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  • Roasted Carrot Salad

    Roasted Carrot Salad

    Roasted Carrot Salad

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    Total Time 40 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Ingredients Method

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup quinoa
    • 1 ½ cups water or vegetable broth
    • 1 ¼ pound carrots peeled and cut into 2-inch sticks (¼-inch thick)
    • 2 tablespoons avocado oil
    • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • 3 ounces baby arugula
    • 2 avocados chopped
    • 1 cup crumbled feta
    • 6 ounces toasted seeds such as sunflower or pumpkin
    Dressing
    • 6 tablespoons avocado oil
    • 3 tablespoons maple syrup
    • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
    • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

    Method
     

    1. In a small saucepan, combine quinoa and water or stock. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 10 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Spread quinoa on a sheet pan to cool completely.
    2. In a mixing bowl, toss carrots with avocado oil, maple syrup, paprika, and salt. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes, until tender and lightly caramelized. Let cool completely.
    3. Whisk together avocado oil, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and Dijon mustard until fully emulsified.
    4. In a large bowl, gently toss quinoa, roasted carrots, arugula, and avocado. Divide among shallow bowls or plates. Drizzle with dressing and finish with seeds and feta.
  • Swiss Chard and Barley with Gruyere

    Swiss Chard and Barley with Gruyere

    Swiss Chard and Barley with Gruyere

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    Total Time 35 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Ingredients Method

    Ingredients
      

    • ⅔ cup pearled barley
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • ½ medium yellow or white onion diced
    • 8 ounces cremini or button mushrooms quartered
    • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
    • 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
    • 1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
    • 1 cup vegetable broth or water
    • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
    • ¾ teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 bunch chard stemmed and chopped into 2" pieces
    • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 8 ounces gruyere cheese grated
    • ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese sprinkle on after it comes out of the oven

    Method
     

    1. Cook barley in a medium pot of lightly salted water for 35 minutes or until tender. Drain.
    2. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent. Add mushrooms and cook until browned, about 4-6 minutes. 
    3. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds then add tomatoes, broth, Italian seasoning, and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Add chard and cook until wilted. 
    4. Stir in cooked barley and butter. Top with gruyere cheese and cover. Continue cooking on low until cheese has melted.
    5. Garnish with grated parmesan and serve.
  • Shrimp Alfredo for Two

    Shrimp Alfredo for Two

    Shrimp Alfredo for Two

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    Total Time 35 minutes
    Servings: 2
    Ingredients Method

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp
    • 2 large garlic cloves minced
    • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 12 ounces rigatoni pasta
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 shallot minced
    • ¼ – ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
    • ½ cup dry white wine
    • 1 15-ounce jar Alfredo sauce
    • Grated Parmesan
    • Fresh basil leaves

    Method
     

    1. Combine shrimp, garlic powder, paprika, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside to marinate.
    2. Cook pasta according to package instructions.
    3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté shallots with red pepper flakes until translucent. Add shrimp and cook 1-2 minutes per side or until opaque. Deglaze with white wine.
    4. Add Alfredo sauce and cooked pasta. Heat through and serve with shredded parmesan cheese and fresh basil.
  • Beer Cheese Dip

    Beer Cheese Dip

    Beer Cheese Dip

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    Total Time 30 minutes
    Servings: 3.5 cups
    Ingredients Method

    Ingredients
      

    • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
    • 1 cup lager beer
    • 1 cup whole milk
    • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
    • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
    • ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • ¼ teaspoon white pepper
    • 8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese

    Method
     

    1. Heat butter and pepper flakes over medium heat until butter is melted and bubbling. Add flour and whisk, cooking for 3 minutes.
    2. Slowly add the beer while constantly whisking. When smooth, add milk and whisk smooth and well mixed. 
    3. Add Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt, and white pepper. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently.
    4. Add shredded cheese and stir until melted. Serve while warm with fresh soft pretzels.
  • Strawberry Banana Smoothie

    Strawberry Banana Smoothie

    Strawberry Banana Smoothie

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    Total Time 5 minutes
    Servings: 1
    Ingredients Method

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 ripe banana peeled
    • ¼ cup unsweetened cashew butter
    • ½ cup oat milk
    • ½ – ¾ cup fresh or frozen strawberries
    • Plant-based protein powder optional

    Method
     

    1. In a blender, add banana, cashew butter, oat milk, strawberries, and protein powder, if using.
    2. Blend at high speed until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Pour smoothie into a glass and enjoy.
  • Detox Salad

    Detox Salad

    Detox Salad

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    Total Time 35 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Ingredients Method

    Ingredients
      

    • ¾ pound green cabbage
    • ½ pound broccoli florets
    • ½ bunch lacinato kale
    • ¼ pound carrots
    • ½ cup roasted almonds
    • ⅓ cup sunflower seeds roasted
    Maple-Tahini Dressing
    • ⅓ cup tahini
    • 5 tablespoons water
    • 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
    • 3 tablespoons maple syrup (or to taste)
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • ¾ teaspoon sea salt

    Method
     

    1. Thinly slice cabbage and broccoli. Remove kale from stems and roughly chop. Peel and grate carrots. Add vegetables to a mixing bowl.
    2. In a separate bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients until smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning to taste.
    3. Pour 1/3 of the dressing over the salad and toss to combine, adding more dressing as needed.
    4. Roughly chop the roasted almonds. Top salad with almonds and sunflower seeds.
  • Taking metabolic health to heart

    Taking metabolic health to heart

    Taking metabolic health to heart

    Understanding and improving your metabolism

    Can you be gifted an efficient one at birth? Or be cursed with a slow metabolism that, like a rusty engine block, churns out more smoke than speed? Or can you craft one to your liking with proper fuel and maintenance?

    The answer is as complex as the metabolism itself.

    Born this way

    Your metabolism is basically what’s keeping you alive. It’s breaking down food; it’s giving you energy; it’s keeping all of your systems running. Your cells are then using that as fuel and pumping out energy that your body uses. So, it’s all of the systems working together to allow you to live. The source of fuel is vital, but not everyone is born with access to the same class of vessel.

    People are born with certain genetics that determine their basal metabolic rate, but there are other factors like disorders of the thyroid gland that affect individual metabolisms.

    If your thyroid gland makes more hormones, your heart rate will speed up and your metabolism speeds up. Hypothyroidism is an autoimmune disease, but this time the antibodies actually destroy the thyroid gland, and you get the opposite: you get weight gain, you feel sluggish, and the metabolism is slow.

    Fuel to burn long and strong

    Maintaining a healthy gut begins with reaching for healthy food source. Try a daily diet of whole foods like the Mediterranean diet and DASH (dietary approaches to stop hypertension), which recommend lean meats; poultry and fish; and proper amounts of fruits, vegetables, and sources of healthy oils and plant proteins.

    Exercise (but have fun doing it!)

    Using your energy through exercise is vital to keeping your metabolism in good working order. People who exercise raise their metabolic rate, so if you keep in shape, your basal metabolic rate will be higher.

    What is most important about exercise is wanting to exercise. A recent study reported in Frontiers in Psychology drew a direct link between how much people enjoyed their exercise and how likely they were to continue exercising. So choose something you enjoy—be it walking, playing tennis, or weight lifting—and be consistent.

    Just breathe—and sleep

    Finally, proper rest is absolutely vital. Our bodies do important work overnight so that we wake up the next morning ready to go again. Good sleep benefits weight management. But if you’re stressed, this can make it harder to sleep well, which in turn can make it harder to lose weight; stress elevates cortisol levels that can lead to weight gain, thus impacting our metabolic and cardiovascular health.

    For people who may have trouble gearing down after their day—for instance those of us who may have a hollow leg but a hassled brain—try meditation, even if it’s just three minutes per day.

    by Kenny Bodanis

    Article Courtesy of Alive Magazine

  • The heart-gut connection

    The heart-gut connection

    The heart-gut connection

    How a healthy gut improves your heart (and vice versa)

    Most cases of premature cardiovascular disease are preventable. A growing body of research points to an oft-overlooked factor that can help you avoid heart disease and improve your overall wellness: the heart-and-gut connection.

    Your gut microbiome influences your heart health

    Researchers have found that most adults have poor gut health, with the majority of people experiencing regular symptoms, including bloating, cramping, and abdominal discomfort, that indicate an opportunity for gut-health improvement.

    Research shows that a healthy gut may have the following effects:
    ● improved cholesterol numbers
    ● better blood pressure support
    ● better fat metabolization
    ● healthier heart contractions and regular heartbeat maintenance

    This link between a healthy gut and a healthy heart is likely due to the chemical compounds produced by the good bacteria in your digestive system, as well as how a healthy gut is better equipped to help process and break down the foods you eat. And many of the things that affect gut health have also been linked to heart health.

    Take smoking as a prime example. Smoking is one of the biggest risk factors for heart disease, and smokers also have higher numbers of “bad” bacteria in their guts compared to those who don’t smoke (on par with those who have IBD).

    Improve your lifestyle and improve the heart-gut connection

    Your gut health has a direct correlation with heart health, and the things that are good for improving your cardiovascular wellness are also associated with enhanced gut health. Both aspects of your health are influenced by the same lifestyle factors, allowing you to tackle these two major health concerns in a significant and practical way.

    Eat more fibre

    Foods rich in fibre, including fruits, veggies, and whole grains, promote gut health, reducing harmful compounds linked to heart disease.

    Fibre doesn’t just improve gut health, but it’s also directly linked with improved cardiovascular health. A study following participants on a high-fibre diet over six months reported a 15 percent reduction in systolic blood pressure, 28 percent lower blood sugar levels, and 23 percent reduced triglyceride levels.

    • Eat less processed foods, which throw off the gut microbiome, leading to increased inflammation, and are also linked to a significant increase in heart disease.
    • Eat more fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut, which help populate your gut with beneficial bacteria while improving cholesterol levels and other heart disease risk factors.
    • Exercise regularly to significantly reduce heart disease risk and improve the diversity and abundance of beneficial bacteria in your gut.
    • Increase your hydration to support healthy digestion and maintain the balance of bacterial and immunological functioning in the gut.
    • Regularly wash your hands, which minimizes the risk of introducing bad bacteria into your gut.

    by Joshua Duvauchelle

    Article Courtesy of Alive Magazine

  • Cottage Cheese Cheesecake

    Cottage Cheese Cheesecake

    Cottage Cheese Cheesecake

    This take on a creamy, crustless cheesecake satisfies your chocolate cravings without derailing your health goals. Cottage cheese has been having a moment lately, and for great reason. Its mild flavour lends itself to so many culinary preparations, and the protein found in cottage cheese has been shown to help build muscle.

    Cottage Cheese Cheesecake

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    Servings: 6
    Ingredients Method

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 ¼ cups cottage cheese
    • ¼ cup maple syrup
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ⅓ cup natural cocoa powder
    • 2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder
    • 3 large organic eggs
    • Mixed red berries, such as raspberries, strawberries, or pomegranate arils for garnish
    • Melted dark chocolate for garnish (optional)

    Method
     

    1. Preheat oven to 350 F°. Line 6 inch round cake pan or springform pan with parchment paper. It’s easiest to cut a large square of parchment paper, scrunch it up tightly, smooth out again, place over cake pan, and press down; smooth into corners as best you can. No need to trim any overhanging paper from pan; this will assist in removing the cake from the pan once cooked and cooled. Set prepared cake pan aside.
    2. To bowl of food processor, add cottage cheese, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and eggs. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl, as needed, with rubber spatula. Pour mixture into prepared pan.
    3. Bake cheesecake in preheated oven until sides of cheesecake are set, top of cake is puffed, and centre has a slight wobble, about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven to a wire rack and allow cheesecake to set in the pan for 20 minutes. The top of the cheesecake will deflate a little. Remove from pan with the aid of any overhanging parchment paper and place on serving plate, leaving parchment paper on cheesecake. Refrigerate cheesecake at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
    4. When ready to serve, garnish with red berries and a drizzle of chocolate, if desired. Slice and serve.

    by Lawren Moneta

    Recipe Courtesy of Alive Magazine

  • Red Velvet Fudge

    Red Velvet Fudge

    Red Velvet Fudge

    This little indulgence is the perfect high-protein treat to share with someone special. Packed with protein and fibre, gluten free, and naturally coloured, this sweet treat may become your favourite all year long. This fudge also freezes wonderfully for times when the urge for a little something sweet hits.

    Red Velvet Fudge

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    Servings: 25 squares
    Ingredients Method

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 medium red beets trimmed
    • ½ cup almond butter or cashew butter
    • ½ cup unsweetened almond milk or alternative milk of your choice
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
    • 1 ⅓ cups chocolate vegan protein powder
    • ⅔ cups finely ground oat flour
    • ¼ teaspoon finely ground Himalayan pink salt or fine sea salt
    • 2 ½ ounces dark chocolate chips melted

    Method
     

    1. Preheat oven to 400 F°.
    2. With fork, pierce each beet several times. Wrap each in parchment paper, making sure to fold over the edges to seal each beet. Place parchment-wrapped beets on rimmed baking tray or in small baking dish. Roast beets in preheated oven until easily pierced with a fork, about 50 to 60 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle, about 30 minutes. Carefully unwrap and, with spoon, scrape off and discard beet skins (they should come off very easily). Roughly chop skinned beets and place in food processor or blender; purée, scraping down sides of container with rubber spatula as needed, until very smooth.
    3. Transfer beet purée to bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or a mixing bowl, if using an electric hand mixer. Add almond butter, almond milk, vanilla extract, protein powder, oat flour, and salt. Mix on low speed until everything is very well combined. Mixture should resemble thick cookie dough. Line 8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Firmly press mixture in one layer into prepared baking pan. Refrigerate fudge for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
    4. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and place a wire cooling rack on top of parchment paper.
    5. Lift fudge out of pan with help of parchment paper and cut into 1 1/2 inch squares. Place squares of fudge on wire rack before drizzling with melted chocolate. Place baking tray with fudge in refrigerator for 10 minutes. Transfer red velvet fudge to a serving plate and enjoy.
    6. Any extra fudge may be stored in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 1 week or freezer for up to 2 months. Let thaw slightly before enjoying.

    by Lawren Moneta

    Recipe Courtesy of Alive Magazine