Posts

Matcha energy bars
Matcha energy bars

Photo credit: Andrew Olsen

Summer has officially begun and there’s no better time than now to get outside and enjoy the beautiful sunny weather. Here in Boulder, Colorado there are an endless number of trails to explore and the only real problem is deciding which one to take! Not everyone loves to hike, but I think it’s true that most all of us are more active in the summertime and generally look to spend more time outdoors.

Eating well away from home is getting easier and easier as plant-based diets get more mainstream attention, but sometimes it still pays off to bring a little snack from home that can hold you over while away. A few pieces of fruit packed away in your bag are great, but sometimes you need something a little more substantial to help you make those extra miles or keep up with the kids.

When digging around on the internet for something healthy and super-energizing, I came across a recipe from One Ingredient Chef that I thought filled the part perfectly. Andrew’s super-easy energy bar recipe takes just minutes to prepare, stores well in the refrigerator, and can be eaten on-the-go. I think these bars would make a great snack before hopping in the car for an outing, or packed away for when you need a second wind.

And there is no doubt that just one of these bars will keep you energized for hours! The matcha powder is stimulating enough to keep you blazing down the trail, but when combined with the dates (a bit of sugar) and the cacao powder (a bit of theobromine), you’ve got a powerful, synergistic combo that will leave you feeling like you could conquer mountains! Matcha has well-known antioxidant properties and the cacao is chock-full of magnesium, which is perfect for strenuous, high-activity days.

Matcha energy bars

Photo credit: Andrew Olsen

Matcha Energy Bars

I really hope you enjoy our Matcha Energy Bars recipe, excerpted from the One Ingredient Chef and perfect for anyone who wants a high-energy, easy-to-digest snack that’s going to keep you buzzing all day long.

As far as preparation goes, this recipe is as easy as it gets. You can have a bag full of bars and be out the door in around 30 minutes and still have leftovers. Just throw everything together in a food processor or high-speed blender, process for a few minutes, and it’s practically done!

Feel free to adjust the amount of cacao and matcha powder if you want to play around with effects. Note that matcha powder contains caffeine and cacao powder contains theobromine. Both are stimulating and eating one of these will feel like drinking a cup of coffee.

I hope you all will take full advantage of the early summer season. I’ll see you out on the trail! Thanks to Creative Commons and Andrew Olsen of One Ingredient Chef for sharing this recipe.

 

Matcha Energy Bars (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup pitted dates
  • 1/4 cup dried cherries
  • 3/4 cup raw nuts (ideally cashews)
  • 2 tablespoons cacao powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon matcha powder
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Combine all the ingredients in your food processor and let it run for at least two minutes. When it's done, the mixture should form one solid, sticky clump.
  2. Take two pieces of parchment paper or plastic wrap and sandwich the mixture between them. Use something big and flat like a cutting board to press down evenly until the mixture is about 1/4-inch thick.
  3. Keep the layers of parchment intact and transfer everything to the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes to firm up before slicing and using a sifter to dust the tops with extra matcha powder.
https://www.truewellth.org/matcha-energy-bars-vegan-gluten-free

* indicates required

Did you dig this article? Sign up for updates!

 

We will never sell your information or spam you, ever.

Easy Matcha Chia Pudding

Easy Matcha Chia Pudding
Spring is on the way, and while many of us are still craving hearty, filling breakfasts to get us through cold mornings, soon enough, we’ll probably feel more pulled towards sweeter, lighter foods that better compliment the season. When recently scouring the internet for hearty spring breakfasts, we came across this awesome recipe from Carolyn’s Pantry, which seemed like the perfect fit for the upcoming transition into warmer weather.

Most all of us enjoy a big bowl of hot oatmeal, especially in the dead of winter, but not many of you have probably tried the quicker, fully raw and nutritionally superior version of morning porridge using…chia seeds!

Chia pudding is easy to prepare, super nutritious, and most importantly, will get you out the door on time every morning. It’s loaded with Omega 3’s, contains a healthy chunk of your daily recommended value of fiber, and comes bundled with a number of other key vitamins and minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorous and manganese. And, as some of you know, chia seeds expand to many times their original size, and so a little bit goes a long way.

Legend has it that Aztec warriors and Native American tribes relied heavily on the use of chia seeds for the strength and endurance they provide, especially when traveling long distances and when going into battle. They’re lightweight, easy to transport, and very easily consumed. Even today, chia seeds are often cited as a key component in the diet of many endurance athletes and plant-based body builders.

To compliment the chia seeds, Carolyn added matcha green tea, which has been used in Japan for more than a thousand years, and is a really great alternative for those who are looking to kick their reliance on morning coffee. It’s moderate level of caffeine is generally well-tolerated by the body, it’s chock-full of antioxidants, it boosts the immune system and has a unique effect in the world of caffeinated teas; regular users have described it as nothing less than euphoric.

Give it a try and let us know what you think!

I really hope you enjoy our Matcha Chia Pudding recipe, excerpted from Carolyn’s Pantry and perfect for anyone who doesn’t have the time to cook in the morning but still needs a healthy, filling, high-energy breakfast to get them out the door. Check out more of Carolyn’s awesome recipes here.

Matcha Chia PuddingMatcha Chia Pudding

Makes: 1 large serving

This is a great recipe for use during the work-week, as it’s both quick to put together, super-energizing and filling, and can easily serve as a substitute for your everyday winter oatmeal.

To add to the base recipe, feel free to serve chia pudding with your favorite toppings, such as fresh berries, sliced bananas, slivered almonds or any of the additional ingredients listed below.

Note: If you’re really pressed for time in the morning, you can soak your chia seeds the night before, which makes putting this recipe together completely possible in just a few minutes.

Easy Matcha Chia Pudding (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons chia seeds
  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 1 tsp matcha powder
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1/8 tsp cinnamon ground
  •  
  • Optional toppings:
  • Tangerine slices
  • Pomegranate seeds
  • Cacao nibs

Instructions

  1. This recipe is super easy. Just mix the almond milk, matcha tea powder, maple syrup and ground cinnamon together in a mug or bowl. Whisk together until blended, then add the chia seeds. Leave the chia seeds to soak for about 10 minutes, then add your favorite toppings and enjoy! You can also prep the chia seeds the night before and let them soak overnight.
https://www.truewellth.org/easy-matcha-chia-pudding

 

 


* indicates required

Did you dig this article? Sign up for updates!

 

We will never sell your information or spam you, ever.

PlantBasedFitness

Little known fact, I was ranked 4th in the world in power tumbling in my age group when I was 14.

This sounds much more impressive than it actually is, since power tumbling isn’t exactly widespread. I’d be surprised if you’ve heard of it, though I’ve been happy to see the sport getting some press lately.

My power tumbling career ended shortly thereafter when we moved from Utah to Oregon, and that marked the end of interest in competitive athletics for me.

These days, I’m an avid yogi and enjoy rock climbing for fun, but I don’t feel particularly qualified to address the fitness questions that we get.

So I sat down with Aaron Stuber and Jackson Long, two ultra-endurance athletes pushing the limits of human performance, to pick their brains on how top athletes approach plant-based fitness, including supplements, pre and post workout meals and more.

If you are interested in improving your physical performance or just want to know if these ultra athletes are concerned about protein, this episode is for you.

Watch The Interview and Learn:

  • Why a plant-based diet gives ultra-endurance athletes an edge
  • The performance benefits Aaron and Jackson saw after going plant-based
  • Whether or not Aaron and Jackson worry about protein at the top levels of athletic performance
  • What they eat before and after a workout
  • The 3-4 top supplements they recommend to boost performance

Show Notes:

  1. Thought For Food Podcast
  2. PlantBasedRN.com
  3. PlantBasedDoctors.org

As always, thanks for watching and we’ll catch you next time.


* indicates required

Did you dig this article? Sign up for updates!

 

We will never sell your information or spam you, ever.