Paleo Shrimp Linguini (Gluten Free, Grain Free, Paleo)

Whether you’re paleo or not, this recipe will easily become a household favourite! 

It’s the perfect recipe to enjoy while you soak up these last few days of summer with delicious seasonal vegetables like cherry tomatoes, zucchini and fresh basil. But don’t fret, come cooler temps, simply swap out the zucchini for winter squash and you’re all set 😛 

As a kid I LOVED traditional shrimp linguini but sadly, it didn’t love me! The combination of protein (shrimp) and a heavy starch like white pasta would have my digestive system out of whack! I would instantly become bloated, gassy and uncomfortable. Not fun. Since then, I’ve tried this dish using whole grain, gluten-free as well as bean/lentil based pastas. And you know what? I felt the exact same way – UGH! Although those pasta options are much healthier, especially compared to white pasta, some individuals (like myself) really struggle with digesting concentrated proteins and starches. 

This is why whenever possible, I choose to eat paleo-friendly and opt for grain-free options like this awesome Shrimp Linguini with zucchini noodles. It’s much easier to digest protein with veggies and I promise, you won’t miss the pasta! Don’t believe me? You may not know this (yet), but I’m a major foodie! Not only is my goal to create healthy food for you that leaves you feeling amazing but it also HAS to be delicious.  

Speaking from personal experience, eating more paleo-friendly meals always leaves me feeling AMAZING digestively. I feel light, satisfied & I don’t experience the same bloating or gassiness that I would otherwise. 

Now, don’t get me wrong, we still enjoy grains and other carbs on occasion but we’re definitely more conscientious about how often we’re relying on them. That alone, has us consuming far less than we ever have before. Not only is eating grain-free beneficial for digestion but it’s also helpful for reducing inflammation and stabilizing blood sugar levels (a key component to hormonal balance). 

But if grain-free isn’t your thing, you can also use a whole grain or gluten-free pasta instead of zucchini noodles OR use half zucchini noodles and half pasta if you’d prefer to add some carbs. If Paleo isn’t your thing, you can omit the shrimp and use organic tofu or tempeh instead 🙂 

Paleo Shrimp Linguini

Serves 2

Ingredients

  • 2-3 Tbsp olive oil 
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1/4 tsp chilli flakes 
  • 10 shrimp, uncooked, deveined & tails removed 
  • 1/2 orange bell pepper, diced 
  • 6 cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 1 lemon, squeezed 
  • 3 big handfuls of fresh spinach 
  • 2 small yellow zucchinis or 1 large, spiral sliced into noodles
  • 2 Tbsp fresh basil, chiffonade 
  • 1/2 cup raw parmesan, grated (optional)
  • sea salt 
  • fresh black pepper

Directions

1. Add olive oil to a stainless steel or cast iron pan over medium heat and saute garlic and chilli flakes for about 1 minute or until fragrant. Add shrimp, a pinch of sea salt, fresh black pepper and cook until done. Remove shrimp and set aside for now. 

2. In the same pan, over medium heat, add pepper, cherry tomatoes, lemon juice and another pinch of sea salt. 

3. Add to the pan spinach and allow the greens to wilt a little before adding in zucchini noddles. Saute everything for only a few minutes. You want to allow the zucchini noddles to soften slightly but you DON’T want to overcook them. 

4. Return shrimp back to the pan just to warm them through.

5. Portion everything out, top with fresh basil and grated raw parmesan, if you wish. Taste carefully for seasoning and adjust accordingly. 

I’m curious, if you’re someone who struggles with digestive issues, have you tried going paleo?

Share with me in the comments below!  

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Moroccan Chickpea Soup

It’s been awhile since I’ve have chickpeas. 

I cut out beans from my diet quite some time ago due to reacting to salicylates which are a compounds found in foods from plants: most fruit, some vegetables, herbs, spices, tea and flavour additives. For example, citrus fruit, berries, tomato sauce and mint flavouring are naturally high in salicylates and so are processed foods with those flavours. Many beans and legumes also contain them. 

Salicylates are also found in medications, fragrances, industrial chemicals, plastics and some pesticides, and can cause adverse effects when inhaled as well as eaten.

After suffering with a ton of food sensitivities and intolerances and trying to follow a mainly vegetarian diet almost 4 years, my health unfortunately started to suffer. 

My digestive system was not happy and it hurt to eat. 

After much elimination I found I functioned much better without beans. I took the time to heal my gut, focus on increasing my fat intake and I introduced meat back into my diet.

I follow what I like to call The Qualitarian Diet. For me, it’s not about following just ONE type of diet, ie. raw, vegan or paleo; it’s really about incorporating different parts and aspects from these diets into what works best for me. 

So if I feel like beans, I eat them. If I feel like sitting down to a strictly raw meal, then I will. If I want to enjoy a delicious roasted chicken, so be it. I listen to my body, what it wants and choose QUALITY always. 

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 (CLICK HERE 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!

And now… onto this incredible Moroccan Chickpea Soup. 

The spice blend is so fragrant and healing and really adds so much flavour to this dish. 

With the protein and fiber from the chickpeas, you’ll be full and satisfied. 

I find this soup is even better the next day after all the spices have had time to meld together. 

Hope you enjoy it as much as I do! 

Moroccan Chickpea Soup
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
35 min
Total Time
45 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
35 min
Total Time
45 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 large onion, medium diced
  2. 5 to 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  3. 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  4. 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  5. 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  6. 1 heaping teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
  7. 1 (14.5-ounce) can organic chopped tomatoes
  8. 2 398ml cans organic chickpeas, drained and rinsed well (I use Eden Organic)
  9. 1 quart organic low sodium vegetable or chicken broth
  10. 1 teaspoon coconut sugar
  11. Olive oil, butter or ghee
  12. Sea Salt
  13. Freshly ground black pepper
  14. 1 (5-ounce) package pre-washed organic baby spinach
Instructions
  1. Heat olive oil/butter/ghee in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until the onions begin to turn translucent; lower heat if browning starts to occur.
  2. Add spices and saute a minute or so.
  3. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, broth, and sugar. Season with a couple pinches of salt and 10 grinds fresh pepper. Stir well.
  4. Chickpeas should be just covered with liquid. If level is shy, add some water so the chickpeas are just covered.
  5. Bring to a simmer, then lower heat and gently simmer for 35-40 minutes.
  6. Remove soup from heat. Use a potato masher to mash up some of the chickpeas right in the pot.
  7. Stir in the spinach and let heat through until wilted, just a couple minutes.
  8. Season again, to taste, with salt and pepper.
  9. Serve soup hot and drizzle lightly with extra-virgin olive oil, if desired
  10. Enjoy!
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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Almond Butter Cookies

I made these scrumptious cookies yesterday and was so pleased how they turned out I just had to share the recipe with you! These cookies are full of fiber, omega’s (healthy fats) and sweetened with maple syrup. Best of all they are super easy to make! I guarantee they won’t last long in your house!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup almond butter
1/2 cup maple syrup ( I used grade B syrup)
3 Tbsp safflower oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup spelt flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup almonds, chopped (walnuts would work great too!)
1/2 cup gluten free chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.
In a large bowl, mix together almond butter, maple syrup, oil and vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, blend together flour, baking soda and salt.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
Fold in the chopped almonds and chocolate chips.
Refridgerate the dough for at least an hour.
Roll heaping tablespoons of dough into balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Flaten balls with your hand or the back of a spoon. Bake for 10-12mins, until edges are slightly golden brown.

Happy Baking!

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Choco-Coco-Bliss Smoothie Using My Favorite Vegan Protein!

I know that chocolate and peanut butter are an amazing match, but my personal fave is chocolate and coconut….and the best part….it makes a great breakfast smoothie! It’s like having dessert for breakfast! If you use the vega powder, you’ll get an amazing dose of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients, fiber, protein….and need I go on!! The almond butter makes this smoothie super creamy, and gives an omega boost, a fiber boost AND an extra protein boost!!

  • 1 cup almond milk
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 scoop Vega chocolate protein powder (or your choice of chocolate protein powder)
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 2 tbsp almond butter
  • Blend together
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Tropical Smoothie with Delicious Mango and Pineapple

Not that this will take place of a pina colada, but it’s definitely a tasty reminder of the tropics….minus all the empty calories. It makes a great anytime drink, and an even better dessert ‘drink.’ You have to really love coconut to love this drink, and you’ll notice I’m clearly obsessed with coconuts!! This smoothie is refreshing, contains beneficial heart-healthy omega 3’s, high in antioxidants and high in iron. Enjoy!!

  • 1 cup water OR 1 cup coconut water
  • 1 cup frozen mango
  • 1 cup fresh pineapple
  • 2 tbsp flaxseed oil
  • ¼ cup plain organic yogurt OR Liberte coconut yogurt OR 2 tbsp coconut bliss, gluten free, dairy free ice cream!!
  • Blend together
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The Powerhouse Smoothie w/ Vegan Protein, Maca and Essential Fats!

I LOVE this smoothie! I start most of my mornings with the power packed smoothie. It’s filling fiber and protein keep me satiated for hours, the maca gives me an incredible energy boost that beats coffee and the banana and strawberries give it the perfect sweetness. Feel free to use any berries or a blend of the berries below. I swear you’ll feel nourished and revitalized after drinking this powerhouse!

  • 1 cup water
  • 1 banana
  • 1 cup frozen berries (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries)
  • 1-2 tbsp ground flax/chia
  • 1 tbsp maca powder
  • 2 tbsp flaxseed oil
  • 1 scoop of your favorite protein powder- I like Vega Vanilla Chai, or SunWarrior Vanilla protein powder (both are vegetarian proteins)
  • Blend together
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