SWEET & CRUNCHY Wild rice SALAD (w/lentils, apple, pecans, pomegranate, cranberries & maple dressing)

November 22, 2015 by Anne Fillion in dairy-free, egg-free, glutenfree, nut-free, vegana

Apple, cranberry, pomegranate, pecan, maple... See me coming? This delicious salad sounds to me like the perfect side dish or potluck salad for this year's Thanksgiving table. It's very good on it's own, in fact we eat it as an everyday meal. This recipe is nutritious, hearty and super easy to assemble. But it can also be served as a side dish with your savory Thanksgiving meal (or your Christmas meal! The countdown has definitely started in our house!) to add that little sweet touch to your menu.

Grilled corn on the cob w/cilantro, lime and Sriracha mayo

September 07, 2015 by Anne Fillion in glutenfree, vegana, nut-free, egg-free, soy-free, dairy-free

I've never been a big fan of the "steaming hot and covered in butter" corn on the cob. Until I tasted a grilled corn! Nothing says summer quite like grilled corn on the cob. This recipe is highly inspired by one of my favorite healthy food chain, the Veggie Grill . They have a seasonal menu and this summer, they are serving a "Chargrilled Street Corn", which is basically a grilled sweet corn topped with southwestern mayo, soy parmesan and cilantro.

Roasting the corn after boiling it adds a smoky flavor, perfect for the grilling season. Served with fresh lime juice, fresh cilantro and a Sriracha mayo, this side dish will become the star of your barbecue!

Heirloom tomatoes gazpacho

August 19, 2015 by Anne Fillion in dairy-free, egg-free, glutenfree, nut-free, raw, soy-free, vegana

Gazpacho is a Spanish cold soup traditionally made with bread, tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, garlic, olive oil, wine vinegar and topped with fresh bell peppers, diced tomatoes and cucumber (or any other fresh ingredient). This soup is adaptable (the variations are endless!) and perfect for hot summer days... or when you just don't feel like putting your apron on and spending a lot of time in the kitchen (in front of a burning-hot oven!). The kids and I love to throw whatever vegetables (or fruits!) we have on hand in our high speed blender (aka our ten-year-old-almost-dead-Vitamix!) to make cold soups!

BUTTER LETTUCE & ROASTED CHICKPEAS SALAD W/VEGAN RANCH DRESSING

May 13, 2015 by Anne Fillion in dairy-free, egg-free, glutenfree, vegana, soy-free

Roasted chickpeas are great as a snack, but also in recipes, especially to replace "bread croutons" or when I want to add crunchiness to my dishes. I particularly love to top my salads with spicy roasted chickpeas. This time, I made a butter lettuce salad with fresh tomatoes, avocados, herbs, radish slices, spicy chickpeas and a vegan ranch dressing. Very easy to assemble and honestly... it was a killer lunch!

THE BEST tofu popcorn/nuggets + extra : 3 easy dipping sauces (Gluten-free, vegan... FOR REAL!)

May 01, 2015 by Anne Fillion in dairy-free, egg-free, glutenfree, nut-free, soy-free, vegana

I'm a girl who likes challenges, and this recipe was definitely a challenge! Kids LOVE finger food! For this special kids week, I wanted to find a tofu "nuggets" recipe that tasted almost like chick'n. I was looking for the best breaded tofu recipe so... I did another little battle in the kitchen! Hubby was desperate to see all the piles of dishes to wash... but he forgot everything when he took a bite of my winner recipe! He said and I quote : "Some people aren't going to like it because it tastes too much like real chicken! Those are the best tofu nuggets I've ever had!". Woot woot!

BEST VEGAN Mac 'N' cheese

April 28, 2015 by Anne Fillion in glutenfree, vegana, egg-free, soy-free, dairy-free

Neon orange. Yellow #5 and Yellow #6. Sounds familiar? No, those are not Crayola colours. Those are the colorants responsible for the famous mac and cheese bright and artificial orange colour.

It's now well known that food dyes may have potential health effects on kids like increasing hyperactivity symptoms or allergic-type reactions. Well well... did you know Kraft Foods just announced that their iconic blue box original mac and cheese will be made without artificial preservatives or synthetic colours starting January 2016. Even if the famous mac and cheese won't glow in the dark anymore, I believed it will still remain very high in sodium and saturated fats... and not a very nutritious meal for kids.

To find the best vegan mac & cheese on earth... and the one that would taste and look the most like the original, I did a vegan mac and cheese battle!

Quinoa, beet, chickpeas & dill "patties" + tzatziki (two ways)

April 23, 2015 by Anne Fillion in dairy-free, egg-free, glutenfree, nut-free, soy-free, vegana

This week I'm sharing these flavourful and vibrant beet "patties". In my opinion, what makes them beyond delicious and different is the addition of fresh dill that pairs perfectly with the earthy flavour of the beets. I have to say that dill is by far my favorite herb; unfortunately I don’t use it nearly enough in my recipes! Well, in this recipe, dill and beets sure are the real stars!

Strawberry chia jam

April 09, 2015 by Anne Fillion in dairy-free, egg-free, glutenfree, nut-free, soy-free, vegana

Have you tried strawberry chia jam? It's delicious, super easy to make and not to mention it's an healthy alternative to the store-bought, refined sugar filled jams you can find in all groceries.

Grape, goat cheese & thyme crostini + extra : vegan option (almond cheese)

March 07, 2015 by Anne Fillion in dairy-free, egg-free, glutenfree, nut-free, soy-free, vegana

This seasonal appetizer is refreshing, classy and beautiful! Sometimes, the best recipes are the simplest ones and require only a few ingredients. If you're planning a cocktail or a party, you should definitely try these chic "croutons"! This stunning grape, goat cheese & thyme crostini have a perfect balance between crunchy, savory and sweet.

Veggie "pâté" & quick pickled cucumbers

February 06, 2015 by Anne Fillion in dairy-free, egg-free, glutenfree, vegana, soy-free

When you move to another country, you try to find things you like and know well. Food is so important for me that the first thing we did when we arrived in California was a gigantic grocery at Whole Food Market (my new favorite natural store!).

Veggie "pâté" is a vegetarian spread. It's one of my favourite thing to put in a sandwich or in a wrap. It's also very good as an appetizer with crackers, olives and raw veggies. I remember searching for it without any success on this very first grocery when we only had a pan and a knife in our temporary house...