Breaky & Brunch

Superfood Energy Balls

These superfood energy balls are loaded with all the goodness. From heart-healthy oats, natural almond butter and medjool dates as a base, to loading in any of your other superfood hero’s. Chia, pumpkin seeds,and  hemp hearts are my usual go to’s when looking for a big nutritious punch. To sweeten up this snack, add in some antioxidant berries (in this recipe I used a great cherry, cranberry, blueberry mix) or if you want to indulge, add in some dark chocolate chips.

These balls come together in a quick 10 minutes or so and you can easily adapt to your liking. I’ll share my other go to recipe soon!

These are a great snack on the go and make for the perfect pre or post workout snack, plus they will leave you feeling guilt-free if you’re just looking for something to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Superfood Energy Balls (yields ~12)

  • 1 cup old fashioned oats
  • 3/4 cup almond butter (or your choice of nut butter)
  • 1/4 cup ground flax seed
  • 2 tbsp chia
  • 2 tbsp raw pumpkin seeds
  • 2 tbsp favorite dried fruit
  • 3 medjool dates, pitted
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup (honey or brown rice syrup works well too)
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon

FullSizeRender (39)

  1. Combine dates, almond butter, dried berries and maple syrup in food processor and pulse until dates are fully chopped and everything is combined
  2. In a bowl mix together oats, flax seed, chia, pumpkin seeds, and cinnamonFullSizeRender (41)
  3. Add date and almond butter mixture and stir until fully combined. If the mixture is not quite sticky enough for you (this can vary depending on the nut butter you use) just add a bit more maple syrup or nut butter into the mixture
  4. Roll into 1 inch balls. Place balls into an airtight container and store in the fridge or freezer for snacking throughout the weekFullSizeRender (40)

Snack on! xx

Overnight Oats

I know Overnight Oats are old news, but I am obsessed with them. They are so easy to throw together and ultra filling! Especially, when you have busy mornings and don’t have time to whip something up.

Simply, mix ingredients together in a jar, let it set over night (6-8 hours), portion out and top it off with your favourite toppings! You can easily adapt this recipe to suit your taste and you really can’t mess it up. What’s your favourite oats combo?

oats

Overnight Oats (yields 2-4 servings)

  • 2 cups large flake oats (not the quick variety)
  • 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
  • 2 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract

To top it off:

  • Fresh raspberries/blueberries
  • Chopped nuts
  • Hemp hearts
  • Almond/Nut butter
  • Cinnamon

 

 

Happy day! xx

Orange is the New Black

I love a good cup of java and all the cute coffee shops and feelings that come with each cup! This really is one of life’s simple joys. And as the Fall season sets in, I love to indulge in a good ol’ Pumpkin Spice Latte. Lately though, I have been reluctant to regularly indulge in the PSL we all know and love and find that often I am choosing this option more so for the convenience aspect and here’s why….  Homemade PSL’s!

These are so much better than and pumpkin syrup just does not compare. You control the sweetness, the spice and know exactly what goes into each cup. Plus, the $5+ spent on each cup is much more welcomed in my pocket!

So this Thanksgiving weekend, cuddle up on the couch with this homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte and enjoy yourself and all the things we have to be thankful for: 🙂

Pumpkin Spice Latte (yields 2 cups)

  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  • 4 tbsp pumpkin purée
  • 2 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp of maple syrup (you can add this in as you go to suit your sweet tooth)
  • 1/8 tsp salt (optional)
  • 4 oz brewed espresso or strong coffee
  • 2 cups almond milk (or milk of choice)

PSL Ingredients

  1. Mix spices with vanilla and maple syrup to create a paste.
  2. Heat milk on low, add in pumpkin puree, and spice mixture. Whisk until smooth. (don’t be afraid to add more sweetness or spice if you prefer)
  3. Brew Espresso.
  4. Pour Espresso and top with pumpkin spice milk mixture.
  5. If you are feeling fancy, top with whip or frothy milk.


Sip & Enjoy. xx

All Things Pumpkin Spice

It’s October! Which means we’ve entered the blitz of pumpkin everything and there are no complaints here.

As new products hit the shelves, I am easily intrigued by all the new variations of Fall. Pumpkin has literally taken over the grocery aisles and I’m suddenly set for all things Fall. I’ll be perfectly honest when I say that I love me some good ol’ pumpkin spice – the famous PSL, tasty pumpkin ales (or not so tasty lol), and every type of pumpkin dessert imaginable. I do my best in keeping up with the pumpkins. 🙂 And best yet, I have been experimenting at home, which usually brings an even better version of the things we love without the fake pumpkin flavour and extra sugar!

You’ll see in past some of my pumpkin go-to’s (energy balls, raw pie, and savoury risotto). And this weekend I am sharing the ultimate pumpkin spice smoothie and latte!

Pumpkin Spice Smoothie (yields 4 cups)

  • 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 2 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin
  • 3 pitted medjool dates
  • 1 frozen ripe banana
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  • 1.5-2 tbsp pure maple syrup
  • 1.5 tsp pure vanilla

Pumpkin Spice Smoothie Ingredients

  1. In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the milk, oats, and chia seeds. Place in fridge for 1 hour or overnight.
  2.  Add soaked oat mixture to blender along with the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
  3. Add ice to make it more refreshing and top it with your favourite whip to make it extra fancy and sweet!

Pumpkin Spice Smoothie

The PSS works great for breaky or dessert and is a quick way to satisfy that pumpkin craving!

Pumpkin On! xx

 

Grilled Peaches

Peaches are a summer favourite when it comes to fruit, especially Niagara peaches; nothing else quite compares. And every so often I like to spice things up by throwing peach halves right on to the grill – which is a real treat! Grilled peaches are the perfect way to jazz up a weekend brunch/breaky or if you want to impress guests with a sweet and smoky dessert.

I like to keep mine simple with a light drizzle of pure maple syrup as the peaches are the real winning treat already. However, if you are looking for something super delicious and indulgent, grilled peaches  topped with your favourite type of ice or whip cream is the way to go! I personally love them topped with Luna & Larry’s Coconut Bliss “Naked Coconut” – YUM!

Also, another favourite dish for grilled peaches when looking to use them as part of your main dish, is to pair your grilled peaches with ricotta, basil and a drizzle of EVO and your favourite balsamic vinegar (see here my spin on the classic Caprese).

Grilled Peaches

For more of my favourite items to grill – check out my post Grill On and please share what you’re grilling up this summer! #delsdish #delsgrill

Happy Long Weekend! xx