Tweet Treats: Pho Broth

Five years ago was the last time I fell ill with a contagious cold or flu type sickness (I’m vigorously knocking on wood that this remains true). Instead, I am now blessed/cursed with a sinus or respiratory infection each year.

Last year I had an upper respiratory infection and this year I’ve got a lower respiratory infection. And like every year, I try to battle it the hippie way with natural remedies only to end up at the wellness center or urgent care to get a prescription for antibiotics and  medications. Here I am still trying to get over this nasty cough, but lucky for you (and me) this year’s natural remedy included pho!

In case you’re not sure what pho (pronounced “fuh”) is, it’s basically a big bowl of Vietnamese comfort food in the form of soup with rice noodles, beef (or other proteins) and lots of garnishes. I haven’t really tried any pho in El Paso, but everyone’s favorites seem to be Pho Tre Bien on the eastside and Saigon Taste on the westside. Eastside newcomer, Pho So 1 has had mixed reviews. What’s your favorite place for pho? I’ve been to Pho 79 in Denver, but that was way too long ago for me to remember.

InstaPho

The following recipe is adapted from a Vegetarian Times recipe which I cut in half, but then added more water to cut the sodium. All of these ingredients are fairly easy to get a hold of with the exception of the vegetarian beef broth. I was able to find it at Sprouts, but you can just use veggie broth if you can’t find it. I found dried shitake mushrooms for less than $3 at Albertsons.

Vegetarian Pho Broth

2 cups vegetarian “beef” broth or vegetable broth
6 cups water
1 large shallot, sliced
¼ cup dried shiitake mushrooms
5 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1½ tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
6 ¼-inch-thick coins fresh ginger
½ tablespoon brown sugar
½ tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon (or half if you don’t want it so peppery) ground black pepper
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise

Place all of the ingredients in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer covered for an hour. While the broth is cooking, take the time to prep all of the other ingredients, like soaking the rice noodles. Package directions say they’ll need to soak in hot water for 50-60 minutes, but I soaked mine for about 30 minutes.  After the broth has simmered for an hour, strain it, discard the solids and return the broth to the pot.

Garnish options (which I had none of at the time. I just used cilantro, lime and julienned zucchini & carrots): tofu, scallions, onions, cabbage, sliced chile peppers, lime wedges, bean sprouts, herbs (basil, cilantro, etc.), sriracha, hoisin…whatever you want!

To serve, place the soaked noodles in bowls, ladle hot broth over the noodles and top with garnishes. Slurp away!

Tweet Treat: Lazy Drunken Chili

This isn’t my award winning chili recipe. This is a recipe to get you through the week when you can’t be bothered with thinking, chopping, seasoning, etc.

I posted this dinner yesterday on Instagram from my phone.

If you don’t have these ingredients on hand,change them out with what you do have or want. This recipe is limited to your imagination and your pantry. No Muir Glen Adobo tomotoes? Use any can of tomatoes, and if you want to make the effort add some chipotle or chile powder, smoked paprika or liquid smoke, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano. No bulgur? It provides a nice meaty texture, but any grain or pasta will work, just adjust the cooking time. No beer? I guess omit it, but why don’t you have beer in your fridge right now? My chili came out a bit drier than I would’ve liked because I used a little over a half cup of bulgur and didn’t add more liquid during the cooking process, but I ended up liking it that way.

Lazy Drunken Chili

Makes about 4 servings

1 can Muir Glen Diced Adobo Fire Roasted Tomatoes
½ cup any beer*
1 cup any broth or water**
½ cup bulgur wheat***
1 can black beans (or any other beans), drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon cornmeal (optional)

1. Puree the tomatoes if you want, then heat a bit of oil in a medium saucepan. Add the tomatoes, bringing them to a simmer.
2. Add the broth, beer, and bulgur. Bring the mixture back to a simmer.
3. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally adding more water if necessary.
4. Add beans and sprinkle the cornmeal in, cooking for another 5 minutes, or until bulgur is tender and beans are heated through.
5. Season with salt and pepper if necessary.
6. Top with your favorite garnishes. I topped mine with cheese, sour cream, and chopped up pickled jalapenos.

*I happened to have Budweiser’s Black Crown on hand, but I usually like to use porters or stouts.
**I actually used ¼ of a Not Chikck’n bouillon cube to lessen the amount of sodium.
***I usually get bulgur at Sprouts in the bulk bins, but you can find them at most stores.

This simple dish pops when you add your favorite garnishes. This is just missing cilantro.

Creamy Cajun Sauce

If you’re like me, you most likely did not celebrate Mardi Gras and Valentine’s Day to their fullest due to apathy/fatigue/laziness/busy schedule. Another reason could be that El Paso doesn’t have a thriving Cajun scene, unless you count Crawdaddy’s Bar and Grill on Cincinnati St. The food isn’t very authentic, but it’s a fun place to drink and meat eaters swear by their wings. It’s also where I met a good friend of mine (shout out to Frankie!). They don’t have anything vegetarian, but when he worked there, he would have them make me their pasta dish without the meat. It was linguine with vegetables and a deliciously creamy Cajun sauce. The sauce had a pink hue to it and a ton of dill.  I set out to recreate it and I think I came pretty close to it.

This is one of my go-to recipes when I’m in a rut, don’t know what to make, and haven’t gone grocery shopping. It’s a versatile sauce that’s great on veggies, pasta, rice, etc. If you don’t have Cajun seasoning in your pantry, go and buy it now! It’s basically paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and other spices. You could easily make your own and you probably should due to the high salt content, but it’s of course more convenient to have the ready-made one on hand. There are many brands out there, so I’m not sure which to recommend; I’ve only tried the Louisiana Fish Fry Products brand and Tony Chachere’s. Let me know if you have a favorite brand or recipe.

Recipe #2 (vegan version) over brown rice, kidney beans, & steamed broccoli

I give you not one, but three versions of Creamy Cajun Sauce. I don’t really measure for this sauce, so please excuse some of the approximations (~). The recipes make about 2 cups of sauce.

Recipe #1 (roux base)

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup milk or half & half
~1 cup canned tomatoes, pureed
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
~1 teaspoon dill
Optional: freshly ground black pepper and smoked paprika

Heat butter in a saucepan until melted and bubbling. Add flour and cook 1-2 minutes or until fragrant, whisking frequently. Slowly pour milk or half & half while whisking. Cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. Add seasonings and tomatoes (more or less until desired consistency is reached). Cook until heated through.

Recipe #2 (vegan version)
Same as above, but with cashew cream.

½-1 cup cashew cream (recipe follows)
1 tablespoon Earth Balance butter (optional)
~1 cup canned tomatoes, pureed
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
~1 teaspoon dill
Optional: freshly ground black pepper and smoked paprika

For the cashew cream, soak 1/2 cup of raw cashews in enough cold water to cover them; refrigerate for 30 minutes. Drain the cashews and rinse. Cover the cashews in water again and puree until smooth. Add enough water to get a thick, yet slightly runny consistency. Set aside.

Heat  butter in a saucepan until melted and bubbling. Add Cajun seasoning and dill, stirring and cooking for about a minute or until fragrant. Add more or less tomatoes and cashew cream until desired consistency is reached. Cook until heated through.

Version #3 (quickest version) 
Same as above, but with sour cream.

~½ cup sour cream
~1 cup canned tomatoes, pureed
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
~1 teaspoon dill
Optional: freshly ground black pepper and smoked paprika

Combine all ingredients (more or less sour cream & tomatoes until desired consistency is reached) in a saucepan. You may need to add a bit of water if you want a thinner consistency. Cook until heated through.

Recipe #3 (quickest version) with whole wheat penne, steamed broccoli, & mozzarella 

 

Tweet Treats: Cardamom Scented Fall Soup

Follow me on Twitter @epvegsnob & on Instagram @bettyfemme

My faith in El Paso’s vegetarian/vegan restaurant scene was renewed this past October when I attended Opus World Bistro’s vegan wine dinner. I had planned on blogging about the dinner and the restaurant, but I brilliantly forgot (again) to replace the SD card in my camera. I took cellphone pics, but they don’t do Chef Michael Ross’s food justice. The pics are on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook (they’re grouped here>>). I’ll have to return another time to dine and take pictures of regular menu items. In the meantime, you NEED to eat at Opus World Bistro now. While, the wine dinner’s menu items are not on their regular menu, there are plenty of other tantalizing vegan options to choose from. You can view the menu here>>

Prices are a little high, but well worth it. Chef Michael assembles dishes that creatively and deftly make use of seasonal ingredients and textures. As of now, you can print out a coupon from their website. If I still can’t convince you to make it out to the westside and invest in a good meal, you can try making this soup that is inspired from one of the wine dinner dishes. Sweet pea tortellini, cardamom carrot vegetable broth & fresh fennel was the first course and my second favorite dish of the night.

My soup is different, but like I said it’s just an inspired dish. I love the flavors and the complexity the cardamom adds. It’s quick and easy and you can use either butternut squash, sweet potatoes, or carrots. This has to be one of the best soups I’ve created since the Smoky Tomato Chickpea soup I created for Vegan Mofo & the Earth Balance recipe contest.

Cardamom Scented Fall Soup

I placed the cardamom seeds in a tea infuser. You can get cardamom seeds at most grocery stores. I bought mine at Sprouts (they sell them by weight in the spice bins). They are cheapest at Indian & Middle Eastern grocery stores.

¼ cup onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
3-4 cups butternut squash, sweet potato, or carrots, ½” dice
2 cups water or vegetable broth
¼ teaspoon caradomom seeds
1 cup frozen peas (optional)
salt & pepper

1. Saute onions until browned, about 5-10 minutes. Add garlic; cook for 1-2 minutes.
2. Add squash, season with salt and pepper, cooking for 5-10 minutes.
3. Add stock or water, bringing to a simmer. Place cardamom seeds in a tea infuser, sachet, or wrap in cheesecloth; add to pot.
4. Simmer for 15 minutes or until vegetables are cooked through.
5. Remove cardamom. Puree in a blender or use a handheld immersion blender.
6. Add peas and simmer for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper if necessary.
7. Garnish with cilantro or your favorite herbs.

T-Day 2012 Roundup

Vegan Pumpkin Pie (photo links to post w/recipe)

Thanksgiving has always been one of my least favorite holidays. It’s just always seemed stressful to me and I hate the smell and taste of turkey. Even before I was a vegetarian, my parents had to worry about what I was going to eat. All I wanted to eat was a happy meal from McDonald’s, but they used to be closed on holidays. Nowadays, picky bratty kids can indulge in Mickey D’s on Thanksgiving day. So unfair!

I know that Thanksgiving isn’t all about the food, but with the majority of our family up in Denver, we aren’t always able to gather altogether. Even the family members that do reside in El Paso don’t all come together. A lot of times it’s just my parents and me, so it seems like just another family lunch or dinner.

This year, I am thankful for my family and friends who have been there for us throughout the years, and especially during this recent rough patch. As a so-called foodie, I am thankful that there is always food in our house and that I can be a snob about what I eat and drink.

Below, you’ll find my annual roundup of T-day recipes. Is it me or are magazines and sites slacking it this year? I roll my eyes every time I see a stuffed squash recipe. Even the non-veg recipes seem boring. I’m only listing a few lists that appealed to me, so I would also refer to my previous roundups: 2010 and 2011. Not into cooking and don’t mind driving to Las Cruces? You can choose from a variety of fall holiday sides (some are gluten & dairy free) from the Mountain View Market Co-op. Orders must be placed by this Sunday, November 18. More info here>>

**If you’re looking for a great non-dairy whipped cream and don’t mind a hint of coconut taste, try whipping up some of your own. You’ll need to refrigerate a can of coconut milk (full fat only) overnight. Turn the can upside down, open it, and pour out the liquid, reserving it for later use. Scoop out the solidified coconut milk into a mixing bowl and whip for 3-5 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Boom. Instant, decadent whipped cream. You can also add a sweetener, extracts, liqueurs….options are endless. Check out a photo tutorial from Oh She Glows.**

What are you making this year? Are you using Pinterest to plan Thanksgiving? Share links to your recipes, blogs, boards, etc. in the comments and I’ll share them on Facebook and Twitter.

I of course haven’t decided what to make yet.

• Thanksgiving Time (lots of good recipes & tips from VegNews)
• Veggieducken Video How-To & Recipe Slideshow (Huffington Post)
• The PPK Thanksgiving Recipes (The Post Punk Kitchen)
• Vegetarian Holiday Recipes (Cooking Light)
• Well’s Vegetarian Thanksgiving 2012 (NY Times)
• Or just browse my favorite recipe database, Epicurious. If you have a smart phone, download the app! It’s free and they have special holiday features.

Epicurious App

Curried Butternut Squash

We host a book club at the library where everyone picks a recipe from a featured cookbook to make and bring to a potluck. It’s really fun and we’ve had all ages participate, including children and teens. I started and run the club, so I am the one who chooses the cookbooks each month. A member suggested that I select 3 cookbooks so that the group can preview and vote on the next selection. I try to choose cookbooks that have a lot of pictures, are appropriate for all cooking levels, and that would suit a potluck environment.

This month I chose from the Food Day suggested reading list: A Spoonful of Ginger, Comfort Food Fix, and How to Cook Everything: The Basics. The last title won and for good reason. It has simple recipes with descriptive instructions and step-by-step pictures. Mark Bittman authored 2 previous editions called How to Cook Everything and How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. These are really great reference books that every home cook should own. The only drawback is that there are no pictures and only a few illustrations are sprinkled throughout. The Basics is a stripped down version of the two previous books that provides essential cooking lessons and starter recipes with much needed photographs.

I selected the curried butternut squash recipe to bring to the potluck because I love curry and I love squash. I also wanted to try a new cooking technique since I always roast butternut squash. I loved the recipe so much that I wanted to share it with you. It’s so easy and cooks quickly. If you don’t like butternut squash, I think cauliflower would be a great substitute. You could also use potatoes instead if you detest all vegetables. I added garbanzo beans for texture, flavor, and protein.

The only hard part is peeling and cutting the squash. I included a link to a how-to video below. I’m always scared that I’m going to cut my hand off or peel my skin instead. I also get an allergic reaction when my skin comes in contact with the flesh. It turns my hands orange and my skin cracks and feels tight. It doesn’t last too long, but I can’t stand the feeling, so I now wear gloves.

For more info on the Cook the Book Club at the Dorris Van Doren Library, visit their blog.

Time 45-60 minutes
Makes 4 servings

1½pounds butternut squash
2 tablespoons butter (I used Earth Balance)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 cup coconut milk
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
1½ cups cooked garbanzo beans* or 1 can, rinsed & drained (optional)
¼ or more chopped fresh cilantro leaves
¼ cup chopped scallions for garnish (I omitted this)
1 lime quartered for serving (optional)

1. Cut both ends off the squash and cut it into 2 sections: the cylindrical top and the bulbous bottom. Peel both sections, then cut the bottom in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Cut the flesh from both sections into 1-inch chunks or cubes. You should have about 5 cups. You can watch this video if the description is too wordy: How to Cut & Peel Butternut Squash Video
2. Place the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When it melts, add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften and turn golden, 2-3 minutes. Add the curry powder and stir until it becomes fragrant, about a minute or so.
3. Add the squash, season with salt & pepper, and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the coconut milk, raise the heat to high, bring to a boil, and then lower the heat to a gently bubble. Cover and cook, stirring once or twice, until the squash is tender, 15-20 minutes.
4. Stir in the the garbanzo beans and raise the heat to medium high. Cook for about 5 more minutes or until the beans are heated through and the liquid has thickened a bit. Add the cilantro and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with scallions and more cilantro, and serve with lime wedges. I didn’t like the addition of the lime.

*I like to cook garbanzo beans in a slow cooker. I place 2 cups of dried garbanzo beans (picked over & rinsed) and 8 cups of boiling hot water to the slow cooker and cook for 2-4 hours over high heat. You can add salt at the end if you like.

Happy National Taco Day!

As an El Pasoan, I am ashamed to tell you that no restaurants in El Paso are celebrating National Taco Day that I know of. If you know of any, please let me know!!! Taco Cabana was the only one giving away free tacos and Bikini Joe’s had 50 cent tacos, but that was Tuesday. The Rivieria (veg friendly tacos) and Jaxon’s (not veg friendly tacos) have their usual taco nights on Mondays. I might have to pick up some soyrizo on the way home.

My favorite local tacos are the potato tacos at The Riviera and the tofu tacos from Tacoholics. My favorite out of town taco is the Fried Avocado from Torchy’s Tacos in Austin. I thought it weird that the taco had 2 corn tortillas, but when the filling busted though after attempting to use only one tortilla, I knew why. It also may have been because the tortillas were steamed instead of heated on the burner or a comal.

Where have you had the best tacos besides your mom or abuelita’s?

Instataco: Some of my taco pics on Instagram. Follow me @bettyfemme. Top pic is of surprisingly good guacamole tacos from a VSEP dinner at the Holiday Inn. The rest are of soyrizo, tofu scramble, Korean bbq, Gardein beef tips w/chipotle, calabacitas, & papa.

EPV Taco Recipe Roundup

Taco recipes that I’ve blogged about.

• Refried Bean (salsa verde included!)
• Calabacita/squash
• Guacamole
• Korean BBQ
• Papa/potato

Other stuff you might need for taco night:

• Salsa de Arbol
• Margaritas
• Soyrizo Stuffed Gueritos

Wow, that’s it? I need to add more taco recipes!

Also, check out Bon Appetit’s interactive Taco Party Primer. It’s got everything from making tortillas from scratch to flying lucahdores. There are recipes that contain meat, but some can easily be vegified.

Tweet Treat: Veggie Pad Thai

Pad Thai is one of those dishes that seems to be everyone’s favorite except mine. I hate egg and don’t like the dearth of vegetables in the dish. As a huge condiment fan, I do love the addition of peanuts, cilantro, lime, and sriracha.

I splurged on tamarind paste for a curry recipe with the intention of using it for Pad Thai at another time. That time came about a month ago, and I am craving it once again as I write about it. It makes great leftovers eaten cold or reheated.

Tips:

• El Pasoans, you can find tamarind paste at Jerusalem International Foods. You can probably also find it at other Asian markets in town.
• Can’t find tamarind paste? Make your own or use Mark Bittman’s substitute suggestion of ketchup.
• I omitted fish sauce of course, but you can make your own fishless fish sauce using Bittman’s recipe from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian.

Tamarind Paste (Source: About.com)

Dried tamarind pods are easy to find in El Paso since they are commonly used in Mexican cuisine. They can be found at most grocery stores in the produce section.

Peel off the shells and discard them. Place the fruit in a sauce pan with only a bit of water (3 to 4 tbsp. water to ¼ cup fruit) and simmer 10 to 15 minutes to soften. Remove from heat and use the back of a spoon or a potato masher to gently mash the fruit against the bottom/sides of the pan. Strain and press the fruit through a strainer to get as much pulp as possible into the liquid while straining out the seeds. Note that homemade pastes tend not to be as strong-tasting as the bottled variety.

Mark Bittman’s Fishless Fish Sauce
Makes about ½ cup

1 Tbsp crumbled or ground dulse (optional)
1 clove garlic , minced
2 Tbsps light soy sauce
1 Tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar
4 limes

Whisk the dulse, garlic, & soy with 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Grate the lime zest & juice all 4 limes into the same bowl. Add the sugar & stir well. Let sit 5 minutes for the flavors to meld.

Veggie Pad Thai (recipe adapted from Epicurious)

Makes 4-6 servings (you might want to double the sauce recipe if you want it extra saucy)

12 ounces dried flat rice noodles (1/4 inch wide; sometimes called pad Thai or banh pho)
2 teaspoons tamarind paste or ketchup
½ cup light soy sauce
¼ cup packed light brown sugar (I used only 2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons Sriracha (Southeast Asian chile sauce)
1 bunch scallions (optional)
1 (14- to 16-ounce) package firm tofu
peanut or vegetable oil
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 cups bean sprouts (¼ pound)
½ cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

1. Soak noodles in a large bowl of warm water until softened, 25 to 30 minutes. Drain well in a colander and cover with a dampened paper towel.
2. Combine tamarind, soy sauce, brown sugar, and Sriracha, stirring until sugar has dissolved (If you’re using fish sauce, add about 1 tablespoon).
3. Cut scallions into 2-inch pieces. Halve pale green and white parts lengthwise.
4. Rinse tofu, then cut into 1-inch cubes and pat very dry.
5. Fry tofu in a tablespoon or two of oil in 1 layer, gently turning occasionally, until golden, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer tofu to paper towels using a slotted spoon.
6. Heat wok over high heat until a drop of water evaporates instantly. Pour more oil if necessary. Stir-fry scallions and garlic, until softened, about 1 minute.
7. Add noodles and stir-fry over medium heat (use 2 spatulas if necessary) 3 minutes. Add tofu, bean sprouts, and part of the sauce and simmer, turning noodles over to absorb sauce evenly, until noodles are tender, about 2 minutes.
8. Stir in additional sauce if desired and serve. Sprinkle pad Thai with peanuts and serve with lime wedges, cilantro sprigs, and Sriracha.

Soyrizo Torta

I never liked chorizo until I tried soy chorizo (soyrizo). Ever since I’ve discovered it, I rarely stray from making soyrizo and potato tacos. I was happy to get out of the taco funk when Chef Rick Bayless tweeted about a torta from his XOCO restaurant. You can view a picture and read about the Chorizo Torta at the Serious Eats site here.

Tortas are Mexican sandwiches served on a type of crusty French bread called Bolillos, Francesitos, or Teleras. Bolillos and Francesitos are oval shaped, while Teleras are round. I usually get my Mexican bread from the legendary Bowie Bakery, which fortunately now has a westside location. If you don’t have a panaderia (bakery) nearby, you can find rolls at Walmart, Albertsons, and Sprouts. Soyrizo can also be found at the aforementioned stores. Walmart and JR’s sell Cacique brand soyrizo which is much cheaper and authentic.

This sandwich is so simple and versatile it begs to be tampered with, but do try to keep it simple.
No measurements here, just make it to your liking.

• bread
• soyrizo
• cheese (Muenster & Jack are good options. Bayless uses Cotija & Jack)
• roasted green chile, pickled jalapenos, or sliced peperoncini
• avocado
• condiments (optional)

1. Preheat a panini press or skillet.
2. Cook the soyrizo in a pan until it is heated through. Set aside.
3. Slice the bread in half and assemble the sandwich with all of the ingredients.
4. Place in the panini press and heat to your preference or until cheese is melted. If you’re using a skillet, you can weight the sandwich down with another heavy skillet or a foil covered brick. You may need to flip the sandwich over to the other side if using a skillet.

Fakin’ Bacon

There’s no such thing as faking bacon, but for me, a salty smoky flavor is enough to satisfy my cravings. My favorite bacon flavoring subs are smoked paprika, chipotle, and liquid smoke. I also really like Morningstar Farms’ Veggie Bacon Strips even though they look like Play-Doh. My new favorite bacon sub is coconut bacon.

I first heard about coconut bacon when one of my Twitter followers asked where one could find large coconut flakes in El Paso. Sprouts of course sells them, but you can also find them at Albertsons in the produce section among those bags of bulk items like nuts, candies, trail mix, etc. I was completely perplexed by the idea of coconut bacon, but after doing some research I was sold on it and set out to try it for myself. The combination of the liquid smoke, soy sauce, and fat from the coconut render a delicious mimic of bacon.

I followed this recipe from VegWeb:

3 large handfuls of large coconut flakes, unsweetened
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional- I chose to omit it since I don’t like sweet things)

Preheat oven to 400 (Vegan Good Things recommends preheating the oven to 300 & baking for 20 minutes). Place coconut in a shallow baking pan. Mix the remaining ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour over coconut and mix, making sure to coat it well. Bake until crispy. Make sure to watch them, they can burn quickly. I stored mine in a mason jar after they cooled completely. They’ll keep for about a week.

I recently came across The Chubby Vegetarian’s post about coconut bacon, Chef Jesse Kimball, and The Memphis Tap Room. It’s a really good post and I can’t wait to try their version coconut bacon. They actually smoke the coconut rather than use liquid smoke. Make sure to watch the video of The Memphis Tap Room on Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives. The Smoked Coconut Club Sandwich looks amazing.

This post is long overdue, as I actually made and photographed this sandwich last year after a trip to the farmers market at Ardovino’s Desert Crossing. Everything except the coconut was purchased from the farmers market. The bread is from Belle Sucre, which has not made a presence at the farmers market this year. They will possibly return June 12. Belle Sucre will be there this Saturday, June 9.

Bibb lettuce and tomatoes from New Mexico farmers. Baguette from Belle Sucre Bakery in El Paso.