green power smoothies

nutrient pack green smoothie with frozen bananas, frozen mangoes, spinach, protein powder and spirulina

 

Ah… the smoothies.

Let’s start with a little honesty this morning: smoothies are not my thing. I know, blasphemy, right. Who’s not crazy about smoothies especially smoothly poured in a bowl. Me! Don’t get me wrong, I eat/drink plenty of them, but they’re not really something I get excited about like say, banana pancakes or baked oatmeal. Smoothies are just an easy way for me to get plenty of fruits and veggies into a very convenient and portable container. Nonetheless, if I’m going to eat/drink one, it’s got to taste good and has to pack a serious nutritious punch. Hence this green smoothie. It’s loaded with fruits, veggies and my favourite two supplements.

I keep the more fancy breakfasts for the weekend.

So onto those supplements.

As I mentioned in one of my earlier posts, protein is really important for me. My body functions best when I eat a higher amount of protein on a regular basis. So when I’m making a smoothie, I always add plant protein powder to the mix.

Frankly, I’ve tasted my fair share of chalky, clumpy, off flavoured, protein powders. But after many trials and errors, I’ve nailed it down to two brands that I really enjoy (I’m not endorsed by or affiliated to any of these brands, I just genuinely like the taste). Those two brands are VEGA Sport Protein (mocha or berry) and Genuine Health Fermented Vegan Protein (natural coconut).

Both these brands of protein blend really well, add great flavour to my smoothie and give me the protein boost I need. Here’s what they offer.

VEGA:

 

  • 30 grams plant-based protein
  • 6 grams BCAAs
  • 1 billion CFU probiotics [bacillus coagulans]

 

 

Genuine Health Fermented Vegan Protein:

  • contains 20g of fermented dietary protein per serving!
  • is the first fully fermented protein which contributes to a healthy gut, overall good health & is easy to digest
  • is on-allergenic, soy free and contains a balance of all essential amino acids

 

Now for the second supplement.

Spirulina!

I can’t talk enough about the health benefits of spirulina. This stuff is gold. Green gold. Ok, I’ll admit, it does taste a bit…oceany. But when something packs that good of a nutritious punch, you work around the taste by camouflaging it with other goodies like frozen bananas and mangoes (like in this smoothie).

According to Stephanie Weeks over at Food Matters, “Spirulina is rich in nutrients, some of which aren’t found in the average daily vitamin. According to the FDA, the health benefits of Spirulina include significant amounts of calcium, niacin, potassium, magnesium, B vitamins and iron.  Spirulina is a great source of B complex vitamins, beta-carotene, vitamin E, manganese, zinc, copper, iron, selenium and antioxidants.  It also has essential amino acids (compounds that are the building blocks of proteins).  In fact, protein makes up about 60 to 70 percent of Spirulina’s dry weight.” Booyah!

Now for those of you who want to pause here and get your mindful moment of the day break, just click here. We’re following up on our precious post and talking about time segments. For those of you who want to continue on with the recipe, keep reading. 🙂

 

nutrient pack green smoothie with frozen bananas, frozen mangoes, spinach, protein powder and spirulina

The recipe I’m giving you is the basic recipe I use for my smoothies. You can add whatever else fruit and supplement you like. Other of my top supplement choices are maca, chia seeds, hemp seeds or açai powder. You can also spice it up with turmeric, cinnamon or nutmeg. All offer amazing health benefits and can give you the boost your body needs on a given day.

Let’s look at the health benefits of these nutritional jewels for a minute.

Supplements, herbs and spices

Maca: according to the handsome Dr. Axe, maca is a type of cruciferous vegetable native to the Andes of Peru. Maca has a similar appearance and size as radishes or turnips with green tops and roots that range in color from yellow to purple and black. Maca is rich in antioxidants, enhances energy, mood and memory, improves female sexual health, balances estrogen levels and boosts male fertility.

Chia seeds: according to the folks at Webmed.com, chia is an edible seed that comes from the desert plant Salvia hispanica, grown in Mexico dating back to Mayan and Aztec cultures. “Chia” means strength, and folklore has it that these cultures used the tiny black and white seeds as an energy booster. That makes sense, as chia seeds are a concentrated food containing healthy omega-3 fatty acids, carbohydrates, protein, fiber, antioxidants, and calcium. Chia seeds are an unprocessed, whole-grain food that can be absorbed by the body as seeds (unlike flaxseeds). One ounce (about 2 tablespoons) contains 139 calories, 4 grams of protein, 9 grams fat, 12 grams carbohydrates and 11 grams of fiber, plus vitamins and minerals.

Hemp seeds: according to the amazing people over at Pure Healing Foods,  hemp seeds are a perfect and natural blend of easily digested proteins, essential fats (Omega 3 & 6), Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA), antioxidants, amino acids, fiber, iron, zinc, carotene, phospholipids, phytosterols, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin D, vitamin E, chlorophyll, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, copper, potassium, phosphorus, and enzymes. All amino acids essential to optimum health are found in hemp seeds, including the rarely found Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA). The 17+ grams of omega fats supplied by hemp seeds provides sufficient, continuous energy throughout your day.

Açai: according to Organic Facts, açai berries come from the açai palm, widely found in the Amazon Basin. Açai berries can be a tremendously healthy addition to your diet and help to increase heart health, aids in weight loss, as well as aiding in health issues relating to your skin, digestion, allergies, immune system, and energy levels. Furthermore, research has shown it to be one of the best sources of antioxidants, an aphrodisiac, a brain booster, and a great weapon against premature aging, cancer, and unexplained fatigue or exhaustion. Açai berry is rich in vitamins and minerals. It contains vitamin A, E, and C. Amongst minerals, açai berries contain calcium, iron, potassium, and sodium.

These are all pretty amazing suplements if you ask me!

As for the spices mentioned, these are some powerful ones. Here’s a breakdown.

Turmeric: if you’re into healthy eating (which clearly you are!) then you’ve most certainly come across mounts of articles on the health benefits of turmeric and recipes ranging from turmeric lattes to Indian curries. According to Dr. Mercola, the health benefits of turmeric include an improved ability to digest fats, reducing gas and bloating, decreased congestion, and improved skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and acne. More reported health benefits of turmeric include relief from joint pain, such as rheumatoid arthritis, reduced joint swelling, and greater range of motion when used regularly. It’s another case of the spice alone having similar effects to that of a prescription medication, but with fewer symptomatic downsides. Research also suggests that turmeric may be helpful in treating inflammatory bowel diseases, lowering cholesterol counts, protecting the heart, relieving indigestion, improving liver function, and even preventing Alzheimer’s disease. Cancer prevention and inhibited cancer cell growth –specifically cancer of the breast, colon, prostate, and lung, and childhood leukemia – are also on the list of possible benefits.

Cinnamon: cinnamon not only tastes amazing, it is also amazing for you. Going back to Dr. Axe, researchers have concluded that cinnamon health benefits can be obtained in the form of its pure bark, essential oils, in ground spice form (which is bark powder) or in extract form when its special phenolic compounds, flavonoids and antioxidants are isolated. These compounds make cinnamon one of the most beneficial spices on earth, giving it antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-microbial, immunity-boosting and potential cancer and heart disease-protecting abilities.

Nutmeg: you can read about the health benefits of nutmeg in my previous post here.

As for the fruits, I find using a base of mangoes and bananas for my smoothies eases the taste of the spirulina. I

f the oceany taste of it doesn’t bother you, by all means switch up the fruits also and add strawberries or pineapples instead. Use whatever fruit you fancy or whatever is in season if you’re one of the lucky ones that lives in a warm climate all year round. Here in Montreal, not many fruits see the light of day during our brutal winter months!

I hope you guys enjoy this recipe. Leave me a comment and let me know how you’ve adapted it to your own tastes and nutritional needs.

xx

 

green smoothie
Prep time:
Total time:
Serves: 1 portion
This green smoothie is very adaptable to your taste. Instead of mangoes, you can add strawberries and ginger, a red delicious apple and some cinnamon or frozen pineapples and turmeric.
Ingredients
  • 2 Cups coconut water (can use nut milk if you prefer)
  • 1 Tbs spirulina
  • 1 Tbs ground flax seeds
  • 1 scoop plant protein powder
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 1/2 Cup frozen mangoes
  • 1/2 Cup frozen spinach
Instructions
  1. Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
  2. Enjoy

 

 

Beluga lentil couscous salad

beluga lentil couscous salad

 

I’m sure this won’t come as a surprise to most of you, but I spend a lot of time in grocery stores. Sometimes, multiple times a day (like when a recipe is a total fail and I need to redo it but I’ve run out of ingredients!) Luckily, I truly enjoy the process. But every once in a while, I get bored of shopping at the same few places so I off I go, looking for some new and exciting ingredient to spark my creativity. Last week, while shopping at a bulk food store, I found Beluga Lentils. It was an ah-ha moment. I had never heard of Beluga lentils but their cute little jet-black rounded shape sparked my interest. I also found some spelt couscous and the idea of the Beluga lentil couscous salad was born.

Beluga lentils get their name from their ressemblance to Beluga caviar. According to Merchant Gourmet, these little black gems pack a serious nutritional punch and are loaded with dietary fibre and folates. Unlike green lentils, black lentils such as Beluga possess anthocyanins – the same powerful antioxidant found in dark berries like blueberries and blackberries. These antioxidants are great at preventing damage to cells by free-radicals.

Spelt couscous is also a powerhouse and according to the savy people over at Organic Facts, the health benefits of spelt include its ability to help in regulating the body’s metabolism, aid in the creation of sex hormones, increase circulation, build strong bones, improve the immune system, boost the digestive function, lowering blood sugar, and reducing cholesterol levels in the body.

Now I’m thinking, combining those two powerhouses together and you’ve got yourself some seriously nourishing food.

Because at the end of the day, that’s my goal: to bring you great tasting food that nourish your body so you can thrive both mentally and physically. It is very hard for the mind to function optimally if the body is undernourished but when the body is fed what it craves and needs, the possibilities are limitless.

And that’s where I went to propel you: to your own limitlessness…

And it all starts in your plate.

 

beluga lentil couscous salad with raw vegetables and liquid gold dressing

But before I share this awesome recipe with you guys, I want to follow up with you on what I wrote in my last post: that I would be sharing with you tips and tricks I’ve learned along my journey as a student of yoga, spiritual scriptures and mindfulness practices, for you to implement in your daily life so you can reach your own goals and potential.

Yes, this blog is not only about getting your belly full of delicious food, but also feeding your inner Self.

So the first tip I want to share with you is this: make a list of 3 tasks and do them daily. No exception.

Now why is that so important? Well I’m sure you’ve read about the importance of goal setting and how successful people are all goal-setters. But too often we get tangled up in really big goals and we get frustrated and easily discouraged because we’re not seeing result as quickly as we would like. Goal setting is important but by getting into the habit of accomplishing 3 daily tasks we set for ourselves, we are taking the necessary small steps to reach that bigger goal without getting discouraged.

It also creates what I like to call the “accomplishment mindset” where you get into the habit of succeeding at meeting your own goals, daily. that mindset is so extremely beneficial for your self-esteem and for reaching your bigger goals down the road.

As you are starting out with your list, pick 3 (and yes, no more then 3) tasks that you know you can achieve in a day, everyday. Don’t start off with unrealistic tasks. Start small, and grow from there.

Let me give you a personal example. A few months back, my life came to a halt and I lost one of the most important, influential and beloved person in my life, my father. Everything became overwhelming and I felt stuck. Luckily, I knew how to get myself out of that funk. I took out my journal and wrote down 3 tasks that I would need to accomplish everyday for the next few weeks. Here were my tasks:

  • take a shower
  • brush my teeth
  • meditate/pray for 10 minutes

I know. Very basic. But I knew I couldn’t do more then the basics. However, I always made a point to accomplish all three tasks, everyday. No exceptions. Slowly but surely, the “accomplishment mindset” set in and I was able to move to more evolved tasks. I still implement the 3 tasks rule everyday because it’s what keeps me motivated, accountable and mindful.

This is just an example of my life but it goes to show you how sometimes, we need to go back to basics in order to move forward with ease again. So calibrate your tasks to where you are in your life right now and where you want to go.

I hope this tip helps you move forward.

And now, unto the recipe!

This salad calls for my Liquid Gold Dressing from a few posts back.

Don’t forget to leave me a comment about this recipe or my 3 task tip.

Beluga lentil couscous salad
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6
This salad can easily be put together and can accommodate any raw vegetable combination. Make it as colourful as you fancy.
Ingredients
  • 1/2 Cup dry Beluga Lentils
  • 3 Cups water
  • 1 Cup dry spelt couscous
  • 1 Cup of water
  • 1/2 tsp Himalayan salt
  • 6 small radishes
  • 2 medium size carrots
  • 1 tomato
  • 1 bunch fresh parsley
  • 1 green onion
  • 1 serving of Liquid Gold Dressing
Instructions
  1. Rinse the lentils under cold water.
  2. In a large pot, cover the lentils with 3 cups of water and bring them to a boil.
  3. Reduce the heat and continue to cook them over medium low heat, stirring occasionally until the lentil, about 25 minutes of cooking.
  4. In the meantime, bring 1 cup of water to boil in a small pot.
  5. Add the salt and couscous, stir and remove from heat.
  6. Chop up the raw vegetables and fresh parsley and set aside in a salad bowl.
  7. Fluff up the couscous with a fork and add to the vegetables.
  8. Once the Beluga lentils are cooked, drain and add to the salad bowl.
  9. Toss everything together and drizzle the Liquid Gold Dressing.
  10. Enjoy

 

New Year Resolution Soup

creamy vegetable soup loaded with good for you vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, lentils for protein and fiber

 

Happy 2018 everyone!

Some of you that read my blog regularly (thank you loyal fans, I appreciate you so much!) have probably noticed that I haven’t posted a new recipe in a while. This New Year Resolution Soup is actually my first recipe since mid-December. A lot of things happened in the last month of 2017, which I’ll share with you in the coming weeks, but what I do want to share with you right now, other then this really yummy soup recipe, is the few additions I’ll be making to this blog.

2017 has not been a great year for me. Yes, great things have happened, because nothing is ever all bad, but in the whole, it’s been a rather difficult year. That being said, I have learned tremendously from the experiences and events of the past year and I’ve had to dig deep into my life long teachings to overcome the obstacles that were scattered across my path. And I want to share what these teachings with you.

I want to teach you and share with you the tools I’ve developed and used to turn these obstacles into opportunities or at least into manageable situations. I want to share these with you because I think you can greatly benefit from what I’ve learned over decades of practise. I think everyone is confronted with obstacles in their lives and everyone needs as many tools as possible to face them in order to bring happiness back into their life.

So as of my next blog post, I’ll be sharing with you these teachings, along with recipes. I’ll also be sharing with you additional tips on the mindfulness page of this blog so do go and check it out. This is all for you.

Some of you may be wondering what a food blog has to do with mindfulness and life lessons. Well let me tell you, it has everything to do with a food blog. How we choose to feed our bodies greatly impacts how we feel. And how we feel greatly impacts how we react (internally and externally). And how we react to life’s events greatly impacts our happiness. So yes, not only do I want to share with you tools on how to handle and face obstacles, but I want to do so in a holistic way that includes sharing with you delicious and soul nourishing recipes that I believe will serve you best to reach whatever goal you have.

And speaking of goals, this soup fits right in!

 

creamy vegetable soup loaded with good for you vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, lentils for protein and fiber

How many of you have made a New Year Resolution that relates to your health, be it eating more fruits and vegetables, eating less processed foods, making more home cooked meals, having a more healthy approach to food, loosing weight or maybe even going fully plant based… These are all very popular new year resolutions and they are all very noble. It’s putting them into practise in a consistent fashion that sometimes presents the greatest hurdle. But not to worry. This is why I’m here, creating recipes for you and this is why this soup was created for you in the first place.

2018 is all about reaching goals and thriving!

I always find that to stick to lifestyle changes relating to food or weight or health, you need to make these changes accessible and  easily implementable into you life. If not, chances of success are slim. That’s why this soup bears its title: because it easily fits into your new year resolutions: it takes no time at all to make so it can fit into any busy family’s schedule, it’s plant based and loaded with vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, leeks, celery and golden potatoes, green lentils for protein and  plenty of fiber so its super healthy and will fill you up and leave you satisfied without weighing you down.

Winner!

I hope you guys enjoy this soup. Don’t forget to leave me a comment by clicking on the title and going to the bottom of that page and let me know what your new year resolution is.

 

New Year Resolution Soup
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8 portions
This soup is loaded with vegetables, protein and fiber to fill you up and leave you fuelled and satisfied for the day.
Ingredients
  • 1 head of cauliflower
  • 2 heads of broccoli
  • 1 leek
  • 2 stacks of celery
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 4 small yellow potatoes
  • 1 Cup dry green lentils
  • 1 inch piece of ginger
  • 1 tsp coconut oil
  • 1/2 tsp tumeric
  • 1 tsp Himalayan pink salt
  • 2 vegetable stock cubes (non-GMO and no MSG)
  • 6 Cups water
  • 1 Cup cashew milk (can add almond milk instead)
Instructions
  1. Wash and coarsely chop the cauliflower, broccoli, leek and celery.
  2. Dice the onion and mince the garlic and ginger.
  3. Wash, peel and cut the potatoes in little cubes.
  4. In a large pot, set over medium high heat, melt the coconut oil.
  5. Add the onion and garlic.
  6. Cook and stir for 3 minutes.
  7. Add the remaining vegetables, lentils and ginger and stir to combine with a wooden spoon.
  8. Add the water, turmeric, salt and vegetable stock cubes.
  9. Bring to a boil over high heat.
  10. Allow to boil for 5 minutes.
  11. Reduce to medium heat and cook covered for 15-20 minutes, until the lentils and vegetables are cooked.
  12. Set aside and allow to cool for a few minutes.
  13. With a hand blender, blend the soup to your liking (we like a bit of chunks in ours).
  14. It will be thick.
  15. Stir in the cashew milk (we like thick soups so 1 cup of cashew milk was enough for us but add more or less to suit your family’s taste)
  16. Serve and enjoy

 

 

tangy & crispy sweet potato fries

 

A post on fries on a Monday? Yes, absolutely! Because not only is it my birthday today so I’m totally allowing myself to enjoy in all the foods I love eating but, these fries are actually good for you as they are not deep fried in not-so-good-for-you vegetable oil but instead, are lovingly baked in the oven and tossed in delicious spices. Yes my friends, this is how we do fries in our house… because we love them so much and we want to eat them often without all the bad stuff, or guilt, but mainly because we don’t want the bad stuff.

Now I don’t know if I’ve shared this with you guys before, but my husband is not a fan of sweet potatoes. Actually, he down right doesn’t like them. I know. You don’t need to say it. It’s pure craziness! Who doesn’t love sweet potatoes…well, that would be my husband. But since my son and I absolutely love them, I have to find a way to sneak these little gems in our food somehow. My previous post was exactly that: hiding sweet potatoes in a curry. But these fries, these fries, he will devour!

The secret: their crispiness. Sweet potatoes fries tend to be limpy and mushy. That doesn’t make for a very appetizing fry. You want a fry that’s crispy and can be dipped in whatever condiment of your choosing without folding in half. Now to get that crispiness out of a sweet potato, here are my two golden rules:

  1. toss the evenly cut fries in some corn startch
  2. crank up the heat in the oven

Now I know you may frown at the idea of adding corn starch to your fries but it is essential for crispiness. You can also use potato starch if you prefer. Adding a starchy coating will allow less moisture on the exterior of the fries hence more crispy fries.

You also want to roast your fries instead of baking them, again in the name of a crispy exterior. That’s why I crank up my oven to 425°.

There are other tricks out there that are used to make crispy sweet potato fries, like soaking them for 20 minutes or double soaking them or leaving them in the oven for 30 minutes after baking time. While all these methods are good and valid and will give you crispier fries, I find them too time consuming for me. Yes I want crispy fries, but no I don’t want to soak them twice and wait an extra 40 minutes before putting them in the oven for 30 minutes or waiting an extra 30 minutes after they’ve finished baking for 30 minutes. It boils down to a choice: what do I choose to do with my time…

 

Too often, people forget that time is a commodity, just like money. If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a thousand times: time is money. But as often as we’ve heard it, few of us have actually internalized it and applied the concept to our lives. Time is as important as money with this singular difference: you can never get time back. Whatever time has passed, it’s gone. You’ll never get that hour, day or week back. So what you choose to do with your time is as precious if not more, then what you choose to do with your money.

If you spend $100 on something you don’t like, you can simply return it. We’ve all done it. We get carried away in the store, seduced by an attractive bargain or influenced by a really good sales pitch. And then we come home and realize we actually don’t want/need this and it’s a total waste of our money so we return it. But if you spend 1 hour of your time doing something that has no value to you, you can’t get that hour back. It’s gone. There’s no time store to get more time.

So as careful as you are with your money and you spend it wisely on things that you and your family will need or want, spend your time wisely on things that either make you better, happier or wealthier.

Now what does that mean. It means this: if it makes you happy to spend time in the kitchen, trying out different methods on how to make crispy sweet potato fries, then by all means do it, because you are in a positive mindset and you will gain something from your time: a sense of accomplishment, a learning experience that bettered your kitchen skills and an opportunity to be of service to your family (feeding them delicious fries). Now that is time very well spent!

But if standing in a kitchen trying to figure out which methods works best to make sweet potato fries is of no appeal to you then use this quick & easy recipe and spend your time doing something that will bring you one of those three things: make you better, happier or wealthier. So pop these starch coated fries in the oven and sit down to read a book on self improvement or exercise to a Zumba video on youtube if that’s something you fancy, spend time with your family/friends/pet, or work on that project you’ve been putting aside but that could bring in extra money for you.

However it is that you choose to spend your time, always remember the three golden rule: better, happier, wealthier.

Now on to those fries!

Don’t forget to leave me a comment in the comment section by clicking on the title and going to the bottom of the post. Let me know how you like to spend your time and how it fits into the three golden rules.

xx

tangy & crispy sweet potato fries
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4 portions
Ingredients
  • 4 whole sweet potatoes
  • 4 Tbs cornstarch
  • 2 Tbs olive oil
  • 1 Tbs sumac
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
  1. Crank up the oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Peel the potatoes then cut in half, lengthwise, then in 1/4 inch wide sticks.
  3. In a plastic bag, add the cornstarch.
  4. Add the fries to the bag and give a good shake until all the pieces are well coated.
  5. Shake off any extra cornstarch as you transfer the fries to a mixing bowl.
  6. Add the olive oil and the spices.
  7. Give a gentle stir with a wooden spoon to coat all the fries.
  8. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the fries evenly. Do not overcrowd the pan.
  9. Bake for 15 minutes then flip the fries and bake for another 15 minutes.
  10. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
  11. Enjoy with your favourite condiment or as is!

 

Sweet & Spicy Curry

There is something so grounding and soul satisfying about eating a curry or any Indian dish for that matter . Maybe it’s the abundant use of earthy spices. Maybe it’s the time and care it takes to make Indian dishes. Maybe it’s the complexity of the flavour. Maybe it’s because the cuisine dates back over 8,000 years and marries British and Portuguese influences. But whatever the reason may be, Indian cuisine is absolutely delicious and nourishing! At least that’s how we feel about it in my house…

I was inspired to make this dish by looking at the ingredients I already had on hand. This is my new starting point when meal prepping for the week. I used to spend time drafting a menu, starting off with what I wanted to cook/bake first, then making my grocery list, detailing all the ingredients I needed to buy and lastly looking in my cupboards and fridge to see what I already had on hand.

Lately, I’ve decided to reverse the process as my cupboards are bursting at the seams with unused ingredients and my fridge is always way too full for my liking. So now, I search for inspiration in my own kitchen and go from there. I can’t tell you how much time and money I’ve saved by proceeding this way. And how much more fun the whole process has been…

I’ve made it into a challenge with myself: what can I come up with that is nourishing, easy to make and delicious. My son and husband are the critics to this challenge. Luckily for me, they are easy critics! Hahahaha

So I looked into my cupboard and found a can of full fat coconut milk (love that stuff!), a can of chickpea and a bag of couscous. Then I walked over to my spice rack and the indian curry powder caught my eye. I was on to something…

A quick look into my fridge and I grabbed sweet potatoes (not a surprising find there, I always have those on hand), fresh ginger, onions and fresh cilantro. Done. These ingredients were going to turn into a delectable sweet and spicy indian chickpea curry. And no need to go to the grocery store. Even better. And this could all be put together in no time. Gold.

The key ingredient in this dish are the sweet potatoes which bring  sweetness to balance out the spiciness of the curry and texture to balance out the creaminess of the coconut milk. This dish was a huge hit in my family as I’m sure it will be in yours.

Now before we move on to the curry recipe, I wanted to dig a bit deeper into the anchor concept I presented to you guys in my previous post (if you haven’t read it yet, you can read it here).

After publishing the post, a friend of mine called me to asked how she could define her own anchor. She’s already eating a plant based diet, but she wanted to define her anchor for something else that is going on in her life. She liked the concept and felt it could really help her with what she wanted to accomplish.

She knew relying on willpower wouldn’t be enough. She knew she needed something stronger to keep her grounded and focused. She knew she needed an anchor. She just didn’t know how to define it.

It got me thinking that maybe some of you feel the same way and you also need guidance onto how to define your own personal anchor.

So what is a personal anchor: it’s something that holds a special power because of it’s importance to you. Something that goes above and beyond the simple will or want to do something or achieve something. A personal anchor is powerful because it comes from you and is rooted in you.

So how do you define your personal anchor?

Here are the steps I’ve taken to identify my own personal anchors (you can have more then one anchor. ) Know that anchors can change over time and it’s ok to revisit them every once in a while. Know also that identifying them requires inner work that will demand some soul searching on your part so it’s best to follow these steps when you have some quiet time set aside and you can focus and be connected to yourself.

  1. Prepare your work place and have pen and paper on hand.
  2. Take a few minutes to breath deeply in through your nose and out through your mouth.
  3. Close your eyes as you breath to really connect to yourself.
  4. Once you feel connected, open your eyes and start writing.
  5. Don’t over think this and just let your pen write
  6. Start by writing what you love about yourself. Write as much as you want. If you feel you have nothing to write, start small like you love your eyes, your nails, the colour of your hair, the way you smile… The point is for you to feel love for yourself.
  7. Then write what you value most in your life like your children, your dog/cat, your comfortable home, your friends
  8. Lastly, write down what you want to achieve.

Write as much as you want. Don’t stop yourself. Let your inner voice guide your writing.

Once you’re done. Set the pen down and close your eyes for a few minutes. Pat yourself on the back for going through with this exercise. When you’re ready to open your eyes, read through everything you wrote and combine your thoughts.

Here’s an example from my anchor work:

  • what I Iove about myself: I’m compassionate
  • what I value most in my life: my family
  • what I want to achieve: eat less sugar (quite difficult when you’re job is partly food blogging!)
  • The resulting anchor: my family and the compassion I choose to show myself.

So when I am faced with a challenge: like a decadent carrot cake I just baked. I simply remind myself that I decided to quit sugar for myself, because I love myself, and for my family, because I love my family and I want to be healthy to enjoy my life with them. Love is at the basis of my anchor. Love for myself and love for my family. And when I remember my anchor, I feel that love and it is at the base of what allows me to achieve what I set out to do.

Try the exercise and let me know how it’s help you identify your personal anchor. Just click on the title of this post and write your comment at the bottom post, in the comment section.

And now that your soul is nourished, let’s nourish your belly. On to the recipe…

Sweet & Spicy Curry
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4 portions
You can control the heat of this recipe by adjusting the amount of curry powder you add to the coconut milk. My husband can handle a lot of heat but my son and I, not so much. So I’ve kept this on the milder side.
Ingredients
  • 1 can (398 ml) of full fat coconut milk
  • 1 can (398 ml) chickpeas
  • 1/2 cup of water
  • 1/2 red onion
  • 1 tsp coconut oil
  • 1 inch fresh ginger
  • 2 Tbs indian curry powder
  • 3 medium size sweet potatoes
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
  • 2 Cups of water
  • 1 1/2 Cup couscous
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Peel and cube the sweet potatoes, dice the onion, finely chop the ginger and cilantro.
  2. In a large pot, add the the sweet potatoes and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook 10 minutes.
  3. Strain the potatoes and set aside.
  4. In the meantime, melt the coconut oil in a deep sauce pan over medium high heat.
  5. Add the diced onion and cook for 3 minutes.
  6. Reduce the heat to low and add the curry spices.
  7. Stir for 1 minute. Be careful not to burn the spices.
  8. Add 1/2 cup of water and stir.
  9. Add the coconut milk and chopped ginger pieces.
  10. Reduce the heat to a simmer.
  11. Add the sweet potatoes.
  12. With a potato masher mash some of the sweet potatoes in the coconut milk but leave some pieces whole.
  13. Add the chickpeas and cilantro and stir. Remove from heat.
  14. Allow flavours to marry for another 10-15 mins.
  15. While the flavours marry, in the same pot you cooked the sweet potatoes in, add 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil.
  16. Add the couscous and remove from heat. Allow to cook for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
  17. Serve the curry over the couscous.

 

Potage à la kale & dill

 

Some of you may look at the picture of  this potage à la kale and dill and you start reading, you may think to yourself : “wait a minute, another soup recipe?” Yes, my friends, it is. And there are two very simple explanations for that:

a) I love soup… I mean, I love soup now. I used to hate soup growing up. Cant’ remember why, but I did. Needless to say, I don’t feel that way anymore. Not only do I love eating soup, I just as much enjoy making it, especially when it’s a quick and easy recipe like this one.

b) I live in Montreal. It’s winter. It’s humid cold (you know that type of cold that just gets into your bones through whatever and no matter how many layers of clothes you’re wearing. Yah, Montreal has that kind of cold). Soup warms you up. Period.

And today was particularly cold, although beautiful and sunny, so I thought it would be perfectly fitting to share this soup recipe with you, so you too can feel all warmed up from the inside out. This soup will not only warm you up, but will nourish every cell in your body with killer good-for-you-ingredients like kale, dill and russet potatoes.

Potatoes act as a great replacement for the typical cream in “cream” soups. It offers the same mouthfeel and velvety texture as cream. The key is to blend the soup very well. You don’t need an expensive blender (although that does help and saves a lot of time), most often, any blender will do. I often opt for my hand blender. It’s convenient and handy. But it does take me a bit more time to reach that smooth, velvety consistency I am looking for in a soup like this one.

But once all those delicious potatoes are pureed and blended with the other ingredients, it’s magic. This is plant power at it’s best my friends!

Speaking of plants and their incredible power, I bumped into an old acquaintance of mine the other day and as we were catching up on the important events of the past year or two of our lives, she asked me how I was able to “stay” vegan and not be tempted by my old food favourites like bakery style donuts, lasagna and California sushi roll.

It’s simple I answered: I have an anchor.

She looked confused. I don’t blame her. That wasn’t really a complete answer. An anchor. What does an anchor have to do with Italian baked pasta or fried pastries anyways? Well, actually, it has everything to do with it.

What I mean by “an anchor’ is something that is profoundly important to you, something that you value to your core, a belief, a love, a passion, a promise, that is embedded deep into your heart. So that whatever else is presented or offered to you and is in conflict with that anchor, that love, that passion, that promise, has no impact on you. Like the anchor of a boat. Once a boat’s anchor has been released to the bottom of the sea, the boat will not move. It will not falter. It will not waiver.

Before I decided to transition to a vegan diet, I knew I needed to define my anchor. I needed to identify why I wanted to adopted a plant based lifestyle, what is of the outmost importance to me in that regards and what would guide my decisions and be my rock in times of temptations. I don’t have those temptations anymore but I won’t sit here and tell you I didn’t have them at the beginning, because I did. I’m humane and it’s ok to feel those temptations. But I didn’t waiver. I didn’t falter. Because I had my anchor. Because I had taken the time to identify that anchor at the beginning of my journey. And that is what I encourage everyone wanting to embark on a journey, on any journey, on any path that is different then the current path: find your anchor. Find what speaks to you, find the true motivation for doing what you are setting out to do, find that Loce that will keep you grounded and steady.

Often times people mistaken “willpower” with “anchor”. I’ve often heard: “I don’t have the willpower to be vegan, I love (insert non vegan food here) too much” or “I tried the vegan diet but it was too complicated”. Nuclear science is complicated, quantum physics is complicated, eating a plant based diet is not complicated. But you do need your anchor from which you will source your motivation when it lacks and your willpower to say no to bakery style donuts (or whatever is offered to you that is not aligned with the path you have now chosen to follow) when offered to you.

Willpower without an anchor is not strong enough.

So that’s what I answered my friend: I am “still” on a plant based diet because I have an anchor…and because I make delicious soup like this one!

I hope you guys enjoy this soup and leave me a comment to let me know what your anchor is.

xx

Potage à la kale & dill
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6-8 portions
This kale and dill soup is velvety and creamy. It’s also very versatile. If you don’t have any kale on hand, you can easily use collard greens or any other leafy green.
Ingredients
  • 6 cups of water
  • 2 cubes of vegetable broth
  • 2 1/2 tsp cumin, ground
  • 1 1/2 tsp coriander, ground
  • 1 tsp coconut oil
  • 3 large russet potatoes
  • 6 cups of kale
  • 1 medium red onion
  • 2 garlic clove
  • 1/4 Cup fresh dill
  • Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Peel the potatoes, remove the ribs from the kale and chop roughly, dice the onion, mince the garlic, chop the dill.
  2. In a large pot, melt the coconut oil on medium high heat.
  3. Add the onion and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes.
  4. Add the water, vegetable broth cubes, cumin and coriander.
  5. Bring to a boil.
  6. Add the potatoes and cook for 10 minutes.
  7. Add the kale and cook for another 8 minutes.
  8. Remove the pot from the heat and add the dill.
  9. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
  10. With a blender or handheld blender, blend the soup until smooth and velvety.
  11. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

 

 

Simply Pho Soup

 

Do you have certain food cravings that are stronger then others and just hit you out of nowhere? I have that for Asian food. Especially for Asian soups. It doesn’t hit often but when it does, I have to have it now!

It used to be that I reached for the phone and ordered from our favourite Chinese or Vietnamese take out restaurant but since we moved further out west, I can no longer reach out to these places for help to quench my cravings: they don’t deliver this far out and if we did venture out ourselves to pick it up, well, let’s just say that by the time we got back home and started eating, the craving would have certainly passed!

So I did what any other motivated foodie would do, I learned how to make some of my favourite Asian dishes and on top of that list was Pho (pronounced fa). Pho is a bowl of noodle soup, generally thin rice noodles, in a rich aromatic broth, topped with bean sprouts, lime, Thai basil, cilantro and your choice of vegetable mix, tofu or meat. You can add spicy chilli sauce, hoisin sauce or tamari sauce to finish off the dish… It’s simple yet absolutely delicious and soul satisfying!

The beauty of making such a simple dish is that it can be adapted to suit the cravings of that moment or, what’s in your fridge. Unless I set out to make a traditional dish for a specific reason, I never let the constraints of what my food should be like, define what it actually turns out to be. You get me? So I make my Pho to suit my craving for that day and add ingredients that you probably wouldn’t find in a traditional Pho, like the one I made for dinner the other night, with caramelized onions and mushrooms.

What I also love about this soup is how easily it can be put together. The broth is what requires the most time but since I didn’t have much time the other night, and like I said, I don’t let tradition dictate the outcome, I made a miso base broth and it was glorious. Miso is a paste that comes from fermented soybeans. It brings an amazing umami flavour to any dish and the health benefits are endless (it provides probiotics, helps improve digestion, levels out blood pressure, provides copper, vitamin K, manganese…)

When combining caramelized onions and mushrooms with rice noodles simmering in a miso broth and top it with fresh basil, bean sprouts and a squirt of lime, trust me you’re in for one deliciously filling meal! Even my toddler loved it. I put a little less broth in his bowl and cut up the noodles. Let’s just say he had a great time eating it and mommy had a not so great time cleaning everything up!

This soup is also a great meal for entertaining a group of friends. I make a large batch of the broth and let the noodles sit in it in the center of the table. I spread a few different toppings on the table: cubed tofu, edamames, mixed vegetables, caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, basil, cilantro, lime wedges, bean sprouts, spicy chilli sauce, hoisin and tamari sauce. That way, everyone can create his or her own soup and since it’s all gluten free, it will suit everyone’s dietary restrictions.

On a side note, I mentioned to you guys the other day that I started reading the book “May cause Miracles” by the amazingly talented Gabrielle Bernstein. Well I just started reading chapter 3 and it’s all about body image. Up until now, I was very comfortable with the assigned exercises. I can even say that I did them wilfully and with ease. I can’t say the same now… This chapter is really hitting home for me and I’m struggling. I want to share this experience with you guys, as I believe it can be of help to others, but I understand some of you may only want my recipes (which is totally cool!) so I’ll be creating a separate page on my blog. My new page will be up tomorrow so you can start reading about my journey…

 

Simply Pho
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4 portions
This soup is easy to put together and can easily be adapted to suit your cravings of the moment. Just let your imagination leas the way.
Ingredients
  • 6 Cups of water
  • 6 Tbs miso paste (I use red miso paste but white works well also)
  • 1/2 package of vermicelli rice noodles (about 200 grams)
  • 1 tsp coconut oil
  • 1 medium red onion
  • 2 Cups mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/2 lime
  • Optional toppings: bean sprouts, basil, cilantro
Instructions
  1. In a sauce pan, melt the coconut oil on medium high heat.
  2. Add the onions and cook for 3 minutes.
  3. Add the mushrooms and cook another 5 minutes.
  4. Set aside.
  5. In a large pot, bring the water to a boil.
  6. Add the miso paste and whisk.
  7. Add the vermicelli rice noodles and allow to cook for 3-5 minutes.
  8. Juice the lime into the broth.
  9. Separate the broth and noodles between 4 bowls and top with onions and mushrooms.
  10. Top with your favourite toppings and enjoy.

 

P.S. As you guys may have noticed, some adds have been added to my blog and you will now find some affiliated links. I now participate in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites. Please rest assured that the products I link to, are all products I personally use and love.

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Banana Pancakes

 

Like many things we cherish, this banana pancake recipe came out of necessity. Let me explain…We always have a mountain of fruits at home but the one fruit that trumps all others in terms of quantity and eating frequency is bananas. Mainly because it’s my son’s favourite and most prized fruit.

His entire face literally lights up as he sees me pull one out of the banana basket. It’s often the first thing he eats in the morning. I sometimes feel guilty for giving him the same fruit every morning so every now and then, I’ll cut up some clementines, grapes or whatever other fruit I have on hand.

The bowl of fruit is usually met with a blank stare. He diligently eats the non-banana fruit but gazes over at the banana basket and points at it with a “nana”… My heart melts and so it’s bananas again the following morning.  My husband and I are just as crazy for bananas, but in their frozen form for smoothies and nice cream.

Suffice to say, bananas are a big thing in my family and none go to waste: half are eaten by our son and the other half is frozen for later delicacies. But last week, two bananas unexplainably fell out of the banana basket and went into hiding behind the coffee machine. I didn’t notice them until Sunday morning!

Needless to say, the bananas had well passed their prime but since no food ever goes to waste in our house (it’s one of my worst pet peeves!), I had to come up with something good to make with them, and quickly, before my son realized the treasure I was holding. So I took out my small blender and the recipe for these pancakes was born.

These pancakes are probably the easiest and quickest pancakes I’ve ever made. Even with the 10 minutes resting time in the fridge before cooking them in the pan. And if you’re really pressed for time, you can skip that part. I find the resting time n the fridge gives the pancakes some added oomph (read fluffiness) but is in no way necessary, taste wise.

And of course, like all things banana, they were a huge hit in my family! I actually forgot to take out the maple syrup but no one said anything and we ate them as is. Ok, honestly, we ate them with our fingers like cookies… don’t judge, I’m sure you’ve done it too, and if not, it’s a must try!

I hope your family enjoys them as much as we have. Leave me a comment and let me know what recipe you’ve come up with out of necessity?

xx

Banana Pancakes
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4 portions
These pancakes are fluffy and filling. They are already sweet from the bananas and agave nectar so you won’t even need to take out the maple syrup… unless you really want to and that’s totally cool too!
Ingredients
  • 2 medium bananas
  • 2 Cups gluten-free flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill GF flour mix)
  • 2 Tbs agave nectar
  • 1 1/2 Tbs baking powder
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 2 Tbs melted vegan butter (I use Earth Balance)
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 Cup mylk alternative (I used almond milk)
Instructions
  1. Put all the ingredients in the blender, starting with the wet ingredients, and blend until smooth consistency.
  2. Put in the fridge for 10 mins to rest.
  3. Add cooking spray to a pan and set over medium high heat.
  4. Take out the pancake mix and scoop 1/4 Cup batter at a time in a hot pan.
  5. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side.
  6. Repeat for the remainder of the batter.

P.S. As you guys may have noticed, some adds have been added to my blog and you will now find some affiliated links. I now participate in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites. Please rest assured that the products I link to, are all products I personally use and love.

Overnight festive oats

 

Good morning,

Did you sleep well, did you wake up fully rested and ready to start the day, was your morning rushed or flowing flawlessly?  Do you need a hearty breakfast to get your through the morning hustle or do you crave something creamy and cozy to go with that steaming cup of coffee or tea? Whatever your night or morning has been like, this breakfast will bring a little festive feeling to your day and I’m sure will put a smile on your face.

It’s no secret that I love breakfast. I always have. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I wake up hungry most mornings but even more so with the types of food that is served at breakfast: protein smoothies, pancakes, waffles, fresh fruit bowls, warm porridge, overnight oats. I was never one to have dinner leftovers for breakfast. No, I crave breakfast food! I’ve actually been know to have breakfast for dinner many times, mostly when my husband is out and I’m home by myself. He doesn’t really fancy pumpkin pancakes with strawberries for dinner. Funny enough, I consider that a treat! Hahaha

That being said, I did, at one point in my life, try intermittent fasting or IF. It was all the craze back in early 2010, when the paleo/warrior/primal diet was all the rage in the dieting/health scene. After reading quite a bit on the subject, including the popular Eat Stop Eat book by Brad Pilon, I thought I’d give it a try. According to some scientific research, intermittent fasting has a lot of benefits for your body such as  improving biomarkers of disease, reducing oxidative stress and preserving learning and memory functions, according to Mark Mattson, senior investigator for the National Institute on Aging, part of the US National Institutes of Health. According to M. Mattson, there are several theories about why fasting provides physiological benefits. The one that him and his team has studied a lot, and designed experiments to test, is the hypothesis that during the fasting period, cells are under a mild stress,” he says “And they respond to the stress adaptively by enhancing their ability to cope with stress and, maybe, to resist disease.”

So what is intermittent fasting? According to an article written by Greg Nuckols over at Stronger By Science, Martin Berkhan, was one of the pioneers for bringing IF mainstream (Leangains, as he termed it),  and his approach is pretty straightforward: Eat all of your daily calories in an 8-hour window and fast the other 16 hours of the day. During the fasting window, you can drink zero-calorie beverages (and you can sip some BCAAs around your workout if you have to train in the middle of your fasting window), but restrict anything with any caloric content.

So how does this apply to your daily life? Well your day would look something like this:

6 am -7 am: wake up
8 am: water and coffee or tea but no sugar or vegan cream added (no calories)
12 pm: breakfast
3 pm: lunch
6 pm: dinner
7:30 pm: snack which is your last bite of food for the day
10 pm – 11pm: bedtime

Essentially, you’re skipping breakfast and eating around lunch time!

If you workout in the morning, you would do so on an empty stomach and could sip on BCAA during your training. If you workout later in the day, you’d have food in your belly to fuel your workout.

Now most people apply IF for weight loss purposes as some experts believe that working out in a fasted state forces your body to release fat stored in your fat cells for energy. This is still up for debate.

Now here’s the tricky part that very few experts discuss: you still need to eat within your caloric range and the proper foods if weight loss is your goal. If you are so hungry by the time the clock hits noon that you scurf down twice the size of your regular breakfast and can’t stop yourself from snacking the rest for the day because you are still so hungry, well you’re missing the point and you won’t see much result, at least in terms of weight loss. Improved health, perhaps. But weight loss, no. You might actually experience the opposite and notice your waistline is expanding instead of shrinking. IF is not about eating all you can shove in your mouth within a smaller window of time, it’s about eating the same things you would normally eat, or preferably less, within a set, narrower, timeframe.

And that was exactly my downfall: I would be so hungry by the time lunch rolled around, that I would eat twice and even three times the amount of food I would normally eat at one sitting and I would still eat my regular portion meals and snacks for the rest of the day. Actually, I was simply hungry all day.  As if I was never fully satisfied and my body was trying to catch up to my missed meal. The worst days were when I trained in the morning (which is pretty much the only time I have in my day to exercise!). Those days, I could eat continuously! And I felt like it was just not never enough food…

So after a few months (yes, I did stick it out for about 6 months – I wanted to see if my body would finally adapt to this new way of eating – it didn’t!) I came to the realization that this IF thing was just not for me: I need my breakfast in the morning, preferably within one hour or so of waking. I need fuel to start off my day and I need more fuel to sustain me throughout the day. So I would say my eating window is 11 hours: from around 8am to 7pm. That’s what works for me. And if there’s one things I’ve learned through my years of reading science articles on the latest diet and nutrition trend is that no matter what experts say, your body knows whats best. I’m not talking about your cravings, I’m taking about your actual body needs to strive. I’ll discuss Intuitive Eating in a later post.

In the meantime, if breakfast is as important to you as it is to me, here’s a festive overnight oats recipe to get your day started off right.

Hope you guys enjoy this recipe. Leave me a comment to let me know if you’ve tried intermittent fasting and if it worked for you.

xx

Overnight festive oats
Prep time:
Total time:
Serves: 4 portions
These overnight oats are super easy to throw together and make for an easy peasy breakfast on busy mornings. Get your children involved and let them choose and prepare their toppings the night before. Have some sliced fruits and nuts available and a few glass jars. It’ll make for a fun family activity.
Ingredients
  • 3 Cups gluten free rolled oats (I like instant oats better as I find they absorb liquid faster)
  • 2 Tbs chia seeds
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground
  • 12 drops of liquid Stevia
  • 4 Cups nut milk (I use pea milk for added protein)
  • 1/2 Cup walnuts, chopped
  • 1/3 Cup dried cranberries (try to buy sulphite free)
  • 1/3 Cup shredded coconut, unsweetened
  • 1 Cup fresh cranberries or other fresh or frozen fruits such a bananas, pears, peaches or blueberries
Instructions
  1. In a mixing bowl, combine the oats, chia seeds and cinnamon.
  2. Divide amongst 4 glass jars.
  3. Divide and add the milk and 3 drops of stevia in each jar. Stir to combine.
  4. Let set overnight in the fridge or at least for 4 hours.
  5. In the morning, top each jar with walnuts, dried cranberries, shredded coconut and your choice of fruit.

 

Chocolate espresso nice cream

 

Hello beautiful people,

It’s Friday. Finally Friday! The day most of us look forward to all week… In all honesty, as much as I love Fridays, Sunday is my favourite day of the week. Maybe because growing up, Sunday meant time spent in the kitchen with my mom and often times my grand-mother (which meant a lot of fresh bread, cookies and cakes being made!). It also meant family dinners and football. Although I don’t cook with my mom nearly as much as I would want to anymore, I still spend a fair amount of time in the kitchen, with football games playing on tv in the background and most often, my son, husband and dog, close by, to taste test. So in a way, Sundays have kept that same childhood family feeling.

But we are Friday today and for many people, that usually means the beginning of a lot of decadent, rich food and unstructured meals for the next couple of days. Myself included, I find it harder to eat healthy and on time on weekends. I don’t want to have to rush to make and eat breakfast. I usually have a much bigger breakfast, since it’s my favourite meal of the day, and so lunch becomes more about grabbing whatever is available in the fridge and can be eaten as I go about my busy day of chores. And when my hectic day is finally over, I do feel like I deserve to reward myself with a nice dinner that consists of a little more then roasted vegetables, lentils and brown rice…

I know how you feel. I feel the same. Every Friday. Every weekend. But here’s the thing: I have goals! Health and fitness goals. And as much as I love food and as crazy as my days get and as much as I feel good about treating myself to an entire weekend of fried gnocchis, pizza, burgers, fries, coconut ice cream and brownies, I know it’s only delaying me reaching my goals. So what to do?!?

Well first off, I don’t believe in depriving myself of any good food. I also don’t believe some foods are bad and others are good. I do believe in having a great meal over the weekend and yes, I do see it as a reward and I don’t see anything wrong with that. There’s a lot of talk about not rewarding yourself with food because it creates a negative association to food. You should reward yourself with a spa day, a new pair of running shoes or whatever other non-food related thing one may want.

But I love food. And a lot of my life revolves around food. So yes, when I’ve had a hard week, I want a good meal with my husband or my friends or both, that I can look forward to. But here’s another little important thing: my reward meal is not a weekend long meal! It’s one meal…ok maybe two meals. That’s it. And the rest of the weekend, I make sure I eat well and have plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables handy, healthy homemade granola to grab on the go, bags of nuts and dried fruits I keep in my purse and a full bottle of water with lemon juice. Those naughty meals are what keep me wanting to eat healthy so I can feel good about having that reward meal. I also know that if I eat crappy all weekend, I’m going to feel crappy come Monday morning and that no longer feels like a reward, it feels like punishment!

This is where treats like this Chocolate Espresso Nice Cream come in handy. It’s full of good for you food, it makes a great quick & easy breakfast or a nice snack to hold you over until dinner and it’s just decadent tasting enough to satisfy your naughty cravings.

Hope you guys enjoy it and leave a comment to let me know what your favourite reward meal is and how you handle your weekend cravings!

 

xx

Chocolate espresso nice cream
Prep time:
Total time:
Serves: 2 portions
This makes a great breakfast and espresso gives you that little boost of extra energy. If you don’t want the caffeine, make it with decaf espresso. Serve it with some chocolate shavings on top and maybe even a little vegan whipped cream if you feel really naughty…
Ingredients
  • 4 frozen bananas
  • 1 14 oz can butter beans
  • 1/2 cup espresso, chilled
  • 1 oz semi-sweet dark chocolate, roughly chopped (extra for serving)
  • 2 drops liquid Stevia (optional – if you like your nice cream really sweet)
Instructions
  1. Take out your food processor and add the grating disc. Insert the frozen bananas in the feeder and grate away on high.
  2. Once all bananas are grated, take the grating disc out and switch to the s-shape blade.
  3. Add the remaining ingredients to the food processor and turn on high until you reach an ice cream like consistency.
  4. Serve with extra chocolate shavings.