in this RecipEmail:

  • a note from Andrea
  • get your goji on for the holiday with these Oh-Gee Goji Nakayummies
  • goji: the most nutritionally rich food on the planet?

They’re so good for you!


I have to admit that I’d never been a fan of goji berries.
My son doesn’t fancy them either.
But really, they’re so good for you! They’re protein and antioxidant-rich, hormone balancing, powerful chewy little nuggets that promote health and longevity. So over the years I’ve gotten pretty crafty about sneaking that goji goodness into myriad recipes.
One of my favorite goji berries recipes is my Oh-Gee Goji Berry Nakayummy. They’re just perfect for Easter.
I wanted to get this recipe into your hands for the holiday weekend. This week I’ll be sending you my all-time favorite goji laden smoothie recipe that the kid in your kitchen or in your heart is going to gobble up with goji giddiness.
And don’t be shy about giving a handful of gojis a go. While I’m not a fan of the flavor, most people just lover them. Use them like you would raisins in GORP, cookies or bars. Sprinkle them on your morning bowl of oats or grain-free seed porridge, you can even throw them in a pot of broth as I suggested last month! Think matzoh ball soup with a little nutritional boost.
Happy Passover and Easter to you!
Warmly,

Oh-Gee Goji Nakayummies

What’s a Nakayummy? It’s a sweet little confection of course!
But you don’t need to be limited to the chocolate variety.
The goji flavor profile in the Oh-Gee Goji Nakayummy is perfect for either Passover or Easter. The bright dried berries create a lovely marbled affect, just like a dyed Easter Egg.
When making Nakayummies, remember you can pour the mixture into any shaped mold you like. I have finally found little egg shaped molds to add to my collection of cubes, hearts, stars and an array of funny forms including mummies for Halloween (we love our Naka-mummies). Really, anything works, a small glass dish from which you cut the candy like fudge, rolling the semi-hardened mixture into a log and then cutting off disks as you want more, etc.
Be creative and enjoy a little healthy nugget of goji goodness.
ingredients:
1/2 cup goji berries, ground to a paste in a coffee or spice grinder
1/2 cup gently melted cacao butter
(use a double boiler or glass inside of a pan of boiled water)
1/2 cup gently softened coconut butter
1/3 to scant 1/2 cup raw honey
zest of two oranges (blood oranges work great)
preparation:

  1. Thoroughly mix all ingredients together until blended.
  2. Spoon mixture into flexible ice cube trays or candy molds (see note above). The mixture might separate a bit–the oil from the sweet goji paste. Don’t worry. This is what creates the lovely marbled effect. Just be sure to get some of each portion into each mold.
  3. Once the molds or tray are filled, put the container in the freezer for a couple of hours. You can eat the candies right from the freezer or store them in the fridge after they’ve hardened.

Oh gee goji. . . pretty AND yummy. Enjoy!

Goji: Why the Craze?

The goji berry, also called the wolfberry, is one of the most nutritionally rich foods on the planet!

  • Gojis can grow in remarkably diverse conditions—from the tropics to the deserts. When I think about the energetics of a food, and consider the adaptability of the goji berry, I know that it would be beneficial to be consuming more of these morsels. I want that adaptability in my life!
  • The Chinese, Tibetan, and Mongolians have been growing gojis for over 5,000 years; drying them to raisin-like texture for preservation. This makes gojis a traditional food, not a new-fangled fad.
  • Goji berries have also been grown in America—mostly in the southwest. They were an important food source for several native American tribes.

Nutritional benefits:

  • Goji berries are actually a complete source of protein—including 19 amino acids and all 8 essential amino acids. What this means is that consuming them is a great way to add protein to your daily snacks or morning smoothies.
  • Goji berries contain a wide array of trace minerals, including zinc, iron, calcium, & selenium.
  • Goji berries contain 2-4 times the amount of antioxidants found in blueberries! In terms of their antioxidant profile, I always like to say they’re like blueberries on steroids.
  • They also contain more carotenoids than carrots. Don’t be blinded by their carotenoid rich redness.
  • The goji berry has anti-inflammatory properties.
  • Goji berries are a great digestive aid—they draw the digestive juices into the stomach and intestines.

You can easily find goji berries at your health food store or whole food market these days. Look in the bulk section or near the packaged dried fruits or superfoods. If you live in Portland, you can order your gojis monthly from Our Community Pantry.

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