Happy New Year!

 

 

 Happy New Year!  I hope you are all able to celebrate with your loved ones and that 2014 brings you health and happiness!  I will not be posting on the blog for the rest of this week as we will be getting away to Lake Placid.  I will be back on next week with new recipes and ideas to share with you!

Grapefruit Carrot juice

I have recently started juicing after debating for a while about the pros and cons.  There are no studies that prove huge health benefits, but that didn't bother me much because if I had listened to the medical community before switching to a plant-based, gluten-free diet, I would have undergone brain surgery and would still eat the standard American diet.  Having lived through this transformation and seeing the positive effect it has had on my health became reason enough to convince me that juicing could also have its benefits.  I read quite a lot about other people's experience with juicing and decided to give it a try.  I have not bought a juicer, I use my vitamix and a fine mesh strainer in order to separate the fibers from the juice.  I have been drinking a juice every day for a few weeks and can say the effects on my energy level are tremendous.  I feel normal again. 

 

 

 

Did you know that the grapefruit is a vitamin C super fruit that is great for fighting the common cold and is so powerful at fighting free radicals that consuming it can benefit you from a reduction in cancer risks, cardiovascular diseases and strokes.

 

 

 

Grapefruit Carrot Juice

 

Ingredients

 

3 cups filtered water

2 cups organic kale

4 organic carrots

1 organic grapefruit

1/2 inch fresh organic ginger

 

Place all ingredients in juicer or vitamix.  If using a blender, mix until you get a thick watery paste.  Place fine mesh strainer over a large bowl and empty juice over it.  It may take up to five minutes in order to separate the juice from the fiber  (fiber may be kept and used in muffins).  Serve and enjoy!

 

Thanks for reading and Happy New Year!

Amelie 

 

 

Healthy Frozen Chocolate Covered Bananas

I have a sweet tooth.  I need chocolate everyday and eat dessert after dinner every night - that's non negotiable in my book.  That is what I found the hardest at first when I switched to a plant-based diet a little over a year ago.  I thought I could never have dessert again since I had also sworn off most sugar.  Then I found out about all these raw desserts that required no sugar or were sweetened with only a little honey or dates.  And although my husband, my daughter and I are all converts, my son has yet to jump on the bandwagon - he has a developed quite a fear of my healthy recipes...  So last week I decided to give frozen chocolate covered bananas a try hoping he would at least give them a chance.  I have seen images of them go by on my instagram feed quite often, but not every recipe seemed healthy enough for me to give it a try.   So I came up with my own and I can say that all 4 of us were instantly in love.  It had the perfect balance of chocolaty goodness yet the texture of the frozen banana made it fee quite light.  Let me just say that it will be on high rotation in our house once summer comes around.  I'd say the kids won't miss ice cream sandwiches that much!

 

 

Frozen Chocolate Covered Bananas

Ingredients

2 bananas peeled and cut in half
Raw Organic Shredded Coconut
Coffee sticks
1 tbsp. Raw honey or agave nectar
2 tbsp. raw cacao powder
3 tbsp. water

Method

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper

In a saucepan mix honey, cacao and water over low heat until it forms a chocolaty liquid. 

Roll banana halves in chocolate mixture and place on the cookie sheet.  Sprinkle coconut shreds on desired bananas. 

Insert coffee stick in bananas and place cookie sheet in the freezer for 2-3 hours. 

Remove from freezer and place in refrigerator until you are ready to serve (I like my bananas softer so I place them in for at least 30 minutes prior to serving them).

 

Thanks for reading,

Amelie

Pomegranate Chard Salad - Perfect for those holiday dinners!

 

So I haven't updated this blog in a long time, because life with 2 kids and homework and activities just got the best of me.  If you follow me along on Instagram or Facebook you still have been updated with recipes, but I simply decided to take a break from the blog and focus on getting by.  I have been wanting to post for a few weeks and decided today was the day.  I will try and update as much as possible.

 

The recipe I am sharing with you today is a very simple salad recipe that is quite festive looking and tasting.  You can easily bring it to a pot-luck holiday dinner and have only 5 min. prep beforehand, which gives you more time to pamper yourself...always makes me happy!



Pomegranate Chard Salad
(Yields 2 servings)

6 cups Swiss Chard
2-3 cups fresh pomegranate arils
2 tbsps. balsamic vinegar

Serve and enjoy!

 

 

 

Thanks for reading!

Amelie

Dragon Fruit Smoothie

One of our local grocery store has had an overhaul and their produce section has grown quite a bit, including a better variety of local and not so local fruits and vegetables.  And since I have been challenging the kids to try something new at least once a week, I decided this was the perfect opportunity for me to do the same.  This week's fruit is the Red Pitaya (dragon fruit) from Vietnam.  They are rich in fibers, minerals and antioxidants.

Dragon Fruit Smoothie

1/2 dragon fruit
1 cup frozen pineapple
1 cup frozen mango
1 cup frozen raspberries
1 banana
2 cups pure coconut water
2 tbsp. flaxseed
2 tbsp. salba chia

 

Thanks for reading!

Amelie

 

Gluten and Dairy-Free Banana Almond Bread

I am subscribed to quite few food newsletters, but don't always take the time to make the recipes and sometimes just simply forget about them.  But I love baking at this time of year, so this banana bread recipe that I adapted from Chowhound came at the right time.



Banana Almond Bread

Ingredients

2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
2 tsp. xanthan gum
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. Himalayan rock salt
5 tbsp. extra virgin coconut oil, plus extra for coating the pan
1/3 cup coconut sugar
2 organic free-range eggs at room temperature (or egg replacer)
3 ripe bananas, mashed
2/3 cup raw almond butter
1/3 cup honey, agave nectar or maple syrup
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup almond milk at room temperature
Pumpkin seed butter for serving (optional)

Method

Heat oven to 325F with rack in the middle.  Coat a 9 x 5 loaf pan with coconut oil and set aside.

Place the flour, gum, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to aerate and break up lumps.  Set aside.

Place the melted coconut oil and sugar in a large bowl and whisk until well combined.  Add the eggs, mashed bananas, almond butter, honey and vanilla and whisk until smooth.

Add half the reserved dry mixture and stir until just combined (I placed mine in the mixer and beat on low).  Add half of the milk while continuing to stir.  Repeat with remaining flour mixture and milk until just combined.

Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth out the top.  Bake for approximately 75 minutes (or until a fork inserted in the middle comes out clean and the bread begins to pull away from the sides of the pan).

Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes.  Run a knife around bread and turn on the wire rack to finish cooling.  You may also serve warm with pumpkin seed butter (which is what I did and it was decadent!).

This bread will keep in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

 

 

Thanks for reading!

Amelie

 

Pineapple Orange Kale - Green Smoothie Heaven

 

I have been craving a return to green smoothies recently since I feel I don't get enough greens in my diet.  I prefer my green smoothies when the "green" is paired with a stronger tasting fruit, since it  tastes fruity.  My stomach still is unsure about the taste of vegetables first thing in the morning, unlike my kids who have been pairing their breakfast with cucumbers this week.

 

 

 

Pineapple Orange Kale Smoothie

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups pure orange juice (or 2-3 oranges0
1 1/2 cups vanilla almond milk
2 bananas
2 cups pineapple
2-3 cups mixed kale (in this case red, green and Tuscan)
1 tsp. psyllium seed husk
6 ice cubes

 

 

Thanks for reading!

Amelie

Banana Strawberry Chia Blizzard

This morning I felt like treating myself to something different so I sort of improvised with what my tasted buds were craving.  So I came up with this blissful blizzard creation.  This photo really doesn't do it justice...it looked so good that I forgot to make sure it looked nice enough for the blog before I dug in...

 

 

 

 

 

Strawberry Banana Chia Blizzard

 

Ingredients

 

1/4 cup black chia seeds

3/4 vanilla almond milk

2 frozen bananas

1 cup strawberries

1 tbsp. dried goji berries

 

Method

 

Mix together chia seeds and milk and let sit in the refrigerator for approximately 30-40 minutes.

 

Take bananas out of the freezer.  When they have thawed for approximately 20 minutes, place in blender and mix on cold setting.  Mix in with chia and milk. 

 

Place strawberries and goji berries in blender and grossly puree (you should still have decent chunks.  Mix 1/3 of the mixture with the banana/ chia mixture.  Top it with the rest of the berries. 

 

Enjoy with a spoon!

 

 

Did you know that goji berries can interfere with blood pressure and diabetes medication.  It is advised that you consult with your physician before consuming if you are on such medication.

 

Thanks for reading!

Amelie

 

 

 

Dairy-free Raw Cream of Carrot Soup

This week has been quite busy with different appointments and all the running around has left me feeling even more tired.  The weather has also been quite cool and I've found myself craving more fall-like recipes.  So at lunch today, I figured I would make a raw soup to warm me up a bit.

 

 

 

 

Dairy-free Raw Cream of Carrot Soup
(Yields 2 large servings)
 
Ingredients

3 carrots
2 green apples
3 tbsp. yellow onion
1 orange
1 cup almond milk
1/2 cup cashews
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
pinch of salt, pepper, nutmeg

Method

Grossly chop vegetables and fruits and place with the rest of the ingredients in high speed blender such as a Vitamix or Blendtec on hot liquid setting.  The use of a high speed blender is important since the speed of the blades warms the soup enough to serve hot but doesn't cook them, so there is not loss of nutrients.

Serve and enjoy!

 

Thanks for reading and have a nice week-end!

Amelie

 



Raw Nutella

My daughter's favorite treat is Nutella.  She could literally eat it by the spoonful, and I can't say I don't feel the same way.  But the hard truth is that it is bad for you and it should not be consumed every morning on toast, as she would want it.  So I decided to try my luck and make my own.  And we were both satisfied with the results.  It is sweet enough to satisfy our sugar craving, but healthy enough to eat it guilt free...with a side of fruit!

 

 

Raw Nutella

Ingredients

1 cup raw hazelnuts
1/2 cup vanilla almond milk
1 tbsp. extra virgin coconut oil
4 tbsp. raw honey, agave nectar or maple syrup
3 tbsp. raw cacao powder
1/8 tsp. Himalayan rock salt

Method

Place nuts in a food processor and mix until they form a paste.

Add oil and mix until you get a smooth texture (I like a crunchy texture, so I mixed a little less).

Add the milk, honey, raw cacao powder and salt and mix until well blended.

Serve and enjoy!

 

Thanks for reading!

Amelie

Mushroom Risotto

I have been craving risotto for a while, but with the heat we've been having, it simply was too heavy a meal to make.  With fall near and school lunches in high demand at our house, yesterday felt like the perfect time to make it. 

Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients

1 cup dried sliced shiitake mushrooms
1 cup water
4 cups white mushrooms
1 yellow onion
3-4 garlic cloves
3 tbsp. coconut oil
8 cups vegetable broth
3 1/2 cups Arborio rice
2/3 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp. Himalayan rock salt


Method

Soak porcini mushrooms in water for 15-20 minutes.  During this time, sauté onion and white mushrooms in a deep frying pan with garlic and 2 tbsp. coconut oil on medium heat.

Transfer soaked mushrooms with their water, sautéed onions, white mushrooms and 1 cup vegetable broth in a blender and puree.

Place rice in the pan with 1 tbsp. coconut oil and mix over med-low heat until rice is coated and clear.  Add mushroom puree and stir for 1 minute.  Add 1 cup of vegetable broth, nutritional yeast and salt and mix for 2-3 minutes.

Add the rest of the broth to rice 1 cup at a time and mix constantly until rice in cooked and most liquid is absorbed.

Serve and Enjoy!
 

Thanks for reading!

Amelie

Smoothies I love!

I really can't say enough about having smoothies for breakfast.  They are the most wonderful refreshing way to start your day and they are so easy to digest that you will be left energy to spare.  Even my husband has converted and raves about how it makes him feel.

 

Here are a few smoothies that I have posted on Instagram recently and that I really enjoy!

 

 



Orange Strawberry Fig Love Smoothie
(2 servings)

 I based this smoothie on my love of fig cookies, strawberries and orange juice and it turned out great!

1 cup vanilla almond milk
1 cup pure orange juice
2 bananas
 3/4 cup strawberries
 6 dried figs
 2 tbsp. maca powder
 1 tbsp. flaxseed
12 ice cubes

Basic Green Smoothie

  1 banana
  2 cara cara oranges
 1 large bunch of baby spinach
 3/4 cup vanilla almond milk
1 tbsp. flaxseed
 1 tbsp. maca powder
 6 ice cubes

Add caption

Wonderful Frozen Berry Delight

  2 1/2 cups mixed frozen cherries, blueberries, blackberries and pomegranate arils
 1 banana
 1 1/2 cup of coconut water
 1 tbsp flaxseed
 2 tbsp black chia

 

 

Thanks for reading!

Amelie

Gluten and dairy-free pizza

Pizza has always been one of my favorite meals.  It is versatile and so yummy.  But when going gluten-free I struggled with finding pizza crusts that did not taste like plastic.  I bought dry mixes and made my own and they all failed to impress me until recently.  I was shopping at Winners (TJ Maxx in the states) in their health food section and happened on Namaste Foods Pizza Crust Mix.  It tasted so good and the list of ingredients won't prevent you from sleeping at night.

 

Arugula, Mushroom and Tomato Pizza

 

Sauce ingredients :

 

1 handful chopped kale

1 cup pine nuts

10 mushrooms

1 19oz. Can organic crushed tomatoes

1 tbsp. oregano

1 tbsp. basil

1/2 tsp. california garlic powder

 

Method :

 

Place ingredients in a blender and mix until you get a smooth texture.  Spoon over baked pizza crust and freeze leftover sauce for future use.

 

Pizza Ingredients:

 

1/2 Namaste Foods Pizza Crust mix (it is also available online and at Tau markets)

2 cups arugula

10 mushrooms

10 cherry tomatoes

 

Pizza Method:

 

Layer ingredients over pizza sauce and cook according to the package instructions.

 

Serve and enjoy!

 

 

 

Thanks for reading!

Amelie

 

 

 

 

 

Quinoa, Kale and Pomegranate Salad

 

My favorite lettuce is by far kale.  It is crispy and has this tangy taste that I adore.  I prefer it alone drizzled with a bit of oil and lemon juice, but when I have it as a main course and I need a protein source I love to mix it with quinoa.  This salad is super simple to make and is sure to please everyone (even meat eaters!!!) 

 

 

 

Quinoa, Kale and Pomegranate Salad

 

Salad Ingredients :

 

6-8 cups kale

3 cups cooked quinoa

4 cups pomegranate arils

 

Dressing Ingredients:

 

1 tbsp. sunflower oil

1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp. POM juice

 

Mix salad ingredients together in a serving bowl.  In a separate bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients.  Drizzle on top of salad and mix until coated.

 

Serve and Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading!

Amelie



Gluten and Dairy-Free Penne'n Cheese

So I have been trying to find a good alternative to my son's less than healthy macaroni 'n cheese love affair.  He likes the boxed kind (and I rarely indulge).  So when he was feeling under the weather yesterday, I decided to give The Post Punk Kitchen's mac 'n cheese recipe a try (head over to her site for the recipe).  Well, as with everything with a detectable nut taste, he was less than pleased.  But my husband and I simply couldn't get over how decadent it was.  It was creamy and so, so tasty.  Good enough to serve for a fancy meal when we have company, and easy enough that everything is done in the time it takes to boil pasta.  

 

 

 

Recipe notes:  I omitted the brussel sprouts this time since I am the only one who likes them.  I also omitted chipotles since I don't like when things are too spicy. 

 

 

Thanks for reading and have a great week-end!

Amelie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

Chocolate Chia Berry Kiwi Smoothie

 

Last night I made Chocolate Chia pudding for dessert and although it failed to impress the kids, my husband and I really enjoyed it.  I liked it so much, in fact, that I decided to also include it in my morning smoothie today!  Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

 

 

Chocolate Chia Pudding

1 cup vanilla almond milk
1/4 cup chia seeds
1 tbsp. raw cacao powder

Place chia seeds and cacao powder in a mixing bowl.  Add milk and mix until you get an even texture.  Refrigerate for a few hours and serve.

 

 

 

Chocolate Chia Berry Kiwi Smoothie

1 1/2 cups chocolate chia pudding
1 banana
2 kiwis
3/4 cup blueberries
1 1/2 cups coconut water

Place all ingredients in a blender and mix until you get a nice smooth texture.  Serve and Enjoy!

 

Have a great day and thanks for reading!

Amelie

Raw Kale Casserole

So I recently realized that I am eating a lot of raw meals and I have been enjoying it tremendously.  This was not intentional, as my stomach (and what's in the fridge) mostly dictates my meals.  I have never been great at planning meals ahead of time and so usually figure it out shortly before mealtime.  This is exactly what happened here and I could not be happier.  It was fresh and crispy and I have been craving it ever since.

 

 

 



Raw Kale Casserole

(Yields 1 serving)

 

Salad ingredients :

 

3 cups of kale

1 cup pomegranate arils (I buy some already prepared in the fozen section at Costco)

1 1/2 cups broccoli

1/2 cup dry roasted chickpeas (recipe here)

1/4 cup mung bean sprouts

1/4 cup mixed sprouts

 

 

Dressing ingredients :

 

1 tbsp. sunflower oil

1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp. nutritional yeast

 

Method:

 

Whisk dressing ingredients together until you get a smooth texture.  Place all salad ingredients in a large bowl and add dressing.  Mix everything until well coated.

 

 

 

 

Have a great day!

Amelie

 

Raw Brownies

So I have been trying to get my kids to eat more healthy snacks and breakfasts.  It is a slow process, but we are making headway.  I found that what works is to make super healthy "desserts".  Last week-end I found another bloggers' Raw Brownies recipe and decided to make it for that night's dessert.  Well, it was a hit and I've since made another batch with a modification and I like it even better!  And the kids can have if as snacks and breakfast with some fruits and it still a super healthy option!

 

 

Raw Brownies

1 1/2 cup walnuts

1 1/2 cup hazelnuts

3 cups dates

1 cup raw cacao (not a typo) powder ...
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Place nuts in food processor and mix until you get a crumbly texture.  Add dates, vanilla extract and raw cacao powder mix until you get a somewhat pasty texture.

Transfer to a rectangular Pyrex-type dish and spread evenly. You may sprinkle with coconut shreds
at this point. Place in the freezer for 3 hours. Take out 10 minutes before serving. Keep leftovers in the refrigerator.

Have a great week-end and thanks for reading!
Amelie

Mixed greens with beets, mung bean sprouts and dry-roasted chickpeas

So I am an avid instagram user.  My husband would say that I am addicted, which is not too far from the truth.  I mainly follow users who are vegan and who eat a whole food plant-based diet (with the occasional fashion bloggers (I have a weakness for bloggers who mix high-end designers with Forever 21 and Zara (I mostly mix Zara and Forever 21...nicer on the budget)).  So anyways, I use Instagram as a platform to share my recipes, and really do enjoy the instant gratification of the "like" button.  I also feel like there is a better connection and dialogue with my followers, where as a blog feels more like a self-centered monologue.  I also find it harder to produce a quality product when I have the kids around.  So for the next little while, I will be posting here once or twice a week, since I do enjoy it quite a bit.  As for more regular updates, feel free to follow along on  my  Facebook page and on Instagram, twitter (@aavoine) and pinterest!  If you like this blog, please subscribe to its RSS Feed or via email!

Now to last night's dinner.  I have been wanting to purchase a sprouter for a while now, but felt a bit overwhelmed at the idea.  Making a drastic diet change the way I did takes so getting used to, so in the mean time I have been purchasing some sprouts from my local health food market.  But after last night's salad, I will definitely be buying one soon.


Mixed Greens with Red beets, Mung Bean Sprouts and Dry-Roasted Chickpeas

 

 

 So first start off with dry-roasting the chickpeas (this recipe comes from instagram user @therunningtimes)

 

 

 

Ingredients : 

 

1 can (about 2 cups) of chickpeas rinsed and dried. 

1 tbsp. honey (or agave nectar)

1/2 tbsp. she used olive oil, but I substituted with sunflower oil
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg

Method :

 

Preheat oven to 375C.

 

Peel the little white skin from the chickpeas (hard work but definitely worth it and essential to the chickpeas being very crispy).

 

Place on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes.

 

When they start to brown, place them in a mixing bowl and add the honey, oil, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Mix until well coated.  If you would like a glazing effect, place in the oven for an extra 10 minutes.

 

As for the salad, simply place the mixed greens, boiled beets (for cooking instructions, see Beet and Orange Salad recipe here), chickpeas and mung bean sprouts in a serving bowl and drizzle with some balsamic vinegar.  Serve and enjoy! 

 

The chickpeas are great as part of this salad, as a main dish with some vegetables or simply as a snack.  My daughter couldn't keep her hands off of them.  And since they are a good source of protein and iron (1 cup gives you 30% of your daily recommended intake of iron), they definitely will be making their way into her lunch box when school starts in a few weeks. 

 

Have a great day, and thanks for reading!

Amelie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gluten-free Penne and Arugula Salad

 

Has wonderful as our vacation was, the lack of proper choice in terms of food has left me completely drained and some symptoms have come back.  So with my energy level still quite low, meals have been on the simpler side in the recent week.   So yesterday, I decided that I needed a bit of fanciness for lunch because I was getting tired of the same old salad.  So I raided the fridge and came up with this amazing gluten-free penne and arugula salad.

 

Gluten-free Penne and Arugula Salad

Ingredients

 

1 1/2 cups cooked gluten-free penne (I used TruRoots that I buy at Costco)

2 cups arugula

2 cups cherry tomatoes

1 avocado

1 tbsp. fresh oregano

1 tsbp. fresh basil

 A pinch of salt

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

 

Method

 

Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until coated.  Serve at room temperature.

 

 

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to like my page on Facebook and follow me on Instagram, twitter (@aavoine) and pinterest!  If you like this blog, please subscribe to its RSS Feed or via email!

Thanks for reading!

Amélie 

 

 

 

 

Back form hiatus - Quinoa, Kale and Raisin Salad

I'm back...sorry I took so long to post, but while away the connection was horrible so I did only a few Instagram and Facebook updates.  And since I've been back, I have just been quietly enjoying spending time with the kids! 

So here we go with another recipe :

Quinoa Kale and Raisin Salad

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
2 cups frozen chopped kale (fresh may also be used)
3 tbsps. water
2 cups raisins
1 tbsp. sunflower oil
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp. sea salt
 pepper to taste

 

 

Method:

 

Cook quinoa according to instructions on bag and reserve until it has reached room temperature.

 

Place kale in a microwavable measuring cup with water and heat on high for 3 1/2 minutes.

 

In a medium bowl, place the cooled quinoa and kale.  Add all other ingredients and mix.  Serve immediately or place in the refrigerator for a few hours and serve cold.

 

 

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to like my page on Facebook and follow me on Instagram, twitter (@aavoine) and pinterest!  If you like this blog, please subscribe to its RSS Feed or via email!

Thanks for reading!

Amélie 

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