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

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
Write a review
Print
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/
SHARE THIS!
Share on Pinterest

Plantain English Muffins (AIP, Paleo)

I can’t even remember the last time I ate a “doughy-white” english muffin. I have a vague memory of eating them in my high school days before school in the morning. 

I was health conscious as a teenager and I used to think that english muffins, egg whites and margarine was the way to go. Boy was I wrong!

As I make my through the AIP protocol, there are lots of creative recipes I’m excited to re-create and dive into. I think it’s really easy to overcomplicate recipes and meal planning. It doesn’t have to be complicated. We spend so much time thinking about what we ‘CAN’T’ eat, when it’s much easier to focus on what we ‘CAN.’

Change your way of thinking and you’ll have greater success on any diet plan. It’s important to get into the right mindset for healing. This is exactly what we’ll be teaching in the Healing and Dealing with Hashimoto’s program. If you have Hashimoto’s or an autoimmune condition, click here to check out how this program can help you heal and transform your condition. 

I recipe tested some english muffins last weekend and they were an epic fail! I baked them in the oven and every 10 minutes kept checking if there were ready. They were a pile of mush and they wouldn’t harden. I had to throw them out. They were completely inedible. 

So, onto recipe #2. The winner. These gluten free gems are amazing!

Now let’s get real for a minute here…. these don’t taste like your traditional english muffins, I mean, they don’t even look like them for that matter. But they are delicious and perfect topped with some nut butter (not AIP), or coconut cream and raspberry jam; which is exactly what I did. 

I’ll be baking up a batch of these english muffins this weekend and I’ll top them with some guac and bacon. Mmmm!

Savoury or sweet, the muffins work either way. 

A few key things to note before baking them:

  1. I baked them in 2 circular pyrex oven safe dishes, like the image you see here. I only have 2, but this recipe below made 3. Once the first batch was done, I baked the last english muffin on it’s own. 
  2. 4 ramekins would work well for this recipe, but I don’t have any. I’ll definitely be getting some though! I’ve been needing them for multiple recipes. 
  3. Make sure to divide you batter evenly for 3 servings (or 4 if using ramekins).

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do. They are so good and perfect for your AIP breakfasts! I suggest doubling your batch and making extra so you can freeze them and have on hand for easy meal prep. 

Enjoy!

Plantain English Muffins
Write a review
Print
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
18 min
Total Time
28 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
18 min
Total Time
28 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 large ripe plantain
  2. 2 Tbsp avocado oil (olive oil or melted coconut oil would work well too)
  3. 1⁄4 Cup +1 Tbsp tapioca starch
  4. 2 Tbsp coconut flour
  5. 1 tbsp apple sauce
  6. 1 tsp baking soda
  7. 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  8. Pinch of sea salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 375F. Grease 2-4 ramekins or pyrex dishes with coconut oil.
  2. Roughly chop the plantains and place in a food processor with the remaining ingredients.
  3. Blend until smooth and creamy.
  4. Divide your batter into equal portions (2-4). Place batter into greased ramekins and using a spatula or back of a spoon, evenly spread it out. This equals ONE english muffin. Once it's baked you'll cut it in half.
  5. Bake for 15-18 minutes. The pyrex dishes are slightly larger than ramekins, so I found I needed at least 17-18 minutes, but you may need less time if baking in ramekins.
  6. Let cool slightly, remove from dish and slice in half.
  7. Place in the toaster/toaster oven for a few minutes to crisp up (optional). I like mine slightly toasted. Top with your favourite toppings and enjoy!
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
SHARE THIS!
Share on Pinterest

10 Keto-Friendly Dinners (Delicious, Low Carb & Easy to Prepare)

The Ketogenic diet is a hot topic as of late. Some people use it as an approach to weight loss, while others use it as a way to balance hormones and heal their body. A keto diet can be incredibly helpful for balancing insulin and blood sugar levels, which in turn will lead to better overall hormonal health (and yes ladies, that means less PMS and PCOS symptoms for you!)

If you’ve been thinking about going Keto, I’m hooking you up with 10 Keto-friendly dinner ideas! Below are a mix of recipes with dairy, and some without. I often find there are a lot of keto recipes smothered in dairy and although I love cheese, it’s not something I eat often and can be quite inflammatory for some people. Everyone is different so I wanted to provide you with options. 

If you’re looking to try the Keto approach to weight loss, check out my 12 week online weight loss program specifically designed to help women burn fat (with delicious food of course!). This program is not about deprivation, but about supporting women’s hormones with healthy high fat foods. Click here to learn more about my fat burning program.

 

Continue reading “10 Keto-Friendly Dinners (Delicious, Low Carb & Easy to Prepare)”

SHARE THIS!
Share on Pinterest

Chocolate Chip Cherry Muffins (Gluten Free and Grain Free)

These chocolate chip cherry muffins are so good! The combination of chocolate and cherry together is my FAV! 

I often whip up a smoothie with chocolate protein powder + frozen cherries + coconut milk + almond butter and it is so incredibly delicious. Oh! and my fat bombs! If you’re a chocolate-cherry lover, you’ve got to try my Chocolate Coconut Cherry Fat Bombs. They are so easy to make and perfect for a high fat, low carb diet. 

The truth is, as delicious as these muffins are, I’m in the process of eliminating almonds/almond flour/almond butter from my diet. They came up high on my food intolerance test + I’ll be eliminating all nuts and seeds for my AIP protocol, so I won’t be able to have these muffins for at least a good 6 weeks, once I reintroduce almond products back into my diet. 

When I baked these up last week I enjoyed them like they were my last meal!! Giving up almond butter is HARD. It’s really one of my favourite things to eat, plus I often bake with almond flour. But, you can bet I’ll be getting creative in the kitchen over the next few weeks, testing out different kinds of flours.

A food elimination diet definitely has its challenges, but if you’re currently struggling with autoimmune issues or hashimoto’s, it might be time to consider the AIP diet

And here’s the thing. There is NEVER going to be the right time to go on any type of ‘diet.’ With family events and parties and commitments, it can seem like following any type of program is just never going to happen. But, YOU have to create the time and make it a priority. 

With easter around the corner and lots on family dinners and brunches, I’m going to be faced with some challenges – for sure! But, I also recognize that there will never be the “right time” for healing. The right time is now. The right time is one I create. 

My priority is my health. It is very high on my list of values, which is why making these changes to my diet and lifestyle isn’t something I ever question. I just dive right in and go for it and at the same time recognize that it might not be perfect.

You are better off doing SOMETHING versus doing NOTHING. So if you’ve been holding back from losing weight, balancing your hormones or healing your autoimmune disease, the time to get started is right now. Dive in, trust the process and just begin. 

So, with all that said, let’s get to these delicious Chocolate Chip Cherry Muffins. They are gluten free and grain free, which is perfect for many elimination protocols and diets (but unfortunately, not AIP friendly).

* As a note – I used Lily’s Sugar free chocolate chips, which you can find here. And if you’re looking for the lakanto sweetener (which is my favourite to bake with), you can find it here. 

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cherry Muffins
Yields 9
Delicious gluten free, grain free and dairy free muffins that are bursting with chocolate and tart cherries.
Write a review
Print
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
35 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
35 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 cup almond flour
  2. 1/4 cup cacao powder
  3. 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
  4. 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  5. 1/2 tsp baking soda
  6. 1/4 tsp sea salt
  7. 2 large eggs
  8. 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
  9. 1/4 cup almond butter
  10. 3 tbsp lakante sweetener
  11. 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  12. 1 cup frozen cherries, roughly chopped
  13. 1/3 cup lily's sugar free chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line muffin tin with liners.
  2. Add all DRY ingredients to a food processor and blend until well combined. T
  3. hen add WET (minus the cherries & chocolate chips) and blend until combined.
  4. Scoop batter into bowl. Add in cherries and chips and fold in gently. Spoon batter into muffin liners, filling 3/4 of the way.
  5. Bake for 26-28 mins, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 10 mins.
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
SHARE THIS!
Share on Pinterest

The Autoimmune Paleo Protocol – Foods to Eliminate for Healing

When I first learned of my Hashimoto’s diagnosis, I dove into ALL areas of my health and well being. From IV therapy, to colonics, to supplementation, further hormone testing and of course diet, I put together a healing strategy – one that I am still following today. 

“The root cause of all autoimmune diseases is the same: our immune system, which is supposed to protect us from invading microorganisms, turns against us and attacks our proteins, cells, and tissues instead. Which proteins, cells, and tissues are attacked determines the autoimmune disease and its symptoms.” – Dr. Sarah Ballantyne 

The Autoimmune Paleo Protocol (abbreviated AIP), is a powerful strategy that uses diet and lifestyle to regulate the immune system, putting an end to these attacks and giving the body the opportunity to heal.

AIP can be seen as a ‘stricter’ version of the paleo diet. It eliminates foods allowed on the typical Paleo diet that have compounds that may stimulate the immune system or harm the gut environment, including nightshades (like tomatoes and peppers), eggs, nuts, seeds, beans, grains, gluten and alcohol.

Since I had already eliminated grains, beans, gluten, most dairy and sugar from my diet, taking it one step further wasn’t that big of a deal for me. 

With the AIP diet, there are a lot of things to eliminate and it can be challenging for some. Especially if your meals are centered around grains, it can be hard to give these foods up. I often find that many of my clients meals contain some sort of grain, with protein, fat and veggies not taking up enough ‘plate space.’

If you’ve been dealing with an autoimmune disease, I highly suggest you try out the AIP protocol. 

Here is a list of foods to eliminate on an AIP protocol:

GLUTEN / GRAINS / GRAIN-LIKE SEEDS: GLUTEN: – Wheat, Barley, Rye, Oats 

GRAINS: – Barley – Corn – Kamut – Millet – Oats – Rice – Rye – Sorghum – Spelt – Teff – Wheat (all varieties – einkorn, semolina, etc) 

GRAIN-LIKE SEEDS: – Amaranth – Buckwheat – Chia – Quinoa 

DAIRY: – Butter – Cheese – Cottage Cheese – Cream – Ghee – Ice cream – Kefir – Milk – Sour Cream – Whey – Yogurt 

LEGUMES: – Adzuki beans – Black beans – Black-eyes peas – Cannellini beans – Chickpeas/Garbanzos – Fava beans – Green beans – Kidney beans – Lentils – Lima beans – Mung beans – Navy beans – Pinto beans – Peanuts – Peas – Split peas – Soy beans 

NUTS & SEEDS:  NUTS (including nut-derived oils, nut flours, nut butters): – Almonds – Brazil nuts – Cashews – Chestnuts – Hazelnuts – Macadamia nuts – Pecans – Pine nuts – Pistachios – Walnuts

SEEDS (including seed-derived oils, seed flours, seed butters): – Chia – Flax – Hemp – Poppy – Pumpkin – Sesame – Sunflower 

SPICES DERIVED FROM SEEDS: – Anise – Annatto – Black caraway – Celery seed – Coriander – Cumin – Dill – Fennel – Fenugreek – Mustard – Nutmeg 

NIGHTSHADES (and spices derived from nightshades): – Bell Peppers – Cayenne Pepper – Chili Peppers – Eggplant – Goji Berries – Hot Peppers – Paprika – Pepinos – Pimentos – Potatoes – Tamarillos – Tomatillos – Tomatoes EGGS (chicken/duck/goose) 

Also avoid: ALCOHOL, COFFEE, PROCESSED VEGETABLE OILS (Canola, Cottonseed, etc), ADDED SUGARS, SUGAR ALCOHOLS

I already know where your brain is going. I already know you’re telling yourself that you could never eliminate these foods. 

​​Trust me, giving up almond butter was SO hard for me! And to top it off, almond butter ranked high on my food intolerance test as well, so even more reason to eliminate it. And I bake with almond flour all the time. Ugh! My worst nightmare 🙁

But please keep in mind – these food eliminations are temporary. You can reintroduce these foods back, which I have done so already. 

Keep in mind ALL the amazing foods you CAN eat. Meat, fish, seafood, veggies, fruit, delicious fats, herbs and spices. There is A LOT you can eat. 

From the AIP diet, I naturally transitioned in a modified keto diet. Because I don’t really eat carbs or a very low-carb, I increased my fats to help fuel my body, hormones and brain and so far – I’m loving it. 

At the end of the day – you HAVE TO DO THE REAL work and that takes effort and commitment. Changing your diet to be AIP compliant is hard work. And although the AIP protocol may seem challenging, it could also be the ONE thing that just might save your life. 

My amazing friend Marni Wasserman, who also has Hashimoto’s is my go to friend when I’m feeling challenged by my diet and health. 

If you haven’t downloaded our Healing Recipe Guide, click here to do so now. We share delicious AIP friendly recipes that we love and we know you’ll love too! These recipes are great for anyone with autoimmunity. 

Marni and I are teaming up to bring you more info on Hashimoto’s and share our stories of how we’ve gotten better and the steps and protocols we’ve taken. 

So stay tuned… we’re working on some fun stuff! And in the meantime, try out our recipes and start the healing process today. 

SHARE THIS!
Share on Pinterest

Almond Butter Banana Muffins

I’m kind of in love with almond butter. And I often just eat it right outta the jar!

C’mon now, I know I’m not the only one!

I’ve been more conscious of getting in healthy fats. And although almond butter is a great fat, I’m talking about things like coconut oil, ghee, grass fed butter and other animal fats that are amazing for hormonal health.

I also started using SCT oil in my coffee and to cook with. You’re probably familiar with MCT oil – which is medium chain triglycerides, which comes from coconut oil. 

PURE SCT OIL is a short chain triglyceride or short chain fatty acid. Short chain fatty acid is the preferred source of fuel for the colon and is associated with many health benefits such as improved insulin sensitivity, weight loss, anti-cancer, detoxification, and systemic anti-inflammatory effects just to name a few.

In just ONE serving of Pure SCT OIL you are getting an abundant source of Butyric acid, which has been shown to support gut and colon health and Vitamin K2 production, which is critical to the building and maintenance of strong bones.

Not to mention, Pure SCT OIL is great for jump-starting and igniting a sluggish metabolism. This special oil is a potent source of CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid), which has been shown to aid in fat loss and muscle gains, support anti-inflammatory pathways along with the reduction of chronic inflammation. Plus, it is a perfect addition to a KETO or PALEO inspired lifestyle because of its high bioavailability and supply of “instant-ketones.”

[fusion_gallery image_ids=”7083,7084″ layout=”” picture_size=”” columns=”2″ column_spacing=”10″ hover_type=”” lightbox=”” lightbox_content=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=””][/fusion_gallery]

The SCT oil you see here comes from certified-humane organic Jersey cow dairies and it taste delicious! In fact, it has a slightly sweet taste. Oh! and my cat loves it! 

So if you’re trying to up your ante on healthy fats, check out SCToil.com and try some for yourself. 

Ok, but now.. onto these delicious muffins. As you know, I only want to bake up health-ified and delicious treats that are low in sugar and high in nutrients – which is exactly what you get with these gems. 

Hope you enjoy them as much as I did! They were delicious right outta the oven and smeared with SCT oil. YUM!

ENJOY! xoxo

Almond Butter Banana Muffins
Write a review
Print
Ingredients
  1. 1 cup almond butter
  2. 2-3 mashed bananas
  3. 2 large eggs
  4. 1/4 cup lakanto monk fruit sweetener
  5. 1 tsp vanilla extract
  6. 1 tsp baking soda
  7. 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  8. 1/4 tsp sea salt
  9. 1/4 cup finely chopped pistachios
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a muffin tin with 9 paper liners.
  2. Add all your ingredients, except the pistachios, into your food processor and blend until smooth and well combined.
  3. Pour batter evenly into prepared muffin liners, filling each cup to just below the top and sprinkle with pistachios.
  4. Bake for 30 minutes, until just set and a toothpick comes out clean with dry crumbs. Transfer to a rack to cook completely, then serve and enjoy!
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
SHARE THIS!
Share on Pinterest

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

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
Write a review
Print
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/
SHARE THIS!
Share on Pinterest

Sugar Free Almond Butter Chocolate Brownies

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
Write a review
Print
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/
SHARE THIS!
Share on Pinterest

Instant Pot Butter Chicken – A Delicious and Simple 8 Minute Recipe (Paleo, Gluten Free)

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
Write a review
Print
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/
SHARE THIS!
Share on Pinterest