Tired Of Your Own Cooking?

If you look down at what’s happening in your grocery cart, are the same items appearing in there week after week?
Do you have the same 5 or 6 meals on repeat, thinking it’s probably time to switch it up but instead, you fall back, time again, into your chicken & potato comfort zone?
(Or into the takeout lineup😉)
I hear you!

Listen up, You: the time has come to can the boring-old-same-same and sub in some new and exciting menu items.
Expand your repertoire, excite your taste buds, and whip your health into shape too!

It happens to us all.
We lose steam, get stuck in a rut, or we find ourselves far too busy with all of life’s other challenges to pull off nightly miracles in the kitchen.

I get it.
And I’m here for you 😊

Here are some of my favourite “get-that-food-inspiration-going” tips to light that flame under your cute & tired creative Chef buns!

Cooking Inspiration Rescues

1. ORGANIZATIONAL TOOLS THAT ALL THE PROS USE 😉

• BATCH COOKING: I can’t tell you how many times I’ve supported my clients and class participants towards a steady rhythm of regular Batch Cooks. This style of cooking is an absolute LIFESAVER when it comes to busy Moms/Dads/People and hungry kiddos/teens/humans of all kinds! Some ideas that I will often suggest to get on the Batch Train:

  • Start Small: Try to simply pull off 2 One-Pot Meals on the weekend that will each supply 2 meals (4 meals total). This might look like a Batch of Chile and a Batch of your favourite Soup/Stew. Then once you’ve nailed those, up your ante to 2 main meals + a batch of muffins/cookies, and so on.

  • Go with Variety: To keep things interesting and to also support good food diversity in the diet, do what you can to keep rotating meals and incorporating new recipes. I heard there are some great recipes HERE!

  • Always Include a Salad Dressing: I have found that if there is a delicious salad dressing hanging about, the tendency to eat more salad increases greatly!! Also, most salad dressings can work as a veggie dip as well ☺️

  • An Ideal Batch Session: What I consider an “ideal” Batch Session (usually a Sunday) goes something like this:
    2 Mains (Soup, Stew, Curry, Casserole, Pasta Sauce, etc.)
    + 1 Healthy Goodie (Energy Balls/Cookies, Healthy Muffins, Homemade Granola Bars, etc.)
    + 1 Amazing Salad Dressing
    + 1 Lunch Salad (Pasta Salad, Rice Salad, Quinoa Salad, Roasted Veggie Salad, etc.)

  • Try my Batch Cooking Classes: If you need further inspiration or simply want some company & direction around Batch Cooking, join one of my seasonal Batch Classes where we make an incredible amount of meals and snacks for your fridge and freezer that will last you weeks to come!

• A STOCKED PANTRY/FREEZER: If you don’t have meal making ingredients hanging around, you will have a lot of difficulty pulling off regular meals and may find yourself reaching for grab’n go or restaurant meal more often. I always recommend having a stocked & organized pantry/freezer so that you can easily pull off 5 or 6 different meals without having to make an extra run to the store.

  • Some Pantry Staples Ideas: lentils, beans, pasta, pasta sauce, canned tomatoes, rice, quinoa, oats, coconut milk

  • Some Freezer Staples Ideas: pesto, salmon/tuna/chicken, frozen soups/stews/curries/chile, veggie burgers, tofu, pasta sauce

• CSA BOXES: Available now year round in many areas, CSA boxes are a beautiful way to support your local farms AND inspire you towards creativity in the kitchen. Whether you know what’s coming each week or not, a CSA box is a beautiful way to include fresh, local ingredients in your weekly meals.

• A WEEKLY ROTATION: Here’s a great way to keep your weekly meal variety alive while also supporting you in keeping a good weekly meal rhythm. A weekly rotation looks like finding 5 themes to utilize for each night of the week, ie. Monday - Mexi Night, Tuesday - Soup + Salad, Wednesday - Curry Night, Thursday - Fish/Chicken Night, Friday - Dad’s Choice, etc. Learn more about this weekly rotation & lunch inspiration HERE.

2. REVAMP Your Weekly Same-Same

• Try Vegan: The majority of the absorbable powerhouse nutrients are living amongst the vegan menu. Introducing more vegan menu items into your everyday routine has no down side. Vegan eating generally consists of a high quantity of fresh vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, and whole grains, with yet another advantage of leaving the body feeling satiated, not weighed down or sluggish. Find More Vegan Inspiration HERE.

• Use Squash: You have forgotten about squash, haven’t you? Well it’s time to bring back these babies with new flare. Squashes are nutrient superheroes: high in Vitamins A & C, beta-carotene, potassium, fibre, magnesium & iron. Squash can replenish your energy stores easily, providing loads of low-glycemic carbohydrates without the heavy burden of extra calories. Try my latest squash recipe!

• Make Soup: Soup nights are my favourite! Nourishing & calming to the digestive system, soups are an ideal way to get loads of vegetables into your family without too much fuss. Another upside: generally, a pot of soup will provide 2-3 meals and leftovers usually taste better! Find Soup Inspiration HERE!

• Use New Vegetables: Try planning a meal around a new vegetable that you haven’t used in a while (cauliflower, yams, squash, eggplant, etc.). Find something in season, like beets for instance, and create your meal around it: vegan borscht, roasted beet salad, or chilled beet soup (ever tried chocolate beet cake? no, no not for dinner!).

• Eat The Rainbow: Eating all colours of the rainbow regularly ensures you are getting the entire variety of nutrients within the colour spectrum. For instance, reds provide potent phytochemicals to protect against cancer and reduce risk of diabetes, oranges & yellows provide your carotenoids which protect your skin, improve immune function and support eye health, greens are potent antioxidants and aid in detoxification, and blues & purples protect longevity and boost memory with their high concentrations of resveratrol.

3. Weeknight Meals You’ll Love

• ALL NEW Sesame Ginger Salmon Bowls: An easy to pull off bowl of yum that you can modify and substitute as your heart desires or your fridge allows!

• Creamy Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup: Vegan, delicious, and filling enough to serve at dinnertime, this soup is a hit every time.

• YUM Green Curry Soup with Sesame Tofu: This soup is crazy satisfying, full flavoured, and enhanced with the protein punch of seasoned tofu!

• Easy Mushroom Bean Burgers: While these may not sound crazy delicious, they ARE! Got a few mushrooms and a can of beans handy?

• Nourishing Pumpkin Curry: If you were enticed by my mention of squash above, this curry is sure to support your squash loving inspiration!

• Butternut Squash Black Bean Enchiladas: When was the last time you had Mexican night at your house? These are crazy good and fairly simple too.

• Buddha Bowl: A mix of beautifully coloured veggies, some cooked beans or squash, a grain, some leafy greens, and a tantalizing sauce, and you have yourself a Buddha Bowl!

• Coconut Cauliflower Curry with Ramen: A big bowl of warming curry is soothing to the senses and warming right down to the soul. Veggie based curries are a lovely way to incorporate all the goodness of the curry spices, loads of veggie nutrient-density, and are easier to digest without the meat.

I hope you have found some meal inspiration here!

If so, leave me a message below and let me know what you’re making!!

happy cooking ♡

Back to the Grind Lunch Ideas

It always seems to take me a few weeks to get back into a good routine of packing lunches and prepping meals after the long hiatus of summer. While I LOVE this aspect of getting back into a good eating rhythm, I’ll admit that I have to remind myself to take deep breaths, remember what’s most important, and to simply take one step at a time moving into a new season.

As I am switching gears in my own life, I thought I might share some of the tools that I’ve developed over the years to support my family and my clients in making really solid lunches that are nourishing, delicious, and don’t suck up too much time!

Something I like to adhere to throughout the school & work year, is a rotation. I often use this idea with meal planning dinners as well. A weekly rotation can help keep things interesting and stimulating for kids and adults alike, but from a nutritional standpoint, it promotes food diversity, supports adequate macronutrient intakes, and can also save spending money on grab & go, last minute lunches.

Here’s a fun concept for you:

There are a few key things to pay attention to when it comes to creating a lunch that is well rounded, sustaining, and packed with nutrients.

Consider Nutrition:

• Rotate Complex Carbohydrates: Whole Grains, Beans, Legumes, & Starchy Vegetables, are great real food complex carbohydrates to include in your weekly rotation. Think about building meals around a complex carbohydrate like brown rice or quinoa, then adding lots of fiber: vegetables & leafy greens, and some protein: tofu, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, organic fish or meat.

• Include a Minimum of 3 Servings of Vegetables: When planning ahead and shopping wisely, it’s fairly easy to keep fresh vegetables on hand for your work week. Whenever you are putting together your lunch, think about choosing a minimum of 3 different vegetables in your dish and do your best to continuously rotate the vegetables that you buy.

• Macronutrient Combination: At every meal, do your best to prioritize the inclusion of ALL 3 MACRONUTRIENTS: Carbohydrates, Protein, & Fat. This combination, something I like to call the “Magic 3 Combo”, not only supports good overall nutritional balance, but aims to keep blood sugars stabilized throughout the entire day - supporting better energy, mental focus/clarity, and preventing crashes during busy days.

• Mind the Sugar: Preparing meals ahead of time really helps us to pay attention to what we are eating. If you like a little sugary treat during the day, choose something containing unrefined sugars like maple sugar or honey, do what you can to make your goodies yourself (I have tons of great ideas in the Healthy Treats section of my Recipes), and be mindful of how much you consume. Sugar content can easily creep into foods that are store bought or that come from local bakeries or cafes, is detrimental to blood sugar balance and also health depleting long term. Pay attention to the kind of sugar, the amount, and how you feel after consuming different sugar containing goodies.

Personal Note: For my boys, lunch will usually include a Main, a few Sides (a vegetable and usually a fruit), and a Healthy Treat (muffins, granola bars/energy balls/bars, cookies - always homemade). Sometimes, I will add in something that is less health supportive & packaged, but fun, like seaweed snacks, tortilla chips + salsa, cauliflower puffs, etc.

Weekly Lunch Rotation ideas:

Pasta Salad: Always well-received and easy to pull-off, a noodle salad is a great way to provide lots of veggies, lots of flavour, and a decent dose of carbohydrates. Be mindful of the noodles you choose (we like fermented noodles made with old world or gluten-free grains), find a good sauce, and add in something fun: toasted nuts or seeds, olives, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, or a fruity punch like mango. Try my Thai Noodle Salad with Almond Butter Sauce.

Rice Bowls: Building a meal over rice is fairly straightforward and fun to play around with. I will usually soak my rice ahead of time and cook it the night before, or early in the morning, then add some shredded veggies and a protein, like nuts/seeds, beans, lentils, or tofu, and top it with a full-flavoured sauce. What’s great about rice bowls is that they can double as dinner first, then for lunch the next day.

Soup/Stew: Especially as the weather cools down and we begin to look for more warming meals, a hearty soup or stew makes an excellent lunch. Be sure to have a good quality thermos on hand (we like to pre-warm ours with boiling water), as this makes all the difference! I like to Batch Cook some soups or stews for dinnertime, then I can easily warm some up for lunches throughout the week. One of our favourites: Comforting Lentil Stew 😋

The “Snack Plate”: An old time favourite, this is just as it sounds: a plate/container with a selection of raw veggies, some protein (baked tofu, candied salmon, cooked chicken, falafel, veggie burger patty), something fun: olives, dolmades, crackers, and a dip on the side: hummus, black bean dip, cashew tzatziki/spread, etc.

Wraps: An easy one to fall back on, creating a good wrap is simple if you have the right things on-hand. I like to use hummus or a cashew spread of some kind, then some shredded carrots, lettuce, and/or other veggies I might have, and some protein: cooked chicken/salmon, tofu, veggie burger patties cut up, falafel. I will usually choose a gluten free wrap or our locally made spelt wraps, but there are many healthier, wheat-free versions out there to try!

Bean/Lentil Salad: One of my personal favourites, a hearty salad built over beans or lentils, will supply a quality amount of nutrients & energy in a small volume. Remember that you can add cooked beans or lentils (so cheap!) to pretty well any salad you like, provided you have a tasty dressing on-hand 😉

Lunchtime Traps to Avoid: Too Many Sandwiches, Luncheon Meats, Too Much Meat, Too Many Refined Carbs, Grab’n Go Lunches, Restaurant Food. Stick to REAL FOOD as much as you can & Batch Cook whenever you have some time!! (Psst….join me for my upcoming Batch Cooking Online Fall Session & get ahead of the lunch game!)

I hope you’ve found some inspiration here!
Happy LUnch Making!

If you have anything you’d like to add, please leave me a comment below!

Weeknight Favourites

Sometimes, we all reach a point where we run out of our own inspiration and have to reach out and grab it from somewhere else. We can’t be super fantastic meal makers all of the time, that’s just crazy talk! So, given that it’s mid-October and the darkness of November is trying to tip toe her gloominess in to our kitchens already, I figured it was time to shine my inspiration headlamp over to all you lovelies out there with your apron on and a stark look on your face, wondering what’s next on your meal docket. Don’t worry, I got you!

Before you make your way down to the goodness below, just a few reminders with regards to managing the weeknight meal madness:

You need not always be a Magical Beauty in the kitchen: It is totally ok to have a few go-to meals that are less than ideal when you are feeling run down and exhausted from all that you do in your life. The post-meal-planning-perfection-burn-out is not at all worth it. We are not perfect beings, we were never meant to be, so just breathe a deep sigh of relief and grab that takeout sushi for one night and put your feet up. You can pick back up your pace tomorrow!

Better Choice, grab’n-go-grocery-store-dinner ideas:

• Pre-washed tub of mixed lettuces + quality salad dressing + can of chickpeas

• Pre-made sushi

• Frozen vegan burger patties + spelt buns + salad mix

• Pre-made pizza crust + sauce + spinach, mushrooms, peppers, etc.

• Jarred curry sauce to add to rice + a few veggies

• Packaged Flavour of India, or another brand, re-heat curried lentils or spiced eggplant + rice.

Enlist the Help of Your Family: The meal madness can drag on and on for years when you are a parent and as your kids get a bit older it’s not only helpful, but essential, to get your kids helping you in the kitchen. Your kids will learn whatever you model for them, so show them that team work is important, that learning to cook is paramount to their survival down the road, and that helping around the house gives them sense of purpose & belonging, and teaches good work & collaboration ethics.

Any Amount of Prep will Make Your Life Easier: If you can grab a little time on the weekends to pre-make a few sauces, chop some veggies, juice some lemons, mince some garlic, etc, things will go a bit smoother at meal times. Some folks like to pre-wash & chop like mad on the weekends and others do little bits at a time. You do whatever works for you! Just remember that every little bit counts and a bit of forethought can really help you in the long-run. I like to do a little prep for the following day while making dinner, when I’m already in the kitchen and can multi-task. If I just stay a step or two ahead of myself with meals, that seems to be enough to keep things running smooth.

Mix It Up: If you have some standby meals that everyone loves and you can make with one arm tied behind your back, that’s super! But DO mix up your menu on the regular, even if it’s only 1 meal per week. New meal ideas & recipes help keep things interesting for you, as a cook, and for your family, as eaters. Rotating and varying the kinds of foods you eat, as well as the flavours, enhances your opportunity for nutrient exposure & variance, while also keeping things exciting & interesting in the kitchen and at the table. Encouraging positive experiences with food also encourages body positivity & intuitive eating practices, both of which play important roles in supporting digestion & a strong immune system. So if you are always reaching for broccoli & red peppers, this week, go for some cauliflower & tomatoes, and try those beautiful artichokes on sale. Find some new inspiration AND up your nutrient value!

Here are 5 of our favourite GO-TO dinners that tick off all the satisfaction boxes and can be whipped up in roughly half an hour, with no stress at all!

Healing Coconut Curry Stew

This stew is TOP DOG in our house, everyone loves it, it’s warming & soothing on a cold or rainy day, and wins all of the best meal requirements: nourishing, tasty, satiating, & immune boosting. You can also easily switch in or out some of the different veggies to come up with your own version.

Veggie Squash Chili

Loaded with beautiful orange squash & protein packed beans, this vegan chili may not have any meat or shredded cheese, but lacks not a single thing! Better a day or two later, this warming bowl of goodness with keep your belly satisfied AND feed a small army to boot!

Roasted Tomato & Black Bean Soup

A minimal ingredient, weeknight soup, that is a bit of a surprise with regards to just how easy this soup is and how much yum & satisfaction comes with it’s simplicity! Surprise! Wicked-yum soup is coming your way 😋

Warm Thai Noodle Bowl with Almond Butter Sauce

A noodle bowl with all your favourite Thai flavours AND the bonus of almond butter’s health benefits. This is definitely a noodle dish the whole family will love ♥️

Easy Mushroom Bean Burger

A weeknight burger that goes with anything and can be whipped up in just a few steps. This patty is so full of protein, anti-inflammatory ingredients, and flavour, you can enjoy it as a traditional burger or be creative and use it in many different ways: on salad, in a wrap, or as a taco filling. This is a great make-ahead meal that can easily be pulled out of the freezer for a super quick weeknight fix and be reheated from frozen!

Hope you find a meal or two here that you are willing to try! Planning ahead is truly the way to ease the load off your weeknight meal burden, so do try to make a few batches of stew, soup, or veggie patties, as well as a batch of yummy treats, on your weekend or days off, and freeze half for future weeks. If you’re interested in joining in on one of my BATCH COOKING ONLINE CLASSES, be sure to sign up for the Newsletter and don’t miss registration, this class fills fast. Our next class will be running in February, watch for it!

May your kitchen days be smooth & fun, inspirational & always delicious! 👩🏼‍🍳

Conquer the Breakfast Scramble (& Make It Plant Based!)

Do weekday breakfasts sometimes remind you of that time you had a really big dream for your 2 year old’s birthday party?  You said to yourself: “No problem, I got this”. And then, post toddler-apocalypse, your husband finds you, huddled & shaking in the corner, cross-eyed and traumatized, water balloons clogging the toilet, marker scribbles across your favourite painting, streamers stuffed down your shirt and chocolate cake matted to your hair, couch, and up your dog’s nose?  Maybe you’ve learned from past experience? Perhaps you are now able to recognize when it’s time for some simplicity, a few new ideas, and a fresh game plan.

Keep it simple!

I’ve been there. It’s a mad dash in the mornings. People can’t find things, there’s panic over lost keys and matching socks, neatly folded laundry sprays all over the place, and last minute homework tears are watering down the cornflakes. Ok, maybe it’s not quite that bad, but some days feel like the walls are closing in and the idea of making a well-rounded, real food breakfast, feels like a lost cause.

It’s time for a breakfast reset!

I’ve got a plan. I know, I know, you’ve got enough plans on the go at the moment and you don’t need another project. But. But. But. Here me out. Even though you may already have enough things all planned out in your life and you may not be wanting to add more regime to your over-regimented life, creating a game plan encourages change and better guarantees success.
When it comes to feeding our selves and our families real food in the form of delicious meals, you cannot make it happen without a little planning.  This is a fact. The work has to happen and some kind of planning has to be in place or you will not keep up with the eating madness, I assure you. And if your goal is to include eating more Plant Based Foods, this is a great way to keep you on track 😉
AND steer clear of the overwhelm.

So here’s the idea:

What about a 5 Day Breakfast Rotation?

How it works: You choose 5 weekday themes and write them down. Mount them on your fridge on a piece of paper or whiteboard, or even a chalkboard. Before the week begins, insert your 5 weekday breakfasts under each breakfast theme header. It’s that simple. The breakfasts don’t need to be overly elaborate, you can keep them as simple or complex as you like. I suggest you stick mainly to ingredients that you can bulk shop for: oats, buckwheat, chia seeds, gluten-free flour, almond/cashew butter, plant-based milk/coconut milk, nuts, seeds, frozen berries/fruit, etc. Take in to consideration your schedule and time allowance, who’s making breakfast (you, Hubby, Nanny, Gramma, Teen), and what could potentially be prepped the night before.

Simplify the breakfast chaos with a little game plan.

Monday Theme: Oats & Groats

Ideas:
Overnight Oats
Simple Oatmeal
Apple Pie Oatmeal
Apple Date Crisp with Coconut Yogourt
Simple Buckwheat Groats
Overnight Groats
Banana Bread Buckwheat Bowl
Blueberry Buckwheat Breakfast Pudding

Tuesdays: Smoothies & Muffins/Bars

Ideas:
Smoothies:
Blueberry Banana Bliss
Citrus Bomber
Good Morning Sunshine
Green Monster
Banana Chocolate Monkey
Muffins:
Morning Glory
Morning Endurance
Coconut Banana
Apple Sauce
Coconut Mango Blueberry
Berry Explosion
Banana Oat Bars
Energy Cookies

Wednesdays: Chia Pudding Perfection

Ideas:
Vanilla Chia Pudding + Granola + Fresh Berries
Lemon Meringue Chia Pudding + Blueberries + Toasted Almonds
Chocolate Chia Pudding + Sliced Banana + Hemp Hearts + Cacao Crunch Granola
Blood Orange Chia Pudding + Cinnamon Granola

Thursdays: Burrito Styles

Ideas: (just throw them in a wrap & devour 😊)
Roasted Squash + Hummus + Spinach + Grated Beet
Roasted Yams + Black Beans + Avocado + Salsa
Falafel + Cashew Tatziki + Lettuce + Cucumber
Roasted Veg Mix (Beets, Onions, Peppers, Broccoli) + Parsley Pesto

Fridays: Pile Em Up Pancakes

Ideas:
Simple Gluten Free Oat Pancakes
Chocolatey Pancakes + Coconut Yogourt/Whip Cream
Vegan Pumpkin Pancakes
Banana Pancakes + Homemade Chocolate Sauce

And so there you have it! My stance on planning ahead is no secret. Helping my clients get organized, giving them the inspiration to make change, and offering dynamite recipe ideas to persuade them is how I role and really, what makes this work successful & rewarding!
I hope you have found some tidbits of motivation here and will utilize some of these ideas to shake things up in your own kitchen!
In order to make change happen, we need to make change happen!!

May your future breakfasts be magnificent!!🌱

Be sure to sign up for my Newsletter if you like what I do, are interested in more recipe inspiration, and want to be healthier & happier in your life LONG-TERM!!

Weekday Madness & The 5 Night Dinner Rescue

If the idea of resuming the Fall Schedule makes you squeamish and a bit short of breath, you are not in this rat race alone, my friend! If you juggle kids and family activities, have a job (part-time, full-time, any-time), and are also a full-time chef, maid, laundress, and gardner, you are plenty aware of how a busy schedule can swallow your, hoping-you-remembered-your-pants, little buns right up!

I’m here to help.

A Full Week of Amazing (& Easy) Weekday Dinners

When I am meal planning for clients, I always keep in mind their financial wiggle room as well as their kitchen capability level. No joke. I’m not going to go ahead and throw a 3-part meal menu, with those extra sneaky recipes built-in there (like homemade tomato sauce and pesto), at them on a night they are exhausted from a crazy day and hardly have the brains left to follow a traffic sign, come on now! I like to make it easy for people to whip up really tasty and satisfying meals without ripping their hair out and calling me names. Right?!

So, let’s make this easy.

Here are 5 main meals that most tired humans can make with little complaining and roughly 30minutes on the clock (no, this isn’t a cooking show, but I’ll brain storm on that one  ). The one important step here that you cannot overlook is the shopping. Either split your shop into 2 quick trips or do a thorough shop on the Sunday beforehand and make sure your fridge is not a disaster zone. Got it?

The 5 Night Weekday Dinner Rescue

Day 1

http://www.cindyspratt.com/roasted-yam-cashew-buddha-bowls-with-coconut-cashew-sauce/

Simplicity & deliciousness. You may serve this bowl up however you like: sub in rice, use roasted squash, steam some green beans, or add tofu. However you choose, this fantastical sauce will make it all work!

Day 2

https://pinchofyum.com/anything-you-have-coconut-curry-soup

I am a super soup lover and not only do I love Pinch of Yum, but I love the idea of versatility with this soup: use up some leftover veggies, add some coconut milk and spices, and voila! Yum dinner done!

Day 3

https://ohsheglows.com/2018/06/29/one-pot-quinoa-and-black-bean-wraps/

Most families like a wrap style dinner that they can hold in their hands and this one’s super easy, packed with veggies, protein powered quinoa & black beans, and extra delish with some homemade guacamole!

Day 4

http://www.cindyspratt.com/comforting-lentil-stew/

This simple, one-pot stew, is SOOOO satisfying to the soul. It is both hearty and gentle, and fulfilling to the body’s need to be nourished and nurtured. Make this on a rainy day, a day you feel the need to ground out, or on a day you crave some comfort. Tis simply delish!

Day 5

Super Simple Vegan Burrito Bowl (20 Minute Recipe!)

Most people are pretty happy with a Mexican themed weeknight dish, particularly when you can choose your own toppings, throw it in a bowl, and mix it all up into a tasty sensation!

Here’s to a great start to the school year, the back-to-work-grind, or to any which way you spend your Fall days!
Eat well. Be well. Feel awesome 

5 Awesome (& Easy) Weekday Meals

I usually stay away from this style of Blog just simply because there are plenty of other blogs out there posting about “fast and easy weekday meals”.  However, I’ve been finding myself in the throws of some weekday kitchen blahs and thought that it may be the same for a lot of other people out there working the grind, trying to keep our chins up until the summer hits.  Also, the way I make weekday meals tends to be a teensy bit different than your average dinner maker: often vegan, dairy/gluten-free, heavy on the veg, and with nutritional quality as top priority, AND I’ve got an online collection that would impress the boots off of just about anyone.  So I thought that by dropping you some links to a few of my favs, you might find yourself getting a little excited and jazzed about rolling up your sleeves, slipping away from your standard fall-back meals, and digging deep to find some enthusiasm about the last legs of the Monday to Friday schedule.

So here you are: do what works best for you and use these recipes just as ideas, try just one, pass them along, modify them, or make them all in a week like the superstar that you are!!

Day 1

This is a curry noodle bowl that’s really easy to pull off and, providing you’ve got the sauce ingredients handy, you can add whatever you like – although I do recommend sticking with the broccoli, because it just works. Note: I am starting with this one because I really really truly love it the most!

Day 2

There are soooo many Macaroni and “Cheeze” recipes out there, it’s tough to know which one to go with. Here is one of my family’s favourites, the flavour is just so bang on, it’s rich and creamy, and totally delish!

The BEST Vegan Mac n’ Cheese

Day 3

You may already have a “go-to” veggie burger recipe and that’s awesome, but maybe you’re ready for a little something different? I have many veggie burger recipes that I rotate, depending on what I have on hand, the time of year, and my mood. Here’s one that’s just a little different than most, super tasty, and easy to modify in order to make it gluten-free – I sub in brown rice flour and oats for the breadcrumbs, but you can use whatever you have.

Day 4

If you aren’t already familiar with the “macro-bowl”, allow me to enlighten you: a mish mash bowl of fresh and cooked veggies, a grain, a protein, and a delicious sauce. Voila! Here’s one that I like to play with, especially after I’ve been to the market and have a fridge full of fresh greens, garden carrots, cucumber, or whatever else has caught my eye. Marinating the cabbage is a lovely sour addition to this super-health-charged bowl. I use short grain brown rice that has been soaked and rinsed to ease digestion and improve nutrient absorption and sometimes omit the beans and either maximize the veggies or add in some chicken. Enjoy.

Day 5

Here’s a little twist on our beloved rice wraps/spring rolls/thai pockets (I just made that up, but I’m liking it) or whatever you like to call them. Again, these little beauties are super easy to make with whatever you’ve got: replace the quinoa with rice or rice noodles or omit, add some chicken, prawns, or tofu, and chop up a heap of colourful veggies and wrap away. I highly recommend using some fresh herbs in your creation, they throw these wraps right into the wow department.

Hopefully you find here something that catches your eye, makes your mouth salivate, and your tummy ask you to switch it up! Have fun, make these recipes your own, and feed your little soul!

Please let me know if you try something and love it (or hate it), I’d love to know what you think!

Feeling Stuck On Breakfast Inspiration?

Breakfast can be a tough one for many bleary-eyed, sleepy headed, non-morning people. Often half awake, fumbling to exit dreamland, the morning strugglers feel assaulted by the all-consuming morning routine.  Between waking up the littles, rushing to find clothing, pack lunches, wash, brush, and warm up the car, putting effort into a balanced and delicious breakfast has just lost its priority.

In this busy life, it is incredibly easy to rely on boxed breakfast or grab’n go baked goods to get us through the early morning scramble. But its far from ideal. We are doing the body a great disservice by starting our day on overly processed, refined-sugar sweetened, nutritionally deficient, non-food stuffs.  The morning’s intake is crucial in setting up our metabolic system for the day.  By starting our day with the wrong stuff, we set ourselves up for mood swings, poor focus, crashing energy, and bad food-choice making for the rest of the day.

What are our bodies really asking for in the morning?

What The Body Needs At Breakfast Time

• Fuel: If we think of nutrient intake as fuel, then our tanks are running on empty in the morning. The body is looking to fuel up and re-stock its nutrient and energy supplies. By tanking up on coffee, sugar, and processed ingredients, we are setting ourselves up for quick energy spikes, followed by drastic blood sugar crashes. It’s like filling up with rocket fuel and, simultaneously, putting a hole in your tank. If we fuel-up with good-quality, nutrient-dense foods, our tank will drive us longer and steadier throughout the rest of the day.

• A Break In The Fast: Hence the name breakfast, our body has been resting all night long (8-10hrs let’s say) and has been taking a break from digestion. During the night, the body relaxes into its parasympathetic nervous system, slowly breaking down the leftover foodstuffs from the day and restoring and repairing at a cellular level. To break the fast with stimulants and sugar is shocking to the system and will thrust us into our sympathetic nervous system, inducing stress. Introducing whole foods in the morning, eating slowly and intuitively, allows us to stay in the parasympathetic NS, remain calm, and increase capacity for proper nutrient assimilation and absorption.

• Hydration: Your body is 60% water. It is needed for every bodily system, imperative for proper immune, kidney, liver, and bowel function. Overnight, the body has gone many hours without water and is slightly dehydrated by morning. Drinking water (room temperature with lemon is best) first thing, will replenish fluids used up and lost throughout the night, rejuvenate organs, revitalize cells, and prevent dehydration throughout the day.

Revamping the Breakfast Routine

• Plan Ahead: I know, I say this a lot, but it’s of absolute, utmost importance. If you do not have a breakfast plan, breakfast will be whatever you can grab the fastest (path of least resistance, right sleepy head?) Start with a week’s worth of breakfast ideas, a shopping list, and do a little prep the night before.

• Think Outside the Box: Ditch the boxed cereals! There is absolutely zero nutritional benefit to boxed cereals, they are laden with sugars, overly processed and hard to digest grains, and are full of old and rancid oils. Not only does your body deserve better, but boxed cereals are likely to contribute to the development of many degenerative diseases, obesity, ADHD, and nervous system disorders.

• Collect Some New Digs: Get out there and ask some friends for recipes, search the net, try my suggestions below, buy a new recipe book, or simply get back to basics. It’s only as difficult as you make it and change comes easier with a little motivation.

My Favourite Regular Breakfasts

1. Eggs + Avocado + Kimchi: This is numero uno for a BIG reason…it’s my absolute favourite! Quick & easy, high in protein and good quality fats, and made even better with gut-loving, probiotic-rich, fermented super powers. I will usually use a rice cake or a piece of spelt bread and top this baby with sprouts. Yum!

2. Almond Butter Banana Oatmeal: This recipe is bomb proof, thanks to Angela Liddon from Oh She Glows. I use Almond instead of Peanut butter because I don’t trust the oil stability and mould potential in peanut butter, but you could use any nut or seed butter of your liking. Find the recipe here.

3. Homemade Granola & Chia Pudding: Making your own granola is super easy and, depending on how many granola munchers you have living with you, a recipe’s worth can last up to a month. There are plenty of lovely granola recipes online, though make sure to pick one with whole foods, minimal sugar, and store it in a large glass jar. Make some overnight chia pudding the night before, add a little fruit, and you are set! Find my Simple Chia Pudding recipe here.

4. Overnight Oats: This one is great for SO many reasons! First of all, you make it the night before and it takes about 5 minutes. Second, it can be whipped up with a variety of ingredients most of us have on hand and can easily be modified depending on what’s in your fridge. And lastly, it’s just really delicious! Here’s a good basic recipe you can modify to your liking.

5. The Go-To Smoothie: Most days, I get up before the sun and get in a workout before my family is out of bed. I find the quickest and most effective way to recover from my workout, get ready for the day, and nourish my cells, is a crammed-full-of-awesome-stuff-and-whatever-else-you-have smoothie. Check out My Go-To Smoothie recipe below.

6. Breakfast Bars: These are the ultimate breakfast rescue for the guy or gal that rolls out of bed and is out the door minutes later. Make a batch on the weekend and you’re armed for the whole week. Try my Banana Oat Bars.

My Go-To Smoothie Recipe
½ banana
½ cup frozen blueberries
2 Tbsp tahini or 1 scoop protein powder
1 scoop greens powder
1 probiotic capsule
1 cup coconut water/almond milk/water
1 tsp maca powder
1 tsp ashwaghanda root powder
½ tsp spirulina
Blend until smooth.

Ever heard of a smoothie bowl? Pour your smoothie into a bowl, sprinkle it with a little love, call it a smoothie bowl!!

Now get to it and Make Breakfast Awesome!!