Angela Liddon's Blog, page 9
January 20, 2017
Vegan Broccoli and Cheese Soup
"I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before, and more importantly, you’re doing something." ~Neil Gaiman
I shared this quote in my newsletter this week, and I think it’s going to be my guide for 2017. Heck, I might even frame it for my office! I tend to shy away from things if I don’t think I can do them well, and this quote reminds me to take more risks in the year to come. My goal list tends to be pretty lofty at the start of each year, but I’m also not too hard on myself if I only complete a portion of them, which is usually the case. Seeing as it’s the new year, I thought it might be fun to update you on what we’ve been up to so far and what some of our goals are.
As you may have seen, we launched the Android version of the Oh She Glows Recipe App Monday after months of preparation. We can’t thank you enough for your support, excitement, and kind words!
On Monday we sent out the latest issue (#11) of In the Glow, sharing healthy recipe ideas for the new year, as well as exciting OSG news tidbits. Starting (and growing) a newsletter was one of our goals for 2016. We sent out our first one on February 9, 2016, followed by 9 more issues over the course of the year. We’re now over 40,000 subscribers and growing! THANK YOU. I’m hoping to send out a survey at some point this year so you can let me know what you want to see more (or less) of.
You may have seen that we’re looking to expand our team. Right now our small-but-fierce team consists of myself, Eric, Shari (Content Editor), and Nicole (Recipe Tester). This year we’d like to hire a Video Content Creator (details on the position here), and potentially, a Social Media Specialist and RD or Holistic Nutritionist intern. (As you may know, the latter two were hiring goals for 2016, but ones that didn’t end up happening due to how busy things were. Thank you to everyone who applied for those positions, and rest assured we haven’t forgotten!)
On the personal side of things, I’m hoping to make progress with my anxiety this year. It’s a never-ending struggle, and tends to be on my goal list each year, but I’m going to keep on with it. I’ve found that postpartum hormones have been making my anxiety a bit worse than usual, and I’m going to take some active steps in 2017 to, hopefully, improve how I feel.
Let’s see, what else? I’ve been hard at work developing recipes for the app. Last week I added 3 new recipes—Brownie Breakfast Bake, Easy Nut-Free Taco Salad, and Dill Pickle Smoothie—to the app. We launched the new Get Glowing Bundle last week, too, which contains 5 “reset button” recipes to kick off the new year. The app bundle is 99 cents, and for the month of January all of our revenue from this bundle will be donated to Blessings in a Backpack Canada. This charity ensures children in need receive backpacks filled with food every Friday throughout the school year, so they can return to class on Monday well fed and ready to learn. It’s awesome to be working with BIB again!
On the blog front, I’m starting to bookmark old recipes that are in desperate need of some updating—such as my Broccoli and Cheese Soup. The original recipe was posted back in 2011, and I took one look at the recipe and its photos and knew I had to breathe some life back into it with a fresh new approach. Last year I also started adding metric conversions to my recipes, and I’ll continue to share these calculations for each new recipe in the future. It’s tedious (mainly because I weigh each solid ingredient), but I love hearing from those of you in the UK and elsewhere who find it incredibly helpful! I want you to have similar results, ya know?! If there are any other old blog recipes that you’d like to see revamped in 2017, please drop me a comment below. I’d love to hear your ideas!
There are some other goals on our radar this year, but this feels long-winded enough for now.
Cheers to making mistakes, trying new things, and learning as we go in 2017!
Vegan Broccoli and Cheese Soup
Vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, refined sugar-free
Like a big, cozy sweater, this soothing soup will help you get through the long winter. It combines my love for broccoli and cheese sauce, while doing without the dairy-based cream or cheese. This is a bit of a fussy soup (think weekend, not weeknight) as it involves a few homemade components (cheese sauce, soup, and homemade croutons), so you’ll need an hour start to finish. If you can make the cheese sauce the day before, that’ll help streamline things! This soup is adapted from my 2011 version. The cheese sauce is lightly adapted from my cheese sauce in Oh She Glows Every Day.
Yield
8 cups (2 litres)
Prep Time
30 Minutes
Cook time
30 Minutes
Total Time
1 Hour
Ingredients:
For the cheese sauce:1 1/4 cups (190 g) diced peeled yellow or red potatoes*Heaping 1/3 cup (55 g) diced peeled carrots*2 tablespoons (6 g) nutritional yeast2 tablespoons (30 mL) refined coconut or grapeseed oil**2 1/2 tablespoons (37.5 mL) water1 1/2 teaspoons (7.5 mL) fresh lemon juice1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt1 medium (4 g) garlic clove1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) white wine vinegarFor the soup:1 tablespoon (15 mL) extra-virgin olive oil1 medium (350 g) onion, diced (2 heaping cups)3 medium (13 g) garlic cloves, minced1 cup (120 g) chopped celery5 to 6 cups (350 g) chopped broccoli florets1 1/2 cups (225 g) chopped Yukon Gold potatoes (about 2 medium)3 cups (750 mL) low-sodium vegetable broth2 tablespoons (6 g) nutritional yeast1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste1 1/2 teaspoons (7.5 mL) fresh lemon juice, or to tasteFine sea salt, to taste (I use 1/2 teaspoon)Freshly ground black pepper, to taste1 1/2 teaspoons to 3 teaspoons (7.5 to 15 mL) chickpea miso, to taste***For topping:Pan-Fried Garlic Croutons (use gluten-free bread if necessary)****Smoked or sweet paprikaFresh minced parsley
Directions:
For the cheese sauce: Place the potatoes and carrots in a medium pot and add water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, until fork-tender. Drain. While the potatoes and carrots are simmering, add the nutritional yeast, oil, water, lemon juice, salt, garlic, and vinegar into a high-speed blender and set aside. Chop the onions, garlic, celery, broccoli, and potatoes for the soup and set aside. When the simmering potatoes and carrots are fork-tender, drain them and add to the blender. Blend the cheese sauce until smooth, then transfer to a bowl. For the soup: In a large pot, sauté the oil, onion, and garlic over medium heat, stirring frequently. Cook for about 3 to 5 minutes. To the pot, add the celery, broccoli, and potatoes and sauté for a few minutes more. Now, add the broth, nutritional yeast, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer over medium heat for about 13 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender. Turn off the heat and let the soup sit for a few minutes. Add the chickpea miso. Carefully transfer the soup into a blender (you might have to do this in two batches). Blend until smooth and place back into the pot. Set aside 1/4 cup (60 mL) of cheese sauce for garnish. Add the rest of the cheese sauce into the soup and stir to combine. Adjust seasonings to taste if desired. Ladle the soup into bowls and swirl in a tablespoon of the reserved cheese sauce into each bowl. Top with Pan-Fried Garlic Croutons, paprika, and parsley, if desired.
Tips:
* To cut down on cooking time, be sure to dice the potatoes and carrots very small.
** Refined coconut oil doesn’t have a coconut flavour, which is why I love it in the cheese sauce. Grapeseed oil also has a neutral flavour, but if you don’t have either you can probably get away with a light-tasting olive oil.
*** I love chickpea miso, it’s light in flavour and often soy-free (be sure to check the label, though). If you can’t find chickpea miso, any light or white miso should do the trick! I like a full 3 teaspoons of chickpea miso in this soup, but depending on the flavour of your miso you might prefer a bit less.
**** Instead of bread-based croutons, you can top this soup with my Roasted Chickpea Croutons.
Comments (18) | Share on Facebook | Tweet | Pin It | Snapchat© copyright 2017 Oh She Glows. All Rights Reserved.
January 18, 2017
Cozy plant-based meals for the blustery winter days ahead
Happy Global Pulse Day, everyone! I’m here to join in on this worldwide par-TAY and celebrate with some of my fave pulse recipes. You may have heard that 2016 was named the International Year of Pulses (um, hello foodie fame…*faints*), and today we’re keeping the pulse power going strong with Global Pulse Day, which is both a real-life and virtual celebration of the benefits of pulses. It’s hard not to love ‘em; pulses are packed with protein and fibre, they’re easy on the wallet (especially when you buy them dry), and their carbon footprint is lower than almost any other food group. And boy, do they ever form the base of so many fantastic plant-based meals.
Today, I’m rounding up some of my best pulse recipes (made from peas, beans, lentils, or chickpeas) as part of my partnership with Pulse Canada—and, of course, to dig into this delicious occasion. I hope some of these recipes below inspire your dinner plans tonight, and in the blustery wintery days ahead. My DIY Burrito Bowls are on the menu for tonight…can’t wait!
Glowing Spiced Lentil Soup
Oh Em Gee Veggie Burgers
Roasted Potato and Asparagus Lentil Salad with Tangy Mustard-Lemon Dressing
Chickpea Salad
My Favourite Vegan Chili with Homemade Sour Cream
DIY Burrito Bowl
Cozy Butternut, Sweet Potato, and Red Lentil Stew
10-Spice Vegetable Soup
Cumin-Lime Black Bean Quinoa Salad
Fudgy Black Bean Brownies (Oh She Glows Recipe App: iOS and Android)
(Yes, you knew I had to include a pulse-based dessert in the mix!) Some other great recipes not shown above include: Golden Red Lentil Dal with Cilantro Speckled Basmati, Next Level Vegan Enchiladas, Crowd-Pleasing Vegan Caesar Salad (top image of blog post), Ultimate Green Taco Wraps with Lentil Walnut Taco Meat. Did I forget any of your faves? Let us know below!
Android Launch
In case you missed my Instagram and Facebook posts on Monday, I wanted to share some super exciting news: We officially launched the Android version of our Oh She Glows Plant-Based Recipe App! Just like our iOS app, the Android version will provide you with 99—and counting—delicious plant-based recipes. Thanks to everyone, especially my Android-using fans, for your support, patience, and mega encouragement to develop this version; we’re so thrilled to have this out in the world at long last! And, thank you for all of your comments, emails, and reviews this week…it means a lot to us.
Photo credits: #2 and #6 Ashley McLaughlin, all other photos by Angela Liddon.
Comments (12) | Share on Facebook | Tweet | Pin It | Snapchat© copyright 2017 Oh She Glows. All Rights Reserved.
January 9, 2017
Oh She Glows is Hiring: Video Content Creator
Happy new year, everyone! I hope 2017 is off to a great start for you. I’m popping in to let you know that we’re interviewing for a paid Video Content Creator to help us move forward with creating and sharing videos for our best recipes. This position will entail generating 1 to 2 videos per week. The videos will be shared on the Oh She Glows blog and social media channels, and potentially uploaded to the app.
We’re looking for someone with video creation and editing experience who can commit to creating around 50 recipe videos for us in 2017. The ideal candidate is also an avid cook with knowledge of food styling. There is great potential for this role to continue past 2017. Does this sound like your jam? If so, then read on!
Oh She Glows Video Content Creator
Start date: February 2017
Skills and experience:
Previous video creation and editing experience
Video graphics design experience is ideal
Strong familiarity with the Oh She Glows brand, recipes, and mission
Culinary experience (either as an avid home cook or professionally)
Knowledge of food styling
Passion for plant-based cuisine
Creative, artistic, attentive to detail, self-starting, flexible, team player
Responsibilities:
Generate 1 to 2 recipe videos per week (approximately 30 to 60 seconds each)
Create approximately 50 recipe videos for Oh She Glows in 2017
Work closely with the Oh She Glows team
Compensation: per video; rate TBD
Location: This is a remote position, and the successful applicant will shoot the videos in their own home or studio office. However, if you are in the Greater Toronto Area, that is always a bonus as we’d love to meet you face-to-face.
How to apply: Submit a recipe video 30 to 60 seconds in length (1080×1080 pixels), using an Oh She Glows recipe. Video should be shot overhead with a close-up of the completed dish at the end. Please include an intro and outro as well. Ideally, we’d like the video to be similar in style and aesthetic to that of the Oh She Glows Recipe App. Upload the video to YouTube (set to “Private”) and share the link with our email address below. In your email, please also also include your resume and experience as it pertains to the job listing, and your fee per completed video.
Send your video link, resume, and fee per video to: careers@ohsheglows.com with the subject line: VIDEO CONTENT CREATOR.
Deadline: Friday, January 20, 2017 by 10am EST.
Candidates will be contacted only if they are selected to move on in the interviewing process. We thank you in advance for your interest!
Comments (9) | Share on Facebook | Tweet | Pin It | Snapchat© copyright 2017 Oh She Glows. All Rights Reserved.
December 2, 2016
Oh She Glows 15 Best Vegan Cookie Recipes!
Welcome to your holiday cookie headquarters!
Can you believe it’s the last month of 2016? I’m having a hard time wrapping my mind around the entire year. This month is extra special because my sister, nephews, brother-in-law, mom, and stepdad are spoiling us with a visit over the holidays. We’re also hosting all the Liddons for a fun get-together. Our house is going to be a-boppin’ (Home Alone mannequin-dancing styles), I tell ya. I’m trying not to freak out about the hosting/cooking responsibilities while taking care of a newborn and toddler. Eek. (The good news is we won’t be traveling in a car/plane with screaming kids this year and the wine rack is stocked. I’ll take it.) Anyway, I can’t wait to celebrate Arlo’s first Christmas and Adriana’s third with the fam. I’m probably going to take about 645 pictures and another 87 videos.
Since it’s the official Month of Cookie Eating (or so I seem to celebrate each day), I thought it would be fun to put together a roundup (no pun intended) of my all-time favourite vegan cookie recipes. My cookie recipes tend to be some of my most popular, but I’ve never done a roundup of the best. I can’t believe how many great ones I’ve shared over the years. (Excuse the cookie brag, but damn.) I’ve always believed that vegan/gf cookies shouldn’t be one bit less tasty than their egg-, butter-, and white flour-containing counterparts. Actually, I think they should taste even better. Who’s with me?
Below are my 15 favourite vegan cookie recipes to date. (But maybe I’ve forgotten a few gems; you can let us know if any of your favourites are missing!) I’ve also noted where you can find the recipes (blog, cookbooks, and/or app). At the bottom you’ll find a list of my top 5 non-cookie treats, too (think brownies, macaroons, squares, etc.). These lists are a great starting point if you’re planning a vegan cookie swap this year! Can you imagine how fun that would be?
Don’t forget to share your OSG cookie photos on social media this month using the tag #ohsheglows so we can all see what you’re baking. I love getting tiny glimpses into your kitchens. :) For some of my own behind-the-scenes fun, be sure to follow my Snapchat and Instagram. I’m loving Insta Stories lately because it’s so quick (let’s be real, picture-perfect photos aren’t happening in my life these days). Also, check out my #osgtakeover series on Instagram, where fellow food bloggers pop in to share a day’s worth of their plant-based meals.
On an unrelated note (while I have you held captive in anticipation of cookies!), I want to say a huge thank you for the awesome response to our big app announcement, sale, and cookie bundle last week! It means the world to us. In case you missed the news, you can read all about it here and watch a fun video. The app is on sale the entire month of December, and our Android version, once released (we’re expecting this will be in December or early January), will be on sale too. Be sure to subscribe to In The Glow to be the first to find out when the new app drops!
Okay, if you actually read all that and didn’t just skip to the cookies…well, bless your soul.
One Bowl Jumbo Chocolate Chunk Cookies – on the blog and app
Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies (a family fave!) – Oh She Glows Every Day, p. 213
Pillowy Pumpkin Snacking Cookies – OSG Every Day, p. 217
Turtle Oatmeal Cookies – on the blog
Raspberry Almond Thumbprint Cookies – on the blog and OSG Every Day, p. 205
Chewy Molasses Spelt Cookies – on the blog and OSG Every Day, p. 219
Chocolate-Almond Espresso Cookies – OSG Every Day, p. 207
8. Gluten-Free Snickerdoodles – on the blog
9. Peppermint Crunch Cookies – only in the app
10. Gluten-Free Almond Lace Cookies – on the blog
11. Crispy Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies – The Oh She Glows Cookbook, p. 265, app, and PB version on blog
12. Almond Blizzard Biscuits – only in the app
13. No-Bake Chocolate Fudge Cookies – on the blog and app
14. Cinnamon Roll Oatmeal Cookies – only in the app
15. Gingerbread People – only in the app
And some other enticing holiday treats…
The Ultimate Flourless Brownies – OSG Every Day, p. 199
Lightened Up Magical Coconut Bars – on the blog
Nut-Free Dream Bars – OSG Every Day, p. 211
Chocolate-Dipped Vanilla Bean Macaroons – OSG Every Day, p. 201 (or find the recipe on Bakerita, Eat Your Books, Heart of a Baker, Love & Lemons, and Orgali!)
Ginger Cinna Maple Steamer – only in the app
Almond Butter Rice Crisp Treats – on the blog and app
Oh She Glows Every Day blog tour wrap-up
Last but not least, I’d like to say a huge thank you to the following bloggers for their fantastic #osgeveryday blog tour posts—which, by the way, include some great reviews and recipe sneak peeks, if you’re still debating whether to pop Oh She Glows Every Day onto your holiday wish list (or are simply looking for some new OSG dishes to try out this holiday season!).
Photography credits: Images 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, [bottom collage 1, 3, 4] credit to Ashley McLaughlin. All other images credit to Angela Liddon.
Comments (13) | Share on Facebook | Tweet | Pin It | Snapchat© copyright 2016 Oh She Glows. All Rights Reserved.
November 23, 2016
Cozy Butternut, Sweet Potato, and Red Lentil Stew
After my ambitious triple-blog-post week just after Arlo was born, I lost the motivation to write. I even had a few recipes and photos uploaded to my drafts folder, but I just couldn’t write the actual posts.
Knowing how fast this time goes by, I yearned to simply be present. I slowed down, which felt absolutely amazing. I worked when the inspiration was there and didn’t when it wasn’t. I soaked up our sweet baby boy. I savoured the confidence and ease of being a second-time mom (what a difference). A rollercoaster of hormones hit me early on, and I struggled with the blues on and off. I nursed and pumped and nursed some more. Eric and I mumbled incoherent words, back and forth, in the middle of the night (why is it so impossible to string words together at 3am?). I kissed Arlo’s head, cheeks, and feet a million and one times, and it has yet to feel like enough. I don’t think it ever will.
We witnessed Adriana transform into a little girl right before our very eyes. One night as I rocked her at bedtime—with her long legs falling off the side of the rocker, my arms burning under the weight of her body, and her bossy words instructing me what songs to sing and not to sing (“NO thank you, MOMMY!”)—it struck me that I was not cradling a baby anymore. I fought back tears. It had been a while since I rocked her, as my 3rd trimester bump had gotten in the way. Now she was basically a teenager disguised as a two-year-old.
Our basement renovation is almost wrapped up, so we’ve taken up dancing, the four of us, in the unfurnished rooms while listening to Christmas music. Adriana clutches her baby doll in her arms, just like I do with Arlo. We also play hide and seek. Often, the basement fun abruptly ends in tears as Adriana has a penchant for running into walls. Ouch. Boo-boos are kissed, and we explain, once again, why it’s a bit too soon for her to pick up her baby brother. So she hovers about an inch over his face, just trembling with excitement, sneaking in kisses. “He’s looking at you!” she yells with delight as he stares into her eyes.
I never want to forget these moments.
Even though I haven’t been writing as much, I’ve been cooking every chance that I get. A couple months ago, Pulse Canada contacted me about partnering with them to develop and share a recipe in celebration of the International Year of Pulses. If you can believe it, I’ve never created a sponsored recipe; most offers I’ve received didn’t feel like authentic reflections of me and the Oh She Glows brand. But pulses…well, I didn’t have to think twice. Peas, beans, lentils, and chickpeas? You know I’m down with that. As I’ve shared on the blog before, Canada is one of the world’s leading producers of pulses (in fact, we’re the #1 producer of peas and lentils, which I think is super cool). There are a whopping 22,000 pulse farmers in Canada (high fives), and our pulses are consumed in over 150 countries. (“Our pulses”? Okay, now I’m talking like I grew them myself or something!) On a personal level, I eat pulses every single day, and I adore their flavour and versatility. Red Lentil Hummus, Chickpea Pancakes, No Bake Chickpea Cookie Dough Bars (a recipe I never got around to finalizing!), Lentil-Walnut Taco “meat”…the sky’s the limit with what you can create!
Aside from being super nutritious and easy on the wallet, pulses are friendly to the environment, too. Their carbon footprint is lower than almost any other food group.
Pulse Canada has created the “Pulse Pledge” encouraging people to commit to eating pulses once a week for 10 weeks and reduce their carbon footprint all at the same time. It’s totally free, and you can sign up with me here. (Spoiler alert: I’m killing it, lol.)
A big thanks to Pulse Canada for sponsoring this post. I’m delighted to finally share my newest pulse-based stew recipe with you below!
A couple housekeeping notes:
Be sure to check out my Instagram post on Friday for some super exciting Black Friday news (hint hint: big app sale, a free holiday cookie app bundle, and Android news!).
Lastly, I’m thrilled to let you know that Oh She Glows Every Day has made it to the final round in the Goodreads Choice Awards. Thank you so much to everyone who has voted and helped to get the book this far! Voting for the final round is open through November 27th; if you’re game to cast one more virtual ballot (or maybe your first!), I would appreciate the support more than I can say. :)
Cozy Butternut, Sweet Potato, and Red Lentil Stew
Vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free
Butternut squash, red lentils, and sweet potato are wrapped in a lightly sweet and creamy coconut and tomato broth accented with spicy notes of turmeric, cumin, chili powder, cayenne, and garlic. Apple cider vinegar provides a tangy brightness to bring everything together. This stew tastes better the next day once the flavours have had a chance to mingle; if you can make it the day before serving, I’d highly recommend it! This recipe was created for Pulse Canada, and was inspired by Deliciously Ella.
Yield
11 cups (2.75 quarts)
Prep Time
20 Minutes
Cook time
30 Minutes
Total Time
50 Minutes
Ingredients:
For the stew:2 tablespoons (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil1 medium onion, diced (about 2 cups/280 g)3 to 4 large garlic cloves, minced3 cups (400 g) peeled, seeded, and diced butternut squash*1 large sweet potato (450 g), peeled and diced (2 1/2 cups/340 g)*3 cups (750 mL) low-sodium vegetable broth1 (14-ounce/398 mL) can diced tomatoes1 (14-ounce/398 mL) can light coconut milk1/2 cup (100 g) dried red lentils, rinsed**3 tablespoons (45 mL) tomato paste1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin1/2 teaspoon chili powder1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more if you like heatFine sea salt, to taste (I use 1 1/2 teaspoons pink salt)Freshly ground black pepper, to taste3 teaspoons (15 mL) apple cider vinegar, or to taste1 bunch chard, stemmed and finely chopped***Optional accompaniments:Fresh cilantro or parsley, mincedCooked riceGarlic powder and chili powder
Directions:
To a large pot, add the oil, onion, and garlic. Stir to combine. Increase the heat to medium and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, until the onion is softened. Add the squash and sweet potato and stir to combine. Add a pinch of salt and continue sautéing for a few minutes longer. Add the broth, diced tomatoes (with juices), coconut milk, lentils, tomato paste, turmeric, cumin, chili powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper. (If you are spice-shy, feel free to add half the amount to start and increase from there after cooking, to taste.) Stir well to combine. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, stir again, and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the squash and potato are fork-tender. Reduce the heat if necessary. Add the apple cider vinegar to taste. Adjust the other seasonings if desired. Optional step: Using a handheld immersion blender, blend the stew for only 2 to 3 seconds (any more and you’ll blend too much of the veggies). This thickens the broth. Stir in the chard, and cook for another couple minutes until the greens are wilted. Scoop some cooked rice onto the bottom of a bowl and then ladle the stew overtop. Garnish with minced cilantro or parsley and a good dusting of garlic and chili powder, if desired. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days, and they freeze beautifully too.
Tips:
* Make sure to dice the squash and potato very small (about the size of almonds), as this will expedite cooking. Also, if you are short on time, you can skip peeling the butternut squash as the skin is edible. (I don’t recommend skipping peeling the potato, though.)
** You can swap the red lentils for 1 (14-ounce/398 mL) can chickpeas (drained and rinsed).
*** You can swap the chard for 5 ounces of baby spinach or a bunch of kale (stemmed). I recommend chopping the greens into small bite-size pieces for easier eating.
Comments (7) | Share on Facebook | Tweet | Pin It | Snapchat© copyright 2016 Oh She Glows. All Rights Reserved.
October 7, 2016
Vegan Banana Bread
I’m squeaking in before our Canadian Thanksgiving weekend to share this gem of a banana bread recipe with you all. I figured it would make the perfect addition to your weekend breakfast table! We’ve been making this banana bread for weeks and weeks (you may have seen this recipe added to the app last month, too!), and it’s become nothing short of an obsession. (Truth be told, I have to hide it from Adriana some days because it’s all she wants to eat. Okay, okay, I have to hide it from myself, too.) I’ve had some great feedback from kids and adults outside the Liddon household as well.
Over the years, I’ve tested oodles of vegan banana bread recipes and never settled on one that I thought was “it”. Too dense, too dry, too moist, lacking banana flavour, too sweet, not sweet enough, etc. It drove me nuts. Each time, I would tweak my recipe a bit more. But this is The One, my friends. It’s crazy to think that, in 8 years, this is my very first vegan banana bread recipe on the blog. Well, enough is enough, I say!
The prep time is incredibly fast and involves just one bowl—you can have it baking away in the oven in only 10 to 15 minutes! It freezes well too, so it’s a great recipe to make in advance before the holidays. I made a loaf for the freezer a couple weeks ago, forgot about it (hello, preggo brain), and found it yesterday as I was rooting through the freezer looking for treats. “OMG, Eric, I found a loaf of banana bread in the freezer!!” It was like Christmas morning. And since we don’t have a microwave and I’m not patient enough to thaw it in the oven, I ate a slice completely frozen. Sad, but true.
To freeze the banana bread, I simply allow it to cool completely, then wrap it in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of tinfoil. If you plan to store it for more than a week, I’d recommend popping the wrapped loaf into a freezer bag, too. My mom made us a couple loaves while she was here, and we enjoyed a slice (or two) every day until they were both gone! I can’t think of a better comfort food right now.
I’ve tested this loaf using whole spelt flour, light/white spelt flour, and regular all-purpose flour. My favourite was light/white spelt flour and second favourite was whole spelt flour. The regular all-purpose flour version worked too, but it wasn’t quite as flavourful. There’s just something I love about the nutty, wholesome flavour of spelt. I expect that other flours, such as whole wheat pastry flour, should work, but I have yet to test any more out. I suspect that 100% whole wheat flour might be too drying since it’s quite dense/hearty, but maybe a 50/50 all-purpose/whole wheat flour split might be okay. In terms of a gluten-free version, I’ll be sure to share the recipe if I land on a combo of gluten-free flours that I love. If you try anything out, please let us know how it goes in the comments!
And finally, on a non-banana-bread-related note, here’s a roundup of the latest #osgeveryday blog tour posts, which include some great giveaways and recipe sneak peeks. Thanks to all of these wonderful bloggers for their support!
One Bowl Vegan Banana Bread
Vegan, nut-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free
This vegan banana bread is delicious, wholesome, naturally sweetened, and takes 10 minutes to throw together. What could be better when you have some overripe bananas to use up? Nothing, my friends, absolutely nothing! Whip this into the oven before guests arrive to fill the house with a delectable banana bread aroma. For a fun twist, try adding cinnamon and nutmeg into the dough before baking, or even stir in some chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate for a more decadent loaf. I love it topped with both sliced banana (which enhances the sweetness and banana flavour) and crunchy walnuts. This recipe is adapted from my Blissful Banana Blueberry Muffins.
Yield
1 (9x5-inch) loaf
Prep Time
10 Minutes
Cook time
50 Minutes
Total Time
1 Hour
Ingredients:
For the wet ingredients:1 1/3 cups (320 g) mashed very ripe banana (about 4 medium or 3 large)2 tablespoons (15 g) ground flaxseed1/3 cup (60 mL) plant-based milk (I like almond milk)1/3 cup (60 mL) coconut oil, melted*2 tablespoons (15 mL) pure maple syrup**2 teaspoons (10 mL) pure vanilla extractFor the dry ingredients:1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (60 g) coconut sugar***1/2 cup (50 g) rolled oats1 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt1 1/2 cups (210 g) light/white spelt flour or whole-grain spelt flour****Sliced banana, chopped walnuts, and/or chocolate chips, for topping (optional)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with oil and set aside. In a large bowl, mash the banana until almost smooth, and make sure you have 1 1/3 cups. Stir the wet ingredients (ground flax, milk, melted oil, maple syrup, and vanilla) into the banana until combined. Stir the dry ingredients (sugar, oats, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour) into the wet mixture, one by one, in the order listed. Stop stirring when there are no flour patches at the bottom of the bowl. Spoon the dough into the loaf pan and spread out evenly. Add your desired toppings and gently press them into the dough to adhere. Bake the loaf, uncovered, for 45 to 55 minutes (I bake for 47 to 48 minutes, but your time may vary), until lightly golden and firm on top. The top of the loaf should slowly spring back when touched. Place the loaf pan on a cooling rack for 30 minutes. Then, slide a knife around the loaf to loosen it and gently remove it from the pan, placing it directly onto the cooling rack until completely cooled (or to hasten the cooling process, transfer to the fridge for 45 minutes). Slice the loaf once cooled. I love to spread it with vegan butter or coconut oil. The loaf will keep in the fridge tightly wrapped for 3 to 4 days, or it can be frozen for 4 to 6 weeks.
Tips:
* I have not tried it yet, but you can probably swap melted vegan butter for the coconut oil.
** If you don’t have any maple syrup on hand, feel free to swap in another 2 tablespoons of coconut sugar. The loaf won’t be quite as moist, but it’ll still work.
*** Coconut sugar can probably be swapped for natural cane sugar.
**** I tried this recipe with light/white spelt flour, all-purpose white flour, and whole-grain spelt flour. My preference is light/white spelt flour because it lends a great flavour while still feeling quite light in texture. The whole-grain spelt flour version is my second favourite; it is heartier in texture than the light/white spelt flour version (and cracks more on the top of the loaf), with a slightly earthier flavour. It doesn’t rise as much, though, and is more dense. If your whole-grain spelt flour is quite coarse, I recommend sifting it prior to use for the best results.
Last but not least, thank you so much for Arlo’s warm welcome and congrats! We’re all settling in well and soaking up these newborn days.
Comments (10) | Share on Facebook | Tweet | Pin It | Snapchat© copyright 2016 Oh She Glows. All Rights Reserved.
October 5, 2016
Professional Series 750 Vitamix Giveaway!
Hello, beeeee-u-tiful. Oh man, am I excited for today’s giveaway announcement!
In honour of the recent release of Oh She Glows Every Day, I’ve partnered with Vitamix for a very special giveaway. One lucky winner will score this gorgeous Professional Series 750 Vitamix valued at $759 CAD/$599 USD!
I just started working with this blender in my own kitchen, and I have to say, it’s a beautiful machine. It features five pre-programmed settings for Smoothies, Hot Soups, Frozen Desserts, Purées, and Self-Cleaning. It also has a new low-profile which is a few inches shorter than the 5200 series (however, it still holds the same volume—64-ounces!). Lastly, it comes in gorgeous copper, brushed stainless, and black finish options.
Here’s how to enter:
1. Make a recipe from Oh She Glows Every Day and take a photo. (You can get a copy here, if you don’t have one already!)
2. Post your photo on Instagram, Twitter, and/or Facebook between October 5 and October 17, 2016 with the hashtags #osgeveryday and #osgvitamixcontest. Post as many different recipe photos as you like and feel free to cross-post them on each social channel for extra entries. So, if you post the same photo to Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, it will count as 3 entries since it’s three different social media platforms. Just be sure to use the appropriate hashtags so we can track your entries easily!
Vitamix is opening this contest to US and Canadian residents (unfortunately, excluding Quebec). The winner will be chosen at random after contest closing on October 17. I will update this blog post with the winner on Wednesday, October 19 (and announce on Twitter) so be sure to check back to see if you won! If we do not hear from the winner within one week’s time, a new winner will be chosen at random.
Official Rules: 1 winner will be chosen at random. No purchase necessary, open to U.S. and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec).
Good luck and happy cooking!
Photography courtesy of Vitamix.
Comments (0) | Share on Facebook | Tweet | Pin It | Snapchat© copyright 2016 Oh She Glows. All Rights Reserved.
October 4, 2016
Welcome Home, Arlo
I’m so excited to introduce you to our newest bundle of joy!
Arlo is home after a fast and furious entrance into the world this past Wednesday. We’re so happy and in love. I honestly don’t know how we ever lived without this little snuggle bug. He’s just so stinkin’ sweet. I want to freeze time because I know how quickly it flies. At 6 days old, it already seems like it’s going by way too fast, which I know probably sounds crazy.
Adriana is pretty smitten with little brother too; she’s assumed the role of doting big sis, making sure she lets us know if his blankie or hat falls off (“Hat off, hat off!”) and showering him with kisses and some “Wake up, Arlo!” screams for good measure. And questionable poking, lots of questionable poking.
This labour was completely different from the first. It started very slowly and sporadically over the course of a few days, and then it suddenly became fast, dramatic, and intense very quickly (just like my midwife warned). There were tears and f-bombs dropping, and that was before I even got to the hospital. I’m working on writing Arlo’s birth story, and I’ll link to the post here when it’s up! Right now it’s just a ton of random point form (with a few funny moments told by Eric…lol). I also have a few recipe posts planned for the coming weeks, so keep your eyes peeled for those, too.
Thanks again for all of your well wishes over the past week. It really means the world to us!
With love from the (sleepy) Liddons,
xo
Comments (53) | Share on Facebook | Tweet | Pin It | Snapchat© copyright 2016 Oh She Glows. All Rights Reserved.
September 26, 2016
New Mama Glo Bars (lactation-friendly, nut-free)
“I’ve officially polished off my ‘postpartum’ Glo Bar stash.” This is what I wrote on Snapchat early in September with a photo of me gobbling up my last lonely bar from the freezer. I had overestimated my self-control at 9 months pregnant just a tad, thinking that I could stock the freezer a month early with Glo Bars so I would have them handy to bring to the hospital and to enjoy once home. Hahaha…fool! Here is my not-so-spoiler alert: I have zero self-control when there’s a food I love in the house. Obviously. So I made another couple batches (oh darn), only this time I waited until I was ready to pop (aka…right now).
I’m really excited to share this Glo Bar recipe today because not only is it crazy delicious and a cinch to throw together, but these bars contain ingredients which are thought to help boost milk supply in breastfeeding mamas (such as oats, flax, sesame, and coconut). Don’t worry, though, anyone can enjoy these bars! In fact, Eric assures me that his cup size hasn’t increased one bit since becoming a fan himself.
Another thing I love about these Glo Bars is that they are nut-free; when I was nursing Adriana in the early days, I suspected that when I ate nuts it caused her to be fussy. This can also be true for chocolate, so I purposely left it out of this recipe as well (just in case it happens again this time too). If nuts and chocolate aren’t an issue for you though, feel free to tweak the mix-ins to your heart’s content! Another bonus of using seeds over nuts is that seeds tend to be a bit more wallet-friendly. This year, I’ve really gotten into using sunflower seeds for this very reason.
New Mama Glo Bars
Vegan, gluten-free, no bake/raw, nut-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free
I created these Glo Bars with new mamas in mind, but rest assured that they can be enjoyed by all! These nut-free Glo Bars contain oats, ground flax, sesame seeds, and coconut oil, all of which are thought to help boost milk supply in breastfeeding women. They are a great no-bake bar to store in the freezer before baby arrives, too; I love to keep a stash in my freezer so I always have some on hand. I purposely made these bars nut- and chocolate-free because, in some cases, these foods can contribute to fussy breastfed babies (of course, every baby is different—tweak as you see fit!). But it also makes them a great nut-free option for after school snacks, too!
Yield
12 bars
Freeze time
10 minutes
Prep Time
15 Minutes
Cook time
0 Minutes
Total Time
15 Minutes
Ingredients:
For the dry ingredients:1 1/2 cups (150 g) gluten-free rolled oats3/4 cup (25 g) gluten-free rice crisp cereal1/4 cup (40 g) white sesame seeds*1/4 cup (40 g) pepita seeds*1/4 cup (30 g) ground flaxseed1/3 cup (45 g) dried cranberries or dried cherries**2 tablespoons (12 g) unsweetened dried shredded coconut1/2 teaspoon cinnamon1/4 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt or fine sea saltFor the wet ingredients:1/2 cup (125 mL) brown rice syrup***1 tablespoon (15 mL) pure maple syrup1/4 cup (63 g) smooth sunflower seed butter****1/2 tablespoon (7.5 mL) coconut oil1 teaspoon (5 mL) pure vanilla extract
Directions:
Line a 9-inch square pan with a piece of parchment paper. I like to leave some overhang so the bars are easy to lift out after freezing. In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients (oats, cereal, sesame seeds, pepita seeds, ground flaxseed, dried fruit, coconut, cinnamon, and salt). Add the brown rice syrup into a small pot over low heat. Stir in the maple syrup, sunflower seed butter, and coconut oil until combined. When the mixture is warm and runny remove from heat. Stir in the vanilla. Immediately pour the brown rice syrup mixture over the dry ingredients (I use a spatula to scoop every last drop!) and with a large metal spoon, stir until the oats are fully coated in the syrup mixture. This can take some elbow grease, but we don’t want any dry patches, so mix well. Scoop the mixture into the prepared pan and spread out evenly. I like to lightly wet my hands and use them to spread the mixture out. Grab a small pastry roller if you have one, and roll the mixture until even and smooth. Or, simply press down firmly with your hands—the more you pack down the mixture the better the bars hold together. Using your fingertips, press the mixture downward along the edges to create straight edges. Place the pan in the freezer, uncovered, for about 10 to 15 minutes until the bars firm up enough to slice. Remove the slab and place on a cutting board. With a pizza slicer, slice the bars into 12 equal bars. Wrap each bar separately in plastic wrap. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week, or freeze the wrapped bars in a freezer-safe zip bag for 4 to 6 weeks. The bars will firm up when chilled. You can let them sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes before enjoying, if desired.
Tips:
* These bars are great with toasted sesame and pepita seeds, as well as raw.
** To make the bars look extra colourful, like in the photo, I like to scatter the dried cranberries on top (along with a handful of pepitas) before pressing the mixture into the pan.
*** There are no substitutes for brown rice syrup unfortunately. I've tested all different liquid sweeteners and nothing else binds the bars enough.
**** I love using my Homemade Sunflower Seed Butter recipe, or for a store-bought option, Organic Sunbutter (smooth) is my go-to. Make sure it's silky smooth and not dry and hard.
By the way, a batch or two of these bars would make a great gift for a mama-to-be!
Last but not least, I’d like to share another roundup of #osgeveryday blog tour posts. A huge thanks to these talented bloggers for all their support! Be sure to check out the links below for recipe sneak peeks, giveaways, and fun Q+A’s.
Edible Perspective (Ash dishes on the behind the scenes of shooting the book!)
Comments (18) | Share on Facebook | Tweet | Pin It | Snapchat© copyright 2016 Oh She Glows. All Rights Reserved.
September 16, 2016
Friday FAQs: What to serve with vegan Caesar salad, subs for cashews, nutritional info for #osgeveryday, and more
Mid-September already! Can you believe it? This week has been quite an adventure. From thinking I was in labour yesterday (and maybe freaking out just a little) to the renovation mayhem, I’m certainly hoping for a relaxing weekend. Today is a full moon eclipse though, so we’re on high alert. *insert suspicious eyes emoticon*
Before getting to today’s Friday FAQs, I’d love to pass along this week’s roundup of #osgeveryday blog tour posts (last week’s can be found here). Once again, a big thanks to these awesome bloggers for all their support. Be sure to check out the links below for recipe sneak peeks, giveaways, and fun Q+A’s!
Whole Foodie Challenge (Join me and follow along with Hannah’s Oh She Glows Every Day Party Challenge over the next couple weeks!)
T.O.F.U. Magazine
Eat Spin Run Repeat
Spabettie
Olives for Dinner
Vegan à La Mode
Heartbeet Kitchen
Bakerita
Faring Well
Thoughts by Natalie—part 1, part 2 (Q+A for Natalie’s “Mompreneur” series!)
Cadry’s Kitchen
With Food + Love
The Full Helping
The Canadian Gift Guide
The Oatmeal Artist (includes a fun Q+A on all things oatmeal!)
And last but not least, I’m winding down Friday FAQs until October as I gear up for baby’s arrival. Please keep your questions coming, though, as we’ll be plugging away at future FAQs!
Q1. This Crowd-Pleasing Vegan Caesar Salad looks delicious! I’m having people over for dinner Sunday and will definitely try it. It looks like it’s probably not big enough to be a stand alone entrée though. What would you recommend as a gluten-free accompaniment or entrée to go with it?
A. Hi Christina, So happy to hear that you’re going to try out this salad. I definitely have some suggestions for you! Soup and salad is always a classic pairing, and some gluten-free/gluten-free-option soups that I think would make particularly great accompaniments to the Vegan Caesar Salad include my Summer Harvest Tortilla Soup (The Oh She Glows Cookbook, p. 135), 10-Spice Vegetable Soup, and Cream of Tomato Soup (The OSG Cookbook, p. 141). My Favourite Vegan Chili would also work well—caesar salad and chili were always served together in my house growing up. Another lighter pairing option I’d recommend is my Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Avocado Garlic Aioli. For entrées, you could again go the classic route and serve the salad as a pasta accompaniment (for a killer tomato sauce recipe, I highly recommend my Fail-Proof Marinara Sauce, p. 175 of Oh She Glows Every Day) topped with my Cashew or Pepita Vegan Parmesan (OSG Every Day, p. 267).
Q2. Hi @ohsheglows, 1. If subbing sunflower seeds for cashew in cream sauce, is the process the same? And 2., would you recommend the sub in your All-Purpose Cheese Sauce (OSG Every Day, p. 251)? Husband can’t eat cashews.
A. Hi Kate, Yes, I’d say that the process is the same for making sunflower seed cream as it is for making cashew cream! The only difference is that you’ll need to use a bit less of the sunflower seeds (so if, for example, you’re making my Golden French Lentil Stew [OSG Every Day, p. 145], instead of blending 1/2 cup of pre-soaked raw cashews with 1/2 cup of water, I’ve found that you’ll only need 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of pre-soaked raw sunflower seeds). I haven’t tried substituting sunflower seeds for cashews in the All-Purpose Cheese Sauce yet. I think it would likely impact the flavour, though, so for a nut-free version I’d recommend simply omitting the cashews since the recipe only calls for a small amount. While the sauce won’t be quite as rich, it’ll still taste great. If you decide to experiment with swapping in sunflower seeds, please let me know how it goes! I’d love to hear how it turns out.
Q3. Hi Angela, I got your beautiful new book at the store, how exciting! I noticed the note in it that says nutritional information is listed on your website. Can you please point me to where to find it for the recipes in the book? Thanks!
A. Hey Jessie, Certainly! The nutritional info can be found here (a PDF will open). Just in case you misplace it, you can also find the link on page xiii of Oh She Glows Every Day under the “Nutritional Information” heading. I hope this helps!
Q4. These burgers look delicious and I can’t wait to try them! My husband doesn’t tolerate black beans very well, though. Is there another type of bean that I could try in this recipe? I’ve ordered your new cookbook and I’m counting the days until it arrives!
A. Hi Jane, I do think you could use another type of bean—kidney or cannellini beans come to mind as good options (although I have yet to try them out!). Please let us know if you try anything out and thanks for all your support!
Comment of the week:
“Love your new Oh She Glows Everyday! First recipe I tried was the Ultimate Flourless Brownies. Secretly, I could not imagine you possibly topping your previous recipe in your first cookbook! Wow! Was I mistaken! Amazingly delicious! Unfortunately, I ran out of cocoa to make a second batch (we are a family of 4) and had to improvise with the second batch using cacao powder. It turned out to be so delicious, very deep in flavor and not as sweet. I had my family, sister-in-law and niece try both brownies for a head-to-head taste test, and they love both brownies for different reasons. Wow, a home run both ways! Love your recipes and will continue cooking and baking away! Thank you for creating another successful cookbook!”
Lise, I love the “head-to-head taste test”! We’ve had many of those in this house (actually, we did during the testing of this very recipe!). I’m so happy the brownies worked with cacao powder and that both versions were such hits. Thanks for letting us know, and for your excitement for the book!
PS—The image at the top of the page is my Potato and Black Bean Nachos recipe! Hello, weekend comfort food.
Comments (4) | Share on Facebook | Tweet | Pin It | Snapchat© copyright 2016 Oh She Glows. All Rights Reserved.
Angela Liddon's Blog
- Angela Liddon's profile
- 134 followers
