It’s been awhile since I’ve posted a recipe as I’ve been taking a little rest. However, with the buzz of Thanksgiving it’s been easy for me to get back in the kitchen to share some goodies like this one with you all. This casserole is both sweet and savoury, and those of you who love to add a little sweet factor to the table will adore it!

Ingredients

For the Potato Mix:
5-6 medium sized sweet potatoes, washed and scrubbed
1 1/2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 egg
1 tsp pure vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 cup almond or coconut milk

For the Topping:
2/3 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup flour of your choice- gluten-free: use rice, oat, almond, or quality multi-purpose like Bobs Red Mill.
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1 cup whole raw pecans - diced
6 tbsp butter - melted

Directions

1. Pre heat oven to 400 F. Poke holes into potatoes with a fork.
2. Bake sweet potatoes whole on a baking sheet for 1 hour.
3. Let stand to cool and then peel away skins and discard. Add potatoes to a large mixing bowl and mash.
4. Add egg, milk, spices, vanilla and maple syrup. Stir to combine.
5. In a separate bowl combine ingredients for topping. Melt butter and pour over top. Mix together with a fork until mixture is coated.
6. Transfer potato mixture to an oven safe baking dish and spread out evenly. Add crumble on top and spread evenly.
7. Bake for another 25-30 mins at 350 F.
8. Serve and demolish!

Whether your on the Paleo or Keto train, or just plain trying to avoid processed ingredients, this cookie recipe is a great one to have kicking around. Especially if you are a sucker for gingersnaps like me!
Recipe makes 12-16 cookies depending on how large you make them.

Ingredients:
1 cup almond flour
1/3 cup coconut flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp all spice

1 egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup almond (any nut/seed butter will do)
1/4 melted coconut oil

For Rolling...
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup coconut sugar (I combined with a touch of raw cane sugar for some extra sparkle)

Directions:
1. Combine all dry ingredients into medium sized bowl and whisk to combine, getting all the lumps out.
2. Combine all wet ingredients into smaller bowl and stir until mixture well combined.
3. Add wet ingredients to dry and stir until completely combined.
4. Put mixture in the fridge for 20 minutes.
5. While mixture is chilling, line cookie sheet with parchment paper and pre-heat oven to 350 F. Combine cinnamon and sugar into a separate small bowl for rolling.
6. Once chilled, roll mixture into balls using your hands, and then into cinnamon-sugar mixture.
7. Place balls on cookie sheet and flatten with your hand or a fork/back of a spoon.
8. Bake for 10 minutes.
9. Let cookies cool completely before eating.
10. Store at room temp in an airtight container.



Enjoy!! 🍪 🍪

The BEST summer time smoothie! Hydrating, refreshing and anti-oxidant rich with vitamin C and carotenoids. Read more about current research and the health benefits of watermelon in this article from Green Med Info.
https://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/let-fruit-be-your-medicine-watermelons-remarkable-health-benefits-1

Ingredients:
1.5 cups fresh diced watermelon
1/2 cup strawberries
1/4 avocado
1 tsp flaxseed
1 serving of collagen powder or unsweetened protein powder of your choice.
2-4 ice cubes
*Add 1-2 Majool dates for extra sweetness

Toss all ingredients into a blender and mix it up.
Relax with smoothie in hand and enjoy the sunshine ☀️

A plant-based version of Masala for all your Indian food cravings! Savoury and spicy flavours and easy on digestion. When in doubt I always say add turmeric. It has many health benefits including its anti-inflammatory and hormone balancing effect, and good mood promoting minerals like iron and magnesium.

Ingredients: (Makes Two Servings)
3 cans chickpeas or 1 large 28oz can
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 can coconut milk
2 onions, or 1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp coriander
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (add more for more heat)
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tsp arrowroot powder or xanthan gum (thickener)
1 tbsp avocado or coconut oil
1 tbsp chopped cilantro per serving

Directions:
1. Cook 1 cup of organic white rice or other alternative grain.
2. In a skillet/wok heat oil in a pan, sauté onions until translucent.
3. Add garlic, sauté for 1 more minute.
4. Add all spices and then chickpeas, and tomatoes. Cook for another 15 minutes on med heat.
5. Add coconut oil - cook another 5 minutes.
6. Top w cilantro

Option to have with a side of green steamed or roasted veggies like broccoli or asparagus :)

Wild salmon is simply one of the best good mood foods you can consume. The perfect storm for your brain and nervous system, while also supporting bone, heart, skin and eye health. Compared to farmed fish, wild is more nutrient dense, offering MORE omega-3 fatty acid content as well as other vital vitamins and minerals important for supporting conversion of amino acids (protein) into good mood neuro-chemicals like dopamine and serotonin. These include, vitamin Bs (like B12, B9/Folate, B6), vitamin D, iron, magnesium, and zinc. One 3 oz. serving also contains about 21 grams of protein and 7 grams of fat. To optimize and boost brain health, and support stress add wild fish like salmon into the mix about 3 times weekly.

Ingredients per two fillets:

~two wild salmon fillets (about 12 oz).
~4 tbsp Tamari sauce
~2 tbsp pure maple syrup
~1 tsp grainy dijon mustard
~1 garlic clove, finely diced
~1 tsp chilli powder
~1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional for extra spice)

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients with salmon in a large Ziploc bag.
2. Marinate in the fridge for minimum 30 minutes or longer.
3. Bake at 350F for 12-15 minutes.

**Tip: You can find frozen wild salmon fillets at Costco or Farmboy. Otherwise check the health food freezer section of your local grocery or health food store. Whole Foods also has already thawed options.

The great go-to pancake with no need for flour. This recipe is a huge hit amongst my Mom friends, which is how it came my way, and to be honest would be a crime not to share with all of you. You will love it and your kids will love it. Definitely a great swap for anyone avoiding gluten, wheat or grains altogether.

Ingredients:
2 eggs, beaten
1 tbsp almond or other nut/seed butter
1 ripe banana, mashed
1 tsp butter or coconut oil
1 tbsp pure maple syrup

Optional toppings:
Coconut flakes
Pumpkin seeds
Wild berries

Directions:
1. Mash banana in a medium sized bowl.
2. Add eggs, and beat to combine.
3. Add nut butter and combine with mixture. Option to also add half or full scoop protein or collagen powder to boost protein. *2 eggs + nut butter will give you about 16g protein.
4. Heat skillet on stove top at med-high heat, and add coconut oil or butter to pan.
5. Pour mixture into pan and cook like a pancake! Reduce to medium heat. Flip once you see the mixture start to bubble (about 4-5 mins on first side). Option to make one large or two smaller cakes.
Enjoy !

Ingredients

The Shake:
1 cup greens of your choice
3-4 ice cubes
3-4 dates, pits removed
2 tbsp chia seeds
2 tbsp raw cacao powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp flaxseed
1 cup coconut or almond milk
1 tbsp coconut or MCT oil
1 tbsp almond butter
1 heaping tbsp collagen powder (I like Organika brand)
*Blend all ingredients and then pour smoothie into a bowl.

To top:
1/2 banana or 1 smaller banana sliced
1 tbsp nut butter
1 tbsp walnuts, chopped
1/2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp coconut flakes
Sea salt to taste (about 1/8 tsp)
*feel free to mix and match toppings or add some steel cut oats with toppings. However, protein profile is based on these exact ingredients.

This recipe gives you 23 grams of protein! If you choose to forgo the collagen powder, add an extra tablespoon of chia which still gives you 16g.

Five Fabulous reasons to add Collagen powder:


*An easy way to get 9 extra grams of protein in your meal, with no added sugars or flavours often added to many protein powder blends. No taste detected.

*Soothe and repair your digestive tract if you suffer from digestive health conditions, like IBS.

*Firm, revitalize and smooth skin.


*Reduce stiff and painful joints from Arthritis. Build more collagen to support joint health.

*Last but not least, soothe your nervous system, sending both calming and motivational signals derived from its amino acid profile. For highly anxious individuals getting high dose protein is especially essential at breakfast to help your adrenal glands and stress hormone output chill the f#%k out so you can feel more at ease about tackling your day.

Happy smoothie bowl making!

A great mix of greens and your favourite complex carbs to melt your stress away!
Serves 4, or gives you plenty of leftovers for lunch.

Ingredients:
For the Salad-
8 cups baby kale or mix with other leafy greens
1 cup halved or whole cherry tomatoes
1 acorn squash, baked and cut into cubes
1 cup green lentils, cooked
1 avocado, diced
4 tbsp goat cheese
4 tbsp sunflower seeds
*For extra protein and additional nervous system support, option to add 1/2 cup sliced baked chicken breast per serving.

For the Squash-
1 acorn squash
2 tbsp Coconut oil or butter
Cinnamon + sea salt to sprinkle on top

For the Dressing-
1/2 cup olive oil
Juice from 1/2 lemon
2 tbsp grainy Dijon mustard
1 tsp raw honey

Directions:
1. Before preparing your salad, prepare your squash and lentils.
For the Squash- Cut squash in half and place face down in a baking dish filled with 1/2 cup water. Bake for 40-45 minutes at 350F. Ensure squash is soft to poke with a fork. Turn squash over so it’s facing up, add coconut oil/butter and cinnamon to each half and bake for another 5-10 minutes. Let squash cool for another 10 minutes, or put it in the fridge to speed up the process. Then cut into cubes and scoop out with a spoon. Add cubes to salad.

While squash is baking cook the lentils as indicated on the package. Usually 2:1 ratio- 2 cups water, 1 cup lentils. Typically takes around 30 mins. Stir occasionally to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

2. For the dressing- combine all ingredients to a small bowl and whisk together with a fork.

3. Prepare and add all other salad ingredients to a large bowl. Add in squash and lentils and then pour in the dressing. Toss ingredients together until well coated. Adding more olive oil and lemon as desired. Add diced avocado, and goat cheese on top before serving.

Perfect for Easter or anytime of year really. If cupcakes aren’t your jam, you could opt to make this recipe in a cake pan.
The icing for this recipe contains dairy, but otherwise they are wheat and gluten free, and nut free goodies, and do not contain any processed sugar/sweeteners.

Ingredients


For the Cakes:
1/2 cup coconut sugar
5 tbsp butter, softened
4 large eggs
2 tbsp almond or coconut milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups GF multi purpose baking flour (I love Pete’s SMART All Purpose Baking Flour- a blend of sorghum, millet, arrowroot, rice and tapioca flour). *This is a local Ottawa based brand.
1 tbsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 cup grated carrot
1 tbsp coconut oil - for greasing the pan or if using paper liners add to batter.

For the Frosting:
1/2 cup regular cream cheese
2 tbsp butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp canned coconut cream
1/4 cup coconut sugar

Directions


For the Cake:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Combine coconut sugar and butter into a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
2. Add eggs, vanilla, and nut milk, stir mixture. Then gradually add in flour, baking powder and spices forming the batter.
3. Lastly add and fold the grated carrot into the mixture, folding a few times.
4. If using paper liners add melted/liquid coconut oil into the batter to help with nonstick. If pouring batter straight into the pan that’s fine too, option to grease the pan instead.
5. Scoop batter evenly into baking cups/liners.
6. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Use a tooth pick to test. It should come out clean. Let stand to cool for 20-30 minutes before icing.

For the Frosting:
1. For quickest results add all ingredients to mini food processor and purée.
*Tip- add and blend the butter, cream cheese and coconut sugar first for smoothest results.

Hoppy Easter!!