Joli's Chili Inspiration

I'm a big lover of chili. It's warm, it's a complete meal and it's just down right delish. I make it quite often. Sometimes weekly. It's a dish that is so easy to make and one in which you don't really need a recipe for. I've made it so many times and not posted recipes. Sometimes it's amazing, sometimes not so much. Actually my last crockpot full of chili was not my best. I'm glad its gone. Now I can fill my freezer with this gem!

This is inspired by my friends Jake and Oli. Which was inspired by the Foundation's chili. This is a great vegetarian restaurant on Main Street. I had it for the first time a couple weeks ago and was just floored by how good it was. Then Jake and Oli told me thay have the recipe! Which they modified and played around with. They were kind enough to share the recipe with me. Which I played around with and add my own flair too. 

Now this recipe is not the one at Foundation. Or Jake and Oli's but it is very much inspired by them. Many of the same ingredients. Its pretty darn good, if I do say so myself.

Joli's Chili Inspiration

Ingredients

2 cups chickpeas

2 cups pinto beans

1 large can diced tomatoes

3 tomatoes, chopped and blended

1 large can tomato sauce, low sodium

3 carrots, diced

2 cups mushrooms, chopped

1 onion, diced

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 packages Ives veggie ground round

2 cups corn

1/2 can tomato paste

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup veggie stock

5 tsp chili powder

3 tsp oregano

3 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp sea salt

1 cup maple syrup

Directions

Place all ingredients except for maple syrup in a crockpot. Cook for 8-10 hours. Pour in maple syrup and cook for another 15 minutes. Stir until thoroughly combined. Serve on its own or with brown rice or corn bread.

Joli's Chili Inspiration

Now, this recipe has NO sriracha and NO chili flakes! Blasphemy! Who knew I could even cook without using spiciness. lol Well it happened. Not sure how. But it did. I did however douse it in hot sauce. Don't you worry my spicy friends. ;)

Keep it real! Keep it hot!

Peace

xoxo

K

Edamame Tacones

A few weeks ago I went over to Victoria and tried Red Fish Blue Fish's Edamame Tacones. OMG so yummy!!! They are quite a far trek, a ferry ride away so I had to try to recreate them at home to get my fix. The filling is mushy edamame which is a spin on mushy peas. Mushy peas are en English dish of just mashed peas, usually with olive oil and salt and pepper. The ones at RFBF quite possibly had mayo (oops) but after looking around online, I don't see any indication of it. 

Edamame Tacones

Ingredients

Mushy edamame

Shredded purple cabbage

Sui choy

Green onions

Creamy coconut sauce or Mayo

Sriracha

Corn tortillas or Nori Sheets

Directions:

Put 1-2 tsps of mushy edamame and the rest of the fillings and sauces into a corn tortilla or nori sheet, wrap and enjoy!

Mushy Edamame

Ingredients

2 cups cooked edamame

1 tsp grape seed oil

1/4 tsp sea salt

1 tsp chili flakes

1 tsp garlic powder

1/4 cup water

Directions:

Put all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until mixed thoroughly. Edamame doesn't have to be completely mashed but its better when its not too chunky.  

PS obvs I used vegan mayo in this instance. :)

I wrapped the nori ones like cones, but the corn tortillas I got were too small. Or maybe I just put too much filling. LOL that's probs it, I'm greedy like that. I think some fresh basil or cilantro would be good and some pea shoots. Well there's a lot you could do with these little suckers. YUMMY!! That's all I gotta say. The creamy coconut dressing I make goes like amazing with it. Who knew that dressing was going to be so versatile. I can't wait to make it again!

ENJOY!!!

Peace

xoxo

K

Picnic in the Park: vegan, gluten free salads

Every Tuesday for the rest of the summer there will be outdoor movies playing at Stanley Park. I LOVE to go watch these. The actual movie doesn't necessarily matter, its just the experience that I like. Its outdoor, different from the usual ways we watch movies and if you're on a date then its kinda romantical.

I whipped up a few salads to take down with us. I love having a picnic. I think its cute. :) It can get pretty chilly at night so bring extra blankets, a sweater, snacks and bevvies. 

Asian Sweet Potato Salad

Ingredients

1 large sweet potato, peeled, chopped, boiled

1.5 cups cooked edamame

1.5 cups corn

Handful Thai basil

1 cup creamy coconut dressing

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a big bowl and serve.

Creamy Coconut Dressing

Ingredients

1 small can low fat coconut milk (160ml, Organic)

6 tbsp stone ground mustard (Organic)

1 tsp Sriracha

1 tsp tahini (raw, Organic)

3 tbsp organic shredded coconut

Directions:

Put all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until well combined. Season to taste.

I made this dressing before, which you can find here. This time I added some organic shredded coconut. That's the only difference.

SO yummy!!! 

I also put together a quinoa salad. There is no recipe for it. Just quinoa, sprouted mixed beans, carrot, celery, a little grape seed oil, sesame oil, splash of soy sauce, garlic powder, chili powder, chili flakes, 1 lemon juiced and some apple cider vinegar. I think that's it. And no idea on quantities. I was just throwing stuff in and tasting. Seeing how it all worked. It turned out yummy even though there is quite the mix of seasonings in there. 

Then I made my Avocado Kale salad. Which you can get the recipe here. The only difference is the fixings. I didn't use carrots, celery or mustard cuz they are in the other ones. All the rest is the same, which a few handfuls of grape tomatoes. I like making this one cuz you get to massage the kale. Its fun making food with your hands like that. I washed of course. 

Oh yah, I put a container of broccoli sprouts in it too. 

 There is also some hummus and rice crackers. 

My plate! Super nutritious and satisfying dinner. Lots of protein and fats to keep you full.

Lots of boys to snuggle with. ;)

This week was Zoolander. Which I haven't seen in years. So funny! Next week is Spaceballs. I'm pretty sure I've seen it but totally don't remember. Should be fun!

Check out the link for the movies here. Its a great time.

Peace

xoxo

K

Mexican Quinoa Salad

I'm in sunny, hot Kelowna right now and of course I needed to get together some snacks for the road. Kevin and I hit the road around 2pm on Friday afternoon, luggage in the trunk and snacks in the back seat. Being so organized and vegan, I'm always prepared for a trip or outing of any kind. I look up places to eat, check out local stores and bring snacks. Invite a vegan on your road trip and I assure you won't be disappointed or hungry. lol

I showed this picture yesterday but here it is again. There's carrots, hummus, strawberries, grapefruit, almonds, clif bars and a Mexican quinoa salad. For which I will give you the recipe for. Other than the black beans and lime, I just used whatever I had in the fridge. I don't have a lot of veggies left cuz I've been going away so much (3rd wknd in a row) so I just wanted to use what's left. 

Mexican Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa, cooked according to package

1 can black beans, small

1 cup corn

1-2 carrots, diced bite size

3 celery, chopped bite size

1 lime, juiced

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions

Combine all ingredients and enjoy!!! Season to taste. Add some chili flakes and cilantro if you like. Cilantro would be amazing in this dish. 

Yummy! It was nice and light. The dressing was really fresh. Cilantro would be perfect but I didn't have any and am away so yah know. 

Hope you all have an awesome weekend! Mine has started off amazing. The drive was gorgeous. I think I got some sun on the drive and went to a great vegan Chinese restaurant in town. 

Peace

xoxo

K

Super Food Green Salad with Tahini Dressing

I was just whipping up a quick salad for lunch the other day, nothing special. When all of a sudden it turned into the most delish, creamy dressing I've made yet!! OMG I could not get enough of this Tahini dressing. Its a spin off of an earlier one that I created, which you can check out here.  I added a few extra things to make it even better!

And I didn't even take a pic of the finished product cuz I gobbled it up so fast. But here's the recipe anyways.

Tahini Dressing

Ingredients

1/4 cup raw tahini

1/4 cup water

1 lemon

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp chili flakes

1 tsp agave nectar

1 tsp Gluten Free Tamari

Directions:

Place all ingredients into a food processor and process until smooth. Adjust spices if you want it hotter or not at all. This wasn't spicy at all. Well, according to me. :)

This is the tahini I used. You can definitely use a roasted version. But this is the BEST tahini I've ever tried. SO good!

For the salad part, I wanted to do a lot of green leafy veggies, but didn't want them to be raw. So I steamed them for 4 minutes. Should have been 3 but it was still good. But a little crunch would have been better.

Super Food Green Salad

Ingredients

1 head broccoli, chopped

1/2 bunch kale, chopped

6 cups spinach

1 cup shelled edamame

2 green onions

10 mushrooms, sliced

2 cups black beans

Hemp seeds

Sunflower seeds

Directions:

Steam broccoli, kale and spinach for 4 minutes. If using frozen edamame (like most) then throw those in there too. Let cool before adding the remaining ingredients. I put mine in a big bowl and into the fridge for 15-20 minutes. Once cooled, toss with dressing and remaining ingredients. ENJOY!!

This will make a lot. Enough for a couple salads or a side to any meal for 4 people. I ate mine for lunch and with my dinner. Its creamy and satisfying. :)

Here was a little snack I ate the other day. Like I've said before, I often boil up a couple different types of legumes at the beginning of the week so I can easily incorporate them into my meals. I had this as a late night snack the other night and it packed a good protein punch and satisfied me.

It is 1 cup of black beans, sprinkle of Daiya cheese, some guacamole and salsa. Of course hot sauce. That goes without saying. lol

Peace

xoxo

K

Homemade Hot Sauce, quickie guac and a burrito bowl

I love burrito bowls. Love love love. My fave one is from Whole Foods but I make a mean ass bowl myself. :) Last night was one of those nights. As I was getting the ingredients out of my fridge and cupboards, a package of dried morita chilies fell out. I've been wanting to make my own hot sauce for a while now. It only makes sense. I LOVE hot sauce and put it on all my food, so why wouldn't I make my own?

Krystle's Killer Hot Sauce

Ingredients

4 dried morita chiles

1/2 red pepper, chopped

1/2 onion, minced

1 tsp garlic powder

1/4 cup veggie stock

1 tsp agave nectar

Directions:

Soak the morita chilies in warm water for 30 minutes. Saute the onions and red peppers in 1 tsp of grapeseed or olive oil for 5 minutes.

In the meantime, add the soaked chilies to a food processor and process for 1 minute. Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth.

Krystle's Killer Hot Sauce

I found this hot sauce to be SUPER spicy! I was sweating buckets, for reals! Freaking AWESOME! :) Kicked my butt. lol

I didn't want to just add avocado to my burrito bowl, I wanted guacamole. I didn't have much other than one avocado and 2 jalapenos. So I popped those into a food processor along with a little sea salt, 1/2 a lime, juiced and voila! Quickie, yummy guac. Ready for my burrito bowl.

I then sauteed up some veggies and used some cooked black beans for my bowl.

Veggies and Black Beans

Ingredients

1 cup dried black beans, cooked (2 cups cooked)

1 cup frozen corn

1 carrot, sliced

1 celery, sliced

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 lime, juiced

1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions:

Saute the carrots and celery in 1/4 cup water for 5 minutes, add remaining ingredients and cook for another 10 minutes.

Serve with brown rice, salsa and quacamole. Layer it up and make a burrito bowl! Add baked tofu for added protein. I diced mine into cubes and baked them for 20-30 minutes with chili and garlic powder.

So in my burrito bowl there's brown rice, baked tofu, veggie and black beans, salsa, homemade guacamole and homemade hot sauce. Super yummy and satisfying. Nourishing as well. Tons of protein, fiber, minerals and vitamins. That hot sauce was all sorts of spicy. Mucho picante! :)

I thought the guacamole would add some balance to the spiciness of the hot sauce but I tried it on its own and it was super spicy too. LOL FUN. :)

So if you like spicy food, give this hot sauce and burrito bowl a go! I dare yah! :)

Peace

xoxo

K

Let's get Vegucated! Pinto Beans Edition: Refried Beans

I like pinto beans. I think that most people do but they aren't used in cooking very much. I always use black beans and chickpeas. They are my faves and my go-to's. But pinto beans should not be forgotten.

1 cup Pinto Beans:

Calories: 245

Protein: 15g

Dietary Fiber: 15g

Calcium: 8%

Iron: 20%

Fat: 1g

They are also high in Folate, Vitamin K, B6 and Thiamin. PLUS magnesium, phosphorus, selenium, and potassium.

Mostly I make refried beans out of pinto beans. You can check out my recipe here. But I have been trying to use them instead of black beans or chickpeas just to add some variety in my bean diet. lol You can check out a simple recipe where I used them here.

I LOVE refried beans though. Typically refried beans are prepared with pinto beans but there are ones made with kidney or black beans. Personally when I make them at home I always use pinto beans but I'm sure any other bean can be used. Or 2 at the same time! Wild idea, I know. :) Refried beans are another crockpot recipe that you can just throw together and come back and ur pretty much all done. Then you have this big pot of beans that you can freeze for times when you're in a tight spot or want a quick easy dinner.

Refried Beans

Ingredients

2 cups pinto beans

2 bay leaves

4 garlic cloves

1 onion, diced

3 tsp chili powder

2 tsp chili flakes

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp cumin

3 cups water

1 cup veggie stock

Directions

Boil pinto beans for 30 minutes then soak over night. Combine all ingredients in a crockpot and cook for 4 hours (or all day). When done, remove bay leaves and blend until smooth.

TIPS: I use a hand blender. Easiest way but if you don't have one just use your blender. Just be careful and let the beans cool a little before transferring. If you do not cook and soak your beans its ok, but they might be a bit more like the magical fruit (if you get my drift....). The more you cook or soak your beans (and rinse) the less gas producing they are.

Look at it all!!! It makes quite a bit. Its at least 6 servings. 2 per container at minimum but could be more because I don't eat them alone. Although, sometimes I just eat a 1/2 cup of refried beans and a little salsa. YUM! But typically I add them to Mexican inspired salads or I make burrito bowls or other Mexican delicacies. :)

Today, I went out to the Lululemon outlet store in Burnaby and picked up a few items. It was kinda slim pickings but I was able to find some stuff. There was a cute jacket but I was strong and just bought workout clothes. Its what I need and it didn't make sense to buy a jacket. Sometimes I'm WAY to practical. LOL I got 2 pairs of VERY short shorts, a sports bra and tank top. Then we went to The Gourmet Warehouse. OMG. Seriously, how happy am I? Fitness and Food. My 2 greatest loves.

Look at that place? Its like my church. Well that and the gym. Ha. I could have spent the day there. My aunt came running to find me because she found the hot sauce aisle. I could NOT choose! SO hard.

That's ALL hot sauce. Well actually there was hot peanut butter. Which I kinda wish I got. I'm not sure it would be good but now I'm curious. After I calmed down and started looking seriously I picked up these things.

I think the hot sauce is actually Canadian too. It must be cuz it has a local number and shaw email addy. That other jar is Jalapeno White Wine MUSTARD!!! OMG! I love mustard. LOL the mustard aisle and the hot sauce aisle held me up. I also got a wooden spoon (love them), a BPA water bottle and a new garlic grinder. Looks cool but haven't used it but I'll post a review when I do.

The water bottle is by Kor. Its BPA free and has this little coin slot thing that you can put an inspirational word in it. The one that came in mine was IMAGINE. Such a cool concept. So every time I lift the cap up to take a sip, I will stare at IMAGINE. They have a website where you can DL other ones too. Positive reinforcement at its finest.

Of course I got the pink one. And to be honest, I didn't even think twice about the colour. My Aunt pointed it out. LOL Its a fave of mine. But they have other colours. Check them out on their website. The black one looks sexy.  It hols 750ml of water, is ergonomically correct, has a cushioned base, easy to clean and refill, the spout is awesome and its just cool looking. Of course I forgot it when I went to the gym. lol

Peace

xoxo

K

Chickpea patties and Superfood Salad

Lately I've really been trying to up my protein rich food intake. I've been way more active than usual. Been doing way longer workouts with greater intensity and weight training a lot more. I have always done some but my focus and heart always belonged to running. I have been increasing that as well, which is why my total workout time has increased a lot. So with all this new muscle I'm trying to grow, I need to ensure I have adequate protein intake. I started taking my protein shake an extra time per day and eating more beans and legumes every day. And more nuts and seeds. Predominantly almonds, flax and hemp seeds. Along with more quinoa.

You saw the other day that I started measuring out a cup in each tupperware so that I can at least get an estimate of what I'm eating each day. And then I make a couple cups of chickpeas or black beans that I can just throw into a salad or whatever I'm eating for an extra punch of protein. Over the last week it's been chickpeas. I decided to mash em up and make some patties. Mmmm.

Chickpea Patties
Ingredients
2 cups chickpeas, mashed
1/2 white onion, minced
1 cup brown rice (cooked)
1 carrot, shredded
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 inch piece of ginger, minced
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup almonds, finely chopped
1/2 cup rolled oats, ground

Directions
TIP: to cut down on prep time, I pulsed the chickpeas, carrot, garlic, ginger, almonds and rolled oats in my food processor. Will give the patties a smoother texture and stick together better. I did not do them all at once though. I did them all separately except for the garlic and ginger.

Saute the onion in 1/4 cup water for 3 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, carrots and almonds; saute for 5 minutes. Add more water if needed, 1/4 cup or 1/2 ladle at a time. Stir in the remaining ingredients and cook for another 5 minutes. Turn off heat and let cool down before forming into patties.

Form into patties and put on parchment paper or a greased baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Flip after 15 minutes.

Serve with mango salsa and side salad. I served mine with a kale spinach salad

Kale Salad
Ingredients
1/2 head kale
2 cups packed spinach
2 tsp hemp seeds
1 lemon, juiced
1 avocado

Directions
Massage avocado onion kale and spinach until fully mashed and combined,. Add lemon and hemp seeds. Season with salt and pepper if needed.

This dinner is PACKED with protein and antioxidants. There is so much goodness in this meal to nourish your body and repair those sore muscles. Next time I will add the "flax egg" to make the patties stick together more. They were actually pretty good, but a little flax never hurt NObody. lol And I would add alfalfa or broccoli sprouts to the salad. More protein. :)

You could also put this in a bun and have a little veggie burger, but I'm foregoing bread for a while. i gotta eat extra clean for the next few months. Summer is coming but more importantly the Spartan race and Tough Mudder!!! Hence the working out more and needing more protein.

Eat clean, train mean, get lean!!!

Peace

xoxo

K

Food prep Sundays

This week, food prep Sunday moved to Saturday. I got the cooking bug and went crazy in my kitchen. I was having a lazy week and needed to take control so I cooked up a storm.

OK, so here's what's in all those containers.

1 cup brown rice x 3

1 cup quinoa x 3

1 cup quinoa, 1 cup mixed beans, 1/2 cup sauteed mushrooms x 3

1 cup boiled yams and 2 cups steamed greens x 3

2 cups roasted broccoli x 1

Mixed Beans:

2 cups dried Sprouted Bean Trio by TruRoots organics

2 roma tomatoes

2 tsp chili powder

1/2 lime, juiced

1 tsp cumin

Cook beans according to package. Then saute all ingredients in 1/4 cup water for 8-10 minutes.

Roasted Broccoli:

2 heads broccoli, chopped

1/2 lemon, juiced

cayenne

salt and pepper

Roast at 375 for 30-40 minutes

Sauteed Mushrooms:

10-15 mushrooms

1 tsp grapeseed oil

salt and pepper

Saute for 4-5 minutes. (This is my new fave snack! omg so good!)

This sets me up for the week. I also peeled a grapefruit and orange and made sure I had a bag of organic apples for snacks. Having readily made nutritious food available ensures you will eat awesome. It also saves some time during the week. Sunday's are typically a relaxing day of sleeping in, a workout, maybe tidy up and do grocery shopping. I like to use it to get ready for the week. I usually don't prepare everything in containers all measured out like this but portion control is important. I'm the worst at portion control. Lol.

Usually I'll just make a big pot of grains and a soup or chili and put some in the fridge and some in the freezer. So do what works for you. But having some prep work done at the beginning of the week makes you make better choices. Chop and bunch of veggies so that you can easily grab some to snack on or throw together a salad. It also is great for lunches! Now you don't have to spend $10-15 on some highly fatty, salty lunch. You will know exactly what's in your lunch and feel good about it. Which will lead you to make more good choices.

I also prepared 2 cups of chickpeas and green mung beans for added protein punch for my meals. I didn't do anything to them. Just used dried ones and cooked them according to the package. Which has worked out well, cuz I've been putting together these burrito bowls lately.

1 cup brown rice, 1 cup chickpeas, 2 tbsp homemade guacamole, a little salsa, hot sauce and some roasted broccoli. YUM!! Satisfying and nutritious. :)

ALSO!! Look at what my AWESOME family did for me for my birthday!!!

All vegan! There's a veggie platter, salsa, tortilla chips, crackers, hummus, bread, and vegan CHOCOLATE cake! YUM.

PLUS my adorable cousin Alex cooked us dinner! She made a veggie stir fry! SO good! I love when ppl cook for me but this just made my year. She's 14. Warmed my cold heart. lol

Look! I'm 19!

Boy did I ever feel special!

Now get in the kitchen on Sunday or whatever day is your "Sunday'. It will cut some time in your prep during the week, set you up to eat awesome all week and get you making better choices.

Peace

xoxo

K

Chickpea Stew

Last night Kevin was coming over for dinner and I had no groceries and no idea what I was going to make. The only thing I knew was that I wanted chickpeas in it. This awesome chickpea stew was created freestyle and I think it turned out pretty good. :)

Chickpea Stew

Ingredients

2 398ml cans chickpeas

1 onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 inch piece ginger, minced

2 jalapenos, minced

3 carrots, diced

2 yams, diced

2 celery, diced

4 tomatoes, diced

1/2 bag spinach, chopped

1/4 bunch cilantro, minced

2 cups water

2 cups veggie stock

1 lemon, juiced

2 tsp cumin

2 bay leaves

1 tsp agave nectar

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp chili flakes

Directions:

Saute the onions, garlic, and ginger in 1/4 cup water (or olive oil) until translucent. Add the carrots, yams, and celery and cook for 5 minutes. Add all the remaining ingredients except for the cilantro, spinach, lemon and agave nectar and cook on med-high temperature for 30 minutes or until carrots and yams are soft. Add the last few ingredients. Remove the bay leaves and serve with brown rice, or a side salad.

TIP: the longer it cooks, the better the flavour. I let mine cook for a total of 1 hour but it would probs be pretty amazing if done in the crockpot. Yum!

Big ole pot of stew

Red rice

I served it with red rice. I try to switch it up with my grains. Brown is my go to and I eat a lot of quinoa but red rice is really good and a nice change. Its a longer grain but a little 'stickier' than brown rice.

YUMMY!!!

Dinner for two. Aw

Of course the stew is loaded with goodness to nourish your body. Its got some greens in it as well as some root veggies and such but its not enough green veggies for me so I roasted up a head of broccoli. I usually just roast it with just lemon juice but I only had one lemon left and that was for the stew, so I just stole a few squeezes and then used a tsp of grape seed oil, cayenne, garlic powder and paprika. YUMMM. Paprika on roasted veggies is super good. SUPER. lol

There was ALOT more but I gobbled it up before I snapped a pic. Ooops. But we all know what broccoli looks like. Lol. But if you're looking for an easy way to get in your greens, this is it. Put some tin foil or parchment paper on your cookie sheet and roast away. I put them in for 20-30 minutes. I like em crispy so just take a look at 20 mins. Roasting is awesome because you can just set it and forget it. Less maintenance and you can just go about your biznass while they cook away. DO IT!

This meal will satisfy any meat eater. Its hearty, warm and filling. Its not that spicy either but do a taste test before you add the chili flakes. I like my food spicy so my tolerance is pretty high.

Peace

xoxo

K

(Un)Fried Rice Thai Styles

Last week I whipped up this gem of a recipe. It was super easy and delish. I am a big lover of Thai food. I adore cooking with coconut milk and do so pretty often. When I was first cooking up this (Un)Fried rice I had no plans to make it with coconut milk, but as soon as I added it, the dish was complete.

(Un)Fried Rice Thai Styles

Ingredients

2 cups brown rice, cooked according to pkg

2 cups red beans, soaked and cooked

2 carrots, diced

2 inch piece ginger, minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 red Thai chili peppers, minced

1 cup frozen corn

1/2 lemon, juiced

2 tsp mirin

3 tsp soy sauce

1/2 cup veggie stock

3 tsp chili flakes

160ml can low fat coconut milk

Directions

Saute garlic, ginger, Thai chili peppers, and carrots in 1/4 cup water for 5 minutes covered. Add all remaining ingredients except for coconut milk and cook for 15 minutes stirring often. Pour in coconut milk and stir until well combined. Enjoy with on its own, with steamed veggies with tofu, however you like your rice!

I had a ton of leftovers so I tossed that into a portobello mushrooms and baked it. Served that along with some roasted broccoli and steamed veggies and voila! Perfect meal. Yum.

I love portobello mushrooms!! So full of flavour. It went very well with the (Un)Fried rice. The steamed veggies was celery, collard greens, sui choy and spinach. I just steamed them and tossed them in lemon and a little soy sauce. Nice and light.

Peace

xoxo

K

A Mexican Fiesta: Chipotle burrito bowl, salsa and guacamole

I am addicted to the burrito bar at Whole Foods on Robson Street. I think about it all the time. So I figured it was about high time that I recreate it so that I can satisfy my craving without breaking the bank. It can turn into an expensive habit you know. Lol

I'll start with the salsa and guacamole, the toppings and make my way to the bowl itself.

Salsa

Ingredients

2 lg tomatoes

1/4 red onion, diced small

1 red pepper

1 jalapeno, minced

1 handful cilantro, minced

1/2 lime, juiced

1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions

1. Slice the tomatoes like you would to put on a sandwich or burger. Then dice into small, even cubes.

2. Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly, taste and add any additional seasonings to your tastes.

3. Enjoy. Seriously. :)

Guacamole

Ingredients

1 avocado

1 jalapeno

1/4 red onion

1/2 lime, juiced

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp sea salt

Directions

Put all ingredients into a food processor and process until smooth. Enjoy.

Salsa and guacamole from scratch. Yum

Chipotle Burrito Bowl

Ingredients

2 cups pinto beans

1 1/2 cups frozen corn

2 small sweet potato, chopped

1/2 red onion

1 carrot, chopped

1/2 bunch cilantro, minced

1 lime, juiced

2 tsp chili pepper

1 tsp cumin

1 cup veggie stock

3 chipotle peppers, minced

brown rice

Directions

Add sweet potatoes, carrots and onions to pan and saute in a little water for 3 minutes, covered. Add beans, corn, chipotle peppers and veggie stock, cover and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes. Stirring occasionally. Add remaining ingredients and simmer on low for 10 minutes.

Layer your burrito bowl with brown rice, Chipotle pinto beans, guacamole and salsa and Enjoy!!!

And there you have it! The only thing missing from the bowl that whole foods does is the BBQ tofu. Which I must make next time. I thought I had tofu at home, but I don't even have BBQ sauce anyways. They all have so much sugar. I'll have to be on the hunt for the best one. Any recommendations?

I have been searching for gluten free and/or sugar free chipotle peppers for some time now. They are always canned and filled with sugar and wheat. But I found these puppies at my fave local Asian grocery store, West Valley Produce. If you're a Vancouverite, its on Bute street right about at Davie, across from the liquor store. LOVE this place. Good prices. And they have quite a bit of veggie stuff too and almost all my fave Asian items. I've never heard of Morita Chiles but I love trying new foods so I picked these up too. In fact they had so many different dried peppers I'd never heard of. I'm gonna go get more next time. I have no idea what to do with them but it sure is gonna be fun! lol

Then I picked up a couple cans of black beans. I always like to have them handy for those nights when you've forgotten to soak some beans or just need something quick. What I dislike about canned beans is how much salt is in them. These babies have none! Yup, I said it. NONE.



And they're organic! I actually love this brands coconut milk. They have the tiny little 160ml ones and the 70% less fat versions, which I'm a big fan of.

So get on this burrito bowl folks! Its hot hot hot! Ole! lol

Peace

xoxo

K

Vegan Pinto Beans

I picked up a bunch of dried beans and other legumes recently for my cleanse and because I'm trying to eat less canned food. I've been cutting it back for quite some time but I still use it as its so darn convenient. BUT this week, I cooked some pinto beans and lentils and just popped them in the fridge so that when it came time for meal prep I had some beans ready to go!

I usually only use pinto beans when I make my refried beans (which I totally need to make again soon) but this time I wanted to use them differently. I created a delish meal that I completed with some brown rice that I had leftover. The whole thing took less than 20 minutes to make. So a little planning can go a long way. 

Vegan Pinto Beans

Ingredients

1 cup dry pinto beans, cooked

1/2 head kale, in bite sized pieces

1 lg tomato, diced

1 jalapeno, chopped

1 lime, juiced

1/2 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

2 tsp chili flakes

1/2 cup veggie stock

Directions:

Pan fry the onions and garlic in a ladle full of water for 2 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and cook for 10 minutes. Serve on top of brown rice. 

It was super yummy and full of awesome nutrients. It has A LOT of fiber in it among other things such as protein, iron, molybdenum, etc. Its quite the little powerhouse. Lol

I had a cup of these pinto beans for lunch today and paired it with a salad. I made a quickie salad with spinach, half a red pepper, cucumber, and celery with half a lemon juiced over top. Sprinkled with hemp seeds. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Did I tell you that if you pair celery and cucumber it makes a complete protein? And remember that food pairing doesn't have to be in the same meal, just the same day. Celery has 18 amino acids and the same sodium balance as your body! Cool!

I'm so big on salads right now. I was on a green smoothie kick for a while but salads took over. I try to eat them every day. And I pretty much do. I love incorporating as much raw foods as I can into my day. I always feel the best when I eat a lot of them. Not 100% raw by any means, Just a lot of salads, raw fruits and veggies and some raw nuts and seeds. 

Last night I FINALLY got my hair did! I am loving it! I feel like a new woman. Its funny how something like a hair cut can make you feel so amazing. I get the same feeling when I get new undies. Lol

Black is back!

Its black again and I got some swoopy bangs too! I missed having bangs. I thought I wanted to get rid of them so I grew them out, but nope, I did not. Love having them back. And its so shiny and rich. You can't tell that well in the pic, but believe me, its luxurious. HAHA

Great way to start the weekend! And I'm feeling AMAZING on this cleanse! I did ALMOST wanna cheat last night, but I held strong. I feel so energetic and happy. Its pretty close to the way I felt when I first went vegan. So energetic, full of life and feel so light. Not bogged down by over processed foods. Love it!

I'm stoked for tonight. Going for a workout, swim, make dins and play some scrabble and banana grams with my friend Mike! I know, we're nerds. But I love scrabble and banana grams is gonna be a new fave I think. 

Peace!

xoxo

K

Thai Chili

I love fusing different types of cuisines together and using ingredients you wouldn't think goes together, but totally does. I think that's what I've done here. I took my love affair with Thai food and Chili to the max by putting them together. It works. BELIEVE me! It was sooooo delish! I usually share my leftovers at work but this time I barely did. I only gave them a bite. I was a greedy little vegan. ha.

Thai Chili

Ingredients

1 can black beans

1 cup red lentils

4 cups water

1 lime, juiced

1 inch piece ginger, minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 onion, chopped

2 carrots, diced

1 large sweet potato, diced

1 lemongrass stalk

4 tomatoes, diced

1 tsp garlic powder

3 tsp chili powder

2 tsp chili flakes

2 tsp Vegeta (dry veggie stock)

1 can low fat coconut milk

2 tsp green curry

Directions:

1. Saute the onions, garlic, ginger and carrots in a pot with about 1/4 cup water. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until translucent. (or use oil if you like).

2. Add sweet potato, lentils, black beans, tomatoes and 1 cup water. Cook for 5 minutes.

3. Add all remaining ingredients except for the coconut milk and lime juice. Cook for 20 minutes or until sweet potatoes are soft. Add coconut milk and lime juice. Season to taste.

4. Serve over brown rice or rice noodles. YUM!!!

 Total heaven right there. SOOOO YUMMY!!! And pretty healthy too. This recipe makes a HUGE amount. And the only "added" fat was the 7 grams in the coconut milk, and that's in the whole pot so that's almost nothing in each serving! yah.

Ok, so I bought a thing of purple kale and make this amazing salad last night!!! Its so pretty! So colourful and the dressing is the bomb!


Purple Kale Salad
Ingredients:
1 head purple kale, just leaves
1 royal gala apple, diced
1 carrot, shredded

Dressing:
1 large jalapeno
1 lemon, juiced
4 tsp apple cider vinegar
3 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions:
Put all dressing ingredients into a food processor and process until smooth. Pour on top of salad fixin's and toss. Use your hands to massage the kale for about a minute. This will soften the leaves. If you have a cut, don't do it!!! The lemon and jalapeno will burn. lol

Prettiest salad? YUP

Such a gorgeous looking salad. And its seriously tasty. I made the whole head of kale and gobbled it all up. I had a lot of it last night and couldn't wait to finish it off for lunch today. Its all gone! lol ;)

SO happy its Friday!!! Got a good night out tonight with some friends. My girl Jess is going back to Germany soon so we have one last night out on the town. Going to have a kick ass dins at Foundation, play some bingo and then head out for some dancing. Then I have brunch, movies, appointments, tough mudder work out and trying Bikrams for the first time! Eeeek Imma scurred. :)

Have a good weekend y'all!

Peace

xoxo

K

Easy appetizers and Vegan Brownies!!!

I needed to bring a small dish/appy to a girlfriends house on the weekend and needed something quick. This salad is so easy to make and has 2 of my fave ingredients: quinoa and black beans. YUM.

Mexican Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
2 cups dry quinoa, cooked according to package
1 can black beans
1 jalapeno, minced
1 cup chopped cucumber
1 lime, juiced
2 carrots, chopped finely
1/2 red onion, diced
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
pepper

Directions:
Let the quinoa cool. I popped mine in the freezer for 5-10 minutes to cool it off faster. Combine all ingredients and add any more seasonings if you need it.

DELISH!

 My friend Bre made these cute little appies! Pita bread, hummus, falafel, tomato, cucumber and avocado!!! LOVE this idea. They were super yummy and look fancy to boot.

A little pick me up. 

Vegan brownie!!!!!!!

My gf Jessica made these kick ass vegan fudge brownies! omg. Obvs I got the recipe from her, because well, these need to be in my belly more often. Even though I'm training hard right now. Sigh. Maybe after. lol But sharing is caring, so here's the recipe folks!

Vegan Fudge Brownies

yields 12 squares

1 1/2 cups (360mL) unbleached flour
1/2 cup (120mL) cocoa
1 1/2 cups (360mL) brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp (7.5mL) baking soda
3/4 tsp (4mL) baking powder
1 tsp (5mL) salt
3/4 cup (180mL) soy milk
3/4 cup (180mL) coffee
1/3 cup (80mL) vegetable oil
1/2 cup (120mL) walnuts, roasted & chopped
1/2 cup (120mL) carob chips

glaze
7oz (210g) dark, belgian chocolate
5oz (150g) vegan margarine

1.) Pre-heat oven to 325 F. Prepare a 9"x 9" pan by greasing it and then lining it with parchment paper.

2.) Sift together the flour, cocoa, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, stir together the coffee, soy milk and vegetable oil. Combine the wet and dry mixes and stir well. Stir in walnuts into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, sprinkle the top with carob chips, and bake for 25 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Coool the cake on a wire rack.

3.) When the cake is cool, prepare the glaze. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and vegan margarine. Whisk together very thouroughly to get a smooth, rather than a streaky finish. Pour the warm glaze over the cake, smoothing it out over the surface. Place the pan in the fridge to set. Divide the pan of brownies into 12 squares and enjoy!

I def recommend making these delish brownies. Looking at the recipe the only thing I'd change would be I'd use almond milk. Just cause that's the one I love.....Oh man, now I want a brownie!

Must resist. I've started a new training program. I'm doing the official Tough Mudder workout and its hard! I love it to death but man. I gotta keep my diet in check! And I need a new protein powder. I'm a HUGE vega fan. Love all their products but I'd thought I'd check out a different one. Switch it up a bit. Hmmm, so far the consensus from my fellow vegan pals on FB and Instagram say Sun Warrior. We shall see.....

Peace

xoxo

K