Recipe Notes
Piling a bunch of delicious healthy things onto toasted sourdough bread is one of my favourite meals when I want something satisfying yet super quick for dinner. This is a loose recipe in the sense that you need to taste it to get the balance right. It's going to require a lot more olive oil than you might intuitively put. The olive oil is basically the sauce. I add a dash of balsamic vinegar and a bit of maple syrup at the end for acid and a bit of sweetness. When you take a bite of this toast, everything on top should almost taste marinated. Like it was packed in oil, and you spooned it out of a jar. 

Other Variations
This is only one version of the toast I have made, it might be my favourite to date. Once you get the hang of dressing things with olive oil and vinegar with lots of garlic, salt and pepper....you will undoubtedly start throwing together all sorts of combinations.

I don't always add beans, sometimes it's just fresh chopped tomato and kale, with maybe some vegan feta tucked in. (pictured below) Of course you could use spinach, chard, any beans that you like.

Leeks make it special. There's something addictively good about a toast that includes them in the mix. They get buttery soft and have a sweet onion flavour that's to die for. If you want to add a splash of white wine while the leeks are cooking, it's a nice option too. I don't always have wine on hand, but it's definitely good and the alcohol burns off in case that's a concern. 

If you don't like sundried tomatoes, try adding olives! A smear of olive paste on the toast or chopped pieces. I could also see using pesto for a flavour punch. Options are endless. 

Bread
For this recipe, I used Ace Bakery sliced sourdough. It comes in a big loaf, pre sliced at the Atlantic Superstore. The slices are large and oblong. 4 slices were enough for the amount of filling. Of course, any good quality store bought sourdough would be great! I'd probably slice the slices just a BIT thicker than theirs, but alas, it's often the only sourdough I can find near me. 

Recipe Difficulty: Easy

​Recipe Keywords: Minestrone, Vegan, Pasta, Vegetable, Soup, Healthy

My Minestrone Recipe Notes
I am in love with this soup. It's simple, flavourful, hearty, satisfying, delicious...you get the idea. There are a lot of variations of minestrone out there, and honestly I can't remember ever having minestrone soup before attempting my own. Vegetables seem to vary between a lot of recipes, so I just went with what I like/was in the mood for. Perhaps there is a way of preparing this soup that is most authentic, and if I have deviated from that, that's ok...because this soup inspired by minestrone, and it is now one of my favourites on my blog. Also, that's not to say that I won't mix up the veg sometime down the road. I'm a big fan of switching things up in all sorts of dishes based on what I have on hand or what's available at the market. 

Don't let a slightly longer ingredient list deter you. The prep is simple. Opening a bag of frozen edamame & a can of white beans is quick, shredding kale takes two seconds, opening a bag of pasta and canned tomato, easy.....and most of the cooking time is letting it simmer gently on the stove while you can be doing something else. It's delicious and I hope you try it and love it as much as I do. 

What's in my soup?

• Chili Flakes (a pinch)
• Mirepoix (onion, carrot, celery)
• Garlic
• Tomato & tomato paste
• Homemade Veg stock (I find making my own stock essential for flavourful soup making)
• Pasta (I bought a good quality orecchiette pasta, but use whatever you like or have on hand!)
• White Beans
• Edamame
• Zucchini
• Kale
• Fresh Rosemary, Sage, Thyme & Parsley (At the store they sell "poultry seasoning" packages of fresh herbs, which was perfect for this recipe because I couldn't decide what herbs I wanted to use, I didn't want to spend a lot, and this had a bit of a few things that work great...You could definitely mix up the fresh herbs. I think a variation with basil and oregano would be lovely)
• Salt & Pepper
• Red Wine Vinegar (just one teaspoon to season the soup)
• Vegan Parmesan (for garnish)

HOW TO MAKE VEG STOCK/SAVE MONEY/REDUCE WASTE

I always make my own. I don't have a recipe per say, and I'm pretty sure in every soup recipe I talk about this. I have a bag in my freezer that I keep there at all times. When I'm cooking meals over a few weeks, I save scraps of onion, carrot, tomato, mushroom, celery, thyme, parsley, garlic...and just toss it into the bag in the freezer. This can include onion peels, green onions, tomatoes that are past ripe on your counter....I waste practically nothing in my kitchen. 

When the bag is full, that is when I decide to make a veg stock. You can make it and freeze it for later or plan soup for your meal prep!

• I simply dump the frozen contents into my large stock pot and cover with water. Sometimes I'll bulk it up with other things. Bay leaves, dried mushrooms, more herbs, or if there's not a lot of onion, carrot or celery I might chop one up if I really think it needs it.
• Top the contents with water, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. At this point you can strain and discard the scraps. (If I tossed dried mushrooms into my stock pot, I eat them because I like them)
• I typically will add the veg liquid back to my pot (cleaning it out first) to reduce. If I'm using it right away this isn't necessary, though I might just reduce it a tiny bit. However, if I'm going to be freezing this for later, I reduce a large volume of vegetable broth down to about 2 cups. Then I can pour it into a small container and into the freezer. 
• When it's time to make soup, thaw and simply add that + extra water for soup making. I don't really have a specific ratio. I just go at it and it always works out. 

Recipe Difficulty: Easy

Recipe Keywords: Rocky Road, Baked Oatmeal, Breakfast Cookies, Vegan, Gluten Free, 

Healthy Breakfast Cookies Recipe Notes

I developed this recipe because I needed something I could quickly grab to fuel my work days. Breaks aren't really a thing in many restaurant kitchens where I have worked. When energy starts to dip, something to eat while standing in between prep jobs or during service is essential. I wanted to use healthy simple ingredients, and even though I'm fine with gluten, I know many people aren't so I wanted to keep them gluten free. They come together in 10 minutes in 1 bowl. 

 I used 70% organic chips in these, I am a huge chocolate lover so for me adding them was a no brainer. The marshmallows are definitely optional, I had an open bag and decided to garnish the tops with 3-4 mini vegan marshmallows per cookie. I don't tend to eat a lot of added sugar, but I'm not worried about a tiny portion size. The cookies themselves aren't very sweet, and I just thought they looked really cute with a few on top!

What is in these cookies? Answer: mostly simple whole food ingredients

• whole rolled oats
• crunchy natural peanut butter
• unsweetened apple sauce
• rice flour
• baking powder
• ground flax seeds (mixed with water for to make a "flax egg")
• maple syrup
• ​vanilla
• sea salt
  
• add ins : chocolate chips & mini marshmallows 

Substitutions
I haven't tried other variations but this is what I would consider trying.

• swap crunchy natural peanut butter for almond or cashew butter.
• instead of white rice flour (it's all I could get at the time), use brown rice flour or another gluten free flour.
• instead of chocolate chips, I am eager to try dehydrated strawberries, figs, dried apple or another dried fruit.
• I can see myself adding warm spices like cinnamon, ground ginger, and or cardamom. I would decide what to add based on what dried fruit I was using. 
• You could try using mashed over ripe bananas instead of apple sauce. I love banana, but I didn't want these to be "banana-y" this time. I'm sure I will try it in the future. 

Storage

• ​I recommend storing these in the freezer. They can keep at room temperature for awhile, but there's a low sugar content so they will go moldy if left out too long. (I made that mistake) You could definitely keep them in the fridge too, but my preference is the freezer so I don't have to worry about how long they will stay good. 
• You can pull them out of the freezer for something on the go and just let it thaw, or if you want to eat it immediately just toss it in the microwave for 15 seconds. 

​Hey friends! This page contains affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Your support means a lot,  and I thank you!

Recipe Difficulty: Easy

Recipe Keywords: Baked Pasta, Vegan Pasta, Cheesy, Roasted Vegetables, Summer Pasta

Cheesy Baked Rigatoni with Roasted Vegetables Recipe Notes

This baked pasta dish is adapted from rebar modern food cookbook, a fav book I have been using for over 20 years. The recipe is vegetarian and I wanted to veganize it. I have only made it the once, but it was really good so I am publishing it to serve as inspiration for anyone else, and so that when I go to make it the next time I have a reference point. Will I tweak some things? Yes. I'll describe all the details. It's a really simple thing to make, and you can read my notes and make adjustments if you wish. No matter what it is going to be good, I just know that over time I tweak things until they are perfect. (It was already pretty perfect...small details....I will update the post whenever I make it again to adjust anything I think is a worthy improvement)

What is in this Cheesy Pasta Bake?

• Roasted Vegetables. I used 2 zucchini, 2 red pepper, 1 eggplant, and one red onion. Next time I might add some mushrooms. I think the dish could handle a bit more veg, and I love mushrooms. You can definitely use whatever combination of things you like best. 
• Vegan Cheese. Mozza & Feta. I used 2 x 198 g packages of Earth Island Vegan Mozza. That is  the brand the store had. I also used a 200 g blog of violife vegan feta. This was less feta than the recipe called for. (1.5 cups) I would have bought another block but the store didn't have any. Does it NEED more vegan feta? I'm debating that. In theory I would add another half - full block, but then again, vegan cheese is expensive. I am curious to try it, but I might not. I added lots of olive oil compared to what the recipe suggests to compensate, and it was really good.

• Fresh Herbs. I used a combination of fresh Basil and Mint. I had a 28 gram package of basil and used all of it, and a 20 gram package of Mint and used half. Next time I would increase the basil. I'd probably even double it, I love basil. (2 tbsp of herb mixture reserved for crumb topping) 

• Capers. The recipe calls for 2 tbsp of capers. Which I added, but next time I will increase it to 3 tbsp I think. I personally wouldn't leave them out the briny pop they add is really good. 

• Sundried Tomatoes. The OG recipe didn't call for sundried tomatoes. I used oil packed sundried tomatoes in a jar, and added about 2 chopped tbsp. Next time I might try adding more. Not sure if the dish really needs it, but that's what I want to do. 

• Pasta. The recipe does call for rigatoni, and I must say I love it in this dish. There's something really satisfying about the big tubes, but of course use whatever you want. 

• Lemon Zest & Juice. The recipe called for only the zest. I added the zest, but when I tasted my mixture I knew it needed some juice too. This might be due to using violife vegan feta, dairy feta might have more brightness to it. Anyway, I just squeezed a couple of wedges in to taste. 

• Olive Oil. The recipe calls for olive oil for roasting the veg, tossing the cooked pasta, and for making the crumb topping. I also drizzled extra into my bowl when mixing the pasta together with other ingredients to compensate for having less cheese than the recipe called for. 

• Garlic. I always add more garlic than a recipe suggests. 4 cloves definitely was not enough in my books. I added 6, and I will definitely increase that next time. I'll try 8 next time. 

• Bread Crumb Topping. This was pretty good. Fresh bread crumbs (I wouldn't use dried here) mixed with one cup of the vegan mozza, 2 tbsp of fresh herbs, olive oil and salt and pepper. It definitely wants a generous amount of olive oil. You can give it a taste to make sure it is seasoned properly. I think next time I will increase the topping to better cover the pasta. Maybe just extra cheese. I'm not sure yet. The very top pieces of the pasta got a bit crunchy while baking, it wasn't a really big deal, though. Or maybe I'll try baking it covered with tinfoil first, then remove at the end to crisp up a bit. 

• Chili Flakes. There is no discernable "heat" factor in this recipe, so I simply sprinkled a few chili flakes on top before serving. It's something I always have on my table. I don't like things to be extremely spicy, but adding a bit of warmth really enhances the dish in my opinion. 

Step 1 : Toss chunked veggies with olive oil, salt, pepper & garlic and roast at 425F until golden. Anywhere from 15-25 minutes depending on your oven and the size of your chunked veg. I don't want the veg crunchy, but not mushy either. They should be softened. 

Step 2: Cook rigatoni in boiling salted water, strain, and drizzle with olive oil to prevent sticking. You could use whatever pasta shape you like, but I am really digging the rigatoni in this recipe.

Step 3: Mix together remainder of ingredients in a large bowl. (excluding breadcrumbs, and reserving some grated mozzarella cheese and herbs for bread crumb topping)

Step 4: Once everything is mixed together, add to lightly oiled baking dishes. (9 x 13 inch baking dish or 2-3 smaller ones)

Step 5: Mix up your cheesy crumb topping, spread evenly over pasta and bake at 350F until hot and bubbly. About 40 minutes. 

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Recipe Difficulty: Easy

Keywords: Vegan Eggs, Breakfast, Omelet, Chickpea Flour, Kala Namak

Chickpea Omelet Recipe Notes
Chickpea Omelets have quickly become a staple in my home. I keep a batch of dry mix on my counter, and when I want an easy meal, I whisk together roughly equal parts water and dry mix with a squeeze of lemon to make the batter. It cooks up like a giant foldable pancake that can be filled with whatever ingredients you like best.

I have come to love it filled with my cashew basil ricotta, mushrooms, onions, zucchini, veggie bacon and served with a side of tomato jam. I use a bit of kala namak (black sulphuric sea salt) to give it an eggy taste, but you don't have to. A few chopped scallions mixed into the batter before cooking is also delicious.

Stuff it with your fav cooked veggies, vegan meats and cheeses for a delicious satisfying meal. If you discover a favourite filling, comment below I would love to hear about it! I want to try stuffing it with pizza fixings sometime to see what that is like!

Tips for success

• Let the batter sit for at least 10 minutes before cooking to allow the flour mix to hydrate. You can adjust the consistency if needed by adding a spoon or two of dry mix or water to thicken/thin. If you dip a spoon and make a drizzle motion with the batter, it should leave a trail that disappears. 
  
• Use a non stick pan. I use a "The rock" pan in my kitchen. It's 100% my favourite pan, definitely better than any other non-stick I have tried. The one I have is 11", which yields about an 8" chickpea omelet, using 1/2 cup of dry mix.

What I filled my omelet with
If you would like to try making a chickpea omelet using the same fillings I did, start by making a batch of my basil cashew ricotta. It requires a bit more planning, but it's delicious! I add a generous smear of the ricotta, then pile on sauteed mushrooms, onions & zucchini. (about 5 mushrooms, 1/4 of a red onion and 1/3 - 1/2 of a zucchini per omelet.) Then I sprinkle on a bit of cooked veggie bacon before folding the omelet over into a half moon shape. Then, I serve it with a simple tomato jam on the side. I really like the brightness and sweetness it adds. The recipe for the jam is below. 

For the tomato jam, to a small pot add

• a pint of cherry tomatoes
• 2 tbsp mustard seeds
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• pinch of white pepper (or black)

Simply simmer until reduced and thickened. I try to not let the tomatoes break down completely, I like some bigger bites in the jam. I double the recipe if I'm eating omelets all week!

Hey friends! This page contains affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Your support means a lot,  and I thank you!

Recipe Difficulty: Easy
Recipe Keywords: Peanut Butter, Nut Butter

Peanut Butter Recipe Notes
I'm definitely a peanut butter addict. I'm really grateful to have no food allergies to date. If you can't have peanut butter you can substitute your favourite nuts and seeds! The process is ridiculously simple and it feels almost silly to call it a recipe. In 10 minutes you can make your own. It's delicious and often a more affordable option than buying stuff in the package. (Which I totally do buy sometimes, but love the habit of making it at home!)

Delicious Nut Butter Tips

• you want to make sure your nuts aren't rancid or stale. One way to tell is simply taste it, if it isn't nutty and delicious and tastes weird then trust that they aren't good. If you can't taste it, same thing with the smell. Nutty and delicious = good. Anything else = bad. 
• Keeping your nuts in the freezer is a great way to preserve their freshness. 
  
• Choose unsalted nuts. Raw are great if you want to toast them yourself. I tend to buy them already roasted. 
  
• Shop at bulk stores and watch for sales!

After the first time I tried Parmela Creamy vegan cheese, it quickly became one of my favourite go to brands. I have tried a handful of their products, and find the taste and quality to be superior to many options out there. You can find locations for purchase on their website, in Prince Edward Island where I am currently living, you can find it at some Sobeys locations. I hope to try their full range and to update this post when I do. For now, you can see what I have tried and how I have used Parmela Creamy products below. Delish!​

Parmela Creamery Mozzarella Style Shreds
Their mozzarella is my go to when I want to make vegan pizza. It is softer than a lot of different shredded vegan cheese products I have tried, which makes it a lot easier to get melty. It also makes it seem more like a fresh cheese product. I don't find it to be plasticky like so many others. What sets it apart from so many brands is how it is made. Cashews are blended into milk, and then it undergoes a culture & aging process. Needless to say this means better flavour. I used it on my spelt crust pizza below. Delicious. 

Ingredients :

• Nutmylk (water, cashews)
• Coconut Oil
• Modified Potato Starch
• Potato Starch
• Sea Salt
• Natural Flavour
• Konjac
• Potato Protein
• Xanthan Gum 
• Lactic Acid
• Yeast Extract
• Beta Carotene (colour)
• Cultures

​Parmela Creamery Smokey Gouda Slices

I think it is safe to say this is my favourite sliced vegan cheese I have tried. I love the smoky flavour. I love making hummus toasts with tomato and sliced vegan cheese, using them on a breakfast sandwich, or of course straight up grilled cheese sandwiches. You can see the awesome melt factor in the photo of my breakfast sandwich below. I used a JUST EGG folded patty, yves veggie bacon, and a slice of parmela creamery smokey gouda. I definitely would love to make a fancier breakfast sandwich, but there's nothing wrong with a classic cheesy, eggy, bacon sandwich, either. (you'd never know my sandwich was vegan!)

​Ingredients:

• Nutmylk (water, cashews)
• coconut oil
• modified food starch
• potato starch
• sea salt
• natural flavour
• liquid smoke
• fava protein
• annatto
• yeast extract
• cultures

Recipe Difficulty: Easy

Recipe Tags: 

• Veggie Tartar
• Appetizer
• Whole Food
• Raw Food
• Bruschetta 

My Veggie Tartar Recipe Notes
When I was in Spain, "Veggie Tartar" is something I saw on several menus. I ordered it at a restaurant called Matiz. (I shared about this and other meals I had in this post) The version I had in Spain used different ingredients than I do in mine, but they both have the same vibe. Something bright, fresh and flavourful with lots of different textures that can be spooned onto grilled bread, potato chips or just eaten by the spoonful. The other similarity is that while eating both tartars, I wanted something else to accompany it. Olives, Hummus, vegan cheese.  The most enjoyable meals to me are those in which I can nibble away at casually, mixing bites of this and that, and inevitably finding the most perfect flavour combinations.

How to Serve This Veggie Tartar
I like this veggie tartar with a good quality sourdough or multigrain loaf. I slice the loaf, drizzle with olive oil and pop into a 425F preheated oven until golden on one side, then flip to finish. While I haven't tried eating this tartar with good quality kettle chips, the next time I make it, I'm definitely picking up a bag. 

You'll also notice a lot of liquid comes off the tartar. I like this juiciness. It's kind of like bruschetta in that if you serve it with really well toasted bread, the extra juiciness is welcome. I find myself mopping up the liquid with more bread at the end, it's delicious.

Leftovers
The veggie tartar definitely keeps well in the fridge for a few days. I  even tucked some of my leftovers into a sandwich with grilled sourdough bread, hummus, cheese, cucumber and sliced tomato. Delish.
​

What's in my veggie tartar?
This recipe is almost, but not entirely, made of raw whole food ingredients. I season the mixture with salt, pepper, and cumin, and then dress it with olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and good quality balsamic vinegar. The rest of the tartar is made up of the following ingredients:

• Beet
• Tomato
• Cucumber
• Jalapeno peppers
• Roasted Red Peppers
• Artichoke Hearts
• Red Onion
• Fresh Mint
• Roasted Almonds
• Dates

Almonds & Dates
The almonds and dates are an integral component. The almonds give texture and a bit of richenss, and the dates add an enjoyable chew and a bit of sweetness which helps to bring balance to the dish. 

Salt and Pepper
This veggie tartar needs to be well seasoned, not enough salt and pepper and it will fall flat. I ended up with 5 - 6 pinches of sea salt. Less of the pepper, but I still like a good amount in this. Just taste as you go, you don't want it to be too salty or peppery either of course!

Tip for success
A Good Sharp Knife
This recipe does require a bit of knife work. I love dicing things into uniform pieces, so for me it isn't a problem. It's important to start with a sharp knife. A dull knife will slow you down, and honestly there is nothing worse when you have a lot of chopping to do to realize your knife is dull. I get my knives professionally sharpened only once in awhile. I manage to do it myself during the in between time. My brother gave me a good quality Japanese knife and sharpening stone from a maker in Vancouver, and before using that I didn't know what I was missing. An investment, but if you love to cook it is worth it. 

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​

I started my food photography journey in 2018. My earliest images were honestly kinda terrible. I'm not upset about that. I bought a camera and taught myself through trial and error, training my eye, looking at images by people I admire.  The way to learn is by making mistakes. LOTS of them. I know that I'm still making "mistakes", even if I don't yet know what they are. I do get compliments on my images all the time, and I find it hard to accept them because I'm constantly striving to be better, and I'm constantly admiring gorgeous images by other food artists. All of this is also, OK. 

In the past 4 or 5 years, I have learned a lot, and my photography has improved significantly. I wanted to outline some key lessons I have learned, and perhaps it will make the process a little bit easier for someone else out there who is just getting started. 

1. Lighting

How it started
My very first images were created in a lightbox that I made by myself out of white cardstock and tissue paper. It wasn't very big, and didn't allow for much room to create a scene. My images had weird colour balance, were often a bit washed out from too much light, but it served it's purpose and allowed me to get familiar with a DSLR camera. I just used generic lamps that shone through the tissue paper (paper acts as a diffuser) and lit my subject that way. I'm sure I would be able to use a light box today with more skill than I did when I first started, but I have no interest in trying. The spaghetti aglio e olio with mushrooms pictured below is a recipe that has been on my blog for a long time, the image below I think used to be even worse until I learned to colour correct a bit. There are definitely worse images than this one somewhere haha I just can't find another one at the moment. I'm sure they exist on an SD card somewhere. 

Eventually I decided to invest in an inexpensive lighting system just on Amazon. I'm honestly probably due for an upgrade, but I will undoubtedly hang on to what I have as long as possible. The set below is pretty much identical to what I have. These lights and an old wooden table situated near a window are two key things that have helped me improve. I use a wooden table because I like that I can use it as is for photographing certain dishes. I also own a few backdrops and use them regularly as well. If you have an ugly table, that's ok, just invest in some backdrops and you'll be good to go. 

How it's going
The image below is a more current image of the same recipe. Do I like this image? I do, but it doesn't mean I don't think there is room to improve. Is there an obvious improvement from my lightbox image? I think so! I placed it on my wooden table, and I used the soft box lights.

A MISTAKE I MADE FOR A LONG TIME USING THESE LIGHTS.
​A mistake I made for the longest time is using all three of my lights to light up my scene from all angels. This just washes out your image. A side lit scene or a back lit scene are two approaches that work a lot better. I now tend to really pay attention to how the light is hitting my dish, and I will move the light around until it looks good. You're trying to accomplish depth through shadow and highlights. This is something I still feel like I am learning, but there is a lot of room to play around. How strong your shadows are will affect the final feel of your image. Of course I use adobe lightroom to edit my photos, and have learned a lot of things over the years in that sense too, but it's hard to edit an image to look good if the lighting is terrible. 

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with Mushrooms

2. Blurred out background

Roasted Vegetable Club Sandwich

Blurring out the background is an easy way to make whatever your taking a photo of stand out as the focal point. This blurring effect is also known as "Bokeh" and it occurs when your camera lens renders an area to be out of focus. Not every lens will be suitable to make this happen. I'm not an expert on the topic, but I have a 50mm lens and a 35 mm lens that I use frequently for food photography, and they are great choices for achieving this. They both have wide apertures which is what you want. Put your camera in manual mode, and adjust the F/stop up and down to understand the difference, get to know your camera. The lower the F/stop number the stronger the Bokeh effect will be. 

Note that the closer you are to your subject, what will be in focus and the focal point of your image will change. If you are using a prime lens like the ones I suggested above (no ability to zoom), you can practice physically moving yourself closer and further away from the subject. Take photos to see the difference between images taken at different distances. 

The 35 mm linked below is definitely my favourite. It's easier to get overhead shots from a reasonable distance.  

3. Use different heights in overhead shots. 

Veggie Tartar

When taking a birds eye view photograph, you can create more dimension by having objects at different heights. I stacked my grilled bread on top of each other, and you can see a flower is blurred at a different height, closer to the lens. This is something I've just started trying to integrate into my photos. It's helpful to have props to work with, which is part of the challenge. I work with what I have laying around my house for now, but I know when I can invest in a few more pieces it will help to apply this concept in my photos.

​

4. Textured backgrounds

Golden Turmeric Milk

For a long time I just had foam boards from Walmart as background. I had a black one and a white one. They served their purpose for a time. I eventually bought a fabric backdrop from Fodory. Compare the two images above. In the photo of my golden milk, I'm using the fabric background. In the photo of bread, I'm using a black foam board. You should be able to easily see the difference. (not to mention the terrible white balance of the bread photo, this was taken in my early learning stages.) The texture from using the cloth background adds way more depth than something that is flat and solid in colour. I only have a dark grey fabric backdrop at the moment, but again I want to invest in a few more. If you have a space with brick wall, or some kind of paint treatment on your wall that lends texture, that can always work too. I'm in a small apartment and there's nothing too esthetic about it so the fabric trick works for me. 

5. Create Movement with "Curves"

French Apple Tart

This is a simple way to improve your photo. By creating curves that your eye follows when you look at an image. Instead of placing things in just one vertical line, see how the plates are staggered, where if you were to take a pen and draw a line through the image, you can see where the eye travels. The forks and the linin cloth do the same thing. Practice moving things around on your surface to create "s" and "c" shapes. You can use dishes, herbs, food, linens. This will create a lot more depth and visual interest. Before I use my DSLR, I find it helpful to use my smart phone to look at my scene. I'll snap a few shots with the phone, or just look at my scene using camera mode.  I find I can "see" what the overall image will look like better this way since the phone essentially creates a border blocking out unnecessary parts of the room or table that distract my eye. Once it seems closer to what I want, then I will look through my DSLR and snap some photos. I often move things around for 10 solid minutes before I find a configuration that I'm happy with, so give yourself time and room to play. I literally will have like 30 - 50 images on my DSLR and chose 3 that I like for editing and posting.

​While I hold my camera in my hands for a lot of images, I use a tripod occasionally too, for photographs and also for creating video that is more cinematic looking than video captured using my phone. Keep in mind a tripod is holding an expensive piece of equipment. I wouldn't buy anything low quality and flimsy and risk it falling and breaking my camera. Manfrotto is definitely one of the most popular brands of tripods used by food photographers that I have come across. 

Recipe Difficulty: Easy

Recipe Tags:

• Gluten Free, Dairy Free
• Raw Caramel Slice
• Caramel Chocolate Bar
• Dates, Dark Chocolate, Roasted Almonds
• No Bake, Freezer Bar

My Raw Caramel Slice Recipe Notes
This is THE BEST RAW(ish) CARAMEL SLICE. 

I made this so many times to get these the way I wanted them to be in my head. A roasted almond base sweetened with dates, a super gooey caramel layer made from peanut butter, dates, a bit of maple, vanilla, and sea salt (or you could sub your fav nut/seed butter), and a fudgy chocolate layer made from dark cocoa powder, coconut oil & maple. They are divine, and I can't imagine a better for you treat that is more satisfying to my taste. 

How to Store my Raw Caramel Slice
I recommend keeping these in the freezer. I make myself a cup of tea, grab a couple of these to enjoy right from the freezer. The caramel will hold together better and still be really gooey, plus they soften fairly quickly at room temp anyway, if you want a stickier caramel situation. These bars wouldn't be my choice for packing in a lunch box or taking on a picnic. They are however perfect for when you are at home and want something sweet with your favourite cuppa. 

Substitutions
These bars are gluten free and dairy free, but they definitely contain a whole lot of nuts and I know a lot of people have allergies. I haven't tested a nut free version of this recipe. If I were going to try however, I would substitute oats for the almonds in the base. My guess is spreading them on a sheet pan and popping them in the oven until a bit golden would be a good way to add some toasty flavour. (I have tested this recipe with raw almonds and roasted almonds, roasted were the clear winner)

For the gooey middle, if you were able to consume almond or cashew butter, those would be my first choice. Otherwise I know nut free peanut butter substitutions exist. How good they are, I'm not sure, but my hope would be they would blend up with the dates to be something tasty. An extra splash of vanilla might not hurt. 

Roasted Almond Base
The base comes together easily in a food processor. I just blitz everything together until it is in really small pieces and holds together when you squish some between your fingers. When you are pressing the mixture into your pan, you might find it helpful to dampen your fingers with a bit of water first. I have tried so many combinations of things for my base. Raw almonds with some oats and walnuts, oats and raw almonds, but then I tried just straight up roasted almonds along with the other ingredients and it was my favourite. Not at all surprising!

Peanut Butter & Date Caramel
This stuff is some kind of vegan magic. My original raw slice recipe had a thinner layer of caramel, and it took me awhile before I realized I just wanted more. I want the caramel to be the star, I don't want the dark chocolate to be the predominate flavour. I basically just want a bar with a base and a topping to provide shelter for this caramel gold. I've thought many times about making component as a dip for apple slices or whatever else. I would just thin it out with a bit more plant milk. What a great snack idea. If you find yourself eating a few bites of caramel while making these bars, don't worry, I do it every time. 

Fudgy Chocolate Layer
I tested different chocolate layers over time, and this is where I landed. I used to just melt chocolate chips and pour it over top. I enjoyed the hard chocolate shell as a contrast to the rest of the gooey bar, but after navigating away from that and testing toppings using cocoa powder, I just like it better. I used Hershey's Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder in my recipe. I typically buy Camino, but the store didn't have it, and this has a vegan label so good to go. It has great rich, dark chocolate flavour and I would definitely buy it again. You will need to melt the coconut oil in a small sauce pan for this recipe and stir in the remainder of ingredients. I wouldn't recommend trying to microwave the oil and stirring everything in after. I tried it  (although with a different ratio of ingredients) and ended up with a clumpy mess. Maybe it would work with my current ratio of ingredients, but I will never risk it again to try. 

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