Green Cupcake

Summer Cocktails are so refreshing on a hot day. I love Mojitos because of the fresh limes and mint. I decided to add watermelon to this cocktail for some add nutrients and flavours as we know watermelon is rich in a amino acid called citrulline. Citrulline is a great source to boost your endurance and help aid in recovery time. So I thought since this mocktail is alcohol free and sugar free we will need a super boost of energy from the watermelon and mint.

Mint is known for its refreshing aroma and cooling taste. Mint has many plants in the mint family like the most common ones spearmint, and peppermint. All the mint plants belong to a family called “mentha”. The health benefits of menthe are amazing. Mentha is a soothing and calming herb that has been used for centuries to sooth upset stomachs. Another fantastic benefit of mentha is how nutrient rich this powerful herb is. Since mint isn’t typically consumed in large amounts I was happy to know for a cup of tea you would getting a good amount of your daily required nutrients for Folate, Manganese, Iron, and Vitamin A. Peppermint is my favourite essential oil and it packed major health benefits. Peppermint oil has been been shown to improve brain function such as alertness and improved memory. My favourite use for peppermint oil is to diffuse the oil when I have low energy. The aroma invigorates me by allowing me to feel energized and less fatigued.

I love how this Mojito turned out, It was extremely satisfying!! The best part I didn’t need a huge blender or shakers. I used a traditional marble morter and pestle. So easy!!

Here is everything you will need! 1 cup of watermelon, 1 lime, and 12 leaves of mint. 1 sprig to garnish.

Step 1: dice watermelon, limes and mine. Put in Morter and muddle until the liquify.

Step 2: Fill glass with ice and pour watermelon juice over ice. Fill with sparkling water.

Step 3: Garish with extra mint sprig and mini water melon slices. CHEERS!

How do you like your summer cocktails?

What is your favourite Summer drink?

GreenCupcake

Cherry and Chocolate Overnight Oats.

July 12, 2019 Green Cupcake

Overnight Oats are so refreshing and super satisfying. If you do prep your meals this would be fantastic to do for the next few days. Overnight oats are really great year around, especially during the warmer months. I have tried a number of different combinations and this Cherry and Chocolate recipe is my favourite.

There are so many options to add like Oats and Chia Seeds. For this recipe I chose to just use rolled oats.

Oats are a whole grain food and are also gluten free. They are a great source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Oats contain more protein and fat than most grains. So other nutrients oats are packed with are Mangenese, Magnesium, Iron, Folate and B1 (thiamin). Oats are rich in Antioxidants and contain a powerful Soluable fibre called “ Beta Glucan”.

Beta-glucan fibre has been proven to reduce LDL and Cholesterol levels and reduce blood sugar. Another benefit of eating oats is the gut response to beta glucan. Beta Glucan promotes the release a peptide YY which is a hormone that is proceeded when eating. This hormone is a Satiety hormone that will help reduce calorie intake and make you full quicker. I love to incorporate oats into many baked goods to increase the fibre. I even add oats to my smoothies or smoothie bowls. Most people prefer rolled, crushed or steel-cut oats due to the faster cooking times. How do you like to prepare your oats? Muffins? granola ?

One of my favourite reason to make overnight oats is the simplicity of it. You take it out of the refrigerator top it with your favourite fruit and you have a hearty meal that will giving you tons of energy.

Overnight Oats in 3 steps :

Step 1 : Pour 1/2 cup of rolled oats into mason jar. 1/2 Almond Milk. 1 tsp of vanilla extract. Cover oats and refrigerate overnight.

Step 2: The next day, Take oats out of refrigerator and give the oats a stir. I added a scoop of diary free vanilla yogurt.

Step 3: Chop up cherries, and chocolate. Top your oats and Enjoy!

How simple was that? What is your favourite Overnight Oats Combination?

GreenCupcake

Vegan Tacos with Vegan sour cream

July 9, 2019 Green Cupcake

It is my favorite day of the week ” TACO TUESDAY “. LOL! This week keeping with the theme I wanted to focus on Plant based protein. I chose to incorporate Legumes into these delicious tacos. I had some leftover kidney beans and know those would be perfect for the tacos. Legumes are High in Fibre and packed with protein. Eating Legumes and beans can be a life saver on a plant based diet. They are a good source of a complex carbohydrate so you will find them highly satisfying. The actual legumes definition is: “the fruit or seed of plants of the legume family (such as peas or beans) used for food.” They have so many options to choose from so it is no surprise they have become a staple in Vegetarian and Vegan cooking. Legumes can also aid in Weightloss and promote gut health due to the high fibre content. They have also been proven to stabilize blood sugar and promote heart health. Some of my favourite legumes are chickpeas, Kidney beans , peas, and lentils.

I went out to the garden and pick some fresh herbs to spice these tacos up. I picked some green onion, cilantro , and basil. I also couldn’t resist adding some spinach.

I made my own taco seasoning so it is low sodium. I used my seasoning on the grilled peppers and onions with tsp of olive oil in the oven for 15 mins. Then I added the kidney beans that were already cooked for the lasted 10 mins.

Here is the taco seasoning recipe:

3 Tbsp Chilli Powder

1 Tbsp Cumin Powder

1 Tbsp Garlic Powder

1 Tbsp Onion Powder

1 Tsp Cayenne Powder

1 Tsp Paprika Powder

1/2 Tsp Pepper Powder

Combine all ingredients and store in a mason jar. This taco seasoning is Spicy!! How do you like your tacos?

I love homemade Pico de gallo. I wanted to top these tacos with something fresh and this pico de gallo is perfect! It is so simple to make only 4 ingredients. Here is what you will need : 1 large Tomato cubed, 1/2 white onion diced, 1 lime, and Cilantro. Thats it! In a bowl mix the tomato, onion and cilantro together. Then squeeze your lime and mix together. place in refrigerator to chill before serving.

Plating your taco is the best part! I layered the onions peppers and kidney beans on the bottom, added a bed on spinach and topped with the pico de gallo. I bought the vegan sour cream which was delioucis! But I will need to work on my own recipe very soon!

These tacos were packed with protein and so flavourful! Who said Taco’s can’t been healthy??

How do you make your favourite tacos?

Happy Taco Tuesday ❤

ENJOY!!!

GreenCupcake

Green PB & J Smoothie.

July 9, 2019 Green Cupcake

Green Smoothies are a great way to start your day. I love trying new ingredients and making new variations of the smoothie but this Green PB AND J smoothie has been one recipe I keep coming back to. It reminds me of a Peanut butter and jelly sandwich in a smoothie. This recipe was not intentional at all. When I tried it it brought me back to my childhood. I love Peanut butter and Jelly but don’t tend to make them anymore. Its nice to have it in smoothie form.

Smoothies are great because you can load them with tons of nutrients. I chose to use a nut butter is this smoothie. I want this smoothie to have protein and healthy fats.

Getting my daily protein in can seem challenging because I have eliminated meat and diary from my diet. This week I want to focus all of my recipes on natural sources of plant based protein. Some amazing benefits of nuts and seeds are the are packed with nutrients. A great example is the brazil nut, Just one nut is more than the daily recommended intake for selenium providing over 100% of the nutrient. Another benefit you may not think about when you think about nuts and seeds is they have anti inflammatory properties. One of the more obvious benefits is the great source of fibre. My favourite benefit of of nuts and seed is the Versatility! You can never get bored with them. You can have them in nut butter, toasted, raw, chopped and so much more.

For this recipe I chose Almond Butter and Almond milk.

Here is everything you will need:

Ingredients:

1 Ripe Banana

1/2 avocado

1/2 almond milk

1 tbsp almond butter

1/3 cup strawberries

1/2 cup ice cubes

1 tsp spirulina powder

1 scoop of strawberry protein powder.

Now all you have to do is blend and enjoy this amazing smoothie. ❤

What is your favourite nut butter? I hope you give this recipe a try!! Thank you for visiting the blog.

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Strawberry & Spinach Salad with Honey Balsamic Dressing and Spicy Almonds.

July 5, 2019 Green Cupcake

We just celebrated Canada day!! Happy Canada Day 🙂 We had a small family BBQ and I decided to make a fresh salad. I love salads and other sides. I usually don’t plan these recipes in advance so I went out to the garden and was soooooo excited at how much spinach we had. I picked a good amount of spinach. I remembered we had fresh strawberries from strawberry picking that would pair nicely with spinach.

Here is a snap of the Spinach growing like crazy.

Spinach is my favourite leafy green for so many reasons. It has so many fantastic health benefits.

I loved how this salad and dressing turned out. It was so light and refreshing. I loved that it was fresh from the garden. I felt really good about growing my own vegetables. I am so looking forward to the rest of the garden veggies that are growing nicely. I have so many ideas for recipes. This Strawberry and Spinach salad had so many flavours. Sweet from the strawberries, Tangy from Balsamic Vinegar, Savoury from the Spinach and Spicy from the almonds. I will have to make this salad again very soon.

This salad was so easy to prepare, here is everything you will need for the salad, dressing and spicy almonds.

Serving 6 people

Salad :

2 cups of Spinach

1 sweet onion

1/2 cup of strawberries

Dressing :

1 cup of olive oil

2 tbsp of Balsamic Vinegar

2 cloves of garlic

1 tsp of red chilli flakes

1 tsp of raw honey

1 pinch of salt

1 pinch of pepper

1 tsp raw cane sugar

Almonds:

1/2 cup of raw almonds

1 tbsp of honey

1 tsp of cayenne pepper

1/3 cup of lemon juice

The salad is best served chilled so I prepared it and placed in a large serving bowl and refrigerated for an hour. To start you will need to wash and dry spinach throughly. I rinse well in a strainer and shake out excess water. Then Slice onion into slices and break apart so you get little rings. Chop strawberries into 4ths and assemble your salad. Simple right?

For the dressing you will need a food processor of you can grate garlic and mix by hand alternatively. In the food processor mince the garlic. Add olive and vinegar and blend. Add the spices and sugar and blend until everything is combined. Place Dressing in a jar and place in the fridge.

Pre-heat your oven to 350, and line a baking pan with parchment paper. In large bowl mix honey, lemon juice and cayenne pepper. Add Almonds and mix until every almond is coated. Place in over for 35 mins. 15 mins in flip the almonds to ensure both sides are toasted. Allow to cool before transferring to bowl so they don’t stick to each other.

When you are ready to serve you can add almonds and dressing to the salad. Give it a final toss and let your guest enjoy.

Do you like fruit in your salad? What do you like more Sweet or savoury?

Have a great weekend and enjoy the beautiful weather. 🙂

GreenCupcake

Blueberry Protein Pancakes with Coco-NUT Whipped Topping.

July 2, 2019 Green Cupcake

Sunday brunch is something I look forward to all week. This week I was going to a spin class right after brunch so I need extra fuel. I decided to make my spin on the classic pancake. I made the fluffiest protein packed blueberry pancakes with my favourite Coconut milk and almond butter topping. Of-course I topped them off with more blueberries.

I love blueberries sooooo much!! They are so good and I eat them year around. This is one of my favourite fruit that is good fresh or frozen. I always prefer fresh blueberries but when I can not find them I will get frozen berries. Blueberries are a often referred to as “superfood” but they have been crowned the KING of Antioxidants. They even have their own crown! Blueberries have the highest antioxidant capacity of all the popular fruits and vegetables. Flavonoids appear to be the berries’ antioxidant with the greatest impact.

Some other amazing benefits of blueberries are they are low in calories. They are high in fibre, Vitamin C and Vitamin K. Blueberry intake has been proven to lower blood pressure in numerous studies.The antioxidants in blueberries benefit your brain by aiding in brain function and delaying mental decline and so many more benefits.

So now I feel pretty good about eating a cup of blueberries and binge watching Greys Anatomy. Which I should mention is only 80 calories and Greys Anatomy is good for your soul and that my friend is PRICELESS. LOL 🙂

These pancakes were very easy to make, here is everything you will need:

Prep time : 10 mins

Cook time : 4 mins

Serving : 6 Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 egg

1 scoop plant protein

1/2 cup almond milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 table spoon almond butter

1/3 cup coconut milk

1/2 blueberries

1 tsp coconut oil

1/2 salt

1 tbsp honey

Instructions:

Step 1 : In Large mixing bowl combine flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda together.

Step 2 : In another bowl combine egg, honey, milk, coconut oil and vanilla until smooth.

Step 3: Pour Wet ingredients into dry and combine until mix is thick. Do not over mix. Fold in blueberries.

Step 4: Lightly spray skillet and set to medium heat.

Step 5: Pour batter into skillet and let cook for 2 mins on each side until the tops have bubbles and the edges are golden brown.( I have a fancy pancake maker, you pour flip after 2 mins and boom perfect pancakes)

Step 6: Stack your pancakes. Start whipping the nut butter and coconut milk together until smooth.

Step 7: Drizzle the coco-nut whip over pancake tower and top with more blueberries.

Step 8: ENJOY!!!

How do you like to make your pancakes ? I would love to see your recipes. Tag me in your Instagram Post @greencupcakenetwork

GreenCupcake

Zesty Pasta Salad! Made with Homemade Italian Dressing.

June 27, 2019 Green Cupcake

Summer BBQ season has arrived! 😃 I love a good salad or pasta salad as a side but I try to at least add some additional nutrients or health benefits to the salad like leafy greens or in this in case Apple Cider Vinegar. I made a traditional Pasta salad that was tossed with homemade low calorie italian dressing. This salad after being chilled was so refreshing. It was so simple to prepare and it was just as good or better in my opinion as a traditional recipe. I added a ton of vegetables I tend to enjoy but feel free to make this recipe your own and add whatever veggies your love. I don’t eat meat or seafood so I kept this very simple. However this salad would pair nicely with chickpeas or even some grilled tofu. YUM!

Here is everything you will need for this delicous salad:

1 cup of rotini pasta

1/2 cubed cucumber

1/2 celery diced

1/2 yellow and red peppers sliced

1 large onion chopped in to large pieces.

1 large tomatoes diced

1 leaf basil

Dressing Ingredients:

1/2 cup of olive oil

1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar

1 tsp of raw honey

1 tsp of nutritional yeast

1 tsp of red chilli flakes

1/2 tsp of garlic salt

1/2 tsp of orengro

1/2 tsp of parsley

1/2 black pepper

This dressing was full of flavour and so simple. it would be fantastic on any salad.

Simple steps to follow so you can enjoy the time with your friends and family.

Step 1: Boil pasta until its cooked about 9 mins for a rotini.

Step 2: Mix oil and vinegar into a bowl add all of your spices and nutritional yeast. Whisk ingredients until well combined and set aside.

Step 3: Prepare Vegetables and set aside. Strain Pasta and place into large bowl.

Step 4: Add raw veggies to pasta. Mix well. Add dressing and toss the pasta to make sure everything is coated.

Step 5: Place into refrigerator for up an hour before servering. Allow all of the flavours to marinate. Serve and enjoy!!!

I love recipes that are even better the next day, this salad is one of them. So I prepared this the night before. SOOOOO FLAVOURFUL!!

Please share your favourite BBQ favourites. I would love to hear about all of them. Happy Summer 🙂

GreenCupcake

Summer Coconut Smoothie Bowl.

June 18, 2019 Green Cupcake

I love a good smoothie bowl for breakfast or brunch. I usually do intermitted fasting so my first meal is after 18 hours of fasting and I quite hungry by that point. I like to have a nutrient packed meal. I like to add healthy fats to my smoothie bowls. This is a rich and creamy smoothie bowl made with Coconut milk.

We are so lucky to have so many great options for Milk alternatives. One of my favourite milks to add to recipes is Coconut milk. Coconut milk contains Medium – Chain Triglycerides. (MCTs). These MCTs have been linked to weight-loss. MCTs produce energy through a process called thermogenesis, or heat production. Coconuts also contain a Lipid “Lauric acid” . Lauric Acid has many anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties which support a strong immune system. Coconut milk is very high in nutrients and minerals. It is delicious and a great addition to a lot of my favourite recipes. I even use coconut milk in my beauty routines.

How do you like to incorporate coconut milk into you meals or beauty routine?

Now back to the super easy smoothie bowl. Here is everything you will need.

I can not wait to share more of my smoothie bowl recipes. I love to play with different favours and toppings. This recipe was fresh and tangy with the cranberries. How do you top your smoothie bowls ?

GreenCupcake

Spicy Guacamole. Turn up the Heat Guac!

June 11, 2019June 11, 2019 Green Cupcake

I love a good creamy avocado on almost anything. Avocados in my smoothies, on my toast, and on their own. Eating a lot of avocados can seem like a lot but this superfood has so many benefits you can enjoy them guilt free. High in nutrients like potassium and Vitamin K. Avocados and avocado oil are high in monounsaturated fat and so many other health benefits.

Tonight is the Nba finals!! I’m not a huge basketball fan but I’m from Toronto so I have to watch. GO RAPTORS! I need healthy snacks when I watch any major sporting event! Tonight in honour of turning up the heat on the warriors I decided Spicy Guacamole was only right! This recipe was so good, and simple to prepare. Here is what you will need:

Ingredients :

2 Avocados

1 large tomato

1 onion

2 chilli pepper chopped

1 lemon

2 tsp siracha

1 tsp sazon

1 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp red hot chilli flakes

Use a fork to mash Avocados. Combine tomatoes and onions together and add dry seasoning to mixture. Fold in the tamales and add tomato mixture until will combined. Finish with lemon juice. Enjoy it with corn tortilla chips 🙂

I hope you try this spicy recipe and have a gallon of water close by! It’s super hot but flavourful.

Enjoy!!! We the north!! Let’s turn up the Heat tonight! GO RAPTORS!!

GreenCupcake

Watermelon Sorbet. Perfect for a Pre/Post workout Snack.

June 5, 2019 Green Cupcake

Watermelon is a good source of vitamin A, vitamin B5, and vitamin C. Watermelon is the richest known nutrient source of the amino acid citrulline. The highest amount is found in the white rind that surrounds the flesh. Drinking watermelon Juice before a workout can boost performance and help reduce recovery time. Push through your workout with Watermelon Juice. Watermelon is a good source of vitamin A, vitamin B5, and vitamin C. Watermelon is the richest known nutrient source of the amino acid citrulline. The highest amount is found in the white rind that surrounds the flesh.

Watermelon is a good source of citrulline, which is converted into arginine in your body. This amino acids contributes in the nitric oxide production process. Nitric oxide is a gas molecule that causes the muscles around your blood vessels to relax and dilate. This leads to a reduction in blood pressure.

I love to read research studies on supplements because I want to know how the supplement performs. Twenty-four male soccer players ingested either Cit + Arg or placebo (both 1.2 g/day each) for 6 days. On day 7, they ingested Cit + Arg 1 h before performing a 10-min full-power pedaling test on a bicycle ergometer. Power output was significantly greater with Cit + Arg than in the placebo group. The conclusion was that seven days of oral Citrulline (1.2 g/d) and Arginine (1.2 g/d) ingestion improved 10-min cycling performance and the perception of physical exertion in male collegiate soccer players. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30847640

This watermelon sorbet is so refreshing! The lemon gives the sorbet a tangy taste, which makes this taste like a healthy jolly rancher candy. Lemon is highly acidic and when fully digested, it has many alkalizing health benefits for our bodies. I love watermelon and I know feel even better about eating it. I like to be intentional about what I consume so creating this Sorbet recipe is perfect for me. So many benefits, pre workout sorbet, Post workout sorbet and Low calorie snack.

Here is what you will need: