Not Quite Granola Bars

In my attempt to make a really healthy granola bar I came up with something Magnus actually liked but was supper crumbly.  My living room floor shows evidence of both, lol.  So this is attempt number 2 and and it is kind of a cross between a cake and a granola bar.  Also it is nut free, gluten free, and playdate friendly.


This super easy recipe requires one bowl and one 9x13 pan.  Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and let it sit for a few minutes.  Add the larger quantities of raisins and maple syrup if you want this sweeter.  These squares are tasty but offer more of a "wholesome" sweetness.  Bake in a greased pan; 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until the edges get a deep toasty brown colour.

I had a portion of this tonight with a protein and some fruit for my post yoga dinner and it was great.  Enjoy :)

The Recipe:

3 cups instant oats

1 cup hemp hearts

1/2 cup chia seeds

1 cup flax meal (ground flax)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tbs vanilla

1.5 tsp baking soada

1/2-3/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup apple sauce

1/4 cup grape seed 

2 eggs 

1/2-3/4 cup raisins

Deconstructed Cabbage Rolls

My husband and I tried something new this past week for date night.  Usually we end up going for dinner and a movie but this past Wednesday we went to Bikram Yoga (hot yoga) and I loved it!  Jay had gone before Magnus was born but with becoming a parent it was one or those things that fell by the wayside.  I assumed I would not fit in or feel welcome in an environment filled with super fit, Lululemon, Barbie dolls and I was totally wrong.  I've gone once more on my own and although I'm still very sore I am so happy to have found an activity Jay and I can do together or on our own and one that doesn't include a treadmill.


This recipe is more of a creative effort to clean out the leftovers in my fridge and satisfy my craving for cabbage and onions (I must be hormonal or something, lol).  I have never made cabbage rolls but from what I have tasted in the past this includes many of the things this recipe is known for.

Begin by sautéing the onions in a bit of oil or butter (I used a bit of homemade Ghee) until translucent.  Next I added the cabbage and continued to sauté in the frying pan on low-med/med heat.  Once the cabbage is nicely wilted and the volume has decreased a fair bit I added the pepper, paprika, and vinegar and cooked the mix a bit longer.


To plate this I put a generous base of the cabbage/onion mixture and sprinkled a bit of brown rice over top and finished with the meat sauce.  In making this meal I had leftover brown rice and tomato meat sauce so it came together really fast and easily.  Also with watching my carb/grain intake this was an easy way to portion things according the my model of healthy eating.

The Recipe:

2 medium onions cut in quarters then thinly sliced

1/2-3/4 Savoy cabbage head sliced (think coleslaw sized)

1-2 Tbs white or apple cider vinegar

1/4 Tsp Paprika (smoked or regular)

Cooked brown rice (leftover or a small pot full)

Tomato meat sauce thinned out if you like with water or additional tomato sauce

Pepper to taste

Warm Butternut and Beet Salad

Well, I am very happy to say I made it through the holidays with a weight loss!  I did indulge a bit but overall kept my healthy momentum.  We had a quiet, relaxing Christmas and New Years with lots of time together as a family.  I'm sure many of you have seen recipes similar to the one I'm posting below but this is my spin on it and what I had for lunch today.


On a cookie sheet in a 450 degree oven I roasted the butternut squash and beets (cut to a bite sized dice).  I added a bit of olive oil to the veggies first and did a good toss.  I roasted until the veggies were tender which was 20-30 minutes (sometimes I find beets take a while to cook this way).  While the veggies were roasting I toasted the walnuts in a dry nonstick pan until they started to brown and smell nice and toasty.  Once cooled off a bit I coarse chopped the walnuts.

For the dressing I mixed the basalmic, olive oil and Italian seasoning.  I have a Tupperware salad shaker thing that worked great for this.  Finally I added all the ingredients and tossed to mix.  This is great both warm and cold.  Sweet potatoes (the orange ones) and acorn squash would also be great added or substituted in this recipe.  Also I didn't add any salt as the feta has plenty and the Italian seasoning had a bit as well, you may choose to add salt and pepper to taste.

The Recipe:

1/2 of a medium butternut squash (2-2.5 cups diced)

3 medium beets (1.5 cups diced)

1 Tbs olive oil

1 Tbs balsamic vinegar

1/2 Tsp Italian seasoning (I used Epicure Italian salad dressing seasoning but any dry seasoning mix you prefer would be fine)

1/2 cup Feta cheese

1/2 cup walnuts toasted

Salt and pepper to taste 

Pumpkin Pie Energy Bites

With a picky toddler in the house I am constantly trying to come up with snacks that are not processed, not loaded with sugar and nutritious.  It can be so frustrating.  We had some friends over today and although everyone seemed to like these Magnus did not.  "Sigh", but I will share the recipe because I'm sure most of you will enjoy it.


I used a food processor for this recipe and it was so easy.   The dates I had on hand were a bit dry so I added them to the coconut oil when I melted the oil in the microwave.  Add all ingredients to the bowl of the processor and turn it on to low for a bit until the ingredients look like they are well incorporated.  At this point I scraped down the sides and bottom and blitzed it a bit longer.

The picture below is what your mixture should look like.  I took out the blade and put the bowl in the fridge to let the mixture firm up a bit then rolled into desired sized balls and placed them back in the fridge.

I would store these in the fridge.  If you like these could be rolled in fine coconut or chopped almonds...pecans can also be used in place of the almonds in this recipe.  I ended up with 18 one inch balls and these are a great portable snack.

The Recipe:

1/3 cup melted coconut oil

1/2 cup dates pitted (they do not need to be pre-chopped)

1/4 cup pure pumpkin puree

1/4-1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 cup almond meal or flour

1/2 cup instant or quick oats