Vegan Red Curry Paste

It's no secret that we love Thai food over here. I think it's the sweet and spicy flavours that really get us going. My husband loves Pad Thai and I especially love anything that can be dipped in peanut sauce. Okay, I'm starting to drool over here, so I'd better get to the point.

We love going for Thai, but it's not always easy to do. Being completely plant-based, it's hard to find a satisfying soup when eating out. Thankfully, eating in is ALWAYS an option - even when you're craving ethnic foods. I was craving a Thai soup and came across a few recipes, but the one that struck me was a coconut one. It needed Thai red curry paste and I somehow ended up recreating the paste before getting to the soup. I did this largely by reading the label of a jar I had in my fridge already. The result was delicious, so I tried it in another dish. Same tasty result. Before I get to those though, I thought I'd share the curry paste recipe. Patience though - the others are coming.

I like having red curry paste on hand because it's perfect when you need a quick curry or soup whipped up! It makes leftovers and odds and ends taste like new - and since I always like to keep some coconut milk in the pantry, it's quick and easy. 

The one good thing about this paste is that it freezes extremely well. It works out because some of the ingredients are a little harder to find (depending on where you shop) and can be on the pricey side. The only ingredients I didn't have on hand were the peppers and the lemongrass. I always keep ginger in the freezer (you never know when you'll need it!). Anyway, back to freezing the paste, because you definitely don't want it to go to waste, it's good that it freezes. Just put a tablespoon into each section of an ice tray and freeze! Then keep it in a baggie to use in future dishes. We only have a moose ice tray that we got from some friends for our wedding, so we have moose-shaped red curry paste in our freezer. Whatever works!

Try this out in any recipe that calls for red Thai curry paste, and you won't even know you didn't buy it in a jar! It's so easy to put together - just dump everything into a food processor or high-speed blender and go! Perfect base for all sorts of dishes.

Vegan Thai Red Curry Paste
Makes about 1 cup

what you need:

Inch section of ginger, chopped
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp coriander
½ tsp salt
1 lime - tested and juiced
3 red chillies, tops chopped off
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 TBSP liquid aminos (or soy sauce)
1 TBSP maple syrup (optional, to offset some heat)
1 stem of Lemongrass, chopped
6 green onion, sliced
½ red bell pepper (optional, to offset some heat)

what to do:

To a food processor or high-speed blender, add all the ingredients. Process until it reaches your desired texture (I don't like mine too chunky, but you might!)

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What do you use red curry paste for?

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3 Healthy & Energizing Smoothie Recipes

Smoothies are a quick and easy way to get a tasty fruit fix, and I make them as often as possible. I love to start my day with one, and when I have friends over they’re the perfect alternative to coffee on a sunny day. My family loves them too, and I find that smoothies are one of the best ways to get kids the vitamins and antioxidants that they need.

I’m always looking for new recipes that are vegan-friendly, healthy and delicious, and the three recipes in this post tick all those boxes. They’re also great energy-boosters, thanks to the matcha green tea powder.

If you haven’t already heard about matcha tea, let me tell you why I love it. It’s known to increase energy levels and improve concentration, so it’s great for getting me through a busy day. It’s also full of antioxidants which help to boost the immune system and protect against diseases. It can even give your metabolism a boost which helps with weight loss too.

Matcha is the perfect smoothie ingredient and I love the long-lasting boost that it gives me - especially when I have a busy day ahead. Make sure you get high-quality matcha though as this ensures it's got the maximum health benefits and non-bitter taste. I recommend Evergreen Matcha, as they source their premium grade matcha from sustainable farms in Japan so it's packed with the maximum goodness.

For the following recipes, simply add all the ingredients to your blender, whizz up, and enjoy.

Energy-boosting strawberry, banana, and matcha smoothie

This smoothie is perfect for breakfast at the start of a busy day. The fruits not only taste delicious but are also packed with mood-improving vitamins and nutrients, and the matcha tea will give you all the energy you need to take on anything.

What you need:

●      2 cups strawberries (fresh or frozen, but if frozen thaw them first)

●      1 banana

●      1 kiwi, peeled

●      2 scoops vanilla protein powder

●      ½ cup plain low-fat yogurt or ½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

●      2 tsp matcha

Boost Your Immune System with this Ginger Matcha Smoothie

This smoothie is packed full of tasty goodness. The matcha is an incredible source of antioxidants, and the ginger and fresh orange gives your body some vitamins and a kick to help fight off any this drink a lovely warming finish which helps boost your immune system.

What you need:

●      1 tsp matcha

●      1 lime, juiced

●      1 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed

●      1 tbsp chia seeds

●      2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated

Note: if you don’t like the spiciness of the ginger, simply leave it out!

Antioxidant-rich cacao and matcha smoothie

Did you know that raw, organic cacao is full of antioxidants? It’s a true superfood, and it has all of the calcium, iron, and magnesium that your body needs. It also has over 40x the antioxidants found in blueberries, so cacao and matcha are a health-boosting dream team.

This smoothie is delicious as an afternoon pick-me-up and is perfect if you need an energy boost. And, drinking this smoothie regularly can promote weight loss and will help protect against diseases.

What you need:

●      1 ½ cups almond milk

●      1 tbsp cacao powder

●      ½ tbsp matcha

●      2 tsp maca powder

Note: if you want to increase the iron content of this smoothie you can add a handful of spinach. Or, if you want to even out the strong cacao taste with some extra sweetness, blend in ½ tablespoon of maple syrup.

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Erin Young is a health writer, tea expert and owner of two tea brands: Evergreen Matcha in the USA and Zen Green Tea Matcha in Australia. She partners with sustainable tea farms based in Kyoto (Japan) to ensure the best possible quality matcha green tea powder.

Zen Green Tea: Facebook & Instagram

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Creamy Roasted Garlic & Tomato Pasta (nut free)

I suppose everyone has a staple that is always in their pantry. When I was growing up, we always had rice. I would eat rice for every meal and I had no qualms about it. Now, it's all about pasta.

We love pasta in this house. It's quick, it's easy, and it's delicious. There are all different varieties - the kind made from black beans or rice or gorbonzo beans. They can be red or green or brown. Pasta is just so much fun! I know many people who would agree with me.

So because of my love for pasta, and becuase of my love for creamy sauces that contain no yucky ingredients, I bring to you: creamy roasted garlic and tomato pasta! It's nut free, but still creamy!

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This dish is the perfect main if you're expecting last-minute company. Seriously. It takes 30 minutes to whip up, but still looks good and impressive on a table. It's perfect and light and tasty! Plus, if there is a nut allergy, no need to look any further!

I love making a full batch of this just for the two of us and packing it up for lunches the next day too. Leftovers are the bomb dot com!

It's all about the sauce! You can use any kind of pasta with it and add any kind of additional vegetables! The tomato and spinach by themselves is fabulous too. Obviously, you can add less pasta if you want a higher sauce to pasta ratio too. I'm super hungry just thinking about it. 

The roasted garlic adds that extra kick of flavour it needs!

I love enjoying this on a warm summer evening out on the deck. Yes! Don't tell me I'm the only one who loves eating outside!

Enjoy!

Creamy Roasted Garlic & Tomato Pasta

Makes about 8 servings

what you need:

• 1 bulb (yes the whole bulb!) garlic

• 1 large onion, sliced

• 16 ounces (1 lb) pasta of your choice

• Olive oil

• 2 tsp sea salt

• Pinch sea salt

• 3 TBSP arrowroot powder

• 3 TBSP nutritional yeast flakes

• 2 ½ cups unsweetened plain non-dairy milk

• 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved

• 4 cups fresh spinach

what to do:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Clean the outside layer of the garlic bulb, keeping the whole thing intact. Cut the top off the bulb, and brush the exposed garlic with olive oil. Roast entire bulb for 30 minutes.

3. Wash and halve the tomatoes and place them on a baking tray. Toss with a bit of olive oil and a pinch of salt and add them to the oven to roast for 20 minutes.

4. While the garlic and tomatoes are roasting, cook pasta and set aside.

5. Once the garlic and tomatoes are finished, set aside.

6. Prepare the sauce by adding onions to a large saucepan on low-medium heat. Begin cooking the onions, adding a pinch of salt. Cook until soft.

7. Add onions, roasted garlic, almond milk, 2 tsp sea salt, arrowroot powder, and nutritional yeast flakes to a high speed blender.

8. Blend until smooth.

9. Add mixture back to saucepan and slowly bring it to a simmer.

10. Add the spinach to the mixture, cooking until wilted. Then add the pasta. To finish, stir in the roasted tomatoes.

11. Serve right away. Keep leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days - though it won’t likely last that long!

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Mango Swirl Ice Cream (vegan)

Going for ice cream is one of those iconic things about Summer break. Strolling down the street with your little cone or sitting and enjoying some company and views is part of what Summer brings. Thankfully, there are more and more dairy-free options being offered, but depending on where you are, they can be hard to find - and expensive when you do find them.

Thankfully, I don’t have to go out to enjoy a delicious cone of ice cream, and I don’t have to spend $5 or more on a pint in the grocery store. I can just make it in my kitchen. It does require some planning and waiting, but it is all worth it in the end!

Affiliate links are used in this post.

Earlier this summer I shared my chocolate chai ice cream recipe, but today I have something fruity for you for when you want to use your fresh produce (or even the frozen stuff in your freezer). 

I decided on mango because who doesn't love a good juicy mango? I could seriously eat mangos all summer long and never et tired of them. In fact, I do! :)

Yes, you will need an ice cream maker for this recipe. I'm hoping to add some churn-free ice creams to my index in the future. The good news is that you can get a relatively inexpensive ice cream maker and it will work beautifully. Mine is a simple one with a base that freezes and an electronic churn and I love it! Only paid $30 for it brand new a few years ago (check out Amazon for one).

The swirl is the most fun part of this whole thing. Half of the swirl mixture is added to the end to make the effect - and adds more fun fruity flavour!

My husband's eyes opened very wide in delight when he tasted this, so I counted this recipe a success.

Mango Swirl Ice Cream

What you need:

For the Mango Swirl:

• 2 cups mango'

• 2 TBSP organic cane sugar

For the Cream Base:

• 2 cans full fat coconut milk

• 2 TBSP arrowroot powder

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 4 TBSP maple syrup

• 1/4 tsp sea salt

What to do:

1. Mix all of the ice cream ingredients (to avoid clumps, you can do this in a blender, or dissolve the arrowroot powder into a small, separate amount of coconut milk) into a small pot on medium heat. Do no let it boil, but allow it to cook and thicken - about 5-8 minutes or so.

2. Cool and then chill in the fridge for at least 5 hours.

3. While the cream base chills, make the swirl by adding the mango and cane sugar to a small pot. Cook on low heat and constantly stir as the fruit softens.

4. Once the fruit no can no longer maintain its shape, use an immersion blender to puree it until it becomes a thick sauce (feel free to leave chunks if that is your cup of tea). Set aside and allow to cool.

5. Once completely chilled, put the mixture into your ice cream maker. Churn according to manufacturer's directions.

6. As the mixture becomes thicker, like soft serve, start to slowly pour in about half of the mixture.

7. Ladle the finished ice cream into a container. Scoop the rest of the mango swirl in three sections along the top and use a bread knife to swirl it in.

8. Freeze a few more hours and then scoop and enjoy! 

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Do you have an ice cream churn to enjoy during the Summer?

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Lime Maple Tofu Fajitas (vegan + gluten free options)

When you think about a busy day you've just had rushing around doing everything under the sun, do you enjoy coming home to cook a meal? I personally do not. During the school year, a typical work day for me is both physically and emotionally draining. Kids are crazy (I do LOVE my job)! If it were at all possible, I would totally hire a chef to come and cook nutritious dinners for me - but alas, my budget does not allow for that (I don't even think I have to double check it to come to that conclusion, hehe!)

Thankfully, there are a few meals I can easily whip up that taste like they were being prepped for hours. These fajitas are one of those meals. It's quick, easy, and nutritious! They are also very versatile and work with just about any leftover in your kitchen. They also taste great the next day for lunch which is a huge bonus for me!

I'm not a Mexican food expert by any means. The very first time I ever made fajitas I was in Austria and decided to take a weekend trip to visit a friend. I wanted to make her dinner, so I threw some peppers, tomatoes and tofu in a pan and whipped up a similar product. Since that day, I've made these, and the recipe changes pretty much every time. I've since omitted the tomatoes from my original mixture, but I love the lime and maple I put in these. I actually have never looked up a fajita recipe, so I don't even honestly know if I can call these fajitas - but I suppose they are. Haha!

The trick is keeping your pan on low heat. It gives the onions a really nice caramelization and flavour. You can seriously add anything to the filling. I've added beans before. I've also done a crumbled TVP instead of tofu. And as I mentioned before, I've added tomatoes - crushed or diced or whatever my heart desired.

For the tofu, I baked it in the oven. It got to soak up some more of the lime and maple and doing it in the oven allowed it to get firmer and chewier. 

Anyhow, I'm glad to share this super quick and easy meal with you - hopefully it makes your work week easier!

Lime Maple Tofu Fajitas

what you need

1 large red onion, sliced
1 large red bell pepper, sliced
1 large orange or yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 block extra firm tofu
2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 lime
3 tsp maple syrup
Splash of olive oil

8 fajita sized tortillas (can get gluten free)

Garnish/Toppings Ideas:
Fresh cilantro
Fresh lime wedges
Fresh avocados/Guac
Lettuce
Diced tomatoes
Sour cream
Cashew cream sauce

what to do:

1) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F
2) Press the tofu in a kitchen towel so that you get as much water out as you can and cut it into long strips
3) On a prepared baking pan, lay the tofu and sprinkle with 1 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp maple syrup, a bit of olive oil, and squeeze half a lime. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until nicely browned. Turn off oven and leave them in there until you're ready to add them to the vegetables.
4) To a pan, add a tiny bit of olive oil. On low heat, cool your onion for about 5 minutes until soft. 
5) Next, add the peppers and continue cooking.
6) Add the remaining tsp of salt, the cumin, chilli powder, and red pepper flakes and mix until the vegetables are coated.
7) Drizzle the maple syrup and the other half of the lime over it and add the garlic.
8) Carefully add the tofu, mix, and you are done!

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What's your favourite quick dinner recipe?

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