Angela Liddon's Blog, page 13

Salted Chocolate Avocado Pudding Bowls

With an almost bursting bladder and plenty of nervous anticipation, yesterday we headed off to our anatomy scan ultrasound appointment. I always find that I get anxious for pregnancy ultrasounds in general, but this one especially. I felt a knot in my stomach all morning long. It’s a fairly long ultrasound since they check all of baby’s various body parts while I sit there with 3 big glasses of water in my bladder, unable to see the screen, and worrying like I do. Still, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel for this appointment. It’s often when the sex of the baby can be found out; that’s if the parents want to and if the baby cooperates with the proper position! I tell you, we sure wanted to find out! Heck yes!!!

Much to my dismay, the technician informed me near the end of the scan that they have a new policy in place as of 2 months ago: the tech is no longer allowed to tell the parents the sex of the baby at the appointment—you have to wait to get the official report. I had no idea! Eric had come to the appointment especially for the reveal, just like the first time, and we were so excited for this day to finally arrive. Oddly enough, with our first pregnancy we didn’t have much luck finding out the sex either; Adriana was crossing her legs at the time. But since baby #2 was presumably in the perfect position, it was torturing us not being able to find out. The most important thing, though, was that the tech said everything looks good, and our cute little baby has a strong heartbeat and was wiggling all over the place! We are so very thankful for that.

Being the patient one that I am, I called my midwives’ office this morning (despite being told it would take 3 days for the report to arrive…hah), and was elated when they already had the report in their hands! I ran into the other room and told Eric the news, not able to contain my emotions in the slightest. I considered surprising him in some Pinterest-y kind of way, but let’s be real: there was no way I could not tell him immediately! (Secondly, Pinterest-style execution rarely happens in my world.) We’re planning on keeping the news a surprise for friends and family this time (mainly to torture the grandparents!), but time will tell if we can keep a secret that long. The sneaky questions are already coming in fast and furious from friends and family. I don’t know if I can hide this for 5 more months, especially in person. My poker face only functions about 1% of the time. It’s bad.

Well, all of this excitement has made me hungry. For chocolate. Chocolate pudding. I can’t get it out of my head lately. If you’re looking for a last-minute, seriously easy treat for Mother’s Day this Sunday, look no further, my friends. Or maybe you simply need an excuse to whip up a decadent-tasting chocolate pudding. This one is a showstopper, but no one will know it’s as easy as throwing things into a food processor! If you want to get wild and crazy, you could even serve this as a part of a Mother’s Day brunch (and maybe layer it into cute parfait glasses). Chocolate and brunch…it should be a thing…it really should.

Avocado pudding is nothing new, of course, but until recently I had yet to nail a recipe for it that really knocked my socks off. (And Eric’s too.) And by knock my socks off, I mean that it has to make my eyes roll back in my head. Previous attempts have left me feeling a bit disappointed, like I was simply eating a healthy pudding that tasted like avocado and cocoa powder. There’s nothing wrong with healthy chocolate puddings (in fact, I have a no-added-sugar version on the blog!), but sometimes I want something that tastes like the real deal. This pudding is rich and decadent like a chocolate pudding should be, but still manages to pack in some nutrition from the avocado, almond butter, cocoa powder, and more. I’ll take it!

Since it’s quite rich, the suggested serving size is pretty light, so I’ve bulked up the bowls with plenty of fresh chopped berries, toasted nuts, and a generous dollop of coconut whipped cream. Not to mention, it’s almost too pretty to eat…almost. By the way, if you have our app this recipe is already in there! It’ll automatically download when you open the app.

Salted Chocolate Avocado Pudding
Vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, no bake/raw, soy-free

This is my newest favourite chocolate avocado pudding! It's absolutely luxurious, rich, and decadent while packing in healthy fat from the avocado. I love serving this with Coconut Whipped Cream and fresh berries for a lovely spring or summer dessert. This is a small batch making just a few rich portions, so I recommend doubling it if you are serving 3 or more. Thanks to Gwyneth Paltrow's It's All Easy for inspiring this recipe.

Yield
1 1/3 cups (Serves 3)
Freeze time
2 hours

Prep Time
10 Minutes
Cook time
0 Minutes
Total Time
10 Minutes


Ingredients:
For the pudding:3/4 cup (140 g) packed avocado (from 1 medium avocado)*1/4 cup (20 g) unsweetened cocoa powder1/4 cup (60 mL) pure maple syrup2 tablespoons (30 mL) brown rice syrup**2 tablespoons (30 mL) coconut oil, melted2 tablespoons (30 mL) unsweetened almond milk1 tablespoon (15 mL) natural smooth roasted almond butter1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract1/4 plus 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to tasteFor serving:Coconut Whipped CreamFresh berriesFinely chopped almonds or other nuts


Directions:
Add the avocado, cocoa powder, maple syrup, brown rice syrup, melted coconut oil, milk, almond butter, vanilla, and salt (start with 1/4 teaspoon) into a food processor. Process until super smooth, stopping to scrape down the side of the bowl as needed. Taste and adjust salt and sweetener, if desired. Spoon into an airtight container, cover, and chill for 1 to 2 hours, or simply enjoy immediately at room temperature. Portion into shallow bowls and top with Coconut Whipped Cream, fresh berries, and nuts. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 to 2 days. I prefer the flavour when enjoyed the same day, but it's still good the next day too!


Tips:

* Make sure the avocado you use is ripe, but still fresh and without bruises. Bruises can result in a pudding that's bitter or off-tasting.
** Brown rice syrup thickens this pudding while providing a light sweetness that pairs well with the maple.

Last but not least, you’ve probably heard that Cinco de Mayo is tomorrow! If you’re looking for some recipes, you might want to check out my Ultimate Green Tacos, Next Level Vegan Enchiladas, DIY Burrito Bowl, and Crowd-Pleasing Tex-Mex Casserole (The Oh She Glows Cookbook, p. 149).

See you on Friday for Friday FAQs!

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Friday FAQs: Coconut oil chocolate, food processors, sub for oats, vegan yogurt, and more!

Welcome to week three of Friday FAQs, a new series on Oh She Glows featuring your questions about OSG recipes, substitution ideas, cooking methods, ingredients, and kitchen tools! I hope you’ve been enjoying the series as much as I have so far. It’s been especially awesome to see you guys reaching out to help each other by offering up your own kitchen wisdom! Feel free to chime in at any point if you feel like you can offer some input to any of the questions. I’d love this series to be as collaborative as possible!

You can read the previous Friday FAQs here:

April 15th, 2016
April 22nd, 2016

 

As always, feel free to send your questions my way via social media or the blog, and I’ll select some to feature in the coming weeks!

Q1:  Quick question—what was your recipe again for the coconut oil chocolate you made a few days ago and posted on your Snapchat? Seem to have lost the screenshot I took and my mold just arrived so I’m dying to try it out!

A: Hi Aguarin, I can definitely help you out. No one should have to go without this chocolate! If memory serves me correctly, my small batch recipe is: 3 tablespoons coconut oil (melted), 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, and a pinch of pink salt to enhance the flavours. Whisk it all together and then chill it until it hardens. This recipe makes enough for one of these chocolate bar molds.

Q2: Hi Angela, What kind of food processor do you use? I’m in the market for a new one!

A: Hi James, I currently use this Cuisinart Food Processor, and I quite like it. I appreciate that it’s simpler than my previous model (which had multiple-sized bowls) and it works well for making nut butter, coconut butter, hummus, etc. It’s brushed stainless steel that comes in a white, black, or red accent colour.

Q3: What can I substitute for the oats in your Banana Bread Muffin Tops?

A: Hi Georgina, Oh that’s a tough one! Since the oats make up such a large proportion of this recipe I really don’t know a direct substitute offhand. My guess would be to try a mixture of quinoa flakes, ground almonds, and a different flour, but it would be an experiment for sure! I’ll have to keep your request in mind for a future recipe spin-off. If you try anything out, please leave a comment and let us know how it went. (And if any other readers have tried anything that worked out well, please leave a comment and let us know!)

Q4: Where do you buy your nutritional yeast, Angela?

A: I buy nutritional yeast at Organic Garage, Whole Foods, and Fortinos/Loblaws. Be sure to check the natural foods/gluten-free section of your grocery store (if they have one) as it’s often hiding around there. You can also find it online.

Q5: What kind of bread are you using that’s vegan?

A: Hey Kim, My current fave bread is by Thornbury Bakery in Ontario (Original Chia kind). It’s vegan, gluten-free, and absolutely amazing as a base for avocado toast! I store a loaf in the freezer so I always have some on hand.

Q6: Samantha writes, I’m slowly transitioning to a plant-based diet, but the one thing I can’t seem to let go of is my Greek yogurt. I’m wondering what your favourite vegan yogurt is?

A: Hey Samantha, Great question! To be honest, I don’t buy store-bought vegan yogurt very often. I do think the So Delicious Cultured Coconut Milk variety is decent though, and they have a new Greek style yogurt which I haven’t had a chance to try out yet! When I really have a yogurt craving, I love to whip up a batch of my Super Thick Coconut Yogurt. It’s such a luxurious treat and satisfies my craving every time! You can’t beat that it’s just a few ingredients either.

Comments of the week:

Nonny writes, Super app & cookbook—btw, I’m literally "cooking this cookbook"! Ever see the movie "Julie & Julia"? Well, the idea of cooking a cookbook sounded fun—but, "what cookbook"? For me, the OSG’s cookbook is the one! I’ve made about 50 recipes now w/@ a 95% "love it" rating! The app has been a distraction —haha —more great recipes orchestrated beautifully & couldn’t be more user friendly! Thanks Angela :)

I’m so flattered, Nonny! What an awesome project. It’s wonderful to hear you’ve been enjoying all the recipes, and now the app. Thanks for letting me know. Your comment really made my day!

Lindsay writes, This Glowing Spiced Lentil Soup was fantastic. My toddler was NOT happy when I set her bowl in front of her, she hasn’t been a fan of soup for a while now. I made jasmine rice to go with it, so once it was all mixed together she tried it and said ‘mom why didn’t you tell me this was going to be good?’ She not only finished her first bowl but had seconds. Great recipe!

Hi Lindsay, that is too cute! You never quite know what a toddler will do, right? I’m so glad this soup helped change her mind. Adriana is a big fan of it too (well, the amount she does get into her mouth, that is). I love your idea of mixing jasmine rice into it; I’ll have to try that soon. I’ve been all about rice lately!

Have a lovely weekend, everyone! See you next week. Until then, you can catch me on Snapchat (my username is Angelaliddon). Also, a quick heads up that our next newsletter will go out on Tuesday!

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No-Bake Chocolate Fudge Cookies

Happy Thursday! I hope you’re enjoying the week. Some of you have asked for more life updates in my blog posts, and I think that’s a fun idea to bring back more often! Without further ado, a little update and then the recipe…

Our week has been filled with a grab bag of things, as it usually is! On the business side, the Oh She Glows app work has still been filling our days and keeping us busy. I added 7 new recipes to the app over the past 2 weeks, so I’ve been a busy bee working around the clock! Each time I add a new app recipe I have to re-test the recipe (I also have one of my incredible recipe testers test it as well), re-write the recipe (especially if it’s a recipe published before 2013—let’s just say my recipe writing has changed over the years!), edit the recipe, shoot the photo, and then upload the recipe to the app testing site. From there, I position the recipe title, add metric conversions (all recent and future recipes will have metric conversions on the blog and in the app—major yay!), give the recipe a final edit, and make sure everything looks good before I make it live. (My OCD self usually checks it over a gazillion times.) I’m getting the hang of the process now and I really enjoy it. The great news is even if you don’t have the app you’ll still benefit, because as I’m revamping recipes, I’m adding the updated versions to the original blog posts. This means easier-to-follow recipes, and in many cases, even better-tasting recipes. Check out this video Eric put together below for a sneak peek of 6 recipes that were recently added to the app. I’m having so much fun with the photography.

On the home front, we’ve had quite a bit of excitement this week! You may have read in a recent In the Glow newsletter that this year we’re starting up the home renovation process once again (despite my pregnant self not wanting any part of it!), and right now we’re in the design phase. This week, we met with our designer to go over her drawings of the spaces. The design phase is my favourite phase (aside from when the renos are 100% complete, that is) because it’s all rosy and dreamy and filled with hopes of what could be. There’s no mess, no noise, no going over budget, and no dust (yet). So I love this stage, and Eric and I are pretty quick at making decisions together. We’re planning to finish the unfinished basement and a couple other projects before our second little one arrives in September. I must have fallen on my head to agree to this! Eric loves doing renos so I kind of gave in. I have to admit, going through the kitchen reno while 7–9 months pregnant in 2014 was pretty hellish (to put it lightly…hahah), but I’m hoping this process goes more smoothly since it’s not my kitchen that I’m giving up. NOBODY WANTS TO GIVE UP THEIR FOOD SANCTUARY…am I right? This is probably wishful thinking though. I figure that it’ll be easier doing the renos before the baby arrives because we all know when a newborn is in the house not much is getting done aside from feeding, changing scary diapers, and praying for more sleep. Plus, it would be great to have a finished basement where Adriana can have a real playroom! I’ll keep you guys posted on the journey and hopefully post some progress pictures in months to come.

Today’s recipe features one of the new recipes I uploaded to the app—my current favourite way to satisfy my chocolate fix! I didn’t want anything to do with chocolate during the first trimester, but lately I really crave it from time to time. Eric is so enthusiastic about these cookies I probably shouldn’t write the choice words he yelled out when he tasted them! (If you have our app, this recipe should automatically download when you open it next. Sometimes it can take up to 24 hours to display, but since I uploaded it yesterday afternoon it shouldn’t be long!)

No-Bake Chocolate Fudge Cookies
Vegan, gluten-free, no bake/raw, nut-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free

These no-bake fudge cookies are my quick and easy solution when a chocolate craving strikes! I start with a homemade coconut oil chocolate base (made even creamier with sunflower seed butter!), and add chia seeds for healthy Omega-3 fats, shredded coconut for a hint of macaroon flavor and texture, and of course rolled oats for the classic no-bake cookie ingredient. The cookies will soften a great deal at room temperature, so I recommend enjoying them straight from the fridge.

Yield
8 cookies
Freeze time
15 minutes

Prep Time
10 Minutes
Cook time
0 Minutes
Total Time
10 Minutes


Ingredients:
For the wet ingredients:3 tablespoons (45 mL) virgin coconut oil2 tablespoons (30 mL) sunflower seed butter*1/4 cup (20 g) unsweetened cocoa powder1/4 cup (60 mL) pure maple syrup, or to taste1 teaspoon pure vanilla extractFor the dry ingredients:7 tablespoons (50 g) gluten-free rolled oats6 tablespoons (35 g) unsweetened shredded coconut2 tablespoons (25 g) chia seeds1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste


Directions:
Line a large plate with parchment paper and set aside. In a medium pot, melt the coconut oil over low heat. Whisk in the sunflower seed butter, cocoa powder, and maple syrup until smooth. Remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the vanilla. Add the oats, coconut, chia seeds, and salt into the pot and stir well until combined. The mixture will be thick, dense, oily, and gel-like (from the chia seeds), but this is normal. Swear. Using a retractable ice cream scoop (approximately 2 tablespoons/30 mL) or simply a spoon, scoop the dough and place the mound onto the plate, leaving a bit of space between each cookie. Place the cookies in the freezer to set for about 10 to 15 minutes, until firm, or simply chill in the fridge if you have the patience. Store leftover cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 week, or freeze them for up to 4 to 6 weeks. These cookies have the best texture/flavour straight from the fridge (rather than the freezer) so I prefer to store them in the fridge.


Tips:

* Instead of sunflower seed butter, feel free to use natural peanut butter or almond butter. I also recommend stirring the nut or seed butter very well before measuring (if it has oil on the top) to avoid oily cookies.

Last but not least, I forgot to announce in last Friday’s post who won the iPad giveaway and stand. A huge congrats to the winner (who was chosen randomly by Rafflecopter), Rochelle E., for winning these two awesome prizes! Rochelle, as I mentioned in my email, they  will be on their way to you soon! A big thanks to everyone for entering the contest.

See you tomorrow for another installment of Friday FAQs!

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Friday FAQs: The lowdown on nutritional yeast, savoury snacks, freezing veggie burgers, feeding a wedding, and more

Friday FAQs is a new series on Oh She Glows featuring your questions about OSG recipes, substitution ideas, cooking methods, ingredients, and tools. My goal for this series is to share what I’ve learned in my kitchen over the past 8 years, and hopefully inspire you to try new plant-based ingredients, cooking methods, recipes, and more! Feel free to shoot your questions my way via social media or the blog and I’ll select a handful each week to feature. See my first Friday FAQs post here.

Happy Earth Day, everyone! I hope this week’s Friday FAQs inspires you to whip up some plant-based meals in honour of Earth Day. Today’s feature is jam-packed, so let’s get right to it!

Q1: I just bought your cookbook and my very first recipe is your veggie burgers. I am doubling the batch…with the extra, do you prefer to cook them and freeze or freeze the patties then cook them?

A: Hi Laurie, Oh how exciting! I prefer to freeze the cooked and cooled patties. Once the cooked burgers have cooled completely, I wrap each burger individually, then place them all into a large freezer-safe zip bag. I press out as much air as I can, zip it up, and freeze for up to 4 weeks. You can thaw individual burgers in the fridge or on the counter and then reheat in a skillet. If I know I’ll be freezing the burgers, sometimes I’ll cook them a few minutes less just to ensure they don’t dry out during the freezing/reheating process. I hope you enjoy the cookbook—let me know how you like the burgers!

Q2: I just recently got put on a diet and it is gluten-free/paleo. I am struggling with finding recipes for snacks that are not sweet. I love sweets and chocolate, but that is all I have been eating lately because those are the recipes that I am finding. Do you have ideas for salty snacks? Also, I recently bought chia seeds and other than having them as oatmeal with almond milk and fruit, I have no clue what to do with them.

A: My go-to savoury snacks are hummus with crackers or veggies, avocado toast, or roasted chickpeas (such as my Salt and Vinegar Roasted Chickpeas). As for chia seed recipes, I recommend trying out my Endurance Crackers for a super easy (and paleo-friendly) recipe that packs in a ton of chia seeds. They are great with dips or simply topped with sliced avocado and pink salt! For non-savoury options, you could try making my (Almost) Instant Chocolate Chia Pudding, Raspberry Chia Seed Jam, or Chia Fresca.

Q3: Hi Angela, I was wondering if I could go out on a limb and ask a huge favor. I am getting married in August and my family is helping with the food. I would really like all or most of the side dishes to be vegan but with the price of food lately I also want to be budget conscious. There will be around 150 guests. I’m wondering if you could suggest a few of your recipes that might suit my requirements? I know you are very busy so I will totally understand if this is not doable for you. Thanks for sharing all of your wonderful recipes in the blog and your cookbook.

A: Congrats Michelle! It’s so great that your family is helping out with the food for the wedding. In terms of choosing budget-friendly vegan sides, my best advice would be to stick with dishes featuring in-season produce: fruits and veggies are often a bit less expensive when they’re in season, so it’s a great way to save a little on the cost of ingredients. Since your wedding is in August you can take advantage of having so many local vegetables and fruits in season! Also, if there are ingredients you know you’ll need and that you can stock up on further in advance, keep an eye out for coupons and sales. A few recipes I’d recommend are my Creamy Avocado Potato Salad (p. 107 from The Oh She Glows Cookbook), Long Weekend Grilled Salad (p. 115), The Best Shredded Kale Salad, Mashed Potatoes with Easy Mushroom Gravy (p. 207), and Crowd-Pleasing Vegan Caesar Salad. You could also roast and season vegetables, like in my Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Fingerling Potatoes and Rosemary recipe, or my Roasted Rainbow Carrots with Cumin-Coriander Tahini Sauce (p. 191)—but some of those might get tricky, depending on oven space. Also, don’t forget the simplicity (and great flavour!) of a homemade gazpacho. You can definitely make that one ahead. I’d imagine that some of the side dishes can be made in larger batches to accommodate the size of your wedding, and can be partially prepped in advance (for example, the salad dressings and vegan parm can be done ahead) so there’s less to do day-of. I hope this helps get the wheels turning! Have a great wedding.

Q4: Hi Angela, I’m having trouble keeping the Glo Bars together. I don’t have brown rice syrup, so I’ve been using maple syrup. Is that why they won’t stay together?

A: Hi Lisa, Unfortunately maple syrup doesn’t work great as a binder in this recipe (I’ve tried it many times using different combos…oh how I wish it did!). The only binder I’ve had success with is brown rice syrup. Its super thick and sticky consistency really helps the bars stick together. I hope you enjoyed the Glo Bar pieces anyway! I sure wouldn’t pass them up if I saw some crumbles on a tray. ;)

Q5: What is nutritional yeast? Is it the same as yeast for bread?

A: Great question! The two types of yeast are actually quite different: The yeast used in bread is what’s known as “active”  yeast, and it works as a leavening agent (helping your baked goods to rise and become lighter); nutritional yeast, on the other hand, is “inactive,” dead-form yeast. Nutritional yeast is great for lending a cheesy, nutty flavour to vegan recipes, and is often fortified with B vitamins. I love adding it to sauces, gravies, and dressings, or sprinkling it on popcorn or garlic bread. A few of my favourite recipes using nutritional yeast are my Luxurious 7-Vegetable and “Cheese” Soup, Life-Affirming Warm Nacho Dip (p. 83 of The Oh She Glows Cookbook), and Broccoli & Cashew Cheese-Quinoa Burrito (p. 159).

Comments of the week:

“To be honest, I’ve been struggling a bit with your blog as of late. What I love about my favorite blogs (which used to include OSG!) is that it feels like having a friend in your life with all sorts of interesting stories, pictures, or recipes. The ones that truly stick with me have a presence in my life and it’s a fun ride to tag along as life changes.

I bought the first cookbook and will probably buy the second cookbook but I feel as though I’ve really lost my connection here. You were updating the blog through being pregnant and moving and releasing a cookbook, even updating monthly when you had your daughter, lately it’s been basically silent.

I hate to admit it, but I’m really disappointed. I knew you were working on this app and that was a big reason it was so quiet. After all the waiting, I can’t even buy the app because I’m an Android user. I know you have a lot going on in your family and I’m excited for the next step for your family, but I feel as though this community has taken, not even a backseat, but like the spare car left at home. I’m hoping that isn’t the case, but it certainly doesn’t feel like the connection I used to feel to the plant based community here.

Good luck with all your endeavors, I’m glad to have been a part of it for awhile and truly wish you well!”

Hi there, I can tell from your comment that you care a lot, and I really appreciate your honesty. I have to be honest with you too; I felt a rush of guilt, sadness, and embarrassment as I read your comment. I think the hard part is that it’s impossible to see someone’s entire life and what they are going through from a blog or social media.

I can tell you one thing I’ve realized over the past few years: I’m not perfect at juggling big life changes/demands and work projects, especially when they happen all at once. Creativity is a funny thing at times; I can pour everything into a single project when I need to, but then I feel burned out in other areas. I’m not very good at switching back and forth among several demanding creative pursuits.

I can, however, promise you that every day, I’m trying my absolute best and putting 100% into everything I do. Is there room for improvement? Absolutely!! I know this more than anyone; I’m incredibly tough on myself and strive for progress daily. I certainly don’t have all the answers, and know I’ve dropped the ball in various areas of my life as I’ve tried to balance motherhood, writing and completing a second cookbook, creating an app, a second pregnancy, blogging, and starting up a newsletter over the past 1 1/2 years. If I can’t give 100% into a blog post, I will not post, because I want to give everything I can into each post and recipe, even though it may mean my content slows. I never publish something “just to get a post up” or to meet a quota.

I totally agree with you that the blog has had to take a backseat at various times (just like other things have in my life too), but I didn’t have another solution at the time. As I mentioned, sometimes I have to focus all my creative energy into one project to meet deadlines. It’s just how my brain works the most efficiently. Trust me that no one feels as much conflict over this as I do. I do think that I can develop better strategies in the future, though!

As I reflected on your comment this week, I also had a bit of an epiphany. I realized that I never give myself credit for all of the things I am doing successfully. Eric mentioned that I never once stopped to appreciate or celebrate the things I accomplished as a new mother. All I could think about each time was how behind I was with other things. How many of us don’t stop to reflect on all that we’ve accomplished and how far we’ve come? I bet it’s a lot of us.

I also feel like our community has spread far beyond the blog. I connect with thousands of readers a week on social media, reply to dozens of comments and questions daily, share behind the scenes on Snapchat, and more. I hope anyone who subscribes to my newsletter also sees the passion I put into it. I write a personal letter in each issue (among other content such as a Q+A and recipe flashbacks) talking about what’s going on in my life. I’m always trying to connect with my readers in diverse ways, even though I may miss the mark at times!

Despite the conflicting feelings I’ve had in recent years (and probably should’ve talked about more openly, but I feared it would come across as ungrateful), I’ve never once regretted pursuing new projects, taking risks, and especially, taking the time to focus on my family these past 19 months. Many times, I’ve delayed blog posts or other work in favour of spending time with my daughter and I’m more than ok with that. I have one shot at my time here and I have to trust my heart, even if it doesn’t work out perfectly in the end or please everyone all the time.

I can’t promise you that my blog will be everything you’re looking for or need, but I can promise that I continue to give 100% of myself into each post and project, even if it’s sometimes hard to see. And of course, I will take your feedback to heart and try to improve. I’ve never for a second thought that I had this whole thing figured out.

I’m sorry that after waiting all winter you were not able to download our app. I can promise you if we had the budget to develop across multiple platforms simultaneously, we definitely would have. Our intent was never to leave anyone out, but to begin this new journey and hope we have the means to grow in the future.

I so appreciate your support for my cookbooks, and even if you don’t continue to read my blog, I’m very thankful that you enjoy my work!

Take care, Angela

~~~~~~~~

“Hello, Ms. Liddon,

I am an interpretive park ranger at San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park. I prepare lunches for our park’s living history program volunteers once a month during living history day. Since I switched to a completely plant-based diet a few years ago, I started making vegan lunches for our volunteers and staff, normally 15 to 25 people each month. I found your blog and it has become one of my favorite “go to” places for recipes. I didn’t know how the volunteers would react to this change in lunches, as only one of them is vegetarian. It turned out that every one of them loves and compliments the lunches and I’m happy to say that every month there are virtually no leftovers. Thank you so much for being such an inspiration! I’ve told them about your blog.

Sincerely,

Peter K., Oakland, CA”

Hi Peter, This is so fantastic to hear! I’m honoured that you use my recipes for your lunches, and even more so that they are such a hit with your group. What a great way to spread the plant-based love. I hope you all enjoy many delicious meals to come!

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Friday FAQs: Storing sour cream, omnivore-friendly recipes, lentils, banana swaps, and more!

Welcome to Friday FAQs—a new series on Oh She Glows! I’ve been meaning to start up my question and answer posts again, and since a couple of big projects are slowing down, I finally have a chance to do so. Woohoo! The questions featured in this series will be food related, so if you have any burning questions about any of my recipes, substitution ideas, cooking methods, ingredients, or tools, feel free to shoot them my way via social media or the blog! Each week I’ll select a handful to feature in my Friday FAQs post. My goal for this series is to share what I’ve learned in my kitchen over the past 8 years, and hopefully inspire you to try new plant-based ingredients, cooking methods, recipes, and more. You dig it?

Today, I’m sharing a few from social media and a few from my newsletter (I feature a Q+A in each issue). Let’s begin!

Q1: How long will your Cashew Sour Cream keep if refrigerated? I’m hoping to make your Favourite Vegan Chili Recipe. Thx!

A: Hi Michelle, The sour cream should keep in the fridge in an air-tight container for about 1 week. I recently discovered that you can also freeze cashew cream! I like to pour leftover cashew cream into a mini silicone muffin tray, freeze it, and then pop the cubes out and store them in a freezer zip bag for up to 3 to 4 weeks. This method is great for single servings. Thaw the cubes at room temperature or in the fridge overnight before using. Or throw a couple frozen cubes into a smoothie for a creamy twist!

Q2: Hi Angela, I’m wondering if green lentils would substitute well for red lentils in your Glowing Spiced Lentil Soup. Is there a difference between red and green lentils?

A: Hi Brandon, Great question! Red lentils are perfect for thickening and providing body to soups and curries (such as in my Glowing Spiced Lentil Soup and Golden Red Lentil Dal) and are also thought to be the sweetest and nuttiest of the lentil family. They break down while cooking and are not supposed to hold their shape. Green or brown lentils are somewhere in between—they do break down a bit, but they also hold their shape slightly better than red lentils while cooking (depending on how long you cook them, of course). I like to use green and brown lentils in veggie burgers, lentil loaves, and occasionally soups. While I haven’t tried using green or brown lentils in this particular soup, I do think it should work (the flavour will change a bit—green and brown lentils are a bit earthier tasting, but still delicious). French green lentils (or Le Puy lentils) are great for when you want the lentils to hold their shape and chewy texture (such as in a salad or pasta). I love using French green lentils in my Roasted Potato and Asparagus Lentil Salad (a spring fave!). I hope this helps and that you’ll be enjoying a delicious bowl of soup very soon! Be sure to let us know how it goes.

Q3: Good morning, My partner is a big meat eater and carb loader—I was wondering if you could let me know which recipes of yours you would recommend to try on him first to get him into it. Thank you so much.

A: Hi Alyce, Partner-friendly recipes…I’m all about those! If Eric doesn’t like a recipe, it doesn’t get posted on my blog. (And then I eat it all and tell him he’s nuts.) That said, below is a list of his favourite recipes (and general crowd-pleasing recipes). I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

Our Perfect Veggie Burger
Ultimate Vegan Lentil-Walnut Loaf
Crowd-Pleasing Vegan Caesar Salad
10-Spice Vegetable Soup
Next Level Vegan Enchiladas
Ultimate Green Taco Wraps with Lentil-Walnut Taco Meat
Golden Red Lentil Dal with Cilantro-Speckled Basmati
My Favourite Vegan Chili with Homemade Sour Cream
Glowing Spiced Lentil Soup

 

Q4: Hi Angela, I’m wondering if you’ve tried your Vegan Overnight Oats recipe with fruits other than banana?

A: Hi Nathalie, It’s no secret that banana tends to be my preferred fruit in vegan overnight oats due to its natural sweetness and creamy texture, but it absolutely can work with many other add-ins! You can try mixing in mashed or puréed pear (2 peeled, very ripe pears work best here), shredded apple (I like to grate the apple on a grater box and stir it in), or even mango. Also, yogurt works really well and provides a creamy, thick texture. Simply mix in a bit of your preferred yogurt (maybe 1/4 to 1/2 cup depending on how thick you like the oats), and then taste it in the morning and stir in some liquid sweetener if you’d like it sweeter. I hope this helps and leads you to some tasty banana-free options!

Q5: I have not tried Matcha green tea powder, but you have convinced me to try it. Where is the best place to purchase it?

A: Oh how I love Matcha. You can certainly find it many places online, and in some grocery stores. Right now I’m loving this “Do Matcha” brand. The tin lasts a long time. If you end up getting some, be sure to try it in my Green Tea Lime Pie Smoothie Bowl! It’s also lovely in a warm homemade latte or served cold with iced almond milk.

Comments of the week:

Evelyn writes, “Oh your app is so so beautiful!!! I just purchased it and I can’t stop playing with that feature where you click on a recipe, and when you scroll down the picture on top gets smaller, only to become full-screen again when I scroll upwards! Also all the new pictures, woman what a work that must’ve been! But they really glow and practically jump from my screen, and even though I just had dinner, I want to make alllll the things now. Congratulations on this beautiful app, and I totally understand why the blog has been a little quiet lately. Hell, I’m even deeply impressed you managed to make both the app and your second cookbook! The first one a friend of mine brought it from the US for me, and I can’t wait until it gets joined by no 2 :)”

Evelyn! We couldn’t be happier to hear how much you love our app!! Truly, thank you. I hope you—and everyone else who downloads it-—enjoy it for years to come.

Brenna writes, “I made your DIY Burrito Bowl last week and it was a huge success – including with two picky preschoolers! I will definitely be making this again. Thank you!”

So happy to hear this Brenna! Thanks for letting us know.

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Enter for a chance to win a brand new iPad mini 4!

In celebration of this week’s launch of the Oh She Glows – Healthy Plant-Based Recipes app, we’re doing a big giveaway. One lucky blog reader will receive a brand new iPad mini 4 (this is what I use in my kitchen!) and Belkin tablet stand + stylus pen—perfect for cooking in the kitchen with your new OSG app! This is not a sponsored giveaway, but just our way of saying thank you for all your support and hoping it’ll make someone really happy!

I want to thank those of you who left such wonderful comments about our app. We couldn’t be happier with your response and excitement, and like I said, we want to continue to make it the best we possibly can! I’ve been pinching myself ever since we hit #1 in the Canadian Apple app store on Tuesday. Big hugs to all of you.

One quick note regarding the free recipe bundles in our app: Be sure to check that your Apple settings are not set to prohibit in-app purchases. Even though the bundles are free, if the “in-app purchases” setting on your phone or tablet is disabled you won’t be able to download the free bundle. To check your settings go to Settings –> General –> Restrictions. We’ve had a few emails about it (often from parents who had in-app purchases disabled for their kids), but I just want to mention it here to make sure everyone gets it! After getting your bundle, you can certainly switch back to your preferred setting.

Ok, onto the contest!! Please see below to enter this giveaway. Good luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks to Eric, for the gorgeous modeling once again. What a natural!

Even though I avoid doing so, I’ve disabled comments for this contest. In the past, allowing comment entries has made it difficult for me to find your questions or comments about blog recipes (and I hate missing your questions!!). In lieu of a comment entry, you can fill out the poll. Thanks for your understanding and good luck!

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The Oh She Glows Recipe App is here!!

Today is a big day! After years of dreaming, planning, and hard work, we’ve officially launched the Oh She Glows – Healthy Plant-Based Recipes app for iPhone and iPad devices! You guys have been asking for an OSG app for years, and I’m so excited the day is finally here. Many of you will now be able to cook from your phone or tablet with ease, or meal plan while commuting to and from school or work with convenient offline access. Think of this app as your personal OSG on the Glow!

Our app features the most popular Oh She Glows recipes from the past 8 years (oh boy, did I rediscover some gems), and includes brand-new photography, with a cohesive, sleek new look. All of the recipes have been edited and streamlined, and many have been improved as I cooked my way through Oh She Glows’ archives. You can be confident that the recipes in our app are delicious, super reliable, and will wow your family and friends! Check out our short video below for a sneak peek:

This project has been a huge labour of love involving myself, Eric, our app team, and also hundreds of you—our awesome beta testers who applied via our newsletter. Thanks to those of you who tested our app during the development phase, we were able to improve it in many ways, and add all kinds of useful features based on your feedback.

For example, we created a killer search function that sorts recipes by keywords, dietary info, dish types, and seasons, as well as handy filters like freezer-friendly, kid-friendly, quick and easy, budget-friendly, and more.

Features we’re excited about:

– Enjoy more than 60 Oh She Glows recipes (and growing!), including 50 fan-favourites plus 11 new recipes exclusive to the app (see the bottom of this post)

– Browse through beautiful full-screen, high-resolution food photography

– Strike out ingredients and directions as you cook so you don’t lose your place

– Customize your own favourites list with your most-loved recipes

– Easily view cook time, prep time, serving size, headnotes/tips, and allergy info for each recipe

– Add your own notes to the recipes to save/record your own recipe modifications

– Take recipes with you on the go with convenient offline access

– Search for recipes with ease using ingredient keywords or by recipe title

– Filter your recipes based on dietary/allergy info, season, dish type, and more

– Cook without worry that your device will go to sleep with our anti-lock feature

– Enjoy split view on your iOS 9 iPad Air 2, iPad Mini 4, and iPad Pro

Best of all, each new recipe that I post on the blog in the future will upload to the app, so the app will continue to grow and grow over the years! Also, keep your eyes peeled for exclusive recipe bundles only found in the app. (Spoiler Alert: there are a couple bundles in there right now as our thank you for purchasing the app!)

I’m thrilled to let you know that we’re donating 10% of the proceeds from the first week’s app sales to Blessings in a Backpack Canada, a children’s charity that is near and dear to our hearts. Each Friday, Blessings in a Backpack provides backpacks of food to children all across the country who otherwise may not get enough to eat on the weekends. Just $120 feeds a child on the weekends for an entire school year. How awesome is that?! I’m so excited to be working with Executive Director Karen Green on this wonderful initiative, and together we’ll be directing our donation to local children right here in the Greater Toronto Area.

I truly hope that you’ll love this app, share the recipes with loved ones, and use it in your kitchens (and on the glow!) as much as we do. Thank you all for your continued support, and for the encouragement to make this recipe app a reality when I mentioned the idea a few years ago.

You can download the app here, or simply click the button below!

FAQ

1. Which devices will the app work with? Our app has been developed for Apple iOS 8.0+ devices. We’ve optimized the app to display perfectly on both the iPhone and iPad. The iPad version works in both landscape and portrait orientations, while the iPhone version currently supports portrait mode. We’ll be working hard to constantly improve what we offer you in the future!

2. Is there a fee for the app? Yes, there is a small fee of $4.99 USD/$6.99 CAD to download the app.

3. Do you have an app for Android or Windows phones? Our app has been developed for Apple iOS devices (approximately 75% of our readership uses an Apple device). However, we’re open to exploring development for other devices in the future if our budget allows.

4. Will there be any new content in the app aside from the revamped fan-favourite recipes and photography? Yes! As a thank-you for purchasing the app, you’ll receive a free bundle of 8 new recipes exclusive to the app. You’ll also have access to an additional 3 free recipes with a simple social media share. Check out these recipes in the image below!

Our goal is to keep growing and improving the app over the years, and make it the best we possibly can. If you have any suggestions or feedback, we’d love to hear from you. Drop us a line at: app_support[at]ohsheglows.com.

Last but not least, stay tuned for a big giveaway later this week!

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Glowing Spiced Lentil Soup

First off, thank you all so much for your excitement and congrats about our news! I really enjoyed reading your comments and stories. I’m also happy to hear my impending loss of sanity should only be temporary. Truthfully, I’m not sure that I ever got it back after our first!

Second of all, I’ve missed you dearly. I’ve missed blogging. I’ve missed posting recipes. I love sharing my favourite recipes and stories with you guys. Nothing makes me happier than creating something I adore and thinking about you trying it in your own kitchens! It feels so good to have more energy these days and also to wrap up some other massive projects.

Today’s recipe is most likely the last soup recipe I’ll post until next fall (*sad face*), but boy is it a great one to end on. As my dad likes to say, “It’s a humdinger!” Do you remember my Spiced Red Lentil, Tomato, and Kale Soup? Well, this soup reminds me a bit of that one, only it’s even better! Turmeric, coconut, cumin, cinnamon, and cardamom create an incredibly healing and flavourful broth. I always say the test of a “vault-worthy” soup is whether you want to drink the broth on its own, and this one certainly fits the bill. A generous amount of turmeric makes it feel so healthy and powerful. Knowing that turmeric has so many anti-inflammatory benefits is always an added bonus, too!

My inspiration comes from a Whole Foods mason jar soup called “Spiced Lentil” that Eric picked up for me on a whim. Well, this soup blew me away. After glancing at the short ingredient list, I knew I could easily recreate it in my own kitchen. Or so I hoped! I scribbled down a recipe attempt and started cooking. The beauty of this soup is that it’s a “pantry” soup. I had every single ingredient on hand (and still do, which explains why I’ve been making it so much). The first batch turned out darn near perfect (actually, we liked my version more), and the second attempt was even better than the first. Poor Eric only got one bowl from the first batch. You gotta be quick around the pregnant lady! I’ll fight you.

If your weather is still cool, snowy, rainy, and dreary in early spring like it is here in Southern Ontario (we’re getting a snowstorm later today…*cries*), I hope you’ll enjoy this comforting soup. Even if it’s not cold where you are, I’d argue that breaking out into a light sweat while eating this is totally worth it!

Glowing Spiced Lentil Soup
Vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free

This soup is so quick and easy because there aren’t many vegetables to chop (just garlic and onion—that’s it!) and it relies mostly on pantry staples. It takes 15 minutes prep time (that includes getting the ingredients out), and then it’s hands off while it cooks. Talk about easy! Feel free to change up the baby spinach for other greens like stemmed kale or chard. This soup is inspired by Whole Foods.

Yield
about 7 cups (1.65 litres)

Prep Time
15 Minutes
Cook time
20 Minutes
Total Time
35 Minutes


Ingredients:
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil2 cups (500 mL) diced onion (1 medium/large)2 large garlic cloves, minced2 teaspoons ground turmeric1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin1/2 teaspoon cinnamon1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom1 (15-ounce/398 mL) can diced tomatoes, with juices1 (15-ounce/398 mL) can full-fat coconut milk*3/4 cup (140 grams) uncooked red lentils, rinsed and drained3 1/2 cups (875 mL) low-sodium vegetable broth1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to tasteFreshly ground black pepper, to taste1 (5-ounce/140-gram) package baby spinach2 teaspoons fresh lime juice, or more to taste


Directions:
In a large pot, add the oil, onion, and garlic. Add a pinch of salt, stir, and sauté over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes until the onion softens. Stir in the turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, and cardamom until combined. Continue cooking for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), entire can of coconut milk, red lentils, broth, salt, and plenty of pepper. Stir to combine. Increase heat to high and bring to a low boil. Once it boils, reduce the heat to medium-high, and simmer, uncovered, for about 18 to 22 minutes, until the lentils are fluffy and tender. Turn off the heat and stir in the spinach until wilted. Add the lime juice to taste. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if desired. Ladle into bowls and serve with toasted bread and lime wedges.


Tips:

* I tried a version using light canned coconut milk and one using full-fat canned coconut milk, and I greatly prefer the full-fat coconut milk version (shocker, I know). I recommend following suit, but if all you have on hand is light canned coconut milk that’ll work in a pinch—it just won't be as rich and creamy.

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Two exciting announcements!

You may have noticed that things have been quiet around here. Maybe record-setting quiet? Either way, I think I have some ‘splanin to do!

In my last post I mentioned that we’ve been busy as bees behind the scenes building something really special. If you subscribe to our newsletter, you were the first to find out that we’re getting ready to launch the gorgeous Oh She Glows recipe app! The dream we’ve had in the works for years and years is finally happening and I can’t wait to share it with you guys. Keep your eyes peeled for our official launch in the very near future!

What I haven’t shared yet is that I’ve been creating something else, too. As grueling as the app work has been, this work has been even more exciting, exhausting, and life-changing. I’ve been lying awake for hours at night thinking about it. During the day, my thoughts are filled with vinegar-soaked cucumbers (seriously), these fruit chews, and 8:30 pm bedtimes.

Any guesses?

You got it: we’re expecting our second baby this September! That’s right…a second cookbook and a second baby will be dropping (well, hopefully not literally!) in September 2016. Our timing is impeccable, I know. But, joking aside, we always hoped to have our children close in age so we’re very grateful about the spacing; my due date is roughly two years since we brought Adriana home from the hospital. We can’t wait to meet this lil guy or gal!

My main worry right now, aside from the well-being of our little ones and state of this world, is how we’re going to take care of a two-year-old and a newborn. I’m expecting a loss of sanity for the first several months…or decades?! There will be an adjustment period for sure (especially when you add these lovely toddler temper tantrums into the mix), but if Adriana treats her sibling anything like she treats her favourite “baby” doll (lots of doting and kisses), I think it will all work out in the end! We just need to teach her that eye poking and head dropping probably aren’t the best approaches with an actual newborn. Baby steps, people.

I spent the first few months of 2016 revamping and shooting a ton of fan-favourite recipes and photos for our new recipe app. It was an intense few months when I didn’t want to be anywhere near food, but I also enjoyed being distracted with a totally new project! It kept me going. When I wasn’t immersed in the app project (and cookbook editing), I was collapsed on the couch and often feeling down and out (the first trimester blues hit me with both pregnancies, unfortunately). So while things have been quiet on the blog, they certainly haven’t been behind the scenes. Plus, I didn’t think you needed a recipe for salt and vinegar chips, popcorn, dill pickles, mustard-covered veggies (ew), cereal, nut butter and jam toast, or how to convince your husband to pick up a container of vegan caramel chocolate chunk ice cream during a cold snap. (…Or do you?!) Because that’s basically what I lived off of for a month or two. Oh, there was also that day when I decided to drink all the juice from my Bubbies Sauerkraut jar. I didn’t want to eat the actual sauerkraut, just drink the juice. I’m pretty sure Eric was ready to commit me!!! I haven’t touched sauerkraut since. Actually, I think I’ve been banned from buying it in North America.

Now that I’m in the second trimester, I’m slowly getting my mojo back (case in point: I changed out of my sweats for the photo above). Workouts have returned to my life on a regular basis which feels like a damn miracle, and the nausea is starting to fade a bit. The good news is that the app is almost finished, my second cookbook will be heading to the printers shortly, and I’m ready to get back into the swing of things—well, maybe after a much-needed break first.

Of course, I also have some delicious food to share with you soon. Eric strongly discouraged the dill pickle soup recipe I was dreaming up, so with some serious restraint, I moved on to Plan B. This post is already much too wordy, so I’m going to have to share the recipe in a separate post. Stay tuned for the recipe!!! It’s a great one, and I promise it’s worth the wait.

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Next Level Vegan Enchiladas

Before I get to this insanely delicious recipe, I want to let you know what I’ve been up to this month! Some of you have seen on Snapchat that I’ve been behind the lens each day for a very special photography project—which includes shooting more than 60 brand-new recipe photos! It’s been pretty crazy around here and I haven’t had a day off in ages, but it’s really coming together beautifully. Eric even helped me create a dedicated photography space in our empty dining room and it’s been nice to have a set area to shoot (why did it take me so long to do this?). We’re gearing up to share this new project with you late winter, and I appreciate your patience as things will continue to be a bit slower around here as I complete the photography project this month. If you want to see all the behind-the-scenes action, follow along on Snapchat (username: angelaliddon).

I’m also happy to announce that we’re gearing up to kick off a brand-new newsletter! It’s going to be packed with all kinds of beautiful photos, recipes, life updates, tips/tricks, and sneak peeks/insider info (such as on the aforementioned project!). Since it has been so long since I sent out a newsletter (probably 1.5 to 2 years), we’re starting fresh and asking you to sign up again. This is because we want to make sure our subscribers truly want to receive our newsletter; the goal is to connect with you in a meaningful way — not to spam unsuspecting inboxes! I’m all about quality over quantity. Once you’ve signed up you will get an email asking you to confirm your subscription, and you’ll need to click the link to activate the fun. The first newsletter is expected to go out this month with a special Valentine’s Day theme (va va voom!), so keep your eyes peeled! Sign up here:

For those of you who have been asking if my next cookbook has a release date, I’m thrilled to tell you that it will release on September 6, 2016. Not too long to go now! You can now pre-order the book in Canada via Amazon.ca and Chapters/Indigo (many more retailers to come). We don’t have a cover yet, but of course I will share the preview with you as soon as I can!

As you can see there are a lot of fun things coming up in 2016. More on all of this very soon…

This recipe is honestly one of my favourite entrees in a very long time and I’m so excited to share it with you. This is the recipe to make when you want to blow your friends and family away. Trust me on this one. It’s a spin-off of my favourite vegan enchilada recipe from way back in 2011. Why the heck has it taken me so long to make another? Well, to be honest, I didn’t think I could improve upon that recipe, but I was wrong…very wrong. This version is even more flavourful, satisfying, and robust thanks to the addition of smoky roasted red peppers, umami-rich sun-dried tomatoes, and my favourite homemade enchilada sauce. I top it all off with a decadent cashew cream that’s flavored with cilantro, garlic, and lime. Yowza. This is winter comfort food at its best!

Next Level Vegan Enchiladas
Vegan, refined sugar-free, soy-free

These mild to moderate heat enchiladas will change your life! A delicious homemade enchilada sauce smothers a sweet potato, roasted red pepper, sun-dried tomato, and black bean filling wrapped in soft tortillas. After baking, I top it all off with a decadent cilanto-lime-garlic cashew cream, green onion, cilantro, red pepper flakes, and chopped avocado. This dish will blow your taste buds away, I can promise you that! Please note that the prep time includes making the enchilada sauce and cashew cream in addition to the enchiladas. Yes, it's a labour intensive recipe for sure, but you can save time the day of by prepping the cashew cream and enchilada sauce the day before.

Yield
5 to 6 enchiladas

Prep Time
1 Hour
Cook time
45 Minutes
Total Time
1 Hour, 45 Minutes


Ingredients:
For the enchiladas:2 cups peeled and chopped (1/2-inch dice) sweet potato (260g)1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil1 medium red onion, diced (2 to 2 1/2 cups)3 large garlic cloves, minced1 cup jarred roasted red pepper, drained and chopped1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped1 (14-ounce) can black beans (about 1 1/2 cups), drained and rinsed2 1/2 cups Homemade Enchilada Sauce (1 batch)1 tablespoon fresh lime juice1 teaspoon chili powder1 teaspoon ground cumin1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste5 to 6 medium/large soft tortilla wrapsFor the toppings:Cilantro-Lime-Garlic Cashew CreamChopped green onion, red pepper flakes, avocado, and cilantro


Directions:
Prepare the Homemade Enchilada Sauce and soak the cashews for the Cilantro-Lime-Garlic Cashew Cream before you begin. Lightly grease a large rectangular baking dish (at least 8x12-inches). Set aside. Add the chopped sweet potato into a medium pot of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 9 to 15 minutes, uncovered, until fork tender. Drain and set aside. You can also steam the potatoes until tender, instead of boiling. In a large skillet, stir together the oil, onion, and garlic and sauté over medium heat for around 3 to 5 minutes until the onion softens. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 350F. Add the chopped roasted peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, cooked/drained sweet potato, spinach, and black beans. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes over medium-high heat, until the spinach is wilted. Stir in 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of homemade enchilada sauce, followed by the lime juice, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Adjust seasonings to taste, if desired. Add 3/4 cup of Enchilada sauce onto the bottom of your casserole dish and spread it out evenly. Scoop 3/4 cup of the sweet potato and black bean filling onto each tortilla. Roll up the tortilla and place it, seam side down, in the casserole dish. Repeat for the rest. If you have any leftover filling, you can spread it on top of the tortillas. Spread all of the remaining enchilada sauce on top of the tortillas until they are completely covered in sauce. Bake the enchiladas, uncovered, at 350⁰F for 20 to 25 minutes, until the sauce is a deep red colour and the enchiladas are heated through. While the enchiladas are baking, prepare the Cilantro-Lime-Garlic Cashew Cream. When enchiladas are ready to serve, add half of the cashew cream into a baggie, snip off the corner, and “pipe” the sauce all over the enchiladas. Alternatively, you can simply spread or dollop the sauce on top of each enchilada. Garnish with chopped cilantro, avocado, red pepper flakes, and green onion. Serve any remaining cashew cream on the side with a spoon.


Tips:

Make it kid-friendly: Omit the cayenne and red pepper flakes.








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