Prep & Cooking: 20-25 mins
Makes: 1 dozen cookies
 
Main Ingredients:
1 cup softened plant-based butter or margarine
½ cup of cornstarch
1 ½ cups almond flour (sometimes labelled almond meal)
½ cup confectioners sugar (sometimes labelled icing sugar or powdered sugar)
1 cup quick oats
1 tsp vanilla
Pinch of salt
½ cup chocolate chips
½ cup chopped pecans
 
Method:
Preheat oven to 350°F and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
 
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add almond meal, cornstarch, salt, and vanilla. Stir to combine. To the batter, add the chopped pecans and chocolate chips; folding in until incorporated.
 
Using two tablespoons drop dough onto the prepared cookie sheets allowing for a small amount of spreading as the cookies bake.
 
Bake for 10-12 minutes, watching the cookies closely. The edges of the cookie will be slightly golden when done.
 
Wait a for the cookies to cool before transferring to a plate or container. These cookies are a little bit crumbly but, if you give them time to cool before moving them they will hold together better.

​Prep & Cooking: 20 minutes
Makes: 24 medium sized cookies

Main Ingredients:
1 box of golden or vanilla cake mix - substitute a gluten-free mix if needed
¼ cup chopped green and/or red glacé cherries (plus additional pieced for topping if desired)
¼ cup golden raisins (optional)
¼ cup chopped pecans
¼ cup chopped almonds
¼ cup mixed peel (if you cannot find mixed peel use the zest of ½  a lemon and ½ an orange)
1 tsp rum flavouring
1/3 cup vegetable oil
¼ cup water

Method:
Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine dry cake mix with oil, rum flavouring, and water. Stir together until all ingredients are incorporated and there are no lumps.

Add in cherries, raisins, nuts, and peel. Stir to combine.

The dough should be firm and easy to roll into balls. If you find the dough sticky, refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. You may have some stray nuts and fruit at bottom of your bowl that didn’t quite mix into the batter, just push the extra pieces into the top of the cookie balls before baking.

Roll dough into 1-1.5 inch balls and place on prepared cookie sheet. These cookies will spread and I recommend putting no more than 8 cookie balls on each sheet. Top with additional pieces of glacé if desired.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. Transfer to a rack or plate to cool for around 10 minutes. ENJOY!

Prep & Cooking: 20 minutes plus 30 minutes chill time
Makes: 24 cookies

Main Ingredients:
1 cup softened vegan butter or margarine
½ cup icing sugar (also called confectioner’s or powdered sugar)
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour or gluten free flour blend
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ cup chopped dried cranberries
Zest of one orange
¼ tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp orange essence (optional)

Method:
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and cornstarch. Add softened butter and stir together until all ingredients are incorporated and there are no lumps. Add vanilla and orange essence followed by cranberries and orange zest. Stir to combine.

Roll the dough into a log shape, approximately 1 ½ to 2 inches in diameter, you will slice this log into small rounds to bake. Wrap the dough in wax paper or other easily removeable covering and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
 
Preheat oven to 375°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Remove the covering from the dough log and, with a sharp knife, slice into round no more than a ¼ inch thick.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, watching that the edges don’t burn. When the cookies are golden on the bottom remove and transfer to a rack or plate to cool for around 10 minutes.
 
Tips & Variations:

• The dough can be made up to 2 weeks in advance and frozen. Be sure to wrap it well so that it does not become freezer burned or take on other flavours. Allow it to thaw slightly before cutting and baking
• These cookies make a great gift before or after baking – take the prep work out of the equation for a friend and gift them the pre-made dough log with baking instructions

If you do not wish to cut dough rounds or want to forgo the sharp implements for a family friendly activity, the chilled dough can be rolled into balls and pressed with a fork before baking

Prep & Cooking: 45 mins
Serves: 6-8

​Main Ingredients:

• 5-6 medium carrots, diced (approximately 4 cups)
• 1 large onion, diced (approximately 1 cup)
• 1 apple, peeled and diced – use what you have, the more flavourful the better, I chose a Gala apple
• 1 large potato, peeled and diced
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped finely (approximately 2-3 tsp, add more if you’d like!) or 1-1/2 tsp powdered garlic
• 1-2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 4 cups of vegetable broth

 
Herbs & Spices:

• 1-2 tsp ground coriander
• Pinch or two of smoked paprika
• ½ cup fresh cilantro (aka coriander), chopped – reserve some leaves for garnish
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Method:
In a large pot over medium heat, sauté chopped onion and garlic in oil until translucent; about 5 minutes. Add carrots and continue to sauté for an additional few minutes to give the carrots a head start. Add vinegar to de-glaze the pot. Follow with chopped potatoes and apple, and cover with 4 cups of vegetable stock. Bring contents to a boil over medium-high heat and reduce to medium. Continue simmering for 15-20 minutes until the carrots are soft enough to slice easily with a fork or knife.

Remove the soup from the heat and blend. You can do this using a hand-held immersion blender or using a traditional blender. Blend until smooth and no lumps remain, unless you like lumps, in which case blend less. When the soup is blended, return to the pot and add chopped fresh cilantro (coriander), ground coriander, paprika, and salt & pepper. Warm through over medium heat.
Garnish with a swirl of non-dairy cream and a few sprinkles of chopped cilantro (coriander) leaves.

This soup keeps in a sealed container for up to a week in the refrigerator or for a couple of months in the freezer.

Prep Time: 20 minutes prep – the longer this coleslaw sits, the tastier it is. If you can spare an additional hour or overnight for the flavours to marry, the better it will be.
Makes: Approximately 4 cups
Pairs well with: Oil-free “Mayo”
 
Main Ingredients:
2 cups shredded green cabbage
2 cups shredded red cabbage
½ cup or 1 large carrot shredded (or more if you’d like)
2-3 tablespoons plant-based mayonnaise (try our oil-free “mayo” recipe or your favourite pre-made brand)
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp rice vinegar or lemon juice
½ tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (a combination of white and black sesame seeds are an attractive option)
Salt and pepper to taste
*A great time saving option would be to use a bag of pre-shredded cabbage or “coleslaw mix”. Add shredded carrot for some extra colour if you choose.
 
Method:
In a large bowl, whisk together plant-based mayonnaise, oil, vinegar, sugar, and salt and pepper. Set the dressing aside. In a dry pan over low heat toast the sesame seeds; watch them closely and trust your nose to tell you when they are done. Remove the toasted seeds from the heat.
 
Carefully chop your cabbage to the desired shred size, keeping in mind that the cabbage will wilt slightly when dressed. Shred your carrot and add to the cabbage. Place the vegetables in the large bowl on top of the dressing and toss to coat.
 
You may wish to use a container with a tight-fitting lid and shake the mixture to coat and toss to finish. Just before serving sprinkle the top of the coleslaw with the toasted sesame seeds.
 
This colourful salad is a great addition to a barbeque meal and also makes a great topping for burgers and sandwiches in place of lettuce.

Prep & Baking: 40 minutes
Makes: 12 muffins

Main Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups whole wheat or all purpose flour, or gluten free blend if you prefer
1/2 cup plant based yogurt (use apple sauce or an additional mashed banana as a substitute if needed)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 ripe banana, mashed
1/4 cup coconut sugar or white sugar
1 cup chopped rhubarb, fresh or frozen
1 tbsp or more ground cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp each baking powder and baking soda
Pinch of salt
 
Topping:
2 tbsp each finely chopped rhubarb and sugar
1 tbsp ground cinnamon

Method:
Preheat oven to 350° and prepare 1 muffin tray.

In a large bowl, combine oil, sugar, banana, and yogurt. Stir to combine and use the back of your mixing spoon to break up the bananas until the mixture is smooth with few to no lumps. If your bananas are still firm, you may wish to use a fork or a whisk to mash them. Add the chopped rhubarb to the blended banana mixture.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. After the dry ingredients are mixed, add them to the wet ingredients and stir to combine.

Fill each of your prepared muffin cups around ¾ of the way full. Top with a sprinkle of finely chopped rhubarb, cinnamon, and sugar if desired. Be sure to place the muffins in the centre of the oven to avoid burning the topping.

Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes. Use a toothpick or knife to test the centre of the muffins; when it comes out clean they are done.

Allow to cool for around 10-15 minutes before removing from the pan.

Prep & Baking: 25 minutes
Serves: 4-6

Main Ingredients:
1 lb of fresh asparagus (approximately 20-30 stalks depending on size)
1-2 tbsp olive oil      
Juice of one lemon
2 tsp or more freshly ground pepper
Salt to taste
 
Method:
Preheat oven to 400° and prepare a baking sheet. You may wish to use foil to cover your baking sheet.

Wash and trim the asparagus. Trimming an inch or more from the bottoms of the stalks removes the tougher “woody” part of the asparagus; which is not especially nice to eat.
 
Place the prepared asparagus on a baking sheet in a single layer. The single layer allows for more even cooking. In a small bowl, combine oil, salt, pepper, and the juice of half a lemon. Drizzle the oil mixture over the asparagus. You may need to roll the asparagus with a fork to be sure each piece has been lightly oiled.  Alternatively you can dress the asparagus in a larger bowl, before arranging the stalks on the baking sheet.

Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes; turning once at the halfway point. If your asparagus is particularly thin or thick you may need to reduce or increase the cooking time by 5 minutes. The asparagus should be slightly wilted, a little browned, and fork tender when it is done.

Squeeze the remaining half lemon over the warm asparagus and add additional salt and pepper to taste.

Prep & Cooking: 20-25 minutes
Makes: 3 cups
 
Main Ingredients:
3 cups of whole raw nuts (not roasted or salted), a combination of pecans, cashews, and walnuts works best, but use what you have.
3 tbsp brown sugar or coconut sugar
2 tablespoons melted plant-based butter
½ tbsp of molasses 
½ tsp each cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger
Pinch of ground cloves
Pinch of salt
 
Method:
Preheat your oven to 350° and prepare a baking sheet.
In a large bowl, combine sugar, salt, spices, molasses, and oil. Add the nuts and toss until evenly coated. Bake for 10-15 minutes; stirring once every 5 minutes. Watch the nuts closely as they will burn easily. Your nose knows! If you can smell toasted nuts, it’s time to take them out. Allow the nuts to cool before serving.
 
Tips & Variations:

• These nuts make a great gift! Package them in clear bags or jars and they are ready for giving.
• Use as single-serve additions to holidays dessert trays by filling mini-muffin papers.

Prep & Baking: 20 minutes
Makes: 24 medium sized cookies

Main Ingredients:
1 box of chocolate cake mix – most grocery stores have a variety of both conventional, organic, and gluten free to choose from
2 tsp peppermint extract
½ cups chocolate chips, chunks or pieces (optional)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
¼ cup water
1/3 cup or more crushed candy cane

Method:
Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine dry cake mix with oil and water. Stir together until all ingredients are incorporated and there are no lumps.

Add in chocolate chips and peppermint extract and mix well. Roll dough into approximately 1 inch balls and dip the tops of the cookie balls into the crushed candy cane; coating the top half of the cookie in candy.

Place the dough balls on prepared cookie sheet. These cookies will spread so leave plenty of room between each dough ball. I recommend putting no more than 8 cookies on each sheet.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes then transfer to a rack or plate to cool for around 10 minutes.


Tips & Variations:
• This recipe is easily made gluten-free just use a gluten free cake mix.
• Crushed candy cane is usually available at bulk food stores
• Not a fan of chocolate? No problem, use a white cake mix, omit the chocolate chips, or use white chocolate