PRODUCE GAMES: TOUCHDOWN WITH STRAWBERRIES

There is so much excitement that centers around NFL Football every season from  Fantasy football drafts to the beautiful charisma of the  Dallas cheerleaders to endless reruns of Monday Night Football advertisements, and of course close knit gatherings to watch Sunday Football! To many sports fans, NFL Football marks the initiation of fall , but for foodies like myself the abundance of seasonal foods like acorn squash, pumpkins, figs, sweet potatoes, and pears mark the beginning of fall!  So in the ever-changing game of produce, foods like berries ,as the iconic sweet but rich strawberry tend to be the underdog team in the produce games!  Whether it’s seasonal specials at restaurants, holiday recipes, or shopping  at the grocery store, strawberries have so many winning moves to get out of the offensive position  and into end zone to score a touch down!  Here are reasons why teaming up with strawberries can score you an instant touchdown within!

• Strawberries are  low in calories (32 cal/100 g) and fats but rich source of health promoting photo-nutrients, minerals, and vitamins that are essential for optimum health
• Strawberries have significantly high amounts of phenolic flavonoid phyto-chemicals called anthocyanins and ellagic acid. These help against cancer, aging, inflammation and neurological diseases
• Strawberry has a high  ORAC value (oxygen radical absorbance capacity, a measure of anti-oxidant strength) of about 3577 µmol TE per 100 grams.
• Strawberries contain vitamin-A, vitamin-E and health promoting flavonoid poly phenolic antioxidants such as lutein, zea-xanthin, and beta-carotene in small amounts. These compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS)
•  Helps burn stored fat because anthocyanins which stimulate the burning of fat
•  Boost short-term memory
. The anthocyanins boost short-term memory by 100 percent in eight weeks. (The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry)
• Low in Calories  and High in Fiber
• Ease Inflammation
• Lower cardiovascular disease due to the flavonoids
• Promote bone health
• Great for your bones: Strawberries are rich in minerals like manganese and potassium that not only help promote bone growth but also help keep them in mint condition contain potassium, vitamin K and magnesium which are important for bone health
• Prevent esophageal cancer
• Anti-aging properties
• Natural biotin in Strawberries helps build strong hair and nails. They also contain the antioxidant ellagic acid, which protects the elastic fibers in our skin to prevent sagging
• Aids in weight loss
• The compound nitrate found promotes blood flow and oxygen in our body, which is great for weight loss
• Promote eye health-Research shows that eating three or more servings of fruit like strawberries may lower the risk of macular degeneration, a condition resulting in vision loss
• Amazing source of folate - Inadequate amounts of folate in the aging population can contribute to atherosclerosis, vascular disease and even a decline in cognitive function
• Prevents hair loss: Folic acid, vitamin B5, vitamin B6 and ellagic acid present in strawberries helps prevent your hair from falling and thinning
• High in fiber which help aid and improve digestion
• Boosts immunity because they are packed with vitamin C, which protect you against infections
• Boosts memory with a naturally occurring compound called Fisetin, which is a flavonoid present in strawberries that  help enhance memory by stimulating the signaling pathways

ZEN ON A PLATE ORGINAL COCONUT STRAWBERRY SHORT CAKE 

(GLUTEN FREE, DAIRY FREE)

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CAKE INGREDIENTS

Dry Ingredients

1 Cup of coconut flour (gluten free)

½ cup of oat flour (gluten free)

½ teaspoon of salt

1 Tablespoon of Flax

½ teaspoon of salt (sea salt)

1 Tablespoon of Xylitol ( I used Xylitol or Stevia )

Wet Ingredients

4 eggwhites ( use lemon juice when mixing it will help keep the foam more elastic)

2/3 cup of butternut squash (can natural version)

1 Tablespoon of Vanilla

¼ cup of coconut milk lite (culinary version to cook with)

½ cup of agave light

2 Tablespoons of Walden Farm Strawberry Jams  -GREAT FOR BAKING (No sugar or Calories ) or you can look for natural low sugar strawberry jam

3 Tablespoon and ½ Tablespoon of coconut oil

Frosting

12 Strawberries –Use 7 with the stem removed for the blender

Two cups of coconut yogurt (greek style preferred)

1 Tablespoon of PB2  (powdered chocolate peanut butter ) Bell plantation brand I used www.bellplantation.com

1 Tablespoon of Coconut Flour- Thickening

2 Tablespoons of Agave light

 If you want it extra sweet (add teaspoon or two of stevia or a packet)

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Directions:  Heat ove to 350 F, and grease circular baking pan with coconut oil. Take Dry ingredients minus the flax and put in a large bowl. Then t start with the eggwhites and mix alone with lemon juice in a seperate bowl to help keep elastic and then pour all the liquid ingredients together except the coconut milk and use only one Tablespoon of the jam for this part. Add the flax to the liquid part . Then combine with the dry ingriedients and mix all together. Once you have the dough add the last Tablespoon of Jam and the ¼ cup of coconut milk and stir around.  Then pour in circurlar pan and smooth out with spatula making it even. Put in the oven for 35-40 minutes.

Frosting:

Slice 6-7 strawberries (around ¼ cup or more) and put in blender. Then take the rest of the ingredients and add to blender until it’s in puree form. Put in the fridge for 30 minutes so it hardens up more.

*Garnish with remaining strawberries and add coconut whipcream or vegan chocolate chips if you are serving for dessert.

Notes: To make vegan replace eggwhites which four Tablespoons of Flax seed (3 Tablespoons of water per Tablespoon of Flaxseed) You can also garnish with sliced almonds too.

FAT BURNING MIX WITHOUT REFINED SUGARS

Healthy Fat: Coconut Oil

Protein: Eggwhites, Flaxseed, Oat Flour, PB2 (protein powder

Fiber: Coconut Flour, Butternut Squash, Strawberry, Coconut Yogurt

Carb: Oat Flour

DISCLAIMER: The nutritional and well-being information on this site is not intended to be a substitute for professional nutritional or  medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

For more information go to www.zenonaplate.com