Chocolate Collagen Avocado Pudding (Paleo, Keto, Dairy-Free, Grain-Free + Loaded with Healthy Fat)

Chocolate lovers unite! This chocolate avocado pudding will have you giddy with joy because it’s a dessert that’s ridiculously healthy for you.

And for anyone already shaking their head ‘no’ at the thought of avocado in a dessert – TRUST! Even some of my fussiest clients who can’t stand the taste of avocados, absolutely love this dessert. It’s a great way to sneak it in if you’re not a fan of the texture or taste but still want to benefit from the nutrition.

Speaking of nutrition, have you ever wondered why all nutritionists love avocado? It’s for good reason. Avocados are a fantastic source of fibre, healthy fats and even some B vitamins.

Chocolate avocado pudding was one of the first desserts that I was introduced to when I started eating healthier. I was completely skeptical. I mean, avocado in dessert?? WTF, right? Well, I learned very quickly and very early on that a lot of goodness can be hidden behind a blended concoction of sorts.

Avocados in pudding…kale and cauliflower in smoothies…it was a whole new world to me back then. Now, it’s second nature to me. I’m surprised when I see smoothie recipes without any vegetables in it! It takes time and it’s definitely a process. So if you’re new to all of this, don’t be so hard on yourself and be prepared to be daring and try new things.

A few things to note about this recipe:

1. If you don’t have stevia, I suggest using 1-2 Tbsp of real maple syrup. {Truth be told, I prefer the taste of maple syrup, but will resort to stevia when I’m on a cleanse}.

2. The toppings are optional, although I highly recommend the addition of the frozen raspberries.

3. If you do opt for the toppings, you’ll want to prepare the coconut milk by refrigerating a can the night before making this.

4. I have enjoyed this dessert as a breakfast on more than one occasion!  No judgement if you do the same.

I like adding a scoop of collagen powder to mine for a bit of added protein to help stabilize those blood sugar levels and support my hormones as well as for gut support but it’s entirely optional here and you don’t need it especially if you don’t have any on hand.

You can 100% have dessert that’s clean and healthy and DELICIOUS.

Chocolate Avocado Pudding
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Ingredients
  1. 1 ripe avocado 1 can full fat coconut milk
  2. 2 Tbsp raw cacao powder
  3. 1 tsp vanilla extract 12-15 drops stevia
  4. 1 scoop collagen powder (optional)
Toppings
  1. (optional) coconut whip (see below for directions)
  2. mint leaves 70% chocolate shavings
  3. Frozen raspberries
Instructions
  1. Add all of the above ingredients (minus the toppings) into food processor and blender until smooth and creamy.
  2. Refrigerate mixture for at least 2 hours or overnight.
  3. To make the coconut whip, refrigerate a can of full fat coconut milk overnight.
  4. Next day, turn it upside down and scoop out the cream only.
  5. Add it to a bowl with 1 tsp vanilla & a few drops of stevia.
  6. Using a hand held or stand mixer, whip until it resembles whip cream.
  7. Use immediately or refrigerate until ready to use.
  8. To serve, portion out chocolate avocado pudding into individual ceramic dessert bowls or mason jars, top with a generous serving of coconut whip, a few frozen raspberries, shave 70% dark chocolate over top and garnish with mint leaves.
  9. Enjoy!!!
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Creamy And Delicious Vegan Eggnog

Guuuyyysss…. this recipe is everything! 

I’ve officially switched into holiday mode. I love seeing the strings of twinkling lights, a little more sparkle on outfits and my calendar filling up with get-togethers to see family and friends. 

You know what else I enjoy? Eggnog! That creamy deliciousness makes an appearance for such a short amount of time so I make sure to get my fair share.   

Growing up in a Portuguese home, Eggnog was never part of our family tradition. As I got older and spent the holidays with the families of my friends, I was introduced to it and quickly became a fan.

Fast forward a few years, it was pretty obvious that Eggnog did not fit into my new way of living.  I still wanted to enjoy it, but on my healthy terms! I didn’t want to give it up but I also didn’t want all of the added sugar, heavy cream and raw eggs from traditional recipes.

What I have come up with is this creamy, spiced blend that is perfect to sip on in front of a cozy fire, with friends at a holiday gathering or even as a base for a morning latte.

The best way to enjoy it is as a creamer for your coffee. Hope you like it as much as I do!

Creamy Delicious Vegan Eggnog
Serves 2
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Prep Time
10 min
Prep Time
10 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 ½ cups coconut milk (or other nut milk of your choice)
  2. ½ cup raw cashews
  3. 4 medjool dates, pitted
  4. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  5. ¾ tsp ground nutmeg
  6. ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  7. Pinch of ground cloves
  8. Pinch of sea salt
Instructions
  1. Soak cashews in water for 30 minutes, drain and rinse.
  2. Add all ingredients to a high power blender and blend until smooth.
  3. Serve immediately with a sprinkle of nutmeg or cinnamon on top.
Notes
  1. For a festive touch, you can add 1oz. spiced rum and whole cinnamon sticks for stirring.
  2. If you prefer it warm, heat up the coconut milk on the stove top just to a boil before adding to blender.
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Gluten Free Chocolate Oat Bars

What do you reach for when craving a snack?

I’m sure most of us crave something sugary, or salty during that 3pm crash. If you haven’t nourished yourself all day with the right amounts of nutrients, and your on your second pot of coffee by 3pm; there’s a good chance sugar and salt are on your mind!

I’ve been there… we’ve all been there, and it’s time to get outta there!

Fruits, nuts, seeds, a protein shake; these are all great snacks to have mid day. I always encourage my clients to reach for a whole food option when it comes to snacking. No prepackaged special K bar is good in my books. And to think, as a teenager I used to eat those! My I’ve come a long way 😉

These bars are just what you need for that afternoon fix. In fact, they are full of nutrients and goodness, that they would be great along side a bowl of fruit in the morning for your kids, before sending them off to school. I mean… don’t you think it’s time to ditch the pop tarts?!

So let’s get to it…

Image 1

 

Gluten Free Chocolate Oat Bars
(recipe adapted from Joyous Health Book)

Ingredients:

2 and 1/2 cups wheat free rolled oats ( I use Bob’s Red Mill)
1 cup chocolate whey protein powder (I use Progressive Organic Whey)
2 tbsp raw cacao powder
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/3 cup chocolate chips (optional, but great for extra sweetness for kids! I like Enjoy Life chocolate chips)
1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts
1/4 cup coconut sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground vanilla bean
1 cup raw almond butter
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup almond or coconut milk
2 tbsp real maple syrup

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a large baking dish with coconut oil.
In a large bowl, combine oats, protein powder, sesame seeds, coconut, chocolate chips, walnuts, sugar, cinnamon and ground vanilla; mix well. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt almond butter and coconut oil together. Add to dry ingredients and quickly stir. Then add almond milk and maple syrup and mix well. Stir until well combined. Pour batter into prepared baking dish and press down evenly with hands. Bake for approximately 15 minutes. Remove from oven, keep oven on, and let batter cool slightly for about 10 minutes. Then cut into desired pieces and place on a cookie sheet. Cutting the batter into bars may get crumbly. Be careful when transferring them to a cookie sheet. Transfer back to oven and bake for another 12 minutes, until edges of bars start to crisp up.

These bars are amazing as is, or you can crumble them like granola and serve over your favourite sheeps yogurt or with some homemade almond milk.

Happy Baking 🙂

To Your AWESOME Health & Abundance,
Samantha xoxo

 

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Why You Need to Eat Brazil Nuts

Heart health, thyroid health, cellular health… all reasons why you need to eat brazil nuts!

Brazil nuts are super creamy and buttery. In fact, they make the perfect nut milk.

Just replace almonds with brazil nuts in this easy to follow recipe here – HOMEMADE ALMOND MILK.

Watch my 1 minute video below explaining why brazil nuts are soooo good for you and your health!

Enjoy 🙂

 

To Your AWESOME Health & Abundance,
Samantha xoxo

HAVE YOU DOWNLOADED MY FREE BEST BREAKFAST RECIPE EBOOK? This recipe book is full of delicious and nourishing breakfast recipes. Some vegan, some paleo; all delicious! There’s something for everyone 🙂

Sign up HERE – FREE RECIPE DOWNLOAD

 

 

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The Best Kale Salad You’ll Ever Have!

I love Kale!

But…not all of my clients get as exited about kale as I do, mainly because they are unsure how to prepare it and use it in recipes.

A lot of people can get turned off by the bitterness of kale. And yes…kale is definitely a bitter leafy green. But the bitterness actually helps to cleanse the liver! How great is that?

Kale is loaded with a ton of essential minerals, vitamins and antioxidants. Plus, it contains vitamin K. A vitamin essential for building your bones and keeping them strong!

In this recipe, I created a deliciously sweet dressing using raw honey. The honey helps to balance out the bitterness. Organic raisins are added for some extra sweetness and texture and heart healthy creamy pine nuts add delicious flavour and balance.

This recipe is SO easy to prepare and requires minimal ingredients. Its become a weekly staple in my house. In fact, I crave this salad frequently.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Watch my quick video as I show you how to prepare it.

Ingredients:
Salad:
1 large bunch black kale, washed and de-stemmed and broken up into pieces
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup thompson raisins
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Dressing:
3-4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp raw honey
Juice of 1 lemon

Directions:
Mix dressing ingredients in a bowl using a whisk. The honey is quite sticky, so it may require a few minutes of stirring and whisking.
Add all salad ingredients to a large bowl and add in dressing. Allow salad to sit for 5-10 minutes to allow the kale to slightly wilt and absorb the dressing.

 

Hail to the Kale 🙂

Enjoy!

Samantha xoxo

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Creamy Vegan Garlic Caesar Dressing

Image 7Love garlic?

If so, you’ll love this recipe! Of course, you can always modify the below ingredients, but I love garlic, so more is better!

This recipe came together on the whim. I was craving for a caesar salad, but didn’t have any dressing. So I whipped together this recipe and was surprised by how delicious and easy it was!

It’s super creamy and loaded with flavour. Plus, it’s vegan. No eggs or anchovies needed.

I served this dressing over chopped romaine and lacinato kale. I topped my salad with sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and a sprinkling of parmesan. Feel free to get creative with your own salad ingredients. Nothing beats experimenting in the kitchen!

Enjoy 😉

Creamy Vegan Garlic Caesar DressingIngredients

¼ cup walnuts
¼ cup olive oil
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp herbamare (sea salt and dried herb seasoning)
Juice of 1 lemon
3 garlic cloves

Directions

Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend together. Depending on how you like the texture, you can add a little extra olive oil or water to thin out the dressing. Some extra lemon juice may also do the trick.

*Dressing will last in the fridge for 5 days. You can use leftovers as a veggie dip!

 

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Chocolatey Black Bean Brownies

Image 2Simple, easy, and mess free!

These brownies are so easy to make. Pile all your ingredients into a food processor and viola! You’ve got delicious brownie batter made from BLACK BEANS!

Yes…ya heard right! These brownies are made with heart healthy, fibrous black beans. I was shocked at how moist they were! They are absolutely delicious and will become a new dessert staple of mine 🙂

I’m prepping for a Women’s Seminar next week and need to introduce them to easy and simple ways to prepare gluten free goodies, minus all the expensive gluten free flours out there. Let’s face it, almond flour, coconut flour; as much as these are staples in my baking, they can be quite costly.

So if you need a chocolate fix that won’t break the bank, make these brownies!

Black beans are packed with protein and fiber, two key macronutrients that help to keep you fuller for longer. This is also beneficial for balancing blood sugar levels.

“One cup of black beans provides over 4 grams of soluble fiber, and this is precisely the type of fiber that researchers have found especially helpful in lowering blood cholesterol levels. Decreased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and myocardial infarct (MI, or heart attack) have both been associated with increased intake of soluble fiber from food” – WHF.

In just 1 cup of black beans, you’ll get a super dose of magnesium, B1, folate and iron. All nutrients essential for your health. Not to mention the extra magnesium and antioxidant boost you’ll get from the added cacao powder!

Now let’s get backing!

Gluten Free Chocolatey Black Bean Brownies

Ingredients:

1 14oz. can black beans (I use Eden Organic)
3 organic eggs
½ cup of cacao powder
½ cup coconut oil, softened (room temp)
½ cup coconut sugar
½ cup of dark chocolate chips
1 tsp ground vanilla bean or vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon of baking soda
½ cup roughly chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F
and grease a brownie pan with coconut oil.
2. Add all ingredients except walnuts to a food processor and puree to create your batter.
3. Add batter to brownie pan and gently stir in walnuts.
4. Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

 

Other ingredient options:

– Add 1/3 cup dried cherries for extra sweetness

– Try using ½ cup maple syrup instead of coconut sugar

– Butter works well instead of coconut oil

– High quality cocoa powder can substituted for cacao

– Top with toasted coconut flakes

 

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Valentines Day Treats for Your Sweetheart

Valentines Day treats do not need to be unhealthy.

Avoid the unnecessary sugars, unhealthy fats, and poor quality chocolate (cacao is the way to go!) and make your valentine something sweet in your own kitchen!

I love this recipe (adapted from Doug McNish Eat Raw Eat Well cookbook). It’s loaded with heart healthy fats (bonus…February is heart health month!), tons of minerals from rich cacao powder, and lots of antioxidants from sweet raspberries.

It’s simple to prepare and chances are they won’t last long!

Raspberry Cacao Hemp Heartsraspberry

Ingredients:

1.5 cups shelled hemp seeds (soak for 30 minutes, discard water)
2 cups organic raspberries (I used frozen)
1 tbsp chia seeds
1/2 cup raw cacao powder
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup filtered water
1/4 cup melted coconut oil (melt over low heat till liquid)

Directions:
In a blender or food processor, combine hemp seeds, raspberries, cacao powder and maple syrup. Blend until smooth. Add water and coconut oil and continuing blending until smooth. Spread into a baking dish and freeze for 1-2 hours. Remove from freezer and let sit for 10 minutes to bring to room temperature. Cut into squares or hearts using a cookie cutter.

Looking for other Valentines Day recipe inspirations?

I’ve got you covered!

Check out my:

Chocolate Lover’s Massage Butter

Dark Chocolate Goji Bark

Almond Butter Cups

Enjoy!

 

Happy Valentines Day 🙂
Samantha xoxo

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Why You’re Aging & What To Do About It

Getting older does not need to be scary.

I fully embrace getting older, but I just don’t want it showing up on my face!

Wrinkles, age spots, drier skin….this can all be avoided with the right diet and supplementation!

Yes…that’s right. AVOIDED!

You know that saying, “You are what you eat!” Well….it’s true. If you’re eating hydrogenated vegetable oils, a ton of sugar, drinking coffee, consuming gluten and dairy, you could be aging faster!

All these foods deplete your body of vital nutrients. Without these nutrients, your skin and your body starts to break down. Your skin loses its suppleness, it becomes drier and more scaly, wrinkles appear faster and your bones and joints start to ache.

So what do we do?? And what is it in the first place that’s causing us to age?

Watch my quick video below where I share WHY you’re aging and WHAT to do about it!

I share what you need to ditch from your diet and what you need to include more of.

Enjoy 🙂

 

Happy Aging…Gracefully 🙂

Samantha xoxo

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