Raspberry Lemonade Pancakes

Posted on May 29, 2014 by Simply Blissful Life

When I think of the summer, I think of tons of fresh fruit, lots of sunshine and heat and sitting on the back deck sipping on some delicious lemonade.

So I thought, why not make a summer-themed pancake recipe?!

Introducing the raspberry lemonade pancakes!

Why not incorporate a favourite summertime beverage into a breakfast meal? The more summer themed food, the better I say!

Raspberry Lemonade Pancakes

Adapted from about.com

Makes 8-10 small-medium sized pancakes

1 cup spelt flour
1 egg replacer
3/4 cup almond milk
2 tbsp agave
2 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp baking powder
pinch of sea salt
1/3-1/2 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen

In a large bowl, add all of the ingredients except the raspberries together. Mix the batter together until smooth and clump free.

In a large pan over medium heat, add a little vegan butter or coconut oil to coat the pan.

Once the pan has reached the right heat, pour pancake batter by the tablespoon onto the pan. Add a couple tablespoons of batter per pancake, but you can make them as big or a small as you want.

Once the pancakes are on the pan break up the raspberries and sprinkle them onto the pancakes while they are cooking.

Cook pancakes for 2-4 minutes on each side, but make sure you keep an eye on the pancakes to ensure they don’t burn!

Once fully cooked, remove from pan and plate immediately.

Roasted Potatoes and Squash

Posted on May 8, 2014 by Simply Blissful Life

Introducing my newest side dish creation: Roasted Potatoes and Squash! Super simple to put together and good and healthy for you– a winning combination!

And it looks so much better when served in cute little ramekin dishes! 🙂

Roasted Potatoes and Squash

1 1/2 cups butternut squash, peeled and chopped
1 cup potato, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
2-3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp sage

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium/large-sized oven safe dish, add the squash, potatoes and onion.

Drizzle on the olive oil and add the parsley, oregano and sage.

Mix together until everything is coated and combined.

Cook for 40-50 minutes.

When fully cooked, remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.

Serve and enjoy!

(A short post for a quick and simple dish…it only seems fitting!)

Vegetable Lentil Loaf

Posted on May 2, 2014 by Simply Blissful Life

Lentil loaf was one of those “Have to try making it some time” items on my cooking to do list and am I ever glad I finally got around to making one because they are tasty (and surprisingly filling)!

Packed with iron, protein, fibre and numerous other vitamins and minerals, this loaf has it all! Healthy and delicious– what is not to love?!

Vegetable Lentil Loaf

Adapted from About.com

1 1/2 cups green lentils, cooked (I used 3/4 cup dry lentils to achieve 1 1/2 cups cooked)
2 cups red quinoa, cooked (I used 3/4 cup dry quinoa to achive 2 cups cooked)
1/3 cup red pepper, chopped
1/3 cup green pepper, chopped
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1/3 cup carrots, chopped
1/3 cup celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp sage
1/2 tsp thyme
3 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil (melted)
1/3 cup organic ketchup
1 tbsp agave (for top)
3-4 tbsp organic ketchup (for top)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Rinse the lentils in a strainer and add them to a medium sized pot. Cook on high heat until the water boils. Then, reduce heat, cover and bring to low heat or simmer and allow to cook for 20-30 minutes or until tender. When the lentils are ready, drain them and set them aside.

Rinse the quinoa in a strainer and add them to a different medium sized pot and cook on high heat until the water boils. Reduce heat, cover and bring to low heat or simmer and cook for 15-25 minutes or until fluffy. When the quinoa is ready, drain them and set them aside.

Next, add the red pepper, green pepper, carrots, onion, celery and garlic to a large skillet pan and cook on medium heat with a little olive oil or coconut oil until soft, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a food processor, add the lentils and blend until the lentils become a crumbly texture. It is o.k. if not all the lentils are blended, but try to ensure that at least 50-75% of the lentils are mashed and crumbly. Once crumbly, add the lentils into a large bowl.

In the bowl with the mashed lentils, add the vegetables from the skillet and mix until combine.

Then add the quinoa, sea salt, rosemary, sage, thyme, olive oil or coconut oil and ketchup and mix until fully combined. If the mixture feels too dry, add a little more ketchup.

Press the mixture into a lightly greased loaf pan. Spread the agave and extra ketchup on the top of the loaf until well covered.

Place in the oven and cook for 50-60 minutes.

When fully cooked, remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.

Slice and enjoy!

Have a great weekend!

Twice Baked Potatoes with Spinach & Onion

Posted on April 4, 2014 by Simply Blissful Life

Everyone has guilty pleasures and one of mine happens to be potatoes.

While this may sound strange, it is true. I would eat potatoes for every meal, every day. I just find they are so versatile! Scalloped, mashed, home fries, the list goes on.

So these twice baked potatoes are just a dream come true for me (and hopefully you too)!

Can’t get enough of these guys—they are just so tasty!

Twice Baked Potatoes with Spinach & Onion

6 small-medium sized potatoes
3/4 cup spinach, chopped
1/3 cup green onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup vegan butter
1/4 cup almond milk
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Wash the potatoes and place on a cookie sheet. Using a fork, prick the potato using the tines of the fork.

Then bake the potatoes for an hour.

Once the potatoes are baked, remove from oven and slice the potatoes in half lengthwise.

*The potatoes will be pretty hot so feel free to allow them to cool slightly before cutting*

Using a spoon, scape out the insides and add to a medium sized bowl. Be sure to leave a lining of potato to ensure the potato doesn’t tear.

Once potatoes are hollow out, place on cookie sheet again and set aside.

In the bowl with the potatoes scraping, add the vegan butter and almond milk and mash until smooth using a potato masher.

Add the spinach, green onion, garlic, salt and pepper and mash again.

Scoop the potato mixture into the potato shells. Feel free to pile lots of filling in the shells.

You can also top the potatoes with a bit of shredded vegan cheese (like Daiya), just for a little extra something-something. 🙂

Once you’ve filled all the potato shells, place back in the oven and cook for another 5-10 minutes. Basically just to warm them up again.

Remove from oven, serve and enjoy!

Potato and Leek Soup

Posted on March 28, 2014 by Simply Blissful Life

Ever had one of those times where you go to the grocery store, come across an interesting food item and wonder what you could make with it?

Well I did and that food item came in the form of a leek.

A potato and leek soup sounded quite appealing upon reading the recipe, so I opted to give it a shot and whip up a batch.

And it is delicious!

Thick, warm and hearty—all the requirements for soup.

Potato and Leek Soup

Adapted from Julia Child

3 cups leeks, sliced and chopped (use only the white and light green parts) *see note
1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
4 cups potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp vegan butter
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups vegetable stock
1 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp parsley

*Note: when you finish cutting the leeks, pour them into a strainer and run under water to ensure you have cleaned them. They tend to have a lot of dirt hidden in the layers.

In a medium-sized pot at medium-high heat, add the butter and allow it to melt.

Next, add the leeks and onion and cook for 5-8 minutes or until the leeks and onions become translucent, stirring occasionally.

Add the potatoes and garlic and cook for another 8-10 minutes or until the leeks and onions are soft and the potatoes are beginning to become soft. Be careful not to burn the leeks, as they taste quite bitter burnt.

Add the vegetable stock, rosemary and parsley and cook on medium heat for 30-45 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.

Transfer the soup to a high-powered blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Serve and enjoy!

Easy Tofu Scramble

Posted on March 21, 2014March 21, 2014 by Simply Blissful Life

Ever had those times when you are looking for a really easy breakfast to put together?

Enter the tofu scramble!

With the perfect combination of spices and vegetables, you can transform plain ol’ tofu into quite the delicious little breakfast dish.

This scramble makes a great side dish or if you just want to eat a big plate of scramble on its own, that’s fine too. 🙂

Easy Tofu Scramble

1 1/2 cups firm tofu
1/2 cup red pepper, chopped
1/2 cup yellow pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil (or coconut oil, if you prefer)
2 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
1 tsp sage
1/2 tsp rosemary
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper

In a large skillet, add the tofu. Then mash the tofu until crumbly using a fork.

Add the olive oil, peppers and garlic and cook on medium-high heat for 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the sage, rosemary, yeast flakes, salt and pepper and stir until combined. Cook for another 5-7 minutes.

Remove from heat and serve warm.

Have a great weekend!

Vegetable Pot Pie

Posted on March 13, 2014 by Simply Blissful Life

Do you ever have one of those meals where you just can’t help but go for a second helping because it’s just so good? Well this vegetable pot pie did it for me!

I am just in love with this pot pie gravy! It is so rich and delicious that I just couldn’t help to scrape my bowl clean. I just couldn’t get enough!

Filled with tons of veggies…just the way I like my pot pie!

Vegetable Pot Pie

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

4-5 tbsp vegan butter
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 cup carrot,chopped
3/4 cup celery, chopped
3/4 cup broccoli, chopped
3/4 cup cauliflower, chopped
1 cup potato, peeled and chopped
1/3 cup spelt flour
2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1/4 cup vegan white wine (I use Barnivore to check what brands of wine are vegan)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 sea salt
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp rosemary
1/4 cup almond milk
1 pie crust (you can either make your own from scratch or use a store-bought one, making sure its vegan. This crust recipe works well.)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a large pot over medium-high heat, add the butter and allow it to melt. Then add the onion, carrot, celery, broccoli, cauliflower and potato. Cook for about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Sprinkle the flour on the veggies and stir until combined and the veggies are coated. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Add the vegetable stock and wine and stir until mixed.

Next, add the sea salt, pepper, thyme and rosemary and stir to combine. Allow to cook for another 5-8 minutes to thicken.

Pour in the almond milk and stir until mixed and cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until it begins to bubble.

If the mixture seems to thin, add a little more flour to thicken. If too thick, add a little more stock to thin out.

Once it is thick and bubbly, remove from heat.

Pour the vegetable mixture into a large baking dish (I used a 2 1/2 qt sized dish).

Take your pie crust, roll it out on a floured surface and then place it on top of the baking dish. Press the dough to the sides of the dish. Use a knife and cut a couple small lines into the dough to allow the veggies to vent.

Place the baking dish on a large baking sheet and stick in the oven.

Cook for 25-30 minutes or until the filling is bubbly.

Once ready, remove from the oven and set aside for a few minutes to cool.

When slightly cooled, just cut, serve and enjoy!

*Recipe makes 4-5 servings*

Quinoa Vegetable Wrap

Posted on February 7, 2014 by Simply Blissful Life

When it comes to making lunches (and dinners), I want something that is quick and healthy. And this wrap covers the bases.

Quinoa Vegetable Wrap

1/2 cup red quinoa
1/2 cup red pepper, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
3/4 cup corn
1 tsp oregano
1 celery stalk, chopped
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Wrap add ins (for each wrap):

1/4 cup baby spinach
3-4 tbsp hummus
1 large whole wheat flour tortilla

In a small-medium sized pot, cook the quinoa with a pinch of sea salt on high heat until fully cooked, about 15-20 minutes. Once ready, drain and set aside.

In a large skillet, cook the red pepper, green pepper, corn, celery, oregano, sea salt and pepper with 2-3 tbsp of olive oil on medium heat. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once cooked, set aside.

In a large bowl, add the quinoa along with the veggie mixture and stir to combine.

Assembling the wrap:

Take a large flour tortilla and spread the hummus evenly across.

Scoop about a half cup (or more) or the quinoa veggie mixture and add it to the tortilla.

Place the baby spinach on top of the quinoa mixture.

Fold up the wrap whatever way you prefer.

Slice in half and enjoy!

Have a great weekend!

Veggie Filled Vegan Sloppy Joes

Posted on January 31, 2014 by Simply Blissful Life

When creating a Sloppy Joe recipe, I wanted a little more than just ground “meat” and sauce. It seems so…bare.

So I gathered some of my favourite veggies, added them to the mix and voila!

This Sloppy Joe recipe is full of flavour (and not to mention good for you!)

Veggie Filled Vegan Sloppy Joes

340g veggie ground round (like Yves)
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup red pepper, chopped
1/3 cup sweet potato, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tsp oregano
3/4 cup organic ketchup (use a full 1 cup if you want it a little more moist)
2 tsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Add the veggie ground round, green pepper, red pepper, sweet potato, onion and garlic to a large skillet pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil on low-medium heat. Cook about 8-12 minutes, or until browned.

Once browned, add the ketchup, oregano, brown sugar, sea salt and pepper and mix.

Cook on low-very low for 20-30 minutes.

Once ready, remove from heat.

Serve on your favourite type of bun (or perhaps on an english muffin if you want something with a little less bread.)