Thanksgiving

Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake

October 12, 2017 By julia

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

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

(But still give all kudos to her).

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

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

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

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

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

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

Perfectly put, classy lad!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Benefits:

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

Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake

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Prep time

7 hours

Cook time

4 hours

Total time

11 hours

This scrumptious dessert is a 3 layer masterpiece that will fool your cheesecake-loving friends. It's now been coined the 'finest dessert I've ever had' by my Grandma's friend at the dinner table. See for yourself, and I'll leave it at that.

Author: Jules & Deena

Recipe type: Dessert, Thanksgiving

Cuisine: Thanksgiving, Autumn dessert

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

Tools

Food Processor
Blender
Round 8-inch Springform Pan (or pie plate)
Spatula

1st Layer (Crust):

2 cups pitted dates
2 cups raw pecans
1 tsp salt

2st Layer:

3½ cups raw cashews (soaked overnight or soaked in boiling water for 2 hours, rinsed & drained)
¼ cup coconut oil (melted)
½ cup coconut milk (full fat from a room temperature can)
½ cup dark maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp sea salt

3rd Layer:

Pumpkin Pie Spice (2 tbsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ginger, 1 tsp nutmeg, ½ tsp cloves)
1 can pumpkin purée, unsweetened

Coconut Whipped Cream:

1 can chilled coconut milk (chilled in fridge overnight for best results)
1 tbsp maple syrup

Topping:

Pecans

Instructions

BEFORE you start: your cashews must be soaked and your coconut milk must be chilled at least a few hours each (overnight is best for the most creamy consistency).
First, grease your pie plate with a light coating of coconut oil (it's easy to use paper towel to smear it all over the pan).

First Layer Crust:

Blend dates on high in your food processor, until finely chopped.
Add pecans and salt to the date dough in your processor. Blend on high until all ingredients are evenly distributed and consistent.
Use wet hands to pack dough into an even crust covering the bottom of the plate.
Put your crusted pie plate into the freezer while preparing the filling.

Second Layer:

Melt your coconut oil first, then let cool a few minutes.
In your blender, add cashews, coconut milk, maple syrup, salt, vanilla extract, and coconut oil. Blend on high. The longer it's blended, the more moist and creamy your filling will be.
Remove your crusted pie plate from the freezer.
Pour ONLY HALF of the blender’s contents over top of your crust. Use a spatula to spread it around in an even layer. Place this 2-layer pie back in the freezer (make sure it’s on a flat surface).
Let it chill and solidify for at least 30 minutes.

Third Layer:

Add pumpkin pie spices and pumpkin puree to the remaining cashew filling in the blender. Blend on high until the mixture becomes orange!
Remove your pie plate from the freezer and pour the pumpkin layer over the top. Spread it evenly with a spatula.

Finishing:

Freeze the 3-layer pie, on a flat surface in your freezer, for a minimum of 3 hours.
Remove from freezer to countertop 20 minutes before your ready to serve.
Press pecans into the top layer of the pie.
Make the Coconut Whipped Cream: flip the chilled coconut can upside down, then open. Pour out the liquid into a jar (drink it!), and add the full fat coconut cream to your food processor with the maple syrup. Blend until creamy!
To serve: If you're using a pie plate, use a butter knife to cut around the circumference of the pie. Top with coco whip and listen to the sound of mmmmm's.

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

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

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

Ratatouille Smoked Tofu Pasta Bake

October 5, 2017 By julia

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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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

45 mins

A perfect vegan Thanksgiving dish to bring to dinner this year!

Author: Jules

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

Oil-free sauté the onions, add garlic after a few minutes
Add mushrooms, red pepper, zucchini and eggplant. Sauté for a few minutes with ½ cup water.
Add diced tomatoes (or can of tomatoes).
Stir, then let simmer 20 minutes.
Pre-Heat oven to 350°F.
Bring pasta water to a boil.
Cook pasta according to directions, then strain.
Mix pasta and smoked tofu into the ratatouille pot.
Sprinkle with cheeze (the Gusta was amazing. It's easy to grate and browns up!)
Bake, lid-on for 5-10 minutes, and continue baking with the lid off for 3 more minutes to brown to top layer.

(+ exclusive resources & tips)!

Turmeric Ginger Banana ‘Mylkshake’

December 29, 2016 By julia

The blender. Doesn’t it blow your mind?

With just a few ingredients, you’re on your way to taste bud heaven.

This time, think milkshake… but good for you. REAL good for you.

If you can get the actual turmeric and ginger root from your local grocery store, DO IT.

You could use the powdered, but this recipe is so much better with the real, fresh ingredients. If you have a hard time finding them, Spud carries turmeric and ginger root! Just order online from their website and it will get delivered to your door (use the code CRVAN-MURJUB for 20$ off your first order). While you’re at it, add a box of smoothie ready bananas for just 7 bucks and freeze them so they’re ready for your next smoothie session!

Then this creamy, spicy super smoothie so fast and easy to put together.

If you have a high-speed blender, this bevy is amazing blended until warm.

It’s the best thing to come back to after playing all day in the fresh powder.

By the way HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

I’m going to share what I am chatting away about in this week’s email to subscribers (subscribe on the homepage).
Here’s s few things I can leave you with while we’re shooting into 2017:

Try not to get overwhelmed about the things that didn’t happen in 2016, or the things you hope to achieve in 2017. This life of ours is all about the adventure. The best gift we can give to ourselves is to be grateful for each present moment and appreciate the relationships, achievements and things that we have now.
Don’t be like T HIS GUY, trying to get it all over-with and done at once.
Just ENJOY the process! We’ve all got mundane things to do in this life (think chores, some work, etc), but what if we switched our mind-set into being excited to do those things, and ignore the part of our brain that dreads what’s to come?

I can’t waaaait to answer emails!
I’m SO stoked to do the recycling!
Cleaning the house? YES!!!

Imagine how fun life would be if we truly believed everything was amazingly fun? Something to think about…

OK, now back to winter in a cup.

The benefits of this drink are endless. But, here’s just a few to be excited about…

Benefits:

–Turmeric is one of nature’s best anti-inflammatory. Eating it with black pepper drastically improves it’s absorption into your hot bod, magnifying the benefits. It’s also great for bloating, digestion, blood purification, skin conditions, cancer-fighting, plus it aids in fat metabolism.

–Ginger is well-known for it’s anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. This makes it a great answer for combatting seasonal flus and making your immune system super-human. Ginger is also a star when it comes to nausea and muscle pain.

–Bananas are packed full of beneficial carbohydrates, with fibre and a bit of protein! They really are an all round healthy food that if I lived on a deserted island, all I would need is bananas. There’s a reason monkeys go bananas over bananas, and it makes up most of their diet. Smart monkeys. They also decrease bloating (especially for that time of the month ladies!), build lean muscle mass, help your muscles recover faster and give you a boost of clean, whole food energy.

Anti-Inflammatory Turmeric Ginger Banana Mylkshake

Time: 5 minutes

Serves: 1-2

Ingredients:

2 bananas, peeled
2-3 centimetres turmeric root, chopped (start with less, and add more if you can handle the spice!)
2-3 tsp ginger root, chopped
3-5 dates (depending on size, but I used 5 small bahri dates. 3 medjool would do the trick)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup almond milk (or less if you want it thicker)
little pinch of pepper
cinnamon to top

Steps:

Throw all of the ingredients into a high speed blender. Blend for 1 minute (or until warm).
Pour into your favourite mug and sprinkle with cinnamon

Note: This goes well with last week’s Raw Vegan Chocolate Orange Christmas Bites

Raw Vegan Chocolate-Orange Christmas Bites

December 22, 2016 By julia

Bring this to a Christmas party and your brownie points will shoot through the chimney.

These little morsels will bring melty, sweet, whole-food goodness to your Christmas Holidays.

Pour yourself a cup of tea, and dip away.

Right now, I’m going through the Raw Gastronomy chapter in my Plant-Based Rouxbe Culinary course. The challenge was to create a raw dessert, and I thought, why should I be the only one to appreciate the taste of my creation? It’s too good not to share with all of you.

Eating whole foods in their raw form does wonders for your body.

Raw, or ‘living foods’ still have the vitality and energy in the food itself. If they aren’t heated over 118 degrees farenheit, their naturally occurring enzymes stay active. Heating foods can deactivate some of the beneficial, vital enzymes, plus destroy other nutrients like minerals, essential fatty acids, and vitamins. So, why not eat as much food in their natural raw form as possible?

Plus, this chocolate sauce is just 3 ingredients! So simple and it works soooo well. The coconut oil is just slightly heated enough to melt into a saucy texture.

Even after freezing for a while, the bottom layer of these bites still stays deliciously gooey.

It’s pretty much cookie dough, that’s packed with nutrients, with hard chocolate on top. YUM.

Benefits:

–Cacao powder is the raw form of dark chocolate. It’s the part with the highest amount of antioxidants (40 times the amount of blueberries). It’s a natural energy booster, mood elevator and is packed with magnesium for your brain and heart health.

–Dates are packed with minerals and fibre. They’re super sweet, but are actually good for you! Pure magic. Your brain, heart and digestive system will thank you. They’re actually a great source of protein, plus they’re packed with vitamin C and D to help your beautiful skin and promote elasticity for the anti-aging effects.

–Coconut has iron, healthy fats and fibre. A bit of coconut will help ward off disease and keep your tissues healthy too.

Ingredients:

Base layer:

1 1/2 cups dates, pitted (meaning without pits), soaked in hot water for 5 minutes then strained (if super dry)
3/4 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1 tsp orange zest
1 tbsp orange juice, freshly squeezed

Chocolate sauce:

1 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 cup cacao powder
2 tbsp maple syrup

Steps:

Pulse walnuts, coconut and orange zest in food processor until a meal forms
Add dates and orange juice. Blend until all is combined
Use two small spoons to press mixture into balls then into a mini muffin tin. OR you could also press the mixture into a loaf pan as one large layer
Make chocolate sauce: Melt coconut oil in small sauce pan, add maple syrup and cacao powder. Use whisk to mix until smooth and creamy.
Spoon chocolate layer over each base layer
Sprinkle with shredded coconut
Chill in freezer for 30 minutes or as long as you like. They don’t become rock solid!

Apricot Butternut Squash Lentil Loaf | Vegan | Oil-Free | Salt-Free

December 15, 2016 By julia

With Christmas is just around the corner, the best way to show your love to your family and friends is through their taste buds.

Welcome, lentil loaf.

It’s sweet and savoury, packed with plant nutrients, and a mouth-watering replacement for the usual meaty main on the plate.

Roasted butternut squash, nutritional yeast, flax meal and oat flour hold this baby together, and a maple-y, molasses glaze tops it right off!

Who says Christmas has to be about guilty indulgence? This lentil loaf will benefit your bod, yet taste comforting and decadent.

Impress your family with a vegan main for Christmas dinner. Be a rebel and switch up the tradition 😉

You can make this ahead of time and throw it into the freezer once it’s cooled. Just de-thaw by letting it sit in room temperature for at least 1 hour (or in a pool of warm water in the sink for 30 minutes), then bake again at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes or so.

Benefits:

–Lentils are one of the most healthy ingredients in the world. They’re packed with antioxidants, lower cholesterol and have anti-inflammatory effects. Eating these morsels and any other plant foods help protect the skin and ward off wrinkles too.

–Butternut squash is low in fat, high in fibre and high in beneficial plant carbohydrates. Plus it does wonders for immunity, and bone health.

–Apricots protect against free radical damage and inflammation. They also help your eyesight with all that vitamin A.

–Salt-free and Oil-free! Salt leads to water retention, which leads to bloating, a puffy face, and water weight. Go without it for a week and see if you notice a difference! Oil is a fat, packed with calories, and zero fibre. Even if it is said to be ‘health promoting’, it is still a processed ingredient that will aid in weight gain.

Serves: 8-10

Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients:

Loaf:

1 cup green lentils uncooked
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup walnuts chopped
1 cup butternut squash, chopped in 1 cm cubes
1 cup carrot, grated
1 cup apple, grated
1 sweet onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup vegetable broth (or water)
8 dried apricots, diced
3 tbsp flax meal
1/2 cup oat flour
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
6 sprigs-worth of fresh thyme, de-stemmed
1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp tarragon
Dash of pepper

Glaze:

1/4 cup molasses
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tbsp dijon mustard

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees F
Cook lentils according to package
Spread pumpkin seeds and walnuts on cookie sheet, then toast in the oven for 8 minutes
Turn oven up to 350 degrees F
Roast butternut squash for 20 minutes
While squash is roasting, heat a pot to medium heat
Oil-free sautéing time. Add onions to pot, and stir until you see browning/caramelization on the bottom (about 5 minutes). Then add garlic and saute for another 30 seconds. Add 1/4 cup vegetable broth (or water) to deglaze the pot. The onions and garlic should have a brown tinge to them
Add carrots, celery, apple, tarragon, oregano and black pepper to pot. Let simmer 10 minutes
In food processor, blend 1/2 cup of the roasted butternut squash with 3/4 cup of the cooked green lentils. Once blended smooth, add in flax meal, nutritional yeast, oat flour, and thyme. Blend until smooth again
Transfer blended mixture to the pot. Add pumpkin seeds, walnuts and apricot. Mix together well
Line a loaf pan with parchment paper (leave some out along edges so you can use it as handles to pull out loaf when it’s done)
Press loaf mix evenly into the pan
Make the glaze: Mix together all ingredients in small food processor, or in a small sauce pan on low heat (this will help the molasses mix together)
Use spatula to spread the glaze over the loaf evenly
Bake for 45-50 minutes in the 350 degree F oven
Let cool 5 minutes, then move from the pan onto a cooling rack.
Enjoy with your favourite sides! Vegan mashed potatoes coming soon!