Basil Broccoli Pasta

1 bag Rice pasta cooked according to package

2 heads of fresh broccoli or 1 bag frozen broccoli

1 onion, chopped

1 cup fresh basil leaves

4 tbsps minced garlic

1 package organic chicken thighs

grapeseed oil

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp pepper

Saute onion and garlic in about 2 tbsps grapeseed oil. Add chicken and cook until just done. Then add broccoli (chopped), pasta (cooked), salt, pepper, and mix. Cook until heated through. Drizzle with extra oil, if desired.


 If you can have dairy, you can also sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Poppy Seed Dressing

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Ingredients

• 1/3 cup raw honey
• 1/2 cup white vinegar or 1/4 cup white and 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon grated onion (optional)
• 1 cup olive or grapeseed oil
• about 1/8 tsp stevia
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Directions

1. In a blender or food processor, combine honey, vinegar, salt, mustard, stevia and onion and process for 20 seconds. With blender or food processor on high, gradually add oil in a slow, steady stream. Stir in poppy seeds. 

These are a few of my favorite things.....

Changing ingredients in recipes to make them healthier can be tricky. Here are some of my favorite healthier alternatives:

White sugar- My favorite thing to use in place of it is Xylitol (same amount as the sugar & make sure you get a brand that is not chemically processed! Xylitol made from birch tree is super great! We like the brand Globalsweet) or raw honey (slightly less than the sugar)

Canola oil- grapeseed oil or coconut oil

Shortening- coconut oil

Margarine or vegetable spread- real butter

Brown sugar- sucanat

Soy sauce- San-J wheat free Tamari

Mayo- grapeseed oil veganaise

Enriched white flour- whole wheat flour or coconut flour

White rice- brown rice or quinoa

Chocolate for eating or baking- 60% cocoa dark chocolate

Soda- Zevia stevia sweetened soda

We've made a lot of changes in the last year. What changes are you making?

Grape Seed Oil Facts

From lowering cholesterol to reducing fine lines and wrinkles, it turns out that the oil inside those tiny seeds in grapes has a whole "bunch" of benefits! Top chefs are now cooking with grapeseed oil because of its amazing effect on enhancing the natural flavours of food. The late Master Chef, Jean Louis Palladin, noticed that his customers always felt good after a meal cooked in grapeseed oil. It's one of the few foods known that not only reduces LDL (the bad cholesterol), but raises HDL (the good cholesterol). This helps to keep arteries clear, which may contribute to another benefit of grapeseed oil - its potential to guard against impotence. Grapeseed oil contains a high level of antioxidants, including vitamin E, which makes it not only healthy, but very stable- which means it doesn't change when heated at a high temperature like a lot of other oils.

Be sure to read the next post on Coconut oil!