Cranberry Orange Muffins

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These muffins took a few weeks to perfect but they were worth the wait!  The recipe makes 15 muffins because each time I tried to change the amount of batter, the muffins didn’t turn out as well as this exact recipe.  I ended up just placing the 3 extra silicone muffin cups on top of the filled muffin tin (each at a joint between 4 muffins in the tin).  I hope that makes perfect sense to you…  If I overfilled the silicone cups, the muffins would cook over the edges and were impossible to remove.

I happen to have xylitol in the pantry, so if you don’t you can either skip it or use a pinch of sugar.  I love the extra hint of sweetness on top since cranberries are quite tart.

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Cranberry Orange Muffins

  • 1.5 cups + 2 tbsp almond flour
  • 3 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp vanilla powder (vanilla extract works also)
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1 ripe banana
  • 1 tbsp orange zest (zest of 2 naval oranges)
  • 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 1 cup fresh cranberries
  • xylitol for garnish

Line a muffin tin with silicone cups.

In a large bowl, mix together almond flour, chia seeds, baking soda, vanilla powder, and sea salt.

In a separate bowl, mash the banana, and add the orange zest, orange juice, eggs, maple syrup, and coconut oil.  Mix well and add to the dry mixture.

Mix in cranberries.

Scoop the muffin batter into the silicone muffin cups, filling them each 3/4 of the way.

Bake for 25 minutes.  Let cool completely in pan to avoid muffins falling apart!

Enjoy!

 

 

Live, Die, Repeat

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I had a moment of epiphany that struck me last night while watching “Live, Die, Repeat.”  It was such an unexpected, magical healing moment and I instantly knew that all of my relationships would improve because of it.  I realized that we have this same gift of waking up every single day with awareness.  We can wake up knowing that our actions impact the world, and we can use this awareness to show up in our lives wholeheartedly and be present in each moment.

How can we impact the world, you ask? The secret is love, and the secret to love is in opening our hearts.  In each moment we have the ability to open our hearts and act out of love.  It’s a choice.  We choose our path in every single moment. Every situation can be handled with grace or with difficulty, and we can choose to ease into love or we can choose to resist loving and resist being loved. We can hate, judge, break each other down, but we’re doing it to ourselves as well.  When we choose love we have the power to heal not only ourselves, but everyone we interact with. How amazing would this world be everyone acted out of love? If we treated each other as the best of friends rather than “the other”, sharing kindness and a positive outlook?

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We are all energy and we are all connected; your vibration, high or low, interacts with the vibrations around you.  A person feeling and acting from love and happiness will vibrate at a high frequency, whereas someone feeling and acting from jealousy, resentment, or judgement will vibrate at a lower frequency.  Since our energies interact, we can pull people up or bring them down.  I’m sure you can bring someone to mind who is usually negative, a downer, and someone you don’t want to spend a lot of time around.  You can understand why it’s wise to choose friends that carry high vibrational energy.

In each moment we are either healing humanity with our outpouring of love or destroying it with a lack of love. We can choose to open our hearts or close them. When we choose to open our hearts we are promoting love, happiness, and joy. We are telling the universe “more of this, please.” When we close our hearts we are giving in to fear and cutting off the love energy that our world truly needs to heal itself. When we close our hearts, we hurt.

Open up. Choose love. Let go of fear.

Each day when you awake, take a moment to be grateful for all that has been given to you: your life, your breathe, your body, friends, family, lovers, etc. Even take a moment of gratitude for the hurdles that have catapulted your growth. Be grateful for the things that didn’t work out as planned, for those failures likely created the possibility for something even better than you imagined. If you happen to find yourself in a moment of darkness and change, find comfort in knowing that the light is just around the corner. Open your heart to send and to receive. Smile. Be happy.

If you start your day in this way you are choosing love. You are opening your heart to receive all of the good the universe has in store for you.

Affirmation: “I open my heart to love and to receive all of the good the universe has for me now. I release all fears to the Universe and take great comfort in knowing that I am loved. I am loving. It feels so good to know that I am worthy of giving and receiving great love.”

 

Candied Walnuts

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A quick easy snack to cure the hangry monster in those “I’m starving and can’t wait for dinner” moments.  If you don’t like cayenne, just leave it out!

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Candied Walnuts

  • 1 1/2 cups walnuts
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup

In a very small bowl, combine sea salt, cayenne, and cinnamon.

In a frying pan, lightly roast walnuts over medium heat until they become fragrant – just a few minutes.

Add butter and mix well.

Sprinkle spice mixture over top and mix well.

Add maple syrup and stir well once again until syrup candies (about 30 seconds).

Remove from heat and dump the mixture on a non-stick surface and let cool.

Roasted Tomato Salmon

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On a day when I thought I had no food in the house, this recipe was born.  I’d never attempted a fish recipe before because admittedly, I am NOT a fish person.  Historically, the only fish I’ve ever really liked is smoked salmon, and even then it had to be accompanied with loads of cream cheese, capers, red onion, dill, and lemon juice.

SO, when I came up with this recipe it was a pretty big shock at how amazing it is.  I think it’s probably the new house favourite.  It was so good that I had seconds.  Everyone had seconds – even the kids.  I would go so far as to say that this is probably my new favourite dinner recipe, so if you’re reading these words I kindly ask you to make it asap and report back here!

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Roasted Tomato Salmon

  • 2 lbs salmon (3 fillets)
  • 1 14 oz can organic diced tomatoes
  • 1 red onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds, milled (or powdered coriander)
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds, milled (or powdered fennel)
  • 1.5 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp pepper

Heat oven to 400F.

Place two large pieces of tin foil side by side on a baking sheet and fold them together accordion style so they make one large piece of tin foil.

Chop up the onion and garlic and toss it in a large bowl along with the diced tomatoes (including the juice).

If you have coriander and fennel seeds, place them in a coffee grinder and grind until fine.  I like to grind my seeds myself so they are fresh and aromatic. I find buying seeds in their powdered form don’t have quite as much flavour.  Add the fennel, coriander, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper to the tomato mixture and stir well.

Spoon 1/4 of the tomato mixture onto the middle of the tin foil and place the salmon on top, pink side up.

Spoon the rest of the tomato mixture over the salmon and then fold the foil together on top followed by the sides so that it is airtight.

Place in the oven and cook for 25 minutes at 400 F.

When you take the salmon out of the oven, the salmon should be slightly pink/raw in the middle. This is exactly what you want. Let it sit and rest for 5-10 minutes so it can rest/finish cooking and then enjoy!

Take Massive Action

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I overheard some ladies the other day talking about the law of attraction.  Afterward, I kept thinking about “The Secret” movie and how they basically forgot to mention that taking massive action is probably the most important part of manifestation.  You can sit and meditate and ask your angels for help all you want, but if you don’t put their guidance into action, you’re not going to make it very far.

Once you have clear goals mapped out in your mind, it’s time to take little steps toward their fulfillment every day.  Notice the synchronicities that are trying to help you along the way, and act on any opportunities that arise.  If it’s a business you want to start, you can start laying the groundwork while at your present job.  Maybe all you need are 30 minutes each evening to make it happen.  Maybe you need more time, or maybe you don’t need any time at all – once you have a clear goal and the timing is right, your angels can move mountains and you can find yourself on the fast track.  This can happen in any area of your life – you just have to be ready to work and know exactly what you want to make happen.

If it’s a fitness goal that you wish to reach, you can break down your action steps into daily activities that will get your body moving.  If it’s important enough, you’ll find the time.  I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, but it’s going to be worth it.

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You know those little gut feelings that you have?  Start following them.  Set your intentions for your life and then follow the guidance that is offered.  Align yourself with your Higher Self by following those hunches that want you to act integrally.  I always get an uneasy feeling if I’m about to eat something that isn’t in line with my health and fitness goals.  I’m getting better at listening to those feelings, but it’s definitely not easy!  We have habits that are comfortable for us, but if they haven’t gotten us to where we want to go in the past, they’re worth the discomfort that arises when we choose differently.  That discomfort starts to feel really really good once you start blazing that new trail.

If you’ve got a fitness goal you want to reach, I highly recommend a heart rate monitor – especially if you’re competitive like me.  It helps me challenge myself every time I wear it.  I’m always the last person on the ice at shinny these days because I’ve always got a challenge for myself.  Today I had to burn 800 calories before I could get off the ice.  I’m hardcore, I know.  At the end of 80 minutes, I had burned exactly 800 calories.  The point is that I have a fitness goal for myself and I intend to reach it.  It doesn’t matter when exactly, but I make sure to take action steps each day that take me toward my goal!

Next time you get a gut feeling that something is off, take a moment and listen to your body.  Start asking yourself questions and listen to what comes up.  I guarantee you that you’ll start to notice things that you previously maneuvered while on autopilot.

 

 

Crockpot Chicken

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It doesn’t get much easier than this peeps, or more delicious. Ten minutes and done!

This was Crockpots are pretty much my favourite thing ever at the moment.  I’m fairly certain I could throw anything in there and it would turn out delicious.  This chicken recipe is something I always used to make in the oven but the timing was always horrible.  It would cook quickly, so it was always done too early or late based on when I could get it in the oven.

With the crockpot I just throw everything in and pot the timer on high or low depending on when I need it and it always comes out perfectly!  And I mean perfectly.  I didn’t even bother getting out the big camera – these are all iphone pics because it smelled so good no one wanted to wait for mommy to take photos!

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Crockpot Chicken

  • 1 4.5 lb chicken
  • 1 bulb fennel
  • 4 ribs celery
  • 1 onion
  • 6 medium carrots
  • 1 head garlic
  • 2 tbsp fresh thyme
  • 1/2 lemon
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp pepper

Chop the onion, fennel, carrots, and celery and place in the bottom of a 6 quart crockpot. Crush the garlic cloves to get the skin off and toss in with the vegetables, and add the thyme.

Wash and dry the chicken, season with salt and pepper, and toss the lemon half inside.

Place chicken on top of the vegetables and toss the butter on top.

Put on the lid and cook on high for 5 hours. (A little shorter or longer depending on the size of your chicken.  Guesstimate!)

When ready, take the chicken out of the crockpot and pour the juices into a saucepan. Boil down the juices to make the most delicious gravy ever. There is no need to add anything at all – it will naturally thicken as the water evaporates. Stir occasionally for about 10 minutes until desired thickness is reached.

No pics of the gravy as my kids were already pulling chicken off the platter and stuffing it into their mouths by this point!

ENJOY!

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I even placed a bit of everything in the blender with a bit of water to make crockpot chicken baby food purée which was AMAZING. I seriously considered tossing the whole enchilada into the blender to make soup out of it! Arlo also enjoyed gumming all of the delicious tender veggies. Yummy!

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Pine Nut and Pea Sprouted Brown Rice

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I’ve looked everywhere for sprouted brown rice since I tried it this summer and I finally came across it this week at the Bulk Barn!  I couldn’t wait to make something like this and it is exactly what I was envisioning.  Not only did we love it, but the kids actually sat down and ate like civilized human beings for once.  Score!

We ate this along with salmon and salad for dinner.  If I were making as a stand alone lunch dish I would add a few large handfuls of spinach to the last step and let the heat of the rice wilt it, which is exactly what’s on the lunch menu tomorrow!

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Pine Nut and Pea Sprouted Brown Rice

  • 2 cups sprouted brown rice
  • 1/2 cup pine nuts
  • 1 red onion, chopped
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 cup peas, fresh or frozen
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp coconut aminos
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Cook the sprouted brown rice as per the package directions.

While the rice is cooking, place the pine nuts in a large pot over low to moderate heat and lightly toast them, tossing frequently.  Be sure to keep an eye on them because they can go from lightly browned to black pretty quickly!  Alternatively, you can leave them untoasted.

Empty the pine nuts into a bowl and set aside.

Using the same large pot, cook the onion in the coconut oil over medium heat until translucent.  Add the garlic and peas and cook for 2 more minutes.  Turn off the heat, toss in the pine nuts and set aside.

Once the rice has finished cooking, add it to the onion mixture along with the coconut aminos, olive oil, and apple cider vinegar.  Mix well and serve!

Banana Chocolate Walnut Muffins

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I have finally found the perfect recipe base for muffins!  I am so excited for where my Saturdays are going.  This recipe was first on my list to tackle and I am proud to say that the recipe is finally finished!

If you love walnuts you can add a few handfuls to base of the recipe as well.  I was scared the kids wouldn’t eat them if I loaded the recipe with them but several test batches later and apparently they love walnuts as much as we do.  Though I do measure chocolate chips/chunks generously so maybe that’s why they don’t have a problem with it!

Banana Chocolate Walnut Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

  • 2 overripe bananas
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla powder (vanilla extract works also)
  • 1 1/2 cups almond flour
  • 2 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
  • ½ cup chocolate chunks
  • walnuts for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 F and line a muffin pan with silicon muffin cups.

Mash bananas, and mix in eggs and maple syrup.

Add almond flour, vanilla powder, chia seeds, baking soda, and sea salt.  Mix well.

Warm coconut oil until just melted and mix in.

Lastly, mix in chocolate chunks.

Full muffin cups 3/4 full, and top muffins with walnuts.

Bake for 20-25 minutes (I usually do 23) and let cool in the pan for best results.

Once cooled, gently pull the muffins away from the silicon cups and they will pop out perfectly!

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Peanut Butter Balls

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I realize there are about a million peanut butter ball recipes out there but I just had to add one more.  I’ve been craving these like mad lately and got hit by some inspiration this morning to add coconut flour as a thickening agent, so here they are!  These are about as healthy as peanut butter balls can possibly get, and they taste so much better than their graham cracker and butter counterpart.  If you can get your hands on some coconut milk powder, it is an amazing addition.

Obviously these are a hit with everyone in the house, and we seem to have a never-ending supply since I keep trying to perfect the recipe.  Most of the recipes I’ve been playing around with lately include protein powder to increase the acceptability of me eating them for breakfast – see notes below. Of course, they also make a great post-workout treat!

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Peanut Butter Balls

  • 1 cup natural peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1 tsp coconut flour
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • optional: 2 tbsp coconut milk powder

Chocolate Covering:

  • 3/4 cup chocolate chips
  • 1/2 tbsp coconut oil

Mix the first 5 (or 6)  ingredients together in a bowl.

Let sit for a few minutes to let the coconut flour absorb thicken the mixture and then form into tablespoon sized balls.

Refrigerate while you melt the chocolate.

Using a double boiler, or a bowl placed over a pot of simmering water, melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil, stirring frequently. If the chocolate mixture seems too thick, just add a little more coconut oil to thin it out.

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Roll peanut butter balls in chocolate using a spoon and place on a silpat sheet or any other non-stick paper.  A plate will do!

Store in the refrigerator.

Notes:

  • If you want to increase the protein content of the balls you can add 1/4 cup of protein powder and decrease the almond flour to 1/4 cup.
  • If you want the coconut taste but don’t have coconut milk powder, you can use 1/2 cup peanut butter and 1/2 cup coconut/almond butter by MaraNatha.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sour Cream Kale Chips

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I make sure there is a healthy supply of these kale chips in the pantry at all times.  They put packaged sour cream chips to shame in both the health and flavour categories and are the perfect no guilt snack for movie night!

I used to grab a bag of kale chips for $8.99 every time I went to the health food store.  The thing is, they’re actually really easy to make, and your dollar will stretch further.  Here is the catch: a food dehydrator is highly recommended.  We have the Excalibur 9-tray, which runs around $260 CAN – totally worth the price tag.

You can always make them in the oven by using the lowest heat setting, but you’ll have to check and mix often to avoid burning.  Since I pretty much forget everything all the time, I prefer to use the dehydrator rather than end up with burnt kale chips!

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Sour Cream Kale Chips

  • 1 large head of kale
  • 1 1/2 cups cashews
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup hemp seeds
  • 1/4 cup diced chives
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp coconut sugar
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt

Pull kale leaves off of stalk and rip into bite sized pieces.  Wash and dry using a salad spinner, getting as much water off as possible.  Set aside.

Place the rest of the ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.  Add more water if necessary.

If you don’t have a high speed blender, blend ingredients in a regular blender until as smooth as possible.  Let sit in the blender for 30 minutes and then re-blend until smooth!  This is my “pre-soak the cashews” life hack.

Pour the sour cream mixture onto the kale and mix thoroughly.  Use your hands and get messy to ensure every tiny piece of kale is covered!

Spread kale out onto non-stick dehydrator sheets and dehydrate at 118 F until the top is dry and crisp, about 2-3 hours.  Turn over onto the mesh screen (removing the non-stick sheet) and dehydrate until fully dry.  Store in an air-tight container or devour all at once.  You know you want to.