Category: Sides and Snacks

THANKSGIVING INSPIRED VEGAN STUFFING AND GRAVY

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It might only be the start of September, but these delicious meatloaf and gravy recipes have me pumped for Thanksgiving! Even my brother, a true carnivore, was going for seconds, thirds and beyond! This meatloaf recipe is going to be a staple for me once the colder months hit.

The Meatloaf

  • 2 TBSP olive oil
  • 1/2 cup onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 3/4 cup cashew, soaked for 10 minutes
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs*
  • 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 TBSP fresh basil (or dried), chopped
  • 1 TBSP poultry seasoning**
  • 2 TBSP nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1.5 cup mushroom, sliced to 1″ thickness

*Pro tip: Never buy breadcrumbs! Making your own is so easy and a great way to use up that slightly stale bread, or “undesirable” end pieces. I had some leftover sourdough and it worked perfect for this recipe.

**Poultry seasoning, like other seasoning blends, does not actually contain meat. It’s just given this name because it’s commonly used to flavor chicken. Similar to breadcrumbs, another pro tip is to make your own. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/233909/homemade-poultry-seasoning/

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.
  2. Heat 1 TBSP of olive oil over medium heat, cook garlic and onion for 2 to 3 minutes or until translucent. Remove from heat.
  3. Bring medium pot of water to boil and add carrots. Simmer for 8 to 12 minutes or until soft. Remove from heat.
  4. Drain and rinse carrots with cold water. Mash with a potato masher or process until smooth with high speed blender.
  5. Grind cashews in a food processor and mix with breadcrumbs in a large bowl.
  6. Mash chickpeas with potato masher or use a food processor to mash – just enough so they are crumbly!
  7. Add garlic, onions, carrots, cashews, chickpeas, and seasonings to breadcrumb mixture. Give it a good mix!
  8. Heat remaining TBSP of olive oil over medium heat and cook mushrooms until soft.
  9. Grease a loaf pan and press in half of the chickpea mixture. Top with a layer of mushrooms and cover with the remaining chickpea mixture.
  10. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 60 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes to cool. Once cool flip pan upside down onto a cutting board or serving plate. Slice, top with a generous dollop of gravy, serve, and enjoy!

The Gravy

  • 1 TBSP olive oil
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
  • 2.5 TBSP vegan butter or margarine
  • 1/4 cup chickpea flour
  • 1 1/2 cup vegetable broth
  • 2 TBSP soy sauce
  • 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
  1. In a small pot, warm olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and mushrooms and cook for 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
  2. In the same small pot, whisk butter and flour for about 30 seconds. Add broth, soy sauce and pepper. Stir continuously to avoid lumps and until desired consistency is met.
  3. Return mushrooms and onions to the pot and use an emulsion blender to mix until there are no chunks – unless of course, you prefer chunks!

I can’t wait to see how many carnivores pick these one over the traditional stuffing and gravy at Thanksgiving!

Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures of the gravy. Guess you guys will have to try it for yourselves 🙂

SARAH’S DAY INSPIRED PROTEIN GRANOLA

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Inspired by my favourite Sezzy, Sarah’s Day (aka Australian queen of all things health, fitness and holistic wellness), I decided to have a spin at protein granola. For the past year or so, I have been on the hunt for the perfect granola recipe. One with the perfect ratio of sweet to salty, crunch to chew, and deliciousness to deliciousness. While this one isn’t at the level of Glory Juice’s granola, it comes very close! On a side note, if you’re in Vancouver go to Glory Juice and try their Glory Granola. It is seriously to die for. Light, crunchy, flaky and perfectly sweet, I always find myself craving this treat (Unintentional rhyming). Link below: https://gloryjuiceco.com/collections/organic-food/products/glory-granola

My take on Sarah’s granola gluten-free, vegan, hormone balancing and energy boosting. If you haven’t heard of maca before, it is a superfood derived from a root vegetable. Usually in a powder form, this powerhouse has a tremendous amount of health benefits, including external stress response, balances hormones (both male and female), and it’s a natural stimulant. It has a nutty flavor and I particularly love it paired with vanilla and a pinch of sea salt. When combined, you get the perfect taste of salted caramel. Try it in a post-workout smoothie with frozen banana, almond milk, vanilla protein powder, cinnamon, and a dash of salt.

This week I am having the granola on top of plain coconut yogurt, flavored with homemade jam and freshly picked blueberries. I’m ready to time travel to breakfast!

Sarah’s Day Inspired Protein Granola

  • 1.5 cups rolled oats (look for gluten-free variety)
  • 1/2 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)*
  • 1/2 cup sunflower seeds*
  • 1/2 cup shredded coconut
  • 2 TBSP Vega Sport Vanilla protein powder
  • I TBSP maca powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup or liquid sweetner of choice

*Feel free to substitute these seeds for 1 cup (in total) of your favourite nut and seed mix. I always have pepitas and sunflower seeds on hand so that’s what went into the granola today. However, I think it would be super tasty with chopped walnuts or almonds!

  1. Preheat oven to 160*C (320 degrees Fahrenheit). Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
  2. Combine dry ingredients into a bowl and mix well.
  3. Pour in the maple syrup and stir until all ingredients are well coated.
  4. Spread onto the baking tray in an even layer and bake for 30 minutes or until golden. Give it a stir at the halfway mark.
  5. Cool for 10 minutes before giving the granola another stir. Cool completely and transfer into an air-tight container. Store at room temperature for up to 1 month but I guarantee it won’t last this long!