round cake pan or muffin tins and “flour” with coconut sugar. In a medium bowl, mix together the first 6 ingredients well. In the same bowl, add the flour, coconut, baking powder, salt, and spices, making sure you evenly mix all the dry ingredients before folding them into the wet (you can definitely do this in 2 bowls, I just find that if you are thorough, there is no need to dirty another bowl). Using a spatula, add the batter to the muffin tins or cake pan. Sprinkle with more shredded coconut, pumpkin seeds, or chocolate chips - whatever suits your fancy! Bake for 30 minutes if using a cake pan or 15-18 if using muffin tins. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before transferring to a storage container to store in the fridge. I love these best right out of the fridge with a dab of Kerrygold butter and sprinkle of sea salt. Or you can top with toasted coconut flakes! *You can try substituting other sweeteners here or even leave it out all together!
Tahini is one of our most cherished ingredients - it's versatile, affordable, and loaded with health benefits. It is equally delicious in desserts, main dishes, breads, or by the spoonful for a quick snack (goes great with honey & sea salt if enjoying it this way!). This creamy "nut butter" made from sesame seeds is a fraction of the cost of almond butter - with a much smaller environmental impact! Though from a tiny seed, tahini's nutrient density is impressive: -Compared to other seeds and nuts, sesame seeds have a very high fat (55%) and protein content (20%) by weight. -Tahini is also particularly high in minerals, especially iron and copper. Studies have affirmed that tahini is a heart healthy food: it's high in lignans and its 2 primary fat compounds- sesamin and sesamolin- have showcased anti-thrombotic effects. So let's get to the good stuff - our Ta-honey Mustard Recipe! This sauce goes great as a dressing or a dipping sauce for meats, veggies, or chips!  Ta-Honey Mustard Recipe In an 8 oz mason jar, add ½ cup tahini and 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar. Stir together; as you stir the acid from the vinegar will react with the proteins in the tahini and make the mixture very thick. Stir in filtered water (~3 tbsp to ¼ cup, depending on the runniness of your tahini) until the consistency is silky smooth like Ranch dressing. Next, add 1 tbsp of garlic fermented honey* (regular honey will do), 2 tsp dijon mustard (or more if you are a mustard lover), 1 tbsp turmeric powder and a hefty pinch of salt and pepper to taste. This recipe is flexible - add more or less of anything to achieve your desired blend. garlic fermented honey* recipe below! Garlic Fermented Honey Recipe
Loosely seal the filled jar with a lid (we like these!) and let sit at room temp away from direct sunlight. The slightly loosened lid will allow fermentation gases to escape. Every other day or so, tip the jar upside down a few times (make sure you fully seal the lid when you do this!) to circulate the honey. You will start to see tiny bubbles indicating that fermentation process is at work! This alchemical process will begin around day 3 and continue for 1 month, but you can enjoy the honey at any time during this period. You will notice the flavor and texture develop over time - the garlic's pungency will mellow and the honey will become runnier. Store in a cool, dark place for many moons. If kept sealed and away from heat and light, it can easily last 1 year or more! After I use up all the honey, I like to blend up the cloves in pestos and other sauces.  This cookies are packed with protein and energizing cacao - making them great for a quick breakfast or a pre/post workout snack. Oh, and they go great with coffee :) Pay attention to the room temp ingredients- it makes a difference! Ingredients ½ cup of your favorite nut butter ¼ cup unrefined coconut oil, room temp ⅓ cup coconut sugar ( or 1/4 c maple syrup) 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 egg, room temp 1 c nut flour (we like a combo of pumpkin and sunflower seeds. Simply pulse whole seeds until a grainy, coarse sand texture is achieved)* 1 c finely shredded coconut flakes* ⅓ c cocoa powder ½ tsp baking powder Hefty pinch sea salt Optional: ⅓ cup chocolate chips; extra coconut sugar for sprinkling on top of the cookie dough before baking! *Depending on how runny the nut butter is, you may have to use ~½ cup more of dry ingredients. DirectionsPreheat your oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper.
Using a spoon or whisk in a medium bowl, mix together the first 4 ingredients until well incorporated (much easier when the coconut oil and nut butter are room temp!). Next, mix in the egg (again, make sure its room temp or it will cause the coconut oil to clump). In another bowl or directly into the wet ingredient bowl, add the remaining 5 ingredients to the wet until a slightly sticky batter has formed. You want your batter to come off your spoon in a solid ball when you forcefully drop the batter onto your cookie sheet (like the motion of flicking of a whip, except with a spoon). As mentioned above, you may need to add more dry ingredients to achieve this texture. You can use your fingers to shape the dropped dough balls into uniform spheres, but I like the rough and chunky look. You can also sprinkle with more coconut sugar at this point. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes until firm and slightly golden brown on the top and bottom. Let cool a bit before transferring from Silpat to a wire rack with a spatula. These will store for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container kept in the fridge. (They ain't gonna last that long though...) Grain free, no refined sugar, Paleo option available Ingredients
RecipePreheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a loaf pan with a bit of coconut oil and dust completely with oats and coconut shreds. Set aside. Mix 1st eight ingredients together well in a medium bowl. In another bowl, combine eggs, syrup, and banana. Slowly pour in melted coconut oil while stirring so you don’t scramble the eggs with the oil. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet with a large spoon or spatula. Fold in the zucchini. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle with extra coconut shreds and/or oats. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top is golden and the loaf is set (stick a knife in the center and it should come out clean). Remove from the oven and let cool completely before serving. *Use 1 ½ cups almond or cashew flour and omit the oat flour if making paleo   As herbalists and nutritional therapy practitioners, we relish in the interface between nourishing herbs and foods. We adapted this recipe to be fitting for our students in the Restart Program, a guided 3-week vacation from sugar and processed foods. During this time, we retrain our bodies to burn fat - its preferred fuel - over carbs - the macronutrient that has been villianized by current fad diets but that actually holds tremendous value when consumed in the proper amounts (there is a that reason sweets taste so good!). The addition of rose hip and licorice powder give a delightful herbal touch to these satisfying chocolates. Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) is known as the great harmonizer in several herbal traditions for its ability to enhance and round out the flavor and action of other herbs in formula. A little bit goes a long way with licorice, so treat it like you would sea salt. Rose hips (Rosa ssp.) are excellent cardiovascular aids and give a bright touch to the deep richness of the cacao. Raspberry Rose Chocolate Recipeketo, paleo, no-sugar, delish! Ready in 15-20 min (10+ minute chill time)  INGREDIENTS ¾ c coconut butter ¼ c coconut oil ¼ c grass-fed butter 3 tbsp cacao powder 1 tsp vanilla Sea salt ½ c coconut butter ½ c frozen raspberries 2 tbsp coconut cream/milk 1 tbsp rose hip powder 2 pinches licorice powder 2 tsp maple syrup Sea salt 1 c toasted, shredded coconut RECIPE
Chocolate Base In a small pan, add ¾ c coconut butter, ¼ c grassfed butter, ¼ coconut oil, 1 tsp vanilla, and 4 tbsp cacao powder, and a pinch of sea salt and heat on medium low until everything is melted. Stir until everything is combined. Remove from heat. Set aside. Raspberry Filling 1. Filling-In a small saucepan mix together ½ c coconut butter, ½ c raspberries, 2 tbsp coconut cream/milk, 1 tbsp rose hip powder, 2 tsp maple syrup, and a pinch of salt on med-low. Heat until coconut butter is melted and incorporating into the raspberries. Pour ingredients into a blender or use an immersion blender to blend well. Set aside. Using a silicon ice cube tray, pour the bottom ½ of each cube with the chocolate mixture. Put this in the freezer so it is resting evenly and the chocolate sauce doesn’t cool crookedly in the ice cube molds. Let freeze for at least 10 minutes until the chocolate is set. Remove from the freeze and spoon ~1 tsp of the raspberry filling into each cube mold. Press ~½-1 tsp of toasted coconut flakes into the raspberry filling. Pour the remaining chocolate sauce over each mold so that the raspberry and shredded coconut filling is covered. Return to the freeze for another 10 minute at least to let that set. Remove from freezer and dust in a combination of cacao and rose-hip powder or toasted coconut. OPTIONAL Add 1 tbsp maple syrup to the raspberry filling and/or Add 2 tsp maple syrup to the chocolate base Turmeric’s popularity has skyrocketed in the last few years, and for good reason - this Ginger family root can answer many a modern malady. Why is it so effective for such a large range of common complaints? Two words: PROLONGED INFLAMMATION. In fact, prolonged inflammation is such a common source of pain and disease and it has been called “the root of all disease” in western medicine (1 in 3 Americans suffer from an inflammation-caused disease). There is some truth to this - but rather than simply treating inflammation on the spot, we are wise to look a bit deeper as to what is causing this prolonged inflammatory reaction.  But first, we have to define inflammation. Oftentimes, these health buzzwords get thrown around so much that we forget the meaning. Inflammation is simply our bodies response to some type of adverse stimuli such as an injury, infection, or general imbalance. The inflammatory response triggers our body’s immune system to kick into action and start the healing process. Inflammation is designed to treat acute/short-term issues. You cut yourself- a scab forms and mends the skin. You catch the flu- a fever comes and goes. Sometimes, however, when the body feels an onslaught of adverse effects, it is unable to return to homeostasis and the immune system stays turned on. Overtime, you can imagine that this majorly wears the system out. Back in Roman times, Inflammation was defined by 5 characteristics: redness, aching, swelling, heat, (calor, dolor, rubor, tumor) and loss of function. Have you ever felt any of these in an injury? Sometimes, if an injury (internal or external) is unable to heal, the long-term affect is illness. And to be clear, an injury doesn’t have to be something as clear as breaking your leg. Injuries can look like lingering damage from a bad cold, knicks in your arteries from clunky blood, or most commonly these days - chronicaly inflamed guts from eating foods our body doesn’t understand how to digest. A few examples of inflammation induced diseases are: arthritis, asthma, cardiovascular disease, Crohn’s disease, diverticulitis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, MS, and fibromyalgia. The goal is to allow an inflammatory response to do its job. As soon as you see signs of inflammation, address them before chronic inflammation takes hold yielding much more complicated problems. Apart from addressing diet and lifestyle factors, we have a favorite anti-inflammatory drink that is well-balanced and therefore pleasing to the majority of constitutions out there. We call it GOLD DUST and it features Turmeric, Eleuthero, Fenugreek, Maca, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cardamom, and Black Pepper. How to Make the Perfect Cup of GOLD DUST
Here are a few of our favorite ways to enjoy this delightfully warm and sunny drink: THE MILKY WAY- Gently heat 8-12 oz of your favorite milk in a saucepan. We like raw cow's milk, coconut milk, cashew milk, or hemp milk for this. You want the milk very hot but not simmering (if you overheat raw milk, it deactivates all the goodies inside). Meanwhile, add 1 tsp of Gold Dust to a mug. Pour the hot milk over the Gold Dust. Add 1/2 tsp maple syrup, honey or agave. Use a hand frother and froth to perfection (alternatively, mix it up in a blender). Top with a dollop of whipped heavy cream or coconut cream and a cinnamon sprinkle. Enjoy in place of coffee, as an afternoon pick-me-up or post-dinner dessert. THE ATHLETE- Bring 8-12 oz of filtered water to a simmer in a saucepan. Meanwhile, add 1 tsp of Gold Dust to a mug. Cover with simmered water, 1 scoop collagen (coupon code #OCEANLOVE for 10% off!), 1 tsp coconut oil, coconut butter, or MCT oil. Use a hand frother and froth to perfection (alternatively, mix it up in a blender). Top with a pinch of cayenne and cinnamon. Enjoy after a workout or to nourish you on busy mornings. THE COLD SHOULDER- Mix 2 tsp of Gold Dust and 1 tsp honey or maple syrup in ~1/4 c very hot filtered water until completely incorporated. Add 12 oz of your favorite cold milk (we like almond or coconut for this). Blend up with some ice and enjoy on a sunny day. The Herbs In Gold DustAll images from Creative Commons Flickr; Steve, Heather, Utilisima, Sh.fernando, cpmkutty, Kata Tolgyesi.
The keto diet is buzzing right now, but what exactly does it mean, and is it for everyone? Well, ketosis is pretty cool for a number of reasons. Whether you are aware of it or not, your body has likely entered ketosis from time to time. We enter ketosis in 2 scenarios: -when we deprive our bodies (almost completely) of glucose -when we fast for ~12-15 hours Ketosis isn't an all or nothing deal. We can be in mild or full-fledged ketosis, or not at all. When glucose isn't available as a result of one of the above scenarios, Ketones are created as an alternate fuel. At this point, some interesting things happen. In even mild ketosis, our antioxidant production is ignited (up to 150 g antioxidants/day). Ketosis also stimulates the production of beta hydroxybutyrate, the ultimate source of fuel for mitochondria. These guys are the powerhouses of our cells and when they aren't firing correctly, you can expect disease to set in. Ketones help mitochondria produce ATP. By increasing ATP, ketones reduce the generation of free radicals, increase production of endogenous glutathione, and act as an anti-inflammatory agent. Ketones also reduce inflammation and oxidation throughout the body but especially in the brain. This is because the brain rapidly takes up ketones, an easily digestible fuel source that is small enough to cross the blood brain barrier (the liver converts MCTs to ketones). If ketones are present even at low levels they increase cerebral blood flow as much as 40%. Studies have shown that increasing ketones is a great strategy to block ionizing radiation and for controlling tremors. To maximize ketones: -Reduce carbs. This doesn't have to look like cutting them out completely. In fact, having such a stark transition from a carby diet to none at all can cause some crazy symptoms like the carb flu, the keto rash, and other undesirable effects. Be gentle with your body and remember that it doesn't like extremes but rather thrives in moderation. We like to follow the diet recommended through the RESTART program, allowing for non-starchy vegetables and low sugar fruits while avoiding starchy carbs, refined sugars, grains, and processed foods (RESTART will be offered again in January 2020 Athens, GA peeps!) -Use a form of intermittent fasting by eating in a 6-8 hour span. This could look like not eating after 7 pm and waiting until 11-noon to eat your first meal the next day. Use MCT oil, grass fed butter, coconut butter, or coconut oil in your coffee or tea to sustain you until your first meal -make these keto muffins! Recipe below :) KETO MUFFINSIngredients6 large eggs 1/4 c olive or toasted sesame oil ½ cup tahini (on the runnier side is best-we love this kind) 1 c raw cashews ½ c raw pumpkin seeds 2 tsp apple cider vinegar 1 tsp sea salt 1 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp baking powder Sesame seeds and/or pumpkin seeds to garnish DirectionsPreheat oven to 350. Use butter and almond flour to grease and flour a muffin tin.
Add all ingredients listed in order to a food processor or high powered blender. Blend well until you have a completely smooth, creamy batter. Use a spoon to drop the batter into the greased and floured muffin tins. I find a spoon the easiest tool to work with. Continue adding more batter until all 12 muffin holes are filled up (all the batter should be used up at this point). Top with sesame and flax seeds and put on middle rack in oven for 35 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before popping out your muffins. Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container in the fridge for a few weeks or the freezer for much longer. They will last on counter for 3 days. I like to have these on hand for a quick breakfast with an egg or smothered in your favorite nut butter.  When we make dessert we like to make sure of a few things. It's paired with: 1. Lots of good fat Fat slows down the absorption of sugar. This means two things: we stay satisfied longer and we don't overburden our organs- especially the pancreas. The pancreas is an incredible organ taxed with the huge responsibility of getting sugar out of the blood. When we have too much sugar in the blood, those sugars bind with our blood cells rendering them clunky, ineffective and hazardous to our entire body. So basically, always eat fat when you eat sugar! We like grass-fed butter, ghee, and unrefined coconut oil for our saturated fats and extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, and sesame oil for our unsaturated fats. 2. Sugar stabilizing herbs In many clinical trials, Ceylon Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) has been shown to: promotes glycemic control, improve lipid parameters, reduce insulin resistance, and improve insulin action (Ranasinghe et al, 2012). It's likely no coincidence that cinnamon and sugar is a traditional combination. Our ancestors knew what was up! 3. Adaptogens! This class of herbs could possibly be one of the modern human's greatest herbal allies. Adaptogens work by improving our body's perception of and response to stress, making us more resilient in the face of it. Think of it this way- we can't always control the amount of stress going on in and around us, but we can certainly control how we respond to these stressors. Our bodies are always responding to stressors large and small, emotional and physical, whether we are aware of it or not (if you haven't noticed, our bodies are really good at acclimating to sub-optimal environments and our minds are really good at distracting us from listening). And the truth is- the modern world barrages us with constant, low-level stressors that our ancestral bodies have simply not adapted to handle. These chronic low-level stressors mean that our bodies are always pumping out stress hormones, leaving us depleted in some capacity at some point in time. Depression, autoimmune conditions, fatigue, inflammation, mood disorders, hormonal issues, lack of vigor- many argue that all these things could be traced back to chronic, low level stress (Sapolsky, 2004). Adaptogens have been utilized by our ancestors in some form across the globe. They are tonic level herbs (meant to be taken regularly) that produce a non-specific response in the body (they increase our resilience to numerous stressors) while also having a normalizing effect (balancing us out no matter the direction we favor) (Winston & Maimes, 2007). Science is in the midst of catching up to the magic of adaptogens, but the verdict is out: adaptogens rock! They come in all shapes and sizes and address countless modern complaints. An important note on taking adaptogens: best practice is to stop any adaptogen routine during times of acute illness such as the flu.  IngredientspinCAKE 1.5 sticks grass-fed butter 6 oz chopped bittersweet bakers chocolate 1 tsp instant coffee 1 tsp vanilla 1 tsp ceylon cinnamon 1/4 tsp licorice powder 2 tbsp red Reishi powder 1 tbsp Shatavari powder 4 large eggs room temperature 1/2 c raw sugar healthy pinch of sea salt 1/2 cup raw cacao GLISTENING GANACHE 1 c heavy cream (coconut cream can work too!) 12 oz bittersweet chocolate pinch sea salt DirectionsCAKE Preheat oven to 325 F. Cut out a piece of parchment paper to fit a circular 8” pan. Place paper into pan. Set aside. Melt butter in a saucepan at a medium low heat. Add the Reishi and Shatavari, stirring constantly as the herbs infuse into the butter, about 5 minutes. Remove butter mixture from heat and add chocolate chips. Stir until smooth. Add the instant coffee and vanilla extract and set aside. Whisk or mix eggs, sugar, and salt until your mixture has grown in volume (this takes around 5 minutes with a hand mixer). Next, slowly add your chocolate-butter mixture as you continue mixing. Fold in cacao, cinnamon, and licorice. Mix until completely combined. Pour the batter into your prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes at 325. The edges should appear "baked" but you want the center a bit gooey still. Remove from oven and cool at room temperature completely before transferring to a fridge. Let chill for 5 hours. GANACHE Bring 1-2" water to a low boil/simmer in a sauce pan. Top with a double boiler. Add chocolate and cream to the double boiler and let melt, stirring occasionally until you have a smooth consistency. Add a pinch of sea salt. Drizzle over your chilled cake until it's completely covered. Chill again for another hour. Serve with whipped cream and enjoy! Resources Engels, Gayle & Brinckmann, Josef. 2012. HerbalGram: Cinnamon, Issue 95. American Botanical Council Ranasinghe, P., Perera, S., Gunatilake, M., Abeywardene, E., Gunapala, N., Premakumara, S., ... & Katulanda, P. (2012). Effects of Cinnamomum zeylanicum (Ceylon cinnamon) on blood glucose and lipids in a diabetic and healthy rat model. Pharmacognosy research, 4(2), 73. Sapolsky, R. M. (2004). Why zebras don't get ulcers: The acclaimed guide to stress, stress-related diseases, and coping-now revised and updated. Holt paperbacks. Winston, D., & Maimes, S. (2007). Adaptogens: herbs for strength, stamina, and stress relief. Inner Traditions/Bear & Co.  ¾ c almond flour ½ c arrowroot starch 1 tbsp coconut flour ½ tsp baking powder 1 tsp cinnamon Hefty pinch sea salt ¼ c melted unrefined coconut oil 2 tbsp maple syrup 2 tbsp molasses Preheat oven to 350. Meanwhile, stir molasses, syrup, and melted coconut oil until evenly incorporated. In another bowl, mix all the dry ingredients. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the oil blend, mixing well. The dough should come together quite nicely. Transfer the dough onto parchment paper about 8 in. long or onto a silpad. Both work. Wet your fingers (so dough doesn’t stick) and gently press out the dough until it’s about ¼-⅛ in thick (like a graham cracker!) and in a giant rectangle shape. Use a fork to pierce the dough like you see on store-bought graham crackers evenly throughout (this keeps the crackers especially flat and uniform). You can use a rolling pin or another piece of parchment paper to achieve this, but I find wet fingers works just fine. Bake for 10-12 min until fragrant and golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool just a bit before using a knife to slice into graham cracker shapes. I like squares but sometimes do long pieces. Let cool completely before storing in freezer for weeks! Options: Add ½-1 c chocolate chips for chocolate chip graham crackers Add 1 tbsp turmeric + pinch black pepper for golden grahams Add 2 tbsp cacao + 1 tsp vanilla for chocolate graham crackers Add 1 tbsp pysllium + 1 tbsp flax seed for fiber graham crackers Top with toasted oats + chopped pecans for a nutty fix!  |
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