Breakfast Fajitas

Recipe by Aine Davis

Honestly, I’m pretty boring when it comes to breakfast. Every morning I have granola and almond milk or granola and vegan yogurt, or if I’m feeling a little adventurous, hummus on sourdough. Exciting. Every day. Wow. But I recently had a friend stay with me for a few nights and I wanted to impress her with my ~cooking skills~, so I whipped up this quick and healthy breakfast in less than 30 minutes so we still had time to go see the beautiful blossoming Sakura Trees in High Park. Here’s my recipe for my quick and easy breakfast fajitas:

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 red bell peppers
• 2 yellow bell peppers
• 2 red onions
• 1 tbsp avocado oil
• 1 tbsp tamari
• 1 tsp Adobo seasoning*
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup chopped scallions

METHOD:

1. Slice bell peppers and onions into long, thick strips.
2. In a large pan, heat avocado oil on high heat. Once the pan is very hot, stir in the bell peppers and onions. It’s going to be very hot so make sure to stir often so it doesn’t burn!
3. Stir in soy sauce, adobo seasoning, garlic powder and juice of half a lemon.
4. Once cooked to your desired texture (I like the peppers to have a little bite and to be a little blackened), remove from heat and top with cilantro and scallions.
5. Serve on your favourite corn tortillas with favourite sauces! I like mine with Mad Mexican Chunky Guacamole and Valentina Hot Sauce. Enjoy!

Improved Pumpkin Pie (GF, V, No-Bake)

Post by Megan Stulberg

I have made many a’ pumpkin pies in my day. There’s this one I posted last year, for instance — which was good, but the consistency just wasn’t quite right and I knew I could do better. I made this dish the other day for American Thanksgiving and god *damn*, was it an improvement! The only problem was that it was all pretty last minute and the store was sold out of non-dairy whipped cream (my own fault), so I had it with vanilla bean ice cream instead. Still real good, though.

This pie is no-bake, raw except for the pumpkin puree, soy-free, gluten-free and vegan.

Watch the video below, click through to subscribe to us on YouTube, and read the following recipe! Enjoy.

INGREDIENTS…

FOR THE CRUST:

• 1 cup raw almonds, soaked overnight
• 1 cup pitted dates, soaked overnight

FOR THE FILLING:

• 3/4 standard can pure pumpkin puree
• 1 cup cashews, soaked overnight
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup 100% maple syrup
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp organic vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp nutmeg
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ginger

DIRECTIONS…

1. To make crust…Soak dates and almonds in separate bowls overnight.
2. Drain. Pulse dates and almonds in food processor until crumb-like consistency has been reached.
3. Line a small 5-inch round pan with plastic wrap or parchment paper. Press mixture into bottom of dish firmly to form an even crust. Leave in freezer to set at least 1 hour.
4. To make filling…Blend all remaining ingredients until smooth. Spread onto crust and let set in freezer 1-2 hours, or overnight.
5. Remove from freezer to thaw at room temperature for 1 hour, or in the fridge for 4-5 hours.
6. Slice pie and serve with coconut whip or vanilla ice cream. Leftovers can be kept in fridge.

Makes 1 standard pie (6-8 slices).

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

Post by Alexandra Courts 

I used to love strawberry rhubarb pie growing up! I realized recently though that what I was really crazy about was the filling, so why not skip the entire crust hassle and opt for a mouthwatering, warm, gooey crumble instead? You’re welcome in advance.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups chopped strawberries
• 2 cups chopped rhubarb
• 1 1/2 cups rolled gluten-free oats
• 3/4 cup raw pecans
• 1/2 cup almond meal (ground almonds, nerds)
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 4 tbsp coconut sugar
• 2 tbsp flax meal (ground flax seed, NERDS!)
• Pinch of pink Himalayan salt
• Optional but highly recommended: Coconut whip, use Meg’s VGF recipe for it here.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat an 8″ round ceramic baking dish lightly with coconut oil.
2. In a medium bowl combine the chopped strawberries, chopped rhubarb and coconut sugar.
3. In a separate bowl, combine all remaining ingredients.
4. Place the first bowl’s ingredients into the ceramic baking dish, then top with the second bowl’s ingredients.
5. Bake for approximately 50 minutes or until the crumble is golden brown. Oven times will vary, so check regularly to prevent burning.
6. Remove from oven. Allow crumble to cool for 10-15 minutes.
7. Scoop crumble into bowls and top with dollop of coconut whip immediately before serving.

Enjoy! Serve warm. Makes 2 servings.

Vegan Alfredo with Rosemary and Button Mushrooms

Post by Megan Stulberg

I’ve made this dish probably….6 or 7 different times since I took these photos? Whoops! I like to make a big batch of this so I can divide it up into tupperware containers and eat it happily throughout the week for lunch. I find that the pasta will last a few days covered in the sauce without getting soggy, too.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups brown rice pasta (I used elbow macaroni)
• 1 cup button mushrooms, washed and sliced
• 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight if possible
• 3/4 cup almond milk
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 2 tbsp Earth Balance (optional)
• 2 tbsp cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp dried dill
• 1 tbsp garlic powder (or 2 garlic cloves finely diced)
• Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
• Sprig of fresh rosemary

Directions:

1. Bring water on stovetop to a boil. Cook pasta covered until soft and chewy. Drain, rinse with cold water and set aside.

2. On medium heat,  heat tbsp or so of olive oil in a pan until it sizzles. Add chopped mushrooms and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally until browned.

3. While pasta is cooking and mushrooms are sautéing, prepare sauce. Combine raw cashews, almond milk, nutritional yeast, Earth Balance, EVOO, dill, lemon juice, dill, garlic, sea salt and black pepper in a blender until liquid in consistency.

4. Add drained pasta back to pot. Pour on desired amount of sauce into pot, then heat on medium and stir frequently.

5. Remove from heat. Add mushrooms and stir together. Plate with sprig of fresh rosemary before serving.

Makes 2-3 entree sized dishes.

Chocolate Raspberry “Cheesecake” Sandwiches

Post by Alexandra Courts

We saved this post for Mother’s Day because mums are sweet and so are these! Make Alex’s chocolate raspberry “cheesecake” sandwiches, see the recipe below.  
   Ingredients…

For the Chocolate Cookies :

• 2 cups pitted dates
• 1/2 cup raw almonds
• 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• 1/4 cup raw cacao powder
• 1/8 tsp pink Himalayan salt

For the Raspberry “Cheesecake” Filling:

• 3 cups soaked cashews
• 1 can full fat coconut milk (or coconut cream)
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup frozen raspberries
• 2 tbsp coconut oil

For the Chocolate Dip:

• 1/2 cup coconut oil (melted)
• 1/3 cup raw cacao powder
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• Pinch of pink Himalayan salt

Optional:

• Chopped pistachios (for topping)

Directions…

1. For the cookies blend the shredded coconut, raw cacao, raw almonds, and salt in a food processor until a fine crumble forms. Add in the dates and blend until combined.
2. Press the cookie mix into an 8″ cake pan lined with plastic wrap. Ensure that you have made a flat layer of cookie. Allow the mix to cool a bit in the freezer before pressing them with a heart-shaped cookie cutter.
3. Once you have made all of your heart-shaped cookies, place them in a dehydrator for about an hour (125 degrees Fahrenheit).
4. For the “cheesecake”, blend all of the ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Pour and evenly distribute the mix in a separate or the same 8″ cake pan lined with plastic wrap. Place mix into the freezer for about 1-2 hours (or until you are able to work with it).
5. Once frozen, press the mix into hearts using the heart-shaped cookie cutter.
6. Once the cookies are out of the dehydrator (they should still be soft), sandwich the heart-shaped cheesecake filling between two pieces of cookie. Place each sandwich in the freezer.
7. For the chocolate coating, melt down the coconut oil on low heat and stir in the remaining ingredients. Dip one side of the sandwich in the chocolate. Sprinkle your toppings of choice onto the chocolate (chopped pistachios are pictured). Repeat for every sandwich and allow them to freeze.
8. Now they’re ready to enjoy! Mmmm.

Makes 6-8 sandwiches, depending on the size of your cookie cutter.

Raw Banana Split

Recipe by Megan Stulberg 

Okay, can we just take a moment and appreciate the fact that the majority of the recipes we post on here are healthy versions of normally *very* unhealthy desserts? Take this banana split, for example. It’s 100% raw, no-bake, gluten-free, vegan and refined sugar-free. It truly is a wonderful time to be alive.

Ingredients:

• 2 bananas, chopped and frozen overnight
• 1 banana, not chopped and not frozen overnight (so basically just a normal banana, okay?)
• 1 can full-fat coconut cream, left in fridge overnight
• 1/2 cup fresh raspberries
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, room temperature
• 1/4 cup 100% maple syrup
• 1/4 cup raw cacao powder
• 2 tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp raw walnut crumbs
• 1 cherry, for garnish

Directions:

1. In a high-speed blender or food processor combine the frozen banana and raspberries together until a smooth, creamy consistency similar to soft serve ice cream has been reached. Scoop into a large bowl and set aside in freezer for now.
2. To make the raw chocolate sauce: Combine raw cacao powder, coconut oil, maple syrup and 1 tbsp of the vanilla extract until pourable. Set aside.
3. To make the coconut whip: Open can of coconut milk and carefully separately the solidified coconut milk at the top from the coconut water at the bottom. Scoop the solidified coconut milk into bowl. Use electric beater to whip coconut cream with 1 tbsp vanilla extract and a touch more maple syrup if desired. Whip until soft peaks have formed.
4. Remove “ice cream” from freezer. Slice banana in half, and place one on half on each end of dish. Top with a drizzle of chocolate sauce and a dollop of coconut whip, then sprinkle raw walnut crumbs over whole dish. Finally, throw a cherry on top just for the hell of it.

Makes 1-2 servings. Serve cold.

Raspberry Chia Jam Bars

By contributor Alexandra Courts 

Ch-ch-ch-chia! Chia seeds are packed with fibre and healthy omega-3 fats.

Ingredients:

For the base…

• 1.5 cups medjool dates
• 1 cup raw almonds
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup flax meal
• 1/4 cup raw cacao powder

For the chia jam…

• 1.5 cups frozen raspberries
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 3 tbsp white chia seeds

For the topping…

• 2 cups raw cashews, soaked
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1/4 cup maple syrup

Directions:

1. Line a 9-inch square cake pan (bottom and sides) with plastic wrap.
2. For the base: blend raw almonds, shredded coconut, cacao powder and flax meal. Add dates and blend until combined.
3. Pack and level base mixture with fork tightly into bottom of pan.
4. For the chia jam: blend raspberries, maple syrup, and water. Pour mixture into small bowl and mix with white chia seeds. Set jam aside in fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour until mixture obtains a gel consistency.
5. For the topping: process ingredients listed above in high-speed blender until smooth.
6. Remove jam from fridge and spread evenly across panned crust.
7. Add topping layer. Top with frozen raspberry chunks. Let pan sit in freezer for 1 hour.
8. Remove dessert from pan. Let sit at room temperature at least 30 minutes before slicing. Serve and enjoy! Leftovers can be frozen.

Raw Key Lime Pie

By contributor Alexandra Courts 

This key lime pie recipe of mine is raw, gluten-free and vegan! And since it’s no bake, it’s a snap to make! What’s not to like?

Ingredients:

Crust…

• 2 1/2 cups pitted dates
• 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• 1 cup raw almonds

Filling…

• 2 1/2 cups cashews, soaked overnight and drained
• 3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk
• 1/2 cup lime juice (from 4-5 limes)
• 1/4 cup agave syrup

Directions:

1. In a high-speed blender, blend the raw almonds. Add the remaining crust ingredients and blend until combined.
2. Line an 8 inch round cake pan with plastic wrap. Press the mixture into the pan to form the crust.
3. Blend all of the filling ingredients together in a high-speed blender until smooth.
4. Pour filling into crust. Level the mixture with a spatula and place pie in freezer for about an hour or until it has set.
5. Let the pie thaw before slicing. Serve and enjoy! Keep leftovers in fridge.

Makes 1 pie (about 6 servings)

Thanksgiving Recipe: Gluttonous Stuffing Muffins

Post by Aine Davis

No turkey? No problem! But seriously, what kind of Thanksgiving meal would be complete without stuffing?

Ingredients…

• 2 loaves of gluten-free bread (check ingredients for dairy/egg)
• 2 cups gluten-free vegetable stock
• 4 celery stalks, diced
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 flax “eggs” (1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water)
• 1 carrot, diced
• 4 tbsp dried parsley
• 4 tbsp poultry seasoning (vegan)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions…

1. In advance, cut bread into 1 inch cubes and place in bowl. Let bread sit uncovered overnight to harden.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. In large saucepan, sautée onions and garlic in vegetable oil on medium heat until translucent.
4. Add chopped celery and carrots. Cook until tender.
5. Mix vegetable stock with bread cubes together in a large bowl until the cubes are thoroughly moist. If desired, add additional vegetable stock.
6. Add vegetables, flax “eggs” and seasonings to bread bowl. Mix together until combined.
7. Grease or line a standard muffin tin. Fill each cup with batter accordingly.
8. Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes until browned. Test with toothpick.

Makes 12 muffins.

Serve with Megan’s Chunky Mushroom Gravy!

No-Bake Mocha Brownies

By Alexandra Courts

We’ve done it! We’ve figured out a delectable and healthy way to satisfy your chocolate cryings!

These no-bake babies are free of any oils, artificial sugars, gluten or animal products. We replaced all of these nasty ingredients with dates, which provide the body with a variety of vitamins and minerals. They’re killer sources of energy, natural sugar and fibre.

Behold:

(Recipe has been adapted from The Minimalist Baker)

Ingredients…

•  2 1/2 cups pitted dates
• 2 cups raw almonds
• 1 cup chopped raw walnuts, pecans, or nut of your choice
• 3/4 cup raw cacao powder
• 3 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 tbsp finely ground organic direct-trade coffee
• 1 tsp organic vanilla extract

Directions…

1. Pulse almonds in food processor until finely ground. 
2. Add raw cacao powder and ground coffee to mixture and continue to combine with food processor. Set mixture aside in separate bowl. 
3. Process dates separately, then add mixture back to food processor and pulse until a dough-like texture is reached. Stir additional nuts, coconut and vanilla extract into batter.
4. Pour batter into a lined square cake pan. Spread evenly.
5. Chill brownies in fridge for 2 hours or freezer for 1 hour. Serve cold.

Enjoy! Makes about 12 brownies.