​Baked oatmeal is one of my favourite make-ahead breakfasts. It takes just 10–15 minutes to get it into the oven, then you have cozy, nourishing breakfasts ready for the entire work week. If you’re feeding a family, you could easily double the recipe and bake it in a larger pan. This recipe is vegan and naturally gluten free. 

Real Ingredients
The other thing I love about this recipe is that it uses real food ingredients. It’s naturally sweetened with dates, and while I’ve been using blueberries lately, don’t be afraid to experiment—chopped apples, pears, raspberries, or even peaches would be just as lovely.

The oatmeal itself isn’t overly sweet, which is how I like it—especially since I tend to pour a generous amount of maple syrup over the top when I serve it. I want the oatmeal piping hot, and the maple syrup warm, too. That part feels essential. I usually spoon some plain, unsweetened vegan yogurt alongside (never fridge-cold), and scatter over toasted chopped almonds for a bit of crunch.
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This blueberry baked oatmeal is comforting, filling, and endlessly adaptable. I hope you love it as much as I do.

Cooling/Reheating

• If you want your baked oatmeal to hold it's shape in square or rectangle slices, you need to cool it completely and refrigerate before slicing and reheating. If that isn't important to you feel free to eat it right from the oven. 
• To reheat, I simply slice a portion and pop it in the microwave for about a minute and 30 seconds. I've been eating it lately with warm maple syrup, plain unsweetened probiotic vegan yogurt, toasted almonds, and sometimes peaches that I canned myself when they were in season. 

Storing Baked Oatmeal

• I simply store my cooled baked oatmeal in the pan that I baked it in with some saran wrap over top. It's a small 8 X 8 inch pan so that works for me. I would eat this within 5 days tops, and I wouldn't freeze it. It's so easy to whip up and get into the oven there's really no need to freeze it in my mind anyway. ​

Other Serving Options

• If you have any homemade blueberry preserves, a dollop of that on the plate with the yogurt would be delicious.
• Use any nuts you like best, if I wasn't using almonds, pecans would be my second choice. 
• Instead of lemon zest in the batter, try orange zest...but the lemon IS lovely. 
• I wouldn't hesitate to enjoy this with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and maple syrup. Or how about coco whip. If not for breakfast, an afternoon treat with tea. 

1. Soak the dates in hot water. They will soften while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Then Puree using a hand blender. 

2. Add Whole Rolled Oats, Salt, Baking Powder and Cinnamon to a large bowl. Stir to combine. 

3. Add wet ingredients to the bowl. Plant Milk, Pureed Dates, Vanilla, Melted Coconut Oil or Butter, and Flax egg. Stir Together.

4. Add zest from one lemon. Stir to combine. 

5. Grease an 8x8 ceramic dish with a bit of coconut oil or butter. Scatter half of your blueberries over the bottom, reserving the other half for scattering over top.

6. Pour the prepared batter overtop, smoothing out the top until even in the pan. 

7. Cover with the remining blueberries. Then Bake in a 350F oven for 55 minutes. 

8. After baking you can eat straight away (let it cool a bit obviously), or cool completely and refrigerate before slicing into even squares. The oatmeal will hold it's shape if you cool and refrigerate first. 

9. Serve hot with yogurt, warm maple syrup and toasted nuts. I also enjoy my home made preserved peaches along side.  

Everyone needs a go-to banana bread recipe, one that’s easy, delicious, and truly no fuss. Especially if you’re like me and only decide to make banana bread at the last minute, when those difficult-to-ignore overripe bananas are sitting in the fruit bowl.

My banana bread is exactly what it should be: moist, banana-forward, and completely customizable. Add whatever you love, whether that’s nuts, chocolate chips, or dried fruit. (Walnut and dried cranberry is a personal favourite.)
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Banana bread is something my mum made often when I was growing up. When I set out to veganize recipes from my childhood, it’s never just about making something that tastes good. It’s about recreating that sense of nostalgia, those familiar flavours that feel like they’ve always been part of you and instantly transport you to another time and place.

Banana bread as we know it today likely came into popularity in the 1930s, and there are two main theories behind its origin. From what I’ve read, it’s probably a combination of both.

One idea is that banana bread was a byproduct of the Great Depression. Home bakers, not wanting to waste anything, found a way to use overripe bananas by turning them into a simple quick bread. It’s practical, resourceful, and makes perfect sense.

The other theory points to the rise of commercial baking ingredients. As baking powder and baking soda became more widely available, companies began promoting recipes like banana bread to encourage their use. In that way, it was both a household solution and a product of marketing.

Either way, it’s interesting to think about how something so simple became such a lasting staple. For many of us, banana bread is tied to memory. I can still picture my mum making it when I was growing up.
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That’s part of what mattered to me when developing this recipe. It needed to taste like the banana bread I remember. Even though this version is vegan, it has that same familiar flavour and texture. And to me, that feels like a win.

Vegan Butter
I have made this with various brands of plant based butter. I typically have salted on hand so that is what I use most often. I have also made this before with Solid Coconut Oil, but I gravitate towards the butter for flavour. 

Sugar
I use a combination of brown and white sugar in this recipe. The brown gives the loaf those desirable caramel notes plus extra moisture. The white sugar—adds sweetness, while helping to prevent an overly dense loaf. 

Yogurt
I use Silk Greek Style plain protein yogurt in this recipe, but I think you could use any brand you like best. I used to use Silk Almond Yogurt in all of my recipes, but it was discontinued, so I am in the process of testing this new product in all of my recipes where I would have used their almond yogurt. 

Plant Milk
I typically have unsweetened soy or oat milk on hand, but whatever plant milk you have I am sure would work fine. I even accidentally left the plant milk out once, and the loaf still turned out. 

Can I freeze this loaf?
Yes, I often freeze this for up to 3 months. 

Can this Banana Loaf be made gluten free?
I haven't tried making this gluten free, but if I were to attempt I would simply swap out the flour for a gluten free 1-1 baking blend (the 1-1 contains xanthan gum, if you try a blend without xanthan gum you'd have to add it yourself, it's what helps bind and give structure to gluten free flour in baked goods.)

1. Cream together butter and sugar

2. Mix in yogurt. I use Silk plain Greek Style Protein Yogurt. (They have discontinued the almond yogurt I used to use.)

​3. Mix in plant milk, flax egg and vanilla.

4. Mix in mashed banana. 

5. Whisk or sift together dry ingredients, add to wet mixture. Stir together until just combined. 

6. Scrape batter into a parchment lined loaf pan, and bake in a 350 Fahrenheit oven for about 55 minutes. 

7. Remove from oven. Cool, then remove from baking pan, slice and enjoy. (I like mine spread with plant based butter)

Kinpira yasai is a traditional Japanese dish that features stir-fried vegetables, typically root vegetables such as burdock root (gobo) and carrots. The dish is flavored with soy sauce, mirin (a sweet rice wine), sugar, and sometimes sake or dashi (Japanese soup stock). Sometimes, other vegetables like lotus root, mushrooms, or bamboo shoots are also included.

The vegetables I'm using
The first time I saw this recipe was in a cookbook called "Japan Easy", I actually have a Spanish copy, so it isn't the easiest for me to follow along but I know the book is sold in English as well.

Anyhow, the vegetables called for in the book include "long broccoli" which I assume is rapini, followed by carrots, snow peas, and red pepper. I like to include celery to take place of some of the carrot. I think you could use basically whatever vegetables you want. They are going to be delicious cooked down and coated in the simple sauce. 

Choosing a pan
This is definitely something I break out my wok for. I get it nice and hot with a drizzle of oil, and then add the vegetables. Typically when I make stir fry I like the veggies to be on the firmer side, but with this dish I take them a bit further than I normally would. They still have texture, but are just softened a bit more than normal. 

How many servings will I get?
This recipe gives me two meals, because I eat it like the main event. If you were serving it as a smaller side dish alongside other offerings, I think you could split it 4 ways.


Do I have to use the exact amount of vegetables called for?
No! I don't actually weigh or measure anymore. Whatever a bunch of long broccoli is at the store, that is what I use. However many snow peas are in the package, that is what I use. If you don't like celery, use more carrot. Anything goes. The recipe is easy to scale, and is super forgiving if you need to add a bit more soy/mirin and brown sugar.


Why is my sauce too liquid at the end?
If your vegetables are cooked to your liking, and the sauce is still liquid at the bottom of the wok, scoop the veg out onto your serving platter. Allow the liquid to reduce until syrupy then drizzle over top of the veg. Garnish with sesame oil and sesame seeds.

What is Kinpira Yasai Typically served with?
Kinpira Yasai is a Japanese side dish that is often served along side steamed rice, other vegetable or tofu dishes, grilled fish, pickles, and even miso soup. 

Sushi Rice
I love making a pot of sushi rice along side. If you have never made it before, it isn't hard. You make a simple seasoned rice vinegar by heating it with a bit of sugar and salt, then fold it into the cooked sushi rice. The rice is sticky, a bit sweet and bright. 

Vegan Beef
I often will just grab a pack of ground round (veggie ground beef), and the supermarket, I pop it in a pan to heat it up and I will either just start adding soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger etc on the fly to taste, or if I have a batch of my Korean BBQ sauce on hand, I will heat it up with some of that, letting it reduce. Instead of ground round, you could use tofu, or a combination of tofu and plant based meat. I tend to switch it up based on what I have, or what is on sale at the supermarket. 

Bringing it all Together
This meal can be served hot or at room temperature. Either way, I serve it with a pile of nori on the side cut into palm sized squares. I spoon in a bit of rice, vegetables and beef, and then pop it in my mouth in one bite. It's like a little Japanese inspired taco and the combination of all the components has become a meal I crave now and again. It's really simple and satisfying. 

1. Heat wok over medium high. Add neutral oil, chili flakes. Then add all of the veg. Stir and cook for a few minutes.

2. Add soy sauce, mirin and brown sugar. Cook stirring until the vegetables are very soft, and the liquid has reduced, glazing the veg.

3. Spoon into bowls, drizzle with sesame oil and a generous sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds. 

The Best Veggie TVP Chili (Vegan + High Protein)

This veggie TVP chili has quickly become my absolute go-to comfort meal. I’ve shared a black bean chili recipe before on the blog, but I think I might like this one even more. It has that classic, hearty flavour I remember from childhood, and thanks to textured vegetable protein (TVP), it delivers a seriously satisfying meaty texture, without any actual meat.

Why You'll Love This Vegan TVP Chili
If you’re looking for a high-protein vegan chili that could easily impress both veggie-lovers and meat-eaters alike, this is the one. Whether you're cooking for your family or meal-prepping for the week, this recipe checks all the boxes. I served it at the restaurant where I work and got great reviews from staff and customers. (yes, including picky meat eaters) 

The flavour starts with a base of onion, carrot, celery, and bell pepper. At home I often include mushrooms, which may not be traditional in chili, but I love the earthy depth they bring. (Of course, you can skip them if you’re not a fan, I leave them out at the restaurant.)

For beans, I use a combination of kidney beans and black beans. You can use just one variety if you like, but I enjoy the variety in texture and colour. Kidney beans are probably the most classic option, but honestly, any will work beautifully.
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If you're new to TVP (textured vegetable protein), this is a great place to start. It absorbs flavour like a sponge and gives this chili that familiar, cozy texture of ground beef—making it one of the best plant-based chili recipes out there.

Ingredients You'll Need

• Olive oil
• Onion
• Celery
• Carrot
• Garlic
• Mushrooms (optional, but tasty)
• Bell peppers
• Tomato paste
• Red chili flakes
• Chili powder
• Smoked paprika
• Curry powder
• Celery salt
• Dried oregano
• Brown sugar
• Whole canned tomatoes
• Water
• Textured vegetable protein (TVP), rehydrated
• Bay leaves
• Salt and pepper
• Kidney beans
• Black beans

What is TVP? TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein) is a popular plant-based meat alternative made from soy. It has a satisfying, meaty texture and easily absorbs the flavours of whatever dish you're cooking, making it ideal for recipes like vegan chili, tacos, spaghetti sauce, burgers, and more.
TVP is a complete source of plant-based protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids. It's also high in protein, low in fat, and shelf-stable, making it a great pantry staple for vegan and vegetarian cooking.

You can usually find TVP in the health food section of grocery stores, in bulk food stores, or online.

Simply rehydrate by covering with hot water or stock, then it is ready to add to your recipes. 

Can I make this vegan chili without mushrooms?
YES. You can definitely make this without the mushrooms. I add them at home sometimes - because I love the flavour and texture - but at the restaurant I always leave them out.

Does this chili freeze well?​
YES. This chili freezes really well. If you aren't going to eat it all up within 5 days - freeze what you won't be eating. I like to divide in smaller food storage containers for freezing so I can just pull out a bit at a time. 

Did you make this vegan TVP chili?
Let me know how it turned out in the comments below. I love hearing your tweaks, additions, and how it was received!”

How spicy is this chili?
The chili has a mild warmth and is approachable for most palates. I serve it at the restaurant to great reviews, and most of our clientele don’t like a lot of heat.

​What can I serve with this chili?
It’s delicious on its own or served with biscuits, grilled bread or cornbread. 

Can I double the recipe?
Absolutely! This chili scales well. Just make sure your pot is large enough and adjust cooking times slightly. I make 20 Liter batches at the restaurant, and it turns out perfectly every time. 

1. Sweat mirepoix in olive oil over medium heat until softened. Season with Salt and Pepper. Add large dice bell peppers. Stir and cook until beginning to soften. Add garlic, stir and cook two more minutes. 

2. Add tomato paste. Stir and cook for a few minutes. This is an important step, when the colour begins to darken and you can see it sticking to the bottom of the pot, you are ready for the next step.

​3. Now you can add your spices! I use a blend of chili powder, smoked paprika, curry powder (just a bit) and chili flakes. Stir and cook for a few minutes.

4. Time for the tomatoes. I think whole tomatoes are nicer than diced. They break into more rustic chunks. You can smash them with your spoon, or, grab a potato masher and give them a squish. 

5. Top the tomatoes with water. Add oregano, celery salt, brown sugar and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Season with more S&P. Add the rehydrated TVP.

6. Simmer and reduce chili, stirring occasionally until it starts to thicken. This can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, just depends how high the heat is. Add the strained beans. Cook for another 15 - 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. 

7. Spoon into bowls, garnish as desired. I have experimented with sour cream and grated cheese, but I actually prefer this chili kept simple. A side of corn bread was perfect.