Category: Plant Based

Creamy And Delicious Vegan Eggnog

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Guuuyyysss…. this recipe is everything! 

I’ve officially switched into holiday mode. I love seeing the strings of twinkling lights, a little more sparkle on outfits and my calendar filling up with get-togethers to see family and friends. 

You know what else I enjoy? Eggnog! That creamy deliciousness makes an appearance for such a short amount of time so I make sure to get my fair share.   

Growing up in a Portuguese home, Eggnog was never part of our family tradition. As I got older and spent the holidays with the families of my friends, I was introduced to it and quickly became a fan.

Fast forward a few years, it was pretty obvious that Eggnog did not fit into my new way of living.  I still wanted to enjoy it, but on my healthy terms! I didn’t want to give it up but I also didn’t want all of the added sugar, heavy cream and raw eggs from traditional recipes.

What I have come up with is this creamy, spiced blend that is perfect to sip on in front of a cozy fire, with friends at a holiday gathering or even as a base for a morning latte.

The best way to enjoy it is as a creamer for your coffee. Hope you like it as much as I do!

Creamy Delicious Vegan Eggnog
Serves 2
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Prep Time
10 min
Prep Time
10 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 ½ cups coconut milk (or other nut milk of your choice)
  2. ½ cup raw cashews
  3. 4 medjool dates, pitted
  4. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  5. ¾ tsp ground nutmeg
  6. ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  7. Pinch of ground cloves
  8. Pinch of sea salt
Instructions
  1. Soak cashews in water for 30 minutes, drain and rinse.
  2. Add all ingredients to a high power blender and blend until smooth.
  3. Serve immediately with a sprinkle of nutmeg or cinnamon on top.
Notes
  1. For a festive touch, you can add 1oz. spiced rum and whole cinnamon sticks for stirring.
  2. If you prefer it warm, heat up the coconut milk on the stove top just to a boil before adding to blender.
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Overnight Chocolate Chia Oats

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Breakfast is one of my favourite meals of the day. Just like lunch and dinner! Haha! Ok… I like to eat, what can I say.

But really, if I had to choose a favourite meal of the day, it would be breakfast. There’s just something about starting the day off right with amazing food and getting creative about it. 

From smoothies, to juices, to eggs, omelettes, leftover chicken, salmon, veggies, bars, chia pudding and oats, I mean, there are tons of amazing foods to eat for breakfast. And yes, I often times eat leftovers for breakfast and this sometimes consists of chicken, beef, salmon or turkey. 

The best is using those ingredients in an omelette with a ton of veggies, topping it with some kimchi and BAM! You’ve got one incredibly healthy meal to start your day.

And then there’s oats. It doesn’t sound so exciting, so this is where the creative side comes in. 

My boyfriend often tells me how he can eat the same meals over and over again and theres no need to make anything fancy. For me, I need to spoof up my meals a bit, and topping my oats with some fruit just ins’t gonna cut it. 

I need a little something more. 

That’s where these Overnight Chocolate Chia Oats come in. Chocolate? For breakfast? YES!

Especially if it’s raw cacao – the real, unprocessed kind that is full of minerals and antioxidants. 

This recipe is perfect for busy mornings, great for kids (cuz what kid doesn’t love chocolate!?), and it’s full of healthy fats from chia. If you’re looking for a little extra protein boost, 2 scrambled eggs on the side would compliment this meal perfectly, otherwise, you might be completely satisfied with it just as is. 

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This is definitely a recipe you want to keep in your “I’m-too-busy-in-the-morning” recipe arsenals, as you prepare it the night before and it’s ready to go the next day. #crushyourmornings #noexcuses

You might just end up eating it right outta the jar, and there’s nothing wrong with that 🙂

Let’s get to it!

Overnight Chocolate Chia Oats
Serves 2
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
8 hr
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
8 hr
Ingredients
  1. 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats (I used Bob's Red Mill)
  2. 1/3 cup (55 g) chia seeds
  3. 2 tablespoons unsweetened cacao powder
  4. 2 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
  5. 1 tbsp hemp seeds, for topping
  6. Mixed berries, for topping
Instructions
  1. In a large mason jar, add in oats, chia seeds and cacao powder.
  2. Add in the milk, put on the lid and shake your jar until all the ingredients are combined.
  3. Place in the fridge and leave overnight.
  4. In the morning, scoop out your portion into a bowl and top with your favourite toppings. Get creative here! I used sliced strawberries, wild blueberries and hemp seeds, but feel free to use whatever fruits you like or a combination of nuts and seeds.
Notes
  1. *If you're looking to add a little extra sweetness, feel free to add in 1-2 Tbsps of maple syrup to the mason jar before shaking.
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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The Best Gluten Free Falafels (Baked, Not Fried!)

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You probably won’t find many bean recipes on my site. 

Truth is, I actually do love to eat them, but I tend to eat more poultry, meat, fish or seafood. In fact, my quinoa black bean burger is pretty damn tasty, so that might be a yummy vegan recipe for you to check out. 

Oh! and my Vegan Tempeh Chilli. Ok… that one is delish!

You’ve probably heard me say the term Qualitarian before, and for me, that’s really the type of ‘diet’ I follow. Regardless if it’s paleo or vegan, for me, it’s all about quality food. 

And if you’ve participated in any of my detox programs, I like to include a variety of vegan, vegetarian and paleo meals because that’s pretty much how I eat and so I share those recipes with you in my programs. 

Some days I feel like eating more meat and other days I feel like keeping it plant based. I listen to what my body is craving and go for that. 

Today, I was craving falafels! And unfortunately, most restaurant falafels or store bought brands tend to contain low-quality vegetable oils and are typically deep fried. 

I baked my falafels and they still got a nice crispy coating. I’m sure if I kept them in the oven a little longer and broiled them on high, they would have gotten even more crispy (definitely something you can experiment with), but I was happy with the texture minus the broiling.

These hearty little gems made the perfect dinner! I served them in a lettuce leaf, with cucumbers and little hummus. Honestly, I kept it reeeal simple. It was one of those “I just want to sit on the couch and watch bad TV” kinda nights and spending a long time prepping food wasn’t really on my agenda.

Tahini or tzatziki would be a great addition to this dish. Even some guac and salsa. Honestly, it’s pretty endless what you can do with these falafels. With my leftovers I plan on making a massive salad tomorrow with cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, crisp romaine lettuce and top it with my falafels and hummus. 

Can you say yum?! Healthy and easy is how I like it over here!

Putting these falafels together is pretty easy. Your food processor does all the work!

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Once you blend all the ingredients together, simply roll the batter into balls and place onto a baking sheet. (NOTE – I used a stone baking sheet which doesn’t require parchment paper. If you’re baking sheet is stainless steel, or if you find your food tends to stick to it, definitely use parchment paper).

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Now you bake! Bake them at 375F for 40 minutes. If you want them a little crispier, you can experiment by broiling them for a few minutes. It’s important to flip them half way so they get crispy on both sides. I also slightly flattened them once I flipped them, which helped them cook a little better.

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And now, they’re done! Time to eat and make your wraps. Get creative with this step and use your favourite toppings, use the falafels on top a salad or simple eat them as is!

Hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

The Best Gluten Free Falafels (Baked, Not Fried!)
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
40 min
Total Time
50 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
40 min
Total Time
50 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 x 400g can chickpeas (rinsed & drained - I used Eden Organic Beans)
  2. 1/4 cup fresh parsley
  3. 1 tsp ground cumin
  4. 1 tsp ground coriander
  5. 1⁄2 tsp chilli powder (less or more to taste)
  6. 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (less or more to taste)
  7. 2 garlic cloves
  8. 2 tbsp brown rice flour
  9. 1 small red onion, roughly chopped
  10. 2 tbsp olive oil
  11. Sea salt
  12. Pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375F.
  2. Add all the Falafel ingredients into a food processor and blend until well combined and creamy.
  3. Using your hands, roll the mixture into balls and place onto a parchment lined baking sheet. I got 10 balls out of this mixture. Depending on the size you want, you can make more or less.
  4. Bake for 40 minutes, making sure to flip half way through at the 20 minute mark. *When I flipped mine, I flattened them slightly.
  5. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
  6. Serve on lettuce wrap, in gluten free wrap, in a salad or eat as is!
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Raw Chocolate Coconut Brownies

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Mmm… brownies!

Who doesn’t love a chocolatey brownie treat? 

I’m all for a sweet treat, but as you know, I’m also pretty particular about what ingredients I use in my baked goods. In this case, un-baked goods!

Yes, these brownies are raw, meaning no baking is required. This also means less mess and less cleanup up for you beauty! 

I’m all about organic ingredients, low-glycemic sweeteners, non-dairy milks and gluten free flours when it comes to baking. 

If you’ve baked up my sweet treats in the past, I’m pretty confident that you’ve loved them! I always hear back from you guys about how much you loved my muffins or cookies or delicious granolas. 

In fact, the most popular dessert recipe off my site is my Paleo Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Avocado Frosting. If you haven’t made these yet, click here to get the recipe now! They are super delicious, gluten free, full of protein (shocking for a cupcake) and loaded with healthy fats. 

But let’s move onto this super yummy raw brownies that take no time to make and are incredibly filling. 

If you’ve made raw treats in the past, you know they are loaded with lots of healthy nuts. These raw brownies contain a variety of nuts, which means they are high fat and super filling. One little square and I promise it will help satisfy that sweet tooth!

Healthy fats are essential for heart health, supporting hormonal balance and they even help to moisturize your skin from the inside out. 

And as a bonus, these raw brownies are the perfect PMS treat! Yup… dealing with those cravings, blood sugar swings and irritability? From magnesium, healthy omega 3’s and satiety from protein and fat, these little chocolatey gems are perfect to combat the PMS monster. 

So let’s get our un-bake on!

Raw Chocolate Coconut Brownies
Serves 8
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
40 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
40 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 cup cashews (soaked for 1 hour or up to 6 hours)
  2. 1 cup walnuts
  3. 3 tbsp shredded coconut
  4. 1 cup cacao powder (I use Navitas Naturals)
  5. 8 pitted dates (soak in warm water for 5 minutes to soften and help with removing pits)
  6. 1 tsp cinnamon
  7. 1 tsp ground vanilla bean
  8. 1 heaping tbsp coconut butter or oil
  9. 2-3 tbsp maple syrup (or you can use brown rice syrup)
Instructions
  1. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until well combined and nuts are broken down.
  2. The batter will be slightly chunky and sticky. If you need more sticking-power, add a few extra tablespoons of maple syrup.
  3. Place the mixture into a brownie pan (8X8) prepared with parchment paper. Press mixture into pan using your hands or the back of the spoon. Try to get the batter even throughout the pan.
  4. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes up to an hour to slightly harden. Then remove from fridge and cut into 12 squares.
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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The Best Ever Red Lentil Dhal

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Curry.

I love it. The smell, the taste, the health benefits. 

Even as a little girl I was always so drawn to many different cultural foods. I wanted to try everything! I remember in grade 2 this boy in my class brought sushi and seaweed to school and I ate up every last bite while the other kids made funny faces and spat it out. 

Crunchy crickets however… I haven’t been able to get over that. I just can’t do it. I can eat them when they are ground and covered in chocolate, but actually mini crunchy tiny crickets. UGH! Can’t do it. 

Anyways, I don’t want to spoil your appetite before we move forward to my incredible Red Lentil Dhal. It is such an amazing fall meal and because it makes a large pot, you can enjoy leftovers for the whole week! Or freeze it and enjoy leftovers for months. 

I love a good leftover meal. I actually call my boyfriend the leftover chef because he’s so great at grabbing a bunch of random leftover ingredients out of the fridge and whipping up an amazing meal. 

It’s nice having two cooks in the house. We take turns normally. I’m on dinner duty while he does breakfast duty then we fend for ourselves for lunch. It works out really well actually. He normally gets up before me and prepares eggs, pancakes or works his magic with the leftovers. 

Being that he works later and I’m at home, I cook dinner so it’s nice and warm when he walks through the door and he doesn’t have to worry about cooking at the end of his day. When he walked in the door the other night his first words were, “Mmm, I smell curry!” 

Oh! and as a random side note, I often have lots of people ask me if I take my own food photos. Yes I do! I love photography and love snapping photos of food (especially baked goods!) and the funny thing is, I often have a hard time taking a photo of my entrees because I make them at night and the lighting sucks! For the Red Lentil Dhal however, I snapped this photo while eating it for lunch the next day, i.e. good lighting!

So onto this delicious recipe. As a Qualitarian, I enjoy a variety of proteins in my diet. Often times people think I’m vegan or paleo, and truth is, I’m both! Bottom line is to enjoy and eat quality food, regardless if it’s plant based or not. 

The Best Ever Red Lentil Dhal
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Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
35 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
35 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 tablespoons coconut oil or ghee
  2. 1 medium onion, chopped
  3. 3 large garlic cloves, minced
  4. 2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
  5. 2-3 large carrots, peeled and finely diced
  6. 2 teaspoons curry powder (or more to taste, based on preference)
  7. 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  8. 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  9. 1 1/2 cups dried red lentils, rinsed and picked through
  10. 1 (14-oz) can light coconut milk
  11. 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  12. 1/2 teaspoon sea salt + fresh cracked pepper
  13. 1 (5-oz) package baby spinach
  14. Cilantro and green onion for garnish (optional)
Instructions
  1. Heat a large pot over medium heat and add in oil. Add in chopped onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine. Saute over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions have softened.
  2. Stir in the ginger and carrots, and continue sauteing for 3-4 more minutes.
  3. Add in the curry powder, cumin, and turmeric. Stir well. Cook for a minute, until fragrant.
  4. Stir in entire can of coconut milk, red lentils, broth, and salt. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, covered with the lid ajar, for roughly 15-20 minutes, or until the lentils and carrots are tender. Stir occasionally to prevent the lentils from sticking to the bottom. Add a touch more broth if you prefer a thinner consistency.
  5. Once lentils are cooked, turn off the heat and stir in the spinach. Combine it into the dhal well as the heat will help to wilt it.
  6. Serve over basmati rice or quinoa and garnish with cilantro and green onion.
Notes
  1. *This dhal will keep for up to a week in the fridge or 4-5 weeks frozen and enjoyed throughout the winter.
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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Chocolate Avocado Pudding (the best guilt free dessert!)

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Yes… you heard right, I said chocolate AVOCADO pudding!

Who woulda thought right?!

I swear this creamy dreamy treat tastes so divine, you’d have NO idea that it contains avocado. It takes minutes to make and doubles as an icing for cakes or cupcakes.

As a bonus, this pudding can be used as a face mask! It might sound crazy, but the avocado and coconut oil are incredibly moisturizing for the skin and honey is an incredible humectant, which means it attracts and retains moisture. This makes honey a natural fit in a variety of moisturizing products including cleansers, creams, shampoos and conditioners.

The cacao contains tons of antioxidants which helps fighting aging and wrinkles, so all around, this pudding can do many things and will probably become your new favourite dessert and beauty care product. 

As a bonus, chocolate (cacao powder) is one of the richest sources of magnesium, which helps to manage pms cramps, tight and sore muscles and is a great relaxing mineral. 

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do. And may I point out… when I first started dating my boyfriend Gaetan, I whipped up this dessert for him one night and can I just say… he fell even more in love with me! It’s true that a way to a mans heart is through his stomach 🙂 

Chocolate Avocado Pudding
Serves 2
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Prep Time
5 min
Total Time
5 min
Prep Time
5 min
Total Time
5 min
Ingredients
  1. Half an avocado
  2. 2-3 tbsp raw cacao powder
  3. 2 tbsp raw honey
  4. 1-2 tbsp coconut oil
Instructions
  1. Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend until well combined. All done! You can double or triple this recipe to use as a frosting on cupcakes.
  2. Top with your favourite nuts and seeds, berries, bananas or shredded coconut.
Holistic Wellness https://holisticwellness.ca/
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