Fried “Chicken” Sandwich
Ingredients:
- 2 oyster mushrooms
- ¼ cup of avocado oil if pan-frying
Marinade:
- ¼ cup tamari or soy sauce (coconut aminos work too)
- 1/4 cup filtered water
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp nutritional yeast
Batter:
- ¾ cup unsweetened and unflavored non-dairy milk
- 1 ½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (gluten-free if necessary) do not mix with the milk and apple cider vinegar, the flour goes in a separate bowl
Crumb mixture:
- ¾cup plain breadcrumbs (gluten-free if necessary)
- ¾ cup panko
- 3 tsp smoked paprika
- 3 tsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp sea salt
Serving:
- Vegan burger buns (about 2)
- Vegan mayo (optional but recommended)
- Cilantro Lime Slaw
- Pickles (optional but recommended)
Directions:
- To make the marinade: to a bowl, add all the marinade ingredients and stir to combine. Taste it, you can add more tamari if you want yours saltier. Add in the mushrooms and stir to combine so it’s evenly coated. Marinade for at least 15 minutes, but up to overnight. While marinating, prepare your bowls with the flour, the buttermilk, and the crumbs.
- To make the batter: to another bowl, add the non-dairy milk and the apple cider vinegar. Stir to combine and let sit for about 2 minutes. This is your buttermilk mixture. Add the flour to a separate bowl and line up side by side.
- To make the crumb mixture: to another bowl, add all the crumb mixture ingredients and combine. Line up in a bowl beside the buttermilk and the flour. Line a baking sheet lined with parchment paper beside that this is where you’ll place your mushrooms before panfrying.
- To cook the mushrooms: take one mushroom piece from the marinade. Dip it into the flour, shaking off all the excess flour, then into the buttermilk. Shake off the excess buttermilk, then dip it back into the flour, then into the buttermilk again, shaking off all the excess again. Then dip it into the crumb mixture, roll it around, and place it on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pieces. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the mushrooms and cook for 1-2min on each side or until golden brown, then flip and cook for another 1-2min on the other side. Remove and place on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil. Serve on a toasted bun and top with cilantro lime slaw, vegan mayo, pickles and enjoy!
Cilantro Lime Slaw
Ingredients:
- 2 cups shredded green cabbage
- 2 cups shredded purple cabbage
- 1/4–1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 1 lime)
- 1–2tablespoon agave
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Add all the ingredients into a bowl and mix to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve and enjoy!
Easy Chocolate Pot de Crème (Vegan)
Ingredients:
- 1 block (16oz) silken tofu, drained
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract(optional)
- 1/8 tsp sea salt (optional, for flavor balance)
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips, melted (ensure vegan-friendly as needed, we like Enjoy Life)
Serving:
- optional Dairy-free whipped cream
- Fresh berries
Directions:
- To a high-speed blender, add drained silken tofu, maple syrup, vanilla (optional), and salt(optional). Blend until smooth and well combined, about 30 seconds. Set aside.
- Melt the chocolate chips over a double boiler on the stovetop, stirring occasionally, or in the microwave in 30-second increments.
- Once fully melted, quickly add to the high-speed blender with the tofu mixture and blend until smooth—about 1 minute—scraping down the sides as needed.
- Taste and adjust, adding more maple syrup for sweetness if needed.
- Divide between individual serving cups or transfer to one large container.
- Chill (covered or uncovered is fine) for at least 1 hour and up to overnight, until fully chilled and set.
- To serve, enjoy as is or top with dairy-free whipped “cream” and/or fresh berries (both optional).
- Keeps covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. It should also freeze well!
Vegan Piononos (Stuffed Sweet Plantain Cups)
Ingredients:
Tofu:
- 1 block extra firm tofu, pressed or drained to remove as much liquid as possible
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp Adobo
- ½ tbsp Sazon
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Plantains:
- 2 (very) ripe plantains
- Oil for frying
Stuffing for plantain cups:
- ½-1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp Sofrito
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp Adobo
- ½ tbsp Sazón
- Cooked tofu
- 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables (corn, carrots, peas and green beans)
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tbsp pimento olives, diced
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 ½ cup vegan cheese (I like brands like Violife)
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Directions:
- To make tofu chopped “meat”: Preheat the oven or the air fryer to 400°F. Add the pressed tofu to a mixing bowl and crumble using clean hands (careful not to crumble it too much, you want to leave some small chunks). To the crumbled tofu, add tomato paste, adobo, sazón, salt, pepper and olive oil and mix until the tofu is evenly coated. Place tofu on a lined baking tray or air fryer basket. If baking, bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. If air frying, air fry for 7-9min or until golden brown. Once ready, remove it from the oven or air fryer and set it aside.
- To fry the plantains: Cut off the two ends of the plantains. Carefully slice down the sides of the plantain’s outer layer, trying not to pierce the plantain. Cut plantain once again into thin slices lengthwise, about 1⁄2 inch. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Once oil is ready, fry plantain slices on both sides until golden brown. Remove from pan, drain on paper towels, and set them aside.
- To make the stuffing for the plantain cups: Heat 1/2 to 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add sofrito and tomato paste and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. The adobo, sazón, cooked tofu, mixed vegetables, and 1/4 cup water (more if needed, but the mixture shouldn’t be too loose), diced olives and combine. Cook for 1 to 2 more minutes or until the flavors are well combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking. Add vegan cheese and mix well until the cheese starts to melt. Add cilantro and combine once again. Once the mixture is ready, remove from heat and set aside.
- To build the piononos: Preheat the oven to 400°F. On a baking tray or cupcake pan assemble your piononos by creating a circle, cup-like shape with plantain slices. Where ends meet close with a toothpick or skewer to hold in place while cooking. To each plantain cup add a spoonful of the mixture and top with more vegan cheese. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
- Optional: Broil for a few minutes for added browning to the top cheese layer. Once ready, remove from the oven, garnish with fresh cilantro and enjoy!