Tag: holistic wellness

Metabolism Boosting Hemp Seed Breakfast Cereal (High Fat, Low Carb, Paleo, Grain Free)

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Fats are making a comeback and thank god! There’s been so much fat-fear mongering over the years, which has caused MORE disease and issues with diabetes, heart health, hormones, weight and cholesterol. 

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… Fat does not make you fat, sugar does! Now of course, if you’re eating fried foods and GMO vegetable oils – these will have a negative impact on inflammation and your waist line, but I’m taking about avocados, nuts, seeds, animal fats, olive oil, coconut oil, ghee, grass fed butter and all the delicious, healthy fats that fuel your brain and hormones. 

And speaking of hormones, have you tuned into my podcast – Healthy Hormones for Women? I’m super stoked for my podcast and being able to connect with YOU in a new way and to continue to bring you information and inspiration for living a healthy, more vibrant life. 

If you haven’t yet left a review or a rating, I would ABSOLUTELY love it if you could. Simply head on over to iTunes or Stitcher, leave your review or rating, take a screenshot and email it over to us at – info@holisticwellness.ca and we’ll hook you up with my FREE 3-Day Hormone Balancing Meal Plan ? This meal plan contains 10 delicious recipes that are low-inflammatory, healing for your hormones and will super charge your energy. 

Ok… now back to fats and this delicious and quick breakfast cereal. The ladies in my 12 Week High Fat, Low Carb Program are loving this recipe. I’ve got them loading up on hormone balancing fats throughout the day, ditching the gluten and grains (which are very inflammatory) and shedding fat while eating delicious meals ?? In addition to this metabolism boosting breakfast, you might like this breakfast scramble recipe here. 

The bonus of eating fats? It helps to nourish your skin, hair and nails. Ok, let’s get cooking and fuelling our metabolism first thing in the morning. Cuz girl… if you’re still waking up and eating bagels, toast, high fruit smoothies and high carb foods – you are NOT fuelling your metabolism and are in turn, creating an insulin spike, which will cause you to GAIN weight. Make the switch to this breakfast and you’ll start seeing some results!

High Fat Hemp Seed Breakfast Cereal
Serves 1
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Prep Time
3 min
Cook Time
5 min
Total Time
8 min
Prep Time
3 min
Cook Time
5 min
Total Time
8 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 cup unsweetened almond or coconut milk
  2. 1/2 cup hemp seeds
  3. 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
  4. 1 tablespoon chia seeds
  5. 5-6 drops alcohol free stevia (or lakanto, xylitol or erythritol - all optional)
  6. 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  7. 1/4 tsp alcohol free vanilla extract (optional)
  8. 3-4 walnuts
Instructions
  1. Combine the milk, hemp seeds, ground flax, chia, cinnamon and vanilla in a small pot over medium heat. Stir until boiling.
  2. Once it’s boiling, bring down the heat to a low-medium and simmer for about 4 minutes. When the porridge has thickened, remove it from the heat and serve in a bowl.
  3. Add the stevia (optional) and top with walnuts.
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Chocolate Coconut Cherry Fat Bombs (High Fat, Low Carb)

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Chocolate, coconut and cherry is pretty much a magical match made in heaven. 

These delicious fat bombs are so-damn-good and perfect to whip up for your special Valentine. 

I just absolutely love cherries! I buy tart frozen cherries and always keep a stash in the freezer. They are perfectly sweet and in fact, are great for combating inflammation and helping with sleep as they contain melatonin. 

Melatonin is a hormone secreted at night by the pineal gland in the center of your brain to help to regulate your circadian rhythm. In order to produce adequate amounts of melatonin, it’s important that you head outside for at least 30 minutes – 2 hours a day (regardless of the weather), as natural light exposure helps support your natural circadian rhythm.

But melatonin is not only produced in the pineal gland—it is also naturally present in certain foods, cherries being one of them. Their was a study done on participants who drank tart cherry juice post workout to help with their recovery and they found that not only did the cherry juice help combat inflammation, but it also increased melatonin levels. 

Now, if you eat these delicious gems during the day, trust me, you’re not going to all of a sudden do a face plant on the floor and fall asleep. It’s not that strong! But they might help encourage better sleep – bonus!

As we age, we produce less melatonin, which is often the reason why so many elderly men and women struggle with insomnia. And if you throw in autoimmunity or other health complications and conditions, lacking sleep means your body is not healing. 

As I work on healing my Hashimoto’s, sleep has become my number one priority. And guess what? I’m feeling like a million bucks because I’ve been sleeping so well. 

Last year I had so many issues with sleep, getting to sleep, staying asleep and because of it, my healing process was taking a long time. I felt exhausted (obviously) and this started to affect my workouts and my day-to-day. 

Now, I’m working out 4 days a week and sleep through the night. I do take a cocktail of supplements before bed and I’ve been using the true dark glasses at night if I’m watching netflix. These glasses have been a GAME changer for blocking out blue light. I recommend getting both the yellow (for the computer) and the red glasses (the stronger ones for tv and sleep). 

Anyhow, enough talking. Let’s get to these delicious Chocolate Coconut Cherry Fat Bombs. Oh! and Happy Valentines Day xoxo

P.S. Here is the silicon molds I used for this recipe. I ordered it off of amazon here. These molds are a game-changer for baking. Easy clean up and nothing sticks to them!

P.P.S. If you’re loving the high fat, low carb way of eating, then click here to learn more about my metabolic reset weight loss program. This 12 week program is amazing for helping you burn fat and balance your hormones.

Chocolate Coconut Cherry Fat Bombs
Yields 30
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Ingredients
  1. CHERRY FILLING
  2. 1 cup full fat coconut cream (from top of canned coconut milk)
  3. 3/4 cup frozen tart cherries, pitted
  4. 1 tbsp lakanto or swerve (optional)
  5. 1 tsp vanilla extract
  6. CHOCOLATE COATING
  7. 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
  8. 2 tbsp shredded cacao butter (optional)
  9. 1 tbsp coconut oil
Instructions
  1. CHERRY FILLING: place all cherry filling ingredients into a food processor and combine until creamy. Spoon mixture into mini silicon molds. (you can use any size, I personally like the mini ones. My silicon mold holds 30). Spoon mixture about 3/4 of the way, leaving space to pour in chocolate.
  2. Place in the freezer for 20-30 minutes to harden.
  3. CHOCOLATE COATING: over a double boiler, melt together chocolate chips, cacao butter and coconut oil. Once melted and smooth, remove fat bombs from freezer and pour in chocolate over each mold.
  4. Place back in the freezer for 1-2 hours to set and harden. When ready to serve, remove from freezer and pop out fat bombs from the molds. The silicon is great as the fat bombs don't stick and pop right out! These fat bombs melt fairly quickly, so eat right away once out of the freezer.
  5. Can keep stored in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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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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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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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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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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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.
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Soothing Golden Smoothie from Joyous Detox

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There are endless ways to make a smoothie. 

In fact, you could probably have a different smoothie for every day of the year!

I’ll be the first to admit, I have my typical go-to smoothie that I make on the regular (simply out of laziness and due to wanting to use up the ingredients I have on hand), but I do like to venture out of my smoothie routine. 

Fun fact – I’ve actually owned my vitamix for over 10 years and I don’t think there’s been a day that’s gone by that I haven’t used it! 

In fact, when I first moved in with my boyfriend over 5 years ago he was shocked when I told him I spent $600 on a blender. He thought I was crazy! But then… after a few weeks of using the vitamix, he was hooked! He actually said to me that if we ever broke up he’d go and buy a vitamix the next day, regardless of the price!

Ha! It just goes to show you that investing in a good blender is well worth it. And being that I’ve had mine for over 10 years, I got my $600 use out of it!

My vitamix has seen endless smoothie concoctions and just recently, I whipped up the most delicious Soothing Golden Smoothie from my good friend Joy McCarthy. Her latest book, Joyous Detox is amazing and full of 100 delicious gluten free, dairy free and detox friendly recipes. 

Honestly, if you’re a foodie (and you must be if you’re cruising around my blog!) then you will love her book. And you will love this delicious smoothie. 

Why I love this smoothie so much? It’s full of potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant rich superfood ingredients, such as cinnamon, ginger and turmeric. Blended together with heart healthy omega 3 hemp seeds + sweet banana + satiating coconut butter; this smoothie is super yummy. 

In fact, if you’re looking for a sweet and healthy dessert, this would be the perfect guilt free smoothie to whip up. But, because it’s loaded with so many healthy ingredients, it serves as a great breakfast too! Either way, you can’t go wrong. 

P.S. I’m doing a giveaway (on July 5th) of Joy’s book Joyous Detox over on instagram. Simply click here to join me on instagram and get in on the contest fun! 

Soothing Golden Smoothie
Serves 1
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Ingredients
  1. 1/3 cup unsweetened, unsulphured coconut flakes
  2. 3 tbsp hemp seeds
  3. 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  4. 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
  5. 1 tsp ground ginger
  6. 1 banana (or use 3 medjool dates)
  7. 1 tbsp coconut butter
  8. 1-2 cups Coconut milk, more or less based on desired consistency.
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients in the blender and blend on high for 30-60 seconds until smooth. Add more coconut milk if needed to reach desired consistency.
Adapted from Joyous Detox
Adapted from Joyous Detox
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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