Thyme is a fragrant, woodsy herb that compliments the earthiness of mushrooms and richness of eggs well. It is used frequently in modern cuisines from around the Mediterranean and has a long history of use primarily medicinally and culinarily, back when its antiseptic properties were more valuable. Continue Reading →
Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal
Baked oatmeal is a cozy option for a nourishing breakfast cereal, it is both trendy and versatile, and is definitely worth trying if you have 20 minutes to leave it in the oven. This amount is for one person but it can be multiplied and cooked in individual bowls or in one large, shallow casserole dish. Oats are an inexpensive and widely available whole grain rich in fiber. They are very satiating, especially when combined with some fruit and nuts for extra nutrients like protein and healthy fats, and provide sustained energy to keep you going strong all morning. Continue Reading →
Shamrock Smoothie
If you plan on consuming a fair share of green beer for St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow (also known as “National Drinking Day” in the holiday’s home country of Ireland), or if you’ve already been celebrating since the weekend, downing a nutrient dense smoothie like this can help your body recover faster. If you want to make it a little more like a (still healthy) milkshake and less like a smoothie you can try swapping the frozen banana and avocado for a scoop or two of plain coconut ice cream. Smoothies are really easy to digest since they are already blended up, this makes them a perfect snack or meal when your schedule is busy or if you are eating and drinking out at restaurants frequently. Continue Reading →
Creamy Tropical Green Smoothie
I have been on a major smoothie kick the past few weeks, trying out different combinations every day and this one is my favorite so far. It has a lot of fruit and ends up making around 5-6 cups, big enough for breakfast or lunch after an intense morning workout or for sharing if it’s a less active day. Continue Reading →
Orange Carrot Smoothie
Adding fresh juice (ideally cold-pressed for maximum nutrient retention) to a smoothie can really make the flavors pop. Both juices and smoothies are full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and enzymes. When consumed on an empty stomach they are very easy to digest and absorb- this means that the nutrients will be well utilized and replenish or build up our stores. Continue Reading →
Blueberry Banana Pancakes
Health food is a multi-billion dollar industry that continues to grow every year. Products with tag lines like “vegan”, “gluten-free”, “low carb”, “natural”, “smarter”, “better-for-you” and “organic” can make a company massive profits. While some of these companies are devoted to making products that live up to the claims on their boxes, there are many that will take any shortcut and cost-cutting method available. For us, the consumers, this means that we cannot assume that a processed food product is all that it lives up to be. In the quest to eat healthier it is easy to start defining our diet with labels, when I was a hardcore vegan a box of waffles pretty much always made its way into my grocery cart and I ignored the list of preservatives and additives because what it didn’t contain was more important to me. Continue Reading →
Coconut Lime Chia Pudding
Chia seeds are small and nearly flavorless but add them to liquid and they plump up, forming a gel, and take on the flavors of whatever other ingredients are added in. They are very filling and are one of the best plant based sources of essential omega-3 fatty acids, along with all the essential amino acids (making them a “complete” protein), fiber, antioxidants, calcium and iron. They were originally cultivated as a staple crop of the Mayans, the word “chia” means “strength” in their language. Continue Reading →
Chocolate Banana Oat Muffins
I’ve been experimenting a lot in the past few months with different gluten-free baking techniques. Coconut flour and gluten-free blends are some widely used options but I have found that the end product when using large quantities is usually really crumbly or slightly rubbery. Combining rolled oats and nut flour however, produces muffins and loaves that are dense, cohesive and moist. Continue Reading →
Tropical Granola Parfait
Layering a thick smoothie with granola and yogurt is the ultimate in healthy brunch decadence and it’s good enough to eat for dessert. You can use any smoothie and granola you like, here I kept the flavors tropical for a bit of a pick me up from the dreary winter weather. Smoothies are a really great item to incorporate into a healthy diet because they are flexible to your individual preferences and since the food is completely blended they are less work for your digestive system to break down. Continue Reading →
Portobello Egg Cups
Portobello mushrooms are a versatile vegetable (technically they are actually a fungi) with a meaty texture and their large round shape makes them an ideal container for stuffing with other ingredients. They are a good source of many different antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, but what’s even more interesting is the potential of their phytonutrients to enhance immunity. Continue Reading →