Special Diets – Creative Sides https://creativesides.ca Beginner or expert we have something to unleash your creative side Fri, 03 Nov 2017 19:02:42 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.4.16 Tropical Green Juice https://creativesides.ca/tropical-green-juice/ https://creativesides.ca/tropical-green-juice/#respond Fri, 06 Jan 2017 20:44:18 +0000 https://creativesides.ca/?p=1763 This green juice has personality. It’s light and zippy and the sweetness from the pineapple is nicely balanced by the tart apple and lime. Ingredients 1 handful parsley 1 handful mint 3 – 4 kale leaves 1 lime, zest removed but leave as much pith (the white stuff in between the skin and the fruit)...

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This green juice has personality. It’s light and zippy and the sweetness from the pineapple is nicely balanced by the tart apple and lime.

Ingredients

1 handful parsley
1 handful mint
3 – 4 kale leaves
1 lime, zest removed but leave as much pith (the white stuff in between the skin and the fruit) as possible
1/2 pineapple, peeled
1 green apple, cored

Green Juice Ingredients

Directions

Feed fruits and vegetables through your juicer. I have an Omega J8006 which is a masticating juicer so I do my herbs first, followed by leafy greens and citrus, and I leave my hardest fruits and veg for the end to sort of “clean” as much out of the machine as possible.

Serve over ice. Makes two juices (quantity varies because of natural products).

Green Juice

Tropical Green Juice
Serves 2
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Ingredients
  1. 1 handful parsley
  2. 1 handful mint
  3. 3 - 4 kale leaves
  4. 1 lime, zest removed but leave as much pith (the white stuff in between the skin and the fruit) as possible
  5. 1/2 pineapple, peeled
  6. 1 green apple, cored
Instructions
  1. Feed fruits and vegetables through your juicer, herbs first, followed by leafy greens and citrus. Leave hardest fruits and veg for the end to sort of "clean" as much out of the machine as possible.
  2. Serve over ice.
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Black Bean Sweet Potato Soup https://creativesides.ca/black-bean-sweet-potato-soup/ https://creativesides.ca/black-bean-sweet-potato-soup/#respond Sat, 01 Oct 2016 23:21:30 +0000 https://creativesides.ca/?p=1971 The leaves are turning, the temperature is dropping and rain is coming more frequently. We’re all getting ready to hibernate – pulling on warm layers, and making big batches of our favourite comfort foods to sustain us through the cold, dreary months ahead. Soup is one of my favourite comfort foods – it warms you...

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The leaves are turning, the temperature is dropping and rain is coming more frequently. We’re all getting ready to hibernate – pulling on warm layers, and making big batches of our favourite comfort foods to sustain us through the cold, dreary months ahead. Soup is one of my favourite comfort foods – it warms you up quickly, you can make it once in a big batch to last you through a week or two, and there are endless variations so it’s never boring! 

This Black Bean Sweet Potato soup is quick and easy to throw together, full of vitamins and minerals, and is comprised wholly of ingredients I always have in my pantry (a major win in my books). It can be jazzed up with shredded cheese and sour cream or left plain and simple. The recipe makes a lot but it freezes well.

Black Bean Sweet Potato Soup
Serves 8
A hearty and healthy soup, perfect for brisk fall days
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
40 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
40 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 tablespoons olive oil
  2. 1 onion, finely diced
  3. 4 carrots, sliced (approximately 1 cup)
  4. 1 sweet potato, finely diced (approximately 3 cups)
  5. 3 cloves garlic, minced
  6. 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  7. 1 x 796mL can diced tomatoes, with juice
  8. 2 x 540mL can black beans, drained and rinsed well
  9. 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
  10. salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Heat olive oil in large soup pot over medium high heat. Add onions, carrots, and sweet potatoes and cook until softened, 7 - 10 minutes.
  2. Add garlic and cumin and cook, stirring constantly, for another minute or two.
  3. Add tomatoes with their juice, beans, and broth. Bring to a boil and cook until vegetables are completely tender, anywhere from 5 - 15 minutes depending on how big you sliced your veg.
  4. You can leave this soup as-is or you can blend all (or part) of it for a smoother consistency. I like to use my immersion blender and blend in quick bursts to end up with a sort of half-smooth-half-chunky consistency.
  5. Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese, sliced green onions, fresh cilantro, lime wedges, hot sauce, etc. The sky's the limit.
Adapted from Hillary With 2 L's
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Black Bean Sweet Potato Soup

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Kale Citrus Salad https://creativesides.ca/kale-citrus-salad/ https://creativesides.ca/kale-citrus-salad/#respond Mon, 22 Feb 2016 20:42:50 +0000 https://creativesides.ca/?p=1761 Overrun with limp lettuce, the produce section is not a happy place in the winter. This kale citrus salad doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not. It’s not a place-of-honour-at-the-summer-picnic salad. It doesn’t feature jewel-toned berries or fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes. It’s winter salad. It’s a make-the-most-of-what-we’ve-got salad. It’s not pathetic or lackluster, though. This salad is robust...

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Overrun with limp lettuce, the produce section is not a happy place in the winter. This kale citrus salad doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not. It’s not a place-of-honour-at-the-summer-picnic salad. It doesn’t feature jewel-toned berries or fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes. It’s winter salad. It’s a make-the-most-of-what-we’ve-got salad. It’s not pathetic or lackluster, though. This salad is robust and flavourful and defiant. This salad doesn’t care that it’s winter.

Kale Citrus Salad

 

Kale Citrus Salad
Serves 4
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Ingredients
  1. 1 navel orange, zest and flesh
  2. 2 tbsp olive oil
  3. 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  4. juice of 1/2 a lemon
  5. 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  6. 1 tsp honey
  7. 3 green onions, finely sliced
  8. 1 small bunch fresh mint, finely sliced (chiffonade) - approximately 1 heaping tbsp
  9. 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
  10. 4 - 6 kale leaves, finely sliced (chiffonade) - approximately 4 cups
  11. 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
  12. salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Zest orange into large mixing bowl.
  2. Supreme the orange, chop, and add to mixing bowl with olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, honey, green onions, mint, and feta cheese. Mix well.
  3. Add kale and walnuts and toss until lightly coated with dressing. Season with salt and pepper.
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Creamy Tomato Spinach Soup with Quinoa and Chickpeas https://creativesides.ca/creamy-tomato-spinach-soup-with-quinoa-and-chickpeas/ https://creativesides.ca/creamy-tomato-spinach-soup-with-quinoa-and-chickpeas/#comments Sun, 24 Jan 2016 01:30:05 +0000 https://creativesides.ca/?p=1557 This tomato soup is satisfyingly rich and creamy but the protein and leafy greens have it firmly planted on my healthy list. I used coconut milk with trepidation (I usually use it in curries and soups full of ginger and chilis) but it works here to add a nice creaminess to the soup without using...

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This tomato soup is satisfyingly rich and creamy but the protein and leafy greens have it firmly planted on my healthy list. I used coconut milk with trepidation (I usually use it in curries and soups full of ginger and chilis) but it works here to add a nice creaminess to the soup without using actual cream.

Tomato Soup with Quinoa and Chickpeas

Creamy Tomato Soup with Quinoa & Chickpeas
Serves 8
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
55 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
55 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 tablespoons olive oil
  2. 1 onion, roughly chopped
  3. 2 carrots, roughly chopped
  4. 4 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
  5. 1 cup dry white wine*
  6. 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  7. 1 (796mL) can diced tomatoes, with juice
  8. 1 (400mL) can coconut milk
  9. 2 cups broth
  10. 1 (540mL) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
  11. 1 (300g) block frozen chopped spinach, not thawed**
  12. 1/4 cup dry quinoa, rinsed well
  13. 1 tablespoon dried basil
  14. 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  15. salt and pepper to taste
Optional toppings
  1. grated parmesan or asiago cheese
  2. finely chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
  1. Heat olive oil in large soup pot over medium-high heat.
  2. Add onion, carrots, and garlic and cook, stirring often, for 7 - 10 minutes until onions are translucent. Don't let your pot get too hot or you'll scorch your garlic.
  3. Add white wine and cook, scraping up tasty bits from the bottom of your pot, until liquid is reduced by approximately 2/3.
  4. Add tomato paste, diced tomatoes, coconut milk, broth, and chickpeas and bring to a boil. Turn heat down and simmer until carrots are very tender. Buzz with immersion blender until smooth.
  5. Add spinach and turn heat up until soup boils. Add quinoa, reduce heat to low, and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until quinoa is tender (approximately 15 minutes). Add basil and oregano. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
  6. Top with grated parmesan or asiago cheese and finely chopped fresh parsley. Serve with crusty bread for dipping.
Notes
  1. * If you don't have wine, skip this step and increase your broth by 1/2 cup.
  2. ** If you just have fresh spinach, use about three cups, chop finely, and increase your broth by about 1/4 - 1/3 cup.
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Creamy Tomato Soup with Quinoa & Chickpeas

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Fig & Boursin Flatbread https://creativesides.ca/fig-boursin-flatbread/ https://creativesides.ca/fig-boursin-flatbread/#respond Sat, 23 Jan 2016 23:33:04 +0000 https://creativesides.ca/?p=1559 This appetizer is quick and easy to throw together but it tastes and looks much fancier than it actually is (a winning combination in my books).  Ingredients – 1 thin crust pizza crust (cooked) – 3 tablespoons fig jam – 1/4 wheel Boursin (garlic and fine herbs) – 2 cups baby arugula, washed and dried –...

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This appetizer is quick and easy to throw together but it tastes and looks much fancier than it actually is (a winning combination in my books). 

Ingredients

– 1 thin crust pizza crust (cooked)
– 3 tablespoons fig jam
– 1/4 wheel Boursin (garlic and fine herbs)
– 2 cups baby arugula, washed and dried
– 2 teaspoons olive oil
– 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
– salt and pepper to taste
– drizzle reduced balsamic vinegar glaze

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425F.

2. Spread pizza crust evenly with fig jam and crumble Boursin over top. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes until crust becomes golden.

3. In large bowl, toss together arugula, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Top flatbread with arugula and drizzle with reduced balsamic vinegar glaze. Slice into thin slices and serve immediately.

Makes 12 thin slices. 

Fig & Boursin Flatbread
Yields 12
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Prep Time
8 min
Cook Time
12 min
Total Time
20 min
Prep Time
8 min
Cook Time
12 min
Total Time
20 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 thin crust pizza crust (cooked)
  2. 3 tablespoons fig jam
  3. 1/4 wheel Boursin (garlic and fine herbs)
  4. 2 cups baby arugula, washed and dried
  5. 2 teaspoons olive oil
  6. 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
  7. Salt and pepper to taste
  8. Reduced balsamic vinegar glaze
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425F.
  2. Spread pizza crust evenly with fig jam and crumble Boursin over top. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes until crust becomes golden.
  3. In large bowl, toss together arugula, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Top flatbread with arugula and drizzle with reduced balsamic vinegar glaze. Slice into thin slices and serve immediately.
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Fig & Boursin Flatbread - full

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Gluten Free Crepes https://creativesides.ca/gluten-free-crepes/ https://creativesides.ca/gluten-free-crepes/#respond Tue, 13 Oct 2015 20:46:22 +0000 https://creativesides.ca/?p=977 I’m not a chef, nor do I claim to enjoy cooking. I tend to do it out of necessity and anything that I do create is usually on the minimalist side with few ingredients and instructions – otherwise I get overwhelmed and throw in the towel! Occasionally however I do get inspired and feel the...

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Gluten Free Crepes
I’m not a chef, nor do I claim to enjoy cooking. I tend to do it out of necessity and anything that I do create is usually on the minimalist side with few ingredients and instructions – otherwise I get overwhelmed and throw in the towel! Occasionally however I do get inspired and feel the need to flex my culinary muscles, and this weekend was one of those times. I’m not sure if it was the relaxed feel of the long weekend, the fact that I spent a day at a conference related to food and travel writing, or if I was just plain hungry that morning, but I was laying in bed scrolling through my Twitter feed and I there it was – Gluten Free Crepes! Thanks to the inspiration from tweeter @Marziabella72 I busted out my crepe pan that has been sitting unused for the 2 years since I bought it and set to work on this easy-to-remember recipe.

They are basically 3 ingredients – even I can handle that! I doubled the batch so that we could have left overs to warm up later (they are to die for warmed up with a little bit of butter and cinnamon) and my über picky eater even took a bite! It ended there but it’s a victory that he allowed it to touch his lips, trust me! So my leisurely morning making crepes and sipping my coffee was going pretty smoothly until clumsy me managed to drop the bowl of batter and it spilled all over my glass cooktop and myself. It was once again proof that I am not meant to cook unattended. The mess was unforgiving and took sometime to clean up, after all the stove was HOT when I managed to dump the batter all over it. Good thing I doubled the recipe or I wouldn’t have gotten to taste my efforts, which were fantastic if I do say so myself! 

Gluten Free Crêpes
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Ingredients
  1. 2 2/3 cups (630 ml) milk
  2. 4 eggs
  3. a pinch of salt
  4. 1 cup (240 grams) corn starch
  5. 1 tsp (6.5 grams) butter or oil for the pan
Instructions
  1. Whisk eggs
  2. Add corn starch and salt, mix thoroughly
  3. Slowly add the milk, whisking well as you go
  4. Let it sit for 15 minutes
  5. Grease pan with the oil or butter and heat
  6. When the pan is warm pour 1 spoon of batter onto the pan
  7. Spread out the batter into a thin circle by moving the pan
  8. Crepes are ready to flip when they start to turn up at the edges
  9. Cook for 1 minute on the other side before removing.
  10. Serve with whichever sweet or savoury topping you prefer. Popular choices are ham, cheese, eggs, bacon, powdered sugar, nutella, cinnamon apples, jam, fresh fruit, whipping cream - the possibilities are endless!
Notes
  1. Grease the pan after every 5 crepes
Adapted from Bella Cibo Kitchen
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8 Gluten Free Pizza Crust Alternatives https://creativesides.ca/8-gluten-free-pizza-crust-alternatives/ https://creativesides.ca/8-gluten-free-pizza-crust-alternatives/#respond Sun, 20 Sep 2015 20:58:47 +0000 https://creativesides.ca/?p=371 In my never-ending quest to find healthy alternatives for much-loved foods, pizza is one I keep coming back to over and over. It’s a difficult thing to mimic – especially the crust, so I set out on a search to find tasty and healthy gluten free pizza crust recipes. I was delighted to turn up the...

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Gluten Free Pizza Crust Alternatives

In my never-ending quest to find healthy alternatives for much-loved foods, pizza is one I keep coming back to over and over. It’s a difficult thing to mimic – especially the crust, so I set out on a search to find tasty and healthy gluten free pizza crust recipes. I was delighted to turn up the following 8 mouth watering and UNIQUE recipes from some fantastic, creative bloggers. All are gluten free, some are paleo and one is even Whole30 compliant! Take a peek and add them to your weekly menu. 

Gluten Free Paleo Carrot Pizza Crust

1. Carrot Based Pizza Crust

2. Eggplant Based Pizza Crust (Whole30 Compliant)

Gluten Free Cauliflower Pizza Crust

3. Cauliflower Based Pizza Crust 

4.Coconut & Almond Flour Based Crust

Ketogenic Gluten Free Pizza

5. Bacon Based Pizza Crust

6. Beet Based Pizza Crust

Mushroom Cap Pizza Crust

7. Mushroom Cap Pizza Crust

8.  Sweet Potato Based Pizza Crust

Sweet-Potato-Pizza-Crust-My-Whole-Food-Life-768x1024

Tell me, which one will you try first?  Do you have a favourite go to pizza crust recipe? Share in the comments below! 

*Disclaimer* I am not, nor have ever claimed to be a nutritional or dietary expert. If you are celiac or have a gluten intolerance, please read all ingredient labels to ensure they contain no gluten products.

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