Lentil Fusilli Salad with Chicken

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Lentil Fusilli Salad with Chicken

  • 225g red lentil fusilli pasta (approx. half a package)
  • 1 head broccoli
  • 1 orange pepper
  • 1/2 cup olives, pitted and halved
  • 1/4 cup chopped red onion
  • 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, diced
  • 1 pint mini tomatoes, halved
  • 3 cooked chicken thighs
  • olive oil
  • salt and pepper

Boil water and turn flame down to low/medium.  Stir in pasta and cook for 8 minutes.  Drain.

Meanwhile chop up broccoli into bite size pieces, put into a pot with an inch of water and boil/steam with lid on until tender but firm, roughly 8 minutes.

Chop up remaining ingredients and place in a large bowl.  Add pasta and broccoli when they are finished cooking.

Add oil, salt and pepper to taste.  Add more as desired.

Red Lentil Pasta vs. Brown Rice Pasta

We were a brown rice pasta type of family until I discovered red lentil pasta.  Now it is my go-to pasta. Both are gluten-free.  Win-win.

Per 100g, here is how they measure up:

  • Protein: 13g vs 7g
  • Fibre: 6g vs 3.5g
  • Calories: 350 vs. 350
  • Fat: 1g vs 2.7g

But, don’t lentils have lectins?  Yes lentils have lectins.  Lectins bind to your intestines, block absorption, and damage the gut lining, causing the body to battle the dreaded leaky gut and then have to divert proteins from other tasks in order to repair it.  But, once lentils are cooked, their lectin levels drop dramatically.

It all comes down to this, and this is our philosophy where all food is concerned: how do you personally feel after you eat them?  Good – great.  Not so good – it’s your call if you want to eat them or not!

Chocolate, Peanut Butter, and Coconut Protein Balls

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Meet my new favourite obsession: protein bar creation.  I used to live off of protein bars so it’s high time I make my own.  These balls will come in super handy when the kiddos come home from school and want food ASAP.  Though I would like to get the sugar content down even more for that same reason!

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Chocolate, Peanut Butter, and Coconut Protein Balls

  • 3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 2 scoops ultimate vegan energy protein powder
  • 1/4 cup peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
  • 1/3 cup almond milk
  • 6 drops liquid stevia

Mix all ingredients together, and roll into TBSP size balls.  Serve.

Using the above recipe yields 16 balls with 2.5g of sugar and just over 2.5g of protein each.  The protein powder is comprised of sprouted brown rice protein, maca, and vanilla.  I highly recommend Brad King’s brand not only because it tastes great, but because it is a highly bioavailable form of protein.  Our bodies can use it easily unlike other vegan forms such as pea protein which are largely cheap fillers.

My favourite brand of stevia is Now’s better stevia, french vanilla flavour.  It’s still got the bitterness characteristic of stevia, but is way better than sweet leaf in my opinion.

ballsNote that sweet little hand trying to get into the chocolate chips!

 

Mini Paleo Frittatas

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I have attempted frittatas many times in the past and none of them have been delicious as this!  There is so much goodness packed into these little gems and the kiddos ate them up despite all of the green!  I’ll admit it was difficult to get them to take that first bite, but once I got big brother to partake, little brother happily complied!

These are also good reheated the next day, so feel free to make a big batch!

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Mini Paleo Fritattas

  • 1 tbsp coconut oil, plus more for greasing pan
  • 5 eggs
  • 1 cup broccoli florets, diced
  • 1 cup chopped baby spinach
  • 1/2 red pepper, diced
  • 1/4 cup coconut cream (solid top in a can of coconut milk)
  • 5 strips bacon, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Grease a muffin pan well, or use silicon muffin cups.

Place coconut oil, broccoli, bacon, and red pepper into a skillet over medium heat and cook until broccoli is bright green and bacon is cooked.  Cool 10 minutes.

In separate bowl, whisk eggs and coconut cream.  It will be chunky. Add spinach and stir.

Empty the broccoli mixture into the egg mixture and stir immediately.

Drop 1/4 cup of egg batter into each prepared muffin cup.  Bake 20 minutes.  Cool 10 minutes in pan, run a knife along the edge and carefully remove.

Makes 7 mini fritattas.

* You may also use frozen broccoli and/or previously cooked bacon. You can substitute another protein if you don’t do bacon!

California Love

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After scrambling to get Arlo’s birth certificate over the past few weeks (which was somewhere along the postal route), I was extremely persistent with passport Canada and had his passport in hand exactly 19 hours before our scheduled flight to Santa Barbara!  That just goes to show you that intention is 99% of the game.  I just knew that we were going to make that flight even though getting a passport in time seemed impossible.  As chance would have it, we actually missed our connecting flight, so we got to plane spot for a few hours 😉

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There are so many things I am grateful for in my life, and getting to travel to California often is definitely one of them.  If you have the chance, get yourself to Santa Barbara at some point in your lifetime.  It is so beautiful that I would love to call it home some day.  And the California Coast is not to be missed!

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Arlo spent a lot of time in his baby wrap.  It makes traveling with a baby so much easier!  Not to mention it added a good 15 lbs to my walks.  Between walking and a few morning runs, I’m pretty sure I lost weight on “vacation.”  Though I don’t see travel as a break from a healthy lifestyle.  You can find healthy food wherever you go, and you can stay active very easily.

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This is the first time we made it as far north as Napa Valley, and it won’t be our last time there.  I took this picture one morning when I drove up to Newton winery.  The roads up these hills are insane, but they are worth the risky drive for the views they provide.  And the food in Yountville was ridiculously amazing.  I had some of the best food of my life there, and of course some incredible Cabernet Sauvignon as well.

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We also made it to San Francisco for the first time.  I took this photo of the downtown core one block away from Plow, where we had one of the best breakfasts ever.  It’s one of those hipster joints with paleo and gluten free options.  Delicious.  We enjoyed a morning run and workout in the park that morning, which no doubt gave me a healthy appetite!  I love how easy it is to be active in California.

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This was meant to be a true vacation from work, but as luck would have it I came out of it with a new job, and it’s one that I am super excited about.  I can’t wait to let you all in on what I will be up to, but I’m going to save that for a post a few weeks down the road!

 

Fresh Tomato Soup

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Fresh Tomato Soup

  • 1 onion
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 ribs of celery
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil (or butter)
  • 5 organic tomatoes
  • 2 cups organic chicken broth
  • 28 oz can organic tomatoes (796ml)
  • 14 oz can coconut milk (398ml)
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme
  • salt and pepper to taste

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Chop up onion, carrots, celery, garlic.  Cook in coconut oil over medium heat until soft.

Chop up tomatoes and add to the pot along with the rest of the ingredients.

Bring to a boil and turn down to medium heat.  Leave the soup on medium for approx. 20 minutes to boil off some of the excess water.

Place soup in a blender and puree.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve.

tomato3Proof that the kids loved it!

 

Moroccan-Style Meatballs

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This meal came together very quickly and it was so good that I’ll be making it again very soon.  It was a hit with our 3 year old but the 18 month old won’t eat meat, and apparently is rebelling against carrots now too…

We served it with quinoa, but it can be a stand on its own dish served with a side salad.

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Moroccan-Style Meatballs adapted from here.

Serves 4-6

  • 1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
  • 1 lb ground pork
  • 1/3 cup grated onion
  • 1 egg
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp chili
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp dried ginger
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix with your hands.  Form meatballs slightly larger than golf balls, place onto a plate and set aside.

Stew

  • 2 tbsp coconut oil (or butter)
  • 3 onions, chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 28oz can diced tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup organic raisins
  • 3 medium carrots, chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

In a large oven-safe pot, cook onions in coconut oil over medium heat until soft and translucent, about 10-15 minutes.

Add cinnamon, turmeric, and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add broth, tomatoes, raisins, and carrots, and bring to a boil.

Carefully press meatballs into the stew mixture until covered, sprinkle with cilantro, and cover the pot.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until carrots are tender.

 

 

Kid Friendly: Almond Crusted Fish Sticks

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This is one meal that my kids actually eat!  If you loved fish sticks as a child, then you will love these.  They are a gazillion times more delicious than that frozen crap I grew up on, and are also gluten-free!  If you don’t like garlic than you can just leave it out.  You can also add some dried parsley if you’re feeling fancy 😉  I just didn’t have any to use tonight!

I don’t recommend tilapia because they are bottom feeders.  You’re better off with halibut or cod.

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Almond Crusted Fish Sticks

  • 1 lb cod or halibut
  • 1.5 cups blanched almond flour
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 cup butter or coconut oil for frying

Cut fish up into 1 inch x 3 inch pieces, or as close as possible to the same thickness. Place almond flour, salt, and garlic powder in a bowl, and the 2 beaten eggs in a separate bowl.

You will want to fry the fish in 2 separate batches to avoid crowding the pan.  Heat a large pan with 1/4 cup of butter or coconut oil.  Dip each piece of fish in egg, then the almond flour mixture, and place in the pan.  Fry until browned on both sides – 3-4 minutes per side.  I always cut into a piece to be sure they’re done.

While the first batch is cooking, you can prepare the second batch and place them on a plate, ready to take the plunge into the next 1/4 cup of butter/oil.

These are delicious plain, served with ketchup or with home made tartar sauce, recipe below:

Homemade Tartar Sauce

  • 1/2 cup mayo
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp or more tartar sauce (to taste)
  • salt and pepper to taste

Mix and enjoy!  Hey, I never said it was a healthy home made tartar sauce.

Connecting to your Spirit

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blueskyI camped out in the car this morning since Arlo fell asleep during the 2 minute drive home, and read about how to dig deep and follow my intuition.  The exercise ended with time to sit still and quiet the mind, and just relax for a moment or two to connect with your breath – your direct line to Spirit.  This is something I rarely get to do during daylight hours and the results this morning were amazing.

If Arlo hadn’t fallen asleep I would have rushed inside with a fussy baby and been greeted at the door by my dear friend Laundry.  Instead, I was given the gift of a quiet and peaceful moment to myself where I focused on feeling the light within my heart.

The birds were chirping, and the sun was warm on my face.  Before I knew it I was deep in meditation.  I was present.  My heart was ablaze and my vibration was strong.  It was bliss.  And then I fell asleep, my head nearly fell off, and my body jerked back into reality – but the bliss remained.  When we take a few moments to breathe and connect to our Spirit, our vibration raises.  We’re happier.

People are in such a rush these days that they are truly missing the beauty in life. In themselves.  There are golden moments to be had if you just simply slow down for a few minutes a day.  Close your eyes, feel the sunlight on your face, and breathe deeply.  When people have a few minutes to spare, they can usually be found clutching their iphone.  So put the phone away, and experience what it is to be in the moment.

A few weekends ago we were walking along the Humber River when we crossed paths with a woman reading a book while walking.  “At least it’s not a phone?” I thought to myself.  She then moved the book aside and revealed a smartphone in her other hand!  I didn’t know whether to be appalled at her lack of presence, or impressed.  I sent her love.

Take a second to admire just how beautiful our planet really is.  Look around.  Slow down.  Breathe and connect to your Spirit – the real you.

I’m Quitting.

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Today started out like most days.  Kids crying, kids putting stickers on the wall, kids writing all over said walls with pencil crayons that I cannot get off.  We yell.  Never again or you’re basically dead, child, we say.  Hubby takes the kids to school because I for once took the high road from yelling.  I walked away and quit being a parent completely.

An hour later I finally made my way to the cafe to let my hair down, soak in some organic tea, eat my gluten free brownie and go “OMmmmmmm”.   I relax – for a whole 5 seconds.  My intuition pipes up and says.  “No.”  “What do you mean, no”?  “Go running,” it says.

So I do what any good intuitive does and sit there and eat my brownie and read my book.  I ignore it.  No I say.  No!  I need to relax.  But it won’t let me.

So I pack up and go home, charge my phone to sync it with mapmyrun, stuff my little 8 week sausage baby otherwise known as “Arlo” into my new SUV of a running stroller, wad some kleenex into my pocket to nurse my killer sinus cold, and I run.  And run and run and run.  I run for a total of 7.86 km, and I feel better than I have in a long time – the entire time.

So listen to your intuition.  It wants to make you better.  Your ego wants to sit down and eat brownies and drink tea.  Hell, your ego wants you to enjoy a big fat cake so it can get to work putting it straight onto your big fat super hot ass.  No thank you ego.  I’m quitting you.

arlorun

 

Raise Your Standards

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oldyouLife becomes incredibly magical when you realize that you are in charge of your destiny.  You can materialize anything you want in life.  You just have to want it bad enough.  But before that, you must realize that you are worth it.

Having struggled with a severe lack of confidence almost my entire life, I am finally realizing that I am worth it.  On the surface, I am worth having my hair done once a month.  At the soul level I am worth respect, and above all else  – I am worth loving.  If you don’t love or respect the person you are, it’s pretty hard to command love and respect from others.  Once you realize that you are worthy of a life where all of your heart’s desires come true, life gets really interesting.  Know that you deserve to be loved for the soul you are right now.  So start loving yourself.

But having an AHA moment isn’t enough.  You have to do what no one can do for you: grow your soul.  Your thoughts and your actions must change.  You must live each an every moment with faith and gratitude.  Everything always works out in the end.  Where there is darkness, there is light.  You just have to find it.  So have faith and be thankful for everything you have in your life – even the darkness, because that is when our soul grows the most.

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Start by writing down a list of your heart’s true desires.  What gets you fired up?  What makes your soul sing?  Deep down, you know precisely what lights your heart on fire.  Stop making excuses.  Raise your standards and commit to expect the best for yourself.  Eat better.  Exercise.  Do some soul searching reading.  Make time for yourself.  Learn.  Play.  Enjoy life.  Your soul needs food to keep going.  Feed your soul, and you’ll be feeding your relationships as well.  Live the life you are meant to live and you will make yourself happier than you have even been.  Raise your standards and you can turn your wishes into reality.