Inspired by my travels to Vietnam where I enjoyed Pho Soup regularly, I was determined to replicate it here at home. The key to keeping it authentic is to ensure you use the herbs and spices in the recipe. The rest of the ingredients are interchangeable and can be adapted to your taste preferences or diet requirements. I am happy to report that I came up with this easy recipe that will give you the true flavours of a Vietnamese Pho Soup. Travel through your taste buds to South East Asia while in the comfort of your own home. Enjoy!
4 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
What you need:
- 200g pkg rice noodles
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 large onion, minced
- 2 tbsp grated gingerroot
- 3 cups bone broth (or vegetable broth)
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 5 star anise pods
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 cups cooked chicken or extra-firm tofu
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 2 cups bean sprouts*
- Tamari sauce
- Hot sauce
- Fresh herbs: mint, basil, cilantro
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
What you do:
- Cook rice noodles according to package directions. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan, melt the coconut oil. Add the onion and gingerroot and cook until softened. Add the bone broth, broccoli, star anise, and cinnamon. Simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add the cooked chicken (or tofu) and heat through.
- To serve, add the rice noodles to bottom of bowl. Pour the soup over them. Add the tamari and hot sauce to your liking. Top with bean sprouts, green onions and the fresh herbs.
* Lightly fry the bean sprouts beforehand to soften them.
Bon appétit!
Substitution tips:
- Replace chicken or tofu with cooked beef, shrimps, or any other protein.
- Replace the broccoli florets with another vegetable of choice like carrots or cauliflower.
- Replace the tamari with soy sauce or coconut aminos.
Trying to cut down on added sugar? These are the perfect muffins to keep you on track. Filled with berries and bananas, you will get your sugar fix from the fruits without the guilt. Enjoy them as a snack or for breakfast with a fruit. Freeze them and you have a go-to snack when in a hurry. Enjoy!
Makes 12 muffins.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25-30 minutes
What you need:
- 1/2 cup almond meal (finely ground almonds)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened protein powder
- 3/4 cup ground oats*
- 1/4 cup ground flax seeds
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 3 eggs
- 3 ripe bananas (mashed)
- 1 cup strawberries (fresh or frozen, sliced in 1/4 inch pieces)
- 1/2 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
- 2 tsp sesame seeds (optional)
What you do:
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line muffin tin with paper or silicone cups.
- In a large bowl, blend together the dry ingredients (ground almonds, protein powder, ground oats, flaxseed, cinnamon, baking powder and salt).
- In the small bowl of a food processor, mix together the eggs and bananas. Add to the dry ingredients.
- Fold in the strawberries and blueberries. Fill the muffin cups with the mix (about 3/4 full) and sprinkle with sesame seeds if using.
- Cook in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until firm to the touch. Let cool and enjoy!
*To make ground oat, just take rolled oats and reduce to a fine grind in your food processor.
Bon appétit!
Substitution tips:
- Replace the blueberries or strawberries with another berry.
- Replace the ground flaxseeds with more ground oats.
- Replace the sesame seeds with pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds as a topping.
This soup is a great way to use up any leftovers in your fridge, freezer and pantry. It is a complete meal on its own providing lots of fibre and protein. Use whatever vegetables you have on hand in your crisper and modify the soup to your liking. You can top it with some cubed avocado, coconut kefir or nacho crumbs. Enjoy!
6 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
What you need:
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 tsp ground cumin (more or less to taste)
- 1 tbsp chili powder (more or less to taste)
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 large carrot, cubed
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
- 1 large yellow potato, peeled, and cubed
- 2 cups frozen corn (or more to taste)
- 1 fresh tomato, diced
- 6 cups bone broth
- 3 cups cooked black beans (2 x 398 ml can)
- 1/2 cup sauerkraut (optional)
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 tsp salt
- freshly ground pepper (to taste)
What you do:
- In a large saucepan, melt the coconut oil. Add the onions and sauté until they have softened. Add the ginger, cumin and chili powder. Mix and cook for another minute.
- Add all the vegetables and broth. Mix and bring to a boil. Then simmer for 15 minutes or until all vegetables have softened.
- Add the beans, sauerkraut and any leftover chicken or fish (if using). Stir and heat through.
- Pour into serving bowls, top with coconut kefir, cubed avocado or crushed nachos.
Bon appétit!
Substitution tips:
- Replace the fresh tomato with 1/2 cup salsa.
- Add some cooked leftover fish or chicken for more protein.
- Add some chili pepper for more heat.
- The soup will keep in the fridge for a few days or in the freezer for a month.
Written by Lyne Desforges, B.Ed., R.H.N.
“Time and health are two precious assets that we don’t recognize and appreciate until they have been depleted.” – Denis Waitley
More Time
With the COVID-19 pandemic bringing the world to a halt, it has been an interesting and uncharted journey for all of us. Health care workers, and many others providing essential services, have been working overtime to keep our basic needs met. However, for a large percentage of the population, we find ourselves in a completely unexpected scenario: confined to our homes with our immediate family. Whether we are now working from home, or have been temporarily laid off from work, we suddenly have more time on our hands. No more commuting to work, no more running around to our kid’s activities or to our own workouts. No more juggling of mealtimes because of our busy schedules. All this extra time can be daunting for some, while others are embracing and seeing it for the precious gift it is.
Let Go of Busyness
In our modern society, there is a perception that the busier you are, the better it is. You meet a friend, and they ask how you are doing, and the typical answer is: “I’m really busy”. Why has this become a badge of honour? Why couldn’t it be great to answer with, “I am not too busy and am enjoying my downtime.” There is almost a guilty feeling of not having our time filled up with errands, activities and work. And the sad part is, we are training our kids to embrace this ‘busyness’ lifestyle, afraid that too much downtime is not a good thing.
“Time you enjoy wasting, was not wasted.” – John Lennon
Life Balance
Well, the present situation has certainly turned things around, and we are now rediscovering how to lead a more balanced life with that extra time. Here are some of our favourites:
- More quality time with family. Having time to actively listen to one another and enjoy each other’s company.
- More time to drink our morning coffee or tea.
- More time to cook and eat nourishing meals, together at a table.
- More time outside in fresh air (and the air is fresher with less cars on the road).
- More time to play and be creative. Rediscovering the fun of board games and crafts.
- More time to sleep and to adopt a better sleep routine. Ditching that alarm clock and resetting our circadian rhythm.
- More time to meditate, reflect, or sit quietly.
- More time to read fiction or non-fiction books or listen to podcasts.
- More time to catch up with friends and extended family via technology.
- More time to exercise and move our body.
- More time to tackle that to-do list. Maybe it’s decluttering, spring cleaning, or a small project.
- More time to watch documentaries, webinars, or a great movie on Netflix.
Embrace The Gift of Time
We don’t deny that the present situation can bring its load of worry, anxiety and fear. But we hope that it can also bring some unexpected joy and fun, as you embrace the gift of time and make the best of it.
“Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it, you can never get it back.” – Regoslife.com
Making a pizza dough that has no gluten, no dairy and no eggs can be a daunting task. After trying various recipes, we have finally found a combo that is easy to make and taste pretty darn delicious. Add your favourite toppings and you won’t be able to tell the difference from your typical thin crust pizza. Enjoy!
1 large pizza dough
Prep time: 45 minutes
What you need:
- 2 1/4 cup gluten free all purpose flour*
- 2 1/4 tsp quick-rise instant yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1 1/2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup warm water
What you do:
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast and salt. Mix well.
- In a smaller bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients.
- Make a whole in the middle of the flour mix and add the liquid. Mix together with a spoon. Then use your hands to form a ball with the dough. If it is still very sticky add a little bit of flour (only 1 tsp at a time) until you get a softer dough. Leave on the counter in a warm area for 30 minutes to give the dough a chance to rise a little.
- While dough is proofing, preheat oven to 425F. Line a round large pizza pan with parchment paper. Drop the pizza ball onto the parchment paper. Using your hands, flatten the dough and spread it to cover the area, making a thin pizza crust.
- Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until is just starts to have some golden edges. Do not overcook as it will continue cooking once you add toppings.
- Add your favourite toppings and return to the oven. Bake for another 10 minutes or until all toppings are heated through.
*We use Bob Red Mill’s 1:1 Baking Flour for best results.
Bon appétit!
Our favourite toppings:
- Sauces: tomato sauce, pesto, or infused olive oil
- Vegetables: peppers, mushrooms, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, onions, garlic, sprouts (after it’s cooked)
- Protein: Italian sausage, cooked chicken, or ham
- Fats: goat cheese, spicy olive oil
- Spices and herbs: red pepper flakes, Italian herbs
Let your imagination take over and have fun trying various ingredients and various flavour profiles.
Combining the flavours and nutrients of a Greek Salad with the protein power of chickpeas and the good fats of avocados make this salad both delicious and nutritious. Enjoy it as a main meal for lunch or dinner!
2 servings as main course or 4 servings as a side salad
Prep time: 15 minutes
What you need:
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 1/2 English cucumber
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1/2 cup feta, diced or crumbled
Dressing:
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- Sea salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
What you do:
- In a small bowl or Mason jar, combine the salad dressing ingredients. Set aside.
- Combine all the other ingredients in a large salad bowl. Drizzle with salad dressing. Mix in and serve.
Bon appétit!
Substitution tips:
- Replace the green pepper with red, orange, or yellow pepper.
- Replace the feta cheese with goat cheese or omit altogether if doing a vegan version.
- Extra add ons: olives, thinly sliced red onions.
