But Make It Vegan: Chocolate Pudding
Recipe for Environment 911

Sometimes you have a craving for pudding (or chocolate in general), but don’t want to over-indulge. This recipe feels like the best of both worlds, as it will curb that chocolate craving and provide nutrition, and you’ll never guess there are avocados in it! You’ll want to adjust the taste based on what you prefer.

More or less banana, or maybe some more cocoa or spices. If you have some picky eaters that prefer a more milk-chocolate taste, you can add a bit of coconut sugar. Just try not to eat it all while you’re taste-testing!

PUDDING INGREDIENTS

• 2 ripe medium avocados

• 1 medium banana

• 1/2 cup cacao powder (double check it’s vegan)

• 6-8 dates (roughly 1/4 cup)

• 1/2 cup plant-based milk

• 1/2 tsp ginger

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 nutmeg, fresh is best if you have it

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS

• Non-dairy whipped cream

• Fresh fruit

• Mint

• Sprinkle of fresh nutmeg, or cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Soak the dates either overnight or in a bowl with very warm water for 10 minutes. This softens them and makes them easier to blend. If your blender is high-powered enough, you might not even need this step.

2. Put all pudding ingredients into a food processor, high-powered blender, or if you don’t have either, try an immersion blender. If the mixture is way too thick, add a bit more non-dairy milk, and if it’s too thin, add more banana or avocado.

3. Pour into glasses (wine glasses will work) or small bowls.

4. Optionally chill in fridge for an hour.

5. Top with desired toppings and serve.

Makes 2 large or 4 small servings

Christine’s Holiday List…For You!

What a weird year, and it’s going to be a strange holiday season too. I was inspired by a few people to write a post with some suggestions on how to support small businesses (not unlike myself), and decided I’d put up a list of a few of my favourite local ones.

This runs the gamut from musicians and literature, to textiles and food, to online exercise classes and workshops, art prints and wooden spoons. I may end up adding to it, but it took me several days to compile and think about what people might like. I’ve pretty much either worked with a lot of the people on this list, or they are my friends (or I just love them) so you know you can’t go wrong.

And once again, if you were thinking about getting a photo printed for someone, feel free to CONTACT ME and I can sort you out!

Everything listed below is in the visuals above as well (in this order), so here you go:

Limonella Co - I’ve worked with Lisa for years and her latest project Limonella from it’s beginnings. Everything she has in her shop is carefully curated (I would know) and the quality is superb. I use my tote bag every day (I did almost all of the pics for the “Chasing Yum” one), and can never get enough of the desk calendars. Right now she has holiday wrapping paper and gift tags too

Take Me Away Vegan Pastries - Just started working with this yummy company this year and it’s been a …treat! You can’t go wrong with handmade Vegan Cannoli, and right now they have a Peppermint Candy Cane flavour that is sooooo good.

Prints By Jam - I met Jaimi through the Vancouver music scene (specifically The Zolas) when she was just a youngin’. Lately she’s been killin’ it and making some amazing and funky prints (as well as stickers and shirts!). Check it out.

Foe & Dear - Katherine over at Foe & Dear and I went to Ryerson at the same time and both wound up in Vancouver. I haven’t had the chance to collaborate with her yet, but I have several pieces from her jewelry line and love looking at all the sparkly things on their instagram. There’s a list of ready-made last-minute gifts that would be good to go for Christmas that you can find - right here (but hurry for those!). *sparkle sparkle*

Christina Sicoli - Not only is she an incredible actor & person, my birthday twin (Scorpios!), and was paired with me when I was in Kindergarten and she was in Grade 3 (she remembers this, I don’t haha), but Christina is a phenomenal artist! I wish I had more wall space in my tiny apartment for some of her work. If you want bright colours (esp. if you’re in grey, rainy Vancouver), check out her work.

Andy Spoons - Music is how I know Andy as well as he plays in a few bands (one with his very talented wife whom I also love), but recently dove head first into carving wooden spoons by hand. He sources the wood locally and carves with an axe and knife. They’re all so unique and beautiful, and I’m excited to have one on the way to use in some of my food photography. Keep an eye out for it!

MUSIC:
Here are some of my favourite records from the year - many of which I have on vinyl, almost all include some of my greatest friends and awesome humans, and all of them are from Vancouver or are Canadian!
I also put a playlist together with songs from these albums, and a few others tracks (singles) from some other favourites of 2020 that I enjoyed - click here to hear it on Spotify.

Top Row (L to R): Rich Aucoin - United States, Odario - Good Morning Hunter, Hannah Georgas - All That Emotion, Yukon Blonde - Vindicator

Middle Row (L to R): Aidan Knight - Aidan Knight, Shred Kelly - Like A Rising Sun, Arkells - Campfire Chords, The Matinée - Pretty Rustic Melodies

Bottom Row (L to R): Jody Glenham - Mood Rock, We Are The City - RIP, Adaline - Dear Illusion,, The Pack a.d. - it was fun while it lasted

BOOKS:

I know quite a few writers in Vancouver, but I haven’t got to these three books yet, so they’re on my list, and they can be on yours too! If you can, try and support your local bookstore!
Left to Right:
Charlie Demers - Primary Obsessions
Alicia Tobin - So You’re A Little Sad, So What? Nice Things To Say To Yourself on Bad Days and Other Essays
Andrea Warner - Buffy Sainte-Marie: The Authorized Biography

OTHER:

Barre Fitness (Virtual Studio) - I’ve worked with Barre for as many years as I’ve been taking classes there. Both photos for their recipe blog and of the instructors and studios. A few of the locations have had to close since the pandemic started and it makes me incredibly sad. So if you’d like to get back into the exercise game, their virtual studios are open for business.

Method Of Modern Movement (Virtual Studio) - Most of what I said about Barre can be reiterated here. I met Janelle through Barre and I’m proud to call this hard-working woman my friend. She founded Method Of Modern Movement (or MOMMs for short) and this very year opened her first studio. Many of the pics of Janelle on her website are from our collaborations, which are more fun than work - and that’s also where you’ll find info about her virtual studio and what the classes in-studio are like as well.

Conference & Chill - This summer I found out about this awesome virtual conference, put on by some mega talented people from BC, but gathered photographers from all over the world. Over three days (4 really) I learned and connected and was in awe by the talent of so many people - and I didn’t even have to leave my couch. They decided to keep it going and are doing mini conferences once a month, last month covered outdoor adventure photography, and they more coming up including film photography, boudoir, and the one I’m looking forward to the most, Business & Marketing edition. Tickets are online now (and there is a bundle for the 3 that are announced), and you can buy some of the replays from this summer too. Even if you’re not a photog, there is a playback talk you can purchase of Helen Sloan - the on-set photographer for Game of Thrones, and it’s epic!

I may update this, but my brain is so tired from wrapping gifts and looking at this screen that I’m going to go chill out and listen to my playlist from up there.

Miso Soup
from 3 Recipes for Soup Season - for BC Living
November 10, 2020

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I find that in many sushi restaurants, the miso soup is about 95 percent broth with a few teeny-tiny bits of tofu, and maybe some seaweed if you’re lucky. Well, at home, you get to control how many extras go in when you make it from scratch, and it’s actually super easy.

The issue for me with most of the instant versions of miso soup is that they are full of MSG (monosodium glutamate), to which I'm allergic, so making it myself helps me control exactly what is going into the soup.

If you're not a purist (seaweed, tofu, green onions), you can load up your miso soup with other veggies. My next batch I might add mushrooms, but you can toss in lettuce, onions, clams, bean sprouts, carrots, eggplant, anything! Just make sure that you add anything that needs to cooked/softened before you boil the dashi (instructions below).

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups dashi (for vegan stock, follow this recipe)

• 3 tbsp brown miso

• 2 green onions, thinly sliced

• Silken or medium tofu, cubed, at least 1 cup, more if you'd like

• Wakame seaweed
  

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. Make the dashi ahead of time (I made the vegetarian version with just the kelp, soaked in water overnight).

2. Add 4 cups of dashi to a pot and bring to a boil, then simmer.

3. Two options here: place miso in a small bowl and add a bit of the hot dashi, stirring to dissolve or add miso to the pot and whisk until dissolved. Make sure soup does not come to a boil.

4. Add the tofu after the miso is broken down and heat through.

5. In a pot or bowl, rehydrate the wakame seaweed (some packages have instructions) in lukewarm water for about 15 minutes. Then, drain and cut up into smaller pieces. Start with a small amount—you’ll be surprised at how much it grows.

6. Place some of the seaweed in a serving bowl, and add approximately 1 cup of the miso soup with tofu. Top with green onions and you're ready to eat!

NOTE: The homemade dashi should last about a week in the fridge. If you double the dashi, you can freeze it for a quicker soup another day!

Makes 4 cups

Pasta Fazool
from 3 Recipes for Soup Season - for BC Living
November 10, 2020

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This soup is also called pasta e fagioli, but saying pasta fazool is so much more fun. It is hearty, full of veggies and beans, and tiny, tiny pasta pieces. If you need a solid dinner after a hard day at work or a workout, then this is for you. It's super easy, especially if you can chop your veggies in a food processor, and I had almost all the ingredients in my house already.

There are a ton of different variations on this recipe. Add in some sausage for protein, toss in some leafy greens, or maybe change up the beans if you have something different on hand (chickpeas, for example). If you're vegan, skip the sausage or find some vegan sausage to toss in and sprinkle some nutritional yeast on top or vegan Parmesan, instead of regular Parmesan, which is the usual topping. 
 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large can of crushed tomatoes, organic if available

• 1 can of white kidney beans

• 5-6 cups of veggie stock, homemade from the freezer is perfect for this

• 3 cloves of garlic, minced

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 2 stalks of celery, finely chopped

• 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped

• 2 mild Italian sausages, optional (vegan, if required)

• Handful of kale or other leafy green, roughly chopped, optional

• 1 tbsp of olive oil

• 1 tsp of Italian seasoning

• Salt and pepper

• 1 cup of ditalini (short macaroni) pasta (macaroni is a good substitute if you can't find ditalini and brown rice or gluten-free are also good options)

• 1 tbsp of Parmesan, optional (vegan, if required)

• Fresh basil, chopped for topping, optional

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. Finely chop the garlic, onion, carrots, and celery (I did it in a food processor to save time).

2. Heat olive oil in large pot, then add chopped onion, garlic, celery, carrots and seasoning and stir.

3. Cook for 15 to 25 minutes until softened and reduced in volume by at least half (the water will evaporate).

4. If using sausage, remove from casing and add to the pot, breaking it up with a spoon and cooking until it is no longer pink. You may need to use a splash of stock after this to deglaze the pan.

5. Add crushed tomato and 5 cups of stock and bring up to a boil, then simmer for 15 to 20 minutes (with a lid on) until it reduces slightly. If you want a thicker soup, you can cook it down some more. If it needs to be thinned out some more, add more stock.

6. In a separate pot, boil some salted water, and then cook the pasta until just al dente. Drain and cool with cold water, then drain again.

7. In the main pot, add kidney beans, salt and pepper, and stir, cooking for a few minutes until the beans are heated through.

8. Two options here: you can stir the pasta directly into the pot if you’re going to be consuming it all within the next few days. If you are going to freeze some of the soup, do not add the pasta as when you reheat it, the pasta will expand and become soggy. Instead, cook fresh pasta the day you’re reheating it.

9. Serve in bowls with additional pepper on top, optional Parmesan, nutritional yeast (or cashew Parmesan) and fresh basil.

NOTE: If using kale or other leafy greens, add them when you add the tomato and stock.

Serves 6

Butternut Squash Soup
from 3 Recipes for Soup Season - for BC Living
November 10, 2020

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This one is going to make your house smell heavenly when the squash is roasting in the oven. There's not much more you can do to make this soup any better, except maybe do yourself a favour and make a double batch so you can freeze some for one of the grey winter days ahead. This recipe is dairy- and gluten-free—and vegan if you skip the Parmesan. 

INGREDIENTS 

• Olive oil

• Kosher salt

• Dried rosemary

• Sprinkle of cumin

• 1 large or 2 small butternut squash, halved and seeded

• 1 onion, diced

• 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

• 4 medium-sized carrots, chopped into rough cubes

• Fresh ginger, peeled and chopped, about a thumb-sized amount

• 1 to 2 cups vegetable stock (homemade is best, but low-sodium is good too)

• 1 can coconut milk

• 1 tbsp cumin

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Optional toppings: red pepper flakes, pumpkin seeds (pepitas), Parmesan

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Slice squash in half lengthwise and de-seed, then place on a lined baking sheet, face up, and drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with kosher salt, dried rosemary and cumin.

3. Place in oven for about an hour, until the squash is nice and soft, especially through the thicker areas, then remove and let cool fully so you can peel off the skin.

4. While squash is cooling, heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot, then sauté onions and garlic for a few minutes until the onions become translucent.

5. Add the chopped carrots, ginger and 1 cup of stock and simmer until carrots are soft, approximately 15 minutes. Add a bit of salt and the tablespoon of cumin, stir, cover and simmer on low.

6. Peel the skin off the squash with a spoon or scoop and add it to the carrot and onion mixture.

7. Transfer to a blender and purée until smooth, adding extra vegetable stock if it is too thick (you can also use an immersion blender in the pot to purée).

8. Transfer the soup back to the pot, pour in the coconut milk, stir and simmer for a few minutes until it is heated through.

9. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

10. Pour soup into bowls and top with optional red pepper flakes, pumpkin seeds, Parmesan and a sprinkle of fresh pepper.

Serves 6 

3 Recipes for Soup Season
blog post for BC Living
November 10, 2020