Recovering carb loaders, this one is for you. When the need for a carby, cheese-heavy meal hits new-to-the-scene vegans, resist the lure by whipping up this easy-peasy vegan pasta recipe.

Ingredients:
1 box (340 g/12 ounces) rotini or fusilli pasta
2 cups marinara sauce
1/3 to 1/2 cup hummus
1/4 cup hemp hearts
Fine sea salt, to taste

Instructions:
Add water into a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. While you are waiting for it to boil, gather the rest of the ingredients. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium, add the pasta, and stir with a wooden spoon. Cook the pasta according to the package Instructions, stirring every now and then to prevent the pasta sticking.

Drain the cooked pasta well and place it back into the pot. Stir in the marinara, hummus, and hemp hearts until combined. Taste and add a bit of salt or other mix-ins if desired. Heat over low until warmed throughout. If serving this pasta to a little one, spread a scoop of pasta out on a plate to gently cool it before serving.

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple days. To reheat, add the pasta into a pot along with a bit of extra marinara sauce (this adds moisture back) and stir to combine. Heat over medium-low heat until warmed throughout.

Source: Oh She Glows

This chocolate mousse is not only full of antioxidants and healthy fats; it's also delectable. Feel free to swat non-vegan hands away from nearby spoons, as this recipe only makes two servings.

Ingredients:
For Mousse
1 large ripe avocado
1/3 cup raw cacao powder
1/4 cup almond milk
7 Medjool dates, pitted and coarsely chopped, or 2 teaspoons liquid stevia
1 teaspoon alcohol-free vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For Almond Creme:
1/4 cup soaked almonds
2 tablespoons almond milk
1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar, or 1/2 teaspoon liquid stevia
Pinch of sea salt

Instructions:
To make the mousse, add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend for about 1 minute, until creamy. Divide the mixture among 2 individual custard cups.

To make the almond creme, in a clean blender, combine all of the ingredients and blend on high till smooth.

Top each mousse cup with a large dollop of the almond creme, cover, and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.

Source: Urban Remedy

Yes, you can have barbeque as a vegan. It's just in a salad. A filling, rainbow-colored, gloriously crunchy salad that won't leave you comatose with a bellyache like some baby back rib eaters we know.

Ingredients:
1 19oz can of chickpeas or 2 cups of cooked chickpeas
1/2 cup of your favorite barbeque sauce (check ingredients to make sure it is vegan)
6 cups romaine lettuce (about two romaine hearts)
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 cup cucumber slices
Red onion, sliced thin (optional)
1 cup cooked corn kernels
Lime wedges for garnish
6 Tablespoons vegan creamy ranch dressing

Instructions:
Drain and rinse the chickpeas and add them to a sauce pan with the BBQ sauce over medium heat. Let the chickpeas simmer in the sauce for about 5 to 10 minutes until the sauce thickens and sticks to the chickpeas. Remove from heat.

Chop up the romaine lettuce, slice the cherry tomatoes in half, slice the cucumber and thinly slice the red onion.

For two meal-sized salads, divide the lettuce among two large bowls. Then divide all of the vegetable and the BBQ chickpeas on top of the lettuce. Drizzle with creamy vegan ranch dressing and garnish with a wedge of lime.

Source: It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken

Be still, mac-and-cheese-loving hearts. You haven't said goodbye to gooey, savory macaroni dishes forever, so long as this vegan, secretly-containing-vegetables mac and cheese exists.

Ingredients:
10 ounces dried macaroni (or about 2 2/3 cups)
1 cup peeled/diced yellow potatoes (or russets)
1/4 cup peeled/diced carrots
1/3 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup water (preferably use liquid from pot of boiled veggies)
1/2 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 to 1 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
1 pinch paprika

Instructions:
Cook macaroni al dente, according to package instructions (usually requires boiling for 6-8 minutes in salted water), drain, and set aside.

Bring several cups of water to boil in a small pot. Place chopped potatoes, carrots, and onion in the boiling water, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and soft enough to blend. Cooking time will vary slightly, based on how small you have chopped your veggies.

When veggies are soft enough to blend, use a slotted spoon to remove them from cooking water, and place them in your blender. Add 3/4 cup of that cooking water to your blender, along with your remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth.

Pour sauce over your cooked macaroni noodles in a dish of your choice, taste for salt, and serve immediately. Or, place macaroni mixture in a baking dish, sprinkle with bread crumbs, and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until crumbs are turning golden brown.

Source: Vegan Yumminess

With immune system strengthening ingredients like turmeric and ginger, this vegan soup kicks germs and blah flavor to the curb.

Ingredients:
For Soup:
1 cup sliced onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 to 4 tablespoons Thai yellow curry paste
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne (optional)
1 can full-fat coconut milk
3 cups vegetable stock
Small handful kaffir lime leaves
1 red pepper, thinly sliced (matchsticks)
2 cups broccoli florets
2 tablespoons lime juice
Sea salt, to taste
250 grams thick flat rice noodles

For Fried Tofu:
1/2 brick firm tofu
3 tablespoons vegetable oil (for frying)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Optional:
2 green onions, finely chopped
handful cilantro, as garnish
lime wedges, as garnish

Instructions:
Heat a stock pot over medium heat with vegetable oil and saute onions for 2 to 3 minutes. Then add in garlic and ginger and continuing sautéing for a couple more minutes until soft and fragrant.

Then stir in curry paste, turmeric, and cayenne coating the onions, garlic, and ginger. Add coconut milk and stir to combine. Add kaffir lime leaves and vegetable stock and bring to a simmer.

Meanwhile, cook rice noodles to al dente in a separate pot of boiling water. This is just to prevent the noodles from soaking up all the broth.

Fry the tofu by heating an iron skillet over medium heat with the vegetable oil. Pat the brick of tofu with a towel or paper towels to soak up excess water. It doesn't need to be completely pressed. Cube the tofu to your liking and place in the hot oil. Fry for about 20 minutes in total. Season with sea salt, ground pepper and paprika. Then flip the tofu to fry every side about every 4 to 6 minutes until crispy.

Just before serving, ensure the broth is simmering and add vegetables. Cook for a few minutes until still slightly crisp and bright in color. Lastly, add in lime juice and sea salt to taste.

Drain noodles from the boiling water and place in the bottom of your serving bowls. Pour soup over top and garnish with green onions, cilantro, and a lime wedge.

Source: Hot for Food