Honey'ed Heirloom Carrots

Fall.  The time of hurried schedules, cooler days, and darker nights.  If you are like me, this is the time of year that craves grounding and warming comfort foods.  And to me, that means root veggies of any kind.  And one low-cost option that I always seem to have in my crisper, is the humble carrot. 

I like to mix things up when it comes to this orange treasure, whether grating the flesh into a salad, puréeing it into a soup, or roasting thin discs into a caramelized sweet side dish.  Here, I am offering a super simple, low maintenance side, one that you can prep and forget using the en papillote method (which means the food is sealed up in packages to steam in their own flavorful liquids).

Honey’ed Heirloom Carrots

-          4-6 heirloom carrots, varying in colour

-          1 1/2 T grainy Dijon mustard

-          1 T honey

-          1 T olive oil (optional)

-          ½ T apple cider vinegar

-          1 T fresh rosemary, minced

-          Pinch cinnamon

-          Salt & pepper to taste

Slice carrots in ¾ cm disks.  I used my fancy crinkle cutter. 

Whisk remaining ingredients in the bottom of a large bowl.  Add carrots to bowl and toss to combine.  

Lay a large piece of foil, and dump carrot mixture onto the centre of the foil.  Create a foil packet, by folding up two sides, followed by the ends and seal tightly. 

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 35 minutes for slight crunch, and 40-45 minutes for softer textured carrots.

Not-cho Cheese

This is one of the very first recipes I attempted when I decided to eliminate animal products from my diet.  The one food that I knew I was going to miss in this new only plant-based world, was cheese.  Up until that time, I was a self-confessed cheeseaholic.  No joke.  I used to host annual holiday wine and cheeses, with spreads beyond your wildest pressed curd dreams, and almost every day of the week goat cheese made an appearance on my plate in some indulgent capacity.

I have since developed a few good fermented nut-cheeses that I am convinced would fool more than a few dairy lovers, if not convert even the fake cheese hatiest vegan out there into reconsidering their stance.  I have after all, served my “cheesecakes” to many dairy lovin’ carnivores with great success.  And this following ditty is a sure-fire winner no matter what your choice of meal-plan poison:  It’s just that good.

Cashew Pimiento Not-cho Cheese Dip
1 cup soaked raw
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons onion powder (or ¼ cup fresh, grated)
1 teaspoon garlic powder (or 1 clove fresh, grated)
2 teaspoons cumin
4 oz jar of chopped (or 1 large whole roasted pimento)
1 teaspoon of salt
2 Tbsp. Nutritional Yeast
1 Tbsp. Hemp Seeds
1/2 cup water

Whiz above ingredients in blender until smooth.  Serve with fresh veggies, nacho chips or crackers.

**You can also add more water to this mix to reach a saucier consistency, which is super as a sauce for raw zucchini noodles!

Lemony Littles

I am always in search of new quick and easy snack ideas, small bites that can satisfy any sweet tooth in a flash, healthy nibbles to partner with my morning green juice for a super start to my day.  So when I was craving something sweet, tart, chewy and tiny, there was nothing else to do but create.  And I just so happened to have a pantry full of staples, a handful of fresh lemons in the fridge, and a few spare minutes in my day.

This simple recipe comes together in a snap, and fuels you with healthful carbs, protein, and fat.  If you don’t have the patience to roll the dough into small balls, you can always press the mixture into a pan, chill, and cut into bars as another easy option.  Try it, your taste buds and tummy will thank you!

Lemony Littles         

MAKES A TON!  Freeze well!

3 C almonds

2 C dates

1 1/2 C coconut shredded

Zest of 2 lemons

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 C coconut nectar, agave, or other liquid sweetener of choice

2 t vanilla

1.    Process the almonds in a food processor until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.  Remove meal to bowl and set aside.

2.    Add dates to processor, and process until broken down, and gummy.

3.    Return almonds to processor along with dates, and add coconut, lemon zest, juice, vanilla & coconut nectar (or other liquid sweetener) and pulse to combine.

4.    Roll mixture into balls or press into a pan to create bars.  Store snacks in the fridge or freezer. 

Fearing Greatness

This morning when I woke up, and while laying bed, I hummed and hawed about whether or not I really wanted to go on my dawn run.  I decided to go.  Success number one for the day.  

As I laced on my sneakers and locked the door behind me, I then weighed the options regarding route; would I hit the hilly Yonge Street path I usually take?  Or perhaps a jaunt through Mt. Pleasant cemetery and the pretty trails it presents?  No, what I concluded would be the best use of my time that day, would be to stick to my usual loop around the neighbourhood dog park.  Yes.  The park.  Easy, quick, and close to home. I could zip around the track a few times and bang off five kilometres in no time flat (literally). 

As my feet hit the pavement, the rhythmic beat of my heart ushering me along, I quickly got into the “zone”.  Ah yes, this is why I run. 

And then, I saw it.  There it was, in all its shaded, mysterious glory.  A poorly marked, overgrown entrance to the unknown.  What I am talking about at this opening in the brush, is a path that leads runners, walkers, hikers, and cyclists alike, into one of Toronto’s many ravine hiking trails.  Since moving in to the neighbourhood almost a year ago, I had heard of the wondrous routes waiting on the other side.  I know many runners who log their miles on those trails daily, attributing their runner’s high to the little taste of nature, making their runs all the more serene.  I have been told that it’s as if you are no longer in the city, the lush green canopy shielding you from the noise, hustle, and reality of the concrete jungle that surrounds.

This was all hearsay though, as I had never even thought to check it out for myself.  I took up running on the streets after all, and the sidewalks map my path each day.  Even when I am in my hometown, a small rural farming community, where do I run, but along the paved country roads?  That is where I feel good.  This is how I stay the course.

But something inside me shifted that day.  I am not sure if it was the way the early morning sun kissed the leaves of the maples, or how the sweet birdsong audible from within the treetops beckoned me to come near.  At that point, my body craved change, my mind screamed for challenge.  No matter the root cause, all I knew was that without even thinking, my legs were leading me down the muddy path, and I had suddenly become a trail runner.

The sounds of crickets and twigs cracking under my stride; the rise and fall of the terrain and my lungs in chorus…it was sublime.  With each step I took, I felt more and more welcomed into this new world, even the bubbling brook beside me was singing a song of support.  As I curved my way deeper and deeper into the valley, I felt all the tension in my body disintegrate and then nothing but pure bliss.  I was not feeling good.  I was really and truly feeling great.

On my way home that morning, I reflected on what a truly amazing experience I had just allowed myself, simply by being open to the possibility.  For months I had avoided that gateway to green space, afraid of what lay on the other side of the trees.  Fearing greatness is an idea I have thought about often, and this was a prime example.  I have admittedly been an active saboteur in my own life many times for fear of change, fear of movement, fear of possibility.  I have destroyed relationships, my health, career opportunities, all because I was too terrified to take the plunge and welcome an alternative to the norm.  And I think many can relate.  Often, we function day to day with clear goals in mind, but when it comes time to break through certain boundaries, to alter some bad habits, we shut down.  With habit comes comfort, and it can be extremely un-comfortable to stretch ourselves beyond that set point, even when we know abundance can be ours.  Allowing myself to take that ravine run, had opened my heart to more.  And it is a lesson I will put to work in many other areas of my life.

Fearing our highest potential is natural.  As humans, we tend to focus most on fixing the bad, and sometimes forget that we can and should nurture our good.  Because it is our good that can most easily transform us into great.

Vegan Lentil Loaf - my BABY

Hit any bookstore’s cookbook section these days, and you’ll discover shelves and shelves of vegetarian and vegan recipe collections available for purchase.  This wasn’t always the case however, as I recall during my first serious venture into the plant-based diet world in the late 90’s.  Back then I was living in a small town for one thing, but at that point going all-veg was also still considered a pretty severe and radical way to live (especially for a teen). 

Fast forward a decade, and I am back on the meat-free (and dairy and egg free) train, and life is a whole lot simpler.  Nowadays, it is easy to find an abundance of recipe options that work for me, and I love that when I plan a dinner date, there is a whole new slew of restaurants out there offering menus that cater to folks like me.  The benefits of including a vast variety of colourful vegetables in the diet are widely known, and it is great to see how many people have begun to embrace the idea of consuming less meat in favour of more greens and earth’s vegetative bounty. 

I have chosen to join the green-food revolution, and through my culinary training am trying to help spread the word that vegetarian food can be chic, easy, tasty, and comforting.  I have spent many hours rocking out in my kitchen developing my very own food creations to comfort the soul.  One recipe that I remember often eating while growing up is meatloaf.  Such a cozy meal when paired with mashed potatoes and gravy!  Here, I have re-vamped the loaf concept, and created a savoury main dish that I have fed to even the most meat-loving men I know with great success.  I admit it is a bit labour intensive, but it is well worth it in the end, especially when paired with a side of yummy sweet potato smash or cauliflower puree!

Very Vegan Lentil-Walnut Loaf

• 1/2 cup toasted walnuts (or half pine nuts/half walnuts), roughly chopped
• 4 Tbsp ground flax seed, plus 1 Tbsp ground flax seed separated
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 cup  onion, diced
• 1/2 cup cremini mushrooms, chopped
• 1 medium zucchini, grated, squeezed of excess water*
• 1 medium carrot, grated
• 1/3 of an apple, grated (makes 1/3 cup grated apple)
• 1/4 cup chopped dates or raisins
• 2 1/2  cups cooked green lentils (if using canned, be sure to rinse & drain well)
• 1 tsp salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 ½ Tbsp herbs de provence
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp fresh organic lemon zest(about 1 medium lemon’s worth)
• 1/2 cup oat bran (gluten free option)
• 3/4 cup breadcrumbs (gluten free option)

*You can grate using a box grater, or save time by using a food processor with the grate plate attachment

*Optional add-ins: ¼ Cup chopped sundried tomato, ¼ sunflower seeds

Meg's Sweet Glaze – this is a flexible recipe; use what you have on hand!

• 1 Tbsp sweet chili sauce or Red Pepper jelly
• 1 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbsp molasses
• 1/2 Tbsp agave or maple syrup

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a loaf pan with parchment so that parchment paper hangs over the edges by 2 inches.  Set aside.

2. On a baking sheet, toast 3/4 cup of walnuts at 350F for about 6 minutes, keeping an eye to ensure they do not burn.  Set aside to cool.

3. In a small bowl, mix ground flax with 1/2 cup warm water and stir well. Set aside for at least 5-10 minutes so it can gel up.  This is your binding agent.  Add remaining 1 Tbsp flax to large mixing bowl for later.

4. In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté onion and minced garlic for about 5 minutes, stirring often until translucent.  If veggies stick add 1 Tbsp of water at a time and scrape up bits form pan.  Add mushrooms, carrot and zucchini and cooking for 5 minutes more.  Stir in grated apple, raisins, and chopped and cover pan and let heat through for another 5-6 minutes. 

Add herbs, lemon zest, and salt and pepper to taste (stir in any optional add-ins now). Remove from heat and set aside.

7. In food processor, process about 3/4 of the lentils until smooth.  Add to bowl and mix in remaining whole lentils.  The two textures make for a nice meaty mouth-feel in the loaf.

7. To the bowl, add the breadcrumbs, flax egg, cooked veggie mixture and oat bran.  Stir well!  Dump the mixture into your loaf pan and spread out with a spoon. Now take your hands and press the mixture firmly and evenly into the pan.

Glaze & Bake!
In small bowl combine all glaze ingredients.  Spread evenly over loaf and bake, uncovered 45 minutes at 350F.

Cool for about 10-15 minutes, slice into 8 slices and serve.

**This recipe freezes very well – you can freeze individual portions and then re-heat the slices in the oven.  Just wrap the piece in foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 35 mins.

***Make a couple of loaves at a time to save extra work!