Slow Cooker Paleo Beef Bourguignon

I finally discovered an easy way to count my servings and macros when I make a big one pot meal!!! Thank goodness! So I’ll be making a lot more fancy meals in the future….baked chicken breast and broccoli was getting a tad bit boring :P

This beef bourguignon was ammmmmmaaaazeballs. Who doesn’t love a delicious beef stew?!? You could totally sub in chicken too if beef isn’t your thing. Perfect if you have to cook for boys too :) a very hearty, filling meal that’s actually VERY healthy. Just saying…I’m impressed.
Makes 6 servings     Prep Time – 20 min     Cooking Time – 6-8 hours

Ingredients

1. 24 oz lean stewing beef
2. 1 tbsp coconut oil
3. 1 turnip, cut into cubes
4. 1 medium onion, chopped
5. 3/4 lb mushrooms (about 2 cups sliced)
6. 2 cloves garlic
7. 4 cups low sodium beef broth
8. 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
9. 2 tbsp dijon mustard
10. 2 bay leaves
11. 1 tbsp dried rosemary
12. 2 tbsp arrowroot starch
13. 4 big handfuls of spinach
14. salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a large pan, melt half the coconut oil on high heat. Add the meat in a single layer and cook until brown on all sides. Remove the browned meat and juices to a bowl. Give the meat lots of room in the pan, so work in several batches if you need to.
2. Lower the heat in the pan to medium and add in the other half of the coconut oil. Throw in the onions and garlic and salute until soft.
3. Next, add in the broth, red wine vinegar, and dijon mustard. Add the meat back in the pan and bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat in the pan right away and transfer mixture to the slow cooker. Throw in the mushrooms, turnip, rosemary and bay leaves.
4. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
5. Once your stew is cooked, spoon out about one cup of the liquid from the slow cooker into a small pot and bring to a boil. While that’s coming to a boil, mix arrowroot and 2 tbsp water in a small bowl. Add into the boiling water and stir constantly until thickened.
6. Transfer back into the slow cooker and give it a good mix. Remove the bay leaves.
7. Boom! Serve it up and enjoy the deliciousness!!

Approximate macros per serving – 230cals, 32.8g protein, 10.2g carbs, 4.2g fat

Shasta and I out for a foggy hike in Lynn Valley <3

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!

Apple Manchego Salad

This salad is a family favourite around here! My mum makes it fairly often for big family gatherings because it’s super simple to make, looks really fancy, and tastes amazing! I always just serve mine up without the cheese :) just as tasty!

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 tbsp sherry vinegar (or pear vinegar)
• 1 tsp honey
• 1tsp grainy mustard
• 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
• 8 cups mixed greens
• 1/3 lb manchego cheese, shaved thin
• 4 apples, very thinly sliced

Directions

1. Toast the pumpkin seeds in a pan over medium-high heat with 1 tbsp olive oil. When they’re nice and golden, season with some salt and transfer to a paper towel to cool. Really important to keep an eye on them while they’re toasting and constantly stir them – they tend to burn very easily!
2. To make the dressing, combine the rest of the olive oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, and salt and pepper.
3. Now to assemble the salad! In a large salad bowl, throw in your greens, apples and cheese. Top with the pumpkin seeds and drizzle on the dressing. Serve and enjoy!

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!

Kiwi Mint Chia Smoothie

Day 6 of my detox!  Over half way there :) Amanda, her fiancé Mitch and I are all trying to get rid of those summer toxins with Dr. Hyman’s 10 Day Detox Diet. The first 3 days were brutal – headaches, starving all the time, zero energy, shitty workouts, dizzy, and just felt SO off. The weirdest part my muscles just fatigued so fast! Like my quads would burn walking up a flight of stairs….umm WTF?? I can normally run up stairs for as long as I wanted without feeling a burn! So weightlifting was pretty rough. I just stayed lighter weights and tried to maintain, rather than gain this week.

But starting yesterday I’ve been feeling much better! My energy is slowly coming back, I’m feeling alert and ready to go, and I’m starting to lean out for sure! I can definitely see progress. I’m not bloated and heavy feeling. Although my muscle fatigue is still there, it’s getting better. Leg day yesterday at the gym was a struggle, but I got through it and maintained what I did last week. Phew :)

And most importantly…..my cravings at night are GONE! I’m not ravishing for chocolate, fruit or something carby and sweet at the end of the night! Thank goodness :) Mission accomplished.

So this smoothie is a recipe from the 10 Day Detox Diet book, but I switched it up because I didn’t like the original one as much. I also added hemp protein to keep me full for longer, which definitely worked.

Makes 1 serving    Total Time: 5 min

Ingredients

1. 1 kiwi, peeled and cut in half
2. 1/4 cup frozen mixed berries
3. 2 tbsp chia seeds
4. 1 tbsp coconut butter
5. 1-2 tbsp hemp protein powder
6. 5-6 fresh mint leaves
7. 1 tbsp lemon juice
8. 1 tsp cinnamon
9. 1 tsp vanilla extract
10. 1/3 cup almond milk
11. 3 ice cubes and 1/4 cup water

Directions

1. Throw all ingredients in a blender and blend it all up until smooth! You might need to add more water if it’s not the ideal consistency :)

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!!

 

Roasted Cauliflower, Chickpea and Kale Salad

This recipe originally comes from the Gwyneth Paltrow cookbook “It’s All Good.”  Right now, it is BY FAR my favourite place to find healthy, delicious recipes.  Everyone needs to run out and grab this cookbook ASAP!  I switch up the recipes a bit to suit my own taste, but I haven’t seen a single thing in the book that doesn’t sound delightful.  The few things that I’ve made so far have been heaven :)

Makes 4 side servings        Prep Time: 15 min        Cooking Time: 45 min

Ingredients

1. 1 can organic chickpeas
2. 1 head of cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces
3. 2 cups kale
4. Olive oil
5. Unrefined sea salt, a few pinches
6. 1 tbsp dijon mustard
7. 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
8. Black pepper
9. 1/4 cup chopped parsley

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Rince the chickpeas and pat them dry with a paper towel.  On a large roasting pan or baking sheet, toss the chickpeas, cauliflower, a few tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch of salt.  Roast for about 45 min or until everything is dark brown.
3. To make the dressing, whisk together the mustard, vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil, pinch of salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Next, rinse, de-stem and dry the kale.  Massage with a paper towel to soften it up.  Place in a serving bowl along with the parsley and dressing.  Toss to coat the kale evenly.
5. Once the cauliflower and chickpeas are done, let cool a few minutes then add to the bowl and give it a good mix. Serve 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…

Caprese Skewers

These little skewers were so much fun to make! Thank you Pinterest for the great appetizer idea and my lovely sister for helping assemble all these little guys :) Great alternative to the unhealthy appies that are normally served at dinner parties. If you’re not a cheese eater, substituting avocado for the mozzarella would work perfectly. If I had been making these for just myself, that’s exactly what I would have done.

I think assembling the skewers is pretty self explanatory, but I’ll write up instructions anyway lol.

Ingredients:

• grape tomatoes
• basil leaves
• little mozerella or bocconcini balls
• little wooden skewers
• balsamic vinegar or balsamic reduction (optional)
• olive oil

Directions:

• To assemble, place one tomato, 1/2 a basil leaf, one bocconcini ball, and another tomato onto a wooden skewer.
• If you like, drizzle with a little bit balsamic and olive oil.

Overnight Blueberry Almond Butter Parfait

Studying sucks. After such a relaxing, fun summer, I forgot how depressing it can be sitting at a desk reading and taking notes all day. I’m studying for my ACE personal trainer certification exam, which is OMG next week! Ahhhh! So much to do in not a lot of time! I guess my fun summer is pretty much over since school is starting next week as well! Haha back to reality.

While I’m sitting at my kitchen table surrounded by stacks of paper and yellow highlighters, I figured I might as well have an incredibly delicious breakfast to cheer me up. This recipe sure did the trick! It took a bit of time to put all the layers together but I was procrastinating getting back to studying…

Makes 2 servings           Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus leaving oats overnight)

Ingredients for Blueberry Overnight Oats

• 1/3 cup rolled oats
• 1 tbsp vanilla protein powder (i used hemp protein)
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup
• 1/2 tsp honey or few drops of liquid stevia (optional)
• 1/2 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Ingredients for Parfait

• 1 tbsp almond butter
• 1 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
• 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt

Directions

• In a bowl or tupperware container, mix together rolled oats, protein powder, chia seeds, cinnamon, vanilla extract and 1/2 cup almond milk.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• In the morning if you’re in a hurry, you can eat the overnight oats just like that topped with the blueberries. Or…you can make the beautiful parfait! :)
• Blend up the overnight oats with the blueberries until smooth.  You may need to add a bit more almond milk to get the right consistency.
• Next, make the almond butter layer by mixing up the almond butter with the almond milk.  I just gave it a good mix with a fork in a little bowl.
• To assemble – place a spoonful of the blueberry oat mixture on the bottom. Next, add a layer of the almond butter mix and top with a few spoonfuls of greek yogurt. Finally, spoon more of the blueberry oat mixture for the last layer.  You can create a pretty design on the very top with blueberries if you like :) ENJOY!

NOTE: You can use cottage cheese instead of greek yogurt if you prefer. As well, any type of nut or seed butter can be used in place of the almond butter.

My wonderful mum and I at a wedding last weekend