Spiced Apple Breakfast Bowl

Breakfast is by far one of my favourite meals of the day. What we fuel our bodies with in the morning sets the tone for the rest of our day. This breakfast bowl has been one of my go-to recipes lately. It has the perfect blend of seasonal spices, and with lots of healthy carbs and good fats, it's perfect for days where you need a little extra fuel to last you through the morning.

Spiced Apple Breakfast Bowl

Ingredients

1/4 cup oats
2 tbsp chia seeds
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 cup non-dairy milk (hemp, rice, almond, etc.)
1 medium apple
2 tbsp raisins
2 tbsp chopped walnuts or pecans
1 tbsp shredded coconut
drizzle of maple syrup (optional)

Directions

Mix oats, chia seeds, spices and milk in a small bowl, and let sit about 5 minutes for the chia seeds to expand and absorb some of the liquid.

While waiting, chop apple into bite sized pieces.

Once oat mixture has slightly thickened, top with remaining ingredients.

Dig in, and enjoy!

Hearty Gluten Free Vegan Pancakes

Who doesn't enjoy waking up to the sweet smell of pancakes wafting from the kitchen on a cool fall morning? There's nothing quite like a warm breakfast to set you up for the day ahead. This isn't an every day breakfast for me, but it's definitely a welcome treat when I do make them. The best part is there's very little to clean up as it's all made in the blender!

First thing each morning I try to drink about a litre of water and have a bit of fruit to get things moving. These babies would be amazing following a crisp, juicy organic apple. I use sorghum flour, but an all purpose gluten free flour would work well too (or regular old whole wheat flour if that's what you're into). The trick with these being gluten free is to let the batter sit a bit to let things thicken up, or your might have a bit of trouble flipping the first few. Feel free to be creative and add sliced bananas or frozen blueberries when you throw them on the griddle. Also, the toppings are endless, from simple maple syrup to berries, nut butters, jam, you name it!

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp whole flax seeds
• 1 1/2 cup water (or non dairy milk of your choice)
• 3/4 cup sorghum flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup oats (make sure they're certified gluten free if you're sensitive to gluten)
• 1 ripe banana
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp coconut
• 2 tbsp sunflower seeds
• 1 tbsp coconut oil

Directions

Grind flax seeds in blender, and add water or milk. Blend on medium speed until well combined and let stand in blender.
Add remaining ingredients.
Blend on med/high for about 30 seconds.
Let batter sit for 5-10 minutes to allow it to thicken.
Heat griddle or frying pan to low-med heat and melt enough coconut oil to lightly cover surface.
Pour pancake mix from blender onto heated pan. Flip after a minute or two, or when bubbles form on the surface.
Makes about 10 medium sized pancakes.


Enjoy!

Homemade Hemp Milk & Matcha Goji Berry Chia Seed Pudding

Non-dairy milk has become increasingly popular over the last few years, and rightly so. Many people are beginning to realize that dairy is not the health food that it is marketed as. Perhaps you are one of those very people, and have experienced first hand the bloating, acne, excess phlegm or sinus infections that are all associated to dairy consumption. Did you know that as we age, the majority of humans lose the lactase enzyme that is required to digest milk? It’s great to know that there are so many options available to substitute the cows milk that so many of us are accustomed to drinking. If you take a look at just about any grocery store you’ll see options including soy milk, rice milk, almond milk, and my new favourite – hemp milk. Although this is my new go-to, you won’t find me drinking the store bought stuff. Not when the real deal is so easy to make at home

When I say easy, I mean really easy. This milk is the quickest, most delicious (not to mention nutritious) non-dairy milk I’ve ever made. Knowing that you’re making your own means you know exactly what’s in it. No pesky preservatives or nasty inflammatory causing carrageenan. Here’s what you’ll need:

Homemade Hemp Milk

Ingredients

• 1 cup shelled hemp seeds (also called hemp hearts)
• 3 cups filtered water
• 1tbsp maple syrup (or other natural sweetener)
• ½ tsp vanilla (optional)

1. Combine all ingredients, and blend on high for about a minute (I use my vitamix at variable speed 7, but any blender will do)
2. Pour milk into a jar and store covered in the fridge for up to a week

So simple, and there’s no soaking or straining required as there is with nut milks such as almond milk. If you’re curious about what nasties might be lurking in store bought non-dairy milk, check out this article. Not only are you avoiding these potentially hazardous ingredients, you're also filling up on so many essential nutrients like healthy Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, lots of protein, fibre, and trace minerals such as zinc, phosphorous, magnesium and iron. Just take a look at the nutritional info on my bag of hemp seeds from Manitoba Harvest.

One of my favourite ways to use my freshly made hemp milk is to make a chia seed pudding. I’ve been experimenting with different ingredients, but so far the most delicious one I've found is a matcha & goji berry chia seed pudding.

Matcha & Goji Berry Chia Seed Pudding

Ingredients

• 1 cup hemp milk
• ½ tsp matcha green tea powder
• 3 tbsp chia seeds
• ¼ cup goji berries
• fresh fruit or berries

1. Blend hemp milk with matcha powder until well combined.
2. Pour mixture over chia seeds and goji berries
3. Stir to combine, let sit for 15 minutes, stirring once every 5 mins. Instead of stirring you could shake the ingredients in a jar to have a quick, grab and go breakfast
4. Let sit covered in fridge overnight (or at least an hour or two). To serve, top with berries or fresh fruit of your choice and enjoy!

Recipe inspired by Choosing Raw

I find this incredibly filling and energizing as a breakfast. The matcha powder contains caffeine, but it’s much more steady and long lasting than coffee and won’t give you the same jittery caffeine high. Every ingredient here is considered a superfood, all together boasting a huge amount of fibre, protein, complex (slow burning) carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Such a wonderful way to start your day on a healthy, nutritious note.

Matcha green tea powder can be found in many health food stores, but I found the one above from my local London Drugs. If you're in western Canada and it's easier to get to a to a London Drugs check there first! It's not super cheap (about $30 for 100g), but since a single serving is about a 1/2 tsp, a little goes a long way. If you haven't tried it yet, I would highly recommend it. Not only is it great in the chia pudding above, but can be a great addition to smoothies or frozen banana soft serve (which is another recipe for another day).

Enjoy! And as always, thanks for reading! Please leave me a note and let me know what you think :)

Love & Light