Tag: holistic living

Cashew Butter Blondies

Published on by soreiya4 Comments

This recipe for cashew butter blondies came to me as an epiphany of sorts.  I love blondies and my favourite recipe in the past was curtesy of the Barefoot Contessa.  Rich, buttery and completely indulgent, those blondies were fun to eat but not so great for my health goals.  So with this year’s baking challenge I decided to include a lightened up blondie recipe.

I thought that cashew butter would be a great addition to blondies and I spent a lot time Googling recipes trying to figure out how to achieve my blondie dreams.  I tried a few recipes that I found, and while they were good they didn’t feel like the decadent treat that I was searching for.  Then I came across a recipe for grain free brownies that was simple and sounded delicious.  I decided to use that recipe as a base and adapt it into the blondie recipe I had been dreaming of.

This recipe is simple but delicious.  These blondies are flourless and can be refined sugar free if you omit the chocolate chips.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 500g jar cashew butter

1 cup (250ml) golden maple syrup

2 organic eggs

4 Madjool dates, pitted and mashed

1 cup dark chocolate chips

Pinch of Himalayan pink salt (or sea salt)

1/2 tsp of cinnamon

1 tsp Baking soda

What to do:

Preheat oven to 320 degrees

Blend the dates and maple syrup until creamy

Mix in the cashew butter until completely integrated

Slowly stir in the eggs (one at a time)

Stir in the salt, cinnamon and baking soda

Gently fold in chocolate chips until just combined

Pour batter into a 8 X 8 pan lined with parchment paper

Bake for 45 – 50 minutes until golden brown

Let cool before cutting into squares

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I hope that you have a beautiful day!  XXS

Heavenly Hazelnut Cake

Published on by soreiya1 Comment

The very first flourless cake that I ever made was a hazelnut cake.  It may have been flourless but it was still full of fat and sugar.  While it was good it wasn’t great, there seemed to be something off and I just couldn’t figure out what it was.  Over the years I made the cake a few more times using the same recipe, always producing the same results – good but not great.

So in November, while searching thru my recipe books looking for dessert ideas I came across the recipe for hazelnut cake.  I decided to make a few modifications in the hope of lightening it up and producing the great cake I was dreaming of.  Thankfully the changes worked and I now have a recipe for hazelnut cake that I absolutely love.  Light, moist and delicious this cake can be enjoyed anytime of day.  Paired with a mug of lemon green tea, it is the perfect snack for when you want to take a moment for yourself and breathe.

Hazelnuts and chocolate together is an incredible food pairing, and I was hardly not willing to miss an opportunity to enjoy the two together, so I added dark chocolate chunks to the mix.  This is purely optional and this hazelnut cake is delicious either way.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups of hazelnuts

6 large eggs (yolks and whites separated)

1 cup (250ml) of maple syrup

2 tsp of baking soda

1 cup of dark chocolate chunks (optional)

pinch of sea salt or pink Himalayan salt

1 tsp cinnamon

What To Do:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees (F)

Line the bottom only of a 9inch spring form pan with parchment paper

In a food processor or blender chop the hazelnuts until 95% finely chopped

Add the maple syrup to the egg yolks and beat until they are a pale yellow

Gently fold in the hazelnuts, chocolate, cinnamon and salt into the yolk mixture

In a separate large mixing bowel beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form

Gently fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture

Pour the batter into the spring form pan

Bake for aprox 50 – 55 minutes (until a cake tester comes out clean)

Cool completely before removing the sides of the pan

Enjoy!

XXS

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Dark Chocolate Chunk Almond Butter Brownies

Published on by soreiya1 Comment

Happy December Everyone!

I associate the holiday season with rich chocolate desserts more then anything else.  So while others have visions of sugar plums dancing I tend to dream of chocolate waltzing.  Bad joke?  Alright, I’ll stop before I hurt myself.

At the beginning of November I decided to challenge myself and create a few delicious dessert recipes that were decadent yet still moderately healthy treats. Eating well is a lifestyle not a diet which includes clean high quality foods that support your body without leaving you feeling deprived or overwhelmed.  To me, this includes desserts.  You don’t need to have an all or nothing approach when it comes to eating.  Simple swaps and little adjustments can make a big difference in your health and how you look and feel overall.  I created these recipes for my clients and for you, to give you options during the holiday season and beyond. For those of you who are intimidated by baking please note that I am not a baker by any means, I just really like to eat.  It’s also important to me to know what is in my food. These recipes are simple, easy and require minimal skill, ingredients or effort.  My kitchen is literally in a closet and I have zero counter space, yet these recipes still came together beautifully – if I can do it, I have faith that you can too.

First up: Dark Chocolate Chunk Almond Butter Brownies

These dark chocolate chunk brownies are the most perfect dessert that I have ever baked.  Rich, dense, moist and oh so good.  Did I mention that they are gluten free and refined sugar free?!?!

Cue happy dance

This amazing recipe has officially become my go to dessert recipe when I need a sweet treat.

Please note: All of the ingredients that I used when making these little bites of heaven were organic, but I understand that buying organic that can be a little pricey, so just try to keep your ingredients as clean and as high quality as your budget will allow.

Ingredients:

4 madjool dates (pitted and mashed)

1 cup of pure dark maple syrup

1 365g jar of creamy almond butter

2 medium organic eggs

1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/2 cup raw cacao powder

1 heaping tablespoon of chunky almond butter

pinch of pink Himalayan sea salt (or regular sea salt)

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup of organic dark chocolate chunks (minimum 70%) plus some more for the top

What to do:

Pre-heat oven to 320

Line 8 X 8 pan with parchment paper

Beat the maple syrup and dates until creamy (I used a blender for this part to ensure that the dates were completely integrated)

Mix in the creamy almond butter, this will make the mixture extremely thick so slowly add in the almond milk to loosen up the batter and make it easier to mix

Slowly add the eggs

Add raw cacao, baking soda and salt and mix well until fully incorporated

Stir in the chunky almond butter and the chocolate chunks

Pour the batter into pan and top with extra chocolate chunks

Bake for 35 – 40 minutes

If you can resist eating some straight out of the pan before the brownies have cooled you are officially my new hero.  I on the other hand burned the inside of my mouth – it was totally worth it.

Enjoy! XXS

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The Self Care Shower Ritual That You May Be Missing

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Detox is a commonly used word amongst people in the wellness community, and over the past few years it has become a commonly used buzz word in popular culture as well.  It means many things to many people, but essentially it is used to communicate a method to rid toxins – most commonly from the body.  While your body has detox organs that help to eliminate toxins from your body naturally, there are certain things that one can do to help further stimulate this process within the body.

This year I decided to incorporate a new detox ritual into my self care routine, namely dry brushing.  This self care routine has become popular over the past few years, and while I had attempted once or twice prior to this year, 2016 is the year that I committed.  For those of you that don’t know, dry brushing is the process of brushing your skin with a natural bristle brush.  Some of the benefits of dry brushing include:

  • It sweeps away dry skin cells
  • Improves digestion
  • Stimulates the lymph nodes
  • Improves the appearance of cellulite
  • Boosts circulation

It is best to dry brush before you take your shower and many prefer to do it in the morning as they feel energized after.  How to maximize your dry brushing experience:

  • Use a soft but firm natural bristle brush
  • Start dry brushing at your feet and brush upwards to your heart
  • While dry brushing your stomach, brush in a counter clockwise circular motion
  • Use a circular motion when dry brushing your chest – that is where lymph drainage occurs
  • Take your time, spend 3 – 5 minutes dry brushing
  • Enjoy the process, it is a great time to breathe and take some time for yourself while doing something great for your body.

I am so happy that I have added dry brushing into my self care routine.  My skin looks and feels great since I have started.  It forces me to slow down and take a minute for myself while I am brushing.  It is extremely therapeutic and I find myself looking forward to my new self care ritual on a daily basis.

Are there any new self care rituals that you have included in your routine this year?  Let me know in the comments below.

I hope that you have a fabulous day!  XXS

 

Beautiful Black Rice

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There is something about black rice that makes me happy.  I think that it is the rich purple-black colour and how it makes any dish that it is a part of a gorgeous work of art.  For thousands of years black rice was reserved for Chinese royalty and was often referred to as “forbidden rice”.

Rich in powerful disease fighting antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties and dietary fibre some studies have shown that black rice can potentially to stop the development of heart disease, diabetes and cancer in the body.

The deep purple-black colour is an indication of black rice’s high antioxidant properties similar to those found in blueberries.  Black rice is the only grain that contains the antioxidant Anthocyanin.  This particular antioxidant has been shown to help reduce inflammation, improve brain function and prevent cardiovascular disease and cancer caused by free radical damage.  Nutrients are generally lost from grains when the outer layers including the hull and the bran are removed.  Only whole grains that include all of their naturally occurring parts are able to retain their vitamin, minerals, fibre and antioxidants.  Therefore, black rice is a a wholegrain nutritional superpower.

Black rice is high in Vitamin E which is often promoted to slow aging, reduce scarring, protect against air pollution and assist with infertility issues.  Vitamin E is a fat soluble vitamin though so ensure to include some healthy fats when using black rice in a dish to help with absorption.

So what does all of this mean for you?

Black rice is a superpower in the world of whole grains and deserves a place on your plate. It is a beautiful and tasty addition to many meals. Black rice is filled with both health and beauty benefits that will help you to look and feel your best and keep you on the road to good health.

One Serving of black rice contains (1/2 cup cooked)

160 Calories                      2g of Fibre

1.5g of Fat                          5g of Protein

34g of Carbohydrates     4% DV of Iron

Prior to cooking, I recommend soaking black rice for a minimum of 8 hours to help to release any phytic acid within the rice (grains, rice and legumes are all high phytic foods which raise the risk of zinc and iron deficiency.  Soaking helps to resolve this issue by releasing the phytic acid within the food).

Do you regularly include black rice in your diet?  What is your favourite meal to include it in?  Let me know in the comments below

I hope that you have a great day!

XXS