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Fresh Vegan Bruschetta with Cashew Parmesan | Oil-Free

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When in doubt, vegan bruschetta it out….

Too corny? Nah… Ooo, but corn would be an amazing addition to these little toasts…

Anyway, this is a perfect snack, appy, lunch, or even a super simple dinner alongside a mega salad!

Bruschetta is always a go-to at a restaurant with no vegan options. Minus the cheese ontop and butter below. You really can’t go wrong with tomatoes and toast, ya hear me?

Making this at home allows you to experiment a little, and it’s an easy, delicious way to get that fresh Italiano feel in the heat of the summer.

It’s not your typical brusch though (yes, brusch is now a word…), balsamic reduction gives it a deep sweetness, a little lime juice brings the tartness, and a sprinkle of cashew parm achieves that cheezy, salty flava flave.

If you can get your hands on some heirloom tomatoes, then cudos points to you, because your brusch will then blow the summery flip flops off of your guests tanned feet.

And the bread? Try to find yourself a rye sourdough baguette, that’s my fave.

Crunch away, my friends!

Benefits:

  • Tomatoes are one of nature’s magical fruits. They’re packed with vitamin K to help your bones, potassium for your heart, vitamin C for your immunity, and vitamin A for bones and your vision.
  • Basil is a powerful herb, packed with antioxidant, anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties. This guy will help prevent stress and anxiety, plus improve your digestion and liver function!
  • Shallots are amazing for lowering your blood pressure and increasing your blood flow. They’re sulfur-containing morsels, which makes them a star when it comes improving collagen levels and growing healthy hair.


4.0 from 1 reviews
Fresh Vegan Bruschetta with Cashew Parmesan
 
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A fresh summer dish for everyone to devour. Heirloom tomatoes make this recipe next level!!
Author:
Recipe type: Vegan Bruschetta with a twist
Cuisine: snack, lunch, appetizer
Serves: 2 people
Ingredients
  • 15-20 cherry tomatoes, diced
  • ½ shallot, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • large handful basil, chopped
  • 2 tbsp balsamic reduction (I used Nonna Pia'scabernet merlot)
  • ⅛ tsp himalayan salt
  • ⅛ tsp pepper
  • ¼ lime wedge
  • ¼ cup cashew parmesan
  • 5-6 thin slices of baguette (rye sourdough is my favourite)
Instructions
  1. Mix tomatoes, shallot, garlic, spices, balsamic and basil together in a bowl.
  2. Toast bread.
  3. Pile the tomato mixture on the toasted slices, and top with a squeeze of lime and sprinkle with cashew parmesan.

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This week’s email was all about a myth busting and a holistic doctor you just gotta know about…Dr. Kahn.

Blueberry Banana Coconut Cream Milkshake | Vegan

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The dog days of summer call for something frosty, creamy and nostalgic. This vanilla blueberry banana coconut cream milkshake is the answer…always.

Creaminess, frostiness & blueberries…something magical happens when these 3 collide. The blueberries become much more than the usual blueberry you’d expect. It reminds me of getting blueberry milkshakes as a kid at the Hornby Island bakery. They came as a massive glass filled with a blue galaxy of creaminess. It was packed with dairy though, so this one is infinite galaxies better.

The amazing taste and mouth feel is still all there.

Here we have a dairy-free version with all the thickness, creamy goodness and decadence that I remember.

On a hot summers day, there’s nothing better than a slow sip-full of this masterpiece.

It’s ridiculously easy to make.

It’s refreshingly frosty.

It’s melt-in-your mouth decadent.

It’s blueberry banana coconut cream milkshake heaven with a touch of vanilla deliciousness.

Top it off with some cookie crumbles (I used Anna’s Ginger Snaps), extra fruit … or maybe some coco whip from this pumpkin cheezecake recipe?! (Drooling as I write this).

Let’s talk blueberries for a sec. They’re packed with antioxidants (especially wild blueberries) to combat free radicals and protect you from all forms of disease, aging and viruses, plus they’re high in vitamin C to boost your immunity. At just 80 calories per cup, they’re a megadose of nutrition, so eat them by the handful!!! They are part of the dirty dozen group when it comes to organics, though. This just means you should make blueberries one of the ingredients that you always get organic! Buying them local is also always best. If you can grow your own, amazing… but if not, find a local farmer. I stock up on Hare’s Farm’s blueberries from Pemberton every year throughout the summer and try to have a freezer full of them to last me at least a month of winter (they go down fast around here!)

You can order 10lb frozen boxes from JD Hare directly through email: haresfarm1993@gmail.com or find his blueberries at the Whistler Farmer’s Market!

On to the recipe!


Blueberry Banana Coconut Cream Milkshake
 
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A thick & frosty treat for that hot summer's day, still packed with benefits.
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert, Snack
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 2 cups blueberries
  • 1 cup vanilla coconut ice cream (I used Coconut Bliss)
  • 2-3 cups vanilla plant-based milk (I used Califia Vanilla Almond)
  • 2 frozen bananas
  • Toppings (optional):
  • Extra blueberries
  • Crumbled cookies (like vegan graham crackers or Annie's ginger snaps)
  • Banana slices
  • Coconut Whipped Cream from this cheezecake recipe (oh man that would be so good!!!)
Instructions
  1. Blend all mylkshake ingredients together in your blender. Start with just 2 cups of milk, then keep adding until you have the consistency that will slowly move through your straw.
  2. Pour into your favourite jar, and top it off with your choice of toppings.

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Last week was all about ~ anti-aging & antioxidants ~

Caramelized Onion Sage Cream BBQ Pasta

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Lucky for you, you’ve found yourself on a page with the secret to my new favourite sauce…all mixed up with the pasta that tells me ‘summer is on, baby’! This creamy vegan pasta could easily become a staple for those summery patio days.

Serve it up family style. Picture this… an outdoor picnic with a big bowl o’ pasta, a salad bowl packed with greens drizzled with this flavourful oil-free dressing, and a bowl of smokey vegan parm…now all that’s missing is funky tunes and fruity popsicles.

Caramelized onions give anything a deeper, sultry taste. Double or triple the caramelized onions I call for in this recipe, just so your fridge can be a good friend by having it on hand for your next savoury meal.

The BBQ’d veggies give this pasta a smokey flavour, and keep the house a little cooler than the oven would on a hot summery day.

And fresh sage… the ingredient that makes any dish seem more professional that it really is. Take a simple meal, sage it up, and voila: Top Chef material. Sage is so easy to grow outside or on a window sill (unlike basil, which somehow likes to wither away anytime I try to give it a good life…)

Benefits:

  • Zucchini has a good dose of antioxidants to help prevent disease, vitamin C to boost your immunity and potassium to help balance electrolytes and blood pressure.
  • Sage is commonly used for digestive issues, like bloating, gas, diarrhea and stomach pain. Plus, it’s fantastic for depression, memory loss and the prevention of Alzheimers
  • Onions contain sulfur, which is needed for the synthesis of the antioxidant glutathione, plus it helps strengthen hair and nails.


Caramelized Onion Sage Cream BBQ Pasta
 
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A simple dinner packed with nutrients. A go-to weeknight scramble recipe. Make lots of it, because the leftovers taste better by the day!
Author:
Recipe type: pasta, dinner, bbq
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients
  • 1 package of brown rice pasta (or any other pasta with just 2 ingredients...like quinoa + water)
  • 3-4 sweet onions, de-skinned, halved, then sliced in ⅛ inch pieces
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 zucchinis, halved lengthwise
  • 2 red peppers, de-stemmed, halved lengthwise
  • 3 portobello mushrooms (crimini or white work, too)
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • Salt + Pepper
  • Vegan sausage of choice (I used Gusta)

  • Sage Cream Sauce:
  • ½ cup cashews, pre-soaked overnight or for 10 minutes in hot water
  • ½ cup fresh sage
  • 2 tbsp miso paste
  • ¾ cup caramelized onions, with a few tablespoons of the liquid
Instructions
  1. Caramelize onions: heat large pot to medium, then add onions. Let brown a few minutes, then add ¼ cup water. Turn down the heat, add the garlic and let simmer for 30 minutes, lid on. Stir every 10 minutes or so to make sure they're not burning. If they're sticking just add a bit more water.
  2. Heat the BBQ to 400°F.
  3. Prep the veggies by adding the coconut oil to your hands and massaging the oil all over each piece of veg and place on the grill. Twist some salt and pepper on them, and let cook for 10 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add a dash of salt and pour in the pasta. Cook according to time on the package.
  5. Flip the BBQ'd veggies, and salt + pepper the other side. Let cook another 10 minutes.
  6. Throw the sausages on the BBQ. Cook for 8 minutes, rotating every couple of minutes.
  7. Strain the pasta and pour the pasta back into the pot.
  8. Make the sauce: add all sauce ingredients to your blender, and blend until smooth.

 

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This week was all about manipulating your genetics with diet!

Vegan Hollandaise Sauce

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Nothing like a decadent, creamy, lemony, thick sauce to douse that vegan brunch with! This vegan hollandaise sauce is even delicious on dinner your plate (think taters & sauce, broccoli & sauce, glory bowls & sauce, burritos & sauce…)

Being plant-based, means falling in love with sauces. All the sauces.

Tomato-based, bean-based, cashew-based, tahini-based, nooch-based, miso-based, veggie-based… endless bases of sauciness.

Today’s all about this cashew raw vegan hollandaise.

It’s time to cure those creamy cravings with total satisfaction by drizzling this stuff over any savoury dish to create a culinary masterpiece.

Super simple.

Super delish.

With just 7 ingredients and a blender, you’ll be on your way to sauce o’clock, saucy heaven, 10 on the sauce-o-meter, 100% sauciness… You get it.

Benefits:

  • Cashews are packed with minerals, and dietary monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats to help the body absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and vitamin K and produce fatty acids needed for yo’ brain!
  • NO DAIRY – this is a big plus. Typical hollandaise has a whole lotta butter and eggs. Replacing these two with cashews will help you prevent cancer, inflammation, acidity, weight gain and animal suffering 🙂 Go nuts.


Vegan Hollandaise Sauce
 
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A hollandaise sauce to bring back those eggs benny memories. Make a bunch of this because you'll be wanting to pair it with everything.
Author:
Recipe type: sauce, vegan sauce, brunch
Serves: 1 cup
Ingredients
  • ¾ cup cashews, soaked over night (or 10 minutes in hot water), then strained
  • ¼ cup lemon juice (juice of 1½ lemons)
  • ½ cup unsweeted, unflavoured plant milk (almond, coconut or soy)
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
Instructions
  1. BLEND! Seriously. That's it. Until smooth.
  2. Drizzle away.

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This week’s email was all about NYC vegan goodness and Main Street Vegan !

Mermaid Bowl ~ Raw Vegan Soft Serve with Boosh Chunks

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Gaze away at this swirly masterpiece…OK, now go make yourself one. This mermaid bowl is ready in no time and provides all the dreamy, guilt-free spoonfuls your taste buds desire.

Just in time for the LONGEST day of the year. Bring on that sunshine and those mermaid bowls, who’s with me?

The base? bananas.

The colour? phycocyanin.

The topping? fermented kombucha bar chunks (from Vegan Rob’s).

The result? The bowl of my dreams.

In just a few minutes you’ll have an antioxidant packed mermaid bowl filled to the brim with live phytonutrients and fermented goodness! Ahh.

I brew my own ‘boosh‘ at home, but I never had heard of kombucha being in the form of something you chew on – like a granola bar. Well, it’s possible! Vegan Rob‘s just came out with their Kombuchabar (what?!)… So I topped off this mesmerizing soft-serve with chunks of it for some nice texture and added probiotics for digestive and gut health.

The beautiful blue-ness comes from the crazy sounding and intense looking active ingredient in spirulina (phycocyanin). I found a small package of it here. More on the benefits of it below…. I personally love it just for the crazy mermaid colour it gives to anything, because who ever made up that whole.. ‘don’t play with your food’ thing anyway?

Benefits:

  • Phycocyanin is a super potent antioxidant powerhouse. It’s the active blue pigment protein complex of the blue-green algae, spirulina. Phycocyanin is used for photosynthesis in the algae, as it directly absorbs sunlight. In humans, when ingested, it’s complex structure resembles the powerful antioxidant ‘bilirubin’ and it has the same intense affects on our body as bilirubin. It’s an immune enhancer, disease preventer, and anti-inflammatory, this stuff is magic.
  • Kombucha Bar that I’m using to top off this magical mermaid bowl is the first bar I’ve found that has the probiotic benefits of kombucha…but in the form of solid food! Crazy talk. The fermented kombucha in these bars help the gut microflora thrive. Fermented food are a must, because 90% of the cells in our bodies are bacteria cells and just 10% are human. Most of our bacteria live in our micro-biome/gut, so we have to make sure we’re feeding our gut the right things to help the cells flourish…and fermented foods is where it’s at.
  • Bananas are a staple around our place. I get a case of smoothie-ready bananas every week from Spud. I freeze half of them for bowls like this, and the everyday green smoothie I whip up. They’re packed with potassium to help balance your blood pressure, and iron to combat anemia.

 


Mermaid Bowl Soft Serve
 
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This bowl tastes just as magically delicious as it looks. Packed with fermented benefits and a mega antioxidant-boost!
Author:
Recipe type: breakfast, dessert, snack, smoothie bowl, ice cream
Serves: 1-2
Ingredients
  • 5 frozen bananas, halved
  • 1 tbsp peanut butter
  • 1-2 tsp phycocyanin powder
  • ½ cup plant-based milk (almond, coconut, cashew, hemp)
  • 1 kombucha bar, chopped (found at Vegan Robs)
Instructions
  1. In food processor, blend all ingredients except the kombucha bar until smooth. Add a bit more milk if you want a softer texture.
  2. Spoon it into a couple of your favourite bowls and top it off with kombucha bar chunks.
  3. Devour.

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Last week was all about acting with love instead of fear throughout your life, biz, relationships and to yourself.