Easy Kale and Parsley Pesto

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Nita sharda, carrots and cakeI love me some pesto. Do you? I only began experimenting with this sauce a few years ago and now it’s a pantry staple. Better yet, I’ve even ventured into making my own version of pesto. I was inspired to use kale in this recipe by my summer CSA. We’ve been getting an abundance of kale and I’ve been experimenting with unique ways to use up this nutrient-loaded green.

Most pesto recipes call for basil. I opted not to use basil primarily because in the fall/winter months it’s actually quite pricey (at least here in Winnipeg) and sometimes I find myself visiting 2 – 3 grocery stores only to not find any! So instead I use parsley. Problem solved.

There’s also a TON of ways you can use up pesto. Here’s a few suggestions to inspire you:

  • Use it as marinade for your white fish or chicken
  • Place it on top of toast to change up your breakfast game, top with a poached egg
  • Toss it in pasta (hot or cold)
  • Make pesto spinach muffins
  • Use pesto instead of pizza sauce on your crust (my favvv)
  • Use pesto for this quinoa salad recipe
  • Flavor turkey meatballs with with pesto
  • Add small dollops to crostinis and top with cherry tomatoes for a fun appie
  • Make a gourmet grilled cheese sandwich with pesto and mozzarella
  • Marinade veggies like tomato, zucchini and muchrooms in pesto and grill
  • Or, eat it by the spoonful

There you have it! Ten ways you can enjoy this pesto! 

Why is this pesto a great choice?

  • It’s loaded with anti-inflammatory olive oil
  • Helps you meet your recommended intake for greens
  • Walnuts offer up omega-3, hello heart health!
  • There’s cheese in it
  • Mic drop, enough said!

Nita sharda, carrots and cakeNita sharda, carrots and cake

Okay, recipe below.

Easy Kale and Parsley Pesto
 
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Ingredients
  • ¼ cup walnuts, toasted (or preferred nut)
  • 1½ cups torn kale, stem removed
  • ½ cup curly parsley, roughly chopped
  • ¼ cup cubed or grated parmesan
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic
  • juice of one lemon
Instructions
  1. To toast walnuts, warm a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add walnuts and lightly toast for about 8 - 10 minutes or until fragrant. Be careful! You don't want them to burn.
  2. In a small food processor of blender add walnuts and remaining ingredients. Blend well.
  3. Taste. Add salt, pepper or more lemon juice as needed. If you find your pesto too runny, you can add another ¼ cup of walnuts.
  4. Store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to one week or freeze!.

Pesto in processor_close upFood photography done by the talented Ceone Dyck. To learn more about Ceone click here or follow her on Facebook.

Don’t forget to follow Carrots and Cake on Instagram to see tiny square snap shots of my life.

                 – With Love, Carrots and Cake,

Carrots and Cake Nita Sharda

 

Asparagus and Cherry Tomato Pasta

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Nita Sharda Carrots and CakeYAASSSS. Asparagus is finally in season. I remember being in my twenties and trying a spear of asparagus for the first time. I was confused. But then I had another spear. I was hooked. Since then, I’ve enjoy asparagus in many ways from grilling, steaming, wrapped in prosciutto and mixed into a summery pasta dish!

This pasta recipe is SO EASY to throw together on a busy weeknight. Washing and trimming the asparagus ahead of time will help make this a total breeze. Besides, doesn’t everyone love pasta?

Here are a few reasons why you’ll enjoy this recipe and feel good about eating it:

  • It’s colourful – beautiful red and green colors make this pretty on the eye
  • The whole wheat pasta will keep you full
  • You can top your pasta with any cheese you desire, I used Bothwell Cheese Parmesan but it’s also taste with goat cheese and feta cheese; if you’re vegan you can nix the cheese or use your favorite dairy-free product!
  • It includes 9 only ingredients! NINE!
  • The olive oil is super heart health and anti-inflammatory (remember, we talked about that here)

Kay…one more picture, and then I’ll share the recipe! 

Pasta_main

Asparagus and Cherry Tomato Pasta
 
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Serves: 5-6
Ingredients
  • 2 cups whole wheat pasta (uncooked)
  • approx 20 spears of asparagus, washed, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • ¼ cup and 1 tbsp olive oil
  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • ⅓ cup cheese (parmesan, goat cheese or feta cheese)
Instructions
  1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, sauté asparagus in 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Continue to cook asparagus until it is tender.
  3. Add in garlic, cooked pasta, remaining olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Mix together and heat through for about one minute to allow the garlic to infuse itself into the dish.
  4. Add in cherry tomatoes and continue to heat the pasta through for 5 minutes or until cherry tomatoes begin to wilt.
  5. Remove from heat. Top with cheese.

Nita Sharda Carrots and CakeFood photography done by the talented Ceone Dyck. To learn more about Ceone click here or follow her on Facebook.

Don’t forget to follow Carrots and Cake on Instagram to see tiny square snap shots of my life.

                 – With Love, Carrots and Cake,

Carrots and Cake Nita Sharda

The Better Broccoli Salad

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Nita Sharda, Carrots and CakeAs per the title of this blog post, the feature vegetable in this summer salad is none other than the broccoli. Growing up we typically only enjoyed broccoli when it was cooked into saag which is a giant mush (I’m not joking) of cooked down onion, spinach, broccoli and an array of spices. Now, I have fun using broccoli in stir fry’s, roasted, dunked into a ranch dip and of course, all dressed up in a Greek yogurt dressing.

I’m sure you’ve tried a few versions of this recipe. But I really think you should make my recipe your go-to for summer potlucks, dinners or even enjoy this salad as a snack. Along with broccoli, this salad also includes a juicy apple, red onion, carrot sticks,  cranberry and pumpkin seeds. Feel free to swap out ingredients and change the quantities as you wish. The “OG” version of recipe usually calls for copious amounts of mayo and sometime bacon. THIS version is laced with a high protein dressing courtesy of Greek yogurt.Nita Sharda, Carrots and CakeNita Sharda, Carrots and CakeNita Sharda, Carrots and Cake

Arrrrrright, let’s move onto what you’re really here for. 

The recipe.

The Better Broccoli Salad
 
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Serves: 5
Ingredients
  • 3 cups broccoli, chopped
  • 1 Gala apple, chopped
  • ¼ cup red onion, chopped
  • 1 cup grated or julienne carrots
  • ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
  • ¼ cup dried cranberries
  • ½ cup chopped SqueaK'rs, cheddar (or grated)
  • Dressing
  • ¾ cup 2% M.F. Greek yogurt
  • ⅓ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoon honey
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • Pinch of salt and pepper
  • Pink of paprika
Instructions
  1. Place all prepared veggies, apple, cranberries, pumpkin seeds and cheese into a bowl. Toss together.
  2. To prepare the dressing stir together Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, honey, lemon, salt, pepper and paprika.
  3. Pour the dressing (only half at a time) over the salad, ensuring the veggies are well coated. Let the salad sit in the fridge for 20 minutes to soften the broccoli. Add more dressing if desired.
  4. Serve and enjoy!
Nita Sharda, Carrots and CakeFood photography done by the talented Ceone Dyck. To learn more about Ceone click here or follow her on Facebook.

Don’t forget to follow Carrots and Cake on Instagram to see tiny square snap shots of my life.

                 – With Love, Carrots and Cake,

Carrots and Cake Nita Sharda

Egg Noodle Bake

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Nita Sharda, Carrots and CakeOh haaaayyyy. Yes, that’s a casserole dish full of carbs and yes, I am a Registered Dietitian who developed this recipe. I’ve said it before: don’t be afraid of carbohydrates! This recipe features a classic egg noodle. Because it’s difficult to trace down a wholewheat version of this popular noodle I decided to embrace it’s “white version”. Knowing it would be lower in fibre, I quickly decided that I could:

  1. Add fibre to the overall dish by loading up with veggies, and,
  2. Add split red lentils to not only boost protein but to also amp up my fibre intake

The result: an all-in-one dish that packs a ton of flavour, lasts for dayssss (*hello freezer*) and can be enjoyed by the entire family. The protein content in here is also one to be admired – cottage cheese is always such an underrated food. But in our house, I can eat a heaping bowl of it as a snack or as part of my breakfast. One cup of this stuff contains about 30 grams of protein. HOLY MOLY!

This is also the type of recipe you can adapt. For example, if mushrooms aren’t your jam then add in celery instead! Or if you’re craving more bell peppers because they’ll be in season soon, then add more! You can’t go wrong. Except…if you add zucchini, it will be very liquidy (that’s just the nature of zucchini). There is even flexibility in the type of protein you choose. I opted for some local Manitoba Chicken but you could use a lean ground pork or beef if you wanted. Even TVP would work well (although I haven’t tried that).

Let me tease you with one more photo before sharing the recipe…(and yes, that’s Bothwell Cheese for the win, duh).

Nita Sharda, Carrots and Cake

5.0 from 1 reviews
Egg Noodle Bake
 
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Serves: 10
Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp canola oil
  • 2 lb ground meat (lean beef, turkey or chicken)
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 cups mushroom, diced
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • ½ cup red split lentils
  • 1 15oz can tomato sauce
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 1 tbsp dried oregano
  • 1 tbsp dried parsley
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1½ cup cottage cheese
  • ¾ cup mozzarella cheese, grated
  • 1 packgage egg noodles (about 8oz)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Cook egg noodles until al dente. Drain and set aside.
  3. Brown your selected meat in a large skillet. Drain fat and then set aside on a plate.
  4. Heat 1 tbsp canola oil in the same skillet and sauté onions. Once onions are slightly translucent, add in mushrooms, red pepper and garlic. Continue to cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender.
  5. Then add in meat, tomato sauce, broth and red split lentils. Add in your spices: salt, pepper, parsley and oregano. Feel free to add in any other spices you'd like such as red chilli flakes for some heat!
  6. Let this mixture simmer for about 15 minutes over low heat, or until red lentils are cooked through.
  7. Meanwhile, place your drained egg noodles into a large casserole dish. Mix in cottage cheese.
  8. Top noodles with the meat and vegetable mixture and mix well to ensure the noodles are well coated.
  9. Top with grated cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Nita Sharda, Carrots and Cake
Food photography done by the talented Ceone Dyck. To learn more about Ceone click here or follow her on Facebook.

Don’t forget to follow Carrots and Cake on Instagram to see tiny square snap shots of my life.

                 – With Love, Carrots and Cake,

Carrots and Cake Nita Sharda

Veggie-filled Mac and Cheese

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Nita Sharda, Carrots and CakeDon’t get upset! I know what you’re thinking “why did this Dietitian take my favorite comfort food and add veggies and then butcher it with lentils?”! I realize fully that mac and cheese is all things comforting and nostalgic for many of us. Having said that, most of use could do with a bit more veggies in our life and in honour of The International Year of the Pulse, it only made sense.

The truth is, I love a good mac and cheese. You know, the kind you get at restaurants with the crispy topping. Oh, and when it has bacon, even better. Unfortunately, on almost all occasions, these variations of mac and cheese left me feeling like I had just eaten a treat. So, I wanted to create a wholesome recipe that I could enjoy and feel good about eating throughout the week. You feel me?

I remember the first time I made this recipe. My husband scratched his head and said, “babe, there is something more gritty in the texture”. I smiled and told him it was the lentils. He shrugged, grabbed a second serving and called it great. What a keeper. So yes, you should expect a slight change in the texture you’re used to, but the taste shouldn’t be all too different.

If you need to take baby steps. Maybe try the recipe with just onion and lentils. Or, just veggies. It’s your body, you’re the boss. 

I tripple-tried this recipe before deciding to have it photographed and placed on the blog. But, it fits. It truly does. Here’s what I love about this version of mac n’ cheese:

  • It uses 2% Evaporated Milk to give it the creaminess you want. It’s made by removing water from fresh milk and then heating it. Heating the milk gives it the creamy, slightly cooked taste and darker colour. It’s a source of protein, calcium and Vitamin D!
  • It includes approximately 3 cups of veggies which mean you could really add more, or less. One time I added cauliflower! Another time I opted to use mushrooms.
  • The lentils help to increase the protein and fibre content of the entire recipe, making it a one-pot-meal kinda deal.
  • You can spice it up as you wish. I keep it simple but you could also add some basil or parsley if you fancy.
  • Lastly, it’s freezer friendly and great to pull out on those day’s you might be extra crazy busy and don’t want to compromise on your nutrition. Simply place it in the oven and bake until everything is heated through and your cheese is bubbly.

I drew inspiration for this recipe from The Lean Green Bean and the Eat Shrink and Be Merry gals. Check out their versions if you wish.

Nita Sharda, Carrots and Cake

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL.

Nita Sharda, Carrots and CakeNita Sharda, Carrots and Cake

Okay, recipe taymeeee.

Mac and Cheese with Lentils
 
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Serves: 6 - 8
Ingredients
  • 1 cup elbow pasta
  • ¾ cup red lentils, uncooked
  • 2 tbsp canola oil or butter
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 1 cup broccoli, chopped into small florets
  • 1 cup spinach, thinly chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp cayenne
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp all purpose flour
  • 1 can (370mL) Evaporated Milk (I used 2% MF)
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Cook elbow pasta according to package directions, until al dente. Drain and set aside.
  3. Cook red lentils according to package directions. Once lentils are cooked through, set aside.
  4. In a separate large pot, heat butter or canola oil. Add in onion and cook until translucent.
  5. Once onion is cooked through, add in remaining vegetables, garlic and spices. Saute for 10 - 15 minutes until vegetables are softened. I prefer to add my spinach last as it requires very little heat.
  6. Sprinkle vegetables with flour, ensuring the mixture is well coated.
  7. Add evaporated milk and ¾ cup of cheese, leaving some cheese for the last step.
  8. Add in cooked pasta and lentils to the vegetable mixture and combine thoroughly.
  9. Place mixture in a 9 x 13 dish, or two 8 x 8 dishes. Top with remaining cheese.
  10. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until cheese is bubbly.

Nita Sharda, Carrots and Cake
Food photography done by the talented Ceone Dyck. To learn more about Ceone click here or follow her on Facebook.

Don’t forget to follow Carrots and Cake on Instagram to see tiny square snap shots of my life.

                 – With Love, Carrots and Cake,

Carrots and Cake Nita Sharda

Roasted Butternut Squash Hummus

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Nita Sharda, Carrots and Cake

Butternut squash, chickpeas and hemp = amazing.

Butternut squash and chickpeas.

The best of both worlds when this subtle squash melds with chickpeas in this non-traditional take on hummus. I’ve tried few different variations of hummus including my Jalapeno Spiced Hummus and other store bought variations like Sabra’s Supremely Spicy Hummus (c’mon, I’m Indian aka I live for spice). But after seeing the Minimalist Baker’s version of Butternut Squash Hummus I just had to try it out. I didn’t have all of the same ingredients on hand so this is my adaptation. Seriously, I can never follow a recipe (jeeze).

What I love about this version of hummus is the thick consistency. It’s perfect as a dip but really I think it was destined to be used as a spread on wraps and sandwiches. Don’t you hate it when your sandwich spread leaves your bread soggy? Yuck! Fear not. This wont happen with this Roasted Butternut Squash hummus.

I have two other tid-bits to share about the recipe.

  • First, the garlic. ROAST THE GARLIC PEOPLE. The yield is a deep flavor that isn’t as overpowering as raw garlic tends to be. I know my bff Christine aka nurse-turned-photographer LOVED the taste of garlic. She’s actually rationing her hummus to keep it all week long. Yeah, that good.
  • Secondly, the hemp hearts (shout out to Just Hemp Foods) adds a lovely nuttiness to the entire product. Not to mention, these tiny but oober-powerful seeds help crank up the protein content and offer anti-inflammatory fats that we could all use a little more of.

And HELLO to all of you mama’s who try to get your little peeps to eat more veggies. They will never know there is squash in this hummus (sneaky, sneaky). But, that doesn’t mean you can’t tell them what’s in it! We can really only hide veggies from our kids for so long; educate your children about the meals you’re creating and they’ll be encouraged to try them!

Okay, okay. The recipe: 

 
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Ingredients
  • 1 cup butternut squash, cubed
  • 5 cloves garlic, whole
  • 1 tbsp dried parsley
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1 15oz can chickpeas, rinsed + drained
  • ⅓ cup tahini
  • ¼ cup hemp heart
  • 5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and position a rack in the middle of the oven.
  2. Toss butternut squash, 5 garlic cloves and parsley with a drizzle of olive oil on a baking sheet.
  3. Roast squash for 20 - 30 minutes minutes, or until all squash is fork tender and the garlic is golden brown. I allowed some of my squash to really crispen up. Let cool 5 minutes.
  4. In your food processor or blender combine: squash, garlic, lemon juice, chickpeas, tahini, hemp hearts, olive oil, salt, pepper and cumin.
  5. Blend the mixture until creamy and smooth, scraping down sides as needed and adding more olive oil or a touch of water to achieve desired consistency.
  6. Serve immediately or chill in your fridge.

Nita Sharda, Carrots and CakeNita Sharda, Carrots and Cake

Now what are you gonna do with all that hummus? The options are endless: plop some onto of a salad, use it as a spread on sandwiches and wraps, eat it by the spoonful, dunk veggies into it or use it as a dip to compliment a cheese board. Kinda like I did over here for an upcoming collaboration with Bothwell Cheese (stay tuned). Drooooolllll.
Nita Sharda

If you’re need of more legume based recipes, check out:

                 – With Love, Carrots and Cake,

Carrots and Cake Nita Sharda

GNI Feature: Easy, Fancy, Grown Up (but not really) Party Snack Ideas

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Nita Sharda, Carrots and Cake

Pretty spices.

This post will mark the finale of the Girls Night In feature that was running on the Carrots and Cake blog over the past few weeks. As we bid farewell to what was a short but sweet summer, I’m hoping I can look forward to the fall season with open arms and that I can introduce you to some of my favorite fall recipes.

If you’ve ever hosted a girls night or any form of entertaining you know that multitasking is a skill you’ll need to really hone in on. Preparing in advance will save you from feeling overwhelmed and what I want to talk to you about is selecting a few quick n’ easy munchies that you can whip up in minutes!

The Cheese Plate

Putting together a cheese plate takes very little time and effort. It’s a great way to serve a dairy product in a sophisticated way for guests to enjoy or nibble on while the rest of your items are getting prepped. Cheese often gets a bad rap for its high fat content but people forget how rich it can be in nutrients like calcium, vitamin B12 and protein. For my girls night, I served up a variety of cheeses generously donated by Bothwell Cheese – the finest cheese makers in Manitoba! I take great pleasure in sourcing local food products. My favorite is the classic marble cheese but when I’m feeling adventurous I enjoy snacking on the Jalapeno Pepper Jack. 

I often pair my cheese plate with whole grain crackers such as Mary’s Gone crackers but you can also utilize a crusty baguette, raisin bread, sourdough or pumpernickel. Just remember the idea is not to overwhelm the taste of the cheese – check out the Dairy Goodness site for more information on entertaining with cheese. It’s also fun to pair cheese plates with pickles, roasted garlic, dark chocolate, nuts and dried fruit. What’s your favorite way to enjoy cheese?

Nita Sharda, Carrots and Cake

Thanks again Bothwell Cheese.

Parmesan Popcorn 

Popcorn isn’t just for the movies–you can pop a modest portion and top it with unique ingredients to create fun flavours. I’m a big believer that popcorn is the most versatile food out there. Popcorn is a totally unprocessed whole grain that also contains fibre. You can enjoy it sweet or savoury. Nix the pre-packaged microwave, store-bought, and movie theater varieties which are usually laced with a ton of additives, fat and salt. Instead, air-pop a handful of kernels in a dab of fat such as butter, olive oil or even coconut oil. The Food Network has an easy microwave method if that’s the route you’d like to take or you can pop it on the stovetop.

I had a guest who brought over a super-duper-awesome popcorn maker which made it really easy to prepare popcorn. It’s not necessary to buy a fancy popcorn maker but if you’re interested, they can be purchased for extremely affordable prices, usually less than $20.00. I packaged the popcorn into cute little sandwhich bags and topped the mixture with cayenne pepper and Bothwell Cheese Smoked Parmesan.

As far as toppings, here are a few that I personally enjoy, but the list could be endless:

  • Nutritional yeast
  • Cayenne pepper
  • Cinnamon + Vanilla extract
  • Garlic powder
  • Parmesan Cheese

CnC_gni popcorn Carrots and Cake, Nita Sharda

p.s. If you haven’t already checked it out, this is a short snippet of what my #gni looked like. Enjoy!

 

 

                 – With Love, Carrots and Cake,

 
 Carrots and Cake Nita Sharda

 

Carrots and Cake Hosts: Girls-Night-In #gni

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Nita Sharda, Carrots and Cake

Well, I’ll toast to that! #gni

Well hello there!

With summer in full swing, our days are longer and the warmth of the sun flirts with us into the evening hours. In previous posts I’ve mentioned that summer is hands-down-no-questions-asked my favorite season. In my life, summer represents a time that allows for many family BBQs, weddings, baby showers, and of course, those coveted girls-night-in (infamously known as GNI).

There are many things I can confidently and sincerely say I’m lousy at (examples: ironing, making roti, and singing), but there are some things that I’m pretty darn great at. C’mon, I’m a self-proclaimed “chef” and boast myself as being the hostess with the mostess (believing it is half the battle, right?). It’s taken me years to hone my entertaining skills and, though I’m happy with where I’m at, I’m always on the lookout for the latest and greatest ways to ensure my guests have a certifiable ball. It isn’t always easy being that hostess with the mostess (aka trying to juggle a million balls at once and making it look like it’s no sweat), and I’ve learned that it’s a skill that will, like a good wine, mature with time (oh, did you see what I did there? That rhymes!). The best part is that entertaining can be (very) messy, it can be fun, soothing (dare I say therapeutic at times), but most importantly it can be incredibly rewarding. When my guests leave with happy bellies, nourished bodies, and warm memories, it gives me this real sense of fulfillment. I think it’s another trait I inherited from my mother as she would prepare food for our family. I guess this is another example of how I am completely my mother’s daughter.

So, getting back to that GNI…

A while ago I invited a few of my girlfriends over for a fun GNI that was, of course, filled with the latest celebrity gossip and sharing upcoming summer plans, all accompanied by excessive helpings of giggles. I prepared a menu that I knew they would all enjoy, and even handcrafted a yummy cocktail, which used herbs from my very own garden. Don’t worry, I’ll share more about the specific menu items and recipes so keep an eye out for them! But for now, how about you drool over this insanely adorable video that my friends at Samba Joy created for me (shout out to Marcello and Madalena!).

“I’ll fix your favorite dishes
Hopin’ this good food will fill ya
Stand in kitchen alone, work my fingers to the bone
You better eat if it kills ya
Cause everybody eats when they come to my house”

Carrots and Cake, Nita Sharda Carrots and Cake, Nita Sharda Carrots and Cake, Nita Sharda Carrots and Cake, Nita Sharda

Planning on hosting Girls Night In? Check out these links for suggestions and recipes:

Jalapeno Spiced Hummus

Very Berry Pavlova

Almond Crusted Salmon

Raspberry Mojito

Minted Cranberry Pecan Quinoa Salad

Grown UP Party Snack Ideas

               – With Love, Carrots and Cake,

 

Carrots and Cake Nita Sharda

Smashin’ Potatoes

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Smashed potatoes topped with Jalapeno Monterey Jack cheese

I’ve mentioned in a previous post, in our home we are not carb-phobics (intense fear of carbohydrates). Instead, we fully embrace carbohydrates as the primary source of energy for our body and brain.  In my practice I help misinformed clients understand the role of carbohydrates in a healthy diet and often spend time educating them on the wonderful benefits carbs offer. Typical carb foods can be rich in fibre, folate and iron.  You may even be surprised to know that 45 to 65 per cent of your daily calories should be coming from carbohydrate sources, especially if you’re an active person!

…we fully embrace carbohydrates as the primary source of energy for our body and brain…

Growing up, my primary “carb food” came in the form of an Indian flatbread known as roti. Other families may rely on rice, bread or potatoes as their main “carb” source. After living independently and being able to experiment in my own kitchen, I often gravitate towards whole grain breads, white and sweet potatoes, brown rice, soba noodles and whole grain pasta.

Onto the important stuff.

Here’s an easy peasy take on baby potatoes. Being a cheese lover, I decided to top these babies with Manitoba proud, Bothwell Cheese…the Cadillac of all cheeses (in my opinion).

Smash (gently) prior to baking.

Remember, purchasing local foods helps to sustain our economy and flourish our communities.

Smashin' Potatoes
 
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Serves: 3-4
Ingredients
  • 1lb Baby Potatoes
  • 2 tsp Canola Oil
  • 1 tbsp salt free seasoning (Greek, Italian, plain parsley etc)
  • Dash of cracked black pepper
  • ⅓ cup grated cheese (optional, use dairy free if vegan)
Instructions
  1. Bring pot of water to boil. Add in potatoes, and cook until fork tender.
  2. Drain water from the potatoes and line on a baking sheet that has been drizzled with the oil.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  4. Smash each potato using a potato masher, your hand or even a fork.
  5. Bake for 15 minutes. Top with cheese, bake for another 2 minutes.

        – With Love, Carrots and Cake,

Carrots and Cake Nita Sharda