Woman in Real Life

If you are a lover of good old-fashioned carbs, head right this way! I have rounded up the five most popular vegan recipes on the blog from last year and it looks like muffins, bread and desserts came out on top. Of course, these are also my favourite types of recipes to make and create, so there are more of them on the blog.

For those on a New Year's health kick, don't fret. These homemade, natural goodies fit into a healthy diet. Four of these recipes incorporate fruit or dried fruit and all are made with simple, wholesome ingredients. Instead of eggs, I use healthier chia or flax "eggs." As with anything, moderation is key. Weight loss (if that's your goal) is achievable with a plant-based diet that includes carbs. Just eat less and move more! So read on. Carb-lover's heaven awaits.

When I started to make these muffins, I didn't set out to create a new recipe. I simply wanted to replace the photos in this older Double Chocolate Muffins recipe. (Some of the old photos on this blog just aren't Pinterest-friendly if you know what I'm sayin'.) As I got going on my baking though, I decided to update the recipe just a little bit. I enjoy the classic combination of chocolate and berries. Plus, berries are so pretty! And the gorgeous natural hues that berries display speak to their abundant and health-promoting antioxidant content. Meaning these muffins are health food. Pretty much. If you don't want berries in your muffins today, please do go back to the old recipe (those muffins have lovely shredded coconut in them too!).

Considering that I'm half Irish (the kind that has never been to Ireland) you would think I would have made soda bread before now. According to this history of Irish soda bread, this quick loaf was created out of necessity. For poor people with few resources, you couldn't ask for a bread that requires fewer ingredients. Flour, salt, baking soda (in lieu of yeast) and sour milk (or buttermilk). That's it! I have veganized the traditional recipe by using non-dairy milk mixed with vinegar in place of buttermilk. And this particular variation also calls for cinnamon and raisins.

Whether you're 100% vegan or eating meatless meals a few times a week, it helps to have some simple, plant-based meal ideas in your repertoire. Tofu is an absolute essential in our house. It's a great source of protein and it readily takes on flavour from seasonings and spices. In the case of these marinated tofu cubes, I have flavoured them with a marinade of soy seasoning, nutritional yeast, sesame oil, lime juice, garlic and ginger.

When the thermometer is on the rise, it's nice to kick back with a fresh, homemade juice. Juicing can help you increase your consumption of healthy fruits and vegetables. Plus, the water content can work to prevent dehydration. If you have kids, you might possibly get more veggies into them too. In our family, my son will happily try any juice, even if it contains celery or cucumber. My daughter can only be tempted with fruit. But carrot juice is sweet, has a lovely orange colour and is easy to hide among the fruit juice!

I took a look-see at my blog stats to determine what were the most visited vegan recipes in 2013. Some of the top 5 recipes were posted before 2013, but they continued to remain popular over the past year. All of them are simple, healthy and delicious. Okay, chocolate dipped peanut butter balls aren't that healthy, but they beat store-bought treats!

Here, starting with the most popular recipe, are my Top 5 Vegan Recipes of 2013:

On Friday, I shared a Pea and Potato Curry recipe from Martha Stewart Living's latest cookbook, "Meatless."

Today, I am sharing my favourite recipe from the book (so far). As I told you in my original post about "Meatless," my husband made this recipe for Roasted Fall Vegetables and Lentil Salad for dinner one night. The ingredients are simple and healthy - like acorn squash and brussels sprouts. The results are surprisingly delicious. If you love veggies and lentils like I do, I highly recommend giving this one a try. Here's our version of the dish, below. My husband cut the carrots thinner than the book recommends to ensure they would be tender enough.

I love Martha Stewart Living's new cookbook "Meatless" so much that I asked them if I could share a couple more recipes with you. They kindly agreed.

As I said in my original post about the book, the first recipe I made from "Meatless" was the Pea and Potato Curry. Here's the official photo, above, and my picture of the curry, below. I made some substitutions, but it still turned out to be delicious. The recipe follows.

It's What I Ate Wednesday once again, and boy what a busy week. With Shrove Tuesday yesterday and Valentine's Day tomorrow, there's lots of food to be made (and eaten) this week.

Yesterday's dinner was...well, pancakes of course. But let's get back to that later.

Happy What I Ate Wednesday! 

Before I get to the Martha Stewart Living "Meatless" cookbook giveaway (CLOSED) and the Martha Stewart vegetarian chili recipe, I want to share a look at a few of the plant-based foods I have eaten this past week. Breakfast is generally decaf green tea and spelt toast with peanut butter and jam - in other words, a classic, simple everyday breakfast combination.

One day, I also enjoyed one of my favourite vegan banana muffins recipes. I put dates in these delicious muffins this time instead of chocolate chips. As long as it's sweet, I'm good with it! 

I promised I would share a homemade hostess gift idea with you. My daughter and I made these vegan chocolate macaroons recently to bring to a Christmas party. Actually, I measured out the ingredients, but she was able to do most of the work. So, if you are looking for a way to bring your kids into the kitchen without too much fuss, this is it!

Remember when I went to the apple orchard in September? I had all of these plans to make lovely recipes to use up the apples that the kids so lovingly picked that day.

It's now (late) November and I still have a fridge drawer full of apples. The guilt is starting to eat away at me.

So, yesterday I put together this recipe for Apple Crisp With A Twist.You probably guessed from the picture that the twist in this apple crisp is raspberries. But, I really should have said twists plural, because I also added orange juice and flax seeds for extra fun!

Earlier this morning, I suggested that you spend a night at home this March evening, reigning as king or queen of your household in front of a late winter fire. Of course, you will also need to indulge in a cup of your hot beverage of choice. Mine's decaf green tea. And, with that hot beverage, you will need a little snack. I will, anyway.

After you finish all of your daily tasks—because, let’s face it, you probably don’t have household staff—and before you settle down with a book, whip up a batch of these bold tasting vegan berry muffins. These muffins are moist and flavourful with delicious bites of fresh, tasty and nutritious blueberries and raspberries. But you can substitute any berries (or even other fruit) that you wish.

Even if you don't bake often (or at all), having a great banana bread recipe is a kitchen necessity. A warm slice of banana bread can turn a bad day around. (If your day really sucks, add a heaping handful of chocolate chips to the recipe!)

Banana bread is a treat, yes, but it's certainly healthier than other baked goods. There are bananas in there after all! I have been making banana bread for years, yet I have never truly been satisfied with any of the recipes. This recipe is what I was waiting for. It's simple to make and comes out reliably well each and every time.



First, I want to say I don’t think there is anything particularly “skinny” about the recipes. But they are healthy, and they use mainly whole foods that are already on my shopping list. (I don’t know if almond milk is on your shopping list, buy hey, give it a try if it isn’t! ) I hate nothing more than a long list of hard-to-find (and expensive ) ingredients.

Butternut Squash Soup with Poppy Seeds

Barnouin’s Banana and Cinnamon Muffins offer a new and delicious twist on the vegan banana muffin, with a crunchy topping that makes them look nice for company. Next time I’m going to make sure there is some company around when I make them, because they are best eaten the first day. The Coconut Banana French Toast was sweet and tasty, and my son said it tasted like “deep fried banana tempura.” He also liked the Coconut- and Almond-Crusted Tofu, which he called a “treat.” I have also made the Pumpkin Pecan Banana Bread (pictured at top). It was so yummy, I made it again (minus the pecans, so the kids could take some to school).

Coconut- and Almond-Crusted Tofu with mango salsa