Category Archives: Nutrition

Cashew Almond Butter

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In the past, I have made almond butter which I enjoyed but sometimes found it rather dry and bland. I haven’t been able to stomach peanut butter lately because of my pregnancy but I have been craving toast with some kind of spread. So I decided to try something different this time, made almond butter with raw cashews! It was simple, quick and more cost effective than buying it in the store. It is amazing on homemade bread or toast, I actually could eat it by the spoonful;)

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Ingredients:
1 cup Raw Cashews
2 cups Raw Almonds
Water

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Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350F.

2. Lay out the cashews and almonds on a baking sheet.

3. Bake for 15 minutes. Be sure to stir once or twice so that they do not burn.

4. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

5. Place in the food processor and blend for 6-8 minutes or until they turn into butter. If you want it to be more liquidy you could add some water.

6. Label and place in a mason jar and store in the fridge.

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Enjoy!!

Cleaning Fruits and Veggies

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I have had a number of requests from readers asking: “do you buy all organic fruit and veggies and if not, how do I clean them?” Well I do not buy ALL organic fruits and veggies, especially in the winter months when they are SO expensive!

During the summer we recieve a CSA share which is locally grown veggies and I try to buy most other fruit and veggies at the local farmers market but in the winter I simply buy them at the grocery store and eat berries that have been frozen from the summer.

I used to buy special fruit and veggie spray, but after researching some of the chemicals they put in the sprays I decided to wash the old fashion way with vinegar and water.

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I fill our sink up and add a small amount of vinegar, I put in the fruit or veggies and allow to sit for 10-20 minutes depending on the items (strawberries, cucumber and other things that have soft outside I let sit longer to ensure that they get cleaned) All the other hard fruit I let sit for 10 minutes. Then I scrub them and rinse thoroughly. I place them on a tea towel and dry them off and then put them back in the fridge.

Whether you buy organic or non-organic fruits and veggies, the fact is that it is all dirty from chemicals and being handled by several people between the orchard and your fridge. It ALL NEEDS thorough cleaning!!

Be blessed!!

Kale Chips

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I tried something new yesterday and although I was skeptical, they actually turned out really well. I made kale chips, it simple and quick. All you need is fresh kale, 1 tsp of extra virgin olive oil and sea salt.

1. Wash the kale and dry completely.

2. Break off small pieces of kale leaves and place them in a large ziplock bag. Do not use any of the steams, they are really bitter tasting. Once you have a desired amount of kale, add 1 tsp of extra virgin olive oil, zip up the bag and shake.

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3. Remove the kale from the bag and place on a cookie sheet. Bake for 30-40minutes at 350F. If you like the chips more crispy you may need to leave them in a bit longer.

4. Once they are done, remove from the oven and sprinkle with sea salt. Allow to cool and then eat! They make a great festive snack with some cut up red apple:)

Enjoy!!IMG_2345[1]

 

Homemade Rice Milk

Since I am on a kick with making everything from scratch, I decided to try rice milk as well. We go through a lot of rice milk because we do not drink cows milk. A 900mL container of brown rice milk costs $1.87 and I made about 4 times that amount for only $2.00. My husband and I don’t really drink it by the cup, although our kids do, but I find that I consume most of it through baking, cooking, and on cold and warm cereals. I may still purchase some for the kids to drink but will definitely use the homemade stuff in everything else.

The homemade rice milk definitely has a thicker texture to it and you can taste the rice a bit more but I found straining it several times really helped to remove the rice taste. I used brown rice, but you can use whatever kind you like. Again I think that the brown rice adds a stronger taste but it has more protein and fibre than the white rice does so that is why I chose it.  I’d love to hear feedback from anyone who tries it, let me know how it works out for you. Here is how it’s done!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup cooked rice (anykind)

2 cups water

1/2 tbsp maple sugar

1/4 tsp sea salt

Directions:

Place all the ingredients in a high powered blender (I use the Blendtec), secure the lid and select the whole juice cycle. Remove lid and strain through a strainer several times or you can use cheesecloth for a more thorough strain. Transfer into a jug and refrigerate. I usually quadruple the recipe and make a large batch at once. Sometimes some of the rice particle sink to the bottom, I just leave them and try not to shake the jug so that they stay on the bottom, again helps with the taste and texture.

Enjoy!

May you be refreashed and invigorated in your spirit today. May the love of the Father compel you to love yourself, honor your husband and bless your family!!!

Healthy Pumpkin Muffins

Mmmmm…good!

Here is a wonderful recipe for pumpkin muffins. They are moist and delicious. I doubled the bath and froze half of them for snacks.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup coconut sugar
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin (either canned pumpkin or homemade puree)
2 cups multigrain flour
1  1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
Cream together butter and coconut sugar, beat in eggs, stir in pumpkin.

In another bowl combine dry ingredients. Then add to wet ingredients and mix well. Put in greased muffin tins and bake at 350 for for 20 minutes.

Enjoy!!

Veggie Delight

I had a question from one of my readers: “how do you get your kids to eat veggies?”. My first response is that it can be hard at times, but I think that parents example has a huge influence on their eating habits. My kids definitely like raw veggies more than cooked ones. I think it is helpful to find out what your kids like and then organize and cater accordingly. Something that I have found helpful lately is cutting up veggies and storing them in the fridge so they are ready for snack and meals. I got this tupperware tray and have loaded it up with all different kinds of veggies that my kids like. It works great for snacks or meal prep.

I don’t know about you but for me lunch and dinner times can be stressful if I am trying to cut up veggies and make things when all three kids are tired and hungry. This little trick of have things already cut up has helped me tremendously. For example last night I decided last minute to make homemade pizza and all I had to do was make the dough, I then spread sauce on the pizzas and allowed the kids to put their own veggies on their pizzas. We also use them for veggie wraps, subs, spaghetti sauce, lasagna and stir-fry, etc.

My kids also like colour, the more colourful the veggies the more likely they are to eat them:) For snacks I always take theis tray out as well as a container of hummus or pesto. The kids eat the veggies sub consciously just because they are out, which is awsome! The more veggies they eat the better. Vegetables are full of all sorts of vitamins, minerals and healthy fats that our bodies need. Make sure that you clean the veggies before you eat them as there can also be a lot of dirt on them.

May you delight in today, enjoying the grace that God pours out on us and our families. May we walk blameless before Him!

Homemade Veggie Stock

Soup stock – we all use it, and most recipes call for it! Whether you add meat or not you can use this recipe as a base for any soup stock. I have been making my own stock for months now and I love it for two reasons:

1. It is cost effective

2. You avoid adding unessessary chemicals and additives

I usually make a few mason jars every couple months to ensure that we have enough onhand. You can make it, jar it and freeze it! (Just be sure that it is completely cooled and allow an inch or so at the top of the jar so that it doesn’t crack – I speak from experience:) I typically use a variety of veggies that I have on hand, make sure you use at least one onion, carrot, celery stalk and bay leaf.

Ingredients:

2 Carrots

1/2 Cabbage

2 Onions

Handful of Kelp

1 Sweet potatos

1/2 Eggplant

3 Celery stalks

1/2 butternut Squash

1 bay leaf

Directions:

Clean the mason jars and allow to dry. Roughly chop all your veggies, throw them in a stock pot with water, bring water to a boil and then simmer for 20 minutes. Do not over cook the veggies or you will loose all the nutrients from the veggies. Remember you just want to simmer them long enough to get the flavors out of the veggies. Once they are done, strain and jar. Depending how cooked your veggies are, I will sometimes add another pot of water to the already boiled veggies and simmer them again for 20 minutes. (just to make a little extra)

Enjoy! I use these in currys, stir-frys, and soups. May you be blessed as you hear his voice and obey his ways!

Nutty Quinoa Salad

This is my NEW favorite quinoa salad!!! A good friend of mine introduced me to this salad a couple weeks ago and I cannot get enough of it! I tweeked it to make it exactly what I like but the nuts and dried fruits can be substituted with other nuts and dried fruits depending on what you have on hand. It can be served warm or cold depending how long you allow the quinoa to cool. The dressing on this salad is amazing, it makes the salad unique and addictive:) This recipe is full of protein, magnesium and calcuim, all of the raw ingredients make it an incredible staple for any meal!

Ingredients:

1 cup of quinoa (turns into about 2 cups once cooked)

1/2 cup sliced raw almonds

1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup currants

1/2 cup chopped apple

1/4 cup chopped zucchini

2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 avacado cut into cubes

Dressing:

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup mustard

1 tbsp raw honey

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add 1 cup of quinoa and reduce heat to low. Allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Mix nuts and fruit and dried fruit together in a bowl and add quinoa when it is cool or warm (depending what you want). Mix together the dressing ingredients and pour over the salad, serve immediately!

May you be blessed as you listen and hear the voice of the Father today! Enjoy!!

Quinoa Burgers

I used a balsamic and maple syrup dressing and ate my burger over spinach, it was incredible!

This recipe is the best quinoa burger that I have ever had! I have been a vegetarian for a long time and I have tried many different burgers, this one surpasses them all! I was on pinterest the other day and found a quinoa burger recipe. I made some modifications because I didn’t like everything about the other one and came up with the following recipe. They are easy and amazingly flavorfull! I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked quinoa

3/4 cup shredded cheese (any variety)

1/2 cup cream cheese, cubed

1/8 cup rice milk

1 medium carrot, finely grated

3 eggs

3 tablespoons whole wheat flour

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

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Mixture will be sticky, be sure to mix very well!

Directions:

Bring 2 cups water to a boil, add quinoa and reduce heat to low.  Cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until seeds are tender. Remove from heat and let cool. In a large bowl combine the cooled cooked quinoa, cheese, cream cheese, carrot, eggs, flour, cumin, salt, and garlic powder.

I used my non-stick cooktop and it worked really well. Burgers didn't stick and I barely needed to use any oil.

Heat a pan and add a couple teaspoons extra virgin olive oil over medium-low heat.  Mixture will be sticky. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup, drop mixture into pan and flatten to 1/2 inch thick.  Fry until golden-brown, about 6 minutes on each side.   Makes a dozen burgers.

Delightful Quinoa Salad

 

Yummy!

This is a delicious and simple salad that is full of nutrients and flavour. Quinoa is a wonderful super food that is a complete protein and is reffered to as “warrior food”! My wonderful friend Lana shared this recipe with me and I want to share it with all of you! It only takes about 30 minutes to make and can be done in the morning or even the day before you want to eat it. There are some days that I like having something pre-ready to avoid the stress of last minute meal prep. I made this salad this morning when the kids were having a snack and the baby was down for her nap.

My little Mercy stirring the ingredients

Ingredients:

1 cup red quinoa

1 cup white quinoa

3 cups water

4 cups baby spinach

1 cup walnut halves

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 cup blueberries (I used blueberries and strawberries, chopped)

1 red apple & 1 green apple, chopped

1/8 cup balsamic vinegar

1/8 cup maple syrup

I mix the dressing in a small container and if we don't use it all I store the leftovers in the fridge.

Bring 3 cups water to boil, add the quinoa, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. As the quinoa is cooking spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and cover with 3 tbsp maple syrup, pop in the oven at 350F and bake for 10 minutes. Remove and let cool, scraping off the baking sheet so that they don’t stick. In a bowl, add spinach, blueberries (or any kind of berries), and apples. Once quinoa is done, remove from heat and allow to cool. Add cooled quinoa and cooled walnuts to the bowl. Store in fridge until you are ready to eat it. Otherwise, in a seperate container mix the vinegar and maple syrup. Pour over the salad and mix well. Serve immediately! Enjoy!!

May you enjoy the fruit of your labour today!!