Author: Samantha Gladish

Samantha Gladish is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, Weight Loss Coach, Hormone Fixer-Upper, Metabolic Balance Coach and author of the Amazon bestseller, The 30-Day Hormone Solution. She is also host of one of Canada’s top-rated podcasts, Healthy Hormones for Women. She is the founder of HolisticWellness.ca; a website dedicated to helping women lose weight and balance their hormones with delicious food. Her philosophy is that through changing the way we eat, think, move and care for our bodies, we can heal ourselves and live a life of more power and possibility. Her passion for business is an extension of her work as a Health Coach, which led her to develop her own online business mentorship program for practitioners and nutritionists. Samantha speaks internationally on all things health, wellness and entrepreneurship and in her spare time, you can find her baking up delicious healthy treats in her kitchen.

Sugar Free Almond Butter Chocolate Brownies

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Ready for the fluffiest brownies ever? These sugar free almond butter chocolate brownies are to die for. 

And guess what? They contain ZERO dairy, gluten AND sugar! Yup, that’s right. No sugar here. Only healthy fats and protein – which is my kind of treat. 

I absolutely love spending time on the weekends testing out recipes. Truth is, I have so many new ones to share with you but I just haven’t had the time to post them on the blog!

But ready for the best part about these brownies? They contain fat burning MCT Oil. I added the MCT on a whim – as I was too impatient to melt coconut oil, so instead, I opted for MCT oil.

#fatburningbrownies

If you’re unfamiliar with MCT oil – which stands for medium chain triglycerides; this healthy oil comes from coconuts and your body actually uses it as a preferred energy source instead of storing it. So just to be clear – FAT does not make you fat. Sugar does.

Now with that said, if you’re eating fried foods and lots of inflammatory vegetable oils – then those types of fats will cause you to gain weight, while healthy fats from coconut, grass fed butter, pasture raised meats, ghee, avocado, olive oil and fish, actually fuel your body, your brain and your hormones – leading to less sugar cravings and more weight loss! Amazing right?

I’d love to see your fat burning brownie creations on social media, so be sure to tag me #holisticwellness and
#fatburning brownies so I can check out your posts and connect with you!

Now onto these delicious gems. Enjoy and happy baking. 

Sugar Free Almond Butter Chocolate Brownies
Yields 16
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
25 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
25 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 cup creamy almond butter
  2. ½ cup coconut milk
  3. 3 eggs
  4. 2 tbsp MCT oil (or melted coconut oil)
  5. 1/3 cup lakanto sweetener (monk fruit)
  6. 1 tsp vanilla
  7. 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  8. ½ cup unsweetened cacao powder
  9. 2 tsp baking soda
  10. Pinch of sea salt
  11. 2 tbsp creamy almond butter for drizzle
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375° and line a brownie pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, combine almond butter, eggs, milk, mct oil, lakanto, and vanilla; use a whisk to mix together.
  3. Add cacao, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and mix together well with whisk. Pour into prepared brownie pan.
  4. Over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp almond butter and drizzle overtop of chocolate brownie batter.
  5. Place pan in oven and bake for approximately 15 minutes or until brownies are cooked through.
  6. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
  7. Cut, serve and enjoy!
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Instant Pot Butter Chicken – A Delicious and Simple 8 Minute Recipe (Paleo, Gluten Free)

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I am in LOVE with my instant pot! 

I bought it back in October 2019 and it’s been put to good use ever since. Ok, basically, I’ve been trying to cook just about everything in my instant pot; like every night. And this instant pot butter chicken has been cooked up at least 10 times!

I just love love love it and so far, my recipes have turned out amazing!

If you’ve been on the fence about purchasing it, trust me, it’s a great investment and incredibly easy to use. I was a little hesitant about it at first, only because as much as I love my slow cooker, I always found that the recipes (more so – chicken), didn’t turn out quite the way I had hope for. 

So I thought I’d have the same experience with the instant pot – but NOPE! Not the case. 

I purchased the 6 quart pot (there is also an 8 quart) but didn’t think I’d need one that big since it’s only my boyfriend and I (although, he is 6’5, 230lbs and eats like a beast!).

 If you’re looking to get one for yourself, you can order them off of Amazon here. Since purchasing it, I haven’t used the slow cooking set, only the pressure cooking, which is awesome! Here’s the instant pot I have here –>

 

This butter chicken recipe cooks in 8 minutes – thanks to the high pressure. Uh…butter chicken in 8 minutes? Yes please!

You can serve this recipe with rice, naan, or for a gluten free/grain free version, I opt for cauliflower rice. You can use this recipe here – but I would modify it and make it less ‘fried ricey” – if that makes sense! I would simply cook it with some onions, garlic and a bit of turmeric. This would go better with the butter chicken. 

As a note, I used Arvinda’s butter chicken spice blend. Click here to check it out. 

P.S. If you’re looking for more delicious and easy recipes, come join me inside my Healthy Hormones Recipe Club! Are you confused with all the information out there about how to balance your hormones, lose weight + support your immunity? Can’t keep up with all the different diets; Paleo, Keto, Intermittent Fasting, or which one is even right for you Get a monthly meal plan + shopping list + recipes that will help you to support your body, balance your hormones, detoxify and shed some inches in the process! Each month has a different theme (scroll below to read what I’ll be sharing over the next few months!) This Recipe Club is available for a super affordable price, so you can easily say YES to putting yourself first, without breaking the bank. Delicious food & zero deprivation, I promise!

Ok… ready for some delicious instant pot butter chicken? Let’s get to it!

Instant Pot Butter Chicken
Serves 4
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
8 min
Total Time
18 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
8 min
Total Time
18 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 tablespoons ghee (plus more might be needed when browning chicken)
  2. 1 onion, diced
  3. 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  4. 1 teaspoon minced ginger
  5. 2 tbsp Arvinda's Butter Chicken Spice Mix (it's my fav! - use more or less depending on your preference)
  6. 2 pounds skinless and boneless chicken thighs, cut into quarters
  7. 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
  8. ½ cup full-fat coconut milk
  9. 2-3 tbsp arrowroot starch (for thickening)
  10. Cilantro, garnish (optional)
Instructions
  1. Press the sauté button on your instant pot and add the ghee, onions and garlic to the pot. Stir-fry the for roughly 6-7 minutes.
  2. Add in the chicken and stir-fry for 5-7 minutes or until the outside of the chicken is no longer pink. I had to do this in batches, as I couldn't fit it all in the pot. Add more ghee as you cook the chicken, if needed and you find the chicken sticking to the pot.
  3. Once chicken is longer pink, add in the ginger, butter chicken spices and canned tomatoes. Give everything a good mix.
  4. Secure the lid, close the pressure valve and make sure it's in the right setting, and cook for 8 minutes at high pressure.
  5. After 8 minutes, open the valve to quick release any remaining pressure.
  6. Open the lid and add in the coconut milk + arrowroot starch. Gently mix to combine all ingredients.
  7. Garnish with cilantro if desired and serve.
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Grain Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins with Vanilla Brown Butter Ghee

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I love me a good muffin and I love me some pumpkin! 

I remember in my teens, when I was semi-health-conscious (or at least trying to be), I would pick up whole wheat or bran muffins from the grocery store thinking they were healthy.  I thought I was doing my body good – giving it some good fibre and choosing what I thought was a healthy breakfast or even snack option.

Boy was I wrong.  Obviously, I know better now! Wheat = inflammation. Too many carbs = insulin resistance and blood sugar imbalances. Muffins = not a healthy breakfast option! But let’s face it, every now and again you just want to eat a friggin’ muffin, regardless the time of day or meal. 

And so, grain free, gluten free, dairy free muffins have become my saviour. And trust me when I say, the deliciousness factor is not at all lacking. These moist and fluffy muffins are full of flavour and made without any added sugar; only sweetened with banana.  I upped the ante by swapping out regular butter for Vanilla Brown Butter Ghee from Lee’s Ghee. You can grab 15% off all of Lee’s Ghee + Teas over at www.leesprovisions.com/healthyhormones with the code HEALTHY HORMONES

Anyhow, this ghee is heavenly and is the perfect addition to these muffins (but of course, regular butter or coconut oil will do, so not to worry), and it’s also delicious added to my morning elixirs! 

You can also serve these muffins up with a cup of their delicious Pink Chai tea and start welcoming in the Fall vibes.

These muffins are perfect on their own or you can dress them up with a delicious vanilla frosting or like I did – drizzled on some warmed vanilla brown butter ghee just before serving. Yuuuuuummy! 

*As a note – this batch made 12 regular large muffins + 12 mini muffins (which I baked for half the time). You can divide the batter up however you like. 

*If you’re a pumpkin lover, you might also want to check out my Mini Flourless Pumpkin Muffins here or my Chocolate Pumpkin Torte, which would make the perfect holiday dessert! And if you are looking for more delicious grain free and gluten free dessert recipes, my Healthy Holiday Dessert eBook contains over 30 amazing recipes you can enjoy this holiday season and throughout the year!

 

P.S. If you’re looking for more delicious and easy recipes, come join me inside my Healthy Hormones Recipe Club! Are you confused with all the information out there about how to balance your hormones, lose weight + support your immunity? Can’t keep up with all the different diets; Paleo, Keto, Intermittent Fasting, or which one is even right for you Get a monthly meal plan + shopping list + recipes that will help you to support your body, balance your hormones, detoxify and shed some inches in the process! Each month has a different theme (click here to read what I’ll be sharing over the next few months!) This Recipe Club is available for a super affordable price, so you can easily say YES to putting yourself first, without breaking the bank. Delicious food & zero deprivation, I promise!

Grain Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins with Vanilla Brown Butter Ghee
Serves 12
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
35 min
Total Time
45 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
35 min
Total Time
45 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 bananas
  2. 1 15-oz can pumpkin puree
  3. 4 eggs
  4. 1/2 cup unsalted almond or cashew butter
  5. 4 tablespoons Vanilla Brown Butter Ghee (butter or coconut oil will work too)
  6. 1/2 cup coconut flour
  7. 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  8. 1 teaspoon ginger
  9. 1 teaspoon baking powder
  10. 1 teaspoon baking soda
  11. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  12. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  13. 1/4 cup shredded coconut
  14. 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (I like enjoy life brand, which are dairy free)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a muffin pan with liners.
  2. In a food processor, combine bananas, pumpkin puree, eggs, almond butter and ghee and process until well combined.
  3. Add in coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla and sea salt and blend until.
  4. Lastly, add in coconut and chocolate chips. Pulse quickly to combine.
  5. Divide batter evenly into muffin cups. (*My batter made 12 large muffins + 12 mini muffins - divide batter up based on your preference).
  6. Bake for 30-35 minutes - until a toothpick comes out clean and tops of muffins are golden brown.
  7. Serve as is, or add frosting, drizzle with melted chocolate or brown brown ghee. ENJOY! xoxo
Notes
  1. *Feel free to leave out chocolate chips or swap for chopped nuts
  2. *Batter makes more than 12 large muffins.
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Banana Cake with Coconut Chocolate Frosting

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I feel like it’s been a while since I posted up a delicious recipe. Truth is, it HAS been a while and I’ve been one busy girl. I was super busy preparing and prepping for my newest online program, Healthy Hormones for Women and in all honesty, I got busy taking care of me. 

As you know, I’m on a mission to heal my hashimoto’s and a part of that healing journey is slowing down and not filling my plate up with so much stuff – which is much easier said than done. I’m sure you know what that’s like!

In fact, I have so many new and delicious recipes to share with you that I haven’t even had a moment to post them. But this amazing grain free, gluten free Banana cake couldn’t wait another minute!

I’m so excited to share this recipe with you for a few reasons:

  1. This cake is insanely delicious and light
  2. It’s grain free and gluten free – yay!
  3. It’s incredibly easy to make
  4. The coconut chocolate frosting is the best thing in life – like ever!

You know I am a baking enthusiast right?! Especially since being more conscious about grains, baking has taken on a whole new level of creativity. And truthfully, with the amazing selection of gluten free and grain free flours nowadays, it isn’t that difficult to bake something healthy, delicious, AIP friendly and low inflammatory.

With the holidays just around the corner (I mean honestly, can you believe christmas is almost here?!), I’m excited to get back into the kitchen and bake up something sweet to enjoy with my family over the holidays. This cake is definitely a winner and I’ll be sure to bring it to our family Christmas party. 

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do and if you’re looking for a delicious and healthy treat for your holiday parties, trust me, this cake is for the WIN! And the best part, no one will know it’s grain free and gluten free (unless you tell them of course!). Plus, topped with the Coconut Chocolate Frosting – you are sure to win over everyone’s heart. 

As a bonus, the frosting works great as a dip for fresh berries and fruits. #score

Banana Cake with Coconut Chocolate Frosting
Serves 10
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
40 min
Total Time
50 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
40 min
Total Time
50 min
Dry Ingredients
  1. 1 cup coconut flour
  2. 3/4 cup arrowroot powder
  3. 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  4. 2 teaspoons baking powder
  5. 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  6. 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
Wet Ingredients
  1. 4 ripe bananas
  2. 1 cup coconut oil, melted
  3. 1/3 cup lakanto or coconut sugar
  4. 10 large organic eggs
  5. 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Coconut Chocolate Frosting
  1. 6 tablespoons coconut oil
  2. 4 ounces dark chocolate (I use enjoy life chocolate chips)
  3. 1/4 cup lakanto or coconut sugar
  4. 3 tablespoons arrowroot powder
  5. 1/3 cup coconut cream (place can of coconut milk in the fridge for a few hours then scoop out cream from the top)
Instructions
  1. CAKE: Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9 x 12 baking dish (I used a round baking pan) with coconut oil.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients.
  3. In a food processor, add all wet ingredients and combine until thoroughly combined. Once blended, add in dry ingredients and blend again. Alternatively, you can whisk the wet into the dry ingredients, but blended all together in the food processor creates a silky smooth batter.
  4. Pour batter into baking dish and bake for 37-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
  5. FROSTING: In a saucepan ove medium heat, combine coconut oil, chocolate and sugar. Whisk until smooth and melted. Add in arrowroot powder and coconut cream. Which until creamy.
  6. Pour frosting into blender and blend on high for 60 seconds to create an ultra smooth and creamy texture (optional).
  7. Pour warm frosting over cake or set in the fridge for an hour to thicken up, then spread onto cake/cupcakes/or use as a chocolate dip with fruit.
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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AIP Friendly Coconut Blueberry Smoothie (plus my Hashimotos update)

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This delicious Coconut-Blueberry Smoothie is great for anyone following an autoimmune Paleo protocol. If you’re unfamiliar with the autoimmune paleo diet, I suggest finding out more info by clicking here.

The AIP diet removes all of the top common inflammatory food triggers that could stimulate a potential autoimmune response in the body. 

Most foods eliminated in an AIP protocol include: eggs. all nuts and seeds, nightshade veggies and herbs, all grains, beans and legumes, dairy and gluten. 

Listen, I know what you’re thinking. What’s left to eat?

First off, eliminating these foods isn’t something you need to do for LIFE. It’s temporary. As you work to heal your gut, lower your immune antibodies and support hormonal health, these foods CAN be reintroduced – in the right time. 

The truth is, I don’t eat grains, beans or gluten anyways, so aside from the eggs and nuts and seeds, the protocol wasn’t so hard for me to follow to begin with. 

I’ve now added eggs and nuts and seeds back into my diet, but I have them sparingly. 

Having autoimmune hashimotos, it was necessary that I take my diet and health up a mother level to get to a place of healing, and that’s where AIP came in. 

My diet consists of fruits, vegetables, fish, seafood, meat and poultry. And trust me – there’s still room for treats and indulgences! In fact, I’ve been eating more fruit in the past 2 months than I have all year. Mainly because it was summer and it also helps with any sweet cravings.

My freezer is loaded with tons of wild blueberries that I picked up from the farmers market this summer – gotta put them to good use! I’m pretty obsessed with these delicious blue gems. They are just so good!

In case you’re unaware about hashimotos and my initial diagnosis, you can click here to read more about it. My antibodies were initially quite high (at 600) and my reverse T3 was high as well (at 25).

The good news is that my thyroid antibodies have come down as well as my reverse T3! Woohoo! Which means my nutrition/supplement/lifestyle protocols that I’ve been implementing in the past 3 months are working!

So whether you have autoimmunity or not, you’ll love this delicious healing smoothie that is loaded with antioxidants, healthy hormone balancing fats and beautifying collagen powder. 

Enjoy 🙂

AIP Friendly Coconut Blueberry Smoothie
Serves 1
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Ingredients
  1. 2 cups coconut milk
  2. 1/4 cup wild blueberries (fresh or frozen)
  3. 1 scoop Collagen powder
  4. 1 tbsp coconut butter
  5. 1/4 banana
  6. 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients into a blender. Blend and serve.
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Anti-Aging Beautifying Tea

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I hope you’re excited for the week ahead. If the weather holds up and it doesn’t rain, I’ll be spending some time outside, kayaking in the sun and stopping for fresh spring water along the way. 

It’s my favourite thing to do in the summer!

As we know, the sun can take its toll on our skin. We definitely need exposure to sunshine, but just the right amount. 

And to help support any sun damage, minimize those wrinkles and get clear glowing acne-free skin, my delicious Anti-Aging Beautifying Tea will do JUST THAT! 

A few reasons why this tea is so good for your skin:

It contains dandelion and nettle – two amazing herbs that gently support your liver in detoxifying. The more you can support your liver, the better your skin will be. In fact, the better your hormones and digestion will be too! It all goes back to the liver, so treat it well. 

Nettle is also incredibly rich in iron, which is great if you happen to be have heavy periods. You can simply get dandelion and nettle tea from your local health food store. 

As for cranberry, it supports the kidneys in flushing out excess wastes. It acts as a diuretic. BUT… be sure to purchase organic, unsweetened cranberry juice concentrate – the real stuff. 

Lemon adds a nice tang to this tea and is loaded with vitamin C (a detox vitamin), plus it supports bile release (which is great if you’re feeling constipated). Vitamin C is helpful in reducing fine lines and minimizing free-radical damage to cells. 

As for the honey (which is totally optional in this recipe), I suggest sourcing out a local raw honey. It’s antibacterial and antimicrobial and the perfect sweet addition to this beauty tea. Alternatively, you can use a touch of maple syrup or even lakanto as a sweetener (which is my fav and contains NO sugar!).

So let’s get to it…

Anti-Anging Beautifying Tea
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Ingredients
  1. 1 bag of dandelion
  2. 1 bag of nettle
  3. 2 tablespoons cranberry juice concentrate
  4. Juice of 1 lemon
  5. 1 teaspoon of raw honey, maple syrup, or lakanto
  6. Water - you can use 2 cups of water for a single serve or make up to 1L of tea in a pitcher.
Instructions
  1. Steep the tea bags in hot water for 15 minutes.
  2. Remove the tea bags, then add the cranberry juice concentrate and lemon.
  3. Alternatively, you can add ice and chill the tea in your refrigerator and drink throughout the day.
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Grain Free Wild Blueberry Chia Muffins

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Ok, so, my muffins look green! That’s what happens when you combine BLUEberries with baking soda. It’s chemistry people! But don’t let the colour deter you from making these delicious gems….because they are delicious.

In fact, it’s easy to transform a standard muffin into a gluten free, dairy free, low sugar, grain free treat and still have it taste delicious!

The honest truth is that more and more people are becoming conscious of ditching the grains, dairy, gluten and sugar (which is a good thing!!) and that really excites me!

Why? Because that’s what my cooking and baking is all about and that’s what my diet currently reflects.  

Of course, some sugar, dairy and gluten creeps it’s way into my diet every now and again, but it’s rare. And being able to recognize how I feel by eliminating these food culprits is enough for me to keep them out of my diet. 

With my hashimoto’s, it’s really important that I avoid certain foods that could exacerbate my autoimmunity. This is why grains/beans/legumes/gluten/dairy has gotten the boot. And trust me, it’s not easy. 

Sometimes I find myself sprinkling goat cheese or sheep cheese into my salad and on my most recent trip to Florida, grains and gluten found their way onto my plate. I thankfully ate at great restaurants that focused on local, organic and sustainable ingredients, but still… gluten is gluten. 

Wherever you are on your health journey, it’s important that you be gentle with your body. It’s important not to beat yourself up because you had a slip up, because you ate the extra slice of bread, or that your travelling endeavours made it difficult to completely eliminate your food culprits. 

Now with that said, it’s also important to recognize how badly you may feel by letting these certain foods creep into your diet. The truth is, gluten (for most people) can cause an autoimmune flare up just by one tiny BITE! 

In my case, and while traveling, I made sure to drink adequate amounts of water, get lots of sleep, take my digestive enzymes to help me break down my food better, take my probiotics, and follow my adrenal-thyroid supplement protocol. 

And this is why what you do MOST of the time is so important. 98% of the time, this is where I focus my energy – on staying well and vital, taking my supplements, moving my body, getting adequate sleep, slowing down, eating well and eliminating my food culprits. 

It’s not always perfect. It’s a process. In fact, it’s a lifelong journey and I’m in it for the long haul of experimenting, testing, eliminating, re-introducing and more importantly, enjoying the process of learning. 

As with this recipe, I’m so happy that coconut is NOT on my autoimmune elimination list (some people do react to it). These #grainfree #glutenfree #diaryfree muffins are super delicious, light, fluffy, and loaded with protein and fiber. 

1/4 cup of coconut flour (here’s the one I used here), provides close to 10g of fiber and 4g of protein. With the addition of 6 protein rich eggs in this recipe, these muffins won’t be spiking your blood sugar – which is key to supporting overall hormonal health, weight, energy and supporting your menstrual cycle. 

Now let’s eat!

P.S. –> My Clean, Lean and Green program is currently on sale and it includes delicious guilt free treats just like this, plus, quick and easy to prepare recipes to help you support your hormones and lose weight. It’s a full 21-day program with a customized meal plan guaranteed to take the overwhelm and confusion out of what to eat, when to eat and how to support your health and body. Click here for more details. 

 

 

Grain Free Wild Blueberry Chia Muffins
Yields 12
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
30 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
30 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 cup organic coconut flour
  2. ½ tsp sea salt
  3. 1 tsp baking soda
  4. 1/3 cup maple syrup
  5. 1 cup coconut milk
  6. 6 organic eggs
  7. 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
  8. ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
  9. ¼ cup chia seeds
  10. 2 tbsp shredded coconut flakes, unsweetened
  11. 1 cup wild blueberries, frozen or fresh
Instructions
  1. Preheat over to 350 degrees and line a muffin tray with liners.
  2. Combine the coconut flour, baking soda & salt in a bowl.
  3. In a bowl whisk together the milk, maple syrup, eggs, coconut oil and vanilla.
  4. Add the chia seeds and blueberries combine.
  5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well.
  6. Spoon the batter into the muffin tray, filling cups about 3/4 of the way.
  7. Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.
  8. Cool on rack and serve.
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Avocado Fudgesicles

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Girrrrrllll, this is the perfect summer treat that you are gonna wanna make all.summer.long.

Summer is not only my favourite time of year because it’s hot and sunny out, but because I feel like I can get extra creative with recipes that are refreshing and healthy all at the same time. 

This delicious fudgey gems are gonna be your new fav! And they only take minutes to make. You do need to be patient and let them set for a few hours, but they are worth the wait. 

I’m sure you’ve seen your fair share of popsicles popping up on your social media feeds, and why not! Homemade popsicles are so easy to make and with just a few ingredients you can whip up a healthy treat minus the added sugars and junk you find in most store bought brands. 

Well you know that homemade and all natural is how we roll over here at Holistic Wellness. I wouldn’t have it any other way!

If you haven’t tried out my Avocado Chocolate Pudding yet (which totally doubles as a face mask), you have got to get your hands on that recipe, like now. 

I basically took that recipe and make fudgesicles out of it. I know, genius right!? 

If you’ve got little kiddos at home they won’t even know there is healthy avocado in here. There’s nothing like getting a little sneaky. And sometimes, it’s your hubby you’ve got to hide the ingredients from, not the kiddos! Hey, a healthy girls gotta do what a girls gotta do. I’m not judging!

To sweeten these gems I used BeeKeepers Raw Honey with Cacao. It was the perfect addition to these healthy treats. If you don’t have this honey, not to worry. Any raw honey will do (I love Beekeepers and Fairhaven Farms – local and sooo good!) or you can use maple syrup. 

Avocado Fudgesicles
Yields 6
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
2 hr
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
2 hr
Ingredients
  1. 2 small avocados
  2. 1 cup full fat coconut milk
  3. 3 tbsp beekeepers naturals cacao honey (or maple syrup or regular raw honey)
  4. 1 tsp vanilla extract
  5. 1⁄3 cup unsweetened cacao powder
  6. Pinch of sea salt
  7. Melted chocolate (optional, for drizzle)
Instructions
  1. Add all ingredients into a food processor and puree until smooth and creamy.
  2. Transfer mixture to popsicle tray, and insert sticks.
  3. Freeze for 2 hours or overnight.
  4. Unmold and serve (you may need to run under hot water to gently loosen out of tray)
Notes
  1. *Feel free to drizzle on some melted chocolate! I like using Giddy Yoyo chocolate with vanilla or Altereco burnt caramel chocolate
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Maple Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Just last week Canada celebrated it’s 150th Birthday! And I must say, I am one lucky girl to be Canadian and live in this beautiful country. 

I grew up in Toronto and my Mother immigrated from Portugal to Canada when she was 14 years old. My dad also grew up in Toronto. He is as Canadian as they come!

Being Portugese, my mother was the first to introduce my father to fish and seafood – food he had never eaten before. They met at 19 and it was then that my dad first introduced my mom to a burger!

Growing up it was an interesting mix of food. My mother made everything from scratch and I was super lucky to have fresh, real, homemade food cooked all the time. My father on the other hand, did not cook. If dinner was left in his hands, we’d be eating kentucky fried chicken or kraft dinner. 

It’s funny because my mother literally cringed at pre-packaged food. She. Hated. It. 

But, you take the good with the bad and you roll with it.

In fact, it’s funny how things change. Growing up my mom didn’t take the easy way out – it was always about preparing fresh food at home. Nowadays, she still cooks, but she has definitely opted for more convenience then she used to. 

Myself on the other hand, I learned from my mother growing up. Prepare food from scratch. And I wouldn’t have it any other way! 

And so, these Maple Bacon Gluten Free Chocolate Chip cookies. Prepared from scratch. Using “Canadian” ingredients. I made them for my family and they were mom-approved 🙂

I personally love the sweet and salty combo. Hope you enjoy them!

 

Maple Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yields 24
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Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
35 min
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
35 min
Ingredients
  1. 5 slices bacon (nitrate free and organic is best)
  2. 3 tbsp maple syrup
  3. 3 cups almond flour
  4. 2 tbsp coconut flakes, unsweetened
  5. 1 tsp baking soda
  6. 1 tsp sea salt
  7. 2 eggs
  8. 1/3 cup maple syrup
  9. 1 tsp vanilla extract
  10. 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
  11. 1 cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. On a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, lay out bacon. Using a brush, brush on 3 tbsp of maple syrup evenly across slices.
  3. Bake at 350F for roughly 20-25 minutes, until desired crispness is reached. Once cooled, break into pieces. Increase oven temperature to 375F.
  4. In a food processor add in almond flour, baking soda and salt. Combine.
  5. Then add in eggs, maple syrup, vanilla extract and melted coconut oil. Combine until a dough is formed.
  6. Place dough into a bowl and add in chocolate chips and bacon pieces. Combine together.
  7. Place small balls of dough onto cookie sheet, about a tablespoon in size.
  8. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool and serve.
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