Prep & Cooking: 15-20 minutes
Makes: 2 cups
Pairs well with: Baked BBQ Tofu & Chili Lime Pita Chips
 
Main Ingredients:
2 fresh ripe mangoes, peeled and diced
1 red or orange bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, diced – if you don’t want the heat, remove the seeds before dicing and don’t forget to wash your hands!
⅓  cup red onion, diced
Zest of one lime
Juice of two limes OR 3-4 tbsp lime juice
2-3 tbsp (or more) chopped cilantro
Pinch of cayenne (optional)
Salt to taste
 
Method:
In a large bowl, combine diced fruit, peppers, and onion. Stir to combine. Add lime juice, zest, seasonings, and cilantro and stir to combine. Make sure all of the fruit is evenly coated with the seasoning. Place in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
 
Enjoy minutes after making or allow the flavours to marry by tucking the salsa away in the fridge for a few hours before serving. Dig in with chips or use as a flavourful condiment on burgers or bbq tofu.

Prep & Cooking: 35-40 minutes
Makes: 9x9 cake
Pairs well with: Coconut Whipped Topping

Main Ingredients:
1 ½ cup whole wheat flour – if you require or prefer a gluten free recipe use a flour blend
2 tsp cinnamon
1-2 tsp cardamom
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
3 medium ripe bananas – I freeze my bananas and quickly microwave them before use, see below for more tips
¼ cup liquid coconut or vegetable oil
¼ cup coconut sugar – if you don’t have coconut, sugar light brown sugar can be substituted
1 cup diced rhubarb
1 cup diced strawberries

Crumble Topping:
¼ cup whole wheat flour – or flour of your choice
¼ cup old fashioned rolled oats – If you don’t have old fashioned oats, you can substitute quick oats
1/3 cup coconut or light brown sugar
2 tbsp liquid coconut oil or plant-based butter
1-2 tsp cardamom
1 tsp powdered ginger

Method:
Pre-heat oven to 400°F and prepare a 9x9 baking dish.

Banana Tip: I use frozen bananas. Freezing ripe bananas is a great way to avoid waste and to have a stash of fruit ready for baking. I remove the banana stem prior to thawing; this creates a nice little opening for the ripe and often very soft fruit to travel through. I then place the bananas, peel on, flat on a plate and microwave them for 1-2 minutes; usually checking every 30 seconds after the first minute. By removing the stem prior to thawing, you will also avoid any bits of burnt banana peel (not a pleasant smell). When the bananas are thawed they can be easily squeezed from their peel right into your mixing bowl. If you have high-powered microwave you may wish to use a low or medium power setting or use the defrost feature instead; this may add a few minutes.

In a large bowl, combine oil, sugar, and bananas. 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.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, cardamom, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. After the dry ingredients are mixed, add them to the wet ingredients and stir to combine. Add the diced fruit to the batter and gently fold the batter until incorporated.

In an additional small bowl, add all of the crumble topping ingredients until combined.

Transfer the batter to your baking dish, top with the crumble mixtures and bake for 25-35 minutes.

Allow the cake to cool before serving. Serve alone or with fresh fruit, whipped topping, or plant-based ice cream.

Prep & Cooking: 30 minutes
Serves: 6-8
 
Main Ingredients:
1 cup orzo pasta (uncooked)
1 bell pepper, diced
1 ½ cups asparagus, chopped (approximately 15-20 stalks)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
 
Dressing:
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Juice of one lemon (approximately 2-3 tablespoons)
1 tsp agave nectar OR sugar
2 tsp Dijon mustard – use the mustard you have on hand
1 ½ tsp white vinegar
1 tsp each salt & pepper
3 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
 
Method:
Cook orzo according to package direction, drain water and set aside to cool.
 
While the orzo is cooking take a few minutes to prepare the dressing.  To mix the dressing you will need either a small bowl and a whisk or fork, or a jar with a secure, tight lid. Pour 2 tbsp olive oil, lemon juice, agave nectar, mustard, vinegar salt, pepper and dill into your container of choice. Whisk together or shake a lidded container until all ingredients are incorporated.
 
In a small non-stick pan, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium-low heat, add chopped asparagus and stir occasionally to avoid burning until asparagus is heated through. This should take 3-5 minutes.
 
While asparagus is cooking, chop the bell pepper into pieces similar in size to the asparagus and quarter your tomatoes.
 
Transfer cooled pasta to a large bowl and pour dressing over, toss to coat. Add warm asparagus, bell pepper and tomatoes and stir to incorporate. Allow salad to cool in the refrigerator or eat right away.
 
Optional: Garnish with additional chopped dill and lemon zest.
 
Tips & Variations:

• If you don’t have cherry or grape tomatoes, use what you have, but remove as many seeds as possible before dicing
• If you don’t have or like tomato at all, substitute a red bell pepper in its place to maintain a variety of colour
• Peas are an option to use as a substitute for asparagus or green beans, if you have them on hand – I would suggest around 1 cup of peas in place of the asparagus or beans

Prep Time: 1 hour
Makes: 1 cup

Main Ingredients:
1 jar or can (approx. 560ml/19 oz.) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp agave nectar OR brown sugar

Seasonings/Spices:
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
pinch of cayenne (optional)
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
*if you want a more intense flavour, increase the first 5 spices listed above by 1/2 tsp.

Method:
In a small bowl, combine all spices and seasoning. Stir to combine and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine oil and agave or sugar. Stir to combine and set aside.

After the chickpeas have been rinsed, spread them evenly between two kitchen towels or paper towels and allow to dry (around 15 minutes). While the chickpeas are being rinsed and drying, remove any loose skins.

Preheat the oven to 400°F and prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment paper or foil.
Spread the rinsed and dried chickpeas in an even layer and bake for 25-35 minutes.
Check for doneness by making sure the chickpeas are crunchy. Cook for intervals of 5-10 additional minutes until the chickpeas are crispy.

Transfer the hot chickpeas to the bowl with oil and agave and toss to coat. Add the spice and seasoning blend and toss to coat. Return the chickpeas back to the baking sheet and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes to help the agave or sugar caramelize.

Allow to cool for a few minutes. Serve with rice, salad greens, or enjoy as a snack.
These BBQ Roasted Chickpeas are best eaten soon after they are baked, however, they will keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for a few days