Mains⌗

BBQ Chickpea and Carrot Sliders⌗

Ingredients

  • 1 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced or julienne
  • 1/2 teaspoon olive oil (optional)
  • 1 8 oz. bag of shredded carrots (this saves time)
  • 1 15 oz can chickpeas - drained, rinsed and lightly crushed
  • 3/4 cup of Smoky BBQ Sauce, or your favorite store-bought variety
  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup light beer, (optional) if not using, increase the low sodium vegetable stock by 1/2 cup
  • 3/4 cup vegetable stock, low sodium
  • 1 tablespoon Sriracha or hot sauce of choice
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt (optional)
  • Handful of corriander, chopped

Toppings

  • 1 cup thin shaved cabbage
  • 1 cup sliced pickles
  • 1/4 cup condiment of choice, such as: Classic Cashew Sour Cream or your favorite plant-based sour cream, or Ultimate Burger Sauce
  • Package of your favorite whole grain slider buns

Directions

  1. Put all the ingredients except the cilantro and toppings into a large saucepan or cook pot.
  2. Set the pan or pot on high heat for 4+ hours until the carrots are wicked tender and the liquid has thickened up. Add chopped cilantro and mix.
  3. Once the chickpea and carrot mixture is ready, assemble the sliders. If the buns are not as soft as you would like, lightly toast them before using.
  4. On each side of the bread add a condiment of your choice. Pile on the BBQ mixture. Tope with shaved cabbage and sliced pickles. Don’t forget the paper towels when serving these!

Oat and Lentil “Meat Loaf”⌗

This protein-rich BBQ-glazed “meatloaf” is a quick, inexpensive whole food option.

Ingredients

  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • ½ onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
  • 10 ounces firm tofu, drained
  • ¼ cup walnuts, finely ground
  • ½ cup cooked brown lentils
  • 1¼ cups quick-cooking oats
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce or ketchup (plus additional for topping)
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons dried parsley
  • ½ teaspoon thyme
  • ½ teaspoon sage
  • ½ teaspoon rosemary

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 190C.
  2. Sauté the celery, onion, and garlic on high heat in a skillet with a few drops of water for 5 minutes, until tender. Remove from heat and cool.
  3. Mash the tofu in a large bowl. Stir in the cooked mixture and remaining ingredients, and 1. combine well.
  4. Spoon the mixture into a parchment-lined loaf pan. Top with a layer of BBQ sauce.
  5. Bake for 55–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Tips

This meatloaf is wonderful the next day pan-fried on whole grain bread with mustard, pickles, and ketchup.

Quinoa and Apple Stuffing⌗

Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt + 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 1/2 cup + 1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable stock
  • 1 diced apple
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
  • 2 tablespoon + 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup finely chopped leek
  • 3/4 cup finely chopped celery
  • 1 finely chopped shallot
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped sage
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped parsley

Directions

  1. Rinse the quinoa in a sieve under water for approximately 30 seconds and drain thoroughly. Add it to a pot with the low-sodium vegetable stock and sea salt, and bring to a boil.
  2. Once boiling, stir in the diced apple and cover with a lid. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. Once all the water is absorbed, remove the pot from the heat and stir in fresh thyme and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
  3. While the quinoa is cooking, you can create the other component to the stuffing. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium heat and sauté the leek, celery, and shallot for 4 minutes until soft.
  4. Add in the garlic, sage, rosemary, nutmeg, sea salt, and ground black pepper, and cook for 2 minutes. You may need to reduce the heat to medium-low so you don’t burn the garlic. Then add in a 1/2 cup of low-sodium vegetable stock and simmer, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.
  5. Add in dried cranberries and parsley and cook for another 2 minutes. Mix this into the quinoa and apple component and serve warm.

Tips

You can make this dish ahead of time and then reheat in the oven before serving.

Ramen⌗

Ingredients

  • 1 block extra-firm tofu, cut into slices
  • 1 bunch baby broccoli, chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, sliced thin
  • ¼ a red cabbage, sliced
  • Light drizzle of toasted sesame oil
  • Pinch of salt and pepper
  • 2 packages of your favorite plant-based ramen
  • 1 can of baby corn, drained and rinsed
  • 250 grams or 1 package of baby spinach, steamed and drained
  • 1 red jalapeno, sliced
  • 1 nori sheet to garnish, cut into quarters
  • Black and white sesame seeds to garnish
  • Fresh cilantro to garnish

Directions

  1. Heat a skillet over a medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, lightly drizzle with sesame oil to coat the surface.
  2. Add the slices of tofu. When the tofu browns, flip to brown other side.
  3. Move the tofu to the one side of the skillet and in the free space add the broccoli and garlic. Add water to the broccoli side to steam. Keep stirring and moving the broccoli for the next couple minutes.
  4. When the tofu is brown and finished, remove it from the skillet.
  5. Give the broccoli a stir and add a splash of water to deglaze the pan.
  6. After another minute of stirring the broccoli, remove it from the pan.
  7. Prepare the cabbage. Clean out any leftover bits from the skillet, and heat it up again. Add the cabbage to the skillet. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and stir.
  8. Keep the cabbage moving, stirring every minute or so for a total of 8 minutes.
  9. Remove from the heat and set the cabbage on a separate plate with broccoli and tofu.
  10. Cook the ramen according to the package instructions, boiling the noodles and adding spice packets to broth.
  11. To serve, add the broth to a bowl with the desired amount of noodles. Top with the cabbage, broccoli, baby corn, tofu and spinach.
  12. Garnish with the jalapeno, nori, sesame seeds, and cilantro.

Smashed Potato Nachos⌗

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lb or 4 cups baby red russet potatoes
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt (optional)
  • 4 plant-based sausages, halved and roughly chopped
  • ½ white onion, small diced
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil (optional)
  • 1 cup cooked black beans
  • 1 cup Sweet Potato Queso, warmed (see recipe)
  • 1 tomato, diced
  • 2 green onions, sliced thin
  • ¼ cup jarred jalapeños
  • ½ cup plant-based sour cream (see Classic Sour Cream recipe or choose your favorite store-bought option)
  • Fresh corriander, for serving

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF/220ºC for roasting the potatoes later.
  2. Clean the potatoes well. Place the potatoes in a seasoned pot of water, turn on heat to high and bring to a boil. Boil the potatoes until fork tender (about 12-15 minutes), strain and rinse.
  3. Place the chopped plant sausages into a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground.
  4. Warm a large pan over medium heat and add 1 teaspoon of the oil if cooking with oil (otherwise you can use a little water). Add the onions and sauté over medium heat until slightly softened and translucent. Add in the ground sausage and sauté for several minutes more, allowing the crumble to crisp up. Remove from heat.
  5. Using a teaspoon of the olive oil, drizzle on a sheet pan, coating the pan thoroughly (optional). Evenly space the potatoes out on the seasoned sheet pan and, using a potato masher with some pressure, press each potato, smashing it slightly flat. Repeat with all the potatoes. Spray or lightly drizzle the remaining olive oil over the potatoes and sprinkle each with sea salt (optional). Place in oven.
  6. Continue to roast for 15-20 minutes and remove the potatoes from oven once crispy.
  7. Place half of the warm potatoes onto a serving platter or bowl, topping with ½ cup of the warmed Sweet Potato Queso, 1/2 the sausage crumble, and 1/2 the black beans. Add the rest of the potatoes to the platter, drizzling remaining ½ of the Queso, beans, and crumble. Finish with tomato, green onions, jalapeños, plant-based sour cream and cilantro garnish.
  8. Serve immediately to all your friends!

Sweet Potato Buns⌗

Ingredients

  • 2 cups sweet potato, baked and peeled
  • ¼ cup flax seeds, ground
  • ½ cup dry rolled oats, ground
  • ½ cup dry quinoa, ground
  • ½ cup whole pecans, ground
  • 1½ tablespoons baking powder
  • ¼ cup white sesame seeds

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Add the sweet potatoes to a large mixing bowl. Use a fork to mix in the ground flax.
  3. Add the ground oats, quinoa, pecans, and baking powder to the bowl. Mix everything until the batter has an even consistency, but try not to overmix.
  4. Use your hands to form mix into buns that are about ¾-inch thick and 3 to 4 inches in diameter. Place the buns onto the prepared baking sheet.
  5. Bake for 10 minutes, and then carefully flip the buns. Sprinkle each bun with a bit of sesame seeds.
  6. Bake for an additional 7 to 10 minutes until the buns are browned to your liking. Remove from the oven and let the buns cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Snacks⌗

Damn Good Cookies⌗

Ingredients

  • ½ cup raw almonds (or raw cashews)
  • ½ cup raw walnuts
  • 6 large dates, pitted
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon water (if needed for texture)
  • Pinch of sea salt (optional)
  • 3 tablespoons non-dairy dark chocolate chips
  • 3 tablespoons old-fashioned oats

Directions

  1. In a food processor or high-speed blender, blend the nuts until crumbled uniformly. Transfer the nut mixture to a bowl and set aside.
  2. Add the dates, vanilla and water to the food processor or high-speed blender and blend until the ingredients form a paste-like mixture. Scrape down the sides of the processor bowl or blender jar a few times, if needed, and blend again.
  3. Add the reserved nut mixture to the date mixture and blend together. Add the chocolate chips and oats, and pulse the mixture until blended to your liking, or mix in the chips and oats by hand, if you prefer.
  4. Press balls of the mixture firmly into a teaspoon. Free the dough from the spoon’s shape and place on a serving plate.
  5. Serve immediately if you can’t help yourself – otherwise, chill first.

Oat Cocoa Power Balls⌗

Ingredients

  • 2 cups rolled oats (if looking for gluten free, be sure they are labeled as such)
  • 1/4 cup almond butter
  • 1/2 cup cashews or pecans, raw
  • 1/4 cup hemp seeds, hearts
  • 2 tablespoons maca or other superfood you wish to add (green powders, spirulina, protein powder etc)
  • 8 medjool dates, pitted
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • Cocoa powder for rolling

Directions

  1. Using a food processor, add the oats and cashews and blend until a coarse meal.
  2. Add the maca, hemp seeds, cinnamon and salt and pulse a few times to mix.
  3. Add the maple syrup, almond butter and pulse. Start adding the dates slowly.
  4. Depending on how dry the dates are you may need to add a few less or few more.
  5. The mixture should be dry enough to form into balls but not too sticky. If your mixture is too dry, add a bit more date, maple or almond butter, if it’s too wet add a bit more oatmeal.
  6. Roll into balls and roll in cocoa powder.

Protein bars⌗

Ingredients

  • 2 cup chopped dates
  • 1 ½ cup warm water
  • 3 cup regular oatmeal
  • ⅓ cup cocoa powder
  • 1 medium ripe banana
  • 1 ½ cup walnuts
  • 6 scoops unflavored pea powder protein

Directions

  1. Soak dates in warm water for a minimum of 20 minutes.
  2. Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
  3. Put dates (and water they soaked in) into a food processor and turn on. Add remaining ingredients and mix until smooth consistency.
  4. Spread into pan and refrigerate until firm. Cut into 8 pieces.

Sauces and dressings⌗

Smoky BBQ Sauce⌗

Ingredients

  • 2 small cans tomato paste
  • 1 cup cooked beets (3 small beets), roughly chopped
  • 1 cup dates, pitted (15-20 or so each)
  • 1/2 large onion, diced
  • 4 large cloves garlic
  • 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

  1. Heat medium-sized saucepan on medium high heat until hot, add onions and saute for 2 minutes until brown (using 1 tablespoon of oil is optional).
  2. Add the remaining ingredients and reduce the heat to low, bringing it to a slow simmer. Simmer for 25 -30 minutes stirring often. Remove from heat and let cool.
  3. Add all the ingredients to a high speed blender and blend until smooth.
  4. Store in sealed containers in refrigerator. The sauce will last for 10 days.

Sweet Dijon Vinaigrette⌗

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons tahini
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 3 tablespoons maple or apricot paste (soaked dried apricots blended with warm water for honey thickness)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons tarragon minced, or parsley

Directions

In small mixing bowl, whisk all the ingredients well until smooth (alternatively add all ingredients to a mason jar with the lid and shake aggressively). This will keep for 7-10 days in the refrigerator.

Sweet Potato Queso⌗

Ingredients

  • 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and rough chopped (roughly 400 g)
  • 5 garlic cloves
  • Bay leaf
  • 2 C unsweetened soy milk or unsweetened plant-based milk
  • 1 cup (236 g) fresh or jar salsa
  • 15g nutritional yeast (optional)
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • ¾ tsp chili powder
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp onion, granulated
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper

Directions

  1. In small sauce pot, add the top 3 ingredients, add water to cover, and on med-high heat bring to a boil for 10-12 minutes until sweet potatoes are soft, can break apart with a fork, and about half the liquid has evaporated.
  2. Remove from stove top and let cool. Remove the bay leaf.
  3. Add the cooked sweet potato mixture to blender, add the seasonings and 1 cup of plant based milk (to start) and blend on low, moving to high speed for roughly 2 minutes until silky smooth. Add extra plant milk for thinner sauce and less for thicker. Remember that the sauce will thicken once cooled or if heated. You can always add more liquid - you cannot take it away!