Paleo Coconut Power Bar Bites

Mmmm! A new recipe is here!

With a little time on my hands and some ripe bananas to use, I created a new bar recipe. This one is Paleo Coconut Power Bar Bites...and since it's Paleo, it's also gluten-free, dairy-free, with only naturally occurring sugars, (and accidentally vegan). These are a sweet treat, not unlike a cookie--so that's why I'm cutting mine into square inch bites.

Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees F.

In a large Pyrex baking dish, combine:

• 5 small/medium ripe bananas (mashed)
• 2 cups shredded UNSWEETENED coconut
• 1 cup hemp hearts
• 1/3 cup chia seeds
• 1/3 cup goji berries
• 1/2 cup pecans (chopped)

In a separate bowl combine:

• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup coconut oil (melted)
• 1 cup pitted dates (blended *I did mine with a hand blender along with the top two ingredients)

Mash the date blend into the Pyrex dish with the other mixed ingredients. Press evenly into the pan, and smooth edges.

Bake at 300 degrees for 50 minutes. Allow to cool. Cut into little bite size squares!

Enjoy :)

Panne Rizo's Rewards Program

I've talked about Panne Rizo on this blog before, and I'm still a huge fan. It's so nice to have a bakery dedicated to gluten-free eating, but one that offers egg-free and dairy-free products as well. My favourite products are still their bread crumbs, Vegan Chia Loaf, and Bird's Nest Cookies, but I will continue to explore and update you on my findings!

Panne Rizo is also fantastic at providing it's customers with new products for the holidays. Last Christmas they had a delicious assortment of traditional Christmas cakes and cookies, of which I ate plenty!

I noticed that they've also got special offerings for this Thanksgiving! Drop by and pick yourself up a pumpkin pie (or try the recipe on my blog!) or some pumpkin loaf. Or save yourself a ton of time by ordering some gluten-free turkey stuffing! This is fantastic for those who will be serving someone with a gluten-free diet and is overwhelmed by the idea of making their own!

A new feature for Panne Rizo is their free Customer Rewards Program. Gain points by spending money (1 point for each dollar spent), and gain extra points by bringing in your own reusable bags!
Panne Rizo will also register you into the Celiac Registry where you can get your Celiac receipts at the end of the year for tax purposes.

If you are diagnosed Celiac- here is the link to the Canadian Revenue Agency's page on Gluten-Free write-offs:
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/ndvdls/tpcs/ncm-tx/rtrn/cmpltng/ddctns/lns300-350/330/clc-eng.html

Here is the link to the page of Panne Rizo's new Customer Rewards Program:
http://www.pannerizo.com/rewards-celiac-registry/

Homemade Taco Seasoning

I love tacos. For a long time, I bought those "taco kits" by Old El Paso. They come with the taco shells, some mystery taco spice, and some extra mysterious "taco sauce" (what is that!?). I always threw out the taco sauce...why is it not refrigerated? Something freaky going on there.

In doing some research about the ingredients of taco spice, I learned:

1. One serving size (1/6 of the package), gives you 23% of your daily sodium intake. (woah)
2. Maltodexrin is the number one ingredient. (huh?!)
3. In addition to maltodexrin, there are some extra special ingredients such as: monosodium glutamate, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, silicon dioxide, ethoxyquin (developed by Monsanto, and labelled as 'moderately toxic'), and the ambiguous "natural flavour"

SCARY!

What's all that doing in my spice mix?!!?!

Now, catch your breath...I know that was horrifying. I have the solution

.

Homemade Taco Seasoning. It works the same, it looks the same, it smells the same, but it's MUCH BETTER FOR YOU! (and this version is garlic free)

This recipe will make a lot. Keep it stocked in a jar and add it to your beef, chicken, pork...whatever! It's multi-purpose!

In a large jar, mix together:
1/2 cup chili powder
6 tbsp paprika
1/8 cup onion powder
2 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp ground cumin
2 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
4 tsp red pepper flakes

Ta-da! Easy peasy.

Thai Green Curry Paste

Have you ever made homemade Thai curry?

Have you ever made homemade Thai curry with your own homemade Thai curry paste?! Now this picture below looks a little like just a bunch of green mush- but it's GLORIOUS when it's made into a beautiful Thai Green Curry.

Well, this was something that I'd wanted to do since I discovered Thai food. My boyfriend and I love our Thai food and have a favourite place we often frequent (It's called Khunnai Chang Thai Cuisine and I HIGHLY recommend it). We fell so in love with Thai food that we started making it regularly at home. Before I made my own batch of curry paste- we used to use Thai Kitchen. Now, that is good...but it is in no way close to the fresh stuff. This curry paste is amazing. It's easy to make (once you have the ingredients...), but now that I'm here to help you- it will be as simple as reciting the alphabet.

The beautiful thing about this recipe is that it is gluten-free and without preservatives or additives!

The hardest things to find are the Kaffir Lime Leaves and Limes. They are essential for this recipe- so don't substitute. These limes are heavenly. I found them at the South China Seas Trading Co. on Granville Island. I couldn't find them at Whole Foods, Safeway, or No Frills. You could probably also find them at a large Asian Grocery Store. The rest of the ingredients I found at No Frills.

If you've never worked with lemongrass before: here's a video on how to do it!

This recipe will make roughly 8-10 large curries.

Homemade Thai Green Curry Paste
2 stalks lemongrass, minced 
5 green jalapeños
3 shallots, sliced
1/4 cup ginger, sliced
1 cup chopped cilantro leaves & stems
1/3 cup dried basil
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground pepper
1 tsp. ground coriander
6 tbsp. gluten-free tamari
2 tsp. shrimp paste (available at South China Market on Granville Island) (I also read that you can sub this for 1 tsp salt if you're a vegetarian...no guarantees though)
2 Kaffir lime leaves

The zest of 2 kaffir limes

I blended all ingredients together using my new handy hand blender. I've also made a batch using a regular blender, but it takes a bit more time. Since the paste is thick, you have to stop and hand mix the stuff in the blender often. A hand blender took me 3 minutes at most. 
Once it's all blended together: stuff it in a jar, and put it in the fridge! It lasts up to a week in there. Another option is to put it into Zip-lock bags in single uses, and put that in the freezer! Then, when you're making curry, just pop your single serving amount out of the freezer, and drop it into your pan!

To make the curry:
Saute half a yellow onion in coconut oil.
Add diced chicken thighs (or your choice of meat or seafood)
Add diced bell pepper, bamboo, green beans, eggplant....really, whatever you want.
Add a generous dollop of this curry paste along with one can of coconut milk (I use Aroy-D--no binders or thickeners).
Cook until veggies are tender. Voila!

This curry paste is spicier the more you add! It's honestly amazing. SO worth it. I made a batch for my Dad for his birthday!

Superfood Superpower Oat Bars

Tonight I created a recipe for an oat bar filled with healthy seeds, needs, and superfoods! Think protein,  healthy fats, and the added benefits of raw cacao, chia, and goji. Your body will love you.

Absolutely delicious- I hope you enjoy!

You will need:

½ cup roasted pecans, finely chopped

¼ cup goji berries

½ cup raw hemp hearts

2 tbsp raw cacao bits

2 tbsp black chia seeds

1 tsp cinnamon

1 ½ cup rolled oats

1 small mashed banana

½ cup unsweetened apple sauce

¼ cup maple syrup

Roast chopped pecans in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes.

Add all ingredients into a bowl, and stir thoroughly.

Line a glass roasting dish with tin foil, pressing into the edges of the pan.

Press mixture into pan--trying to keep even throughout.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Allow to cool in the pan.

Body Awareness

Something I've mentioned through this process of becoming gluten (and allergy) free is my increased body awareness. Since gluten is a common ingredient in processed food--my intake of these processed foods and deep fried foods has decreased to barely any.

This post applies to everyone, whether they are gluten free or not, because it's about the changes in your body when you cut out processed and deep fried foods. Now, I haven't cut them out completely--I haven't even made a conscious decision to limit them...I've simply cut out my allergins, and processed foods are pretty much a main contributor of allergins into my body!

A few days ago I went out for lunch with a few of my girlfriends. I ordered a bunless chicken club sandwich (going bunless is always a great option- often you end up with a dressed up chicken breast for a fraction of what they charge for the entree), with 1/2 fries, and 1/2 salad. It had been AGES since I'd had french fries...and I decided I wanted to indulge (but my conscious only allowed me to order 1/2...).

The fries were delicious. Salty, greasy, comforting...I could have had a million of them. In the moment it was pure pleasure.

But here's the thing.

After, I felt awful. I noticed a change about 30 minutes after I had eaten. I felt sluggish, heavy, tired, lethargic...egh, just gross. I wanted to lay on my couch and nap for the rest of the day. ALL from a 1/2 order of french fries.

It's really unbelievable how my body was able to almost immediately tell me that I had given it something bad. It was upset with me, and just wanted to shut down for the rest of the day. My french fries had immediately told my body to be lazy.

I've found that eating healthier really does make you feel better...but you don't notice it until you've eaten junk. It's a more severe reaction- so you notice it more.

It's so obvious to me why weight gain is a vicious cycle. You would have to fight your every instinct to push against those awful calories and unhealthy fats...The junk food just wants you to sit down, be lazy, and eat more junk.

I think the only way to stop it is to start eating healthy. You eat junk- you feel like junk.
Start with the first step- eating healthy- instead of trying to fight against the current.