Top 5 recipes of 2013

Happy new year! Now that 2014 is here, I’m excited as ever to jump into projects with the fresh perspective and motivation that a new year brings. The past 364 days were a whirlwind of travel wonderment and accomplishments, including trips to Las Vegas and Portland, winning a top spot at Toronto’s Totally Fabulous Vegan Bake-Off, launching a second ebook with Lisa, and photographing recipes for Dreena’s first ebook and upcoming cookbook.

With that said, let’s look back at the top five reader favourites of 2013.

1. Coconut peanut butter—Inspired by Earth Balance coconut & peanut spread, this homemade spread combines the tropical, full-bodied flavour of shredded coconut with the popular, all-natural goodness of peanuts.

2. Smooth mocha chia pudding—You may be familiar with pudding using whole chia seeds but I’m not a big fan of the texture. The use of ground chia makes this pudding a creamy and delicious treat—no chia pre-soaking required!

3. Socca with kale pesto—This naturally gluten-free and vegan flatbread deserves its own category under the list of vegan staples. Seriously, it’s that amazing. Smother it with kale pesto and you’ve got a simple yet nutritious meal.

4. “I can’t believe it’s not pumpkin” pie—This raw pie makes use of a pecan crust and a filling that is a cross between a cheesecake and an ice cream cake but with pumpkin pie flavour. It’s incredible!

5. Gluten-free maple “bacon” doughnuts—This was the year of the doughnut, and maple doughnuts with real bacon were all the rage. Here, I made an equally delicious vegan version using coconut bacon.