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But Make It Vegan: Chocolate Pudding
Recipe for Environment 911

Sometimes you have a craving for pudding (or chocolate in general), but don’t want to over-indulge. This recipe feels like the best of both worlds, as it will curb that chocolate craving and provide nutrition, and you’ll never guess there are avocados in it! You’ll want to adjust the taste based on what you prefer.

More or less banana, or maybe some more cocoa or spices. If you have some picky eaters that prefer a more milk-chocolate taste, you can add a bit of coconut sugar. Just try not to eat it all while you’re taste-testing!

PUDDING INGREDIENTS

  • 2 ripe medium avocados

  • 1 medium banana

  • 1/2 cup cacao powder (double check it’s vegan)

  • 6-8 dates (roughly 1/4 cup)

  • 1/2 cup plant-based milk

  • 1/2 tsp ginger

  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon

  • 1/2 nutmeg, fresh is best if you have it

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS

  • Non-dairy whipped cream

  • Fresh fruit

  • Mint

  • Sprinkle of fresh nutmeg, or cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Soak the dates either overnight or in a bowl with very warm water for 10 minutes. This softens them and makes them easier to blend. If your blender is high-powered enough, you might not even need this step.

  2. Put all pudding ingredients into a food processor, high-powered blender, or if you don’t have either, try an immersion blender. If the mixture is way too thick, add a bit more non-dairy milk, and if it’s too thin, add more banana or avocado.

  3. Pour into glasses (wine glasses will work) or small bowls.

  4. Optionally chill in fridge for an hour.

  5. Top with desired toppings and serve.

Makes 2 large or 4 small servings


Christine’s Holiday List…For You!

What a weird year, and it’s going to be a strange holiday season too. I was inspired by a few people to write a post with some suggestions on how to support small businesses (not unlike myself), and decided I’d put up a list of a few of my favourite local ones.

This runs the gamut from musicians and literature, to textiles and food, to online exercise classes and workshops, art prints and wooden spoons. I may end up adding to it, but it took me several days to compile and think about what people might like. I’ve pretty much either worked with a lot of the people on this list, or they are my friends (or I just love them) so you know you can’t go wrong.

And once again, if you were thinking about getting a photo printed for someone, feel free to CONTACT ME and I can sort you out!

Everything listed below is in the visuals above as well (in this order), so here you go:

Limonella Co - I’ve worked with Lisa for years and her latest project Limonella from it’s beginnings. Everything she has in her shop is carefully curated (I would know) and the quality is superb. I use my tote bag every day (I did almost all of the pics for the “Chasing Yum” one), and can never get enough of the desk calendars. Right now she has holiday wrapping paper and gift tags too

Take Me Away Vegan Pastries - Just started working with this yummy company this year and it’s been a …treat! You can’t go wrong with handmade Vegan Cannoli, and right now they have a Peppermint Candy Cane flavour that is sooooo good.

Prints By Jam - I met Jaimi through the Vancouver music scene (specifically The Zolas) when she was just a youngin’. Lately she’s been killin’ it and making some amazing and funky prints (as well as stickers and shirts!). Check it out.

Foe & Dear - Katherine over at Foe & Dear and I went to Ryerson at the same time and both wound up in Vancouver. I haven’t had the chance to collaborate with her yet, but I have several pieces from her jewelry line and love looking at all the sparkly things on their instagram. There’s a list of ready-made last-minute gifts that would be good to go for Christmas that you can find - right here (but hurry for those!). *sparkle sparkle*

Christina Sicoli - Not only is she an incredible actor & person, my birthday twin (Scorpios!), and was paired with me when I was in Kindergarten and she was in Grade 3 (she remembers this, I don’t haha), but Christina is a phenomenal artist! I wish I had more wall space in my tiny apartment for some of her work. If you want bright colours (esp. if you’re in grey, rainy Vancouver), check out her work.

Andy Spoons - Music is how I know Andy as well as he plays in a few bands (one with his very talented wife whom I also love), but recently dove head first into carving wooden spoons by hand. He sources the wood locally and carves with an axe and knife. They’re all so unique and beautiful, and I’m excited to have one on the way to use in some of my food photography. Keep an eye out for it!

MUSIC:
Here are some of my favourite records from the year - many of which I have on vinyl, almost all include some of my greatest friends and awesome humans, and all of them are from Vancouver or are Canadian!
I also put a playlist together with songs from these albums, and a few others tracks (singles) from some other favourites of 2020 that I enjoyed - click here to hear it on Spotify.

Top Row (L to R): Rich Aucoin - United States, Odario - Good Morning Hunter, Hannah Georgas - All That Emotion, Yukon Blonde - Vindicator

Middle Row (L to R): Aidan Knight - Aidan Knight, Shred Kelly - Like A Rising Sun, Arkells - Campfire Chords, The Matinée - Pretty Rustic Melodies

Bottom Row (L to R): Jody Glenham - Mood Rock, We Are The City - RIP, Adaline - Dear Illusion,, The Pack a.d. - it was fun while it lasted

BOOKS:

I know quite a few writers in Vancouver, but I haven’t got to these three books yet, so they’re on my list, and they can be on yours too! If you can, try and support your local bookstore!
Left to Right:
Charlie Demers - Primary Obsessions
Alicia Tobin - So You’re A Little Sad, So What? Nice Things To Say To Yourself on Bad Days and Other Essays
Andrea Warner - Buffy Sainte-Marie: The Authorized Biography

OTHER:

Barre Fitness (Virtual Studio) - I’ve worked with Barre for as many years as I’ve been taking classes there. Both photos for their recipe blog and of the instructors and studios. A few of the locations have had to close since the pandemic started and it makes me incredibly sad. So if you’d like to get back into the exercise game, their virtual studios are open for business.

Method Of Modern Movement (Virtual Studio) - Most of what I said about Barre can be reiterated here. I met Janelle through Barre and I’m proud to call this hard-working woman my friend. She founded Method Of Modern Movement (or MOMMs for short) and this very year opened her first studio. Many of the pics of Janelle on her website are from our collaborations, which are more fun than work - and that’s also where you’ll find info about her virtual studio and what the classes in-studio are like as well.

Conference & Chill - This summer I found out about this awesome virtual conference, put on by some mega talented people from BC, but gathered photographers from all over the world. Over three days (4 really) I learned and connected and was in awe by the talent of so many people - and I didn’t even have to leave my couch. They decided to keep it going and are doing mini conferences once a month, last month covered outdoor adventure photography, and they more coming up including film photography, boudoir, and the one I’m looking forward to the most, Business & Marketing edition. Tickets are online now (and there is a bundle for the 3 that are announced), and you can buy some of the replays from this summer too. Even if you’re not a photog, there is a playback talk you can purchase of Helen Sloan - the on-set photographer for Game of Thrones, and it’s epic!

I may update this, but my brain is so tired from wrapping gifts and looking at this screen that I’m going to go chill out and listen to my playlist from up there.

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In case you were looking for ideas for holiday presents for 2020 - supporting your favourite photogs and buying a print might be just the thing!

My Travel Portfolio has tonnes of selections, and if there was something in particular you were looking for, I might have it in my archives.

Contact Me for pricing, printing and shipping, I can help you figure it out!

P.S. Thanks to Lexi Carrick for listing me in her blog post on “Shopping Small”, on her awesome website Pucking Fresh!

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