Food/ Recipes – Page 2 – Life is a Journey

In the Kitchen (October)

Posted on November 4, 2014November 23, 2014 by Libby Withnall

We started trying to eat a more plant based diet, which has meant buying lots of fruit and veggies.

While most weekdays I enjoy a homemade salad, it’s nice to sometimes have takeaway.

Farm fresh strawberries from Leanne.

There was the start of a kitchen declutter.

Athena made a Halloween Brownie cake for dessert with friends.

And made me my first ever sushi. Actually she made us a virtual bento box (miso soup & salad in background). It was SOOOO good.

There were two trips to Costco, which made for a very cluttered kitchen while I filmed my grocery hauls.

There was soup x 2.

And lots of baking.

Clean Cuisine Chia & Chocolate Cookies

Posted on August 16, 2013October 10, 2026 by Libby Withnall

These are the cookies I have been raving about for some time now. Not only do I love them, but so do my kids!!! The best thing is that they think they’re having a treat, yet they are packed full of goodness.

Ivy from Clean Cuisine and More was kind enough to allow me to share this delicious recipe with you all.

This makes 24 cookies.

• 1 ½ cups raw almonds
• 8 pitted dates
• 2 cups barley flour
• 1/4 cup chia seeds (such as Barlean’s)
• ½ cup organic extra virgin coconut oil (such as Barlean’s), softened
• ½ cup real maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon unrefined sea salt
• ½ cup vegan mini chocolate chips

—————————————

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Put the almonds in a food processor and process into crumbs. Transfer almond crumbs to a large mixing bowl. Put the
dates in the food processor and pulse 6 to 7 times, or until dates are well ground. Add the dates to the almonds.
3. To the mixing bowl, add the barley flour, chia seeds, coconut oil, maple syrup and salt. Combine all ingredients with a
wooden spoon. Form the mixture into tablespoonful balls and space them evenly on a large cookie sheet. Using your
index finger, make an indent in each cookie. Fill each cookie with 4 or 5 mini chocolate chips.
4. Bake cookies for 18 minutes. The cookies should be done at this point, but the chocolate will not be totally melted. As
soon as you remove the cookies from the oven, take the back of a spoon and gently press on the chocolate so that
it melts. Set the cookies aside to cool and harden for at least 15 minutes before eating.

MY MODIFICATION : I just use normal choc chip (can’t find the vegan kind) and mix them in with the ingredients. Cook as above.

NOTE: I make at least 2 batches of these each week. I can also highly recommend the book (and blog) for great nutritional information and other fabulous recipes.

The recipe is from Clean Cusine (An 8-Week Anti-Inflammatory Nutrition Program that Will Change the Way You Age, Look & Feel) by Ivy Ingram Larson & Andrew Larson, MD

Clean Cuisine is published by the Berkley publishing group.

Foodie Friday

Posted on August 9, 2013 by Libby Withnall

Well, I’m pleased to report that food for the last fortnight has been significantly improved. I’ve been feeling a LOT better and able to spend a lot more time in the kitchen. I’ve got a new focus on WELLNESS and being kind to myself. I put a video about this on YouTube and will write a post here very soon.

For now let’s get on with the food. I’m back to having green smoothies most days – they keep me full so much longer than anything else…

but I did also enjoy a veggie scramble…

and some oatmeal (with banana and maple syrup)…which I haven’t had in YEARS….

Lunch was pretty much a salad every day during the week….

There was some soup for afternoon tea – potato and mushroom…

and a barley & vegetable….

Dinners included a not very nice lentils with brown rice….

Honey Pumpkin Risotto – (thanks Lisa – we’re still making this)

My very favourite stirfry (onion, mushies and sprouts) with bone suckin’ sauce & brown rice…

Crispy Kale & Mushroom Fried Rice…another favourite…

Mexican Potato Bake & a fried egg…

Sweet Potato, corn & cheese frittata… on a night I was feeling very lazy…

A quorn fillet and my beloved stirfry over quinoa….

Linda McCarthry’s veggie sausages, mashed pot, yorkshire pudding….

BBQ assortment….

and last night we weren’t hungry so Christy & I just had some supper….

I’ve also been making plenty of healthy treats… including a few batches of choc chia cookies from Clean Cuisine….

Banana Goji Muffins…which I thank another online friend Belinda for the recipe…

Bliss balls….

and my new favourite choc chip cookies (though I do believe they are best the day they are made)…

Do you have a favourite healthy treat? If so, PLEASE share it with me :-).

Foodie Friday

Posted on July 26, 2013October 10, 2026 by Libby Withnall

Ready for some more food photos?Unfortunately, due to my sinus infection, I haven’t been spending a great deal of time in the kitchen and most meals have been quick and easy to prepare. I think I’m almost better so the next Foodie Friday should see more in the way of REAL FOOD!!!!

Breakfast surprisingly involved NO green smoothies. Instead there were LOTS of cheese & pineapple jaffles….