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It’s 2021 and all the carbs and protein you love seems to have been replaced by cauliflower.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!

Braised Beefless Tips and CousCous with Tzatziki Mint Sauce

One of my all time favorite foods to cook is couscous and although it seems like it would be intimidating, it’s really super easy! Quick, versatile, and more interesting that plain rice, couscous can be served with just about any style of food.

Most people think of couscous as a middle-eastern dish but it actually has its roots, originally, in North Africa. Although it’s prepared similar to rice and other grains, couscous is actually made from tiny steamed balls of semolina flour, making it more like pasta and less like rice from a nutritional standpoint. In this dish it becomes the beautiful base for the braised beefless tips and the cool and refreshing tzatziki inspired mint sauce.  An easy weekday meal, you can have this dish on the table, to feed a crowd, in just about 30 minutes!

What you are going to need to buy:

Pearled Couscous

Veggie Stock or Bouillon – (we like the “Not Beef Bouillon” by Edward and Sons

Olive Oil  

White or Yellow Onion, small, diced

Gardein’s Beefless Tips

Sundries Tomatoes, jarred, in oil, or cut into bite-sized pieces

Black Kalama Olives, cut in half

Soy Sauce

Worcestershire

Vegan Mayo or Vegan Yogurt

Small Cucumber, diced very fine or grated

Fresh Mint

Lemon Juice

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

What you are going to need to do:

Step one in this recipe, or any recipe involving couscous is to dry toast the couscous. This sounds mo0re complicated than it is and in the end gives the finished dish a much more complex depth of flavor- It only takes two minutes! Do not skip this step.

In a medium saucepan, on medium/low heat measure out the desired amount of couscous, according to the boxed directions, for the number of serving you need to make. Add to this the minced garlic and onions. I almost always use the minced garlic that comes jarred in the produce section. One teaspoon for every half-cup of dry couscous you are cooking.

Let the couscous, onions, and garlic toast in the warm pan, stirring or agitating the pan often so that the contents do not burn. After about 90 seconds you should see the couscous pearls begin to turn from blond to light brown. When this happens take the saucepan off the heat. It will continue to toast, from the residual heat but you don’t want it to burn.

Set aside.

In a nonstick skillet, over medium heat, with just a little soy sauce and worcestershire sauce in the pan, (maybe a teaspoon of each) begin to brown the frozen beefless tips. Feel free to add any other sauces or seasonings that you like, at this time. Personally, I have a bottle of balsamic fig vinegar that I just love so I almost always add a dash of that, as well.

Bring your couscous saucepan back over to medium heat and add the veggie stock. (Follow the boxed directions of your couscous for the recommend amount of liquid) Bring to a simmer and then reduce heat and cover for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure that nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pan and that the liquid is being absorbed.  If, after 10 minutes) the couscous seems too runny, take the lid off the saucepan and some of that excess water should boil/evaporate off.

Continue to check on the browning beefless tips, stirring occasionally to make sure they are not sticking to the pan…but you do want a slight amount of sticky caramelization to be happening in the bottom of the pan from the soy and worcestershire we added earlier. If they are looking dry…feel free to add a touch more of your sauces.

Once the Couscous has absorbed all the liquid and is creamy, remove from heat and stir in the sundried tomatoes and olives.

 For the tzatziki inspired mint sauce, combine Vegan Mayo or Vegan Yogurt, minced garlic, salt and pepper, lemon juice, grated cucumber, and diced fresh mint. Adjust quantities to your own personal taste. White Vinegar can be used instead of lemon juice. The sauce should be think enough to pour, but not super runny.

When ready to serve, lay down a base of the Couscous and top with the Beefless Tips. Drizzle the tzatziki inspired mint sauce over the top and garnish with another fresh spring of mint.

What's in our Tzatziki inspired Mint Sauce?

Vegan Mayo or Vegan Yogurt

Minced Garlic

Lemon Juice

Grated Cucumber

Salt and Pepper

Diced, Fresh Mint – (yes, it needs to be fresh!)

Asian Inspired Orange Chick'n with Couscous and Sauteed Veggies

Who doesn’t love Orange Chicken? Served on a bed of dainty couscous, it’s feels fancier than just stir-fry and rice but still takes less than 30 minutes to prepare. This sweet and savory dish is a quick and easy way to get a hot meal, on a week-night table, that everyone will love.

Although it’s prepared similar to rice and other grains, couscous is actually made from tiny steamed balls of semolina flour, making it more like pasta and less like rice from a nutritional standpoint. Most people think of couscous as a middle-eastern dish but it actually has its roots, originally, in North Africa, and is great compliment to just about every style of cuisine. Served with fresh veggies, the best part about this dish? The leftovers make amazing chicken burrito wraps the next day for lunch!

What you are going to need to buy:

Boxed Couscous - (we like the Near East brand and they have several to choose from!)

Veggie Stock or Bouillon – (we like the “Not Chicken Bouillon” by Edward and Sons

Olive Oil  

White or Yellow Onion, small, diced

Gardein’s Mandarin Crispy Chick’n

Fresh Veggies - (we used, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Baby Carrots, and Mushrooms)

Soy Sauce

Worcestershire

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

What you are going to need to do:

Step one in this recipe, or any recipe involving couscous is to dry toast the couscous. This sounds more complicated than it actually is and in the end gives the finished dish a much more complex depth of flavor- It only takes two minutes! Do not skip this step.

In a medium saucepan, on medium/low heat measure out the desired amount of couscous, according to the boxed directions, for the number of serving you need to make. Add to this the minced garlic and onions. I almost always use the minced garlic that comes jarred in the produce section. One teaspoon for every half-cup of dry couscous you are cooking.

Let the couscous, onions, and garlic toast in the warm pan, stirring or agitating the pan often so that the contents do not burn. After about 90 seconds you should see the couscous pearls begin to turn from blond to light brown. When this happens take the saucepan off the heat. It will continue to toast, from the residual heat but you don’t want it to burn.

Set aside.

Ideally, this rest of this recipe can be made in one big skillet, if you’ve got one big enough for the chicken and the veggies to cook at the same time, on opposite sides of the pan, without too much crowding. To a large skillet or frying pan, over medium low heat add the Gardein Chicken Nuggets to one side of the pan, making sure that they are all laying flat and not too crowded. You want to crisp up the outsides a little first before we add the sauce.

Cook the nuggets on medium heat for about 1-2 minutes or until golden brown and then flip all nuggets over to let the other side brown. At this point, if you pan is big enough add the veggies to the other side of the skillet, sprinkle with a little salt and drizzle with a dash of soy sauce and worcestershire.

Bring your couscous saucepan back over to medium heat and add the veggie stock. (Follow the boxed directions of your couscous for the recommend amount of liquid) Bring to a simmer and then reduce heat and cover for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure that nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pan and that the liquid is being absorbed.  If, after 10 minutes) the couscous seems too runny, take the lid off the saucepan and some of that excess water should boil/evaporate off.

At this point your chicken should be crispy and cooked through and your veggies tender. Remove Veggies from the pan and set aside, covered. Turn up the heat in the skillet and add the pack of sauce that is included in the Gardein Mandarin Chick’n Meal kit. The sauce is very thin, at this point, so we want to take a few minutes and thicken it up. Bring the sauce to a boil, but be careful not to burn it. You will need to stir and watch this closely but once you see the sauce turn more viscous and honey-like, remove skillet from the heat. Add the sauteed veggies back into the pan with the chick’n just to coat them in whatever residual sauce is left in the pan and to re-warm just a little.

Once the Couscous has absorbed all the liquid and is creamy, remove from heat. If your couscous has become too dry, no worries, just add a little water, maybe a tablespoon, and stir to incorporate. When ready to serve, lay down a base of creamy couscous and top with Orange Chick’n and sauteed veggies. Additionally, you could garnish with slivered almonds or crushed peanuts.