Healthy Life Lessons

I have always loved cooking and baking, but I started out as a baker, making both messes and marvelous things in the kitchen from the time I was about 5-years-old. But many people, even those who love to cook, find baking intimidating. I have never understood why. Sure, there are certain things that can be tricky and require precision (pastry, souffle, etc.) but I have always found baking to be more forgiving than people often claim it is. After all, I rarely ever use recipes and just create them as I go, and for the most part they turn out great (I have had a few major failures, but that's all part of the learning process!). I also love baking because many of the ingredients are non-perishable, so I generally have them in the pantry at all times. If you shy away from baking because it scares you but would love to overcome your fear, The 3-Ingredient Baking Book may be the perfect resource to help you get started. The book is the latest one written by author, blogger, and ...

More recipes for you today! I always like to explore new recipes for Passover, because...well the ol' traditional stuff is pretty yucky (I am looking at you matzo!). So I made 2 things using this basic macaroon recipe, a macaroon topped fruit crisp, and macaroon cookies. Take your pick, they are both scrumptious! As always, I didn't use sugar, just a combination of Vitafiber and stevia, and since the base is almond flour and coconut, they are gluten-free. Macaroons traditionally use egg whites, so this recipe isn't vegan. You could try using flax eggs, but I have no idea if that would work. If you just want to make cookies, go for it. Its a big recipe so it will bake a lot! You can add in other things besides chocolate chips, such as dried fruit, if you wish. Macaroon Recipe 1.5 Cups almond flour 1.5 Cups medium shredded, unsweetened coconut 2/3 Cup finely sliced almonds 1/2 Cup Vitafiber powder 1 tsp Pure stevia powder 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp Pure vanilla extrac...

I was motivated this year to actually utilize our Jack-O-Lantern after Halloween.  It was a very large pumpkin, so there was plenty to work with.  I roasted the seeds, and roasted all the flesh, after removing the skin.  Then I pureed the flesh and made a batch of pumpkin butter, as well as these cupcakes for a party.  They are super moist and rich, even though they are also low-fat and vegan.  The only 'unhealthy' thing is the frosting (which also contain dairy from the white chocolate), but you can ice them any way you like. Because I had so much pumpkin puree, I decided to use it all, so this is a big-ass batch of cupcakes.  Half the recipe if you don't want as many. Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes 10 cups pumpkin puree 2 flax eggs (2 tbsp. flax meal + 6 tbsp. hot water) 1 cup coconut sugar 1 scoop vegan vanilla or chai vanilla protein powder 1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract 3 cups whole grain flour (spelt, etc.) 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp Pumpkin Pie spice...

I know many parents have nightmares about Halloween.  Its one non-stop sugar binge for kids, and not just on October 31st either.  For our girls, the festivities and candy, started last weekend.  First there was Halloween celebrations at Hebrew School, then at Big A's theatre class, then Girl Guides on Monday evening, and, of course, both their daycare and school are having class parties this week too.  Friday night there is a school dance party where pot luck, but it sounds like its going to be candy and junk, not dinner. Its way too much! I was very pleased that Big A asked me to buy veggie dogs to bring to her school party, since, once again, she is dressing up as a hot dog.  Her costume really is awesome!  She also asked me to make my Banana Chocolate Chip Snacking Cake, which she now says is her favorite cake ever!?! Its very healthy, so I have no problem about that. Little A didn't demand anything in particular for her school party, so I d...

Am I an extremist about nutrition? Well extremism is all relative! I eat all food groups, I don't follow any type of diet and I eat a wide array of things.  The only things I really try my best to exclude are added sugars and refined flours/grains, as well as trans fats.  Frankly these are habits WE SHOULD ALL BE DOING.  The only reason this may seem extreme to some people is that the BAD (basic American diet) is so full of this crap. Now perhaps I am extreme because I have eliminated this stuff from my diet - well, mostly anyways - rather than 'cut down' but I'll bet most people who have 'cut back' on this stuff still eat too much.  I don't cook or bake with sugar at all anymore.  I exclusively use stevia, xylitol, erythritol and coconut sugar.  I use limited amounts of even maple syrup, molasses and honey because they still affect your blood sugar the same way white sugar does.  Brown sugar is no better than white as its just white with...

As I enjoyed some roasted kabocha squash last week, it hit me that since its drier than other types of squash, and a bit more starchy, it might be possible to bake grain-free goodies much like what you can do with plantains.  I happen to like the taste of kabocha better and I find them crazy filling because you eat the skin, which is full of good-for-you fibre. This weekend I gave it a try and it worked superbly! Because you include the skin you kind of need a high speed blender, unless your food processor is powerful enough, because you want it completely pureed. These make a great breakfast, meal on the go, or snack.  They're good plain, but also yummy with butter, nut butter or other topping of your choosing. Unlike baked goods made from plantain, which I find a bit dry and bland, these are very moist and flavourful.  To me, they taste kind of like a pumpkin spice pudding cake.  Yum! Kabocha Kake 1 small kabocha squash 1/2 cup egg whites 1 scoop stevi...

If you have ever woken up and craved nothing but sweets and coffee for breakfast, well now you can indulge guilt free!  This cake is not-too-sweet, moist and absolutely 'awesome' in the words of my kids.  Yet they are packed full of protein, fibre and nutrition.  So stay in your pjs, read the newspaper, drink a few cups of coffee and enjoy.  A piece of this cake is also great for a mid-morning snack on your coffee break...or mid-afternoon...or for dessert after dinner.  Really, it is so good you can enjoy anytime! Ground pecans and dates give it a lovely flavour and crumb...you won't believe its completely flour-free! My blender kept getting jammed when I was making the toffee frosting so I had pieces of date in it, but that didn't stop the everyone from loving these.  You won't believe that they are gluten-free, oil-free and refined sugar-free too. Oatmeal Date Pecan Breakfast Cake 1.4 cups cottage cheese 1/4 cup flax meal + 1...

Why did the cookie go to see the doctor? Because he was feeling crumby! That's currently Little A's favorite joke. If you are feeling crumby and only a cookie will do, but you want something satisfying and nutritious that won't leave you with a sugar-crash, then these fit the bill perfectly.  They are sugar-free, gluten-free, vegan and high in protein.  Oh, and super delicious as confirmed by the family, including the picky little ones. I used pea butter so they could go in the girls' lunch boxes, but you can use peanut butter if you want, or any other nut or seed butter for that matter. If you want them a wee bit more decadent, feel free to add chocolate chips. PeaNOT Butter Protein Cookies 1 cup nut/seed/pea butter 1/4 cup ground flax 1/4 cup vegan, stevia sweetened vanilla or chocolate protein powder 1/2 cup granulated stevia 1/4 cup hot water 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon (optional) Stir together all...

We had our good friends and their kids over for dinner Saturday.  I was a bit worried the girls wouldn't find too much they would eat since we were ordering in Thai food so I decided to bake a sort-of healthy cake, so there would at least be dessert. Caramel and banana are flavours that compliment each other nicely and I thought this would be a nice change from the banana chocolate chip everything combo they usually request. The girls loved this cake, but if truth be told, I was the one that ate most of it.  I couldn't help it, it is scrumptious...and after all the Thai food we ate that night, I was still hungry.  Go figure?  The girls were pretty peeved at me.  I guess I'll just have to make it again. I made this quickly in the Blendtec, but a food processor would work just fine.  The caramel turned out a bit grainy, but no one minded, it still tastes absolutely awesome. Caramel Banana Bundt Cake (Vegan) 3 ripe bananas 1 cup coconut sugar 1/4 ...

My heart is very full right now.  It's my favorite time of year, and I feel so incredibly grateful.  We had such a great weekend.  Rosh Hashana and belated birthday celebrations for me Friday with family.  A trip out to the Beaches neighbourhood on Saturday with the girls and a relaxed Sunday.  Adam took the girls swimming at the JCC after their Hebrew School and then we had a girls evening while Adam went to his book club. The weather is gorgeous and just makes you want to be outside! For dinner Friday night I made the crumble and this cake.  For the apple lovers, this was a smashing hit.  I am going to be making it again for sure!  Rich, moist apple-y cake covered in spiced apple and honey caramel topping...delish.  But I still managed to make it pretty healthy.  No oil in the cake and the topping is a lot healthier than most frostings! The picture doesn't do it justice.  It actually looked beautiful but the camera on my ...

My dad-a big cheesecake lover- nearly wept when I told him about making this cheesecake with the girls and then giving most of it to the neighbours.  Adam just didn't want the temptation in the house and the girls realized it wasn't their thing.  I am not usually a big cheesecake fan, but I have to admit this turned out pretty awesome.  Probably a good idea we gave it away... Black and White Cheesecake 2 cups cookie crumbs, regular or gluten-free (I used whole grain oat biscuits) 1/4 cup coconut oil, softened 1/4 cup agave syrup 2 lbs light cream cheese, softened 4 eggs 1 1/4 cup granulated stevia 1 tsp vanilla extract 350g unsweetened chocolate 1/2 cup agave syrup 1/2 cup unsweetened plain, vanilla or chocolate almond milk Combine crumbs, oil and agave in food processor.  Press into parchment lined 9 inch springform pan. Combine cream cheese with eggs, stevia (or other sweetener) and vanilla in blender or processor and blend until...

My family was delighted to discover I had made a chocolate layer cake on Sunday.  That don't happen too often around here!  Of course, its a healthier one than most.  Lots of chocolate, but no sugar crashes thanks, and no white flour or butter! This was my first time using powdered erythritol to make chocolate frosting and I think it turned out great.  Honestly, what could be better than sweet, creamy, chocolately frosting that is sugar-free, low in fat and calories??? Sadly by Monday evening the entire cake was totally gone.  Yep, I'm not kidding.  And yes, I may have contributed to its swift disappearance.  Guess I'll just have to make it again! Triple Chocolate Chunk Cake Chocolate Covered Katie's mayonnaise cupcake recipe quadrupled 2 cups chocolate chips or chunks (I used sugar-free) Icing 2 cups powdered erythritol 2 tbls coconut oil, softened 1/4 cup dark cocoa powder 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/4 cup non-dairy milk ...

Most folks who know food, know that the best Passover desserts, are those that never had flour in the recipe to begin with.  So when I found Nigella  Lawson's Olive Oil Chocolate Cake , I knew I had to make it for this year's sedar. It was definitely the show-stopper.  My picky father-in-law had multiple servings and there were nothing but accolades from everyone else (including the kids). Unfortunately, its not super healthy.  I thought about using something other than white sugar, and might do that next time I'm making it for us, but since I was making it for a crowd not always keen on healthy substitutions, I left the recipe as is. Actually, I kind of gilded-the-lily on this one and used almond milk instead of water to make it even richer, and instead of just dusting the top with icing sugar, as Lawson does in her recipe, I poured a chocolate fondant over the top. I also did the lazy woman's version and skipped all the sifting, electric beat...

I saw this recipe on The Detoxinista blog and instantly thought it looked perfect for a Passover dessert. I didn't think baking soda was okay at Passover, but when I did a bit of research, a lot of sources claim it is.  I guess you can decide for yourself.  I kept it in because I am not that experienced baking with almond flour, so I didn't want to mess these up. The original recipe uses maple syrup, but I don't like baking with maple syrup unless I want the flavour to be the focus (otherwise it's a waste of liquid gold!), so I opted for agave, and it worked perfectly.  These are super yummy even if you aren't celebrating Passover.  Adam described them as tasting like a cross between a macaroon and a cookie.  The kids love them too! Passover Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten-Free) (Adapted from this one ) Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups of blmond flour 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 2 tablespoons coconut oil, softened 1/2 teaspoon vanill...

Happy Passover, and happy birthday to my dad! Since I invented this recipe for Passover about a dozen years ago, they've been a favorite of Adam's.  The original isn't very healthy, using 2 full cups of brown sugar, but several of my attempts at making them with substitutions failed.  The recipe I posted last year is the original, but the photo is actually of the ones using coconut sugar, which ended up too crumbly.  This year, I finally mastered it!  Just a very small change in proportions and they turned out perfectly: sweet, caramel-y, crispy, chewy and amazing. The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars (for Passover) 2 large eggs 4 tbls egg whites (or whites of 2 large eggs) 2 cups coconut sugar 2 tsp vanilla extract 2 cups whole wheat matzo meal 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips Whisk together eggs, sugar and vanilla until smooth.  Add remaining ingredients and mix until combined.  Scrape batter into greased 8x8 squar...

Oh She Glows featured a recipe for double chocolate cookies last week. I instantly knew, with a few tweaks, it was going to make the perfect cookie to pack in the girls' lunches this week.  It's nut-free, which means its safe to take, and chocolate, which means bliss for them (and for Adam, who we told was not allowed to eat these...).  It was a cinch to modify them and make them sugar-free...which makes me happy. I'm guessing my finished product has quite a different consistency than the original recipe since Angela's spread more than mine did.  I don't know if that's because she used sugar, or because I beat the batter by hand, rather than using an electric mixer.  Either way, these turned out great.  I also made small, rather than big cookies for the girls, so I ended up with 2 dozen, instead of 1 like in the original recipe. Chocolate Chocolate Chip Lunchbox Cookies (Vegan, Sugar-Free & Gluten-Free) Adapted from this recipe Wet ingr...

  It's the first Monday in February.  Once again we're in for a cold, dreary day.  If you're feeling a little down in the dumps, than this recipe should brighten your mood.  It is one of the most unhealthy/decadent tasting healthy desserts I have ever tried!  Honestly, it is so good.  This one isn't mine, though, but heck, I wish I came up with it!! But before I get to the recipe, we'll talk weekend.  I know my Gratitude Challenge is over, but I have so many things I am thankful for.  First off, my foot.  Yes, my foot.  Friday morning after my workout in our home gym, I tripped over our BOSU ball.  I am the first one to admit I am a total klutz!  My foot rolled in a really not good way and it hurt like absolute hell.  I iced it and taped it and it seemed okay.  I took the girls to school, did some things around the house, and then took public transport to work.  At about 5pm, I was in a session with ...

  Wow, it's Monday again!  We had a great weekend, but it went by way too quickly.  And we woke up to a blanket of snow everywhere.  It looks pretty now, but in a few hours it will just be a big slushy mess I'm sure.  I think this is a take the subway and leave my bike at home day.  Anyways... After the success of the plantain bread, I decided to try making something a little fancier.  These were my latest lunch box treats I baked for the girls.  They love them!  And I love that they have no oil or sugar in them and are super quick and easy to make.  Since they have oats in them, they aren't for cavemen, but they are gluten-free if you can't have gluten. Chewy Cocoa Cranberry Plantain Cookies 1 semi-ripe or ripe plantain 2 eggs (or flax eggs*) 1/4 cup powdered stevia or coconut sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/4 cup cocoa powder 2 cups oats (gluten-free, if necessary) 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 cup dried cranberr...

Today is the first time the weather has actually felt autumn-like and while others are whining about the cooler temps, I'm dancing with joy.  The start of my favorite season!! Okay, I know Rosh Hashana is over, and, in fact, Yom Kippur starts tonight.  But this deliciousness doesn't have to be eaten ONLY on Rosh Hashana, or Yom Kippur, for that matter.  If you ask me, it's a great treat any time of year! I may love a lot of healthy foods; I'd rank oatmeal, chickpeas and brown rice up there as some of my all-time favorites, but I like some pretty sweet things too.  I have a weakness for honey and maple syrup, in particular.  So the traditional Rosh Hashana honey cake has always been something I've enjoyed. Now everyone's family seems to have their own recipe with a particular thing that makes it unique: apples, raisins, nuts, orange peel, coffee, etc.  But I kept it pretty simple this year as I was making it for a holiday get-together this past Sund...

Today is Little A's first official day of school!  I think I'm more nervous than she is.  Unfortunately, it hasn't exactly been a smooth morning so far: the girls have been fighting like crazy.  Fortunately, they've been fed and their lunches have been made.  This week they include a little treat: these cute cookies. This past Friday night, Big A slept over at my in-laws, so I figured I would have a blessedly easy Saturday morning: One kid, no fights to break up, and perhaps a little extra time to myself since Little A tends to sleep later than her sister.  Ha! Little A ended up waking up at 5:15am and told me she wanted to bake cookies. I agreed, but said she needed to get a bit more sleep.  Come 6:20am she was up for good.  Sigh! So make cookies we did.  Since she started kindergarten this week, I thought it appropriate to make the girls a healthy treat they could have in their lunch boxes.  Both girls love chocolate, of ...