Kick The Cold Super Green Smoothie

You know I love my green smoothies! 

I drink one pretty much everyday, and the days I don’t drink one I feel really ‘off!’

They just taste so damn good and it’s such an easy way to incorporate a lot of dense greens and load up on vitamins and minerals. 

I created this smoothie specifically for beating your cold and flu. With the fall season upon us and the dreary sun-less weather, there have been many sniffles and coughs going around. 

Kick your cold to the curb and boost your immune system with this vitamin C rich smoothie. Did you know the kiwi’s contain more vitamin C than oranges? It’s true! They are great for your immune system, plus, vitamin C helps to build collagen which is a protein necessary for beautiful skin, hair and nails. 

Then there’s kale. Kale is king when it comes to veggies and I made sure to include 2 cups of this super green. It’s rich in calcium, magnesium, vitamin C and loaded with chlorophyll which helps to alkalize your body. 

So load up on this super smoothie and get to feeling better and brand new again, fast! And if you don’t have a cold, make it anyways! It will help prevent you from catching one 🙂

Enjoy!

Immune Super Smoothie

 

Check out my Qualitarian eCookbook that is full of over 40+ whole food recipes and a whole chapter dedicated to energizing smoothies and juices. Cleanse your liver, kidneys and detox with my amazing recipes! Get your eCookbook HERE. 

 

 

 

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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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Sweet Potato and Kale Quinoa Patties for Meatless Monday!

Powerhouse ingredients make up this incredible recipe! Actually, 3 of my most favourite foods, sweet potato, kale and quinoa! These hearty patties are filling and make a great substitute for a traditional burger. Their great as a breakfast pattie, a side for lunch, or a main at dinner- absolutely versatile. Next time I think I’ll try more savoury herbs instead of a curry kick, such as oregano, rosemary or thyme. Feel free to experiment with different spices and herbs and come up with your own concoction! Enjoy!

IMG_3221 Quinoa Patties

Ingredients

1 tsp coconut or olive oil

1 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 carrot, shredded

2 cups kale, cut into small pieces

1/2 cup cooked sweet potato

1 cup organic canned adzuki beans, rinsed

1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa

2 tbsp gluten free all purpose flour

2 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp chili flakes

1 tsp cumin

2 tsp curry powder

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

  1. In a saucepan, melt coconut oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add carrots and kale, sauté for an additional 4 minutes.
  2. In a food processor or blender, puree beans and yam.
  3. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix well.
  4. Measure into 1/3 cup portions and press into patties*.
  5. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.

* Make into bigger patties for a burger substitute

 

Health & Abundance,

Samantha xoxo

Recipe adapted from – http://myvega.com/blog/2013/celebrate-international-year-quinoa

 

 

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Adzuki Bean, Sweet Potato and Kale Stew + Almond Avocado Cacao Power Shake for Meatless Monday

One pot veggie filled meals are the best! They are loaded with nutrition, great for experimenting with flavours and great for freezing! This simple stew is a perfect weeknight meal and great for those chilly nights, which I hate to admit but fall is officially upon us in just a few days. I love the bounty fall has to offer- pumpkins, squashes, rich greens…mmmm….I can’t wait! Looking forward to sharing many more fall inspired recipes with you this coming season! 🙂 Enjoy!

Adzuki Bean, Sweet Potato and Kale Stew

Ingredients
1 can organic adzuki beans
1 large sweet potato, cut into cubes
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 cup vegetable stock
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp chili flake (optional)
pinch of cayenne (optional)
2 tsp sea salt or herbamare
1 bunch kale, chopped

Directions
Saute onion and garlic in coconut oil on low heat until onion is translucent. Add all spices and gently mix together. Add stock and sweet potato and let simmer for 10 minutes. Add beans, salt and simmer another 1o minutes. Layer kale on top of stew and put a tight fitting lid on top. This will help to steam kale. Let steam for 5 minutes or so, until kale is bright green and slightly crisp. Remove for heat and serve. **Depending on thickness of sweet potato cubes you may need to cook a few minutes longer or until desired texture is reached.

Almond Avocado Cacao Power Shake
This shake is loaded with antioxidants, energy, protein and fat! It’s a great breakfast shake when your on the go and need a much needed boost of nutrition and deliciousness!

Ingredients
1 cup coconut water
1 cup almond milk
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (optional)
2 heaping tbsp cacao powder
1 tbsp maca powder
1/2 avocado
3 medjool dates
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 heaping tbsp almond butter
ice

Directions
Place all ingredients into a high speed blender.

Happy Meatless Monday!

Health & Abundance,
Samantha 🙂

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