Pumpkin Bread

I love pumpkin...it is not a surprise to you if you have followed my blog for a while. 

Check out these past pumpkin lovin' posts. 

Pumpkin Lovin' Smoothie

Pumpkin Pie Muffins

Crustless Pumpkin Pie

 Pumpkin is very low in starch and calories, is rich in fibre and has a whack of powerful antioxidants. This means that pumpkin is not only great for your waist line, it is also a health boosting superfood! 

Most often we see pumpkin in sugar laden rich desserts....making it not a health food anymore. Here and in my past pumpkin posts, I like to reduce the sugar and switch to wholesome sweeteners along with adding other super foods. 

I got inspiration for this recipe from a fellow blogger. Find the link below. I just decreased the honey a bit and added stevia to lower the sugar in this recipe. I also used coconut oil instead of olive oil because i thought it would taste better. And switched up the spice mix by making cinnamon the star here. This loaf is one of my new favourite pumpkin recipes! 

This recipe uses almond flour instead of a grain based flour. It is made by removing the skins of the almonds and grinding into a fine powder. Almond flour is low on the glycemic index, rich in vitamin e, maganese, magnesium, healthy fats and protein. 

Note: My favourite almond flour is by JK Gourmet. It is much better than any other brand I have tried. Contact your local health food store to see if they carry or purchase online HERE! You can also find almond flour at your local BULK BARN

Ingredients

• 1 heaping cup of pumpkin puree*
• 3/4 cup of honey
• 10 drops of liquid stevia
• 2 tablespoons of coconut oil 
• 2  omega 3 free range eggs
• 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 heaping tbsp cinnamon
• 2 cups of almond flour

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 325F
2. Combine all the ingredients in your high powered blender or food processor (in the order listed)
3. Bake in a bread pan for 60 minutes or until the outside is very brown. Do the toothpick test to see if it is done! It should come out dry. The timing really depends on how moist your pumpkin puree is. 

*Try roasting your own pumpkin. It is so easy. Cut the top of the pumpkin like you would to carve. Scoop out seeds. Place the top back on pumpkin. Roast at 350 for about an hour, depending on size of pumpkin. I then remove peal, puree and store in the fridge for my favorite pumpkin recipes. Here are a few more of my fave’s.

*RECIPE NOTE - If using canned pumpkin, make sure it is just pure pumpkin

Find some more pumpkin loving goodness from some of my favourite blogs;

Pumpkin Pie Muffins from Elana's Pantry

Another one from Elana's Pantry Pumpkin Ice cream

Pumpkin Soup by Meghan Telpner

Grain Free Pumpkin Muffins from Nourishing Meals

And this is where this recipe inspiration was from; Pumpkin Loaf from Comfy Belly

Creamy Fall Harvest Soup

This soup has it all, not only is it super healthy it also is a crowd pleaser. It is so creamy and delicious. It is a great soup to enjoy this time of year when you can get all of the local goods! 

Here are some of the soup’s highlights; 

Turmeric - powerful anti-inflammatory, antioxidant 

Butternut squash - high in vitamins A and C, high fiber and a whack of antioxidants. Great source of slow digesting carbs for optimal fuel!

Pumpkin - low in calories and high in fiber. Great source of vitamins A and C. Fresh pumpkin is also notably high in carotenoids which are powerful antioxidants

Red Lentils - Lentils are a great source of folate; important for cell division - especially critical for pregnant ladies or those trying to conceive. They are also a great source of vegetarian protein and have a whole lotta dietary fiber to keep your bowels happy 

Ingredients 

• 2 tbsp of olive oil 
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 small garlic cloves 
• 2 cups of roasted butternut squash (or 1/2 of a large squash)
• 1 cup pumpkin (i used fresh roasted but canned will work well)
• 10 cups of water
• 1 tsp of turmeric 
• 1/2 cup red lentils
• Sea salt to taste 

Optional - top with a few lightly toasted pumpkin seeds 

To Roasted Butternut Squash

1. Cut squash in half.

2. Remove seeds (as seen in picture below)

3. Place face down on a cookie sheet

4. Bake in a preheated oven at 350F for about an hour or until cooked. 

Soup Preparation 
1. Over medium heat, add onions and olive oil to your pot and cook for about 5 minutes until onions are softened. 
2. Add garlic (I love to use the fine grater in the picture below to make garlic into a paste which helps to evenly disperse garlic flavour! It is one of my favourite kitchen tools...also great for making lemon zest) and cook for 1 more minute
3. Add red lentils, turmeric, water (or broth), sea salt, pumpkin and squash. 
4. Bring to a soft boil and then simmer for 20 minutes or until lentils are cooked. 
5. Ladle soup into your high powered blender or food processor and process until smooth!
6. Enjoy with lightly toasted pumpkin seeds on top!

Please share: What are your favourite fall harvest veggies?? And how do you like to enjoy?

I'M BAAAAACK!

It has been quite awhile since I have posted on this blog. I have been busy with my new bundle of joy. Sophia (we call her Sophie) Anne was born July 14 at 12:49am. Her father and I have been enjoying every moment with her. Here are some of my favourite pictures!!

 This picture was taken seconds after she was born. The best moment of my life! 

 This is Sophie and her daddy! I love this picture! It shows just how much they both love each other!

 This is her favorite spot. She likes to hang out up on your shoulder (in particular her daddy's) and she always has the arm over just like that! :O) 

 I just love this picture of her!!

 Sophie and her mommy! This was a self taken shot with my iPhone. 

This was taken this past thanksgiving weekend. It is amazing how much she has changed already. At only 13 weeks old, I already feel like my little girl is growing so quickly, lol ;o) 

Come back on Monday for a brand spanking new fall harvest soup recipe...long overdue! 

Banana Cherry Bomb Smoothie

I love starting my day with a refreshing smoothie when the weather is warmer. I use frozen fruit and enjoy a cooling drink that contains a ton of nutrition. For those of you who follow my blog and my fan page on FACEBOOK you know that I am a big fan of green smoothies. I add veggies such as kale, chard, spinach and zucchini to name a few to my smoothies often. I know it may sound crazy but as long as you have some fruit in there you don’t taste the veggies and it is a great way to boost health

There are sometimes that I just want a simple smooothie (still super nourishing though) and today was one of those mornings. That and I didn’t have any fresh greens on hand. Last summer I posted a recipe for cherry bomb ice cream (take frozen bananas and cherries and puree in a food processor until smooth..yes it is that simple) that is amazing so I decided to make a smoothie with similar flavour. Let me tell you this smoothie won’t disappoint.

Don’t you just love cherries?? They are one of my favourite fruits not only because they taste great, they also pack a whack of nutrition. Here are some of the nutritional benefits of cherries


• Low glycemic fruit – great fruit choice for diabetics, wont spike blood sugar
• Great source of vitamin C
• Anthocyanins – just a big fancy nutrition word for a powerful antioxidant that supports heart health

• Helps reduce pain and inflammation – studies show that the anthocyanins can help reduce inflammation in the body. Anthocyanins also promote muscle recovery post exercise by reducing inflammation and promoting healing of the muscle tissue. Therefore this smoothie would be a great post workout treat that will provide your body with optimal nourishment for muscle recovery.

• Very effective treatment for gout. If you are a gout sufferer talk to your health care practitioner about taking cherry extract in supplement form for optimal results to prevent attacks
• Contain 19 times more beta carotene than blueberries or strawberries
• Potassium, magnesium, folate, and iron are also found in cherries
• Ellagic Acid has antiproliferative and antioxidant properties. The antiproliferative properties of ellagic acid are due to its ability to directly inhibit the DNA binding of certain carcinogens = in simple words – it helps prevent many types of cancers.


Now don’t you just want to go and eat some cherries??? I bought some local Canadian frozen strawberries from my local market. Please note that cherries are on the dirty dozen list according to the Environmental Working Group, due to its pesticide residue; please purchase organic when possible.

Here is the simple, nourishing and delicious recipe!

½ banana, frozen

½ cup cherries, pitted and frozen

1 heaping tsp chia seeds

1 optional tsp of acai powder (Navitas Naturals)

1 cup unsweetened almond milk (homemade or store bought)

1 serving of high quality protein powder

Herbed Avocado, Asparagus and Tomato Salad

This salad was inspired from a recipe i stumbled on from elanaspantry.com (http://www.elanaspantry.com/asparagus-basil-salad/). I was looking for new ways to use the beautiful local asparagus that I got from the local market by my house. Check out my blog post on asparagus to find out some interesting health facts on this amazing veggie - http://jamiesnourishingbites.blogspot.com/2010/06/asparagus.html.

I also have a huge supply of lemon balm (picture above) in my garden that I am always looking to use in creative ways. Lemon balm not only tastes great but is also known for its calming qualities. Traditionally, lemon balm has been used for indigestion, to help promote sleep and to reduce stress. Who doesn’t need help with those things? If you have some space in your garden, I highly recommend you plant some lemon balm. It is super easy to grow (if I can grow it anyone can :), tastes amazing and is great for you! I also like making tea with lemon balm, hot or cold.



Ingredients
½ juice of 1 fresh lemon
¼ cup olive oil
1 heaping tsp of Dijon mustard
Sea salt and pepper to taste
1 avocado, cut into chunks
1 bunch of locally grown asparagus, cut into 1 bite size pieces

1 package of grape tomatoes, sliced in half

1 big handful of fresh basil and lemon balm (or whatever fresh herbs you have on hand or in your garden)

1. Steam asparagus for about 5 minutes, until tender with a fork.

2. Mix dressing ingredients together in the bottom of a large bowl.

3. Place all salad ingredients in bowl with the dressing and mix gently. You don’t want to avocado to get too mushy.

4. Enjoy!!

Deliciously Fudgy (and of course healthed up) Brownies

These brownies are amazing....if I do say so myself. Not only are they made with the best quality ingredients making them a much healthier choice when it comes to brownies but they also taste amazing. Your family/friends wont be able to tell that these brownies are made with whole grain flour and are free of refined sugar.
The original recipe (I adapted it quite a bit) came from Gweneth Paltrows new cookbook "My Father's Daughter". I am surprised but so far I am really liking this cookbook. It is packed with great recipes made with fresh ingredients.

1 cup spelt flour
1 cup of high quality (preferably organic) cocoa powder
11/2 tbsp baking powder
Pinch of fine sea salt
1/2 cup of melted coconut oil (you could also use grapeseed oil)
1 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup agave syrup or liquid honey or brown rice syrup
1 cup of unsweetened almond milk (homemade is always best but you can also use store bought)
1 tbsp vanilla powder or vanilla extract
1 cup of 70% dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a brownie pan with some coconut oil.
Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt together into a large mixing bowl.
In a separate bowl, mix all of the wet ingredients together.
Combine the wet ingredients with the dry and mix just until combined. Do not over mix of you will get a tougher brownie.
Mix in 1/2 the chocolate chips.
Add batter to the brownie pan. Sprinkle with the remaining chocolate chips.
Bake for about 30 minutes depending of your oven and the thickness of the pan.
ENJOY!

PREGNANCY CRAVINGS AND ANCHOVIES :o)

A common question that I have been getting, especially from my clients, is if I am having any pregnancy cravings. And the answer is, not often. There has only been a few times where I really feel like eating a particular food. The great thing is that the cravings that I have been having are healthy and nourishing my growing baby.
One food that has had me wanting more during my pregnancy is anchovies. Not by themselves......I would really have a hard time eating them whole. They look kinda disgusting if you ask me. But I am loving salad dressings with the amazing taste and nutritional power of anchovies. Not only do they add an amazing flavour, they also pack a whack of amazing health benefits for me and my little one....who is kicking up a storm by the way :O)

Here are some of the nutritional highlights of my friend the anchovy;

• Omega 3's - many of us have heard about the importance of omega 3's but did you know that it is essential for brain development. When women are not getting enough omega 3's during pregnancy the baby will rob you of your stores and can set up the stage for postpartum. Taking omega 3's and eating omega 3 rich foods during pregnancy is one of the most powerful things that a mom can do during pregnancy for her health and the health of baby!Click here for some more info on omega 3's and pregancy
• Low mercury and PCB's - another thing that we pregnant women have to worry about is environmental toxins in the fish that we consume. With fish being the best source of omega 3's that can make it difficult to get adequate amounts of this critical fat. Anchovies are very low in these environmental contaminants making them a great choice for pregnant women. I also recommend that all pregnant women talk to their health care providers about taking a high quality fish oil during pregnancy.
• Selenium - this critical trace mineral is a bit hard to find in our diets. Selenium is a critical mineral for cancer prevention.
• Calcium - I think we all know and understand the importance of calcium for bone health. Calcium, along with magnesium, is also essential for our muscles to contract and is key nutrient for our nervous systems.
• Protein - anchovies are an excellent source of high quality protein. Five anchovies have nine grams of protein and only fifty-five calories

Now that we all understand the health benefits of anchovies, let getting eating them.
My favorite way to enjoy these nutritional powerhouses is in a salad dressing. Here is a simple salad dressing that I adapted from Gweneth Paltrow's new cookbook My Father's Daughter. This cookbook has some great recipes that are healthful and delicious. Who new that Gweneth Paltrow could cook??? 

Two Minute Anchovy Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 6 anchovies packed in olive oil
• 2 teaspoons of Dijon Mustard (I use Dijon from the health food store without sulfates)
• 2 tbsp champagne vinegar (could also use lemon juice or another vinegar)
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Place the anchovies, mustard and vinegar in a small food processor. Make sure the anchovies are completely pureed. Add the olive oil and pulse a few more times until well combined.
Serve over seasonal mixed greens! Enjoy!