We all need food to survive but to live well and free of disease eating the right type of food is necessary.

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Butternut Squash, Black Bean, and Chicken Enchiladas

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Healthy Butternut Squash, Black Bean and Chicken Enchiladas

The words healthy and enchiladas don’t often end up in the same sentence, but with this recipe, it’s impossible to separate the two. These healthy enchiladas (see!) are full of flavor and healthy ingredients, and free from the typical components of Mexican food that cause inflammation and bloating. For instance, this recipe adds unusual ingredients like butternut squash and zucchini and uses cassava flour tortillas instead of wheat or corn. And if you’re wondering where the rice is, you’ll have to keep looking—this recipe forgoes rice but does not miss it. Ample amounts of beans and the hearty vegetables listed above punch above their weight class, giving you that complete mouthful you expect from enchiladas. And if you want to make this recipe 100% plant-based, simply substitute tofu for the chicken and use water instead of chicken broth.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4-6)

  • 1 lb boneless chicken breast (substitute tofu for plant-based)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 Tbsp avocado oil
  • 2 cups chicken broth or water (use water for plant-based)
  • 28 oz. red enchilada sauce (Homemade if possible, but canned if not.)
  • 14 oz. green enchilada sauce (Homemade if possible, but canned if not.)
  • 1 small yellow onion
  • 1 ½ cups cubed butternut squash
  • 1 zucchini, cubed
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1 tsp Mexican oregano (Italian oregano is also fine)
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 can black beans, rinsed
  • 3 Tbsp non-dairy cream cheese (Miyoko brand is our favorite)
  • Cassava tortillas (Siete brand is our favorite)
  • Cashew cheese (homemade or Siete brand is our favorite)
  • Cilantro, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp pumpkin seeds, toasted

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 F
  2. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Let sit at room temp for 10 mins.
  3. In a large oven-safe skillet, heat ½ tablespoon avocado oil and sear the chicken on both sides. Add enough chicken broth or water to the pan until the breasts are ½ covered. Put into the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165F. Once cooked, take the chicken out of the liquid and let it rest on a cutting board until it is cool enough to shred by hand. Your hands work best for this, you can wear gloves if you prefer or you can shred the chicken with two forks or even in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.
  4. In two separate pots, reduce each enchilada sauce by bringing to a boil and then turning down to a simmer for 15 minutes or until the sauces have thickened. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
  5. While the chicken is cooking, heat ½ Tbsp of avocado oil in a skillet. Add the onions and butternut squash to the pan and saute until they begin to soften. Once the squash is al dente and has caramelized a bit, add the zucchini and the spices and mix well. Cook a few minutes until the zucchini has softened and gained a bit of color and add the black beans. Turn off the heat, add the shredded chicken, green enchilada sauce, and the non-dairy cream cheese. Mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
  6. To assemble enchiladas, pour a small amount of red enchilada sauce into the bottom of a casserole dish, just enough for a thin layer to coat the bottom. This is so that your enchiladas won’t stick to the bottom. 8×8 works well for 4 enchiladas made with the Siete brand tortillas. If you use a smaller corn tortilla or larger cauliflower tortilla you will need to adjust your dish size accordingly.
  7. On a clean surface, lay out your tortillas and using a spoon, fill each tortilla with about ½ cup of filling depending on your tortilla size. Keep the filling in a line in the center and carefully field over one side of the tortilla over the filling and roll closed so that the seam of the tortilla is on the bottom. Carefully transfer your enchiladas to your dish seam side down. Once your dish is full, pour about ½ a cup of red enchilada sauce on top. You can use more or less depending on how saucy you like them. (There will be sauce and possibly filling leftover depending on how many/how big your tortillas are. These freeze great and will be ready for a quick and easy meal next time!) After the red sauce, drizzle on cashew cheese sauce or shredded cheese of choice. Bake in the oven at 400F uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until everything is bubbling on top and the edges of the tortillas begin to brown. Garnish with chopped cilantro and toasted pumpkin seeds.
  8. Enjoy!

What is Mountain Trek?

Mountain Trek is the health reset you’ve been looking for. Our award-winning health retreat, immersed in the lush nature of British Columbia, will help you detox, unplug, recharge, and roll back years of stress and unhealthy habits. To learn more about the retreat, and how we can help you reset your health, please email us at info@mountaintrek.com or reach out below:

Moroccan Lamb Tagine With Cauliflower Couscous

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INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)

Lamb Tagine

  • 2 lb. boneless lamb shoulder, excess fat trimmed, cut into 1″ pieces Sea salt and pepper to taste 
  • 2 Tbsp. grapeseed oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 1½” piece fresh ginger, peeled, finely grated
  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 Tbsp. tomato paste
  • 1 ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 2 tsp. ground cumin
  • ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 tsp. ground turmeric
  • 2 tsp. ground coriander
  • 2 tsp. Paprika
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • 6 cups water
  • Zest of one small orange
  • ¼ cup golden raisins, chopped prunes or sliced dried apricots ¼ cup slivered almonds, toasted
  • ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup mint leaves, torn
  • Juice of ½ a lemon

Cauliflower Couscous

  • 1 large head or 2 medium heads of cauliflower, stems and leaves removed. 1 Tbsp olive oil 
  • 1 tsp. Turmeric
  • ½ tsp. Cinnamon
  • ¼ cup slivered almonds, toasted
  • Cilantro
  • Salt to taste

PREPARATION

Lamb Tagine

  1. Pat lamb dry with paper towels, then season on all sides with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. 
  2. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high. Working in batches, cook lamb, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides. Using a slotted spoon, transfer lamb to a plate. Add yellow onion and 2 Tbsp. water the pot and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping browned bits from the bottom of the pot, until the onion is slightly softened, 8–10 minutes. Add ginger, garlic and bay leaves. Cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is softened.
  3. Return lamb to pot and add tomato paste, cinnamon, cumin, red pepper flakes, turmeric, paprika, and coriander. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is fragrant and tomato paste has darkened and is beginning to stick to the bottom of the pot. Add in orange zest, diced tomatoes, and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and bring to a bare simmer. Cover partially with lid and cook, stirring occasionally, until lamb is tender and liquid has thickened, 2-3 hrs. About 30 mins before it is done, add in dried fruit and half of the slivered almonds. Stir. When tagine is at the desired thickness and lamb is tender, remove from heat; taste and adjust seasoning with salt.
  4. Toss red onion and mint in a small bowl. Squeeze out the juice from lemon over the mixture, season with salt.

Cauliflower Couscous

  1. Pulse the cauliflower in a food processor to the texture of couscous. Transfer to a mixing bowl and toss with olive oil, salt, and spices. Spread out onto lined baking sheets, no more than ½” thick. Bake at 400-425 for 20-30 minutes (stirring occasionally). The cauliflower should start to brown a little on top and around the edges. Toss in half of the toasted almonds and the juice of ½ of a lemon.

To Serve

  • Serve the lamb tagine on a bed of cauliflower couscous topped with the onion and mint salad. Garnish with fresh cilantro, chopped almonds, and sliced dried apricots.

What is Mountain Trek?

Mountain Trek is the health reset you’ve been looking for. Our award-winning health retreat, immersed in the lush nature of British Columbia, will help you detox, unplug, recharge, and roll back years of stress and unhealthy habits. To learn more about the retreat, and how we can help you reset your health, please email us at info@mountaintrek.com or reach out below:

Huevos Rancheros – A Fast & Delicious Recipe

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Healthy Huevos Rancheros Breakfast

A delicious and healthy breakfast, these Mexican Huevos Rancheros will spice up your typical morning routine. Packed with natural protein, healthy fats, and vitamins, this dish can also be accompanied by a dollop of brown rice for even more lasting energy. Served atop cassava flour tortillas, which are derived from grinding cassava, a gluten-free, low-glycemic index root vegetable rich in vitamin C, this meal is a wonderful, healthy start to your day.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 2-4)

  • 1/2 cup onions
  • 1/2 cup cooked pinto or black beans
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 dash of salt
  • 1 chipotle Tabasco sauce (or favorite hot sauce) dash
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 4 oz diced canned tomatoes
  • 2 oz tinned tomato sauce
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 2 Tbsp green chilies
  • 1/4 cup cheese, grated (crumbled queso fresco, feta, or other favorite)
  • 1 avocado
  • 2 Tbsp cilantro leaves – chopped finely
  • 4 large eggs
  • 4 cassava flour tortillas

PREPARATION

  1. Sauté half of the onions with the cooked beans, adding cumin, a dash of salt, and a dash of the chipotle sauce. When cooked through, mash and set aside, keeping warm.
  2. Sauté the remaining half of the onion in a small amount of water with the garlic, tomatoes and tomato sauce, chili powder, green chilies, and chipotle.
  3. Scramble or fry the eggs.
  4. Pan fry tortillas until crispy (desired level of crispiness).
  5. Place the tortilla on the plate and layer the bean mixture over the top. Next, layer the egg, and then place the sauce over the top.
  6. Sprinkle with grated cheese.
  7. Garnish with avocado slices and minced cilantro.

 

What is Mountain Trek?

Mountain Trek is the health reset you’ve been looking for. Our award-winning health retreat, immersed in the lush nature of British Columbia, will help you detox, unplug, recharge, and roll back years of stress and unhealthy habits. To learn more about the retreat, and how we can help you reset your health, please email us at info@mountaintrek.com or reach out below:

Cedar Plank Salmon with Grilled Asparagus

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Cedar Planked Salmon with Grilled Asparagus

Something special happens when you cook with wood. A rich, smokey flavor gets infused into your fish and vegetables and takes your grilling to the next level. When you don’t have a wood smoker, cooking on top of a cedar plank is the next best option. Soaked for hours before placed on the grill, the plank will first steam and then begin to emit a rich smoke. Salmon is packed full of omega-3 fatty acids, making it the perfect fish for this cooking method, as it invites the smoke right in. This Cedar Plank Salmon and Grilled Asparagus recipe is a wonderful, healthy, summer grilling option—simple, easy to prep and clean, yet packed full of nutrients and vitamins. We love the deep red meat of Sockeye salmon, but any other salmon can be used on the plank. Make sure to keep the barbecue closed while cooking so the cedar smoke can work its magic on the fish. Serve with a healthy, light salad to round out your meal.  Serves 4.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)

  • 1 Cedar Plank (6″ x 12″, ~1/2″ thick)
  • 4 oz fillets of sockeye salmon
  • 16 asparagus spears medium
  • 1/2 lemon, thinly sliced
  • Oil spray (Avocado oil if possible)
  • 1 pinch coarse sea salt
  • 1 garlic (dried)
  • 1 garlic (fresh)
  • 1 pinch ground chilies

Marinade:

  • 1 cup olive oil
  • 1 tbsp Braggs aminos or tamari soy sauce
  • 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 tbsp cracked chilies
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
  • 1/2 tsp fresh ginger minced
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil

PREPARATION

  1. Soak the cedar plank (use something to weight it so it stays submerged) 2 hours before cooking.
  2. Rinse salmon, pat dry, and place in a shallow baking dish or bowl.
  3. Puree marinade ingredients in a blender until smooth and pour over salmon, reserving some marinade to drizzle over the finished fish or for the accompanying asparagus.
  4. Let sit, refrigerated, for up to an hour.
  5. Wash and dry asparagus and toss in a little oil spray with a pinch of sea salt and dried ground garlic or fresh minced garlic, plus a pinch of ground chilies.
  6. Dry the plank and lightly oil it (avocado oil or other high smoke point oil)
  7. Preheat barbecue, place the plank on the grill, and cook on medium temperature for about 10 min, or until the center is almost done. It’s normal for the cedar to smoke a little in the barbecue, this will add flavor to the fish.
  8. Set the plank aside with the salmon on it (you can keep it in a barely warm oven, wrapped) and put the asparagus on the grill. Grill for a few minutes until spears are just done (still bright green, but with grill marks and a bit crunchy).
  9. Serve with lemon slices and a drizzle of marinade on both the fish and asparagus.

Quick Energy Protein Smoothie -Take a minute for breakfast!

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Quick-Morning-Smoothie

This is the early-morning High Energy Protein smoothie we serve our guests every day. It helps break our fast and kick start our metabolic process. We recommend mixing until really smooth to get the most out of the combined flavors.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup frozen fruit, such as berries, mangos, and/or strawberries
  • 1 tablespoon hemp oil
  • 3 tablespoons hemp protein powder
  • 2 tablespoons hemp seeds
  • 1 frozen banana 1 cup coconut or almond milk
  • 1 tablespoon powdered greens
  • 1 ½ tablespoons chia seeds pinch of cinnamon

METHOD

  • Blend all ingredients together until smooth.
  • Add water to thin as desired.

Serves 4 x 6-ounce cups

Print and download the recipe here.

What is Mountain Trek?

Interested in having this and many other delicious gourmet, spa-cuisine recipes prepared for you while you spend a week invigorating and restoring your health?

Mountain Trek is the health reset you’ve been looking for. Our award-winning retreat, immersed in the lush nature of British Columbia, will help you unplug, recharge, and roll back years of stress and unhealthy habits. To learn more about the retreat, and how we can help you reset your health, please email us at info@mountaintrek.com or reach out below:

Dr. Josh on How To Eat Smarter & Lose Weight

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how-to-eat-smarter-1

Mountain Trek offers Lifestyle Performance Coaching via clinical psychologist Dr. Joshua Klapow, who’s also an alum of our retreat. It seems the good doctor is also adept at explaining matters of nutrition as well given an article that has appeared on beachbody.com. In it, Dr. Josh is asked to explain how to eat smarter through “mindful eating” (also known as “intuitive eating”) and how it can influence your body shape.

In the article called “9 Mindfulness Tips For Losing Weight,” Dr. Josh compares mindful eating to mindful existence:

“It’s not unlike taking a minute to look at a flower or experience being in nature,” he says. “We can either rush through it with a passing appreciation, or we can spend several minutes and take the entire environment into our senses. Mindful eating is the exact same thing.” He goes on to explain that “By itself, mindful eating is not a weight-loss cure, but as part of an approach or tool it can catapult healthy eating and weight loss.

By being conscientious when you consume foods, you limit distractions, choose healthier options and become more in tune with your body. Here are some tips to make better decisions that will help you lose weight.

9 mindfulness tricks to help you eat smarter:

  1. Pause before you eat to ask yourself why you’re eating
  2. Chew each bite thoroughly and savor it
  3. Drink water before meals
  4. Eat vibrant, flavourful foods
  5. Eat without distractions
  6. Wait before getting seconds
  7. When you feel the urge to snack, make a cup of tea first
  8. Take note of your cravings
  9. Eat with joy, not judgment

All of these tips will help you take more pleasure in your food and to read more about Dr. Josh’s take on “mindful eating,” log on to beachbody.com.

For an even more well-rounded culinary experience, book a stay at Mountain Trek Fitness Retreat and Health Spa to enjoy the delicious spa cuisine. She’s renowned for creating healthy, farm-fresh food that you can’t help but savor.

What is Mountain Trek?

Mountain Trek is the health reset you’ve been looking for. Our award-winning health retreat, immersed in the lush nature of British Columbia and featuring daily sunrise yoga and night-time restorative yoga, will help you unplug, recharge, and roll back years of stress, anxiety, and unhealthy habits. To learn more about the retreat, and how we can help you reset your health, please email us at info@mountaintrek.com or reach out below:

CN Traveler Awards Mountain Trek

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Conde Nast Travler Magazine

More than 300,000 travelers took part in Condé Nast Traveler’s 29th annual Readers’ Choice Awards survey submitting millions of ratings and over 75,000 comments to create a list of winning favourites – and Mountain Trek Fitness Retreat and Health Spa was one of them. In fact, Mountain Trek made it onto the list of the 15 Best Wellness Retreats in the World! “Whether you’re into hiking or yoga, or just need a nap-inducing Swedish massage, book now to rejuvenate both mind and body” is what the article says and that’s exactly what you can find at Mountain Trek.

Condé Nast Traveler, one of the most popular travel magazine and websites in North America, listed Mountain Trek Fitness Retreat and Health Spa along with 15 of the most exclusive wellness getaways in the world including Six Senses in Portugal, BodyHoliday in St. Lucia and Ananda in India. Mountain Trek was the only Canadian resort listed.

This is what the CN Traveler had to say about Mountain Trek: “You may be on vacation, but there’s no reason you can’t throw some self-improvement in the mix, too. At Mountain Trek Fitness Retreat Resort & Health Spa, way up in the clean, clear air of British Columbia, you won’t lament the week-long cheat day that could’ve been. Instead, embrace the granola life with day-long hikes led by one of the eager local guides, and sunrise yoga classes taught by certified professionals. Everything here is targeted toward achieving optimal health, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be shoving kale down your throat, or scraping bark off the nearest tree to kill the hunger pangs. Quite the contrary: The on-site nutritionist and head chef develop locally sourced, nutrient-rich meals, with lemon ricotta pancakes just one of the many fan favorites.”

“The 15 Best Wellness Retreats in the World” article was recently published on CNTraveler.com and you can read the story in its entirety here: http://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/the-best-wellness-retreats-in-the-world.

Whether you’re interested in improving your own fitness, losing weight, or just want to relax in the fresh mountain air, we recommend you book Mountain Trek and enjoy the amenities that only our all-inclusive resort can offer:

  • complimentary massages
  • delicious boutique spa cuisine
  • natural hot springs
  • infrared sauna, outdoor hot tub and cold plunge pool
  • luxurious lodge in a natural setting far away from urban stressors

You’re also guaranteed to reach your fitness goals with our program that’s tailored to each individual. You can keep to your own pace but we’ll make sure you get results. We hope to see you soon!

 

10 Tricks to Stick To Your New Year’s Resolutions

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closeup of a person writing on a table

Halfway through January is when most people start falling off the wagon and foregoing all the resolutions they made on New Year’s Eve. But with these 10 easy-to-follow guidelines, you can have a better chance of sticking with your resolutions and watching them become healthy habits you’ll enjoy for a lifetime.

1. Be Specific

Don’t be vague. If you resolve to lose weight, write down your fitness goals. How many pounds do you want to lose? What number of steps will you take in a day? How much more flexible do you want to be? Exactly what do you wish to achieve out of your yoga practice?

2. Be Positive

Not just optimistic. It’s easier to eliminate a bad habit when you replace it with a better one. So, if your resolution involves “no more chocolate bars at work,” make “pack a healthy snack to take to work every day” part of the resolution.

3. Write Down Your Goals

There’s an air of permanence when you write something done. Plus you can review them whenever you want to help stay on track.

4. Hold Yourself Accountable

Tell your friends about your resolution, join or form a like-minded group, score yourself on a chart– whatever works for you to make yourself feel accountable for success and failure.

5. Don’t Be Afraid To Ask For Help

This can be tough for many of us, but when we do ask for help, help comes. Our tasks become easier. What a relief!

6. Allow Yourself a Trial Run and be Flexible

Not every resolution is perfect right out of the gate. Give yourself a two-week or one month trial run to work out the kinks. This allows you to stumble a bit and tweak your goals to something better suited for success.

7. Visualize The End Result

Focus on the carrot, not the stick. If you’re having trouble staying motivated, focus on what you’ll get from your end goal—whether that’s feeling better at a lower weight, being able to impress your friends with your new drumming skills, or just being able to take a deep breath now that you’ve quit smoking. Staying positive seems like common sense, but it can be hard when you’re in the middle of a big plateau.

8. Choose Goals That Are In Line With What YOU Want

Your resolutions should be deeply valuable to you, first and foremost. When we set resolutions that are driven by our desire to please others, we are doomed to fail.

Bad resolution: “My wife thinks I’m lazy, so I resolve to wake up earlier and exercise before work.” Good resolution: “I’ll wake up earlier and exercise before work because it makes me feel great throughout the day.”

9. Learn Something New

Step out of your comfort zone. If your goal is to exercise three or four times a week, take a risk and enroll in a fitness class you’ve never taken before. Or if you want to improve your marriage or partnership, consult with a relationship therapist or life coach.

10. Book A Life-Coaching Session

Whether a professional athlete, career professional, or a professional mom, we all need coaching to be our best. While at our retreat in British Columbia, our caring staff and remote location make it easy to immerse into a genuine health transformation. However, back home, without accountability, it’s easy to fall out of a healthy routine.

Mountain Trek is now offering Balanced Health coaching with our program director, Kirk. If you are struggling to maintain your health back home or feel like you need a partner to work through things and hold you accountable, sign up for a free 30-min consultation to see if Balanced Health coaching is right for you.

What is Mountain Trek?

Mountain Trek is the health reset you’ve been looking for. Our award-winning health retreat, immersed in the lush nature of British Columbia, will help you detox, unplug, recharge, and roll back years of stress and unhealthy habits. To learn more about the retreat, and how we can help you reset your health, please email us at info@mountaintrek.com or reach out below:

6 Healthy Travel Snacks That Are Pre-Packaged

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a woman on a public walkway eating a healthy snack

Guests at Mountain Trek are pleasantly surprised by the deliciousness of the snacks we supply during the hours they spend hiking on the trails. Many expect mass-produced “energy” bars to help fuel their activities but that style of snack is usually full of corn syrup and highly processed ingredients. We recommend people take a small time out of their week to prepare healthy items they can snack on throughout the course of their days.

Related Article: Top 5 On The Go Snacks

However, we’ve since heard from some guests, especially those who travel a lot, that it can be difficult to find the time to whip up some Loki Dip to go with those carrot sticks. So, we asked our nutrition expert Jennifer Keirstead to supply us with another list of snacks that people can enjoy when they’re traveling and don’t have access to their kitchen.

Our Nutritionist’s Picks for Healthy Pre-Packaged Snacks

  1. EPIC bars. These are basically dehydrated meat in power bar form. They’re made from grass-fed meats, high in protein, and taste like jerky!
  2. SuperFood Energy Bar. They’re made from plant-based, high-quality ingredients. No fillers!
  3. Justin’s Almond Butter. These are in squeeze packs and make great traveling companions. Pack a piece of fruit, or two, and spread on some creamy, high-protein almond, for a perfectly balanced snack on the go.
  4. Trail Mix. Try to avoid the prepackaged ones as they contain a lot of sodium. Instead, buy seeds and nuts from the bulk section and make your own. I like to mix unsalted cashews, almonds, pumpkin seeds, dried currants, and goji berries.
  5. Prepackaged veggies. Items such as baby carrots or sugar snap peas are easy to find and delicious with a container of hummus.
  6. Starbucks “Protein Box“. If you’re at the airport and grab one of these boxes and enjoy a hard-boiled egg, fresh fruit, cheese, and multigrain muesli bread.

Of course, being even just a little prepared with a snack in your purse, or suitcase can go a long way to help keep you on the right track nutritionally.

What is Mountain Trek?

Mountain Trek is the health reset you’ve been looking for. Our award-winning health retreat, immersed in the lush nature of British Columbia, will help you detox, unplug, recharge, and roll back years of stress and unhealthy habits. To learn more about the retreat, and how we can help you reset your health, please email us at info@mountaintrek.com or reach out below: