vegetarian

Parsnip Noodles with Roasted Butternut Squash & Kale

Happy Monday Friends! Hope you all had a beautiful weekend. 🙂

With the New Year already off to a busy start, I am trying to be more prepared when it comes to meals. Sundays are all about planning and prepping, freeing up extra time during the week.

Tonight’s dish was all about combining simple ingredients that are robust in flavour. At first glance, it looks like it probably takes a lot more time than it does. I promise you, that if you are prepared and know the recipe ahead of time, it is smooth sailing!

I don’t cook with parsnips often but am trying to incorporate them more to keep things interesting. This juicy nutty root veg is rich in healthy properties. From phyto-nutrients, vitamins, minerals and fibre. Plus it’s low in calories, fat, sodium and naturally cholesterol-free. Not to mention, super versatile when it comes to consumption!

Need more convincing? Check out these percent daily values:

Parsnip Nutritional Information

Now on to the deliciousness of tonight’s dish. This Parsnip noodle recipe comes from one of my favourite places to be Inspiralized – the definitive resource for cooking with a spiralizer. A few minutes exploring around Ali’s site and you’ll instantly be inspired by her wonderful and beautiful creations. This spiralized parsnips with roasted butternut squash and kale had me dancing in my kitchen with excitement, I was so inspired to give it a try.Parsnip Noodles with Roasted Butternut Squash & Kale

Easy to make, this recipe is really 3 simple components + a couple dashes here and there. Basically you just have to roast the squash, spiralize and cook the parsnips and wilt down the kale. Pretty basic steps. From here all you have to do is dress it up! (more details below on that). 🙂

Parsnip Noodles with Roasted Butternut Squash & Kale (yields two servings)

  •  1 cup cubed butternut squash
  • 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • himalyan sea salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 4 parsnips, peeled and spiralized
  • 2 cups chopped kale (curly or laminate)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • crumbled feta to top (optional)
  • red pepper flakes, to topIngredient List
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In bowl, toss butternut squash with 2 teaspoons of olive oil and season with salt, pepper and paprika. Toss to combine and once oven is preheated, lay squash on baking sheet and roast for 30-35 minutes or until tender.
  2. Ten minutes before the squash is done, place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add in the rest of the olive oil. Add in the parsnip noodles and let cook for 5-7 minutes or until cooked through. Transfer the parsnip noodles to a plate.
  3. In same skillet, add in the garlic, sauté for a 2 minutes and add in kale. Let cook until wilted, about 5 minutes and then add in the parsnip noodles and toss.
  4. Divide onto two plates and top with butternut squash, feta (optional) and the red pepper flakes.

Dive in! xx

 

 

 

Glowing Green Smoothie Bowl

Despite the wicked snow storm we were having early this morning, I had a bit of extra time and was feeling inspired. Since we rang in the new year, I’m finding muse in all the social sharing that is taking place with everyone’s new healthy 2016 regime – there have been some beautiful creations posted out there. With that being said, I wanted something different than my typical blend of fruits and veggies.

I recently organized my spice/toppers/baking/coffee/tea cupboard (yes this a thing haha) so I knew I had a handful of delicious add-in ingredients. So I decided to get creative and jazz up my smoothie with something beautiful and even more filling – a smoothie bowl!

I took some of my favourite toppers/ingredients – chia seed, coconut, hemp hearts, and strawberries and topped them onto my trusted Glowing Green Smoothie recipe (limit the water part to keep it on the thicker side).

What a simple and gorgeous dish to start off the morning – it definitely brightened my day!Glowing Green Smoothie Bowl

Be creative. xx

Cauliflower Chickpea Tacos

Cauliflower is seriously underrated and often overlooked. I’m hear to tell you it’s not! It’s neutral flavor and versatility makes it an ideal choice to spice up, season and prepare to exactly how you like.  Not to mention it’s low in cost and has great nutritional content.

This cruciferous vegetable is an excellent source of Vitamin C, K, B6, fibre, folate, pantothenic acid,and manganese. Low in saturated fat and cholesterol, cauliflower is also a good source of protein, thiamine, riboflavin, phosphorus, and potassium. All these powerful properties help reduce the risk of cancer, most notably lung, colon, breast, ovarian, and bladder. So time to load up on this veg!

These cauliflower chickpea taco’s are incredible. I recently was introduced to this amazing meatless dish a couple weeks ago and I’ve made it several times since. It’s super easy, delicious, and the cost per meal is ridiculous. Originally found on She Likes Food (Yea I do!)

Cauliflower Chickpea TacosTaco Filling:

  • 1 head of cauliflower
  • 1¼ cup of cooked chickpeas
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 10-12 corn tortillas or desired shell (I’ve used lettuce wraps, which are super delish!)

FillingSeasoning:

You can adapt the seasoning based on what you might have on hand in  your spice cupboard – be inspired. 🙂

  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Coleslaw:
  • 1 14 ounce bag of cole slaw mix or 6 – 7 cups of thinly chopped cabbage and carrots
  • ½ cup of veganasie, mayonnaise or miracle whip salad dressing
  • ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
  • 1½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ teaspoon celery salt
  • 1 pinch black pepper
  • Juice of one lime

ColeslawFilling

  1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Prepare slaw: In a medium sized bowl add all of the slaw dressing ingredients. Mix ingredients together until a creamy sauce has formed. In a large bowl, add the cabbage mixture and pour dressing over. Mix until everything is combined. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
  3. In a small bowl add all of the seasoning ingredients and mix together.
  4. Separate all of the cauliflower florets and chop them into bite size pieces. Place florets and chickpeas onto a large sheetpan and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning. Toss everything together with your hands so that cauliflower and chickpeas are coated with spices. Place the sheetpan in the oven and bake for about 25-35 minutes (flipping occasionally).
  5. If desired, warm up corn tortillas in the oven. Add about ¼ cup of cauliflower and chickpeas to each taco and top with a few tablespoons of slaw. Top with your favourite toppings if you desire – I love adding avocado here!

Cauliflower Chickpea Tacos

The next best thing about this dish, is the leftovers! Warm up the filling the following day and use it as a salad topper – delish!

Keep Calm & Taco On. xx

Quinoa Cookies

Vegan. Gluten-free. Dairy-free. Absolutely delicious.

These quinoa cookies are quick to make, simple in its ingredients, easy to adapt and on the healthier side as far as treats go. If you are looking for a sweet treat that can double up as a quick grab and go snack with your morning coffee – these cookies are an obvious choice. You might want to opt out the chocolate for some dried fruit but in my opinion, a hint of chocolate is always welcome (especially when it’s the right chocolate). 🙂

These cookies are nutty in flavour with a touch of sweetness and the quinoa adds a slight crunch, (which I love). Next batch I’m going to try with a double up on the coconut, minus the chips – adaptations are just that easy with this one. I’d love to hear how you might switch this dish up.

Now for the real sell on these sweet bites. The plant based source Quinoa is a complete protein; packed with iron, zinc, B-vitamins, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, vitamin E and fibre. Adding this key ingredient to your baking is a big win over the traditional empty ingredients that go into the typical cookie. Plus, for those fighting allergens often related to our favourite baked goods (wheat/dairy), here is something for you. Check out this dish –

Quinoa Cookies (yields 20-24)

  • 2 cups cooked quinoa (let it cool before using)
  • 2/3 cup natural peanut butter (chunky or smooth)
  • 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1/4 teaspoon himalayan sea salt
  • 3/4 cup gluten-free rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
  • 1/2 cup dairy-free chocolate chipsIngredients - Quinoa Cookies
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  2. Combine quinoa, peanut butter, maple syrup, salt, and oats in a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer on low speed, combine ingredients well
  3. Stir in coconut and chocolate chips
  4. Scoop and mold dough into round, tablespoon-sized cookies onto baking sheet
  5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until bottoms are nicely browned
  6. Let cool before storingQuinoa Cookie BatterQuinoa Cookies

Keep Sweet. xx

Lentil & Tomato Soup

A soup in minutes, a soup using pantry staples, a soup that will still wow you with it’s simplicity.

Zuppa di Lenticchie e Pomodori  is a beautiful hearty soup made with ingredients you might just have on hand. I always keep canned staples like lentils and plum tomatoes in the pantry to make life easier in those moments when we are crunched for time or looking for something quick and comforting. David Rocco is a culinary expert who lives ‘the dolce vita’, ‘the sweet life’ with being present in moments in life that bring joy. The simple joys. You see this shine through in his books and in his cooking. I think that’s why I love picking up his book to be inspired in the kitchen because you feel this morale in his style and his creations and it leaves you feeling at ease. It reminds me that cooking doesn’t need to be complicated.David Rocco

So here is one of my favourite go to recipes from Mr. David Rocco. It’s an dish that I just had to share, to make life easier and give you more time to take pleasure in the simple joys of the sweet life.

Lentil & Tomato Soup (yields 2-4 servings)

  • 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • 2 fresh chilli peppers, chopped
  • 1 can (28oz) peeled plum tomatoes
  • 1 can (19oz) lentils, rinsed
  • 5- 8 basil leave, chopped
  • himalyan sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
  • water (to reach desired consistency)

Ingredients - Lentil & Tomato Soup

  1. In a saucepan, heat olive oil over low-medium heat. Add garlic, parsley and chili peppers and sauté for 5-7 minutes
  2. Add plum tomatoes and juices from the tin. With the back of a wooden spoon, break up the tomatoes into little chunks
  3. Add lentils, salt and pepper. Add water and allow to cook for approximately 15-20 minutes until the soup has thickened
  4. Stir in chopped basil and cook for another 5-8 minutesLentil and Tomato Soup

Vivere la dolce vita. xx