These muffins are quick and easy to prepare and clean up. All the ingredients go into a blender to create a smooth batter then the cherries get folded in and it all goes straight into lined muffin tins. The trick is just to work quickly and then get it into the oven right away, if left out for too long the batter can get too thick. The muffins are not too sweet so a bit of butter and cherry jam can make them more decadent. Continue Reading →
Sourdough with Marscapone and Honeycomb
A simple, healthy piece of bread can be transformed into a treat with some creamy marscapone and sweet honeycomb. Any kind of whole grain bread is going to be a nutritious choice but it is extra beneficial if the grains are sprouted or if the loaf is a sourdough one. Both of these types have an extra step in the processing that makes the bread easier for us to digest. Continue Reading →
Orange Asparagus Wheat Berry Salad
Eating in the summer is easy- the focus is on lots of hydrating smoothies, fruits and salads, plus some BBQ here and there to weigh the lighter options down a bit. In the fall, it gets a little heavier still and there is (ideally) pumpkin in everything. The winter is all about comfort food- thick stews and chilis, roasted meats and root vegetables, porridge and hearty breads. But what about spring? For the earth it is a time of renewal and if we eat with the seasons, as we should as much as possible, it is a season of renewal for us too. It is the best time of year to detoxify our bodies. That doesn’t mean going on cleanses or restrictive diets, it means eating more foods that support our bodies’ natural detoxification process. 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 →
BLT Pasta with Creamy Avocado Dressing
BLT, the classic combination of bacon, lettuce and tomatoes can work beyond the bread. Here, they form the main ingredients in this pasta dish and come together with a creamy avocado dressing. A warm and cozy meal like this is great for winter- it has lots of fiber, healthy fats and protein so it is filling and satisfying. Continue Reading →
Pesto Pine Nut and Cannellini Penne Pasta
We can all benefit from some vegetarian meals now and then. Pasta is a dependable base for creating a hearty bowl of plant based ingredients. From there, adding in a range of foods with different colours, flavours and textures builds a dish that even those on the more carnivorous side can enjoy. Some legumes like mildly flavoured cannellini beans are sturdy and dense, some nuts like freshly toasted pine nuts add a rich, buttery texture and a range of vegetables add crispness and variety. Continue Reading →
Homemade Flavoured Oatmeal
It was dark and rainy this morning, and there was a cold breeze we haven’t felt in months. I love the food this time of year because we still have freshly ripe and juicy fruits but as the temperatures drop we start incorporating more hearty items. Warm oatmeal with lots of fruit is an ideal breakfast for transitioning into autumn and fuelling us through long days. Continue Reading →
Chorizo and Wild Rice Bowl
An easy stir fry like this with Spanish flavours can be on the table in 15 minutes using some leftover rice, cured Chorizo sausage (or any other desired variety including veggie options) and some chopped vegetables. For this dish I used a wild rice blend with some brown rice, it has a nutty flavour and firm texture that holds up well- making it a good option for batch cooking. Even for those more comfortable with white rice, a dish like this with lots of flavours and colours can distract from a transition to healthier, more wholesome varieties. Continue Reading →
Greek Pasta Salad
I love a big bowl of Greek salad in the summer and adding some whole grain pasta and chickpeas bulks it up and transforms it into a filling meal. The fresh vegetables offer impressive ranges of antioxidants, minerals and vitamins while the pasta and chickpeas greatly increase the fiber and protein of the dish. Fresh food like this is what gives the Mediterranean Diet the fame it has in the nutritional world. Such fresh, vibrant, nutrient dense ingredients, with so little modification, are integral to keeping a strong cardiovascular system and maintaining a healthy body weight. Continue Reading →
Baked Oatmeal with Fresh Fruit
Making big batches of whole grains is a necessity for me to be able to throw quick and healthy meals together. Sometimes I like for it to be a big pot of slow cooked hearty oats, this stage is the more involved part because it requires a constant eye and regular stirring. But it makes the following mornings much easier when I can pour some of the leftovers into a baking dish, top it with fruit and bake it in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the top is warm and golden and the inside is warm and gooey. Continue Reading →