These mini muffins are great for breakfast. Just add a fruit and you have a delicious, nutritious meal that is high in fibre and nutrients. Although small, they are surprisingly filling and eating two will usually do the trick. Freeze them and you have a go-to snack when in a hurry. Inspiration for these was taken from a recipe in Joy McCarthy’s The Joyous Cookbook. Enjoy!
Makes 24 mini muffins.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 18-20 minutes
What you need:
- 1 cup oat bran
- 3/4 cup almond meal (finely ground almonds)
- 1/4 cup ground flaxseeds
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup non-dairy kefir
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 3/4 cup dried Goji berries
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
What you do:
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a mini muffin pan with paper cups or grease with avocado oil
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the dry ingredients: oat bran, almond meal, ground flaxseeds, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Mix well.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and kefir. Add the avocado oil and maple syrup. Whisk until you have a homogenous consistency.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture. Mix until combined (don’t overmix). Fold in the Goji berries and pumpkin seeds until evenly distributed throughout the mix.
- Spoon into the prepared muffin cups. Fill to the top. Cook in the oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Bon appétit!
Substitution tips:
- Replace the kefir with some yogurt (use a more liquid one).
- Replace the Goji berries with another dried fruit.
- Replace the pumpkin seeds with sunflower seeds or chopped pecans.
Getting ready to watch the game? Add these healthy vegan/vegetarian nachos to your snack list. Your taste buds will love the spices and your palate will appreciate the various textures. By omitting corn chips and dairy cheese, we have reduced the inflammatory component. Using some good fats like walnuts and avocados means we are nourishing the brain, the nervous system and every cell membrane in your body. So have one as a snack or eat 3 or 4 as a meal. You will be surprised how filling they can be. Enjoy!
Makes 4 servings as a meal or 8 servings as a snack
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 15-20 minutes
What you need:
- 1 large sweet potato, cut into thick slices
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4-1/2 cup guacamole (or mashed avocado)
- 1/2 cup Chili Walnut Meat
- 1/4 cup finely diced cucumber
- unsweetened coconut yogurt
- sprouts
*To make the Chili Walnut Meat
- 1 cup toasted walnuts
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp chili powder (more or less to taste)
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp hemp seeds
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
What you do:
- Preheat oven to 400F. In a medium bowl, toss the slices of sweet potatoes with the olive oil and some salt and pepper. Spread the potato slices on a baking sheet and cook for 10 minutes. Flip them over and cook an additional 5-10 minutes until cooked (depending on the thickness). Set aside.
- While potatoes are cooking, make the Chili Walnut Meat. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until you get an even crumbly texture. Set aside.
- To assemble, “butter” each potato slice with some guacamole. Top with the Chili Walnut Meat. Sprinkle with cucumber pieces. Top with yogurt and sprouts.
Bon appétit!
Substitution tips:
- Replace the guacamole with some mashed avocado or some salsa.
- Use finely diced tomatoes or zucchinis instead of cucumbers.
- You can make the Chili Walnut Meat in advance and refrigerate until ready to use.
The sesame-ginger dressing on this salad is what makes it so delicious. Make sure to use toasted sesame oil for more flavour depth. I love adding some pomegranates to this salad for extra colour and freshness. However, they may be hard to find so using some dried cranberries is a good substitute. Enjoy this salad at any time of the year!
Makes 1 serving (+ extra servings of salad dressing)
Prep time: 10 minutes
What you need:
- 1 cup baby spinach (a good handful)
- 1/2 cup chopped snap peas
- 1 tbsp pomegranate seeds
- 1/2 cup cooked salmon
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
For the dressing
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- 3 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp raw liquid honey
- 1 tbsp tamari sauce
- 2 tsp grated gingerroot
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
What you do:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the salad dressing ingredients until well blended. Set aside.
- In a salad bowl, layer the bottom with the spinach. Top with the snap peas, pomegranate seeds, cooked salmon and sesame seeds.
- Drizzle with the salad dressing and mix.
Bon appétit!
Substitution tips:
- Replace the pomegranate seeds with dried fruit such as cranberries.
- Use canned salmon if you do not have any fresh cooked salmon.
- Use snow peas instead of snap peas.
- This salad dressing can be used as a marinade as well.
Another great way to use up turkey leftovers is into a nourishing wholesome soup. Adding homemade bone broth, turmeric, and fresh herbs, makes this soup gut-healing and anti-inflammatory. Enjoy it on a cool winter night, after a day of skiing, snowshoeing, skating or hiking.
Makes 6 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
What you need:
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp turmeric powder
- 2 celery stalks, sliced (approx. 1 cup)
- 2 cups chopped cabbage
- 3 large carrots, diced
- 4 cups bone broth
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tbsp sea salt
- 1/2 lb cooked turkey leftovers, cubed
- 2 cups rice vermicelli, broken into small pieces
- 2 cups water (more or less)
What you do:
- Melt coconut oil in large saucepan, over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic. Sauté until onions have softened. Add turmeric and mix. Continue cooking for 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Add the celery, carrots and cabbage and stir. Continue to sauté for another minute.
- Add the bone broth, fresh thyme, fresh parsley, and sea salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
- Add the cooked turkey, rice noodles and extra water (as needed). Cook another 5 minutes until noodles are cooked. Taste and adjust seasoning. Ladle into soup bowls and enjoy!
Bon appétit!
Substitution tips:
- Replace the fresh thyme and parsley with any other fresh herbs, or 1 tsp dried thyme and 1 tbsp dried parsley.
- Replace the cooked turkey with cooked chicken.
- Replace the vermicelli with rice.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Will freeze very well for up to three months.
And How it Will Help Shape 2020!
Written by Danika Desforges-Bell, M.Sc. Ps. ed.
Same but Different!
Our yearly tradition of attending the Namaste November Yoga Retreat is in its third year. Same incredible yogi Lee guiding us, same incredible accommodations at the Drake Devonshire Inn, and same quaint town of Wellington in Prince-Edward County. Many similarities yet every year brings small shifts and differences: new group, different yoga styles, different hotel room, different weather, and different mood. It seems like a perfect reflection of ourselves, always a little bit the same but also a little bit different, always hoping to get closer to our full potential and becoming the person we know we can be. The end of the retreat is a good time to take a step back and reflect on my takeaways for this year and reflect on how I have evolved in hopes of getting closer to the person I am meant to be.
1. I love… ME!
Lee is guiding us through a powerful meditation at the retreat and tears are already flowing: “Visualize yourself in a room filled with mirrors. Approach the first mirror and look at your reflection. Tell yourself I love you. Let your reflection say it back, I love you.” Although I like myself, I am not sure if I LOVE all parts of myself. It got me thinking to all the times I easily say I love you to everyone, yet when it comes to telling myself that I love myself, full-heartedly and with no conditions or restraints, it was very emotional and difficult. I do hope to come back next year with more love in my heart for myself.
2. Visualizing the life I want
Lee is guiding us through another powerful meditation, visualizing and imagining the future we desire and associating that visualization to an intention (a few words that resonate and represent that desired future life). She explains that it helps plant the seed to it becoming a reality. That got me thinking. A few studies (LUPIEN, 2010) have shown that taking the time to jot down possible solutions to a problem can diminish stress levels and develop key problem-solving skills. Could this be the same idea? If we take the time to truly visualize the life WE desire based on OUR core values without being influenced by other’s desires, needs or wants from us, we can guide ourselves to a future that gets us closer to our full potential. Deep thoughts yet somehow strangely reassuring.
3. The joy of sisterhood
Laughter and play. Can those be considered core values? There is nothing like an evening, a day, an hour or a weekend of fun and giggles with loved ones. It feels soooo good to take the time to incorporate them into our daily life. One of my favourite parts about the yoga retreat is spending some quality time with my CLV sisters (Sofie and Lyne) and this year, my best friend from Montreal. Taking the time to connect with them, laugh together, hold hands during a shavasana, or read next to one another in the beautiful fall sun, fills me with such joy and gratitude. It reminds me how important it is to simply feel connected to one another.
4. Learning to listen, really listen
Lee begins another yoga class by exhausting our senses (closing our eyes, lying in stillness, identifying the sounds outside the building, the ones outside the room, the ones in the room and focusing on the sound of our breath and beating heart). It can sometimes be difficult to focus on sounds that are further away or out of our reach and this practice sometimes triggered irritation and frustration for me. But this year, I saw it differently. It reminded me how difficult it can be to drown out noise to really focus on what’s important and actively listen to someone who might be communicating an important message through verbal or non-verbal cues. We spend our days drowning out our environment by playing loud music or by constantly staying productive. How about taking a step back and truly connecting with our surroundings? It is such a relief and a beautiful way to take in what’s happening on the inside instead of avoiding it. It reminded me of why I love yoga so much: getting comfortable with the discomfort to truly break through the noise!
5. Giving myself a break
Easier said then done, right? As someone who has 2 careers, a busy family and social life, as well as many other personal projects and goals, it is often difficult to find the time to stop or do a little self-care. That being said, I often come out of Namaste November realizing that although this is a great reset, it’s also a great opportunity to bring in some more playfulness, me-time, laughter and meditation-yoga practice into my day-to-day life. The reason I return year after year is because of the magical spirit this retreat has but I now realize that it’s important to incorporate that magic a little bit each and every day. I’m still trying to figure that part out but I am sure my CLV tribe will remind me of ways or simple practices to bring a little breath and play into my busy life!
What about those 10 words at the beginning of this blog post? These were words that each member of the retreat wrote about me on a heart-shaped piece of paper, including one I wrote for myself. These were added to a special envelope for me to open later. It’s amazing how all these kinds words rarely come up in my conversations with myself but every year, I look forward to reading through some of the qualities other see in me that I don’t always see in myself. They help me heal. They help me grow. They help me love. They help me find some self-compassion during some hard times. I keep these kind words nearby and use them as grounding reminders of who I am and what I am capable of.
I am already looking forward to next year when everything will be the same but a little different…and hopefully so will I!
LUPIEN, Sonia. Par amour du stress, Montréal:Éditions au Carré. 2010.
This “sconie” was inspired by a traditional scone recipe that is a favourite in the Desforges-Bell household. In order to satisfy more restrictive diets, we have played around with this recipe to obtain a gluten-free version. The result is halfway between a scone and a cookie, hence the name “sconie”. Enjoy these with your favourite cup of tea as a great afternoon snack.
Makes 12 servings (or 12 cookies)
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30
What you need:
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour
- 1/4 cup unrefined coconut sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
- 3 tbsp cold butter, cubed
- 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk (from the can)
- 1/4 cup strawberry jam
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
What you do:
- Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, rosemary, and salt). Add the cold butter and cut in with a pastry cutter or a fork, until you get a mixture that resembles a coarse meal.
- Add the cream and mix well until the mixture thickens up.
- Using a large spoon, scoop some of the mixture and drop onto your baking sheet. Flatten with fingers if necessary to form a thick cookie. Using a smaller spoon, add some strawberry jam to each cookie by pressing into the middle of each one. Top with some chopped pecans. Dust with some extra coconut sugar if desired.
- Cook in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until cookies are golden brown and firm to the touch. Let cool over a wire rack. Enjoy with your favourite cup of tea!
Bon appétit!
Useful tips:
- You can use 1/2 tsp of dried rosemary instead of fresh.
- You can replace the strawberry jam with any fruit jam or jelly.
- Serving size is one cookie.
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for a week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
