Showing posts with label RECIPES. Show all posts
Showing posts with label RECIPES. Show all posts
OVERNIGHT OATS FOR A QUICK & EASY BREAKFAST | RECIPE
Hi friends! Today on the blog I have a delicious breakfast recipe that I want to share with all of you. These are my overnight oats. I make overnight oats at least once a month, sometimes more, because the base recipe is so simple and easy, and from there you can add in different flavours and ingredients for a truly superfood breakfast. If you've never had overnight oats before, it's like a cold oatmeal/pudding, but my recipe is packed full of spices and hidden goodness (ie. dates, chia seeds). It's also super filling, making it an ideal breakfast food.
INGREDIENTS
for 4 servings
1 1/3 cups rolled oats
1 3/4 cups almond milk
5 medjool dates, pitted
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon honey
STEPS
1. Simple put everything into a blender and blend until smooth! If it seems like you need more liquid, feel free to add more almond milk. Also keep in mind the oats and chia seeds will soak up more moisture while sitting in the fridge.
2. Divide the oats evenly into four small bowls and cover with cling wrap. Let them sit in the fridge for at least six hours.
3. Serve with fresh fruit, sprinkle on more cinnamon and chia seeds, and enjoy!
These will last at least a week in the fridge, and since this recipe makes four servings, it'll last you almost the entire week... considering you don't have two or three a day ;) If you try these overnight oats out, please share a photo and tag me! I'd love to see your creations... you can blend in some fruit, add some dark chocolate; the variations are endless!
- Nancy
MATCHA GREEN TEA LATTE | RECIPE
Happy Monday! What better way to start the week than with a hot cup of matcha?! You know how much I love lattes (evident through my Instagram posts and real life), and lately I've been making matcha lattes for my morning kick of antioxidants and caffeine. I can go on and on about the health benefits associated with matcha, but to just name a few... it boosts metabolism, is a natural detoxifier, is rich is fiber, vitamins C, zinc, and magnesium, prevents cancer, ageing, and lowers cholesterol and blood sugar. At the end of the day, it's just good for you!
INGREDIENTS
for one serving
1 cup of almond milk
1 1/2 tsp of matcha powder
a pinch of black pepper
honey/agave to taste
This recipe is pretty straightforward, but this is how I make my lattes: I pour the almond milk into a small saucepan and once it starts simmering, I will put the matcha powder in and whisk it until everything is combined. For a kick of spice, I like to add a pinch of black pepper, and then I'll pour it into a mug and stir in about a teaspoon of honey.
For a really great latte, I recommend finding a milk that works for you. You can use soy, almond, regular milk, but whatever you use, make sure it is unsweetened and especially if you are using a nut milk, use one that has a high ratio of nuts to water, because I've used different types of almond milk in the past, and they never taste as rich. My favourite almond milk is the PC Organic Unsweetened Almond Milk. A lot of the times matcha powder used in cafes contains sweetener powder already milled into it, so it's best to buy it yourself and adjust the level of sweetness that suits your taste.
Have a great week everyone! I hope you give this latte a try, and if you do, tag me in a photo!
- Nancy
CHEESY BRIE & JAM BITES | RECIPE
A couple weeks ago, I baked up these brie and jam bites for our housewarming party! They were such a hit with our guests and I've been asked for the recipe a few times, so I thought I'd share it with you guys too. These only use a couple ingredients, and are super easy and fast to make, so they're perfect to whip up as an appetizer for a little dinner party or something simple just to snack on (I totally ate like, 10 of these after the photos were taken).
INGREDIENTS YOU WILL NEED
(For 24 Brie Bites!)
A sheet of puff pastry
Brie cheese
Fresh Rosemary
Jam (I used strawberry, but cranberry is amazing!)
Salt & pepper
1. Preheat your oven 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray cooking oil into each individual mould of a mini cupcake pan.
2. Cut up the wheel of brie into at least 24 individual cubes. Chop up about two sprigs of Rosemary, and leave some extra aside for a garnish at the end.
3. Using defrosted puff pastry, unroll a sheet and divide the sheet into 24 squares. Fit each square into the moulds, creating little cups for the cheesy filling.
4. Fill each cup with a cube of brie, half a teaspoon of jam, a sprinkle of the Rosemary, and a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
5. Place the tray in the oven, and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
To finish, sprinkle the Rosemary that was put aside from the beginning, and allow them to cool slightly. These bites are best served warm, and go great with a glass of wine too ;)
If you try out this recipe, I'd love to see it! Feel free to tag me on Instagram or Twitter and let me know if you'd like to see more recipe ideas. I'm trying something new out this year and incorporating different content into this blog, and I'm really excited to see where it'll go.
xx,
Nancy
TURMERIC LATTE FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS | SUPERFOOD RECIPE
If you've never heard of a turmeric latte before, then get ready to be amazed by a decaffeinated drink that will replace your morning coffees and work wonders for your body. I've seen these pop up in so many coffee shops in and around Toronto, and it's definitely gaining more traction and hype every day, so if you haven't seen this "golden milk" in your city yet, you can expect to see it soon!
In any case, I've played around with making my own, because it's super simple to make and tastes delicious. This is literally my go-to drink in the morning now, because I love how soothing it is for my body, and it just makes me feel good overall. Turmeric is a huge antioxidant for the body, and it's full of nutrients and warming flavours - this is why it makes you feel good! What's also great about this latte is that you can drink it hot (which is my preference) or cold by adding just a few ice cubes.
Turmeric lattes definitely do not taste like a regular espresso latte or even a matcha latte. The turmeric gives the latte a slightly earthy and savoury flavour, while still being warm and slightly sweet. Combined with the flavours of cinnamon, star anise and ginger, it's a match made in heaven. I like to add some cayenne into my latte because it actually enhances all of the other spices, although I know black pepper has been linked to better absorption of turmeric, so you could definitely add that instead.
I use turmeric in curries all the time, and it's great to season vegetables or rice with. It's commonly known for its anti-inflammatory properties, high antioxidant amounts, and contains tons of phytonutrients. It's been linked to cancer prevention, and of course, the studies used to determine this used large amounts of turmeric to achieve the results, which is unrealistic unless you want to eat turmeric in every meal every single day. Although, it definitely doesn't hurt to start with small, daily intakes of turmeric by adding it to lattes, curries, sauces, and other foods that you already eat.
Turmeric does not dissolve in liquid, and like cinnamon and ginger, it will not completely resolve in lattes. So I recommend starting small on the turmeric if you've never had it before, and then gradually add more as you get used to it. I always like to strain my latte with a mesh strainer before I drink it as well, that way it's still infused with all the flavour with less of the grainy texture.
TURMERIC LATTE
INGREDIENT LIST
1 1/2 cup almond milk
1 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (or a cinnamon stick)
1 star anise
1 tsp grated ginger
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1 tsp honey (optional for sweetness)
1 tsp honey (optional for sweetness)
RECIPE
1. Gently warm the almond milk in a small pot on medium heat.
2. Add the turmeric, cinnamon, star anise, ginger, and cayenne pepper and whisk to combine everything.
3. Continue to heat for about 3 minutes to let the spices infuse into the milk. Remove from the heat and remove the cinnamon stick and star anise (you can reuse these!).
4. Strain the latte through a fine mesh strainer and pour into your favourite mug.
5. I prefer a sweeter latte so I always like to stir in about a teaspoon of honey and then you're done!
2. Add the turmeric, cinnamon, star anise, ginger, and cayenne pepper and whisk to combine everything.
3. Continue to heat for about 3 minutes to let the spices infuse into the milk. Remove from the heat and remove the cinnamon stick and star anise (you can reuse these!).
4. Strain the latte through a fine mesh strainer and pour into your favourite mug.
5. I prefer a sweeter latte so I always like to stir in about a teaspoon of honey and then you're done!
Let me know if you guys try this latte out. As always, you can see all of my food recipes using the menu tab at the top of my blog. I plan on doing as many as I can this year, so keep on checking back to see more healthy recipes.
Hope you guys enjoyed!
xoxo,
Nancy
SIMPLE & EASY BANANA OAT PANCAKES
Happy Monday friends! It's a statutory holiday in some parts of Canada today, so I've been enjoying this slow morning. On days like this, I like to take the time to cook up some breakfast, because most of the time I just throw a bunch of things into the blender for a morning smoothie. While it's usually pretty healthy, I do enjoy cooking breakfast too.
I know you've probably seen a lot of these banana pancake recipes floating around in which they only require bananas and eggs, but I like to add some oats to give the batter more body. I love these pancakes because they are so quick and easy to make, and are a healthy and similar alternative to traditional pancakes. This recipe down below is for one serving, however, you can definitely double or triple the recipe for more servings.
INGREDIENTS
1 banana
2 large eggs
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/4 berries, chopped (optional)
STEPS
- I will usually place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend everything together for a few seconds however, you can also do this without a blender. Firstly, mash up the banana with a fork in a small bowl. You can also whisk the banana to make a smooth consistency.
- Whisk in each egg, one at a time, and stir in the oats.
- Once everything is combined, you are ready to pour the batter into a skillet however, you can also add some fruit to the batter. On this day, I added some chopped strawberries to my batter.
- Heat about a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large, non-stick skillet on medium heat. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter in the pan for each pancake and once the pancakes begin to produce little air pockets on the surface, you are ready to flip. Cook the pancakes for around another two minutes and they are ready!
I find that sometimes with the extra added fruit as well as the banana, the sweetness is just right for my taste buds. I do however, like a little drizzle of honey every now and then on my pancakes. If you try these out, I would love to see your pictures and hear what you think about them! Tag me in a photo on Instagram or Twitter, or leave a comment down below if you do.
Have a fantastic Monday, and an even better week!
- Nancy
KALE, APPLE, AND POMEGRANATE SALAD
One of my goals for the new year is to introduce more content to this blog. Therefore, you may have noticed the new tabs on the menu bar, some of which have content, and some of which will have content to come! Something you may not know about me is that I have been blogging since late 2009. I began blogging with a food blog, and one thing I regret is not continuing it, because I love to cook and do cook a lot. Granted, as I've gotten older, there are many more things on my plate and my passion for cooking has somewhat diminished in the years.
However, today, I want to share with you one of my favourite salad recipes. There are so many kale salad recipes out there on the Internet, and I myself have a plethora of salads that I like to make with kale. This is one version of a salad that I often make. Sometimes I will add more ingredients or swap out a few items, but the base to any kale recipe is of course, the kale! Kale itself can be quite tough and bitter, but it packed full of vitamins and fiber, and can keep you full for a much longer time.
DRESSING
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon honey
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
SALAD
2 cups chopped kale
1/2 sliced Granny Smith apple
1 pomegranate
1/4 cup sliced onion
1/2 cup quinoa (uncooked)
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, and salt and pepper. Start drizzling in the olive oil and whisk the dressing in a frenzy to emulsify the dressing.
2. Chop or tear the kale into bite-sized pieces and place in a separate bowl. Drizzle half of the dressing onto the kale and "massage" it into the leaves. This will wilt the kale and make it softer and more manageable to eat.
3. Prepare the rest of the ingredients by slicing up the onion and apple, and removing the pomegranate seeds. Cook the quinoa according to the package instructions and let it cool slightly.
4. Toss everything (including the other half of the dressing) together in a large bowl, and you are ready to eat!
I love the combination of sweet and salty, and that is exactly what this salad is. It's fresh with the apple and pomegrante, but pairs beautifully with the kale wilted in the savoury balsamic dressing. This salad is delicious warm or cold, and it'll keep for 2-3 days in the fridge. This recipe makes two servings, so you'll be set for two meals if you're making it for yourself.
If you make this recipe, I would love to see pictures! Please tweet me or tag me in an Instagram post. I hope you enjoyed this post, and have a wonderful week!
Cheers,
Nancy
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