Alternative PB&J option – Easy Healthy Meals for Kids
Easy Healthy Meals from Raw Fusion Living!
There are certainly few foods as comfort-oriented as a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich, but not the best option if you prefer to provide your family with food that optimizes their health and well-being. In this “easy healthy meals” webisode from Raw Fusion Living and Dr. LindaJoy Rose, you will learn that a superior substitute to peanut butter is almond butter (preferably unroasted.) Here are some reasons to avoid peanut butter — even the organic, ground-to-order brands:
- Peanuts are vulnerable to a mold called aflatoxin that is extremely toxic to the human body. Even the most natural brands of peanut butter contain this mold.
- Peanut butter has a very low pH (potential hydrogen) and is quite acidic to the body.
- Acid-forming foods cause the body to pull minerals out of the bones to buffer the body’s pH, which can cause serious medical conditions like osteoporosis and auto-immune disorder
- Peanut butter is also extremely high in AGE’s (Advanced Glycooxidation End Products) which trigger inflammation, neurodegenrations and cardiovascular disease
- Peanut butter is know for causing allergic reactions in many individuals.
In our alternative PB & J we use almond butter, a nut butter that has a more alkaline (high pH) base. Ideally you would buy a raw (unroasted) brand to get the maximum health benefits. Trader Joe’s has an unroasted version; you can also buy these in health food stores and online stores such as Living Tree Community, a brand that is completely raw as they do not pasteurize the almonds, assuring that they retain their full enzymatic and nutritional profile.
Chia seeds are a superfood — extremely high in protein and amino acids. We will be featuring these amazing delights soon in an article, but these tiny black seeds, resembling poppyseeds, were a staple of the Mayan and Aztec empires. Due to their hydrophic structure, they absorb up to 20x their weight in liquid, making them the ideal vegan and healthy substitute for jams and jellies that contain gelatin (animal-derived) preservatives and additives.
Additionally this easy healthy homemade jam recipe uses only a sensible sweetener — not sugar — and will not promote tooth decay or blood sugar surges. You can find chia seeds in health food stores and online – Living Tree Community also carries an exceptional line of them.
MAGIC JAM – An Easy Healthy Recipe that is fun for kids and the whole family.
Ingredients:
1 8-ounce bag of frozen organic berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries or combination) defrosted
2 TB. Maple syrup, raw agave nectar, coconut nectar, palm sugar, honey (or sweetener of your choice)
3-4 TB chia seeds
Directions: Blend the berries until well-mixed. Place in bowl. Alternately you can mash the berries in a large metal bowl with a potato masher – this is a fun way to get kids involved.
Add sweetener, stir and taste – add more if needed.
Add chia seeds and stir well. Let set for at least 20 minutes, returning to stir every 5 minutes or so. The chia seeds should absorb most of the liquid in the berries and set just like jam.
This MAGIC JAM can be used as sandwich spread or over waffles. It is also scrumptious as a snack or can be mixed with fresh berries as a parfait, adding a layer of coconut yogurt or for non-vegan, Greek yogurt. The jam will stay fresh for up to 5 days in the fridge.
For more easy healthy recipes, check out Raw Fusion: Better Living Through Living Foods. You may also want to sign up for our free newsletter, full of raw fusion solutions and recipes for mind, body and spirit — for achieving the best life ever! Our newsletter comes out every 3-4 weeks. Free sign-up at the upper right. We will never share your email address!
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