HookedOnPlants

When getting hooked is a good thing

gluten free

Vanilla Date Almond Milk | Milk Yer Nuts

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Keeping it simple this week with a go-to recipe around here. Vanilla Almond Milk for your next latté, overnight oat soak, or just for that plain ol’ comforting glass of milk with your Peanut Butter Quinoa cookies, or Chocolate Chip Oatmeal cookies, or these classic Black and White cookies.

Making your own milk doesn’t have to be complicated.

3 things you’ll need are:

  1. Nuts
  2. Blender
  3. Mesh (nut milk) bag.

Today we’re using almonds, and feeling a little flavourful…so we’ll add some date sweetness, cinnamon and vanilla goodness with a pinch of salt.

There’s nothing like a fresh batch of homemade plant milk.

Store bought plant milk is pretty darn good these days, but making your own gives you the advantage of knowing every fresh ingredient you put in there.

Of course, I’ve got to mention that ditching the cow’s milk is going to bring mega benefits to your body, the animal’s lives, and the environment.

Check out this video to see what Dr. Neal Barnard has to say about why humans are physically addicted to dairy and cheese. 

Benefits of Ditching the dairy:

  • Clearer skin – less inflammation and hormones
  • Less gastrointestinal issues – by decreasing any potential lactose sensitivity
  • Less fractures and healthier bones– contrary to popular belief, according to the Nurses’ Health Study dairy may increase risk of fractures by 50 percent! Plus, the countries with the lowest rates of dairy consumption (like Africa and Asia) also have the lowest rates of osteoporosis.
  • Improved digestion – that diarrhea, constipation, bloating, gas and nausea could very likely be from a lactose sensitivity or intolerance (65-75% of the world’s population is lactose intolerant)
  • Weight loss – by taking out the hormones, animal proteins, lactose, and saturated fat found in the dairy products, many people find excess weight coming off easily. This is because dairy milk is naturally meant to help a calf grow into a cow (it’s a growth fluid)
  • Cancer prevention – there has been a strong link between dairy consumption and cancers because dairy consumption increases the body’s level of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), a known cancer promoter that encourages tumour growth. 
  • Stronger bones – because the animal proteins in dairy are difficult for humans to digest, calcium is actually leached from the bones to help absorb with digestion. It’s better to focus on more absorbable sources
  • Better for the environment – the dairy industry has a big impact on air quality (greenhouse gas emissions), soil quality (land use, pesticides), and water quality (run offs of antibiotics, pesticides, pathogens, waste products and hormones). The plants grown to feed these cows to produce dairy could instead be eaten directly by us, saving vast amounts of resources.
  • Reduce your exposure to antibiotics and hormones – which are used regularly in the US dairy industry to reduce infection and increase production
  • Reduce the suffering of the cows – the less we demand dairy, the less it will be mass produced 🙂

Something to think about:

The majority of humans naturally stop producing large amounts of lactase (the enzyme needed to metabolize the sugar in milk, lactose) between the ages of 2 and 5. This is normal for most mammals once they have been milk been weaned, because we simply don’t need to produce the enzymes for properly digest and metabolize milk anymore. Our bodies just aren’t made to digest milk on a regular basis, especially as adults (we are the only mammals who continue to drink milk after weaning, let alone the milk from another species).

Most scientists agree that it’s better for us to get calcium, potassium, protein, and fats from other food sources, like whole plant foods —, fruits, beans, vegetables, whole grains, seeds, nuts, and seaweed.

“It takes nothing away from a human to be kind to an animal” – Joaquin Pheonix

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Vegan Hollandaise Sauce

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Nothing like a decadent, creamy, lemony, thick sauce to douse that vegan brunch with! This vegan hollandaise sauce is even delicious on dinner your plate (think taters & sauce, broccoli & sauce, glory bowls & sauce, burritos & sauce…)

Being plant-based, means falling in love with sauces. All the sauces.

Tomato-based, bean-based, cashew-based, tahini-based, nooch-based, miso-based, veggie-based… endless bases of sauciness.

Today’s all about this cashew raw vegan hollandaise.

It’s time to cure those creamy cravings with total satisfaction by drizzling this stuff over any savoury dish to create a culinary masterpiece.

Super simple.

Super delish.

With just 7 ingredients and a blender, you’ll be on your way to sauce o’clock, saucy heaven, 10 on the sauce-o-meter, 100% sauciness… You get it.

Benefits:

  • Cashews are packed with minerals, and dietary monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats to help the body absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and vitamin K and produce fatty acids needed for yo’ brain!
  • NO DAIRY – this is a big plus. Typical hollandaise has a whole lotta butter and eggs. Replacing these two with cashews will help you prevent cancer, inflammation, acidity, weight gain and animal suffering 🙂 Go nuts.


Vegan Hollandaise Sauce
 
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Prep time
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A hollandaise sauce to bring back those eggs benny memories. Make a bunch of this because you'll be wanting to pair it with everything.
Author:
Recipe type: sauce, vegan sauce, brunch
Serves: 1 cup
Ingredients
  • ¾ cup cashews, soaked over night (or 10 minutes in hot water), then strained
  • ¼ cup lemon juice (juice of 1½ lemons)
  • ½ cup unsweeted, unflavoured plant milk (almond, coconut or soy)
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
Instructions
  1. BLEND! Seriously. That's it. Until smooth.
  2. Drizzle away.

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This week’s email was all about NYC vegan goodness and Main Street Vegan !

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!

Miso Sweet Potato Glory Bowl of Goodness | (highly addictive dressing)

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There’s something SO satisfying about eating a meal out of a bowl.

Plus, making this will turn you into a left-over magician.

Anytime I make a Glory Bowl/Buddha Bowl, I make a lot of everything. This makes it difficult not to eat healthy for the rest of the week.

So, go crazy with the cooking amounts then enjoy easy left-overs ready to stuff into a wrap to-go, add to salads, or make into another sweet bowl of goodness.

This dressing. OMG.

It never fails to impress. I’ve nailed down the right amounts of these amazing ingredients, and created one of the best sauces for any kind of bowl.

Other ideas for it? Only add a tablespoon of water to make it into a dip OR add 3/4 cup of water and make it into a salad dressing. Seriously. SO GOOD.

This is a perfect option for a vegan dinner party. Lay out all of the ingredients and get everyone to make art in their bowls. Bonus? The non-vegans will feel completely satisfied, and realize that vegans do eat more than just lettuce and carrots 😉

Benefits:

~ Whole grains are packed with soluble fibre, minerals, vitamins and antioxidants. Because they’re packed with the goods, they reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some forms of cancer. They’re a great option to fill up on to keep your weight in check. It’s best when you soak them before cooking to reduce the phytic acid, and begin the sprouting process. This makes it much easier for your body to digest and assimilate the nutrients in the grain.

~ Miso is a fermented form of soy, rice or barley. This is GREAT because the more feremented foods we consume, the better. Feremented foods are highly beneficial for your gut, and the good bacteria in your intestinal flora. Surprisingly, 9 out of 10 of our human cells are bacteria, and only 1 out of 10 is human! So, it’s extremely imporant to keep you bacterial intestinal flora happy. Fermented foods do just that. What happens if they’re deprived, this can lead to gas, constipation, hormonal issues, PMS, chronic respiratory problems, high cholesterol, neurological problems, osteoporosis, low energy, weight gain… the list goes on.

~ Sweet potatoes of all varieties are high in vitamin C, A and manganese, plus were the staple of the longest living peoples in history, the Okinawans. They’re anti-aging because of their high antioxidant properties, and nutrient density!

Miso Sweet Potato Glory Bowl of Goodness

Serves: 6-8

Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

Bowl:

  • 2 cups of your favourite grain (brown rice, wild rice, quinoa, wheat berries or…)
  • 2 cups red or green lentils, rinsed
  • 3 sweet potatoes (get different colours if you can find them!), sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
  • 1 tsp each of salt and pepper
  • 4 cups (or more) arugula or spinach
  • raw veggies of choice, grated or spiralized (I use carrots, beets, zucchini, or red cabbage)
  • 1 cup green peas, cooked from frozen according to package (optional)
  • avocado slices (optional)

Miso Tahini Dressing:

  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • 1/4 cup miso paste
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp tamari
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup of water (or more depending on the consistency you like)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 415 degrees F
  2. Cook the grain according to package. Or check out the grain cooking chart below!
  3. Roast sweet potatoes: lay out rounds on parchment covered baking pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping once half-way
  4. Cook the lentils: For RED lentils ~ bring lentils plus 3 cups of water to a boil in your pot. Stir, then let simmer with lid slightly ajar for 10 minutes (check at 8 minutes to be sure they don’t over cook). For GREEN lentils ~ bring lentils plus 4 cups of water to a boil, then stir, then simmer 20 minutes.
  5. Grate or spiralize your raw veggies of choice
  6. Blend the Miso Tahini Dressing: Add all dressing ingredients to blender or food processor. Blend until smooth
  7. Make art in your bowl! Pack it with the rice, lentils, raw veggies, sweet potatoes and arugula, then drizzle the dressing all over!

 

Cucumber Cups with Almond Lime Ginger Butter

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Simple and flavourful. Perfect for your next canapé party.

Because you throw those all the time, right?

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These little cucumber cups are wayyyy too easy to make.

If you need to throw something together quickly and impress some taste buds, look no further.

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The crispy, fresh cucumber with the creamy, smooth almond lime ginger butter is a FANTASTIC contrast and a surprise burst of flavour.

The butter is a bit like thai peanut sauce, but has more of a tangy punch.

Crunchy

Creamy

Fresh

Easy

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Benefits:

Cucumbers are super hydrating and packed with vitamins and minerals. Eat the green skin people! The anti-inflammatory flavonol, fisetin, plays an important role in brain health. The antioxidants will combat disease, and the B vitamins will help lower stress.

Miso is a fermented food, which means it will do wonders for your gut bacterial health. Miso (and other fermented foods like kombucha, sauerkraut, and kimchi) will help restore the beneficial probiotics in your intestine, which then will improve mood, digestion, absorption, immunity and reduce risk for many diseases.

Carrots as most of us know are very high in beta-carotene which is then converted to Vitamin A in the liver, which will help your vision. It’s also converted into an antioxidant, which combats disease and helps oxidized cells, therefore, slows down aging and helps the skin. So, eat them up!

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Cucumber Cups with Almond Lime Ginger Butter

Serves: 6-8

Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 long english cucumbers
  • 1 large carrot, grated
  • 2 green onions, chopped thinly
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds

Almond Lime Ginger butter:

  • 2 tbsp tahini
  • 4 tbsp almond butter
  • 1 tbsp + 1 tsp tamari or soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp ginger powder

Directions:

  1. Slice cucumber discs 1/2 inch thick. Then spoon out the middle to create a cucumber cup (don’t scoop all the way through).
  2. Make almond lime ginger butter: Blend all ingredients together (mini food processor works best)
  3. Place a dollop of the ‘butter’ into the cucumber cups
  4. Sprinkle each cucumber cup with grated carrot, sesame seeds and green onion.

**Note: The almond lime butter can be made into a sauce by adding water until desired consistency. This will make an amazing ‘Glory Bowl’ dressing!  Alternatively make it into a dip by adding a bit of water and 1/2 of a zucchini !