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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!
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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!

Hot For You Caramel Cacao Bites | Vegan | Gluten-Free

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This Valentines, you’ll be needing decadent, melt-in-your-mouth, sweet and sultry caramel cacao bites for your honey (who are we kidding…these happy bombs are as much for your self as they are for anyone else).

Are you in for some whole food dessert goodness? I’ve got you covered.

Dates and cacao are two of nature’s superfoods, and this time they make an amazingly sinful-tasting dessert that is actually benefiting your bod’.

Perfection.

The chewy base with the chocolate-y layer provides you with a melt-in-your-mouth experience you’ll be dying for over and over again. And that’s ok, because they’re tiny bites, with a nutritional punch.

A spicy surprise aftertaste gives these Hot For You Bites babies their name. The cayenne pepper in here is great for blood flow too, so that’s a bonus!:)

Benefits:

  • Cacao (the purest form of chocolate) has 40 times the antioxidants of blueberries and a whole bunch of magnesium for your heart and brain. Perfect for your valentine.
  • Cayenne pepper  increases your circulation and detoxifies your digestive system.
  • Dates are an amazing source of soluble fibre, an energy booster and increase your sexual stamina! Plus, if you drink too much champagne this Valentines, dates actually have a sobering effect. Perfect for the end of your night before you hit the hay.  Again, perfect for your Valentine.

 

 

Hot For You Caramel Cacao Bites | Vegan | Gluten-Free
 
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A melt-in-your-mouth whole foods dessert that tastes sinful, but packs a nutritional punch. Perfect for sharing with your valentine (or yourself;)
Author:
Recipe type: dessert, valentines, vegan dessert, snack
Serves: 20 bites
Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp shredded coconut **optional

  • Caramel layer:
  • 1 cup pitted dates (soaked for 10 minutes to soften)
  • ¼ cup almond butter
  • 2 tablespoons water, or more as needed
  • ½ tsp vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil

  • Chocolate coating:
  • ⅓ cup melted coconut oil
  • ¼ cup cacao powder
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • ¼ tsp cayenne powder
Instructions
  1. Make caramel sauce: blend all caramel sauce ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth.
  2. Spread layer of caramel along bottom of silicone mold or muffin paper in a muffin tin. I find using a silicone mold is the best option, and easiest to pop out the bites after the freeze time!
  3. Freeze for at least 30 minutes
  4. Make chocolate sauce: melt coconut oil in sauce pan, then add rest of ingredient and whisk until smooth
  5. Spoon layer of chocolate sauce over the caramel layer to fill silicone molds
  6. Top chocolate with a goji berry or two
  7. Freeze at least 15 minutes
  8. Pop out of the silicone mold, or muffin papers (may need a knife to get all of the caramel layer)
  9. Optional ** Garnish with shredded coconut
  10. DEVOUR
  11. Store in freezer

Creamy Lemony Nooch Dressing | Oil-Free & 4 Ingredients

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You’d have a tough time trying to find a day to look in my fridge without seeing a jar of this Lemony Nooch dressing.

I’m telling you now… triple or quadruple this recipe so you can have this amazingness available in your fridge for up to 10 days, and finally get excited to make friends with salad er’yday.

This dressing works with any kind of salad. Greens, beans, grains, legumes, you name it, just add it, and it’s all better.

The best way to use this is to mash your torn up kale leaves in the dressing, and let it sit for 10 minutes in your salad bowl (this softens the kale), then add the rest of your salad ingredients and toss it all up! I try to get a salad in my system on the daily, and this dressing makes it easier than ever!

The nooch, paired with the dijon creates a cheeziness and creaminess without the need for any oil!

If you’re looking for more oil-free salad dressings, here’s a few to play around with.

Feel free to use apple cider vinegar to instead of lemon, and add a bit more maple syrup if you like it sweeter!

Benefits:

  • Nooch (Nutritional yeast) is packed with vitamin B12 (which everyone needs to make sure they get in their diet either by supplementing or eating B12 fortified foods like nooch’ or fortified plant-based milks), and has a cheesy flavour! It’s so delicious to sprinkle on anything, and add to any sauce to get that creamy, cheesy taste.
  • Lemon is detoxifying, great for your skin, high in Vitamin C and helps indigestion.
  • Oil-free dressing means you’re salad will be mega healthy! Oil is a refined fat, without fibre and with minimal nutrients. So if you’re trying to keep your salads low in empty calories, yet nutrient-dense and delicious, try ditching the oil and using these ingredients to create the creamy dressing you’re after!

 

Creamy Lemony Nooch' Dressing | Oil-free & The Best
 
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An oil-free, yet creamy dressing that will make any salad a winner. This is my go-to! Triple the recipe so you have it on hand for easy salad making anytime.
Author:
Recipe type: dressing, sauce
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar)
  • ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1-2 tbsp water, optional (depends on how thick or thin you like it!
  • * I recommend tripling this recipe and keeping a jar of dressing in the fridge ready to go*
Instructions
  1. Pour all ingredients (except for the optional water) in a mason jar and shake! Or, pour all ingredients into the bottom of your salad bowl, and whisk!
  2. Add a bit of that water if you want a thinner dressing.
  3. *I recommend adding some kale to the dressing in your bowl, and mashing it in the dressing with your salad tongs, then letting that sit a few minutes before adding the rest of your ingredients. This provides a delicious massaged kale base for the rest of your salad. My usual salad for 2 consists of 4 leaves of the massaged kale, tomato, ½ avocado, 1 pear, 2 green onions, 1 head romaine, 1-2 tbsp raisins and sunflower seeds.

Raw Carrot Cake Bliss Balls + Cashew Frosting

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When carrot cake and healthy bites collide. These raw carrot cake bliss balls are good for… everything in life.

Desserting, snacking, tea timing, adventuring, lunching, or breakfasting.

They really could be your 24 carrot gold ticket for any of these life happenings.

They’re vegan, and easily made gluten-free, with zero refined sugar.

If you run into me in the mountains on a ski tour, bike adventure, hiking mission, or paddle board camping trip, and raid my backpack, you will find some kind of balls in there like these ones, or these coconut hemp ones, or these nut-free maca ones…

They’re the perfect on the go snack, and are ridiculously easy to make.

You could keep it simple and leave the bliss balls naked without the cashew frosting (which would take the cashew soaking time out of the equation), but…

If you want to take it to the next level… MAKE THE CASHEW CREAM CHEEZE.

The taste is on par with your fave carrot cake, but the health factor is untouchable.

So, if you’re into carrot cake, you’re going to dig these balls (it’s official, I’ve said ‘balls’ too much).

Benefits:

  • Carrots. Need I say more? Carrots are a super food. They’re packed with Vitmain A in the form of beta-carotene to make your eyes into warriors. They’ll boost your immunity too because of the antiseptic and antibacterial abilities they have, along with the Vitamin C they’re packing. Of course, they’re high in fibre, yet low in calories which will help reduce cholesterol, heart disease, and aid in your digestion.
  • Dates are nature’s candy! They’re packed with vitamins, minerals, fibre and if you get the juiciest ones you can find, they’re the tastiest things you’ll ever eat. The minerals like selenium, manganese, copper, and magnesium all help prevent osteoporosis. They’re high in iron to prevent anemia, and they’re packed with fibre to help with constipation. Yes.
  • Oats are high in fibre, minerals, and vitamins, too! See a theme here? Whole foods are where it’s at. Oats also have 2 antioxidants that are almost solely found in oats (avenanthramides and ferulic acid), which both help reduce blood pressure by increasing the production of nitric oxide levels to help dilate blood vessels.

Raw Carrot Cake Bliss Balls + Cashew Frosting
 
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These bliss balls are perfect for taking with you on adventures, eating for breakfast or having for a guilt-free dessert!
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert, Snack
Serves: 22 balls
Ingredients
  • 3 carrots (about 6 inches long)
  • 9-10 large medjool dates
  • 2 cups oats (gluten-free if needed)
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • ⅛ tsp nutmeg
  • ⅛ tsp ginger
  • ¼ cup walnuts
  • ⅛ tsp salt

  • Cashew Cream Cheeze Frosting (optional but SO GOOD):
  • 1 cup cashews, soaked at least 2 hours (the longer the creamier)
  • ½ cup plant-based milk (I used this hemp milk recipe)
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
Instructions
  1. Blend carrots in your food processor until a fine meal forms.
  2. Set the carrot aside into a bowl.
  3. Add the rest of the ingredients to the food processor and blend until evenly blended together, then add the carrots back in, and blend until a sticky ball forms (or close to it).
  4. Roll into 1 inch balls with slightly wet hands.
  5. Place in the freezer for 20 minutes.
  6. You can be done! Or.... keep going to make a frosting covered bite, mmmm!
  7. Make the frosting! Blend all frosting ingredients together in a blender until smooth and creamy.
  8. Dip your bliss balls in the frosting, and place back in the freezer for storage.
  9. These keep well in the freezer, and travel nicely in a to-go bag!

 

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Perfect French Fries | Crispy & Oil-Free

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Don’t be a afraid of the tater! Especially when they’re perfect french fries made right.

The poor potato has such a bad reputation.

I’m here to tell you: it’s not the potato’s fault, it’s the way humans have prepared it. Fryin’ it up into french fries or chips creates a saturated calorie bomb with all the wrong fats. Hydrogenated fat being the worst of them all.

The reason being,“hydrogenated fats are difficult for the body to “grab onto” and metabolize, and can neither be incorporated into cell structures nor excreted in the normal fashion. Thus, hydrogenated or “trans-” fats tend to remain “stuck” in blood circulation, becoming oxidized and most importantly, contributing significantly to an increased risk for cardiovascular disease and possibly also cancer.” ~ World’s Healthiest Foods.com 

So, we go back to that simple fact that eating a food in it’s whole form is just the bomb dot com.

A potato is actually one of the most perfect foods around… if you eat it in it’s whole form as a potato, baked or boiled without any extra oils or deep fryin’.

Come as you are potato! Come as you are.

Of course, upping the anti and adding spices or healthy sauces to the experience makes the naked spud shine brighter than the best potato chip or french fry you’ve ever bought!

This can be done with sweet potatoes too! But, you might be surprise to know that they’re not much different in nutrition than the white potato!

My favourite way to eat these is in a boat. Get that romaine out, throw a fry in there, then take a dip.

Savoury heaven.

Benefits of potatoes:

  • packed with vitamins, minerals and fibre
  • no saturated fat, sodium or cholesterol
  • more potassium than a banana
  • a great source of vitamin B6 (for mood, brain function and eyesight),
  • magnesium is in these babies to reduce anxiety, plus relieve muscle aches and migraines
  • antioxidants are in there for combat disease and protect your cells from free radicals

 

Perfect French Fries | Crispy & Oil-Free
 
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These fries are crispy and completely guilt-free. Let's fall in love with the potato again in it's whole-food, naked form. This is a go-to simple dinner idea, or a great appetizer dish for a potluck.
Author:
Recipe type: dinner, appetizer
Cuisine: Canadian, potluck, simple
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 3-4 Russet potatoes
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp salt (optional)
  • (Get creative with your spices! These are good: curry, cumin, onion powder, tarragon)

  • Curry Ketchup Sauce:
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
  • 1 tbsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp maple syrup

  • 1 head romaine lettuce (optional)
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 400°F
  2. Chop potatoes into thick fry-shape slices
  3. Pour them into a zip-lock bag with the spices and shake shake shake until evenly coated (kitchen dancing recommended)
  4. Spread the fries evenly across a parchment or silicone mat- covered baking tray (if you want em' crisp, don't let them touch)
  5. Bake for 20 minutes, then flip each one over.
  6. Bake for another 15 minutes, or until you can see the golden brown edges puffing up
  7. Mix all sauce ingredients together
  8. Serve in a romaine leaf and dip it all in your sauce!

 

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