Simple yet satisfying and seemingly impressive salads are your secret weapon for a successful dinner party (or quiet night at home…that’s cool too). Now the key to a knock-out salad is the dressing, but I’m also a believer in not spending your entire day fiddling over a vinaigrette. This lovely little side dish is elevated by the effortlessly classic combination of olive oil, fresh lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, and fresh herbs. That’s it! Don’t overthink it, don’t overdue it, let the deliciously nutrient-dense ingredients speak for themselves and you’re all set…
Read moreEasy Baba Ganoush (slightly sweet and a hint of smokey)
Creamy, savoury, satisfying, and always a big hit at parties, this middle eastern dish is a great addition to your crudités boards, snack-game, on sandwiches, in Whole Bowls, or simply on its own! For this recipe, I drizzled the eggplant with some honey before roasting for a hint of sweet, and then used a special smoked sea salt from Vancouver Island Sea Salt Co. to give it a delightfully smokey flavour…
Read moreLemon Lavender Shortbread (gluten-free, refined sugar-free)
Lavender is one of my favourite things on earth. It’s one of my favourite smells, one of my favourite flavours, even one of my favourite colours! It reminds me of the times I’ve spent in France, and in the summer, tending to the lavender bushes in my yard sends me into utter bliss. But it’s not just a sensory delight for me - lavender is one of the most powerful and diverse herbal healers...
Read moreSpiced Spatchcocked Chicken with Apricots, Prunes, and Olives
As you may recall in my post about roasting chickens, I’m a big fan of cooking up the whole bird instead constantly buying only the popular cuts. For more on why this is, read the full thing here. But if you’re thinking to yourself, “I’m hungry now” and simply can’t wait an hour and a half for your clucker to cook through, this might be a solid option for you...
Read moreSimple Roast Chicken with Lemon & Herbs (Plus Carving Tips)
Roasting a whole chicken may seem daunting at first. I mean, you hear countless stories regaling the horrors of roasting the infamous Thanksgiving turkey, popping any whole bird in the oven should be a task reserved for the brave! But I promise you, roasting a chicken is nothing like roasting a turkey. And in all honesty, roasting a turkey isn’t that hard either, but we’ll touch on that another day…
Read moreManuka Honey Turmeric Lemon Tarts
Now, as you can probably imagine, the course was rather heavy in the dairy, gluten, and refined sugar department – all things that as you can see I often avoid with my Whole Happy recipes – so many of my old cooking school recipes have been recently adapted to suite my GF and DF amis, including this delightful tarte au citron creation below...
Read moreLemon Blueberry Muffins
There’s just something so fresh and summery about blueberry and lemon. And this classic combo goes so beautifully in a big old fluffy muffin! But if that muffin makes you feel sick, tired, grumpy, and bloated, well all of a sudden blueberry and lemon doesn’t seem so “fresh," does it? Well, like all my recipes, I aim to find alternatives that satisfy various wellness considerations and dietary restrictions. This particular recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free for anyone avoiding those common allergens and irritators. And of course, like ALL the recipes on the Whole Happy blog, it’s 100% refined-sugar free. Best of all, it’s foolproof!..
Read moreStrawberry Rhubarb Compote with Lemon-Vanilla Whipped Coconut Cream
One of my favourite markers of this time of year is the first rhubarb harvest. In addition to the delightfully tangy taste, rhubarb has been linked to weight balance, cardiovascular health, digestive ease, bone strength, cancer prevention, improved circulation, and even prevention of diseases such as Alzheimer’s due to its high levels of vitamin K...
Read moreRaspberry Lemon Cashew "Cheesecake" (raw, vegan, paleo)
There are endless iterations of cashew cheesecake out there, but this version has a lovely, light, almost mousse-like texture perfect for hot summer days when you still want something sweet, but not overly heavy. Plus the seasonally appropriate raspberries and fresh lemon juice give it a delightful zing, that in my humble opinion, couples wonderfully with a refreshing sparkling adult beverage of choice...
Read moreRefreshing & Detoxifying Green Smoothie
As soon as spring hits I often find myself seeking out more light and refreshing flavours. But not surprisingly many of the things my mouth is craving are also ingredients my body is physiologically yearning for. After the slow pace of winter, it’s very common for our bodies to awaken with a sense of excitement and energy. During this process, our bodies are also naturally ramping up their detoxification channels to shed the accumulated gunk of the winter, and prime themselves for springtime vitality! While our bodies have a number of mechanisms in place to “clean house” on their own, it’s always nice to give them a little boost...
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