I don’t know what got into me last week but I suddenly needed a break from the kitchen. That rarely happens, but between recipe testing for a mini project (soon to be announced!) and a couple of food photography gigs, I’d had enough of food and needed a breather.

Sometimes a little downtime is necessary. I’ve felt uneasy about things lately, specifically this little space of mine within the world wide web. I often wonder: Are people reading? Do they enjoy my recipes? Do they even care? We’re living in a world where online content is changing and updating at warp speed—every day there are depressing news headlines making the rounds, a shocking Twitter comment or YouTube video goes viral, “new” recipes posted on a gazillion blogs—and I feel like I’m being eaten alive by social media. I just can’t keep up.

But you know what? This isn’t about being the most popular blogger, making money, or having hundreds of recipes in my archives. This isn’t about being at the top of the search engine when someone types in “vegan” (I’m not mobile-friendly anyway; thanks Google!) or being the first to post about the latest food trend or vegan discovery. When I first started this blog, my mission was (and still is) to document my favourite recipes and to show the world that veganism isn’t about restriction or deprivation. This is about putting attention and care into the recipes I create and then sharing them with you.

I’ve gotten a whole lot more out of this blog than I had ever imagined. It has connected me to an entire community of caring, compassionate and very talented individuals; it has made me fall in love with photography all over again and landed me so many awesome side projects; it has deepened my friendship with Lisa, with whom I’ve partnered on a number of fun projects, including two ebooks and a cookbook (<– pinch me); and it has given me, this very shy girl, a voice.

All this is to say that although I don’t post nearly as much as I would like to, I truly appreciate you. It’s difficult working so hard to fill a space where I feel like no one is listening. But I know you are. And for that, I am grateful. The more people sharing and reading and trying healthy, plant-based recipes means change is happening. As the popular Michael Jackson song goes, together we are healing the world and making it a better place.

What this has got to do with carrot muffins, I have no idea. But here you go, a recipe I’ve been playing with for a few months now, tinkering here and there until I felt it was just right. I’m a big fan of carrots and chai tea, so I figured putting them together in muffin form would be pretty tasty. And, indeed, they are.

Grating carrots by hand is no fun, so if you have a food processor with a grating blade this is the time to use it. These lightly sweetened, chai spiced muffins make use of my favourite flour blend (oat, buckwheat and almond) and the applesauce and moist chunks of carrots make it so there is no need for oil. They make wonderful breakfasts and snacks on the go.

P.S. You have until Wednesday, April 29 to enter my giveaway for an awesome JK Gourmet product pack, including a box of my favourite almond flour!

Gluten-free, oil-free masala chai carrot muffins

Yield: 8 to 10 muffins

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 chai tea bag
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup gluten-free oat flour
• 1/2 cup light buckwheat flour
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar, plus more for sprinkling
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1½ cups grated carrots
• 1/3 cup pitted and chopped Medjool dates

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Line a muffin pan with 8 to 10 muffin liners.
2. In a small saucepan, heat the almond milk over medium heat until almost boiling. Add the tea bag, cover with a lid and remove from heat. Allow to seep for a 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Remove the tea bag and gently squeeze out any liquid. Discard tea bag. Whisk in the maple syrup, applesauce, and lemon juice.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the oat flour, buckwheat flour, almond flour, coconut sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and salt.
5. Pour the liquid ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir just to combine. Fold in the grated carrots and chopped dates.
6. Scoop the batter evenly into the prepared muffin pan. Sprinkle a little coconut sugar on top of each muffin. Bake at 400F for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool for a few minutes before transferring muffins to a cooling rack to cool completely.

If you’re a regular here at ADC, you probably already know that I love baking. In fact, this blog started out as a way to share my dessert recipes after I returned from an epic week with Fran Costigan at the Natural Gourmet Institute in 2010, full of knowledge and inspiration.

Baking has been my jam ever since my stepmom taught me how when I was all of seven years old. Heck, my love for baking experiments even started back then—have you ever tried baking chocolate chip cookies in a muffin tin? I thought it was a brilliant idea at the time, but I was devastated when they came out of the oven looking like rock-hard hockey pucks (I ate them anyway). My first baking lesson: Don’t ever mess with the tried-and-true recipe on the back of the Hershey’s chocolate chips package.

When JK Gourmet, a local company that sells grain-free and gluten-free baking ingredients, mixes and snacks, contacted me about reviewing some of their products, the decision was a no-brainer. I had spotted their almond flour in health food stores before, and so I was excited about testing it out in my kitchen. They sent me a box of their almond flour, cookie mix and pancake/waffle mix. (Scroll down for a giveaway!)

JK Gourmet was created by a woman named Jodi who was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, a life-destroying intestinal disease, back in 2000. She was looking for a drug-free way to treat her condition and soon realized that changing her diet was key to controlling it. Her health journey is what inspired her to create a company with a mandate devoted to making all-natural, preservative-free products.

While not all of her products are vegan (she uses honey in her granola, chocolate and other baked goods), I’m so glad I was introduced to her almond flour. Since it’s made up of blanched almonds that are very finely ground, the flour is fluffy and light and far superior to other brands I’ve tried before—plus, it saves me from cleaning out my food processor when grinding my own nuts (hehe).

Both the cookie mix and pancake mix are made with just a few simple ingredients: almond flour, coconut sugar, baking soda and salt. The instructions for the pancake mix call for whipped eggs and water, but I gave it a go anyway using flax eggs. Unfortunately they turned out quite dense and stuck to the pan like nobody’s business. I’m thinking egg replacement powder or even that magical aquafaba would have provided better results.

I’m madly in love with the almond flour though, and was particularly happy that it came in a resealable plastic bag so it would stay fresh longer. These almond thumbprint cookies with blueberry chia jam are a result of this mild obsession, and if you try this particular brand you’ll realize what a difference it makes to use super-fine flour in cookies and cupcakes—you’ll get a lovely texture without any of the grit, and they’ll be delicious and authentic like they’re supposed to be. I even ran out and bought more to use in my vegan bake-off entry in March.

The JK Gourmet brand of almond flour is a little more pricey than others, but I think it’s worth the difference. Of course, the drought last year in California also resulted in significant price increases for almonds and almond-based products [insert sad face here], but sometimes that crunchy, versatile nut just can’t be beat.

Gluten-free almond thumbprint cookies with blueberry chia jam

Yield: Makes 20 to 22 cookies

Ingredients:

For the blueberry chia jam:

• 1 1/4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
• 2 tbsp coconut sugar
• 1 tbsp chia seeds

For the cookies:

• 1/2 cup natural smooth almond butter
• 6 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp pure almond extract
• 2 cups almond flour
• 2 tbsp flax meal
• pinch of sea salt

Directions:

For the blueberry chia jam:

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together the blueberries and coconut sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the raspberries soften and the sugar is melted, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the chia seeds and stir well. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, until thickened. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

For the cookies:

1. Preheat oven to 325F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract and almond extract until smooth.
3. Add the almond flour, flax meal and salt and mix with a spoon until a dough forms. Depending on the consistency of your almond butter, you may need to add a touch of water until it comes together.
4. Using a one-tablespoon measuring spoon, scoop out dough and form into balls with your hand. Place on prepared cookie sheet and use your thumb or finger to make an indent in the centre of each ball. Fill each well with jam (I used about 1/2 teaspoon each).
5. Bake at 325F for 18 to 20 minutes or until cookies are dry to the touch and the bottoms are golden brown. Allow to cool completely.

Product giveaway:

I’m thrilled that JK Gourmet is allowing me to give away the same product pack I received (a $50 value!). If you’re a baker like me or just want to give these grain-free, gluten-free and vegan mixes a try, enter using the widget below. The giveaway will run until 12 a.m. EST on Wednesday, April 29, 2015 and is open to Canadian residents only (sorry, my international friends!).

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This post has been a long time coming. It’s hard to believe it’s April already and I have yet to share my review of this ingenious and very beautiful cookbook with you.

Kristy Turner’s debut cookbook was released shortly before Christmas and I’ve been enjoying it ever since. Let’s chat about what this book has to offer, shall we?

I should start off by saying Kristy’s book has, quite possibly, the best title ever: But I Could Never Go Vegan! 125 Recipes That Prove You CAN Live Without Cheese, It’s NOT All Rabbit Food, and Your Friends WILL Still Come Over for Dinner.

Do you think that’s even possible? There was a time in my life when I didn’t. I ate bacon and eggs for breakfast, smothered cream cheese on my bagels, and devoured fat-free yogurt by the tub. I really gave no thought to where my food came from. But I’ve been vegan for 15 years now and I must say, quite honestly, that it was the best decision I’ve ever made.

Luckily, with books like Kristy’s, replacing the animal-based foods you love and are used to is easier than ever. Here, she re-creates the dishes people have on their “can’t live without” lists and proves how simple, delicious and wide-ranging plant-based cooking can be. Just like her popular blog, Keepin’ It Kind, Kristy’s book is a treasure trove of flavourful recipes interspersed with entertaining personal stories, cheeky humour and a very warm-hearted tone. Her creativity shines through here, not just in the recipes but also in the organization of the book. Rather than recipes organized by course or season, these are broken down into chapters of excuses for not going vegan, including Where’s the Beef?, Tofu Doesn’t Taste Like Anything, It’s All Rabbit Food, But I Hate [Insert Vegetable Here], and Wait, Is Chocolate Vegan?

The ultimate in food activism, this is the kind of book I would want to hand out every time I heard “Where do you get your protein?” or “But I could never give up cheese!” because it’s better to be shown rather than told that you can live a filling and very satisfying life (and even enjoy pizza and ice cream!) without consuming animal products.

You won’t miss the beef after biting into Kristy’s Thai seitan satay with spicy peanut dipping sauce. And you won’t be able to say tofu doesn’t taste like anything when there’s creamy mushroom fettuccine alfredo to enjoy, or that it’s all rabbit food after making the impossible cheeseburger pie or the beer-battered faux fish and chips. Think you can’t bake without butter and eggs? Try the salted caramel peanut butter bars or the molasses-hazelnut chocolate mousse tart with coconut whipped cream on for size.

Vegan or not, there is something for everyone in this fun cookbook. Plus, photos by her talented husband, Chris Miller, accompany almost every recipe and also include useful step-by-step photos when necessary.

Since receiving a review copy of this book, I’d had a chance to try out a number of recipes, including the bean and rice freezer burritos, the mushroom grilled cheese sandwich with sunflower cheddar, the Mexican hot chocolate fudge, as well as this colourful roasted broccoli and apple salad with lemon-tahini dressing (find the recipe below!). While many of Kristy’s recipes are multiple steps or require more than one recipe, you are awarded with filling and flavourful meals, all while learning some new tricks, flavour combinations and time-saving methods along the way.

All the recipes I tried were delicious, and while I did have a bit of trouble with the sunflower cheddar the first time I made it, Kristy soon realized there was a typo in the recipe (it happens!). I made it again and it worked like a charm.

Grab a copy of the book (or enter to win a copy below!) and, if you have a hard time deciding what to try first (I sure did), her cheese recipes are magical, as is her incredible fudge. Or, try this salad from the Just Thinking About Salad Makes Me Yawn chapter of the book.

Thank you, Kristy, for sharing your creativity and compassion with the world through this book.

Roasted broccoli & apple salad with lemon-tahini dressing

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

For the roasted broccoli:

• 2 medium bundles broccoli
• 2 tablespoons tamari (or soy sauce or liquid aminos)
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

For the dressing:

• 3½ tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1½ tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• A couple dashes of garlic powder

For the salad:

• Up to 1 batch Tempeh Bacon crumbles, optional (see this recipe from Kristy's blog)
• 2 to 3 cups baby spinach
• 1½ to 2 apples, cored and diced (choose a tart but sweet variety, like Pink Lady or Honeycrisp)
• 3 celery ribs, sliced
• ½ medium red onion, very thinly sliced
• 2/3 cup dried cherries
• ½ cup roughly chopped almonds (preferably roasted, but raw will also work)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
2. Chop the broccoli into small florets and slice the stems thinly. Place in a bowl and toss with the tamari and maple syrup. Add the nutritional yeast and toss again. Spread the broccoli on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 20 minutes, tossing once halfway through to ensure even cooking. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl or cup, use a fork to whisk together the dressing ingredients. Set aside. If you are using the Tempeh Bacon, cook the crumbles now.
4. Place the cooled broccoli in a large bowl and add the spinach, apples, celery, onion, dried cherries, and almonds. Toss until fully combined.
5. Divide the salad among serving bowls. Drizzle with the dressing and sprinkle the Tempeh Bacon on top, if using.
6. Variations: To jazz up the salad a bit, try marcona almonds (a sweeter, plumber type of Spanish almond). If you’re in a rush or want to lighten up the salad, skip roasting the broccoli. Instead, steam for about 5 minutes and rinse in ice-cold water. Dry it off and it’s ready to use!

Recipe from But I Could Never Go Vegan! © Kristy Turner, 2014. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment.

Cookbook giveaway:

Thanks to my friends at The Experiment, I have the opportunity to gift a copy of the book to one ADC reader! This giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada. Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below and I’ll choose a random winner on Friday, April 10, 2015. Good luck!

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Since the weather in southern Ontario has kept well below zero degrees these last couple of weeks, I’ve been spending a lot more time indoors. My usual weekend running routine has gone by the wayside in favour of indoor HIIT workouts, if only to avoid the frigid temperatures beyond my front door.

Don’t get me wrong though. I usually love bundling up for a run on a cold winter day—I don’t get overheated and the feeling of a long, hot shower afterwards can’t be beat—but on days that are -15°C with a windchill? No thanks.

By the time I’m finished working out, showering and then pulling on my comfies, I’m usually starving and ready to get dinner started, and that means hunkering down with winter comfort foods like hearty chili, creamy casseroles, and warming soups and stews.

Or this quick and easy butternut squash and kale risotto with cheesy almond parmesan. Yes, please.

If you’re looking for something warm and cozy for dinner tonight, look no further. This creamy vegan risotto dish is full of flavour and can be on the table in less than an hour. Topped with almond parmesan, it’s one of the most satisfying meals I’ve made in a while.

When most people think of risotto, they often think of cheese and butter and the laborious stove-top stirring, requiring up to an hour to achieve that perfect consistency. Dairy is by no means necessary for a creamy risotto, and this simpler, more hands-off baked version is proof.

The result consists of soft, tender grains of Arborio rice that become thick and creamy when baked with the cubes of butternut squash and chopped kale. Traditional chefs and Italians around the world would likely turn their nose up at the fact that I made this dish without wine (and cheese! and butter!). If you’re keen, feel free to sub the 1/2 cup vegetable broth in Step 6 for a dry white wine.

It may be an unorthodox way to prepare such a traditional dish, but it works. You have to do some cooking before putting the dish in the oven, but then you’re free to prep the almond parmesan topping, make a salad and set the table while it bakes.

This dish is truly winter comfort food. Enjoy!

Easy butternut squash & kale risotto with cheesy almond parmesan

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

For the risotto:

• 1 small butternut squash (about 2 pounds)
• 1 bunch curly kale
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• ⅛ tsp ground black pepper
• 1½ cups Arborio rice
• 4½ cups vegetable broth, divided

For the almond parmesan:

• 2 tbsp raw almonds
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• ⅛ tsp garlic powder
• ⅛ tsp sea salt

Directions:

To make the risotto:

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Peel the butternut squash and cut into small cubes. Set aside.
3. Wash the kale and remove tough stems. Chop into small strips and set aside.
4. In a large oven-proof pot or dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes.
5. Stir in the thyme and black pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
6. Add rice and ½ cup of broth and cook, stirring frequently, until liquid is absorbed, about 3 minutes.
7. Add remaining broth and the prepared squash. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the prepared kale.
8. Cover, transfer to the oven, and bake until rice and squash are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle with almond parmesan and serve!

To make the almond parmesan:

1. Place all ingredients in a spice grinder or dry blender and pulse until powdered.

Adapted from Martha Stewart.

2014 sure has been a year full of cookbooks. Just as I finish cooking my way through one, another finds it way into my kitchen. That’s totally okay with me though. I’m thrilled there’s an increasing demand in the plant-based market and so many of my incredibly talented friends have been able to find a voice in the publishing world.

Perusing through my cookbook collection, it’s not hard to see that each one I own tells a different story, provides a twist on an old classic, or shares new techniques or ingredient combinations I had never thought of before. Each author has her or his own voice, and it is enhanced with each book’s ever-beautiful design and photography. When it comes to cookbooks, this crew doesn’t cut short on anything—humour, sass, creativity, or delicious food.

Today I’m featuring another example of a rising star in the cookbook world. Emily Von Euw is the voice behind the blog This Rawsome Vegan Life and is the author of the recent bestseller Rawsome Vegan Baking. Her brand new book, 100 Best Juices, Smoothies and Healthy Snacks, releases on Monday!

A little bit about the book:

• While the focus is on vitamin-packed juices and smoothies (both sweet and savoury), the book also includes nut mylks and mylkshakes, and healthy snacks like date bars, flax bread and kale chips.
• If you don’t own a juicer, that’s okay! All the smoothies and mylkshakes are made in a blender and most of the snacks use a food processor.
• There are tons of full-page photos to highlight the colourful, nutrient-dense drinks and snacks throughout the book.
• Tucked away in the back is a resources section that offers tips on techniques and recommended equipment brands in ranges that are best suited to your needs.

Emily doesn’t spend much time discussing the merits of juicing or writing out pages of detailed instructions (heck, you just push the carrots through the juicer, right?). Instead, she devotes her energy to concocting delicious-sounding recipes and creating colourful photos to inspire you to get juicing. I suspect for most people this will be more than enough and it certainly emphasizes an ease to which juices and smoothies can become part of a regular routine. I gave in to the allure of the lettuce turnip the beet juice and the simplicity of the energizer bunny almost immediately. Other recipes like the apple cinnamon delight smoothie, creamy iced chai latte and coco oat bars with peanut butter and carob are also on my to-make list.

But like a typical girl looking for a little comfort on a cold winter day, I also quickly spied a luscious-looking drink in the mylks and mylkshakes chapter—hello, homemade chocolate mylk! Seriously, guys, this is a chocolate milk lover’s dream come true. I wouldn’t compare it to any store-bought chocolate milk by any means. Think bold winter spices like cinnamon and nutmeg combined with a light cacao flavour and caramel date sweetness. It is pure magic.

For this recipe, you can make the mylk out of whatever nuts or seeds you have on hand—I used a mix of almonds, pumpkin seeds and hemp. I’d imagine this chocolate mylk could also be gently heated to create a warm mug of deliciousness. Thanks to Emily to allowing me to share the recipe with you today!

Spiced chocolate mylk

Yield: 4 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

For the spiced mylk:

• 1 cup (125 g) raw nuts, seeds or coconut meat
• 3 cups (237 mL) water
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• ½ tsp nutmeg powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of pink Himalayan crystal salt
• 3–5 pitted dates

To make it chocolate:

Follow the instructions for spiced mylk, adding 1–2 tablespoons (28–56 g) of cacao powder and, if you like, 1 tablespoon (28 g) of maca powder.

Directions:

1. Cover the nuts or seeds (if using) in water and let them soak for 6 hours, then rinse and discard the soak water.
2. Blend the soaked nuts, seeds or fresh coconut meat with the all the other ingredients until smooth, frothy and white.
3. Strain through a nut mylk bag or cheesecloth (or leave as is). Store in the fridge in a sealable glass container for up to one week.

From 100 Best Juices, Smoothies and Healthy Snacks by Emily Von Euw, printed with permission of Page Street Publishing

Cookbook giveaway

Want to win your own copy of the book? Enter using the widget below! The giveaway is open to Canadian and US residents and will run until Thursday, December 11, 2014. Good luck!

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Do you like stuff that is awesome? Do you especially like the people who create stuff that is awesome? Good, because I do, too. And today I’m sharing a new awesome thing in the form of a book by the ever-talented Heather Crosby of YumUniverse.com. I recently got a sneak peak of her brand new book, YumUniverse: Infinite Possibilities for a Gluten-Free, Plant-Powerful, Whole Food Lifestyle, to be released on October 28th, and I have to tell you: I was blown away.

See, the thing about this book is that it’s so much more than just a cookbook. Just like Heather’s website, this book is beautiful and well organized, and contains tons of gorgeous photos. Plus, the amount of info that is jam-packed in its pages is truly incredible. And guess what? Heather did it all, from the writing and recipe development to the design and photography. I told you she’s talented! I am honoured to be part of her #YUHealthyHalloween blog tour today, sharing a recipe from the book and generous giveaway with you.

Whether you’re transitioning to a plant-based diet or you just want some ideas for how to prepare scrumptious veggie dishes and add them into your existing routine, this book is one you might want to consider. More than half of the book includes essential, everyday know-how for people seeking to adopt and maintain this kind of lifestyle (what Heather calls the YU approach), including sections on nutrition basics, organizing your kitchen, healthy cookware, food shopping and storage, and how to handle social situations and prep for this lifestyle emotionally.

Once you’ve learned the why and how of this lifestyle, it’s time to eat! The last half of the book includes a creative collection of more than 150 amazing recipes developed by Heather—all with no meat, dairy, gluten or soy. The great thing about Heather’s recipes is that they are inventive but also totally approachable. Think quinoa “cinnamon toast” cereal with toasted pecans, chickpea flatbread pizzas, beet and eggplant crisps, and creamy brocolli and red pepper macaroni. I noticed she uses honey in some of her recipes but I would swap that out for agave or my new favourite Bee Free Honee.

I particularly love the super-cool sidebars with plan-ahead ideas and recipes for on-the-go breakfasts and salads (think layering lots of good stuff in mason jars) and the “training wheels” green smoothie, but I’ve also managed to make a few other recipes  from the book, including:

The chickpea protein burgers, which are full of good stuff like chickpeas, quinoa, sweet potato, oats and red pepper, and flavoured with Heather’s own Montreal veggie seasoning (recipe also in the book) and a generous dash of liquid smoke.

The toasted pecan florentines, which are truly the easiest cookie recipe I’ve ever made, because they require very few ingredients and take even less time to make, but they taste like fancy French cookies that took all day to prepare.

And these dark chocolate, sweet potato and black bean brownies, OMG. This October-friendly, Halloween-worthy recipe sneaks in nutrient-rich ingredients like black beans and sweet potatoes and is combined with dark chocolate to create bona fide fudge-like decadence. I loved them so much I got permission to share the recipe with you!

Dark chocolate, sweet potato and black bean brownies

Yield: 12+ servings

Ingredients:

Dry:

• 1½ cups almond flour
• 1⁄3 cup Sucanat
• ½ cup cacao powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt 

Wet:

• 2⁄3 cup sweet potato, diced and steamed
• 2¼ cups black beans, cooked (1 cup dry)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• One 3 – oz. gluten-free, vegan chocolate bar
• 1⁄3 cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil*
• ¾ cup water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F and grease a 9" x 13" or 9" x 9" baking dish or line it with parchment paper.
2. Sift or whisk together all dry ingredients in a large glass bowl. Set aside.
3. Place all wet ingredients into the food processor and pulse until super-smooth.
4. Fold together wet and dry ingredients and transfer to the parchment-lined baking dish.
5. Bake for 60 – 70 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool in baking pan before serving.

Recipe from YumUniverse, republished with permission from BenBella Books.

Cookbook giveaway

Since it’s almost Halloween, I’ve got one more treat for you. Heather’s publisher, BenBella Books, has kindly offered to give away a copy of YumUniverse to one lucky ADC reader! Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter. A random winner will be selected on October 23, 2014. The giveaway is open to Canadian and US residents only. Good luck!

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I’m pretty excited to be a part of my friend Ricki’s virtual book tour for her beautiful new cookbook, Naturally Sweet & Gluten-Free. You may have already read the praise she’s been receiving from others, like Angela, Tess, Allyson, Gena , JL, Carolyn and Dreena.

Ricki’s blog, RickiHeller.com (formerly Diet, Dessert & Dogs), has become a go-to resource for vegans and others with food allergies or sensitivities or looking for insight into the anti-candida diet. Over the years, Ricki has shared her struggles with health and weight because of her addiction to unhealthy sweets. When she cut out all refined sweeteners from her life, she began to search for alternatives and, in the process, learned to create recipes that are both healthy and satisfying. 

Her new book features an array of sweet treats that are vegan, allergy-friendly and, with the use of sweeteners like coconut sugar, stevia or agave nectar, every recipe has a reduced glycemic load. So, if you love baking like I do but want to start making use of ingredients like gluten-free flours and natural sweeteners, and also avoid common allergens like gluten, dairy and corn, this book is for you!

Baking with natural, whole-food ingredients is simply better for your body and, ultimately, your well-being, but Ricki has also taken great care to ensure her recipes taste just as good as traditional desserts, if not better. I’m so proud of Ricki on this new book, which also features beautiful, full-page photos scattered throughout, and I know it will soon become a cherished book in my collection.

Since Ricki is a local vegan superstar here in Toronto, I first had the opportunity to meet her at Ange’s birthday party back in 2011, when she introduced me to her Happy Hemp Two-Bite Brownies. When I came across the recipe in this book, I knew it would be one of the first things I made. These high-protein, bite-sized gems are a perfect little pick-me-up after a long day of work or school—and they’re made with almonds and hemp seeds to boot!

Ricki knows the process of baking without gluten, eggs, dairy or refined sugar is a little different from that of conventional baking, so her book also includes a thorough introduction on how to best use whole-grain, gluten-free flours, natural sweeteners, natural non-hydrogenated fats, and vegan egg replacers, as well as what to expect when baking with whole-food ingredients.

This Caramel Ice Cream, for example, makes use of cashews, sweet potatoes and coconut milk. It may seem like an unusual combination of ingredients that aren’t meant for ice cream, but you will be amazed by how much this tastes like caramel! It was decadent and creamy, and I loved it with bits of chocolate chips and cacao nibs mixed in.

This Grain-Free Autumn Fruit Crumble is a quick and easy recipe that is perfect for this time of year. Although it was hard to choose, this was probably my favourite so far, likely because these seasonal fruits have been calling my name for the last few weeks. I loved the crunchy topping, and the perfect balance of tart and sweet fruit. I served it with a dollop of coconut whipped cream (because whipped cream makes everything better).

Luckily, I was given permission to share this recipe with you today—straight from the book! If you get a chance, I highly recommend trying out this crumble recipe, and picking up a copy of Ricki’s book. The holidays are fast approaching, and this book would give you lots of options for desserts that will please everyone. Enjoy!

Grain-free autumn fruit crumble

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

For the topping:

• 1/3 cup (45g) coconut sugar
• 1/2 cup (65g) natural raw walnut pieces
• 1/2 cup (80g) natural raw skin-on almonds, preferably organic
• 1/3 cup (50g) coconut flour
• 1/4 cup (40g) potato starch
• 1 tbsp (30ml) ground cinnamon
• generous pinch sea salt
• 3 tbsp (45ml) coconut oil, at room temperature, preferably organic
• 30 drops pure plain or vanilla stevia liquid, or to taste
• 1 tsp (5ml) pure vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp (45ml) water

For the filling:

• 2 medium pears, washed, cored, and diced, peeled or unpeeled
• 2 medium sweet apples, washed, cored, and diced, peeled or unpeeled
• 1 cup (115g) fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 tsp (5ml) ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp (1ml) ground ginger
• 2 tbsp (30ml) coconut sugar
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 tsp (1ml) pure stevia powder or 1/3 tsp (2.5ml) pure plain or vanilla stevia liquid, or to taste
• Coconut whipped cream for serving

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Grease a 9-inch (22.5cm) square pan or a 6-cup (1.4L) casserole or souffle dish with nonstick spray or coconut oil.
2. Make the topping: Place the coconut sugar, walnuts, almonds, coconut flour, potato starch, cinnamon, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process until the mixture resembles a fine meal with no pieces of nuts visible.
3. In a small, heavy-bottomed pot, melt the coconut oil. Whisk in the stevia, vanilla and water. Pour the coconut-oil mixture in a ring around the dry ingredients in the processor and pulse until it all comes together. It should look like moist clumps. Set aside.
4. Make the filling: In a large bowl, toss the pears, apple, and cranberries together with the cinnamon and ginger. In a small bowl, mix together the coconut sugar, lemon juice, and stevia, and stir until the sugar begins to dissolve. Drizzle over the fruit and then toss again to coat evenly.
5. Assemble and bake the crumble: Turn the fruit mixture into the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle with the topping. Press down gently on the topping.
6. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes (depending on the depth of your pan, you will need more or less time for the fruit to cook), rotating the dish about halfway through baking, until the crumble topping is deeply browned and the fruit is soft. Serve immediately or at room temperature with a little coconut whipped cream. May be frozen.

Recipe from Naturally Sweet & Gluten-Free, reprinted with permission

I’m pretty excited for today. It’s the first day of the annual Toronto Vegetarian Food Festival, and I’m just about to head down to Harbourfront to check out all the new products, eat delicious food and catch up with friends. Thankfully it’s a beautiful day in the city—the sun is shining and everyone is out and about for the weekend.

If you’re in town, be sure to stop by and check out the festivities. We’ve got some amazing speakers and demos lined up, including Roberto Martin, Allyson Kramer, Michael Greger and Heather Nicholds, just to name a few, as well as a Q&A with the director of The Ghosts In Our Machine (an incredible documentary, if you haven’t seen it yet).

This doesn’t have anything at all to do with this pear and banana loaf, but I have been up to my elbows in pears this week. You see, I came home with a huge bag of cute little Forelle pears from a colleague’s tree, and so far I’ve made a pear crousade, a fall-inspired crumble and this amazing loaf. Yep, I’ve been a busy girl.

As you’ll see from the ingredients list, this loaf is humble yet wholesome. It is bursting with fruit flavours and chunks of soft pears, and also makes use of one of my favourite gluten-free flour combinations: chickpea, oat and almond. Oh, and it’s oil-free, too.

I paired the loaf slices with some homemade blueberry jam, the recipe of which will appear in Dreena Burton’s next cookbook. I get the pleasure of working with Dreena once again and have been busy photographing all the recipes for this new book (and from what I’ve seen so far, I think it’s going to be another masterpiece!). To find out about her family-friendly recipes, check out my review of her latest ebook.

Enjoy!

Gluten-free pear & banana loaf

Yield: 1 loaf

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup chickpea flour
• 3/4 cup oat flour (see note)
• 3/4 cup almond meal
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1.5 cups peeled and chopped ripe pears, divided (about 2 medium)
• 3/4 cup sliced ripe banana (about 1 medium)
• 6 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper so it hangs over the sides of the pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour, oat flour, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
3. Using a food processor, process 3/4 cup chopped pear with the banana, maple syrup, lemon juice and vanilla until smooth. Pour the mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Fold in the remaining 3/4 cup chopped pear.
4. Use a spatula to pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top. Bake at 350F for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the loaf comes out clean. Allow to cool before slicing.

Note: Be sure to purchase certified gluten-free oat flour if you are sensitive to oats.

The scent of freshly baked banana bread has been wafting through my house for the last week. A sudden craving hit me recently and the next thing I know, I’ve used up every single frozen banana in my freezer in a crazy attempt to perfect a gluten-free version of my favourite baked treat.

I’ve been a big, big fan of banana bread ever since my grandmother introduced me to it when I was a wee child. So, I didn’t take this personal challenge lightly. This gluten-free bread had to be good, with a texture that wasn’t gluey or doesn’t fall apart in your hands, and a light banana flavour that wasn’t too sweet. Oh, and with a beautiful chocolatey swirl throughout. Shouldn’t be too hard, right? I already had it planned out before I even started, but naturally, what seemed so easy on paper couldn’t quite be achieved in the kitchen. It took more than a few trials to get this just right.

This, my friends, was a lesson in texture. I already knew the combination of different flours affects the outcome immensely when it comes to gluten-free baking. My goal was to use a few simple flours and not starches or gums. In the end, it was a mix of three of my favourites that did the trick—oat, buckwheat and almond. Why I didn’t try this combo to begin with is beyond me.

But I digress.

If you’ve never tried making a loaf with a fun chocolate swirl, you’re missing out. Not only does this turn a plain banana loaf into an attractive party dessert, but it’s just so much fun to mix and swirl the batters together to create a totally unique loaf every time.  Thanks to Isa for the fun idea.

Enjoy!

Gluten-free marbled banana bread

Yield: 1 loaf

Ingredients:

• 1 cup oat flour (gluten-free certified, if necessary)
• 3/4 cup light buckwheat flour
• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tbsp ground chia seeds + 1 tbsp water
• 4 overripe bananas, peeled
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder + 3 tbsp hot water

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and lightly oil a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oat flour, buckwheat flour, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the chia and water and set aside until a gel forms.
4. In another large bowl, mash the bananas until no large clumps remain. Add the coconut sugar, vanilla extract and chia gel. Add the flour mixture and stir to combine.
5. Transfer 1 + 1/4 cup of the batter to another clean bowl. Now, in a small cup whisk together the cocoa powder and hot water until the cocoa is dissolved. Add this to the batter and mix until incorporated.
6. Now it's time to marble! Scoop out 1/3 cups of batter and drop them in the prepared loaf pan, side by side and on top of each other, alternating colours as best you can. Repeat until all the batter has been used. Insert a sharp knife or long skewer into the batter and make a swirl motion throughout. You want to try to swirl through each section to gently merge the batters, but take care not to overdo it.
7. Bake at 350F for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before slicing.

Update: Thanks to reader input, I've changed the buckwheat flour to read "light buckwheat" since the swirl doesn't show up well when the darker variety is used. You could also try grinding raw buckwheat groats (not kasha) into a flour.

I’m going to declare this a seasonal transition dish. It’s like wearing shorts with socks and a thick, chunky sweater. These days, it’s hard to decide whether it’s warm or cold outside, but most days it’s a little of both. So I’ve paired summertime gourds with a rich, warming almond sauce. From a culinary perspective, I’d say this dish combines the best of both worlds.

Since we know which direction the weather is eventually heading (Summer, where art thou?), I’m naturally craving more fresh foods like salads, veggies and fruit. This week I set out to create an easy entree that is fresh, delicious and can be prepared quickly without using the stove or oven. I ended up with this hearty noodle dish using not just zucchini, but cucumber too! The pasta topper, made up of puffed quinoa, sliced almonds, goji berries and pumpkin seeds, adds a lovely crunch and complexity to this otherwise simple dish. The best part? This meal can be prepared in less than 15 minutes.

To make the noodles I used my trusty spiralizer, but don’t fret if you don’t own one. I’ve heard good things about julienne peelers (this one, specifically) that can turn veggies into thin angel hair noodles, but you can also use the shredding blade on your food processor to cut the veggies into matchsticks too. Better still, feel free to substitute rice noodles or whatever pasta you have on hand. The spicy almond sauce I paired with the noodles is delightfully versatile.

This recipe makes one large serving, but it can easily be doubled or tripled as needed to serve more. I think this pasta is perfect for lunch, a light dinner, or anytime you crave a fresh, satisfying meal without having to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Enjoy!

Cucumber & zucchini noodles with spicy almond sauce

Yield: one large serving

Ingredients:

• 1 cucumber, peeled and spiralized
• 1 zucchini, peeled and spiralized

Spicy almond sauce:

• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tbsp tamari
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, or more to taste
• pinch of sea salt
• 2 tbsp water

Topper:

• 1/4 cup puffed quinoa
• 1 tbsp sliced almonds
• 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
• 1 tbsp goji berries
• pinch of sea salt

Directions:

1. Peel the cucumber and zucchini and run them through a spiralizer (or julienne them if you prefer).
2. Place the noodles in a colander and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Set aside while you make the sauce and topper.
3. To make the almond sauce, whisk together all sauce ingredients in a small bowl until smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste.
4. To make the topper, combine all topper ingredients in a small bowl.
5. To serve, place the noodles in a clean bowl, mix in the sauce and add a handful of topper. Serve immediately.