Stephanie Kay Nutrition

Real Food for Real Life

Oven-Baked Parsnip Fries

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Salty, crispy, and crunchy, these oven-baked parsnip fries are a delicious side dish the whole family will love!

Oven-Baked Parsnip Fries

 

Don’t get me wrong, regular crispy oven fries are certainly delicious but sometimes you just need to mix things up and I think these oven-baked parsnip fries are just the way to do it! In my opinion, parsnips are a highly underrated vegetable, in fact, I think all root vegetables are highly underrated. Be it carrots, beets, turnips, parsnips, rutabaga, sweet potatoes, radishes, yams or cassava – there are just so many options to try.

Root veggies are cheap as chips (french fry joke) to buy and the cooking options are endless making them a very friendly and versatile ingredient option in the kitchen. Of the root vegetable family, parsnips might be a bit of an acquired taste, but that doesn’t mean you can’t acquire it. Sometimes you just have to give foods a few chances before you write them off. Parsnips themselves are closely related to carrots and parsley, and can actually be eaten raw like carrots, but I find they taste much better and sweeter roasted in the oven. Although they are often used in holiday dinners, they can certainly be used in day-to-day meals, and these oven-baked parsnip fries are a quick and easy side dish and a welcomed change to the traditional white potatoes.

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Chocolate Chia Pudding

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Would you believe me if I told you this chocolate chia pudding is delicious, high in fiber, and something you could enjoy for breakfast? Good news, it is, in fact, all of the above!

Chocolate Chia Pudding

 

When it comes to breakfast, I really have two rules; 1) limit crumbs, and 2) eat protein. I think these two rules are the most common pitfalls in people’s breakfast, and yet they are so easy to implement. When popular breakfast items include things like muffins, bagels, and granola bars, you are really not setting yourself up for a successful day. In general, items that create crumbs are higher in sugar, and flours, as compared to whole grains, have 10,000 times more surface area meaning they are absorbed more like sugar in the body. This creates a roller coaster for your blood sugar, causing a spike and rapid crash in your energy levels. Ensuring you eat a protein-rich breakfast and limiting crumbs, helps to balance your blood sugar meaning you won’t need that mid-morning snack so quickly, and you’ll have more energy come the afternoon.

 

Chocolate Chia Pudding

 

Chia seeds are a fun ingredient to use. They are a source of plant-based omega-3 fats and protein and absorb 4 times their weight in liquid making them a great ingredient to create healthy puddings. Additionally, since you only need 3 tablespoons per serving for this recipe, a bag of these magical little seeds will make you plenty of chocolatey treats.

More Healthy Chia Pudding Recipes:

 

Homemade Turtles

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This healthy homemade turtles recipe that’s as fun to as make as it is tasty to eat and one the whole family is sure to love!

Homemade Turtles

Turtles used to be one of my favourite holiday treats. My dad used to give them to us every Valentine’s Day and I’d often get them as a little stocking stuffer at Christmas, but as you can imagine, they are not the type of treat that I would opt for nowadays. However, that does not mean that I have lost my love for the ooey-gooey caramel centre, salty pecan crunch and velvety chocolatey melt-in-your-mouth goodness! Lord help me, they are just so good. Fear not, I’ve found a combination that really hits the spot and satisfies that sweet, salty and chocolatey craving.

If you have never tried dates before, I’ve got news for you. 1) Get it together! (Just kidding, it’s all love here folks.) 2) Seriously now, you are missing out. I know you are probably thinking, ‘But aren’t those the fruits used to help relieve constipation?’ Truth, be told, yes they are but stick with me here. Dates are one of the oldest cultivated fruits and therefore are known to have many healing properties. Today dates are available in grocery stores fresh or dried and are sweet tasting with a rich chewy texture. Dried dates are often used in baking recipes as a natural sweetener, such as my Trail Mix Bites, but can also be eaten on their own as a little snack. There are a couple of varieties of dates, but the Medjool variety is the sweetest and, when eaten fresh, tastes just like toffee. That’s right TOFFEE! Not only do they taste amazing, but are a source of fibre, vitamins and trace minerals, and do not spike your blood sugar the same way refined sugar does, making them a great alternative as a natural sweetener.

Homemade Turtle Candy

So, if you have never tried Medjool dates this is your chance. I promise that with their toffee-like flavour and chewy texture, paired with crunchy pecans and rich dark chocolate, they make the perfect caramel centre for these healthy homemade turtles.

Roasted Cod with Fennel and Lemon

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This roasted cod with fennel and lemon is an easy one-pan dinner that can feed a crowd with minimal effort.

Roasted Cod with Fennel & Lemon

 

This baked cod with fennel recipe actually came together rather randomly one night when I didn’t have much of a plan for dinner. I tend to always have an idea of what I am going to make or do a little meal preparation in advance so I’m not scrambling at the minute. However, sometimes the best ideas come from having no plan at all and this was definitely one of them.

I never used to eat much fennel, mostly because I didn’t know what to do with it. It looks rather odd, and it wasn’t a common ingredient in my household as a child. A couple of years ago I made a little challenge to myself; I decided to start buying all of the unfamiliar vegetables in the grocery store and try to cook with them in my kitchen. I’m pretty sure that this idea was inspired by Jamie Oliver; I used to watch his cooking shows religiously when we lived in England! Not only is he adorable and hilarious, but he has a passion for real food, ingredients and using everything nature gave us. And I love that.

 

Baked Cod with Fennel & Lemon

 

This dish is simple and fresh, but the flavours really work. Raw fennel has a liquorice-like flavor but roasted it has a milder sweeter flavour and pairs well in savoury dishes. I used cod in this dish, but you could use any white fish you like, I think halibut or haddock would pair very well. Plus, you don’t need many skills in the kitchen to make this dish, just a sharp knife and an oven, and you will be well on your way to flavour country.

More Healthy Cod Recipes:

 

 

Sweet Pea Soup

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Soup season isn’t only for root vegetables, the frozen friends of summer are not to be forgotten and this sweet pea soup does just that! Minty and fresh, and made with fresh or frozen peas, this soup brings a certain brightness to those cold winter days.

Sweet Pea Soup

I’m often asked if frozen vegetables are a good option. The short answer is; yes! Of course, buying fresh, local, and seasonal veggies are always the best option, but there is no shame in using frozen veggies in your game! Truthfully, there are times of the year when frozen veggies might actually be a better option than some of what is on the grocery store shelves. Frozen veggies are often picked at the peak of freshness and frozen immediately, therefore not losing much of their nutritional value in transport or travel time. I am certainly not suggesting that you not use fresh raw vegetables, these are an important part of any well-balanced diet, but sometimes you need to cut yourself a little slack and do what you need to do to stay on track. If that means a bag of frozen veggies in your freezer, then so be it!

I think frozen peas are either a love-it-or-hate-it kind of food, however, I myself am a big fan. Although they are typically eaten alone, I like to add them to lots of soups and stews or feature them as I have in this recipe. This sweet pea soup is rich and creamy without the addition of any dairy or heavy creams. The secret weapon to any dairy-free creamy soup is a couple of good potatoes. Cooked and pureed into any soup they add a velvety flavur and texture, and I promise nobody will be the wiser.

 

Salmon Nicoise Salad

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This salmon Nicoise salad is a fun twist on a classic French salad.

Salmon Niçoise Salad

 

Salad Nicoise is absolutely one of my favorite salads. If I am out for lunch and it is on the menu, you can bet I will be ordering it. The reason that I love this salad so much is not only because it is filled with flavors and textures, but it is also so well macronutrient balanced. With a hearty helping of vegetables, carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats it can keep you well fuelled for hours. This salmon Nicoise salad is my take on a delicious French classic.

The classic Nicoise salad is typically composed of tomatoes, tuna, hard-boiled eggs, olives, and anchovies, artfully arraigned on a plate and dressed with a vinaigrette. The nice thing about this salad is that it is meant to be an old standby and something that you can throw together with a can of tuna and any vegetables you have in the fridge. Now I have made my fair share of Niçoise salads with canned tuna, but this time I decided to mix it up with some salmon. Not only do I love salmon, but it is a fish that is really easy to cook, more so than people might think. You can easily bake it in the oven for a hands-off approach, but I like to sear it really quickly in a skillet for an extra crispy exterior and flaky interior.

Apricot Pistachio Oatmeal Cookies

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Soft and satisfying these apricot pistachio oatmeal cookies are what (cookie) dreams are made of!

Apricot Pistachio Oatmeal Cookies

 

This recipe is really my style of cookie. I love something chewy yet crumbly and filled with everything but the kitchen sink. I used rolled oats in this recipe for a good crumbly texture, and added the ground cashews and coconut oil to keep them moist and chewy. These apricot pistachio oatmeal cookies are lightly sweetened with honey since the apricots themselves provide some added sweetness, and a little salty bite from the pistachios to help balance things out. A well-balanced oh-so-healthy cookie that one could even have for breakfast… not that I would know anything about that.

This recipe is inspired by a cookie recipe from the ever-so-wonderful master of the kitchen, Amy Chaplin. A couple of years ago, my sister gave me Amy Chaplin’s cookbook as a gift for my birthday, and what a gift it was! I am a bit of a cookbook hoarder if you will. Open up my cupboards and you will find cookbooks galore from all sorts of different chefs. To be honest, I don’t cook out of many of them, but rather like to use them for new ideas and inspiration in the kitchen. But this particular book happens to be one of my favorites. Not only is it full of amazing recipes, but it’s educational as well, explaining the why and the how behind so many of her recipes which is what I love about it so much.

More Cookie Recipes:

 

Mushroom Chicken Skillet

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This mushroom chicken skillet is a great batch cook meal for a week of lunches or a tasty weeknight dinner. 

Mushroom Chicken Skillet

 

When I was a kid, one of my favourite dishes included a secret ingredient – cream of mushroom soup. To be honest, it was a bit of an odd recipe, a curried beef casserole dish that was passed down from my grandmother to my mother, but I’m pretty sure it just came off the back of a Campbell’s soup label. (No offence, Mom.) Although it was an odd combination of ingredients, it seemed to work, and the creamy mushroom component was my favourite part of the dish, and this mushroom chicken skillet recipe is a little flavour of exactly that.

Mushrooms are a bit of an acquired taste, but love them or hate them they are one heck of a superfood. It is said that there are over 10,000 known varieties of mushrooms, many of which have been used around the world for years due to their availability and versatility.  Today in stores, we a limited to only a few varieties including; white button, portobello, crimini, oyster, shiitake, porcini and chanterelles, and depending on the variety, mushrooms are a rich source of fibre, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. Moreover, many mushrooms are known for healthy healing properties and have been used medicinally by cultures for over 6,000 years. Food is amazing!

 

Mushroom Chicken Skillet

 

Although mushrooms can technically be eaten raw, I don’t think it is the best use of their flavour. Cooking mushrooms concentrate their flavour and brings out notes of sweet earthiness. For this particular dish, I wanted to make a thick and rich mushroom broth without added cream or opening a can of Campbell’s soup. I used a small batch of crimini mushrooms because it is what I had on hand, but you could also use white button, shiitake, or chanterelles, or even better a combination of all of the above. I think this recipe would pair very well with some roasted potatoes or a simple side of steamed rice.

More Healthy Chicken Recipes:

 

 

Stuffed Acorn Squash

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Stuffed Acorn Squash

Stuffing isn’t just for turkeys anymore! Squash is such a fun vegetable to use because there are so many varieties and endless ways to cook them, and this stuffed acorn squash recipe is a fun way to use them. Made with rice, kale, and bacon, this stuffed acorn squash recipe is a healthy and hearty fall dish!

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Over the past few years, I have become obsessed with squash. An ingredient that used to actually scare me has become a staple in my fall and winter diet.  Squash is such an incredibly versatile ingredient for two reasons; 1) there are so many different types and 2) there is so much you can do with them! Like many, I love a good butternut squash soup, but simply roasting these little gourd-geous (get it?) babies makes a great side dish as well.

I think the most overwhelming and intimidating part of cooking with squash is actually how to cut into them. Their hard and nutty exterior makes them appear difficult to work with, but truthfully that is not the case at all. Although I am a nutritionist, I am not a trained chef, and I actually learned to cook from my mother, watching the Food Network and looking up videos on YouTube. True story. So if you are unsure of how to do something in the kitchen, a quick google search can provide you with all of the answers you need. ( I mean, a ‘How to Cut Squash’ search on YouTube provides you with over 154,000 videos on the topic – problem solved.)

Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipe

After making my fair share of soups, stews, purees, and mashes, I decided to do something different and stuff my squash instead. The “stuffing” in this recipe is really simple and can easily be made with leftover rice, or any other leftover grain you have from the night before. Roasting the acorn squash before stuffing it makes it much more tender and easier to eat. In fact, you can eat the skin on the squash as well, no need to peel those little guys at all!

More Squash Recipes:

Roasted Pork Chops with Spiced Apples

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A quick and easy roasted pork chops recipe with fragrant spiced baked apples.

Roasted Pork Chops with Spiced Apples

Apple season only comes around once per year, and when it does I make sure I stock up. Last weekend at the farmer’s market I was totally overwhelmed by all of the varieties of apples available that I wanted to buy them all. Luckily my farmer’s market is incredibly friendly and they allow me to eat to my heart’s content before I make a choice. (I mean, sampling is the point of shopping, is it not?!) So when I was looking for something to do with them my mind immediately went to pork, hence the creation of these roasted pork chops with spiced apples.

Apples make a great snack, and they are most certainly delicious in baked goods, but I find they are incredibly tasty in savory dishes as well. Pork and apple is a classic combination, so this is my twist on an old classic. Apples are often made into apple sauce as a condiment for pork loin or chops, but I wanted to keep it simple and roast the apples in the cooking process to showcase their beauty. To me, eating seasonally is the most delicious way to do it; fresh and simple.

Roasted Pork Chops Recipe with Spiced Apples

When buying pork, do your best to buy the best quality you can find. In fact, no matter what type of meat you are purchasing it is in your best interest, health-wise and sustainability-wise, to purchase meat from local farms, with ethically raised pastured animals and sustainable farming practices. Do your homework, ask questions shop around and find a local farm if you can.

More Healthy Pork Recipes:

 

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pancakes

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Made with buckwheat flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves, these gluten-free pumpkin pancakes are filled with all of the flavors of fall. Whip up a batch of them this weekend for a festive weekend brunch or batch cook them and freeze them as a simple meal prep idea for a hearty weekday breakfast.

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pancakes

 

Although they might be a Canadian staple, pancakes have a bad rap for being an unhealthy breakfast, and to be honest, I’d have to agree. Most pancakes are made with refined flour, refined oils, and lots of sugar (especially when they are of the boxed variety), so it’s no wonder why they are a less-than-ideal option. With that being said, there is a way to do any recipe well and any recipe poorly, so the good news is there is a way to have your (pan)cake and eat it too!

I wanted to create a gluten-free pancake using a high-quality / unrefined flour, so I turned to my good friend buckwheat flour. Buckwheat is such an under-utilized and appreciated grain; it is naturally gluten-free, rich in essential nutrients, rich in resistant fiber, and higher in protein content than most other grains. Although it is less popular in North America, it is a coveted grain in many parts of the world, and in fact the traditional flour for many French crêpe.

 

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pancakes

 

These gluten-free pumpkin pancakes are a healthy option, but that does not mean they are meant to be eaten every morning! They are a welcomed treat on the weekend or a special holiday shared with people you love.

 

 

Slow Cooker Meatballs

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These Italian-style slow cooker meatballs are the perfect recipe for those nights when you want a heart-warming meal, but don’t feel like standing in front of the stove. Made with ground beef, spices and a rich tomato sauce, these slow cooker meatballs are full of flavour while being incredibly healthy at the same time!

slow cooker meatballs

Nothing goes together better than this perfect pair, and luckily there is a healthier way to do them. Conventional options are less than ideal, merely because store-bought noodles are made with refined white flours making them a less favourable choice. The good news is that spaghetti squash topped with slow-cooker meatballs is a very tasty alternative.

Now, if you have made spaghetti squash before, you are likely thinking “But Red, it gets all mushy and stringy!”. I know, I’ve been there too, but now I’ve got the secret. The trick to getting the most noodle-like spaghetti squash is the way you cut the squash itself. Most people cut their squash length-wise, but the trick is to cut the squash horizontally right down the middle. Doing so, helps to ensure you get long strands of noodles, and allowing the squash to cool a little before removing the strands ensures your noodles are less watery and mushy.

slow cooker meatballs

You can certainly make meatballs and sauce on the stovetop, and this recipe will work just as well for it, but doing them in the slow cooker its slightly less work, and helps to ensure the meatballs are nice and tender and allows the sauce to concentrate in flavours as it simmers all day. Just call me Nonna; “Mangia, mangia!”

More Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes:

 

Roasted Pumpkin Soup

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Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Made with fragrant spices and freshly roasted pumpkin, this roasted pumpkin soup is filled with all of the flavours of fall!

Pumpkin Soup Recipe

 

Pumpkins are for more than just carving, pies and lattes! While making a pumpkin pie is as easy as running to the store to buy a can of purée, and carving just means looking for the biggest and baddest one, cooking with pumpkin means being a little bit more adventurous, and this roasted pumpkin soup does just that.

There are in fact 40 different varieties of pumpkin, and while some are great for decorating and carving jack-o’-lanterns, they are less than ideal for cooking as they have very little flavour. The best pumpkins for cooking are those that are sweet, colourful, and incredibly creamy in texture. Often referred to as “sweet pumpkins” or “sugar pumpkins” in stores or farmers’ markets, these are the best pumpkins for roasting, cooking, baking, grilling or puréeing.

Spiced Pumpkin Soup

When cooking with pumpkin, you can treat it like any other winter squash; simply slice it open, remove the seeds and roast, steam or bake it. Not only is the pumpkin flesh great for soups and stews, but the seeds make a healthy snack or soup topping. Simply bake them in the oven for a crispy, crunchy and savoury snack.

More Fall Soup Recipes:

Roasted Delicata Squash

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A simple fall or winter side dish, this roasted delicata squash can easily feed a crowd for a warming cold-weather meal.

Roasted Delicata Squash

 

Not sure how to cook delicata squash? I’ve got you covered. This roasted delicata squash recipe is easy to make and allows to showcase all of the flavors of the squash itself. This recipe calls for the addition of crumbled goat cheese and a bit of parsley, however, you can certainly serve this roasted squash as is and still enjoy its delicious taste.

Roasting is just one of the many ways you can cook winter squash, it just happens to be my favorite way to cook delicata squash. With its pale yellow exterior and long length, this delicata squash more closely resembles its summer cousins. It is one of the smallest winter squash, and rather easy to cut and cook; with its very thin and tender skin, it is easily edible, so there is no need to peel it before or after roasting. However, if you are not a fan of the skin, it is easiest to remove the skin once cooked as its ribbed exterior can make it hard to peel. When picking your delicata squash, look for one with a dry hard surface and no bruises or bumps. Squash can be cooked as soon as they are harvested, or stored in a cool dry place for up to six months.

 

Roasted Delicata Squash

 

This roasted delicata squash recipe is a great addition to any dinner or toss it into a salad for an extra filling meal and a hearty fall touch.

More Squash Recipes:

 

Crispy Oven Fries

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Crispy Oven Fries

Learn how to make crispy oven fries without any frying at all!

Crispy Oven Fries

For years I have been trying to figure out how to make healthy fries at home. I’ve tried more oil. I’ve tried more salt. I’ve tried different oven temperatures, but no avail. Thankfully, I think I have finally mastered homemade, crunchy, and crispy oven fries, without any frying at all.

French fries and I have a tumultuous love affair; I love them and they hate me. I kid. French fries love me, I mean who doesn’t? (Also joking about that. Kind of.) ANYWAY, as a girl who grew up in Quebec french fries were something I ate as a special treat and therefore hold a special place in my heart. Be it a frite sauce at the local Casse-Croûte, the thick skin-on fries with my hot dog at Valentine, the golden beauties in my poutine to fuel my day of skiing,  or a galvaude at the local hockey rink (you’ll need to see this one to believe it), I’ve had my fair share of fries. So, after much research and investigation, I decided I needed to figure out the secret to crispy healthy oven fries at home. And by golly did I ever do it! Turns out there are two secrets to crispy oven fries: 1) the type of potato, and 2) the hidden secret of the pre-soak.

How To Make Crispy Fries in the Oven

Learn how to make crispy baked oven fries in 6 simple steps:

  1. Pick the Potatoes: The best potatoes to make crispy oven fries are russet potatoes; golden brown in color, crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and not too oily.
  2. Slice the Potatoes: Slice the potatoes into thin, evenly-sized, fries. For extra crispiness, it is best to leave the skin on, however, you can remove it if needed.
  3. Soak the Potatoes: Once sliced, soak the potatoes in cold water for at least 30 minutes. The soaking process helps to remove excess starch, naturally found in the potatoes, which results in crispier fries.
  4. Dry the Potatoes: Once soaked, dry the potatoes well with a tea towel or paper towel. Any excess water will cause the potatoes to steam and result in soggier fries.
  5. Season the Potatoes: Before adding the fries to the oven, season them with oil, salt, and any additional herbs and spices of your choice.
  6. Bake the Potatoes: Once seasoned, place the sliced potatoes on a large baking sheet, being careful not to crowd the pan, and then transfer them to the oven to bake until golden and crispy.

Once baked, these oven fries are best served immediately for ultimate crispiness and deliciousness!

Baked Crispy Oven Fries

As for the type of potato, in my opinion, the best potatoes to make fries are russet potatoes; golden brown in color, crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and not too oily.  As for the pre-soak, it turns out it is the starch in the potato that interferes and stops the fries from becoming crispy when you cook them. Therefore, by soaking the potato slices in water overnight (or for a few hours), removes the troublesome starch which will help the fries achieve the perfect crispness!

What to Serve with Crispy Oven Fries:

About Stephanie

I’m a nutritionist on a mission to change the way you look at food and teach you how to make real food work for real life in a realistic way.

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