BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches

I've made BBQ Jackfruit sandwiches a few times using a couple of different recipes. I really like them but they always seemed too "wet".  I came across some other recipes lately that bake the BBQ after it's all cooked to help dry it out. This is my version of such a recipe. We loved these. Make your favorite coleslaw and get out your favorite BBQ sauce. I used part of my Datil BBQ Sauce (which is kind of thin) and part store-bought for the thickness. We will be having these again.

• 2 cans Green, Jackfruit in Water (you can find this in Asian grocery stores)
• 1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil 
• 2 tablespoons Ancho Chili Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon Liquid Smoke
• 1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1/3 - 1/2 cup Datil BBQ Sauce
• 1/3 - 1/2 cup store bought BBQ Sauce
• To serve: buns and slaw

Preheat oven to 400. Drain the jackfruit and place in a clean kitchen towel. Give the towel a good twist to get as much liquid as you can out of the jackfruit. Shed it with your fingers.

Add the chili powder, liquid smoke, alt and vinegar, toss well; set aside.

In a large skillet over medium heat, add the oil. Cook onion until it's soft and golden. Mine took about 5 minutes. 

Add the garlic to the onion and give it a stir. Cook about 1 minute.

Turn up the heat to medium-high and add the jackfruit. Cook until it's starting to stick to the bottom of the pan (a few minutes).

Add the BBQ sauce and stir well. Be sure to scrape any bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until it's pretty thick. About 5-7 minutes. 

 

Transfer the jackfruit mixture to a parchment lined baking sheet. Spread out to cover the entire baking sheet (I used a cookie sheet).

Cook for 25-30 minutes until you see some dry area on some of the jackfruit. Don't burn it, but you do want to dry it out. You can turn it once during this time if desired. 

But some BBQ sauce on your bun and top with the BBQ Jackfruit.

Top with your favorite coleslaw. Add more BBQ Sauce to the other half of your bun.

Put the top on your sandwich and serve with a side: baked beans, corn on the cob, tater tots, fries, etc.

Enjoy!!

Cranberry Orange Loaf

During the holidays I usually make loaf breads for us and mini loaves or small bundts to give away as gifts. I had left over cranberries from Thanksgiving and decided to give this recipe a try. We loved it. It's especially lovely during the holidays with the red berries. I'm sure you could use this same recipe and use blueberries or some other type of berry.

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup sugar
• zest of half an orange
• 3/4 cup soy milk
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/3 cup applesauce, unsweet, natural
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup fresh cranberries, run a knife through them a few times

Glaze:

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon orange juice 

Preheat oven to 350 and lightly spray a loaf pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl sift dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Add orange zest, mix; set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together wet ingredients: milk, oil, applesauce, orange juice and vanilla.

Slowly mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined.

Roughly chop the cranberries.

Fold the cranberries into the batter.

Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for about an hour. You may have to bake it longer depending on the size of your loaf pan. Keep an eye on the loaf and when a toothpick comes out clean it's ready to remove.

Cool in the pan for about 15 minutes.

Remove from pan and let cool completely before glazing. 

Mix the powdered sugar and orange juice until there are no lumps and pour over cooled loaf.

Enjoy! Store loaf tightly wrapped in plastic wrap in the frig for 4-5 days. If it lasts that long.

Avocado Benedict

I remember having Eggs Benedict for breakfast before we went vegan. It was one of our favorite breakfast or brunch dishes. I've missed it, a lot. I saw this recipe for Tofu Avocado Benedict and based my recipe on it. I followed the Hollandaise Sauce recipe but doubled it since I like lots of sauce. So, my doubled version is below. I am going to make this again this weekend- it's that good! I served this with pan fried hash browns. Makes 2 servings.

Benedict

• 1 English Muffin
• 2 thick slices tomato
• 2 Gardein Breakfast Patties
• 1 handful of broccoli shoots
• 1/2 Haas avocado

*I don't know how I missed getting a pic of the ingredients, but I did. Note to self, get one when I make this again.

Hollandaise Sauce

• 4 tablespoons Earth Balance butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
• 2 1/2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 4-6 teaspoons lemon juice (to taste)
• salt and pepper 
• pinch of cayenne
• pinch of turmeric (for good color)

To make Hollandaise Sauce place vegan butter in a small sauce pan and bring to boil. Add flour and whisk until it forms a paste. Slowly add milk, whisking continuously until well combined. Bring sauce to a boil, whisking frequently, until sauce begins to thicken (about 1-2 minutes). Remove from heat and add nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and seasoning. Stir together. Set aside.

To assemble the Benedict, slice the muffin in half and toast.

Top each muffin half with a small amount of broccoli shoots.

Place a slice of tomato on each.

Place a cooked sausage patty on the tomato.

Smother in Hollandaise Sauce.

Finish with sliced avocado and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Black-Eyed Peas & Collard Stew

We're growing our own collard and turnip greens this year. It is so cool to go out and cut off the leaves needed for a dish and let the plants continue to produce more for future meals. We love greens and adore black-eyed peas. We grew black-eyed peas in our garden when we lived in Texas, talk about fun!!!! So without further ado here's a delicious stew for the cooler weather using both of these ingredients. I added Tofurky Italian sausages for extra yumminess.

• 2 uncooked Tofurky Italian sausages, sliced into half moons
• 1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large bell pepper, chopped (I used yellow)
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups no-chicken stock, I used Better Than Bouillon base mixed with water)
• 2 can black-eyed peas, drained
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 2 cups roughly chopped collard greens (remove tough middle stem)
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

In a medium Dutch oven or heavy soup pot, cook sausages until brown on both sides. Set aside.

Add 1/4 cup water to pan and heat. Add onions and bell pepper and saute for 3-4 minutes. 

Add garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Add no-chicken broth, peas, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, simmer for 15 minutes.

Add tomatoes, collards, vinegar and liquid smoke. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add sausages the last 3-4 minutes.

Remove from heat and serve immediately. Makes 4-6 servings. 

Enjoy!

Sausage and Pepper Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

I've made several different types of stuffed spaghetti sauce since they came into season. This has been our favorite. I made this recipe vegan. I also reduced it to only feed 2 people. Use the marinara sauce from my previous post.

• 1 medium spaghetti squash, cut in half and seeded
• 1/4 cup water
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 package Tofurky Italian Sausage, cut into half moons
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 cup Marinara Sauce (not pictured)
• 2/3 cup Daiya mozzarella shreds

Brush the insides of the squash with oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast skin side up on aluminum foil covered cookie sheet at 400F for about 30 minutes.

While the squash cooks brown the sausage half-moons in a non-stick skillet. Set aside. Using the same skillet add water to pan and steam the onion about 5-7 minutes.

Add the red pepper and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Toss in the garlic and cook about 1 minute.

Add the sausage and marinara sauce to the pan. Cook until heated through.

Once the squash are ready use a fork and fluff up the threads.

Top the squash with the sausage marinara sauce.

Sprinkle cheese over the sauce.

Bake 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted and sauce is very hot.  Or you can place under a broiler for 2-3  minutes until cheese has melted.

Serve at once with your favorite wine.

Enjoy!