Easy coconut pancakes

So, um, hi. I still exist. I still cook. I'm still really bad at this blog upkeep thing. BUT it's September... a new school year, a fresh start, etc. etc. Who's to say how often I'll update the ol' Birdie, but I've had this recipe lurking around on my desktop for months and honestly it's just too darn tasty not to share! 

Now let's get real here; I’m not really a big pancake person. I'm not even really a brunch person. But when I do venture into the daunting world of vegan brunch, I often forego sweets and opt instead for a savoury menu item. However, I went out on a limb with this recipe and these homemade pancakes turned out wonderfully. There is actually no sugar in the batter because the shredded coconut adds just the right amount of sweetness (not to mention a nice hit of texture). Top them off with fresh berries and maple syrup and you’ve got yourself a brunch dish yummy enough to rival even its saltiest of counterparts. Really. So good.

Vegan coconut pancakes

Serves 2

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)

3/4 cup water

1/3 cup shredded coconut

3 tbsp oil

Fresh blueberries

Pure maple syrup

In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Next, whisk in the milk, water, and coconut until smooth. Heat the oil (about 1 tsbp per batch of pancakes) over medium heat. Finally, ladle in the batter and cook pancakes until golden brown and slightly crispy (about 3 minutes per side). Serve with fresh berries and maple syrup and enjoy!

P.S. Look familiar? Here's why!

Lighten up

In the colder months, I usually crave warm, hearty, and rich meals. But, oddly enough, I've been on a bit of a salad kick lately. I know, I know, I'm only contributing to the widespread myth that we vegans only eat salad. And although that's clearly not true (exhibit A, exhibit B, you get the picture), I do love me a big old bowl o' veggies sometimes! I wanted to do a spin on a classic nicoise salad- minus the totally unnecessary, totally un-vegan items. So in lieu of the egg and the tuna, I added creamy white beans for protein, which contrast nicely with the sharpness of the onion (olives would work too but we don't really get along). The real stars of this humble little lunch though are the potatoes! While still warm, I tossed them in a lemon, dill, and dijon dressing, giving them tons of savoury flavour. So next time you're making this classic salad, consider foregoing the animal products for this pared down version which is much healthier and a whole lot kinder.

Vegan nicoise salad
Serves 2


For the salad:
1 cup small potatoes
2 cups shredded romain lettuce
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1 tomato, sliced
1/2 cup white beans

For the vinaigrette:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Begin by boiling the potatoes in salted water until fork tender. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients until well combined. Once potatoes are cooked, toss them in the vinaigrette. Once thoroughly coated, transfer potatoes into separate bowl to cool slightly, while preserving the remaining dressing. Toss the lettuce in what is left of the vinaigrette before splitting it evenly into your two serving bowls. Top the lettuce with the potatoes, onion, tomatoes, and beans and MUNCH!

Blog birthday!

Today is a special day around here. It's The Hungry Birdie's first birthday! I started this blog mostly as a challenge for myself. I had just made the decision to become vegan and figured a food blog would be a great way to motivate me to try new recipes. It certainly worked! I have never once regretted my decision to adopt a plant-based diet and this blog has been a great incentive for me to connect with other vegans and keep coming up with creative recipes. So, in honour of the HB b-day, I thought a countdown was in order. Here you have my personal top ten fav recipes of the past year: 

10. Grilled "cheese" with jalapeño pesto- Melted vegan cheese and jalapeño pesto, what's not to love? 

9. Spicy sweet potato salad- I mean come on, it's just so pretty!

8. Creamy butternut squash rigatoni- Rich and velvety, the perfect pasta dish in my eyes.

7. Chocolate chip quinoa cookies- Quinoa, chocolate, coconut, and banana, these babies have it all!

6. Scrumptious spinach salad- Candied pecans and clemmies take this weekday salad to the next level.

5. Sweet 'n sour tempeh- Sticky, savoury, and full of texture, this is one of my favourite dinners.

4. Garlicky mushroom crostini- This never fails. Really, it's insanely good.

3. Buffalo chickpeas with cauliflower mash- Healthy in a totally non-boring way. Delish!

2. Asian dumplings two ways- A lot of work but absolutely worth it. Wonderful for wowing guests!

1. Sweet potato fry soup- This continues to be the most popular HB recipe by a mile. Sweet potato fries transformed into a soup complete with aioli on top. Ahh-mazing!

So although the top ten will be pretty hard to beat, I look forward to sharing another year of scrumptious vegan eats with you all. Thank you so much for following The Hungry Birdie!

xo Robin

Twenty twelve

Hello!

I've been a bad blogger... it's true. It's been weeks since I've posted and I feel a teensy bit worse about it each day. Honestly, I was so wrapped up in the frenzy of exams followed by the holidays (and all the visiting/eating/partying that they entail) that I've been painfully neglecting my poor little HB. But no more! It's a new year with lots to look forward to, including The Hungry Birdie's first birthday on January 23rd! Does that make me an official, legit blogger?! I'm thinking it does...

To start it off, here are some of my favourite pictures from the last few weeks. In no specific order they include feasts at my parents' house, sing-a-longs with the fam, New Years with my besties, and a few random shots for good measure.

Happy new year everyone! xo

P.S. The way January's shaping up, 2012 is going to be a social media-ridden kinda year. But hey, nothing wrong with that right?

Clicky here for more HB updates and some personal stuff too!

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