Plant Based U

Fat-Free and Low Fat Vegan Plant Based Recipes

salsa

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

by 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?

Vegan Soy Veggie Ground Tacos with Mushrooms

by 17 Comments

Sometimes you get a hankering for those tacos you used to make at home. You know, back when your family cooked up some ground beef and had family taco night? (At least my mom did this when I was growing up!)

But now you can have delicious meat-free tacos and jazz up them with your favorite toppings and make them a little healthier. This vegan taco recipe uses veggie ground that you can purchase at most grocery stores or health food stores. And while I don’t eat fake or packaged meat-like products very often, sometimes your friends or family might want something that has a  familiar meaty taste. These fit the bill. Alternatively for a soy-free whole food option you can cook up some brown lentils (or used canned) and substitute that for the veggie ground if you wish.

These vegan tacos are pretty easy to whip up, and take no more time than traditional homemade tacos. And best of all you don’t have to worry about touching or cooking and draining fatty ground beef and making a mess! (That was never fun anyways, right?) You can also top these tacos with your favorite garnishes like homemade pico de gallo, salsa, guacamole and more. I even reused some leftover fajita seasoning mix I made for another recipe so I don’t have to use the high salt msg laden one they sell at the store. Yay 🙂

Now let’s check out the recipe!

Yves Veggie Ground Tacos with Mushrooms

Serves 4

Taco Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped
6 oz./170 grams mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 340 g package regular Yves Veggie Ground (or Gardein Veggie Ground) *or sub drained, brown lentils
2 tbsp salsa (low sodium)
2 tsp fajita or taco seasonings (see my homemade recipe here)
Herbamare or salt to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste
1 package of taco shells or soft corn tortillas

Taco Garnishes:
Salsa or diced tomatoes
Shredded Lettuce or shredded cabbage
Chopped Cilantro
Homemade guacamole *optional

Directions:

Preheat oven (to temperature specified on package of tortilla shells)

1. In a large non-stick pan sauté onions and mushrooms for 5-6 minutes until soft. Add a little water if necessary if it begins to stick to your pan.

2. Add the garlic and the veggie ground and break up with a wooden spoon or spatula.

3. Add salsa and fajita or taco seasoning and cook until veggie ground is browned and heated through.

4. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and cover.

5. Lay tortilla shells on a baking sheet and bake as directed until crispy.

6. Assemble tacos with seasoned veggie ground and top with tomatoes/salsa, lettuce, cilantro and any other garnishes.

7. Serve and enjoy immediately!

Variations:

Alternatively you can substitute cooked brown lentils for the veggie ground for a gluten free or soy free option. Add seasonings to taste. You may need some water or broth to prevent sticking in your sauté pan.

What’s your favorite way to eat tacos? Hard shell or soft tortillas?

Vegan Southwest Sweet Potato Quinoa Breakfast Hash

by 7 Comments

FTC Notice: This post contains affiliate links that go towards supporting the blog. 

While I was driving back through the states (on my trip back to Canada from Texas) and luckily I got to try a few vegan breakfast options along the way. (Which I use for inspiration!) I got this breakfast hash (picture below)  at the Flying Star Cafe in Albuquerque New Mexico. It’s normally served with eggs, but I asked for tofu instead for mine. This wasn’t bad, but I knew I wanted to make something similar at home, without using fried potatoes and fried tofu. I also thought the addition of black beans, bell peppers, salsa and avocado would improve the flavor as quinoa can tend to be pretty bland if not seasoned. I added some additional greens in there for good measure too. 🙂

I have to say that I am totally in love with this new Southwest Vegan Breakfast Hash recipe and I’m definitely going to make it a regular breakfast/brunch item. Hey you can even make it for dinner if you want to and serve it with corn tortillas, or roll into a burrito. To save time with this vegan breakfast hash you can use leftover quinoa (or cook it the day before) and use cooked leftover yams. Either prebake a bunch of them to use in recipes, or peel them and steam them. I find using steamed potatoes a much easier way to ensure they cook quickly and are moist while staying oil-free instead of roasting in the oven.

This also makes for great leftovers the next day, just keep the avocado separate when reheating.

Southwest Vegan Breakfast Hash

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1/2 red onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 16 oz can low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups cooked red quinoa (cook 1 cup dry, directions here)
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 green onions, sliced
2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
2 tsp roasted ground cumin
2 tsp smoked paprika
4 tsp low sodium soy sauce or GF tamari
1-2 large leaves of Swiss chard or kale chopped
1 large yam, baked or sliced and steamed
Chilli powder to taste
Herbamare or salt to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste
1 small Avocado, chopped
Salsa *optional

Directions:

1. Cook quinoa. (see my directions here) Or just put in a rice cooker with a 1:1 ratio of water.
2. Cook or reheat cooked yams. (I peeled and sliced mine and steamed them for 16-20 min, just until fork tender)
3. When quinoa and yams are almost done, sauté onions dry in a non-stick pan for 4-5 minutes until soft.
4. Add in garlic and bell peppers and sauté for another 2 minutes.
5. Add in black beans and quinoa and stir to heat through for 2-3 minutes.
6. Add in seasonings and Swiss chard and stir to wilt.
7. Add in green onions and cilantro and stir.
8. Cut up yams into cubes and gently toss with hash to combine..
9. Season to taste with chili powder, Herbamare or salt and pepper.
10. Spoon into bowls and top with chunks of avocado and salsa if desired.

Have you ever made a breakfast hash? What do you put in it?

Fat Free Raw Vegan Mango Cilantro Salsa

by 7 Comments

FTC Notice: This blog post contains affiliate links and product links that go to supporting the blog.

This raw vegan mango salsa is probably my favourite ever.  When you have delicious ripe mangoes mixed with the cilantro, red onion and tomatoes it’s heaven.  I serve this on many things! Salad, lettuce wraps, cabbage bowls, as a dip etc. Try this out you will love it!


This recipe is also featured in my Savory Raw Dinner Recipes book and dvd set.

If you’ve never seen an ataulfo/champagne mango before this is what it looks like. You can generally find these in the grocery stores or Asian markets from April to July/August in North America. Outside of that season, they tend to get brown spots and are bad inside, kind of like bad avocados. They taste MUCH nicer and sweeter in season. I love putting these types of mangoes into my plant-based recipes in homemade salsa for burritos, tacos, or burrito bowls.

How To Tell If An Ataulfo Mango Is Ripe:

This type of mango will turn pale yellow to light orange on the peel. It will be soft to the touch and smell fragrant. You should only cut open this mango when the skin starts to wrinkle and look “old”. Trust me then it will be juicy and sweet. If you have any that get black spots on the skin keep them away from other mangos so they don’t spread. As it ripens the black spots will spread. Cut these parts out and don’t eat them.


 

This is what an ataulfo mango looks like when cut open. It is stringless unlike the Kent or Tommy “red and green” skinned mangoes. And is much more delicate.

Raw Vegan Mango Cilantro Salsa

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 ataulfo/champagne mango
1 small tomato, deseeded, diced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1/4 cup cilantro diced
1 clove garlic, minced


Directions:

Score the mango into cubes and cut off with a knife or spoon, or peel the mango and use square plate or veggie chopper to cube. Combine ingredients in a bowl and mix gently.

Variations: 

Thai, Filipino, and Indian Honey mangoes are of the same family, you can certainly use these mangoes as well for this salsa. It is much better with a stringless variety, so these are my first pick over the “red and green” style mangoes.