Caven Nutrition Group

Ottawa’s Experts in Weight Loss Nutrition, specializing in healthy and sustainable weight loss, digestive issues, hormonal health, and stress

coconut oil

Grain Free Pancakes, with Fresh Raspberries!

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Looking for a grain free options for pancake breakfasts?
This is a great option to try!

What you will need:

2 overripe bananas
2 eggs
Vanilla extract
Cinnamon
Coconut oil
(Optional Protein powder)

To make:
Mash your bananas well!
Crack open 2 eggs and whisk well, dash in vanilla extract and some cinnamon and finally one scoop of protein powder if using! Mix well and when the batter is easily scoopable heat a pan on low heat and grease the pan with coconut oil! Scoop a small amount of batter on in little rounds, when they bubble it’s time to flip!!! Adjust heat accordingly but lower with patience is the best, *Pro tip: Wipe the pan off in between pancakes and add in fresh coconut oil!

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Peanut Butter Chocolate Cranberry Cacao Nib Bark

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That title is a mouthful. But so is this Bark!

Ingredients:

-5 to 6 melted bars of 70% to 90% (90% is best) dark chocolate
-1 dash of vanilla extract
-2 TBSPS of crunchy Peanut butter or other nut or seed butter, you can use smooth but crunchy adds goodness 😉
-1 generous tbsp of coconut oil
-1 tsp of cinnamon
-1 TBSP of dried sugar free cranberries (optional)
-1 TBSP of cacao nibs (optional)

How to:

Line a cookie sheet with wax paper.

Break up the chocolate and melt your chocolate in a small pot/ medium pot on LOW heat. You can stir with a spatula slowly.

Add vanilla extract and turn off heat and stir. Do not add a lot of extract as it can burn. You can remove from heat for now.
Put your Peanut Butter in a different pot with coconut oil and stir on low heat. Throw in some dashes of cinnamon. Turn off heat, set aside. ( You can also heat this in the microwave!)

Now return to the chocolate pot. If it has solidified then just turn the heat on again and stir. One it is easily pourable get your wax paper lined cookie sheet and pour the chocolate onto it ensuring to cover the whole surface as evenly as possible. Once surface is covered return to you PB pot and re-stir the liquid. Reheat slightly if needed.

Slowly pour some in the middle of the chocolate and then gently swirl with a knife to create a swirly pattern. Continue to do so all over the surface. Add in cranberries and nibs if desired.
Place in freezer for ten minutes and break up into pieces and put in container or in single serve baggies.

This NEEDS to be stored in the fridge or freezer because it can melt easily! Ensure to portion control this one for you best health.

Choco Bark

Chocolate Almond Zucchini Muffins with Silkeny Coconut Oil!

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These are perfect as an afternoon snack, these muffins are easy to make, have a veggie in them and use Silkeny Coconut Oil which is great for baking and even for body care! 🙂

Ingredients

1 Cup almond flour
2 tbsps Stevia
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 large eggs
1/4 cup maple syrup (optional)
1 zucchini grated
1/4 cup coconut oil Melted (can use more if you find the batter is too dry if not using the maple syrup)
1/4 cup nut or seed butter (let it sit out so it’s a stirring consistency)

Instructions
In a medium bowl, combine almond flour, baking soda, cocoa and stevia with a fork or whisk.

In a large bowl combine eggs, maple syrup if using, 1 zucchini grated, melted coconut oil and the nut or seed butter.
Stir dry ingredients into wet, mixing until combined.

Scoop about ¼ cup of batter at a time into a greased paper muffin liner in a muffin pan. We greased with coconut oil!
Bake at 350° for 15 minutes, until slightly browned around the edges
Cool in the pan and then pop out onto a plate!

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We’re going Bananas for these muffins, with No Added refined Sugar!

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One of the challenges of Easter is the chocolate! Here is a simple one-bowl muffin recipe that you can make several batches of and bring to brunches, lunches and dinners! Bananas are great for digestion as they are source of dietary fibre, can improve your mood and well as help to regulate your sleeping patterns!

Ingredients
-5 Eggs (you can get away with 4, I did both times!)
-2 ripe bananas ( the riper the sweeter it is)
-¼ cup coconut oil or butter (softened)
-½ cup coconut flour
-1 tsp of cinnamon
-1/2 tsp of ginger
-1 tsp baking soda
-1 and a half 1/2 tsps vanilla (or grate an organic lemon if you wish you have a little lemon flavour)
-small amount of dairy free milk such as almond or coconut milk
-small handful of Krisda chocolate chips which are sweetened with Stevia

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Put all ingredients in medium sized bowl
Using strong whisk, wooden spoon or immersion blender, mix until smooth and well incorporated. If batter is too thick, add a little milk to thin it but don’t let it get too runny.
Put into greased muffin tins- I used dabs of coconut oil in each. Batter will be pretty thick.
Bake for 13-18 minutes until the middle can be poked with a toothpick or fork and it comes out clean!

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The Many Health Benefits of Coconut Oil on CTV Morning Live!

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Get your daily dose of coconuts folks!

Although many have avoided coconut oil because of it’s high saturated fat content, these saturated fats are not like the others. Containing over 50% lauric acid, the MCFA (medium chain fatty acids) are a wonder for your health!

Check out our live segment on CTV Morning Live here!

Some (of the many!) Benefits of Coconut Oil

  • Helps to speed weight loss when consumed daily; coconut oil has thermogenic properties which actually help you burn fat and boosts your metabolism
  • Improves cholesterol ratios by increasing the good HDL cholesterol in the blood and reduces LDL
  • Can also positively affect our hormones for thyroid and blood-sugar control
  • Promotes healthy brain function; research has shown the MCFAs can improve Alzheimer’s symptoms
  • Maintains healthy and youthful looking skin
  • Antibacterial/fungal properties can help to fight off yeast, fungus and candida

What to look for when purchasing?

  1. Quality: Certified Organic when possible to avoid harmful chemicals
  2. Processing: Look for Virgin, Unrefined, Centrifuged or Cold Pressed; avoid refined, bleached, and deodorized
  3. Packaging: Glass container is important as oils tend to leach toxic chemicals from plastics

Here are some brands that we like: Ojio, Artisana, Maison Orphee, Nutiva (only glass bottle), St. Francis.

Practical Uses for Coconut Oil
1) Beauty: Oil Pulling for dental health/hygiene, body moisturizer, natural deodorant
2) Baby Care: natural diaper cream, great for eczema and cradle cap
3) Kitchen Use: Cooking, baking, adding to smoothies, or even eat tbsp as snack!

Try this delicious recipe!

Raw Coconut Lime Macaroons
Makes 10-12.

Ingredients:IMAG2868
3/4 cup almond flour
1 3/4 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup raw honey
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
2 tsp GF vanilla extract
Zest of 1 lime
Pinch of sea salt

Directions:
1. In a bowl, combine the almond flour and shredded coconut (reserving ¼ cup for rolling in).
2. In a separate bowl, mix together the honey, coconut oil, vanilla, lime zest and salt until well blended.
3.Add the honey mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until well combined.
4. Using a rounded teaspoon measure, roll rounded scoops between your palms until spherical. Gently roll in shredded coconut until well coated and place on a tray in the fridge overnight (or at least 3-4 hours).
5. Store in the fridge or freezer for a quick, nutritious snack on the go!

 

It’s Love Week on CTV Morning Live and we have the perfect treats for you to improve your sex life!

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What are the best libido boosting foods? And what are the worst? Find out here and catch the segment on CTV Morning Live!

Foods to Boots your Sex Drive:
The Worst:
1. Alcohol
• Alcohol acts as a depressant which can inhibit physiological symptoms and hinder the body’s ability for sexual activity
• Chronic alcohol consumption can decrease testosterone production- important for both men and women’s libido

2. Microwavable Popcorn
• Nonstick chemicals that are used in the inner lining of microwave popcorn bags and in nonstick pots and pans often contain perfluoroalkyl acids; common types include PFOA or PFOS. Small doses of them are linked to testicular tumors, male infertility, lower sperm count and lack of sex drive.

3. Chips & Candy
• Poor quality oils are prone to oxidation causing free radicals in the body causing damage to tissues and cells of the body and can interfere with hormone regulation
• Trans fats found in fried foods dramatically decrease libido
• A 2009 study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine found that men with better blood sugar levels enjoyed better sexual health. Studying about 800 men with type 2 diabetes, researchers compared blood sugar levels to sexual health questionnaires. Men with higher blood sugar were more likely to report erectile dysfunction.

Good Foods!
1. Watermelon
• Contains a phytonutrient called citrulline, which the body converts to arginine- an amino acid that boosts nitric oxide levels in the body in the same way a medicine like Viagra does

2. Maca
• May increase sperm count and improve fertility in certain men restore hormonal imbalance
• May be helpful in taming menopause symptoms
• Reduce symptoms of depression and lowered blood pressure
• Particularly helpful in patients who have sexual dysfunction caused by anti-depressant medications

3. Raw Cacao
• Magnesium-Magnesium increases circulation, relaxes muscles and can be very calming
• Phenylalanine-an amino acid that raises the body’s endorphins and produces dopamine, the brain chemical that surges during orgasm

Other:
1. Zinc
• Oysters, pumpkin seeds, ginger root
• Low zinc levels are blamed for a wide variety of health woes, including erectile dysfunction (ED) or impotence.
• Increases testosterone production

2. Spicy Foods
• Capsaicin, the source of that heat, triggers endorphins, our sensations of pleasure. Chilies also stimulate the nervous system, accentuating the effects of arousal

Giddy Yoyo
Always true fair trade, organic, mineralized, delicious, and full of love and gratitude

There are two ways to make these lovely chocolates. You can either use dark chocolate and melt it in a pot or you can make your own chocolate using Giddy Yoyo Cacao Powder.

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Making Chocolate from Scratch

-¼ raw cacao powder (We love Giddy Yoyo)
-4 Tbs coconut oil
-3 tsp of honey or 2 tiny pinches of stevia
-½ vanilla extract

Put these ingredients into a pot on low heat and melt, you can stir slowly. Take off the heat once it is melted so it does not burn.
Line a mini muffin tin with tiny muffin liners. If you chocolate has solidified in the pot just reheat again slightly. Once it is liquid, spoon a little of the chocolate into the bottom of each tin. You just need to cover the bottom of the liner with a little chocolate. Put these in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes.

Fillings:

Raspberry Coconut
Ingredients
10 Raspberries
1 tsp of coconut

Mash the raspberries and coconut together. Place on top of bottom layer of chocolate and cover in chocolate and freeze for 10 to 15 minutes and enjoy!

Pumpkin Seed
Ingredients
10 Pumpkin seeds chopped/smashed

Chop or put in Ziploc and smash with rubber mallet or even a bottom of jar works. Place on bottom layer, cover with leftover chocolate and freeze for 10 to 15 minutes and enjoy!

Rainforest Butter, Cashew Butter or other nut butters

Ingredients
– 1 heaping Tbs of nut butter
– 2 Tbs or tapioca flour or arrowroot flour
– 1 tsp sea salt to sprinkle on top
– 1 tsp vanilla extract
– 1/2 tsp maca powder (We used Giddy Yoyo)

Mix together the nut butter, maca powder, vanilla, arrowroot flour or tapioca flour. Mix until it you are able to form balls. If needed add more vanilla extract, nut butter or flour.Make little balls and put them on top of the chocolate layer on the bottom pressing them down. Use the chocolate from the pot and cover you middle layer!
You can sprinkle sea salt on the top if you like!
Put them back in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes and enjoy!

Not from Scratch
Ingredients
– 1 to 2 bars of Giddy Yoyo 70% (or more) Dark Chocolate
Directions:
Melt slowly in a pot and follow the directions for fillings!

Catch the Segment here: http://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=547380&binId=1.1164511&playlistPageNum=1

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