Gut Healthy

BOOK NOW

Category: Recipe

  • Massaged Kale Salad

    Massaged Kale Salad

    Print Pin

    Massaged Kale Salad

    This salad can be made in advance and keeps well for several days. Feel free to play swap out the carrots and broccoli for whatever vegetables you have on hand.

    Ingredients

    • 1 bunch of kale washed, dried and broken into bite sized pieces
    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • the juice of one orange
    • the juice of one lemon
    • the juice of one lime
    • salt and pepper
    • 1/2 red onion sliced or minced
    • 2 carrots cut into matchsticks or sliced fresh strawberries
    • 1 cup broccoli chopped into bite sized pieces
    • 2 tbsp dried cranberries or toasted sliced almonds
    • 2 tbsp hemp hearts

    Instructions

    • Put the kale into a large bowl and drizzle olive oil over to coat and then massage with your hands for several minutes.
    • Drizzle the citrus juices over the kale and toss to coat well. Add salt and pepper to taste.
    • Add the remaining ingredients, and then toss again. Refrigerate or serve.

    Notes

    Kale is highly nutritious and is very high in antioxidants. It’s an excellent source of vitamin C, K and beta-carotene.
  • Mung Bean Omelette

    Mung Bean Omelette

    Print Pin

    Mung Bean Omelette

    I love this recipe as it’s so versatile. I use the “omelettes” as wraps and stuff them with lots of lightly sauteed veggies or tofu and salsa for a touch of Mexican. Mung beans (also called Moong Dal) can be a little difficult to find although an Indian market would certainly carry them. Makes about 4 large omelette

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup split mung beans soaked overnight
    • 1/2 cup unsweetened plant-based milk
    • 1/2 cup aquafaba the liquid from a can of beans
    • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
    • 1 tsp garlic powder
    • 1/2 tsp onion powder
    • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric optional
    • 1 tsp baking powder

    Instructions

    • Soak mung beans overnight in a large bowl with plenty of water. Drain and rinse.
    • Combine drained mung beans and all other ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
    • Heat a little oil in a non-stick pan on medium-high heat. Pour in about 1/2 cup of the “egg” mixture and spread it thinly. Allow to cook for 3-5 minutes or until the top looks fairly dry. Carefully flip the omelette and cook for an additional minute or two. Fill with your favourite omelette ingredients and serve.

    Notes

    Feel free to add a little water to achieve your desired consistency.
    Mix will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days in a tightly sealed container.
    If you don’t have aquafaba, you can omit it but your omelette won’t be as fluffy.
  • Nutty Ginger Salad Dressing

    Nutty Ginger Salad Dressing

    Print Pin

    Nutty Ginger Salad Dressing

    This dressing is a creamy, flavour-packed addition to any salad, grain bowl, or veggie platter. Made with nutrient-dense ingredients like almonds, sesame seeds, and miso, it provides a boost of healthy fats, plant-based protein, and gut-friendly probiotics. Ginger and garlic add a punch of flavour while offering anti-inflammatory and immune-supporting benefits. Plus, with natural sweetness from a Medjool date, it’s a wholesome alternative to store-bought dressings. Keep it thick for a delicious dip or thin it out for a perfectly pourable dressing!

    Ingredients

    • ¼ cup almond butter or ½ cup raw almonds
    • 1 tbsp peanut butter
    • 2 tbsp raw sesame seeds
    • 1 medjool date
    • 2 garlic cloves chopped
    • 1/2- inch knob of ginger chopped
    • 1 tbsp tamari
    • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
    • 1 tsp miso
    • ½ cup plant-based milk
    • ¼ cup water plus more to thin if necessary

    Instructions

    • Put all ingredients into a blender and process until smooth. If too thick, thin with extra water.

    Notes

    If you leave out the water, this makes a great dip for raw vegetables.
  • Oatcakes

    Oatcakes

    Print Pin

    Oatcakes

    Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Snack

    Ingredients

    • 3 ¼ cups whole oats
    • ⅓ cup hemp hearts
    • ½ tsp baking soda
    • ½ tsp salt optional
    • ⅔ cup warm water
    • ¼ cup applesauce
    • ¼ cup cashew butter or sub alternative nut or seed butter

    Instructions

    • Blend 2 cups of oats in your food processor or high speed blender. You want to blend it into a rough flour.
    • Put ground oats in a mixing bowl along with the remainder of the whole oats, hemp hearts, baking soda, and salt and mix.
    • Mix the applesauce, nut butter, and water in the blender then add it to the dry mix. Shape the dough into a ball. If time permitting, let the dough rest for 5-10 minutes as this will help it firm up and will be easier to roll out.
    • Take a large ball of the dough and roll it to about ¼ inch thickness between two pieces of parchment paper. Cut the dough into desired shapes.
    • Place the oatcakes on a parchment lined baking sheet.
    • Bake at 350 Fahrenheit for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool before removing from the tray.

    Notes

    These freeze well.
  • Puffed PB Chocolate Squares – Version 1

    Puffed PB Chocolate Squares – Version 1

    Print Pin

    Puffed PB Chocolate Squares – Version 1

    Sometimes you just need a treat and these definitely fall into that category! My husband loves these and he’s not much into my gf vegan baking. What version I make is dependant on what ingredients I have on hand. I don’t always have cacao paste but if I had to pick, the cacao paste version would be my favourite.

    Ingredients

    • 1/2 cup cacao butter
    • 1/2 cup cacao paste
    • 1/2 cup peanut butter
    • 4 medjool dates soaked for 10 minutes in hot water
    • 1 tsp vanilla
    • pinch of salt
    • 4 cups puffed quinoa

    Instructions

    • Soak the dates in hot water for 10 minutes and then using a fork, mash into a paste.
    • In a double boiler or a large bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt the cacao butter and paste together, stirring frequently.
    • Once the cacao butter and paste are melted, add the peanut butter stirring well until the mixture is well combined. Remove from heat.
    • Add the vanilla, date paste and salt. Mix well.
    • Add the puffed quinoa stirring until all the grains are equally covered with the chocolate mixture.
    • Press the mixture into a parchment lined 8″ square baking pan. Patting down and leveling the top.
    • Refrigerate until set, about an hour.

    Notes

    Version 2
    Ingredients
    1/2 cup cacao butter
    1/3 cup cacao (or cocoa for a less intense flavour)
    1/2 cup peanut butter
    4 medjool dates (soaked for 10 minutes in hot water)
    1 tsp vanilla
    pinch of salt
    3 cups puffed quinoa
    Preparation
    Soak the dates in hot water for 10 minutes and then using a fork, mash into a paste.
    In a double boiler or a large bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt the cacao butter, stirring frequently.
    Once the cacao butter is melted, add the cacao and peanut butter stirring well until the mixture is well combined. Remove from heat.
    Add the vanilla, date paste and salt. Mix well.
    Add the puffed quinoa stirring until all the grains are equally covered with the chocolate mixture.
    Press the mixture into a parchment lined 8″ square baking pan. Patting down and leveling the top.
    Refrigerate until set, about an hour.
    Tip:
    Feel free to test the chocolate mixture prior to adding the quinoa and adjust the sweetness to your taste. This can be done with date or coconut sugar.
  • Pumpkin Pie Chia Pudding

    Pumpkin Pie Chia Pudding

    Print Pin

    Pumpkin Pie Chia Pudding

    Yum, this one is so good it’s hard not to eat the whole bowl! Try it topped with a little coconut yogurt or add a crunch with some granola. This keeps well in the fridge for up to five days. If you have white chia seeds, feel free to use them or use a 50/50 splits of white and black for a visually stunning pudding!

    Ingredients

    • 1/2 cup raw pecans
    • 1 cup of cooked pumpkin homemade or canned
    • 2 ripe pears peeled (or 1/4 cup date paste)
    • 1 1/2 cups plant based milk
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/2 ground ginger
    • 1/2 ground nutmeg
    • 1/4 cup chia seeds

    Instructions

    • Toast the pecans in a small skillet over low heat until golden brown.
    • Add pecans and all other ingredients except for the chia seeds, to a high powered blender or food processor. Process until smooth and all ingredients are combined.
    • Transfer to a medium sized bowl and stir in the chia seeds. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.
    • Eat as is or top with desired toppings. Enjoy!

    Notes

    I like to add a tablespoon of ground flaxseed to my serving to increase my intake of omega-3 fatty acids.
  • Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins 

    Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins 

    Print Pin

    Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins

    It’s pie pumpkin season and I picked one up from the farm the other day and roasted it. I made these tasty little muffins and a chia pudding. Now I need to get a few more pumpkins so I can freeze some pumpkin for later! Makes 24 small muffins or 12 large ones (One thing about GF vegan baking is it’s hard to tell when something is baked through. For muffins, I prefer to make the smaller ones to ensure they aren’t doughy inside.)

    Ingredients

    • 3/4 cup pumpkin puree homemade or canned
    • 2 ripe bananas mashed
    • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
    • 1 cup rolled oats
    • 1/4 cup coconut flour
    • 1 tbsp ground flaxseed meal
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 2 tsp baking powder
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line your muffin pan with parchment paper liners or use a silicone muffin pan.
    • In a large mixing bowl, stir together all the ingredients until combined.
    • Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups and bake about 22-25 minutes (longer for large muffins), or until the tops are golden and feel just about firm to the touch. Remove the muffins from the oven, and place on a cooling rack. (If you’re using a silicone muffin pan, it’s best to let the muffins sit for 5 minutes before removing them from the pan.)
    • Serve warm or at room temperature.

    Notes

    These freeze well.
    Benefits: These muffins are sweetened with fruit only and contain no oil. They are high in fibre. In addition to beta carotene, pumpkin offers vitamin C, vitamin E, iron, and folate, all of which strengthen your immune system. Pumpkin is also rich in potassium which can help regulate your blood pressure, lowering your risk for heart attack and stroke.
  • Roasted Celeriac & Caramelized Onion Soup

    Roasted Celeriac & Caramelized Onion Soup

    Print Pin

    Roasted Celeriac & Caramelized Onion Soup

    This soup does require a bit of time but it’s completely worth it especially in the fall when celeriacs are in abundance. That’s how this recipe came to be!

    Ingredients

    • 1 celeriac celery root
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 2 large onions sliced
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • 4 cups 700ml vegetable stock
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1 tsp freshly ground pepper

    Instructions

    • Heat the oven to 400°F.
    • Carefully peel the celeriac and chop into cubes. Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Spread out in a single layer and roast for 40 minutes or until the cubes turn golden.
    • Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pot on medium-low and add the onions. Cook on medium-low for about 10 minutes or until the onions are soft and translucent. Turn up the heat and continue cooking until the onions are golden, stirring often. Once caramelized, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
    • Add the stock, bring the soup to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
    • When the roasted celeriac is finished, add it to the pot, bring it back to a boil and simmer for a further 5 minutes.
    • Transfer the soup to a blender and process until smooth. (Alternatively, you can just process half for a chunky soup.) Season with salt and pepper. Top with pumpkin seeds or a swirl of yogurt.
  • Sauerkraut

    Sauerkraut

    Print Pin

    Sauerkraut

    Ingredients

    • 1 head green cabbage
    • sea salt

    Instructions

    • Depending on the size of your cabbage, have a couple of mason jars clean and ready to go. Usually, I can get about 1.5 pounds of cabbage into one regular sized jar.
    • Wash the outside of the cabbage. Take off and set aside the main outer leaves. These can be used as part of the weight system; to keep the sauerkraut under the brine.
    • Slice the cabbage. It doesn’t need to be small. If you prefer crunchier sauerkraut, keep it bigger.
    • Place the cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt. The formula for determining the needed amount of salt is for every 1 pound of cabbage, you’ll need 1.5 teaspoons of salt. So for a medium cabbage head of 3 pounds, you’ll need 4.5 teaspoons of salt.
    • You can start massaging the cabbage with your hands or pounding it right away if you are pressed for time. I typically leave mine for 45 minutes to 1 hour and let the salt do it’s thing for a while. Letting it sit means less massaging or pounding later.
    • Massage or pound until the cabbage becomes watery and limp. This usually takes 5-10 minutes.
    • Tightly pack the cabbage into your mason jar pressing the cabbage down every once in a while so that the brine makes it way to the top.
    • If you saved the outer leaves, top the cabbage with that and then add a weight. You can use a clean stoneware weight, stones or marbles. I purchased a mason fermentation set that includes a weight and a valve which I use all the time. I’d highly recommend you do the same if you plan on making sauerkraut often.
    • Seal the mason jar with a regular canning lid or a fermentation valve. If you don’t have a valve, you will have to “burp” your sauerkraut once a day. (Burping just means opening up the lid and allowing some of the gases to escape. If you don’t do this, your sauerkraut will likely explode!) With the valve, you don’t have to do any of this as the valve will take care of it.
    • When the sauerkraut is fermenting you should see bubbles coming up through the cabbage and eventually foam on top. These are good signs which mean that fermentation is happening.
    • There are no hard rules about how long to ferment your sauerkraut. I usually do somewhere between 5-10 days but I’ve been known to let it go longer.
    • If mold develops on the top, you can skim it off and eat the unaffected portion below.
    • Store the sauerkraut in the fridge. It will keep indefinitely.

    Notes

    You can flavour your sauerkraut by mixing in fresh dill, garlic, caraway seeds, sliced hot peppers, etc. Add the desired flavouring to the bowl of pounded cabbage right before you pack it. My absolute favourite is fresh dill and garlic.
    Make sure you only use sea salt. Iodized salt tends to inhibit the beneficial bacteria.
  • Savoury Roasted Cauliflower

    Savoury Roasted Cauliflower

    Print Pin

    Savoury Roasted Cauliflower

    I think this might be my favourite new recipe of the season. I’ve been making it weekly since cauliflowers have been on sale nonstop. It’s so versatile! Sometimes, I enjoy it as a side dish, other times as a soup topper—it’s especially delicious with my butternut squash soup. I also love making the Mexican version for tacos, paired with black beans and vegan chipotle aioli. Yum!

    Ingredients

    • 1 medium cauliflower cut into small florets
    • 2 tbsp nut butter
    • 2 tbsp applesauce
    • 2 tbsp water
    • 1 tsp ground cumin
    • 1 tsp garam marsala
    • ½ tsp coriander
    • ½ tsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp turmeric
    • ½ tsp ground red chilis optional

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 425°F (or 400°F for convection). Line a baking sheet with either a silicone mat or parchment paper.
    • In a large bowl, prepare the spice mixture by combining the nut butter, applesauce, and water. Mix well. Add the spices and stir until evenly combined.
    • Add the cauliflower florets to the spice mixture, tossing until all pieces are coated.
    • Spread the cauliflower in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
    • Roast for about 40 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the cauliflower is caramelized and tender.