Quinoa Veggie Bowl

Got back from the gym starving hungry and needing to use up some veggies in the fridge & this was what I ate 20 mins later:

Quinoa Veggie Bowl
There is a lot of food in this so if you are hungry & have a big appetite this is a main course for 2, but it would easily do 3 with smaller appetites or 4 as a side with a roasted portobello mushroom.

1. Boil 1/2 cup rinsed quinoa in 1 cup of water for 15 mins. Turn off heat,  grind a little salt into the quinoa, stir and allow to fluff for 5 mins.

2. While quinoa is cooking. In a wok over a medium heat add in this order:
1 tbsp water
2 tsp lemongrass & mint white balsamic vinegar
6 asparagus spears chopped into 1/4-1/2 inch slices. Keep the tips aside til the end
2-4 brocolini stems chopped same size as asparagus. Keep the florets aside til end.
1 1/4 inch slice of kholrabi cubed
2 very small golden beets, sliced thinly
1 small carrot sliced thinly
2 sticks celery sliced
4 crimini mushrooms  sliced
3 black/dinosaur kale leaves sliced into ribbons
Steam fry for 5-7 mins til tender crisp
Add the asparagus tips and brocolini florets
Turn up heat if needed to finish cooking & cook for a further minute or two
When cooked take off heat & add another tablespoon of the lemongrass mint white balsamic

3. While quinoa & veg mix cook gather.
2 tablespoons of your favourite hummus
2 spring onions sliced
8-10 sugar snap peas, each cut into 4
1/2 advocado cubed
2 tablespoons of your favourite creamy vegan dressing
handful cilantro chopped
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

4 Assemble
In 2 big deep salad bowls:
In bottom put fluffed quinoa
Top with tender-crisp veg, then hummus followed by cold veg then dressing, ending with cilantro and sesame seeds.

Enjoy!

Green Smoothie

I just got back from a fantastic holiday with family and I am pleased that I was able to keep to my plant based way of eating without too much difficulty and even happier that my family enjoyed the food I prepared and could see what an improvement this has made to my health on every level.

The one thing I over indulged in was bread and few cake slices, so between that and the wetter weather at the end of my holiday my fingers are a bit sore due to a flare up of arthritis. However, I am really pleased that my blood glucose has stayed stable which is quite amazing and against the conventional idea that all carbs are pretty much a no go area. Admittedly bread, unless truly whole grain and sprouted and vegan cake are processed so not something we should eat much of whether we are worried about blood glucose or not.

This morning after the long flight yesterday I thought I would like to give my body a boost to ensure I don't succumb to jet lag so drank a couple of glasses of water and then made a huge green smoothie which is absolutely delicious and acts as a bit of a cleanser after the bread indulgences.

Green Smoothie
In the biggest jug your blender has put
1/2 cup frozen chopped Kale
3 squares or 1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach
1 small cucumber
Top greener half of a Romaine lettuce
1/2 apple
1/2 bottle green kombucha drink
1 tblsp apple cider vinegar (get one that is unpasteurized & has the mother present)
1-2 cups of water depending on how thick you like it - I used 2 as I felt a bit dehydrated from the flight.

Wizz up in the blender, drink & enjoy

Alive To Thrive Life

Yay I have done it!

I launched my website a couple of weeks ago and while it is still a work in progress it is actually out there, up and running.

The address is https://alivetothrivelife.ca. Please visit it and keep going back to see how it develops.

The plan is to start providing workshops seminars, cooking classes and retreats as well as coaching and a support network for people interested in including more whole plant foods in their diets or going fully whole plant based in their eating.  I will be adding dates as I get locations and times set up. If you are interested in attending anything and there is no date yet just drop me a line at the email on

I chose the name because I believe we were created to thrive in life, to have full health, to be full of vitality and energy. Thus an Alive to Thrive Life is one of health, vitality, energy and joy with the knowledge that a whole plant food way of life helps the planet and all creation to thrive.

While I fully believe that eating animal products is the least healthy way of life, I also realize that for many people going fully plant based is a step too far. I also know that much of the information out there is really confusing so people continue to think that meat, fish, dairy are healthy despite indisputable evidence that they all contain unhealthy fats, cholesterol and hormones that harm us.

 The processed food industry like the animal produce industry finances studies and research to back up claims that these products are healthy, will help us lose weight and increase energy so we are bombarded with at best biased information and at worst dangerous false information

The one thing that is  agreed is that we all need to eat more veg, fruit, beans, legumes so if I can help people do that then I will be really happy. I know people are healthier and the planet is healthier when we eat more plants and less animal products and processed products, so it is a win-win situation.

Spicy Black Bean Burgers

I have just had a fantastic holiday with family in Jersey, Channel Islands, UK and thought I would share the recipe that I made for for our family & friends BBQ this past week-end. The confirmed meataholics  who tried these tasty burgers all said they were really good & one admitted he had been back for 3!

I found some Porcini Mushroom paste in Waitrose here in Jersey- it is astounding so it is in this recipe. If I cannot find some in Canada I plan to just whizz some dried Porcini mushrooms through the blender and add that.

These do take a bit of prep but it really is worth the effort.

Spicy Black Burgers
1 red onion, diced,
1 red pepper diced
1 stick of celery, diced
4-6  cloves of garlic pushed through a garlic press
2 cloves of garlic slice thinly
2 tsps tamari/soy sauce

Steam saute in a large frying pan on  lower medium heat to soften. then add
1 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp ground coriander,
2 tsp medium curry pounder
1 tsp bot paprika
Stir and cook for a minute to release flavours of spices

Add
1/2 sweet potato, grated,
2 medium carrots grated,
1 tsp tamari/soy sauce
Stir  & cook to slightly soften the grated veg.

Turn off heat & allow to cool.

1 tin black beans drained well - half tin mashed with a fork to break up beans
1 tsp marmite
2 tsp Porcini mushroom past
1/4 tsp salt,
a few good grinds of pepper
1/2 cup large oats
2 tbsp chia seeds

In a large mixing bowl mix all the ingredients together , cover the bowl & put in fridge for 15 minutes, mix again & form a test burger in your hands. If it is too wet add more oats, mix, cover bowl and place back in fridge for 30 mins to firm up.
Either fry in a pan that has a very light spray of oil til crisp and golden brown or place on baking parchment on a tray and cook in a 200 degree oven for 30 minutes, turning once half way through.

I did both and found the baked ones slightly drier but still a good texture and moistness.

Parsley Lemon & Cannellini Bean Salad

The is variation, albeit a small variation on Yotam Ottolenghi's recipe in his book "Plenty More". The variation is I leave out the 1/4 cup of olive oil and the salt add a weak veg broth.

The weak broth is made from a McCormicks veg stock cube in 2 cups of boiling water & then 2 tablespoons taken out & mixed with 2 tablespoon of water. There is a bit of oil in the stock cube but this small amount is not enough to panic over if you are are trying to reduce added oil or fats.

Parsley Lemon & Cannellini Bean Salad
2/3 cup red quinoa, cooked for 11 minutes, drained, refreshed under cold water & left to dry completely.
2/3 cup flat leaf parsley, finely shredded,
2/3 cup mint leaves, finely shredded
3-4 green onions, white & green parts, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups cooked cannellini beans, drained
1/2 large lemon, peeled & chopped - about 1/3 cup of lemon flesh
1/2 tsp allspice
4 tbsp/60 ml weak veg broth - see above
black pepper

Once Quinoa is dry, stir all ingredients together & serve.
Great on it's own or on top of mixed greens as a main dish salad. Also great served with roasted veg.

Enjoy

Last night with Dr Esselstyn

Oh My! What an amazing man! I think he is in his 80's and he is so healthy, vibrant and his mental faculties are top notch! Ann Crille Esselstyn, his wife, was there too, another picture of what old age should look like; showing & telling us quick easy ways to eat healthy.

The major things I took away from the evening, even though I have heard them hundreds of times; having read the books and done the Plant Based Nutrition Course is how oil, even in moderation destroys the endothelial cells that line your blood vessels. This means the blood can't move smoothly, so every cell in your body is unable to get all that it needs. It made me realize, that even the small amount of oil in things like veganaise or a meal at my favourite Indian food restaurant could potentially be setting me back in my quest if I consume them too regularly! The good news for me is that if I keep these to an absolute minimum then the recovery time is quicker & damage is less.

Funny how you can do all the research, get it and then you hear it in person from a world renowned expert & suddenly it is like more light is shed, more understanding is gained

The other thing I took away was that if you eat a fully whole plant food way with loads of tasty veg, beans and fruit, but no animal products, no oil, no added sugar, or other processed food, every modern disease would be taken out of the picture including Crohns! The medical community basically says there is no cure. Many dietitians discourage people with Crohns from eating too much fibre, green leafy veg etc. They are worried it will make symptoms worse. But this way of eating takes away the cause which is what medicine should be about. I know this works as I had the symptoms of Crohns for years... like IBS with bells on; so much more debilitating. However, now I never get the symptoms.

Ann gave a a few good tips & my favourites were:
* making a dressing from hummus with balsamic vinegar (white to keep it light), orange juice & mustard. Can't wait to try it.
*Also using collard green leaves that have been boiled a minute to soften them then using instead of a flour wrap to make  burritos or veggi wraps.
* she doesn't like the creaminess of rolled oats and like savoury tastes so she cooks steel cut oats with chopped greens like kale, shitaki mushrooms, turmeric and nutritional yeast. Another one I am going to try as a snack.

I do wish every doctor in Calgary would have gone to hear Dr Esselstyn, even if they only got half of what he said it would cause a health revolution and make Calgary the healthiest place in Canada.

Thank you Kate, for putting this evening on. If you would like to know more about Kate McGoey-Smith's work in Calgary check her web site:
https://forksmart.org/

Do check out Dr Esselstyn's web page to get more information
http://www.dresselstyn.com/site/plant-based-nutrition

Have a great day

Isn't the way you eat expensive? Does it take a lot of time to prepare?

Those 2 questions come at me all the time.
The answer is generally NO.
Of course there are silly times when a head of cauliflower can cost $7, so you don't buy it til the cost comes down; but even at a pricey $5 a head you can easily get 6-8 servings as a side or if you add it to a curry it could well make 12 servings or more.
Eating a whole plant food way can be as cheap or quick as you want to make it and the two are not always mutually exclusive.
Buying quantity when prices are lower for things like tinned or frozen fruit and veg certainly makes it cheaper, easier & quicker to throw a tasty meal together in minutes.... but the same is true for meat eaters and this way of eating will give more variety, healthier choices and a smaller food budget as long as you keep away from processed foods.
As I keep telling people if you eat processed food it makes little difference whether it has "healthy", "vegan", "low fat", "protein" "vitamin a, b, d, e, k" or any other "in" word on it, it is still processed which means there is little nutritional value in it and all the added "good stuff" is in there so they can call it food not junk.
My friend Gwen is the queen of quick and she is what the Scot's call canny. She buys things with an eye on the budget.
I on the other hand lived so much of my life on the poverty line or below that I can make a meal from nothing and feed a family of 5 with it; but currently I am able to just buy what I want and so I am making the most of that. However, that does not mean I am extravagant, I have a modest budget & stick to it for the main part.
The tricks are to:

• Buy frozen fruits and vegetables, especially when on offer - they are picked fresh & are often cheaper in the long run than fresh.
• If you are happy to soak beans & chickpeas, & really all you need to do is pop them in a bowl with water over night & then rinse add more water & throw in the slow cooker next morning. That evening it ready to use in recipes, just like tinned. If this doesn't sound arduous, then buy them in bulk it is the cheapest way. Other wise look for deals on tins in supermarkets, you can often get them for as little as 89 cents a tin & get at least 4 servings from a tin.
• Lentils again buy in bulk if you are happy to; cheaper but it does add a bit to your cooking time. Red lentils are easiest, cheap & cook in a matter of minutes when added to a dish. Otherwise look for deals on tins of brown or green lentils etc.
• Keep a selection of tins of beans & lentils, veg like tomatoes, corn, green beans etc in your cupboard for really quick additions to salads, soups, stews etc. A chili can be thrown together in minutes with a few tins and some spices.
• Frozen fruit is great, put some out to defrost & throw on your oats or granola in the morning. munch on it straight from the freezer in the summer instead of ice pops, throw in a blender to make instant sorbet.
• Packets of pre-prepared salad mixes, coleslaw veg etc are instant salads. Buy ones without the dressing included as they are cheaper and the dressings are never healthy
• Cheapest salad dressing is a little lemon juice & herbs - fresh really is best. Simplicity is some specialty vinegar; yes that is expensive but a little goes a very long way. I love kraft raspberry dressing, but it is high in sugar so it is a treat, also it has an extraordinary amount of oil, so when I open it I immediately pour all the oil that has risen to the top down the sink. I often cut it with a squeeze of lemon juice to cut the sweetness & use less. Reduced fat Veganaise is great when mayo is needed, again I cut it with lemon or lime juice or a little whole grain mustard and water if I want a thinner dressing. 
• Key things to have in your cupboard are herbs, spices, tamari/braggs liquid aminos, spice mixes like Montreal steak spice or your favourite blend vegan stock cubes, - some  spice mixes & stock cubes have high salt content so keep an eye on that when using. Dried or pre-peeled garlic are useful when you don't have time or inclination to peel & chop fresh.

The most important thing is to make whole plant food eating fit your tastes, your likes, your budget & your schedule. 

Experiment, & Enjoy.

Shepherdess Pie

My daughter Bex was here for a few weeks & this is one of her favourite meals. A take on English Shepherd's Pie, with loads of veg so also similar to Cottage Pie, this meal is filling, comforting and goes a long way. I normally make it with just lentils as a substitute for meat, but Bex likes it with a bit of vegan mince added, so feel free to add or leave it out; the dish is good either way.

Ingredients for base:
1 tsp tamari mixed with 1 tbsp water
1 very large or 2 medium onions - I like 1 red & 1 yellow, chopped
1 head of garlic, smash the cloves with your knife & then chop
2 sticks celery chopped
1 medium carrot chopped
1/2 medium sweet potato chopped
1/4 butternut squash, peeled & chopped
1/2 small fennel bulb chopped
1 medium red or yellow pepper chopped
1 x 15 oz tin brown lentils, drain off liquid into a bowl for later
1/2 tsp Montreal Steak spice
2 McCormicks "beef" vegan stock cubes
1/2 of 312 packet of Yves ground round, broken up. Optional
1 tsp cornflour/cornstarch  mixed with a little water
water

Ingredients for topping:
10 - 14 white potatoes boiled & mashed - enough to cover your casserole dish with a good layer of mash
2 - 4 tbsp reduced fat Vegenaise
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste
Non-dairy milk if needed

Method:
Start by boiling the potatoes.
Put 1/2 the tamari & water mix into a large wok. Put on medium heat. As you cook adjust up or down to ensure veg cooks but does not stick. Add the rest of the ingredients down to and including the red or yellow peppers stirring occasionally as you go and steam fry, adding more of the tamari water as needed to prevent sticking.
Set oven to 375 degrees
Check your potatoes & mash when ready & add other ingredients. Put to side. If they are too dry add a little non-dairy milk if needed.
When the carrots, sweet potato & butternut squash are just tender & cooked, add the lentils & 1/2 their liquid, steak spice, stock cubes & stir to mix. Add the cornflour/cornststarch mix and stir. Add more of the bean liquid or water as needed to coat the mixture with a small amount of gravy, don't make it too wet as it will boil up and over in the oven..
Put the base mix into a large deep casserole dish. Top with the potato mix; leave it bumpy on the top so it browns.
Cook for 30 minutes.
Serve with cooked leafy greens, cauliflower & broccoli and your favourite gravy.
Enjoy

Tuscan Bean Soup

This oil free, (apart from any oil in stock-cubes) and fully plant based recipe is a bit of a hybrid from a couple of recipes I have seen & tried.

Ingredients:
1 medium onion chopped
1 small leek, cut in half & rinsed, then chopped
1 head of garlic, peeled & minced or put through garlic press
3 cloves of garlic peeled & sliced
1 carrot, diced small
stems ONLY of 4 kale leaves - see bottom of ingredient list
10 golden fingerling  potatoes chopped or 2 medium red potatoes chopped
1/2 red or orange pepper chopped
1 tsp fine herbs
1/2 tsp rosemary
shake of Montreal steak spice
1 x 15 oz tin diced tomatoes
1 x 15 oz tin white Kidney beans - Cannellini
1 x 15 oz black eye peas (used this as I only had one tin of Cennellini)
2 low salt stoCk cubes or McCormicks vegan chicken style stockcubes
2 cups water
6-8 asparagus spears cut into 1/4 in slices
4 kale leaves with stalk removed.
         Cut thinner end of stalk into small bits and add with carrot
         Thinly slice leaves into ribbons this is last item to add

Method:
Put a small amount of water into soup pot & heat on medium.
Add ingredients in order above up to & including Montreal steak spice. Add a little more water if needed to prevent sticking.
Add ingredients up to and including 2 cups of water, bring to boil & simmer about 10 min or until potato is almost cooked.
I often complete the recipe thi far in the morning,turn the pan off at this point & leave for the flavours to mix, but this is not vital. If not leaving to meld then you may need to cook a few minutes more to ensure carrot & potato are cooked
Just before ready to eat: Add asparagus & kale leaf ribbons and simmer about 5 mins or until asparagus is tender & kale is wilted.

Serve on own or with favourite whole grain bread

Vegetable Biryani

I've had supper at Little Spice ( http://littlespice.ca/ ) twice this week!  It is goode to be able to get a good vegan curry for a good price! I tell you all the vegetable curries are delicious! On Sunday I was with a friend who likes mild & Thursday with a friend who, like me, enjoys medium.  The Vegetable Biryani is great either way!

Today is fridge clear out day so I can go buy fresh veg for the coming days and I was thinking abut what to do with the bit I have left! Veggie Biryani of course! Tasty, filling and makes veg stretch to a few meals.

I love the simplicity, the one pot cooking and the deliciousness!

Vegetable Biryani
Basically this is any veg you have, rice and curry spies! Today I used:
1 medium onion, chopped
3 sticks celery chopped
6 cloves garlic chopped
3 carrots, chopped
4 small parsnips, chopped
1 small sweet potato, chopped
1 turnip, chopped
1/2 inch ginger, finely chopped
2 tsp Biryani spice mix
1 & 1/2 cups mixed rice - black, brown, red, wild, rinsed
2 veg stock cubes
1 tin tomatoes
Water.

Put a little water in a medium large soup pan. Add onions, garlic, celery and sweat for a couple of minutes. Add rest of veg. Stir and add a little more water. Add spices, stir, cook for a couple of minutes stirring occasionally to mix flavours and prevent sticking. Add rice, stir, add stock cubes and tomatoes. Stir add more water to cover.
Bring to boil, turn down and simmer until rice is cooked and most of the water is absorbed, abot 45 - 60 minutes depending on the rice.

Enjoy on its own or with other Indian or Pakistani dishes.

Plant Based Nutrition Certificate - day 1

Wow! Wow! Wow!

At last I am actually doing the Plant Based Nutrition Certificate with eCornell. I am really excited and know I will learn so much. Day one & the first module completed!

I was a bit worried that there may not be many students. That is not the case! There are people from all over the world and every one of them has posted something that makes me want to get to know them more.

I have found that just signing up for the course has given me even more motivation to eat a whole food plant based way 100% so I am sure that learning more will keep that motivation fired up. Combine that with my love of creating new dishes and recipes or adapting old ones and I think 2017 may be the year that changes everything!

Red Potato Casserole

I looked in the fridge the other day and there was not much left, so necessity being the mother of invention I got stuck in to making something tasty.

1 onion, chopped
14 small baby red skin potatoes
1/2 sweet potato, cubed about same size as baby potatoes
4 cloves of garlic sliced
6 large brown mushrooms, each cut in 6 pieces
1 zucchini chopped
1 medium large tin tomatoes
1/4 tin maybe less mixed beans
1/2 tsp Italian herbs or herbs of choice
good dash of tamari
sprinkle of steak spice

Pre-heat oven to 375
Throw it all in a casserole dish and cook for about 30 - 45 minutes until potatoes are cooked.

About 10 mins before it was ready I added 1/2 pack of vegan Italian mince. I don't use this often, but sometimes fancy a little to add another source of texture & protein.

I just ate it with a bowl of salad but you could serve it with rice or pasta if you wanted a carb heavy meal.
There was enough left for lunch & supper the next day

Just to let you know Kate McGoey-Smith from ForkSmart is setting up an evening with Dr Caldwell Esselstyn. This is an amazing opportunity to hear him speak. His information is relevant to all who are looking to be healthier, have more energy. Hope to see you there.

Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn Jr., M.D. New York Times Bestselling Author of "Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease: The Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven, Nutrition-Based Cure". Is coming to Calgary on April 28, 2017.

Register for your Early Bird Tickets at: heartcalgary.com

I am planning to run workshops!

I love sharing recipes, research and information I find. I love meeting people and having great conversations. I love running workshops, mentoring people and sharing meals together with people I know & meeting new people over a meal.

So why not combine all these together?

Well that is just what I plan to do.

I am going to run my first FREE workshop in February for friends and colleages; they will be my guinea pigs in one sense. I have run loads of educational and experiential workshops, taught seminars, trained student social workers, taught classes etc etc. I have put on dinner parties, taught people how to cook, written hundreds of recipes & shared many. But I have never done both at the same time!

So I am going to start running workshops on healthy eating, exploring whole plant-food eating though recipes and eating delicious food together. Then for those who would like to explore further, learn more I will offer some mentoring & support and a chance to share more meals.

I would love some feed back & to know if you are interested in participating in one of these workshops.

Bean & Herb Slaw

I had this yesterday and it was so good!

Bean & Herb Slaw
1 tin mixed beans, drained
2 handfuls store bought broccoli slaw
1 handful arugala/rocket chopped
1 handful baby kale leaves chopped
10 mint leaves chopped
handful cilantro leaves chopped
handful parsley chopped
4 basil leaves chopped

Combine all in a large salad bowl

Dressing
Mix together:
1 tablespoon vegan mayo
1 tablespoon lemon white balsamic (Soffrito in Calgary stocks this)
1 tbsp oil free raspberry salad dressing

Mix slaw & dressing together and serve
Enjoy

Black bean & rice burgers with roasted peppers, onion mushroom & garlic

I woke this morning thinking about my health & what I do to improve it. That spurred me to get up and start cooking.

Last night I had some store bought vegan sausages - yes they are tasty but with a whacking 11 gr of fat they are not healthy. We need some fats in our diet but it must come from whole sources such as adding a few nuts or seeds to a meal or some avocado; even an occasional few olives. But when it is an added ingredient it does s no favours and potentially it can do us some harm, increasing insulin resistance or adding to the stickiness of our arteries. So up I got to make some burgers for my lunch and the rest can be frozen or turned into a loaf and frozen or used for supper tomorrow.

Black Bean & Rice Burgers

1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 2 1/2 tablespoons of water

1 1/2 cups cooked black beans or 1 (15 ounce) can no-salt-added or low sodium black beans, drained

1/2 ripe avocado

3/4 cup oats

3/4 cup cooked rice - I use a mix of black, red, brown & wild, there are lots of brands such as Nuworld and Lindburgs

1 tablespoon chia seeds

1/2 finely diced onion

1/2  finely diced red pepper

2 mushrooms finely chopped

1 clove garlic finely chopped

2 tablespoons low sodium organic ketchup

1 tsp tamari

couple of grinds of black pepper

good sprinkle of Montreal steak spice

Heat oven to 350 degrees

Put flax seeds and water in bowl with water & let sit for at least 5 mins.

Mash beans & avocado with a fork, leaving some beans whole. Add all the other ingredients and mix thoroughly. Taste to see if seasoning is right & adjust if needed. I sometimes leave the mushrooms out and use this mix as a pate.

Form into 6-8 burgers.

Roasted veg:

1 & 1/2 onion cut into thin wedges

1 & 1/2 red pepper cut into slices

1 head of garlic peeled

6-8 mushrooms (that is 1 per burger but you can add as many as you want per burger)

Either line a baking sheet with a non stick sheet, parchment paper or very lightly oil it. Place as many burgers as you want to cook on the sheet. Fill the rest of the baking sheet with veg. 

Cook in oven on middle shelf for 15 min. stir veg  & very carefully flip burgers. put sheet back in with what was front edge now at back. Cook for another 15 mins. You may need a few more minutes depending on your oven. If everything looks cooked serve with salad, a bun and favourite burger fixings or with roasted root veg such as sweet potato, parsnip, beet and butternut squash.

Enjoy

Spicy Lemon Ginger Stir-fry

 I am quite excited that I have heard of a few people who I know or people they know of who are deciding to try vegan eating this month. I know for me a vegan whole plant food diet is the way to go, but as my friends know I can fall off at times. So I am always pleased to hear someone is trying this out; my hope is that they will see so many benefits to them and to the planet so they will grow & surpass me in their efforts.

What really helps me is knowing I can make meals that are more delicious & healthier than I can buy at a restaurant; but what is great is more places are offering vegan & gluten free options so I at least get a chance to eat out without suffering.

This Stir-fry is just one of a variety I do. As a student back in the 1990's with a very limited budget I found stir-frys were my staple. I invested in an electric wok so I could eat no matter where I was. Then I went to work creating lots of different stir-fry recipes so I would never be bored. Add some rice to the bowl or use to top a baked jacket potato & this is the ultimate in cheap healthy tasty eating. Now a days I stirfry with out oil, I steam fry as this is so much healthier & ultimately more flavourful.

I can eat this as a meal on it's own, or with rice, quinoa or jacket potato or as a side with  marinated tofu, bean burger, vegan sausages or sweet potato fitter or even fakn chickn, though that is not a healthy choice.

Spicy Lemon Ginger Stir-fry
1 onion, cut in 4 & thinly sliced
1/4 inch ginger, grated
1/4 inch galangal, grated - optional, first time I used this is today, it's like a citrus milder ginger
1 stick celery chopped
1 Thai red chili, de-seeded & chopped fine - leave out if you don't want spicy
1 habernero chili de-seeded & chopped fine - leave out if you don't want spicy
1 red pepper, chopped
1 zucchini into bite size bits
4 mushrooms, sliced
1/8 savoy cabbage, chopped
very large handful broccoli slaw (from a package)
1 small lemon, juiced, I cut a slice from the middle before juicing & add this to the pan too.
1/4 veg stock cube
salt & pepper
Added at end:
handful baby spinach, roughly chopped
handful baby kale roughly chopped
handful arugala/rocket
handful of stems chopped fine  & a few leaves of Cilantro roughly chopped,
few stems & leaves of mint, roughly chopped

Put about 1 tbsp of water in large wok. bring to simmer & add ingredients onions to zucchini, add a little more water if drying out. Cook for about 2 mins then add the rest of the ingredients down to salt & pepper plus more water to keep moist & give a little sauce (about 1 or 2 tablespoons left in bottom of pan at end of cooking). Cook stirring for about 4-5 mins til veg are tender. Add green leaves, stir til wilted.

Enjoy

Roasted Veg Cottage Pie - CheezyOnion sauce variation

Veganuary which takes place worldwide in January, is a chance people to learn more about being vegan, try out recipes and learn more about what it takes to produce food for your plate. There are a few websites to go to to learn more, for example;
https://veganuary.com/

http://www.veganfoodandliving.com/

http://www.peta.org/living/food/free-vegan-starter-kit/?gclid=Cj0KEQiA-_HDBRD2lomhoufc1JkBEiQA0TVMmoTLYd4k64DL3MgXQhNQhB9b5eOBBjnLujFql7Mfb5AaAsi_8P8HAQ

https://www.vegansociety.com/

I must admit after the excesses of the Christmas season, I am always desperate for some healthy food, salads and new recipes. However, being winter I also crave some good comfort food.

Roasted Veg Cottage Pie is one of those. What I love is that each time I make it it can be a little different depending on what I have in the fridge. I bought some Cashew cheese yesterday and thought "Wow that'd make a good sauce..."

Roasted Veg Cottage Pie 
Roasted Veg:
Any root veg you have in your fridge basically. Today I used
1 carrot
1 Parsnip
1/2 white sweet potato/yam
1/2 orange sweet potato
1 small beet
1/2 small butternut quash.
1 Indian Egg Plant ( the small round ones)
6 mushrooms cut in 1/4s
2 tsp olive oil

Set oven a 400 degrees.
Chop all root veg & egg plant into cubes and place in baking tray tossing in the olive oil. Roast for 25 mins, Stir and add mushrooms, stir & roast for 20 min.

Topping
Chop these at same time as the veg fro roasting.
1 Parsnip
1/2 white sweet potato/yam
1/2 orange sweet potato
1/2 butter nut squash
1/2 small swede / rutabaga
Pinch Salt
Water to boil

Place in saucepan, bring to boil then s min til soft enough to mash. Drain & mash, add a little salt & pepper to taste if liked.

Sauce
1 onion, chopped fine
4 cloves garlic chopped fine
1 stalk celery chopped fine
1 tablespoon vegan cream cheese - I used Spread'Em Kitchen Co's "Cashew Turmeric & Pepper Fermeted Cheese style spread
1 tblsp Nutritional yeast
2 tsp potato flour
Cold water
Water from vegetables
1/4 cup unsweetend almond milk
2 tsp tamari

In pan  combine onion, garlic & celery with a little water, simmer covered for 5-10 mins til softened. Add cheese & stir
Add about a cup of veg water and nutitional yeast, back up to slow boil
Mix potato flour with cold water to make slurry add  to pan & stir to begin thickening, add tamari. Add more veg water if too thick. Taste & add salt or tamari  if needed.

Construct
Place veg in casserole dish, pour over enough sauce to coat veg, I don't put enough to cover as it becomes too wet. Mix.
Top with mashed veg, make ridges on top with a fork. Dot with a little vegan margarine if you like.

Place back in oven for 20 mins to heat through & crisp topping.

I serve with steamed green veg.

Enjoy

Butternut & Cauliflower Curry

This is an adaptation of Bernadette Bohan's Hot & Spicy Curry which I saw in "Vegan Food & Living" a UK magazine. See veganfoodandliving.com or www.facebook.com/veganfoodandliving

Butternut & Cauliflower Curry
1 onion, peeled & chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled & sliced
1 small butternut squash, peel if the skin is tough, otherwise just chop into cubes
1/4 sweet potato cut into cubes
1-2 small Thai red chillies
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp ginger
2 tsp cumin
1 tbsp medium curry powder
1 tbsp ground coriander
1/2 cup split yellow peas, rinsed & picked over for stones etc
1 small cauliflower, chop the stem into chucks, cut the rest into large sections, they will break down.

1 tin (14oz) full fat coconut milk

2 McCormick vegetable stock cubes
2 -3 cups water

In a medium large soup pan put a little water & place over medium heat. Add onion & garlic, cook to soften. Add a little water to prevent sticking.  Add squash & sweet potato cook for a minute or two. Add a little water to prevent sticking. Add spices & stir well, cook stirring to release flavours & cook off rawness. Add a little more water to prevent sticking. Add yellow split peas & stir. Add Cauliflower. Stir. Add coconut milk, stock cubes & water. Make sure there is enough to cover well as the peas will soak up fluid while cooking.
Stir, bring to boil & boil for 10 minutes partially covered to start peas cooking, then turn down to simmer. Cook covered for about 20-30 minutes until peas are tender. Mine were a bit old so they stayed very firm but were cooked and added more texture.

Serve with mixed rice & poppadoms

Enjoy

Christmas Nut Roast with Garlic Brussels

Nut roasts are a strange thing. Some people associate them with weird hippies of the 60's & 70's, some with comfort food. Some nut roasts are full of texture & flavour, others are a soggy mess or like cardboard.

I keep experimenting & have had varying success. This one is one of the best so far & my meat eating family all enjoyed it and in particular my daughter-in-law Claire gave very positive feed back. So I think this is a winner even though it has a few steps.

One thing you will note is that while I normally do not cook with added oils this recipe does have some. I don't really think the oil is completely needed but in such small amounts it does add another layer of taste and using it on one day a year probably won't do huge harm. The vegan margarine & coconut nut cream are certainly not a healthy choice but the taste extravagance is worthwhile for Christmas dinner . 🌝

Christmas Nut Roast
Heat oven to 350 degree

Step one:
1/2 butternut squash, peeled & diced
1/2  orange sweet potato, washed & diced.
tsp olive or coconut oil
light sprinkle of salt

Toss squash & sweet potato in oil, spread out on baking sheet, very, very lightly sprinkle with salt. It is a flavour enhancer only. Cook for about 20 -30 mins until soft and just beginning to crisp.

Stage two, while squash & sweet potato cook:
3 medium shallots or 1 onion peeled & diced
6 cloves of garlic, peeled & chopped
10-12 brown mushrooms, wiped with damp cloth, cut into pieces
1 red or yellow pepper, washed, de-seeded & diced
1 tsp olive or coconut oil
2 tblsp tamari

In a large frying pan add oil & all veg & saute until soft & starting to turn golden. Add tamari.

Step Three:
4 tablespoons almond flour/ground almonds
1/4 cup nibbed almonds
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup chopped cashews
1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts
6 chestnuts chopped
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1/4 tsp Montreal steak spice

Place in a large bowl and mix together.
Add mushroom mixture & squash mixture. Mix all together. The mix should be moist & the chia seeds will create a gel to bind it together. Taste & adjust seasoning.

Put the mixture into a pie plate that has been lightly greased with vegan margarine. Press it down so it is firm. Cover & place in fridge for 20 - 30 mins. to set up.

Cook in oven 350 degrees for about 20 minutes till crisp & dark golden on the top.

This is a crumbly roast, if you want it more solid I suggest adding a slice of gluten free or granary bread that was soaked in a little tamari & water. Add this to the final mixing before setting in fridge.

Garlic Brussels
As many Brussels Sprouts as you like. Cut in half & sliced.
1 clove of garlic per 4-5 Brussels Sprouts
1 tablespoon vegan margarine
pinch of salt & a little pepper
3 tablespoons vegan cream or thick coconut cream

In a large fry add margarine, garlic, sprouts & saute till cooked but not mushy. Add salt & pepper. stir & then add the vegan/coconut cream. Cook for a minute or two. Serve.

My daughter who hated sprouts when little would eat these, of course when she was little I used double cream from a cow. However, we have found this actually tastes better especially when coconut cream is used as it brings more depth to the flavour.

Enjoy

Almost vegan holiday .... Insanity or Addiction?

I have discovered there is a problem for me with certain situations. While at home cooking for myself I create the most amazing & delicious vegan, whole plant food meals and recipes; I have no desire for fish or cheese & certainly not meat. But go on a hike in the mountains with one friend, a committed carnivore & I want a steak afterwards! Have a meal with with colleagues at a restaurant & I want it all and far too much of it! Go to Jersey to visit family & despite their absolute support in my vegan whole plant food life style I want fish & cheese!

Do I really enjoy these animal based foods when I go ahead & eat them? - NO.
Do I know that they make me sick & feel unwell? - YES and I really do not have positive health reactions which you do not need to hear again!
Am I not committed to a whole plant food way of eating and a life-style that does no harm to any creature?  - YES I am committed!
Does it stop me from eating animal products at times? - NO

So what is wrong with me???

They say that doing something over again and expecting a different result is insanity! I think eating something that harms you, knowing it harms you & makes you feel bad & still eating it is insanity... thus I must be insane on some level.

Either that or it really is an unconscious drive to re-experience a positive experience that over-rides logic, self-talk & other experiences. In which case it is a form of addiction.

I am going for the latter. An addiction, whether physical, mental or emotional is really hard to beat but it is possible.

Also insanity seems a little harsh.

I think the addiction hypothesis is more likely, a case of unconscious flash back to associating these animal products with community, good times and comfort & we all need those things. So I need to build community, have good times and experience comfort without the association to animal based eating. I can do that! In fact I am doing that, so I just need to continue so that becomes the stronger impulse.

So just in case you are feeling bad because you didn't make it through Christmas, New Year & holidays with out a slip-up, let me encourage  you, it is ok. You can start again today, and again tomorrow, & again the next day. Each meal or snack we eat that is whole plant food-based is a success.

I really believe that we can have good intentions, try our best and still fall off the train. The key is not to go into negative thoughts of self-criticism, blame and failure. As a very old song says pick yourself up, dust yourself off & start all over again.

So here I am back on the tracks to regaining my health, discovering more ways to cook prepare & eat a whole plant food based diet. I am excited by this & already have created 3 new takes on favourite dishes..... next few blog will give you details.