Homemade Nutella Hot Chocolate (vegan)

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How is the holiday season treating you so far? Hopefully great. I honestly can’t believe it’s December 11th. What a whirlwind season. I just finished another round of book edits and now I’m currently in the midst of planning next week’s photoshoot for my next cookbook. Some of you might remember in The Oh She Glows Cookbook, we had various lifestyle photos throughout the book. Well, the second cookbook is going to have all new photos so I’ve been planning around 15 unique shots, all the recipes that will be featured (and what I have to prep in advance, what needs to be made the day of, etc), and everything in between (such as, what the heck am I going to wear). It’s been a bit of a hot mess around here, but I’m so excited for next week’s shoot! Hopefully it’ll all come together. My dear cousin Alannah is coming to help on the shoot days, and I couldn’t be more grateful to have her help.

In other news, you can now find me on Snapchat! I used to think Snapchat was just an app for sharing questionable content among teens, but apparently it can be used for other things too. New techy things intimidate me and “for dummies” tutorials confuse me so the fact that I’m currently using Snapchat (and loving the heck out of it) probably means it’s not even cool anymore. But, I love how easy-breezy it feels. (After I finally figured it out, that is.) Want to write all over the picture and make a hot mess? Sure. Want to snap some random, poor lit shot? Go for it. It’s feels fairly real as far as social media goes, and it’s fun to get snaps throughout the day of someone’s day to day life. Oh, and I somehow got my mom to follow me. She’s hip, I tell ya! I think she’s just holding out for more Adriana pics though…

So, if you are down for some “riveting” behind the scenes footage over at casa OSG, then follow along. My username is angelaliddon. I’ll be sharing day to day things, cooking videos (so fun – yesterday I did my homemade nutella), behind the scenes blog stuff, travel, as well as some blog/book/life sneak peeks. Odds are you will probably see it on Snapchat first because it’s just so fast to share things.

Here are a few random things I posted over the past week:

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Like I said, hot mess.

Also, let me know if you are on it too!? I’m only following like 6 people right now which definitely makes me look a bit like a stalker. Ok, a lot like a stalker.

The second piece of news I have to share is to tell you that I’m back to shooting the photography on Oh She Glows! I know some of you have noticed this over the past month. The change is due to a couple reasons, one of which is that I miss shooting the photography greatly. I didn’t realize just how much I would miss this aspect of blogging after 8 years of doing the photography day in and day out. I still don’t have a proper photography set up and I rush through all my shoots since Adriana was born, but I hope to find a better system in the future. I will be bringing on a team member to OSG in the near future, and I hope that this will help me find a better balance with everything.

If you saw my snaps yesterday you probably spotted this hot cocoa in the making. It was all I could do not to bathe in this stuff, and it features my Homemade Mocha Nutella for a nutty twist on traditional hot cocoa! If you’re looking for a warming treat on a cold night, look no further.

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Homemade Nutella Hot Chocolate

Vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, refined sugar-free

A nutty, plant-based twist on traditional hot cocoa. This recipe features my homemade nutella nut butter which makes this drink so creamy and decadent! I also love adding 55-60% dark chocolate into the mix for even more chocolate flavour. For a luxurious twist, try stirring in a bit of full-fat coconut cream into the hot cocoa, or serve it topped with some vegan marshmallows.

Yield
4 (1/2 cup) servings
Prep Time
25 Minutes
Cook time
5 Minutes
Total Time
30 Minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups unsweetened almond milk (homemade or store-bought)
  • 50 grams 55-60% non-dairy dark chocolate
  • 1-2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup Homemade Mocha Nutella (recipe linked below)
  • Dash fine grain sea salt, to taste

Directions:

  1. Prepare the Homemade Mocha Nutella.
  2. Break up the chocolate into chunks. In a medium pot, add the almond milk and chocolate pieces. Increase heat to medium-low. Whisk occasionally until all of the chocolate is melted.
  3. Whisk in the maple syrup, cocoa powder, nutella, and salt until super smooth. If you can’t get the hot cocoa smooth enough by whisking (this will depend in large part by how smooth your homemade nutella is) you can transfer it into a blender (with lid ajar) and blend until smooth.
  4. Adjust the sweetness to taste, if necessary. Serve and enjoy! Leftovers will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for 2 days or longer.

Tips: 1) For my Homemade Mocha Nutella recipe, see here. 2) For my Homemade Almond Milk recipe, see here.

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Oh, and if you are interested in a impromptu video on me making my homemade nutella, check out this video I uploaded to Instagram.

If you are looking for all my holiday recipes, see this link!

Oh She Glows

Homemade Whole Wheat Pasta

Whole Wheat Pasta

This recipe has been on the site for years and for about the same amount of time, I’ve felt like I needed to give it better photos. Making pasta at home doesn’t have to be hard and I believe it’s one of those items that after you make it a few times, it becomes easy. It might take a few tries to get the feel of the dough right so that it’s not sticky but also not too stiff, but once you do- it’s fresh pasta whenever you want. And trust me, the flavor is so much better (or I should say, there is a flavor- I find most store-bought pasta doesn’t have much flavor). continue reading

The post Tossing homemade pasta with olive oil appeared first on Naturally Ella.

Naturally Ella

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix

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For the past couple seasons, I’ve been on the hunt for pumpkin pie spice mix. And I’ve been slowly going crazy not being able to locate it in any local grocery stores. Don’t they know how many they would sell from me alone?! I longed for the day I would cross paths with it, making a mental note to buy 10 if I ever did. Only that day never came and I went about my life smiling on the outside, but secretly feeling like a piece of me was missing. Until that beloved day when a recipe just fell into my lap!

I feel like fellow bloggers and cookbook authors, Nicole Axworthy and Lisa Pitman, get me. They know that vegan staples aren’t always offered in grocery stores (yes, I just called pumpkin spice mix a “vegan staple”…let’s go with it), and sometimes we want or need to make things in our own kitchen. In their new book, DIY Vegan, you’ll find more than 100 vegan recipes showing home cooks just how easy it is to create knock-offs of common store-bought staples, only without the sometimes scary ingredient lists. For the most part, I try to limit the amount of prepared foods that I purchase due to the unpronounceable ingredients many contain. And really, these foods don’t always leave me feeling my best. Yes, more and more brands are coming out with simple, whole-foods ingredient lists (hooray), but sometimes these brands aren’t accessible or they’re just plain old expensive. So, I enjoy making my own staples when time allows; especially if I can make a huge batch and store it for several months, like with this pumpkin pie spice mix. Major kitchen win!

As Nicole and Lisa say, "Seriously, are you going to pay extra for someone else to stir your spices? We didn’t think so. Make your own in seconds, make some for your friends, start a business selling your own spice-stirring services. And then eat pie."

In DIY Vegan, you’ll find vegan recipes like Buttermilk, Cashew Coffee Creamer, Simple Sour Cream, Coconut Yogurt, Cultured Nut Cheese, Whole-Grain and Seed bread, Cheesy Crackers, Taco Seasoning, Spelt Pizza Dough, and many more. I went straight for the Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix of course, and after falling in love I made a triple batch to keep on hand. It’s just so easy and flavourful, and now I never have to go without. If you noticed that super cute jar at the top of this post, you’ll see that it also makes a fun gift for the pumpkin pie spice mix lover in your life. Just place the spices into a tiny jar (you can layer it for fun), add some baker’s twine, and loop on a homemade tag. Wouldn’t this be a cute idea for a housewarming gift or a party favour? Or maybe I’m just weird. Rest assured, if you ever brought me this I would light up like a Christmas tree.

Coming up soon, I’ll be sharing a baked good that I created using this very pumpkin pie spice mix. You don’t want to miss this one, folks. It’s the seasonal baked good I promise you’ll want to whip up all season long. So go on and make this spice mix then meet me back here for Part 2! Deal?

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Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix

Vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, no bake/raw, nut-free, oil-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free

Use this pumpkin pie spice mix in cakes, cookies, bars, oatmeal, smoothies, lattes, chia seed pudding, and more! I like to keep a large batch of it on hand and I find myself using it in just about everything. This recipe is reprinted with permission from DIY Vegan. Copyright © 2015 Nicole Axworthy and Lisa Pitman. Published by St. Martin’s Griffin.

Yield
2 1/2 tablespoons
Prep Time
5 Minutes
Cook time
0 Minutes
Total Time
5 Minutes

Ingredients:

  • 4 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (I pack it in the teaspoon)
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions:

  1. Combine all the ingredients in an airtight container or jar. Attach lid and shake to combine. Store at room temperature for up to 6 months. Shake jar before each use.

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Photography credit: Ashley McLaughlin Photography

A big congrats to Nicole and Lisa on this beautiful cookbook, and for allowing me to share this recipe with you today! DIY Vegan is hot off the press this Tuesday, October 27th so be sure to check it out online and in bookstores!

Oh She Glows

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte with Salted Pumpkin Spice Syrup

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I’m baaaaaaaack!

Miss me? Better yet…did you miss my tempting recipes popping into your feed each week? I sure have missed you all and this blog. Thankfully, it’s finally time to kick up my heels and celebrate because I handed in my second cookbook manuscript yesterday. All 250 pages of it including 100+ recipes (most are new!), headnotes, chapter openers, introductory chapters, etc. I seriously can’t believe I did it. Can someone pour me a drink…or 10?! I’m so excited to get my life back in order! And I’m so excited to start sharing recipes on here again at regular intervals. I have SO many ideas/goals/hopes/dreams for this space.

It’s funny how different the first book writing process went compared to the second. When I submitted my first book’s manuscript, I don’t think I had ever felt so much doubt in my life. I had all this anxiety near the very end and concluded that a bunch of finalized recipes had to be re-worked at the last minute. All of a sudden, none of them were good enough. Eric was like, did you fall on your head…they taste amazing! Yes, writing recipes for print brought the cray cray out in me. I turned into a full-fledged RECIPE-ZILLA.

I kept coming back to the age old question – Is this book enough? – which I think deep down means, Am I enough? Am I good enough? Yea, I’m getting deep today. It’s a question I’ve struggled with my entire life so I shouldn’t have been surprised when this crippling doubt reared its ugly head. In the end, the first process taught me how to make peace with my work, the creativity I put out into the world, and with whatever the response to the book would be. That’s a big one. I just had to let it all go.

I’m not saying I haven’t had moments of doubt during the second book’s creation because I surely have, but this time around I’ve felt much more focused, organized, and best of all, confident in my ability. It was something only experience could teach me, I think. Even Eric mentioned how calm I was this last week as I put the final touches on everything. (Ok, ok, I handed it in 4 days late, but when your editor gives you an extra weekend you take it!) Even though I know there is a lot of work ahead (many rounds of edits, design collaboration, press, etc), at least I (kinda, maybe) know what’s to come.

But I’m totally not thinking about that right now. Now is the time to drink all the espresso! Can you tell I’m hyper? Just a bit. Yes, I’m getting festive with homemade pumpkin spice lattes, and I hope you’ll join me. I’d say these are a serious upgrade from my 2010 attempt (cue nostalgia from a blog post 5 years ago!), but how could it not be with a homemade pumpkin spice syrup?! I am obsessed with this homemade latte recipe. Can’t stop. This syrup is a game changer, and you’ll find yourself dreaming up many ways to use it. Always a good detective, I bought a legit Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks so I could compare them side by side. Guess which latte won?

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Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte with Salted Pumpkin Spice Syrup

Vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, oil-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free

I don’t have an espresso machine so I find the easiest way to make an authentic-tasting latte at home is to simply buy a few shots of espresso at the local coffee shop! I’ve tried using strong coffee as a substitute for espresso (in varying amounts) and I don’t find it comes close to being as good as the espresso version. It’s not horrible tasting by any means, but it misses that incredibly rich, deep, and flavorful espresso flavour which I think is key for a latte. So yes, I think it’s worth the effort to use actual espresso here. That being said, feel free to experiment with coffee versions too. Eric, who isn’t a coffee fan, loved a version I made with 1/4 cup strong coffee instead of 1 shot of espresso. It was so much milder, and didn’t have a pronounced coffee flavour. Lastly, a note about milk frothers: I don’t own one, but I discovered that you can create super creamy and frothy almond milk by adding the heated milk into a French press and pumping the plunger for 30-60 seconds vigorously. (Note: I use a plastic french press so I am not sure if this is safe with the glass kind! Be cautious if trying it out.) It creates the creamiest almond milk EVER! I am seriously hooked. I tried coconut milk and didn’t have quite as frothy results. Soy milk will also work well, but I prefer the flavour of almond milk here. Actually my @theglowspot instagram post had a great discussion about various plant-based milks and their frothing ability…pretty interesting stuff! Let me know your tips below.

Note: The Salted Pumpkin Spice Syrup is lightly adapted from Paleo’ish On A Dime.

Yield
3/4 cup syrup + 1 latte
Prep Time
5 Minutes
Cook time
5 Minutes
Total Time
10 Minutes

Ingredients:

For the Salted Pumpkin Spice Syrup:
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened pumpkin purée*
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon pink Himalayan sea salt or other fine sea salt, or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla bean powder or 1 vanilla bean, seeded or 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
For the Pumpkin Spice Latte:
  • 2 tablespoons (1 shot/1 ounce) espresso
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 3-4 teaspoons Salted Pumpkin Spice Syrup
  • Coconut Whipped Cream, for garnish (optional – I usually skip it)
  • Dash cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, for garnish

Directions:

  1. For the Pumpkin Spice Syrup: Whisk together all syrup ingredients in a medium pot over medium heat. Simmer for about 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently, until smooth and slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Once cool, pour leftovers into a jar and secure lid.
  2. Prepare the espresso. Tip: I like to buy a few espresso shots from the coffee shop since I don’t have an espresso maker. I keep leftovers in the fridge for 1-2 days and reheat as needed.
  3. Add milk into a small pot. Heat over medium and bring to a simmer. Immediately remove from heat. Froth the milk using a milk frother or a French Press. Tip: I use my French Press to froth the milk. Simply add the heated milk into the press and secure lid (make sure it’s closed and not vented). Pump the plunger vigorously for about 30-60 seconds. Be careful as the hot milk can shoot out a bit.
  4. Pour hot espresso into a mug. Top with all of the frothy milk. Add 3-4 teaspoons of the syrup, to taste, and gently stir to combine. Top with a dash of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, and Coconut Whipped Cream, if desired. Serve immediately. The syrup will keep in an air-tight container in the fridge for at least 2 weeks, most likely longer. You can use it in regular coffee too, or try stirring it into a bowl of hot oatmeal for a seasonal twist!

Tip: If your pumpkin puree is on the grainy side (some brands are more than others), it might benefit from a quick blend or puree in the blender or food processor before using.

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Photography credit: Ashley McLaughlin Photography

Oh She Glows

Back To School: Luxurious Homemade Sunflower Seed Butter

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Not only is it the month that my baby will turn one*, it’s also the time of year when my nut-free recipes are getting a lot more action. Yup, back to school season. After receiving a request from a blog reader recently, I decided to share this sunflower seed butter recipe that’s been raved about by my testers. It’s so creamy and delicious! (I recently heard that some schools are now banning seed butters too, so I realize this recipe won’t work for those schools.)

This blog post is also proof that I’m still alive! Not that you are waiting with bated breath for my next post or anything, but I wanted to apologize for my absence. My manuscript is due at the beginning of October and I’ve been working around the clock finalizing recipes, writing, and editing the introductory chapters and headnotes. I can’t believe I’m SO CLOSE to finishing the first draft. It feels amazing and I’m looking forward to getting back to a (somewhat) normal life again. Thanks for hanging in there with me.

*gentle sobs.

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We start by roasting the sunflower seeds. For the love of everything nut/seed buttery, please do not skip this part. Not only does roasting give the seeds a nutty, toasted flavour, but it helps the seeds turn into butter much faster. I speak from experience because I once tried to make sunflower seed butter using raw sunflower seeds and I processed for like 30 hours and nothing happened except dust. It took me years to try it again after that experience!

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Sunflower seed glam shots. Just cuz.

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Here is a glimpse into the various food processor stages below. It takes me about 7-8 minutes in my processor. Keep in mind your own processing times will vary based on your food processor and its butterizing prowess. I recommend using a heavy-duty food processor (such as this model) to make nut or seed butter as smaller machines can overheat. You can also make nut and seed butter in the Vitamix, but I never do because I find the butter a huge pain to scrape out from the bottom of the Vitamix container. For me, the food processor for nut/seed butter is where it’s at!

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I always let it run a couple minutes longer than I think I should just to get it super silky and runny.

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Luxurious Sunflower Seed Butter

Vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free

Plain sunflower seed butter can taste quite bitter so I’ve improved its flavour by adding a touch of coconut sugar, cinnamon, and some virgin coconut oil to thin the consistency just a bit. The result is a sunflower seed butter you’ll want to add to everything, and eat by the spoonful. Even though it’s not the ever popular almond or peanut butter, you won’t feel like you’re missing out when you make this nut-free spread.

Yield
1 3/4 cups
Prep Time
15 Minutes
Cook time
10 Minutes
Total Time
25 Minutes

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups (about 400g) raw shelled sunflower seeds
  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
  • 2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil, softened
  • Pinch of pink Himalayan sea salt or other fine sea salt, to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, or to taste (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 vanilla bean, seeded or 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla bean powder (optional)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 325F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spread on the seeds in an even layer. Roast for 9-12 minutes, until some of the seeds are lightly golden. Cool the seeds for a few minutes before using.
  2. Meanwhile, add the sugar into a high speed blender and grind until a powder forms. Leave the lid on and set aside so the “dust” can settle.
  3. Spoon the toasted seeds into a heavy-duty food processor. (I like to spoon the seeds into my measuring cup and transfer them that way. When I have about 1/2 cup of seeds left on the pan I will use the parchment paper to “funnel” the remaining seeds into the processor.)
  4. Process the seeds for a few minutes, stopping to scrape the bowl every minute. It will look dry and powdery at this stage. (If you have a chute, you can leave it open to allow steam to escape.)
  5. Add the coconut oil and process for another couple minutes. The butter will clump together into a large ball and it’ll start rattling around for a bit. Then, the ball will eventually break down into butter again. Stop to scrape down the bowl as needed.
  6. Now, add in the ground sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Process for another few minutes until smooth. Now, slowly stream in the vanilla while processing. Add in the vanilla bean seeds, if using. You can add a touch more oil if you need to thin out the butter (but do not add water or liquid sweetener because it will seize). I like to let the machine run at least another 2 minutes to get the sunflower seed butter super smooth. I process for a total of about 8 minutes, but timing will vary based on your food processor and preference. Some machines may need to run for upwards of 15 minutes to get the seed butter smooth enough.
  7. Transfer the sunflower seed butter into an air-tight container. Chill in the fridge. Here it’ll keep for about 2 months and it will remain “spreadable” even when chilled.

Tips: 1) Do not skip toasting the seeds; it’s necessary for the seeds to break down in the processor. 2) The sweetener is added because sunflower seed butter is bitter; feel free to adjust the sweetener to your own taste. 3) If for some reason your seeds aren’t breaking down after the specified times, add a touch more coconut oil, a teaspoon at a time. Some machines just might need to run a bit longer though, so be patient!

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And now some recipes to use homemade sunflower seed butter…

Quick and Easy No Bake Protein Bars

3-Layer Nut-Free Dream Cups

Flourless Thumbprint Breakfast Cookies

PS – 21 Allergy-Friendly Back To School Snack Recipes

Oh She Glows

Roasted Red Pepper Relish Black Bean Tacos (+ Homemade Corn Tortilla Video)

Black Bean Tacos with Roasted Red Pepper Relish  | http://naturallyella.com

I’ve made it no secret that I love Mexican food. So much so, in fact, that the night I went into labor with Mack, I was making enchiladas (I probably should have been at the hospital but since I wasn’t sure, I made dinner instead.) I love the flavor combinations and it’s a cuisine that so easily lends itself to the vegetarian side of things.

In terms of tacos, I could come up with a new variation for each day (365 days of tacos- sounds like a cookbook idea right there, ha!) I have my favorites (like these sweet potato/guac ones– years later and I still love them) but that doesn’t stop me from experimenting. I think it’s easy to overlook roasted red peppers as a main ingredient but they can be so handy (and really delicious- especially when you roast/grill them yourself!) This red pepper relish is great for these tacos but could easily be used in a myriad of ways. I’ve swapped out the cotija cheese for feta and used as a salad topping, stuffed this mixture in a quesadilla, and mixed with grains for lunch.

On top of the red pepper relish, I’ve decided to take the plunge with an idea that’s been in my head for some time. I know there are things on this site that seem easy to me but can easily seem daunting when just starting out and so, I’ve decided to start a video series that shows how-to’s on somewhat tricky items. I already have a video on on how to make corn tortillas with a press but I wanted to create a short, 60 second video on how to ‘roll’ out tortillas with a bowl and hand roller (do you have one of these in your kitchen- I use it more than my rolling pin!) So, without further ado, more corn tortillas:
See the Recipe + Video.

The post Roasted Red Pepper Relish Black Bean Tacos (+ Homemade Corn Tortilla Video) appeared first on Naturally Ella.

Naturally Ella