Tag Archives: vegetarian

Savoury Flax Muffins {grain-free}

I am really enjoying experimenting with grain free recipes, and when they turn out delicious, I love to share!

These savoury muffins are perfect to add to breakfast, to enjoy on their own as a snack with ghee or to serve with your favourite soup or stew as a biscuit. You can also create a sweet version too, by switching up some of the ingredients, which I have also included below.

Flax seeds, which have been around for 6,000 years, are an easy way to include healthy omega-3 fats into the diet. They are also an incredible source of fibre which help to improve digestion due to its mucilingenic properties which aid in cleaning out the intestinal tract. Plus, only 3 Tbsp of flaxseeds contain 6 grams of protein and a variety of important minerals like manganese, magnesium, phosphorus and selenium.

Savoury {or sweet} flax muffins

Makes 24 muffins

Ingredients

4 cups ground flax seed

2 tablespoon baking powder

2 tablespoon green onions or chives (2 tbsp dried cranberries or dates for sweet variation)

1 tbsp fresh parsley or basil (1 tbsp maple syrup for sweet variation)

1 teaspoon sea salt

10 large eggs

1 cup water

2/3 cup olive oil

Method

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease two 12 cup muffin tins with coconut oil.
Combine flax seed with baking powder, herb mix and sea salt in a large bowl. Whisk to combine fully and set aside.
Add eggs, water and oil to the jug of your blender. Blend on high for 30 seconds, until foamy.
Transfer liquid mixture to the bowl with the flaxseed mixture. Stir with a spatula, just until incorporated. The mixture will be very fluffy. Once incorporated, allow to sit for 3 minutes.
Drop mixture into prepared muffin tins and transfer the pan to the preheated oven.
Bake muffins for 20 minutes, until top is golden. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack for 1 hour.
Keeps in the fridge for 3-4 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Thank you to Leanna Vogel at Healthful Pursuit for inspiring me to create this recipe based on her flaxseed focaccia.

Baked Maple Pecan Granola

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Simple and classic. Enjoy with banana oat milk, or your favourite non dairy beverage. Top with additional fixings like coconut flakes, ground flax, chia or fresh fruit.

Ingredients

2 cups rolled oats

1⁄2 cup pecans or almonds

1/2 cup mixed dried fruit such as cranberries, raisins, figs, prunes, apricots, peaches, cherries

1/3 cup sunflower or pumpkin seeds

2 tsp cinnamon

1⁄2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

1⁄2 cup maple syrup, or liquid sweetener like agave. It’s best not to bake with honey

1/4 cup coconut oil

1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated

1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

PREHEAT oven to 275° F. Line Baking sheet with parchment paper. IN A LARGE BOWL, combine oats, pecans, cranberries, raisins, sunflower seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg and sea salt. IN A SEPARATE BOWL, combine maple syrup, ginger, coconut oil and vanilla. ADD maple syrup mixture to oat mixture and combine well. SPREAD granola in a thin layer on baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes to prevent burning. Cool completely and store for up to a week in an airtight container.

Holistic Lacey’s Thanksgiving Edition Newsletter…Get the Recipes!

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Click HERE for 3 delicious, local and seasonal Thanksgiving recipes such as Orange Glazed Brussels Sprouts with Butternut Squash, Sautéed Kale with Leek and Apples plus Tomato Raisin Chutney to switch up that ordinary cranberry sauce + a personal reflection on this transformative time of year!

If the only prayer you say your entire life is Thank You, it will be enough. ~Meister Eckhart

Happy Thanksgiving!

Be well,

Be Grateful,

Just Be.

Herb Garden Biscuits with Spelt flour {vegan, light and fluffy!}

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In 2013, I had the opportunity to design and publish Shanti Retreat’s first cookbook. I selected all the recipes, wrote the forward, came up with the design and assisted in all steps of production until it came to realization.

Shanti at Home is a collection of the retreat’s favourite recipes from the past and present. The recipes are vegetarian and focus on cooking at home with whole foods which are local and seasonal. The photography is absolutely incredible, as is the page design, thanks to Anne and Alex who volunteered their time and skills.

I love how light and fluffy this biscuit is, even though it is made with spelt. The recipe contains high quality coconut oil, is dairy free and sweetened with maple syrup. You can also prepare this with buckwheat flour but they do tend to fall apart more easily than when prepared with spelt. Spelt is an ancient grain which is easier to digest compared to wheat, and also contains a higher amount of protein.

What I love is how versatile they are too. I like to leave out the herbs and add a bit more maple syrup and orange zest for a breakfast biscuit or cake for strawberry shortcake with coconut whipped cream!

photo by http://www.lesbonheurs.fr

Herb Garden Biscuits

2 cups light spelt flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp sea salt
½ cup fresh herbs or ½ cup dry (We like to use parsley, rosemary, basil, oregano and sometimes use even up to 1 cup of fresh herbs)
½ cup coconut oil
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
¾ cup of almond or soy milk
1 tsp maple syrup

photo by http://www.lesbonheurs.fr

Preheat oven to 450 °F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and soda and salt in a large bowl. Add the herbs and whisk again. Cut in the oil using a pastry cutter until a coarse meal is formed. In a small bowl, add the apple cider vinegar to the almond milk. Add maple syrup and then combine with dry ingredients.

The mixture will resemble a muffin batter; add more almond milk if necessary.

For the next step, we use a large trigger ice cream scoop and scoop the batter onto the parchment paper. Place in the oven for 10 – 12 minutes.
Makes 10-12 biscuits

Please visit Shanti Retreat’s homepage to order your copy of Shanti at Home.

Arugula, Walnut and Garlic Scape Pesto

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Garlic What ???

Down Memory Lane…

I still remember the first time I saw these beautiful wispy spirals that began to grow out from my garlic plants, planted the previous fall. I immediately did some research to learn more and was amazed (and excited!) about what I could do with them in the kitchen. I will also never forget the moment I harvested it and ate it raw…weooo…hello garlic!

“Garlic scapes are the “flower stalks” of hardneck garlic plants, although they do not produce flowers. These stalks start to appear a month or so after the first leaves. They are usually cut off of the plant, since leaving them on only diverts the plant’s strength away from forming a plump bulb.” (source: gardening.about.com)”

Three years ago, I found a recipe that I loved and stuck to it. I was making garlic scape pesto as often as I could. I also preserved some in the freezer by using a food processor for making pestos later on in the summer or fall. Scapes are typically available in the early parts of the season.

Although I do love the pungency of garlic cloves, it is a nice change to enjoy a more mild, almost sweet, flavor. This can be ideal for anyone looking for a more subtle flavor or who doesn’t enjoy (or cannot digest) raw garlic.

This year, I had so many scapes that it was time to get creative! My favorite recipes is still a scape and walnut and with veggies, crackers or a nice homemade bread. But I am also enjoying grilling the scapes on the BBQ, adding them to a bottle of extra virgin olive oil for a homemade infused garlic oil, as well as cooking with them; adding to hummus, soups or stir frys, instead of garlic cloves.

If you really love garlic, or feel your immune system getting low, you may even just bite directly into the scape!

For your Health….scapes can

oxygenate blood
Reduce inflammation
Boosts immunity; high in antioxidant glutathione
lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels
garlic scapes, like cloves, and other alliums are known for their anti cancer qualities
rich in sulfur; important for health and strength of hair, nails, skin and important for synthesis of amino acids.

Recipe

Easy as 1,2, 3!

Once you learn the proportions for pesto, no need to use a recipe. The nuts, herbs and greens are always interchangeable. Walnuts, almonds and pistachios make a really creamy and rich pesto. For something lighter, try sunflower or pumpkin seeds. For the greens play with kale, spinach or arugula and try herbs like parsley, basil or cilantro.

Arugula, Walnut & Garlic Scape Pesto

2 c garlic scapes, cut into bits & the flower head discarded

1 – 2 cups arugula (spinach, kale, chard OR fresh herb of choice)

1/2 c walnuts, or nuts/seeds of choice

1/4 c grated parmesan cheese (optional, try adding nutritional yeast for a dairy free option)

1/3 c extra virgin olive oil

juice of 1/2 lemon (or more)

1/2 t sea salt

1/2 t cayenne (optional)

Combine the garlic scapes, arugula, walnuts, cheese in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times. Let the machine run and slowly pour in half the amount of oil along with the lemon juice, salt and cayenne. Slowly add the remaining oil until you’ve reached a good consistency. Store in a lidded jar in the fridge for a week or freeze in small jars.

Enjoy!

Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing {vegan}

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This is one of my favourite, can’t go without salad dressings. It is so creamy and might just be the best caesar salad dressing I have ever had. The best part is it’s homemade, which means it doesn’t include any of those preservatives or low quality oils and refined sugars found in most store bought dressings.

Next time you are going to a party, offer to make the caesar salad. No one will disagree, since it is usually loved by all. They will have no idea that it’s vegan or made with cashews.

Cashews not only give it the thick and creamy texture, but offer you a boost of the amino acid L-trypophan which acts as a natural anti depressant!

photo from feedmephoebe.com

Creamy Cashew Caesar Salad Dressing

Ingredients

1.5 T capers, with liquid

2 cloves garlic (or try garlic scapes for a more mild flavour!)

2 T lemon juice

2 t dijon

1 T apple cider vinegar, preferable Bragg’s raw unfiltered

1 T light miso paste (made from soy beans, can be found at health food store or asian market)

1/2 cup raw, unsalted cashews, soaked for 2-3 hours

1/2 t salt

3/4 t pepper

1/4 cup water

1/2 oil

Directions

Soak cashew for up to 3 hours. Place all ingredients, except oil, in a blender and blend until smooth. Slowly begin adding oil. Add more water if required (sometimes the dressing is too thick for the blender.) Add more or less garlic based on your preferences.

Right now I am loving this dressing with fresh, soft, kale leaves, but it is just as great with mixed greens or classical romaine.

Feel free to add croutons or parmesan. I have also been making tempeh “bacon bits” which are amazing and satisfy just as much as bacon. The latter is also an option if you can get good quality.

photo from sondibruner.com

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip and Cranberry Cookies (w/ oat pulp)

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Oatmeal chocolate chip and cranberry cookies… (Made from steel cut oat pulp after making delicious banana oat milk for granola and smoothies)

If it’s up to me, nothing goes to waste..especially in the kitchen! I love to make homemade almond and hempseed milk, and was feeling inspired to make banana oat milk which I had tried at Hridaya Yoga Center in Mazunte, Mexico.

I found an easy and delicious recipe from Oh She Glows and then added a banana for creaminess and sweetness (I add banana to anything if I can get away with it!)

When I noticed I had all this leftover steel cut oat pulp, I wondered how I could get creative with it. The recipe I came up with is so tasty and satisfying for dessert, pre-workout or breakfast.

Oatmeal chocolate chip and cranberry cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup oat pulp (leftover from oat milk)

1/2 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground

1 tsp vanilla

1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 2 tbsp hot water)

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1 1/4 cup light spelt flour or gluten free baking flour (look for a buckwheat base)

1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips