Watermelon, Beet, and Blueberry Chick'n Salad with Balsamic and Lime Dressing

Admittedly, for a blog about food made from veggies, I don’t typically share a lot of salads. First of all, most of the time they seem kind of self explanatory…and secondly, I like to share dishes that challenge the stereotype that folks who eat plant based diets ONLY eat salads. Having said all that, this one is too good not to share!

It is, hands down, a beautiful time of year. Blueberries are back in season and they are also on my favorites so it’s the perfect time for my Watermelon, Beet, and Blueberry Chick'n Salad with Balsamic and Lime Dressing! This is a great salad for entertaining outside because it not only looks beautiful but because there is no dairy…no fear if it comes up to room temp.

What you are going to need to buy:

Lettuce - (I know this seems vague, but seriously, use what you like…or what you have unhand! Maybe not iceberg! I used a summer mix of baby greens)

Watermelon, cut into 1/2” cubes

Fresh Blueberries

Pickled Beets, cut into 1/2” cubes - (Do not skip this ingredient! I know, I know…you don’t like beets, blah, blah, blah! Trust me! You need the tangy and salty flavor that they provide to balance all of the sweetness from the watermelon and the blueberries in this salad!

Vegan, “Chicken” - (I used the Gardein Chick’n Strips…not a vegetarian, use whatever chicken or chicken substitute you like.)

Smoked Gouda, Crumbled - (I used the Daiya Smoked Gouda Block and that’s what I would recommend. I like that smoked flavor and how it plays with the other ingredients in the salad. I know a lot of people like a tart or briney cheese, like a feta, with watermelon but with the beets in this dish, and remember you are NOT going to skip the beets…the smoky gouda is the way to go!)

Pistachios, chopped

Small Lime

Balsamic Vinegar - (I get mine locally here in Orlando from The Ancient Olive)

Fresh Mint

What you are going to need to do:

Assembly Time!

You really can’t screw this up too terribly. The only tip that I have for this salad, and all salads in general, if you are making it for a crowd, is to layer your ingredients so that when you dig into the bowl to serve it, everything is already well incorporated.

You do have a couple options for the cheese. It comes In block form and you can absolutely just chop it into small pieces (think pea sized), or you can use the tines of a fork to kind of grate the cheese over top of the salad so that it’s a bit more “crumbly.”

For the dressing, simply mix the balsamic vinegar of your choice with the juice of half a lime, to your preferred taste. (Salt and Pepper are optional, if that’s your thing!) This salad is pretty juicy with all the fruit so a little goes a long way with the dressing. Be careful: too much and it will sog-out the whole dish.
P.S. This salad pairs perfectly with a mojito, just sayin’!

Love, light and lentils, my friends!
Sarah

Mini Patriotic Fruit Pizzas (Dairy and Egg Free)

Well, it’s officially SUMMER, my favorite season, and one of the reasons why I love summer so much are all of the fresh berries that are now ripe! With Independence Day just a few weeks away, these red, white, and blue mini fruit pizzas, with icing made from Kite Hill Foods cream cheese, are a great idea for your Fourth of July menu if you're still looking for a little something sweet to serve!

My niece and nephew were in town this past weekend and among a lot of pool time and craft projects we also managed to whip a batch of these Mini Summer Fruit Pizzas! These kids are not plant-based by any means, but you should have seen them gobble up the result! We all had fun, and no one even knew the difference, just the way that Aunt Sarah Likes it!

What you are going to need to buy:

Flour (1.5 c)

White Sugar (1/2 c)

Butter, softened - (or vegetable oil, vegan spread) ( 6 tablespoons) - (We like Earth Balance)

Vanilla (1 tablespoon)

Pinch of Salt

1 Egg - (Or the vegan equivalent such as Just Egg, which is what we used)

Milk - (1-2 tablespoons) (Substitute your plant based favorite - we like the Vanilla Oat Milk, for this recipe, for obvious reasons! The Vanilla Oat Milk from Rise Brewing is great for baking.

Baking Soda (1 teaspoon)

Baking Powder (1 teaspoon)

Fruit, of your choice, diced into small pieces

Cream Cheese (from from Kite Hill Foods)

Powdered Sugar
 

What you are going to need to do: The Cookies

Let’s start with the crusts…which are basically just sugar cookies.
In a bow sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, and salt.
In a smaller bowl whisk together the softened butter, vanilla, oak milk, and egg until well combined.

Combine wet and dry ingredients until the dough comes together. Do not overwork the dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Roll out dough and cut to desired shape…obviously for these I used a round cutter (actually a biscuit cutter because it had the pretty fluted edge!)

Bake at 325 for 8-10 minutes, depending on your oven.

Let cool completely before decorating.

The Icing:

This icing is so easy it’s hardly worth explaining. Into a small bowl mix together 1/2 container of Kite Hill Cream Cheese, 1/2 cup of powdered sugar, and a splash of vanilla. You can use the entire container of cream cheese if you plan to double to cookie recipe (This recipe makes 12 medium cookies.)

The Assembly:

After the cookie crusts are nice and cool, frost the tops of the cookies and arrange fruit (or other toppings) to your liking. Keep cool before serving.

Creamy Dairy Free Buffalo Mac 'n Cheese | Cashew Free with Rise OatMilk

The main comment I hear from folks who are just transitioning into a plant-based lifestyle or who are simply trying to eat less dairy is, “…but, I just love cheese so much!” Me, too, my friends! Me, too! This dairy free Creamy Buffalo Mac n’ Cheese is the answer for when the comfort food cravings come a knocking!

Is the OatMilk from Rise Brewing the most versatile ingredient in my plant-based fridge? It just might be! This ultra-creamy Mac ‘n Cheese is just another recipe that uses it! And, the best part is that this recipe is also cashew free…sometimes hard to come by in the vegan cheese world, for all of our allergy sensitive friends! (Yes, I’m looking at you, Jess!)

What you are going to need to buy:

Pasta - (whatever kind you prefer for your Mac!)

Non-Dairy Butter - ( We used Earth Balance)

Flour

Organic Oat Milk from RISE BREWING - (Can you use something else…um, yeah, but why?)

Non-Dairy Cheese Shreds - (We used THESE CHEDDAR SHREADS from VioLife!)

Non-Dairy Sour Cream - (in our opinion Tofutti is the OG…and also the best!)

Yellow Mustard - (yes, just trust us!)

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Garlic and Onion Powder, to taste

Hot Sauce - (Frank’s is our favorite!

Feta Cheese - (We like this BLOCK FETA from VioLife)

Fresh Dill and Diced Tomato for garnish, if that’s your thing! (And, it totally should be, because it’s delicious!)

What you are going to need to do:

The Cheese Sauce:

In a medium pot, on low heat, melt about 2 tablespoons of butter and gently allow butter to brown, but not burn, because we’re going to make a roux.

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flower on top of the melted butter and whisk to combine. Cook mixture for about 30 seconds and then slowly add 1.5 cups of oat milk, whisking the entire time so that no lumps form. Bring to a boil and let boil about 30 seconds.

Stir in 1/3 cup of sour cream.

Add 1 tablespoon of yellow mustard…don’t be afraid, just do it! (You can use brown mustard, if you like it!)

Reduce heat and add the cheddar shreds (yes, the whole bag), stirring to melt.

Continue to stir, on low/medium heat, until everything is melted.

Add salt and pepper, and garlic/onion powder to taste. It will take more salt than you think…a full teaspoon isn’t too much!

…And, boom! vegan cheese sauce! If it seems thin, increase the heat and let simmer for 1-2 minutes, but remember it will tighten up as it cools.

A note about ingredients and brands: I’ve been plant-based for 20 years and believe me, I’ve seen quite the evolution of dairy-free products, particularly, when it comes to milks and cheeses! The products and brands that I recommend for this recipe are not sponsors and I don’t get paid to promote them…they are, simply, in my opinion, the best options, for this dish! Can you use something different? Sure. Can you substitute one brand for another? Of course…but this is legit the best cheese sauce that I’ve had, plus…it’s quick, easy, and also cashew free, so if you want to make THIS delicious version, in your home kitchen, I’d say, stick with these brands!

Assembly:

Boil your preferred pasta based on the boxed instructions. Drain pasta and add cheese sauce to coat. Serve with a dash of hot sauce…or several, crumbled feta, diced tomatoes, and dill.

Feta Tip: If you put your block feta in the freezer for just a few minutes before serving and let it get nice and cold, you can run the tines of a fork across the top of the block and it crumbles beautifully!

Unless you are serving a crowd, you are likely going to have cheese sauce left over. It keeps in the fridge just fine and re-melts like a dream! Use it to make your own version of a plant-based hamburger helper or cheesy potatoes!

Enjoy!

Mexican Street Corn Inspired Salad

Tired of the same old macaroni salad side dishes for your weekend get togethers? This cold corn salad takes it’s inspiration from one of my favorite dishes, Mexican Street Corn but since you don’t need to try and keep it warm it’s a great option for a potluck! This dish is naturally a vegetarian dish but can easily be made vegan with just a few easy substitutions.

Late summer and early fall is the best time to indulge in corn based dishes because you can get the fresh sweet corn at your local store for so incredibly cheap! I picked up 5 ears for just $3 last week at my local grocer, making this the perfect dish if you need something economical to feed a large crowd on a small budget!

What you are going to need to buy:

Ears of Sweet Corn - I would budget 1 ear per 1-2 people that you need to serve. The 5 ears that I bought would easily serve 4-6!

Red Onion

2 ripe and ready to cut, Avocados

Queso Fresco (or your favorite crumbly Vegan Cheese like this one from Daiya Foods)

2 Limes

Mayo (Vegan version from Hellmanns is great!

Dair-Free Sour Cream - (in our opinion Tofutti is the OG…and also the best!)

Minced Garlic - (our favorite is from Spice World!)  

White Sugar

White Vinegar

Cayenne Pepper

Hot Sauce

Smoked Paprika (or whatever paprika you have on hand)

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Fresh Cilantro (or Parsley if you are in the Cilantro tastes like soap camp)

What you are going to need to do:

This recipe is so simple I almost feel guilty calling it a recipe, but here goes…
Begin by cutting the corn off the cobs! Do yourself a favor and just use the fresh sweet corn! The sweet and crunchy texture of fresh corn off the cob isn’t something that you are ever going to be able to replicate from out of a can.

Dice your red onion into small pieces, roughly the same size as the corn kernels.

PRO TIP: When it comes to salads it’s nice when the ingredients are all similar sizes!

Open your avocados and cut into small cubes.

For the dressing: In a separate little bowl mix together 1/4 cup of mayo with 2 tablespoons of sour cream, a tablespoon of minced garlic, a splash of vinegar, a tablespoon of sugar (or use some agave) a few dashes of hot sauce, depending on your pallet, and the cayenne, paprika, and salt & pepper, to taste.

Pour the dressing over the salad and stir gently.

Give your fresh herbs a rough chop. Regardless of the herbs that you use you will want a good handful, at least 1/2 a cup or so.

Fold in your herbs and crumble in your cheese.

Lastly, squeeze the juice of 1 lime over the top and gently give one final stir. (I tend to like mine very lime-y so I used two limes, but if you’re not a lime-lover like me make sure to taste yours first before you do…

For presentation, garnish with lime wedges and another sprinkling of paprika

Enjoy!

Fresh Green Bean Salad with Garlic and Basil infused Balsamic Dressing

Looking for ways to transform typical, boring, picnic or potluck style side salads? This Fresh Green Bean Salad with Sweet Basil infused Balsamic Dressing is the perfect salad for your shin-dig this weekend! Easy to make, and even easier to serve, this twist on the traditional creamy, cold, green bean salad is a great way to cut the dairy without cutting the flavor!

When most of us think green beans we typically think one thing: casserole. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love a good green bean casserole just as much as the next gal but I’m always looking for ways to use them in other recipes, especially this time of year when they are so fresh and inexpensive. One of the things that I love most about this recipe is that the dressing isn’t a dairy-base, which means its the perfect option for your BBQ, picnic, or potluck because their is no worry about it sitting out too long and going bad!

What you are going to need to buy:

Lettuce - (I know this seems vague, but seriously, use what you like…or what you have on hand! You don’t need too much! I like the contrast of the purple and red lettuces BUT remember this is a green bean salad, after all…not a lettuce salad with green beans in it. I would suggest your beans to lettuce ratio be at like a 3 : 1 - so don’t over think the lettuce.

Fresh Green Beans, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces (4 cups)

Grape Tomatoes, halved or quartered - (For an even prettier salad try using the tri-colored blend)

Fresh Basil

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Minced Garlic - (from the jar is just fine…)

Maple Syrup - (The good stuff, not pancake syrup. You could also use agave or honey.)

Smoked Gouda, Crumbled - (I used the Daiya Smoked Gouda Block and that’s what I would recommend.

Pine Nuts - (or Almonds would also be quite good in this dish)

Small Lime

Balsamic Vinegar - (I get mine locally here in Orlando from The Ancient Olive)

What you are going to need to do:

This recipe can scale up or down pretty easily depending on the size of salad you want to make. I have literally made this salad as a single serving before by just cooking up 3/4 cups of green beans and washing a handful of lettuce. For a nice pot-luck or family sized salad I would suggest 4 cups of green beans. This is a green bean salad, after all…not a lettuce salad with green beans in it. I would suggest your beans to lettuce ratio be at like a 3 : 1

To begin we need to blanche our green beans. In a medium pot, filled with boiling, salted water, cook beans for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove beans from boiling water and plunge into an ice bath to stop the cooking and retain the bright green color. Drain beans and pat dry with a paper towel.

Now, for assembly time!
You really can’t screw this up too terribly. The only tip that I have for this salad, and all salads in general, if you are making it for a crowd, is to layer your ingredients so that when you dig into the bowl to serve it, everything is already well incorporated.

You do have a couple options for the cheese. It comes In block form and you can absolutely just chop it into small pieces (think pea sized), or you can use the tines of a fork to kind of grate the cheese over top of the salad so that it’s a bit more “crumbly.”

For the dressing, mince 3-4 large basil leaves into very fine pieces. (Note: please use fresh basil…this is not the place for the dried stuff. It just will not taste the same!) Combine 1/2 cup of Olive Oil, 1/2 cup of Balsamic Vinegar, 2 tablespoons of Maple Syrup, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, minced basil, and salt and pepper to taste.

This salad is best served very cold! If possible, assemble all ingredients (minus the dressing) and let chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, up to one hour, before serving to make sure the green beans are not still lukewarm from cooking. Drizzle the dressing over the salad before serving. Finish with a fresh squeeze of lime, and garnish with a few more small basil leaves.

Enjoy!

Copy Cat Vegan Big Mac Special Sauce!

Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce cheese, pickles, onions…all on a sesame seed bun! Who else remembers that little McD’s jingle from the late 80’s? Although it’s been two decades since I’ve had a Big Mac I can still remember the first one that I ate…on a Saturday morning, with my dad and my brother circa 1990…but let’s be real, all we really wanted to do was play on the playground!

One thing about my Pops is how much he loves burgers...specifically Big Macs, so I knew if I was going to convince him to try a plant-based burger it would be my "Big Moc" that would do the trick. Let's just say it was a huge success...so much so that he requested I make him a bulk batch of my "Moc Sauce" to keep in the fridge. #plantbasedwin

What you are going to need to buy:

Vegan Mayo - (We like THIS ONE from Hellman’s…who knew?)

Ketchup

Mustard

Relish, chopped fine

Minced Garlic - (we like these jarred options from Spice World!)  

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Vinegar (Optional)

White Sugar (Optional)

Onion Powder

What you are going to need to do:

You guys, this is so easy! In a bowl combine the following ingredients!

1/3 cup of Mayo
3 tablespoons of Ketchup
1 tablespoon of Mustard
2 tablespoons of relish
1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic plus a splash of the oil/juice that the garlic is packed in
Onion Powder, salt and pepper, to taste.

Note: Depending on how you like your sauce you can also add a splash of vinegar and some white sugar. I preferred to add a bit more relish if I wanted it more sweet or a bit more mustard if I wanted it more tangy!

Store in the fridge, in an airtight jar or container, for up to 3 weeks…but trust me, it won’t last that long!
Enjoy!

Crispy Vegan Potato Salad

It’s officially summer and that means cookouts! I’m always on the hunt for a dish that I can take to a neighborhood or family gathering that even the non-veg community will love AND one that I don’t need to worry about spoiling if it sits on a picnik table for a few hours and this Crispy Vegan Potato Salad checks all the boxes!

This Crispy Vegan Potato Salad recipe is the perfect plant-based dish to take to your July 4th Holiday BBQ or cookout this weekend because potato salad in general is 99% plant based anyway! I love using opportunities like this to introduce things like, plant based mayo to people who would normally never, ever try it! Let them gobble up a helping of this…and then spill the beans!

What you are going to need to buy:

3 lbs of Potatoes - (We could go on and on about the kind of spuds to use, but honestly, we say, use what you like! For this recipe we like to used the tiny, golden, baby potatoes and just cut them in half one time!)

Vegan Butter

Yellow or White Onion

Celery

Vegan Mayo

Sour Cream - (On this page we are big fans of Tofutti Sour Cream!)

Vinegar

Lemon Juice

Mustard

Dill Pickles or Dill Relish

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Onion and Garlic Powder (or whatever you like to season your spuds with!)

Paprika

Fresh Herbs, dill works great, but so would parsley or even thyme.

What you are going to need to do:

The Spuds:

This recipe is so super flexible but there is one trick to it all and that’s how you prepare the spuds!

I like to leave the skins on my potatoes but that’s a person preference, so if you would rather reel them, be my guest. Cut into 1/2” cubes, or in this case with the tiny, golden potatoes, I just cut them in half and they end up as the perfect sized bite!

In salted water, boil your potatoes until they are just fork tender…not too soft because they are going to continue to cook in the oven.

Gently drain potatoes and let sit for 1-2 minutes to make sure they are good and dry! You will see the steam continue to escape and that’s what you want. The more dry they are, the easier they will crisp up in the oven and that’s what we want!

Toss with 1-2 tablespoon of melted vegan butter and salt and pepper and roast on a baking sheet in a 400 degree oven OR on a low broil setting until the potatoes become crispy. Check often and stir/flip so that they pick up color on all sides.

Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet. Do not assemble the potato salad until the spuds are 100% cool.

The Dressing:

Into a large mixing bowl combine the following:

(Note: If you like a sweet potato salad feel free to add some sugar to this dressing)

• 1 cup of vegan Mayo - (like THIS ONE from Hellmann’s)

• 1/4 cup of Tofutti vegan sour cream

• 1/4 cup of diced dill pickles, cut fine or your favorite dill pickle relish

• 2 Celery Stalks, diced small

• 1 small onion, diced small

• 2 teaspoons of vinegar

• a splash of lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon of yellow mustard

• Salt, pepper, and paprika, to taste.

• Handful of fresh herbs, chopped fine

To Serve:

The trick to this recipe is that the potatoes are nice and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. To maintain that texture you don’t want to mix up this salad too far ahead. In fact, if you can, I recommend making sure that both the potatoes and the dressing is nice and cold, but waiting to toss until just before service.

Gently toss the crispy potatoes with the dressing and mix well. Garnish with more fresh herbs and a dash of paprika.

Melt Proof Dairy Free Chocolate Ice Cream - Great for Kids this Summer PLUS Easy Vegan Chocolate Sauce!

This recipe just might be the perfect summer-time treat to help you beat the heat, plus because it’s packed with heart-healthy avocado, (yes, I said avocado, but don’t worry, no one will ever know!) and has no processed sugar, it’s great for kiddos, too! Plus, I’ll give you my tip for the fastest and easiest vegan chocolate sauce to top it with! Yum!

Oh, the memories of summer I have, from childhood, bargaining with my parents for the biggest ice cream they would allow, only to have it melting, running, and dripping down my arm, staining my face, hands, and clothes only a few bites in…Yes, you do freeze it, and yes the finished product has the texture of ice cream, but because the base in not milk and eggs, even when it does warm up a little it never really “melts” only softens into a “pudding-like” consistency but never gets melty, messy or drippy!

What you are going to need to buy:

Avocados (roughly 1 per each 1-2 adult servings)

Cocoa Powder

Salt

Oat Milk - (The Chocolate Oat Milk from the Rise Brewing Co. is perfect for this recipe)

Maple Syrup

That’s it…I know, right? Just trust me, It’s total magic!

 

What you are going to need to do:

In a high powered blender add your avocados and 1/4 cup of oat milk and 1/4 cup of Maple Syrup, pulse until the mixture begins to smooth out. This will depend of how ripe your avocados are. Add a bit more oat milk, if needed.

From here you are going to add 1/4 cup of cocoa powder and a pinch of salt and blend until smooth.
Now, the measurments on this are going to depend on a couple of things…how much ice cream you are making, how ripe your avocados are, and how sweet, rich, or “chocolate-y” you want your ice cream.

NOTE: We are going to freeze this and like all food that gets eaten frozen, the cold dulls the flavor profile, so you will want the mixture to be slightly more intense (sweetness and chocolate flavor) than if you were eating it at room temperature!

Go slow and take your time, especially with the Oat Milk because if you get it too runny to start with you’re going to need to add another avocado!

Keep adding Oat Milk, Syrup, and Cocoa until you get the flavor profile you like AND you have reached a consistency that is like a slightly soft pudding, but NOT runny or liquid like yogurt.

When you have achieved both a taste and a texture you like, transfer the mixture to a freezer safe bowl, cover, and freeze until firm. (This will take several hours)

While the Ice Cream is freezing…whip up the vegan chocolate sauce.

This is so remarkable easy, I feel silly even typing up directions:
in a small mason jar, with a lid, shake together 1 cup of maple syrup and 1/4 cup of cocoa powder. Want a thicker, “dark chocolate” sauce? Just add more cocoa. That’s it. See, I told you it was easy!

Shaking the mixture together in a jar is so, so, so much easier than trying to mix it together, in a bowl, with a spoon, which is almost impossible because of how finely processed the cocoa tends to be. If you don’t have a mason jar, use a small Tupperware container, with a lid.

To Serve:

Scoop the ice cream into cones or bowls, as desired and top with the vegan chocolate sauce and other toppings, like your favorite vegan cream!

Enjoy!

BBQ Cauliflower Chick'n Wings with Easy Vegan Cabbage Coleslaw

Let’s talk about a serious veggie glow-up! If it’s not cauliflower, then I don’t know what it is…traditionally mushy and steamed this veggie had a reputation of being plain, pale, bland. Not anymore!

It’s 2021 and all the carbs and protein you love seems to have been replaced by cauliflower. Naturally high in fiber and B-vitamins, it’s a great option for vegetarians and vegans who are concerned about getting enough B12. Not to mention that for the caloric count you can eat a plateful of these wings for the same as just a handful of traditional chicken wings. The perfect summer BBQ meal, this tasty dish is easy to make and easy to finish.

What you are going to need to buy:

Head of Cauliflower

BBQ Sauce – (we made our own, but store-bought works, too)

Bread Crumbs

Large Ziplock Bags

Shredded Cabbage or Slaw Salad

Simple Slaw Dressing – (again, we made our own but store-bought works, too)

Blue Cheese – (we used Kite Hill Foods, Vegan Chive Cheese Spread in its place)

What you are going to need to do:

Preheat oven to 350

Breakdown your cauliflower into large, “wing-sized” florets, discarding stems. (*Note: you can always use smaller pieces for kiddos)

Rinse and dry the cauliflower pieces.

Place pieces into the ZipLock bag with enough BBQ Sauce to make sure that they all get an even coat but not so much that it's runny or there is a lot of extra sauce in the bag. This really is going to depend on the sauce you are using. For a medium head of cauliflower start with one cup. You can always add more if it seems too dry.

Once all the pieces are coated, transfer the cauliflower to a large mixing bowl and sprinkle with breadcrumbs, stirring, gently to coat. The idea is to have the breadcrumbs stick to and slightly incorporate into the BBQ sauce so you get that nice "breaded" texture when they bake.

On a foil-lined baking sheet, that has been sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray, gently turn out all of the coated cauliflower pieces, making sure that they are not touching each other.

If you have extra sauce/crumb mixture in the bottom of the bowl, you can gently spoon it over the tops of the pieces that seem a little dry.

Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. (This can vary depending on the size of your pieces) Checking occasionally to turn the baking sheet in the oven so that the pieces in the back do not cook too quickly or burn.

About halfway through cooking, you can use a spoon or BBQ brush to wash the tops of the pieces with one more coat of BBQ sauce.

Once finished baking, the cauliflower should be easy to pierce with a fork.

Let stand for 2-3 minutes on the baking sheet after removing from the oven, before plating. Top with blue cheese or, like we prefer Kite Hill Foods, vegan chive spread, and serve with coleslaw.

What’s in our Vegan BBQ Sauce?

Ketchup

Mustard

Brown Sugar

Worcestershire Sauce

White Vinegar

Onion Powder

Chili Spice

Salt & Pepper

What’s in our Vegan Coleslaw Dressing?

Vegan Mayo

Sugar

Minced Garlic

Lime Juice

White Vinegar

Southern Style, Mushroom, Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Vegan Slaw

Remember 20 years ago before vegan food got cool? Before we had fake burgers and pea protein, and seitan at our fingertips in our local grocery stores? Back then, we ate, um…mushrooms, and we ate a lot of them! These Mushroom Pulled Pork Sandwiches are the perfect summer cook-out or picnic food…made with love and just a little sprinkle of nostalgia for the simple plant-based recipes that got me into this lifestyle to begin with!

I have had an awful lot of requests for this recipe after posting it last week as what we enjoyed for our Memorial Day festivities! If I’m honest, this is another one of those recipes that I feel a little guilty calling a “recipe” because it’s so simple…I’m sure we could have some heated debate over sauce and slaw but I’ll share with you how I made mine and you can always customize it to your own tastes when you make it at home! (And you SHOULD make it at home because, YUM!)

What you are going to need to buy:

Mushrooms! - (figure on 6oz of mushrooms, per serving!)

(Ok, listen, friends! I know there are a lot of fancy mushrooms on the market these days but for this recipe I just used what my local Publix had on sale, which was, plain, ol’ white mushrooms!)

Liquid Smoke

Minced Garlic - (we like these jarred options from Spice World!)

BBQ Sauce - (Buy or make your own!)  

Cole Slaw Mix (this is another reason why this recipe is so easy…I simple bought the pre-shredded slaw mix from the produce section and made my own dressing!)

Vegan Mayo - I have really been into the egg-free option that Hellman's has these days!)

White Wine Vinegar

Maple Syrup

Mustard

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Burger Buns (Sara Lee has great dairy-free options)

What you are going to need to do:

The main part of this recipe and, dare I say, the only really skill needed to make it much of a success is slicing the mushrooms! I order for this recipe to really mimic the texture of pulled pork you want to slice your mushrooms as thin as possible.

I actually bough the pre-sliced white mushrooms and then took the individual slices and cut them into tiny “sticks” - think like the thickness of a tine on a fork. It takes a bit of time, but it’s worth it…and it’s still less time than the 8 hours it takes to make traditional pulled pork!

Once your mushrooms are all sliced, we are going to saute them in a medium skillet, with minced garlic and a few splashes of liquid smoke until they are cooked down and soft.

Be careful here! Because you cut them so thin, you’ll need to be a little on the gentle side when stiring them in the pan!

Once the mushrooms are cooked, simply add your favorite bbq sauce and let simmer for another 2 minutes. Be careful not to burn the sauce.

Onto the Coleslaw!

In my world, there is simply no other way to eat this sandwich than with it being topped with slaw!

Like i said, above, I buy the prepackaged coleslaw mix that has the shredded cabbage and carrots all ready to go, but feel free to shred your own!

For the dressing we are going to mix:

1 cup of vegan mayo

1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar

1-2 tablespoons of mustard, depending on how much you like mustard

1 tablespoon of maple syrup

Salt and pepper, to taste.

In my experience this is going to make enough dressing for one bag of coleslaw…(4 servings)

Toss your shredded cabbage and carrots with the slaw dressing and park in the fridge for 20 minutes or so! You can even make this the night before!

The Assembly!

Bun

Mushroom “Pulled Pork”

Coleslaw

Bun.

It really is that easy! Some people I know top theirs with potato chips, fresh sliced or caramelized onions, melted cheese, homemade pickles, and even pickled jalapeños! We served them with some grilled street corn and baked beans! Does it get any more “summer” than that?

Enjoy!

Impossible Vegan Big Mac with Homemade Special Sauce

Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce cheese, pickles, onions…all on a sesame seed bun! Who else remembers that little McD’s jingle from the late 80’s? Although it’s been two decades since I’ve had a Big Mac I can still remember the first one that I ate…on a Saturday morning, with my dad and my brother circa 1990…but let’s be real, all we really wanted to do was play on the playground!

There isn’t too much to this recipe to be honest. Fry up a couple of vegan burgers, make some special sauce, chop some veg and assemble! I only have a couple of tricks!

• If you want to actually do that whole double stack, like a traditional big mac…make your patties really thin! (But, honestly…they would be just as good as just a single regular burger)

• Sometimes vegan cheese can take a little longer to melt so make sure to put in onto the top of your burgers as soon as you flip them!

• Just a little splash of liquid smoke and some minced garlic in the pan when you fry your burgers will make all the difference in the flavor profile!

What you are going to need to buy:

Impossible Burger from Impossible Foods

Liquid Smoke

Vegan Mayo - (We like THIS ONE from Hellman’s…who knew?)

Ketchup

Mustard

Relish, chopped fine

American Cheese - (love THESE SLICES from Follow Your Heart)

Minced Garlic - (we like these jarred options from Spice World!)  

White Onion

Onion Powder

Vinegar

Pickles

Lettuce

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Burger Buns

What you are going to need to do:

You can either buy the individual Impossible Burger patties or the block “ground beef.” Season with salt and pepper and a little liquid smoke.

Fry your burgers in a non-stick skillet on medium heat. Depending on size of the burgers they should take about 2 minutes per side.

To make the sauce:

1/3 cup of Mayo
3 tablespoons of Ketchup
1 tablespoon of Mustard
2 tablespoons of relish
1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic plus a splash of the oil/juice that the garlic is packed in
Onion Powder, salt and pepper, to taste.

Note: Depending on how you like your sauce you can also add a splash of vinegar and some white sugar. I preferred to add a bit more relish if I wanted it more sweet or a bit more mustard if I wanted it more tangy!

Chop Lettuce.
Dice Onions.

Assemble and Enjoy!