Hitting the road!

 

So we are hitting the road tomorrow with our final destination being South Carolina.  On our way, we will be spending a day in Washington.  We have been wanting to visit for a while, but felt the kids were a bit young for this type of vacation.  We are hoping it will open their appetite for a longer stay in the near future.  We should arrive in North Myrtle Beach on Sunday.  I am really looking forward to relaxing by the beach and enjoying some down time with my husband and the kids. 

 

I will try and post as much as I can, but it will mostly be about how to eat well when away from home.  When on the road I often get bored and therefore am always looking for something to munch on, that is why I prepare lots of snacks.  From veggies to light meals, I make sure to stay on track.  I am even bringing my small blender so that I can make myself smoothies for breakfast (being gluten and dairy-free on the while away from home is not always an easy task.  Some would say not to go crazy, but I know from experience that when I veer off, my inflammation comes right back, and I pay for it with pain...

 

 

Have a wonderful day and for regular updates during my trip, don't forget to like my page on Facebook and to follow me on Instagram, twitter (@aavoine) and pinterest!  If you like this blog, please subscribe to it's RSS Feed or via email!

Thanks for reading!

Amélie 

 

 

 

Pineapple Mango Smoothie

My daughter is starting to warm up to smoothies.  She was reticent to try them at first, for fear that I would sneak in things she doesn't like without her knowledge (which I would have been tempted to do).  But recently, she starting opening up to some changes in her diet.  She has tried a few salads so far and agrees that they are not as gross as she thought.  She also did agree that she was lagging behind in her fruit portions, so she saw smoothies as an easy way to do this.  One of the recipes that has been successful, is this Pineapple Mango Smoothie which my husband found on Smoothie Web. It is the healthy version of a Pina Colada and as much as I love it as a smoothie, I think it would make the perfect homemade popsicle. 

 

 

Pineapple Mango Smoothie

1 cup fresh pineapple, diced
1/2 vanilla yogurt, but I would substitute for vanilla almond milk if I made for myself
1 mango
1/2 freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tbsp. agave nectar or raw honey
6 ice cubes
 

 

 

I often hear people say that they would like to drink smoothies for breakfast, but mornings are such a rush that they can't.  Well, did you ever think of making them ahead of time?  Fruit smoothies can easily be made ahead and put in the refrigerator (usually keeps well for 48 hours) whether you are planning a smoothie party or your next morning's breakfast.  You could also freeze them and just take them out the night before.   

 

Have a wonderful day and don't forget to like my page on Facebook and to follow me on Instagram, twitter (@aavoine) and pinterest!  If you like this blog, please subscribe to it's RSS Feed or via email!

Thanks for reading!

Amélie 

 

Gluten and Dairy-Free Waffles

I was recently going through a box of kitchen things I hadn't yet unpacked (quite sad considering we have been here for 1 1/2 yrs.!)  and I found my waffle iron.  So I thought I would surprise the kids with a nice treat and serve waffles by the pool Friday night.  I relied on a recipe from food.com.  It is by far the best waffle recipe I have ever tried.  The results are light and crispy, similar to Belgian waffles.  And since my daughter had been craving the waffles she had at the First Fridays ever since she had them in May, it really hit the spot for her. 

Gluten and Dairy-Free Waffles

 

Ingredients

 

1 cup of brown or white rice flour

1/2 cup potato starch (not flour) - I didn't have any on hand so I used cornstarch

1/4 cup tapioca flour

2 tsp. gluten-free baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1/4 cup oil

2 free-range eggs

1 1/2 cups vanilla almond milk soured*

1 1 /2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1 tsp. raw cane sugar

 

Method

 

In a large measuring cup, place apple cider vinegar and pour milk on top.  Let sit for 10 minutes. 

 

In a separate bowl, whisk together all the other ingredients.  When milk has soured, pour on top of the other ingredients and whisk until blended.

 

Pour on your waffle iron and bake until lightly golden.  Serve and enjoy!

 

Have a wonderful day and don't forget to like my page on Facebook and to follow me on Instagram, twitter (@aavoine) and pinterest!  If you like this blog, please subscribe to it's RSS Feed or via email!

Thanks for reading!

Amélie

 

 

Strawberry Summer salad

If you follow me on Instagram, you probably know that I have recently been posting pictures of salads with bean sprouts.  I have to admit I have been addicted since my parents came over for a barbecue and my mom brought a Strawberry Summer Salad (recipe came from our local grocers newsletter).  It was so refreshing and tasty that I have been adding it to many salads that I have eaten since then.  And since sprouts contain fiber, potassium and vitamin C, there's no reason not to.   

 

Strawberry Summer Salad

(Yields 6 servings)

 

Salad:

6 sorrel leaves, chopped (she substituted with mixed greens)

10 strawberries, diced

1 avocado, diced

1 1/2 cups bean sprouts

4 cups baby spinach

4 cups frisée, chopped

1/3 cup sliced almonds

 

Dressing:

1 tbsp. honey

1 tbsp.  freshly squeezed or pure orange juice

1 tbsp. xeres vinegar

3 tbsps. sunflower oil

salt and pepper to taste

 

 

Method

 

Preheat oven to 350°F.  

 

In a large bowl. combine the first 5 ingredients and reserve.  

 

Place the almonds on a baking sheet and roast until golden (approximately 5-10 minutes).  Sprinkle on top of the salad.

 

In a small bowl, mix all the dressing ingredients and pour on salad.  Mix until ingredients are coated.  Serve and enjoy!

 

  

Have a wonderful week-end and don't forget to like my page on Facebook and to follow me on Instagram, twitter (@aavoine) and pinterest!  If you like this blog, please subscribe to it's RSS Feed or via email!

Thanks for reading!

Amélie

 

Pineapple + Banana = smoothie love!

It's been quite hot recently which has made me crave exotic flavours.  I also needed a break from all the strawberries I had been eating.  So when I saw the pineapples in the refrigerator, I figured they would be perfect for a morning smoothie.  And since it's my daughter's favorite fruit, I figured it would also be a great opportunity to feature her favorite glass and straws...Once again, this drink comes from the Martha Stewart smoothie app.  I simply substituted the yogurt for equal part vanilla almond milk.

 

Pineapple + Banana Smoothie
(Yields 2 servings)

Ingredients

1 banana
1 cup diced pineapple
3/4 cup vanilla almond milk
4 ice cubes

Method

Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix until you get a frothy texture!
Serve and enjoy!

 

 

Have a great day and don't forget to like my page on Facebook and to follow me on Instagram, twitter (@aavoine) and pinterest!  If you like this blog, please subscribe to it's RSS Feed or via email!

Thanks for reading!

Amélie

Black bean Quinoa Salad

 

The past few weeks have been quite busy, and I have been feeling a bit more tired than usually.  So when we got back home from the Canada day festivities on Sunday, my husband took care of dinner, which was awesome (since he works and I am at home, it makes more sense for me to cook on a daily basis).  We had been dying to try this Epicurious recipe for a while now, and we were not disappointed.  It was really good.  Similar in taste to my Mexican rice recipe (here) but a bit spicier.  It will definitely be added to our recipe box. 

 

Black Bean Quinoa Salad

 

Ingredients 

 

1 1/2 cups quinoa

1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, rinsed if canned

1 1/2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

1 1/2 cups cooked corn (cut from about 2 large ears)

3/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper (we used red since we were out of green ones)

2 pickled jalapeño chilies, seeded and minced (we skipped them, but if you used them be sure to wear rubber gloves, I once had a deep burning sensation and swollen hands for 6 hours because I handled them with my bare hands)

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

 

Dressing

 

5 tbsp. fresh lime juice

1 tsp. salt

1 1/4 tsp. ground cumin

1/3 cup olive oil

 

Method

 

In a bowl wash quinoa in at least 5 changes cold water, rubbing grains and letting them settle before pouring off most of water, until water runs clear and drain in a large fine sieve (unless otherwise indicated on packaging)

.

In a saucepan of salted boiling water cook quinoa 10 minutes. Drain quinoa in sieve and rinse under cold water. Set sieve over a saucepan of boiling water (quinoa should not touch water) and steam quinoa, covered with a kitchen towel and lid, until fluffy and dry, about 10 minutes (check water level in kettle occasionally, adding water if necessary).

 

While quinoa is cooking, in a small bowl toss beans with vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Transfer quinoa to a large bowl and cool. Add beans, corn, bell pepper, jalapeños, and coriander and toss well.

            

To Make dressing:
In a small bowl whisk together lime juice, salt, and cumin and add oil in a stream, whisking.

Drizzle dressing over salad and toss well with salt and pepper to taste. Salad may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring salad to room temperature before serving.

 

Have a great day and don't forget to like my page on Facebook and to follow me on Instagram, twitter (@aavoine) and pinterest!  If you like this blog, please subscribe to it's RSS Feed or via email!

Thanks for reading!

Amélie

My week on instagram and other life happenings!

The kids have been on summer break for a week now and I have to admit I am really enjoying it.  We are having quite a bit of fun.  We try and balance our days between swimming, quiet time (reading or playing a board game) and a special activity in our area.  This week my time will be split between preparing posts ahead of our upcoming trip (only 11 days to go!!!) enjoying my time with the kids and trying to rest!

 

 

My new favorite poolside drink : coconut water and strawberries!

Our town's Canada day's festivities



Enjoying a lakeside picnic of lettuce hummus wraps veggies and fruits

My favorite breakfast and dessert : mixed berries and vanilla almond milk

The kids and I strawberry picking

Gems from a local farm and some of the results of our strawberry picking

 

Our electrical company has a free museum open in the summer, the kids love going there
every year and lean new things about how electricity is produced and being savvy
about energy

Have a great day and don't forget to like my page on Facebook and to follow me on Instagram, twitter (@aavoine) and pinterest!  If you like this blog, please subscribe to it's RSS Feed or via email!

Thanks for reading!

Amélie