Vegetarian Whole Foods Made Simple
Greetings! Feeling a little fuzzy today coming back to reality after an idyllic, sunshiny long weekend… bliss! To ease the transition, I’ve prepared you a little treat, Peanut Butter and Strawberry blondies! But Before we get into these bite sized beauties, how was YOUR weekend? Did …
One of the things I have loved most about blogging, is the community you become a part of. This is a community made up of food enthusiasts who pour themselves into their craft, simply for the love of it. There are THOUSANDS of great blogs, and …
Hello friends! I’m so sorry I abandoned you last week, I was on holiday in Texas with my husband, soaking up the sun and packing away some serious calories (hard to avoid in Houston!). I arrived home yesterday refreshed, and ready to give my puppy some cuddles. But enough about me, lets talk about this Coconut and Cardamom Rice Pudding, shall we?!
This dreamy dessert reminds me of my dad, he is a rice pudding lover and cardamom enthusiast, so I think he will really dig this pud. It is sweet, creamy and comforting, and the coconut and cardamom provide a subtle indian flavour. Best of all, there is no cream or egg in this recipe, making it vegan and much better for you! The first time I made this dessert, I realised that cardamom falls into the “Marmite” camp, you either love it or hate it. My dinner guests were divided down the middle, but I personally love the stuff. If you are still on the fence… promise me you will give this a try?!
Adapted from The Cranks Bible by Nadine Abensur (one of my faves!)
When I first moved to the States, I was delighted to find that Breakfast is an event here. I remember marveling at the extensive menu of the greasy spoon, and the pleasant shock of having my coffee filled up an unlimited amount (upon reflection, I …
The snow piles are melting, the birds are chirping, the temperatures are climbing, consequently my desire for salad is increasing. This Carrot, Parsley and Chickpea Salad is my current favourite. It is light, zesty and fresh, just perfect for Spring, plus the addition of chickpeas …
Last month I decided to commit to a vegan diet for six weeks. Fun, right?! From time to time I like to conduct mini-experiments on myself like this. Two years ago I gave up caffeine, that wasn’t too bad after I had got over the grumpy hurdle. Last year I gave up all refined sugar including alcohol, that was a lot trickier (I do love my wine…!). I wasn’t sure how I would feel about veganism. On the one hand, I have been a vegetarian for over fifteen years now, so this felt like just a small baby step. On the other hand, I really REALLY enjoy good cheese and thick greek yoghurt. I also wondered if following a vegan diet have an effect on my social life, or training for my next half marathon.
I found that I actually felt fantastic, but only when I planned well. I found I was incorporating even more fruits and vegetables into my diet. It pushed me to experiment with food a little more, but also taught me that some things cannot and should not be “veganized” (specifically “cheese” sauces made out of cauliflower…). But it was ALL in the planning.
I found that having plenty of prepared snacks around helped to stave off the boredom, and thats how I came up with these healthy dark chocolate, cherry and walnut breakfast bars. I suppose their name is a little misleading as I ate them for breakfast, morning snacks, afternoon snacks, pre-run fuel, post run recovery… They are delicious, and made with very clean ingredients, just the way we like it!
Enjoy!
Remember to look for vegan chocolate chips if you want to make these 100% vegan.
Adapted from the Minimalist Bakers Vegan Breakfast Cookies.
Ahhh for the past two days the weather has been glorious! Therefore, I am just dropping by really quickly to give you the Lemony Rice and Peas Recipe that I promised you last week. I need to get outside and soak up the spring sunshine …
Well it has been one of those scary grown up weeks. Truth be told, Kirk and I have a lot on our plates at the moment, and by Sunday I was feeling more than a little overwhelmed at my giant to-do list. Fortunately, one of …
Well the people have spoken… Mexican it is! I am quite pleased you picked this one. Although yesterday was officially the first day of Spring, I think we can allow ourselves one last wintery comfort food meal before diving into some Springtime goodies (asparagus… I’m coming for you…!), and this Black Bean Quinoa Chile is just the ticket.
This is fast becoming one of my favourite simple staples, it’s a great winter warmer and its also packed to the brim with protein and fibre. I love the texture of the quinoa in it too… yum! So delicious. Although I have been making this for a long time, it took me a while to pin down an exact recipe. For me, chili is one of those dishes where you throw in all the spices and you just know its going to be good. Therefore I encourage you to use the seasonings in the recipe below as more of a guide… experiment and tweak it to your taste!
Do you have a secret Chili ingredient?
Like all good Chili, this one will get tastier if you leave it for a day, however you may need to add more water as the Quinoa soaks all the liquid up.
I hope I don’t lose any friends over this, but I have a confession to make: I am not a big fan of St. Patricks Day *gasp*. It is difficult to articulate why exactly, but between the green beer and “Kiss Me I’m Irish” T-Shirts, …
