​

Adapted from Oh She Glows - These festive bites have all the flavours of traditional stuffing, but they’re protein-packed, bite-sized, and gluten-free as well. ​

​INGREDIENTS

For the Bread-Free Stuffing Balls:

• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 (8-ounce/225 g) package cremini mushrooms*
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups (50 g) stemmed kale leaves
• 1/2 cup (50 g) gluten-free rolled oats
• 1 (14-ounce/398 mL) can lentils, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup (100 g) walnut halves**
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) dried thyme (or 2 teaspoons fresh)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary (or 1/2 teaspoon fresh, minced)
• 1/3 cup (40 g) dried cranberries, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) ground flax
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) water
• 2 1/2 teaspoons (12.5 mL) sherry vinegar
• 3/4 to 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the Cranberry-Pear Sauce:

• 2 cups (210 g) fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 large (230 g) ripe pear, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) pure maple syrup
• Small pinch fine sea salt​

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Add the oil to a large pot and turn heat to medium. Finely chop the mushrooms until they’re roughly the size of peas. Add chopped mushrooms to the pot along with minced garlic and a pinch of salt. Stir until combined. Sauté for about 6 to 8 minutes, until the water from the mushrooms cooks off, reducing heat to low if necessary to prevent burning.
3. Meanwhile, tear the kale into large pieces and place into a food processor. Pulse (do not process) the kale until finely chopped (pieces roughly the size of almonds), being careful not to overprocess it. Remove and place into a bowl for later.
4. To the processor (no need to clean it out!), add the rolled oats. Process the oats until they’re finely chopped and resemble coarse flour, about 30 seconds.
5. Add the drained lentils and walnuts to the processor bowl with the oat flour. Pulse the mixture, stopping to check on it every few pulses, until it’s coarsely chopped. Be sure not to overprocess it into a paste as you still want a lot of texture and crunchy walnut pieces. Set aside.
6. To the pot with the mushrooms and garlic, add the herbs and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the kale and chopped dried cranberries, then turn off the heat.
7. Stir the flax and water together in a small cup (no need to let it sit).
8. Now add all of the food processor contents, vinegar, and flax mixture to the pot. Stir until thoroughly combined. The dough should be heavy and dense. Add salt and pepper to taste.
9. With lightly wet hands, shape and roll about 14 to 15 balls, roughly 3 to 4 tablespoons of dough each. Place them on the prepared baking sheet about two inches apart.
10. Bake for 22 to 24 minutes, until golden on the bottom and firm to touch. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes.
11. While the Bread-Free Stuffing Balls are baking, make the Cranberry-Pear Sauce. Add the cranberries, pear, maple syrup, and salt to a medium pot. Bring to a low boil over high heat and then reduce to medium. Simmer uncovered for 10 to 20 minutes until thickened. Use a potato masher to mash up the pear near the end of cooking, if desired.
12. Leftover balls can be refrigerated in an airtight container for a few days. To reheat, add oil to a skillet and fry over medium heat, tossing occasionally, until heated through.

Check out the Oh She Glows site for more recipes

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Adapted from Love and Lemons - ​Swap out your oatmeal for this delicious, protein-packed quinoa breakfast bowl! Top it with your favorite seasonal fresh or dried fruits, nuts, and seeds. Vegan and gluten-free.

​INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 cup Almond Breeze Almond milk, Original or Vanilla
• 1-2 cinnamon sticks
• piece of a vanilla bean, or ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

TOPPINGS

• toasted sliced almonds
• toasted coconut flakes
• peaches
• raspberries
• maple syrup, optional
• extra splashes of almond milk, optional
• more spices, to taste (cinnamon, nutmeg, etc.), optional

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Rinse and drain the quinoa.
2. Place it in a small saucepan and add the almond milk, 1-2 cinnamon sticks, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a high simmer, cover and reduce heat to a low simmer for 15 minutes. (Tip: don't walk away, if it starts bubbling, turn the heat off, give it one stir mid-cook if you need to, and resume).
3. After 15 minutes, remove the pan from the heat and let the quinoa sit for 5 more minutes or until the almond milk is absorbed and the quinoa is cooked. Taste and add additional spices to your liking.
4. Scoop the quinoa into two bowls and top with toasted almonds, toasted coconut, and fruit. Serve with maple syrup if you like. Enjoy as a fluffy pilaf, or as more a porridge with warm almond milk poured on top.

NOTES
- Cooked quinoa can be stored in the fridge for 4-5 days. Serve at room temp or heat it as you're ready to serve. If it's dry, add a few more splashes of almond milk.
- Sub in whatever seasonal fruit you like, dried fruits are also delicious here.

Check out the Love and Lemons site for more recipes

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Adapted from Cookie and Kate - This simple vegan lentil soup recipe comes together quickly with mostly pantry ingredients. Be sure to have your ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking! Recipe yields four large bowls of soup, or six more modest servings.

INGREDIENTS

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 large can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, lightly drained
• 1 cup brown or green lentils, picked over and rinsed
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup chopped fresh collard greens or kale, tough ribs removed
• 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice (½ to 1 medium lemon), to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Warm the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. One-fourth cup olive oil may seem like a lot, but it adds a lovely richness and heartiness to this nutritious soup.
2. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion and carrot and cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is turning translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the garlic, cumin, curry powder and thyme. Cook until fragrant while stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. Pour in the drained diced tomatoes and cook for a few more minutes, stirring often, in order to enhance their flavor.
4. Pour in the lentils, broth and the water. Add 1 teaspoon salt and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper. Raise heat and bring the mixture to a boil, then partially cover the pot and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape.
5. Transfer 2 cups of the soup to a blender. Securely fasten the lid, protect your hand from steam with a tea towel placed over the lid, and purée the soup until smooth. Pour the puréed soup back into the pot. (Or, use an immersion blender to blend a portion of the soup.)
6. Add the chopped greens and cook for 5 more minutes, or until the greens have softened to your liking. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Taste and season with more salt, pepper and/or lemon juice until the flavors really sing. For spicier soup, add another pinch or two of red pepper flakes.
7. Serve while hot. Leftovers will keep well for about 4 days in the refrigerator, or can be frozen for several months (just defrost before serving).