For some reason, I haven’t been able to find any jicama locally. It isn’t a common sight in Spain so it has been a really long time since I have been able to enjoy it. This past weekend, I saw some at the supermarket in Lafayette and just had to buy one. I didn’t really know what to do with it but yesterday I was so hungry and wanted something filling but light and it had to be raw. I also remembered all the dandelion flowers I have been pickling this spring and wanted to use some of those.
I just sort of threw this together but it would be a wonderful substitute for guacamole for any kind of Mexican meal. Lower in fat, higher in fiber, and certainly cheaper! A win-win situation!
Jicama Avocado Dandelion Salad
1 small or half large jicama 1 avocado 2 tbsp pickled dandelion flowers 1 tsp aji amarillo powder or other mild chili powder
Pinch kalahari salt or sea salt
Finely dice or shred jicama and place into a bowl. Then add all other ingredients and mix thoroughly until avocado is mashed into everything. Serve immediately.
…superfoods, that is!
I wouldn’t say that I am one of those people obsessed with superfoods, making elixirs that end up costing something outrageous like 20 dollars per blenderful. But on the other hand, I do think that they have their place in a conscious diet.
Ideally, it would be amazing to get all of our nutrients and trace minerals from the produce that we eat, but we have to be realistic about the fact that our soil is seriously depleted of these necessary trace elements (yes, even in organic food!)
Another objection that people generally have to superfoods, and one that I understand and struggle with myself is the whole local foods being ideal vs. superfoods being sourced from across the globe. Again, I think it is always best to balance idealism with a balance of pragmatism. Absolutely, each geographic area on this planet has it’s own indigenous superfoods and it is not explicitly necessary to eat suma from Brazil, ashwaganda from India, goji berries from China, mesquite from Arizona and chaga from Russia if a person lives in Western Europe, for example. Living in Spain, there is an ABUNDANCE of wild edibles and herbals, which to me should be considered superfoods. My husband and I routinely collect nettles, purslane, chicory, rosemary, lavender, pine pollen and more, depending on the season of course!
On the flip side of that, we DO live in a global society, however much we may dislike that fact. That does have it’s advantages. I absolutely adore the flavors of Thai food, and some of those ingredients are simply not local to me. Does that mean that I shouldn’t enjoy it? Of course not! I think the same is true for superfoods, when they are sourced as ethically and sustainably as possible. I truly believe that the world IS facing some massive structural changes, and that we will in our lifetimes undergo radical changes to our lifestyle, necessarily resulting in a return to more local economies. But for the moment, I think that we have been given a special gift in that we are able to pick and choose the most nutrient-dense and delicious foods from all over the globe.
Anyway, my point in all of this (after much rambling!) is simply that recently, I have had an intense craving for the very first superfoods that I was introduced to years ago, but which have fallen into disuse in my kitchen- goji berries and maca. Maybe it has something to do with my body craving specific nutrients, or maybe not, but all I know is that I HAD to have them!
So, I whipped a few things up! These are what I am calling
Local vs. Global Superfood Truffle Balls
These balls are not especially sweet, so if you have a massive sweet tooth or are accustomed to sugary foods, then I would suggest adding in 2 tbsp. local honey or agave syrup.
- 1 cup walnuts and 1 c hazelnuts ( or 2 cups whatever nuts are local to you- these are local to me)
- 1 cup dried figs (or another dried fruit that is local to you)
- 1/2 cup goji berries
- 2 tbsp. carob powder (carob happens to be grown in Spain- if mesquite is more local to you, use that!)
- 2 tbsp. cacao powder
- 2 tbsp. maca powder
- 1 tsp. crystal manna powder
- pinch salt
- 1/3 cup cacao butter, melted
- 1/4 cup xylitol, for rolling balls in
Process nuts and dried fruit, then add everything else minus the cacao butter to the food processor and process again until fully incorporated. It will still be quite crumbly. Add cacao butter and process once more. Roll into balls with your hands, and then roll in xylitol to finish.
Ingredients assembled:
Look at those gorgeous figs from the Alpujarran mountains:
Finished product:
Another recipe I made with the maca is my
Super Curry Macamole
- 1 large ripe avocado
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 tbsp. bee pollen
- 1/4 tsp. crystal manna
- 1/2-1 tbsp. maca powder
- 1/2-1 tbsp. curry powder
Mush everything together in a bowl and enjoy!
I loved this on some red pepper flax crackers I made:
That is it for now! I have to go pack for this weekend, as I am going on a retreat for the end of my Kundalini Yoga teacher training. We are going to be learning about Ayurvedic cooking among other things, so hopefully I will be able to come back with some new inspiration on Monday! I made the truffles to take along, so hopefully they will be well received 🙂
Thanks for reading!
xx