Whole302010 – SUPERfood SPOTLIGHT
Why we like it
Excellent source of easily digestible, gluten-free vegetarian protein – contains all 9 essential amino acids that make up a complete protein
Full of good omega fatty acids and has high amounts of natural phytosterols which help to reduce cholesterol levels and improve cardiovascular health
Packed with important nutrients like magnesium, fiber, folate, iron and phosphorus in addition to its high antioxidant content
Very versatile food as it can be consumed as a spread, in the form of seeds, oil, non-dairy milk alternative or as protein powder and all of equal nutritional value!
5 ways to use it
- Sprinkle hemp hearts on yogurt, applesauce, salads or in smoothies
- Mix hemp beverage with ½ cup tea for a tasty after dinner hot “latte” beverage
- Bump up the nutrition using hemp protein powder or hemp hearts in pancakes, muffins, cookies or granola
- Add to soups to thicken or as garnish
- Use hemp oil to create a power packed vinaigrette for salad, dipping veggies or as a marinade
- 3/4 cup gluten-free rolled oats (ground into a flour)
- 1 cup water
- 3/4 cup packed pitted Medjool dates
- 1/4 cup chia seeds
- ¼ cup hemp hearts
- 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 scoops PureLean protein powder
- Preheat oven to 325F and line a cake pan with two pieces of parchment paper, one going each way.
- Add rolled oats into a high-speed blender. Blend on highest speed until a fine flour forms. Add oat flour into a large bowl.
- Add water and pitted dates into blender. Allow the dates to soak for 30 minutes if they are a bit firm or your blender has a hard time blending dates smooth. Once they are soft, blend the dates and water until super smooth.
- Add all of the ingredients into the bowl with the oat flour and stir well until combined.
- Scoop the mixture into the pan and spread it out with a spatula as evenly as possible. You can use lightly wet hands to smooth it down if necessary.
- Bake at 325F for about 23-25 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then lift it out and transfer it to a cooling rack for another 5-10 minutes. Slice into 15 squares and enjoy! I suggest freezing leftovers to preserve freshness.
Ok, week 1 of the WHOLE 302010 is well underway – how have you found this week? Any suggestions to your fellow challengers that made it easier for you to follow or introduce Hemp Hearts this week? We want to hear your favourite way to use this superfood!
I love the hemp hearts – on the flaxseed cereal or mixed in applesauce. The hemp milk is an alternative to almond milk, as well, as it gives a bit more protein, but it does have a slightly different taste to it. I want to try the hemp bars, they look delicious.
I use the hemp hearts sprinkled on smoothies and have made the hemp balls which were quite tasty. I am going to try putting some in pancakes.
I’ve been adding hemp hearts to everything..a sprinkle on a salad, throwing in my smoothie and adding to my chia pudding (love, love, LOVE my chia pudding!!!). I’ve got to increase my iron, and apparently hemp hearts have a high level, so perfect for what I need.
I will definitely be trying the Hemp Bars this week (maybe the other ingredients will hide the dates for me:)).
🙂 Tried the Hemp Bar last night, and I like it much better than the Maca balls…that date taste is hidden for me!
I really enjoy reading about all of the ways to use the Super Foods! I can’t wait to make the bars!
For the last week or so I have been putting the hemp hearts in my Quinoa Bowl, Power Oatmeal and Overnight Oats. I just sprinkle them on top. Since my big shop at the Bulk Barn I am trying to find ways to incorporate the different ingredients more often.
I’m wondering what snack ideas everyone has been trying?
Good luck this week!
Hemp hearts are know as a vegan’s steak. The nutrition of protein and fat are identical to a steak! They are the easiest superfood to add to the diet. I like them better than flax as I always fear that too much flax seed (which can happen in healthy eating plans) can be high in estrogen, less strong but similar to soy qualities
for snacks, I’ve been sticking to the chocolate bowl, the vanilla bowl and the chia pudding…oh and the Booster smoothie (although it is my least fave – for some reason I never blend the orange and the spinach enough in this smoothie although I have no problem in other smoothies…)
I really haven’t had time to make any of the ‘batch’ recipes but I should this weekend.
I hadn’t tried hemp hearts before, but since I had some, I just added it to my salad after reading the blog. I seemed to be more full, but I’m not sure if it was because of the hemp hearts or not. Tomorrow I will try it in my chia pudding as someone had suggested.
I like to sprinkle the hemp hearts in my Greek yogurt.
Funny that this is the blog topic this week as I tried Hemp hearts for the first time today. I just finished a delicious applesauce sprinkled with hemp hearts, opened up my email there was the blog! I liked it and will try it again. I too am always trying to increase my iron intake so will try to sprinkle on more things. I hadn’t thought of salad so will do that and I am going to try the chia pudding this week too – thanks for the ideas!! I have to be honest though, I am not yet sold on the hemp protein powder. I have been using it but noticing a different consistency than the whey protein so that has taken some getting used to. I hope you all have a great week!
Hemp protein is not my favourite either. Nothing beats the texture and consistency that whey provides. The goal is the removal of dairy, not sure after the challenge I will convert to hemp protein either!
After seen this blog, I made the hemp bar recipe and I added 1/4 cup of mini chocolate chips to satisfy my chocolate cravings. ( “Enjoy Life Brand Chocolate Chips” is a non dairy option)
I quite enjoyed my bars with a small glass of almond milk. While I am fine with eating hemp hearts, I cannot get past the taste of hemp milk and protein.
I have had the applesauce with hemp hearts almost on a daily basis because I love the nutty texture of the hemp hearts. I just read the hemp bar recipe and will definately be making them – can’t wait!
I’ve been putting hemp hearts in my salads and smoothies. I have also been a little sneaky, and have been adding it into my girls oatmeals and snacks. They haven’t noticed it and I feel better knowing that they are getting this super food in them, esp on the days where they are being picky with their meals
awesome idea, it tastes good in apple sauce too!
I tried hemp hearts today for the first time. I’m a fan! They have a nice, nutty flavour. I was happy snacking on them straight from the bag with a side of fruit. Later in the day I tried them in applesauce. It was great. I recently purchased Holy Crap cereal, it looks like hemp is one of the key ingredients.
When I tried the hemp hearts for first time, I really like them!!!! now I’ been using them in everything!!!! I can not wait to try the bars!!!!. However I didn’t like the hemp heart powder maybe is the color green of the powder and the taste is different…..
Been focusing on maca powder, but after reading all these blogs, I’m definitely going to try the hemp hearts in more recipes!!
I haven’t tried hemp hearts yet but now that I know where to add them in, I will be trying them over the weekend; I might even try the bar recipe even if I’m not a fan of dates.
Also, since I am iron deficient for 3 years now, I will try anything to boost it up naturally (on top of the 300 mg capsules per day).
Question for Patsy or Muriel…can you please provide a quantity guideline of how much maca root powder and hemp we should intake on any given day.
Have a good weekend.
I have been using hemp hearts almost daily for several years. I always put them in my smoothies along with chia.