tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40796386331672486472024-02-07T01:10:17.159-08:00Green JuiceHealing through whole foods. A journey through veganism, fitness, and things that taste good.Kim http://www.blogger.com/profile/01662790517490828984noreply@blogger.comBlogger100125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079638633167248647.post-47282705044738451182013-04-16T20:13:00.003-07:002013-04-16T20:13:47.269-07:00Apple Cinnamon Muffins<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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There’s something about thunderstorms and baking that go so
perfectly together. Being all snuggled up inside while something tasty is
baking in the oven is one of my favorite feelings. While pouring showers in
Australia are a lot warmer than the ones back home, they still make me crave
fall-y flavors, and baking muffins in a new place always makes me feel at home.</div>
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The oven here is an interesting beast. There’s no
temperature gauge and it has an open flame, but I’m guesstimating that 375 will
work pretty good for these guys. I found some almond encrusted dates in the
grocery store which were pretty exciting chopped up and mixed in the batter,
but if you just want to use regular dates that’s cool too.</div>
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Even though I hate the word moist with a passion, all the
apple in these definitely makes them worthy of that description. Since I’m an
impatient person I pried one out of the pan way before they had cooled and it
fell to pieces immediately so I ate it with a fork in a bowl. If you’re more
patient than I am, and like your muffins whole, wait about 30 minutes before
digging in. Or use muffin liners, your call.</div>
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Apple Cinnamon Muffins</div>
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Makes 12</div>
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2 cups flour, your choice(spelt is good here)</div>
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2/3 cup sucanat</div>
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2 tsp baking soda</div>
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3 tsp cinnamon</div>
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½ cup vegan butter, melted</div>
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2 tsps vanilla</div>
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1 cup almond milk</div>
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1 tablespoon flax mixed into 3 tablespoons water</div>
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2 granny smith apples, finely chopped.</div>
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¾ cup dates rolled in almonds, finely chopped</div>
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Preheat oven to 375, and grease some muffin tins. In a bowl
mix together the flour, sucanat, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In a separate
bowl combine the vegan butter, vanilla, almond milk, flax egg. Make a well in
the center of the flour mixture, pour in liquid, stir til just combined. Mix in
apples and dates, and divide amongst muffin tins. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or
until a toothpick inserted comes out clean(a few crumbs are okay).</div>
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Kim http://www.blogger.com/profile/01662790517490828984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079638633167248647.post-70005920513420927252013-02-20T12:06:00.003-08:002013-02-20T12:06:55.266-08:00Lemon Coconut Cupcakes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Lately I've been experimenting with putting coconut butter into all the places that vegan butter normally goes. Cookies, cupcakes, and everything else really. Sometimes it imparts a little bit of coconutty flavor, other times I don't even notice it except for the rich light texture it leaves. In cookies it keeps them moist and chewy but not oily, and in these cupcakes it made them a little denser than an ordinary cupcake but incredibly moist and flavorful. I hate the word moist but I honestly couldn't think of a word to replace it.</div>
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My original plan was to put lemon zest as well as juice in the batter, but our zester's vanished so that didn't happen. Adding a couple teaspoons would be an awesome addition though!</div>
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These guys are pretty tasty on their own, and frosting would make them even better. I'm one of those people who prefers the tops of muffins to the rest of them, and that happened with these a little as well. There's a couple sitting in my fridge decapitated right now actually. No shame.</div>
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I used homemade cashew milk for this recipe which turned out awesome, (1/4 cup cashews blended with 1 cup water), but any commercially made nut or soy milk should turn out fine as well.</div>
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<b>Lemon Coconut Cupcakes</b></div>
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1 cup cashew/almond milk<br />
1 tsp apple cider vinegar<br />
3/4 cup sugar<br />
1/3 cup coconut butter, softened<br />
2 tsps vanilla extract<br />
1 cup cake/pastry flour, sifted<br />
3/4 tsp baking soda<br />
1/2 tsp baking powder<br />
1/4 tsp salt<br />
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice<br />
1 tablespoon lemon zest<br />
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Preheat the oven to 350, line a muffin tin with liners.<br />
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Mix together cashew milk and apple cider vinegar with lemon juice, set aside for a few minutes.<br />
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Cream together sugar and softened coconut butter. Add vanilla, and milk and apple cider vinegar mixture.<br />
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In a separate bowl mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt.<br />
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Mix the dry into the wet, and combine until smooth. Fill liners and bake for 18-20 minutes.<br />
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Kim http://www.blogger.com/profile/01662790517490828984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079638633167248647.post-78252504447664306802013-02-03T13:32:00.000-08:002013-02-03T13:32:14.303-08:00Roasted Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich has been one of my favorite things to eat since I can remember having favorite things to eat. At the beginning of January I had a pretty bad cold so I started putting ginger into everything, and this soup was born! It freezes and reheats really well, which is handy because when you're just trying to make soup for one every recipe seems to make enough to feed a village. If you don't like ginger feel free not to add it, but if you've got a cold it does an amazing job of clearing out your nose. Prepare your kleenex.<br />
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I've burned many a grilled cheese sandwich in my life, but I've found that using the heaviest pan you can (cast iron frying pans are awesome for this) work best and is the most even. On lower heat than you would expect, especially if the bread you're using is a bit thicker. Putting a lid over the pan while you're grilling it also helps the cheese to melt faster.<br />
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I don't know why it took me this long to add hummus to grilled cheese, but smearing both sides of the insides of the bread makes things extra amazing. So does adding tomatoes, if you're into that.<br />
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<b>Roasted Tomato Soup</b><br />
1/2 yellow onion, chopped<br />
5 cloves garlic<br />
1 tablespoon minced ginger<br />
2-3 tablespoons olive oil<br />
1 14 oz can roasted tomatoes<br />
2 carrots, chopped<br />
salt and pepper<br />
a bay leaf<br />
4 cups vegetable stock<br />
1/2-1 cup almond milk<br />
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Heat the oil in a soup pot and add the garlic and onion, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir fry until soft, then add the tomatoes, ginger, chopped carrots, and bay leaf. Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a boil and let simmer for 10 minutes. Take out the bay leaf and blend in batches in a blender until smooth, adding the almond milk. If you'd like it a little thinner add more veggie stock.<br />
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<b>Vegan Grilled Cheese Sandwiches</b><br />
2 slices bread(I used sprouted whole grain bread)<br />
Hummus<br />
Vegan Butter<br />
1/4 cup Daiya cheese<br />
1 thin tomato slice<br />
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Butter one side of each slice of bread, and the insides of both slices with hummus. Butter side out fill the sandwich with Daiya cheese and the tomato slice. Grill in a preheated pan on low, flipping over halfway through.<br />
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Kim http://www.blogger.com/profile/01662790517490828984noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079638633167248647.post-29080868893480693102013-01-31T13:42:00.000-08:002013-01-31T13:42:10.041-08:00Chocolate Chip Cookies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I don't think chocolate chip cookies need a lot of introduction. They're round, they're perfect, they're chocolatey. I'm a chewy cookie kind of girl, and I recently discovered the secret that adding a bit of cornstarch to your cookies keeps them soft and amazing.<br />
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I also discovered that I don't think there's a saturation point for too many chocolate chips in a cookie. It's just not possible. When the cookies harden and cool, so does the chocolate and that keeps it together. Handy for when you're only using cookies as a vehicle to get chocolate into your mouth.<br />
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Another cookie tip to keep in mind is that if you prefer softer cookies take them out when they look just barely cooked. The edges can be crisped up and a little brown, but if the middles look a bit doughy it's perfect. They continue to cook once they're out of the oven, so doing this keeps them from becoming to crispy.<br />
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Putting the cookie dough in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes before baking helps keep cookies from spreading too much, and relaxes the gluten a little keeping your cookies soft. It's not essential though if you're impatient.<br />
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I used spelt flour which resulted in a slighty denser, almost nutty tasting cookie. You can use whatever flour you like though.<br />
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<b>Chocolate Chip Cookies</b><br />
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3/4 cup vegan butter<br />
1 cup sucanat<br />
1 egg replacer(I used 1 tablespoon chia seeds and 3 tablespoons water, mixed and left to sit for 5 minutes)<br />
2 tsps vanilla extract<br />
2 cups spelt flour<br />
1 1/2 tsps cornstarch<br />
1 tsp baking soda<br />
pinch of salt<br />
1 cup chocolate chips<br />
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With a hand mixer cream the vegan butter for a minute or two til smooth, then add in the sugar.<br />
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Cream together til smooth, add in the egg replacer, and vanilla.<br />
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In a separate bowl mix together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.<br />
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Mix into the butter mixture til smooth. Add in chocolate chips.<br />
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Place in tablespoons onto cookie sheets, place in the fridge(if you're doing that step) for 30 minutes.<br />
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Set oven to 350, bake cookies for 10-12 minutes.</div>
Kim http://www.blogger.com/profile/01662790517490828984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079638633167248647.post-87178234340642981862013-01-22T06:41:00.000-08:002013-01-22T06:41:18.061-08:00Roasted Portobello Sandwiches<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I've found that like seasons, I go through food phases. Right now I'm in a sandwich phase. A big one. A breakfast, lunch, and dinner, I'd-marry-a-sandwich if I could phase. I think I like them because you can make them as complicated or as simple as you like and they still taste good. There's enough variables to keep things interesting, and they go really good with soup(my other current winter food obsession).<br />
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Anything with the word portobello involved is probably something I want to eat, and when I saw portobellos at the grocery store as big as my face I knew what I had to do. Huge portobello mushrooms remind me of last summer when we'd have BBQs at midnight on Mondays just because we could. We'd go to Loblaws and find the biggest shrooms there, then coat them in olive oil and steak seasoning and BBQ them into deliciousness. Then I'd usually douse them in hot sauce which sounds strange but is weirdly delicious. Anything that reminds me of summer right now is okay with me!<br />
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I threw some roasted zucchini on there as well, cause the more roasted veg the happier I am. Avocado is super tasty in this as well, and maybe onions if you like those sort of things.<br />
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Roasted Portobello Sandwiches<br />
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1 ciabatta bun<br />
1 Portobello(the biggest you can find)<br />
Half a zucchini, sliced thinly lengthwise<br />
1 tsp and 2 tsps olive oil<br />
salt and pepper<br />
dried parsley<br />
hummus<br />
1/4 avocado sliced<br />
handful of greens<br />
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Preheat oven to 400, destem the portobello and lay it gill side up in a pan. Drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and dried parsley. Roast for 15 mins, or until soft(depending on the size of your mushroom).<br />
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Place zucchini in a pan, drizzle with 2 tsps olive oil, salt, pepper, and parsley. Toss to coat and roast for 15, or until soft. Top with greens, mushroom, zucchini, and avocado and serve!<br />
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Slice bun in half and place under broiler for a minute, then cover one slice with hummus.</div>
Kim http://www.blogger.com/profile/01662790517490828984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079638633167248647.post-62425056503882937842013-01-20T06:08:00.000-08:002013-01-20T06:08:04.069-08:00Copycat Protein Bars<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
My plans for blogging while travelling failed miserably, but I'm back now! In Australia and New Zealand it's pretty slim pickings for vegans, but most of the places we stayed had kitchens. I mostly ended up just making simple stir fries most of the time with things I found at the grocery store, which doesn't necessarily make for the most exciting blogging.<br />
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It made me realize how many things I have in my life that I really don't need. Living out of a suitcase for 2 months will do that to a girl I guess. I loved Australia so much that I decided to move there. It's warm, there's beaches, and the people are the nicest I've met anywhere. It was a pretty easy sell! I think as a photographer(or any kind of artist I guess) you need to live where you're inspired, and I guess it was becoming increasingly difficult for me to find that in Toronto.<br />
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I also realized that in life you really can do absolutely anything you want, and go anywhere you want, the only thing that stops you from doing those things is yourself. Your excuses, and fears, and maybe a like for being comfortable where you are. I think the opportunities to push yourself and do things that scare you a little (or a lot) are the most rewarding, so I've decided to do more of them in 2013. Find bigger things that scare me, and try to do them to the best of my ability.<br />
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Anyhow back to food, while I was in New Zealand, I came across these super tasty protein bars from a brand called One Square Meal. The ingredient list wasn't the best(too many processed things for this girl), but I think when travelling(as a vegan) you sometimes have to stretch yourself ways you wouldn't ordinarily. I've been dreaming about them ever since I got back though, and since I've been hibernating due to the cold I've had lots of time to try to recreate them.<br />
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<b>Copycat OSM Bars</b><br />
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2 cups quick cooking oats</div>
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1/3 cup coconut oil, melted</div>
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1/3 cup agave</div>
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1/2 cup chocolate chips, melted</div>
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2 scoops chocolate protein powder</div>
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1/3 cup hemp seeds</div>
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pinch of salt</div>
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1 tsp cinnamon</div>
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In a bowl stir together oats, hemp seeds, cinnamon, salt and protein powder. In another bowl mix coconut oil, agave, chocolate chips. Mix the wet into the dry, and pour into a 9x12 pan lined with parchment paper. Press down firmly with your hands or a spatula, let set in the fridge for 30 minutes. Makes 8.<br />
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Kim http://www.blogger.com/profile/01662790517490828984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079638633167248647.post-55621184956204691542012-11-21T13:56:00.005-08:002012-11-21T13:56:58.833-08:00Oatmeal Raisin Cookies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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A lot of good recipe stories begin with a bunch of bananas languishing on a counter. That's what happened in this case as well. I smushed the offenders up with some ground up almonds and oats, and these babies were born.<br />
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I once saw some graffiti on a wall that said "Oatmeal raisin cookies are the reason I have trust issues". I can relate. It's the worst when you're deliberating in front of a pile of cookies and you can't tell the difference between chocolate chip and raisin. I don't see why you have to choose though, just put them all into one cookie and your problem is solved. And I don't see why you need to stop at those, goji berries, chopped nuts, and hempseeds should also be invited to the party. Some is good, more is better, too much may be just enough.<br />
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If you're not feeling bananas, you could try pumpkin puree, or applesauce perhaps. Each banana is equal to about 1/2 cup. If your dough looks a little too wet though, try adding some more oats.<br />
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<b>Oatmeal Raisin Cookies</b></div>
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1 cup almonds</div>
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1 cup rolled oats</div>
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2 tablespoons oat flour</div>
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2 large ripe bananas, mashed</div>
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1 tsp cinnamon</div>
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1 tsp vanilla</div>
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1/2 tsp baking powder</div>
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2 tablespoons chocolate/vanilla protein powder</div>
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1/2 cup raisins</div>
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1/2 cup chocolate chips</div>
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pinch of salt</div>
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Grind the almonds in a food processor so that it's almost flour texture, but still a little chunky.</div>
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Mix almond meal, oats, oat flour, cinnamon, baking powder, protein powder, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl combine bananas and vanilla, then mix into oat mixture. Add in chocolate chips and raisins, stir till combined. </div>
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Bake on a cookie tray at 350 for 12-14 minutes, depending on the size of your cookies.</div>
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Kim http://www.blogger.com/profile/01662790517490828984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079638633167248647.post-9688833345301857552012-11-13T16:45:00.003-08:002012-11-13T16:45:52.904-08:00Buckwheat Blueberry Chocolate Pancakes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Yesterday my friend Shawnna and I tried a new vegetarian restaurant for the first time, Sadie's Diner. Cozy and adorable on a rainy night, it was adorable and looked like someone's granny's kitchen. I was overwhelmed for choice with the menu, but had been craving a veggie burger, so I went for that.<br />
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No regrets, it was the tastiest morsel I've eaten in awhile. It tasted like it had been home cooked on a BBQ in the summer, and I probably put off everyone around me with the ketchup dripping all over my face while I ate it.<br />
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Incredibly meaty seeming for a veggie burger, and with some delish onions on top. Definitely going back! Shawnna got pancakes which led me to my inspiration for this post. Lately my pancake experiments haven't been quite right, they're tasty but missing that fluffy cakiness that is quintessential pancakes, to me. I haven't attempted buckwheat pancakes before, but had some buckwheat hanging out in my cupboard, so these were born.<br />
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If you're feeling eager you can mix the dry ingredients up in a bowl the night before so you can have pancakes even faster in the morning. Then you don't have to try to figure out measurements that early in the day. I'm always at a loss for why blueberry and chocolate chips have to be two seperate options on the menu. I want it all in one pancake.<br />
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Topped with some blueberry compote, maple syrup, and pumpkin butter, these were a perfect start to a Tuesday. Depending on your protein powder, the batter might get a little too thick. Add some almond milk if that happens, you want it to be not quite liquid, but still pourable.<br />
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I like to wait til the pancakes are in the pan to add the blueberries, to avoid turning the batter grey.<br />
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<b>Buckwheat Blueberry Chocolate Pancakes</b><br />
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1 cup buckwheat flour<br />
1 1/4 cup almond milk<br />
1 scoop chocolate protein powder(I used Vega)<br />
2 packets of stevia<br />
1 tablespoon agave(optional)<br />
cinnamon<br />
2 tsp baking soda<br />
pinch of salt<br />
1 flax egg(1 tablespoon flax meal, 3 tablespoons water mixed and allowed to thicken)<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
1/2 cup chocolate chips<br />
3/4 cup blueberries<br />
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In a bowl mix together buckwheat flour, protein powder, stevia, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and chocolate chips.<br />
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Mix together almond milk, agave, vanilla and flax egg. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in wet. Stir until smooth. Add more almond milk if necessary.<br />
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In a medium heat pan, cook pancakes, about 2-3 mins each side depending on size. They're ready to flip when the edges look firm and a bit bubbly.<br />
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Kim http://www.blogger.com/profile/01662790517490828984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079638633167248647.post-18927806187604051032012-11-09T11:41:00.002-08:002012-11-09T11:41:29.595-08:00Chocobanana Fudge<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I've been trying to come up with a solid brownie that's also gluten free, and it's been an interesting, if tasty road. They come out <i>almost </i>right but one thing will be off. Like the texture, or it's capability to hold itself together. These were part of that process, but to be honest it seemed more like fudge to me. They're no bake, which is nice, and you can keep them in the freezer for awhile. You need a high speed blender for them to properly get the right texture however.<br />
<br />
Coconut butter and oil are two different things. Coconut butter is just pureed coconut meat, and the oil is something else although I'm not entirely sure what. Coconut butter melts slightly, but doesn't liquify. Coconut oil is solid at room temperature, but melts into liquid. While it's probably not the end of the world if you interchange them in this recipe, I have no idea what happens, so you're on your own with that one.<br />
<br />
<b>Chocobanana Fudge</b><br />
1 cup cashews, soaked overnight<br />
1/2 cup chocolate chips<br />
2 tablespoons cocoa powder<br />
1 mashed banana<br />
1/2 cup coconut butter(NOT oil)<br />
pinch of salt<br />
<br />
Melt the chocolate chips and coconut butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Place everything into a blender and blend until smooth, then spread into a pan and let set in the freezer. These are best kept cold, they tend to melt a bit when they warm up!<br />
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Kim http://www.blogger.com/profile/01662790517490828984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079638633167248647.post-74575287881108844062012-11-05T15:32:00.002-08:002012-11-05T15:32:30.669-08:00Spicy Maple Tofu<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I was recently given a can of maple syrup and have been trying to find ways to sneak it into everything since. I used to hate maple syrup(bad Canadian, I know) as a kid, but one day that switched and we've been full steam ahead since. Good thing since it comes out of the tap here.<br />
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This is a good recipe for when you feel lazy, but want something delicious. Usually with tofu flavours seem to absorb better when you let it drain for a bit, but to be honest I usually skip that step since I'm impatient. If you think far ahead enough it helps to unwrap your tofu when you get it home from the store, dump all the water out of the container, and store it like that. It helps it dry out a bit which leaves more room for flavours to get in there. Flavourless tofu is a sin.<br />
<br />
This works magically with tempeh as well!<br />
<br />
<b>Spicy Maple Tofu</b><br />
1/3 block of firm tofu, cut into slices<br />
2 tsp coconut oil<br />
2 tsp maple syrup<br />
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar<br />
pinch of cayenne pepper<br />
salt and pepper<br />
<br />
1 cup of kale packed<br />
3 mushrooms, chopped<br />
1/2 cup chopped zucchini<br />
1 tsp apple cider vinegar<br />
1/2 cup cauliflower/broccoli<br />
1/2 avocado<br />
<br />
Melt the coconut oil in the pan over medium high heat, then add the tofu. Coat each side with the maple syrup, cayenne, and salt and pepper. Let each side cook til golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Set aside.<br />
<br />
In the same pan add the kale, shrooms, zucchini, cauliflower, and ACV. Stir fry until soft, add a little water if necessary.<br />
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Serve tofu over kale with avocado on top!<br />
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<br /></div>
Kim http://www.blogger.com/profile/01662790517490828984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079638633167248647.post-29676813494650823962012-10-30T17:48:00.000-07:002012-10-30T17:48:05.011-07:00Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Since Halloween is right around the corner I think it's okay to keep piling on the pumpkin themed recipes. Especially when I found the most adorable little pumpkin for a dollar, just crying out to be roasted and made into pie. Last night was the windiest one I can ever remember, but since I was hiding away in my apartment, I didn't see too much of the storm. So much to be grateful for, my power didn't go out, and since there's no trees around my condo that wasn't a worry either. On the second hand I don't know if the no tree thing is great or awful, but it worked for last night! My heart goes out to all the people who are affected by Sandy, I can't believe the photos that keep popping up on Instagram and twitter. A strange age we live in now where the most up to date and reliable news sources are social media, no?<br />
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I made a raw cheesecake for the first time last week, and was so in love with it I thought it could only be improved with pumpkin thrown in to the mix. And a spooky topping for the holiday! My spider web looks a little like the spider making it may have had a few too many, but we're not judging it. This cheesecake's almost raw, but I don't think raw pumpkin would taste too great, which is why it's roasted. You can sub canned pumpkin for the roasted chunks, I think the ratio would be about 1 cup of puree, but I'm not positive since I haven't tried it.<br />
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In most raw crusts dates are the usual, but raisins are a little more affordable, taste great, and work fine for sticking the crust together. A little water is needed to get it to stick, since they're usually a bit drier.<br />
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<b>Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Crust:<br />
1 cup almonds<br />
1 cup raisins<br />
1/2-1 tablespoon water<br />
Dash of cinnamon and cloves<br />
Pinch of salt<br />
<br />
Cheesecake<br />
1 cup roasted pumpkin cubes(roast a seeded pumpkin for about 35-40 mins, remove skin and cut into pieces)<br />
1 1/2 cups soaked cashews(at least 5 hours)<br />
juice from 1 lemon<br />
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted<br />
1/6 cup maple syrup<br />
1/6 cup agave(or other liquid sweetener)<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
<br />
1/3 cup chocolate chips<br />
1 tablespoon coconut oil<br />
<br />
Blend crust ingredients in a food processor til fine and they start to stick together. If it's not sticking, add water a little at a time. You don't want it to be mushy, just until it starts to clump. Press into a springform pan, and let set in the fridge.<br />
<br />
Blend cheesecake ingredients(except for pumpkin) in a blender until super smooth. Remove 1/3 of the mixture and set aside. Add in pumpkin and blend again. Pour into crust, and let set in the fridge while you're making the topping.<br />
<br />
For the topping, melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil together. Cover the cheesecake in the rest of the filling mixture, then draw circles onto the cheesecake like a bulls eye. Run a knife through from the outside to the middle to create the pattern.<br />
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Leave in the freezer for 2 hours to let set, remove 30 mins before serving.</div>
Kim http://www.blogger.com/profile/01662790517490828984noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079638633167248647.post-86923418280869020232012-10-24T12:02:00.003-07:002012-10-24T12:04:24.605-07:00Butternut Squash Stew<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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For me Autumn is all about cosy nights, hiding indoors while the weather outside does it's thing, and eating warming tasty things. I love the simplicity of the <a href="http://iheartgreenjuice.blogspot.ca/2012/10/butternut-squash-soup.html">Butternut Squash Soup</a> I made earlier, but sometimes you want something a bit heartier. Through adding in some tofu, and roasted veggies and topping it all off with a dollop of hummus, you get a stick-to-your-ribs meal to warm you up on the coldest of nights!<br />
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This stew is pretty forgiving, and kind of grain works really, and you could easily sub tofu for beans. Lately I've been really into just throwing a bunch of things into a pot that I think would taste good and hoping for the best. By lately I mean always. I have a tendency to buy cookbooks for reading material, then hardly ever end up cooking out of them. It's a bit embarrassing, really. Sometimes I don't even bother to read the recipes, I just look at the pictures. I can't be alone on this!<br />
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<b>Butternut Squash Stew</b><br />
1/2 recipe <a href="http://iheartgreenjuice.blogspot.ca/2012/10/butternut-squash-soup.html">Butternut Squash Soup</a><br />
1 cup almond milk<br />
1 tsp curry powder<br />
<br />
Add ins<br />
1cup cooked wild rice/quinoa/barley/etc.<br />
1 cup finely chopped tightly packed kale<br />
2 cups roasted veggies, finely chopped<br />
<br />
1/2 block tofu, diced small<br />
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms<br />
1/2 cup chopped zucchini<br />
1 tablespoon tamari<br />
1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar<br />
1 tsp curry powder<br />
1 tablespoon coconut oil<br />
<br />
In a pan heat coconut oil, stir fry the tofu, mushrooms, and zucchini in the tamari and ACV.<br />
<br />
In a pot on the stove over medium heat mix together the soup, almond milk and curry powder, bring to a simmer. Add in wild rice, kale, and veggies with tofu mixture.<br />
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Serve with a dollop of hummus on top!<br />
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Kim http://www.blogger.com/profile/01662790517490828984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079638633167248647.post-66942382668941441052012-10-23T13:26:00.000-07:002012-10-23T13:26:59.052-07:00Pumpkin Maple Granola<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I've almost run out of pumpkin in my house. I realized when making this that I've never tried making home made granola before, and then I was embarrassed at how easy it was. But after that I was too busy to be concerned about that, and instead took to topping this on everything. Eating it on it's own straight as well. Then I remembered that the grocery store sells this stuff for $13 a measly bag. That was followed by thoughts of maybe I'm missing out my chance to be a multi millionaire because I'm not selling overpriced granola. It's never too late. I'm quitting my job and going to start hawking this stuff instead.<br />
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This is a little less sweet than most granolas, but if you like it sweeter just add more maple syrup. Agave and honey are good as well, but I'm Canadian and since the stuff comes out of taps, I might as well use it. You could sub the almonds for walnuts too. The hemp seeds provide a nice extra protein kick, plus some healthy fats.<br />
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<b>Pumpkin Maple Granola</b><br />
2 1/2 cups rolled oats<br />
1/4 cup pumpkin puree<br />
1/2 cup maple syrup<br />
1/2 tsp cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
pinch of salt<br />
1/2 cup chopped almonds<br />
1/4 cup hemp seeds<br />
3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted<br />
<br />
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl til evenly coated. Spread flat on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 20ish minutes, it's okay if it comes out a little soft since it firms up on cooling.<br />
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Kim http://www.blogger.com/profile/01662790517490828984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079638633167248647.post-58161046168215796142012-10-19T07:30:00.000-07:002012-10-19T07:30:03.108-07:00Pumpkin Pudding with Maple Cream and Granola<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Sometimes things are greater than the sum of their parts.<br />
<br />
People changing the world.<br />
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Chocolate and almonds.<br />
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This recipe.<br />
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The pudding's good on it's own, and so it the granola, but when you combine them all together something amazing happens. It's ridiculously easy as well, which makes it all the more worthwhile.<br />
<br />
You can used canned pumpkin, but I'd really recommend trying, at least once, roasting your own. Tis the season after all, you can buy canned pumpkin whenever you want. The real deal only comes around once a year! For directions on how to roast a pumpkin, go <a href="http://iheartgreenjuice.blogspot.ca/2012/10/pumpkin-pudding-oats.html">here</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>Pumpkin Pudding with Maple Cream and Granola</b><br />
<br />
<b>Pumpkin Pudding</b><br />
2 cups pumpkin puree<br />
1/2 small banana<br />
3 tablespoons maple syrup<br />
1/2 cup almond milk<br />
2 tablespoons chia seeds<br />
1-2 packets of stevia(to taste)<br />
1 tsp cinnamon<br />
1/2 tsp cloves, nutmeg, ginger<br />
<br />
Blend pumpkin, banana, chia seeds, maple syrup, almond milk, and stevia in a blender til smooth. Add in the spices and blend til incorporated, let set in the fridge for about an hour.<br />
<br />
<b>Maple Cream</b><br />
1 cup vegan whipped cream<br />
2 tablespoons maple syrup<br />
<br />
Stir maple syrup into whipped cream.<br />
<br />
<b>Maple Almond Granola</b><br />
1 cup rolled oats<br />
1/2 cup chopped almonds<br />
1/4 cup maple syrup<br />
2 tablespoons coconut oil<br />
1/2 tsp cinnamon<br />
<br />
Stir everything together, and bake for 12 minutes in the oven at 350, or until slightly crispy.<br />
<br />
<br />
Serve pumpkin pudding with a dollop of maple cream and a sprinkle of granola on top!<br />
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Kim http://www.blogger.com/profile/01662790517490828984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079638633167248647.post-34764440754063823112012-10-18T10:52:00.000-07:002012-10-23T13:29:46.377-07:00Pumpkin Pudding Oats<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Chocolate Protein Oats are still my favorite breakfast, but they've been fall-i-fied now by the addition of pumpkin. Protein, carbs, fibre, and deliciousness all in one bowl! They're extra good with chopped apple on top, tons of cinnamon, and maybe a dollop of vegan whipped cream....<br />
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Yeah you can use canned pumpkin I guess. But this is so so so much better if you roast your own pumpkins. Which is way easier than it sounds. Canned food freaks me out.<br />
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Make sure you purchase Sugar Pie Pumpkins, the little tiny ones. They're sweeter, and the flesh is more tender. Leave the giant monsters for hacking at later.<br />
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To roast them, chop the pumpkin in half, removing the stem. Scoop out all those seeds in the middle, and save them for later. Place cut side down on a baking sheet, and bake for about 45-50 minutes at 350. They're done when you can poke them easily with a fork, and the skin comes away easily.<br />
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Peel off the skin, then chop the pumpkin into smaller pieces. Toss those in a blender and blend until smooth. Voila! Told you it was easy.<br />
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As a side note, the 'pumpkin' that you purchase in cans is not actually all pumpkin. It's a mixture of a couple types of squashes, including hubbard and butternut. Weird, no? So now your pumpkin baked goods can actually be real pumpkin!<br />
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<b>Pumpkin Pudding Oats</b><br />
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1/2 cup quick cooking oats<br />
3/4 cup almond milk<br />
1 scoop protein powder<br />
1/4 cup pumpkin puree<br />
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Mix oats and protein powder together, then add almond milk. Stir til combined, then add pumpkin and stir some more. Top with a chopped apple and cinnamon!<br />
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Kim http://www.blogger.com/profile/01662790517490828984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079638633167248647.post-29633799951932119222012-10-17T08:29:00.003-07:002012-10-17T08:40:43.915-07:00Butternut Squash Soup<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Now that October is in full swing and fall is falling, I feel like it's appropriate to unveil my Autumn food obsession. It started weirdly early this year, with me craving soups and the like in August. But now that the trees are starting to get naked, I think it's okay to indulge in my obsession with squashes, and cinnamon, and roasted everything. By next month you're going to be so sick of seeing pumpkin on here. Or you'll be orange. I won't judge.<br />
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I've been on a soup binge as of late. Travelling a bunch tends to make you crave homey things, soup is nothing if not homey. I had this cute little butternut squash hanging out in my fridge, so I roasted it up with some garlic and onions(no colds here!), then tossed it into the vitamix. This was the first time I've used the vitamix for making soup, and it turned out like silk. With all that vitamin A, C and B6 from the squash, and the generous helping of onions and garlic, this'll help ward off all those nasty colds everyone seems to be getting. And vampires too.<br />
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Roasted garlic is one of my favorite things, it takes on this nutty mellow sweetness that's kind of divine. Same goes for the onions, something magical happens when you put those babies in the oven.<br />
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This soup is great just on it's own, or if you want to make it more of a meal some quinoa and veggies tossed in would be great too. With lots of crusty bread for dipping, if you're into that thing.<br />
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Roasted Garlic Butternut Squash Soup<br />
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1 small butternut squash, peeled and diced<br />
6-8 cloves of garlic<br />
1/2 sweet white onion, chopped into pieces<br />
1 tablespoon dried parsley<br />
S&P<br />
1 tablespoon coconut oil<br />
3 1/2 cups veggie stock<br />
1/2 cup almond milk<br />
1 tsp dried rosemary<br />
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice<br />
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Preheat your oven to 375, combine squash, garlic and onions with parsley, s&p and coconut oil. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 40 mins, or until squash is tender and golden. Allow to cool slightly.<br />
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Put half of squash into blender, with half of stock and almond milk, and rosemary. Blend until smooth, repeat with second half. Stir in lemon juice, and serve!<br />
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The next squash on my list is pumpkin. I purchased two adorable little pie pumpkins yesterday and have been making more pumpkin themed things than I ever thought possible. Pie. Pudding. Oatmeal. You'll see.</div>
Kim http://www.blogger.com/profile/01662790517490828984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079638633167248647.post-38888693401944395792012-10-15T05:44:00.000-07:002012-10-15T05:44:06.383-07:00Eating in NYC<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Whenever I find myself in NYC I'm torn between the option of revisiting all my favorite old restaurants, and trying something new. This trip I decided that I was going to attempt to eat somewhere new everyday, and try to find some new favorites.<br />
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By accident while wandering around the East Village(favorite neighbourhood, hands down!), I stumbled across <a href="http://stogonyc.com/">Stogo</a>. Their mantra is 'We are passionate about offering the healthies, most delectable frozen dessert on the planet using only the finest premium organic dairy-free ingredients, with no refined sugars, animal products, gluten, or artificial flavorings.' Totally up my ally!! It was pretty grey and cloudy that day, but I think any day is a good ice cream day. I tried their Vanilla Chocolate Chip(they make all of their flavors from scratch!), and it did not disappoint! Mildy sweet with a hint of coconut, and an amazing melt in your mouth texture. The texture of dairy ice cream is one that I usually find hard to replicate, but this one could have fooled anyone. You can also get them to sandwich a scoop between two cookies, it's pretty much heaven.<br />
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An old favorite that I had to visit was <a href="http://www.oneluckyduck.com/purefoodandwine/">Pure Food and Wine</a>. I first visited One Lucky Duck for some Thai Salad Wraps, then finished up at Pure Food and Wine for Sangria and a Blueberry Crumble with Maple Ice Cream. I adore raw food for the way you can feel like you're indulging, but everything is good for you. The feeling of lightness and energy after a meal isn't in your head, I've realized. I just don't experience that ever from eating cooked food! The Salad Wraps were wonderful, mildly spicy and tangy and creamy goodness. I could have drank a vat of the sangria. The Blueberry Crumble was that perfect mix of gooey warm fruit and melting ice cream, it was truly a perfect meal. I followed it up with a walk home through Times Square, I always think the best way to see NYC is on foot.<br />
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I've heard the praises sung of Candle 79 over and over, so I decided to pay a visit to their sister restaurant, Candle Cafe on the Upper West Side. It was a lovely balmy evening so I decided to take my order to go, and have a picnic in Central Park. I ordered the Tofu Club Sandwich, it was probably the best sandwich I've ever had ever. Crispy toasted bread, a huge hunk of perfectly seasoned tofu, avocado, tomato, and watercress, with vegan mayo. Sitting on a bench watching the sun set over the reservoir and it kind of hit me how happy I am that I can eat food like a normal person and enjoy it. Central Park is one of my favorite haunts, so it was a perfect place to recreate that memory. I know that peacefulness is not the first word that comes to most people's minds when they think of NYC, but it's how I felt for most of the trip. This weird, innate sense of peace that all was right in the universe.<br />
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Kim http://www.blogger.com/profile/01662790517490828984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079638633167248647.post-58505072040485970162012-10-08T07:08:00.004-07:002012-10-08T07:08:29.502-07:00IIN Live<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This past weekend I went to NYC to attend the IIN Live conference, and it was honestly such a magical experience! Getting to meet so many other past and present students of the school, and just to be in the same room as so many like minded people was inspiring. We heard from several awesome speakers, and Joshua Rosenthal, the school director, had us do lots of exercises to interact with the people around us.<div>
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It was held at Jazz at Lincoln Center, a super beautiful theater in the Time Warner Center. I think my favorite speaker was probably Daniel Amen, who spoke about how your lifestyle impacts your brain(which no pun intended, I've never though about before). He showed scans of people's brains as they age, and how certain things such as alcohol and obesity affect the size and mass of your brain. Being fat physically makes your brain smaller! I was blown away at finding that out. He also showed that if you take care of your brain, you can reverse damage done to it previously, and in fact make it younger. Fascinating stuff! </div>
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Sadie Nardini also did a short talk and mini yoga practice. I love her Youtube videos so it was such a treat getting to see her in person, she has such amazing energy. She spoke about following your dreams, and when people telling you that you can't do something, tell them 'watch me'. I know there's always such a long journey at the beginning of any success story, but I love hearing the backstory, of how they were challenged as well. It keeps me motivated!</div>
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One thing I felt in the auditorium that I've never felt in any learning situation before was such love, for lack of a better word to describe it. A room full of passionate people committed to helping heal others and make the world a better place. It was truly beautiful! It inspired me more in the work I think I want to do as a Health Coach, and it was so reassuring to talk to others and see that they had some of the same concerns as I did in terms of trying to identify a target market. Having a support system is so important!</div>
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After the conference was over I made it a goal to try a different vegan restaurant for every meal I was there. I didn't quite succeed, but the ones I got to were all phenomenal! My favorite I think was Candle Cafe, sister restaurant to the more upscale Candle 79. I got the Tofu BLT, and ate it sitting in Central Park as the sun was setting. Definitely one of those perfect moments I'll treasure forever! This was my first trip going to NYC pretty much 'recovered' from my eating disorder, and actually being able to allow myself to eat whatever I wanted while actually enjoying it was a milestone for me. I ate ice cream. I ate bread. I ate a lot of salad cause I truly love greens, not just because I was scared of calories. I didn't at any point want to make myself throw up or try and starve myself for the rest of the day to compensate. I ordered whatever I felt like, and savoured it, and honestly for the first time in a very long time felt free.</div>
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Kim http://www.blogger.com/profile/01662790517490828984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079638633167248647.post-14844185810433919512012-09-26T07:13:00.000-07:002012-09-26T07:13:07.826-07:00Caramel Crispies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I've got a confession to make.<br />
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The first set of photos I took of these I deleted from my camera before they ever saw the computer. Oops.<br />
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So now that the tray is pretty much done I figured I'd better squeeze in a quick shot before I devoured the last piece, cause this recipe is too tasty not to share. These were originally sort of inspired to be Luna Bar knockoffs(inspired by <a href="http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/10/19/homemade-luna-bars/">this</a> recipe), but they turned out to be much better and not like Luna Bars at all. I also topped half the tray in coconut butter(NOT oil!), but that was the half that got eaten first, so no photos for them. But just imagine it's there.<br />
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Caramel Crispie Squares<br />
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3 cups puffed millet<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
1/2 cup cashew almond butter<br />
1/2 cup agave syrup<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
1 scoop Vega chocolate protein powder<br />
2/3 cup coconut butter(not oil), optional<br />
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On the stove over medium heat mix together nut butter, agave, salt, and vanilla extract til melted. Pour over millet in a large bowl, and add protein powder. Mix well, then press firmly into a baking pan.<br />
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In the same pot you mixed the nut butter in, melt the coconut butter til smooth. Pour over the pan and spread to cover.<br />
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Freeze until firm enough to cut into squares.<br />
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I liked storing these in the freezer because of the chewy texture it gave them, but the fridge would probably work too!<br />
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Kim http://www.blogger.com/profile/01662790517490828984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079638633167248647.post-63256190556602099432012-09-07T12:04:00.000-07:002012-09-07T12:04:02.220-07:00Crispy Tofu Steaks<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I love tofu. For awhile I pretended I didn't, and then for a bit soy kind of freaked me out so I didn't eat it. It seems like evidence in inconclusive(as of right now) that tofu is completely terrible for you, so I'm going to keep eating it til someone proves otherwise. I try to stick to organic soy products only though, since non-organic soy is susceptible to being genetically modified, which <i>is </i>something I'd like to avoid!<br />
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I've tried a lot of tofu brands in my day, and contrary to what most people think, tofu does have a subtle flavour, and the flavour is more pronounced depending on brand. My favorite right now is called Soyarie, and it's made in Canada. I usually choose the one with herbs, since who doesn't like extra herbs in everything? It's also pretty cheap at $2.19 a pack, and I'm all about cheap protein!<br />
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Tofu works like a flavour sponge, it'll absorb the taste of whatever you put it in. If you're feeling fancy you can press your tofu between two plates(the top one weighted with cans or something), and that'll squeeze some water out to allow room for extra flavour in it. If I do this I usually press it for about an hour, but if you don't feel like it it's not a big deal. Marinating it or using lots of spices usually works great. The smaller you cut your pieces the more flavourful they'll be!<br />
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For these tofu steaks I marinaded them for about an hour, then covered them with a Nooch based coating then tossed them in the oven for about 20 minutes. They're great for dipping, or in a salad, or any other way you can think to eat them.<br />
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This weekend's the Vegetarian Festival in Toronto, and I've got butterflies! 3 days of vegetable goodness, last year was great and I ate so many samples I pretty much needed to roll home. Hopefully this weekend will be the same!<br />
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<b>Crispy Tofu Steaks</b><br />
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1 block extra firm tofu, cut in thirds lengthwise then into triangles<br />
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Marinade<br />
1/3 cup soy sauce/tamari<br />
1 tsp garlic powder<br />
1tsp coriander<br />
1 tsp dried parsley<br />
1 tsp onion powder<br />
1 cup water<br />
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar<br />
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Crispy Coating:<br />
1/2 cup Nutritional Yeast<br />
1/4 cup wheat bran<br />
1/4 cup ground flax seed<br />
1 tsp garlic powder<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
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Combine all marinade ingredients in a tupperware container, then submerge triangles. Leave to marinate for an hour or two.<br />
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Stir coating ingredients in a shallow dish, and coat each triangle throughly.<br />
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Preheat oven to 400. Place triangles on a baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes.<br />
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Kim http://www.blogger.com/profile/01662790517490828984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079638633167248647.post-30278102827300701222012-08-31T06:57:00.002-07:002012-08-31T06:57:29.390-07:00Almond Cashew Butter<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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While nut butters are super easy to purchase from the store, I'm continuing on my journey of trying to make store bought things at home. Nut butter is remarkably easy to make, and tastes awesome, without having to worry about any weird preservatives or the high amounts of sugar most conventional nut butters seem to mix in. I love almond anything, and cashews always add such a pleasant creaminess to any recipe. So I decided to mix them together. All of this has nothing to do with the fact that I just got a food processor and am using it for everything under the sun.<br />
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Adding a little bit of oil can help get things going faster, as it can be a bit of a process for the nuts to break down and start releasing their oils. A little salt also helps perk up the taste. You could try adding some maple powder in for maple almond butter, or if you're feeling fancy some cocoa powder. If you wanted to you could throw some chopped nuts in at the end to make it chunky.<br />
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<b>Almond Cashew Butter</b><br />
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1 cup unsalted almonds(I used raw but roasted would work too)<br />
1 cup unsalted cashews<br />
pinch of sea salt<br />
1 tablespoon olive oil<br />
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Place the nuts in a food processor and blend until it becomes almost smooth, add in oil and keep blending until you reach the consistency you like!</div>
Kim http://www.blogger.com/profile/01662790517490828984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079638633167248647.post-56049642791650469832012-08-31T06:50:00.001-07:002012-08-31T06:50:12.458-07:00Change<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Lately I've been thinking a lot about people changing. For the most part I used to think that people don't change at all. They can't or they're stuck with set personality traits and they have to work within those paramaters. But lately I've been thinking that's not true. Humans are incredibly changeable, the catalyst is that they have to want to change, either out of necessity or realizing that past patterns don't dictate who you are forever.<br />
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Someone recently mentioned to me that they weren't a 'sports person'. Neither am I, in most senses of it. I can't catch or throw a ball properly to save my life. Back when I was younger I couldn't even run around a small field(less than 1/2 a mile), without stopping multiple times and feeling like I was going to die. I could have accepted that I wasn't a 'sporty person', and just left it at that. But I kept going with it, and figured out what things I like. And now I love working out, and do it most days and don't feel complete without it. People are inherently changeable, you just have to be willing to make that change.<br />
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Or being a vegetarian, for example. Most vegans and vegetarians will tell you that at one point, they were in the camp of saying they 'could never give up meat'. Many do though, and thrive and continue happily with a plant based diet. Did it happen overnight? No, not for most people. Habits can be deeply engrained, but with dedication and time you can create big changes. The journey of a 100 miles starts with a single step, and all that. It's true. You can't just look at the place you want to be and hope you'll make it in one jump. It's baby steps. One at a time, and sometimes you fall down. But if you just keep getting up and keep going, you'll find you're there eventually.<br />
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It's a lot easier writing it than doing it, I find I'm definitely an impatient person on the journey, and I want to speed things up usually. I find I can be an all or nothing person frequently, I want exactly what I want when I want it and am usually willing to take big risks to get it. There's pros and cons to this though, and more and more I'm trying to teach myself to enjoy the journey. Years speed by faster and faster, so learning to live in the moment and appreciate each and every one is becoming more and more essential. It's such a gratifying feeling being in a moment and knowing that you're just savouring every second of it!</div>
Kim http://www.blogger.com/profile/01662790517490828984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079638633167248647.post-7717036373295849142012-08-26T07:02:00.004-07:002012-08-26T09:30:36.423-07:00Vegan Mac and Cheese<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Back in the day KD was my favorite thing. I'd come home from school, whip up a box in the microwave and then pretty much eat the whole thing in a sitting. I've got so many childhood memories centered around KD, eating it at a friend's birthday for the first time. At a friend's for breakfast after a sleepover. At a cracked and weathered picnic table at a cottage on Saltspring Island. I love how so many memories can be tied to a food, or a smell or a song.<br />
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After going vegan I pretty much stopped eating it(obviously), and from before I had all these weird food hangups about pasta and not eating it. Gradually over the past little while I have been trying to revisit 'fear' foods. Things that I crossed off my mental checklist of things I could never consume, cause one glance would make me fat. It's amazing how some mental patterns can become so ingrained into your brain. Trying these foods now is interesting. Some of them I eat them and realize I don't really care for them, it's just more of that 'you can't have it so you want it' thing.<br />
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While I'm still steering clear of wheat pasta, quinoa pasta is totally a go. My stomach seems to figure it's fall now and is looking for all kinds of hearty, comforting, tasty foods. Yesterday I got it into my head that I wanted to attempt some vegan mac and cheese.<br />
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I also tried a new health food store yesterday. The Big Carrot, on the Danforth, a neighbourhood I don't visit too much since it's out of the way. Visiting new health food stores is a favorite hobby of mine however, so I went to check it out. I love how big it is, and it has an adjoining juice bar and wholisitc wellness shop beside it. It's got a large beauty section, bakery, bulk section, a vegetarian cafe, and carries most of the usual suspects of products on the shelves. It's priced fairly well, a bit cheaper than Whole Foods(my measuring stick for all health food stores!). It's still not as affordable as Herbs and Nutrition though, which is quickly becoming my favorite place I've ever been. I visited the Juice store after and got a huge wheatgrass/beet/carrot mix which was delicious.<br />
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Something I hear a lot is that health food stores can be intimidating. And I guess they can, but I generally tackle it like I would any other store. I walk all the way around it and down all the aisles, just to see what they have. Then I usually make another round and pick up the things I'm looking for. Produce and other perishables, like milk, tofu, meat etc. are always around the outside. The inside shelves are sundries and whatever else doesn't go bad quickly. And I totally know that healthy food can be expensive. I'm not going to deny it, but shopping around a lot helps. Seeing all your options and knowing where you can get products for their best value makes it much more affordable. If a certain store carries something you use lots of for cheap, stock up on it! Freeze it, if possible. Healthy eating is an investment on your health, and if you don't invest in it now you'll most likely be paying for it later!<br />
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I'd seen a couple recipes for vegan cheese sauce incorporating sweet potato, so I decided to give this a shot. That paired with lots of Nooch and cashew milk it turned out super tasty! You could use whatever non-dairy milk you like, I just love the creamy flavor cashew gives.<br />
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<b>Vegan Mac and Cheese</b><br />
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Cheese Sauce:<br />
1 Sweet Potato<br />
1/2 cup cashew pieces<br />
1 cup water<br />
7 tablespoons nutritional yeast<br />
1 clove garlic<br />
1 tablespoon Earth Balance, melted<br />
1 tsp apple cider vinegar<br />
1/8 tsp curry powder<br />
1 tsp dried parsley<br />
1 tsp mustard<br />
pinch of cayenne(optional)<br />
salt and pepper to taste<br />
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8 oz Macaroni shells<br />
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1. Cook Macaroni shells according to package.<br />
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2. Preheat oven to 350. Prick sweet potato all over with a fork, then wrap in tin foil and bake for 35-40 minutes(until soft).<br />
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3. In a blender, blend water and cashews together til smooth.<br />
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4. Add in nutritional yeast, garlic, apple cider vinegar, Earth Balance, curry powder, parsley, mustard, and cayenne. Blend until smooth.<br />
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5. Scoop sweet potato out of skin, measure 2 cups and add to blender. Blend until smooth.<br />
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6. Mix into pasta, serve!<br />
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Kim http://www.blogger.com/profile/01662790517490828984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079638633167248647.post-16725869560843816002012-08-23T10:24:00.000-07:002012-08-23T10:24:54.272-07:00Banana Soft Serve<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This week is flying by, I can't believe it's Thursday already. This morning I woke up planning on maybe making today a rest day, but I was feeling zesty and wanted to go lift some weights, so off to the gym I went! It was empty today, which is my favorite way for it to be. I did some strength moves in short bursts of 20-30 seconds, with 15 second breaks which was great for getting my heart rate up. I feel like I noticeably lost strength when I stopped lifting heavier while I was in Vancouver, so I've been easing back into it slowly.<br />
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While I was in Vancouver I was experimenting with adding more healthy fat into my diet, and somehow from that I lost weight. Or toned up a bit more, or a bit of both. I've been using photos to measure progress because they don't seem to bother me the same way knowing numbers does. Even though it's been a year since I started making a conscious effort to feed my body what it needs, and not restrict it still seems like it's slowly stabilizing itself still. I only started getting regular periods in January, and I guess things are still working themselves out.<br />
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Lately I've been trying adding more carbs into my diet in the forms of whole grains mostly. It's kind of making my energy levels go off the walls! In my head for some reason I still think I should stay away from carbs, even though I know your body needs them. Still learning to let go of weird food hangups I guess.<br />
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I've done miraculously well with cutting down my sugar intake the past couple days. I've been eating less fruit than previously, and more lower sugar fruits. One thing I noticed was even though I've been eating lower sugar fruits, after I eat them I crave more for no particular reason, even if I'm full. It's interesting to see how foods can affect you when you start paying more attention to them.<br />
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I had my 5th Health History session today, and I finally feel like I'm getting the hang of it. It was so much easier to talk and connect, and get meaningful answers. I enjoy so much about learning about other people's diets and journeys'. I never get tired of talking about food.<br />
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Banana soft serve is so ridiculously easy, and not even really a recipe. It's one that's been floating around the internet for awhile. I made some the other day because I was excited to try my new food processor, and it photographed well, so here it is:<br />
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<b>Banana Soft Serve</b><br />
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Take 2 bananas, chop into pieces, then freeze til hard. Process in a food processor until soft. It will sounds like the food processor is about to die initially, but it will be okay!<br />
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For a bit firmer texture freeze it for about half an hour before serving, or use as is for a more soft serve consistency.<br />
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You can add 1/2 cup frozen other fruit as well, like strawberries, blueberries, mango, etc. Chocolate chips are a good mix in as well.<br />
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I topped mine with <a href="http://iheartgreenjuice.blogspot.ca/2012/08/blueberry-peach-parfaits.html">this</a> recipe!<br />
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Kim http://www.blogger.com/profile/01662790517490828984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079638633167248647.post-69102074009595902812012-08-22T12:03:00.000-07:002012-08-22T12:04:23.311-07:00Vegan Minestrone<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Although it's summer out and Toronto is a balmy 25 most days, I was craving soup the other day. Minestrone in particular, so I set out to make some. Maybe I was just missing the cosiness of being home in Vancouver, or maybe some devious thing inside me is getting excited for fall and sweaters and boots. Either way, the soup pot was the only pot I hadn't yet used from a new set I purchased recently, so it was time to break it in.<br />
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Making soup for one person is difficult. With inspiration from a few other recipes, I sort of cobbled this variation together, but I think I have enough to last me until next year. I've been mixing the leftovers into stir fry's for a sort of weird pasta sauce/stew hybrid. It sounds a bit bizarre, but if there's anything being a vegan has taught me is to be open to strange combinations. If most of the ingredients sound like they taste good on their own, they usually taste good together. Usually.<br />
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In IIN they've been discussing the principles of macrobiotics, which is more a way of life than an exact diet. It involves the quest of always searching for balance, in your life and in your diet. If you are feeling more on one side of the scale, you can try to bring yourself back by eating things more on the other spectrum. I've been feeling a bit out of sorts at the moment regarding the future, and since soup is such a grounding, comforting food, and it helps bring you back.<br />
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You could replace the quinoa with another pasta, if you like, but I like the thickness and extra protein quinoa provides.<br />
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Minestrone<br />
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1 sweet onion, diced<br />
4 cloves garlic<br />
1 can of diced tomatoes, blended(14 oz)<br />
1 carrot, diced<br />
1 zucchini, diced<br />
6 cups vegetable stock(low sodium preferred)<br />
1 small tin of tomato paste<br />
1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed<br />
2/3 cup dry quinoa<br />
2 cups packed shredded kale<br />
dried basil, parsley, and a bay leaf<br />
salt and pepper to taste<br />
juice of half a lemon<br />
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Cook quinoa in 1 1/3 cups water with a lid on the pot. Bring to a boil, then turn heat to low and leave to simmer for 15 minutes. Don't peek! Fluff with a fork after.<br />
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To a large stock pot add the onion, garlic, and oil, and cook til soft(about 10 mins).<br />
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Add in the tomatoes, stir and simmer for 4-5 minutes.<br />
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Add carrot, zucchini, chickpeas, and stock and let simmer for 10 minutes.<br />
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Stir in tomato paste.<br />
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Turn off heat, add quinoa, herbs, s&p, lemon juice, and kale.<br />
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This soup tastes better after it's had a couple hours to let the flavours meld, and thickens up a bit!<br />
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Kim http://www.blogger.com/profile/01662790517490828984noreply@blogger.com0