Matcha French Toast

Happy Sunday, everyone!  Sundays are for brunching.  For mornings that stretch into early afternoon spent in bed (or on the couch, or sitting on ones balcony or outside on the deck) with a gripping read in one hand and breakfasting with the other.

Matcha French Toast is the perfect dish for this lazy, luxurious weekend lie in.

Did you know that Matcha…

is high in antioxidants, enhances your sense of calm, boosts memory and concentration, increases energy levels and endurance, increases metabolism, detoxifies the body and helps strengthen the immune system.

If that isn’t enough reason to add some Matcha to your diet, I am not sure what is.  For those who find themselves slightly unsure of what exactly Matcha is, its green tea but in a highly concentrated form.

This recipe is refined sugar-free and lactose-free.  It is not, however, gluten-free (though it could be made so if you opted to use gluten-free bread.  If you don’t have a gluten allergy though, I recommend using the Challah bread.  Its PERFECT for this recipe).

Greek Yogurt Chocolate Mousse Pie

Another sinfully decadent chocolate dessert, without the loads of sugar.  Imagine that.  The three friends who sampled this one raved about it.  This recipe (#49) is gluten-free and low in refined sugar.  If you want to keep it 100% refined sugar-free, skip the ganache topping.  The dessert will still be DELICIOUS.  The mousse filling is made with protein packed Greek yogurt.  The texture is light and creamy, which makes this a dangerous one.  Its easy to eat more than one slice.  Like a box of Girl Scout Thin Mints, it has a way of disappearing quickly.  What can offer some peace of mind is that fact that the ingredients are far healthier and lighter than those of a typical chocolate mousse pie.  Enjoy this tasty treat!

Quinoa Apple Cinnamon Bowl

Happy Sunday evening, all!  For recipe #48, I decided on something light, sweet and, shocker, healthy.  I know, I know.  Typically the words “sweet” and “healthy” tend to hold opposite ends of the court.  Not in this dish though.  This can be enjoyed as a snack when in need of refueling, or a delicious breakfast.  Tastes subtly nutty, sweet and cinnamon-y, with the crisp crunch of apples.  So yum.

Exact measurements are not required here.  More like loose guidelines.  Again, I recommend making 2 or 3x the amount of quinoa you need for this dish and then storing it in an airtight container to be used over the next few days.

Ingredients

1 or 1.5 cup of quinoa, cooked (follow instructions on the package).

1 apple (I like Gala apples)

3-4 tablespoons of coconut milk (the kind you drink, not the one in a can) or regular milk if you prefer.  Either one work just as well.

Honey, to taste

Cinnamon, to taste

1. Prepare the quinoa according to instructions on packaging.
2. Meanwhile, slice up an apple into bite sized pieces.  I personally do not peel mine as that’s where most of the nutrients and vitamins lie, in the skin.  However you can of course peel yours beforehand if you prefer.
3. Spoon the cooked quinoa into a cereal bowl.  Add in the chopped apples.
4. Sprinkle the top with cinnamon and drizzle with 3-4 tablespoons of honey.
5. Stir well to distribute natural sweeteners.  Taste.  If sweet enough, enjoy!  Or if you prefer, add additional cinnamon and/or honey.

This recipe is enough to serve one person a hearty snack or breakfast.

Quinoa Sweet Potato Breakfast Bowl

Recipe #47 is a pretty free-form one that can be easily thrown together.  Its SUPER healthy for you, low in calories and fat, bursting with good-for-your-body ingredients, and it tastes AWESOME.  This is one of my go-to dishes when trying to eat light and healthy.  I recommend when making the quinoa, cook 2x what you need.  You can store the extra in a container in the fridge and throw together one of these bowls way quicker within the next few days, whenever you wish.  This dish is gluten-free, lactose-free and sugar-free.  And its pretty dang close to being raw as well, aside from the cooking of the quinoa.  I think you will be pleasantly surprised by how tasty it is.  Dont say I didn’t want you.  It sounds simple but man oh man.  I make this a few times a week and am always thrilled when I sit down to eat it.

Salmon Pesto Pasta

This recipe (#46) is one of my favorites.  I stumbled across it by mistake when making a mixed pasta dish one evening and realizing I had some leftover salmon.  Salmon and pesto being two of my favorite foods…plus this particular mixture of ingredients in the pasta sounds pretty mouthwatering in combination with those two things.  A light bulb went off overhead.  This dish was the result.  And MAN, is it good!  Super easy to make, hearty, delicious, as well as healthy.  This is the perfect winter dish.

Chocolate Lovers Pie

Calling all chocolate lovers, I have a succulent recipe for your eating pleasure.  Behold, chocolate cream pie.  This one (recipe #45) however, unlike the majority of others in its family, is gluten-free AND refined sugar-free!  The texture of it is lovely.  Silky smooth.  The flavor is rich and chocolatey, but the pie itself is light.  Be careful, it would be easy to eat several slices of this one in one sitting.

Berry Cheesecake Parfait (in a jar)

While recipe #44 isn’t lactose-free, it is gluten-free and refined sugar-free, as well as totally and utterly tasty.  Craving berry cheesecake but want a healthier version without all the added sugar?  Your wish is my pleasure to deliver.  Not only is this version lighter, its easier to make, requiring absolutely no baking and no waiting for hours and hours until the cake has cooled and set.  This one?  You can whip it up in 5 minutes flat and enjoy it right then and there.  How sweet of a treat is that?

Paleo Carrot Cake Pancakes

For about 7 weeks straight last year, I ate these almost every day.  They are so tasty, surprisingly addicting, and they are REALLY healthy.  No gluten, no lactose and they are free of any refined sugar.  I would usually whip up a batch and then consume the entire thing in one sitting.  I recommend these topped with maple syrup and homemade whipped cream.

Now you can really have your (pan)cake and eat it too, no guilt!!!! These (recipe #43) are light in calories and great for you.

Mexican Style Salad

I imagine many of you would agree with me that Mexican food is the bomb.  Enchiladas, tacos, chimichangas, nachos, oh my gosh.  I could go on and on.  Its one of the things I have missed about living in the states.  Access to some dang delicious Mexican food.  For the time being though, I have had to make do and bring the Mexican cuisine to me.

Here is a tasty recipe that can be whipped up quick if you find yourself with a hankering for some.  Its gluten free, lactose free and refined-sugar free.

Bakery Quality Flourless Chocolate Torte

Calling all chocoholics!  Another fudgy, rich, impossibly delicious treat just for you.  This one has a short and sweet ingredient list and is a piece of cake to throw together.  The result is a bakery-quality torte that will have you singing its praises every time you take a bite.  Its that good.

Recipe #41 is one of the few I have posted which is not refined sugar-free, but, this one is worth the splurge.  It is however gluten-free, and can be made dairy free if you were to use lactose-free chocolate (your choice).

Here you go.  Happy weekend!