CARAMELIZED BANANA AND ROASTED WALNUT CHIA PUDDING

CARAMELIZED BANANA AND ROASTED WALNUT CHIA PUDDING

 

There is nothing I love more then easy desserts that can be done ahead of time with only a few finishing touches to put together before serving. This dessert is exactly that. I say dessert, but I would eat this for breakfast without hesitation.

The chia pudding can be whipped up in minutes up to a few days ahead and the caramelized bananas and roasted walnuts are the last minute finishing touches that bring this dessert to a whole new level of deliciousness.

And let’s not forget that there is nothing more satisfying than eating a dessert that is not only delectable on your taste buds but equally healthy for your body.

WINNER!

What makes this dessert so healthy…

 

This dessert packs an obvious nutritious punch with potassium loaded bananas, but did you know that bananas are also believed to help prevent asthma, cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and digestive problems?

No wonder it is one of the world’s most consumed fruit.

But what really makes this dessert a winner is the chia.

Chia started getting popular years ago and have since been considered a nutrition power house.

But do you know what makes these little white or black pearls so precious to our health?

Benefits of chia seeds

 

You may think that it’s their high content of omega-3 fatty acids (18%) – essential fats that are important for heart health and brain function.

Or their outstanding gluten free fibre content (chia’s 34% fibre is higher than that of flaxseeds or sesame seeds, and works out to be about 10g in two tablespoons, which would make a significant contribution to the 25–30g it’s recommended we consume daily).

Or simply because they are an excellent source of protein and extremely high in calcium – at 631mg per 100g (five times the level in milk).

If you believe any or all of these reasons are what makes chia seeds such a superfood, you would be totally right. But you would be missing one of the most important reasons why chia seeds are so good for you: it’s gel like effect!

That’s right!

The power is in the gel

 

The fact that chia seeds turn into this thick gel when combined with any liquid is what makes them so incredibly good for your body.

Chia seeds are able to hold up to 12 times their weight in water and if soaked for over 30 minutes, will form a gel. When in your stomach, this gel reaction forms a barrier and slows down your digestion to create a sustained release of energy.

They also help detoxify your body. When they are completely digested, chia seeds swell and absorb toxins in the body and cleanse the digestive tract. Their detoxifying properties also help improve the health and appearance of your skin, nails, and hair.

And last but not least, chia seeds also allow the body to absorb all fat soluble vitamins such as Vitamins A, D, E and K.

 

caramelize_banana_walnut_chia_pudding

 

Not bad for a tiny little pearl!

And so what better way to enjoy such health benefits than in a dessert.

The caramelized bananas and roasted walnuts add just the right amount of decadence to make you feel naughty without taking away all the great health benefits. And if you are really pressed for time, simply skip the roasting part and top with regular walnuts.

I promise, it is just as delicious!

This dessert is a huge hit in our family, and is 100% toddler approved.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

As always, I love hearing from you so leave me a comment and let me know how you enjoy eating chia seeds.

 

Love

Eloise

 

CARAMELIZED BANANA AND ROASTED WALNUT CHIA PUDDING
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
This easy make ahead dessert will sure become a family favourite.
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup balck chia seeds
  • 2 cups coconut milk (the one in a can. I use the full fat version for a creamier texture)
  • 6 drops of liquid stevia
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 medium bananas
  • 1 Tbs vegan butter (I use Earth Balance)
  • 1 Tbs brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup walnuts
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven at 375 degrees.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, add the chia seeds, milk, liquid stevia and vanilla extract.
  3. Whisk together and set aside in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour but up to 2 days.
  4. Once your oven is preheated, spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 10 mins.
  5. Turn the walnuts after 5 minutes and check on them at the 8 minute mark to make sure they are roasting and not burning.
  6. In the meantime, cut your bananas in thick 1 inch slices.
  7. Set a saucepan on medium heat and melt the butter and brown sugar.
  8. Add the sliced bananas.
  9. Allow bananas to cook for at least 2 minutes before turning.
  10. Take the chia pudding out of the fridge and pour in 4 bowls.
  11. Decorate with the caramelized bananas and walnuts.

 

Chocolate Chip Banana Donuts

There’s something that just feels so naughty yet so right about eating a donut, especially, for breakfast. I personally consider donuts to be high up there on the comfort food/I’m-going-to-treat-myself-because-I-totally-deserve-it pyramid. But here’s the thing, I don’t just want to eat a donut once in a while. I want be able to eat donuts often, and for breakfast! That being said, and although I’m a firm believer of the 80-20 rule (eat really good-for-you food 80% of the time and indulge 20% of the time), I can’t eat a regular donut every morning. That’s way beyond the 20% of indulgence, even according to my standards. Bakery style donuts are heaven in your mouth but they are literally the not-so-good-for-you kind of calorie/fat/sugar bombs. And although they taste amazing, they leave me feeling slightly lethargic. Like, I need to take a nap after this, kind of lethargic. Not something I can afford to do on a Tuesday morning, with a to-do list that looks like Santa Clause’ gift list!

So what to do… make a healthy donut!

So this is what I set out to do. I wanted my donut to resemble the texture and softness of a real donut but I also wanted it to have a little more consistency, not like when you bite into those air-like fluffy donuts, so I don’t have to eat 5 of them to feel like I had a decent breakfast. It also had to be something I was ok giving my 15 month old because he is now at a stage were he wants to eat everything me and my husband eat. And I mean EVERYTHING…

So with a few trials and errors, I think I finally nailed it. This donut is nutrient packed with bananas, oatmeal, high protein pea mylk and almond butter. And I can personally attest to the fact that you don’t need to eat many to be satisfied. I ate 2 and was happily full. No lethargy, no guilt. And this is definitely something you’ll feel good about feeding the entire family. My son had one for breakfast, along with a glass of almond mylk.

 

Now before we continue on with the recipe, I want to come back to something I wrote at the beginning of this post that I want to clarify a bit: the “I’m-going-to-treat-myself-because-I-totally-deserve-it pyramid”. A few blog posts back, I talked about rewarding yourself with food and how I wasn’t against it at all. Truthfully, that is how I personally reward myself, because food is such an integral part of my life. A passion, really. But here’s something important to take into consideration: I don’t use food to fill a void. I don’t use food as a coping mechanism because I don’t want to deal with certain things/people/emotions/situations in my life. I reward myself with food because I love food, I love cooking food, I love sharing food with others and I get great pleasure from the experience of it all. I don’t indulge to numb some deep hidden pain or forget about what’s going on inside or outside. Rewarding yourself should come out of self-love. To offer yourself something you enjoy and that is good for you. For some, it’s taking the time to sit down with a cup of tea and read a book, for others, it’s going to the spa for a massage, others will choose to do a yoga class or take a bubble bath surrounded by candles and essential oil diffusers. Me, I choose to go to my favourite restaurant with my loved ones or have friends over and share a meal. It’s as much about the experience as it is about the food, which makes it feel so rewarding. And it all comes from self-love, not self-sabotage.

I hope you guys enjoy baking and sharing these donuts with your family and loved ones. Leave me a comment and let me know how you like to reward yourself.

xx

 

Chocolate Chip Banana Oatmeal Donuts for breakfast
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 12 large donuts
Ingredients
  • 2 Tbs chia seeds, ground
  • 6 Tbs water
  • 1 Cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1/2 Cup spelt flour
  • 1/2 Cup large rolled oats
  • 1/4 Cup agave nectar
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 Cup bananas, mashed
  • 2/3 Cup mylk alternative (I used pea mylk)
  • 2 Tbs coconut oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup creamy almond butter
  • 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Grease a donut pan and set aside.
  3. In a small bowl, combine the ground chia seeds and water and set aside. Allow to set for at least 5 minutes.
  4. In a medium size bowl, add the mashed bananas, agave nectar, mylk, oil, vanilla extract and almond butter. Whisk to combine.
  5. In a separate bowl, combine the flours, oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  6. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir with a wooden spoon to combine.
  7. Add in the chocolate chips after batter has been mixed.
  8. Spoon batter into donut pan.
  9. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden.
  10. Allow to cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.

 

Breakfast Zucchini Carrot Cake

 

Good morning beautiful friends,

We have survived Monday and I think this deserves cake! A healthy, nutrient pack, breakfast cake that is… Something a little sweet and just naughty enough to accompany a hot cup of coffee or tea, whether you’re storming out the door with mug and cake in hand or just nestling down in your favourite chair to enjoy some me time before the day gets crazy. Either way, this cake is for you this morning!

I have the fondest memories of breakfast cakes. When I was growing up, my mom used to make her breakfast yogurt cake. On Sunday nights, my mom would make her own yogurt in a weird looking container that she probably owned since the early 70’s. The yogurt would ferment and “cook” all night then chill all day Monday. Then on Monday night, she would make her yogurt breakfast cake with the freshly made yogurt and fresh strawberries. It was a dense, thick and only slightly sweet cake, that kept us full and satisfied well until lunch time. My mom would always serve us a slice a cake with additional fruits on the side like a banana or an apple. And she insisted we eat the fruit. No fruit, no cake!

Needless to say, the cake was always a huge hit in our house and it didn’t last longer then that very morning… Although we always asked my mom to make it more often, she kept it as a treat for us and would never make it more then once a week or even once every two weeks. Looking back now, I understand how time consuming making that cake was since my mom always insisted on making her own yogurt. Being a mom myself now and juggling a crazy work schedule, I’m even more grateful of how well my mom fed us as kids and how she instilled in us the love of good wholesome, homemade foods.

So this cake is somewhat of an homage to my mom’s breakfast cake. Although I don’t eat yogurt anymore, this cake has the same dense, thick and only slightly sweet taste as my mom’s breakfast cake. And I think she would be proud as it is full of good for you ingredients like carrots, zucchinis, applesauce and coconut oil. Come to think of it, I might make it again today, in the gluten free version, and bring her a slice!

Hope you guys enjoy this cake! Leave me a comment and let me know what childhood breakfast you grew up loving…

 

xx

 

Breakfast Zucchini Carrot Cake
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 12 portions
This cake is perfect for breakfast on the go. I’ve made this cake with both a mixture of wholewheat and buckwheat flour and with Bob’s Red Mill gluten free flour. It turned out great both times. Since this is a breakfast cake, it’s a lot more dense then your usual airy and fluffy dessert cakes. I also don’t like my breakfast cakes to be too sweet. If you like sweet cakes in the morning, you can bring the sugar content up to 3/4 Cup instead of the 2/3 cup indicated in the recipe. Enjoy it with a side of coconut yogurt or a nice cup of hot coffee!
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 Cup grated zucchini
  • 2 Cups grated carrots
  • 1/2 Cup shredded coconut, unsweetened
  • 1/3 Cup applesauce, unsweetened
  • 1/3 Cup coconut sugar
  • 3/4 Cup milk alternative (I used cashew milk)
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2/3 Cup coconut oil, melted
  • 1 3/4 Cups wholewheat pastry flour
  • 1/2 Cup buckwheat flour (replace both flours with 2 1/4 Cup GF flour if needed)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees.
  2. Grease an 8X8 glass baking dish and set aside.
  3. In a bowl, combine your shredded zucchini, carrots and coconut.
  4. Add the sugar, milk, vanilla extract, applesauce and coconut oil and stir to combine.
  5. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the remaining dry ingredients. Whisk to combine well.
  6. Add the zucchini and carrot mixture to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon to combine evenly.
  7. No need to overmix, the cake batter will be thick.
  8. Pour the cake batter into the greased dish and place it on the middle rack in the oven.
  9. Bake for 35 minutes. The top will be golden brown.
  10. Take out of the oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes.

 

Pumpkin brownies

 

Hello beautiful people,

Let’s talk about compassion… Compassion is a word you hear a lot of in the vegan community.  The entire premise of the vegan lifestyle is based on compassion for animals. To not cause additional suffering to helpless creatures, to defend the defenceless and to speak up for those who have no voice. Mercy, empathy, solicitude.

In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra (text outlining the principles of yoga written about two centuries after Jesus Christ) a similar rule is presented to yoga practitioners. In the second part of the book called yamas, Patanjali presents the ethical principles by which someone should live in order to create a peaceful and fulfilled life. The first yama is ahimsa which stands for non-violence. Non-violence to others, including animals, but also non-violence towards ourself. And this is the type of compassion, or non-violence, I want to talk about with you today.

I’ve been practising yoga for many years and my main reason for adopting a vegan lifestyle is the application of ahimsa, to cause no violence to those around me.

I won’t lie. Its kind of a big deal for me to say that I’m a vegan and that I don’t cause additional, unnecessary harm to animals. But that’s just the thing, my application of the rule of ahimsa has always been limited to animals. Up until recently, I never really asked myself if I had compassion for me. And when I asked myself that question, I didn’t like the answer.

No, I can’t say I have true and honest compassion for myself. I’ll actually take it a step further and say that I actually have selective compassion. I choose who I have compassion for. Animals: absolutely. Children: always. Other adults: hmmmm, it depends. Me: sometimes.

And it was only when I stopped to ask myself that question, that I realized my actual lack of compassion. And this is where these brownies come in. I’ve been working on these brownies for quite some time. I never seemed to get the recipe quite right. They were either too dense or too sweet. Too fudgey or too crumbly. I would get mad and frustrated at myself for not being able to solve the perfect pumpkin brownie enigma. I had no compassion for myself. I didn’t take into consideration that maybe I had so much on my plate that I couldn’t focus on crating a stellar recipe or that I might be tired after taking care of a baby all day (and often all night – our son, at 13 months, just started sleeping his full nights!). All I saw was my failure to succeed at something so simple as… a brownie.

You might think this is a silly example and that there are far more important things in life to accomplish then nailing a brownie recipe. And you are absolutely right! But if I can’t show myself a little compassion for something as silly as a brownie recipe, where else am I not showing up for myself and who else am I not showing up for?

The thing with compassion is that if you don’t start by having some for yourself, it is very hard to give it to others. Like love. If you don’t truly love yourself, how can you love someone else. Ever try pouring a glass of water for someone out of an empty jug? Not much will happen there. Same thing with love. Same thing with compassion.

So I took a good look at how I treat myself on a daily basis. There is a lot of negative self talk here folks. See, I’m a perfectionist. And I always believed that a little negative self talk produces good results or at least achieves goals. Funny thing is, I actually know just how false that is! I know it’s false! I just hadn’t realized to what extent I was doing it… the crazy things we do!

I also realized how hard I am on others. It all comes back to the jug people: empty jug can’t fill up someone else’s glass!

So I took the resolution (why wait for January 1st!) that I was going to implement more compassion for myself, and for others, on a daily basis. And let me tell you, just by taking that decision, I not only feel so much better but I nailed this brownie recipe! You might think linking the two: compassion and brownies, is far fetched but let me tell you, it really isn’t…

I’ll detail the steps I took to implement more compassion into my life in my next blog post but for now, I give you, my pumpkin brownies.

I made these gluten free so I could share them with friends and family, a lot of which are either celiac or on a wheat elimination protocol to better their health.

Leave a comment and let me know if you’ve enjoyed these.

xx

Pumpkin brownies
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 12 portions
I’m a fan of cakey brownies and not really the fudgey kind so these brownies are chocolatey and just cakey enough. I had run out of vegan chocolate chips when I made these so I used a bar of semi-sweet vegan chocolate and made little shavings from a 2 ounce square.
Ingredients
  • 1 Cup gluten-free flower (I used Bob’s Red Mill GF Baking flour and it worked amazing)
  • 1/2 coconut sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 3/4 Cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/4 Cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 Cup unsweetened almond milk (or any other milk alternative you enjoy)
  • 2 Tbs. coconut oil, melted + extra for greasing the pan
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/2 Cup vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips (see Recipe summary for alternative)
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven at 350 degrees.
  2. Coat an 8X8 inch square pan with some extra coconut oil or use parchment paper.
  3. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and nutmeg. Stir with a whisk to combine.
  4. In another mixing bowl, add the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, milk, melted coconut oil and vanilla extract. Stir to make sure everything is well combined.
  5. Add the pumpkin mixture to the flour mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon.
  6. You may notice that the mixture is dry. Just keep stirring gently, it’ll all eventually combine well.
  7. Add the chocolate chips and mix only to combine. You don’t want to over stir.
  8. Pour the brownie mixture in the pan and cook for 25 minutes.
  9. Remove from oven and allow to cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

 

 

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.