Heart-nourishing dishes with Chef Audrey
According to the American Heart Association, 2,300 Americans die of cardiovascular disease each day, an average of 1 death every 38 seconds. America, our hearts are in trouble. As usual, protecting your heart comes down to prevention. We can protect and prevent through what we feed ourselves. Think of each bite as potentially either taking you closer to heart disease or closer to wellbeing and quality of life. A no-brainer, right?
Check out Chef Audrey’s (Ezra’s Enlightened Cafe) two recipes that have heart-supporting and protecting ingredients, such as:
- Cayenne – prevents blood clots and dilates blood vessels, clears artery clogging deposits
- Reishi – helps lower blood pressure, reduces damage to the cells that line blood vessels, helps reduce cholesterol and insulin resistance
- Cacao – antioxidants in cacao help keep your blood vessels relaxed, eases blood pressure and helps circulation and reduces inflammation
- Olive oil – lowers cholesterol and helps lower risk of heart disease overall
Healthy Heart Chocolate Shake
Serves 1
This shake is so fun to make for 2 or even just for yourself. The maca gets the libido going, the cacao and cayenne, open the capillaries in the body, allowing blood to flow and your awareness to heighten. Cinnamon helps the body process sugar and also give the shake a lovely flavor and scent J This is a shake that truly supports the physical and emotional heart. Both every important!
- 2 frozen bananas
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 tablespoon cacao
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon maca
- ¼ teaspoon reishi powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne (use a little less or more depending on what you desire)
- Add all ingredients into the blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Serve with your favorite smoothie toppings. Some of my favorites are strawberry slices, cacao nibs and hemp seeds. Enjoy with a full heart!
Szechuan Noodles
Serves 5-6 people
A Vibrant & light dish that is full of flavor as well as different textures and colors. You eat with your eyes first! Art on a plate that gives you energy and doesn’t weigh you down and supports a healthy heart and healthy body!
Sauce
- 1 ½ cups olive oil
- 1/4 cup wheat free tamari
- 1/4 cup organic maple syrup or raw honey
- 5 cloves garlic
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 ½ tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
Veggies & toppings
- 6-7 medium zucchini, spiralized
- 6-7 carrots, peeled into noodles
- 4 red pepper, thinly sliced
- 4 heads broccoli, chopped small
- ½ cup cashews
- ¼ cup sesame seeds
- ¼ cup nori shreds
- To make your sauce, add all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth
- To make your noodles, add all veggies into large bowl and pour over most of your sauce. Mix well with your hands until everything is coated.
- When plating, add 2 cups of noodles on each plate and top with a sprinkle of cashews, sesame seeds and nori
- Serve with love and enjoy! This is a great dish to enjoy with chop sticks
Would you like to take a class with me? Check out our class lineup and more about Ezra’s Café at www.ezrasenlightenedcafe.com.
Want to follow me (Chef Audrey) to see what I’m up to at home, behind the scenes at the café and at our farm? Find me at @GaiaChef or www.gaiachef.com.