Keto spaghetti squash with caramelized vegetables

keto spaghetti squash

Keto spaghetti squash with caramelized vegetables

This pregnancy has my cravings all over the place. A few weeks back, I couldn’t get enough of oranges. I had to have one, or two, the moment I woke up and the craving would stay with me all day long. Lately, it’s all about high fat foods. My body is just screaming for avocados, cashew butter and full fat coconut milk.

There are plenty of theories out there regarding cravings, what they mean and if you should indulge in them or not. Personally, I choose to listen to what my body is asking for. I’m not talking about pints of ice cream, boxes of donuts and bags of chips. I try to eat intuitively and when my body tells me it needs to eat more fatty foods, then I eat more fatty foods. It’s as simple as that.

Does that mean I don’t crave donuts? Heck no, I crave those little soft sugar and fat bombs more often then not. But I know that my body is not actually craving a donut, it’s craving calories in the form of sugar and carbs, so I eat a bowl of mixed fruits like strawberries and bananas and peaches or I’ll have an orange (ha!). If I start daydreaming about cheese pizza, then I know my body needs fat so I eat avocado with a little Himalayan salt and a spoon.

I tend not to want to overcomplicate my life with theories and data. I check in with my self and eat accordingly.

Back when I was following a ketogenic diet, I had to come up with creative ways to replicate my favourite dishes with as little carb as possible and loads of fat. Most of the time, I think I succeeded pretty well.

This keto spaghetti squash was created back then.

The Ketogenic diet

For those of you who don’t know what the ketogenic diet is, let me give you a quick overview.

The ketogenic diet is a very low carb, moderate protein and high fat diet that was developed in the 1920’s to treat epilepsy, mostly in children suffering from uncontrollable and frequent seizures.

Today, the diet is rapidly gaining popularity as a mainstream diet for weight loss and those suffering from diabetes and even cancer.

The ketogenic diet should not be mistaken for the typical low carb diets that put a heavy emphasis on high fat meat and dairy products. The ketogenic diet is a moderate protein diet with an emphasis on high fat foods.

According to the science behind the ketogenic diet, when the body is deprived of glucose (carbs), the liver produces ketones from fatty acids, which the body uses for energy. Eating too much protein in a low carb setting will strain your body into converting that extra protein into glucose. Your body will then burn that protein turned into sugar instead of fat, preventing your body from enjoying the benefits of the ketogenic diet.

So how much fat should a person eat on a ketogenic diet: the average consensus is anywhere between 60 to 80% of your total caloric intake, depending on your current body composition and activity level with carb intake ranging from less then 25 grams per day, up to 50 grams per day, again, according to your body composition, your goals and your activity levels.

Yup, that’s a whole lotta fat and not a whole lotta carbs!

Can a keto diet be vegan?

Absolutely!

Like I mentioned previously, the keto diet is not to be confused with the high meat consumption associated with most low carb diets.

A vegan keto diet is very feasible by emphasizing high fat foods like avocados, nuts and nut butter, coconut oil and coconut butter, MCT oil and palm oil. Eating lower carb vegetables like cucumbers, watercress, spinach, kale, brussels sprouts, asparagus (pretty much any green vegetable has the thumbs up), mushrooms, cauliflower and spaghetti squash. And rounding off your plate with seitan, tofu and tempeh. Low sugar fruits like raspberries and blueberries are ok, as long as your remain within your personal carb limit.

Wether this diet is right for you is a decision only you can make but know that it is possible to eat both a ketogenic diet and a vegan diet.

Unto the recipe…

high fat vegan spaghetti squash

 

As you can see, my recipes back then needed to follow rather strict guidelines. Needless to say, spaghetti squash became one of my favourite vegetables and quickly replaced all my pasta cravings. And because I was always very active, I didn’t need to pay much attention to the carb count in vegetables.

And even though I don’t follow that diet anymore, I still love me some spaghetti squash!

But the sauce is where the magic happens. Pesto is a great high fat addition to any past wannabe dish but a creamy, cheezy, sauce without the downfall of dairy is even better. This sauce uses full fat coconut milk, Dijon mustard, yellow mustard, nutritional yeast and a little salt. Delicious!

Because of the full fat coconut milk, the sauce does have a hint of a coconut taste, which I love, but if you’re not a fan of the coconut-y taste, you can replace it with unsweetened nut mylk and a roux.

To make a roux, melt 2 Tbs. of Earth Balance butter in a saucepan. Once the butter is melted, add 2 Tbs. of flour. Stir with a wooden spoon. Once the two are combined and you can smell the butter cooking, slowly add in your mylk and whisk to prevent clumps. Once the roux has dissolved in the mylk and the sauce starts to thicken, you can add the other ingredients.

Mix the sauce with the spaghetti squash, add some caramelized vegetables on top and you’ve got yourself one heck of a satisfying dish. Trust me, you won’t be hungry after this…and this comes from a pregnant lady whose hungry all the time!

Leave a comment below and let me know how you’ve enjoyed this recipe and if you’ve ever tried the ketogenic diet.

I always love to hear from you!

Eloise

xx

Keto spaghetti squash with caramelized vegetables
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 2-3 portions
This high fat low carb vegan meal is filling and absolutely delicious.
Ingredients
  • 1 large spaghetti squash
  • olive oil
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 orange bell pepper
  • 10 small mushrooms
  • 1 white onion
  • 1 Tbs. red palm oil
  • 1 can full fat coconut milk
  • 1/2 Tbs. Dijon Mustard
  • 1/2 Tbs. yellow prepared mustard
  • 1/3 cup of nutritional yeast
  • Salt to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven at 425 degrees.
  2. Cut the spaghetti squash in half, lengthwise, and scrape out the seeds.
  3. Drizzle with olive oil.
  4. Place the squash halves, cut-side down, in a baking dish lined with parchment paper.
  5. Place in the oven and roast until tender, about 35-45 minutes.
  6. In the meantime, julienne your bell peppers, mushrooms and onions.
  7. Melt the red palm oil in a pan over high heat and add your vegetables.
  8. Saute your vegetables for 3-4 minutes then reduce to medium heat and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.
  9. Set aside.
  10. In a saucepan over medium heat add the coconut milk, Dijon mustard and yellow mustard.
  11. Whisk in the nutritional yeast and salt. Taste to adjust the seasoning.
  12. Reduce to low heat and cook the sauce for another 5 minutes.
  13. When the spaghetti squash is cooked, carefully scrap the interior with a fork to make spaghetti-like strands.
  14. Add the squash and sauce to a mixing bowl and combine. Add salt to taste.
  15. Serve in a plate or bowl and top with caramelized vegetables.
  16. Enjoy!

 

 

 

Biryani cauliflower rice stuffed acorn squash

 

Good morning friends,

The title of this post is a bit long but I wanted to fit as much description as possible in it because I want you guys to get excited about this recipe just from the title. And trust me, you won’t be disappointed. This recipe is just delicious spicy goodness in an acorn squash bowl.

I’ve been getting a lot of comments recently from friends that follow a low-carb or lower carb diet that shy away from plant based recipes because they either find them too high in carbs or they feel they are limited to eating only salads. Although I do agree that a lot of plant based recipes are heavier in carbs from all the beans, root vegetables or fruits, there are so many delicious ways to make a low carb plant based meal that isn’t only salad and that doesn’t rely on processed protein sources, which seems to be another area of concern that I’ll address in another post.

Now I’m not going to debate the pros and cons of high carb vs low carb diets. In one of my previous posts, I stressed the importance of eating a diet with a macro split that works best for YOU. Not what mainstream “experts” or “diet gurus” are saying or pushing onto the public, but what your own body is saying, what feels good for you. Personally (and I’m only sharing this with you guys here because I get asked this question a lot and not because I think this is how you should eat also), I eat a moderate-high carb, moderate protein, lower fat diet. What does that mean exactly? Well it means that I eat 50% carbs, 30% protein and 20% fat. Now for some, this is either too little or too much carbs, too much or too little protein or too much or too little fat. But again, this is what works for me.

And trust me when I say, I’ve tested all spectrum of diets. From pure ketogenic diet (up to 70% fat, 25% protein and 5% carbs) all the way to text book high carb/low fat (80% carbs, 15% protein, 5% fat) and lingering a bit in the high protein world (50% protein, 30% carbs, 20% fat), I can assure you that my current macro split is what works best for my body. But these are just numbers and I’ve learned with time that numbers are just that: numbers, and our approach to our food intake and our overall diet needs to be flexible to meet our body’s needs. For example, on weekends, I tend to eat more carbs because I’m outdoors playing with my 14 month old and my dog, I’m running errands and carrying very heavy grocery bags, I go to the gym or do an intense Ashtanga yoga class or go hiking with my husband… I’m a lot more active then during the week where I’m mostly sitting at a desk working or standing in my kitchen cooking. So I adapt what I eat because my body needs more energy.

On weekdays, I usually don’t eat that much carbs at night, simply because I don’t feel good going to bed on a full stomach and not only do I go to bed early (around 10pm) but again, I tend to be less active on weeknights. I’m not saying I eat low carb at night, I’m saying I eat lower carb. A perfect example of a weeknight dinner would be the following plate divided in three parts: 1/3 mixed green salad with raw hemp hearts with a drizzle of olive oil and apple cider vinegar, 1/3 oven roasted sweet potatoes and 1/3 vegetable and bean curry. If it was the weekend, the plate would be half potatoes, half curry and the raw mixed salad would be in a bowl on the side!

So this recipe is perfect for my weeknight dinners. And it’s gluten free. If however, you enjoy eating more carbs at night and that is how your own body thrives, then please, adjust this recipe and add rice instead of the cauliflower rice. The recipe will still be gluten free, as most rice brands are gluten free, and you’ll eat within your own macros.

It also makes great leftovers for lunch as the Biryani spices develop even more flavour overnight. In my family, spicy Indian food is always a huge hit so I make sure that I prepare plenty to have for lunch the next day, or if you’re like my husband, for breakfast!

I hope you guys enjoy this recipe. Leave me a comment and let me know what kind of dinners you like to have and what macro split works best for you.

xx

 

Biryani cauliflower rice stuffed acorn squash
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8 portions
This Indian Biryani cauliflower rice is spicy and perfect for a lower carb dinner. The acorn squash is not only a pretty bowl but adds just the right amount of creaminess to the dish. Don’t be intimidated by the long list of steps. It does take a bit of time but it is totally worth it!
Ingredients
  • 2 acorn squash, washed and cut in half
  • 4 Tbs olive oil, divided
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 3 garlic gloves, minced
  • 2 Cups porcini mushrooms, diced
  • 1 medium zucchini, diced
  • 1 cauliflower head, cut into large chunks
  • 2-4 Tbs Biryani masala powder mix (depending on how spicy you like it)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven at 375°.
  2. With a spoon, remove the seeds from the squash and keep for a later use.
  3. In a sheet pan, place the acorn squash halves and drizzle with 2 Tbs of olive oil, salt and pepper.
  4. Place in the oven and cook for 35 minutes.
  5. While the squash in cooking, prepare the Biryani cauliflower rice.
  6. In a food processor with an S blade, pulse the cauliflower chunks until you get a rice like consistency. This may take 2-3 times, scraping the bottom of the processor with a spatula to get all the cauliflower chunks. Set aside.
  7. In pan, heat 1 Tbs of olive oil over medium high heat.
  8. Add the garlic and onion and stir. Cook for 3 minutes.
  9. Add the mushrooms and cook for another 3 minutes.
  10. Add the zucchini and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the vegetables from burning.
  11. Remove the pan from heat and pour the vegetables into a mixing bowl. Set aside.
  12. Bring the pan back on the heat and add the remaining 1 Tbs of olive oil.
  13. Add the cauliflower rice and stir. Cook for 5 minutes.
  14. Add the vegetables back into the pan with the cauliflower rice and add the Biryani masala powder mix.
  15. Salt and pepper to taste and remove from heat.
  16. When the 35 minutes is up, remove the squash from the oven.
  17. With a large spoon, very carefully scoop some of the squash meat out to create a nice hallow bowl.
  18. Add the squash meat to the cauliflower rice and stir.
  19. Add the cauliflower rice into the acorn squash bowl and out back in the oven.
  20. Set the oven on broil and cook for 5 minutes, watching over carefully so the squash or cauliflower doesn’t burn.
  21. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes.

 

Sweet potato & red lentil soup

 

 

Good morning beautiful friends,

We are definitely in the midst of autumn now. The morning air is cool (I should actually say cold since it was 2°C – 36°F– overnight!), the grass has frosty little tips and it is now completely dark outside when I wake up at 4:50am. Yes, I wake up at 4:50am… most mornings, including weekends! I mainly do so because it’s really the only time I can get anything done before my son wakes up (he usually wakes up around 6am now which is a huge improvement from 4:30am!) and also because I enjoy waking up early. There is something about the type of quiet in the morning that is not the same as evening or night quiet. Morning quiet is full of mystery and promises. I also feel an immense sense of peace and gratefulness in the morning that I find gets cluttered by all the day’s events by the time the evening rolls around.

And yes I do enjoy the cooler weather. I find it adds to the mystery of the morning. And I find I am simply more productive during the day. When the weather is hot and humid, I find myself daydreaming about taking a swim in the ocean, chillin by the beach or hanging out poolside somewhere exotic…  When it’s colder, I’m just more focused! And because I love colder weather, I inevitably love belly warming food. Like this soup.

This soup…yes, this soup, is just as good as it gets when in need of some warmth on those cold autumn nights. It has a smooth and creamy texture and the mix of spices like coriander, cumin, cardamom and nutmeg warm up your heart and soul right away. The base for this soup resembles a lot the traditional red lentil soup I’ve had the pleasure of eating so many times over while traveling through the Middle-East. I won’t lie, the first time I had it was in Cairo, Egypt and it was love at first bite. Many countries I’ve visited, claim to be the originators of this soup but just like the origins of marinara sauce for Italians, it is a mystery that I’m afraid will remain unsolved.

I’ve diverged slightly from the traditional red lentil soup because I was craving something a bit creamier so I added some sweet potatoes. I also wanted to make good use of the celery I had in my fridge and boost the nutrient content of this soup. I hope you like these additions as much as I did!

Hope you guys enjoy this soup. Leave me a comment and let me know what traditional dish you enjoy but added your own twist to.

xx

 

Sweet potato lentil soup
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8 portions
This soup is very similar to the one I ate while traveling the middle east. I did however add a few ingredients of my own, to make it a bit more creamy and nutrient dense. Sweet potato and celery are not usual ingredients for this soup but they do find a home here.
Ingredients
  • 1 medium onion, sliced
  • 3 garlic gloves, minced
  • 2 celery stalk, diced
  • 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and roughly diced
  • 3 Cups red lentils, dry
  • 1 tsp coconut oil
  • 2 tsp coriander seeds, ground
  • 1 tsp cumin, ground
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg, ground
  • 1/4 tsp cloves, ground
  • 1/4 tsp cardamom, ground
  • 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
  • 2 tsp sea salt
  • 2 bay leafs
  • 7 Cups of water
  • 3 Tbs lemon juice
Instructions
  1. In a large cooking pot, melt the coconut oil over medium heat.
  2. Add the spices and stir frequently to prevent burning. Cook for 2 mins. The spices will release an amazing aroma
  3. Add the onion and garlic and coat with the spices. Cook for another 2 mins.
  4. Add the celery and sweet potato and stir. Cook for another minute.
  5. Add the red lentils and stir everything together.
  6. Add the water and bring to a boil.
  7. Once the soup is boiling, stir and bring the heat back down to low and let simmer for 35-40 mins.
  8. Remove the pot from the stove top and let cool a few minutes.
  9. Remove bay leafs.
  10. When cooled, blend the soup using a hand blender. It will give a nice rich and creamy texture.
  11. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
  12. Add lemon juice and serve.

 

Autumn Carrot & Turnip soup

 

 

Hello my beautiful friends,

It has been far too long… I had originally written almost an entire post (just not complete enough to publish it!) on Canadian Thanksgiving with more tips and tricks about hosting a stress free gathering, along with the soup recipe I was going to serve. Unfortunately, my son got very sick the week before Thanksgiving and everything came to a halt. And I mean everything came to a halt. At that moment, nothing else mattered other then figuring out what was going on with Adriano and getting him better. It is such a nerve racking experience to see your child get sick and feel so powerless… Because Adriano is only 14 months, he can’t tell me what’s wrong and it makes me feel completely at a loss and unable to help him. It’s quite a humbling experience…

That being said, I am happy to say he is now almost fully recovered but it was a very scary two weeks. When Adriano finally started eating and drinking again it’s a huge relief and I knew things would get better from there… And they did.

And so needless to say, we completely missed Thanksgiving! I did manage to serve this soup I had made and kept in the freezer, alongside some mashed potatoes, cranberry stuffing, marinated tempeh (for which I’ll post the recipe later on this week because it is completely to die for… or should I say, to be thankful for! lol) and a green salad. It was far from the celebration I had prepared for (I’ve been hosting Thanksgiving for years now and it’s one of my very favourite holidays alongside Easter!) but considering everything (did I mention I got pretty sick also, spending 2 full days barely being able to move from the couch!), I think it turned out pretty good.

What I missed the most this year was spending time with my family. Because Adriano was sick, and so was I, and doctors couldn’t figure out what was going on with him, we didn’t want to chance it and have my sister, her kids, my parents or my in-laws exposed to whatever virus or whatever else was going on. So we stayed home… I won’t lie, not being able to see my family or part take in our yearly post meal soccer game made me realize just how thankful I am to have such an amazing family. It made me realize how lucky I am to have so many great people in my life that I can count on, on a moment’s notice. It also made me realize how grateful I am for my husband and my son and how precious they are to me…

When something is taken away from you, regardless of how benign or little it is, it wakes something up in you and makes you realize just how lucky you are… Or at least that’s how I feel. Thankful and grateful. And even though my husband Chris and I didn’t get to have our traditional Thanksgiving, we were so thankful we were even able to even have a thanksgiving meal and that our son was home with us.

So even though this soup recipe won’t make it to your Thanksgiving table, it is totally worth making because it is easy, delicious, nutritious and heart warming… Oh and did I mention you can freeze it and keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Perfect for when you are pressed for time and need to crab something to feed your family. This soup is hearty enough to make a meal on it’s own, served with some crusty bread for dipping or a side salad.

I hope all of you had an amazing Thanksgiving, that you took the time to say thanks for everything you have in your life and be grateful for everyone that shared the day with you.

Leave me a comment and let me know what you guys did for Thanksgiving and what made it to your table!

xx

 

Carrot & turnip soup
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6 portions
This is such a versatile soup. If you don’t have turnips (or you don’t like them!), you can add squash or other root vegetable you have on hand and that your family enjoys. You can serve it topped with some vegan sour cream and chopped chives for a pretty finishing touch.
Ingredients
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 garlic gloves, minced
  • 1 leek, white part only, sliced thick
  • 2 celery sticks, sliced thick
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbs cumin, ground
  • 1/2 tsp all spice
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds, ground
  • 7 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 1 turnip, cut in cubes
  • 1 medium white potato, cut into cubes (I used a Russet potato)
  • 8 cups vegetable broth
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil on medium high heat.
  2. Add the diced onion, garlic and leek.
  3. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Add the spices and coat the onion mixture. Cook for an additional 2 minutes until the spices become fragrant. Be careful no to burn the spices so stir frequently.
  5. Add the remaining vegetables and coat with the onion spice mixture. Cook for another 2 minutes.
  6. Add the broth and bring to a boil.
  7. Once the soup is boiling, bring the heat back down to medium low and let simmer for 20 minutes.
  8. With a fork, check to make sure the carrots and potatoes are well cooked (cooking time will depend greatly on how thick or thin you cut the root vegetables). Add another 5 minutes if not cooked through.
  9. Once cooked, allow the soup to cool slightly then with a hand blender, blend the soup until you reach a nice creamy consistency.
  10. Serve with vegan sour cream and chives or allow to cool completely, transfer to glass jars and freeze for alter use.

 

All vegetable stuffed peppers

 

 

Good evening beautiful friends,

I don’t know about you, but one of the reasons I enjoy cooking so much is to make other people happy. Yes, I’m a people pleaser. I like to make other people smile. It makes me happy when people are happy because of the food I made for them.  Since adopting a plant based lifestyle, my main focus has been to show my friends and family how amazing and flavourful, a plant based diet can be. I don’t force my lifestyle choices down their throats. But instead, I choose to show them how delicious it can be. And by offering them a delectable variety of flavours and tastes, I’m hoping they’ll be motivated to make more plant based meals of their own or “veganize” one of their favourite meals.

I’m always thrilled, and happily surprised, when my friends reach out to me for help on veganizing a family favourite dish or for help on how to make a vegan meal from scratch that everyone in the family will love, including the meat-eating partner or the very picky toddler. It means I’m doing my job well. That makes me super happy!

And this is what this recipe is: a veganized version of one of my favourite meals my mom used to make when I was younger. Back then, the peppers were stuffed with a mixture of ground beef, white rice, diced tomatoes, celery, onion and spices. And it was served with a nice green side salad. Now I haven’t changed the side dish and still serve the stuffed pepper with a green salad, but I definetly modified the filling.

I also wanted to make the filling gluten and grain free. Like I mentioned in a previous post, my mom went gluten free a few years ago, in a desperate attempt to cure her acute arthritis that kept her away from her piano. My mom has been playing the piano for over 50 years so for her to not be able to play, was devastating. Well, I can happily report that my mom is now back at her piano and her arthritis is almost completely cleared. I do have to mention that she cut out more then just gluten. She also cut out dairy (which I had been insisting on for years!), corn and other inflammation causing foods. The protocol she follows is the hypo toxic diet as described by Dre Jacqueline Lagacée in her book, “The End of Pain”. I would encourage you to take a look at her books if you feel you’re not operating on an optimum level and pain is part of your daily life. Although not plant based, her book does point out what foods to eliminate and for what reasons. She is a published immunologist so her books are based on tons of sound scientific research. I myself, implement a lot of her hypo toxic protocol while sticking to a plant based diet as I believe the lather is what keeps me at my healthiest and happiest.

So back to the stuffed peppers… To replace the grains and gluten, I made cauliflower rice. Now it’s not as intimidating or as weird as it may sound… Cauliflower rice is actually made of raw cauliflower that is passed through a grating blade or an s-shape blade of a food processor and pulsed until it looks like little grains of rice. To cook cauliflower rice, I add it to a hot wok-like pan with a little olive or coconut oil. I keep the pan hot so the rice doesn’t steam. I want it to be a bit crispy so I stir it constantly with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking and burning while keeping the pan hot. Cauliflower rice is a great replacement in many dishes that require rice or other grains.

I also added lentils in replacement for the minced meat to give it that extra boost of protein. Lentils are the power house of protein in the plant based world so I always find it’s a great addition to a dish. Salsa verde has replaced the diced tomatoes to give the dish a nice spicy kick. If you don’t like spicy food, you add canned diced tomatoes or mild salsa.

Once the peppers are stuffed, I pop them back into the oven for 40-45 minutes so they get that crispy top and soft outer shell. But you don’t have to! If you like your peppers crunchy, you can just fill them up and eat them right away or pop them in the oven under the broiler and let the top crisp up a few minutes.

I hope you guys enjoy this recipe. Leave a comment and let me know what family recipe you’ve transformed and veganized.

xx

All vegetable stuffed peppers
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4 portions
This recipe is a veganized version of a family favourite. I made it gluten and grain free for those that have eliminated these foods from their diet. However, if you have no problem with grains, you can add cooked rice instead of the cauliflower. This recipe calls for Montreal Steak Spice but trust me, it contains no steak whatsoever…I actually don’t know why that spice mix has that name!
Ingredients
  • 1 cauliflower head, washed and cut into chunks,
  • 1 Tbs coconut oil
  • 5 medium size peppers ( I use different coloured peppers to make it visually interesting)
  • 1 Cup cooked lentils
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 2/3 Cup salsa verde
  • 2 Tbs Montreal Steak Spice
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Cilantro and vegan yogurt to serve
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven at 350 degrees.
  2. Wash and cut your cauliflower into chunks.
  3. Take your food processor out and insert a grating blade. Pass the cauliflower chunks through the feeder. The cauliflower should come out looking like little grains of rice.
  4. Set aside.
  5. Dice one of the five peppers, the onion, garlic and the celery.
  6. In a sauce pan, melt the coconut oil on medium high heat. Add the onions, garlic and celery.
  7. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until onion is translucent. Add the pepper and stir.
  8. Bring up the heat to high and add the cauliflower rice. Stir frequently and scrap the bottom of the pan to prevent burning.
  9. Turn the heat back down to medium and add the lentils, salsa and spices. Stir to combine.
  10. Take off the heat and set aside.
  11. Cut the remaining peppers in half and remove the core and seeds.
  12. Place peppers in an oven safe dish and rub a little coconut oil at the bottom to prevent burning.
  13. Place your peppers in the dish and stuff with the cauliflower filling.
  14. Place the dish in the oven for 40 to 45 minutes, until the peppers are soft and the filling is crispy.
  15. Serve with fresh cilantro and a dollop of vegan yogurt.

 

 

Leftover vegetable soup

 

Hello beautiful people,

The title of this post says it all: vegetable leftover soup! It happens to all of us. We go to the grocery store or the farmer’s market and buy all this beautiful produce. We come home, head full of ideas on what to cook/bake for our family during the week. And as the days go by, the basket of colourful carrots is down by half, the cabbage head is shredded to its last quarter, the bunch of kale merely has 2 leafy stems left. You know you don’t want these vibrant vegetables to go to waste (throwing out food that’s gone bad is the worst feeling ever!) and you also know that if you go to the market now, these beauties will hit the back of the fridge in no time. But then again, what to do with them? You could just shred everything and toss it in a salad bowl and call it a day. It would make for a nice refreshing and delicious dinner but you want something more. You want to expand your culinary wings and create something more because you are a chef in your own kitchen. You also want to be practical and spend your time in the kitchen wisely, which means making a meal you can easily bring for lunch the next day. And this is where this soup comes in. It takes care of all those beautiful leftover vegetables, it’s flavourful and it makes enough for you to bring to lunch the next day. Bingo!

Now I’ll admit, I wasn’t a fan of soups for the longest time. It just didn’t do it for me. Not only did I not consider a bowl of soup a meal (how could a bowl of liquid keep me full!) but I also considered it to be a waste of my stomach space when served before the main meal. It didn’t help that I grew up in the 80’s and soup diets were all the rage (cabbage diet soup anyone?). I would see close relatives eat nothing but soup all day for a week, feeling miserable but holding on because the scale was showing a few dropped pounds. Yah, no thank you. I’ll stick with solid foods.

But then something happened: I went away to University to attend Law School. I no longer had my mom to cook with me or to cook for me when I was pressed for time. I lived in an apartment steps away from campus and really wanted nothing to do with cafeteria food. I had a small kitchen in my apartment and I was determined to keep up with my home cooked healthy meals. Here’s what I hadn’t accounted for: the immense lack of time! Between studying for school and training for triathlons AND fitness competitions, there was barely any time left to cook healthy meals, let alone be creative and inventive in the kitchen. But being able to cook my own meals was important to me so I focused the little time I had on meals that could be easily put together, would make great lunches, wouldn’t put too much of a dent in my pocket book and packed a serious nutrition punch to help me keep up with my crazy schedule. And that is when I made amends with soup.

I realized soup didn’t have to be a diet food. It could be loaded with protein like beans or tempeh, pack a whole day’s worth of vegetable and give me the energy I needed with some added grains. I discovered that soup was also very versatile. I could get creative and feel like a chef again by mixing different spices, vegetables and grains. It also really helped towards the end of the week, when I had no time to shop for food and my fridge looked miserable with only a few leftover pieces of vegetables. Soup became my food companion throughout University.

This recipe is an homage to my University days. The soup is filled with a bunch of leftover vegetables, some split peas for protein and some barley for carbs. If you want to make this soup gluten-free, you could definitely swap the barley for some basmati brown rice or some millet. This soup makes a hearty meal so I simply served it to my family with some rustic french bread for dipping. So delicious!

I hope you guys enjoy this soup and let me know in the comments what you served it with.

xx

Leftover vegetable soup
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8 portions
This soup is loaded with good-for-you vegetables. If you don’t have these vegetables on hand, don’t worry, swap the carrots for some beets and the leek for some celery or whatever else you have on hand. Simply make sure you add vegetables to hold well during longer cooking time.
Ingredients
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 leek, thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 carrots, diced
  • 2 Cups cabbage, diced
  • 1 Cup turnip, shredded
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp coriander seeds
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp paprika (if you like a little heat, add hot paprika)
  • 1 Cup pearl barley
  • 1 Cup split peas
  • 10 Cups of vegetable broth
  • 1 27oz can of diced tomatoes
  • 1 Tbs lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Dice, slice, mince and shred your vegetables
  2. In a large pot, add the olive oil and turn the heat to medium-high.
  3. Add the onions, garlic and leek. Cook for 2 minutes.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium and add all your spices.
  5. Coat the onion mixture with the spices (except bay leaf) and cook for another 3 minutes. Stir frequently so the spices don’t burn.
  6. Add the barley and split peas and stir to coat.
  7. Add the vegetable stock, the can of diced tomatoes and the bay leaf. Stir.
  8. Cover the pot and increase to hight heat. Bring to a boil and reduce heat back to medium-high.
  9. Simmer for 15 minutes then add the remaining vegetables.
  10. Bring to a boil again and simmer for an additional 20 minutes.
  11. Turn off the heat, season with salt and pepper to taste and add the lemon juice.
  12. Enjoy

 

 

 

 

Delicious Borscht

 

 

Hello beautiful people,

A little while back, I posted this beautiful picture of a borscht I made, on my Instagram account. I won’t lie, this was one of the best borscht I’ve ever made… after a few disappointing attempts. If you read my post at the time, I mention that a few years back, I traveled through Poland for 1 month. It was amazing. The food, the people, the scenery, the food… lol. Krakow was  my favourite city, boasting so much history and Zakopane was my favourite nature destination with amazing hiking trails and gorgeous mountain views. Zakopne is where I tasted the most delicious borscht and Krakow is where I discovered the most amazing mushroom pierogies (mushrooms are a huge thing in Poland!). But those pierogies are for another post. For now, I’m all about the borscht.

Polish cuisine is hearty and stick to your ribs kinda food, with potatoes often being at the centre of it all. Now I love me some potatoes but every now and then, it’s nice to have something different and this soup is exactly that. Borscht is a clear broth soup made from beets, hence where it gets its beautiful reddish pink colour.

In my own experience, Borscht is prepared differently depending on where you are in Poland. In the north, they tend to serve it with chucks of carrots, cabbage, potatoes and meat on the bone. In the centre of Poland, it’s a clear broth often times served cold with some freshly baked rye bread. And in the south, they serve it just the way I like it, a clear warm broth with either chunks or grated pieces of beets, along with the beloved potatoes. Borscht tends to be on the bitter side so the little pieces of beets give it just enough sweetness to balance out the soup.

Now you know I’m gonna tell you about the nutrition behind this soup…

Beets in and of themselves are little nutrition powerhouses. According to the people at Organic Facts, the health benefits of beets include the treatment of anemia, indigestion, constipation, piles, kidney disorders, dandruff, gall bladder disorders, cancer, and heart disease. It also helps to prevent macular degeneration, improve blood circulation, aid in skin care, prevent cataracts and mediate respiratory problems. That’s a whole lot of muscle power for such a cute little red vegetable. But beets are indeed loaded with vitamins, minerals and fiber and it’s no surprise they can do so much for you.

Some of you may have heard of the “borscht cleanse” that is common in alternative medicine and used as a liver cleanse. According to The Health Coach, the beet mobilizes the liver like perhaps no other food and in so doing moves gallstones, hardened bile, accumulations of cholesterol, calcified “liver gravel”, chaff and other waste products through the bile ducts and into the GI tract.  In this way these unwanted detoxification byproducts can be permanently expelled from the body. Cleanses vary in intensity with some recommending you eat borscht several times a day to when ever you feel your liver could use a little boost.

Personally, I like to enjoy borscht when the weather gets a little cooler outside and I’m looking for a lighter meal. And since this soup is also delicious when served cold, it makes for a no-fuss lunch. Perfect!

And like many soups and stews, I like to make this a day ahead, to let the beets release their delicious colour and nutrients. It also tastes so much better in my opinion. And since it really doesn’t take long to put together (grating the beets and onions is the longest part), it can easily be done on a weeknight, once you have a few minutes of free time. And just like that, your dinner is made for the following night. Now all that’s left to do is stop by the baker’s for some freshly baked rye bread (or any bread of your liking!) or put some potatoes in the oven.

I’m all for easy meals that pack a nutritious punch!

I hope you and your family enjoys this recipe. Leave a comment and let me know what side dish you served it with!

xx

Delicious Borscht
Recipe Type: Soup
Cuisine: Polish
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8 portions
This soup is just sour enough without making your lip curl. The apple cider vinegar alongside the beets is what gives this soup it’s incredible health benefits. This recipes calls for grated onions. Now I know this might be a little different, but by grating the onion, it really melts into the soup. Just make sure you’re standing a good distance away from the grater so you’re not crying too much!
Ingredients
  • 4 medium size beets
  • 1 small sweet onion
  • 1 tsp palm oil (or vegan butter)
  • 1 tsp. caraway seeds
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 Tbs apple cider vinegar
  • 10 cups of vegetable broth
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Wash and peel the beets.
  2. Grate the beets and the onions. Set aside.
  3. Heat a pot or dutch oven over medium-low heat. Melt the palm oil.
  4. Add the caraway seeds and stir for 2 minute.
  5. Add the broth, bay leaf, apple cider vinegar, grated beets and onion. Stir
  6. Bring the heat back to medium heat and bring the soup to a boil. Let the soup boil for 2 minutes then reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 25 minutes.
  7. Remove from heat and add salt and pepper to taste
  8. Enjoy warm or let it cool for a cold soup.

 

Lentil spinach pasta sauce

 

Good morning beautiful people,

What a week this has been so far. I won’t lie, I’m happy we are Thursday morning and there is only one day left before the weekend. This week has been quite the roller coaster ride. I’m still figuring out the “blogging” thing, while trying to be more active on social media to get my blog more traffic and exposure, while creating awesome recipes (some of epic failure! loll) for you guys to enjoy. All that, while working my regular job, getting my workouts and yoga practice in, being a mom to a 13 month baby and a wife. Need I say that my plate is full! Lol

But I find comfort in the fact that I am not alone in this. So many other parents out there work there tails off to provide for their family while still creating a life for themselves they are proud of. And it’s with you in mind that I create my recipes. They are family friendly, easy, nutritious and naughty enough for you to enjoy without feeling guilty. They will even satisfy picky eaters!

For those of you that follow me on Instagram, you know that this week has been all about people that have inspired me along my journey. Be it as a mom, a food blogger, a recipe creator, a fitness enthusiast or a vegan. All the people I mention in my posts this week are inspirational in what they share with the world. Tonight’s dinner is a salute to those in the fitness/bodybuilding community that live a vegan and plant based lifestyle.

If you read the About me page, you know I’ve been involved in the fitness/bodybuilding community for a long time. Unfortunately, one of the most prevalent misconception in that industry is that you need to eat very animal heavy meals and supplements, 5-6 times a day, to keep your metabolism at high speed and your physique lean, hard and muscular. These vegan athletes put themselves out there and show the world you can look smokin hot on beans, broccoli and brown rice! For those of you still skeptical about being an athlete and maintaining that hard earned physique on a plant based diet, there are plenty of science based articles written about the benefits of a plant based diet as an athlete. Matt Frazier over at No Meat Athlete runs an amazing blog for endurance athlete. Torre Washington, Jordan David and Crissi Carvalho are all vegan physique athletes that can show you the ropes of building an amazing body on plant foods.

(BTW, none of these links are affiliated. These are all people I simply admire, that have the necessary knowledge on how to structure a proper vegan diet and have the physiques to prove it.)

For me personally, as a former competitive athlete and one that still keeps very fit and active, adopting a plant based lifestyle has brought amazing benefits. Amongst all the benefits, recovery time has to be the one with the biggest impact and the greatest benefits. I recover a lot faster from heavy workouts and my body feels a lot less heavy so I’m able to move more freely and with greater ease during my yoga practice. And because my food is so nutrition dense and easily absorbed by my body, my sleep is so much better, which boils back down to my recovery being so much better. And by my recovery being so much better, I’m able to push harder in my workouts and my practice. And by pushing harder, I get greater results. And by getting greater results… well you know where this all circles back to.

And so for all my plant based and wanna-be plant based followers that make fitness an integral part of their lives and want to make sure their bodies get all the nutrients it needs, I created this protein packed pasta sauce. You can enjoy it over spaghetti like we did for dinner or over any other type of coarse grain you like or over vegetable noodles like zucchinis, for a gluten-free meal. It’s a pretty thick sauce so if you like your sauces a little thinner, just add more passata (italien tomato sauce). You can also substitute the spinach for kale or other leafy green vegetable you happen to have on hand. You can also swab lentils for other high protein beans like white kidney beans or edamame beans if you eat soy.

I hope you and your family enjoy this recipe. Let me know how you’ve eaten the sauce!

xx

Lentil spinach pasta sauce
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4 portions
This lentil pasta sauce is hearty and super nutritious. It packs a great protein punch that will help your body recover from those hard workouts.
Ingredients
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tsp. palm oil
  • 2 Cups frozen spinach (if using fresh, use 4 cups)
  • 2 Cups passata (Italian tomato sauce)
  • 1 cup lentils, cooked
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp dired rosemary
  • 1/4 dried nutmeg
  • 1 tsp chili flakes (optional – we like heat in our family but adjust according to taste or omit)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
  1. On medium high heat, melt the palm oil in a pan.
  2. Add the onions and garlic. Stir and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes.
  3. Add the spices and coat the onion and garlic mixture. Cook for about 2 minutes. Stir frequently so the spices don’t burn.
  4. Add the frozen spinach and coat with the spicy mixture. Reduce the heat to medium and cover the pan. Cook for 3 minutes. Stir. The spinach should have wilted down. If not, add a little water. Do not cover the pan again. Simply stir until the spinach is wilted down and the water has evaporated.
  5. Set aside.
  6. If using canned lentils, rinse them.
  7. In a blender or food processor, add the lentils, spinach mixture and passata. Blend or process until you get a creamy textured sauce.
  8. Serve warm over pasta or zucchini noodles.

 

Sweet Lentil Beet Loaf

As I’m sitting here, in the kitchen, in front of my computer, getting ready to type this post, I can’t help but notice that it is only 8pm and it is completely dark outside. Not only is it completely dark outisde, as in, if no lights are turned on in the house you will hit your big toe on something, but the air is cool. It’s got that breezy, cool, humid feel of…Fall. Yes, there, I said it, it feels like Fall. And I’m totally loving it! Now don’t get me wrong, I adore summer. I love to wake up early to enjoy the warm sunrise and feast on all the magnificent fruits and vegetables the season allows to harvest. I worship the hot sun and look forward to BBQs around the pool and the endless ways to be active outdoors. I cherish it all, especially because here in Montreal, summers seem very short. But Fall has always been my favourite season. There’s something about the crisp morning air, the changing colours of the leafs and of course, football!

During the summer, I rather not spend a lot of time in the kitchen or indoors for that matter. Hence, there is a lot less baking and labour intensive meals being prepared. Summer is the time when I want to give my oven a well deserved break. Bring on all the delicious raw fruits and vegetables or anything that can be grilled on a BBQ. But when Fall arrives, I happily nestle back into my kitchen, well rested and ready to prepare heart warming meals that spread their delicious aroma around the house.

This recipe is exactly that. A heart warming hearty meal that lovingly bakes in the oven for at least 45-50 mins and makes your house smell oh so so good! The best part is, other then a few extra steps, like grating beets and turnips, everything is tossed into one bowl, mixed around with your hands and patted down into a loaf pan. I also used canned lentils for this recipe. Truth be told, I used to always buy dry beans in bulk and soak/cook them when needed, but being a busy working mom with a 1 year old, I’m just short on time and will take whatever shortcut I can. But feel free to substitute freshly cooked lentils.

Another thing I love about this this loaf, is that it’s hearty and already loaded with vegetables so you don’t have to fuss over the side dish. You can serve it with a nice mixed green salad or like I did, with some lemon and garlic rapini that I roasted in the oven during the last 10 mins of baking. This loaf is also really good served cold. I’ve used the leftovers in a sandwich with some mixed sprouts, vegan mayonnaise and juicy tomatoes. It makes a great lunch you can easily pack for yourself or for your kids.

I truly hope you’ll enjoy this loaf and let me know what side you served it with!

xx

Sweet Lentil Beet Loaf
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8
This hearty lentil loaf is sure to be a family favourite. The beets and turnips lend their sweet taste to the loaf but can’t easily be detected, so it’s perfect for picky eaters. I choose not to glaze the loaf, as is commonly seen in other recipes. I personally like a nice crispy crust on top of my loaf so I serve it with a sauce on the side. Here, I’ve served it with a mixture of Dijon mustard, vegan mayonnaise, fresh cilantro and a tablespoon of lime juice.
Ingredients
  • 2 X 14oz cans of brown lentils
  • 3 Tbs ground chia seeds
  • 6 Tbs water
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 2 garlic gloves, diced
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2/3 cup grated raw beets
  • 1 cup grated raw turnips
  • 3/4 cup instant oats
  • 1/2 cup oat bran
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • Himalayan pink salt and pepper to taste.
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven at 375 degrees.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the ground chia seeds and water. Stir with a small whisk or fork and set aside for at least 5 minutes.
  3. In a sauce pan, heat the olive oil on medium-high heat and add the garlic, onion and spices. Cook until the onions are translucent and the spices are fragrant. Be careful not to scorch the garlic or spices so stir frequently.
  4. Drain and rinse the canned lentils and add to a mixing bowl. With a fork, mash approximately half of the lentils. No need to be precise but do keep some whole.
  5. To the mixing bowl, add the onion, garlic and spice mixture, the grated beets and turnips, the oats and oat bran and the chia mixture.
  6. Taste and add salt and pepper.
  7. Coat a loaf pan with coconut oil spray or line with parchment paper and pour the lentil mixture.
  8. Pat down to make an even loaf.
  9. Pop in the oven and check after 45 min if a nice crust has formed on top. If still too spongy to the touch, ass another 5 mins.