Aug 9, 2015 |

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The healthy breakfast recipe you need for your kids

These pancakes, you guys.. they’re a game changer! Packed with protein AND veggies.. and they can be gluten free. what What?! Perfect healthier breakfast option for kids and adults too. I don’t even just feed them to the kids and make myself something else. (You know those gross recipes you’ve tried before? yeah.. yuck).. These are denser than regular pancakes, and delicious.

I end up feeling bad with a dose of bloated when I make my regular light and fluffy gluten-full pancakes, full of white flour and oil. Not these. These have no oil. They’ve got Greek yogurt, eggs, and VEGGIES! Today I made them with cooked broccoli. I know, crazy right? My 3 year old carbaholic rarely eats her vegetables or any protein, so I feel a bit better when I can get these into her.

Top them off with some frozen blueberries defrosted until ooey gooey like syrup. I’m working on a completely grain-free version too, so stay tuned for that.

Protein pancakes with hidden veggies

4 eggs

1 banana

1 1/2 cup oats

1 cup Greek yogurt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2tsp vanilla

1c spinach

1 scoop protein powder or Shakeology (optional)

A few tablespoons of milk as needed if it’s too thick

Heat non-stick pan over medium heat. Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth. Pour 1/4 cup scoops onto hot pan and cook until bubbles form then start to pop. Flip and cook for another 30 – 60 seconds.

This Makes about 15 pancakes.
21 Day Fix containers: 3 pancakes = approx 2/3 red 1/2 purple 1/2 yellow

Jul 4, 2015 |

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Paleo no-oats-meal

This! I’m putting in a bit of effort to avoid grains and dairy (ok, not 100%, just cutting it down for now).. So when I found this paleo no-oats-meal, I had to play around with the recipe, and I’m in love! It’s sweet, creamy, and delicious. L loved it just as much as I did. Now to figure out how to hide some veggies in it for her, since she’ll eat all of like 1 baby carrot in a week.

This is comfort food and nourishment in a bowl, definitely with more protein than your average bowl of oats. Stay tuned for some variations on this fabulous basic recipe.

Paleo no-oats-meal

1/4 cup almond meal
1 mashed banana
2 eggs
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 tablespoon ground flax seeds

Optional add-ins or toppings:
You can add in any of these items to make different flavors:
Fruit, like diced apple or blueberries
cinnamon or nutmeg
Pumpkin puree
nuts
seeds

Blend all ingredients until smooth, then transfer to a small saucepan set over medium-low heat. Or blend right in the pot with an immersion blender.
Stir constantly until the mixture starts to thicken and just barely starts to bubble – about 4 minutes.
Remove from heat, pour into a bowl or two and top with whatever strikes your fancy.
Enjoy!

breakfast no oats oatmeal paleo Recipe

Jun 28, 2015 |

2 comments

Clean Cheats Iced Latte

Summer is in full swing here, with record breaking heat. The kids are done school, with a good 2+ months off, and I’m finding ways to sneak some relaxation into busy days full of taking care of the family, changing diapers, constant breastfeeding, and cooking.

There’s been lots of dips in the pool, and THIS! This iced latte is amazeballs. It makes my mornings (or afternoons, let’s be honest) sparkle! And there’s like 15 calories in the whole thing! Clean cheats for the win!

What’s a clean cheat? Something that tastes so good that you feel like it must be unhealthy, when in reality it’s not messing with your nutrition goals at all.

Alright, go make this iced latte and take a 10 minute break. You earned it!

Clean Cheats Iced Latte

1 cup ice
2-3 drops stevia – try a vanilla or caramel one for fun
3/4 cup extra strong cold coffee
3/4 cup unsweetened cashew milk
A dash of cinnamon

Fill cup with ice, add stevia drops followed by coffee and cashew milk. Stir then top with cinnamon.
Enjoy!

*The stevia I used is Toffee Caramel, like this one, but I’ve heard great things about this sweet leaf version.

clean cheats drinks icd latte low calorie Recipe

Feb 24, 2015 |

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The best healthy Swiss overnight oats

These oats.. wow! Comfort food in a jar, and so easy to make a whole bunch as snacks or breakfast for the week. That’s a win in my books! They’re full of clean-eating goodness, and the perfect fuel, with some great protein, whole grain, fruit, and walnuts.

I used to be oh-so-sceptical of overnight oats in general. It just seemed so wrong to eat them without any cooking. I’d never really heard of raw oats until it became an internet fad. I tried a few recipes and wasn’t really sold. This one’s different. The sweetness of the apple and banana, the creaminess of the Greek yogurt, and the lovely crunch of the walnuts really makes it perfect. Bonus – it fits into the 21 Day Fix meal plan that I’m trying to stick to.

Give them a spin!

This recipe makes 2 servings, or one really large serving.

Swiss Overnight Oats

Recipe from Autumn Calabrese of the 21 Day Fix
Serves 2

1/2 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup almond milk
3/4 cup Greek yogurt (0% or 1%)
1 teaspoon vanilla
cinnamon to taste
1/2 small apple
1/2 medium banana
8 walnut halves, chopped
3-4 drops liquid stevia (optional)

Pour everything into two 2cup jars, containers, or bowls, and stir to combine well. Let sit in the fridge for at least 3 hours, or up to 4 days. Enjoy!

Containers:
Each serving is roughly: 1/2 red, 1/2 – 3/4 purple, 1/2 blue, and 3/4 yellow.

breakfast clean eating healthy Recipe snack swiss overnight oats

Feb 21, 2015 |

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Healthy Mexi Breakfast Sandwiches {for the freezer}

If you’re at all like me, mornings can be a chaotic rush of waking up, showering, making sure the baby doesn’t eat soap, getting her ready for the day, and finally cramming some food into my body. I am SUPER excited about this recipe. Like.. it’s awesome! Really!

I’ve found a really delicious healthy make-ahead-and-freeze recipe for breakfast sandwiches. These things are super tasty, and fast to whip up. I made a dozen yesterday while Nathan was giving L a bath, and now they’re waiting in our freezer for the next busy morning. Just pop them into the microwave for a minute or two, and you’re golden.

I wanted to keep them healthy but high in flavour, so I’ve used whole-wheat English muffins, an egg, a thin slice of light mozzarella, some Canadian (back) bacon, salsa, and cilantro. Pow! Super flavourful! The salsa was a great idea, adding very few calories, but a ton of flavour!

The eggs I baked in a muffin top pan, so I cooked them all at once in a matter of 10 minutes!

Healthy Mexi Breakfast Sandwiches for the Freezer

12 Whole Wheat English Muffins
12 Eggs
12 slices Canadian Bacon
12 thin slices light mozzarella or cheddar cheese
1/2 cup Salsa
1/2 bunch Cilantro, roughly chopped or leaves picked off
Pepper

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 2 muffin top pans, or large muffin pans or ramekins with non-stick spray. The muffin top pan above works best, based on my experiments! Crack an egg into each space, and break the yolks with a knife. Add some freshly ground pepper and bake for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, fry the Canadian Bacon over medium heat for 2 minutes/side. It’s pre-cooked, so you’re just trying to brown it a bit.

Slice open the English Muffins and top each side with 1 teaspoon salsa, some cilantro leaves, a cheese slice, and the cooked Canadian bacon. When the eggs are done, pop one onto each, and close your sandwich.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then wrap with cling wrap or parchment paper and freeze.

To cook from frozen: Unwrap and place on a plate. Cover with a piece of paper towel or microwave cover, and microwave 1 1/2 – 2 minutes on high heat.

To cook from fridge temperature: Unwrap and place on a plate. Cover with a piece of paper towel or microwave cover, and microwave for 1 minute.

Enjoy!

Source: Adapted from The Yummy Life

breakfast breakfast sandwich freezer meal Recipe

Feb 20, 2015 |

4 comments

How to work out with a newborn

It’s crazy, right? When you’re juggling a total lack of sleep (umm, hello 3 hours!), other kids, trying to get food into all the mouths, including maybe your own, changing a gazillion diapers, and feeling like you’re glued down with a nursing wee babe. Yep, the last thing most of us want to do in that situation is work out.. but often it’s the one thing that can give energy and help make us stronger in the long run.

How can you do it when it seems like there’s a free-flowing to-do list? I follow a few little steps:

Set out workout clothes so they’re easy to grab and pop on when you’re in a mad dash
At the slightest sign of sleeping baby, set him down in a bouncy chair (or Momaroo in my case), and RUN to get your gear on and the DVD queued up
Press play and get as far as you can. Sometimes I have to nurse the little guy, pop him back down, and carry on where I left off.
Try to get your spouse on board. Having the help of someone who can occupy the kidlets during your workout, or even for the last few minutes when things get crazy is soooooo helpful!

Obviously none of this would be possible yet if I had to head to a gym. I haaaate gyms, so there’s that too. Workout DVDs that I can do on my own time at home are almost a luxury.

Want to get going on your own with workouts at home? You can get the one I’m doing (PiYo) here. It’s PERFECT as a first workout program to do after having a baby, and also great for during pregnancy!

Here’s some PiYo in action:

fitness how to work out with a newborn PiYo

Jan 23, 2015 |

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Cucumber Hummus Turkey Roll-ups

This! Such a great snack. It takes minutes to make, has some great protein, and tastes delicious (and no, I wasn’t even starving, so this is legit). If you’re searching for a healthy snack and a way to get a bit more veggies into you, try out these cucumber hummus turkey roll-ups. You could also sub in zucchini and/or ham. This is a perfect 150 calorie snack! (And you get double of what’s pictured here).

Busy mamas (or the ones with newborns, like me), you can whip up a big batch of these in just a few minutes and pop them in the fridge for emergency snacking.

Speaking of newborns.. yep, I had my wee little Andrew 2 weeks early. I’m not sleeping much (4-5 hours, which is an improvement from 1-3 hours), but I’m sure smitten. He likes to be snuggled, and that’s about it.

Back to these roll-ups.. Make them.. ready, set, go!

Thinly slice some cucumber or zucchini, spread on some hummus, top with turkey or ham pieces, and roll! Or save time and eat them flat. So easy!

cucumber hummus turkey roll-ups

A 4” long piece of cucumber
2.5 Tablespoons hummus
3 oz turkey breast

Thinly slice the cucumber vertically into strips (use a sharp knife, or a vegetable peeler). You’ll have 12-15 strips.

Spread some hummus onto each slice, top with pieces of turkey breast, roll, and enjoy.

150 calories cucumber healthy healthy eating hummus Recipe snack turkey

Jan 6, 2015 |

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5 minute strawberry banana frozen yogurt

Searching for some healthy treats now that we’re all feeling the need to eat a bit lighter after the last 3 months of food crazies? Yeah, me too. I still want a little something sweet and delicious, and this fro-yo really hit the spot. Strawberries, bananas, and yogurt. Om Nom! Sweetened with agave. You could use some stevia in place of some of the agave too.

Can we talk about babies for a minute though? I’m going to have a baby soon! CRAZY! I mean, nothing new, I’ve been pregnant for 8 months.. I’ve had a baby before.. but having a toddler and a newborn? eek! Not ready! How do you become ready? I’m not sure that’s a thing. I think we’ll just be winging it, no matter what. But really, you should see my freezer because it’s pretty much stuffed to capacity with portioned out dinners. Yep, I’m that lady. Preparing for baby is all about food in this house. Baby bedroom? meh. But a full freezer is a MUST. I still have so much I want to make.

I portioned a bunch of this frozen yogurt treat out so I can pop one into a bowl anytime. I just used a silicon muffin pan. Perfect! They’re all waiting in a ziplock bag for my next strawberry craving. 15 minutes to soften up a bit. I can handle that.

5 minute strawberry banana frozen yogurt

4 cups frozen strawberries
1 frozen banana in chunks
6 Tablespoons organic agave
1 cup plain non-fat yogurt (regular or Greek)

Dump everything into a food processor or high power blender and blend for about 5 minutes, or until smooth and creamy. Scrape down sides as needed.

Serve immediately or freeze. Just remember that it’ll harden up in the freezer, so you’ll need to let it soften for 15 or so minutes before serving.

dessert frozen yogurt Recipe strawberries treat

Dec 27, 2014 |

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Calorie-free ways to make your water taste better

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

beverages calorie-free drinks nutrition Recipe water

Dec 16, 2014 |

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Addicting Chocolate chip Cookie Protein Bars

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!

chocolate chip decadance dessert healthier protein bar Recipe

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