We are featuring many of the recipes we serve at Mountain Trek. Prepare delicious spa cuisine in your own kitchen.

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Pumpkin Seed and Almond Granola

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Granola is an easy breakfast cereal to make and always tastes better than store-bought. The almonds add a delicious crunch, lower blood sugar levels, reduce blood pressure, and lower cholesterol levels. Those benefits make them a great highlight for a healthy breakfast, compared to store-bought granolas and cereals which are often full of sugar. Served with plain yogurt and berries, this Pumpkin Seed and Almond Granola is a well-rounded meal with healthy fats, probiotics, and antioxidants. It can also be eaten as a snack to provide fuel during the day!

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Homemade Gatorade

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When you sweat, you lose electrolytes, which are critical to your muscle function and overall hydration levels. Electrolytes also help your body regulate chemical reactions and conduct electrical charges, which is how your muscles contract, so ensuring proper electrolyte levels is essential to your performance on the trail, court, track, or wherever you find yourself sweating this summer!

Popular sports drinks like Gatorade, replenish electrolytes in the form of salt, but also are packed with unhealthy sugars in an attempt to provide readily available glucose energy.

Instead, try our homemade Gatorade (we’ve dubbed it “Electrolade”), which is made with naturally occurring honey sugars as well as pure sea salt or Himalayan salt.

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 cups water
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 3 Tbs raw honey
  • 1/4 tsp pink Himalayan salt, or pure sea salt

PREPARATION

  1. Pour into blender, pulse to combine, and chill in fridge for 2 hours or more.
  2. Enjoy after sweaty summer hikes and workouts!

What is Mountain Trek?

Mountain Trek is an award-winning health retreat located in the lush forests of British Columbia, Canada. Founded in 1991, our health reset program helps 16 guests at a time unplug, recharge, reconnect with nature, and roll back years of stress and unhealthy habits. Our nutrition program uses local, organic ingredients and reduces inflammation and balances blood sugar levels and hormones. To learn more about Mountain Trek, and how we can help reset your health, please email us at info@mountaintrek.com or reach out below:

Coconut Apricot Bliss Balls

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These Coconut Apricot Bliss Balls are healthy, nutrient-dense, and a great alternative to store-bought energy bars. There are no hidden sugars or preservatives and perfect to carry in your pack, or in the cupboard for when you need clean, energy-rich fuel for your body and brain. You can also double the recipe, as these freeze and thaw beautifully, and are easily prepared over the weekend to last you the entire week ahead.

Nutritional Powerhouse: Coconut contains large amounts of medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs), a type of saturated fat that’s very easy for the human body to digest. The MCFAs found in coconut meat also contain antimicrobial properties, helping support the good bacteria in the gut microbiome.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 ½ cup toasted slivered almonds
  • 2 cup chopped dried apricots
  • ½ cup almond butter
  • ¼ cup hemp seed butter
  • ¼ cup dried unsweetened cranberries
  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut shreds
  • ½ tsp powdered ginger
  • ½ tsp cardamom
  • Zest of 1 orange, plus juice reserved to moisten mixture
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • Pinch of sea salt

PREPARATION

  1. Place the nuts and apricots in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
  2. Add butters and remaining ingredients and pulse until everything is combined.
  3. Form into 1 fl.oz. balls with a small scoop.
  4. Place in an airtight container lined with parchment paper and refrigerate or freeze.
  5. Enjoy!

What is Mountain Trek?

Mountain Trek is an award-winning health retreat located in the lush forests of British Columbia, Canada. Founded in 1991, our health reset program helps 16 guests at a time unplug, recharge, reconnect with nature, and roll back years of stress and unhealthy habits. Our nutrition program uses local, organic ingredients and reduces inflammation and balances blood sugar levels and hormones. To learn more about Mountain Trek, and how we can help reset your health, please email us at info@mountaintrek.com or reach out below:

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:

Energizing Morning Smoothie Recipe

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Drink this energizing morning smoothie within 30 minutes of waking up to break your overnight fast, ignite your metabolism, and infuse yourself with nutrient-rich, brain-fueling calories first thing in the morning—all without the hassle of a full-blown breakfast. Packed full of leafy greens, healthy fats, protein, omega-3s, and fruit, this smoothie is an all-around powerhouse.

This smoothie is part of our 2-day healthy meal plan, where we give you everything you need, from a shopping list to recipes, to eat healthfully for 48-hours. The result is reduced inflammation, increased energy, weight loss, improved gut health, and balanced hormones.

INGREDIENTS (Makes 2 servings)

  • ½ cup water
  • ½ avocado
  • 1 handful of baby greens
  • ½ cup fresh or frozen berries
  • ½ banana
  • ½ Tbsp. hemp oil (or olive or avocado oil)
  • 1 Tbsp. hemp hearts
  • ¾ Tbsp. chia seeds
  • 1 pinch of cinnamon
  • optional: 2 tablespoons hemp protein powder (or any protein you have at home)

PREPARATION METHOD

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

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:

Recover From New Years’ Resolution Setbacks

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image of dice spelling old habits

How are your New Year’s Resolutions going? Still on track, or are you mired in self-defeat? If it’s the latter then we’re here to help. Setbacks are just part of the process when we make big changes. Perhaps you vowed you’d eat breakfast every morning and then fell back into the routine of consuming only three coffees before lunch. Or maybe you said you’d exercise three days a week and have only managed to go once or twice. Not to worry–you are not failing! You’re doing everything right by just deciding to make a positive change in the first place.

Here are six tips to encourage you and help keep your goals on track:

Remember, it can take upwards of three months to create a healthy habit. Continue to stick with your goals and you’ll be increasing your overall vitality in no time!

  1. Firstly, if you’ve suffered a setback the key is don’t beat yourself up over it. Just acknowledge it, try to discern why you slipped, and then immediately get back on track again.
  2. If you find yourself continually encountering setbacks, maybe the change you’re trying to implement is too big? Is it possible to make a smaller change that will lead to a healthier path? For example, if you wanted to hit the gym three times a week but are struggling to make it there even once, then edit your goal. Resolve to go to the gym once a week to start, and work your way up from there. 
  3. If you keep lapsing into a bad habit, such as snacking on potato chips throughout your workday, then swap out the context of the bad habit. Instead of potato chips, snack on baked kale chips instead. 
  4. Get outside! There’s no better tonic than a walk through nature in the fresh air. If you find yourself lapsing into self-judgment and despair, just take a step outside and breath deeply. It seems like such a simple solution but you’ll be shocked at how it clears your mind and puts you in a better mood.
  5. Phone a friend! You are not in this alone. Engage a family member or friend and tell them about where you’re having difficulty. You’ll be amazed at how just talking about it to a good listener will help put you back on track.
  6. Travel! Nothing helps you break a bad habit faster than completely changing your environment. It’s so much easier to reinvent yourself when you’re not surrounded by the same-old, same-old. The trip doesn’t have to be an epic cross-country adventure – you could simply book a room at a local hotel, take a good book, and relax away from the stresses of your regular life. 

What is Mountain Trek?

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:

How To Balance Work And Play

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woman in a business suit without shoes playing in a fountain

About 50 years ago, many of us moved from work that involved standing and moving to desk jobs that require more sitting. Not only that, but work hours have increased since then. For some, two-thirds of our day is spent connected to our job in some capacity. This can make for an incredibly stressful lifestyle.

By spending all of our time either working or sleeping poorly, it damages our mental and physical health. After all, our system is designed to run after gazelles on the African savannah. It doesn’t feel good when we sit in front of a computer for 14 hours a day. 

The good news is there are some easy things that you can do in order to better balance your work and play. In our opinion, the latter doesn’t get emphasized enough in our current work-obsessed society. Having fun is just as important, if not more so, for personal health and happiness.

Inch by inch is a cinch, but yard by yard is hard.

The key to a good balance is not biting off more than you can chew at first. The first thing you want to do is make a list of things that you consider fun and make you happy – even if the list is only one activity long. 

Perhaps you haven’t found the time to get outside as much as you’d like. The key is to start small and set a SMART goal. Don’t expect yourself to go for an hour-long walk every afternoon right off the bat. But you can get outside, even if it’s just walking from your car to your office. For the first few days, park farther away than you normally would, and as you’re striding along, take deep breaths and remember what it was like to run freely through nature. Before entering your office, look up at the sky for 30 seconds and just enjoy the view. 

When you’re at your desk, follow these five steps:

  1. Take 10 minutes out of your workday and relax and just clear your mind. 
  2. Drink lots of water. Not only will it cleanse your system but it will force you to get up and move when you need bathroom breaks. It will also allow you to step out of your work mode for a few moments to give you time to think of other activities.
  3. Occasionally get up from your desk and stretch in a doorway or stare out the window at the sky. While you’re doing that, think about what makes you happy.
  4. The next time you’re perusing Facebook or on some other social media site, stop what you’re doing and instead Google classes, courses, groups, or apps that are related to the activity you love. Bookmark relevant sites. Even if you don’t sign up right then and there, it will be beneficial to have your mind dwell on it.
  5. Mention to a friend or co-worker about your desire for better work/play balance and the activity you would like to get involved in. By putting it out there, you’ll enlist the help of acquaintances and it will become “real” as opposed to a “wish” that only exists in your mind.

Try and do the above things every day and eventually you’ll find yourself setting aside more and more time for the activity you love. Learn more ways you can pamper yourself.

What is Mountain Trek?

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: