Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is an ancient food that is not yet well known in North America. It has been cultivated in South American Andes since at least 3,000 B.C. and has been a staple food of millions of native inhabitants. The ancient Incas called quinoa the “mother grain” and revered it as sacred. Each year at planting time it was traditional for the Inca leader to plant the first quinoa seed using a solid gold shovel! Quinoa was used to sustain Incan armies, which frequently marched for many days eating a mixture of quinoa and fat, known as “war balls.” Beginning with the Spanish conquest in the 1500s, there was a 400-year decline in the production of quinoa. It became a minor crop at that time and was grown only by peasants in remote areas for local consumption. Read the rest of this entry »

Everyone needs to cleanse their lymph system of all the wastes that have built up over a lifetime. Cleansing the lymph helps the body to cleanse every organ and system you have. The waste from each cell must be removed or the body will die in its own waste.

The lymph system transports lymphatic fluids but it also works as a filter, removing bacteria, microorganisms, dead cells, and other unwanted substances. In today’s world, our bodies are inundated with an abundance of unwelcome matter and toxins that can block the lymph nodes, decreasing the body’s ability to resist disease.

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Raw Cacao Truffles

Ingredients: Use organic whenever possible

* 1/4 cup agave nectar
* 1/4 cup coconut oil
* 1/2 cup rolled oats
* 1/2 cup cacao nibs
* 1/2 cup golden raisins
* 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
* 1/2 cup cacao powder
* 1/2 cups walnuts

Preparation: Put all in food processor and process until well-blended. Chill mixture for 30 minutes. Remove from fridge and roll into 1″ balls. Roll balls in finely shredded coconut, chopped nuts, hemp seeds or cacao powder. Keep chilled.

Cook’s Tip: I have sometimes added chipotle powder, lavender flowers or cinnamon to these truffles, which are all delightful. Experiment and create your own fabulous indulgence.

source: Robin Gentry McGee, HHC