Edible Sound Bites

Great Grains: Teff

2013-05-16T11:00:39Z

Where to begin with this post. I feel like I haven't blogged for a long time, and it's only been what? A week? I guess that's partially because I've been busy multitasking and working on other things at the same time. I just finished a job designing and setting up a website and a few other things too. Whew! that can be time consuming. Great work though, and lot's of fun when you get creative with it. Especially the logos. If you're interested check out Back to Balance Health and have a look.

Anyway. I'm back!

In case you might be wondering I'm still going strong with the gluten free grain series. I know it's been a while since my last Great Grains post but I'm back with a new one today. And just to recap if you haven't been following along I've so far covered Millet, Buckwheat, and Amaranth. Now lets get to it shall we?

Today is all about Teff, which also happens to be one of my fave's next in line to amaranth.

Teff Notes & Qualities

Teff is actually a cereal grass that originated from Ethiopia many years ago and is cooked just like a grain. It is now grown a little closer to home, namely Idaho, and it can grow where many other crops won't. A handful of teff is enough to sow a whole field, and it cooks quickly. Its very tiny being the smallest grain in the world (less than 1mm in diameter – similar to a poppy seed). So tiny that its name literally means "lost". It has a mild nutty flavour like most other whole grains, with a really nice sweetness similar in taste to molasses. Its perfect for baking with! It makes a great alternative to wheat flours and contains no gluten.

Nutrition Facts

One of the most nutritious grains (actually a seed) in the world, teff is very nutrient dense. Its a slow digesting carbohydrate which makes it the perfect addition to breakfast. Its and excellent source of fibre and protein and is extremely high in minerals with lots of iron (5mg), calcium (123 mg), magnesium (126mg), manganese, as well as phosphorus, potassium. Check out the nutrition profile for 1 cup cooked (1/4 cup dry):

If your are trying to make sure you get enough iron into your daily diet. It is important to note that certain vitamins (such as vitamin C) will enhance your body's ability to absorb the nutrient. A great example would be adding some sliced strawberries, kiwi, dried currants or raisins to your morning bowl of teff. Its very filling and provides plenty of good quality energy to get you through a busy morning. Its also great pre-workout fuel that makes for great workout performance.

Where to Buy

If you cannot find teff at your local health food store, bulk barn (if you're in Canada), or grocery store you can buy it online from http://www.teffco.com/ in 4, 5 and 25 pound bags. Both the grain and flour. The 5 and 25 pound bags come in either ivory or brown coloured teff. Bob's Red Mill also sells the grain and the flour, but their flour is not ground as finely. When in doubt Whole Foods is always sure to carry it, which is where I got mine.

Preparing & Cooking

To cook Teff like porridge, bring 1 cup of water to a boil, add the 1/4 cup Teff, cover and simmer for 15 or so minutes – until it is thick and all of the water is absorbed. You will want to stir it occasionally. It also cooks great in the microwave if that is your preferred method. The texture is similar cream of wheat, another whole grain breakfast cereal, but way more nutritious and tasty.

Whole grain teff is also a great addition to stews, pilafs and baked goods.

It is not very easy to grind your own teff flour at home due to the tiny size of the seeds. However, it is possible. I haven't tried it yet myself, but I will let you know how it goes as soon as I do.

The flour is great to use in muffins and pancakes. You can substitute half of the flour that the recipe calls for with teff flour. If you are allergic to gluten try using brown rice flour for the other half.

Well that's a wrap on gluten free teff. Next week I'll have a delish teff porridge recipe to show you.

Commence experimenting!

Sweet Red Fife Cinnamon Scones

2013-05-09T11:01:08Z

Lately I've been spending a lot of time trying to come up with the perfect red fife scone recipe. I've had a couple of request's for them and have since been trying a few test recipes out. With Mother's Day just around the corner I also thought it would be nice to make them special for my mom. Scones have always been a special treat on my mom's side of the family. There also one of her favourite things, so I figured they would be perfect.

Being British and all you wouldn't expect anything less would you? hehehe.

These would be perfect for brunch, breakfast, or even with a cup of evening tea.

You might already have noticed how I like to do a lot of baking with red fife flour. It's a whole grain Canadian heritage flour that's healthy, high in protein and tastes great.

The red fife gives these scones a nice light texture with the perfect crispy outer crust that could rival any coffee shop bought scone. If you're one of those people that don't like the dry scone variety, then these are for you.

Red Fife Cinnamon Scones (makes 6 individual scones)

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Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups red fife flour
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp cold butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup 2% milk
1 large egg

For the topping:

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup brown sugar or sucanat
2 tsp milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Scatter butter over the flour mixture and continue to blend (or cut in with a pastry cutter) until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
In a small bowl, whisk together milk and egg. Add to the flour/butter mix and stir gently to combine just until there is no more dry flour visible.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently press and form into 6 individual scones or a 6 inch circle.
Mix together topping ingredients, stirring with a fork. Then sprinkle over the dough.
Transfer to a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until the tops and bottoms are lightly browned. Cool slightly and serve with butter.

{Notes}

Depending on the heat of your oven you may want to cook the scones closer to the 20 minute mark, which is what I did having a rather hot oven.

If you like scones, here is my grandmother's classic english recipe Grandma's Currant Scones.

Happy Mother's Day!

Whole Foods Detox Salad

2013-05-01T11:01:04Z

Whenever I take a trip to Whole Paycheck, I mean Whole Foods, which doesn't happen as often as I might like, lunch is almost always planned at the hot and cold salad bar. There's just so much to choose from and you want it all! Every kind of veggie and greens you can think of, hot soup, I still have yet to try out the stir-fry station, and the bakery goodies are so tempting. But one of my favourite things to get is the Detox Salad. I've really wanted to re-create this one for a while now. I love how they list the ingredients on the label. The ingredient list is quite simple. There's broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, sunflower seeds, currants, parsley, lemon juice, raisins, kelp granules, salt, and pepper.

No wonder it's called a detox salad. Talk about your raw cruciferous vegetables! The broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots are the main body ingredients to the salad. They contain tons of vital nutrients that will help your body's natural detoxification system along the way and give it a little boost.

I love having this salad for lunch because it's one of those fast make ahead lunches that will have you set for the whole week.

It's super healthy and tastes great!

Once you start to add the sunflower seeds and dried fruits the salad really starts to come together. The sunflower seeds add some extra satisfying crunch and the currents and raisins give it some much needed natural sweetness to contrast the raw veggies.

The parsley and lemon juice add a nice fresh taste, but little did you know they also play a part in the detoxifying process. I didn't bother to add the kelp granules, but I did add pumpkin seeds.

Of course you could most definitely add whatever fresh herbs you prefer. I imagine mint and diced pinapple would be quite good in this together.

Detox Salad gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian (makes 8-10 cups)

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Ingredients:

2 heads of broccoli (stalks removed, and cut into florets)
2 1/2 cups of roughly cut cauliflower florets
3 large carrots, roughly chopped
3/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup dried currants
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/8-1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:

Place the broccoli florets into a food processor and pulse until chopped very fine. Empty out into a large bowl.
Do the same with the cauliflower florets. Depending on the size of your food processor you may have to work in batches.
Next add the carrots and pulse until finely chopped and add to the bowl along with the broccoli and cauliflower. Give it a good stir to mix everything together.
Stir in the parsley, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, raisins and currants. Add the lemon juice, salt and pepper.

To store: keep refrigerated in a tightly sealed container. I like to keep it in a big sealed glass container because I find that the glass keeps the salad fresher than plastic.

Gluten Free Paleo Bread

2013-04-24T11:00:00Z

For the last week I've been following Tosca Reno's cooler 1 meal plan. It's pretty hard core and very similar to what someone may eat for pre-contest preparation. Think body building when I say contest prep. My main reason for following it? Increased muscle definition, but it's also for anyone who is looking to lose those last stubborn five to ten pounds and feel better.

It is an intense plan with very little lenience based around 5-6 mini meals a day. A combination of lean protein, water based veggies and low glycemic complex carbohydrates. Don't forget tons of water. It isn't for the faint of heart, but hard core healthy eating will get you hard core results. Its just a matter of how determined you are. There's no bread, excess salt, sugar, processed junk food, or salad dressings. I won't go into too much detail but if anyone is interested in hearing more about it just let me know and I'll gladly do a post.

So this week I've started adding back a few different foods that would be geared more towards maintaing weight. I decided to spice things up with this amazing paleo bread which I discovered from Elana's Pantry. It's full of nutritious ingredients like flax seed, ground almonds, honey (I used my favourite local Dickey Bee honey) and apple cider vinegar. It doesn't have a a single bit of flour. It's also a cinch to make and tastes amazing. The texture is so light and airy it's almost like the real thing.

Peanut butter and banana sandwiches anyone?

This was delicious spread with a bit of almond butter. I haven't tried it yet but I'm going see what it's like when lightly toasted.

Gluten Free Paleo Bread (gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian) makes 1 loaf

slightly adapted from elana's pantry

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Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups almond flour
3 tbsp coconut flour
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
4 eggs
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350*F. Grease and line a 7.5" x 3.5" loaf pan with parchment paper.
Combine almond flour, coconut flour, flaxseed meal, nutmeg, baking soda and sea salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix ingredients together.
Mix in the eggs, coconut oil, honey and cider vinegar.
Pour the batter into prepared pan.
Bake at 350*F for 35 minutes until a toothpick or tester comes out clean.
Let cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan before lifting out onto a cooling rack.
Cool completely before slicing.

{Notes}

You could also use an 8x4 baking pan but your loaf will be slightly flatter.
This recipe also works great baked in muffin tins.
Store in refrigerator wrapped in saran/cling wrap. It should keep for about 1 week.

Breakfast is served. A slice toasted with a poached egg on top for me please.

Homemade Peanut Butter Cookie Larabars

2013-04-18T11:00:38Z

There's nothing like waking up to the sound of the bird's chirping. Even if it's dull, dark and rainy like it has been, I can always count on the sounds of spring to pick my spirits up. Let's just hope we don't have anymore unpredictable weather coming our way.

You might already know how much I love nut butter. Particularly almond and peanut. So naturally my favourite Larabar is the peanut butter cookie. I'm really into making my own, they're fun to make (I might be the only one who thinks this ;) and it's cheaper.

A little trick I like to use when making my own Larabars, is to grind the nuts and dried fruit separately and then combine them along with any flavouring's like spices and sea salt. This way you get a nice smooth Larabar-esque snack bar. First you grind up the nuts until they resemble fine bread crumbs.

Then you'll want to grind the dates up on their own until you have a sticky, clumpy mess like this.

Now you add the ground peanuts along with a pinch of sea salt back in with the dates and grind/process until you can easily form it together with your hands.

Next up, we form the dough into bars. In the past I've used my hands, but it got so messy that I'd have to keep stopping to wet my fingers and hands just to work with the dough. That was way too time consuming. So I started forming them by covering the dough in saran wrap. This way I can still use my hands to help form the dough and not get them all messy.

I place the clump of dough on a large sheet of saran wrap, cover it up, and roll it out. Brilliant!

This only takes me 5 minutes to form the bars and cut them.

You can wrap them up individually for grab-and-go snacking and work week lunches or store them in a sealed airtight container like I do.

Peanut Butter Cookie Larabars (makes 6, 1x3x1/2" bars) vegan & gluten free

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Ingredients:

1 cup pitted dates
1 cup raw peanuts
a pinch of sea salt (no more than 1 gram if you have a kitchen scale handy)

Directions:

In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, blend the peanuts until they are finely chopped. Pour the nuts into a bowl and set aside.
Add the dates to the food processor and process until they start to smooth out and form a paste. Add the chopped peanuts and sea salt and continue blending until evenly combined. It should look similar to a fresh batch of cookie dough.
To form the bars, take a large sheet of saran/cling wrap and lay it flat on the counter. Pour the dough mixture out onto the cling wrap, form it into a ball using your hands, then fold the sides of the cling wrap over the dough so it is covered.
Begin to flatten it out using your hands or a rolling pin, shaping the edges to form a rectangle or square about 1/2" inch thick. Then slice into bars.
Wrap and refrigerate to keep them their freshest.

{Notes}

If your food processor is big enough feel free to double the recipe.

No oven needed here!

How To Make Puffed Amaranth Cereal

2013-04-10T11:00:31Z

You want me to make my own cereal?

It sounds a little strange doesn't it? Maybe even like a lot of work. I mean why would anyone want to bother making cereal when they just go to the grocery store and buy a box that has pretty designs and tastes great. . . Have you ever read the ingredients on a box of cereal before?

...Hydrogenated Palm Kernal Oil, Mono -and Diglycerides, Glucose-Fructose, Artificial Sweeteners & Colour/Dyes (red #40, blue #2), BHT preservative, and don't forget all the sugar and salt...My point exactly. After reading an ingredient list like that I wouldn't want to eat it.

Of course there are some cereal brands that are better for you, such as Nature's Path, Erewhon, Barbara's cereal's, and some President's Choice Organics cereals. They still have a lot of sugar though, so I try not to consume boxed cereals too often.

When I tried popping amaranth for the first time it was quick and way easier than I thought it would be. Instead of cooking the grain in a liquid to make a porridge you pop it in a covered pan over medium-high to high heat. Just like making popcorn! It smells and tastes like it too. It has a really nice nutty flavour. I also highly recommend using it as a salad topping.

3 tbsp of seed will make about 1 cup of popped amaranth. There's no need to grease the pan. You do however need to make sure that the pan is very hot first before you add the seeds to it. It's also very important to work in small batches; 1-2 tbsp at a time is good.

Puffed Amaranth (1/4 cup raw = approx. 1 cup) Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

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1/4 cup (4 tbsp) raw amaranth

Directions:

Heat a heavy bottomed pot over medium/high heat. The pan is ready to go when a droplet of water evaporates on contact with the surface of the pan.
Once the pot is heated, add the amaranth working in batches of 1 tbsp at a time (this allows for even heating and better popping). Give the pot a quick shake to evenly spread the amaranth. You'll know if you have the right heat setting if it starts to pop within a few seconds. It will finish within 10-15 seconds.
When the popping begins to slow quickly remove it from the heat and empty it into a bowl.
Return the pot to the stove and let it heat back up againg. Repeat the process until the amount to pop is finished.
Let the puffed amaranth cool completely for storing or consume right away topped with your favourites: milk, berries, nut butter, yogurt, dried fruits, banana etc.

{Notes}

Use a heavy bottomed pot that's at least 4 inches deep.
If your pot is hot enough, the seeds should start to pop right away once they are added.
Cover the pot with a lid! Otherwise it will go everywhere.
Work with batches no bigger than 2 tbsp at a time. You'll want a thin, even layer to cover the surface of the pot for even heating.
It may take a few burnt batches to get the hang of it. But don't get discouraged, it's definitely worth it. You just have to figure out the right heat setting for your stove top.
If your amaranth burns instantly, turn down the heat. Your pan is too hot.
Just as the popping begins to slow, empty the amaranth into a nearby bowl so it won't have time to burn.

Nutritional Info for a 1 cup serving of puffed amaranth cereal:

It would be a great idea to make a larger batch and store the popped amaranth in a jar or sealed container for convenience. After popping make sure it's cooled completely and then jar it. It'll keep for a couple of months in the fridge.

This is definitely a new favourite that I'm adding to my breakfast line up.

Larabar Review

2013-04-04T11:00:08Z

The first time I tried a Larabar I melted. I was on a hiking trip up in Algonquin Park one summer pausing to look at the beautiful view and refeul. I thought, "how can something that tastes this good be good for you?" Easy. They're made from whole foods including unsweetened dried fruits, nuts and spices. It's as simple and pure as that. Larabar's are one of my favourite snacks because they're so decadent and indulgent tasting, yet they're unprocessed and made with no more than 9 ingredients. They're gluten free, vegan and vegetarian and also make a good occasional snack for low carbohydrate diets, containing 23-32 grams per bar.

When the mailman arrived with my box of samples to sample and review, I did a little happy dance.

Larabar has 19 flavours including some mouth watering one's we don't get here in Canada such as Peanut Butter & Jelly, Lemon Bar, Chocolate Chip Brownie, Cappuccino, and Chocolate Chip Cherry Torte. Aside from the originals they also have a line of Jocalat bars (an organic chocolate bar), Uber bars (sweet and salty granola bars) and their relatively new line of ALT bars (a vegan, gluten free protein bar that uses pea protein).

I was sent the Cherry Pie, Chocolate Chip Brownie, Peanut Butter Cookie, and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Larabars. My personal favourite is the Peanut Butter Cookie, also know as just Peanut Butter in Canada, but Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip follows closley behind. I love that each bar contains at least 1/4 cup of fruit. Some even half a 1/2 cup of fruit! Those varieties would be Apple Pie, Tropical Fruit Tart, and Cherry Pie.

Here's the rundown of each bars nutritional content:

Peanut Butter Cookie

Just 3 ingredients: dates, peanuts, and sea salt. This one is super moist and chewy. It really does taste like it just came off a cookie sheet.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip

Same ingredients as Peanut Butter Cookie with the addition of mini chocolate chips. Oddly though this one isn't quite as moist, but it's still delicious.

Chocolate Chip Brownie

Made with dates, chocolate chips, walnuts, almonds, cocoa powder, and sea salt. If you love chocolate this one's for you.

Cherry Pie

Just dates, almonds, and unsweetended cherries - that's all she wrote. This bar has one full serving of fruit. It's good, but not my favourite. It's quite tart and chewy.

The Good:

Free of preservatives and food colourings. Non-GMO. No junk!
Dairy-free with the exception of the chocolate chip varieties, which may contain trace amounts.
Healthy, natural, simple ingredients.
Vegan and gluten-free.
Great tasting...these things are like candy bars! You have to control yourself.
Provides a good dose of fiber, healthy fats, iron, potassium and other vitamins and minerals.
Free of sulfites, low sodium and no cholesterol.
Shelf Life of 12 months (look for the best before date on the package)
Kosher

The Bad:

Really? Is there anything bad about these bars? They are a perfect clean eating snack/food. I'd just like to mention a few things:

Calories range from 190-230, so I prefer to eat one when I know I'm going to have a busier more active day or if I'll be going to the gym. Just don't forget that these calories and fats are coming from real fruits and nuts which are good for you. Perfect for a quick boost of energy.
Those with nut allergies unfortunately miss out, however those with specific peanut allergies may be able to enjoy the bars without peanuts.
The only other thing to mention is for those who may follow a raw food diet. They are not labelled as Raw because the nut igredients in some of the bars are either steamed or roasted. The bars themselves though have not been baked or cooked.

A huge thanks to Larabar for sending me samples to review. I really love this company for their quality product, their commitment to nutrition, and use of non-GMO ingredients. I hope you guys enjoy their products as much as I do!

Tell me; what's your favourite Larabar flavour?

Great Grains: Amaranth

2013-03-28T11:01:00Z

Spring has sprung! Well...sort of...that's what it feels like these last few days. Last week was another story. I think it snowed a little bit every day...just to anger me. For now the sun is shining, snow removal is in the works (yes you heard me right) and it's 5*C, woohoo! I'm itching to get back on my bike and hit some trails. Le sigh. At least Spring is making promises. Let's just pretend it's not supposed to snow tomorrow mmmmk?

Good. First I have some news to share. I've finally created a facebook fan page for edible sound bites. If you'd like to follow me you can find the link to the side of the page under the Subscribe & Follow heading. Please follow, I'd love to hear your feedback if your a fan!

The second bit of news is a little more exciting; I've been choosing from a select few to appear in the next FOODIE iPad Cookbook App. My recipe for Maple Cinnamon Almond Butter will be featured along with 40 other recipes. I'm not sure how much info I can giveaway, but the FOODIE cookbook app has previously been featured in USA Today, Mashable, and Consumer Reports. I'm super excited! I will definitely post a link when I have one.

Now let's get to the next post in my gluten free Great Grain's series. If you aren't caught up yet here are my previous posts on Buckwheat and Millet.

Say hello to Amaranth.

Amaranth Notes

This tiny little seed is one highly nutritious gluten free grain. While it may look like millet or quinoa, I assure you it's not. Amaranth is actually quite smaller in size and whiter in colour. We're talking teeny tiny! It has a slightly sticky texture when cooked the traditional way in liquid, is nutrient rich, and high in fiber. It also has a high concentration of lysine, an essential amino acid (one of the building blocks of protein). For a bit of historical fun, it dates back 8,000 years to when it was used by the ancient Aztecs as food staple.

Personally it's one of my fave gluten free grains. I love the texture, taste and versatility of it. Even more so I love it's nutrition. You've gotta love slow digesting carbs for stable energy and blood sugar.

Nutrition Facts

Here is the nutrition profile for 1 cup of cooked amaranth (1/4 cup dry):

With high amounts of protein, fiber, calcium, lysine, iron, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, vitamin B2 and folic acid you can't go wrong. It actually contains more protein than any other gluten free grains and more protein than wheat. In fact, the protein content of amaranth is similar to the proteins found in cow's milk. It's a complete protein, meaning it contains all essential amino acids, including lysine, which is lacking in most other grains. Bottom line - amaranth is an excellent plant source of high quality proteins that are well absorbed when eaten. Take that quinoa! Just kidding, I still love you quinoa.

With a low glycemic index, amaranth is also slightly lower in carbohydrates than other gluten free grains.

Where To Buy Buckwheat

Like other gluten free/ specialty grains it's not easily found in grocery stores. I find it in the healthy food store or of course Whole Foods and specialty grocery stores like Nature's Emporium. Here the link to buy online from one of my favourites Bob's Red Mill; buy organic amaranth online.

Preparing and Cooking

Just prior to cooking, rinse and strain your amaranth throughly in cold water until the water runs clear to remove any dirt. To cook, boil 1 cup of amaranth in 2 1/2 cups of liquid such as water, vegetable or chicken stock, or milk of any kind (cow's, coconut, almond etc). Reduce heat and simmer for 18-20 minutes until tender. Fluff with a fork a serve. Take care not to over cook it as it can become "gummy" in texture.

Keep amaranth stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, out of direct light. When stored in the fridge it will keep for 3 to 6 months.

Uses

Get grinding and make some flour! Amaranth makes a sweet, spicy, earthy, nutty flavoured flour best used in waffles, pancakes, cookies, muffins and quick breads. Just don't use amaranth flour exclusively in gluten free baking because your end result will be too dense. You'll need to blend it with a variety of gluten free flours, especially for baking yeast breads and cookies, pancakes should be okay though.

By nature, amaranth absorbs water very easily making it a good thickener for soups with added nutrition.

It can be cooked as a cereal and used as a replacement for oatmeal. Sprouted and placed in salads. Toasted is another great way to use amaranth. Just toast and add to yogurt, smoothies, trail mix etc.

My personal favourite is popping the tiny seeds like popcorn... Post to come!

Happy Easter everyone!!! Have a great weekend.

Cacao Coconut Cluster Granola

2013-03-21T11:00:00Z

This recipe is too good for words, so I thought I would let the pictures do the talking this time.

Cacao Coconut Cluster Granola (Makes about 2 1/2 cups of granola)

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Ingredients:

2 tbsp toasted unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup toasted unsweetened coconut flakes
2 1/4 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup raw buckwheat groats
3 tbsp millet
1/4 tsp of cinnamon
1-2 tsp cocoa powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1/4 cup raw cacao nibs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300*F. Place the shredded coconut + coconut flakes on a baking sheet lined with parchement paper and toast in the oven for 8 minutes, stirring halfway through. Watch carefully that the coconut doesn't burn. Let cool and transfer to a bowl for later. Keep the parchement on the baking sheet.
In a large bowl, mix together the rolled oats, raw buckwheat groats, millet, cinnamon, cocoa powder, and sea salt.
To the dry ingredients add the vanilla, maple syrup and coconut oil and stir until all the ingredients are well coated
Transfer the mixture to a the baking seet and spread into a thin even layer. Bake for 25-30 minutes stirring every 10 minutes to ensure even browning. Remove from oven and stir in toasted coconut and cacao nibs.
Store in an air-tight container at room temperature.

Crispy Baked Chicken

2013-03-14T11:00:47Z

When I'm meal planning for the week ahead I always try to incorporate as much variety as I can. Chicken is usually on the menu, vegetables are always front and centre, and sometimes we take a break from meat altogether... meatless Mondays anyone?

Food can get boring pretty easily with repetition, especially when lean chicken breast is a mainstay in our house. Unless you know how to spice things up from time to time. Know what I mean?

Enter the world of spices & herbs and a little out of the box thinking.

That's where this recipe for healthy faux-fried/ chicken comes in. If you recall that lunch salad I made a while ago topped with baked chicken; this is the recipe for the chicken.

Crisped to perfection in the oven using homemade whole grain breadcrumbs and fresh grated Parmesan cheese. A hint of fresh thyme also adds flavour that's reminiscent of Spring.

My go to lunch is almost always a leafy green salad with protein (chicken, hard-boiled egg, lean pork tenderloin, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, nuts etc.). When it comes to salad dressing I will either make my own or opt for lemon juice or balsamic vinegar (sometimes with a bit of olive oil). I've recently discovered how amazing fresh minced ginger root is added to my salads. It practically acts like a salad dressing. It adds a nice zing and it's super good for you too.

The leftovers are really good too. So far I've tried it in my lunch salads and in a wrap all nice and toasty with spinach, mustard, leaf lettuce, and shredded carrots.

Crispy Baked Chicken (serves 4)

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Ingredients:

4 chicken breast halves
2 eggs
1/4 cup skim milk
1 tsp Sriracha
1 cup whole grain bread crumbs *(I like to make my own)* See Note
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
a pinch of smoked paprika (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375*F. Place an ovenproof wire-rack on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
In a medium sized bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, and Sriracha. In a separate medium sized mixing bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, thyme, cheese, and paprika.
Dip each piece of chicken in egg mixture, shake off excess liquid, then roll in breadcrumb mixture to coat. Arrange on prepared pan/ wire rack.
Bake without turning for 50 minutes to 1 hour until internal temperature registers 180*F on an instant read thermometer.

*Note*

To make your own breadcrumbs, take a few slices of day old whole grain bread and chop into small (1 inch) cubes. Place them on a baking sheet in the oven on 350*F for 5-10 minutes or until they are nice and toasty. Watch they don't burn! Transfer them to your food processor and give them a quick whir until they resemble breadcrumbs. You can give them a drizzle of olive oil before toasting, but it isn't necessary.