Morning Smoothie

This is a great option when you are in a rush in the morning. It has some good carbs, protein and a little fat to wake your body up and fuel it for a few hours!

1 small, ripe banana

1/3 cup frozen fruit (mixed berry is my go-to)

1/3 cup yoghurt (greek yoghurt is great)

1/2 cup milk (2%) - I think a little fat is good, it will help you metabolize some of the fat-soluble vitamins

4 ice cube

1 scoop of "North Coast Naturals" unflavoured protein

Mix it up in a blender/magic bullet!

Chewy Granola Bars

Dear Health-conscious friends. These granola bars are NOT healthy... But they are so delicious.. and gluten free!

They are perfect for an afternoon outdoors in the fall or winter... or a pre/post workout snack - wash them down with some biosteel - (the best sports supplement on the market) (www.biosteel.com)

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) In a frying pan add:

1/2 cup of sesame seeds

1/2 cup of sunflower seeds

1/2 cup of coconut

1/2 cup of slivered/flaked almonds

3) On medium, stir these four ingredients until browned and fragrant.

4) In a separate mixing bowl (large mixing bowl) add and cream together:

1/2 cup butter (room temp makes mixing easier)

3/4 cup peanut butter

1 tbsp vanilla

1 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup corn syrup

5) Add three cups of oats (large flakes) and the frying pan mixture or seeds, nuts and almonds.

6) Add 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of raisins...

or 1 cup chocolate chips.. or 1 cup of raisins.. or walnuts.. or hazelnuts.. etc.

7) Press into a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 18 minutes (or until slightly brown around the edges).

ENJOY!

For a "healthier" adaptation, use almond butter rather than peanut butter and 1/2 cup of honey and 1/2 cup of corn syrup (instead of the brown sugar and corn syrup)... Or enjoy as is, and go for a jog. :)

Thanks to "Whitewater Cooks" from Nelson, BC, for the original to this adapted recipe. Buy their cookbook if you ever have the chance. It is filled with healthy, creative and colourful meal ideas.

To-DIe-For Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe is an adaptation from a 'flour-full' chocolate chip cookie recipe. I find that I can often substitute almond meal and rice flour for wheat flour. I like this version even better than the original!

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

½ cup rice flour

½ cup almond meal

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

2) In a mixing bowl add flour, almond meal, salt and baking soda

1/3 cup butter, melted

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup white sugar

½ tablespoon vanilla

1 egg

3) In a separate bowl combine butter and sugars. Cream them together, then add the vanilla and egg

4) Mix dry and wet ingredients together and add chocolate chips, nuts, raisins, skor bar bits or whatever else you please.

5) Make small balls of dough on a parchment lined baking sheet

6) Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.

ENJOY!

"Smashed" Chicken

This is my mum's recipe, it is such an easy and delicious meal. Bill and I have put it in our regular dinner time rotation. Enjoy!

Dressing:

1 clove of garlic (can be excluded)

1 tsp of salt

*mash garlic and salt together*

Squeeze half a lemon worth of juice

Add 1 tbsp of mayo

Add 1 tbsp of Dijon mustard

*mix all ingredients*

Whisk in ½ cup of olive oil until emulsified

Chicken:

1) Defrost frozen chicken breasts/or use fresh

2) Place them, one at a time, in a Ziplock and smash them until they are about ½-1 inch thick (evenly flattened)

3) Coat them in a flour/salt/pepper mixture (you can also add other herbs or cayenne if you like)

4) Coat them in egg (whisk eggs for a few seconds until frothy)

5) Coat them in panko/freshly grated parmesan mixture

6) Heat a frying pan med-high heat

7) Add olive oil and a little butter (enough to brown the chicken)

8) When hot, add chicken and leave in pan until thoroughly browned, then flip (you can add a little more butter/oil if you think that it is necessary at this point)

9) Reduce temperature if pan really starts to smoke

Salad:

1) Toss arugula with parmesan and dressing until nicely coated

2) Pile on-top of chicken while its still warm from the frying pan

3) If you have ripe avocado, almonds, or bocconcini - they are a delicious addition to the salad.

Enjoy!!

Crispy Potato Delights

This is one of fiances favorite treats.. They are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and perfectly salty.

The "Food Thesaurus" told me that it is best to use Russet Potatoes (regular baking potatoes) because they crisp up and brown best.

FYI. The "Food Thesaurus" is one of my favorite tools for exploring different cooking methods and food substitutions:

http://www.foodsubs.com/Potatoes.html

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.


All you need is four ingredients:

1) 2 potatoes - this will easily serve 4 people

2) Kosher salt

3) 1/8 cup rice flour

4) 3 tbsp oil (canola, olive, corn - whatever you please)


Peel the skins off of the potatoes. Once you have reached the white flesh start peeling the potato flesh into a mixing bowl. FYI - this takes a little bit of time and this process can be expedited if you have a mandolin.. Once you have two potatoes "peeled" pat the potatoes with paper towel or dish towels until they are quite dry.


Add 1/8 cup of rice flour and oil and add salt.


Prepare a baking sheet with parchment and make little stacks of shaved potatoes about the size of a small fist.


Sprinkle a little salt on top and pop them in the oven for 30 minutes!


PS. No need to be a slave to the recipe - if you have a roast, chicken, lamb etc. in the oven (at lets say 350) put the potatoes in with it! no worries!)

Gluten-free Oatmeal Banana Muffins

1) Preheat oven: 400 degrees.

1 1/4 cup oats (large flakes - lower on GI)
1/2 cup yogurt (I used peach 'source' yogurt because that is what I had in the fridge - any yogurt will do)
1/2 cup milk

2) Combine oats, yogurt and milk - and let soak for 20 minutes.

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce
2 large, mashed bananas (ripe=sweeter=better)
1 egg (beat it by hand for 30 sec)

3) Mix brown sugar, apple sauce, mashed bananas and egg and add to oat mixture.

1 cup ground oats

1/2 cup ground almonds

(I use my favorite kitchen tool, the 'magic bullet', to grind large oats and almonds into a fine meal)

1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda

4) Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.

5) If you are in the mood add some chocolate chips, nuts, or dried fruit to spice it up!

6) Pour batter into prepared (parchment or oiled) muffin tins or loaf pan and pop in the oven.

For muffins: 20 minutes

For loaf: 30-40 minutes