Healthy Snacks?

There was some talk this week at our healthy nutrition class about 'what are healthy snacks'? My views on this have certainly changed over the years because I try to view a snack like i would all other meals - making choices from nutrient dense foods that will fuel my body and get me the fuel I need to get through until my next meal (stable energy, stable blood sugar levels, stable mood). I know this sounds boring, but it's out of necessity! Keeping up with 3 kids, exercise and several 'jobs' keeps me motivated to feel at my best (most) of the time.

Here is a picture of a popular mid-morning 'snack' at my house when I'm home with my 3 year old. You've got your healthy fats in the avocado, some protein in the eggs and a side of veggies to fill me up. A little drizzle of balsamic, some olive oil and sea salt. Simple. My daughter loves it. When I'm at work I usually have a container of greens with a protein like chicken, turkey muffins, tuna or black beans. Sometimes I snack on leftovers from dinner, but I try to top it up with more greens. I always try to have some kind of baked good in the freezer - usually a paleo loaf or muffin of some kind, so on occasion I will grab a slice of lemon walnut loaf (see Janet Jacks book Discover the Power of Foods) pumpkin loaf and slather on some almond butter as a snack - depends what I'm craving.

When I think of the popular 'snack' foods like granola bars (pre-packaged), fruit yogurts, muffins (commercially prepared) or cookies I just see 'sugar bombs' - they will lead to huge spikes in blood sugar followed by a rapid drop leaving you feeling unsatisfied, tired, and craving more of the same! This creates a vicious cycle of cravings, overeating and sugar addiction.


I really encourage people to think about veggies and how to incorporate them into their snacks, otherwise it becomes a challenge to fit in the recommended amount (10 servings) throughout the day! Toss some into a smoothie, serve some sauteed greens on the side of your eggs, add them into your soups and sauces, or have them fresh in a salad. Get creative! The other thing to think about is protein - try to include it in your snacks to provide you to sustainable energy!
Happy Snacking!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor, Clinic Director
info@vitalityforlife.ca
www.vitalityforlife.ca
Twitter: @NaturoDoctor
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Paleo Gingerbread

Here's one of my favorite holiday recipes. I try to mix it up between the 'traditional' baking and the 'healthier' options. This paleo gingerbread is incredibly rich and moist with many Christmas flavors in it - it fills the house with the smells of orange, ginger and cloves. It's amazing. The recipe is a little complex with the number of ingredients but is really simple to make.
 
Paleo gingerbread

1 large orange
1/2 cup candied ginger
1 1/2 cups pitted dates
1 cup cranberries
1/2 cup walnuts
2 cups almond meal
1 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup honey
2 tbsp molasses
1 tbsp vanilla
1 tsp sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 teaspoon each ground ginger, cloves and allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 eggs
*1/2 cup plain full fat yogurt (OPTIONAL! If you are a strict paleo use 1/2 cup applesauce and add a 1/2 cup more almond flour)

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare 8 x 8 inch baking pan by coating lightly with oil and dusting with flour. Set aside.

Cut orange in half. Squeeze juice from full orange and reserve in 1 cup measuring cup. To orange juice add molasses and vanilla. Add enough yogurt to make one full cup. Set aside.

Place orange rinds in bowl of food processor along with ginger, dates, cranberries and walnuts. Pulse until chunky paste results. Set aside.

In medium bowl measure flours, baking soda and powder, sea salt and spices. Mix together well. Set aside.

In large bowl combine eggs, honey and coconut oil. Beat well for 3 minutes. Add yogurt/orange juice mixture and beat another 3 minutes.

Add flour mixture to egg mixture and beat until smooth. Fold in processed fruit and nut mixture and gently mix until just combined.

Pour mixture into prepared 8 x 8 baking pan.

Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes. Test cake with toothpick to make sure it is baked all the way through.

Remove from oven and let cool before cutting.

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor, Clinic Director
info@vitalityforlife.ca
www.vitalityforlife.ca
Twitter: @NaturoDoctor
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Christmas treats get a VEGAN/Paleo revamp....so yummy and guilt-free

After finishing a really hard and dedicated fitness and nutrition regime I decided I wasn't going to ruin it over Christmas by allowing excess sugars, flour and unhealthy fats back into my life, so I decided to swap out a few holiday treats for healthier version. I got this idea on Pinterest, and just changed a few ingredients around to get these amazing little vegan cheesecakes that look AND taste scrumptious. Seriously, these are such a hit, and the fact that you can create your own flavors to satisfy those different cravings and family members is a real bonus. My husbands comment was 'why are they so small', meaning he was hoping for a larger portion (awesome!). The lemon zest really gives it a nice zing. The consistency is between a cheesecake and mousse. It is quite light.

For the crust:
-1 cup raw almonds
-1 cup dates (soaked 10min in hot water then drained)
-pinch of sea salt

throw all ingredients into food processor and turn on high until the nuts form a meal and the whole thing starts to form together - if it's too dry, add extra dates of a little water. Press 1 Tbsp into greased muffin tin lined with a strip of parchment (so that you can pull the tabs to remove them later)

For the batter:
-3 cups unsalted cashews, soaked overnight, drained and rinsed
-3/4 cup coconut cream (put a can of full-fat coconut milk into the fridge overnight, open and remove the firm cream - keep the coconut water for another use like a smoothie)
-1/2 cup honey (or maple syrup of vegan)
-1/2 cup melted coconut oil
-juice of one lemon (squeezed)
-zest of one lemon
-pinch of salt

Put all into the food processor (or blender) and blend until smooth. Pour the batter onto each crust. Now the fun begins - select your flavor. You can use raspberries, blueberries, peanut butter or caramel. I tried a little of everything. For caramel, you can make your own or use store bought - add 1 tsp and swirl it through. For peanut butter use natural and add 1 tsp and swirl through gently. For Blueberries I put a few frozen berries into the batter and swirled through. Now put them into the freezer to set (at least one hour). Remove using a butter knife and store in a tupperware in the freezer and use as needed. Can serve frozen OR thawed for 10 min. ENJOY!!
The original recipe/idea was taken from this Pinterest recipe.

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor, Clinic Director
info@vitalityforlife.ca
www.vitalityforlife.ca
Twitter: @NaturoDoctor
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We've got Jerky!

My dehydrator has been going non-stop, but the biggest surprise of all during my experimentation is that beef jerky has become the #1 hit in our household (a 'game changer' as my husband says!). Why am I so excited about this? Is jerky even healthy? Let me answer these questions!
No, usually the store bought jerky is preserved with tonnes of sodium, nitrates, flavorings etc. When you make it yourself, you choose the quality of meat (lean works best, farm-raised etc) and the seasonings (I make my own blend of garlic powder, chili powder, sea salt, brown sugar and I use it as a dry rub, marinating overnight).
Why is this such a wonderful snack? For those of you watching your sugar (ie. fruit, grains, baked goods) consumption, this is a wonderful paleo snack that provided lots of protein, iron and minerals without affecting blood sugar. For children, it supports their tissue and brain development - although keep in mind that young children only require about half the protein (but more healthy fats) than adults - this increases if your child is in sports. Dried meat has been around for centuries as a healthy and convenient way to get protein, so adding it to your snack options is a wonderful idea for those of you on the go! Enjoy!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor, Clinic Director
info@vitalityforlife.ca
www.vitalityforlife.ca
Twitter: @NaturoDoctor
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Quinoa-Beef stuffing - One Stuffing, Two Meals

I don't know why I've never tried combining beef and quinoa before - it makes an amazing stuffing. I bought a couple very LARGE zucchini's and a cabbage at the local market (Harris' Farm) and got creative with how to use them. Here's what I came up with: Stuffed Zucchini and Cabbage Rolls - both are filled using the same stuffing (bonus!).
For the 'stuffing':
-Saute 1 lb beef, 1 onion, 1 large carrot (grated), 2 celery stalks and 3 large cloves garlic
-Season with thyme, oregano, salt and pepper.
-Add 2 cups cooked Quinoa (I cooked mine with a dash of Bragg's seasoning).





Stuffed Zucchini:
Cut your zucchi
ni in half and scoop out the seeds (to make hollow 'boats'). Fill with your filling, top with diced tomato. Can sprinkle on parmesan or cheese if you wish. Bake in a lasagna dish

Cabbage Rolls:
Gently remove as many cabbage leaves as you want for the rolls. Add them to a pot of boiling water until the leaves are soft (about 5-7 minutes). Remove from the water. Fill each cabbage leaf with stuffing and roll it up. Place into a glass oven-proof dish. Top with diced tomato.

Bake in a 350 oven for 45 minutes.

**These pictures are taken BEFORE baking!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor, Clinic Director
info@vitalityforlife.ca
www.vitalityforlife.ca
Twitter: @NaturoDoctor
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Fun Kitchen Tools!

Ok I'll admit I'm a bit of a kitchen gadget geek. I like to try different things when preparing food - some I consider 'essentials' but some I'll admit are just 'fun'. When you spend a lot of time meal-planning or preparing food for the family I think it's important to do whatever it takes to stay motivated or to make food prep easier. So my new tool is something I've been eyeing for a while now, and I finally got to try it . It's a 'spiralizer'. This tool turns vegetables such as sweet potato, zucchini, cucumber, carrot, beet and turnips into long strands OR ribbons (depending on your blade). You can enjoy a grain-free pasta this way, or eat the food raw in a beautiful salad. This picture is one of the first things I tried - a simple carrot and apple salad. The kids loved how long and 'slinky' the carrots were, which made them more motivated to eat them (another bonus). I also make fantastic curly sweet potato fries using this tool. It's day 1 owning this new gadget and it's definitely a hit.

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor, Clinic Director
info@vitalityforlife.ca
www.vitalityforlife.ca
Twitter: @NaturoDoctor
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Coconut Flour Pancakes - Grain free breakfast treat!

This has quickly become one of my favorite grain-free high protein breakfast alternatives. For those days when oatmeal just doesn't appeal to you, give no-garbage pancake a try!

Ingredients:
1 egg plus 2 egg whites
1 heaping TBSP coconut flour
1-2 TBSP powerseeds (optional)
cinnamon

mix all ingredients and pour into a hot pan that has a little melted coconut oil in it. Cook until golden then flip. Top with your choice of berries, fruit, yogurt or a drizzle of maple syrup!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor, Clinic Director
info@vitalityforlife.ca
www.vitalityforlife.ca
Twitter: @NaturoDoctor
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Where to get some pantry staples and COUPON CODE for iHERB.com!

As I mentioned in my last post I'll share with you some of the goodies I've recently purchased from iherb! I like getting inspired in the kitchen and keeping it fresh, so it's fun to try new products out once in a while, and getting my order last week did just that!
As a bonus, if you would like to place an order with iherb.com, you can use the following coupon code to give you up to $10 OFF your first order over $40!
COUPON CODE: NTK179

Ok, so you can see from the picture a few of the things I ordered:

Coconut sugar - a low glycemic sugar alternative - use exactly like you would regular sugar in your baking etc.


Coconut Flour - a paleo-friendly (grain-free) flour alternative, used in many of my baked goodies

Peanut Flour - a high protein grain-free flour alternative, can be added to smoothies, baked goods or make into nut-butter. Check out my peanut-butter cookie recipe in the previous post!

Coco Cardio - dark cocoa powder WITH beet and hibiscus flour. This is a heart healthy addition to warm drinks or baked goods. Use like you would cocoa powder. Check out my smoothie recipe in the previous post!

Agave - this is a nice pantry staple for using in dressings and some baked goods for sweetness in liquid form

Have fun in the kitchen!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor, Clinic Director
info@vitalityforlife.ca
www.vitalityforlife.ca
Twitter: @NaturoDoctor
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Peanut Flour Goodies! High protein cookie and smoothies.

I have been having a lot of fun in the kitchen with some of the goodies I recently ordered online (I will post my source in an upcoming blog). I love playing around with new naturopathic ingredients! To start, I want to share with you my recipes with High Protein Peanut Flour. This product is basically peanuts that had the fat content roasted off and therefore is a high protein nutrient boost that can be used in the place of flour (cookies, bars), to make your own peanut butter (just add 1-2 Tbsp water to 1 Tbsp peanut flour) or into smoothies (1/4 cup has 16g of protein!!). This stuff tastes great, and I love that it is a great alternative for grains in paleo recipes!
This weekend I made the kids a smoothie:
1 banana
2 Tbsp Cocoa Cardio (More info on this in my next post!)
4 Tbsp Peanut Flour
2 cups Coconut Almond Milk (I love this stuff - comes in a 2 pack at costco, just the right sweetness for smoothies and baking!)

Blend it all up and drink! Tasted a lot like chocolate milk to be honest, and it wasn't overly peanut-y

Next I made these amazing high protein Peanut Butter cookies - great for an afternoon snack or post-workout. Paleo approved and kid approved!

Mix the following in a bowl:
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup peanut flour
1/4 cup ground flax
1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup honey or agave or maple syrup (sweeten to your preference)
1 egg (this is optional - the flax will bind it if you add a little water or milk alternative)

the dough is pretty firm. Roll into 1 inch balls and flatten on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-12 min.

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor, Clinic Director
info@vitalityforlife.ca
www.vitalityforlife.ca
Twitter: @NaturoDoctor
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Black Bean Brownies - Naturopathic, Paleo goodness!

We're known for showing off our baking at the clinic, and when Dr. Sarah brought in her adzuki brownie's last week it reminded me that I should dust off my own recipe. These brownies are high in fiber, protein, antioxidants, healthy fat and are grain free and vegan! And yes, the kids seemed to really like them (asking for seconds is a good sign). Here is my version:

Put the following ingredients into your blender:
1 ripe banana
1 cup almond milk
1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 can of rinsed black beans
(option: if you have a great blender, you can add a full raw beet, peeled, into the ingredients. This takes the nutrition to a whole other level - I did so in the picture you are seeing and it gives it a bit of a reddish hue, such as a red-velvet cake would! the cocoa masks the beet taste!)

Blend until all ingredients are incorporated and smooth.

In another bowl mix 1/3 cup ground flax, 1/2 cup coconut flour, 1/2 cup dark cocoa, 1 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp vanilla (optional 1 tsp cinnamon). Pour liquid mixture into your dry ingredients incorporating gently. Optional - add in 1/2 cup chocolate chips or carob chips at this point.

Pour into parchment lined 8x8 inch baking pan. Bake at 400C for 45 min.

Once cool, top with a thin layer of icing:

1/3 cup cocoa powder, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/4 cup coconut oil, 1/4 cup honey. Let it cool and pour over brownies. Once you refrigerate this icing will get hard because of the coconut oil.
OPTION: instead of the icing melt some dark chocolate overtop.


Enjoy!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor, Clinic Director
info@vitalityforlife.ca
www.vitalityforlife.ca
Twitter: @NaturoDoctor
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Pumpkin Protein Pancakes!

These Pumpkin Protein Pancakes are Delicious!
 Remember that pumpkin puree I made a while back (in the fall) by roasting some pumpkins? Well I had one bag left in the freezer and made some delicious protein pancakes over the weekend. These pancakes are not only high in protein, but are also 'paleo' since they are grain free.

Here is the ingredient list:
1 cup pumpkin puree
5 scoops Natural Factors Vegan Vanilla Protein Powder
1/2 cup Power Seeds (chia, hemp, ground flax)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp Baking Powder
2 eggs

Mix all ingredients together and add almond/coconut milk to the desired consistency of your pancakes (thinner consistency makes thinner pancakes). Fry these in a little coconut oil.

Serve with Blueberry Chia Sauce!

Blueberry Chia Sauce:
1 cup frozen blueberries
1/4 cup chia
1/4 cup water
stevia or maple syrup to taste

simmer until thickened (10 min) and serve on top of pancakes! Naturopathic Indeed!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor, Clinic Director
info@vitalityforlife.ca
www.vitalityforlife.ca
Twitter: @NaturoDoctor
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A New Take on Romaine!

Back when we had cable television I used to watch a LOT of Food Network. I remember seeing chef Michael Smith throwing a head of romaine onto the BBQ for a new spin on caesar salad, but I had never tried it until recently. This technique is AMAZING at bringing out the flavor of an otherwise bland leafy green! Here's how:

Rub your entire head of romaine in olive oil (just the outside) and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place it on the BBQ just for under a minute per side - you don't want to 'steam' the lettuce, but rather give it nice grill marks. When it's done, slice it in half lengthwise and drizzle with home-made dressing (naturopathic take on ceasar)!
Dressing:
1 Tbsp Dijon
3 cloves garlic
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper
Blend with an immersion blender while slowly adding about 1/3 cup olive oil to emulsify the dressing (this makes it thick).

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor, Clinic Director
info@vitalityforlife.ca
www.vitalityforlife.ca
Twitter: @NaturoDoctor
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Sweet Potato Hummus

Made this awesome Sweet Potato Hummus this past weekend to take as an appetizer to a friends house - it was a hit! This is a nice lighter variation on traditional hummus. Here is the recipe:
-Peel and dice 2 medium sweet potatoes. Drizzle in olive oil , toss and bake at 400 for 25-30 min (until tender).
-Cut the tops off 3 garlic bulbs. Drizzle the cut side with olive oil. Wrap in aluminum foil and bake with the sweet potato, but leave in an extra 10 min.
-Place sweet potato, one can rinsed chickpeas, juice of one lemon, 3-4 Tbsp of olive oil, 1 tsp cumin, and the roasted garlic (squeeze cloves out of the bulb) into medium bowl.
-Puree with hand blender (or food processor). Salt and pepper to taste. Adjust flavor as needed.
-Toast raw sunflower and pumpkin seeds. Sprinkle onto hummus and top with dried cranberries (optional). Serve with corn chips, pita or crackers!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor, Clinic Director
info@vitalityforlife.ca
www.vitalityforlife.ca
Twitter: @NaturoDoctor
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Roasted fennel & beets Quinoa

Whenever we have a relaxed weekend I find myself cooking up a storm in preparation for the week. I love to try new recipes and explore with different flavors. This weekend I made several recipes including this amazing roasted fennel and beet quinoa salad. Here's how easy it is.

-slice one fennel bulb in half and then into 1/4 inch strips. Toss in olive oil and place in a parchment lined baking dish
-wrap 3-4 beets in foil and place on same sheet
Bake these in a 425 oven for 30-40 min or until beets are fork tender and fennel is caramelized

Meanwhile rinse your 1 cup of quinoa and cook in water or broth for 18-20 min.

Mix all ingredients together. Drizzle with additional olive oil, salt & pepper, and if desired add chopped parsley, dried cranberries and some cashews! This dish tastes great hot or cold. Naturopath approved!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor, Clinic Director
info@vitalityforlife.ca
www.vitalityforlife.ca
Twitter: @NaturoDoctor
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Chia Seed 'Tapioca' Pudding - Naturopath approved!

This is such a simple, tasty and healthy recipe that is gluten/dairy/grain-free and a hit with the kids and entire family! This qualifies as a paleo dessert if you are following this sort of diet. High in fiber, omegas and moderate protein from the chia seeds, this is both a wonderful dessert OR mid-day snack.
1 can coconut milk (or 2 cups of milk substitute such as almond milk - omit coconut water in this case)
1 cup coconut water
1/2 cup chia seeds
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp Honey (or sweeten to taste)
option - grate peel of 1/2 lemon

Mix in a glass bowl and refrigerate at least 4 hrs or overnight. Serve topped with fruit if desired!
 



Enjoy!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor, Clinic Director
info@vitalityforlife.ca
www.vitalityforlife.ca
Twitter: @NaturoDoctor
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Gluten-free Pumpkin Bread

This is the pumpkin loaf I made from the roasted pumpkins (see Facebook posting for details). I had to adjust the recipes I found and sort or went with what I had, but here is roughly what I used:

Gluten-free Pumpkin Loaf
1 cup coconut flour
3 cups gluten free flour blend
1  cups  brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger or pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup organic coconut oil
2 organic free-range eggs, beaten
2 cups pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon vanilla

Place in 2 parchment lined loaf pans. sprinkle with seeds of your choice (I used pumpkin). Bake at 350 for 1 hr. Delicious!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor, Clinic Director
info@vitalityforlife.ca
www.vitalityforlife.ca
Twitter: @NaturoDoctor
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Zucchini...healthy, yummy, affordable!

I was so impressed with my 'Eat Clean' lunch creation today that I needed to share. Last week I picked up 2 huge yellow zucchini's at Hewitt's farm stand. They were $0.75 each, and i'm not kidding, they are huge. Today I decided to grill them. When working with a zuchini this large, it's actually more like a squash. You have to cut it lengthwise and remove the seeds with a spoon, and also peel the skin with a vegetable peeler (it's tougher than a small grocery store zucchini). I then cut them in 1/2 inch slices, threw them into a bowl, drizzled with olive oil, sea salt and garlic powder (NOT garlic salt). Toss them around and throw them on your grill (I use a panini grill, which cooks them rather quickly. 5 minutes later they have nice grill marks, and are fork tender. I also had 2 ripe avocado's so I made a quick guacamole (mash them with sea salt and lemon juice). On each plate I put several slices of the grilled zucchini, topped with a large dallop of guacamole, and then added a sprinkling of goat cheese. For extra protein you could sprinkle with toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds.
I fed 3 people and a baby with these zucchini, which cost me $1.50 total!! It was delicious, satisfying, seasonal, local and cost effective! When my 4 year old asked for a second bowl I was pretty pleased with myself! It fulfilled my goals as both a Naturopath and a mother!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor, Clinic Director
info@vitalityforlife.ca
www.vitalityforlife.ca
Twitter: @NaturoDoctor
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Coconut Flour - a Grain-Free alternative

Recently I have been experimenting in my baking again, trying to make things healthier as always, and I'm addicted to using coconut flour. My GAPS-friendly colleagues at Integra Naturopathics in Calgary are always sharing Grain-free recipes, so last night I baked a Coconut Flour Chocolate Chip Banana Bread that is really amazing. It's Gluten Free because it contains no grains, and there is no added fat in this recipe (except from the eggs)and it is rich and moist. It's also low in sugar. I've adapted it slightly by adding extra coconut flakes. This recipe is very high in both protein and fiber, so it makes a perfect snack! Check out the fiber comparison of various flours:
Comparison of fibre content of various flours:
Coconut Flour 39%
Wheat Bran 27%
Oat Bran 16%
Rye Flour 15%
Soya Flour 14%
Wheat Flour 13%
Corn Meal 11%
Buckwheat Flour 8%
Enriched White Flour 3%

This morning I had a slice after my workout with a tablespoon of natural Peanut Butter and I feel SO satisfied!

Recipe Ingredients:
• 3 bananas, mashed
• 8 eggs
• 1/2 c. almond or rice milk
• 1/4 c. honey
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• 1 c. coconut flour
• ½ cup shredded coconut
• 1 tsp. aluminum-free baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. unrefined sea salt
• 1 1/2 oz. unsweetened baker's chocolate
• optional: 15 drops vanilla stevia
Recipe Instructions:
Whisk together eggs, banana, milk, honey and almond extract in a big bowl. Stir together dry ingredients in a smaller bowl, breaking up any lumps, and add to egg mixture, stirring well. Chop chocolate and stevia in a small food processor to desired size and add to batter until combined. Pour into a large, well-greased loaf pan and bake at 350 for about an hour, until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan for about 10 minutes, then remove to rack to cool completely before slicing.

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Clinic Director
Vitality for Life Health Center


Vitality for Life is an integrative health clinic in Barrie, Ontario. We offer the services of a Naturopathic Doctor, Chiropractor and massage therapists.
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Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor, Clinic Director
info@vitalityforlife.ca
www.vitalityforlife.ca
Twitter: @NaturoDoctor
We're On Facebook!

Amazing dessert...and Healthy too!

Ok all you ice cream lovers, this ones for you. When I saw this recipe in 'Best Health' magazine I didn't believe it but I thought I'd try it. I gave away my magazine before I had a chance to write down the exact measurements, but it turned out amazing. Here is what I did:

-Cut up 3 ripe banana into large chunks and freeze
-take out the bananas and put into a food processor
-add approximately 1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/4 cup almond milk (or coconut milk or other substitute), and a couple tablespoons or maple syrup or agave syrup.
-blend until smooth and serve.

This tastes just like a rich chocolate ice cream with a hint of banana. I am going to try different variations next time, like adding strawberries or blueberries. This dessert will satisfy the biggest skeptic!

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND.
Naturopathic Doctor & Clinic Director
Vitality for Life Health Center
www.vitalityforlife.ca

Vitality for Life is an integrative health clinic in Barrie, Ontario. We offer the services of a Naturopathic Doctor, Chiropractor and massage therapists.
Follow us on facebook
Follow us on Twitter: @NaturoDoctor

Dr. Anna Falkowski HBSc, ND
Naturopathic Doctor, Clinic Director
info@vitalityforlife.ca
www.vitalityforlife.ca
Twitter: @NaturoDoctor
We're On Facebook!