Woman in Real Life

Everybody needs a go-to recipe to make simple, creamy, dreamy guacamole. This is mine. This guacamole is fast and easy to make and it takes just four ingredients (not counting salt and pepper). My kids love it. They actually fought over this very bowl of delicious, healthy guacamole pictured. Perhaps I should have doubled the quantity? This recipe makes enough for two to four people to enjoy as a snack, but I definitely suggesting doubling it up to serve at a gathering (or for hungry teens just getting home from school!). The recipe is naturally plant-based, vegan and gluten-free.

 

It's a smoothie. In a bowl. But you already knew that. The smoothie bowl is your morning-time friend - a quick blend of healthy, filling, nourishing whole foods that will help energize you and take you through to lunchtime. Plus, if you do it right, the smoothie bowl is super tasty too. Let's do it that way!

When you become a vegan or vegetarian, holiday dinners don't have the allure they once did. If everybody else is looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners centred around a big (let's face it, dead) bird, the herbivore might feel a little left out. Whether you are said herbivore or you are welcoming one to dinner (son has a new girlfriend, huh?), this Easy Cheezy Tofu Loaf is a simple addition to your festive food menu.

When my son was a little guy, he loved carrot soup. Those were the days - when I could easily get his toddler self to scarf down bean stews, lentil soups and all kinds of nutrient-dense, mama-made entrees. He's 15 now and he has long been exposed to the wonders (salt, fat, sugar) of takeout food. Still, I do what I can to make sure he eats healthy at home, so I thought I'd try putting carrot soup in rotation again. Worst comes to worst, I love fresh, homemade vegan carrot soup myself.

When I last made this Carrot Coconut Soup, my son may have turned his nose up at it. In fact, he may have made himself a "hashbrown" sandwich, made up of fried hashbrown patties tucked inside a tortilla wrap with a sauce of mayonnaise mixed with sriracha. Sigh. But even if he eats a small bowl of this carrot soup alongside his other meal selections, he'll get a good serving of vegetables.

If your Valentine is still full on with his or her new year's health kick, this Beet-ing Hearts Blood Orange Smoothie is a great option for saying "I care." It's delicious, smooth, creamy and a bit sweet, while containing health-protective ingredients like beets, blood orange, strawberries, chia seeds and coconut oil.

With the holidays coming up, no doubt you are expecting guests or looking forward to parties with friends and family. Whether you're preparing a dessert to serve after Christmas dinner or bringing a dish along to a potluck party, it's nice to make sure everyone feels included. This luscious chocolate pie is the right amount of delicious and decadent for a holiday dessert. It's also vegan and gluten-free so it's a great offering for vegan or gluten-free friends and family.

I know, I know, why am I talking about soup in the middle of summer! But now that our air conditioner is fixed, I frequently find myself craving this simple, healthy Red Lentil and Vegetable Soup. (Maybe I should turn down the air conditioner?)

No matter the season, when 5:00 p.m. rolls around and you don't have plans for dinner, this soup seems like a pretty great idea. Trust me. Keep a bunch of red lentils in a jar in your cupboard and you'll be good to go. Red Lentil and Vegetable Soup requires very few ingredients and it practically cooks itself. No kidding.

If you are new to a vegan or plant-based lifestyle, giving up cheesecake can seem like a daunting task. Thankfully, there's no need! Why not make your own delicious, nutrient-filled cheesecake that's not only vegan, but also raw and gluten-free? These mini kiwi cheesecakes are simple to make, use healthy ingredients (unlike traditional cheesecake) and can be kept in the freezer so they're handy when a craving strikes or a friend drops by for tea.

When the weather turns chilly, there's nothing so comforting as a warm meal - a hearty dish that's both nourishing and delicious, like these Creamy Curried Chickpeas with Potatoes. I am a big fan of the chickpea, or the garbanzo bean if you will. Whatever you call it, this humble-looking legume has a satisfying body and a willingness to absorb the flavours of a tasty sauce or seasoning.

This recipe for Creamy Curried Chickpeas with Potatoes is both vegan and gluten-free. It can be ready in under an hour and most of that time is cooking time, so you can be doing other things (like browsing Instagram or catching snippets of your favourite show on Netflix). You might say, "If this recipe is vegan, how is it 'creamy'?" Fair question. The curry sauce is made creamy with the addition of a rather exciting new non-dairy beverage, made right here in Canada. It's called Veggemo and it's the first non-dairy beverage to originate from veggies.

I was really skinny growing up - I gained the "Freshman 15" my first year of university (thanks to my meal card) and I was still slim. Two decades and two kids later, I have myself a muffin top. It has taken me a while to come to terms with that lovely fleshy roll (about the last decade actually) but I finally decided to just buy higher jeans. My thanks to American Eagle Outfitter high-waisted jeggings!

My dad and his siblings are really slim - my dad can eat big bowls of ice cream during the night and never gain a pound. But I have watched my gorgeous mummy struggle with her weight for as long as I can remember, so I know just how strong the genetic component of weight is. If you wish you could lose 5, 10 or 50 pounds, I'm not here to add to your guilt. You are beautiful, Know that. Feel that. But maybe (like most of us past a certain age) you have aches and pains and health concerns. Maybe you have a desire for better health, a desire to worship your hardworking body and treat it to an abundance of beneficial nutrients and friendly, life-sustaining foods and activities. With that in mind, I have two book suggestions for you. (Oh, and read on for the recipe for the healthy, tasty breakfast parfait pictured above.)

This Peach Pie Smoothie Bowl is the New Year's healthy answer to peach pie. It's a tasty blend of California cling peaches, a touch of decadent coconut cream, bananas, Medjool dates and toppings like coconut, blueberries, oats, chia cereal and cinnamon. Besides being super healthy and delicious, this peach smoothie bowl is vegan and gluten-free. It makes for a great start to your day or even a satisfying evening snack. If you fill up on something healthy in the evening, you're sure to reduce junk food cravings.

Tofu is one of my favourite foods. Are you nodding your head up and down right now in agreement or shaking it side to side as in, "You're crazy sweetheart!" I hope it's the first, but if it's the latter, let's address your feelings about tofu right now. If people don't like tofu, it often stems from one of two things - they haven't tried it and it looks plain and unappealing or they have tried it but their first experience with it was of blandly cooked soft tofu.

While tofu is plain on its own, the wonderful thing about it is that it takes on other flavours beautifully. And YOU MUST start off with extra-firm tofu. It's a much kinder introduction to tofu than soft tofu. Extra-firm is amazing cut up in cubes for a stirfry or cut into triangles and baked in a teriyaki garlic sauce!

We went for a mid-winter hike with our friend/cousin Rose the other day. Afterwards Rose put out a plate of delicious and healthy brownie bites. These tasty goodies just happen to be raw, vegan and gluten-free. First and foremost though, they are delicious. I ate a few that day and I was eager to make them again myself.

I asked Rose to share the recipe asap. I made one small change, adding vanilla extract for a bit of vanilla-tasting goodness. These Coconut Date Brownie Bites have lots to boast about - they offer great protein from pecans, as well as an abundance of nutrients in the form of delicious, plump and moist Medjool dates.

It's unanimous! The votes are in and everybody loves these No-Bake Vegan Pep-in-Your-Step Bites. And by everybody, I mean my daughter, her friend and my son. That last vote is a significant one, because that boy isn't fond of anything on the healthy side. In fact he would prefer that all his meals come from Taco Bell.

These protein bites benefit from the winning combination of peanut butter and chocolate chips. From there, add in healthy favourites like oats, ground flax, almond meal and unsweetened shredded coconut. Sweetened with agave and flavoured further with a teaspoon of vanilla extract, these bite-size treats are healthy enough for a pre- or post-workout pick-me-up. They are also perfect for an afternoon snack - about 3 p.m. when those sugar cravings hit!

I'm the kind of person who is always hungry. I don't understand people who can go hours without food. I once had to fast for a medical procedure for a full day - I became a weak, shaky and disheartened mess. In order to ensure that I'm prepared when hunger hits - maybe while I'm watching a dance competition or driving to visit my parents, I always have a snack item or two (or three or four) in my purse. Plus a couple more for my daughter (another always-hungry type).

This is the second post in my "Products We Love" series. I reserve this feature for earth- and people-friendly products that my family uses and loves. And we love Sweets from the Earth! This Toronto-based bakery makes delicious desserts that just about anybody can eat.

The list of benefits to Sweets from the Earth's yummy baked goods is long - they are all natural, 100% vegan, trans fat free, non-hydrogenated, GMO free, made without artificial colours or flavours, preservative free AND free from refined sugars. But still amazingly delicious!

Pumpkin-infused baked goods are a must in the fall. You shouldn't miss out on them because you're eating gluten-free. This lightly spiced and delicious vegan pumpkin loaf won't give away its gluten-free status. It is as moist and satisfying as any loaf should be. It's also free of eggs and dairy!

Plus you get a tasty treat that feels decadent but comes with all the health benefits of pumpkin. Not only are pumpkin muffins and loaves delicious and warming on a cool day, but pumpkin is rich in Vitamin A, dietary fibre and potassium. It's also a good source of Vitamin E and iron. So load up on your favourite pumpkin treats this season.

Whether you are going gluten-free out of necessity or by choice, you deserve to enjoy your holiday meal as much as the next gal. And, oh yes, that includes dessert! The need for gluten-free choices in more than 12% of households means many of us are trying to adapt favourite family recipes for special meals at Thanksgiving and Christmas.