low carb snack plate (vegan, no sugar)
Earlier in the summer, I posted this recipe for low carb crispbread – a more nutrient dense alternative to traditional crackers. They’re packed with plant-based protein in the form of seeds and are a perfect medium for transporting all sorts of yummy veggie snackage to your mouth. (I’ve dropped the crispbread recipe below in this post, too, for your convenience.) I made a batch recently when my husband and went away for a long weekend to the Smokey Mountains because they’re sooo portable. From experience, I’ve learned I need to pack ample snacks or simple meals to keep my nutrition on track and avoid paying $9 for a salad (which…
chocolate doughnuts with milk chocolate glaze (vegan, no added sugar)
Doughnut, you guys! No added sugar, baked-not-fried, packed-with-fruit and finished-with-fun chocolate doughnuts. With milk chocolate glaze. And pink sprinkles. Food dye free sprinkles. It’s a party on your plate and in your mouth. How is all this accomplished in one little recipe? Simple! I used my chocolate zucchini muffin recipe, sweetened it up a bit (more dates and stevia) and spooned it into a doughnut pan. Voila! Healthy chocolate doughnuts. But, wait, there’s more! To increase the fun factor, I added a milk chocolate glaze and pink sprinkles – all made without a lick of added sugar, dairy or food coloring. This recipe makes more batter…
chocolate zucchini muffins (vegan, no added sugar, dairy free, soy free)
I know I’ve hit on a real winner of a recipe when my husband asks for me to make it again. He’s my gold standard. Not that my other recipes aren’t equally tasty, but rather, they might not be equally tasty to people who still love to eat meat, dairy and sugar. Like my husband. So I’m going to guess that these chocolate zucchini muffins will be safe to label as crowd-pleasers …for vegans and non-vegans, sugar addicts and sugar abstainers alike. I honestly wasn’t sure how these would turn out and it’s been awhile since I’ve attempted baked goods because most of my past efforts weren’t good enough…
Fig + Pear Salad with Cherry Balsamic Dressing
Oh my salad greens goodness! Each time I see this picture, I get hungry all over again. Normally, I rotate between 3-4 salad recipes each month…ones with ingredients that are easier on the budget than pistachios and cherries. However, there are times and occasions where something special is called for…like Mother’s Day perhaps? Or maybe a lunch with a friend who is like a mother or a sister to you. Perhaps it’s the pistachios that made me think of Mother’s Day. Because unless you buy shelled pistachios, you know it’s a labor of love to crack open enough for a meal. And word of advice? If you have lots of…
5-ingredient key lime pie bites (vegan, sugar free)
One of the most frutrating things about changing your diet is relearning how to cook. The substitutes for the ingredients you used to rely on (sugar, white flour, eggs, dairy, meat etc.), don’t behave in the same way. In the first three months that I spent eating a plant-based diet, I was brought almost to tears several times because the kitchen suddenly felt like a foreign place. Which makes the victory all the (sugar-free) sweeter when I hit on the right mix of ingredients the first time I make up a recipe. And judging by how quickly these little bites disappeared with our small group from church, I’d say these…
crockpot carrot cake oatmeal (vegan, sugar free)
This week I’m running a 6-day clean eating crockpot challenge through a private Facebook group. The recipes for apple cinnamon and banana bread oatmeal in the meal plan got me thinking about what other kinds of desserts could be transformed into a healthy breakfast. Carrot cake immediately came to mind. Naturally sweetened only with fruit and containing hints of cinnamon and ginger make this oatmeal a tasty way to start the morning. And because it’s made in a crockpot, it’s already warm when you wake up. If you are interested in learning about upcoming clean eating challenges, please leave a comment and I will contact you. Crockpot Carrot Cake Oatmeal…
roasted butternut squash and sweet potato soup (vegan, sugar free)
When the temperatures are in the single digits, you need this in your bowl! I love soups…Simple to make, easy on the budget and generous in quantity. I dreamed this one up late last year when I was thinking about Thanksgiving, seasonal vegetables and something festive. Normally, I like soups where I can just throw everything in the pot, but roasting the ingredients for this soup was a must. Although it’s an extra step, it’s worth it…Roasting caramelizes the sugars in the veggies and fruit and adds a richness to the flavor. And when you top it off with a swirl of full fat coconut cream and toasted cinnamon pecan…
oatmeal raisin cookie dough bites, vegan + sugar free
First up: The winner of the Oh She Glows Everyday cookbook by Angela Liddon was Quinn. Aaaand, I just got word that she received it today! Now something for everyone…this recipe for oatmeal raisin cookie dough bites. I think it was actually one of Angela’s cookie recipes that I was trying a few years ago, when I discovered how toasted pecans have the same buttery butterscotch flavor as oatmeal raisin cookies (ORC). In a traditional ORC, it’s the brown sugar and butter that give it that homey flavor. I love finding simple, easy and no-sugar ways to make tasty desserts and snacks and this one checks off each of those…
curried quinoa salad + cookbook giveaway
First up…tomorrow will be the last day you can enter the giveaway for the Oh She Glows Everyday cookbook. Click this link to see the original post. Please share it with other plant-based eaters too…or maybe people you’re hoping to win over. And as promised, another recipe for you. This one is inspired by a recipe I found at Whole Foods Market. I substituted in quinoa for the couscous the recipe originally called for plus made a few little tweaks. Quinoa in a complete plant protein so this substitution bumps up the nutrition profile of this salad. It’s extremely easy to put together (except for maybe shredding the carrots if…
O Canada cherry berry creamsicles (vegan, sugar free)
Every year I tell myself I will plan ahead and get my holiday-related posts up before the actual day. Ahem! But inevitably, I leave inspiration to strike at the last minute. (For those of you who don’t know me, I live in the US and am now a citizen but I was born in Canada.) I came across this idea on Pinterest, and had to try it while dreaming up my own recipe. I was so excited how these Cherry Berry Creamsicles turned out! They were easy to make and are packed with whole fruit and are dairy and sugar free. If you want a quick video tip that comes with making…
