MATCHA GREEN SMOOTHIE

I recently started adding matcha green tea powder to my morning smoothies. Not only is matcha packed full of nutritional benefits, it also contains caffeine and other properties that boost energy. So on mornings when I'm tight for time, adding a little bit of matcha to my breakfast feels like I'm killing two birds with one stone.

So what is "matcha" anyway?  Matcha is green tea leaves finely milled to form a fine powder. For centuries the Japanese have used matcha in part of a traditional tea ceremony that includes the preparation, serving, and drinking of matcha. Buddhist monks have also relied on this powder to keep them awake and focused during long days of meditation.  

A few benefits of matcha: 

• high in antioxidants 
• detoxifies the body by removing heavy metals and toxins 
• increases metabolism and helps the body burn calories 
• improves cognitive abilities and concentration 
• contains cancer fighting properties 
• increases energy levels 
• boosts immunity 
• helps relieve stress 

MATCHA GREEN SMOOTHIE: a healthy and energizing breakfast or snack on the go. 

INGREDIENTS: (yields 1 serving) 

• 1 cup of spinach 
• 1 banana 
• 1 cup of water 
• ½ granny smith apple (core removed, chopped) 
• ½ kiwi (skin removed) 
• 2 tbsp chia seeds  (I added these in at the last minute so they didn't make the ingredients picture above) 
• 1 tbsp raw honey 
• ½ tsp matcha green tea powder
• 2-3 ice cubes 

Wash and prep fruits and vegetables and add to your blender. Add water, chia seeds, matcha green tea powder, and ice cubes. Blend until smooth, pour and enjoy. 

SPINACH & QUINOA GRAPEFRUIT POMEGRANATE SALAD

I adore the warm cooked dishes prepared for Christmas - it really wouldn't be Christmas without them! However, the rich traditional holiday foods can leave one feeling a little, shall we say, heavy?? So when it comes time to getting back to reality and into a routine again, I always crave an abundance of fruits and vegetables (particularly greens) and find myself making fresher foods rich in vitamins and antioxidants. 

The first meal I made for myself after the holidays was this Spinach & Quinoa Grapefruit Pomegranate Salad. Pomegranates are still in season and I have been looking to incorporate them into other meals besides breakfast. So with a few whole grains, nuts, superfoods and some fruits and vegetables I managed to satisfy everything my body was craving and kickstart a healthy new year.

SPINACH & QUINOA GRAPEFRUIT POMEGRANATE SALAD: a meal or a beautiful side to breakfast, lunch and/or dinner. 

INGREDIENTS: (yields 2 servings) 

• 3 cups spinach 
• 1/2 cup quinoa 
• 1 cup grapefruit 
• 1/2 cup pomegranate 
• 1/2 cup cauliflower 
• 4 tbsp hemp seed 
• 4 tbsp raw walnut 

DIJON VINAIGRETTE DRESSING INGREDIENTS: (yields 1/2 cup. more than needed for recipe) 

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper 

INSTRUCTIONS: 

1. Rinse quinoa, add 1 cup water to a pot along with rinsed quinoa. Bring quinoa and water to a boil, once it has reached a boil, dcrease temperature to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 min. Remove from heat, fluff and cover again.  
2. While quinoa is cooking whisk oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper together in a bowl and set aside. 
3. Wash spinach and cauliflower, grate cauliflower and set aside.  
4. Cut pomegranate in half and remove the seeds from 1/2 of the fruit. Cut grapefruit into cubes and remove the peel. 
5. In a large bowl or plate directly to plates dividing ingredients, layer spinach, quinoa, grapefruit, pomegranate, cauliflower, hemps seeds walnuts and dress lightly with dressing.  

Enjoy! 

ZUCCHINI & SOBA NOODLE SPINACH BASIL PESTO

La Cucina Povera is an Italian phrase meaning "poor kitchen" or "peasant cooking." In the past, this peasant cooking style aimed to use those ingredients on-hand and available in the kitchen, garden, farm or ocean. Simply put: making do with what they had. Humble dishes, made of the highest quality ingredients available, that spoke for themselves.  

In our apartment, even when the state of the cupboards and fridge are grim, generally some form of nut, legume, vegetable, and/or grain can be found. This Cucina Povera inspired dish is a favourite of ours during those times, and has become a regular on the weekly rotation. Not only for the convenience of the ingredients, but with nourishing, fresh and savoury flavours, it's so delicious I'd miss a week without it.  

We use a Spiralizer for the zucchini. I'd like to say you could finely slice your zucchini or shred it, but changing the texture and consistency of the dish would completely change the flavours and experience. If there is one kitchen tool I will never regret purchasing, it's the Spiralizer. Efficient, quick and clean, the value of this little device will exceed your expectations. Also, I'll be sharing plenty of ways to use it in posts to come. Do yourself a favour and grab one today. 

Kale chips are easy to make, and really elevate the dish. Sure, you can enjoy it without, but you won't mind the extra step once you experience the sea salt flavoured crunch throughout. 

Zucchini & Soba Noodle with Spinach Basil Pesto is topped with sun-dried and cherry tomatoes, cashews, pine nuts and kale chips. Loaded with protein, amino acids, B vitamins, minerals and antioxidants (the list goes on), one can guiltlessly take comfort in this dish while enjoying a glass of red.

INGREDIENTS: (yields 2 servings) 

• 200g buckwheat soba noodles 

• 1 large zucchini 
• 10 cherry tomatoes halved (yellow or red) 
• 3 large sun-dried tomatoes finely sliced 
• ½ bunch of kale 
• 2 tbsp olive oil 
• crushed cashews and pine nuts to top
• sun-dried tomato oil to drizzle over 

SPINACH BASIL PESTO INGREDIENTS: 

• 2 cups fresh basil
• 2 cups organic spinach
• 2 cloves garlic
• ¼ cup raw walnuts
• 2 tbsp hemp seeds (optional if you don't have these)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• ½ tsp salt (to taste)
• fresh ground pepper (to taste)

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS: 

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. De-stem kale, wash, dry, and tear into smaller pieces. Toss with olive oil and sea salt. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and evenly distribute kale on sheet in a single layer. Bake kale for 10-15 minutes, watching carefully and rotating pan once. Once crisp, set aside to cool. 
2. Bring water to a boil and drop buckwheat soba noodles in. Reduce water to a simmer and cook noodles for 7 minutes or till al dante.
3. While noodles are cooking, prep vegetables. Wash and half cherry tomatoes and slice sun-dried tomatoes. Set aside. Wash and spiralize zucchini using the blade closest to the soba noodle width (about spaghetti size). 
4. Drain and place soba noodles in a bowl of ice cold water to rinse off remaining starch and to quickly cool. Ring water from noodles by hand squeezing. Set aside in fridge to dry and chill.  
5. Once kale chips have cooled and soba noodles are dry and chilled, toss both zucchini and soba noodles in Spinach Basil Pesto. Click here for the pesto recipe. 
6. Plate and top noodles with tomatoes, nuts, kale chips and season with a drizzle of sun-dried tomato oil. 

SPINACH BASIL PESTO

Pesto is far more versatile than given credit for- my recent appreciation for this Italian staple has opened my eyes to the many possibilities of form and flavour it can take on.  

I'm certain the list of ingredients that I've been experimenting with would have your Italian grandmother rolling over in her grave. A classic Italian Pesto consists of basil, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil and parmesan. However, I was sure we could squeeze more nutrients and vitamins in there, after all, it's green! After dabbling with basil substitutes such as swiss chard, kale, and spinach, playing with cheese versus no cheese, and replacing pine nuts with every nut under the tree, I stumbled across a recipe that achieves both nutritional value and great taste. 

Nutrition Stripped Spinach Basil Pesto recipe includes the key ingredient to any great pesto: basil. Without basil, however which way you make it, its flavour will simply be lacklustre. Three other reasons why I think this recipe is awesome: walnuts, hemp seeds and nutritional yeast. These include an amazing combination of essential fatty acids, omega 3, vitamin B-12, amino acids and protein.

A food processor, Vitamix, or Jamie Oliver's pestle and mortar technique can be used to prepare this recipe. So, go whip up your batch! You'll have enough for my Zucchini & Soba Noodles with Walnut Spinach Pesto (recipe to be posted later this week), and some left over for other creative inspirations such as pesto toast with poached eggs, pesto portobello parmesan pizza, lemon pesto hummus, and tomato pesto grilled cheese.