Overnight "Oatmeal" Parfait with Banana Cherry Bomb Soft Serve!

So I teased you all with a picture of my amazing breakfast yesterday and I didn't post my take on the recipe.
Well, here it is! So simple, yet so tasty. Hope you all enjoy!

Overnight Gluten Free Oats
1/4 cup brown rice flakes (I used Eden Organics, you can use any other type of oats)
1 tbsp of chia seeds
1 tbsp of protein powder (totally optional) - I used Vega Shake n' Go Instant Smoothie Choc-a-Lot (so tasty) -PLEASE NOTE - if you are not using powder, you will need a bit of sweetener such as stevia, pure maple syrup, honey, etc.
Blue Diamond Unsweetened Almond Milk, cover about 1 inch over the mixture

The night before.....
Place all of the ingredients into a bowl, cover and place in the refrigerator overnight. Only takes a few minutes!
For the Banana Cherry Bomb Soft Serve...
Place 1/2 banana + 10 pitted cherries in a sealed glass container overnight. (or you could place in a Ziploc bag)

The next morning...
Take the oats out of the fridge and the fruit out of the freezer

Then make the Banana Cherry Bomb Soft Serve...
In a food processor (or VITAMIX...if you have one. That is what I used) blend the frozen cherries and bananas together for 5-7 minutes until it reaches the consistency of a soft serve iced cream. You will need to stop it a few times and scrap down the sides.
This is amazing on its own! I have made it for dessert many times. The fruit options are endless. The bananas do provide the creamy texture, then add whatever fruit you have on hand!

Then in a bowl layer the "Oatmeal" mixture, then frozen fruit mixture, then another layer of both.
Option; Top with cacao nibs for an awesome crunchy texture.

ENJOY!!!

QUESTION OF THE DAY!!!

I love to hear your comments and feedback!

Tell me....

What is your favorite healthy breakfast?

My breakfast this morning!

Isn't it pretty?

It is meals like this that prove the point I am always trying to make; eating health doesn't mean compromising on taste! I enjoyed every last bite this morning.

It was inspired by this you tube video I found yesterday!

Of course I had to switch it up a bit and create my own. My take on this recipe to come!

Thank you Angela from http://ohsheglows.com/

GRILLED VEGGIE LOVE!

 Last night I arrived home around 7pm from my cottage and I was hungry. I had a bunch of colorful veggies in the fridge so I decided to slice them up and grill up some veggie love.

I just used what ever I had in the fridge.

Here is what you see in the picture

- Yellow zucchini

- broccoli

- Candied beets (they are the yellow veg on the top right corner)

- Asparagus

- Vadillia onions

- Cherry tomatoes
- Red Bell Peppers

- Sweet potato

Drizzle with olive oil and grill on medium heat until cooked.

I topped with an amazing caper dressing. The dressing totally made the dish. It was power packed with amazing flavour. I highly recommend it!

Curried Caper Cashini Dressing

(Inspired by: Aletheia Zoe Chiang @ http://lafillenaturelle.wordpress.com/)

1/3 cup Cashini (I only had a cashew and tahini blend in my fridge, plain ol’ tahini will do the trick)

1/2 tbsp raw honey

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp curry powder

2 tbsp organic pickled capers (small variety), crushed or whole to your preference (don’t worry if you get a

bit of caper juice in there, I did)

Might need a touch of water

Blend together ingredients or whisk by hand. Pour over the grilled veggies and enjoy the blast of flava!

We enjoyed this amazing veggie mix with a tasty chicken breast! Notice how the veggies were the superstar of our dinner last night? Enjoy your veggies!

QUESTION OF THE DAY!
What is your favorite sauce or dip you use to add a blast of flavour to your meals?
Please feel free to post a link to a recipe on your blog or the recipe in the comment section below! I would love to see them ;O)

HAVE A GREAT MONDAY!

Sardine Loving Savory Pancakes

Well, for those who know me well, you might be surprised to see the words sardine and love in the title of this post. I am actually surprised to see those two words so chummy up there too.
I have never been a sardine lover, heck I have never liked sardines at all. I find them smelly and fishy tasting.....and not in a good way.
About a month ago I came across a post on the lovely Meghan Telpner's blog about sardines. She described her sardine fritters as "perfecto mondo". And the picture she had of them on the post made them look so amazing.
Understanding the amazing health benefits of these little fish (as I am a nutritionist, who can sometimes be a bit obsessed with understanding how foods impact our health), I have always wanted to find a way to eat these nutrient and protein packed fish but the few times I have opened a can and tried to eat them on there own, I ended up throwing them out.
So since I saw Meghan's post I have had it in the back of my head that I should at least try it. Everything else that I have made from her blog has been amazing, so maybe she has found the perfect way to get them down.
Well, today was the day my friends! I drove up to my cottage this morning for the night and decided to make them for lunch today. And they were amazing! I enjoyed them with a large mixed greens salad and a dollop of hummus. Mmmmmm mmmmm good! I added my own herbs and spices to it so it had my own flare to it but the basic recipe came from Meghans blog.
Before I share my take on her recipe, here are a few of the nutritional highlights of these superstar mini fish;

• One of the richest source of heart healthy omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3's are the essential kind of fat that we need to get through diet. Needed for the health of the brain, heart, skin and hair, to name a few.
• B12! Important for the health of our nervous system and is also a critical nutrient for red blood cell production.
• The media superstar Vitamin D. Who doesn't know about the health benefits of this vitamin now a days?? Even people who pay no interest in natural health or supplements are taking Vitamin D. Health Canada suggests that we all take at least 1000iu's per day. Why you ask?  Well here are a few of the highlights of this sunshine vitamin; Vitamin D is critical for bone health (needed to absorb calcium), cancer prevention, helps support optimal blood sugar metabolism, and can help support mood. Well sardines are one of the few food sources of Vitamin D.
• Lean protein - 21grams, per 100 gram serving. Protein is the building blocks of your cells and helps support blood sugar levels. Keeping our energy levels consistent and waist lines down!

• Selenium is another nutrient in sardines that is critical for a healthy immune system and aids in cancer prevention

Here is the recipe!

Savory Sardine Pancakes

1 can of sardines packed in water

1/2 juice of 1 lemon

1 sweet potato, steamed and mashed with 1/2 cup water

1 egg
1/4 cup of finely chopped onions
2 cloves of garlic, chopped as finely as possible into a paste
2 tbsp of olive oil
1/2 cup of chickpea flour
1 tsp baking powder
Sea salt and pepper to taste
1 large handful of cilantro, chopped
Peel and steam sweet potato until soft. Place in food processor and pulse with water until smooth.
Crack out the can of sardines and drain. Place in a bowl and mash with lemon juice. 
Then add egg, onions, garlic, olive oil and sweet potato mixture and mix together.
In a separate bowl, mix chickpea flour and baking powder.
Combine wet and dry ingredients together. Add cilantro or any other herb.
Heat a fry pan to medium heat. Add some olive oil and fry these babies up like a pancake for a few minutes on each side.
Enjoy with a fresh salad or steamed veggies and some hummus on the side.

Cutting Cancer Risk with Cruciferous Veggies

LEARN HOW THESE VEGGIES PREVENT CANCER....AND GET A FEW MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES HERE

HERE IS MY FAVORITE WAY TO PREVENT CANCER! THIS SALAD HAS IT ALL; IT'S SWEET, A BIT SALTY, TANGY, CRUNCHY and LOOKS PRETTY TOO! ENJOY!

Slightly adapted from Enlightened Eating By the lovely Caroline Dupont

2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1 ½ tbsp olive oil

1 ½ tbsp flax oil

1 tsp Honey or agave syrup

1-2 tsp. sea salt

½ tsp. ground fennel

1/2 cups broccoli, finely chopped

1/2 cup cauliflower, chopped

1/2 cup fennel bulb, chopped

¾ cup red cabbage, chopped

¼ cup red onion, finely chopped (or use a sweet Vidalia onion)

1 rib celery, finely sliced

1 carrot, finely chopped

½ cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 FUJI apple, cored and finely chopped

½ cup pecans or walnuts, chopped

Combine salad dressing ingredients (vinegar, oils, honey, salt, and fennel) in the bottom of a large salad bowl. Add vegetables, parsley, apple, nuts, and toss to combine.

OPTION - Add in some feta cheese before serving!

PLEASE SHARE! I LOVE TO HEAR YOUR COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK!

WHAT IS YOU FAVORITE WAY TO ADD PIZAZZ TO YOUR SALADS?

MY KINDA PIZZA.....

My Boyfriend Todd and I love to have pizza parties. Once a month or so we get all the goods, put on some great music and make our own individual pizzas. It is so much fun. Since I have become aware of my food allergies, my pizzas have changed quite a bit. Wheat and cows milk products are the common ingredients on pizzas and I cannot have either of them. I often use spelt crust that I make myself or purchase at the health food store. This weekend I made pizza with a brown rice wrap in my cast iron pan. The cast iron pan really helped to keep the "crust" (wrap) crunchy.

This pizza was amazing. I enjoyed ever single bit of this veggies lovers pizza. I am not sure of the exact measurements but here is what I put on my pizza. Make it your own!!

• 
  
  Sauteed shallots in olive oil
• Then added chopped kale and sauteed until softened
• Pizza sauce (I used Longo's pizza sauce, clean ingredients - also like Eden Organic)
• Fresh basil
• Crimini mushrooms
• Broccoli, chopped in small pieces
• tomatoes, sliced
• Goats milk Feta cheese
• Food for Life Brown Rice Wrap

Top the brown rice wrap with pizza sauce, then add all of the veggies. Top with cheese.

Bake at 400F for 20 minutes or so. 

Again, I used a cast iron pan and it seemed to come out crispier than it has been in the past.  

NOTE - if you are vegan or trying to avoid goats milk products, you can grind up some pine nuts and some nutritional yeast for a cheesy topping. I have done that many times too!

SHARE WITH ME!! WHAT ARE YOU FAVORITE PIZZA TOPPINGS???

Walnut Spread/Dip

Hummus is one of my favorite foods on the planet. I love it! I add it to salads, top it on my homemade burgers, add a dollop to soups, enjoy it veggies, etc! Most days you will find me enjoying this healthy and extremely tasty dip. This particular dip is a nice change to the traditional hummus. Adding the walnuts adds a good source of heart and brain healthy fats. The basil is loaded with nutrition and flavour! Enjoy!!

• 1 15-oz. can garbanzo beans (Eden Organic beans are best, no added sodium)

• 1 cup chopped walnuts

• 1 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves

• ¼ cup olive oil

• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• Sea salt and pepper, to taste

Drain beans, reserving liquid. In food processor, combine ¼ cup reserved liquid with remaining ingredients. Cover and process, scraping down sides and adding liquid as needed to make a smooth mixture. Store in refrigerator for 4-5 days. Serve with raw baby carrots, cucumber sticks, broccoli and fresh string beans (or any raw veggie you like).

PLEASE SHARE! I LOVE TO HEAR YOUR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HEALTHY DIP???

BLOGGING ELSEWHERE???

Hi all,

The clinic that I am at 4 days per week, in Vaughan, has just started blogging. I will be contributing to it on a regular basis. No, I am not going to stop blogging here. It is just too much fun. I love communicating with all of you in this way.
I will however always post a link when I blog with my colleagues at Vaughan Medical Center so you can check that out too!! I don't want you miss out on the healthy information!!

CLICK HERE TO LEARN ABOUT THE POWER OF BLUEBERRIES

While your over there, feel free to check out what this amazing clinic has to offer and the wealth of information the site provides!!

I LOVE TO HEAR YOUR COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WAY TO ENJOY THIS SUMMERTIME FRUIT???