My Favourite Vegetarian Meal!

This is a tough one for me, but I assure you – I do have a favourite vegetarian meal and so do you!

But first let me tell you about my favourite meal and then read on to find out why yours is important too.

Okay, so my favourite vegetarian meal is one that I like to create when I want something nourishing, warming and revitalizing. In which case I pretty much go for the foods that connect with this energy and make me feel amazing. My go to grain is usually quinoa, this is the best foundation for a wholesome dish. It is nutty, light, high in protein and digests immediately. Then I like to add in all of my favourites – starting with some baked marinated tempeh for it’s juicy and hearty texture, roasted sweet potatoes for some natural sweetness, steamed kale – a meal isn’t a meal without some greens, avocado – for it’s creamy and smooth consistency and then some chopped almonds for some raw crunch. Then to top this dish off I like to add in some tamari – natural salty flavour and tahini for a rich boost of calcium. This is my absolute favourite meal!

Now why am I telling you this, because I want to make it apparent that everyone has a favourite food or a favourite meal, maybe it’s a snack or a drink. Whatever it may be there is something that you have eaten that has made you feel amazing – and I want to know what that is – especially if it is plant-based!

So if you tell me, this is going to work out for you because I am having a contest in which you will have a chance to win a FREE Fully Nourished Cooking Class!

Yes you heard me, you can attend any one of my cooking classes for free!

Well… there are some conditions that this contest is based on.

The premise: Tell me your favourite plant based/vegetarian meal, snack or drink. It can be raw, cooked, gluten free, sweet, savoury – anything you like! Just nothing that comes from an animal (this means NO fish, chicken, meat, eggs, cheese).

The reason: I want to know WHAT about this plant based or vegetarian food item that made you feel happy, excited, proud, energized, nourished, balanced etc…You don’t have to be vegetarian or vegan to do this or have had this experience!

There is significance and purpose to this contest. Not only will I highlight the winning answer on my blog, but the winner will also get to come to any on of my vegetarian Fully Nourished Cooking Classes absolutely free of charge (value over $100). This contest will also demonstrate to people that plant based foods not only taste amazing but have an incredible impact on your health and I want as many people as possible to exploit and share their experiences!

So there are many factors that this veggie experience can be based on. It can be the taste, texture, smell, colour, flavour of the meal – it doesn’t matter to me. I just want you describe what it was and what it did to you that made you excited about healthy plants based food. This can be anything from a simple salad with pumpkin seeds to a coconut banana smoothie. Please share your story, your experience – the more detail you give me, the better chance you have to win.

I am giving you (my readers) one week to post your foodie delight in my comment section – share it on twitter, share it on facebook. And then after that week, I am going to pick my three favourite ones and post them and then you (my readers) will be the judge and pick your favourite one. Then I will contact the winner personally and invite them to come to any vegetarian cooking class of choice to have more amazing experiences eating delicious plant based foods.

I have one more question…are you ready?

Get posting!

This could be you!

Simple and Delicious!

If you were at the Toronto Vegetarian Food Fair this past weekend and you saw my cooking demo, then you would know exactly what I am talking about. If not, I will tell you anyways. It is always so much fun to get up in front of people and teach them about how easy it can be to make whole foods apart of your everyday life! That was the goal at my demo, to educate people on how everyday eating can be simple and delicious which will ultimately lead towards a path of optimal happiness, health and healing!

I am going to provide you with a brief overview how you can Stock Your Cupboards Full of the Best Quality Ingredients!

Choose whole, fresh foods!

• Raw, living and sprouted foods
• Fresh organic vegetables and fruits
• Nuts and seeds (almonds, pumpkin seeds, hazelnuts, walnuts)
• High quality vegetarian protein (tofu, tempeh, beans, nuts, seeds and greens)
• Whole and gluten free grains (spelt, quinoa, millet, brown rice)
• High quality fats (fresh pressed oils: olive, coconut, sesame) nuts, seeds and avocado

Choose organic, bio-dynamic and local foods as much as possible

• Organic foods have few or no chemicals, they have more minerals, nutrients and energy
• They support local family farms, increase agricultural diversity, and reduce the need for transportation of imported foods (less pollution!)
• They taste better and promote eating food in season

Choose a variety of foods everyday

• Rotate your foods and get the most out of whole grains, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds
• When planning your meals or creating recipes – get a balance of flavours whether it is sweet, sour, salty, bitter and astringent, pungent.

- Sweet: grains like rice, sweet fruit, carrots, beets, nuts, honey and other sweeteners

- Sour: lemons, tomatoes, grapes, plums, vinegar

- Salty: seaweed, celery, leafy greens, some cheeses (feta)

- Bitter: green leafy greens, endive, chicory, parsley, coriander, coffee

- Pungent: cayenne, chili peppers, ginger, garlic, leeks, radishes

- Astringent: beans, lentils, apples, pears, cabbage, broccoli, potatoes

For overall balance and diversity:

- Be sure to use different colours (taste the rainbow) textures (crunchy, soft, chewy, crispy), shapes (get creative when cutting fruits and veggies)

To go along with this I have some videos of the recipes I covered (along with the recipes of course!)

White Bean Dip with Dill

A delicious spread to enjoy with flatbread, crackers or served with crunchy raw veggies!

Ingredients:

1 cup soaked or 1 can of navy beans

2 cloves garlic

2 tbsp – ¼ cup tahini

1 bunch of fresh dill or basil, finely chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

¼ cup lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

(Add water if a thinner consistency is desired)

Procedure:

1. Cook soaked beans in large pot for 45 minutes – 1 hour.
2. Place garlic, lemon juice, and half of the beans into blender or food processor and blend well.
3. Add the remaining beans, tahini, olive oil, salt and pepper and blend until smooth (add water if necessary).
4. Transfer spread to bowl and stir in the fresh herbs.

Citrus Cranberry Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa

2 cups water

½ teaspoon salt

½ cups hazelnuts

½ cup cranberries

½ cup orange juice

¼ tsp ground fennel seeds or Chinese 5 spice powder

½ cup orange segments

1 cup of broccoli florets

Vinaigrette

Zest of one orange

¼ cup fresh orange juice

1 tablespoon + 1 tsp lemon juice

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ cup olive oil

1. Rinse and drain quinoa. Add 2 cups of water and salt and bring to boil.  Lower heat and simmer, covered, until grains have burst and are tender but still chewy (about 12-15 minutes). Drain and set aside in medium bowl.
2. Preheat oven to 325 F. Toast hazel nuts in oven until center are golden, about 5 -10 minutes. Let cool and rub in towel to remove as much of the skins as possible. (Or you can purchase organic dry roasted hazelnuts!)
3. Soak Cranberries in orange juice for 5-10 minutes.
4. Cut broccoli into small florets and blanch (place in boiling water for 1-2 minutes) and set aside.
5. Add the soaked cranberries and the 5 spice to the warm rice. Toss with Vinaigrette.
6. Just before serving, combine hazelnuts and cranberries and broccoli with quinoa. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with orange segments.

Chocolate Avocado Pudding

Ingredients:

2 avocados

1 tbsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp maple syrup

4 Medjool dates (soaked overnight or boiling water for 20-30 minutes)

1 tbsp of pure unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tbsp almond butter or 1/2 cup raw almonds (soaked in water overnight for 8 hrs.)

1 tsp cinnamon

1 ripe banana (optional) for extra flavour!

Procedure:

1. Combine the ingredients in a blender and whirl on high until well blended into a thick creamy pudding.
2. Divide the pudding into 2 servings
3. ENJOY!

Become Your own Green Goddess!

What does it mean to become a green goddess you ask…well let me tell you!

I had four lovely goddesses join in on my “GREEN GODDESS” cooking class last night. We teamed up and cooked up a storm of delicious and nutritious green dominant recipes. It was a great night, everyone learned about different greens and how to use them in simple and tasty recipes.

If you are not yet acquainted with the array of greens that exist, I am going to give you a bit of an introduction and some reasoning behind why consuming green veggies on a daily basis is absolutely crucial to your health and well being. That way you can also learn how to make delicious recipes and become a green goddess in the kitchen!

Here are some reasons why you need to consume greens everyday…

- Greens are cleansing, they are alkaline forming, purify your liver and aid in detoxification
- Greens regulate bowel movements and clean out the intestine and prevent constipation
- Greens provide good amounts of calcium, protein, magnesium, zinc and antioxidants that are essential to good health such as vitamin c, magnesium, folic acid and beta carotene
- Greens give you boundless amounts of energy – just try it! Start your day with a fresh pressed vegetable juice and you will see the amount of abundant energy you have for the rest of the day
- A healthy intake of green leafy vegetables reduces your cravings for sugar (and help to regulate blood sugar), fried foods and processed foods, coffee and alcohol
- Greens are and excellent source of fibre
- Greens remove toxins from the body and bloodstream and prevent diseases such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer- greens are excellent to consume as part of cancer therapy and treatment!
- Greens strengthen the immune system for overall health

- Just remember that a meal isn’t a meal without a portion of greens, just make sure that you are getting in your daily dose

There are many ways to incorporate greens into your life and become your own Green Goddess- I have even mentioned a few options before in previous blog posts – such as juicing or masking them in smoothies (for the fussy ones)!
Otherwise- a simple salad will do – but make sure to use dark greens such as arugula, spinach, spring mix or romaine. You can also steam, saute, braise or stir fry greens such as kale, collards, bok choy, green beans, broccoli, swiss chard, beet greens the list goes on. Just be sure not to overcook them or you will loose their precious nutrients. A great resource for getting started and learning about the different greens that exist out there and how to prepare them – is a book called “Greens Glorious Greens” by Johnna Albi & Catherine Walthers. They introduce greens in a fabulous way that is not intimidating but rather encouraging and exciting! In the meantime…here is a simple recipe to get your inner green goddess going:

Green Goddess Salad Dressing

1-3 cups of mixed salad greens (arugula, baby spinach, spring mix)

1 medium avocado
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1/8 cup cold pressed sunflower oil or extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp rice syrup
1/2 tsp salt
1 pinch cayenne
1/2 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1/8 cup parsley
1/8 cup green onion
1/4 cup spinach

Directions
Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, scoop the flesh into the blender, add everything else and blend very thoroughly- until you have creamy and thick dressing.