Green Cupcake

Tabbouleh is one of the healthiest salads you can eat. Full of Raw vegetables and Herbs finely chopped into a beautiful salad. Its a popular mediterranean dish and I can see why.

I love making salads with a twist. This Fresh Tabbouleh Salad has a lot of traditional tabouli flavour and texture but I wanted to add a couple special ingredients to give my own take on tabullouleh. I added Fresh Curly Parsley, Cilantro and Mint. Red onion, Tomato, garlic and cucumber. For Spices I added cumin, cinnamon , ginger, saffron, and nutmeg. Olive oil and Lemon juice to toss your veggies and that’s it.

Parsley is a Chlorophyll rich green from the Mediterranean. The two most common types of Parsley are French Curly leaf parsley and Italian Flat – leaf. Parsley offers a great addition to food, smoothies and fresh juices. This perky herb is rich nutrients and antioxidants. The main antioxidants in Parsley are flavonoids, carotenoids, and vitamin C. Parsley is rich in vitamin K, which essential for bone health. Eating foods rich in Vitamin K may reduce risk of fractures and improved bone mineral density. Parsley is rich in folate, a B vitamin that protects your heart. Parsley may have antibacterial benefits when used as an extract. Parsley is an extremely versatile with so many fantastic health benefits.

This salad has so much flavour and its thanks to the amazing ingredients. Here they are:

This salad has so much flavour and its thanks to the amazing ingredients. Here they are:

1 Bunch of Parsley

1/2 cup of Cilantro

1/4 cup of Mint

2 Tomatoes

1 Large Red Onion

1 Lemon

1 cucumber

Spices

1 Tbsp Cumin

1/3 Saffron

1/3 Nutmeg

1/2 Cinnamon

1/2 Ginger

1/2 Olive Oil

Here are the step by step instructions :

Step 2: Chop your Parsley, Mint, and Cilantro finely.

Step 2: Chop your Tomato, Onion, Garlic and cucumber.

Step 3: Place Tomatoes into a Strainer to remove excess water.

Step 4: Add Herbs into Large mixing bowl and combine with Olive oil.

Step 5: Add tomato, Garlic and cucumber to bowl mix well.

Step 6: Make a well in the bowl and add spices and lemon juice.
Step 7: Mix salad until everything is combine and top with more lemon to taste.

Step 8: Enjoy!! This salad is better the next day when all the flavour merge together.

This was my favourite version of this refreshing salad. The Cumin and Saffron gave this salad a nice warm flavour and the lemon offers a freshness to the vegetables. One of my absolute favourites. It would pair nicely with pita Bread , hummus or falafel. I enjoy it by itself and with some rice.

If you do try this recipe I would love to see. Tag me in your picture on Instagram @greencupcaketo.

Have a great week everyone!!

GreenCupcake

Buddha Bowl with Roasted Parsnip Fries, Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Lentils Topped with Garlic Aioli | Fall Recipes.

December 11, 2019 Green Cupcake

Hey Loves! This season has been full of colourful and savoury dishes for me. I made Roasted Parsnip Fries and decided to add a few to a Buddha Bowl. I am currently obsessed with these Buddha Bowls you can fit so much into a beautiful mea. Wikipedia Explains a Buddha Bowl perfectly – A Buddha bowl is a vegetarian meal, served on a single bowl or high-rimmed plate, which consists of small portions of several foods, served cold. These may include whole grains such as quinoa or brown rice, plant proteins such as chickpeas or tofu, and vegetables. Sounds Amazing right?!?

I love to add different textures to the bowl. I chose Parsnips, Parsnips are part of the root vegetable family. They are comparable to carrots and parsley root. They have a sweet nutty taste and depending on how you prepare them you can change the texture making them very versatile vegetables. Aside from their great taste they are also very nutrient rich veggies. Here are a few reasons to incorporate Parsnips in your diet. Parsnips are loaded with vitamin C and antioxidants which promotes better immune systems. They also are a great source of Fibre with can improve your digestion, and helps regulates blood sugar in body. Parsnips can be easily added to the diet. Here are a few options on how to prepare Parsnips. You can have them Mashed ,sautéed, roasted, grilled, and in soups. How do you enjoy parsnips?

So here is where I prepared the Roasted Parsnips and Roasted Sweet Potatoes. Which are incredible by themselves and a amazing side dish.

Here is everything you will need:

3 Parsnips

1 Large Sweet Potato

1 Large Red Onion

2 sprigs of Cilantro

1 cup of lentils

1/2 Cup of Lettuce

1 /2 Cucumber

1 tbsp Olive Oil, Oregano, Cayenne Pepper

Garlic Aioli optional**

This recipe can be prepared ahead and when you are ready to assemble the Buddha Bowl you can add them to the bowl.

Step 1: Clean Parsnips and Sweet potatoes thoroughly, peel them and cut them into cubes (sweet potatoes) and long sticks (parsnips).

Step 2: Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Add olive Oil, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Place them in the oven at 375 for 35 mins.

Step 3: While Veggies are in the oven. You can start assembling your bowl. Add a bed of Lettuce, Onions, cucumbers.

Step 4: Remove the Veggies from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes. Add to the bowl, top with lentils and Garlic Aioli . Garnish your bowl with Cilantro and Serve.

Step 5: Enjoy your colourful bowl!

GreenCupcake

Grapefruit and Cilantro Detox Water – Detoxing heavy metals and harmful toxins.

December 5, 2019December 5, 2019 Green Cupcake

Hello Friends! Happy Wednesday! In preparation for the new Year / Decade I have been preparing my mind, Body and soul. I simple way to remove toxins from your body is by infusing water with Grapefruit.

Grapefruit is a naturally Sweet and Sour tropical citrus fruit. It has a great nutritional profile. Grapefruit is rich in nutrients , fibre, and antioxidants. Here are just a few health benefits of eating Grapefruit. Grapefruit is known as one of the lowest calorie fruits. It is high in Vitamin C making it a great immune system booster. Grapefruit also contains a large amount of dietary fiber which aid in controlling your appetite and support weightless. Grapefruit can help reduce insulin resistance as a result will lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Grapefruit contains nutrients and antioxidants that can control blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

These are just a few of the reason to start incorporating grapefruit into your diet. What are your favourite ways to include grapefruit into your diet? Me: I love to infused my Water with Grapefruit.

I have recently become more aware of the toll heavy metals take on our bodies. Heavy metals can grapefruit and cilantro detox water into the body in a number of ways. From consuming fish, environmental pollutants, certain vaccinations, contaminated water, dental fillings and household products.

Some signs or symptoms of Heavy Metals toxicity are :

– Depression

– Dementia

– Insomnia

– Chronic fatigue

– Poor recovery from workout

– Poor memory and learning

– Digestive issues, such as IBS (irritable bowel syndrome)

– Skin irritation

– Autoimmune diseases

Here are a few benefits of detoxifying Heavy Metals :

– Improvements in mental performance

– Reduced free radical damage

– Energy levels are boosted

– Improved skin health

– Enhanced immunity

– Better digestive function

I have been incorporating Cilantro into everyday meals and my Detox water.

This water is so simple you just need three ingredients and water of course.

Step 1: Slice 1 Grapefruit into 1/2 inch slices and place into pitcher.

Step 2: Add two Sprigs of Cilantro to pitcher. You can tear off a few leaves – optional

Step 3: Add 2 Tbsp of Lemon Juice to pitcher.

Step 4: Top off with 1 Litre of Water, and Refrigerate.

Step 5: Enjoy and Remove Toxins! 🙂

GreenCupcake

Energy Balls with Dates, Nut Butter, Chia Seeds and Dark Chocolate. Rolled in Shredded Coconut. | Fall Recipes.

November 28, 2019November 28, 2019 Green Cupcake

Hey Greencupcake Family! I wanted to bring a fun recipe this week. It is perfect for a mid week pick me up. These Energy balls will hopefully give you the burst of energy to make your week better. 🙂

I used some medjool dates as the base for these energy balls. Dates are one of the easiest foods to incorporate into your diets. They are nutrient rich and a fantastic sweetener substitute. They are part of the Palm Tree family and have many different varitations of the delicious fruit. Mejool Dates is one of the more popular and for good reason they have a rich almost caramel taste. Aside from tasting like a sweet dessert dates have a number of other amazing benefits. Dates are a great source of Dietary Fibre which promotes digestive health. They are also rich in minerals like selenium, Manganese, copper and magnesium which are important for bone strength and health. Dates are also anti-inflammatory and can reduced blood pressure due to the source of magnesium. Dates are packed with carbohydrates which makes them a natural energy booster. Dates have a naturally sweet and have a great nutritional profile making them the perfect addition to your daily diet.

Here is everything you will need for the Energy Balls. This recipe makes 8 Energy Balls.

Ingredients:

1 Cup of Medjool Dates

1/3 Cup of Almonds

1/3 Peanut Butter

1 Tbsp Chia Seeds

1 Tbsp Dark Chocolate

2 Tbsp of Shredded Coconuts

Chia Seeds, Almonds, Nut butter, Dark Chocolate , Dates.

This is the easiest recipe, all you will need is a food processor.

I used dried Dates and I let them soak in warm water for 2 hours prior to using them.

Step 1: I removed the seed and pulsed them in the processor until they became soft and chopped well.

Step 2: Chop Almonds by hand or in processor. Then add the chopped dates back to processor with Almonds. Add the chia seed, chopped Dark Chocolate and Nut butter. Pulse until the mixture creates a dough.

Step 3: Roll into medium sized balls and set aside.

Step 4: You can refrigerate them here and enjoy them just like this! I chose to roll them in Shredded Coconut.

Step 5: Place them in refrigerator for 1 hour too firm up. Enjoy!!

These Energy Balls are so rich and perfect for an afternoon snack.

I hope you do try these, if you do tag me on Instagram @greencupcaketo

What is your favourite afternoon snack?

Until next time,

GreenCupcake

Apple & Cinnamon Waffles – Healthy Recipes | Fall Breakfast Recipes.

November 22, 2019 Green Cupcake

Hey Everyone!! It has been a while and I am happy to be back and bring this fall appropriate recipe. These are my Apple and Cinnamon Waffles with Apple Caramel topping. The waffles are so light and full of juicy apples. The warm caramel apples topping is delicious and a perfect addition to these waffles.

I love Cinnamon year around but it is particularly amazing during the colder weather.

Cinnamon is a spice that is made from the inner bark of trees scientifically known as Cinnamomum. Cinnamon has been used as a medicine in traditional Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine for centuries. Known for its benefits like aiding in digestion and gastrointestinal issues. Here are just a few other commonly known benefits of Cinnamon:

1. Cinnamon may help treat Type 2 diabetes.

2.. Cinnamon could lower your bad cholesterol (or LDL).

3. Cinnamon has antimicrobial properties.

4. Cinnamon can help treat the symptoms of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

5. Cinnamon has anti-inflammatory properties.

6. Cinnamon has antioxidant benefits.

Here are some cinnamon benefits you may not have known:

Cinnamon is a natural insect repellent.
Combat acne
Freshen breath
plump up lips

Now to the recipe:

Here is what you will need:

1 cup of flour

2 tsp of Baking Powder

1 tbsp of Coconut oil

1 Tsp Cinnamon

1 Tsp Honey

1/3 cup Almond Milk

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/2 Large Apple Cubed.

Topping Ingredient:

2 tsp Honey

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 Apple Cubed

I started off by chopping my apple into cubes, I used half an apple for the waffles and half for the caramel topping.

The topping was extremely simple I suggest starting the caramel and apples before making the waffles so they have enough time for the apples to soften and the caramel will thicken.

In a medium skillet on low add your honey and apples and allow to simmer for 10 mins. Add you Cinnamon after 10 mins and stir for another 5 mins. Thats it! after 15 mins the caramel will form and apples will be soft.

In large bowl combined your dry ingredients and mix well, then add your wet ingredients and make sure to get the lumps out complete, This will make the waffles super light. Then fold in your Apples. **Tip: Do not overfill the waffles machine ( I made a huge mess) the batter is very light and expands quite a bit. So just enough batter no more no less.

After they are cooked in the waffle maker, stack them and top with your Caramel Apple Topping and ENJOY!!!

I loved how light and fluffy they turned out! If you do try this please tag me on Instagram @greencupcaketo

Have a Great Weekend!! XO

GreenCupcake

Super Green Pesto Penne with Kale and Cherry Tomatoes | Garden Recipes | Benefits of Basil

September 5, 2019 Green Cupcake

Hey Loves !! Happy Thursday! Here in Toronto the weather has started to change and with the weather getting colder it will be the end of our harvest season. I have been obsessed with preserving the vegetables. LOL! I had a lot of Basil leaves. I decided to make a NUT-Free Pesto which turned out amazing!!

Basil is part of the Mint family. It is a herb with amazing benefits. Here are just a few reasons why everyone should have basil. Basil is rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Vitamin C, Iron, Magnesium , Calcium and Potassium. It has been crowned the “Queen of Herbs”. There are many types of Basil with many different benefits. Basil plants come in a range of variety and sizes, but holy basil is the most researched type of basil and is the species of basil most known for its powerful healing qualities. 🙌🏼 Basil contains disease fighting antioxidants. Basil contains a Powerful essential oil that is anti-inflammatory. Studies show that basil has strong potential to act as a natural adaptogen, an herbal medicine that helps the body with lower stress levels. Basil helps balance acid within the body and restore the body’s proper pH level. One of my favorite essential oils are tulsi extract/holy basil 🌿 which is perfect for relaxation and stress relief! 🧘🏻‍♀️ 💚

Here is everything you will need for the Pesto.

2 cups of Basil

3 Garlic cloves

1 tsp salt

1 cup olive oil

2 tbsp of Parmesan Cheese

1 tsp black pepper

Step 1: Wash and Clean the basil throughly. ( I add a tsp of white vinegar )

Step 2: In a mortar and pestle mash the garlic into a paste, with the salt.

Step 3: Add the basil few leaves at a time and mash them into garlic. Continue process until half the basil is combine. Transfer into a food processor and pulse until all the basil in finely chopped.

Step 4: Slowly add Cup of Olive Oil and continue pulsing the basil. Once the oil is incorporated fully add parmasen cheese and pulse again to combine everything.

Step 5: In a glass container transfer pesto and add olive oil to preserve the pesto. Refrigerate over night to allow the flavours to marinate together and ENJOY!!

The next day I wanted to make some Penne Pesto. I added some Kale and Cherry Tomatoes. This pasta was so fresh and it felt pretty good that majority of ingredients were from the garden. I Hope you try this pesto recipe and if you do have a garden that is coming to the end of the season let me know any of your Food hacks.

Have a amazing week!!

GreenCupcake

Mango Smoothie Bowl with Coconut Whipped Cream |Healthy Breakfast Recipes | Mango Health Benefits.

September 3, 2019 Green Cupcake

This week I wanted to make a smoothie bowl with Mango. I love Mangos they are so healthy and delicious. They have some amazing benefits as well.

Mango also known as “ Mangifera indica” and in some parts of the world referred to as the “ King of Fruits”. It has great nutritional value with a number of health benefits such as improved immunity, digestive health and eyesight. Mango is low in calories yet high in nutrients, Especially vitamin C, which aids immunity, iron absorption and growth and repair. Mango is packed with polyphenols, a plant compound that function as antioxidants. Mango is a good source of folate, several B vitamins, vitamins A, C, K and E which all of which help boost immunity. Mangos have digestive enzymes, water, dietary fiber and other compounds that aid different aspects of digestive health. Mango contains vitamin C, which gives your skin its elasticity and prevents sagging and wrinkling. It also provides vitamin A, which promotes healthy hair. These are just a few reasons why Mangos are the King of Fruits. What is your favourite type of Mango??

Mine: ALL OF THEM 🙂

This smoothie bowl is one of my favourites. It is light and the whipped coconut gives you a good balance of Healthy fats.

Here is what you will need:

1 Mango

1 Cup of coconut milk

1/2 banana

1 tsp of coconut flakes

1/3 cup blueberries

2 tbsp of whipped coconut cream

The instructions are simple : In your blender add diced Mango, Banana, and cup of Coconut milk. Blend until smooth. Pour into your favourite bowl and top with Diced Mangos , Blueberries, Coconut Flakes and in a piping bag add your coconut whipped cream. Enjoy!!

I hope you try this super easy recipe and if you do I would love to see pictures. Tag me on IG @greencupcaketo.

XOXO

GreenCupcake

Coconut Cream Whipped Frosting | Vegan Desserts | Frosting Alternatives | Food Hacks

August 27, 2019 Green Cupcake

Hey Loves!!! Hope you had a fantastic weekend! This weekend I made my Green Matcha COCO-NUT Cupcakes. This is one of my very first posts on my blog. This is the Link for the Cupcakes. https://greencupcake.home.blog/2019/04/

These cupcakes are great with just shredded coconut but I did mention in the blog I wanted to create a Dairy Free alternative to frosting. I love coconut cream icing but I found it melts away. For my recipe I added a special ingredient to keep the frosting stiff and hold its shape.

It was so simple you will only need 3 ingredients.

1 can of Thai Coconut Cream

1 tbsp Icing Sugar ( Secret to getting it stiff)

1 Tsp of Vanilla Extract.

Totally Optional: Food colouring for your desired colour.

The steps to making this incredible frosting are simple. First you will need to get a hand mixer or stand alone mixer, and chill your bowl for 10 mins,

Step 1: Store the Thai Coconut Cream upside down from 1 hour. Then open the can and carefully pour out the liquid into a cup (the coconut juice is perfect for a smoothie)

Step 2: Take your chilled bowl out and transfer the cream from can into bowl. Mix on low for 3 minutes. The Cream will get nice and fluffy.

Step 3: Add your Vanilla Extract and Powdered sugar and mix on med for 5 minutes. You will notice the consistency of the frosting get stiffer but still light. That is what you want for piping.

Step 6: Optional*** Add food coloring.

Step 5: Transfer to a bowl and allow to chill for 10mins. Then when your cupcakes have cooled transfer frosting to pipping bag and decorate your cupcakes.

Step 5 : Enjoy! I topped my cupcakes with some shredded coconut.

I store these cupcakes in the refrigerator to firm up. But they were perfectly fine to stay out after 10 mins.

This whipped coconut cream is great on anything. I used it on fruit, and even on a smoothie bowl. Coconut cream is high in Fatty acids and when taking in moderation can be beneficial for you overall health.

I would love to know how you use coconut cream?

If you do try this recipe tag me in your pictures on IG @greencupcaketo I would love to see 🙂

Have an amazing week! XOXO

GreenCupcake

GRILLED PEACHES TWO WAYS | VEGAN RECIPES | PEACHES & CREAM | GRILLED PEACHES FLATBREAD |

August 21, 2019 Green Cupcake

Happy Wellness Wednesday Loves!!! Hope your week has been off to a great start!!

This week I picked up some Peached at the Farmers market and these peaches were so incredible. SO naturally sweet!

Peaches are high in fibre, vitamins, and minerals. They also contain beneficial plant compounds like antioxidants, which can help protect your body from aging and disease.Who doesn’t love peaches. They are fantastic when when in season.Peaches may also help lower your immune system’s response to allergens, thus reducing allergy symptom. Compounds found in peaches and peach flowers may help keep your skin healthy by maintaining moisture and protecting against sun damage. Peaches are widely available and can be eaten in a variety of ways. Enjoy them on their own or easily incorporate them into main dishes, sides, smoothies, or desserts. How do you like to eat your peaches? Me: Peaches & Cream Obvisiouly 😉

I wanted to make classic Grilled Peaches with a twist. I grilled my peaches and made a savoury Grilled Peaches Flatbread and a Dairy Free Maple Peaches and Cream. This dynamic Duo was so tasty and super simple to make.

The ingredients for the flatbread were so fresh and gave the flatbread bursts of all flavours.

Ingredients:

Garlic Flatbread,

2 tbsp Feta

1/2 Jalapeño pepper chopped

1/2 sweet Onion diced

5 Basil leaves

1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar.

1 tsp Olive Oil

The desert was even easier.

Ingredients:

Dairy Free Maple ice cream

1 tbsp Maple syrup

1 Mint sprig.

And the star of the show was the Peaches!.

2 peaches

I have a full video to show you step by step instructions.

Youtube Video with Step by Step Instructions.

If you do try either of these recipes feel free to tag me on IG @greencupcaketo.

Thank you for visiting !!! XOXO

GreenCupcake

Marble Zen Ultrasonic Diffuser by Oriwest | Essential Oil Benefits | AROMATHERAPY.

August 16, 2019 Green Cupcake

Happy Friday Loves,

I wanted to share my favourite Diffuser, It is the Marble Zen UltraSonic Diffuser by Oriwest. I like it of course because it is SOOOO pretty with the Marble sleek design but it also last up to 10 hours. This Zen diffuser works using ultrasonic technology to break up water and essential oils or aroma blends into extremely fine micro-particles, diffusing aroma into the air as mist without heat. It has two setting and covers up to 300 square feet to give you a spa like experience. This diffuser also has auto shut off when the water has run out, and my favourite feature is the LED lights at the bottom, which creates the perfect atmosphere for Yogaand Mediation. I have a link to the Oriwest store they have tons of diffusers to choose from. You will love these diffuses. They are life changing.

Here is the Link to the Oriwest store:

http://oriwest.com/?ref=5d570e8b988cc

One of my favourite reasons to use a Diffuser is with Essential Oils. I love to diffuse oils for so many reasons. Here are just some of the Benefits of Essential Oils.

Essential oils have been used for many years worldwide and for good reason. They have so many amazing benefits like aromatherapy being a very popular use to household cleaning products, personal beauty care and natural medicine treatments. No wonder these oils are so popular. They also have antidepressant, stimulating, detoxifying, antibacterial, antiviral and calming properties, they are recently gaining popularity as a natural, safe and cost-effective therapy for a number of health concerns.

Here’s a list of 10 popular essential oils and the health claims associated with them:

Peppermint: Used to boost energy and help with digestion.
Lavender: Used for stress relief.
Sandalwood: Used to calm nerves and help with focus.
Bergamot: Used to reduce stress and improve skin conditions like eczema.
Rose: Used to improve mood and reduce anxiety.
Chamomile: Used for improving mood and relaxation.
Ylang-Ylang: Used to treat headaches, nausea and skin conditions.
Tea Tree: Used to fight infections and boost immunity.
Jasmine: Used to help with depression, childbirth and libido.
Lemon: Used to aid digestion, mood, headaches and more.

This is just 10 popular picks, but there are so many to choose from. My go to is Peppermint, and Ylang Ylang. What about you? What is your favourite Essential oil or Blend?