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Sweet Potato Toasts | Easy GF Snack

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It’s toast.

But it’s potato.

But…it’s toast.

Sweet potato toasts!

When I first saw this, I thought…GENIUS.

Alllllmost as genius as when Einstein said:

“Nothing will benefit health or increase chances of survival on earth as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.”

Or this:

“Our task must be to free ourselves by widening our circle of compassion”

Anyways, sometimes it’s the simplest combination of action, taste and texture that creates the best experience.

Action: Toast

Taste: Savoury sweetness.

Texture: Chewy tastiness.

These little pieces of art are perfect for summer. You don’t have to touch your oven to enjoy your taters. And, if you’re like me, sweet potato is a must for every season.

Get creative with your toppings (perfect for the kidlets to join in on).

Go sweet … cover it in berries.

Go savoury … smother it with avo & nooch.

Go tangy … sprinkle it with sauerkraut.

Go spicy … sriracha!

Whatever you do….take a picture and tag me on Instagram so I can see your beautiful creations ( @hookedonplants ).

Channel your inner childhood summer camp arts & crafts hour and get crafty.

Whoever said to not play with your food…must have not enjoyed eating it. Some of the best food is the food you put the time into making pretty. You enjoy every. single. chomp.

Benefits:

Sweet Potato is the staple of some of the longest-living humans on this earth! The Okinawans base their plant-based diet around the sweet potato and their area is one of the most populated areas with centenarians around. Sweet potatoes are packed with fibre, vitamins, antioxidants, minerals and ready for your body to utilize and thrive off of. Don’t be afraid of carbs when they come in their whole, unrefined form.

Sweet Potato Toasts
 
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A fun and nutritious snack that you can get creative with!
Author:
Recipe type: snack, lunch
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 1 sweet potato, sliced in ¼ inch discs
  • Choice of toppings:
  • Peanut or almond butter
  • Berries & bananas
  • Avocado
  • Nutritional yeast
  • Sauerkraut
  • Basil
  • Sprouts
  • Hemp seeds
  • Chia seeds
  • Fresh herbs
Instructions
  1. Toast your sweet potato 2-4 times depending on the heat your toaster or toaster oven brings! When it’s browning, you’re ready to go to the next step
  2. Top it! As I said, get creative and make art 🙂

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This week’s email was all about antioxidants, anti-aging, and lifestyle over diet.

Creamy Vegan Red + White Sauce BBQ Pasta + 10 Reasons to DITCH DAIRY

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Some red & white action in a creamy vegan red sauce form for a little Canada Day celebration!

This time the creaminess comes from something special:

ACTUAL CREAM, but vegan.

Earth’s Own Canada just came out with a cooking cream! Made from Canadian Oats.

And lemme tell ya, it does the job.

Just use it like you would use dairy cream, and it cream-ifies anything.

Usually, I make cream from cashews (or sunflower seeds) like this recipe (just add a little more liquid). Or even white beans made into a cream sauce.

But, this cream makes it ridiculously easy, and extra creamy.

(Did you know oats use seven times less water than dairy?)

Better for the environment, better for the cows, better for you, PLUS it does the job. Win win win, WIN.

It’s BBQ season too, so fire up that barby and throw some plants on it, create a creamy sauce with ease, and you’re off to the delicious pasta races.

🥛 10 Reasons to ditch dairy and embrace dairy alternatives instead:
➖baby calves belong with their emotional mama cows⠀
➖ 65-100% of people are lactose intolerant⠀
➖ mama cows don’t deserve to be forcibly impregnated over and over
➖ your gut microbiome will thank you⠀
➖ we humans don’t need to ingest something that is meant for a baby calf to grow to a TON cow⠀
➖ look up casomorphins (in dairy) and cancer promoting IGF-1 growth factor… ⠀
➖ dairy uses 7x more water than oat milk⠀
➖ the countries with the highest dairy consumption also happen to have the highest rates of osteoporosis (so, no.. milk is not good for your bones)⠀
➖ there are tons of other ways to get calcium and protein … from plants ⠀
➖ and, it’s 2020 … the vegan milk, ice cream, butter, cheese and cream (like the one in this recipe) and RIDICULOUSLY DELICIOUS⠀

Creamy Red Sauce Veggie Pasta
 
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A creamy vegan red sauce pasta packed with BBQ'd veggies.
Author:
Recipe type: pasta, dinner
Serves: 5
Ingredients
  • 2 yellow or sweet onions, sliced
  • ¼-1/2 cup Earth's Own Cooking Cream
  • Tomato pasta sauce (used roasted garlic from Neal Brother's)
  • 400-500g whole grain pasta of choice
  • 2 red peppers, chopped
  • 2 zucchinis, chopped
  • 9 mushrooms (cremini/white), chopped
  • 1-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 3-4 vegan sausages of choice (we used Field Roast Italian)
Instructions
  1. Turn BBQ to 400F (or oven)
  2. Caramelize onions. Do do this without oil, just heat pan to medium, add sliced onions and let the pan brown. Add ⅛ cup of water to de-glaze the pan. Turn the heat down to simmer, and put the lid on. Let simmer for 20 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, a bowl, mix together the veggies with balsamic. Add the veggies to a BBQ roasting dish (OR, bake them in the oven). BBQ for 30 minutes, mixing around halfway.
  4. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to directions.
  5. Add the sausages to the BBQ and grill according to the directions (about 4 minutes a side).
  6. Add cream and tomato sauce to the caramelized onions, and let simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
  7. Strain pasta, then pour it back into the pasta pot.
  8. Chop the sausages, and add them, the BBQ'd veggies and creamy red sauce to the pot. Stir until it's all slathered and delicious looking.
  9. Serve it up with some salad and a sprinkle of vegan parm!

If you make this, tag me on insta: @hookedonplants !

If you missed the premiere of Whistler Virtual Vegan Fest, it is on our Youtube channel for your viewing pleasure. Donate if you like to Happy Herd Farm Santuary or Whistler Food Bank here.

If you need help going plant-based without any judgement + with full support…check out 80/20 Plants, our app with 1:1 coaching ( Plants First Nutrition, Clare Minded, Esther, Matt and I), video lessons, meal planning and recipes.

Vegan Pumpkin Pie (Mostly Raw)

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Guess what season is upon us… PUMPKIN PIE SEASON.

This Vegan Pumpkin Pie isn’t your typical pumpkin pie. This one here packs in that nostalgic, comforting flavour AND benefits.

Every season should be Pumpkin Pie season, am I right?

Of course, with Pumpkin Pie season also comes with ThanksGivin’er, friends, Mom’s birthday, crackling fires, warm socks, scarves, toques, crispy air bike rides, ‘I’ll have a 2nd latte’ kinda days…ahhhh Fall things. 

The beauty of this recipe is that it ticks all the taste + texture benefits, without refined sugar, butter, eggs, or flour.

I’ll have seconds please, because … Pumpkin Pie with benefits. 

This is a no-bake pie with mostly raw ingredients. Raw ingredients, by the way, have all their nutrients in tact which means their bursting with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

The only non-raw ingredient is the puréed pumpkin. Because hey, we want easy too, right? If you find some sugar pumpkins in the grocery store, and feel like baking + blending those up, feel free!

It melts in your mouth.

It pleases your friends.

It’s easy to make.

It’s pumpkin pie, I mean come’on.

OH YA, AND… COCONUT WHIPPED CREAM.

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and, Hello Thanksgiving dinner parties (Covid style)!

Benefits:

Pumpkin has a whopping 200% of your vitamin A needs in just one cup (does wonders for your vision)! It helps prevent cancer with the antioxidant beta-carotene. It also helps with weight loss because of combo of high nutrient density, low calorie density, and lots of plant fibre. Not to mention the vitamin C it carries to help your immunity during these colder months!

Dates are Nature’s candy. They’re packed with fibre, so the uptake of their natural sugars is slowed, and helps keep you energized. There’s a bunch of essential minerals and vitamins in these little juicy morsels as well.

Nuts are great for your brain, skin, and heart. They help create a decadent feeling raw dessert with their unsaturated fats.

Time: 20 minutes prep, 5 hours freeze

Makes: 8 – inch pie pan worth of pie

Ingredients:

Crust:

  • 1.5 cups pecans
  • 2 tbsp chia seeds (optional)
  • 1/4 cup oats
  • 10 dates
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp allspice

Pie Filling:

  • 1/2 cup cashews (quick soak in hot water for 10 minutes, then strain)
  • 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice (or 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp allspice)
  • 1.5 cups pumpkin puree, *not the pre-made pumpkin pie filling (equal to 398mL can)
  • 1 banana (ripe with spots)
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • Pinch of salt

Coconut Whipped Cream:

  • 1 COLD can of full fat coconut milk (store in fridge at least 2 hours before making!)
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup

Directions:

  1. Soak cashews: Place in bowl, pour hot water over, let sit 10 minutes
  2. Make crust: blend all crust ingredients together in food processor. It’s done when a ball starts to form
  3. Spread crust mix on the bottom and up the sides of the pie pan (easier with wet fingers)
  4. Make pie filling: Strain cashews, blend them in food processor for 2 minutes, or until a cashew butter is formed. Then add the rest of the pie filling ingredients and blend until smooth.
  5. Spread pie filling over the crust evenly
  6. Place in the freezer for 3 hours
  7. Make coconut whipped cream: Flip coconut can upside down after it’s been chilled in the fridge, open the can and skim the liquid off the top (drink it!). Use just the thick, white cream. Blend the cream and maple syrup together in kitchen aid mixer, or whipping cream blender until stiff peaks form.
  8. Slice, add a dollop of whipped coconut cream, and enjoy!

*** Feel free to add in even more benefits with medicinal mushroom powders! I think Reishi would be great in this recipe.  You can use ‘Julia10’ for a discount here. 

Need help going plant-based?

Try the 80/20 Plants App

Bangin’ Banana Tahini Chaga Granola (Oil & Refined Sugar-Free)

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Who doesn’t love a good crunch in the mornin’?

I do.

But, I don’t love all the sugars + oils snuck into a typical store-bought granola…

Enter: THIS BANGIN’ BANANA TAHINI CHAGA GRANOLA

This recipe is:

-Easy

-Delish

-Free from refined sugars and oils

-Made up of whole foods baby!

Pour some milk on top (Earth’s Own new 4 ingredient oat milk are a fave), or sprinkle it on top of your coco yogurt bowl or smoothie bowl. How ever you enjoy granola, you’ll be able to enjoy it knowing you’re packing your body with quality nutrients and good energy. 

As for the mushroom part, totally optional, but any opportunity I can get, I’ll add in mushroom powders to my recipes. 

The Stay Wyld Organics Mushroom powders are North American sourced, steamed for best absportion, organic, and packaged in glass with a tin lid (plastic-free packaging for the win). I’m using Chaga here, but really could throw all 5 in this recipe!

 

Turkey Tail, Cordyceps, Lion’s Mane, Reishi AND Chaga all give you a mega dose of antioxidants and act as adaptogens in your body, bringing your body back to homeostasis (balance). They’re also immune-boosting and good for the gut. 

Cooking time: 16 minutes

Servings: 5

NOTE: This recipe is very double-able. Do it. 

 

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Ingredients:

  • Wet Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup tahini

  • 1 ripe banana, mashed

  • 2 tsp vanilla

  • optional: if you like it a bit more sweet, add 1/4 cup maple syrup

  • Dry Ingredients:

  • 2.5 cups rolled oats

  • 1/2 cup coconut shreds/ribbons

  • 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

  • 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

  • 2 tbsp cinnamon

  • 3 tsp Stay Wyld Organics Chaga mushroom powder (use ‘Julia10’ for a 10% discount on these North American, organic, steamed, medicinal mushrooms in plastic-free packaging!)

  • 1/2 tsp salt

  • Add ins after baking:

  • 1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries or chopped dates

  • 1/4 cup hemp seeds

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Directions

  • Pre-heat oven to 325F
  • Mix the wet ingredients together in a large bowl
  • Add in the dry ingredients to the wet and mix thoroughly (hand mixing is the most satisfying and gets the job done best)
  • Lay it out evenly on a parchment (or reusable baking sheet) covered pan
  • Bake for 16 minutes, mixing around halfway through. (Careful not to burn at the end!)
  • Remove from oven and let cool completely before storing it in an airtight container in your cupboard or the fridge. As you transfer it to your container, add in the additional ingredients and shake it up.
  • Snack, scoop, or sprinkle it on everything!

Whistler Virtual Vegan Fest June 20th

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First off, I hope you are all doing well amidst the firey world we’re all living in at this moment.

I have taken some time to step back from content creation (thank you to those who reached out), and continue to try my best to educate myself more on everything that is Black Lives Matter. With that, moving forward I will now be more proactive in featuring and lifting up the Black Voices in the vegan community. There are many!

That’s what the last blog post is all about.
15 Inspiring Black Vegans You Need to Follow
PLUS, places to donate and Black-Owned businesses to support.

Sending out love and compassion to all of you!

BIG NEWS
The Whistler Virtual Vegan Fest
June 20th
5 PM

For Free or by Donation.
100% of the proceeds will go to The Happy Herd Farm Sanctuary or the Whistler Food Bank.

Head here to reserve a ticket!

Follow @whistlerveganfest for updates on speakers and more details.

What to expect:
A star-studded line up of inspiring vegan voices.
A mantra, a breathwork session, nutrition tips, recipe demos, art demo, veganism in the Black Community, animal activism, relationship chat, environmental facts, gut health tips, vegan transitioning with 80/20 Plants, all topped off with a DJ set from our fave vegan DJ. 

Here’s a graphic to share on your insta:

Who will you come to the fest with?? (Virtually)

#wvvf #wvfvirtual

CHECK OUT THE FULL LINEUP:
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!
Too many awesome people, I can hardly contain my excitement.

See you there???

Here is the link for the sign up again (if you’re not available on the 20th you can still reserve a ticket, as it will be available for replay on our YouTube Channel after).

Please join the conversation on social and share that line-up graphic (don’t forget to tag @whistlerveganfest and I @hookedonplants )

Let’s have some fun, and raise some funds for animals + humans.

Join the instagram community: