Food & Drink

The Dessert Smoothie

Let’s explore the wonders of the sweet potato.

The sweet potato offers loads of antioxidants, high doses of vitamin A, vitamin C, magnese, B vitamins, potassium and iron. This tasty superfood helps prevent heart disease and cancer, helps maintain blood pressure, controls muscle and nerve function, bolsters the immune system and even slows aging by promoting good vision, strong bones, and healthy skin. All of which reinforce why we should make sweet potatoes part of our daily diet.

I for one, am impatient when it comes to the cooking time that comes along with sweet potatoes, that I will often stray away from using this sweet veg on a regular basis…until now! Why not add them into a smoothie- Genius, right?  I am definitely going to experiment more with this one, but  for now will leave you with this combination.

The Dessert Smoothie, is for when you are looking for something sweet, something quick to hit the craving, while still providing loads of nutrients. It is a combination that is sweet, nutty and delectably delicious.

Blend the following, yields 4 servings:

  • 3 peaches
  • 1 large raw sweet potato
  • 1 apple
  • 1 cup of frozen blueberries
  • 5 cups of water or until desired consistency
  • Dash of Cinnamon

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Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth. xx

Spicy Lime Quinoa Salad

There is nothing I love more than a big bowl of fresh vegetables. Especially when it’s an easy throw together kind of dish that can last you a few days. This is one of my favourite go to recipes, as it keeps for several days and can be used in a variety of ways.  I particularly enjoy this spicy lime quinoa salad on its own, stuffed in an avocado, tossed on a bed of greens, or as a side to grilled fish. You can really enjoy it however you please, as it is so versatile. Here’s the dish-

Spicy Lime Quinoa Salad

  • 1 19 oz. can of black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 a red onion, diced
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 3 stalks of celery, diced
  • 3 carrots, shredded
  • 1 cup corn (I prefer straight off the cob, but frozen or canned will do)
  • 1.5 cups cooked quinoa
  • handful of chopped cilantro

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Spicy Lime Vinaigrette:

  • 3 limes, juiced
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • dash of cayenne, cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper and sugar

Combine diced vegetables, beans, and quinoa in a large bowl. Drizzle with the spicy lime vinaigrette  and toss until evenly mixed.

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Dig in. xx

Sweet Zing


Ok I may be a bit obsessed with beets, but please bare with me, as this is a must try that you will not regret.

Beets, strawberries, grapefruit and coconut water unite to make one delicious wake up call. This smoothie is loaded with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. It’s sweet to taste with a nice punch to awaken the tastebuds and your body. It’s a great jumpstart to my morning and with the added coconut water it replenishes electrolytes needed after my morning run.

Here’s the recipe, (yields 3-4 servings): Add ingredients together and blend. Keep adding water until you find the consistency you like.

  • Juice of 2 grapefruits
  • 2 cups of coconut water
  • 1 cup strawberries
  • 3 raw beets
  • 1 cup iceIMG_3703IMG_3716

Be Sweet. xx

Summer Spin on Zucchini Pasta

I have officially been Inspiralized.

My new kitchen gadget, the Paderno Spiral Slicer is the best thing that’s happened since my HealthMaster blender. My julienne peeler was doing the trick up until now, even though it was quite time consuming. But with just one use of the spiralizer and I can honestly say it’s life changing. It is so easy to spiral all the veg that I love, giving me tons of new ideas on how to reinvent meals.

I wanted to keep today’s dish simple and utilize some fresh local summer vegetables. Less is more when it comes to enjoying the flavours of fresh produce. This lemon pesto zucchini pasta is very simple and takes less than 20 minutes to pull it all together. The corn adds a nice sweetness, while the kalamata olives offer a natural saltiness. This natural way of adding minimal salt works well because added salt can cause your zucchini to turn to mush. Hope you enjoy the dish.

Lemon Pesto Zucchini Pasta with Corn & Kalamata Olives

  • 4 zucchini (spiralized)
  • 2 cobbs of corn (corn removed from cobb)
  • 2 lemons, juice and a pinch of zest
  • 1 tbsp homemade pesto (basil, red pepper flakes, olive oil, garlic)
  • 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
  • topped with goat cheese and fresh basil

In a large pot, boil corn for 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, add your pesto until heated. Once heated, add the zucchini noodles and toss for 3-5 minutes or until al dente. Once Zucchini is cooked, toss with lemon juice.

Using tongs, to let excess moisture drip away, transfer zucchini into a bowl. Cut away the corn from the cobb and add to the zucchini pasta. Top with pitted kalamata olives, lemon zest, fresh basil and a sprinkle of goat cheese. Best served warm, but also great as a cold salad.

Makes 4 servings.

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Be Inspiralized. xx

Black Beauty

What does your morning routine look like?

I am a rise and shine, early bird catches the worm type morning person. It is my time in the day where I can really take some time for me, while the rest of the world sleeps. I try to fit in a sweat session whether it be running or yoga + some added reflection time, to read or write. When it comes to breakfast, I either want the full out weekend brunch or a quick and easy nutrient rich smoothie. 6 of 7 days, is typically the latter to give myself more time before heading off to work. I am usually mixing my go to greens to ensure I am getting all my necessary vitamins first thing, but lately I have been switching things up to keep it interesting. I see my morning smoothie as the extra kicker to starting the day off right. I will be sure to share my favourite go to recipes along the way, so you too can start your day off right. 🙂

Here’s one that I regularly make when I am looking for something a bit sweeter, yields 4 servings.

  • 1.5 cups frozen blueberries (I prefer frozen blueberries for the consistency, but fresh work too!)
  • 2 raw beets
  •  3 cups kale
  •  1 apple
  •  2 cups water (or until desired consistency)

Black Beauty

 Happy Morning Friends! xx