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calgary food stylist

Dairy Free, Entertain, Giveaways, Occasions, Vegetarian, Wine & Cocktails, Winter

HOMEMADE DAIRY FREE COCONUT RUM EGGNOG

Happy winter solstice, beautiful people! I’m back today with my Homemade Dairy Free Coconut Rum Eggnog — a festive holiday beverage that’s been in my family for decades, but has recently undergone a contemporary, plant-based makeover! I have so many cherished memories of our neighbours making this eggnog for everyone on our country road to enjoy on Christmas Eve (it never lasted long!). Unfortunately, over the years as I developed a dairy sensitivity I was no longer able indulge — that is, until last holiday season! I decided it was about time to give my favourite eggnog recipe a clean, dairy-free makeover by swapping milk and heavy creams with coconut-based alternatives, regular eggs for the free-run, local, farm-fresh variety, table sugar with 100% pure Canadian maple syrup, spiced rum for Eau Claire Distillery’s seasonal, Limited Edition Gin Rummy, infusing our homemade eggnog with cinnamon sticks and topping it off with decedent dark chocolate shavings. As always, this festive cocktail is free of dairy, gluten and refined sugar — and has become my favourite healthier holiday indulgence!

We actually perfected this recipe last holiday season (who remembers the Stories?!) shortly after I discovered Eau Claire Distillery (I’ve since used almost every single spirit they make in my COCKTAILS!). During our lazy, cozy days in the country between Christmas and New Years Eve, I took a trip to the visit their distillery in Turner Valley with my Mom (who loves gin) and my brother (who was home from New York and loves cocktails) for a tour and tasting — and that’s where my love affair with these incredible, farm-to-glass, artisinal spirits began. For their Christmas presents, my Mom and brother chose a bottle of their favourite spirit, on me. Gin Rummy was Jared’s spirit of choice — a unique, wintery, gin-meets-rum remix boasting warm notes of winter spice with a botanical, herbaceous backdrop. It was actually this limited edition spirit that inspired the makeover of our favourite holiday eggnog recipe — as soon as it hit my lips, I knew it was the missing ingredient! As we enjoyed the second batch of experimental eggnog for New Years Eve, my family confessed they actually liked it better than the original version — and that’s when I knew I had to share our update Homemade Dairy Free Coconut Rum Eggnog with you! To celebrate our one year anniversary and thank you for your support this year, I’ve teamed up with Eau Claire Distillery to give away a bottle of Limited Edition Gin Rummy, along with a Tour & Tasting for 2 at Turner Valley’s Eau Claire Distillery (check out the bottom of this post for details on how to enter!). Cheers and happy holidays!

December 21, 2018 by Justine

Dairy Free, Dessert & Treats, Fall, Food, Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

PLANT BASED PUMPKIN PIE ENERGY BITES

How was your Thanksgiving weekend, Canadian friends? We had a very busy one traveling all over Alberta celebrating with family and friends before heading to a mountain wedding on Sunday. So, today I’m so excited to bring you a new recipe inspired by my favourite Thanksgiving treat (that sadly I’m unable to fully enjoy due to my dairy and gluten intolerances!) — Plant Based Pumpkin Pie Energy Bites! I’m sure I wasn’t the only one looking to eat a bit cleaner and lighter this week after an indulgent weekend — and that’s was exactly the thinking behind this recipe! It offers all the flavours of traditional pumpkin pie, rolled up into a tasty, nutrition packed little bite. I created them for all my fellow plant based eaters who may also have food intolerances and sensitivities — these simple, no bake little balls of goodness are free of dairy, gluten and refined sugar and they seriously taste exactly like pumpkin pie!

If you love pumpkin pie so much you’d like to eat it for breakfast and dessert… and well, anytime you need a little extra fuel to power your busy lifestyle, this recipe is for you! My Plant Based Pumpkin Pie Energy Bites combine pumpkin puree with a powerhouse medley of nuts and seeds, oats, shredded coconut, medjool dates and local honey (or maple syrup, if you’re vegan!) with cozy, autumnal spices for a portable dose of pumpkin pie whenever and wherever you need it. Make them in bulk, freeze them, pack them for lunch (or for your childrens lunches!), or throw a few in a Ziplock bag and tuck them away in your purse for an autumn inspired, nourishing snack on the run! If you have 15 minutes and a well stocked pantry, I bet you can whip these tasty little bites up right now!

October 13, 2017 by Justine

Breakfast, Dairy Free, Fall, Gluten Free, Paleo, Smoothies & Juices, Summer, Vegan, Vegetarian

SUPERFOOD PEACH PIE SMOOTHIE BOWLS

Are you ready for autumn, friends? It’s been a crazy hot, smoky summer this year and I never thought I would say it, but I’m finally ready for fall. I had 2 food related epiphanies as I worked on this post — first, I really seem to love creating dessert-inspired breakfast recipes (I mean… who doesn’t love pie for breakfast?!) and second, I’ve never published a peach recipe here at JustineCelina. If you knew just how much I loved peaches, you’d be as shocked as I am! Each year we receive a shipment of peaches straight from a family friend’s orchard in British Columbia (if you’re keeping track, yes – it’s the same orchard where our apple surplus and endless supply of homemade stewed tomatoes come from!). It seems every year I find a different way to work with them and they end up trickling into almost every meal for a week or two until we get through them all. And alas, another seasonal recipe is born!

Today I’m bringing you my Superfood Peach Pie Smoothie Bowls — a simple, seasonal breakfast bowl inspired by the classic late summer pie and brimming with powerhouse ingredients, plant based protein, antioxidants and healing, autumnal spices. The best part? If you, too are experiencing peach overload, this recipe actually gives variations for frozen and fresh peaches (I just finished freezing a whole ziplock bag full!). I even snuck a vegetable in there — if you’ve made my Cherry Crumble Smoothie or Autumn Energizer Juice, you may have an idea what it is! Try my Superfood Peach Pie Smoothie Bowls while those juicy Okanagan peaches are at peak ripeness or freeze them now and indulge in a peach pie inspired smoothie bowl anytime you want to treat yourself to a quick, nourishing breakfast this autumn. As always, it’s free of dairy, gluten and refined sugar — and absolutely delish!

September 13, 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

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

ROASTED PURPLE CAULIFLOWER WITH RED PEPPER ROMESCO (WILD ROSE D-TOX FRIENDLY!)

I’ve been testing this recipe since December — and it feels so good to finally publish it! Typically I go through 3 – 5 rounds of recipe testing and for my Roasted Purple Cauliflower with Red Pepper Romesco, the fourth time was the charm. If you’ve been following along on my socials, you may know that I had an unfortunate accident with a new kitchen knife on Easter Monday, sliced my index finger and wound up in the ER. Ironically, I was recipe testing. I’ll save you all the gory details because this is a food post after all, but long story short — I ended up with 5 stitches, one very sore finger, minimal nerve damage and a mild reaction to a Tetanus shot that left me with a rash all over my upper body (it’s been a rough couple of weeks!). So if it’s seemed a bit quiet around here, that’s why. It was such a struggle to do pretty much everything during the first week while I was healing up, but my stitches came out Thursday and I’m on the mend. The whole thing was pretty scary and I’m just incredibly grateful it wasn’t any worse! Thank you for all your well wishes and your patience as I attempted to navigate through life at a slower pace these past couple of weeks.

Now, onward and upward! After a week of being terrified to use my kitchen knife and not being able to actually wield it to chop anything, we decided to start the Wild Rose D-Tox on Monday. This is my 6th time doing it over the years and it’s not that much different than my regular, plant based diet — minus anything fermented (yes, that includes alcohol!), tropical fruit and the occasional indulgence. I like to think of it as spring cleaning for my system — and one that was definitely needed after feeling so out of whack last week with my Tetanus shot, taking painkillers (I prefer not to take medication unless absolutely necessary — we didn’t even have any Ibuprofen in the house!) and having to resort to a lot of frozen leftovers (thankfully, my recipe testing process affords a well stocked freezer!). Fast forward to late this week and I finally got my groove back — I was happy to be the kitchen again and feeling inspired! I used this past week as an opportunity to slow down and really focus on what I’m putting in my body to help it heal. I perfected my Roasted Purple Cauliflower with Red Pepper Romesco yesterday and I’m happy to report that it’s completely Wild Rose D-Tox friendly — I can’t wait to share it with you!

April 29, 2017 by Justine

Occasions, Wine & Cocktails, Winter

BLOOD ORANGE CREAMSICLE MIMOSAS

Are you searching for a stowstopping cocktail to complete your Valentine’s Day menu? Well, my friends, you’ve come to the right place — because today I’m sharing the recipe for these gorgeous Blood Orange Creamsicle Mimosas! With just 3 ingredients (and a big wow factor), these elegant cocktails combine vibrant, freshly squeezed blood orange juice and Spanish Cava with a hit of creamy vanilla liqueur for an elevated, seasonal twist on the classic mimosa!

Whether you’re spending Valentine’s Day with that special someone, celebrating Galentine’s style with your favourite ladies or savouring some quality solo downtime, my Blood Orange Creamsicle Mimosas are the perfect love day elixir. Enjoy them over brunch, après dinner, during a candlelit bath or anytime you want to indulge in the beautiful flavour of blood oranges complimented by a healthy dose of bubbles. Simplicity really is the ultimate sophistication — cheers to love, friends and delicious sparkling cocktails!

February 12, 2017 by Justine

Curried Winter Vegetables with Roasted Acorn Squash // JustineCelina.com

Dairy Free, Dinner, Food, Gluten Free, Paleo, Vegan, Vegetarian, Wine & Cocktails, Winter

CURRIED WINTER VEGETABLES WITH ROASTED ACORN SQUASH (+ MY 200th BLOG POST!)

Today’s recipe marks a milestone in my blogging career. Today I’ve published 200 blog posts. 200 blog posts?! It’s crazy to think I’ve been blogging for 1 year and 9 months (what?), but I guess that’s what 2 posts per week amounts to! It just so happens that my very first post was a recipe, as was my 100th blog post. So if you’re interested in taking a look through my archives, enjoy, but be warned — when I first started JustineCelina I took all my photos in square format on my iPhone!

Anyway, onto the real reason why you’re here today — the recipe! To be honest, I can’t believe this is the first curry recipe I’ve published. I make curries often, typically with whatever veggies and spices we have kicking around (you know how it goes around here!). In the winter especially, plant based curries are a staple in our kitchen — and my Curried Winter Vegetables with Roasted Acorn Squash is healthy comfort food at it’s finest! A medley of onions, garlic and ginger are caramelized, then accompanied by a flavourful trio of carrots, peppers and celery simmered in a decadent, tomato based curry sauce dancing with rich Indian spices and just the right amount of heat. Roasted Acorn Squash houses the Curried Winter Vegetables in a nourishing, edible bowl — a playful, hearty spin on typical bread-based options. This recipe yields a generous amount of curry that freezes well, so you can stock the freezer with healthy options to help fuel January’s resolutions when you’re running short on time!

January 13, 2017 by Justine

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