Category Archives: Uncategorized

All Natural Pumpkin Butter From Scratch

{“head_note”:”Adapted from Homemade Pumpkin Butter<\/a>.”,”instructions”:”

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  1. Roast your sugar pumpkins (see this tutorial<\/a>). Cool for 10 minutes on pan before handling.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Add pumpkin flesh (without the skin) in a blender. Add juice and blend until smooth, stopping to push down the pumpkin when necessary. It may take a bit to get it going.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. Add the Sucanat (or brown sugar), maple syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg. Process again until super smooth and no clumps remain.<\/li>\r\n \t
  4. Spoon mixture into a medium-sized pot. Cover with lid and prop lid ajar with a wooden spoon. Over medium-high heat, bring mixture to a low boil. Reduce heat to low-medium and cook for about 10 minutes, or until it\u2019s as thick as you want it. Keep the lid ajar throughout the cooking process \u2013 you will find it splatters everywhere so be careful! I like to keep the lid propped up on an angle while I stir the mixture so I don\u2019t get splattered. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.<\/li>\r\n \t
  5. Cool completely, stir in lemon juice and a pinch of salt, and then store in a sealed jar in the fridge. Should keep for 2-4 weeks.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:””}

Creamy Pumpkin Pie Smoothie for Two

{“head_note”:”Adapted from Pumpkin Pie Smoothie<\/a> & Pumpkin Gingerbread Smoothie<\/a>.”,”instructions”:”

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  1. In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the milk, oats, and chia seeds. Place in fridge for 1 hour or preferably overnight.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Add soaked oat mixture to blender along with the pumpkin, molasses, frozen banana, and spices. Blend until smooth. Add about 5 ice cubes and blend until ice cold.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. Add maple syrup to taste. I found 1.5 tbsp was perfect for me.<\/li>\r\n \t
  4. Serve with Coconut Whipped Cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon on top!<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:””}

Early Morning Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal

{“head_note”:””,”instructions”:”

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  1. In a medium-sized pot over medium heat, cook the banana and non-dairy butter or oil for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Stir in 1\/2 tbsp peanut butter, and add the oats, chia, milk, spices, and a pinch of salt. Whisk well until combined.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. Bring to a low boil and then reduce heat to a simmer, stirring often for 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.<\/li>\r\n \t
  4. Scoop into a bowl and top with peanut butter, nuts, cinnamon, and maple syrup.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:””}

No Bake Chocolate Mint Bars

{“head_note”:”A spin-off of my Peppermint Patty Bars<\/a>, this time naturally sweetened with dates.”,”instructions”:”

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  1. Line a loaf pan with two pieces of parchment paper, one going each way. Set aside. In a food processor, process the pitted dates until chopped and sticky.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Add in the rolled oats, cocoa powder, protein powder, salt, peppermint extract, and almond milk. Process until combined, scraping down the side of the bowl as needed.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. Finally, add in the nuts, optional millet, and chocolate chips and pulse until combined and sticky. It should be sticky enough to easily make a ball.<\/li>\r\n \t
  4. Crumble mixture all over prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle a handful of flaked coconut on top and press mixture into pan with slightly wet fingers. Cover with a piece of parchment paper and roll out smooth with a pastry roller.<\/li>\r\n \t
  5. Freeze for about 15 minutes or until set. Slice into 6 rows and then slice rows in half to make 12 small bars. I prefer these straight from the freezer.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:”You want to use a very neutral-tasting protein powder here so it won\u2019t impact the overall flavour. Alternatively, you can probably use hemp seeds for a kick of protein.”}

Speedy Three-Bean Salad

{“head_note”:”Like many bean salads, it tastes better as it sits and is even better the next day once the dressing has mingled with the beans and veggies. If you can make it in advance I suggest doing so. It should keep for at least 3-4 days in an air-tight container or jar, perhaps longer.”,”instructions”:”

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  1. Add several cups of water into a medium-sized pot and bring to a boil. Add chopped green beans and blanch for 2-3 minutes in boiling water. Drain and rinse with cold water. Place into a large bowl.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Drain and rinse chickpeas and kidney beans and place into a large bowl along with the green beans, bell pepper, optional jalapeno, parsley, and green onion. Mix.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients until combined. Adjust to taste if needed.<\/li>\r\n \t
  4. Pour on dressing over salad and mix well. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to allow the flavours to develop. Season with salt and pepper and adjust dressing to taste. Salad will taste even better the next day. Store in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:””}

Roasted Tomato Tortilla Pizza with Basil Cashew Cheeze

{“head_note”:””,”instructions”:”

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  1. Place 1 cup raw cashews in a bowl of water and soak for at least 1 hour. Rinse and drain before use. Preheat the oven to 375\u00b0F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Chop tomatoes and place in a bowl and mix with olive oil, vinegar, and season with salt and pepper. Spread out on prepared pan and roast for about 30 minutes or so. Remove and reduce heat to 350\u00b0F.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. For the sauce: In a food processor drop in garlic cloves and mince. Now drop in the basil followed by the roasted tomatoes and drained and rinsed cashews. Stop to scrape down the side of the bowl. Now add in the rest of the ingredients and blend until super smooth. Season with fine grain sea salt to taste. Add more oil or lemon juice if preferred.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. Place your desired amount of tortillas on baking sheet. Spread sauce on each tortilla followed by a generous amount of roasted tomatoes. Bake in the oven for 13-15 minutes (watch closely) at 350\u00b0F or until crisp and golden. Serve immediately. Store leftover sauce in an air-tight container in the fridge. It should keep for a week or longer.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:””}

Warm Quinoa Salad with 3-Herb Green Sauce

{“head_note”:””,”instructions”:”

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  1. Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh strainer. Add quinoa to a medium-sized pot along with 1.5 cups water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, stir, reduce heat to low and cover with lid. Cook for 15-17 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes with the lid on before fluffing with a fork.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Chop tomatoes and mince garlic. Remove corn from the cob by slicing down the ear of the corn with a chef\u2019s knife. Add oil to skillet and the chopped veggies. Season generously with Herbamare or fine grain sea salt. Cook for about 7-8 minutes and remove from heat. Stir in chopped green onions.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. Meanwhile, make the green sauce in a food processor. Start by dropping the garlic into the processor to mince. Now add in the herbs and mince again. Next add the liquids \u2013 tomatoes, oil, and lemon juice. Stop to scrape down the side of the bowl as needed. Season to taste & add opt. nooch.<\/li>\r\n \t
  4. To assemble, spoon quinoa into a bowl, layer the tomato and corn mix on top, and spoon on green sauce. Season with salt and pepper & enjoy!<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:”
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    • You can sub any fresh herbs that you like.<\/li>\r\n \t
    • The yellow tomatoes in this green sauce acts as an oil-replacer. They thin out the sauce without needing a ton of oil. I used yellow tomatoes so the sauce would remain a lovely green colour. Red tomatoes will likely change the colour to be less vibrant.<\/li>\r\n \t
    • 3-Herb Green Sauce yield is approx 1\/3 cup<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>“}

Portable Baked Oatmeal…Snack Size!

{“head_note”:””,”instructions”:”

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  1. Preheat oven to 350\u00b0F. Grab 6 mini mason jars (125ml\/4.2 oz) and remove lids. Alternatively, you can use 8oz jars and make 3-4 servings.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, chia seed (or ground flax), cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. Add the almond milk, vanilla, and maple syrup and stir until combined. Fold in the chopped fruit and nuts.<\/li>\r\n \t
  4. Keep stirring the mixture so some of the milk will absorb. Divide the mixture between the 6 mason jars (about 1\/3 cup mixture each), leaving about 1.5 cm at the top. If any milk remains at the bottom of the bowl, divide it between the jars. Gently push the oatmeal down with your fingers.<\/li>\r\n \t
  5. Bake at 350\u00b0F for 22-25 minutes on a small baking sheet, or until slightly firm and golden on top. Allow to cool completely for about an hour or longer. Add any toppings you desire, place on lid, and into the fridge.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:””}

No Bake Peppermint Patty Bars

{“head_note”:””,”instructions”:”

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  1. Line an 8-inch pan with two pieces of parchment paper, one going each way. Set aside.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. If making oat flour, add 2 cups rolled oats into a high speed blender. Blend on high until a flour forms.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. In a food processor, add almonds and walnuts. Process until a very fine crumble. Add oat flour, cocoa powder (start with 1\/4 cup for now), salt, and brown sugar. Process until combined.<\/li>\r\n \t
  4. Add in the maple syrup and almond milk. Process until a ball forms. Add another tablespoon of cocoa powder if desired. Process in the 1\/4 cup rolled oats and chocolate chips until combined.<\/li>\r\n \t
  5. Take mixture and crumble it all over the prepared pan (it will be very sticky but not to worry). Now place parchment paper over top and press down evenly with your fingers. Use a pastry roller to smooth it out. Once smooth, place in freezer while you melt the chocolate topping.<\/li>\r\n \t
  6. Add chocolate, coconut oil, and peppermint into a small pot. Melt on low until most of the chocolate has melted and remove from heat. Stir. Remove pan from freezer and pour melted chocolate on top. Smooth out with spatula. Sprinkle on coconut (opt.) and place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes, or until set. Slice into 6 narrow rows and then in half to make 12 bars. Serve chilled with a glass of almond milk. Store in the freezer.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:””}

Oil-Free Chocolate Zucchini Walnut Muffins

{“head_note”:”Lightly sweet, whole wheat, and oil-free, these muffins make a special breakfast or take along snack. I love them with a pat of soy-free Earth balance to add a bit of moisture. Whole Wheat Pastry Flour works well in this recipe to create light muffins that are still 100% whole grain. You can also use all-purpose flour if that\u2019s all you have on hand. I don\u2019t recommend subbing the pastry flour for regular whole wheat flour as the muffins will likely turn out too dry and dense\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nAdapted from: Oil-Free Zucchini Bread<\/a>.”,”instructions”:”

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  1. Preheat oven to 350\u00b0F and lightly spray muffin with oil or grease with Earth Balance.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Mix flax egg in a small bowl and set aside. Grate zucchini using a grater box (regular grate size). Set aside.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. Mix almond milk and apple cider vinegar (or sub fresh lemon juice) in a small bowl and set aside. It will curdle, but this is the point as we\u2019re making vegan buttermilk.<\/li>\r\n \t
  4. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar).<\/li>\r\n \t
  5. Mix together the wet ingredients (flax egg, almond milk mixture, maple syrup, and vanilla) and then pour over dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips, walnuts, and shredded zucchini.<\/li>\r\n \t
  6. Spoon batter into prepared muffin tin filling each tin 3\/4 of the way full. Bake for about 15-17 minutes at 350\u00b0F, or until muffins slowly spring back when touched. A toothpick should come out mostly clean. Cool in tin for 5 minutes. With a knife, loosen around the muffin edge and transfer to a cooling rack until completely cool.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>“,”foot_note”:””}