Simple Banana Oat Muffins

Having a teenager around means that having grab & go real food goods available makes for less standing in front of the wide open fridge door staring 🙄
While I don’t do a ton of baking, I do like to have some healthy snacks on-hand as often as possible. We are an active family and are often running out the door for a hike, bike, a climb, or a wind foiling session. When I can create recipes that I feel good about feeding my family AND that are also quick & easy to whip up, it’s just one less thing that I can not worry about, if just for a few days.

NOTE: If you don’t have oat flour, you can make it by popping oats into your food processor and blending until nice and smooth. You’ll need about 3 cups of oats for this recipe. The flour will work the same in the muffins, the texture may vary slightly.

Simple Banana Oat Muffins

Makes 14 - 16 Regular Muffins
3 large bananas
1/4 cup applesauce
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 3/4 cups oat flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup good quality chocolate chips
Optional Add Ins: chopped walnuts, raisins, or hemp hearts

• Preheat the oven to 350F.

• In a medium bowl, mash bananas with a fork. Add all other wet ingredients and whisk together until smooth.

• Add in the flour, salt, baking soda & powder, and cinnamon, and stir until smooth. Stir in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips.

• Divide your batter amongst 14 - 16 lined, regular muffin cups. Top each muffin with a few of the remaining chocolate chips. Bake for 25 - 28 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
  
  

Chewy Oatmeal Cookies with Apricots & Walnuts

As you may be aware already, I LOVE me a solid cookie recipe that’s easy, comprised of all real food ingredients, quick, foolproof, and positively delicious! And here it is!

There’s nothing too fancy about these cookies, except that they have DRIED APRICOTS, which gives them a unique flavour AND enhances their nutrient punch. In our house, we LOVE organic dried apricots and eat them fairly regularly, partly because of their nutrient value, partly because we simply love them. Nutritionally, what I love about dried apricots is that they are relatively high in iron, as well as vitamin A, both essential nutrients the body needs to get through the diet regularly. They also contain some potassium & calcium, and are a good source of soluble fiber, making them supportive of good digestion. Be sure that you choose ORGANIC dried apricots, as the bright orange, non-organic ones, have been preserved with sulfur dioxide, which irritates the respiratory tract and can contribute to restricted breathing, asthma, and increased risk of respiratory infection. Look for a good organic source (they should be brown in colour) and give them a little smush to see if they are moist and soft.
Better yet, dehydrate some fresh apricots, when in season, and store them to use throughout the rest of the year (you keener you!).

Substitution Ideas:

Nut-free: Although I haven’t tried yet, you could try substituting Oat Flour for the Almond Flour and either omit the Walnuts or replace them with Sunflower Seeds or Hemp Hearts or a mix of both
Vegan: Substitute the egg with either a Chia Egg (1 Tbsp chia seeds + 3 Tbsps water) or a Flax Egg (1 Tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 Tbsp water)
Apricots: Any dried fruit would work well here: dried apples, mango, cherries, or cranberries/raisins
Coconut Sugar: Any granulated sugar will work as a substitute here, although I’m not a fan of white or brown processed sugar. A demerara/turbinado or cane sugar would be a better choice.
Chocolate-free: Not recommended 😉

Easy Chewy Oatmeal Cookies with Apricots & Walnuts

Makes about 16 Medium Cookies
1 cup almond flour
1 cup oats
¼ cup ground flaxseed
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 nutmeg
1/2 sea salt
1/3 cup coconut sugar
1 egg (sub a chia or flax egg for vegan)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup chopped walnut pieces
1/3 cup chopped dried apricots

• Preheat oven to 350F.

• Whisk together all dry ingredients.

• Whisk together all wet ingredients.

• Add wet ingredients into dry, then stir in chocolate chips. Walnuts, and apricots.

• On a lined pan, place 1-2 Tbsp sized balls, 2-3” apart, and flatten them slightly (mix will be quite wet).

• Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, until lightly browned around the edges.
  NOM NOM Cookie Time! 🍪

I would HIGHLY suggest doubling the recipe and popping half in the freezer for lunches, snacktime, or a sweet treat hankering!

ENJOY! As always, if you make these cookies, please leave me a comment below and/or take a pic & post on Facebook or IG - don’t forget to tag me!

Coconut Cherry Lime Popsicles

If you’re looking for a quick and easy, but incredibly yummy summer popsicle, here is a sweet & sour, fun-in-your-mouth, heat busting blast of deliciousness!!
Yes, they’re that good 😉

Popsicles are a great way to dose your kids up with some high quality nutrients and also offers a fun summer treat, which all kids love. Homemade versions definitely surpass any of the store bought, chemical-laden, generic pops out there with flying colours, and are just so easy, it’s silly not to have some on hand all summer long!

You can whip these up just the way they are, OR go the distance and add in a few layers…

Here I added a mango & spinach lime layer to mix things up and make rainbow pops (haha and look, those old points collecting sticks were actually from my childhood!). Yum!

But these cherry lime delights are just perfectly beautiful AND delicious just the way they are (just like you 😉).
Happy summer vibes!

Coconut Cherry Lime Popsicles

Makes 8-10 Large Popsicles
2 cups frozen cherries
1 can full fat coconut milk
Juice of 1-2 limes
2-3 Tbsp maple syrup
1/2 cup coconut water
Small pinch of salt

• Blend all ingredients in your blender and distribute evenly among Popsicle molds. Allow to harden in the freezer for at least 4 hours.

Decadent Chocolate Banana Bread

To be fair, this drool worthy loaf could actually be cake, disguised as “banana bread” in order to make it sound healthier. It’s one of those super decadent & delicious beauties that when you serve it to your friends & family, they won’t have a clue how real food focused, gluten & dairy-free, or vegan, and health supportive it actually is! Ha ha ha (she-devil laughing 😈)!
So, you could totally make it into a larger square brownie pan and call it dessert for sure, serve it up with some coconut whip cream or ice cream and even get away with it at a birthday party. No kidding 😉
Note: Cupcakes/muffins would definitely work too, although you would need to adjust the baking time.

That all being said, it should probably come with a warning: you may want to devour the entire thing in one sitting!! So take appropriate precautions: hide it from smaller fingers or nibbling kitchen invaders, and find a special time to cut yourself a lovely slice, sit down with your novel or your cat, tune in, and savour every bite instead! You deserve it.

Decadent Chocolate Banana Bread

(adapted from: Smitten Kitchen)
Makes 1 loaf
1 flax egg: 1 Tbsp ground flax + 3 Tbsp water
3 medium, overripe bananas
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
3/4 cup coconut sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp himalayan sea salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup gluten free flour blend (I use this one)
1/2 cup cacao powder (definitely use the good stuff here!)
1 cup high quality chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

• Preheat your oven to 350F. Line your loaf pan with parchment.

• In a small bowl, make your flax egg by combining ground flax with water. Set aside.

• In a large bowl, mash bananas with a fork. Add oil, sugar, vanilla, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and continue to mash with your fork. Add in flax egg.

• Add flour and combine well with a fork, batter should be quite smooth. Lastly, stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.

• Pour batter into lined loaf pan and bake for 45-55 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow to completely cool before cutting (warning: this will be hard 😫 but you can do it!).
  

  If you make this banana bread/cake/cupcake/decadent deliciousness, please drop me a comment below and let me know how yours turned out!! And please share around the recipe with others who could use a little chocolatey goodness in their lives ♥️

Morning Endurance Muffins

This is my version of a morning glory muffin, but packed with a higher nutritional punch. We love these beauties because they are both robust and delicious and can get you through the morning hours without that blood sugar dip often associated with a morning muffin. As usual, the real food ingredients provide enough nutrition and macronutrient balance that the body will feel nourished and well fed. Yes, there are sweeteners in this muffin, but both maple syrup and coconut sugar are real food sugars with antioxidants, immune benefits, and lower glycemic index ratings.

Feel free to modify this recipe however you feel. If you are looking for a nut free version, simply remove the pecans and swap out the almond flour for a similar replacement flour such as sunflower seed flour (you can easily make this by blending sunflower seeds into a flour/meal in your food processor).

We love these muffins served warm, cut in half, with some coconut oil or almond butter, but straight up is perfectly lovely 😋

Morning Endurance Muffins

Makes 12 - 16 muffins
Vegan, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Plant-based, Super Yum

Ingredients:
2 chia eggs (2 Tbsp chia seeds + 6 Tbsp water)
1 overripe banana
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup almond milk (or other plant based milk)
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1 small apple, cored & grated
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 cup almond flour/meal
1 cup oat flour
1/2 cup oats
1 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped
1/4 cup hemp hearts

Instructions:
To make your chia eggs, combine chia seeds and water in a small bowl and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 375F.
In the bowl of your food processor, place banana, maple syrup, applesauce, coconut sugar, milk, oil, grated apple, salt, baking soda, and spices and combine until smooth. Add flours, oats, and grated carrot and blend again, until just combined. Stir in remaining ingredients.
Spoon batter out evenly into lined muffin tins (12 - 16 muffins, depending on tin size).
Bake for 35 - 40 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean and muffins are slightly browned on the outside. Cool & serve.

If you make these muffins, please let me know how they turn out for you AND if you make some modifications let us all know how they worked!! Happy Baking 💛

Banana Date Energy Cookies

Inspired by an upcoming Hiking & Yoga Retreat, this cookie has so much endurance, I’m convinced it will get us up and over the Alpines with loads of energy and excitement for more adventure!
Over the years, the cookie has morphed into something very different from what it used to be. Growing up, cookies usually came in a box, were treats or rewards for good behaviour or for special occasions, and you would always grab handfuls of them (dip them in milk, maybe), and never just one. Sometimes we made cookies with white flour & white sugar, eggs, vanilla, etc. Other times, we bought that weird pre-made cookie dough that you could just cut up into rounds and throw in the oven (remember that?!) or we would eat it right out of the package with a spoon 🤢.

These days, as an adult, a Mom, an athlete, a Nutritionist, an advocate for Positive Body Image, I can’t remember the last time I bought cookies that came in a package, my son wouldn’t have a clue what I was talking about if I told him about the store bought cookie dough, and white flour or sugar doesn’t live in our home, EVER.
So cookies, to me, are an entirely different wonder!
When we have cookies lying around our house now, that same excitement takes place in the brain: we may even salivate slightly in our mouths, due to the lovely aromas, we might anticipate them being cool enough to eat, if they are baked, and we are sad when the batch is all gone. BUT it is rare for anyone to indulge in more than 1 cookie at a time. Because they are made with real food ingredients, are nutrient-dense, are high in carbohydrates, protein, AND fats, they are extremely satisfying to the senses, the belly, and the glucose receptors. This style of cookie can, not only, make you feel that sense of joy that you love, but ALSO fuel your body in just one delightful little package.
THIS COOKIE can get you through that 2 hr hike or afternoon power run, a trip to the gym, or a long afternoon at the office, I guarantee. It may even save your soul in the hours of after-school, inundated with tiny, hungry, raging monsters 😈!!

Bake Them.
Enjoy Them.
Share Them.

Banana Date Energy Cookies

Makes 12 large cookies
Ingredients:
3 ripe bananas
1 cup dates, pitted (if hard, soak in boiling water for 5 minutes & drain)
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 tsp pure vanilla
1 tbsp honey (optional)
1  tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
2 cups rolled oats
2 Tbsp hemp hearts
¼ cup mini chocolate chips
¼ cup raisins

• In your food processor, combine bananas, dates, coconut oil, vanilla, honey, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt, until well blended. Add oats to the processor and blend until combined, but not overly smooth (you want bits of oats for texture).

• Remove mix from processor and stir in hemp hearts, chocolate chips, and raisins. Shape into rounds on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake 350 for 20 - 25 minutes or until slightly browned around the edges.

As always, if you make these cookies & love them, please let me know AND share them around on social media! I appreciate your support as much as you appreciate yummy cookie recipes! 😋

Double Chocolate Banana Cupcakes

Yes these are decadent.
And chocolatey.
And an absolute treat.
And yes, you could make these for a birthday party or special occasion.
And yes, all taste buds would be satisfied and delighted and wonder where you got the recipe 😉
But.
BUT.
No, you needn’t wait.
No, you needn’t deny yourself these delicious chocolate banana cake-like delights, simply because no one is having a birthday or a party or an event of any kind at all.
Just make them because they are yummy and satisfying. No guilt. No shame. No negative BS of any kind necessary at all.
YES! You have my approval & support. Make these cupcakes just because you want one and eat it with intent and enjoyment and explore the sensory experience and feel really good about it.

Inspired by overripe bananas and a, perhaps hormonally encouraged, desire for something chocolate, these are SOOOOOOOO good. And easy. And if you eat anything like we do at our house, you’ll have most of these ingredients, if not all, on hand. Please enjoy them in a way that feels good to you. If you have a tendency to eat too many goodies when you have them hanging around then share them with your neighbours or friends or your neighbours friends or pop them in the freezer and eat one every now and again ☺️

Double Chocolate Banana Cupcakes

Makes 12 Regular Size Cupcakes
Prep & Bake Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:
2 large overripe bananas (really really dark brown & gross looking is best!)
2 Tbsp maple syrup
3 large eggs
2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup cacao powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 Tbsp hemp hearts
2 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup coconut sugar
3/4 cup good quality chocolate chips

• Preheat the oven to 350F and line a muffin tray with muffin cups.

• In a large mixing bowl, mash banana with a fork until mushy and smooth. Add all other ingredients, except chocolate chips, and continue to mix with a fork. Finally, mix in 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and spoon out batter into your lined muffin cups.

• With the last 1/4 cup of chocolate chips, sprinkle tops of muffins with roughly 3-4 chips and lightly press them into the batter.

• Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until set and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool before serving, then devour!
  

  If you make these cupcakes, please let me know how they turned out for you!! Leave me a comment here or better yet, share a pic on instagram and tag me so that I can see your beauties!

Double Layer Almond Chocolate Fudge Cake with Chocolate Avocado Frosting

The time has finally come to post this birthday cake!! 🤪

Every February, my son’s birthday comes around, and I find myself so busy trying to plan a party, come up with a cool gift, make awesome party food, hammer out a delicious AND nutrient rich birthday cake, while meeting all the requirements of the birthday boy…that when and if the time comes to write out the cake recipe and post about it, I’m just too bagged!

Well, this year is different, my friends.

Although none of the above changed in any way, I have taken the time this year to get this recipe to you because it has FINALLY become my favourite, decadent, no-non-food-weirdness-ever, chocolate birthday (or anyday) cake!! And it has been officially taste tested by a pack of the harshest critics….11 year old kiddos!

Several years in the making, here’s a birthday cake that can accommodate all the dietary restrictions, make all the tastebuds sing, is moist and not overly dense, AND satisfies my NUTRITIONISTA REAL FOOD requirements (which is not always that easy!).

Double Layer Almond Chocolate Fudge Cake
with Chocolate Avocado Frosting

Ingredients:
3 cups almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
3/4 cup cacao powder
1/2 cup coconut sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 eggs, room temperature (for a vegan cake, replace eggs with 3 flax or chia eggs)
1 can full fat coconut milk
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup applesauce
1 Tbsp vanilla
2 Tbsp maple syrup
Chocolate Avocado Frosting:
1 cup dark chocolate chunks
1/4 cup coconut oil
3 ripe avocados
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp vanilla
1/4 cup cacao powder
1/4 cup maple syrup
Instructions:

• Line 2 x 7” cake pans with parchment paper and lightly grease them with coconut oil. Preheat the oven to 350F.

• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cacao powder, sugar, baking soda & salt, until there are no lumps or clumps.

• In a separate medium bowl, combine eggs, coconut milk, oil, applesauce, vanilla, and maple syrup, and whisk together until smooth. Pour wet ingredients into the dry mix and combine gently with a large spatula. Do not over-mix.

• Pour evenly into your 2 cake pans and bake for 30 - 40 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely, preferably overnight, before frosting.

• For the frosting: In a double boiler (or a glass bowl set over top of a medium pot with a few inches of water) melt chocolate chunks and coconut oil until runny. Transfer melted chocolate mix to the food processor and add in all other ingredients. Combine until smooth and thick. Adjust sweetness as desired (dark chocolate chunk sweetness will vary).

• For cake assembly: Remove one cake from pan (don’t forget the parchment!) and place on a large serving plate. Evenly spread a thick layer of frosting over the top of the cake (I like to use a small spatula or a bread knife for this). Carefully remove the second cake from its pan and set on top of the bottom layer. Spread all remaining frosting over the top and along the sides of the cake to cover completely. Cake will keep on the countertop for roughly one day, refrigerate leftovers (if there are any 😉).

If you make this cake, please drop me a note with your feedback or kitchen dancing enthusiasm!! I want to know how it went and if I need to make any adjustments to the recipe!
Happy cake making celebration 🎉

Double Chocolate Granola Brownies

Chocolate brownie + granola bar.
It just happened.
And it is fabulous!

This is a dense bar that’s perfect for an active day on the slopes, snack attack in the kids’ lunchbox, and a long day’s work in need of an afternoon pick-me-up! Loaded with mineral rich cacao powder, blood sugar stabilizing dates & oats, full spectrum amino acid hemp hearts, extra protein in almond butter and chopped almonds, and intensified in taste by dried cranberries and shredded coconut, I’m not convinced that this bar is missing anything! Except maybe some warm bellies 😋

As always:
no gluten,
no dairy,
no refined sugar,
no confusing food labels.
Use real food & feel real good!
You will love these, I am so super sure.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE GRANOLA BROWNIES

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Category: Vegan, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Snacks, Healthy Treat, Kid Approved
Serving: 12 medium sized bars

Ingredients:

2/3 cup medjool dates, pitted
1/2 cup almond butter, smooth or crunchy
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup cacao powder
1 1/2 cups oats
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup hemp hearts
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
For Topping:
1/4 cup melted chocolate
2 Tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a medium glass dish with parchment - mine is 11 x 7”.

2. In a food processor, combine dates, almond butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla, until well combined. Add oats, cacao powder, and salt, and process until just combined. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl.

3. Add hemp hearts, cranberries, chocolate chips, and coconut, and stir together with a wooden spoon. Transfer mixture to your lined pan and press with wet hands to evenly distribute.

4. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes until edges brown slightly. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

5. Once mostly cooled, drizzle melted chocolate over top and sprinkle with shredded coconut. Transfer brownies to the fridge to solidify before cutting into squares. Keep refrigerated.

Did you make these? Tell me how they turned out!
Want to make incredible Holiday Chocolates? Grab this Ebook today!
Looking for more recipes like this? Check these out!

Easy Lunchbox Cookies

It’s fairly easy to find cookie recipes online these days, but it’s my experience that most cookie recipes contain unnecessary added sugars, flour, and oil, and can be tricky for people with food intolerances or allergies.  This recipe makes a really nice cookie, that’s super satisfying, easy to make, and uses only real food ingredients. The flour used here is oat, but you could sub another light gluten-free flour such as brown rice, or a blend. Another option would be to make your own oat flour by simply blending some oats in your food processor until a flour-like consistency is met and use that. Also, if you want to make a nut-free cookie here, simply swap out the nut butter for a seed butter like sunflower.

I’m calling these a “lunchbox” cookie because they keep well, are not high in sugar or refined ingredients, and will absolutely qualify the kiddos’ requirements for a treat-like snack to take to school.
Some Mom (or Dad) advice: double the batch and throw the 2nd batch in the freezer – simply pop a frozen cookie in your kids lunchbox in the morning and it’s defrosted a few hours later. High-fives all around!

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Easy Lunchbox Cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Category: Healthy Snacks, Healthy Treats, Cookies

Cuisine: Plant-Based, Nutrient-Dense

Yield: 12

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup almond butter

• 1/4 cup honey

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 3/4 cup oats

• 1/2 cup oat flour

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 3 Tbsp coconut oil, melted

• 1/4 cup raisins

• 1/4 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350F.

2. In a medium bowl, combine almond butter, honey, and vanilla with a spoon. Add in all other ingredients and mix well until combined. Use wet hands to work the dough to a nice consistency.

3. On lined baking sheets, roll about 1 1/2 Tbsps of dough in wet hands and press slightly. Leave at least a few inches between your cookies as they will expand while baking.

4. Bake 12-16 minutes until slightly browned on the edges. Makes roughly 12 medium sized cookies.

Did you make these cookies? Tell me how they turned out!
Looking for more lunchbox inspiration? Try these Easy Chewy Granola Bars or these Coconut Mango Blueberry Muffins

Happy Mama Hormone Balancing Chocolate Mousse

If you are a woman, or know a woman, you need this recipe.

That’s it.

The ladies crave chocolate, okay?! Particularly at certain times during their cycle. There is a reason for this and it goes beyond a typical chocolate craving: women crave chocolate during the week leading up to menses because as the body prepares to lose extra volumes of blood, it demands more nutrients, particularly minerals. Real, unprocessed, high-cacao content chocolate (no, not mars bars & snickers, my Loves) is very high in minerals and the perfect mineral booster pre-menses (in small doses of course!). Eating a particularly nutrient-dense diet during this time encourages regular hormonal function, decreasing excess inflammation and reducing stress on the adrenals and the endocrine system.

Other Hormone Balancing Ingredients in this Recipe:

• Avocado: Full of fiber, potassium, magnesium, vitamin E, B-vitamins, and Folic acid, avocados are a powerhouse food for hormone balance. They are a great choice for balancing insulin metabolism in your body and are also anti-inflammatory.

• Coconut Oil: Provides necessary building blocks for proper hormone function, stimulates the immune system & metabolic function, and helps to balance mood disruptive blood sugars 

• Tahini: I love love love tahini and use it liberally in many of my recipes. This beauty seed butter is loaded with phosphorous, magnesium, potassium, iron, and is one of the best plant-based sources of absorbable calcium. It is also helpful in liver detoxification, is high in protein, is alkaline, and promotes healthy skin and cell growth.

• Maca: Maca is an endocrine adaptogen, gaining a gleaming reputation for its positive influence on hormone regulation. Maca stimulates and nourishes the hypothalamus and pituitary glands, which can have positive influences on the thyroid, pancreas, adrenal, ovarian and testicular glands.

My Dear Ladies:
Eat Chocolate. Not Too Much. Choose Good Quality. Eat with Joy.

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Happy Mama Hormone Balancing Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients

• 1 avocado

• 1 Tbsp coconut oil

• 2 Tbsp cacao powder

• 2 tsp maca powder

• 1/8 tsp sea salt

• 1 Tbsp honey

• 1 Tbsp tahini

• 1/4 tsp vanilla

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in your food processor or blender and blend until smooth.

2. Serve immediately.

3. Number of servings: 1 

Want to learn more about balancing hormones?

Coconut Mango Blueberry Muffins

Mango + Blueberry + Coconut = I’m IN!!
This delicious powerhouse combo works beautifully in these muffins. What’s extra awesome, is that they are minimal ingredient and made simply with all, easy-to-find, whole food ingredients. My son’s first reaction should have been one of those funny-crazy kid youtube videos, because he was so excited about how good they were, that he had us all busting a gut in the kitchen over it. I haven’t met a kid yet who wasn’t pretty stoked on mangoes and blueberries, so these ones should be an easy sell 

If you feel like going the extra mile with this recipe, make your own almond flour by simply grinding up your favourite almonds in a dry food processor until a fine meal is formed.

Nutritional Tip: Store your almonds (and all nuts & flours) in your fridge, they will last longer and stay fresh. Once a nut gets too old, the oils start to turn. These rancid oils are at the root of many health struggles, including inflammation, cancer, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s, and many other damaging health conditions. Take good care of your nuts, my friends 

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Coconut Mango Blueberry Muffins

Yield: 12

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups almond meal

• 1/4 cup coconut flour

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp good quality salt

• 2 eggs

• 1/3 cup maple syrup

• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

• 2 tsp vanilla

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (1-2 lemons)

• 2 Tbsp lemon zest (2 lemons)

• 2 Tbsp chia seeds

• 1/2 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut

• 1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

• 1/2 cup fresh mango, diced small

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together almond meal, coconut flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla, lemon juice and zest. Stir in chia seeds and allow to set a few minutes.

4. Pour wet ingredients into your large bowl with the flour mixture and stir until just combined (do not over-mix). Fold in shredded coconut and fruit.

5. Distribute evenly among your lined muffin pan. Bake 25 minutes or until slightly browned and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool for at least 30 minutes before serving (they will need time to set and will otherwise be crumbly). Enjoy!

Bonk Bars

I have to admit that I have a big time soft spot for my Bonk Bars.
They were one of my first original recipes that people were really excited about. On top of that, the honest-to-gosh-golly-goodness truth is that I just LOVE them SO much. They are my absolute favourite bar to have hanging around when I’m training for a distance run, rehearsing like mad for a dance show, or just being the busy body, high-functioning human that I am. They are THE perfect afternoon slump, pick-me-up bar with all those great combinations that we love so much: macronutrient balance, nutrient-density, and total flavour jam!

These bars were inspired by a good friend who is hypoglycemic and tends to “bonk” (have a blood sugar crash inducing fits of rage and/or extreme grumpiness) if he doesn’t eat good food regularly.  Loaded with blood-sugar stabilizing fiber (dates), fats (coconut oil & chia), proteins (nuts & seeds), complex carbs (oats), and natural sweetness, these are fool-proof bars for active people, athletes, teenagers, regular “bonkers”, and sweet-treat lovers everywhere. Easy to throw together and incredibly satisfying, these will keep well for weeks in the fridge (I dare you to try) and freeze well too!
Stay grump-free.
Look out for your friends.
Prevent “Bonking”.

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Bonk Bars

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Category: Snack, Healthy Treat, Power Snack

Cuisine: Vegan, Real food, Nutrient-dense, Vegetarian, Raw

Yield: 16 bars

Ingredients

• 1 cup medjool dates

• 1 cup almond butter

• 1 cup oats

• 3 Tbsp coconut oil, melted

• ¼ cup sunflower seeds

• ¼ cup sesame seeds

• ¼ cup pumpkin seeds

• ¼ cup shredded coconut

• 3 Tbsp chia seeds

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/4 cup raisins

• 1/4 cup chocolate chips

• ¼ cup goji berries (mulberries/golden berries)

Instructions

1. Soak dates in boiled water until soft (about 7-10 minutes).

2. In food processor, combine dates and almond butter until smooth. Add oats and coconut oil and pulse until roughly combined. Transfer mixture to a large bowl.

3. Add all remaining ingredients and combine.

4. Pour into a lined 8 x 8 square pan and press down with wet hands until evenly distributed and smooth.

5. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cutting into squares. Store in fridge.

If you try these Bars and love them (or not), let me know how they worked out for you!!

Love these? Want more recipes like this? Check these out:
Sesame Chocolate Power Balls

The Ultimate Cookie

Banana Oat Bars

Inspired by some very ripe bananas, a hungry family, and the need to have something on hand for either a quick breakfast or avoiding an afternoon crash, these bars are super easy to whip up, satisfying, and full of flavour. They are gently sweet and so moist, they might be able to pass as cake.  AND a little chocolatey goodness is always well received! A great recipe for little people, ravenous teenagers, and busy people alike. Enjoy!

Banana Oat Bars

Prep time: 15 mins
Bake time: 15-20 mins

Ingredients

2 ¼ cups oats
¼ cup ground flaxseeds
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3 very ripe bananas
2 tsp vanilla
¼ cup applesauce
¼ cup honey
½ cup coarsely chopped almonds (or other nuts of choice)
¼ cup unsweetened dried coconut
1/3 cup chocolate chips

Chocolate Sauce:
3 Tbsp cacao
2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 Tbsp honey

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350F.

• Place oats in your food processor and grind into a coarse flour. Place flour in a bowl and whisk together other dry ingredients.

• Combine bananas, vanilla, applesauce and honey in your food processor and process until creamy. Stir into your dry mixture.

• Stir in almonds, coconut and chocolate chips.

• Pour into a lined 8 x 8 pan and smooth the top. Bake for 15-20 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean and the edges are slightly browned. Cool.

• To make chocolate sauce, stir together all ingredients in a small bowl and drizzle over bars. If the chocolate sauce is too thick, place bowl over a steaming pot of boiled water for a few minutes until slightly melted.

Feeding little (or big) hungry bellies something to feel good about!

Easy Chewy Granola Bars

It’s taken me a good while and several tries to come up with a granola bar recipe that is full of good stuff, stays chewy, and is quick and easy to throw together. Here it is. These are super popular with the kiddos, my active lady friends, and the backcountry boys alike.  This is a dependable, fool proof recipe, that turns out well every time.  Feel free to experiment and add your own flare!
Note: if your kids can’t bring nuts to school, simply swap out the almond butter for sunflower seed butter, pumpkin seed butter, or tahini!

Easy Chewy Granola Bars

Ingredients

1/2 cup almond butter
1/2 cup honey
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
Good pinch of salt (1/4 tsp)
2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
1/8 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
2 cups oats
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup good quality (high cacao content) chocolate chips
1/4 cup water

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F and line an 8 x 8 pan with parchment.

• Combine almond butter and honey in a small saucepan over low heat until just melted. Remove from heat and transfer to a large mixing bowl.  Add in all remaining ingredients, stirring until well-combined (I will often use my hands for this).  If the mixture seems dry, add a few Tbsps of water at a time until desired consistency is reached.

• Pour mixture into your lined baking pan and press down with wet hands until evenly distributed. Bake for 30-45 minutes until edges are slightly browned.  Cool completely and cut into squares (I like to pop it into the freezer for 10 minutes before cutting).  Will keep refrigerated for up to a month.

Coconut Banana Muffins

Our summer has finally chilled out enough to turn my oven back on and it’s good timing because my boys were craving some muffins and I was dying to create.  I also happened to have some pretty brown, fruit fly lovin’, bananas begging to be a part of something fantastic!

These muffins are vegan, gluten-free, and as sweet as brown are your bananas! (The browner the better). Note: if your bananas aren’t quite there yet, pop them in a brown paper bag overnight to quicken the ripening period.

Coconut Banana Muffins

Ingredients:

2 cups DIY gluten free flour blend (I use this one)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp himalayan sea salt
4 large, very ripe, bananas
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup coconut cream (if you don’t have any coconut cream, scoop off the cream from a can of coconut milk)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup shredded, unsweetened, coconut (1/4 cup reserved)
1/3 cup high cacao content chocolate chips

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350F. Line muffin tin with parchment paper or reusable silicon liners.

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and whisk together.

• In a medium bowl, mash bananas with a fork. Add in sugar, oil, cream, and vanilla, and combine. Pour wet mixture into dry and stir with a large spoon.  Stir in 3/4 cup of shredded coconut and chocolate chips.

• Spoon muffin mix into the tins and sprinkle with remaining coconut.

• Bake for 22-25 minutes until slightly brown around the edges and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

• Cool completely and store covered with a dish towel to enable air circulation.

Note: I like to set half the batch aside to freeze for lunches and watch the others get devoured in just a few days. Enjoy!

Sesame Chocolate Power Balls

These little babies were inspired by the need for more protein packed lunchbox snackeroos for the little kiddos who can’t pack nuts in their lunches due to school specifications. I came up with these easily, as they’re super quick to whip together, they contain staple ingredients that live in my kitchen, and I love love love the combo of sesame and chocolate: salty-sweet-earthy deliciousness!

Designed with the littles in mind, these are full of protein, beneficial fats, fibre, calcium, magnesium, and immune boosting antioxidants, they are perfect for an afternoon boost without the blood sugar crash of refined sugar. They are not to be reserved just for your kids though, so hide a couple in the back of the fridge and try them out mid-afternoon when you’re feeling sluggish and unfocused, they are sure to satisfy in many ways! Enjoy!!

Sesame Chocolate Power Balls

Yield: 12 - 16 Balls

Ingredients

• 1 c dates, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes

• 1/2 cup raw tahini

• 1/4 cup hemp hearts

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 cup cacao powder

• 1/4 cup dried cranberries

• 1/3 cup toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Toast sesame seeds in a hot, dry, frying pan over medium heat until lightly brown. Remove from heat and empty onto a small plate and set aside.

2. In a food processor, combine soaked dates, tahini, hemp hearts, salt, and cacao. Blend until smooth and well combined.

3. Add dried cranberries to processor and pulse a few times until they are incorporated, but not blended.

4. Using clean hands, roll 1-2 tbsp of mixture in your hands until a smooth ball is formed. Roll each ball in toasted sesame seeds until completely coated (or just coat half). Place onto a cookie sheet.

5. Place finished balls into the fridge until firm (2-4 hours). Store refrigerated. Will keep 3-4 wks in fridge or 6 months in the freezer.

Be sure to let me know how these work out for you!

Ginger Plum Crisp

It is Fall Harvest and plums are in abundance! This crisp is super simple but really really good. Gluten-free and made will all ingredients that live in my house, it’s an easy one to pull off for a dinner party, potluck, or just because there are loads of plump purple goodies begging to be baked! I served the leftovers to my boys in the morning with a dollop of coconut kefir and we all felt good about that!

Print

Ginger Plum Crisp

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Category: Dessert, Breakfast, Snack, Tea time

Cuisine: Vegan, Real food, Nutrient-dense

Serving Size: 6

Ingredients

• 3 cups diced plums

• 1 heaping Tbsp minced ginger

• 2 Tbsp maple syrup

• Good pinch of sea salt

• For the Topping:

• 1 cup oats

• 1/3 cup oat flour

• 1/4 cup slivered almonds

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp ginger powder

• 1/4 tsp sea salt

• 2 Tbsp coconut sugar

• 1 Tbsp maple syrup

• 3 Tbsp melted coconut oil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. In a medium bowl, combine plums, minced ginger, maple syrup, and sea salt. Spread evenly along the bottom of a small glass or ceramic baking dish (mine is 6 x 8).

3. For the topping, combine all ingredients in your mixing bowl and spread over top of the fruit bottom.

4. Bake for 40-45 minutes until edges begin the brown and you see the juices boiling along the sides.

5. Serve with coconut whip cream or coconut vanilla ice cream.

The Ultimate Cookie

What makes a really good cookie?

And by good, I mean health benefiting, energy boosting, and super satisfying, just to be clear. A truly good cookie can be everything you want it to be AND make your body, mind, and soul happy.

What do we love most about cookies?  They’re chewy, sweet, salty, satisfying, and usually contain chocolate.

When constructing the healthy cookie, we can honour all of these delicious qualifications with a few simple alterations to the average cookie recipe.

Healthify Your Cookie:

• Chewiness: something to hold your cookie together. Some good health benefiting suggestions: chia + water, ground flax +
  water, eggs, and nut butters.

• Sweetness: oh so necessaire!! What’s key to gaining ground in the daily health challenge is to swap out those refined sweetness wannabes (and I mean permanently) for body-loving goodness such as honey, maple syrup, bananas, or dates.

• Salty: this one’s easy! Just say no to iodized salt. For true mineral uptake and to receive actual nutrition from salt, choose good quality sea salt or pink himalayan salt.

• Satisfaction: what makes a cookie’s satisfaction meter shoot through the roof is not the sugar and chocolate, my friends, it is the fat + carbohydrate + protein quotient. Using all 3 macronutrients in a power snack allows you to feel full longer, to keep your blood sugar levels stable, and to boost your energy and brainpower in a way that doesn’t mess with your metabolism. Some ideas: for good fat: coconut oil/nuts/seeds; good protein: nuts/seeds/hemp hearts; and good carbohydrates: oats/oat flour/almond meal/banana.

• Chocolate: be choosy about chocolate! Real dark chocolate is full of beneficial minerals and antioxidants, but don’t let the store shelves fool you! There are many variations on chocolate out there will a LOT of added nonsense.  Find some dark goodies with as few ingredients as possible (3), look for cacao in the ingredients list and choose minimal sweetness.

Here’s my latest and most ingenious cookie recipe that I am so proud of and that my family and I did the kitchen happy dance for when I first took them out of the oven! The absolute bonus? They’re SO easy!

The Ultimate Cookie

2 Tbsp chia seeds + 2 Tbsp water
2 ripe bananas
⅓ cup honey
⅓ cup almond butter
1 tsp vanilla
½ heaping tsp cinnamon
Good pinch of sea salt
¼ cup hemp hearts
1 ½ cup oats
⅓ cup raisins
⅓ cup chocolate chips

• In a small bowl, whisk together chia seeds and water and let sit 10 minutes.

• In a medium bowl, whisk wet ingredients together with a fork.

• Add in dry ingredients and combine. Fold in raisins and chocolate chips. Form into cookies of whatever size you like and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

• Bake at 325 for 25 mins.

Layered Lemon Chocolate Cheesecake

Creamy Coconut Lemon Filling meets Avocado Chocolate Mousse.
Oh.
Yes.

This cake not only looks spectacular, inciting noises of mmm’s and ahh’s, it is also quite easy to whip up. It’s not overly sweet, which I love, the decadence takes care of providing so much flavour and nutrient density, that extra sweetness is just unnecessary. As with all raw cheesecakes, you do need a little fore thought, as these decadent desserts need to set overnight in the freezer. I will usually make a layered style cake like this on a day when I’m puttering around the house or am doing some batch cooking or prep. It’s best to let each layer harden before adding the next, so don’t rush this process.
Do feel free to make this style of cheesecake your own, depending on what you have on hand or what’s in season. You may feel like adding a cup or so of fresh raspberries or peaches to the middle layer or covering the chocolate mousse with toasted coconut flakes and raw cacao nibs. Note on the chocolate mousse layer, this also makes an incredible icing - you can increase the sweetness a little, if you like, and use it as a chocolate frosting for cupcakes or chocolate cake 😋. Definitely be careful not to leave it unattended on your kitchen counter, as it may gain some finger marks or mysteriously lose volume….
Any which way, I have ultimate confidence in the satisfaction level of this layered beauty.
However you make it, share it, and be sure to savour every bite!

Layered Lemon Chocolate Cheesecake

Prep Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes + 1 hour 20mins for freezing time
Category: Vegan, Dessert, Cheesecake, Decadent
Cuisine: Vegan, Real food, Nutrient-dense, Vegetarian
Yield: 10-12

Ingredients

For the Crust:
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1 cup medjool dates (or other soft dates), pitted
2 Tbsp raw cacao nibs
1/4 cup cacao powder
Good pinch of salt
A little water if needed (2 Tbsp)

For the Cashew-Lemon Cheesecake:
2 cups soaked cashew pieces (soaked at least 4 hours)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup coconut cream
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup maple syrup/honey

Chocolate Avocado Mousse:
2 ripe avocados
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1/2 cup cacao powder
2 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup maple syrup/honey

Instructions

• For the Crust: Combine all ingredients in your food processor and process until a coarse meal forms (do not over-process or it will lose it's crunchy-goodness appeal). If the mix is quite dry, add a few Tbsps of water until it sticks together. With wet hands, press crust into a lined 8 x 8 springform cake pan. Place cake pan in the freezer for 10 - 20 minutes until set.

• For the Cheesecake Filling: Combine all ingredients in your food processor and combine until smooth. This may take several minutes. Note: if it looks like the mixture has curdled, just continue processing, it will become creamy with a little patience. Pour over crust and return to the freezer to set for at least 1 hour.

• For the Chocolate Mousse: Combine all ingredients in your food processor and combine until smooth. Pour over top of the hardened cheesecake and smooth top with a spatula. Return cake to the freezer and allow to set overnight.

• When it is time to remove the cake from the pan, run a thin knife under very hot water and slide it along the sides of the pan. While still quite frozen, use this warmed knife method to cut the cake into slices. I recommend allowing the cake to soften before serving - rest on the counter for 15-20 minutes.

  *Notes: It is important to remember to soak the cashews overnight the night before. The cake will also need an hour to harden in between adding the cashew layer and topping with the mousse.