Getting ready to watch the game? Add these healthy vegan/vegetarian nachos to your snack list. Your taste buds will love the spices and your palate will appreciate the various textures. By omitting corn chips and dairy cheese, we have reduced the inflammatory component. Using some good fats like walnuts and avocados means we are nourishing the brain, the nervous system and every cell membrane in your body. So have one as a snack or eat 3 or 4 as a meal. You will be surprised how filling they can be. Enjoy!
Makes 4 servings as a meal or 8 servings as a snack
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 15-20 minutes
What you need:
- 1 large sweet potato, cut into thick slices
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4-1/2 cup guacamole (or mashed avocado)
- 1/2 cup Chili Walnut Meat
- 1/4 cup finely diced cucumber
- unsweetened coconut yogurt
- sprouts
*To make the Chili Walnut Meat
- 1 cup toasted walnuts
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp chili powder (more or less to taste)
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp hemp seeds
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
What you do:
- Preheat oven to 400F. In a medium bowl, toss the slices of sweet potatoes with the olive oil and some salt and pepper. Spread the potato slices on a baking sheet and cook for 10 minutes. Flip them over and cook an additional 5-10 minutes until cooked (depending on the thickness). Set aside.
- While potatoes are cooking, make the Chili Walnut Meat. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until you get an even crumbly texture. Set aside.
- To assemble, “butter” each potato slice with some guacamole. Top with the Chili Walnut Meat. Sprinkle with cucumber pieces. Top with yogurt and sprouts.
Bon appétit!
Substitution tips:
- Replace the guacamole with some mashed avocado or some salsa.
- Use finely diced tomatoes or zucchinis instead of cucumbers.
- You can make the Chili Walnut Meat in advance and refrigerate until ready to use.
The sesame-ginger dressing on this salad is what makes it so delicious. Make sure to use toasted sesame oil for more flavour depth. I love adding some pomegranates to this salad for extra colour and freshness. However, they may be hard to find so using some dried cranberries is a good substitute. Enjoy this salad at any time of the year!
Makes 1 serving (+ extra servings of salad dressing)
Prep time: 10 minutes
What you need:
- 1 cup baby spinach (a good handful)
- 1/2 cup chopped snap peas
- 1 tbsp pomegranate seeds
- 1/2 cup cooked salmon
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
For the dressing
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- 3 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp raw liquid honey
- 1 tbsp tamari sauce
- 2 tsp grated gingerroot
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
What you do:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the salad dressing ingredients until well blended. Set aside.
- In a salad bowl, layer the bottom with the spinach. Top with the snap peas, pomegranate seeds, cooked salmon and sesame seeds.
- Drizzle with the salad dressing and mix.
Bon appétit!
Substitution tips:
- Replace the pomegranate seeds with dried fruit such as cranberries.
- Use canned salmon if you do not have any fresh cooked salmon.
- Use snow peas instead of snap peas.
- This salad dressing can be used as a marinade as well.
Another great way to use up turkey leftovers is into a nourishing wholesome soup. Adding homemade bone broth, turmeric, and fresh herbs, makes this soup gut-healing and anti-inflammatory. Enjoy it on a cool winter night, after a day of skiing, snowshoeing, skating or hiking.
Makes 6 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
What you need:
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp turmeric powder
- 2 celery stalks, sliced (approx. 1 cup)
- 2 cups chopped cabbage
- 3 large carrots, diced
- 4 cups bone broth
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tbsp sea salt
- 1/2 lb cooked turkey leftovers, cubed
- 2 cups rice vermicelli, broken into small pieces
- 2 cups water (more or less)
What you do:
- Melt coconut oil in large saucepan, over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic. Sauté until onions have softened. Add turmeric and mix. Continue cooking for 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Add the celery, carrots and cabbage and stir. Continue to sauté for another minute.
- Add the bone broth, fresh thyme, fresh parsley, and sea salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
- Add the cooked turkey, rice noodles and extra water (as needed). Cook another 5 minutes until noodles are cooked. Taste and adjust seasoning. Ladle into soup bowls and enjoy!
Bon appétit!
Substitution tips:
- Replace the fresh thyme and parsley with any other fresh herbs, or 1 tsp dried thyme and 1 tbsp dried parsley.
- Replace the cooked turkey with cooked chicken.
- Replace the vermicelli with rice.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Will freeze very well for up to three months.
This “sconie” was inspired by a traditional scone recipe that is a favourite in the Desforges-Bell household. In order to satisfy more restrictive diets, we have played around with this recipe to obtain a gluten-free version. The result is halfway between a scone and a cookie, hence the name “sconie”. Enjoy these with your favourite cup of tea as a great afternoon snack.
Makes 12 servings (or 12 cookies)
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30
What you need:
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour
- 1/4 cup unrefined coconut sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
- 3 tbsp cold butter, cubed
- 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk (from the can)
- 1/4 cup strawberry jam
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
What you do:
- Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, rosemary, and salt). Add the cold butter and cut in with a pastry cutter or a fork, until you get a mixture that resembles a coarse meal.
- Add the cream and mix well until the mixture thickens up.
- Using a large spoon, scoop some of the mixture and drop onto your baking sheet. Flatten with fingers if necessary to form a thick cookie. Using a smaller spoon, add some strawberry jam to each cookie by pressing into the middle of each one. Top with some chopped pecans. Dust with some extra coconut sugar if desired.
- Cook in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until cookies are golden brown and firm to the touch. Let cool over a wire rack. Enjoy with your favourite cup of tea!
Bon appétit!
Useful tips:
- You can use 1/2 tsp of dried rosemary instead of fresh.
- You can replace the strawberry jam with any fruit jam or jelly.
- Serving size is one cookie.
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for a week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Need a quick and easy meal that is filling and nutritious. Then a hash is what you want. Hash comes from the French term “haché” which means chopped. A hash is basically a mix of meat, potatoes, and any other chopped leftover veggies. In this version, we use organic pork sausage, sweet potatoes, apples and kale. Simple and quick to prepare. Pre-cook the sausages to save on time.
Makes 4 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
What you need:
- 2 tbsp ghee or coconut oil
- 1 large organic sweet potato, unpeeled, diced
- 6 cups kale, de-stemmed and chopped
- 1 large organic apple, unpeeled, diced
- 2 organic cooked pork sausages, cut in 1-inch slices
- 1 lime, juiced
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
What you do:
- In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the ghee or coconut oil. Add the sweet potatoes and sauté for 1 minute. Then turn down the heat to medium-low, cover, and continue cooking for another 5 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender.
- Add the kale and apple to the skillet. Cover and continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes until kale is wilted but still a vibrant green.
- Add to the sliced sausages to the skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes or until they are heated through.
- Drizzle lime juice over everything and season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
*To cook sausages, use a dry skillet. Add the sausages and brown on all sides over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Turn down heat to medium-low. Add a small amount of water to the bottom of the pan. Cover and continue cooking for another 10-15 minutes until no longer pink inside.
Bon appétit!
Prep tips:
- Cook your sausages on the weekend and store in the fridge until ready to use. This will cut down on your meal time.
- Keep your kale stems and freeze them. Then add them to your smoothie or use them when making bone broth.
Soup is a stable in our household. You can mix and match vegetables according to what you have in your refrigerator. Our Fall Harvest Soup is a great way to use up the wonderful variety of vegetables that are available at your local farmers’ market in the fall. Adding an apple to the soup gives it a natural sweet tanginess. This soup can be served as is or pureed.
Makes 8 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
What you need:
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 large sweet potatoes, cubed
- 2 cup chopped cabbage
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 1 large apple, unpeeled if organic, cubed
-
- 3-4 cups bone broth (or vegetable broth)
- 1 cup pumpkin purée (or any squash purée)
- 1 tbsp Herbes de Provence (or Italian Seasoning)
- 1 tsp salt
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
What you do:
- In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the coconut oil. Add the chopped onions and minced garlic. Cook until softened.
- Add the sweet potatoes, cabbage and carrots. Stir and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes. Add the bone broth, the apple, and the pumpkin purée. Mix well and add seasoning. Bring to a boil, then turn down heat to a simmer. Continue simmering for 30 minutes or until all vegetables are cooked.
- Add the spinach and mix until wilted. Turn off the heat. Serve into soup bowls and enjoy!
Bon appétit!
Substitution tips:
- Replace the cabbage with 2-3 stalks chopped celery.
- Replace the spinach with another leafy green such as kale.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Will freeze very well for up to three months.
- If you prefer creamier soups, then just purée this soup in your blender and add some coconut milk.