what the heck is nutritional yeast? with a recipe for raw pizza bites!

Hello dear readers and happy Friday!

In my last post I asked which recipe you would all rather see first- pizza bites or the curry salad. The pizza bites won by a landslide. I’m glad the salad got a few votes, I was starting to feel bad for it!

I also got a request from a reader a few weeks back to do a post on nutritional yeast- what exactly it is and how to use it. I’ve been a little slow in responding, mainly because I wanted a killer recipe to go with my explanation. Well now I have one so hear goes!

What is nutritional yeast?

Nutritional yeast, or “nooch” as it’s lovingly referred to in the vegan community, is a deactivated yeast. It is not the same as Brewer’s yeast so please don’t go out and buy it to use in my recipes! You will get quite a shock when you taste it ;)

Nutritional yeast is grown on a mixture of can and beet molasses for about 1 week during which B-vitamins are added to help it grow. It then gets pasteurized, washed and dried. It is an excellent source of almost all B vitamins and is a wonderful source of complete protein. Many brands will fortify their flakes with B12 so definitely check for this when purchasing. B12 can be a hard to find nutrient in vegan diets so having your nutritional yeast fortified with it is a bonus!

What does it taste like?

Basically it tastes amazing ;) The flavour is the main reason I use it, the nutrients are a bonus! Nutritional yeast has a slightly nutty and cheesy taste, which makes it a popular ingredient in many vegan dishes to add a cheesy, savoury or eggy flavour.

How do you use it?

I like using it in so many ways! Some of my favourites include:

• sprinkling it on pasta dishes as a parmesan cheese substitute
• adding it to non-dairy sauces for a cheesy taste
• using it in tofu scrambles to give it an eggy flavour
• as a topping on baked potatoes or in mashed potatoes
• anywhere where you want to enhance flavour like salad dressings, in beans, etc.
• sprinkling on popcorn
• add it to smoothies
• basically, sprinkle it on everything ;)

Here are some recipes on the blog that use nutritional yeast:

• avocado “everything” sauce
• classic tofu scramble
• raw almond butter cups (the nooch adds a really special flavour here)
• massaged kale salad
• zucchini quinoa tofu lasagna
• tofu ricotta pizza with a polenta crust
• “easy on the tummy” bowl
• chipotle tempeh burgers
• hemp seed alfredo sauce
• quinoa, kidney bean and walnut burgers
• raw mushroom cream sauce

Now, when I was thinking about what recipe I would create to go along with this post I wanted to keep away from “cheese” sauces. There are so many amazing ones on the internet. I wanted to bring something a little different.

Enter these Raw Pizza Bites.

I created these one day when I wanted to make something up that I could use as snacks during the week that wasn’t sweet. Usually one of my go to snacks are a raw nut/date snack bite, but as these are sweet they weren’t really an option. Or so I thought. I started to try and think of a way I could make a bite out of nuts or seeds that would hold together without dates.

star ingredients!

Then it hit me- sundried tomatoes! When blended they act exactly like dates in that they help things stick together. Not to mention they have fantastic flavour. Combine their savoury tomato flavour with nutritional yeast’s cheesy one and you get a snack bite that tastes surprisingly like pizza!

either way they are delicious

Combined with some Italian spices and sunflower seeds these make the perfect portable snack. You can dehydrate them for a snack that is a little crisp on the outside and soft on the outside, or just skip this step completely. They taste awesome either way! They are really tasty eaten at room temperature making them very portable!

Raw Pizza Snack Bites (Vegan, Gluten-free, Sugar-free, Raw)

Makes ~8 bites, but easily doubled.

• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds (soaked and dehydrated is possible)
• 2 tbsp hemp seeds (or more sunflower seeds)
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp sundried tomatoes (try and use ones without sulphites)
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• pinch sea salt
• pinch red pepper flakes

First process the sunflower seeds and hemp seeds in a food processor until finely ground. Add everything else except the water and process until everything is sticking together. Add the water if needed to help it stick.

Roll into little balls and either store immediately in the refrigerator or dehydrate at 105°F for 4 hours. Try one warm from the dehydrator is you have have one!

My mind is just spinning with all the flavour combinations possible! This is probably closest to a cheese pizza, but what about a Hawaiian with some dried pineapple in there? Or maybe a Mediterranean pizza with some black olives? Endless possibilities!

Sources

http://www.naturalnews.com/035043_nutritional_yeast_B_vitamins_superfood.html

http://bestnaturalfoods.com/nutritional_yeast.html

Have a great weekend everyone!

I am submitting this post to Allergy Free Wednesdays, Allergy Friendly Friday and Wellness Weekends!

wiaw #20- sips and salads

Happy Wednesday everyone!

Firstly, I just want to say I’m so excited you all loved the recipe for the raw veggie stir-fry I posted on Monday! Sometimes I wonder whether anyone will be interested in something so simple. But you guys definitely appreciate the simple things in life ;) And for that, I thank you!

Since it’s Wednesday, that can only mean on thing! It’s time for some What I Ate Wednesday fun. For those of you who are new to the idea, this is a weekly blog party hosted by Jenn at Peas and Crayons where foodie bloggers post about their daily eats so we can all drool over each other’s deliciousness. Head over to Jenn’s blog to check out all the other posts!

This week, I’ll share a couple recipes with you (!!) and also give you a couple sneak peaks to others that are coming soon. And since July’s theme is fitness, I’ll share with you the workout I did as well. It wasn’t much, I wasn’t feeling too awesome. BUT I had a really good day of eats so without further ado let’s get into it!

What I Ate Wednesday- Sips and Salads!

This was a delicious day of refreshing beverages and salads!

warm lemon water to start my day!

insert a mental workout here. Well maybe not a workout per say, but definitely a mental exercise!- meditation! I decided to join in with the 21 Day Meditation Challenge where each day you are emailed a link to a short guided meditation with a focus on Love. This was Day 2 and so far I’m really enjoying it! I gave meditation a good shot during my cleanse a couple months ago, but it has fallen to the wayside since. I found it helped with my stress levels a lot so I’m doing this challenge as a way to get back into the habit!

I decided to take a break from the green smoothies today in favour of a Red Velvet Smoothie! Don’t worry, there are still a veggie in there though ;) This was a nice change of pace and it really tasted like the cake! Scroll down for the recipe!

Next up I had some of my Raw Pizza Bites. These are seriously so good- you feel like you’re biting into a cheese pizza- but it’s raw, grain-free and vegan! Recipe coming soon ;)

Next up at work I had a salad with a Mediterranean theme. I had some mixed greens with artichoke hearts, black olives, tomatoes, quinoa and sunflower seeds with a simple lemon juice and hemp oil dressing with fresh ground pepper. This was a super satisfying light lunch (which I ate at 10 am…my work schedule is weird…)

Came home and did my workout! Today I did a quick once since I had to go back out soon and I was really tired. I did the cardio routine from Tony Horton’s 10 Minute Trainer. Now I am not a big Tony Horton fan…I tried P90X a few years ago and only got a couple weeks in because I found him a little annoying and couldn’t listen to him anymore! But these 10 minute routines are great! Small doses of Tony are best :) He really works you for those 10 minutes!

I also worked on my wall sit. I’m up to 2 min 45 seconds!

I find the key to this is to watch something while you’re doing it and don’t put your hands on your legs like in the picture! I found when I did that it made the pose easier- I would push on my thighs with my hands, lessening the load on my core. Keep your hands off!

After this workout I had a little time to kill before heading out so I snacked on some of these cookies- Quinoa Chocolate Chip Cookies to be exact. I made them for a staff potluck a while ago and they were very well received so I had to make another batch so I could share them with you all! I have a recipe coming up for these as well. I’m going to pretend I didn’t eat 4 of these…

When I got back home I was miserable- it was sooo hot out yesterday and my car’s air conditioning isn’t the best. So when I got back home I felt drained and dehydrated. So I whipped up this Blueberry Peach Kombucha Slushy that was inspired by this drink from Gena at Choosing Raw. Scroll down for the recipe!

For dinner, I was so tired, I was honestly going to have a bowl of cereal. But then I remembered that I was going to have to post photos of what I ate. Not wanting to be boring, I decided to whip up this salad instead. Thank you WIAW for saving me from a boring, uninspired dinner ;)This is a Sweet Potato and Lentil Salad with a Coconut Curry Dressing. It’s a great way to have a curry, but without the heaviness of the traditional preparations. Not going to lie, I snacked on one more cookie to fuel me through the prep. Recipe coming soon!

After dinner I sipped on some tea and indulged in a little raw chocolate.

…

Now for the recipes!

Red Velvet Smoothie (Vegan, Gluten-free, Sugar-Free, Raw)

This smoothie tastes like a dessert but it healthy enough for breakfast! The beets give it a great colour and an earthy sweetness! The optional ingredients give it a little more staying power, but are, of course, optional!

• 1 medium beet, peeled and chopped
• 1 apple, cored
• 1/2 cup nondairy yogurt (I used So Delicious Coconut in plain)
• 2 tbsp cacao powder
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp vanilla
• pinch cinnamon
• stevia to taste (I added 2 drops chocolate stevia)
• Optional additions:
  • 1/2 a frozen banana
  • 1 tsp flax seeds
  • a few almonds
  • protein powder (I added 1/2 a scoop of Sunwarrior Warrior Blend in Natural)

Put all ingredients in a blended and blend away! Serve with some cacao nibs sprinkled on top!

Blueberry Peach Kombucha Slushy (Vegan, Gluten-free, Sugar-free)

This beverage is insanely refreshing and filled with probiotic goodness from the kombucha. The ginger gives it a bit of a kick!

• 1 cup frozen blueberries
• 1/2 cup frozen peach slices
• 1 cup kombucha (I used my homebrewed kombucha which is a green tea base but use whatever your favourite is)
• 1 tsp fresh grated ginger

Pop it all in a blender and blend!

…

I just noticed how similar both those drinks look. Haha oops. I promise they taste different!

That’s it for me today! Have a wonderful day and check back soon for one of the teaser recipes!

Which recipe would you all rather see, the “Raw Pizza Bites” or “Sweet Potato and Lentil Salad with a Coconut Curry Dressing”?

raw veggie stir fry

Ahhh Monday, why do you always arrive so quickly? I was greatly enjoying my day off lounging, reading, cooking and sleeping…let’s make a deal. Next week you just give us an extra Sunday k?

Good Monday morning my readers! Hope you all had great weekends. As you can probably tell I did and didn’t want it to end! While I worked Saturday, I still got to spend time lounging in the sun and then Sunday, while it brought rain, allowed for some lazing around inside without feeling guilty that I’m not “enjoying the summer weather”. There’s a part of me that misses the cooler weather- I love being all snug and cozy inside. I got loads of prep done for the week too- a new hummus recipe, some raw pizza snack bites (I am SO excited to share these with you!) as well as almond milk, almond butter, coconut butter and some cookies.

So now getting into today’s recipe. I’m happy to report that I am keeping with my goal of putting together 2 nicer dinners for myself every week. While nothing I’ve been making has been complicated, they’ve sure been satisfying! Take this veggie stir-fry for example- the most difficult part is cooking the rice, it’s that simple!

I’ve been wanting to try and make a raw veggie stir-fry for a while, ever since I discovered this method of preparing raw vegetables so they taste cooked. While in that post I used broccoli, it works great for lots of other vegetables and I knew that with the right marinade I could make them taste stir-fried.

Incorporating more raw vegetables in your diet is super beneficial! As I discussed in this post, since you don’t expose the vegetables to heat, all the nutrients remain intact as do the vegetable’s enzymes which allow you to gain more valuable nutrition from the food. In fact, you can even enhance the nutrition you gain from cooked food by incorporating some raw vegetables on your plate. Cool eh?

And since you want to eat raw veggies more, it’s important to be able to prepare them many different ways! In this recipe I used a simple, Asian-inspired marinade to help soften and flavour the vegetables. I used broccoli, carrots and red peppers, but I suspect you could use others like cauliflower, green beans and snow peas as well! You can make these with or without a dehydrator and can serve with brown rice like I did for a high-raw meal or feel free to pair with some raw cauliflower/jicama rice for a completely raw dish!

Raw Veggie Stir-Fry (Vegan, Gluten-free, Sugar-free, Raw)

Serves 2.

• 1 small head of broccoli, cut into small florets
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1/2 a red pepper, chopped
• 1 tbsp hemp oil (or sesame oil or oil of your choice)
• 1 tbsp coconut aminos/Bragg’s/nama shoyu
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp agave
• 1/8 tsp red chilli flakes
• sesame seeds
• additional coconut aminos/Bragg’s/nama shoyu to finish

Mix the hemp oil, coconut aminos, garlic, vinegar, agave and chilli flakes in a small bowl. Put the vegetables in a ziploc bag and pour in the marinade. Massage the veggies to ensure they are all coated. Leave to marinate in the fridge for a few hours or overnight for the best flavour. I’ve also left it for 2 nights and it was delicious!

The next day, you can either serve the vegetables cold straight from the fridge, or if you have a dehydrator, you can spread the vegetables onto a Teflex lined tray and dehydrate for 1-1 1/2 hours to warm them. You could also try this in an oven set to it’s lowest temperature. I’ve also heard of some raw-foodists sun-cooking their food but I have never tried this.

Serve with short-grain brown rice or raw rice of your choice and sprinkle with sesame seeds and a little more coconut aminos/Bragg’s/nama shoyu if desired.

I’m submitting this recipe to Wellness Weekends!

eating my stir-fry…it’s not the best pic but man was it difficult getting it! I can’t hold chop sticks to save my life in my left hand, so I was forced to juggle my camera in my left while maintaining a steady right hand. I felt I had to include this picture since I worked so hard to get it ;)

How was everyone else’s weekend?

Do any of you do lots of prep on the weekends to make weekday eating easier?

Hope this is the beginning to a wonderful week for all of you!

I’m sharing this recipe on Allergy Free Wednesday and Wellness Weekends!

ginger cherry & peach oat parfait

morning sunshine :)

how’s everyone doing today? while it’s friday (the 13th….) and that means the weekend for most, i’m working all day tomorrow so while i can’t quite share in the positive energy that friday brings, i know that when other people are happy, my work day is easier, which makes me happy. so yay for friday anyway!

i got a couple requests after my what i ate wednesday post for the oat parfait i posted. ask and you shall receive! i’ll make apologies ahead of time- pictures aren’t the best since when i made it i wasn’t planning on posting the recipe. but as i was eating it, i was enjoying it so much, i just had to offer.

i made the parfait up with 2 goals in mind:

1. use up some of the many cherries I purchased this weekend. i’ve been eating big bowls multiple times a day and just loving it. but i figured i should try and incorporate even a few of them into a recipe
2. incorporate a source of iron- this is a goal for pretty much every meal i have now (for reasons why see this post)

what seemed like the easiest source to incorporate with the cherries for breakfast was blackstrap molasses. i’ll always remember the first time i tasted it. i had just taken a vegan cooking class to help me learn how to prepare some vegetarian dishes (i wasn’t quite vegan yet) and my teacher said one of the breakfasts she enjoyed most was peanut butter and blackstrap molasses on toast. i figured if she ate it all the time it had to be good! so i went and bought myself some, didn’t smell it or taste test it or anything but instead smeared it liberally onto my toast and took a huge bite. i’m guessing i looked something like this:

let’s just say i didn’t touch the stuff for a while after that.

since then though, it’s become one of my favourite natural sweeteners! it has a wonderfully rich taste, almost like deep brown sugar. there is a slight bitterness to it, but since i tend to like my sweets on the less-sweet side (does that even make sense??) i really like this aspect. in fact, i should probably try it on toast again, i’d probably like it this time!

brands of blackstrap molasses vary, so try a couple to find one you like. i think this may have been my problem in the whole toast debacle. the brand i like is wholesome sweeteners which is sweeter than others i’ve tried.

now what’s so great about blackstrap molasses? well it’s actually a by-product of sugar production and is rich in vitamins and minerals contained in the sugar cane plant including iron, calcium, magnesium, vitamin b6 and potassium. obviously, what interested me the most was the iron! 2 tbsp of blackstrap molasses has about 7.2 mg of iron! that’s pretty awesome if you ask me.

what’s also great about this parfait is that it includes sources of vitamin c- the cherries and peaches! absorption of iron is enhanced when consumed with vitamin c-rich foods. so it’s really important to make sure you get some in!

now that you know why you should eat it, you probably would like to know what you want to eat it. this parfait has a quick chia cherry ginger jam (whoa that’s a mouthful) that is left in the fridge overnight so the flavours can meld. the oats are soaked overnight to make digestion nice and easy and then in the morning they are mixed with some coconut yogurt, blackstrap molasses, tahini and a little stevia which complements the ginger in the cherry jam beautifully. add in some chopped peaches and this breakfast is ready!

it’s also very easy to make too- you just need to get your jam made and oats soaking the evening before and then assemble in the morning. the hardest part is pitting the cherries- the fact that you have to do this is probably the only thing i dislike about fresh cherries!

ginger cherry & peach oat parfait (vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free)

the ginger in the cherry jam compliments the blackstrap molasses perfectly which the tahini provides and earthiness that ties everything together. chopped peached add some brightness for a beautiful and delicious breakfast!

• 1/4 cup rolled oats + 2 tbsp oat bran, soaked overnight in water and a little lemon juice (for why this is important check this post). you could also just used 6 tbsp rolled oats
• 1 recipe quick chia ginger cherry jam (recipe below)
• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp non-dairy yogurt (i used so delicious plain coconut yogurt)
• 1 tbsp blackstrap molasses (start with less if you are new to it’s flavour)
• 3/4 tbsp tahini
• stevia to taste (1 used 2 drops english toffee stevia)
• diced peaches
• granola/buckwheat groats to top (for some crunch)
• a dollop of yogurt and a cherry to finish

prepare your cherry jam the night before. also, soak your oats overnight then in the morning rinse them well.

mix the oats with the yogurt, molasses, tahini and stevia.

spoon about 1/3 of the oats into a bowl or glass, top with 1/2 of the jam and diced peaches. do this one more time. finally top with the last 1/3 of the oats, peaches, sprinkle with granola/groats, finish with a dollop of yogurt and make it feel extra special by adding a cherry on top!

quick chia cherry ginger jam (vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free, raw)

this makes only what you need for the parfait but definitely feel free to make more!

• 1/4 cup diced cherries
• 1/2 tsp agave
• 1/2 tsp chia seeds
• 1/8 tsp ginger

pulse a couple times in a blender/food processor or just mix everything together, mashing with a fork a bit. let sit in the fridge overnight so the flavours can intensify and meld together.

i’m submitting this post to wellness weekends!

mmm check out them layers!

now i’m sure you all noticed, but this post has no capital letters in it. i really like the look of lowercase letters, much more so than uppercase. so i decided to write this post just how i like it. fun no?

questions for you all!

• any big plans for the weekend? none for me! i’m working then hopefully sunday will be restful with a lazy brunch and lounging in the sun
• do you have any weird little quirks when it comes to writing? i tend to even write lists, journal entries etc. entirely in lowercase- looks so much nicer to me!

want a hint for what’s coming up next?

have a great weekend!

mango cilantro smoothie, a minor vent and a few boston pictures

Happy weekend dear readers!

To be honest, as I write this I am not feeling my best. I got results from my doctor the other day and despite our best efforts, my iron levels have not improved, in fact they have gotten worse somehow and my B12 levels aren’t great either, despite taking supplements. He’s ordered a whole new panel of tests for me to get done because we’re clearly missing something. This is so frustrating especially since those silly iron supplements have been making my stomach upset for a month and a half. I have been doing everything right. I eat loads of greens, have given up coffee and take my supplements. It’s disheartening too because my doctor isn’t really asking me how I feel about anything or asking about my diet. All his messages are relayed through a nurse. To add to that he’s not able to see me again for more tests until the end of August. Until then he hasn’t given me any suggestions, I’m just supposed to sit here. I am a little lost as to what I’m supposed to be doing and feel like I’ve been hung out to dry. It’s like I’ve been slotted into a category which has a pre-determined, step-by-step process assigned to it, rather than being considered as the individual I am. We all have different lifestyles and bodies so shouldn’t approaches to health be more personalized? I know my health issues do not even come close to what many people have to deal with, but I can’t help but be a little disheartened. Have any of you experienced situations like this with your health and/or your doctor?

While my journey towards solving my energy and digestive issues has hit this hitch, I’m trying to remain positive! I’m going to continue seeking out dietary sources of iron (but I’m stopping those pills) and start taking regular digestive enzymes and probiotics. Clearly my body is having difficulty absorbing nutrients for some reason or another so I’m going to to support it best I can. I’ll also try and stay active, but honour how I’m feeling and take rest days as needed.

I’m also trying to keep optimistic and I’m hoping the power of positive thinking works wonders.

Oh Barney, so wise!

Listening to this adorable song has been helping loads too :)

Ok, that little vent is now OVER! No more wallowing in self-pity, I promise.

The real purpose of today’s post is to share with you a new smoothie recipe! Inspired by this Snappy Cucumber Mango Salad by Daily Bites, it packs quite the flavour punch!

This is definitely an interesting and intriguing smoothie, one that invites you to discover new components each time you sip! The ingredients list might seem a little out there compared to other fruit smoothies but I promise it totally works.  The cilantro gives it an Indian-inspired flavour, the ginger adds a little kick and the cucumber and lime keep everything fresh!

In addition to having all sorts of crazy flavour, this is also incredibly detoxifying and will help aid digestion. Cilantro has a detox effect on the body where it binds to heavy metals like mercury and helps remove them from the body. It is also produces digestive enzymes and stimulates digestions through peristalsis (the movements and contractions of the stomach). Mango produces digestive enzymes as well and ginger is a great stomach soother.

I hope you all give this smoothie a chance! Coriander lovers only though ;)

Mango Cilantro Smoothie (Vegan, Gluten-free, Refined Sugar-free, Raw)

This smoothie is a little sweet, a little savoury with a definite kick. Perfect for hot summer days, or even cool summer nights.

• 1 cup frozen mango chunks
• 1 cup cucumber (quartered and sliced)
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp coconut water (or more to desired consistency, could also use plain water)
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander
• 1 tsp fresh chopped ginger
• 1 tsp agave (might need a little more if you are using water)
• juice of 1/2 a lime
• pinch sea salt

Throw it all into a smoothie and blend. Serve with a cucumber slice for a cocktail feel!

I am submitting this recipe to Allergy Free Wednesday and  Wellness Weekends.

Now before I go, I owe you guys a few pictures from the Boston trip I took last month! I’m a little late on these so please forgive me!

where the declaration of independence was read

Pride celebrations

vintage market garden party furniture :)

more of the market

crazy sculptures near the Sam Adams brewery

so many trees all over Boston! I think that’s why skin stayed so clear here. Usually when I go to a big city I get flare-ups.

a pretty church

Harvard campus- so green!

pretty flowers in the Public Gardens

enjoying the moments- staring at the clouds

Hmmmm: cute frog statue outside a playground in the Boston Common

Beacon Hill

His and hers bathrooms at the Thinking Cup Coffee Bar

We loved Boston :)

And with that, I’m heading to Montreal for a couple days. See you all back here soon, and enjoy your weekends!

chia seed breakfast pudding/porridge & sugar-free challenge day 1 recap

Good afternoon my sugar-free sweethearts! So yesterday marked the first day of the Sugar-Free Challenge hosted by Alex @ Spoonful of Sugar-Free. Basically what the challenge is all about is not consuming any added sugars or sweeteners for 10 days …

proper post-exercise nutrition, a post-workout smoothie & a semi-wiaw!

Morning my health nuts! Are my greetings getting too ridiculous?? Be honest, please. Before I get too into my post, I just wanted to call attention to 3 things! I have started a Recipage located here. You’ll also find a …