Back To Basics - Roasted Vegetables

A common question I hear amongst my health coaching clients is "How do I incorporate more easy to make vegetables into my diet? So I thought I would share with you all my #1 solution  - Roasted Vegetables.
It's my go to dish during the fall and winter months and quickly adds a ton of veggies to any meal.

 

I will admit, I used to be intimidated by these roasted veggies until one day I had no choice to do it myself. Funny thing - It's crazy how easy this dish is to make! Toss in all different kinds of veggies like brussel sprouts, sweet potato, carrots, potato, yams, peppers, and for flavor onion & garlic. You can also add in half way through any softer veggies such as broccoli, zucchini and mushrooms.

 

Roasted Vegetables

 

Wash, Chop, Bake and Eat!

 

1. Wash your veggies, give them a good cleaning.
2. Chop them up into cubes, think baby blocks style. Be sure to that they are all relatively the same size. I like to cut the onion and garlic a bit smaller so the taste can really get in there.
3. Throw everything into a casserole dish and drizzle olive oil all over. Add some sea salt and salt n pepper. Mix it all up.
4. Cover with tin foil and bake at 400 degrees F for 50 minutes. Half way through - toss the veggies up a bit, cover again with tin foil and place back into the oven.
5. Once they are done you should be able to place your fork through the vegetable without effort.

They make for great leftovers. There you go - lunch planned now too!

 

Enjoy!

 

-Michelle
Certified Holistic Health Coach

Dirty Apron Cooking School in Vancouver

We had a blast this past weekend at The Dirty Apron Cooking School.

The whole experience was all around exceptional. It's in this brick building tucked in Downtown Vancouver. The 4 of us took a cab over as we didn't want to be cooking in soaking wet clothes from the down pour of rain coming down. We were greeted with welcoming smiles and a lovely glass of sparkling wine. There was about 20 people in the class and we all gathered to sit and watch the chef teach us our first course. After teaching us our first recipe he let us free to find out cooking stations.

Chef and his Students

Our first course was a goat cheese and arugula ravioli in a walnut sage sauce. For the first time in my life, I made fresh pasta people! I'm never going back and Scott & I are investing in a pasta machine. After we were done cooking the appitizer we all got to take our dishes back to a long dining table to enjoy it. Yum! The common comment around the table was "I made that?!".

Our main entree was grilled lamb sirloin with ricotta herb gnocchi and chanterelle sauce. They were nice of enough to provide a piece of black cod for me (being the veg and all). It was also nice that the gnocchi wasn't potato based but instead a ricotta base which made it much lighter. It was all super easy to cook and the staff was great at coming around to check on your progress and offer tips.

Again we came back to the long wooden table and enjoyed the meal with our friends over a delish glass of wine. Our desserts, lemon panacotta that we made were brought out to us after we were finished our entrees. I accidentally forgot to put the gelatin in mine (oops lol). Mine came out like a soup but it was great to dip my biscotti in!

The whole experience was exciting and worth the money. It's something different to do with friends if you are looking to change up your typical dinner night. We got to take our nice aprons home and the recipes we made. The only flaw I encountered is the food is a bit on the unhealthy side but it was nice as a treat.

How was your weekend?
-Michelle

Weekend Warm-Up : Cooking School (Dirty Apron)

Happy Friday everyone!

A big TGIF for me this week. I think I've accidently slept in about 3 times this week. I tend to need more sleep when I'm stressed in life. No matter how many naps I catch, still not enough. Hopefully next week will be alot different and I can get back into my groove.

Special Sushi Making Party Night

The past few weekends we've been on a trend of creating different foods we've never tried cooking/making before. Scott created a wonderful sushi meal a couple weekends ago. We all got a turn to make our own rolls and they turned out amazing. I thought I could totally nail it but mine was the worst one! lol. By the time all the prepping was complete we were starving. I don't think I've ever eaten sushi that fast, tsk tsk on me.

This weekend we are heading to The Dirty Apron Cooking School here in downtown Vancouver. For Scott's birthday present, his best friend bought all of us a night out together at the cooking school. This has been a dream of Scott's for a while. I think this will really take his passion for cooking to a new level. The school has been nice enough to offer me a non meat dish to cook. Greeeat now I'll be "that veggie girl" again haha! I'm really looking forward to it all, should be fun.

Lovely Links: 

• Vega Kitchen is really putting out some good recipes lately. Apple, Cinnamon & Oatmeal Protein Shake. 
• Tips for Dealing with Daylight Saving Time this weekend.
• Taylor Morgan posted some crazy photos of Hurricane Sandy Aftermath
• Southwestern Chicken and Speghetti Squash Salad. easy on the dressing ;)

 What are you doing this weekend?
-Michelle

Weekend Warm-Up : Staycation

Roasted Butternut Squash via Oh She Glows

Happy Friday! Today is my last day of my "day job" before I head home for a stay-cation. I'm totally stoked for this. Luckily it came quickly for me and now I have the time to relax, rejuvenate and decompress for a while. I can't wait to catch up on blogs, write some new posts and study my butt off. Lately I haven't had the time to keep up to my goal of 3-4 blog posts per week because of school, work and everything else in between. This will also give me time to get outside and adventure on with my camera in hand.

 

This week I bought a new 2012 Ford Escape and am loving it. I think I might take a tiny road trip with just me and my camera and probably a dog to keep me company on the ride. On Saturday we are heading with a couple friends to go for a hike and then heading to dinner. I still haven't figured out how I'm going to look presentable to go for dinner after a hike?! With my natural wavy hair it loves to flop or go frizzy in the fall weather. I just might be rocking a sexy ponytail for dinner.

Any plans for the weekend?

Lovely Links: 

• Needing to cleanse? Ambitious Kitchen created a green monster smoothie that's drool worthy.
• Quinoa, Apple, Almonds and chickpeas - brilliant combo recipe
• Steven Jobs passed away one year ago today. The man had an amazing outlook on life.
• Looking for some new tunes to workout too? Fitsugar provides.
• I've got to come clean... I'm a Martha Stewart fan. Here's her Whole-Wheat Turkey Stuffing. I've used her stuffing recipes many times for Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners.

A quote from my horoscope for all the ARIES people :

Don’t forget, o’ charging Ram: sometimes the most brilliant ideas can come from looking back.

Have a wonderful weekend! aaand Happy Thanksgiving fellow Canadians xo

-Michelle

Did You Know? : Milk

you are not my mother - img via

I remember the days when I was little and we had milk in our cereal every morning and a glass of milk with every dinner. These days I reach for the Almond Milk. Oh how times have changed.
Over the last couple of years I've learnt more and more about milk and how it actually isn't that great for our bodies. Just recently though I discovered my last tad of knowledge about the side effects of milk that sent me into the "Absolutely No Milk" category.

Did you know?

• We are the only mammal that drinks milk from a different mammal? We are naturally only supposed to drink our own milk. Milk from a cow is meant to make a calf grow 8 times it's birth weight by it's 1st birthday. Calves grow to be 1000-2000lb animals! Babies also require milk from their mothers to grow quickly in the first few years of life but don't require cow's milk to continue growing afterwards.

• You don't require milk to get your calcium intake for the day. You can actually receive more calcium from other sources. Sesame seeds contain 90mg per tablespoon, 1 cup of broccoli contains 178mg and 1/2 cup of Tofu contains 258mg. The average daily dose recommended is between 700-1000mg. It's also not bad to take a calcium supplement if you are lacking calcium. People don't realize that we consume a lot of our calcium through our food we eat.

• It has been found that the majority of the world population is lactose intolerant (lactose is found in cows milk). Being lactose intolerant causes upset stomachs, digestive problems and unnecessary bloating. So why do we want those symtoms?

Now here's the fact that pushed me over:

• A majority of cows are milked while they are pregnant. This meaning that we take in a very large amount of hormones from the cow. These hormones can't be filtered out and have a great effect on our bodies. In studies this has shown to increase the risk of cancers, especially breast cancer.

img via

If you are still needing that "milk" in your cereal or coffee why not switch to Almond Milk? One cup of Silk Almond milk (unsweetened) contains 45% of your daily recommend intake of calcium.

Do you drink milk? Have you ever thought about switching over to Almond or Soy milk?

-Michelle

P.S. -This was in no way endorsed by Silk or any other Soy Milk or Almond Milk Company. This is solely based on my personal studies and findings.

Healthy Weight: Tips for Healthy Grocery Shopping

I wish I could shop at the organic grocery store or farmers market every time but I can't so I've learnt how to make the best of it at the Supermarket.


fresh veggies from the market


Have you ever noticed that every grocery store (supermarket) is set up the same way? It's no coincidence. People have been paid to figure how our thinking works and lead us to parts of the store that are more profitable to them. Where do they make the most money? Middle isles and at the till. The problem for us is that these areas are the most unhealthy areas in the whole store.

Here are some tips on how to shop healthy at the grocery store:

• Avoid middle isles: the middle isles contain products that can sit on the shelves for long amounts of time and almost everything has been processed (no real nutrients). This meaning the products have chemicals and preservatives so they don't rot. Chemicals don't belong in our bodies.
• Keep it Fresh: The perimeter of the store will have fresh fruit & vegetables, fresh bread, meat, seafood and frozen products that have been frozen while still fresh. No this does not mean that the frozen pizza or microwave meal is good for you. I'm talking about the frozen peas, carrots etc.
• Try to avoid going to the grocery store when hungry: I know oh too well that it leads to disaster - "I'll have one of these and one of those". Not only do you make unhealthy choices but you also spend unnecessary large amounts of money. Ever had a someone come back from the store with an extra 5 things that weren't on the list? I wonder why lol.
• Be ready for the checkout: If you know you are extremely tempted by those pesky candy bars and gum then come prepared with a tiny bag of trail mix or carrots. I like to grab a magazine while waiting in line so I'm not staring directly at 30 different types of chocolate.
• All Natural - Gluten Free - Sugar Free, etc.: Just because the label reads that it's free of something doesn't make it healthy. It can still be full of preservatives and still be highly processed. Make sure to read the label and try to buy boxed/canned products that only have 5 or less ingredients. Keep it real!

Where do you wish you could grocery shop?

-Michelle

Healthy Recipe : Salmon Cakes

A favourite healthy recipe created by Scott and loved by all our friends!

This recipe originally started off as a salmon burger. Scott had made them into patties and stuffed them in to a fresh whole wheat bun. It was delicious but it was too much. We all sat around holding out stuffed bellies claiming it was the BEST salmon burger we've ever tried but it was just way too much food.

Ta-da : the salmon cake was born. So the next week (it's that good) we made them and tried it without the bun. The flavors are so incredible that it was amazing on it's own. The curry sauce underneath compliments it perfectly. You don't have to have the sauce but it's a nice touch.



This recipe is unlike the "cakes" that you get in restaurants that are filled with stuffing's and are not healthy for you. This is full of fresh ingredients and a touch of panko crumbs to hold it together. I like to add a salad on the side as you are getting a ton of protein from the salmon. We've also had baked sweet potato fries and quinoa as a side. It goes great with anything.


Salmon Cakes

This recipe will make four 8 ounce salmon patties.

600 grams of salmon ( I found that a rough chop for this patty works
best for flavor and it will juicier)
1/4 cup of chopped green onion
1/4 cup of chopper red bell pepper
1/4 cup of panko (may need to use more with different salmon)
2 egg yolks
salt
pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and lightly mix. You don't want the salmon to be torn apart.
Preferably refrigerate for 20-60 minutes to let in bind and the flavours combine. Separate the mixture into 8 balls. Lightly press them down to form more of a pattie than a ball.

In a frying pan with coconut oil, lightly crisp the salmon cakes on both sides to get a crunch. Then put the cakes in a 375 degree oven for 10 minutes.

Optional:
a nice squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

As for the light mayo for the plate:
Light mayo mixed with Thai red curry paste (this tastes absolutely
amazing, the stronger the mix the better it goes with the salmon cake)


This is now a staple meal in our house.
Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

-Michelle

Weekend Warm-Up : Food & Recipes

Can you tell I'm hungry this Friday?


Smoked Salmon Crostini's


 Food is on my brain and I'm itching to try out so many recipes this weekend. Okay, let's be honest here... I won't be doing the cooking but I'll suggest some ideas to the cook in the house, Scott (BF). We went out for dinner last night and by changing up my usual eating routine in the week it got my stomach wanting some new tastes. It doesn't help that Pinterest is amazing for some food photos. Now I just have to convince him to cook healthy food. He still loves his butter and fat, like every other meat & potato's man.

We have come a long way from the first days of dating though. I swear I gained 15lbs when I first started dating Scott. I couldn't refuse his home cooked meals. It was just such a sweet offering. After several plates loaded with dairy (cheese!) and covered with condiments, I just couldn't take it any more and had to start suggesting alternatives to the fat ridden ingredients. Slowly but surely we've come up with healthy versions of the classics. He also used to be a huge meat eater who loved his steak, ribs, and chicken. Scott has also started to incorporate more fish into his diet which makes it easier to plan meals together.

What are you eating this weekend? Are you splurging and having a "cheat day" or are you sticking to your healthy nutritious meals?

A few healthy recipes I've found this week from across the web:

• Pasta for lunch? Smoky Tomato Roasted Pepper and Arugula Pasta
• My friend Angie over at "Dishes Undressed" featured a Mid West Vegetarian Burger. I might have to try this one out this weekend.
• The clouds have been making an appearance around town. Time for some soup!
• Beautiful natural vibrant salad. I could eat this every day for lunch.
• Any one use Tofu on a regular basis? I'm not an average user but these Tofu Triangle Bites look good.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Don't drool too much over all the recipes ;)

-Michelle

Healthy Recipe : Halibut on Beet & Zucchini Salad



Beet & Zucchini Salad

This week we decided to have my mom over for a nice evening dinner. Well that's what we had hoped. Like always, things didn't go as planned (but we love it that way). My mom's doctor appointment ended up going longer than expected and then a nice surprise, my aunt stopped by to say hello. We ended up eating dinner around.... say 9:30pm lol.

This recipe is great for a light meal. It's fresh and the dill combined with the beets and zucchini is amazing! Besides the salad having to marinate the recipe can actually be made very quickly. We were lucky enough to receive our beets from a friend who has a garden in the city. There is nothing like fresh organic vegetables. The difference in taste between organic and not organic is astonishing. If you ever want to test the difference, try buying a piece of celery from organic and not organic.

Halibut with Beet & Zucchini Salad

1  zucchini

3  beets

4  3-5 oz halibut fillets

3 tbsp fresh dill (chopped)

2 cups of arugula

3 tbsp toasted pine nuts

Cut zucchini and beets into paper thin rounds. In a large bowl toss zucchini and beets with 2 tbsp of Vinaigrette (recipe below). Set aside and marinate for 20-60 minutes.

Preheat pan over medium-high heat. Brush halibut fillets with 2 tbsp of vinaigrette and cook till almost fully done, about 3 minutes per side.

Before plating, toss dill, arugula and pine nuts into zucchini mixture.

One each plate: lay a portion of salad mixture down and top with halibut. Spoon small amount of vinaigrette over fish and salad. Serve immediately so the salad doesn’t wilt.

Vinaigrette

2 tsp of lemon zest

½ cup of lemon juice

2 cloves of garlic (minced)

½ tsp of sea salt

1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp of fresh oregano (chopped)

Grounded black pepper to taste



Halibut on Beet & Zucchini Salad

Enjoy!

-Michelle

Healthy Weight : Portion Sizes

I don't personally believe in counting calories or weighing food unless you are training for a fitness model competition. I believe all in moderation. Obsessing over food can become a bad habit and take you out of being in the moment.

Although, being aware of proper portion sizes is a key to eliminating over eating and weight gain. Or in some instances, being aware that you aren't eating enough. If you don't eat enough your body can go into "starvation mode" where it hangs on to every bit of food because it doesn't know when the next meal will be.

I'll be doing a series on proper portion sizes to give you a visual picture.
The first visual of the series is provided by FitSugar.

I was surprised by the following:

• how many strawberries you can consume for 100 calories
• one banana is 100 calories
• how easy it is to consume 25-30 grapes which are 100 calories.
• you realise that having a bowl of fruit on the counter which you take a couple pieces all day long can quickly add up and if you do keep track of calories, you might not even remember to track those calories.



via FitSugar



Do you keep track of calories or are you fairly good at knowing your portion sizes?
Join me on LiveLoudly Facebook Page to chat about it. Don't forget to LIKE it! please :)

-Michelle

Best Choices : How to Eat Healthy at Starbucks

Worst Choice Vs. Best Choice

I'm starting a new series on Best Choices to make when eating out. It will dive into: what is your best choices to eat at different restaurants, events or even when attending a friends BBQ. Sometimes you can be so hungry and overwhelmed with choices that you just give up/surrender and pick what your nagging candy gremlin in you wants (I've got one who loves to come out while I'm grabbing a water at 7-11!).

So the first place I wanted to touch on is a common daily favourite of many people. Starbucks!

Let me begin by making a comment most will want to debate with me about but this is my opinion and what I have found to be healthy choice for myself. I don't believe milk from a cow is healthy for you. There's alternatives to milk now and they ARE offered at Starbucks, we should all take advantage of this. I'll go into full detail regarding milk and dairy in another post.

Coffee
When ordering coffee try to stick to a water based coffee instead of a half dairy or half soy milk choice. This reduces the amount of calories obtained considerably. Stay away from the artificial sweeteners (you are adding chemicals to your coffee - sound appealing?). Instead use honey. If you have been used to sugar and sweeteners, it won't take you too long to get used to honey.

Americano (made with espresso & water) : 15 calories and 0g of fat
Caffe Latte (made with soy milk): 150 calories and 5g of fat
Mocha (made with soy milk) : 230 calories and 7g of fat

Smoothies :
should be used only when you are in need of a meal replacement and have no other choice. I do enjoy the chocolate banana one but it packs 300 calories and has 55g of carbohydrates in which 34 grams is sugar! It may be partially from fruit but that is still a lot of sugar.

Iced Coffee:
Always best to order a straight iced coffee (brewed or americano) and then add some soy milk and honey to taste. If you are in dire need of that blended drink, it's best to go with a light frapp.
Beware: even though it's only 140 calories it still contains 29 grams of sugar and sweeteners.


Food
If it looks like dessert - it is dessert! Those little treats staring at your soul while you stand in line are evil! lol
There's a reason the display case for the food is smack dab in your face, to make you stare at them while you wait and in the mean time you convince yourself "it won't be that bad". On average though, how many times do you really eat dessert during the day? Yes, maybe a birthday at work or special dining out at lunch but not just because you are having a coffee. To give you an example of what you may think is somewhat harmless:
Reduced Fat Banana Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake: 400 calories, 8 grams of fat and 50 grams of sugar!

Luckily, Starbucks does offer healthy food choices.

Here's a list of my GO-TO FOOD choices:

• Spinach, Feta & Egg White Wrap (use as a meal) - 290 calories and 10g of fat.
• KIND Bars - full of protein and low in calories
• Packages of dried fruit - natural source of calories
• Greek Yogurt - try to avoid the bottom part (extra sugar there)
• Fresh Fruit - easy option and natural (of course)
• Package of dried fruit & nuts - avoid the ones covered in a coating (sugar!)

Hope you enjoy this "Best Choices" series and if you would like suggest a subject for Best Choices, please contact me through email, Facebook or Twitter.

-Michelle

Weekend Warm-Up : Head in the Game

Happy Weekend! Happy Friday first of all!

I havent't kept up to my usual quota of blog posts for this week but you might just understand due to my last post. My head is slowly getting back in the game and my focus has shifted a tiny bit. I want to help people be aware of all the possible chemicals and processed ingredients that they may be feeding their bodies on a daily basis. The best way to avoid these pesky toxins from your body is eating a diet full of fresh fruit, fresh veggies and fresh seafood (or organic meat). I'll be doing a post coming up on how to navigate the grocery stores to avoid common unhealthy choices.

I'll admit that I don't usually go for the Organic Fruits and Veggies but that is my latest goal. I know that eating foods covered with pesticides and chemicals is no good for my body or yours. This is just another way to avoid cancer cells developing our bodies. Have you heard of the dirty dozen? It's the list of fruits and veggies to always buy organic and the ones that are low in pesticides. Here's a convenient way to remember.


img source



Here are my interesting finds from around the web this week:

• Heading to a BBQ and need a healthy dip? Avocado Hummus or 5 Layer Greek Dip will do the trick.
• Educate and Donate to F*ck Cancer. Hey and maybe get the cool T-Shirt too.
• 6 Core Strengthening Exercises using a ball.
• 5 Life Lessons from Olympians. Very inspirational! I can't get enough of the Olympics.

Have a wonderful weekend!

-Michelle

Weekend Warm-Up : Olympics Time! London 2012

Happy Friday!

Hope you all had a great week. I just came back from an awesome 4k run with the dog this morning. I decided to take today off from "normal work" and have a day to myself. After my run I had a delicious Natural Vega Energizing smoothie filled with some banana slices, strawberries, almond milk, water and chia seeds. It hit the spot! Last night my BF made a delicious healthy salmon cake (recipe to come). It's very healthy and I have to say it's the best one I've ever tried.

Today is the start of the Olympics and I am super stoked to cheer on all the athletes. Seeing an Olympic event live is on my bucket list. I hope to watch a Summer Olympic event one day. We were lucky enough to have the Winter Olympics here in Vancouver back in 2010 and the vibe that swam through the city was the most thrilling feeling. Every person you met on the street had a smile on their face and excited to tell you their story. The pride that overflowed from Canadians and all countries was incredible to witness.

Cheers to all the athletes of 2012 and good luck! What a vigorous journey it must be to get to the Olympics and so overwhelming to finally to be there and compete.

My favourite finds of the week:

I'm a sucker for infographs and I love this one on the benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar to your health

Tomorrow we are heading to the beach to watch these Fireworks

Feeling the heat? Need to cool off? Cool off with Super Foods

I freaked out when I saw this recipe. A healthy alternative for my ice cream addiction.

One of my favourite photographers - amazing color

Have a wonderful weekend!
-Michelle

Daily Healthy Eating Plan - Does timing matter?

Did you ever wonder if eating certain foods at certain times made a difference in your diet?


A Colourful Salad for Lunch or Dinner (no added fats)


From my personal experience - it actually makes quite the difference. I find you can control weight, food cravings and your digestive system.

3 Tips for Your Meal Schedule in the Morning:

1. A glass of warm water first thing in the morning before any other food or liquid helps your metabolism and digestive system get started.
2. Eat your whole Fruits seperate from any other food (ie. fats, protein, etc.).
3. Wait 2 hours after a fruit to eat any fats/protein

3 Tips for Your Meal Schedule in the Afternoon/Dinner:

1. Try not to have any fruit after 12 (noon) so you can avoid spiking your sugar levels.
2. Noon is a great time to have a whole grain carbohydrate. Try not to have carbs in the evening as it takes more for your body to burn them off.
3. Have your last meal 2 hours before you go to bed - this helps with digestion and let's you mind be at ease when you do go to sleep (no more dreams keeping you up).

Have you come across any food timing tips that seem to work for you and your healthy diet?

-Michelle

Healthy Food Recipe : Homemade Granola

I love cereal! but cereal doesn't love me. So I've found something new. Granola!

Mixed up Before Adding Wet Ingredients and Dried Fruit



I love all cereals but they do not agree with my stomach and usually aren't that great for you due to the processed ingredients, added additives/chemicals and all the sugar (even in healthy ones). Let's be honest, you didn't really think those frosted flakes, fruit loops and shredded wheats were good for you? It's all broken down and rebuilt ingredients in a box. The reason it can last so long on the shelf is because of how broken down the material is.

A great alternative to cereal is... Homemade Granola. My BF and I were buying a small bag from the local cafe that makes everything fresh and the bag was costing us $9.00 each time. So I thought it was time to just make it at home and save some money. Big bonus: now I know exactly what is going into my granola and add what we want to it. I love to change it up for the different seasons.

Here is my homemade granola recipe:

 

Summer Sun Granola

 

Dry Ingredients:

• 2.5 cups of rolled oats (try to use organic)
• 1/2 cup of slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds
• 1/4 cup of shredded coconut
• 2 tablespoons of ground flax seed
• 2 tablespoons of chia seeds
• 1/2 cup of carob chips

Dried Fruit:

• 1/2 cup of cranberries
• 1/2 cup of golden raisins

Wet ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of real maple syrup  (no Aunt Jamima's)
• 1/2 cups of real honey

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Directions:
Take a cookie sheet and spray with pam or pam olive oil. In a measuring cup combine the maple syrup and honey together.

In a large bowl stir all dry ingredients except for the dried fruit until fully mixed. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients bowl. Stir until everything thing has a light coating on it. You can add more of the wet ingredient mixture to your taste*.

On a large cookie sheet spread the mixture out evenly. Once the oven is ready set it on the middle rack to bake.

After 10 minutes take the pan out and gently mix the granola around on the pan. Place back in the over and set time for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes check on the granola and see how golden brown it is and add the dried fruit. Mine took another 5 minutes to reach the golden brown I like.

Remove the pan from the oven and let set for an hour. Once the granola has hardened you can break it up into a sealed tight container.

*try not to use too much sugar.

Tip: I like to eat this in the morning so I am able to burn off the calories from the dried fruit, oats and maple syrup/honey.

What do you add to your granola? I would love to hear some ideas I can add next time.

-Michelle

Healthy Food Recipe : Paella

I first tried Paella when I was in the Dominican Republic and they had it in this massive pan over an open BBQ pit and they had to use a paddle to stir it. I was hooked instantly!

Paella is a rice dish that originally came from Spain. I love how versatile it is by adding whatever seafood you like and subtracting the meat.  It also brings the whole family together to enjoy. I recommend having it at lunch time due to the starch and carbohydrates content in the recipe. This gives you more time to burn off that energy (carbohydrates) from the food. You can also remove the chorizo sausage (I would recommend), which can have a lot fat in it. If you can find a lean sausage that would be fine. We put the sausage in the Paella as my BF enjoys meat but I ate around it.

My BF is in the midst of trying the recipe out using Quinoa in place of the rice. He's still fine tuning it so it has that moist texture like the Paella. As you might tell over time here on my blog, I'm not the cook in the family anymore - he's taken over. He's a big meat and carbs guy while I'm a pescaterian who loves fruits and veggies. We are learning to meet half way. Together we are coming up with ways to make a recipe healthier. A learning process we are excited about.

Seafood & Chorizo Sausage Paella

• 1 pound of mixed seafood - chopped in 1 inch chunks. We use scallops, shrimp, snapper and salmon.
• Small touch of fresh parsley - chopped up
• 1/2 pound of chorizo sausage
• 1 medium onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 litres of chicken broth (can use veggie)
• olive oil
• 2 cups of arborio rice
• 2 handfuls of frozen peas
• 2 lemons

Place a large skillet/frying pan on high heat and add small amount of olive oil (enough to lightly cover the pan). Add the parsley, onion, garlic, chorizo sausage to the pan. Cook for about 5-7 minutes until onions become soft and the chorizo sausage is fairly cooked.

Stir in the arborio rice and season with salt and pepper. Add in the boiling broth until the pan comes to a boil. Make sure to stir so the mixture does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Put a lid on the pan and bring the heat down to a simmer. Occasionally stir up the paella. Lots of rice is different so read the package of your rice for cooking time.

When rice is nearly done, add in the seafood and peas. Gently stir in the seafood. Squeeze the juice of one lemon on top. Cook for another 5 minutes. If the rice seems a bit dry then add in a bit more water. You want the rice to be more moist than dry. Have a taste and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Bring the Paella pan to the middle of a table and everyone can dig in.

Serves 6 people.

Enjoy!



Chef Hard at Work



Have you made Paella before? What did you include in yours?

I would love to hear your version of the recipe in the comments below. Or you can send me a link via Twitter.

-Michelle