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Hello December!
I feel this is about the time people start to panic about Christmas, a mere 3 weeks away. Even as I type this, I am running through my Christmas to-do list and wondering where I will find the time.
I worry about the things associated with Christmas: the gifts, the wrapping, creating a perfect camera moment, but is this what Christmas is about? Don’t worry, I won’t get all Christmas special cliché on you, especially after I mention this book’s passage.
I read this passage from the dark fiction novel, We Need to Talk about Kevin, by Lionel Shiver. It is one of the best-written books I have ever read and very un-Christmas-y. If you had read it, you will think I am nuts for mentioning this thriller while talking about Christmas, but this excerpt rings true to me about owning things.
“…everything in their house was buffed to a high, flat shine, so much reflection to protect the fact that there was nothing underneath… They owned a top-shelf stereo with speakers worth $1,000 a piece, but only a handful of easy-listening and best-of CDs: Opera Stoppers; Classical Greatest Hits. That sounds lazy, but I think it was more helpless: They didn’t know what music was for. You could say that about all of life, with your family: They didn’t know what it was for.”
From We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shiver
I think this passage speaks volumes about minimalism, passion, and experiences rather than things. Instead of purchasing a brand new T.V. to watch other live their lives, considering stepping away and doing something yourself.
Experiences can be an amazing gift to give someone this Christmas instead of a material present. Presence over presents. When you do spend time with your loved ones, be present; turn off your notifications, try going outside without screens, listen to what they are saying and respond thoughtfully.
If you are unable to give them an experience such as a concert, tickets, etc. give your time and efforts. When a friend of mine was pregnant and after she delivered, she said that the nicest gifts anyone gave her was someone doing a load of laundry or cooking a meal for her- someone to be in the chaos with her. By doing these things, you are trying to make their day a little bit easier for them and it shows that you care. These are the gifts of life and not just for around the holidays- this is what life is for.
Food gifts are always great as well, especially in cookie form. These cookies freeze well, for about a month, in a freezer bag. You can also roll the dough into balls, freeze individually, and then store in a freezer bag so they can make the cookies as they like.
Stay connected on the daily by following me on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest. Made a recipe from this post? I would love to see it! Use the hashtag #screcipe on your social media.
- ⅓ cup chopped raw pecans
- 1 tablespoon ground flax mixed with 3 tablespoons water
- ¼ cup solid virgin coconut oil
- ¼ cup raw cashew butter
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar
- ⅓ cup organic cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats, processed into a fine flour
- ½ cup sorghum flour for GF or light spelt flour if not GF
- 80 grams chopped dark chocolate, about the size of peas
- Maldon flaked sea salt (optional)
- In a small skillet, toast the nuts over medium-low heat until golden. Set aside to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flax and water for 5 minutes to gel up.
- Add the coconut oil, cashew butter, and both sugars into the bowl with the flax egg. With a hand-held electric mixer or stand mixer, beat the ingredients until combined.
- Add in each remaining ingredient one by one until fully combined.
- Fold in the chocolate and cooled pecans into the batter. Cover the dough with a piece of plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Measure out 2 heaping tablespoons of dough, roll it into a ball, and press into a thick disc. These cookies spread out a LOT so be sure to use both baking sheets.
- Bake for about 11-12 minutes until the cookies are spread out, golden, and with crispy edges.
- Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Sprinkle with flaked sea salt if you desire.
In an effort to be more transparent and encouraging to my readers, this was my editing process for the feature image of this post. The left side is straight from the camera on a cloudy day, the second is the first time I edited it, and third is the feature image. Don’t feel you aren’t a good photographer because your images straight from camera aren’t amazing. Edit them! No one but you has to see the original. To take a photo is human, to edit is divine.
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Mark is an exceptional partner and I am so grateful that we get to spend our lives together, but he does come with a few flaws like any other human being. First, he doesn’t like Brussel sprouts, at all, in any form whatsoever. His Scottish mother hides a single boiled Brussel sprout on his Thanksgiving plate, covered with a heap of mashed potatoes. It is a running joke and he acts surprised every year. I love Brussel sprouts but I was never forced to eat them as a child because, like Mark, my mother also hates them. Second and most important, Mark does not like tacos.
Who is this guy?
Mark says, and I quote him, “Tacos are just sandwiches that are harder to eat.” Whenever I have the “taco-talk” with Mark, I always feel like Ben Wyatt from Parks & Rec trying to sell the idea of calzones to his friends and Mark giving me this kind of reaction.
I had to change his mind.
These tacos highlight some awesome winter produce like Brussel sprouts, that I shaved so thin that he didn’t even realize what it was, lacinato kale, and cauliflower, dressed in turmeric and curry. Instead of the usual guacamole or sour cream, I topped these tacos with a lemony tahini dressing. Turmeric cauliflower tacos with brussel sprouts and kale sounds super weird but, even the most skeptical taco person I know asked for seconds.
A win for tacos.
For those without a mandoline, I use one similar to OXO Good Grips Hand-Held Mandoline Slicer
P.S. These bad boys are crazy sharp so watch those fingers!
Disclaimer: this post has an Amazon Affiliate link.
Stay connected on the daily by following me on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest. Made a recipe from this post? I would love to see it! Use the hashtag #screcipe on your social media.
- 4 cups bite-sized cauliflower pieces, a small head (main stem removed)
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½-1 teaspoon hot curry powder*
- ½ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups shredded Lacinato kale (about 5 or 6 large leaves)
- 2 cups finely shredded Brussel sprouts, stem removed and thinly sliced on a mandoline
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- Pinch of fine grain sea salt
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon tahini
- 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ Tablespoon warm water, or to desired consistency
- Pinch of fine grain sea salt
- 6 small corn tortillas (or wheat if not gluten free)
- Slices of avocado
- Cilantro
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Toss the bite-sized cauliflower pieces together with the turmeric, curry powder, ½ teaspoon of salt, and 2 teaspoons of olive oil together until incorporated. Transfer to one of the prepared baking sheets in a single layer and wipe out the empty bowl. Roast cauliflower for 10 minutes.
- In the now clean bowl, massage the kale and sprouts in 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of olive oil, and with a good pinch of salt. Spread evenly (it won't be in a single layer) on the second prepared parchment lined baking sheet. Add this sheet to the oven when you flip the cauliflower at the 10 minute cooking time mark. Cook both sheets of vegetables for 10 more minutes, flipping the kale + sprout mixture after 5 minutes of cooking.
- Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Whisk together 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, 1 Tablespoon tahini, syrup, 1 teaspoon of oil, and a good pinch of salt together in a small bowl. Add water to thin out the consistency if you like, I add about ½ Tablespoon in total.
- Take both sheets out of the oven and add the corn tortillas right onto the oven racks. Turn off the oven and heat the tortillas for about 2 minutes or until warm. Don't leave them in there for too long because they crisp up fast.
- Divide the cauliflower and kale + sprout mixture amongst the tortillas, drizzle with sauce, and top with cilantro and avocado if you like.
This week has been hard in the world. My heart goes out to those who are suffering.
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Before we commit to a lifestyle change, I think we feel we need to clean the slate of the things we own that don’t fit that mold anymore and swiftly replace it with things that do. When we decide to commit to the gym, for example, we sign up for a year’s membership, buy new gear, and binge eat all the bad food we have in the house, so we aren’t tempted by it after we work out, if we work out at all. I felt this way about veganism when I first started, only to never use the ingredients I had purchased. I am having that similar feeling again with minimalism, feeling that I need to buy things before getting started: certain books, clothes made by minimalist designers, making sure all the surfaces in my apartment were cleared off, and I needed to be perfect at it right now. I am sure my enthusiasm was very annoying to the people around me.
While I am enthusiastic about minimalism and simple living by reading about it, my partner, Mark, has not had the time to absorb and process the benefits of owning less. I am ready to flip our apartment upside down again, Mark is a little more hesitant about it. It was hard to accept that he needed the time since I felt that material things were suffocating our home. I was in the mindset of selling our possessions and moving into a micro-home in the middle of a forest, Mark needs the time to shift his own focus. For now, I am centering my attention on the things that I own that I can re-purpose, donate, or throw away. I am using the KonMari method from the book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
Now when I look around my apartment, I see the clutter but I can be a little more patient with the process of recycling it. Minimalism, like any other lifestyle change, does take time, but it isn’t about being perfect. I have come to accept that it is just about getting rid of things that no longer bring you joy and taking exceptional care of the things that do.
Take a look around your own home, what items have you been holding on to for those “just in case” moments that never come up? Or something of no purpose that holds sentimental value? Can you repurpose it in a different way? Does it still bring joy into your life?
Stay connected on the daily by following me on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest. Made a recipe from this post? I would love to see it! Use the hashtag #screcipe on your social media.
FYI: this post does contain an Amazon affiliate link, but this book has been life changing!
- ½ cup dried black beluga or le puy lentils, picked through and rinsed
- ½ teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
- Pinch of salt
- 4 slices sourdough or whole grain bread, preferably slightly stale, cut into small cubes
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 2 medium yellow
onions, diced (200 grams diced) - 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 1 medium russet potato, peeled and diced (about 250 grams diced)
- 2 pounds (900 grams) celeriac root, trimmed, peeled and diced (about 24 ounces or 680 grams diced)
- 4 springs of thyme + more for serving
- 4 cups filtered water (I use my Brita)
- 2 cup low sodium vegetable stock or homemade
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ¾ teaspoon fine grain sea salt, or to taste*
- Cracked black pepper, to taste
- In a small pot set on the stovetop, add the picked and rinsed lentils and 2 cups of water. Bring water to a boil, cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce heat and simmer until they are tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain, rinse with cool water, and spread them onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Gently press lentils with paper towels or a clean dish towel to dry. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and set aside.
- While the lentils are cooking on the stove top, on a separate parchment paper lined sheet, toss the cubed bread with the olive oil and set aside until the oven is at 375 degrees.
- Meanwhile, in a large pot over medium heat, add the 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil to the pot and heat until shimmering. Add the diced onion and cook until softened but not
browned, about 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the diced potato, celeriac, and thyme and stir to coat with oil. Add the water and vegetable stock to the pot. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil. Once it is boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 15 minutes, until all the vegetables are fork tender. While the soup is cooking, add the sheets with the lentils and bread to the oven and cook for 10 minutes, turning both sheets halfway through cooking time. The bread may need an extra minute, depending how large you diced them. - Once the vegetables are fully cooked, add the nutritional yeast and in batches puree the soup in a blender until completely smooth. Be careful blending hot liquids! Continue until all the soup is pureed. Transfer the pureed soup back to the pot over medium-low heat and season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
- Divide amongst the serving dishes, top with a generous handful of croutons, smoky lentils, and a good drizzle of olive oil. Serve and enjoy!
Always salt your soup before serving as a lot of water has been evaporated and the salt can be overconcentrated.
The salt is to taste depending on how salty your vegetable stock is. I used ¾ teaspoon in total but start off with ½ teaspoon and add more to taste.
This soup is perfect for a rainy day….
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This week I had the pleasure of attending a Vegan Meet-Up hosted by Emily von Euw from This Rawsome Vegan Life. Not only is she super cool, laid back, and amazing, she also signed my copies of her books, Rawsome Vegan Baking: An Un-cookbook for Raw, Gluten-Free, Vegan, Beautiful and Sinfully Sweet Cookies, Cakes, Bars & Cupcakes
and 100 Best Juices, Smoothies and Healthy Snacks: Easy Recipes For Natural Energy & Weight Control the Healthy Way
Blogging can be a bit isolating at times so it is great to step away from behind the computer and meet up with fellow vegans in person. It was amazing to see, not only so many, but so many young people coming out to the event to celebrate their positive lifestyle. When I was young, I had zero motivation to prepare my own meals, shop for things myself, or to change my lifestyle at all. “The times, they are a changin’ “…for the better!
Now let’s talk food…
November has come and the days are shorter, with the sun going down far too early for me. Peppermint lattes and mint-infused chocolate desserts are popping up in cafés with Christmas only a few weeks away (gahhh!!), but I am focused on sweet crisp apples. Raw apples are delicious, especially dipped in almond butter (like this one), but lightly stewed apples are a bit more decadent, pie-like even. Best part? It is easy, with no added sugars or oil, and tastes like dessert on your morning oats. Just a little bit of water, fresh lemon juice, and cinnamon along with chopped apples is all it takes to make your breakfast a bit more special.
In the cooler months, I like to heat up my overnight oats. Raw oats are great in the summer with loads of fresh fruit but in the chilly mornings of November, I prefer a cozy and warm breakfast. Who doesn’t? Especially one that is this quick.
This recipe does take some pre-planning, but it is worth the extra minute to remember to soak the almonds overnight. Using fresh almond milk makes these oats a little more gourmet, has a fresher taste, and for this recipe, you don’t need a nut-milk bag- we are keeping the pulp to bump up the fibre in our oats. By using unstrained milk, you don’t have to ask yourself, “what am I going to do with this almond pulp?” Eat it and waste not!
Stay connected on the daily by following me on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest. Made a recipe from this post? I would love to see it! Use the hashtag #screcipe on your social media.
FYI: This post contains Amazon affiliated links, but I have both of Emily’s books and LOVE them
- 1 cup raw almonds, soaked overnight
- 4 cups filtered water
- 4 Medjool dates pitted- soak for 10 minutes in warm water if your dates are hard
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- ⅔ cups rolled oats, gluten-free if necessary*
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cups fresh unstrained almond milk
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 medium McIntosh apples, peeled and diced**
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon water
- 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup, to drizzle (optional)
- Sprouted groats for garnish (optional)
- Add the soaked almonds, water, soft pitted dates, vanilla, and salt into a high-power blender. Blend on high for about 30 seconds or until the almonds are completely broken down.
- In a large glass container, such as a jar or Tupperware, add the oats, chia seeds, and cinnamon. Stir until combined. Add 2 cups of unstrained milk, vanilla, and stir until well incorporated. Cover and keep in the fridge overnight.
- In the morning, add the chopped apples, lemon juice, cinnamon, and water to a medium non-stick pan with a lid over medium heat. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.
- Meanwhile, add the oats to another pan and cook until hot, adding a splash of unstrained milk if the oats become too thick.
- Divide the oats amongst the serving dishes and top with apples. I recommend drizzling your oats with some maple syrup.
** I used these soft sweet apples but tart ones, like a Granny Smith, or a combination of the two would also be good.
P.S. Despite the shorter days, I do love November for its colours.
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I have been listening to a lot of Podcasts over the past few weeks, mostly One Part Podcast and Food Blogger Pro, and they have become an invaluable source for inspiration and motivation. I am so glad that there are people creating this content to help those who seek their advice. Hearing people’s stories about how they got started, how long it took them to succeed, and how they are sustaining themselves in their business can be all the motivation we need. But what happens when you start feeling down after hearing these?
I find that sometimes inspirational talks or reads can be a fuel for comparative anxiety. I found myself in this trap of negativity not long ago, comparing my story to theirs, measuring up my successes to theirs. I blamed this bad vibe on the crappy weather, my less than optimal diet, my lack of sleep, but did not want to admit that I just felt bad about myself.
This is when to shut it down, literally, shut down your phone, your computer, your Podcast feed, and remember why you started. When I am feeling down about my work and myself, I don’t log onto any social media and I focus on myself. To get myself out of this, I will bring my camera out to the park and snap photos by myself with no intention of sharing them or I will make a meal for Mark and I and not take a photo of it at all. These actions bring me joy and help me remember why I began. I did not begin this site to compare it to others, I started it to share my work.
I had to shut off other people’s stories to focus on my own story. If you are ever feeling down or find yourself comparing your work to others, remember that this is your story and it is worth sharing.
I have been on a serious turmeric kick lately, but I am loving it. Turmeric is so great for a lot of reasons, other than the taste, such as its anti-inflammatory properties and its ability to fight off free radicals in the body. Tip: next time you make a smoothie, add 1/4 teaspoon each ground turmeric and black pepper for enhanced benefits of each spice. Thanks for the tip Jenny Mustard!
Stay connected on the daily by following me on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest. Made a recipe from this post? I would love to see it! Use the hashtag #screcipe on your social media.
- 2 sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into fries (If you need some help, this video is great)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- Spicy Turmeric Drizzle
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon caraway seeds
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon fine grain sea salt + fat pinch of cracked black pepper
- 1 Thai chilli, chopped fine or ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon grated garlic
- 2 tablespoons warm water or at your desired consistency
- Garnish
- ¼ cup pomegranate arils
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro or mint
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the cut sweet potatoes with the oil and salt. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet in a single layer, not letting the fries overlay each other, and bake for 22-25 minutes or until crispy, turning halfway through cooking time. They will crisp up as they cool.
- Meanwhile, make your sauce. In a small non-stick pan, add the cumin, coriander, caraway seeds, and turmeric and heat over med-low, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. This should take about 1 minute. Set aside to cool.
- In a bowl of a food processor, add the tahini, maple syrup, chili flakes or chopped Thai chilli, vinegar, garlic, and water. Blend until very smooth. Add the cooled spices and blend again until combined.
- Once the sweet potatoes are done, transfer to serving plate, and garnish with the sauce, pomegranate, and chopped herbs. Serve immediately and enjoy!
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