Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers with Almonds and Mint

Dinner one night last week was inspired by a dish that my old friend Andrea used to make. I never did get her actual recipe, but it was based on a wild rice blend. If you’ve been here before, then you know that I’m a big quinoa lover, and that I love quinoa-a-fying rice and … Read more

Black Rice Salad with Mango and Peanuts

Black Rice Salad with Mango and Peanuts

Happy spring, everyone! Can you believe that winter is already over? I mean, it may not seem like it out there, but before we know it, it will be July. Time flies! What better way to celebrate the end of winter than with a bright and fresh salad? To be perfectly honest, I actually made … Read more

Mashed Cauliflower with Roasted Garlic & Chives

A couple years ago, I blogged about a Cauliflower Purée with Mushroom Compote, Seared King Mushroom and Shitake Bacon dish. That meal was awesome but time-consuming. Today, the big head of cauliflower sitting in my fridge inspired me to make a simple vegan mashed cauliflower side dish. I decided to load this up with roasted … Read more

Spinach & Lemon Quinoa Bake

I came across this recipe and just knew I had to make it vegan. After a few modifications, it’s now an awesome vegan dish that is even easier to put together than the original recipe. Recipe Notes I replaced the cottage cheese and eggs with vegan sour cream and Ener-G egg replacer. I left the … Read more

Gnocchi Potato Salad with Green Beans & Quinoa

This Gnocchi Potato Salad with Green Beans & Quinoa uses store-bought gnocchi as an alternative to traditional potato salad. And the green beans and quinoa provide a healthy twist on the traditional summer staple. It’s vegan and naturally gluten-free! Yesterday was pretty much a perfect spring day here in Sydney, Australia. It was 22C and there … Read more

Easy Tex-Mex Quinoa

Tex-Mex Tomato Quinoa - Vegan and Gluten-Free

I came across this recipe after Heather from Where’s the Beach left a comment on my Grilled Mediterranean Veggies with Bean Mash post. I clicked on her website link, and initially just bookmarked the recipe to try at a later date, but then I started to think about lunch, and realized that I had everything … Read more

White Bean Mash with Grilled Vegetables

Grilled Mediterranean Veggies on White Bean Mash - Vegan & Gluten-Free

I’ve been making this vegan bean mash for a couple years now, and everyone always enjoys it — even the meat-eaters! I know that it doesn’t seem like much, but it turns a side dish into a main, and is such a lovely way to serve freshly grilled summer produce. It’s a great low-carb alternative … Read more

Fried Cauliflower, Chickpea and Swiss Chard

Fried Cauliflower, Chickpea and Swiss Chard - Vegan and Gluten-Free

Back in December, I enjoyed a lovely salad of fried cauliflower, chickpeas and silverbeet at Bodega Tapas Bar here in Sydney. It was hardy yet light with highlights of fresh lemon and toasted cumin seeds. As you can tell, I was making a mental note of the ingredients and flavors because I figured that it … Read more

Cauliflower Purée with Mushroom Compote, Seared King Mushroom and Shitake Bacon

Cauliflower Puree with Mushroom Compote, Seared King Mushroom and Shitake Bacon - Vegan & Gluten-Free

Warning: if you suffer from Mycophobia (fear of mushrooms), you should turn back now or maybe read this nice post on swiss chard. For everyone else, welcome to the mushroom orgy! I cut the Cauliflower Purée with Mushroom Compote recipe from the LCBO’s Food&Drink magazine back in 2009 and have been lugging it around with me … Read more

Roasted Cauliflower in Lemon-Tahini Sauce

Roasted Cauliflower in Lemon-Tahini Sauce - Vegan and Gluten-Free

I came across this recipe for Roasted Cauliflower in Lemon-Tahini Sauce on the Vegetarian Times website and it’s really awesome. While I don’t particularly love raw cauliflower, I do love it in low-carb risotto or simply roasted. Even if you’re not a huge cauliflower fan, I still really recommend trying this recipe. Just roasting the cauliflower … Read more

Easy Oven-Baked Tomato Risotto

Easy Oven-Baked Tomato Risotto - Vegan & Gluten-Free

This is a really easy risotto recipe. It uses basic ingredients, and if you have a pot that can be used on the stove as well as in the oven, then it becomes a one-pot meal. Because it is finished in the oven, you’ve got creamy tomato risotto in no time – without all the … Read more

Avocado Macadamia Pear Salad

Avocado Macadamia Pear Salad - Vegan & Gluten-Free

I came across this Avocado Macadamia Pear Salad recipe in the Jan/Feb 2011 issue of Sheila magazine. It looked so decadent, I just had to try it. The trick is to have “ripe but firm” avocados on hand when the pears are just ripe. But once you’ve got that under control, the actual salad itself … Read more

Fresh Tomato & Basil Salad

I just couldn’t resist bringing home these gorgeous grape tomatoes and figured that the best way to enjoy them would be as a light and fresh tomato & basil salad. Fresh basil and a high-quality olive oil are the key to making this easy salad taste very gourmet. So I don’t have a big post … Read more

Low-Carb Cauliflower Risotto

Low-Carb Risotto - Vegan & Gluten-Free

Vegan MoFo #25 – My favorite risotto recipe is easily my mushroom risotto. I love the creaminess of the rice, and the earthiness of the various mushrooms and truffle oil. It requires opening a bottle of white wine, and I enjoy the process of making it: add broth… stir rice… sip wine… repeat! However, I … Read more

Light & Healthy Potato Salad

Light & Healthy Potato Salad - Vegan & Gluten-Free

Vegan MoFo #18 – I saw these purple potatoes at the grocery store this week and couldn’t resist bringing some home with me. Look at that awesome color! I’m also going “low-carb” next week, and then 100% raw the following week, so I figured I’d go ahead and indulge in some big ol’ potatoes this … Read more

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms w/ Roasted Red Pepper Coulis

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms w/ Roasted Red Pepper Coulis - Vegan & Gluten-Free

Vegan MoFo #16 – It might seem weird, but in all my years as a vegan, I’ve never made stuffed mushrooms. There’s no particular reason, as I love mushrooms and especially the earthy, hardiness of portabellos. I just never got around to it. However this week, I bought a large box of “baby bellas”, so … Read more

Gourmet Vegan Mushroom Risotto

Vegan Gourmet Mushroom Risotto

It’s 3AM here in Sydney. I just got off a conference call with Toronto and I can’t sleep! What better time to write about… risotto?! This vegan mushroom risotto one of my all-time favorite recipes. I love the creamy rice and earthy mushroom combo. This total comfort food for me! I adapted this recipe from … Read more