Superfood is a term used to describe food with an exceptionally high phytonutrient content considering its calories per serving. In other words, when you eat superfoods, you are getting the highest possible nutrition from every calorie you consume. They are a class of the most potent, concentrated and nutrient-rich foods on the planet.
Some superfoods are rather exotic, like goji berries and chia seeds, while others are common everyday foods such as spinach, blueberries and broccoli.
The recipe I chose to share with you today makes use of many superfoods. In fact, I created it with the intention of including many of the superfoods I love and consume regularly. One of these superfoods is the goji berry, also known as the wolfberry. This incredible tiny berry, indigenous to southeastern Europe and Asia, is a complete protein and contains over twenty important trace minerals! It has so many unique and health-promoting properties, such as: powerful antioxidant, immune-stimulating polysaccharides, anti-aging sesquiterpenes, and liver-cleansing betaine. A truly super-healthy superfood, go get some organic goji berries today!
David Wolfe, in his awesome book, Superfoods: The Food and Medicine of the Future, explains how superfoods are both a food and a medicine since they are powerfully nourishing and also healing. Consuming superfoods allows us to get more nutrients while eating less food, all the while improving our overall health and even healing imbalances and diseases.
While there are different opinions on which foods should be considered superfoods, Wolfe lists the top ten superfoods as:
1. Goji berries
2. Cacao
3. Maca
4. Bee products, such as honey, bee pollen, royal jelly and propolis (**Please note that bee products are NOT vegan. Due to the common severe exploitation of bees, I never consume any bee products.**)
5. Spirulina
6. AFA Blue-Green Algae
7. Marine Phytoplankton
8. Aloe Vera
9. Hempseed
10. Coconuts
I encourage you to read up on superfoods and consider adding some to your diet, depending on your needs and health goals.
Here’s a superfood salad I created. I call it the Kale Goji Berry Rocket Fuel Salad because it is highly energizing! It’s also really delicious, full of protein, vital vitamins and minerals and healing superfoods!
Ingredients:
Makes approximately 2-3 servings
2 – 3 cups curly kale, stem removed and chopped
1 cup broccoli, chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon godji berries
1 tablespoon shelled hemp seeds
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
1 teaspoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon wheat-free tamari (sea salt unnecessary if you use tamari) or balsamic vinegar (add sea salt to taste if you use vinegar)
1 tablespoon olive oil or flaxseed oil
Almond shavings for topping
Method:
1. Toss all ingredients in a large bowl. Sprinkle almond shavings on top if desired.
2. Serve.
“It is becoming clearer that to achieve the best health ever, the best relationship with food ever, and to have the most fun with our food ever, we must consume superfoods, superherbs, and raw and living food cuisine. In doing so, we will find that our desire for less healthy foods will fall away naturally because we no longer find them enjoyable.”
~David Wolfe, Superfoods: The Food and Medicine of the Future
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