This layered quiche starts with a layer of thinly sliced butternut squash to serve as a crust. Then, a layer of Dijon mustard is spread over the squash to give this quiche a bit of kick. Thinly sliced spinach and grated carrots are added and finally, an egg mixture is poured over all these vegetables.

A layer of parmesan cheese tops it all, and makes these spinach and carrot square crispy on top and so delicious. Try this amazing recipe at your next brunch, you won’t be disappointed!

Spinach and Carrot Squares {Gluten-Free}

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour 20 mins

 

This crustless quiche is comprised of layers of butternut squash, spinach, carrots and is topped with crispy parmesan cheese. This pefectly layered dish is perfect for breakfast or brunch.

Author: Homemade Hearts

Serves: 12 portions

Ingredients

• ½ butternut squash, peeled and thinly sliced (not cooked)
• 2 tablespoons old-fashioned Dijon style mustard
• 4 cups spinach, thinly sliced
• 5 carrots, grated
• 12 eggs
• 2 cups almond milk
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees F.
2. In a large rectangular baking dish (9"x13"), layer slices of butternut squash into an even layer. Spread mustard over squash. Layer half of the spinach, add grated carrots and top with the rest of the spinach.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, almond milk, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
4. Pour egg mixture in the baking dish over the layered vegetables. They egg mixture should cover the vegetables. Top with parmesan cheese.
5. Place dish in the preheated oven and bake for 50-60 minutes, until eggs are well cooked.
6. Cool down and cut into 12 squares. Can be served warm or cold.

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These small bites are really simple to prepare and will be a huge hit for your social gathering. First, you whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce that you spread on the cauliflower bites. You then bake them in the oven and serve them with the creamy avocado spread.

These bites are the perfect gluten-free and vegan replacement for the traditional chicken wings. Below you will find the simple recipe for making these cauliflower bites and the creamy avocado dip. Be sure to check out the recipes on Aloha’s website for more inspiration for your social gathering!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Buffalo and Tahini Cauliflower Bites {Gluten-Free, Vegan}

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

These spicy cauliflower bites are the perfect snack for a games night or social gathering. They are the perfect gluten-free and vegan replacement for the traditional chicken wings.

Author: Homemade Hearts

Serves: 6-8 portions

Ingredients

• ½ cup Franks Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons white rice flour
• 1 teaspoon tamari sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 head cauliflower, cut into bite size pieces

Instructions

1. Preheat oven at 425 degrees F.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together Buffalo Wing sauce, tahini, apple cider vinegar, rice flour, tamari and garlic powder until smooth.
3. Place cauliflower bites into a large mixing bowl and pour sauce over cauliflower. Mix and toss until all the pieces are evenly coated in sauce.
4. Place cauliflower bites onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the cauliflower is well cooked. Flip the bites halfway through the baking to help them cook evenly on both sides.
6. Serve warm as a snack or side dish with the avocado tahini dip.

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5.0 from 1 reviews

Creamy Avocado Dip

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Total time

10 mins

 

This simple avocado dip is so creamy and can be served with the buffalo and tahini cauliflower bites. You can also use this dip on any other vegetables or use it as a spread in sandwiches and wraps.

Author: Homemade Hearts

Serves: 1 cup

Ingredients

• 2 ripe avocados
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon Franks Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce (optional)
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in high speed blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
2. Serve with buffalo and tahini cauliflower bites, with vegetables or as a spread on sandwiches.

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Here is a super quick and delicious smoothie that tastes just like banana split, but is super healthy. You can now wake up to a delicious banana split every day!!!

Banana Split Smoothie

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

 

This smoothie is just like a banana split in a glass! Bananas, cherries, vanilla and chocolate are all blended together in this super healthy and energy boosting drink.

Author: Homemade Hearts

Serves: 2-3 servings

Ingredients

• 2 bananas
• 1 cups frozen cherries (or strawberries)
• 3 dates
• 2 cups almond milk
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in high speed blender and blend until smooth.
2. Serve cold.

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Preparing these twice baked sweet potatoes is a bit of work, but totally worth it if you ask me! First, you bake the sweet potatoes in the oven. Then, the rest is simple: you scoop most of the flesh out, mix it with other veggies and spices, and fill it up again.

I love to top these with sesame seeds, but if you eat dairy, you could top it with fresh parmesan cheese before you bake them again. Don’t get discouraged by all the steps and give it a try You can definitely change up the vegetables and use what you have on hand. To mix it up, you could even incorporate olives or sundried tomatoes!

Veggie Loaded Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

 

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Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

1 hour 10 mins

Total time

1 hour 40 mins

 

These twice baked sweet potatoes are loaded with vegetables. They are the perfect side dish or can also be eaten on their own for lunch.

Author: Homemade Hearts

Serves: 5 servings

Ingredients

• 5 medium size sweet potatoes
• 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil

For the stuffing:

• ½ cup walnuts, roasted
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 1 bell pepper
• 8 white mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds (for topping, optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven at 400 degrees F.
2. Wash sweet potatoes and pat them dry. With a fork, poke a few holes in each of the potatoes and rub grapeseed oil on the potatoes.
3. Place potatoes on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for 50-55 minutes, or until tender when a knife is placed in the center of the potato.
4. While the potatoes are cooking, place walnuts, broccoli, pepper and mushrooms into a food process and chop everything.
5. Transfer into a large mixing bowl and add the nutritional yeast, garlic powder, turmeric, cumin, salt and pepper. Mix well.
6. Once the potatoes are baked, cool them until you can handle them without burning your hands and carefully cut a small slice off the top of each potato to expose the flesh.
7. Scoop the flesh out of each potato, leaving about ½ inch thick of flesh into each potato shell. Place sweet potato flesh into the mixing bowl and combine with all the other vegetables.
8. Scoop the stuffing back into each potato shell. Top with sesame seeds.
9. Bake in preheated oven for about 15 minutes.
10. Serve warm.

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I used some awesome tri colour popping corn kernels that I found at Costco, but this is not essential for the recipe. You can use any type of kernels that you have on hand! Preparing this snack is so simple: you take some popcorn on which you drizzle black truffle olive oil and sprinkle black truffle sea salt. I found the olive oil and sea salt at our local olive oil tasting room called O’Leva, but check in your local area, there is definitely a lovely place where you will be able to find black truffle products… and once you try it, you cannot go without it!

The best trick I found to evenly distribute the seasoning in your popcorn is to place everything in a bag and shake it! It is so much fun to prepare! Here is the super simple recipe.

Black Truffle Popcorn

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

 

This amazing healthy snack is flavoured with black truffle olive oil and sea salt. So simple yet so delicious!

Author: Homemade Hearts

Serves: 2 portions

Ingredients

• 8 cups popped popcorn (1/3 cup popping corn kernels)
• 1 tablespoon black truffle olive oil
• ½ teaspoon black truffle sea salt (or regular sea salt)

Instructions

1. Place popped popcorn in a large ziploc bag.
2. Drizzle popcorn with olive oil and sprinkle sea salt.
3. Close the bag, leaving air inside the bag.
4. Shake the bag to distribute the oil and sea salt on all the popcorn pieces.
5. When well seasonned, pour into two bowls and enjoy!
6. You can store prepared popcorn in airtight container for 3-4 days.

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The local ingredients that we are featuring this month were provided by two awesome local companies. First, Five Brothers Artisan Cheese gave us a huge piece of its exquisite smoked cheddar. Then, O’Leva was super generous and gave us a bottle of chipotle olive oil and a bottle of peach white balsamic vinegar. They suggested this special pairing to go with the smoked cheddar, and believe me, they know what they are doing because this combination helped us create the perfect salad dressing.

With these delicious ingredients provided by two great local companies, Melany and I decided to create warming and colourful quinoa salad is filled with perfectly roasted vegetables, plump pomegranate seeds, delicious smoked cheddar from Five Brothers Artisan Cheese and a smokey chipotle dressing made with oils from O’Leva. This flavourful salad can be served as a full meal or as a side dish.

Hope you enjoy and don’t forget to check out these two local companies!!! Also, Five Brother Artisan Cheese is almost done getting it’s new factory ready in the Goulds and has lots of new fun equipment to produce even more cheese! I can’t wait to try their fresh cheese curds!

Roasted Vegetable & Quinoa Salad with Smoked Cheddar & Chipotle Dressing {Gluten-Free}

 

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Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

1 hour

 

This warming and colourful quinoa salad is filled with perfectly roasted vegetables, plump pomegranate seeds, delicious smoked cheddar from Five Brothers Artisan Cheese and a smokey chipotle dressing made with oils from O’Leva. This flavourful salad can be served as a full meal or as a side dish.

Author: Homemade Hearts and Fine Food Factory

Serves: 8 servings

Ingredients

Salad

• 4 cups butternut squash, cubed
• 4 cups Brussels sprouts, cut in half
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, cut in half
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cups cooked quinoa
• 1 cup Five Brothers Cheese smoked cheddar, cubed
• ½ cup pomegranate seeds or dried cranberries

Chipotle Dressing

• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup O’Leva Chipotle infused olive oil
• ½ cup O’Leva peach white balsamic vinegar
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven at 400 degrees F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, onions, garlic with 4 tablespoons olive oil, sea salt and black pepper.
3. Place vegetables on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, until soft and golden. Mix the vegetables after 15 minutes of cooking to ensure they roast evenly.
4. Let the roasted vegetables cool for 20-30 minutes.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the chipotle dressing ingredients: olive oils, white balsamic vinegar, sea salt and pepper.
6. Once the roasted vegetables have cool down, transfer them to a large salad bowl and mix in with cooked quinoa, smoked cheddar and pomegranate seeds.
7. Pour chipotle dressing over the salad and mix well.
8. Serve and enjoy.

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This chili is such a hearty meal with the quinoa, black beans and chickpeas that bring loads of protein and all the veggies that are also included. You can adapt this recipe depending on what vegetables you have in your fridge, but I love the combination of sweet potato, carrots and bell pepper.

Do you often make slow cooker meals in the winter? What are your favourite meals?

Slow Cooker Quinoa and Sweet Potato Chili

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

6 hours

Total time

6 hours 20 mins

 

This chili is so flavourful and hearty and only requires a few minutes of hands-on preparation. It is a great meal to make ahead during the cold winter. Quinoa, black beans and chickpeas fill this chili with protein while all the vegetables will bring you lots of nutrients.

Author: Homemade Hearts

Serves: 10-12 portions

Ingredients

• 1 onion, minced
• 1 bell pepper (any colour), seeded and diced
• 1 sweet potato, diced
• 5 carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
• 1½ cup water
• 2 cans (28 ounces) organic diced tomatoes
• 1 can (14 ounces) black beans, rinsed
• 1 can (19 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Place all the ingredients in the slow cooker and mix.
2. Cook on High for 6 hours.
3. Serve warm and top with avocados or cheese.
4. Store leftover in airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. This chili can also be frozen.

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I am now working on a few fun things for 2015, such as an awesome ebook, but more on this in the near future. Thank you for all your support over the past year and I am looking forward to more delicious recipes, fun projects and culinary discoveries in 2015.

Now that the holiday season is over, I have been craving soup. If you are like me and just want a light but delicious meal, you must try this cream of vegetables. It is really simple to make, yet the combination of flavours is so delicate and delicious. Portobello mushrooms are mixed with asparagus and topped with a drizzle of black truffle oil for an enhanced mushroom flavour. You can add a beautiful swirl of plain yogurt to make it even creamier, or keep it vegan by omitting the yogurt.

This yogurt swirl just makes the soup look like it could be served in a restaurant. Are you wondering how to get this super pretty swirly effect? It is very simple, all you have to do is to drop a spoonful of plain yogurt in the middle of your soup. Then, using a clean knife or chopstick, simply trace horizontal and vertical lines in the soup, going through the yogurt and finish off with a circular motion to create these beautiful swirls. It only takes a few tries to master this swirling technique! Without waiting any longer here is the recipe, try it and practice your swirling technique. Hope you enjoy!

Cream of Asparagus, Portobello and Black Truffle

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

45 mins

 

This cream of asparagus and portobello mushroom is flavoured with white miso and topped with a drizzle of delicate black truffle oil for a truly enhanced mushroom flavour.

Author: Homemade Hearts

Serves: 6-8 portions

Ingredients

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
• 2 large portobello mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 15-20 asparagus, cleaned and cut into 3-4 pieces
• 2 cups broccoli, roughly chopped
• 3 to 4 cups water
• 1 tablespoon white miso
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon celery seeds
• 1 teaspoon herbes de provence
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoon black truffle oil
• 2 tablespoons yogurt (optional)

Instructions

1. In a large pot over medium heat, cook onion in grapeseed oil until soft.
2. Add portobello mushrooms, asparagus, broccoli, water, miso, garlic powder, celery seeds, herbes de provence, salt and pepper. Start by adding 3 cups of water, the water should just cover the vegetables. Add more water as needed.
3. Bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
4. Transfer soup into a blender and blend until smooth.
5. Serve soup into bowls and garnish with a drizzle of black truffle oil and a dollop of plain yogurt (optional).

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Here is a superfood filled vegan eggnog that is perfect to give you energy during the holiday season. What I love about this drink is that it only takes a few minutes to prepare in the blender and you can drink it hot or cold. It tastes so yummy and you can drink lots of it without any guilt!

HempNog {Vegan Eggnog}

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

 

This hemp milk is sweetened with dates and spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. It is the perfect guilt-free holiday drink that you can enjoy hot or cold.

Author: Homemade Hearts

Serves: 2 cups

Ingredients

• ½ cup hemp seed hearts
• 2 cups water
• 4 Medjool dates, pitted
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.
2. Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 5 days.
3. You can warm up the hempnog on the stove before serving it or you can also enjoy it cold.
4. For a holiday twist, you can add a splash of bourbon whiskey!

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Chocolate bark is the perfect treat to have on hand during the holiday season. This gorgeous festive bark is made with only 5 ingredients and it is so beautiful and delicious! It is the perfect gift for friends and colleagues, and the perfect snack when you want that chocolate fix!

This festive bark is made with the best ingredients, where swirls of dark Belgian chocolate are melted with white chocolte. The chocolate also contains almond butter and is topped with almond and cranberries to add crunch, sweetness and colour.

The process to make this chocolate bark is quite simple and here are a few step-by-step pictures. You first temper your chocolate by following the easy instructions in the recipe below. I followed the procedure for tempering chocolate from the Cook’s Illustrated and it gave such a beautiful result! The chocolate is all shiny and snappy, if you have never tempered chocolate before, I truly recommend you try it, it makes a world of difference with the final result! Once your chocolate is tempered, you mix in almond butter in white chocolate and almonds and cranberries in the dark chocolate.

Then you drop spoonfulls of that rich white and dark chocolate onto a parchment lined baking sheet. It does not need to be even since you will then swirl it!

Using a butter knife or chopstick, you then trace horizontal and vertical lines in the chocolate to create beautiful swirls and smooth the surface.

The final step is to throw the rest of the almonds and cranberries to top your this beautiful bark! Then, you simply need to let it cool down at room temperature for a few hours, and finally break it into pieces.

Chocolate bark can be so expensive when you buy it in the store, so I strongly encourage you to try making your own! You can change up some of the ingredients to make it with your favourite toppings and you will have gorgeous treats to share with loved ones!

Almond & Cranberry Swirled Chocolate Bark

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

This festive bark is made with swirls of belgian dark and white chocolate, filled with almond butter and topped with almonds and cranberries. This simple 5 ingredient treat will certainly please the crowds!

Author: Homemade Hearts

Serves: about 20-25 pieces

Ingredients

• 6 cups Belgian dark chocolate
• 4 cups white chocolate
• 3 tablespoons almond butter
• 1 cup almonds, roughly chopped
• 1 cup dried cranberries

Instructions

1. To temper chocolate, place 4 cups of dark chocolate in a large glass measuring cup and 3 cups of white chocolate in a separate glass measuring cup.
2. Place both measuring cups over pots of warm water over medium heat.
3. Mix chocolate regularly until melted. Do not bring the water to a boil since you want the chocolate to melt slowly.
4. When chocolate is melted, remove from heat.
5. Add the extra 2 cups of dark chocolate in the melted dark chocolate cup and mix until it is all melted.
6. Add the extra cup of white chocolate in the melted white chocolate cup and mix until it is all melted.
7. Mix ½ cup chopped almonds and ½ cup cranberries in dark chocolate.
8. Mix almond butter in melted white chocolate.
9. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, drop spoonfuls of white chocolate, about 2-3 inches apart.
10. Drop spoonfuls of dark chocolate in between and all around the white chocolate circles.
11. Using a butter knife or chopstick, trace vertical and horizontal lines in the chocolate to create beautiful swirls.
12. Top chocolate with the rest of the chopped almonds and cranberries.
13. Cool at room temperature for a few hours.
14. Break bark into pieces (you can also cut the bark with a knife if you want to get even pieces).
15. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

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