Pumpkins have become eponymous with autumn, especially when spiced, but technically they are a winter squash so we legitimately have at least another month to fairly enjoy them. Pumpkin butter is smooth and sweet, a great cold-weather alternative to berry jams that can be put on toast or swirled into oatmeal, yogurt bowls or chia pudding for an extra boost of flavour. Continue Reading →
Nutty Chocolate Banana Bread
Loaves, like muffins, are a great item for meal or snack prepping because they can be quite healthy with the right ingredients and they are easy to package individually and transport. I kept this version ultra nutritious with a combination of sprouted buckwheat flour and almond flour to form a hearty and dense base. Each has a nutty flavour and together they contribute many important nutrients including protein, fiber, manganese, iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin E and B vitamins. Continue Reading →
Apple Cranberry Muffins
Muffins are a great item to prepare in advance. They freeze well and are very portable, perfect for a healthy, on-the-go snack or light meal. For this version I tried to keep them as nutritious as possible by starting with a base of sprouted spelt and sprouted buckwheat flours. This extra step in the processing creates a whole grain flour that is easy to digest, with more bioavailable nutrients.
From there, the muffins get some density and healthy fats from almond meal (ground almonds) and moistness from apple sauce, Greek yogurt and a bit of cultured butter. Natural sweetness comes from dates and maple syrup and vanilla and cinnamon add a bit of seasonal spice.
Pecan Pumpkin Muffins with Maple Marscapone Filling
It’s the first day of fall, time to fill the kitchen with pumpkins and incorporate them into healthy, hearty culinary creations. Here I used some puréed pumpkin to make some nutrient-dense muffins. They are also based upon sprouted spelt flour and sprouted buckwheat flour. Spelt is an ancient grain that has been shown to be easier to digest than several newer varieties. Both spelt and buckwheat have a nutty flavour that works well for muffins and using sprouted options ensures maximum nutrient bioavailability. Continue Reading →
Berry Chia Jam
One of the most common ways to preserve the bounty of our summer berries is by turning them into jam. The process can be a bit intimidating because the right temperature, sugar content and pectin levels have to be spot on. Out of the nutrition world has come a simpler process that utilizes chia seeds as the thickener. Continue Reading →
Creamy Nectarine Vanilla Cashew Smoothie
Smoothies can be as light or as decadent as desired. They can be filled with a myriad of superfoods or made from a few simple ingredients. This version is more of a dessert combination, made from only four ingredients- fresh nectarines, vanilla bean, cashew ice cream and cashew milk. The nectarines give it a sweet, summery flavour while the cashew ice cream and milk give it a velvety smooth, rich texture and the vanilla increases the decadent factor. Continue Reading →
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites
Sitting on the kitchen counter and sneaking bits of raw chocolate chip cookie dough as my mom baked them is one of my earliest and fondest childhood memories. While her classic recipe is still my favourite, I try to make more nutrient-dense variations like this from time to time. Continue Reading →
Pineapple Coconut Soft Serve
Though this is easy to make it does require some prep work. Chilling the coconut cream enough to separate and then freezing the coconut pineapple mixture each takes around 8 hours.Coconut cream is made from blending the meat and water of a coconut. The easiest way to obtain it is from cans of coconut milk. Place the can in the fridge overnight and when you are ready to use it flip it over, open it up and use a spoon to skim the thick cream off the top. The cold from the fridge makes the cream separate from the water and settle on the bottom of the can. Skipping the refrigeration period makes it pretty impossible to separate the cream from the water as it all blends together to create a milk. For people looking to make more dairy-free treats it’s a good idea to always keep a can or two of coconut milk in the fridge.
I was inspired by some lemon and coconut gelato I had in Italy that were served in hollowed out lemon and coconut halves. The mass of a pineapple does lend to a more North American serving size but there are some smaller golden pineapples often available, which I used here, that are a more reasonable size.
- 1 cup coconut cream (place a can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight, flip it over open it up and use a spoon to skim off the coconut cream concentrated at the top. Save the coconut water below for smoothies.)
- 4 cups pineapple, chopped
- 2 standard sized ice cube molds
- Blend the coconut cream and pineapple until smooth. Pour into ice cube molds and freeze overnight, or for around 8 hours.
- Place the frozen cubes into the blender and pulse until they are broken down and become a smooth, thick mixture.
Berry Cups
Berry cups are a healthy and easy option for buffets or as part of a dessert platter. Simply fill muffin liners with berries and top with a complimentary dip. I mixed together plain Greek yogurt and hazelnut butter for a creamy, nutty option. Placing the dip on top makes it easy for people to take the whole thing at once and dip each berry in as they eat them. Continue Reading →
Summer Fruit Skewers
Skewing fruits is a way to make fruit salad into finger food, an easy option for summer get togethers or for snacks on-the-go. This definitely doesn’t require a recipe or specific measurements. They can be more uniform with the fruits in the same order or they can be more sporadic. Continue Reading →