To tea or not to tea?

I promised a recipe, and I shall deliver! But first I want to tell you how I start out each day with this incredible, nutrient filled cup O’ tea. You’re asking yourself, “why do I care?” You should. Trust me on this one. I am not an expert on health and nutrition, but I do know enough to feel very confident passing on this daily regimen to all of y’all!
Whoa, let me back up (geez, I’m so scattered). Actually, the very first thing I do before my feet hit the floor is to drink a glass of water, which is put next to my bed by me the night before (this is important with the ‘before my feet hit the floor’). A friend of mine, Lisa Story, who IS an expert on health and nutrition (link to her website below), suggested this to me, and it has been a beneficial wake up call (both literally and figuratively). Drinking water first thing has many benefits, but the one that Lisa emphasized, for me personally (a coffee addict at the time), was to rehydrate and purify my internal system after a full night of fasting and zero water intake BEFORE I drink that morning cup O’ joe.  Additionally, the body is in recuperative mode while we sleep. Sleeping is a time for physical restoration. This is when our tissues and nerve cells are repaired and renewed; neurotoxins are neutralized; and chemicals throughout our bodies are restored to a normal level.
Did you know that:
• 70% of the human body content is water
• The human brain cells contain about 85% of water
• 75% of muscles is water
• Bones also contain about 25% water
• 82% of blood consists of water
(information gathered from http://www.newhealthguide.org/Drinking-Water-In-The-Morning.html)

So, back to my daily morning regimen. This here is a snapshot of me in the morning (kidding…I would NEVER do that to you).  Rather, a snapshot of my morning routing:
A big mug of Yerba Mate green tea with the added goodness of matcha green tea powder, raw wild honey, a teaspoon or so of coconut oil (I know, sounds kooky, but it’s so good, I love it), and coconut milk. My god, this is amazing! Both in taste and nutritionally speaking. Let me tell you something about green tea, coconut oil and coconut milk (although not too much on the coconutty stuff right now because they each deserve their own post). Remember my post on avocados?…that they are a nutritional powerhouse, a super super-food? Well, same with green teas, which contain antioxidants, but matcha in particular, is an antioxidant powerhouse! A super super-tea! You’ve all heard of antioxidants, right? Total buzzword these days, and for good reason.  Fruits and veggies are praised for their antioxidant properties, and we should all eat a diet high in fruits and veggies, but matcha is unparalleled in antioxidant comparison! No joke. Matcha is packed with way more antioxidants than blueberries or pomegranates, two foods that have been glorified for their antioxidant qualities (and rightly so). How much is way more? I’m so glad you asked. About twenty times more! Yes, about 20 times more than blueberries and pomegranates! Holy antioxidants! Should you stop eating blueberries and pomegranates? Of course not. But why not go even bigger on the antioxidant kick and include some matcha? Oh, perhaps I should explain what is the big deal with antioxidants.
Antioxidants are naturally occurring chemical compounds that aid in a load of things, such as cancer prevention, slowing the effects of aging (no, not a time machine), and prevention of an array of chronic diseases and health issues.  These good bad-boys are substances that protect cells in our bodies from free radicals (little boogers that are damaged cells and want to take out healthy cells because they’re mean that way). The cellular damage can be caused by a variety of influences, such as exposure to certain chemicals, smoking, pollution, radiation, pesticides, alcohol, etc. We are all exposed to such damaging influences, unless you live in a bubble. Add to this poor dietary choices (who doesn’t occasionally consume things we shouldn’t?), and well, you need antioxidants. Dietary antioxidants help to take out free radicals…kick their butts before these meanies can start a chain reaction (which is exactly what happens), taking out even more healthy cells. Again, matcha is an excellent source of antioxidants. Sure, you should try to get as much from food as possible, but I personally don’t want to eat an entire bunch of broccoli every day. Adding matcha to your diet on a regular basis is, well, just smart (in my personal, inexpert opinion).  Please note that green tea, especially matcha, is a stimulant.  Follow the servings suggestions on the tea package.
What about the coconut oil and coconut milk? I can’t say enough about coconut oil, therefore, I won’t say much at all today. This semi solid nectar of the gods really deserves its own post. Just know that there are so many benefits to consuming and using coconut oil. I purchase the two pack from Costco. This is by far the best deal I’ve ever found, and it’s organic, cold pressed and unrefined (kinda like my writing). I keep one container in the kitchen labeled “food” and the other in my bathroom labeled “body,” for obvious reasons. While I will not go into detail as to why every household should be stocked with this amazing oil, I will say that every household should be stocked with this amazing oil. Okay, but back up…adding coconut oil to my morning cup O’ tea? Sure, why not? Try it. I’m addicted. I love the flavor and the oiliness of the tea. Weird, I know. But I’m weird in a healthy, nutty sort of way!
What’s the big deal with coconut milk? Well, for starters it’s delicious. And it is packed with fiber as well as Vitamins C, E and many B vitamins. Coconut milk also contains antioxidants (there’s that buzzword again…get to know it…you need to know it). As if that’s not enough, coconut milk also contains lauric acid, a fatty acid found in mama’s milk that has germ-fighting, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties, which are effective at getting rid of pesky viruses and bacteria. Lauric acid may also reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels. But don’t confuse coconut milk with coconut water. Coconut milk is made from the meat. Both have wonderful health benefits and should be a part of your diet (again, in my personal, inexpert opinion).
Speaking of antioxidants and yumminess, dark chocolate is also known to be high in antioxidants. Yippee! I love dark chocolate! If you also love dark chocolate, you will love these insane, decadent dark chocolate cookies. I will share with you because that’s just the kind of person I am! This is a recipe that I found and adapted to my own liking. I will include, in parentheses, a slightly healthier alternative for some of the ingredients.
Chocolate Toffee Cookies
Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour (I use spelt flour or a gluten free blend of sorghum, brown and white rice and almond flours if I’m going to share with my mom)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 Trader Joe’s Pound Plus 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate Bar, chopped into chunks (or just a pound of any bittersweet chocolate, but TJ’s is the best)
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter
• 1 to 1-1/2 cups brown sugar (sometimes I use organic palm sugar adjusting amount accordingly)
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 5 1.4-oz english toffee bars (such as Heath or Skor), coarsely chopped
• 1-1/2 cups walnuts, toasted, chopped (be careful not to burn these while toasting)
Preparation:
Stir chocolate and butter in top of double boiler set over a small amount (maybe an inch) of simmering water until melted, then stir to smooth. If you don’t have every kitchen gadget as do I, just use a saucepan set over another saucepan (do not let any water get into chocolate!). Remove from over water, and let mixture cool to lukewarm. Meanwhile combine flour, baking powder and salt in small bowl; whisk to blend.
Once chocolate is cooled to lukewarm, beat sugar and eggs in bowl with an electric mixer until thick, about 5 minutes. Beat in melted chocolate and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture, then add toffee and nuts, combining gently. Chill batter until firm, at least 45 minutes.
While batter is chilling, preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop batter by spoonfuls onto sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake just until tops are dry and cracked but cookies are still soft to touch, about 15 minutes. Cool on sheets. Store in airtight container for up to 4 days (trust me, they won’t last that long). I also freeze these…baked! They are so good frozen, like a frozen snickers bar. I haven’t yet had the patience to let them thaw so I can’t tell you how well they endure the freezing/thawing process.
Link to Lisa Story’s website: http://www.theconscioushealthcoach.com/
She’s incredible. Check her out, subscribe to her newsletter. But keep reading my inexpert blog!
Today’s quote: “All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.” ~ Charles M. Schulz