dani - Ancestral Nutrition

Blog May 2, 2014

Caramel Brownies

Who doesn’t love a good brownie? Especially brownies that are free of: gluten grains dairy refined sugars vegetable oils Pretty sweet, right? Now I’m not saying this is a health food that you should eat all the time. But sometimes you need a brownie. Sometimes it’s someone’s birthday, a graduation, an anniversary. These are definitely a healthier option than boxed or store bought brownies. And they’re not even difficult to make. You just add all of the ingredients to a blender, blend, bake. You can find the caramel recipe HERE. Paleo Caramel Brownies These paleo caramel brownies are definitely a healthier option than boxed or store-bought brownies. And they’re not even difficult to make. You just add all of the ingredients to a blender, blend, bake 1.5 cups almond flour (see notes)1/2 cup cacao powder1/2 cup raw honey (see notes)1 tbsp vanilla3 eggs1/2 cup chocolate chips (see notes…

Blog May 1, 2014

Fermented Bloody Mary

There’s a farm to table restaurant in my neighborhood that I love. As if that’s not awesome enough, they also make amazing bloodies (not the most appetizing nickname for a drink). There’s even an entire menu dedicated to all the different Bloody Mary options. One of the options, and it’s freaking delicious, is pickle juice. I don’t often drink liquor, but I do love me a good Bloody Mary. So I recently decided to make them at home. And then genius hit. I had an almost empty jar of Bubbie’s pickles. I used the fermented pickle juice to make an awesome Bloody, and I made it healthier! I’m all for making healthier versions of cocktails. The pickle juice is loaded with probiotics which makes it a great addition to this classic cocktail. Fermented Bloody Mary I don’t often drink liquor, but I do love me a good Bloody Mary. So…

Blog April 28, 2014

DIY Diffuser Necklace

Since I’ve recently began falling in love with the world of essential oils, I came across some diffuser necklaces (that were not cheap, might I add). Diffuser necklaces are made of clay, you drop whichever essential oil you’d like on them and you can smell the oil throughout the day. This has been amazing for me. I’ve been using my favorite, lavender oil, and it keeps me calm and relaxed throughout the day; I’ve also noticed it keeps me pretty chill during stressful situations. Anyway, after discovering that diffuser necklaces are just made of clay and not some sort of fancy gold that allows them to diffuse scent all day long, I figured I could make a diffuser necklace myself and save a ton of money. And that’s exactly what I did. First, I ordered some kid’s clay for under five bucks, you can get it HERE. You don’t need…

Blog April 24, 2014

Banana Carrot Cake with Coconut Frosting

I recently saw a recipe for a “healthy” banana carrot cake. Unfortunately, the ingredients consisted of wheat, sugar, canola oil and low-fat cream cheese. Somehow this was being classified as healthy. This ain’t the 80s! Low-fat does not equate to health! So I decided to make my own. And thank God I got a picture of it, because immediately after I set it down on my counter, my cat did this: Thanks, Sadie. You’re a pal. Healthy Banana Carrot Cake with Coconut Butter Frosting Most healthy cake recipes are not healthy, just fat-free! This is not the 80s, guys! This Banana Carrot Cake is my idea of a healthy cake! Perfect for Easter, Mother’s Day or any special occasion. Cake:1 banana4 medium carrots (peeled and diced)2 eggs1.5 cups almond flour (I use THIS almond flour)1/3 cup honey (find organic, raw honey HERE)1 tbsp vanilla (I like THIS brand)1…

Blog April 23, 2014

How Diet Causes ADD And What To Do About It

Diet and the brain are very closely linked. What you eat or do not eat will directly affect the brain. I’m not saying that 100% of ADD or ADHD cases are caused by diet, but I am saying that majority of them are. In Dr. Sears’ book on what he calls Nutrition Deficit Disorder (NDD), he describes a fictional kid named Johnny to help people better grasp this idea. Johnny eats a dinner of junk food, think pizza, pasta, mac, and cheese or chicken tenders, typical “kid” food. He gets poor sleep because he had an unhealthy dinner that spiked his blood sugar and gave him very little nutrients. Johnny wakes up tired and groggy and has an unhealthy breakfast, something like cereal. His blood sugar spikes again, and once more he isn’t getting the nutrients his young brain and body need. Min-moring, poor Johnny’s blood sugar drops and he…

Blog April 22, 2014

Homemade Lemon, Lavender and Vanilla Essential Oil Perfume and Body Spray

Prior to making this perfume, I hadn’t worn perfume in years. They would always give me a headache, and there’s a reason for this. Most perfumes are made with toxins like petrochemicals, parabens, synthetic musks and several other sketchy ingredients. The thing I love about the essential oil perfume is not only is it free of toxins, it’s actually good for you! Essential oils are great natural remedies, and the oils I use are extremely pure and potent. This perfume smells great but can also be used to boost your mood, help you sleep or stop an anxious feeling in their tracks. Yeah, it’s that awesome. The bright, citrusy scent of lemon will help boost your mood and the vanilla just makes it smell amazing. Unfortunately, the essential oil company I use doesn’t make a vanilla so I bought this one. The best part is that Scott thought this perfume/body spray smelled great.…

Blog April 21, 2014

20 Minute Meal: Easy Curry Chicken Dinner

I didn’t try Indian food until I was twenty years old. Which is weird because I’ve always been an adventurous eaten and had eaten Thai, Japanese and Vietnamese regularly growing up. And don’t get me started on the amazing food my neighbors from the Philippines used to make that I no longer have access to. But I never ate Indian until my Vietnamese and Thai (good combo, huh?) friend took me to a whole in the wall Indian joint. I have no idea what I ate because I didn’t know the names of anything, but I’ve enjoyed Indian food ever since. While Indian cooking can be complex with a ton of flavors and spices, long cooking times and exotic ingredients, it can also be really simple (if you own some organic curry powder). When Scott’s not going to be home for dinner, I make the quickest and easiest meals, which usually…

Blog April 16, 2014

Greek Salad with Homemade Gyro Meat

If you’ve been reading my blog for more than a week or following my Facebook, you probably already know that I’m kind of obsessed with Greek food. No matter what, I know if I’m at a Greek restaurant I can eat well and the food will still be awesome. The Greeks love to use fresh ingredients, they cook with olive oil instead of disgusting, rancid vegetable oils, and it’s easy to order off of the menu without having to make substitutions. I love Greek food so much that I’m even trying to go to Greece for my honeymoon. And while the beaches and culture and architecture are a big part of that… let’s be honest, the biggest part of wanting to go is so that I can eat at least half of the country. I have a normal appetite and don’t tend to overeat, but if we do go to…

Blog April 15, 2014

The Best Essential Oils For Anxiety

I’ve always loved the smell of essential oils but until recently had no idea just how powerful they can be. The University of Maryland Medical Center does a good job of explaining this, The “smell” receptors in your nose communicate with parts of your brain (the amygdala and hippocampus) that serve as storehouses for emotions and memories. When you breathe in essential oil molecules, some researchers believe they stimulate these parts of your brain and influence physical, emotional, and mental health. How amazing is that? I’ve personally dealt with being anxious since I was a child. I had a bit of a tumultuous childhood and am no stranger to these issues. I’ve dealt with it for over twenty years, but have successfully overcome my anxious tendencies. It was difficult and involved a lot of experimentation, but I’m not healthier and happier than I’ve ever been. Like a lot of anxious people, I…

Blog April 10, 2014

Five Steps To Prevent Childhood Cancer

I can only imagine how terrifying it is to have a child diagnosed with cancer. My heart goes out to every family affected by cancer, childhood cancer or otherwise. I recently read that cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children from 1 to 14 years-old so I thought it would be a good idea to discuss cancer prevention. Of course, sometimes a person does everything right and it can happen anyway, but we can still do our part as parents and potential parents to try to prevent cancer. While I am not a parent yet, considering that we will likely have kids within the next five years, there are certain steps I plan on taking to make sure my offspring are as healthy as can be. A number of studies are examining suspected or possible risk factors for childhood cancers, including early-life exposures to infectious agents;…