Author Archives: Angela Liddon

Thai Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers

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{“head_note”:”Bursting with flavour, these Thai-inspired veggie burgers will make your every dream come true! The patties are made with a base of shredded sweet potato and chickpeas and are flavoured with fresh garlic, ginger, cilantro, basil, and a sprinkle of lime juice and sesame seed oil. To add some delicious crunchy texture, I’ve mixed in some chopped roasted and salted peanuts into the mix. These burgers are naturally gluten-free and you can make them soy-free by using coconut aminos instead of the tamari (or simply omit the tamari all together). See my note below on making this recipe nut-free. Peanut sauce is adapted from my Almond Butter Sauce<\/a>.”,”instructions”:”

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  1. Preheat the oven to 350\u00b0F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Peel the sweet potato. Using a box grater with the regular-sized grate holes, grate 1.5 cups of sweet potato. Place in large bowl. I had about 1\/2 of the sweet potato leftover, so I sliced it into 1-cm rounds and placed it on the baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and toss to coat.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. In a large bowl, stir together the grated sweet potato, cilantro, basil, garlic, ginger, and chopped peanuts.<\/li>\r\n \t
  4. In a food processor, add the oats and process until finely chopped. You want the texture to be like a coarse flour. Stir the oat flour into the bowl with the vegetables.<\/li>\r\n \t
  5. Now add the drained chickpeas into the processor and process until finely chopped. You want the mixture to be a cross between a coarse paste and finely chopped chickpeas, but don’t completely puree the chickpeas. Stir the processed chickpeas into the bowl with the vegetables and oat flour.<\/li>\r\n \t
  6. In a mug, whisk together the ground flax and water. Let it sit for only 20 seconds or so, any longer and it will get too thick. Stir this flax egg into the vegetable chickpea mixture until fully combined.<\/li>\r\n \t
  7. Stir in the sesame oil, tamari, lime juice, coriander, salt, and pepper all to taste.<\/li>\r\n \t
  8. Shape the mixture into 6-8 patties, packing each patty tightly between your hands so it holds together well. Place each patty onto the prepared baking sheet along with the sweet potato rounds.<\/li>\r\n \t
  9. Bake for 20 minutes, then gently flip the patties and potato rounds and bake for another 15-17 minutes until golden on both sides. You might have to remove the sweet potato a bit early – just keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.<\/li>\r\n \t
  10. While the burgers are baking, prepare the peanut sauce. Add all sauce ingredients into a food processor and process until smooth. Adjust ingredients to taste if desired. The sauce will thicken up as it sits.<\/li>\r\n \t
  11. After baking, place patties on a cooling rack for 10 minutes to cool slightly. Serve with toasted buns (or lettuce or whole grain wraps), tomato slices, roasted sweet potato, lettuce, and the peanut sauce.<\/li>\r\n \t
  12. The peanut sauce will store in the fridge for at least a week. The burgers can be frozen (after baking and cooling) for a couple weeks.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:”
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    • To make the burgers soy-free, use coconut aminos in place of the tamari or simply omit it all together.<\/li>\r\n \t
    • To make this recipe nut-free, omit the peanuts in the burgers and use sunflower seeds instead. For the peanut sauce, you can probably use sunflower seed butter instead of the peanut butter, but you will likely have to adjust the other ingredients to taste since its more bitter than peanut butter.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>“}

3-Layer Almond Coconut Chocolate Bars

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{“head_note”:”These bars are bursting with three of my favourite flavours\u00a0\u2013 almond, coconut, and chocolate! How could you go wrong? A soft and nutty\u00a0toasted almond-oat crust forms the base. If you\u2019ve made my Chilled Chocolate Pie<\/a>, you can probably attest to how good this press-in\u00a0crust is! The middle layer is made up of a no-bake\u00a0almond butter \u201cfudge\u201d enhanced with rice crisp cereal for a wicked crispy texture. The bars are topped with a dark chocolate \u201cmacaroon\u201d coating and garnished with big flakes of toasted coconut. I know.<\/em>“,”instructions”:”

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  1. Preheat oven to 350\u00b0F and line an 8-inch square pan with two pieces of parchment paper, one going each way.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. For the crust: Add the almonds into a food processor and process until a fine meal forms, just larger than sand. Now add the oat flour, oil, syrup, and salt and process until combined and sticky. Finally, add the cup of rolled oats and process until the oats are chopped and the dough comes together, but the oats still have a bit of texture to them. The dough should stick together when pressed between your fingers. Crumble the dough evenly in the prepared pan. Press the dough into the pan evenly, wetting fingers if necessary to prevent sticking. Smooth out the dough with a pastry roller and use your fingertips to press in the edges until even.\u00a0 Poke a few holes with a fork to let air escape. Bake, uncovered, for around 13 minutes. Place pan on cooling rack for at least 10 minutes.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. For the middle layer: In a medium saucepan, stir the almond butter, oil, syrup, vanilla, and salt and heat over medium until the coconut oil is melted and the mixture is smooth. Whisk if necessary. Remove from heat. When the crust has cooled for 10 minutes or so, stir the rice crisp cereal into the almond butter mixture and pour this mixture on top of the crust. Smooth out and place in the freezer on a flat surface for 40-45 minutes, until the middle layer is completely solid. While the mixture freezes, toast the large coconut flakes (see note below). After the middle layer is frozen, remove from freezer and lift out the bar. Slice into 6 rows vertically and then slice 3 rows horizontally to make 18 small bars. Place bars in the freezer once again while you prepare the chocolate topping.<\/li>\r\n \t
  4. For the chocolate topping: In a saucepan, melt the chocolate and coconut oil over low-medium heat. When half the chips have melted, remove from heat and stir until completely smooth. Stir in the shredded coconut. Remove bars from the freezer and spoon a small amount of chocolate on top of each bar. Immediately, sprinkle with toasted coconut flakes. Return the bars to the freezer until the chocolate is set. Serve immediately (bars will melt quickly, so I wouldn’t suggest keeping them out too long). Store leftovers in the fridge or freezer.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:”1) To make 1\/2 cup oat flour, add 1\/2 cup rolled oats into a high-speed blender and blend on high until a flour forms. 2) To toast the large coconut flakes, spread onto a baking sheet and toast at 350F for only 3-4 minutes, until golden and fragrant. After cooling, I crumbled the flakes up into smaller pieces for easier sprinkling. 3) For a fun twist, try making these bars using my homemade Nutella<\/a> instead of almond butter!”}

Smoky Butternut Squash Sauce with Pasta and Greens

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{“head_note”:”This recipe is adapted from my Butternut Squash Mac and Cheeze recipe<\/a> from 2011. While the former version is a huge hit on the blog, some of you didn’t like how sweet the sauce is. I’ve been playing around with this recipe every time I make it. This version I’m sharing today is still quite sweet thanks to the butternut squash and cashews, but I’ve tried to balance it out better with some smoky seasonings like liquid smoke, chili powder, smoked paprika, and some hot sauce for a kick and more depth of flavour. It’s a big hit in this house. Feel free to adjust the various seasonings to taste. This sauce is also great heated up and poured over roasted vegetables and brown rice. Use it any way you see fit! I think you’ll be surprised by how creamy and satisfying it is all without a lick of butter or oil.”,”instructions”:”

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  1. Add cashews in a small bowl and cover with water. Soak overnight or for at least 3-4 hours, until soft and plump. Drain and rinse before use.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Preheat oven to 425\u00b0F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. See note about prepping squash below. Spread out chopped squash on sheet and drizzle with oil. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt. Roast for 30-40 minutes, flipping once half way through baking, until squash is fork tender. Let cool for at least 5 minutes.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. Add the soaked and drained cashews, water, garlic, nutritional yeast (if using), lemon juice, onion powder, paprika, chili powder, and 2 cups of cooked squash into a high speed blender. Blend on high until smooth. Now add the salt, liquid smoke, and hot sauce to taste and blend again.<\/li>\r\n \t
  4. Cook pasta according to package directions. If using broccoli, kale, or other vegetables, roast or saut\u00e9 those too.<\/li>\r\n \t
  5. Add the drained pasta back into the pot. Pour on your desired amount of sauce and stir to combine. Stir in the cooked vegetables, if using. Cook over medium until heated throughout and serve immediately.<\/li>\r\n \t
  6. Leftover sauce can be stored in an air-tight container for up to 1 week or so in the fridge. It’s great poured on roasted vegetables too!<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:”Time saver: You can also simply slice the squash in half, remove seeds, and roast the two halves rather than chopping the squash up. The butternut squash sauce makes 2.75 cups.”}

Flourless Black Bean Hazelnut Brownies

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{“head_note”:”You will never believe these soft & fudgy brownies are made without a lick of flour, eggs, or dairy! Pureed black beans replace the need for flour while the toasted hazelnut meal lends a flour-like, nutty texture with a flavour reminiscent of Nutella. If you like a crunchy brownie, be sure to sprinkle some chopped hazelnuts on top before baking. Since the brownies take a while to set, allow them to cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before removing.”,”instructions”:”

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  1. Preheat over to 300F and place hazelnuts on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast nuts in the oven for 13-14 minutes, until fragrant with darkened skins. The skins should be slightly falling off. Remove from oven and set aside for a few minutes to cool. Place the hazelnuts on a damp (old) tea towel and wrap the sides up to cover. Roll the nuts around in the tea towel, pressing firmly so the skins rub off. Discard the skins and add 1\/2 cup of the nuts into a food processor. Process until a flour-like consistency forms, being sure not to process it into a butter. Remove and set aside. Increase the oven heat to 350F and grease a muffin tin.<\/li>\r\n\t
  2. Mix the flax and water together in a small bowl, along with the arrowroot powder until no clumps remain. Let it gel up for a few minutes.<\/li>\r\n\t
  3. Add the black beans into a processor and process until chopped. Add in the flax mixture, melted vegan butter, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, salt, and baking soda. Process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the side of the bowl as needed.<\/li>\r\n\t
  4. Finally add in the hazelnut meal and process until incorporated.<\/li>\r\n\t
  5. Spoon the batter into the greased muffin tin. Chop the remaining hazelnuts (if using) and sprinkle on top. Gently, press down to adhere.<\/li>\r\n\t
  6. Bake at 350F for 33-36 minutes, until semi-firm to the touch and a knife comes out mostly clean. Place tin on a cooling rack and allow the brownies to cool for at least 30 minutes before attempting to remove. When ready, slide a knife around each brownie and pop out gently.<\/li>\r\n\t
  7. If you prefer a firmer brownie, store these in the fridge or freezer.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:””}

Ashley’s Triple Chocolate Doughnuts

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{“head_note”:”Angela’s note: Gooey, moist, and dense these vegan and gluten-free doughnuts will satisfy your every chocolate craving and then some! Vegan + GF doughnuts are sensitive to ingredient changes, so it’s important not to make any substitutions in this recipe. Please note that sweet rice flour is not the same thing as rice flour and they are not interchangeable. Printed with permission from the book Baked Doughnuts for Everyone<\/a> by Ashley McLaughlin. Excerpted by arrangement with Fair Winds Press. Copyright \u00a9 2013. <\/em>“,”instructions”:”

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  1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease a doughnut pan.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. For the doughnuts<\/span>: Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir until combined. In another bowl, whisk all of the wet ingredients (milk, applesauce, oil) together until fully combined.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined, being careful not to overmix (stop when you no longer see dry flour). Let batter sit for 5 minutes. Do not stir after this point. The batter will be very thick and not pourable.<\/li>\r\n \t
  4. Spoon the batter into the doughnut molds, filling to just below the top of each mold (3 to 6 mm) from the top. Lightly smooth out the top of the batter with a small silicone spatula. Do not pack the batter down.<\/li>\r\n \t
  5. Bake for 18-23 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the centre should come out clean (unless you stab it into a melted chocolate chip, that is!). Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Slide a thin spatula around the edges of the doughnut to help loosen them out. Then place on a cooling rack and allow to fully cool before topping.<\/li>\r\n \t
  6. For the frosting<\/span>: Add the frosting ingredients into a medium bowl and beat with electric mixers until smooth, adjusting the amount of milk or sugar, if necessary. Spread the frosting onto cooled doughnuts and garnish with sprinkles, if desired.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:”Note: I baked the doughnuts for a bit longer than called for (23 minutes) and used a regular size pan (6 doughnut) and a mini pan (12 doughnuts), baking both at the same time.”}

Crispy Coconut Almond Chia Granola Bars

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{“head_note”:”Crispy baked granola bars made without refined sugar! Be sure to allow the bars to fully cool before slicing.”,”instructions”:”

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  1. \u00a0Preheat oven to 375F and line a 9 x 12.5-inch baking sheet with tin foil. Lightly spray the tin foil with non-stick spray or grease with coconut oil.<\/li>\r\n\t
  2. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl (oats, rice crisp, sliced almonds, sugar, chia, coconut, flax, cinnamon, salt).<\/li>\r\n\t
  3. In a small pot, melt the coconut oil over low heat. In a medium bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (melted coconut oil, syrup, almond butter, and vanilla).<\/li>\r\n\t
  4. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and stir very well until combined. The mixture will be dry at first, but keep mixing until it’s fully coated in the wet mixture.<\/li>\r\n\t
  5. Spoon the oat mixture into the prepared pan and spread out evenly with a spoon. With lightly wet hands, press the mixture firmly and evenly into the pan. I like to use a party roller to pack it down as firmly as possible.<\/li>\r\n\t
  6. Bake at 375F , uncovered, for 13-15 minutes, until lightly golden.<\/li>\r\n\t
  7. Place pan on a cooling rack and cool for at least 30-45 minutes before lifting out the square. When fully cool, slice into bars (bars may crumble if you slice while warm). Store leftovers in the fridge or freezer.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:””}

World’s Healthiest Peanut Butter Freezer Fudge

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{“head_note”:”Say goodbye to refined sugar-laden fudge and say hello to this healthier freezer version! Made with protein-packed peanut butter and heart-healthy coconut oil, you’ll wonder how you ever did without this refined sugar-free version! Be sure to store this fudge in the freezer for the best texture as it will soften quickly at room temperature. For a crunchy fudge, stir in a couple handfuls of rice crisp cereal.”,”instructions”:”

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  1. Line an 8-inch square pan with two pieces of tin foil (cut to the size of the pan), one going each direction. Lightly spray the tin foil with non stick spray.<\/li>\r\n\t
  2. Melt 3\/4 cup coconut oil in a small pot over the lowest heat. When melted, remove from heat.<\/li>\r\n\t
  3. Add peanut butter into a large bowl and beat with electric beaters until smooth. Stir in the rest of the fudge ingredients (melted coconut oil, maple syrup, salt, and vanilla) until combined.<\/li>\r\n\t
  4. With a spatula, pour the fudge mixture into the prepared pan and smooth out. Set aside.<\/li>\r\n\t
  5. For the dark chocolate drizzle<\/span>: Melt 1 tbsp coconut oil over low heat in a small pot. Remove from heat and whisk in the cocoa powder and maple syrup until smooth. With a spoon, drizzle the chocolate mixture all over the top of the peanut butter mixture. With a knife \”swirl\” the knife into the chocolate mixture to create a swirl pattern.<\/li>\r\n\t
  6. Transfer the pan to a flat\/level spot in the freezer and freeze, uncovered, for about 45-60 minutes, until completely solid. Cut into small squares and enjoy!<\/li>\r\n\t
  7. Store leftovers in the freezer. The fudge will melt at room temperature so it’s best not to let this sit out for longer than a few minutes.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:”Note: If your peanut butter is salted, you can reduce the salt accordingly or skip it all together.”}

Mini Crunch Bars with Peanut Butter Shell Drizzle

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{“head_note”:”Like the store bought candy bar, only much tastier and better for you! This dark chocolate bar comes together in about about 15 minutes flat. Try serving it at a Halloween party, but make sure to keep the bars in the freezer until just before serving. They will get soft at room temperature so you can try serving them on a chilled plate. One thing is for sure, they won’t last long!”,”instructions”:”

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  1. For the crunch bar:<\/span> Line a 9×5 inch loaf pan with two pieces of parchment paper, one going each way. In a pot over low heat, gently melt the coconut oil and then whisk in the rest of the crunch bar ingredients (except the rice crisp) to taste. Once the mixture is smooth remove from heat and stir in the rice crisp cereal. Pour mixture into prepared pan, smooth out, and then freeze for 10-15 minutes, or until the chocolate is solid.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. For the PB drizzle<\/span>: Melt the coconut oil and then whisk in the peanut butter and liquid sweetener. Adjust to taste if desired. Scoop into a plastic baggie.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. Remove crunch bar from freezer and cut into 12 small bars. Snip a tiny hole in the baggie and drizzle the PB mixture onto the bar (you can also try drizzling it with a spoon, if desired).<\/li>\r\n \t
  4. Return bars to the freezer until the PB drizzle is solid, about 5 minutes.<\/li>\r\n \t
  5. Serve straight from the freezer or fridge. Bars will melt slightly at room temperature so I don’t suggest keeping them out long. Store leftovers in the fridge or freezer.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:”Note: To make these bars nut-free, use sunflower seed butter (I like Sunbutter brand) in place of the peanut butter.”}

Velvety Butternut Cinnamon Date Smoothie

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{“head_note”:”Creamy, velvety, and downright dreamy this is the perfect smoothie to kick off the fall season and make use of roasted butternut squash! This batch makes a generous amount – enough for two glasses to share with a loved one (or one thirsty smoothie maker!). You can also make this for a Thanksgiving brunch and share it with a crowd. It would make a lovely addition to any breakfast. If you’d like to use canned squash that should work fine too. I would use a bit less, about 3\/4-1 cup of pur\u00e9e, adding to taste. It probably goes without saying, but pumpkin would be a nice substitute for butternut. Adapted from Pumpkin Pie Smoothie for Two<\/a>.”,”instructions”:”

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  1. To cook the squash: Preheat oven to 400\u00b0F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice the stem off the squash (optional) and slice the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Brush a bit of oil on the squash and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Place squash on the baking sheet, cut side up, and roast for 35-50 minutes, until fork tender and golden brown on the bottom. Allow to cool.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. For the smoothie: Add all smoothie ingredients into a high speed blender and blend on high until smooth, adjusting the spices as needed. Serve immediately & enjoy!<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:”Note: To make this nut-free, use a nut-free non-dairy milk such as coconut or soy milk.”}

7 Vegetable and “Cheese” Soup

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{“head_note”:”Silky smooth and bursting with 7 healthy vegetables, this soup will keep you feeling great all fall and winter long! The nutritional yeast gives this soup a \”cheese-like\” flavour and simple spices allow the flavours of the vegetables to shine. The beauty of making a pur\u00e9ed soup is that you don’t have to fuss over chopping the vegetables with great precision since they\u2019ll be blended anyways; this results in a faster prep. To give the soup some texture, try topping it with my easy Pan-Fried Garlic Croutons and toasted pepita seeds.”,”instructions”:”

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  1. Grab a very large pot (about 6 1\/2 quarts) with a lid and set aside.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Add the onion and garlic with the oil into the pot and saut\u00e9 over medium heat for a few minutes. Season with a couple pinches of salt and pepper.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
  3. Add the celery, carrots, broccoli, sweet potato, and squash, one by one, as you chop them. Continue to saut\u00e9 over medium heat, stirring every once and a while so it doesn’t stick to the bottom.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
  4. Cover the pot with a lid and cook the vegetables for 4 to 5 minutes, reducing heat if necessary.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
  5. Remove lid and stir in the broth. Bring the soup to a low boil. Reduce heat to low\/medium and cover with lid. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the squash and potato are fork tender.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
  6. Turn off heat and remove lid. Allow the soup to cool slightly for 5 minutes or so. After cooling, carefully scoop the soup into a blender (you’ll have to do this in a couple batches most likely) and add in the nutritional yeast and optional cayenne, if using. Carefully blend the mixture with the lid ajar (to allow heat to escape), starting at a low speed and increasing the speed until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
  7. Pour all of the pur\u00e9ed soup back into the original pot. Now, stir in the vinegar or lemon juice, to taste, about 1 teaspoon at a time. I usually add between 1 to 2 teaspoons of white wine vinegar. This helps give the soup flavours some brightness.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
  8. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with toasted pepita seeds and croutons.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t
  9. Transfer leftovers into jars and allow to cool before securing the lid and placing in the fridge. The soup should stay fresh for a week in the fridge. To freeze, add cooled soup into a container or glass jar, leaving 1 inch at the top for expansion. Secure lid and freeze for up to 1 to 2 months.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:”
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    • * The delicata squash in this soup is totally optional. It still turns out lovely without it. Or you can also try swapping the delicata squash for peeled and chopped butternut squash.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>“}