Tag Archives: yummy

Feb 12 2012

Vegan Coconut-Carob Bars – No-Bake!

I’m proud of myself for cutting out meat properly this time around. I haven’t even eaten fish, dairy products, or eggs, which is a big step for me. Last time I was vegetarian, I still ingested those three things. This time around, I don’t have anyone pushing meat or animal products in my face on a daily basis, so I’ve found it a lot easier to make it through the first couple of weeks of being a vegetarian. (Brief history: I was a vegetarian for a few years, was with a big meat-eater, so it didn’t last long… Tried again, but went back to eating meat after 7 or 8 months.) (And for those of you who always ask, yes – you CAN get enough protein being a vegetarian. No, you don’t need to drink milk and eat meat. I can’t drink milk anyways…More on this coming up in a new “blog project” soon…)

One of my favourite sweet things to eat is carob. In powder form, solid form, whatever. It tastes awesome, and you don’t have to add any sugar to it! Oh, did I mention I’m also not really eating sugar? Some foods I eat have sugar in it, but not a lot… I haven’t opened up a bag/jar of sugar (white or brown) for a month, maybe longer. I was using honey, but then decided to give agave nectar a try. What a good decision! That stuff tastes great.

Anyways, here’s a recipe that I put together to satisfy that sweet tooth that pops up screaming for chocolate every once in a while! I’ve made this a few times now, one of the times being for a presentation in front of a group for a health and wellness class. The response was great, everyone loved them! :) There wasn’t a single one left, which was awesome, because that means a few people had more than one…

I did a print out with the recipe for people, so instead of writing out the recipe here, I’ll just post a picture of the recipe. It’s so simple, anyone can do it! If you decide to make this, and have ANY questions or are confused, ask away! :) Hope you enjoy! :)

Note: mix all ingredients together in a food processor!

Note: mix all ingredients together in a food processor!

 

Mmmmm....

Mmmmm....

Jan 31 2012

Vegan Tortilla Pizza

This is probably one of the most simple things that I have thrown together, and surprisingly enough, one of the yummiest! :) The best part is the sauce made for this, which I will also give you all the recipe for! ;) This serves one, however you can save all of the extra sauce and make more!

Vegan Tortilla Pizza

Ingredients:

  • 1 whole wheat tortilla wrap
  • About 3 tbsp sauce (recipe below)
  • 1/4 cup Daiya Vegan Cheese (this is easily my favourite non-dairy, non-soy “cheese”! You would not be able to tell that it’s not real cheese, and I’m really picky when it comes to cheese…)
  • Basil for garnish, because it looks pretty. ;)

Method:

  • Set oven to broil at about 425 F.
  • Spread the sauce over the tortilla, leaving about 1cm around the edges.
  • Sprinkle the “cheese” over the saucy tortilla.
  • Pop it in the oven, and let it sit in there until the “cheese” is melted, and the edges of the tortilla are starting to brown.
  • Serve with some basil sprinkled on top, and enjoy! :)

Sauce Ingredients:

  • 1 pint cherry/grape tomatoes
  • 1 bunch of basil
  • 1/4 cup walnuts (I know, it seems weird! It tastes great though…)
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • Pinch of freshly ground pepper

Sauce Method:

  • Place all ingredients in a food processor, and process until smooth! Simple as that. Store it in the fridge for 5 days at the most.

Now here’s some pictures, because I’m one of those people who likes to take pictures of their food. :)

Into the chopper you go! :)

Into the chopper you go! :)

 

If you haven't tried this stuff yet, you should!

If you haven't tried this stuff yet, you should!

 

Finished product, YUMMY! :)

Finished product, YUMMY! :)

Jan 21 2012

Late Night Snack Vlog – Hot Chickpeas

I had a huge urge to eat the bag of chips sitting in my pantry that a friend left here. They’re all-dressed Ruffles chips. I was really, really close to opening the bag… But I don’t want to put those in my body! I’m pretty good with resisting the majority of these junk foods, mind you I do slip up a few times… Tonight, I promised myself I wouldn’t give in [again]… So I decided to make something else that was spicy and crunchy! I also threw together a little something else for dinner this evening/lunch tomorrow! Click play to check it out! Enjoy! :)

Post-video posting thought: hmm… What a strange still of the video that shows up on the preview! Makes me look like the old lady on the episode of The Simpsons where Lisa gets lost on her way to the museum… The lady I’m talking about, she’s the one trying to get Lisa to buy an octopus or squid or something… Then she pushes it up against the window of a phone booth and says ”You buy it! You buy it!”… Ugh…

I also seem to talk with an upward inflection. Maybe it’s because I get nervous in front of a camera? <–That’s me mocking my upward inflections… ha… ha… ha…

Click below to see the written version of the recipe/method!

Continue reading →

Jan 13 2012

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Protein Balls

Here’s a quick and simple sweet fix for people seeking out some energy and protein before or after their workout session! As I was making them, I couldn’t help but eat a few because they were so tasty! I’ve used peanut butter this time around, but have made them in the past with almond butter, sunflower seed butter (not my favourite…), and a mixture of walnut and peanut butter. These are calorie dense because of the peanut butter, though you probably won’t be too hungry after eating a batch of these. Here’s the recipe, enjoy! :)

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Protein Balls

Ingredients:

  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 1/4 cup quick cooking rolled oats
  • 1 tsp cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp carob chips
  • 3 tbsp natural peanut butter (or nut butter of your choice)
  • 2 tbsp honey

Method:

  • Mix all ingredients together in a bowl with your hands, and roll the dough out into little balls.
  • Place in a plastic baggie, and pop them in the fridge.
  • Let them harden for at least an hour. You can eat them right away if you like, but they taste better after being in the fridge for a bit.
An army of protein balls!

An army of protein balls!

Sep 25 2011

Peanut Butter & Carob Chip Cookies

So, there’s a thing. Here’s the thing: I work part-time in a grocery store. I actually love working there, because I have some pretty awesome co-workers AND I’m surrounded by food. A majority of the customers are great, too. Half of the customers are people who I end up having some really interesting conversations with about food, and I’d have to say that that’s probably one of my favourite things about working there…

With all the greatness that comes with enjoying a part-time job, there is one downfall… Some customers buy really, really tasty and tempting bad foods. I lose count of how many people buy packs of cookies. On one day a few weeks ago, it seemed that every customer that came through the check-out had peanut butter cookies. Then, one customer who didn’t have cookies was buying all of the ingredients to make peanut butter cookies. I couldn’t take it anymore! After my shift was over, I rushed home to make some myself! Though I skipped on some of the more common ingredients, and made a healthy little alternative! Chocolate also happens to be a big weakness of mine, but I’ve gotten really into carob as a replacement for chocolate. (I still eat chocolate…)

Anyways, that’s the end of my story… So here’s a tasty, soft, and chewy twist on a basic peanut butter cookie! Enjoy! I sure did… :)

Peanut Butter & Carob Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 cup peanut butter
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1/4 cup turbinado sugar (you can replace this with whatever type of sugar you have on hand, however I really enjoy the flavour of turbinado sugar)
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup carob chips

Method:

  • Pre heat your oven to 350.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat, and set aside.
  • Add all dry ingredients into a bowl.
  • Add all wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.
  • Mix all until combined.
  • Spoon out about 2 tbsp of dough per cookies on the baking sheet. Press together with your fingers if it starts to fall apart.
  • Flatten the tops slightly with a fork, keeping the cookies about 3/4 of an inch thick.
  • If you like, sprinkle with a little more turbinado sugar.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the edges are LIGHTLY browned. Don’t bake for longer than 20 minutes, otherwise they will dry out.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
  • Eat, and enjoy! :)

    So good... You need to taste these! :D

    So good... You need to taste these! :D

Aug 19 2011

Clean Chocolate-Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

I haven’t had as much time as I’d like to be updating this blog, but I”ll have more to post soon! :) For now, this is going to be an entry that’s short and sweet, just like these cookies! If you’re into eating clean, these are the perfect little things to snack on and not compromise on nutrition. Enjoy! :)

Clean Chocolate-Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup rolled oats (quick cooking)
  • 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
  • 1 scoop carob powder (you can use cocoa powder if you like, but carob powder is naturally sweeter! So no need to add any extra sugar… ;) This scoop should be the same size as the scoop of protein powder.)
  • 2 tbsp almond butter
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 egg whites (or egg replacer)
  • 1/2 cup shredded coconut

Method:

  • Pre heat oven to 350.
  • Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat.
  • Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
  • Roll into 12 balls, and place each ball on the prepared baking sheet.
  • Press your thumb lightly into each ball, but keep the cookies thick!
  • Bake for 10-14 minutes.
  • Remove from oven, allow to cool for a few minutes, and enjoy minus the guilt! :)

    mmmmm

    mmmmm

 

Jul 29 2011

Easy Cocoa Protein Granola Bars

I really like granola bars because they’re a quick snack that you can have on the go. As much as I enjoy those chocolate dipped peanut butter granola bars, they’re really not that healthy. I’ve made granola bars before, but there’s just something about these ones that stand out above the rest. This recipe makes anywhere from 6-9 granola bars/cookies depending on how big you make them. Enjoy! :)

Easy Cocoa Protein Granola Bars

Dry Ingredients:

  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup protein powder (I used Bodylogix Vanilla Protein Powder)
  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • pinch of sea salt
Wet Ingredients:
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup natural peanut butter (or any nut butter of your choice)
  • 3 tbsp vanilla almond milk (or any milk of your choice)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • about 1/4 cup of your favourite dark chocolate (try to keep it above 70%)
Method:
  • Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper, or a non-stick baking mat. Set aside.
  • Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl, and set aside.
  • In another bowl, mix all wet ingredients, and microwave for about 25 seconds.
  • Stir all wet ingredients together until incorporated. The peanut butter and almond milk may separate a little bit, but that’s okay! If everything isn’t completely melted and in liquid form, just microwave it for a few more seconds.
  • Add all dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients, and stir until a dough forms.
  • Form a small handful of dough (about 1/3 of a cup) into either a bar or a cookie shape, and place on the prepared baking sheet.
  • Repeat this with all of the dough until you have used it all.
  • Place baking sheet in the fridge for about 20 minutes to allow the bars to firm up, and then they’re ready to eat!
  • Bars can be kept in the fridge for up to a week in an air tight container, however the quantities of this recipe are small enough where the bars can easily be finished within a couple of days! ;)
Yummy! :)

Yummy! :)

Jul 28 2011

Strawberry Banana Parfait Smoothie

One of my favourite things about smoothies is that you can make them taste like dessert. Orange creamsicle smoothies, banana cream pie smoothies, pumpkin pie smoothies, and the list really can go on and on and on… They’re so versatile. As with alcoholic shots/drinks, you can also make the smoothie in layers so that it’s more pleasing to the eye… Today I decided to play around with my smoothie, and came up with a parfait smoothie! The version I made today is a bit of an “adult smoothie”, however you can omit the alcohol all together if you want to make it more kid/non-alcohol drinker friendly. The best part is how simple it is to make!

Strawberry Banana Parfait Smoothie

Bottom Layer Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup frozen strawberries
  • 1/4 cup pomegranate juice
  • 1/2 shot of vodka
Top Layer Ingredients:
  • 1 chopped up frozen banana
  • 1/4 cup vanilla almond milk (or milk of your choice)
  • 1/2 shot Galliano Smooth Vanilla
Method:
  • Blend all bottom layer ingredients together, and pour into a tall glass.
  • Blend all top layer ingredients together, and pour on top of the bottom layer.
  • Sprinkle the top with a bit of vanilla sugar, and serve with a straw or a stick to stir it all together with!
  • Begin happy hour, and enjoy! :)
strawberry banana parfait smoothie! :)

strawberry banana parfait smoothie! :)

May 23 2011

Cocoa Irish Oat Cakes

When I was trying to find a new cracker recipe on the Whole Foods app for the iPhone, I came across a recipe for Irish oat cakes. The original recipe seemed a little boring, and it used butter (which I try to avoid), so I decided to make my own version of the recipe inspired by the original. These little guys go great with some raspberry honey that I purchased from The Bee & Me tent at the Milton Farmers Market this weekend. I also used the honey in the recipe instead of just plain liquid honey.

Here’s my take on Irish Oat Cakes, with a little cocoa! :) Enjoy! :)

Cocoa Irish Oat Cakes

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup oat flour (you can purchase this already made, or you can simply grind rolled oats in the food processor/blender until it resembles flour)
  • 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp raspberry honey (or regular liquid honey if you like)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1 egg white (use two if dough is too dry)

Method:

  • Preheat your oven to 325 F.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or a silicon baking mat, and set aside.
  • Add all ingredients into a bowl, and mix together.
  • The mixture will be quite crumbly, so once it’s all mixed together well, transfer the ball of dough to the baking sheet and roll/press it flat. It should be about 1/4 of an inch thick. If the edges are starting to crumble off, just use your fingers to press the dough back together.
  • Once the dough is flat, use a knife to make lines in the dough where you’ll want to cut it once it’s done.
  • Bake for about 25 minutes. The edges will be slightly darker (but not by much), and the dough will feel dry to the touch.
  • Remove from the oven, and use a knife to cut into each line. Set aside to cool completely before eating.

    Yummy :)

    Yummy :)

May 17 2011

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Cookies

Waking up this morning, I was presented with a few dilemmas:

  1. There are three bananas on the counter coming up to that point where they’re past their prime, and I already have about 20 bananas in the freezer for smoothies. (I believe my husband thought I was a bit strange when he saw that the freezer was filled with bananas…)
  2. I have a nice, nasty little cold right now, which makes me crave sweets as a comfort food. I’m trying to eat healthy, so I don’t want to go out to get junk food.
  3. Because I’m sick, there’s no way I’m going to go out and get junk food. I’m surprised I can even get off of the couch for more than five minutes.

The solution: healthy cookies with bananas! These turned out so soft, and so yummy… There’s no butter, no eggs, no junky stuff, and barely any sugar. They’re filled with a whole bunch of flavour and goodness! This recipe makes 12 medium-sized cookies, about an inch thick. They almost have a cake-like texture, very similar to a chocolate crueller or something. I am embarrassed to admit that I’ve already eaten four of these. Anyways, here’s the recipe, enjoy! :)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Cookies

Dry Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup oat flour
  • 1/2 cup quick cooking rolled oats
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 tbsp ground flax-seed
  • 2 tbsp chia seeds
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder

Wet Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup vanilla almond milk (or milk of your choice)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp organic cane sugar (this obviously isn’t a wet ingredient, but is mixed in with them anyways)
  • 1/4 cup natural creamy peanut butter
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 ripe banana

Solid Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup carob chips (you can use regular chocolate chips if you like, I just really LOVE carob chips.)
  • 1/2 cup crushed walnut pieces (this is optional also, so feel free to omit if you don’t like walnuts.)

Method:

  • Pre heat your oven to 325 F for convection ovens. (If not using a convection oven, pre heat to 350 F)
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat (or any silicone baking mat), and set aside.
  • In a bowl, sift together all dry ingredients.
  • In another bowl, mash the banana, and add all wet ingredients to the mashed banana.
  • Pour the wet into the dry.
  • Add the solid ingredients, and stir together until everything is combined.
  • Because it’s a dough that’s a bit on the dry side, I like to get my hands right in there and mush it all together, so don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty!
  • Using your hands, shape pieces of the dough into balls about the size of a golf ball (or a little bigger), and press into a patty that is about 1 inch thick. These don’t really spread while baking, but you also want to make sure that they maintain that cake-like texture because it’s pretty darn good!
  • Once all of the dough is shaped and on the baking sheet, pop it into your oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes. Make sure to check the cookies at 15 minutes. The bottoms of the cookies will be slightly darker than the rest of the cookie. If it’s looking a lot darker, take them out!
  • Allow to cool for about 15 minutes, then eat and enjoy! :)
  • Note: I made these in a convection oven, so my cooking time was longer. (Lower temperature, slightly longer cooking time, however they cook perfectly even.) So if you don’t have a convection oven, keep it at 350 F, and cook for 10-15 minutes.

    Three tasty (and guilt-free!) cookies with an almond milk latte. Now that's a tasty snack! :)

    Three tasty (and guilt-free!) cookies with an almond milk latte. Now that's a tasty snack! :)