Tag: Healthy Recipes

All-Purpose Shawarma Spice

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Hello, you amazing people! I’m hoping that you’ve tried shawarma before, because it’s delicious, but if you haven’t, it’s basically meat roasted with middle eastern spices, usually served with pita, rice and pickled veggies. I could eat this stuff all day, and so I created a spice mix that almost perfectly recreates the real thing. I say that it’s “all-purpose” because that’s totally what it is. You can use this blend of spices on chickpeas, in soups and stews, or on chicken (my personal favourite).  This recipe is simple and you probably have all of the spices that you need right in your pantry. Here it is!

All Purpose Shawarma Spice

Makes: About 1/4 cup of spice

Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbs garlic powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp allspice
  • 1 tsp cayenne powder
  • 1 tbs cumin
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbs paprika

Directions:

  1. Mix all of the seasonings in a bowl. Store in a sealable plastic bag.
  2. Enjoy on chickpeas (see a roasted chickpea recipe here), chicken, or in mediterranean cooking.

 

So yeah, today I had kind of a quicker recipe to share with you guys, but it’s delicious nonetheless;) Let me know what cool recipes you guys use this spice mix in!

 

Yours Truly, MyDayIsBooked:))))))

 

 

 

Healthier Thanksgiving Dinner

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I can’t even begin to tell you how much I love Thanksgiving dinner! Stuffing, mashed potatoes, turkey, the whole shebang. But what I don’t love is the heavy feeling you get after eating all of that stuff. So, just in time for Thanksgiving, I’ve created three side dishes that are DELICIOUS while still being healthier than their traditional counterparts. My recipes for Sprouted Grain Bread Stuffing, Garlic Mashed Sweet potatoes, and Simple Roasted Veggies are easy to make, and serve as great accompaniments to turkey breast. Let’s get into this Thanksgiving feast!

 

Sprouted Grain Bread Stuffing

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Makes 2 Servings

 Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

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  • 2 slices of sprouted grain bread
  • 1 stalk of celery, diced
  • 1/4 of an onion (white or yellow), diced
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tbs avocado oil
  • 1/2 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 cup organic veggie broth
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:

  1. Toast the grain bread until it’s golden brown on either side. Cut it into cubes and set aside.
  2. Heat the oil over medium heat in a small pot and cook the celery, garlic and onion for about 6-8 minutes, or until the onion is translucent.
  3. Add the broth, oregano, salt and pepper into the pot and bring to a boil. Dump in the cubed grain bread and stir.
  4. Continue to cook the mixture until the liquid has evaporated, but the bread is still soft. Serve immediately, or cool completely and then store in an airtight container in the fridge.
  5. Enjoy!

 

Garlic Mashed Sweet Potatoes

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Serves 2

Total Time: 12 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 large sweet potato
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Wash and peel the sweet potato.
  2. Take a few sheets of paper towel and wet them under the tap. Wring them out so that they’re just damp, and wrap the sweet potato in them. img_9545.jpg
  3. On a small plate, microwave the sweet potato for 3 minutes and 30 seconds. Then flip it over and microwave it for another 3 minutes and thirty seconds. Remove the potato from the microwave and cut it in half. If it’s soft all the way through, then it’s ready. If not, microwave it in 30 second increments until it is. This will all depend on  the size of your sweet potato.
  4. Place the sweet potato in a bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher. You will notice that the outside of the potato is still hard and won’t mash well. Remove these parts from the mash.
  5. Add in the minced garlic, salt and pepper, and keep mashing until the potatoes are smooth. Serve immediately or cool completely store in an airtight container in the fridge.
  6. Enjoy!

 

Simple Roasted Veggies

Serves: 2

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of your favourite veggies (mushrooms, cauliflower, carrots)
  • 1/2 tbs avocado oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Wash and dry your veggies. Cut them into bite-sized pieces. I used mushrooms, and cut them into quarters.
  3. Place your veggies on a sheet pan covered in parchment paper. Toss them in the oil with your hands. Sprinkle on the salt and pepper.
  4. Bake the veggies for about 20 minutes. Serve immediately, or cool completely and store in an airtight container in the fridge.
  5. Enjoy!

 

Now all you need is some turkey, and you’re off to the races! I hope that these sides give you the homey flavours of Thanksgiving, but still leave you feeling like you could run a few laps around the pumpkin patch! Anyways, I hope you all have an awesome long weekend. Thanks for checking out this post;).

 

Yours Truly, MyDayIsBooked

Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal

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You know how I posted three recipes for Overnight Oatmeal a couple months back? Well, those are great to make ahead for rushed mornings, but if you have the time to make this Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal, I totally recommend it! In fifteen minutes you can have a bowl of creamy, chocolaty oats topped with seeds and of course, cherries. If you don’t have time to make this during weekdays, it’s a great breakfast to soothe your sweet tooth on the weekends. In short, this recipe hits the spot any day of the week! I used frozen cherries in this to top my oats, but if you don’t have some on hand, any fresh or frozen berry will do. Now let’s make some oatmeal!

Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal

Makes 1 Serving

Cook Time: 5-8 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium sized banana
  • 1/3 cup rolled oats
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 1 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup frozen cherries (or berries of your choice)
  • Your favourite toppings (nuts and seeds, nut and seed butters, dried fruit, etc.)

Directions:

  1. Mash half of the banana in a small pot. Add in the oats, cocoa, and water, and stir until combined.
  2. Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring the oat mixture to a boil.
  3. Turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 5-8 minutes, until desired thickness is reached. Make sure to stir the oats every couple minutes or so to avoid them sticking to the bottom of the pot.
  4. Remove the pot from the heat and pour its contents into a bowl. Top with the frozen cherries and other toppings of your choice. I like to slice the other half of the banana and use it to top the oats.
  5. Enjoy!

This is a healthy and delicious breakfast, and it definitely fills you up and gets you through your day! I hope that you like it and find it easy to make. Thanks for reading!

Yours Truly, MyDayIsBooked;))

Balsamic Roasted Veggie and Quinoa Salad

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‘Sup people! One of my favourite things to do is come up with new recipes; I just love being creative and experimenting with different ingredients. Today my experiments paid off, because this salad turned out great! Chickpeas, sweet potato and cauliflower are the main components, with a few fresh cucumbers in there as well. I’m usually not a huge fan of balsamic vinegar, but together with rosemary, quinoa and roasted veggies, it’s waaaay better. Plus, there’s no greens in this salad, which is a nice change! I kept my salad vegetarian, but you could totally add some grilled chicken on top to make it a heartier meal. Here’s the recipe for my Balsamic Roasted Veggie and Quinoa Salad:

Ingredients:

Makes 4 servings

For the Roasted Veggies:

  • 1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
  • 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1/4 cup cauliflower florets, washed
  • 1 tbsp avocado or olive oil
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • A bit of pepper
  • 1/2 tbsp rosemary leaves

For the Quinoa:

  • 1 cup quinoa, cooked
  • 1 cup cucumber, diced
  • 2 sprigs of green onion, chopped

For the Vinaigrette:

  • 1/4 cup avocado or olive oil
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp Salt

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
  2. Mix all of the roasted veggie ingredients in a large bowl, until the veggies are covered in oil and vinegar.
  3. Spread out the veggies on a sheet pan covered with parchment and bake for about 25-30 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are soft.
  4. While the veggies are baking, cook the quinoa and cut up the onion and cucumber. Mix it all in the bowl the you want to serve the salad in.
  5. Prepare the vinaigrette, mixing the oil and vinegar until combined.
  6. Once the veggies are ready, mix them in with the quinoa mixture. Pour in the vinaigrette and toss the salad.
  7. Enjoy!!

 

I hope that you like this quick recipe. the sweet potato and balsamic work really well together, and the fresh cucumber sort of brightens everything up. Thanks for checking out this post, and stay tuned for a crafty tutorial coming soon!!

Yours Truly, MyDayIsBooked;))

Chickpea Nutella

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Hello again! I’m back, and this time you only had to wait ten days in-between posts! I think that’s a new record. Seriously though, this “Nutella” is amazing. If you’re skeptical about the whole chickpea thing, don’t worry, I was too. But the end result was this delicious chocolatey spread that goes well with just about everything. There is an option to add some peanut butter, which I obviously did, but if you’re sick of all the peanut butter recipes on this site than feel free to take a break from it! Personally, I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of peanut butter. Before I give you the recipe, I want to commemorate shaneandsimple.com for coming up with it:)

Ingredients:

  • 1 15oz can of chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
  • 1/4 creamy natural peanut butter (optional)
  • 1 small ripe banana
  • 1/4 cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • a pinch of salt
  • 2 tbsp water (or more; add until you reach your desired consistency)

 

Directions:

  1. Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend until desired consistency is reached. Add more water if needed.

 

And……………. wow, that’s pretty much it. I think that’s the simplest recipe ever! Enjoy this spread on toast, with fruit, or anything else that needs chocolate on it! (Which is pretty much everything.) Thank for checking out this recipe! I’ll definitely be posting more in the summer – this darn invention called “studying for final exams” is killing my free time! Enjoy this spread in the meantime!

 

Yours Truly, MyDayIsBooked;))