Author Archives: Angela Liddon

Nut-Free Coconut Maple Granola

{“head_note”:”It’s time for a nut-free (but still delicious) all natural granola recipe! This crunchy granola take less than 10 minutes to throw together and is bursting with good-for-you ingredients. Feel free to change up the seeds or sweeteners as you see fit. Enjoy is sprinkled over granola, oatmeal, smoothie bowls, or just grab it by the handful for a quick pick me up.”,”instructions”:”

Preheat oven to 325F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.<\/li>\r\n\t
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the dry ingredients.<\/li>\r\n\t
In a small pot, heat the coconut oil over low heat until melted. Remove from the burner and stir in the maple syrup and vanilla.<\/li>\r\n\t
Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and stir well to combine, until the oats are fully coated in the wet mixture.<\/li>\r\n\t
Spread the granola onto the baking sheet in a thin layer. Bake for 15 minutes, remove and stir, and bake for another 8-10 minutes until golden and fragrant. Watch closely during the end of baking to ensure it doesn’t burn.<\/li>\r\n\t
Cool on the pan for 45 minutes to 1 hour. It will harden up as it cools.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:””}

Thai Sweet Potato Hummus

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{“head_note”:”Sweet, creamy, and bursting with Thai flavours, this hummus recipe is a fun spin on a classic. Roasted sweet potato is blended with chickpeas, garlic, lime juice, ground coriander, sea salt, fresh ginger, sesame oil, and peanut butter. Feel free to adjust the ingredients to suit your own taste buds. The roasted sweet potato, cilantro, and roasted salted peanut garnishes really make this hummus shine, so don’t skimp on them. I served the hummus with Coriander Lime Baked Tortilla Chips to compliment the flavours even more. For a spicy version, add a dash or two of cayenne pepper.”,”instructions”:”

Preheat oven to 375F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.<\/li>\r\n\t
Spread the sweet potato onto the baking sheet and drizzle on the melted coconut oil. Sprinkle with a couple pinches of fine grain sea salt.<\/li>\r\n\t
Roast the sweet potatoes for 25 minutes, flip, and roast for another minutes until fork tender. Set aside 1.5 cups of roasted sweet potato for the hummus and reserve any remaining potato for garnish.<\/li>\r\n\t
In a food processor, mince the garlic. Now add in the chickpeas, 1.5 cups of cooked sweet potato, nut butter, 1 tablespoon of lime juice, sesame oil, and ginger. Process until smooth. Now add in some water, coriander, and salt to taste and process again for a minute or two until smooth. Add another 1\/2 tablespoon of fresh lime juice if desired.<\/li>\r\n\t
Scoop into a bowl and garnish with peanuts, cilantro, and remaining sweet potato.<\/li>\r\n\t
For the tortilla chips<\/span>: Preheat the oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.<\/li>\r\n\t
Cut the tortillas into triangles. Place them in a single layer on the baking sheet. With a pastry brush, spread the oil on top. Sprinkle with a squeeze of fresh lime juice, and a sprinkle of coriander, and salt.<\/li>\r\n\t
Bake tortillas for 7 to 9 minutes, until golden. The chips will firm up as they cool.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:””}

Sparkling Cranberry Lime Cocktail

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{“head_note”:”Festive, low in sugar, and super quick to throw together, this is a great last-minute holiday drink option for a party! Often referred to as a \”Cape Codder\”, this mix of cranberry + lime + vodka is sure to please the folks who aren’t crazy about sweet drinks. I love adding club soda instead of using all cranberry juice to give it a bit more bite and a pretty sparkle. The recipe below makes one large (16-ounce) glass, so feel free to increase the servings as you see fit. This cocktail comes in at under 100 calories and just 6 grams of sugar (or, if you omit the agave, only 3.5 grams of sugar).”,”instructions”:”

Add the vodka into a 16-ounce tall glass. Now add a handful of cranberries and a couple lime slices. Add the ice on top.<\/li>\r\n \t
Pour in the cranberry juice followed by the club soda.<\/li>\r\n \t
Add a squeeze of lime juice (if desired) and agave to taste. Stir to combine.<\/li>\r\n \t
Enjoy immediately!<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:”Note: 1) For a mocktail, simply omit the vodka and add a couple extra tbsp of cranberry juice. 2) For a fun variation, try pomegranate juice + arils instead of cranberry juice and cranberries.”}

Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Oat Crust

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{“head_note”:”A simple pumpkin pie filling with a delectable nutty crust! This pie is lightly sweetened and doesn’t feel too heavy or give you a sugar crash after indulging. Prepare this pie the day before, so it has time to set in the fridge overnight. Crust is adapted from my Chilled Dark Chocolate Pie<\/a> and the filling is adapted from my Vegan Pumpkin Pie Squares with a Graham Cracker Crust<\/a>.”,”instructions”:”

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For the crust: Preheat oven to 350\u2070F and lightly grease a 9-inch pie dish with coconut oil. Add pecans into a food processor and process until a fine crumb forms, the size of sand. Be sure not to process the pecans for too long, or the oil will release. Now add the coconut oil, maple syrup, salt, and oat flour and process again until the dough comes together. Finally, pulse in the rolled oats until the oats are finely chopped, but still have some texture to them. The dough should stick together when pressed between your fingers. If it doesn\u2019t, try processing for a bit longer.<\/li>\r\n \t

With your fingers, crumble the dough evenly over the base of the pie dish. Starting from the middle, press the mixture firmly and evenly into the dish, moving outward and upward along the side of the pie dish. The harder you press the crumbs into the dish, the more it will hold together. Poke 5-6 fork holes into the bottom to let the air escape.<\/li>\r\n \t

Bake pie crust, uncovered, at 350\u2070F for 10-13 minutes, until lightly golden and fragrant. Remove from oven and set aside to cool on a rack for at least 5 minutes.<\/li>\r\n \t

For the filling: In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut milk (or almond milk) with the arrowroot powder until smooth.<\/li>\r\n \t

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all of the pumpkin filling ingredients, including the arrowroot and cream\/milk mixture. If your pumpkin puree is firm and grainy – add this filling into a processor and whirl it until smooth. You might need to add a bit more cream\/milk if your pumpkin was really dense. Pour this filling into the baked crust and smooth out.<\/li>\r\n \t

Bake the pie, uncovered, at 350\u00b0F for 37-45 minutes until the pie is semi-firm, but still a bit soft. Watch the crust and cover with tin foil if necessary. My crust was nice and golden at 40 minutes (when I took it out), but not burned.<\/li>\r\n \t

Cool the pie for 2 hours on a cooling rack and then cover with foil and transfer to the fridge overnight to set.<\/li>\r\n \t

Serve the pie straight from the fridge, with some
coconut whipped cream<\/a>, if desired. Note that the pie will get quite soft at room temperature so I don’t suggest keeping it out for longer than 10 minutes at a time.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:”
- To make the oat flour, add 1\/2 cup + 1\/3 cup rolled oats into a high speed blender. Blend on high until a fine flour forms.<\/li>\r\n \t
- Note that using the coconut cream will give the pie a light coconut flavour. Use almond milk as an alternative if desired.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>“}

Maple Cinnamon Mashed Sweet Potatoes

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{“head_note”:”Like little fluffy clouds of pure bliss, these maple cinnamon mashed sweet potatoes make a lovely addition to any holiday meal. It reminds me a bit of sweet potato casserole, only without the marshmallows. The prep is just 5-10 minutes, so it makes a quick, last minute side dish without much fuss at all. This batch will just barely serve 4 as a side. You could easily get away with increasing the potatoes to 3 instead of 2 (and adding more of the other ingredients as needed). No one ever complained of having too many sweet potato clouds, you know.”,”instructions”:”

Add peeled and chopped potatoes into a medium pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 5-8 minutes. Drain.<\/li>\r\n\t
Add potatoes back into the pot and with a potato masher, mash in the vegan butter until smooth. Now add the rest of the ingredients to taste. Serve immediately.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:”Note: Instead of vegan butter you can try using coconut oil, although I haven’t tried this yet. For a soy-free option, use soy-free vegan butter or coconut oil.”}

The Best Shredded Kale Salad

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{“head_note”:”Inspired by a kale salad my mom enjoyed at a restaurant called True Food Kitchen, I knew I had to make my own dairy-free version as soon as I was back in my kitchen. The key to this salad is finely chopping (or shredding) the kale. The lemon-garlic dressing will coat each and every tiny piece of kale, working its magical softening powers and infusing the shredded kale with so much flavour. I prefer to use Lacinato (or dinosaur) kale in this salad because it’s much more delicate than traditional curly kale and it has a milder flavour. Instead of cheese, I topped the salad with a toasted pecan \”Parmesan\” topping and a handful of dried sweetened cranberries. The result is one of the best kale salads I’ve tried to date and you’ll find yourself wanting to inhale the entire bowl. Two bunches of dinosaur kale might seem like a lot, but once it’s shredded, it only makes about 8 cups and then it further reduces in volume by almost half as it marinates. If you are making this salad for more than 4 people, I suggest doubling it.”,”instructions”:”

Preheat the oven to 300\u00b0F (150\u00b0C). Spread the pecans onto a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden.<\/li>\r\n \t
Remove the stems from the kale and discard. (You can save them for smoothies if you are hardcore!) Finely chop the kale leaves (the smaller, the better).<\/li>\r\n \t
Wash the kale and spin dry. Place dried kale into a large bowl.<\/li>\r\n \t
For the dressing: In a mini food processor, process the garlic until minced. Now add the lemon, oil, salt, and pepper and process until combined. Adjust to taste, if desired. Pour the dressing onto the kale and mix it into the kale with your hands or toss with spoons. Keep mixing for about 1 minute to ensure everything is coated perfectly.<\/li>\r\n \t
For the Pecan Parmesan: Rinse out the mini processor and pat dry. Add the pecans into the processor and process until the pecans are the size of peas or a bit larger. Now add in the nutritional yeast, oil, and salt and process again until it has a coarse crumb texture. Be sure not to overprocess\u2014we still want a nice crunchy texture here, not powder.<\/li>\r\n \t
Sprinkle the Pecan Parmesan all over the salad. Toss on a handful or two of dried cranberries. Wrap and place in the fridge for 30 to 60 minutes to soften, or you can simply enjoy it right away. In the past, I’ve tried letting this salad sit overnight in the fridge and I greatly prefer the flavour of the salad served the day of, so I don’t recommend making this salad the day before and letting it sit in the fridge overnight.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:”
- Instead of a mini processor, you can chop\/whisk the dressing and pecan \”Parmesan\” by hand.<\/li>\r\n \t
- For a nut-free version, try using breadcrumbs instead of pecans.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>“}

Lentil Mushroom Walnut Balls with Cranberry-Pear Sauce

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{“head_note”:”These lentil mushroom balls are festive, filling, and a great vegan protein option for your holiday feast! I paired it with a lightly sweet cranberry-pear sauce, but if you aren’t a cranberry fan my vegan gravy<\/a> would be a nice option too. You can most likely prepare the lentil balls in advance. Just shape the balls and cover with plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for no longer than 12-24 hours, bring to room temperature, and then bake as usual (of course, remove plastic wrap first). The cranberry sauce can be made a couple days in advance as well. I don’t suggest skipping the sherry vinegar; it really makes this lentil mixture come to life and it pairs so well with the mushrooms. Lastly, it’s important to (very) finely chop all the vegetables and walnuts so everything sticks together.”,”instructions”:”

Add lentils into a medium pot along with 2 and 1\/4 cups water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium. Simmer for about 20 minutes, uncovered, adding more water if the lentils dry out. Once the lentils are fork tender, remove from heat and mash with a potato masher until it’s a coarse paste with some lentil pieces still intact. Set aside.<\/li>\r\n \t
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325\u00b0F. Toast the chopped walnuts for 9-12 minutes, until lightly golden and fragrant. After toasting, increase oven temp to 350\u00b0F.<\/li>\r\n \t
In a very large skillet or wok, add the oil along with the finely chopped mushrooms and garlic. Season with salt. Saute over medium-high heat for about 7-9 minutes, until most of the water cooks off. Now add the kale, toasted walnuts, cranberries, herbs, and sherry vinegar. Stir until combined and continue cooking for another few minutes until the kale is wilted. Remove from heat and stir in the mashed lentils when ready.<\/li>\r\n \t
In a small bowl, whisk together the ground flax and water. Stir for 10 seconds and then immediately pour into the skillet mixture. Stir to combine. Now stir in the 1\/2 cup oat flour until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. The mixture should be fairly moist and sticky. If it’s way too sticky, add a bit more oat flour. If it’s dry, add another tbsp of water.<\/li>\r\n \t
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Shape lentil mixture into balls and pack tightly with your hands so they hold together. Place on baking sheet an inch or so apart. Repeat for the rest. If the mixture is too hot to handle, let it cool for a bit first and then proceed.<\/li>\r\n \t
Bake the lentil balls at 350\u00b0F for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, gently flip over, and bake for another 11-13 minutes, until golden and firm on the exterior.<\/li>\r\n \t
For the sauce: Add the cranberries, pear, and maple syrup into a medium pot. Bring to a low boil over high heat and then reduce heat to medium. Simmer, uncovered, for 10-20 minutes until thickened. Use a potato masher to mash up the pear.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:”
- If your mixture seems dry (and this could be the case if the lentils are cooked too long), feel free to add a touch of water to moisten the mixture enough so it adheres.<\/li>\r\n \t
- To make oat flour, add the rolled oats into a blender and blend on high until a flour forms. Alternatively, you can use 1\/2 cup oat flour if you already have some on hand.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>“}

Vegan Pumpkin Pie Squares with Gluten-Free Graham Cracker Crust

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{“head_note”:”Easy to throw together, these pumpkin pie squares are a nice option when you don’t want to make a traditional pumpkin pie. The homemade graham cracker crust is so flavourful and holds together well. The filling is a vegan spin on traditional pumpkin pie filling, enriched with decadent coconut cream. Be sure to make this recipe the day before so it can set overnight in the fridge.”,”instructions”:”

Preheat oven to 350\u00b0F and lightly grease an 8-inch square pan. Now, line the pan with two pieces of parchment paper, one going each way. I like to spray the first piece of parchment paper with non-stick oil so the second piece sticks nicely and doesn’t fall over.<\/li>\r\n \t
Prepare the crust: In a medium bowl, combine the graham crumbs, melted coconut oil, and sweetener until the crumbs are thoroughly coated in the mixture. Scoop the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth out evenly. Starting from the middle, press the crumbs into the pan firmly and evenly. You really want to press hard so the crust sticks together nicely. I use a pastry roller to roll the crust and compact it even more. Using your fingers, press in the edges until even.<\/li>\r\n \t
Pre-bake the crust, uncovered, for 10 minutes at 350\u00b0F.<\/li>\r\n \t
Prepare the filling: In a small bowl, whisk together the arrowroot powder and maple syrup until no clumps remain. Add this and all of the other filling ingredients into a food processor and process until completely smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed. When the crust has come out of the oven, immediately pour this filling on top of the baked crust and smooth out as evenly as possible with a spatula.<\/li>\r\n \t
Bake, uncovered, for around 41-43 minutes at 350\u00b0F until the filling has darkened slightly and it’s semi-firm to the touch (although the filling will still be very soft and sticky!). Place on a cooling rack for about 60 minutes and then into the fridge to set overnight, or for at least 8 hours. Freezer lover’s note: The freezer will expedite this process. Just sayin’.<\/li>\r\n \t
Slice into squares and serve with a dollop of coconut whipped cream on top and a dusting of cinnamon and chopped pecans.<\/li>\r\n \t
Store leftovers in the fridge or freeze for later.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:”
- I used my homemade gluten-free graham crackers<\/a> and processed them into crumbs for this recipe. If you are looking for a non-gluten-free graham cracker (without nuts), you can also swap them for this<\/a> graham cracker recipe or use store-bought graham cracker crumbs.<\/li>\r\n \t
- For the full-fat canned coconut cream: Chill the can overnight or for at least several hours before use. This is the white cream in the full-fat cans of coconut milk (such as Native Forest or Thai Kitchen brands). Do not use the water portion. Use the leftover cream for the whipped cream topping. For a how-to on Coconut Whipped Cream, see this post<\/a>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>“}

Vegan and Gluten-Free Graham Crackers

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{“head_note”:”Crispy, authentic graham crackers made gluten-free and vegan! Now you can make them in the comfort of your own home. When rolling the dough, I suggest using a non-stick baking mat and a non-stick rolling pin, if you have them. It really makes rolling a breeze. If you don’t have those, not to worry; a floured counter and rolling pin will do just fine. I used gluten-free all-purpose flour to flour the mat and pin. It’s normal for the dough to crack slightly when rolling, so if this happens simply mend the crack with your fingers and forge on! Don’t worry about getting them perfect. When the crackers come out of the oven they will be a bit soft, but within 15 minutes on the cooling rack they will firm up into crispy delights! I know I’m going to get questions about a nut-free recipe, and I don’t have one to share yet, but I will try my best to come up with one. In the meantime, check out the\u00a0Vegan Graham Crackers<\/a> recipe from 2010 (you can sub the almond milk for a nut-free milk to make it nut-free).”,”instructions”:”

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Preheat the oven to 350\u00b0F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.<\/li>\r\n \t

In a small bowl, whisk together all the wet ingredients.<\/li>\r\n \t

Add the buckwheat groats and rolled oats into a high-speed blender and blend on high until a fine flour forms.<\/li>\r\n \t

In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.<\/li>\r\n \t

Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir well with a spoon until it comes together and there are no dry patches of flour left.<\/li>\r\n \t

Form the dough into 2-3 balls and place one at a time on a lightly floured non-stick mat. Lightly flour a rolling pin (if necessary) and begin rolling out the dough until you have a rectangle that is about 1\/8 inch thick. The dough will crack a bit, but this is totally normal.<\/li>\r\n \t

Cut the crackers into the shapes of your choice using\u00a0 cookie cutters, a pizza slicer\/pastry slicer, or a knife to cut the shapes you want. I used a 2-inch square cutter with a beveled edge. Place each piece onto the baking sheet, leaving 1\/2-inch between each. Poke a few fork holes into each cracker. Repeat with the remaining dough.<\/li>\r\n \t

Bake for 10 minutes and then remove from oven and carefully flip each cracker with a spatula. Rotate the pan and return to the oven for 6-7 minutes longer, until golden. Carefully, transfer crackers to a cooling rack for 15 minutes.<\/li>\r\n \t