Prepare for The Great American Total Solar Eclipse with These 5 Dark-As-Night Recipes

Things are about to get dark. On August 21, 2017, the so-called “Great American Total Solar Eclipse” is slated to take place, meaning that the moon is going to eclipse the sun and plunge people all across America into temporary celestial darkness. We hope you all have flashlights!

Here’s what you can expect: the lunar shadow will blacken the skies from Oregon to South Carolina, the temperatures in the affected areas will drop, and if you plan ahead, you’ll have the chance to watch stars come out and twinkle in the middle of the day.

Fred Espenak, a retired NASA astrophysicist and photographer, told ABC News that while the eclipse only lasts for around seven minutes, it’s unforgettable.

“It is unlike any other experience you’ve ever had,” he said. It’s a visceral experience; you feel it. The hair on your arms, on the back of your neck stand up. You get goosebumps.”

We here at One Green Planet know exactly how we’re going to celebrate this otherworldly phenomenon: with eclipse-themed plant-based food, of course! We’ve gone ahead and compiled a list of our favorite dark and night-themed recipes featured on our Food Monster App to help you get in the mood for the solar eclipse. Check them out below!

Midnight Black Sesame Tarts

These Midnight Black Sesame Tarts are devilishly dark and mysterious thanks to the black tahini base and filling and the black sesame seeds sprinkled on top.

Black Sticky Rice Pudding (Bubur Pulut Hitam)

This Black Sticky Rice Pudding is rich in flavor, extremely creamy, and strikes a perfect balance between savory and sweet. Nosh on this as the sky turns dark, and then rejoice with it when the sun reappears.

Black Charcoal Smoothie Bowl

This Black Charcoal Smoothie Bowl makes use of the newest viral food trend—activated charcoal—to achieve its dark, gothic hue. Remember that while charcoal does remove bad toxins from your body, it also removes some of the good nutrients. If you make this smoothie bowl, make sure to consume some good-for-you probiotics and fermented foods after!

Basic Black Bread

This Basic Black Bread is a delicious, soft sandwich bread with a light crumb, and it gets its signature dark color from a tiny bit of bamboo charcoal powder.

Beet Hummus Bites

These Beet Hummus Bites are more than just pretty — they’re delicious. Roasted beet hummus, black olives, and arugula salad are tucked into homemade bamboo charcoal tortillas. The beet hummus is earthy and garlicky and the tortillas are ridiculously easy to make. Serve these at your solar eclipse party and you’ll most likely catch everyone snapping food photos before devouring

Excited about the solar eclipse, but still hungry for more plant-based, allergy-friendly recipes? We highly recommend you check out our Food Monster App, which is available for both Android and iPhone, and can also be found on Instagram and Facebook. It’s full of over 8,000 plant-based recipes, and subscribers gain access to ten brand new recipes per day. You’re bound to find a recipe on there that’s out of this world. Check it out!

Lead image source: Black Sticky Rice Pudding