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Mashed Potato Butternut Swirl | Vegan Holiday Side

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This vegan holiday side dish will match this Thanksgiving and Fall weather like slippers to your onsie.

Simple, comforting, fun to play with and sooooo good lookin’.

Holiday side dishes are usually packed with butter and cream to make them feel decadent. But, you can easily get the same kind of comfort from this low-fat, vegan beauty!

A perfect dish to bring to your family dinner this holiday season.

Personally, I like to keep the skins on any organic produce I have because that’s where TONS of the nutrients are found. But, if you’d like a brighter looking dish, feel free to peel the skins of the potatoes!

Benefits:

  • Sweet potatoes boost your immune system, smooth out your digestive system, ward of cancer, relieve arthritis, and are packed with vitamins and minerals. There’s a good reason centenarians base their diet around the sweet potato! Don’t be afraid of white or russet potatoes! They have incredible benefits too and are packed with fibre (they just get a bad reputation from the good old fried up version called the french fry, which isn’t so healthy)
  • Butternut squash is a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals. It’s packed with fibre and low in fat, making it a great option for weight loss and heart health. It packed more potassium than bananas and a good dose of B6 for your nervous system.

 

Sweet Potato Butternut Swirl
 
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This is a beautiful side dish to bring to any dinner party, especially over the holidays for extra wow effect. It's simple, fancy looking and tastes like fall.
Author:
Recipe type: Thanksgiving, Holiday, Dinner, Side dish, Dinner
Cuisine: Holiday dinner
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 1 small (or ½ large) butternut squash, halved lengthwise
  • 5 white sweet potatoes, or russet potatoes
  • 1 cup unsweetened, plain almond milk (or soy, coconut, hemp)
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • ½ spring fresh rosemary
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • A bit more rosemary for garnish
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400°F
  2. Place butternut squash open half down on a parchment covered baking pan.
  3. Cut off the ends of the whole potatoes, then pierce them all over with a fork. Place them on a parchment covered baking pan.
  4. Slide both baking sheets into the oven and bake for 1 hour (or until you can pierce a fork through the squash and the sweet potatoes are oozing with deliciousness). Flip the potatoes half way.
  5. In blender or with hand blender, blend sweet potatoes, rosemary, ½ cup milk, garlic powder, nutritional yeast and salt until smooth.
  6. Pour ½ sweet potato mixture in serving dish, and half into a bowl on the side.
  7. Clean blender, then scoop out butternut squash. Blend squash, ½ cup milk and maple syrup until smooth.
  8. Pour ½ the butternut squash mixture onto the potato mixture in the serving dish. Layer it with the rest of the sweet potato mix you had put aside. Top it off with a layer of butternut squash mixture.
  9. With a spoon, stir several times in a clockwise motion without completely mixing the two colours.
  10. Garnish with a bit more rosemary.

 

Meatless Balls + Mushroom Gravy | Oil-Free Vegan Thanksgiving Main

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Family comfort food to the max.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my friends across the border! I bring to you… meatless balls! They taste better than they sound. And this mushroom gravy? Well, it’s only 6 ingredients, with no oil, and mega flava flave!

If you’re a fan of Thanksgiving, but want to skip the Turkey this year… this one’s for you!

Thanksgiving (or Thanks’living’ as some vegans like to call it…) is ridiculously easy to make vegan. All of those beloved veg-centric side dishes can easily be veganized with simple replacements:

  • vegan butter vs. dairy butter in the roasted veggies
  • plant-based milk vs. cow’s milk in the mashed potatoes
  • flax egg vs. chicken’s egg in the stuffing

And now you have this recipe to replace the Turkey! The awesome, animal-free dinner is now COMPLETE.

I feel the need to give my American friends a yummy recipe for this year’s Holiday because we just spent 2 weeks on a 6500KM mountain biking road trip all across the US. It was us, our camper, a couple mountain bikes, friends and epic views.

The itinerary was: Whistler –> Moab, Utah –> Sedona, Arizona –> Las Vegas, Nevada –> Morro Bay, California –> Portland, Oregon –> Home to Whistler

Scroll down to the bottom for some photos of the trip that was packed with camper cooking, trail snackin’, 7 hour biking adventures, and crazy landscapes. As fun as it was, it’s always nice to come home. I’m grateful for the adventuring, but also so grateful for the simple, everyday things at home.

What are you grateful for? Focusing on the little things and practicing gratitude is something I feel I do naturally, but over the last couple years I’ve been trying to focus on it even more. Every morning before getting out of bed I tell myself 3 things I’m grateful for. It sets the day off to a damn good start.

You should try this:

Before you roll out of bed, tell yourself:

  • 3 things your grateful for
  • 3 things your excited about today
  • 1 awesome thing about yourself (“I am…”)

After that, you’ll always wake up on the right side of the bed.

OK, back to the recipe!!

This one is inspired by the Rouxbe Cooking School Plant-Based class I finished in the spring. They made a loaf, but today… we make balls!!

Benefits:

  • Quinoa is packed with antioxidants, essential minerals (especially iron), vitamins, and fibre (for smooth digestion and weight loss). It’s one of the most protein rich foods we can eat!
  • Mushrooms are packed with vitamin D, so they’re great to eat during the winter months. A good amount of vitamin D wards off depression and keeps your bones healthy, too.
  • Black beans are stars when it comes to heart health because they’re packed with folate, fibre, potassium, B6 and phytonutrients.


Meatless Black Bean Quinoa Balls
 
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A recipe to replace the Turkey space on your plate. These meatless balls are flavourful and meaty, and the mushroom gravy takes it to the next level.
Author:
Recipe type: Thanksgiving main, dinner
Serves: 25-35 balls
Ingredients
  • • 2 cups of cooked quinoa (1½ cups uncooked)
  • • 2 14oz cans of cooked black beans
  • • ½ cup ground flax meal)
  • • 1 cup water (to soak flax meal for creating the vegan egg)
  • • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • • 4 cloves garlic
  • • 5 cups cremini mushrooms, diced
  • • 1 cup grated carrot
  • • 1 cup walnut halves
  • • 1 cup sunflower seeds
  • • ¼ bunch flat-leaf parsley
  • • 10 sprigs fresh thyme
  • • 4 sprigs fresh sage
  • • 1 to 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • • ½ cup nutritional yeast
  • • 1 tbsp sea salt
  • • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. Cook quinoa if you haven't already. (Bring 1½ cups quinoa and 1¾ cup water to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes)
  2. Place flax meal into a bowl, add the water, then let sit 5 minutes
  3. Pre-heat oven to 375°F.
  4. Next, heat a frying pan over medium heat, add onions. Let cook for a few minutes, or until they become soft and translucent. If they stick, add a splash of water.
  5. Add the mushrooms and garlic. Continue to cook until the mushrooms have browned and all of their moisture has evaporated.
  6. Place onion, mushroom mixture into a big mixing bowl.
  7. Add grated carrot to mixing bowl.
  8. In your food processor, pulse the walnuts and sunflower seeds until a coarse meal forms, then add this to mixing bowl.
  9. Add all your fresh herbs to the food processor and blend until minced. Add to the mixing bowl.
  10. Add the cooked quinoa and black beans and pulse a few times (still should have some chunky texture to the beans). Add this to the mixing bowl.
  11. Pour the soaked flax egg into the food processor and purée for a minute. This will create an egg-white texture. Add this to the mixing bowl.
  12. Next, add the nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper to the mixing bowl and mix everything well to combine.
  13. Form ½ cup balls with your hands, and place on a parchment covered baking sheet.
  14. Bake for 20 minutes.
  15. Meanwhile, make the mushroom gravy.


6 Ingredient, Oil-free, Vegan Mushroom Gravy
 
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This gravy is good to douse anything with! It's easy, delicious and perfect for any holiday meal.
Author:
Recipe type: Topping, Sauce, Gravy
Cuisine: Thanksgiving, Holiday, Comfort food
Serves: 3 cups
Ingredients
  • • 2 yellow onions, diced
  • • 5 cups mushrooms (cremini, white, or wild), sliced
  • • 3 tbsp white wine
  • • 3 tbsp flour (gluten-free or whole wheat)
  • • 2 to 2½ cups water
  • • 2 tbsp tamari
  • • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • • 1 tsp sea salt (to taste)
  • • freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
  1. Heat a large stainless steel frying pan over medium heat (better than a non-stick pan for this recipe, so you get the nice browning of the onions)
  2. Dry-sauté the onions: When the pan is hot, add the onions. Let them simmer for a couple minutes, then add a splash of water to pull the caramelization off the pan.
  3. Sauté the onions until they are translucent and slightly browned, adding more splashes of water if they're sticking.
  4. Add the mushrooms. Simmer them until their water evaporates and they start to brown.
  5. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, stirring until combined.
  6. Then, add the flour. Stir until combined and simmer for 30 seconds.
  7. Slowly add 2 cups of the water. Stir constantly, then let it come to a simmer before adding the rest of the water.
  8. Let cook a few minutes to become a gravy-like consistency, then add the tamari and apple cider vinegar.
  9. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Moments from the mega road trip!

 

Curried Collard Greens with Sweet Potato

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For those times that your fridge is bustin’ at the seams with greens.

I had this problem (not really a problem) at the end of this growing season. The garden created SO MANY GREENS, I didn’t know what to do with them.

Do you have this problem ever?

If so, here are some good ideas for you:

  • Kale chips or collard green chips
  • Chop and freeze for your smoothies or soups
  • Use them as wraps
  • Use this recipe to curry them up and stew them down!

This recipe does an awesome job of compressing a countertop full of greens into a pot of green goodness.

What are you waiting for? Get em’ in ya!

Benefits:

  • Greens are packed with protein and fibre. Keeps those muscles ripped, and your digestion smooth
  • Collard greens and kale are part of the cruciferous family, making them incredibly detoxifying and anti-inflammatory
  • Turmeric and ginger act together as an anti-inflammatory and antibiotic.


Curried Collard Greens + Sweet Potato
 
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A delicious way to eat as many greens as your pot can handle.
Author:
Recipe type: dinner, lunch
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 1 sweet potato, diced
  • 2 sweet onions, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press
  • 2 tbsp miso paste
  • 1 tsp ginger powder
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • ½ can coconut milk
  • 1½ cups water
  • As many collards and kale you can fit in your pot, de-stemmed and chopped
  • Vegan parmesan from this recipe
  • Sunflower seeds to top
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 375 F
  2. Bake sweet potato for 20 minutes (on parchment paper covered pan)
  3. Meanwhile, oil-free sauté onions and garlic for about 10 minutes (heat frying pan to medium, add chopped onions, let sizzle for 2 minutes, then add ½ cup water to get the caramelization off the pan, add a bit more water if it's still sticking after a few minutes).
  4. Add miso, ginger, turmeric and coconut milk. Mix until combined.
  5. Add 1 cup of water and all the greens.
  6. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring a couple of times.
  7. Add sweet potato to greens just before they're done simmering.
  8. Serve in your favourite bowl and top with vegan parm and sunflower seeds

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Ratatouille Smoked Tofu Pasta Bake

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A vegan Thanksgiving dish to bring to any dinner to curb those fall comfort food feels!

Rainbow forests, crunchy leaves, crisp mornings & cozy teas.

Does that count as poetry?

But really, I do love fall. Seasons make you truly appreciate each one when you’re in it. The summer (as usual) went by in a blink. We always pack it to the brim with as much adventure in the sun as we can fit.

Paddle boarding. Biking. Camping. Hiking. Dancing.

Now is the time, with the changing of seasons, to have an excuse to take a step back.

Cooking, minimizing the closet, dinner catch ups, catching up on … everything?!

Well, here is a recipe to add to your autumn vibes. Even if this holiday is traditional with the turkey and all, this is a perfect vegan Thanksgiving recipe to bring for everyone to try.

After living in France for years in her 20s, ratatouille is something my Mom has conquered and makes all the time. I decided to give it a bit of a twist this time to make it even more comfort-food approved.

This recipe tastes ‘melt in your mouth-y’, and gives you that feeling of eating something heavy, but it’s actually packed with veggies and nutrients, light on the tummy, great on the digestion, and nice to your waist-line.

Win win.

This passed the comfort-food taste test from the comfort-food lover (aka Davey), so I’m confident that you’ll get those comforting vibes from this dish too.

I always get my smoked tofu from Spud, but if you head to any vegan meat section of the grocery store these days, you’ll be able to find an organic smoked tofu block.

You can use any vegan cheese for the topping (this is optional, but totally takes it to next level awesomeness).

Or, top it off with some vegan parmesano with this easy recipe from here.

Benefits:

  • Eggplant is a great veggie for weight loss because it’s packed with fibre, with no fat or cholesterol. It’s also beneficial for bone health, not only because of the calcium content, but also the potassium content to help the uptake of the calcium! Also, if you’re worried about anemia, eggplant is the veggie for you because it’s packed with iron. It’s brain food too because of all the phytonutrients it packs!
  • Brown rice pasta has just 2 ingredients; brown rice & water. SO many people are afraid of pasta, or any carbs for that matter. But white pasta, refined sugars, and overly processed or fried carbohydrates with a bunch of ingredients are giving carbohydrates a bad name. Carbohydrates, even pasta with minimal whole food ingredients, are what our body thrives on. So go for it with the brown rice pasta, quinoa pasta, soba noodles, baked potatoes, and brown rice! It’s brain food and good energy that our body loves.
  • Veggies galore! This recipe is a great way to pack in a bunch of veggies. The more veggies we have in our diet, the longer we’ll live and the better we’ll feel. Duh.

 

 

Baked Ratatoullie Pasta with Smoked Tofu
 
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A perfect vegan Thanksgiving dish to bring to dinner this year!
Author:
Recipe type: vegan thanksgiving main, comfort food dinner, dinner
Cuisine: french, Canadian
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 3 onions, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 10 small cremini or white mushrooms, diced
  • 2 red peppers, diced
  • 1 tbsp vegetable bouillon powder (or 1 cube, or ½ cup vegetable broth)
  • 1 tbsp garam masala spice
  • 1 large eggplant, cubed
  • 2 zucchinis, cubed
  • 1 small can organic diced tomatoes, OR 5 chopped roma tomatoes
  • 1 package smoked tofu, diced
  • 1 package brown rice pasta
  • Vegan cheeze of choice for topping (I used Gusta) or top with Vegan Parmesan
Instructions
  1. Oil-free sauté the onions, add garlic after a few minutes
  2. Add mushrooms, red pepper, zucchini and eggplant. Sauté for a few minutes with ½ cup water.
  3. Add diced tomatoes (or can of tomatoes).
  4. Stir, then let simmer 20 minutes.
  5. Pre-Heat oven to 350°F.
  6. Bring pasta water to a boil.
  7. Cook pasta according to directions, then strain.
  8. Mix pasta and smoked tofu into the ratatouille pot.
  9. Sprinkle with cheeze (the Gusta was amazing. It's easy to grate and browns up!)
  10. Bake, lid-on for 5-10 minutes, and continue baking with the lid off for 3 more minutes to brown to top layer.

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No-Pork Pulled Jackfruit Tacos

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I know, I know what you’re thinking… Fruit in a taco???

YES and, you gotta try it.

Vegan Jackfruit Tacos… it must be 2017.

Vegan Jackfruit Tacos

Jackfruit falls nothing short of magical when it comes to a whole, unprocessed, vegan meat substitute.

It’s going to absorb all of the flavours you douse it with. Plus it easily and tenderly pulls apart with a fork, and the texture is perfecto.

It’s lighter on your belly, easier to digest, packed with nutrients, and spares the little piggies.

No-Pork Pulled Jackfruit Tacos

These Jackfruit tacos go (insert Mexican accent here) muchos buenos with guacamole, salsa, vegan Cashew Sour Cream, and a side of margarita!

Jackfruit tacos

Plus, they’re carnivore-approved. SO, next time you need to impress your friends with a comfort food, meaty kind of soirée, resort to this recipe and you won’t disappoint.

 

What is Jackfruit?

Jackfruit, AKA the ‘Jack of all fruits’, is grown in Southeast Asia, Hawaii, Brazil, and Africa. If you buy the whole fruit in the tropics, it’s super sticky when you cut it open, so you have to use coconut oil on your knife (believe me, I’ve tried). Otherwise, buy it dried (to eat as is, and it tastes like bubblegum), or if you want to cook with it, you can buy it in a brine like this can from Cha’s Organics, or baggy that’s pre-marinated and ready to heat and eat. It has zero cholesterol or saturated fats. It’s packed with vitamins like vitamin C (immunity), vitamin A (healthy hair) and minerals like magnesium, zinc, iron and niacin. It’s also packed with antioxidants to fight free radicals and phytonutrients for optimal health. Plus, it has the texture of pulled pork, and takes on any flavours you give it. Miracle fruit or what?!

Vegan Jackfruit BBQ tacos! Mexican fiesta time.

No-Pork Pulled Jackfruit Tacos
 
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A delicious BBQ flavoured, non-pork, pulled jackfruit taco recipe that's perfect for your next mexican fiesta!
Author:
Recipe type: Lunch, Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients
Pulled jackfruit:
  • 2 cans of jackfruit (I used Cha's Organics jackfruit)
  • 2 cups vegetable stock
BBQ sauce:
  • ¼ cup tamari
  • ⅛ cup maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup hemp seeds
  • ½ cup onion, diced
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • ¼ tsp cumin
  • small pinch ginger powder
  • ⅛ tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp molasses
  • 1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
Taco makings:
  • 1 package organic corn tortillas (or iceberg or romaine lettuce boats)
  • avocado, mashed
  • 2-3 tomatoes, diced
  • ½ red onion, minced
  • fresh cilantro
  • cashew sour cream
  • sriracha (optional spicyness)
Instructions
  1. Rinse the jackfruit. Strain and set aside.
  2. In a your pot, bring the vegetable stock to a boil.
  3. Add the jackfruit to the pot, then simmer for about 20 minutes, or until most of the stock is absorbed.
  4. Preheat your oven to 400°F.
  5. During the simmering time, add all of the BBQ sauce ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
  6. Scoop jackfruit out of the pot and into a bowl. Crush the pieces with a potato masher to get the “pulled pork” texture.
  7. Mix the BBQ sauce in with the jackfruit.
  8. Spread the sauced-jackfruit on a parchment paper-lined (or on a reusable baking sheet) baking pan and bake for 15 minutes turning over once at the half way mark.
  9. In the meantime, prepare your taco toppings!
  10. Assemble your tacos and enjoy.

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