Category Archives: Recipe

Electrolytes

Extended fasting drops insulin levels dramatically (good!), which can cause the body to tell the kidneys to expel excess water. Sometimes–especially for those new to fasting–a lot of sodium, potassium, magnesium, etc., is also expelled in the urine. This can lead to a yucky or tired feeling that makes fasting more difficult.

Thankfully, we have some easy, inexpensive, and tasty ways to add back lost electrolytes that won’t break a fast:

  • Pickle juice (diluted in water if necessary)
  • Apple cider vinegar (I suggest one Tablespoon diluted in two cups of cool water; this is surprisingly delicious and refreshing!)
  • Cucumber-infused water (cucumbers are naturally high in electrolytes)
  • Carbonated spring water (contains electrolytes that purified/distilled water does not; plus, the carbonation is a nice change and can be subjectively more filling)

Ryan’s Sorghum Sweet Potato Pie

Over the course of about three years I perfected this pie. To my taste, it’s not too sweet, nor is any flavor overpowering. The sorghum gives it an earthy sweetness, the ginger some mild bite, and the bourbon vanilla extract plays a subtle yet important supporting role for the star, the sweet potatoes.

Poor pic of a great pie

Oddly, no other sweet potato pie recipe I’ve found calls for salt. It was the last thing I added to the recipe, and it absolutely ties all the flavors together perfectly. The ginger goes great with the graham cracker crust. When making fresh whipped cream, throw in some of that bourbon vanilla extract.

  • 2-3 sweet potatoes (1.25-1.5 lbs raw)
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sorghum (not molasses)
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (preferably homemade with bourbon)*
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 9″ graham cracker pie crust

Bake sweet potatoes at 425* for one hour. Turn off heat and let sweet potatoes remain in oven for 40-50 minutes until tender. Preheat oven to 350*. Remove sweet potato skins and place in large mixing bowl. Add butter and mix. Add sorghum, brown sugar, cream, eggs, bourbon vanilla extract, spices and salt. Mix until smooth. Pour filling into pie crust and bake at 350* for one hour. Let cool and fall. Serve warm with fresh whipped cream.

*If you don’t have bourbon vanilla extract, add 1/4 tsp bourbon with 3/4 tsp regular vanilla extract