Curried Sunflower Seed Spread

Here’s a pretty simple, easy to bang-off, “dinner party impresser” of a spread.  The only real pre-emptive here is that the sunflower seeds need to soak for a few hours before hand.  I love to use seeds as a base for sauces, dressings, and spreads, because they are nutritional powerhouses, high in protein, and super satisfying.  I’ve got big respect for the sunflower seed; they make great seed butter, are high in magnesium, vitamin E, selenium, support the cardiovascular system, help regulate mood, and are an excellent source of good quality fat.

Note: always keep your seeds refrigerated to preserve the integrity of the oils and to keep them fresh and tasting scrumptious.

Curried Sunflower Seed Spread

Ingredients

1 cup sunflower seeds, soaked 2 hour minimum
1 cup carrots, roughly chopped
1 inch fresh turmeric, minced
1.5 inch fresh ginger, minced
1/3 cup cashew butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp cumin
1 Tbsp tamari
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Instructions

• Drain and rinse sunflower seeds and place them in the bowl of your food processor along with all other ingredients. Process until smooth (this will take about 5 minutes), scraping sides frequently with spatula.

• Serve with chopped veggies and homemade crackers or use as a filling in a tortilla or nori wrap.

• Will keep refrigerated for up to 7 days.

Herbed Cauliflower Quinoa Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing

I have a secret (not-so-secret) love affair with roasted cauliflower. It is sooooo good! This recipe began with some roasted cauliflower amazingness and just exploded in flavour from there.

This particular salad is spectacular for lunchtime. It is easy, makes a good sized batch, is filling and satisfying, grounding, and is well-rounded without needing anything else along side. I’m a big fan of eating grains at lunchtime, as we digest them better than in the evening, and they tide us over throughout the afternoon slump without any sugar highs and lows.

I do have to say something about this dressing.
Just one thing.
Or two.
Whoa…YUMMY!!
So make a double batch if you have it in you and use it for leafy salads, salmon, over cooked veggies and rice, or just spoon it right out of the jar. Go for it!

Feel free to add in some of your favourites to this salad, it could easily handle some cucumbers, spinach, steamed kale, toasted almonds, pumpkin seeds, or fresh dill.
Or don’t, tis straight up good just the way it is! (just like you).

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Herbed Cauliflower Quinoa Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Category: Salad, Lunch, Side dish, Potluck

Cuisine: Vegan, Real food, Nutrient-dense, Vegetarian

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup dry quinoa

• 1 1/2 cups water

• Pinch sea salt

• 2 Tbsp coconut oil

• 1 head cauliflower, chopped into bite sized pieces

• 1 red pepper, diced

• 1/2 cup minced parsley

• 4 Tbsp hemp hearts

• 2 spring onions, minced

• For the Creamy Tahini Dressing

• 1/3 cup tahini

• 1/3 cup water

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

• 1/2 tsp himalayan sea salt

• 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

• 3 Tbsp olive oil

• 1 Tbsp maple syrup

• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

Instructions

1. To cook quinoa: in a small pot, bring quinoa, water, pinch of salt and an optional tsp of coconut oil to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook until all water has been absorbed (about 15 minutes). Remove from heat and allow to cool at least half an hour.

2. To roast cauliflower: preheat oven to 375F. Toss cauliflower pieces in 1-2 Tbsp of melted coconut oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 20-25 minutes until lightly browned and soft. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, combine all salad ingredients and toss together with a fork.

4. For the dressing, place all ingredients in a high-powered blender (although a regular blender will do the trick), and combine until smooth.

5. Toss salad with a generous helping of dressing, sprinkle with hemp hearts and parsley and serve.

6. Will keep in fridge for 3-4 days.

Creamy Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup

On a dark and stormy night, with the first fallings of snow, the candles were lit and the soup pot was a calling.
This soup created a buzzing of mmmm’s and ahhhh’s and this creative chef did a little slippered happy dance around the kitchen when it was finally time for the final reveal!
Great for a Sunday afternoon, when you’re in the house putzing about, or a weekday meal, this soup will fill the house with sultry aromas of roasting garlic and red peppers, and satisfy your desire for a creamy soup without the addition of dairy.

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Creamy Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 35 minutes

Category: Soup, Appetizer, Lunch, Dinner

Cuisine: Vegan, Real food, Nutrient-dense, Vegetarian

Serving Size: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

• 2 red peppers

• 2 heads of garlic

• 2 Tbsp melted coconut oil for roasting + 3 Tbsp for soup

• Salt & Pepper

• 1 cup cashews, soaked overnight and rinsed

• 2 cups vegetable stock or bone broth

• 1 onion, diced

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 28 oz can diced organic tomatoes

• 1 tsp basil

• 1/2 tsp thyme

• Fresh pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Cut red peppers in half and place skin side up on a lined baking tray. Drizzle with coconut oil and season with salt & pepper. Cut tops off garlic bulbs. Drizzle with coconut oil, season with salt & pepper and wrap in aluminum foil. Roast peppers and garlic for 35-45 minutes until nicely soft and skin on peppers begins to bubble. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

2. Meanwhile, in a large soup pot, melt coconut oil and add onions, and stir until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and salt and stir for another 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add diced tomatoes and spices.

3. In your blender, combine cooled peppers and roasted garlic cloves (just squeeze them out from the whole bulb), cashews, and stock. Blend until smooth.

4. Add cashew blend to your soup pot. Bring to a gentle boil and then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Adjust seasoning to your desired taste.

5. Serve with drizzled coconut cream, your favourite crackers, kamut toast, or straight up. Delicious every way!

I hope you enjoy this soup as much as we have in our house! This one has quickly been added to the home staples and soup repertoire, and is perfect for the onset of this wintry beauty!

Balsamic Tomato Lentil Soup

The onset of wintry days beckon a healing pot on the stove and this soup is a front runner in nutrient density, protein power, and broth soothing satisfaction. And also, so very simple & easy!

A twist on a warming tomato lentil combination, this soup will satisfy both your tastebuds and your hungry belly. It is best served on the second day, once the flavours have been given some time to settle and merge together, and with a hunk of fresh spelt bread from the neighbourhood baker (thank you Ymir Bakery!).

And those lentils? I love me some lentils! Not only are these little beauties packed with protein, but they are loaded with nutrition and so good for the digestive tract. Be sure to soak them overnight before using, this simple act will make those magnificent nutrients more bioavailable and give them a smoother sail down that GI tract👍

Health Benefits of Lentils:

• They’re full of polyphenols: active compounds that fight against harmful agents in the body—everything from ultraviolet rays and radiation to heart disease and cancer. They are also beneficial in protecting against cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

• They’re super high in protein: 1 cup of lentils brings in a whopping 18gr of protein, which is a serious protein injection!

• They’re full of fiber: crucial for healthy digestion, balanced weight, and preventative in pretty well everything nasty: heart disease, cancer, diabetes, high cholesterol. Fiber is also helpful in maintaining proper gut bacteria, energy levels and regular detoxing.

• They are high in absorbable calcium: which not only makes them good for your bones, but also beneficial for your heart, muscles, nerves, and protective against heart disease, cancer, and high blood pressure.

• High in magnesium: also beneficial for healthy bones, magnesium is responsible for hundreds of biochemical reactions in the body. It may contribute to sleep balance, stress levels, mood, blood pressure, is anti-inflammatory, and helps to reduce insulin resistance.

Balsamic Tomato Lentil Soup

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Category: Appetizer, Soup, Main Meal
Cuisine: Vegan, Real food, Nutrient-dense, Vegetarian
Serving Size: Serves 10

Ingredients

3 Tbsp coconut oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 1/2 tsp full mineral sea salt
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 tsp fresh thyme or 1 1/2 tsp dried
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 cup french lentils, soaked overnight and rinsed
1 28 oz can organic diced tomatoes (fire-roasted are best🍅)
6 cups homemade veggie broth, bone broth, or veggie soup stock
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
More salt, if desired
Serve with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar (optional)

Instructions

• In a large soup pot, heat coconut oil and onions over medium heat and saute until soft, translucent, and browning slightly.

• Add the carrots, celery, and garlic, and saute until slightly softened.

• Add the salt, thyme, and basil, and stir until fragrant.

• Add lentils, stir to coat (2 minutes), then add tomatoes and vegetable stock.

• Cover soup and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook until lentils are tender, about 30-35 minutes. Add balsamic and pepper, and simmer low for another 5-10 minutes Adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or balsamic.

• Allow to cool, store overnight, gently reheat, and serve with a drizzle of balsamic.

This is one of my oldest recipes that a friend just reminded me of. We’ve just had it for dinner several times this week and it’s definitely better & better as it ages. I am reminded of the simplicity of some pots of soup and feeling grateful for this little gem.

If you make this soup, please leave me a note below and let me know how you enjoyed it or if you made any changes. I truly LOVE to hear your feedback!

The Ultimate Cookie

What makes a really good cookie?

And by good, I mean health benefiting, energy boosting, and super satisfying, just to be clear. A truly good cookie can be everything you want it to be AND make your body, mind, and soul happy.

What do we love most about cookies?  They’re chewy, sweet, salty, satisfying, and usually contain chocolate.

When constructing the healthy cookie, we can honour all of these delicious qualifications with a few simple alterations to the average cookie recipe.

Healthify Your Cookie:

• Chewiness: something to hold your cookie together. Some good health benefiting suggestions: chia + water, ground flax +
  water, eggs, and nut butters.

• Sweetness: oh so necessaire!! What’s key to gaining ground in the daily health challenge is to swap out those refined sweetness wannabes (and I mean permanently) for body-loving goodness such as honey, maple syrup, bananas, or dates.

• Salty: this one’s easy! Just say no to iodized salt. For true mineral uptake and to receive actual nutrition from salt, choose good quality sea salt or pink himalayan salt.

• Satisfaction: what makes a cookie’s satisfaction meter shoot through the roof is not the sugar and chocolate, my friends, it is the fat + carbohydrate + protein quotient. Using all 3 macronutrients in a power snack allows you to feel full longer, to keep your blood sugar levels stable, and to boost your energy and brainpower in a way that doesn’t mess with your metabolism. Some ideas: for good fat: coconut oil/nuts/seeds; good protein: nuts/seeds/hemp hearts; and good carbohydrates: oats/oat flour/almond meal/banana.

• Chocolate: be choosy about chocolate! Real dark chocolate is full of beneficial minerals and antioxidants, but don’t let the store shelves fool you! There are many variations on chocolate out there will a LOT of added nonsense.  Find some dark goodies with as few ingredients as possible (3), look for cacao in the ingredients list and choose minimal sweetness.

Here’s my latest and most ingenious cookie recipe that I am so proud of and that my family and I did the kitchen happy dance for when I first took them out of the oven! The absolute bonus? They’re SO easy!

The Ultimate Cookie

2 Tbsp chia seeds + 2 Tbsp water
2 ripe bananas
⅓ cup honey
⅓ cup almond butter
1 tsp vanilla
½ heaping tsp cinnamon
Good pinch of sea salt
¼ cup hemp hearts
1 ½ cup oats
⅓ cup raisins
⅓ cup chocolate chips

• In a small bowl, whisk together chia seeds and water and let sit 10 minutes.

• In a medium bowl, whisk wet ingredients together with a fork.

• Add in dry ingredients and combine. Fold in raisins and chocolate chips. Form into cookies of whatever size you like and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

• Bake at 325 for 25 mins.

Roasted Squash & Almond Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing

Do not underestimate the loveliness of squash at lunchtime, dear friends.
The bright orange squash is a kind of “hiding in the shadows” nutritional superhero. The kombocha is my personal favourite, full of Vitamins A & C, beta-carotene, iron, copper, magnesium, and all those amazing B vitamins.  It is a low-glycemic index carbohydrate but not a low quantifier for energy supply.

Having squash at lunch is a super way to add some veggie power, a carbohydrate hit that will get you through the afternoon slump, and lend a tummy satisfying addition to your same-old lunchtime salad bar.
You know who you are!! I see you and your same boring salad.
Try something new.
Come on, get out of that comfort zone.
You will not be disappointed!

Roasted Squash & Almond Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Serving Size: 4-6 Large Portions

Ingredients

• ½ a kabocha, acorn, or butternut squash, chopped into ½ inch cubes

• 2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted

• Sea salt & Fresh pepper

• 4 cups Mixed greens (I like spinach)

• ¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced

• ½ red pepper, diced small

• ½ cucumber, seeded and sliced

• ½ cup slivered almonds, toasted

• Tahini Dressing

• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice

• ¼ cup tahini

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1/3 cup water

• ½ tsp cumin

• ½ tsp sea salt

• 1 tsp maple syrup

• 3 Tbsp olive oil

• Fresh pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Toss squash with melted coconut oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 – 40 minutes until for tender, remove from oven and set aside.

2. For the dressing, combine all ingredients in your blender or with an immersion blender and blend until smooth.

3. To assemble: in a medium bowl, place washed greens and roasted squash, then top with diced vegetables, red onion, and toasted almonds. Toss with dressing. Serves 2.

Easiest (Make It Anywhere) Guacamole

When we are travelling to warmer climates during the winter, chasing the sun and yearning to stand by the ocean’s side, feeding my family well can sometimes be a challenge. I often find myself leaning back on my basic knowledge and training, being creative without being too bold, as my kitchen tools and ingredients are much more limited than at home.

The biggest part of eating well on a vacation, is to source out good local food. I will generally begin this process before we travel, searching for farmer’s markets or local farms, Health food stores or best traveller store reviews. My husband is a lot more bold than I am with new people, so he’s great to have on holiday (for many many reasons  ), as he’s pretty breezy about chatting up the locals to find out where we can get our hands on some organic fruits & veggies and if there’s anywhere to find fresh fish.

When putting meals together, I tend to rely on a few staples, although it will depend what’s in season wherever we are. Avocados tend to be easy to find in the warmer climates, limes, garlic & tomatoes, too. Once I know I can put together some easy guac, than the doors open up for lots of meals & snacks.

I’ve been making guacamole for as long as I can remember being capable in the kitchen. It has gotten better over the years, I must admit. For me, guacamole tends to be a little of this and a little of that, mash it all up and give it a taste, kinda thing, but I thought I’d write a recipe out for those of you that don’t like to wing it  or are still building your kitchen confidence. This one’s for you!

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Easiest (Make it Anywhere) Guacamole

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Category: Dip, Snacks, Appetizer, Vegan, Gluten-free, Dairy-free

Cuisine: Vegan, Real food, Nutrient-dense

Ingredients

• 1 large, ripe avocado

• Juice of 1 lime

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 Tbsp minced red onion

• 1 medium tomato, diced

• ½ tsp cumin

• ½ tsp salt

• Freshly ground pepper

Instructions

1. In a small-medium sized bowl, mash avocado and lime juice with a fork.

2. Add garlic, onion, tomato and spices and mash further with a fork.

3. Serve immediately.

Our favourite dishes with Guac? Fish tacos, veggie burritos, guac & chips, baked yams with guac, morning eggs’n guac, and layered guac’n bean dip. Be creative. Or don’t. But do try this Guac recipe, it’s a hit every time!