Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Smoothie (Dairy Free, Paleo)

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Smoothie (Dairy Free, Paleo)

by | Mar 18, 2019

If you’re a fan of mint chocolate chip ice cream then this smoothie recipe is for you! Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Smoothie is chocolatey, refreshing and delicious–and filled with all the right ingredients to make a healthy & complete meal. Enjoy it for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

What makes Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Smoothie so healthy

  1. The right balance of macronutrients including high-quality protein, which is often missing in most smoothie recipes. Protein is not only a source of vital nutrients required for optimal health, but it’s also essential for sending healthy hormonal signals throughout your body.
  2. No excess fruit or juices, which keeps your blood sugar levels in check while still giving you small doses of powerful nutrients and fiber found in whole fruits.
  3. Healthy fats for optimal health and a smaller waistline! Healthy dietary fat not only fuels every cell in your body, but also allows you to absorb fat-soluble vitamins found in fruits and vegetables.
  4. Loaded with green goodness which provides antioxidants to combat free radicals & essential vitamins and minerals + supports detoxification, collagen production, gut health, weight loss, & disease prevention.
  5. Gut friendly & healing ingredients that are FREE OF gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, grains, fillers, artificial flavours, colours, preservatives or sweeteners + other common gut irritants.

Feel free to use your favourite protein powder in this recipe or you can try my go-to protein powder. This awesome & gut friendly protein powder will make all your smoothies taste like dessert in a cup! It’s squeaky clean, free of common gut irritants & naturally sweetened with stevia (so no blood sugar spikes).

If you’re using vanilla flavoured protein powder

To achieve a rich chocolate flavour from your smoothies when using vanilla flavoured protein powder just add 1-2 teaspoons of cacao powder into your blender along with the other smoothie ingredients. Blend & enjoy!

Cacao is the purest form of chocolate which is why I recommend it. It’s an easy find since most grocery stores carry it nowadays. You can also find cacao powder online.

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Smoothie

What you need for Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Smoothie:

Want more healthy smoothie recipes? You’re going to love these …

If you’re looking for more gut friendly smoothie recipes, get my FREE Quick-Start Guide To Smoothies or grab my smoothie e-book which has 32 dessert-inspired smoothie recipes for IBS & weight loss!

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Smoothie

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Smoothie

If you’re a fan of mint chocolate chip ice cream then this smoothie recipe is for you! Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Smoothie is chocolatey, refreshing and delicious--and filled with all the right ingredients to make a healthy & complete meal. Enjoy it for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Lunch, Smoothie
Cuisine: Keto, Low-Carb, Paleo
Servings: 1

Ingredients
 

  • 1 cup spinach, frozen
  • 2-3 soft dates, pitted
  • 1-2 tsp cacao powder, see notes
  • 1 scoop PurePaleo Protein, chocolate or vanilla
  • 4-5 fresh mint leaves , or 1 drop peppermint essential oil (food-grade) or 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
  • 3/4 cup full fat or light coconut milk, canned
  • A few ice cubes, optional
  • 1 tbsp cacao nibs, stirred in after blending

Instructions
 

  • Blend all ingredients using a high-powered blender.
  • Pour into your favourite smoothie cup, stir in cacao nibs and enjoy!

Notes

  • If you're using vanilla protein powder, add 2 tsp of cacao powder. If you’re using chocolate protein powder, add 1 tsp of cacao powder. Feel free to add more cacao powder for a smoothie that's rich in chocolate flavour.
  • Get PurePaleo Protein powder HERE or check out my protein powder checklist to source out a different high-quality protein powder.
Keyword cacao, dairy free, gluten free, grain free, healthy breakfast, healthy smoothie, peppermint essential oil, protein powder, sugar free

 

Pumpkin Chili (Low-Carb, Paleo)

Pumpkin Chili (Low-Carb, Paleo)

by | Mar 7, 2019

Pumpkin Chili is a hearty, paleo friendly and low-carb chili with a unique combination of pumpkin, zucchini, warming spices and cocoa. Your palate will be pleasantly surprised at how well these flavours come together.

You have the option of using either beef or turkey in this recipe–both work really well. Also, feel free to swap out canned pumpkin for roasted pumpkin OR if you don’t have any pumpkin on hand, you can use butternut squash, acorn squash or another similar squash.

So, if you’re a fan of chili and looking for a new recipe to test out on a cold fall or winter day, I highly recommend giving this non-traditional chili a try!

Would love to hear your thoughts on this recipe if you test it out. Just leave a comment below 🙂

If you’re looking for a more traditional chili recipe, check out my Beef & Black Bean Chili.

 

Pumpkin Chili

What you need for Pumpkin Chili:

  • Grass-fed ground beef or pastured turkey
  • Avocado oil
  • Yellow onion
  • Garlic
  • Zucchini
  • Canned tomatoes
  • Chili powder
  • Cocoa powder
  • Nutmeg
  • Smoked paprika
  • Cinnamon
  • Cumin
  • Canned pumpkin

Want more wholesome pumpkin recipes? You’re going to love these…

Pumpkin Chili

Pumpkin Chili 

Pumpkin Chili is a hearty, paleo friendly and low-carb chili with a unique combination of pumpkin, zucchini, warming spices and cocoa. Your palate will be pleasantly surprised at how well these flavours come together. You have the option of using either beef or turkey in this recipe--both work really well.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Low-Carb, Paleo
Servings: 3

Equipment

  • Large pot

Ingredients
 

  • 1 lb grass-fed ground beef or pastured turkey
  • 1 tbsp avocado oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 large zucchini, diced
  • 398 ml canned diced tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 3/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 3/4 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 12 oz water
  • 398 ml canned pumpkin

Instructions
 

  • In a large pot, cook ground meat over medium heat. Set aside.
  • Add avocado oil to pot and sauté garlic and onion until fragrant. Add zucchini and cook for 5 minutes.
  • Stir in tomatoes, cocoa powder, all spices, salt and pepper. Add water.
  • Add cooked meat back to pot along with pumpkin. Stir ingredients.
  • Bring ingredients to a boil then reduce heat, cover pot and simmer for 1 hour.
Keyword chili, cocoa, dairy free, fall, gluten free, pumpkin, winter
Italian Sausage & Kale Soup (High-Fiber, Low-Carb, Paleo)

Italian Sausage & Kale Soup (High-Fiber, Low-Carb, Paleo)

by | Mar 5, 2019

If you’re following a low-carb or keto diet and someone tells you that you need processed foods like breads, pastas and cereal grains in order to get adequate amounts of fiber in your diet, hit them with this fact …

One serving of kale contains more fiber than 3 slices of whole wheat bread!

Don’t forget to throw in a “KALE YEAH!” at the end 😉

Italian Sausage & Kale Soup

INGREDIENTS:
6 slices pastured bacon (diced)
2 pounds Italian sausage (casing removed)
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 small yellow onion (diced)
4 cloves garlic (minced)
1 large sweet potato (peeled and cut into small cubes)
4 cups chicken broth (store-bought or homemade)
4 cups filtered water
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (I made my own blend using oregano, basil, rosemary, & fennel seeds)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4-5 large kale leaves (chopped)
1 cup full-fat coconut milk (canned)
1 lemon (juice only)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Using a big stove-top pot, cook bacon over medium-low heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pot and set aside. Drain excess fat from pot.

2. Add sausage to pot and break apart meat. Cook at medium heat until sausage is brown and a little crispy. Remove sausage from pot and set aside.

3. Add avocado oil to pot and sauté onion and garlic until onion becomes translucent. Add sausage, potatoes, chicken stock, water, seasoning, salt and pepper.

4. Bring heat to medium-low, cover pot and let cook for 30-minutes.

5. Add kale to pot and let cook for 5-minutes.

6. Stir in coconut milk, lemon juice and bacon. Let cook for another 5-minutes.

7. Taste and add additional salt/seasoning if needed.

5 ways to simplify smoothie making

5 ways to simplify smoothie making

by | Feb 27, 2019

In this article you’ll discover ways to simplify smoothie making, so that time will never come in the way of making healthy food choices.

Is lack of time really the reason you can’t turn new, healthy eating habits into permanent ones?

I call bull$#!%.

Making a smoothie is one of the fastest and easiest ways to fuel your body with nutrient-rich foods.

You literally throw all your ingredients in a blender, pour into a cup and voila!

There’s no cooking involved and you can even dodge the washing and chopping if you choose. Cleanup couldn’t be more easy with only a blender and cup to wash.

OK – I get it! As easy as making a smoothie might be, maybe your life and daily schedule are just jam-packed with things like family responsibilities, work, extra-curricular activities, social events, you time, etc.

My goal with this article is to help you simplify smoothie making even more.

I don’t want time to ever be a barrier for you when it comes to making healthy food choices, so check out my tips below.

5 ways to simplify smoothie making

1. CREATE A SMOOTHIE STATION

It can be a hassle to constantly reach under your kitchen cabinet to pull out and set up the blender. I suggest creating a smoothie station.

Keep your blender, smoothie tools and dry ingredients in a corner on the kitchen counter, so everything is ready to go when it’s smoothie making time.

2. PREP FRESH PRODUCE AHEAD OF TIME

On the weekend, decide what fruits and greens you plan to use in your smoothie for the upcoming week. Wash, chop, and separate equal portions into bags, containers or glass jars and store in the refrigerator or freezer.

This makes the ‘grab and throw’ method come to life. Just grab your portion and throw it in the blender along with your dry ingredients.

3. GO FROZEN

Using frozen fruits and greens is probably the BEST way to save you time. Taking trips to the grocery store every few days to get fresh produce can be time-consuming. Then, you still need to wash and chop your produce before it’s ready for blending.

I recommend buying frozen fruits and greens in bulk and stocking up your freezer with them. It’s a great way to ensure you always have ingredients on hand.

Also, you don’t have to worry about wasting money on produce that ends up going bad. I personally create all my smoothies using frozen produce and wouldn’t do it any other way.

4. MAKE YOUR SMOOTHIE HOURS BEFORE DRINKING IT

What if you could make your smoothie hours before consuming it? Might this make smoothies more suitable to your daily schedule?

The trick here is to make your smoothie the extra thick way–using avocado and only 1/2 – 3/4 cup water. This will help hold your smoothie together without it separating. Store in a mason jar or cup with lid and keep cold until you consume it. If refrigeration isn’t an option, use a small cooler bag with an ice pack.

If I have a busy day ahead and know there’s going to be no time for lunch or dinner prep, I double my morning smoothie and take the extra to go. This saves me from making poor choices later in the day when there’s limited time, healthy food options and willpower.

5. REPLACE FRESH OR FROZEN PRODUCE WITH A GREENS POWDER

I feel for you if you’re just super strapped for time and find what should be quick and easy, not quick and easy enough. So, in my mission to help busy people feel great through simple and natural approaches, I decided to provide a modified way of preparing your smoothie that is even more time-friendly than my original smoothie formula.

Greens Powder Smoothie

1 tbsp PaleoGreens powder
1 scoop PurePaleo Protein powder
1/2 avocado or 1 tbsp coconut oil
1 cup water
A few ice cubes (optional)

Blend for 30-60 sec and enjoy!

Easy Green Smoothie with Protein

Now how’s that for simple?! Basically, you’ll be replacing fresh or frozen produce with 1 tbsp of PaleoGreens (or other greens powder of choice) that will provide you with a combination of powerful and antioxidant rich vegetables and fruits.

I know there are many greens powders on the market, so you can learn more about why I choose to use this particular one, here.

PaleoGreens unflavoured Canada

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope you found these tips helpful. Reach out in the comments section below if you need additional guidance or support.

Creamy Matcha Green Tea (Dairy Free, AIP, Paleo)

Creamy Matcha Green Tea (Dairy Free, AIP, Paleo)

by | Feb 22, 2019

Creamy Matcha Green Tea is a warm, comforting & healthy drink with anti-aging benefits! This tea is easy to prepare and will give you a gentle morning or mid-day boost! It’s dairy free, plant-based, paleo & AIP friendly.

How does a warm cup of anti-aging sound?

Matcha contains all of green tea’s benefits in the most concentrated form – amplifying the health benefits of this superfood.

Matcha is loaded with polyphenol compounds called catechins, a type of antioxidant, making it a powerful anti-aging tea.

In addition, studies have linked green tea to a variety of health benefits, like helping to prevent heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer, and even encouraging weight loss.

Matcha green tea

 

What you need for Creamy Matcha Green Tea:

Want more healthy matcha recipes? You’re going to love these …

Creamy Matcha Green Tea (Dairy Free AIP Paleo)

Creamy Matcha Green Tea

Creamy Matcha Green Tea is a warm, comforting & healthy drink with anti-aging benefits! This tea is easy to prepare and will give you a gentle morning or mid-day boost! It's dairy free, plant-based, paleo & AIP friendly.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Course: Hot Drinks
Cuisine: AIP, Keto, Low-Carb, Paleo, Plant-Based
Servings: 1

Ingredients
 

  • 1 cup almond or coconut milk*, unsweetened
  • 1 tsp matcha green tea powder
  • 1 scoop collagen powder, optional
  • 1-2 tsp raw honey or maple syrup, (reduce or omit for low-carb/keto version)
  • 2 tbsp hot water

Instructions
 

  • Heat coconut/almond milk in a pan.
  • Add matcha powder to a small bowl and pour in 2 tablespoons of the hot water (hot, not boiling, since matcha is delicate). Using the back of a spoon, stir the matcha powder into a paste.
  • Use a hand-held frother or a blender to combine the matcha powder paste, collagen, coconut/almond milk and sweetener.
  • Pour into a mug and enjoy!

Notes

* For a drink that's even more rich and creamy, use canned light coconut milk. 
Keyword anti-aging, dairy free, gluten free, grain free, green tea, healthy tea, vegan
Mediterranean Cobb Salad (Paleo, Keto, AIP Version)

Mediterranean Cobb Salad (Paleo, Keto, AIP Version)

by | Feb 10, 2019

Mediterranean Cobb Salad is a flavourful and delicious salad that serves as a complete meal. It’s packed with tons of nutrients, antioxidants, healthy fats & protein. Enjoy for lunch or dinner! Dairy free, paleo, low-carb, keto + AIP version provided.

DID YOU KNOW? Most restaurant salad dressings contain low-quality industrial seed and/or vegetable oils that are oxidized.

These inflammatory oils can cause a long list of health problems even when consumed in small quantities over a period of time.

When ordering salads at restaurants, I always request no dressing and ask for olive oil and balsamic vinegar (or whatever vinegar they have) instead.

When preparing salad dressings at home, I opt for heart healthy and anti-inflammatory oils like extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil. These high-quality fats allow us to absorb fat-soluble vitamins from food and support all our hard working cells therefore keeping us healthy and youthful.

Consider replacing inflammatory vegetable and seed oils in your diet with healthier oils like extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil and coconut oil.

Mediterranean Cobb Salad Paleo, Keto AIP

What you need for Mediterranean Cobb Salad:

  • Chicken thighs (bone in, skin on)
  • Hard boiled eggs (omit for AIP version)
  • Avocado
  • Cherry tomatoes (replace with olives for AIP version)
  • Mushrooms
  • Red onion
  • Spring mix salad
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Avocado oil and/or extra virgin olive oil
  • Garlic
  • Lemon
  • Dried basil
  • Dried oregano
  • Smoked paprika (omit for AIP version)

Looking for more healthy salad recipes? You’ll love these …

Mediterranean Cobb Salad Paleo, Keto AIP

Mediterranean Cobb Salad

Mediterranean Cobb Salad is a flavourful and delicious salad that serves as a complete meal. It's packed with tons of nutrients, antioxidants, healthy fats & protein. Enjoy for lunch or dinner! Dairy free, paleo, low-carb, keto + AIP version provided. 
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: AIP, Keto, Low-Carb, Mediterranean, Paleo
Servings: 2

Ingredients
 

  • 4 chicken thighs, bone in, skin on
  • 2 hard boiled eggs, cut in half , (omit for AIP version)
  • 1 avocado, skin removed, cut in half
  • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half, (replace with olives for AIP version)
  • 1 pack sliced mushrooms
  • 1 small red onion, sliced
  • 8 cups spring mix salad
  • 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp avocado oil
  • Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Chicken marinade

  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp avocado oil
  • 1/2 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika, omit for AIP version
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

Salad dressing

  • 4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • Sea salt , to taste

Instructions
 

Chicken

  • Preheat oven to 425F.
  • Add ingredients for chicken marinade to blender or food processor and create a marinade for chicken.
  • Coat chicken thighs in marinade (Optional: Let marinate overnight or for a few hours if possible) then bake for 30-35 minutes. Prepare other items below while chicken cooks.

Onion & Mushrooms Sauté

  • Using a stove top pan, heat 1 tsp avocado oil then add onion and mushrooms.
  • Add 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar and sea salt.
  • Cook over medium-low heat until all pan juices have cooked off. Cover and keep warm.

Salad

  • In a large bowl, toss spring mix salad with salad dressing ingredients.
  • Divide salad onto two plates. Add cherry tomatoes, avocado, eggs, onion/mushroom sauté & chicken thighs. Top with fresh ground black pepper.

How to make perfect hard boiled eggs

  • Place eggs in a pot and cover with cool water by inch.
  • Bring water to a boil over high heat.
  • Once water begins to boil, remove pot from burner and allow eggs to cook in the pot of hot water for 8-10 minutes.
  • Drain water and immediately run cold water over eggs until cooled.
  • Peel and enjoy in your favourite recipe or on its own.
Keyword avocado, chicken, dairy free, gluten free, grain free, healthy salad, mushrooms, onion, soy free, tomatoes