dairy free – Next Bite Nutrition by Jen Casey, CNP // Vancouver Nutritionist and Health Coach

Creamy Coconut Curry With Lime-Cilantro Rice

2020-05-092020-05-09by Jen Casey, CNPLeave a Comment

This recipe involves all the healing spices, immune-boosting veggies, protein and healthy fats for energy and brain health. It is full of flavour and can be adjusted to suit your dietary preferences with different veggies and protein. Serve it over cilantro-lime rice for a beautiful mix of flavours.

Curry:

2 cans full-fat coconut milk
3 C vegetable or chicken broth
1/2 tsp ground ginger (or less of fresh)
2 Tbsp yellow curry powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp tomato sauce (or 1/2 diced tomato)
1 clove garlic
2 Tbsp pineapple chunks

Veggies: (choose any, to total 4 servings, combined)

potato
onion
bell peppers
cauliflower
mushrooms
carrot
bok choy or spinach
green beans

Protein: (choose any, to total 4 servings)

salmon
chickpeas or lentils
chicken
firm tofu

Rice:

2 C jasmine rice
1 lime
bunch of fresh cilantro (or parsley)

Method:

On low, heat 1 Tbsp coconut oil in a deep pan or wok. Cook onion until clear, then add in garlic. If you are using chicken, cube it and cook it in the pan, then remove and set aside
Cook in the chopped veggies, starting with the more firm ones, like potato, bell peppers, cauliflower and carrots. At this point, you can add in 1 C vegetable or chicken broth, turn the heat to medium, and let the veggies steam while they cook. Add in remaining veggies, like bok choy and spinach toward the end
Start to add in the curry sauce ingredients, starting with the spices, honey, pineapple, then cans of coconut milk and tomato sauce. Increase the heat to bring the sauce to a low simmer, add in the remaining 2 cups of broth, and cooked chicken. If you are not using chicken, now is the time to add in a can of rinsed beans, or your salmon
Let the flavours cook together, protein cook, and veggies soften a bit more as you simmer it all together for about 15 minutes. In the meantime, cook your rice according to the instructions. Once cooked, stir in juice from 1 lime and chopped cilantro, to taste
Serve the curry over the rice, and top with more cilantro and a wedge of lime

Vegan/Vegetarian Reipes

Feel Good Food ~ Healing Cauliflower Soup

2020-03-31by Jen Casey, CNPLeave a Comment

Need a healing soup with minimal ingredients? If I’ve stocked up on anything in abundance during the Covid isolation period, it’s coconut milk. I use it to cook my rice in, in stir fry, sauces, soups, you name it.

🥥Here is a recipe for one of my healthy, creamy, anti-inflammatory, #dairyfree soups (made with coconut milk) that makes my soul happy.

Head into your kitchen and gather these
Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower
1 C cashews
3 C Vegetable broth
1 can coconut milk
Garlic
1/2 onion
Ginger
Turmeric
Lemon

Method:
In a deep pan, sautee onion and 2 cloves garlic for a few minutes, in coconut oil.

Add in 1 tsp turmeric, juice from 1/4 lemon, 1/2 tsp grated ginger, 1/2 tsp sea salt, cashews and loosely chopped cauliflower.

Add a cup of vegetable broth to the pan and bring to a low boil. Cook until cauliflower is soft, then add in the can of coconut milk and 2 more cups of broth.

Reduce heat to low and let the soup cook for ten minutes, then transfer it into a blender and purée until smooth.

Serve with toppings like green onion, roasted cauliflower florets, black pepper, cilantro, toasted cashews or warm, toasted sourdough. Mmm. Sourdough.

Cooking for Kids, Healthy Snacks, Weekly Meal Plans

What Will Your Next Bite Be?

2020-02-292020-04-22by Jen Casey, CNPLeave a Comment

I have put all of my favourite gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free snack recipes into one beautiful place: an ebook!

In it, you will find recipes for:

Avocado Brownie Muffins

Chickpea Blondies

Artichoke Hummus

Salted Almond Brownie Bites

No Bake Granola Bars

Homemade Granola

Bliss Balls

Chocolate Avocado Pudding

Toasted Cashew Chocolate Chip Cookies

and more!

Available for instant download here. Enjoy!

Dinner, Vegan/Vegetarian Reipes

Easy Vegan Basil Pesto

2020-02-182020-02-18by Jen Casey, CNPLeave a Comment

I was hosting a plant-based dinner the other night for friends and came up with this vegan version of my favourite pesto.

As you might know, using cashews and nutritional yeast in place of cheese is all the vegan craze and you really can’t tell the diff. They give a beautiful, creamy consistency to anything you use them in. I even throw a handful into my smoothies.

I feel so much better when I don’t have dairy, so I loaded up on cashews this week for several different uses.

This vegan basil pesto takes merely minutes to whip up in a food processor.

Simply add to your food processor:

1/2 C cashews

1/2 C pine nuts

1 Tbsp nutritional yeast

1 big handful of fresh basil leaves

2 cloves garlic

1-2 Tbsp lemon juice

1/4 C olive oil

sea salt and pepper

Blend it all up. You might need to add more olive oil to thin. Add this to a pan with your favourite sautéed veggies and cooked, gluten-free noodles. I like to add a 1/4 cup of the pasta water to the pan to help the flavours marry. Serve with another dollop of pesto and a slice of lemon.

Enjoy!

Dinner, Healthy Snacks, Salads, Vegan/Vegetarian Reipes, Weekly Meal Plans

Weekly Meal Plan #4 {plant-based}

2020-01-272020-02-01by Jen Casey, CNPLeave a Comment

I decided to go completely plant-based for the month of February. I don’t usually label my way of eating, other than to call it “intuitive eating”. If I want some lean, organic chicken, fish or sharp cheddar, I will have some…in moderation. If my body cries out after eating certain foods, I listen.

My reasons for going plant-based for month include PH balancing my body, improving my gut flora, supporting my genetic make up, boosting my immunity to better fight off the strange viruses and cancer that seems to being hitting many of my family members. Others might prefer a more plant forward way of eating to save the planet, clear up skin, lower blood cholesterol, and even save a dollar.

These delicious meals and healthy snacks are ones I have personally created or tried. Always refer to the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen list, which helps you decide which fruits and veggies should be purchased organic. When you are incorporating more plants and veggies into your diet, expect to feel more full (yes! plants contain fibre), expect your sugar cravings to dwindle, expect to have more energy and feel lighter.

Meal 1: Thai Rainbow Salad with Sweet Honey Peanut Dressing: I chose a rainbow of veggies (purple cabbage, lettuce, cucumber, cilantro, grape tomatoes, bell peppers), and chopped them all up. In a measuring cup, mix together 2 Tbsp peanut butter, 1 Tbsp tahini, 2 Tbsp honey, 2 Tbsp tamari or soya sauce, a sprinkle of chili flakes, and a splash of hot water. Stir until creamy, adding more hot water, if needed. Toss the chopped veggies with the dressing when ready to eat.

Meal 2: Farmer’s Market Pasta with Walnut Pesto by Pinch of Yum. This dish lets you customize your veggies, and the walnut pesto really couldn’t be easier to make…plus it is some serious brain food with all those walnuts.

Meal 3: One pan Curried Sweet Potato Chickpeas by Minimalist Baker. Who doesn’t appreciate cleaning up only one pan? This dish is hearty and will not leave you feeling hungry. The flavours marry beautifully and the colours!

Snack 1: Banana Zucchini Muffins by Ambitious Kitchen (sub eggs for flax eggs for a vegan option)

Snack 2: The Easiest #dairyfree Oat Milk. This makes a great base and is delicious on it’s own, but feel free to add cacao powder or strawberries for a different flavour. As it’s a month of plant-based eating, it is important to have a good alternative milk for cereals, coffee and cookies 😉

My suggestion: Put these 5 dishes on rotation for the week. Take a day to prep one or more, or as much as you can. Make double, divide it into single serving sizes, and you’ve just mastered meal prep. Have a great week!

Wellness Tips

8 Ways to Gently Re-set Yourself After the Holidays (Without Dieting!)

2019-12-29by Jen Casey, CNPLeave a Comment

We spend the entire year thinking, and hopefully acting, on creating healthy habits around food, exercise and mindset. Then, the Holiday season rolls around and it all seems to go out the window. Or, does it?

There is no reason to feel guilty about it. You spent time with friends, family, ate beautiful food and celebrated. The only downside is that you might physically feel heavier, perhaps your digestion needs a re-set, and maybe your skin is taking the brunt of your last couple of weeks.

Without completely depriving yourself, there is a gentle way to get “back on track”. If you have tried dieting before, you know it is not sustainable. I am not a fan of diets, nor do I ever suggest them to my clients. Instead, get back to implementing some of my simple suggestions that will help to cleanse and nourish you both physically and mentally in this post-Holiday period.

Drink a big glass of room temperature water with a squeeze of lemon or a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar when you wake up, before coffee. This will help get those digestive enzymes woken up, will help to alkalize the body, clean and flush.
Write down 3 days of exercise for the week and be specific about it. Go through your community program guide, find some classes, grab a friend, and make a date. If you add the 3 dates to your calendar, you will be able to mentally prepare and can properly set the time aside for yourself.
Measure out 1 cup of 2 different non-starchy vegetables for each dinner. Even if you are not cooking at home, choose the meal that is mostly plant-based, or ask for a substitution. Raw, steamed or roasted is entirely up to you, depending on your digestion and how your body can handle them. All the fibre is important to help the body flush unwanted toxins and weight.
Support your liver with herbal tea and brassica veggies. Milk Thistle and Dandelion Root teas, plus veggies like brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage are ones to help your liver break down the toxins for clearing. Also, in order to clear, you need to boost your immune system with lots of antioxidants. Aim to include berries, garlic, citrus fruits, squashes, bell peppers and leafy greens.
Set a small goal and get SMART about it. This means specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely. The new year usually triggers us to set resolutions and giant goals that we rarely see through. Start small, even with a goal like, “Eat one vegetarian meal per day”, and write down exactly what this looks like in order for you to stick to it.
Cut the red meat, dairy and refined sugar…at least for a week. Remember, this is not a diet, but a lifestyle. This also doesn’t mean you can never eat a piece of cheese or have a cookie again! I just want you to know that eating these foods on a regular basis leads to inflammation in the body. Greatly reduce these foods to greatly reduce inflammation.
Drink a cup of Golden Milk every day. Try swapping out that extra cup of joe for an anti-inflammatory latte made with 1 C unsweetened coconut milk, 1 tsp ground turmeric, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, a crack of black pepper (to help your body absorb the turmeric), and up to a tsp of raw honey or maple syrup. Warm this delicious combo on the stove and sip.
Meal plan! I cannot stress enough how important meal planning is when you are trying to eat well. If you have good food in the fridge, you will eat good food! If this feels overwhelming, remember that you don’t need to spend a day cooking all the meals for the week. Start with writing out 3 days of meals and snacks, make the grocery list, shop, then prep even just a few things. Maybe you chop up all the veggies for your meals, maybe you roast or bake just portions of the meals, maybe you prep a big batch of energy-boosting power bars. However much you prep, you are making your next 3 days a little less stressed. It all adds up.

Be easy on yourself, do a little planning, and remember to smile 🙂

Here’s to a healthy and happy year ahead. Jen xo

Healthy Snacks, Vegan/Vegetarian Reipes, Wellness Tips

Oat Flour: A Pantry Staple and 3 Ways to Use It

2019-11-262019-11-26by Jen Casey, CNP1 Comment

Organic, rolled oats are a healthy soluble fibre, soothing on the digestive tract, and a perfect gluten-free grain alternative. Just as they are comforting internally, they are known to be just as soothing topically, on itchy and dry skin. Remember the chicken pox? That might have been your introduction to oatmeal baths!

I use oats and oat flour in most of my baking, as an alternative to wheat flours when I cook for clients or just for us at home. We don’t have a gluten intolerance or allergy in our home, but I choose to swap out wheat for oats to avoid the risk. For those eating for heart health, oats are naturally cholesterol-free and low in saturated fat.

Want one more reason to include oats in your pantry? They are a great source of plant-based protein, offering around 5 grams per cup.

Here are a few tried and true ways to try oat flour. If you can’t find it in the baking aisle, simply grind up rolled oats in your blender until really fine. Voila! You have oat flour.

Vanilla and Cardamom Oat Milk: This is a great alternative to dairy. Oat milk is one of the quickest alternative milks to make, smells delicious and is super creamy. In a blender, add 1 cup rolled oats, 3 cups water, a dash of cardamom, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, a dash of cinnamon and 1 pitted date. Blend on high until smooth, then strain the mixture and discard the oats. Keep refrigerated for up to 4 days.

Healthy Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins by Ambitious Kitchen is one of my go-to recipes. These babies are easy to make, gluten-free, healthy and delicious. These types of recipes that don’t include refined sugar are the best. Find the recipe here.

Add oats to your smoothie: Always add protein to your smoothie to help regulate blood sugar and keep you satiated. Unlike nuts, oats don’t have to be soaked before you blend them, so they make for a quick smoothie addition. Minimalist Baker has a recipe for a delicious vegan peach oat smoothie.

I also use rolled oats in my bliss balls, homemade granola and granola bars, breakfast cookies, and overnight oats. Stay ahead of the game by grinding up some oats (they’re really inexpensive!) and keep the flour in your pantry for all kinds of delicious recipes. Let me know how you end up using it. 🙂