Snacks

These healthy rice crispy treats are made without marshmallows and instead we use tahini, maple syrup and coconut oil to make these.  I was obsessed with rice krispie treats growing up and never got tired of eating the gooey marshmallow sticky bars when I could get my hands on them!  But fast forward to today and marshmallows are not exactly at the top of our list of nutritious foods to include in the repertoire.  This alternative gluten free and dairy free, vegan recipe will

Growing up Coffee Crisp was  chocolate bar of choice. I was that classic picky eating kid.  I loved french fries, hot dogs, burgers and ice cream and to be totally honest, I'm not actually sure I even ate vegetables? But, my parents didn't keep a lot of "junk" in the house - their word, not mine (I take a bit of issue with that word now). My friends would come over after school and be thoroughly disappointed that our only snack options were "Cheerio Mix" or babaganoush. 

This creamy tahini beet dip is delicious and the perfect way to change up your usual hummus routine. If you love hummus as much as we do, you'll love this variation.  It's dairy free, vegan and free of legumes and beans so if you aren't able to eat chickpeas, then this is the perfect option.  We love the combination of fresh lemon with earthy, sweet beets and the creaminess of tahini. There are two different options when it comes to preparing the beets for this dip.  If you'r

Most store bought jams and jellies are loaded with sugar, but it's easy to make your own homemade version that is sweetened with a little bit of maple syrup instead.  Or you could even make a sugar free version by leaving out sweetener all together or use a keto friendly sweetener such as monkfruit or xylitol. We love using chia seeds as an alternative to pectin, which you'll commonly see used to create the gelatinous consistency of jam and jelly.  Chia seeds are one of the

This muffin recipe is perfect for breakfast because it's just slightly sweet and packed with lots of protein and healthy fats to keep you fuelled throughout the morning.  It's the perfect combination of raspberries and vanilla.  Using dates to sweeten these muffins means that they won't spike your blood sugar as quickly as other sweeteners or sugar, plus dates are rich in a wide array of minerals and fiber.  Cassava flour works well here and is a wonderful grain free alternat

This mint chocolate bark is perfect for the holiday season!  It actually can be easy to make your own chocolate at home, from scratch.  This way you get to decide how sweet you'd like it to be and exactly what type of sweetener you want to use.  For example, you could use coconut sugar or maple syrup.  Or, you could even use stevia instead (just a few drops, add to taste) if you are following a sugar-free diet. Not only is peppermint helpful for supporting digestion, but it m

Looking for a delicious refreshing popsicle recipe to rescue you from this summer heat? Try these nutritious strawberry, coconut, cherry popsicles! They are delicious and do not take long to prepare, the hardest part is resisting the temptation to eat them while waiting for them to freeze fully. There are only two layers to the popsicle, the strawberry layer and the coconut layer. Then we threw in some sliced cherries to add some additional health benefits and delicious flavo

Boiling hot this summer and looking for a healthy cool down that you can make in less than 5 minutes? Try this yummy summer slushy. The consistency is just like a slushy, sip it with a straw or eat it with a spoon and enjoy a treat with no added sugars or sweeteners. Kombucha is naturally fermented, so it has a bubbly, carbonated taste that’s pretty subtle when combined with watermelon and blueberries.  We wanted to find a creative way to incorporate kombucha into this recip

Calling all cookie lovers! These gluten free and vegan cookies are extremely delicious and rich in fiber, protein, and low in sugar, making them nutrient dense. We’ve sweetened these cookies with only whole food sweeteners, maple syrup and blackstrap molasses, and a little bit of dark chocolate and cacao nibs make them extra delicious. There is a quarter cup of both ground flax and hemp seeds in the recipe. Ground flax is high in omega 3 fatty acids, protein, and fiber (which

Feeling too hot during the summer and need a refreshing snack? Don’t worry, Living Kitchen has got your back!  These vegan watermelon chia seed popsicles are absolutely delicious and refreshing. They are designed to look like a watermelon using different fruits and veggies. The bottom layer is made with watermelon, lemon juice and chia seeds. Chia seeds are an excellent source of protein, fiber, fat, calcium and magnesium. More importantly, they are loaded with antioxidants

This is one of those recipes that you won't want to share.  Well, you'll want to share it because it's so delicious, but you might find that you want to keep every last little bite for yourself.  If you're sharing, we highly recommend doubling the recipe!  Creamy avocadoes act as an incredible replacement for the cream and milk in traditional ice cream, making this 100% dairy free.  Besides being dairy free, avocadoes provide an array of nourishing fats from the high level of

Fresh strawberries, fluffy cake and whipped cream is always a magical combination in the summer; there's nothing quite like strawberry shortcake.  Since we are huge fans of this dessert, we wanted to create a healthier version of the recipe that is not only grain free and gluten free, but sugar free as well. This strawberry shortcake contains healthy fat and protein that will keep your blood sugar stable and is even nutritious enough to eat for breakfast (why not, when it's p

Granola doesn't last very long around Living Kitchen HQ. We love it so much that we could eat it for every meal (alright, maybe we're exaggerating a little bit). While oats are packed with heart-healthy soluble fibre that makes for a satiating breakfast, store-bought versions are often high in sugar - around 12.5 grams per cup according to  The Guardian . Eating this first thing in the morning can absolutely be a recipe for a massive energy spike and crash later in the day.

Today we’re giving you tips on building an impressive health-forward snack board that is packed with flavour and will please all of the palates at your dinner table. The board we’ve created features an assortment of gluten free crackers, vegetables and fruits and four recipes: earthy beet hummus, thyme and roasted garlic cashew cheese, radish green hemp pesto, and maple citrus candied nuts. Our recipes would be at home on any snack board, or are great as a stand alone option.

Have you ever had a plate full of sushi and feel ravenously hungry a few hours later? We love sushi, but are always looking for a way to make it more nutritious. Most rolls contain deep fried tempura and starchy white rice – not the best choices to make for blood sugar balance or disease prevention. We were inspired to create these vibrant sushi rolls packed with cauliflower rice, raw veggies, and a drizzle of tangy tahini lime sauce. Cauliflower is a fibre-packed cruciferous

We’ve created a baked donut recipe with gluten-free and grain-free variations that we hope you will go nuts for. Forgive the pun; we are really excited to share these! We think these are the perfect sweet treat to bring along with you to Easter dinner. Our grain-free recipe is also Passover friendly. These donuts are packed with fibre rich oat flour – almond flour in our grain-free version – sweetened with maple syrup and topped with a decadent coconut butter glaze coloured w

Everyone loves to dive into a great dip but sometimes it can feel a little repetitive. An easy way to mix it up is to blend in some veggies to change the flavour and add in some extra nutrients. Back in the fall I had the opportunity to take some (amazing) classes at The Natural Gourmet Institute in New York City. One of the classes was with Chef Megan Huylo who is an incredible chef and inspiration. This recipe is inspired from one of hers. After diving into Megan’s recipes

Ever crave a muffin in the morning that's perfect for breakfast but not too sweet? We are always trying to find recipes for baked goods that won't give us a sugar rush or that shaky feeling that comes from eating something too sweet for breakfast.  This recipe is a lovely combination of spelt, oat and buckwheat that creates a flavourful, rich flour that's also still fluffy.  Buckwheat is a gluten free flour that we love to bake with, but it is very dense when used on it's own

If this recipe had another name it would be "All the warm and fuzzy holiday feelings sauce!"  It's our warming, spiced, boost your immune system winter sauce that's the perfect combo of sweet and tart.  Cranberries, orange, and apples simmered with fresh ginger root, cinnamon and maple syrup will make your home smell so comforting and welcoming.  We love eating this sauce with breakfast, as a snack, as a healthy dessert or you can use it in any meal where you would use standa

It's fall and that means pumpkin spice season! These little muffins have all the spices from pumpkin pie and are perfect for breakfast or as a snack.  Buckwheat is a gluten free grain that has an earthy taste that can be noticeable in some recipes, but pairing it with oat flour in these muffins helps to mellow out the strong flavour.  Pumpkin (and squash) is a wonderful seasonal vegetable to eat in the fall and winter because it's packed with vitamins and antioxidant strength