jo anne's place logo

Your Vegan Holiday Feast

Whether you’re vegan or not, we’re sure you’ll love these 3 sweet & savoury dishes. New traditions await!


TOFURKY ROAST W/ ROASTED VEGGIES

Serves 5 / Prep time15 min / Cook time 1 hour 15 min

INGREDIENTS:

  • Tofurky Roast, thawed in fridge for at least 24 hours
  • 1 tablespoon Earth Balance vegan butter, room temperature
  • 1/8 – ¼ cup coconut palm sugar, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon sage, dried
  • Sea Salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 8-10 fingerling potatoes, diced
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon MCT coconut oil
  • ¼ teaspoon thyme, dried
  • ¼ teaspoon oregano, dried
  • ¼ teaspoon rosemary, dried


METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.


2. Run Tofurky Roast under hot water to loosen to plastic casing. Use a knife to carefully remove the plastic. Rub Tofurky Roast all over with ‘butter’; sprinkle coconut palm sugar and sage evenly over Tofurky & season with salt and pepper.


3. Peel and chop carrots and potatoes into large uniform pieces.


4. In a large bowl, mix together balsamic, MCT oil, thyme, oregano, and rosemary, add vegetables and toss to mix well.


5. Place Tofurky Roast in the centre of roasting pan and arrange vegetables around the outside. Set aside remaining oil mixture leftover in bowl from vegetables.


6. Cover roasting pan and place on the middle rack. Cook for 1 hour. Baste vegetables with remaining balsamic/oil blend and return to oven to bake uncovered for an additional 10-15 minutes.


7. For optimal flavour and texture, use a bread knife (or other sharp, serrated knife) and slice it as thin as you can!


PC: Julia Luymes



CRANBERRY ORANGE SAUCE


INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 cups fresh cranberries
  • ¼ cup coconut nectar
  • Zest from half an orange
  • Juice from 1 orange (yields approx. 3-4 tablespoons)
  • 1 cinnamon stick


DIRECTIONS:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, uncovered on medium heat, stirring often.
  2. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10-12 minutes until mixture has thickened. You want it to be about the same consistency of cranberry sauce.
  3. Remove from heat cool for 20 minutes

PC: Julia Luymes



STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Serves: 8 as a side, 4 as a main


INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 small-medium acorn squashes
  • 1 ½ tablespoons MCT oil, divided
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • ½ tablespoon dried rosemary (or 1 tbsp fresh minced from 1 sprig)
  • ½ cup quinoa, rinsed
  • 1 cup vegetable stock
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • ½ tablespoon dried sage
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 2 cups baby spinach, coarsely chopped (fresh or frozen)
  • ½ cup dried currants (or more if you love currants as I do)
  • 4 tablespoons balsamic glaze* (make in advance)
  • 4 tablespoons almonds, coarsely chopped


DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.


2. Cut acorn squashes in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds, then cut each of the halves in half once more for 4 evenly sized wedges.


3. Place the squash wedges facing up, brush with about half of the MCT oil. Season with salt, pepper and sprinkle with rosemary. Roast for 35-40 minutes until the squash is tender.


4. While the squash is roasting, combine the rinsed quinoa, vegetable stock, and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan. Place saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to simmer and cook for 15 minutes, or until all of the stock is absorbed and the quinoa puffed up. Fluff with a fork, set aside.


5. In a large saucepan, heat the remaining MCT oil over medium-low heat. Add the diced onions and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the carrots and stir, cooking until the carrots are slightly soft, about 3 minutes. Add sage and garlic and stir. Add the spinach and stir to mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cooked quinoa and dried currants (add more if you like)! Remove from heat.


6. *Make balsamic glaze by gently reducing balsamic vinegar on a low heat in a saucepan (start with double the amount – 8 tablespoons and slowly reduce to half of the amount). Chop almonds and dry roast slightly on low heat in a frying pan.


7. Place roasted squash wedges on a serving platter and carefully spoon the spinach and quinoa stuffing into the cavities. Drizzle each wedge with the balsamic glaze and garnish with the chopped almonds. Serve immediately.

Rebecca holding green smoothie in a glass cup with a straw
By April Allen February 20, 2025
Celebrate the luck of the Irish with these festive, healthier St. Patrick's Day recipes! We've added some brand new recipes to the list for 2025 - Slainte!
By April Allen February 20, 2025
Who run the world? Girls! March is Women's History Month, and March 8th is International Women’s Day. What better time than this to lift up the women around us! Because of the entrepreneurial courage of our founder Jo Anne & the continued efforts of our now owners & team (which is over 80% women), we have been serving Peterborough & The Kawarthas for almost 50 years! We are thankful not only for the amazing women in our team, but for the meaningful connections we have made with so many inspiring women in our community. It is important to us to continue fostering an environment where women feel safe, supported & inspired. We are excited to look to the future and continue to evolve to meet the needs of our community.
By April Allen February 13, 2025
Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to indulge in something sweet, and this Avocado Chocolate Mousse is a rich, creamy, and guilt-free way to do it! Made with wholesome ingredients and naturally sweetened, this luscious dessert is vegan, gluten-free, and packed with healthy fats —so you can treat yourself (or someone special) without compromise. Whether you’re celebrating with a loved one or enjoying a little self-care, this silky-smooth mousse is sure to satisfy your chocolate cravings. Plus, it’s quick and easy to make , leaving you more time to savour the moment. Makes about 4 servings.
By Jonathan Tessier February 6, 2025
Why Buy Canadian? While tariff's have been paused for the time being, we still think it is a great time to highlight some of the amazing Canadian products in our store and talk about some of the benefits they have over American items.
By Jonathan Tessier February 5, 2025
Spicy Coconut Vegetable Stir F ry
By April Allen February 2, 2025
Struggling to find unique Valentine's Day gifts?
By April Allen January 30, 2025
Your body is home to trillions of microorganisms that play a vital role in your overall health. These tiny communities—your microbiome—exist in different areas, including your gut, mouth, lungs, skin, and, for women, the vaginal flora. When balanced, it supports digestion, immunity, and even mood regulation. But when disrupted by factors like poor diet, stress, or environmental factors, it can contribute to a range of health issues. In this blog post, we’ll explore how to nourish and support these essential microbiomes to help you feel your best from the inside out. And we'll discuss how they're all interconnected.
By April Allen January 28, 2025
Keep scrolling for some fun, festive, and functional Valentine's Day drinks!
A clock in the middle with an assortment of food underneath and the text
By Jonathan Tessier January 28, 2025
What is Chrononutrition? Chrononutrition is the science of how food, metabolism, meal timing, and your body clock interact. More research is currently needed, but for now, scientists are trying to understand how your body responds to food at different times of the day. They are interested in whether these factors influence metabolic health and the risk of developing obesity and type 2 diabetes. How it effects your body We usually eat our largest meal toward the end of the day. So, chrononutrition researchers are trying to understand whether it's better to eat earlier in the day or later at night. In one study , a group of scientists followed 420 people on a 20-week weight-loss plan. The researchers split the groups into those who ate their main meal earlier and those who ate it later. They found that participants who ate their main meal earlier in the day lost more weight than the late eaters, even though both groups consumed similar amounts of food. Blood Sugar Levels When your body breaks down a meal, sugars enter your blood as glucose. Your body responds to this rise in blood sugar by releasing insulin. Scientists have shown that our body’s ability to control blood sugar varies across the day. On average, blood glucose responses appear to be better in the morning than in the afternoon . Fat Like glucose levels, after eating, levels of fat in the blood rise. However, they rise and fall much slower than blood glucose, taking hours to return to normal. Evidence suggests that our blood fat levels also change throughout the day. For instance, a study on healthy men found that their blood fat levels were higher after lunch than after breakfast — even though the two meals were identical. Avoid Late-Night Meals Avoiding late-night meals is an important part of chrononutrition. The body has a hormonal response any time you eat anything. If you eat late at night, when you're not using much energy, you'll increase your hunger and appetite. What’s more, late-night eating is linked to impaired metabolic function. In the evening, blood glucose levels are high and since you're not moving around as much, it stays that way. By eating during the day time, you can lower nighttime blood sugar levels. How to Get Your Eating Schedule on Track It can be hard to avoid a late-night meal, but if you're snacking before bed or eating late, it will impact your health. Luckily, it's easy to get yourself back on track. First things first, you should be practicing a healthy sleep cycle and try to go to bed at the same time everyday, since your eating habits often revolve around that. Try to make a schedule for mealtimes and stick to it. Try to eat breakfast later in the morning and have dinner earlier, if possible. If you sleep from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., have breakfast an hour after waking—sometime between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m.. If you have to eat later than usual, try to make it healthy. High carbohydrate and fatty foods are not ideal for late-night meals so try to go for protein if you can. Conclusion The time of day that you eat has an impact on your health, but as long as you maintain a strict meal schedule and avoid eating at night you should be fine. If you do need to eat later than usual, try to make sure it's a healthy snack. It doesn't take a lot of work, just perseverance to stick to your schedule. By maintaining a consistent meal routine and making healthier choices, you'll be setting yourself up for better health and well-being. Keep at it, and your body will thank you!
Two jugs of Natural Cleansing Laundry Detergent with the text
By Jonathan Tessier January 28, 2025
Why Choose Natural?
More Posts
Share by: