Curried Sweet Potato, Apple & Peanut Soup

I realize I'm a bit behind in posting fall recipes, and now that it's officially October - the month of all things pumpkin, Canadian Thanksgiving, and Halloween - it's about time that I shared a warm and comforting Autumn soup!

I was craving a creamy spiced soup recently and sweet potato seemed like the perfect ingredient to make a flavourful and thick base. When I saw this recipe online for a curried sweet potato and apple soup, I was intrigued by the combination of ingredients and thought it sounded appropriate for the season with the warm spices and apple.

For my version, I changed up the spices a bit, used vegetable broth as the liquid instead of water, and at the last minute I decided to add a dose of peanut butter to the soup since I love peanut flavoured dishes and I know that it complements both sweet potato and apples really well too.

I tend to prefer thick and creamy soups that I can dip bread into, and this one definitely fell into that category. It also had a nice amount of heat from the spices without being too spicy, and a touch of sweetness from the apple and sweet potato.

If you love peanut butter, I definitely recommend including it as it adds a richness and just the right amount of peanut flavour. But I also tasted the soup before adding it and I loved it that way too, so it's up to you!

I just regretted not making a double batch of this recipe because as soon as it was gone I wished I had more!

Curried Sweet Potato, Apple & Peanut Soup

Adapted from Prevention Magazine 

1/2 tbsp olive oil

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 large clove garlic, minced

1/2 tbsp minced fresh ginger

3/4 tsp curry powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp nutmeg

Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional for extra heat)

3/4 lb diced and peeled sweet potato (about 1 large sweet potato)

1 large apple, diced

2 cups vegetable broth

2 tbsp peanut butter

Crushed peanuts and plain yogurt for serving (optional)

Heat oil in a large saucepan on medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, for about 4 minutes. Stir in the ginger, curry powder, cumin, salt, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes (if using), then add the sweet potato, apple, and vegetable broth to the saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for about 20 minutes, until the sweet potato has softened.

Transfer soup to a blender in two separate batches and puree until smooth. Return soup to saucepan and stir in the peanut butter until it is completely melted.

Serve hot, topped with a spoonful of yogurt and a handful of crushed peanuts on each serving if desired.

Makes 2 large servings or 3 smaller servings (you can easily double the recipe for a larger batch)

Apple Nachos

If you read my birthday recap post back in April, you may remember that I was given a fun new kitchen toy that I was really excited about: a spiralizer. Even though I haven't posted any recipes yet using my spiralizer, I have definitely been busy testing it out!

One of my favourite discoveries so far is that it isn't only useful for making noodles out of vegetables - it actually has three different blades ranging from skinny to wide, and the wide blade can be used sort of like a mandolin to make thin shavings.

After brainstorming about what I could make with this handy setting, I remembered an idea I had seen throughout the blogosphere for making apple nachos. The basic idea is to layer thinly sliced apples on a plate, sprinkle them with your choice of sweet toppings, and voila - you have apple nachos!

Most of the recipes that I've seen turn the nachos into more of a dessert with toppings like caramel sauce, chocolate chips, and marshmallows, but I wanted to make a healthier version that could be eaten as an afternoon snack.

For my version, I made a peanut-cinnamon sauce using another one of my birthday gifts, PB2 powdered peanut butter, and used toasted pecans, coconut flakes, and raw cacao nibs as the other toppings.

I actually wasn't even planning on sharing my snack on my blog, but I ended up liking it so much that I had to  post the recipe! I loved the texture of the apples - slicing them so thin made them taste extra light and crisp, and they could easily be bent to scoop up the toppings.

I also liked the mixture of crunchy nuts and cacao nibs sprinkled on top, and my favourite part had to be the tasty peanut-cinnamon sauce - yum!  I think this would be a fun snack to make with kids, or for anyone looking for a healthy treat that still tastes like dessert.

And stay tuned later this week for another version of raw nachos!

Apple Nachos

Inspired by Manifest Vegan

2 tbsp PB2*

2 tbsp almond milk

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1-2 tbsp chopped pecans

2 tbsp coconut flakes

Raw cacao nibs

Drizzle of pure maple syrup

1 medium apple

Lemon juice

Start by making the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk or stir together the PB2 and almond milk until smooth. Stir in the cinnamon. Set aside. (Note: *If you don't have PB2, I would suggest using 1 tbsp peanut butter and either thinning it with a bit of almond milk or yogurt, or melting it in the microwave as the original recipe suggested). 

Heat a small skillet on the stove over medium heat. Add pecans and toast for a few minutes, until browned and fragrant. Remove from pan and set aside. Add the coconut flakes to the skillet and toast briefly, just as soon as they start to turn brown. Remove and set aside.

Slice your apple using the largest blade on a spiralizer (Note: I cut a small slit a few millimeters deep down the length of the apple first, from top to bottom, so that I would end up with separate apple pieces rather than a long unseparated strand). If you don’t have a spiralizer, you could try using a mandolin, or use a knife to get as thin slices as possible.

Once you’ve gone through half of the apple, drizzle the slices with lemon juice to prevent browning. Finish slicing the apple and drizzle more lemon juice over the slices.

Spread the apple slices out on a large plate. Drizzle the peanut sauce over top, then sprinkle the pecans, coconut flakes, and a handful of cacao nibs on top. Finish with a tiny drizzle of maple syrup if desired. 

Serves 1-2.

This was submitted to Wellness Weekend at Diet, Dessert & Dogs.

Apple Pie Energy Bars

Today's post may seem a little out of season, but since the weather here in Ontario seems to be rather confused itself, I figured it's acceptable to post an apple recipe in April!

I've made a lot of raw energy bars or bites by blending up nuts and dried fruit in my food processor, always using a different combination of ingredients to change things up.  For these energy bars, I tried out a new method of adding even more flavour: soaking the dried fruit in flavoured tea first!

The flavour I was going for was apple pie, like the Larabar, and to get that flavour I used dried apples, dates and raisins for the dried fruit and soaked them in apple cinnamon tea so that they absorbed more apple-y flavour.  Along with the fruit, I added walnuts, sunflower seeds and oats to make up the bulk of the bars, and cinnamon, ginger and vanilla to round out the apple pie theme.

These bars turned out extra moist from the plump fruit and the sunflower seeds, which break down in the food processor to create a paste, sort of like nut butter. I loved the strong apple flavour, and while they were on the soft side overall, the walnuts and oats helped to add layers of texture.

The recipe is pretty adaptable, so feel free to shape the mixture any way you want!  I made long, thin bars, but you could make thicker squares, or even roll the mixture into energy balls instead.

I can't wait to try out other kinds of teas to make more energy bars and bites!  I'm thinking that an earl grey tea might go well with an almond and vanilla based bar, and a ginger tea with oats and lemon sounds lovely too!  I also used a decaf tea in these bars, but you could get an extra energy boost from your bars if you use a tea with caffeine!

Apple Pie Energy Bars

Loosely adapted from Real Food. Real Deals

1 bag of apple cinnamon tea

1 cup boiled water

1/2 cup diced dried apple (if you can only find sliced dried apple, chop them first and then measure 1/2 cup)

2 tbsp raisins

1/4 cup dates (about 5 dates)

1/2 cup raw walnuts

1/4 cup raw or roasted unsalted sunflower seeds

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground ginger

Pinch of salt

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup or more rolled oats

Soak the teabag in the boiled water for 3-5 minutes. Remove teabag and discard.  Add the dried apple, raisins and dates to the water and let soak for about 5 minutes. Drain well, squeezing out any excess liquid if necessary (I recommend saving the tea to drink, it’s quite delicious and sweet from the dried fruit!).

Place walnuts, sunflower seeds, cinnamon, ginger, and salt in a food processor and process until the mixture forms crumbs. Add the drained apples, raisins and dates, and the vanilla extract. Process again until everything is broken down (it’s okay if it’s a bit chunky). Pulse in the oats. If mixture is still too wet, pulse in another 1-2 tablespoons of oats.

Press mixture into the bottom of a loaf pan lined with parchment paper, pressing down firmly with a rubber spatula and/or your hands (you can make the bars as thick as you want them).  Refrigerate for at least an hour, then cut into bars or squares.

Store in the fridge.

Makes about 5 bars (although it depends how thick you make your bars).

Brussels Sprout, Apple & Kale Sauté

I've got a short post today for a quick and easy meal idea when you're cooking for one (as I usually am!).

I made this for dinner recently as a way to use up some of the vegetables I had in the fridge, including brussels sprouts and kale.  My favourite way to eat brussels sprouts is sauteeing them on the stove, so I knew I wanted to make a sauté.

Along with the vegetables, I added some toasted almonds, garlic and shallots, as well as a pinch of paprika and chopped sage for extra flavour. At the last minute, I decided to throw in some diced apple with the kale, and I tossed everything in a sweet and tangy balsamic, mustard and maple syrup dressing.

I wasn't expecting much when I sat down to eat my impromptu dinner, but the flavour combination was so good that I had to make it again a few days later so that I could share the recipe with you!

I loved how the brussels sprouts got nice and dark and had a sort of roasted, charred flavour.  I'm used to eating kale raw but the softened, cooked kale in this dish was a nice change and helped to bulk up the dish and absorb the dressing. I was also glad that I added the apples, since they added a nice sweetness.

Overall this turned out to be an easy and comforting Autumn dinner with lots of deep flavours and textures that I thought went really well together!

Brussels Sprout, Apple & Kale Sauté

1 tbsp slivered almonds

~5 oz Brussels sprouts (8-10 sprouts)
1/2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 a large shallot, peeled and thinly sliced

1 clove of garlic, smashed

1/2 tbsp minced fresh sage

Scant 1/4 tsp smoked paprika

Salt and pepper

1 small apple, diced

Lemon juice

~ 2 cups (packed) chopped kale

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

~3/4 tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard

1/2 tbsp pure maple syrup

Heat a small skillet on medium heat.  Toast the almonds in the skillet for a couple of minutes, until they are browned. Remove from pan and set aside.

Trim the bottoms and outer leaves off the brussels sprouts.  Slice each sprout lengthwise into three or four slices.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet on medium heat.  Add the shallots and cook, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes.  Add the garlic and sage and cook for about one more minute.  Add the sliced brussels sprouts and sprinkle with the smoked paprika. Season with salt and pepper.  Saute for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Toss the apple pieces in a bit of lemon juice.  Add the apple and kale to the pan.  Sprinkle kale with a bit of salt.  Cover pan and let cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, mustard and maple syrup.  Pour dressing over the contents of the pan and toss to combine.  Transfer to a serving dish and add the slivered almonds.

Serve hot.

Makes 1 serving.

Pumpkin Apple Cider Cocktail

Happy Friday everyone!  With Halloween coming up, and the start of the holiday season after that, I thought it would be appropriate to share a seasonal cocktail recipe today that you can serve at any of your holiday parties  (which reminds me, I saw my first Christmas commercial of the season last night, courtesy of Target)!

I'm not usually one to mix my own drinks using different liquors - my drink of choice is most often wine, and the occasional beer or premixed cocktail.  But when I saw this recipe for a pumpkin apple cider cocktail on Serious Eats, I was intrigued because I love anything made with pumpkin!

The original recipe was a mix of pumpkin puree, vanilla vodka, apple cider, and gingerale to add some fizz.  For my version, I wanted to incorporate this honey-flavoured whiskey that I had just purchased on a whim, thinking that it would be nice to add to my tea on a cold Fall night! I loved the sweetness that the honey adds, but if you can't find this particular brand of whiskey, you can use any whiskey and add a bit of honey to your drink instead.

Along with the whiskey, I added a sparkling apple cider beverage that I picked up from my local farmer's market.  By using a carbonated apple cider, I didn't need to add the gingerale, but if you want to use regular apple cider, you might want to add a splash of gingerale or club soda for those extra bubbles in your drink!

I was a bit skeptical of using pumpkin puree in a drink recipe, but it actually works by shaking all the components together in a cocktail shaker and then straining the mixture into your glass, so that the pumpkin puree dissolves and adds a thicker texture.  I also thought it added just the right amount of pumpkin flavour, and a dash of pumpkin pie spice helps to bring out that  flavour even more!

Overall, this was a pretty sweet drink that made it taste almost like dessert, and I loved the combination of Fall flavours with the pumpkin, apple, and honey.  I enjoyed this as a treat for myself, but I think it would make a unique addition to a Fall party menu!

Pumpkin Apple Cider Cocktail
Inspired by Serious Eats

1 shot honey flavoured whiskey

2 shots sparkling apple cider

1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp pumpkin puree

dash of pumpkin pie spice

a few ice cubes

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with the ice and shake.  Strain into a martini glass or other glass. Garnish with an apple slice if desired.

Serves 1.

Curried Cauliflower, Apple & Brussels Sprout Salad with Naan Croutons

Good morning and hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful weather! On a hot, sunny day like today, all I want to eat is smoothies, popsicles, and fresh salads.  While I don't have any new smoothie or popsicle recipes for you today, I can share this salad that I made recently with cauliflower, apples and brussels sprouts!

I've had this salad on my mind for a long time, ever since I made a version of it about a year ago from a recipe that I found online.  I've tried searching for it again many times since then, but no matter how many different search terms I use, I can't seem to find it anywhere!  So finally I took matters into my own hands and came up with my own version.

The star of this salad is the curried cauliflower, which I roasted in the oven with some Indian spices to give it lots of flavour and a deep yellow colour.  The warm, softened cauliflower is then tossed with some crisp apple slices and shredded raw brussels sprouts.  I also added some sultana raisins because I love the way raisins complement Indian-inspired dishes.

Finally, the salad is topped with a handful of naan "croutons", which I made by toasting storebought naan bread in the oven and breaking it into bite-sized pieces. I'm not a fan of super crunchy croutons, so I kept my naan a bit on the softer side, which worked perfectly in my salad.

You can toss this salad with any dressing that you like. I decided to pair mine with this recipe for Hummus Salad Dressing from the blog Healthful Pursuit.  The dressing is made with standard hummus ingredients like tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and spices, and it gets really thick and creamy from the addition of chickpea flour. If you don't have chickpea flour, or if you prefer a thinner salad dressing, I think the dressing from this Apple and Brussels Sprout Salad from Bran Appetit would work really well here too!

Overall, I loved the mix of textures in this dish and it definitely had a lot of flavour from the curried cauliflower and the tangy, spicy hummus dressing. I liked eating this salad warm, but you can eat it at room temperature or chilled if you prefer. You can also change it up by using romaine lettuce or mixed greens instead of the brussels sprouts. The recipe is flexible, so enjoy it however you like!

Curried Cauliflower, Apple & Brussels Sprout Salad with Naan Croutons
*Note: storebought naan bread can be non-vegan friendly, so check ingredients or use a homemade version or other type of flatbread for a completely vegan recipe

Half a head cauliflower, chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tbsp curry powder

1/2 tsp turmeric

dash of salt

~12 oz Brussels sprouts
1 piece of naan bread (storebought or homemade)

1 apple

2-3 tbsp sultana raisins

Spicy Hummus Salad Dressing

Recipe available at Healthful Pursuit

- I made 1/4 of the recipe, which was enough for my two servings of salad

- the only change I made was to add 1 tsp of sriracha chili sauce for a spicier version

-  

Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss the cauliflower pieces with the olive oil, curry powder, turmeric and salt and place in a baking dish. Roast in the oven for 30-35 minutes, until tender and browned. When it is done, remove from oven and let cool slightly. Keep the oven turned on.

Meanwhile, prepare the dressing by adding all ingredients to a blender and puree until smooth. Keep in the fridge until you are ready to make the salad.

Prepare the brussels sprouts by cutting off the bottoms and removing the outer leaves. Cut each one in half, then slice each half into thin slices or shreds.  Transfer to a large bowl.

Place the naan bread on a baking sheet. Spray with a bit of cooking spray and place in the preheated oven for about 7 minutes, until it is toasted.

Cut the apple into thin slices and add to the bowl with the brussels sprouts. Add the raisins and cauliflower to the bowl.  Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine (use as much dressing as you like to coat everything).

When the naan is toasted, slice into bite-sized pieces and add the pieces to the salad.


Serve warm, or at room temperature.

Makes 2 large servings.

Morning Glory Muffins

I hope you're not sick of seeing beet recipes on my blog yet, because I've got another one for you today!

I've always thought that beets and carrots make a good combination, and I figured if carrots can be added to baked goods like loaves and muffins, then why not beets?  So I set out to create a hearty muffin full of fruits, veggies and other healthy ingredients.  There were too many different ingredients in these muffins to come up with a concise name, so I'm just calling them morning glory muffins (although I'm not exactly sure what qualifies muffins as morning glory)!

I was worried that these muffins would turn out to be a disaster, and I still wasn't sure about them when I took a bite after taking them out of the oven....but I guess they just needed some more time to sit and cool because I loved them once I tried one the next morning!

The beets gave the muffins a pinkish tint, but their taste didn't overpower the rest of the ingredients. I really liked the combination of beets, carrots and apple, and I loved how every bite was full of different textures.

The ingredients list may look long, but you can customize these based on what you have on hand....for example, if you don't like beets just substitute more carrots, and if you're not a fan of raisins then you can leave them out too.

My only complaint about these muffins is that they didn't rise much in the oven, so they were a bit flat.  These are definitely not the light, sweet cakey type of muffin, but if you like a more dense, hearty muffin then these are for you!

Morning Glory Muffins
Inspired by various recipes like these muffins from Sweet Savory Planet

1/2 cup spelt flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground ginger

2 tbsp brown sugar

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut

1 tbsp golden flax seeds (optional)

1 tbsp wheat bran or wheat germ (optional)

2 tbsp raisins

2 tbsp chopped walnuts

1/2 cup grated carrot

1/2 cup grated beet

1/2 a small apple, finely diced

1/2 a ripe banana

1.5 tbsp melted coconut oil

2 tbsp unsweetened almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)

2 tbsp orange juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp ground flax

Preheat the oven to 375° and prepare a muffin pan with paper liners.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices in a large bowl. Add the brown sguar, oats, coconut, flax seeds, wheat bran, raisins and walnuts and stir to combine. Next, add the shredded carrot, beet and apple to the bowl and stir until they are coated with the dry ingredients.

In a separate small bowl, mash the banana. Add all the remaining ingredients and stir well to mix.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until all the dry ingredients are incorporated.

Divide the batter into the muffin cups, filling each one about three-quarters of the way full. Bake for 23-26 minutes, until the muffins are set and a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool completely on a wire rack.

Makes 8 small muffins.

Cranberry Apple-Cinnamon Quinoa

I don’t usually write about my personal life on my blog, but today marks a bit of a personal milestone that I wanted to share – it's my one year anniversary of being vegetarian!  I had already considered myself a 'flexitarian' for awhile, but one year ago today marks the official day that I made the decision to stop eating meat completely....and I’m happy to say that I haven’t looked back since!

I thought it would be difficult to give up some of my favourite fish or chicken meals, but honestly I haven’t ever craved them.  I would definitely say I’ve grown a lot in the past year in terms of my cooking style, what I eat, and what products I buy, and through this process I’ve learned a lot of new things and enjoyed cooking more than ever! 

It's funny to think that just one year ago, I had never even tried certain foods like quinoa - and now it's one of my favourite things to make!  So in honour of this occasion, I thought it would be appropriate to share a recipe for a simple and healthy vegetarian quinoa dish.

The recipe comes from a great blog, Daily Garnish. Her recipe looked perfect already, so the only change I made was to add the diced apples at the end rather than cooking them with the quinoa, since I wanted them to stay crisp. I also thought the cinnamon stick didn't provide enough flavour, so I added some extra ground cinnamon to each serving. 


Cooking the quinoa in orange juice gives it a fruity flavour that goes well with the apples and cranberries. This makes a nice light dish suitable for breakfast or lunch, and is a good recipe for the winter months when many other fresh fruits aren't available. 

Cranberry Apple-Cinnamon Quinoa
Slightly Adapted from Daily Garnish

1 cup dry red quinoa
1 cinnamon stick
3/4 cup orange juice
1 cup water
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
1 medium apple, diced
Additional cinnamon for sprinkling

Heat a medium sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the quinoa and lay the cinnamon stick in the middle of the quinoa. Add the orange juice and water to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and cook for 20-25 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed. Remove the lid for the last 5 minutes of cooking to allow the remaining moisture to escape.

Once the quinoa is done cooking, remove the cinnamon stick and add the cranberries, pumpkin seeds and apples, tossing to combine. Sprinkle some extra cinnamon over each serving if desired.

Makes 3-4 servings.

Apple Ginger Spice Cookies

Every December, I love choosing which Christmas cookies I want to make. I like to stick to tried-and-true holiday traditions, like biscotti, shortbread and ginger cookies, but its also fun to try new twists on old classics.

These apple ginger cookies were a successful adaptation to my favourite soft ginger cookies.  They came out puffy and soft, with a nice crunch on the outside from rolling them in sugar. I wasn't sure at first whether I would like the addition of apples, but I actually loved how the apples tasted with the ginger and other spices!

These are also a bit healthier than the average Christmas cookie - I reduced the amounts of oil and sugar from the original recipe, plus they are vegan.

I think they would make a great addition to a Christmas cookie tray, but they could definitely be enjoyed any time of the year!

Apple Ginger Spice Cookies
Adapted from Vegetarian Times

2.5 cups all-purpose flour

1.5 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup molasses

2/3 cup sugar, plus more for rolling cookies in

1 large apple, peeled and finely diced 

Preheat oven to 325°F. Prepare baking sheets with parchment paper or cooking spray.

Whisk together all the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt) in large bowl.

Whisk the oil, applesauce, and molasses in separate bowl, then mix in the sugar.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until dry ingredients are incorporated. Fold in the diced apple.

Place some additional sugar in a shallow bowl. Form the dough into balls (about 1/4 cup for large cookies - I made smaller ones), and roll each ball in the sugar. Place cookie balls on prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the bottoms of the cookies are golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Makes about 20-24 cookies (depending on how big you make them).

Tofu Salad with Apples

As you may have noticed from the less frequent posts on here recently, I feel like I've hardly spent any time in the kitchen the last two and a half weeks.  Instead, I've been busy with a conference followed by a 10-day workshop, which meant that the majority of my meals were eaten out at restaurants...And while I enjoy being treated to meals that are prepared by others, I'm looking forward to getting back into the kitchen starting this weekend and trying out some new recipes!

In the meantime, here is a quick and easy recipe that I like to throw together for lunches whenever I have some leftover tofu. I've never liked egg salad, but when I tried making a similar dish using tofu, I loved it! You basically just crumble up your tofu and mix it with a creamy yellow dressing, and you end up with something that looks like scrambled eggs, but it is eaten cold.

The first time I made tofu salad for myself, I decided to add in some finely chopped apples, and I've been making it that way ever since! Other recipes call for celery to provide some crunch, but I'm not a big fan of celery, so I prefer the apples. Plus I think they go really well with the mustard dressing.

So the next time you have some leftover tofu, this would be a tasty way to use it up! It's also easy to make the night before so you can bring it for lunch the next day.  You can eat the salad on its own, but I like to stuff it into a pita or make a sandwich with it.

Tofu Salad with Apples

1/4 lb firm tofu
1/2 tbsp mayonnaise or Vegenaise
1/2 tbsp mustard
1/8 tsp turmeric
salt and pepper
1/2 an apple
lemon juice

Core the apple and chop into very small pieces. Drizzle some lemon juice over the apple pieces to prevent them from browning.

Crumble the tofu into a bowl. Add the mayonnaise or Vegenaise, mustard, turmeric, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly with a fork to coat all of the tofu. (If it looks too dry, you might to add a bit more mayo and mustard).  Mix in the apple pieces.

Store in the fridge. Add to a sandwich or pita if desired.

Makes 1 serving.

Thanksgiving Week - Day 6: Butternut Squash and Apple Quinoa

It's the second-last day of vegan Thanksgiving Week, and that means its time for the main course! I knew that I wanted to incorporate squash into my menu in some way, but instead of relegating it to a side dish, I wanted to give it more of a starring role in the meal.

I think it can be hard for people to come up with a main dish to serve vegetarians or vegans at Thanksgiving as an alternative to turkey... But for me, I'm not looking for a meat substitute in my Thanksgiving meal like Tofurky - I would rather just fill up with more vegetables! But to turn this into a dish that packs a bit more protein than just vegetables, I added quinoa to create a heartier salad full of seasonal ingredients - butternut squash, apples, shallots, pecans, cranberries and pumpkin seeds!

All of these ingredients came together really well to make a delicious and colourful dish! I loved how every bite had so much going on, but at the same time, all of the flavours and textures were perfectly balanced. I'm sure any vegetarians at your dinner table will be happy to eat this instead of turkey, and everyone else will probably want to try it too!

Butternut Squash and Apple Quinoa
Adapted from 20 Minute Supper Club and Bret's Table

2 cups of peeled and diced butternut squash
3 tsp olive oil, divided
salt and pepper
1 cup uncooked quinoa (I used the tricolour variety)
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped pecans
2 tbsp roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
2 small shallots, peeled and diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tbsp minced peeled ginger
1 large apple, diced
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Dressing:
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper


Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare your squash and toss with 2 tsp of olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for about 30 minutes, until tender.

Meanwhile, bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the quinoa, cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 10-15 minutes (or according to the package directions). Remove from heat and add the cranberries to the pot. Cover and let sit for about 5 minutes. Remove lid and fluff quinoa with a fork. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.

Place the pecans and pepitas in a dry skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove from the pan and add to the quinoa.

Add the remaining 1 tsp of olive oil to the skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the shallots, garlic, and ginger. Cook, stirring, for a few minutes. Then add the apple to the pan and cook for a few more minutes, until the apple just begins to soften. Remove from heat and add everything to the quinoa mixture, stirring to distribute all the ingredients.


Make the dressing by whisking all ingredients in a small bowl. Pour the dressing over the quinoa mixture and stir to incorporate. Finally, mix in the chopped parsley.

Serve warm or at room temperature. (This also stores well in the fridge if you want to make it ahead of time).

Makes 4 servings as a main course, or 6-8 servings as a side dish.


This is my submission to the SOS Kitchen Challenge for October at Diet, Dessert and Dogs.

Don't Miss:
Thanksgiving Week - Day 6 at Once Upon a Cutting Board - Roasted Vegetable Galette - this would make another great vegetarian main dish!

Apple Spice Breakfast Cake

Every year I look forward to Fall baking, which to me means apples, pumpkin and warm spices. This year, I started off my Fall baking with a treat that includes two of these components - apple spice breakfast cake! I'm calling these breakfast cake bars because they healthy enough to eat for breakfast, but they also make a great snack or dessert!

I saw the recipe for these cake bars on one of my favourite blogs, The Diva Dish. I made a few changes to her recipe, including using maple syrup instead of honey to keep them vegan, and adding some diced apples and raisins to the batter.

I loved how this cake turned out! It's full of warm fall flavours with just the right amount of sweetness for my taste. It's also extremely moist, and almost gooey inside from the apple-date puree. I liked the extra texture from the diced apple and raisins that I added, but you could leave out the raisins if you don't like them.

While these are great on their own, you could also top them with a glaze. I tried adding a yummy maple glaze to a few of my cake bars, as recommended by the original recipe - I just mixed together some icing sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon and a bit of almond milk until the mixture was thin and pourable, and drizzled it over top of the cake.

I would recommend adding a glaze if you plan on eating these for dessert, to make them a bit sweeter. The glaze also helps make them a bit prettier if you plan on serving them to others.

Apple Spice Breakfast Cake
Adapted from The Diva Dish

3 small Gala apples, peeled and grated
1/2 cup dates, chopped
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup water
1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1.5 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
pinch of salt
2 tbsp ground flax
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp canola oil
1/4 cup almond milk (or other non dairy milk)
1/4 cup apple juice
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 medium Gala apple, peeled and diced
1/4 cup raisins

In a medium saucepan, combine the shredded apples, chopped dates, maple syrup, water, cornstarch and cinnamon. Stir and heat on medium-high until it starts to bubble. Reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and puree the mixture in a food processor or blender until it is smooth. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients (flour through to salt).

In a separate bowl, mix the flax, oil, almond milk, apple juice and sugar. Stir with a whisk until it is smooth.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until fully incorporated. Fold in the apple-date mixture, as well as the diced apple and raisins, until evenly mixed.

Pour the batter into an 8x8 pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 350°F for 22-25 minutes (Mine took the full amount of time).

Remove from oven and let cool before removing from the pan and cutting into bars.

Drizzle with your favourite icing or glaze if desired.

Makes about 12 bars.

Curried Broccoli, Apple & Paneer Salad

After I made my Indian Naan Pizza with Paneer and Corn, I needed to come up with another recipe to use up the rest of my paneer. Paneer dishes usually feature rich and creamy sauces, which I wasn’t really in the mood for. Instead, I wanted something a bit more fresh and healthy to go with the season, like a salad.

I also had some broccoli to use up, and when searching through my recipes, I came across one for a Madras Chicken & Broccoli Salad from Eating Well that sounded like it fit what I was looking for. I liked the recipe because it still had a creamy sauce, but it was healthier because it was made with low-fat yogurt rather than mayonnaise, which you usually see with broccoli salads. I also knew that I would love the addition of mango chutney and curry powder to the dressing, since I've made similar ones in the past.

I considered substituting tofu for the chicken that the original recipe called for, which I’m sure would have been really good...but since I also wanted to be able to include my paneer, I decided to use it in place of the chicken instead. I also added some chopped apple to provide more crunch, and golden raisins because I think they always go well with cashews. I left out the red onion because I personally don't like raw red onions, but feel free to include them if you want!

The result was just what I wanted – light, tasty, healthy, and so easy to make! All of the ingredients went really well together, so I would definitely recommend including the apples and raisins!

Curried Broccoli, Apple & Paneer Salad
Adapted from Eating Well

6-8 ounces paneer, cubed
2 cups finely chopped broccoli
1 small apple OR half a large apple, diced
1/4 cup chopped cashews (toasted if desired)
2-3 tbsp golden raisins (I soaked mine in hot water for a few minutes to plump up)
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 tbsp mango chutney
1 tsp curry powder
dash of hot sauce (optional - I added some because my curry powder was not very hot)

Make the dressing by whisking the yogurt, mango chutney, curry powder and hot sauce (if using) in a small bowl.

Prepare the rest of the salad ingredients and place in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over top and stir together until everything is evenly coated.

Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving time.

Makes 2-3 servings.

Raw Beet, Carrot & Apple Salad

One thing you should know about me is that I absolutely LOVE beets! Whenever I buy a bunch of them, I get so excited trying to come up with new and creative ways to use them. One of my favourite ways to eat beets is to roast them and add them to a simple salad with goat cheese, or even on their own mixed with plain yogurt. I've also had success in the past with beet pasta, and beet hummus is definitely my favourite kind of hummus ever!

But on to this salad...I didn't realize until recently that you could eat beets raw too! All you do is peel them, cut off the stems and then grate them just like you would carrots. Check out the how gorgeous this one was when I cut it open - it looks just like a real heart!

The grated beets pair really well with shredded carrots, and then I got the idea to add shredded apple to the mix after seeing this recipe on one of my favourite blogs, Oh She Glows.
For the dressing, I used this one for a honey-dijon vinaigrette . I just substituted honey mustard for the dijon, and used a bit less oil than it called for.

For the rest of the salad, I used:

half of a large beet, peeled and grated
1 carrot, shredded
half of an apple, shredded
handful of dried cranberries
handful of pumpkin seeds, toasted

Combine the shredded beet, carrot and apple. You might want to squeeze the apple first as it will be very watery. Add the cranberries and toasted pumpkin seeds. Serve on top of washed beet greens (might as well use up the whole beet while you're at it!) or regular lettuce. Pour dressing over top (you won't need the whole recipe, so save some for another use).

Makes 1 large serving.