Since I like my salads to last for a few days I’ve been experimenting on different ways to make them stay as fresh as possible. I find that smaller cucumbers and tomatoes like this tend to stay more intact because they are still encased in their skins even when chopped, versus larger versions that get diced and have more exposed surface areas. Continue Reading →
Cruciferous Carrot Salad
Nutritional findings can be very conflicting and confusing and if you’re trying to eat healthier it can get a bit disheartening. Very simply, the most universal rule is to just eat a variety of foods, especially plant foods, in as close to their natural state as possible. Do this as often as possible, and you will probably be doing quite well. Salads with a range of different, colourful raw vegetables can be a great source of nutrients that can be eaten on their own or as a supplement to your regular meals. Continue Reading →
Tomatillo and Tomato Sausage Frittata
Golden coloured sweet cherry tomatoes go really nicely with tart green tomatillos. Throwing them into a frittata with a few handfuls of sausage makes for a filling meal in which the vegetables (or fruits to be technical) still shine. Continue Reading →
Hummus Avocado Potato Bites
These are a simple appetizer, side dish or snack based loosely on potato skins. They feature small potatoes with thin skins so the flesh doesn’t need to be removed, they are a good finger food size already. This makes them easier to prepare, plus their toppings make for a much healthier option that still has lots of flavour and feels like comfort food. Continue Reading →
Strawberry Mango Chia Pudding with Kiwi Berries
Chia pudding can be flavoured as simply or as intricately as desired. This is a really simple version that just utilizes fruit and a bit of unsweetened vanilla cashew milk to take chia seeds and plump them up into a flavourful, vibrant pudding. Here I used frozen strawberries and mango defrosted and blended with the milk. I like to use frozen fruit, especially this time of year when fruit isn’t really in season because the frozen option should have been picked and immediately frozen at its peak of ripeness. Therefore it is at its highest in nutrient content, which is preserved through the freezing, as well as at its most flavourful. Plus, I find that unthawed frozen fruit is often a little sweeter than in its completely fresh, unadulterated form. Maximum flavour and sweetness means that we don’t have to add in refined sugars to have a sweet, enjoyable treat. Continue Reading →
Eggs in a Yam Nest
Spiralizing root vegetables is a way to make a slightly different shaped base for egg hash. A spiralizer makes even, thin pieces that cook quickly and uniformly. Here I used yams because of their lightly sweet flavour and smooth, dense texture. Here in Canada we generally call the orange ones yams and the white or cream coloured ones sweet potatoes, but in the US it is the other way around- a great cause of confusion. Continue Reading →
Rose Chia Pudding Parfait
Chia pudding itself can take on a multitude of different ingredients to create a range of flavours, or a simple version can become part of a parfait. Here I used some Middle Eastern ingredients- rose water, dates and almonds along with some other ingredients I had around- hazelnuts, strawberries and cherries. Adding in these additional items makes the pudding into a very filling meal, with several extra nutrients. It’s the kind of thing that can be really helpful after a tough workout because it has lots of sugars from the fruit for a fast energy replenish but the fiber, healthy fats and protein also offer a more sustained energy. This way you don’t get the slump that you would with something more sugary and less nutritious like commercial cereal or baked items. Continue Reading →
Banana Bread Granola
One of my favourite ways to make baking items more nutritious and less indulgent is to use their flavours in granola. The oats and nuts which form the base are full of fiber, healthy fats and protein along with several micronutrients, or vitamins and minerals. I usually try to keep the sweeteners down then serve it with fruit for natural sweetness, plus an extra dose of several more nutrients. For this banana bread inspired granola I used molasses as the sweetener, it is a robust, dark and thick syrup which is the byproduct of refined sugar. Continue Reading →
Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup
Butternut soup is nourishing, cozy, dense and lightly sweet. It’s great on its own or it can be used as a base for more flavours. Here I used curry powder to add a big dose of exotic flavour (plus many of the spices are warming and help with digestion) and some coconut oil and coconut yogurt for a tropical touch. Pretty much any kind of Indian, Middle Eastern or Northern African spice mix will work nicely with butternut squash but my favourite is a homemade curry powder Continue Reading →
Chunky Monkey Chia Pudding
Peanut butter, chocolate and banana is a combination that screams dessert time- but they each bring several nutrients to the table. Here I paired them with an ultra nutritious and popular superfood, chia seeds. These little seeds were carried by Aztec warriors on long trips because they give a large return on investment. They are small and light but provide good, well-sustained energy and they are one of the best plant-based sources of essential omega-3 fatty acids, a nutrient we often under consume. Continue Reading →