Squash Pancakes

Squash Pancakes

by | Apr 20, 2021 | Recipes

Smoked Salmon Avocado Toast

This recipe is gluten free, dairy free, nut free and adheres to the GAPS diet, paleo diet, low salicylates diet, and a low oxalate diet – which are many diets often recommended for children with autism. For families with an autistic child, the child’s symptoms, food cravings and blood work will determine which diet is the most appropriate.

Whether you and your family are affected by autism, are navigating a specialized diet, or are just looking for a healthy breakfast recipe that is gluten and dairy free – this quick and easy-to-prepare pancake recipe is simple to integrate into your diet, even if food choices are limited. And if you aren’t restricting any foods for health reasons, these pancakes are still delicious!

Pureed squash are low in calories but rich in nutrients such as Vitamin A, Vitamin B6 and over 50% of the Recommended Daily Intake of Vitamin C in just one cup. Squash also contains anti-stress minerals like calcium and magnesium. Plus, one cup of squash contains 7 grams of dietary fibre.

We wrote more about eggs on Facebook and Instagram, but some of the benefits include 40% of the Recommended Daily Intake of Vitamin D, choline and omega 3 to support brain function, and loads of protective antioxidants.

The last of the ingredients in this recipe is coconut oil, which is loaded with healthy fats that not only help you feel satisfied and fuller for longer, but also benefit brain health, weight management, immunity and more!

Give these tasty squash pancakes a try, and let us know what you think!

Squash Pancakes

Whether you and your family are affected by autism, are navigating a specialized diet, or are just looking for a healthy breakfast recipe that is gluten and dairy free – this quick and easy-to-prepare pancake recipe is simple to integrate into your diet, even if food choices are limited. And if you aren’t restricting any foods for health reasons, these pancakes are still delicious!
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup Pureed squash acorn or butternut if on a low oxalate diet
  • 4 Eggs
  • 1 tbsp Coconut oil

Instructions
 

  • Heat pan over medium-low heat. Add oil to melt and coat the pan.
  • While waiting for the pan to heat, mix pureed squash and eggs in a food processor or stand mixer (or by hand, in a large bowl, beating with a whisk).
  • Pour dollar-pancake sized dollops of the batter into the heated and oiled pan.
  • With a flipper, flip the pancakes then the edges begin to crisp. Be sure to cook the pancakes until they are golden on both sides and are fully cooked all the way through.
  • Enjoy topped with fruit, nut or seed butter, a drizzle or maple syrup, or your pancake topping of choice!

Notes

Nutritional information per serving:
Calories: 257
Carbs: 12g
Fibre: 3g
Sugar: 3g
Protein: 13g
Fat: 18g

Holy Basil Pesto

Holy Basil Pesto

by | Apr 15, 2021 | Recipes

Smoked Salmon Avocado Toast

Pesto is super quick to make and a great option for switching out sugar-loaded sauces, with all their nasty additives and preservatives, for a nutrient dense sauce that can be added to a variety of dishes. Pesto is a wonderful addition to pasta or zucchini noodles, omelettes or scrambled eggs, as part of a salad dressing, as a topping to your chicken, or even just as a healthy spread on toast.

It is so simple – just place all the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth!

Not only is holy basil pesto very quick and easy to make, but it has a lot of therapeutic properties!

As we wrote about in detail in our Top 5 Health Benefits of Holy Basil blog post, holy basil is chock-full of nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, zinc, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and antioxidants like chlorophyll. Holy basil is best known for its adaptogenic properties, in short meaning it assists humans in adapting to stress. As a therapeutic herb, holy basil promotes a sense of calmness and relaxation, which can be helpful if you’ve been feeling stressed out or frazzled.

Don’t let the small size of pine nuts deceive you… they pack a nutrient punch! Pine nuts are rich in nutrients such as vitamin E, vitamin K, copper, iron, and manganese. Believe it or not, Ancient Greeks and Romans, traditionally used pine nuts as an aphrodisiac. Pine nuts contain pinolenic acid, which recent research has found to be an effective appetite suppressant as it triggers hunger suppressant hormones in the gut. Plus, pine nuts are an excellent source of monounsaturated fatty acids, which have been linked to lower cholesterol levels and a lower risk of heart attack.

Most of us know garlic is a superfood! It is antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, and supports the immune system and cardiovascular system. Plus, it adds a ton of flavour to this pesto!

The olive oil in this recipe contains lignans, which are powerful antioxidants that can help protect against breast, colon and prostate cancer by suppressing early cancer changes in cells. Olive oil also contains vitamin E, which can help combat oxidative stress and free radical damage. Oxidative stress and free radical damage are caused where there are too many potentially harmful compounds circulating in the body, and not enough protective compounds (like vitamin E) to counteract them. Of course, olive oil, is a staple in the Mediterranean Diet, which is well-known to promote a healthy weight and benefit heart health!

Adapted from The Backyard Homestead.

Holy Basil Pesto

Pesto is super quick to make and a great option for switching out sugar-loaded sauces, with all their nasty additives and preservatives, for a nutrient dense sauce that can be added to a variety of dishes. Pesto is a wonderful addition to pasta or zucchini noodles, omelettes or scrambled eggs, as part of a salad dressing, as a topping to your chicken, or even just as a healthy spread on toast.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 2 cups

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups Holy basil leaves fresh
  • 1 Garlic clove crushed or finely minced
  • 1 pinch Sea salt
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated or substitute nutritional yeast for dairy free option
  • ½ cup Extra virgin olive oil
  • ⅓ cup Pine nuts or substitute walnuts

Instructions
 

  • Add basil leaves, garlic, and salt to the bowl of your food processor.
  • Using the S-blade, pulse until a paste begins to form. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides of the food processor bowl to incorporate all the ingredients well.
  • Add the Parmesan cheese (or nutritional yeast) and pulse again to incorporate.
  • Then, with the food processor running, pour in the olive oil in a thin, steady stream.
  • Finally, add the pine nuts and continue processing until the pesto is a smooth desirable texture.

Notes

Nutritional information per 1/4 cup serving:
Calories: 185
Carbs: 1g
Fibre: 1g
Sugar: 0g
Protein: 3g
Fat: 19g
 

Green Tea Banana Ice Cream

Green Tea Banana Ice Cream

by | Feb 23, 2021 | Recipes

Smoked Salmon Avocado Toast

Have you been searching for a sweet treat you can enjoy without any guilt? Hear your sweet tooth calling but don’t want to derail your nutrition and health goals?

This Green Tea Banana Ice Cream comes to the rescue! With only two ingredients, and in less than five minutes in the kitchen, this creamy dessert can be in your bowl.

Did you know bananas are a good source of potassium? An imbalance of potassium can cause many different symptoms, including weakness, fatigue, muscle cramps, and mood changes such as anxiety. Low levels of potassium can increase mental fatigue and reduce your body’s ability to handle stress.

Green tea is known for it’s antioxidant effect, but it is also a great source of amino acid theanine. According to the research, theanine can increase feelings of relaxation and calm. One study found that participants who drank green tea showed “improvements in mood, cognition and a reduction of stress and anxiety-like symptoms”.

If you are like most folks and have a bunch of frozen bananas in the freezer for that banana bread you’ve been meaning to make, try this instead! It’s way fewer dishes too!

 

 References

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31758301/

 

Green Tea Banana Ice Cream

Green Tea Banana Ice Cream to the rescue! With only two ingredients, and in less than five minutes in the kitchen, this creamy dessert can be in your bowl.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Banana sliced and frozen
  • 1½ tsps Matcha Green Tea Powder

Instructions
 

  • Add frozen bananas and Matcha green tea powder to the bowl of a food processor with an S-blade and process. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure even processing. Continue to process until smooth approximately 2-3 minutes.
  • For soft serve consistency: Scoop into serving bowls and enjoy.
  • For firmer ice cream consistency: Place in an airtight, freezer-safe container and freeze for at least 1 hour before serving.

Notes

Nutritional information per serving:
Calories: 110
Carbs: 27g
Fibre: 3g
Sugar: 15g
Protein: 3g
Fat: 0.5g

Loaded Sweet Potato

Loaded Sweet Potato

by | Feb 19, 2021 | Recipes

Smoked Salmon Avocado Toast

We’ve all been tempted by comfort foods at some point in our lives.

With these Loaded Sweet Potatoes, you get the comfort food feeling and flavour, while still maintaining solid nutrition that helps you feel satisfied and energized!

This recipe is easy to prepare, and one the whole family is sure to enjoy. Whether you’re putting together a quick weeknight meal after a long day of work, a fun weekend dinner for the family, or a game day treat for some friends—this recipe is sure to impress. Try it yourself tonight!

Beans are a powerhouse food when it comes to satiety. Beans are loaded with soluble fibre that helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Beans are also a good source the B-vitamin, folate. Folate is the natural form of Vitamin B9, while folic acid is the man-made form of B9 that we use to fortify foods. There is solid link between folate or folic acid and mood. One such paper states that “The incidence of folic acid deficiency is high in patients with various psychological disorders including depression, dementia and schizophrenia.”[1]

Sweet potatoes are complex-carb rock stars here. They are high in beta-carotene, which is what gives them their beautiful orange colour. Beta-carotene is an antioxidant that helps to protect the cells of the body, including the brain, and our DNA from oxidative stress. Oxidative stress can be used as a biomarker for many psychological disorders, including depression and anxiety. So, sweet potatoes are not just feeding our bellies, but our brains too!

References

[1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2682787/

Loaded Sweet Potato

With these Loaded Sweet Potatoes, you get the comfort food feeling and flavour, while still maintaining solid nutrition that helps you feel satisfied and energized!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 4 Small Sweet Potatoes
  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 2 cups Black Beans cooked, from the can
  • ½ cup Water
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper diced
  • ½ cup Vadalia Onion chopped
  • 1 tbsp Chilli Powder
  • 1 tbsp Cumin ground
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • ¼ tsp Sea Salt
  • 1 Avacado mashed
  • 1 Lime juiced
  • 2 cups Spinach
  • 2 Tomatoes sliced
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
  • Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for approximately 20 - 30 minutes, until fork tender.
  • While sweet potatoes are baking, warm olive oil in a small pan. Add black beans, peppers, onion, chili powder, cumin, garlic and sea salt. Stir well to combine.
  • Add ½ cup of water, cover and simmer for 15 minutes over medium-low heat.
  • While beans are simmering, in a small bowl use a fork to mash avocado with lime juice. Set aside.
  • Slice tomatoes. Set Aside.
  • When sweet potatoes are ready, remove from oven. Slice each most of the way through. Divide sweet potatoes between serving plates.
  • Top with warm bean mixture, fresh spinach, tomato slices and mashed avocado. Enjoy!

Notes

Nutritional information per serving:
Calories: 325
Carbs: 52g
Fibre: 17g
Sugar: 10g
Protein: 12g
Fat: 10g

Chocolate Almond Butter Cups

Chocolate Almond Butter Cups

by | Feb 9, 2021 | Recipes

Smoked Salmon Avocado Toast

These Chocolate Almond Butter cups are so easy to put together, and are totally worth the effort.

Chock full (no pun intended) of stress-busting, mood-lifting ingredients – these are the perfect treat for almost any celebration.

In one large study of 13,000 people, those who ate dark chocolate in the previous 24 hours were 70% less likely to report depression. And it didn’t take much, just 12 grams of dark chocolate was enough to elicit this effect. That’s just 2 or 3 of these treats!

Not only are these treats potentially mood enhancing, they offer so much pleasure on the palate! The smooth velvety chocolate, the crunchy snap of the cacao nibs, and the creamy almond butter filling make for a satisfying indulgence.

We love these Chocolate Almond Butter Cups as a special Valentine’s Day treat! But, with how simple and delicious they are to put together, you may find yourself making them more often.

 References:

https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/dark-chocolate-depression

 

Chocolate Almond Butter Cups

These Chocolate Almond Butter cups are so easy to put together, and are totally worth the effort. Chock full (no pun intended) of stress-busting, mood-lifting ingredients, we think you might be making these regularly.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 12 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 3/4 cup Coconut Oil
  • 1/2 cup Cacao Powder
  • 2 Tbsp Maple Syrup
  • 1/2 cup Almond Butter
  • 2 Tbsp Almonds finely chopped or crushed

Instructions
 

  • Line 12 mini muffin holes with parchment paper liners. Set aside.
  • Fill one large pot with water and place a smaller pot inside. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Ensure no water is able to get in the smaller pot.
  • Add coconut oil into the smaller pot and stir continuously until melted.
  • Add cacoa powder, maple syrup and almond butter, stirring gently until well combined.
  • Using a spoon, evenly portion half the chocolate mixture between the mini muffin hole liners. Set in the fridge to harden for 5-10 minutes.
  • Remove mould from the fridge and layer a small disc of almond butter in each mini muffin hole.
  • Cover almond butter with remaining melted chocolate mixture, then sprinkle with crushed almonds to garnish.
  • Return to the fridge for 5-10 minutes to fully set the chocolate. Enjoy!

Notes

Nutritional information per serving:
 
Calories - 215
Sugar - 2g
Fiber - 3g
Carbs - 6.5g
Fat - 20g
Protein - 3.5g

Hot Cocoa Elixir

Hot Cocoa Elixir

by | Feb 5, 2021 | Recipes

Smoked Salmon Avocado Toast

When most of us think of chocolate, we generally conjure an image of something with lots of sugar to perk us up… but with this Hot Cocoa Elixir, we have a decadent chocolate drink that’s healthy enough to serve as a breakfast. It’s packed with all the pick-me-up benefits you want, with none of the sugar crash that you don’t want! 

Cocoa is the unsung hero behind – or rather in – dark chocolate. Raw cocoa contains a massive antioxidant capacity, including phytonutrient flavonoids. The flavonoids in cocoa have been studied to show their ability to oxygenate the blood and brain.[1] This flavonoids in cocoa have been found to possess many benefits, such as: memory improvement, mental processing speed, attention span, and verbal fluidity.

Hemp seeds, coconut oil, and almond butter contain a variety of healthy fats that help to nourish our nervous systems and may assist in stabilizing mood.

Chia seeds, cauliflower and almond butter also contain fibre, which supports blood sugar balance and optimal elimination habits – both of which may help reduce anxiety symptoms and/or triggers.

Give it a try today!

 References:

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5432604/

 

Hot Cocoa Elixir

When most of us think of chocolate, we generally conjure and image of something with lots of sugar to perk us up… but with this Hot Cocoa Elixir, we have a decadent chocolate drink that’s healthy enough to serve as a breakfast. It’s packed with all the pick-me-up benefits you want, with none of the sugar crash that you don’t want! 
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup Unsweetened Hazelnut Milk or almond milk
  • ½ cup Frozen Cauliflower
  • ½ Banana
  • 2 tbsps Vanilla Protein Powder
  • 2 tbsps Cocoa Powder
  • 1 tbsp Hemp Seeds
  • 1 tbsp Hazelnut Butter or almond butter
  • 1 tsp Coconut Oil
  • ⅛ tsp Sea Salt optional, for topping
  • 1 tsp Dark Chocolate optional, shaved, for topping

Instructions
 

  • TO PREPARE HAZELNUT MILK (if using)
    ½ cup hazelnuts
    2 cups cold water
    1 Medjool date, pitted
    a. Place hazelnuts in a bowl or blender container. Cover with cold water and soak, covered in the refrigerator at least 8 hours or overnight.
    b. When soaking is complete, transfer to a blender if necessary and add date. Close blender lid and blend until hazelnuts are completely blended and smooth.
    c. Line a strainer with cheesecloth or use a nut milk bag. Place over a medium bowl and strain out milk from remaining hazelnut pulp. Take your time to get every drop of deliciousness.
  • TO PREPARE ELIXIR
    In a blender container, add all ingredients and blend until smooth. Transfer to a small saucepan over medium-low heat, and bring to a simmer. Pour into mugs, top with shaved dark chocolate and serve warm!

Notes

Nutritional information per serving:
Calories: 275
Carbs: 29g
Fibre: 8g
Sugar: 5g
Protein: 16g
Fat: 13g