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 ...

Today its back to work after a Canadian long weekend. For some, its an opportunity to get outside in summer, go to a cottage or take part in the many festivals and activities around Toronto. But I hate that shit. Cottages are full of bugs, and summer is too hot and Toronto is too crowded and difficult to get around to make going to any festivals or attractions worth it (or remotely enjoyable). And no, my name is not the Grinch. So on the day off yesterday, I went to the office in the morning and stayed at home, inside, in the air conditioning all afternoon. But I was sort of productive. I convinced Big A to do the Tracy Anderson fitness video I have with me. We had a lot of fun making fun of it (her boobs don't move even though it doesn't even look like she is wearing a bra...silicone perhaps?). I also agreed to bake with Little A. She had been pestering me to make "Crunchy Top Blueberry Muffins", which are essentially cake-like blueberry muffins with sugar on to...

Good morning and Friyay! Give yourself a pat on the back, because you made it through the week. I have a little recipe for you today that's super easy, even if you are a non-baker. In order to keep myself from getting stressed preparing for our Thanksgiving dinner, I promised myself I'd keep it simple. The main was turkey chili, and I decided to make cornbread with it. I did intend to whip some up from scratch but while I was out shopping, I found Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free cornbread mix, and thought, why not make it easy for myself? I can always dress it up, and dress it up I did! These came out fantastic! Though I used eggs as per the bag instructions, you could swap it out with flax eggs and make these vegan. These are so yummy, and if you love sweet and spicy flavour combos, you just have to make them! Super Easy Peach Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins 1 bag Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free cornbread mix 1/2 cup avocado oil (or other oil) 2 eggs or flax eggs ...

Its Monday and I am not feeling cheery.  Our phone rang in the middle of the night and woke me, and I had a hard time falling back asleep, so I feel tired.  Its also winter again here in Toronto. Like WTF, its April, why are we having a freakin' snow storm??? Time for something yummy to brighten up this day.  These muffins certainly fit the bill. I have never been a fan of cheesecake, but one of my favorite ice cream flavours as a kid was Blueberry Cheesecake and other cheesecake-flavoured things.  I also adore cream cheese frosting.  In the savoury food realm, cream cheese also can't be beat on a bagel, especially with smoked salmon on top. Unfortunately, cream cheese is little more than salt and saturated fat.  Quark, on the other hand, is low in sodium, fat and calories, and high in protein.  It makes a great substitution.  It is used in these decadent tasting, scrumptious muffins, which are surprisingly healthy and very satisfying tha...

Although I am not vegan, or even vegetarian, I have started doing mostly vegan baking.  This is because, (1) I find using flax eggs actually makes low-fat baked goods have a better consistency than using real eggs, and (2) Its a sneaky way to get flax into my kids (the girls eat real eggs all the time). Blueberry muffins are usually nothing more than cake: white flour, sugar, butter or margarine, etc.  Absolutely nutrition-free aside from the blueberries.  In addition, they will spike your blood sugar, which will crash soon after making you crave more sugar and carbs.  Forget about it! Instead, these one-bowl blueberry muffins are packed with fibre, protein and nutrition and will leave you feeling satisfied and help you avoid the energy crash and cravings. Because I made these for the kids, I added a scoop of Mighty Greens powder, but adding a greens powder is optional.  You can probably replace the spelt flour with a gluten-free substitute, i...

If I had to chose favorites when it comes to baked good flavours, lemon would be right up there.  Normally the rest of the family isn't so smitten with it, but this recipe is a crowd pleaser even with them.  No one will believe its grain-free, sugar-free and vegan...and you don't even have to tell them.  It can be our little secret!! Luscious Lemon Loaf 1 ripe plantain, peeled 2 flax eggs (2 tbsp. flax + 6 tbsp. hot water) Juice and zest of 1 lemon 2 tsp pure lemon extract 1 scoop vegan vanilla protein powder, stevia sweetened 2 tsp pure stevia powder, or 1/2 cup baking stevia 1/2 tsp baking soda 2 tsp konjac powder Puree everything in food processor until smooth.  Scrape batter into 2 mini loaf pans lined with parchment paper (or 8 parchment lined muffin cups).  Bake at 350F for about 20-22 minutes, or until set in the middle.  Timing will be less for muffins.  Cool and ice, if desired. Lemon cream cheese frosting 3 tbsp. cream c...

One reason I have always loved baking is its always a science experiment.  I almost never use other people's recipes because I prefer to make up my own, but believe me, I have definitely had my fair share of fails! I am currently obsessed with baking with plantains.  It is so amazing to me that you can just puree this starchy fruit and use it in place of flours.  Like who knew?  I had one that got super ripe, and since they sweeten as they ripen I thought it would be a good one to use to make something for the sweet teeth that live in this house...that would be Adam and the girls! I had never thrown in coconut milk powder but wanted to give these little muffins some added richness.  This was certainly an experiment gone right, as everyone loved them!  Along with being delicious, they are also gluten-free, sugar-free, low-calorie, and vegan.  How about them plantains? Grain-Free Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins 1 large, ripe plantain,...

Someone please help me, I am living in a household of squash haters!  How did this happen?  My family also hates avocadoes...really, I ask you, what did I do to deserve this??? After making a huge bowl of roasted buttercup squash mashed with butter, salt, cinnamon and a bit of stevia, which was greeted with turned up noses, I realized I needed a plan B for this orange vegetable.  So through desperation (as many inventions are found), I created these absolutely delectable muffins.  The squash makes them incredibly fluffy and moist.  Combined with the caramel/butterscotch flavour of the coconut sugar, they are just divine.  Just don't tell anyone what's inside!!!  You probably also shouldn't mention that these are packed with vitamins and fibre and are low-fat and refined sugar-free...you know, you don't want to scare of the picky kids and nutritionphobics out there. Buttersquash Muffins 2 cups cooked, pureed squash (butternut, buttercup or acor...

Are there any foods that make you think of your childhood?  In terms of purchased foods, for me, its bran muffins.  My parents weren't strict about junk food, but they didn't buy us Hostess Twinkies or that kind of thing.  They did, however, buy us Sunmaid raisin bran muffins from the locally grocery store in Kingston.  Oddly, I never saw them sold elsewhere, and I haven't seen them sold in many years.  Nevertheless, they were a family favorite. They came in packs of 4, and even though we were a family of 4, we always fought over them.  Despite the name, like most muffins you buy, they weren't remotely healthy.  Sure the bran and raisins gave them fibre, but they were full of white flour, sugar and trans fat.  We just weren't aware, at that time, how bad they were for us. If they were in the house, you can be certain I was grabbing one for breakfast.  I remember them being very moist and sweet, with a hint of cinnamon.  Mmm! I th...

Its been ages since I baked with plaintains, so I snatched up a massive one at the market this past weekend. I am trying to figure out how I am going to fuel myself the day of our big walk and I am thinking these might be a good bet, along with some Quest bars and fresh fruits and veggies.  We were told they supply snacks and lunch, but I have no faith they'll come through with anything that meets my nutrition needs and standards (I'm guessing juice and bagels or other high carb, low nutrition crap).  But maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised. In any case, these turned out so well, I don't think I need to save them for any special occasion or event.  These taste so much like they are made with grain flour, its amazing.  I couldn't even detect the plantain taste. Vanilla Spice Plantain Power Cakes 1 large plaintain, somewhat ripe (i.e. not green) 1/2 cup egg whites 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I used Vega) 1/4 cup granulated stevia (optional) 1 tsp va...

These are cake in name alone.  They are actually low-fat, whole grain and sugar-free...of course. Did you know that most muffins in chain coffee shops have more sugar, fat and calories than donuts??  They are honestly a really bad choice for a breakfast or snack.  Eat, sugar crash, binge, repeat. Despite being high in fibre, and protein, these babies are sweet, moist, tender and delicious.  The kids even said I shouldn't call them muffins because they taste more like cake.  So go ahead, have one for breakfast...have another for a snack! Vanilla Blueberry Cake Muffins 2 cups unsweetened apple sauce 1 cup stevia granulated baking blend or 4 tbls uncut, pure stevia powder 2 eggs 1 cup milk+1 tbls cider vinegar or lemon juice, stirred together 2 tbls canola oil 1 tsp vanilla extract 2.5 cups whole grain kamut or spelt flour 1 scoop stevia-sweetened vanilla protein powder (28g) 2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt ...

Adam always complains that I make all sorts of tasty looking treats but won't let him touch them, because they are for the girls' lunch boxes.  So I made these just for him. This is another recipe that makes me feel very sly because they taste so sinful (even Adam said they HAD to be loaded with calories), but are really pretty healthy.  They even contain beets...a lot of beets...a veggie that is not one of Adam's favorites.  Ha! Open your mind and you open the possibility of great tasting super healthy food. Chocolate Chip Red Velvet Muffins (Gluten-Free & Sugar-Free) 4 cups beet puree (about 3 lb beets, roasted and peeled) 4 eggs 1/4 cup coconut oil 1 cup buttermilk (or milk + 1 tbls cider vinegar) 1 cup stevia baking blend (or xylitol, erythritol or coconut sugar) 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup coconut flour 1/3 cup cocoa powder 2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 cup sugar-free chocolate chips Blend wet ingredients in fo...

Its another wet, grey day.  Blech!  How about some sunshine filled muffins to warm you up? I baked these for the grown-ups at Little A's birthday party, just in case they wanted something besides pizza and ice cream cake.  The place also had veggie and fruit trays, which was fabulous.  And I brought a batch of my Passover chocolate chip cookie squares, for those observing. Pineapple Carrot Muffins 1 lb organic carrots, finely grated 1 8oz can crushed pineapple, with juice 2 eggs 1/4 cup oil 1/2 cup granular stevia or xylitol 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 cups whole spelt flour 2 tbls coconut flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt Optional: raisins, walnuts, etc. Whisk together eggs, oil, sweetener and vanilla in a large bowl.  Stir in carrots and pineapple.  Stir together dry ingredients in a measuring cup or smaller bowl and then add to wet.  Mix just until combined.  Spoon batter into ...

When I was offered a sample of Pines Wheat Grass powder, I thought it would be a perfect way to get more green stuff into my kids.  Just 1-1/4 tsp is packed with nutrition.  I thought the simplest thing would be to mix it with a bit of juice, which is a treat for them, and then, at least on days when they've eaten nothing that is plant based, at least I'd know they got some goodness.  If you want to know all about the health benefits of wheat grass, and the value of their products over other on the market, visit the company's website . Here is the nutritional analysis for 1 serving of their Wheatgrass Powder: Nutritional Analysis of PINES Wheat Grass This is not a complete list of the nutrients in PINES Wheat Grass. This analysis simply lists those nutrients shown on our labels. Most whole plant foods, including PINES Wheat Grass, contain hundreds of nutrients, including carotenoids, pigments, trace minerals, and phytonutrients. NOTE: Percent Daily Value (%D...

Today, Day 30 of my 2014 Gratitude Challenge, I am grateful for a small little thing that made my day yesterday: I discovered our local Loblaws now sells these stevia-sweetened chocolate chips:   They are also gluten-free and nut-free, by the way.  There is no dairy listed in them either, but they don't say they are vegan or dairy-free on the package. It was a crazy coincidence actually, as I had the day off and was trying to get a number of things done including making muffins for the girls' lunches.  I was out of my home-made, sugar-free chocolate chips and didn't have time to make more, and was trying to figure out what, besides chocolate, they would find appealing.  Our bananas weren't ripe enough to bake with, and Big A recently decided she hates blueberries.  I wanted to avoid dried fruit for the sake of their teeth (since they don't brush at school) and was grumpily meandering the aisles looking for inspiration.  I almost kissed the...

Good grief, it's already January 27th, day 27 of my Gratitude Challenge!  It also happens to be another Monday of a week that is supposed to be stupidly cold and yucky.  Perfect time to practice gratitude and not wallow in self-pity.  Today I am grateful that my kids have no serious allergies...yet (allergies can develop at any point in time). I was quite concerned my kids would have bad allergies because Adam has some (Marlin, hay, etc.) and lots of people in my family have them (shellfish, morphine and penicillin among other things).  I, luckily, am just allergic to wool and have a ton of skin sensitivities, but nothing that yields a really serious reaction or anything.  While pregnant with Big A, I didn't touch a peanut, since at that point that was the recommendation.  While pregnant with Little A, I ate lots of peanuts because at that point the experts decided early exposure was better.  Now I think its been determined that it really doe...

If you have noticed that the photos on this blog are even worse than usual, its because my camera is incompatible with my computer's new operating system.  Stupid Windows 8!  I now have to use my phone to take pics.  The muffin loaf above looks un-baked in this picture, which is so weird because in reality it was fresh out of the oven and looked (and smelled and tasted) delightful.   Oh well, I'm not about to get a new camera anytime soon so my phone pics will have to do. I am really not technically inclined.  My phone (Samsung Galaxy S4) couldn't be better quality and has some ridiculously amazing features and functions, but I don't know how to use most of them.  I really just use my phone for communicating with my clients.  Actually, I have to tell you, what I am grateful for today (It's now Day 23 of my Gratitude Challenge), is that Adam and I are not device abusers/addicts (we don't have PVR, we still use a VCR, Adam d...

  Today (Day 6 of my gratitude challenge) I am grateful that I have a safe warm home for myself and my family.  Yesterday it was INSANELY cold here in Toronto.  I luckily didn't work yesterday so I only went out to drop off the girls and then pick them up from school.  Just running from car to school and back was painful.  I seriously cannot imagine what life would be like in this weather for someone without a home, or even those unable to afford appropriate outerwear.  So in light of the chilly weather in these parts, here is a yummy recipe guaranteed to go great with a steaming cup of coffee, tea or cocoa.  Perfect apres ski, skate or sled fare! When we got home from Florida, there was a big bunch of very ripe bananas on our counter.  This made it easy to decide what to bake for our New Year's Day drop-in: banana muffins!  Little A, who was my helper, decided on adding the dried cranberries...they are like one of her favorite...

  Sorry if I offend anyone, but the whole 'Paleo' diet movement really irritates me.  It's based on faulty reasoning and pseudo science.  That being said, I get it that it may be a very enjoyable and effective way for some people to lose weight and/or improve their immediate health.  The problem is, I think long-term health may not be maximized.  Why?  Because research links consumption of animal protein (which is a big part of the paleo diet) with chronic illness.  Beans and WHOLE grains, on the other hand are associated with lower risk of chronic illness. Frankly, I think its just replaced the Atkins, and no doubt is at least an improvement on that, since it focuses on unprocessed foods and natural, uncured meats, but still.  I don't believe its a magic bullet for all our health whoas. Anyways, I do think some great culinary ideas have come out of the Paleo movement.  One is the use of the plantain in baking.  I lov...

Big A has a playdate with her friend Z tomorrow.  Z's mom runs a home daycare so there are always a few kids there and lots of fun activities.  Big A absolutely loves spending the day with them.  But I always feel guilty because I know Big A can easily eat them out of house and home, and I feel like she is getting a full day of daycare (even if it really is a playdate) for free!  So I whipped these up for her to bring along for the whole gang to snack on. I am not sure about the tastes of the other kids, but knowing that Z is pretty picky, I stuck with a fairly straightforward muffin.  I guess the only thing that makes these a little updated is that I used whole grain flour and coconut sugar instead of the white stuff.    Sorry, you'll never catch me cooking or baking with the white stuff (unless you count potatoes and cauliflower)! "Classic" Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins 2 eggs 1 cup buttermilk  (or 1 cup milk + 1 tbls cider vinegar...