Rebekah’s Top 8 Favorite Foods!

I have been promising one of my readers to write a blog about my top 5 favorite foods. I have given it some thought and decided to base my decisions on Nutrition density, digestibility, taste, energy factor and functional qualities. It is hard to limit it to just 5 so I added a few extra as a bonus I would love to know what all of my reader’s top food favorites are!

I could easily pick foods just based on taste and flavors but that wouldn’t be fair to other amazing superfoods that surpass all other foods in nutrients and antioxidants. I thought I would rather give you a true picture of which foods I put the most focus and value towards on any given day. I have specific foods that I would have a hard time going without and even travel with them. Even on my honeymoon 4 years ago, my husband and I packed a bag just for our essential foods (packets of Amazing Grass superfoods, dehydrated cookies and dehydrated crackers/veggie burgers) that we just can’t live without.

I mentioned the term “functional foods” above. This is a great way to choose your foods and drinks. A food that is functional provides energy, nutrition, enzymes, and on and on. These are the foods that give your body the most natural energy, are easily digested and are really the foundation to your healthy lifestyle. Respectively a non-functional food is opposite, taking away energy, overly acidic, difficult to digest and actually worsens your state of health over a long period of time (processed/refined foods, white flour, sugar, fast food, soda, alcohol, etc.).

Ok, so here is my list….

Coconut everything: Coconuts are a good fat. This includes young Thai coconuts (water & meat), coconut milk, cold-pressed coconut oil, coconut flour, coconut butter. This is such a versatile food that is one of the most nutritious, amazing for digestion, great for weight management, delicious delicious delicious, great for the skin, and energizing. Shredded coconut ground into flour is an amazing replacement for flour when baking and the oil is the ideal substitute for butter. People ask all the time what is better: butter, margarine or the non-dairy butters made from soybean and other oils. The answer is raw coconut oil or coconut butter!
Green/Red Superfoods: I know this is not your typical food that you bite into and eat up but it is such an amazing food that starts my day, every day! I have taken green & red superfood blends (wheat & barley grass, spirulina, chlorella, acai, goji berry, etc.) for over 15 years. They provide the missing nutrients and minerals that are lacking in the soil that most produce is grown in. I don’t take multi vitamins – green superfoods are a whole food multi that my entire family takes, even my 2 year old in his bottle (he loves it!) I can’t say enough about greens – so alkalizing, cleansing, healing, and energizing!
Dehydrated foods: I make every week raw dehydrated cookies and crackers/bread which is without a doubt a daily staple! Eating one of my cookies or a couple pieces of my raw bread is a complete meal and gives me energy for hours. They are the best fast food. I have recipes in my book for making them and a couple recipeson this site- the are simple really and last for about 3 months without refrigeration needed so they are perfect for traveling or on the go. The cookies include sprouted buckwheat, oat groats, nuts, dates, coconut and spices. They are yummy with nut butter or coconut oil spread on top. The bread/crackers are made of sprouted buckwheat, oat groats, nuts, seeds, veggies, seasonings, and lemon juice. They are raw and amazing topped with avocado and veggies or even dipped in my sunflower or almond dip. So Yummy!!
Avocado: I truly can’t imagine a day or two without avocados! They are so delicious as a spread with salt or as guacamole A couple of months ago I began eating them every morning for breakfast with dehydrated crackers or sprouted tortillas or even plain and I noticed a big difference the rest of my day. They have a way of stabilizing your blood sugar, keep your body satisfied for longer, are very alkaline, help to cleanse your digestive tract in the morning, help to balance women’s hormones and are great for your skin health. SO what is not to love – yummy and healthy and a great way to get your good raw fats that are so necessary!
Chia Seeds: These tiny chia seedsare a powerhouse of nutrition and energy. I make fresh chia milk every couple of days and add it to both of my daily green superfood drinks and absolutely love what it adds – energy, protein, high calcium & iron, cleansing, filling, balances the blood sugar and aids in carbohydrate digestion and keeps you satisfied for long periods of time. No, it is not the most tasty food but it has little flavor so it can be added to anything. There is a company called “Chia Goodness”that created a delicious cereal made of raw chia seeds, flax seeds, buckwheat and various flavors such as chocolate, apple spice, etc. All you do is stir in water/non-dairy milk for 5 minutes and it is such a yummy porridge.
Goat Cheese: I had to mention my love for goat cheese, especially the raw varieties. I have not eaten any dairy that is cow’s milk-based in over 15 years because it is extremely difficult to digest, absorb the nutrients, adds to cholesterol & fat production, clogs the colon, is extremely acidic and is really not needed in the diet. Goat’s milk on the other hand is much easier to digest, made of smaller protein and fat molecules compared to cow’s milk. You can actually absorb minerals from the milk and it is one of the closest milks, next to coconut water, to breast milk. I like the yogurt but my favorite is having a hunk of goat cheese as a snack a couple of times/day – I crave it! Trader Joe’s has a yummy goat Gouda from Holland that is mild in flavor and Redwood Hills has amazing varieties of raw goat cheese, which is ideally the best way to eat it
Veggies: I can’t make a top food list without mentioning veggies. I try to make about 50% or more of my daily intake from veggies, if possible. I focus on greens such as arugula, spinach and kale – adding them to salads or sauteing in coconut oil, garlic, lemon and Celtic Salt. Veggies such as greens, broccoli, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers and green beans are all rich in nutrients and fiber and are very easy to digest. Eat a variety as much as possible. My favorite way to eat veggies is via salads. I love to make large tossed salads at dinner and add lots of raw veggies, especially avocados and raw organic corn.
Pates: These are essential to my weekly menus, especially for lunch. I love to make a large batch of almond pate in my food processor and store it in a bowl in the fridge. It stays fresh for about 5 days and is a great quick healthy fast food. It takes less than 30 minutes to make enough pate to last a couple of people for the week. I spread them in wraps, on sandwiches, top salads or use as a dip with crackers. I add all kinds of flavors such as lemon, garlic, cilantro, peppers, etc. I have a couple of recipes on my site and a bunch in my book.