PERFECT FLUFFY CRISPY POTATOES


So I found something amazing and wonderful and now I've put my own spin on it. Last week I was having my breakfast before I went to the gym and while I was scrolling through Instagram photos (I don't do it AS MUCH these days but it's still more than I'd like... oops) I saw this picture of insanely perfect-looking potatoes; they were crispy and fluffy like clouds at the same time. The rest of the day I couldn't stop thinking about them and decided I NEEDED to make them myself, but there wasn't any recipe given for the photo. So I googled "crispy fluffy potatoes" and added "vegan" just cuz. I found an oil-free recipe that looked pretty damn divine, so I tried it out but with a few of my own tweaks. Instead of using white flour to coat the taters, I used various herbs and spices. The method here is what makes the magic: we are gonna partially boil the potatoes so their outsides are soft, then shake 'em up with a few different herbs and spices so they get marred and fluffy around the edges. THEN we bake them and suddenly we have potatoes that are perfectly crispy and browned on the outside, and fluffy and soft on the inside.

ALMOND COOKIES with SPICED APPLE SLICES


This recipe is part of a Family Favourites series hosted by Angela over at Canned Time. The theme was to veganize a recipe that you used to love as a kid and/or that your fam would regularly enjoy together. Honestly, I had trouble thinking of sweet recipes that I hadn't already veganized for my blog (like pumpkin pie, berries and whipped cream, ice cream, chocolate cake) and most of the savoury dishes I loved eating when I was little are just sooo not ideal to veganize (think Thai-style omelettes and baked salmon). There were a lot of savoury foods I ate growing up that I COULD made vegan now - pizza pops and chicken nuggets to name a couple - but they wouldn't be that healthy or simple and I'm not into spending lots of time making recipes for dinner, especially if they have more refined ingredients.. I'd rather just bake eight potatoes, sprinkle on some salt and pepper and be done with it. Seriously, my dinners are pathetically easy when I'm not writing a savoury cookbook

CUCUMBER SOUP with MANGO SALSA


ACTUALLY SO GOOD.

This recipe is from Gena Hamshaw's new cookbook, Food52 Vegan. I have also tried a kabocha curry recipe from the book and it was equally delicious. Gena's creations are always simple, great-tasting, and made with whole foods. Oh yeah and if you don't already know, Gena runs Choosing Raw, an epic food blog.

NATURAL VEGAN MOUTHWASH RECIPE


"Natural" doesn't really mean anything (basically if something exists, it's natural; I'm natural therefore I am...) but I threw that word in the title just to give you an idea of what this mouthwash is all 'bout. The ingredients are basic, maybe in your house already, and edible; though I do not recommend drinking this mouthwash. Firstly because it'd just taste REALLY minty and salty and sweet and strange. But also, after you gargle with it in your mouth, it is carrying a bunch of icky stuff that you want to spit OUT, not ingest. 

MANGO CURRY with CHICKPEAS


Finally sharing this amazing recipe from Richa Hingle's newest cookbook. It is the best curry I have ever had / made and you need it in your life, even if you think you're doing ok without it (... you're the ones you need it most). I've tried a bunch of other recipes from the book - Vegan Richa's Indian Kitchen - as well and loved them all; like spicy potato-filled samosas, flavourful veggie-filled dishes and loads of DIY spice mixes. The recipe I am sharing from the book today is magical for me since I've always adored curries but have never been very good at making them. This curry is sweet, spicy, SO CREAMY, thick, and basically just mango, coconut milk and garam masala. When you pair it with rice and cilantro, the whole world kind of falls away as you take a bite; you and the curry become one. I was trying to listen to The Savage Lovecast while I ate it but it was hard to concentrate because of all the flavour explosions that were happening in my mouth. I'm serious: best curry I have ever had.. and I have had a lot of curry. Now I've said and thought the word 'curry' too many times so it doesn't seem like a real word anymore. Don't you love it when that happens? It illustrates how fluid and temporal the meanings of language actually are.

MY CURRENT FAVE SMOOTHIE {RECIPE}


As the title blatantly shouts, this is my smoothie of choice right now. I made it for the first time maybe four days ago (when I was still hungry after dinner) and ever since I have been having it every morning with my oatmeal before I go to the gym. It came together randomly and ended up blowing my mind. It's nice and sweet but also super nutritious. I just put in all the ingredients for this drink on cronometer.com and here's what we've got going for us when we sip it down: nearly 20% of your recommend daily intake for protein, 58% for riboflavin (B2), 79% for pyridoxine (B6), 499% for vitamin C (!!!), 107% for copper, 28% for vitamin K, 37% for magnesium, 64% for manganese, 36% for potassium, 30% for selenium, and I could just keep going.

THIS IS IN ONE [DELICIOUS] DRINK, PEOPLE. HELLO.