After a 30 k ride in the sun I was craving something decadent and potato-y, while still being healthful and good for me.

I was also famished and wanting to eat NOW!

So I made some baked fries (seasoned with rosemary, thyme and seasalt), fried up half an onion and some cabbage then added my new favourite timesaver the Sunrise Stirfry Tofu. It’s pressed, cubed and sauced, all you gotta do is heat it up. The only one I’ve tried is the curry and I stick to it because it’s just so damn good! Then I threw a few raisins in and bam! Healthy Indian Poutine!

Next time, I’ll make my own curry sauce, but in a pinch this one is delish!

It’s like a dream come true–for someone who eats eggs and cheese. And that sure ain’t me. My momentary excitement faded as I realized the inevitable–no ravioli for j-dub! Until, walking by, a tiny little sign in the corner of the window caught my eye: “We have vegan ravioli.”

I don’t think I’ve seen, before or since, four such beautiful words.

I walked in, barely daring to dream, thinking it must be a mistake, they’ll be sold out, somehow my dream of vegan ravioli will go unfulfilled. What I found, instead, was a lovely Italian man who makes three, count ‘em, THREE! types of vegan ravioli. So left a happy girl, with bag each of butternut squash and spinach ravioli (the mushroom would have to wait).

Since the dough is eggless, it’s a little chewier, not quite as smooth as traditional ravioli, but you will get no complaints from me! The fillings are wonderful, and I can again eat ravioli!

My usual saucing method is a simple garlic-olive oil mix that lets the ravioli shine through.

This time, though, I wanted something with a little more punch, so I made a quick noochy sauce: nutritional yeast, dijon mustard, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. This topped my beloved ravioli, as well as sautéed tofu, red peppers and wilted spinach. It was a lovely, lovely meal. And I can’t wait to go home for Christmas break–I’m going to stock up on ravioli!

I’m a busy beaver. I go to class, I volunteer, I participate in an energy exchange program at a wicked yoga studio in my city and I’ll soon be starting a new job on top of all that! Staying energized is a big task. Doing it healthfully and cheaply is even harder! My goal was to take something decadent and wonderful (cookie!) and reinvent it as the perfect snack, full of goodness and energy. Here’s my new favorite recipe. I eat one as a snack, two plus fruit as an on-the-go breakfast. And, let me tell you, they are GOOOOD.

Power Cookies
1/4 c. Earth Balance, softened
1/2 c. unsweetened apple sauce
1 flax egg (2.5 T ground flax, 3 T water, whisked together)*
1/4 c. water
1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1 t. vanilla

3 c. old fashioned oats
1 c. spelt flour
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 T. cardamom
1/2 T. cinnamon

1/4 c. each: chocolate**, golden raisins, craisins, roughly chopped banana chips and walnuts ***

1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees.
2. Cream wet (and sugar) ingredients together.
3. Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then mix into wet.
4. Fold in chocolate, raisins, etc.
5. Using a 1/4 c. scoop (or measuring scoop) shape cookies into 1/2″ thick pucks.
6. Bake 18 mins.

* different sources give different measurements for flax eggs. For this recipe the above ratio is best.
** I get a bar (approx 50 grams) of fair trade organic chocolate and rough chop it because I try to only buy fair trade chocolate. Chocolate chips would also work here.
***The fold-ins can be tweaked to your preference. Carob would be great, or omit chocolate. Any dried fruits can go in place of raisins/craisins/banana chips. Any nuts can be subbed, or seeds can go in place if you are nut-free.

These babies also make a great pre-run snack!

Note: according to my calculations each cookie clocks in at around 190 calories.

First up was the Caesar Salad from Veganomicon, by the fabulously talented Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero. Recipe can be found here. I’m not a croutons kinda gal, so I always omit them. Let me tell you, this Caesar is spot on. I had reservations about the ability to recreate Caesar vegan style, but man, oh man, are they now laid to rest!

Next was a warm chickpea-broccoli salad slathered in one of my favorites, Maple Tahini Dressing.

Finally, something I’ve never made before, an Asian-inspired slaw. I hate coleslaw with the fire of a thousand suns, but I liked the idea of crisp veggies with a spicy dressing, so I started chopping and grating and pouring and mixing. I gotta say, it was a winner right out of the gate.

Asian-Inspired Slaw
Note: the dressing measurements are very rough because I was rather haphazardly throwing things in. Next time I make it I’ll note what I did and edit this to reflect it. As always, though, follow your tongue, you’ll know when it’s right!
One carrot, washed and grated
1/4 red cabbage well chopped
1 Granny Smith apple, julienned
1 pear, julienned
1/2 c. snap peas, julienned

2 T sesame oil
juice of one lemon
1 t maple syrup
1/2 t ginger grated or minced
2 T orange juice
1/4-1/2 t red pepper flakes (to your preferred heat)

1) Combine veggies in large bowl. Use a bowl bigger than you think you need. Inevitably I overfill my salad bowl and have to mix gingerly, trying desperately to not end up with salad all over the place. Combine with your hands (my style) or tongs (everybody else’s).

2) Mix dressing ingredients in small bowl or cup. Adjust ratios as needed until it’s spicy and nutty and fantastic. Pour over slaw and mix well.

3) Mangez!

(Paula-Inspired) Agave-Glazed Asparagus
3 T lemon juice
1 T dijon mustard
3/4 T light agave syrup
salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch asparagus, bottoms snapped off

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay asparagus down (not overlapping) in a casserole dish. Drizzle glaze over. Roast 20-25 minutes depending on how much crunch you like.

Maple-Tahini Salad Dressing/Sauce
Based on the maple-tahini sauce from The Foundation in Vancouver. Quite possibly even better!
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 t. ginger powder
5 T. tahini
1 1/2 t. maple syrup
1 t. lime juice (lemon or orange would work too)
3 T. hot water
N.B. this is a very thick sauce. It works well for warm salads or would be great for a stir-fry but would be a bit too rich for a regular, cold salad, in my opinion.

I spent the last year in Halifax, experiencing my first (and hopefully last!) Atlantic Winter, which lead to me waking up angry for five straight months. Every day I’d wake up and my roommate would call from the living room “don’t look outside!!” Now, I like snow as much as the next person, but to a Vancouverite snow is a beautiful, rare treat. To a Vancouverite in Halifax it’s a daily slap in the face. So, come March, I was in desperate need of a little sunshine. And the only way I could get that sunshine was to create it myself. So I made muffins. Tropical muffins. A little burst of sunshine in every bite. Enjoy!

Pineapple Banana Almond Muffins
2 small ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 c. crushed pineapple
1/4 c. canola oil
1/2 c. sugar
2 T. molasses
1/2 t. vanilla
2 c. brown rice flour
3/4 t. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. oats
1/2 c. almond slivers
ground flax seed to top

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Add pineapple, oil, sugar, molasses and vanilla to mashed bananas and whisk to incorporate.
3. Add all ingredients but the last two and mix w/ a wooden spoon.
4. Fold in almonds.
5. Fill greased muffin tin 2/3 full. Top with ground flax and bake for 18 minutes.

Summer heat doesn’t leave me itching to stand over a hot stove. I want something cool, quick, delicious and nutritious. This delightful dish can be thrown together in the time it takes to cook noodles, and is so darn good you just might weep a little bit. With a sweet and tangy, creamy sauce given a lingering heat from the generous addition of crushed red pepper, contrasting the cool crunch of a perfectly ripe cucumber, this noodle dish will delight in those hot August days ahead.

Cucumber-Soba Noodle Salad
(makes one generous serving, multiply as necessary)

2 ounces soba noodles
1/3 English cucumber, cubed
1/4 lb extra firm tofu, cubed

1.5 tbls tahini
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp maple syrup
1.5 tsp soy sauce 
juice of one lemon
1 tbsp pasta cooking water
pinch of ground clove
1 tsp crushed red pepper (adjust to taste)

chopped chives and sesame seeds to garnish

1) Cook noodles to al dente.
2) While noodles are cooking chop cucumber and tofu, set aside. Combine dressing ingredients in decent-sized bowl.
3) Drain noodles and rinse well with cold water until noodles are cool.
4) Add noodles, tofu and cucumber to dressing and toss well. 
5) Garnish and enjoy!

This dish makes great fuel for an evening run. Slow release carbs, protein and a some fat. You’re ready to run!