I LOVE WAFFLES! There's something special about them... Maybe it's because they taste like pancakes... but you don't have to stand in front of the pan and watch them cook forever.   The machine does it all for you!  Or maybe it's because of the little squares that perfectly hold the maple syrup and other toppings... Not quite sure, but every time we have waffles, everyone in my family is super excited! One of the multiple joys that comes from being a stay at home mom is having the freedom to do my own daily schedule.  Priceless.  If we feel like having waffles for breakfast, waffles it is! 

This past week I’ve baked all sorts of delicious goodies (and far too many gingerbread cookies ended up in my belly!).  As soon as Thanksgiving was over, I had this uncontrollable desire to decorate my house for Christmas. I've always been the girl complaining about stores and people taking out the Xmas stuff too early... but this year we've cut our own Xmas tree (what a fun activity by the way!) before the end of November! Really?!! I Guess this time of the year makes me even more nostalgic of my family and friends and I needed to fill this emptiness with a warm and charming house.  

Hello friends! How have you been? Awesome, I hope. 

I'm back from a road trip around South California.  Wow! Grand Canyon and Death Valley were both breathtaking.  I don't know if it's all the time I had for myself during the long-hour drives or the ridiculous amount of pasta and pizza I had during these few days in the desert (yeah... cowboys and a meatless diet don't go very well together...) but my inspiration is back and I'm super happy that I can finally share this incredible recipe with you: these delicious apple, almond & salted caramel shortbread crumble bars. 

This "Black forest in a jar" is a chocolate chia pudding, layered with a homemade cherry chia jam and topped with coconut whip, shaved dark chocolate, sliced almonds and fresh cherries.  It sure sounds like a dessert to me... and I've served it as a dessert in the past, but since this chia pudding is not too sweet, we enjoy this recipe in the morning as well.   

The cherry chia jam is adapted from my Strawberry chia jam.  I love chia fruit jams because they take only a few minutes to cook and don't require any "jam maker" skill at all! If you can't find good affordable cherries, you can use frozen cherries without a problem! It's also a good way to enjoy this fruit all year long! 

This "black forest overnight oats" was adapted from my Matcha overnight oats recipe by adding raw cacao powder instead of matcha tea powder.  I served these soaked oats with coconut yogurt (or you can use sheep's yogurt), fresh cherries (or unsulfuried dried cherries), shredded coconut, cacao nibs and bee pollen. It might be one of my favourite overnight oat recipe (and I tried a lot of them!).  This breakfast is just slightly sweeten with mashed bananas, decadent enough and as all the flavours that remind me of the famous black forest cake!  

I wanted to share this recipe for a long time because it's one of our favorite healthy go-to breakfast.  When I was experimenting with this recipe, I was looking for the perfect sweetness (obviously I didn't want it to be too sweet so we could eat it in the morning) and texture (not sticky or too thick) and thankfully I think I got it right! But feel free to play around with the recipe if the balance (sweetness) isn't right for you.  I've said it before, our family doesn't have a very sweet tooth.  

I'm excited to share this super moist plum "upside down" yogurt cake recipe. It's one of my favorite cake in the world! This cake is perfect for afternoon tea, snack time or as a light dessert after a heavy meal.  The texture reminds me of a cheesecake and the fruits are infused with a slight touch of ginger.  This recipe includes yogurt (note that you can use dairy-free yogurt if you're intolerant or allergic) and eggs but is completely gluten-free since the base ingredients for this cake are almond meal and a small amount of gluten-free flour.  I like to use amaranth flour in this cake because this Aztec "pseudo-cereal" is a little powerhouse :  it's naturally gluten-free, a good source of high quality protein, magnesium, iron, fiber and calcium.  Amaranth flour has a nutty taste that can be strong and bitter, but mixed with other flours as I do in this recipe, it's delicious!  You can also use millet, buckwheat, spelt or whole wheat flour if you want.  

I can't believe I waited 32 years to taste my very first passion fruit.  I mean... I had some passion fruit juice blends or desserts before, but never tasted the whole fruit.  I think it might be the most delicious fruit in the world!  The flavour is so delicious, fun and exotic... Kind of hard to describe.  When I was a kid, I hated candies and sweet desserts... But  I couldn't resist sour candies ! Well... These sour and crunchy passion fruit seeds reminded me of those candies! Felt like a kid again :)

Also know as grenadilla or "lilikoi", passion fruit is a tropical fruit that contains crunchy edible seeds and sour juice.  And the passion fruit flower is so beautiful! You want to pick the ones that are sweet and ripe enough, meaning you should choose those who are slightly wrinkled and that have a deep purple color.  You can also shake the fruit.  If it feels like there is a lot of liquid inside, it also means there should be a lot of delicious seeds to eat.  

This vegan coconut panna cotta is gluten free, dairy-free, soy free, and is the perfect quick dessert! It only takes a few minutes to make and requires only four ingredients!  My favorite way to enjoy this dessert is to serve it with my strawberry chia jam.  I also like to use a few other toppings, which probably makes it one of my most versatile dessert.  Remember when I posted this vegan pumpkin panna cotta topped with coconut whipped cream, caramel and candied pecans last fall ? 

Açai bowls are so freaking good! Oh my goodness!!! As I explained in one of my previous post (Blueberry, acai & coconut paletas), an açai bowl is like a frozen yogurt/sorbet/thick smoothie topped with granola, fresh fruit, coconut flakes and other healthy garnishes.   The small purple berries are full of antioxidants, omega fatty acids, fiber, minerals and other incredibly powerful nutrients, making this bowl the post-workout treat or the perfect breakfast.  

Fresh cherries might not be the most affordable fruit, but they sure are worth every penny! They are SO fresh and juicy at this period of the year! The first thing that "popped" into my head when I bought my first bag of organic cherries at my local farmer's market is a black forest cake.  Not that I ever particularly enjoyed this cake... It's usually made with cherry pie filling (most brands are made with sugar, high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, artificial colours and other ingredients I can't even name), white flour and refined sugar... But I kind of liked the idea of the combo "chocolate and cherry"! 

My three breakfasts are all vegan, refined-sugar free, rich, satisfying and incredibly nutritious!

HAPPY SUNDAY!!

I'm very excited!  The Nutrition Mama has invited me to do a guest post over on her blog! Chelsea and I connected via the blogosphere and I was thrilled when she asked me to be part of her series called "Mama Monday" where she introduces her readers to moms from all over the world that are passionate about feeding their families healthy and nutritious food.  If you have a child that tends to be very picky or if you're planning to raise your baby in a healthy environment, be sure to head over to her blog! I'm sharing my very best granola bar, as well as my professional and personal mama tips for getting kids to eat a wide range of healthy foods. 

For this special kids week, my son specifically ask me if I was going to share and I quote : his favourite-muffins-in-the-entire-world! So here it is, my incredible banana & chocolate spelt muffin recipe! 

Sprouted spelt flour is the only flour that is not "gluten-free" that I have in my pantry. You can buy it in natural food stores (like Whole Foods Market) or online.  It's pricy, but when this ancient grain is sprouted, it increases its nutrient content and digestibility.  For this muffin recipe, you can also use regular spelt flour (or even whole wheat flour) if you can't find it near you.  

So, what do the best-muffin-in-the-entire-world taste? Well, well... They are chewy gooey, moist, not too sweet, wholesome and have this inviting banana flavour that kids (and adults!) like so much.  

Popsicles (or "paletas") can be a great nutritious and fun snack if they are made with wholesome ingredients. These refined-sugar, dairy-free and vegan "blueberry bliss" popsicles are made with fresh blueberries, açai puree, maple syrup and coconut milk.  

Açai is a superfood that is grown in South America (Brazil) known for its nutritional value.  The small berries are loaded with powerful antioxidants, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids as well as essentiel amino acids.  

HAPPY MONDAY!!

I'm very excited! Today's the first day of my special kids week where I'll be sharing one healthy, whole food and kid-friendly recipe each day! Be sure to follow me all through the week, since I'm going to share my kids favourites recipes! You sure don't want to miss my best vegan mac & cheese ;) 

This smoothie is a classic strawberry and banana smoothie with a healthy twist.

The very first time I served a crepes cake, it was a total hit! People never get tired of it! I even heard : "How come I never thought about this! It's genius"! 

It is pretty genius indeed! The person who invented this dish resolved a very crucial problem : if you're the one in charge of making the crepes on a brunch, you'll probably have to spend the entire morning in the kitchen instead of talking and enjoying the company of your guests.  That's exactly what I like the most about this idea.  You simply have to prepare your crepes in advance and assemble the cake with your favorite garnishes and... Voilà!  The perfect recipe for a brunch (or dessert)! It's also a very good morning potluck recipe that you can bring over.

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.  

This carrot cake is a healthier version of our family "classic" carrot cake and it was on our Easter brunch table last weekend.   

My grandma used to do her famous carrot cake on every Christmas Eve.  Her version had everything of an "old-school" cake, super sweet, moist and decorated with a bright green frosting.  My mom now has its own gluten-free version (with an all-purpose gluten-free flour) with a cream cheese lime frosting.  She bakes this incredible cake every single time we visit her (or for our birthdays!).   

I must tell you that the original recipe has its own little story... that now became a legend among our family. 

My husband and I have been together for more than ten years (!).  That means he knows how to make me happy.  This past Valentine's day, he gave me a brand new ice cream machine (I was still searching for the perfect machine, remember?)! No chocolate, diamond or flowers (he still brought me the most beautiful flowers!) could've made me happier than this new kitchen gadget! And he knows it! It also means that I have the best husband... but most probably that he had huge ice cream cravings ;) 

This ice cream is delicious, minty, rich, silky. See my other post for the complete story : Vegan mint chocolate chip ice cream sandwich. 

These gooey double chocolate oatmeal cookies have everything of a traditional oatmeal cookie, but they could totally be called the "free cookies".  They are gluten-free, vegan (which means dairy-free and egg-free), nut-free (if you choose the sun butter or tahini butter), almost refined sugar free (except for the sugar in the chips...) but they are certainly not tasteless! If you do the version with the dates instead of the coconut sugar (see the note in the recipe below), you could even eat them for breakfast! 

My husband and I have been together for more than ten years (!).  That means he knows how to make me happy.  This past Valentine's day, he gave me a brand new ice cream machine (I was still searching for the perfect machine, remember?)! No chocolate, diamond or flowers (he still brought me the most beautiful flowers!) could've made me happier than this new kitchen gadget! And he knows it! It also means that I have the best husband... but most probably that he had huge ice cream cravings ;) 

Recently, we have been making a lot of different porridges or smoothie bowls in the morning.  I like to experiment with different flavors, toppings and presentations. My kids both really love porridges, particularly cold and raw ones.  Every time I put a tiny bowl of porridge and a spoon in front of Mila, we don't hear a single noise from her until she's done.  

With the first organic strawberries of the year now available at the Farmer's market, I was looking for a new breakfast idea more appropriate for the summer weather. 

When I was a child, my grandmother used to do a mile-high meringue lemon pie.  Every time, she'd let my tiny hands whipped the egg whites until the peaks were just perfect. Recently, a friend brought me a bag full of freshly picked Meyer lemons.  To satisfy my childhood food cravings, I knew I had to do a vegan version of my gandma's lemon pie.  I chose to do bars instead of a pie so my kids could easily hold them in their small hands and eat them as a snack (though you could still do it as a pie!). 

Turmeric is gaining in popularity this year.  I was already using it a lot (I have a 1 kg bag of organic turmeric in my pantry!), but I only recently started using turmeric in other recipes that only Indian curries. For example, my favorite hot drink when I feel sick is a Roiboos tea with fresh ginger, raw honey, cayenne, lemon and ..... turmeric !  Maybe you caught my recent post, Zen turmeric pancakes w/blood orange syrup ? These are so delicious they've become one of our top morning treats ! You probably also heard about the golden milk, which is a sweet turmeric plant-based milk with a touch of black pepper.  

Eating a plant-based diet doesn't mean you have to forget that your body needs good fats to function at its best!  Kids need a certain amount of fat in their diets in order for their brain and nervous system to develop correctly. That's why vegetarian and vegan toddlers (as well as adults!) need to eat a diet that includes a variety of nuts, seeds, good quality oils and butters (like coconut butter) and avocados.

This year, Noah and I decided to do a little surprise for daddy on Valentine's day.  My son really enjoys being in the kitchen with me, so I thought it would be a nice idea to make our own raw chocolate. And you know what ? You don’t need to be an expert to make this easy recipe!  In fact, I've done it a few times and I've always been thrilled about how great they turn out.  On top of that, it's a 5 minute recipe!  My son always has a blast when it's time to choose the flavours and toppings... and he's surprisingly creative!

When I move to California, I brought my two cats and all our furniture... but I also made sure I had 3kg of this Hazelnut butter from Prana bio.  You can do you're own hazelnut butter, but this one is divine!  I posted a few weeks ago my homemade hazelnut & chocolate spread recipe remember? Yum! If you like the "Nutella" taste, you are definitely going to like these vegan chocolate, hazelnut & fleur de sel "pot de crème".  So easy to do! 

Today, I had the pleasure of guest posting on one of my favourite blog, Nutritionist in the Kitch! Her site looks awesome and you should definitely have a look on all her amazing recipes!  

The recipe I'm sharing for my first guest post is a vegan apple caramel "cheesecake".  Who doesn't love that combo? This desert is simple to make, decadent and believe it or not, packed with nutrients! The cake itself doesn't require any baking and it is entirely gluten-free and vegan. Enjoy! 

Head on over to Nutritionist in the Kitch to get the recipe for my Vegan apple caramel cheesecake! 

My new obsession is vegan caramel.  Try it!  And I'm pretty sure it's going to be yours too!

I first did that recipe for my Thanksgiving pumpkin panna cotta, and since then I always try to keep a jar ready in the fridge. Seriously...  It's totally decadent !!! Let me give you a few ideas on how to use it... 

Pumpkin again ! This elegant, silken and vegan recipe is inspired by a dessert I ate at my all time favorite vegetarian restaurant, the Green Restaurant, established at the famous Fort Masson in San Francisco. I ate lunch there a few weeks ago and they had a pumpkin creme caramel on the menu.  It was just AMAZING !

Easy to make ! Easier to eat ! Especially if you're a peanut butter fan ! I've been making peanut butter cookies for a long time now, since they are my husband's favorite cookies. But this variant is so good and by FAR the best peanut butter cookies I've ever made. 

I know I know.... chocolate AGAIN ! I promise I will post chocolate free recipes, but since I'm doing a "Halloween posting week", desserts and treats are really the stars! This chocolate cupcake recipe is life-changing.   I've tried many gluten-free cake recipes in the past, but I have to say this one is THE best. Ok... it may not be vegan (though it's dairy-free), nor "light" or sugar-free, but the secret ingredient is definitely one of my favorite ingredient...

Who else is feelin' the Halloween vibe? We do (even if we celebrated the indian Diwali this week at my husband's job!).  When your son asks you to carve a "Puss in boots" pumpkin... you have no other choice but to feel the vibe ! 3 hours of carving in total!  But at the end, it was totally worth it and our own little knight and ladybug were so happy!

These pumpkin pie squares are the BEST.  My son and I ate the whole pan in 2 days.  I just couldn't stop ! But it's not a problem since the number one thing I had in mind when I created these squares was that I wanted to make a pumpkin pie that would be healthy enough to be eaten as a dessert as well as a snack or breakfast. And I am proud to say that they are ! The crust is made from pecans and oats and the pumpkin pie puree is sweetened with dates instead of sugar like the traditional version. I would describe this recipe as a mix between a date square and a pumpkin pie. To make this dessert even more perfect, I served it with coconut whipped cream and topped with chopped pecans.  

Fall is probably my favorite time of the year ! We already stopped by 2 or 3 different pumpkin patches to get a couple of organic pumpkins.  Halloween is coming soon and Noah’s getting pretty excited! I’m kind of getting enthusiastic too since we can see pumpkin goodies everywhere : pumpkin lattes, pies and even some pumpkin curry! We can find pumpkin desserts everywhere !

I always try to pack the most super foods and nutrients as possible in their snacks without them realizing it. I often do a super easy, almost instant chocolate avocado pudding (don't worry... no one's going to notice the avocado taste!), so I thought why not freeze them and make pops?  I added dates instead of maple syrup and an extra pinch of chia seeds. I also topped these with Goji berries, a nutrient-rich small dried fruits.  They're rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.  

Figs and blackberries are still available in California's farmer's market, but I can see it's the end of the season, since pumpkins, pomegranates and apples have made their arrival.    

This vegan ice cream is divine ! Meyer lemons have a sweeter, less acidic flavour than the more common lemon varieties, but if you can't find those, the recipe is still delicious. The combinaison between figs and blackberries is just perfect.  

Grab-and-go snacks are really important for my family since we love outdoor activities.  Everyday, we either eat a granola bar, a cookie, a trail mix or an energy ball with fresh fruits.  Kids (and adults!) are SUPER sensible to hunger and most of the time, a nutritious snack can help control cravings between meals and may even help avoid a tantrum. These delicious energy balls are filled with plenty of healthy foods and seeds.  I often double or triple the recipe, especially when Noah is helping me sprinkle the seeds on top of the balls.  They are great frozen too! I prefer to pack them cold so the chocolate melts slower and we can head to the beach or a trek and have our snack ready! 

Chia seed pudding is one of our favourite go-to breakfast (and dessert!) at the moment.   This ridiculously simple recipe can be done in a matter of seconds.  You just need to let it soak overnight and you will get a delicious nutrient-packed pudding with the consistency of tapioca. You can add whatever fruit puree you like or just blend it with cocoa powder to get a dessert. If you're not a fan of that kind of texture, blend it before serving to get a creamy omega-3 rich pudding.

Ok. Let's start BIG ! 

The first post of my blog is a mocha dessert! I do not drink coffee, actually I never drank coffee in my life.  I don't like the bitterness of it, whether it's an espresso or allongé (even in Italy!), or a hot or ice coffee served with sugar or milk, even if it comes from the best place in town or an ordinary coffee machin. As boring as it sounds, I'm more of a camomile or chai tea type of girl.  However, I LOVE almost every mocha or coffee based desserts.  I guess the aroma is addictive.  I don't particularly want to start  a coffee dependency, I've seen too many people struggling to eliminate caffeine from their life, but once in a while... as a dessert (or breakfast ?), why not!