A Veggie-Q for my QT!

Being a vegetarian does not mean that you can’t enjoy summer parties, potlucks and BBQ’s. You just need to get a little creative and have fun with it. So this past weekend was my fiances birthday. He  wanted a low key night, a dinner in with some family and close friends. Of course what this means, is that I am making dinner! Which is no problem of course, I  love providing delicious goodies, especially things that everyone can enjoy! Not everyone who was coming was a vegetarian, but that didn’t matter, my mom took care of some chicken for the group, and I handled the rest!

Make sure that when you are in this situation, you find out what all your hunny’s favourites are – and go from there (hopefully you know them already!). Luckily everything that Ryan loves, are things that everyone could enjoy – and they also make great compliments to the main meal.

So we started off with some yummy appetizers,  There was a  home made guacamole, parsley-hummus, along with an organic store bought salsa – lots of spelt flatbread and organic corn chips for dipping. Then we had a selection of side dishes – Ryan’s favourites include (quinoa tabule,  pasta salad, yam fries and “caesar” salad) and the main meal for us was Organic Sunshine Burgers (which  are truly scrumptious) simple ingredients and are so easy to enjoy at a summer-Q with or without a bun!

Of course the night was topped of with Ryan’s all time favourite – a tender Chocolate Cake – made from spelt flour (all vegan and sweetened with maple syrup) crowned by an almond butter, cocoa icing – this is his number one request on a annual (or more like weekly) basis! So I paired this with coconut-mint (from my garden) cacao ice cream (the colour green in the ice cream is actually from Ormus Super Greens). No one even questioned why the ice cream was so bright green! I may even post this recipe too since it was soooo fantastic!

So there you have it, an amazing, wholesome meal that everyone can enjoy – lots of variety, flavour and texture. You want to keep your crowd happy, but most importantly you want to make your CUTIE smile on his birthday!

If you are in need of some delicious summer recipes – there are still a few spots open in this weeks SENSATIONAL SUMMER RECIPES CLASS on Wednesday night!

The Dips – post enjoyment!

I meant to take this picture before they were all devoured!

Quinoa Tabule – a perfect summer recipe!

Brown Rice Pasta Salad with Garden Snow Peas!

My Delicious Plate of Goodness!

Vegan Caesar on left and Sunshine Burger on right- under the guac and hummus

My Award- Winning Vegan Chocolate Cake!

Vegan – Mint Cacao Coconut Ice Cream

Chocolate Cake with Mint-Cacao Ice Cream

Me and my QT (Ryan)

Mint-Cacao Coconut Ice Cream

2 cans of organic coconut milk

1/4 cup vanilla rice milk

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 tbsp fresh stevia leaves (only the fresh leaves or else leave it out!)

1/2 cup fresh mint leaves (or you can use a few drops of peppermint oil)

1-2 tbsp Ormus Super Greens (it has a minty flavour)

1/4 cup cacao nibs

Place all the ingredients except the cacao nibs in a blender and blend until smooth, creamy, and green.

If you have an ice cream maker, pour the mixture in and begin to churn, adding the cacao nibs after a few minutes.

If you don’t have an ice cream maker, freeze the mixture in a large bowl for about an hour, then remove and stir in cacao (so they don’t all sink to the bottom).

Then continue to freeze for another hour or two (depending on the consistency you like).

ENJOY!!

If you are in need of some delicious summer recipes – there are still a few spots open in this weeks SENSATIONAL SUMMER RECIPES CLASS on Wednesday night!

Please share what veggie dishes you like to make in the summer for special events and occasions!

For the Love of Chocolate!

I have given myself permission to have chocolate everyday. This may not sound like a good thing – but let me tell you that it is, on sooo many levels! Not only does chocolate or better yet cacao possess many amazing nutrients including magnesium, antioxidants and other amazing trace minerals- it makes you feel good. So that should be good enough – right?!

I think I speak for most people (especially women) when it comes to wanting your “fix” of daily chocolate. But the truth is that most women when they “crave” and eat chocolate, they are most likely going for poor sources where chocolate isn’t even the main ingredient. In this case, it is more of an addiction because it is the sugar that many are addicted to and not the chocolate. Not to mention most chocolate bars are full of processed dairy, hydrogenated oils, soybean oil and other ingredients which just take away from the “pure-ness” that chocolate is meant to be. If you want chocolate it in things…add it yourself to your own recipe and make it yummy. But never buy a low quality and poor sources of chocolate. What a waste!

I like to enjoy the purest and most natural forms of chocolate.  Whether it is in the form of a piece of dark chocolate from Endangered Species, Zazubean or local sources such as Chocosol and Living Libations, I am happy to support good fair trade chocolate from all over. Then of course there is cacao powder (both raw and dark roasted), cacao beans and cacao nibs. I add these guys to smoothies, puddings, raw pies, granola, oatmeal, hot cocoa or any other treat that deserves being made chocolaty! When it comes to chocolate try get as pure as you can – with as little ingredients as possible. You may as well get the best chocolate you can – it will only taste better and you will feel it, right down to your core!

So for my daily creation today – being that it is the afternoon on a snowy day. I could go for a hot chocolate or I could go for something with a bit more substance but yet is still warming. I love playing with  my vita-mix and creating something new and fun. So instead of a smoothie – I am going to make a warming, spicy pudding. Here is what I am using and why I used it!

Spicy and Warming Chocolaty Pudding

1 scoop of Chocolate Sun Warrior Protein Powder – to give me a boost of pure vegan protein.

1/2 cup rice milk or almond milk – to make it creamy and somewhat wet

splash of coconut water – Yum!

1-2 dried banana – to sweeten it up naturally

1/2 pear – to thicken and sweeten

1 tsp cinnamon – to warm me up!

1 tsp mesquite powder – to give me extra energy!

1 small piece of ginger – to spice it up!

1 tbsp raw cacao powder – to make it extra chocolaty

1 tbsp raw cacao nibs – to give a chocolaty crunch

1 tbsp chia seeds – to make it thick and delicious

Blend all this goodness and pour into a bowl and enjoy!