Category Archives: Healthy recipes

Baked Pears

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Our fall weather has been kind of cold. It seems like we had summer, lots of rain, then winter is here …..Do you ever crave for a nice warm dessert after dinner on a cold night ? My daughter and I certainly do ! And often we want something that’s slightly healthier.  Here is one very simple recipe. You can just put it together just before having dinner, put it in the oven and it’s ready when you finish !  You can serve them with some vanilla yoghurt….or ice cream ! Well, I think that’s still pretty healthy….. 

Makes 4 servings

  • 4 ripe Anjou pears
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup crushed walnuts
  • 3-4 tablespoons maple syrup
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F
  2. Cut pears in halves and remove cores
  3. Mix together walnuts, cinnamon and maple syrup
  4. Spoon fillings into pears
  5. Sprinkle and drizzle with more cinnamon and maple syrup
  6. Bake for about 40 minutes until soft
  7. Serve warm with vanilla yoghurt if desired 

 

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Berries and Tofu Smoothie Bowl (Vegan)

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Over the past year, I have been trying to eat less meat and more plant-based proteins. I was never a big meat eater, so the transition was pretty easy. To me, the change has been beneficial, especially for my gut. I have a lot less indigestion and heartburn. Trying to cooperate these ingredients in recipes has been fun too. Tofu is my favourite, I mostly use it in savoury dishes or soups, but I can also make it into a simple and nutritious sweet treat, like this smoothie bowl ! You can use any berries and toppings of your choice. For a thicker smoothie, freeze some of the berries first. Look at the beautiful and vibrant colours ! It’s definitely a treat for your eyes and your tummy !  

Makes one serving

  • 150 g mixed berries (I used fresh raspberries, frozen blueberries and blackberries)
  • 150 g soft tofu
  • 1 tablespoon of maple syrup to sweeten (optional)
  • Toppings of choice (other fruits, seeds and nuts)

Blend all ingredients together then add toppings 

Dark Chocolate Granola

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Happy New Year ! My first post of 2019 ! Do you have any new year resolution ? I am sure eating healthier is on everyone’s list, especially after the holiday indulgence…..but wait…..I still like my chocolates ?! So……let’s start with a recipe that has chocolate but also healthy and good for you ! How about granola ? It is easy to make and you can pretty much put whatever you like in there, nuts, seeds, dried fruits…..and yes, CHOCOLATES ! Use darker chocolate if you don’t mind the bitterness as it’s healthier. I used 85%, but if that’s too dark, you can use 60-70 %. Normally, I weigh all the ingredients in my recipe, but granola is very flexible, you can easily adjust the amount to your taste. 

I hope everyone is off to a good start this year ! Stay healthy and be happy !    

Makes about 2 cups     

  • 1 cup quick oats
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 50 g dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used 85 %) 
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil 
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 
  1. Preheat oven to 300ºF
  2. Mix together all dry ingredients 
  3. Add maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla extract, mix well
  4. Place a thin and even layer on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper
  5. Bake for about 20 minutes, stirring once
  6. Cool and store in air-tight container for up to 2 weeks

 

 

Date Energy Balls

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Except my sweet tooth, I think I have a fairly healthy lifestyle. I exercise regularly, I eat a lot of vegetables and fruits, drink a lot of water. I try to avoid eating too much carbs and fat. And about a month ago, I started doing kickboxing classes ! Yes, isn’t that crazy ?! It is a pretty strenuous workout, but it’s a lot of fun ! And what a great way to release my stresses…..you know, I can just imagine I am punching my “enemies” …. LOL ! And after all the hard punching and kicking, I made these energy balls to treat myself ! They are delicious, nutritious and super easy to make ! Loaded with vitamins and minerals, they sure can give me a kick of energy before or after my class ! Medjool dates and nuts are however, fairly high in calories, so just keep in mind not to indulge yourself too much….even though they are so tasty and healthy !  

Makes about 12 balls

  • 90 g blanched almonds (or other nuts)
  • 250 g medjool dates (about 13-14 pitted dates)
  • 10 g chia seeds 
  • 15 g hemp protein powder 
  • 25 g cocoa powder 
  • 15 mL coconut oil 

  1. Put dates into a food processor and pulse until they are in small pieces 
  2. Add all other ingredients and blend until well combined
  3. Roll into one-inch balls
  4. Keep in refrigerator 

 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats 

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Happy New Year ! This is my very first post of 2018 ! Hope you all had a good winter break. So, what are your New Year’s resolutions ? I bet eating healthier is one of them. For someone who loves sweets like myself, it can be a little tricky. I don’t want to refrain myself from sugar totally, but yet feel guilty at times having too much sugar. Everything in moderation I guess…..I do cook and bake at home as much as I can, trying to avoid the unnecessary additives. Luckily my kids, especially my daughter, also enjoy cooking. One day during her winter break, her friend came over and they made lunch together ! Not just a simple sandwich, but some impressive cheeseburgers, fettuccine Alfredo and Caesar salad from scratch ! And they didn’t need much of my help, I was just the cleaning lady ! The food tasted fantastic and the girls had so much fun. That’s a way better activity than playing video games ! 

Getting back to my “trying to be healthy” recipe…..Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats ! It’s yummy and super easy to make ! See this picture……..

That’s all you need ! So enjoy ! (BTW, my daughter and I were so excited when we found out how to do this illustrative picture ! We learned something new again !)  

Makes 1 serving 

  • 1/4 cup quick oats
  • 2 teaspoons chia seeds
  • 1 teaspoon cocoa powder 
  • 1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter 
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup 
  • 1/2 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
  • 1/2 banana
  1. Mix all ingredients, except banana, in a mason jar
  2. Refrigerate overnight 
  3. Place banana pieces on top just before serving 

Chocolate Zucchini Loaf

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I haven’t been blogging actively. It’s been such a busy summer and we were on vacation last week. I make this zucchini loaf all the time and I have been hoping to share it since May ! Somehow just never got around to it. Last week, the mom of my daughter’s best friend gave me a few gigantic zucchini fresh from her garden ! So I made this again and finally put the post together. It’s one of those sneaky recipes in which you can hide the vegetables ! My son doesn’t like sweets nor zucchini, but he would come back for more of this. I guess that means it tastes pretty good ! If you prefer, you can put them in muffin tins instead, just remember to adjust the baking time to about 20-25 minutes. 

Makes 2 mini loaves (dimensions of pan: 5.75 x 3.25 x 2.25 inches)

  • 120 g shredded zucchini
  • 180 g all-purpose flour
  • 20 g unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1.5 g baking powder
  • 1.5 g baking soda
  • 2 g salt
  • 50 g brown sugar
  • 50 g granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 180 mL buttermilk
  • 30 mL vegetable oil
  • 2.5 mL pure vanilla extract
  • 60 g semi-sweet chocolate chips 
    1. Preheat oven to 350°F
    2. In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt
    3. Add both sugars
    4. In another bowl, mix together egg, buttermilk, oil and vanilla
    5. Add wet ingredients into flour mixture, stir until just blended
    6. Fold in chocolate chips and zucchini (batter will be slightly runny)
    7. Pour into lightly greased and floured loaf pans
    8. Bake for about 40-45 minutes 

Tools that I used 

Chicago Metallic 59440 Commercial II Non-Stick Mini Loaf Pans, Set of 4

You can get the mini loaf pans through the Amazon website by clicking the above link. I will receive a small compensation if you purchase the item. 

Peanut Butter Nice Cream Sandwiches

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Summer is always busy for me….working, driving the kids, getting together with friends and relatives, etc. But it seems like everything I do revolve around food or desserts…..snacks, lunches, picnics, BBQ’s. Making something that are easy and healthy would be great when I am running a tight schedule. These Peanut Butter Nice Cream Sandwiches are super simple and most of us probably have all the ingredients at home already. Nice cream is a much healthier alternative to ice cream using frozen bananas. I added peanut butter, but there are many variations you can do, like cocoa powder, chocolate chips, berries, nuts, etc. You can also use other cookies or crackers for the sandwiches. Don’t think that you have to compromise on taste by making a healthier dessert because they are really really yummy ! They didn’t last long at all in my house !

Makes 12 sandwiches  

  • 4 ripe bananas 
  • 100 g smooth peanut butter 
  • 30 mL milk (or you can use almond or coconut milk) 
  • 24 squares graham crackers 
  • 60 g melted chocolate for drizzling (optional)
  1. Peel and cut banana into small pieces 
  2. Freeze for 3-4 hours or overnight 
  3. Lay half of the graham crackers on a square or rectangular pan lined with parchment paper 
  4. In a food processor or blender, blend together frozen bananas, peanut butter and milk until smooth 
  5. Spoon on top of graham crackers in pan, smooth evenly with a spatula 
  6. Arrange the other graham crackers on top
  7. Freeze until set 
  8. Cut into squares and top with melted chocolate or other toppings as desired 

Frozen Banana Pops

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I love bake, cook or do crafts with my kids whenever they are free, especially my daughter. Spring break is here and it’s a perfect time to have some fun together.  I love to do them with my son too, but I think he has “outgrown” that stage…Well, he would still cook some noodles for himself as he loves them. These banana pops are super easy and they made a great healthy snack. It can get a little messy with the melted chocolate but that’s the best part mom, right ?!  Our favourite topping is the maple roasted pecans,  you can find the recipe here…..Carrot Spelt Muffins with Maple Roasted Pecans. 

Makes about 12-16 pops

  • 300 g semi-sweet or dark chocolate 
  • 3-4 bananas (Do not use bananas that are too ripe, otherwise they will be too soft to work with)
  • Toppings of choice (sprinkles, roasted nuts, shredded coconut, etc) 
  1. Place toppings in separate dishes 
  2. Melt chocolate in a heat-proof bowl over a pan of simmering water, cool slightly 
  3. Slice bananas into big chunks 
  4. With the help of a fork, coat banana chunks with melted chocolate, tap off excess 
  5. Roll in desired toppings 
  6. Place on a tray lined with parchment paper 
  7. Insert popcicle sticks 
  8. Freeze until frozen 

Carrot Spelt Muffins with Maple Roasted Pecans (Vegan)

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I guess by now everyone knows I love to bake.  Not only do I like to eat sweets, but I also get intrigued by how different ingredients work or not work together and the Science behind it. Yes, baking is an edible Science experiment ! And I have so much fun with these “Science projects” !  Vegan baking is even more interesting ! You don’t have your eggs to bind things together, you don’t have your dairy nor butter for nice creamy texture and rich flavours.  But there are actually many great alternatives and I realize I have a lot more to learn. This is the first time I bake with spelt flour. It can be used instead of whole wheat flour. It has a finer texture and a milder taste which I like.  For the roasted pecans, you won’t need the whole batch for the muffins, save the rest for a healthy snack !

Makes about 12 muffins

For the roasted pecans 

  • 100 g pecans
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup 
  • 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • Pinch of salt 
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F
  2. Coat pecans with rest of ingredients 
  3. Bake for about 10 minutes, stirring once in between Maple Roasted Pecans

For the muffins

  • 225 g spelt flour
  • 1+1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
  • 60 g demerara or brown sugar 
  • 150 g unsweetened apple sauce 
  • 120 mL vegetable oil 
  • 60 mL unsweetened almond milk 
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup 
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 
  • 200 g grated carrots 
  • 30 g maple roasted pecans, crushed 
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F
  2. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon 
  3. Mix in sugar 
  4. Stir in other wet ingredients
  5. Stir in grated carrots 
  6. Spoon into lightly greased paper or silicone muffin cups (you can fill them up a little fuller, as they don’t rise as much)
  7. Sprinkle crushed maple pecans on top 
  8. Bake in muffin tins for 25-30 minutes Carrot Spelt Muffins with Maple Roasted Pecans (Vegan)

Overnight Oats with Chia Seeds

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After indulging myself over Christmas and New Year, I guess it’s time to make something a little healthier! Chia seed pudding has been on my “to make” list for quite a while, but I’ve been pushing it back. Somehow I associate the word “pudding” with something soft and creamy, not seedy and chewy.  So I ended up making this overnight oats.  It was really yummy, and to my surprise, my daughter loved it ! This is another recipe that can have so many variations. My ratio is roughly, 1 part oats, 2 parts milk and 1/4 part chia seeds, then add sweetener, and toppings.  It makes a great breakfast, or for me, a snack after my morning run !  

Makes 1 serving

  • 1/2 cup unsweetened milk of choice (I used almond and coconut milk)
  • 1/4 cup rolled oats
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds
  • 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
  • toppings of choice, e.g. banana, berries, shredded coconut, almond slices, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds etc
  1. Combine milk, oats, chia seeds and sweetener in a bowl or a mason jar  
  2. Stir well, cover and refrigerate overnight
  3. Add toppings when ready to serveOvernight Oats with Chia Seeds