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Energizing Orange Pecan Chocolate Mushroom Vegan Fudge

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The other day I was flippin’ through my fave mag (Veg News) and luckily came across a drool-effect vegan fudge recipe by Jackie Sobon (Vegan Yack Attack). I say ‘luckily’ because… now you get to bask in the introduction to this decadent, melt-in-your-mouth fudge. I switched it up a bit to create what is seen here: Orange Pecan Chocolate Mushroom Vegan Fudge. It’s a mouthful…of AMAZINGNESS!!!

You can even benefit from eating this delicious dessert-y concoction.

I amped up her fudge recipe by adding in some Stay Wyld Organics medicinal mushroom goodness, and even a scoop of the simplest, cleanest Complement Protein powder.

The protein powder is a fave around here. 4 ingredients, and each one is stated on the front of the biodegradable bag in percentages.

And medicinal mushrooms? Well, they’re adaptogens, and they help bring your body back to homeostasis (in other words, balance everything out and help you deal with daily stressors).

Plus, they’re PACKED to the nines with antioxidants. Chaga especially is an antioxidant powerhouse.

Think of adaptogens as as a calming Grandmother, who brings you back down to earth when craziness hits the fan. If your adrenals are wired, they’ll help slow them down. If you’re immune system is out of wack, they’ll strengthen it up. If your mood swings are as steep as the Eiffel Tower, they’ll do their best to calm them back down to the flat-ness of the Saskatchewan plains kind of level.

Reishi, Lion’s Mane, Cordyceps, Turkey Tail and Chaga… each of them have their special unique beneficial traits. Whether you want more focus, more energy, less anxiety or more immunity, they’ve got you. Today we’re adding Cordyceps to the mix to make this fudge super energizing.

Not only does this fudge bring on plant protien and mushroom benefits… but it also shines for what it doesn’t have.

No dairy: No cream. No butter. No milk.

Yet, it’s still incredibly decadent, creamy, fudge-y and mouth-wateringly heavenly.


Orange Pecan Mushroom Fudge - Adapted from Vegan Yack Attack
 
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A vegan, melt-in-your-mouth fudge with adaptogenic medicinal mushrooms! An energizing and delicious gift for the holidays, to your loved ones... or yourself!!
Author:
Recipe type: dessert, holidays
Ingredients
  • 4 cups vegan dark chocolate chips
  • ¼ cup vegan butter
  • 1 cup full fat coconut milk (the solid taken from the coconut milk can)
  • ⅓ cup maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon orange extract (peppermint would be great too!)
  • 2-4 tsp Stay Wyld Cordyceps powder 
  • ¾ cup dried cranberries (save ¼ for the topping)
  • ¾ cup pecans, chopped (save ¼ for the topping)
  • 2 tbsp orange zest (half for the topping)
  • 1 tsp sea salt
Instructions
  1. Lightly greece an 8 x 8 baking dish with butter or coconut oil.
  2. Fill medium sized pot with 2-3 inches of water, and warm it up over medium heat.
  3. Create a double boiler by placing a steel or glass bowl over the pot.
  4. Add chocolate chips, coconut milk, maple syrup, vegan butter and orange extract.
  5. Whisk occasionally until smooth (about 5-8 minutes)
  6. Add the mushroom powder, whisk until smooth.
  7. Remove the bowl from the heat and fold in ½ cup cranberries, ½ cup pecans, 1 tbsp orange zest.
  8. Pour fudge mixture into the prepared baking dish (spread evenly)
  9. Sprinkle the toppings on there (1/24 cup each of cranberries and pecans, 1 tbsp orange zest, sea salt)
  10. Place in the fridge for 1 hour before serving.
  11. Chop it up and enjoy (place chunks in mason jars for an amazing Christmas present)

If you make this tag: @hookedonplants @vegnews @veganyackattack @staywyldorganics @lovecomplement on instagram so we can see!

… and if you want more:

Try @8020plants plant-based coaching and transition app.

Sign up to my emails for weekly inspiration, recipes, plus a free PDF on How to Get Hooked On Plants!

Try the #PlantsForAWeek challenge E-book

Vegan Pumpkin Pie (Mostly Raw)

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Guess what season is upon us… PUMPKIN PIE SEASON.

This Vegan Pumpkin Pie isn’t your typical pumpkin pie. This one here packs in that nostalgic, comforting flavour AND benefits.

Every season should be Pumpkin Pie season, am I right?

Of course, with Pumpkin Pie season also comes with ThanksGivin’er, friends, Mom’s birthday, crackling fires, warm socks, scarves, toques, crispy air bike rides, ‘I’ll have a 2nd latte’ kinda days…ahhhh Fall things. 

The beauty of this recipe is that it ticks all the taste + texture benefits, without refined sugar, butter, eggs, or flour.

I’ll have seconds please, because … Pumpkin Pie with benefits. 

This is a no-bake pie with mostly raw ingredients. Raw ingredients, by the way, have all their nutrients in tact which means their bursting with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

The only non-raw ingredient is the puréed pumpkin. Because hey, we want easy too, right? If you find some sugar pumpkins in the grocery store, and feel like baking + blending those up, feel free!

It melts in your mouth.

It pleases your friends.

It’s easy to make.

It’s pumpkin pie, I mean come’on.

OH YA, AND… COCONUT WHIPPED CREAM.

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and, Hello Thanksgiving dinner parties (Covid style)!

Benefits:

Pumpkin has a whopping 200% of your vitamin A needs in just one cup (does wonders for your vision)! It helps prevent cancer with the antioxidant beta-carotene. It also helps with weight loss because of combo of high nutrient density, low calorie density, and lots of plant fibre. Not to mention the vitamin C it carries to help your immunity during these colder months!

Dates are Nature’s candy. They’re packed with fibre, so the uptake of their natural sugars is slowed, and helps keep you energized. There’s a bunch of essential minerals and vitamins in these little juicy morsels as well.

Nuts are great for your brain, skin, and heart. They help create a decadent feeling raw dessert with their unsaturated fats.

Time: 20 minutes prep, 5 hours freeze

Makes: 8 – inch pie pan worth of pie

Ingredients:

Crust:

  • 1.5 cups pecans
  • 2 tbsp chia seeds (optional)
  • 1/4 cup oats
  • 10 dates
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp allspice

Pie Filling:

  • 1/2 cup cashews (quick soak in hot water for 10 minutes, then strain)
  • 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice (or 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp allspice)
  • 1.5 cups pumpkin puree, *not the pre-made pumpkin pie filling (equal to 398mL can)
  • 1 banana (ripe with spots)
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • Pinch of salt

Coconut Whipped Cream:

  • 1 COLD can of full fat coconut milk (store in fridge at least 2 hours before making!)
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup

Directions:

  1. Soak cashews: Place in bowl, pour hot water over, let sit 10 minutes
  2. Make crust: blend all crust ingredients together in food processor. It’s done when a ball starts to form
  3. Spread crust mix on the bottom and up the sides of the pie pan (easier with wet fingers)
  4. Make pie filling: Strain cashews, blend them in food processor for 2 minutes, or until a cashew butter is formed. Then add the rest of the pie filling ingredients and blend until smooth.
  5. Spread pie filling over the crust evenly
  6. Place in the freezer for 3 hours
  7. Make coconut whipped cream: Flip coconut can upside down after it’s been chilled in the fridge, open the can and skim the liquid off the top (drink it!). Use just the thick, white cream. Blend the cream and maple syrup together in kitchen aid mixer, or whipping cream blender until stiff peaks form.
  8. Slice, add a dollop of whipped coconut cream, and enjoy!

*** Feel free to add in even more benefits with medicinal mushroom powders! I think Reishi would be great in this recipe.  You can use ‘Julia10’ for a discount here. 

Need help going plant-based?

Try the 80/20 Plants App

Chocolate Zucchini Banana Bread | Vegan + Gluten-Free

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Harvest season around here means ZUKES are flowing out of every corner.

This chocolate zucchini banana bread is THE recipe to put those zucchinis to use… Hidden veggie nutrition in a delicious chocolate loaf.

YES, PLEASE.

No eggs, no dairy, no problem.

I even added in some Love Complement whole food protein powder.

Love this stuff!

First, I’ll say: You can get enough protein on a plant based diet without protein powder! But, if you’re not eating a variety of plants, and enough calories in general, or if you’re training or growing or aging, it doesn’t hurt to add a bit of protein powder to your life.

This one is my fave because it’s 5 whole food ingredients (no isolates), no fillers, no sugars, and comes in a biodegradable bag.

Check it out here.

You can use the code ‘hookedonplants‘ for a discount (I get a slight kick back if you do so, and you also get 10% off). I love this company for the quality and effort they put into transparency! I also take their daily essentials (everyday).

You could also add some organic Stay Wyld medicinal mushroom powders to this too! I add my mushie powders to everything possible.


 
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Chocolate Zucchini Banana Bread
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8
A delicious loaf packed with nutrition. Vegan, gluten free, easy and YUM.
Ingredients:

Dry Ingredients:

  • 2 cups oats (use gluten-free if celiac)
  • 1/4 cup cacao powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 pinches salt
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup Complement Protein powder (use ‘hookedonplants’ for a discount!)

Wet Ingredients:

  • 1 ripe banana
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup plant milk (using Earth’s Own Vanilla Oat)
  • 2 cups grated or thinly sliced zucchini

Optional (not really optional, just do it):

Instructions:

  1. Pre-heat your oven to 350F
  2. In your food processor, add all dry ingredients and blend until it’s a flour consistency.
  3. Add all wet ingredients to your food processor and blend until smooth.
  4. Add in choco chips and pulse a few times.
  5. In a parchment covered loaf dish, pour the batter.
  6. Bake for 35 minutes.
  7. Slice it up and devour.

If you make this, post on Instagram and tag @hookedonplants !

Trying to go plant-based? Try the 80/20 Plants app.

Have a listen to Whistler Vegan Fest the Podcast veg nutrition and transition interviews here!

Bangin’ Banana Tahini Chaga Granola (Oil & Refined Sugar-Free)

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Who doesn’t love a good crunch in the mornin’?

I do.

But, I don’t love all the sugars + oils snuck into a typical store-bought granola…

Enter: THIS BANGIN’ BANANA TAHINI CHAGA GRANOLA

This recipe is:

-Easy

-Delish

-Free from refined sugars and oils

-Made up of whole foods baby!

Pour some milk on top (Earth’s Own new 4 ingredient oat milk are a fave), or sprinkle it on top of your coco yogurt bowl or smoothie bowl. How ever you enjoy granola, you’ll be able to enjoy it knowing you’re packing your body with quality nutrients and good energy. 

As for the mushroom part, totally optional, but any opportunity I can get, I’ll add in mushroom powders to my recipes. 

The Stay Wyld Organics Mushroom powders are North American sourced, steamed for best absportion, organic, and packaged in glass with a tin lid (plastic-free packaging for the win). I’m using Chaga here, but really could throw all 5 in this recipe!

 

Turkey Tail, Cordyceps, Lion’s Mane, Reishi AND Chaga all give you a mega dose of antioxidants and act as adaptogens in your body, bringing your body back to homeostasis (balance). They’re also immune-boosting and good for the gut. 

Cooking time: 16 minutes

Servings: 5

NOTE: This recipe is very double-able. Do it. 

 

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Ingredients:

  • Wet Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup tahini

  • 1 ripe banana, mashed

  • 2 tsp vanilla

  • optional: if you like it a bit more sweet, add 1/4 cup maple syrup

  • Dry Ingredients:

  • 2.5 cups rolled oats

  • 1/2 cup coconut shreds/ribbons

  • 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

  • 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

  • 2 tbsp cinnamon

  • 3 tsp Stay Wyld Organics Chaga mushroom powder (use ‘Julia10’ for a 10% discount on these North American, organic, steamed, medicinal mushrooms in plastic-free packaging!)

  • 1/2 tsp salt

  • Add ins after baking:

  • 1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries or chopped dates

  • 1/4 cup hemp seeds

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Directions

  • Pre-heat oven to 325F
  • Mix the wet ingredients together in a large bowl
  • Add in the dry ingredients to the wet and mix thoroughly (hand mixing is the most satisfying and gets the job done best)
  • Lay it out evenly on a parchment (or reusable baking sheet) covered pan
  • Bake for 16 minutes, mixing around halfway through. (Careful not to burn at the end!)
  • Remove from oven and let cool completely before storing it in an airtight container in your cupboard or the fridge. As you transfer it to your container, add in the additional ingredients and shake it up.
  • Snack, scoop, or sprinkle it on everything!

Creamy Vegan Red + White Sauce BBQ Pasta + 10 Reasons to DITCH DAIRY

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Some red & white action in a creamy vegan red sauce form for a little Canada Day celebration!

This time the creaminess comes from something special:

ACTUAL CREAM, but vegan.

Earth’s Own Canada just came out with a cooking cream! Made from Canadian Oats.

And lemme tell ya, it does the job.

Just use it like you would use dairy cream, and it cream-ifies anything.

Usually, I make cream from cashews (or sunflower seeds) like this recipe (just add a little more liquid). Or even white beans made into a cream sauce.

But, this cream makes it ridiculously easy, and extra creamy.

(Did you know oats use seven times less water than dairy?)

Better for the environment, better for the cows, better for you, PLUS it does the job. Win win win, WIN.

It’s BBQ season too, so fire up that barby and throw some plants on it, create a creamy sauce with ease, and you’re off to the delicious pasta races.

🥛 10 Reasons to ditch dairy and embrace dairy alternatives instead:
➖baby calves belong with their emotional mama cows⠀
➖ 65-100% of people are lactose intolerant⠀
➖ mama cows don’t deserve to be forcibly impregnated over and over
➖ your gut microbiome will thank you⠀
➖ we humans don’t need to ingest something that is meant for a baby calf to grow to a TON cow⠀
➖ look up casomorphins (in dairy) and cancer promoting IGF-1 growth factor… ⠀
➖ dairy uses 7x more water than oat milk⠀
➖ the countries with the highest dairy consumption also happen to have the highest rates of osteoporosis (so, no.. milk is not good for your bones)⠀
➖ there are tons of other ways to get calcium and protein … from plants ⠀
➖ and, it’s 2020 … the vegan milk, ice cream, butter, cheese and cream (like the one in this recipe) and RIDICULOUSLY DELICIOUS⠀

Creamy Red Sauce Veggie Pasta
 
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A creamy vegan red sauce pasta packed with BBQ'd veggies.
Author:
Recipe type: pasta, dinner
Serves: 5
Ingredients
  • 2 yellow or sweet onions, sliced
  • ¼-1/2 cup Earth's Own Cooking Cream
  • Tomato pasta sauce (used roasted garlic from Neal Brother's)
  • 400-500g whole grain pasta of choice
  • 2 red peppers, chopped
  • 2 zucchinis, chopped
  • 9 mushrooms (cremini/white), chopped
  • 1-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 3-4 vegan sausages of choice (we used Field Roast Italian)
Instructions
  1. Turn BBQ to 400F (or oven)
  2. Caramelize onions. Do do this without oil, just heat pan to medium, add sliced onions and let the pan brown. Add ⅛ cup of water to de-glaze the pan. Turn the heat down to simmer, and put the lid on. Let simmer for 20 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, a bowl, mix together the veggies with balsamic. Add the veggies to a BBQ roasting dish (OR, bake them in the oven). BBQ for 30 minutes, mixing around halfway.
  4. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to directions.
  5. Add the sausages to the BBQ and grill according to the directions (about 4 minutes a side).
  6. Add cream and tomato sauce to the caramelized onions, and let simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
  7. Strain pasta, then pour it back into the pasta pot.
  8. Chop the sausages, and add them, the BBQ'd veggies and creamy red sauce to the pot. Stir until it's all slathered and delicious looking.
  9. Serve it up with some salad and a sprinkle of vegan parm!

If you make this, tag me on insta: @hookedonplants !

If you missed the premiere of Whistler Virtual Vegan Fest, it is on our Youtube channel for your viewing pleasure. Donate if you like to Happy Herd Farm Santuary or Whistler Food Bank here.

If you need help going plant-based without any judgement + with full support…check out 80/20 Plants, our app with 1:1 coaching ( Plants First Nutrition, Clare Minded, Esther, Matt and I), video lessons, meal planning and recipes.