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Snacks

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!

 

How To: Make Your Own Kombucha

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The BOOSH!

A heavenly, thirst-quenching, carbonated bevy. I think it’s a miracle this stuff exists.
If you’re into pop and can’t kick the habit. You have come to the right place.
Not only does it kinda taste like pop, but it’s endless benefits allow you to sip away while you can truly feel good about what you’re sipping on.
And, rather than spending the big bucks for store bought Kombucha, why not make your own and feel like a brewmaster?
I count down the days until I can dive into my next batch.
Let’s clarify a few questions you might have first.
What is Kombucha?
Kombucha AKA ‘Boosh’ is a fermented, bubbly, tangy beverage with a multitude of benefits. It’s extremely satisfying, carbonated and brought to you by… the Scoby.
What is the Scoby?
Scoby stands for “symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast”… AKA the Mother. It’s actually a living culture that looks like a jelly fish mushroom pancake. This culture is the living home for the yeast and bacteria that transforms your sweet tea into fizzy, fermented, refreshing kombucha.
Where do you get a Scoby?

There are 3 ways you can get yourself a Scoby:

  • From a friend who is already brewing their own Kombucha. All they need to do is peel off a few layers (creating one thick layer) of their own Scoby, and transfer it to you with some of the liquid from their the batch. The Scoby likes to be smooth-side up (you’ll notice a smooth side and a rough/stringy side). You can transfer it in a zip-lock bag (which you will rinse and re-use, of course;) then get it into your glass jar with the rest of your tea as soon as you can.
  • Buy a Kombucha Starter kit at almost any health food store.
  • Start your own Scoby:
    1. Buy a bottle of raw, unflavoured kombucha at the store.
    2. Pour the raw kombucha into a large glass jar. (Optional – you can create more liquid/food for the Kombucha to ferment in by making 1 cup of black tea with 1-2 tbsp of white sugar, letting it cool, then adding this sweet tea to the jar with the original store-bought boosh).
    3. Cover the jar with a few layers of cheese cloth and secure it with a tight rubber band.
    4. Leave the tea to ferment in a room temperature cupboard for about 7 days.
    5. You should see your Scoby developing on top of the liquid (it will look like a clear film, then become more white and thicker as the time goes by. If you don’t see any sign of a scoby after 3 weeks, discard all of it and start over with a different store bought kombucha. Wait until the Scoby is at least 1/4 inch thick before using it to brew your first big batch of Kombucha! This could take up to 1 month.
    6. Keep your new Scoby and the tea for making your first batch of Boosh.

 

 

 

Benefits of Kombucha:

Just like all fermented things (sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, kefir, tempeh, pickles, natto, coconut yogurt) …

Kombucha has a MEGA-DOSE of benefits!

  • Increases good gut bacteria
  • Contains probiotics
  • Aids digestion
  • Detoxifying
  • Immune support
  • Reduces inflammation
  • Contains antioxidants
  • More energy
  • Cleanses liver
  • Helps with weight loss
  • Helps you sleep better
  • Cancer prevention
  • Hangover helper

 

How To:

Make Your Own Kombucha

First, a few things to know:

  • Every batch tastes a bit different. This depends on brewing time, temperature, and the strength of the tea. This is all part of the excitement.
  • Always have clean, non-soapy hands when handling the Scoby and the glass jar.
  • Use hot water to wash the glass jar (AKA the Scoby’s home). If it still looks grimy, use white vinegar with hot water every few washes. No soap.
  • For the batch liquid, use filtered water, if possible. Tap water from Whistler works well for me though!
**Scroll further down for Step-by-step with photos**
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Waiting Time: 10-25 days
Servings: 3-4 large mason jars
What you’ll need:
  • cheese cloth (enough to cover the top of your jar, folded over 3 times)
  • elastic
  • large glass jar (try to get one without any metal spout- it doesn’t work anyways because the Kombucha clogs it- and make sure it’s all glass!)
  • 4 large mason jars
Ingredients:
  • 7 bags of organic black tea
  • 1.5 cups of organic white sugar (don’t worry, the Scoby will eat most of the sugar up while it ferments)
  • about 16 cups of water, as clean as you can get it (filtered is best, but my Scoby doesn’t mind Whistler tap water)

Directions:

  1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a pot
  2. Once boiling, turn off the element
  3. Add the 7 black tea bags and the sugar to the water, and stir
  4. Let the tea sit and steep for 10 minutes
  5. Pour the hot tea into the large glass jar
  6. Fill the jar up with 14 more cups of cold water
  7. Place the Scoby in the water, rough side down, smooth side up
  8. Use a few layers of the cheese cloth as a lid with an elastic
  9. Place the jar of Kombucha in a cupboard or pantry for 10-20 days
    (At day 10, taste it to see if its bubbly- if not, leave it for a few more days until you like the amount of bubbles !)
  10. Once it’s finished fermenting to your liking, carefully take the Scoby out and place it on a plate (rough side down) while you get the next batch ready.
  11. Pour the Kombucha into mason jars. You can tighten the lids, keep it in the fridge and drink it as is  OR carry 0n to the next step…
  12. This is optional, but makes the Kombucha even more bubbly and delicious.
    • Secondary Fermentation – add flavour your mason jars by adding fresh ginger, 1 tsp of maple syrup, fresh fruit chunks or purée, or fresh herbs. Tighten the mason jar lids and leave them in the cupboard for 1-3 days. This will create a more carbonated and flavourful Kombucha. Then, place them in the fridge to halt the carbonation.

     

    **Step-by-step with photos!**

     

Once the water is boiling, add organic sugar and tea bags.

Remove the tea bags after 10 minutes

Picture

Pour the hot, sweet tea into your large glass jar

Fill the jar with about 12 more cups of water

Add a little bit of the last batch’s liquid

Place the Scoby, smooth side up, into the liquid

Cover with a cheese cloth and rubber band, and place into your cupboard away from the sun for 10-20 days (I have 2 jars that I rotate between every 2 weeks).

Once it’s fizzy and ready, remove the Scoby with a bit of the liquid, set aside, then pour the Kombucha into air tight jars.
Place the mason jars in a cupboard to secondary ferment along with fruit, maple syrup, or herbs for 2 days.
OR just put them in the fridge! They’re ready to drink now, but won’t be quite as bubbly or flavourful without the secondary fermentation.
Nice work brew master!
Since the Scoby is a living culture, don’t forget to talk or sing to the Scoby to keep it happy!
Too hippy for you?
Ok, just enjoy the refreshing boosh you have just created.

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!

Green Machine Curried Zucchini Hummus

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Hummus.

What does hummus mean to you?

… dipping deliciousness. Not just a tiny bowl of deliciousness, but a massive one. There’s something about dipping your food into yumminess that never gets old.

Sometimes your usual chickpea hummus feels too heavy to dip endlessly. That’s why I love this version of hummus.

It’s lighter, greener, and even more dip-able.

It even goes beyond dipping. Use this for pasta or glory bowl sauce, or bring that sandwich to the next level.

This recipe is inspired by the raw food certification I recently finished, taught by Joanne from The Healing Cuisine at Stay Wild Natural Health. 

What an awesome course! We learned about all the raw food goodness.

Fermentation, nut cheeses, raw crackers, dips, sauces, desserts… OH MY.

Eating your food raw means you’re keeping all of the raw enzymes and vital nutrients live and more easily available. Cooking over 118 degrees degrades the nutrient density of most foods. So, the more raw food you can get into your body, the happier your digestion, your immunity, your hormones, & your whole body will be.

Here’s to high vibrating foods.

Benefits:

~ Zucchini, it’s got potassium for your heart, fibre & water & minimal calories for weight loss, vitamin C for your immune system, and vitamin A for your eyes.

~ Sesame seeds are packed with antioxidant, zinc, and calcium which are great for bone health. The calcium also helps combat migraines and PMS symptoms.

~ Curry powder  is great for the prevention of cancer,  heart disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. Plus it eases pain and inflammation, enhances your immunity, and boosts bone health.

Serves: 4-6

Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 large zucchinis (about 2.5 cups), chopped
  • 3/4 cup sesame seeds
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced (or pressed with garlic press)
  • 1 tbsp curry powder
  • 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup

Directions:

  1. Blend sesame seeds, nutritional yeast and curry powder into a flour texture
  2. Add the rest of the ingredients, and blend until smooth (scraping down the sides and using a tamper when needed)
  3. Serve with your favourite raw veggies and crackers.

Vegan Turmeric Cheese Log

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This was a hit as an appy at the last dinner party!

Especially with Eve’s Crackers on the side.

The vegans were all over it, and the surprised words ‘it tastes like cheese’ were heard over and over again from the non-vegans.

Success!

The beauty Holly (who has done some amazing work with Peta over the years) loved it, plus, I was finally able to put the neglected cheese knife to great use.

This version of nut cheese making is the quickest and easiest you will find.

There are longer versions of how to make nut cheeses, some as long as one week of fermenting!

Fermenting the nuts for the cheese will give it more of a tangy, aged cheese taste, but when you’ve got a day to figure out what to bring to impress your pals, this is a great go-to recipe to curb those cheese cravings.

I’d still start it the day before you will be serving it up, just so you get all the soaking time possible.

Just soak and strain the cashews, blend the ingredients, strain in a cheese cloth, let it chill in the fridge & roll shape it up.

The turmeric in this mixture tricks you into believing you’re eating the orange cheddar you used to indulge in.

Get creative with the herbs that make the outer layer. What fresh herbs are hiding in that fridge of yours? Use them!


This is one of the many recipes up on Instagram for the 2nd #VancityVirtualPotluck organized by Piquant Marketing!

Check out my Instagram (@hookedonplants) to see the dishes before and after this yummy cheese (over 80 total)!

Benefits:

–Cashews are packed with minerals and antioxidants. Because of the magnesium and calcium, your nerves and bones will thank you. The copper in these babies will ward of colon cancer and help keep your hair vibrant!

–Turmeric is nature’s anti-inflammatory. All disease starts with inflammation within the body, so warding off inflammation is the key to longevity and health! Eating turmeric with a tiny bit of pepper makes curcumin (the active ingredient in turmeric) WAY more easily absorbable for your body,

–Nutritional yeast (NOOCH) is a vegan’s best friend when it comes to anything cheezy. Plus it’s packed with B12, all vegans and non-vegans need more of this! B12 is found in microbes in the soil (which is eaten by animals, then humans eat the animals), but the soil is becoming depleted of nutrients and vitamins, so the best way to ensure you’re receiving all the B12 you need is to eat fortified B12 foods (like some plant-based milks), eat nutritional yeast every day, or be safe and take a B12 supplement. But, ‘Nooch’ is the most delicious way to get your B12.

Vegan Turmeric Cheese Log

Serves: 6-8

Time: Actually ‘doing stuff’ time: 10 minutes. Soak and chill time: 7-24 hrs

Ingredients:

Cheeze:

  • 1 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight, then strained and rinsed (OR if you’re in a hurry, pour boiling water over your raw cashews and let soak for 1.5 hours)
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • zest of half lemon (zest before cutting and sweezing the lemon)
  • juice of 1 lemon

Outer herbs:

  • 2 tbsp fresh thyme, minced
  • 2 tbsp fresh chives, minced

Directions:

  1. Blend all ‘cheeze’ ingredients together until smooth and creamy in your food processor (scrape down sides)
  2. Place mixture into two layers of cheesecloth or a nut milk bag and squeeze into desired shape (you can re-shape after too). Tighten by twisting the mesh cloth.
  3. Leave your ‘cheeze’ in the fridge over a colander (some liquid may drip out) for at least 6 hours (the longer the better!)
  4. Take it out of the cheese cloth and roll it into a log, then coat it with thyme and chives (a bit messy but helps the log keep it’s shape!)
  5. Serve with your favourite crackers, chips, or veggies! I’ve used my friend Eve’s Crackers here!