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28 02, 2023

Soup’s On

By Amy Sonnenberg|2023-02-28T16:24:32-05:00February 28th, 2023|Blog, Soup|0 Comments

There is something extra cozy about a hot bowl of soup on a cold day. It literally warms you from the inside out and can be a great way to get in extra produce when a salad just isn’t going to hit the spot.

The inspiration behind this recipe was a traditional potato chowder. Typical chowders use cream, flour and often animal fat of some sort to achieve a rich texture. This recipe is dairy free & flour free and by swapping out the potatoes for cauliflower, it is lower in carbs compared to a classic potato soup. While it may be missing some ingredients, flavour is not one of them!

Hearty Cauliflower Chowder Recipe

Ingredients

1 tbsp butter or avocado oil
1 medium cooking onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 head cauliflower, cut into bite sized pieces, or one bag frozen
6 cups organic low sodium veggie or chicken broth
4 carrots, peeled & cut into coins
2 ribs organic celery, diced
2 cups organic corn, frozen
1/4 c real bacon bits, cook ahead
1/2 c green onions, sliced
1/2 c shredded cheese (for dairy free option, try Daiya shreds)
hot sauce, optional

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a large soup pot. Sauté diced onion until translucent and almost caramelizing. Add minced garlic & sauté for another minute.
2. If using bouillon, prepare now according to directions and set aside. If using prepared broth, skip this step.
3. Add cauliflower, sea salt and broth to the pot. Bring to a boil and simmer until cauliflower is soft. If you have an electric pressure cooker, set the manual cook time to 12 minutes.
4. Using an immersion blender, puree the cauliflower, onions & garlic with the broth. Note: if you don’t have an immersion blender, a hand mixer in an over-sized pot will do. Just be careful not to splatter on yourself.
5. You now have a ‘chowder’ without the use of dairy, pork fat or flour to thicken. Add carrots, celery & corn. Bring to a boil & simmer for another 20 minutes or until veggies are softened. If you have an electric pressure cooker, set the manual cook time to 10 minutes.
6. Serve with bacon bits, shredded cheese & green onion. Need a little heat? Add some hot sauce.
7. Note: Want to up the nutrient level? Try adding a few handfuls of baby spinach or kale during the last 2 or 3 minutes of cooking.

14 02, 2023

Love is in the Air!

By Amy Sonnenberg|2023-02-14T14:43:51-05:00February 14th, 2023|Blog|0 Comments

Well, love is in the air. While romantic love seems to steal the spotlight at this time of the year, I suggest that showing ourselves some love in the way of taking good care of ourselves is something worth paying attention to. In addition to February hosting Valentine’s Day, it is also Heart Month. It is the perfect time to show our ticker a little extra love.

Heart Health Tips

Eat More of This:
- Complex Carbohydrates: vegetables – especially those leafy greens, fruit, and whole grains such as oats & brown rice
- Protein: beans and legumes, quinoa, chia seeds, eggs, and lean meat such as chicken or turkey. Keep red meat to a minimum and try to find grass-fed options.
- Healthy Fat: avocado, olive oil, fatty fish like salmon, lake trout, sardines, mackerel, raw nuts & seeds
- Fibre: leafy greens, apples, pears, raw nuts & seeds, prunes

And Less of That:
- Unhealthy fats: such as those in found in fast-food, deep-fried foods, crackers, and other packaged snacks
- Sugar: leads to weight gain and reduced immune function with white sugar and glucose-fructose being the worst offenders. Hit the reset button on sweetness in general. Use honey or maple syrup sparingly. Avoid the use of artificial sweeteners – let’s aim to minimize the chemicals we are eating.
- Refined flour as found in white bread, crackers, cakes, pies, and pastries. Stick to whole grains as much as possible.

Lifestyle:
- Make good quality sleep a priority
- Manage daily stressors in a way that is supportive to overall health – your body, your mind, and your soul.
- Get your body moving, even if it can only be for a little bit at first. Start small and build from there.
- Enjoy nature daily.
- Chat with your healthcare provider if you have any concerns or a family history of cardiovascular disease.

Photo by Rinck Content Studio on Unsplash

9 11, 2022

More of This, Less of That

By Amy Sonnenberg|2022-11-09T21:14:46-05:00November 9th, 2022|Blog, Snack|0 Comments

As North Americans, it feels as if we often have an all or nothing approach to many areas of our lives. This is very true in the world of healthy eating. We seem to find ourselves in a never-ending cycle of over indulging and then promptly forever swearing off of candy, chips, pizza, cookies, etc. The truth is that this method rarely works and if it does, it is usually with copious amounts of determination and only for short periods of time. It is actually just a “more of this, less of that” issue.

What if we starting looking at healthy eating a little differently? Let’s make a pact to erase the whole ‘good food,’ and ‘bad food,’ classification system that we have been using. While we are at it, let’s also forget about the whole guilt after eating thing. Let’s approach food with the knowledge that all food are options to be enjoyed. We can still acknowledge that food choices have varying levels of nutrient density and begin implementing strategies that make more room for more nutrient dense foods in your life. A little more of this and less of that, if you will.

One of my favourite strategies when working with clients is instead of banning certain foods, we make more nutrient dense choices a priority. We can still eat some chips, while at the same time are also actively looking for ways to increase our raw veggie intake too. For example, have one small bowl of chips paired with carrot sticks and hummus.

Think you drink too much coffee? Try drinking from a smaller mug and aim to add 2 extra glasses of water per day. Slowly but surely as you make room for healthier habits in your life, your tastebuds shift and you will find yourself skipping the chips every once in a while, and enjoying carrots & hummus on their own. Most often it is these smaller shifts in habits that set you up for long term success. My point is that eating nutritiously isn’t meant to be a punishment. It is actually a beautiful way to show yourself some love. What is one thing you can do today to fit in more nutrients to your daily diet?

Photo by Negar Mz on Unsplash

11 10, 2022

Adding more plants to your life

By Amy Sonnenberg|2022-10-11T10:46:52-04:00October 11th, 2022|Blog, Misc|0 Comments

It is entirely possible that when you read the title of this article, your brain immediately went to thinking about ferns and violets. While I do think that there is great value to adding more plants to your home, I am talking about adding more plants to your eating habits!

I find that during the warmer months, it is easy to eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables simply because they are in such great local abundance. It usually doesn’t take too much convincing to eat fresh strawberries or just harvested tomatoes. As we head into the cooler months though, our bodies tend to crave more cozy, hearty foods. Your leafy salad just doesn’t seem as exciting as it did mid-summer. While this does pose a bit of a challenge, I urge you to keep making plants a priority all year long. Keep reading for some quick and easy ways to get more produce into your fall & winter diet.

• Purchase frozen fruits and veggies. This is a quick and easy way to get more plants into your diet. This type of produce is picked at the peak of ripeness and flash frozen, so you can rely on great nutrient content. Add to that the fact that frozen produce often goes on sale, making it a very budget friendly way of eating.
• Add baby spinach and/or baby kale to your next soup, stew or curry. It is a simple way to increase the nutrient level on your favourite bowl of cozy.
• Try swapping regular pasta with spaghetti squash or spiralized zucchini noodles. Shredded carrots also make a great addition to pasta sauce.
• In place of rice, use cauliflower. Simply toss your cauliflower into the food processor until a rice like texture is achieved. This can also be done with a large knife & cutting board and can be a great stress reliever. Next, steam and use as you would rice as a side dish.

Wishing you well as you invite more plants into your life!

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash – more plants in your life

5 10, 2022

Happy Thanksgiving!

By Amy Sonnenberg|2022-10-05T11:01:11-04:00October 5th, 2022|Blog, Dessert|0 Comments

I am fairly certain that Thanksgiving is my most favourite family celebration of the year. Don’t get me wrong, I love celebrating all the other big events and they do hold a special place in my heart, but Thanksgiving is different.

At Thanksgiving, the expectations are, well, to be thankful. To be full of gratitude and focus on the blessings regardless of how big or small. There is no expectation of gift giving, 4 weeks of celebration and a full social calendar, secret admirers or a bunny hiding treasures for the kids. While I do enjoy those aspects of the other big occasions that our family celebrates, I like the easy breezy, be happy with what you’ve got of Thanksgiving. Oh, and while you are at it, be generous with others and empty your cupboards for the local food drive.

The big family meal around the table is pretty fantastic as well. As is our family tradition, we have a full Thanksgiving spread complete with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes & a variety of veggies. To end our meal, pumpkin pie with whipped cream is the tradition.

My favourite pumpkin pie in the whole wide world is my Mother-in-law’s treasured family recipe. I have to admit that I’ve only made it a time or two, because I am clever enough to leave it to the expert. I asked her if it would be okay to share it with you here and she graciously agreed. Wishing you and your loved ones a Thanksgiving full of the things that really matter – friends, family and a thankful heart.

Pumpkin Pie

½ Can Pumpkin Pie Filling
2 Eggs & 3/4 cup Milk (mix together)
½ cup Sugar
Pinch of Salt
Mix above and pour into unbaked pie shell
Sprinkle Cinnamon on top

Bake at 425° for 15 min.
Reduce heat to 350° for 30-40 min
(done when inserted knife comes out clean)

P.S. My pie rule is that for the first type of pie for the season, be it pumpkin, apple or rhubarb, everyone is entitled to double servings and enough pie is made to accommodate. After that, one serving of pie after a meal is plenty. Enjoy!

27 09, 2022

Something to Keep You Warm

By Amy Sonnenberg|2022-09-27T13:41:32-04:00September 27th, 2022|Blog, Entree, Soup|0 Comments

Right about now, we could all use a little extra cozy in our bowls! This recipe is so delicious and easy. There really isn’t much else to say, other than, enjoy! The cornmeal muffins are also worth the extra effort!

Mexican Beef Stew

1 medium onion, diced
2 lbs stewing beef
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, sliced & deseeded
1 yellow, red or green pepper, diced
3 sweet potatoes, cut into bite sized chunks
3 carrots, sliced into coins
1 c frozen corn
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chipotle powder
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
3 c beef stock

Pop all of the ingredients into your slow cooker & let it do its magic for the day.

If you have the time, spend a few extra minutes to do the following. Before adding ingredients to the slow cooker, caramelize the onion in 1 tbsp of avocado oil. Next add beef and brown slightly. Add in the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add all these juicy bits to your slow cooker as well as the remaining ingredients. If you have an electric pressure with a sauté function, you can do it all in one pot. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Serve with diced avocado, shredded cheese and cornmeal muffins.

Cornmeal Muffins

1 c organic cornmeal
1 c spelt or gluten free flour
1/4 c cane sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 egg, whisked
1/4 c butter or coconut oil, melted
1 c milk (unsweetened brown rice or almond milk works great too)

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder & sea salt. In a small bowl, whisk egg & milk together. Mix the wet & dry ingredients. Before everything is well mixed, add the melted butter or coconut oil. Note: adding it to the egg & milk mixture directly, will cause the oil to solidify. Bake for 18 – 20 minutes.

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

20 09, 2022

Pumpkin Spice Season Has Arrived!

By Amy Sonnenberg|2022-09-20T15:29:24-04:00September 20th, 2022|Beverage, Blog|0 Comments

It would seem that the season formerly known as Fall is now called Pumpkin Spice! I have to admit that I am one of those pumpkin spice loving fans! I have a hard time waiting for Thanksgiving for my first piece of pumpkin pie. Usually by the second week of September, pumpkin spice makes an appearance in my home. Whether it is muffins, pie, soup, or a hot cup of cozy, pumpkin spice is warmly welcomed by my taste buds.

Pumpkin spice is most often a blend of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. All of these spices have wonderful health properties. Cinnamon is known to add a natural sweetness to foods and help regulate blood sugar levels. It has anti-inflammatory properties and a source of antioxidants. Ginger helps with nausea, digestion and supports the immune system. Nutmeg can improve your breath, improve digestion as well as relieve insomnia due to its magnesium content. As you can see, these spices can in fact be supportive to our overall health.

Why not try making yourself some homemade pumpkin spice syrup to enjoy in your tea, coffee, oatmeal, or drizzle on yogurt or ice cream?

Pumpkin Spice

2 tbsp pumpkin spice
1/3 c maple syrup
1 c water

Whisk and heat on the stove until you have a gentle boil. Remove from heat. Store in a small glass jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

To make a latte, add 1 tbsp to your mug of tea or coffee with warmed milk. Use a milk frother to make it taste extra creamy.

Photo by Prchi Palwe on Unsplash

13 09, 2022

Marvelous Muffins

By Amy Sonnenberg|2022-09-13T23:34:08-04:00September 13th, 2022|Blog, Misc, Snack|0 Comments

Store bought muffins have a long list of ingredients, many of which are things that aren’t commonly found in your own kitchen.

I remember a time when first married that even the idea of baking muffins in my own kitchen seemed like a mountainous task. I wasn’t sure where to start and relied on prepackaged muffin mixes to help me along. As I enjoyed success using these packages, I became more adventurous and started opening more of my recipe books that had begun to collect dust.

With trial and error, this banana muffin recipe was born. I can count on this recipe to bring me delicious results every single time. Skip the grocery store variety and enjoy the satisfaction of a job well done with your own homemade morsels.

Banana Muffins

4-5 ripe bananas
1/3 c coconut oil, melted
½ c raw sugar
1 free range egg, whisked
½ tsp vanilla
1½ c spelt, gluten free or whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
¼ c flax, ground
½ c chocolate chips, pecan or walnut pieces or dried cranberries
¼ c raw pumpkin seeds to sprinkle on top of muffins

Preheat oven to 375°F when using a stone muffin pan, 350°F for non-stick muffin pan. Mash bananas. Add sugar, egg & vanilla. In another medium sized mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry and stir in melted coconut oil. Add chocolate chips and give a quick stir. Divide evenly into 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Insert a cake tester to make sure they are baked through.

Photo by MICHAEL CHIARA on Unsplash

6 09, 2022

Soup’s On!

By Amy Sonnenberg|2022-09-06T22:55:57-04:00September 6th, 2022|Blog, Soup|0 Comments

I like to welcome the coolers days of September with big batches of homemade stews, curries or hearty soups. It is almost like a hug in a bowl. In our home, Sunday lunches are a big pot of something. The batch is big enough to feed us all one meal to enjoy together as well as having leftovers to enjoy for weekday lunches.

In addition to being delicious, stews, curries and soups are a great way to clean out the fridge from bits and pieces of this and that and reduce waste. I will often start with a base recipe and add extra veggies as I clear out the fridge from produce that doesn’t look as beautiful as the day I bought it, but still has great flavour and nutritional value.

I often fondly remember my husband’s grandmother, Oma, when in the kitchen. Oma had a remarkable way of almost making something from nothing. I remember unexpectedly stopping in for little visits and being invited to stay for lunch. Having already peeked in Oma & Opa’s fridge, probably when getting milk for tea, and there didn’t seem to be an abundance of food. It seemed enough for two people, but not for extra people who had surprised them with a visit. Somehow though, Oma always seemed to pull something delightfully delicious and no one left the table hungry. Oma also re-used milk bags, bread tags and incorporated what we might automatically think as waste, into recipes. Because of Oma, I know that adding a little dill pickle juice to your potato salad is magical. Oma was reducing, reusing and recycling before the blue bin was invented.

With this in mind, I would like to introduce you to my Butternut Squash Soup recipe. The beauty of this recipe is that it is delicious with surprisingly few ingredients. Don’t have any squash? No problem. Swap out squash for carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, or make it a combination. Cleaning out the fridge? Add in broccoli bits, diced red pepper, or whatever else inspires you.

Butternut Squash Soup

1 butternut squash
4 cups organic or homemade vegetable or chicken broth
1 small cooking onion
1 inch piece of ginger
1 clove garlic
½ lime, freshly squeezed
Sea salt to taste
1 can coconut organic milk
1 tbsp coconut oil

Wash & cut squash in half, remove seeds & place face down on a baking sheet in water. Bake at 375°F until soft. Allow to cool before trying to scoop squash out. Sauté onion in oil or butter until onion becomes transparent. Add minced garlic & chopped ginger. Sauté this for about a minute on medium heat. Remove from heat and add squash, coconut milk & broth. Season with sea salt. Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can allow soup to cool and blend in a regular blender. Just before serving, squeeze ½ lime into soup. This soup is great and you can swap out the squash for carrots, pumpkin or sweet potatoes. Enjoy!

Make life a little easier by purchasing cubed butternut squash. You can find this either in the fresh produce section or in the frozen aisle of grocery stores.

Photo by Cala on Unsplash

29 08, 2022

Simplifying Breakfast

By Amy Sonnenberg|2022-08-29T10:43:53-04:00August 29th, 2022|Blog, Breakfast|0 Comments

Many people have a complicated relationship with breakfast. I would consider myself one of those people as well. I like eating it, but I don’t like making it. Getting ready for the day is sometimes hard. And, while I think it is important to challenge ourselves to tackle hard things, breakfast doesn’t have to be one of those.

During the week, I need my breakfast to be reliable and predictable. I don’t want to put any extra thought or effort into this meal.

Top Tips for Breakfast Success

1. Keep it simple.
2. Pick two breakfast options to get you through the week. For example, eat the same thing on M,W & F and a different option of T&TH. Save weekend breakfasts for a little freestyling. The following week, switch up your options.
3. Make a list of breakfast foods you like. Stick to whole food & whole grain options as much as possible. Many packaged breakfast foods will fill you up temporarily, but are nothing more than a quick sugar rush that will have you looking for more an hour later.

Here is a list to get you started:

• Hard boiled eggs, tomato & avocado slices
• Avocado on whole or sprouted grain toast, drizzled with balsamic vinegar
• Egg muffins
• Yogurt, granola & berries
• Whole grain muffins, waffles or pancakes. Hint: Make a batch of any one of these on the weekend to use throughout your week. You can also freeze waffles or pancakes and pop them into the toaster as needed.

Egg Muffins

18 eggs
½ c water
Salt & pepper to taste

Possible add-ins: green onion, chopped bell peppers, sautéed mushrooms, grated cheese, diced ham. About 2 tbsp of add-ins per muffin cup.

Preheat oven to 375F. Whisk eggs with water. Add salt & pepper. Spray muffin tin with non-stick spray. Add 2 tbsp of add-ins per muffin cup. Fill muffin cup 2/3 full. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. These freeze well and heat through quickly.

Photo by Hanny Naibaho on Unsplash

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