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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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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Gluten-free Pizzas

Over the weekend we felt like having a pizza night, but to keep it clean and naturopathic I decided to try a couple gluten-free crust recipes. The first one was an eggplant based one (pictured on the right in the first photo) and the second one was made from gluten-free flour and was done easily in a skillet! Both turned out great!

Eggplant Pizza Crust:

• 1 eggplant, peeled
• 1/2 tsp  (2 mL)  salt
• 1/4 cup  (60 mL)  ground flaxseeds
• 3 tbsp  (45 mL)  Gluten-free flour (I used a blend, but you can use Bob's Mill)
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp  (15 mL)  olive oil
• 1/4 tsp  (1 mL)  pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder

Preparation

1. In large bowl, coarsely shred eggplant; stir in salt and let sit for 5 minutes. In handfuls or using cheesecloth, squeeze out excess liquid. In separate large bowl, thoroughly combine eggplant, flaxseeds, flour, egg, oil and pepper. On a piece of parchment press mixture into any shape, but 1/4-inch/5 mm thick. Slide parchment paper onto pizza stone (preheated) OR centre rack of 375°F/190°C oven; bake for 20 minutes.
2. Carefully slide crust out of oven; top with another parchment paper; lift both parchments and flip over; peel off top parchment. Apply your toppings and bake an additional 15-20 min at 400C.

Skillet Pizza:
2 cups gluten-free flour
2 Tbsp starch (corn, rice or arrowroot)
2 tsp Baking powder
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Add water (start with 1 cup) until you form a dough ball. Divide into 2 smaller dough balls and let sit 5 min. Heat a skillet (non-stick or cast iron). Add 1 tsp olive oil. Roll out one dough ball onto parchment into circle. Flip the dough into the hot pan (peel off parchment). Cook for about 4 min. per side (until light golden brown). Repeat with next dough ball. Apply toppings and bake 15-20 min at 400C

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

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
We're On Facebook!

Throwing together a (CLEAN) meal!

My next few posts will be mostly food related with pictures and recipes of meals we've made recently that have been great enough to share! Sometimes I wonder why i'm grabbing my camera every time I put a dish together, but I'm realizing that I'm inspired by food, cooking and clean eating. This should be a cornerstone for good health for everyone, and that is why my Naturopathic blog sometimes feels like a food blog - it's THAT important!! Food create a hormonal and chemical cascade in out bodies, and when the diet is off, so is everything else! Your best assurance at good health is eating simple, REAL foods at least 80% of the time! Find out what will motivate you to get back into the kitchen, try new recipes, and challenge yourself to make it healthier! For me, I surround myself by people and resources that have the same passion about Clean Eating as I do - a simple strategy is to follow those people on Facebook or Blogs - each day when I open my page I'm flooded with great new ideas and recipes that I'm excited to try.

Ok, so the last week or so we've been really diligent with cleaning up our diets and incorporating a little 'detox' as spring arrives! One of the wonderful benefits of tackling a cleanse is that you are forced to explore new foods and create new recipes with ingredients you may otherwise not have tried. Here's one sample dinner that we made earlier in the week:

Brown and Wild Rice with a little coconut oil and peas

A simple avocado and tomato salad topped with chopped onion, lemon juice and salt and pepper - Delicious!

Stirfry - saute a diced onion and red pepper in Olive Oil until soft and translucent. Add baby bok choy and white navy beans, salt and pepper. Saute until bok choy wilts (3-4 min). Grate 2-3 cloves garlic into the pan and heat through. Serve with the rice and side of avocado/tomato salad.

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

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
We're On Facebook!

Cauliflower Bake Using 'Cashew Cheese'

Cauliflower subs in for pasta in this satisfyingly filling main. This delicious healthy paelo alternative to traditional cream sauce is perfect for dairy-free, gluten-free diets. This is such a comfort meal that the whole family will love, and it really tastes 'cheesy'. If you've never tried making a cashew 'cheese' sauce, this recipe is a must!

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup  (150 mL)  raw cashews
• 1 cup  (150 mL)  Broth OR water
• 2 tbsp  (30 mL)  Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp  (2 mL)  smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp  (2 mL)  pepper 
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 clove  garlic
• 3 cup  (750 mL)  chopped cauliflower florets, blanched
• 1/2 cup  (125 mL)  chopped parsley, plus 2 tbsp (30 mL), loosely packed

Preparation

1. Soak cashews in broth for 1 hour. In blender, combine with mustard,  paprika, salt & pepper and garlic and blend to a fine creamy consistency. Scrape mixture into large bowl.
2. In large pot of boiling water, lightly blanch cauliflower for 3-4 minute; drain and toss with sauce and 1/2 cup/125 mL of the parsley.
3. Scrape into a 9-inch/23 cm ovenproof skillet or square baking dish. Bake in 375°F/190°C oven for 30 minutes or until bubbling. Garnish with remaining parsley

You can always add a little sauteed sausage, chicken or bacon and serve it as a meal, or keep as is and serve as a side dish! Enjoy.

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

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
We're On Facebook!

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
We're On Facebook!

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
We're On Facebook!

Birthday Cake alternative!

We celebrated my father's birthday this past week, and I wanted to surprise him with something tasty and healthy (he is one of the healthiest eaters  I know). So I made one cake entirely out of fruit (the 3 tiers are cut out of watermelon, and then decorated with fruit inserted onto toothpicks, and several skewers of fruit stuck into the top tier). It turned out beautifully. This is true clean eating, and would pass the 'naturopathic' stamp of approval!

I also made another 'real' cake, but I made it egg-free because my dad has a sensitivity to egg. I decorated it with dark chocolate and chocolate covered strawberries, which is still decent in terms of health concerns yet fairly indulgent!

They were both yummy, and it was interesting how the kids loved picking apart the fruit cake!

I think this type of cake makes a nice gift for any occasion, and is nice to bring to BBQ's!

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

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
We're On Facebook!

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.
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!

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!

Mung Bean Soup

Yesterday I winged a mung bean soup (adapted from Delicious Detox) because i didn't have all the ingredients necessary for the exact recipe. It turned out great. A note about Mung beans - because they're small, they're more digestable.
Ingredients:
3 cups mung beans
2 medium onions
3 stalks celery
2 carrots
3 cloves garlic
1 large sweet potato diced
water
oregano, basil, bay leaf, salt and pepper and Bragg's liquid seasoning to taste

Soak your mung beans in hot water for 3 hrs, rinse and strain. In a large pot use a little olive oil to sautee the onion, celery, garlic and spices. After a few minutes add the mung beans, sweet potato and enough water to cover the whole soup by about 3 inches (the mung beans expand). simmer for 30-40 min, puree with a hand blender and adjust the seasonings to taste.
I served mine with a dash of tobasco and a spoonful of my plain home-made yogurt. Yummy!

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.

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