Hempy Chai AmazeBalls

Oh my Gaaahhhhhd…

If these aren’t the most addicting little treats ever, I don’t know what are.

trust me: ugly balls are tasty balls!

I know they don’t look like much, but they only have a handful of ingredients.

balls, close-up.

They taste like cookie dough.

i took a bite out of this ball.

And guess what? They’re HEALTHY! (Surprise, surprise…)

Ever since I stumbled upon this recipe a few days ago, I’ve been obsessed. Like, making them at least twice a day obsessed. Creating endless variations obsessed. Dreaming about them every waking moment obsessed.

Yep, I dream about balls.

The following recipe is my favourite flavour sensation thus far.

this ball’s for you.

Hempy Chai AmazeBalls

4 tbsp vanilla protein powder (I like Vega Performance Protein or Sun Warrior)
2 tbsp hemp seed butter
4 tsp maple syrup
2 tsp non-dairy milk
dash each of cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom
pinch of salt

Stir all ingredients together until well-blended and “mold-able.” Shape into balls and refrigerate before eating (if you can wait that long!).

Makes 4 balls.

NEWS FLASH!

Get Real cooking classes are comin’ your way THIS FALL!!!

Keep yer beady li’l eyes peeled for healthy, hands-on goodness how-to at Choices Market (and possibly elsewhere).

Stay tuned for more details!

Avocado Chocolate Pudding (with greens!)

Quick post today – just HAD to share the epic dessert recipe I made this evening! Enjoy!

Avocado Chocolate Pudding (with greens!)

1 large ripe avocado
½ banana (use a whole one if you want a more pronounced banana flavour)
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 scoop Amazing Grass greens powder (chocolate or original)
2-3 tbsp non-dairy milk
pinch of vanilla powder (or 1/2 tsp extract)
pinch of salt
stevia to taste
optional: cinnamon and cayenne to taste

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth, scraping sides with a spatula a few times.
2. Stop and taste; adjust sweetness to taste and add more milk if needed to achieve desired consistency, then blend again.
3. Serve as is; with fruit; or sprinkled with fleur de sel and cayenne pepper (my preference!).

Serves 2.

3 Steps to a Healthy Weight for Life – Step 3

Just in time for the New Years’ resolution craze, I am (finally) unveiling….STEP 3!!!

3. Feel your feelings!

or, “It’s Not About the Food!”

How often do you turn to your old pals Ben and Jerry after a stressful day at the office? Ever drowned your breakup sorrows in a bag of chips? Do cookies fill the void when your boy/girlfriend is away? Or, do you avoid food altogether during trying times?

We all eat (or don’t eat) for emotional reasons, be it joy (birthdays, weddings), sadness (funerals), or just plain boredom (Friday nights alone). But when it becomes a habit, a distraction, a replacement for other things, it’s time to check in with oneself and ask what’s really going on.

You can count calories, measure your food, starve, and exercise all you want – the feelings inside and the person you are will still be there no matter what your weight. But discovering that a good cry feels better than a candy bar? That just might break the spell .

And remember, don’t beat yourself up! Health is a journey, and awareness is the first step…

 

The legume saga continues…

…with Chickpea Flour Pancakes!

You can make these sweet or savoury. Like most of my recipes, this is more of a template; adjust seasonings and add-ins to your liking. It makes great breakfast pancakes or, when baked as one giant flatbread, an easy, yeast- and gluten-free pizza crust!

Recipe serves one; multiply ingredients to serve more.

Chickpea Flour Pancakes

1/2 cup chickpea flour
1/2 cup water (or non-dairy milk)
pinch of salt
1 tbsp ground flax/chia seed
sprinkle of baking soda (about 1/8 tsp) (omit for pizza crust)
1 tsp maple syrup (if making sweet pancakes)

Optional add-ins:
savoury: herbs/spices, cheese, shredded vegetables…
sweet: more syrup/sugar, cinnamon, fresh/dried fruit, nuts/seeds, coconut…

Coconut oil for frying

Whisk chickpea flour, salt, and water together until no lumps remain. Leave batter to rest at on the counter for at least 1/2 an hour (I left mine overnight).

Add in remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Let rest while you oil and preheat a skillet to medium-high.

When skillet is hot (enough that drops of water flicked onto it sizzle and bounce), pour in your batter. When you see bubbles appear on the surface of the pancakes, flip ‘em and cook for another minute or so.

Serve with toppings of your choice!

These freeze really well, by the way. Just pop a couple in the toaster and you’ve got a quick, easy, and portable breakfast!

Of xanthan gum and other food fears.

This morning I came across a description of xanthan gum saying that it is often grown on a medium derived from corn.

My mom is allergic to corn, as well as gluten. As xanthan or other gums are often added to gluten-free baked goods for binding purposes, I sent this nugget of info off to her, to which she responded, “Is anything safe?”

Good question! Made me think. In sending her that e-mail, I realized how I am perpetuating fear rather than abating it.

Personally, I believe that all the hype surrounding food – “safety”/lack thereof – is doing more harm than good. Yes, I believe allergies are real, but I also think that the more we focus on what’s “wrong” with our food, whether for us personally or in general, the worse it will get. You know how once you pinpoint one allergy, you become that much more sensitive to everything else? Again, I think this is partially real on a physical level, but also an extrapolation of fear, if you will.

Perhaps if we focus on what makes us feel good, food- and otherwise, the “bad” will eventually dissipate. (I’ve seen it happen.)

What do you think?

3 Steps to a Healthy Weight for Life – Step 2

In my last post, I broke down Step 1: Eat whole foods. Now I present to you…Step 2!

2. Move your body

Find a physical activity you love and do it every day! Exercise doesn’t have to mean hauling ass around a track or lifting twice your body weight at the gym, nor does it mean sweating like a pig for hours on end. But if you like these activities, great! Do them! My point is that if you love something, you’ll keep doing it – because you want to, not because you “should.” Enjoy swimming? Do that! Love hiking? Find a nice place to climb! Is dancing your thing? Sign up for classes (or just crank up the 80s dance tunes and let loose in your living room when no one’s home…)!

But I have no time, you say! Equipment/shoes/memberships/classes are too expensive! Don’t feel you have to spend a ton of time or money on being more active: even if it’s just a brisk 5 minute stroll per day, your body – and mind – will reap the benefits. Cheap and fast!

Sometimes recruiting a buddy can also make exercise more enjoyable and help to motivate you. Instead of meeting for coffee, go for a walk with a friend; or take your dog along on a hike or run before work.

Above all, remember to make it enjoyable! In the words of the band Tegan and Sara: “It’s not fun, don’t do it!

Up next: Step 3!