Quinoa Berry Bake

Posted in Breakfast, Snack, Vegan Baking by Vegan Mommy Dee

Healthy Quinoa Berry Bake!

My quinoa berry bake is so incredibly easy to make! You can put this berry bake together in about 5 minutes! Yes that fast I swear! I use frozen or fresh berries for this bake. It’s not a fussy recipe so use whatever you prefer. I sometimes buy a frozen berry variety that also has cherries in it and it turned out really yummy too. I only add 2 tbsp. of pure maple syrup to my berry bake but most people will not find it sweet enough so I suggested 3 – 4 tbsp. You might have noticed that I make a lot of fruit bakes or crumbles. I like how by making them I can enjoy a sweet treat without feeling guilty about eating it! I have a sweet tooth so I’m always trying to create healthy yet satisfying treats. My sweet tooth is happy with this simple berry bake!!! 😀 I’ve had some people ask me for the recipe so here it is ….

QUINOA BERRY BAKE

You will need:

1 1/4 cup Organic Quinoa Flakes
1 tsp. Cinnamon
3 tbsp. Flaxmeal
1-2 tbsp. Hemp Hearts
3-4 tbsp. pure maple syrup, agave or other sweetener of choice
1 baking or pie dish
2 cups mixed berries (I used blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries and I also threw in cherries)
1 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 F
Grab your baking or pie dish and add the 1 1/4 cup quinoa flakes, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1-2 tbsp. hemp hearts and 3 tbsp. of flaxmeal.
Next throw in your mixed berries of choice and also add the maple syrup. Give it a good mix.
Even it out in your baking dish and then pour in your 1 1/3 cup milk. You don’t even need to mix it because your quinoa flakes will start to absorb the milk.
Pop it into the oven and bake for approximately 35 minutes.
Allow to cool off a bit once baked in order to cut neat slices.

Enjoy!

Quinoa Berry Bake Slice!

2Oct2013

Simple Bean & Herb Salad

Posted in Lunch/Dinner by Vegan Mommy Dee

Simple & Easy Bean And Herb Salad!

I’ve had many people ask me for this specific bean salad recipe so I thought I’d just post it here for everyone. I make many different types of bean salads but this is one of my favourite ones. It’s always a hit with family and friends! I use chickpeas and black beans in this salad but the bean possibilities are endless so use whatever you have on hand. I love how you can use whatever staple ingredients you have at home and create a lovely protein packed salad super fast! I like adding chopped bell peppers into it because it adds a pop of colour to the salad and adds another element of great taste as well. For me fresh parsley is a must for bean salad so I add in a lot of it! I like to top my salad with healthy hemp hearts to finish it off.

Simple Bean & Herb Salad

You will need:

2 – 19 oz can of black beans
1 – 28 oz large can of chickpeas
3 – 4 large cloves of garlic
3 – 4 tbsp. hemp hearts
3 Tbsp.’s Apple Cider Vinegar, adjust to desired taste
3 Tbsp. Olive Oil, adjust according to desired taste
Salt & black pepper
handful of parsley, I use two handfuls 🙂
large bowl or large container

Method:

Mince the garlic
Open up the cans of beans and rinse, rinse, rinse them very well!!!
Add beans to your bowl or sealable container and toss in the garlic
Drizzle with a 3 tbsp.’s of extra virgin olive oil and 3 tbsp.’s of apple cider vinegar. Adjust to desired taste. Add more olive oil or ACV if you need depending on how strong you want the flavors to be.
Season with Himalayan salt and black pepper and add the parsley.
Mix well and top with 3 – 4 tbsp. of hemp hearts on top.

* I keep my bean & herb salad in the fridge to let the flavors marry for a while before serving. The longer it sits the better it will taste!!!*

Enjoy!

2Oct2013

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake

Posted in Snack, Vegan Baking by Vegan Mommy Dee

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake!

Almost every week I make banana chocolate chip muffins because they are my kids favourite type of muffin. It get’s kinda boring sometimes so I sometimes make a banana chocolate chip cake instead. Hey why not switch it up a little? Right? We go through a lot of bananas at my house! That’s ok though because these energy powerhouses have many health benefits such as containing potassium, fiber, vitamin C, B Vitamins, iron, they are a mood enhancer, and are good for the heart and nerves. I incorporate bananas in a variety of ways from my morning smoothies, muffins, and in hot breakfast cereals and oatmeal. 🙂

Here is my super easy recipe for Banana Chocolate Chip cake …

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake

You will need:

3 medium-sized bananas
1/4 cup coconut or sucanat sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup mini vegan chocolate chips, or regular sized vegan chips
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup brown rice flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup unsweetened almond milk

Method:

Preheat your oven to 400 F
Mash your bananas in a medium-sized bowl.
Add the coconut oil and sugar to the mashed bananas.
Next add the vanilla extract and give it a good mix.
In a large bowl add the brown rice flour and baking powder and mix well. I use a fork to make sure my baking powder is incorporated well.
Add the wet ingredients into the dry and also add in the almond milk into the bowl.
Combine well and add the vegan chocolate chips to the mixture.
Grease a baking pan with coconut oil and add the mixture into the dish. Even it out and pop it into the oven.
Bake for about 30-35 minutes, ovens vary.
Once baked allow the cake to cool completely before slicing it!

That’s it! Very easy and fast to make!

Enjoy!

1Oct2013

~ Squash & Bell Pepper Soup ~

Posted in Lunch/Dinner by Vegan Mommy Dee

I grow butternut squash in my vegetable garden every year. They are very easy to grow and I love eating healthy squash in a variety of ways. One of my favourite ways to enjoy it is roasted and then I puree it into a lovely soup. Often I like adding bell peppers to my soup for added nutrition as well as for another dimension of flavor. This soup doesn’t require many ingredients and a lot of time to make. The only time-consuming part is the time that it is roasting in the oven. Find other things to do during that time and the time will pass very quickly. I like popping my squash into the oven in the morning. It cooks for an hour while I get ready in the morning and get my kids ready and off to school. That way once dinner comes all you have to do is puree it and heat it in a pot! So easy! It always seems that the simplest recipes are the best ones! Here is my recipe based on 2 large serving sizes. Double it if you like and eat it more than once this week! 🙂

Squash!

Healthy Squash & Bell Pepper Soup!!!

Squash & Bell Pepper Soup!

What you will need:

1 large butternut squash
4-5 cloves of garlic
salt, black pepper & paprika, to taste
2 large red, yellow or orange bell peppers
Chopped onion, I use less than half of an onion
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
extra virgin olive oil

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 F
Cut your squash in half and remove the seeds.
Place into a baking dish and drizzle a little olive oil on it and season with a little salt and pepper.
Cut up your bell peppers in chunks and the onion then place them into the baking dish as well. Keep the onion chunks rather large.
Add your peeled and whole garlic cloves to the baking dish.
Roast for 1 hour. I give the bell peppers a mix at the half way point.
After removing your squash and peppers from the oven let them cool off in the dish.
Once your ready to puree your veggies then add them to your blender. Also add 3/4 cup water to the blender too.
Once blended thoroughly transfer to a medium-sized pot and heat at a low-med heat. Add 1/2 cup of unsweetened almond milk to the soup.
10. Season with Himalayan salt, black pepper and a little paprika and give it a good mix.
Transfer to soup bowls and enjoy immediately while it’s hot!