HookedOnPlants

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Gluten Free

Date Caramel Candy Apples

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Ringin’ in the New Year with some festive sweet treats that you can feel great about treatin’ on. This recipe is a nice way to ease into the healthy resolutions you might have after indulging in all of the Holiday goodness.

You see, these treats are a trick.

They look indulgent. They taste indulgent. They aren’t indulgent. But don’t tell your taste buds that.

The base of these are made from whole foods! Of course, topping them off with things like sprinkles or chocolate chips will take them to the level of indulgence that you may have been experiencing over the holidays. You don’t have to go that far though. You could even stop at the date caramel layer and call it a super delicious day!

Layer 1: The powerhouse of nutrition that you know well, the apple.

Layer 2: Caramel made from the delicious date. Nothing more (except vanilla and a bit of sea salt, that is). A whole food sweetener at it’s finest, still packed with all the fibre a fruit should have, plus minerals and vitamins from that glorious date.

Layer 3: Your choice. Loved the popcorn layer. You could throw in some coconut ribbons, raisins, cacao nibs, hemp seeds, pecans…. or go for gold and roll it in some vegan chocolate chips.

See? Healthy! But, totally indulgent looking and delicious tasting.

The kids will love it, and so will your ‘new year, new you’ YOU.


Date Caramel Candy Apples
 
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Date Caramel candy apples to make your taste buds sing, and your waist line happy! A great festive way to ring in 2019 and ease out of the totally indulgent experience of the holidays.
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert, Snack
Serves: 3
Ingredients
  • 15 dates, pitted and soaked 10 minutes in warm water, then strained
  • ¼ tsp vanilla extract
  • pinch of sea salt
  • about a ¼ or a bit more of coconut milk (add a bit at a time, just enough for the caramel consistency)
  • 3 apples
Instructions
  1. Blend dates, vanilla, salt and water in a mini food processor or small blender until a smooth paste forms.
  2. Stick a wooden skewer into the bottom of a couple apples (I like honey crisp!).
  3. With a spatula, spread the date caramel evenly over each whole apple.
  4. Roll it in your choice of toppings! I used Nooch Pop sweet + savoury popcorn + coconut ribbons for one, and vegan chocolate chips for the other).
  5. Place in fridge for at least 30 minutes to let firm up slightly (it will still be gooey delicious).
  6. Enjoy!

Tag me if you make this! (@hookedonplants on instagram)

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Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff with Garlic Cream Sauce

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When there’s a ‘strog’ there’s an ‘noff’.

Too far? Ya, that’s a stretch. I just like the word too much.

But, not as much as I like the TASTE of this Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff!!! This is truly comfort-food to the max!

I’ve got a pretty picky hubby when it comes to taste-testing and recipe recommendations. And when I ask him what he wants for dinner, it’s always an old-time, nostalgic recipe from his childhood that he misses since going vegan, and I take this as an opportunity, no… a competitive challenge to veganize the sh#%t out of it!

That’s what happened on this particular night. Stroganoff, you say mister? You got it.

It’s meaty with mushroom-y texture.

It’s creamy from the insane garlic cream sauce.

It’s super flavourful with allllllll of them spices.

And, it only takes 25 minutes….plus 5 minutes to whip up a simple salad with whatever raw veggies and leafy greens you have kickin’ around, drizzle with one of these dressings, or my fave go-to oil free creamy nooch lemon dressing.

It’s pretty much a winner. As much of a winner as Michael Phelps at the Olympics.

Fair comparison.

Oh, and make sure you have a continuous supply of this garlic cream sauce in your fridge in a squeeze bottle, ready to drizzle on savoury meal. It’s ridiculously delicious, and makes everything seem mega-gourmét.

Ok, onto the recipe!


Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff with Garlic Cream Sauce
 
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This stroganoff with knock the socks off your next dinner party guests! Especially drizzled with this cashew-based, garlicky, creamy deliciousness!!! Prep time doesn't include soaking the cashews for the creamy garlic sauce!
Author:
Recipe type: pasta, dinner, comfort-food
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 1 package of ribbon noodles
  • 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
  • 4 tbsp whole wheat flour
  • 3 cups mushroom or vegetable broth
  • juice of 1 small lemon
  • 2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
  • 1 tsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp sage
  • 1 tbsp thyme
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 6-7 cups of mushrooms (use a mix! I used white and portobello)
  • 1-2 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • ¾ cup green peas
  • ¼-1/2 cup chopped parsley

  • Easy Creamy Garlic Sauce:
  • 2 cups cashews, soaked at least 2 hours in water, then strained
  • ¾ cup water
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 pinch of sea salt
Instructions
  1. Cook pasta 2 minutes less than what is recommended.
  2. Oil-free sauté onions: Heat up a deep dish pan to medium, then add the onions. Sauté until translucent, adding a bit of broth as you go to prevent sticking.
  3. Add 3 tbsp of flour and ¼ cup of broth to the pan and whisk until combined.
  4. In a bowl, make a broth mixture by mixing together the tomato paste, tamari, lemon and 2½ cups of the broth.
  5. Add broth mixture to the heated pan a little bit at a time, stirring periodically as you go. Mix until it is bubbling and thickened slightly (about 5-10 minutes).
  6. Meanwhile, make your creamy garlic sauce: Add all sauce ingredients to your high-speed blender and blend until very smooth (at least a couple of minutes).
  7. Add ½ cup of the garlic sauce, plus the thyme, sage and salt to the pan, mix until combined.
  8. Add all mushrooms to the pan to simmer. Cover with your lid for a few minutes to cook them down.
  9. Add the white wine vinegar and 1 tbsp of the flour if you feel you need to thicken it more. Mix to combine.
  10. Add green peas and parsley, let cook for 2 more minutes.
  11. Mix in the pre-cooked pasta.
  12. Serve it up with a drizzle of creamy garlic sauce and a sprinkling of parsley!

Tag me if you make this! (@hookedonplants on instagram)

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Cheezy Chickpea Tahini Drizzle

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Ahhhh the feeling of having that something in the fridge that will make any meal taste and look gourmét … Well, make this, and then you’ll get that warm fuzzy feeling. That feeling of… no matter what I make… it’s going to taste fantabulous with this drizzle-y goodness. This cheezy chickpea tahini drizzle is up there as one of my faves at the moment!

I love this because it’s not as heavy as making a tahini-only sauce.

Adding those chickpeas makes the sauce go further…meaning I can smother my dish even more liberally.

It really is all about the sauce. Dinners can be so incredibly easy when you have a pre-cooked grain, protein (bean, legume, tempeh, tofu), a bunch of greens or sprouts, and a whole lot of sauce.

Pro tip:

Each week, switch up the sauce, cook up a couple different grains and proteins, and use what ever raw veggies and greens that are on sale…and you have a quick, throw-together, uber nutritious, super delicious, stress-free DINS. You could even wrap this up and take it out to lunch.


Cheezy Chickpea Tahini Drizzle
 
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An everything sauce to pump up that gourmét chef in you!
Author:
Recipe type: sauce, drizzle, dip
Serves: 1 cup
Ingredients
  • ⅓ cup tahini
  • ⅔ cup chickpeas
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 3 tsp tamari
  • 1 tbsp curry powder
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • ½-3-4 cup water
Instructions
  1. Blend all ingredients until smooth! I used the smaller blender attachment for my high speed blender. Add just enough water for it to be the consistency that you can drizzle.

Tag me if you make this! (@hookedonplants on instagram)!

I love seeing your recipes.

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Quarter Pounder Red Lentil Rice Veggie Burgers | Gluten-Free

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It’s burger o’clock! Maybe you caught this recipe over on my instastories (@hookedonplants)? I completely wung it, and it completely worked out (love when that happens). These red lentil rice veggie burgers are not only a complete protein, but also packed with flavour and easy to whip up.

There’s a few things you should always have in the fridge, ready to grab:

  • A cooked grain
  • A cooked legume
  • A sauce
  • Greens

Have these 4 magical ingredients ready to go, and the whole ‘last minute dinner’ freak out thing is a lot less dramatic.

And the possibility of last minute creations like this actually come into fruition is at an all time high.

The universal problem with veggie burgers is:
The squish-outta-the-bun issue. Know what I mean?

They can taste amazing, but the texture just isn’t there.

Well, after the pan-fry, the longer you leave these patties in the oven, the stiffer the texture you will have to bite down on.

The first round we did 20 minutes, without flipping half way. Not enough.

30 minutes (flipping half way through) did the trick, but 40 minutes gives you even more of a stay-together kinda patty. Crispy outside, soft inside. That’s what I’m talkin’ about!


Red Lentil Rice Burgers
 
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A flavourful veggie burger that won't squish outta your bun.
Author:
Recipe type: burgers, dinner, lunch
Serves: 6
Ingredients

  • Burger Patties:
  • 2 cups brown rice, cooked
  • 2 cups red lentils, cooked
  • 2 cloves, garlic
  • ¼ cup red onion, chopped
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp molasses
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp tamari
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika

  • Extra:
  • 1 tsp coconut oil

  • Burger Sauce:
  • ¼ cup ketchup
  • ¼ cup vegan mayo (from Hellmans or Veganaise or Sir Kensington's)
  • 1 tbsp onion powder (or chipotle!)

  • Burger fixin's:
  • Buns (or use a collard green wrap)
  • Vegan Cheese (I use Violife or sliced Gusta Blockor Sheese Cheese ~ all of the melt deliciously)
  • Tomato, sliced
  • Avocado, sliced
  • Sprouts of choice
  • Romaine or spinach
  • Sauerkraut
  • Pickles, sliced

  • Caramelized Balsamic Oil-Free Onions (optional):
  • 3-4 sweet onions, thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup balsamic
  • ½ cup water (might not need it all, but have it on hand if it's sticking)
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 375°F
  2. Make caramelized onions (optional and not included in cooking time (yummy but takes some time): heat a wide pot or deep pan to medium heat. Throw in all of the onions and let brown for a few minutes. De-glaze with a bit of water. Do this a couple of times. Add balsamic vinegar. Turn heat down to low. Let them simmer for up to 1 hour (could just go for 15 minutes, but the longer you go, the deeper the caramelization). Check them every 15 minutes. If they're sticking to the bottom of the pot, just add a bit more water or balsamic.
  3. Blend all burger ingredients (except for ½ cup of the red lentils) together until nearly smooth in your food processor. Add the rest of the lentils at the end and pulse.
  4. Form the mixture into 6 patties on a parchment covered baking sheet.
  5. Heat a pan to medium heat, and melt the coconut oil.
  6. Fry the patties for 3 minutes on each side.
  7. Place the patties on the baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes, flipping halfway. Go for 40 minutes if you want a dryer, stiffer patty!
  8. For the last 2-3 minutes of baking, place cheese slices on the patties to melt and the sliced buns on the pan to get toasty.
  9. Assemble the burger to your liking!

Tag me if you make it ( @hookedonplants on instagram)! I love seeing your recipes.

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Nacho Cheeze Fries… with a secret ingredient | Vegan + GF

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Cheezy Poutine? Potato Nachos? Secretly Nutritious Cheese Fries? I DID NOT KNOW what to call this masterpiece. But, I think Nacho Cheeze Fries says it all, ya?

It’s nachos, but with fries.

It’s cheezy, but it’s a special cheeze sauce.

It’s mega nutrient-dense with the hidden ingredient of… red lentils!!!!

Red lentils are nutritional powerhouses, plus they have the magic ability to morph into a creamy sauce. In other words, they deserve to be the star secret ingredient to most things, especially this super delish, comfort-food kinda meal.

If you’re looking for a sneaky way to pump more plant protein into your kids (and yourself), look no further.

This is a good one for a back to school week dinner in 30 minutes. 

Serve it up with a side salad, or integrate the salad into the meal by wrapping each cheezy fry in a romaine leaf (my go-to lazy dinner).

You can get creative with your toppings too. I used smoked tofu (found at most grocery stores), for some smokiness and ‘meatiness’, and green onion to keep it fresh. Go for it though! Here’s some more ideas for toppers:

  • corn
  • beans
  • edamame
  • red pepper
  • artichokes
  • sautéed mushrooms
  • caramelized onions
  • veggie ground
  • cashew sour cream
  • pulled jackfruit

What ever you do, please show me by tagging @hookedonplants on instagram. I love seeing your recipes!


Nacho Cheeze Fries with a secret ingredient
 
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Satisfying in flavour and comfort, with secretly hidden nutrition! These nacho cheeze fries are a fun switch up to the typical nacho platter, with red lentil cheese sauce stealing the show. (Prep time doesn't include the optional lentil soaking)
Author:
Recipe type: dinner, lunch, snack
Serves: 4
Ingredients

  • Fries:
  • 4 russet potatoes OR 2 large sweet potatoes, rinsed, scrubbed and dried, then sliced in ¼ inch thick fry shape
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp avocado or coconut oil
  • ½ tsp sea salt or Himalayan salt

  • Toppings:
  • ½ block smoked tofu, diced
  • 2 green onions, diced
  • 1 jalepeno pepper, sliced in thin rounds
  • Salsa of choice for the side

  • Red Lentil Cheese Sauce:
  • 1 cup red lentils (soaked a few hours if possible, then rinsed, for best nutrition and digestion)
  • 1½ cup water or veggie stalk
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ cup nutritional yeast
  • ¼ cup soy milk, unsweetened, unflavoured
  • **optional: ¼ cup vegan mayo for extra creaminess
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 425°F
  2. Mix the chopped potatoes with the oil and spices (except the salt!) in a bowl until evenly coated. Spread them out on a parchment-covered (or reusable baking sheet-covered) baking pan so they aren't touching each other!
  3. Bake for 30-40 minutes, on the middle rack, flipping the fries over half way through.
  4. Season with salt when they're done.
  5. Meanwhile, cook the lentils: Add the lentils to the pot with 1½ cups liquid, bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes (15 minutes if they weren't pre-soaked)
  6. Make the Red Lentil Cheeze Sauce: add the cooked lentils, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, nutritional yeast, mayo (if using), and soy milk to your blender and blend until smooth. Once blended, mix in the smoked tofu chunks.
  7. Layer it up to serve! Fries first, then cheeze sauce, then green onion and jalepeno. Enjoy!

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This week was a round up of must-see documentaries!