vegan

Almond & Tempeh Vegan Meatballs Recipe [GF]

This almond and tempeh vegan meatballs recipe is a quick and delicious way to add some variety to dinner. Following a plant-based diet doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy some of your favourite dishes. I love serving these tempeh meatballs with a pasta bolognese sauce, or on their own on a light salad. A simple and delicious fuss-free recipe, and it’s vegan and gluten-free!

Tempeh is a must in any plant-based foodies repertoire. Tempeh originated in Indonesia, and Indonesians enjoy it fried and spicy and often will add it to dishes such as Gado Gado (see my simplified recipe for Simple Peanut Sauce Indonesian Style), or enjoyed fried in a spicy sambal and served with rice. It is as versatile as tofu, but many prefer the firmer texture of tempeh over its soybean cousin. Here is my play on tempeh, and a good one to get you started on your tempeh journey – Easy Almond Tempeh Vegan Meatballs.
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Vitamin D Foods For Vegetarians

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Knowing the best vitamin D foods for vegetarians and how to get enough vitamin D on a plant-based diet is important for bone health, a healthy immune system, and may help to protect against some cancers. If you live in northern latitudes, we can’t rely solely on vitamin D from the sun. This post will help breakdown the importance of vitamin D, which foods contain vitamin D and how we can supplement.

Northern winters can result in a lack of vitamin D.

By now, most of us have heard of the importance of Vitamin D. Vitamin D plays an important role in the absorption of calcium (see post Getting Enough Calcium On A Dairy-Free Diet), and has the ability to decrease inflammation in the body (1). Vitamin D comes primarily from the sun, but in northern latitudes (37 degrees north) during the winter months, we just can’t get enough (2).

While there are some food sources of vitamin D, in the winter we actually can’t get enough vitamin D from food alone. The best food source of Vitamin D is oily fish, and while vitamin D foods for vegetarians can be limited there are some steps we can take to ensure we are getting enough.
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Healthy Soft Pumpkin Cookies | Vegan, GF

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This recipe for these healthy soft pumpkin cookies is delicious and moist! These soft pumpkin cookies are low refined carbohydrates, gluten-free, diabetic-friendly and vegan! And best of all, these are so easy to make! Try adding chocolate chunks for a festive chocolate chip pumpkin cookie recipe. The recipe was sponsored by iHerb, an online natural products store.

Working in a busy Diabetes Education Centre, I am always looking for new and exciting ways to get people excited about ‘healthy desserts’. We talk about the effects of carbohydrates on our blood sugar levels, better sources of carbohydrates (low glycemic index), how protein, healthy fats and fibre can help balance blood sugar levels, and how to incorporate all of this into healthy meals and snacks. That’s why I’ve created these totally delicious low-carb healthy soft pumpkin cookies, and they are also vegan, paleo and gluten-free!

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Bone Health and Calcium for Vegans

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There was a time when we didn’t expect to get our calcium from cows. Bone health and calcium for vegans is a topic that we should all be aware of as there are plenty of non-dairy calcium-rich foods out there, and you may be consuming more of them than you think. I’ve compiled a list of some of the top non-dairy calcium-rich foods to include in your diet and tips on how to maximize absorption for bone health.

What foods are high in calcium? Contrary to popular belief, calcium doesn’t only come from cows! Crazy huh? A lot of marketing money stemming from the Dairy Industry has led us to believe that dairy is the one and only superstar in the battle against osteoporosis. Whether you are a vegan, environmentalist, lactose intolerant or just love your green leafy vegetables, there are other dietary options for healthy bones. Here are my top tips for bone health and calcium for vegans.
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So Simple Pumpkin Spiced Latte Recipe

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This simple pumpkin spiced latte recipe will get you excited to get out of bed in the morning, and it is a great low-sugar alternative to what’s available in coffee shops. It is dairy-free, gluten-free, and packed full of nutrition. Make your own creamy cashew milk by blending cashews in a blender, no straining required!

It’s hard to not get caught up in all the pumpkin spiced hype. Coffee shops have been on the band-wagon even before the leaves started to turn. I used to love enjoying a Pumpkin Spiced Latte at a coffee shop, but I now know that they are so loaded with sugar and so not worth the post-latte crash. This healthier alternative to the sugar-loaded versions will have you surprisingly pleased, and all from the comfort of your cozy couch. I’m sure that this Simple Pumpkin Spiced Latte Recipe will turn out to be a regular in your autumn morning routine, just like it has in mine.
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Vegan Ranch Dressing with Hemp Hearts

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This simple and delicious Vegan Ranch Dressing with Hemp is packed full of nutrition and taste. With only five ingredients it is an easy way to dress up a salad, and also tastes great on Buddha bowls or as a healthy dip for vegetables.

Hemp hearts are currently a hot topic and for good reason. They are an easy protein source, packed full of essential fatty acids, locally grown, and super versatile. I love hemp so much I’ve shared my favourite milk alternative Hemp Milk, and this yummy nutrient-dense snack Hemp and Sunflower Seed Pâté in the past. This Vegan Ranch Dressing Recipe with Hemp is my new favourite way to incorporate hemp into my day. The creaminess of the hemp lends itself to this dressing, and I love it with shredded kale, beets, and carrots on top of fluffy quinoa.
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The ULTIMATE Guide On How To Make Salad Dressing

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Use this guide to make your own salad dressing at home. Homemade dressings can be just as delicious as they are simple and are a great way to turn an average salad into something special. I’ve also included tips on how to maximize the nutrition in dressings, as well as flavour variations for the best tasting dressing at home.

I love converting salad skeptics, all it really takes is a delicious dressing! Let’s face it, there is nothing exciting about a runny and bland dressing. The trick to a delicious salad dressing is getting the ratio of creamy fats and tart vinegar or citrus just right, and don’t forget the healthy and aromatic additions such as garlic, mustard or ginger. See below for my top tips on how to make the best salad dressing!

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Hemp and Sunflower Seed Vegan Pate

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This easy, healthy and delicious Hemp and Sunflower Seed Vegan Pate is naturally gluten-free, free of processed ingredients, and contains 13 grams of protein per serving! This recipe is as simple as adding everything to a food processor and blending until smooth.

Hemp hearts are a superstar. They offer a wide nutrient profile including omega-3 fatty acids, healthy omega-6 fatty acids, magnesium and zinc. Generally, my focus is on breakfast as hemp is an easy way to bump up the protein at these carb-heavy meals. I am sharing this hemp pate recipe so hemp doesn’t get confined to only breakfast. Serve it with some seed crackers or cut up cucumber for a tasty afternoon treat or as a light lunch.
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Two Ingredient Raw Chocolate Recipe [Vegan]

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Making 100% raw chocolate at home is as easy as adding the ingredients to a food processor. This Two-Ingredient Raw Chocolate Recipe is as authentic as it gets and packed full of flavanols for a healthy antioxidant load.

The use of chocolate medicinally dates back at least 3,000 years. The health benefits have been linked to epicatechin, a flavanol found in the cacao bean (1), and current-day research supports its use for various health conditions. If you’re a chocolate lover like me you likely appreciate the full complexity of flavour that really good quality chocolate provides. In my experience, making chocolate from 100% raw cacao beans is the only way to replicate this flavour intensity at home.
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Three Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies | Vegan

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These three-ingredient peanut butter cookies are super easy to make! They are also free of refined-sugar, grain-free, vegan, low-carb and paleo-friendly. They tick all the boxes, and best of all – only one bowl required!

Nothing better than a freshly baked cookie straight out of the oven. Have you ever gotten that urge to bake something at 10 pm but you don’t want to deal with multiple ingredients and dirty dishes? Introducing these Three Ingredient Peanut Butter cookies – only three ingredients (I promise) and only one bowl required. They are soft and gooey, and naturally gluten-free, vegan and high protein making them a great choice when catering to multiple dietary requirements.
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Easy Curry Lentil Soup with Kale

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A simple mid-week meal that can be easily adapted for the seasons, or for whatever produce is lurking in your fridge crisper. Lentils offer the balance of low glycemic index carbohydrate with a good amount of protein to help sustain you.

These smokey August days have got me thinking about the end of summer, and nothing symbolises the end of summer more than a steaming bowl of hearty soup. Lentil soup, for me, is the silver lining to the end of the long days and warm weather and as the days get shorter the compromise of warming lentil soup makes the transition into autumn that much easier. This easy curry lentil soup is my go-to soup, and really can be adapted for any season. For a summer soup, use up your zucchini, kale and carrots and come winter think about substituting the zucchini for butternut squash, yam or sweet potato.

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Peanut Butter Hemp High Protein Ball Recipe

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This peanut butter hemp high protein ball recipe is perfect for when you need something satisfying but also super tasty. Make a big batch of these energy balls and freeze them for later, so you always have access to a healthy high protein snack.

Most people would benefit from eating more foods that stabilize blood sugar levels. Not only is this important for people with diabetes, but having large fluctuations in blood sugars can contribute to changes in mood, fatigue and productivity in non-diabetics. Nutritionally, one message always stays the same – for a more stable blood sugar level, combine your carbohydrates, or sugar, with a protein source. These peanut butter hemp high protein balls are simple to make, containing only five ingredients! With 6 grams of protein per energy ball, they are the perfect snack portion for busy people who want a healthy snack on the go.
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