Hawaiin Haystacks—Plant Based Style

When I first started cooking plant based meals for my family, I was finding new recipes for dinner every night. While this was fun and exciting for me, my family missed their old favorites. So I started trying to make their old favorites in a plant based way! One of those favorites was Hawaiian Haystacks. I love it because it comes together so quickly! Perfect for a lazy Sunday dinner or a quick mid week meal! I took out the chicken and cream of chicken soup and replaced it with creamy cashew sauce. The result? Yum!

Hawaiian Haystacks

2 cups Cooked rice

2 cans mandarin oranges

1 can pineapple tidbits

1 can olives, diced

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

1 red pepper, chopped

8 oz tub of sliced mushrooms

chopped green onion

Cilantro

Peanuts

1 recipe of cashew cream sauce

Cashew Cream Sauce

2 ½ cups water

2 cups raw cashews

2 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp minced garlic (or garlic powder)

¾ -1 tsp paprika

1 tsp onion powder

2 tsp salt (add more later if desired)

½ cup nutritional yeast

Diced red pimientos —start with 1 tsp and add more if desired

To assemble haystacks, place the desired amount of rice on a plate, then add the fruit and veggies. Top with cashew cream sauce, cilantro and peanuts.

To make the cashew cream sauce, add all sauce ingredients to a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Check flavor and add more

salt or pimientos if desired. Blend again.

Note: If you don’t have a high speed blender, soak the cashews in water for two hours before blending.

#glutenfree #plantbased