Christina Najjar

Pumpkin Spice Smoothie (Paleo, Vegan)

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For someone who doesn’t eat sugar, the struggle to find a pumpkin spice smoothie recipe can be real. Recipes tend to be sweetened with bananas, maple syrup, or honey (or any combination of these). For those who can tolerate natural sugars, that’s great.

Pumpkin Pie Spice Smoothie Christina Najjar

I’ve been focusing on completely sugar free foods for a number of reasons lately. For one, my hormones haven’t been cooperating with me. Over the last two months, all my sugar has come from vegetables (except for the occasional alcoholic beverage). It’s funny how much of a difference that alone can make. My energy levels are up, my moods are more stable, cramps have significantly reduced, and I’m more in control of my body in general.

The other main reason I’ve been experimenting with sugar free foods is that there has been a need for it with my clients. People who find their way to my office have all kinds of health concerns that require completely cutting out sugar. This ranges from Lyme Disease to leaky gut (digestive disturbances) and PCOS.

And of course, the issue that most people who go see a nutritionist have in common, adrenal fatigue, improves much faster without eating sugar. Click here to read more about adrenal fatigue. It’s the kind of health issue that needs to be addressed right away to improve most other health concerns.

This pumpkin spice smoothie is surprisingly good. I was actually kind of skeptical it would be palatable when I was making it. I find that protein powders have a way of reducing the enjoyment factor of most smoothies. Usually, the stevia is too overpowering for me. It just blended right in with this recipe though. The texture is also great. It’s thick and creamy, no chunkiness. It tastes like a dessert which is perfectly acceptable to have for breakfast.

Pumpkin Spice Smoothie (Paleo, Vegan)

Ingredients
1/2 cup ice
1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk (I used my homemade almond milk)
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I used Genuine Health Fermented Vegan Proteins+)
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp allspice
OR can sub in pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice
Optional: A few drops of Stevia

Directions
Combine all the ingredients in a blender in the order listed. Serve right away. Makes 2 cups (1 serving).

Healthy(ish) Candied Walnuts (paleo)

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Happy Halloween! I have chosen this day to come back from the dead to bring you some candied walnuts. In my rather long absence, a lot has changed in my life (for the better). I finally started nutrition school. I thought it was going to be great. In reality, it is so much more. I get to learn about the topic I love the most, in the method I love the most, that is, holistically, with amazing and supportive people around me.

Candied walnuts made with coconut palm sugar or maple syrup

I’ve been on a bit of a candied walnut kick, lately. I can’t tell you how many batches of these I’ve made since Canadian Thanksgiving. I don’t think I’ve made them twice the same way, though. Since starting nutrition school, I’ve made a commitment to myself never to buy white sugar again. So, I decided to provide you with two recipes of candied walnuts (which can also be used with pecans, by the way) in order to let you decide which way you prefer your refined-sugar-free candied walnuts. While I very much enjoy both recipes, my personal favourite is method #2, though it doesn’t win by much.

Healthy(ish) Candied Walnuts

Method #1

Ingredients
1 cup walnut halves
3 tbsp maple syrup

Directions
Line a baking sheet (or any flat surface) with parchment paper.

Over medium heat, combine the two ingredients in a medium saucepan. Toss the walnuts around in the maple syrup every minute or so until the maple syrup starts to bubble slightly. At that point, start mixing it more often. As the walnuts become more difficult to toss around, make sure to keep them moving, otherwise you’ll end up with a big sticky blob.

They’re done when there no longer is any maple syrup swimming at the bottom of the saucepan, and the syrup on the walnuts starts to look granulated (about 5-10 minutes). At that point, quickly transfer the walnuts to the baking sheet and spread them out to prevent them from sticking to each other.

Let cool and transfer to an airtight container.

Method #2

Ingredients
1 cup walnuts halves
1/4 cup coconut palm sugar
1 tbsp coconut oil

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Toss every 30 seconds or so for the first 2-3 minutes. After that point, keep the walnuts constantly moving.

They’re done when the oil-sugar starts to get really sticky and looks darker (about 5-10 minutes). At that point, quickly transfer the walnuts to the baking sheet and spread them out to prevent them from sticking to each other.

Let cool and transfer to an airtight container.

Spicy Double Chocolate Cookies (vegan)

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I decided to make these spicy double chocolate cookies because of a very specific craving. Have you ever tried that Lindt Chocolate Bar with jalapeno? I quite like it, but because of the dairy, I try to avoid eating it (though I do sometimes indulge in chocolate with dairy). I’m a fan of the combination of spiciness with chocolate.

Spicy Double Chocolate Cookies

Today was my first day off in a while. I had just worked seven days in a row, and the days off I’d had before that were spent studying for the last exam of my degree. I was able to relax for the first time in a long time. I got in the mood to bake, and I thought of Fettle Vegan’s Dark Chocolate Rosemary Cookies. I made these once, and they were quite tasty. However, because I’ve been craving spicy chocolate for a while, I decided to use the base for that recipe, but to change up the spice. By the way, if you ever do want to try making rosemary cookies, I strongly recommend you try Fettle Vegan’s recipe.

These are addictive, so make sure you have people to share these cookies with. The spice proportions I provide are just enough to give the cookies a bit of a kick, but if you want the cookies to actually be straight up spicy, you’re going to have to increase the amount of cayenne pepper.

Spicy Double Chocolate Cookies (vegan)

Ingredients
1 cup teff flour
1 cup almond flour
2/3 cups cocoa powder
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp flaxmeal
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or up to 1/2 tsp for spicier)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup water or non-dairy milk
2 tsp vanilla
Chocolate chips to taste (I used 1/2-3/4 cups mini chocolate chips)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350F.

Combine all the dry ingredients. Add in the wet ingredients and mix well. Spoon out cookie dough balls on a cookie sheet.

Bake for 11-12 minutes. Let cool for a minute or two, then transfer to a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Coconut Popsicles (paleo, vegan)

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One of my dear friends recently moved a few hours away. We talk food a lot, and she gives me all kinds of recipe suggestions and requests to post on here. Her list of dietary restrictions is worse than mine, but includes most of my dietary restrictions.  Her latest request was for popsicles. She’s a big fan of coconut, so I went for straight-up coconut popsicles this time. If you’re wondering what I mean by “straight-up coconut”, check out this recipe for raspberry cream popsicles I posted last year. It’s a coconut based recipe, but the popsicles aren’t coconut flavoured.

Homemade coconut popsicles

Last week, I mentioned that it was finally warming up in Canada. I know it’s technically still only Spring, but one never knows how long to expect the nice weather to last. We didn’t really get much of a summer last year, and then Winter was exceptionally long. For this reason, I’m jumping right into Summer-mode, lest Summer be over in the blink of an eye.

So, Nic, this one’s for you. And for anyone who enjoys coconut, summer, popsicles, or any combination of those.

Coconut Popsicles

Ingredients
1 can full fat coconut milk, refrigerated overnight
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tbsp coconut shreds

Directions
Take the can of coconut milk out of the fridge. Slowly turn it upside down and open it. That way, the thicker part of the coconut milk will be at the bottom and the liquid qill be at the top. Drain the liquid, or save it for something else (try adding it to smoothies).

Scoop out the fatty part of the coconut milk into a bowl. Mix all ingredients well and pour into popsicle moulds. Freeze for at least 4-6 hours (depending on your freezer).

Makes about 3 popsicles (depending on the moulds you use) so multiply as needed.

Chocolate Pudding (vegan, paleo, sugar free)

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Well, friends, it is finally starting to look like spring in Canada. It sure took Mother Nature long enough! It’s just about popsicle season! Speaking of popsicles, last year, I was planning to post a chocolate popsicle recipe. There was a little problem with my freezer at the time, though. The popsicles I made kept the consistency of pudding. So, I ate some very cold chocolate pudding. I did end up figuring out how to adjust the settings on my freezer so that it froze properly, and made raspberry cream popsicles a few weeks later.

Homemade chocolate Pudding

Avocado-based chocolate pudding is nothing new in the vegan and food sensitivities world. However, I find that most recipes complicate things by adding ingredients that don’t need to be in the pudding. For example, milk (cow’s or non-dairy) will do nothing but water down the perfect creaminess of the avocado. I also find that adding vanilla extract takes away from the richness of the cocoa, rather than complementing it. So, I like to keep my chocolate pudding recipe nice and simple. Let’s say it becomes a “dark chocolate pudding”.

P.S. If you want to make this into popsicles, all you need to do is place the mixture into popsicle moulds. It works well, provided that your freezer is actually functional.

Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients
1 large ripe avocado
1 tbsp cocoa powder or raw cacao
Maple syrup to taste (a couple tablespoons should do)

Directions
With a large spoon, scoop the avocado out of its skin. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor or blender. Put it into function until you have pudding. Eat the pudding. That was complicated, wasn’t it?

If you want to turn it into chocolate mint pudding, add a splash of peppermint extract.

Makes only 1 serving, so multiply as needed.

Apple Crumble (vegan, paleo, white sugar free)

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A while back, I posted this recipe for apple crumble. It was a bit of an experiment that gave me some interesting results. It’s a good breakfast crumble, but it’s not something I would make for dessert on a regular basis.

When I make apple crumble for others, I make a different recipe. After making this recipe for some dinners and being asked for the recipe a few times, I decided to share the recipe here. The crumble portion is a little less crunchy than in most recipes. This one has a blend of different textures.

Apple crumble

As with most things I cook or bake, I have a tendency to simply add ingredients until the mix looks right, rather than measuring them. This time, I made the effort to measure them so that I could share the recipe. I recommend making this for guests when you’re unsure about what to make for dessert. It’s easy and allergy friendly (aside from nuts), and accommodates all kinds of different dietary choices.

Apple Crumble (vegan, paleo, white sugar free)

Ingredients
2 apples, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp almond meal
2 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp coconut palm sugar
1 tsp cinnamon, split into 1/2 teaspoons

Directions
Preheat oven to 350F.

Place the chopped apples in an even layer in a baking pan. Sprinkle half the cinnamon over the apples and toss around until the apples are evenly coated.

Mix the rest of the ingredients in a separate bowl. Try to spread the mix evenly over the apples and bake for 20-25 minutes. Makes 2 servings, so multiply as needed.

Chocolate Puffed Rice Squares (vegan)

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Sometimes, my inspiration for recipes comes from things I ate when I was younger and really enjoyed. I never let me food sensitivities limit me in what I can eat. Instead, I figure out all kinds of alternatives. That’s what I did with these chocolate puffed rice squares.

I lived in Lethbridge, Alberta between the ages of 8 and 15. There, I went to a tiny French school. At lunch time, two students would run the canteen, but it was more like a plastic bin of snacks. Every once in a while, my mom would give me 50 cents to get myself something I liked. There were these squares I really liked.

I didn’t actually know what they were until recently, when I took to the internet. I was disappointed to find out that they contained wheat puffs and corn syrup.

There was a bag of puffed rice sitting around in the pantry for a while. Over the week end, the bag was staring at me. I tried one single puffed rice. The taste brought me back to those puffed wheat squares, and so I set out to make an allergy friendly version.

I was surprised to find that my allergy friendly recipe turned out very much like the wheat and corn syrup squares. This works well as a last minute potluck item because the work is done in 5-10 minutes, and then simply needs to cool down.

Chocolate Puffed Rice squares

Chocolate Puffed Rice Squares (vegan)

Ingredients
5 cups puffed rice
1/4 cup Earth balance buttery spread
1/2 cup brown rice syrup (thick syrup is key!)
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp brown sugar or alternative
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla

Directions
Grease a square pan (about 9×9) and set aside.

Combine all the ingredients except the puffed rice in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Mix well and bring to a boil. Do not remove it before it boils. Once it reaches a boil, turn off the heat and mix in the rice puffs until evenly coated. Transfer to the greased pan. If you need it to set quickly, you can put the pan in the fridge (though you need to be careful about rapid temperature changes if you’re using pyrex). This makes 9 servings, but the recipe can easily be doubled.

Raspberry Cream Popsicles (vegan, paleo)

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I always keep organic raspberries in my freezer. They are so much more cost efficient than “fresh” berries which have lost their nutrients by the time they find their way to my belly. I keep them on hand so that I can make smoothies, or throw them in tasty treats, like these raspberry cream popsicles.

Homemade raspberry cream popsicles

I know it’s not quite yet summer up here, but I’m starting to feel antsy. I’m practically making it be summer. Now, I know you’re sitting there and thinking, “Who does she think she is, ‘making it be summer’?” so let me clarify. I’ve stopped wearing my boots and opted for my little flats, I wear my sunglasses whenever I can, and, most importantly, I’ve been making summer treats. It’s all about the state of mind, right? Right.

Making popsicles is practically effortless, provided that you have a functioning freezer. I’ve noticed that my freezer is moody, and I need to check its temperature before I start making popsicles. Last time I tried making popsicles, all I ended up making was really cold pudding. Don’t get me wrong, it was really good, it just wasn’t what I was hoping for.

These raspberry cream popsicles are quite easy. You don’t even need to respect exact proportions to make these. Taste the mix before putting it in your popsicle molds, and you’re good to go.

Raspberry Cream Popsicles

Ingredients
1 to 1 1/3 cup frozen or fresh raspberries*
1/2 to 2/3 cup full fat coconut milk
3-4 tbsp maple syrup

*My raspberries have been crushed by the contents of my overstuffed freezer so I used the minimum amount, but if yours still have their shape, you may need to increase the amount.

Directions
Blend all the ingredients together. Taste and adjust to your liking. Pour into popsicle moulds and freeze for several hours. To remove them easily from the moulds, run them under hot water for a few seconds.

“Special” Chocolate Fondue (vegan)

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While it’s important to eat healthy, you should also allow yourself the occasional treat. Treats don’t have to be as bad as a double cheeseburger with fries and a large milkshake. You can make modified versions of treats you like without having to compromise on taste. That’s what I did with this chocolate fondue.

The beauty of using dark chocolate in this chocolate fondue recipe is that it doesn’t need any dairy. Check the ingredients on your dark chocolate to make sure, though. The higher the cocoa content of your chocolate, the better. This means that it will contain less sugar.

Cocoa has great antioxidant properties. Some studies even suggest that cocoa may reduce blood pressure in individuals with high blood pressure. It is also a mood enhancer and helps support memory, which makes it ideal for exam time. While I don’t recommend eating a Mars bar before exams, a square of dark chocolate just may be beneficial.

I chose to add a bit of amaretto in this chocolate fondue to give it some extra flavour. If avoiding alcohol, almond extract will do just fine.

Special chocolate fondue

“Special” Chocolate Fondue (vegan)

Ingredients
100g 70% dark chocolate (typically one full bar)
3 tbsp non-dairy milk of choice (I like coconut milk)
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp amaretto (or almond extract)
Splash of vanilla extract

Directions
Fondue set: combine all the ingredients, mixing frequently, making sure not to let the chocolate burn at the bottom.

Microwave: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate in 30 second increments, mixing it in between. Once it’s melted, add the other ingredients and mix well. If using this method, the chocolate may begin to solidify as the mixture cools down.

Serve with fresh fruit. Suggested fruit includes bananas, apples, cantaloupe, strawberries, peaches or nectarines, and/or pears. This recipe is deal for 3-4 people.

Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies (Vegan)

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I always buy bananas that I can’t seem to use fast enough. They turn brown on me and then I feel like I can’t eat them. I really hate throwing food away, especially when it feels like I’m throwing nutrients away! Read Well-Being Secret’s post on the health benefits of bananas here. My baking inspiration this time gave me these oatmeal cookies.

If you’re sensitive to oats, I’m terribly sorry. Next time I post some goodies, they’ll be oat free. The good thing about this recipe is that you can add something like cranberries or whatever your favourite cookie garnish is, or you can omit the chocolate chips altogether, and it’ll still be delightful.

WARNING: These cookies are addictive, so once they’ve cooled down, put a few cookies on a plate, and lock the rest away and protect them with an obstacle course.

Delicious banana chocolate chip oatmeal cookies

Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients
1 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup potato starch
1/4 cup tapioca starch
3/4 tsp xanthan gum
1 1/2 cups brown sugar (or vegan sugar alternative)
2 1/4 cups oats (I use Only Oats brand because it’s gluten free)
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup oil
2 ripe bananas
1 tbsp water
1-1/2 tsp vanilla
Chocolate chips of your choice to taste (I think I used 1/2 or 3/4 cups)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350F.

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix. In a separate bowl, mash the bananas and add the wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones and mix well. Because bananas vary in size, you may need to add a bit of oil to properly blend the ingredients. Add the chocolate chips.

Drop dough by tablespoonfuls (or more) on a greased cookie sheet. If you use stoneware, you don’t need to grease it. Flatten the dough a bit with the back of the spoon.. Make sure to leave a bit of space between the cookies. They’ll expand a bit, but not as much as regular cookies. Bake for about 14 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown.

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Christina Najjar - Natural Nutrition

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