Apothe Cherry + Pink and Green Salad (Vegan, GF)

My favourite season is here! So here's a yummy fruity salad in celebration. This is pretty much a Green-Smoothie in salad form. Hey what can I say?! I didn't feel like blending today...:P Purium Health Products sent us a bottle of their Apothe Cherry Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate. I have a confession: ever since doing this candida diet I've missed fruit sooo much! And I've recently started eating it again, fruit is just so convenient for snacks, salads and smoothies. I'm glad to eat fruit again. I may try the candida diet in the summer, and found it really did work for me but seriously could not LIVE without fruit. Apothe Cherry Juice Concentrate is very low in sugar, so this was a good juice to drink while transitioning back into sweeter foods.


Apothe Cherry is also good for adding to smoothies, puddings, and applesauce. After reading the information about this product on their site, I couldn't believe how powerful tart cherries actually are, I never really considered them to be one of the top anti-oxidants out there until now. 


Jenn has been obsessed with frozen sour cherries for a while (it's one of those phases). So I went to visit her one weekend, and gave them a try they were sooo sour! But since she's been really cutting back on sugar, they actually tasted sweet to her. I still think they are super sour especially after drinking this juice, it starts off sour but then you start liking how healthy it tastes.


I drank a glass before going to singing lessons and my throat felt refreshed and open. I've always noticed that drinking tart/sour juice before singing helps a lot, so I will be taking this juice before singing from now on :).

You put the cherry in the coconut, and eat it on a salad.

You put the cherry in the coconut make you feel better!

You drink Apothe Cherry Concentrate and call me in the morning ooo ooo,

1 grapefruit, peeled and segmented
4 strawberries
Mixed greens (I used Mache greens)
Chia seeds (topper)


Dressing:
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp coconut cream (open unshaken can of coconut milk, it's what's sitting on top)
1 tbsp Apothe Cherry Concentrate (you could also use fresh cherries/berries)
Few drops of stevia or other sweetener of choice


Combine melted coconut oil, coconut cream, sweetener and Cherry Concentrate in small bowl. Whisk until combined. Drizzle on top of salad. Enjoy!

Organic Bio-Greens Giveaway! + Raw Applesauce

Living the student life isn't always as fun as it looks. Especially if you're living off of chickpeas and rice cakes day in and day out. I notice such a difference when I consume greens on a daily basis than when I don't so if I can't afford fresh green vegetables I usually invest in a green powder, it usually costs around 30-40 dollars depending on the brand quality and will last me for a good 3 weeks sometimes even longer.

One of my new found favourite brand of greens is North Coast Naturals Organic Bio-Greens. It has absolutely no weird artificial flavourings and is sweetened with inulin and lo han guo (a fruit known for its intense sweetness but low glycemic index). The best part about this green powder is the taste! Which is strange to say considering it's greens but somehow it tastes really good. It comes in one flavour: apple-berry and does a good job in mellowing out the greens taste, making it taste like berry flavoured applesauce. Serious yums.

Some unique ingredients in this particular mix: black chokeberry, pumpkin seed powder, and Nova Scotian dulse powder. Us Canadians really know how to put together a sketch-free product :P. Check out their website for more information on ingredients, health info, and where you can buy it online. It's also sold in Canadian health food stores.

After about 3 days of mixing it in water, I started to look for alternate ways to get the green stuff in me without feeling like I'm drinking a green-berry-apple swamp lol as good as that sounds... Since the powder tastes so much like berry applesauce I thought of combining it in raw applesauce! I've had this for breakfast four mornings in a row, it digests like a dream and is a nice change from regular green smoothies.

2 Apples (I used 1 pink lady and 1 granny smith)

1 scoop North Coast Naturals Organic Bio-Greens (apple-berry)

That's it! I managed to make this in a magic bullet, seriously could not live without that thing. Puree the apples first then stir in the powder after the apples have combined nice and smooth. 

Pre-greens

Post-greens: I was so excited I didn't puree it all the way :P

Now onto the good stuff! North Coast Naturals is willing to give away one container of Organic Bio-Greens free to one lucky reader!...for U.S. and Canadian residents only. 

To enter, fill in a comment below telling us how you get your greens into your body as well as any nifty tricks you have to help mask the famous "greens" taste that we have all learned to tolerate and somewhat love.

For additional entries, tweet about this giveaway linking back to this page, and/or follow North Coast Naturals on Facebook and (let us know that you did these additional entries by commenting again below).

And while you're at it check out our new photo sharing site exclusively for health food freaks like you and I :).

Fudgy Socca Carob Cookies (Vegan, GF)

It is a well known fact that I love socca. Jac still hasn't totally warmed up to it yet, mostly because she is on a candida cleanse (which I will also be starting once I'm done school). Another one of my favourite things is cookies (of course)! So I tried to make cookies out of socca-ish ingredients. They actually came out really soft and light yet fudgy on the inside, sort of like muffin tops, which seem to be really trendy right now for some reason...Think of these as a cross between chocolate cake and a cookie...


Oh! and before you go check out our new photo sharing site: Health Freak Food, yummy food photos for health freaks and the like! :)


3/4 cup buckwheat flour
3/4 cup chickpea flour
1/4 cup oil (we used walnut)
1/3 cup tahini
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup liquid honey/maple syrup/coconut nectar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup carob powder
2 flax eggs (see substitutions)


Combine flours, carob and salt in a small bowl, set aside. In a large bowl combine "eggs", oil, tahini, syrup and vanilla. Gradually add in dry ingredients (sift through a sieve if necessary). Drop spoonfuls onto parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 20 mins at 350F.


You could totally replace the buckwheat flour with more chickpea flour. I just wanted to make sure the flavour of the carob would come through. You can also replace the tahini with any seed or nut butter.

Cookie Pile!

Fudgy Bite

Health Freak Food: Our New Photo Sharing Site!

Hello, fine feathered friends! Jenn and I just launched our new photo-sharing site called Health Freak Food. We are absolutely addicted to tastespotting, food gawker, findingvegan, all those yummy sites. So we decided to start our own which features healthy food photography from health blogs like yours!


There's one twist with this one, you can categorize your photos into categories such as candida-friendly, vegan, raw, paleo diet, macrobiotic, detox, body ecology diet etc. This tagging will help people navigate the photos and find delicious, healthy meals that suit their current lifestyle. All submissions will also be sketch-free! Meaning no refined sugars, white flour or vegan margarine. Only whole foods here!


Please check it out, spread the word and submit your photos!

Spirulina-Chocolate Pudding (Vegan, GF)

When I first started out on this health journey, one of the first things I bought was spirulina. I barely knew what it was, it just looked green and healthy sitting on the shelf in the health food store. Well I STILL have about half of the container left from when I bought it at the start of last summer. I just can't seem to find good ways to eat it without tasting awful seaweed. Well ever since I've started the candida diet I have been LIVING off of these avocado puddings, they are amazing! I decided to add some spirulina to a batch I was making just to see, I cringed as I added it and hoped for the best. One taste later and...it isn't half bad. A great way to get spirulina into your body!

Ewww, what are you eating?! Oh this? it's sludge from that swamp down the road...

2 small avocados
1/4 cup water
4 tbsp carob powder
15 drops vanilla stevia
1 tsp spirulina
Small squeeze of lemon

Combine the avocados and water in a blender (we used magic bullet), or food processor. Process until combined. Add rest of ingredients. Process until smooth and creamy. Makes 1 satisfying serving, or two small servings.

Buckwheat Granola w/ Stevia (Vegan, GF)

I was on a mission. Oh yes. Candida friendly granola. This granola was very crunchy, I repeat, VERY CRUNCHY. It was more like grape nuts, the buckwheat didn't cluster with the quinoa puffs. It was still very yummy with the cinnamon and stevia. You could use this for topping yogurt, smoothies, I made our Sunbutter Chocolate Bars and added the granola in for crunchiness, it was so incredibly good! You can get quinoa puffs in any health food store. If you don't like quinoa, try any puffed grain. Also, if you don't have chia, ground flax would work as well. 

1 1/2 cups soaked buckwheat
3 cups quinoa puffs
4 tbsp coconut oil, melted
25-30 drops vanilla stevia
1 heaping tbsp ground chia seeds mixed with 1/3 cup water
1 tsp cinnamon
Pinch of salt


Preheat oven to 325 F. Bake soaked buckwheat for about 20 minutes on a parchment lined baking sheet (to dry out a bit) unless you didn't soak yours. Combine buckwheat, quinoa puffs, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Make chia mixture, mix in stevia and coconut oil. Mix into dry mixture. Spread on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 40 min, stirring around periodically to prevent burning. Makes enough granola for 4 bowls of cereal. 

Raw Blueberry Cream Pie Pudding (Vegan, GF)

I haven't made a pudding in a while and had a perfectly ripe and creamy avocado staring at me, so I figured it was time. I also had wild blueberries in the freezer so I made a blueberry-avocado concoction. Then I decided to make a bit of a layered parfait because I had some soaked almonds ready and some chia seeds to make blueberry jam with! I peeled the almonds so the cream would be perfectly white and I sweetened it with a bit of stevia. This was seriously amaaazing! I love having dessert for breakfast! And it's relatively low in sugar. Just the stevia and the sweetness of the blueberries. 


Blueberry-Avocado Filling:
1/2 cup blueberries
1 large avocado
6 drops of stevia
a splash of water
1/4 tsp lime/lemon juice


Blend in blender (I used my magic bullet) until whipped and creamy


Blueberry Jam:
1/2 cup frozen blueberries (defrosted)
1 tsp chia seeds
3 drops stevia


Let sit for about five minutes or until "jellied" .


Almond Cream:
1/2 cup peeled almonds
1 tbsp melted coconut oil
2 tbsp water
3 drops stevia


Whip in food processor until creamy.


Layer the blueberry-avocado mixture on the bottom. Next spoon on the blueberry jam and then the almond cream. Sprinkle with quinoa crunchies. Let sit in the fridge for at least an hour before eating.

Quinoa crunchies can't be beat! They make each meal a special treat!

I'm definitely making this again...Maybe a key lime pie pudding...Why am I so obsessed with pie themed puddings?


Raw Apple Pie Pudding
Almost Raw Banana Cream Pie Pudding
Pumpkin Pie Pudding


-Jennifer

Curried Pea Mash (Vegan, GF)

This is probably the silliest thing we've posted to date, and yes another puree. This was made during one of those times when inspiration hits and you just can't help yourself! This pea-cauliflower mash is sooo soo good, I know it's extremely simple but simple is good right? For some reason peas, curry, coconut oil and cauliflower just go amazingly together. You have to try it out for yourself to really understand where we're coming from with this little recipe. Make this and I guarantee you will want to make it again the next day, or maybe even the next hour :P.

1/2 a head of cauliflower (can be frozen)
1/2 cup green peas (can be frozen)
1 tbsp coconut oil
2-3 tsp curry powder (or to taste)
Salt and Pepper, to taste


Boil water and steam cauliflower until tender, then add peas and steam until peas are cooked through. In a blender, combine cauliflower, peas and rest of ingredients. Makes 2 side dish servings.


I've made this four times, it's becoming a frequent staple :)

Green Tea Soba Noodles w/ Ginger Quinoa Crunchies (Vegan, GF)

We have always loved soba noodles and when I found these black soba noodles at the health food store I knew I had to make something crazy with them. I'm not a fan of soup which these are usually used in so I decided to make a japanese inspired green tea sauce. I know it sounds scary but it tastes so fresh and flavourful. The green pepper gives it a delightful green hue and the tea sort of mellows out the boldness of the coconut aminos. This noodle dish tastes like spring especially with the gingery quinoa crunchies on top! You could substitute the green pepper and sunbutter for an avocado as well for supreme creaminess.  


Green tea sauce:
1 green pepper
1 tbsp sunflower seed butter
1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove of garlic
2 tbsp coconut aminos (or tamari)
1 inch chunk of fresh ginger
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp ground green tea leaves


Combine all ingredients in a blender. Let "steep" in the fridge for at least a half hour. 

Gingery Quinoa Crunchies
2 tsp ground ginger
1 cup quinoa puffs
2 tbsp coconut oil (melted)
2 tsp chia gel (made from ground chia seeds) you could also use flax seed gel


Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix together with your hands. Spread onto parchment paper and bake at 325F for 25 minutes. Let cool. 


Cook noodles according to directions on package. Strain noodles and put back in pot with sauce. Heat through and serve with crunchies on top. 

This sauce has style

Super Cookies + Living Intentions Yumminess!

I discovered this wonderful company, Living Intentions a few months back and am such a fan of their quality and ethics (as reflected in their yummy raw food products.) You can order their products online, I'm not certain whether they are in stores. We haven't seen them in any Canadian stores, perhaps just in the U.S. In any case, we loved every single product they sent us, and had no idea they'd be so generous, it was awesome! We talk about their Salad Boosters, and Raw Superfood Cereal in previous posts. Our favourites were the Thai Curry Cashews & Coconuts, and the Hemp & Greens Superfood Cereal.

No weird stuff! Love it.

They also sent us some cool raw, sprouted flour that we made millions of freezer cookies out of (minues 999,979 or so), you could also bake with it but we figured it would be best to keep the nutrients intact and freeze them. The flavour is fantastic you could just add a sweetener with some coconut oil and have some pretty tasty cookies.

Very Super Cookies...

2 cups superflour
1/3 cup melted coconut oil
2 tbso carob
1 tbsp cacao nibs
2 tbso chopped nuts
1/3 cup honey/maple syrup
pinch of sea salt
Water (enough to make a doughy consistency)

Add more water if too crumbly, add more flour if too wet.

Green Pea Alfredo Socca Pizza (Vegan, GF)

I have officially jumped on the socca bandwagon and can't believe I didn't do it sooner! It makes the perfect pizza crust! I was inspired by Ashley from edible perspective's post. I made my crust more thin and crispy by spreading it out thinly in a cake pan. I threw together a cauliflower based alfredo sauce that is amazing. I was eating it with a spoon after spreading it on the crust. I kind of over did it on the garlic though. For some reason I thought 4 cloves was an average amount to put in. After roasting in the oven, the garlic became sweeter and I was glad I put in the extra punch. 


Socca Crust
3/4 cup chickpea flour
3/4 water
2 tbsp olive oil


Pour into oiled cake pan. Bake on 375 F for 40 minutes. Set aside.


Cauliflower-Almond Garlic Alfredo Sauce:
1 cup steamed cauliflower
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp water
4 cloves garlic
1/3 cup peeled soaked almonds
Salt and Pepper


Whizz in a blender until smooth. Spread on crust.

Pre-oven

 Top with green peas, green peppers and onions. Drizzle additional sauce on top and a sprinkling of oregano and shredded basil. Bake for 20 additional minutes or until topping are cooked through. 

Post-oven

Roasted garlic slice