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Calorie-free ways to make your water taste better

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Water is so so important, as I know you’ve heard over and over again. Not only is it important to help you maintain optimal health, lubricate your joints, promote proper digestion.. but it also really helps with weight maintenance or losing weight, staving off headaches, avoiding cravings, and helping with mood. Wow, right?!

I know that when I haven’t been drinking enough water, the first thing I want is sugar. ANYTHING SWEET, and NOW! Use that as a sign and gulp down 4-8oz of water, wait 5-10 minutes, then grab a healthy snack if you’re still feeling hungry.

I know the old saying that everyone should drink 8 glasses of water per day, but that varies so much depending on your weight, activity level, and even the weather. A good goal to aim for is half your body weight, in ounces. So if you weigh 150 lbs, then you’d want to drink at least 75oz of water per day. Add in MORE if it’s a really hot day or if you’ve done a super sweaty workout.

Getting bored of the same old glass of water? Add some flavour!

Calorie-free ways to fancy up your glass

  • a wedge of lemon or lime
  • a slice of orange
  • a slice of cucumber
  • a sprig of mint
  • some berries
  • frozen grapes
  • cubes of watermelon
  • a bit of freshly grated ginger
  • use sparkling water

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Addicting Chocolate chip Cookie Protein Bars

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Maybe I’m being overly liberal with the term “protein bar,” but these do have a good amount of protein in them (lots of nuts!). They’re really just a very delicious almost-clean-eating-friendly treat that I just can’t stop stuffing into my mouth. Seriously.. I’ve frozen the entire batch, but that hasn’t stopped me!

They’re sweet, salty, crunchy, and taste like cookies without added refined sugar or processed flours.  You could even use gluten-free oats, or omit the oats all together.   But you’ve been warned: I bet you can’t stop at just one!

Addicting Chocolate chip Cookie Protein Bars
from Shutterbean.com

1 1/2 cups toasted cashews
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup Medjool dates, pitted and chopped up
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1.75oz weight chopped dark chocolate (I used Lindt’s with sea salt)
1/8 tsp sea salt

Blend cashews and oats in food processor for about 30 seconds until coarsely chopped.  Add in the dates, maple syrup, cinnamon, and sea salt. Blend for another 30 seconds until the dough is sticky but still a bit crumbly.  Add in the walnuts and chocolate, and blend for a final 30 seconds, until it’s well combined.

Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Dump in the mixture, cover with another piece of parchment paper, and push it down until it’s nice and even across the bottom of the pan.  Place in freezer for 4 or more hours, then cut into 2-inch squares with a sharp knife.

I like to store the squares in a container in the freezer. They’ll keep for about 2 months, but there’s no way they’re lasting that long in this house!

Grilled Fish Tacos with Cabbage Citrus Slaw

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This is one of my favourites for dinner. My daughter will eat parts (hold the spice). I give her yogurt “dip,” fish, pieces of tortilla, and avocado.

You can get fresh fish if you’ll be making this within a day or so, otherwise I like keeping a bag of cod fillets in the freezer. Pull one out to defrost in the fridge the night before.  The best part is that this recipe only takes about 20 minutes to make, start to finish, including prep! That’s a win for this mama!  When I have it, I LOVE using mango salsa.

Calories will vary depending on the tortillas you use. Mine are 100 calories each. Meal is 425 calories (makes one serving)

6 oz raw cod or other white fish, washed and patted dry
¼ teaspoon sea salt
2 6-inch whole wheat tortillas
1 Tablespoon salsa
1 Tablespoon plain non-fat Greek yogurt
¾ cup shredded raw cabbage (I prefer red). Add kale if you like.
1 small handful of fresh cilantro sprigs
¼ of a lime (you’ll use the juice)
cayenne pepper (to taste)
¼ medium avocado, sliced

Preheat broiler to high

Season fish with salt and broil for 3-5 minutes per side, or until it flakes easily with a fork.

Wrap tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds. Place on a plate and top with yogurt, salsa, fish, cabbage, cilantro, avocado and a squeeze of lime juice.  Sprinkle on cayenne pepper to taste.

Fold and serve.

PS: This one can be messy!

Roast Maple Balsamic Brussels Sprouts with Pecans

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Not a Brussels sprouts fan?  Let me tell you, I’d only ever taken the required single bite at special holidays these last 30-odd years of my life, until I saw this recipe and just KNEW that it was my ticket to Brussels sprouts enjoyment.. and hey, I was actually right!  I’ll eat a plate full of these now! I’m not even exaggerating!  Tonight when I made them, they were sitting out still, and I kept going back for more to snack on.  They’re like the gateway to any other Brussels Sprouts that might get thrown in your path.

With Thanksgiving coming up, these are a perfect clean option. The maple syrup and balsamic vinegar add some tangy sweetness, and the pecans add some crunch.  I’ve also been known to toss in some dried cranberries.

Here’s what I did:

I washed up the lovely little Brussels Sprouts – I had just under 2 pounds.

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I trimmed off the ends, and cut the bigger ones in half.

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I tossed them along with 1/4 cup chopped pecans and 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil, salt, and freshly ground pepper.

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I popped them into a preheated 450F oven, and baked for about 20 minutes, until I saw some nicely charred bits.

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I stirred up my 2 Tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and 3 Tablespoons of maple syrup, then tossed the lot together.  I served them immediately. YUM!

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Roast Maple Balsamic Brussels Sprouts with Pecans
1 1/2 – 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, washed, stems trimmed, and large ones cut in half
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Himalayan Salt, and Freshly ground pepper
2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
3 Tablespoons Maple Syrup

I preheated the oven to 450F.
On a parchment lined baking sheet, I tossed together the Brussels sprouts, pecans, oil, and salt and pepper.
I roasted them for about 20 minutes, or until I saw some nice charred bits.
I whisked together the vinegar and maple syrup
I pulled the sprouts pan out of the oven and tossed them with the vinegar/syrup mixture, and served right away.

pumpkin scones

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I’m a really strong believer in moderation, and in not just saying that half the foods I love are completely off-limits.  This gets pretty tough when I crave all the sugary baked goods that I can think of.  Today I finally decided to bake up a batch of the famed Starbucks Pumpkin Scones.  They’re amazing, and I’m hoping I can limit myself a bit.  It wouldn’t be a good idea to eat the whole batch, yahknow?

These are crazy delicious, like my favourite thing ever.. must not eat all.. Strategy? Give them to friends, freeze most for later.. I like to freeze them on a cookie sheet, then either pop them straight into a bag in the freezer, or individually wrap them.  That makes for lots of future pumpkiny deliciousness.

pumkin scones

This recipe is everywhere, but I slightly modified it from Sweet Pea’s Kitchen.
Makes 12 servings

For the Scones:
2 cups flour
1/4 cup and 3 tablespoons granulated sugar (just under 1/2 cup)
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into little cubes
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
3 tablespoons cold milk
1 large egg

For the Powdered Sugar Glaze:
3/4 cup icing sugar
2 Tablespoons milk, or to desired consistency

For the Spiced Glaze:
3/4 cup icing sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 pinch ground ginger
1 pinch ground cloves

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Add the butter and toss with a fork to coat. Cut butter in with a fork, knives, a pastry blender, or whiz in your food processor for a few seconds, until it’s no bigger than small peas.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, milk, and egg. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients, and form the dough into a ball. Pat out dough onto a lightly floured surface and form into a 1-inch thick rectangle about 4 inches by 12 inches. cut into 3 equal squares, then cut each square in an X pattern (four pieces) so you end up with 12 triangular slices of dough. Place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until light brown. Place on wire rack to cool.

While the scones are cooling, make the powdered sugar glaze by mixing the powdered sugar and milk together until smooth. When scones are cool, use a pastry brush  or a spoon to spread plain glaze over the top of each scone.
While the powdered sugar glaze is firming, combine all of the ingredients for the spiced glaze. Drizzle over each scone and allow the icing to dry before serving (about an hour).

Try to eat just one and freeze the rest!

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healthy baked falafels

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Baking falafels.. I know, genius!  I didn’t come up with this myself, even though I should have.  I remember several falafel-making failures, where things were too mushy, my oil was too hot, and well.. too oily!  Black burnt falafels aren’t so great.  Solution? Bake them up until they’re perfectly cooked.

I love that falafels are full of so much flavour, and pack a lot of nutritional value from the chickpeas, garlic, and healthy oil.  These are great inside a pita, on a salad, or even by themselves as a snack!

You can use your favourite falafel recipe, or follow this one below, and bake em up.

Healthy Baked Falafels
Recipe adapted from How Sweet It Is

2 cans Chick Peas (540mL each – low sodium), rinsed and drained
4 garlic cloves, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
1 egg
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tablespoon melted extra virgin coconut oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 cup whole wheat flour or spelt flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

I preheated my oven to 400F.

I dumped everything except the flour and baking powder into the food processor, and pulsed until crumbly.  Then I added half the flour and baking powder, and pulsed a bit more to mix. I added the rest of the flour and baking powder, and pulsed a few more times.

I scooped balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, and flattened them slightly into patties.

I baked them for about 25 minutes – until slightly crispy and cooked through, but still soft in the middle.

healthy pumpkin spice latte

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The leaves are changing and it’s getting to be fall. OK, so maybe the leaves here are just falling off because we had such a hot dry summer.. but still, I’ve been itching to wear boots, jeans, and scarves, and sipping on a yummy pumpkin spice latte, and I know they’re at Starbucks now.. but I really don’t want whatever yuckiness they put in theirs, especially not when it’s super easy to whip up at home. You can even skip the pumpkin puree in my recipe and it’ll still taste great. All unprocessed, all-natural ingredients, if you’re fine with coffee.

It’s sweet, decadent, and tastes like fall in a warm mug.

healthy pumpkin spice latte

Recipe adapted from beachbody
serves 1, easily doubled or more

3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 tablespoon pumpkin puree
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons maple syrup, or 2 –3 drops liquid stevia (I used syrup)
1 – 2 shots espresso or 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
dash of nutmeg or cinnamon to taste (optional)

In a mug or saucepan, stir together the almond milk, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and maple syrup, then heat in the microwave or on the stove until quite hot but not boiling.

Remove from heat and froth or whisk well.

Pour espresso or coffee into a mug, then pour milk mixture on top.

Sprinkle with a dash of nutmeg or cinnamon.

Enjoy!

vanilla toasted coconut cashew butter

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Oh yummm.. yum yum yumminess. I made this weeks ago and then promptly forgot to share, as I consume more and more of it. I know, I’ve been holding out! This stuff’s amazing, and really not that tough to make. You just need either a food processor or a great high power blender, then you too can enjoy the coconutty vanilla-ey cashewey amazingness. It’s fabulous on toast, and even better on waffles.

vanilla scented toasted coconut & cashew butter

Slightly adapted from The Suburban Soapbox

1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut
2 cups unsalted raw cashews
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
a pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 325F

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then spread the coconut out and bake for about 5 minutes. Watch carefully, as you don’t want it to burn. Just let it get golden brown. Set aside

Toast the cashews in the same way (about 10 minutes), until golden.

Dump all your ingredients into a food processor or blender and just keep on blending until it’s nice and creamy.. Depending on the power of your machine, this could be 5-10 minutes.

Pour or scoop into an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 3 weeks (OK, I’ve had mine in the fridge for a few months now, because I FORGOT ABOUT IT (not sure how!), and it’s still fine.. but best to stick to the 3-week guideline.

easy and flexible no-knead bread

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I want to stuff my face with all the toasts made from this bread! Seriously. Stuff. I’ve always loved homemade bread but don’t want to have anything to do with kneading it, or multiple risings/proofing, all that jazz. No thank you! Enter this crazy flexible no-knead bread recipe. You just stir it up and leave it for anywhere between 12 and 24 hours, then bake. It works around YOUR schedule. LOVE.

I made this one with some whole wheat flour and some 10 grain cereal because hey, why not make it healthier than plain ol’ white, right? This recipe has been slathered all over the internet in various forms, but I like this version the best for its flexibility, and not having to cover with flour or re-rise or any of that jazz.

no-knead bread

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup 10 grain cereal mix or bread mix
1/4 teaspoon dry active yeast
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cup water

In a large bowl, whisk together everything except the water, then stir the water in until it all comes together nicely. This may take a few minutes of stirring.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap of a plate and just leave it for anywhere between 12-24 hours in a warm place.

When you’re ready to bake, place a cast iron pot into your oven, then preheat the oven to 500F. Leave the pot in there for 30 minutes, even though the oven will be at temperature before then. You want the pot to get nice and hot too!

Carefully remove the pot and use a bowl scraper to scrape the dough out and into the pot. You won’t be able to move it around once it’s in, but don’t worry if it’s not centered or looks a bit funny. Pop the lid on and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the lid and bake uncovered for another 2-3 minutes to brown a bit more.

Remove from oven and cool. If loaf is stuck to the bottom of your pot, let it cool a bit longer until you can remove it, then cool the rest of the way on a cooling rack.

Enjoy with fresh made jam.. yummy!

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