One of my favorite raw companies is Navitas Naturals. I trust them for the high-quality, organic ingredients that I can use in cooking, baking, etc.

Their products are organic and considered superfoods, packed with nutrients.

Some of the awesome products I got to try:

Mesquite: the edible bean-like pods of the spiny trees or shrubs belonging to the genus Prosopis (of western North America), having bipinnate leaves and often forming dense thickets.

Mesquite is of particularly great value to those looking to balance blood sugar levels. Mesquite flour offers a naturally sweet flavor to recipes, but its sugars are derived from fructose (which does not require insulin to digest and is readily metabolized). Additionally, the flour is an excellent form of fiber – meeting almost a quarter of daily needs in just two tablespoons – which not only improves digestion but further benefits sugar metabolism. Mesquite also contains lysine (an amino acid), as well as notable quantities of digestible protein, calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and zinc. As such a balanced food, it is easy to see why our Native American ancestors relied so heavily on mesquite as a staple form of delicious nourishment.

This product reminded me of carob, sweet with smoky flavor. I used it to make protein oatmeal by sprinkling it on top of finished oatmeal. It gave nice touch of sweetness!

Stevia is such a great substitution for sugar. Stevia’s leaves contain glycosides, which taste very sweet to the tongue, but contain no sugar, no calories, and no carbohydrates. Therefore, despite its sweetness, stevia does not have a GI (Glycemic Index) nor does it effect the body’s insulin levels. Stevia has also been shown to aid the pancreas and improve digestion. Excellent for those with diabetes, intolerances to sugar, seeking weight control, or simply avoiding cavities, the stevia herb can be an ideal natural sweetener.

Navitas Naturals offers stevia in its most traditional, natural, and pure form: dried leaves that have been finely ground. In this fashion, indigenous cultures would enjoy stevia as a delicious addition to teas, drinks, and recipes. A powerfully sweet supplement, a little bit of this powder goes a long way. Stevia may also be diluted with water to decrease its intensity, if desired.

You really need very small amount of stevia compared to other sugar alternatives.

I loved Wakame especially on salads. These flakes add nice “salty” taste so I didn’t need dressing or other add-ons. I had baby greens, mache, sliced grapefruits, sunflower seeds, and wakame! perfect salad~

Wakame’s salty taste is not simply “salt” – rather, it is a balanced combination of essential organic minerals including iron, calcium, and magnesium, alongside valuable trace minerals as well. Additionally, wakame well known for its detoxifying antioxidants, Omega 3 fatty acids (in the form of Eicospentaenoic acid), and body-building vegetable proteins. Wakame also provides many vitamins like vitamin C and much of the B spectrum, and serves as an excellent source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. As with all things that live in the sea, marine water quality is imperative to the purity of the wakame. This is why Navitas Naturals sources wakame solely from the pristine waters around Tasmania’s idyllic remote national parks. Hand selected by local divers, calculated steps are also taken to protect and promote the health of the marine ecosystem while harvesting.

Next time, I’m going to try wakame in recipes that call for salt. I will see how that turns out!

Usually, nori sheets are “dried” meaning they’re not raw. But Navitas offer raw nori sheets! “Grown in the clean waters of the Sea of Japan, Navitas Naturals Nori Sheets are pressed and dried at a temperature that does not exceed 85°F. Under constant care and inspection, the nori is rinsed, chopped, pressed, and dried naturally. Navitas Naturals’ nori sheets are hand-selected for top-grade quality and flavor. These nori sheets are sustainably harvested and are certified organic, vegan, and raw.”

Nori is more than tasty reddish-purple algae, but is in fact a low calorie superfood overflowing with bioavailable nutrients. Grown in the certified Sea of Japan, Navitas Naturals Nori contains almost 50% protein – the highest of any seaweed. Saturated with minerals (including ten times more calcium and iron than dairy products, ounce per ounce), and hosting a wide spectrum of bioavailable vitamins, antioxidants, and lignans, nori serves as a nutrient-dense solution the waning mineral levels in land vegetables attributed to poor soil quality.

How did I enjoy this? It was simple! I spread raw hummus then sliced veggies, such as bell pepper, carrot, mache, and baby greens. Rolled it up and ate it like wrap style. I loved the perfect savory! Oh, and I definitely did not forget to sprinkle a lot of cayenne in there ;)

Giveaway: 1 winner will receive 2 nori sheets!

1. Please let me know how you would incorporate nori sheet. What recipe can you come up with?

2. Add me to your blogroll~

3. Please link back to this entry.

4. Twitter about this giveaway.

This giveaway ends on May 27th, 2011.

P.S. I am 22 today. Time really goes by too fast. I still feel 18. Haha, is it just me?