Tag Archives: coconut

Further adventures at The Naked Sprout

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On Sunday night, I was perusing The Vegan Woman’s Vegan Food Blog Guide 2013 to see what amazing blogs are out there that I haven’t discovered yet, and just about fell over when I saw my own blog made the list!

I have to admit, my initial thought was dismay: there must be another blog called Earthgiven Kitchen (and much more popular than mine!).  I couldn’t believe my baby blog, not even a year old, received mention as one of the top 40 blogs, earning The Vegan Woman’s Recommendation badge for 2013.  What an honour to be in the same guide as some of my favourite blogs: This Rawsome Vegan Life, Oh She Glows, Vegan Culinary Crusade, An Unrefined Vegan, Keepin’ It Kind and more.  Congratulations to all the honourees.

My heartfelt thanks to The Vegan Woman and those who nominated me, I am quite touched.  Checkout the list of top 40 vegan blogs here.  What a wonderful celebration of delicious, compassionate eating!

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On to a restaurant review!…

I first visited The Naked Sprout, one of Burlington’s two vegan restaurants, last June and loved my visit so much, I knew I’d be going back again before long, despite being an hour away.  To my surprise, after my blog review, the manager Jemma thoughtfully gifted me with a gift certificate to enjoy a meal there again, how kind!  Thank you, Naked Sprout!   I am terribly late in posting this second review, which was a fabulous birthday lunch celebrating my mother.   Here is what we ordered:

The Naked Sprout review Earthgiven Kitchen (3)D’Ambrosio Burger
Have you ever seen a prettier burger?  This was a wonderful chickpea-based veggie burger, gorgeously presented with a side of hot potatoes and swirl of spicy sauce.  I was quite impressed with this dish, especially the bun, which was the most delicious gluten-free bread I can recall eating.  I ate every bite.

The Naked Sprout review Earthgiven Kitchen (2)BBQ Pulled Tofu Sandwich
We had previously experienced the Pulled Un-Pork Sandwich at Hog Town Vegan, and adored it, so we were keen to try The Naked Sprout’s version of a vegan pulled pork sandwiches.  We were not disappointed, it was every bit as good as the Hog Town version, both tangy and sweet and beyond delicious, though this one likely healthier!   The jalapeno Havarti cheese was a nice touch.  We will definitely order this again!

The Naked Sprout review Earthgiven Kitchen (1)Coconut Poppers
We shared these breaded coconut strips as an appetizer.  It was a unique treat; we’d never seen anything like it before so we enjoyed the novelty of the curry-flavoured crispy coconut strips with cashew ranch dressing.  Pretty tasty, but not my favourite item there.

The Naked Sprout review Earthgiven Kitchen (5)Raw Lemon Cheesecake
It’s hard to tell from the photos of a white cake on a white plate but the cheesecake had two lemony layers with different textures: one firm and tangy and the other softer like a traditional cheesecake.  Together with the crunchy crust it was delicious!  They don’t have this flavour every day; you’ll have to see what the daily dessert specials are when you go!

Our whole meal was delicious and we finished every bite.  The staff were all friendly and professional and the place is so inviting, you’ll find yourself relaxing into the great vibe they have going on.  They have plenty of seating and are welcoming of children.  Make reservations, especially if you are intending their Sunday Brunch which I hear is amazing and quite popular.  Vegan wine and beer are available.  The restaurant is all vegan and gluten-free and the say they are over 90% organic….what a great business to support!

I’ll look forward to my next visit at The Naked Sprout!

The Naked Sprout is located at 4040 Palladium Way Unit 11, Burlington, ON.

My favourite chocolate chip cookie with a surprising healthy ingredient

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These are one of my most favourite recipes, and certainly my favourite cookie.  Better than a basic chocolate chip cookie, these have the lovely texture of flaked coconut and something that tastes almost like a soft macadamia nut.  It’s not a nut at all, it’s super-healthy chickpeas, low if fat and packed with protein, fiber, zinc and folate.  Baked into a chocolate chip cookie, the chickpea flavour is undetectable.  I love that I can put these into my kid’s school lunch as a nut-free treat.

Coconut & Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies by Earthgiven Kitchen I can’t take credit for the idea of adding chickpeas to cookies, that came from the Deceptively Delicious cookbook by Jessica Seinfeld (Jerry Seinfeld’s wife).  Her book isn’t vegetarian but it does have some great idea for hiding healthy ingredients into treat foods.  Beyond veganizing Mrs. Seinfeld’s recipe, I’ve decreased the sugar and added whole grain flours, flax, molasses, cinnamon and coconut.  You can’t get healthier cookies that taste this decadent!

Coconut & Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 cup sugar (I use turbinado)
3/4 cup Earth Balance Organic Coconut Flavoured Spread or other vegan margarine
2 tbsp molasses
1 tbsp flax in 3 tbsp water, mixed and set aside
2 tsp alcohol-free vanilla extract
2 cup flour (I used half whole wheat or whole spelt and half all-purpose flour)
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup shredded coconut
 1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup mini vegan chocolate chips (I use Camino Semi-Sweet chips which are also organic and fair trade)

Start by pinching the skins off the chickpeas.  It doesn’t take that long (I enlist my oldest child for this task) and you’ll get a much nicer texture if you remove and discard the skins.  Cream the sugar and margarine, then add the molasses, flax mixture and vanilla.  In a bowl, combine the flours, oats, coconut, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.  Add to the wet mixture and combine.   Add in the chickpeas and chocolate chips and stir gently.

Form into cookies about 2 tbsp each (I use a 2″ spring-loaded ice cream scoop) and drop onto cookie sheet topped with parchment paper.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes.  Yield = about 18 cookies.Coconut & Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies by Earthgiven Kitchen2 I am submitting this recipe to Healthy Vegan Fridays.

Breaking the Breakfast Routine

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Hi friends,

Happy holiday season!  I hope you are feeling more peaceful and organized than I am — my To Do Before Christmas list seems to be getting longer not shorter!  Still, it’s my favourite time of year and I’m looking forward to Christmas full of family time and good food!

November 2012 (4)I’ve already introduced you to my friend Kimmy, a holistic nutritionist who blogs at Rock My Vegan Socks.  I have invited her to join me at Earthgiven Kitchen with a guest post on healthy eating.  Read on below as she shares her tips to break out of a food rut with six gluten-free, soy-free vegan recipes to supercharge your breakfast.  Think outside the cereal box!  (Especially if it’s full of sugar, salt and additives like many of them out there.)   I don’t know about you, but I pretty much stick to the same three options for breakfast: smoothie, green juice or granola.   Thanks to these great recipes, I’ll be changing it up!   And starting the day off first with a nice glass of warm water and lemon juice. Thanks, Kimmy!

Breaking the Breakfast Routine
guest post by Kimmy from Rocky My Vegan Socks

Are you guilty of having the same thing for breaky, day in and day out?  Or do you perhaps grab something in your mad rush out the door after having promised yourself to make time the previous morning as your rushed out the door?  I know, I know – you are busy!  You have a job to get to, and kidlets to get out the door and breakfast isn’t exactly one of your priorities.  I get it, trust me.

What if I helped you get out of that breakfast rut and back in love with the most important meal of the day?  I have the magic!  I have loads of great ideas for super quick and easy breakfasts, along with a few more complicated ones when you’re in the mood and have time.

Before we get to the good stuff, let’s take a closer look at breakfast and mornings.  When you get up in the morning, your body has just finished detoxing after (hopefully) a good night’s sleep.  Your body wants a gentle wake up, so instead of jolting it awake with caffeine, try a nice cup of warm water with some fresh squeezed lemon.  This will help get your digestive juices flowing.  While you’re getting ready, try pausing to drink a glass of water to rehydrate yourself (this helps with energy for the day as well as keep your joints lubricated and help combat dry skin).  Try waiting until you feel true hunger before eating your breakfast.  This may mean having to take it to go, which is fine, just be sure to eat it in a calm & relaxed environment and to thoroughly chew it.  This will give you energy and keep you going until lunch if you just don’t have time for a mid-morning snack.  And it’ll keep you from grabbing a doughnut to stave off your hunger.

If you just don’t have time to make breakfast in the morning, make it the night before and take it with you.  I adapted this recipe from Oh She Glows’ Easy Vegan Overnight Oats.

breakfastoatmealChocominty Overnight Oats

1 medium banana
1/3 cup gluten free oats
3/4 cup almond milk
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp carob powder
a few drops of mint extract

Before going to bed, place the banana in your favourite breakfast bowl and mash up a banana.  Add the rest of the ingredients and stir really well.  Pop in your fridge until the next morning and enjoy cold.  This one is a nice spin on my favourite chocolate mint combination but is stimulant free.

If you have even just a few minutes in the morning, make yourself a nice, green smoothie. This is also something you could make the night before and have in the morning before you head out (or take with you).

Another important tip for breakfast fare (and all day eating) is the importance of rotating your grains.  Do you remember not being able to bring peanut butter to school when you were a kid?  It was unheard of when I went to school, but seems to be some sort of epidemic nowadays.  Food sensitivities are on the rise and one of the largest contributing factors is overeating a particular food.  Switch it up!  Don’t eat the same things day in and day out.  Try a 4-day rotation with your grains.  Have Millet Mondays and Teff-rific Tuesdays.  Try some new grains like teff and amaranth and buckwheat, which all make wonderful breakfast options.  You could even just have a large serving of fresh fruit for breakfast some days.  Get creative and have fun!

Here are some ideas to get you started:

breakfastmillet Millet Porridge

1/2 cup millet
1 cup coconut milk
1 tsp maple syrup or agave
cinnamon to taste (optional)
toppings: fresh fruit, nuts, coconut, etc.

Cook up the millet in the coconut milk and add maple syrup or agave.  I like adding cinnamon to mine as well.  Bring it to a boil then simmer for 15 minutes or until most of the liquid is gone.  Put it into a bowl and add some fresh fruit and chopped nuts (I also added flaked unsweetened coconut).

breakfastamaranthAmaranth Pudding

1/4 amaranth
1 cup liquid (I used 1/4 cup almond milk and 3/4 cup of water)
1/2 tsp maple syrup or sweetener or your choice
topping: chopped nuts, hemp seeds, etc.

Place  amaranth into 1 cup of liquid.  Bring this mixture to a boil, stirring frequently and then simmer it on low-medium heat for 15-20 minutes until liquid is mostly gone.  Add 1/2 tsp maple syrup (or sweetener of your choice) with some chopped nuts.  Try adding some flax or hemp seeds.

breakfastsmoothie

Green Smoothie

I’m sure you have your own ideas for smoothies, here are a few more for you to consider.  Start with some greens (spinach, romaine, mixed, kale), add some frozen fruit, some almond milk and some add-ins (flax seeds, chia seeds, goji berries, hemp seeds, maca powder, lacuma powder, spirulina, cinnamon, carob or cacao powder, coconut flakes etc) and blend away.  I always seem to buy too many berries when I head to the market on Saturdays and always have some leftover by the end of the week which I like freezing for smoothies.

breakfastbuckwheatparfaitBuckwheat Parfait

I love soaking and dehydrating buckwheat as it is so versatile!  You can add buckwheat to smoothies, cereal, trail mix or make your own little breakfast out of it. This is coconut yogurt layered with fresh fruit and dehydrated buckwheat.  I got this idea from Sarina of course =) Check out her recipe here.

breakfastparfait

Homemade Cereal (adapted from Oh She Glows)

1/3 cup oats
pinch of salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp maple syrup
chopped nuts
topping: fresh fruit

I also got this idea from Oh She Glows. I start with oats and add a pinch of sea salt, cinnamon (careful – if you aren’t used to adding cinnamon, start out small and work your way up), maple syrup and I chop whatever nuts I have on hand (I’m always pretty psyched if I have almonds, pecans, walnuts and cashews all on hand) and mix it with the oats and then add some chopped fresh fruit on top.

Bon Appétit!

The Chocominty Overnight Oats were submitted to Wellness Weekends blog hop.

Vegan Brunch: Savory Scrambles and Sweet Parfaits

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Shortly after I became vegan, I learned a little tidbit I’ll share with you: Brunch is a big deal to vegans.  Waffles, pancakes, scrambles, muffins, lattes, even bacon and omelets….. we can do it all vegan, deliciously!
My primary brunch staple for about a year was Oh She Glows’ Sweet Potato Oatmeal Breakfast Casserole.  It’s excellent, like everything Angela creates.  Then Tofu Scramble with Coconut Bacon took over as my main go-to.  Click the link for the recipe.

When I hosted a brunch a few weekends ago, I wanted to create a special dish for a friend with severe allergies.  Not only is she vegan, she also needs to avoid soy and gluten.   Before cutting out soy, she adored tofu scramble.  I wondered if I could possibly make a tofu scramble without tofu and still be delicious and full of protein?  I decided to try swapping the tofu in my scramble with white beans and potatoes and I think it turned out wonderfully!   All the flavours of my Tofu Scramble with potato and white beans substituting the tofu.  Perfect for anyone wanting to change up their scramble or just wanting to reduce their soy intake.

White Bean and Potato Breakfast Scramble
1 cup onion, chopped
coconut or olive oil
2 medium potatoes, chopped into bite sized chunks
14 oz cooked white beans, drained and rinsed if using a can
1 heaping tbsp of spice mix (below)
3 tbsp Bragg’s all-purpose seasoning, nama shoyu or soy sauce
2 1/2 cups chopped veggies (we like red pepper, massaged kale, mushrooms and spinach)
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1 tomato, chopped
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, minced

Scramble Spice Mix
2 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp dried thyme
1 tbsp turmeric
1 tbsp Herbamare seasoning or sea salt
1 tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
1/2 tsp sage
Mix the spices together and keep in a glass jar.  Makes enough for 6 servings of the  scramble.

Sautée the onion in a bit of oil over medium heat in a large pan and cook for about five minutes.  Add the potatoes and white beans to the pan with the onion and continue cooking, stirring frequently.  Add 1 tbsp of the spice mix to 3 tbsp of water, stir, then add to pan and stir well.  Add the Bragg’s, veggies and nutritional yeast to the pan and cook for another several minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender and veggies are soft.  Use a metal spatula to scrape the bottom if the beans start to stick.  Taste and add more Bragg’s, spice mixture or nutritional yeast if desired.  Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper to taste.  Serve warm topped with chopped tomatoes and cilantro.
The scramble also makes a great entrée.

I also served my traditional Tofu Scramble with avocado, fresh fruit, raw almonds (brought by a friend from California where nuts are unpasteurized and truly raw), and cherry coconut parfaits!  The parfaits can be nearly sugar free if you choose no-sugar added jam and granola, making it a not-too-decadent treat for breakfast, brunch or dessert.
Cherry Coconut Parfaits

cultured coconut milk (also called coconut yogurt.  I used So Delicious brand)
your favourite jam (I used homemade chia-berry jam)
granola (I used homemade raw coconut granola, recipe coming soon)
one cherry per parfait to top

Spoon about a two tablespoons of cultured coconut into the bottom of a glass cup or wine glass.  Top with two tablespoons of jam followed by enough granola to cover the jam.  Repeat the layers of coconut, jam and granola, then top with a cherry.  Serve immediately.

I am submitting my White Bean and Potato Breakfast Scramble to the Allergy Friendly Fridays, Gluten Free Fridays, Healthy Vegan Fridays, Foodtastic Fridays,  Wellness Weekends and Meatless Mondays blog hops.
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Vegan dinner party and my favourite curry

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One of my favourite dishes to prepare when guests come over is my Thai-inspired curry so that when they walk in the door, they’ll be greeted by the lovely smells of curried coconut, ginger and pineapple cooking.  Mmmmmm…. The dish is easily made ahead of time and kept in the fridge, then tossed on the stove to simmer for about half an hour before guests arrive, making it easy for dinner parties when you want everything done ahead of time.  You can even make it a day or more in advance and freeze, then defrost in the fridge over night.

The dinner party menu:
Cool Hummus Pizza Bites
Nacho Kale Chips
Spinach and Cranberry Salad
Baguette with Herbed Garlic Butter
Thai Pineapple Coconut Curry
Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes
Fresh raspberries

I chose it to be the main course when we had our friends Mary and Paul over for dinner.  This dinner party happened some weeks ago but I delayed posting as I kept tweaking the recipe for the curry, but now I think it’s perfect.

Mary runs my favourite blog This Is Vegan and is a wonderful cook and baker.  As a newbie vegan, I’ve deeply appreciated Mary’s advice on everything from restaurant reviews to blogging tips.   I don’t know how successful my first year as a vegan would have been without her, and I certainly wouldn’t have had as much fun, so thanks, Mary!   I’ve gotten to share some adventures with her like our girls’ weekend at the vegetarian bed and breakfast that turned out to be a secret beef farm, a fact that wasn’t revealed to us until we had checked out.  (“Isn’t it wonderful these people are using their farm as a sanctuary for these cows?… Wait a minute, why are their ears tagged?”) .  Back to the dinner party.  Mary brought her cool hummus pizza bites and they were a fabulous appetizer.  Baked crescent dough topped with hummus and garden vegetables!  She posted her recipe for them here.

The recipe for my nacho kale chips are found here.

My Thai curry is adapted from the Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes Cookbook by Robin Robertson.  The curry is a bit time intensive as the flavours need an hour or so to simmer for best results.  I like to cook a big pot of brown rice every few days and keep the cooked and cooled rice in the fridge for quick meals; it keeps for about three days.  If you don’t have 2 cups of rice made, you can cook the rice while the curry simmers.

Thai Pineapple Coconut Curry
2 packages of extra firm tofu
1 shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 inch of fresh ginger, grated
6 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp each brown sugar, cardamon, coriander, cinnamon, turmeric and cumin
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups cooked brown rice
3 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 onion
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups diced potatoes (we used red potatoes and purple yams)
1 cup pineapple chunks (fresh if you can find it, or canned)
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (optional)
1 cup coconut milk
fresh cilantro or pea sprouts

Rinse the tofu, then remove excess liquid by wrapping in a clean kitchen towel and pressing gently.  Chop into 1 inch cubes.

Combine the sugar (try it with coconut sugar if you can!), shallots, garlic, ginger, soy sauce and spices in a food processor.  Add the oil as well as 1/2 cup water.

Warm 2 tbsp of the coconut oil in a pan and cook the onions on medium heat for about five minutes, until softened.  Add the spice mixture, then the potatoes and stir.  Cook for about three minutes, then add in the vegetable broth, cover and cook until the potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes.

In a separate pan, warm the other 1 tbsp of coconut oil over medium-high, then add the tofu, stirring every minute or so, so that all sides of the tofu cubes are brown and a bit crispy (you can skip this step if you want softer tofu).  Add the tofu, pineapple, chickpeas (if using) and coconut milk, stir, and let simmer for at least 10 minutes.  Serve hot.  Top with fresh cilantro or pea sprouts and serve.

The best dish of all that night was the chocolate molten lava cakes with raspberries from my garden.  I can take no credit for cake recipe as they are the creation of the amazing Chloe Coscarelli.  I haven’t found a recipe for the cakes online, so you’ll just have to go out and get the Chloe’s Kitchen cookbook, but I promise it’s well worth it.  It’s one of my very favourite cookbooks.

What are your favourite dishes to serve at dinner parties?

July’s Vegan Food Swap

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Hey, it’s my 50th post!  Thanks all for sticking around.  I’m having a blast.  The blogger challenges have been particularly enjoyable.  I’ve just starting participating in Healthy Vegan Fridays, What I Ate Wednesdays and this is my third month with the Vegan Food Swap, where participants are paired with vegan foodie penpals and send and receive treats once a month.

Time to reveal this month’s box of delicious treats, this time courtesy of Sasha from One Small Vegan.  I love that nearly everything she sent me was a new discovery.  I’m a big food geek, so this was exciting for me.  Meanwhile, I sent a goodie bag of vegan treats to Gabby at The Veggie Nook.  I left for holidays the day after my package arrived so I haven’t had time to try everything yet.  I look forward to sampling everything before long.  Here’s what Sasha gifted me with:

–Yogavive popped apple chips.  Delicious!  How do you pop an apple?  I don’t know and the Yogavive people are mum on their website.  I made the tactical error of opening the teeny package in front of three other people, so I shared them, and I only got to have two little pieces.  So the lesson, folks, is to open and eat teeny bags of delicious food alone!

–One Earth Organic Coconut Sugar.  Dr. Oz says this is the best alternative to white sugar, did ya know?  That’s because it’s minimally processed with low glycemic index and a source of several nutrients, unlike cane sugar.  Wouldn’t it be awesome in my Spiced Coconut Mango Muffins?  YES!

–Cavena Naked Oats by Smart and Natural Foods.  This Canadian product is a a new variety of oats (GMO-free) that are naturally hull-less and hair-less meaning less processing and waste, so the website says.  These whole grains are have a decent amount of protein and iron.  I hadn’t seen it in stores near me yet (Sasha lives in another province) though I had heard buzz of this new grain and had been keen to try it.

–VerMints.  All natural vegan mints!  VerMints from Vermont, how cute.   And I’ll be keeping the adorable tin they come in.

–Vanilla bean pods.  I told Sasha of allergy to alcohol, meaning I can’t have any food with traditional vanilla extract, among many other ingredients that make my allergy supremely annoying.  How sweet of Sasha to send me whole vanilla bean pods!  A vanilla bead pod is not cheap, and I’ve never treated myself to one, so I really appreciate the generous and thoughtful gesture.

–Assorted teas and Sweet Leaf stevia. Stevia is my sweetener of choice in my tea.  The chocolate tea was particularly nice.

–Chocolate Vega Macaroons.  I LOVE homemade treats!  Especially with chocolate and/or coconut.  They were super.  They came with me on holiday to the cottage in a plain tin to attract no notice from the nine other people I was sharing food with, meanwhile eating them when I was alone.  I learned my lesson from the apple chips!  Okay, I shared a few.  But reluctantly.  They were really good!  And best of all, Sasha shared the recipe here so you can make them yourself.
Thank you very much, Sasha, for a lovely box of treats!  It was a foodie dream come true!

Want to learn more about the monthly vegan food swap?  Check out In Your City for all the info and thanks to Meshell for hosting!

Tofu Scramble and Coconut Bacon

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I’ve never been a fan of eggs; even as a meat-eating kid I wouldn’t touch them.  It was no hardship at all giving them up entirely for veganism.  When I was first served tofu scramble a couple of years ago, I didn’t find it particularly appetizing to look at, since it resembles scrambled eggs, but one taste and I was sold.  Tofu scramble is also a winner with my kids, they will eat every bite.
Tofu scramble makes a superb dish for brunches or dinner entrées.  Tofu is an excellent source of protein, calcium and iron, plus it’s not highly processed like some other soy foods.  Add some vegetables and nutritional yeast and you have one super healthy dish!  I make up a spice mix for the tofu scramble and keep in a glass jar in my pantry so I don’t have to measure out seven spices every time I want tofu scramble.
Tofu Scramble
1 cup onion, chopped
coconut or olive oil
2 14-oz packages of extra firm tofu
1 heaping tbsp of spice mix (below)
3 tbsp Bragg’s all-purpose seasoning, nama shoyu or soy sauce
2 1/2 cups chopped veggies (we like red pepper, massaged kale, mushrooms and spinach)
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
optional topping: fresh herbs, Daiya, coconut bacon (see below)
 
Tofu Scramble Spice Mix
2 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp dried thyme
1 tbsp turmeric
1 tbsp Herbamare seasoning or sea salt
1 tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
1/2 tsp sage
Mix the spices together and keep in a glass jar.  Makes enough for 6 servings of the tofu scramble.
Sautée the onion in a bit of oil over medium heat in a large pan and cook for about five minutes.  While the onion cooks, drain and rinse the tofu, then wrap in a clean kitchen towel and press gently to remove excess liquid.  Add the tofu to the pan with the onion and use a metal spatula to chop it up into chunks; it will continue crumbling into smaller pieces as it cooks.  Add the spice mix to 3 tbsp of water, stir, then add to pan.  Cook the tofu, scraping the bottom with the metal spatula as the tofu becomes brown and crispy on the bottom.  Add the Bragg’s, veggies and nutritional yeast to the pan and cook for another several minutes, until the veggies are soft.  Taste and add more Bragg’s or nutritional yeast if desired.  Serve warm.  Sprinkle with sea salt  and pepper to taste.
The scramble tastes excellent on its own, or you can top it with melted Daiya and even crispy coconut bacon for a higher-fat treat.  I first heard of coconut bacon when I read Mary’s rave review of Aux Vivres on her blog This is Vegan and was intrigued.  If you don’t like that’s it’s called “bacon”, just think of it as “smoky coconut crisps”.  I was excited to make my own crispy treat and was happy to find the recipe for Aux Vivres’ coconut bacon at Kirsten’s Kitchen here.  I used large flaked dried coconut since I couldn’t get my hands on a fresh coconut and it worked just fine.
I found that the recipe resulted in a surprisingly sweet taste; in future I will reduce the maple syrup to 2 tbsp for a more savoury taste.  The coconut bacon was also lovely in sandwiches and topped on salads, crackers, pastas and pizza.  Crispy and delicious!

Blueberry Coconut Smoothie

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Are you keeping cool?  This heat wave is intense!  We’ve been beating the heat by hitting the local pool, eating lots of fresh fruits and veggies and drinking cool drinks like this refreshing smoothie that’s packed with antioxidants, vitamins and protein.

This recipe works with frozen berries, but if you can get some Ontario blueberries that are just about ready, all the better.

Blueberry Coconut Smoothie
1 1/2 cup frozen or fresh blueberries
2 cups coconut milk beverage
1 frozen, chopped banana
4 dates, pitted
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp vanilla Vega protein powder
cinnamon to taste

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor then serve.  Optional: add ice cubes to make it an icier smoothie.  Makes two smoothies.

This smoothie is my submission to Wellness Weekend and Healthy Vegan Fridays.
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Almond Fudge Rice Crispy Bars

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These delicious bars are perfect for a cool treat on a hot day like today.  Or any day you’re craving both chocolate and a rice crispy square.

I used a combination of carob and chocolate instead of just chocolate for a few reasons.  Carob doesn’t have the caffeine that chocolate has, which makes it a better choice for those with that sensitivity (like me).  It also contains plenty of vitamins and minerals including three times as much calcium as chocolate.  Also, carob is naturally sweet so you don’t have to use as much sweetener in recipes.  I like combining the flavours of both carob and chocolate in these bars but you can use all chocolate if you like.  This recipe was inspired by the No-Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Crispies with PB Fudge from Oh She Glows, one of my favourite blogs.

Almond Fudge Rice Crispy Bars
Crispy rice layer
1/3 cup almond butter
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup chocolate almond milk
1/4 cup carob powder
2 cups rice cereal (I used Nature’s Path GF Organic Crispy Rice)
1/3 cup chopped almonds or other nuts
1/3 cup carob chips

Fudge layer
1 cup chocolate or carob chips (I used a mix of both)
2 Tbsp coconut oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Chopped nuts or dried fruit for topping

Over medium heat, combine the almond butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla extract, chocolate almond milk and carob powder in a medium-sized pan and stir.   When well combined, remove from heat and stir in the rice cereal, nuts and carob chips.

Pour mixture into a greased 6-cup (1.5 L) pan and press down so the layer is even.   When cool, place in the freezer to firm up while you make the fudge topping.

In the same stove-top pan, melt over low heat the chips, coconut oil, maple syrup and cinnamon, stirring well.  When combined, pour over the rice crispy layer and smooth out using a spatula.  Top with chopped nuts or dried fruit (I used walnuts and bananas).  Return to the freezer until firm.  Slice into squares and serve.

I made these bars the night before, keeping them in the freezer the next day, then moving the pan to the fridge at the start of dinner so the bars wouldn’t be too frozen to cut.  They were a big hit!

Coconut Lavender Shampoo and Body Wash

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All you need are two ingredients to make the best shampoo ever.  It lathers wonderfully, has a lovely perfume-free fragrance and rinses clean.  It also makes a fabulous body wash.  I love it for my kids because I don’t have to worry about the toxic chemicals that are in the supposedly-natural ”baby shampoos” out there.  The recipe was adapted from One Good Thing by Jillee.

Coconut Lavender Shampoo
1 part coconut milk
1 part castile soap (I use Dr. Bronner’s Lavender Castile Soap)
optional: a few drops of almond oil, jojoba oil or your favourite essential oil

Mix all in a bottle.  If you used plain castile soap but want a lavender fragrance, use lavender essential oil.  You can keep the bottle in your shower, it doesn’t need to be refrigerated.  Shake before using each time.  I found mine kept well for 7 days.

David Suzuki has an excellent article on the harmful chemicals in personal care products on his website here.  There is a link for a printable pocket guide to keep in your wallet and take shopping.  Handy!

I haven’t made homemade hair conditioner yet, but I very much like and recommend vegan and biodegradable conditioners by Live Clean and Desert Essence.   Both these products claim they are free of: parabens (suspected of messing with our hormones and causing cancer), Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate (petroleum-derived irritant), phosphates (additive that negatively impacts aquatic life) and animal testing (cruel and utterly unnecessary).   So hurray for personal care products that are safe and effective.  And they are reasonably priced too!