BANANA PANCAKES
It all begins with an idea.
Pancakes have always been a favourite in this house. One morning, however, we were out of maple syrup. As Canadians, that is a go-to sugar we truly enjoy. We have even visited maple syrup farms, to better understand how and why there are various grades and of course, for the samples. On one morning when my kiddos wanted pancakes, and we did not have any maple syrup, I looked at this as an opportunity to find a healthier way of incorporating a favourite breakfast menu item. We had (and often have) plenty of bananas on hand. When bananas are cooked, especially if they start out extremely ripe, they lend themselves to such a sweetness that nothing else needs to be added. A new favourite recipe was added to our list.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup of organic oats (I use sprouted steel cut)
3 ripe organic bananas
2 tbsp of whole organic flax seeds
2 tbsp of organic cold pressed coconut oil
In your blender (I use a Vitamix), pour in the oats and flax seeds. I only ever buy whole flax seeds instead of pre-ground because they mold quickly, and popping them in the blender takes seconds. Grind the mixture until it becomes a flour. Try not to overgrind - it can loose its fluffiness. Grab a bowl and mash 3 bananas inside the bowl. Then, add the flour mixture and set it to the side. While the mixture is resting, the flax seeds will combine with the bananas and form a sticky dough. Turn on stove to medium and add 1 tbsp of coconut oil to your pan (I use my Le Creuset non stick pan. Pots and pans are a common source of heavy metals). Add mixture and flip when the bottom begins to brown, usually about 7 minutes. I find this mixture makes between 3-4 pancakes depending on the size of each pancake.
SMOOTHIES
It all begins with an idea.
As an HMI Health Coach, I learned the vital importance of fruit in our diet. It is our bodies number one energy source - the carbohydrate and sugar complexes in fruit are the easiest for our body to convert into energy. This makes fruit the absolute best way to start our day - once you have removed your candida! Also, when you start your day with fruit, your cravings for sugar during the day dramatically decrease. Asking my kids to sit down to a bowl of fruit is still a work in progress, but asking them what they want in their smoothies always lights them up. For a while I was trying to sneak in green supplements but they were missing all the vibrant colours smoothies offer. I could see their willingness wane as the colour kept coming out green. So we have gone back to basics.
INGREDIENTS
Banana Pineapple
1 ripe organic banana
1 palm full of organic frozen pineapple
1/4 of organic almond milk (or any other nut based milk)
1/4 filtered or spring water
Banana Pineapple Spinach
add a handful of organic spinach to the recipe above
Banana Mango Strawberry
1 ripe organic banana
1 handful of organic mango
1/4 of organic almond milk (or any other nut based milk)
1/4 filtered or spring water
Place all the ingredients in a strong blender like the Vitamix and blend. I tend to add whole flax, chia seeds and even selenium granules as well.
I find that if you do not overload the number of key ingredients, it almost always turns out delicious. If you need more sweetness, adding 2-3 organic medjool dates does the trick. Also, going local and in season are great tips as often those exact nutrients are the ones our bodies most need at that time. We often feel removed from this fact, but our bodies work in perfect tandem with Mother Nature.
Another trick to help your Little want fruit is to create rainbow food! Every colour has its own predominant vitamins and nutrients and our children inherently know that. When I rearrange the order of fruit to look like a rainbow on the plate, all of a sudden they are both eating fruits they normally reserve for the sidelines.
Finally, for a period of time my youngest just did not want to eat enough of fruit nor any smoothies. But the moment they were in popsicle form, he would have about 3-4 of them. Especially for breakfast. Happy eating!
AVOCADO TOAST
It all begins with an idea.
My kids and I love this for breakfast. And it is so easy to prepare in the morning.
INGREDIENTS
1 organic avocado
3-4 slices of glutten free organic bread
Himalayan salt to taste
Sprouts (optional)
Spinach (optional)
Radishes (optional)
My kids tend to make this as simple as possible. Toast one slice of bread per kid, cut open an avocado, slice up inside the avocado skins, and scoop out. Place the slices nicely along the piece of bread, then sprinkle with Himalayan salt to taste. I have one that likes it in slices, and another that prefers I mash up the avocado before placing it on. It is a great fat for them so I am happy to do this for both. For me, I tend to add a sprinkle of homegrown sprouts, slices of radishes and a sprinkle of small spinach leaves. Really you can get as creative as you wish, or try different things out in regards to what you have on hand.
If you do decide to make your own bread, the link I have attached is an easy one to make. Do limit your intake of rice flour (or rice in any of its forms) because even the good brands will still have some level of arsenic. If this is a concern for you, grinding organic sprouted steel cut oats (readily available at Costco these days) is a perfect alternative.
MASHED POTATOES WITH MUSHROOMS AND BRUSSELS SPROUTS
Mixing together the different flavours of winter and fall lends itself to this beautiful dish. While it is great to swap out ingredients and get creative, there are a few that I personally would stick to. When cooking, I only use coconut oil. It is the only oil that does not become carcinogenic when it reaches high temperatures. It is also antibacterial, and a star ingredient in our candida, parasite and heavy metal detox meal preps. Other oils that are great in cold dishes are sesame, avocado, hemp seed, walnut and flax. However, this dish is served hot.
INGREDIENTS
MASHED POTATOES
3 organic potatoes (any kind but I recommend russet)
1 tbsp of organic cold pressed coconut oil
Himalayan salt to taste
Vegan butter (optional - I use Earth’s Balance)
Dash of organic coconut or almond milk
BRUSSEL SPROUTS
5 organic brussel sprouts
1 tbsp of organic cold pressed coconut oil
Maple syrup glaze (optional)
Mushrooms
2 handfuls of organic mushroom of choice
1 tbsp of organic cold pressed coconut oil
Himalayan salt to taste
I always start with soaking my vegetables (and fruit if using) for 15-20 mins in a large bowl of distilled water and a cap full of 3% hydrogen peroxide. This is to remove any parasites. Next, put the potatoes in pot of boiling filtered water and a sprinkle of Himalayan salt. I tend to cut my potatoes into cubes to shorten the boiling time. On the flip side, it does take a little longer to remove the skins. Once cooked (approx 25 minutes - when I can pierce threw with a fork) I remove them from the stove and drain the water. Many recipes recommend you keep some of the water to aid in the mashing. Sometimes I do, but often I just ditch it. Move the potatoes to another bowl to help cool them down faster. Once cooled, remove the potato skins (should fall right off) and put them back into your pot. Then add 1 tbsp of coconut oil, or alternatively vegan butter and either a dash of almond milk or coconut milk depending what I have on hand.
For the brussel sprouts, remove from soaking in distilled water and hydrogen peroxide, and place in a salad spinner or in a clean bowl to drain (continuously pouring out the water as it is draining). Turn on oven to 375c, cut the sprouts in half, brush with coconut oil and sprinkle some salt or glaze with maple syrup. Let it bake for 25 mins flat face down. Check your sprouts after 20 minutes as every oven is a little different.
For the mushrooms, chop in slices, put 1 tbsp of coconut oil in your pan, and fry the mushrooms for about 5-7 mins. Sprinkle salt to taste.
Then, layer the ingredients and enjoy!