In celebration of black history month, I’ve been sharing weekly recipes created by Black African Women.
This week I’m sharing my own recipe because I’m history in the making. Right now, we’re history in the making right?
These are my “Please heal my joint pain no-bake bars”
I created this recipe while I was in the Culinary Nutrition Expert Program, for the recipe development assignment.
These bars are purposefully made, nutrient-dense support snacks for those who have or are experiencing chronic joint pain or chronic pain.
These bars are personal because I had challenges with chronic joint pain in my left ankle, the same ankle my mother developed chronic joint pain for decades….
which led to the development of osteoarthritis…
which led to surgery that never got to the root cause of her joint pain.
My affinity to learning how we can utilize food for healing our bodies has taught me we as a society have been conditioned to UNDERESTIMATE the self-healing PARTNERSHIP and POWER we have with what we allow our bodies to consume.
Today, I have reversed the daily pain and swelling in my left ankle by addressing my body’s unique root causes, the same way I help those who work with me through Rock Your Unique Nutrition’s Revitalize Your Health Online Nutrition Coaching Membership or those who learn from my 7-Day Gut Healing Meal Plan for Chronic Pain or Joint Pain
Health Benefits of Key Ingredients
Pumpkin Seed, ground: Pumpkin seed is the nutritional powerhouse for all types of arthritis. It contains several nutrients that help to ease joint pain and support bone health. The nutrients that are abundant and most beneficial are Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Copper. These nutrients either help with healthy bone development or help the joints’ cartilage repair or maintenance by helping the body generate collagen.
Dry Nettles: Nettles are a culturally relevant nutrient-dense food for the Kikuyu people of Kenya (the tribe I’m from) and it has a supportive nutrient that’s not abundant in the other ingredients, Silicon. Silicon helps the strength of tissue, bones and supports collagen production
Ground Flaxseed: Omega 3 essential fatty acid is the superpower that Flaxseed offers our bodies. Because it’s so easy to over-consume omega 6 essential fatty acids, inflammation (pain in joints) is promoted. Eating more food that is rich in Omega 3 essential fatty acids helps balance out the Omega 6’s which reduces inflammation and healing the gut which is also essential for healing joints.
Pasture-Raised Ghee: A common problem with chronic joint pain is the deposit or creation of tiny bones in the joints in an effort to compensate for the degrading cartilage and supporting joint structures. This response typically causes more joint pain and generally leads to surgery once it’s progressed. Vitamin K2 that is in Ghee helps the body direct bone-building where it is appropriate.
Fresh Pineapple Juice: This has three nutrients that support joint health and resilience. It contains a punch of vitamin C which is needed to make collagen, a protein that is key in building strong cartilage in joints and healthy gut walls. It also acts together with the mineral manganese as an antioxidant that helps fight free radicals from damaging joints. And, lastly, it has Bromelain which supports reducing inflammation including the joints.
Please heal my joint pain no-bake bars
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins then 5 – 8 hours freezing time
Serves: 18-20
Ingredients
1.5 cup pumpkin seeds, ground
½ cup pineapple juice or orange juice
⅔ cup + 2 tablespoons maple syrup
¼ cup pasture-raised ghee, melted ( alternatively you can use another ¼ of unrefined coconut oil or cocoa butter)
¼ cup unrefined coconut oil, melted
3 ½ cup Coconut flakes
¼ cup dry nettle leaf
½ cup ground flaxseed
2 teaspoon ground turmeric
Chocolate topping
⅓ cup raw cocoa powder
¼ cup coconut oil
¼ cup cocoa butter (or ¼ cup coconut oil)
4 tablespoon maple syrup
Recipe
- Start by blending the pumpkin seeds in a food processor until it turns into fine flour or butter.
- Then, pour the ground pumpkin seeds into a large bowl, pour in fresh-squeezed orange or pineapple juice into the bowl as well as all the other wet ingredients: maple syrup, coconut oil, and ghee. Now mix this into a runny batter.
- Now measure and add in the dry ingredients: coconut flakes, dried nettle leaf, ground flaxseed, and ground turmeric.
- Mix until all dry ingredients are covered with wet ingredients. It should be a sticky mass.
- Line a 10in x 6in pan with parchment paper then pour the mixture in. To spread it evenly, grab a cup with water to dip your fingers (so that the bar mix doesn’t stick to your fingers while pressing and spreading it). Use your fingers to press and spread the mixture evenly.
- Pop the tray in the freezer.
- While the bars are hardening, make the chocolate layer.
- In a pot over medium heat add raw cocoa powder, maple syrup, cocoa butter, and coconut oil into the bowl. Stir ingredients until everything is mixed together into a divine chocolate sauce.
- Take out the tray from the freezer and pour chocolate sauce to top off the bars. Tilt the tray to spread the chocolate sauce so that it covers the whole tray. Return the tray into the freezer for 5 – 8 hours. When hardened, take out from the freezer and cut into 18 -20 squares.
Save the pieces you want for later in the freezer. Enjoy and be well!
If you’re struggling with chronic joint pain or chronic pain and want to learn more about how to properly address the inflammation that’s in your body, head over to my website to read more and get my 7-Day GUT HEALING MEAL PLAN FOR CHRONIC JOINT PAIN OR CHRONIC PAIN.