My Favorite Peruvian Superfoods For the Fall

Peruvian Superfoods. The fall season is upon us and with it, a myriad of amazing and nourishing foods to feed your microbiome, support your immune system, and protect you from disease. My home country is rich in so many incredible superfoods that I can’t live without this time of the year, so I’m happy to share how I use my favorite Peruvian superfoods this fall. 

I live by the principle that food is your medicine and instead of focusing on how harmful processed and refined products and ingredients can be to our health, I put the emphasis on adding superfoods. There are plenty of toxins in today’s world we cannot mitigate or even get away from, but choosing powerful vegetables, fruit, herbs, spices, nuts, and seeds is one of the best ways to fight free radicals, prevent infections, and maintain a healthy balance of bacteria in our gut. 

The fall season brings on colder weather which increases our need for foods that create warmth from within and nourish our bodies with different types of vitamins and minerals that help us fight viruses and bacteria known to thrive at this time of the year. My favorite Peruvian superfoods can be found in my kitchen every day of the year, but these three star ingredients are my go-to’s when sweater weather comes knocking on the door and my body starts asking for comfort food. 

Ginger – Peruvian Superfoods

This amazing spice has been known for its warming and healing properties for thousands of years. The Asian cultures have used it to improve digestion, lower inflammation, and protect against diseases, all while creating interesting and unique ways to add it to their cuisines. 

Ginger is a very powerful superfood that can have an incredible effect on your metabolism and blood sugar levels. With the spicy kick, it can stimulate better digestion and increase absorption of nutrients, and the high level of antioxidants helps fight free radicals and their oxidative damage. 

Our ginger is sourced directly from Peruvian farms and harvested at 14000 feet. The high altitudes allow for higher levels of nutrients, making it one of the highest-quality ginger extracts in the world. 

I love using ginger in a variety of different ways, from the typical steeping it in hot water and making ginger tea to grating it and adding it to desserts, sauces, dressings, and even broths to spice up my vegetable and legume soups. Another thing I like to do with ginger is to make ginger shots. They are the best immune-boosting elixir during this time of the year. 

Ginger Shots

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp ginger juice
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp yacon syrup
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp lemon juice

Directions: 

Mix all ingredients thoroughly and drink as a shot!

Yacon Syrup – Peruvian Superfoods

I love sweet food, but the majority of my favorite fall desserts are made with refined sugars. I decided to swap them out for yacon syrup and satisfy my sweet tooth without affecting my blood sugar levels. 

Made from the Latin American tuber, yacon root, this incredible sweetener is super low on the glycemic index which makes it suitable for everyone, including diabetics. It won’t affect your blood sugar levels and it will add a variety of healthy nutrients to the table, nourishing and feeding your gut. 

Yacon is rich in fiber that acts as a prebiotic and feeds the beneficial bacteria in your gut, helping strengthen your immune system, reduce inflammation, lower cholesterol and triglycerides, and regulate your blood sugar. It’s also rich in vitamins and minerals that support healthy hormone balance, improve your sleep, and protect you from disease. 

Our yacon syrup is harvested at extremely high altitudes and made in the cleanest, purest, and most sustainable way to retain high levels of all important nutrients. 

I love adding yacon syrup to basically anything. From coffee and tea to muffins and even marinades, yacon syrup, and its maple-caramel flavor and consistency pair well with almost every ingredient. You just need to find the best ratio when swapping out your usual sweeteners to get the same results. 

Yacon Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients for the crust:

• 2 cups almond flour
• ½ cup dates (previously soaked in water for 20 minutes)
• ¼ cup yacon syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Ingredients for the filling:

• 2 cups pumpkin puree
• ½ cup yacon syrup
• ⅓ cup coconut milk
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp cloves 
• 1 tsp cardamom
• Pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients for the crust in a food processor and blend you form a sticky dough ball. 
2. Put parchment paper in a pie mold and press the crust dough in the mold. Make sure to get all around the edges. 
3. Put all the ingredients for the filling in a blender and blend until the consistency is smooth. 
4. Pour the filling on top of the crust and place in the fridge to set for about one hour. 
5. Take out and serve!

Cacao – Peruvian Superfoods

A staple I cannot live without any time of the year is cacao. This rich, incredibly powerful Peruvian superfood is one of the highest antioxidant foods in the world and it’s helping you fight free radicals, infections, and inflammation with every spoonful. 

Our Criollo cacao is one of the highest-quality cacao powders in the world, with even higher levels of antioxidants than other species. It’s incredibly powerful in combatting harmful agents and helping your body be better prepared for fighting them off. 

As a chocolate lover, I use cacao in a variety of different ways. From the most common hot chocolate drinks and homemade cacao-hazelnut spread to making decadent chocolate cakes, muffins, and even my own truffles. I also started adding cacao to a variety of vegetable dishes as a way to increase the acidity to pair with healthy fats and I’m loving the results. 

Cacao-Hazelnut Spread

This homemade Nutella is incredibly delicious and works well on pancakes, waffles, or even straight from the jar. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Criollo cacao powder
• ½ cup yacon syrup
• ½ cup roasted hazelnuts
• ⅓ cup coconut oil (less/more as needed)
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until it starts getting smooth.
2. Take a spatula and clean the edges, bringing the rougher pieces back closer to the blade.
3. If you feel like your spread is too dense, add a bit more oil, and if the hazelnuts are oily enough, omit to add extra as it will make it too greasy. 
4. When you’re happy with the consistency, scoop out and enjoy! 

Final Thoughts

Fall weather calls for nourishing, heart-warming foods and there’s nothing better than a hot cup of chocolate, a good pumpkin pie, and my favorite ginger shots to do the trick! I hope you find some inspiration in these recipes and add my favorite Peruvian superfoods to your meals, letting them nourish you from the inside out.