While gazing at a bag of cranberries in my refrigerator, I had no idea what to use them for. I love fresh cranberries, usually in dessert, and as much as I enjoyed my Vegan Upside Orange Cake, I thought wouldn't cranberries look festive and bright in this style of cake.
I advocate for every household to eliminate as much food waste as possible. I looked in my fridge and had strawberries as well as 3/4 of a can of coconut milk still open. I studied my orange upside down cake to see how I can alter this recipe to combine the best of winter and summer flavors.
Like a winterberry cake, the coconut adds a unique flavor to the cake. If you do not like coconut, substitute the coconut milk with a different nondairy milk and canola oil for coconut oil. 
As a health coach, I believe we also eat too much sugar in America. Generally, European sweets do not contain as much sugar as American desserts. This is sweet, but if you enjoy very sweet cakes, add more brown sugar. The six tablespoons used equates to 1/3 cup of sugar.
So it's sweet yet tart thanks to the cranberries. 
Vegan Strawberry Cranberry Coconut Upside Cake
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Makes 1 9-inch cake Ingredients: Wet 1 1/3 cup coconut milk from can (3/4 can) 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 1 tbsp vanilla 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted Dry 1 1/4 cup pastry flour 3 tbsp brown sugar 1.5 tsp baking powder pinch of salt Topping 3 tbsp brown sugar 1 tbsp vegan butter 1.5 tbsp orange juice (from a slice of orange) 1 cup fresh cranberries 8 strawberries, sliced Pinch of cinnamon, all spice and clove Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Begin by preparing the pan with the topping ingredients. Rub the butter all over the sides and the bottom of the pan. Next, sprinkle the brown sugar over the butter base. Mix the strawberries, cranberries, orange juice and spices in a bowl. Arrange the fruit on the bottom of the pan, on top of the sugar and butter, to your liking. Pour any leftover juice on the bottom of the pan. Next mix the coconut milk and apple cider vinegar together, set aside. Next, mix the dry ingredients into a bowl. Place the remaining wet ingredients into the bowl with the coconut milk. Mix until combined. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour the wet into the dry and fold until combined. Do not over mix. Pour the batter on top of the fruit, spread evenly. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until a fork or knife comes out clean from piercing the center of the cake. Let the cake cool. Place a plate on the bottom of the pan, flip and remove the pie tin from the cake.
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The holidays are here and I decided to grocery shop in my pantry and my refrigerator. I had a can of pumpkin, tomato paste, a cup of quinoa, some lentils and a handful of produce such as carrots, peppers, onions and celery. I also had some leftover cranberry sauce and wanted to make something to compliment the sauce.
I put my creativity to use and decreased food waste by making this pumpkin lentil loaf. 
Lentil loafs are the perfect winter protein for vegans and vegetarians. I created an excellent recipe for my vegan cookbook (stay posted for 2019 publications!). I wanted to do something different and more focused on the holidays.
Although pumpkin is more associated with Thanksgiving, this lentil loaf is great during the holiday season and a perfect way to use any leftover cans of pumpkin. 
After baking, you can immediately eat the loaf, or let it cool so it binds and forms, and then reheat. Other toppings such as ketchup, or some form of tomato paste + molasses glaze is a fine replacement to cranberry sauce. The loaf itself is savory enough to enjoy as is.
Vegan Pumpkin + Quinoa Lentil Loaf
Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 25-40 minutes Serves: 4-6 Ingredients: 1/3 cup uncooked green lentils 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa 2 cups vegetable broth 2 tbsp olive oil 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 large onion, chopped 1 large carrot, diced 2 small celery stalks, chopped 1/2 green pepper, chopped 1 can of pumpkin puree (15 oz) 1 16 oz can of tomato paste 1-2 tsp maple syrup 1 tbsp Italian seasoning 1/4 tsp garlic powder 1/4 tsp onion powder pinch of nutmeg salt + pepper to taste Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Rinse the quinoa + lentils. Cook the quinoa and lentils with the vegetable broth. Bring the broth to a boil and simmer until edible and the liquid is soaked up. Next, sautéed the onion and garlic in olive oil for 2-3 minutes. Add the carrot, celery and pepper and spices, and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Next, add the remaining ingredients and mix until well combined. Grease a 9x5 (used 9x5.5 inch) bread pan (or line with parchment paper). Bake for 25 minutes. Enjoy warm or let it cool to bind and then reheat. Serve with cranberry sauce or other topping. Let's Connect! Enjoy these other holiday Mind Body Soul Food recipes.
Nature is just as beautiful in the winter as it is in the summer. Although life is alive in the summer, the winter has a spirit that of its own. Cranberries, a popular holiday and winter berry, is tangy and not as sweet as the beloved summer blueberries.
Fusing summer and winter berries creates a vibrant concoction of warm and cool hues. Like the birds picking berries off the trees, we can also enjoy these berries in a healthy and hearty breakfast bar or snack. 
This winter berry delight is an ideal source of fiber and antioxidants. Many people forget how powerful spices are for physiological development. These holiday spices aide in the detoxification process of free radicals. Combined with low sugar, this oatmeal has a mild sweetness. Additional sugar may be added, or maple syrup may be a replacement, but I believe in retraining the palate as the American diet contains too much sugar.
Vegan Holiday Spiced Cranberry + Blueberry Baked Oatmeal
Prep Time; 5 minutes Bake Time: 25-30 minutes Makes: One 10-inch pan Ingredients: 2 cups rolled oats (gluten free if necessary) 1 tsp baking powder 1.5 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1/8 tsp all spice Pinch of salt + cloves ________________________ 2 flax eggs ( 2 tbsp flax meal mixed w/ 1/3 cup water) 1 3/4 cup nondairy milk 1 tsp vanilla 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp brown sugar 1 cup fresh blueberries 1 cup fresh cranberries Optional toppings: 1 tbsp chopped almonds + pumpkin seeds Directions: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Make the flax egg in a bowl and set aside. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add the remaining wet ingredients + the brown sugar in a bowl (do not add the fruit yet). Add the wet to the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Fold in the berries. Grease a 10-inch pie pan. Pour the ingredients evenly into the pan. Top with nuts, if desired. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the oatmeal stiffens. Let's Connect! Enjoy our other seasonal treats and recipes.
Mindfulness is a buzzword that is overused. However, those with deeper levels of awareness are cognizant of their actions and intentions.
The reality is that we reap what we sow. Some believe reaping what you sow is a fear-based perspective on karma. That very much may be true. But, what we put out comes back to us in some form or another. If you go around hurting or manipulating people's emotions or playing with fire, life somehow sends you these exact lessons or situations in your life too. If you ghost people who like you, most likely someone you meet down the road that you like will ghost you or hurt you in some way. Being aware of our actions breaks the bonds from living life on auto-pilot without a care or thought of how our actions and behaviors hurt other people. As always, inspired by the sun, Elizabeth Join Mind Body Soul Food Every Sunday for some inspiration, or Sunspiration, where we analyze quotes and sweet nothings in 150 words or less. Get inspired everyday with our Instagram account, sunspiration_everyday with inspirational quotes, motivational messages & sweet nothings. 
Sometimes the best mistakes are the greatest creations. My friends invited me to a winter pot luck in October and hours before the pot luck I realized I needed to make something. Using the creativity of my pantry, I grabbed whatever ingredients I had left in my produce basket in hopes of making a delicious side dish.
And well, this side was successful. Sweet yet savory. Light but filling. The abundance of orange colored vegetables in your diet nourishes us with much-needed vitamins during the season of hibernation. 
Winter produces this type of harvest for a reason. A mixture of roots with a tad of sweetness of life from a tree, here is one vegan and dairy free side dish to enjoy this winter and holiday season.
Spiritually, it's the best of both ends of a tree. Roots that are firmly grounded with branches that flow with the wind, this side dish is the integration of earth and air. I wish you a happy holiday season and best of luck this New Year. 
Sweet Potato Orange + Leek Side Dish
Prep Time: 7 minutes Bake Time: 25 minutes Serves: 4-5 Ingredients 5 mini or small sweet potatoes, chopped (size used in first image) 1 small leek, halved and sliced 3 carrots, halved and chopped 2 apples, chopped 1 orange, sliced 6 tbsp maple syrup 3 tbsp olive oil Salt to taste Directions Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wash and prep the produce. Place all the ingredients into a bowl, except the orange, and mix until combine. Take the ends of the orange (or one slice) and squeeze it into the bowl. Mix the ingredients again. Pour the ingredients onto a baking sheet evenly. Place the sliced oranges on top of the produce. Bake for 25 minutes. Adjust flavors as needed. Let's Connect! Enjoy our other recipes using these main ingredients as seen below! 
This time of year is magical for some, but tough for others. Being alone is not easy, but the silver-lining to loneliness that this is a time of exploration, reflection, growth and change.
Some people purposefully choose solitude where others crave and need to be around people all the time. A healthy balance is ideal where one can stand on their own two feet and feel comfortable being alone while enjoying the company of others. Being alone is based on perception and perspective. Is your glass half empty or half full? I will be officially divorced in December, and because I did the inner-work, this may yet be the best holiday season to come...standing in solitude and celebrating being in the driver's seat of my life. I choose what I want to do and where I want to go all being thankful for every opportunity that comes my way. As always, inspired by the sun, Elizabeth Join Mind Body Soul Food Every Sunday for some inspiration, or Sunspiration, where we analyze quotes and sweet nothings in 150 words or less. Get inspired everyday with our Instagram account, sunspiration_everyday with inspirational quotes, motivational messages & sweet nothings 
Happy fall / winter! I made this apple pear crisp for Thanksgiving where I spent it with a Romanian family this year. This crisp came out of the oven moments before my ride picked me up and so I apologize for the poor imagery, but here is a healthy winter recipe that combines the best of fall fruits. Your house will smell amazing thanks to the fusion of spices. Enjoy!
Vegan Brown Sugar Pear + Apple Crisp
Prep Time: 5 minutes Bake Time: 28 minutes Serves: 6 Ingredients: Topping 2 cups of rolled oats 1/3 cup flour 1/4 tsp cinnamon 2-3 tbsp brown sugar Pinch of salt 1/3 cup canola oil Filling 2 gala apples, sliced 2 pears, sliced 3 tbsp brown sugar 2 tbsp orange juice (squeezed from a navel orange) 1.5 tbsp corn starch 1/4 tsp baking soda 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp nutmeg Pinch of all spice Preheat oven to 250-degrees. Mix the dry topping ingredients in a bowl. When mixed, pour in the canola oil and mix until everything is wet. For the filling, wash and cut the fruit. Mix all of the ingredients together in a separate bowl. Pour the filling ingredients into a 9-inch pie pan, spread evenly. Next, pour the topping ingredients over the crisp evenly. Bake for approximately 28 minutes. Serve warm! Let's Connect! Save all MBSF recipes to your Yummly recipe box! Enjoy these other crisps and desserts! 
A bit late in posting, but better now than never. Fig season is gone, but that doesn't mean that this recipe won't be useful for next season. I created this roasted fig recipe as part of a breakfast at the You Are Enough Yoga Retreat. I paired this with my Vegan Butternut Squash Pancakes + Rosemary Sage Butter, it is a spin-off recipe to my original Vegan Pumpkin Spiced Pancakes.
The Nectar Yoga Retreat in Bowen Island holds it's own on the island. A special, quiet and magical place, one sits in the backyard gazing at the awe-inspiring pine trees and birds of prey that swarm the sky. The yoga retreat opened the doors to a start of a new chapter in my life.
Deeply connecting to our food, ancestral roots and Christianity, many people do not realize how sacred this fruit is to our being. Like dates, figs are nature's candy, a sweet substance that fuels humans with enough glucose to make it through the day.
Figs are an ancient fruit that I believe God gave us to nourish our minds, bodies and souls. Figs are depicted in the Bible several times, including Deuteronomy 8:
“The Lord your God is bringing you into a good land… a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honeyâ€. ​Like the seven chakras, seven planets, the seven wonders and my birthday - being born on the 7th, seven is a highly spiritual number. As seen above, the Bible presents seven foods, all of which root to nature. Nothing is manmade. I created this recipe in bulk, but feel free to use one pound of figs. The liquid can be readjusted and reduced, but will be extra-juicy with the original ingredients. 
Check out my Vegan Butternut Squash Pancakes+ Rosemary Sage Butter that I paired this with at the yoga retreat.
Oven Roasted Figs with Agave + Sage
Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 25-40 min. (when figs get fragrant) Serves: 12 Ingredients: 3 lbs of Figs 2 tbsp olive oil 3-4 tbsp of agave nectar (can add more after baking) 1/4 of a lemon, juiced 3 stems of fresh sage 1 cup walnuts (optional) Directions: Preheat the oven to 350-degrees. Wash and cut the figs. Mix all of the ingredients into a bowl. Spread the figs on the baking sheet. Bake for 25-40 minutes, or until the figs are fragrant and roasted, but not sticking to the pan. Cook time varies on the oven. Let's Connect! Save all MBSF recipes to your Yummly Inbox. Check out other favorite dairy-free recipes below!
Today, the holiday season is wrapped up in consumerism. No longer are children interested in oranges and roasted chest nuts, but fascinated by the awe-inspiring glitters of technology and packaged toys. Materialism is a part of this world. A balance between gratitude and gift giving is healthy. Children of the past received one to two gifts and cherished those prized possessions as it was similar to a treat.
Many Americans are breaking away from consumeristic holidays and rooting back to the spirit and the authentic meaning of the holiday season. It's a time to express gratitude during the darkest time of the year. It's a time of reflection on the past 11 months. It's a season of enjoying loved ones and the company of others. That is the true spirit of the holiday season, a time to express thanks for everything, from the sweet fruits of nature to the acts of kindness from a friend. Happy holiday season. As always, inspired by the sun, Elizabeth Join Mind Body Soul Food Every Sunday for some inspiration, or Sunspiration, where we analyze quotes and sweet nothings in 150 words or less. Get inspired everyday with our Instagram account, sunspiration_everyday with inspirational quotes, motivational messages & sweet nothings. 
Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
Yesterday I had an interesting experience. I went to teach my LGBT senior yoga class at Century Ballroom in Capitol Hill. A yoga class ended prior to mine and I heard a girl speak with the instructor that she wasn't going home for Thanksgiving because she did not believe in it. Now, many people today in the PACNW have been socially engineered by the social justice media, which some of this stuff has a point but what they don't see, recognize or believe is that the media is making them heartless monsters. Human history has always been bloody, hard and intense. Life today is no different. It's the same story but different characters and locations. But, for one who attends a yoga class, how can you not believe in Thanksgiving? The basis of yoga spiritual theory is to become a more thankful human being. It was the complete opposite of what I experienced where my senior participants tell me weekly how thankful they are for my class, my teachings and my spirit. Putting history aside, it is the one day of the year where we can put life aside and give thanks to everyone and everything on this planet. The Thanksgiving meal itself is the consumption of the earth. The plants. The animals. The grains. All of that has been sacrificed or given for your nourishment. Even the plants are alive. Everything from the earth that is consumed has breath, air or spirit that awakens our souls. This is something our ancestors understood amidst hardships. I live in Seattle, but my hometown is in Cleveland. Several people invited me to Thanksgiving and although I can only attend one event, I am most thankful for people to even think about inviting me somewhere. After the Camino, I walked forward in life and reached a peak level of gratitude. For some odd reason, if death chose me on the camino or say, on the flight away from the Camino, I sat there in utmost gratitude for everything that entered my life. If I died, I would've happily died. I've traveled. I've been married. I've had amazingly good and bad times with family and friends. I've succeeded at work. I've failed at life. I've been in love several times. I've met soul mates. I've experienced unconditional love by my cats. I've been abundant. I've been poor. I've lived out of bag. I've experienced basically everything good, bad and in between. What more do we humans want out of life?
I fight for women, but I also fight for men. I'm an Aquarian so equality is important.
On Tuesday I had a conversation with two men who work the desk and security at the Gates Foundation. We chatted briefly about dating. And they said women are confusing. They said if I buy flowers say yellow roses, she sometimes complains that it's not red. I said get rid of her. She's ungrateful and won't be happy. How do people go through life not aware of the kindness or the thoughts that people do? If one cannot be thankful to receive flowers - how much does their soul need to evolve?
Modern society is decadent that we've lost connection to everything God, the planet and people do for us.
Give thanks on this day to everything that's entered your life, good and bad, and every molecule of nourishment that enters your mouth. From me to you, Happy Thanksgiving. |
AuthorElizabeth Rae Kovar M.A. is Author of her memoir, Finding Om and is a Fitness Trainer, Yogi, Reiki Master, Presenter and Lover of Life. To view her portfolio please visit www.elizabethkovar.com 
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