Fall Vegetable Soup

Fall Vegetable Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 squash, peeled and diced (Acorn or similar)
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
1 clove garlic, peeled and diced
1 small tomato, chopped
1 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tbsp. thyme
1 liter chicken broth
1/4 cup heavy cream

Instructions:

Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat.

Once heated, add the olive oil, squash, sweet potato and onion to the pan

Cook for 5 - 7 minutes or until beginning to brown and then add the garlic and tomato

Stir well and then add the all of the spices, continue to cook an additional 2 minutes

Pour the chicken broth over the vegetables and bring to a boil

Continue to cook until the vegetables are soft and the liquid has reduced by half (approx. 20 minutes)

Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes

Add the heavy cream and blend until smooth

Serve immediately garnished with fresh herbs.

Recipe yields 4 generous servings. Total prep/cook time should not exceed 1 hour.

Get Creative - Seashell Decor

Fresh back from vacation with a jar filled with beach treasures! But what to do with them?

I figured the wall could always use another memory anyways so why not break out the glue gun and get crafting!

Check out this video for the step-by-step how to:

How to make homemade hemp milk

The more I research nuts the less I like them! So coming up with a nut-free, dairy-free, dairy like substance has become a personal mission.

I have been reaching towards coconut milks lately but they are fatty and summer is coming so although creamy and delicious, coconut milk is less appealing.

Enter hemp milk, no soaking, no waiting, no nonsense. Less than 2 minutes to prepare, yep that's my kind of recipe! Also it lasts up to a week in the fridge so it's perfect for Saturday afternoon meal prep.

On to the details...

Ingredients:
1/2 cup hemp seeds
500 ml water
1 tbsp. coconut oil
1 tbsp. honey or a pitted date
2 tbsp. vanilla extract (optional)
Pinch salt

Instructions (see video)

Healthy Vegan Minestrone Recipe

The weather has warmed up but not enough so I'm still craving comfort food.  Soup is one of my favorite things to prepare on weekend mornings, not only is it easy and healthy, it's a great way to use up those not so pretty vegetables before heading out to restock.

This recipe is loaded with flavor and tons of cabbage! So if you leave out the pasta you have the most satisfying weight loss soup ever!!!

On to the details...

Ingredients:
1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
1 small sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup grape tomatoes
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can tomato paste
1 tbsp. crushed chili's
1 tbsp. oregano
1 tbsp. sea salt
Water to cover
1/4 cup pasta

Instructions:
Check out the video!

Macaroni and beef recipe

Macaroni and beef has got to be one of my favorite childhood comfort foods.  Perfect in a big bowl, while I'm curling up on the couch watching a movie, on Sunday afternoon.

With my plant based diet I have been coming up with all kinds of vegan alternatives for my favorite foods. This one is a goodie, but please try it for yourself and let me know what you think.

Ingredients:
1 white onion
1 quarter sweet pepper (I used yellow)
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 package of Yves Italian veggie ground round
1 tbsp. Crushed red pepper
1 tbsp. Oregano
1 can tomato pasta
1 jar strained tomatoes

Instructions:

Strawberry banana smoothie recipe

Strawberry banana smoothie recipe

Ingredients:
3 very ripe small (apple) bananas or one regular
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 cup coconut milk
1 tbsp. Honey (or your favorite sweetener)

Instructions:
Check out this video for instructions!

Check out how to make the best vegan sushi!

Check out the video for the how to!

Ingredients:
1 cup germinated brown rice
2 cups water
Pinch sea salt

Seasoning:
2 tbsp. Soy sauce
2 tbsp. Coconut Palm Sugar
2 tbsp. Rice Vinegar

Filling:
Sliced red pepper
Sliced carrot
Sliced cucumber
Sliced avocado
Sliced spring onion


Check out this video for instructions:

Recipe - Vegan Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats

Overnight oats, the easy and healthy breakfast you make the night before. Perfect for super busy mom's like me, less than 5 minute prep and the whole day with the awesome knowledge that I had a healthy breakfast. And hey, we all need more self care!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup Rolled oats
3/4 cup Organic unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup Coconut cream or milk
4 tbsp. Chia seeds
1 tbsp. Ground Flax
1 tbsp. Hemp seeds
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Sea salt
1 tbsp. Maple Syrup (optional)

Instructions:

Combine ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir until well combined

Separate mixture into Mason jars and cover with lid.

Refrigerate overnight or at least 6 hours.

Recipe yields two generous servings.

Peppercorn Chai Chia Pudding

Chia pudding has been all the rage for quite sometime now and I'm totally into it.  I mean who doesn't like a guilt-free, luxurious breakfast.

Raw Spice Bar's peppercorn chai spice blend inspired this sweet and savory recipe that was a big hit in my household.

Check it out! It's so delicious you'll be sneaking into the fridge all day!

Ingredients:
1 litre of vegan spiced milk
1 tbsp. Vanilla extract
1/4 cup Raw agave
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 Vanilla coconut coffee creamer (or similar)
1/2 cup Chia seeds

Chai Chia Pudding Ingredients

Instructions:

Combine ingredients in a large bowl and stir well to combine.

Distribute into Mason jars and cover.

Refrigerate overnight, stirring occasionally.

Recipe yields 4 servings.

Raw Spice Bar - Peppercorn Chai Chia Pudding

Vegan spice infused milk

We are in the heart of winter and this cold weather has me craving a little more heat.

Luckily, I found a way to warm up and to spice up my plant based diet.

I created this simple recipe for a delicious peppercorn chai almond milk using Raw Spice Bar's high quality spices.

I used it to make a delicious Chai-Chia pudding (yaaay for delicious word play lol) but it would also be perfect to spice up your tea or coffee. You can also use this spiced milk in place of milk in any recipe that could use a new twist!

Spiced milk is a healthy way to add tons of flavor and the health benefits that come from Raw Spice Bar's savory spices.  

Ingredients:

3 cups unsweetened almond milk (or your favorite)

1 cup coconut milk

1 package Raw Spice Bar - Peppercorn Chai

Vegan spiced milk recipe

Instructions:

Combine ingredients in a saucepan and heat over medium-high heat.

Stir occasionally until milk begins to boil.

Once boiling remove from heat and cover.

Allow to sit at least 10 minutes before using.

Raw Spice Bar - Peppercorn Chai infused milk

Refrigerate leftovers for up to one week.

Subscribe for awesome spices here:
https://rawspicebar.com/collections/spice-subscription-sets-quarterly

How to make hummus in less than 60 seconds!

Check out this super easy hummus recipe! With only 5 ingredients and less than a minute prep time it's just the best thing since sliced bread! Or on it ;)

Recipe - Tamari roasted almonds

Over priced almond vendors beware!
This perfectly balanced, 20 minute clean recipe will soon become your snack food of choice!

Ingredients:
1 - 250 gram package of raw almonds
1/4 cup tamari sauce
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. raw agave nectar
Pinch sea salt (optional)

Ingredients for Tamari Almonds

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 290 degrees and arrange almond in a single layer on a baking sheet

Roast Almonds

Bake for 8 minutes

In a separate bowl, combine Tamari, cayenne & agave.

Stir to combine and set aside

Once almonds have roasted, dump all of the almonds into the bowl with the sauce

Toss the hot almonds until coated and then pour them back on the baking sheet and roast and additional 10 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent burning!

Tamari Roasted Almonds

Allow to cool for a moment before eating, although it's hard! Season with additional sea salt if desired.

Tamari Almonds make the perfect addition to any lunch bag, a great salad topping, perfect for any get together or movie night! Try some now!

Real life product testing - How to Veggetti

The veggetti, advertised as an easy and affordable way to prepare raw vegetable pasta. I was totally inthused when I saw it advertised on sale for $10 in one of my local boxing week flyers so of course I had to try.

Upon inspection, and as usual with as seen on TV products, I received an underwhelming plastic tube with two blades, one marked thick and the other side thin.

The Veggetti is expectedly, light weight and easy to hold and then requires a suprising amount of force to use. I tried it with zucchini and it does perform by making a watery pasta like vegetable creation.

Here's a live video of me trying out the veggetti!

Check out my next post, where I will be cooking the zucchini veggetti! It's surprisingly delicious!

Quinoa Nicoise Salad

The holidays are over and it's time to switch from gluttony to punishment. Meaning it's time to switch our diets from luxury treats to salads and lighter fare.

Without sparing any flavor, I am pleased to present my Quinoa Nicoise Salad, a delicious new modernization on the classic French dish. This healthful, hearty salad will leave your tummy full and your taste buds pleased.

Quinoa Nicoise Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked red quinoa
1 cup cooked, chopped green beans
1 can tuna, drained
1 large shallot, diced
4 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
8-10 grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. Honey
Pinch salt, pepper and oregano
1 garlic clove, minced

Instructions:

Combine dressing ingredients in the base of a large bowl. Whisk until combined and slightly thickened.

Layer salad ingredients onto dressing and toss gently.

Spoon salad onto a bed of your favorite greens and serve.

Recipe yeilds two large entrees size servings.

Quinoa Nicoise Salad Recipe