Ingredients:

• Cauliflower or broccoli, 1 head (about 4 cups) (alternatively, use a combination of the two)
• Kale or spinach, 1 bunch (about 1.5 cups)
• Cheese, 200 grams (about 2 cups), grated (cheddar, Manchego, Pecorino, Parmesan, or other)
• Eggs, 6 large or 8 medium, (with the yolks separated from the whites)
• Milk , 1 cup (coconut, almond, or other)
• Arrowroot powder, 3 tablespoons
• Flour, 3 tablespoons plus 1 tbsp for greasing the baking dish (try quinoa, almond, coconut, or cassava)
• Ghee, butter or coconut oil (4 tablespoons = ¼ cup)
• Salt and pepper (and/or any other condiments of your choice)

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350˚F/180˚C.

Wash the kale (or spinach) and cut out the large central stems. Chop very finely and steam briefly.

Wash the cauliflower and/or broccoli and cut them into small florets. Steam them without overcooking, and then remove promptly from the steamer. After it cools down, squeeze well all the excess liquid, a handful at a time, over the sink. Chop into smaller pieces, especially the stems.

Warm up 3 tablespoons of the oil in a pan on low heat. Stir and dissolve 3 tablespoons of arrowroot powder into 1 cup of cold milk. Pour the milk mixture to the oil pan and add the seasonings. Stir continually for about 10 minutes. As it starts to thicken, stir in the grated cheese as well as the steamed and chopped veggies. Pull it aside, and let it cool down.

Stir 3 tablespoons of flour in the egg yolks. After the white sauce cools off, add the egg yolks.

Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form; then fold into the rest of the composition.

Note: This step should not be done in advance because the whites must be freshly beaten when added, and the rest of the mixture should be almost cold.

Use the last tablespoon of butter or oil to grease a shallow baking dish, and then dust it with flour. Pour the soufflé mixture in the dish and bake it in the preheated oven for about 90 minutes.

Cut it into small portions, and store it covered in the refrigerator.

It can be eaten warm right after baking,
but it is best enjoyed cold as an appetizer or as a healthy savoury snack.

The post Cheese’n Veggies Soufflé appeared first on Northshore Naturopathic Clinic.

The post Berry-Chia Pudding appeared first on Northshore Naturopathic Clinic.

I’m not giving you a recipe for this one.  I’m giving you a guide.I eat this all the time – it gives me a great magnesium fix!  I never measure and always just wing-it.  I have faith that you can wing-it too.

However, because I don’t measure, this always tastes a little different – which I like.  Someday I’ll take the time to write out a more precise recipe, until then, here you go:

You’ll need:

• Organic, fair trade cocoa (believe me, the quality makes a huge difference in the flavor too)
• Almond milk (or whatever is your preference)
• Pure vanilla
• Real ground cinnamon (watch out for all the cinnamon imposters out there!)
• Nut butter or avocado (ie: one healthy yummy fat source)
• Raw, unpasteurized local honey or maple syrup (you can also use date paste or blended raspberries as sweetener as a substitute)
• Sea salt

Optional:

• Hemp seeds
• Berries
• Or whatever else inspires you

Put 1.5 tbsp of cocoa powder into a bowl.  Add a small splash (start with 1 tbsp) of almond milk, around ½ tsp of vanilla, a dollop of nut butter or avocado, a smidgen (approx. 1—2 tsp) of honey or your substitute of choice, 2 shakes of cinnamon, and a twist of ground sea salt.   Now mix.  It takes a few moments for the cocoa powder to mix with the wet ingredients and if it’s really thick add a splash of almond milk.  Stir vigorously, adding additional almond milk if needed until preferred consistency has been reached. It will be a rich, dark, chocolate pudding at the end.  And berries and hemp seeds on top if desired.

The post Jessica’s Chocolate “Fix” Pudding appeared first on Northshore Naturopathic Clinic.

Makes 2-3”x6”x2” loaves (16 servings)

(can be wheat-free)
ALLERGY NOTE:  Since you can use a variety of flours and nuts or seeds, this recipe are a great one for a variety of allergy diets.

This delicious pate (high fat versions of which are for sale in most health food stores) is versatile and very easy to make. It makes an excellent spread on celery sticks, crackers, rye crisp, melba toast, regular toast, bruschetta, or pita crisps; an elegant starter when served with crusty French bread on a bed of lettuce; or scrumptious sandwich material.

You need two nonstick 3”x6”x2” loaf pans for this recipe

• ½ cup warm water
• 1 medium onion (about 5 oz), peeled and chunked
• 1 large russet potato (about 8 oz), scrubbed and chunked (no need to remove the high-fiber peel!)
• OR 1 small potato (4oz), scrubbed and chunked, AND 1 medium-large carrot, scrubbed and chunked
• 1 cup raw shelled walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, cashews, pecans, or sunflower seeds, or a mixture
• ½ cup whole wheat flour, stone ground cornmeal, soy flour, or chickpea flour (besan)
• ½ cup nutritional yeast flakes
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 2-4 cloves garlic, peeled
• ½-1 tsp dried thyme
• ½-1 tsp dried rosemary
• ½-1 tsp dried marjoram
• (NOTE:  if you prefer to use fresh herbs, use 1 TBSP of each, chopped fine)

OPTIONAL:

• ¼ tsp ground allspice
• a few gratings of freshly-ground nutmeg
• freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degree F. Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until very smooth. Divide the mixture between two lightly oiled nonstick 3”x6”x2” loaf pans. Cover each pan with foil. Place the pans inside of a 9”X13” shallow baking pan with about an inch of hot water in the bottom. Bake for 1 hour, removing the foil during the last 20 minutes of baking. Cool the pans on a rack, then carefully loosen the edges with a knife and invert them onto a plate. Wrap and refrigerate for up to a week. If you would like to freeze it, cut it into whatever sizes are useful for you, wrap well with foil then plastic, and freeze for up to three months.

The post Bryanna’s Herbed Veggie Pate appeared first on Northshore Naturopathic Clinic.

•  14 ounce (398 ml) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and chopped
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) tahini (sesame seed paste)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) unprocessed sea salt
• 3 to 4 tablespoons (45 to 60 ml) fresh lemon juice
• 3 to 4 tablespoons (45 to 60 ml) water

Combine the chickpeas, avocado, tahini, garlic, cumin, sea salt, 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of the lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the water in a blender or food processor. Process until smooth, stopping to scrape the mixture from the sides, if necessary. If the mixture is too dry, add more water, ½ tablespoon (7 ml) at a time, while processing. Taste
and adjust the seasonings: add the rest of the lemon juice, and more salt,
cumin, and tahini, if desired.

Serve with: warm sprouted whole-grain tortillas; on toasted yeast-free rye bread; in a sandwich with sliced tomatoes and broccoli sprouts; or with combination of steamed vegetables (carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.) and raw vegetables (cucumber slices, snap peas, jicama slices, grape or cherry tomatoes, etc.).

The post Avocado Hummus appeared first on Northshore Naturopathic Clinic.

The addition of plain yogurt in this recipe helps to reduce the amount of fat per serving and adds a nice tangy flavour. If you are sensitive to dairy or if don‘t wish to use the yogurt, just omit it and add another avocado instead. And if you think that avocados are unhealthy due to their fat content, nothing could be further from the truth. For more info about the many health benefits of avocados, see the Health Tip for August 2009.

• 2 ripe avocados
• ½  cup (125 ml) plain yogurt
• half a large tomato
• ¼ cup (50 ml) minced fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) minced red onion
• 1 small garlic clove, minced or pressed
• juice of 1 lime (about 5 teaspoons)
• ½ teaspoon (2 ml) unprocessed sea salt
• pinch cayenne (optional)

Cut the avocados in half lengthwise, remove the pits, squeeze the flesh into a medium bowl, then mash to desired consistency.

Remove and discard the seeds and pulp from the tomato (to prevent the guacamole from becoming too runny). Dice the tomato (you should have about ½ cup) and add to the mashed avocado along with the remaining ingredients; mix well. Cover and refrigerate for approximately 1 hour to allow flavors to blend. Taste and adjust seasonings according to your preference; for example, if you like lots of garlic, add more.

Serve as a dip with vegetables, with whole-grain tortilla chips, or with your favorite Mexican dishes.

The post Guacamole appeared first on Northshore Naturopathic Clinic.

This is a variation of the Fresh Tomato Salsa recipe. For more info about the health benefits of avocados, see the Health Tip for August 2009.

• 4 medium tomatoes, chopped
• ½ cup (50 ml) finely chopped red onion
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons/30 ml)
• ⅓ cup (75 ml) minced fresh cilantro
• 2 garlic cloves, minced or crushed
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) unprocessed sea salt
• 1½ cups (375 ml) cooked back beans, or a 14 oz (398 ml) can, rinsed and well-drained
• 1 avocado, peeled and cubed

Wear rubber or plastic gloves when handling the jalapeño pepper; removing the seeds makes the salsa less hot. You can drain some of the juice from the chopped tomatoes if you prefer.

Combine all the ingredients—except for the avocado—in a bowl and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Add the avocado just before serving, stirring gently to combine.

I like to add this salsa to cooked quinoa, either hot or cold, for a snack or light meal. Or serve with your favorite Mexican dishes.

The post Black Bean Avocado Salsa appeared first on Northshore Naturopathic Clinic.

A lot of recipes for kale chips recommend that you bake them at 350º F but the kale always seems to burn at this temperature; maybe it’s my oven. I found the best temperature to be 250º. Most recipes call for olive oil but since it’s not a good idea to heat olive oil, this recipe uses coconut oil instead. If you like balsamic vinegar, use ½ tablespoon of it and ½ tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Or substitute lemon juice for some or all of the vinegar. Feel free to add any spices that you like. You can also sprinkle them with Parmesan cheese towards the end of baking.

• 1 bunch kale
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) coconut oil, melted
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) apple cider vinegar
• sea salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 250º F (120º C). Place oven racks on the lowest level of the oven.

Wash kale and spin dry in a salad spinner and/or pat dry. The kale should be very dry. Remove the tough stems and tear the leaves into bite size pieces, about the size of potato chips. Place in a large glass bowl.

Combine the coconut oil, vinegar, and salt; drizzle over the kale and, using your hands, mix well to thoroughly coat the leaves. Place the kale in a single layer on 2 parchment paper lined baking sheets and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, turning the baking sheets 180º after about 12 minutes. Watch closely towards the end of the baking time to make sure the kale doesn’t burn. It should be crisp but still dark green in color.

The post Baked Kale Chips appeared first on Northshore Naturopathic Clinic.

These bite-size treats are low in sugar and contain healthy fats, fiber and protein. The cocoa powder will help to satisfy chocolate cravings while providing antioxidants. For information on the health benefits of: nuts and seeds see the Health Tip for April 2003; and coconut oil see the November 2003 Health Tip.

• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) virgin coconut oil, melted
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) unpasteurized honey
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
• ¼ cup (60 ml) almond butter
• ½ cup (125 ml) finely ground pumpkin seeds
• ½ cup (125 ml) unsweetened shredded coconut
• ⅛ teaspoon (.5 ml) fine unprocessed sea salt

Combine coconut oil, cocoa powder, honey, vanilla and almond butter; mix well. Stir in the remaining ingredients until well-blended. Shape/roll into ¾ inch balls. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge. Makes about 25 balls.

The post Coco-Almond Balls appeared first on Northshore Naturopathic Clinic.

This is a variation of the Energy Bites recipe (listed under Appetizers and Snacks) which has been updated to reduce the amount of sweeteners and to save time by not toasting the amaranth before cooking it.

 You can substitute peanut butter for the cashew butter. See the November 2002 Health Tip for information about amaranth and the October 2005 Health Tip for information about hemp seeds.

• ½ cup (125 ml) cooked amaranth (see below for how to cook amaranth)
• ¼ cup (50 ml) cashew nut butter
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) unpasteurized honey
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) pure cocoa powder
• unsweetened shredded coconut (to roll Energy Bites in)
  

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well. Shape into 1-inch balls and roll in coconut. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Makes about 20 balls.

To Cook Amaranth:

• ½ cup (125 ml) filtered water
• ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) unprocessed sea salt
• ¼ cup (50 ml) amaranth

Place the water and sea salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a rolling boil. Turn the heat down to low and stir in the amaranth. Cover with the lid slightly ajar and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, or until all the water has been absorbed. Turn off the heat, cover tightly, and let it sit for 5 more minutes. Allow amaranth to cool before using in Energy Bites.

If you have time, you can toast the amaranth before cooking it. To do so, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the amaranth and toast it, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes.

The post Cashew Cocoa Energy Bites appeared first on Northshore Naturopathic Clinic.