Apple cinnamon quinoa pancakes with date caramel (refined sugar free)

Our favourite pancake recipe, altered to be vegan and sugar-free:
(Adapted from the Quinoa 365 cookbook)

And, on the heels of Halloween, this recipe called for something a bit more festive:

Instead of blueberries in the pancakes I added blended apple (chunky, not blended smooth) and a tsp on cinnamon.  The caramel recipe is below:)

1 1/3 c quinoa flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp organic apple sauce
1 1/4 c almond milk
1 flax egg (1.5 tbsp flax, 3 tbsp water)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp pure vanilla
1 ripe banana
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp hemp hearts
1/3 c blueberries

(1) Combine the dry ingredients, set aside.
(2) Make the flax egg in a small container and set aside.
(3) Combine the rest of the ingredients (excluding the blueberries) in a blender.  Blend until smooth.
(4) Add the flax egg to the blend and pulse a few times.
(5) Mix the dry, wet, and blueberries together (add more almond milk to fit the consistency you are comfortable making pancakes with).
(6) Cook the pancakes until bubbles form around the edges, then flip and cook the other side until lightly browned.  These pancakes are a bit heavy and thick so I like to make them quite small, like the size of my palm or smaller.


Our favourite compote/ syrup recipe:

(1) Add one cup of frozen blueberries in a small saucepan/ pot on low heat for 45-60 minutes.
(2) Once the berries are soft, mash it into a stew-like sauce.
(3) Cook on low heat for another 60-90 minutes to cook off the liquid.
(4) Remove from heat.  Place in refrigerator if a cooled compote is preferred.



The date caramel (from Minimalist Baker): 

"Get your hands on some dates, whirl them in your food processor, add a little coconut oil (or water) until you get the creamiest, dreamiest paste that tastes seriously identical to caramel." 
Yup.  I blended (I don't have a food processor) about a cup of dates, 2 tbsps of coconut oil, 1/4 c of water until smooth and then heated on the stove to keep it melted!

Altered recipes: Potato pancakes (vegan) and homemade ketchup

Potato Pancakes

by Vegan As I Want To Be

Ingredients:
3 medium or 2 large potatoes
All Purpose Flour (I used brown rice flour)
Salt
Cayenne or Black Pepper
Garlic Powder
1 Small Onion

Instructions:

Grate into a large mixing bowl (by hand or in a food processor) three medium potatoes.
Add 1/2 cup finely chopped onion.
Stir together with:3 heaping Tbsp Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Cayenne or Black Pepper (optional)
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
Preheat pan with avocado oil
Scoop approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake
Fry on each side

Enjoy with this delicious sugar-free homemade ketchup by Spoonful of Sugarfree

• 12 oz. tomato paste
• 4 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon mustard
• 1/4 cup+2 Tablespoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1. Combine all ingredients and whisk until combined. You may wish to blend in order to ensure the spices are evenly mixed throughout.
2. It is best to let the ketchup sit together in the fridge for a couple of hours, or overnight, before serving so that the flavors blend together well.
3. Store in an airtight container in fridge.

Ridiculously easy sugar- and gluten-free pancakes with blueberry compote

Ingredients:


one banana
two organic fr eggs
one tbsp of hemp
one tbsp of pumpkin seeds. 






(1) Blend until consistent
(2)Fry in avocado oil (flip quickly as they tend to burn quickly)
(3) Serve with blueberry compote.

Blueberry Compote

(1) Add one cup of blueberries in a small saucepan/ pot on low heat for 45-60 minutes.
(2) Once the berries are soft, mash it into a stew-like sauce.
(3) Cook on low heat for another 60-90 minutes to cook off the liquid.
(4) Remove from heat.  Place in refrigerator if a cooled compote is preferred.

That's it!  No sugars needed!

Favourite recipes: THAI PEANUT TRUFFLES

THAI PEANUT TRUFFLES  
From Fragrant Vanilla Cake by Amy Lyons

Filling:
1/3 cup raw coconut butter (not oil!), liquified
1/2 cup raw peanut butter
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp chili flakes
1 Tbsp very finely minced fresh ginger (or 2 tsp dried)
2 Tbsp raw coconut nectar or maple syrup

Raw chocolate:
1/2 cup raw coconut oil, warmed to liquid
3/4 cup raw cacao powder
1/4 cup raw coconut nectar or maple syrup
a pinch sea salt

To make the filling, whisk together ingredients until smooth. Place in the freezer to firm up enough to roll into balls, about 10 minutes. 

Meanwhile, to make the chocolate, whisk together all ingredients until smooth.  Once the filling is set, dip each truffle into the chocolate and place on a foil lined sheet pan.  Place back into the freezer until chocolate is set, about 15 minutes. Store in the fridge.

I did this too: (Alternatively you can do what I did and simply pour each mixture into cupcake paper molds, then set in the fridge or freezer until solid. Either way, these babies are delish.)

Favourite recipes: Carob Almond Freezer Fudge

Carob Almond Freezer Fudge

By: Oh She Glows
Vegan, gluten-free, no bake/raw, refined sugar-free, soy-free

Ready in 30 minutes, this carob freezer fudge is low in
sugar while still tasting quite decadent. Feel free to change up the nut butter, sweetener, and mix-ins as you see fit. The coconut oil is necessary in this recipe though as it helps solidify the fudge when chilled. It melts quickly so be sure to enjoy it straight from the freezer and don't let it sit on the counter for more than a couple minutes.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup virgin coconut oil, melted
• 1/4 cup creamy natural almond or peanut butter (natural, not sweetened)
• 1/4 cup carob powder, sifted
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
• 2-3 tablespoons pure maple syrup (I use applesauce)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/8-1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• 1/2 cup gluten-free rice crisp cereal (I use rice crisp or bran cereal)

Directions:

1. Line a very small loaf pan (4" x 8") with plastic wrap for easy removal. Or I like to set up mini chocolate cups to fill so I can skip the cutting step.
2. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl until smooth.
3. With a spatula, scoop the mixture into the prepared pan or mini cups.
4. Freeze for about 20 minutes, or until solid.
5. Slice into squares and enjoy! Store leftovers in a container in the freezer as it melts quickly at room temperature.

My altered recipes: Raw Superfood Balls/bars

Raw Superfood Balls & Bars
From: veggiesdontbite.com

Ingredients:

• 2 cups rolled oats
• ½ cup pumpkin seeds
• 1 cup hemp seeds
• 1 cup pecans (optional) (I used walnuts)
• 2 ½ cups dates
• ½ cups goji berries
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• dash of Himalayan pink salt
• ½ to ¾ cup water
• ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Place goji berries in a small bowl and fill with warm water. Allow to soak for 5 minutes or until they soften a bit.

Place oats, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, pecans (or walnuts) and dates in a blender and blend until the mixture is half blended (not smooth).  Add the water to help it blend.

In a bowl, add the goji berries (drain the water), vanilla, salt, and coconut to the blended mixture.

Press into a container, casserole dish or the like and place in the fridge for a few hours.

That's it!  Enjoy:)

Create something ...EVERYDAY?!?

I did, for the last 62 days.  Some days it was easy; other days were more difficult to find the time or motivation.  Some days I felt like I had a winner project and post; other days I felt like I was grasping to fulfill the "everyday" challenge.

In the end I have some amazing recipes (both other's and my own), fun toddler art projects, opportunities to write, memories, crafty projects, keepsakes, and community involvement. I gardened, I gifted, and most importantly, I created!

To reflect on the last two months, beyond the fun I had, I will take away two important things from this experience.  Externally, I have heard from many friends (some old, some new from this challenge!) that I have motivated them to be creative.  This warms my heart.  THIS is exactly what I wanted to do: to show people how the little things, the daily things ARE creative!  And introspectively, I thought I would approach this challenge very differently.  I'm an organizer.  I thought that when I felt overwhelmed I would pre-plan and force my creative projects so to never be without a post at the end of the day.  What I am proud to report is that many evenings I wouldn't have a planned post and would have to think back throughout my day.  This is not my MO; I often try to organize and control most aspect of my life.  What I learned was that feeling unsure and disorganized felt okay, I realized that I didn't have to post the perfect creative project everyday and that was freeing.

So to those of you who followed this challenge and participated in my posts, I thank you.  I thank you for your involvement and your continued support.  And while I won't be posting each night, I am still so motivated to continue creating something everyday!

Altered favourites: Springtime Strawberry Lime Mango Crisp (Vegan + GF)

Springtime Strawberry Lime Mango Crisp (Vegan + GF)

Vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free

Fresh strawberries, buttery mango and tangy lime create a naturally sweet, gooey crisp with a crunchy almond-oat-coconut topping. I love making this crisp in the springtime when mangos and strawberries are at their peak. And when I say "crisp", I really like a crisp topping (which is what you'll find here). Serve it as a healthy weekend breakfast or alongside a brunch. I especially love it after it’s chilled in the fridge overnight – the syrup thickens and the leftovers are irresistible the next morning. To turn it into dessert, add a scoop of ice cream. This recipe is adapted from the Apple Crisp in The Oh She Glows Cookbook.

Yield
6-8 servings

Prep Time
20 Minutes

Cook time
35 Minutes

Ingredients:

FOR THE FILLING:

• 2 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped (about 5.5 cups)
• 2 cups chopped fresh mango (about 3 mangoes) (I have used two stalks of rhubarb instead)
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
• 3 tablespoons coconut sugar (I eliminate this ingredient; the fruit is sweet enough)
• 1.5 tablespoons lime zest
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

FOR THE TOPPING:

• 1 cup rolled oats, use certified gluten-free if necessary
• 1 cup thinly sliced almonds
• 1/3 cup almond meal or almond flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup virgin coconut oil, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly grease an 8-cup (2 litre) casserole dish.
2. For the filling: Place the chopped strawberries and mango in a medium bowl and sprinkle the arrowroot powder on top. Toss until the fruit is coated.
3. Stir in the sugar and zest. Drizzle on the lime juice and lightly toss to combine. Pour the fruit mixture into the prepared dish and spread out evenly.
4. For the topping: In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, almonds, almond meal/flour, shredded coconut, cinnamon, salt. Pour on the maple syrup and melted coconut oil and stir until combined.
5. Sprinkle the topping all over the fruit mixture in an even layer.
6. Cover the dish with foil and poke a couple holes in the foil. Bake for 20 minutes, until the fruit is tender. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until the topping is golden and the filling is bubbling up around the sides.
7. Serve with a scoop of non-dairy vanilla ice cream, coconut whipped cream, or simply on its own. Store in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Family favourite recipe: Pasta with Cashew Truffle Cream Sauce

Pasta with Cashew Truffle Cream Sauce

By Savory Simple

 

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups raw cashews, soaked overnight in cold water
• 1½ cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1½ tablespoons white truffle oil
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• fresh basil, sliced thin
• 1 pound pasta (I used fettuccine)

Instructions

1. Drain the cashews, discarding the soaking water.
2. In a sturdy blender or food processor, puree cashews and 1½ cups fresh water on high speed. Scrap down the sides to make sure everything is incorporated. Continue pureeing until very smooth.
3. Add salt, nutritional yeast, dried thyme, white truffle oil and pepper and blend.
4. Prepare pasta according to package instructions.
5. Toss the sauce and pasta together. Garnish with basil before serving.

My notes: I served this with garlic grilled green beans on the side and everyone really liked this dish! I think next time I would add mushrooms and maybe try blending a little cauliflower into the sauce (but shhhh, don't tell them!)

My altered favourites: Chickpea peanut butter chocolate chip cookies!

Chickpea peanut butter chocolate chip cookies!

Adapted from Fit Mama Real Food

I made a double batch because these cookies freeze well raw and we can enjoy them freshly baked:)

Ingredients

• 1¼ cups canned chickpeas, well-rinsed and patted dry with a paper towel
• ½ cup dark chocolate chips
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup agave (any liquid sweetener could work)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ cup + 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
• 1/3 cup crispy puffed rice

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. 
2. Combine the chickpeas, chocolate chips, vanilla, agave (or other sweetener), and baking powder in a blender.  Process until almost smooth (some whole chocolate chips are fine).  The mixture will be very thick and sticky.
3. Mix with peanut butter in a separate bowl until a consistent dough.
4. Stir in the rice puffs.
5. With wet hands, form into 1½” balls. Place onto a Silpat or a piece of parchment paper. If you want them to look more like normal cookies, press down slightly on the balls. They don’t do much rising.
6. Bake for 25 minutes. The dough balls will still be very soft when you take them out of the oven. They will not set like normal cookies.
7. Keep on the counter for a few days and in the fridge after that, if they make it that far!
   

My altered recipes: Green Smoothies!

To green-smoothie or not to green-smoothie, that is the debate...

I ran out of my cereal a few weeks ago and, while trying to avoid having the oven on for an hour plus, decided to try a morning smoothie.  Most of the recipes I tried were pretty fruit-heavy which I believe is counter-productive. So last week when I attended a Feed Life workshop and tasted this Nutrient Dense Green Smoothie, I was really excited to make my own!

Ingredients:
3 leaves kale
2 stalks of celery
1/4 cucumber
1/2 bulb fennel
1 green apple
1 thumb of ginger
1/2 lemon
2 dates (optional)

Here's my super-dooper version:
3 kale leaves
1 stalk of celery
(I forgot to add, and to buy, cucumber, whoops!)
1/2 small bulb of fennel
1 green apple
1 banana
1 thumb of ginger
1/2 a lemon
half ring of fresh pineapple (approx 1/8 cup)
1/8 cup of hemp seeds
1/8 cup of chia seeds
1 T flax oil (I got this one at Costco)
25 oz of water

Tastes delicious and fills me up until lunch!

Toddler Art: homemade mess - er, paint!

Edible?  YES!
Tasty?  Ugh, NO!

Many recipes call for cornstarch but I didn't have any so I found many recipes that just use three ingredients: flour, water, and food colouring!  I came across this blog and thought there were some great ideas for edible toddler paint and also non-edible paint for older children.  There is no end to re-using what we already have in this house!



Ingredients:
equal parts (I used one cup of each) water and flour (I used all purpose unbleached flour)
food colouring
spoons, cups, blocks, sponges, etc!

I added the flour slowly to the water, whisking until smooth and then added 40 drops of colouring.

And the finished product (still drying after 7 hours!):

Canning your own tomatoes

Canning tomatoes!  (See previous post as to why!)

I bought 40 lbs of tomatoes at $1 per pound which is an insanely good deal!  They aren't organic, but they were BC grown.  And I ended up with 16 packed jars!


So once we started canning I realized how much multi-tasking was necessary!  Here's what we did today (without multi-tasking suggestions - you can figure that out for yourself!):





(1) Sanitize jars in the dishwasher (wash rings in hot soapy water) and then do a final sanitize of the jars in the oven with the jars upside down in a little water in a rimmed cookie pan (bake at 200 deg).  Keep these going (approximately six at a time), for 10 minutes each batch.







(2) Set two large pots to boil (half full of water) - one for raw tomatoes (left) and the other for sealing the jars at the end (right)







(3) Once the tomato pot is boiling fill it with tomatoes.  Boil the raw tomatoes (they must be covered by the water) and remove once a few have split.  Fill one sink with cold ice water to cool the boiled tomatoes.  Continue boiling tomatoes until they are done.



(4) Set a medium pot to boil and then soak the snap lids in boiled (not boiling) water until they are needed.

(5) Once the tomatoes have gone through the cold bath, peel the tomatoes, cut into fours and stuff into jars.  If the tomatoes are still firm (some types of tomatoes are more firm than others - I used tomatoes on the vine) squish the tomatoes into the jar with your hand.


(6) Start a kettle of boiling water to top up the jars.



(7) After you have filled the jars with tomatoes and juice, use a butter knife around the inner jar edges to expel bubbles, add a few drops of lemon juice (to ensure safe acidity) and top with hot water to 1/4 inch from the rim of the jar.  Wipe clean the rim of the jar, top with seal (do not press down), and screw on the ring as tight as you can.





(8) Once you have approximately six jars ready, stand them in the pot on the wire stand, ensure they are covered with boiling water, cover the pot, and let set for 30 mins.







(9) Leave the jars to cool for a few hours while you enjoy the popping/ sealing sounds:)

"Canning tomatoes? Why?"

Canning tomatoes tomorrow!

Today I was asked twice, "Canning tomatoes? Why?"

It's a good question.  Why am I spending an entire day preserving a food that I can buy year round at any grocery store?

My biggest motivating factor is health: BPA concerns from metal cans.  Last winter I looked for jarred tomatoes for the chili I was going to make and found one brand for $15 per jar.  What?!?!  So this chili season I'll be ready!

Another reason I want to do this is for knowledge.  While I'm not working in the summer I like to find ways to keep learning things, and I love (LOVE) playing in the kitchen!  Plus, the bonus is that my mom is teaching me the How-Tos of Canning Tomatoes so that's pretty cool to spend that time with her too:)

And the last reason HAS to be for creativity.  Why else is my mom spending hours knitting me fuzzy socks for the winter when she could buy them at London Drugs for $3?  Why are friends making homemade vanilla, salsa, soups, and candy when those items are readily available at any grocery store?  Why would you sew your own bed sheet or paint your own picture or build your own furniture when Big Box Store has it ready for you to buy?  It's because of pride and our NEED to be creative!

I hope that everyone reading this blog entry has the experience of seeing something that they want and instead of buying it, says, "I can do that myself!"

Recipe challenge: The B Square

Last week I was given an interesting challenge: according to only the ingredients list, re-create the B Square from Milano Coffee Roasters.

Here are all the ingredients and the original bar from Milano!  Oh, and the LOVE is all around!

To start, I made a small amount:

1/4 c dark (at least 70%) chocolate (60g or 6 squares of Lindt Excellence chocolate - it's vegan!)

1/4 c carob chips

1/4 c crispy rice puffs

1/8 c pumpkin seeds

1 T sunflower seeds

1 T chia seeds

1 T hemp hearts

1 T crushed almonds
1 T crushed cashews
1 t vanilla
1/2 t agave
1/2 t hymalayan salt

Instructions
(1) Blend or crush almonds and cashews into small pieces
(2) Mix almond and cashew pieces with the rice, pumpkin seeds, chia, hemp, and sunflower seeds, and salt
(3) Melt the dark chocolate in the microwave, 20 secs at a time so it doesn't burn.  Once it's liquid add the carob chips, vanilla, and agave and stir until blended.
(4) Add the wet mix to the dry ingredients and press into a shallow container with a spoon.
(5) Cool the mixture in the refrigerator for a few hours until it's a solid bar.


UPDATE:
The husband and I compared the original to my first attempt:

Here's what we came up with :

The original: had more of a brown rice taste to it.

Mine: I noticed right away that it was thicker and more difficult to cut.  I needed to use less chocolate and even less carob in the next attempt.


Updated ingredients:

40g or 4 squares of dark (at least 70%) chocolate

1/8 c carob chips

1/8 c crispy rice puffs

1/8 c pumpkin seeds

1 T sunflower seeds

1 T chia seeds

1 T hemp hearts

1 T crushed almonds
1 T crushed cashews
1/2 t vanilla
1/2 t agave
1/2 t hymalayan salt

The brother licked the mixing bowl and the feedback was that it was pretty salty.  I probably should have used only a 1/4 t.  I guess we'll see tomorrow....

Toddler Art: bingo dabbers

The first time I observed my 18 month old daughter paint I realized the muli-tasking that is required: not only do you need to dip the brush, but then scoop the right amount of paint, carry it on the brush to the paper, and then place that colour paint where you want it to go before it falls off the brush!  I had heard of children using bingo dabbers and thought we'd give that a try today.

Supplies:

bingo dabbers, a variety of colours

porous paper like watercolour paper

sheet/ tarp/ mat

NOT your favourite shirt!

The disclaimer: Ensure that the child will be fully supervised while painting as the warning label on the dabber says to keep away from children!  The ink is not non-toxic.

Once the ink is dry, spray the paper with matte or gloss shellack to seal the ink.