Full of goodness these cookies are the perfect pick me up during or after a good day of hiking.
Note: you do need to earn them as they are calorie dense… and it is hard to have just one (in other words- don’t follow Shayne’s lead)!
Makes 24 good sized cookies
Ingredients:
¾ cup of butter
¾ of brown sugar
½ cup of granulated sugar
2 tbsp of water
1 egg
1 tsp of vanilla
¾ cup of whole wheat flour
1 tsp of baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3 cups rolled oats
2 cups of assorted seeds, nuts, dried fruit and chocolate.
(I use cranberries, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and dark chocolate chips)

1. Cream butter until light. Beat in sugars. Add egg, water and vanilla. Mix well.
2. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in rolled oats.
3. Stir dry mixture into wet. Add seeds, nuts, etc…
4. Using an ice-cream scoop drop mounds onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Flatten slightly and bake in pre-heated 350 degree oven until cookies are done to your preference. Cool on racks (~15-20 minutes).

We made these during our cooking class yesterday. These burritos freeze well making for a quick single serving lunch or dinner.  
(yields 8 burritos depending upon how big you make them)
2 large yams, peeled and chopped
1 med zucchini, diced or grated
1 med onion, diced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup corn kernels
½ cup chopped cilantro
4 cloves of crushed garlic
juice of 2 limes
2 tbsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp olive oil

Place yam in pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Cook onion and garlic until golden and fragrant. Add zucchini, beans and corn. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes. Add cumin and a salt and pepper. Cook one more minute.

Mash sweet potato and combine with other ingredients. Add lime juice at the very end. Adjust seasonings as needed.

Fill whole-wheat burrito shells with about 3/4 cup of the filling.

Place in on a baking sheet and cover with tinfoil. Bake 40 minutes in pre-heated 350 F oven. Take foil off for last 5 minutes.

Serve with fresh salsa and plain yogurt or avocado.

Enjoy. 

Serves: 6

Ingredients:
2 boxes silken tofu

During the first few seasons we were open I was somewhat hesitant to serve tofu to our guests. It seemed somehow cliché to be setting down a bowl of steaming brown rice, vegetables, and tofu to guests who were coming to be inspired about their health. Lucky for everyone a trip to Vancouver found me at one of my favourite restaurants, The Naam, enjoying just that. Clichés aside, it was ultra satisfying in taste and texture. Various tofu bowls have since found there way onto the Coastal Trek menu. The recipe below is my nod to the Naam! Enjoy…
8 cups cooked brown rice 
2 cups grated raw beets 
2 cups grated carrots
2 cups sunflower sprouts
8 cups of greens (your choice)
2 cups toasted whole almonds
¼ cup of toasted sesame seeds
Tofu
2 bricks of firm tofu
Cut tofu into 1” cubes, heat 1 tbsp of sesame oil and 3 tbsps of soy sauce in a non-stick pan, add tofu and toss until browned and sticky, add sesame seeds
Dressing
3 tbsp miso
3 tbsp tahini
1/3 cup of water
1/3 cup of soy sauce
1/3 cup of apple cider
2 cloves of crushed garlic
1 cup of grape seed oil

To prepare dressing put everything except the oil in the blender and mix.
While the motor is running add the oil in a slow steady stream.
Assembling the bowls: place hot rice over greens, then add tofu cubes, ladle dressing on top (~1/4 cup), top with beets, carrots and almonds.  Top with sprouts.
Drizzle with a bit more dressing and serve.
Note: there will be ample dressing leftover for future salads…
(Serves 8)

The Naam website http://www.thenaam.com/frame.htm

We recently had the pleasure of having the Pacific Curls of New Zealand stay with us while on tour. Jess had asked for this recipe so here it is. As grains go, quinoa (KEEN-wah) cannot be beat. Credited with keeping the Inca Army strong its nutritional properties are quite impressive. It continues all of the essential amino acids and is a complete protein. 

Note:These are not to be mistaken with "Shayner Cookies" which have quite a few nuts and seeds in them. I will post those soon...

Enjoy.

Yields: 2-3 dozen cookies depending upon how big you make them!

Ingredients:
2 ½ cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sea salt
½ cup of butter, room temperature
½ cup of date butter
1 cup of natural cane sugar
2 large eggs
1 tbsp of vanilla
2 cups cooked quinoa
1 cup of rolled oats
¾ cup of chopped nuts (I use pecans)

1. Pre-heat oven to 375.
2. Cream together butter, sugar, date butter until fluffly.
3. Add one egg at a time mixing well between, remembering to scrape sides of bowl.
4. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and in salt in separate bowl.
5. Add dry mixture in batches (3-4), stirring between.
6. Stir in quinoa, oats and nuts until everything is well combined.
7. Drop onto a parchment lined cookie try and bake for 10-12 minutes until golden (I like to use an ice cream scoop for the batter as the cookies come out more uniformed)

Hello!

I am very excited to have this space to: re-connect, keep in touch and reach new friends with. Running the Lodge Kitchen is a love of mine as is helping guests find the foods that bring them health and happiness. On that note let’s get started…

Coastal Trek’s Spring Muesli

As winter comes to its supposed end (yes we still have a lot of snow on the ground) it is a good idea to keep oats as a regular part of your breakfast. A great source of dietary fiber oats and oat bran help keep blood sugar stable, promote healthy bowel function and aid in weight control.

This recipes is nice alternative to hot cereal in the morning and is a bit quicker thanks in fact to the prep is done the night before.

Serves: 8 (4 cups)

Ingredients:
2 cups large flake oats
½ cup hemp hearts
½ cup 1% milk (substitute almond or soy milk)
1 apple peeled and grated
¾ orange juice (or apple)
¼ honey
1 cup low fat plain yogurt

Steps:

1.   Combine oats, hemp hearts, milk, apple, orange juice and honey. Refrigerate overnight or for up to 3 days.
2.   Stir yogurt in before serving.
3.   Top with fresh berries or fruit.