Desiree Nielsen RD

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Desiree Nielsen RD

Registered Dietitian. 3x bestselling author. Host, The Allsorts Podcast. No deprivation, no guilt...just juicy, vibrantly healthy living.

Desiree practices anti-inflammatory nutrition where whole, unprocessed plant foods are the star of the show. Modern nutrition has been lost in a sea of nutrient recommendations. Food is more than the nutrition it provides — it is a vital part of our culture, our celebrations and our lives.

03/05/2026

Make a cozy buckwheat porridge with me in my pyjamas

Buckwheat has got to be the most confusingly named grain in the world. Buckwheat has literally nothing to do with wheat. It’s not even technically a grain. It’s a gluten free seed that we cook and eat like a grain.

And this easy buckwheat porridge, rich in flavonoids, studded with spiced pears is joining a cozy crew of heritage grain porridges over on the blog with friends like millet and quinoa…

so if you want to switch up your breakfast routine, just comment SAVE and I’ll drop it straight into your DMs. 📥

02/04/2026

Hey friends...I'm testing out a little return to my page. Please be patient with me if I'm slow to respond or make some posting mistakes!! Have to relearn it all :)

12/01/2020

THE BEST HOT COCOA 🍫
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I love a good hot chocolate and honestly, I like my homemade version best! Rich and creamy, deeply chocolate-y and sweet but not too sweet.
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Here’s how you do it 👩🏻‍🍳
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Gently heat 1 cup of your favourite plant-based mylk. Soy or oat will be creamiest. Almond or cashew will give a lighter texture.
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Then add to a blender along with 1 tablespoon of cocoa (or raw cacao for a boost of anti-inflammatory flavonoids!), 1 tablespoon almond butter, 1-2 teaspoons of maple syrup or a big Medjool date, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla.
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Need to chill out? This recipe will mask the flavour of a half teaspoon of ashwagandha like it’s NBD! 💆🏻‍♀️
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Be sure to save this post for a rainy day. Or everyday. ☔️
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You can find the full recipe on www.desireerd.com if you search ‘hot chocolate’
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11/28/2020

Are you into kraut?
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Sauerkraut is lacto-fermented cabbage. It’s delicious and super easy to make. You just need cabbage, salt and a big jar. 👩🏻‍🍳
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Because it’s made from cabbage, sauerkraut contains sulfur-based phytochemicals such as indole-3-carbinol as well as l-glutamine, an amino acid that supports the integrity of the gut lining.
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Sauerkraut also contains beneficial lactic acid bacteria species such as Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus plantarum BUT how much you’re getting in your kraut is highly variable. (It may not be a lot!)
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I recommend including fermented foods like sauerkraut or miso in your diet daily if you enjoy them! They’re healthy and delicious 😋
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BUUUUT it’s important to know that the therapeutic benefits aren’t well researched...because the internet tends to make outlandish claims about fermented foods ✨
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In fact, in the last five years I could find only one small clinical trial. It looked at pasteurized vs raw kraut in Irritable Bowel Syndrome. 👩🏻‍🔬
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The result? The changes weren’t statistically significant...and may have been due to the vegetable as opposed to the bacteria 🤷🏻‍♀️(PMID: 30256365)
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Why might this be? Dumb luck (it was a small trial) or that the amount of bacteria in kraut isn’t high enough to have a significant effect...which I suspect.
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So enjoy your kraut because it’s nutritious and delicious, not for the probiotic benefits (until the research proves otherwise!).
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Have a Q about fermented foods? Let me know!
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🤓 alert: If you’re looking for a nice primer on fermented foods research, check out a review by that I found while researching the new book - it’s PMID: 31387262
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⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ @ Vancouver - Unceeded Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Territory

11/22/2020

I haven’t read as much fiction as I usually do because I was writing this year - but also because I watched A LOT of TV to distract myself from 2020.

By far and away, my fave novel of the year was The Vanishing Half - and if for some unknown reason you haven’t read Untamed, do it. Absolutely my fave non-fiction title of the year🔥

I am always a bit skeptical of ‘blockbuster’ books but in both these cases they delivered on the hype in a big way.

I really love giving books at the holidays and if you can, support your local bookshop because they really need it. Here in East Van, Iron Dog is an awesome choice - they also carry hint hint 😉

What was your fave book of 2020? I need to start building my to read list! 📚

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11/21/2020

It’s FRIDAY...come get your FOOD FACTS!
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Okay seriously, who here eats barley? 🙋🏻‍♀️
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It’s a super underrated grain that’s really inexpensive, filling and crazy healthy.
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Barley has a ton of benefits:
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🌾 Packed with phytochemicals like lignans (hormonal health), sterols (heart health) and flavonoids
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🌾 Beta-glucan from barley is thought to help lower cholesterol
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🌾 Barley supports a healthier microbiome, with more beneficial like Lactobacillus as well as increased short chain fatty acid production
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🌾 One cup cooked pearl barley contains 4g fibre, 4g protein, iron + zinc for energy + immunity and plenty of potassium for electrolyte balance. It’s also supportive of blood sugar balance.
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Enough of the sales pitch....let’s get EATING 😋
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🌱 cook up pearl or pot barley like rice in a bit of stock - or try adding some OJ to the water! Easy peasy
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🌱 has a lovely barley risotto - it’s way more filling than rice versions!
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🌱 Try the blood orange-braised cabbage and barley from
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🌱 There is a beautiful (easily veganized) Mediterranean 5-grain salad with sunchokes + beets at
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🌱 Cook a porridge with leftover barley and plant mylk, plus some chopped apricots, grated pear and a healthy dose of cinnamon
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(PMID: 28911532, 27273067, 30396006, 28815303 for all you 🤓)

11/20/2020

Let’s talk Thanksgiving 🍂

I know that this year it’s not gonna look like it normally does.

I also know that what this holiday even means has changed for a lot of us.

But dammit, we need moments of joy and togetherness now more than ever.

So for those of you considering how to create a safe celebration, I’ve got all my fave recipes gathered in a single blog - whether it’s a celebration for one, a virtual party or a family meal.

The link is in my profile or search Thanksgiving at www.Desiree RD.com

I’ve also got some ideas for safe celebrations in Stories, if you’re looking for a few ideas 🍂

How are you observing Thanksgiving this year...or do you?
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@ Vancouver - Unceeded Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Territory

11/19/2020

Craving comfort? This vegan bread pudding with cardamom and pear is the dessert equivalent of a cozy blanket and candlelight.
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It also doubles as aromatherapy: the sweet scent of cardamom that fills your kitchen as it bakes is so intoxicating you’ll find yourself watching the minutes until it’s done ( )
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Everyone has their thing: cardamom is definitely thing number one in my book, and thing number two is comfort food that actually leaves you feeling full and satisfied as you eat it.
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To pull off such a feat, I made this bread pudding with Oat So Lovely Sprouted Power bread. Sprouted grains unlock the plant power of whole wheat berries to boost the protein + fibre of anything you’re craving.

It also boosts some of vitamins and minerals too. Think plenty of energizing B vitamins, along with selenium, zinc, manganese and copper. Ditch the idea that nutrient-dense food can’t be comfort food!
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What’s your favourite feel good food?
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@ Vancouver, British Columbia

11/14/2020

If there are Brussels on a menu, I’m ordering them! Not kidding, I’m a wee bit obsessed with ‘baby cabbages’.
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And no...no matter how much it sell the baby veg angle, my 5 year old ain’t buying 🙄
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For all of us with more sophisticated palettes 😜 let me tell you why I love ‘em.
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I try to eat Brassica veg daily if I can - which includes Brussels as well as broccoli, kale and arugula - because of their organosulfur compounds.
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You might have heard of these called indoles, I3C or sulphoraphane but any way you slice em, brassica veggies are potent anti-inflammatory all stars that support the liver and encourage a healthy cell cycle.
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Swipe for more nutrition benefits and then get em in your shopping 🛒
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DELICIOUS WAYS TO EAT MORE:
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🌱 I just tried the miso mustard Brussels from and they are 👌
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🌱 I’ve got a lovely roasted Brussels with almond ‘parm’ on my blog (link in profile or Stories) that would be perfect on your Thanksgiving table
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🌱 Tacos more your thing? I’ve got a recipe for that too.
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🌱 They’re also delicious pan-fried (cut side down!) with just a little sriracha and vegan mayo for dipping
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🌱 Try them shredded in a slaw - or Queen has a recipe for shredded sprouts sautéed with balsamic 🤤
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# @ Vancouver - Unceeded Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Territory

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http://www.desireerd.com/, http://www.desireerd.com/

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This is the OFFICIAL home of Desiree Nielsen RD, dietitian, author and host of The Urban Vegetarian cooking show. Please note that there are other pages with my likeness on them on Facebook - but they are spam pages...with no affiliation to me or the producers/networks of the show. I practice anti-inflammatory nutrition where whole, unprocessed plant foods are the star of the show. No deprivation, no guilt...just juicy, vibrantly healthy living. Modern nutrition has been lost in a sea of nutrient recommendations. Food is more than the nutrition it provides — it is a vital part of our culture, our celebrations and our lives.

I want to help you eat more plants...and heal your gut. Living well is delicious. And can help you feel amazing!