Healthworks

FREE 3 day E-course!

At Healthworks, we are big advocates of green smoothies.  If you are interested in finding out how to change up your daily food routine, this is a great opportunity.  Green Smoothie Queen is offering a FREE 3 Day Mini-Course in creating healthy and tasty ways to give your diet a boost.  The offer is only good until the morning of February 21st (not even 2 days left!), so make sure to take advantage of it.  It is a great way to kickstart your year and bring back vitality.  If you are interested and want to know more, or would like to sign up, check this out.
 

This is some GOOD pudding...

As a lover a food, and a seeker of health, I am always on the lookout for good but healthy recipes.  I recently came across a recipe for an avocado based pudding that makes my tastebuds tingle!  Unfortunately, I cannot remember where I saw it, so I set about to recreate it from my head.  So, here goes..... (you can play with the amounts to get the flavour you like).

Avocado Lime Pudding

• 1 avocado 
• 1 large lime (or 2 small)
• 2 TBSP raw agave nectar (alternatively, 3-4 pitted and soaked dates)
• 1/4 tsp vanilla

Remove flesh from avocado and place in food processor with juice from lime.  Add agave nectar or dates, along with vanilla.  Process until smooth.  Add more lime juice or sweetener of choice (agave or dates).  Serves 1.

Another idea:  If you have picky kids, put this mix into some popsicle molds for a frozen version.  For some reason, kids always go for the frozen stuff...

Gluten-Free Pancakes

This recipe is not your typical pancake recipe - it is composed of ingredients that are more healthful than your average pancake mix.  They tend to be a bit smaller in size, but are great for kids.

Thanks to Elana Amsterdam, author of The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook and an amazing gluten-free recipe blog, I have a fantastic recipe to share with you.  Mmmm.... comfort food. 

Almond flour is made of ground raw almonds, high in monounsaturated fats which reduce the risk of heart disease.  They are also high in magnesium (helping to improve the flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients throughout the body) and potassium (essential for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function).  So, as you can already see, almonds are very good for the heart and cardiovascular system.

Almonds are also very high in protein - a quarter cup contains more protain than the typical egg.

 
Gluten Free Pancakes

by Elana Amsterdam

• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup raw agave nectar
• 1 TBSP vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups almond flour
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• grapeseed oil for sauteing

In a blender, combine eggs, agave and vanilla and blend on high until smooth.  Add almond flour, salt and baking soda and blend again to incorporate dry ingredients into batter.  Let batter sit for 15-20 minutes to thicken up.  Warm grapeseed oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Ladle pancake batter onto skillet.  Pancakes will form little bubbles, when bubbles open, flip pancakes over and cook other side.  Remove from heat to a plate.  Repeat process with remaining batter, adding more oil to skillet as needed.  Makes 12 pancakes.