Author Archives: Angela Liddon

Vegan Overnight Oats

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{“head_note”:”Vegan Overnight Oats are the time-crunched person\u2019s breakfast secret weapon, since they take just a couple minutes to make at night before bed. When you mix together rolled oats, chia seeds, and almond milk, the chia seeds absorb the milk and the oats soften, creating an effortless chilled porridge. Place it in the fridge at night and forget about it until morning, when you\u2019ll wake up to a cool, creamy bowl of oats that\u2019s just perfect in the spring or summer. This is my go-to overnight oats recipe, but feel free to change up the fruit and other mix-ins as you like.”,”instructions”:”

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  1. In a small bowl, mash the banana until almost smooth. Now stir in the chia seeds and cinnamon until combined.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Stir in the oats, almond milk, and vanilla (if using). Cover and refrigerate overnight, or a minimum of 2 hours.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. In the morning, stir the oat mixture to combine. If your Vegan Overnight Oats have a runny consistency even after they soak, simply stir in an additional 1 tablespoon chia seeds and place the mixture back in the fridge until it has thickened up. If the oat mixture is too thick, simply add a splash of milk and stir to combine.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:”
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    • Not a banana fan? Try swapping the mashed banana for 1\/4-1\/2 cup of your favourite yogurt and liquid sweetener, if desired.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>“}

Tangy Cilantro-Lime Quinoa Salad

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{“head_note”:”This black bean quinoa salad is so fresh and tangy! It’s delicious paired with creamy avocado and fresh pita bread or crackers. If you’re not as big of a fan as I am of tangy\/acidic dressings, feel free to reduce the amount of lime juice called for.”,”instructions”:”

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  1. To prepare the quinoa: Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh sieve. Add into pot along with 1.5 cups (375 mL) water or veggie broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low-medium, and then cover with a tight-fitting lid. Simmer for 14 to 17 minutes until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy. Remove from heat and steam with the lid on for 5 additional minutes. Fluff with fork and chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. In a large bowl, toss the quinoa, drained and rinsed black beans, cilantro, carrots (or roasted sweet potato), and green onions.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. Whisk together the dressing in a small bowl or jar. Adjust to taste if desired. Pour onto salad and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste until everything pops.<\/li>\r\n \t
  4. Spoon into bowl and drizzle on some Lemon-Tahini Dressing. Top with sliced avocado and serve with Endurance Crackers, if desired. <\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:”
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    • The flavours tend to mellow when this salad sits in the fridge, as the quinoa absorbs the dressing a lot. I recommend giving it a \”refresh\” by adding a squeeze of lime juice, a drizzle of olive oil, and more seasonings to taste. Stir it all together, and taste.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>“}

Hidden Greens Chocolate Protein Shake

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{“head_note”:”This smoothie calls for 2 tablespoons of hemp hearts which provide a huge nutritional boost to this smoothie, including more than 6 grams of complete protein, as well as omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, and more. Hemp hearts, kale, and dates require a strong blender to blend them smooth (a Vitamix blends them into a super creamy shake). If your blender can’t blend the hemp hearts, kale, or dates smooth, I recommend swapping out the hemp for a serving of your favourite protein powder and swapping the dates for pure maple syrup (otherwise, you’ll just have a grainy end result). You can also swap the kale for baby spinach as it blends easier.”,”instructions”:”

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  1. Add all ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Adjust sweetness to taste, if desired.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:”
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    • * \u00a0If your dates are dry or stiff, I recommend soaking the pitted dates in boiled water for a half hour and then draining well before use.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>“}

Classic Green Monster Smoothie

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{“head_note”:”To this day, Green Monsters are one of my favourite drinks for glowing skin and increased energy. If you are newbie, feel free to start off with baby spinach since its taste is undetectable, but I encourage you to experiment with kale, romaine lettuce, or other leafy greens as well. Just be sure to use a sturdy high-speed blender that can handle the task of blending thick greens. If your blender is on the weaker side, stick with spinach as it blends more easily.”,”instructions”:”

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  1. Add all ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:””}

Chickpea Salad

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{“head_note”:”Mashed chickpeas create a texture very similar to flaked chicken and the sauce gets a boost from a creamy eggless\u00a0mayonnaise. I\u2019ve also added a hefty amount of crunchy vegetables like celery, green onion, pickles, and bell peppers to give it a great crunch and loads of fibre. Serve this salad in pieces of Boston or Bibb lettuce, in a wrap or sandwich, or on crackers. If you have a picnic or road trip in store you\u2019ll be happy to know that it packs well. Recipe is lightly adapted\u00a0from The Oh She Glows Cookbook.”,”instructions”:”

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  1. In a large bowl, mash the chickpeas with a potato masher until flaked in texture.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Stir in the celery, green onions, pickles, bell peppers, mayonnaise, and garlic until combined.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. Now, stir in the mustard and dill, and season with the lemon juice, salt, and pepper, adjusting the quantities to taste.<\/li>\r\n \t
  4. Serve with toasted bread, on crackers, wraps, or on top of a basic leafy green salad. Or just enjoy it all on its own!<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:”
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    • If you\u2019d like a soy-free version of this salad, be sure to use soy-free vegan mayonnaise. Vegenaise makes a great soy-free version.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>“}

Creamy Green Protein Smoothie

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{“head_note”:”A simple 5-ingredient creamy green smoothie recipe. It takes just a couple minutes to throw together and it’s quite filling!”,”instructions”:”

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  1. Add all ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. If you have a Vitamix, use the tamper stick to get things moving.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:””}

Cherry-Strawberry Chia Seed Fool

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{“head_note”:”A vegan twist on the classic berry fool! I used whipped vanilla bean coconut cream and paired it with a delightful cherry-strawberry chia seed jam with lemon and vanilla. This dish requires some advance preparation so be sure to put the cans of coconut milk in the fridge the day before so the coconut cream can solidify. The jam also requires cooling, so you’ll need at least 2 hours to chill it in the fridge before layering the dessert.”,”instructions”:”

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  1. Chill the cans of coconut milk in the fridge for 12-24 hours so the coconut cream can solidify before use.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. For the chia seed jam: Add the berries and maple syrup into a medium saucepan. Stir to combine. Increase heat to medium, and simmer until the berries release their juices and soften, about 10 minutes. After the berries release water you can increase the heat even more to cook off the water. Watch closely and stir frequently. When the berries look a bit soft, stir in the chia seeds. Keep cooking over medium heat until the chia thickens the mixture slightly, about 5-10 more minutes.\u00a0 Reduce heat if necessary to avoid burning. Remove from heat and stir in the salt, vanilla, lemon, and optional grated beet. Pour into a glass container and let it cool on the counter for at least 30 minutes before covering and chilling in the fridge for at least 2 hours, preferably longer.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. Chill a medium bowl in the freezer (this helps the coconut cream stay thick while whipping).<\/li>\r\n \t
  4. Open the chilled cans of coconut milk and carefully scoop off the white coconut cream from each can and place it into a medium bowl. You should have 1.5-2 cups worth of cream. You can reserve the leftover coconut water for another use, such as a smoothie or you can freeze it into coconut water ice cubes (also great in smoothies).<\/li>\r\n \t
  5. With electric mixers or a whisk, beat the cream and the cane sugar in the chilled bowl until smooth. Whisk in the vanilla.<\/li>\r\n \t
  6. Layer the coconut cream and the chia jam in parfait glasses. Top with optional toasted sliced almonds, flaked coconut, lemon zest, and a cherry on top! Enjoy immediately or cover and transfer to the fridge until ready to serve. The chia seed jam will keep for up to a week in the fridge in an air-tight container, and I expect the coconut whipped cream will keep for at least 5 days.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:”Tip: If for some reason your chia seed jam didn’t thicken enough after chilling (this might be the case if the water wasn’t cooked off enough), stir in another tablespoon of chia seeds and chill it for another hour. That should do the trick!”}

Salted Almond Butter Freezer Fudge

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{“head_note”:”This almond butter fudge is lightly adapted and shared with permission from Everyday Detox<\/a> (2015) by Megan Gilmore. I also threw on a homemade chocolate coating for a snappy burst of chocolate in each piece, and a garnish of flaked sea salt. Be sure to keep this fudge in the freezer because it melts at room temperature.”,”instructions”:”

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  1. Lightly grease a standard size loaf pan (9\”x5\”) and line with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit the length of the pan.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. For the fudge<\/span>: Spoon the almond butter into a large mixing bowl.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. In a small pot, add the coconut oil, maple syrup, and salt (only the fudge ingredients here). Heat over low, until the oil is melted. Slowly pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the almond butter, stirring as you go. Stir until completely smooth and combined. It’ll be quite runny at this stage.<\/li>\r\n \t
  4. With a spatula, spoon the almond butter mixture into the prepared pan. Smooth out. Place the pan, uncovered, on a flat surface in the freezer. Freeze for around 1 hour, or until the fudge is solid.<\/li>\r\n \t
  5. For the chocolate topping<\/span>: In a small pot, add the oil and melt the oil over low heat. Remove from heat and whisk in the maple syrup, cocoa powder, and salt until smooth. I like to place the chocolate sauce in the fridge for several minutes until thickened slightly.<\/li>\r\n \t
  6. Slice the frozen slab of fudge into about 21 (1-inch) squares and place on a large plate lined with parchment paper, about a half-inch between each piece. Spoon the chocolate sauce on top of each square (a scant 1 teaspoon per square). Place back in the freezer until the chocolate is solid. Sprinkle on some flaked sea salt, if desired.<\/li>\r\n \t
  7. Break apart the squares of fudge (if the chocolate pooled at the bottom) and enjoy immediately. Return leftovers to the freezer.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:””}

Crazy Good Coconut Oil “Chocolate” Bark

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{“head_note”:”This homemade chocolate is made with just a few essential ingredients – virgin coconut oil, cocoa or cacao powder, and pure maple syrup. (Feel free to use whichever liquid sweetener you prefer). The virgin coconut oil replaces the cocoa butter found in traditional chocolate so while it needs to be kept in the freezer, it\u2019s a great way to sneak some coconut oil into your day. You can also use any toppings you’d like – dried fruit, nuts, + seeds all work lovely. It melts much faster than regular chocolate, so be sure to keep it chilled until ready to enjoy. I prefer it straight from the freezer.”,”instructions”:”

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  1. Preheat oven to 300F. Line a 9\” square pan or a small baking sheet with two pieces of parchment paper, one going each way. Set aside.<\/li>\r\n\t
  2. Add hazelnuts and almonds on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove baking sheet and add the coconut flakes and spread out. Continue roasting the nuts and coconut flakes for another 3-4 minutes, or until the coconut is lightly golden. Watch closely to avoid burning – coconut burns fast!<\/li>\r\n\t
  3. Place hazelnuts on several sheets of damp paper towel. Wrap the hazelnuts and rub them vigorously with the paper towel until the skins fall off. It\u2019s ok if some skins don\u2019t come off. Discard the skins and roughly chop the hazelnuts and almonds.<\/li>\r\n\t
  4. In a medium saucepan, melt the coconut oil over low heat. Remove from heat and whisk in the cocoa (or cacao) powder, maple syrup, and almond butter (if using) until smooth. Add a pinch of sea salt to taste. Stir in half<\/span> of the almonds and hazelnuts.<\/li>\r\n\t
  5. With a spatula, spoon the chocolate mixture onto the prepared parchment-lined pan or sheet and smooth out until it’s about 1\/4-1\/2 inch thick. Sprinkle on the remaining nuts and all of the coconut flakes. Place into freezer on a flat surface for about 15 minutes, until frozen solid.<\/li>\r\n\t
  6. Once frozen, break apart into bark. Store in the freezer until ready to eat. I don’t recommend keeping it out on the counter long because it melts fast.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:”Tip: To make this nut-free, simply omit the almond butter, hazelnuts, and almonds. It will still turn out just fine! You can try adding toasted sunflower seeds on top for a little crunch.”}

Green Tea Lime Pie Smoothie Bowl

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{“head_note”:”This is one of my all-time favourite smoothie bowls\u2014and it’s one of the most popular on the blog! Dig into the tropical flavours of lime, coconut, banana, and avocado with some baby spinach and Matcha green tea powder thrown in for an extra boost. The flavour reminds me of a creamy, tart, and sweet Key Lime Pie!”,”instructions”:”

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  1. Add all the smoothie ingredients into a high speed blender and blend on high until smooth. Adjust sweetness if desired.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Pour into a bowl and sprinkle on the toppings of your choice. Enjoy with a spoon!<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:”