Plant based diets are gaining plenty of attention lately but that’s nothing new. Folks have been eating plants since time began – surprise! But since we are in the celebratory mode, I wanted to share some beautiful plant based recipes for the holiday weekend.
Celebrate well my American friends! Cheers and Happy Memorial Day!
Here’s your long weekend menu plan for one full day of Eating Clean® while celebrating. (Recipes follow below).
BREAKFAST
OVERNIGHT BUCKWHEAT GROATS with BERRIES
MID MORNING SNACK
AVOCADO EGG SALAD SNACK
LUNCH
SESAME GINGER CITRUS SALAD
MID AFTERNOON SNACK
LOADED VEGAN NACHOS
DINNER
BURGERS AND BUNS
SPRING CAULIFLOWER TABBOULEH
DESSERT
CHOCOLATE AVOCADO MOUSSE
RECIPES
BREAKFAST
OVERNIGHT BUCKWHEAT GROATS with BERRIES
*overnight soaking required
Prep Time: 8 minutes
Cook Time: none
Soak Time: overnight
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients:
2 cups buckwheat groats, soaked overnight (buckwheat is gluten free)
4 soaked dried figs
½ cup raw, unsalted cashews, soaked overnight
½ banana, fresh or frozen
1 cup plant based milk
2 apples, cored and peeled
½ tsp unrefined sea salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp maple syrup
Toppings:
Slivered almonds
Fresh, in season berries
Cinnamon
Method:
Place buckwheat groats in bowl and cover with water.
Place cashews in bowl and cover with water.
Let soak overnight.
The next day, drain and rinse buckwheat and cashews.
Place buckwheat, cashews and remaining ingredients in blender and process until creamy.
Divide buckwheat mixture between 2 bowls. Top with topping ingredients and serve.
MIDMORNING SNACK
AVOCADO EGG SALAD
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients:
4 eggs, hard boiled, peeled and chopped
2 ripe avocados
2 tsp Dijon mustard
4 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt or kefir yogurt
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp unrefined sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 green onions, trimmed and chopped
Method:
Scoop avocado flesh out of avocados and place in medium bowl.
Mash with a fork.
Add yogurt, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Mix well.
Add onions and chopped hard boiled eggs.
Mix well.
Eat on Mary’s Seed Crackers.
LUNCH OR SIDE
Ramp up your immune defense and detoxification systems with this salad. The astonishing variety of greens, including herbs and bitter greens, in your bowl spell L-O-V-E with their enzymes, phytonutrients and alkalizing benefits. Oh, and they taste D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!
NB: It is best to use organic greens if possible.
SESAME GINGER CITRUS SALAD
Prep Time: 8 minutes
Cook Time: none
Yield: 2 – 3 servings
Ingredients:
I head romaine lettuce, shredded
1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed of woody end and outer leaves, shredded
2 cups arugula
2 blood oranges, peeled and segmented
2 Tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds
2 Tbsp toasted flax seeds
2 Tbsp toasted pine nuts
½ pound mushrooms, sliced
5 green onions, trimmed and coarsely chopped
Ingredients for Dressing:
2 Tbsp cashew butter
3 Tbsp avocado oil
3 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 Tbsp tamari or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
½ fresh orange juice from 1-2 blood oranges
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp fresh grated gingerroot
Method:
Combine all ingredients for salad in decorative salad bowl.
Combine all dressing ingredients in Vitamix and process to combine.
Pour over salad.
NB: Top with 4 Tbsp hemp seed per person, to make a complete dish.
APPETIZER or SNACK
LOADED VEGAN NACHOS (no meat but loads of flavour and crunch)
Prep Time;
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Yield:
Ingredients:
For the Vegan Cheese:
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 large yellow potato, peeled and cubed
¼ cup mild green chilies, cubed
¼ cup vegetable stock
1 clove garlic, minced
3 Tbsp avocado oil
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
Juice of ½ lemon
1 tsp unrefined sea salt
½ tsp each paprika, cumin and cayenne
For the Beans and Veggies;
2 Tbsp coconut or rice bran oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
Small red onion, chopped fine
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 tsp unrefined sea salt
½ tsp each paprika, cumin and cayenne
1 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
For Serving:
1 package organic corn tortilla chips (a variety of colours is nice)
Diced fresh tomatoes
Fresh cilantro
Limes
Avocados
Hot sauce
Method:
Boil cubed sweet and yellow potato in enough water to cover, in medium sauce pan over medium high heat, 8 – 10 minutes. Potatoes should not be soft.
Remove from heat, drain and set aside.
Combine cooked potatoes with remaining Nacho Cheese Ingredients in VitaMix or high speed blender. Process until creamy. Set aside.
Prepare beans and veggies.
Heat oil in large skillet over medium/high heat.
Add vegetables and cook about 5 minutes.
Add black beans and heat through, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat.
Serve:
Arrange tortilla chips on large platter.
Top bean mixture and then Nacho Cheese.
Finish by arranging remaining Serving Ingredients on top.
Serve immediately.
SIDE
SPRING CAULIFLOWER TABBOULEH
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
Yield: 2 – 3 main servings or 4-5 sides
Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower, trimmed (any colour of cauliflower will do)
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped fine
1 cup baby tomatoes, quartered
1 red sweet pepper, seeded, deveined, chopped
1 yellow sweet pepper, seeded, deveined, chopped
1 small cucumber, ends trimmed, washed and chopped
4 watermelon radishes, trimmed and chopped
1 cup baby peas, frozen is fine
1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
4 spring onions, trimmed and chopped
3 Tbsp avocado oil
Juice and zest of one organic lemon
1 Tsp unrefined sea salt
Freshly grated black pepper to taste
2 garlic cloves minced
1 tsp Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
Method:
Break cauliflower into florets and place in bowl of food processor.
Process into “rice.”
Combine chopped veggies and cauliflower rice in large mixing or salad bowl.
Combine oil, lemon juice and zest, salt, pepper, garlic and Bragg’s Liquid Aminos in small Mason jar and shake well.
Pour over salad and let marinate for minimum one hour.
DINNER MAIN
BURGERS AND BUNS
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 burgers
Ingredients:
2 19 ounce cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained well
½ red bell pepper, seeded and deveined
½ zucchini, chopped fine
1 small red onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
1 Tbsp chickpea or coconut flour
1 Tbsp flax meal
1 tsp unrefined sea salt
½ tsp each cumin, curry and paprika
4 buns of your choice – Ezekiel buns are perfect
Toppings:
Sliced red onion
Romaine lettuce
Sprouts
Sliced avocado
Sliced tomato
Mustard
Your choice!
Method:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place kidney beans in food processor and process until coarse mixture results.
Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add chopped vegetables, spices and flour.
Mix well.
Divide mixture into 4 and shape into patties with wet hands.
Place on prepared baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes in hot oven.
Remove from oven and serve on toasted Ezekiel buns with desired toppings.
DESSERT
CHOCOLATE AVOCADO MOUSSE
No meal spells fun more than dessert but you don’t want to throw all your hard, Eating Clean® work down the drain with a sugary bomb. Let’s keep our energy high and our skin glowing with this gorgeous
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: none
Yield: 6
Ingredients:
2 large, ripe avocados – peeled, pitted, and cubed
1/2 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
1/3 cup plant based milk
½ cup natural nut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 pinch ground cinnamon
2 – 4 Tbsp Date Paste*
Flaky sea salt like Maldon for garnish
Preparation:
Place all ingredients, except salt, in high speed blender.
Pulse until uniform mixture results.
Add more milk if necessary to obtain desired consistency.
Divide mixture between 6 dessert dishes or you can use a martini glass. Top with in season berries and dusting of sea salt.
*Recipe for Date Paste:
Soak 2 cups of pitted dates in 2 cups of water overnight or approximately 8 hours.
Remove dates from water and set the water aside.
Puree dates in food processor or blender.
Add a few tablespoons of soaking water to the date puree and continue to blend. Blend until the date paste is creamy.
Add more soaking water if needed.
