Home late, don't feel like cooking- mainly because the a/c is out in our kitchen, but we need to eat, I'm Starving! 

Here is a super simple complete protein, vegetarian dish you can whip up in less time it takes for you to find your take away menus and call in your dinner for delivery.

Ingredients

½-1 cup frozen sweet corn (fresh is always better, but who has the time tonight!)

1 red onion, diced

1-2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 red pepper, diced

1 can organic black beans, rinsed and drained

1 ½ cups quinoa (you can use rice if you prefer)

1 lime, juiced

handful of coriander (cilantro), chopped

Method

• Sauté the corn in 1-2 tbsp coconut oil on medium high heat and season with chili powder, cumin and coriander until it begins to brown, about 2-3 mins. 

• Add the onion, garlic and red pepper and sauté another 2 mins. 

• Add the black beans and toss to heat. (note- do not cook black beans, just toss them in the mixture and turn off heat.)

• Remove from heat and add the cooked quinoa (or rice), lime juice and coriander and mix until all ingredients are combined.

This can be served warm or cold. I served mine with organic blue corn chips and avocado and it's my lunch again today. 

Enjoy!

Homemade Granola

Store bought granola can be expensive and contains added sugars, preservatives, artificial colors, and flavorings. 

Homemade granola is super easy to make and keeps for weeks without all of the added junk. This recipe makes a great snack or a healthy cereal to start off your day. 

Ingredients

4 cups raw Oats

¼ cup flour- I used oat flour to make these gluten free

½ cup shredded coconut

¼ cup coconut sugar* or brown or raw sugar

1 heaping tbsp raw cacao

1 tbsp ground flaxseeds (linseed)

1 tbsp chia seeds

½ tsp sea salt

½ cup coconut oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

¼ cup raw honey

Add ins

1 cup mini chocolate chips

1 cup dried fruit

1 cup chopped nuts (any variety)

1 cup seeds- I like pumpkin and sunflower
Sprinkle of spices- cloves, ginger and nutmeg for a holiday feel

Method

• Heat oven to 325F (200C)
• Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl, including any nuts or spices if using
• Add oil, vanilla and honey to dry ingredients 
• Mix ingredients together, you may need to get your hands in there to mix
• Pour granola mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper 
• Bake for approximately 30-40 mins
• Let cool slightly then crumble and store in airtight container. This will keep for at least two weeks. 

* If your following a low FODMAP diet, replace coconut sugar with ¼ cup brown sugar or ¼ cup raw sugar. Coconut sugar contains inulin and can trigger IBS symptoms.

Enjoy!

Chippies

These cookies are lower GI then your traditional cookie recipe. By using coconut sugar, wholemeal spelt flour and oatmeal you maintain more of the whole food, increasing the fiber content which aids in blood sugar control, unlike using processed white foods which are quickly converted into sugar and absorbed much faster into the body, increasing blood sugar. 

Ingredients 
200g (1 cup) butter

1 cup coconut sugar 

1-2 tbsp raw cacao powder
1 tbsp lucuma powder (optional)
2 tbsp flaxseed/lineseed (ground)

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups wholemeal spelt flour

2 cups oatmeal

1 tsp bi carb soda (baking soda)

2 cups dark chocolate chips

1 cup peanut butter chips 

Method

Preheat oven to 375F/180C

Cream the butter and sugar, than beat in eggs and vanilla. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until combined.  

Place small spoonful size cookie balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, this makes for an easy clean up. Cook for 8-10 minutes. Let cool slightly before devouring these cookies.

Enjoy!

Coconut sugar is a naturally low glycemic index food (GI35) and contains protein, potassium, magnesium, phosphorous, zinc and iron.

Wholemeal Spelt flour contains more fiber and less gluten than wholemeal (whole wheat) flour and is more tolerated in people who have gluten intolerance. Spelt is a good source of iron, potassium, zinc and B vitamins.

Oatmeal is another good source of fiber and aids in the control of blood sugar levels. Oats contain beta-glucan in the insoluble fiber. As beta-glucan is digested it forms a gel and causes the contents of the stomach and small intestines to become thick and sticky, in turn slowing carbohydrate digestion in the small intestines and absorption of sugars into the blood stream.

Raw Cacao is chocolate before its been processed. Unprocessed it is jam packed with antioxidants, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, iron and protein. This is a superfood that I add to all of my yummy treats, because I love chocolate!

Lucuma Powder is made from the Peruvian lucuma fruit and is a low glycemic sweetener that has a maple like taste. The powder contains many nutrients including beta-carotene, iron, zinc, vitamin B3, calcium and protein. I sometimes use this powder in replace of vanilla. 

Sun Dried Tomato and Artichoke Pasta

I always keep a jar of sun dried tomatoes and artichokes in my pantry which makes this dish my go to recipe when I need a quick meal, it can be prepared in the same time it takes to cook the pasta. I guess it's my version of 15 minute meals. 

1-2 cloves garlic, sliced or chopped

1 small red or white onion, sliced

1 red capsicum (red pepper), sliced

1 tsp chili flakes or 1 small red chili, chopped

1 small jar sun dried tomatoes, about 150-250g, sliced 

100-150g roasted artichoke hearts, quartered

2 cups fresh baby spinach

1 bag of whole wheat or brown rice pasta, spaghetti or angle hair

Cook noodles according to package directions.

Sauté garlic, onion, red capsicum and chili in 1 tbsp coconut oil on medium to medium high heat, about 1-2 minutes or until you can begin smelling the aromas of the garlic and onion. 

Add sun dried tomatoes and artichoke hearts and sauté another 1-2 minutes, just long enough to heat through. 

Add fresh spinach, toss to coat then turn off heat. 

Serve over pasta.

Note- if your not using sun dried tomatoes or artichokes marinated in oil, you will need to add olive oil after adding the spinach and turning off heat. Alternatively, you could add 1-2 tbsp more of coconut oil while cooking

Raw Chocolate Balls

Paleo friendly, gluten and dairy free, my kids love these! These tasty little treats are packed with good healthy fats, protein, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals and totally guilt free. Be careful, they are addicting. 

½ cup coconut oil

¼ cup cacao butter
¼ almond butter

2 tbsp raw honey

2 heaping tbsp raw cacao

1 tbsp lucuma powder (optional)

1 tbsp ground flaxseed or whole chia seeds

½ cup coconut sugar

2- 2 ½ cups almond meal

2 cups raw oatmeal

• Melt cacao butter. 
• Mix coconut oil, melted cacao butter, almond butter raw honey and raw cacao until well blended. 
• Add in remaining ingredients until combined, mixture will be crumbly.
• Take about a ¼ cup of the mixture and form balls, place on a tray lined with parchment paper and put in refrigerator to set, about 1-2 hours.  

Enjoy!

Sesame Ginger Miso Coleslaw

This is my new favorite salad! It's a nice twist to your usual coleslaw. smile emoticon

Ingredients
½ head of green cabbage, chopped
¼ head of red/purple cabbage, chopped
2 carrots, shredded
1 zucchini, shredded
¼ cup sesame seeds, optional
¼ cup pumpkin and sunflower seed mix, optional

Dressing
Sesame Ginger Miso Dressing
(adapted from Savory Sweet Life)

⅓ cup rice vinegar
¼ cup coconut or sunflower oil
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp raw honey
1 tbsp miso paste
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1-2” pice ginger, peeled
1 large garlic clove

Method
Add green and red/purple cabbages, carrots and zucchini into a bowl and toss to mix.

Make dressing by adding all ingredients in a NutriBullet or blender and blend until smooth and creamy.Pour dressing onto salad mixture and toss to coat.Top with sesame, pumpkin and sunflower seeds.

Enjoy!

Dressing can be used on salads, pastas or as a marinade and will keep for at least one week in the refrigerator.

Quinoa Summer Salad

This is one of the simplest salads to make, the hardest part is seeding the pomegranate! 

1 cup uncooked quinoa

2-3 small cucumbers, chopped

1 small red onion, chopped

1-2 lemons, juice

2 small pomegranates, seeded

2 handfuls of spinach, chopped
¼ cup chopped coriander/cilantro 

½ cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook Quinoa according to package directions.  

Add chopped cucumber, onion and lemon juice into a mixing bowl and toss with salt and pepper.  Once Quinoa is cooled add the remaining ingredients into the cucumber and onion and toss to coat and Enjoy!