When I first discovered the recipe index on the blog Say Yes to Salad, I was in healthy foodie heaven. Filled with simple recipes using whole food ingredients, it was like my own personal menu planner. Since I had a couple dozen eggs on hand (I just can't pass up a deal), I decided to dive right into her simple Dutch Babies recipe. I loved how few ingredients it used and how quickly it could come together. However, I wanted something to fulfill as a well-rounded breakfast, so I made a few tweeks ... incorporating oats, apples, and cinnamon for a wholesome meal. I also did some research on optimizing the results of Dutch babies, and added these tips within my recipe for Wheat-Free Apple Cinnamon Dutch Babies. They must have worked, as this breakfast treat turned out perfectly.

I am constantly guilty of planning to make some elaborate dinner, only to run out of time, and end up suggesting that we eat out, because at that point I am too hungry to even thing of anything to make. For that very reason, I need more recipes like this one in my arsenal. It is from the website Allergy Cooks, and it simply couldn't be any easier. From start to finish, we are talking 15 minutes. Put on some vegetables to steam while you are making it (or go with frozen if need be), and a full meal awaits. Not to mention, this recipe is free from dairy, eggs, wheat, gluten, soy, and nuts. Quite the accomplishment for flavorful Chinese food! ...

Every Tuesday we will feature a review from our Dairy-Free Library. This week’s selection is The Veggie Queen: Vegetables Get the Royal Treatment by Jill Nussinow (reviewed by Alisa Fleming, author of Go Dairy Free) - I recently reviewed another “seasonal produce” cookbook called Local Bounty. Both cookbooks have chapters of recipes broken down by season and both are vegan, but really the similarities end there.  Perhaps it is the more generous use of seasonings, it could be the intriguing recipe titles, or it could be as simple as the fonts! … but this cookbook had a more of a gourmet feel about it.  It is also a better choice if you are seeking a full cookbook of vegan recipes that includes everything from desserts to sides to full main dishes.

My favorite beverage booster is definitely the Chocolate SuperFood from Amazing Grass.  So, when they came out with a new line of SuperFood Energy Bars, I was very excited … but apprehensive.  While the idea of powdered greens in my morning fruit or chocolate smoothie didn’t frighten me away, I was a bit concerned that these new bars might taste a bit too green, if you know what I mean. Luckily, I couldn’t have been more wrong.  I really, really liked them. In fact, I think I may have found my new favorite energy bar! The texture of the original was Larabar-esque, only less chewy, a bit softer … quite nice really as they didn’t threaten to stick to my teeth ... Read the Full Review

Well, technically, if you are making my version of Mushroom Barley Soup, it should actually be classified as a stew. Both my husband and I love barley, so I feel no need to use moderation when adding the pearly grain. So many recipes I see for this type of soup use a paltry 1/3 cup of dried barley with 8 cups of broth – ridiculous! But this recipe is filled with barley and mushrooms; it makes a hearty meal for two, or a light lunch for three. And when I say hearty, I mean it. I am sitting here typing this with an ever-expanding belly having just downed a large bowl of this fulfilling soup!

Every Tuesday we will feature a review from our Dairy-Free Library. This week’s selection is ExtraVeganZa: Original Recipes from Phoenix Organic Farm by Laura Matthias (reviewed by jae steele, author of Get It Ripe) - I heard of this book through a vegan internet forum, and when I finally got a hold of it was surprised, given how close the food ethic in this book lines up with mine, that I'd not come across it before. Laura runs an organic farm in BC where she hosts WWOOFers and enjoys cooking vegan food. I have lived on a few organic farms in BC where I was a WWOOFer and enjoyed cooking vegan food! Laura clearly uses her garden as her inspiration, which as a girl in a Toronto apartment with no outdoor space to call her own I gotta say I envy!