Join
Earthy Family for fun and seasonal family
recipes. Our recipes tend to be dairy-free and gluten-free
and are mostly vegetarian. Don't worry, though, they are still
very yummy besides being incredibly healthy. We recommend
you use organic ingredients and local produce
when possible.
"Cooking
should be a carefully balanced reflection
of all the good
things of the earth."
- Jean Pierre Troisgros
Winter Recipes
Cinnamon Almond Milk
This is one of our family favourites for cold days. When we make it for breakfast, we blend it in the blender with a heaping scoop or two of protein powder and serve it with toast. A real comfort food.
4 cups milk (soy, rice, almond or cow)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp almond extract
Place it all in a saucepan and warm over medium heat until you get to the temperature you want. Stir with a whisk to keep it from burning.
Hot Cocoa
This can easily be made with carob instead, just decrease the sweetener by about half. Again, if we make this for breakfast, we add a scoop or two of protein powder. 
3 cups milk (soy, rice, almond or cow)
2-3 Tbsp brown rice syrup or agave nectar
2 Tbsp good quality powdered cocoa or carob
1/3 cup coconut milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Pour the milk and vanilla into a saucepan and stir while heating until just before boiling. Pour into a blender with remaining ingredients and blend for about 30-45 seconds, until well mixed. You should have a nice frothy layer on top when you stop blending. Pour into cups, garnish with a cinnamon sticks and enjoy!
Winter Snacking Mix
This is a great energy-boosting mix for taking along on winter excursions or serving at winter get-togethers.
2 cups whole macadamia nuts
1 cup dried cranberries (use organic if at all possible)
1 cup shaved (not shredded) coconut
Mix together and package or pour into a decorative bowl.
Banana Snowpeople
Try making these fun, tasty and healthy little guys with all your favourite little people
For each snowman you'll need:
1/2 ripe banana (frozen or fresh from the peel)
1/4 cup coconut
dried fruit and/or nuts
2 pretzels
toothpicks
Cut each 1/2 banana into 3 sections and roll in the coconut to coat. Attach using the toothpicks and decorate with the dried fruit, nuts and pretzels (these make great arms). Dried papaya spears can be trimed into noses, raisins make great eyes and buttons and a cashew makes a great mouth. Enjoy making them and then enjoy snacking on them. Since these are made with such healthy ingredients, they can be served as breakfast, a snack or even lunch. Of course, tasting the building ingredients is strongly encouraged. 
Nutty Coleslaw
Turn raw cabbage into a treat sure to please with this recipe.
1/4 of a medium purple cabbage, shredded
1 carrot, grated
2 green onions, chopped
2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds
Dressing:
1/2 cup nut butter (peanut or almond work really well)
1/2 cup hot water
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp tamari soy sauce
1 Tbsp blackstrap molasses (use organic, regular often contains formaldehyde)
Hot pepper sauce to taste - use a few drops or a whole teaspoon, depending on your crowd
To make the dressing, combine the nut butter and hot water until smooth, then add the remaining ingredients. In a serving bowl, combine the cabbage, carrot, green onoins, cilantro and sunflower seeds in then toss with the desired amount of dressing. Serve right away. Leftover dressing can be used as a vegetable dip for snacktime the following day.
Root Veggie Bake
This is a scrumptious (and family friendly) way to prepare the myriad of root vegetables so readily available during the short, dark days of winter.
5 cups root vegetables (onion, yam, turnip, sweet potato, carrot, parsnip, pumpkin, butternut squash, acorn squash, rutabaga, etc.), scrubbed and cubed into uniform size
2-3 Tbsp cold-pressed vegetable oil (sunflower or safflower work really well)
Salt and pepper to taste
Toss the vegetables, oil and salt and pepper together and turn onto a cookie sheet (or 2). Place in a 400F oven. Bake for ½ - 1 hour, stirring often until all the veggies are soft and beginning to brown or even blacken a wee bit.. Serve as a side dish, or make a meal out of it by toasting some almonds and/or pecans to scatter on top just before serving.
All-Day Lentil Soup
A Crockpot Treat! When days are full and dinner looms a challenge, it can help to plan ahead. Putting this soup on in the morning and allowing it to gently cook all day is a great way to prepare a nourishing meal with minimum effort. The smell it provides by day’s end will be a delight in itself.
6 cups vegetable stock
1 ½ cups green or brown lentils, washed and sorted
1 small can tomato paste
4 cups kale, finely chopped and firmly packed
4-6 carrots, diced
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp each: cumin and oregano
1 tsp lemon pepper
Place all ingredients in crockpot, stir well and cook on high for 8 hours. Season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Serve warm with a whole grain bread for a complete and hearty meal.
Chilly Day Chili
An incredibly yummy and healthy version of that warming winter food.
1 Tbsp cold-pressed canola, sunflower or safflower oil
1 medium onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 green bell peper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 carrots, cut into coins (or grated if you
prefer)
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 cups shredded greens (kale or chard are great choices)
1 large can diced or pureed tomatoes, fire-roasted if available
1 large can mixed beans
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp sea salt
2 tsp oregano
Heat the oil in a large pot, then saute the onions and garlic with the chili powder until onions are softened. Add the peppers, carrots, mushrooms, and greens and saute until all the veggies are soft. Add the tomatoes, beans and seasonings and let simmer for about half an hour. Adjust seasonings to taste and serve with fresh from the oven cornbread.
Beans & Rice Chocolate Chip Cookies
This hypo-allergenic version of chocolate chip cookies is healthily made and tastes "divine", in the words of our 3 year old. I hope you enjoy them as much as he does. They contain no wheat, gluten, eggs or soy and the dairy and nuts are optional. Should satisfy just about any allergy that comes your way.
3/4 cup non-hydrogenated margarine or butter
1 cup granular sweetener (we use Sucanat, an evaporated cane sugar, but you could also use date sugar, maple sugar or even brown sugar)
1 Tbsp ground flax seed
3 Tbsp water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup chickpea flour (also known as garbanzo bean flour or channa flour)
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp
baking soda
1 tsp sea salt
1 cup chocolate or carob chips (if using carob, be sure to read the ingredients - many carob chips have hydrogenated oil added to them)
3/4 cup of chopped pecans
Start by mixing the ground flax seed with the water in a small bowl or cup. Set aside and preheat your oven to 350 F. Prepare your cookie sheets by lightly oiling or lining with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, cream the margarine or butter with the sweetener. Add the flax mixture and the vanilla and mix thoroughly. In a separate bowl, combine the chickpea flour, brown rice flour, cornstarch, tapioca flour, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt. Add to the other mixture and combine until all one consistency. Add your chocolate or carob chips and pecan bits if you're using them. Drop by teaspoon onto your prepared cookie sheets and bake for 5-6 minutes. These cook really quickly and burn easily, so be sure to check at 5 minutes and every 30 seconds thereafter.
Rice Pudding
This makes a great dessert, snack or even breakfast. When we have a rice dish for dinner, we often make extra rice to make this pudding then have it for a bedtime snack and breakfast the next morning.
2 cups cooked brown rice
2 cups milk (soy, rice, nut or dairy)
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup agave nectar or honey
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup shelled hemp seed (also known as "hemp hearts")
2 Tbsp non-hydrogenated margarine or butter
Combine all your ingredients in a casserole dish with a lid. Bake at 350 F for about 1 - 1.5 hours until the milk is all cooked in. Serve warm or cold with an extra splash of milk on top. The hemp seed adds a great serving of protein and healthy fats and cooks in so well, it's hardly noticeable, even to picky eaters.
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