vegan beluga lentil + farro salad with roasted veggies and leeks

I threw this salad together last week and loved how the flavor so came together, definitely saving for future use! Makes great leftovers too. 

Ingredients: 

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

1 leek, diced

1 cup dry beluga (black) lentils

1 cup dry farro

3-4 tablespoons high heat oil (I used avocado oil)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar (or to taste)

Salt to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Spread out the cubed sweet potatoes on one and the cauliflower on the other. Drizzle with the avocado oil (or other high heat oil). Bake for 25-30 minutes. I've found sometimes the sweet potatoes need a little extra time, so check their tenderness with a fork when removing the cauliflower and leave them in for another 3-5 minutes if needed. Meanwhile, cover the lentils in water and simmer covered on medium low 20-25 minutes or until tender and cook farro according to package directions. Once veggies are done and lentils and farro are drained, combine them all in a large bowl and add the leeks, oil, vinegar, and salt. Stir well and enjoy! 

hot ginger pear cider

While we were in Canada, I got an amazing ginger pear cider in Calgary and wanted to duplicate it at home. A little experimentation in the kitchen happened, and this drink came out awesome! It's perfect for autumn too... (if only we had some cold weather here!) I had to share!!

vegan Moroccan-spiced red lentil, chick pea and kale soup

This soup was simply delicious and definitely something I will make again! 

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil (coconut oil or avocado oil will work too)

1 large onion, diced

4 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 tablespoon turmeric

1 tablespoon cumin

1 teaspoon sea salt or more to taste

1 can coconut cream

1 cup red lentils, rinsed

4 cups chick peas (I used canned) 

2 large tomatoes, diced

4 or 5 cups vegetable stock, or according to your preference

2 cups roughly chopped lecanto kale

Instructions

In a large stock pot, sauté onion in oil. Add chopped carrots and spices and cook 5 minutes over medium low heat. Add vegetable stock all other remaining ingredients except the kale. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in kale and continue simmering for another 5 minutes or until kale is barely tender. Remove from heat and serve. 

warm turmeric milk tea

I wanted to share one of my favorite recipes today. This soothing, slightly spicy tea is so nice for sipping at night before bed or in the morning instead of coffee. It is also excellent for reducing inflammation and pain. 

ginger peach smoothie

Not only is this icy treat refreshing, it's very soothing if you have any tummy troubles! On to the recipe:

Ingredients:
1 cup frozen peaches
1 banana, fresh or frozen
1" fresh ginger root, peeled
1 cup light coconut milk
1 tablespoon honey

Instructions:
Add all ingredients to your blender and blend on high until smooth.

serves 1-2

What I Wore // Sunday Brunch Date

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a great weekend. Yesterday hubs and I went out for a brunch date and tried out a restaurant we hadn't been to yet. It was a breezy, not-too-hot day and perfect for strolling around downtown and by the water too.

Vegan Black Forest Cake Smoothie

We got a huge bag of frozen organic cherries from BJ's the other week, so they've been making a regular appearance in my smoothies :) Who says you can't eat clean and treat yoself at the same time? This cake-inspired smoothie is a delicious treat and it's packed with antioxidants...yay!

Vegan Black Forest Cake Smoothie

Serves 1-2

Ingredients:

1 cup frozen cherries

1/4 cup dairy-free dark chocolate chips

1/4 cup cashews

1 cup coconut milk (I used the So Delicious culinary lite coconut milk)

1-2 tablespoons maple syrup

Instructions:
Blend cashews and coconut milk until smooth. Add all other ingredients and continue blending. Enjoy!

Vegan Coconut Cacao Sunbutter Cups

These snack cups are high in protein, free of refined sugar, easy to make, and so yummy!

Vegan Coconut Cacao Sunbutter Cups
Adapted from The Honour System's recipe here.

Makes approximately 8-9 cups

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sunbutter, I used smooth
1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut + more for the top
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons hemp seeds
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup cacao nibs, I use Navitas Naturals

Instructions:
Mix up the sunbutter, coconut oil, 1/3 cup shredded coconut, maple syrup, and most of the cacao nibs (save a few for sprinkling on top). Line a muffin tin with paper liners and pour into cups. Sprinkle the tops with the hemp seeds, extra shredded coconut and cacao nibs. Freeze for about 20-30 minutes to set. I stored mine in the freezer to keep them from melting. Enjoy!

Pineapple Ginger Turmeric Smoothie

This tropical, raw vegan smoothie is full of anti-inflammatory, health-boosting ingredients. It's super refreshing and a great way to start your day or pick you up in the middle of the afternoon!

Vegan Lavender Honey Cheesecake Milkshake

You guys...I know I've said this about other recipes, but this is seriously amazing. Like, I-had-seconds-and-still-wanted-more amazing. I highly recommend giving it a try!

Green Fig Smoothie

I picked up some frozen green figs at Trader Joes this weekend and thought they'd be perfect for a smoothie. It turned out great, on to the recipe...

Vegan Chocolate Chai Milkshake

Happy Monday! Today I wanted to share my recipe for this creamy vegan shake. It is full of nutrients and protein and tastes pretty awesome too!

  {hemp milk ice cubes make for extra creamy shakes and smoothies}

Ingredients:

1 frozen banana

5-6 hemp milk (or almond milk) ice cubes

1/2 cup cashews 

2 tablespoons raw cacao powder

1/3 cup chai concentrate (homemade or store bought, I use Pacific organic spicy chai concentrate)

1 cup full fat coconut milk

Maple syrup to taste, I used a little over a tablespoon 

Instructions:

Blend cashews, chai concentrate and coconut milk until smooth. Add in all other ingredients and continue blending until smooth. Enjoy! 

Bits and Pieces

Sharing some photos from the past week: 

I've been working on my first weaving project :)

Cherry Kale Smoothie

Cherries are full of health benefits and are known to reduce pain and inflammation, help prevent cancer, and promote good sleep. Today I'm sharing one of my favorite smoothie recipes including these natural wonders! 

Cherry Kale Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 frozen banana

1 cup frozen dark cherries

1 cup baby kale

1/2 cup tart cherry juice

1/2 cup full fat coconut milk

1 tablespoon maple syrup

Instructions:

Blend all ingredients until smooth and enjoy! 

Serves 1-2

Blog Crush: Robot Lemonade

I found Robot Lemonade through Pinterest, looking for pudding recipes. I made the warm coconut nutmeg pudding and it was delightful...check out their gorgeous collection of recipes. The pictures are amazing and so inspiring. I can't wait to make more!

lavender panna cotta

pecan & rum loaf cake with goat cheese frosting

pumpkin soup with toasted coconut and cinnamon

Raw Vegan 3-Ingredient Strawberry Fudge

From our strawberry picking this weekend we have quite a few strawberries to use up. I've been craving fudge lately and yummy recipe can be whipped up in a matter of minutes.

Raw Vegan 3-Ingredient Strawberry Fudge

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup fresh strawberries, stems and leaves removed
1 1/4 cup coconut butter
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons maple syrup

Instructions:
In a food processor, add all ingredients and pulse until smooth. Spread in the bottom of a 8x8 pan. Chill in freezer for 30 min, then move to the fridge for another 3-4 hours. Cut into squares or use your favorite cookie cutters! Enjoy!

a photo an hour

We had a great time picking strawberries, going to lunch and hanging out at the playground with our friends today. Here is a little peek of "a day in the life":

9:00 am

10:00 am

11:00 am

12:00 pm

1:00 pm

2:00 pm

3:00 pm

4:00 pm

5:00 pm

6:00 pm

7:00 pm

8:00

9:00 pm

Product Review: Root Veggie Burger

While grocery shopping earlier this week I noticed Hilary's Eat Well Root Veggie burgers on the shelf of the frozen aisle. I've tried other "burgers" before but usually ended up turned off by one or more of the ingredients. I was pleasantly surprised when I checked the ingredient list on these. Organic veggies, millet, coconut oil and a few other simple ingredients is all! Today I made one for lunch and just tried it plain without a bun or any condiments so I could get a true sense of the taste. It was delicious! So good, in fact, that I had to make the second one haha... I added some spicy brown mustard to that one as you can see and it went together well with the root veggies. I recommend these for a quick, clean-eating, unique lunch option. There are other varieties as well, next time I'm at the store I plan on picking up the Hemp & Greens variety. 

Meal (and dessert!) Inspiration

Pinterest has pretty much completely replaced all of my cookbooks...It makes meal planning SO much easier..with a plethora of recipes for every type of cuisine imaginable and gorgeous photos of them all, I've gone from uninspired to having so many options I don't know what to do with myself, ha! Here is a roundup of recipes I can't wait to try:

roasted cauliflower, chickpea + quinoa salad with jalapeno lime dressing

Vegan Copycat Cafe Angelina Hot Chocolate

One of my favorite stops in Paris last spring was Cafe Angelina. I think I've mentioned before on here that their hot chocolate was the best. ever. I had to recreate it at home. And I wanted it to be vegan because while tasty, heavy cream isn't exactly healthful. This recipe is super simple with only two ingredients and can be made in less than 10 minutes. It's thick and rich, and full of healthy fats from the coconut milk. Enjoy!