HookedOnPlants

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Dessert

Vegan Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies | Chewy and Crispy

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Finally! A vegan chocolate chip oatmeal cookie recipe that my guy approves of.

These are crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, healthy, and simple enough to make every week!

So much YES!

The cookie jar must always, always be full, after all.

I tried replacing the coconut oil with banana, but it didn’t have the crispy-ness we were looking for. So, coconut oil and almond butter make up the majority of the liquid part of this cookie, with oats being the star of the dry ingredients.

There is something SO special about baking cookies.

Maybe it’s the nostalgia. Maybe it’s the smell. Maybe it’s the fact that you can eat the cookie dough as you go (one of the many perks of veganizing everything)!

What ever it is… I like it. ‘I like it a-lot’ (insert Arnold accent here).

And I think Davey likes it even more, especially when this recipe gets pumped out of the kitchen.

I had him blind taste-test the options: banana vs. coconut oil… 10 minutes vs. 12 minutes…well, he lived up to his taste-tester role in the kitchen and concluded that the best version of this cookie recipe features good ol’ coconut oil and a couple more minutes in the oven. 

I have to mention… These go real well with this homemade Hemp Milk recipe (no straining needed, and literally the easiest plant-based milk you can make at home). Because let’s face it, what’s a cookie without the dunking?

Benefits:

  • Almond butter is a good place to go for your Vitamin E needs. Why do we need Vitmain E? It’s key for healthy skin, eyes, and a strong immune system. It’s also a strong antioxidant, to help ward off disease!
  • Chia is one of the best ways to get your omega 3s, it gives you all essential amino acids, plus it’s packed to the nines with vitamin K (which helps calcium travel throughout the body, making it great for bone density and essential for healing from injuries).
  • Oats have a complete amino acid profile, containing all essential amino acids. They’re also packed with manganese, which you need for fat and carbohydrate metabolism and brain & nervous function. Not to mention they’re packed with fibre, yet low in fat, making them a good option for knockin’ off the pounds.

 

Vegan Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
 
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Finally a crispy cookie that's chewy on the inside. Perfect for dunking in that almond milk.
Author:
Recipe type: dessert, snack
Cuisine: vegan dessert
Serves: 12-15
Ingredients
  • 1 chia egg (1 tbsp chia seeds, 3 tbsp water, mix together and let sit 3 minutes)
  • ¼ cup coconut oil
  • ½ cup almond butter
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup oat flour (rolled oats blended to a flour)
  • 1½ cups large flake rolled oats
  • ⅛ cup cane sugar
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ⅛ tsp sea salt
  • ½ cup vegan chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Make your chia egg.
  2. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  3. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper.
  4. Whisk the coconut oil, almond butter, maple syrup, chia egg and vanilla together until creamy.
  5. Add oat flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, and salt and mix thoroughly.
  6. Add the chocolate chips.
  7. Shape small balls of dough into a ball, flatten with your hand onto the parchment covered pan.
  8. Bake for 12 minutes.
  9. Let sit on cookie sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
  10. Keep in a high, hard to reach cookie jar in your cupboard.

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Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake

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Any kind of pumpkin pie recipe is ridiculously irresistible this time of the year….but this vegan pumpkin pie cheesecake tops them all!

When a friend brings a vegan dessert to a big dinner party and the it lasts only 5 minutes before it’s completely devoured… you hi-jack the recipe and post it on your blog.

(But still give all kudos to her).

This pie was a huge hit, and put the non-vegan cake to shame. Now, thanks to Deena, the secret is out.

It was literally gone in minutes, and Deena was bombarded with well-deserved praise.

That kind of reaction is love in the form of pie.

Deena Cook is definitely not a newbie when it comes to raw, vegan desserts. She shared this kind of wonderful-ness on the daily through her own cafe, so it’s safe to say, she know’s a thing or two about ice cream, desserts, and the taste of whole-food vegan decadence. She was originally inspired to implement a raw, vegan lifestyle while living on the Big Island of Hawaii. After that, she went on to own an organic cafe back where she grew up in Cape May, New Jersey, called Bliss Homemade Organic Ice Cream & Cafe. There, she specialized in small batch, homemade organic ice creams, and also served up raw & vegan treats, acai bowls, smoothies, and some wicked locally-roasted coffee and lattés. Now she enjoys making raw treats for her hubby, Jer, and doggie in Squamish! Also, both Jeremy and Deena offer healing ceremonies here.

When I made her recipe with a couple slight changes, and served it up at a family Thanksgiving last weekend, the table fell silent for at least 10 seconds as the forks sunk into the layers of dense cheesecake. The silence was broken when one of my Grandma’s buddies stated matter-of-factly…

‘This is the finest dessert I have ever had’.

Perfectly put, classy lad!

The whole dinner party was amazed that these 3 layers of creamy and decadent awesomeness, could possibly be vegan.

Besides the pumpkin purée, this pie is alllllll raw, baby.

Soaking those cashews not only makes them soft and easy to blend into a heavenly consistency, but it also begins the sprouting process, making the nutrients more absorbable and way easier for your body to digest.

Let’s take a moment to devour the layers with our eyes. Can you taste it yet?

And let’s not forget about the coconut whipped cream!

It’s incredibly easy, and even my whipped cream-loving, coconut avoider grandma (slash incredibly beautiful human) loved it.

Benefits:

  • Pumpkin has a big dose of Vitamin A to help with your vision, plus it’s packed with betacarotene and antioxidants to ward of disease, especially prostate cancer (good for the dudes!). Plus, pumpkin is only 50 calories, yet nutrient-dense and fibre-rich to help with feeling full, heart health and digestion. Not to mention the epic tastiness….
  • Dates are mother nature’s sweetener. I see it as her way of saying ‘I love ya’. They’re packed with fibre and minerals like iron, magnesium and zinc! The more dates in your life the better.
  • Cashews are super high in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Magnesium and phosphorus help maintain your fluids and electrolytes to ward of those dang leg cramps. Plus, these babies are packed with protein.


Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake
 
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This scrumptious dessert is a 3 layer masterpiece that will fool your cheesecake-loving friends. It's now been coined the 'finest dessert I've ever had' by my Grandma's friend at the dinner table. See for yourself, and I'll leave it at that.
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert, Thanksgiving
Cuisine: Thanksgiving, Autumn dessert
Serves: 8-10
Ingredients
Tools
  • Food Processor
  • Blender
  • Round 8-inch Springform Pan (or pie plate)
  • Spatula
1st Layer (Crust):
  • 2 cups pitted dates
  • 2 cups raw pecans
  • 1 tsp salt
2st Layer:
  • 3½ cups raw cashews (soaked overnight or soaked in boiling water for 2 hours, rinsed & drained)
  • ¼ cup coconut oil (melted)
  • ½ cup coconut milk (full fat from a room temperature can)
  • ½ cup dark maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp sea salt
3rd Layer:
  • Pumpkin Pie Spice (2 tbsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ginger, 1 tsp nutmeg, ½ tsp cloves)
  • 1 can pumpkin purée, unsweetened
Coconut Whipped Cream:
  • 1 can chilled coconut milk (chilled in fridge overnight for best results)
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
Topping:
  • Pecans
Instructions
  1. BEFORE you start: your cashews must be soaked and your coconut milk must be chilled at least a few hours each (overnight is best for the most creamy consistency).
  2. First, grease your pie plate with a light coating of coconut oil (it's easy to use paper towel to smear it all over the pan).
First Layer Crust:
  1. Blend dates on high in your food processor, until finely chopped.
  2. Add pecans and salt to the date dough in your processor. Blend on high until all ingredients are evenly distributed and consistent.
  3. Use wet hands to pack dough into an even crust covering the bottom of the plate.
  4. Put your crusted pie plate into the freezer while preparing the filling.
Second Layer:
  1. Melt your coconut oil first, then let cool a few minutes.
  2. In your blender, add cashews, coconut milk, maple syrup, salt, vanilla extract, and coconut oil. Blend on high. The longer it's blended, the more moist and creamy your filling will be.
  3. Remove your crusted pie plate from the freezer.
  4. Pour ONLY HALF of the blender’s contents over top of your crust. Use a spatula to spread it around in an even layer. Place this 2-layer pie back in the freezer (make sure it’s on a flat surface).
  5. Let it chill and solidify for at least 30 minutes.
Third Layer:
  1. Add pumpkin pie spices and pumpkin puree to the remaining cashew filling in the blender. Blend on high until the mixture becomes orange!
  2. Remove your pie plate from the freezer and pour the pumpkin layer over the top. Spread it evenly with a spatula.
Finishing:
  1. Freeze the 3-layer pie, on a flat surface in your freezer, for a minimum of 3 hours.
  2. Remove from freezer to countertop 20 minutes before your ready to serve.
  3. Press pecans into the top layer of the pie.
  4. Make the Coconut Whipped Cream: flip the chilled coconut can upside down, then open. Pour out the liquid into a jar (drink it!), and add the full fat coconut cream to your food processor with the maple syrup. Blend until creamy!
  5. To serve: If you're using a pie plate, use a butter knife to cut around the circumference of the pie. Top with coco whip and listen to the sound of mmmmm's.

*This is an easy recipe, but calls for some scheduling:

  • The night before, soak your cashews and put your can of coconut milk in the fridge
  • The best time to make this pie is in the morning, so you can freeze it for 4 hours or more (the longer the better)

Need help going plant-based?  Check out the 80/20 Plants app for ALL YOU NEED for your veg journey.

Hooked On People Interview with The Raw Advantage + Simple Banana Pudding

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Time to meet Chris Kendall AKA ‘The Raw Advantage’. He’s a raw foodist who is all about spreading the message of positivity, living foods, and high energy vibes. He does this through his youtube channel, his Costa Rica Retreats, his e-books, and his speaking engagements. His excitement for the raw food lifestyle is contagious, even through social media. After going through a period in his life with poor lifestyle choices and bad injury recoveries, he decided to make a change. At 18 he started making major lifestyle changes and by 23, he switched to the raw food lifestyle and never looked back.

I have so many questions to ask Chris because he’s such an inspiration when it comes to the raw food lifestyle!

But, I will try to keep it simple today and for those who want to know more they can find him on Youtube, Instagram, his website, or just join him at a Costa Rica Retreat !

Hooked On Plants (HOP): At 18 you came to the conclusion that you needed to change your lifestyle. What was the catalyst for this change?

Chris Kendall (CK): Really, the catalyst was being burnt out, depressed, and having a harder time physically in terms of recovery and energy, to skateboard. The first thing I found was yoga, which helped immensely and pointed me in the direction of healthy, compassionate living.

HOP: How long did it take for you to see the benefits of the raw food lifestyle?

CK: Over a period of 5 years I vastly increased the amount of raw food in my diet, starting with a fruit breakfast and going from there. At 23 I jumped into an all raw food diet and experienced the biggest leaps and bounds in my health, vitality, mood, spiritual connection, endurance and passion. These changes happened virtually over night for most, and within the first week for the rest.

HOP: What were the main changes you saw in yourself, and ones that people could expect to see in themselves if they decide to focus on raw foods?

CK: In those first 24 hours my heart centre literally blew open. I felt such a deep connection to the spark within and recognized it in everyone and everything around me, this was more than profound. I felt a deeper connection to my purpose and gained a clarity in my life path that I hadn’t experienced. My joy and lust for life increased and I simply felt bouncier and more prone to move and enjoy myself. Each person’s time line of experiences and shifts is different and fully dependant on their previous lifestyle and particulars. I had been steadily improving my diet and had fasted numerous times before going raw, so when I did it was like rocket fuel.

HOP: I’ve yet to go to the Woodstock Fruit Festival, but this raw food festival looks like a blast! How many times have you been? Will you be prepping the raw-food for all of the attendees this year?

CK: I love love love the Woodstock Fruit Festival, it’s such a great time with so much opportunity for connection, education, fitness, great food and more! I have been a part of every single one (flowing as chef / speaker / yoga teacher) since its conception in 2011. This summer will be their 8th festival including the one in Hawaii. Together with Naturally Ashley we will be making 3 sauces / dressings per night to accompany the daily salad bar 🙂

HOP: You met Dr. Douglas Graham at a Vegan festival in 2004, and went 100% raw overnight! What did he say to you that inspired you to do so?

CK: I first met Dr Graham at “A Taste of Health” Vegan festival in Vancouver B.C. It was as much of what he said as what I picked up from him. I went to 2 of his 3 lectures on the first day, one recipe-based and one nutritional-based. The science driven but common sensed style of his approach really hit home, and it felt like the last piece of a puzzle that I had been looking for finally fit. Beyond that he was literally glowing, in my past I ate lots of magic mushrooms and would sit in nature, at times able to see aura’s around trees and people, seeing Doug glow when I was straight and sober really left me feeling like he had something to offer.

HOP: Dr. Graham’s 80/10/10 lifestyle is one that so many people are thriving on. Even professional athletes, like the ones below, have been seeing amazing results in recovery and performance:

Many aren’t familiar with the 80/10/10 lifestyle, which is 80% carbohydrates, 10% fat, 10% protein, mainly coming from raw fruits and vegetables. Can you enlighten everyone on the benefits you’ve seen with this lifestyle?

CK: Absolutely, plus I’d like to point out these numbers are guidelines over the week month and year and not set hard rules for every meal or even day. Generally stating for optimal health, it is good to aim to get 80% or more of total calories from carbs and 10% or less from protein and fat.

  • I’ve personally become a lot clearer in my head and heart, and found renewed passion for living and growing with my purpose in loving service.
  • I have found it incredibly easy to maintain muscle mass, put some on if I want and stay at a low body fat percentage.
  • Feeling lighter, bouncier and more energetic I am able to go faster, push harder and recover faster than ever before.
  • I love that I don’t smell like I used to, in the bathroom or after working out.
  • My skin tone and appearance has improved and I have been told countless times I look much younger than my age.
  • Clean up time in the kitchen is so much easier and I have found such a joy in creating raw food meals and dishes.
  • Fruit and fruit hunting has become a real joy in my life, as has traveling to exotic places and enjoying time with other fruit hunters.
  • The biggest benefit by far though has been seeing the ripple effect around me as more friends family and acquaintances improving their diet and being more conscious of their spirit and power.

HOP: There have been countless people that have improved their digestive, adrenal, thyroid, and overall health with a raw food lifestyle. Not to mention those who have reversed diabetes, heart disease, obesity and cancer by eating raw foods. Who are your favourite, inspirational examples for this?

CK:

  • John Kohler is amazing and reversed major issues with raw food
  • Megan Sherow reversed stage 3 brain cancer within months
  • Janette Murray-Wakelin reversed cancer in her 70’s and went on to set a world record for consecutive marathons (366 in a row every day)

HOP: I find myself eating mostly raw foods, especially throughout the daylight hours. Most people see the raw food lifestyle as extreme. Can you give 3-5 ways to make eating this way easier, more convenient and seem ‘normal’;)?

CK: 

  1. Think about the fact that all animals eat the foods they are designed to eat one food at a time, in its whole, raw, natural state until they’re full. They don’t worry about nutrition, they simply eat what they are designed for. We, like our closest living relative the Bonobos, are designed to eat fruits and tender greens
  2. Start with breakfast, fruit is best eaten on a completely empty stomach, so breakfast is the easiest way to do it. Make a big smoothie, fruit salad or green smoothie and enjoy all you care for then a few bites more. With raw, low-fat, fruit based meals, its really tough to over eat, so it’s better to err on a little more rather than a little less
  3. Read raw recipe books to get inspiration for new recipes, then once you find 4-6 recipes you love, the lifestyle gets so much easier
  4. Look for inspiration in Youtube videos, books and by connection with coaches / other raw foodists to share experiences, ask questions and make the transition easier. In my coaching practice I often find 1 hour can make the difference between years and, in some cases, decades of struggle as opposed to streamlined growth and ease. I offer coaching by donation 🙂
  5. Realize that this is all as big of a deal as you make it. For example, I know it is a big deal health-wise, environmentally, and for the animals, but also know I do not need bring that up all the time or judge others for their choices. Being calm confident and happy while simply being the example leads to more people being curious and receptive than any lecture.

HOP: What is your favourite music right now? Who’s your favourite band?

CK: I love most forms of music although wouldn’t consider myself a music person, it’s rare I pick up a new band or search for new music, in fact I am not a avid concert goer either. I like the classics like Bob Marley, Neil Young, The Doors, and newer stuff like Fantan Mojah. Lots of old school hip hop and some new too, but mostly rock and reggae!

HOP: When is your next retreat and how many are you doing this upcoming year?

CK: My next set retreat is March 3rd – 10th, 2018 at The Farm of Life in Costa Rica. It will be another Raw Food n Yoga Surf Adventure retreat, everything but the raw food is optional hahaha:) I plan to do 1 this year, and if it fills up quick I may do another.

HOP: What’s you’re next big project you’re working on to spread the Peace, Love and Seasonal Fruit message?

CK: I always have things on the go. I have a few new books coming out, new shirts, and a huge update on my free raw recipes app for iPhone. I’m always looking at ways to grow the TRA Dream, a charity I created to actualize donation-based healing and educational raw food permaculture and yoga centres / communities around the world.

HOP: What is your favourite spring (or maybe camping) raw food recipe?

CK: I would have to say simple banana pudding as you do not need any tools other than a bowl and your hands.

Raw Advantage’s Simple Banana Pudding

Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 2-4 people

Ingredients:

  • 12 bananas
  • 3/4 cup raisins
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 stalk celery, minced (optional)

Directions:

  1. Peel 10 – 11 bananas and place them in a bowl
  2. Mash bananas well using your hands, a fork or a potato masher.
  3. Add the raisins, cinnamon and optional celery, mix and enjoy!

Optional additions: carob powder, dried mulberries, date bits

Want more of The Raw Advantage?

  • Check out Chris’s Ebooks!
  • Get 2 free ebooks just by signing up to his mailing list, and a free recipe in every mailing list post too, join here.
  • For his Free Raw Recipes Playlist head here.

Easy Chia Berry Jam | Date-Sweetened

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Ahhhhh berry season.

You complete me.

I won’t need to buy jam ever again. This recipe is so easy, it would be ridiculous not to make it.

If you have berries, chia seeds and dates in your kitchen right now, you could have jam in literally 10 minutes.

In Whistler, one of the best parts of the week is visiting the berry babes at the Farmer’s Market to load up on Berry Mobile‘s ripe, mega-juicy, fresh, local berries of all kinds. Going berry crazy and ending up with boxes of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries means … recipe time.

The first thing that popped into my head was JAM.

So today… we be berry jammin’.

This jam starts with date paste (easiest thing ever, and can be devoured on it’s own or for dipping your apple slices in), and ends with chia and berries.

Yes. It’s THAT SIMPLE.

No preservatives or refined sugars in this berry jammin’.

Benefits:

  • Chia seeds provide a protein punch and fibre to satiate you. While these chia seeds sit in the jam, they will absorb the moisture and begin the sprouting process, making it easier for your body to absorb all of the nutrients they carry!
  • Berries of all kinds are PACKED with antioxidants. These antioxidants will prevent oxidative stress, and there for help prevent cancer, keep your mind sharp and slow your aging process!
  • Dates are nature’s way of loving us. They’re delish. But also noutrish. They are packed with minerals, vitamins and fibre. If you need more iron, magnesium, and zinc, dip your apples in this date paste!

On a life note… It’s pretty dang smokey here in BC. My thoughts go out to those who have had to leave their homes from all the wildfires!

Whistler is getting smokey again, too. Here’s a shot from last night’s little adventure. Stand Up Paddling down the river in a smokey sunset. This is a mellow part, but we love hitting the rapids on our Kahuna paddle boards! It definitely keeps things interesting:)

OK, onto the recipe.

Easy Chia Berry Jam

Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 1 full medium mason jar

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup pitted dates (about 10), soaked 5 minutes then strained
  • 1/2 cup water (or coconut water)
  • 2 cups of berries (raspberries and strawberries for a runnier jam, blackberries or blueberries for a thicker jam)
  • 2 tbsp chia seeds

Directions:

  1. Make caramelly Date Paste: blend dates and water together until smooth paste forms
  2. Add berries and chia seeds to blender, blend until smooth
  3. Pour into a jar, cover and place in fridge to set for 20 minutes.
  4. Keeps in fridge for about 2 weeks. Or freeze until you need it!

If you make it, tag me so I can see! #hookedonplants @hookedonplants

Hooked On People Interview: The Vegan Ginger + Healthy One-Bowl Breakfast Cookies

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Erin Marrs is all about simple, nourishing, delicious vegan eats. Her vegan journey started with the sole purpose of clearing up her skin. It worked. Her acne cleared up, then she went on to become certified in Plant-Based Nutrition at ECornell by Dr. T Colin Campbell. You can tell just by her glow that that eating all those plants is working for her! With two kids, and a hungry hubby, she knows how to satisfy all the taste buds in her family with whole-food, plant-based meals. Lucky for us, she has the blog ‘The Vegan Ginger‘. Let’s learn more about her, and her favourite recipe for the family.

Hooked On Plants (HOP): How long have you been vegan?

The Vegan Ginger (VG): I have been vegan since December 2007, but I consider myself REALLY vegan since September 2012 which is when I decided to a eat a healthy plant based vegan diet and really learn how to cook!

HOP: I love the name of your blog! When and why did you start The Vegan Ginger?

VG: Thank you! I started The Vegan Ginger blog in the summer of 2013 just really as a place to send my friends and family when they had questions or wanted recipes, which was basically every day for me.

HOP: What different types of vegan diets have you tried, and which one do you find the best?

VG: In terms of vegan diets, I have been the “unhealthy vegan” although not extremely but would still eat french fries and processed foods, and a healthy vegan. I would love to try fruitarian/raw HCLF but I just find it hard with the climate I live in where we don’t have as many delicious fruit options as say Australia or Hawaii. Although my breakfast is usually just a lot of fruit or a mono meal of fruit.

HOP: You’re raising the next generation vegans! You give a great overview of a what your kids eat in a day. But, can you give 3 tips to new parents for adding more plants into their kids diet?

VG:

  1. Eat more plants yourself! Monkey see monkey do! When I am eating a fruits and veggies that is all my toddler wants also. If I were to make popcorn or have some dark chocolate that is all he would want too. If it doesn’t work right away just keep eating well and eventually they will want everything you are eating.
  2. Don’t offer or have the “bad stuff” around. If I am serving a large quinoa salad for dinner but my toddler sees a big bowl of potato chips he, like most kids, will tell me he wants the chips.
  3.  Get them involved! Recently since the summer has hit we have lettuce and other vegetables growing on our deck and sprouts always sprouting indoors. Everyday we check them, water them, …etc…When I go to make a salad, if he gets to help cut the lettuce and take the sprouts out of the jar after watching them grow for a few days, he is way more excited about it. I also ask him what we should put in our salads and give him options. Give him a dull knife and let him help “chop” the vegetables . He will down any meal when he puts effort into. It is amazing to see!

HOP: Can you give everyone 3-5 tips on how to deal with vegan kids at ‘normal’ birthday parties, at school hot lunch days or any other kind of events with non-vegan food?

VG:

  1. As much as I love to only feed my family nourishing healthy vegan food, when it comes to social events I also don’t want for my kids to feel like they are “missing out”. We aren’t in school yet but we did just celebrate my older sons fourth birthday and I did go the pizza and cupcakes route. We also had fruit, and of course the pizza and cupcakes were vegan, just not necessarily part of a ‘whole foods diet’, but this happens on special occasions.
  2. When taking my son to birthday parties he knows ahead of time that he won’t be able to eat the pizza/cake because it has “cows milk” in it (as my toddler will tell you), and he is totally ok with that! He knows it would make him sick and isn’t good for him. We bring a piece of cake for him (these ones are great in a pinch and you can get them at Whole Foods) or we ask him what treat he would like and so far he has always been completely fine with it.
  3. Now I am sure this applies to all kids, but never go hungry! Parents, you either! haha There is nothing worse than a hungry toddler but also that way when it is time to eat you don’t have to worry about being stuck with a starving kid and nothing to eat. And I find toddlers much more rational and easy to reason with when they are fed. I also bring snacks for the ride home.

HOP: What is the next big project you’re working on?

VG: My husband and I actually decided to start a blog together of our vegan family adventures called “The Green Grazers” we share our favourite recipes, family travels, how we eat when we travel, and info about raising our vegan babies!

HOP: Do you take your own photos?

VG: I always take my own photos! It is kind of a passion of mine also. That is kind of another reason for started the blogs. I absolutely love photography and taking beautiful photos of food and people and scenery so it is a great way to share it.

HOP: What are 3 tips for beginner photographers?

VG:

  1. ALWAYS use natural lighting. There are obviously ways around this, but as a beginner just take your photos beside a window it makes the world of a difference.
  2. Declutter your photo, this might just be a personal preference but for a beginner on Instagram just taking photos with an Iphone, try to make sure there isn’t anything in your background that you don’t want there, or that takes away from your subject (food or people)
  3. Do not use flash! This goes hand in hand with #1 but aside from using natural lighting, make sure your flash is off and if your photo is a bit dark use an editing app to brighten the photo!

HOP: What does your breakfast, lunch and dinner look like?

VG: 

  • Breakfast is usually fruit and or a smoothie/smoothie bowl and I always try to start the day with a hot lemon water.
  • Lunch would usually be leftovers. I always double recipes so my lunches are already made for us. Or hummus, crackers & veggies, and snacky foods. Recently I started eating “wrap it up raw” wraps with hummus and veggies and they are delicious!
  • Dinner is usually something planned. Our fave meals have got to be bowls. So rice/noodles/lettuce as a base with veggies, beans, legumes and tofu and then topped with a sauce. We have all the cookbooks from Fresh Restaurants and make all of their recipes many times. They are delicious!

HOP: What is your favourite kitchen dance song?

VG: Most of the time my toddler controls what we listen to while we are in the kitchen. He goes between dancing and helping me cook. Right now he loves ‘Can’t stop that feeling‘ – Justin Timberlake.

HOP: What do you love feeding your kids, and what are you excited to make next?

VG: With two kids it is all about having quick healthy snacks and these are jam packed with oats, seeds, nuts, banana and zero added sugar! A recipe I am really looking forward to trying is your Homemade Kombucha! I LOVE kombucha and I would love to be able to make my own! It can be so expensive at the store!

Find Erin here:

Blogs: www.theveganginger.com   |    www.thegreengrazers.com

Instagram: @theveganginger   |   @thegreengrazers

Pinterest: The Vegan Ginger

Twitter: @TheVeganGinger

Now it’s time to share one of Erin’s FAVE recipes! 

Photo credit: The Vegan Ginger
HEALTHY ONE BOWL BREAKFAST COOKIES
A healthy breakfast cookie great for mornings on the go and the little ones will love them!
Photo Credit: The Vegan Ginger
Prep Time: 
Cook Time: 
Total Time: 
Serves: 18-20 Cookies
Ingredients:
  • 2 Ripe Bananas – mashed
  • 1½ cup – Gluten Free Old Fashioned Oats
  • 1 tablespoon – chia seeds
  • 1 tablespoon – sesame seeds
  • ½ cup – unsweetened applesauce (can be substituted with any fruit puree or try pumpkin! yum!)
  • 1 tablespoon – cacao nibs/chocolate chips (optional, my husband did not like the version with the cacao nibs)
  • 1 tablespoon – sunflower seeds/or any other nuts/seeds you prefer** (read note)
  • ⅓ cup – natural peanut butter (or sub any nut other nut butter)
  • 1 teaspoon – vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon – blackstrap molasses (optional)
Instructions:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
  2. Then line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside
  3. Once that is done mash the ripe bananas with a fork on a plate and add to a large mixing bowl
  4. Add remaining ingredients (expect the chocolate chips) and stir until well combined.
  5. Then take a heaping tablespoon of the cookie dough and place them on the baking sheet about an inch apart. (Don’t worry too much about spacing because they don’t grow or change shape). Press a few chocolate chips onto each cookie.
  6. Bake cookies for 20-25 minutes.
  7. Let cool and enjoy!
Notes:
This recipes is VERY adaptable! Add whatever you like or have on hand and whatever you don’t have just leave out! You really can make them very simple or add your whole pantry!