Raspberry Jam Muffins

1 ½ cups spelt flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ cup vanilla yogurt
1 cup milk
½ cup sugar
½ cup egg whites
¼ cup molasses
½ cup wheat bran
1 cup oats
3/4 cup frozen raspberries
1/4 cup raspberry jam

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.

In a large bowl, mix together yogurt, milk, sugar, egg whites and molasses. Once that is combined together, add wheat bran and oats. Add flour mixture and stir just until combined. Gently fold in raspberries.

Line a muffin tin with paper liners. Fill each cup about half full with the muffin dough. Add a small scoopful of jam on top of the dough. Add remaining dough on top of the jam, making sure that the jam is covered fully.

Bake for 20-22 minutes.

Nut Clusters

1 cup raw almonds
½ cup each raw cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds
¾ cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
2/3 cup maple syrup
¼ tsp salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Combine all ingredients into a bowl.

Spread all ingredients evenly onto a baking tray. Place in oven for 25 minutes.

When it comes out of the oven, take a knife and break up mixture into clusters. Let dry on pan for several hours.

These are delicious on top of yogurt, or as a snack on their own.

Bell Pepper Salad

This is a super easy and quick salad.

2 bell peppers, thinly sliced (I used red and orange, but any colour would work well)
½ cup red onion, thinly sliced
¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix well, and enjoy!!

Chewy Granola Bites

This recipe is from "Eat Shrink and Be Merry" and I just modified it to what I had in the pantry. They are a great post work-out snack.

1/3 cup all natural peanut butter
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 egg whites
1 cinnamon
2½ cups Kashi Honey Flax Granola Cereal (or any granola you like)
1/2 cup coconut
1/3 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 250 degrees (no this isn't a typo, it is 250 not 350 degrees).

In a large bow combine peanut butter, maple syrup and egg. In another bowl mix together the cinnamon, cereal, coconut and raisins. Add the cereal mixture to the peanut butter mixture.

Evenly divide the mixture between a greased 12-cup muffin tin. Cook for 45 minute. Let cool before removing from the tin.

Veggie Shepard's Pie

1 tbsp olive oil
4 celery stalks, finely chopped
3 carrots, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup frozen peas
1 500g. pkg veggie ground
4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 cup vegetable broth
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 medium russet potato, peeled and diced
A sprinkle of paprika
½ cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated (optional)

In a large skillet, sauté celery, carrots and onion in olive oil. Add peas, veggie ground, Worcestershire sauce, and veggie broth. Cook for several minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add salt and pepper to taste.

While veggies are cooking, boil sweet potato and potato in a large pot until soft. Make sure that the water is salted to give the potatoes some flavour. Drain water, and mash.

In a large Pyrex dish, place veggie ground mixture on the bottom. Top with the mashed potatoes. Top with a sprinkle of paprika and cheddar cheese (optional).

Cook at 400 degrees for 25 minutes, or until potatoes turn golden brown.

Quinoa Salad

I added shrimp to this for my husband, but it could easily be left out as well. Next time, I think that I will add a can of chickpeas (rinsed and drained of course) for me.

About 30 large shrimp (I used frozen)
2 cups quinoa
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
12 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup goats cheese, crumbled

Cook quinoa according to package directions. Sometimes I use vegetable stock to give it more flavour.

While quinoa is cooking, prepare sundried tomatoes, olives, pine nuts and goats cheese in a large bowl.

Once vegetables and cheese are assembled, cook shrimp in a frying pan. Drain the water from the shrimp if you are using frozen.

Once the quinoa and shrimp are ready, add them both to the sundried tomato mixture. You can either serve this warm or cold.

Mushroom Stroganoff

Approx. 4 cups dry whole wheat egg noodles
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
4 cups sliced mushrooms (I used crimini mushrooms)
1 cup frozen peas
2 cups vegetable broth
1 ½ cups low fat sour cream
3 tbsp spelt flour
¼ cup freshly chopped parsley
Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Saute onion in oil until translucent. Then add mushrooms and cook until brown. Place cooked vegetables in a bowl and set aside.

While vegetables are sautéing, cook egg noodles according to package directions.

In the same skillet that vegetables were cooked in, add the vegetable broth. Let cook for several minutes (about 10 minutes) on high or until it has reduced in half. Return vegetables to the pan. Add peas.

In a small bowl combine sour cream and flour. Add this mixture to vegetables and broth. Cook for a few minutes until sauce has thickened. Add fresh parsley and noodles. Stir until all noodles are evenly coated with the sauce. Serve with extra fresh parsley if desired and freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Lime Coconut Muffins

2 cups spelt flour
1/2 cup coconut, and another ¼ cup for sprinkling on top of muffins
2 tsp lime zest
½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
½ cup organic sugar cane
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 egg white
¼ cup skim milk
1 cup vanilla yogurt
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a large bowl, combine flour, coconut, baking soda and salt.

In a medium bowl combine sugar, butter, egg, milk, vanilla and lime juice. Add to flour mixture.

Evenly divide batter into 12-muffin tin, and top each with coconut.

Cook for 18 minutes.

Apple Sauce Muffins

1 1/4 cups Spelt Flour
1 1/4 cups oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup sweetened applesauce
1/2 cup skim milk
1/4 cup organic sugar cane, plus 2-3 teaspoons for the tops of the muffins
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup raisins


Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, mix together applesauce, milk, sugar, yogurt and egg.

Add applesauce mixture to flour mixture. Add raisins.

Pour evenly into 12-muffin tin. Top each muffin with a sprinkle of sugar.

Cook for 16 minutes.

Pina Colada Muffins

¼ cup egg whites
14 oz can crushed pineapple, drained
½ cup plain yogurt
1/3 cup organic sugar cane, and 2-3 tsp more for topping
¼ cup butter, melted
1 ½ cups spelt flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup Shredded coconut


Preheat oven to 400 degrees

In a medium bowl combine egg, pineapple, yogurt, sugar and butter.

In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Add flour mixture to pineapple mixture. Stir until combine – do not over-mix. Add coconut.

Divide batter evenly in greased muffin tin. Top each muffin with a sprinkle of sugar.

Cook for 22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Sweet Potato Chili

This has a REALLY smoky flavour.

1 large sweet potato, diced
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp cumin
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
1 19oz can black beans
1 19oz can mixed beans
2 tbsp canned chipotle peppers, chopped
1 tsp paprika
½ cup orange juice
½ cup of water
3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
Salt to taste
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

Add all ingredients to a slow cooker on low for 8 hours, or high for 4 hours.

Top with fresh cilantro when serving. I also served it with whole wheat egg noodles.