Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken

Loving the slow cooker these days! This delicious one pot meal made my house smell like absolute heaven :) And it tasted even better :) Perfect for meal prep since it’s all clean and I can portion out individual meals into tupperware for the week! Meal preppin like a champ ;) You can also add in any other veggies you choose at the end, or serve it over rice or quinoa. Enjoy!

Makes 6 – 8 servings      Prep Time: 30 min      Cooking Time: 5 – 6 hours

Ingredients

1. 6 chicken breasts or 16 chicken thighs (uncooked)
2. 1 tbsp coconut oil
3. 1 onion, chopped
4. 1 tsp cumin
5. 1 tsp turmeric
6. 1/2 tsp coriander
7. 1 tsp cinnamon
8. 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
9. 4 cloves of garlic, minced
10. 1 1/2 tbsp grated ginger (fresh)
11. 2 cups chicken broth
12. 3 medium sweet potatoes or yams, cut into 1 inch cubes
13. 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
14. 1/4 cup raisins (optional)
15. Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Combine cumin, turmeric, coriander, cinnamon, and cayenne in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the coconut oil. Brown each piece of chicken for approx 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to the slow cooker.
3. When all the chicken is done, add the onions and garlic to the pan. Saute for about 4 minutes. Add in the spices and stir around for another minute.
4. Turn off the heat, add in the chicken broth, ginger, salt and pepper and give it a good mix. Transfer to the slow cooker and pour over top of the chicken.
5. Cook on low for 3 hours.
6. Add in the sweet potatoes, mushrooms, raisins and cook on low for another 2-3 hours.
7. Serve it up and enjoy!!

Original Recipe: http://www.savorylotus.com/slow-cooker-moroccan-chicken/

White Chocolate Truffles

GUEST POST!!

Thank you to the lovely Amanda for this delicious treat recipe!! I was lucky enough to sample some of these truffles and they are TO DIE FOR!!! They’re a clean treat you don’t have to feel guilty about enjoying :)

Ingredients for Caramel Centre

1. 6 medijool dates, soaked
2. 1 cup shredded coconut
3. 1 tbsp maple syrup

Ingredients for White Chocolate

1. 3 tbsp coconut oil
2. 1 tbsp maple syrup

Directions

1. To make the centre, throw the dates, shredded coconut and syrup into a food processor and pulse until smooth. Roll into balls and pop into the freezer.
2. To make the white chocolate, mix the coconut oil and maple syrup in a bowl.
3. Once the balls are chilled, coat them in the white chocolate and throw back in the freezer to set (about an hour).

Greek Seven Layer Dip

Merry merry Christmas!!! The Smart family Christmas this year was a big success! Lots of laughs, walks, workouts, presents, amazing food and delicious drinks! I was in charge of an appie (clearly lol), my big bro made dinner, and my sister made an apple pie crumble for dessert…mmmm heaven :)

Ok recipe time! This healthy, delicious appetizer is such a perfect way to kick off a big meal! It’s quite light, filled with lots of veggies, and ridiculously easy to make. I highly recommend it!

Makes 8 servings    Total Time: 20-30 min (including time to chop the veggies)

Ingredients

1. 1 cup hummus
2. 2 tomatoes, diced
3. 1 cucumber, diced
4. 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
5. 1/2 tsp paprika
6. salt and pepper to taste
7. 1 cup canned artichoke hearts, chopped
8. 2 roasted red peppers, diced
9. 1/4 cup feta cheese
10. 2 tbsp parsley, chopped
11. 2 tbsp sliced black olives (for garnish)

Directions

1. In a 8×8 dish, spread the hummus evenly on the bottom. Layer the diced cucumber and tomatoes on top.
2. Next, evenly spread the yogurt over top. Sprinkle with paprika, salt and pepper.
3. Over the yogurt, layer the chopped artichoke hearts and the roasted red peppers. Crumble the feta cheese over top. Sprinkle on the parsley and garnish with the black olives :)
4. Serve immediately or chill for an hour then serve! I laid out pita chips and cut up veggies for dipping. Enjoy!

Original Recipe: http://www.cookincanuck.com/2014/01/healthy-mediterranean-7-layer-dip-recipe/

Protein Overnight Chia Oats Smoothie Bowl

I’ve clearly been slacking on posting recipes on here lately. This is for two reasons. 1 – I recently got Netflix so at night my computer is plugged into my TV and unavailable for typing up my delicious recipes. 2 – since I’ve started my new workout program/high protein diet, I’ve been starting from scratch with my recipes and it’s taken me a while to get them perfect! Plus I’ve been eating extremely boring lately. Lots of chicken, broccoli and avocado. Not that I’m complaining…I do love that meal and could eat it for lunch and dinner everyday :) top with some salsa and I’m a happy little blonde!

This overnight proats (protein oats) recipe is a definite keeper!! My go-to breakfast I eat every single morning without fail. The base of overnight oats stays the same, but I switch up the fruit, protein powder flavour, spices and toppings to keep it interesting. This is just the basic recipe! So get experimenting and let me know what creations you come up with :)
Makes 1 serving    Total Time: 10 minutes

Macros: 319 calories, 33g protein, 33g carbs, 6g fat

Ingredients for Overnight Oats

1. 3 tbsp rolled oats
2. 1/2 tbsp chia seeds
3. 2 tbsp almond milk
4. 2 tbsp water
5. 1 tsp cinnamon
6. 1 tbsp vanilla extract

Ingredients for Smoothie

1. 1/2 cup egg whites
2. 1/2 scoop chocolate protein powder
3. 1/8 cup almond milk
4. 1/2 frozen banana
5. 1/4 cup frozen blueberries
6. 1/2 cup spinach (optional)
7. 1 tsp vanilla extract
8. 1 tsp cinnamon
9. 1/2 tbsp ground flax seeds (optional)

Directions

1. To make the oats, combine all the overnight oats ingredients in a tupperwear and leave in the fridge overnight. If you want to speed up the process in the morning, also cook up the egg whites in a bowl in the microwave for 1:45. Place in the fridge overnight.
2. In the morning, combine the already cooked up egg whites and the rest of the smoothie ingredients (except the blueberries) in a blender. Pulse until combined.
3. In a cute little bowl, pour the smoothie over top of the overnight oats, and top with the frozen blueberries. YUM!

Pumpkin Hummus

Whaaaaaaaaat?? There’s no chickpeas in this hummus?? YUP! And you would honestly never know it. This is another dish I made for my family thanksgiving dinner and it was a total hit. Not only was it delicious as an appie served with crackers and raw veggies, but it was AMAZING for the next few days on top of all the yummy turkey leftovers :) Overall, this recipe was a complete success and I’ll definitely make it many more times. Enjoy :)

Ingredients

1. 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
2. 1 cup zucchini, peeled and chopped
3. 1/4 cup tahini
4. 1-2 tsp garlic powder
5. 1 tsp cumin
6. 1/2 tsp paprika
7. 1/2 tsp salt
8. 1 tsp pepper
9. 1 lemon, juiced
10. 2 tbsp olive oil

Directions

1. Throw all ingredients (except for the olive oil) in a food processor.
2. Pulse slowly adding the olive oil until well combined. DONE!

Original Recipe: http://thepaleomama.com/2013/09/bean-paleo-pumpkin-hummus-guest-post-meatified/

Thai Peanut Zucchini and Black Bean Noodle Bowl

As I mentioned on Instagram, I’m doing a project for my Psychology Environmental Sustainability class where I need to change one aspect of my behaviour in order to contribute more positively to the environment. So of course i chose something food related lol. For the next four weeks I taken on the challenge of: eating no red meat, going meatless on Mondays and Wednesdays, and eating all organic food (and local whenever possible). Choosing food that is produced in a more sustainable way will significantly reduce my ecological footprint and help out the environment! So other than missing steak (and all meat 2 days a week), I’d say that’s a big win. I’m definitely up for the challenge.

So today was my first meatless Monday!! And dinner was absolutely delicious! I got the recipe from the Oh She Glows cookbook. Thank goodness I already have a bunch of vegetarian/vegan cookbooks to make this a lot easier.

Makes 1 serving      Total Time: 15 minutes 

Ingredients for Dressing

1. 1 clove garlic
2. 2 tbsp sesame oil
3. 1.5 tbsp all natural peanut butter
4. thumb size piece of fresh ginger
5. 2 tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice
6. 2 tbsp tamari

Ingredients for Salad

1. 1/2 cup cooked black bean noodles (or any long noodle you like)
2. 1/2 cup zucchini noodles
3. 1/4 cup edamame, shelled
4. 1/4 red bell pepper, sliced into matchsticks
5. 1/4 cucumber, diced
6. 1/4 cup green onions, chopped
7. 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped finely
8. Sesame seeds, for garnish

Directions

1. To make the dressing, throw all the ingredients into a blender and pulse until smooth.
2. To assemble the salad, throw the black bean and zucchini noodles into a bowl. Top with remaining vegetables. Drizzle dressing over top and garnish with sesame seeds. Easy!

Sausage Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms

Oh my goodness it’s already APRIL!?!? What the hell…where did March go? We got a tiny taste of spring and after a few gorgeous, sunny days in Vancouver, it’s (of course) raining again :( booooo! At least it gives me a bit more motivation to stay inside and study for finals/write my two massive papers that I haven’t started and are due in less than a week. Eeeeeeeek stress times ten right now!

Doesn’t stop me from making delicious healthy dinners though. I actually made this stuffed mushroom dish about a week ago for my mum and I. I gotta say…it was pretty fantastic. Paired with a yummy salad, we had the perfect meal :) And since I didn’t finish mine, leftovers for lunch the next day was great!

The inspiration for this recipe came from the Practical Paleo cookbook. Such an amazing book full of great recipes.  I highly recommend it! Especially if you’re a meat lover ;)

Makes 4 mushrooms        Prep Time – 20 minutes        Cooking Time – 30 minutes

Ingredients

1. 4 portobello mushrooms
2. 1 tbsp coconut oil
3. 1/2 medium onion, chopped
4. 2 cloves garlic
5. 1 bell pepper, chopped
6. 2 large sausages
7. 2 cups spinach or kale, chopped
8. 1 tsp chipotle powder
9. 1/8 tsp chili powder
10. 1/2 tsp cumin
11. pinch of salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Clean the mushrooms, remove the stems and some of the gills, and place face down on a baking sheet. Pop in the oven for 10 minutes.
3. While the mushrooms are in the oven, you can start to make your filling. In a pan over medium heat, sauté the onions and garlic in the coconut oil until they are clear and soft.
4. Take the sausage out of the casing and add to the pan. I just cut lengthwise down the sausage, then squeeze out the meatiness. Also add in all your spices now. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the meat is almost cooked through.
5. Throw in the bell pepper and cook for another couple minutes.
6. Next, add in the spinach and stir around until it’s wilted.
7. Now you’re ready to assemble. Spoon the mixture into the mushrooms and place them back on the baking sheet. Pop them back into the oven and cook for about 15 minutes. Enjoy!!

 

Leftovers – Asian Chicken Quinoa Stirfry

This is a great dinner (or lunch) that’s packed with protein for a night when you have some leftovers! I needed a quick, tasty lunch yesterday and had some edamame in the freezer that I wanted to use.  So this is what I came up with :) Its not the most glamourous recipe ever, but oh well! You can sub in whatever veggies you have lying around.

Prep Time: 5 minutes       Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

1. 1 cooked chicken breast, cut into bit size pieces
2. 1 egg
3. 1/3 cup cooked quinoa or brown rice noodles
4. 1/2 cup edamame, out of shell
5. 1 cup broccoli, steamed
6. Handful of spinach or kale
7. Tamari (to taste)
8. Green onions and sesame seeds, for garnish

Directions

1. In a pan on medium-low heat, throw in your chicken breast and drizzle on some tamari.  Stir it around for a few minutes.
2. Next, crack the egg in the pan and let it cook through while stirring constantly.  Once the egg is cooked you can add in the rest of your ingredients.  Add some more tamari and stir around until everything is heated up and spinach has wilted.
3. Serve up in a bowl with some sesame seeds and green onions on top :) EASY!

Cinnamon Roasted Chickpeas

I was finding myself snacking on almond and cashews farrrrr too often! There’s something about sitting in class for 3 hours that just makes me constantly hungry….eating because I’m bored maybe??? lol not so shocking.  So these little gems are a GREAT substitute.  Less fat and lots of protein!! Crunchy and satisfying :)

Ingredients

1. 1 can organic chickpeas
2. 1 tbsp coconut oil
3. 2 tsp honey
4. 1 tbsp cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Rinse the chickpeas under cold water.  Lay out on a paper towel and dry them off. Place in a bowl.
2. Melt the coconut oil and the honey together.  Pour over the chickpeas and stir until coated.  Sprinkle on the cinnamon and stir around until evenly coated.
3. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake for around 40 minutes until golden and crunchy.
4. Let cool and enjoy!

Pumpkin Dark Chocolate Muffins

YUM. Don’t really think i need to say anything else. I’m really into pumpkin right now…guess that’s what happens in the fall! So I think there will be quite a few pumpkin recipes coming up :)

Thank you sooo much PaleOMG for another great recipe.

Makes 9 muffins         Prep Time: 10 min          Baking Time: 30 min

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 3 eggs, whisked
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/3 cup oats (optional – if leaving out just add more coconut flour)
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/8 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin, honey, coconut oil, eggs and vanilla.
3. In another bowl, mix together remaining ingredients except the chocolate chips.
4. Then slowly add the two bowls together and mix until just combined.  Add in the chocolate chips and give it a few more mixes.
5. Scoop the batter evenly into a muffin tin lined with muffin cups.
6. Bake for about 30 min. Let cool before sampling so you don’t burn your mouth like i did…