Happy Monday and the last day of a long weekend here, in Beautiful British Columbia.

I have been a bit more on the move than usual this weekend, literally.

Normally I would be camping, hiking, marketing (as in exploring as many markets as possible..favorite pastime) and just lounging in the sweet August sunshine. Luckily, we have had no lack of sun this year on the normally wet west coast, in fact It has been an absolute scorcher. I have been very fortunate to enjoy a lot of  it already, amongst all the business of being self-employed, and starting this budding blog,  I have carved out many mini camping vacays this season!

So what have I been up to this log weekend instead???                                                      The answer is, I am relocating:)

Normally I am not a big fan of moving at all..I am a Taurus through and through. I do delight in the freedom and excitement of travel and of doing things on the fly, however, when it comes to home..I get attached, and much prefer stability in this department. When I was I child I didn’t move often, but when I did, my Mother would practically have to club and drag (OK, a tad exaggerated) me from the premises! I would protest “But Mom, I love this house”…to which she would reply..”you say that about every house, if it was up to you we would never move forward”, “now get in the car” : /

This time is different though. I am feeling very blessed to move on from a situation that  gave a temporary solution, but was not a happy match for my life. I felt sad, stifled and restless there. It was a very cramped and dark environment, and the energy felt dark there as well. Your home should be your sanctuary, and if you are a sensitive person at all, you will relate to how your surroundings can have a huge impact on your mood, energy and productivity.With all that in mind, I pushed through the uncomfortable feelings of uprooting again so soon and began the dreaded packing process. I can say that it was 100% worth it and I wish I had done it sooner…although, timing is everything isn’t it 😉                                   Now I can happily report I have moved into a bigger and brighter place, that immediately feels more cheerful and like the perfect little nest for my pupster (Axl – Like Rose…Big, huge, embarrassingly knowledgeable Guns N Roses fan right here) and myself. Looking forward to the inspiration and good times to come from this space.

So, now that I have spent majority of this long weekend cleansing, purging and setting up, I needed to start thinking of what  yumminess I had the energy to make for this week’s lunches. With an open mind, and a somewhat hungry tummy (always dangerous at the market), I headed out to see what fresh and organic veggies caught my eye and hopefully stir some inspiration.

Instinctively I headed for some full and firm looking dark green zucchini. These are a serious staple in my daily diet. I love their ability to soak in flavors as well as the versatility in ways you can cut and cook them. I grabbed a few knowing I could find some promising way to use them. Just then I spotted some red/purple cabbage which I love and haven’t used in quite awhile…wait, when did I last use it?? hmm… Then it dawned on me, it was for my fave healthy vegan Pad Thai dish. And I could use the zucchini too …Bam!

This dish is so perfect for summer dinners or lunches. It is light, fresh and creamy enough to feel like a sinful indulgence, and best of all..its oh so simple!

Give it a try, I would love to hear if you love it like I do, or any of your own twists you put on it 😉 Enjoy XO
Raw Vegan Pad Thai

Ingredients

• 1 large zucchini
  
• 1 large carrot
  
• 1/4 Red cabbage sliced thin
  
• 1 Green onion chopped fine
  
• Small amount grated ginger and a few Crushed cashews or peanuts for the topping.
  

Direction
Use a spiralizer (or mandolin or vegetable peeler) to create “noodles” out of the carrot and zucchini. Place them in a large mixing with the other vegetables.
Pour the sauce over the vegetables and toss. I prefer this dish after 1 day in the fridge so the flavors really come out and stick to the veg noodles. Add toppings of choice when served.

Cashew Cream Sauce
 Ingredients (makes about 2/3 cups or 3 servings)

• 1/2 cup raw cashews,  soaked for 2-3 hours or overnight
  
• 1/4 cup water, + 1-2 tablespoons as needed for thinning
  
•  1 garlic clove
  
• 2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
  
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  
•  1 teaspoon sriracha chili sauce, + more to tastePut all ingredients into a food processor or blender. Blend until you get a smooth and creamy texture. Taste for your desired flavor and add extra chili sauce if needed. Thin with water to the rig

  ht consistency using one tablespoon at a time. If you find it’s too watery add a few cashews and blend again until smooth. Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to six days. I used a tiny pinch of pink Himalayan salt after and blended.Sure to be a new easy and delish staple for you as it has been for me!