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Dairy Free, Dinner, Fall, Food, Lunch, Soups, Vegan, Vegetarian, Winter

SLOW COOKER VEGAN MULLIGATAWNY SOUP WITH RED LENTILS

I’m typing to you from the fringe of the 2019 polar vortex here in Calgary — and man, it’s cold outside (guess I spoke too soon about our unseasonably mild winter weather!). I’m very content to be curled up with a big bowl of Slow Cooker Vegan Mulligatawny Soup with Red Lentils in my chenille sweatpants and fuzzy sock as I edit this post! I hope everyone in affected areas is staying warm, cozy and safe out there.

But what better time than a polar vortex to make a hearty slow cooker recipe, am I right?! Warm up with a batch of my Slow Cooker Vegan Mulligatawny Soup with Red Lentils — an ultra clean, nourishing, protein packed, plant-based spin on a classic English soup with South Indian roots. The best part? You likely have most (if not all!) of these ingredients on hand and this recipe truly couldn’t be easier! A hearty base of red lentils combines with a mirepoix of carrots, celery, onion and apple simmered in an rich, exotically spiced, tomato-based broth with a splash of coconut milk and a kiss of cinnamon. Juicy pomegranate arils, toasted cashews and fresh cilantro garnish my favourite winter soup to perfection — creating a beautiful mosaic of inviting flavour, texture and colour where hearty winter produce sings. If you love vegetable-based curries and warming winter soups but want to try something new, this playful, plant-powered spin on authentic Indian mulligatawny is for you!

February 3, 2019 by Justine

Dairy Free, Dinner, Flowers, Food, Gluten Free, Lunch, Salads & Bowls, Spring, Summer, Vegan, Vegetarian

VEGAN KALE CAESAR SALAD WITH GLUTEN FREE CROUTONS

Wow, has it ever been a minute since I published a non-cocktail recipe — let alone a salad or bowl! Remember that post I published back in January about sharing things as I feel inspired to, rather than sticking to my very rigid, previously very balanced, editorial calendar? Scaling back on extremely time consuming content in order to get our SPACE REFRESH series off the ground (did you know I test my recipes 3 – 7 times on average and that can translate to over 30 hours of work?)? These changes resulted in a steady stream of cocktail recipes during the first half of 2018 (they’re a blast to create also relatively simple to test!) — one of which landed me my first Style Me Pretty Living feature, so I guess it all worked out! And while my adventures deep into cocktailing this year have been a lot of fun, sometimes you just need to dry out a bit and eat a kale salad — you feel me?!

If you follow along with my Insta Stories, you’ll know I’ve been eating this Vegan Kale Caesar Salad with Gluten Free Croutons almost weekly since I first whipped it up back in April. In the process, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve tested this recipe and it’s since become one of our favourite salads! The best part? There’s no marinating or planning ahead (I’ve really been focusing on keeping it simple lately!) and it can be on your table in 15 minutes. It’s a nutritious, protein packed, plant based spin on a classic that eats like a meal — and I promise no one will know it’s vegan (in a blind taste test, it was praised by meat eaters!). I’m also sharing my secret for flavourful, tender, raw kale! If you’re looking for quick, healthy meal options to add to your summer rotation (or #MeatlessMonday!), I cannot recommend this contemporary spin on traditional caesar salad enough!

July 10, 2018 by Justine

Dinner, Food, Gluten Free, Local Love, Lunch, Paleo, Soups, Spring, Vegan, Vegetarian, Winter

TRUFFLED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH CRISPY SAGE

I can’t believe it’s been nearly a year since I shared a pureed soup here at JustineCelina! And would you believe I’ve never actually published a butternut squash soup recipe? Butternut squash soup is a staple recipe in many kitchens during the cooler months — ours included. Although my Autumn Harvest Soup with Roasted Squash Seeds (published back in my early blogging days!) includes butternut squash, it also features a medley of fall produce — including apples, carrots and rhubarb. So, my standard butternut squash soup recipe remained unpublished over the years — you see, as a food blogger, these staple recipes often remain in my archives because I don’t think they’re exciting or unique enough to share. But, this winter I experimented with one of my favourite gourmet ingredients to really elevate this recipe — and here we are!

Today I’m thrilled to bring you my Truffled Butternut Squash Soup with Crispy Sage — a luxurious, sophisticated twist on a cold weather classic. With just 10 ingredients, this creamy bowl of vegan comfort is a breeze to whip up and makes a great light lunch or accompaniment to dinner. Hearty butternut squash is oven roasted with onions, fresh sage and garlic — then blended into velvety goodness with vegetable broth, coconut milk, fresh ginger and a touch of heat. To finish things off, it’s infused with an indulgent drizzle of White Truffle Oil (my most recent culinary obsession!) and garnished with crispy sage for a restaurant quality soup you can enjoy at home. Thanks to a couple of elevated ingredients, this isn’t your traditional butternut squash soup recipe — but I guarantee you it’s just as simple to prepare! If you’re in the mood for some nourishing comfort food with gourmet flair to help endure these last few weeks of winter, I have just the recipe — and I’m also sharing my favourite source for high quality, affordable White Truffle Oil!

February 27, 2018 by Justine

Dairy Free, Dinner, Food, Gluten Free, Lunch, Soups, Vegan, Vegetarian, Winter

VEGAN SLOW COOKER TORTILLA SOUP WITH WINTER SQUASH

Well hello, friends! It’s been a little while hasn’t it? I’ve been spending the past few days soaking up some much needed rest and relaxation in the prairies with my family. In fact, I’m typing to you from my childhood home in rural Alberta! I shot these images and finalized the recipe last week before we hit the road on Friday and headed east to spend the holidays with family and friends. I’m fully embracing these slow, cozy, lazy days between Christmas and New Years Eve and wanted to get this post out for you — I know I’m always craving some major fruits and vegetables after a few days of holiday indulgence! Tonight I’m thrilled to bring you my Vegan Slow Cooker Tortilla Soup with Winter Squash — a no fuss recipe packed full of nourishing, plant based ingredients that eats like a meal!

If this crazy cold snap has you craving some healthy comfort food, whip out your slow cooker and transport yourself to Mexico with my Vegan Slow Cooker Tortilla Soup with Winter Squash! Still entertaining company or hosting family during the holidays and need a break from leftovers? This vibrant recipe comes together with pantry staples, seasonal produce and minimal effort! Hearty winter squash, brown rice, protein packed black beans, bright cherry tomatoes, sweet orange peppers, yellow onion, garlic and a mosaic of spices infuse a tomato and vegetable stock base with feisty mexican flavour — topped off with creamy avocado, crispy corn tortillas, cilantro and a drizzle of Tahini Lime Crema. Jump start your New Years resolutions by treating your body to a bowl of wholesome, post holiday, cold weather comfort!

December 28, 2017 by Justine

Dairy Free, Dinner, Food, Gluten Free, Lunch, Salads & Bowls, Sponsored, Vegan, Vegetarian

VEGAN FIESTA BUFFALO TOFU BOWLS WITH TAHINI LIME CREMA

Wait I’m confused… what season is it? Watermelon is still front and centre at my local grocer and yet it’s snowing (oh, how I wish I was kidding). As I edit this post, I’m enjoying a glass of crisp rosé in a poncho and fuzzy slippers — and I finally have to cave and turn the heat on! While the weather in Calgary has been less than desirable, late summer harvest has been kind to us with local tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuces popping up everywhere — and I’m taking full advantage. If you, too are in the mood for some healthy comfort food to weather the storm, you’ve come to the right place! Today I’m elated to continue my partnership with Inspired Greens and bring you my Vegan Fiesta Buffalo Tofu Bowls with Tahini Lime Crema — the meal that kept us nourished during our paint-a-thon this summer. I literally came up with this recipe by throwing what we had on hand into a big salad bowl, mixing it up and serving it. Upon first bite, I knew I’d be publishing it — after all, unusual circumstances typically lead to some of my most inventive recipe ideas!

My Vegan Fiesta Buffalo Tofu Bowls with Tahini Lime Crema are a healthy, plant based, 30-minute meal alternative to the pub food that my delicate stomach can absolutely not handle anymore. Seriously though — if chicken wings, a plate of loaded nachos and a burrito had a vegan love child, this would be it! These festive, protein rich bowls are brimming with Alberta grown, seasonal produce including Inspired Greens Red Butter Lettuce — remixed with JustineCelina kitchen staples like quinoa, black beans, olives, Buffalo Tofu (a completely addictive, plant based alternative to hot wings!) and Tahini Lime Crema — a versatile sauce we always have in our fridge that’s good on just about anything. This, my friends, is the ultimate vegan comfort food with a fresh, early autumn spin!

September 24, 2017 by Justine

Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl with Citrus Ponzu & Siracha Aioli | #sponsored by @inspiredleafygreens #dairyfree #glutenfree #sustainable // JustineCelina.com

Dairy Free, Dinner, Food, Gluten Free, Lunch, Salads & Bowls, Sponsored, Summer, Vegan, Vegetarian

AHI TUNA POKE BOWLS WITH CITRUS PONZU + SRIRACHA AIOLI

To say I went poke crazy in Vancouver this spring would be a major understatement. Typically, I don’t eat meat very often (I’m actually not vegan, although I eat that way about 90% of the time and have included a vegan option in this recipe) — but anytime I travel, I love to immerse myself in local cuisine. It’s such a treat to be able to indulge in fresh seafood on the coast! After making one too many poke runs when I landed back home in Alberta, I decided to take matters into my own hands and develop a recipe for the ultimate gluten and dairy free poke bowls at home! My Ahi Tuna Poke Bowls with Citrus Ponzu & Sriracha Aioli are an explosion of traditional Japanese flavours infused with a west coast vibe and all the fixings — a mashup of sustainable, sashimi grade ahi tuna, avocado, carrot, cucumber, mango and grilled asparagus adorn a bed of organic brown rice and tender greens, topped with a scratch made, Gluten Free Citrus Ponzu, drizzled with Sriracha Garlic Aioli and garnished with roasted sesame seeds, nori and scallions. They’re even better than the poke bowls I fell in love with by the sea!

I’ve partnered with Inspired Greens to bring you a lightened up version of the classic poke bowl where I’ve used a blend of Inspired Greens MultiLeaf Trio and organic brown rice as the Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl base. If you follow along with my adventures over on Instagram, you may remember their beautiful bouquet of Alberta grown living lettuce from earlier this summer — and as someone who’s passionate about local, plant based eats, I’m elated to continue working Inspired Greens and officially introduce you here at JustineCelina. Their greens add a fresh, flourishing texture and gourmet flair to these summer friendly poke bowls — they’re also a breeze to work with, helping to reduce meal prep time!

August 25, 2017 by Justine

Dairy Free, Dinner, Food, Gluten Free, Paleo, Sponsored, Spring, Vegan, Vegetarian

SPRING VEGETABLE STIRFRY WITH COCONUT GINGER TOFU (WILD ROSE D-TOX FRIENDLY!)

Do you remember when we did the Wild Rose D-Tox back in March? If you were following along on Insta Stories, I shared (almost) every meal I made during those 12 days. You may also remember me raving about how incredible our Day 1 dinner was — well, today I’m finally sharing the recipe for my Spring Vegetable Stirfry with Coconut Ginger Tofu with you!

Initially this recipe it was a team effort, with both of us tossing ideas around and throwing things in the pan while this stirfry came together. And we both couldn’t stop eating it! It was the best recipe to come out of our D-Tox. Since the premade sauces and condiments I would typically use in a stiryfry-style dish (think soy sauce, fish sauce, peanut butter, etc.) weren’t permitted, we went in a completely different direction! The result was a colourful medley of spring vegetables in a coconut milk-based sauce — flavoured with garlic, ginger, lime and simple pantry spices ontop of a bed of brown rice, finished with toasted almonds for some extra crunch and protein. In my quest for nut based milks with a D-Tox friendly ingredient lists (not an easy feat, my friends!), I found Almond Breeze’s Unsweetened Almond Coconut Beverage and am thrilled to be partnering with Almond Breeze again today to bring you my Spring Vegetable Stirfry with Coconut Ginger Tofu! It’s totally Wild Rose D-Tox friendly and it’s also totally delicious, even if you’re not doing a detox. This easy to prepare, unconventional spring stirfry is light, clean and nourishing — perfect for weeknight dinners!

June 13, 2017 by Justine

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