HookedOnPlants

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Gluten Free

Nut-Free Maca Date Balls & Vegan Festival Eats

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Sometimes all you need a two-biter to make your day.

Need it to be gluten-free, nut-free and packed with nutrients? Look no further.

Here’s a two-bite morsel (AKA meteor ball) that will make you bounce of the walls from all that whole-food, plant-based energy. Not to mention… make your taste buds sing.

Easy as dump, blend, roll.

It’s festival season. It’s camping season. T’is the season for glorious balls of tasty nutrients.

These are perfect for camping. You can take them in a big zip lock, and keep them in your cooler until you head off on your hike, then transfer to a little baggy to stash them in your back pack.

Or, if you’re ever needing a little boost of energy at a festival, meet your new best friend.

There’s nothing like a hand-to mouth treat that is actually healthy for your cells, your muscles, your brain, your digestion… and of course, your dance moves.

This weekend calls for these little bites. Bass Coast is coming up, which it’s all about taking your dance shoes out and busting a move. Since cooking time will be squeezed out of the schedule because of all of the art to look at, people to learn from and dancing to do, these are the PERFECT bites to bring in a cooler to keep us sustained for the festivities.

Dress by @ChicLittleBoho

Oh ya! And, I’m excited to be bringing these balls to the Hooked On Plants Bass Coast workshop too!

While we’re on the topic let’s talk festival eats! What eating at a festival really means is snacking on the go. It’s important to bring snacks that will sustain you, hydrate you, and fill you up with nutrients and good energy.

And water. LOTS and lots of water. Throw in some electrolytes or even a dash of Himalayan salt, and you’ll be loving it.

Vegan Festival food ideas:

  • Hummus and veggies/tortilla chips
  • Fruit – any kind, and all of it! This is nature’s way of giving us amazing energy packed with nutrients and hydration
  • Pre-make one-bowl meals to take spoonfuls of regularly:
  • Salad fixin’s: Bring lettuces, tomato, avocado, and seeds, plus one of these dressings in a jar
  • Pre-bake sweet potatoes (either whole or as fries), and dip in organic ketchup
  • Bring these Fudgy Quinoa Brownies to drool over and sustain you
  • Pre-make popcorn with coconut oil and nutritional yeast to pack in the B12 (try adding curry powder or garlic powder, YUM), and bring it in a big re-usable ziplock
  • Roast chickpeas for a salty snack
  • Bring along your favourite green powder to throw in your water bottle in the AM.
  • Pre-make and bring along a tupperware of Jules Fuel for breakfast so you can pack in some mega-nutrients before your day even starts
  • Rice, Beans, Guac, Salsa, Wraps. Enough said.

Ok, now back to the balls.

The magic ingredient in this recipe is Maca.

Benefits:

~Maca root is an adaptogen. All adaptogens bring your body back to homeostasis (or balance). Adaptogens grow in stressful situations (extreme weather), meaning they need to adapt to their environment. That’s why these amazing herbs and roots are so beneficial! Maca is especially good for balancing hormones, strengthening immunity, increasing energy & labido,

~Dates are the base to these ‘meteor balls’. Dates pack a mean punch of minerals, fibre, and clean, easily digestible energy. Perfect for the summer adventures.

~Hemp seeds bring a complete plant-protein to the mix. Plant protein is easily assimilated by your body to help you grow beautiful hair and nails. You really don’t have to worry about where you’re getting your protein from when you eat a whole-food plant-based diet.

Maca Date Balls

AKA Meteor Balls

Time: 10 minutes + 30 minutes chill time

Serves: 15-20 balls

Ingredients:

  • 15 pitted dates (1 cup packed)
  • 1 chia egg (1 tbsp chia + 3 tbsp water, let sit for 5 minutes until gooey)
  • 1/2 cup hemp seeds
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup shredded coconut
  • 2 tbsp maca
  • 2 tbsp cacao nibs

For rolling:

  • 1/4 cup shredded coconut

Directions:

  1. Pulse dates in food processor until small chunks form (but don’t pulse so much that a pastey ball forms)
  2. Add the rest of the ingredients except for cacao nibs and rolling coconut
  3. Blend until ball forms
  4. Add cacao nibs, and blend until mixed evenly
  5. Spread rolling shredded coconut out in a flat bowl
  6. Wet hands
  7. Roll date mixture into small balls, then place them in the coconut bowl
  8. Roll the balls around until coconut coats them completely
  9. Place in the freezer in one layer on a plate (at least 20 minutes, then for storage place them in a tupperware or ziplock in the freezer)
  10. Eat when you’re feeling snacky, or low energy!

Hemp Milk Recipe & Ditching Dairy

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Ready in a few minutes! No pre-soaking or straining needed.

Not only is it the easiest plant-based milk to make at home, hemp milk is creamy and tasty too.

Not to mention the nutrient-boost of the hemp seeds you’ll get! As the most nutritious seed in the world, they’re a perfect balance of omega 3 and 6, a complete plant-protein, and packed with vitamins and minerals.

You can take it to the next step and strain the blended hemp milk through a nut-milk bag (like you would do for almond milk), but since hemp seed pulp is smoother, and packed with fibre for maximum nutrition, it’s a great excuse to skip that step and enjoy a thick, smooth, milky beverage!

Since you don’t have to pre-soak the seeds or strain the milk, you can whip this up in no time. Plus, you can get creative with your flavours. Today we’re keeping it simple and using cinnamon and maple syrup. This is my go-to, and never disappoints.

Other flavours you could add?

  • Molasses
  • Turmeric
  • Nutmeg
  • Vanilla
  • Cacao
  • Peanut butter
  • Maca powder
  • Lucuma powder
  • Shredded Coconut
  • Strawberries
  • Blueberries

Drinking milk on the daily was thought to be the healthy way to get in the calcium and create strong bones. But, now that the science is catching up, we know this isn’t the case!

A must listen is Rich Roll’s latest podcast with Dr. Neal Barnard, all about the Dairy woes.

If you don’t have time to listen to the whole hour, here are some points to jump to:

22:22 ~ An example of a woman who healed by switching to a plant-based diet

25:47 – 28:20 ~ Where dairy comes from and the detrimental effects it has on us (estrogens, breast cancer, low sperm count, prostate cancer)

29:15 ~ Calcium confusion

31:15 ~ Prostate cancer

31:40 ~ Prostate cancer and dairy consumption

32:30 ~ IGF 1 (insulin like growth factor) and it’s dangerous effect on cancer growth

35:30 ~ Dairy is a legit addiction

43:25 ~ The ethics of the dairy industry (it’s even worse than the meat industry)

48:30 ~ Antibiotics and Additional hormones


1) Clearer skin  & 2) Less inflammation

Dairy is packed with animal hormones, animal proteins (casein and whey), saturated animal fat, and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1). These lead to inflammation, mucus production, bacteria and oil build up, leading to acne, skin aging, asthma, weaker immunity. Try a dairy free diet (and ditching the refined sugar will help too) for clearer skin, fewer colds, and easier breathing.

3) Improved digestion & 4) Weight loss

About 75% of the world’s population is actually lactose intolerant. As humans, we are the only species that drinks the milk of a different species. Cow’s milk is meant for cows, goat’s milk is meant for goats. Dairy (which comes with IGF-1) is meant to be consumed by a calf that needs to grow to a 400 pound cow in a few month’s time (this isn’t something we need as humans). Gas, bloating, weight gain, diarrhea, migraines and mucus build up are all issues that come from consuming dairy as a human.

5) Disease Prevention

Dairy packs a punch when it comes to saturated animal fat (#1 source in the American diet), cholesterol, and IGF-1. These all lead to atherosclerosis, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity and cancer.

6) Better for the bones

Contrary to popular belief, milk can lead to more hip fractures and osteoporosis. The elevated galactose in blood causes pre- mature aging, and weaker bones.

7) Calcium absorption

Calcium from plant foods is absorbed nearly twice as well as the calcium in dairy. Dark leafy greens, legumes, rice milk, soy milk, tempeh, are all high in calcium. You have to think about the package of what you’re consuming comes with:

  • Dairy comes with: pus, manure, natural hormones, saturated animal fat, lactose, and a lot of the time, added antibiotics and hormones
  • Plant foods come with: fibre, folate, high concentration of vitamins, electrolytes, antioxidants, phytonutrients

Cancer Prevention:

  • 8) Prostate cancer: Cow’s milk creates an increase in growth rate of prostate cancer cells by over 30%, whereas almond milk suppressed the growth rate of cancer cells by 30%.
  • 9) Breast cancer: Because of the animal-derived estrogen in dairy. Women who consume the most dairy had a 49% higher breast cancer mortality

10) Better for the planet 

Cows are the #1 contributor of methane gas. One fracking well releases just 1/10 of the amount of methane each day compared to one single dairy farm. Dairy products ranging from one glass of milk, 2 slices of cheese, one scoop of ice cream, one greek yogurt take 30 gallons to 109 gallons of water to create. Soy milk, on the other hand, takes 9 gallons of water per glass. You could save 50,000 gallons of water per year just by choosing to ditch the dairy.

11) Minimize cruelty

The dairy industry is the meat industry…but worse. The Mother cows is artificially inseminated every 10 months to give birth to their calf (which is taken away from them). Once they reach a certain age and cannot produce milk at the rate that is economically viable, they are killed for the meat industry. There’s no need to contribute to this cruel treatment when there are so many delicious vegan dairy alternatives available in the grocery stores, and at home in your kitchen.

12) There are delicious things happening in the plant-based dairy world!

Miyokos Creamery

Tree Line Cheese 

Daiya

Chao Cheese

Nice Vice Ice Cream

Make your own:

This Cheese Is Nuts – Just bought this book!

Turmeric Cheddar Log recipe

Documentaries to Watch:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now, onto the recipe!

 

Easy Hemp Milk 

Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients: 

  • 1 cup shelled hemp seeds or hemp hearts (same thing)
  • 1.5 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 4 cups water

Directions:

  1. Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender for 45 seconds to 1 minute
  2. That’s it!
  3. Store it in an airtight jar, (or re-use an old milk carton) for up to 5 days

**Optional: strain it for a smoother texture. But, hemp milk is so creamy and smooth even with out straining it through a nut-milk bag, plus you keep all of the beneficial fibre in your beverage:)

Fudgy Quinoa Brownies + Vegan Camping Eats

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Holy fudgerama. These brownies are tasty.
You would never know there are hidden superfoods in these babies.
Dense & chewy. That’s what these brownies are all about.
The base? Quinoa and dates. Throw in some superfood ingredients like cacao and cinnamon, and you’ve got yourself a health food that tastes incredibly sinful.
A healthy version of a decadent brownie. YES.
You could eat these for breakfast.
These brownies are also PERFECT for a camping trip.
You know, for those times when you’re hanging around the campsite and need something sweet and luscious to sink your teeth into… Or  for that extra boost of energy on that hike of yours.
These brownies are packed with whole food ingredients, with out any refined sugar or gluten.

Raise the roof for these morsels of awesome!

On the camping thought, camping as a vegan isn’t as hard as you may think…
What else to eat as a Vegan Camper?
  • Breakfast:
    • Jules Fuel – my superfood quinoa oatmeal!
    • Banana pancakes – pre-make these, then throw them on the fire with some tin foil!
    • Overnight oats – fill a mason jar with oats, buckwheat, maple syrup, dried fruit and seeds, then fill it up with almond milk, shut the lid, and throw it in the cooler!
    • The Vegan Egg (trying this for the first time this weekend while we’re camping) with some Tempeh bacon, tomato, avo, and Chao cheese in a whole grain wrap.
  • Lunch:
    • Roasted weiners (still possible) and dijon wrapped in a bun or romaine – Field Roast and Gusta are the best in my books!
    • Sandwiches: bring your bread slices, tomatoes, lettuce, avocado, hummus, and tempeh (either pre-cooked, or cooked on your skillet)
    • Pre-baked sweet potatoes: wrap them in tin-foil, then throw them on the fire at your campsite. Top it off with nut butter, maple syrup, or a pre-made tahini sauce
  • Dinner: Make it a one-bowl wonder by pre-cooking one of these:
  • Snacks:
    • Trail Mix
    • Apples, oranges, bananas, dried fruit
    • Dates
    • Popcorn
    • Dip-ables: hummus & veggies, chips & guac & salsa
  • Dessert:
    • Roasted vegan mellows
    • Roasted bananas: leave the banana peel on, slice vertically half way through, add some nut butter and vegan chocolate chips then wrap in tin foil and throw it on the flame
    • Fire-roasted apples
 
Benefits of these brownies:
  • Quinoa – complete with all 9 essential amino acids, this little seed will provide you with ample protein, and tons of minerals! This is what makes these brownies so satiating.
  • Dates – nature’s candy! These amazing fruits are so sweet, but they also come with the fibre, nutrients, vitamins and minerals your body needs. Because they’re packed with fibre, they’re a great sweetener that won’t spike your blood sugar like the usual suspects (white refined sugar being the worst, and maple syrup being the next best thing to dates).
  • Cacao – hello antioxidants! The raw cacao powder is not only and aphrodisiac, but also a start when it comes to preventing disease.

Fudgy Quinoa Brownies 

Vegan & Gluten Free

Serves: 12-15

Time: Prep time: 15 minutes, Cook time: 30-35 minutes

Ingredients: 

  • 2 cups quinoa, cooked (I used red, but you can use white instead!)
  • 2 cups pitted dates, soaked for 10 minutes in warm water, then drained
  • flax egg (1 tbsp flax meal + 3 tbsp water = let sit for 5-10 minutes)
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil (plus 1 tsp for oiling baking dish)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 cup cacao powder
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla (powder or extract)
  • 1/2 cup cacao nibs or chopped pecans

Directions:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350, and oil 8 x 8 baking dish with coconut oil and a paper towel
  2. In a food processor, add the pre-cooked quinoa, baking powder, cinnamon and blend until sticky and almost pasty
  3. Add the cacao powder, vanilla, coconut oil and flax egg. Blend until nearly smooth
  4. Add the drained dates into the food processor and blend until smooth and a ball starts forming. Scrape down the sides when needed
  5. Add half of the cacao nibs, or chopped nuts and blend until combined (not too much!)
  6. Spread mixture out evenly in the dish, about 3/4 inch thick
  7. Bake for 25 minutes, then top with the rest of the cacao nibs or nuts.
  8. Bake another 5 minutes. Test for ready-ness by poking a toothpick in the brownie (if it comes out clean, they’re ready)
  9. Let cool, then slice into desired sizes
  10. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze them then take them to-go straight from the freezer!

 

The Perfect Smoothie Bowl

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The secret to the perfect smoothie bowl?

 

Creativity, nutrient-dense ingredients, experimentation and love.

Simple right?

I make smoothie bowls for breakfast, lunch, even dinner sometimes on those lazy but clean-feelin’ days. What could be easier?

Why eat your smoothie with a spoon???

Smoothies are amazing, but usually they slide down the hatch too fast.

The digestion process for carbohydrates (which include fruits and vegetables) starts in your mouth. The process of chewing creates saliva with the necessary digestive enzyme, amylase to begin the breakdown process of carbohydrates. So, the more you chew your food, the more surface area it creates, and the more easily digested and assimilated your nutrients are. This is why it is extremely important to slow down, chew as much as possible, and breathe between your bites. Good digestion leads to weight loss, efficient nutrient absorption, more energy, less bloating, and the prevention of disease. YAY for all of that.

So, it’s great to create smoothie bowls, rather than downing a smoothie, because this forces you to slow down your consumption, and actually chew your smoothie one spoonful at a time! Plus, it’s even more satisfying to have that spoon to mouth action.

If you just don’t have the time to create and devour a bowl of smoothie goodness, then just take it in a to-go cup and remember to chew it before you gulp it.

Go for it and switch up the ingredients for a variety of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.

Just stick to these proportions and you’ll have the best bang for your nutrient buck, plus a delish smoothie bowl every time!

Why are smoothies SO AMAZING?

  1. They’re the easiest way to hide a salad-worth of greens on yourself.
  2. They are pretty much a delicious tasting, massive multivitamin.
  3. They still contain the fibre and water from the whole-food ingredients they’re made of.

TIPS:

  1. Pack your blender with as many greens as possible (for the easiest blending, put these in first, so they are pressed down with the other ingredients).
  2. Use the fruit as a way to mask any bitterness of the greens.
  3. If you’re on the run and need to make it into a smoothie – just fill the blender up 3/4 of the way with water, pour it into your to-go cup, and add in something like cacao nibs, seeds, buckwheat groats, to chew on. This is a great way to get in the habit of chewing your smoothies.

 

Proportions for a nutrient-dense, tasty smoothie bowl:

  • Packed greens = 3/4 of the blender  (spinach, kale, romaine, celery, cucumber)
  • 2 ripe frozen bananas (add a couple more if you want a soft ice cream consistency, or need more sweetness and calories)
  • 1-2 cups of berries
  • Water or plant-based milk = 1/8 of the blender
  • 1 tbsp of your favourite greens powder (optional)

Use your blender’s tamper while you blend it up to help move things along and become smooth.

Optional 1 tbsp add-ins to blend:

~ Ginger: immune-booster and antibacterial (about 1 cm thumb fresh, or 1 tsp powder)

~ Turmeric: nature’s best anti-inflammatory (about 1 cm thumb fresh or 1 tsp powder)

~ Molasses: for hair, nails, bones and iron levels (about 1 tbsp)

~ Adaptogenic herbs like maca, astragalus, ashwaganda, shisandra, rhodiola: all of these restore your body by bringing it back to homeostasis/balance after stress (about 1 tbsp)

~ Medicinal mushroom powders: high in antioxidants and healing properties (about 1 – 2 tsp)

~ Spirulina and/or Chlorella: micro algae packed with protein, anti-inflammatory and detoxifying properties (about 1 tsp)

~ Lucuma powder: maple-tasting and packed with minerals and vitamin A (about 1-2 tbsp)

TOP IT OFF

aka

‘make it pretty’:

-Hemp seeds

-Shredded coconut

-Chia seeds

-Pumpkin seeds

-Chopped fruit (banana, pear, persimmon, kiwi, fresh figs….)

-Chopped nuts (brazil nut for selenium is my fave)

-Cacao nibs (for a serotonin and antioxidant-boost)

-Buckwheat groats (for a protein punch and some crunch)

-Rolled oats

–Jules Fuel (my pre-made superfood quinoa breakfast oatmeal)

 

Happy smoothie chewing!

Strawberry Cacao ‘Cheeze’ Cake | Raw & Vegan

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Devouring a dense piece of chocolaty cheese cake doesn’t have to be a complete guilt ridden experience.

If you’re new to this vegan thing, or just want an alternative to the typical heavy duty New York style cheese cake, this has got to be the best way to get your fix.


Simple, raw decadence made up of nutrient-dense whole food ingredients.

I say, WHAT!?  Yes, Please.

Not only that, but even your traditional egg and milk baking grandmother would be impressed.

This pie is perfect for a birthday shindig, or why not the upcoming day for Dad? Father’s Day is just around the corner…

I put it to the test, and the guys in my family go gaga over this one, so I know the ones in yours will devour it too.

All you need to do is blend the crust…

…press it…

…blend the filling…

…then spread it…

Don’t forget to dip some apple slices in there for the clean up crew…

…blend the strawberries… pour it…

and freeze it!

Benefits:

-Cacao is the raw form of chocolate that offers an abundance of cancer-fighting antioxidants. Plus it’s known as a endorphin booster. There’s a reason why we go to chocolate when we’re stressed out. But, make it the pure form of chocolate and you’ll be better off and feeling fine.

-Strawberries are packed with phytonutrients, antioxidants and tons of vitamin C! 

 

Strawberry Cacao ‘Cheeze’ Cake | Raw & Vegan

Serves: 8-10 people

Time: 4 hours soaking time, 15 minutes prep, 1 hour chill time

Ingredients:

Crust:

  • 1 cup oats (gluten free if needed)
  • 1/2 cup almonds
  • 1 cup pitted dates (if they are very dry, soak 10 minutes then strained)
  • 1/2 cup shredded coconut

Filling:

  • 2 cups cashews (soaked minimum 4 hours, then strained)
  • 1 banana
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil (if solid, melt first into liquid)
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup cacao powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Strawberry Sauce:

  • 1 cup frozen strawberries, thawed

Optional Topper:

  • Fresh strawberries, sliced

Directions:

  1. Make Crust: in food processor, blend oats, almonds and coconut together until meal consistency, Add in dates and blend until cookie dough like consistency.
  2. Press crust into spring form pan (7-9 inch diameter) into an even layer
  3. Make Filling: blend all filling ingredients together in food processor
  4. Pour filling into spring form pan and spread out evenly with spatula
  5. Make Strawberry Sauce: blend strawberries with the thawed liquid in your blender
  6. Pour the strawberry sauce evenly over the chocolate filling
  7. Chill in the freezer for at least 1 hour
  8. Take out of the freezer about 30 minutes before serving, so you can cut through the strawberry layer. Serve with fresh strawberries and/or coconut whipped cream used in the Tarte Tatin recipe!