I’ve been making matcha smoothies forever. When Starbucks released their strawberry matcha drinks earlier this year, I was skeptical- but also had strawberries in my freezer and was willing to try it. I tossed a handful into my regular matcha smoothie, and I have to say, it was so good! It’s light, fruity and tastes like summer.

I’ve been using Good Protein lately , and it’s by far the best tasting vegetarian protein powder I’ve found so far. Highly recommend for a creamy, non-chalky taste.

Bad Religion- Frank Ocean

INGREDIENTS

1 cup milk of choice
½ frozen banana
1 handful spinach
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 tbsp matcha powder
1 cup frozen strawberries
ice cubes if needed

INSTRUCTIONS

Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth. Add ice cubes and blend again if needed.

I’ve been working on increasing my protein intake in the last few months, and have definitely been feeling a difference. I don’t eat meat, so I’m leaning a lot on other sources of protein- eggs, tofu, seafood, and protein powder as well. However, I’m also figuring out quick snacks that have lots of protein- and these are my new favorite.

I love having these bars on hand for a quick snack at work or to take on ski days. They’re protein-rich, delicious and don’t contain a ton of added sugars and other yucky ingredients like the protein bars at the grocery store.

Bloom- The Blaze

INGREDIENTS

1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp coconut oil
2 cups rolled oats (I use Bob’s Red Mill GF)
1/2 cup vanilla protein powder ( I like Good Protein)
3 tbsp ground flax
1 tbsp chia seeds
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS

Add all dry ingredients to a large bowl. Add peanut butter, maple syrup and coconut oil to a saucepan and heat over medium-low heat until melted. Remove from heat and stir until smooth. Pour the peanut butter mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until everything is combined. Press into a parchment lined 9x9 baking sheet, and freeze until set. Remove from freezer, cut into individual portions, wrap them and store in freezer.

A few notes: if the mixture is too crumbly, melt more peanut butter and coconut oil to add- 1/4 cup PB and 1 tbsp coconut oil. If it tastes too ‘protein powder’-y, add a bit more salt.

Spooky season is here! I’ve never been a big candy person, chocolate is much more up my alley. I love these because they are ridiculously easy, delicious, and there’s not much sugar at all. So, I can eat more of them without a large sugar crash after! ideal.

I used halloween themed moulds to make my cups, but if you don’t want to go grab some, you can use a muffin tin. Simply line each muffin tin with muffin liners, and use those as your moulds.

Love Lost- Mac Miller

INGREDIENTS

For the chocolate cup:

1 1/2 cups high quality dark chocolate, chopped (avoid using chocolate chips as they have extra wax in them)
1 tsp refined coconut oil
maldon salt or flaky salt for garnish

For the almond butter layer:

1 cup natural almond butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup refined coconut oil, melted and cooled
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Melt chocolate and coconut oil together in a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, heat in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds as to not overheat. Spoon about a tablespoon of melted chocolate into each chocolate mould (or muffin cup). Slowly tilt in a circle to coat the sides of the mould/cup. Place in freezer.

In the meantime, stir together all of the almond butter ingredients in a medium bowl.

Once the chocolate has frozen, spoon 1-2 tbsp of the filling into the chocolate cup. Place in freezer until almond butter is hardened, approximately 15 minutes.

Remove from freezer, and top with more melted chocolate, until each almond butter layer is covered in a thin layer of chocolate. Sprinkle with sea salt or maldon salt, and freeze until hardened.

Once completely set, store in fridge until serving. Enjoy!

This recipe is a twist on my ‘best brownies ever’ recipe- my Valentine’s day edition. For me, the ultimate dessert combines raspberries and chocolate, so here we go.

For this version, I baked them in a loaf pan rather than a square- that way, they are thicker and end up gooey on the inside. You can serve them as is, but I added a scoop of vanilla (vegan) ice cream on top with a two-ingredient chocolate sauce drizzled over it. If you want to impress someone this Valentine’s day (even if it’s yourself) I highly recommend the toppings.

Next to Me- Rüfüs Du Sol

INGREDIENTS

1 cup almond butter (or tahini)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup sugar (coconut sugar or brown sugar recommended but not necessary)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
maldon salt (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper, and grease with coconut oil. In a medium bowl, mix together the almond butter or tahini, maple syrup, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Once combined, stir in cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Fold in chocolate chips and raspberries, then transfer batter into prepared baking pan. Bake for 28-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out (mostly) clean. Let the brownies cool slightly before cutting as they are extra fudgey. Optionally, top with a sprinkle of maldon salt.

Two ingredient chocolate sauce

Add 1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips to a saucepan. Add 1 tbsp full fat coconut milk- the kind from a can. Whisk over low-medium heat until smooth. If too thin, add more chocolate. If too thick, add more coconut milk.

I hate to admit it- but I was never a milk and cookies fan as a child. I didn’t like milk that much, and preferred washing my cookies down with orange juice (I know, it’s almost a crime against cookies!). Lately I’ve been making my own dairy-free mylks and let me tell you- they’re cookie-dipping worthy. I use equal portions of oats, almonds, and coconut, but feel free to play around with whatever you have in your cupboard.

And the cookies- they are my new favorite dessert/snack. They’re super easy and whip up in a few minutes, have minimal ingredients and nutritious ingredients- the only sweetener used is maple syrup. It’s a good thing too, because once they’re out of the oven, I can’t stop eating them- bet you won’t be able to either.

Better Not- Louis The Child, Wafia

COOKIE INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup tahini
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup old fashioned oats
3 tablespoons almond flour
4 oz dark chocolate, chopped

COOKIE INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 F. Add tahini, maple syrup, and vanilla to a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Add all dry ingredients and mix until smooth. Using a cookie scoop or large spoon, scoop out batter onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 6-7 minutes, until golden around the edges. They can overbake easily, so take them out while the middle still looks a bit raw. Transfer to cooling rack and cool before eating.

Recipe from Broma Bakery.

MYLK INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup dried unsweetened coconut flakes
1/3 cup oats (i used GF)
1/3 cup almonds, chopped
3 cups water
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of sea salt
splash of maple syrup (optional)

MYLK INSTRUCTIONS

Add coconut flakes, oats, almonds and water to a high powered blender. Blend on high for 3-4 minutes, until smooth and creamy. Pour into a bowl, through a nut milk bag. Squeeze bag until all the liquid is out. Pour milk back into blender. Add cinnamon, vanilla, sea salt and maple syrup if using, and blend until combined. Store in fridge, use within a week. The mylk may separate in the fridge, just shake well before using.

This is my third banana bread recipe on the blog and, might I say, my new favorite. If you prefer a high protein banana bread, my first recipe is great. For something super flavorful and fun, the cinnamon swirl. If you’re craving a more traditional banana bread, this is the one for you. It’s the closest replica of a traditional banana bread I’ve found- dense, moist, and ultra delicious. I found it didn’t need any chocolate chips or blueberries, it was perfect on it’s own, but feel free to play around with adding them or other mix ins.

Now, I just have to wait for this heat wave to go away so I can turn my oven back on for more banana bread!

Lorde- Solar Power

INGREDIENTS

3 large bananas, mashed
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup coconut sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup gluten free flour (Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 is the only one I use)
1 cup almond flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
Optional: walnuts, dark chocolate chips, blueberries

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease either a loaf pan with coconut oil, and line the bottom & sides with parchment paper. In a large bow, whisk together mashed banana, oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Mix in the flours, baking powder, cinnamon & salt until well combined. Fold in any other mix-ins. Bake in oven for 40-45 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow bread to cool before serving.

Recipe adapted from Rachl Mansfield.

I’ve been looking for a new banana bread recipe for a while- and when I saw Rachl Mansfield’s cinnamon roll banana bread, I knew I had to try it. After a few tweaks, it’s now the perfect banana bread- moist, flavourful and not too sweet. The swirls of cinnamon make it feel extra indulgent, like cinnamon buns in banana bread form. It’s perfect on it’s own, or with a dollop of almond or peanut butter on top.

Nice for What- Drake (old, but reminds me of spring/summer)

INGREDIENTS

2 eggs
1 cup ripe mashed banana (about 2 medium bananas)
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup non-dairy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup almond flour
1 1/4 cup GF flour blend ( Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 is the only one I like)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
heaping 1/2 tsp salt

For the cinnamon drizzle:
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease either a loaf pan or 9 inch round pan with coconut oil, and line bottom with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, banana, melted coconut oil, vanilla and milk together until well combined. In a small bowl, combine flours, cinnamon, baking powder & salt. Sift dry ingredients into wet ingredients and stir until well combined.

For the cinnamon drizzle, stir all ingredients together until well combined.

Pour half of the banana batter into the prepared pan. Drizzle half of the cinnamon mixture on top, then swirl it with a toothpick or tip of a knife. Pour the rest of the banana batter on top, then repeat the drizzle/swirl with the rest of the cinnamon mixture.

Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the edges are golden and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Baking in a loaf pan will likely take longer than the round pan, so adjust timing as needed. Cool before serving.

When I say this recipe is easy, I mean EASY. It only had four ingredients, and one step to assemble. Maximum flavour, minimum effort. I like to serve over ice cream, but you can use as a dip or drizzle for fruit, cakes, on top of apple crisp… the options are endless! You can also add bananas with ice cream for a spin on bananas foster (one of my childhood favorites).

Blue World- Mac Miller

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tbsp almond butter
pinch of salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Whisk the almond butter, maple syrup and salt into melted coconut oil until smooth. Drizzle over ice cream.

These little chunks of perfection are my new favourite dessert. They’re no bake, not too sweet and super easy to throw together. Once they’re made, you can keep them in the freezer to snack on whenever you like (just a warning, these did NOT last long for me).

Almond flour can be pretty expensive when you’re buying a bag- bulk stores like Bulk Barn can make it a bit cheaper to buy just the amount you need for the recipe.

This Feeling- Alabama Shakes

INGREDIENTS

For the chocolate base:

2/3 cup almond flour
3 tbsp cacao powder
3 tbsp maple syrup
pinch of salt

For the almond butter layer:

1 cup natural almond butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup refined coconut oil, melted and cooled
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt

For the chocolate topping:

1/3 cup high quality dark chocolate, chopped (avoid using chocolate chips as they have extra wax in them)
1 tsp refined coconut oil
maldon salt or flaky salt for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

Line a 8x3 loaf pan with parchment paper.

For the chocolate base:

Mix almond flour, cacao powder and salt in a bowl. Drizzle maple syrup into bowl and mix until a dough forms. Transfer to the lined loaf pan and use a damp spatula to pat it into an even layer. Transfer to the freezer for 10 minutes while you make the almond butter layer.

For the almond butter layer:

In another bowl, whisk almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla and salt until well combined. Drizzle in the cooled coconut oil and whisk until completely incorporated. Pour the almond butter mixture over the chocolate base and use a spatula to smooth the top. Put back in the freezer for at least 10 minutes.

For the chocolate topping:

Add chocolate and coconut oil to a small saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until melted. Pour over almond butter layer and tap on counter gently to even out. Sprinkle maldon or flaky salt on top and put back in the freezer. Freeze until hardened, at least 30 minutes.

Remove from freezer and use a small sharp knife to loosen around the edges. Transfer from pan to cutting board, and use a sharp knife to cut into small squares. Keep in freezer, and thaw slightly before serving.

It’s a bit of a weird Christmas this year- I’m having a hard time feeling festive. These little bites of perfection are definitely helping! Whether you’re making them for yourself or dropping off for friends, these no-bake bites are easy & so so delicious. They’re so good that I had to give some away, otherwise I would have eaten them all! As a bonus, there’s also no refined sugar in the recipe. I made both mini and regular sized cups and both of them worked really well.

Linus and Lucy- Vince Guaraldi Trio

INGREDIENTS

For the cups:
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup pecan halves
1 cup rolled oats (I used GF)
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 cup pitted Medjool dates, packed
1/2 cup melted & cooled coconut oil
pinch of sea salt

For the chocolate mint ganache:
3/4 cup coconut milk (the kind from a can)
3/4 tsp peppermint extract
1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS

Add oats, pecans, coconut, cocoa powder and salt to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add coconut oil and dates, and pulse until it becomes a sticky ‘dough’. Place in fridge for 5 minutes to firm up. In the meantime, line muffin tin with muffin liners. Drop about 3 tbsp of ‘dough’ into each cup, and lightly spread it out. Use the bottom of a shot glass (or something similar sized) to press indents into the middle of each cup. Put back in fridge to set while you make the ganache.

For the ganache, place chocolate chips & peppermint extract in a medium bowl. Heat the coconut milk in a saucepan until bubbling, then pour over chocolate. Let sit for a minute, then whisk into a smooth ganache. Pour ganache into the middle of each of the cups. Let set in the fridge for at least two hours. Let the cups sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. Optionally, top with maldon salt, shredded coconut or fresh mint leaves.

Note: For mini chocolate cups, use 1/2 tbsp dough rather than 3 tbsp.

Recipe from The First Mess

In case you hadn’t noticed from previous years of fall recipes, I’m a big fall girl. I love apples, squash, spices, and pumpkin everything. It’s pretty basic but I’m okay with it- if pumpkin spice is wrong, I don’t want to be right.

This recipe is modified from my regular grain-free granola- I just added pumpkin and pumpkin spice. It’s a subtle difference, but the taste and smell is incredible. This granola is also really low in sugar, and a great source of healthy fats and protein due to the nuts & seeds. I love eating it with Yoggu, almond butter and banana but it would also be great on its own, on top of banana nice cream, or in a parfait- use your imagination!

We Belong- RAC

INGREDIENTS

2 cups nuts of choice, roughly chopped
1/2 c pumpkin seeds
1 c unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 c ground flax seed
2 t pumpkin spice
1/2 t salt
1 t vanilla
1/4 maple syrup
1/4 melted coconut oil
1/4 cup pumkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 tsp water

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix all dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. Add vanilla, syrup, pumpkin, coconut oil and water, and stir until well combined. Spread on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden.

This fro yo was one of my favorite experiments to come out of quarantine. I had a craving for a cold dessert, and only a large bag of mixed berries some yoggu in the fridge- and voila! Two ingredient frozen yogurt which takes less than 5 minutes to put together. I like it extra tangy but if you like it a little sweeter, feel free to add maple syrup.

Laugh Now Cry Later- Drake

INGREDIENTS

1 cup frozen berries
1/2 cup full fat greek yogurt ( I use yoggu original- it’s my favorite dairy-free yogurt)
coconut milk, if needed

optional: 1 tsp maple syrup

INSTRUCTIONS

Add berries and yogurt to food processor. Blend until smooth. If too thick, add 1 tbsp of coconut milk at a time until able to blend. Eat right away or store in freezer.

I made these brownies for the first time last week- and now I can’t stop making them (and eating them!). My other brownie recipe is super healthy and delicious, but these are a whole different level of indulgent. I can’t find the words to describe them properly (moist? gooey? fudgey? melt in your mouth?) so you’ll have to make them to see what I mean.

As always, they are gluten free, and dairy free if you use dairy free chocolate chips. I made the recipe both with tahini and almond butter and prefer the almond butter version- that being said, the tahini ones are also great if you are nut-free for any reason.

Sweet Sun- Milky Chance

INGREDIENTS

1 cup almond butter (or tahini)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup sugar (coconut sugar or brown sugar recommended but not necessary)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips
maldon salt (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper, and grease with coconut oil. In a medium bowl, mix together the almond butter or tahini, maple syrup, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Once combined, stir in cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Fold in chocolate chips, then transfer batter into prepared baking pan. Bake for 22-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the brownies cool before cutting as they are extra fudgey. Optionally, top with a sprinkle of maldon salt.

Reese’s peanut butter cups were my favorite candy growing up- I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to post my own take on them! I have two takes on the peanut butter cup lined up for you- classic with salted dark chocolate, and a toasted coconut peanut butter cup. One of my good friends was on a ketogenic diet last year, and I wanted to make her birthday treats that she could enjoy guilt-free- which is how I landed on the toasted coconut peanut butter cup. They are much less sweet than their chocolate counterparts, but are super rich and satisfying. If you are making these keto, use sugar free sweetner (I used swerve) in place of the sugar.

A few notes about the toasted coconut butter- it can be slightly finicky. When food processing, you will need to stop and scrape the sides frequently before it blends into a butter. You can make this easier by doubling the amount of coconut (using two packages). If you do, you can use the butter to make extra cups and keep them in the fridge, or try spreading the butter on toast, drizzling on oatmeal, or blended into smoothies for extra flavor.

Have My Back- Kyson

INGREDIENTS

Toasted Coconut Butter
1 200g package unsweetened shredded coconut

Salted Dark Chocolate
1 cup dark chocolate chips
2 tsp coconut oil
flaked salt for topping

Peanut Butter Filling
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 tbsp coconut flour
1 tbsp icing sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
healthy pinch of sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS

For toasted coconut butter:
Preheat oven to 325 F. Spread coconut flakes evenly over a cookie sheet. Bake 5-10 minutes, until golden brown and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Watch carefully, it’s very easy to burn the coconut! Remove from oven and let cool. Place in food processor and blend until it turns liquid, scraping down the sides every few minutes.

For dark chocolate:
Add chocolate and coconut oil to a saucepan and stir over low heat until smooth. Remove from heat

For peanut butter filling:
Add all ingredients to a small bowl and stir until well combined.

To assemble:
Line mini cupcake pan with mini cupcake liners. Spoon chocolate or coconut into the bottom of each cup and swirl to evenly coat the bottom. Place in fridge until hardened (about 10 min). Remove from fridge and spoon a heaping 1/2 tsp of peanut butter filling on top of hardened chocolate or coconut. Pat filling down, leaving room around the edges. Spoon more coconut butter or chocolate on top until the filling is completely covered. For chocolate, sprinkle flaked salt on top. Place in fridge until set. For coconut, option to drizzle with dark chocolate. Store in fridge.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a huge granola fan. I’m more of a savory person, and if I’m going to have something sweet, it’s chocolate. Enter grain-free granola, and let me tell you- it’s a game changer. My mom made this for my brother’s birthday, and I almost ate the entire batch. Not too sweet, perfectly crumbly and packed with protein, it’s a new go-to for breakfast, snacks, or dessert. Thanks, mom!

Sweet Disposition- The Temper Trap

INGREDIENTS

2 cups nuts of choice, roughly chopped
1/2 c pumpkin seeds
1 c unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 c ground flax seed
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1 t vanilla
1/4 maple syrup
1/4 melted coconut oil
1 T water

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix all dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. Add vanilla, syrup, coconut oil and water, and stir until well combined. Spread on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes,

Recipe adapted from Rachl Mansfield

I love using tahini, but was pretty wary of using it in sweet recipes until my mom made me these no-bake cookies. You can’t taste the tahini at all- just an extra rich chocolate flavor.
Since they’re no bake, they are perfect for the summer- no need to turn on your oven!

Make it Better - Anderson Paak

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons tahini
1/4 cup cocoa powder
5 tbsp coconut oil
4 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 cup rolled oats (I use GF ones)
a pinch of salt
maldon salt or sea salt for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. In a medium pot over low heat, melt coconut oil until liquid. Remove from heat, stir in tahini, cocoa, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Stir until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in rolled oats, spoon mixture into cupcake liners. Sprinkle maldon or sea salt on top of each cookie (optional, but recommended). Freeze for 20 minutes or until set, then store in fridge.

Recipe adapted from A Couple of Cooks

These truffles are like little bombs of deliciousness. They're super quick, ridiculously easy and perfect for dessert or a snack. Plus, they are sweetened entirely with dates which make them (somewhat) less sinful than your average truffles. Don't be afraid to be heavy-handed with the salt: the combination of salty and sweet is what makes these so addictive! 

Rusted Root- Send Me On My Way

INGREDIENTS

10 large pitted medjool dates
2 tbsp almond butter
pinch of sea salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1 tsp coconut oil
optional: chia seeds or large flake salt for topping

INSTRUCTIONS

Add dates, almond butter, sea salt and vanilla to a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is smooth. With wet hands, roll into balls (about a teaspoon each), and place on parchment paper covered tray. Freeze the balls for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, melt dark chocolate with coconut oil, stirring often over low heat. After 15 minutes, dip balls into the dark chocolate, place back on the tray. If choosing to, sprinkle  with kosher salt or chia seeds. Place back into freezer. Serve straight from the freezer (they taste best when chilled!)

Recipe adapted from Oh She Glows 

Peanut butter and chocolate is likely one of my favorite combinations, ever. You can probably tell by looking at the "sweet" page of the blog- peanut butter and chocolate mousse, peanut butter and chocolate blondies, peanut butter and chocolate cupcakes... I can't stop! These are easy to whip up, and are tiny- perfect for snacking. Also, they pair realllly well with wine ;)

Fat Freddy's Drop- Flashback

INGREDIENTS

½ cup almonds
½ cup salted peanuts
½ cup peanut butter
2 medjool dates, pitted
1/4 cup rolled oats (I used certified GF)
½ tsp vanilla
1 cup dark chocolate chips or bars, chopped finely
1 tbsp coconut oil

INSTRUCTIONS

Add oats and dates to a food processor, pulse until oats are finely ground and well combined. Remove from processor, then add almonds and peanuts to the food processor and pulse until finely ground. Add peanut butter and vanilla to nut mixture and pulse until well combined. Add oats and blend until it forms a dough. Using a 1/4 tsp as a spoon, scoop small amounts of dough, roll into balls and place on a lined cookie sheet. Freeze for half an hour to an hour, until dough balls are frozen hard. In a pot, heat chocolate and coconut oil on low heat until melted. Turn heat off. Using a fork, roll each peanut butter ball in chocolate and tap on the side of the pot to get excess chocolate off. Place chocolate covered ball on a lined cookie sheet and place in freezer until firm. Once firm, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until serving. 

Recipe adapted from Minimalist Baker

It may not 'officially' be fall yet, but in my mind, fall starts when school does. I'm so ready for all the typical fall things- scarves, boots, and allll the spices. 

First fall dish this year? Apple butter. It's similar to applesauce but more flavorful, smoother and easy to spread. I made about 12 jars of this from a huge batch of Okanagan apples, so I've had lots to use. I've spread it on toast, banana bread, crackers with cheese. I put it on my oatmeal, in my yogurt parfaits, and in my soup for a little extra flavor. 

One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it's in a slow cooker so requires almost no prep aside from chopping. The slow simmer makes your house smells amazing- no need for scented candles when you've got apple butter on the go! 

The Lumineers- Cleopatra

INGREDIENTS

6-7 apples (i like to use gala, ambrosia- something sweet, not sour)
1 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS

Wash apples and chop into very small cubes. Add apples and rest of the ingredients to a slow cooker and cook on low for 7-8 hours. When apples have completely broken down, remove from heat and blend either using hand blender or by adding to a stand blender. Blend until smooth, let cool, then store in jars in the fridge. 

Add to yogurt, spread on toast or crackers, serve with melted brie.... Use your imagination. 

This past month I was in Nicaragua, working with Natural Doctors International in their permanent medical clinic in the small town of Los Angeles on the island of Ometepe. The organization provides free medical care to anyone in need. I find it difficult to fully capture the amazing spirit of this organization. They see patients day in and day out with all kinds of illness- diabetes, kidney stones, malnutrition- and do everything they can to cure or aid in recovery. I was lucky to work in the clinic for a week, during which I assisted both doctors during appointments, conducted physical examinations and shadowed the resident psychologist.  The patients I saw during this time were the most kind and appreciative people, despite overwhelming poverty and adversity in their daily lives. 

It was a great reminder that happiness comes from within and not from material possessions. I come back with a renewed appreciation for the comforts and luxuries of home. 

Working in the clinic renewed and reaffirmed my choice in becoming a naturopathic doctor. It felt good to help others who so desperately needed it; I can't wait to help people every day. 

Now that I'm back and ready to cook, here's my favorite recipe for chocolate chip cookies. I made these a few days before I left and damn! They are soft, gooey, and so delicious. They are only six ingredients and are so easy to throw together. 

The Lumineers- Flowers in Your Hair

INGREDIENTS

1 large egg
1 cup almond butter
½ cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp vanilla
½ cup dark chocolate chips
pinch of sea salt

 INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 F. In a medium bowl, beat the egg. Whisk almond butter, vanilla and sugar with the beaten egg, then add baking soda and salt and whisk. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop teaspoons of batter onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 6-8 minutes and transfer to a cooling rack. The cookies will be very soft coming out of the oven.