HookedOnPlants

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Simple Creamy Tomato Pasta with Chick’n | Vegan + Oil-Free

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A week night dinner saviour!

This pasta is super delish, and takes no time.

The creaminess? Hello cashews.

The simple-ness? Hello blender.

Pretend you’re a top chef for a minute with out actually having the credentials.

The biggest bonus of it all? The creaminess and decadent mouth feel we all crave… doesn’t have to come from the cow!

As for the vegan chick’n; it can be taken out completely, or replaced with any other kind of vegan meat you like. I’m thinking cauliflower ground round would be delish in here from Big Mountain Foods, or Gusta sausages, or Very Good Butcher’s bangers, or Field Roast sausages, or a little more indulgent Gardein or Yves ground round. Make this multiple times, and switch it up every time!

Why not add a side of steak? Cauliflower steak that is… Just douse a thick slice of cauliflower in your fave sauce (used Naked Coconut Teriyaki for this one), and sear them on the BBQ for 4-5 minutes a side!

Don’t forget to whip up some ridiculously easy vegan parm.

Simple Creamy Tomato Pasta with Chick'n | Vegan + Oil-free
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Simple Creamy Tomato Pasta with Chick’n | Vegan + Oil-free

Recipe by JulesCourse: DinnerDifficulty: Easy
Servings

6

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

12

minutes

Ingredients

  • Creamy Tomato Sauce:

  • 1/2 cup cashews (soaked over night or a couple hours for the most creaminess)

  • 1 tbsp onion powder

  • 2 tsp oregano

  • 1 tsp basil (or 2 sprigs fresh basil

  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

  • 1/4 tsp salt

  • 1/2 tsp white pepper (optional)

  • 1 cup diced canned tomatoes

  • Pasta Fixin’s:

  • 1 medium sweet onion, diced

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 4-5 mushrooms of choice, sliced

  • 1 red pepper, diced

  • Meatiness: pre-cooked brown lentils or vegan chicken or ground round (Sweet Earth seitan strips, Very Good Butchers bangers, Gusta sausage, Field Roast weiners, Gardein chicken, Yves Veggie Cuisine Ground, Big Mountain Foods Ground

  • 2 handfuls kale or spinach, chopped

  • 300g whole grain pasta of choice (choose one with a couple of ingredients only… like brown rice or quinoa or chickpeas and water)

Directions

  • Turn pan to medium heat, add onions and let brown. Add a splash of water to de-glaze the pan. Then add in the pepper, mushrooms and garlic. Let sauté 5 minutes (add a bit of water if it sticks)
  • Boil water for your pasta
  • Add the ‘meat’ of choice to the pan. Let brown and heat up for 5-10 minutes while stirring periodically
  • Cook pasta according to directions
  • Meanwhile, make the creamy tomato sauce: Add all pasta sauce ingredients to the blender and whizzzz until smooth
  • Add the sauce to the veggie and ‘meat’ pan, stir to combine
  • Strain your pasta, then add that to the loaded pan too. Give it a good stir
  • Blend up some 3 minute cashew parmesan, then serve up your dish with some basil leaves, parm, and maybe even some garlic bread (toast with vegan butter and garlic powder = easiest garlic bread ever).

Refreshing No-Bake Blueberry Bliss Bars | Raw Vegan

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A summer dessert to cool you off, and keep your house cool too. These Coconut Blueberry Bliss Bars are perfect for a hot summer day.

With just a few ingredients, and a couple hours of freezer time later, you’ll have a melt-in-your-mouth treat to drooooool over.

It’s berry season, so hit up your farmer’s market, or order some from a local farm. Go organic and as local as possible for the juiciest berries around.

No-Bake Blueberry Bliss Bars | Raw Vegan
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No-Bake Blueberry Bliss Bars | Raw Vegan

Recipe by JulesCourse: dessertDifficulty: Easy
Servings

12

servings
Prep time

10

minutes

Ingredients

  • Crust:

  • 1 cup rolled oats

  • 1 1/2 cups medjool dates (18 dates)

  • 1 tsp cinnamon


  • pinch of sea salt

  • Filling:

  • 1 can coconut cream (just the solid stuff, about 1/3 cup)

  • 1 ripe banana

  • 1 cup blueberries

  • 1 tsp vanilla

  • 1/4 cup maple syrup

  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

Directions

  • Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper.
  • Blend all crust ingredients together in food processor until evenly blended.
  • Press the crust down evenly into the pan. Place in the freezer while you make the filling.
  • Put 1/4 cup of the blueberries aside, and blend all the filling ingredients together in the food processor until smooth. At the end, hand mix in the whole berries.
  • Pour the filling over the crust, then place in the freezer for about 2 hours.
  • Slice and enjoy!

Notes

  • Prep time doesn’t include freezer time of 2 hours
  • To make an even creamier version, replace the banana with another 1/3-1/2 cup of coconut cream from another can!

Want a plant-based kickstart?

Try out this vegan handbook and mini challenge: #PlantsForAWeek

‘Avo Nice Day Mousse | Easy Raw Vegan Summer Dessert

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For those times when simplicity sounds like perfection.

This avocado mousse lays down a huge tick in the simple check box.

With just a few ingredients, a food processor, and a bowl, you’ll have yourself a dessert to impress!

This is always a go-to when I have people over, and I completely forgot about the dessert part. I mean, I love dessert, but this happens.

Just grab yourself some ripe avos, throw a couple raw flava flaves in there, and you’re back on your game!

Avo mousse is another example of the ease and possibility of achieving that creaminess without that dairy. Win.

It would be cute to serve it up in individual little mason jars, with berries on top! If you do that, take a picture and tag me on instagram so I can see your creativity (please:)).

‘Avo Nice Day Mousse | Easy Raw Vegan Summer Dessert
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‘Avo Nice Day Mousse | Easy Raw Vegan Summer Dessert

Recipe by JulesCourse: DessertDifficulty: Easy
Servingsservings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking timeminutes

Ingredients

  • 3 ripe avocados, halved with pit and skin removed

  • 1/4 cup maple syrup

  • 2 tbsp cacao powder (can sub cocoa powder)

  • 1/4 tsp himalayan salt

  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

  • 1 tsp cinnamon

  • 1-2 bananas, sliced

  • 1 cup mixed berries

Directions

  • Blend all ingredients (except bananas and berries) until smooth in your food processor
  • In a bowl place half the banana slices and a few berries at the bottom, cover it with the avo mousse, and top it off with the rest of the banana slices and berries
  • Pat yourself on the back and enjoyyyyy!

Power to the Pickle Salad Dressing | 4 Ingredients + Oil-Free

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This dressing will be your new best friend when learning to love salads. Pairing a salad up with this drizzle of goodness will leave you wanting even more of those green leafies. Now that’s a craving we all need more of in our lives.

If you’re wondering… why no oil? Here’s a great post all about it from No Meat Athlete.

Don’t stress about it when you’re eating out or trying new vegan alternatives every now and then… but cooking without oil at home is too easy not to do, and you’ll get the benefits of dodging those empty, refined fat calories and have more room for nutrient-dense, beneficial, whole plant food calories.

The magic ingredient in here is pickle juice!! Don’t throw that stuff out! It’s amazing in hummus, sauces, dressings…

I usually just wing it with the ingredients, but had to measure it out for you guys and share because it’s just too good and I use it too often not to.

Make a big batch like this recipe, and keep the leftover dressing in the fridge for easy salad makin’ all week long.

No excuses. Bring out your inner Popeye and love your greens.

My go to for salads: avocado, tomato, green onion, kale (massaged in the dressing first), romaine, sprouts, and other kind of greens I have growing in the garden (arugula, mustard greens, herbs), some hemp seeds, and sometimes raisins.

What’s your favourite salad combo? Leave a message on instagram to me @hookedonplants.

Let’s just get right into the recipe.

Power to the Pickle Salad Dressing | 4 ingredients + Oil-Free
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Power to the Pickle Salad Dressing | 4 ingredients + Oil-Free

Recipe by juliaDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking timeminutes

Ingredients

  • 1/8 cup dijon

  • 1/2 cup pickle juice

  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

  • 1/2 tsp maple syrup

Directions

  • Add all ingredients to a jar.
  • Use those muscles and shake vigorously until it’s all smoothed out
  • Taste it! Too tangy? Add a bit more maple. Too runny? Add some more nutritional yeast. Too thick? Add more pickle juice!
  • Keep left over dressing in the jar in your fridge for up to 3 weeks (if it lasts that long).

Tangy White Bean Hummus

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If you like tang then this is your thang.

And, when you’re a hummus lover, you’ve just gotta switch it up sometimes. This tangy white bean hummus does just that. Step outta your hummus comfort zone and whip up this business.

Guess what makes it tangy…

PICKLE JUICE! And lemon juice, and white vinegar. Yup.

Tangy-ness maximus.

Throw some fresh dill in there, and it’s a hummus party to dance about.

Tangy White Bean Hummus
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Tangy White Bean Hummus

Recipe by JulesDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

5

minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 cups white kidney beans or cannellini beans

  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast (nooch)

  • 1 tbsp tahini

  • 1 tsp onion powder

  • 1 large clove garlic

  • 1 tbsp white vinegar

  • 3 tbsp pickle juice (a little more if it’s not blending easily enough)

  • 1/4 cup packed fresh dill

  • Juice of 1/2 lemon

  • 1/2 tsp himalayan salt

Directions

  • Add all ingredients to a high speed blender or food processor. Blend on low and increase speed until smooth! You may need to scrape down the sides a few times.
  • Serve it up with crispy romaine, raw veggies, and your fave crackers (I’ve been diggin’ these Laiki crackers, Mary’s crackers, and Eve’s Crackers lately.