Eat Your Greens ... On the Go!

Wrap It Up!

Here's a healthier way of making a wrap to take on the go! Collard greens are full of vitamins, so why not use it to wrap up a whole bunch of goodness? This is a "Clubhouse"-style version, but you can make a wrap of anything you want - try filling it with different proteins, maybe some quinoa, different veggies, the ideas are endless - get creative



Ingredients:

4oz Cooked Turkey Breast, sliced thinly or into strips
2 Strips Cooked Bacon
Roma Tomato, thinly sliced
Red Onion, thinly sliced
Avocado, thinly sliced
Homemade Mayo
Dijon Mustard
Collard Green Leaf - one large big leaf, ensure hard stems are removed.
Sea Salt & Pepper to Taste

1. Ensure your collard green leaf is thoroughly washed and patted dry.
2. Spread on the mayo and mustard directly on the leaf, and thinly.
3. Place the turkey first and build the ingredients on top. Season with sea salt and pepper if you wish.
4. Roll the leaf into a wrap form - if you put some mustard or mayo near the edges it will help seal the wrap a bit. 
5. Cut in half and eat up!

One Pan Breakfast!

5 Ingredient Breakfast!

Breakfast is very important, and many people find it hard to get this meal in first thing because of time constraints or they can't think of what to make. Here's an easy one shot breakfast that contains everything you need to start your day off right - some dark, leafy greens, eggs, sweet potato and protein! You can mix and match your type of greens, I used Kale, but spinach or Swiss Chard will do the trick. The protein can be swapped out as well - instead of sausage, you can use bacon, ground beef, or even ground chicken if you prefer a white meat. You can even make this at one time and then pack them up in meals for the entire week - just reheat and go!

Ingredients:

12 Eggs, free-range preferred
2 Cups Kale leaves, torn and thoroughly cleaned and dried
3 Small Sweet Potatoes, peeled, washed and diced small
1 lb Sausage Meat, from a quality source
Sea Salt
Ground Pepper

1. In a large pan over medium-high heat, break up the sausage meat and cook through.
2. Add in the sweet potato, stirring to prevent burning, and cook until tender.
3. Add in the kale leaves until they are just wilted; add in the eggs and scramble until egg is cooked out.
4. Season with salt and pepper - voila, done!

Portable Salad

Portable Salad

So lately it seems that everyone is on the 'Mason Jar' salad trend, I blame it on Pinterest :) It is a great way to build nutrition in a jar! Mason Jar's are great because they seal shut very well, so you don't get the spills that can happen with other tupperware or ziploc containers. Here's one of my favourite Salads in a Jar recipes - Deconstructed Clubhouse - with the dressing that I got from our own Iron Anne! Don't forget that you can do many other salads 'to go' such as Greek, Tomato Bocconcini, and more!

Ingredients

Baby Gem Lettuce (this is a great type of lettuce to use because it maintains the crispiness that you want in a salad leaf, but you can substitute for another lettuce green if unavailable)
2 Strips of Cooked Bacon, chopped (the good stuff!)
1/2 Chicken Breast, sliced (poached or grilled)
5 Cherry Tomatoes
1 Avocado (optional - but this is kept separate until eating time!)
Apple Cider Vinegar
Olive Oil
Maple Syrup
Sea Salt & Pepper to taste

1. Wash your baby gem lettuce thoroughly and pat dry.
2. Slice your chicken breast into bite size pieces, same goes for the bacon.
3. For the dressing, combine equal parts Apple Cider Vinegar, Olive Oil, and Maple Syrup, season with salt and pepper.
4. To build your salad, start with the dressing in the bottom, then lettuce and tomato, and finally top off with your bacon and chicken.
5. Close the jar and off you go!
6. When ready to eat, give the jar a good shake to coat your salad, cut your avocado and pop it in to enjoy a compact, but filling meal!

Baked Egg-vocados

BAKED AVOCADO?!

As they say, Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and this baked egg and avocado meal is FILLING! It's filled with good fatty acids, protein, fiber and flavour - plus it's quick!

Ingredients

4 Free-Range Eggs (if you can get them from a farmer, even better!)
2 Ripe Avocados (larger ones are better to hold the egg)

Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper, to taste

Fresh Chopped Herbs to garnish (chives are best)
Crisp Bacon (Optional to crumble on top!)

Method 

1. Before prepping, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Half the avocado as normal and remove the pit. On the outside, rounded part of the avocado, cut off straight the rounded part of the avocado so it can sit flat, but don't cut too deep into the avocado that you break through to the centre. 
3. Place the avocados in a baking dish, they shouldn't roll around with the rounded part cut off.
4. Crack an egg into the centre of each avocado, ensuring that the yolk is in the centre of the hole. It is okay if the egg white is spills slightly out of the hole.
5. Bake in the oven for approximately 15 minutes, or until you see the egg whites set.
6. Remove and season with the salt and pepper, then garnish with the herbs and sprinkle the bacon on top if you choose!
7. Eat up!
   
   
   

Pretty Pork Patties

PORK PATTIES

Everyone loves a good beef burger patty, but sometimes it is good to mix things up. Pork patties are quick to make and you can put them with any sauce you want. I tend to lean to an Asian-style sauce for these ones since the cilantro and garlic are staple items in Asian cooking.



Ingredients
1lb Fresh Ground Pork
3 Cloves Garlic, minced well
3 Green Onions, chopped finely
1 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro, chopped finely
Coconut or Avocado Oil for cooking

Method

1. The key to a good patty is to not overwork, or over compress the ingredients together - be gentle! Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.
2. Evenly divide the meat into 4-6 equal parts and form into patties - remember GENTLE! Don't squish or pack them too tightly, because when you cook them, they'll end up being really dry - you don't want that!
3. Heat a pan with some coconut or avocado oil in it; add the patties in and cook for approximately 5 minutes per side. The patties should be browned on each side - you can cover the pan for a better cooking experience when you have flipped it over to cook the second side. Ensure that the patties are cooked through before serving.
4. Enjoy with our favourite sauce - something with some spice kicks these babies up a notch!

Good Friday Tunacado



TUNACADO WRAPS
In honour of Good Friday, here's a friendly fish recipe that you can test out. There's no cooking and it's as simple as it comes. This is a great lunch option and will be surprisingly filling! If you are not a fan of avocado, you can replace the avocado with coconut cream to help combine the tuna.

 



Ingredients
1 Head of Boston or Romaine Hearts (doesn't matter which one, romaine looks more like a boat and can be easier to handle when eating)
1 Can Albacore Tuna (look for the Canadian brand "Raincoast Trading" which is wild caught and free of all the bad things. If you can't find that, try "Wild Planet".)
1 Very Ripe Avocado
1 Small Green Onion, diced
Sea Salt
Ground Black Pepper
Squeeze of Fresh Lemon Juice (Optional)

Method

1. Wash lettuce leaves well and allow to dry or pat dry. Set aside.
2. Drain the tuna and place fish into a bowl. Scoop out the avocado flesh into the bowl with the tuna, add the onion and season with salt and pepper then mix thoroughly together. Add in a small squeeze of fresh lemon juice if you wish.
3. Scoop tuna-avocado mixture into evenly into each leaf and consume!

NOTE* You can also top with sliced tomatoes and add gherkin pickles on the side!

Krazy Kale!

KALE CHIPS

Kale, kale, kale - so good and so good for you! Kale chips are one of the most friendly ways to get this nutritious vegetable into you, and one of the quickest! If you haven't had kale chips before, you don't know what you are missing...just warning you, you'll spend the time to bake these beauties up, and they'll be gone in a second! You can use an airtight container to store them for a couple days, but you probably won't need it LOL

 

Ingredients
1 Large Head of Organic Kale (there are different kinds of Kale, I use the green curly kind)
1 Tbsp Avocado Oil (this is an approximation, enough oil to coat the kale without excess)
Sea Salt (I use Maldon Salt)

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In the meantime, thoroughly wash the kale leaves, discarding the hard middle stem. Make sure that the leaves are thoroughly dried out, use a salad spinner if you have one to dry them out.
3. In a large bowl, using your hands, gently toss the kale leaves with the oil ensuring the entire leaf is coated in oil, but not excessively.
4. Place parchment paper on a large baking sheet (not necessary, you can place them right on the sheet itself). In a single layer, spread out the kale leaves, lying them flat. Sprinkle the sea salt evenly over the kale leaves.
5. Place the tray in the oven to bake for approximately 10-15 minutes. Check on them to ensure they do not burn. Chips should be crisp with slightly browned edges when they are done.
6. Chow down!

Sweet Hasselback Potatoes, Batman!

HASSELBACK POTATOES

Hasselback potatoes are a great side dish to pretty up your plate and are super simple to make. Usually they are made with regular Yukon or white potatoes, but sweet potatoes come out just as tasty! I like making these with a side of sautéed kale with bacon and a steak...mmmm...good! If you are looking for a sweeter side dish, instead of the spices, add a drizzle of honey and a pinch of cinnamon!

 

 

Ingredients:

2-4 Sweet Potatoes, scrubbed clean and dried
2 Cloves Fresh Garlic, sliced very thinly
2 Tbsp Ghee or Olive Oil
1/2 Tsp Chili Powder
1/2 Tsp Sweet Paprika
Sea Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place sweet potatoes horizontally (so it is lengthwise going left to right) on a cutting board with one chopstick above it and one below it. These will act as guides to stop you from cutting all the way through the potato. 
3. Using a sharp knife, cut the potato into thin slices about 1/4" thick all the way along.
4. Thinly slice the garlic cloves and place the slices between every few potato slices - this will help open up the potato slightly to help cook evenly. Place potatoes on a baking dish lined with foil, non-shiny side up.
5. Cover the potato tops and in between the slices with the ghee or olive oil evenly. Get dirty here and use your hands to make sure you coat it well, don't worry about the bottoms, the most important part is getting in between the slices.
6. Sprinkle the spices, and season with salt and pepper over the potatoes and pop them in the oven to bake for approximately 40-50 minutes. Keep an eye on them around the 40 minute mark to avoid burning them. They should be cooked through and slightly crispy at the edges with a softer centre.
7. Remove from oven and let sit for a minute before remove - THEY ARE EXTREMELY HOT!
8. Dig in!

Beef Brisket...that is all...

BEEF BRISKET

Mmmm...Brisket! So this is a recipe that is a little longer than the previous posts, but you will reap the rewards when it is done. This is a two day process, and honestly you really don't have to put too much effort into it! You can use a large roasting pan for this, but I prefer to buy an aluminum foil disposable pan that you can get at the store - no dishes to scrub when you are done! 

Ingredients
7-9 lbs piece of Grass-fed Beef Brisket (this is the best option)
4 Cups Good Beef Broth (if you are buying this, get the low-sodium kind or no salt-added)
1 Cup Tamari
1/4 Cup Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice (watch the seeds!)
5 Garlic Cloves, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp Hickory Liquid Smoke (this is optional)

Method

1. Combine the beef broth, Tamari, lemon juice, and garlic cloves in your large roasting pan. If you are using liquid smoke, mix it in here.
2. Place the brisket (fat side up) in the pan and spoon over the liquid to douse the brisket evenly. 
3. Cover pan and brisket tightly with aluminium foil and place in fridge to chill for 24 hours.
4. Remove brisket from the fridge and pre-heat your oven to 300 degrees. You want to pull it out about 20 minutes prior to putting it in the oven so the meat is not too cold before cooking it - this will allow it to cook through evenly. 
5. Place the covered pan of brisket in the oven and cook for approximately 4-4.5 hours. You can check on it at the 4 hour mark to see if the meat is fork-tender. When it is, remove from oven, uncover the pan and let stand for 20 minutes.
6. Remove the brisket from the pan and place on a cutting board. You can strain the drippings and use it as a sauce if you wish. 
7. Trim fat from the brisket if it is excessive and carve into thin slices for serving - you should always cut across the grain for best consumption. Brisket should also be soft enough to shred with two forks if desired.
8. Enjoy with...anything actually!

Sweet Potato Noodle Goodness

PALEO JAPCHAE

This is one of the yummiest Korean dishes that I enjoy making for myself and others. It is super easy to make and doesn't take longer than 15-20 minutes to put together! Sweet potato noodles are super cheap to buy (like less than $2 a package!), so this makes for a pretty inexpensive dish to make as well.

Ingredients
3 Tbsp of Bacon Fat (mmm...bacon) or Avocado Oil
1 Shallot, chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, chopped finely
1/2 lb. Steak (the good stuff if you can) or you can use chicken breast, or pork belly!
2 Large Carrots, julienne (that means cut into thin strips)
1 Cup Green onions, julienne
1-1/2 Cups Broccoli Florets, cut into small bite-size pieces
2 Cups Fresh Kale, stems removed, just the leafy parts
1 Cup Mushrooms, sliced (you can use white, shiitake, or any type of mushrooms you prefer)
1/2 Cup Tamari
2 Tbsp Raw Honey
2 Tbsp Sesame Oil
1 Package Sweet Potato Noodles (the vermicelli - thin ones or you can use the wider noodles if you prefer)
Sea Salt, to taste
Ground Black Pepper, to taste
Sesame Seeds, to garnish at the end

Method

1. Place a large pot of salted water to boil on the stove. Cook the sweet potato noodles according to the package instructions. Drain the noodles and rinse under cold water, using your hands or tongs (the noodles are HOT - be careful!) to ensure that the noodles are separated and cool them down. Set aside.
2. Heat the fat/oil in a large pan (big enough that it will fit the noodles and everything in it). Add in the onions, garlic, and meat; cook for 3 minutes or until meat is cooked through.
3. Add in the carrots, green onion, and broccoli; cook for a further 2 minutes. Then add in the kale and mushrooms, cooking for 2 minutes more.
4. In a small bowl, combine the tamari, honey and sesame oil until all incorporated, then toss into the pan and coat the mixture. Turn off the heat and add in the noodles. Mix together.
5. Re-heat the pan over medium-high heat in order to heat the noodles and everything through. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste, toss on the sesame seeds.
6. Remove from the pan and serve!

Groovy Granola

GROOVY GRANOLA

This is another great snack idea to have on hand for when you get the munchies. They are, what some call "moreish" - meaning when you start eating it, you want more! The seeds and nuts can be interchanged with any of your favourite nuts or seeds - you can even switch out the cranberries for another favourite dried fruit as well. 

Ingredients
1 Cup Raw & Slivered Almonds
1 Cup Macadamia Nuts
1 Cup Chopped Pecans
1 Cup Unsalted Sunflower Seeds (hulled)
1 Cup Raw Pepitas (Pumpkin Seeds hulled)
1 Cup Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
1 Tbsp Flax Seeds
1/4 Cup Sesame Seeds
1 Cup Organic Dried Cranberries
1/4 Cup Raw Honey
1/4 Cup Butter Unsalted
1/8 Tsp Ground Cloves
1/8 Tsp Ground Nutmeg
1/2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
Cacao Nibs (optional)

Method
In a bowl beat the eggs until they are frothy (they'll have little bubbles in them) and add in the liquid ingredients of coconut milk, vanilla and honey.

1. Pre-heat your oven to 325F. In the meantime, cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper, enough that the paper goes up the sides a bit above the lip of the baking sheet.
2. Combine all the nuts, seeds, coconut flakes, and spices in a large bowl, with the exception of the cranberries and flax seeds.
3. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt together the raw honey and butter, stirring until they are completed melted. Pour the honey-butter mixture into the bowl and stir until well incorporated. Should be sticking together in chunks, no dry bits.
4. Pour the mixture onto the parchment paper and spread it out so it is even allowing for equal baking on all areas.
5. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, or until slightly brown - you don't want to over bake this! At the 15 minute mark, check on it and give it a bit of a stir to ensure even browning. Add in the dried cranberries and the flax seeds evenly and continue to bake for another 5-10 minutes.
6. Remove the pan from the oven. At this point the granola is still loose enough that you could mix in some cacao nibs if you wish. Allow granola to cool thoroughly before transferring into an airtight container that can be stored at room temperature....if it makes it that far without it going straight into your belly!

Pancakes for PR's!

COCONUT BACON PANCAKES

Yes, coconut pancakes are delish, but they become awesome when you add BACON! I used bacon strips instead of breaking up the bacon, because you can make them into a "dipping" pancake, which means more maple syrup to bite ratio. Also, kids love using their hands to eat, so why not let them grab something healthy for breakfast! These pancakes are also yummy without the bacon, you can add in cacao nibs instead for something different!

 

Ingredients
6-8 Slices Natural Bacon (Free of nitrates and bad stuff if possible)
4 Eggs, Best if they are almost room temperature (Free-Range if possible)
1 Cup Good Coconut Milk
1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1 Tablespoon Raw Honey
1/2 Cup Coconut Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt
Coconut Oil for Frying
Cinnamon to taste (Optional) 

Method
Cook your bacon prior to making the pancakes and set aside. I prefer oven-baking that way they are more flat than frying in a pan and sit better in the pancake.

1. In a bowl beat the eggs until they are frothy (they'll have little bubbles in them) and add in the liquid ingredients of coconut milk, vanilla and honey.
2. In another bowl combine the dry ingredients of coconut flour, baking soda and sea salt; ensure they are well combined. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until they are fully incorporated - there should be no lumps.
3. In a non-stick pan or on a griddle over medium-low heat add in the coconut oil. Ladle in an amount of batter that a strip of bacon will fit in, place a bacon strip in the centre and then zig zag a little batter over the bacon in order to hold it in. 
4. Cook pancake for a couple minutes until the bottom is slightly brown - the top of the batter should be slightly drying out. Flip the pancake and finish cooking it off.
5. Continue until you run out of batter or bacon!
6. Serve hot with real maple syrup, a dash of cinnamon (optional) and butter. If you want to do the "dipping" option, just fill a small bowl with good maple syrup and dunk away!
7. Then go lift and hit a PR!

Mmmm....Egg Muffins

PALEO EGG MUFFINS

These are EGGSellent for the perfect 'grab and go' breakfast for those who don't have too much time in the morning! Great source of nutrition in the AM or PM (Eggs aren't just for breakfast anymore!) and they are EASY to make ahead of time. Experiment with different fillings or even add some spice!

Ingredients:

12 Whole Eggs (Free-Range if possible)
1 Cup Natural Bacon, diced and cooked (Try to find that pure stuff if you can, avoid all
   those bad nitrates and junk!)
1.5 Cups Greens of some sort - Kale, Spinach, Broccoli, or Asparagus, chopped
1 Cup Mushrooms, diced
1 Cup Onions, diced (I prefer Green Onions)
Sea Salt and Pepper to taste 


Method:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350F.
2. Dice your bacon and cook it off; make sure you drain off all the fat. Best result is to place it on paper towel and dab off the excess. Set aside.
3. Dice all your vegetables if you are using hearty vegetables like broccoli and asparagus. If you are using leafy greens, julienne cut them (into strips) so they are not too small - these types of greens tend to shrink a lot.
4. In a bowl, crack all the eggs and whisk them to break them up, add in your salt and pepper to taste, then mix in your bacon and vegetables.
5. Grease your muffin pan with coconut oil and fill the muffin cups 3/4 full allowing room for the muffins to rise.
6. Place in oven and cook for 18-20 minutes, or until the centre of the muffins are cooked - try not to over cook them! (Trick: Use a toothpick to check the doneness by inserting it into the middle and if it comes out clean, they are done).
7. Eat and enjoy immediately, or allow to cool before packing them in airtight containers and storing them in the fridge for the week. To re-heat just pop them in the microwave for a few seconds and you're good to go! 

Makes 12 Servings