Huzzah! My heart! We did it! Right after I read the news I heard some neighbors set off fireworks. I am hoping for more tonight✨ Yay for change! Yay for Kamala! History was made today! Feeling incredibly proud, grateful and truly optimistic. Kindness won.
I had just busted out this Asian pear (also known as the zodiac pear or papple - that’s fun) hen I heard the news this morning. It is perfect sweet on its own but.. I felt the need for something a little more decadent - in the name of celebration. Bored with maple syrup and feeling energized by the winds of change I wanted to play. The pantry is as good a place as any. I dug out some dates, goji berries, star anise and dried coconut,. I threw it in a pot with some ginger, pink sea salt and 2 table spoons of coconut sugar, added some water and boiled it down into a very rich and complex tasting syrup. I discarded everything but the dates and goji berries then blended- just to thicken it up. Really fun, totally delicious and nutritious. Dates are so rad. I once hated them but I’m not sure how. They are naturally very sweet, have tons of fiber, antioxidants AND potassium. Not so fun fact: Many of us in recovery have potassium deficiencies. The alcohol does not help but generally what we choose to eat when we are drinking makes it worse. Salt and caffeine play their part in potassium deficiency too. Symptoms include muscle cramps, fatigue, weakness, and constipation. While all that sounds mostly uncomfortable and inconvenient this particular deficiency is also a major cause of high blood pressure and heat disease. It is also important to note that low potassium levels can weaken your adrenal and liver function. That’s bad news bears! More on adrenal function later. For now kill two birds with one stone and add dates to your diet. Your sweet tooth and body will thank you.
Day 285: Oat groats cooked in almond milk with a little yogurt on top, Asian pear with date & ginger syrup.
Date & Ginger Syrup
1 thumb of ginger - sliced
2 dates - pitted
1/4 cup of dried coconut
1 Tbs of goji berries
2 Tbs coconut sugar
2 whole star anise *
pinch of sea salt
1 cup H20
* Star anise is also very good for digestive issues.
Traditional sample syrups are 1:1 sugar & water. This recipe is a compromise. I relied mostly on the sugars in the dates and dried coconut. This would be awesome in coffee, hot cocoa, on yogurt, “nice cream”, fresh fall fruit slices, a bagel with cream cheese… ooh, cream cheese.