Chia booster

I starting adding this to Ava and Aidans breakfast a while ago because it is a great way of getting Omega 3's into their diet without them complaining too much. I use it in smoothies, to top their cereal such as oatmeal or quinoa porridge and I have also sprinkled it on top of pancakes, added it to cookies and it's fantastic on top of salad. I always find ways to sneak in a little more nutrition.

Basically I take chia, flax seeds, raw pumpkin seeds and goji berries and blend them into a powder. I have added nuts before such as macadamia or cashews and hemp seeds are another great addition. Anything will work. I add 1/2 cup of each sometimes more or less and blend everything in a food processor. I store the "booster" mix in a jar in the fridge so it is always ready when I need to add it to things.

Most kids do not love nuts and seeds in their food but this is a great way to disguise it. You can even call it "Pixie Powder" like I used to do with Ava. She has since caught on to what is in it so the name no longer works; she calls me out on it.

Chia is an excellent source of fiber, Omega 3 and contains various antioxidants. Pumpkin seeds are a great source of many vitamins and minerals such as zinc, magnesium and manganese. Plus, pumpkin seeds contain L-tryptophan which has been shown to help with depression. I cannot say enough good things about incorporating these into your diet. Gogi berries are a loaded with vitamin C and are on the top 10 list for super foods in the world.

Quinoa Porridge with apples

Quinoa makes an amazing porridge and if you like your oatmeal in the morning this is a great way of using quinoa to add some protein in your breakfast. I top this porridge with fresh apples or berries and a sprinkle of a goji berry and seed mixture.

Cooking the quinoa with a grated apple gives this healthy breakfast some natural sweetness. This is a warm, comforting meal that my kids love.

Quinoa Porridge
1/2 cup quinoa (rinsed in cold water and drained)
1 1/2 cups milk (your choice, cow, goat, coconut, almond)
1 apple, grated
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of sea salt
1 tsp vanilla
few drops of stevia
top with apples or berries and berry/seed mixture

Place the rinsed quinoa in a small saucepan and add the milk. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and place the lid on the pot. Cook for 18 minutes then add in the grated apple, cinnamon, sea salt and stevia. Let cook for another few minutes. Remove from heat and add the vanilla and a little more milk.

Place in a bowl and top with fresh fruit, another sprinkle of cinnamon and seed mixture. Add a little more milk if you need to.

Happy Valentines Day

I cannot let Valentines Day go by without posting a chocolate recipe. This is a rather healthy cookie, using no flour or unrefined sugar. This macaroon is loaded with healthy antioxidants found in the cocoa, cacao nibs and goji berries. I store them in the fridge because they become a little fudgey. I love the addition of coarse sea salt on top.

Make these and share them with someone you love!

Chocolate Macaroon
3 cups shredded coconut
1 cup cocoa powder (raw cacao powder preferably)
1/2 cup goji berries
1/3 cup raw cacao nibs
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup almond milk or coconut milk
3 tbsp coconut oil or organic butter (even better is coconut butter)
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp sea salt
sprinkle of coarse sea salt on top

Preheat overn to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl combine coconut, goji berries, raw cacao nibs and sea salt. Mix everything to combine.

In a small saucepan warm the coconut, cocoa powder, maple syrup and almond milk and stir until everything is smooth; 3 - 4 minutes approximately. Remove from heat and add the vanilla.

Pour the chocolate mixture over the coconut and stir to combine. Using a small ice cream scoop, mound the mixture onto a parchment lined cookie. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove and let cool.

Warm Lentil Salad with Watercress and Poached Egg

I received an email from Patty of Sunnyside Market informing me that they had microgreens in stock. I stopped in to see what I could find and came across the most amazing watercress still attached to the soil it grew in. Watercress is a tiny green with a peppery taste, is great in salad or used as garnish and is highly nutritious. It is related to the cabbage family or Brassicaceae family and contains phyto-nutrients making it very nutritious. Watercress contains multiple vitamins and minerals such a vitmain K, C, A, calcium, phoshporus, potassium and magnesium and copper. I could go on here but what I won't. It's worth buying.

I started with french green lentils, sauteed leeks and mushrooms with a simple dressing of mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar and olive oil. I topped the salad with watercress and a perfect poached egg. This was a warm, earthy, comforting and super nutritious lunch.

The best part is, watercress sprouts are such a treat in February. Thanks Patty for the tip on the greens!

My New Purchase

I have been wanting very badly to change out my non stick frying pans that I have been using for years from All-Clad. I love All-Clad pans but the Teflon has got to go. I have been hearing that they are going to ban it soon, but my main issue is what happens when cooking with them. I have been reading that there are some health concerns linked to these pans and aluminum pans. The J. A. Henckels pan is PFOA-free, PTFE-free and made of ceramic not Teflon, making this pan safe for the environment.

My sister had J. A. Henckels Thermolon pans when I visited her a while ago and she cooked crepes in the pan with ease and very little butter. They are beautiful pans that will last a long time which is one of my main objectives when buying pots and pans; they get a lot of use in my kitchen. She bought her pans at The Bay but when she told me what she paid I reconsidered the immediate purchase. Then I found a Canadian based website called Slice and Sear that stocked the pans and shipped. They shipped my order right away; I love getting great service. They also have a store called The Healthy Butcher that carries organic, grass fed meat.

So if you are thinking about getting a new non stick frying pan that is environmentally friendly check out Slice and Sear's webpage. They have great cookware and knives at amazing prices.

Buckwheat Noodles with Eggplant, Mango and Chicken

I have finished flipping through the fabulous cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi called Plenty. The book is filled with gorgeous pictures of vegetarian dishes and great recipes, some more complicated than others. My first dish to prepare was a Soba noodle recipe because both my kids love noodles. Soba noodles are mostly found as wheat and buckwheat but you can find gluten free buckwheat noodles at Community.

When cooking the noodles stir them because they will stick together. Don't worry if the noodles have stuck together like glue after you have cooked and drained them; pour the sauce on the noodles and they separate easily.

Eggplant is one of those vegetables that looks really weird and people are sometimes afraid to try but it is really good. Try and find a small one with tender skin.

Buckwheat Noodles with eggplant, mango and chicken
recipe adapted from Plenty

shredded cooked chicken
2 eggplants, grilled and cut into bite size dice
1 pkg buckwheat noodles
1 large ripe mango cut into strips or dice
1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
1/2 cup rice vinegar (I used a brown rice vinegar)
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 fresh red chili, finely chopped 
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
grated zest and juice of 2 limes
1/2 tsp salt 
bunch of fresh basil, thai basil if you can find it is great
bunch of chopped cilantro

Add buckwheat noodles to boiling water and cook according to the package directions. Drain and set aside in a large bowl.

Cut the eggplant in slices and brush with olive oil. Place slices on a grill pan and grill for a few minutes a side. Remove from the heat, sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Let cool and chop the eggplant into bite size pieces.

In a small bowl combine rice vinegar, lime juice and zest, garlic, maple syrup, salt, sesame oil. Add this to the bowl with buckwheat noodles and toss. Add in the mango, chicken, basil, cilantro, red onion and eggplant. Toss everything together and serve with extra cilantro and top with red chili.

Omega Waldof Salad

 

There are a million Waldorf salad recipes out there and many on other Paleo websites but I made mine without mayonnaise. To be honest, I actually don't like mayo but if you make your own or have a good store bought mayo, knock yourself out. 

Chia is a superfood that is easy to get into your diet because it can be added almost anywhere. This little seed is high in omega-3 fatty acids. It is important in our diets to maintain a balance between the omega-3 and omega-6 as they both have different responses in our bodies when consumed. Much of the population consumes far too many omega-6 fatty acids and this can have a negative effect on the body.

I kept this one clean and simple by using unsweetened, natural goat yogurt. It would be a great lunch with cubes of chicken on a bed of greens but I made this before dashing out the door to school. It's quick, healthy and delicious.

Waldorf Salad

3 celery ribs, sliced
1 gala apple, cored and diced
1 tbsp chia seeds
walnuts, less than a handful, roughly chopped
handful of dried unsweetened cranberries
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/3 cup natural unsweetened goat yogurt
1 tbsp honey (optional)

pinch of salt

Mix the honey, yogurt, salt and lemon together in a medium bowl, Add in the remainder of the ingredients and stir to combine thoroughly. 

Arizona Trip: Whole Foods and True Food Kitchen

Every flavor of Coconut Milk Ice Cream

My last trip to Phoenix I decided to take a few pictures of a few places I visited. I love going to the States in search of new products and this time I made a trip to Whole Foods in Scottsdale. It is the best Whole Foods I have come across and I found a few things to bring back. The salad bar was incredible! I was lucky enough to be staying with a friend so I was able to prepare a few meals with some fantastic ingredients I came across. My favorite find was micro greens which I later used in an Ahi tuna salad. I picked up flavored stevia to bring back for the kids; rootbeer and peppermint. I can't wait to play around with that.

Whole Foods - Sprouted nuts, seeds, granola's

I really wish Calgary had a Whole Foods. Why don't we?

Whole Foods - best coffee ever

Whole Foods Salad Bar

While in Phoenix a friend of mine took me to True Food Kitchen for dinner. True Food Kitchen was founded by Dr. Weil and based around an anti-inflammatory diet. I wish there were more restaurants following the same principles as this one. Most of the ingredients are organic, fish is wild or sustainable, organic and bio-dynamic wine selection, plenty of vegetarian options, healthy oils, gluten free options and the red meat is bison. Heaven.

Dinner at True Food Kitchen

I had a very delicious grass fed bison burger which they did on a gluten free pita upon request, served with a side of raw kale salad. My friend had grilled steelhead salmon with quinoa pilaf. It was amazing and the wine was fantastic. I would highly recommend True Food Kitchen if you are visiting Scottsdale.

True Food Scottsdale