My First Maca....

[morningbell]

.....Smoothie, had one this morning, I feel great. I came off the birth control pill shortly after going raw again and boy have I had a drianing cycle! I'm hoping Maca will help me in this area as we're looking to have a baby. I wonder if being raw while pregnant will prove to be difficult with cravings and such.

SO, does anybody have any good raw maca recomendations/recipes?

[Eva]

It's WONDERFUL with carob, cinnamon, frozen bananas, a touch of salt (optional: ice and/or nut mylk. I like almond the best with this).

Like a malt milkshake with a twist.

[morningbell]

It's WONDERFUL with carob, cinnamon, frozen bananas, a touch of salt (optional: ice and/or nut mylk. I like almond the best with this).

Like a malt milkshake with a twist.

I love all those things and yes it reminds me of a malty taste/smell. Tomorrow I get a carob banana maca "malt" shake

Thanks Eva!

[Eva]

Actually, I'm going to make something like that soon for dessert, while I'm thinking of it. Unfortunately, my blender broke, so I will just smoosh my frozen bananas and make it like ice cream... old school style! :)

Edited to add -- I have read countless positive experiences with maca. I have also read a few that were not normal re: menstrual cycle. I had a weird experience that when I began using it regularly, my period came early (usually it comes at an exact interval). I'm not sure what to make of it. I have also read that both caffeine and theobromine (in cacao) can cause issues with decreasing fertility. I realize there are some super food pushers (for lack of a better word) on the board that will disagree. That's OK. I could be wrong. I only know what I've read and experienced. But the research is out there. So just be aware that not everyone's experience will match what will benefit you or even what is shown in clinical/measured studies to be true. And even those studies often are not perfectly done so could show only part of the truth.

Anyways, I'm actually using more maca now because 1/ I like it and 2/ My husband and I are talking about conceiving in about 6 months or so. I am considering the about the amount of cacao and coffee I've had in my life, and I hope that my fertility has not been negatively affected. I am committed to doing whatever I can to improve it. Actually, I decided today to make the switch to all organic! And I'm off the cacao for good.

[RawKnitster]

I make almond milk yesterday. After reading all you posts I had to make a chocolate malt for lunch.

1 c. almond milk
2 T. cacao
1 scoop AmazingGrass GREEN Superfood (cacao infusion)
2 T. hemp seeds
1 T. agave
2 t. maca
seeds from half a vanilla bean
cinnamon
3 (very small) frozen bananas

YUMMMMMY! Thanks for the great idea!

Eva, maybe someday I'll be where you are and want to give up the cacao, but I'm not there yet. I keep an 8 oz. bag in the cupboard for an occassional choco-fix. Not sure how carob would be. So far, I've only seen raw carob online.

[morningbell]

I make almond milk yesterday. After reading all you posts I had to make a chocolate malt for lunch.

1 c. almond milk
2 T. cacao
1 scoop AmazingGrass GREEN Superfood (cacao infusion)
2 T. hemp seeds
1 T. agave
2 t. maca
seeds from half a vanilla bean
cinnamon
3 (very small) frozen bananas

YUMMMMMY! Thanks for the great idea!

Eva, maybe someday I'll be where you are and want to give up the cacao, but I'm not there yet. I keep an 8 oz. bag in the cupboard for an occassional choco-fix. Not sure how carob would be. So far, I've only seen raw carob online.

OOOH! I have all of that sans cacao/sub carob (I have aloe life daily greens) I'm doing that for breakfast tomorrow, thank you RK!

I'll tell you how it is.

[Eva]

Eva, maybe someday I'll be where you are and want to give up the cacao, but I'm not there yet. I keep an 8 oz. bag in the cupboard for an occassional choco-fix. Not sure how carob would be. So far, I've only seen raw carob online.

Well, either way... it's your choice/life/etc. I bring these things up about cacao mostly because I think it's overpushed and truly CAN be addictive. There are a lot of people out there making a lot of money on cacao who MAY be *ahem* skewing the word on the street for marketing purposes. I just want to be sure that both sides of the cacao coin are visible and people know that it may or may not be all it's cracked up to be. :) Anyhow, my personal experience is skewed because I "have" ADHD and drank a lot of coffee + took a lot of stimulants for many years to normalize. It's similar the way it affects my brain, and I think that it brings me back too many steps.

Anyways, good call on the vanilla. I forgot to mention that, but I like to add it to the recipe I mentioned as well (unless I use almond milk -- I use a ton of vanilla in mine so it's got a rich vanilla taste like the vanilla soy I used to enjoy, except the almond milk is better and healthier!). And I just had a bowl of ice cream without using a blender!!! Yay!

[RawKnitster]

Eva, I read your peice on cacao, as well as the other peice you referred to. Definitely something to consider. I agree on the marketing issue.

More about maca...it adds a nice flavor to raw candy. I've made a cacao candy with coconut, cacao, agave, coconut butter, maca, and sea salt that was excellent. (sorry no quantities, I just tossed it all in the fp without measuring). Would that work with carob? Next time I make my almost caramels I'm going to try adding a teaspoon of maca. I've already posted that recipe on this thread. No cacao in those, that is if you leave off the topping.

Another favorite recipe that I found on a thread here is Ginger's BEST COFFEE EVER. I leave out the lucuma and yacon, and add extra maca.

Maca and cacao seem to compliment each other so well. Anybody have any more recipes with maca that don't have cacao in them?

[morningbell]

Eva, I read your peice on cacao, as well as the other peice you referred to. Definitely something to consider. I agree on the marketing issue.

More about maca...it adds a nice flavor to raw candy. I've made a cacao candy with coconut, cacao, agave, coconut butter, maca, and sea salt that was excellent. (sorry no quantities, I just tossed it all in the fp without measuring). Would that work with carob? Next time I make my almost caramels I'm going to try adding a teaspoon of maca. I've already posted that recipe on this thread. No cacao in those, that is if you leave off the topping.

Another favorite recipe that I found on a thread here is Ginger's BEST COFFEE EVER. I leave out the lucuma and yacon, and add extra maca.

Maca and cacao seem to compliment each other so well. Anybody have any more recipes with maca that don't have cacao in them?

Here we go with that cacao buzz word again (I kid, I kid)

I'm thinking that it may be slightly addictive OR is our body craving it, not sure if thats the case avocados are addictive ;) There are times I give into a dagoba lavender/blueberry dark choc bar but I have expanded my horizons and am enjoying "Superfood Snacks Chocolate Goji Treats" and "ChocAlive Truffels" oh boy are these amazing.

I am looking to make my own candy here soon and just like you will be "eyeballing" the measurments because all good chefs are like this. When I was living on cooked food that is how I'd cook, its in my blood, the Italian way

[morningbell]

It's WONDERFUL with carob, cinnamon, frozen bananas, a touch of salt (optional: ice and/or nut mylk. I like almond the best with this).

Like a malt milkshake with a twist.

I'd just like to thank you again for this recipe as I have been indulging in this milkshake like smoothie ever since
YUM!

[MaineMomof4]

Actually, I'm going to make something like that soon for dessert, while I'm thinking of it. Unfortunately, my blender broke, so I will just smoosh my frozen bananas and make it like ice cream... old school style! :)

Edited to add -- I have read countless positive experiences with maca. I have also read a few that were not normal re: menstrual cycle. I had a weird experience that when I began using it regularly, my period came early (usually it comes at an exact interval). I'm not sure what to make of it. I have also read that both caffeine and theobromine (in cacao) can cause issues with decreasing fertility. I realize there are some super food pushers (for lack of a better word) on the board that will disagree. That's OK. I could be wrong. I only know what I've read and experienced. But the research is out there. So just be aware that not everyone's experience will match what will benefit you or even what is shown in clinical/measured studies to be true. And even those studies often are not perfectly done so could show only part of the truth.

Anyways, I'm actually using more maca now because 1/ I like it and 2/ My husband and I are talking about conceiving in about 6 months or so. I am considering the about the amount of cacao and coffee I've had in my life, and I hope that my fertility has not been negatively affected. I am committed to doing whatever I can to improve it. Actually, I decided today to make the switch to all organic! And I'm off the cacao for good.

I was listening to something yesterday and it was an interview that David Wolfe had done and he said that he has been studying Cacao more and that the nibs and powder have either none or VERY VERY little caffeine if any at all and that any caffeine found in cacao is in the peel or the outside bean itself not the nib or the powder. I'm going to keep eating and drinking as much cacao as I please and not be worried about it and I'm going to keep giving it to my kids as well since it is so high in antioxidants. Coffee on the other hand I'm sure it ot good for you and I'm trying to find other things to drink that will curb my recent coffee/late cravings.

I've never tried maca but I'm planning to order some and see how it goes. I've heard the flavor can be unpleasant but I'm hoping if I mix it like the above posts that it wont be overpowering or that noticeable.

Good luck with conceiving!! :)

[luna99]

I just want to join in this thread because I want to say I LOVE MACA!! Seriously, it's like I can't get enough of the stuff.. I love the taste of it and add it into my morning smoothie ....

today I had 1 coconut (water and flesh), about 7 large strawberries, 2 teaspoons of agave syrup, a handful of almonds, and 1 tablespoon of maca in a shake and WOOOOAAAH MAN... YUM! The maca really gives it that malt flavor and I just love it.

I dunno if I have felt any changes in it, I just know that it really works well with my tastebuds. I also hope it helps with fertility/getting pregnant because in the next few months dh and I will be tryin' for a little one....

all hail maca!

I think I will change my name to "maca mama".

[luna99]

I've never tried maca but I'm planning to order some and see how it goes. I've heard the flavor can be unpleasant but I'm hoping if I mix it like the above posts that it wont be overpowering or that noticeable.

when I first tried maca I DID NOT like the taste of it... I thought it was weird and had to blend it in with other stuff to mask the taste.. now it's so yummy to me. good luck!

[MaineMomof4]

when I first tried maca I DID NOT like the taste of it... I thought it was weird and had to blend it in with other stuff to mask the taste.. now it's so yummy to me. good luck!

I'll keep that in mind Luna that I may not like it at first but may begin to like it after awhile. It's funny you should say that because when I first tried Cacao I actually didn't care for the taste and now I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! I think sometimes if you don't have any experience using a certain product than it can take some time to see how mixing it with different items appeals to you or doesn't until you find a way to add it to things so you'll love it.

Good luck to you as well with conceiving, kids are such a blessing and so much fun!!

[czpinky]

hi all. do any of you think that maca could help with amenorhea? i've read that it helps to regularize hormone levels and what not, but i have yet to find out if it would help anovulation. thanks!