“Lively Up Yourself”….and your morning coffee, with healing herbs, spices, and extracts- The GAIA Health Blog

“Lively Up Yourself”….and your morning coffee, with healing herbs, spices, and extracts

On 04.12.13 • In Chef's Cookbook, Eat Smart, Featured Articles • by Doug Wallace

I'm not a super big coffee drinker, on most days at work I drink my Maca Coffee, which is much better than java to me.

I do still love regular coffee on some days however, especially on those "lazy Sundays" where the world slows down, and I actually have an hour or two to live in the moment. Something about that aroma.

Whatever my breakfast drink of choice is for a given day, I find that adding my favorite herbs, spices, and liquid extracts to that cup of "hot stuff", it gives me an amazing "vibration", a very smooth energy burst, a pleasantly eerie and very subtle great feeling.

My Maca Coffee Recipe, made with ground roast maca powder and Tazo Apple Tea, already factors in the added potency of my spices so it is never too strong, always "super smooth".

However, on the days I drink coffee, I like to "water down" the coffee a little, since the spices and extracts will add more kick to the coffee flavor, I like to keep it smooth and in that mellow zone.

Although it may seem like a lot of work and drama, it's actually the opposite, in that I premix all my dry ingredients into one spice shaker, and simply shake it into my morning drink. Here are my ingredients:

Dry Ingredients

Raw Cacao Powder (this is about half of my mix)

Ceylon Cinnamon (about 1/4 of my formula) Ceylon Cinnamon is light brown in color and a smoother more mellow taste that the common rust colored Cassia Cinnamon. Ceylon is the true cinnamon whose essential oils have the authentic health and healing properties.

Powdered Organic Turmeric,
Powdered Organic Ginger,
Powdered Organic Nutmeg
(One is not limited to these spices of course, but I like the taste of these together, and I like the health and healing profiles of these spices, EXPERIMENT!!!!)

Wet Ingredients

A few drops of Simply Organic Vanilla Extract, Simply Organic Almond Extract. Simply Organic has other extracts like Lemon, Orange, I like to experiment

Coconut Milk (If you can find a Non-BPA can with no added ingredients like Guar Gum, which I'm opposed to)

Organic Wild Raw Honey is my sweetener of choice these days. Read here about fake honey

I find my breakfast coffee to be somewhat addictive. But in all that I have learned about health and wellness, I now know that this is merely these healing spices and extract speaking to my body chemistry.

The aroma and taste sending are signals to the brain that I made a good choice to "Lively Up Myself" on this unique and special morning.

~stay healthy~

Yawl know how I sling it on my blog by now, any excuse to post one of my favorite songs.

This is "Lively Up Yourself", by the one and only Bob Marley, the cut that came to my head when I was writing this article.

Take a listen if you want, otherwise, thanks for stopping by

check out all my articles in "Eat Smart", the science of food (click here or on the photo below)

Doug Wallace

2 Responses

Hanna

12.12.16

Hi Doug,
I know this was written ages ago, but hopefully you still will see this and answer me. I’ve been going through practically every blog post you have on here the past few days. I’ve been a reader of your blog for a while now, but never really had the time before to read through all your old posts.

Fascinating blog you have here, and I’ve learned so much from you. So, 1st I want to finally thank you for this gift.

2nd I have a question about the Native Forest coconut milk you recommend here. I’ve been looking for 100% clean coconut milk, but this one like all the others I found includes Guar Gum. I know you’re also nit picky about ingredients, so does that not concern you? Should we not worry about Guar Gum? Would really love to hear your thoughts on this.

The only one I found with just Coconut Milk in the ingredient list is a trader joes’s brand. But their can doesn’t mention being BPA free, so not sure if it is or not.
Thanks again

Doug Wallace

12.12.16

Hi Hanna,

Thanks for the great comments about my blog. That kind of compliment comes in every couple of months, and it’s always a thrill.

I didn’t know about that Guar Gum in Native Forest, I’m guilty of not reading the labels. A quick research tells me I shouldn’t be taking it in. Same Example as when I bought Sambazon Acai for my smoothies and the front of the package said “Pure Acai” but reading the label said “Soy Lechtin”. Why do they do this to us? That’s why I put so much passing into wellness writing.

Nonetheless, I’m removing Native Forest from my site as a BPA free Can recommendation, I might replace it with Trader Joes after I do my research.

Fortunately, I haven’t used Coconut Milk in the last couple of years, I only truly freak out if it’s something I’ve been taking daily for years, that contains bad ingredients.

I don’t dril coffee much anymore, I drink Green Tea and Roobios Tea, and all I have to add is Coconut Water to sweeten it a little

~stay healthy~

Doug at Gaia Health Blog

Leave Your Response

“Body”, (Part 47)
a.k.a. “TIME (Part 2)”
(…another “Fit after 40” Slideshow)

____hidden separator space__

Corona Virus, What I’ve Learned
(…advice for Family and Friends, because this {expletive} got Real Serious, Real Quick!!!)

____hidden separator space__

Pinterest shuts down my Pinterest Page because of my Kolin Kaepernick article

____hidden separator space__

“Dressed to Grill”
…Sophisticated Skewers (Part 11)

____hidden separator space__

Cilantro-Lime Chicken Wings

____hidden separator space__

Black Owned “Foot Print Farms” in Mississippi Gets Meals to Children During the COVID-19 Crisis

____hidden separator space__

Jamaican Jerk Skewers

____hidden separator space__

Ms. Rashidat Owe, Vegan, talks Detox, Fitness and how Yoga saved her life from Drug Abuse

____hidden separator space__

Grapefruit, Fennel, and Avocado Salad

____hidden separator space__

“It’s a Beautiful Day”
(…for Ziggy Marley’s Pancakes)

____hidden separator space__

Shrimp Kabobs with
Pistachio-Tarragon Pesto

____hidden separator space__

Michael B. Jordan Reveals his Body Transformation Secrets for “Creed” and “Black Panther”

____hidden separator space__

Cheesy Avocado Toast

____hidden separator space__

“Music is the Best Medicine”
“Kiss From a Rose” – Seal
(….my Cover Version)

____hidden separator space__

Healthy Herb Fries

____hidden separator space__

Girl Talk:
Beauty Secrets from Africa
(Part 3)

____hidden separator space__

Orange and Avocado Salad

____hidden separator space__

Cool Fitness Gear!!!
(Part 4)

____hidden separator space__

Fifteen Creative Five Ingredient Smoothies

____hidden separator space__

Fifty+, Fit and Fabulous!!!
Angelique Miles, Age 53 !!!
Wellness “Influencer”

____hidden separator space__

Pan Fried Cod in a Citrus Basil Butter Sauce

____hidden separator space__

African American Men are at High Risk of ‘False Positives’ in Prostate Cancer Screening

____hidden separator space__

Sheet Pan Roasted Spring Veggies with Eggs

____hidden separator space__

Planning the Perfect “Picnic Date” at an Esparanza Spalding Concert

____hidden separator space__

Chocolate Espresso Waffles

____hidden separator space__

“Sustainable Lenny” !!!
(…a sneak peek inside Lenny Kravitz’s Farm and Ranch)

____hidden separator space__

Chicken Souvlaki Bowls
with Garlic Fries

____hidden separator space__

Beauty products marketed to Black Women more likely to contain toxic chemicals (…says a recent study)

____hidden separator space__

Coconut Lime Chicken

____hidden separator space__

One Woman’s Journey into Fighting Acne With Essential Oils

____hidden separator space__

Lemon Chicken with Asparagus and Potatoes

____hidden separator space__

Black Sesame Seeds help fight Prostate Cancer (…easy to add to daily Smoothies!!)

____hidden separator space__

Eggs Fried in Bell Peppers

____hidden separator space__

Ballerina Misty Copeland’s
Five Ways She Eats, Trains and Lives Healthy

____hidden separator space__

Mediterranean Chopped Salad with Lemon Garlic Shrimp

____hidden separator space__

Men’s Natural Body Care
(…becoming an all-natural, GQ “Smooth Operator”)

____hidden separator space__

Farmer’s Market Salad

____hidden separator space__

Girl Talk: Natural Contraceptive Methods

____hidden separator space__

My Top 30 Superfood
“Power Rankings”
(….numbers 1 thru 10)

____hidden separator space__

Rainbow Veggie Skewers

____hidden separator space__

“Loves Times Love”
(..a Bright Brooklyn Wedding Affair)

____hidden separator space__

Turmeric Fruit Salad

____hidden separator space__

Putting Monsanto in Your Vagina?
…Many Tampons Contaminated with Toxic Glyphosate Herbicide

____hidden separator space__

Mango Chicken

____hidden separator space__

The Prostate Cancer Fighting “Fantastic Four” : Broccoli, Turmeric, Green Tea, Pomegranate

____hidden separator space__

Sheet Pan Sweet Potato Hash

____hidden separator space__

Toxin Levels in women drop sharply just 3 days after switching to natural makeup (…a recent study says)

____hidden separator space__

Simple Baked Italian Oregano Meatballs

____hidden separator space__

The “Gangster Gardener”
He plants food gardens on vacant lots all over South Central L.A.

____hidden separator space__

The “Green Goddess” Sandwich

____hidden separator space__

Men’s Health: Nutrients for Male Vitality and Well Being (Part 7)

____hidden separator space__

Chicken, Cucumber and Avocado Salad

____hidden separator space__

“The Wanderlust Food Diaries”
“Grab Your Hat, Here We Go”
…to Bajacu Villa, Turks and Caicos
Menu: another Tropical Lunch

____hidden separator space__

“Hanging” With India Arie
…On St. Lucia Island, Caribbean
Menu: Vegetarian Kabobs

____hidden separator space__

Potato, Pepper, and Egg Skillet

____hidden separator space__

New Study Reveals Importance of Zinc in Prostate Health

____hidden separator space__

Summer Glow
“Buddha Bowl”

____hidden separator space__

Dinner and a Movie:
“Creed”
On the Menu: Healthy Philly Cheesesteak

____hidden separator space__

Almond Banana Pancakes

____hidden separator space__

Health and Safety Tips When Getting a Tattoo

____hidden separator space__

Moroccan Chicken Skewers

____hidden separator space__

See all articles in “The Healthy Chef’s Cookbook”
(The Art of Food)

____hidden separator space__

See all articles in “Eat Smart”
(The Science of Food)

____hidden separator space__

The GAIA Health Blog
Ranked in Top 100 Health Blogs!!!

…and top 100 Natural Food Blogs for 2018

____hidden separator space__

(BELOW) Links to my favorite sites who are ”Raging Against the Machine”
(and also some fun cooking blogs)

One Bold Soul: Artist and Writer

(…”Healthy but Smart” is one of the best websites I’ve found, if you want to find unbiased, informative, and understandable research and info on superfoods and so forth, to aid in taking your health back!!)

____hidden separator space__

(same name, different blog, no need to fight about it)

Real Food Freaks

Kim’s “Nutritionally Well”

THE PAST ON A PLATE
Special ‘shout out’ to this food blogger. Totally different style than me, but my favorite food blog in creativity. She inspired me to start my ‘Dinner and a Movie’ and “Wanderlust Food Diaries’ articles.

The GAIA Health Blog