This paté is a delightful combination of sweet and spicy. At first bite you might think, ‘Oh, this is too sweet’, but then you’ll be hit by the savory notes of the curry powder and go, ‘Nah’.

Gourmet culinary folks probably think I shouldn’t be calling this paté, since paté is technically a spreadable mixture of meat and fat.

Ermm…

But I’ve decided that I am usurping that term and transforming the definition to ‘spreadable mixture of vegetables, nuts and spices’. You good with that?

On Friday, I celebrated Food Revolution Day by throwing a potluck party.

I wanted to honour real food and real ingredients, but let’s be honest: it was actually an excuse to make this cake.

When you mostly cook for yourself or for one other person, it’s difficult to justify making a dessert that calls for 12 bananas. Sure, bananas are good for you. But not when you eat an entire cake made of them all on your own. Which is totally what I would have done if I didn’t have friends to share it with.

Some days are perfect for green smoothies and kale salads.

Others are meant for heartier fare, like this loaf. It’s like eating meat and potatoes, without the actual meat or potatoes.

It’s even perfect for the lazy folk, who don’t even need to expend the effort to scoop more than one forkful – all of the warmth and flavour are enclosed in one comforting bite.

The day I made this, I ate it for both lunch and dinner. It’s that good.

There are more steps to this dish than in my five-ingredient recipes, but they’re not difficult and the results are worth it. This probably isn’t something you’d want to create after going to work and hitting the gym, but for a lazy weekend afternoon? Go for it.

I’m experimenting with a new recipe plugin – what do you think? Do you like the recipe in the format below, or do you prefer it like in this post?

The turn of the seasons often prompts us to make changes in our lives, whether we want to eat healthier, snag a hunky dreamboat, or find a new career. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement and make sweeping generalizations like, ‘I’ll never eat another cupcake ever!’ or ‘No more online shopping’, but how many of us succumb to temptation shortly after we make our grand proclamations?

Formulating goals and pledging to make changes to achieve the happiness you want is important, no doubt about that. Yet transformation isn’t always as simple as flipping a light switch on and off as we please.

With respect to health, it’s extremely difficult to morph from a beer-swilling, candy-gobbling, fast food-loving lass into a vegetable-obsessed yoga fiend overnight. Establishing solid, healthy habits can take time.

So where is the best place to start? I believe that beginning daily with small, realistic steps will set us on the path to better health. While some of these tips may not seem significant – in fact, you’ve probably heard of most of them before – they truly have an enormous impact on our physical, mental and emotional wellness.

I’ll even bet that soon enough, you won’t have to make a concerted effort to do them – they’ll just fit seamlessly into your life.

1. Drink more water.

This stuff plays an essential role in our bodies – water aids digestion, keeps our cells supple and happy, transports nutrients and hormones, lubricates joints, flushes out wastes and toxins, and more. If you struggle to drink enough water, try downloading an app that will help you track consumption, or set timers that will remind you. You can also fill a few water bottles in the morning and keep them with you at your desk or in your bag so you’ve always got some on hand.

2. Eat stuff that’s green.

And I don’t mean lime-green gummy worms. Vibrant green vegetables and fruit are packed with a wide array of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre that help reduce inflammation, support bone health and prevent disease. You don’t have to eat salads all day long to enjoy them – throw a handful of greens into a smoothie, shred some greens into your soups and stews, or blend them into a pesto. Heartier veggies like broccoli or Brussels sprouts are wonderful roasted, too.

3. Laugh.

Having a good guffaw can help improve immune function, reduce stress, modulate pain, boost our mood, enhance heart function and spark creativity. Hang out with friends that make you laugh, watch a funny TV show or movie, or sign up for ‘joke of the day’ emails. Sounds cheesy, but frankly, I don’t give edam. (I’m not actually funny – I stole that from @dailycheesejoke).

4. Smile.

Similar to laughter, numerous studies have shown how smiling can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, lift our spirits and release endorphins. Smiles are also contagious – and people presented with smiling faces are more likely to mimic a happy face in return. So smile every day at friends, family, coworkers, and even strangers on the street or on transit. And don’t forget to smile at yourself in the mirror, too!

5. Be grateful.

As I wrote in this post, being grateful improves our relationships, lowers stress and helps us sleep better. I recently heard the most brilliant tip to practice this every day: keep a gratitude jar. Plunk a large mason jar on your counter and write down what you’re grateful for, or something nice that happened to you, on a scrap of paper. Then, at the end of the year (or when you’re feeling down), you can remember the wonderful collage of gratitude you experienced each day. Cool, huh?

What are your simple daily tips to live more healthfully?

Photos by Stephanie Chan of The Pauhaus

I’m super excited to give you the deets about my shiny new website, which is launching on Friday, May 10.

The domain will be www.sondibruner.com – if you look there now, you’ll see my ugly writing website, but soon it will transform into something awesome.

Due to techie stuff I can’t understand, I’m not able to automatically switch all of you over via email and RSS. I don’t want you to miss out on great content (pssst – and a free launch gift), so please update your bookmarks. You’ll be able to subscribe again once the new website launches.

In the meantime, why don’t you join me on my Facebook Page (yes, I finally have one), where we can chat and have some fun!

The new site will still feature tons of gluten-free, dairy-free, plant-based and allergen-friendly recipes, along with:

- free PDF resources

- helpful articles, links and information

- more healthful tips and tricks

- expanded nutrition services (available remotely or locally – I can help you no matter where you live!)

To celebrate the launch of my new website, I’m giving away a free gift – a copy of my new e-cookbook, Five Ingredient Recipes.

See you all on Friday!

Why am I posting a recipe for a filling, instead of one for an entire veggie pot pie?

Because it’s amazing. The best ever. It elicits the comforting sensations induced by roaring fires, molten chocolate lava cakes and puppies.

You’ll want to eat this on its own. I sure have.

(Also – I’m not good at creating original recipes for gluten-free, vegan crusts. That’s why I used one from Flying Apron’s Gluten-Free & Vegan Baking Book. )

The Ultimate Pot Pie Filling
gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, vegetarian, soy-free, egg-free

1 small onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
1/2 a red bell pepper, finely diced
1 small sweet potato, finely diced
1 crown of broccoli, finely diced (including the stalks)
1/4 cup red lentils
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp Himalayan salt, or more to taste
1 1/2 cups water
2 tbsp brown rice flour

In a pot over medium heat, sauté the onions in a bit of water until slightly softened. Add the vegetables and spices, and gently sauté for another 4-5 minutes or so, until the rest of the veggies start to cook.

Add the water and lentils and stir. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, until everything is tender. Add a little bit more water if needed, but you don’t want it too soupy.

Add the brown rice flour and stir until the mixture is thickened. This will probably take about 5-8 minutes.

Put the filling in a greased baking dish and cover with your favourite gluten-free/dairy-free crust, or serve atop a whole grain.

(Looking for healthy dessert recipes, or tips for how to eat deliciously on a budget? Then check out my e-books here.)

I wholeheartedly believe that if you can read, you can learn to cook.

However, I appreciate that preparing food is intimidating and daunting for some people. Plus, the popularity of gourmet cooking shows has left many of us feeling insecure about what we create. There’s no need to be Martha Stewart, people.

For those of you who still feel inept in the kitchen, this soup is foolproof. I mean, it’s basically got three ingredients (salt and water not included). You really can’t mess it up.

You’re making this. No excuses.

Easy Cream of Asparagus Soup
gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, soy-free, egg-free, five ingredients or less

3/4 cup chopped onion
1 bunch of asparagus (about 12-15 spears)
1/4 cup cashews, soaked for a few hours and drained
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups of water

In a few tablespoons of water, sauté the onions for a few minutes until they soften. Add the asparagus and two cups of water, then simmer until the vegetables are tender – about 20 minutes.

Put the vegetables, cashews and salt in a blender and whirl until smooth (be careful blending hot liquids). Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, or add more water if you’d like a thinner consistency.

When I was growing up, my Grandpa brought us Baskin Robbins every single Wednesday night. We were never allowed to actually eat it when he arrived. This wasn’t parental torture – it was too late in the evening to eat ice cream, so we enjoyed it on Thursday nights for dessert.

I always chose the same flavour: mint chocolate chip. Chocolate and mint has always held a magical pull on me.

I have dreamy, fond memories of Baskin Robbins, but now I realize that its mint chocolate chip ice cream is filled with corn syrup, artificial flavours and my ultimate nemesis carrageenan – a thickener that aggravates symptoms of IBD.

This smoothie is like drinking my childhood. Minty, chocolatey heaven. Decadent? Yup. But in the best possible way, because it bathes you in healing nutrients.

Spinach is like eating a multivitamin, avocado is packed with good fats, peppermint aids digestion and cacao nibs flood you with antioxidants. This isn’t a smoothie you’d eat every day, but it was the perfect weekend treat.

What childhood favourite would you like to recreate?

Mint Chocolate Chip Smoothie
gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, soy-free, egg-free

1/2 cup coconut milk
3/4 cup water
large fistful of spinach (about 1 lightly packed cup)
1/2 an avocado
1 drop of food grade peppermint oil
sweetener to taste (I used dates)
1 tbsp cacao nibs or vegan chocolate chips  (I used both!)

Put the coconut milk, water, spinach, avocado, peppermint and sweetener into a blender and blend until smooth.

Stir in the chocolate by hand.

(Looking for healthy dessert recipes, or tips for how to eat deliciously on a budget? Then check out my e-books here.)

Basil is one of those herbs I don’t use enough. It has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, along with a healthy dose of nutrients that fight pesky free radicals. Sounds like a super-herb to me.

My husband didn’t like these because he thought the basil came on too strong, but that is exactly why I found these surprisingly delightful. I was expecting an overwhelming broccoli flavour – which would have been awesome – and ended up with sweet, fragrant basil highlights.

Eat these on their own as a snack, fold them into a wrap or plop them onto your salad for an extra protein boost. Want to elevate the deliciousness factor? Daub them with my new obsession: roasted garlic tahini sauce. You won’t regret it.

Broccoli Basil Bean Bites
gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, soy-free, grain-free, five ingredients or less

2 cups cooked cannelini beans
2 crowns of broccoli, chopped finely (about 3 cups)
1/4 cup basil, finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)

Note: you can make this recipe without a food processor. Just finely chop the broccoli and mash the beans with a fork or potato masher. You’ll need a little more elbow grease, but you can get ‘er done.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a food processor, finely chop the broccoli, then set it aside.

Place the beans in the processor and pulse them until they are well mashed, but still have some texture to them.

Add the broccoli, basil, salt and nutritional yeast (if you’re using it) to the processor and pulse everything together. You may need a tablespoon or two of water to bring everything together.

Using a tablespoon measure, scoop the mixture onto a prepared baking sheet and flatten slightly into patties.

Bake for 20-24 minutes, until patties are firm and lightly golden on the outside. They will harden as they cool.

Somewhere on the internet, I read the secret to creating ultra-creamy hummus is blending the liquids with tahini before adding the beans.

I wish I could remember whose blog it was that enlightened me, so I could give her due credit. Because this tip changed. my. life.

Yes. Changed my life. Other people are transformed by their first love or giving birth to children, while my world is rocked by new and innovative kitchen tips.

This isn’t the most attractive looking dish, with its ghastly gray-ish hues. But I know your taste buds will love the luxurious and creamy texture, while your insides will adore the protein, fibre and minerals.

Do you have any unusual kitchen tips to tell me about?

Creamy Lentil Dip
gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, soy-free, five ingredients or less

2 cups cooked green lentils (this is about 1/2 cup dried)
1/2 cup water, or more as needed
1/4 cup tahini
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 small cloves of garlic, minced or crushed
1/2 tsp Himalayan salt, or to taste

In a food processor or blender, combine the tahini, water and lemon juice. Blend until the mixture is smooth.

Add the cooked lentils, garlic and salt, then process again until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.