Chocolate Avocado Mousse

This dessert is rich, satisfying and celebratory but yet light and airy after a big holiday meal. Avocado replaces (some of the) whipped cream providing much healthier fat and even a serving of veggies for dessert! It can also be made up to a day ahead to give you time to focus on cooking your main meal.

Serves 4

½ cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate

4 ripe avocados

1/3 cup maple syrup

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

¼ tsp salt

Fresh fruit, like raspberries, and perhaps a dollop of whipped cream if desired for garnish.

Place the chocolate in a double boiler (or use a small bowl placed over a saucepan of boiling water). Heat gently, stirring frequently until melted and smooth then set aside.

In a food processor, place the pitted and peeled avocados, maple syrup, cocoa, vanilla, salt and the melted chocolate. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.

Divide into 4 glasses or small bowls and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. Garnish with fruit and whipped cream if desired.

By Nicole Fetterly, RD

No Sugar Squash Apple Muffins

These moist muffins are packed with fibre from whole grains, squash, apples and pecans. Although they don’t have any refined sugar, they do have a few tablespoons of molasses which provides some sweetness as well as minerals like calcium and iron. This is a great recipe to double so you can freeze some for easy breakfasts or packed lunches.

Makes 1 dozen

2 eggs

¼ cup plain yogurt

½ cup olive or avocado oil

3 Tbsp blackstrap molasses

¾ c cooked/pureed or canned squash (e.g. butternut, pumpkin)

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup whole grain flour

1 cup rolled oats

¼ tsp baking soda

1.5 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

¼ tsp ground cloves

1 apple, diced or grated

½ cup pecans, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 400F and prepare a muffin tin by greasing or lining. In a large bowl, combine eggs, yogurt, oil, molasses, squash and vanilla. Mix well. In a smaller bowl, combine flour, oats, soda, powder and spices and mix well. Stir this gently into the liquid mixture, being cautious not to over-mix. Fold in the apples and pecans. Spread evenly into 12 muffin cups. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 5 minutes then remove from tin and cool a little longer.

 

By Nicole Fetterly, RD

Vegan Halloween Meringues

These little ghosts are adorable and they’re so simple to make, using an ingredient that you might normally pour down the sink! Aquafaba is the liquid that comes in a can of chickpeas and if you whip it for awhile, it acts just like egg whites and becomes stiff, white and glossy. This can be used to make vegan mayonnaise too.

Serves 4

½ cup aquafaba (from unsalted canned chickpeas)

¼ tsp apple cider vinegar

¼ cup fine white sugar

1 ounce dark chocolate

Put the aquafaba and vinegar in a large bowl and whisk for 8-10 minutes until it has doubled in size and holds a peak. This is best done with a stand mixer or an electric hand-held mixer. Add the sugar gradually, continuing to whisk until the mixture is glossy and stiff.

Preheat the oven to 210F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the meringue mixture in a piping bag with a large tip and pipe three circles, a larger bottom one (approx. 2 inch diameter) then a smaller on top of that and then an even smaller one, leaving with a pointy ‘head’. Repeat with remaining mixture.

Bake for 2 hours and then turn the oven off and leave them to dry another hour until they are firm and set. Melt the chocolate in a double-boiler or very slowly in the microwave, being careful not to burn it. Using a piping bag with a small tip or a toothpick, add chocolate eyes and a round mouth. Serve immediately or keep in an airtight container.

By Nicole Fetterly, RD

Squash & Bean Fritters

By Nicole Fetterly, RD

Nothing says fall like squash and pumpkin! These hearty vegetables are packed with fibre and complex carbohydrates to give you lasting energy, not to mention vitamin A, calcium and other key nutrients. They grow abundantly in BC and are so versatile in soups, stews, curries, baking, smoothies, risotto and of course, fritters, which could be eaten for any meal of the day. Roast halved, seeded squash in its skin for simplicity then scoop out the flesh, or in a pinch, use canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling which has lots of added sugar). You can also save the seeds to roast—just rinse off the stringy bits, lay them in an even layer on a baking sheet until dry then drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and roast at 325F for 10-15 minutes until golden, stirring occasionally.

Serves 4

1 medium-sized squash (e.g. acorn, butternut, sugar pumpkin) or 1 can (199 mL) canned pumpkin

1 tsp olive oil

1 can (14 oz/398 mL) white beans, drained and rinsed

1 lemon, juiced

1/4 cup chickpea, ground oat or whole wheat flour

¼ tsp cardamom

¼ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp salt

1 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp chili powder

2 tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 350F. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Set seeds aside for roasting if desired. Place squash halves skin side down on a baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the flesh is easily pierced with a fork. Remove from oven and let cool. This step can be done up to 2 days in advance (keep cooked squash in the fridge).

Meanwhile, place beans in bowl and mash, then add lemon juice, flour, salt and spices. Scoop the squash out of the skin and add to the bowl, mashing it up. Stir it all together to combine well.

Heat a skillet on medium heat. Add 1 tbsp of oil. Scoop approximately 1.5 tablespoons of squash mixture into the pan and flatten slightly into a fritter. Repeat forming another 9 small fritters. Cook approximately 2-3 minutes then flip and cook another 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Remove from pan to a paper-towel lined plate and keep warm in the oven.

Add remaining 1 Tbsp of oil to pan and cook remaining 10 fritters. Serve warm with a yogurt dipping sauce if desired or if eating for breakfast, a light drizzle of maple syrup.

Last of Summer Tomato Flatbread

By Nicole Fetterly, RD

Consider this for your first-day-of-school dinner to celebrate the stressful transition with comforting food while enjoying the end of summer bounty of fresh tomatoes. Look for an assortment of fresh, local and possibly heirloom tomatoes of all colours, shapes and sizes. Serve with a side salad.

Serves 4

4 whole grain flatbreads

Olive oil or pesto sauce

4 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced thinly

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp freshly ground pepper

1 lb fresh, local tomatoes, sliced thickly and seeds removed

½ cup fresh basil, finely chopped

Using either your barbecue on indirect heat or a 350F oven, grill one side of the flatbread for 2 minutes. Flip over and brush the grilled side with olive oil or pesto sauce then layer slices of cheese and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill flatbreads, toppings side up, for another 2-4 minutes until cheese is melting. Remove from heat and top with fresh tomatoes and basil and another drizzle of olive oil or sprinkle of salt and pepper as desired.

Oatmeal Everything Cookies

By Nicole Fetterly, RD

These cookies can be a great addition to a balanced lunch or even eaten as a quick breakfast, as they are packed with fibre and protein. Get the kids involved in making a big batch for the freezer before school starts and save on the cost and packaging of all the processed snacks and bars.

Makes a lot!

2 cups sugar (or substitute half honey or maple syrup)

½ cup blackstrap molasses

1 cup butter

½ cup nut or seed butter (check on allergen restrictions in your child’s classroom)

½ cup plain yogurt

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

5 cups oats

2 cups whole grain flour

¾ cup white flour

1.5 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 cups nuts or seeds (e.g. pumpkin seeds, hemp hearts)

1 cup raisins or dried cranberries

1 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375F. Cream together the sugar, molasses, butter and nut butter in a large bowl or an electric mixer. Add the yogurt, egg and vanilla and mix well. Add the oats, flours, baking soda and salt and stir until just combined. Add the nuts, seeds, dried fruit and chocolate chips. Take a large spoonful (an ice cream scoop works well) and form into a ball then flatten into a patty. These cookies do not spread much so try to get them flat without breaking them apart. Bake on ungreased baking sheets for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.

The Best Bedtime Snacks

What we eat in the evening can impact our quality of sleep by influencing the production of serotonin, one of the key chemical messengers (neurotransmitter) involved in sleep. If you eat dinner late, a bedtime snack may be unnecessary, but if dinner happened at 5 or 6pm, then it is common to feel a little hunger around 8 or 9pm and it can be harder to fall asleep if your tummy is growling. This is different than mindlessly grazing while watching t.v., which research shows can lead to unnecessary weight gain. Be intentional with a bedtime snack by consuming it 2 to 3 hours after dinner and prioritize serotonin-supporting foods:

  • Complex carbohydrates—if choosing a carbohydrate snack, prioritize whole grain foods and fruit. Simple carbohydrates as found in refined grains and sweet treats can reduce serotonin levels and impact sleep, not to mention quickly raise blood sugar levels and then drop them even further. 
  • Lean proteins—we’ve all heard about tryptophan in turkey causing the sleepy feeling after Thanksgiving dinner. Tryptophan is an amino acid, one of the building blocks of protein, and it’s found in many protein foods, including lower-fat dairy. The glass of warm milk your mom always suggested actually will help you fall asleep! But some plain yogurt or lower-fat cheese could work too.
  • Heart-healthy fats—like those found in peanut butter and other nuts and seeds are a great choice before bed. Spread natural nut butter (without added sugar or other fats) on an apple or banana, or have a handful of nuts with some raisins or a couple of dates.
  • Herbal tea—a warm beverage can be very soothing before bed. Try chamomile, peppermint or our Hug in a Mug recipe. And be sure to avoid any caffeine-containing beverages after 1 or 2pm.

Recipe by Nicole Fetterly, RD

Whole Grain Zucchini Muffins

It’s the time of summer where local zucchini is dominating gardens, markets and grocery stores. Besides making zoodles, stuffed or grilled zucchini or dehydrating into chips, zucchini is a great addition to baking as it provides so much moisture. Consider making a double-batch of these healthy, whole grain muffins to freeze some for easy snacks or breakfast on-the-go!

Makes 12 muffins

½ cup olive oil

½ cup maple syrup or honey

2 eggs

2/3 cup plain yogurt, kefir or buttermilk

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1.5 cups zucchini, grated

2 cups whole grain flour

½ cup toasted walnuts or pecans (optional)

 

Preheat oven to 375F and grease or line a regular 12 cup muffin tin. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil and maple syrup or honey. Add eggs and beat well. Add yogurt, cinnamon, baking powder, soda and salt. Stir in zucchini then the flour and nuts if using. Do not overmix. Divide evenly amongst the muffin cups. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Curried Vegan Pate

Ayurvedic tradition classifies some foods as sattvic, meaning they are clean, pure and wholesome. This vegan pate is made from mushrooms, potato, nuts or seeds and Indian spices and although rich and delicious, it is also very nourishing. Serve it with whole or sprouted grain bread or crackers and thickly sliced cucumber, to replenish you after your yoga practice. Turmeric, the yellow spice in curry, is known for its anti-inflammatory properties, so try to consume it regularly.

Serves 4

1 potato (or sweet potato), peeled and chopped 

¼ cup olive oil

1 lb shitake and/or cremini mushrooms, torn into pieces

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 small onion or leek, chopped

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground coriander 

½ tsp salt

1 cup cashews or sunflower seeds

2 Tbsp fresh herbs, chopped (e.g. basil, parsley, chives)

In a small pot, add potato and cover with water. Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer and cook until potato is fork-tender. Drain and cool. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium low heat. Add mushrooms in an even layer and cook, untouched, for approximately 10 minutes, until their water is released and starts evaporating. When mushrooms have just begun to turn golden, add garlic, onion, spices and salt. Cook 5-10 minutes until onion is golden and water from mushrooms all evaporated. Remove from heat and cool.

In a food processor or blender, grind nuts or seeds into a fine crumble. Add potato and mushroom mixture and fresh herbs. Pulse a few times until well-combined but still a bit chunky (you don’t want it to be a smooth paste). Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Place into a serving or storage dish, cover and chill for 2 hours to allow flavours to develop. Serve or keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Recipe by Nicole Fetterly, RD

The Best Dessert!

Want a fresh, summery dessert you can feel good about putting on the table every day and even eat it alongside your meal? Well wait no longer, it is local fruit season!! Here’s a list of local fruit we grow in British Columbia and ways to dish it up in fun new ways. Of course, a platter of different coloured fruit arranged beautifully is always an easy option too and fun for kids to help prepare.

  • Strawberries—slice or quarter and serve with mint granita (shaved ice you can make in the food processor) or make a classic strawberry/spinach/pecan salad 
  • Watermelon—cube it and freeze for a refreshing dessert or snack or serve it as a salad with fresh basil and crumbled feta.
  • Peaches and plums—halve, remove pits and sprinkle with chopped nuts and seeds. Broil for 3 minutes then serve with Greek yogurt.
  • Cantaloupe or honeydew melon—pair well with savoury foods like cheese or prosciutto or can be pureed into a chilled soup. 
  • Raspberries—serve over an avocado chocolate mousse or by eat by the handful!
  • Grapes—great for kabobs with melon or cheese chunks or freeze to simply pop in your mouth or puree into a slushy.
  • Blueberries—make a healthier crumble with whole grain & nut topping and remember to stock up to freeze for smoothies all year round.
  • Nectarines—make a delicious salsa with fresh local tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, lime, salt and jalapeno to serve with tacos or whole grain bruschetta.

Recipe by Nicole Fetterly, RD