Taylor's Starter How-to on Paleo

So you want to go Paleo my friends?
I'm telling you, it's no easy feat. I thought gluten free was hard. But this is HARDER. This is not for the weak of heart. BUT, if you are super determined, and think you can do it, here is my guide and how-to on how to start. I'm only a couple weeks in, but I've discovered a couple good tricks to help you stay on track and actually enjoy yourself along the way.

First, what is Paleo? I'll give you the short and short of it.  Basically, it's like going back thousands of years to when humans were basically cave men, and ate like cave men. They would eat whatever was available to them- meat, fruit, nuts,  and veggies. All natural, straight from the earth. This is what Paleo is- no refined, processed bullshit. You want to be eating things that only have one or two ingredients in them- when you pick up something off the shelf, take a look at the ingredients. Does it have over 10 ingredients? Are at least 3 of these ingredients things you can't pronounce or you don't even know what they are? Well put that item down, it's not Paleo.

Alright, so far Paleo isn't sounding fun. So let's get the REALLY un-fun stuff out of the way, that way we can start talking about all the good stuff. Alright, here goes, all the food you can't eat:
- Grains. And I mean any kinds of grains- not just bread and pasta, but no rice either. Yah, I know some of you are crying right now
- Legumes. This means beans like black beans, kidney beans, chick peas AND peanuts/peanut butter etc. Yes, I know this double sucks. It was really hard for me to let go. I cried at the funeral of my peanut butter. 
- Refined sugars. The sugar you put in your morning coffee? The Chips-Ahoy cookies you love? Candy-canes and Gummie Bears? All no's. 
- *Dairy products. I put a star beside this one because some Paleo-dieters DO eat dairy. It is up to you to decide if you can live without dairy. Just remember, no other animal but humans drink milk except when they're babies from their mothers. Milk is not really a necessity for the human body. But it is up to you!

Okay, so that was a bit painful, wasn't it? I know. But trust me, it gets better, it really does. Why don't I comfort you with the things you can eat? Paleo foods include:
- Fruits and veggies. Fruit, dried fruit, green vegetables, orange vegetables, frozen vegetables.... anything that comes from the ground, off a tree or bush is accepted. These are your main source of carbs in this diet. They are complete carbs, fill you up, and do wonders for your body. And they taste amazing. So that's a total bonus. And guess what? You can eat as much of these as you want on Paleo.
- Meat. Literally any kind of meat. Chicken, fish, beef, pork, shrimp...if it's an animal, you can eat it. Everyone is always so concerned about the high fat content in beef and pork, but the fact of the matter is, your body NEEDS fat. And this is good fat, so enjoy as much of it as you want.
- Natural sugars. This includes fruit. But it also means you're not completely giving up sugar- you can have honey! And I am telling you now that nothing tastes better than a cup of tea with honey and almond milk in it. Which brings me to the next food...
- Nuts. Almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds, pecans, etc, etc the list goes on. Nuts are high calorie, so people tend to stay away from them. But nuts are necessary! They are full of protein you need, and in moderation, are so good for you. And this means you have a replacement for your beloved peanut butter- almond butter. SO. FUCKING. GOOD.
- Spices. Like flavouring in your food? Who doesn't! You can keep your garlic, coriander, paprika, chilli powder, cinnamon, vanilla extract, etc. All allowed!
- Sweet potatoes and quinoa. You know how much I love sweet potato so I was STOKED I could still eat it.

See? Feel a little better now? And you don't have to give up baked goods either! Theres almond and coconut flour, which make great substitutes in baking, once you learn how to use them. And there is so many Paleo recipes out there to help you out- I'll posting lots :)

So. The real question is, how do you go Paleo? And how do you STAY Paleo? Well, here are a few tricks for me that have worked so far:
- try not to eliminate all the no no foods at once. Do one at a time. One week eliminate grains, the next week eliminate legumes, the next week refined sugars, etc. By letting go of one thing at a time, it won't feel like total torture. I was able to go cold turkey on grains, sugars, and legumes. But I had to ween myself off of dairy... I love cheese and greek yogurt. Wahhhh. So one at a time.
- Don't have non-Paleo foods lurking around your house. Trust me, after two days, you're going to want a cookie so bad, and if you have some hidden away in your cupboards and closets, you are going to eat them. Give your food away to food banks, to friends if you feel like it's a waste to throw it out! But don't keep it. Too much temptation.
- when you are craving those foods, don't sit there and do nothing. Have a glass of water, make a yummy cup of tea with honey, munch on ANY veggie/fruit you like, go for a run, go for a walk: do something to distract yourself. Your body will stop craving these things in about two weeks once you're completely cold turkey, and then it will come much easier. ]
- you did a rally hard work out? You had a really bad day at work? This is not an excuse to go binge eat on chocolate because "you deserve it". Do something nice for yourself- a hot bath, a movie night, or some Paleo baking....but don't comfort or reward eat. You don't deserve it after all the hard work you are putting into Paleo.
- don't beat yourself up when you do fail or cheat one day. We're not perfect, it happens, and it's okay. Recognize what you did wrong, so that you can stop yourself next time
- allow yourself a cheat day or meal. Some people like to do this once a week, others once a month, and some only on special occasions (like Christmas or thanksgiving). Gauge yourself, and see what works best for you. I like to allow myself a cheat meal bi-weekly. But once you're on the Paleo diet long, you'll come to stop missing old foods, and really enjoy what Paleo has to offer :) I promise!


That's all for now, except I'm attaching a picture of a yummmmmmy Paleo dinner I made tonight- grilled steak, steamed brussel sprouts and chopped tomatoes. If you have any questions, comments, or requests, message or comment! Happy eating!!! :)

PALEO Turkey Burger with Sweet Potato Buns

Paleo proves to be no easy task, especially when it comes to steering away from all grain products. So, combining my creativity, and paleo-okay foods, I devised a burger that we can eat! Honestly, I have to say these paleo burgers are better than those other burgers. Flavourful, healthy, and fully of protein and fats, this was the perfect post-work out dinner. 

For the sweet potato buns you will need:
1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced
2 tsp Garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
A sprinkle of dried onion flakes
Salt to taste

For the turkey burgers you will need:
(I personally prefer to buy my own, grass-fed ground turkey/beef, instead of buying pre-packaged, pre-made burgers. It is a much healthier option and it also means that you can add all your own spices and flavouring!
1 package of ground, grass-fed turkey
Paprika
Garlic powder
Parsley
Oregano
Salt
Pepper

Serves one

Prep: 
1. Put sweet potato into a pot of water, and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the sweet potato is soft (you can stick a fork or toothpick through it easily).
2. While sweet potato is cooking, remove you ground turkey from its package and on to a cutting board (its a good idea to limit the surfaces the raw turkey touches to prevent salmonella). Sprinkle as much paprika, garlic powder, parsley, oregano, and salt +pepper as desired on top of meat. Then, mash the meat and spices all together with a fork or bare hands until mixed well.
3. Make the spiced ground turkey into a burger shape. Place one aside and freeze the rest (you can save these burgers for a future dinner!).
4. Preheat oven to 325F
5. Once your sweet potatoes are cooked, put them on a plate, add spices, and mash the mixture together. The finished product should look like mash potatoes.
6. Form the mashed potatoes into round burger  bun shapes, and place them on a parchment paper covered tray. Put in the oven and bake for 45 mins.
7. When the buns have 20 mins left to cook, grill or fry your burger (I prefer grilling).
8. Remove buns from oven (will still be soft and fall apart easily, so careful moving them around), and combine with your burger!

As toppings, I liked to use tomatoes, mashed avocado, and cilantro- some of my favourite veggies, and they make up for the cheese that I normally like on a burger. Enjoy!

Poached Eggs How-To

So I've never had poached eggs before, but I've always thought they look so pretty. They also are a better way to cook your breakfast eggs- no added butter or fats in the process of cooking them! I loved them :)

You will need:

1 egg (or as many as desired)

Sprink of paprika, salt, and peppeer

Prep:

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer.

2. Crack an egg into a ladle, and slowly lower the egg into the hot water.

3. Allow the egg to cook in the water until it is completely cooked. Use a spoon to gather the white together with the egg- it likes to float around alot in the water.

4. Remove egg from water with a spoon, and add paprika salt and pepper for some flavor (they're my favorites for any egg dish!). I served with some sliced bell peppers, but they would go just as well with toast.

Christmas Baking: Cadbury Creme Eggs

Alright, I know these are considered more of an Easter treat. But my friend Anne-Marie absolutely adores these things, and I thought it would be a great gift to include in her secret Santa gift this year. She was very surprised, and absolutely loved them! Better than the originals, if I do say so myself. Warning: these are definitely not healthy, but everyone is allowed a treat once and awhile. Also: these were not easy to make. Took me a whole morning because they are so meticulous! So make sure you book a few hours off if you want to take this project on.

You will need:

½ cup corn syrup

6 tbsp butter, melted

½ tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

3 cup powdered sugar

4 or 5 drops of yellow food coloring

1 bag of bitter sweet chocolate chips

Prep:

1. Place the butter in the bowl  and add the corn syrup, salt, and vanilla extract. Using an electric beater, mix on medium-low. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure everything is mixed well. Turn the mixer to low and slowly add the powdered sugar. 

2. Place 1/3 of the mixture into a small bowl and add enough yellow food coloring to obtain your desired color. Cover both bowls with plastic wrap and put into the freezer for at least 15 minutes; your mixture must be very cold while you work with it. 

3. When the yellow sugar mixture is thoroughly chilled, remove from the freezer. Working quickly, take about 1/2 teaspoon of the yellow mixture and roll it into a small ball. Repeat with the rest of the mixture.Once the yolks are complete, place them on a plate or a sheet tray covered with parchment and then put that back into the freezer.

4. Now, scoop out a tablespoon of your whites mixture and roll it into slightly bigger balls. Repeat with the rest of the white portion of the sugar mixture. If the whites are too soft to work with, place back into the freezer for a few minutes.

5. Remove the yolks from the freezer. Place a white in the palm of your hand and gently flatten it a bit. Create an indent in the center to rest the yolk in. Place the yolk in the center of the white, then cover it up and roll the white into an egg shape. If at any point the sugar mixture gets too soft, quickly put it back into the freezer.

Continue this process until all your eggs are complete. Return them to the freezer.

6. While your eggs are chilling, temper your chocolate or microwave it in 30 second intervals, stirring very well in between. 

7.Working with one egg at a time, remove the egg from the freezer and cover it with chocolate. I ended up dipping the balls into the chocolate and spreading it with my fingers, but you can also get the same effect by sticking a toothpick in a ball, and then the ball in the mixture. Once covered with chocolate, place the the ball on a parchment-covered tray.

8. When all the balls are covered in chocolate, place tray in the freezer to set the chocolate, for about 20 mins. Keep the eggs in the refrigerator so that they hold their shape!

9. When serving, take them out of the fridge 20-30 mins ahead of time so they are a bit soft. Enjoy!!!

Christmas Baking: Shortbread cookies

It's December which means baking! And lots of it. 
Being a student, it's hard for me to afford presents for all my loved ones. So I try to make up for it with some Christmas treats. Anyone remember warm shortbread, fresh out of the oven from grandmas? I recreated the recipe for you to try- only 4 ingredients, and your family will love them!
Unfortunately, I can't eat them because they aren't Paleo :( so you will have to let me know how they taste! My friends only have good things to say so far!

You will need:
1 cup of melted butter
1/2 cup of confectioners sugar
1/4 cup of corn starch 
1 and 1/2 cups of white flour
***Optional: colour candied sugar, icing

Prep:
1. Preheat oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. With beaters, blend together butter while slowly adding the rest of the ingredients.
3. Now here's the fun part. You can either:
a) Place the dough by spoonfuls on to the cooking sheet
b) OR you can use cookie cutters. I have an assorted bunch for every holiday/season of the year, so I use them any chance that I get to use them. Cut cookies into desired shapes and place on tray, evenly spaced apart. If adding candied sugar, make sure to sprinkle on the cookies before putting them in the oven.

4. Put in oven for 12 minutes, or until edges turn a VERY light brown. If desired, when they are cooled, you can decorate them with icing! Enjoy with a big glass of milk and this lovely Christmas playlist:
http://8tracks.com/alex4601/christmas-classics

PALEO Almond crusted baked chicken fingers

Okay, so I love chicken fingers. Who can resist those yummy chicken tenders at Wendy's, am I right?
Unfortunately, these things are absolutely awful for you. Fried and full of empty calories. I can't even be sure if they use real chicken...
SO! I am proposing a new recipe. I've recently gone Paleo (and when I say recently, I mean 5-days ago recently), so I've been trying to come up with all sorts of new ways to make food taste good. Gluten-free seems easy to Paleo- absolutely noooo grains (not even my beloved oatmeal) is allowed. 
BUT lots of protein and veggies are allowed. So here is where I came up with this protein-infused, paleo-friendly dinner! Hope you enjoy nearly as much as I did :)

You will need:
3/4 teaspoon of paprika
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon of dried/powdered mustard
1/2 cup of sliced almonds
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon of olive oil
PAM
2 egg whites
2 chicken breasts

Serves two.

Prep:
1. First, cut the chicken breasts into strips. It helps the chicken cook faster and then when they're done, they'll slightly resemble your beloved Wendy's chicken tenders. Preheat oven to 475F, and line a baking sheet with tin foil. Set a wire rack on the baking sheet and spray it with PAM 
2. In a blender or food processor, grind your almonds, spice and salt and pepper. Once a grainy texture, add the oil and blend again until grainy/clumpy. Put this mixture in a shallow dish
3. Beat egg whites in a small bowl, and then add the chicken into bowl and mix until chicken is completely dowsed in egg whites
4. Take each strip out, and roll in the almond mixture. Then place on you wire rack and place in the oven. It should look like this:

5. Bake for 20 minutes, 25 tops- only until they are no longer pink in the middle and have a nice golden brown colour. Serve with a heaping, steaming plate of veggies (my personal favourite is lemon asparagus and green beans) and enjoy!

Cooked Veggies on Couscous (vegetarian!)

Simple, yummy, and meat free (for all you vegetarians!), this dish is a perfect post-work out dinner. It's packed with protein, and who doesn't love couscous?

You will need:

1/2 cup of water

1/2 cup of couscous

1 tbsp of lemon juice

1/2 sweet potato, peeled and diced

1/2 red pepper

1/2 yellow pepper

1 small zucchini

1 handful of mushrooms

1/2 cup of chickpeas

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 tsp rosemary

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup of crumble feta

1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro

Serves 2 (or so).

Prep:

1. Preheat oven to 450 F

2. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in couscous and lemon. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand until ready.

3. In a large bowl, toss together all vegetables, chickpeas, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Spread vegetable mixture in a large roasting pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Roast for about 25 minutes, stirring once or twice, until vegetables are tender.

4. To serve, combine hot vegetables, cooked couscous, feta cheese, and fresh cilantro in a large serving bowl and toss well. Enjoy!!!

Avocado Fried Egg

This is simple, really tasty breakfast, full of protein and all your essential fats. Mel was making it when I got back from the gym this morning and just the smell makes my mouth water!

You will need:
1 egg
1 avocado
Salt, pepper, paprika

Prep:
1. Take an avocado and cut it length-wise down the middle until it is split in two. Discard the seed, and slice the avocado once more so that it is divided into two or three length-wise sections.
2. Cut a small hole in the middle of one of the sections.
3. Melt butter (or use PAM) on a pan over medium heat. Place the slice of avocado on the pan, and then crack an egg into the hole. Cook until desired.
4. Add salt, pepper and paprika to taste, and serve with whole grain toast. I also like to use the extra avocado as avocado butter for my toast, simply by mashing it into a spread. So yummy! Enjoy!

Vegetarian Quinoa-stuffed peppers

Easy to make, absolutely delicious. I like to eat them with some brussel sprouts, but they are generally pretty filling on their own! They are full of flavour, and all the nutrients your body needs!

You will need:
2 peppers, assorted colours
1/3 cup of quinoa
2/3 cup of water
1/2 tsp of curry powder
1/2 tsp of cumin
1/2 tbsp of olive oil
5 or 6 small mushrooms
1 clove of garlic
1/4 cup of peas
1 cup of spinach
1/4 cup of crumbled feta
1 tbsp of lemon juice
Pepper to taste
1/4 cup of cilantro

Serves two.

Prep:
1. In a pot, bring the water and quinoa to a boil, and then add cumin and curry powder. Turn the heat down to low, and let it simmer before taking it off the stove top.
2. Neatly cut the tops off of your peppers, and extract the seeds and innards. Discard the stem, but keep the tops and dice them.
3. Heat olive oil up in a pan, and mix in the diced pepper tops with garlic. Once these become soft, add the spinach, mushrooms, and peas. Cook until all vegetables are soft.

4. In a large mixing bowl, stir together your feta, lemon juice, cilantro and pepper. Then add your pan o veggies, and the quinoa. Mix well.

5. Preheat your oven to 375F. Scoop the quinoa-veggie mixture into your peppers. Placed stuffed peppers on cooking sheet covered in tin foil. Lightly cover the peppers with tin foil. Cook peppers or 40 minutes, removing the tin foil top from your peppers at approx 20 minutes.

Corn, Blackbean and Mango Salad

Lunch has always been a meal that I reserve for salads, it's really important to get your veggies. But that doesn't mean it has to be boring! This salad is delicious- zesty, sweet, and lots of protein as well. It is suppose to serve four, but Mel and I ate almost the entire salad ourselves for lunch! Try it, you won't regret it. 

You will need:

1 can (540 mL) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (398 mL) whole-kernel corn, drained
1 large mango, peeled and diced
1 cup chopped tomatoes of your preference
2 tbsp minced fresh cilantro
2 tbsp of lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
2 small avocados, diced

Serves four.

Prep:
1. All you do is put all of these wonderful ingredients in a bowl, and mix! 

Gluten-free white chocolate peanut butter blondies

We're all about our healthy food....but this recipe is definitely NOT good for you....but it is sooooooo good. I made these blondies for my friend Lisa for her birthday. She is on a gluten-free diet, and she also happens to be lactose intolerant. This recipe was a perfect substitution for a birthday cake. No dairy, no wheat, and absolutely delicious. I suggest eating them almost right after taking them out of the oven, the practically melt in your mouth. 

You will need:

1 bag of white chocolate chips

1 cup of butter

1 cup of brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 cup of peanut butter 

Pinch of salt

1 cup of ground almonds (if you have a nut allergy, you can substitute this for rice flour and it works just as well!)

1 tbsp of baking powder

Prep:

1. Preheat oven to 325. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a mixing bowl beat sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt.

3. In a saucepan over low heat, melt butter and chocolate chips and stir together. The butter will probably not be completely absorbed in to the chocolate, most of it will float on the top.

4. Add melted butter-chocolate mixture to the mixing bowl and mix well before adding peanut butter. 

5. Mix in ground almonds and baking powder.

6. Pour onto baking tray and place in oven for 25 to 30 mins. Serve with a glass of milk and enjoy!!!

Vegetarian Sweet Potato Soup with Orange and Ginger

Had I known Mel was going to make a sweet potato soup tonight as well, I would have waited to make mine! I basically had two dinners tonight because I couldn't resist trying. This soup is absolutely marvellous, thick and zesty, just packed with flavour. This one takes a little longer as far as prep goes, but it is totally worth it, and it makes alot (which means you can store away the leftovers in your fridge for a rainy day when you're too tired to be creative).

You will need:

6 cups sweet potatoes, peeled, cubed
1 and 1/2 cups onions, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove minced garlic
5 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon orange zest, grated
1 tablespoon ginger root, grated
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Prep:
1. Preheat oven to 425F
2. Spray a shallow roasting pan with non-stick spray. Add yams, onions, olive oil, and garlic and stir well. Roast, uncovered for 25 minutes. Stir once, halfway through cooking time.
3. Transfer mixture to a soup pot. Add broth, orange zest, ginger root, clove, cumin, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered for 10 minutes.
4. Transfer soup to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth- you may have to do this in batches- this is large recipe, so not all of it may fit in a small blender.

 

5. Put back in the pot to heat the soup back up again. Serve hot with a swirl of sour cream in the centre. Garnish with fresh cilantro- it's ridiculously good.

Vegetarian Sweet Potato Stew

Don't let the name decieve you, this isn't a really thick stew that will make you feel bloated and heavy after a few bites. I would identify with this as more a soup. This is by far one of the best soups I've ever tried. Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite foods on earth, so if you like sweet potatoes, you'll like this. Warm, sweet, and savoury, this soup has a surprising array of flavours and spices that will make your taste buds squeal with pleasure. And don't worry, there's no catch- this soup is very healthy! One bowl is only 250 calories, and its loaded with good veggies and protein. Try it! You won't be disappointed.

You will need:

2 tsp olive oil

1 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

3 cups water

3 cups peeled, cubed sweet potatoes 

1 can (540mL) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp grated ginger

1 tsp each ground cumin, curry powder, and chili powder

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tsp each peanut butter

Fresh cilantro

Serves for 6.

***TIP: Make sure you have all your ingredients out, chopped and prepared before you start cooking. I made a mistake of doing things as I went, and regretted it- I was rushing around making a mess of the kitchen! I was just too excited to start. But be prepared before you start putting things in the pan, don't make my mistake.

Prep:

1. Heat olive oil in large saucepan or pot over med-high heat. Add onions, celery, green pepper, and garlic. Cook and stir until vegetables begin to soften.

2. Add all remaining ingredients, (peanut butter and cilantro). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, about 20 minutes.

3. Stir in peanut butter and cilantro. Mix well. Simmer for 5 more minutes.

4. Serve hot and enjoy!

Tomato and Avocado Salad

Vegetables make you grow, or so they tell me. But they also lower blood pressure, decrease risk for heart disease, as well as packed with all the essential nutrients your body needs. Don't love your greens? Well here's a yummy salad I love that is always tasty and fresh.

You need:
1 avocado, sliced
1 small tomato, sliced 
Small handful of olives (5 or 6 olives)
1 tbsp of green onion, thinly slices
1 tbsp of cilantro
1 tbsp o balsamic vinaigrette 

Serves one.

Prep:
1. Simply mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and serve. Absolutely delicious, cilantro is the best part!

Gluten-free, protein pancakes

So this morning I was in the Christmas spirit because I had just recently bought some new Christmas themed cookie cutters. So I decided to get creative after my post-run breakfast and make protein pancakes with a twist! Unfortunately, not everything went as planned...I made a mess of the kitchen, the the shapes of the pancakes were mediocre at best. BUT this is still a tasty recipe. It's just what you need in the morning, especially after a work out. It is packed with protein and carbs to replenish your body, and it's gluten free! So celiacs (and gluten-free dieters), try this for size!

You will need:
1/2 cup of oats
1/2 cup of egg whites (or you can use two eggs, up to you!)
1 tsp of vanilla extract
1 tsp of baking powder
Cinnamon to taste

Prep:
1. Combine all the ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth. The oats are thick, so you may have to stick a spoon in once or twice to spread everything around before it become smooth and less grainy.
2. Put a pan on medium heat, and spray with PAM or cooking spray. Slowly pour mix on to pan. It will come out thick
3. Cook each side until it is a golden brown. It will kind of look a bit like a Cliff bar when it is finished.
4. Serve hot. I really like to eat them with greek yogurt and some berries- healthier option. But they go well with may other spreads- nutella, jam, and syrup! Enjoy :)

Olive and Provolone Stuffed Chicken

This recipe is absolutely fantastic! It is so warm in flavour, and who can resist the deliciousness of gooey cheese? A great meal to impress your significant other with (as long as they like olives)! Could make for a romantic evening ;)

You will need:

1/4 cup of shredded provolone cheese, preferably aged

1/4 cup of sliced and chopped olives of your choice (I prefer Kalamata-  but it's up to you!)

Pepper to taste

2 chicken breasts

1 large egg white

1/2 cup of Panko breadcrumbs

Sprinkle of salt

Olive oil

Serves two.

Prep:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a baking sheet with PAM

2. Mix the provolone, olives and pepper in a small bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, set aside the egg white. Then, combine the salt and breadcrumbs in a separate dish.

4. Cut a slit along the half of the chicken breast, without cutting it completely in half. Open the breast, and fill the breast with half of the cheese/olive mixture, and then old the breast back up. Do the same to the other breast.

5. Gently and carefully, dip the chicken in the egg white and then sprinkle in bread crumbs.

6. In a skillet, cook the chicken until browned on one side (about 4 to 6 minutes). Then place on the baking sheet on the opposite side, and bake the chicken for 20  minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink.

7. Serve with basmati rice, and some green beens!

The Hearty Chicken and Bean Soup

Winter is coming, and with it, some very cold days and nights. Don't have a significant other to cuddle up to and keep you warm? Well, what about a nice bowl of soup (and perhaps watching the Notebook half a dozen times)? This recipe is great because it is fills you up, warms you up, and is so good for you! It also makes alot: so make sure you have a very big pot, and some tupperware to store away in your freezer to take out on a rainy (or snowy and cold) day!

You will need:

2 cups of cooked, chopped chicken breasts

1 tbsp of olive oil

3 cloves of minced garlic

1 onion large, diced

1 cup of red lentils

1/2 cup of brown rice

16 cups chicken broth

1 cup of diced carrots

1 diced green pepper

2 cans canned diced tomatoes, 28 fl oz / 796 mL

19 oz of canned kidney beans, not drained

1 tsp of basil, dried

1/2 tsp of thyme, dried

1/2 tsp of oregano, dried

1/2 tsp of salt

Pepper to taste

1 cup of grated cheddar cheese

1 cup of fresh chopped parsley

Prep:

1. Heat oil over medium heat in large soup pot. Sauté diced onion and minced garlic until soft but not browned. 

2. Add lentils, rice and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 5-8 minutes.

3. Puree one can or half of the diced tomatoes. Add diced carrots, diced green pepper, diced and pureed tomatoes and the beans (with liquid) to soup. Cover and simmer about 45 minutes or until lentils and rice are cooked.

4. Stir in cooked, chopped chicken and season with basil, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper.

5. Ladle into bowls and serve with sprinkle of cheddar cheese and minced parsley.

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce

Looking for a yummy, filling, protein-infused breakfast, that you can eat guilt free? This pancake recipe is just for you. Filled with protein, these fluffy pancakes will give you enough energy to have you running all morning! And instead of sticky sweet syrup, there is even a special blueberry sauce topping- much healthier, and tastier!

For the blueberry sauce you will need:

• 2 cups of blueberries
• 1/4 cup of water
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• 2 tbsp of lemon juice
• 1-1/2 tsp of cornstarch

To make sauce, combine blueberries, water and sugar in a small pot. Heat over medium-high heat until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, uncovered, for about two minutes, until some of the blueberries begin to burst.
Combine lemon juice and cornstarch in a small bowl and mix well. Add to blueberry mixture. Cook and stir until sauce thickens, about 1 more minute. Remove from heat, cover and keep warm.

For the pancakes you will need:

• 1/3 cup of oat bran
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• 2 tsp of baking powder
• 1/2 tsp of baking soda
• 1/4 tsp of salt
• 1 cup of ricotta cheese
• 1/3 cup of 1% milk
• 1/4 cup of lemon juice
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp of melted butter
• 2 tsp of grated lemon zest
• 1 tsp of vanilla 

Prep:

1. Combine flour, oat bran, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Mix well. 
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together ricotta, milk, lemon juice, eggs, butter, lemon zest and vanilla. 

3. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir just until well mixed. Batter will be thick. Once mixed, immediately put on the griddle/pan.

4. Spoon batter by  onto preheated griddle that has been lightly coated with cooking spray. Gently spread batter to about five-inch diameter. Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes per side, until pancakes are light golden brown and cooked through. Be careful not to burn them. Serve hot, topped with blueberry sauce.

Serves for eight.