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Cookbook Review: The Oh She Glows Cookbook + recipe, giveaway

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I am thrilled to be reviewing Angela Liddon's first cookbook, The Oh She Glows Cookbook. A book based on her amazing blog Oh She Glows. Check out my review and try a recipe from the book and a book giveaway!..


photo credit: Angela Liddon


photo credit: Angela Liddon

Review: The Oh She Glows Cookbook: Over 100 Vegan Recipes to Glow from the Inside Out

When I first opened my package containing an advanced copy of Angela's book I was greeted with a photo of humble rainbow carrots striped across the cover. And then when I opened the book my jaw literally dropped as I was paralyzed in excitement for the beautiful (gorgeous!) photos gazing back at me as I flipped quickly through the pages.

At first glance, the book is stunning. The polished photos could easily rival Martha Stewart - and so could the recipes! This is not just an amazing vegan cookbook, it is an amazing cookbook, period! I think anyone who holds this book in their hands will see that.


photo credit: Angela Liddon, The Oh She Glows Cookbook - recipe page 141, cream of tomato soup with roasted italian chickpea croutons

At deeper glance, here are my fave features about the book:

* The photos. Seriously GORGEOUS.
* I love how each new chapter lists all the recipes in that chapter in list format for easy browsing.
* I love the "homemade staples" chapter which contains every vegan's fave go-to recipes like cashew cream, homemade flours and almond milk.
* I love the recipes! They echo the creativity, beauty and deliciousness found on Angela's blog.
* It has a few amazing smoothie recipes 🙂 you know me... I made one this morning!..

Basically, if you are in the market for a new vegan cookbook and happen to pass this book in the store, GRAB IT. I can not gush enough about how great this book is. Profound words escape me because all I want to do it turn away from my computer and keep flipping through the pages discovering new nooks and crannies of the vegan yumminess and inspiration that can be found.

Angela, congratulations on such a beautiful masterpiece. I am so excited for the world to see your book. I know your recipes will inspire an even wider audience now and help more and more people make the switch to vegan - or simply add more vegan recipes to their diets. Smoothie glass cheers to you and the brilliant Oh She Glows Cookbook!

Enough gushing now, yes?

Lets share a recipe from the book!


photo credit: Angela Liddon, The Oh She Glows Cookbook

When flipping through the pages, this yummy salad recipe caught my eye and I am thrilled to be able to share it with you.

Walnut, Avocado & Pear Salad with Marinated Portobello Caps & Red Onion
pg. 103, The Oh She Glows Cookbook - re-printing permission courtesy of Angela Liddon

2 large portobello mushrooms
½ red onion, thinly sliced
1 recipe Effortless Anytime Balsamic Vinaigrette (Angela's recipe below)
1 5oz. box mixed greens
2 ripe pears, peeled, cored, chopped
1 avpcao, pitted and chopped
⅓ cup walnuts, toasted

Intro from Angela: This salad was inspired by a dish at a local restaurant where my girlfriends and I meet for lunch once a month. With buttery pear slices, grilled marinated red onion, portobello mushrooms, toasted walnuts, and creamy avocado, it's a delicious mix of my favorite flavors and textures, and it's filling, too. Each portobello mushroom packs in around 6 to 8 grams protein, so add one or two and you have yourself a protein-packed salad that will go the distance.

serves 2 prep time: 15 to 20 minutes, cook time 8 to 10 minutes
gluten free, soy free, refined sugar free, grain free

1. Gently rub the outside of the mushrooms and remove and debris. Remove the stems by twisting the stem until the top pops off; discard it or freeze it for another use, such as stirfry. With a small spoon, scrape out and discard the black gills.
2. In a large bowl, combine the mushroom caps, onion, and half of the balsamic vinaigrette and toss until fluffy coated. Marinate the mushrooms and onion for 20 to 30 minutes, tossing every 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Heat a grill pan over medium high heat. Place the mushroom caps and onion on the pan and grill for 3 to 5 minutes per side, until grill marks appear and the vegetables are tender. Reduce the heat if necessary. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside until the mushroom caps are cool enough to handle, then slice the mushroom caps in long strips.
4. For each salad, place a few handfuls of mixed greens in a large bowl and top with half of the chopped pear, avocado, walnuts, and grilled mushrooms and onion. Drizzle the salad with some of the remaining balsamic vinaigrette and enjoy!

Effortless Anytime Balsamic Vinaigrette
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoon flaxseed oil or EVOO
2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoon unsweetened applesauce
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon fine grain sea salt, or to taste
freshly ground black pepper

1. In a small bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients or simply combine them in a jar, screw on the lid, and shake. This dressing will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for at least 2 weeks.

GIVEAWAY. Pin this review to enter. Gain more entries for liking.

And psst.. there are TWO covers for the book. So those in Canada will see a different front cover view, FYI.

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All photos credited to: Angela Liddon. The head shot of Angela, credit: Dave Biesse

Want more of Angela? Check out her Veggie Girl Power Interview here on HHL!

Magic Mint-Chocolate Matcha Cups

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These easy-to-make, simple-ingredient, melt-in-you-mouth Magic Minty-Chocolate Matcha Cups are rich in chocolate flavor with a silky center of minty-matcha green tea bliss. Sweet and cool, I store these little cups in the freezer and grab one when I have a chocolate craving. The hint of mint is super refreshing and the green tea accent adds color, antioxidants and a cravable flavor you simply must try...

Mint Cool Down. These cups instantly chill your mood and calm your craving for something sweet. And this perky green color is perfect for those spring-is-coming daydreams you have been having.

Mint Memories. The inspiration for this recipe is a bit random, but here it goes. When I was a teen, I used to babysit quite a lot. And I was the go-to gal for one family in particular. And as every GOOD babysitter knows there is more to a successful babysitting session that simply watching the kids and having fun. Once those kids are tucked into bed and the house is quiet and cleaned it is just you, master of the house. What to do now? Number one, an excellent couch to TV setup is a must-have. Number two must have item: snacks! And this family had the best snacks. Cherry-peach seasonal muffins from the farmer's market, freshly baked bread puffing up in the bread machine and a fully stocked snack pantry. And the lovely mom of the house always INSISTED that I dive into whatever I wanted.

But the one thing that I really remember from that kitchen was in the freezer. They always put those "After Eight" mint chocolate square-skinny candies in the freezer. Cold from the freezer they were rich, chewy and addictive! I think I nibbled more than my fair share of those mints on a few occasions.

So that brings me back to today's sweet treat recipe that reminded me of those freezer-stored chocolate mint treats.

These matcha-infused cups are super easy to make with just a few ingredients and quite amazing. I love a hint of mint after dinner and these sweet cups deliver. The recipe is very forgivable since the ratio of chocolate to coconut oil and such doesn't have to be perfect. And you can add the mint and matcha to taste.

Magic Minty-Chocolate Matcha Cups
vegan, makes 9-10 cups

chocolate layer:
½ - ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips*
2 tablespoon extra virgin coconut oil
*start off with ½ cup of chips and if you want thicker cups or need more, simply melt more -- add a hint of coconut oil each time you melt the chocolate.

matcha layer:
½ - 1 teaspoon matcha green tea (more matcha adds a darker color and stronger flavor)
1 teaspoon agave
2-3 drops peppermint extract
¼ cup extra virgin coconut oil

Directions:

1. In a small mug, warm the chocolate layer ingredients for 30-60 seconds in the microwave or until silky and melted.
2. Spray your candy cup mold -- or use cupcake tins lined with cupcake liners for the pretty crimped edges. I like to lightly spray with coconut oil.
3. Pour ½-3/4 teaspoon into the cups to create a thin bottom layer. Place container in the freezer to fully chill.
4. Melt the matcha layer coconut oil, then whisk in the matcha green tea, peppermint extract and agave syrup. Tip: Start off with just a ¼ teaspoon matcha and add more as desired.
5. Pull the chocolate from the freezer and pour in the matcha layer. You can add a lot of a little. You could even skip the top layer of chocolate and swirl the matcha on top. You can get creative with your layering, as you can see I did from my photos. If you want a top chocolate layer, simply freezer the matcha-added cups until firm and add the chocolate layer.
6. Chill your completed cups in the freezer until ready to pop out of their molds and serve. Store covered in the freezer. They should be delicious for more than a few weeks in the freezer.

Nutrition: These cups are rich in dark chocolate antioxidants and contain matcha green tea. They are around 100 calories per cup, depending on how thick you layer your chocolate.

Today's Cozy: Coconut Mocha.

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This Cozy-Wozy Coconut Mocha was my treat on a stormy, blustery Friday morning. Silky melted semi-sweet chocolate chips and rich, freshly brewed espresso combine to create the perfect luxurious base. (Oh the aroma!) Add in some special spiced accents and a swirled in dollop of coconut cream and mocha bliss has begun. Cradle this steamy, frothy, chocolate-y mug today!..

Today's morning treat. Chocolate. And coconut. With espresso.

I had a wonderful few days this week with miss Gena of Choosing Raw. We went to Disneyland, enjoyed some creepy rides and coasters and settled into our Disneyland Hotel room to pass out around 10pm. We party hard! But we did work in a few quickie workouts at the gym, which was a nice exercise boost for me, the gym-phobe. I actually went to the gym today for the first time in ages, so thank you Gena!

We also stopped by Cafe Gratitude and had a fabulous lunch with Kristy of Keepin it Kind. We are all working on cookbooks so there was tons of chatter to be enjoyed.

Check out my Instagram for loads of lovely photos chronicling the fun!

Here is one...

So this morning, as a crazy wave crashing, wind howling, sideways rain sweeping storm moved in I whipped up a cozy mug. Here is the recipe!..

Vegan Coconut Mocha
1-2 servings

1 cup non-dairy milk
1 ½ - 2 tablespoon semi-sweet chocolate chips
¾ teaspoon extra virgin coconut oil
pinch of cayenne
pinch of cinnamon
1 teaspoon agave (if your non-dairy milk is not sweetened)
1 oz. espresso

coconut whip:
¼ cup chilled coconut milk (use the hard coconut cream)

nutritional info: The entire recipe is around 400 calories, plenty of plant-based fat from that delicious coconut milk cream. You can use less coconut cream to reduce the calories and fat if desired. Or do what I did and split this yummy mug with a friend!

Directions:

1. Combine the chocolate chips and oil in a small bowl. Microwave for 20-30 seconds until slightly melted. Stir briskly until mostly melted.
2. Make you fresh espresso and pour the espresso into the chocolate mixture, It will smell AMAZING right now.
3. Pour the chocolate-espresso mixture into a blender.
4. Heat your non-dairy milk in the microwave until steamy hot. Pour into blender. Add the cayenne and cinnamon as well. (And optional sweetener)
5. Blend on low to high until this mixture id nice and frothy.
6. Pour frothy mocha into serving cup(s).
7. Add the coconut cream to the blender and blend just until it is whipped and fluffy. Spoon into a small dish.
8. To serve, stir in a small spoonful of the coconut cream whip of simply dollop it on top and let it melt on its own. Serve warm.

How to Master Overnight Oats + Chia Bowls (Mocha Banana Parfait)

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I love grab-n-go breakfasts. But I also love a cozy, nutrition-filled grain bowl in the morning. Overnight Oats has all the convenience you need on a busy morning, plus all that homestyle, "real meal" goodness you crave. No protein bars here! (Not that I mind a yummy grab-n-go protein bar once in a while.)

There are soooooo many variations for overnight oats / chia seed breakfast puddings. The best part (besides being supremely delicious) is that on the morning you enjoy them there is virtually no prep and definitely no cooking involved. Grab-n-go. (With a few accent ingredients tweaks being optional.)

How is this amazingness done? Well, all the magic happens while you are fast asleep in bed, dreaming of cuddly kittens, endless bowls of coconut cream ice cream, aqua waves crashing on a white sand beach or maybe just sparkly clouds and cookie dough pancakes. Whatever you dream about at night, you will be also dreaming about your breakfast! Overnight Oats + Chia Bowls (made however you like them!) awaiting you at sunrise.

Here is one of my fave energizing "mocha bowl" recipes and a few how-to tips to get you started!.. (Oh, and some gratuitous kitten photos too..)

Dive into a chia-oat parfait tomorrow morning. I will show you how!

And kitty lovers, do not miss the kitten pics at the end of the post too 🙂

How to Master Overnight Oats / Chia Bowls

Intro: I call these overnight oats AND chia bowls because I most always add some chia seeds to my overnight oats. I find that it thickens up the texture even more and I love all the healthy benefits of chia seeds like healthy fats, fiber and more. So lets go. Once you have youR ingredients you can get started!..

Base ingredients: oats and chia seeds (I like to lightly process my oats for a smoother texture!)
Liquid: Any non-dairy milk
Seasonings: sweeteners (maple, agave, coconut sugar..), spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, vanilla
Add-ins: Nuts, seeds, crumbled cold cereal, granola, cacao nibs, dried fruit, superfood powders, protein powders even!
Fruit: Fresh fruit, any variety
Other Ideas: coconut milk, espresso, cacao powder, fruit purees and juices, peanut butter, almond butter, matcha green tea and more! -> creativity is key!

A Few Master Tips:

* The Ratio. The ratio of oats to liquid is generally a 1:1 ratio. Then with a bit more research you will find that most people are making non-vegan oats and do ½ cup oats, ½ cup milk and ½ cup yogurt. Well to veganize this classic ratio you can either use vegan yogurt OR do what I usually do, sub chia seeds and more liquid for the yogurt -- since the chia seeds thicken very well. So no matter what your recipe, just remember that adding chia seeds soaks up a lot of liquid so either add a splash more liquid or be prepared for a thicker texture. Also, adding in other dry ingredients will soak up some liquid too.

I personally think it is better to over-estimate the liquid when first starting out trying overnight oats, simply because you can always add in dry crunchy ingredients (ideas above) to thicken things up when serving. Over time you will figure out what your personal liquid to oats ratio is. How thick or thin you prefer it. And that goes for chia pudding too. Some people like it quite watery and others need it super-spoonable and thick. But 1:1 (oats to non-dairy milk) is an easy starting point, and easy to remember too. You do not need the "yogurt" but if you do add it in a vegan version, the texture will be a bit creamier and silkier like pudding. But like I said, I solve the yogurt problem by adding chia seeds and an extra splash of liquid.
* Those Oats.. My preference is to actually use oats that have been lightly processed in my Vitamix. It makes my mixture so much more creamy and thick the next day. I do not process it to flour consistency, just lightly pulsed for a few seconds. You can also use whole rolled oats, unprocessed. Just do not use steel cut oats! That will not work..
* Liquid: Homemade almond or cashew milk is the best for an amazing flavor. But you can also use store bought if needed. I like to use plain or original flavors so that I control the sweetness and vanilla flavor. I use fortified brands when using store bought since they will be rich in nutrients like vitamin B12 and vitamin D.
* Salt! You should lightly salt your mixture. Oats are quite bland to begin with and a few pinches of salt really goes a long way.
* Fruit Tips: If you are using berries or bananas you can easily layer them into a parfait the night before. But if you fear soggy fruit (even at all) you should probably add the fresh fruit right before serving.
* Flavors! There are so many ways you can flavor your "oat/chia" base. Try classic vanilla with a hint of cinnamon and maple. Try cacao-blended for a chocolate-y boost. Try nut butter blended if you are nut butter obsessed, or try something fun like mocha with a hint of espresso like I did in today's recipe!
* Crunch! A little crunch to accent the creamy is a must for a yummy bowl. Try vegan granola, nuts or seeds.
* Sweetener: Do not be too worried if you under-sweeten your mixture before letting it set overnight. Actually it is probably BEST to under-sweeten the night before because you can always add an extra drizzle or two of sweetener to serve. Plus first thing in the morning your taste buds will be more sensative to sweetness than perhaps the night before and it is always better if you can add less sugar in the end.
* Warm Bodies: If you HATE the idea of cold oatmeal, you can warm up your overnight oats in the microwave for a few seconds before serving or even in a pot on the stove. The oats will be nice and hydrated so you do not have to cook them, just warm them. What I usually do is actually warm up a side serving of non-dairy milk to pour over the cold oats in the morning. It adds a nice warm-meets-cold flavor that I personally love! But you can do whatever you love.
* Green Me! OK, so this is for you hardcore healthy eaters out there, those of you who just cannot imagine your morning without a green smoothie. 🙂 Well I did this once and loved it. You blend a side thick green smoothie then blend your (plain flavored, lightly sweetened) overnight oats with the green smoothie. It turns into a REAL monster of a green monster bowl. It might sound weird, but it is actually yummy if you love innovative bowls. I did a banana-kale-orange-coconut water green smoothie, blended thickly and layered it with my overnight oats in a parfait glass. It was kind of like an acai bowl... only green and with oats 🙂
* Just Chia? Yes you can just use chia seeds to make a chia pudding mixture. For that recipe see details here.

Overnight Oats/Chia Bowl Basic Steps:

1. Add 1 part rolled oats (whole or processed) to a small bowl or jar. Add one part non-dairy milk. Add in a spoonful of chia seeds and another splash of liquid. If not adding chia seeds, do not add in the extra splash -- unless you want your oats a bit more moist, then an extra splash is a good idea too. Add a pinch of salt too. I like pink salt.
2. Stir briskly.
3. Fold in sweeteners, spices and anything that you want to be hydrated by the liquid mixture overnight. For crunchy-texture nuts, granola and seeds, add them the next day before serving.
4. Pour mixture into jar(s) and place covered in the fridge to set overnight. In eight hours your breakfast is ready!
5. To serve, add any fresh fruit and nuts you'd like and add additional spices or sweetener as desired. Add additional liquid if desired.

And now for a recipe to try!..

Mocha Banana Chia-Oatmeal Breakfast Parfait
2 servings - halve recipe for just one person

1 tablespoon cacao powder
1 cup almond milk
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 cup rolled oats, processed slightly in a blender or fp
pinch of pink salt
2-3 teaspoon maple syrup, grade B
1 shot (1oz.) warm espresso (if not using espresso, sub chai tea or more non-dairy milk)
½ vanilla bean, seeds scraped or ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon cinnamon

1 banana, sliced
1 tablespoon walnuts, crushed
maple syrup to taste to serve

1. Add ½ cup of the almond milk, cacao powder and warm espresso to a blender, blend on low until smooth. Once the cacao has dissolved, you can blend in the remaining non-dairy milk, spices and sweetener. You could also whisk briskly until the cacao dissolves, but you may need to warm the non-dairy milk to get the cacao to dissolve properly.

2. Combine chia seeds, oats and sweetened and seasoned cacao liquid in a small bowl or jar. Add a pinch of salt. Stir briskly.

3. Slice you banana and crush your walnuts.

4. In one or two serving jars, layers the mixture with the banana slices, top with the crushed walnuts.

5. Place in the fridge overnight, serve chilled or warmed. Sweeten to taste to serve.

estimate:

And now for some gratuitous kitten pics. Sochi LOVES his carrot, given by the lovely Cat of RabbitFoodForMyBunnyTeeth... 🙂 Thanks Cat!

Fighting. Playing. Same thing. Over the carrot.

Sochi knows you have to REACH for what you want in life..

Until you get tired, that is..

OK, that's all. Bu-Bye from Sochi!..

Baked Farro with Caramelized Onion, Butternut Squash & Garlic

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This easy and pretty simple Baked Farro dish features caramelized onions, roasted butternut squash and a hint of garlic. Perfect as a compliment to a veggie side dish, soup or green salad, the tender nutty farro is accented by the sweetness of squash, some peppery spices and optional ingredients like chopped nuts, mushrooms, chopped dates or dried fruit and more. Fresh herbs like sage, parsley or rosemary are lovely options too. If you haven't discovered farro yet, please seek it out and fall in love!..

I adore farro. I use it for breakfast porridge, entree grain salads, tossed into green salads or even into soups. It is reminiscent of barley, but oh so much better in my opinion. To me it feels like a cross between tender risotto rice, nutty short-grain brown rice and larger grained barley. But really, it is so unique I think it easily stands out from the crowded array of healthy grains available to us today.

Farro is a low gluten, nutrient dense alternative to wheat and other grains. Farro is more protein-rich than most grains and has a nice amount of fiber. One fourth cup of dry (uncooked) farro contains 170 calories, 1g fat, 5g fiber and 6g protein.

A few more farro recipes:

* Farro Tortilla Salad
* Cracked Farro Porridge

Baked Farro with Caramelized Onion, Butternut Squash & Garlic
vegan, serves 4

1 cup farro, dry
2-3 cups veggie broth or water + ⅛ teaspoon salt (or do half water, half broth)

1 small sweet onion, chopped
½ of a whole butternut squash (about 2 cups, cubed)
1 teaspoon maple syrup - toss with onions before baking
1 teaspoon extra virgin coconut oil (optional)
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped or ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon orange zest (optional)

To bake: ¼ cup fresh orange juice (or water or veggie broth)

Seasoning: salt and pepper to taste + any herbs you'd like (rosemary, sage, parsley, cayenne, turmeric, cinnamon, dried or candied orange peel or orange zest and more are all lovely with this dish) You can also add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil or more coconut oil.

Other ideas..

Nuts or dried fruit: chopped dates, slivered almonds, walnuts or dried cranberries, pistachios, orange slices would all be delish in this dish.

Mushrooms: 1 cup of sliced shiitake mushrooms and a pinch of truffle salt or oil tossed with the onions to roast would be an amazing add-in!

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Slice one butternut squash into two long halves.

Note: You will only be using one half for this recipe, but you could either bake both halves and double the recipe, use the other baked half for soup or simply store the other uncooked half in the fridge for the next day or two.

3. Remove seeds from the squash halve(s) you will be baking, brush the surface in a ½ teaspoon of coconut oil and sprinkle some salt and cinnamon over top. Place the squash in a roasting pan and roast flesh side up.

4. Chop your onion and toss the chopped onion with the maple syrup, other half teaspoon of coconut oil and the garlic. Lightly spray a small roasting dish with cooking spray or rub with a bit of oil. Place onions and garlic in the dish, laying them flat in one layer.

5. Roast the butternut squash until tender enough to poke with a fork. This usually takes 30-45 minutes depending on how large your squash is. You onions only need about 15-20 minutes to caramelize, so you can either put them in the oven later or pull them early.

6. While the squash is roasting, you will prepare the farro. Place 1 cup of dry farro in a small pot along with 2 ½ cups of either water or broth. If you use broth you will not need to salt the farro grain. If you use water, add a pinch of salt to the pot now too. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, cover with lid and reduce to a simmer. Simmer on low for 20-30 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and farro is tender. You will want to check on the farro about fifteen minutes into cooking, and again at 20-25 minutes. If the farro is still a bit al dente and the liquid has been absorbed, add in another ½ cup of liquid and keep simmering, covered, until tender.

7. When onions are caramelized (blackened edges and translucent) and squash is tender baked, pull everything from the oven but do not turn oven off.

8. Slice squash into cubes and discard skin. You can actually eat butternut squash skin, but I prefer it without skins. Add rge squash, onions and cooked farro to a large mixing bowl. Add in the salt and pepper to taste as well as any fresh or dried herbs and spices. You can add a wide variety of flavors to this easily customizable dish. I added in a few torn age leaves, some cayenne and plenty of black pepper. More garlic or garlic powder is also nice.

Note: If you want your dish a bit richer, add in a drizzle of oil.

9. Toss all the ingredients together, farro, onions, squash and additional nuts or fruit and all the seasonings. Now is when you will add the additional baking liquid, toss in the orange juice or veggie broth. The juice adds a sweeter flavor, the broth more savory. Then transfer mixture to a medium or small casserole dish, cover with lid or foil and bake covered for about fifteen minutes or until all the liquid has absorbed and the flavors mix and marinate.

Serve warm

per serving estimate:

3-2-1 Weeknight Broccoli Bisque!

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This 3-2-1 Weeknight Broccoli Bisque is pretty easy and quite delish. With just three main ingredients (in 3-2-1 quantities) it is easy to remember for a healthy soup in a flash. This creamy green wellness soup has zero added oil or sweeteners and super simple prep. You can be whipping this up in a few minutes and enjoying a cozy warm bowl in no time. (Bonus. Try these off the menu uses too: this "soup" actually makes a super sauce for pasta or veggies or a dressing for salads!) Get my anytime broccoli bisque recipe..

THIS soup is divine. Simple, healthy, yummy.

I whipped this recipe up during a foggy, oh-so-perfect, kitten sort of afternoon.

Because it is kitten week here at my house. Not too bad, no? It is the first week that the new kittens are OUT of the bathroom and free to roam around. So they have been playful as can be. And this was their first time observing one of my cook 'n shoot blog photo sessions so it was quite funny when I was shooting this soup and suddenly a fuzzy paw pops up in my view! Sochi wanted a taste of this broccoli bliss. But I intervened before this got messy!..

And these videos you may have seen if you follow me on Instagram. Kittens!

The two personalities..

Hungry kittens..

Yes, it is a joy having these guys around as I work..

That soup looks like it is for me, yes? (No Sochi)

OK, fine, I'll just watch and look adorable.

More kitten adorableness..

Hello Mr.White! Sweetness..

SO much to explore. Like window ledges. WOW!

But back to the soup!

Broccoli is one of those veggies that we should all be eating more of. It is anti-cancerous and a true green veggie superfood. This soup is a delicious way to eat more broccoli!

Bisque vs. Soup? Upon ordering a "butternut squash bisque" soup recently I was wondering just what would be truly different about it compared to a butternut soup. Well it was a bit extra creamy, thicker. Silky smooth. So you probably guessed right that bisques are basically smooth and more and cream-based. Or in vegan versions - more creamy based, without actual dairy heavy cream. But you do not have to use dairy or even non-dairy milk to achieve a creamy texture and taste! This soup is soy free. "Milk" free. I used soaked cashews to achieve a super creamy "bisque" soup. And I blended on a high speed to smooth things out.

There is a hint of garlic and pink salt and some optional spices like smoky paprika and cayenne. And you can easily make this a CHEEZY soup nust by adding in some nutritional yeast. Yum. Vegan cheezy broccoli bisque. Yes.

Spoon dive in..

3-2-1 Weeknight Broccoli Bisque
vegan, 2 servings

3 cups steamed broccoli (mostly florets, some stem)
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup soaked/drained raw cashews (about ¾ cup measured before soaking)

accents:
1 clove garlic (I like the mild spiciness that raw garlic adds)
salt to taste (about ⅓ teaspoon for me)
pepper and other spices to taste
1-3 tablespoon nutritional yeast for cheezy flavor
smoky paprika on top for me

*add broth to taste, more broth, thinner consistency. But you know this 🙂

Directions:

1. Soak raw cashews in salted water for 6-8+ hours.
2. Wash and split broccoli, removing and really tough stem, but the stem can also be blended too! But I like mostly florets for richer green-ness. Steam or lightly boil the broccoli until tender enough to blend.
3. Drain and rinse your cashews.
4. Add the cashews, broth and broccoli to a high speed blender. Blend until smooth. Add in the accents and blend. Taste test and adjust to taste.
5. Pour soup in a small soup pot and simmer until ready to serve.

estimate:

More kittens if you don't mind 🙂

California Sunset Salad

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This fresh-from-the-organic-farmer's-market salad is packed with healthy goodies. Everything is heavily chopped using a sturdy chef's knife. The kale shredded into skinny slices that are ready to absorb lots of flavor, the beets cubed and chopped into tiny crunchy bits and the carrots diced too. This is a chop-chop-chop chopped style salad. It is lightly dressed and easy to make. The light and lovely flavors are energizing and cleansing. Each bite is bursting with vitamins A and C, iron, fiber, calcium, protein and plenty of sunshine. A generous dollop of fresh guacamole of top, some antioxidant-rich purple rice too. This Sunset Salad will have you daydreaming of dinnertime.

The goodies? Finely chopped organic dinosaur kale, diced organic carrots, diced organic red beets, chopped pistachios, apple cider vinegar, sweet agave or maple syrup, lemon juice, diced tomato, fresh guacamole, satsumas and a few spices too. Warm black/purple rice on the side boosts the oomph of this salad a bit. Even more oomph? Add some cooked beans, tofu cubes, skillet-popped lentils or tempeh bacon slices. Get my California Sunset Salad recipe ahead...

These guys sleep all day and wake up at sunset.

But I like to start thinking about dinner as the golden glowing sun starts to dip beneath the horizon.

chop, chop, chop..

Sunset Salad. This always happens to me. I spend a good hour chopping, smiling and spinning in the kitchen making something slowly, happily and casually. Then it turns out to be something I want to share with you guys here on my blog. Then I lift my head and all I see is a golden, pink glow out my window. Sunset! Great for dinnertime, bad for food photography. Well despite the sinking sun, I whipped out a few shots to share this energizing, healthy, glow-infusing salad with you all. It was an amazing dinner spread: this salad, side of black rice and a creamy roasted sweet potato soup to start.

California Sunset Salad
3 servings

1 large bunch dinosaur kale, organic - finely chopped (6-7 cups)
1 beet, peeled and finely chopped
4 medium carrots, organic - diced
⅓ cup pistachios, chopped

dressing:
2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 lemon, juiced
2-3 teaspoon walnut oil (or extra virgin olive oil)
2 teaspoon liquid sweetener (agave, maple, brown rice..)
¼ teaspoon coriander
a few pinches of salt and pepper (to taste)
optional: 1-2 teaspoon tahini or melted nut butter for added richness

easy guacamole:
1-2 avocados
1 lemon or 2 limes
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
a few pinches of salt and pepper
cayenne to taste

black rice:
⅓ cup dry black rice
⅔ cup water
pinch of salt

garnish on top:
1-2 satsumas, peeled and sliced
1 small tomato, organic - diced

Directions:

1. Start off by washing your veggies in warm water very well. Rinse in cold water to finish. I love using fruit and veggie wash when using farmer's market veggies.

2. Start chopping! This is a prep-heavy salad because part of the deliciousness is that all the veggies are finely diced, chopped and shredded. I spent a good 2-3 minutes finely chopping the kale into little bits. This way it is almost like a shredded "chopped" salad. Easier for flavors to mingle and absorb.

3. Add all the prepped veggies into a large mixing bowl. Then add in the vinegar, juice, oil and seasonings. Toss very well.

4. Place the salad in the fridge to marinate for at least an hour for best flavor.

5. Prep your side of purple rice and guacamole topping right before serving salad.

6. Serve salad in a bowl with guac on top, rice on the side and diced tomatoes on top too. Add more dressing if you'd like or add one of my vegan salad dressing here!

calorie estimate (with rice and guac) per serving (3 servings total)

Sochi & Mr.White: A Kitty Adoption Love Story for Valentine's Day!

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In honor of Valentine's Day, I share with you some warm and fuzzy news. Kittens are in the house! Need I say more? OK, yes I must.

I have two new men in my life this Valentine's Day. Here is Sochi and Mr.White: A Kitty Adoption Love Story!..

Meet Sochi.. (drying off in his first sunbean after his first bath at his forever home)

He likes to sleep in my cosmetics trolly in my bathroom..

And I just sit. And watch him sleep. Because he wiggles and sprawls. Slumps and rolls. Adorable.

And this is Mr.White. He is two days behind Sochi on getting acclimated to his new home, so he spends a lot of time sprawling his long lean body in his fluffy salmon-colored tent. (He is a bit camera shy right now and who can blame him! He grew up on the mean streets of South LA, young and scared.)

StoryTime.

Walk through my apartment and you will see images of my sweet Nelly cat everywhere. On just about every wall is a tiny framed photo, a painting, a snapshot. Signs that my husband and I still think about her everyday. Miss her desperately every morning when we wake up to a quiet room, and every night when we go to bed without her fuzzy paws kissing our toes, her little body draped between us like a warm blanket.

Losing Nelly, my best friend for thirteen years, so suddenly to kitty cancer last November was one of... No, actually I think, the hardest thing I have ever gone through. That feels odd saying considering the other struggles I have gone through in life. But this was the first sadness that I could never mend, never resolve and had absolutely no control over. It stung so painfully and seared a gash so deeply in my heart. As I've explained before, Nelly was a special cat who came to me at a special time. I grew up with her. I went from being a silly, confused, somewhat broken 20 year-old to being a married, justified, whole woman. Every step, Nelly was there.

The hole she left has been hard to manage, but I am surprised to say that I have found strength in myself. I almost think that Nelly watches over my now more powerfully in spirit than she did here on Earth. She is my guardian kitty. OK, ok, enough of the heavy. Did I lose you? I hope not. Because here comes the HAPPY part..

So the past few weeks I have started looking in the mirror during my workdays, and the face staring back at me seemed oddly lonely and sad. (I had never done this work-from-home thing without Nelly. She was my best co-worker ever!) There was less glow and twinkle in my eyes. And I knew why. I missed Nelly. But even more simply, I missed having a sweet animal to communicate with and smile at all day long. After she left us, I realized how much laughter and light Nelly truly brought to our cozy little world. And all the pet owners out there I'm sure can agree that animals provide an indescribable salvation to your day. A warmth and level of comfort that no human can ever match. Animals operate on such a unique plane in this world. Their energy is so sweet, genuine and honest. They want nothing more than to love and be loved. Kisses, meals, cozy spots and afternoon naps. Such simple things. In return, they provide you with something more valuable than anything: unconditional love.

So.

Last Friday night as the Olympics in Sochi began, I had a deep feeling that it was time. Time to, well, at least go look at kitties up for adoption. So last Saturday, after an amazing brunch at Real Food Daily my husband and I casually strolled to a kitty adoption session that happens every weekend at a local pet store. We studied the stacks of metal crates filled with fuzzy, wide-eyed cats and kittens. So many precious cats in need of homes. I saw two lush orange cats cuddled on top of each other, with wise eyes and sweet silent meows. A long-haired, beautiful grey and white cat with a sturdy, playful stance. A rambunctious white kitten whacking the heck out of a stringy toy as giggling store customers looked on. And then in two side by side cubes there were two quiet small kittens draped in their kitty hammocks, looking as chill as can be.

I hunched over and started talking to the bright-eyed tabby cat and his sparkling yellow-green eyes gazed back at me, as he movied his little nose up to the grated cage to sniff my scent. The adoption volunteers asked if I wanted to hold him. I looked at my husband and smiled widely. Uh-oh. So wrapped in a thick sack blankie, out came Tomas (whose name I changed to Sochi. I pronounce it so-chee, even though my husband confirmed that the correct pronunciation of the city Sochi is Saw-chee.) I cradled him for a good twenty minutes before giving my husband a look of, "I want him!"

I was suddenly filling out adoption forms and feeling like I was jumping into this a bit, but I couldn't help myself. Was this nuts? A cat will be a 10, 15, 20, or more year commitment! Was I ready to do this again? I was diving heart-first. Even though, to be honest, my overly analytical brain was telling me I wasn't quite ready for a "new" cat.

Then Sochi's foster mom, a very sweet older woman who has a house full of cats in need (amazing lady!), explained to me how "sweet" these two kitties were. Utterly SWEET. And that the little black kitty in the other cage was Sochi's brother and they were snuggle buddies. I saw the little black face peeking over his hammock wondering why his brother was in my arms. My heart MELTED. I had a feeling this wasn't over. But out the door I went with Sochi. It felt scary standing in the brisk parking lot, the twilight sky overhead, a wide-eyed, confused kitten in a carrier in my arms. But off we went!

So why didn't I adopt the black kitty too? Well I just didn't think of two. That seemed like too much at first thought. But as I have learned, two cats can actually be easier!

Anyways, Sochi's first night alone in my bathroom was good. Even though he cried a bit the first two nights. I called the foster mom on day two and she said that Sochi's brother was even worse off! He had to be moved into a new cage and was being whacked at constantly by two older cats. And he is SUCH a passive and sweet cat that when he gets whacked at he literally just melts down and goes limp. No defenses.

Well this BROKE MY HEART. So I took a long hot bath and thought things through. Then called back Sochi's foster mom and said I would love to do a trial of the two kitties. I met her at their first vet appointment and the rest is history. After about two hours with Mr.White (the black kitty with a tiny white tip on his tail) I knew we had to keep him.

I never planned on adopting TWO kittens, let alone ONE so soon. But I honestly cannot believe how much happier I feel with these two crazy kittens rolling around in my bathroom. They have taken over what was my cosmetics trolly and turned it into a bunk bed of sorts. They are too small and a bit too scared and mischievous to adventure around the rest of our place yet, so bathroom buddies they are for now.

brothers..

Oh and the reasons for the names?

Sochi: I thought this would be such a cute name, and it commemorates the time when I decided that I was ready to save another kitty. During the 2014 Sochi Olympics!
MrWhite: Ha. OK, so I promised my husband that if he was OK with two cats he could name the second one. We loved the show Breaking Bad so he was calling the black kitty Heisenberg for the first day, then we switched it to Mr.White simply because the kitty is so prim and proper and polite that he looks like a "Mr" something. Mr.White stuck.

Nelly is still a very visible part of my life and I still talk to her in spirit every day, and kiss her photo by my bed goodnight. I have always loved cats, we had them everywhere when I was a kid. But I have to thank Nelly for teaching me that I can open my heart to animals for the rest of my life. And never feel guilty or sad for moving on, but truly grateful that I was gifted such a special creature to motivate and fill my heart in so many ways. Forever. Thank you Nelly.

And to all the pet owners out there, thank you for loving your animals. It is not always easy to have a pet. But the rewards in the end last forever.

So Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Much love from our busy kitten home to yours.

Katie Higgins, Chocolate Covered Katie's VGP Interview

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I have a huge apology to two lovely ladies. Marly and Katie! They are part of my Veggie Girl Power Series that started last summer and was paused when Nelly got sick and my priorities shifted. I have been meaning to post their two amazing interviews for months now and I am so happy I am finally doing it. So sorry ladies! I will be sharing Katie's interview today and Marly later this week. They are talented, inspiring vegans - so please check these gals out!

First up in my continued Veggie Girl Power Interview Series is Katie Higgins, the fun, creative and lovable lady behind the popular website Chocolate-Covered Katie. Get ready for some healthy-dessert inspiration!...

I came across Katie's site via her submissions to Finding Vegan. Her creative sweet vegan treats are so easy to make and always have a very healthy spin. She specializes in uber-fun and not-so-fancy recipes (and that is why we LOVE her, yes?) Things like cake batter, single serving cupcakes, chocolate for breakfast, amazing cookies and all sweet things in between. Get to know the sweet girl behind this booming website!

A few of Katie's recipes..

Healthy Cookie Dough Dip:

"Reeses" PB Eggs:

One-Minute Chocolate Mug Cake:

No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie:

Veggie Girl Power Interview: Katie Higgins, Chocolate Covered Katie

Q1: Back to Basics. When and why did you go vegan? We love a good "this is why I went vegan" story.

Katie: After watching Charlotte’s Web and realizing the Wilbur I loved from the movie was the very same Wilbur engulfed between two slices of bread in my ham sandwich, I became a proud vegetarian at age seven. This lasted about a week! But my love of animals remained, and I gave up meat for real when I was fourteen, with absolutely no intention of ever going vegan. Vegans were weird and extreme… and they couldn’t eat chocolate! (Or so I believed.)

Fate intervened, however, when my family moved to China a year later. Milk products are not prominently featured in Chinese cuisine, and I thus cut my dairy intake drastically without even realizing it. Suddenly, giving up my beloved ice cream and cheese didn’t seem so daunting; I tentatively decided to give veganism a try.

Eleven years later, I still consider it one of the best decisions I ever made.

Q2: Help a Girl Out. The vegan transition can be tough for some! What sisterly advice can you give to new or transitioning vegans?

Katie: If the cold turkey (cold tofu?) method works for you, that’s great. But no one says you must give everything up at once. Try designating one or two vegan days per week, and work up from there. Look at it as a challenge, not as deprivation. Investing in one or two all-purpose vegan cookbooks can help tremendously, and it’s also a great idea to buy a book on nutrition basics (this goes for everyone, not just vegans).

Don’t attempt to replicate cheese immediately. Expanding your horizons with foods that are completely new to you (Polenta! Kabocha Squash!) is easier than trying to “replace” old favorites with a substitute. After a while, you really do lose your taste for cheese and dairy milk. If I accidentally take a bite of something made with cheese (yes, it does happen on occasion), I can tell right away; the food will have a disgustingly-sour aftertaste, and this former cheese addict does not miss it at all!

Q3: Traveling Vegans. In your neck of the woods, what are the local vegan hot spots to visit/shop at/dine at? Traveling vegans want to know!

Katie: Dallas is not the most vegan-friendly city on earth, and it doesn’t hold a candle (café) to places like Portland or New York. (A vegan doughnut shop with Butterfinger doughnuts?! Not fair, NYC!) But it’s getting better every day: we even have a gas station with non-dairy softserve (The Green Spot), and the world’s first 100%-vegan college dining hall—open to the public—is located just a half-hour away.

Q4: On Food. What is a typical day of vegan eating for you? Fave eats?

Katie: One of the best things about veganism is that there is no typical day for me. Whereas before I ate the same rotation of burgers, steaks, and chicken, now any given day might find me indulging in Thai coconut curry, butternut enchiladas with cashew cream, Vegan Macaroni and Cheese… paradoxically, my diet is much more exciting and varied than it was before I gave up meat.

A sample day (yesterday): started with a pre-run snack of grapefruit slices and a few handfuls raw pistachios. Breakfast: large bowl of peanut butter and banana oatmeal. Lunch: soba noodle soup, steamed broccoli with a quick almond-butter dipping sauce, and some dark chocolate. Snack: cherry-chocolate smoothie and coconut melties (basically just coconut butter frozen in candy molds. Weird, but so good!). Dinner: homemade black bean burger on an Ezekiel bun, big salad with Goddess dressing, and crispy sweet potato fries. (I make a giant batch of sweet potato fries at once, so I can pull them from the freezer whenever I’m short on time.) Night snack: chocolate Jocalat bar and almondmilk.

I also do a lot of taste-testing throughout the day, both for the blog and cookbook. Really, I’m just always eating!

Q5: Words of Wisdom. Here is your chance to create your own quote. "Veganism is....."

Katie: I feel like I’m supposed to say something really profound here, but the right words seem to be eluding me. Clearly I haven’t eaten enough chocolate yet today.

Q6: On What is Hot. Share people, brands, books and more that you like to rave about.

Katie: Tofu is hot. No, really! If you don’t believe me, just google “Justin Timberlake SNL tofu.” See? Tofu is hot. Even hotter than tofu (and even hotter than Justin Timberlake. Sorry, Justin Timberlake) is chocolate. Chocolate will always be hot, especially Sweet Riot chocolate, Taza chocolate, Endangered Species chocolate... all chocolate really, as long as it's vegan. (Everyone knows dark chocolate tastes better than milk chocolate anyway.)

And the ice cream from Lula’s Sweet Apothecary is really, really hot. Even though it’s cold.

Q7: Soapbox! Go for it ...Soapbox away...

Katie: Veganism is great for the health benefits, the awesome food, and the endless energy it gives you. (I literally have not been sick in 5 years.) But my main reason for being—and staying—a vegan is because I don’t want to look into the eyes of an innocent being and tell him that the reason he’s being beaten, tortured, and eventually slaughtered is to satisfy my craving for a hamburger.

I must put in a plug for The Catskill Animal Sanctuary, a safe haven for formerly abused and neglected animals who have never known love or kindness. Some people will try to tell you that farm animals can’t feel like we can. But spend just one minute with any of the animals at CAS and you’ll know without a doubt this isn’t true.

Q8: What upcoming projects are you working on? Please share!

Katie: I’m working on my first cookbook, to be published in late 2014. It will be all desserts, with an emphasis on chocolate!

Q9. Smoothie love! I would love to hear about YOUR favorite smoothie recipe..

Katie: My favorite changes all the time... Right now, it might be this recipe: Vanilla Chai Breakfast Shakes.

Q10. Do you think veganism is the diet of the future? Why?

Katie: I hope it’s the diet of the future, for the sake of the environment, the animals, and our own health. It certainly seems to be more mainstream than it was ten years ago. Back then, people looked at me like I was crazy for voluntarily giving up meat and dairy. Now… well, most people here in Texas still look at me like I’m crazy. But at least there are a lot more of us crazies running around. Ellen DeGeneres and Bill Clinton are vegan now. You can’t get more mainstream than that!

Follow Katie:
Pinterest
Facebook
Twitter

------------

VGP 2013

VGP kickoff: Cookbook Interview Chloe Coscarelli
Simone Reyes, of Running Russell Simmons / Animal Advocate
Doron Petersan, of Sticky Fingers Bakery
Angela Liddon, of Oh She Glows website
Elizabeth Castoria, Editorial Director VegNews Magazine
Katie Higgins, of Chocolate Covered Katie
Laura Beck, of Vegansaurus and more / writer
Emily Von Euw, of This Rawsome Life website
Marly McMillen, of Namely Marly website
Sara Sohn, of Sweet & Sara Vegan Marshmallows

*all photos were provided courtesy of Katie Higgins

19 Vegan Valentine's Day Recipes to Swoon Over!

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As I browsed through my past Valentine's Day approved vegan recipes I was reminded of how much I love V-Day recipes. Lots of pink. Chocolate. Beets. Strawberries. Elegance. Fun. And love! What's not to love? So whether you are celebrating this week of love with your soul-mate, potential soul-mate, best friends, family or just your amazing awesome self, these 19 vegan Valentine's Day recipes (some savory, some sweet) will turn on the charm!..

19 Vegan Valentine's Day Recipes

1. Double Chocolate Ganache Strawberry Layer Cake

2. Citrus & Spice Melted Chocolate Mousse

3. Almond + Coconut Oil Heart Sugar Cookies

4. Pink Cauliflower Soup

5. Homemade Berry Jam & Silk Chocolate Pudding

6. Pink Beet-Walnut Dip (Appetizer!)

7. Pink Power Smoothie for Two!

8. Chocolate-Frosted Banana Cupcakes

9. Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

10. Strawberries + Avocado Pink Heart Salad

11. Chocolate Epiphany Pie

12. Chocolate Avocado Mousse

13. Chocolate Swirl Raspberry Cheesecake

14. Cozy Harvest Butternut Squash Risotto

15. Simple Silk Chocolate Pudding

16. Romantic Roasted Beet Salad

17. Red Hot Bruschetta Platter

18. Rose (Red) Velvet Cupcakes

19. Simple Strawberries & Cream (Coconut Cream)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Citrus & Spice Melted Chocolate Mousse. Vegan.

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Chocolate is a go-to date night dessert winner. Nothing caps off a romantic meal better than something dark, dreamy, chocolate. And maybe a hint of spice too. My Citrus & Spice Melted Chocolate Mousse fits the bill...

This vegan chocolate mousse is a little spicy, very silky, a little citrus-y and maybe even a little sultry. Valentine's Day perfect. Citrus spins with rich chocolate in this Aztec-spiced, no-bake dessert. This velvety mousse is dairy-free, easy to make, protein-rich and is everything your chocolate mousse dreams are made of. Whip up this elegant dessert in just a few minutes and be a dessert superstar at the end of your next romantic feast.

Or, OK, make this for yourself and spoon-dive, in unabashed chocolate bliss.

Two ways to enjoy this mousse: chia seeded or chocolate satin versions. Citrus (and spice) and everything .. chocolate!

Hello silky chocolate bliss..

Fluffy, rich, chocolate mousse..

Date night just got dreamier. And yummier.

Vegan Citrus and Spice Melted Chocolate Mousse

By Kathy PatalskyPublished 02/17/2014Vegan Citrus and Spice Melted Chocolate Mousse
This vegan, dairy-free chocolate mousse is filled with citrus and spice accents. Velvety soft and rich with chocolate flavor.

Ingredients

  • Melt These:

  • ½ cup vegan chocolate chips or bars
  • 2 tablespoon virgin coconut oil
  • 2-3 tablespoon sweetener, maple or agave syrup or coconut sugar

  • Blend These:

  • 14oz. silken tofu, pressed dry (nonGMO, organic)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon mesquite powder (optional)
  • pinch fine black pepper (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon orange zest
  • 2 tablespoon cacao powder
  • (also blend in the melted chocolate mixture from above)

  • Garnish with:

  • candied citrus
  • orange slices
  • agave or maple syrup

Instructions

  1. Add the "melt these" ingredients to a small bowl or mug. Microwave for about thirty seconds and stir briskly to start the melting process. Place back in the microwave in fifteen second intervals, stirring at each stop until the chocolate is melted.
  2. Warm the silken tofu in the microwave for a few seconds if it was pulled from the fridge. You want all the ingredients to be room temperature or warmer so the coconut oil and chocolate do not firm up too quickly during the blending process.
  3. Add the tofu to the blender and turn on low. Slowly pour in the melted chocolate mixture. Stop blending and scrape down sides to move things along if needed. Add in all the remaining accent ingredients in the "blend these" section. Blend until silky smooth. Do a taste test and sweeten, spice and salt to taste as desired.
  4. Pour the pudding into the serving glasses. You should get about 4 servings, depending on your serving size. Place in the fridge to chill for at least two hours. These can be made a day ahead of time, but no longer than that - and be sure to cover dishes well with plastic wrap.
  5. While the mousse is chilling, you can prepare the candied oranges. This is easy! Simply toss the orange slices in maple or agave syrup. Place in an oven-safe dish and roast at 400 degrees for about ten minutes - or until you notice then darkening in color and shrinking up a bit. Tip: Grease the baking dish with coconut oil to avoid a sticky citrus situation when pulling the roasted oranges.
  6. Serve mouse with orange slice garnishes and fresh orange zest over top. Grated chocolate shaving on top is also a nice touch if you have a chocolate bar on hand.

Yield: 4 servingsPrep Time: 00 hrs. 15 mins. Cook time: 00 hrs. 10 mins. Total time: 25 mins. Tags: dessert,vegan,chocolate,mousse,recipe,citrus,

Nutrition estimate per serving (4 per recipe, classic version)

Vegan. Dairy and egg free! Enjoy!

Rustic Carrot-Banana Bread

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It’s like carrot cake. And banana bread. All in one. Two faves.

This Rustic Carrot Cake (meets) Banana Bread tastes delicious paired with a warm mug of tea or your favorite latte. And I'd included an optional accent of cinnamon cream if you want to turn each slice into a sweet, dessert-worthy treat.

Gluten Free or Not?

You have the option of using gluten free flour or not. If you do, I would use one of the 1:1 blends that mimics that same consistency and ratio of a wheat flour.

Carrot Cake Meets Banana Bread

This Rustic Carrot Banana Bread is loaded with healthy-delicious flavor. You can choose between making it with traditional all purpose flour or gluten free flour.

This Rustic Carrot Cake Banana Bread is vegan.

The flavor of this bread combines classic banana bread with nutty-golden carrot cake. This Rustic Carrot Cake Banana Bread has a favorable, rustic texture from the walnuts, shredded carrots and whole oats. It tastes like you would be served this loaf in a cute little bed and breakfast in the countryside.

Golden raisins, coconut shreds or chopped dates would be nice add-ins too!

This Rustic Carrot Cake Banana Bread tastes delicious paired with a warm mug of ginger or chai tea or your favorite latte. And I’d included an optional accent of cinnamon cream if you want to turn each slice into a sweet, dessert-worthy treat.

Fan Favorite

This recipe somehow became a huge fan-fave hit! Maybe it's the texture, maybe it's the nutrition profile or maybe it's just because it sounds pretty yummy. I love this recipe and I am so glad you guys do to. If you have made it - please tag me on IG with a pic! I have already seen a few and you guys are amazing!

Healthy Bake

This bread contains a wide variety of healthy, nutrient-loaded ingredients.

  • Carrots add fiber and loads of vitamin A.
  • Bananas are rich in fiber. potassium and magnesium. Bananas are a whole food way to sweeten this loaf.
  • Walnuts are a great choice for healthy fats.
  • Oats are a fiber-rich whole grain.
  • This recipe has minimal added sugar - and is only sweetened with maple syrup and bananas and carrots.

My Chocolate Chip Banana Bread is another favorite recipe.

Rustic Carrot Cake Banana Bread for an anytime snack. Pairs well with tea!

p82014_02_04_carrot-bread_9999_161carrot-banana-bread.jpg
Print Recipe
3.98 from 199 votes

Rustic Carrot-Banana Bread with Walnuts

This moist and rustic carrot cake has lovely texture and warmly spiced carrot flavor. Subtle sweetness, perfect for an anytime snack.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: baking
Cuisine: American
Keyword: carrot
Servings: 8
Calories: 279kcal
Author: Kathy Patalsky

Ingredients

Dry:

  • 1 ⅓ cups flour gluten free optional
  • 2 teaspoon ground flax seed
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Wet:

  • ⅓ cup maple syrup
  • 3 whole bananas mashed
  • 2 tablespoon avocado or olive oil
  • ¼ cup orange juice + pinch of zest
  • ½ teaspoon fresh ginger minced - optional
  • ¼ cup vegan egg replacer

Fold in:

  • 1 cup carrots grated
  • ¾ cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup walnuts chopped

Instructions

  • Line a loaf pan with parchment paper or grease with coconut oil.
  • Preheat oven to 410 degrees.
  • Combine the wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl, mashing the bananas very well with the sweetener, citrus juice and oil.
  • Fold in the dry ingredients until a thickened batter forms.
  • Fold in the fold-in ingredients.
  • Pour batter into pan and sprinkle a few rolled oats over top. I like to add a sprinkle of coarse sugar or a drizzle of sweetener over top too.
  • Bake at 410 for twenty minutes, then reduce heat and bake for an additional 15 minutes at 350. The loaf will firm up a bit as it cools, but keep in mind that this is a hearty, more dense loaf because it is gluten-free and contains a lot of knobby, dense ingredients. Tons of texture in each bits.
  • Cool a bit, slice and serve. Store leftover, covered, in the fridge or freezer and re-warm to serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 160mg | Potassium: 304mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 2677IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 2mg

Carrot-Ginger Roasted Potato Bowl with Collards & Spiced Chickpeas

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Bowls. Bowls are instant comfort food. A vegan bowl is an entree that is made up of a bunch of yummy dishes. All working together to make one delicious meal. Today's bowl is a feast. Carrot-ginger sauce is drizzled generously over top garlic-roasted red potatoes, spiced chickpeas, garlic-olive oil collard greens and sassy satsuma slices. Making this bowl is easier than you may think, and you can have this warm and healthy, vegan dinner on your table in about a half hour. Get my recipes for this Carrot-Ginger Roasted Potato Bowl and have a bowl-tastic night..

Start with these..

Then you get these..

Add some of these spiced chickpeas..

Bowls need a good sauce. A dressing. A puree. The drizzled-over-top, velvety, golden sauce for this bowl is carrot ginger. Made from boiled carrots and fresh raw ginger it is mildly spicy and super creamy, yet totally fat-free. It is a cross between a carrot puree soup and carrot-ginger dressing. You could even use this dressing over top a traditional salad, or any grains or legumes.

So everything gets the sauce. Drizzled, generously. Carrot ginger flavor in every bite.

Dive in hungry feasters!..

Another look at the base of this bowl, red potatoes, diced and roasted to crispy-tender-spiced perfection..


Grains + Avocado too? Another note, I was going to add some brown rice or farro to this bowl, AND some diced avocado over top but quite frankly, I forgot. I was so wrapped up in how amazing things were turning out I skipped those extras. But you can certainly add them if you'd like.

Or add some vegenaise-slathered sprouted grain toast on the side, like I included.

PS. Oh those collards! You may feel the urge to use kale or chard or spinach in this recipe. But please give collards a try! They are so yummy when they mingle with a bit of oil, plenty of apple cider vinegar and tender chunks of garlic. Plus collards are incredibly healthy. Just one cup contains nearly 50% your RDA of vitamin A, and they contain vitamin C, fiber and calcium. They are tender, yet meaty. I adore them!

Carrot-Ginger Roasted Potato Bowl
vegan, serves 3

Greens:
1 large bunch of collard greens,organic - chopped
*thick stem vein removed (about 6 loosely packed cups - collards shrink significantly when cooked)
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic
pinch of salt and pepper

Chickpeas:
1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas (1 can)
½ - 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon maple syrup
pinches of these spices:
black pepper
smoky paprika
turmeric
cayenne
garlic powder
salt

Garlic Potatoes:
4 cups diced tiny red potatoes, organic
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon garlic powder
⅛ teaspoon smoky paprika and/or cayenne
pinches of salt and pepper
optional: nutritional yeast to taste

Carrot Ginger Dressing:
1 ¼ cups boiled carrots, organic
2-3 tablespoon water or non-dairy milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1-2 tablespoon maple syrup
¼ teaspoon freshly grated ginger (or to taste)
pinch of orange zest
salt and pepper to taste
for extra spice, add a few pinches of cayenne

1 satsuma, peeled and thinly sliced- optional

*for all components feel free to spice to taste, especially adding plentiful spices and seasonings to those potatoes and chickpeas.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 420 degrees.
2. Start out by washing and scrubbing your potatoes. Then slice them into quarters or smaller. Add them to a large mixing bowl and toss with the olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper. Lay flat on a large baking sheet or casserole dish. Bake until tender and crispy. About five minutes before the potatoes are done, open the oven, pull out the oven rack and sprinkle the garlic powder and paprika over top. Toss a bit. Roast potatoes for another five minutes or so. I like to broil for a few minutes to really toast up those edges.
3. At the same time you are cooking your potatoes, you can be roasting your chickpeas. You drain and rinse the canned chickpeas and toss with all the spices and oil. Lay them flat on a baking sheet and roast until the edges crisp and toast up. You could also do this in a skillet on your stovetop, whichever you'd prefer. Note that the chickpeas should only take ten or so minutes to roast, they should be pulled from the oven before potatoes.
4. While the chickpeas and potatoes are roasting, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the carrots. Boil carrots until tender. Drain water and place them in a high speed blender or food processor. Add in all carrot-ginger dressing ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour and set dressing aside.
5. While the chickpeas and potatoes are roasting you can also quickly make the collards. Finely chop your washed collards and set aside. Add the oil and garlic to a pot on the stove over high heat. When the oil is hot, add in the collards and cover with a lid to cook for one minute. Then turn off heat and toss the collards in the hot oil and with the garlic. Pour in the apple cider vinegar and add the pepper. Toss well. Collards should be nice and wilted now, but not mushy.
6. Plate your bowls! Add the collards, sliced satsumas, roasted chickpeas, potatoes and dressing over top. Serve warm.

Pink Power Smoothie. Lycopene-Rich.

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Thanks to Valentine's Day, February becomes a month of love, hearts and pink! Well start crushing on yourself (and someone special) with this frosty pink sip. This "I Heart You & Me" Pink Power Smoothie is a sweet, citrus-infused blend that is rich in lycopene, potassium, fiber and vitamin C. This heart-healthy blend is a sunny way to start your day or energize in the afternoon. Learn more about lycopene and get the recipe!..

Lycopene is an antioxidant in the carotenoid family that has been studied to improve prostate health, guard against breast cancer and improve heart health - among other things. Lycopene is commonly known to be found in tomato-rich foods like marinara sauce. But lycopene is also abundant in other red-pigmented foods like pink grapefruit and watermelon. Tomatoes may not be your favorite breakfast food, so enjoying lycopene-rich fruits is a yummy way to include lycopene in your AM meals and snacks!

Here are the breakdowns for lycopene in fruits and veggies - source:

1 cup of watermelon, 6.89mg
1 cup of tomatoes, 7.30mg
1 cup of grapefruit, 2.61mg
1 cup of guava, 8.59mg
1 cup tomato puree, 54.39mg

Experts, like Dr. Weil, seem to advise 9-10mg of lycopene a day for general health benefits. So if you drink both servings of today's recipe, you are covered! And even one serving will have you at about 7-8mg. This is a refreshing, low-calorie smoothie so you could easily drink up the whole blender-ful. (Or share it with your favorite smoothie sipping companion!)

When selecting these foods, look for pieces rich in their pigments.

Eat the rainbow is always good meal-planning advice.

I Heart You & Me Pink Power Smoothie with sprouted pumpkin seeds
1-2 servings

1 ½ cups pink grapefruit flesh, rind removed
1 ½ cups watermelon cubes, chilled or frozen
1 banana, frozen
¼ cup coconut water (or try guava juice for more pink power!)
1 teaspoon liquid sweetener (optional)
2 teaspoon sprouted raw pumpkin seeds, salted

spicy version: add cayenne or some raw grated ginger

Directions: Add grapefruit, coconut water, optional sweetener and watermelon to blender. Blend until smooth - high speed will be needed to puree smoothly. Add in the frozen banana and blend until frosty and smooth. Pour and add pumpkin seeds over top to serve.

Lycopene per recipe: about 15mg

Nutrient info per serving if you split this recipe into two servings:

Happy Birthday Cake Batter Truffles

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Today is my birthday. Du-na-na-na-na. Happy birthday to me...

Cake Batter Truffles. These truffles are made using creamy soaked cashews and coconut oil. Vegan sprinkles add that "cake batter" coloring and a hint of vanilla bean does the rest. But before my bday treat (recipe below), a few bday wishes.

Birthday wish: pink sunsets, always.

And many wishes for my favorites: kitties! (And all animals, really.)

Happy busy birthday to me. This is probably the least amount of attention I have paid to my birthday in all my life. Mostly because in just ONE day I turn in a huge project, cookbook#2 (yay!) and so I have been manuscript editing, photo editing and basically pulling all nighters like a college student during midterms. And it feels very strange, but come February 1st I will literally have the first pause in my schedule in a very very long time. After Nelly's kitty cancer fight, I literally dove right into cookbook writing. It was strange really. But I was glad to have a project to keep me super busy. But come February, I get some true pause, reflect and centering time. I plan on seeing lots of friends and soaking in this time before round two of cook-booking comes along. Oh, the editing phase...

But anyways, enough about me.

For my birthday this year I wanted to do something nice for my favorite furry friends. Since we still are not ready to adopt a new kitty (though we hope to soon) I decided to "adopt" a kitty. And remind all of you guys that YOU can help too if you want to. There are so many ways to give love to animals. And yes, going vegan is one of them.

For this bday, Blind Cat Rescue stole my heart...

"Blind cats do not know they are blind, they know they are cats. They act like cats. Blind cats can do pretty much everything that a seeing cat can do. They can climb trees, climb up on to the top of cabinets and get into places that you can not figure out how they did it!" - Blind Cat Rescue

So.. Meet Gallie! The kitty I "adopted" via Blind Cat Rescue. Aw, head rubs. Though I will never actually meet this sweetie pie, I am so happy to know that I am helping her in a tiny way.


*photo credit: Blind Cat Rescue

About Gallie from BCR: "Gallie came to us from Brevard County Animal Control in Florida. We were notified by a citizen that she was there and with lots of help by lots of wonderful people, she came to us. A Huge thank you to Diane & Bill from Atlanta Animal Clinic in Pompanao Beach, Fl for driving 5 hours to pick her up and bring her back to their clinic , Also a huge thank you to Elizabeth, her mother & Mindy, Ivonne for facilitating her journey to us by driving 10 hours to bring her to us. She is super super sweet and I know is going to feel so much better once her eyes are taken care of."

How to help? For just $30 a month ($1 a day!) you can adopt a rescued kitty at the Blind Cat Rescue. There are SO many kitties who need some help. You can even browse photos and pick out a kitty to adopt.

Why do blind kitties need help? Did you know that many public animal shelters simply quickly get rid of any handicapped or special needs kitties (like blind cats) that fall into their hands because of the low chances for adoption. So thank goodness for the kind volunteers at Blind Cat Rescue who take in these sweet creatures. Gallie, the kitty I chose, was suffering from painful and very severe eye problems and needed surgery to remove her eyes (the source of the pain). Blind Cat Rescue stepped in. Now Gallie is a sweet and happier girl who I am told loves to chase bugs outside in the yard 🙂

More about BCR: "Blind Cat Rescue was started in 2005 to answer the need for a safe place for blind cats that were deemed unadoptable by regular shelters. They were going to be killed just because they are blind. And in 2011 we built a building to provide a safe sanctuary for FELV+ & FIV+ cats."

So for my birthday wish, I hope you guys will check out this list of my favorite animal organizations. Please feel free to leave more names of great animal organizations in the comments below. And if you have means, please consider donating. You hear it all the time, but it is TRUE: Every little bit helps. (If you do donate or adopt, please feel free to leave me a comment so I can give you a big thank you!) xo

For my bday wish, I hope all these kitties and pups have many more happy birthdays to come!

Click to help the kitties + more:

Blind Cat Project Wishlist and ADOPT a kitty program (like Gallie!)
Farm Sanctuary - One of my faves. Love the amazing Gene Baur!
Sea Shepherd - amazing group. And if you have been following the dolphin slaughter in Taiji Japan you know the amazing work that organizations like SS do, and how crucial they are!
Love & Leashes - wonderful adoption non-profit here in LA
Best Friends - another awesome non-profit
ASPCA - helping animals, fighting for animals!
Humane Society - they do amazing work, and I am a big fan of Wayne Pacelle!
Teal Cat Project - found this via Isa Chandra, who is one of the founders, love everything about TCP! I am the proud owner of three teal kitties.
Hendrickson Boards - awesome company that supports a wide number of shelters and animals, plus they sell super cute tees "every purchase saves animals around the nation"

And ok, something sprinkled to nibble on for my happy bday...

Cake Batter Truffles
makes 9 truffles

½ cup raw cashews, soaked
⅓ cup extra virgin coconut oil, melted
2 ½ tablespoon liquid sweetener (I used agave)
2 tablespoon non-dairy milk, warmed
pinch of real vanilla bean seeds (or a few drops vanilla extract)
pinch of pink salt

fold in:
1 teaspoon vegan rainbow sprinkles

Nutrition per ball: 139 calories, 11g fat, 8g carbs, 2g protein

1. Soak cashews in salted water overnight, or for quick soak method, boil them in water for a few minutes. (Raw soaking works best though)
2. Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until silky smooth. Pour mixture into a small bowl. Fold in the sprinkles, leave out a few or more for coating.
3. Place mixture in the freezer until firm enough to work with.
4. Scoop small balls once the mixture is firm enough (but not too hard) and roll into balls. Place on a greased plate and place back in the freezer to fully firm. Serve chilled or slightly warmed to room temperature.

Nutty Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

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Sometimes the best recipes are discovered by happy kitchen accidents. Like this Nutty Banana Chocolate Chip Bread. I was adding the "spelt" flour when, whoopsies, I realized that my spelt was actually my buckwheat flour. So I continued anyways, a bit worried that this bread would not turn out fluffy and lovely as I had hoped, since buckwheat can be a heavy flour. But sure enough, this bread baked up into a delicious banana bread loaf! It has the perfect subtle accent of dark chocolate chips and crunchy jungle peanuts combined with three sticky sweet mashed bananas and all sorts of other yummy vegan ingredients. Try it out and taste my delicious mistake..



Enjoy it. This bread was delicious warmed up at breakfast all last week. Super hearty yet still moist, light, nutty and sweet. Those chocolate chips give this bread a decadent feel, but the ingredients are healthy enough to enjoy a slice any time of day. Peanuts, chocolate, bananas. Banana bread bliss.

Nutty Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

By Kathy PatalskyPublished 01/26/2014Nutty Banana Chocolate Chip Bread
Nutty amazing buckwheat banana bread with mashed bananas, loads of peanuts and chocolate chips.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup buckwheat flour
  • ½ cup oat or wheat flour (I use homemade oat flour)
  • 2 teaspoon ground flax seeds
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ⅓ cup maple syrup, grade B
  • 3 large ripe bananas, mashed
  • ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ⅓ cup extra virgin coconut oil, melted
  • fold in:
  • ¼ cup vegan chocolate chips
  • ¼ cup peanuts (I used jungle peanuts)
  • topping: 1 tablespoon coarse sugar (optional) + sprinkle of peanuts

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a bread loaf pan with parchment paper or grease with coconut oil.
  2. Add all bananas to a large mixing bowl and mash very well. Add in the melted coconut oil to assist in the mashing. Then add in the vinegar, vanilla extract and maple syrup too. You should have a very wet banana mash now.
  3. Fold in the flours, salt, cinnamon, baking powder, flax seeds. Fold very well until a wet and very thick banana batter forms. Pour this mixture into the loaf pan and smooth with a spoon. Sprinkle sugar and peanuts on top.
  4. Bake at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until edges start to brown. Cool before slicing and serving.

Yield: 8 servingsPrep Time: 00 hrs. 10 mins. Cook time: 00 hrs. 40 mins. Total time: 50 mins.

Nutrition

  • Calories: 284
  • Fat: 13g
  • Totalcarbs: 40g
  • Dietaryfiber: 5g
  • Cholesterol: 0g
  • Calories:

Tags: dessert,snack,bread,vegan,banana bread,buckwheat,peanuts,gluten free,breakfast

Roasted Soup Obsession: Carrot or Sweet Potato. Spices Galore.

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My latest obsession: creamy roasted soups. Carrot and sweet potato flavors mostly, with a few flavor and ingredient tweaks along the way. These soups have been bringing me some serious delicious-comfort the past few weeks. Get the info on this fantastic go-to meal recipe and share a bowl with me!..

First off, thank you so much for the support and congrats for my cookbook#2 announcement! Your support and excitement means so so much to me.

Now lets warm you up!.. These warm, cozy, healthy, vitamin-A, fiber, deliciousness-infused bowls are perfect for cozying up to at the end of a long day. They warm you from the inside out and nurture you with nutrition. Pop some veggies in the oven, forget about them for a while, then hop back in the kitchen and blend up these soups. Easy!..

Creamy carrot with some soaked cashews added to make things "extra creamy"

Roasted carrots turn into amazingly flavorful carrot soup. I prefer using roasted to boiled carrots. Look at the flavor!..

super-spiced sweet potato. Loads of smoky paprika, maple, sweet curry, garlic and turmeric.

On Food Obsessions. I like to think that as a food blogger I try new things at each meal, my table being a constant vehicle for experimentation and creativity.

Well, yes sometimes. But not always.

Actually I'm just like anyone else really. I fall in love with certain dishes and crave them, so sometimes that even means having a dish three times in a row (ok, or more!) and changing it up a little each time. It is amazing how changing up the spices, garnish or adding even just one new ingredient can change the flavor, texture and tone of a recipe. Including these soups!

But back to obsessions. Obsessions is a bad word. Hm. I mean, healthy vegan food is my obsession. These recipes I speak of are more like "kicks." I usually go on a recipe kick, crave it like crazy for a few days (or weeks!) then get sick of it and crave something new. Sometimes I go back to old kicks and sometimes they are enjoyed and never heard from again.

Just for fun , let me share a few of my historic "kicks"

- There was the GoBo NYC Butternut Squash Risotto + Seitan Skewers kick of 2008.
- The giant big salad bowl dinner kick, summer of 2009
- The breakfast for dinner, tofu scramble wrap craze a few years back.
- And then of course my matcha protein shake obsession that started about a year ago and is still going strong. (Some kicks never die I think!)
- My farro porridge breakfast crush of 2011, which comes and goes, seasonally.
- My fresh-pressed juice craving when I simply HAD to start my day with juice for a few months straight, this comes and goes too.
- My kale dinner salad bowl.. again that one comes and goes.
- My baby carrots + hummus snack obsession. That totally passed. Very three years ago. (I used to be a baby carrot addict, I buy whole bunches nowadays though.)
- My vegan frozen yogurt addiction. Broke that off, thank goodness.
- My "Macro Bowl" kick of 2012. I got a little bored with that.
- My 'big pot of soup' kick a few snow seasons ago back in NYC. That was fun.
- My Matcha and turmeric warm mug lattes kick of 2013, ahem, still going strong.
- My steamy miso noodle soup bowl lunch kick, 2007. That was me getting used to my first NYC winter.
- My breakfast chia pudding kick, this one comes and goes.
- My green smoothie obsession while writing my book 365 Vegan Smoothies. Those green smoothies were my favorite to taste test because they are so. darn. good. for. you.

And on and on and on..

I think we all do this though. A lot. Yes? What are your recipe obsessions?

THIS soup. So, amidst cookbook writing and extreme recipe-testing activities, it seems all I crave at the end of a long day is a giant bowl of roasted carrot or sweet potato soup, paired with two toasted slices of sprouted grain bread, a slather of Vegenaise, and some sort of salad on the side. Kale sald, bean dish, grain salad (farro + black rice .. yum!) etc.

So here is my soup of NOW. Get it while its hot. In a few months I probably will be saying, "Soup who?" I'm such a culinary flirt.

Spice it up! My thing with these soups (carrot or sweet potato) is that I can literally drown them in spices of all sorts. Which I love. You can do the same. I can also adjust the creaminess level by changing the ratio and amount of broth to non-dairy milk. Or by adding in ingredients like beans, lentils and soaked nuts. More texture, heartier flavors. Coconut milk and canned pumpkin are also fun add-ins.

Simple Roasted Carrot Soup with spices, curry, ginger, garlic, maple
2 servings

To Roast:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive or extra virgin coconut oil
7-9 small to medium carrots (about one bunch stemmed) OR 1 medium sweet potato - more info on roasting carrots
2 teaspoon agave or maple syrup
salt to taste

Additional:
1-3 cups vegetable broth
1-2 cups almond milk, plain
1 clove garlic, optional
1 teaspoon ginger, grated
spices: pinches of cayenne, turmeric, black pepper, sweet curry powder to taste, smoky paprika and more..
*liquid amounts will greatly differ from how creamy or thin you want your soup.

Garnish: more spices (I love smoky Spanish paprika for this), drizzle of roasting juices or maple syrup, pinch of parsley or veggie garnish

Optional add-in ideas to change things up:
1 cup canned beans or lentils, drained and rinsed
½ cup pumpkin puree - for extra creaminess
¼ cup soaked cashews
Salt & Peppered Shiitakes (make on the side then serve over top the soup .. heavenly!)

garnish: roasted carrot and carrot roasting juices

1. Preheat oven to 415 degrees. For carrots: Wash and dry carrots. Slice or chop carrots. Toss carrots with the oil, salt and sweetener. Lay flat on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until tender, about 30-40 minutes, less for smaller carrots. Reserve the “roasting juices” from the carrot pan for a soup accent to serve. For sweet potato: simply plop the sweet potato on the baking rack, slitting a few holes in the top to vent. Be sure to line your oven with foil to catch any sticky juices that drip and burn. Bake until very tender so that the skin peels right off.
2. Add the roasted carrots or roasted sweet potato flesh to a high speed blender, leave out a few small carrots or sweet potato cubes for garnish. Add all additional ingredients to blender and blend from low to high until silky smooth. Modify texture and flavor as desired. I personally love my soup very rich and creamy, so I use minimal amounts of liquid. But for a more traditional soup consistency, start with two cups of broth, a cup of non-dairy milk and go from there. (If you add too much liquid you can always simmer the soup uncovered on the stove to reduce the soup and thicken.) After blending, taste test the soup and adjust spices and salt to taste.
3. Pour soup in a small soup pot and simmer on low, covered, until ready to serve. I cover the pot otherwise the thick soup splatters everywhere! Garnish with the roasted carrot and a drizzle of the carrot juices from the roasting pan.

Nutrition Facts (per serving – 893g):
Calories: 322kcal Fat: 12g Carbs: 46g Protein: 10g Fiber: 13g
Vitamin C 36% Iron: 23% Calcium: 44% Vitamin A: 1309%

Sweet potato lover? Here is another recipe to try: Easy Sweet Potato + Pistachio Fritters

Shiitake Farro Tortilla Salad + Cookbook News to Share!

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The weather here in LA these past few weeks has been gorgeousful. Yes, gorgeousful. Beautiful and gorgeous all at the same time. And while the winter sun has been working overtime here in SoCal, I have been working overtime too. Mostly because I have been so (happily) busy the past few weeks. My exciting news to share, plus a yummy recipe for Shiitake-Farro-Tortilla Salad!..

pretty winter sunset over the Santa Monica shore..

And today's recipe..

Tortilla Salad. Recipes first, always! (And my big news follows the recipe.) So, you know how everyone loves tortilla soup? Well this is tortilla salad. Made using just a few fantastic ingredients including homemade corn tortillas, sizzling shiitake mushrooms, tender rustic farro, fajita spices and zesty lime juice. Avocados on top! Try this yummy fusion recipe out, the flavors are so simple, yet so wonderful all blending together in a big festive bowl..

Shiitake Farro Tortilla Salad
4 servings

farro:
1 cup farro
2 ½ cups water
¼ teaspoon salt

shiitakes:
4 cups shiitake mushrooms, diced (about 4-5 large shiitake mushrooms)
1 cup onion, diced
½ teaspoon fajita seasoning, I used Penzey's Spices brand
salt and pepper to taste
½ teaspoon extra virgin coconut oil

also:
½ avocado, diced
2 limes, (1 squeezed, 1 for garnish)
¼ teaspoon cilantro or parsley, finely chopped

corn tortillas:
½ cup masa harina
¾ cup water
spritz of lime juice
pinch of salt

nutrition estimate (4 servings per recipe)
Directions:

1. Start off with your homemade tortillas, you will need to combine the masa harina, water, salt and lime juice in a bowl, stire until smooth, cover bowl and let sit for an hour before using. I soak my mixture in the fridge so it is chilled upon using, and easier to handle. Note: yes you can use store-bought tortillas, or substitute with corn, but try homemade at some point, you will be impressed with yourself!
2. While your tortilla mix is soaking, you can cook your farro. Add the grains, water and salt to a small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover with lid and simmer on low for about 30-35 minutes, or until farro is tender. If there is any liquid left or excess upon cooking to farro, drain and fluff farro. Pour farro into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
3. After the tortilla mix has soaked, start cooking your tortillas. Warm a skillet, cast iron is my preference, to medium. Roll a gold ball sized amount of corn mixture and flatten into a tortilla shape. If you were using these as actual tortillas, a tortilla press would really help, but since you will be slicing them up anyways, do not stress about making them perfectly shaped. Just flatten them down as much as possible using your hands or a greased flat spatula. Cook each tortilla for just about a minute on each side, they cook very quickly. Continue until all tortillas have been cooked.
4. In the same skillet, turn heat up to high and add in the coconut oil. When oil is hot, add in the onions and mushrooms, saute for 2-3 minutes or until cooked. Sprinkle fajita seasoning over top and salt and pepper to taste.
5. Squeeze the juice of one lime into the farro bowl, and add the parsley or cilantro - then fluff the farro very well. Next, pour the warm mushroom mixture into the farro bowl and toss again. Lastly, dice up 2-3 of the cooked tortillas and add to the farro bowl. Toss together very well. Add more seasoning to taste. Pour salad into serving bowl(s). Dice avocado and add to top of salad. Garnish with fresh lime. This salad can be served warm, freshly tossed, of cold after chilling in the fridge. Salsa of hot sauce over top. You can serve any leftover tortillas as sides.

-- news!

News News! Soo.. a few months ago I signed a cookbook deal with an amazing publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. You can follow all the awesome cookbook updates on twitter: hmhcooks and JustCookNYC. So for the past few months I have been working on my second cookbook! This vegan-recipe-packed book will include a wide array of recipes: breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, desserts and more. It will be a complete collection of my most favorite recipes. There will be a few of my most popular recipes from here on my blog, but the majority of the recipes will be brand new. I am also doing the photography for the book.

I had so much fun writing 365 Vegan Smoothies and so I am so excited to bring you guys a wider array of recipes in book #2!

I wanted to go all Beyonce on you guys and announce my book right before being released next year (2015) .. but I just couldn't hold this news in.

So far cookbook-ing has been a whirlwind of grocery shopping trips, piles of ingredients all over the kitchen, day-long sprees of photoshooting, recipe testing and on and on. In short, it has been a wonderful project to take on, especially right now when (as many of you guys know who follow my blog) there have been quite a few heavy things happening for me in the past year. With the sadness over the holiday season, I was so incredibly grateful to have this new project to tackle. I know this book will make miss Nellycat proud.

So FINALLY, I can answer all of you who have asked me again and again "when are you going to write a big cookbook??" .. I am now! 🙂

I am so excited to move forward.

And truly, I am SO excited for you guys to see this new book.

PS! Smoothie lovers, enter this awesome contest featured on Earth Balance's page!.. (link at the bottom of the post once you clickover)

Easy Peanut-Kale Black Rice Bowl

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Is black the new brown? In my house it is! Well, sort've. I still adore my beloved, simple, nutty, fluffy, go-to short-grain brown rice. But black rice also called "forbidden" rice or purple rice is my new must-try fave! Here is why: It contains all the fiber, texture and 'less processed' goodness of brown rice. But in addition to that, it also has antioxidants, the same anthocyanin antioxidants found in blueberries.

So today I bring you a super easy recipe containing a few superfood favorites: my easy Peanut-Kale Black Rice Bowl. Head to your local grocery store or health food store, find some black rice and get cooking!..

More on those antioxidants.. More than a few sources say that black rice may even contain MORE antioxidants than blueberries. Crazy, yes? OK, so if you look at that study, they compare one spoonful of black rice to a spoonful of blueberries. So calorie-wise, I'm not sure what contains more calorie-per-calorie. But still. I am super excited about this new ingredient fave! Can you tell?

Black Rice Inspiration? I have been ordering a seasonal special at Real Food Daily here in Santa Monica called "The Essence." Anyone try it as well? OMG. It is crazy delicious. It contains this creamy cauliflower puree with pomegranate seeds speckled on top. Some maple-y roasted brussel sprouts and then a giant balsamic portobello mushroom overflowing with black rice. The entire dish is spectacular, but that purple, black (I confuse myself!) "forbidden" rice is what makes the dish a real filling meal. In fact, my husband who used to hate all grains (I know) now likes rice, but LOVES this purple stuff. So I knew I had to start making this stuff myself.

How to cook black rice? Easy! You simply add 1 cup of rice and two cups of water to a large soup pot, add a pinch of salt, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover pot with lid and allow the rice to simmer for a good 45 minutes, or until tender.

The rice keeps a somewhat soupy broth around it right up until the end of cooking time I found. I actually had a bit of black rice broth left on the pan and I drained it right off and fluffed the rice. I actually drank the broth since it was dark purple and looked oddly dreamy all rich in antioxidants. And it was dreamy! This stuff would make an amazing soup grain. (I had extra broth because I added an extra splash of water since I was uncertain if the 2:1 ratio was correct my first time cooking it!)

Black rice can be used in any way that white or brown rice can be used. It has a very tender, nutty and chewy texture that I love. It is a bit heartier and heavier than fluffy white or even brown rice. Perfect for a hearty grain addition to any meal.

Peanut kale is a favorite of mine, so paired with this tender purple-colored black rice I was in heaven. I added some simple lime juice and maple syrup to accent. Do you love black rice? How do you use it?

Peanut-Kale Black Rice Bowl
2 servings

4 cups kale leaves, torn (About one half of a large bunch of kale)
1 ½ cups cooked black or purple or "forbidden" rice

dressing:
1 tablespoon peanut butter, organic
2 teaspoon maple syrup, grade B (or agave or brown rice syrup)
1 juicy lime, squeezed
pinch of salt and pepper
optional: pinch of fresh grated ginger or cayenne for spice

garnish: crushed raw jungle peanuts and lime wedges

Directions:

1. Cook your black rice. Use about one part rice for every two parts water. (See instructions above or on your rice package.)
2. Drain rice of any excess liquid and place in the fridge to set and chill over night for best texture. (I found my rice dried out a bit overnight and befame nice and chewy and fluffy like i love. But just after cooked it is delicious too!)
3. Combine dressing ingredients in a small cup. Warm the dressing tin the microwave for about fifteen seconds (this step is optional but encouraged!).
4. Place all washed, dried and torn kale leaves in a large mixing bowl and pour warmed dressing over top. Massage the dressing into the kale. The kale should wilt a bit and soften as it becomes marinated with the peanut dressing.
5. Fold in the rice. Toss well. Serve wit crushed peanuts over top and lime wedges.

calorie estimate per serving (2 servings total)

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Banana Bites + 15 Healthy Track Treats!

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Goodbye pumpkin pie. Hello healthy. January feels like abruptly waking up from a long, fuzzy, jolly dream.

Suddenly things are oddly quiet. You find yourself calmly gazing at a hushed scene of freshly fallen snow, shivering bare trees in the distance. Or maybe your harshest winter weather (raises hand) is a brazen beach fog drifting your way. You have swapped out your nog and cocoa for green smoothies, warm lemon water or carrot-ginger juice. That whimsy-filled holiday time is now just a blur or colors, twinkly lights, carols and laughter. Just a clutter of faint memories of you dancing in glowing lights, surrounded by people dressed in fuzzy sweaters, fluffy scarves and sparkly somethings. A hum of holiday music and chatter. Cinnamon sugar, vanilla bean, pumpkin and peppermint aromas tickling your nose. You, smiling and spinning beside a crackling fire, a sugar cookie in one hand, a tall mug of hot cocoa in the other, towering swirls of whip gazing straight up at you.

Ah, what a nice dream. But wait, that was like just over a week ago! Just like pulling the plug on your Christmas tree lights, all good things must come to an end. But maybe the REAL fun has only just begun? Green smoothie cheerleaders, gimme a "G!"

Healthy 2014. I love this healthy-you-lovefest season. I do not do the new year resolution thing, but I do love the whole idea of reevaluating your current state of wellness. Taking inventory on how you feel, what you are eating, how you are managing stress, what your happiness level is, how your job satisfaction is, how the meaning in your life is crystallizing, how your friendships are faring, how you look, how active your creative life is and then, after a good long ponder .. figuring out where you want to be and how far you are from that wellness vision in your head. So instead of strict rules this January, lets instead call this a month of taking inventory on our wellness. And setting broad goals for the rest of the year.

On the road. Most people start on their road to feeling better by giving their diet a makeover. And I know a large number of people want to shed a few pounds after an indulgent holiday season. And while I am in favor of being in tune with your nutrition, I am very wary of this thing called dieting. Diets can lead to a fast and furious feeling of deprivation. Not a healthy, happy place to be at all! So I like to find a happy medium. Setting goals, while staying in tune to the needs of my body. If I want a cookie, dammit I will have a cookie. Or two. I understand the temptation to deprive yourself for what may seem like a short period of time to lose weight at a fast pace. But experts say that weight that is lost at a slow rate tends to stay off more permanently. Those quickie losses often creep right back on.

Today's post.. So to keep you from the dry and dreary desert of deprivation, today's post offers fifteen healthy treat recipes. Sweet treats to keep your healthy eating plans on track.

Inspired to try vegan this year? My plant-based vegan diet has brought me so much happiness, peace and wellness in my life. So veg-curious people, feel free to browse around and get inspired to try vegan this month and beyond! Another smart move.. start a smoothie habit this year with my book 365 Vegan Smoothies, on Amazon!

15 Healthy Treats to Keep You on Track!

1. Chocolate-Peanut Butter Banana Bites (recipe at bottom of post) - grab one or a few from the freezer to stomp out a sweet tooth. Healthy banana, dark chocolate and coconut oil keeps you on track!

2. Secret Ingredient Vanilla Shake - one of my favorite super healthy shake recipes. Vanilla ice cream flavor and texture - without the guilt .. or dairy!

3. Sweet Citrus Avocado Dreamboat - yup, a green smoothie packed with sweet fruit flavors like citrus, grapes, pear, apple, banana, mango, pineapple, kiwi and more is a GREAT way to satisfy a sweet tooth while sipping on some serious superfood! Talk about a guilt-free treat!

4. Fresh Blueberry Toasted Coconut Chia Seed Pudding - omega-3 fatty acid-rich chia seeds make the most delicious pudding ever. Add some fresh fruit for a bonus healthy treat boost.

5. Chewy Peanut Butter Oat Granola Bars - grabbing a sweet and crunchy granola bar is a great way to energize your body and beat a sweet tooth craving.

6. Blackberry Acai Sorbet - creamy, frosty and packed with healthy antioxidants, this cool treat is one to try!

7. Chocolate Coconut Oil Spread for toast - chocolate craving? Toast some bread and slather on a spoonful of this luscious, healthy chocolate spread! Craving satisfied.

8. Golden Caramel Coconut Popcorn Bites - these crunchy golden popcorn bites are a fun sweet treat when you crave a sweet crunch. Popcorn keeps these flavors light and crunchy.

9. Oat-Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies - when you simply need to have a cookie, grab one of these mini pumpkin cookies. Small and sweet with chocolate chips in every nibble. Just one should do the trick.

10. Grilled Banana + Chocolate Almond Butter Bagels or toast -- a healthy banana can easily transform into a dessert-approved treat simply by grilling it in a hot skillet! Layer it over top chocolate almond butter and toast for a yummy snack that satisfies.

11. Easy Peanut Butter Pudding - easy and delish. This protein-packed, five ingredient pudding is a favorite in our house!

12. Chocolate-Covered Animal Crackers - these light and fun little crackers are easy to make. Store them in the fridge or freezer and grab one or two when a craving hits.

13. Peanut Butter Cacao-Coconut Oil Superfood Fudge Bars - Just a tiny cube of this coconut oil fudge should satisfy a sweet craving. Hemp seeds add some superfood power!

14. Easy Silky Chocolate Pudding - silky chocolate pudding, guilt free! So healthy, you could eat it for breakfast.

15. Vegan Aztec Hot Cocoa - cocoa to the rescue! The go-to wintertime sweet treat savior. Go light on the soy whip to keep things lower in calories.

And today's new recipe!..

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Banana Bites
3 servings, 2-3 bites per serving

1 large ripe banana, thickly sliced
1 teaspoon rolled oats

chocolate dip:
1 teaspoon peanut butter, sweetened
1 tablespoon vegan chocolate chips
1 tablespoon extra virgin coconut oil

Directions:

1. Slice your banana and place them on a plate in the freezer while you melt your chocolate.
2. Add the peanut butter, coconut oil, chocolate chips to a small bowl and microwave for fifteen seconds. Stir briskly, then microwave for another fifteen seconds. Stir briskly again. If after a minute of stirring there are still chocolate chip clumps, microwave for ten more seconds.
3. Fold the oats into the chocolate dip.
4. Lay some parchment paper on a baking sheet.
5. Pull the bananas from the freezer and roll them one at a time in the chocolate dip, coating all sides. Then lay flat on the parchment paper. Continue until all the bites are covered.
6. Place bites in the freezer to fully chill, store in freezer, and eat within a few days for best flavor.

nutrition estimate per serving:

Bonus game. Two more from my personal collection of sweet smoothie favorites.. turmeric and matcha! Matcha green tea powder is such a Zen-ergizing ingredient, when blended into a creamy, frosty sweet shake it provides a sweet and cravable pick-me-up. And my turmeric golden wellness shake is sweet and sassy, I LOVE it.

16. Secret Ingredient Matcha Shake - I often enjoy a matcha shake for lunch or breakfast, but it is so sweet and lovely it could easily be a sweet tooth break in your afternoon.

Golden Wellness Turmeric Shake - frosty and sweet with a spiced flavor you have to taste to understand. Turmeric is a superfood spice to add to your diet in 2014.

White Velvet Soup

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White sweet potatoes. I am obsessed. I love them. They are the ultimate in sticky-sweet baked yam perfection.

And this white sweet potato soup, aka White Velvet Soup, is just way too easy to make. I have already made it twice, and I am plotting when to make it again. Sweet potato lovers, this is a dreamboat of a soup..

Hello beautiful..

So deliciously simple.

Grab a spoon.

This silky white sweet potato soup is a new comfort food favorite. I like to serve it as a hearty, warming, cozy soup starter alongside something light like a grain and veggie salad. The soup includes sweet baked yams, creamy white beans, a hint of dreamy coconut oil and maple syrup and simple salt and pepper.

White Velvet Soup
vegan, 2 servings

1 large white sweet potato or two small, Japanese sweet potato (white flesh, purple skin)
1 cup canned white beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon virgin coconut oil, melted (or a splash of coconut milk)
1 garlic clove, raw or roasted
¼ teaspoon pink salt
1-2 teaspoon maple syrup, grade B
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Liquid: You can use all non-dairy milk for ultra-creamy or do a mixture of non-dairy milk and broth for a thinner texture.
1 cup+ unsweetened or plain almond or soy milk OR broth/non-dairy milk mixture, add liquid to blender warmed.

Optional: Spice things up! Add in cinnamon, ginger powder, cayenne or turmeric to add some spice.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 415 degrees. Wash and scrub potato and poke a few holes in the top of the potato to vent steam.
2. Bake the potato right on the oven rack for at least 50-60 minutes. Longer if needed. You want to potato skin to practically fall off the potato when it is fully baked. The flesh should be sticky sweet, soft and velvet-y.
3. Warm the liquid you will be using, either in a mug in the microwave or on the stovetop. Warm liquid means the soup will be warm enough to simply pour and serve if you'd like. You can also drain and rinse your cooked white beans and warm your coconut oil.
4. Remove potato skin and discard. Add potato flesh (retain a few diced cubes as garnish if desired) and all soup ingredients to a high speed blender. Blend from low to high until silky smooth. You can now add in more liquid if you'd like a thinner soup. I like my soup very thick and creamy, but you can choose your favorite texture.
4. Season to taste and pour into bowls to serve. Garnish optional.

Nutritional info estimate - per serving (2 total)
calories: 341kcal fat: 3g carbs: 71g protein: 14g fiber: 13g

Lentil Cashew Cakes

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OK, so these may look like basic brown patties. But trust me, they taste amazing! Much more amazing that they appear at first glance.

These toasty little Lentil Cashew Cakes are perfect as a protein-rich appetizer or entree. You could even use them as a veggie burger patty. Rich creamy mashed lentils combine with nutty cashews and cheezy nutritional yeast, an accent of pepper, garlic and citrus zest to lighten things up.

Holiday-ing. Wow what a super two holiday-ish weeks this has been. The beaches here in LA were simply PACKED with tourists these past few days and walking along the sandy beach walkway, or attempting to ride our bikes, felt more like walking through Times Square right before 8PM when the 'show crowd' swarms in. It felt more like summer than January with the sunny temperatures and clear blue sky, and trust me, I am quite appreciative of this weather! Especially when I hear about all my friends out east being showered in cold white snowflakes. But seriously snow bunnies, I do miss those snow days. Embrace them with hot cocoa and cozy days cocooned inside.

Vacay. Even a few days away from home gave me a very nice mental break from the normal routine. It is so invigorating how a change of scenery can refresh your mind and really re-inspire your outlook on work and life. And since this holiday has been still a rough time getting over the absence of miss Nellycat, we we happy to get away a bit. We took a quickie trip to Vegas after Christmas to see the opening night of the Britney Spears concert (super fun) and staying at The Wynn is always a vegan dream since there are vegan options everywhere. A few snaps from my holiday-ing..

Hello chill time, Sleepytime tea please..

New hotel room glee..

Why I adore The Wynn.. a VEGAN tab on the in-room dining menu

Christmas dinner dress, we went to Sinatra - it was fantastic. Butternut squash soup was pure bliss. The vegan gnochi were amazing too..

Vegan Chopped Salad Poolside at The Wynn .. sunny outdoor dining in December:

Vegan aramcini (fried risotto balls!) from The Wynn's Lakeside restaurant (amazing!)

Vegan waffle at The Wynn (I crave this fluffy, flaky waffle! I order with a soy latte and giant fresh fruit platter)

The Britney..

In the pit at the Britney concert, surrounded by stranger since my husband wanted an actual seat instead of standing (dancing!) the whole show 🙂 It was a blast.

More Britney..

And of course LA's version of snow, thick beach fog! Paired with a 3.0 earthquake this day. (I'll take it!)

So of course I started off 2014 some New Year smoothies, but I am also in love with lentils this year. And forbidden rice. And golden turmeric foods of all sorts. And kale (always!)

These easy lentil cakes are delicious and filling. Perfect alongside a big salad or a big bowl of winter-y greens, like my fave miso-mustard chard salad!

Lentil Cashew Cakes
vegan, makes 5 cakes

1 ½ cups canned lentils, drained and rinsed
1 cup cashews, processed into crumbly powder
⅓ cup nutritional yeast
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup white onion, diced
⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
a few pinches of orange zest
optional: 1 teaspoon turmeric - add to cake mixture if desired

garnish:
¼ teaspoon orange zest*
orange slices to garnish
2-4 teaspoon virgin coconut oil to sauté cakes

*I used a satsuma tangerine

Directions:

1. Drain and rinse the canned lentils and empty into a large mixing bowl. Using a large fork, mash the lentils until they are a wet, silky, thick mixture.
2. Add in the processed cashews, nutritional yeast and spices. Fold until the mixture thickens considerably.
3. Warm a skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 teaspoons of coconut oil.
4. Form the mixture into cakes, about three inches wide and a quarter to a half inch thick. Add the cakes to the hot pan and cook 1-2 minutes on each side. Add a few pinches of the orange zest over top the cakes just before flipping. Since the ingredients in the cakes are already cooked, you mostly just want to crisp the outsides and warm the cakes through. Note: Yes you could bake these cakes, at 350 degrees for about twenty minutes.
5. Remove cakes from skillet and allow to cool slightly (to help the cakes bind a bit) before serving. Serve warm with a generous sprinkle of orange zest over top. Orange slices to garnish.

2014 Golden Wellness Smoothie

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Wellness trend for 2014: Gold. Calling it now.

While everyone is sipping on green smoothies today (and cheers to that) I just blended up a different sort of smoothie to start this new year. My Golden Wellness Smoothie is a mellow, spiced, sweet citrus blend. A new fave recipe I hope you try! Lets share a golden smoothie toast to start a healthy, happy 2014..

Green was very in last year. Green juice. Green smoothies and more. And yes, green will always be "in" because leafy greens are rich in nutrients and wellness-infused properties. Kale, spinach, chard, arugula, broccoli, celery and more are all superfoods last year and this year. But I have a new trend for 2014, a prediction, lets start it going right now!..

GOLD. Golden wellness flavors and colors for this new year.

Golden carrots rich in vitamin A.
Golden oranges rich in vitamin C, potassium, folate and fiber.
Golden pineapple rich in bromelain, fiber and vitamin C.
Golden sweet potatoes rich in vitamins A and C, fiber and potassium.

And my new favorite gold of mine.. the spice turmeric. Also the secret wellness ingredient in today's smoothie recipe. I have been using turmeric a lot lately in savory dishes and now my smoothies and even hot beverages. Today's sweet and delicious citrus smoothie has healthy turmeric infused in each frosty golden sip.

And if you have any hesitation about a turmeric-filled smoothie, just give it a try! The sweetness and spices balance out the savory turmeric flavor in a unique and cravable way. This is one of my favorite new smoothie recipes and I hope you love it too.

Turmeric contains manganese, iron and vitamin B6 - and more. How much? Well, one tablespoon of turmeric has 16% RDA or iron, which is pretty good but I am more interested in the off-label properties of turmeric. Much of the wellness benefit to turmeric, for me, is the healing and anti inflammatory properties - variables that do not come up on a nutrient label.

Healing turmeric via ABC News: "Turmeric has been used for centuries to treat wounds, infections and other ailments. It's long been believed that curcumin -- the main ingredient in turmeric -- is responsible for its healing power, but it hasn't been known how curcumin works inside the body, explained researcher Ayyalusamy Ramamoorthy and colleagues. They used solid-state NMR spectroscopy to examine molecules of curcumin and found that they act like a "biochemical disciplinarian." The molecules insert themselves into cell membranes and make the membranes more stable and orderly in a way that boosts cells' resistance to infection by disease-causing microbes."

And this: 25 Reasons Why Turmeric Can Heal You - MindBodyGreen.

Cheers to a year filled with dreams, goals, love and light. Stop wondering what 2014 will bring to you and start dreaming about what you want to bring to it. Write down your wishes, keep them in a place you see them everyday, and who knows, they just may come true.

Golden New Year Smoothie
1 serving

1 large orange, frozen*
1 cup almond milk, vanilla (homemade)
1 banana, fresh or frozen**
½ teaspoon maple or agave syrup (optional)
1 teaspoon turmeric powder***
a few pinches of cinnamon
a pinch of cayenne

Directions: Blend from low to high until smooth and frosty. A high-speed blender is needed to obtain a smooth blend with the fibrous orange. Adjust flavor: Add in more turmeric for a brighter yellow blend. Add in more banana, maple or agave syrup if you want things sweeter. If you do not have a high speed blender, you can substitute the whole orange with ⅓ cup orange juice and a handful or ice - but the texture will be thinned.

Notes:
* You will need to freeze your orange ahead of time. I peel a bunch of very ripe and juicy oranges, quarter into large segments and freeze. Then I add them to citrus smoothies for some sweet frosty flavor - WITH the fiber - unlike straight up orange juice would provide.
** For a thicker, frostier shake-like blend use a frozen banana, for a thinner blend, use fresh. Just make sure it is very ripe! Smoothies need very ripe bananas, an under ripe banana can ruin a smoothie.
*** Build up to adding even more turmeric per smoothie! Start with ¾-1 teaspoon if you are new to the flavor. Then try one full teaspoon, then eventually two if you'd like!

Want 365 of vegan smoothies in 2014? Grab my book over at Amazon

Best of 2013: Top 25 Posts on HHL!

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Lets take a look at my 2013 memorable moments and HHL's Top 25 Posts of 2013..

Someone once told me that once you hit your thirties, everything in life speeds up. I will be 33 in January and I am so proud of every single year I have spent in this world. And 2013 was a year where everything DID seem to speed up for me. For me it was a memorable year for some very happy reasons and some sad ones as well. But in between all the craziness of life, for better or worse, I was always in the kitchen. Always ready and eager to whip up healthy, happy vegan dishes to share with you guys. I am so thankful and happy for all the comfort food meals, homemade dinners, wellness smoothies and lunches and bright and sunny brunches that 2013 brought me.

Food is intertwined in life, so why not make it amazing, uplifting, healing, energizing and happy.

So as I look at my year in review, I always love to look at the food I created and enjoyed too!

Memorable Moments of 2013:

* My Book. My First Book was Published! July 2nd 2013 365 Vegan Smoothies - order your copy now for a healthy smoothie-filled New Year and 2014! And thank you to everyone who has purchased my book, my publisher Avery, my agent Holly and every blog reader who has been so supportive of my book release. I am SO very proud of it and so glad you guys love it!

* FV. My other site FindingVegan.com had a serious boom in popularity. It has reached over 92,000 likes on facebook and has become a go-to spot for vegan recipe sharing online. I am so proud and happy to have started this amazing community of vegan bloggers and vegan curious recipe seekers.

* Nelly. As you all know, I am still getting over the very sad loss of my best friend and best kitty, Nelly. I am still healing. The wounds are still quite tender, as I realized last night in church when I couldn't help but start crying when all my favorite Christmas songs were sang. O Holy Night, Silent Night and Hallelujah, and suddenly I was tasting tears. It struck me by surprise and also reminded me that my heart has been forever changed. And now it is just up to me to choose a path of joy, as a tribute to sweet Nelly. But tears are a part of that. I chatted about that in this post. My husband and I have been avoiding a "normal" Christmas this year in exchange for a low key holiday. We even made a truce that we wouldn't buy any wrapped presents this year. Instead we have donated to a few of my favorite animal charities, in Nelly's name.

I was very hesitant at first to share this journey and experience online, but sure enough, sharing this experience has been a blessing in disguise. The conversation we have started about pet cancer awareness and pet loss is one I will hold with my forever. It has truly forever changed the way I live each day in this world, I want to thank you all for being there for me and sharing your stories with me.

* 2014! Onto the joy! Seriously guys. I am so excited about 2014. So many exciting things await me in 2014, I am SO looking forward to sharing them all with you as they come. Just you wait and see! Thank you for reading my blog, and I hope you visit me here on HHL in 2014 as we continue to share and celebrate healthy, happy vegan recipes together. xo

So with a grand drum roll, the 2013 most visited posts via google analytics are...

Top 25 Post from 2013

1. Five Step Raw Kale Salad - Yup, kale takes the lead spot. Is anyone surprised? Not me! Kale for the win..

2. BBQ Peanut Sweet Potato Burgers - This feisty sweet potato burger is a go-to comfort meal.

3. My Big Guide of Vegan Protein Powders - For all those smoothies you will be blending in 2014... add some vegan protein!

4. Cookie Tips + My Best Cookie Recipe - Oh goodness these chocolate chip cookies make me swoon!

5. 33 Potluck Perfect Dishes - I guess you guys like to party... and share food when you do! Good for you. Good food was meant to be shared.

6. Warm & Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies - Peanut butter cookies, a favorite of all, gone vegan.

7. Rustic Kale , Rice & Tomato Comfort Stew - This comfort soup was one of my favorites of the year. Tomato rice soup... yum.

8. Fall Oatmeal Pumpkin Bread Loaf - Pumpkin lovers, dive into this cozy loaf.

9. Creamy Baked Potato Soup - My husband's favorite. Creamy soup with loaded baked potato flavor. Gone vegan!

10. Vegan Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting, Gluten-Free - Healthy carrot cake. Breakfast approved in my book!

11. Chocolate Avocado Mousse - Creamy chocolate meets silky avocado.

12. Veggie-Loaded Avocado White Bean Salad - I adore this lunch-perfect open-faced sandwich recipe! A must try..

13. Lemon Tea: What I Drink Every Morning - Yup, every morning..

14. Green Tower Power Salad - This salad will win you over I am sure of it! I meal on a plate, or bowl!

15. Spaghetti & No-Meatballs - The classic gone vegan.

16. Hot Pumpkin Mug - Oh I adore this cozy golden mug! Try it!

17. 15 Go-To Vegan Salad Dressing Recipes - Your greens need some fantastic dressing on top.. here are plenty of go-to recipes!

18. Creamy Cashew Pot Pie - LOVE this one.. comfort food.

19. Sweet Citrus Avocado Dreamboat Green Smoothie - Green smoothie time. Sweet citrus and greens.

20. Avocado Pesto Pasta - Pesto with avocado and plenty of veggies built in.

21. Secret-Ingredient Healthy Vanilla Shake This secret ingredient will make all your shakes frostier!

22. Homemade Almond Milk: 3 Recipes - If you do one thing in 2014, make your own almond milk! A must-try for every person, like, ever.

23. Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes - Dessert perfection to me. Chocolate meets peanut butter via a cupcake.

24. 6 Summer Slaws to Try - Some sassy, slaws to try. Crunchy salad, zesty flavors.

25. Double Coconut Blueberry Muffins - And these. Muffins. Blueberry muffins. With gobs of coconut. Bliss.

Iced Gingerbread Muffins

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Spicy, dark brown, fluffy, cinnamon and molasses-infused vegan gingerbread has been my baking obsession the past week. And December is pretty much the one month you can fully obsess about gingerbread and not blink an eye. So grab some blackstrap molasses and lets start some seriously holiday-yummy aromas brewing in your kitchen!..

This gingerbread bakes up fluffy and spiced. A light crinkle of icing on top.

The secret ingredients to gingerbread: molasses and of course ginger. I like fresh ginger, but you can use ginger powder if need be.

Jazz them up:
* Add fresh or dried cranberries
* Add a thicker vanilla bean frosting
* Add chopped pecans or walnuts
* Add chocolate chips!

Iced Gingerbread Muffins
vegan, makes about 12

dry:
1 ½ cups flour (any variety)
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoon ground flax seeds
a few pinches cayenne
2 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt

liquid:
½ cup silken tofu, blended
⅓ cup non-dairy milk
¼ cup blackstrap molasses
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup sugar (or more maple)
¼ cup extra virgin coconut oil, melted
¼ cup Earth Balance vegan buttery spread
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
¼ teaspoon fresh orange zest
¾ teaspoon freshly grated ginger (or ginger powder)

Vanilla Glaze:
½ cup powdered sugar, organic
1-2 tablespoon warm water
a few drops vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine all dry ingredients in alarge mixing bowl.
3. Blend the silken tofu in a blender until smooth. Blend in the remaining liquid ingredients.
4. Fold the liquid into the dry mixture until smooth.
5. Line or grease muffin tins and fill with batter.
6. Fill muffin tins and bake at 400 for five minutes. Then reduce heat to 350 and bake for another 12-15 minutes or until the tops are fluffy but set and starting to shine from baking.
7. Whisk the glaze together until a thickened mixture forms, pour a small spoonful over each muffin. Serve warm.

Seasonal Sips: Mulled Wine & Kathy's Hot Toddy. Cheers!

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My two favorite seasonal sips of the alcohol-infused variety? Mulled Wine and my Spicy Lemon Hot Toddy! Get both recipes, and warm up tonight!..

A few basic mulling ingredients and you are good to go. Whole cloves, cinnamon sticks and star of anise..

I had heard of "Mulled Wine" before. But it wasn't until I really started thinking about the actual concept of this seasonal sip last week that I felt the immediate need to research and try this out for myself. Warm sangria? Sign me up!

I read a few blogs on mulled wine, like this one by DomesticateME, and I fell in love with all the tales of sipping mulled wine in a cozy Parisian cafe during the holidays as snow fell on the champs de elysees outside. Yes please. So I tried it and loved it. My first try at Mulled Wine, I just winged the recipe and had success. The concept is pretty easy, and there is no need for perfection in your recipe, if you have whole cloves, cinnamon, star of anise and some sort of fruity accents you are good to go.

This Mulled Wine recipe compliments my other seasonal favorite: a Hot Toddy! A warmed sip infused with lemon, brandy, spices and maple.

And ps, if you do not like the "alcohol" part you can simply substitute the wine or brandy with apple cider or more citrus juice. And adjust the sweetener.

After the recipes, cozy up by the fire for a little holiday story...

So. These are my two most favorite warm beverages for the holiday season.

Mulled wine is a spiced delight that reminds me of warm sangria. Apples, citrus, cinnamon, cloves and star of anise.

My Hot Toddy is bright and tangy with brandy, maple, lemon, orange, cinnamon, cloves, star of anise and some ginger or black tea to finish things off.

Warm up to one tonight!

Kathy's Mulled Wine
2 servings

16 ounces leftover red wine (you do not need too anything fancy, a $10-$15 bottle is perfect)
½ apple, diced
1 orange, juiced
1 orange, sliced
½ teaspoon orange zest
3-4 whole cloves
1 star of anise
1 cinnamon stick
2 tablespoon maple syrup, grade B
1-2 shots of brandy or cognac
for a lighter/sweeter sip, add ½ cup apple cider or pomegranate juice

Directions: Simmer all ingredients in a sauce pot on the stove for about 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Kathy's Spicy Lemon Mulled Hot Toddy
2 servings

1 tea bag, I like black tea when i do not mind the caffeine or ginger or chamomile tea when this is an evening sip
16 ounces water
2 shots brandy or cognac
2 tablespoon maple syrup, grade B
2 small lemons or 1 large, juiced + pinch of lemon zest
½ teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
pinch of cayenne
3-4 cloves
1 star of anise
1 cinnamon stick
optional: for a sweeter citrus sip, substitute half the water with fresh orange juice or apple cider (you may want to lessen the maple syrup if you do this, depending on how sweet you'd like it).

Directions: Simmer in a sauce pot on the stove for 10-5 minutes. Serve by pouring through a mesh strainer.

Now that you have a cozy sip in hand, a little story by the virtual roaring fireplace..

I have a funny story. A cinnamon stick story. Feel free to use it at holiday parties if you'd like. It is a quickie, kinda really silly and simple, but I love it.

A few years ago I spent all afternoon in the kitchen baking up a luscious batch of holiday season vegan cinnamon rolls. It was a frosty December weekend day so my husband was in the other room eagerly awaiting his taste test. So once the rolls were frosted and fluffy, I loaded one of the warm steamy rolls onto a plate. I was trying to be all crafty and elegant, so I grated some fresh cinnamon over top and left the cinnamon stick on the side of the plate as a garnish.

I glided into the living room holding the roll high in the air as if it were a .. well, as if it were a freshly baked cinnamon roll! I think all freshly baked cinnamon rolls deserve a proud entrance to a room. I presented the roll to my husband and he smiled wide as he dove in fork first. I glided (yes I always glide when I bake cinnamon rolls), glided back into the kitchen and grabbed myself a roll, plopped it on a plate, grabbed a shiny fork and floated back to devour my roll as well. But just as I entered the living room, this was in like slow motion now, I spotted my husband picking up the cinnamon stick and sticking it right in the side of his mouth and in one big chomp, he bit down on the cinnamon stick. The rock hard tree bark swirl must have confused him because he, again, bit down on the stick. My eyes were just about to pop out of my head as I froze in amazement watching him try to eat the cinnamon stick garnish. Finally I unlocked my gaze and shouted, "Hunny! Don't eat that!"

He paused, looked at me with a blank stare and then back at the mangled, cinnamon stick

"You didn't swallow that did you?!" I asked.

"Um, no." He said spitting out a few shards of bark.

"That darling is a cinnamon stick. Garnish. You don't eat that." I spoke in my 'talking to kids' voice. He finally came out of his blank stare and realized what he did. After much interrogation on my part as to why he would bite into a cinnamon stick, he eloquently reasoned that he thought the cinnamon stick was one of those chocolate twirl garnishes that you find on top of desserts at fancy restaurants. Ok, ok, I can buy that.

The scene ended with me in a ball on the floor, rolling around in laughter.

I remembered this story yesterday when I served him a glass of mulled wine with a cinnamon stick garnish. He laughed to me, "I do not eat this, right?"

🙂

Craving cinna buns now? Here is my recipe! Vegan Cinnamon Buns with Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting

Also watch out for a cinnamon stick to garnish Mrs Claus's Sip:

DIY Holiday Gifts: Vegan Hot Chocolate. Aztec Style.

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I am loving this easy DIY holiday gift idea: Hot Cocoa with Marshmallows. Vegan style...

Such a simple idea and seriously, who doesn't love hot cocoa and marshmallows? I used Sweet & Sara mini mallows. You can buy them online. Or you can skip the marshmallow part too. Hot cocoa is a very worthy holiday gift, so whip up a long line of cocoa jars and your holiday gifting is done! And super delicious.

Vegan Marshmallows! (These should be kept in fridge FYI) *The marshmallows should be good for a half a day or so, but tell your giftees to store the cocoa jar in the fridge if you use Sweet & Sara mallows. Dandies seem to be fine stored at room temp, but they can also keep longer in the fridge.

Love these minimalist cards I found at Whole Foods..

Glass jars. You could use basic mason jars or the easy seal variety in my photos. I found these jars at my local craft store for a few bucks each.

Boost it: If you want to boost this gift a bit, place the jar in a pretty gift basket or box with the following:

* extra vegan marshmallows (Dandies or Sweet and Sara)
* vegan chocolate bar(s)
* vegan graham crackers (smores + cocoa!)
* super soft socks
OR
* A pretty jar or popping corn + jar or coconut oil with a recipe for chili-cinnamon popcorn .. also yummy with cocoa

..instant cozy night. You could even toss in your favorite DVD for your movie lover giftees. Or an itunes gift card.

DIY Vegan Aztec Hot Cocoa
8-10 servings - if filling multiple jars you should make a larger batch, depending on your jar size

¾ - 1 cup organic vegan sugar
1 cup cacao powder
½ - 1 teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon pink salt
⅛ teaspoon cayenne
½ vanilla bean, sliced into two pieces
optional: 1 teaspoon mesquite powder or maca powder (or both!)
optional: vegan mini marshmallows - buy them at Whole Foods (or another store) or online.

Directions:

1. Add all the ingredients, except the marshmallows and vanilla bean to a large mixing bowl. Toss well. Use a sifter to remove any clumpy cocoa bits. Fold in one of the vanilla bean pieces.

2. Pour cocoa mix in serving or gift jars. Top with optional marshmallows and another vanilla bean slice.

To serve: Use 2-3 tablespoon of cocoa mix for every cup of non-dairy milk.

Also check out my DIY Winter Wonderland Spa Day + gift ideas..

Sugar Plum Citrus-Cranberry Sparkle Muffins (GF, vegan)

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Add some healthy sparkle to your holiday season with these Sugar Plum Citrus-Cranberry Sparkle Muffins. They are vegan, gluten free and tofu-infused! Made using oat flour, these tender, sassy-sweet muffins are filled with tart cranberry, orange-spice flavor in every sweet bite. Grab a bag of fresh cranberries and make these festive little gems..

Leftover. Berries. I bought too many fresh cranberry bags for Thanksgiving. So instead of tossing them in my crowded freezer, I made these! I love this easy, healthy way to use up fresh cranberries.

These muffins have a very unique texture since they have so much silken tofu in the batter. They fluffy on the edges and top and kind of like a sponge cake inside. I loved them warmed up the next day with a steamy mug of tea.

Add Nuts. You could toss in some chopped walnuts or pecans to add a nutty crunch to these muffins too!

Each muffin is around 170 calories. (nutrition estimate below)

Sugar Plum Cranberry Sparkle Muffins
vegan, makes 12 muffins

¾ cup agave syrup or vegan sugar
1 ¾ cups oat flour (about 2 cups rolled oats, processed in food processor or Vitamix)
12 ounces silken tofu (room temperature)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
12 ounces fresh cranberries (one standard bag)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon orange juice + 1 teaspoon orange zest
2 tablespoon freshly ground flax seeds
3 tablespoon melted coconut oil
optional: a few dashes cayenne

crumbly sparkle topping: pinch of orange zest, vegan white sugar, rolled oats and ground flax on top of each muffin

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

1. In a large soup pot, add the twelve ounces of cranberries and agave syrup (or sugar). Boil until the cranberries just start to burst, then remove from heat. Using a fork, lightly mash about half the berries, leaving the other half whole and soft. Set aside.

2. In a blender.. Blend tofu with vanilla extract, orange juice, flax seeds, coconut oil and 1 cup of the warmed/smashed cranberries.

3. In a large mixing bowl, blend the oat flour, cinnamon, salt, orange zest, baking powder and optional cayenne.

4. Pour the tofu mixture into the dry bowl and fold until combined. Fold in the remaining cranberries.

5. Grease or line a muffin tin. Fill muffin cups. Top each muffin with a sprinkle of sugar, orange zest, oats and ground flax.

6. Bake muffins for ten minutes at 400 degrees, then another ten minutes at 350.

Cool before serving, the tofu will make the insides quite soft and tender fresh from the oven.

Store in the fridge or freezer and reheat to serve.

Delicious with "cinnamon sugar"-vegan butter, aka maple syrup whipped with cinnamon and vegan buttery spread or coconut oil.

DIY Winter Wonderland Spa at Home. Wellness + Beauty.

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I think we can all agree that the holiday season is a time filled with stress, packed schedules, long to-do lists, hectic travel, prepping for company, primping for parties and loads of kitchen time for all the holiday baking and feasting. Twinkly lights and tired eyes. So this month, take a nice long hour or two for YOU. No one else. Just you. I promise after this yummy, aromatic, soothing, ahh-inducing spa sesh at home you will feel cleaner, smoother and less stressed than when you woke up. And your face and body skin will have a sparkly snowflake glow too. So dive into this snow bank and freshen up with a few of my favorite DIY beauty recipes for winter.

Get in the kitchen and prep a few non-food recipes for my DIY Winter Wonderland Spa at Home.

Three recipes in all! They smell so amazing you will truly want to lick you face. And it is OK if you do since the ingredients are all healthy kitchen ingredients you probably already have on hand! The sugar cookie scrub will leave you swooning... Let your beauty break start now!

Print this - you can also add this to homemade gift sets:

And to complete your natural hour of pampering, grab some fresh beet slices for "beet lipstick & blush" :)..

Three recipe blends below: peppermint, pumpkin and sugar cookie.

Sparkle Scrub before blending:

Totally gift-able too! Package all the ingredients in little jars and containers you can find at craft stores. The coconut oil and sugar scrubs can be placed in jars, but the pumpkin should be given in a can. Strip off the label and place you own crafty version. Or just do the coconut-sugar scrubs as your gift.

Lets begin! (follow below or on the printable card image above)

Bonus Tip - Coconut Oil: Did you know that coconut oil makes a wonderful natural makeup remover? Yes! I now keep two jars of virgin coconut oil in the house. One for cooking and one for beauty. To remove makeup, just spread a small amount on the makeup and wipe away with a gentle/soft tissue or cloth.

So wipe off any makeup and have a au natural day - grab the coconut oil and lets begin.

Kathy's DIY Winter Wonderland Spa at Home

Grab these:
* virgin coconut oil - at room temp, soft and buttery
* organic brown sugar - coarse or fine crystals (if using coarse, allow the sugar to melt into pumpkin to soften a bit when mixing)
* organic white sugar - fine crystals
* cinnamon
* pure vanilla extract or real vanilla bean seeds
* unsweetened pumpkin puree (canned or boxed or homemade)
* agave or maple syrup
* peppermint essential oil (or eucalyptus essential oil)
* coarse sea salt
* towels & wash cloths
* 2 chamomile tea bags
* face oil - try argan oil

recipe 1: face/body

Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookie Sparkle Scrub

2 tablespoon coconut oil
2 tablespoon white sugar
3 drops real vanilla extract

recipe 2: face/body

Pumpkin Spice Brown Sugar Scrub/Mask

3 tablespoon pumpkin
2 tablespoon brown sugar
dash of cinnamon
1 ½ tablespoon agave
optional: 1 tablespoon coconut oil for a silkier scrub

recipe 3: feet

Salty & Nice Peppermint Foot Scrub

1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 tablespoon coconut oil
3 drops peppermint extract

Prep:

* Fill three tiny bowls with the recipe ingredients above. No need to "stir" them just yet. Just toss ingredients in a bowl (1 pumpkin, 1 peppermint, 1 sugar cookie) and set aside until needed.
* Wet one washcloth, roll and place in the freezer.
* Boil a mug of water, soak chamomile tea for five minutes. Squeeze tea bag and remove. Cover mug and set aside. Place wet used tea bags on a plate and place in fridge.

Let the spahh-ing begin:

1. Fill bathtub with hot water, add 3-4 drops peppermint or eucalyptus oil and a handful of salt. You can use kitchen salt or even better, a giant scoop of epsom salts. Add any bubble bath if desired. Grab the peppermint scrub bowl and start polishing those toes and heels. Carefully climb into your hot peppermint bath and soak for ten minutes. Warning: coconut oil makes feet slippery! Use caution.

2. Step out of tub (carefully) and pat yourself dry with a towel. Grab the "pumpkin" bowl and start mixing the ingredients with a spoon to combine. Apply pumpkin. In a circular motion, scrub pumpkin spice sugar mask all over body and face. Yes this is a bit messy but thank goodness pumpkin easily dissolves in water so no drain clogging. Tip: Apply pumpkin in a closed shower so you do not get it all over your bathroom. Scrub scrub scrub into your skin for a few minutes. Apply an extra layer of the pumpkin as a mask to your face. Rinse pumpkin from body (not face) in the shower. Dry off. Allow the face mask to sit for another five minutes or longer. Go grab those chilled chamomile tea bags and place over your eyes. Wrap yourself in a robe or towel and chill somewhere cozy while you wait.

3. Step into another hot shower and wash the pumpkin off your face. For an extra energizing step: take a cold shower for one minute, a hot shower for one minute then repeat for five minutes. This gets the blood flowing!

4. The last scrub is vanilla-tastic! Apply the sugar cookie scrub all over your body from head to toes. You can even use this scrub on your face, just be very delicate when scrubbing. And make sure you are using fine crystal sugar for this one. Let the scrub sit on your skin for oa few minutes then lightly rinse off in a warm shower. You do not want to wash off the oils, just a light rinse.

5. Dry off with a towel, your skin should be silky smooth and smell like cookies, vanilla, pumpkin & spice. 🙂

6. Grab the chilled towel from the fridge and wipe down your face for a cooling burst of winter freezer frost. Pat eyes with cool cloth for de-puffing power.

7. Finish off by applying a few drops of face oil to your face for that snowflake winter glow. Argan oil is my new favorite face oil! You can now add any other beauty products you use at home. Apple cider vinegar is a cheap and easy toner!

8. Re-heat that chamomile tea you brewed, add lemon and optional sweetener, wrap yourself in something cozy and chill for as long as you'd like. No thinking (or cell phones) allowed. Or sip some matcha tea. Or minty hot cocoa. Your choice. This is your hour.

Oh and remember to breathe. Deeply and with intention. Feel the stress melt away and winter wonderland thoughts fill your calmed mind.

For extra sensory calming, take a deep breathe inhaling that peppermint or eucalyptus essential oil.

And again, be careful! That coconut oil makes thing slippery 🙂 But your skin will thank you.

Disclaimer: If you have sensitive skin proceed with caution and ask your dermatologist if these products are OK for your skin. Do a patch test of the scrubs on your arm before using all over or on your face. And obviously, all brands will vary. For best results use high quality extra virgin raw coconut oil and always use all natural spices, pumpkin and vanilla. Be aware of any food or skin allergies you may have, as with all beauty products.

DIY Holiday Gifts Round-Up.

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All I want to do in these next few holiday days is crank up the holiday music, turn on all the twinkly lights, load some gingerbread in the oven, put on something super cozy (or super glittery!) and embrace some holiday time, hot cocoa in hand.

Sure it can be fun to do a little last minute holiday shopping, but it is also super fun to stay in, where it is warm, toasty and cozy, and get your crafty-self in gear whipping up homemade gifts made with love. Cocoa, granola, cookies and more. If you want to whip up some last minute DIY holiday gifts, here are six recipes and ideas to try!..

DIY Holiday Gifts Round-Up

1. Cookies
Everyone loves cookies and it is easy to whip up a big batch and wrap them up all pretty and nice for a few of your favorite people. I like to make my cookies extra special during the holidays by using a real vanilla bean in place of vanilla extract. Get that holiday cookie recipe here. And cookie baking tips here.

2. Cocoa
Everyone loves cocoa. And this recipe for my Spicy Aztec Vegan Hot Cocoa is super yummy! We finished out jar and I had to make another batch! You can customize your hot cocoa by adding vegan marshmallows, special spices and crafty cute cocoa labels made with tools from any craft store.

3. Spa Day at Home.
I love these beauty and wellness recipes for a Winter Wonderland Spa Day at home! Even if you do not give this gift to someone else, give yourself the gift of a few hours of spa wellness at home! And smell like a sugar cookie when you are all done 🙂

4. Granola
Holiday granola is easy to make in one big batch and you can hand out single servings to everyone on your holiday list, or fill a large glass jar as a granola-tastic holiday gift. Granola is easy to modify as well based on the nuts, seasoning and flavors you like or have on hand. If you have rolled oats, a sweetener, oil (coconut oil is my new granola favorite!) and a few spices and nuts - you can craft some granola at home!

5. Popcorn
Pop up a big batch of coconut oil popcorn, toss in some cozy spices and fill a few large glass jars or holiday baggies. You could even add an itunes gift card to your popcorn gift for a few movie rentals for your giftee.

6. Cookies-in-a-Jar (recipe below)
Take your favorite cookie recipe and turn it into a jar gift! Try the recipe below or your own..

Coconut-Spice Cookies in a Jar

layer these ingredients bottom to top:

1 ¼ cups oat flour (or other flour)
1 teaspoon ground flax seed
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon whole rolled oats
⅓ cup coconut, unsweetened
3 tablespoon walnuts, chopped - optional
½ cup dry sugar, organic
¼ cup brown sugar, organic
⅓ cup virgin coconut oil - add in a soft yet spoonable room temperature state
handful of vegan chocolate chips - optional

Add: card that says: cookie tittle and "keep at room temperature. Add ⅓ cup non-dairy milk + a spritz of lemon juice. Stir dough and bake at 350 for 12 minutes."

Bonus Holiday Gift #7: Buy your giftee my book 365 Vegan Smoothies and get them started on the right foot for a healthy, happy 2014! Just think, a different smoothie for every day of 2014 awaits them, or you! Buy on Amazon

And if you want a vintage look down my blog-memory-lane. Check out my 12 Days of Vegan Treats from 2009!

Three Weeks.

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Healthy. Happy. Life. Update. Taking a pause from yummy vegan recipes today. It has been three weeks since I wrote this post. Since Nelly lost her battle with cancer. And a few of you have asked how I am doing. So to continue this heart-filled conversation we have started about pet love and loss (thank you for sharing your own honest and emotional stories in the comments - I continue to read each and every one), I want to share my update..

First. Thank you. Thank you to everyone who continues to leave sweet and caring notes here on my blog about Nelly. I love that she will live forever through the pawprint she made here on HHL.

I have cherished the time I have taken to pause from work as well as my time now as I continue the work I love. Cooking, writing, photographing, laughing, creating, inspiring, being inspired. All things that make me happy. Work is so healing for me. So thank you for being on the other end of the work I love to do!

Dawn in Santa Monica. A new day. Pink sun-kissed clouds slowly clear for the rising sun:

My Three Weeks.

Nelly leaving. Nelly was a very special kitty to me. More special than any other pet I have ever had. So losing her was a moment in life I had been dreading ever since I first fell deeply in love with her sweet fuzzy paws and velveteen soft soul. I had no clue how I would react to losing her. Would I really be able to cope? The thought seemed unimaginable. I used to cry just thinking about losing her. Just the thought of it crushed me.

Ready or not. It was suddenly time to jump.

During Nelly's cancer battle, the sky was spinning on a daily basis. And when it all abruptly and tragically ended, everything fell silent. The sky. The room. Every familiar scene became so calm and quiet. It all jerked still so suddenly.

I felt so dizzy in the sudden stillness of it all.

Our house felt bitterly quiet without Nelly frolicking around, scratching on her post, scampering across the hardwood floor, scraping around in her kitty litter, crunching on her greenies.

It is funny how loud silence can be sometimes.

I now faced the challenge of sorting out this whole mess in my head, while the swift world kept rushing by.

Thank goodness for friends, family & an uber supportive online community of animal lovers, aka YOU.

So three weeks is big for me. I am proud to feel my soul strengthen as I discover that I DO have the ability to cope with such a profound loss in my life. The loss of my soul kitty.

--

Baby cat. circa 2001..

Lessons Learned: Loss. Tears of Joy. And the Appreciation of Sadness.

It is so easy to be sad. To cry. To sit in that place of loss.

And for a while all you do is 'be sad.' Then eventually, through red eyes and endless tears, your brain whispers to your heart, "When will this sadness go away? When will this pain end?"

The sadness. It takes up so much space in those first few days and weeks that there is little room left to focus on anything else.

But then, for me, I realized two things:

1. That sadness? That sadness will never go away. I will always think about Nelly being gone and be sad. It is sad to lose a soul that brought me SO many years of happiness.

2. But the second thing I realized was that I do not mind that the sadness will never go away. It validates the bond I had with her. I cherish it actually. And the root of that sadness is simple, it is what I keep saying over and over and over, "I just miss her."

So having accepted the fact that the sadness will always be somewhere inside me, I decided, like clicking on a light switch, that I had to force my brain to smile and let joy triumph.

To smile, laugh, look up and feel a warm glow of happy when Nelly crosses my mind. Which is quite often! I just have to remember the million billion things Nelly did to make me feel loved, to make me roar in laughter and to make me feel whole. And all those feelings I had when she was still here come swelling back in my heart, even if just for a moment. Those gifts from our bond will never fade.

I hinted this in my last Nelly post, but it is worth repeating: I will get through this by having gratitude towards the love Nelly gave me in my life, how lucky I was to have found her. And also by acknowledging the happiness, pride and thanks I feel from being able to have given her such an amazing, joy-filled kitty life.

So many kitties out there never feel the love and happiness that Nelly did. She was a blessed girl!

Feeling that gratitude brings tears to my eyes. Yet I am still smiling. Tears of joy. They come at such special times in life. At weddings, graduations, babies being born, long lost friends and family reuniting. Tears of joy, I think, are the secret to this whole mess of pain and loss. Tears of joy make everything make sense to me.

I am still crying. I am still sad. But I am smiling.

And my happy warm face is all I can feel.

And so like a switch, I turn on my memories-of-Nelly induced smile every chance I get.

Even if those bittersweet tears sometimes come too.

--

Animal Lover. So where now? Healing continues, forever I guess. But the other question is, when does another pet enter our lives? I am eager to save another animal and welcome it into our home. But we are not ready just yet. Everyone is different on that path I suppose. And I'm not sure if we will choose a dog, cat, bunny! Who knows. Just like with Nelly, I am sure the animal will choose us. But I have never had a dog, so I am actually anxious for some advice on that.. My friend Jaya actually had a beautiful sentiment about adopting a new animal. To not think of it as a "replacement" but more as a tribute. One life ends, another is saved. Beautiful. I think Nelly would love that. When we are ready.

--

If you are going through the loss of a pet: 1) Seek help if you need it. Via pet loss books, professional counselors or maybe even just an awesome friend, in person or online. And 2) Remember that beyond the initial horribleness of loss, there is much to be gained from the process of mourning and coming out on the other side, alive. Feeling yourself very slowly but surely, healing. Keep your eyes and heart open, I promise there is gold to be found on the other side.

xo ~Kathy

Marinated Golden Fennel Salad.

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This raw Golden Fennel Salad is an easy veggie side dish that will perk up your taste buds, and you mood! One glance at this sunny neon yellow salad and you will feel like a sunbeam just poured into this bowl...

Crisp yellow, sunshine-filled golden fennel salad..

Paired with some very pretty sunset colors. The sun melted into the clouds and sea tonight..

To Serve. Toss in a few organic purple or golden raisins - or some chopped candied walnuts to accent the fennel. You can easily turn this salad into a meal by topping it with some miso-dipped tempeh or serve alongside a smoky tempeh pita pocket. This turmeric salad would pair amazingly with anything avocado-infused: Curry Deviled Avocado or this citrus avocado toast pinwheel platter.

The vibrant flavor of raw shaved fennel pairs deliciously with creamy tahini, sweet maple, lemon, a hint of garlic and plenty of anti-inflammatory turmeric powder. Fennel is a veggie that is excellent for digestive health and contains plenty of fiber, vitamin C and an anti-cancer nutrient anethole. Dive into this lovely golden bowl and enjoy the vibrant flavors while pumping up your daily wellness too!

I am a huge fan of fennel bulb. Fennel is that onion-looking bulb with celery-like stalks sticking out of it and feathery fennel fronds on the ends. Fennel has a licorice-like flavor with a bright, crisp bite, slightly sweet aftertaste. I love raw fennel shaved thinly. It pairs so well with a variety of flavors like lemon-olive oil dressings, sweet flavors like maple and citrus as well as nutty accents like walnut, hazelnut and chopped almond. This cool, crisp veggie can act as a slaw for a side dish - or even a sandwich topping when marinated in the fridge to soften.

Today I prepare my fennel with some turmeric. I really loved this recipe. And so did my husband! I was polishing off the bowl, while standing in the kitchen - it was that good. And he shouted from the other room, "Y-um! Is there any left?!" I stared into my empty bowl, just a bright yellow pool of turmeric dressing left, all the fennel gone .. whoops! Sorry hunny. But I them made the leftover sauce into a spicy dipping sauce paired with a few slices of walnut toast. He approved. Happy husband happy life. 🙂

Marinated Golden Fennel Salad
vegan, serves 2-3

1 large fennel bulb
¼ cup sliced sweet onion
dressing:
1 heaping tablespoon tahini (for ultra-creamy salad add another teaspoon or two)
3 teaspoon grade B maple syrup
1 small lemon, squeezed
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
⅛ - ¼ teaspoon salt - to taste
a few pinches of fine black pepper

optional:
⅛ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
drizzle of your favorite healthy oil (extra virgin olive oil, walnut oil..)

marinating advice: Allow the fennel to marinate in the fridge a few hours before serving for a softer, more pickled crunchy salad texture. (But if in a hurry or if you prefer crisp and crunchy textures, served right away after tossing was delicious too.)

Directions:

1. Clean your fennel bulb well, remove and dirt or grit. Slice off the thick root stub and part of the inner thick rough stalk. Anything that feels super firm and hard on the end should be cut out. You want to use the soft bulb of the fennel root for your salad.

3. Thinly slice the fennel bulb and place in a large bowl. Slice and add onion and optional grated ginger.

4. You can simply add all the ingredients to the bowl and start tossing well. (Alternately, you could whisk together the dressing in a small cup and add mixed.)

5. Toss very well until all the fennel is evenly coated. A drizzle of oil is a nice touch, but optional. The tahini already contains healthy fats from sesame seeds.

6. Place fennel salad in the fridge, covered, for at least an hour before serving.

Super-Blueberry Toasted-Coconut Chia Pudding Parfaits. Feel Good.

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This food-focused Thanksgiving week is finally winding down and after all that warm and festive holiday comfort food I am now in the mood for some light, clean, antioxidant-filled, detox-aiding meals.

Recipes like.. Green smoothies, fruit salad, chia seed goodies, raw almond milk, protein shakes, matcha green tea, coconut water, chopped salads, whole grain bowls and more. Lets lighten up together and enjoy a week filled with feel good food.

Blueberry + Chia. Two of my favorite go-to feel good foods in the morning: fresh raw blueberries and homemade almond milk chia pudding. So easy, energizing and delicious. This Blueberry Chia Pudding Parfait recipe is made beautiful and fancy with the addition of fragrant toasted coconut, a hint of cinnamon and vanilla and bright green chopped pistachios. Dive into THIS and feel your wellness soar..



Feel Good Parfait. Chia seeds are rich in fiber, omega fatty acids and more. They are excellent for digestion and detox. Blueberries are one of the highest antioxidant fruits out there and they not only taste amazing, but are super easy to include in a wide variety of dishes: salads, smoothies, muffins, pancakes, savor dishes and more. But today I keep my blueberries raw and easily add them to my usual vanilla chia pudding for a super blue spin! That touch of toasted coconut adds just enough island paradise appeal to each silky spoonful.

Nutrition Reminder. Why eat blueberries every chance you get? Here are a few reasons!..

Blueberries are:

* low in fat + rich in fiber + rich in vitamin C & manganese.
* packed with phytonutrients which may help reduce your risk of developing cancer, cardiovascular disease and more.
* delicious.
* an easy snack, just rinse your berries and enjoy.
* rich in anthocyanins that give the berries their blue hue. Anthocyanins are the major contributors to antioxidant activity in blueberries.

Chia pudding. You have two options for the pudding. You can either blend the blueberries right into the pudding (in your blender) and create a fruit-infused pudding. Or you can fold them into the pudding whole as they bob happily between the suspended, plumped chia seeds. The duo of spheres kind of reminds me of boba tea! Without the boba.

If you are a chia seed pudding newbie, please give this recipe a try! Chia pudding is such a fantastically easy + healthy breakfast recipe.

For the non-dairy milk, you can use homemade raw almond milk for an even healthier end result. You could even try this recipe using CHOCOLATE almond milk for a sweet spin. yum.

Super Blueberry Toasted Coconut Island Parfaits with Pistachios
vegan, serves 2

6 tablespoon chia seeds
2 cups almond or soy milk, vanilla or plain
2 tablespoon grade B maple syrup, coconut syrup or agave syrup
*reduce sweetener by one tablespoon if your non-dairy milk is on the sweet side.
pinch of salt
⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup blueberries (fold or blend in)

toasted coconut:
4 tablespoon unsweetened coconut

topping:
¼ cup fresh blueberries
3 teaspoon raw pistachios

Directions:

1. About 6+ hours before serving parfaits, prepare the chia pudding. You can simply briskly stir all ingredients together or do my low speed blender method. I add the milk, vanilla, sweetener, salt and cinnamon - turn blender on to lowest speed. Slowly pour in chia seeds so they do not stick to the sides of the blender. Blend on low for about 2-3 minutes to jump start the chia seed plumping process. Blueberries: you can either fold in the ½ cup of blueberries or blend them right into the pudding.

2. Transfer your chia mixture to a small bowl or large jar. Cover and place int he fridge for at least six hours. About thirty minutes and one hour after placing in the fridge I like to give my pudding a few stirs to swirl the chia seeds a bit. This prevents them from clumping up at the bottom or top of the glass. This step is options, you can always do a brisk stir right before serving too.

3. When ready to prepare parfaits, finely chop your pistachios and set aside. For the coconut, heat the coconut in a dry skillet over high heat. Heat just until the edges start to brown and "toast." Set aside.

4. Add chia pudding to tall parfait glasses. You can stir some or all of the coconut right into the pudding or just layer it on top of the pudding in the parfait glass. Top with the fresh blueberries, more toasted coconut and pistachios. I love to serve my chia pudding with a giant side bowl of extra blueberries, because you can never have too many blueberries on the table.

Serve!

nutrition estimate per serving (2 servings per recipe)

I am also entering this recipe in the Blueberries Meet their Match recipe contest! The challenge was to combine blueberries with either banana, balsamic, rosemary or coconut. Since I adore the flavor combo of toasted coconut and blueberries, I kept things healthy and simple for this dessert or breakfast-approved parfait.

Maple Bliss Vegan Pumpkin Pie

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Even though I just posted 21 Pumpkin Pie / Pumpkin Pie-Inspired Recipes, I just had to post yet another spin on my favorite Thanksgiving dessert: Maple Bliss Vegan Pumpkin Pie. This delicious version includes copious amounts of grade B maple syrup as the sweetener. Maple syrup is pretty expensive so I only reserve it for special desserts as the sole sweetener. Thanksgiving is a very worthy day for that!..

Maple + Spices + Pumpkin with a base of creamy cashews. Now THAT is my perfect pumpkin pie.

I actually admit that I over-baked this pie by about five-ten minutes. (Although no one seemed to notice but me.) But I know this because I put a second pie in the oven ten minutes after this one and it was a bit more moist on the inside, a lighter golden color while still retaining the caramel-colored maple-infused top coat. So watch those baking times. Over-baking a pie like this will still make for a delicious result (pretty fool proof recipe), but the texture is one to watch for. Actually some people like a drier vegan pumpkin pie! It almost turns into a baked cashew cheese-like texture. If you lose track of timing your pie, just pay attention to the browning. When those edges turn golden, the pie is close to done. Any very dark brown spots around the edges mean that it is well done. You can see this pie had a few dark edges. But still really amazing!

Maple Bliss Vegan Pumpkin Pie
vegan, makes one pie

Crust: you can use any crust you like. Gingersnap cookie. Crushed graham. Flour.

Filling:
1 15oz can of unsweetened pumpkin puree
½ - ¾ cup grade B maple syrup (use the full ¾ if you like a sweet pie, reduce a bit for less sweetness)
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
¼ teaspoon pink salt
1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
1 ¼ cups soaked and drained raw cashews (soak in salted water for 6+ hours)
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

⅓ cup soaked cashews as garnish for edges

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Prepare your crust, set aside.
3. Add pumpkin, spice, vanilla, salt, oil and maple syrup to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Then add int he cashews ¼ cup at a time to ensure the blender can handle the thickness of the blend. You may need to stop between blends and scrape side of container. Blend until smooth. Troubleshooting: If you are having a rough time due to the power of your machine, add in ¼ cup of non-dairy milk to loosen the blend.
4. Pour mixture into crust. Smooth out and add cashew ring design around edges.
5. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 25 minutes.
6. Cool on counter and place in fridge to harden up. Overnight is best, but at least three hours in the fridge for best texture results.

Serve with some coconut whip

Vegan Mashed Potatoes

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How oh how have I never posted a from scratch mashed potato recipe before? Well I love mashed potatoes. And they are so easy to make vegan! I love them mashed with the skins left on because you add more nutrients and fiber to each bite. But you can peel if desired. I have four favorite ways to easily make ordinary vegan mashed potatoes sing!.. Buttery Chive, Turmeric, Cheezy-Hemp & Smoky Paprika.

Get my easy vegan mashed potato recipe and let that comfort food glow fill your dinner table..

Mashed potatoes are pure comfort food and pair well with just about anything. Plus they are so easy to modify and get creative with! These are just a few of my favorite ways to "spice up" my mashed potatoes...

Spiced..

Buttery...

Fluffy turmeric spiced..


Turmeric is a super healthy spice (it is a powerful antioxidant and anti inflammatory) that I try to squeeze into my recipes any way I can. Turmeric is often used to spice potatoes, in recipes like samosas, so this mashed potato recipe infused with turmeric is an instant winner. You could even add in some cayenne or minced chilies to add some spiciness.

The Smoky Paprika is a another mashed potato winner. It adds a slight spiciness, beautiful red color and smokiness too. Just take your plain buttery mashed potatoes and fold in the paprika to taste. Easy.

And my Cheezy Hemp potatoes are a favorite. I make these a lot! All you do is add nutritional yeast (Kal brand used) and a sprinkle of hemp seeds to the mashed potatoes. Add in more non-dairy milk if needed to smooth out the texture. Serve warm. I like to fold the hemp seeds in very last when the potatoes are warm so that they are never "cooked" - raw is the healthiest way to serve hemp seeds and all hemp products really.

Hemp-cheezy mashed..

Other Ideas.. You can also try cinnamon-orange zest potatoes for a "sweet" spin. Or try roasted garlic potatoes. Or fold in some tempeh bacon for vegan bacon mashed potatoes!

There are SO many options, I'd love to hear everything you do with mashed potatoes!

Mashed Potatoes: Buttery, Turmeric, Cheezy or Smoky Paprika
vegan, makes 6-7 cups of mashed potatoes (dinner party quantity!)

2.5lbs of russet potatoes (I used mini russets, with a slightly thinner skin than large russet potatoes)
1 ⅓ cups non-dairy milk, plain/original flavor
salt and pepper to taste - start with ¼ teaspoon salt + ⅛ teaspoon pepper
*for a gourmet flavor boost try truffle salt! Delicious in mashed potatoes
2-3 tablespoon vegan buttery spread (or substitute with your favorite healthy oil, walnut, coconut or EVOO)
5 cloves of garlic

Variations:
Buttery Chive: Top with chopped chives and extra vegan butter
Cheezy-Hemp: Fold in ½ cup nutritional yeast, an added ⅓ cup non-dairy milk or creamer and raw hemp seeds to taste
Turmeric: Fold in turmeric spice to taste (I add about ½ teaspoon per 1 ½ cups)
Smoky Paprika: Fold in Spanish-style Smoky Paprika spice to taste (I add about ½ teaspoon per 2 cups)

Ultra Creamy: Substitute half of the non-dairy milk with unsweetened soy creamer.
Super Savory: Substitute half of the non-dairy milk with veggie broth. Monitor the added salt closely since most broth contains sodium.

Directions:

1. Scrub your potatoes very well. Chop them into rough cubes. The larger the potato the longer it will take to soften in the boiling water.
2. Toss all chopped potatoes, a few pinches of salt and the raw garlic cloves in a large soup pot and fill with water until about one inch of water covering the potatoes. Bring to a boil and boil until the potatoes are tender enough to slice with a fork.
3. Drain water and transfer potatoes to a large mixing bowl.
4. Add in one cup of the non-dairy milk, softened vegan butter and a starting amount of salt and pepper (a few pinches of each.)
5. Using a hand mixer (on off) mash the potatoes as much as possible. Then start blending on the lowest setting. If you have a fancy potato mashing tool for your mixer you can use that too. But an ordinary beater will work. Continue blending the potatoes and slowly add in the remaining non-dairy milk.
6. Blend until the clumps are gone or mostly softened and the potatoes are generally silky smooth. (If you want ultra-silky, thin potatoes, add in more non-dairy milk and blend in a Vitamix!)
7. When potatoes are at a lovely texture, do a taste test and modify the salt/pepper.
8. Fold in the spices or flavoring ingredients listed above for mashed potato variations.

Serve warm, freshly blended or reheat in a 350 degree oven for about fifteen minutes. If your potatoes are in the fridge a bit too long before serving, you can re-blend with an added splash of non-dairy milk before reheating and serving.

Leftovers, update. Just whipped these up for my mom who is visiting and she said I HAD to post the recipe. All I did: reheated the leftover turmeric mashed potatoes in the microwave with a splash of coconut milk. Topped with cayenne and fresh chives and slices of vegan Kite Hill cheese. Smelled amazing!..

Pumpkin Pie Lovers: 21 Vegan Thanksgiving Week Recipes

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There are so many recipes I love to make during this week-long Thanksgiving holiday celebration. But one thing I think everyone can agree on is the pumpkin pie dessert.

Find the Pie Recipe for You. And over the years here on HHL I have made a few different vegan pumpkin pies. One with a homemade gingersnap crust, one with only four ingredients, a no-bake dream made with walnuts, one with a sour cream swirl and a few more. Ahead, pick out the pie recipe of your dreams.

And I have also shared many recipes that are inspired by pumpkin pie and pumpkin-spice flavors. Both savory and sweet. So here are 21 of my favorite pumpkin pie and pumpkin pie inspired vegan recipes for your Thanksgiving holiday. Because no matter what is for dinner, dessert is a must!..

If we took a holiday-ay. In my house, and probably yours, Thanksgiving has become more than just one meal on one day. It is a sprawling feast that includes family, friends, food and a seriously cozy, feel-good departure from your "normal life." Holiday time. It is a happiness-infused holiday where you can sit back and take in all the blessings in your life. Blessings like family, jobs, homes, health, joy, pets, kids, love and of course delicious food. No matter what is on your table, there is always something to feel gratititude for in your life. Now is the time to close your eyes and soak that in. Focus on the positive and shake away anything negative swirling around your busy mind.

Food. Vegan Food. Because I agree with Isa (see quote below), vegans are kinda obsessed with Thanksgiving. We have truly taken back this "turkey day" and turned it into an opportunity to spread a message of compassion for all living creatures. We come joyfully into homes, unloading our vegan marshmallow-topped yam casseroles, vegan butter-topped mashed potatoes, amazing veggies or all sorts, creative side dishes, vegan spins on stuffing and dreamy, amazing vegan desserts.

We love Thanksgiving. As Isa Chandra hilariously says on CNN's Eatocracy, (so true!)..

"I guess I should also mention that vegans love Thanksgiving. I don’t know why. They love it more than anything. And they will be happy to help you in the kitchen until the cows come home (to the farm sanctuary, of course.) Honestly, you could go get a pedicure and they will make the whole darn thing."

So. Lets all make some vegan dessert first. Because pies can totally be made 1-2 days ahead of time for a less-stressful Thursday. Vegan Pumpkin Pie for all..

Pumpkin Pie Lovers Round-Up: 21 Vegan Recipes

Vegan Pumpkin Pie Recipes: (My fave pie is #5 - my from scratch pie with a gingersnap cookie crust)

1. Five Ingredient Vegan Pumpkin Pie..

2. Hubbard Pumpkin Pie..

3. Sour Cream-Swirled Pumpkin Pie

4. Four-Ingredient Pumpkin Pie..

5. Vegan Pumpkin Pie from scratch with a Gingersnap Crust..

6. Cheesecake Pumpkin Pie..

7. Walnut Pumpkin Pie, no-bake..

Pumpkin Pie Inspired Recipes:

8. Oatmeal Pumpkin Spiced Loaf..

9. Hot Pumpkin Mug..

10. Orange-Spiced Pumpkin Hummus..

11. Silky Vegan Pumpkin Pie Pudding..

12. Pumpkin Cinnamon Bun Layer Cake..

13. Epic Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal with pumpkin cream..

14. Frosty Pumpkin Pie Shake with coconut milk..

15. Pumpkin Pie Tarts with Vanilla Bean Glaze..

16. Golden Trio Pumpkin Spice Soup..

17. Pumpkin Pecan Cinnamon Spice Rolls..

18. Pumpkin Spice Scones with Vanilla Bean Frosting..

19. Pumpkin Spice Popcorn..

20. Pumpkin Cinnamon Muffins..

21. Pumpkin Spice Cashew Cheese Dip..

BONUS -> 25 Best Pumpkin Recipes..

And don't miss my favorite Thanksgiving recipe tradition: Sweet Potato Pockets

Frosty Pumpkin Seed Sweet Green Smoothie. Hydrate. Fuel-up. Chill.

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This is a simple green smoothie recipe that is kind of perfect for the crazy busy Thanksgiving week ahead of us. This Pumpkinseed Sweet Green Smoothie has ingredients that will hydrate, fuel and calm you. And it tastes delicious, frosty, frothy and cravable. And I use a secret smoothie ingredient found in my 365 Vegan Smoothies book!..

Green Smoothie. The secret ingredient in this frosty smoothie is oranges. But not any oranges, frozen oranges! Frozen oranges are amazing in smoothies. I buy a giant bag, peel them, section into quarters, remove seeds when possible, and freeze them. They blend into frosty, sweet vitamin C-infused sweetness.

Healthy Blend. The greens in this smoothie contain loads of nutrients and fiber too. Full nutrient facts below recipe. The pumpkin seeds add minerals and healthy fats. They are rich in magnesium, which is a nutrient that can help during stressful times...

Leo Galland MD says, "When you are chronically stressed, you can become magnesium deficient even if you eat these foods regularly. The complex relationship between magnesium and stress explains why many of the patients I see require magnesium supplements, because even a nutritious diet does not correct their magnesium deficiency." - Magnesium: The Healthy Stress reliever

Thanksgiving. I know, I know. This is not a holiday table recipe. Everyone is running around the blogosphere posting amazing, beautiful Thanksgiving recipes right now. But to be honest guys, I cannot really get my head and heart into the Thanksgiving spirit this year. With all that has happened in the past week with Nelly I am just happy that I am motivated enough to be able to whip up some of my favorite comfort food recipes for dinner. Soothing, healing foods. Like this green smoothie! And things like...

Mac and cheese. A big bowl of Friday afternoon coconut oil popcorn. Pumpkin biscuits (kinda like sweet potato biscuits only using pumpkin) - perfect paired with chili! And plenty of pots of soothing soup. A big fancy feast just probably isn't happening this year. Simple. Easy. With my faves..

Stuffing. Sweet Potato Pockets. Sweet potatoes. Cranberry sauce and roasted veggies. Something green and salad-y too. And of course pumpkin pie. Boom. Done. Simple vegan Thanksgiving.

(But I promise I will post something for Thanksgiving this weekend! A big awesome round-up post is coming too.)

But for now, chug some green and just breathe. Green bliss. Ahhhh...

Frosty Pumpkin Seed Sweet Green Smoothie
vegan, serves 1-2

½ frozen banana
1 ½ frozen oranges (medium)
1 cup coconut water
2 tablespoon raw sprouted pumpkin seeds (or plain raw)
1 cup spinach or another favorite leafy green
pinch of fresh raw ginger, microplaned

topping: more pumpkin seeds please!

options:
- ½ avocado for added healthy fats and creamier texture
- splash of lemon juice (½ lemon squeezed)
- for added sweetness, toss in a handful of green grapes, 1 peeled kiwi, ½ a cored soft pear or a diced green apple (handful)
- for a super creamy smoothie, substitute almond milk for the coconut water

juicer version: If you have a juicer you can substitute the coconut water, ginger and leafy greens with 1 cup of sweet green juice (apple, celery, spinach, lemon, ginger)

To blend: To fully puree the the greens and orange you need to use a high speed blender and blend from low to very high speed. The high speed for a few seconds will really break up any bits of pumpkin seeds or leafy greens. High speed is a must for smooth green smoothies.

Chocolate + Vanilla Bean, Tuxedo Cupcakes with Sprinkles on Top.

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This feels good. Getting back to things. To normalcy. Exploring this new daily life without Nelly. But I won't lie, this isn't easy, last Thursday is still so fresh in my mind, the heartache still raw. But getting back to all my favorite things like writing, cooking, photography, getting back to life, helps me see the light through all this sadness. And with each step forward I become more hopeful that my happiness, though changed, will be completely renewed.

Thank You. I want to first off send you all huge hugs of thanks and love for all the comments here on my blog, email, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. To be honest, I have not been ready to sit down and read through the many blog comments on my Nelly post yet. I will when I am ready. I adore the stories you share about your own pets and I want to give my full head and heart to reading them. And to reply to each and every comment because I am so incredibly grateful for them. Seeing how much you guys loved Nelly, a kitty you have never met, fills me with so much joy.

Back to Things. My first recipe back is a tribute to miss Nelly cat. Fluffy dark chocolate cupcakes swirled high with silky cream cheese vanilla bean frosting, rainbow sprinkles on top. Black and White Tuxedo Cupcakes. The funny thing is that I made these cupcakes early last week, and I was going to call them "Celebration Cupcakes." But now feels like the perfect time to post them, and give them a tuxedo cat title in honor of Nelly...

Back to Happy. I get worried sharing all this sadness on my blog, my little special happy place online. But don't worry, this is my joy-filled kitchen spot, a place where healthy and happy recipes are shared, and I am so glad to come back to it. I intend on washing these blogpages with sunshine-filled, hopeful, fueling, wellness-infused, happy recipes. Because as a quote I read said, "Happiness is a form of courage." And being sad after a tragedy like this is indeed so easy. But clinging to happiness is what is best for my soul. And what Nelly would want!

This event has made me cherish my blessed life and happiness even more. So I can only help but share that with you guys via recipes and photos.

Healthy, happy, vegan recipes, I have now deeply found are also very healing.

But just to give my full circle journey, I do want to share with you what the last few days have been like, especially in case you are going through the same thing, now or ever...

First Steps. Finding my way back to happiness after such a sad few months, and tragic end, is not easy. After Nelly's passing last Thursday morning, the hardest parts over the weekend were "the firsts." The first time I opened the front door to a silent apartment. No kitty to rush and find and snuggle. The first time I woke up on Friday morning to a silent bedroom. No sleeping, curled up kitty cat on my chest of let. My fuzzy paws to burrow my face into to start the day. The first time I made dinner on Saturday night without a curious little kitty sniffing the air and rubbing my leg in the kitchen as I scurried around. The first time we went out to brunch on Sunday morning, we normally rush home to spend the rest of the day with Nelly, but we realized that there was no purring kitten to hurry home to. The first time I slammed the door too hard and didn't have to say "Sorry Nelly!" and apologize for the loud noises. The first time the late morning sunbeam hit her favorite pillow and she was not there to sprawl out in its warm rays, and roll her head back in glee. The first time I got into bed without a kitty to quickly follow me, bounding on the soft comforter, getting all cozy, burrowing her head and paws into my ankles. The first time (right now) as I write this blogpost without a sleeping kitty beside me, snoozing and purring the day away, in her bed on my desk.

The firsts are the hardest part.

So then what? How do you move on when your perfect little happy life is suddenly shattered? Mourning is a crappy process. You are supposed to just sit still and soak in all that has happened, but for me I just cannot stop moving. Because when I stop moving I start thinking too hard. And when I start thinking too hard I get sad. And when I get sad I start crying and when I start crying it is hard to stop.

But then some blessing of gratitude breaks into my sorrow and I feel so thankful for the life I had with my husband and Nelly. Our little perfect triangle. I was with Nelly for twelve years, and our trio for eight. I am so so grateful for those happy times. I do not think I will ever stop missing Nelly. And that is OK. The things I miss, those gifts of love, light and happiness Nelly brought us will never ever go away. And that makes me incredibly happy.

So yes, I'm easing back into things here in recipe land. Because I know Thanksgiving is quickly approaching so I want to be able to be here for you guys as you prepare plant-based, vegan dishes. I adore Thanksgiving because it was always the first holiday ever where I openly talked about my "new" vegan diet to my family members. It was when I really "outed" myself as a vegan and put myself out there to possible ridicule and opposition. The truth was though that most everyone was accepting and instead of being negative about veganism, they were really just quite curious. I know I was lucky, I know some newbie vegans have family members who oppose the idea of plant-based living, but like anything, remember that you are not alone and everyone is different. Surround yourself with people (on or offline) who support you and all those naysayers simply will not matter much anymore.

Tuxedo Cupcakes. These cupcakes are great because they have a sturdy yet soft chocolate base and fluffy, rich vanilla bean frosting. So simple and classic, an always welcome and elegant-looking treat for birthdays, special events or for any day you crave a vegan cupcake baking session.

The rainbow sprinkles on top are optional but quite fun. You can find Sprinkelz brand in most Whole Foods stores and also Lieber's brand is the one I used. Both are vegan.

Chocolate Cake and Vanilla Frosting Cupcakes

By Kathy PatalskyPublished 11/19/2013Chocolate Cake and Vanilla Frosting Cupcakes
These "tuxedo" cupcakes have fluffy chocolate cake and creamy vanilla froting on top.

Ingredients

  • dry:
  • 1 cup flour
  • ½ cup sugar + 1 tablespoon sugar (organic)
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 ½ tablespoon vital wheat gluten OR 1 tablespoon ground flax or chia seeds
  • 3 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • wet:
  • 12 ounces silken tofu
  • 2 tablespoon virgin coconut oil, melted
  • ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 3 tablespoon canned pumpkin puree (or sub with mashed banana or applesauce)
  • frosting:
  • 4 tablespoon coconut oil, softened
  • ½ real vanilla bean, seeds scooped (or ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract)
  • 8 ounces vegan cream cheese
  • ½ cup organic powdered sugar, sifted

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 and add liner to muffin tin or grease well.
  2. Combine all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir and set aside.
  3. Add all wet ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth and whipped. This helps smooth out the silken tofu.
  4. Pour the wet into the dry and using a beater, whip the batter until silky and chocolate-y.
  5. Fill tins with batter and place in oven. Bake at 400 for ten minutes and reduce heat to 350 for another 8-10 minutes.
  6. Remove cupcakes from oven and set aside to fully cool. When the cupcakes are fully cooled and ready to frost, you can start your frosting. Using a hand beater, blend the cream cheese with the vanilla and coconut oil. You want to make sure that the cream cheese is at room temperature and not chilled otherwise it will harden the coconut oil upon blending. Last, bend in the powdered sugar until smooth and fluffy. You will probably want to place your frosting in the freezer for a few minutes to help it firm up a bit for frosting.
  7. Spoon frosting into a pastry bag and apply frosting using a decorating tip. Or you could apply using a spoon if needed too. Add sprinkles on top. Serve cupcakes right after frosting for best flavor and texture. They will lose some fluffiness if you place them in the fridge too long. Cupcakes are usually best same day. leftover can be stored in the fridge for 1-2 days.

Yield: 12 cupcakesPrep Time: 00 hrs. 10 mins. Cook time: 00 hrs. 20 mins. Total time: 30 mins. Tags: dessert,chocolate,vegan,vanilla frosting,birthday,chocolate cupcakes

Again, thank you guys for the support, it has helped me so much. xo ~ Kathy

In Loving Memory of Nelly the Cat. Love, Light, Gratitude & Loss.

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This is a tribute to my kitty cat Nelly, who died Thursday morning from complications of kitty cancer. Since I have shared her life many times with you all via photos and stories, I want to share her passing with you too. Writing about Nelly's life and death and sharing her with you has helped me through this cancer journey greatly, so from the bottom of my heart, thank you for listening. I know Nelly thanks you too.

Cancer Awareness. And if you are a pet owner, please read or share my page on pet cancer awareness. I also share details about Nelly's cancer journey there.

This post is dedicated to Nelly cat...

2005, I had just come home from a week long Paris trip. This is my favorite photo of Nelly and I:


disclaimer: Yes this is a sad post, devastating really to anyone who has loved a pet. But please know that sharing this experience helps my soul and I hope it helps anyone else's soul that is, will or has ached in the same way. In the end, my husband and I are truly focusing on remembering Nelly's beautiful, wonderful, happy life. She was a kitty filled with love, energy, spirit and quite a personality. I will always remember her in a sunbean, with a big cuddly smily of her fuzzy face. Happy Nelly will be forever with me..

---

Nelly's Last Day. written 11/14/2013

Today is my mom's birthday. It is also the day my kitty Nelly died.

Emergency. As you may know, Nelly had been battling advanced stage cancer for the past few months. Her rare type of cancer was untreatable and so we were doing our very best to make her comfortable and prolong her happiness through her illness.

Cancer is an unpredictable, mysterious roller coaster ride. Especially in cats, who hide illness so well. But on most days, Nelly was as happy as can be. Rolling in her favorite sunbeam, surrounded by many different soft, fluffy blankets and kitty beds, her paws stretched out in the air, purring with ease and tilting her head back for chin rubs when I stroked her fur.

But for the past week I noticed Nelly's spirit getting a bit defeated by the cancer. She wasn't eating much on her own so I had been syringe feeding her four times a day for the past ten days or so. Plus giving her the insulin she needs, since she had diabetes as well. But even with the frustration of illness and life-sucking tumors growing inside her lungs, liver and lymph nodes, she was still our loving, sweet, silly Nelly.

Last night we all went to bed. Nelly crawled onto the giant floor pillow beside our bed and stayed there through the night. At around 2AM I woke up to check her blood sugar since I am always worried about her and couldn't sleep. It was fine. Though for some reason I grabbed two pillows and a blankie and curled up beside her on that soft white floor pillow, stroking her fur and telling her I loved her. I slept with her all night. She liked that. She rolled on my arm and started "playing the piano" (as I call it) by pressing on the soft blankie, her sure sign that she is happy and cozy. She rolled over again and climbed on my legs like she always does and again started purring and pressing her sweet tiny black and white paws into my chest.

I slept with her like that on the floor all night. We were both in bliss.

Then at around 5am I awoke to Nelly scratching around loudly in her potty. She was running around a bit and in a few minutes threw up some acid. She went back to her potty and basically looked quite anxious. I figured she was just having some stomach acid, which was common with her cancer, and went into the kitchen to get something to drink. My husband yelled to me and when I came out Nelly was panting loudly, walking around scared. She crawled into our bed and plopped right on my pillow like she always does when she isn't feeling well. But the panting continued and she soon collapsed on the floor. I was shaking and freaking out. I ran to grab the blood sugar monitor and she was fine, 257 glucose reading. I shouted over and over to my husband, "We have to take her in. We have to take her in. Now!" We threw on clothes and rushed to the car. This nightmare was real and I knew it could only end badly.

We sped to the vet ER, my husband even ran a red light (safely) when I shouted at him to. This was Nelly's life.

On the ride over I pulled Nelly out of her carrier and sat her on my lap. It was excruciating. The pain I was in to see her like this. Gasping for breath. Meowing in fright. Trying to crawl on the floor. I'm not certain, but it seemed like she couldn't see all the sudden. I just kept caving my chest into her fur and telling her it was going to be OK and how much I love her. Of course I was sobbing when I told her all this, but I just couldn't help myself.

We arrived at the ER and they rushed her in the back. We were ushered to a room where we waited and I basically was in shock and freaking out. A mess. Tears, my hair falling on my face, I don't even remember putting on clothes at the house. What was I wearing? Who cares.

The doctor came in with a sad face and introduced herself. The first question out of her mouth, "So Nelly's not doing so well, do you want to euthanize her?"

All along this horrible journey of Nelly's cancer I have been adamant that I would NOT put her to sleep unless she was miserable or having an emergency and in pain. But I never thought that would happen, for some stupid reason. So there are no words to describe the weight I felt when that doctor asked us if we wanted to put Nelly to sleep. My response? I just wanted to see her. If this was the end I just wanted to say goodbye and have her hear that I never left her side.

The doctor lead us in the back room and I saw her frail body sprawled across the table, her stomach suddenly shaved and an IV in her back paw, four vet techs perched over her body. She was wild with fear and still panting for breath. It was my worst nightmare come true. But in some way, Nelly wasn't all there. I have seen her severely upset at the vet before and was able to calm her back down from it, but this was different. Her poor, sweet body was crashing. I ran to her and quickly pressed my face against her neck, my chest against her body and cradled her in my warmth. I whispered over and over into her ear through sobs that I loved her so much and that I was right there with her. But even my assurance didn't fix what was going on.

The doctor rushed us out again and said they would do some quick blood work and be back with us. Her blood work was a mess. The doctor guesses that a blood clot from one of her tumors had traveled to her lungs, stopping her breathing and possibly giving her seizures and even messing with her brain - all quite suddenly in this crisis. And even if they could stabilize her she said that it just didn't look good. We were given two options, attempt to stabalize her frail body and then put her through 2-4 days in the hospital (if she even came out of this with her mind and body in tact) or euthanize her, aka put her out of this misery. End this emergency. The vet said that the chances of her coming out of this well were very slim to none.

I lost it again. Sobbing, I sunk against the wall, onto the vet office floor, my back against the wall. Dammit.

The doctor came back in and said that she didn't think Nelly was going to make it like this. And we went back to be with Nelly again. She was barely responding except from her very lour gasps for air - even on oxygen she couldn't breath. The doctor said Nelly was dying. I didn't want to see her in this pain any more so my husband and I OK'd the euthenasia. Hardest decision I have ever made in my life. Something I practically swore I would NEVER do with Nelly. I pressed my face close to her ear and cried into her soft forehead as she took her last struggling breaths. I'm not even sure she was still "there" at that point which makes me so sad. In a few moments the doctor said Nelly was "gone."

I sobbed on her lifeless body and touched her paws. They were cold. Along the back wall of the emergency room area were hospitalized pets, dozens of cages filled with mostly puppies and dogs, a few cats, all staring on at this sad event. It made me feel better that those sweet animals were there in that room with Nelly when she went. Nelly always hated vets, but she did like meeting the friendly animals that sat in the waiting rooms with her.

There was not much to say after that. I took a lock of Nelly's fur and the vet had us sign our bill, fill out cremation forms and then sent us on our way with their deepest sympathies. I felt so cold.

Without Nelly.

When I climbed in the car I felt my chest crashing into itself like a deep, black hole, pressing deep, swallowing my sad heart. I don't think I have ever cried so hard in my life.

I was scared. I knew the hardest part for me was still ahead. Life without Nelly, a kitty I have had since I was 20 years old, would be unknown territory. I have never been "an adult" without her. I have never blogged without her. I have never been married without her. But just as I did with Nelly's cancer fight, sharks circling in deep dark waters, I knew I had to keep swimming, suck in some air and take a deep breath and just go forward. For Nelly.

---

Nelly Memories.

I adopted Nelly in 2001, right after the September 11th attacks. I was 20. I had just dropped out of Boston University because I hated it there. It was freezing and I missed California. I was back in California, this time down south in Los Angeles, going to Santa Monica College while I applied to transfer schools. Basically I was having my quarter-life crisis a bit early. So one day I stumbled into the Westside Pavillion to get my hair done and there was an pet adoption booth set up from a local shelter. I looked into the cages and saw three tiny kittens. An black kitten and a white kitten on one side, hissing and pawing at another scared little black-and-white tuxedo kitten on the other side. That was Nelly. Then known as "Mittens." She was cowering in the corner, afraid and alone when I asked to hold her. I scooped her up and her tiny claws burrowed into my black long-sleeved shirt. I felt the tiny pricks on my skin. I said hi and tried to pull her off my chest to look into her eyes but she just clung to me so so tightly with all her strength. The adoption lady had to help me pry her claws from my shirt.

"I'll take this one!" I said. Even though my apartment building didn't allow pets. Whoops. Oh well.

I took Nelly home in one of those little "Happy Meal" looking cardboard boxes they give you and she meowed the whole ride back to Westwood.

We have been best friends, soul mates, ever since that day. I have had cats and pets in the past, but this was different. The bond I shared with Nelly is one of the most special experiences in my life. She has taught me so much about love, light, trust, happiness and comfort. I am so grateful and lucky to have had her in my life.

The favorite thing was coming home to Nelly. No matter what kind of crappy day I had or how sad, angry, frustrated, happy, silly or anything I felt, my favorite part of my day was opening the door, dropping my keys and purse and rushing to find Nelly, curled up somewhere, purring happily. I'd bury my face in her silky black and white fur or scoop her up and twirl her around while she gave me kitty kisses by pressing her cheek up against mine. I miss this most of all.

---

Moving Forward.

Right now I'm more depressed and sad than I can imagine. But the things that pull me out of it are 1) my faith that Nelly is sprawled out on the softest cloud ever right now, crunching on all the Greenies kitty treats she wants while she purrs and imagines me stroking her soft fur. Kitty heaven. 2) Nelly hated seeing me sad more than anything in the world. If I was crying or yelling she would prance right up to me and meow right in my face while giving me kisses or trying to climb in my lap. When I was sick in bed for any reason, Nelly would lay beside me nonstop, worried about me. Nelly hated seeing me sad. So for her, I have to get through these tears and find some peace. Nelly is at peace now, so I need to find comfort in that.

But OK, right now I'm still in kicking and screaming mode. Sorry, but grief is not a pretty picture. And love this deep doesn't just leave your daily life without notice. Waking up to an empty kitty bed perched on my desk was a sadness I've never known. Cancer has clawed Nelly out of my life and that makes me so sad.

---

Lessons. Hope. I wrote these passages a few days ago when Nelly was still with me. I think it describes perfectly how I need to remember her and how I need to move forward..

Passage 1: It is beautiful really.

As I lay here stroking Nelly's fur, whispering to her to "get some rest," silent tears streaming down my face, my eyes staring into her half-closed golden-green eyes, her lively tail flopping in the background as she doses off into a purr-filled sleepy dream, all I can think in my messy, scattered, anxiety-ridden mind is one suddenly calming and comforting thought.

It is beautiful really.

This bond.

This magical friendship I have been gifted in this life with this remarkable creature.

Unconditional love. An unspoken understanding. Complete and utter trust. A connection without words or value or hidden motivations.

Just love.

It is so beautiful.

And though the sadness I sit in now, trudging through her cancer, is like a muddy swamp swallowing me whole, covering me in wet, green, murky slime. A thick coating of dread, worry, pain and anger. I have started to see the meaning of it all. The wide view. The point. The gift. And instead of that swampy sadness feeling, I roll over into a warm glow sunbeam that washes away all that pain.

It is my own choice really. Which feelings to wade in while Nelly's cancer runs its course. The swampy sadness or the warm glow of gratitude.

It is not easy to pry myself out of the sludge, but I have to force myself every day. At least for Nelly's sake. I know she hates seeing me sad more than anything. And luckily, the glow is so easy to find when I look into Nelly's still sparkling eyes. Or see her roll in her favorite sunbeam in bliss, head back, perky paws stretched out.

I look over at her, as she lays her head on my pillow, in her "kitty tent" on the bed. The same one I have constructed for her nearly every day for the past few years, out of soft blankies and puffy pillows. She stretches out her silky white paw, her lean black body sinking into the fluffy white comforter and all I can do it stare at her and feel something warm. The cold goes away and I just want to snuggle her soul and tell her over and over how much I love her and how much I am thankful for the unconditional love, sweetness and trust she has shown me in her life.

These furry creatures may just be "pets" or "animals" to some people. But these animals, dogs, cats, birds, all species, know just as much (if not more) about some of life's most important values and lessons. They teach us sometimes blind and hurried humans so much about life. We can learn so much from animals if we just stop and let them teach us.

And that is why I cannot stop telling Nelly I love her in these hard final days, weeks. Who knows how long.

I can't hold back and I achingly tell her these things over and over and over. I whisper, "I love you. I love you. I love you Nelly. I love you so much." I can't stop saying it.

But despite my human need to spill words over and over in her ears, Nelly has no use for words. And that is the magic of our bond. I know I don't even need to say "I love you."

I know deep in my heart that even without words, she already knows.

---

Passage 2: The letting go.

Sometimes when you have no real power, the only choice left is to just let go of the stress and angst and anger and just try to soak in all that is good, happy, sunny, warm and sweet things in this short thing we call life. Let those warm moments cradle you whole and keep them safe in your heart forever.

Those feelings of love and bliss and connection are everlasting. Infinite. Live fully, every happy, sad, silly moment. Feel it. Break through the numbness. Do not let the cold consume you. Let warmth prevail. "Cold" describes cancer perfectly. Everything feels frozen. But love is warm. And sun melts snow.

This is real. This is life. This is death. This is cancer. This is love. Love is all anyone who is dying wants. Needs. Love cannot heal cancer, but it sure does heal a broken spirit.

And love never dies. I believe that.

---

What Helps: Small Steps.

It is now the end of the day. Nelly has been gone for twelve hours, the tears still swamp my eyes nonstop, but here is what has helped..

1) My husband and I started a book of Nelly memories and have been filling it with all the random, silly, sweet, loving things that Nelly would do that we never want to forget. Thinking of these good things helps me remember her true spirit and not the cancer than ended her life.

2) Friends. Family. I only told a handful of people about what happened today. And yes I appreciated the loving offerings to "help" in any way. But the thing that made me feel so incredibly good was knowing that these people who didn't even know Nelly that well, knew how strongly we were bonded, how truly much Nelly meant to me and how heartbroken I must be right now. It makes me so good to know that I communicated to my loved ones how much Nelly changed and strengthened my soul and my spirit.

3) Stuff. All of Nelly's stuff was here when we came home. We decided to clear out as much as we could, keep all her very special things here, and to create a donation box for all the rest - food and supplies. It makes me feel good to know I will be helping cats in need.

4) Cancer awareness. Most of all I am so happy YOU are reading this. THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. I hope you read my page on Nelly's cancer and cancer awareness facts and share them with any pet owners in your life.

And finally, again, to every single person who sent a comment on my blog, facebook, Instagram, twitter or in person, thank you for telling me and Nelly that you were thinking of us and rooting for little Nelly to beat this thing. Your positive wishes mean more to me than you know.

RIP Nelly Patalsky July 2001 - November 14, 2013

Pet owners and animal lovers, please read my page on PET CANCER AWARENESS.

History: My past posts talking about Nelly and our journey
- post 1 - 8/25/2013
- post 2 - 8/28/2013
- post 3 9/1/2013
- post 4 - 9/4/2013
- post 5 - 9/11/2013
- post 6 - 9/27/2013

---

More photos to celebrate Nelly's wonderful life:

Chewy Peanut Butter Coconut Oat Granola Bars. Butterscotch Optional.

by 14 Comments


These Chewy Peanut Butter Coconut Oat Granola Bars with a silky vegan butterscotch ripple are easy to make and perfect for snacking in a hurry. Grab a bar at breakfast or tote it off with you to work or school. Creamy nut butter (any variety can be used, not just peanut) blends with crunchy rolled oats, nutty flax seeds, some toasted coconut and a generous, but subtle dose of coconut nectar syrup. You could substitute with brown rice syrup if needed. These bars bake up chewy on the outside, crisp on the outside. Plenty of warming spices and vanilla bean accents too. And if you are lucky enough to pick up some vegan butterscotch chips, fold them into the mix or melt them into a pourable glaze on top. You could use chocolate chips, carob chips or cacao nibs if you'd like as well! So many possibilities with these easy vegan bars..

with frosting:

or without:

Vegan Butterscotch Chips. Found at Viva la Vegan grocery store. They are not the healthiest ingredient by any means, but it is awesome that they exist if a butterscotch chip craving ever strikes you!

You can buy them online too!.. Lieber's Butterscotch Chips

To make sure these bars turn out nice and chewy, you need to squish them in the pan nice and packed and thick too. About ¾" thick when going in the oven. Then you want to bake the bars just until the edges start to brown. You do not want to over-crisp the bars or they will be more like crumbly, crunchy granola. Remember, they will firm up a bit as they cool.

Chewy Peanut Butter Coconut Oat Granola Bars
vegan, makes 8-10 bars

2 cups rolled oats
2 teaspoon virgin coconut oil (melted)
½ cup coconut nectar (or sub brown rice syrup - they will be a tad sweeter)
pinch of pink salt
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon raw mesquite powder (optional)
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoon nut butter (peanut used) (room temperature)
2 teaspoon ground flax seeds
1 cup unsweetened coconut (toasted - see below)

Optional: 2 tablespoon mini chips (butterscotch chips used)
drizzle: 1 tablespoon mini chips + ½ teaspoon coconut oil

Protein boost: fold in 1-2 tablespoon of your favorite protein powder (unsweetened - no fillers) to boost the protein per bar.

Nutrition Facts: (per serving if 9 bars - no chips) calories: 190 fat: 8g protein: 4g fiber: 4g

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Heat a skillet over high heat. Add coconut and let sit in pan until browning begins. Then toss coconut a bit, browning further. Remove coconut when all edges are a bit browned. You may notice is has a strong nutty, popcorn-y aroma now!
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, spices, sweetener, salt, coconut oil, flax seeds, coconut and vanilla. Also fold in the optional mini chips. You could also add in chopped nuts, cacao nibs or chia seeds. Fold until evenly distributed and the oats soften a bit.
4. Grease a rimmed baking sheet with coconut oil or a healthy oil spray. Pour the oat mixture in the pan and press firmly together, Pack the oats in and allow a thick layer to form. About ¾" in thickness. (Thinner bars will be crispier and less chewy. Thicker bars, more chewy.)
5. Bake bars at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until those edges really brown up. Pull from oven. Cool. I like to slice the bars when they are almost cooled.
6. If adding drizzle, place the bars in the freezer. Warm chips with oil to make a liquid. Pull bars - they should be hard and cold when pouring drizzle - drizzle warm mixture over top and it should firm up upon contact of the cool bars. Store bars in the fridge. These are delicious served chilled, at room temperature or crumbled into granola over top vegan yogurt, smoothies or pudding.

Ginger-Citrus-Maple Roasted Beets & Apples with Pumpkin Seeds.

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These Citrus-Ginger-Maple Roasted Beets and Apples with a ring of nutty pumpkin seeds are so simple, yet quite elegant too. Not to mention super healthy. A subtle hint of warming ginger compliments the bright citrus and apple flavors that mingle with the delicious roasted beets. This dish is wonderful served warm or chilled. I actually prefer it chilled! And that way you can easily make it ahead of time, stick it in the fridge and pull it out when ready to serve. I ended up nibbling on this platter all day long when I made it. I kept going back for more and more. Healthy, sweet roasted beets are a sweet, feel-good food you can indulge in, guilt-free! Try this holiday approved recipe..

I think these guys are really what Michael Jackson was singing about.

Just beet it.

Beet it.

Beet it.

Beet it.

And Apple it.

No one wants to be de-beeted.

Get Back to Your Roots. Are you eating enough root veggies? They are so healthy and detoxifying! Whenever I consume large quantities of carrots, beets and sweet potatoes I just feel BETTER. Cleaner. More vibrant. More energized. Maybe it is all those nutrients. Beets are rich in potassium, magnesium, fiber, phosphorus, iron, vitamins A, B & C, folic acid and more. They also contain natural sweetness which can actually help stave off a sweet tooth. Instead of reaching for a cookie, reach for these beets in your fridge! I know it sounds weird, but it just might work for you. Plus the natural fiber and water in these beets will help fill you up. You cannot say that about a cookie.

Cool List. I was so happy to be included on this list with some of my vegan blogger friends, ChoosingRaw and OhSheGlows: 50 Bloggers Making a Difference in Fitness, Health and Happiness

Want more beet recipes:

* Vegan Red (Beet) Velvet Cupcakes
* Pink Beet Walnut Dip

Vegan Pumpkin Spice Scones. Creamy Vanilla Bean Frosted.

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These vegan Pumpkin Spice Scones with real vanilla bean cream cheese frosting are a new fall favorite of mine. I don't make scones often since traditional scones are loaded with butter. But scones can easily be slightly lightened up and veganized. All while still making your scones swoon-worthy! And these dreamy triangle scones had us craving coffee. Lattes. Something warm, dark and steamy for a perfect scone pairing.

These fluffy, soft, vegan buttery scones are infused with real pumpkin, accents of cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla bean. Scones feel naked without a glaze or frosting. So this silky, lightly sweet, cream cheese frosting is the perfect topping. These scones are breakfast or brunch approved. Nibble these cute triangles as you sip a warm mug and let fall envelope you like a warm, fuzzy fleece blanket. Have a scone baking session today!..

Scone platter. Happiness.

Closer.

These will wake you up and lure you cheerfully out of bed..

Me: I'm baking scones! (I shout from the kitchen.)
(Silence.)
Me: Like triangle shaped, Starbucks-y scones!
(Still nothing.)
Thinking to Myself: Hm, I've never really made triangle-shaped, classic-y scones before. Oh no, once. A long time ago. Blueberry. (I Cringe.) But those didn't look like scones. More like giant triangle blueberry cookies. #Failure
(Baking. Baking. Baking.)
Me: Wow! My scones actually look like scones.
(I shout.)
Me: Hey, my scones actually look like scones!
(I serve a scone to the husband, aka taste tester. Silence. Uh-oh. Silence is never good.)
Me: Well? They are awesome yes? Hello?
(Husband gets up.)
Me: Where are you going?
The Husband: I'm getting another one!!
#Success

Naked.

This can fix that:

That's better..

Vanilla bean frosting + pumpkin + spices. Perfect.

Vegan Pumpkin Spice Scones
makes 8 scones

dry:
1 cup + 1 tablespoon flour (white whole wheat used)
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten*
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
wet:
¾ cup canned pumpkin, unsweetened - room temperature
⅓ cup sugar
½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
⅓ cup vegan butter, softened
2 tablespoon grade B maple syrup
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract (or ½ vanilla bean, seeded)

*1 tablespoon flax seeds can be substituted for vital wheat gluten, although the texture will be a bit different.

Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting
⅓ cup vegan cream cheese - room temperature or slightly warmed.
1 ½ tablespoon powdered sugar
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
½ vanilla bean, seeded
pinch of pink salt

Nutrition estimate: Calories: 229, fat: 11g, protein: 4g, carbs: 29g, vitamin A: 72% RDA, fiber: 2g, iron: 8% RDA

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 410 degrees.

2. Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the wet ingredients until well combined in a soft, slightly sticky dough.

3. Place dough in the freezer (in bowl is fine if the bowl fits.)

4. After 10-20 minutes, pull dough from the freezer. It should be easier to handle now. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoon flour on a flat surface and press out your dough round into a thick circle about eight inches across and one inch thick.

5. Slice the round in half. Then into quarters. Then into eights. You should get eight triangles, about equal in size and shape.

6. Place the slices on a greased baking sheet. About an inch apart.

7. Bake at 410 for ten minutes, then reduce heat to 395 and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the tips of the scones begin to brown very slightly. The scones should puff up nicely, the vital wheat gluten and pumpkin really help with this even though this is a vegan, egg-free recipe.

8. Cool scones. Blend up your frosting. Place frosting in the fridge to firm up a bit. It should be soft yet firm when you transfer into a pastry bag for piping on top of scones in squiggly designs. The scones should be fully cooled or chilled when adding frosting. Serve cool or slightly warmed. Store covered in the fridge.

Good morning fall scones.