VIVA PURE

Moms we Salute You.

vivapure — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:24:59 +0000

Incase you’ve forgotten it’s the day of celebrating the Superstar’s of our hearts on Sunday, Mother’s Day.
I had to share this gorgeous idea, if you’ve got yourself a little extra time over the weekend, and ingredients on hand.

Servings:
Delicious and simple chocolate-dipped strawberries and grapes on skewers, arranged with stalks of mint (if available) to create a bouquet effect, in a decorative vase or cup.

The bouquet pictured is 12 Chocolare Dipped strawberries, 6 blackberries and 5 plain grape skewers.

A plain plateful of chocolate dipped strawberries or other berries or any fruit would also be lovely if you haven’t got skewers.

Ingredients:

Chocolate Sauce
½ cup Coconut Butter
1/2 cup Cacao butter
2 tablespoon Cacao powder, heaping,or more to taste
1 tablespoon Agave Nectar

12 strawberries
1 medium bunch grapes
1 bunch mint
wooden skewers
cup or container for arrangement
floral foam to fit container

Preparation:

1.Wash and dry all fruit.

2.Melt coconut oil and cocoa butter in a small bowl placed in a larger bowl of hot water.Stir until well melted, strain out anything that is not melted.

3.Add cacao powder and agave. Allow mixture to cool down till thickened,like hot fudge.

4.Skewer desired amount of berries.Dip/twirl berries into chocolate.(At this point you could double dip chocolate into chopped nuts or shredded coconut if you wanted.) Dip extra berries and grapes in remaining chocolate so you don’t have to eat arrangement right away! (I know you’ve had your eye on it already!)

If desired you should have enough chocolate for approx. 24 strawberries,for a fuller bouquet. of course you may use any fruit you like in this,the combinations are endless,I just used what I had in the fridge!

I just used a square peice of Styrofoam to stick skewer in till chocolate dried.

5.Arrange in cup or container using mint to fill in.

Sometime’s words can’t express, like food art can.

Can we say.. Raw Veganized NACHO Sauce ?

vivapure — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:50:13 +0000

Such a treat have we! aww yes.
If you fancy yourself a Nacho Sauce in all it’s ultra healthy, vegan and raw goodness..
We can’t recommend this recipe enough. Mad kudos to Kristen Suzanne of KristensRaw.com (this may just be one of her most legendary creations, as we’re sure lots of her fans will attest to, this Nacho is bomb dot com)

As a self confessed tweaker of most recipes thrown my way, have to say, this was every ounce perfection right off the page.

Plus, it’s amped-up with super seed hemp, way easy on the digestion, way big on nutrition. check it!

“CHEEZAY” HEMP NACHO SAUCE

Yield approximately 1 1/2 cups

1/3 cup water
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice
1 red bell pepper, seeded, rough chopped (approximately 1 cup)
1 cup shelled hemp seeds
2 1/2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
1 tablespoon chili powder*
2 teaspoons tamari, wheat-free
1/2 teaspoon Himalayan crystal salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon turmeric powder

Pop all of the ingredients in your blender until real smooth and creamy.
We think this can be stored in the refrigerator for about 4-5 days. Coz lemon’ll keep it fresh for you.

Serriously good and chock-full of protein and gorgeous essential fats for fierce skin and hair! Double yum.
If you were to eat half the dip, (which we do, everytime we make it, without fail!) you’d get all the protein you need for the entire day kiddies. No jokes!

If you like it extra spicy, you can always whack up the hottness by adding more spices.

What’s a dip without it’s counterparts?
The Dippsters.
Pretty much our most favourite raw crackers right now have got to be Sour “Cream” and Onion chips or Beetroot Biscuits and make a standard combination with nacho dip.
Nicest while hittin’ the sofa for a movie night in, when your in the mood to muster something up for your blockbuster.
Or if your feeling extra adventerous, a big plate of your favourite veggies is a winner everytime.

Hook yourself up with some raw nacho shenanigans won’t you please.

Viva Pure

Chia Appreciation 101

vivapure — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:44:09 +0000

Chances are if I say the word “chia” to you, it conjures up this image:

Amazingly, it turns out that this same little seed that gave us not only the Chia Pet, but also the Chia Mr. T . Chia – I know, quite a miracle seed! – is also a serious nutritional powerhouse, and the comeback kid of superfoods!,which is always useful.

But why eat something that you can grow into a decorative piece of greenery? Here’s a few reasons you may want to consider:

1. Chia is a complete protein, containing all the essential amino acids (including the famous omega-3 and omega-6) that our body needs to survive but can’t produce itself. There are very few plant foods that fall into this category, so it’s a fantastic food for vegans or anyone looking to decrease their meat and dairy intake – or just anyone looking for low-cal, high-energy protein source. Chia has been reported to contain twice as much protein as any other seed or grain.

2. It has more iron than spinach! Again, great for those who don’t go to red meat for iron.

3. Chia is really high in those good old antioxidants, which we know help fight free radicals and keep our lovely cells stable and cancer-free. It is reported to have three times more antioxidants than blueberries! Further, all those antioxidants help keep chia really stable at room temperature, and can be stored in the cupboard for years without going rancid (unlike flax and many other seeds and nuts).

4. It contains way more calcium than milk (and none of the dubious hormones found in conventional dairy). Don’t get me started on the dairy = calcium myth! Let’s suffice it to say, it’s a big industry with a powerful lobby and a long, strong history. Getting calcium from chia is a much better choice for many reasons. For starters, it also contains the trace mineral boron that helps our bones absorb calcium.

5. Chia has more potassium than bananas. Mix these two together in a smoothie and you’ll be cramp-invincible!

6. It slows the release of sugars into the bloodstream, helping to prevent energy spikes. Great for diabetics or anyone, really. Add some chia into your sweet foods or drinks, and the chia creates a barrier between the carbs and the enzymes that digest them. It also means your carbohydrate energy becomes longer lasting, so you feel stronger for longer.

7. As above, because chia slows the release of carbs, it seems to be a great exercise food. If I eat chia and go running or practice yoga later that day my endurance and strength seem to be increased. Perhaps this is also due to chia’s water absorption capacity, which keeps the body hydrated and full of electrolytes during exercise. In Mayan tradition, chia was eaten by runners carrying messages over far distances – they always had a little pouch of this “running food” with them.

8. Chia is great at cleaning out your intestinal tract. It acts like a little broom, sweeping into those out-of-the-way corners and removing accumulated waste (yuck, I know, but so much better to get it out of there!).

Chia is one of my favorite superfoods because it is not only packed with nutrition and a source of endless energy, but it is also incredibly versatile in terms of culinary creativity.
Here’s what the little salvia hispanica seeds look like when dry:

And here’s what they look like when soaked in water:

They go all gell-y when soaked and can absorb up to 10 times their volume in water (or juice, or any other liquid). Chia doesn’t have much flavor of its own but has a kind of tapioca-like texture, which makes it great to use in recipes. I especially like to create all kinds of puddings using chia as the base, or add the gell to smoothies or juices for some extra slow-release energy.

Not-Tella Chia Pudding

Chia seeds are soaked in a luscious blend of raw cacao, hazelnut milk, coconut and vanilla.
Such an easy way to get in your superfoods!

Ingredients (serves 4)
- 1/2 cup to 1 cup chia seeds, depending on how thick you like your puddings
- ½ cup Raw Cacao powder
- 3 T + ½ cup agave nectar
- 1 cup raw hazelnuts
- 1 ½ t pure vanilla extract
- 2 T raw organic coconut oil
- Himalayan Crystal Salt

Directions
- Blend the hazelnuts with 3 cups water and 3 T agave. Strain the liquid through a nut milk bag or cheesecloth to remove the fiber. Mix 2 cups of hazelnut milk with the chia seeds. Let stand, stirring occasionally.

- Blend the remaining 1 cup of hazelnut milk with the cacao powder, agave nectar, vanilla extract and coconut oil, along with a dash of sea salt. Mix in the soaked chia seeds, and refrigerate.

The pudding will keep well for a week in a sealed container.

For more sweet chia inspiration check out Angela Stokes-Monarch’s comprehensive piece on the history, nutrition and culinary uses this amazing superfood on the G Living blog

Chia can also be added to savory recipes. This has become one of our favourites, and has inspired us to being adding chia to all of my favorite salad dressing recipes to thicken them without adding more oil.
The following recipe would be lovely over a big green salad, sweet potatoes, or any salad really.

Sweet Sunny Chia Coriander Dressing

2 Tbsp chia seeds

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

3 Tbsp tahini

2 Tbsp honey

1 1/2 Tsp himalayan salt

1/4 cup (packed) coriander/cilantro leaves

1 cup water

Place everything into the blender and blend away. Mmmmmm. This would also be lovely over sweet potatoes, or any salad really.

Chia are really one of most versatile, remarkable and nutritious foods I’ve ever come across. I eat the slippery seeds nearly every day, and I suggest you give them a try. And if by some off chance they don’t do it for you, you can always use them to do this:

If your ready to join the Chia revolution, you can get your Chia Seeds online with us at vivapure.co.uk

The V- Team.

Shake Your Maca-licious

vivapure — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 02:51:17 +0000

If you’re looking for a supercharged pick-me up, this is it! Bananas provide a wealth of vitamins and minerals, while almond butter provides sustenance and healthy fats, and cacao and maca add a punch of flavor and nutrition. For those who find maca on its own harder to swallow, the flavors and natural sweetness of this smoothie combine really well so you won’t even notice.

You can purchase most of the ingredients from our online shop, so we’ve made it easy for you and linked them directly to the source!!

Enjoy this one, anytime you need boost, or simply when your in the mood for some Maca magic!

Ingredients
- 1 banana
- 2 T Raw Almond Butter
- 1 medjool date
- 1 T Agave Nectar
- 1 T Cacao Powder
- 1 T Maca Powder
- 1/4 Vanilla bean, whole or scraped insides ( or Vanilla Extract)
- 1 cup water, more or less to taste

Blend everything up, and experience true raw energy!

The VP blog has dropped.

vivapure — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 14:40:38 +0000

On a mission to help our hipster UK community eat insanely good and crazy healthy with pure products to feed your face + your body, the way nature intended.

If you’ve stumbled across our blog and don’t know what we’re on about.
Please allow us to introduce ourselves..

Viva Pure is our Online presense that distinguishes itself by only offering products that are nutritionally and scientifically sound.
By that we mean, Raw veganized goodies, high-level nutrition and ingredients to hook your diets and lifestyles up with mad health and energy and lots o- hotness!

We have been getting our busy on daily to create a space for you explore only the best in super health and wellness alternatives.

Super pure, super raw, super bomb!

If your ready to harness the healthster glow within you can access our selection of nourishing edibles straight from us online anytime, over at: http://www.vivapure.co.uk

We’d be beyond delighted for you to hang out in our new space, and let us know what you think? Feel free to comment below or email us through the site

please don’t be shy in letting us know what ideas/products etc..you’d like to see available from us in the near future, coz’ basically we love a request!!

We look forward to conneting and sharing with you here and through our website and products

From all of the crew here at Viva Pure.

Now you’ll have to excuse us while we dive head first into the stocks of Eats, Super Eats and Treats we have to check and inspect while we have our chocolate face on! awww yes.

Peace Out Health Hotties