Garlicky Sweet n’Spicy Kale Chips

Garlicky Sweet n’Spicy Kale Chips 

These are a FAVOURITE snack in our household. Sometimes, I cut the Cashews down by half due to the high fat content. The dates and hot oil together play tricks on the tastebuds, but oohhhhh they are scrumptious! No salt, no sugar, no saturated fats, no dairy and all natural.

Large Head of Fresh Kale (cut or tear it off stem and break into medium, chip sized pieces)

3/4 Cup of  Raw Cashews (soaked for a few hours to soften) -> Very healthy and full of monounsaturate fats, calcium, dietary fiber BUT also very HIGH FAT. Replace Cashews with Salsa - it works.

4 Gloves of Garlic

2 tbsp of hot olive oil (jalapeño)

6-8 pitted dates

1/3 Cup of Almond Milk 

In blender mix all the ingredients (except the Kale, of course, which is in a large bowl).  Once consistency is thick and creamy (I like it to still have a few chunks), use your hands (gets messy, so gloves are handy) and spread, meld, fuse, press…all over the Kale.  Piece by piece, put the Kale on they trays, trying to isolate each one. I always start the dehydrator at HIGH for one hour and the lower the temperature for about 8 hours. If no dehydrator, do the same thing at low temperature in oven (180 degrees or so).

Vegan Wild Blueberry and Date Muffin Goodness

VEGAN Blueberry & Date Muffins

These muffins definitely top our favourite snack list. They are so easy to make, contain no eggs, no butter, no refined sugar and no dairy products. We eat them before a workout and sometimes during a workout or even just for a healthy ‘pick-me-up’ sort of snack during the day. Ingredients are all natural, there is no salt and the milled flax seed provides Omega 3 and Omega 6 Essential Fatty Acids and an awesome dose of iron and fibre. 

Dry Ingredients:

2/3 Cup Whole Wheat Flour

1/3 Cup Ground Flax Seed

1 tbsp Baking Power

1 tbsp Baking Soda

Cinnamon

Wet Ingredients:

Chopped dates (natural sugar and potassium is great for recovery!!)

Mashed Banana mixed with Apple Sauce (Potassium)

Cup of Wild Blueberries (super antioxidant)

1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

1/3 Cup of Agave Nectar

1 Cup of Almond or Flax Milk

Topping and Filling:

Sliced Almonds

Oats

Touch of Brown Sugar

Chia Seeds and/or Cacao Nibs (complex carbs and very high source of FIBER)

Fresh or Frozen Blueberries (with some juice) - with spoon, place (press) into centre of muffin after filling muffin pan

Directions:

Mix dry and wet ingredients.  Fill Muffin pans ¾ full. Bake at around 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Time ALWAYS varies as it depends on the consistency of mixture which is never perfect. Remember to grease the pan.

The muffin themselves are approximately  150 Calories of PURE PLANT POWER GOODNESS.