Tag: clean eating recipes

Instant Pot Chicken Soup – A Hearty and Veggie Filled Soup To Keep Your Immune System Strong During Cold n’ Flu Season

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Nothing beats a warm bowl of chicken soup. I’ve been cooking up lots of deliciousness in my instant pot and this delicious chicken soup did not disappoint. 

Plus, it was just what my boyfriend needed while he was sick. He ate up every last bite and it helped him bust through his cold (now let’s just hope that I don’t catch it!).

So what’s the deal with chicken soup and colds anyways? Well, you’ve got an amazing blend of sulphur from onions and garlic that help your body detox, plus you’ve got the incredible amino acids and vitamins from the broth, and hearty protein from chicken. 

Not to mention all the amazing nutrients from veggies. I find it’s always so easy to add in a mix of veggies to soups. I used your typical carrots, onion and celery in this recipe, but also added in some butternut squash and an entire bag of spinach. Hello cold busting vitamin C!

Although this recipe only took 12 minutes in total to cook, you do have wait for the pressure to come up, which took at good 15 minutes x 2 – as you’ll see in the recipe below. 

But, it was worth the wait. And the chicken turned out amazing! Fall apart, tender chicken that tok this out to a whole other level. 

I used chicken thighs, which I often cook with over chicken breast, as it’s much more tender due to a higher fat content. Now don’t freak out about the fat. It’s a good thing – especially if you’re buying organic chicken or pasture raised. Those fats are not only delicious, but great for your hormones. 

Did you know your hormones need fat to function? Yes they do! 

Hope you enjoy this instant pot chicken soup as much as we did! It’ll hit the spot on those cold winter nights. Ugh… winter – I’m not a fan. Is it summer yet?? The summer countdown is on – only 5 more months!

Instant Pot Chicken Soup
Serves 6
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Ingredients
  1. 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (fresh, not frozen)
  2. 6 cups Chicken Bone Broth
  3. 3 tablespoons Vital Proteins grass-fed unflavored gelatin powder
  4. 1 yellow onion, chopped
  5. 5 cloves garlic, minced
  6. 3 teaspoons sea salt, plus more to taste
  7. 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
  8. 4 celery stalks, chopped
  9. 3 carrots, chopped
  10. 1 package Go-Go Quinoa Spaghetti (or any other gluten free spaghetti brand)
  11. 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
  12. 11/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
  13. 1 bay leaf
  14. 1 teaspoon lemon juice, plus more for serving
Instructions
  1. Place the chicken thighs in your instant pot.
  2. Add the bone broth, gelatin powder, onion, garlic, salt, pepper and turmeric.
  3. Secure the lid, set your pressure valve and select manual setting. Set to high pressure for 10 minutes.
  4. When the 10 minutes is up, quick release the pressure. Remove the chicken, cut into bite-size chunks, and return it to the instant pot.
  5. Add the celery, carrots, spaghetti (split into 3 - just simply break with hands), parsley, thyme and bay leaf and season with salt and pepper to taste. Secure the lid again, select the manual setting, and set it to high pressure for 4 minutes. Quick release the pressure. Stir in the lemon juice.
  6. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve hot with extra lemon juice if desired.
Notes
  1. *Add in some spinach at the very end and stir in to wilt. It's a great way to get in extra vitamin C.
  2. *Cooking the pasta - I cooked mine for HALF the time it would normally take. The package says 8 minutes, so I went with 4.
  3. *Depending on the noodle 'length' you prefer, I broke my noodles into 3, but half would work too.
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

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When you have 3 ripe bananas and lots of oats on hand, you make banana bread. 

I feel like it’s been a while since I baked up something yummy. In case you haven’t noticed, I love to bake! It’s one of my happy places. It’s a way for me to be creative. And more than anything, I just LOVE seeing the look on someones face when they try one of my gluten free/sugar free/dairy free treats not knowing that it’s been “healthified!”

Best. Feeling. Ever!

In fact, you might want to get your hands on my Healthy Desserts eBook and take advantage of the amazing Holistic Wellness Super Bundle (get my detox program, meal plans, smoothie cleanse and so much more and save lots of moola!). My Healthy Desserts ebook alone has over 30+ delicious gluten free, sugar free dessert recipes that are super drool worthy. 

So… back to baking. I normally love baking with almond flour. I find the recipes always turn out amazing, plus, it’s a great gluten free baking flour. But let’s be real, it can seriously be expensive. And the amount of almond flour I go through – eek – it’s pretty crazy! 

Sometimes I can spend upwards of almost $200 on just almond flour alone, specifically when I’m recipe testing. I know, crazy right?!

But oats, they are on the cheaper side and if you get gluten free/wheat free ones, then making gluten free treats is a breeze. 

The only dilemma is that they are considered a grain, so if you are grain free (which I am about 95% of the time), then almond flour may be your better bet. 

I use Bob’s Red Mill Wheat Free Oats, and I grind them myself in my vitamix. It take 2 seconds and it comes out perfectly. Which reminds me, you’ll probably love my Oat Flour Blueberry Pancakes. They are my fav!

So let’s get to the baking goodness. Let me know in the comments below how your banana bread turns out. And be sure to tag me @holisticwellnessfoodie on instagram sharing your pics! 

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
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Ingredients
  1. 2 cups oatmeal (gluten-free rolled oats)
  2. 1 tsp baking powder
  3. ½ tsp baking soda
  4. 1 tsp cinnamon
  5. ¼ tsp sea salt
  6. 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
  7. 1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
  8. 1/4 cup coconut sugar (optional, I left this ingredient out as the banana's were sweet enough)
  9. 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  10. 2/3 cup chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9” × 5" loaf pan with coconut oil.
  2. Make oat flour: Place oatmeal into blender and blend for 1-2 minutes until oatmeal resembles flour. You may need to stop blender and stir oats a couple of times to ensure that all oats have been blended.
  3. Measure out 2 cups of the oat flour and place in a medium bowl. Whisk in baking powder, baking soda, sea salt and cinnamon and set aside.
  4. In a separate large bowl, combine mashed bananas, coconut sugar (omit to make sugar-free), vanilla extract, and oil for 1-2 minutes until the consistency is smooth and creamy. Alternatively, you can add this to a blender, but I did mine by hand. Slowly add in oat flour mixture and mix until well combined.
  5. Gently fold in chocolate chips.
  6. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
  7. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10-15 minutes, then remove from pan and place on wire rack to finish cooling. Cut into slices and enjoy!
Notes
  1. *Feel free to add in chopped walnuts, pecans or any nut/seed of choice.
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Pistachio Crusted Salmon – The Perfect Week Night Meal

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I’m hoping you were able to try the Gluten Free Pumpkin Almond Butter Bars recipe I posted last week. They are ahhh-mazing and totally hit the spot when you want a warm, fall flavored treat.  Guilt free, of course! 

If you got around to making them, you’ll know pistachios and almonds are the main ingredients for the crumbly topping.  

I went a little overboard when grinding the nuts and had a ton left over.  Not wanting to be wasteful or just stash them in the cupboard, I knew I had to be creative and find a use for them.  

Just so happens we were having salmon for dinner and Odette, my assistant, gave me a great idea..use the ground nuts as a crust.  She’s genius! And she also happens to be an amazing cook, so watch out for more amazing recipes from her coming your way!

Anyhow, the salmon turned out perfect! It was moist and flavorful and the pistachio crust gave it a great crunch.  

Did you know pistachios are one of the oldest nuts on record?  They’ve been around forever!

And best part,  they have less calories per serving in comparison to other nuts and have more protein.  Plus, they give you healthy fats, fiber, and a whole host of vitamins and minerals.  That’s a lot of goodness in one little nut.  

When buying pistachios, remember to get them unshelled and make sure they don’t have any added salt, sweetener or color (the shells should be beige, not red or green!).  They are delicious as they are and the best for you in their most natural state.

Hope you enjoy this delicious recipe. It’s perfect for a quick week-night meal and loaded with slots of heart healthy goodness.

Pistachio Crusted Salmon
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Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
35 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
35 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 tbsp olive oil
  2. ½ tbsp grainy Dijon mustard
  3. ½ cup almond meal (aka. almond flour)
  4. ¼ cup ground pistachios
  5. ¼ fresh parmesan (parmigiano reggiano is the best!)
  6. ½ tsp grated lemon zest
  7. ¼ tsp each sea salt and freshly ground pepper
  8. 2 fresh salmon fillets, roughly 1 inch thick
  9. 2 tsp ghee, melted
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a shallow pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a small bowl mix together olive oil, Dijon, almond meal, ground pistachios, Parmesan, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Stir gently with a fork until it is moist. (You can also place whole almonds and pistachios into a blender or food processor and gently grind until nicely ground, leaving some chucks for crunch).
  3. Place salmon on pan. Press half of mixture onto each fillet. Drizzle melted ghee on top.
  4. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until fully cooked through.
  5. Turn on broiler and broil for 1 minute. Make sure you watch this part! The broiler works quickly and you want your crust to be golden brown not burnt.
  6. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
  1. You can use other fish, just be sure it is 1 inch thick.
  2. Try sprinkling fresh, chopped parsley over cooked fish for a little burst of freshness
  3. Enjoy with steamed veggies drizzled with a little ghee. Asparagus, broccoli, roasted tomatoes, green beans and bok choy all go well with it. Get creative!
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Cauliflower Fried Rice

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Don’t you ever have those times when you just want to dive into a huge bowl of carbs?

You know, a bowl of pasta or just eat 3 extra servings of rice and not give a damn! Well, this cauliflower fried rice feels like you’re diving into a huge bowl of carbs, minus the guilt!

This is the perfect veggie filled dish – EVER!

I’m a little obsessed with this recipe for a few reasons:
1. It’s incredibly easy to make
2. I feel like I’m actually eating Chinese fried rice
3. It’s loaded with veggies 
4. You can eat a lot of it (because it’s veggies) and feel amazing!

IMG_6721

I’ve been getting my Organics Live delivery box every week, which is amaze balls by the way! Every week I get organic produce delivered straight to my door and often times, there’s cauliflower. I’ve been trying to come up with creative ways to use it, cause let’s face it, steamed cauliflower is freakin’ boring! 

You can click here to get your own Organics Live delivery every week (if you are in the local GTA area). Trust me, it’s worth it!

I made cauliflower tater tots the other night (will share the recipe soon) and this amazing fried rice. Oh! and my Creamy Cauliflower Soup is a serious favourite. Click here for that recipe. 

It’s safe to say that I am becoming a cauliflower master! And it’s becoming a veggie that I adore more and more, which is a good thing since Cauliflower is an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, pantothenic acid, and vitamin B6. It also contains biotin, which helps to strengthen hair (and been known to help with hair growth!). 

Cauliflower is also an incredible detoxification veggie. Certain compounds found in cauliflower, such as sulforaphane, glucobrassicin, glucoraphanin, and gluconasturtiian, are very useful for helping the body to detox due to how they support liver function.

And as a HUGE bonus, if you support the health of your liver, you in turn support the health of your skin, keeping the wrinkles at bay and that youthful radiant glow. 

So let’s get to this delicious, nutrient dense, detox friendly, skin loving recipe. 

Enjoy!

Cauliflower Fried Rice
Serves 4
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
20 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
20 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 large head cauliflower
  2. 2 large eggs, beaten
  3. 1 tablespoon minced ginger
  4. 3 cloves garlic, minced
  5. 2 medium carrots, diced
  6. 1/2 cup peas, fresh or frozen
  7. Half a onion, chopped
  8. 4 green onions, thinly sliced
  9. 1/4 cup cashews, optional
  10. 3 tablespoons coconut aminos/marinade (or tamari)
  11. 1 tsp chilli flakes
  12. Sea salt and pepper
  13. Coconut oil, for sautéing
Instructions
  1. Cut the cauliflower into florets, discarding the tough inner core. Working in batches, pulse the cauliflower in a food processor until it breaks down into rice-sized pieces.
  2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and drizzle in coconut oil. Add onion and carrots and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Add in ginger and garlic and stir together.
  3. Slide veggie mixture to one side of the skillet and add in the beaten eggs, scrambling until cooked through and then incorporate with the veggies.
  4. Stir in cauliflower "rice" and peas and mix everything together well. Add in coconut aminos. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until cauliflower is soft and tender. Add in chilli flakes, sea salt and pepper.
  5. Top with green onions and cashews and serve and enjoy!
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Carrot Cake Easter Cupcakes With Coconut Frosting

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Happy Easter!

Are you indulging in chocolate this weekend? I hope so!

Chocolate isn’t all that bad for you, really. It all comes down to quality. I always opt for 70% or higher dark chocolate and source out companies that are using real cacao and natural sugars. If you’re eating the really good stuff, a little bit of chocolate can be a good thing!

It’s loaded with antioxidants and contains many anti-aging benefits! Plus, real cacao contains a ton of magnesium which is incredible for detoxification!

Milk chocolate doesn’t really cut it for me. With all the milk solids and added sugars, it’s not really the way to go. 

Chocolate companies I love are: GiddyYoyo, Chocosol and Sacred Chocolate (their twilight dark is incredible!). 

Enough about chocolate, how about cupcakes!! I love cupcakes and with everything else I make, I always aim to make high quality and DELICIOUS recipes that are sure to please even the pickiest of eaters. I’ve posted these Carrot Cupcakes before but because they were so popular and incredibly yummy, I’ve decided to turn them into a fun easter treat. 

Trust me, anything is delicious when it’s topped with coconut whip! I also share a cream cheese frosting recipe below if you’re down for something a little more indulgent and creamy and can handle having dairy.

Hope you have a fantastic weekend and enjoy baking these healthy and delicious cupcakes for Easter!

Carrot Cake Easter Cupcakes
Yields 12
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
40 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
40 min
Ingredients
  1. ¾ cup almond meal
  2. ½ cup coconut flour
  3. 1 tsp baking soda
  4. 1 tsp baking powder
  5. 2 tsp cinnamon
  6. 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  7. ¼ tsp sea salt
  8. 2 eggs
  9. ½ cup maple syrup
  10. 1 tsp ground vanilla bean
  11. ¼ cup coconut or almond milk
  12. 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
  13. 1 mashed banana
  14. 1½ cups shredded carrots (about 4-5 large carrots, grated)
  15. Maple Coconut Whip
  16. 1-2 cups coconut cream
  17. 1 tbsp maple syrup
  18. Cream Cheese Frosting
  19. 4 oz organic cream cheese
  20. 1/2 cup organic plain greek yogurt
  21. 1/4 cup powdered sugar (or stevia powdered sugar)
  22. 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or powder
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.
  2. Line a muffin pan with liners.
  3. Grate your carrots. This should equal approximately 1½ cups of packed shredded carrots. Put this amount in a small bowl and set it aside.
  4. In a bowl, combine almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and sea salt with a fork. Set the bowl aside.
  5. In another bowl (large), mix the eggs, syrup, and milk with an electric mixer until well combined. Add the melted coconut oil and mashed banana to the bowl and mix with the electric mixer until well blended.
  6. Pour flour mixture into wet ingredients. Use mixer to combine ingredients together.
  7. Fold in the shredded carrots.
  8. Scope evenly into muffin pan.
  9. Bake for 30 minutes- switching the direction of the tray half way through baking to help evenly cook.
  10. To Make Maple Coconut Whip – place 1 can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight. In the morning, scoop out the hard cream from the top of the can. Place in a bowl. Add in maple syrup. Use a whisk to combine together. Allow cupcakes to cool before topping with whip.
  11. To Make Cream Cheese Frosting - add all ingredients into a bowl and using a hand mixer, combine until nicely whipped. Allow cupcakes to cool before topping with frosting.
Notes
  1. *I topped my cupcakes with shredded coconut flakes and mini chocolate eggs to decorate. Feel free to get creative with your toppings! Easter bunnies or grated chocolate would work well. Or get your kids to top them with their favourite easter toppings.
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Slow Cooker Whole Roasted Chicken

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I have never met anyone that didn’t looove their slow cooker. 

This kitchen appliance is an absolute must if you are constantly strapped for time, get home late from work or new to cooking. 

It’s pretty much a no fail approach to cooking. You can throw all your ingredients into the slow cooker, give it a mix, set the timer and leave it to do it’s job! From breakfast to dinner, your slow cooker (or better known as a crockpot) has got you covered. The other day I made a delicious crustless pumpkin pie for breakfast. You can get the RECIPE HERE. It was great waking up to an already done for you breakfast. Plus, the house smelled amazing. 

The number one complaint I always here from my clients is that they just don’t have time to cook. I can’t expect my clients to cook a fresh and healthy dinner every night of the week, but of course, I do want them to do majority of their own cooking and eat healthy regardless of time constraints. That’s where the slow cooker comes in. 

Enter this delicious and healthy whole roasted chicken. I threw all the ingredients into my crockpot and left it for 8 hours. Out came a juicy and delicious chicken. The meat was falling off the bone. My clients love this recipe and it has saved them A LOT of time during the week with busy schedules. Coming home from work to a healthy, done for you dinner is a great way to end your day! 

Don’t have time to cook healthy? No excuses! Get yourself a crockpot and make this recipe. 

Slow Cooker Whole Roasted Chicken
Serves 4
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
8 hr
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
8 hr
Ingredients
  1. 1- 4-6lb whole chicken
  2. 2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  3. 1 lemon, cut in half
  4. 1 large bunch fresh thyme
  5. 1 large carrot, roughly chopped
  6. 1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
  7. 1 onion, chopped into 4 parts
  8. 3 garlic cloves, crushed, left whole and skin on
  9. 2 tbsp olive oil
  10. 2-3 tbsp dried Italian herbs or mixture of your favourite dried herbs. Oregano, thyme, rosemary, parsley, savoury all work well.
  11. Sea salt and pepper, be generous with the salt
Instructions
  1. Prepare chicken. Remove giblets and neck or ask your butcher to do this for you.
  2. Place the lemon, fresh thyme and 1/4 of the onion inside the cavity of the chicken.
  3. Next, add sea salt, pepper, dried herbs and olive oil onto chicken. Rub this all over the chicken. Spread this generously all over. If you feel you need to add more herbs or olive oil, do so. this depends on the size of your chicken. The ingredient amounts above work well for 4-6lbs.
  4. Into your crockpot add chopped carrots, celery, garlic and leftover onion.
  5. Place the chicken breast side up into the crock pot and add in chicken stock.
  6. Turn your crockpot onto the low setting for 8 hours.
  7. Set it and leave it!
  8. After 8 hours, let your chicken sit for at least 15-20 minutes before carving.
  9. Serve with a side of roasted veggies or salad.
Notes
  1. If you prefer to have a crisper chicken, remove the chicken from the crockpot after it's cooked and place it into a roasting pan. Put it in the oven at 425, and cook for 5-10 minutes, or until desired crispness is reached.
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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