Lifestyle

Hooked On Plants Interview: Cheap Lazy Vegan + Crispy Korean Tofu

May 17, 2018 By julia

Extreme. Expensive. Difficult. Time consuming. Bland….Not when it comes to Cheap Lazy Vegan food!

Do those words pop into your mind when someone says ‘vegan’?

Well, you obviously haven’t heard of the Cheap Lazy Vegan.

Rose is the Cheap Lazy Vegan. With over 450,000 youtube subscribers, she’s doing an amazing job at spreading the word that vegan doesn’t have to mean complicated or expensive.

She makes vegan easy and attainable. If you’re still skepticle… watch one of Rose’s youtube videos showing the ease of delicious 10 minutes meals, and you’ll be blown away at the simplicity of it all.

Along with being a youtube star, she now has an all vegan café (SaVeg Café) in Calgary, AB.

To celebrate National Vegetarian Week, it’s the perfect time to get to know Rose and bring some inspiration to you guys for cheap and easy vegan meals!

I was lucky enough to stop by the new café with my glorious Grandma to meet this beautiful soul! We also met her Mama who cooked up an amazing Tofu Sweet Potato Korean dish and a super spicy soup that we easily polished off (so dang good).

Let’s get to know Rose.

Hooked On Plants: Cheap Lazy Vegan resonates with hundreds of thousands of people now! What was your first youtube video about?

Cheap Lazy Vegan: The first video I did was a simple introduction of my channel where I explain that you can be cheap AND lazy on a vegan diet… along with a “What I Ate in a Day” where I showed viewers some easy, simple meals that I ate in a day.

HOP: Did you come up with the awesome name, Cheap Lazy Vegan? Is there a story behind that?

CLV: I did… I had just moved to London, UK at the time and I was making very little money but spending a lot simply because I was living in one of the most expensive cities in the world. I found myself buying affordable groceries and making very inexpensive meals. I realized that I was super lazy when it came to cooking. At the same time, I’ve always been a foodie so I always have enjoyed taking photos of food. So I just came up with an Instagram page with the handle @cheaplazyvegan which is how it all started… 🙂

HOP: How long have you been vegan, and what was the main reason? Animals? Environment? or Health?

CLV: I’ve been mostly plant-based for about 7 years total (I became a pescatarian at first, staying away from meat, dairy and eggs, but still had a hard time staying away from fish) and now I’ve been VEGAN for almost 4 years. I went vegan purely for ethical & animal rights reasons and the other stuff (like health and environmental benefits) were just little bonuses for me. I read some books and watched some movies, which really opened up my eyes to the realities of what happens to the animals that I claimed to “love”.

HOP: Did you take your time to take animal products out of your diet, or did you go completely vegan overnight?

CLV: It took time. I think it takes time to get used to the dietary aspect but also to mentally get your head around the whole idea. I first gave up meat, then about a month later stopped eating dairy and eggs, then lastly I quit fish, years later.

HOP: It is SO exciting that you’ve opened a 100% vegan café in ‘CowTown’! With Calgary being known for it’s Alberta Beef, it’s so it’s so inspiring that you’ve taken the initiative to get more vegan food into people’s mouths! Plus, you’re working with your Mom! How did you come up with the name SaVeg?

CLV: Haha, I really wish I could take credit for the name, but it was actually my friend’s sister that had the idea. I liked the trendiness of the name and the smart play-on-words.

HOP: What was the catalyst for opening SaVeg Café?

CLV: My mom already owned the cafe but it wasn’t a vegan one. I helped out there for just a few hours each day and I felt that my own time and the cafe space could be used in a better way. I wanted to be more involved and help out more, but I knew I couldn’t invest my own time/money/energy in a business that sold animal products. So, I approached my mom about the idea of fully changing the menu and concept of the cafe into a vegan one (and of course, me taking half ownership!). Calgary also is lacking in vegan establishments (in my opinion), so it made sense from a business perspective as well.

HOP: What are you excited about this year? Do you have any other cool projects you’re working on?

CLV: At the moment, I’m trying to juggle doing my social media and running the cafe! I’m focusing on getting the cafe established and learning to manage my time before moving onto other projects. I definitely would like to get involved in some new projects in the future!

Here’s a playlist of Rose’s quick meal ideas: Cheap Lazy Vegan quick meals

I had to share this recipe of hers. These spicy korean tofu bits were the special at her café when we came to visit. They were deeeeeelicious.

Spicy Korean Fried Chicken-Style Tofu

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

35 mins

Rose AKA Cheap Lazy Vegan's crispy, comfort food style tofu that's good in any dinner bowl or wrap!

Author: Jules

Recipe type: vegan meat, lunch, dinner, tofu recipe

Serves: 2

Ingredients

1 block extra firm tofu
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp rice vinegar
¼ cup almond flour OR bread crumbs
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)
Sauce
1 tbsp gochujang (Korean red hot pepper paste)
½ tbsp maple syrup
4 tbsp ketchup
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp garlic powder (or you can use 1 clove of fresh minced garlic)

Instructions

Press your tofu to take out some of the liquid for about 10-20 minutes… I’ll be honest, I rarely do this because I don’t have the patience.
Cut up your tofu into small bite sized pieces.
Add your tofu pieces into a mixing bowl and add in soy sauce, sesame oil and rice vinegar. Mix until well combined.
Toss your tofu pieces with almond flour or bread crumbs until each piece is nicely coated.
Add into your air fryer at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes – moving them around at around the halfway point to make sure they cook evenly.
While your tofu is in the air fryer, you can prepare the sauce by adding all the sauce ingredients into a small bowl and mixing very well.
When your tofu is finished, mix in the sauce and sesame seeds (optional) so that the tofu is nicely coated in the delicious red sauce.
Now you can enjoy….!!! Warning: these are ridiculously addictive!

Want more?

Juice Cleansing 101

April 12, 2018 By julia

Juice cleansing can give you the vitality, energy and digestion you’re looking for…

(Scroll to the bottom for $ off the cleanse I did)

After the detox symptoms pass and the will power succeeds, that is…

Spring is the time for re-sets, refreshers, transitions, and switchovers. I love it.

It’s also the perfect time to get your cleanse on. I used to think it would mess with the metabolism, but now I’ve learned that a short juice cleanse can be the thing to do if you need a digestive re-set.

Here’s the thing. Food takes energy to digest, which takes away from the energy it needs to support other important bodily functions, so it’s good to give your digestive system a break every now and then. Fasting and cleansing allows the body to work on other ‘house cleaning’ besides digesting, assimilating and eliminating the last snack or meal.

There’s no doubt about it, you will experience some detox symptoms. This is your body clearing out toxins and excess waste.

Why do a juice cleanse?

We are constantly putting food into our mouths. 3 meals a day, snacks in between. Many of these foods are acid-forming and inflammatory. Our body sometimes needs the time off from digestion, assimilation and elimination, to start working on other important aspects of being a bad-ass body!

While we sleep, our body works on cell rejuvenation and toxin removal (once our dinner is digested, which why it’s a good idea to eat a couple hours before sleeping). This typically leads to waking up feeling puffy, with white on the tongue and flem in the throat. The body is ‘cleaning up the yard’ as efficiently as it can while it doesn’t need to focus on digesting food or expending energy elsewhere. This is why it’s recommended to give yourself a fasting time of 12 hours from dinner to breakfast. Eat a couple hours before bed, then listen to your hunger signs in the morning and eat when you’re actually hungry. This has been proven to lead to longevity, prevent cancer and disease and help digestive issues.

While we juice cleanse, we’re fasting while still fuelling our cells with a super-dose of enzymes, nutrients, antioxidants, and minerals that will help breakdown diseased tissues in the body. Aging and disease come from biochemical suffocation, that happens when our cells aren’t getting enough oxygen and nutrients to eliminate wastes. Juicing will give those cells that oxygen and sweet nutrients directly!

Rather than using energy to digest, your body will be able to focus on:

cell rejuvenation and restoration
alkalinizing
reducing inflammation
enhancing your immune system
replenishing the micro-biome (9/10 of our cells are bacteria, 1/10 are human. Since most bacterial cells live in the gut/micro-biome, we need to keep them happy by providing their home with phytonutrients and micronutrients)
balancing hormones (leading to a better mood)
clearing up skin issues
detoxifying the liver
reducing cravings
showing you what allergies and sensitivities you have
getting in tune hunger signs and teaching you how to eat intuitively
lowering blood pressure
increasing blood circulation
decreasing blood fat
decreasing athertosclerosis (plaque build up)
pulling toxins from your cells and your liver
breaking down stored, circulating chemicals
creating new essential substances in your liver

Other benefits you may feel:

motivation to get sh#t done
an urge for change
a better understanding of the connection between your body and the food you fuel it with
clarity – easier to make big decisions without being masked by food distraction and digestion
you will drop a few pounds, but this will be temporary. The long term affect of easier weight maintenance comes with the digestive system and micro-flora replenishing benefits you’ll get!

What to expect?

It’s not all rainbows and butterflies. There’s a good chance you’re going to feel some symptoms during the detox period, especially if you’re coming from a diet with animal products, lots of caffeine, sugar, or alcohol. But, stay strong! They will pass and you’ll feel better than ever. It may take longer than a 3 day cleanse, but any kind of short term cleanse can act as a jump-start you to making healthier choices and crave better things (like whole plant foods).

Cravings can be physical additions (especially when it comes to refined sugar and dairy). But, sometimes it’s your body telling you that you need a certain micronutrient that you’re low in. A juice cleanse does wonders for combatting cravings of any kind. Detoxifying from these foods will take will power, but you may just come out on the other side as a free bird!

Detox symptoms:

If you feel any of these, they should only last a 1-2 days if you have them. If you do a longer cleanse and on day 4 these symptoms continue to worsen, stop the cleanse and start introducing whole plant foods again.

hunger (when you’re hungry, try to get in touch with yourself and ask ‘what am I hungry for?’, then try to distract yourself from the kitchen callings)
bad breath
congestion
digestive upset and farts
crazy dreams from your body releasing poisons overnight
headaches
low energy
break outs
diahrea
fogginess/light-headedness
fatigue
cravings
white coat on tongue

Sounds nice right? Have no fear… maybe you won’t experience any of this at all. But if you do, it won’t last and unfortunately, it’s necessary. Just like you clean up your closet, your body is cleaning up it’s business.

Warning: all the juice may turn you green…or create the urge to give yourself more self care (take a bath, do a face mask, oil your hair)

How to:

Use a straw (for teeth protection)
Sip, don’t chug
Minimal exercise (light jogs/walk/yoga), or keep to your regular but add in strained, homemade nut or seed milk.
Drink water all day… a lot of it
Drink herbal tea
If you need something to chew on, go for something easily digestible (add chia or hemp seeds into your juice, eat a fresh fruit or veggie – cucumber is best)
If you feel the need for something creamy, or if you continue to work out in some way, make your own nut milk to sip on
If you’re up for it, get a colonic or enema while you’re at it! Your colon (23 feet long) can hold old fecal matter for years. Juicing will help dislodge toxins and build up, but an enema will help bring them out of you…leaving a colon that is able to absorb nutrients again. It’s important to drink a lot of water, or do colon hydrotherapy to get rid of those toxins before your colon absorbs them back into the system.
Keep yourself distracted if you feel the urge to reach for the cookie jar (go for a walk, tea with friends, work on your passion project, hobby it up, take a bath, clean out your closet, go see a movie, meditate, call your grams…)
Take a sauna or get a massage to help along the detoxification process
Optional supplements:
- milk thistle – helps liver detoxify and repair
- niacin – helps detox from chemicals in your system
- B12 – every day
- spirulina and/or chlorella – microalgae for extra detox
Get yourself a tongue scraper! Not only for the juice cleanse, but every morning. It just scrapes off the build up on your tongue first thing in the morning. This stuff is bacteria and waste built up from the night of detoxifying.
Get your self a dry skin brush. This is another way of detoxing. Your skin is your biggest organ and it is continuously detoxifying and shedding old skin. Get that stuff off so it can do it’s job more efficiently. Dry brushing also increasing lymph flow (your lymph is what is pumped when you work out and sweat, but this is another way of triggering it to work it’s magic for your immunity, fat loss and detoxification!)

My 3-day experience:

Day 1:

Feels: Slight head-ache around 2pm. A bit foggy while working away. Went for a super easy jog, drank another juice and felt better.
Digestion: great! No fogginess or lows from digesting.
Exercise: 5 minute yoga and 15 minutes of exercises on the VibraFit (oscillating/vibrating machine that’s amazing for blood flow, muscle contractions, detoxing)
Hunger: Wasn’t hungry. Missed the chewing though.
Tummy: a bit loud as I was falling asleep, with all the liquids moving around
Added home made hemp milk to the day (about a cup in total to my herbal teas), partly because I wanted something creamy, and also because I ran today. It’s ok to add a bit of protein from milked nuts or seeds on while you cleanse.

Day 2:

Feels: Woke up naturally at 6:30 with clarity, energy, motivation. 5 minute meditation (trying to do this more consistently…). Minimal congestion, some white on the tongue. Flat tummy! I usually wake up with a bit of bloat from dinner still, which is why I always start with a big mason jar of water and wait a couple hours to eat breakfast. No head ache. A bit of puffiness under the eyes still, first thing.
Hunger: only when I was making food for Davey. It’s the smell and being around it! Otherwise, I would be content and energized enough from the juice noots (nutrients)
Digestion: smooth. Not too many trips to the bathroom. No burps or gas.
Exercise: HIIT in the AM, 1.5 hour skate ski in the afternoon. Felt fatigued near the end (more than normal)
Had homemade hemp milk in my bengal spice tea throughout the day again

Day 3:

Feels: Woke up easily at 6:30 again. Slept great (I usually do). Barely any morning congestion! Flat tummy.
Afternoon/evening: A bit of a head ache. Sooooo tempting to cave to the craving of crunchiness.
Hunger: Getting in tune with my hunger pangs. Realizing how much food cravings are emotional/comforting/for happiness over just plain hunger. Once I have a juice, the hunger signs are gone. The body just wants nutrients to live off! I did feel a bit ‘floaty’, but kept myself busy and out of the kitchen/house.
Digestion: smooth sailings. No bloating or digestive fatigue.
Exercise: 15 minute HIIT.
Realization: asking myself “what am I hungry for” when I feel like I want to eat. Usually it’s not actual hunger, but that comforting feeling of eating a meal, chewing, enjoying food with people. Instead of having that to look forward to, I think of other things that can give me joy and keep me busy. This is why I feel more productive on juice cleanses. I keep myself busy with stuff I’ve been putting off for a while… Cleaning the truck, cleaning the closet out, writing more. But, this also makes me appreciate food even more, and how grateful we need to be for each meal (can’t wait to get back into the kitchen to create).

Day 4 – introducing food back into ma life (Keep it light-what to eat to break the fast):

Feels: Woke up again at 6:30 easily, with a bit of congestion this time (body eliminating toxins). Flat tummy again.
Exercise: Morning HIIT for 15 minutes + 7 minute yoga flow before breakfast. 45 minute before lunch.
Food on the day of re-introducing food should be simple, easily digestible and full of plant nutrients.
Breakfast: Simple smoothie bowl to re-introduce fibre! Kale, Spinach, Carrot, Ginger, Banana, Blueberries, Spirulina, Maca, Water. Loud tummy!
2nd Breakfast: Small portion of Jules Fuel blueberry cacao overnight buckwheat oats + banana with hemp milk. Turmeric hemp milk latte
Lunch: Green Moustache Superfood salad
Dinner: Butternut Mac + Peas, with a mega salad
Dessert: Apple + 2 medjool dates

Want to try a juice cleanse out?

The ‘Chief’ juice cleanse I did was made by Be Fresh. 6 juices a day for 3 days (there is a 1 day option, too).

Order it right to your door from Spud Vancouver!

Use this code at the check out for 20$ off: CRVAN-MURJUB.

Let me know if you do it! Tag me @hookedonplants on instagram to connect if you need support;)

Hooked On People Interview: Say Hello Sweets + Vegan Coffee Ice Cream Recipe

November 29, 2017 By julia

Say hello to Naomi! She’s the creator of Say Hello Sweets, Canada’s first 100% vegan ice cream truck! Check out the interview for more on how her pup, BabyCakes was the inspiration for it all… The truck is always moving around in the Summer, but in the winter you can find her most popular ice cream flavours (like Café No Lait, Notorious NOG, Mint to Be) online on her website or some retailers across Vancouver. Plus, she just started a Kickstarter Campaign to help her open a store front of her own (with a super cute video of how it all began). I’m always excited to see new plant-based companies taking the leap, so I had to interview Naomi! (And get a recipe from her of course…)

Hooked On Plants: Say Hello Sweets is the cutest vegan ice cream truck! What was the catalyst in starting your company?

Naomi Arnaut: My dog, actually. I know that sounds like a really weird way to start a business, but I first tried my hand at making ice cream as way to fundraise for a hefty vet bill. My dog, Babycakes, had fully ruptured her knee cap & the only option I had to get her surgery was to finance it. A few months later, the payments were really weighing me down, so I was looking for a creative way to do some fundraising. It was in the middle of an August heatwave, & I had this AH HA moment & thought, I will make ice cream & host a small social by donation. That was the start of Say Hello Sweets.

HOP: Word on the street is that you may have an ice cream delivery tricycle one day soon? When can we expect that and where did you find the tricycle?

NA: YES! The trike has proven to be more of a challenge to build than I had originally anticipated, but it’s slowly coming together. The trike itself is a late 1940’s vintage ride, & needs a lot of love. It was generously gifted to me from a family friend who’s had it sitting for the past 10 or so years. I feel very lucky to have it & can’t wait til it’s functional!

HOP: How long have you been vegan

NA: When I was 11, I came across an un-shelved book on factory farming at the local library. I went home & declared that I was now a vegetarian. My mom was supportive. It stuck for 7 years, with the last year being vegan. In my late teens, I was having health problems & when doctors couldn’t find an answer, I was talked into eating meat as a solution. It was right at the height of the popularity of that book “Eat Right For Your Blood Type”, which labelled me as a carnivore based on having O negative blood. I wish I had had the access to the information & the community around veganism that I do now, back then. If I had, I never would have gone back to including animal products in my diet. I ate meat sporadically throughout my 20’s, but am very happy to be back on track now & feeling better than ever. Oh, & I finally did get a proper diagnosis for my mysterious illness. I had reoccurring appendicitis, for over 2 years. I needed surgery, not meat.

HOP: What do you use as the base to your ice creams?

NA: I use full fat coconut milk & for flavours where I want to tone down the coconut flavour, I use a house made cashew milk.

HOP: Where can we find your ice cream truck on a typical day? And, how can we try your ice cream if we can’t make it to your truck?

NA: Fall has arrived with full force, so the truck season has come to a close. In the summer, truck locations are posted on The Street Food App & on the website. I don’t have a stationary location, so the truck moves around the city, participating in festivals, farmers markets or just parks curb side. If you can’t find the truck, head over to Friendly, located at 2408 Main St. It is a sweet little eatery that has Say Hello ice cream by the scoop & by the pint.

HOP: What’s the crowd favourite ice cream flavour?

NA: Stay ‘Mallow, which is the toasted marshmallow flavour, really dominated this summer. Close seconds were Cafe No-lait & Chocolate Nirvana.

HOP: What are your 3 tips for starting a business?

NA:

Ask for help.
Build community.
Stay true to your values.

Just for fun – what are 3-5 things you can’t you live without in your morning routine?

NA:

20 extra minutes in bed after the alarm clock has sounded is a non-negotiable.
Breakfast! Always breakfast.
A brisk walk with Babycakes, with a coffee in hand.

Hooked On People Interview with Say Hello Sweets + Vegan Coffee Ice Cream Recipe

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

25 mins

A dairy-free coffee ice cream. This is an ultra creamy and scoopable ice cream made with coconut milk!

Author: Jules

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: dessert

Serves: 8

Ingredients

3 cups full fat coconut milk
¼ cup cane sugar
½ cup agave syrup
2 tablespoons instant espresso
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon arrowroot, tapioca starch or guar gum

Instructions

In a blender, combine instant espresso, salt, vanilla extract, coconut milk & starch of your choice. Blend on high till everything is nice and smooth.
Pour out all of this mixture into a saucepan.
To the filled saucepan, add sugar, agave syrup & coconut oil. Stir over low heat until coconut oil and sugar have fully melted and mixture is warm.
Whisk until the mixture comes to a soft boil. This is to cook out the starch and thicken the mix. But, remember to whisk whisk whisk so no lumps form!
Once it has come to a soft boil, turn heat off and transfer mixture into a bowl or measuring cup. Cover with cling film and make sure to press it against the surface of the mixture so a skin does not form.
Cool for 1 hour in the fridge or in an ice bath then churn in ice cream maker. Once out of the ice cream maker, place in an airtight ice cream or tupperware box, cover, & freeze to allow it to further firm up. Or eat it straight from the ice cream machine!

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

November 16, 2017 By julia

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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Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

50 mins

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: Jules

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

Cook quinoa if you haven't already. (Bring 1½ cups quinoa and 1¾ cup water to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes)
Place flax meal into a bowl, add the water, then let sit 5 minutes
Pre-heat oven to 375°F.
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.
Add the mushrooms and garlic. Continue to cook until the mushrooms have browned and all of their moisture has evaporated.
Place onion, mushroom mixture into a big mixing bowl.
Add grated carrot to mixing bowl.
In your food processor, pulse the walnuts and sunflower seeds until a coarse meal forms, then add this to mixing bowl.
Add all your fresh herbs to the food processor and blend until minced. Add to the mixing bowl.
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.
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.
Next, add the nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper to the mixing bowl and mix everything well to combine.
Form ½ cup balls with your hands, and place on a parchment covered baking sheet.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the mushroom gravy.

6 Ingredient, Oil-free, Vegan Mushroom Gravy

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

15 mins

This gravy is good to douse anything with! It's easy, delicious and perfect for any holiday meal.

Author: Jules

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

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)
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.
Sauté the onions until they are translucent and slightly browned, adding more splashes of water if they're sticking.
Add the mushrooms. Simmer them until their water evaporates and they start to brown.
Deglaze the pan with the white wine, stirring until combined.
Then, add the flour. Stir until combined and simmer for 30 seconds.
Slowly add 2 cups of the water. Stir constantly, then let it come to a simmer before adding the rest of the water.
Let cook a few minutes to become a gravy-like consistency, then add the tamari and apple cider vinegar.
Add salt and pepper to taste.

Moments from the mega road trip!

Hooked On People Interview: Rich Sievewright AKA Vegan Iron Yogi + Post Work-Out Smoothie

November 2, 2017 By julia

Rich Sievewright is a mad man when it comes to working out, pushing himself and pushing others. I first met Rich when he and I were LuluLemon ambassadors. He puts on killer work out classes to get Whistlerites in shape for playing in the mountains. Rich is totally in tune with his body and how to fuel himself to perform his best. A lot of people go to Rich for diet and fitness advice, so I’m excited that he’s found going vegan for performance to be the best thing he’s done! Read on to learn more about being a vegan athlete, his plant-fuelled Ironman training, his new business (Richlife), and his simple, satisfying and nutritious post-work out smoothie recipe!

How long have you been eating plant-based?

2 years

Why did you make the switch?

I watched Cowspiracy and decided that I didn’t want to be a part of the environmental problem that our planet is facing. I switched so I could be a part of the solution instead.

What are the main differences/benefits you’ve noticed after switching to a plant-based lifestyle?
1) Buying groceries is quick and simple. I go to the produce section and bulk nuts & seeds, thats it.
2) No cravings for dairy or meat, which was surprising after being a heavy carnivore my whole life.
3) I lost weight, but maintained/increased strength when it come to lifting weights!
4) Endurance level has increased. I feel lighter and faster than ever before.
5) A big difference is having to constantly explain my diet to every man and his dog. I used to hate answering the question, as I felt like I was offending people, but not now. If they ask why, I tell them straight, and if I’m met with a defensive attitude I lift my shirt and show them my abs and say it works for me, haha.

You are officially an IRONMAN. Wow! How long did you train specifically for the ironman?

I trained for a year but it didn’t really get specific until 4 months out. A solo training camp in Mexico in April kicked me into ironman overdrive.

What was a typical training day like leading up to the Ironman? Work outs and food?

A typical training day was: eat, work, eat, train, eat, work, eat, eat and sleep. My diet is always the same:

oatmeal with nuts and seeds in the morning

quinoa salad 2-3 times a day

a protein smoothie

and snacking on nuts and nut butter

I’m not one for calorie counting, as I find you can get obsessive with it. I’m very in tune with my own body as I’ve been training for a long time. I eat intuitively when I feel hungry and I drink when I feel thirsty. I had no budget when it came to food, and still don’t. It’s the most important thing to spend my money on…that and rent!

How AWESOME was it crossing the finish line?!

It was incredible, 20 Lululemon babes and close friends screaming (literally) my name was so heart warming and almost brought me to tears. It also signified the end of an era in my life. Friends, family, community and connection are more important to me than a race that significantly diminished the balance and overall health of my life.

What part was the hardest?

Physically, there is no doubt the run was the hardest (in particular the last 10km). Mentally, the bike was the hardest due to the boredom and uncomfort (my lower back and the crown jewels were in a bad way).

What did you listen to during your long biking and running hours?

I listened to podcasts by Joe Rogan. I always enjoy zoning into the intriguing people on the show, from doctors and physicians to trainers and elite athletes.

If you were to choose just one work out to do the rest of your life, what would it be?

Definitely a short and intense metabolic workout using dumbbells, barbells, plyometrics and thousands of burpees. I love being close to the heart attack zone. I find these workouts are the most efficient way to improve my physical and mental fitness. For some crazy reason I find them really fun.

What is a day in your life like?

It’s hard to say as I’m adapting to a big change in my life. I now own my own business and I’m currently adapting to a new lifestyle that has opened up much more time for me. On a Sweat Camp day, I’m up at 4.30am and out of the house by 5. I unload the weights from the van and teach two classes before 9am. Generally, I will then train myself and the rest of the day is whatever I fancy. I’m enjoying getting into the world of social media, I eat, I nap, I go for walks in nature and I catch up with friends…it’s Whistler so that usually entails some kind of outside activity.

What do you eat on a typical training day?

Similar to every other day. I’m a low maintenance eater, as long as I have a constant supply of quinoa and veggies then I’m a happy boy. A long endurance workout requires fuel to take with you, so my weapons of choice are Nak’d bars.

Favourite pre-work out meal and post work-out meal?

I don’t need a pre-workout because i’m eating constantly through the day which helps to keep my energy level consistent. Post workout is definitely a smoothie with banana, avocado, water, vegan protein powder, coconut oil, and nut butter.

Do you practice intermittent fasting? If so, what kind of results have you seen from it?

I have tried it and have seen great results. The way I do it is to eat all my food within a 9-10 hour period and nothing but water for the rest of the day. I prolong when I eat breakfast which I always thought was a big no-no, but it works for me. I find that when I eat this way, I’m more mentally alert in the mornings and my body fat percentage starts to drastically fall.

Who is your inspiration in the plant-based world? (what athletes, docs, influencers, bloggers?)

Rich Roll is an incredible plant-based athlete and human being. His story and transformation into a vegasaurous is very inspiring.

Leonardo Di Caprio is a hero of mine because for me, eating a plant-based diet was initially due to environmental reasons. Using his fame to raise awareness and influence governments is a huge step for the planet.

Frank Medrano is a vegan athlete who does crazy calisthenic training. The guy is completely jacked and does some offensively impressive things with his body.

Documentaries I continuously watch are: Cowspiracy, What the Health, Food Matters, Forks over Knives.

There are so many vegans out there who are under the radar, it seems to be growing…even Mike Tyson is a vegonator!

Name 3 podcasts we should all be listening to:
1) Kelly Brogan on the Joe Rogan experience (health psychiatrist)
2) Rich Roll on the Joe Rogan Experience (vegan transformation and endurance athlete)
3) Dr Rhonda Patrick on the Joe Rogan Experience (humbling me in the workings of the human body)

You’ve recently started the Rich Life! So exciting. This is all about ‘creating a community through health and fitness that uplifts, brings togetherness and a sense of belonging’.
Tell us more, in a nutshell, about what The Rich Life is!

RICHLIFE is a fitness program for Whistler residents that combines strength and conditioning classes, yoga and social gatherings to enhance your mountain life. RICHLIFE delivers on-going 4-week Sweat Camps at The Audain Art Museum and Whistler Creek Athletic Club. The fitness classes are three times a week at either 6am, 7.30am, 11am, or 5.30pm from Mon-Fri. It includes free yoga classes, three times a week at the Sundial Hotel. People can sign up on my website www.richlifewhistler.com or on my Facebook page Richlife Whistler.

Rich’s Pre-Workout Protein Smoothie

Hooked On People Interview: Rich's Smoothie

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Prep time

2 mins

Cook time

1 min

Total time

3 mins

Rich likes his food simple and nutritious. This is a smoothie to fuel your cells after your HIIT work out to build that lean muscle mass!

Author: Jules

Recipe type: Smoothie, Breakfast, Lunch, Snack

Serves: 1

Ingredients

1 banana
1 avocado
1 scoop vegan protein powder (Iron Vegan, Veg Essentials, Vega)
1 tbsp coconut oil
water (amount varies depending on the consistency you like)

Instructions

Peel your banana, and scoop out your avocado
Blend all ingredients on high
Consume!

Lifestyle

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