Just one week ago, I was in sunny California with Anguel – a week into our trip to Joshua Tree. Around this time in the morning, I would have been crawling out of the tent we pitched in the red desert dirt. The sun would already be beating down, making it impossible to sleep in....
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Curry Apple Salad with Spiced Chickpeas
Indian food just gets me. I don't know if it's the abundance of vegetarian options, the deeply fragrant sauces, or the pillowy soft naan bread, but whatever it is – I'm obsessed. Naturally, I'm best friends with the local Indian restaurant in town. It's where Anguel and I go if we don't feel like cooking,...
Falafel Tahini Burgers with Tzatziki
Patio season is fast approaching and I couldn't be more excited. Vancouver has been blessed with gorgeous sunny weather for the past couple weeks, and guess who jumped the gun by firing up the barbecue? Me, that's who! Although if I'm being completely honest, here's what actually happened: I had the idea that a barbecue...
Easy Eggs on Toast
I'm not naturally an early riser. I usually go to bed late, so come morning, the coziness of my bed usually makes ambitious early morning plans disappear. If there's one thing I love more than food, it would be sleep. That said, I will scoot out of bed early for a few things: weekend hikes,...
Beet Pineapple Juice
This Beet Pineapple Juice has been a favorite for years. Sweet pineapple and beet pairs well with refreshing cucumber and zesty ginger. The combination is good for you—and tasty too! Make this hydrating and healthy juice anytime you want extra nourishment. It's delicious enjoyed as part of breakfast or as a daytime pick-me-up. If you...
Vegan Cheesecake with Strawberry Rhubarb Sauce
My grandma is the baker in the family. Whenever we pay her a visit, I always know to expect three things: vintage Tupperware full of cookies sitting in cupboard, an epic dessert tray sitting in the fridge, and heaps of back-up pies stashed away in the freezer. It's like clockwork. After all these years, the...
Mushroom Ginger Lettuce Wraps
This year is going be a tumultuous one, filled with upheaval, change and enthusiasm. At least that's what I was told a few weeks back. You see, it's the year of the monkey in Chinese culture. And while I'm not necessarily “into” astrology and the like - it most definitely makes for a good story....
Apple Pie Ice Cream with Cinnamon Oat Crumble
About a year ago, Anguel and I sat on an airplane with our winter coats stuffed in the overhead bin - and two equally fluffy kittens tucked under our seats. It was one of those fully-booked flights where the seats seemed to have shrunk, the babies on the plane weren't having the best of times...
Creamy White Bean Pesto Pasta
We’ve had a lot of pesto the last few weeks. The sun and warm spring air have filled my head with a seemingly endless list of pesto combinations. Sorrel and lemon, spinach and feta, and now white bean and basil. I'm quickly learning that if there's anything that could stand up to the versatility of...
Grain Bowl with Spinach and Feta Pesto
The transition between seasons is always magical, but especially at this time of year. There's lots of excitement for spring – particularly the warmer and sunnier days ahead – but at the same time, winter's breath is lingering like a bad hangover. That’s definitely true in Vancouver anyways. This week has been terribly rainy and...
Curry Chickpea Salad Pitas with Apple Slaw
This week has been all about quick meals. With the extra hour of daylight, Anguel and I are eagerly tackling what's felt like an ever-growing to do list. Things like re-committing to regular weekday exercise classes and getting a little extra home décor on just for fun (like this, and hopefully making our own version...
Homemade Whole Grain Pita Bread
Can we all agree that artisan bread is making a comeback? Lately, we've been savoring a dark crusty loaf made of buckwheat, red fife, spelt and whole wheat flour. Toast me up a slice of that, and ready for my eyes to roll back into my head. It's that good. The abundance of quality, artisan...
Forbidden Rice Buddha Bowl with Crispy Tofu
Buddha bowls are having a serious moment in our house. Not only do they come together quickly for dinner, but they also make some of the best lunches the next day. And since dishes like these can accommodate almost whatever you happen to have on hand, its fun to pile them high with random veggies...
Guava and Strawberry Chia Pudding Parfait
When it comes to grocery shopping, you're either a list-maker or a risk taker. List makers are the organized ones among us - those who enter the store on a clear mission each time. These people get what they went in for. Then there's the risk takers. Those who eschew the list and just make...
(Almost) No Cook Vegan Grazing Platter
Having people over for dinner is one of my favorite things. It's an excuse to try out new recipes and more often than not, a good bottle of wine (or two). For someone who loves cooking for others so much, you'd think I'd be a lot better at it. The issue is when it comes...
Vegan Chili Fries with Avocado Cream
Earlier this month, a couple dear friends flew into town for a ski trip. Anguel and I took the opportunity to head up to Whistler for the weekend to see them – because now that we live on the other side of the country, visits like these are all too rare. It was a pretty...
Chocolate Banana Coffee Cake with Walnut Streusel
When it comes to bananas, I'm a hoarder. It never used to be like this. But when I opened the freezer door last week, only to have a pile of frozen brown bananas come crashing to the ground– I knew it was time to fess up. If it was up to me, I would have...
Thai Hot and Sour Soup
Have you ever heard the term "same same, but different"? Well, if you've ever traveled throughout Southeast Asia, then we bet you our last jar of nut-butter that you know exactly what we’re talking about. We slurped down many bowls of Tom Yum soup when travelling through Thailand. At first, soup felt like an odd...
Mediterranean Chickpea Casserole with Spinach and Feta
This one pot vegetarian dinner is delicious and easy to make. The Mediterranean tomato stew is bursting with flavor from the red onion, tomatoes, and herbs. Then it's combined with protein-rich chickpeas; and topped with feta cheese that gets crispy in the oven. This cozy chickpea casserole hits the spot when you're craving comfort food,...
Rose and Honey Almond Milk
What I'm excited about this February: downhill skiing, brisk Saturday mornings at the market, and getting one step closer to planting a veggie garden this spring! I recognize Valentine's Day also falls in the calendar – but for some reason, Valentine's doesn't do much for me. Besides the excuse to eat copious amounts of chocolate,...
Watercress Soup with Crispy Shoestring Potatoes
Soup. Soup. Soup. And potatoes. That's what I've been up to. The drab Vancouver weather has continued, but I'm not letting it rain on my parade. Figuratively at least, because fact check: it is definitely raining outside. When it rains like this, I usually try to ignore it. I'll walk places without an umbrella –...
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Granola Bars
This granola bar recipe has existed for much longer than we’ve had this blog. In fact, this was the first original recipe that I was brave enough to share with friends. And by "brave", I really just mean I watched silently (partially terrified) as Anguel excitedly volunteered my granola bars up to all our friends....
Miso Glazed Eggplant Skewers
Anguel and I love Japanese food. Living in Vancouver is a dream-come-true in that regard. This city is jam packed with sushi spots. But, as vegetarians, we pick our sushi spots wisely. We need substance, and tempura-coated things will only get us so far. So, despite all the options – there's really just one spot we...
Black Rice Pudding with Cardamom Oranges
I've been obsessed with rice for as long as I can remember. No matter where I go, I'm still continuously surprised by how versatile these little grains can be. Steamed, stir fried, stewed, ground, you name it – rice is up to the task. Despite being a huge fan, my experience with rice has definitely...
Beet and Lentil Salad with Herbed Goat Cheese
Over the past week or so, our weeknight dinners have needed to be very fuss free. The year is off to an active start. Anguel and I are trying to make good use of our evenings - despite the early darkness encouraging us to curl up on the couch instead (with a cat on each...
Crispy Vietnamese Crepes (Banh Xeo)
The holidays have come and gone real quick. My heart is still warm from all the cozy times spent with friends and family. And, as sad as I am to see 2015 go, I'm also excited for what 2016 will bring! If 2015 was any indication, this year is going to be a good one....
Vegan Chocolate Coconut Cream Pie
I have a mild obsession with coconut cream pie, and it's only gotten worse after this recipe. It started as a test recipe I did for my mom's birthday a couple months ago. She's not a huge fan of decadent desserts or chocolate for that matter (yes, those people exist, apparently). But she does love...
Simple Infused Honey (3 Recipes)
Infused honey is surprisingly easy to make! We'll show you 2 methods for how to infuse honey. And, share our top 3 recipes: vanilla, lavender, and orange. Keep reading for expert tips on making flavored honey at home! Infused honey is delicious in drinks, on baked goods, drizzled over cheese, or eaten straight off the...
Fajita Veggie Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
If there is one type of food Anguel and I crave most, it’s definitely Mexican. He’s sucker for tortilla anything, and me…well, avocado has a special place in my heart. Thankfully, Mexican food is like that old friend you can always rely on. It’s that meal you serve when you have a bunch of people...
Gluten Free Gingerbread Waffles with Maple Cinnamon Drizzle
December is in full swing and I couldn't be more excited! Our local mountains are getting fresh dumps of snow – which means we'll be up on the slopes in no time. And, Anguel and I finally bought a car with functioning heat! We're very excited to no longer see our cold breath inside the...
Parsnip Mashed Potatoes with Mediterranean Eggplant
Sometimes you have to pay tribute to the classics. And mashed potatoes hold a special place in my heart. As kids, my brother and I would battle it out in epic mashed potato volcano competitions. We would race to build the most perfectly sculpted mashed potato volcanoes. To the winner went bragging rights and spoils...
Grapefruit Honey Mint Tea
During the cooler months we drink heaps of tea, so it's nice to have a caffeine-free option. This juicy and refreshing grapefruit mint tea is the perfect way to warm up. It comes together in minutes and requires just 3 ingredients (plus water)! This drink isn't technically a tea, because there are no actual tea...
Caramelized Persimmons with Vanilla Maple Cream
I'm crushing on fall, hard. There's so much seasonal produce and I want to cook with all the things! Anguel jokes that I'm the cheapest date because my ideal night is a trip to get groceries and then an evening of playing in the kitchen. Funny enough, our first date was literally in the grocery...
Quiche with Leeks, Thyme and Goat Cheese
Growing up, quiche was never part of our regular dinner rotation at home. If my mom couldn't cook it in a wok, it probably wasn't making it to the dinner table. And thank goodness she wasn't brave enough to try that. Yet, I still have some oddly vivid memories of quiche. I think it started...
Morning Glory Breakfast Muffins
Let's talk about weekday mornings. And not just any morning. I'm talking about those mornings where you slept in a little longer than you should have, so now you're madly dashing around the house trying to get ready. And as happy as you are about leaving the house with a moderately wrinkle-free outfit, there's one...
Butternut Squash Pasta with Toasted Breadcrumbs
Nothing says cozy like curling up with a big ol’ bowl of noodles. These days, after getting home from work, I have all of ten seconds before I end up in my (very) well-worn sweatpants. And after that, there’s a zero percent chance that I’ll leave the house to pick up groceries for dinner. Thankfully,...
Mushroom, Beet and Goat Cheese Sandwiches
When it comes to sandwiches, the magic is usually in the fillings. These delicious veggie sandwiches are loaded with balsamic mushrooms, caramelized onions, roasted beets, fresh veggies, goat cheese, and protein-rich hummus (or Creamy White Bean Spread). The fillings tick all the boxes: savory, salty, creamy, tangy, and crisp. So if you love tasty and...
Spiced Sweet Potato Fries
I don't know about you, but when I first saw sweet potato fries showing up on restaurant menus, I wasn't sure if they were here to stay. An orange vegetable competing with the classic russet? Is this for real?! If I was a betting gal (which I'm not), I would have pegged the odds at...
Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
Halloween is around the corner, and as usual, I'm doing everything possible to avoid coming up with a costume. I've always had mixed emotions about October 31st. The chocolate and candy is more than enough to get me excited, but when I was younger, I always dreaded the exercise of collecting it. Yup, I might...
Roasted Cauliflower and Brussels Sprout Salad
Cauliflower and brussels sprouts. This pairing may have been your childhood nightmare. But trust me when I say this salad will change things. For years I used to think of cauliflower as the worst part of those generic party-pack vegetable platters. You know the what I'm talking about…those platters with the clear translucent top and...