Riches of Simplicity

Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts

(scroll down for CHOCOLATE GOODNESS!)

As hemp hearts continue to become more mainstream, entering grocery stores and kitchens with increasing frequency, many people are realizing their numerous health benefits. Hemp hearts from Manitoba Harvest are the only ones I use. Over the last few years, I've occasionally received emails asking how hemp hearts can be used for more than just sprinkling on salads or adding to smoothies.

As many of you know, I've come to a point in my own life when I'm now choosing vegetarianism and generally incorporate a larger portion of raw food than cooked food in my daily diet. I am also mindful of glycemic load, gluten, and the relationship between alkaline/acid and disease. I still often refer to http://www.nutritiondata.com for information regarding a more comprehensive list of food items.

Hemp hearts fit perfectly into all of those decisions, and they're so easy to work with in the kitchen.

I often have "first breakfast" when I wake up, then "second breakfast" later in the morning. Here is today's second breakfast: a few sips of organic lemon juice (followed by water to rinse the lemon from my teeth); cottage cheese mixed with chia seeds, hemp hearts, freshly-ground flax seeds, and a hint of powdered cayenne pepper; half of a cucumber; dandelion tea with turmeric and cinnamon. I often drink lemon juice shortly after waking in the morning, and then usually 2 or 3 more times throughout the day, always followed by water. I also aim to have at least 30g of protein before noon each day - an easy task when hemp hearts provide approximately 10g of protein in just 3Tablespoons.

I'm often trying to think of simple ways to eat more hemp hearts because they're such a nutritional powerhouse. My body doesn't want sweets the way it used to, but occasionally it's nice to have a few little treats around for a quick nutritional boost throughout the day. And they're so easy to make! You can experiment with the amounts of each ingredient.

Here are two simple combinations I made today:

Ingredients: dates, hemp hearts, chia seeds

Briefly "Pulse" then "Mix"

I knew when it's finished because the mixture clumped together.

Separate into thirds, roll each into a ball.

And here they are!

QUICK AND EASY CHOCOLATE GOODNESS

The next "recipe" is for chocolate bites. I used to make chocolates by melting fair-trade, unsweetened bakers' chocolate with honey and letting it cool then rolling it into balls. However, with my ongoing desire to eat raw items when possible, I experimented with coconut oil, cocoa powder, and honey. If you find the coconut oil taste to be too strong, you can add more cocoa powder.