I’m back after spending five days in hot and humid Austin, Texas with some of the best people in the world. I was there to attend Vida Vegan Con, an incredible conference that brings together vegan bloggers, cookbook authors, entrepreneurs and other such influencers to network, eat awesome food and share secrets of success.

Travelling to a new place and being in a large social setting where I don’t know people well is a really scary thing for me. I’m naturally a very shy girl and can easily become overwhelmed with anxiety, especially around those who are popular and outgoing. I feel somewhat intimated and, well, awkward.

I somehow managed to work through the fear to attend what was the trip of a lifetime, for the third time—this was the third and final VVC and it was one I will never forget. Of course, once I got there it wasn’t nearly as hard as I imagined it would be. Since I had met many of my online friends in person during previous conferences, it was like one big, happy reunion. And it was bittersweet.

As my dear friend JL Fields captured in a periscope video she created during Saturday’s lunch gathering, conferences like these are all about building community. Sure, the conference sessions are wonderful and insightful and it is clear how much time and effort the organizers spent taking care of every last detail, but what was most apparent was how much love and compassion radiated from each person I spoke with. I realize now more than ever how essential this community is to my life, because I wouldn’t be able to grow my efforts in changing the world for animals without their encouragement, steady engagement and ongoing support.

And the food, my goodness. What a feast it was! Just imagine an entire buffet of deliciousness that is all vegan (no labels to read and no need to inquire about ingredients!). There were some pretty fantastic vegan cafes in the area, and I particularly loved our visit to Counter Culture.

Now that I’m back at home, I’m getting reacquainted with foods outside of a soft taco shell. I’ve been enjoying lighter fare, like this delicious bowl of zucchini noodles with homemade pesto and protein-rich poppers. This is the perfect meal for warm spring and summer nights. From the juicy roasted tomatoes, the freshness of the basil pesto and the zestiness of the quinoa poppers, every bite screams “hello summer!” It’s light and refreshing and bursting with flavour. 

If you don’t own a spiralizer, you can just as easily thinly slice your zucchini into ribbons using a mandoline, and it will be just as gloriously delicious.

I should note that the quinoa poppers make more than you will need, so feel free to store leftovers in the fridge or freezer and add them to salads or pasta sauce or serve as a snack alongside your favourite dip. You can also make the poppers and pesto ahead of time (the night before, for example) so all you’d need to do is spiralize the zucchini and you’re good to go. Enjoy!

Lemon quinoa poppers with basil spinach pesto & zucchini noodles

Yield: Serves 2

Ingredients:

For the quinoa poppers:

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup white quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 1 (19oz.) can cannellini beans (about 1 3/4 cups), drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons tamari
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper or ground black pepper

For the basil spinach pesto:

• 1 cup chopped fresh spinach, lightly packed
• 1 cup chopped fresh basil, lightly packed
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 1 small clove garlic
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

For the noodles:

• 2 zucchinis, spiralized into noodles
• 1 cup grape tomatoes

Directions:

To make the quinoa poppers:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the quinoa, reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the water has completely absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Transfer the quinoa to a food processor along with the remaining ingredients. Process until it turns into a thick, smooth paste.
4. Scoop out 1 tablespoon of the mixture and form into a ball. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining mixture. You should get about 20 balls in total. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on how crispy you like them. I like them crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, so I bake them for at least 40 minutes. You can bake them for less time if you'd like. At about the 20-minute mark, add the grape tomatoes to the pan, and bake until shriveled and nicely roasted, about 15 to 20 minutes. While they bake, you can go ahead and make the pesto.

To make the basil spinach pesto:

1. Using a food processor, process the spinach, basil, walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper until coarsely chopped, stopping to scrape down the sides of the processor bowl if needed.
2. While the machine is running, stream in the olive oil and process until distributed. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

To serve:

1. Mix the zucchini noodles with the pesto, stirring until all the noodles are coated (you can use clean hands if it's easier). Divide into two bowls and top with a few quinoa poppers and roasted tomatoes. Serve immediately. You'll likely have leftover quinoa poppers. Store them in an airtight container or Ziploc bag in the fridge or freezer.

Lemon quinoa poppers adapted from Fine Cooking.

Basil spinach pesto adapted from my basil spinach pesto hummus.

Single-Serve Pancakes with Gingerbread Pecan Butter from Living Candida-Free

Many of you may already be familiar with Ricki Heller and her popular website, a fantastic resource for vegan, sugar-free and gluten-free recipes and information about living with candida. Her new book, Living Candida-Free, offers practical and realistic strategies for anyone wishing to follow an anti-candida diet, as well as more than 100 recipes that anyone—on a special diet or not—can enjoy. Since many people aren’t familiar with candida, I asked Ricki in this guest post to explain what candida is and how she conquers it on a plant-based diet. 

I was hired to do the food photography for this book, so I was able to try out a number of the recipes. Luckily, Ricki is allowing me to share one of my favourite recipes from the book below, the single-serve pancakes. I love them because they’re made with wholesome ingredients like chia, quinoa, buckwheat and hemp. They’re also super simple to make and have become one of my go-to weekend breakfast recipes. For more delicious, sugar-free recipes and information about living candida-free, grab a copy of the book or sign up for Ricki’s Candida Kick-Start Course.

As a self-proclaimed sugar addict, I was perturbed (to say the least) when I was first diagnosed with candida and had to embark on an anti-candida diet.

Candida is a form of yeast that normally lives in the intestinal tract in harmony with all the other organisms that reside there. In a healthy body, candida causes no problems and can even be beneficial to help keep toxins under control.

But when things go awry (a condition often referred to as “dysbiosis”) in the internal microcosm, candida can quickly grow out of control and wreak havoc. Symptoms like overweaning fatigue, sugar cravings, foggy thinking, allergies, joint aches and all kinds of yeast infections can begin to develop and interfere with normal functioning.

Carob Pudding from Living Candida-Free

The usual treatment for candida overgrowth is a diet devoid of all sugars (even fruit), starches, yeast, alcohol and all moldy foods, along with antifungal supplements (and perhaps prescription antifungals, too).

So you can understand why I was concerned about having to follow the diet.

In addition, most candida diets shun a vegan approach to eating. Because meat, poultry, fish and eggs are all free of sugars or starches, they are usually recommended as the best forms of protein while battling the yeast. Some diets even go so far as to suggest that it’s impossible to remain plant-based while clearing the candida.

Eggplant “Parmesan” from Living Candida-Free

Well, I’m happy to say I proved those folks otherwise—even with a very severe case of the syndrome. It took some experimentation, working with a fantastic naturopath and time, but I managed to clear my candida while living a normal life and even created some delicious recipes along the way (recipes I am proud to serve to my husband, friends and family—and they don’t even realize they’re “special” foods!).

Fellow sugar addicts, take heart: if you’re dealing with candida, it IS possible to remain plant-based and conquer the yeast. With dedication, persistence, and some kick-ass recipes, you’ll be on your way and feeling better in no time.

ACD-Friendly Grain-Free Granola from Living Candida-Free

And even if you’re not dealing with candida overgrowth, the anti-candida diet is still a great way to transition to a diet free of refined sugar and incorporate more natural, lower glycemic sweeteners in your recipes; it’s a great resource for diabetics, too.

Single-serve pancakes

Yield: Serves 1

Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons (75 ml) milk of choice (unsweetened almond, hemp, flax, etc.)
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) raw apple cider vinegar
• 5 to 10 drops plain or vanilla pure liquid stevia, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) smooth natural almond butter or sunflower seed butter
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) whole chia seeds
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) uncooked quinoa, millet, or amaranth
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) uncooked whole buckwheat
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) raw shelled hemp seeds (hemp hearts)
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) coconut flour
• ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) baking powder
• Pinch of fine sea salt
• Coconut oil, for pan (optional)

Directions:

1. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the milk, vinegar, stevia, and almond butter until smooth. Set aside.
2. In a coffee grinder or blender, grind the chia, quinoa, buckwheat, hemp seeds, coconut flour, baking powder, and salt to a powder. Pour the mixture over the wet ingredients in the bowl and stir to blend. It will seem a bit too thick for pancake batter and more like a soft cookie dough. This is as it should be.
3. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat (brush with coconut oil if it has a tendency to stick). Divide the batter in half and place in the skillet (I use an ice-cream scoop), then use a spatula to flatten to about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick. Cook until the top begins to dry out (about 4 minutes); flip and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Serve immediately. May be prepared in advance and frozen. Will keep, frozen, for up to 3 months.

From Living Candida-Free by Ricki Heller. Reprinted with permission from Da Capo Lifelong, © 2015

Well, hello there! I can’t believe it’s been so long since I’ve posted a recipe here. I’m sorry for my absence, but there’s been a lot happening over here these past few months, and clearly posting on my blog has not been one of them.

While I have been spending a lot of time in the kitchen lately, it has all been for other projects (like cookbook photography for Dreena and Ricki). My own recipe development has been kicked up a notch too, but I’ll have to save those details for another day.

With all that’s been going on, I need meals that are quick, simple and nutritious. Yesterday, I threw together this dish and knew it had to be shared. The quick baked tofu is inspired by a recipe in Clean Start and, although I don’t eat tofu very often, this is my favourite way to enjoy it. It took less than 30 minutes to prepare this entire dish, which was awesome. And, it also makes great leftovers!

Today it’s a sunny +10 degrees, which means spring is here! Thankfully it seems to be the end of winter jacket season (and no more seeing fur-trimmed jackets everywhere I turn) here in Ontario. I’m definitely going to have to make time to get outside and visit this city’s amazing farmers’ markets so look out for more delicious recipes coming soon, all inspired by local produce I’m sure. Hello, asparagus, beets, strawberries and rhubarb—oh how I’ve missed you!

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I do.

Quinoa and kale with baked ginger tofu

Yield: 2 to 3 servings

Ingredients:

For the ginger tofu:

• 1 (350g) package extra firm tofu, pressed
• 2 tbsp mellow miso (I used mellow brown rice)
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 2 tbsp brown rice vinegar
• 2 tsp fresh grated ginger
• 1/4 cup water

For the quinoa and kale:

• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup red quinoa, rinsed well
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup vegetable broth (or more water)
• 1 small bunch kale (about 6 cups), chopped
• salt and pepper

Directions:

For the ginger tofu:

1. Preheat oven to 400F and lightly oil an 8x8 inch square baking dish.
2. Cut the block of tofu into 12 even rectangles. Do this by cutting the block in two squares crosswise, and then cut each lengthwise into three thin slices. Cut each piece diagonally, making a total of 12 triangles.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the miso, tahini, maple syrup, brown rice vinegar and ginger. Add the water and whisk until smooth. Pour a spoonful into the bottom of the prepared baking dish and spread out to make a thin layer on the bottom. Add the tofu in a single layer and then pour the remaining sauce over top to cover the tofu.
4. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and flip tofu pieces over. Continue to bake for another 10 minutes.

To make the quinoa and kale

1. In a medium saucepan, add the onion and a splash of water. Cook over medium heat until onion is softened.
2. Add the quinoa, water and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until liquid has been absorbed, about 20 minutes.
3. Add kale and stir until it wilts, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately with baked tofu.

What a week. While trying to fall back into my regular routine after my whirlwind vacation in Vegas, I came down with a nasty cold. Work piled up on my desk, decisions about more home renovations needed to be made, and I wanted to come up with something to contribute to my father-in-law’s birthday dinner. I feel like I’ve taken quite a hit with this cold, and everyday tasks seem that much harder to accomplish.

Healthy, healing food has been my priority this week, so I created this nutritious kale and quinoa tabbouleh salad to take to my in-laws’ house for the big birthday bash this weekend. It was pretty simple to throw together. The only real time investment is cooking the quinoa and lentils, which can be done ahead of time if desired. To make the tabbouleh, I combined the quinoa and lentils along with parsley, celery, green onions, goji berries and tomatoes.

I imagined this served on a bed of shredded curly leaved kale. By “shredded,” I just mean that I finely chopped it on a cutting board, after removing the thick stem and spine of each leaf. Of course, any kale or other salad greens will do, but I like curly or red kale because it’s easiest to find. It’s also best to use it within a day or two after purchasing because it tastes bitter the longer it sits around.

For the dressing, I decided to go with something light. Lemon, rice vinegar, garlic, sunflower oil, a touch of maple syrup and salt and pepper resulted in a nice, simple blend with just enough tang. I’ve also recently been adding celery to my dressings because it adds a refreshing yet mild element to the mix. The celery stalks puree quite easily with the other dressing ingredients using a high-speed blender.

The salad went over well with the family, and it paired nicely with the delicious quinoa, veggie and tofu casserole my mother-in-law made for part of the main meal.

I have to say, I’m a pretty lucky girl. I’m the only vegan in the family, but everyone seems to eat healthier when I’m around, as vegan options are always incorporated at every meal. My sister-in-law also made the coconut lemon bundt cake from Veganomicon for dessert, along with vegan whipped cream and berries. I wish I had snapped a photo because it was plated so beautifully.

Fresh, spring salads are my favourite way to welcome spring, so I think I’ll be making another batch of this salad for weekday lunches and dinners. Enjoy!

Kale and quinoa tabbouleh salad

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

Tabbouleh:

• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa (makes 2.5 cups cooked)
• 1/2 cup dry lentils (makes 1.5 cups cooked)
• 1/3 cup goji berries
• 1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley
• 2 celery sticks, thinly sliced
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1 tomato, chopped

Kale:

• 2 small bunches of kale
• 1/2 lemon

Dressing:

• 2 small garlic cloves
• 1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• 1 1/2 tsp pure maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup sunflower oil

Directions:

1. To cook the quinoa, first rinse it thoroughly under running water. Next, combine the dry quinoa with 1.5 cups of water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook uncovered until all the water has been absorbed, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
2. To cook the lentils, first rinse under running water. Next, combine the lentils and 1 cup water in a saucepan. Bring the lentils to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook uncovered for about 20 to 30 minutes. Add water as needed to make sure the lentils are just barely covered. Lentils are done as soon as they are tender and no longer crunchy. Remove from heat and strain.
3. Place the goji berries in a small bowl and cover with water. Allow to soak for about 15 minutes, then drain and squeeze out any excess water.
4. Combine the cooked quinoa, lentils, goji berries and remaining tabbouleh ingredients in a large bowl.
5. Remove the stems and thick part of the spines from the kale and chop into small, thin pieces (shredded). Place in a large bowl. Squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon over the kale (take care not to drop the seeds in!) and massage into kale with your hands.
6. To make the dressing, blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender.
7. To assemble, you can mix the dressing with the tabbouleh and serve it on top of the kale (this is best if serving on individual plates). Alternatively, mix the tabbouleh, kale and dressing all together in one large bowl to serve at a buffet. Garnish with sprouts and hemp seeds, if desired.

Have you ever thought about what stimulates your imagination or inspires you to create something new? It really doesn’t take much to inspire me or to make me smile in quiet awe. It’s the green bananas ripening on my kitchen counter. The way cookie dough comes together. Coconut oil melting. Lentils sprouting. What happens to chia seeds when I soak them. Beautiful photographs. The flowers that grow in my garden. My cat purring. My friends. And all of you. Those of you who leave your comments here, showing proof there are people who actually read my blog. Those of you who are silent but keep dropping in.

I find endless inspiration in other blogs, too. Food bloggers’ passion, and the delicious results of that passion, never fail to inspire me. This beautiful pudding is one such example. It is inspired by someone’s quinoa porridge, combined with another’s banana soft serve, and topped with my own creation of caramelized banana and nuts. The frozen bananas make this pudding thick and creamy, the cocoa adds a deep chocolate flavour, and the quinoa provides a perfect balance of essential amino acids and vital nutrients. As far as I know, no other chocolate pudding has the superstar power of this one. Enjoy!

Chocolate quinoa pudding

Ingredients:

Quinoa pudding:

• 2 cups nondairy milk
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
• 2 frozen bananas
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• 3 tbsp maple syrup or agave nectar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Caramelized banana and nuts:

• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 2 yellow bananas, sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
• dash of cinnamon

Directions:

Quinoa pudding:

1. In a large saucepan, combine the nondairy milk and quinoa and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer until the liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally so that a skin doesn't form on top.
2. While the quinoa is cooking, combine the bananas, cocoa powder, maple syrup, cinnamon and vanilla in a blender and blend until creamy.
3. When the quinoa is done, stir in the banana mixture. Serve warm, topped with caramelized banana and nuts (recipe below).

Caramelized banana and nuts:

1. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Spread out the sliced bananas and nuts in the pan and cook for about 2 minutes. Flip the banana slices over and cook for another minute or two, until they turn light brown.
2. Add the maple syrup and cinnamon and stir to combine. Cook for another minute, or until the maple syrup has dissolved. Remove from heat.