Morning Green Juice

I definitely can't take credit for inventing this myself as there are so many juicers out there promoting their latest juice cleanse or recipe. Kris Carr however, is an amazing woman to follow and be inspired by - and her juicing philosophy is to have green juice EVERY DAY (preferably in the morning)!

So my favourite, and easiest green juice is pure, clean and simple!

Morning Green Juice

3 stalks of Celery
1/2 Cucumber (I cut the skin off if not organic)
2 leaves with stems of Swiss Chard
2 inches of Ginger
2 handfuls of Spinach

Chop, Juice, Drink!

You can add an apple if you need some sweetness or even mix in a tbsp of honey!

Benefits:
• clear, radiant skin
• alertness - coffee? what coffee?
• digestive love
• absorption of many essential vitamins and minerals
• happiness!

Gluten-free Cinnamon Berry Muffins

These muffins are amazing for breakfast and so healthy! I altered the recipe slightly from Julie Daniluk's book Meals that Heal Inflammation and they turned out amazing!

Gluten-Free Cinnamon Berry Muffins

2 cups of almond flour
1/2 cup of quinoa flour
1 cup of frozen raspberries or blueberries (I used strawberries as they were sold out everywhere!)
1 tsp of baking soda
1 tsp of himalayan salt
1/2 cup of coconut oil (I melt it down first before adding to mixture)
2 tbsp of cinnamon
1 tsp of ground ginger
1 tsp of nutmeg
1 tsp of cardamom
3 eggs
1/4 cup of honey (I love wildflower)

• Pre-heat oven to 300°
• Mix flours, baking soda, salt and spices well in a large bowl
• Mix in eggs, oil and honey
• Mix in berries thoroughly and make sure they're evenly distributed
• Beat the mixture until it's nice and smooth
• Spoon into muffin cups one at a time in muffin pan
• Bake for 30 min, turn the pan half way through
• Let cool before serving

These lovely muffins are gluten-free, low in sugar and very delicious. The cinnamon and spices (much like a chai mixture) are so great for the colder months - especially when enjoyed with a spiced tea almond milk latte or hot chocolate for the kiddies!

Chocolate Chai Protein Shake

I love chai tea - like, crave it. Cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves - mmmmm! So if you are a big fan of those spices, especially in the winter months, like I am AND you love chocolate, this shake is for you!

Chocolate Chai Protein Shake

1 cup of vanilla unsweetened almond milk
1/2 banana
1 tbsp of almond butter
1 tbsp of raw cacao powder (I use Navitas Naturals)
1 small tbsp of Triphala Powder (Organic Traditions - rejuvenating ayurvedic cleansing tonic powder)
1 tsp of ginger powder
1 tsp of cardamom
1/2 tsp of cloves
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 large scoop of Greens Superfood by Amazing Grass

Mix together in a blender (or magic bullet haha) and enjoy - add ice if you wish!

This fills you up, isn't high in sugar and is cleansing as well - plus, the spices are delicious and it tastes like an Iced Chai Latte - only it's vegan and healthy!

Vegan Kale Pasta Bowl

This delicious pasta bowl was a collaboration of a Pesto recipe from Meals that Heal Inflammation by Julie Daniluk, and my own creativity!

This dish can be enjoyed warm or cold...and is spectacular the next day for lunch!

Vegan Kale Pasta Bowl

TruRoots Quinoa/Amaranth/Brown Rice Spaghetti (available at Costco)
Vegan Pesto - sunflower seeds, EVOO, lemon juice, basil, garlic
4 large leaves of Kale chopped
Mushrooms
Tomatoes
Black Pepper
Garlic
Chile Flakes

    • Cook spaghetti pasta as you normally would

    • Sauté mushrooms in coconut oil and garlic - 1 clove pressed

    • Sauté chopped kale in coconut oil, chile flakes and garlic - 1 clove pressed

      (I did it separately from the mushrooms but to save time you could do them together)

    • Cut fresh tomatoes to top your dish with

    • Heat pesto in a sauce pan to warm - whether you made it at the same time or prior to

    • Mix spaghetti, pesto, mushrooms and kale in a large bowl

    • Top with black pepper, tomatoes and parmasen cheese if you wish and aren't vegan or dairy-free!

Pesto (exact measurements are up to you these are just basic guidelines)

3/4 cup of sunflower seeds
1 cup of EVOO
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 lemon squeezed
5 large basil leaves

Mix all ingredients together in a food processor!

Again, it's better to add MORE greens that pasta so you aren't over-doing it with the carbs to raise your blood sugars. It's just as delicious and just as satisfying without feeling like you went overboard and ate too much! Use as much garlic, chile flakes and black pepper as you wish - I like the hint of spice with the pesto and garlic mushrooms!

Healing Minestrone Soup

First I have to say that this delicious soup started out with the question: What can I make with all the random ingredients I have in the fridge and cupboard that will fill us up for lunch and is still really healthy?

The answer? Well that's in the ingredients below. I call it Healing because it is the perfect soup for a cold winter afternoon, for when you're feeling sick or just when you want to have something a little lighter for lunch or dinner, but will still leave you satisfied. The chickpeas add protein and the health benefits of all these delicious vegetables are incredible! This soup literally includes everything but the kitchen-sink!

Healing Minestrone Soup

1 large can of organic no salt added diced tomatoes

3 organic vegan vegetable cubes with 6 cups of water

3 large carrots chopped

2 yellow onions diced

3 cloves of garlic pressed, 1 clove chopped

3 large Swiss chard leaves chopped

1 zucchini sliced

8 white mushrooms sliced

2 portobello mushrooms sliced small

1 package of Enoki mushrooms

2 stalks of celery chopped

2 cans of chick peas

1/2 large napa cabbage chopped

6 fresh basil leaves chopped, 2 full leaves thrown in

Black pepper

Herbs de Provence mix: rosemary, basil, oregano, thyme, fennel, lavendar

   • Saute onions and garlic in grapeseed oil until translucent

   • Add veggie broth and bring to a boil

   • Add all vegetables, basil & herbs except swiss chard, celery, zucchini, enoki mushrooms & cabbage

   • Once boiling, bring down to a simmer for 20 minutes

   • Add Swiss chard, celery, zucchini, enoki mushrooms & cabbage and simmer for another 15 minutes

Top with fresh pesto (recipe coming), parmasen cheese or some pepper and serve!

Apple Flax Pudding

This recipe is great for breakfast or any snack throughout the day. It is sweet, but if you portion it right it won't effect your sugars that much. It's from Julie Daniluk's book, Meals that Heal Inflammation, which is one recipe book I highly recommend for anyone living with Diabetes, and even those who are not.

Apple Flax Pudding - with almonds and granola

3 medium sized apples
2 tbsp of ground flax
1 tbsp of cinnamon
1/4 cup of sliced almonds
1/4 cup of homemade granola

1. Peel and cube apples
2. Bring them to a boil with 1/2 cup of water
3. Bring to a simmer and cook for ten minutes until mushy
4. Mix in flax and cinnamon
5. Sprinkle with almonds and granola and serve!

You can mix up your toppings of course, and in the recipe book Julie makes a few suggestions like almond milk if you want it to have more liquid. I would try walnuts, pecans, ginger, sunflower seeds.

Enjoy!

The Bullet

Getting back to work after the holidays is always tough - whether you stayed true to your clean eating habits and exercise, or not.

 For me, my commitment to smoothies and juices in the morning has sort of slipped through the cracks, and although I still enjoy a warm cup of lemon water each morning I have to get back into the swing of things!

So this morning while I was searching for a lunch bag I found, in the back of our cupboard, the infamous Magic Bullet. My husband and I haven't used "the bullet" in probably over a year because we use our blender for smoothies, salad dressings or chai-tea mixtures. It was a sign - I need to start making my green protein smoothies again - and now I can make them at work!

What a brilliant idea, and I'm actually shocked I haven't thought of this earlier! It's compact, easy to use - you can have a smoothie ready in less than a minute, preparation and all - and it doesn't make a huge mess!

http://www.buythebullet.com/

My morning smoothie:

1/2 banana (frozen or ripe)

2 scoops of Amazing Grass Green Superfood Powder

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tbsp ground chia seeds

1 tbsp of ground flax meal

1 large tbsp almond butter

1 cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1 tsp of maca root powder

3 ice cubes

If you're looking for a new morning routine but not sure you have the time until you get to work, invest in one of these Magic Bullets - they are so convenient, fast and easy to use. I know not every office is as relaxed as mine, but for a brief 40 second blend, your body will thank you!

Kale Pasta Bowl

I came up with this basic recipe last night because it's more about portion control than actual ingredients.

Instead of eating a huge bowl of pasta with a bit of greens as a topping, I switched it around! I used the sautéed kale as the main part of the dish and used the quinoa pasta sparingly as a topping!

Kale Pasta Bowl - GF and Veggie

6-7 large leaves of Kale
1/2 cup of Quinoa pasta - I used penne
3 tbsp of homemade pasta sauce
1 tbsp of kalamata olives sliced
Handful of cherry tomatoes
Chopped fresh Oregano
Chiles
Grapeseed Oil
2 cloves of Garlic

Directions:

• Cook Quinoa pasta as you would normally and set aside (or cook at same time as kale)
• Heat up sauce as you would normally stovetop and keep simmering until kale is ready
• Sauté the kale in a pan in 2 tbsp of grapeseed oil with 2 cloves of chopped garlic and 2 tsp of dried  chile flakes - about 5 min - it will shrink up a lot

Place as much kale as you like on a plate making it the main part of the dish. Add the pasta, sauce, olives, chopped oregano and drizzle with EVOO and parmesan cheese if you wish!