Green food is good food. It’s a rule I stick to, and trust me I don’t stick to many rules.
Matcha is a delightfully antioxidant rich green tea powder, it has an earthy taste that is akin to pure freshness and it isn’t overpowering. There’s something about matcha, it tastes like youth, it tastes clean and it transports you to a far off land, unless you live in Japan, then it’s probably more nostalgic.
You may have seen fancy matcha lattes at your local cafe, the craze is catching on- even my mom drinks matcha. She mixes hers with cacao powder though and I just can’t get on board, sorry Ma. But matcha paired alongside creamy cashews and delicate coconut, shazzam that is a flavour combo my friends. These little treats should grace your St.Patties day table, or just any days table. They’re the perfect little mid day boost alongside a nice cuppa tea.
I drank it when I was pregnant as I was trying to limit my caffeine consumption. Matcha has some caffeine but its energizing component lies mostly in its abundance of L-theanine, an amino acid that helps increase focus. Buddhist monks drink matcha to help with meditation.
Now that I am a sleep deprived mama I’ve switched back to coffee and matcha has been allocated to the treat category. It gives a nice energy boost to things like these matcha cashew coconut energy balls and my matcha cupcakes.
Ok so lately I’ve been listening to Esther and Jerry Hicks and boy are they trippers. Law of attraction is the name of the game and I swear if they taught this stuff in school the world would change. Again and again my lesson is gratitude, when I embody gratitude everything in my life unfolds so perfectly. It’s so easy to take simple things for granted, hot water and warm socks, strong legs to hike up mountains and an garden to grow food. I’m really grateful to have this space and to be able to share my small little world with yours. Even if just for a moment in time it’s pretty cool. Glad I’m not the only one who loves good food 😉
Hello all, today is the full moon, It’s shining in through my window as we speak.
Hard to believe another month has already passed, is it just me or is time speeding up?
We’re busy preparing for spring over here in western canada land. Getting the garden ready, building some new growing spaces and greenhouses. The more food we can grow the better, not only is homegrown the tastiest but its also brimming with love.
If you’re wanting to start growing some of your own food, even if its just a few pots on a balcony- I’ve put together a little resources page on how to start a garden and compost.
My friend brought me a squash, it was really a sweet offering. I haven’t got any winter squashes left and baby Mav lurves them so much. Since he’s my spicy little guy I upped the ante with ginger,cumin and some garlic and we just went to town. Squash is so nourishing and really the perfect winter food. This is a really simply recipe thats perfect for a side dish or accompaniment to a salad. It also goes really well with my lemony tahini sauce.
Hey it’s Sunday so I’m going to include a little playlist with my favourite jams lately. Perhaps the sweet sounds will inspire you to try these super simple addictingly delicious chocolate bars.
If your anything like me Sundays are a day for enjoying life’s sumptuous indulgements. Like loud music and luxuriating in the kitchen, lilting around in the sun and day dreaming about what’s to come. My dad got mad at me this morning for talking to him about work “I’m trying to enjoy my Sunday why are you talking to me about work?”…Ooops sorry pops, my bad.
Too bad we live so far away or I’d give him some of these yummy chocolate bars too make up for it. Holy you guys, these are too good-literally I was thinking it would be economical to make my own raw chocolate bars but these are not going to last long. There’s always something about making your own chocolate, even if its as simple a recipe as this is. You could also just smash it all up and you’ll have chocolate bark if your feeling frisky.
With all the amazing benefits of coconut oil, raw cacao and raw honey this is some seriously nutrient dense chocolate. I read lately that they did a study comparing theobromine, a component in chocolate, to fluoride in repairing tooth enamel. Theobromine is actually more effective in rebuilding enamel than fluoride! Hopefully in the future our water supply will be spiked with theobromine instead of toxic fluoride.
My giant 110 lb pooch is laying on me as I write this. He’s the sweetest bubba, biggest cuddle bug, and most loyal wolf companion. I think I’ll have to invent some special dog treats to share the recipe testing duties with Ranger.
Today I longed for summer, I pined for the warm water and even the mosquitos, the dragonflies, the bees. My feet are itching for the warm earth. The celebrations of true love filled with toasts and endless dancing. The thick mist that rolls through the mountains early in the morning while I weed the garden and sip strong coffee.
Are you pining for summer yet?
I was thinking also about strawberries, the sweet little ones, freshly picked just hours before they would lose their prime, still warm from the red hot sun. You know the kind right? You squeeze them gently between your fingers and they become instant jam. Impossible to compare summers strawberries to those shipped from California barely ripe. I always aim to freeze ample amounts every summer. It never happens because they are too good, but I did have a little stash of berries in the freezer.
A humble amount of strawberries will do in this recipe. It’s delightfully summery, with the crisp red stalks of swiss chard and fresh sprouts locally procured. This strawberry balsamic vinaigrette will definitely be happening in bulk quantities as soon as those bright red berries come into my life again. I hope you’ll try this dressing with whatever salad variation you fancy and feel like summers right around the corner.
Oh how I love snacks, zesty, salty and savoury treats that just help get you through the day are the best. Even better when they aren’t loaded with weird additives, MSG and its pseudonyms. Piri piri is the swahili word for pepper pepper, the hot sauce is made from piri piri peppers also known as african birds eye chilis and a combination of spices, garlic and lemon peel. If you never tried it you’re in for a treat, there’s something about the spiciness paired with lemon that just hits the spot.
This paleo snack mix can easily be made milder by omitting the hot sauce and using smoked paprika instead. You’ll still get the richness and flavour without the spice. Perfect for the wee ones to munch, even though I have a theory that if you start them young on the hot peppers they’ll build up a good taste for them.
They do this in Thailand and places where they traditionally eat a lot of spicy foods. They’ll start with one thai chili and increase for every year, or so I hear. I’ve got my baby on mild spices, he loves curry, he absolutely devoured this kale and chicken curry I made one night. I’m sure it has a lot to do with how I ate when I was pregnant, and I certainly didn’t shy away from hot curries and the like. After all, at the time I was cooking in a restaurant for Thai night every week. I created some gorgeously spicy Thai creations that I taste tested until I was full. Get the babes started on immune strengthening foods early and they’re set for life, I’m still trying to coax him into gobbling up sauerkraut. He’s not quite there yet, to be honest it took me awhile to get there too, sauerkraut is intense!
I really didn’t know what to name this snack mix, so munchie mix it is because lets face it, everybody gets the munchies whether you live in Colorado or not.
Maybe you’ve tried black bean brownies, or even sweet potato brownies, well today I bring to you the latest in odd but delicious renditions of the classic fudge brownie. These double chocolate hazelnut lentil brownies are chewy, rich, dark and luxurious they’re swoon worthy with a dollop of whipped coconut cream or vanilla ice cream. It’s pretty hard to eat too many since they are so packed with protein and they’re also flourless.
I’ve invented these for a special lentil recipe contest, I wanted to create something decadent, a recipe that could trick people into believing they aren’t eating something healthy. Success! Mission accomplished as J, a hater of all sneakily healthy things, had no problem devouring these brownies. Red lentils are really adaptable, I didn’t want the brownies to be dry so I cooked the lentils first and then blended them into a smooth puree, this way they add moisture instead of take it away.
½ C red lentils, cooked in about 1½ C water until very soft, about 15 min.
2 eggs
½ C butter, melted
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 C brown sugar or raw coconut sugar
½ C cocoa powder or raw cacao powder
½ C mini chocolate chips
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp sea salt
1 C roasted hazelnut pieces
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare a 28x18x4 rectangular baking dish lined with parchment
Strain any excess water from the lentils and add to a blender or food processor, pulse until smooth, next add the eggs, butter,vanilla and sugar and again blend until smooth and frothy.
In a large bowl mix together the cocoa powder, salt and baking soda, add the liquid lentil mix to this and stir well.
Add in the nuts and chocolate chips and fully incorporate, pour the batter into your prepared dish and bake for 30-35 minutes, insert a toothpick to check for doneness, if it comes out clean the brownies are ready.
It's best to allow the brownies to set in the fridge for a few hours or overnight before serving. Cut into squares and enjoy!
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I’m such a sucker for a good brownie, I hope you love these as much as I do.
Hey I'm Chantelle, my alter ego would be a mermaid if I wasn't such a terrible swimmer. I love writing authentically and cooking in my pyjamas. My favourite pastimes include eating avocados, travelling the world and hanging out with a toddler.
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this is some seriously nutrient dense chocolate. I read lately that they did a 
