Zucchini Apple Muffins (Vegan)

Oh hey, I’m back!

What better way to spend a rainy Veteran’s Day holiday than to fill the kitchen with the smell of apples baking, stock up for breakfast/snacks for the week and snuggle away from the cold?

I wasn’t intending on blogging this, mainly because I was planning on following Dana’s muffin recipe and only playing around with the flavours (zucchini instead of carrots). I was also tempted with Ella’s version that included a delicious oat crumble on top.

But of course, as per usual, I didn’t have all of the ingredients for either of these recipes! I usually shy away from improvising with baked goods (much more of a novice with baking than with cooking), but my vision of a warm morning with coffee and muffins was too hard to resist.

So I stuck mostly with Dana’s recipe but upped the fruit proportions and played around with the sweeteners, liquids, and spices to make sure that I’d get the right tastes and consistency. The result was spectacular:

These muffins are moist inside, crisper on top, and communicate subtle tones that hint at zuccchini, apple, maple syrup and cinnamon. It was hard not to eat them all right away- they misted up my camera when I tried to get a close up and so how I could I resist…?

INGREDIENTS:
Makes 12 muffins.

• Flax egg (1.5 tbsp ground flax seed, 3 tbsp water)
• 3/8 cup maple syrup (Or 1/4 cup plus another splash!)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• Pinch of salt
• 1.5 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 cup zucchini, grated (~3 mini zuchs)
• 1 cup apples, grated (~ 2 small ones)
• 2/3 cup oats
• 1.5 cup all purpose flour

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Mix ground flax seed with water and set aside for a few minutes. After 5-10 minutes, mixture should have egg-yolk type consistency.
2. Preheat oven to 375 F.
3. Add flax egg into mixing bowl and stir in wet ingredients in above order, from the maple syrup to almond milk.
4. Add in spices and grated apple and zucchini.
5. Mix in oats and flour slowly, adding in 1/3 of a cup at a time and folding it into batter.
6. Dole out batter into a greased muffin pan and bake for 25 minutes until edges are brown and pulling away from the pan.
7. Remove and allow to cool (or not, and devour them immediately).

They store well too- reheat batches in subsequent days and top them off with a little sliver of butter!

Blueberry Pancakes For One (Vegan)

Well actually, there’s enough for two- just in case you have company. Or for one really big appetite.

I actually store a running list of potential Veganish posts on my phone. But I cross items off that list very slowly, mostly because cravings and circumstance cause me to whip up something impromptu.

This Sunday was one such case. I was thinking of writing about How to Be Veganish in Boston (more on that later). But I woke up after 10 restful hours of sleep to pouring rain ,a growling stomach and a sudden desire for…pancakes.

But how to make pancakes without eggs or sugar in the house? Prior to my foray into veganism, I would have made a soggy trip to the grocery store to satisfy my craving. Now, I have learned to scour the Internet for substitutions/vegan/hack recipes and then tweak them a little based on my pantry’s availability.

I also usually don’t make pancakes or crepes for myself, but really, why should solitude bar an indulgent breakfast? This mini batch of ‘cakes are fluffy, fruity and light. Top it off with ground cinnamon, ginger and real Quebecois maple syrup. Wash it down with some coffee and watch the rain outside.

INGREDIENTS:

Yields 6-8 small pancakes.

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of your choice)
• 2 tablespoons of water
• 3 tablespoons of maple syrup, divided (2 tablespoons for batter, 1 tablespoon for topping)
• ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
•  ½ tablespoons of canola oil (I use olive oil because that’s all I had this time!)

• 2/3 cup of blueberries
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup all purpose flour

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a mixing bowl, add in the wet ingredients in the order listed above. Once the oil is added, whisk vigorously so that liquids are well blended together.
2. Add in the blueberries and stir.
3. Add in the dry ingredients in the order listed above. Add in half of the flour, stir to ensure that there’s no lumps. Add in the second half and repeat.
4. Heat a non-stick pan to medium low. Add in a little bit of oil.
5. Using a 1/3 cup measure (or a ladle that’s half-filled with batter), dole out equal sized portions onto the heated pan.
6. Once the pancake has started bubbling and the edges have browned, flip the cake over and heat, about 3-4 minutes on each side.
7. Allow pancakes to cool and top with your preferred toppings. I used:
   • Slivers of vegan butter
   • Ground cinnamon
   • Ground ginger
   • 1 tablespoon of maple syrup.

Finally, two other lessons I have learned over the years of crepe making that are worth sharing:

1. Your first pancakes are always the ugliest. It’s not you, it’s the pan- it’s just heating up to the right consistency.
2. Use a non-stick pan. Seriously. You’ll regret it if you don’t.

Happy eating,

Backyard Garden Summer Salad (vegan)

Living in the ‘burbs has its inefficiencies (ie. no car, no leavin’ the house), but one thing I love is having the space to grow your own food. My dad and I built a veggie patch in the backyard back in February, and planted a whole bunch of veggies. My mom, brother, and sister have been watering them every day (it’s a family affair!) and after some nice April and May showers (always wet in Vancouver), June is starting to witness some early harvest. The first of the batch – lettuce!

Here are some my favourite salad ingredients:

1. Greens: lettuce, arugula, spinach
2. Colourful veggies: tomato, peppers
3. Protein / filler: nuts, tofu, tempeh, avocado, a nutty soft cheese
4. Sweet accent: raisins / craisins, fruit (mango, peach, apple, pear, kiwi)

Bursting with colour and flavour, this start-of-summer salad is sure to be a treat at any summer barbecue or potluck – especially if moms or health nuts are in attendance. Here are the simple steps.

INGREDIENTS

Salad (makes 4+ servings):

• 8-10 leaves of fresh lettuce
• 1 tomato
• 1 avocado
• 1 kiwi
• ½ cup craisins
• ½ cup nuts

Dressing:

• 3 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ cup lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Wash, cut, and prep veggies.
2. Toss everything together in a bowl.
3. Mix together oil, salt, and lemon juice for the dressing.
4. Mix in dressing, serve, and enjoy!

Cheers to a yummy, healthy summer!

Anatomy of the perfect fruit smoothie

In my glory days of diet-dabbling, I went (almost) raw vegan for a summer, wherein my breakfast consisted of fruit smoothies, lunch of salads… and I got pretty bad munchies. I was biking to and from work every day, where I was out and about chasing thirty jumpy campers for over eight hours a day. In hindsight, the fruit energy was good, but I was definitely lacking protein.

I’ve since begun to wrap my head around the complexity that is food + body, in relation to geography and lifestyle. It may seem like common sense, but where you live and how you live plays a big role on your bodily needs! My fascination with the 80-10-10 diet began in the early spring of 2013, when I was living in Lyon, France. I got hooked on YouTubers like Kristina the raw foodie, but overlooked the fact that a student living in the Rhone-Alps region doesn’t have quite the same dietary needs as a long-distance runner in Austin, Texas.

Though I no longer live off of breakfast smoothies, I do appreciate the quick protein fix smoothies can provide after a hefty workout.

Here’s what I consider the anatomy, or essential elements, of a protein-rich fruit smoothie:

1. Base: This is the “meat” of the smoothie, providing the majority of the caloric energy and the texture of the drink. Usually a tropical fruit and most commonly bananas. My other faves are oranges and mangoes.
2. Secondary fruit: Add some dimension and antioxidants with some fresh or frozen fruit like berries or kiwi.
3. Protein: To ensure your smoothie packs a punch, add a tablespoon of protein powder, peanut (or other nut) butter, or flax seed. Also a great option is to sneak in some protein-y greens like spinach or kale.
4. Liquid: This will help “glue” all the dry ingredients together. Depending on how light or heavy you want to go, add a milk (eg. soy, almond, dairy, etc.), juice (eg. orange, apple, cranberry), or water (eg. coconut).
5. Flava-flav: The best part is customizing the flavour, colour and texture with fun ingredients like: coconut flakes, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, medjool dates, raw honey, or matcha powder.

Here’s what I used for today’s Tabata Sunday smoothie:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 banana
• ½ cup frozen blueberries
• 1 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 tbsp flax seed
• ½ cup soy milk

In this extra protein-y shake, the peanut butter acted as both protein and the flava-flav. For extra fruit (and aesthetics), I garnished with a kiwi slice.

Work that body and treat yourself!

All-natural 3-ingredient face regime

Before I say ANYTHING about skin care, I must caveat this post by saying that everyone has a different body with different physiological needs based on a variety of factors – genes, lifestyle, geographic location, age, sex, etc. So what works for me may not work for you.

That said, over the years and many a college late-night, I learned the hard (though temporarily fun) way that there are 3 essential golden rules of skin care that hold true for most all Homo sapiens:

1. Hydrate yourself. Water is your best friend and single best ingredient for clear glowing skin. This also means avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and anything that can dehydrate you. I know, sounds like torture.
2. Sleep. Is for the weak – and for the sensible, and the beautiful.
3. Avoid the sun. Or at least wear a hat, lather up on sunscreen and don’t spend all day err day lying out on the beach…

As a society, we’re addicted to quick fixes. But if you can consciously start to integrate these guidelines – you don’t have to follow them to a T – your glowing epidermis is pretty much set for life. Beyond that, it doesn’t really matter what gunk you decide to put on your face. But my semi-scientific background and gut instinct tells me that the fewer the artificial ingredients, and fewer words on the bottle label, the better. In fact, best if the stuff doesn’t even come packaged – but straight from a plant source.

For those of us city folk, sourcing our own jojoba oil might be a bit tough. So here is the natural skin regime I have stood by for my 95% zit-free (there is no such thing as 100% unless you’re a baby or an alien), clear complexion. You can find all 3 ingredients in most health food stories, if not your local pharmacy.

Step 1: Honey Tea Tree Oil Cleanser

This cleanser is crazy simple to make, and smells good to boot. Honey gently removes impurities without stripping the skin of natural oils, so it’s ideal for sensitive skin. Both honey and tea tree oil are naturally antibacterial, so they effectively reduce breakouts.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Mix approximately 10 drops of pure tea tree oil into 100 ml of raw honey (scale up or down based on how much honey you have).
2. Stir or “shake” the bottle for a few minutes so that the TTO mixes in evenly with honey.
3. Apply a nickel-sized dollop to your face, spread, and wash off.

Step 2: Jojoba Oil moisturizer

Like honey and TTO, you can use jojoba oil for a million things, but I like to use it as a facial moisturizer after cleansing. It’s naturally hydrating yet soaks in super quick so it doesn’t stay oily on your skin.

I use Dessert Essence, but you can use any all-natural jojoba oil with no contaminants, residue, or other oils.

Now go out and show off that glowing epidermis!

Wild Berry Egg Tarts (Vegetarian)

If you’ve ever been to Hong Kong – or Vancouver, or any Chinatown for that matter – you have probably stepped into a Chinese bakery. There is something comforting about the combination of stark fluorescent lighting, that distinct sweet buttery aroma, the click of plastic tongs and trays, and the curt mid-Menopausal cashier that rings up your order before you have time to grab your wallet.

But for those who don’t have the luxury of such an experience in the vicinity, or prefer avoiding the outrageous $1.30 price tag on these treats nowadays (they were 33 cents back in the 90s!), you can now turn your own kitchen into said bakery.

You may have noticed that many of my recipes contain (frozen) blueberries. One of the perks of living in the ‘burbs is that I’m at the nexus of residential and agricultural land. In other words, there is a blueberry farm a 5-minute walk from home! Can’t beat picking fresh berries as a post-dinner digestion aid. So we do a lot of that in the summertime, then freeze ‘em up for baking the rest of the year.

Now, you may not have a blueberry farm next to your house, but maybe some wild blackberry bushes nearby, or a backyard ready to host some fruit trees or veggies, and most likely a farmer’s market in your ‘hood. (A few months ago, my dad and I set up our backyard garden, and we’ve got tons of yummy produce ready to bloom. Be on the lookout for a post on gardening!) Whatever your local flava – add it to the mix! Veganish is all about experimenting, so I encourage you to customize these recipes to your taste and the bestest, freshest goods in your reach.

I must admit, this recipe is super simple largely because I use pre-made tart shells, which you can find at most grocery stores (I got mine at Superstore / Loblaws). The toughest part of this whole process is getting the egg tarts into the oven without spilling! Seriously, requires zen Qi-gong hands. Just imagine you’re moving through a giant block of jello. If you manage to make these tarts sans spillage, I will personally mail you a gold star.

INGREDIENTS:

Makes 12 egg tarts

• 3 eggs
• 150ml milk
• 1 tbsp sugar
• ½ cup blueberries & blackberries
• 12 frozen tart shells

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Lay out tart shells onto baking rack.
2. Beat the eggs, add milk and sugar and stir until smooth.
3. Place 3-4 blueberries & blackberries in each tart.
4. Pour mixture into shells.
5. Carefully place baking rack into the oven.
6. In a toaster oven, bake at 350 F for 20-25 minutes until tart shells slightly brown.
7. Share and enjoy!

Brussel Sprouts Apple Salad with Sriracha and Lime (Vegan, Gluten-free)

Thanks A.C. for bringing this to my potluck! I am amazed at how dishes evolve as recipes migrate from person to person and across time and locations. This salad has roots (*pun intended*) in some swanky NYC restaurant. My friend A.C. ordered a sans-apple version of this salad at said restaurant, liked it, but decided to add apples when he recreated it at home. He brought it over to mine one night, I loved it, but decided to play around with the vinaigrette recipe and with roasting the sprouts instead. And so, three generations of salads later, this recipe was born:

One of the perks/quirks of growing up in an immigrant family is that I never ate Brussel sprouts as a kid. Or if I did, it would have been in an experimental bhaji doused with spices. So come adulthood, I did not retain any sort of Pavlovian aversion to these veggies.

But if you still wrinkle your nose at sprouts…try this recipe and tell me what you think. I first pan-fry the sprouts and then pop them in the oven so that they are more caramelized and not too bitter or fibrous.The apples provide a nice, cool crunch contrasted with the zesty kick of the vinaigrette and the warmth of the sprouts. Perfect transition for spring: phasing out the roasted vegetables and spices and bringing in fresh fruit and citrus!

INGREDIENTS:

Serves 2-3 (Appetizer-size servings)

• 1 packet of Brussel sprouts (~20-30)
• 1 apple (I used Fuji)

Sriracha Lime Vinaigrette:

• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon Sriracha (add more or less depending on spice preference)
• Cracked pepper, to taste
• Sea salt, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Wash sprouts, and slice off bottoms and cut in half.
3. Heat a pan to medium-high and add sprouts Season with salt and pepper.. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until sprouts are lightly brown around the edges.
4. Transfer sprouts to oven and roast for another 7-10 minutes.
5. Thinly slice an apple and cut into small pieces.
6. Combine Sriracha, olive oil and lime juice in a bowl/container and whisk well till blended.
7. Take sprouts out of oven and mix in apples. Drizzle a little bit of vinaigrette (you’ll only use about half).

Pair this with an open faced sandwich like beet avocado toast or some artichoke antipasto (shown below). After a ridiculous morning of essay-writing, I needed this clean, relaxing, quiet lunch for one.

Mama’s Deluxe Banana Bread (vegetarian/vegan)

We’re about a month and a half late for National Banana Bread Day in the U.S. (February 23^rd) but in Canada, we don’t need a reason to celebrate this all-time classic. Banana bread or loaf cakes are like chocolate chip cookies – a crowd-pleaser whether you’re dressin’ to impress the omnivores or just kicking back for afternoon tea. First potluck with the new gang? Can’t go wrong with banana bread. Everyone’s got their favourite recipe for banana bread. This one is straight from my mama’s recipe stash. After years of drooling over other kids’ Dunkaroos and Lunchables, I’m finally proud to say that my mom’s a bit of a health freak. She doesn’t by the whole diet-labeling ordeal (and neither do I anymore), but for the sake of ease this recipe is both dairy-free and made with whole wheat flour. You can veganize it by substituting eggs with flax seed, and gluten-free by subbing wheat flour with a gluten-free flour mix. The best part of baking is customizing. Got a sweet tooth? Mix in some chocolate or carob chips! I like to ease up on the sugar and load mine with berries and nuts – for that juicy burst of flavor and nutty crunch. INGREDIENTS: For an 8’ x 4’ pan (makes 8-10 servings) Wet ingredients:

• 1-3 eggs (or equivalent flax seed substitute)
• 3-4 super ripe bananas
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup brown sugar

Dry ingredients:

• 1 ½ cup whole wheat flour (or gluten-free flour mix)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon flax seed for extra fibre (optional)

Fun add-ons (optional):

• ½ cup berries (frozen blueberries, blackberries)
• ½ cup nuts (sunflower seeds, walnuts, almond slivers)
• chocolate/carob chips

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a bowl, mash the bananas and add in all the wet ingredients, putting in the sugar last. Mix into a slushy consistency.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mix, stirring until you get a smooth consistency with no lumps.
5. Stir in your fun add-ons: berries, nuts, chocolate chips, etc.
6. Line your baking pan with parchment paper (compostable) or vegetable oil, then pour in the mixture.
7. For decoration, sprinkle some nuts on the top, but not too many so that they burn.
8. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick/fork comes out clean.
9. Cool, slice, and enjoy!

Beet Avocado Toast (Vegan)

Jane will tell you that this was my go-to breakfast or snack for a good six months! I felt strapped for quick and easy breakfast options when I first attempted veganism. I usually preferred savoury food in the morning and didn’t know what I would do without eggs.

It was only when I visited my best friend that she prepared us some hummus toast for a morning pre-yoga snack. So simple, so delicious- why had I not thought of it before?

I usually swap the plain hummus for a beet hummus or beet-tahini dip. And the flavours are suddenly so much more complex:

The crispiness of the toast.
The creaminess of the avocado.
The sweetness of the beets.
The zing of lemon
The kick of salt and pepper.

INGREDIENTS:

For one serving:

• 2 small slices of your preferred bread (Multigrain works best in my opinion)
• 1 tablespoon beet hummus or dip (I used the Trader Joe’s version but you can make your own)
• ½ ripe avocado, sliced horizontally
• 1 wedge of lemon
• Sea salt and pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Toast the bread to your desired level of crispiness.
2. Cut an avocado lengthwise in half and slice horizontally.
3. Spread the toasted bread with the beet spread of your choice.
4. Top with avocado slices and lightly squeeze lemon juice over it.
5. Crack some salt and pepper on top of it all.

The ease of it all makes it a great staple for a snack or a light breakfast (just go easy on the garlicky hummus and pepper in the latter case). I also pair it with some sautéed tofu and veggies for a quick meal. And the vibrant colours make it a party-pleasing appetizer.