RECIPES

Breakfast in a mug

 

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Desserts, RECIPES

Orange Cake

Light tasting with a smooth texture, perfect for afternoon tea or anytime ! I used a Bundt shape but you can certainly use any shape pan you prefer.

3 cups of all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp making soda
Pinch of salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup of coconut milk
1 cup of plant based yogurt
1 cup of plant based butter (softened)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp orange extract
1/2 cup freshly squeezer orange juice
I used icing sugar as a topping but you may certainly personalise it with other toppings such as orange zest, shredded coconut or other

Mix all dry together in a bowl and all wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Add the liquid bowl to the dry and stir well until smooth.

Add to a greased pan, I greased mine with oil spray  and bake for 1 hour afterwards. Let cake cool down completely and ready to serve !

Cristina for Peas and Peace

TRAVELS

Radis

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Radis (restaurantradis.com) is another Vegan restaurant I discovered, it is located at 361 Rue Bernard West in Montreal. A must ! We were warmly greeted and the service was excellent. As a main course we had a Calzone stuffed with mushrooms, beyond delicious. The portions were quite generous but I could not possibly pass on dessert. If you are to look at the top Picture I absolutely had to taste the Lemon pie, and while savouring our main course the pastry chef…….. proceeds to the Cannoli filling…… , Well ! we could not possibly not taste those as well, so we decided to order one Moka & Hazelnut and one Vanilla & Pistachio !

Cristina for Peas & Peace

Mains, RECIPES

Shells with a creamy spinach filling

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16 jumbo shells
350 gr semi-firm tofu
2 cups of cooked white beans
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
225 gr frozen spinach, thawed and drained
28 oz strained tomatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp chili flakes
1/4 cup minced fresh basil

Pre-heat over at 350 degrees

Cook your shells, drain and set aside

In a food processor, purée the tofu, beans, yeast, garlic, lemon zest, juice and nutmeg and add   1/4 of a cup of water. Mix until cream, it might need additional water depending.

In a bowl combine the tomate coulis, olive oil and chili flakes, mix and coat the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan or platter with 3/4 of the coulis

Stuff the jumbo shells with the filling and place on top of the tomatoe coulis and cover with the remaining sauce

Cover with parchment paper and bake for 40 minutes

Garnish with the basil and you’e set !

Cristina for Peas & Peace

Desserts, RECIPES

Chocolate & Caramel Pie

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Ingredients

Crust

  • 1/2 cup  + 2 Tbsp dry roasted almonds
  • 2 Tbsp hemp seeds
  • 2 Tbsp  flax seed meal 
  • Tbsp cocoa powder
  • 3/4 cup roasted coconut flakes
  • 8 soft dates
  • 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 Tbsp  maple syrup
  • 1 Tbsp almond milk

Caramel Layer

  • 1 cup soft medjool dates – soaked in hot water for 15 minutes
  • 2 Tbsp almond butter 
  • 2 Tbsp coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup  almond milk 

Chocolate layer

  • 1/2 cup  full fat coconut milk
  • 2/3 cup vegan dark chocolate chips
  • 2 Tbsp  almond butter
  • 2 Tbsp  coconut oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup

    • Soak the dates for the caramel layer in hot water for 15 minutes while you make the crust.

    Crust

          Process the almonds in a food processor until coarse meal. Add seeds, cocoa, dates, 1/4 cup coconut flakes and pulse until the dates are well incorporated . Add the rest of the coconut flakes, vanilla, maple, almond milk and process until doughy. Add more almond milk if needed. Press the dough into a parchement paper lined 9 inch pie pan.

    Caramel Layer

    Drain the soaked dates. Purée all the ingredients with the soaked dates until you get  a smooth purée texture Spread evenly on top of the crust.

     

    Chocolate Layer

Heat the coconut milk until it starts to bubble and transfer to a bowl. Add the              chocolate chips and whisk until melted. Whisk in the rest of the ingredients. Pour on top of  the caramel and spread evenly.

Freeze for at least 4 hours, then slice and enjoy !
 

 

Cristina for Peas and Peace

Desserts, RECIPES

No Bake Chocolate Chip Cookies

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1 cup oat flour
1 cup ground cashews (grind cashews by pulsing them in a high-speed blender until fine)
4 tbsp melted coconut oil
1 tsp  vanilla extract
1 tsp pink Himalayan salt
1/2 cup maple syrup
3 tbsp of cacao nibs

In a large mixing bowl mix together oat flour and ground cashews

Then  add coconut oil, vanilla extract,  Himalayan salt and maple, combine these into a dough, add cacao nibs and mix together

Form into 12  balls then flatten and shape into cookies.

Put them in the refrigerator to set for two hours and then enjoy !

Keep in the fridge if any leftover……..

Cristina for Peas and Peace

Desserts, RECIPES

Raw Chocolate Hempseed Brownies

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Base

1 3/4 cup pitted dates
1/3 cup shelled hemp seeds
1/2 cup shelled sunflower seeds
3/4 cup roasted cashew nuts
3 tbsp cacao powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp maple syrup

Topping

3 tbsp melted coconut oil
3 tbsp cacao powder
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp coconut sugar

For the base, roughly grind the sunflower seeds in a food processor then add the cashews and hemp seeds and grind again.
Add the dates and vanilla and blend until it’s mixed well and you get a sticky consistence. Should it not be sticky enough add a little maple syrup at a time.When you have the right consistency press all of the mixture down very firmly into a loaf pan. Pop into the fridge while you prepare the topping.

For the topping, add the cacao, maple syrup and coconut sugar to the melted coconut oil and mix together thoroughly. Pour the topping on top of the brownie base and then place back again in the fridge.

When the topping has set, take out and slice up. Keeps in the fridge for a week or the freezer for a couple of months.

Delicious !

Desserts, RECIPES

No bake coffee & cashew mousse cake

CRUST

200 gr almonds
30 gr shredded coconut
20 pitted dates

FILLING

400 gr soaked cashews (up to 12 hours) *Note 200 gr when dry
160 gr oat milk
160 gr maple syrup
1 tbsp cacao powder
2 shots of espresso

Add almonds & shredded coconut into a food processor and pulse until fine texture, add the dates and mix again.

Press the crust into an 8 inch springform pan and set aside.

Drain and wash the cashews and blend well along with the other filling ingredients. Pour the filling into the cake pan and freeze for 6 hours or overnight.

Decorate with your favorite toppings, could be a chocolate drizzle, berries, crushed roasted cashews or simply as is

Keep cake in the freezer, remove 15 minutes before serving

Delicious !

Cristina for Peas & Peace

HEALTH

Physical Activity

Due to scientific research, we are now well aware that nutrition plays a huge role in how we feel on a daily basis and the impact it has on our health. Adding an activity, has to be your favorite !, could be a daily brisk walk, running, swimming, cycling, will affect and also increase your wellbeing, I insist on it must be something you enjoy !. Physical activity impacts your stamina, your mood, your weight, your muscles. For those that live in parts of the world where winters are long and bitter cold at times, I hopefully might inspire you in showing you a room I converted into a small exercise/yoga room so that winter doesn’t sabotage your exercise.

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On a daily basis I alternate between tennis (outdoors in the summer, indoors winter), Pilates, cycling (indoors or outdoors weather permitting), so to not always be overworking the same muscles and also so that it doesn’t become repetitive.  I also sneak in daily walks for added fresh air while walking the dogs. Personalize your gym !, go with your favorite colours, gear, make it conducive to wanting to be in that room or area of the house.

Little tricks to share with you to maximize space and economise, we bought a set of weights all in one (Nautilus), this way we don’t have a wall of weights taking up the entire space. The screen is not so much to watch programs as I prefer to have music on, it is to follow free yoga/pilates sessions on youtube.

 

Cristina for Peas & Peace

 

Mains, RECIPES

Meatless Balls

But soooooo tasty !

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Add them to your favorite Pasta and top it with Parmesan (see my recipe), Delicious !

Ingredients for meatless balls:
1 cup of oats
1 3/4 cooked black beans
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax & 2 1/2 tbsp water, mix together and let sit for 5 minutes)
Salt & pepper to taste

Ingredients for the sauce:
500 ml of ground tomatoes
1 1/2 cup of vegetable stock
3 garlic cloves (minced)

Add oats to a blender, pulse until ground, add all the other ingredients and blend until well combined

Use an ice cream scooper for size and shape in your hand afterwards, add to a baking pan and refrigerate for 15 minutes

Set the oven at 350F and bake balls until golden brown.

While baking add the sauce ingredients to a pot then transfer balls to sauce and cook  medium heat for 20 minutes stirring occasionally

Enjoy !

Cristina for Peas & Peace