Pancake Dinners And More!

By Melanie Simon, ROHP

Ever feel like you’re in a dinner slump and always making the same things over and over? You’re not alone! In order to keep healthy eating fun and delicious, you have to think outside the box and be creative. A balanced meal can be made up of so many different food combinations; the key is to include each of the following:

• Fibre (fruits, vegetables, legumes)
• Protein (legumes, nuts, seeds, fish, poultry, eggs)
• Complex carbohydrates (whole grains such as quinoa, brown rice)
• Healthy fats (raw nuts or seeds, fish, coconut oil, etc.)

Here are a few out-of-the-box dinner ideas that keep my family’s tummies happy and satisfied.

Sweet potato pancakes

• 1 1/2 cups chickpea flour
• 1/2 cup brown rice flour
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup puréed sweet potato
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon Himalayan salt
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl and all the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients and stir until well combined. Pour 1/4 cup of mixture per pancake into pan and cook over medium– low heat.  Repeat and enjoy with pure maple syrup and fresh fruits on the side.

Kid Friendly platter

• Organic berries
• Organic apple, sliced
• Carrot sticks
• Cucumber sticks
• Celery sticks
• Whole grain crackers
• Homemade earthy hummus

Earthy Hummus

• 1 – 19oz can organic chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• Juice from 1/2 lemon
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 1/8 teaspoon Himalayan salt
• 3/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tablespoons water

Place all ingredients for the hummus in a food processor and blend until well combined. Place in fridge while you prepare the rest of the platter. Wash and cut all fruits and vegetables and arrange on the platter along with whole grain crackers. Serve with hummus.

Zesty Zucchini noodles

• 4 zucchinis
• 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 3 tablespoons hemp hearts
• 2 tablespoons raw sesame seeds
• 1/2 English cucumber
• 1/2 green pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/2 red pepper, thinly sliced
• 12 grape tomatoes, halved

Dressing

• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste

Add all dressing ingredients into a jar and shake. Place in fridge while flavours blend. Peel whole raw zucchini with a julienne peeler. Keep peeling lengthwise until you reach the seeds. Place on paper towels to drain while you prepare the other ingredients. Chop your tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers.

Place zucchini noodles, veggies, and seeds in a bowl . Toss with salt, pepper and dressing to your liking. Serve with a side of poultry or fish. Enjoy! Melanie Simon, ROHP, RNCP, is a Greater Sudbury-based mom and owner of Naturally Vibrant. She can be reached at naturallyvibrant@hotmail.com]]>