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Quick & Easy Healthy Homemade Meals: Delicious Red Lentil Dahl (Vegan)

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When I’m making this recipe, I like to prepare a lot of the recipe before hand by combining the seeds in a small dessert or custard dish and the spices in another. That way, they are ready to go when the time comes to add them. 

We like to serve this over rice – our favorites are short grain brown rice, a wild rice mix, and white jasmine . We also add a handful of fresh chopped spinach on top of the rice just before we scoop on the dahl. Alternatively, you can stir in about 4 cups of fresh chopped spinach into the dahl at the end of cooking.

DELICIOUS RED LENTIL DAHL (vegan)

 

So soothing & nourishing to the body & soul

So soothing & nourishing to the body & soul

Quick & Easy Healthy Homemade Meals: Delicious Red Lentil Dahl (Vegan)
 
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This recipe takes a little bit of prep time but it is totally worth it! This dish is especially tasty on cold nights.
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Recipe type: dinner
Serves: 6-8 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 Tbsp coconut oil or olive oil
  • 3 tsp each black mustard seeds & cumin seeds
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, chopped (if you don't have fresh ginger, just omit this ingredient... ground ginger doesn't substitute well)
  • 2 tsp turmeric, dried or 1 Tbsp fresh, grated turmeric
  • 3 tsp ground cumin
  • ¼ tsp cayenne (or more for more spice)
  • 2-3 carrots, peeled & chopped
  • 3 medium potatoes, peeled & cut into 1" cubes
  • 1 cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
  • 2 ½ cup red lentils, rinsed
  • 1 vegetable bouillon cube
  • 4-6 cups water (or veggie stock)
  • 1-2 tsp sea salt (start with 1 tsp and gradually add more until you reach desired taste)
Instructions
  1. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add cumin & black mustard seeds, and cover pot. Heat until you hear them begin to pop, then quickly add onions & garlic. Sautee for 3-5 minutes.
  2. Add fresh ginger, if using, along with spices (turmeric, cumin, cayenne), carrots, and potatoes. Sautee for 3-5 more minutes.
  3. Add water & bouillon cube (or veggie stock).
  4. Rinse the red lentils and add them to the pot. Stir well.
  5. Bring to a boil. Cover, turn down heat & simmer for 30 mins or more. Add salt to taste, stir well & serve.
  6. You can add a dollop of coconut cream to stir in, for extra nutrition.

 

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Smooth & Creamy Chocolate Avocado Pudding (Dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan)

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I have a confession to make … I do NOT like avocado! I have tried it in salads, on sandwiches, as guacamole, and even as a face mask, I just can’t enjoy it. But, my next confession is that I LOVE chocolate pudding! I would choose chocolate pudding any day over any of Grandma’s pumpkin pie, Auntie’s famous carrot cake, Sister-in-laws to-die-for cheesecake, or other tantalizing dessert. 

So when I saw this recipe, I thought I would be open minded & give it a try. And I have to say that I was very impressed. The chocolate & sweetness factor is perfect, the creaminess is divine (and quite remarkable), and the options for toppings are endless. We choose to try organic shredded coconut, organic frozen wild blueberries, and organic raw whole almonds. You can find the original version of this recipe on this great blog by a Vancouver-based woman named Madhuri, who specializes in yoga & Ayurveda. I highly recommend her articles and videos for anyone interested in Ayurveda, yoga, and health in general.

So the next time you have some avocados but are tired of making guacamole and would rather something sweet – give this a try!

* And as a little disclaimer for others who are averse to avocado, this pudding has the least amount of avocado impact when eaten on the same day as it was made. Otherwise, the continuously ripening avocado flavour will start to creep in the leftovers.

SMOOTH & CREAMY CHOCOLATE AVOCADO PUDDING (Dairy-free, gluten-free)

Creamy & Sweet Chocolate Avocado Pudding!

Serving size 1-6 (depending on your generosity level)

Ingredients

  • 2 avocados, ripe, medium size
  • 4 Tbsp maple syrup – I use generous tablespoons to mask the avocado 😉 
  • 4 Tbsp cacao powder
  • 1/3 cup vanilla or chocolate almond milk
  • 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

optional toppings:

  • shredded coconut
  • crushed or whole nuts (pistachios, almonds, walnuts, etc)
  • berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries)
  • sliced banana
  • crushed candy cane (to get into the Holiday spirit)

Directions

It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3!

1. Cut the avocados in half lengthwise, scoop out the pit & scrape the avocado flesh into the blender.

2. Add all the other ingredients and blend.

3. Garnish with toppings of your choice, and serve.

Roasted Butternut Squash, Carrot & Yam Soup (Dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan)

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This cozy soup will satisfy your comfort food soup craving on a chilly day – it is smooth, sweet & flavourful. The pumpkin seed garnish gives a nice little crunch, as well as some protein and minerals such as zinc, magnesium, & iron.

Roasted Butternut Squash, Carrot & Yam Soup (Dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan)
 
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This is a nice soup with spices that are energetically warming - ginger, cumin, coriander, and cinnamon!
Author:
Recipe type: Soup
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • • 1 medium butternut squash
  • • 4 large carrots, peeled & cut into 1” chunks
  • • 1 large yam, peeled & cut into 1” chunks
  • • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • • ½-1 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
  • • 1 Tbsp coconut oil or olive oil
  • • 1 large onion, chopped
  • • 4-6 garlic cloves, chopped
  • • 2 inch fresh ginger root, chopped
  • • 2-3 tsp ground cumin
  • • 1-2 tsp ground coriander
  • • pinch of cinnamon
  • • 5-6 cups water or veggie stock (less for thicker soup, more for thinner soup)
  • • Toasted or raw pumpkin seeds, for garnish
Instructions
  1. To Roast veggies:
  2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  3. Rinse off the squash well, poke small holes randomly throughout the squash with a paring knife to allow the air to escape while roasting. Place on a small baking sheet or roasting pan.
  4. In a large bowl, toss together yam & carrots with olive oil & salt, and place on a baking sheet.
  5. Roast veggies in oven for 30-40 minutes until tender. The squash will likely need to stay in for another 20 minutes. When done (when you can cut through the squash easily with a knife), remove from oven & set aside.
  6. To get the soup ready:
  7. Heat 1 Tbsp coconut or olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and stir. Cook until onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger,cumin, & coriander. Stir for about 1 minute to toast the spices. Add the roasted veggies and broth. Take the cooled squash, cut it in half, scoop out the seeds into the compost and scrape out the flesh into the pot. Bring to all ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low & simmer for about 5 minutes.
  8. Puree soup using a hand blender. If you don't have one, very carefully puree it in a blender in batches. If you want a thinner soup, add more stock or water at this point and blend together.
  9. Add a pinch of cinnamon and salt to taste. Adjust any of the other seasonings at this time.
  10. Serve hot, garnished with pumpkin seeds. Yum!

 

 

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins (gluten & dairy free, vegan)

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Yummm fresh out of the oven!

These muffins are delicious as a snack or sweet treat. Investing in good dark chocolate chips is the key ingredient here! We use organic 70% dark chocolate chips from Corn Crib but any dark or semi-sweet chocolate chip will do. 

This recipe was modified from the ‘Banana’Walnut Muffins’ recipe from the awesome “Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook” (see their website for more amazing recipes, health information & information on their cookbooks http://www.nourishingmeals.com).

*Sensitive to corn & want to avoid xanthan gum? Check out the Banana Blueberry Walnut Muffin recipe for substitutions for xanthan gum.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins (gluten & dairy free, vegan)
 
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Banana and chocolate chips will always be a classic combination for muffins.
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Recipe type: gluten-free baking
Serves: 12-16 muffins
Ingredients
  • 2 ½ cups brown rice flour
  • ½ cup tapioca starch
  • ¼ cup ­each brown & raw cane sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 ½ tsp xanthan gum (omit if you are corn-sensitive)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup uncooked millet (optional)
  • 2 cups mashed ripe bananas
  • 1 cup vanilla ‘mylk’ (rice, almond, coconut, hemp, etc), near-room temp
  • ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 ½ cup dark chocolate chips (organic, if possible)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly oil muffin tins or line with paper cups.
  2. In a large bowl, combine brown rice flour, tapioca starch, sugar, xanthan gum, baking soda, baking powder & sea salt. Mix together well.
  3. Place bananas in a 4 cup measuring cup or bowl, and mash with a fork. It should measure about 2 cups. (*Tip: to prevent coconut oil from clumping, use fresh ripe bananas or if you use frozen bananas, ensure that they are at room temperature.)
  4. Mix melted coconut oil with near-room temperature 'milk', vanilla extract, and mashed bananas.
  5. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients bowl and mix together – take caution not to overmix. Fold in chocolate chips & uncooked millet.
  6. Spoon batter into muffin tins until about ¾ to full (for smaller muffins, or completely full for larger muffins). Bake at 375 F for about 20-25 mins.
  7. Gently take muffins out of muffin tin (may need to loosen sides with a knife) and place onto wire rack to cool.

Our Favorite Falafel Recipe (gluten-free, vegan)

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OUR FAVORITE FALAFEL RECIPE (gluten-free, vegan)

This is the best falafel recipe we have come up with so far! It’s an adaptation of many different recipes & has taken some time to perfect. If you have other suggestions on improvements or you’ve made successful changes, be sure to let us know! Hummus is a great addition, as well as the dips & sauces we recommended here. But feel free to get creative and serve these tasty falafels with anything that you wish.

One of Nick’s favorite ways to get creative is to shape the falafels into little hearts – this makes for an artistic and lovely meal 🙂

 

Nick’s special heart-shaped falafels with side of tahini lemon sauce, cucumber tzaziki dip, hummus & sliced cucumber.

Ingredients

  • 4 cups chickpeas (or 2 x 15-oz cans)
  • 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp cumin, ground
  • 1 tsp each ground coriander & turmeric
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ cup finely onion, minced (or 6 scallions, minced)
  • ¼ cup packed parsley, minced
  • ¼ cup water (a splash more if you used dried parsley)
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • a few dashes of cayenne (and a few dashes more for a bit of spice)
  • 1/3 cup gluten-free flour (we use Bob’s Redmill All Purpose Gluten-Free Flour)

Directions

– Rinse chickpeas & drain them well.

– Combine all ingredients but flour in a food processor (or mash in a bowl) until you have a uniform batter.

– Add flour and stir until thoroughly combined. (You can cook them now, or store in a covered container for several days)

Cook via frying:

– Heat a heavy skillet and add about 3 Tbsp oil over medium-high heat. When a drop of the batter sizzles when dropped into the oil, start dropping tablespoons full into the oil, flattening with the spoon so that you have small pancakes. Cook about 5 minutes per side; or until it is crisp on the outside and still soft on the inside.

– Place on paper towels to soak up grease & serve with your favorite sauce, dip, hummus, and pita.

Cook via baking (lower fat and still really tasty!):

– Preheat oven to 400F. Grease a baking pan & make batter into 1.5” balls (or 2” heart shapes) & flatten them to 1/2” – 3/4 “ thickness

– Bake for 10 mins one side, flip & bake another 10 mins the other side. Then broil 2 mins each side.

Recommended Sauce & Dip Recipes:

Tahini-Lemon Sauce Yields 1- 1 ½ cups (from Moosewood Cookbook)

  • ¾ cup sesame tahini
  • 5 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 medium garlic clove, minced
  • ¾ – 1 cup water
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh parsley
  • Cayenne to taste (optional)

– Place tahini, lemon juice and garlic in a food processor or blender. Begin to process.

– With the motor running, add water until sauce reaches desired consistency (thinner than peanut butter, thicker than mayonnaise, in my opinion).

– Transfer to a small bowl or container, and season with salt, parsley, and cayenne if you want a little kick. Cover and refrigerate until you’re ready.

Cucumber-Tzaziki Dip

  • 1 cucumber
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp dill (dried, more if fresh)
  • dash salt & pepper
  • 2-3 dallops plain yogurt or sour cream

– Blend all ingredients together and serve.