Superfood Sundays: Flaxseed
As part of
Great as a source of fiber, protein, and omega 3 fatty acids, flaxseeds deserve a place in our Superfood Sunday series. These nutty seeds have been touted for their health benefits - they might help lower risk of some cancers, maintain healthy weight, and reduce cholesterol and blood pressure.
I’ve often loved adding them to my morning smoothies. In my humble opinion, they add a richness and texture that takes each smoothie up a notch.
But there’s another wonderful use case for flaxseed: homemade granola. If you like cereal for breakfast or enjoy adding granola to a healthy bowl of Greek yogurt, you should be all ears. The beauty of homemade granola is its low sugar content - much lower, n fact, than store bought granola - and using honey (might we even suggest Ikarian honey?) makes it all the healthier. This might also be the easiest recipe for a homemade alternative ever.
Homemade Granola Recipe
Rolled Oats (such as Bob’s Red Mill Whole Grain Rolled Oats)
For every cup of oats, add:
1/4 cup of slivered almonds
1/4 cup of flaxseed (whole flaxseed)
1 tablespoon of coconut oil
1 tablespoon of honey (add more if you need a little extra sugar…we’re not judging)
Lay parchment paper on a cookie sheet, spread granola mixture on it, and bake in the oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.
Once done, let cool and store in airtight container. You’ve just made enough to last for a few servings.
We recommend serving over Greek yogurt with blueberries and a drizzle of honey, but it’s your granola. Enjoy it how you’d like.
Superfood Sundays: Ikarian Honey
As part of our new year, new mom series, we’re sharing our favorite healthy foods for Superfood Sundays. The first food? Ikarian honey.
After having a baby, my body just wasn’t quite the same: I didn’t digest food the same way. I didn’t have the same level of energy I previously had. Before baby, it didn’t matter so much what I put in my body because I was a well-oiled machine.
Now, I was the 1986 model that had been taken on one-too-many long distance road trips and needed a good tune up. While I don’t think any one diet or lifestyle is the silver bullet to a longer, happier life - and I am certainly not an ideal candidate for an aggressive detox - I believe little tweaks can pay dividends in how we feel on a daily basis. So, drawing on Blue Zone research and a back-to-basics approach to healthy eating, I’m going to bring you a weekly series that explores foods I’m integrating into my diet in 2024 and how I’m doing it.
The Greek island of Ikaria has some of the longest living people in the world, many of whom reached 100 or older with few physical or cognitive impairments. This island produces our first superfood, Ikarian honey.
What makes Ikarian honey so special? If you ask me, it’s the rich flavor. I can eat spoonfuls of the stuff straight out of the jar.
But it’s more than a sweet face: its natural proteins and antibacterial enzymes support gut health and promote healing while antioxidants boost immunity and reduce inflammation. It also happens to be unheated, unprocessed, and unpasteurized, which some believe allows it to retain more vitamins and minerals than honey produced in the U.S.
Where to buy Ikarian honey
There are many online purveyors of Ikarian honey, but I tried (and loved) Klio’s single origin honey.
Herbal Tea for Holistic Health
One of my favorite ways to wind down in the evening is with a cup of herbal tea and a great book. I love this small Etsy shop for its hand-made, delicious blends - and I always add honey to my tea.