Cinnamon and honey are two key ingredients in the paleo diet. They are both healing foods for the body and can be combined to create sumptuous treats.
Fruit Temptation
This recipe can be made with peaches, pear, mangoes or any other firm fruits.
- 2 large apples peeled and cored (tart apples are best but any apples on hand will do)
- Ingredients:
- 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon liquid honey
- 1 Tablespoon ground almonds
- 1 Tablespoon raisins
- 10 - 15 walnuts or pecans
Method:
Slice apples thinly and sprinkle with the juice of the lemon to prevent browning. Place apples in a shallow baking dish. Separate raisins and sprinkle over apples. Scatter nuts over apples and raisins. Scatter ground almonds over the apple mixture. Sprinkle with cinnamon making sure to spread it evenly. Pour honey over all the ingredients in the dish. Cover and bake 45 minutes to 1 hour until apples are tender. Serve warm for comfort, serve cold for breakfast. When not following the paleo diet this can be used as an ice cream topping.
Benefits of Raisins
They are a snack for children, ingredients in cookie recipe's and an iconic commercial from the mid to late 1980's. What is not as well known about raisins is that they truly are one of the healthy foods!
Raisins are being researched for their phytonutrient value and have been found to be the largest sources of boron in the US. The health benefits of raisins include
- antioxidant protection
- bone health
- eye health
Cinnamon and honey
For a full discussion of the health benefits of honey see my article Eating Honey for Good Health.
Cinnamon has many actions including
- stimulant - for a weak appetite
- anti-microbial - stops the growth of bacteria and fungi
- carminative - eases gas and aids digestion
- anti-spasmodic - prevents cramping
- anti-coagulant - effective against blood clotting
- blood sugar level - assists the body in processing high carbs without blood sugar spikes
Weight loss enthusiasts recommend combining 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon with 1 teaspoon of honey and drinking it warm either in the morning on an empty stomach or 1/2 in the evening and 1/2 in the morning. Weight loss is said to occur in inches. Whether weight loss does occur or not this is a warming comfy drink that will help your digestion for the day.
Benefits of Walnuts
There is a perception that nuts are high fat and therefore not healthy snacks. In fact studies have shown that people that take in 35% of fat from nuts take weight off and keep it off longer. Walnuts have an even bigger role to play in good health.
The healing actions of walnuts include anti-inflammatory, astringent and hypoglycaemic. They are rich in Omega 3 fatty oils and have been found to lower cholesterol levels by up to 20%.
The combination of Cinnamon and honey along with the healing actions of the other ingredients in this dessert make it a healthy choice whether following the paleo diet plan or not.
References: Bartram Thomas FNIMH, Bartram's Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine, Marlowe & Company New York
Joy Borthwick - Joy has been a Chartered Herbalist since 2001 and obtained her Herbal Consulting degree in 2005 from Dominion Herbal College. She has been ...
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