Brazilian Banana Berry Buckwheat Muffins

 

Say that 10 times! I bet you can’t! It may not be worth saying it but, they are worth making!

Now every time I make some version of nut milk, I am inspired to try something new with the leftover pulp (fiber). Just about this time of year, every year there is something that has me craving muffins!

I made a fresh batch of Brazil nut milk the other day, complete with all the same goodies I use in my almond milk recipe. Brazil nuts are truly something special. They are not only the largest of the nuts, but they have such an interesting taste. Did you know that you only need 2 a day to get in your daily dose of selenium ( a major cancer-fighting antioxidant). Whether it is the whole nut or in milk form – you will still get the same benefit (well maybe not exactly but and for the sake of this recipe!)

Even though the milk and the fiber are separate after making nut milk – I put them back together in this recipe. So using this as my base and source of inspiration, I chose buckwheat flour for some reason to combine it with – maybe it had to do with the letter B?

Buckwheat – being gluten free, despite “wheat” in it’s name is loaded with magnesium and flavenoids  and helps to reduce the risk of cholesterol and heart disease. It has an intense and some would call it “bitter” taste. But to me, it is hearty, rustic and satisfying.

So now that I got the base covered – this recipe was starting to seem like my Moist Banana loaf, and since B was the theme, I decided to keep going with it. So in Banana’s went and for a change, some berries (blue and cran).

So their you have it – a gluten free, vegan muffin that is sure to get your energy levels going in the morning.

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What do you like to put in your muffins?

Have you ever made gluten free muffins before?

Brazilian Banana Berry Buckwheat Muffin

1 cup fresh Brazil Nut Pulp (fiber)

1 cup buckwheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp mesquite

¼ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp sea salt

2-3 ripe bananas (depending on their size)

½ cup brazil nut milk

¼ cup coconut oil, melted

¼ cup maple syrup or coconut nectar

1/3 cup applesauce + 1 tbsp ground chia

1 cup blueberries and cranberries

How it’s made!

1. Pre heat oven to 350 F.
2. Mix wet ingredients and dry ingredients separately.
3. Use a large bowl for the dry ingredients. Then mix wet ingredients into dry and fold slowly, and mix together until there are no lumps. Stir in blueberries or chocolate chips.
4. Drop by spoonfuls into an oiled muffin tray or pour batter into a loaf pan.
5. Bake for 20 minutes if these are muffins or 40-50 minutes if this is a loaf.

Make some Millet Madness!

Nothing says comfort food like Millet. It is such a special whole grain with such unique characteristics. It doesn’t cook or taste like anything else.

Every now and again I get a huge craving to make a pot of millet. So when I stepped off the plane from my summer trip and felt the cool breeze of fall – I was inspired to turn on my pot and cook up this yellow wholesome grain.

I was feeling like something hearty and colourful for dinner. Since I had so much produce ready to harvest in my garden, I couldn’t help but get my hands on it after 12 days away. I was low on time and didn’t have any beans ready so for a protein boost, so I decided to make a “fully nourished” sauce complete with  protein, fiber and chlorophyll.

If you don’t know much about millet here are the specs:

Where: Millet is from Eastern Asia, and was a diet staple in Northern China until  618 A.D.  It has remained an important crop not only in Asia but elsewhere in the world.  It’s cited in the New Testament, and was a dominant cereal crop into the Middle Ages.

What: Millet is gluten free and high in amino acids (protein!), phosphorus and the B-complex vitamins.  It is very easy to digest and alkaline-forming.  You can cook it with more water for a millet-mash, or cook it with less water for a fluffy pilaf.

How: Cook millet by first rinsing thoroughly in a fine mesh colander.  Then add to pot and heat on low for 1 to 2 minutes (dry toasting) until water is evaporated.  Add water (1 1/4 cups water for 1 cup dry millet), bring to a boil and simmer, covered for about 25 minutes (until water is absorbed).

Storage: Millet can be stored in a glass jar in a cool dark cupboard.  If purchasing more than a two month supply, store in the fridge or freezer (tightly wrapped).

Use: Make millet into porridge, veggies burgers, toss it into a soup or salad or just a cozy and colourful side dish – that you can add anything into.

 

Tell Us….

Have you ever made Millet?

What recipes have you made with Millet?

What do you love about Millet?

So get a little mad and make some Millet in your kitchen!

Here is what I put together, in less than an hour!

Garden Fresh Millet Bowl

1 cup millet, rinsed and drained

1/2 butternut squash, cubed and roasted

1 handful swiss chard, chopped into bite size pieces

1 cup green beans, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp sea salt

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced

Preheat oven to 350F.

1. Peel and cube butternut squash in to small pieces, toss with olive oil and sea salt. Place on baking sheet and bake in warm oven for 45 minutes – 1 hour. (Toss and turn after 30 minutes).

2. Rinse millet in a fine mesh colander and drain. Place into pot and dry toast for 1-2 minutes on low heat until water evaporates.

3. Pour in 1 1/2 cups of water, bring to a boil and then lower heat and simmer with the lid closed for 25 minutes (until all the water has absorbed).

4. Wash and chop swiss chard, green beans into small bite size pieces and mince the garlic.

5. In a saucepan over medium heat, add 1 tbsp olive oil + minced garlic. After about 1 minute add in the green beans and stir for another 2 minutes. Add in swiss chard and lightly saute until just soft, but still bright green. Turn off heat.

6. Once squash and millet are done, toss all ingredients into a large bowl and mix together.

7. Garnish with chopped parsley, cherry tomatoes and sea salt to taste.

 

 

Green Hemp-Tahini Sauce

2 tbsp tahini (sesame paste)

2 tbsp water

1 scoop Ruth’s Hemp Protein Power with E3 Live + Maca

1 tbsp tamari

1 tbsp lemon juice

pinch of sea salt

Blend all ingredients in a Vita- Mix!! For a smoothie creamy sauce!

Tell Us….

Have you ever made Millet?

What recipes have you made with Millet?

What do you love about Millet?

 

Triple Coconut – Ice cream Cookie Chipwich

Last week me and my assistant Abby took on our own recipe testing challenge: making an ice cream cookie sandwich. Something we have been drooling over and talking about for weeks and something I have never made before nor have I eaten in a long time. The last time I had a cookie sandwich I think I was at a baseball game,  or some kind of theme park and was most likely under the age of 10. So this was an exciting challenge to take on.

We found a cookie that we wanted to use as our base in a gluten free recipe book “The Gluten Free Vegan” By Susan O’Brien. Although most of the ingredients were totally up to par, we still made our own adjustments. Using three kinds of coconut ingredients these cookies could not fail to please our palette. The flour base we used was an all purpose flour from Cuisine Soleil a gluten free Canadian bakery that specializes in allergy free flour blends. This particular flour was a blend of tapioca, chickpea, brown rice flour. This gave the cookie a unique nutty flavour and allowed it to hold together. When it comes to gluten free baking it’s important to have the right blend so that your cookie doesn’t fall apart. Gluten free cookies will always be more crumbly and dense – but they can still taste amazing.

Since we had never made this recipe before, we weren’t really  totally sure how much the cookies were going to spread. So we plopped a whole bunch of cookies onto the tray and did batch number one:

They didn’t spread very much. So when there isn’t enough surface area, the bottom takes on the heat and starts to burn + all the chocolate chips shifted to the bottom which also caused them to burn. These cookies were too small and top heavy to make into cookie sandwiches so we put them on top of coconut ice cream for a small treat before the next batch:

 

For the second tray (of the same batter) I decided to press the cookie dough down flat so that they would form wider and larger cookies:

As you can see, now we have a great cookie to work with to make the perfect cookie sandwich!

 

So the big question…What are the THREE types of coconut used in this recipe?

Coconut Secrets Coconut Nectar + Coconut Sugar, Coconut Oil and Coconut Bliss Ice Cream – together helped to make the best cookie chip-wich we have ever tasted!

Note that this cookie is not only gluten free, but it is vegan, nut free, naturally sweetened with low glycemic sweeteners and full of superfood ingredients!

Coconut Cookie Chipwich

1 cup virgin coconut oil

1/2 cup coconut nectar

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1 tablespoon gound chia + 3 tbsp water (equals 1 egg)

2 1/2 cups Cuisine Soleil All purpose gluten free flour mix

2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup vegan chocolate chips

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a mixing bowl combine the coconut oil with coconut sugar and nectar and mix well.

3. Once the mixture is fully combined, add the vanilla and chia mixture and stir.

4. In another bowl, put in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

5. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and mix well.

6. Add the chocolate chips and stir together.

7. Scoop even balls of cookie dough on baking tray  and press down to flatten.

8. Bake for 15 minutes until bottoms are golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

A Sweet Giveaway

I am in a great mood this week and I feel like giving away goodies…gluten free ones, I might add. Not only is Gluten Free the theme of my week – as it will be featured in my article this week in Chatelaine on Friday but my class on Thursday night is also Gluten Free (2 spots left might I mention).

I also want to take this opportunity to feature a product line that I so truly value and appreciate, Sweets from the Earth. They are everywhere, I bet you have even tried or at least seen there cookies or cakes somewhere in the city of Toronto (or Canada?). They a family run business that focuses on quality desserts that are made with love and no dairy, eggs some with no wheat and more recently no nuts in some of their goodies and no gluten in others. In fact, they have two separate facilities to adhere to these strict and common allergens to gluten and nuts. This is truly where the market is going. More and more people are gluten intolerant, with true sensitives to the protein found in wheat called gluten. This can be a difficult and devastating occurrence when diagnosed. Some people go through life with it, and some people have just figured it out!

It may seem daunting like there is nothing to eat. I think that even before people get worried about what breads and pastas they can’t eat – they think that they will never see a cookie, cake or square ever again? Well that is not true. Not only are there thousands of recipes to be found in my cooking classes, books and online – especially right here on my blog - that are gluten-free friendly, but there are incredible products such as those from Sweets From the Earth that take pride in making delicious desserts that are free of gluten but not of flavour. P.S. you don’t have to have have an intolerance to gluten or be vegan to enjoy these desserts – they can be enjoyed by all. Also note that their gluten free items are not necessarily nut free!

You will not only be less bloated after eating one of their decadent sweets but you will feel good knowing that you can enjoy a perfectly healthy dessert that resembles and if not takes over the “traditional” version.

All that being said, Sweets from the Earth has been kind enough to put together an incredible Gift Basket for ONE lucky winner that MUST live in TORONTO. This basket will feature some of Sweets from the Earth most delicious gluten free goodies.

The Details:

In order to win and to be valid – you must live in Canada.

You need to tell me why you would benefit from this amazing gift basket.

Are you gluten free? Do you have Celiac disease? Have you been missing out on sweets?

Please share your story here and which ever one touches me and Sweets from the Earth the most will get a special package in the mail!

Please also…

Share on Twitter and link back to this blog

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Join Delicious Knowledge and Sweets from the Earth Pages

Dress Your Soul!

 

I am not usually one to recommend buying a store bought salad dressings, as I am a fan of making my own, but these aren’t any salad dressings – they are raw, pure, organic, nut free, vegan and delicious!

These amazing salad dressings have made their way to Canadian stores. I am proud to say that my family is behind this. My two cousin’s are the tag team who have created salad dressing infusions that are sure to dress your soul from the inside out. I am thrilled that healthy foods, and pure living runs in the family!

You don’t get that with salad dressings. Most are loaded with poor quality oil, sugar, preservatives and usually have a pretty bad after taste. I can’t even recall one that I have every loved off of the shelves of a grocery store.

Raw Dressings, are blended to perfection using top quality ingredients like olive oil, sesame seeds, apple cider vinegar, coconut sweetener and then added superfoods like dulse, goji berries, poppy seeds and hemp seeds. Each variety has it’s own unique flavour and can be paired with salad greens for any meal, any time of day.

To give you a run down on the flavours:

Sea-zar serenity is NOT your typical Caesar salad dressing. In conjunction with being entirely plant-based, organic and gluten-free, this dressing is comprised of a list of incredible, health-promoting, hand-selected ingredients. Dulse is loaded with protein, vitamins B6 and B12, potassium and iron. It also contains vitamins A, C and E (all super antioxidants) and large amounts of calcium. When coupled with other superfoods such as hemp and chia seeds, this power-packed dressing contains countless nutritional benefits and immune-boosting properties. These attributes put sea-zar serenity in a class of its own. However, when paired with superior consistency and taste, you won’t believe it’s actually good for you. Sea-zar serenity – Rich with minerals, vitamins and antioxidants, this dressing won’t cease to serenade your senses, fulfill your diet and satisfy your soul!

French Fusion is a superior blend of super foods with a secret ingredient: the goji berry. This highly sustainable, immune-building, strength-promoting fruit makes our dressing incredibly unique and satisfying. There’s a polysaccharide found in the goji berry that stimulates the secretion of the rejuvenative human growth hormone. This sensational fusion of protein, vitamins and mineral-rich ingredients is created to perfection. French fusion is more than a comfort dressing with massive health benefits and savoury taste, it’s your salad’s answer to the fountain of youth

Purely poppy is a delicious alternative to the creamy-style, traditional poppy seed dressing. RawFoodz version is a powerhouse of nutrients with a plethora of disease-fighting, health-promoting, immune-boosting properties. Fortified with organic, unhulled sesame seeds and poppy seeds, each bottle contains an extra dose of calcium. In addition to protecting colon cells from cancer-causing chemicals, calcium helps in the prevention of bone loss and migraines, as well as the relief of PMS symptoms. This delectable dressing adds zest to any salad, while increasing your consumption of vitamins, minerals, omega 3′s, enzymes and antioxidants. Purely Poppy’s tangy taste and health-topping ingredients create a blended sensation of pure pleasur

Glorious Greek is a healthy infusion of Mediterranean bliss. Our unique blend of premium, organic ingredients make this a dynamic, wholesome and improved version of typical greek style dressing. With added hemp seeds, glorious greek becomes rich in protein, fiber, omega 3&6, vitamins and minerals. Our heaping dose of organic oregano provides effective anti-bacterial and antioxidant activity. Loaded with heart healthy and immune-boosting ingredients, this dressing is nutritionally dense, palate pleasing and exceptionally delicious. Glorious greek is clearly a step beyond a journey, it’s your salad’s destination!

These dressings are showing up in health food stores across Ontario – so be sure to look for your favourite blend in the produce section of your local health food and grocery stores!

You will be also able to purchase and sample their dressings at my cooking classes!

Abby’s Review on Bunners Bakery

When you start to ween yourself off of white sugar and refined flours, your taste buds change (actually, they change every three weeks!).  I’m not sure how I’ve been in the natural health field for almost three years and never heard of Bunners Bakery in the Toronto junction.  Their vision is awesome: a vegan bakery full of yummy goods without the use of eggs, butter, milk, wheat, soy or refined sugar.  What could be better?

 

A few weeks ago they were promoting their vegan cream eggs.  Now, for a lot of people when Easter comes around it’s all about the Cadbury Mini Eggs.  For me, it was always the Creme Eggs.  I would buy two at a time and enjoy the fondant centre as slowly as I could manage before popping the whole chocolate shell in my mouth.  Heaven.

 

Once I learned about the not-so-heavenly ingredients in the eggs, I bid a sad farewell to my much-loved Easter treat.  Clearly, I had to make a trip to the junction to try these novel vegan eggs.  They were good!  I think I had this idea that they would taste just like the Cadbury version, and obviously they didn’t, because they used real ingredients.  While it wasn’t quite everything I’d built it up to be, it was still delicious.

 

My girlfriend and I tried a few of their other items as well: Chocolate Chip Creamie (two chocolate chip cookies with vanilla bean frosting in between), Supersonic Gypsy cookie (oats, seeds, raisins, chocolate chips… definitely my favourite!) and the Vanilla Bean Cupcake.  They were all yummy, even my non-holistic friend agreed!  I have to admit that I found the icing was bit too sweet, but for those of you who are still on the white-sugar kick I’m sure it’ll be perfectly satisfying! They use agave nectar there, which I suspect has something to do with it.

 

All in all, I’d definitely recommend checking them out.  The staff are super friendly and helpful (especially if you have no idea where you’re going and need some help figuring it out.. which is exactly what happened to me).  It’s a bit out of the way, but if you have an afternoon free, make the trip.  The junction is a great up-and-coming area in Toronto.  There are lots of natural or organic stores and restaurants popping up over there!

- Abby, the Assistant

3054 Dundas W St (in the Junction), Toronto, ON M6P 1Z7
Email: info@bunners.ca
Phone: 647-352-2975

http://www.bunners.ca

 

Why Choose Rice Milk?

Many people are still confused about the notion of rice milk. They turn up their faces and say “rice milk, what is that I don’t get it?” Then I simply tell them it is milk make from rice. You can basically make a milk using any grain believe it or not. Unfortunately it is not easy to make rice milk at home. Definitely not as easy as making your own homemade nut milk.

So unfortunately and fortunately rice milk would fit into a packaged product, but definitely on my approved packaged list!

There are many varieties at health food stores, grocery stores and other markets in between. Seemingly they may all be the same, but they are not. Many contain oils, added sugar and even preservatives. So just because it is non dairy, vegan and gluten free, doesn’t mean that it is always healthy. It is important to look at the fine print and look at the label.

The one brand that I have stayed loyal to over the years is Ryza. It is clean, pure and doesn’t have any oil, added sugar and hold together a really nice consistency. I don’t find that it separates like other rice milks. It is creamy, wholesome and delicious. I love pouring it on my oats in the morning, blending up in my smoothies or mixing it straight with just some Sun Warrior protein for a super high protein beverage.

 

 

So why choose Ryza Rice milk?

- easy to digest

- gluten free

- vegan

- made from whole grain brown rice

- alternative to dairy

- can use for baking and other recipes

- allergy free

- can use it in coffee and tea

- kids love it

- no oil

- no added sugar

Rice Milk Recipes:

Cozy Chai Latte

Yummy Berry Smoothie

Apple Muffins

 

 

So… what’s the story with soy?

This recipe will be featured in my Amazing Asian Class tonight and again on October 24th!

It is a topic of great interest, fear and confusion all at once. SOY! Perpetuated by the media and others alike as a food to stay away from, with or without cancer – soy has been deemed as unhealthy and on the no-no list. I can totally appreciate this to a certain extent. But because of all the confusion and mis-information, I would like to give you some insight from my perspective. Also backed up by Dr. Mercola!

Traditionally soy has been used in Asian and Japanese cultures as a condiment. Something you include as part of a meal that is loaded with protein, fat and immune enhancing properties. Nowadays people include soy as the main part of their meal.  Not to mention soy has also been added to so many commercial products including milks, cheese and other packaged products as a stabilizer or enhancer. Then there was and still is the health craze that soy foods are so good for you and people in general, along with vegetarians are purchasing anything and everything with soy thinking they are on the path to health. But that is just it, that is the way of the North American culture. Have a little = good, have more = better! But not when the soy that is used in the commercial industry is non-organic, genetically modified and so fractionated out it it’s original form, that it is no  longer a food. No wonder cancer rates have gone up!

So it’s not that SOY is bad for you, it is the type of soy that we are choosing or over consuming. It is about moderation and choosing the right kinds of soy.

If we look at the traditional fermented forms of soy and choose to eat them in moderation – we can actually enjoy soy foods as they are meant to be enjoyed, as a condiment, garnish or accent to a meal. It’s not about eating a slab of soy chicken or TVP (textured vegetable protein) that is the equivalent to a piece of chicken. Choose wisely.

Here are the forms of soy you can start to include that are healthful. Soy that has been fermented and is organic. These are the types of soy that are traditionally used in ancient cultures, and guess what, they are still available today!

Even though I am recommending healthy sources of soy, they should be enjoyed in moderation. Don’t just go and over-consume these items either or you will run into the same health imbalances and problems. Balance is key – and that goes for every type of food!

Tempeh: a fermented soybean cake with a firm texture and nutty, mushroom-like flavor. Enjoy in stir fries, on sandwiches, ground up into “burgers” or just as is!

Miso: a fermented soybean paste with a salty, almond butter-like texture. Make miso soup, put it in a salad dressing or marinate.

Natto: fermented soybeans with a sticky texture and strong, cheese-like flavor. Not too familiar with Natto

Tamari, Braggs or Nama Shoyu: which is traditionally made by fermenting soybeans, salt and enzymes. Tamari is the modern, healthy version of soy sauce. So be sure to kick out the kikkoman and replace it with Tamari. It is pure, gives great flavour, you can also get it as low sodium and wheat free! Great in salad dressings, sauces, marinades.

Also Edamame (whole soybeans) can be found on this list. They are not fermented, but they are also left in their natural form. Be sure to also buy these organic. They make an excellent snack with some sea salt! Or buy them shelled and load them into a salad or cooked vegetable dish!

On the bottom end of this list for a reason, is tofu. As I believe that it is something can be enjoyed VERY moderately if you buy the right kind. Moderately can even mean 1-2x per month!

Sprouted Tofu: It is apparent then when buying tofu to only get it sprouted. You can’t get tofu fermented as it is no longer in it’s whole form but at least sprouting it makes it more digestible and increases it’s nutritional value. Tofu need to be cooked and then it can be enjoyed in stir frys, sandwiches, salads, soups or pureed or blended into dips.

There is an incredible brand of soy products available that I want to make mention to as they actually take their soy seriously Wild Wood Organics. They have an array of products, but I would just keep it simple and stick with their tempeh and sprouted tofu. Soy yogurt and soy milk is still a packaged processed versions of soy food that I believe should be avoided. Rice milk and coconut yogurt are much higher on the healthy food chain. So choose wisely.

If soy still isn’t your thing or you have allergies to it, remember there are alternatives, the line Coconut Secrets condiments are all coconut based and can replace tamari like I did in my Pad Thai recipe!

Arame Soba Noodle Salad

What’s in it?

1 tsp dried basil

½ tsp dried rosemary

½ tsp salt

8 oz. spelt, kamut or buckwheat soba noodles (wheat or gluten free)

½ cup arame (sea vegetable)

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp gingerroot

¼ cup rice vinegar

¼ toasted sesame oil

3 tbsp tamari

1 cup chopped green onions

1 carrot grated

1 cup of toasted pine nuts or black sesame seeds

1 cup shelled and cooked edamame (optional)

How it’s made!

1. Bring large pot of water to boil, add basil, rosemary and salt.
2. Add noodles, cook until al dente (8-10 minutes) and drain.
3. Soak arame in 1 cup cold water for about 10 minutes, drain.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together garlic, ginger, vinegar, sesame oil and tamari
5. Add warm noodles to sauce and toss to coat.
6. Stir in carrots, onions and arame.
7. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts or sesame seeds.

 

 

The Secret to my Pad Thai

You want to know the secret…it’s coconut. A modern day Pad Thai with pure wholesome ingredients and natural condiments. I would have to say it’s been at at least 6 + years since I have eaten a traditional Pad Thai, loaded with low grade oil, fish/oyster sauce and sugar – those ingredients are long gone from my diet. So the time has come to re-create my own version.

Let’s  talk about how Coconut plays a role in my version of a Pad Thai. A new line of favourites have made their way to the organic, raw, veggie market place. That is Coconut Secret’s Amino Acids, Vinegar and Nectar. (You can order them in Toronto HERE!) They are raw low glycemic, gluten free and highly nutritious, oh… and make your meals and recipes thrive with unique flavour. Each one has it’s own versatility and use. Coconut Aminos, can replace traditional soy sauce and even natural soy sauce like tamari. I do love tamari, but it is nice to replace it once in a while. Coconut vinegar can be used for salad dressings and sauces basically  anywhere that balsamic, brown rice, apple cider vinegar or any acid would be used. Now the Nectar which has truly become one of my new favourite ingredients is amazing to naturally sweeten desserts, pancakes, sauces, dressings, stirred into yogurt or a smoothie. It is light and has a gooey texture that is slightly addicting. They can all be used individually, but I decided to use them all together in a tangy sweet and savoruy Pad Thai sauce, that is truly like no other! As you may or may not know Coconut it’s recognition as a super ingredient, as it it is loaded with essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals to find out more benefits look here.

 

 

 

As you can see, my bottles are empty….they were put to good use!

So that takes care of the sauce…but the base of my pad was none other than one of my other favourite  ingredients, kelp noodles. These can be found at several health food stores or restaurants in your local area. They come in a package and need to be soaked to be enjoyed. I took them one step further and threw them into my wok to soak up flavour and soften even more into my delicious Thai sauce. I had only ever eaten them raw before this, and now, I might just reconsider when and where I use rice noodles over kelp noodles! They are extremely light and easy to digest, they have no calories (not that I care), very little flavour and will adapt to any recipe you choose to use them with. So your options are really limitless.

Then I loaded this dish with a combination of veggies that just seemed to work. Sweet potatoes taste good in anything so those went into the pan. There always has to be some green veggies with my meal – so broccoli and kale it was for this one. I am not big on tofu and use it probably once a month if that, but when I do, it’s got to be sprouted and organic – I take no risks when it comes to Soy and GMO’s. Wildwood has a great brand that I actually enjoy. To be honest, Ryan is the one who loves tofu – so the addition was really for him. I am more of a tempeh fan Then I topped everything off with some home sprouted mung beans, loaded with fiber, enzymes, protein and just bursting with crunch -to liven up each bite!

So there you have it. The secret is out. Now I encourage you to make this and report back to me!

Veggie Pad Thai

The Sauce:

2 tbsp coconut vinegar

5 tbsp coconut aminos

4 tbsp coconut nectar

2 tbsp almond butter

3 tbsp grapeseed oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tbsp ginger, grated

2 cups of yams, cut into thin chunks

1 head of broccoli, cut into florets

1 bunch of kale, chopped

3 scallions, chopped

1/2 block of sprouted tofu, cut into cubes (can also use tempeh)

1/2 cup sprouted mung beans

1 package of kelp noodles, rinsed and soaked in water with 1 tbsp lemon juice or 1 package of brown rice noodles

1. In a small bowl, combine the coconut vinegar, aminos and nectar, almond butter and 1 tablespoon of grapeseed oil. Set aside.

2. In a wok, satuey the tofu, garlic, ginger, scallions and yams in 2 tablespoon grapeseed oil for several minutes, stirring to prevent them from sticking.

3. When yams are soft, stir in the broccoli and allow to soften.

4. Pour the sauce and the kelp noodles into the wok, stir to combine and cover for a few minutes to meld together.

5. Add in the chopped kale and allow to wilt for a few minutes, while still remaining green.

6. Gently stir the noodles into the vegetables and sauce to combine. Remove from heat and serve.

Garnish with mung bean sprouts and chopped scallions.

Attention Chocoholics Everywhere! There is hope.

Welcome my Guest Blogger today Sara Ouellette owner of Beyond Vitality!

As some of you may know, I have been living abroad discovering the world’s natural health products and superfoods.  For three years I traveled back and forth between Canada and the beautiful exotic country of Venezuela, finally moving there permanently this past September.  I loved discovering all the local superfoods, those that we up in Canada (no we don’t live in igloos), cherish so much!

I could go on forever about all the wonderful and nourishing treats from nature that Venezuela has to offer!  The many landscapes of this tropical warm country have everything including wild aloe vera plants, coconut, cacti, noni, papaya, sea weed, pineapple, pumalaca, cacao and much more!

Chocoholics…this is for you…so listen up!  The one superfood I want to talk to you about is real chocolate.  I’m excited to tell you that real RAW chocolate is indeed a superfood!  You can turn cravings for cooked, processed chocolate into super-nutrition instead. All chocolate is made from the cacao fruit.  Inside the cacao fruit are beans.  These cacao beans are used to make RAW, organic chocolate!

Cacao Fruit

I was fortunate to have seen the process in which cacao is produced.  I visited my friend’s organic cacao farm in the lush rainforest of Los Altos, Venezuela. How amazing is it that they produce their OWN chocolate!  Yummy!  Venezuelan cacao is the finest, rarest, most expensive cacao in the world.  The beans have a unique flavor.  In case you are wondering, cacao tastes similar to, yet BETTER than, Baker’s Unsweetened Chocolate. A natural sweetener can often be used in conjunction with your raw treat ingredients, such as raw honey, stevia, coconut sugar, agave nectar, banana or pure maple syrup.

The cacao beans are grown in the mountains using no pesticides, fertilizers or chemicals of any type.  The trees in which the cacao fruit grows are irrigated by the fresh water that runs down from the clouds in the forest-topped mountains. Once the beans have been harvested they are sun dried right on the small property in the mountains, and hand packaged for local consumption.

Sun Dried Cacao Beans

When looking for cacao or raw chocolate in health food stores, it’s very important to look for fair trade and organic varieties that support small, indigenous farmers in Central/South America and the West Indies.

So why is it ok to LOVE raw chocolate?  Well, first off, it tastes divine.  And second, it’s good for you.  The cacao bean contains a wide array of amazing nutritional properties.  It is filled with antioxidants and alkalizing minerals, including high levels of magnesium and sulfur. Back in high school, I used to crave EVERYTHING chocolate uncontrollably…mostly processed chocolate (aka Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups or Nutella).  Processed chocolate is NOT the same as good quality raw chocolate!  When cacao is cooked, most of its nutritional properties are completely destroyed.  Chocolate cravings often indicate a magnesium deficiency because your body is craving the magnesium from the cacao.  Processed chocolate never satisfies your body because it has close to NO minerals and it’s filled with refined sugar, which is acidifying in the blood and actually leaches out minerals from our bones and tissues!  Since I started consuming quality raw cacao, I haven’t yet had another “processed” chocolate craving.  Really…it’s been over two years now!

The cacao fruit is sweet and tasty.

A study by the Center for Health and Nutrition

Elaborates the following findings: “Analysis of the fruit powders demonstrated that the antioxidant capacity of cocoa powder was significantly greater than blueberry, cranberry and pomegranate powder on a per gram basis. The total polyphenol content of cocoa powder appeared to be greater than acai, blueberry and cranberry powder; however these differences did not reach statistical significance. The total flavanol content of cocoa powder was significantly greater than all of the other fruit powders tested.”

Not only is it high in antioxidants and minerals, cacao may also increase your focus and alertness, making it a good healthy alternative to your morning coffee.  I love adding cacao to my breakfast shake.  Who would have thought chocolate would be “healthy” option for breaky!

Cacao also contains plenty of nutrients that keep you happy J Chocolate is often associated to love and seduction. This is all because cacao contains phenylethylamine. Also, your brain produces a neurotransmitter called Anandamide when you’re feeling GREAT. Eating cacao makes this neurotransmitter stick around longer thus increasing your happiness.  Raw cacao beans, nibs or powder can be used in a variety of ways.  I like adding it in baked goods, oatmeal, shakes. and to make a cup of hot chocolate to warm up on a chilly day.

Try out my favorite morning shake that uses cacao as your wake-me-up “stimulant” instead of coffee.  It’ll start you out on a positive vibe and leave you full of happy energy!

Cacao-Banana Dream Shake  (aka the “Happy Shake”)

1 scoop sprouted vegan protein (or 100% natural whey protein isolate)

2 tbsp of ground flaxseed

1 tsp raw cacao powder [makes you happy]

½ medium banana [increases serotonin to give you a natural “high”]

½ cup organic almond milk (or hemp milk)

¼ tsp natural vanilla extract (optional)

Blend all ingredients while adding water and ice as needed.  Serve fresh.  ENJOY!

Nourishing Miso Noodle Soup

I have grown up in a culture that is obsessed with noodle soup, except the base isn’t miso, it’s chicken! There is nothing wrong with this, as chicken soup is for the soul…right? It will cure any ache, pain, cough, cold or flu and it must be served by your mom! The nostalgia and truth still reigns truth (and reality) for so many, but not for me. Since chicken noodle soup has been out of my  life for almost a decade, I have had to come up with other alternatives.

The wonderful result of this is non other than Miso – the wonder paste that makes the most nourishing base for a soup or broth. I have been using Miso for years now. I have tried different, brands, different varieties and no matter what – you will always have an amazing soup. ( I love Tradition Miso)

Facts about Miso:

Miso is a traditional Japanese food, and it is loaded with enzymes and vital nutrients. It is typically made with fermented soy, a grain such as rice or barley, koji (bacterial starter) and salt. It has a texture like peanut butter. Stay away from miso powders and dehydrated versions as they are loaded with excess sodium and other stabilizers and simply don’t taste as good.

Other than that – just have fun with your bowl or cup. It can be as simple as just the miso paste and water, or you can load it up with veggies and sea vegetables to up the nutrients, enzymes and overall vitality of your bowl of soup. And of course, it will just never taste as good unless it has some noodles in there. I use brown rice noodles and I also like to add in loads of sea veggies. Whether it is wakame, arame or sea spaghetti.

One thing to note about miso, is that you should never add it to boiling water or water heated too high (above 104F). If miso is heated, it’s nutritious enzymes and minerals will diminish. So be careful how you prepare it!

My homemade miso noodle soup, the miso paste I use and sea spaghetti

The brown rice noodles I use!

Why is it good for you:

Miso paste is vegan and can also be gluten free (as long as you buy one that is based with brown rice instead of barley). Miso is a beneficial digestive aid – as it helps to get your stomach enzymes working before a meal. Also if you are not hungry, leave it to miso to bring on your appetite and coat your stomach. That being said if you have an upset stomach, (diarrhea, constipation) miso will also help to balance out this discomfort. It is loaded with a natural  bacterial culture that works to replenish and build up your gut. It is also rich in plant based protein. It contains a natural form of salt and sodium, so if you need a dose to replenish your body after an intense workout or even if you just have a headache or feel light-headed from sugar, a bowl of miso soup is your answer. As it will ground you and bring you back into balance. Miso is also known to be effective in reducing the effects of radiation, smoking, air pollution and other environmental toxins.

Types of Miso:

The darker the colour, the more potent its medicinal properties. However there are also lighter varieties that are a bit sweeter. Light or shiro miso is great for salad dressings, marinates or just a great compliment to dark rich miso in a soup.

Nutrient-Rich Country Miso Soup

Ingredients:

10 cups water

4 – 8 dried or fresh shiitake mushrooms

1 inch piece of Kombu

1/2 cup wakame (aka Seaweed) – soaked for 5 minutes and cut into bite size pieces

4 pieces of kale or bok choy (with stems removed) and cut into bite size pieces

2-4 stalks of celery, cut crosswise into small slices

2 large carrots, peeled, halved and cut into small pieces

1 small onion, halved and cut into slices

1 cup of miso paste (1/2 dark and ½ light)

3 green onions

1 package of brown rice noodles cooked according to package (prepared separately).

Procedure:

1.    Bring the 10 cups of water in a pot up to a high heat, lower heat and add the strip of Kombu and half of the shitake mushrooms (this adds extra nutrients to the soup broth.)

2.     Let the water come to a simmer for 15-20minutes with the onion, carrots and celery.

3.     At the end of the 20 minutes, add the rest of the shiitake mushrooms and simmer for another 10 minutes.

4.     Following this add the kale or bok choy. Let the soup simmer for a final 10-15 minutes.

5.     Remove 1-2 cups of liquid and stir the miso paste* in a separate bowl. Once dissolved, add the mixture back into the pot. Turn off the heat and stir.

Serve Soup in bowls and garnish with chopped green onions.

** Always add Miso paste at the end. Miso is very delicate and should never be boiled. It will destroy it’s natural enzymes.

Don’t feel like making a whole pot of soup?

Just warm up a some water to fill a mug or a small bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon of miso to warm up your soul, before, during or after a meal – or anytime for that matter!

Have you ever made Miso soup? What goes into it?

Fill me with Falafel

I love Mediterranean food and all it has to offer, hummus, tabule (as long as it’s quinoa based), salads, lentil soup and even falafel! But I can’t just indulge in any falafel as most are fried and often contain wheat flour. It is about time I made my own version. So last week I was lucky enough to have a good friend of mine mention that she was making a batch of homemade falafels. I had her send over the recipe that she used and then I made my own conversions that suited my palette and my preferences.

I am so super excited to share these with you. I am also so excited that I can now make my own batch of them and store them in the freezer and warm them up for a quick protein power-packed lunch, snack or dinner. They are gluten free (without the spelt breadcrumbs), nut free, vegan and make an incredible addition to any meal.

If you didn’t know this already, falafel’s are made from chickpeas, one of my favourite beans or legumes. They have a unique flavour, are high in protein, fiber and complex carbohydrates and you can do so much with them! Once you have cooked up a fresh batch of chickpeas from scratch, the sky is the limit as far as recipes from soups to hummus or bean dip, coconut curry or a  bean salad and now I have one more to add to the mix!

A quick note on cooking your own cooking your own chickpeas. This is by far the more superior healthy way to go, not only will your beans taste better but they will be less “gassy” and you won’t be as bloated. It is vital that you cook your beans with Kombu – a sea vegetable that helps to break down the beans and help with digestion + it is adding a load of minerals and nutrients into the cooking water. It needs to be removed after cooking.

How To Cook Your Beans:

The night before you decide to make beans, pull out a large pot and fill it half full of water. Place the bean in the water and allow to set for at least 12 hours. Use filtered water for best results. The next morning, drain the water and replace with more water. For every cup of beans add four cups of water. Add the strip of Kombu to the pot and begin to boil the beans. Once at a rolling boil, allow to boil for 20 minutes, then reduce heat and simmer for 2 to 4 hours depending on the beans and recommended times on the packaging. Cook until soft. Drain and Serve!

However if time is a factor and you didn’t plan ahead and you want to use canned, go with EDEN organic canned beans. They are preserved with Kombu and the cans are BPA free!

As you can see here, I got really creative and topped my balls on a bed of steamed kale, with roasted brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes and cauliflower.

Then I drizzled my homemade tahini sauce on top!

Below is my Falafel’s on a Spelt wrap with lettuce, cucumber and carrot + my tahini sauce!

Home Baked Falafels

1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas

1 small red onion chopped

2 large garlic cloves, chopped

4 tablespoons CHICKPEA FLOUR (can use brown rice or quinoa flour)

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon chili powder (optional)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

ground black pepper to taste

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon ground Chia (from Navitas) + 3 tablespoons water (makes 1 egg)

1 grated carrot

2 tablespoons dried parsley

Roll in 1/2 cup  Spelt breadcrumbs (Sha Sha)

Preheat oven to 400F.

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

2. Combine the chickpeas, onion, garlic, flour, spices, oil and salt, pulse in a food processor until the mixture is well combined and smooth.

3. Form the mixture into 8-12 small balls or patties with wet hands.

4. Roll each ball in breadcrumbs if preferred (or do half and half).

5. Bake in oven for approx. 30-35 minutes or until crispy and golden.

Serve these delights in a pita, wrap with hummus, tahini sauce or on top of a salad.

Homemade Tahini Sauce

1/4 cup pure tahini

2-4 tablespoons of water to thin out

1/2 of one lemon, juiced

1/4 cup chopped parsley

Blend all together in blender – it can be as creamy or thin as you desire!

What would you put your Falafels in or on?

Where have you eaten the best Falafels?

The Cauliflower and the Pea – a True Love Story!

Once upon a cold winter’s day there was a dried  little green pea. It wanted so badly to be part of something bigger. So it asked a whole bunch of his friends to join him on a journey. Together they went through a very quick but effective trip where they expanded their horizons and joined forces with other friends (carrots, onions, celery and spices). They decided that in order to transform, they needed to stick together in one cohesive space that would meld and bring them all together. But they couldn’t do it alone – they needed a leader – so the called  the “great white” (cauliflower)  in to the mix and the green little pea had a natural affinity immediately. All stir up and warmed together – they blended flavours, textures and what came out – only 45 minutes later was a gorgeously thick, creamy, light-green soup.

The end!

That’s the story, here are the Cliff notes…

Peas are  wonderful for a cold winters’ day soup. There is both green and yellow choose from. Both lend themselves well – it just depends on your mood I suppose. Green peas have a very distinct flavour and they go so nicely with fresh and dried herbs. The benefit of using dried split peas, is that they don’t need to be soaked like other legumes and beans. They simple can cook directly in your soup pot. They need a good hour or so, but they will breakdown and will blend nicely into your soup.

Ever thought of thickening up your soup with cauliflower? Well this is what happened here. Cauliflower can replace potato, flour or any other thickener that would typically be called for or used in a soup. Sometimes it is just that simple to think outside the “potato starch” box. Cut up your cauliflower into little florets they make the perfect addition to any soup that you are going to blend up or puree. They add a healthy dose of fiber, antioxidants and vitamin C (see more benefits of cauliflower). Just because it is white – doesn’t mean it lacks nutrients! So make use out of this lovely veggie. It is also a great substitute for mashed potatoes!

So there you have it, the world’s simplest soup. Well not really, but it is pretty easy, all in one pot, warmed, pureed and served!

Just toss in a bit of savoury herbs like thyme, rosemary and oregano, dash of salt and pepper…

Split Pea Soup

What’s in it?

2 ½ cups green or yellow split peas

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 head of cauliflower, cut into small florets or try 1-2 small sweet potatoes if using yellow peas (to thicken and sweeten)

2 celery stalks, chopped

Pinch of rosemary

Pinch of thyme

Fresh oregano

Pinch of sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 large bunch of greens (kale, spinach or chard)

How it’s made!

1. In a large soup pot, put 6 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the split peas, onion, carrots, cauliflower, celery and herbs. Stir and bring to a boil again.
2. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the peas and vegetables are tender, about an hour. If you prefer a creamy soup, transfer half the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Return it to the soup pot and mix well to combine.
3. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

The super seed that keeps on giving!

That’s right I’m talking about ch ch ch CHIA! This super seed is power-packed full of nutrients and is most definitely on my top superfoods list. I even think it is a daily must! You will not regret making chia one of your new favourite items in your diet! It is loaded with heart healthy fiber, essential fats, protein and will give you long lasting energy. If I were you, I would start your day with some Chia!

Nutritional Benefits:

As mentioned it is a soure of amazing long term energy, which overtime can actually help your body to function at it’s best and burn more calories throughout the day! Chia is also contains a high source of Omega 3 fatty acids – similar to flax. But where they differ, is that Chia actually contains a healthy dose of omega 6 – which makes it more well rounded. Be sure to get dark grayish Chia as it is nutritionally superior to the lighter kind.

Another thing to be aware of, is that Chia becomes mucilaginous when soaked; so go ahead and make a pudding, jam or smoothie out of it! The soothing gel derived from Chia helps to lubricate dryness on the skin and reduces nervousness, treats insomnia and improves mental focus. Also if you find you are a little backed up – take a dose of Chia  and things will move along just fine. Chia is brilliant for relieving constipation!

How you use it:

Chia seeds can be added directly into a recipe, whether it is a soup, smoothie, salad or your morning porridge – it goes with anything. However if you want to soak it, place 2 tbsp or more in a bowl and cover with some water. Wait about 20 minutes, and it will double in size and you will have a thick gooey pudding. Delicious! You can also add the whole seeds or ground chia into baked goods, granola or trail mixes or use it as a condiment or garnish. I actually use Chia seeds to substitute an egg in my muffin and baked recipes.

FYI – 1 tbsp chia + 3 tbsp water or 1/4 cup applesauce – is equivalent to 1 egg.

Where to buy it:

You can get Chia seeds at most health food stores in your local area. There are many varieties and brands popping up all over the place. I am a big fan of Navitas Naturals Chia, they are clean, pure and fresh tasting!

They do come from South America, so if you happen to be traveling down there, be sure to get your hands on some, along with other favourites like quinoa and cacao!

How to Store it:

Chia seeds are best stored in a sealed glass jar. You can keep them in the cupboard or place them in the fridge – especially for long term storage. Ground Chia is best kept in the fridge or even the freezer. I love to just keep a small jar on my counter for everyday use, I add about 1 tbsp to my smoothie or cereal every morning!

Super Chia Breakfast

1/2 cup rolled oats, cooked or sprouted buckwheat

3/4 cup almond or hemp milk

1 tbsp Chia seeds

1 tbsp Goji berries

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1 tbsp Raw honey

Place rolled oats or cooked buckwheat into a pot.

Top with milk, chia, goji and cinnamon.

Bring to a low simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Stir in raw honey.

Enjoy!

For a  Raw Version- Place sprouted buckwheat or Raw Oats in your bowl and top with toppings! (oats can be soaked over night to make them creamy and soft.)

Top with fresh berries, banana slices, cacao or coconut flakes!

What goes in your cereal?

Review: Chocolate Kale Chips…say what?

Well they have done it – matched two unlikely combination’s to make the perfect tastiest snack. Chocolate Kale Chips, can you think of a better combination? These are two foods that I tell people to eat just about everyday but why not eat them together? Not only that, their nutritional profile proves to be loaded with magnesium, calcium, iron, chlorophyll and fiber – delicious!

Blue Mountain Organics has truly proven to be a mastermind at creating to most unique blends of raw, organic snacks, treats, flours and desserts. I have had the extreme pleasure of enjoying their RAW Cashew Ice Cream (sorry no nutters, you are truly missing out). It is absolutely to die for! Words can’t even describe how good this frozen non-dairy dessert is. They also have a wide variety of unique supplements like carob powder, sunflower lecithin (soy free) along with sprouted beans and whole grains.

And of course some raw nut butter spreads from cashew, tahini, almond, pecan… you name it! They are called Better than Roasted because  for a RAW nut butter they taste pretty fantastic! Their online store, packaging and marketing is very cute, friendly and inviting. If you aren’t teased into at least buying 5 items on their website, I would be shocked! (and please make sure that Chocolate Kale Chips are on that order!!)

What is also truly amazing about all of their products, (and obviously why I am such a supporter) is that they are all superfoods, gluten free, dairy free, vegan, raw, kosher and organic. I wish there was a Blue Mountain Store right here in Toronto! But for now I will have to just order online – and pick up what I can at various health food stores in Toronto.

Who needs Alfredo?

I certainly don’t, and neither do you! For more reasons than one. First of all Alfredo sauce is loaded with loads of butter, cream, milk and cheese. Yup, all in one recipe. That is a heck of a lot of work for your body to digest and for your heart to work. But the good news is, is that you don’t need Alfredo or a cream based sauce to have a delicious bowl of “creamy” noodles.

Once you make this recipe – you will never look a bowl of Alfredo or creamy pasta the same way.This recipe was created for my sea vegetables class – as a pseudo take on one of my favourite childhood meals “tuna casserole”. I used to love the stuff. Big white noodles loaded with tuna and cheesy sauce (kind of like an Alfredo). It was my absolute all time favourite. In fact anything with noodles and cheese made me very happy.

Being able simulate that experience with amazing wholesome ingredients brings a smile to my face – gluten free brown rice noodles, a creamy sauce made from tahini along with some soaked, fresh torn wakame to give it that “salty” sea taste. The wakame is also adding a whole bunch of other nutrients and minerals into this dish as sea vegetables are super nutritious!

My cravings for this dish come every so often, and when they do– I can’t stop eating it. I can almost eat half of the amount I make each time because it just melts in your mouth.

It’s also that time of year when I actually feel really good about sitting down to a whole bowl full of noodles!

Okay, I will stop the teasing and get to the recipe – which doesn’t look all that exciting. But you just wait; you will not need Alfredo or cream based sauces ever again.

Enjoy this dish along side a bowl of steamed kale, a dark leafy green salad or some miso soup.

Happy eating!

Baked “Tuna” Casserole

What’s in it?

1 small onion, cut into thin slices

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 cup wakame, soaked in cold water for 5 minutes, removed and chopped

2 tablespoons tamari

1 package of brown rice noodles or quinoa spiral noodles (Tinkyada Brand)

¾ cup water

½ cup tahini

5 tablespoons tamari

1/2 cup wheat free/gluten free/brown rice bread crumbs

How it’s made!

1. Preheat oven to 375 F
2. Sauté onion in sesame oil until transparent. Place wakame on top of onions. Add tamari, and cook for about 10 minutes until the liquid is absorbed.
3. In the meantime, cook noodles until done. Drain and set aside.
4. Mix together tahini, tamari and ¾ cup water until smooth. If the sauce should curdle, continue mixing.
5. Mix onion, wakame mixture, noodles and tahini sauce together. Cover with breadcrumbs.
6. Bake for approximately 20 minutes.

Super Powered Protein Pancakes

It’s not very often, but on a given weekend morning all I want to do is make pancakes. I nice hearty batch of pancakes that is filling enough to cover two meals – both breakfast and lunch.

I decided to come up with a fun batch this past weekend. I usually make a batch of pancakes that is very simple with just some whole grain flour (like spelt or oats) a banana, some rice milk and a few other things. They are yummy, but not as yummy as this batch.

This weekend I decided to take things a little outside of the Aunt Jamima pancake box (which I don’t think I have ever used in my life) and make some super powered protein pancakes.

Most people don’t think of pancakes as a source of protein. Well that all depends on what you put into it. I have been on this Sun Warrior kick lately (for over a year) since it is my favourite protein powder to use.  Along with some high fiber gluten free flours, these pancakes are good for at least a serving or two of your plant based protein for the day. I also added a whole bunch of super foods like mesquite, chia, coconut sugar and then topped them with fresh berries and a homemade cashew cream and date syrup. If this isn’t the perfect way enjoy a meal, then I don’t know what is. They were dense, hearty and had the most unique flavour. You should try them!

There are a whole bunch of ingredients in these pancakes, some of which may be new to you. If you can try to get a hold of some of them at your local health food store for a change.

Mesquite Power Pancakes

½ cup Teff Flour (gluten free, high in protein)

½ cup Buckwheat Flour (gluten free, full of fiber)

½ cup Rolled Oats

1 cup almond or rice milk with 1 tsp apple cider vinegar (makes vegan buttermilk)

1 tablespoon mesquite powder (gives pancakes a malty sweet taste(

1 tablespoon chia powder or ground flax (binds it all together – acts as one egg)

2 tablespoons Sun Warrior Protein (totally optional – but gives them a boost)

1 tablespoon coconut sugar (natural low glycemic sweetener) buy some here!

1 teaspoon cinnamon (balances blood sugar)

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

½ cup fresh blueberries (antioxidants)

1 tablespoon coconut oil (energy)

1 tablespoon date syrup or maple syrup (natural sweetness, and PURE fun!)

2 large tablespoon of cashew cream (cashews, almond butter, rice syrup and cinnamon all blended up!)

-       mix the dry ingredients

-       mix the wet ingredients

-       combine the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mix and let sit for 5 minutes

-       warm a hot skillet or pan with some coconut oil

-       drop batter onto pan by the ¼ cup full (or bigger) and allow to warm until bubbles come through or one side has browned, flip over (approx 2 minutes per pancake)

Holy Zucchini!

I have had to come up with some unique and different ways to use up all the zucchini’s growing in my garden this year. I have never had so many zucchini’s in my life! I have to admit, I wasn’t a fan of zucchini years back, it didn’t do all the much for me as a vegetable. I found it bland and boring. But over the years I have grown to appreciate it’s versatility in many recipes. Whether I want to grill it, steam it, grate it, shred it, spiralize it or puree it, zucchini has become anything but boring, but rather a fun addition to my kitchen repertoire.

So, there I was a week ago in my kitchen, in the middle of making a huge feast for dinner tonight with some friends– and realized I didn’t have a dip. What is a gathering without a dip? So this is where one of my million zucchini’s has made it’s way into the evenings meal. I chopped it up, blended it with some fresh ingredients – and what came  out is a creamy – herbed dip that was just simple so simple to make and tastes so fresh. It is nice to know that I don’t always have to throw some beans into a dip to bulk it up! I was super excited to serve this dip  alongside some sprouted crackers, veggies or even topped on the quinoa tabule as a sauce. It is that good! This recipe made quite a bit, so I got the chance to use it for many days after on veggie burgers, as a salad dressing and drizzled on top of steamed greens and grains! The limits are endless with this dip. So if you’ve got zucchini’s, give this one a whirl!

The Raw Ingredients!

All Chopped Up!

In the food processor it goes…

Blend # 1

Blend # 2

And Voila!

Creamy Zucchini Dip

1 large or two medium sized zucchini’s

½ cup pure tahini

¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

2 cloves of garlic, peeled

¼ cup raw sesame seeds

¼ tsp sea salt

Cumin to taste

1.     Chop up zucchini and gather all the ingredients, and set aside.

2.     Place all ingredients in bowl of a food processor and blend until well combined.

3.     If it’s not “creamy” enough for you, pour it into a blender and whirl on high for a few minutes. It should come out like a creamy and thick salad dressing.

Pea-Licious Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins!

At the Vegetarian Food Fair I discovered this amazing new line of products.  They are all made from Pulses (or legumes)! Now I don’t think we give this plant family enough credit. They are all high in protein, high in fiber and they taste absolutely delicious. They also prove to be served in both sweet and savoury recipes. I am totally floored with the results I have gotten from using some of The Best Cooking Pulses – as they are truly the best. This includes pea fiber, green and yellow whole pea flour and chickpea flour. They are all lactose free, gluten free and made with Non GMO crops!

Now let’s just talk about pulses for  for a second…(from BCP website)

Natural Pea fiber is a highly absorptive, bland-tasting, human grade, fine vegetable fiber ground from non-GM yellow pea hulls. As a functional food for human consumption, Natural Pea fiber has commercial and nutritional advantages. As an ingredient in breads, cakes, cookies, tortillas, pasta, soups and fiber drinks, it increases fiber content, mimics wheat bran but is light in colour and bland in flavour. It increases the volume of doughs and works as a fat replacer by binding water.

Pea Flour Yellow and Green split peas are pulverized to the ideal baking particle size to produce flour.This flour improves the protein quality of wheat flour in a wide range of bakery products. It is a natural processing aid providing many benefits: keeping bakery products softer longer, improving dough machinability and reducing mixing times. It is included in many snack foods.

With all of this in mind, I knew that when I attempted to make my usual gluten free banana muffin that currently just has brown rice flour, I swapped some of the flour for some yellow split pea. Nothing like a little extra yellowness to go with the banana’s. To my surprise, these muffins came out tender, moist and delicious. I was so excited – they tasted even better than my original recipe. So I have officially welcomed pea flour into my pantry and it will have a fun time getting to know some of my other whole food based ingredients!

When discovering new products it is always good to experiment with them, but don’t be afraid. Just start by substituting in small amounts for other ingredients. Even for gluten free baking, which seems so complicated, isn’t really. You just have to practice, like anything else. If you are still a little confused – and want to experience making these muffins first hand with me and get some of this fabulous flour then join my Gourmet and Gluten Free class on October 7th.

Pea-Licious Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

What’s in it?

2 ripened bananas, mashed

6 tbsp grapeseed or melted coconut oil

¼ cup maple syrup

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp ground chia + ¼ cup applesauce (replaces 1 egg)

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup Whole Yellow Pea Flour

½ cup brown rice flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

½ cup dark (non dairy) chocolate chips

How it’s made!

1. Add oil, maple syrup, and salt to mashed banana and beat until well mixed. Add chia + applesauce and vanilla and mix well. Add remaining dry ingredients and nuts. Mix until just blended.

Pour into muffin tins lined with parchment paper cups. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 F!

If you can, use a stainless steel muffin tray, and parchment lined baking cups. If there are empty spaces left – add a touch of water to prevent burning!

A Pint Full of Bliss!

Yes that is right, you can win your very own PINT full of Bliss! I am having a contest – and you need to have a few things in order to participate.

Well not really, you just have to tell me how much you love coconut bliss and why? The word needs to get out about how delicious and amazing dairy free, soy free and gluten free ice cream is. There are many varieties of this fabulous ice cream and I want you to try it! Some of their flavours include: naked coconut, vanilla bean, chocolate mint, hazelnut fudge, cappuccino, cherry amaretto, pineapple coconut and a few more!

But first I am going to give you a little intro as to why coconuts are so good for you, as I feel most people still don’t understand the power, pleasure and possibilities of coconuts on their health and their happiness! (Yes that’s right, coconuts make you happy and so does ice cream!)

First off, let’s just discuss how passionate the owners of these amazing pints are. Luna and Larry both share a love for ice cream – but not just any kind of ice cream COCONUT ICE CREAM.

They have spent years perfecting their perfect blends and take pride in using the best quality ingredients, did you know that their coconut milk is brought in by boat from an organic family farm in Thailand? The land where coconuts thrive and are in abundance!

Did you also know that coconuts are not a nut…they are a Drupe (or hard pit) surrounded by fleshy skin.

Many doctors, naturopaths and nutritionists (including myself) believe coconut oil to be one of the healthiest oils for human consumption and great for your heart too!

Here are a few facts on Coconut Oil (from Luna and Larry)

- coconut milk meat and oil contain lauric acid, which is naturally antimicrobial, antiviral and anti-fungal

- coconuts are excellent for your immune system, and good for your skin (which is why it is the base of so many moisturizers and cosmetics)

- coconut milk is made from coconut meat

- coconut oil may even help you to lose weight!

So even though coconut oil is a Saturated Fat – it is not like the saturated fats in animal products that contain cholesterol and promote heart disease. Those are long chain fatty acids and they are harder for our bodies to break down, so we are  more likely to store them as fat.

Health experts for year have told people to stay away from saturated fats, but coconut oil is different. It has no cholesterol and contains medium chain fatty acids which we can easily break down and use for energy. Studies now show that coconut oil may actually reduce the risk of heart disease by raising “good” HDL cholesterol and help yo lose weight by speeding up the rate at which your body burns fuel.

So if all of this information hasn’t sold you yet, then maybe winning a FREE PINT will prove just how delicious and fantastic Coconut Bliss is.

Be one of the 5 people (and must be Canadian) that I will select to win a pint.

Tell me:

Why you LOVE coconut Bliss…

Why you want to TRY Coconut Bliss…

Tweet about Coconut Bliss – and comment below

Become a Fan of Coconut Bliss and Delicious Knowledge of Facebook – and comment below

Then I will choose accordingly and you may be a lucky WINNER!

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