Healthy Seasoned Potato Wedges (Gluten Free)

Ok so these are out of control good.  I was really craving "mojo" fries last night, but didn't really want to go for the deep fried version at the grocery store.  The picture above is not my own since they went too fast to snap a photo!! But you get the idea.  And if you ever went to a high school near a grocery store, you'll know why these things take you back to the 90's!!  Super easy, much healthier than the store bought version, and just as delicious (if not more!).

Ingredients:

3 medium sized russet potatoes
2 tbsp Three Farmers camelina oil (I used the Garlic & Chili, but Original would also be awesome)
1 tbsp seasoning salt
2 tbsp corn meal
2 tbsp corn starch

Directions:

Preheat oven to 420 F, and prepare a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.  Slice potatoes in to thin wedges (the thinner they are the crispier the edges so cut them according to your preference), and place in a large mixing bowl.  Add toss the potatoes in the camelina oil, ensuring they are all well coated.  Add the seasoning salt, cornmeal and corn starch and toss until the wedges are well coated.  Turn potatoes out onto the baking sheet and disperse evenly to ensure maximum crispiness on all fries!  Put in to oven and bake for about 1/2 an hour or until very crisp.  I didn't need to turn mine at all, but do so if you feel the need.  Serve with Greek yogurt for dipping and enjoy!

Broccoli Cheddar Soup (Gluten Free)

On days like this, there is nothing better than a big steaming bowl of soup to warm your bones.  Especially after a long hike through the mountains like we had today.  There is just nothing like a winter hike in BC; blue skies, crisp fresh air and the peace and quiet of the forest.  To me it is perfection.  I also love the sleepy feeling you get afterwards when all you want is a blanket and your couch and a great movie to snuggle up to.  Plus a great bowl of homemade soup :)  So here is my recipe for a soup that will warm you through and through and be the perfect ending to a perfect day.

Ingredients:

3 crowns broccoli (chopped roughly)

3 cloves garlic (minced)

1/2 large onion (diced)

4 cups water

1 cup milk (any percentage you like)

4 cups chicken stock

3/4 cups plain bioyogurt

1 cup cheddar cheese (grated)

In a large stock pot, combine water, chicken stock, broccoli, onion and garlic.  Allow the pot to come to a boil until the broccoli is tender.  Add milk, yogurt and cheese.  With an immersion blender, puree the soup.  I sometimes also use my blender instead, but it takes longer since you have to wait until the soup has cooled and do it in small batches.  I usually top the soup with a little extra grated cheese and maybe a dollop of yogurt (or sour cream).  It's also great with crumbled bacon and scallions.  Enjoy!

Gluten/Sugar Free Oatmeal Banana Pancakes

This recipe was inspired by another that I saw on my friends's Facebook page last night thank you CV!).  Tyc had a big exam this morning and I wanted to get up and make him a power breakfast; something to fuel his brain and body to ensure great performance :).  The original recipe called for only banana and eggs!  I will definitely try that one day when I am on my own, but I had the feeling Tyc would want something a little more substantial.  They turned out great!  And I cannot express to you how quick and easy it was.  These are just about as quick as a piece of toast with banana and peanut butter (me and Tiff's fave), and definitely faster than an omlette.  I think you could probably add a lot of other things to them to bulk them up: coconut, almonds, blueberries, raspberries, apple, cinnamon etc.  Just experiment and let me know what you come up with!  I think these will be a staple in our home from now on :)

Ingredients:
1 large ripe banana
2 large eggs
3/4 sup cup gluten free oats (mine has a variety of seeds such as flax and chia mixed in with it and the crunch and texture from it is amazing)
1/3 cup almond milk (or whatever milk you prefer)
1 tbsp oil (I used grapeseed because it is really light and well....I'm obsessed with it right now!)

Add your oats to a food processor or blender and blend for about 15 seconds on high.  Pour oats into mixing bowl.  Next, add your eggs, milk and banana to the blender.  Blend until well combined and slightly frothy, and then pour banana mixture into oat mixture.  Stir until combined.  Because these are flour free, they tend to be a bit on the watery side.  I would suggest letting the batter sit for 15-20 minutes in order to give the oats some time to absorb a little of the liquid.  Once it has reached a thicker consistency, heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan (or griddle, which ever is easy and/or available).  Once the pan is hot, slowly laddle the batter into the pan in about 3-3 1/2 inch rounds and wait until the top begins to bubble.  Once you see the tiny bubble start to form on the surface of the pancake, quickly flip them over to avoid burning the bottoms (the bubble trick is the key to all good pancakes BTW!).  The egg and sugar from the banana means they cook really quickly so you need to keep your eye on them.  Cook on the other side for approximately 1 minute, plate and voila! I used a little bit of honey on mine which was YUMMO!!!  I think homemade jam would also be amazing or even a little Greek yogurt.  I hope you all enjoy, I am super excited to share this new breakfast revolution with you all!

Easy Thai Coconut Soup

The inspiration for this soup comes from my travels in South East Asia.  Specifically, there is a man in Bangkok on Soi Rambutri that makes the BEST Tom Yam Kung soup.  I literally ate it for breakfast, lunch and dinner and I pray he is still there when I return one day.  It is the perfect combination of hot, spicy, sour and savory and the brothiness makes you feel like you are healing yourself from the inside out.  I make this when I am homesick for the days of living underneath a mosquito net, when your daily activities consist of reading, drinking cheap beer and wandering the streets in the midst of monks on their way to prayer.  But really, its a great, easy dish that you can make when you feel like something healthy and warm and totally delicious.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 containers organic chicken broth (fish stock is the best, but hard to find on the cheap in Vancity.  Alternatively, you can use vegetable broth if you are a veggie :p )
1 can organic coconut milk
2 tbsp Thai red curry paste
4 large stocks lemongrass (cut into 4 inch long pieces)
1 can organic diced tomato (unseasoned)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp cold pressed virgin coconut oil
1/4 cup chopped Thai basil (Hawaiian basil will work too)
Salt to taste
Lime wedges for garnishing
Bean sprouts for garnishing
*Uncooked, deviened, shelled prawns (I didn't use them this time, but I usually do and they are delicious.  Chicken is also an option if you like :) )

In a large stock pot melt the coconut oil and completely dissolve the red curry paste in the oil.  Add chicken stock, coconut milk, tomatoes, mushrooms, lemongrass, lemon juice, lime juice and salt to the stock pot.  Allow the broth to simmer on medium low for about half an hour.  Add the prawns and allow to cook for only a few minutes until they turn pink (you do not want to overcook them as they will become very rubbery!).  Remove the lemon grass stalks and portion the broth evenly into bowls.  Serve the sprouts, lime wedges and chopped basil on the side as garnish and allow guests to add their own to their taste.  Bon appetite!!

Be Kind to Yourself

Lately, I have been reading a lot of articles about people feeling overwhelmed with the constant barrage of wellness and "happiness" articles being posted.  These articles are designed to help people, but sometimes we become bogged down in the "shoulds" and lose focus on the "wants".  This can just cause more stress and ultimately result in the reverse outcome: feeling worse about yourself because you cannot achieve what you "should".  My sister wrote an awesome blog post about this on her blog "The Gypsies Pantry" which you can view via this link: http://thegypsyspantry.tumblr.com/post/61164038735/the-s-word.

I have written on this topic before, but I am compelled to bring it up again because of the detox I am currently doing.  This holistic detox is actually quite easy and is reflective of how I like to eat on a regular basis anyway.  But the best part is that there is no focus on "will-power" and "resisting your inner temptations".  I really hate the notion that you must fight yourself to win and that if you do not fight hard enough you are essentially, a loser.  How can this be good for us?  Why don't we just admit that once in a while we are going to eat a doughnut and drink way too much wine?  Let's be real here: no one is perfect, and treating ourselves to something once in a while should not be viewed as a loss.  What has happened in our society that has led to us to believe that we are not worthy of indulgences?  I feel this is a very damaging way to think and it only sets us up to fail.

How about this:  live the best life you possibly can.  Live a good life that makes YOU feel good.  Get outdoors, kiss your dog, make a warm meal for your family, go for a hike around the lake...EAT A PIECE OF CHOCOLATE!  Whatever it is that leads you to live a good life, just do it.  And don't feel badly if you "slip up" and eat a little too much chocolate.  News flash: ITS NOT THE END OF THE WORLD!  Tomorrow is a new day and you are able to start anew. Don't let life pass you by while you feel badly that you aren't living it "the right way".  Before you know it, it will be over and you will have spent your life feeling guilty rather actually living your life the way you truly want to.  Be kind to yourself.

Baked Zucchini Fries with Yogurt Dill Dip (Gluten Free)

So today is day 4 of my Dr. Joshi Holistic Detox program and I have to admit I was really craving something fried.  That's OK because I made up these little gems and they were delicious and so satisfying!  Not very much prep and a lot of crispy awesomeness.  I also made a dill yogurt dip to go with it which satisfied my dairy craving without digging into a fatty, nutrient-free sour cream dip.  I used rice flour since that was what I had on hand but I think any light flour would work.  I also highly recommend adding the corn meal since it adds a really delicious crunch and texture.  I hope you enjoy these as much as I did!

Ingredients:
1 large zucchini (or 2 small)
1 egg
1 tsp of water
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 rice flour
Pinch salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a baking sheet by lightly greasing it with oil (I used grapeseed since that's my favorite right now!).  Whisk together egg and water and then pour this mixture into a resealable plastic bag.  Cut the zucchini into fry sized pieces, add it to the egg, seal bag and shake until the zucchini is coated.  In a clean, dry bowl, mix together the cornmeal, flour and salt and any other seasoning you feel like.  Next, coat each piece of zucchini in the flour mixture and place on baking sheet in a single layer.  Cook on one side for about 15 minutes or until golden brown and then flip and cook for another 10-15 minutes.  Serve hot with dill yogurt dip.

Dill Dip:
1 cup plain bio-yogurt
as much dill as you can find!
1 clove garlic
Salt and Pepper to taste.

Finely chop dill and mince garlic.  In a mixing bowl, combine dill, garlic, yogurt, salt and pepper and stir until combined.  Refrigerate for about 1/2 hour.  Serve cold as a dip or as a dressing on salad.

Gluten Free Sunday Brunch: Polenta and Eggs with Cheddar and Sauteed Kale

Pretty much every Sunday we have a big brunch.  These days, we usually eat at home in order to save a little money, and also because I love to throw on a movie, drink a massive cup of freshly brewed coffee and get creative in the kitchen.  Sometimes I go for the standard french toast and bacon and other times like today, I try to keep it a little healthier in order to provide some brain fuel for the studying that will come later in the day.  Today I tried to keep it lighter with this easy polenta and eggs dish that included some sauteed kale and a guacamole to make it a bit more interesting.  I picked up some turkey and sundried tomato farmer's sausage this morning that went nicely with the creamy polenta and was a healthier option than bacon or ham.  Sorry for the poor quality photos...I was in a rush and didn't have time to edit them, but you'll get the idea. Happy Sunday!

Ingredients:
3 stalks kale (of any variety)
1/2 large white onion\
4 large white mushrooms\
1 ripe avocado
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese (any cheese would be great!)
2 tbsp oil (I use grapeseed)
1 tbsp butter
Polenta (today I used store bought, but you can find a recipe for homemade on my blog :))
5 large eggs (farm fresh if possible)
Sea salt and cracked pepper to taste

Begin by heating 1 tbsp of oil in a frying pan on medium.  Slice your mushrooms, dice the onion, and de-vein the kale.  Either chop the kale into bite sized pieces or tear it with your hands and place the kale, onion and mushrooms in the pan allowing it to sautee and stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking. Once the kale is soft and the onions are translucent, turn off the heat and set the pan aside.

Meanwhile, in another pan, heat the remaining oil and 1/2 tbsp of butter on medium and add the slices of polenta.  Allow the polenta to brown on one side and then flip and do the same on the other.

Heat a skillet for your eggs and cook them to your liking.  I think they are best over easy with a slightly runny yolk, but not everyone likes eggs this way...Alternatively, this recipe would be amazing without eggs if you don't like them or have an allergy.  I digress.  The final step is to prep the avocado.  I just simply dice the avocado, season it a bit with sea salt and pepper and give it a rough stir so that it resembles a chunky guacamole.

Once the eggs are cooked to your liking you are ready to assemble!  Put the polenta on your plate and place the cheddar on top of it.  Then spoon some of the kale mixture down over top, followed by the avocado and then the egg.  Finish with some fresh cracked pepper, and voila!!  Easy, gluten free and healthy Sunday brunch.  Super tasty and not as heavy as your traditional bacon and eggs.  Enjoy!