Vegetable Soup

I must admit, I've never really been a fan of vegetable soup. The reason for this is that I've only ever tried the nasty canned stuff. But THIS vegetable soup is leagues above any canned soup out there. So delicious! Even my picky 2 year old enjoyed it.

Recipe slightly adapted from Cooking Classy

Ingredients

2 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (1 medium)

2 cups peeled and diced carrots (about 4)

3 cups diced potatoes (about 3 medium)

4 garlic cloves pressed

4 cups vegetable broth

1 can diced tomatoes

2 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried parsley

salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 cups chopped frozen or fresh green beans

1 cup frozen or fresh corn

1 cup frozen or fresh peas

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, and potatoes and saute 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and salute 30 seconds more. Pour in the broth and diced tomatoes and add the bay leaves, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil then add green beans and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender. Add corn and peas and cook 5 minutes longer.

Enjoy!

- Arianne

Creamy Vegan Roasted Tomato Soup

This soup is one of my favourites. So simple, yet so rich in flavour. And sooooo much better than any canned tomato soup out there. 

Slightly adapted from recipe found at Life As A Strawberry

Ingredients

8 roma tomatoes, halved

3 cloves of garlic, peeled

2 bay leaves

2 Tablespoons + 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 onion, roughly chopped

3 cups vegetable stock

1 can tomato paste

1 cup coconut milk

2 large fresh basil leaves

juice from half a lemon + 1/2 teaspoon zest

pinch of paprika

Preheat oven to 400F. Spread tomatoes, garlic, and bay leaves in a large baking dish in a single layer. Drizzle with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil then season with thyme, oregano, salt and pepper. Roast for 35-40 minutes in heated oven. When garlic has roasted and tomatoes have caramelized, remove from oven, discard bay leaves, and set aside. 

In a large pot, heat the remaining 2 Tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the roasted tomatoes, garlic, and tomato paste and sauté 1 minute. 

Add the vegetable broth. Bring to a low boil, then reduce to a simmer.

Remove from heat and carefully transfer the pot contents into a blender. Add coconut milk and basil leaves to the soup in the blender. Puree until very smooth.

Return soup to the pot and bring again to a simmer. Add lemon juice, zest, and paprika. 

-Enjoy!

Arianne

Power Salad

It's funny how your body tells you things sometimes.

Like that you NEED to eat a salad. It's great when you can have a craving that you have no regrets whatsoever giving in to! 

Slightly adapted from recipe found at What's Gaby Cooking?

Ingredients

2-3 cups fresh spinach

1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 yellow bell pepper, diced

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 long english cucumber, chopped or sliced

6 green onions, sliced

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 avocado, sliced

Place spinach in a large bowl, then arrange remaining ingredients on top of the spinach. 

I topped this salad with this delicious raspberry vinaigrette. 

Enjoy!

- Arianne

Raspberry Vinegrette

Original Recipe found at What's That Smell?

Ingredients

3/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 cup frozen or fresh raspberries

1/4 cup water

2 Tablespoons honey

Place all ingredients in a blender and mix for 30 second. Pour on desired salad and enjoy!

- Arianne

Vegetarian Brown Lentil Chili

Chili is a staple in my house. It is definitely one of my go-to meals when I don't have much time or many groceries. Sometimes, though, meat and I are not the best of friends. When I found out I could use brown lentils to replace the meat in chill, I could not wait to try it out!

I was not disappointed! The meat was not missed at all, and even my husband liked this version!

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion diced

1 bell pepper diced

1 can brown lentils, drained and rinsed

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 19oz. cans diced tomatoes

2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

3 Tablespoons honey

salt and pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and pepper to the pot and cook until tender. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer at least 15 minutes. 

Top with avocado, sour cream, cheese, tortilla chips, or all of the above!

Enjoy!

-Arianne

Honey Mustard Glazed Grilled Halibut/Salmon

I have always hated fish. HATE IT. I know that it is healthy for me so I try and eat it as often as I can, plus my husband and daughters both love it. I have been using this great recipe from Modern Healthy Mom for a couple of years now and I have to say that I actually 'like' fish when prepared this way. She uses salmon in her recipe, but both my husband and I don't really love salmon, so we usually do halibut (we find it less fishy tasting). Whatever you choose, is sure to be good! I used to only make this in the oven, but recently have started to grill it, and I have to say grill wins all the way. Are we really surprised? 

Ingredients 

4 salmon/halibut fillets

1 tablespoon of butter/coconut oil (both are delicious)

1 tablespoon coconut sugar/brown sugar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Directions 

Put butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and melt. Remove from heat and add in the sugar, soy sauce, honey and mustard and stir to combine. Rinse fish in cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

Oil the grill and heat to medium high heat. Place fish on the grill, brush with sauce and close the lid. Cook for 5-6 minutes then flip and brush with more sauce. Cook for 4-5 more minutes or until halibut is done. When the glossy sheen is gone and the halibut is flaky and opaque through the middle, you know it is ready. Enjoy - Alex

Kim's Famous Chicken Soup

I have a friend named Kim. While you may not know her, she deserves to be famous because of this chicken soup, hence why I called the recipe, Kim's Famous Chicken Soup. I had the luxury of eating this at her place a couple of times and I am not kidding you, YEARS later I was still craving it. I finally got around to asking her for the recipe and I am so glad I did. We made this the other night and everyone in my family LOVED it, just as I suspected they would. All chicken soups are good, but the trick to this one is the homemade broth using a whole chicken. It really does take the soup from being good to great! 

 I also love that this recipe is so versatile. You can use whatever veggies you have on hand. We used the typical carrots, celery, onions, and garlic.  I didn't give exact amounts on the veggies because it it totally up to you how much you like of everything. I like mine really garlicky and probably added 6-8 garlic cloves. Next time I will probably add even more. My girls ate theirs with a scoop of rice in their bowls, you can always add noodles if that's what you like. I chose to squeeze a little fresh lemon juice in mine just for fun. All options are delicious and totally up to you. Make sure to read the full recipe before starting to make things easier, and thank you Kim for this wonderful recipe, I hope I got it right! 

Ingredients

1 whole organic chicken

water

carrots

celery

onions

garlic

vinegar

salt and pepper

Directions

Place the whole chicken in a large pot and fill with water until chicken is completely covered with 1 inch of water over top. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and boil chicken for 1 1/2 hours. Keep adding water in the pot if needed since some of it will boil out. Once the chicken is cooked through, remove chicken from pot (leave the water in the pot) and set aside to cool. 

Once the chicken is cool enough to work with, remove the meat from the bones and place on a plate for later. Take the chicken bones and place them back into the water along with some roughly chopped carrots, celery, onions, garlic, 1 tbs vinegar, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce to low, cover and simmer as long as possible (up to 8 hours) adding water when needed.  Place the meat in the fridge for later. I usually end up with a lot of meat so I take half of it and freeze for later, or keep it in my fridge to use later that week. If you like soup with a lot of chicken, then leave it all in. It's totally up to you. 

When you are ready to make your soup, ladle out all of the veggies and chicken bones. I usually place a large bowl in my sink with a colander sitting inside of it and strain everything out that way. I take half of the broth and freeze it for later, but again, this is up to you. Once everything is strained out, you can place fresh diced onions, carrots, celery, and garlic back into the broth along with your chicken. Bring to a boil, reduce to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes or until the veggies are cooked through. If you want to add noodles, then do so after 10 minutes to make sure everything is done at the same time. I added in some oregano at the end and some more salt and pepper to taste. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did - Alex

Lemony Pasta with Tuna and Peas

Okay, so this might not be the healthiest dinner, but it screams comfort food for me. My Mom used to make this when we were little and I will always have a soft spot for it in my heart. I have changed it up a bit since the good old days (adding a bit of lemony flavour to it), and both versions are so good. It is a quick and easy dinner for a rushed weeknight, or when you're feeling like a good meal Mom used to make. 

Ingredients

1 box whole grain, whole wheat pasta (375g)

1/2 cup or more of frozen peas

1 can tuna

1/4 cup miracle whip/mayonnaise 

zest and juice of 1 lemon

sat and pepper to taste

Directions

Make the pasta according to directions on box. When the pasta only has 5 more minutes of cooking, add in the frozen peas and finish cooking together. Meanwhile, place tuna, miracle whip, zest of 1 lemon and juice of 1 lemon in a large bowl and stir to combine. Drain the cooked pasta/peas and place in bowl along with the tuna mixture. If you're finding the mixture too dry then add in a little more miracle whip/mayo. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and a little more lemon zest if desired. Serve warm. Enjoy - Alex

Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Soup

It's fall time and you know what that means.. soup season! 

 My soup addiction is hitting me once again with full force. This soup is dairy free, yet creamy and because the ingredients are roasted first, it has a rich flavour to it.  How many times can I say soup in one post? Just go make it okay?

Ingredients

1 butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded and chopped

1 medium onion

2-3 large pears, chopped 

1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped

olive oil

kosher salt

1-2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

Directions 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Place the squash, onion, pears and rosemary in a glass dish and drizzle with olive oil and kosher salt. Bake for 40-60 minutes or until squash is cooked all the way through. Place in blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Pour in chicken stock until desired consistency is achieved. Pour into bowls and top with more fresh rosemary, sour cream, or homemade croutons. Enjoy - Alex 

Wild Rice and Barley Salad with Dried Cranberries

Slightly adapted from recipe found on Scrumpdillyicious

Ingredients

1/2 cup uncooked brown and wild rice mix

1/2 cup uncooked pearl barley

1 3/4 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 Tablespoons vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Place the rice, barley, and broth in a medium sized saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Place the rice mixture into a medium sized bowl then add chickpeas and cranberries.

Combine the vinegar, olive oil, mustard, salt and pepper in a small bowl and whisk together. Pour this over the rice mixture and toss well. Cover and chill until ready to serve, then add the chopped basil and mix well.

Enjoy!

- Arianne

Rainbow Chicken Salad with Almond Honey Mustard Dressing

Wow. This salad is truly incredible! It has all the right flavours in all the right ways! I honestly could go on and on. But just look.

This is perfection plated.

Now go make this immediately! 

It is THE best salad I have ever had the pleasure of devouring. The dressing definitely makes the dish.

Recipe from Pinch of Yum

Ingredients

Salad

2 teaspoons olive oil

8 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts diced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 cup fresh blueberries

2 cups halved grapes

3 cups chopped green-leaf lettuce

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup sliced or chopped almonds

Dressing

3 Tablespoons almond butter

1 Tablespoon olive oil

2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

3 Tablespoons water

1 Tablespoon dijon mustard

1/2 Tablespoon raw honey

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Sauté the chicken in the hot oil and season with salt, pepper, and chili powder. Stir frequently until cooked through and golden brown. Set aside to cool. While chicken is cooling, prepare the fruits and vegetables. Place all the salad ingredients in a large bowl. They may either be arranged by ingredient, or all tossed together. 

To prepare the dressing, puree all the dressing ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Pour onto salad and enjoy!

- Arianne

Homemade Fruit Cereal Bars

I did not even consider making my own fruit cereal bars until I saw this recipe. The simplicity of the ingredients when compared to any store-bought cereal bar is astounding. I'm so glad I found this!

And so is my 11 month old...

Slightly adapted from recipe found at Super Healthy Kids

Ingredients

1/2 cup melted coconut oil

1/2 cup pure maple syrup or honey

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup of fruit of your choice*

1 Tablespoon water

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the oil (cooled), syrup, vanilla, and eggs. In a separate mixing bowl combine flour, oats, salt, and baking powder. Slowly add the dry mixture into the wet mixture, stirring until well incorporated. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

To make the filling, place the fruit in a small saucepan with the water and cook over med-high head for about 5 minutes stirring frequently. Transfer the fruit into a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth. 

Preheat oven to 350F. Roll the refrigerated dough on a floured surface. Cut off rough edges, and cut the dough into 3x3 inch squares. Place the filling in the middle of each square, then fold the dough over on top of itself and pinch the open edges. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. 

Enjoy!

- Arianne

*Blueberry pictured above. I've also used strawberries. Mango, Raspberry, or cherry would also be tasty!

Oatmeal Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

Slightly adapted from recipe found at Baker Bettie 

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups dried rolled oats

2-3 rip bananas

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup chocolate chips (Use Enjoy Life to make dairy free)

Banana slices for garnish if desired

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly oil a bread pan and set aside. Place the oats in a blender or food processor and blend until fine and floury. Add all remaining ingredients except the chocolate chips and blend until well combined. Fold in 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and pour the batter into your bread pan. Top with banana slices and the remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Enjoy!

- Arianne

Creamy Vegan Butternut Squash and Pear Soup

While I'm not normally a pureed soup kind of girl, I just can't say no to butternut squash. This soup was incredibly quick easy to whip up for lunch today!

Ingredients

1 butternut squash peeled and diced (seeds removed)

1 half red onion loosely chopped

2-3 pears peeled and cored

4 cups vegetable stock

1 teaspoon thyme

salt and pepper to taste

1 can coconut milk

Place the chopped squash, onion, and pears in a large pot and cover with the vegetable stock. Season, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are cooked through. Stir in the coconut milk, then transfer everything into a blender. Blend until very smooth and enjoy!

- Arianne

Thai Pork Salad

Original Recipe by Stephano Faita

Ingredients

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion thinly diced

1 Tablespoon minced ginger

1 garlic clove minced

1 pound ground pork

pinch of cinnamon

pinch of cumin

pinch of red pepper flakes

juice of 2 limes

2 Tablespoons fish sauce

2 teaspoons honey

1 bunch of spinach leaves

1/2 cucumber cut into matchsticks

1-2 carrots cut into matchsticks

Heat the oil in a large skillet, then add onion, ginger, and garlic until cooked softened. Add the pork and stir frequently until cooked through. Add the spices. Prepare the sauce by combining lime juice, fish sauce and honey. Arrange leaves on a plate, then top with carrots and cucumber slices. Add the cooked pork to the salad and top with the sauce. 

Enjoy!

- Arianne

Healthy Pumpkin Oat Muffins

Slightly adapted recipe from Ambitious Kitchen

Ingredients

3 cups oats

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

pinch of ground cloves
2 apples peeled and diced

1 can pumpkin puree

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 Tablespoon olive or coconut oil
1/3 cup chocolate chips*


Preheat oven to 350F and brush a muffin tin with oil. Place the oats in a blender or food processor and blend until it resembles flour. Place the oat flour in a medium sized mixing bowl then whisk in baking powder, baking soda, and all spices. Place the apple slices in a small pot and cover with water. Boil until the slices are soft, then drain and blend in a food processor or blender. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together apple puree, pumpkin, vanilla, maple syrup, and oil. Slowly add the oat flour mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips, then divide into your muffin tin. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy!


*omit chocolate chips to make baby-friendly, or use Enjoy Life chocolate chips to make vegan/dairy free!


- Arianne

Homemade Pork Sausage Patties

Who doesn't love breakfast food?? It's definitely a favourite around these parts, and I feel so much better about making it when I know exactly what goes into it! These sausage patties are so very simple and contain no ingredients that you don't know how to pronounce! 

Original recipe found at Healthy Recipes

Ingredients

1 lb lean ground pork

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 Tablespoon olive oil

Mix all ingredients with your hands in a medium sized bowl. Form into about 1/2 inch thick patties.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Place the patties on the hot pan, then cook for about 5 minutes each side or until browned.

So simple, it's ridiculous.

Enjoy!

- Arianne

Creamy Vegan Spinach and Basil Soup

Funny that the first day of spring is a "soup day". Ok, you're right it's really not that funny. But this soup is delicious, regardless.

I recently took part in a clean-eating challenge. It surprised me how much better I realized I could be eating when I already thought I was doing fairly well at healthy eating. I really loved being a part of this challenge as it helped me to lose a bit of weight I've been working hard at, and I've been able to discover a few new clean and delicious recipes, like this one that my a friend of mine shared. 

I realized after I decided to make this soup that I didn't have all the right ingredients that her recipe required, so I kind of just winged it. Thanks so much for the inspiration, Cassia!

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon olive (or coconut) oil

1/2 red onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

4 celery stalks, chopped

3 cups vegetable broth

3/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

6 cups of tightly packed spinach leaves

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup canned coconut milk

Heat oil in a large pot and cook onions until translucent. Add the garlic and celery and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients except the coconut milk. Cook until the celery is soft then transfer to a blender. Puree until very smooth and transfer back into your pot. Add the coconut milk and heat the soup until just a boil. Serve and enjoy!

- Arianne

No Bake Energy Bites

These are a perfect healthy snack! Super delicious and assembly takes mere minutes. They are just sweet enough that you don't feel the need to gorge yourself on them. Why did it take me so long to try these??

Original recipe found at Gimme Some Oven

Ingredients

1 cup dry oatmeal

1/3 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup ground flaxseed

1/3 cup honey or maple syrup 

1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine all ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl. Press into golf-balled sized balls. Refrigerate or throw in the freezer.

Enjoy!

- Arianne

Spinach and Quinoa Salad with Roasted Acorn Squash and Avocados

I was craving a hearty salad last week and looked around my kitchen to see what I had on hand. I had an acorn squash that needed to be used up along with some avocados. I thought, why not put them together somehow, and this salad creation was born. The dressing recipe is from Food Lush Blog and I love it because it doesn't require any dairy unlike most poppyseed dressings out there. It was the perfect combination and a very satisfying lunch!

For the Salad

1/2 acorn squash
olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup dry quinoa
1/2 cup water
2 handfuls of baby spinach, or greens of your choice
1/2 avocado, sliced

For the Dressing  

Juice and zest from one orange
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 small shallot
1 tablespoon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon honey (optional)
1-2 teaspoons poppy seeds

Salad Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the acorn squash lengthwise, remove seeds and brush the insides with olive oil. Place cut side down on a lined baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes or until soft. Meanwhile rinse quinoa and place it in a small pot with 1/2 cup water. Cover and bring to a boil. When it starts to boil, turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes until done. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes then fluff with a fork. Place your salad greens in a bowl and mix with cooled quinoa. When the squash is cooked, cut into smaller pieces and lay them on top of the salad and quinoa mixture along with the avocado slices. Drizzle with the orange poppy seed dressing.

Dressing Directions
Place all the ingredients except poppy seeds in a blender and mix well. Add poppy seeds and pulse once or twice just to mix them in. I added honey to mine because I wanted my dressing to be on the sweeter side, but that it totally optional! You can adjust the ingredients to your liking. Enjoy! - Alex