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.

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!

Quinoa, peas, mint, feta & lemon salad

February 25, 2015 by Anne Fillion in dairy-free, glutenfree, egg-free, nut-free, soy-free, vegana

This week I wanted to bring the Californian sun to all my reader's, especially those who live in a cold place. I love the beauty of winter sceneries but, since I grew up in Canada where winter still reigns and seems to have no end, I totally get it when my friends and family tell me they are so tired of it! My answer to the winter blues is this adorable salad. Look at these baby peas! They couldn't be cuter! This recipe is basically sunshine in a bowl. And you know what? I promise you can make this flavorful and fresh salad at home with simple and available ingredients, even when spring has not yet arrived!

Fennel, blood orange, beet, mint and pistachio salad

February 18, 2015 by Anne Fillion in glutenfree, vegana, nut-free, egg-free, soy-free, dairy-free

This is the prettiest, classiest and sexiest salad I've ever made! It was on our Valentine's Day table (as well as my hazelnut, chocolate and fleur de sel "pot de crème" and a few homemade raw chocolates...). It's also one of my winter salad classics with only a few wonderful ingredients; blood oranges, sweet beets (this time a mix of golden and red), minced fennel, crunchy roasted pistachios and goat or sheep cheese. The only thing this salad needs to be absolutely perfect is a balsamic vinaigrette!

Roasted carrot, fennel & turmeric soup (w/spicy almonds and cashew cream)

November 26, 2014 by Anne Fillion in dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, vegan

My husband and I both love soups, especially creamy soups like this turmeric roasted carrot and fennel soup. This is a delicious, warm and flavourful autumn soup, perfect for the cold weather or for comfort-food cravings! Roasting the carrots and fennel accentuates the natural sweetness of the veggies, but you can still do this soup by boiling the vegetables in a good stock instead.

Shaved Brussel sprouts & winter fruit salad (w/orange, poppy seeds & tahini dressing)

November 25, 2014 by Anne Fillion in dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, raw, soy-free, vegan

The misunderstood Brussels sprout, the “kid's most hated vegetable”, is the star in this fantastic salad! I normally like to oven-roast my sprouts, but shaved and raw, they are as delicious! Slicing the Brussels sprouts into very thin slices with a sharp knife (or a food processor) give them a delicate shaved appearance and result in this "chic and festive cabbage salad". If you really don't love Brussel sprouts and kale, you could totally do this salad by replacing them with lettuce/mesclun/white cabbage instead. The result will still be lovely and tasty.

Forbidden rice, black lentils and berries salad

September 26, 2014 by Anne Fillion in dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, vegan, soy-free

One thing that my family and I love is to visit "pick-your-own" fruit and veggie farms. It feels good to take a break from our urban kind of life. It's really about getting to know were our food comes from and understanding the whole process from farming to what ends up on our plates. Most food in our stores have been cultivated for their shipping qualities rather than taste. Therefore, it gives my kids a chance to understand where their food comes from and gives us the opportunity to taste ripe fruits and veggies.