Blueberry Moon

EAT YOUR PASTELS // PINK PEPPERMINT NANIMO BARS

December 8, 2017December 6, 2017 by Alyssa Garrison

Nanaimo bars are one of my all-time favourite treats – when i lived in BC growing up they were just about everywhere we went, and I could never get enough. After moving to Toronto I realized they were much harder to come by out of province. Did you know Nanaimo Bars are named for their birthplace, a small city on Vancouver Island in BC? I grew up at bike races (yes, I was super sporty!) in and around that area, so it’s no wonder these sweet triple-layer treats make me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

Traditional Nanaimo bars are certainly not healthy or even close to vegan, but as per usual Amanda of Blueberry Moon came through and made our vegan dessert dreams come true! Instead of custard for the centre filling she created a pink peppermint coconut-based cream, and oats, dates and almonds were used alongside coconut to boost health points in the base layer.

Scroll down for the recipe

What you’ll need //

Crust:
1 cup almonds
1/2 c packed dates
1/2 c oats
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c cocoa powder
1/2 c shredded coconut
2 tbsp coconut oil

Cream center:
1 cup coconut butter
3/4 chilled full fat coconut milk
1 cup icing sugar
2 tsp mint extract
2 tsp peppermint extract
2 tsp beet juice (may need to adjust slightly based on colour preference)

Topping:
1.5 cups melted chocolate chips

Optional: Crushed candy cane, sprinkles

Recipe //

Prepare your base layer by adding all crust ingredients listed into your food processor.
Once it reaches a crust like consistency, press firmly into a greased square pan. You could also cut out some parchment paper tabs to line the bottom for easy removal.

Next, begin to prepare the middle layer by adding all ingredients into your high speed blender. We used our Vitamix. Once this layer is thick, creamy and smooth, pour it over the crust and spread as evenly as possible. You may want to carefully slam the tray (it not glass) a couple times against your counter to remove air bubble and really pack down.

Move to freezer to set faster.

Once the middle layer feels firm enough you can begin to melt your chocolate.

To do this, boil a couple inches of water in a pot and use a heat safe bowl to place on top of the pot (making sure its big enough to not fall through!) Add your chocolate chips into the bowl and keep stiring with a spatula until the chocolate has melted.

Pour over the middle layer and add your crushed candy canes.

Shopping links!

Pink Food Processor

Beetroot Powder (Natural Food Colour)

4pc Gold Cutlery Set

Lorann Oils Natural Peppermint

Pink Christmas Tree

Sips, Sweets & Snacks

Eat Your Pastels // A Thanksgiving Feast

October 6, 2017October 10, 2017 by Alyssa Garrison

Thanksgiving isn’t always easy if you’re vegetarian or vegan – in fact it can be a bit of a sad Holiday if everyone else at the table is feasting on turkey and gravy while your tummy grumbles! As a team of veggie ladies here at RAOP we’ve suffered many a hungry Thanksgiving, so we wanted to come up with an epic feast that literally anyone/everyone can enjoy this year!

We called upon master vegan recipe maker Amanda of Blueberrymoon to help us dream up the ultimate vegan Thanksgiving meal with only one condition: it has to be pastel! She truly outdid herself, making the recipe not only vegan AND pastel, but also gluten-free, soy-free and bean-free! These simple recipes can be added to your family’s traditional spread, or can stand as their own meal instead of the typical turkey set up. Start with Purple Cauliflower Soup, move on to Roasted Rainbow Veggies, and finish off with Layered Matcha Raspberry Tarts, or start with dessert and work your way back!

Styling tips – we set our scene with , , and + goodies! You can shop some of our favourites

Special thanks to Zipcar for providing a Thanksgiving vehicle to help us hunt down all of the rainbow food we needed!

Scroll down for all 3 recipes!

Purple Cauliflower Soup //

What You’ll Need //

1 head purple caultiflower
½ an onion
2 large garlic cloves
1 tsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
¼ cup cashews
1 ¼ tsp salt (less if using veg broth)
Enough water or vegetables broth to cover veggies in your pot

How To Prepare //

Chop all your veggies and add to a large pot along with your spices and cashews. Use enough water or vegetable broth to cover everything.
Bring to a boil and reduce heat
Simmer for about 25 minutes or until cauliflower is tender enough.
Use a blender, food processor or hand emulsifier to puree soup.

This is a very simple soup recipe to feel free to get creative with spices and herbs!

Roasted Rainbow Veggies //

What You’ll Need //

1 large head purple cauliflower
1 watermelon radish
1-2 purple sweet potato
10 mini pink potatoes
½ head of broccoli
4 heirloom carrots
½ an onion
2 garlic cloves
olive oil
smoked paprika
salt
pepper
chili powder
cumin
fresh rosemary

How To Prepare //

Chop veggies and brush with a generous coat of olive oil using your basting brush.

Season with the spice selection we used, or use your favorite go-tos!
Roast at 400°F for about 45 minutes to an hour.

Check and flip half way through.

Layered Matcha Raspberry Tarts //

What You’ll Need //

Crust

10 dates
½ cup almonds
½ cup oats
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp coconut oil

Filling

2 cups soaked cashews
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp lemon juice
½ cup full fat coconut milk
¼ cup melted and cooled coconut oil
1 tbsp matcha
1 cup frozen raspberries, thawed

How To Prepare //

Starting with the crust, add everything into your food processor until it becomes a meal consistency.

Line a muffin tray with two ¾ inch strips of parchment paper that are crossed and are long enough to grab for easy tart removal. Alternatively you can use individual parchment muffin cups.

Pack about 2 spoonfuls of the meal into each cup and pack down firmly to form your crust.

Set aside and start on your filling by rinsing the soaked cashews well.

Add everything into the blender except for the matcha powder and raspberries. (Vitamix or similar preferred to create a creamy filling)
Once pureed remove half of the filling into a bowl.
Add you matcha powder to the blender and blend until chunks are gone.

Use this portion of the filling to create layer one of your tart! Once you’ve evenly distributed the filling, bang against the counter to remove air bubbles and but in the freezer.

Rinse out your blender and add in the other half of the filling plus the raspberries! Blend until pureed.

Use this at he top layer, repeating the previous steps.
Put in freezer and let set for a few hours.

We recommend leaving these in the freezer until about 10 minutes before you’re ready to eat them!

Sips, Sweets & Snacks

#EatYourPastels Pink Strawberry Mylk

July 5, 2017July 5, 2017 by Alyssa Garrison

Making nut mylk is one of those things that just makes sense – it’s quick, simple, and yields a really delicious and nutritious end product. We’ve been trying to get on board with nut mylk and cheese in favour of dairy as much as possible, for the sake of ourselves, animals, and the environment, and luckily we have Amanda from Blueberrymoon here to help!

Cashews are one of the best nuts to use in dairy-inspired recipes thanks to their creamy rich texture. We made this version a bit more fun by adding some fresh local strawberries and a touch of beet juice to make our pink milk that much more pink! It’s super delicious on it’s own, in a strawberry banana smoothie, or blended with a bit o vegan ice cream for the ultimate strawberry shake!

Scroll down for the recipe

Hey guys! Blueberrymoon here. I just wanted to add some notes and tips about making nut mylk at home! As noted above it’s so simple and so much better than store bought. Since cashews don’t have skins and become so soft once soaked, there is no need for a nut straining bag. If you’re using nuts with skins such as almonds, hazelnuts, brazil nuts or walnuts, a straining bag is required. However even with the extra step, you’re still looking at an easy process! When storing your mylk, make sure it’s kept in an air tight container or jar in your fridge and consumed within 3-5 days.

What you’ll need //

1 cup soaked cashews
1 cup fresh strawberries
4-6 dates
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
beet juice

Instructions //

Soak cashews in water for 4-8 hours or overnight.

Once soaked, rinse well adding all ingredients to your high-speed blender, we used our Vitamix.

Blend on high for about one minute.

If you like your mylk sweet, add a touch of honey or maple syrup!