.mushroom, spinach, herb, + cheese crepe filling.

in addition to the previous post for your basic simple crepe, here's an amazing filling to complete your meal! this is an old recipe borrowed from my mother-in-law's previous restaurant, 'flavours modern bistro' and is also an old favourite of mine!

mushroom + spinach + herb + cheese 

crepe filling with tomato topping

ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

250 grams of mushrooms, chopped [a mixture of oyster, shiitake, and cremini is her fav!]

250 grams of your favourite ready greens salad mix [small tub of salad mixture - we did a mix of spinach and baby kale]

200 grams of favourite melting cheese [raclette is recommended, but any available mixture - even mozzarella! can be used]

salt and pepper

1 can tomato sauce

fresh tomatoes, chopped into thick chunks

fresh herbs

directions:

1] in a large pan heat the oil and onions. cook on medium heat till translucent.

2] add chopped mushrooms and cook till caramelized-stirring as needed and increasing heat if needed. add salt and pepper.

3] take pan off heat and add your greens, roughly torn. the warmed mushroom mixture will wilt the greens for you, no need for extra heat.

4] add the cheese and mix gently till melted. divide the mixture into four and fill the crepes
[recipe here].

5] make warm tomato sauce by adding a can of tomato sauce, chopped fresh tomatoes, and chopped fresh herbs all together in a pan. warm and pour sauce over each assembled crepe.

**you can also add grilled chicken to this recipe too!

.crepes, three ways.

following my previous post, this is my first monthly tables recipe for january. being the month for france, we obvi had to post a few crepe recipes!! below you'll find three recipes for the crepe, all coming from my mother-in-law zosia, and i'll follow through with a great filling recipe next...again created by my mother-in-law ;)

here you'll find a basic crepe recipe [which makes a herbed crepe recipe and a sweet crepe recipe], and a socca crepe recipe [a fancy word for chickpea crepe!]. enjoy!

basic crepe

ingredients:

2 cups flour

2 cups milk

2 eggs

1 cup mineral water [using this instead of milk makes the crepe delicate and super thin!]

pinch of salt

2 tbsp melted butter

directions:

1] first mix the eggs with the salt, add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. *when you lift a wooden spoon from the batter, it should run down but still cover the spoon.

2] separate the batter into two bowls to make the two types of crepes.

HERBED Crepe

1] add finely chopped fresh herbs, like parsley, etc. to one batter.

SWEET Crepe

1] add 1 tbsp sugar and a dash of vanilla to the other batter.

3] heat crepe pan or teflon pan, pour oil or butter and spread around with paper towel - this should be needed only for the first crepe. cook till small bubbles form in the batter.

4] fill with your favourite filling [we recommend this mushroom, cheese and tomato filling!].

socca crepe [aka. checkpea crepe!]

ingredients:

1 cup water

1 cup chickpea flour

2 tbsp olive oil

fresh herbs, chopped

dash of salt

1/2 tsp cumin

directions:

1] mix together the water and chickpea flour and leave overnight. 

2] when ready to cook, add the olive oil, chopped fresh herbs, dash of salt and the cumin. cook on preheated iron cast skillet or teflon pan and fill with your favourite filling.

*you can also cut this crepe up into bite size pieces and serve with little bits of the filling!

.monthly tables.

i was browsing around anthropologie a month ago when i came across this amazing calendar of illustrated tables of food from around the world and i immediately thought of my mother-in-law and all the amazing dishes she could teach us to make! and hence monthly tables was born!

each month she and i will get together and spend the day cooking unique foods featured from that region. for example, january's table features the country france! yum!

i plan on adding all the recipes here in detailed form, but also adding a few on my instagram account and then getting those printed off with a chatbooks or something and making a mini cookbook! if you follow me there you may have already seen a few recipes pop up in my feed last month, as i'm a little late posting this here, but i'll spend the week playing catch up to february and all it's deliciousness ;)

so to start things off, here we go! January = France.

.sweet potato gratin.

not much to say about this recipe other than it is out of this world! no joking around with this one. so easy, so tasty, and makes enough for a big family or some delicious leftovers. pairs well with a roast, but chicken would be great too. i seriously can't say enough good things about this dish. try it.

.danielle's sweet potato gratin.

[recipe from the ottolenghi cookbook]

ingredients:

6 medium sweet potatoes [about 3 1/4lb in total]

5 tbsp coarsely chopped sage, plus extra for garnish

6 cloves garlic, crushed or chopped

2 tsp coarse sea salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 cup heavy cream

directions:

1] preheat the oven to 400F. wash the sweet potatoes [do not peel them] and cut them into 1/4-inch thick disks. a mandolin is best for this job but you could use a sharp knife too.

2] in a bowl, mix together the sweet potatoes, sage, garlic, salt and pepper. arrange the slices of sweet potatoes in a deep, medium-size ovenproof casserole dish by taking tight packs of them and standing them up next to one another. they should fit together quite tightly so you get parallel lines of sweet potato slices [skins showing] along the length or width of the dish. throw any remaining bits of garlic or sage from the bowl over the potatoes. cover the dish with aluminum foil, place in the oven, and roast for 45 minutes. 

3] remove the aluminum foil and pour the cream evenly over the potatoes. roast, uncovered, for a further 25 minutes. the cream should have thickened by now. stick a sharp knife in different places in the dish to make sure the potatoes are cooked. they should be totally soft.

4] serve immediately, garnished with sage, or leave to cool down. so so so good. 

.grilled asparagus, zucchini, and haloumi.

one of the things i miss most about my old life now that i'm in this new busy time with the twins and my toddler is the ease of being able to whip up some new recipes for dinner. lately i'm lucky if i can throw in one of the previously cooked meals i made before the babes arrived, so getting a meal actually cooked from scratch is a rarity. however! on one of those rare perfect days where all kids are sleeping, i attempted a couple new recipes and both were absolutely amazing! so much so, that i am going to post them both on here back to back so you can try them at home too.

first one up took a little prep time but was super easy to make. just give yourself some time to get each step done and you won't feel stressed at all. trust me - it is worth the wait and such a crowd pleaser. also! those tomatoes are flipping' to die for!

grilled asparagus, zucchini, and haloumi

[adapted from the ottolenghi cookbook]

ingredients:

12 oz/350g cheery tomatoes, halved

9 tbsp olive oil

24 asparagus spears

2 zucchini

7 oz/200g haloumi cheese, sliced 3/4-inch or 2 cm thick [original recipe called for manouri cheese, but any grilling cheese would work well. i personally love haloumi cheese]

1 1/4 cups arugula

coarse sea salt + freshly ground black pepper

**basil oil [see recipe below]

directions:

1] preheat the oven to 325F. mix the tomatoes with 3 tbsp of the olive oil and season with some salt + pepper. spread them out on a baking sheet lined with tin foil or parchment paper, skin side down. roast in the oven for 50 minutes, until semi-dried. remove from the oven and leave to cool.

2] trim the woody bases of the asparagus and blanch in plenty of boiling water for 4 minutes. drain and refresh under cold water, making sure the spears are completely cold. drain well again, then transfer to a mixing bowl and toss with 2 tbsp of the olive oil and some salt + pepper.

3] slice the zucchini very thinly lengthwise, using a mandolin or a vegetable peeler. mix with 1 tbsp of the olive oil and some salt + pepper.

4] place a ridged grill pan over high heat and leave there for a few minutes. it should be very hot. grill the zucchini and asparagus, turning them over after about a minute. you want to get nice char-marks on all side. remove and leave to cool.

5] heat the remaining 3 tbsp olive oil in a pan. fry the haloumi cheese for 3 minutes on each side, until it is golden. place on paper towels to soak up the excess oil. alternatively, grill the cheese on the hot grill pan for about 2 minutes on each side. 

6] make the basil oil [recipe below].

7] to assemble, arrange the arugula, vegetables, and cheese in layers on a flat serving plate. try to build the salad up while showing all the individual components. drizzle with a much basil oil as you like and serve.

basil oil: 

ingredients:

5 tbsp olive oil

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 cup basil leaves

pinch of salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

directions:

1] mix all ingredients in a blender until smooth. keep any leftover oil in the fridge for future salads.

.ultimate nutty granola clusters.

this past weekend i finally picked myself up a copy of the new cookbook, oh she glows by angela liddon, that i've been eyeing up for some time. which is funny because it's a total vegan cookbook, although we do eat meat. but what intrigued me most was the healthy and unique recipes in it. and although we do eat quite well in our house, i know my food downfall comes to my snacking habits. 

you know the situation - out and about busy working mom who always has food on hand for her toddler but never anything for herself kinda of situation. and now that i'm carrying these twins and basically always hungry, i feel so guilty when i put quick garbage into my mouth. 

hence, the purchase of this cookbook. to try and build some healthy snacking habits.

and even though i've only had the book for a couple days, i've already made a bunch of delicious recipes and one really stood out! this ultimate nutty granola clusters.

so good, i tell you. add it to your oatmeal, yogurt, smoothies or just eat it as a snack! 

ultimate nutty granola clusters

*i've adapted this recipe to what i had in my pantry, but i included a few notes at the bottom if you want to follow her recipe exact.

ingredients:

*for angela liddon's exact recipe, sub out 1/2 cup of the rolled oats for raw buckwheat groats and use raw pepita seeds instead of the pumpkin seeds.

directions:

1] preheat oven to 275F. line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

2] place 1/2 cup of the almonds into a food processor and process for about 10 seconds, until a fine almond meal forms [similar in texture to sand]. transfer the almond meal to a large bowl.

3] in the food processor, combine the remaining 1/2 cup almonds and all of the walnuts and process for about 5 seconds, until finely chopped. you'll be left with some larger pieces and some powdery meal, which is what you want. add the mixture to the bowl with the almond meal.

4] add the oats, dried fruit, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, coconut, cinnamon, and salt to the large mixing bowl and store to combine.

5] add the maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and vanilla to the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir until thoroughly combined.

6] with a spatula, spread the granola into a 1/2-inch layer on the prepared baking sheet and gently press down to compact it slightly. bake for 20 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for another 18 - 25 minutes, or until the granola is lightly golden on the bottom and firm to the touch.

7] cool the granola on the pan for at least 1 hour before breaking apart into clusters. **important! this allows the sugars to harden giving you those lovely clusters rather than a crumbly mess**

8] store the granola in a glass jar in the fridge for 2 to 3 weeks or freeze it for 4 to 5 weeks. enjoy!

ps. wouldn't these make such lovely little gifts? just wrap them up in mason jars, throw some ribbon and a tag on it and voila!

.big dipper spring dip.

i made this dip last weekend and after everyone kept requesting the recipe, i figured it was good enough to share on here. you could say it was deemed 'blog worthy'! ha!

what i liked most about this dip was how versatile it was. i loaded it with a bunch of spring vegetables like asparagus and peas, but you could also just use some classic ingredients like spinach and it will come out just as tasty!

below you will find the recipe i found from the april 2012 edition of bon appetit magazine, a random piece of paper i ripped out before recycling [please tell me i'm not the only one doing this still?].

Big Dipper Spring Dip

directions:

1] preheat oven to 450F. cook the chopped asparagus pieces in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. drain; let cool.

2] melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. add chopped leeks and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 10 minutes.
3] whisk in flour; gradually whisk in the whole milk. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly. cook, whisking occasionally, until thickened; remove from heat.
4] add in grated white cheddar cheese. stir until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth. season with salt & pepper.
5] fold in asparagus pieces [save the tips to decorate the top later]; chopped artichoke hearts; fresh or frozen [and thawed] peas; fresh chopped chives, mint and parsley and the lemon zest. add 2-oz. crumbled goat cheese. mix well.
6] transfer mixture to a 4-5 cup baking dish; arrange asparagus tips on top and dot with the remainder 2-oz. goat cheese.
7] bake until golden brown and bubbling, 15 - 20 minutes should do the trick. let rest for 5 minutes before serving with crackers, crostini, or tortilla chips.

.i resolve to:

anyone who knows me or has been following this blog for a while knows just how much i adore lists. they help me de-clutter my mind and accomplish things in a timely manner. while it can be daunting to think of a year full of 'resolutions' or to-do's, i have found that if i break them into quarters or seasons, it becomes more attainable and i don't feel as weighed down with all the tasks i throw at myself. 

so 7 days into the 2014, here are my winter/spring list of resolutions. looks attainable enough, right?!

i'm curious, what are your 'resolutions' this year?

ps. in keeping me accountable [trust me, i'll need it!], here is my daily smoothie concoction in case any of you feel like playing along.

.sweet potato hash w/ caramelized onions, eggs and ham.

while i may have posted on instagram that i was going to share this tomorrow, i just couldn't wait - or make you wait either! also, this way you can get your ingredients today and surprise your special someone [or yourself even!] tomorrow morning.

this recipe would also be amazing if you had guests over, as it can feed a large brood and you can even make it all the night before!

i couldn't stop eating it. seriously! i was so full and i went back for seconds [and maybe thirds a short hour later ;)]. it can be made with ham, bacon, vegetarian or try out the original recipe here made with chorizo sausage. enjoy!

 Sweet potato hash 

w/ caramelized onions, ham and eggs

ingredients:

2 large white onions

1 tbsp unsalted butter

salt

1 pound ham [or bacon or italian sausage like chorizo]

3 large sweet potatoes

6 large garlic cloves, minced

4 long stalks of rosemary, about 1/4 cup of leaves

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp salt

pepper

large eggs, amount is optional as to how many you want

parmesan cheese, optional

directions:

1] Heat oven to 450F. Peel the onions and cut them in half lengthwise, then cut them into thin half-moons. Cut the half-moons in half. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. When it foams up add the onions and sprinkle lightly with salt [if you use a smaller pan, don't worry if the onions are crammed; they will rapidly cook down]. Lower the heat slightly and cook the onions for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and lowering the heat if they seem to be burning. Cook them until they are dark brown.

2] While the onions cook, chop up your meat of choice [we used ham] onto little cubes. Fry until browned and cooked all the way through [if you're using sausage or bacon]. Drain away any excess fat.

3] Next, chop the peeled sweet potato into cubes [apparently you can use unpeeled potatoes too?!] about 1/2-inch in size. Place in a large bowl. Finely mince the garlic and rosemary leaves and toss them into the bowl of sweet potatoes. Toss with olive oil, salt and a generous helping of black pepper.

4] When the onions are done and the meat cooked, stir these into the bowl of sweet potato mixture. Mix well. 

5] Line a large baking sheet with foil and spread out the sweet potato hash evenly. Roast for 30 - 45 minutes [roasting time depends on the size of the sweet potato chunks], or until the are soft and browned.

***You can now refrigerate the cooled hash for up to 5 days, which is perfect if you have guests over and want to make this the night before!***

To Serve:

6] Heat oven to 425F [or just lower your oven temp. from 450F to 425F, if cooking the same day].

7] In individual ramekins or a 9x13-inch casserole dish, scoop cooked hash and make a few small wells throughout the sweet potatoes. Add your eggs into the wells. Sprinkle lightly with salt & pepper.

8] Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are hot and the eggs are baked through. [Test the eggs by poking them with a fork to check the firmness of the yolks]. Sprinkle with a little parmesan cheese, if you choose. Enjoy!

.grilled corn + avocado salad with cilantro vinaigrette.

summer is slowly coming to an end. i've said it before, the nights are getting cooler and the sun sets a little earlier, although you wouldn't know it from the 30C heat in the day! however with the end of summer comes the harvest bounty! one of my favourite times of the year. 

what you may not know, is that my father lives a little out of the city and each year he plants one hell of a garden [i'm going to do a little post next week to showcase the beauty]. we fill it with potatoes, tomatoes, peas, beans, carrots, onions, corn, radishes, bok choy, lettuce, and even grew some kale this year [which turned out sooo good!]. so when he told him that i'd better get to picking, i immediately packed up jack, a few empty bags and drove out to the farm complete with a huge ol' grin on my face. because i knew we were having something fresh and delicious for dinner.

here is one of my newest favourite salad recipes. it is out-of-this-world good. my girlfriend chelsea brought it over to my house one day and i begged her for the recipe. and for a girl who doesn't like raw onions and thinks cilantro tastes like soap, you know it's got to be good for me to crave it on a weekly basis. thanks again for another home-run recipe, chels!

Grilled Corn and Avocado Salad 

with Cilantro Vinaigrette

directions:

1] brush the corn husks with olive oil and grill [you can also just boil the corn husks too!]. remove corn with a sharp knife, let cool.

2] add all ingredients to a large bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.

3] prepare cilantro vinaigrette.

directions

1] whisk all of the ingredients together, taste and season according to your desire.

2] add the dressing to the salad just before serving and toss well.

.the cookie party.

so five months ago [gosh, where has the time gone?!] i hosted a cookie taste-off party.
i personally can't take credit for the idea - that baby was sprung from the blog, you are my fav - and i basically edited it a bit and called it my own.
see, i was considering hosting this get together the minute i came across the invitation on pinterest and couldn't stop thinking about how much fun it would be. i mean, friends + cute kiddos + sweet delicious cookies? yes, please!
after what seemed like the most unlucky week to throw it [we had a few kiddos come down with croup, a few failed babysitters, etc, etc.] i gathered a small group to head on over to my place and just throw all caution to the wind by feeding both mama's and their kids as many cookies as we could put into our bellies.
the cookie contest was scored by counting the highest number on this score sheet. each cookie was put onto a plate marked with a # [as anonymous as i could get] and each # was marked and tallied on the score sheet. the winner was the highest score counted. yay!
all in all, i think it turned out pretty darn good.

^^the aftermath^^

each momma took home some extra treats in these adorable 'goodies' bags, as well as a recipe card for each cookie. [i've attached the recipes below for you to print for yourself at home. just click on the cookie for the pdf].

hershey's crinkle cookies | best ever chocolate chip cookie | brown sugar oatmeal coconut chewies | double chocolate chunk cookies | cookie fail 2013 | sweet potato cookies |

the winner was this sucker right here....heather's brown sugar oatmeal coconut chewies. super tasty, super great texture and just all around delicious! heather also went home with our small prize: fred's number cookie cutters + a mixing bowl + sprinkles :)
*i also wanted to take special mention of chelsea's 'cookie fail' recipe that she created herself! she got the directions a little mixed up and thought that you had to create your own cookie recipe from scratch, which wasn't actually part of the rules, but hey! i enjoy the enthusiasm! haha!

in the end, i think everyone had a nice time and i can't wait for the next little get together! thanks again girls!

.the ultimate juicing guide.

it's official! i boarded the juicing train! toot toot! and i am loving it!

i have been juicing like mad lately and it's all i can think about. it's as if my body is now craving the sweet nectar that comes from all those fresh fruits and veggies, that simply eating an apple just doesn't provide. and i mean, it's crazy to think about how much goodness goes into a simple glass of juice! seriously when would you actually eat 5 carrots + 2 apples + 2 oranges + a handful of kale in one sitting?!?!

and i have to tell you, it's doing wonders for my body!! i just feel better. i have more energy. and even my hair is getting full again [damn baby hormones were threatening it's thickness :( ].
it's as though my body is saying, "finally! thank you!!"

another benefit that i can see coming from my juicer is the fun we'll have once jack is old enough to help [yep, i'm a total mother now!]. it's a great way to get your kids in the kitchen, helping out by putting the fresh produce in the tube then squishing them all down, and watching them sample all the different concoctions. super awesome and super fun way of sneaking in all those healthy and nutritious nutrients that some may have trouble getting in those little people!

so to entice you all to try it for yourself, i've gathered a few [more like a ton!] tested and truly delicious combo's that we've loved over at casa d'trebaczkiewicz. hopefully it makes it a little easier, and perhaps a little less intimidating, to board your own juicing train as well!

one || kale, spinach  + pear smoothie: 1 healing cup spinach leaves, 1 heaping cup kale leaves [chopped, and ribs removed],  1/2 pear, 1 frozen banana, 1 1/2 cups cold almond milk [or soy milk or orange juice], 1 tbsp honey. in a blender add kale, spinach and almond milk. blend until no kale bits remain, then add pear, banana, and honey. blend until smooth. **picture and recipe via joy the baker.

two || orange, spinach, basil + hemp seed smoothie: 1/2 litre fresh squeezed orange juice [roughly 12 oranges], 1 cup spinach, 1/2 cup basil, 2 tbsp hemp seeds. blend all ingredients. **picture and recipe via urban organics.

three || peach, kale, + coconut smoothie: 1 cup frozen peach slices [if you use fresh peaches, just add ice cubes], 1 cup packed kale [torn into pieces and stems discarded], 1/2 frozen banana, 3/4 cup coconut water [may need more or less, depending], 1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger, 1 tsp raw honey, [you could also add a big scoop of greek yogurt or a glug of almond milk for added creaminess]. combine all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth **picture and recipe via camille styles.

four || lean green power smoothie: 1/2 pineapple [peeled, cored and chopped], 1/2 english cucumber [peeled and chopped], 1/2 ripe pear [peeled, cored and chopped], juice from 1 lime, 1 cup baby spinach leaves, 10 mint leaves [chopped], 1 tsp agave nectar, crushed ice. puree ingredients in a blender until smooth. **picture and recipe via camille styles.

five || earth day smoothie: 2 cups kale [ribs removed], 2 1/2 cups coconut milk, 1 cup filtered water, 2 medjool dates, 1 cup frozen banana [cut up], 1 cup frozen mango, 1/2 avocado, 1 tbsp spirulina, 1/2 tsp maca, 1 tbsp flax seeds, 1/4 tsp bee pollen. combine all ingredients in a blender to mix. sprinkle with pee pollen.  **picture and recipe via urban organics.
**other tasty combo's: green goblin smoothie: 4 - 6 kale leaves [ribs removed], 1 frozen banana, a handful of strawberries [yes, add the stems even! the more green the better!], a handful of blueberries, 1 large orange [peeled], 1 cup unsweetened almond milk. blend everything together. - adapted via reboot with joe. lemon-lime juice: 1 lemon, 1 lime, 2 asian pears, 2 green apples, 2 carrots, 1 thumb-size piece of ginger, 2 cups purple cabbage. combine in a blender - via reboot your life. kiwi spinach chia seed smoothie: 1 ripe kiwi [cut into chunks], 1 frozen banana [cut into chunks], 10 cups packed baby spinach, 2 tbsp chia seeds, 10 cups coconut milk. add all to blender - via urban organics. pineapple kale mango smoothie: 1 banana, 1/2 cup diced pineapple, 1/2 cup freshly juiced pineapple, 1 cup chopped kale, 1/2 cup diced mango, 1 cup almond milk or coconut milk, 1 tbsp cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil. blend everything together - via urban organics.

one || beet, carrot + apple juice: 3 raw beets [peeled], 8 carrots, 1 cucumber, 2 granny smith apples, 2 lemons [peeled], 1-inch piece fresh ginger. juice, stir and enjoy. **picture and recipe via urban organics.
two || strawberry, pear + coconut water juice: 3 cups strawberries, 1 pear [core removed], 1 lime, 1 small piece of ginger, 1/2 cup coconut water. juice, stir and enjoy. **picture and recipe via urban organics.
three || beetroot juice: 2-3 beetroots [medium size, ends trimmed], 5 big carrots, 1/4 lemon [peeled], 2 apples, 2 cm fresh ginger. add everything to your juicer. **picture and recipe via a tasty love story.
four || blackberry, pear + grapefruit juice: 8 ounces [250g] thawed blackberries, 3 ripe pears, 2 grapefruits [peeled]. add everything to your juice and enjoy. **picture and recipe via food thinkers.
five || strawberry + cucumber smoothie: a heaping 1 1/2 cups frozen strawberries,  1 cup cold almond milk, 1/2 english cucumber [chopped and de-seeded], 1 to 2 tbsp honey, a squeeze of lemon if you'd like. combine all ingredients into a blender. **picture and recipe via joy the baker.
*other tasty combos: beet juice: 1 beet, 2 apples, 4 carrots, 1 pear, handful of spinach - via small fry blog; red juice: 1/2 cup fresh watermelon, 1/2 cup frozen raspberries, 1/2 cup frozen sour cherries, 1/4 cup water. mix all together - via heather christo;  rhubarb apple carrot: 2 - 3 stalks rhubarb, 2 carrots, 3 apples, 1 inch knob ginger - via urban organics.
**other tasty combo's: cinnaberry smoothie: 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1/2 cup strawberries, 1/2 mango, 1/2 cup frozen blueberries, 1/2 cup frozen raspberries, 1/2 cup cantaloupe, 1 banana, 1 large carrot, dash of cinnamon. add all ingredients into a blender and top with cinnamon - via reboot your life. strawberry pineapple mint juice: 1/2 large pineapple [peeled, cored and cut into chunks], 1 cup strawberries, 1 pear, 30 mint leaves. blend everything together - adapted via reboot your life. pineapple, blackberry, kiwi juice: 1/4 large pineapple [peeled, cored and cut into chunks], 1 cup blackberries, 1 kiwi, 1 pear, 30 mint leaves. blend everything together - adapted via reboot your life.

one || good morning juice: 2 sweet potatoes, 6 carrots, 4 oranges. cut up everything and add to juicer. **picture and recipe via reboot with joe.
two || cara cara orange pineapple: 1/2 cup fresh pineapple [cut into chunks], 1/2 banana, 1/2 cara cara orange [peeled and cut into chunks], 1/4 cup mango [peeled and cut into chunks], 1/4 cup coconut milk [or milk of your choice], 1 tbsp kefir, 1/2 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp ground flax seed, 1/4 tsp cinnamon. **picture and recipe via urban organics.
three || carrot lemonade: 1 qt freshly squeezed carrots [about 3 lbs], 6 medium lemons [freshly juiced], 2 - 3 cups water, stevia to taste, 1-inch knob ginger [optional]. juice everything and mix together. **picture and recipe via marcus samuelsson.
four || orange sunrise: 2 orange bell peppers [seeded], 1 navel orange [peeled], 4 carrots, 1 large handful of fresh pineapple chunks, 1 lemon [peeled]. add all to juice and stir. **picture and recipe via reboot with joe.
five || pomegranate citrus juice: 2 small grapefruits, 2 oranges, 2 tangerines, 1/2 lime, 2 pomegranates. juice everything together and mix. **picture and recipe via whole living.
**other tasty combo's: the melon smoothie: 1 cup cantaloupe, 1 frozen banana, 1/2 cup coconut water, 1/2 cup ice. add all to blender - via reboot with joe. strawberry, grapefruit, orange, and raspberry juice: 2 cups strawberries, 2 grapefruits [peeled], 1 orange [peeled], handful of raspberries. juice all together - via urban organics. carrot, orange and mango juice: 8 carrots, 1 mango [pitted], 1 large strip of orange peel, 1/2 peeled blood orange. juice, stir and enjoy - via urban organics.

one || orange cream: 4 valencia oranges [peeled], 2 cups date water [soaked in water for an hour]. peel the oranges and place them in a blender. soak dates in 2 cups of water, then pour the liquid into the blender. mix all together. **picture and recipe via kris carr.
two || lime-coconut smoothie: 1 thai coconut [meat and water], 1 lime [juiced], 2 frozen bananas, 1 tbsp of coconut oil, 1 tbsp of raw coconut flakes. mix all together and enjoy. **picture and recipe via kris carr.
three || almond joy smoothie: 3/4 cup greek style yogurt, 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, 1 1/4 cup chocolate soy milk, 3/4 cup almond butter. mix in a blender and enjoy.**picture and recipe via sweet potato chronicles.
four || strawberry cashew milkshake: 1/2 cup cashews [or blanched almonds], 1 cup water, 1 tsp agave nectar, 1/2 tsp vanilla paste, pinch cinnamon, 3 strawberries, handful of ice cubes. **picture and recipe via heather christo.
five || raspberry coconut smoothie: 1 cup frozen raspberries, 1 1/2 cups filtered water, 1/2 cup coconut milk, 1 banana, 3 tbsp ground flax seeds, 1 tbsp honey. mix all together in a blender.  **picture and recipe via urban organics.
six || sexy shamrock shake: 1/2 frozen banana, 1 cup baby spinach leaves, 1 cup coconut milk [or other nut milk], 2 drops vanilla extract [good quality], 2 - 3 drops peppermint extract. blend all together and enjoy. **picture and recipe via kris carr.
**other tasty combo's: funky monkey shake: 2 frozen bananas [peeled and cut into chunks], 2 cups milk, 2 tbsp natural almond or peanut butter, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tbsp flax meal, 1/2 cup greek yogurt. mis everything in a blender - via sweet potato chronicles; spiced peach pear juice: 2 peaches, 1 large pear, 2 carrots, 1 cup of green grapes [optional, for sweeter juice], 1-inch piece of ginger, pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove powder. juice and sprinkle top with spices - via reboot with joe. peach pie juice: 3 large sweet potatoes [peeled], 4 ripe peaches [pitted], 2 golden delicious apples [pitted], dash of cinnamon. juice all in juicer, then sprinkle with cinnamon on top - via reboot with joe.

So friends, I'm curious...what's your favourite combinations?

.super sesame bars.

once i had a taste for those amazing green kitchen stories hemp protein bars [recipe here], i went on the hunt for another type of treat that i could have on hand for those mid-day cravings. that's when i  found their super sesame bars, which turned out to be the perfect snack.
they are surprisingly sweet for a super nutritious bar, filled with lots of goodies like super berries and walnuts, but filling enough that just one little square hits the spot. they have been a huge hit over with us treb's, minus the little guy. he's still a bit too young ;)

Super Sesame Bars

[via green kitchen stories. Makes around 18 bars]

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups walnuts

1 cup sesame seeds [you can also use half unhulled and half hulled]

1/3 cup goji berries

1/2 cup dried super berries [such as aronia, inca, mulberries or unsweetened cranberries]

4 tbsp honey or maple syrup

3 tbsp coconut oil

1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

1 tsp salt

Directions

1] Lightly toast the walnuts in a large saucepan on low heat for a few minutes. Transfer them to a food processor and blitz into a coarse flour. 

2] Add the sesame seeds to the sauce pan, make sure the heat is low as the sesame seeds are very heat sensitive - you want to lightly toast them without burning.

3] Meanwhile, add all the berries to the food processor. Pulse for at least a minute, then pour everything into the sauce pan. Add honey, coconut oil, shredded coconut and salt and stir around until everything is combined, sticky and warm.

4] Cover a 8x10-inch [20x25cm] baking dish with parchment paper and pour the sesame mixture into it. Flatten it out with your fingers and the backside of a spoon [dip it in water to prevent the sesame seeds from sticking to it]. Put in the fridge for at least an hour, then cut them up and wrap in sandwich paper.