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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.

đŸ„› 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.

Hooked on People: Lauren Toyota of Hot for Food + Her Pesto Pea Linguine

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Lauren Toyota is hot for food (as long as it’s vegan).

She moved from being a MuchMusic VJ to starting her own YouTube channel in 2015. Since then she’s grown to 473,000 subscribers and over 36 million channel views. Her debut cookbook, “Vegan Comfort Classics: 101 Recipes To Feed Your Face” is officially a best seller! Not only is she an incredible chef with an awesome personality, but she’s authentic and so relatable. 

She’s on a bit of a spiritual journey as well, and has a beautiful perspective on life. So let’s get to know Lauren a little bit more …

Photo credit: Vanessa Heins

LIFE STUFF:

Hooked on Plants: But first: what’s Snickles doing right NOW?

Lauren Toyota: Sleeping and dreaming of the next time he will be eating!

 

HOP: Do you remember the day you decided to switch from MuchMusic gigs to YouTube? What’s one tip you can give someone jumping into a new scary change or challenge?

LT: Well I sort of didn’t decide this. I was part of a company wide restructuring and lost my job at Bell Media in 2014. By that time I had launched the new incarnation of hotforfoodblog.com in February 2014 about 6 months before this happened. It had gained some momentum and I had already built a good following on @hotforfood IG as well since 2013 so when I was left without a full time job I figured I would just blog and create social content full time since I felt I had something to work with. That was as far as I thought. I didn’t even think about going on to YouTube until a couple months after the layoffs. If you find yourself in a similar situation or you’re trying to decide if you should make a career leap my advice is you probably should and NEED to. Life is calling you, but that’s just fear whispering to you about all the reasons why it won’t work. You have to try and work with it but kind of push it out the way. Push through the fear if you can and take the risk. The reward is always much better when you put yourself in these uncomfortable situations. It’s how you grow and expand as a human. You need to push beyond your comfort and safety zone. 

 

HOP: Let’s chat meditation for a sec.

For those who haven’t dabbled at all
 what’s your tip for starting?

LT: Just start. Again it’s kind of the same annoying voice trying to convince you that you don’t NEED this practice or that it’s BS or silly. It’s that ego self, the small self, trying to keep you small and protect you. But it’s not serving the higher version of you that you desire to expand into. Meditation WILL allow this process to unfold. It will help ease that resistance and allow you to flow. There are many many ways to meditate and many practices and so I get that it’s intimidating but you might as well start with something, see if you like it, and you can always keep exploring until you find something that resonates. I always recommend going on YouTube and just search meditations or you can get a free app called Insight Timer. There is SO much content out there and you’re bound to find something that lights you up and resonates, but you have to take the leap or step in that direction and then it’s just a personal intuitive exploration from there. You’ll start seeing the momentum behind it and you’ll be guided to new things to try or you’ll read something or you’ll end up meeting someone. As you notice all these signs and synchronicities being revealed you’ll feel like you’re aligned to something higher. But you did it for yourself just by starting a new habit or practice. It really starts to take on it’s own life and you flow with it, discovering more and more about who you really are.  

HOP: As for manifesting your reality: this is something I try to practice daily by focusing on the things I’m grateful for, rather than the things I lack.

But, for someone who may feel this is ‘woo woo’, what’s the best tip you can give to them that will help them open up to this powerful perspective on life?

LT: Well I’m finding more and more that the idea of these practices is becoming less taboo or ‘woo woo’ so that’s a nice shift. I feel like I’m noticing people from all walks of life speaking this language and identifying their own power. Gratitude is a powerful practice and can help shift perspective from victim stance to creator stance. A couple of small things one can do to open up is writing down 5 things each day that you appreciate and are grateful for. It can start making dramatic shifts in how you see the world. I think spending time in nature is also key. Nature is so abundant but we don’t always see it that way if we focus on problems like climate change and the negative effects of fossil fuels, but if you can walk in nature or spend time in grass even. You can see how abundant it is. There are infinite blades of grass just in your immediate vicinity or what appears like thousands of trees, leaves, and insects if you’re walking through a forest, say. Notice that. Appreciate that. It’s very powerful to see the world with those eyes.  

HOP: You’re one of the first recipe bloggers I started following when I was exploring veganism, so THANK YOU for the ongoing inspiration.

How long have you been vegan now?

LT: Thank you. That’s so cool! I have been vegan since January 1, 2010. I started transitioning in the fall of 2009 but set the start of a new year as my “no going back” date!

 

HOP: What was it that inspired you to make the switch to veganism in the first place? And what is it that makes it easy for you to stick with it?

LT: It was really how I felt that sparked the change. I was pretty good at ignoring my body for years, but eventually enough was enough. I didn’t feel good physically, mentally or emotionally eating animals and animal by-products. But it’s conditioning that makes us good at ignoring things. I remember watching Food Inc. and then reading Omnivore’s Dilemma and that’s what changed  my mind. The fact that I got so INTO my new way of life that I started blogging my transition from the beginning as hot for food, helped me stick with it. I was really excited by trying so many new foods and cooking techniques so that’s what made it stick. Once I saw how delicious it could be and I was really in control now of how I could feel, it just made sense and I never even considered switching back.

 

HOP: Would you tell people to go vegan overnight? Or take their time?

LT: I think everyone is different. I’ve heard many vegans tell me they just did it overnight. But I always recommend to take it at your own pace. You have to do what feels right for you. For some people, like me, if you force yourself to do something before you catch up mentally then it doesn’t’ work. So don’t worry about what anyone else is doing or telling you to do. You gotta do you! 

HOP: When will your new book be out?

LT: I’m hoping February 2021. The exact date isn’t set yet. 

HOP: People can check out your YouTube channels (Hot for Food and Lauren Toyota)  for TONS of What I Eat in A Day Videos
 but short n’ sweet, what is a day in quarantine in food language sound like for you?

LT: Breakfast: coffee 

Lunch: salad with roasted potatoes and a creamy dressing

Snacks: homemade cookies, salt & vinegar chips, oranges

Dinner: pasta with veggies and sometimes beyond meat sausage

Dessert: more homemade cookies 

 

Fave Quarantine Recipe?


Hot For Food Vegan Green Pea Pesto Linguine
 
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Makes 4 Servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time 12 minutes
Ingredients:
1 pound linguine
2 cups fresh or frozen peas
1 tsp sea salt
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup vegan parm (could use this one)
1/4 lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
Ground pepper
Instructions:
1 Bring large pot of salted water toa boil
2 Cook linguine until al dente and add 1 cup of the peas to the water in the last minute of cooking
3 Drain, but do not rinse
4 While the pasta is cooking, combine the remaining 1 cup peas (thawed and drained of excess water, if frozen), salt, 2 cups basil leaves, garlic, 1⁄4 cup of The Parm, lemon juice, and olive oil in a food processor until well combined and smooth but textured.
5 Place the drained pasta and peas back in the pot while it’s still warm.
6 Add 3/4 of the pesto and toss to combine well.
7 Serve the pasta with an extra dollop of pesto on top.
8 Garnish with the remainder of The Parm, ground pepper to taste, and basil leaves.

Excerpted from hot for food Vegan Comfort Classics. Copyright © 2018 by Lauren Toyota. Published by Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.

If you make this, tag @hookedonplants and @hotforfood so we can see your creation!

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Simple Creamy Tomato Pasta with Chick’n | Vegan + Oil-Free

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A week night dinner saviour!

This pasta is super delish, and takes no time.

The creaminess? Hello cashews.

The simple-ness? Hello blender.

Pretend you’re a top chef for a minute with out actually having the credentials.

The biggest bonus of it all? The creaminess and decadent mouth feel we all crave… doesn’t have to come from the cow!

As for the vegan chick’n; it can be taken out completely, or replaced with any other kind of vegan meat you like. I’m thinking cauliflower ground round would be delish in here from Big Mountain Foods, or Gusta sausages, or Very Good Butcher’s bangers, or Field Roast sausages, or a little more indulgent Gardein or Yves ground round. Make this multiple times, and switch it up every time!

Why not add a side of steak? Cauliflower steak that is… Just douse a thick slice of cauliflower in your fave sauce (used Naked Coconut Teriyaki for this one), and sear them on the BBQ for 4-5 minutes a side!

Don’t forget to whip up some ridiculously easy vegan parm.

Simple Creamy Tomato Pasta with Chick'n | Vegan + Oil-free
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Simple Creamy Tomato Pasta with Chick’n | Vegan + Oil-free

Recipe by JulesCourse: DinnerDifficulty: Easy
Servings

6

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

12

minutes

Ingredients

  • Creamy Tomato Sauce:

  • 1/2 cup cashews (soaked over night or a couple hours for the most creaminess)

  • 1 tbsp onion powder

  • 2 tsp oregano

  • 1 tsp basil (or 2 sprigs fresh basil

  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

  • 1/4 tsp salt

  • 1/2 tsp white pepper (optional)

  • 1 cup diced canned tomatoes

  • Pasta Fixin’s:

  • 1 medium sweet onion, diced

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 4-5 mushrooms of choice, sliced

  • 1 red pepper, diced

  • Meatiness: pre-cooked brown lentils or vegan chicken or ground round (Sweet Earth seitan strips, Very Good Butchers bangers, Gusta sausage, Field Roast weiners, Gardein chicken, Yves Veggie Cuisine Ground, Big Mountain Foods Ground

  • 2 handfuls kale or spinach, chopped

  • 300g whole grain pasta of choice (choose one with a couple of ingredients only… like brown rice or quinoa or chickpeas and water)

Directions

  • Turn pan to medium heat, add onions and let brown. Add a splash of water to de-glaze the pan. Then add in the pepper, mushrooms and garlic. Let sautĂ© 5 minutes (add a bit of water if it sticks)
  • Boil water for your pasta
  • Add the ‘meat’ of choice to the pan. Let brown and heat up for 5-10 minutes while stirring periodically
  • Cook pasta according to directions
  • Meanwhile, make the creamy tomato sauce: Add all pasta sauce ingredients to the blender and whizzzz until smooth
  • Add the sauce to the veggie and ‘meat’ pan, stir to combine
  • Strain your pasta, then add that to the loaded pan too. Give it a good stir
  • Blend up some 3 minute cashew parmesan, then serve up your dish with some basil leaves, parm, and maybe even some garlic bread (toast with vegan butter and garlic powder = easiest garlic bread ever).

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Creamy Carrot Shroomy Noods

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Before I go on about the how surprisingly creamy this recipe is… I invite you to say the title out loud. It’s just so satisfying. Thanks to @oliviarosepeltier over on instagram for naming this dish:) These Creamy Carrot Shroomy Noods are just that – creamyyyy!! It was a surprise to me, so maybe it will surprise you. Make it to find out.

Not only is this sauce perfect for that springtime ‘get ready for the bikini’ freak out (veggie heavy, low calorie, nutrient dense, high fibre)… but it actually brings that creamy pasta vibe, and an amazing colour.

Just steam some veggies. Sauté some things. Blend it up. Cook that pasta.

This sauce could be used for any kinda of saucy need.

A dip on a platter, a saucy addition to your burrito, a healthy nachos dish… or simply warmed up and eaten with a spoon!!

It’s a throw together kinda meal when you only have a few things to choose from. But remember, just add nooch + miso paste, and anything will taste YUM.

Creamy Carrot Shroomy Noods
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Creamy Carrot Shroomy Noods

Recipe by juliaCourse: Lunch, DinnerDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

3

minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 cups carrots, roughly chopped

  • 3/4 cup corn, frozen

  • 3/4 cup green peas, frozen

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1/2 onion, diced

  • 2 tsp sage

  • 2 tsp thyme

  • 1 cup mushrooms (fresh cremini or dried oyster or lobster mushrooms, soaked for 15 minutes in water), chopped

  • 1/8 cup miso paste

  • 1/2 cup nutritional yeast

  • 1/8 cup tahini

  • Veggie bouillon cube

  • 400g brown rice or quinoa noodles

  • Fresh sage or basil for garnish

  • Water to blend (start with 3/4 cup)

Directions

  • Bring steamer water to a boil, and place steamer on top with carrots, peas and corn. Steam for 10 minutes
  • Meanwhile, heat another pan up to medium heat. Add the onions and sautĂ© for 3-5 minutes. Add 1 tbsp of water to de-glaze the pan. Add garlic, sage, thyme and mushrooms. Let sautĂ© on low for 5 more minutes
  • Boil water for pasta (you could use the same pot as the steamer – just throw the steamed veggies into your blender) and fill the steamer pot with water. Cook pasta according to directions.
  • Add all steamed veggies to a blender with the miso, nutritional yeast, tahini, boullion cube and 1/2 cup-3/4 cup water. Blend until silky smooth (add more water by the tablespoon if needed).
  • Pour the creamy carrot sauce into the pan with the onions and mushrooms, mix well.
  • Strain the pasta once it’s done cooking, and add the noodles to the pan with the sauce. Mix well.
  • Serve with a garnish of sage or basil, and this Smokey Vegan Parm!

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Creamy Portobello Cauliflower Fettuccine Alfredo

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Even Mr. Alfredo himself would FOR SURE give this Cauliflower Fettuccine Alfredo a 10/10. Even without cream, butter or cheese at the party.

Cream-ified with cauli and cashews and simplified with just 8 ingredients, making it the perfect answer to your weeknight scramble-fest (just takes 20 minutes).

Kids will love it too.

Use this sauce for anything else you need to add flavourful creaminess to (lunch wraps, sandwiches, glory bowls…)

I’ve added in some portobellos, smoked tofu, and peas for extra Alfredo pasta pizzazz.

Double it up, so you don’t have to worry about dinner a few nights away (my tastebuds wouldn’t have any problem at all if this was on repeat multiple times a week).

Cauliflower for the win once again. Love you, you versatile bundle of cruciferous-ness.

Creamy Cauliflower Fettuccine Alfredo
 
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A creamy pasta minus the heaviness! Cauliflower is the star in this one, serving as the base for a deliciously decadent feeling Alfredo sauce. Throw in some smoked tofu for that bacon-y feel, and you have yourself a nostalgic favourite to trick any comfort food lover!
Author:
Recipe type: pasta
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 1 large cauliflower, chopped (5 heaping cups of cauliflower florets)
  • 1-2 tbsp tamari
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 portobellos, sliced
  • 1 sweet onion, diced
  • ¾ cup soaked cashews
  • ¾ cup veggie broth
  • ½ cup nutritional yeast
  • juice of ½ lemon (about 1 tablespoon), plus 2 wedges for serving
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp pepper, to taste
  • 1 package (350 g) fettuccine or rotini pasta (gluten free if needed)
  • ½ cup smoked tofu, chopped
  • Fresh minced parsley, or sage for garnish

  • Optional:
  • Smoked Vegan Parmesan
  • ¾ cup green peas
Instructions
  1. Steam cauliflower florets in a steamer basket with the lid on for 10 to 15 minutes until fork tender.
  2. Meanwhile, heat a pan to medium heat and add the onions, garlic and mushrooms. SautĂ© for 10 minutes using splashes of tamari and water to de-glaze the pan if they’re sticking at all.
  3. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain well, pour it back into the pot, then set aside.
  4. Make the sauce! Blend the steamed cauliflower, lemon, milk, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper with HALF of the sautéed mushrooms, onion, garlic mix in a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.
  5. Add the cauliflower sauce to the pasta pot and stir well.
  6. Add the green peas (if using)and heat over low-medium until everything is heated through. Taste and add more salt, lemon or pepper if needed.
  7. Serve it up! Divide the pasta into bowls, and add a sprinkle of fresh minced parsley. Add any other veggies you feel would be delicious with this creamy concoction!
  8. Optional: sprinkle with this Smoked Vegan Parmesan.

Tag me if you make this! LOVE seeing your creations.

@hookedonplants