Coconut Lime Curry

This was one of those recipes that happened almost by accident. Last night I decided to cook some rice, and randomly started adding different ingredients. The result was so delicious I had to write it down.

1 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 c roasted peanuts
1 c coconut milk (canned)
Juice of 1 lime
1 green chili (chopped)
2 tbsp shredded coconut
2 tsp cumin
2 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup cooked lentils
3 cups brown rice (cooked)
1 cup finely chopped spinach
1/2 tsp lime zest
1 Green onion

Heat the coconut oil on medium heat and add the peanuts, stir occasionally until slightly browned. remove from heat and set to the side.

In a large skillet, heat coconut milk, lime juice, chopped chili, shredded coconut, cumin, curry powder, chili powder, and salt.

Once fully mixed, add in the lentils, cooked rice, spinach, peanuts, and half the chopped green onions.

Remove from heat and serve, top with lime zest and green onions.

Homemade Ginger Cough Drops

It seems as though everyone is coughing these days, and with flu season still going strong here is a recipe to make your cough drops at home. So if the store is closed, packed, out of stock, or you just don’t feel like leaving the comfort of your own home, this is for YOU!

Ingredients:

2 c water
1/4 c finely grated fresh ginger
3/4 c cane sugar (or brown sugar)
1/4 c maple syrup (or agave syrup)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp of arrow root powder (or cornstarch)

Boil the fresh ginger and water for about 10 minutes and then drain the ginger out, keeping just the liquid (tip; save grated ginger and add to a green smoothie).

Return the ginger water to a pot, add cane sugar, maple syrup, lemon juice, ground cinnamon, ground cloves. Stir often and keep on a medium boil until temperature reaches 260-300 the lower the temperature, the softer they will be. So if you like your cough drops to be more chewy take it off the heat once it reaches 260. If you prefer them harder, keep it boiling until 300 degrees.

No thermometer? No problem. Keep a close eye on the pan, when the colour starts to darken you will notice the liquid is becoming thicker. Do a water drop test frequently until desired thickness is achieved.

Water test: get a small bowl of cold water (you can even add an ice cube in there to be sure its nice and cold) drop a bit of the cough drop liquid into the bowl, it will harden from the cold. if the texture is to your liking, remove cough drops from heat.

If your cough drops are more chewy and soft, pour liquid in lines on parchment paper and then cut into appropriate sizes.

If your cough drops are harder, pour individual candy size amounts of liquid onto parchment paper.

Coat the drops in arrow root powder or cornstarch to prevent sticking. You can wrap them individually in the same piece of parchment paper or store them in a tin. I like to store mine in the fridge but they will do fine in any cool dry place.

There you have it, a very easy recipe for vegan ginger cough drops, no need to leave your home when you are not feeling well.

Jalapeno Cilantro Pesto

This is my take on the delicious Zhug sauce which traditionally uses chilies, however I just love the taste of Jalapenos. Anywhere you would add pesto, you can add this jalapeno cilantro pesto for an extra kick! My favorite way to use it is on pasta, on pizza, mixed in salads, and my favorite, with burritos!

This recipe makes about around 1.5 cups

Ingredients:

  • 1 bunch of parsley
  • 1 bunch of cilantro
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 medium jalapenos
  • 1 pinch cumin
  • 1 pinch pink Himalayan salt
  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 3 tbsp lime juice
  1. Mince the garlic in advance, everything will be put in food processor anyways but just to avoid that possible chunk.
  2. You can cut the VERY ends off the cilantro and parsley but don’t waste the stems, they are just as good as the leafy part!
  3. Cut off the stems of the jalapenos. In this recipe, I keep the seeds.
  4. In a food processor, blend together the parsley, cilantro, garlic, jalepenos, lime juice, and olive oil until it becomes like a pesto texture.
  5. Add in the cumin and salt, blend a few seconds


Easy Vegan Cottage Cheese

1/2 Block Firm Tofu (210g)
1/2 Block Soft Tofu (210g)
1 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp lemon juice

Blend all ingredients together in a food processor, being sure to leave some chunks for that cottage cheese texture.
This recipe is super easy to modify according to taste and personal preference, if you like your cottage cheese a little smoother and runnier, then add more soft tofu. If you like it a little thicker and chunkier, add more firm tofu. This is a relatively new discovery for me, I used to love cottage cheese and I’m not sure why I never thought to recreate a vegan version until recently but better late then never! I’m glad this is so simple to make because I absolutely love it. I will refer back to this recipe in future posts because its a great base for some fancier meal ideas that I have in store for you!

My suggestions on what to pair your cottage cheese with:

This is delicious paired with fruit and enjoying on a bagel, you can even drizzle maple syrup on top to satisfy your sweet tooth. If you are feeling something a little more savory, then adding some chives, a dash of salt/pepper, and your favorite raw veggies makes for a delicious topping for crackers. If you really love the taste of cottage cheese, you can have it just on its own but if you prefer mixing it with other flavors then I recommend topping off your avocado toast with this vegan cottage cheese (this is my personal favorite!).

Options of what you can do with this recipe are only limited to your imagination. Hope you enjoy!

Apple Cider Vinegar – Most Powerful Morning Drink

Recipe and Top 10 Health Benefits

1 Cup hot water
2 Slices of ginger
1/2 Lemon, squeezed
1/2 Tsp turmeric powder
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Pinch of pink Himalayan salt
1 Pinch of black pepper
Agave syrup to taste

Each ingredient has huge health benefits that will help you get through the day in top shape, especially during these cold winter months approaching us! Here are just a few health benefits of this mighty little drink!

Top 10 Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar Power Drink

-Reduce inflammation
-Balances pH
-Improves digestion
-Soothes sore throat
-Regulates hydration
-Soothes soreness
-Fights infection
-Increases nutrient absorption
-Boosts immune system
-Relieves sinus pressure and congestion