All posts tagged: featured

Chocolate Pecan Coconut Overnight Oats

This Chocolate Pecan Coconut Overnight Oats recipe is my favorite that I have come up with so far during my new overnight oat obsession. The flavors are inspired by those chocolate-coconut candy bars that I used to love as a kid, but made with pure healthy ingredients that make it a deliciously nutritious way to start the day. I love that it really fills you up and satisfies any morning sweet tooth. Since it has a great balance of whole-grain carbohydrates, plant proteins, and healthy fats it keeps you feeling strong and energized all morning! It takes only a couple of minutes to throw together at night and in the morning you have a nutty, chocolatey breakfast to enjoy at home or on the run. These chocolate pecan overnight oats are great fuel for a workout and also make a fabulous healthy snack or dessert. They keep a few days in the fridge so it’s nice to double or triple the recipe so you have them ready to enjoy anytime. Chocolate Pecan Coconut Overnight Oats Ingredients: Serves 1 1/4 …

Hearty Spanish White Bean and Vegetable Stew

Published by Jacqueline King

This hearty, spicy dish is inspired by a traditional Spanish stew called Fabada. It has all of the warm, comforting flavors of the original, but with an extra helping of veggies and plant-based meaty goodness in place of pork sausage and bacon. This recipe is perfect… comfort food on a cold winter’s night. to feed a group without breaking the bank. to serve to people who think a meal is not complete without meat. This will change their minds! when you want a filling, replenishing meal after a workout. Nutritional Highlights: The beans, soyrizo, and seitan bacon make this a very protein rich dish with all of the essential amino acids. Studies have shown that plant protein can be more filling and satiating than meat sources. One teaspoon of paprika has 37 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin A which can help protect your eyes bright and your skin clear. Beans are considered heart healthy because they contain an abundance of soluble fiber, which can lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels when you make …

6 Easy Veggie Swaps to Cut Calories and Boost Nutrition

10 Easy Veggie Swaps to Cut Calories and Boost Nutrition

Published by Jacqueline King

We know by now that eating a diet rich in vegetables is good for our health, our mood and even our looks. Here’s a list of the veggie swaps you can make to get more of them into your meals while lightening up on calories. If you’re worried about feeling deprived, don’t. Because they’re so nutritionally dense, you may actually fuller with the veggie versions! 1. Instead of Flour Tortillas use Collard Greens- Swap out the refined flour for a crunchy collard greens next time you make a wrap and save over 100 calories while getting the anti-inflammatory benefits of vitamin K and omega-3 fatty acids. How-to: Cut off the thick stem and carefully slice the rib so that it is flush to the leaf. That way it won’t break when you roll it up. Remember to always cut with the knife cutting away from your hand to avoid accidents. Add your filling in the center of the leaf, perpendicular to the stem, then fold in the sides and roll it up like a burrito. Try a …

Food for Thought- A New Kind of New Year’s Resolution

Published by Jacqueline King

I had trouble deciding on a New Year’s resolution this year. I couldn’t really come up with anything that felt right. After a year of very clean living throughout my pregnancy and into the first couple of months of motherhood, I didn’t have any major vices to give up. More generic resolutions like “be kinder” didn’t feel proactive enough. After racking my brain I decided to stop thinking about it and trust that the right idea would eventually reveal itself. Finally on New Year’s Eve my yoga teacher casually threw out a little gem at the end of class, somewhere between “drink lots of water today” and “namaste”. I knew right then I had found an ideal mantra for the new year… What I love about it is rather than thinking of giving something up or framing things in the context of deprivation, this message encourages us to place value on the things that feed our growth, health and well-being. Let’s face it, sometimes we get attached to things that aren’t necessarily the best for …

Merry Mulled Wine – It’s a Holiday Party in a Glass!

Published by Jacqueline King

Mulled wine is my favorite drink to serve around the holidays. I love the way the smell hits you right when you walk in the door. It reminds me of a winter I spent in England where at every household I was greeted with a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie throughout the whole of December. This is perfect… for parties. You can make a few batches and let people serve themselves. When you want the whole house to smell like the holidays. when you want a warm and delicious drink on a cold winters night. to drink while tree trimming, decorating or baking cookies with friends. Merry Mulled Wine Ingredients: 12 Glasses 3 tangerines 1 medium Lemon 3/4 cup Agave Syrup 1 Cinnamon stick + more for garnish 1 tsp ground Cinnamon 3 fresh Bay Leaves 1 whole Nutmeg 6 whole Cloves 1 whole Vanilla Bean, halved 2 bottles of Chianti, or other medium bodied red wine 2 star anise 1. Peel the tangerines and lemon using a vegetable peeler and add …

Fig and Almond Butter Mousse Pie with Sesame-Oat Crust

Fall Fruit and Almond Butter Mousse Pie with Sesame-Oat Cookie Crust

Published by Jacqueline King

This luscious Almond Butter Mousse Pie is made with simple ingredients and is the perfect way to showcase fresh fall fruit. The base is a delicious savory crust flavored with sesame seeds and fragrant rosemary. The rich and creamy filling is made with almond butter, coconut cream, maple syrup and a touch of plain yogurt to balance the sweetness. It’s all topped off with your favorite seasonal fruit. I’ve made it using plums, figs, and persimmons and each was wonderful. This recipe is perfect… for Thanksgiving or any dinner party. You can bake the crust and make the mousse ahead of time and assemble it on the day. to feed a crowd. The filling is very rich and satisfying so a small slice per person will do. when you want a decadent tasting dessert, but want to use wholesome ingredients that also happen to be vegan. When you want to serve a dessert that is as beautiful as it is delicious. Nutritional Highlights: Any raw fruit you choose will be rich in vitamins, minerals and …

Quick Pan-Seared Branzino with Artichoke Hearts and Lemon-Herb Sauce

Real Food Fast: Pan-Seared Branzino with Artichoke Hearts and Lemon-Herb Sauce

Published by Jacqueline King

When I was a kid, a quick seafood dinner meant fish sticks with tartar sauce. While I’m sure my mom had the best of intentions when pulling the frozen minced fish logs from their packets, (“eat it, it’s good for you!” she’d say) it’s no wonder I grew up thinking I hated fish. It wasn’t until I travelled to italy as an adult (if you can call an 18-year-old an adult?) and tried their simple preparations of white fish that I found out it could be so much more than those mushy breaded sticks of my youth. One of the most popular fish on Italian menus is Branzino, a type of European sea bass with a delicate flavor and firm, flaky texture. It has become one of my favorite fish to prepare thanks to it’s versatility and light, almost sweet taste. Here it’s paired with savory artichoke hearts and a bright, lemony herb sauce. While this recipe is significantly more delicious than fish sticks, you’ll be surprised to find that it’s just as quick and easy to …

Lemon-Thyme Blackberry Crumble

Published by Jacqueline King

Blackberries are just so delicious in the summer and they’re even better when baked with a crunchy crumble topping. This recipe adds a touch of maple sweetness to the berries without covering up their natural goodness with piles of white sugar. A little lemon adds brightness and the thyme gives it a subtle herbal flavor that makes it a step above your ordinary crumble. It took several attempts to get it just right, but the result is well worth it! A sweet-tart filling that is just the right consistency, not too watery or too thick and jammy, and a delicious topping made with ingredients you can feel good about like oats, almonds, and coconut oil. The key is cooking it partway on the stovetop to allow some of the berries to release their liquid. This is wonderful for breakfast topped with coconut yogurt, but in my humble opinion even better as dessert served with your favorite vanilla ice cream (mine is Vanilla NadaMoo!). Make it for your next BBQ or family gathering and trust me, you will put …

Cooking School: How to Make Delicious Oven Roasted Vegetables

Published by Jacqueline King

Roasting in the oven is the easiest way to make the most out of any vegetable. It’s my favorite way to cook veggies for many reasons: It brings out natural sweetness in vegetables giving them a caramelized exterior while keeping the inside moist and tender. It’s versatile, you can use whatever produce is in season at the market. Roasting is the perfect technique for batch cooking or feeding a crowd. Since you cook on a sheet pan, you can make a large quantity all at once. That means you can turn on your oven once, cook up a couple different types of veggies and have them ready to go in the fridge for the rest of the week. (3-5 days) You can roast without a recipe. Every vegetable will be enhanced by the simple addition of olive oil, salt, pepper and a little time in a hot oven. That being said, roasting is a great opportunity to get creative with your favorite spices. Once you are comfortable with the basic technique, you can have fun experimenting …

Orange-Ginger Creamsicle Dream Smoothie

Published by Jacqueline King

This smoothie is so simple to make and ridiculously delicious! It tastes so good, you’ll think it must be bad for you, but actually it’s filled with fiber, vitamin C and a dose of healthy fats. Ginger is known to stimulate the metabolism, boost the immune system, and soothe the tummy, so it’s a wonderful thing to drink in first thing in the morning. The creamy orange flavor always brings me back to childhood and puts a smile on my face, which is a very nice way to start the day. Enjoy! Ingredients: 1-2 Servings 2 Navel Oranges, peeled and broken into segments 1 heaping tsp Ginger, chopped 1/4 cup Cashews, preferably soaked 2-4 hours 1 Medjool Date, pitted 6 Ice Cubes (about 2/3 cup) Blend everything except the ice until smooth in a high-speed blender*. Add ice and blend again. *If you don’t have a high-speed blender you can add 1/4 cup water to get the blades to turn, omit the fresh ginger and use a pinch of powdered ginger instead. The texture will …