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.