What's new at Candied Figs?

If you've ever browsed the plethora of "healthy food"-themed Pinterest boards, chances are you've already come across this recipe more than once. Made with cooked quinoa and raw rolled oats, these vegan cookies are high in protein and take less than 30 minutes to make. Be careful- they're addictive!

Two weeks into our vegan challenge, we were craving something hearty, meaty and just a little rich. This chili fit the bill perfectly--without all the added calories that come with its non-vegan counterpart. The inspiration from this recipe came from (surprise, surprise) my go-to vegan recipe blog, Oh She Glows, but I made a few notable alterations to suit our tastes.

This chili is sweet, smokey, savory, and all-around delicious. The recipe makes quite a lot, so save some room in your freezer unless you're planning on having a chili party. Don't worry, though--this is a recipe both vegans and non-vegans alike will love, so chances are any leftovers won't be hanging around your kitchen for too long.

Don't get me wrong- I love a good cheeseburger. So much so, in fact, that mention of them even made its way into the "about" section of this blog! But when dinnertime on day 10 of our vegan challenge called for burgers, we turned to the veggie alternative.

After enjoying a few post-wedding months of eating literally everything in sight, I've come to to the realization that it's time to start eating healthily again--and what better time to start than the beginning of a new year! To kick 2014 off right, we've decided to do a 30-day vegan challenge.

I came across the inspiration for this torte on one of my favorite vegan food blogs, Oh She Glows. I made the original recipe once and was blown away by how fantasticly smooth, creamy, yet still healthy it was. Made with avocado, the original torte recipe manages to have just as rich a texture as those made with full fat whipping cream.

When I have the hankering to cook, I have a tenancy to go overboard. Instead of experimenting with one recipe, I'll whip up 2 dips, a side dish, and 3 desserts. That's exactly what happened while I was finagling with this seed bread recipe. While the bread cooked, I made:

This week's penultimate CSA included a hefty butternut squash--one of my all-time favorite fall foods. Although acorn squash will always have the number one place in my heart thanks to my dad's brown sugar and butter-roasted acorn squash recipe that made an appearance every fall while I was growing up, butternut takes a close second.

Even though I had some older produce lying around that I probably should have used up first, I love butternut squash and wanted to dig into it ASAP. It also didn't hurt that the day was also one of the coldest yet--even though the sun was shining you could still feel the cold edge of impending winter in the air all day long. That type of weather only means one thing: snowy days are coming, and with them, hearty dishes, stews, and roasts galore. 

Ever wanted to make an enchilada but found yourself sauce-less? Well fear no more, friends! Enchilada sauce is surprisingly easy to make, takes less than 15 minutes to whip up, and is far more delicious than anything found in a can. Check out the recipe:

Getting married is awesome, but what’s even more awesome are wedding registries. Registries are like wish lists for all the fantastic, sometimes outlandish, but generally useful housewares it would otherwise probably take a lifetime to amass. For example: a clothes steamer? Great! Crab crackers? How else would one crack their crustaceans?! A doughnut cookie cutter? Clearly a modern home necessity.