These recipes come from one of the raw food classes I took earlier this year. They are slightly adapted to use what I had on hand. I don’t have a Vita-Mix and these three recipes can be made without that pricey piece of equipment! Although they may be a little chunkier….ha ha ha!
Eating raw isn’t an all or nothing thing for me- I just like the idea of preparing and eating raw food dishes because of their high nutritional content. So use what you have on hand and if it …

This recipe is very easy to make, and you can easily adapt it to include other delicious ingredients- mushrooms, red onion, or sun dried tomatoes would all be great add ins. Make this for a light meal or serve it as a delicious summer appetizer.
Grilled Veggie Tart

15oz puff pastry, thawed ( I used Tenderflake, which is vegan, but any kind will do!)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 lb asparagus, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup red pepper, chopped
1/4 cup kalamata olives, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 tsp dried basil
sea salt and …

Can you believe it’s 2011 already? I literally remember being nine years old and counting down to midnight on y2k, wondering what would happen when the year 2000 hit. Hah!
Last night was a ton of fun. I invited five friends over for some snacks and drinks before we hit the town. I love entertaining, I wanted a really fun menu with everything miniature!

Everyone was greeted with a Mini Peach-Pomegranate-Grapefruit Drop Martini.

Peach-Pomegranate-Grapefruit Martini

2 oz Absolut Peach vodka
splash of pomegranate juice
splash of grapefruit juice
sugar
orange zest

Put a bit of sugar into a bowl …

Another way to take advantage of all the amazing fall squash. I got this recipe from my friend Sophie, in Belgium! I love how protein packed this chili is for a vegetarian chili- all the goodness of two kinds of beans, and quinoa! The squash was a great addition in this hearty, warming, and filling meal!

Butternut Squash Quinoa Chili

1 large red onion, peeled and diced
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely diced
550g of butternut squash, cubed
1 tbsp chili powder
100g quinoa, soaked in cold water for ten minutes and drained
1 750ml …

Here is another great salad recipe that is light and healthy and perfect for Fall. Delicious bosc pears, dried cranberries, candied pecans, and a homemade balsamic vinaigrette. The pecans are really the star of this dish, they are sooo tasty!

Spinach Salad with Balsamic Dressing (Oh She Glows)
Salad:

1 bag baby spinach (about 6 cups)
2 bosc pears, chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup candied pecans

Dressing:

2.5 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Ground black pepper to taste
1/2 minced clove of garlic

Candied …

So my trip to Creekbread inspired me and once again I decided to make some dough and whip up a couple of yummy pizzas! The dough is so easy to make and can stay in the fridge for up to two weeks- perfect for when you need a dinner on the run. Just leave time for your oven to preheat to 500 degrees F, and get your toppings ready. The pizza should be done after 8-10 minutes, if it needs a couple of minutes longer, just rotate it so it …

This is a unique, and ultra creamy soup. The subtle chamomile flavours pokes through the dish just enough for one to taste it, but not identify it. The chamomile tea takes the place of any herbs and spices, and a nice pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper is all you need to enhance the lovely flavour of the soup. This soup took about 20 minutes to make- it was so simple. I love how the cauliflower is just so creamy and smooth, without the addition of any …

Here we are, already setting the clocks ahead and getting ready for Spring! We’ve been having unusually sunny weather here in Vancouver for most of February and then suddenly got snow this week, and now the sun is back, trying to make an appearance! Strange strange strange. Regardless of the weather, I decided to make a light, refreshing and healthy pea soup. Anything to do with peas just tastes like Spring to me- the flavour is so fresh! This made a pretty big batch, but I’ll definitely be freezing it …

If you can recall my last post, I made pita bread as part of a Middle Eastern meal…well, I still had a ton of light whole wheat dough leftover from that. I decided to make a pizza/flatbread, using whatever I could find in the fridge! I had recently seen a pizza that used caramelized onions as a base, and I thought that was great, flavourful idea. My onions were burnt extra caramelized! It still turned out fantastic, and like my mom said ‘it’s like a fiesta in your mouth!’ *hides …

I love veggie burgers because they are so easy to make, healthy, and filling. For a long time I have been wanting to make my own veggie burgers- avoiding soy, preservatives, and unneccessary ingredients. Many people think that when they are buying packaged veggie burgers in the grocery store, that they are ‘veggie, and therefor healthy’, but that’s not true. A lot of brands use nasty ‘improvers’ to help flavour the burger, and they can be really awful for your body. Not to mention extra sugar, and artificial colours.
I based …