RECIPE ~ Spelt Banana Pancakes

Sometimes, Sunday mornings just need a pancake breakfast! This one whips up quickly and is dairy-free, egg-free and wheat-free with the benefits of coconut oil. Oh, and they're fluffy and delicious!

1 cup spelt flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup almond milk
2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 mashed banana

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mash the banana and blend in the milk and oil. Add wet ingredients to flour mixture and stir really well. If you have the time, let rest a few hours.

Heat a pan til hot, then reduce heat to medium and grease with a bit of oil. Fry a 1/4 cup of the batter for each pancake. Flip when little bubbles appear on the surface. The pancakes should be golden on each side. Serve with maple syrup and fruit, or whatever you desire.

Makes around 6 pancakes.

RECIPE ~ Oatmeal Bars

A coffee shop in my neighbourhood makes delicious cranberry oatmeal bars that I've wanted to reproduce at home. With this recipe I come really close! They're soft, oaty and delicious. Have one with raw almonds and an apple and you have a terrific breakfast or hearty snack!

1 cup spelt flour
1 cup quick oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown sugar or demerrara sugar
3/4 cup almond milk
1/4 cup olive oil or coconut oil
handful dried cranberries

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add wet ingredients and stir until just mixed. Pour into an 8x8" greased baking pan. Sprinkle the tops with cranberries, pressing them into the batter a bit. Bake at 350F for 22 minutes. Cut into 8 bars.

RECIPE ~ Morning Muesli

I love granola, oatmeal and oats in the morning, especially in cool weather or rainy weather or, like now, in the middle of winter! But when it starts to warm up outside, it's time for a cool, light variation of the warm and heavy oats -- muesli! I especially love it stirred into yoghurt with some a few berries or banana slices on top and a good drizzle of maple syrup.

5 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup ground flax seed
1/2 cup oat bran
1 cup currants or raisins
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds

In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients and mix well. Store in an air-tight container for up to 2 months.

Serve mixed into hot milk or hot water for a warm meal, or cold with milk or yoghurt. This is an unsweetened mix which is great for Kaphas but Vatas would benefit from a drizzle of honey added while Pittas would do well with a drizzle of maple syrup. Enjoy!

VARIATIONS
Add any combination, keeping the total in recipe to 1 1/2 cups:
chopped prunes * dried cranberries * slivered almonds * hazelnuts * hemp seeds * pumpkin seeds * chopped apricots * chopped dates

RECIPE ~ Light and Lovely Lunch

Back on track with a healthier diet, today I made a quick, easy, warm, fresh made lunch that I'm sure to repeat!

1 small squash (I used acorn)
1 small tomato, diced
1/2 cucumber, diced
2 Tbsp chopped olives (I used kalamata)
flax oil
fresh lemon juice
sea salt and black pepper to taste
garnishes: choose from hemp seeds, sesame seeds, fresh herbs

Wash the squash then cut into quarters. Scoop out the seeds then cut quarters in half again. Place in a steamer and steam until cooked, around 20-30 minutes.

Place half the squash on one plate and half on another (I peeled my squash after cooking). Distribute the tomato, cucumber and olives over each plate of squash, then drizzle with flax oil and lemon juice to taste. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and add any garnish you like.

So yummy and easy. Can also be a side dish to a rice pilaf, veggie kabobs, etc. I accompanied it with a ginger peppermint tea. Enjoy!

New Year Lentil Salad

Happy new (calendar) year! I hear it's good luck to serve lentils on new year's, probably to usher in a year of plenty. I like the story, so for New Year's Eve I made this easy and delicious brown lentil salad.

1 can (2 cups) cooked brown lentils, rinsed
1 ripe tomato, diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced small
1/2 cup parsley, minced
1/4 red onion, finely sliced
juice of half a lemon
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp ground cumin

First place the sliced onions in a colander and sprinkle generously with salt, about 1 Tbsp. Let sit for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, place the rinsed lentils, tomato, garlic and parsley. Stir together then stir in lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt, pepper and cumin.

Rub the onions together with your hand to squeeze out the pungent juices, then rinse well under hot water. Stir into the rest of the lentil salad.

Serve as a side dish, or with rice or other salads. We served ours with stuffed avocadoes on a bed of lettuce leaves! Enjoy and happy new year!