Plant Based Tempeh Bacon and Tofu Caesar Wraps

November 30, 2021 by Veronica Grace Leave a Comment

These tofu Caesar wraps are great for packed lunches or picnics. You can prep the ingredients the day before and combine and wrap up in the morning to take with you wherever you go.

Alternatively, you can skip the wrap and just make a big bowl of Caesar salad with the tempeh or tofu and add any other salad ingredients you like. It’s great for family dinners and barbecues too.

Even kids will enjoy the Caesar dressing to dip veggies into as an alternative to hummus!

I use a mix of nuts and seeds in the Caesar dressing to reduce some of the fat content and cashews can be expensive in some places so I only use them in small quantities. Use whatever you have if necessary. Any mild nut or seed like cashews, sunflower, sesame (or tahini paste) or pinenuts can be used.

To get some umami and fishy taste into the Caesar dressing I use a mix of miso paste and seaweed flakes/granules. The roasted garlic gives a really wonderful flavor, but in a pinch you can use raw garlic as well.

I just go these cute lunch box bentos to try out and was looking for something that could easily fit inside.

These bento box containers come with 2 sections and a lid and elastic to hold them together. I just thought they were a cute idea to carry lunches in and wanted to share them with you. You can absolutely use plastic or glass containers or use reuseable protective wrap to cover them in.

I make this dressing ahead of time so I can add it to salads or wraps as needed. You can use tempeh or tofu or both to fill out the wraps as well

Roasted Garlic Vegan Caesar Dressing

1/2 cup raw cashews (soak overnight and drain if you don’t have a high powered blender)
1 bulb roasted garlic (recipe here)
4 tbsp lemon juice
2 small pitted dates (soak overnight and drain if you don’t have a high powered blender)
2 tsp miso paste (mild yellow or brown)
1 tsp dried dill
3/4 tsp seaweed flakes or crushed nori flakes
Fresh ground pepper
2/3 cup filtered water

Directions:

Place ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add a little more water as needed. (As this is oil free it’s best that it’s thick and not too watery so it coats lettuce leaves better.)
Taste test and adjust for salt, pepper and tanginess as needed.
Cover and refrigerate up to 5 days in the fridge.

Vegan Tempeh Bacon Bits

1 package of plain tempeh
1/3 cup soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos
2 tbsps maple syrup or sweetener of choice
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
3/4 tsp liquid smoke
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Slice the tempeh into strips and then cut the slices into small pieces.
In a container with a lid mix the marinade ingredients and add the tempeh and seal.
Toss to combine and refrigerate. It’s best marinated over night or up to 3 days. At least a few hours is required to get the best results.
Preheat 400F line a baking sheet with a non stick mat.
Drain out extra marinade from the container.
Spread out on baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes.
Turn and bake another 3-5 minutes being sure they don’t burn.
Let cool and refrigerate up to 5 days.

Vegan Caesar Wraps

Ingredients:

Package of large tortilla wraps
Caesar dressing recipe above
Tempeh Bacon recipe above
1 block of tofu baked or marinated and sliced. I marinated the cubes in vegan “chicken broth powder” mixed with water overnight and baked at 400 degrees on my convection oven (or use air fryer) for 25-30 minutes until dry and “crispy” *Optional
Romaine lettuce, chopped or bagged salad of choice
Cherry tomatoes sliced, or cucumber, diced

Assembly Directions:

In a bowl combine the salad ingredients, a few table spoons of dressing, tempeh and/or tofu together.
Toss to combine and check if you need more dressing.
Heat the tortilla wraps for 10-15 seconds in the microwave to soften.
Assemble the wraps by adding the caesar salad mixture in the bottom 1/3 of the wrap and fold the bottom up and over the filling. Fold the sides in over the middle and continuing rolling the tortilla upward as tightly as you can without the filling breaking out.
Slice the wraps if desired and serve.

Let me know what you think of this recipe and what your favourite lunch wraps are that you make!

Plant Based Tzatziki Farfalle Pasta Salad With Sun-dried Tomatoes and Artichoke Hearts (Vegan and Oil-Free)

September 20, 2019 by Veronica Grace 3 Comments

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Pasta salad is such a great meal for picnics or lunches that can be made ahead of time and eaten for a few days. For today’s recipe I used farfalle (bowtie) pasta because it has a nice texture and chew when eaten cold and goes well with the size of the other chopped veggies. You might be wondering what I’ve used for the base of the plant based tzatziki sauce and instead of processed coconut/soy yogurt I’m using silken tofu.

With silken tofu it’s just soy milk that has been curdled and formed and instead of separating the soy curds from the whey they are set together so it’s softer and creamier. It also doesn’t have added fillers, binders, or sugar. Quite often you’ll find silken tofu cheaper than a tub of plant based yogurt as well. You can find it at any Asian market, most health food stores and of course on Amazon depending where you live. I like to keep a few on hand for make plant based “cream” sauces like my Fettuccini Alfredo from my cookbook Vegan Comfort Foods From Around The World.

Of course you can use whatever other type of pasta you like for this salad as well, just make sure that it’s bite sized and cooked to the perfect tenderness so it’s not too al dente or too soft so it doesn’t fall apart. The farfalle shape works well because it doesn’t tend to get as stuck together in the fridge or break when made ahead of time for meals later on.

This also works great for traveling. I often have people asking me what they can bring on a road trip or flight besides dried snacks. Since this pasta salad is dairy and egg free you don’t have to worry about it being food safe and it will be fine out of the refrigerator for a few hours packed in a cooler or a bag. I’ve never had an issue eating pasta salad on a plane or bringing it through security. The sauce sticks to the pasta and isn’t liquid in the bottom so it’s not a concern.

So why not give it a try? Maybe you’ll find some new lunch ideas and you’ll probably want to make the silken tofu tzatziki again and again for using as a dip, salad dressing or sauce for wraps or pitas as well!

Silken Tofu Tzatziki Farfalle Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1 recipe of Silken Tofu Tzatziki
1/2 English cucumber, chopped or a few dill pickles chopped/diced
1/2 cup packed sundried tomato halves, sliced (mine were dried not packed in oil)
1 can artichoke hearts packed in water, sliced (6 cooked artichoke hearts, sliced)
454g/1 lb bag of farfalle or other pasta (you can use gluten free if you like)
Fresh dill for garnishing (if you have any left from the Tzatziki recipe)

Directions:

1. 1. 1. Make Silken Tofu Tzatziki and set aside
    2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt if desired. For cold pasta it will make it more flavourful.
    3. Prepare vegetables and set aside.
    4. Cook Farfalle for approximately 14 minutes or to desired tenderness in boiling salted water. You still want it to be a bit chewy but not tough or too soft and falling apart.
    5. Drain and rinse pasta in cold water when at desired tenderness until cool.
    6. Add farfalle pasta to a bowl and make sure it’s cooled down before adding remaining ingredients.
  1. Add vegetables and sauce and toss to combine.
  2. Taste test and add any additional salt or pepper now if desired
  3. Serve or portion out into containers. Best eaten within 3-4 days due to fresh ingredients in the tzatziki sauce.
  What are you favorite ingredients to add to pasta salad?

Silken Tofu Plant Based Tzatzki Sauce (Vegan, Oil and Dairy Free)

September 19, 2019 by Veronica Grace Leave a Comment

Looking for a deliciously cool dip or sauce for veggies, wraps, or Greek pita sandwiches? This recipe is super easy and uses silken tofu instead of yogurt for the base. Tofu actually is processed like cheese is taking a “milk” and adding coagulant and then separating the curds from the whey in most cases.

Silken tofu is set with the soy bean whey in it, so it’s a little softer and creamier. Which makes it a great substitute for dairy when you want a creamy base and because it’s less processed than soy yogurts it’s usually cheaper too.

Silken Tofu Vegan Oil Free Tzatziki Sauce

Silken Tofu Tzatziki (Vegan and Oil Free)

Ingredients:
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 12oz pkg firm Mori-nu silken tofu, drained (make sure to use firm, soft will be too runny for dip but maybe ok for salad dressing)
2-3 large garlic cloves
2 tbsp raw unsalted cashews or pine nuts (Soaked and drained if you don’t have a high powered blender)
1/2 tsp Herbamare or sea salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp ground black or white pepper
1 English cucumber deseeded, peeled and grated
2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped (or 2 tsp dried)

Directions:

Combine lemon juice, tofu, garlic, cashews, salt and pepper into food processor or blender and blend until creamy.
Taste test and add more lemon juice, salt or pepper if desired.
Squeeze out all of the excess water from the grated cucumber with your hands or with a spoon through a mesh strainer.
Stir in the fresh dill and strained cucumber.
Store in a container and refrigerate a few hours before serving.

Use within 3-4 days for best results due to the nature of fresh ingredients.

What are you going to serve with your Tzatziki?

Oil-Free Plant Based Dill Potato Salad With Homemade Vegan Mayo

August 29, 2019 by Veronica Grace Leave a Comment

Oil Free Vegan Cashew White Bean Dill Potato Salad (Plant Based)

Even though Summer is almost over you still have lots of time to enjoy some more family picnics or barbecues. Being plant based doesn’t mean you have to miss out of some of the traditional comfort food salads usually served so I wanted to share this recipe with you!

If you can cook some baby potatoes and you have a blender or a food processor you can make potato salad AND your own plant based vegan mayo. This is my take on a classic recipe including some of my favourite things for cold creamy salads like red onion, celery, dill and pickles.

This recipe is sure to please your friends and family for a cook out or even to pack for lunch for yourself or kids. No need to worry about it being food safe out of the fridge because it’s naturally egg free as well!

Why not give it a try and then tell me what you paired it with by commenting below? Enjoy

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Oil-Free Plant Based Dill Potato Salad With Homemade Vegan Mayo

Ingredients:

3/4 cup white bean and cashew mayo or other oil free homemade mayo 1.5 lbs baby potatoes (I used red skin)
3 stalks of celery, sliced
6 small sweet gherkin pickles sliced, or other favourite pickle chopped
1/4 red onion, diced 1 green onion/scallion, sliced
1/3 cup of fresh dill, packed and chopped
Herbamare or salt to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1). Make or portion out 3/4 cup of white bean and cashew mayo.

2). Wash baby potatoes and slice in half if desired. Place in a steamer basket in a large pot with enough water and steam just until fork tender. Be careful not to overcook the potatoes.

3). Drain and rinse the potatoes in cold water and place in the fridge for at least half an hour to cool down before dicing and continuing.

4). Prepare the vegetables and herbs.

5). If desired cut the baby potato halves again so they’re now in quarters. Place in a medium or large bowl and add the sliced vegetables and herbs.

Oil Free Vegan Cashew White Bean Dill Potato Salad (Plant Based)

6). Add the white bean and cashew mayo and stir to combine.

7). Taste test and add Herbamare or salt and pepper to taste. Depending on if you used my mayo recipe or another mayo recipe you might want to add some extra dijon mustard if desired.

8). Chill in fridge if desired. Best eaten within 3 days due to fresh ingredients.

Tip: To have an even dice of onion and celery and pickles you can use a vegetable chopper if desired.

Have you ever made your own vegan mayo before? What do you like to put in your potato salad recipe?

Oil-Free Vegan Tofu Eggless “Egg” Salad Recipe (Plant Based)

August 17, 2019 by Veronica Grace Leave a Comment

Vegan Tofu Egg Salad Recipe (Oil Free and Plant Based)

Sometimes I get asked what do oil free plant based eaters do for lunches or healthy sandwiches now when giving up lunch meat, mayo and other processed ingredients. Of course you could always make a vegetable sandwich or wrap, but sometimes you want something that can look a little more covert or are craving an old comfort food.

These tofu eggless “egg salad” sandwiches look and taste great and are really easy to make so you have enough for sandwiches or snacks for the week. Not looking for a sandwich? You can eat it with a spoon for a high protein snack, or serve with veggies on top of crackers too.

Many vegans and plant based eaters will use store bought mayo but I just can’t bring myself to buy it. It’s literally all oil, and just there to moisten the bread and add a little flavour. So that’s why I’ve made my own mayo as well with white beans, cashews and seasonings. It works awesome with this recipe and can be used for other sandwiches or wraps as well when you’re looking for something different than hummus or avocado. It is creamy and a really good substitute as well and not as dry and thick as hummus if you miss having a spread that will melt into the bread.

You can add whatever veggies or additional add ons to your tofu eggless “egg salad” that you want, but I really wanted to pump up the flavour and crunch so I added chopped red onion, celery, pickles and green onions. I find the texture just more appealing when I have a mix of soft and crunchy together so it’s not too wet or mushy.

I would dare anyone who says they don’t find tofu appealing to try this sandwich, because honestly it is very similar in texture to hardboiled eggs and with seasonings it looks really convincing as well. I would never eat just plain slabs of tofu in a sandwich, but served like this with veggies and homemade mayo is really delicious and refreshing.

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Vegan Tofu Egg Salad Recipe (Oil Free and Plant Based)

Oil-Free Vegan Tofu Eggless “Egg” Salad (Plant Based)

1 350 g/12 oz package of Organic non-gmo firm or extra firm tofu, pressed
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp kala namak (black salt) or Herbamare or Sea Salt
2 celery ribs, sliced into small pieces
6 sweet gherkin or other mini pickles of choice, sliced
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 green onion, sliced
1 cup of oil free vegan white bean cashew mayo or other homemade mayo

Directions:

1.Press the tofu in a tofu press or place in towels or paper towel in a baking dish with heavy weights on top of it to squeeze out excess water. I use the EZ tofu press. This helps disperse the water inside the tofu so it can become more sponge like and absorb marinades instead of being bland and watery. Stick the drained tofu into the tofu press and crank down the springs until it’s really squished and let it drain excess water out for a few minutes in the sink or a large bowl while you prep your veggies.

2. When tofu is pressed slice it in half on a cutting board. Slice one half of the tofu into small cubes, and crumble the other half of the tofu with your hands and place into a dry non stick frying pan.

3. Turn on the heat to medium and sprinkle on the turmeric, garlic powder, and kala namak or salt. Stir with a wood spoon to combine well so the colour is evenly yellow. If necessary add a splash of water to get seasonings dispersed. Cook just until tofu is a little dry and not soggy. Vegan Tofu Egg Salad Recipe (Oil Free and Plant Based)

4. Scrape tofu into a medium sized mixing bowl. Add celery, pickles, and onions to the bowl. Spoon in at least 1 cup of vegan bean cashew mayo or other mayo of choice and stir to combine.

Vegan Tofu Egg Salad Recipe (Oil Free and Plant Based)

5. Taste test and add any extra seasonings like salt, mayo, mustard etc. if desired. Since my vegan bean cashew mayo already has mustard in it I didn’t add any extra.

Vegan Tofu Egg Salad Recipe (Oil Free and Plant Based)

Use to make sandwiches, wraps or lettuce wraps for lunch or as a dip for a quick veggie snack. This recipe makes enough for about 8-10 sandwiches depending on the size of your bread slices. I spread some additional vegan white bean cashew mayo onto the bread, spoon on the tofu mixture and top with fresh lettuce.

Have you ever had homemade vegan mayo before? Or tried making tofu eggless egg salad before?

Oil Free Vegan White Bean and Cashew Mayo Recipe (Plant Based)

August 16, 2019 by Veronica Grace 6 Comments

Although egg free mayo is widely available in a lot of stores, it’s not really a recommended food for health because of how processed it is and that it’s based primarily on oil. So when you’re looking for a healthier version a homemade oil free plant based mayo can be really helpful for jazzing up sandwiches, wraps and other cold salad recipes.

I especially recommend using this mayo for vegan friendly recipes like tofu “egg” salad, potato salad, or chickpea “tuna” salad. If you’re someone who makes a lot of wraps or sandwiches you might go through this quickly, but if not you can divide the recipe in half or even separate half and freeze it for later. I would use this plant based mayo within a week as it contains fresh ingredients and zero preservatives. What I did is use half of it to make tofu egg salad and the other half to make potato salad for lunches.

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Oil Free Vegan Cashew White Bean Mayo (Plant-Based)

Ingredients:

½ cup cashews, raw and unsalted (If you don’t have a high powered blender soak them in hot water for 1/2 hour prior.)
1 15 oz/425 gram can of cooked white beans, OR 1.5 cups fresh cooked white beans, drained and rinsed (white kidney beans, cannellini, great northern etc.)
3 tbsp of dijon mustard (or mustard of choice)
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (or substitute extra apple cider vinegar)
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp kala namak (black salt) or Herbamare or sea salt (If you’re not making egg or potato salad with this you can just use Herbamare or Salt if you don’t want a sulphurous egg flavour)
1/4 tsp white or black pepper
*Water to blend if using a low powered blender. Not necessary if using a Vitamix or Blendtec

Directions:

Place ingredients into Vitamix or blender or food processor in the order above. (Skip the extra water if using a high powered blender.)
A) Turn on your Vitamix and use the tamper to push everything down into the blade and blend on medium high until you see a creamy consistency.
B) If using a regular blender use just enough water as needed to blend and sttop and scrape down the sides with a spoon and continue blending until smooth.
Once completely smooth, store in a glass jar in the fridge.

Storage:

Use within preferably within 5 days, but may last up until 7 days if stored air tight. Put any extra in a freezer safe container before it spoils to freeze for later.

Variations:

For tofu “egg” salad and potato salad the kala namak (black salt) gives it that egg-like flavour. If you’re using it for chickpea “tuna” salad or other veggie sandwiches and don’t want that egg-like flavour you can use regular sea salt or my favourite: Herbamare instead.

Try it with different types of mustard too if you prefer a sweeter or spicier one as well.

What is your favourite sandwich or wrap to use with vegan mayo?

Oil-Free Plant Based Cannellini Bean Basil Pesto (Low Fat Vegan Pesto)

April 28, 2019 by Veronica Grace Leave a Comment

Oil Free Vegan Cannellini White Bean Pesto (Plant-Based)

I’ve added some photos for this recipe now. It’s something I’ve been playing around with for meals and road trips/flights and had to pack quickly in tupperware and take with me. Whether you’re a lover of fresh hot pasta and veggies or cold summer pasta salad this recipe is really versatile and easy to make. It’s also a great way to use up any leftover veggies from the fridge.

I often find people asking what kind of plant based food they can bring in the car or on a plane that isn’t the same old granola bars, sandwiches, fruit, dried nuts etc. One thing I’ve found that really works is cold pasta salad. When this sauce is refrigerated it thickens up even more so it doesn’t look like a liquid at all. I’ve brought cold pesto pasta on several flights without issue and it’s nice to have something different than the same old wrap or sandwich that may potentially go mushy over time. It’s also nice that this doesn’t spoil very fast either so you don’t have to worry about eating it immediately. For the cold salad version I make a giant batch of rotini pasta and cook it al dente and then dice up raw cucumbers, raw peppers, red onion (or not), fresh green peas if you have them and stir them into the sauce and it’s amazing! For a hot pasta dinner I sautéed some of my favourite vegetables I had in the fridge and tossed them with the pasta in the pan to marry the flavours together with the sauce before serving. Please take my word on it that if you love basil, lemon and pasta you will love this recipe. It’s so fresh and tasty and I much prefer it to the standard oily and parmesan laden original pesto. I prefer to eat my food instead of wearing oil on my lips too!

This is also a great McDougall friendly option if you’re following that eating program.

Oil Free Cannellini Bean Pesto

Ingredients:

1 19 oz/540 ml can Cannellini Beans, low sodium or salt free or 2 cups cooked (any white bean should be fine)
3.5oz/100 grams/2 cups fresh basil, packed (as much basil as you can find really as we’re not using oil it needs a lot to pack flavour)
1/4 cup raw hemp seeds/hearts (or sesame or sunflower seeds)
2 tbsp nutritional yeast (or to taste)
4-5 tbsp fresh lemon juice (approx. 1 lemon or more or less to taste)
2 small garlic cloves (or to taste)
1/4 Tsp salt or Herbamare
1/4 Tsp ground pepper

If you can only find 15 oz/425g cans of beans you can use a little extra from another can, adjust the seasonings down a little, or add 3 oz/85 grams cashews or pine nuts as well.

Directions:

Oil Free Vegan Cannellini White Bean Pesto (Plant-Based)

After draining your beans and washing your basil, add all your ingredients into a food processor or high speed blender.

Oil Free Vegan Cannellini White Bean Pesto (Plant-Based)

Blend until smooth.

Oil Free Vegan Cannellini White Bean Pesto (Plant-Based)

Boil 1 lb/454 grams of your favourite pasta like fusilli, rotini or penne until al dente. You can use whatever kind you prefer, white, wheat, brown rice etc. I used La Molisana Fusilli Bucati Corti a cord shaped style of fusilli and cooked it in salted water for about 10 minutes.

Prep your raw or cooked veggies and sauté until just tender.

Oil Free Vegan Cannellini White Bean Pesto (Plant-Based)

Add all your veggies, sauce and pasta to a bowl for raw, or the sauté pan for cooked and stir together.

Variations: For a hot pasta meal sauté and add to the sauce:
1/2 onion, sliced
2 cups of baby spinach
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
1 zucchini/courgette, sliced
1/2 package of mushrooms, sliced
fresh basil to garnish

For a cold pasta salad stir into the sauce:

1/2 English cucumber, sliced and diced
1 pint/473 grams of cherry tomatoes, whole or sliced
1/2 red bell pepper/capsicum, sliced and diced
1/2 red onion
1 cup fresh shelled green peas/snap peas
1/2 cup small broccoli florets raw or lightly steamed

Additional add ons: For a heartier meal add some cooked brown or green lentils, cubed smoked tofu or seasoned tempeh.

Have you ever made a pasta or salad dressing from white beans before? If so what was it and how did you like it?

Amazon Kitchen Gadgets

Instant Pot Plant Based Jackfruit Carnitas (Oil Free Vegan Pulled Pork Tacos)

August 30, 2018 by Veronica Grace 4 Comments

Instant Pot Plant Based Jackfruit Carnitas Vegan Pulled Pork

Jackfruit tacos are something that are probably a lot more popular now than when I first wrote this recipe. I remember years ago watching The Great Food Truck Race and there was a vegan truck on it that had deep fried avocado tacos and flat top fried jackfruit tacos. When I started using green jackfruit (in brine from a can, not the fresh ripe stuff) I found that it really needs a lot of flavor and cooking time to become a delicious moist faux pulled pork like dish.

I’ve seen some people on blogs and on Facebook complaining about how bad canned jackfruit in brine is, but they actually just opened a can and took a bite of it as is. I definitely don’t recommend it. It’s like a briney cooked non descript vegetable. It’s not appealing so don’t do that. Pressure cooking or slow cooking is what I recommend, as well as rinsing and chopping your jackfruit very fine like you see above in my photo. Add whatever seasonings and delicious sauce you want to it and you will fall in love. The method plus your sauce choice are imperative for enjoying. You can find this Arroy-D brand at most Asian and Caribbean markets, and Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods have their own versions as well now too.

I also want to make another point: PLEASE DON’T USE FRESH RIPE WHOLE JACKFRUIT. I see so many people on social media these days talking about buying an entire jackfruit at the asian market wanting to make a ton of “pulled pork” and freeze it. They’ve never used the canned jackfruit in brine, and they’ve never eaten whole fresh ripe jackfruit before. It’s a totally different thing!

A Warning About Fresh Jackfruit

If you buy a fresh jackfruit from an Asian market it will likely already be ripe, it’s not picked green and unripe for cooking typically. Even at Asian markets you might seen green mango or green papaya separately for salad dishes compared to the standard mangoes and papaya that are mature and will ripen on the counter.

If you want to break down a jackfruit I suggest you get some disposable gloves, a knife you don’t mind ruining, and some oil. Jackfruit comes from a type of rubber tree and the sap inside the jackfruit in between the pith and the fruit is very very sticky and will not come off without oil. You will need several hours likely to break down and section off a whole jackfruit by yourself for the first time. So unless you want to eat a lot of it fresh, or you live somewhere that ripe jackfruit is fairly inexpensive you probably won’t want to go this route. Sometimes the markets will have small sections of ripe jackfruit you can buy and it’s a bit easier to break down for a quick fresh jackfruit snack. This goes without saying but if you are allergic to latex or rubber you should avoid eating jackfruit as well.

Here’s a video for an idea

Fresh ripe jackfruit is green on the outside and bright yellow and sweet on the inside. Perfect for eating fresh like pineapple or mango. Jackfruit was the inspiration for Juicy Fruit Gum actually as well. So don’t use this type for making your tacos, you probably won’t like it and will have spent a lot of time and money as well.

If you want a “chicken” substitute for something like butter chicken or another type of curry you can also do that too instead of tacos and just switch out the sauce/seasonings and pressure cook/slow cook that as well. It does benefit from a long cooking time so I wouldn’t just add a can of jackfruit to a stovetop curry that I was cooking in only 15 minutes or so.

This recipe and my Black Bean and Corn Tacos are featured in my Vegan Comfort Foods From Around The World cookbook and is currently on sale with all of my other recipe programs for Cyber Monday Sale here.

Instant Pot Plant Based Jackfruit Carnitas Vegan Pulled Pork

Jackfruit Carnitas (‘Pulled’ Jackfruit Tacos)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 20 oz. / 567 g can green jackfruit in brine (Arroy – D or other brand)
1 large sweet onion, sliced thinly
4 large cloves of garlic sliced
1 tsp. Chipotle Chili Powder
1 tsp. Smoked Spanish Paprika
½ tsp. Frontier Mexican Fiesta powder or other Mexican blend spice*optional
¼ tsp. Roasted Ground Cumin
¾ tsp. Herbamare or salt (or less if using salted bouillon)
½ cup / 118 ml. mild or medium salsa (Trader Joe’s tomatillo, Mild salsa, Newman’s Own Mango salsa etc. all work well)
1 cup / 237 ml. vegetable broth (or bouillon in water) for stovetop *see NOTE
1- 1½ cups / 237-355ml. water if needed for stovetop *see NOTE
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
12 corn tortillas (look for oil free low sodium ones)

NOTE: Check your pressure cooker directions for the number of half cups of water you need for each 5 minutes of cooking time. Make sure the broth / water content is sufficient. Stove top pressure cookers need much more water, while digital electric pressure cookers AKA Instapots use a much smaller amount; – around only ½ cup of broth / water total. The onions release enough water to keep it from burning. *If you’re using an Instapot/Digital pressure cooker only use 1/2 cup broth/water and skip the rest.

Pressure Cooker Directions:

1. Drain and rinse the jackfruit and slice very thinly.
2. Place the above ingredients into a pressure cooker.
3. Pressure cook on high for 25 minutes. Check it at 15 or 20 minutes, if it’s your first time cooking over the stove, to ensure there’s enough liquid in the bottom. You don’t want it to burn, but you need to cook the jackfruit well so it’s very tender and has a soft texture like pulled pork. If you use a digital pressure cooker, it should be fine left alone for 25 minutes. Use Quick Release method when done cooking.
4. Serve with your favorite sides like corn tortillas, guacamole, salsa, black beans, refried beans, or rice.

Slow Cooker Directions:

Place the ingredients in a slow cooker for 5-6 hours on low, but use only ½ cup broth or water in total and skip the rest. (In the pressure cooker the excess water turns into steam, unlike the slow cooker, which traps in moisture.)

Additional Tips:

You will have to go to an Asian market or Amazon.com to get canned green Jackfruit. Make sure it says in brine and not in syrup. You don’t want sweetened jackfruit for this dish. I found Arroy-D canned jackfruit in the tiny city of Corpus Christi, Texas so if I can find it there, I’m confidant you can find it in most states and countries. Sometimes I mix it up and add sliced mushrooms and/or zucchini as well to make the recipe go even farther. I’ve also doubled this recipe for potlucks with no problem as well.

Nutrition Facts: 4 Servings (3 tacos), Amount Per Serving: Calories 309.7 Total Fat 1.8 g Saturated Fat 0.0 g Sodium 444.2 mg Total Carbohydrate 68.0 g Dietary Fiber 5.4 g Sugars 6.5 g Protein 4.4 g

Have you ever had green jackfruit before? What did you think?

Tarka Dal Remixed with Yams, Potatoes and Spinach (Plant Based and Vegan Red Lentil Curry)

February 20, 2018 by Veronica Grace Leave a Comment

Occasionally I take recipes I’ve already made and change them up a bit depending on what I have on hand if I need to use up some fresh ingredients or when I’m looking for something different. I highly doubt this is in anyway an authentic Indian dish now, but it’s still really tasty and healthy. I have adapted my Tarka Dal recipe here and doubled it except for the lentils and added yam, potatoes, and spinach to it.

This time I just tossed all of the spices in at the same time instead of making a separate tarka tempering. If you like eating large pieces of ginger or curry leaves in the finished dish great, if not after cooking you can remove them before serving.

I served this over white basmati rice but you can also use fresh roti bread, brown basmati rice etc.

Fat Free Vegan Red Lentil Tarka Dal (Indian Lentil Curry)

Serves 4

Dal Ingredients:

1 cup red lentils (split)
1 large onion, diced
4-5 large tomatoes, diced (or 2 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes)
4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
4-5 inches of ginger peeled and sliced in long strips
1 medium yam/sweet potato, peeled and diced
2 medium potatoes peeled and diced
As much fresh/frozen spinach as you want
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp Herbamare or salt to taste
6 cups of water or vegetable broth (low sodium)
1 1/2 tsp roasted ground cumin
1 tsp roasted ground coriander
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp mustard seeds (black)
1-2 dried red chilli, chopped (more if desired)
8-12 curry leaves fresh or dried *optional
2-4 tbsp lemon juice
1 handful cilantro/coriander, chopped for garnish

Directions:

1. Place lentils into a mesh metal strainer and rinse under cold water until water runs clear. *To cook your lentils faster you can soak in warm water while you prep the rest of your vegetables.

2. Heat a large saucepan or large pot over medium heat and add the onions, garlic, ginger and turmeric. Sprinkle a little salt on the onions to get them to sweat. (You will need a large pot or giant saute pan for the amount of liquid here) Saute for 2-3 minutes and then add the tomatoes and continue cooking until the tomatoes are soft.

3. Add drained lentils, yams, potatoes, seasonings (except lemon juice and cilantro) and water or vegetable broth. Stir and bring to a boil uncovered. Turn heat down to medium low and and cover with a vented lid (or leave lid cracked to let steam escape) cook for 20-30 minutes until the lentils and potatoes are soft and to desired tenderness. Take off the lid and let some of the liquid cook down until desired consistency. If your potatoes and lentils are still soft and you need more liquid as water as needed to continue cooking.

4. Add the fresh or frozen spinach and stir it in to wilt or incorporate. As fresh spinach cooks down into nothing you can really add as much as you want here.

5. Add the lemon juice and check for flavours. Add more Herbamare or salt to taste and adjust seasonings if desired.

6. Serve and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Additional Tips:

If you like you can use different lentils, but keep in mind that whole lentils will take longer to cook, so you may need to cook this dal for around an hour until they are soft.

What’s your favorite plant based curry?

Plant Based African Ground Nut Stew (Vegan African Peanut Curry)

November 29, 2017 by Veronica Grace

Peanut Stew is something I’ve been wanting to make for a long time because it’s so delicious and satisfying. I was perusing online for inspiration and came across One Pot African Stew from MakingThymeForHealth and used that as the basis for my version.

Once you try it I think you’ll agree that it’s incredibly delicious and maybe even inspiration to use as a base recipe for other veggies. I can see white potatoes, zucchini, winter squash, bell peppers and carrots going well with this too. It is ready in about an hour over the stove, or you can try using a crockpot and cooking it slowly while you’re away from work.

Another note: Personally I’m not a fan of super spicy food or jalapeños so I omitted them. If you really love jalapeños then please add them as your heart desires.

Please give this a try and let me know what you think!

Plant Based African Ground Nut Stew

Ingredients:

1 large onion, diced
5 cloves of garlic, minced
3-inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
3 teaspoons of roasted ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
3 tablespoons of tomato paste
1 large yam/sweet potato, peeled and diced into small cubes (1 lb)
3/4 cup of smooth peanut butter (look for low sodium and sugar free)
4 cups of low sodium vegetable broth (plus more for cooking or use water)
1-2 cups of water, depending on desired thickness
1 bunch of kale/collards/spinach*, stems removed and chopped into bite sized pieces
1/2-3/4 tsp Herbamare or Salt (Less if using salted broth or salted peanut butter)
Fresh ground pepper to taste

To Serve:
3 cups cooked brown rice
roasted peanuts, broken into pieces (optional)
1 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped
2 limes, cut into wedges

Directions:

Add water or vegetable broth to a large pot and heat over medium. Add the onions and spices and cook until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste, yam/sweet potato, peanut butter, broth and water until well combined and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium low and cover for about 15 minutes. If using collards, add them now and continue cooking another 15 minutes. If using spinach or kale add them when the yams/sweet potatoes are fork tender (after about 25 minutes) and let cook only a few more minutes.
Using a potato masher or ladle, crush some of the yam/sweet potato up and thicken the broth. Cook for another few minutes until creamy.
Serve over brown rice and garnish with peanuts, fresh cilantro and lime juice.

(I cook my rice in a Zojirushi rice cooker)

I’m not sure how this recipe would turn out for those wondering about using PBFit Peanut Butter Powder. If you do try it let me know how it turned out.

Have you ever made a peanut based curry before? What other veggies do you think would go well with this?