Tag: healthy

Single Serve Sangria [Low Sugar]

Single Serve Sangria [Low Sugar]

Honestly, it is pretty mind blowing to me that I have NEVER shared a cocktail recipe here on my website. I love a good cocktail and wine is one of my true loves, so naturally a wine based cocktail like sangria is a favourite. The…

Healthy Greek Yogurt French Onion Dip

Healthy Greek Yogurt French Onion Dip

I’m on a roll here with dips, and after perfecting my healthy ranch, naturally I had to move on to a french onion dip. I am a dip person through and through. I know, not everyone shares this sentiment. Give me all the sauce, dips,…

The Best EVER Healthy Greek Yogurt Ranch

The Best EVER Healthy Greek Yogurt Ranch

I feel like in terms of food, ranch can be kind of controversial… you either love it or are repulsed. There is no in between. I LOVE a good creamy, homemade ranch… not so much the bottled stuff. The texture and ingredient lists generally throw me off and take me back to high school days when I’d have it with pizza all too frequently. No thank you. This dip is actually GOOD for you, packed with protein, healthy fats, and most importantly ingredients you understand. It holds up great in the fridge and just gets better and better as the flavours meld together. This is a great option to add to your meal prep rotation for salads, bowls or to make boring chopped veggies a little more exciting. The best part is because it is greek yogurt based, you can count it as a protein source and really enjoy a good amount of it, no skimping on a tablespoon. This recipe is a client favourite, and for good reason.

The Best Ever Healthy Greek Yogurt Ranch

June 15, 2020
: 4-6
: Easy

If you can, opt for organic, grass fed greek yogurt. Regardless, make sure you choose an unsweetened option for this recipe. Full fat is ideal for the creaminess factor, but if you can’t track it down, nonfat works just as well. If you intend to use this as a salad dressing, use heavy whipping cream instead of mayonnaise, and increase to 1/2 or 3/4 cup. This will provide a thinner consistency and a dose of healthy fats since this recipe is not oil based.

By:

Ingredients
  • 1 3/4 cups greek yogurt
  • 1/4 cup avocado oil mayonnaise OR heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 1/4 tsp onion powder or 1 1/2 tbsp dried minced onion
  • 1/2 tsp dried dill
  • 1 tbsp fresh chives, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced or sub dried parsley
  • salt + pepper to taste
Directions
  • Step 1 Mix all ingredients together well and store in the fridge.
  • Step 2 You can enjoy this right away, but ideally let it sit in the fridge for a couple hours to allow the flavours to meld together.
  • Step 3 Generally, this will last until the expiry date of the yogurt.

Crockpot White Chicken Chili [Gluten Free + Dairy Free]

Crockpot White Chicken Chili [Gluten Free + Dairy Free]

I LOVE a good chili. Up until about a year ago I had never tried White Chicken Chili which honestly is a bit of a disgrace. Most recipes out there are filled with dairy, and my husband can’t tolerate it, so we avoid it for…

Creamy Cauliflower Soup [Gluten Free + Dairy Free]

Creamy Cauliflower Soup [Gluten Free + Dairy Free]

I often share my soup recipes on Instagram as I meal prep for the week. If you follow, you may notice a common theme that for most of my soups. I tend to follow the same process of roasting a bunch of veg, and blending…

Butternut Squash & Spinach Quinoa Casserole [Gluten Free + Dairy Free Option]

Butternut Squash & Spinach Quinoa Casserole [Gluten Free + Dairy Free Option]

I wait all year for squash season, and once it comes I find ways to put it into just about everything. I love butternut squash because it’s easy to track down, unlike some more obscure squash varieties, and it is so versatile. When the cold weather hits nothing sounds as comforting as a casserole, so naturally I had to combine the two to make a casserole that is both healthy (unlike most) and delicious. Choosing quinoa as the base of this casserole provides a great source of plant based protein. To make this casserole dairy free, simply omit the cheese.

Butternut Squash & Spinach Quinoa Casserole

December 20, 2019
: 4
: Easy

By:

Ingredients
  • 1 cup dry quinoa
  • 1/2 lb butternut squash
  • 2 cups frozen spinach (3-4 if fresh)
  • 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella
Directions
  • Step 1 Cook quinoa according to package instructions with broth.
  • Step 2 Use prechopped, or chop yourself, 1/2 lb butternut squash into 1/2 inch pieces.
  • Step 3 In a small bowl, whisk together egg, garlic powder, and coconut milk.
  • Step 4 Grease a casserole dish, and pour in quinoa.
  • Step 5 Add butternut squash and spinach. Stir together.
  • Step 6 Mix egg mixture into the casserole dish, and stir until evenly distributed.
  • Step 7 Top with mozzarella cheese.
  • Step 8 Bake at 375 for 40 minutes until casserole is well set, and cheese is browned.
Classic Sugar Cookies Healthified [Gluten Free + Dairy Free + Refined Sugar Free]

Classic Sugar Cookies Healthified [Gluten Free + Dairy Free + Refined Sugar Free]

I’m not quite sure what Christmas would be without lots and lots of baking. Sugar cookies, shortbread, and ginger snaps all come out from hibernation, and nothing quite beats it. Around this time of year, everywhere we go there are tons of homemade sugar filled…

Crockpot Creamy Chicken + Veggie Soup [Gluten Free + Dairy Free Option]

Crockpot Creamy Chicken + Veggie Soup [Gluten Free + Dairy Free Option]

Guess what season it is? If you’re thinking crockpot season, you’re right. The crockpot has barely left my kitchen counter, which I am totally okay with because crockpot recipes tend to be low maintenance and produce less dishes. Hallelujah. I really can’t ask for more…

The Low Down on Intermittent Fasting

The Low Down on Intermittent Fasting

What is intermittent fasting? Is it legit? Is it just another trendy topic floating through the health and wellness space? Here’s what you need to know.


The concept of intermittent fasting is not a new revelation, through human evolution we began to move away from it, but it does seem to be making a comeback. Intermittent fasting is essentially the practice of following an eating period and a fasting period throughout the day. Most commonly, 16:8 or 12:12, fasting to eating. I’m sure you’re wondering, why the hell you would want to limit the hours you can eat, and if its even a healthy practice.

As it goes, nothing is black and white, neither is intermittent fasting. There are pros and cons, and they are totally dependent on you & your relationship with food. Let’s review, shall we?


Some Benefits of Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting allows our digestive systems to take a rest. It takes our bodies about 8 hours to digest food, so as you can imagine, if you’re not ever leaving at least 8 hours between eating, your digestive system literally does not get a rest.

Fat burning. Who doesn’t want to burn fat? Again, it takes your body about 8 hours to digest food. When we give it a break before eating again, our bodies get to focus on other things…like fat burning. When you’re in a fasted state, the insulin levels in your blood significantly drop, which triggers your body into fat burning mode.

Reduces insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is when our cells do not respond properly to the hormone insulin. Insulin makes cells in the body scoop up glucose in the blood stream to use as fuel, or sore as fat. When insulin resistant, glucose can build up in the blood stream leading too high blood sugar levels. When your body is insulin resistant, it continues to produce insulin to try to handle the excess glucose in the blood stream, often leading to high insulin levels. Intermittent fasting can help reduce insulin resistance which in turn, reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, as the reduction of insulin resistance means the reduction of blood sugar levels.

It promotes cellular repair. This is an important one. Again, are you sick of this yet when our bodies aren’t digesting food, they can focus on other things, such as cellular repair. Cellular repair happens in a fasted state as the body can begin a process called autophagy that remove waste from cells. Autophagy has the ability to aid in the protecting us from diseases such as cancer and Alzheimers, so it certainly is a process we want to encourage. This is so important especially when we think about the cancer rates we’re facing these days. Also, for your vanity, cellular repair means younger looking skin, now who doesn’t want that?

Energy increase. Who doesn’t want a boost, especially first thing in the morning. With your body getting that break from digestion, your energy increases. Every time we eat gives us the opportunity to spike our blood sugar. When we spike our blood sugar, it has to drop again. With that drop in blood sugar comes a drop in energy. Less exposure to blood sugar spikes, less opportunity for a decrease in energy.


When Intermittent Fasting Might Not Be Your Best Bet

You’re diabetic. If you’re diabetic, consult with your health care practitioner. Intermittent fasting effects your insulin levels, so this is definitely something to speak with a practitioner about, especially if you’re on medication.

You have a history of disordered eating. If you’re recovering or in the midst of battling disordered eating, this is not for you. Restriction of any sort can breed disordered eating patterns.

You are pregnant or nursing. When practicing intermittent fasting, often because we are eating in a shorter time frame, our caloric intake decreases. This is not the time for decreasing your calorie intake, you need those calories to help grow or feed your baby. If you’re battling morning sickness, chances are fasting for long periods will make it worse.

You’ve tried it, and you feel hungry or low energy in the mornings. Likely your caloric intake is not high enough. Try by upping your intake, but whatever you do, do not ignore those hunger cues. If increasing your calories during your eating period is not helping, intermittent fasting may not be for you.

It’s feeling restrictive or like an obligation. Eating, whether its when, how much, or what should not always be on your mind — this, coming from a foodie. Obsession isn’t healthy, and stressing about when you can or cant eat is doing more harm than the benefits that come from IF.

Zucchini Oat Flour Muffins [Gluten Free + Dairy Free]

Zucchini Oat Flour Muffins [Gluten Free + Dairy Free]

Chances are if you have a garden of your own or know of anyone that does, you have more zucchini then you know what to do with. Every year comes the time when there is more zucchini than anyone can imagine using up. Our freezer…