HookedOnPlants

When getting hooked is a good thing

Snacks

Turmeric Ginger Banana ‘Mylkshake’

By

The blender. Doesn’t it blow your mind?

With just a few ingredients, you’re on your way to taste bud heaven.

This time, think milkshake… but good for you. REAL good for you.

img_3236

If you can get the actual turmeric and ginger root from your local grocery store, DO IT.

img_3232

You could use the powdered, but this recipe is so much better with the real, fresh ingredients. If you have a hard time finding them, Spud carries turmeric and ginger root! Just order online from their website and it will get delivered to your door (use the code CRVAN-MURJUB for 20$ off your first order). While you’re at it, add a box of smoothie ready bananas for just 7 bucks and freeze them so they’re ready for your next smoothie session!

Then this creamy, spicy super smoothie so fast and easy to put together.

If you have a high-speed blender, this bevy is amazing blended until warm.

It’s the best thing to come back to after playing all day in the fresh powder.

img_3234

By the way HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

I’m going to share what I am chatting away about in this week’s email to subscribers (subscribe on the homepage).
Here’s s few things I can leave you with while we’re shooting into 2017:

  1. Try not to get overwhelmed about the things that didn’t happen in 2016, or the things you hope to achieve in 2017. This life of ours is all about the adventure. The best gift we can give to ourselves is to be grateful for each present moment and appreciate the relationships, achievements and things that we have now. 
  2. Don’t be like THIS GUY, trying to get it all over-with and done at once.
  3. Just ENJOY the process! We’ve all got mundane things to do in this life (think chores, some work, etc), but what if we switched our mind-set into being excited to do those things, and ignore the part of our brain that dreads what’s to come? 

I can’t waaaait to answer emails!
I’m SO stoked to do the recycling!
Cleaning the house? YES!!! 

Imagine how fun life would be if we truly believed everything was amazingly fun?  Something to think about… 

OK, now back to winter in a cup.

The benefits of this drink are endless. But, here’s just a few to be excited about…

20130309_blackcomb_037

Benefits:

–Turmeric is one of nature’s best anti-inflammatory. Eating it with black pepper drastically improves it’s absorption into your hot bod, magnifying the benefits. It’s also great for bloating, digestion, blood purification, skin conditions, cancer-fighting, plus it aids in fat metabolism.

–Ginger is well-known for it’s anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. This makes it a great answer for combatting seasonal flus and making your immune system super-human. Ginger is also a star when it comes to nausea and muscle pain.

–Bananas are packed full of beneficial carbohydrates, with fibre and a bit of protein! They really are an all round healthy food that if I lived on a deserted island, all I would need is bananas. There’s a reason monkeys go bananas over bananas, and it makes up most of their diet. Smart monkeys. They also decrease bloating (especially for that time of the month ladies!), build lean muscle mass, help your muscles recover faster and give you a boost of clean, whole food energy.

img_3239

Anti-Inflammatory Turmeric Ginger Banana Mylkshake

Time: 5 minutes

Serves: 1-2

Ingredients:

  • 2 bananas, peeled
  • 2-3 centimetres turmeric root, chopped (start with less, and add more if you can handle the spice!)
  • 2-3 tsp ginger root, chopped
  • 3-5 dates (depending on size, but I used 5 small bahri dates. 3 medjool would do the trick)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup almond milk (or less if you want it thicker)
  • little pinch of pepper
  • cinnamon to top

Steps:

  1. Throw all of the ingredients into a high speed blender. Blend for 1 minute (or until warm).
  2. Pour into your favourite mug and sprinkle with cinnamon

Note: This goes well with last week’s Raw Vegan Chocolate Orange Christmas Bites

Raw Vegan Chocolate-Orange Christmas Bites

By

Bring this to a Christmas party and your brownie points will shoot through the chimney.

These little morsels will bring melty, sweet, whole-food goodness to your Christmas Holidays.

Pour yourself a cup of tea, and dip away.

img_3332

Right now, I’m going through the Raw Gastronomy chapter in my Plant-Based Rouxbe Culinary course. The challenge was to create a raw dessert, and I thought, why should I be the only one to appreciate the taste of my creation? It’s too good not to share with all of you.

img_3319

Eating whole foods in their raw form does wonders for your body.

Raw, or ‘living foods’ still have the vitality and energy in the food itself. If they aren’t heated over 118 degrees farenheit, their naturally occurring enzymes stay active. Heating foods can deactivate some of the beneficial, vital enzymes, plus destroy other nutrients like minerals, essential fatty acids, and vitamins. So, why not eat as much food in their natural raw form as possible?

Plus, this chocolate sauce is just 3 ingredients! So simple and it works soooo well. The coconut oil is just slightly heated enough to melt into a saucy texture.

img_3325

Even after freezing for a while, the bottom layer of these bites still stays deliciously gooey.

It’s pretty much cookie dough, that’s packed with nutrients, with hard chocolate on top. YUM.

img_3344

Benefits:

–Cacao powder is the raw form of dark chocolate. It’s the part with the highest amount of antioxidants (40 times the amount of blueberries). It’s a natural energy booster, mood elevator and is packed with magnesium for your brain and heart health.

–Dates are packed with minerals and fibre. They’re super sweet, but are actually good for you! Pure magic. Your brain, heart and digestive system will thank you. They’re actually a great source of protein, plus they’re packed with vitamin C and D to help your beautiful skin and promote elasticity for the anti-aging effects.

–Coconut has iron, healthy fats and fibre. A bit of coconut will help ward off disease and keep your tissues healthy too.

img_3327

img_3329

img_3334

Ingredients:

Base layer:

  • 1  1/2 cups dates, pitted (meaning without pits), soaked in hot water for 5 minutes then strained (if super dry)
  • 3/4 cup shredded coconut
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
  • 1 tsp orange zest
  • 1 tbsp orange juice, freshly squeezed

Chocolate sauce:

  • 1  1/2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup cacao powder
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup

Steps:

  1. Pulse walnuts, coconut and orange zest in food processor until a meal forms
  2. Add dates and orange juice. Blend until all is combined
  3. Use two small spoons to press mixture into balls then into a mini muffin tin. OR you could also press the mixture into a loaf pan as one large layer
  4. Make chocolate sauce: Melt coconut oil in small sauce pan, add maple syrup and cacao powder. Use whisk to mix until smooth and creamy.
  5. Spoon chocolate layer over each base layer
  6. Sprinkle with shredded coconut
  7. Chill in freezer for 30 minutes or as long as you like. They don’t become rock solid!

Oil-Free Curry Roasted Chickpeas

By

img_2965

Sometimes you just need something savoury to crunch away at.

Chips are usually what we all turn to for that crunchy, salty, savoury craving cure. But, chips come with saturated fat, usually too much salt, and sometimes some pretty bad additives. Your body doesn’t thank you after downing a whole bag of chippies.

These little morsels, on the other hand, will cure that craving, and your body will sing hallelujah!

Oil-free, cholesterol-free, nutrient-dense and delicious!

A perfect road tripping snack too. I’ll be making a couple batches of these for my trip to Sin City this week.

img_2966

Las Vegas Baby! I’ve never been. We aren’t the type to vacation to cities… we usually are the ones planning adventure mountain bike, paddle board or tropical trips. But it’s been raining, there were cheap tickets, and there’s a first time for everything! I’ll let you know about it when I return… Or follow @juliamurrayski on Instagram for updates, and @hookedonplants for the vegan eats I find.

Just a few days of hot weather and good people watching before the winter season. Why not right?

Do you have any Vegas recommendations for me???

img_2970

OK, back to the crispy snacks.

Benefits:

Chickpeas have been used to treat high blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and pack that easily digestible plant-protein. Adding these or other legumes and beans to your diet with help you live longer with more energy!

Himalayan salt is the most pure salt you can use and is packed with minerals and vitamins (it even trumps sea salt, which also may have trace chemicals depending on the water source). Table salt, on the other hand, is stripped of it’s minerals and vitamins to a substance that is 95% sodium chloride and synthetic chemicals that will lead to high blood pressure, kidney damage, water retention and a whole lot more.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups pre-soaked and cooked chickpeas (or 1 large can drained and rinsed)
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 1/2 tsp himalayan salt

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
  2. Pat down chickpeas with paper towel or tea towel until most of their moisture is off.
  3. Mix chickpeas in a bowl with lemon, spices and salt
  4. Spread evenly on parchment covered baking pan/cookie sheet
  5. Roast for 30-45 minutes (until crunchy), taking them out to shake around every 10 minutes.
  6. Watch close near the end so they don’t burn!
  7. Eat as a snack, or add them to soups, salads, or stews! (Like the spicy cabbage one below)

img_2995

Puffed Quinoa Dessert Bars

By

Simple, no-bake, mouthwatering, chocolate-y, fudge-y dessert bars.

img_3001

Totally a go-to for any day of the week.

This recipe is adapted from on of my favourite food bloggers, Dana at the Minimalist Baker.

13938041_312430372430837_4945463110830056614_o

 

I was lucky enough to grab a signed copy of Dana’s book at her book signing at Nourish Cafe after her and the lovely Erin Ireland‘s cooking demo! It’s an amazing new cookbook, Everyday Cooking. Every single recipe is simple and drool-worthy. She and her husband, John are both over-the-top inspiring.

img_2987

 

These bars are perfectly scrumptious snacks or desserts. Just sink your teeth into them once.

You’ll see.

img_2996

Here are the changes I made:

I used quinoa puffs as well as rice puffs, pumpkin seeds instead of sunflower seeds, maple syrup instead of agave syrup, and a mixture of sunflower seed butter and almond butter instead of peanut butter.

img_3003

Benefits:

–Quinoa, AKA the mother grain, contains all 9 essential amino acids that our bodies can’t produce themselves. So these bars are packed with plant-powered protein and nutrient-dense energy.

–Maple syrup is one of the least processed liquid sweeteners you can use. It’s packed with antioxidants and has a low glycemic index compared to most other sweeteners. This means you avoid the sugar spike, and inevitable crash like you would get from more refined sugars. And it’s Canadian, yo!

–Raw almond butter has healthy unsaturated fatty acids and fibre. In treats like this, go for it, but I don’t recommend over-eating nut butters because of the high saturated fat content, but the un-roasted, organic, raw versions do carry fibre and vitamins, and can be a small part of a healthy diet 🙂

img_2985

Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 12-14

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of nut or seed butter of choice (raw almond butter, sunflower seed butter, or tahini)
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup chopped dates (medjool or bahri)
  • 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
  • 2 cups quinoa puffs
  • 1 cup rice puffs
  • 1/2 cup dairy free chocolate chips

Directions:

  1. Prepare about a 6″x 8″ cake pan by spreading parchment paper or plastic wrap on bottom and over edges.
  2. Add almond butter, PB2 paste and maple syrup to a small pot. Heat on low heat and stir until mixture is smooth.
  3. Add almond butter mixture to a bowl with chopped dates. Stir to combine.
  4. Add quinoa, rice puffs and pumpkin seeds. Mix with wooden spoon until evenly combined.
  5. Spread out mixture in the prepared pan. To flatten evenly, use parchment paper between your hands and the mixture and press down firmly.
  6. Remove the top parchment paper, and place pan in the freezer to set for 10 minutes.
  7. While the deliciousness is freezing, prepare your chocolate sauce.
  8. Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler on the stove, or in 30 second increments in a bowl in the microwave (stirring each time), until you have a smooth sauce.
  9. Take the bars out of the freezer, and drizzle chocolate sauce over with a fork.
  10. Throw that pan of goodness back into the freezer and wait (the hardest part) for 10 minutes until it is set.
  11. Cut into shapes of your choice and gobble up.

 

Crunchy Quinoa, Sweet Potato Salad with Lemon Maple Tahini Dressing

By

It’s always good to have a batch of quinoa salad kickin’ around. It’s especially good to have one packed with raw veggies and sweet potatoes, drizzled with a glorious dressing.

Impress your friends and the next potluck, or just impress yourself on your next camping trip.
img_2359

This passed weekend was filled with quinoa salad and the Best Soba Noodle Salad as we Stand Up Paddled the Thompson River on our Kahuna Paddle Boards for 3 days, finding beautiful camping spots along with way. These salads pack away in the cooler easily in a big zip lock bag (so gourmet, I know).

img_2466

These salads plus a couple heads of crispy romaine…What more do you need for dinner on the river?

I don’t know about you, but I thoroughly enjoy wrapping everything in romaine leaves. Lettuce wraps all the way.

img_2424

 

Benefits:

Quinoa, AKA the ‘Mother Grain’ contains all essential amino acids (what does essential mean? Well, in this case it means that the only way you can get these amino acids- the building blocks of protein- is to eat them. This is because your body can’t produce them on it’s own. These building blocks are great for  hair and nail growth and tissue healing).

Sweet potatoes are the staple of the ‘centenarians’ (people who live passed the age of 100) of Okinawa. Include lots of these in your diet to get beneficial, complex carbohydrates, plus a magnitude of vitamins and minerals. Another benefit? So delicious.

Celery not only adds a nice crunch to this salad, but it also brings a natural salty taste. Any time you want to avoid the salt in recipes (to minimize water retention and puffiness), just throw in some celery. It’s also packed with fibre, water content, antioxidants, potassium, folate, and vitamins C, K, and B6. Your liver will thank you, and so will your skin.
img_2362

 

 

Makes 6 servings

Prep time: 1 hour (unless you pre-make your sweet potatoes!)

Ingredients:

For Salad:

  • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 large sweet potatoes, diced into bite sized squares
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 stalks of celery, minced
  • 2 red bell peppers, chopped
  • 1 cup black beans (either use a can, or pre-make your own by soaking 2-3 hours or overnight in water, rinsing, then bring to a boil and simmer for 2 hours)
  • 1/2 red onion, diced
  • Sprouts (your choice – I used mung bean sprouts)
  • 1/2 cup parsley, roughly chopped

For Dressing:

  • 1 tbsp tahini
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon

Directions:

  1. Roast sweet potatoes: pre-heat oven to 400 F. Toss the diced sweet potatoes with garlic powder. Lay out on parchment paper covered roasting pan (or use a non-stick re-usable cooking sheet on your pan). Roast for 45 minutes.
  2. Cook the quinoa: throw the quinoa and water into a pot, bring to a boil, give it a stir, then simmer it for 15 minutes. Fluff with your fork.
  3. Make dressing: blend all ingredients together in a blender or mini food processor. OR use your hand power – just whisk tahini and lemon together, then mix in the rest of the ingredients.
  4. Mix all salad ingredients with dressing together in your favourite bowl! Garnish with extra sprouts and parsley.