Fun, Vegan, Family Living: Food Hacks for Wholesome Living

Corey Taylor

~

Instagram: @thevegansix

A plant-based mama of four on a mission to share how delicious, healthy and fun vegan family living can be!

---

One thing you know for sure?

One thing I know for sure is that love really does make the world go round. At least my world! I live for love every day: Love for myself, my partner, my children, the animals, the earth. Living plant-based is a way to choose love.

The Family Kitchen

Wash, dry and prep produce immediately after bringing it home from the market. Then place it in central locations that are easy to see and reach for everyone in the home so that healthy choices are always available. I try to have bowls of clean, ripe produce around the kitchen and in the fridge at all times for quick snacks and meal additions.

Wholesome Living

I nourish myself by allowing time to extend everyday necessities into creative, juicy moments whenever possible. Slowing down to make a colorful plant-based meal with my kids... replacing a quick shower with a bath infused with essential oils and lit by a candle... these are some of the ways that I nourish myself amidst the hectic rush of modern life.

Strawberry Coconut Breakfast Tarts

Crust

1½ cups raw pecans or any other nuts

1 cup soft medjool dates

1 tbsp water

¼ tsp sea salt

Filling

2 cups raw cashews, soaked overnight

4 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

¹⁄³ cup coconut oil, melted

¹⁄³ cup plant sweetener (I used xylitol)

2 cups fresh strawberries

METHOD

For the crust, blend nuts and dates with sea salt and water in a food processor till all well mixed and sticking together. Place the mixture in an 18 cm baking form. Put in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. I created some rings from the leftover crust mixture and pressed them to the sides of the baking form. Place raw cashew, lemon juice, vanilla extract, coconut oil, and syrup or xylitol in a food processor and mix on high speed until the mixture is creamy and smooth. Add the strawberries and mix again. Take the crust out of the fridge, pour the filling into it and place it back in the freezer for at least 4 hours or overnight. Take the frozen cake out 30 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh strawberries.

Don't Overlook Leftovers!

I think leftovers are so underused at home when we cook! I recently read a statistic that up to 40 percent of food in America is wasted. Don’t trash your leftovers! Steamed veggies like zucchini, cauliflower and sweet potatoes can be frozen and added to soups and even smoothies. Roasted or grilled veggies are great in salads, wraps and tacos, or as pizza toppings. Cooked grains can be made into savory burgers. The possibilities are endless!

"I nourish myself by allowing time to extend everyday necessities into creative, juicy moments whenever possible."

Secret Ingredient

The food secret I swear by is homemade flours. Gourmet nut, whole grain and gluten-free flours can be pricey and hard to find, but making your own is so easy. I buy whole-food ingredients like almonds, buckwheat and rolled oats and grind them into fresh flours using a food processor or high-speed blender. Storing a few cups of homemade flour in jars in the fridge assures that I always have healthy options when the desire to bake strikes.

Purple Sweet Potato Ice Cream

1 (400 ml) can coconut cream

½ cup steamed purple sweet potato

¹⁄³ cup agave nectar

2 tsp vanilla extract

¼ heaping tsp guar gum

1 tbsp vodka (to prevent ice cream from freezing too hard)

METHOD

Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until creamy and smooth. Add to an ice cream maker, following manufacturer’s instructions. Or, if you are like me and you don’t have an ice cream maker, add to a loaf pan and freeze for 5-6 hours, removing every hour to whisk well. Once frozen, thaw for 10-20 minutes before serving. Enjoy!