Holistic Nutrition: "Fudge" Without the Fudge
by Corinna Wood
Seeking delicious and nutritious holistic nutrition treats? Look no further!
My carob (or cocoa) and almond butter coconut fudge is beloved in my community. I gotta say, folks rave about it!
The best part is that it's both incredibly easy to make—no cooking, no double boilers—and incredibly healthy.
So how did I discover this gem?
Well, I've been steeped in the wise woman ways for a very long time.
As you may know, nourishment is one of the main tenets of the Wise Woman Tradition—right up there with local plants and self love.
Rather than denial and cleansing (therefore inherently viewing our bodies as dirty), we prefer to nourish our bodies to health and wholeness.
For example, rather than doing a liver fast/cleanse, we use herbs like dandelion to support the liver.
Because when the liver receives optimum nourishment, it is able to effectively perform its function of filtering the blood!
So I've got a radical nourishment notion for you to try on . . .
Table of contents
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The scoop on healthy fats in food as holistic nutrition
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Recipe ~ Delicious Nutritious Coconut Oil Fudge
The scoop on healthy fats in food as holistic nutrition
So what's the scoop on healthy fats as holistic nutrition?
Glad you asked—when I first got introduced to the concept of healthy fats in food, I was wondering that myself!
When I arrived at Susun Weed's home as a young apprentice back in 1993, I'd been caught up in what she's coined the "Heroic Tradition."
I fasted regularly and ate a very low-fat vegetarian/vegan diet, unwittingly contributing to nutritional deficiencies that had already begun to manifest in a variety of health issues in my early twenties.
Over time, I recognized that I'd been denying myself some of the basic nutrients my body needed—most importantly, the healthy fats.
The truth is that especially as a woman, you need to consume healthy fats—like organic butter, olive oil, or coconut oil—to keep your hormonal rhythms in sync. This is particularly important during menopause, when your fat cells (along with our adrenals) take over the job of producing a form of estrogen.
Among other risks, low-fat diets are directly linked with amenorrhea (lack of a period during menstruating years for reasons other than pregnancy or menopause), osteoporosis, and infertility. Not surprising. Sex hormones are manufactured from fat-soluble nutrients.
Are you familiar with Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon and the work of the Price Foundation? They've identified common elements of traditional diets worldwide.
It turns out that across the globe, traditional people received 30-80% of their calories from fats, almost all as saturated fats!
This may seem shocking at first since both mainstream and alternative nutritionists tend to have often touted low fat/no fat diets as well as polyunsaturated vegetable oils like canola.
Nowadays, I'm relieved to see that more and more people are getting turned on to the healthy fats in food—including organic butter, olive oil, and coconut oil—as a central food group.
And we still have a lot of questions pop up!
Q: "I'm scared, why would I eat fats?"
A: The thought of eating "fats" can easily up our internalized body shame and socialization around unrealistic body image.
Yet these days in holistic nutrition, many women are recognizing that these healthy fats in food can actually help to regulate weight to healthy levels as well as reducing sugar cravings.
Sally Fallon and Mary Enig's book Eat Fat, Lose Fat corrects much of this misinformation.
They also suggest eating coconut oil 20 minutes before a meal to provide satiety, allowing smaller quantities on the plate.
The healthy fats have myriad benefits, including stabilizing the blood sugar with the longest-lasting energy source, calming the nerves, and regulating the hormonal system.
Coconut oil contains particularly high levels of fatty acids which support brain development, improve memory, and fuel clear thinking.
Q: "How would I eat coconut oil?"
A: While I eat coconut oil in various forms, my favorite way is an ever-evolving version of what I fondly call fudge.
No, this is not the complicated double boiler method of cooked candy fudge that is chock-full of sugar.
Rather, this is a delicious method of receiving the health benefits of coconut oil.
My current version of coconut oil fudge consists of an almond butter layer over a carob base, and receives rave reviews from all who taste it.
Sweetened only with liquid stevia herb extract (optional), it is nutrient dense, satisfying, and delicious!
Recipe ~ Holistic Nutrition Treats
Delicious Nutritious Coconut Oil Fudge
This recipe is very forgiving . . . you can experiment with endless variations to the taste–some enjoy adding mint, walnuts, or substituting different nut butters.
It's also an amazing "delivery system" for any herbal/mushroom powders you may want to incorporate daily.
You can easily buy coconut oils at natural food stores. My personal favorite source is Healthy Traditions. I especially love their coconut cream concentrate—also known as coconut butter—which I enjoy by the spoonful. I often order through the mail as I like to buy coconut oil by the gallon.
Allow about 20-30 minutes to prepare. The key is to soften all the oils (even the almond butter) in a warm spot beforehand for several hours so they're easy to work with.
Bottom layer
1 cup coconut oil (or my farmer friends substitute organic butter)
1 cup coconut cream concentrate (aka coconut butter)
1 cup carob powder (or cocoa if you prefer)
1-2 droppers of stevia liquid extract (optional )*
2 tsp vanilla
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp cinnamon
Top layer
1 cup almond butter
3/4 cup coconut oil
1-2 droppers of stevia liquid extract (optional )*
¼ tsp salt
1. Mix bottom layer ingredients, pour into a tray, refrigerate until firm.
2. While it is cooling, mix the top layer ingredients.
3. Take the tray out of the fridge and pour the almond butter mixture on top of the (cooled) bottom layer.
4. Return to the fridge to chill until firm enough to cut into squares. Gather squares into a container to store in the fridge.
*Add stevia if you like–I actually prefer it without, as the carob itself is mildly sweet.
Holistic nutrition treats — get your healthy fats in food
Holistic healing can seem so vast these days—a fray of infinite modalities and techniques.
So you'll love the simplicity of this delicious and nutritious practice: To get your recommended daily dose of healthy fats in food, just eat a few squares before each meal!
Ah, the Wise Woman Tradition of nourishment, turns so much of modern nutrition on its head.
Are you ready to give it a try?
Oh, pardon me, my energy's dipping a bit as I wrap up this article. I'll head to the kitchen to nibble on a few squares before lunch.
I hope you'll join me!
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