HookedOnPlants

When getting hooked is a good thing

Snacks

Garlicky Dill Pickle Kale Chips

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An abundance of kale + pickle cravings = Dill Pickle Kale Chips!

 

It was like a light flicked on when this combo popped into my head.

Dill pickle anything? Amazing.

But, on Dill Pickle Kale Chips? YES.

There’s an on-going mission to find a crunchy, salty, crispy snack that’s actually good for the bod’.

That hand-to-mouth satisfaction is what all humans crave from time to time… or all the time.

With all of this kale bursting out of my garden, I think I’ve found it.

Here’s a great way to get all of that satisfaction with out the ‘potato chip guilt’.

Not to mention the dill flavour is off the hoooook!

Get your hands in there and let me know how you like it.

Kale Chip Tips:

  1. Make sure the kale is dry to begin with
  2. Single layer it
  3. Tear the kale into large chunks (not too small because they shrink)
  4. Load up on the dressing
  5. If using an oven – us parchment paper for crispness
  6. Don’t over bake them in the oven. They can go from perfect to burnt in a matter of a couple minutes
  7. Store in a tupperware with dry rice to keep your chips crispy! (more on this below)

Garlickly Dill Pickle Kale Chips

Serves: 4-6 snackers

Prep Time: 2 hours soaking time, 10 minutes hands-on

Cook Time: Oven ~ 20 minutes OR Dehydrator ~ 6 hours

Ingredients:

  • 2-3 large heads of kale, de-stemmed, torn, rinsed and spin-dried

Sauce ingredients (use on it’s own for dressing, or sauce to add tang to any savoury dish!)

  • 1 cup cashews, soaked 2 hours then strained
  • 3/4 cup dill pickle brine
  • 2 dill pickles
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 tbsp dill spice OR 5 sprigs fresh dill

Directions:

  1. If using oven, pre-heat to 300 °F
  2. Add all sauce ingredients into blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
  3. With your hands, massage the sauce into the torn kale
  4. If using the:
    • dehydrator: Spread dressed kale out on dehydrator sheets in a single layer. Dehydrate for 5-6 hours at 115°F
    • oven: spread dressed kale out on parchment covered pan in a single layer. Bake for 9-12 minutes, flip kale, then bake for another 10. Your oven may be slightly different, so be sure to check the kale chips near the end so they don’t burn!
  5. Munch away!
  6. Storage: Sprinkle some dry rice at the bottom of the tupperware, and store kale chips in that tupperware in the fridge for the week. The rice will absorb the moisture and keep your kale chips crispy!

If you make this tag me so I can see! @hookedonplants  #hookedonplants

 

Easy Chia Berry Jam | Date-Sweetened

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Ahhhhh berry season.

You complete me.

I won’t need to buy jam ever again. This recipe is so easy, it would be ridiculous not to make it.

If you have berries, chia seeds and dates in your kitchen right now, you could have jam in literally 10 minutes.

In Whistler, one of the best parts of the week is visiting the berry babes at the Farmer’s Market to load up on Berry Mobile‘s ripe, mega-juicy, fresh, local berries of all kinds. Going berry crazy and ending up with boxes of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries means … recipe time.

The first thing that popped into my head was JAM.

So today… we be berry jammin’.

This jam starts with date paste (easiest thing ever, and can be devoured on it’s own or for dipping your apple slices in), and ends with chia and berries.

Yes. It’s THAT SIMPLE.

No preservatives or refined sugars in this berry jammin’.

Benefits:

  • Chia seeds provide a protein punch and fibre to satiate you. While these chia seeds sit in the jam, they will absorb the moisture and begin the sprouting process, making it easier for your body to absorb all of the nutrients they carry!
  • Berries of all kinds are PACKED with antioxidants. These antioxidants will prevent oxidative stress, and there for help prevent cancer, keep your mind sharp and slow your aging process!
  • Dates are nature’s way of loving us. They’re delish. But also noutrish. They are packed with minerals, vitamins and fibre. If you need more iron, magnesium, and zinc, dip your apples in this date paste!

On a life note… It’s pretty dang smokey here in BC. My thoughts go out to those who have had to leave their homes from all the wildfires!

Whistler is getting smokey again, too. Here’s a shot from last night’s little adventure. Stand Up Paddling down the river in a smokey sunset. This is a mellow part, but we love hitting the rapids on our Kahuna paddle boards! It definitely keeps things interesting:)

OK, onto the recipe.

Easy Chia Berry Jam

Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 1 full medium mason jar

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup pitted dates (about 10), soaked 5 minutes then strained
  • 1/2 cup water (or coconut water)
  • 2 cups of berries (raspberries and strawberries for a runnier jam, blackberries or blueberries for a thicker jam)
  • 2 tbsp chia seeds

Directions:

  1. Make caramelly Date Paste: blend dates and water together until smooth paste forms
  2. Add berries and chia seeds to blender, blend until smooth
  3. Pour into a jar, cover and place in fridge to set for 20 minutes.
  4. Keeps in fridge for about 2 weeks. Or freeze until you need it!

If you make it, tag me so I can see! #hookedonplants @hookedonplants

Hooked On People Interview: The Vegan Ginger + Healthy One-Bowl Breakfast Cookies

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Erin Marrs is all about simple, nourishing, delicious vegan eats. Her vegan journey started with the sole purpose of clearing up her skin. It worked. Her acne cleared up, then she went on to become certified in Plant-Based Nutrition at ECornell by Dr. T Colin Campbell. You can tell just by her glow that that eating all those plants is working for her! With two kids, and a hungry hubby, she knows how to satisfy all the taste buds in her family with whole-food, plant-based meals. Lucky for us, she has the blog ‘The Vegan Ginger‘. Let’s learn more about her, and her favourite recipe for the family.

Hooked On Plants (HOP): How long have you been vegan?

The Vegan Ginger (VG): I have been vegan since December 2007, but I consider myself REALLY vegan since September 2012 which is when I decided to a eat a healthy plant based vegan diet and really learn how to cook!

HOP: I love the name of your blog! When and why did you start The Vegan Ginger?

VG: Thank you! I started The Vegan Ginger blog in the summer of 2013 just really as a place to send my friends and family when they had questions or wanted recipes, which was basically every day for me.

HOP: What different types of vegan diets have you tried, and which one do you find the best?

VG: In terms of vegan diets, I have been the “unhealthy vegan” although not extremely but would still eat french fries and processed foods, and a healthy vegan. I would love to try fruitarian/raw HCLF but I just find it hard with the climate I live in where we don’t have as many delicious fruit options as say Australia or Hawaii. Although my breakfast is usually just a lot of fruit or a mono meal of fruit.

HOP: You’re raising the next generation vegans! You give a great overview of a what your kids eat in a day. But, can you give 3 tips to new parents for adding more plants into their kids diet?

VG:

  1. Eat more plants yourself! Monkey see monkey do! When I am eating a fruits and veggies that is all my toddler wants also. If I were to make popcorn or have some dark chocolate that is all he would want too. If it doesn’t work right away just keep eating well and eventually they will want everything you are eating.
  2. Don’t offer or have the “bad stuff” around. If I am serving a large quinoa salad for dinner but my toddler sees a big bowl of potato chips he, like most kids, will tell me he wants the chips.
  3.  Get them involved! Recently since the summer has hit we have lettuce and other vegetables growing on our deck and sprouts always sprouting indoors. Everyday we check them, water them, …etc…When I go to make a salad, if he gets to help cut the lettuce and take the sprouts out of the jar after watching them grow for a few days, he is way more excited about it. I also ask him what we should put in our salads and give him options. Give him a dull knife and let him help “chop” the vegetables . He will down any meal when he puts effort into. It is amazing to see!

HOP: Can you give everyone 3-5 tips on how to deal with vegan kids at ‘normal’ birthday parties, at school hot lunch days or any other kind of events with non-vegan food?

VG:

  1. As much as I love to only feed my family nourishing healthy vegan food, when it comes to social events I also don’t want for my kids to feel like they are “missing out”. We aren’t in school yet but we did just celebrate my older sons fourth birthday and I did go the pizza and cupcakes route. We also had fruit, and of course the pizza and cupcakes were vegan, just not necessarily part of a ‘whole foods diet’, but this happens on special occasions.
  2. When taking my son to birthday parties he knows ahead of time that he won’t be able to eat the pizza/cake because it has “cows milk” in it (as my toddler will tell you), and he is totally ok with that! He knows it would make him sick and isn’t good for him. We bring a piece of cake for him (these ones are great in a pinch and you can get them at Whole Foods) or we ask him what treat he would like and so far he has always been completely fine with it.
  3. Now I am sure this applies to all kids, but never go hungry! Parents, you either! haha There is nothing worse than a hungry toddler but also that way when it is time to eat you don’t have to worry about being stuck with a starving kid and nothing to eat. And I find toddlers much more rational and easy to reason with when they are fed. I also bring snacks for the ride home.

HOP: What is the next big project you’re working on?

VG: My husband and I actually decided to start a blog together of our vegan family adventures called “The Green Grazers” we share our favourite recipes, family travels, how we eat when we travel, and info about raising our vegan babies!

HOP: Do you take your own photos?

VG: I always take my own photos! It is kind of a passion of mine also. That is kind of another reason for started the blogs. I absolutely love photography and taking beautiful photos of food and people and scenery so it is a great way to share it.

HOP: What are 3 tips for beginner photographers?

VG:

  1. ALWAYS use natural lighting. There are obviously ways around this, but as a beginner just take your photos beside a window it makes the world of a difference.
  2. Declutter your photo, this might just be a personal preference but for a beginner on Instagram just taking photos with an Iphone, try to make sure there isn’t anything in your background that you don’t want there, or that takes away from your subject (food or people)
  3. Do not use flash! This goes hand in hand with #1 but aside from using natural lighting, make sure your flash is off and if your photo is a bit dark use an editing app to brighten the photo!

HOP: What does your breakfast, lunch and dinner look like?

VG: 

  • Breakfast is usually fruit and or a smoothie/smoothie bowl and I always try to start the day with a hot lemon water.
  • Lunch would usually be leftovers. I always double recipes so my lunches are already made for us. Or hummus, crackers & veggies, and snacky foods. Recently I started eating “wrap it up raw” wraps with hummus and veggies and they are delicious!
  • Dinner is usually something planned. Our fave meals have got to be bowls. So rice/noodles/lettuce as a base with veggies, beans, legumes and tofu and then topped with a sauce. We have all the cookbooks from Fresh Restaurants and make all of their recipes many times. They are delicious!

HOP: What is your favourite kitchen dance song?

VG: Most of the time my toddler controls what we listen to while we are in the kitchen. He goes between dancing and helping me cook. Right now he loves ‘Can’t stop that feeling‘ – Justin Timberlake.

HOP: What do you love feeding your kids, and what are you excited to make next?

VG: With two kids it is all about having quick healthy snacks and these are jam packed with oats, seeds, nuts, banana and zero added sugar! A recipe I am really looking forward to trying is your Homemade Kombucha! I LOVE kombucha and I would love to be able to make my own! It can be so expensive at the store!

Find Erin here:

Blogs: www.theveganginger.com   |    www.thegreengrazers.com

Instagram: @theveganginger   |   @thegreengrazers

Pinterest: The Vegan Ginger

Twitter: @TheVeganGinger

Now it’s time to share one of Erin’s FAVE recipes! 

Photo credit: The Vegan Ginger
HEALTHY ONE BOWL BREAKFAST COOKIES
A healthy breakfast cookie great for mornings on the go and the little ones will love them!
Photo Credit: The Vegan Ginger
Prep Time: 
Cook Time: 
Total Time: 
Serves: 18-20 Cookies
Ingredients:
  • 2 Ripe Bananas – mashed
  • 1½ cup – Gluten Free Old Fashioned Oats
  • 1 tablespoon – chia seeds
  • 1 tablespoon – sesame seeds
  • ½ cup – unsweetened applesauce (can be substituted with any fruit puree or try pumpkin! yum!)
  • 1 tablespoon – cacao nibs/chocolate chips (optional, my husband did not like the version with the cacao nibs)
  • 1 tablespoon – sunflower seeds/or any other nuts/seeds you prefer** (read note)
  • ⅓ cup – natural peanut butter (or sub any nut other nut butter)
  • 1 teaspoon – vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon – blackstrap molasses (optional)
Instructions:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
  2. Then line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside
  3. Once that is done mash the ripe bananas with a fork on a plate and add to a large mixing bowl
  4. Add remaining ingredients (expect the chocolate chips) and stir until well combined.
  5. Then take a heaping tablespoon of the cookie dough and place them on the baking sheet about an inch apart. (Don’t worry too much about spacing because they don’t grow or change shape). Press a few chocolate chips onto each cookie.
  6. Bake cookies for 20-25 minutes.
  7. Let cool and enjoy!
Notes:
This recipes is VERY adaptable! Add whatever you like or have on hand and whatever you don’t have just leave out! You really can make them very simple or add your whole pantry!

Unicorn Hummus

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This colour though.

I mean, common.

It doesn’t even look natural. But yet, it’s straight outta the garden … as natural and organic as it gets.

Because it looks sooo majestic, it must be some type of rare unicorn hummus.

Plus, the secret ingredient in here is the first ever beet I’ve grown myself, and it’s got to be the brightest beet I’ve ever seen.

It must be a unicorn beet.

This recipe is incredibly easy to whip up.

It’s a super bright, fun party dish too. Perfect for a hot summer shindig.

If you can find yourself a local, bright, organic beet (AKA unicorn beet), get your hands on it for this recipe.

Also, if you’re green thumb enough to grow your own basil, do that too. I’ve used my own garden basil in this recipe, but it’s a rare occasion that I actually have enough leaves for a full batch of hummus. Not the easiest thing to grow, right? !

But, this recipe on the other hand, is easy as blend, pour, dip, done.

Benefits:

  • Beets are known for the benefits they give your blood. Just like a walnut looks like a brain and is great for your brain, beets are blood red, and are great for your blood. How amazing is nature?  They are super rich in nitrates, which is then converted by the body into nitric oxide. This is a compound that dilates and relaxes your blood vessels, and turns them into superhighways for your nutrient-rich and oxygen-rich blood. This leads to better circulation, lower blood pressure, better athletic performance, and more oxygen to the brain. Plus, eating them raw keeps the mega amount of nutrients, vitamins and minerals in tact. The antioxidant betalain in the beet is immune boosting and anti-inflammatory to ward off disease.
  • Chickpeas are an incredible source of plant protein for proper healing and repair throughout your body. They’re also packed with fibre to help with inflammation, digestive issues, heart health and bloating. Plus, they have concentrated minerals to help your bone health and prevent osteoporosis.
  • Miso, as a fermented food, benefits your gut flora. When you have healthy gut flora, you are a healthy human. Simple as that.

Unicorn Beet Hummus

Time: 5 minutes

Serves: 4-6 snackers

Ingredients:

  • 2-3 beets, grated (use food processor attachment if you have one!)
  • 1 can chickpeas (425g), drained
  • 1 tbsp tahini
  • 1 tbsp miso
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • handful fresh basil leaves

Directions:

  1. Add all ingredients to food processor and blend!
  2. Scrape down sides when needed, and blend until smooth
  3. Serve with your favourite crackers, sweet potato chips, or veggies.

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!