Recipe: Healthy Energy Bites

Meal Prep- Making No-Bake Energy Bites

If you're following me on Instagram, you know that I love to meal-prep and plan. This is one of my weekly rituals that I swear by. If I meal prep on a Sunday, I essentially ensure I am:

• making healthier food choices
• saving time during the week
• saving money
• not eating out

One of my go to items for breakfast and snacks have been Energy Bites.

I love these bites because they are so delicious and they are the perfect hit of protein, energy, fibre and sweetness to tide you over till your next meal. They are also super easy and quick to make.
I really think you can make these regardless of your skill level in the kitchen. 

These Energy Bites are not something I've invented but I have experimented and tried a few different versions which led me to come up with a flavour combination that I personally love.

Making these bites will take about 15 minutes but will definitely ensure your week starts off on the right foot.

Energy Bites

Servings: 24 bites   

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup oats

1 cup of Wow Butter (to make an allergy safe version, or you can use any nut butter)

1/4  cup chia seeds (I use white chia) 

1/4 cup chocolate chips (I like semi-sweet or dark)

1/4 cup pepitas

2 tbsp. honey

dehydrated coconut to coat

1 tsp. cinnamon

1) Combine the Wow Butter, honey and oats in a large bowl

2) Add the pepitas, chocoate chips and chia seeds and stir to combine

3) Create 1 inch balls, rolling them between your palms

4) Roll them in dehydrated coconut to coat

5) Place the energy balls in a glass dish with an air tight lid to enjoy all week long. 

These energy bites can be refrigerated or kept at room temperature if you prefer. 

I find that these bites make a great grab and go breakfast snack and make an awesome afternoon pick me up instead of reaching for a cookie. 

Hope you try them out at home! If you have your own go-to energy bite recipe, I'd love to try it! Leave me a comment and share it below.

How to: Make Your Breakfast..at Night!

No matter how much I try, I'm just not a breakfast person... except on weekends when I live for brunch. But on weekdays (when it really counts) it's hard for me to leave myself enough time to have a substantial meal before I rush out the door. As we all know, breakfast is the most important meal of the day and as such...I had to get on board with it somehow.

Cue the Girl Guide value of being prepared!
I find that if I think and prep ahead, I am more likely to ensure I am getting a healthy and hearty breakfast...even if I'm pressed for time in the morning.

Here I share my favourite recipe to make ahead of time...especially when I know I have a busy day ahead. This is a healthy, delicious way to ensure you are getting your morning nutrition before the day gets away from you. Hope you enjoy making this at home and that it helps make your mornings just a little easier.

Much Ado About Matcha!

Lately as we have had more spring weather,  I've been looking to a lighter, fresher hot drink when I need a little morning or afternoon boost. It's one of the reasons I have come to be so in love with Matcha.

Matcha is traditionally used in Japanese tea ceremonies and is a very concentrated form of green tea. The leaves are carefully ground into a powder that ends up having a creamy texture.

To understand matcha, we first have to know a little more about green tea.

Green tea is appreciated across the world for its many health benefits. It goes through minimal processing which makes it very attractive to those who are interested in health and nutrition.
Green tea contains catechins which are powerful antioxidants. As a refresher- antioxidants are your bodies defenders. They are chemical compounds that can prevent and ward off aging and disease.
Green tea is full of them. Green tea is also known to improve blood flow, lower cholesterol, stabilize blood sugar and some studies have even shown it prevents the formation of plaques on your brain which can lead to the onset of Alzheimer's disease. Pretty powerful stuff.

Some people also believe that green tea can help in weight loss. While there is no scientific evidence to support that claim, if you choose green tea instead of drinking sugary juices or colas, you will definitely consume less calories and inadvertently trigger weight loss or weight maintenance.

On to the "matcha" talked about.... (ha ha)

They say that one serving of Matcha has the equivalent health benefits of ten cups of regularly brewed green tea (in terms of the nutritional content). It is the highest quality of green tea available for consumption. When you drink it, you are drinking the entire leaf after it has been steamed, deveined and ground into a fine, rich powder. Since you are drinking the whole leaf, you receive 100% of the nutrients available. It is said to contain 137 times more antioxidants than green tea does.

Additionally, matcha boosts metabolism, is rich in fiber, chlorophyll (great for detoxing), vitamins, lowers cholesterol and blood sugar, prevents disease and is a source of vitamin C, zinc and magnesium. Matcha is also said to improve your concentration and improve your mood. In short- it's one of the most powerful superfoods out there.

Matcha has more antioxidants than (ready for a mini brain explosion?): goji berries, blueberries, spinach, acai, broccoli and pomegranate! So the question is...why are you not yet making this a part of your daily life?

Matcha is super simple to make and tea shops as well as asian grocery stores sell whisks and wide bowls that will help you to prepare your matcha at home. While I love the taste of it and think it's delicious, I think matcha is an acquired taste. So before you spend money on the tea and accessories, try it out at a cafe or tea shop.

If you are a fan, it's super simple to make at home.

How to Make Matcha

You will need:
a wide, flat bottom bowl, a bamboo whisk, matcha tea powder, a scoop or spoon and hot water

1) Place a tea scoop or 1/2 tsp. of matcha powder into the bowl
2) Add a little hot water (about 2 ounces) and whisk it with a fast motion, back and forth until it combines and becomes frothy
3) Add more water to make the tea the consistency you are looking for
4) Transfer it to a cup and enjoy

Traditionally, matcha is enjoyed without any additional ingredients, but you can add hot milk to make a latte, a sweetner, or even ice if you'd like to enjoy an iced matcha.

Matcha is also added to smoothies, milkshakes, sifted onto cake and desserts...the list goes on and on.
Hope you enjoy making matcha at home! Would love to know what you think of it in the comments below!

Zucchini Pancakes

The gifts are wrapped, the stockings are hung, the cookies are baked, the movie is playing...but wait...what's for breakfast on Christmas morning?

My family gets super excited for Christmas Eve dinner but we often overlook the most important meal on December 25th, which should be breakfast. Sometimes presents trump food, I know, but it's always good to have a quick and healthy recipe to help sustain you as you tear open the wrapping paper and say your thank yous. 

This Christmas, may I suggest my quick and easy Zucchini pancakes? They are a great way to whip up something quick, while also getting an extra serving of vegetables in between all the carb heavy holiday meals. 

These pancakes are a green spin on potato latkes so I love to serve them up with some apple sauce or plain greek yogurt and green onions. The result is simply delish. Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

Zucchini Pancakes

Preparation time: 10 minutes Total time: 30- 40 minutes

Ingredients:

2 large zucchini squash, grated

¼ cup bread crumbs

1 small shallot, finely diced or 2-3 green onions, chopped

1 egg, beaten

salt and pepper

1 medium sized potato, grated

olive oil for pan frying

½ cup parmesan cheese, grated (optional)

Method:

Step One Using your hands, squeeze as much liquid as you can from the grated zucchini

Step Two Combine the zucchinni in a bowl with the shallots/green onions, potato, and salt and pepper

Step Three Add the beaten egg, cheese and bread crumbs (add more bread crumbs as needd to create a thick and sticky batter)

Step Four Heat a non-stick pan on medium heat. When the pan is hot, add a tablespoon or two of olive oil and then spoon small amounts of the batter into the pan, flattening with the back of the spoon to create the pancake shape. Adjust the heat as necessary (you want the pancakes to sizzle) and do not disturb the pancakes until they have browned on the bottom slightly (about 5-6 minutes)

Step Five Flip the pancakes and continue to cook the other side for about 3 minutes more

Step Six Transfer the pancakes to a plate lined with paper towel to drain before serving with apple sauce or greek yogurt

Bon Appetite!