DDD #128 – 10-Ingredient Vegan Spicy Chinese Barbecue Chicken with Broccoli

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2018

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All my posts now have a VERY customizable PRINT & PDF option.  Create a PDF & save the recipe to your computer or print it out.  It offers a “remove images” option & you can delete any part of the post you do not need before printing.  The button is below by the Twitter & Facebook links.

 

Click the image above to watch the video.

This is as easy as a dish can be!  It took me less time to make the chicken & broccoli than it did to make the rice.  Easy, delicious & as spicy (or not) as you please.  Ok – I list 11 ingredients but I only used snap peas because I had them.  Use them, lose them, substitute them with something else.  Your call.

Vegan Spicy Chinese Barbecue Chicken with Broccoli 

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

9 (or more) ounces vegan chicken (I adore Beyond Meat brand) – cubed

Broccoli for two – cut into florets (amount is up to you & your love of broccoli)

1-2 jalapenos (red or green) – diced (optional & up to your tolerance for heat)

1 scallion – sliced (green & white parts)

1 TBS olive or coconut or other cooking oil

for the sauce (double this sauce recipe if you like a lot of sauce or want extra sauce for some rice)

1/4 cup vegan hoisin sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce (or liquid aminos or tamari)

1 TBS chili paste (sambal oelek or chili garlic sauce)

1 tsp fresh minced ginger (I used bottled)

2 TBS dark berry jam (I used Marionberry jam but blueberry, blackberry or raspberry would work.  Orange might be nice, too!)

GARNISH: warm cooked rice, sesame seeds, sliced scallions

DIRECTIONS

Make rice or whatever grain you like.

Heat the oil & saute the jalapenos & scallion slices for a minute or two.  Add the remaining sauce ingredients & the chicken.  Heat for a few minutes until the chicken is warmed & the sauce thickens a bit.  Lower heat & set aside.

Boil water & blanch the broccoli & peas (if using) for 5 minutes then drain.   You can either add the broccoli to the chicken & sauce or simply serve it beside the chicken.

Plate with some rice & garnish with sesame seeds & scallion slices.

DDD #58 – Vegan Spicy Korean BBQ Pork Bulgogi

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2017

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This is an easy dish that goes well over rice or served in lettuce cups.

Click the image below to watch the video.

Vegan Spicy Korean BBQ Pork Bulgogi 

Serves 4 with rice

INGREDIENTS

1 to 1 1/2 lbs vegan faux pork (I used Morning Star Steak Strips & a vegan pork belly)

1 small onion – sliced

1 small apple – peeled

2 TBS jarred minced garlic or 6-8 cloves minced

2 TBS chopped ginger

1 TBS crushed red pepper

2 TBS Gochujang (buy some here – http://amzn.to/2zdE4e8)

1 tsp black pepper

3 TBS brown sugar

1 TBS soy sauce (or tamari or liquid aminos) (buy some here – http://amzn.to/2gY3S3z)

1/2 tsp sesame oil

3 TBS rice wine or mirin (buy some here – http://amzn.to/2yr3NQX)

1/2 to 1 cup slivered carrots (optional)

GARNISH – fresh mint, sliced scallions, cilantro, sesame seeds, and serve with cooked rice or in lettuce cups)

DIRECTIONS

In a blender or food processor, blend 3/4 of the onion (reserve 1/4), the apple, garlic, ginger, crushed red pepper, Gochujang, pepper, 2 TBS sugar (reserving 1 TBS), soy sauce & sesame oil.

Heat this sauce in a large frying pan or a wok.  Add the faux meat.  Cook until the sauce reduces & begins to cling to the faux pork.  Add the remaining 1/4 onion, carrots (if using), remaining TBS brown sugar & a splash of water.  When the onions & carrots are soft, serve over rice or in lettuce cups.  Garnish with either cilantro, mint sprigs, some sesame seeds or scallion slices.

Buy Magic Bullet here – http://amzn.to/2z9pAKa

Buy Gochujang here – http://amzn.to/2zdE4e8

Buy Rice Wine here – http://amzn.to/2yr3NQX

Buy the Greenlife Tiffany blue wok here – http://amzn.to/2zgi8Px

Buy the Greenlife set of pots & pans – http://amzn.to/2xRKoEs

My favorite garlic press – http://amzn.to/2ze5qRk

My silicone spatulas – http://amzn.to/2zfumbe

My favorite bread machine – http://amzn.to/2xPMNzr

Best All-Clad pans ever – http://amzn.to/2Aas6A1

DDD #45 – Vegan Pulled Pork Jackfruit in a Sriracha and Blackberry Jam BBQ Sauce

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2017

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The video for the stovetop version is here.  The slow cooker one is far below.  Click the image below to watch the stovetop recipe.

Vegan Pulled Pork Jackfruit in a Sriracha and Blackberry Jam BBQ Sauce (Stovetop)

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

Drizzle of olive oil

1 (20 oz) can of young jackfruit – drained & shredded by hand

1-2 garlic cloves – chopped

2 tsp cider vinegar

2 tsp Dijon mustard

A few dashes of soy sauce or tamari

1/3 cup ketchup

1 TBS blackberry (or other dark berry) jam or preserves or chutney

1 TBS Sriracha

1 tsp molasses

A few dashes vegan Worcestershire sauce (optional)

1 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp brown sugar

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp chili powder

DIRECTIONS

Heat a little bit of oil in a pan.  Add the shredded jackfruit & the remaining ingredients & combine.  Heat through & serve as you desire.

That above is jackfruit.  It is a staple in Southeast Asian diets.  It is a giant fruit that grows to 100 pounds.  If you want to read more about it – I went into some detail in my Vegan Jackfruit Spicy Szechuan Dan Dan Noodles post.  Those are the noodles – below.

I bought this jackfruit in cans for $1.39 at my favorite Thai market – Bangluck – but I hear most Asian markets carry it.  Just be sure to buy UNRIPE or young jackfruit in water or brine.  Ripe jackfruit in syrup – it seems – tastes like Juicy Fruit gum & would be awful in this dish.

I made this in the slow cooker using a combination of jackfruit & Beyond Meat vegan chicken strips.

Both the jackfruit (above) & chicken will require that you shred it using two forks to achieve the pulled chicken visual.  It is easy once they are warmed & soft.  Just fish them out of the BBQ sauce & shred them on a cutting board.

I used it in tacos – HERE.

And on pasta – HERE.

And on pizza HERE.

Vegan Pulled Chicken with Jackfruit in a Sriracha and Blackberry Jam BBQ Sauce for the Slow Cooker

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

2 (20 oz) cans of young jackfruit

9 oz vegan chicken (or two more cans jackfruit)

4 garlic cloves – chopped

2 TBS cider vinegar

2 TBS Dijon mustard

1/3 cup soy sauce or tamari

2/3 cup ketchup

1/4 cup blackberry (or other dark berry) jam or preserves

3 TBS sriracha

1 TBS molasses

2 TBS vegan Worcestershire sauce (optional)

1 (12 oz) bottle of dark (or other) beer (optional)

2 tsp smoked paprika

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 TBS onion powder

1 TBS garlic powder

1 TBS chili powder

DIRECTIONS

Put everything in the slow cooker & leave on high for 5 hours.

At some point – you need to use two forks & shred the chicken & jackfruit.

Serve as you would serve any pulled chicken.

DDD Ep. #17 – Vegan Char Siu or Chinese BBQ Pork Ribs

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2017

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Reposting this recipe because I have a video to accompany it. Please – subscribe to my channel on Youtube. Www.VideoVegan.com.  Click the image below to watch.

One of my all-time favorite foods, since childhood, is BBQ ribs – especially of the Chinese variety.  Sticky, sweet & chewy – just delicious.  I lived above a Chinese take-out while I was in high school & smelled this shit cooking every day & never tired of it.  Even as the grease filled the air & I could feel my skin breaking out – I still craved these all the time – even if I only let myself have them on special occasions – mainly because I perceived them as extremely fattening and bad for you.

Then I gave up meat in the eighties & all ribs of all varieties fell forever from my diet.

Still – I craved that BBQ sauce & would have my mother send me the Ah-So Sauce (below)  – a brand not available in Los Angeles – and I would stir it into rice or dip vegetables in it.  It was not nearly as satisfying as ribs but I learned to live with it.

Chinese BBQ pork is called Char Siu.  Lee Kum Kee brand is widely available & certainly available online.  I saw this jar on a shelf & a great idea popped into my mind.  Why not make BBQ pork using Beyond Meat vegan chicken?  Why not, indeed!  Their chicken strips have a texture that can be experienced as chicken OR pork – as pork & chicken really do have a very similar quality.   And – I also decided to make the Char Siu sauce from scratch.  The ingredients are not terribly exotic & can certainly be purchased online – if your local ethnic or regular grocery stores don’t have them all.  The result was visually vibrant & the flavor is dead on.  I recommend this dish very highly!  You could also chop these “ribs” up & make a pork fried rice that would feel even the most deenerate carnivore.

I marinated the chicken overnight (in the bag) but that is totally unnecessary.  You can whip these up in ten minutes & feel all take-out Chinese-y & get your late night, OMG-I-drank-too-much experience right in the comfort of your own kitchen.

Vegan Char Siu or Chinese BBQ Pork Ribs

Serves 2 as an appetizer – double the marinade recipe if you like lots of BBQ sauce on your ribs

INGREDIENTS

9-12 oz vegan chicken (or seitan strips)

1/2 tsp Chinese 5 Spice

2 TBS agave nectar

2 TBS Shao Xing Chinese rice wine

1 TBS hoisin sauce

1 TBS Thai chili sauce

1 TBS dark soy sauce

2 tsp vegan oyster or mushroom-flavored sauce

2 tsp molasses

1 TBS minced garlic

1 TBS sesame oil

1 tsp red food coloring (critical for the fiery red color)

GARNISH (optional) – sliced scallions or green garlic

DIRECTIONS

Blend all the ingredients together & then add the chicken.  Marinate for a few minutes – or overnight.  I did this right in the Beyond Meat packaging.

When you are ready to cook them – heat a pan treated with cooking spray.  Add the MARINADE first & heat until it bubbles.  Add the chicken & cook, on high, turning often.  The idea is to let them get a bit blackened.  The sauce will thicken very quickly – which is why I suggesting doubling the marinade recipe if you like lots of sticky BBQ sauce.  You could even heat part of the marinade in a separate pan & pour it over your finished ribs.

DDD Ep. #8 – 5-minute Sticky, Spicy, Korean BBQ Chicken with Sesame Hibachi Noodles (Vegan)

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2017

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I am reposting this recipe from August 27, 2015 because it is episode #8 on my cooking show – Delightful Delicious Delovely & Video Vegan.  Go there for all my long & short format cooking videos & please subscribe.

Holy fucking shit!  This 5-minute Sticky, Spicy, Korean BBQ Chicken is AWESOME!  Honestly, the sauce on them takes 5 minutes & will blow your socks off!  The noodles are more delicate in flavor & accompany the chicken well – and will take as long to cook as the package directs but this whole thing can be don in under 20 minutes.  These noodles are probably more authentically prepared with soba noodles but I just used this spaghetti here.

I used the best faux chicken on the market – Beyond Meat.  Click that link to find a store locator & maybe grab a coupon!  I used vegan butter & I am pretty sure that vegetarian hoisin in vegan (I am not yet 100% vegan).  If you fear it is not – substitute with a vegan teriyaki sauce.

***NOTES – I used gochujang – a Korean spicy paste.  I see it at my local grocery store in the Asian section but you might have to go to a Korean market or buy it online.  It is like a thick & spicy ketchup.  One suggestion to substitute it is:

“Per tablespoon – Make a paste of 1 tablespoon red chilli pepper flakes moistened with soy sauce and add a little sugar. This will not replicate the complexity but a similar flavor profile.

HERE is another option to substitute using sambal oelek.

Sesame Hibachi Noodles

Serves 4 (cut this recipe in half to match the chicken quantity – or just treat yourself to leftover yummy noodles)

INGREDIENTS

1 lb noodles (your choice of spaghetti or soba or linguine etc) – cooked & drained

2 TBS vegan butter

2 TBS brown sugar

2 garlic cloves – minced

4 TBS low sodium soy sauce (or tamari)

1 TBS hoisin sauce (or teriyaki sauce)

1 tsp to 2 TBS crushed red pepper (I like shit hot – you might not – so adjust to suite your taste)

1 TBS sesame oil

Sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS

Cook the noodles.

Meanwhile – heat the butter in a saute pan.  Add the garlic for one minute & then add sugar, hoisin (or teriyaki) and the crushed red pepper.  Bring to a boil & let it thicken a bit.  Add the sesame oil & then immediately toss with the drained, warm noodles

Sprinkle with sesame seeds & maybe extra crushed red pepper.

5-minute Sticky, Spicy, Korean BBQ Chicken

Serves 2 (double this recipe to match the noodle quantity)

INGREDIENTS

9 oz vegan Beyond chicken – cubed

3 TBS agave nectar (or honey – if you are not vegan)

2 garlic cloves – minced

1 tsp to 2 TBS crushed red pepper (Again – I like shit hot – you might not – so adjust to suite your taste)

1 TBS gochujang (see notes above)

1 TBS low sodium soy sauce (or tamari)

Juice of 1/2 lime

2 tsp sesame oil

Scallions – sliced – as garnish

DIRECTIONS

Thaw & cube the chicken.

Put the rest of the ingredients (not the chicken) into a sauce pan & bring to a boil  Simmer a few minutes until it thickens – less than 5 minutes.  Add the chicken & cook until the sauce is thick & clinging to the chicken – maybe even letting a few bits brown or char.  Be careful not to burn it.

Garnish with scallions & serve with the noodles.  YUM!

Vegan BBQ Ribs (Seitan) with Spicy Korean or Spicy Traditional BBQ Sauce

 

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2014

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~

All my posts now have a VERY customizable PRINT & PDF option.  Create a PDF & save the recipe to your computer or print it out.  It offers a “remove images” option & you can delete any part of the post you do not need before printing.  The button is below by the Twitter & Facebook links.

~

I am reposting this recipe from June 2014 because I have a new Video Vegan Youtube recipe to go with it.  Check it out here:

Holy.  Fucking.  Shit.

These are so crazy easy & so freaking delicious – I might eat them every day for the rest of my life!  As a kid, BBQ ribs with that red, Chinese BBQ sauce were my favorite food on Earth.  Having given meat up 25 years ago or so – I have often longed for those fuckers but nobody seemed to have any way to replicate them.  Until now!

These will not fool a meat-eater into thinking these are beef or pork but who cares about that?  Not fucking ME.  I was very pleased with myself yesterday – having eaten the entire plate of these spicy wonders and – and sat there wondering why I put off trying to make my own seitan (wheat gluten-based fake meat) for this long.

This is the brand I bought & I got it at the local health food store.  I am certain Whole Foods & places like Erewhon must also carry it – perhaps even in the bulk items aisle.  If you live in a remote area – buy it online.  But BUY IT!

The rack of 8 ribs I made yesterday took 1 cup of this flour to make – which is only about 500 calories – plus the calories from the BBQ sauce.  Not bad for what feels like an enormous amount of meat because, remember, those ribs you see here are boneless – so that big slab is all eatin’ material.  Plus – it is really enough for two – I just completely lost my shit & shoved these down my gullet like hotdog-eating champion Takeru Kobayashi.  It must have looked obscene (had anyone been here to watch me) and I will admit to a near-sexual level of excitement as I devoured these.  It was madness!  I had become unhinged!  And I write about it now without shame or regret.  Though I still suffer from a haunting, multi-pronged depression-anxiety that clings to me like a sticky burr on a pilly Irish sweater.  So – these ribs, magical as they are, do not cure THIS feeling (photographer unknown):

Never fear – wine takes at least some of the edge off – if you also feel like that image above.  The combo of wine & these ribs will keep those demons at bay for at least a brief respite.

OK – back to the ribs.  I made two kinds of BBQ sauce yesterday – Korean & traditional.  Both were very spicy but I ended up opting to use the Korean variety on my first faux rib effort.  The Korean one was made in my crock-pot as I hiked.  The other was made stove-top.   I used 2 TBS Gochujang (seen below) in the Korean BBQ sauce but only because I had it.  It is in NO WAY critical to the final outcome.

Spicy Korean BBQ Sauce

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

3/4 cup low sodium tamari (soy sauce)

1/4 cup water

1 TBS rice vinegar

2 TBS chili paste (sambal oelek or other type)

2 TBS Gochujang (optional)

2 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp ground pepper

1 TBS fresh ginger (minced)

5 garlic cloves – minced

2 TBS cornstarch

DIRECTIONS

I put everything EXCEPT the cornstarch into a little crock-pot & left it for two hours.  Once it was bubbly – I added 2 TBS cornstarch & whisked it in.  That made the sauce very thick & gooey.  Perfect!  You can do this stove-top by just bringing everything (except cornstarch) to a boil & then whisk in the cornstarch.  It would likely take only a few minutes to come together.

Spicy Traditional BBQ Sauce

INGREDIENTS

2 cups ketchup

1 cup water

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

5 TBS brown sugar

2 TBS white sugar

1 TBS ground pepper

1 TBS garlic powder

1 TBS onion powder

1 TBS Dijon

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 TBS horseradish

1 TBS lemon juice

1 TBS vegan (or other) Worcestershire sauce

2+ chipotle peppers in adobo (minced) (use more or less to suit your heat tolerance – I used 5)

juice of 1 orange

DIRECTIONS

Bring all ingredients to a boil & simmer until thick.  10-15 minutes.  Maybe more but not likely.

Vegan BBQ Ribs

INGREDIENTS

1 cup vital wheat gluten

2 tsp chipotle powder (smoked or not)

1 TBS lemon pepper

1 TBS onion powder

1 TBS garlic powder

1 cup water

2 TBS tahini

2 TBS low sodium tamari (soy sauce)

1-2 drops (DROPS – as this shit is overpowering and gets nasty-tasting fast) – liquid smoke (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Also – get the barbeque ready.  It is the grilling of these guys that is the magic.  A regular BBQ with charcoals is best.

Mix the wet ingredients (water, tahini, tamari & liquid smoke) in a small bowl.  Set aside.

In a larger bowl – mix the dry ingredients (wheat gluten & spices) and add the wet ingredients.  Mix it up until that gooey hamburger-looking stuff comes together – which happens almost instantly.

Grease a loaf pan & press the seitan into the pan.  Smooth it flat.  Bake it at 350 for about 30 minutes.  Remove from the oven & transfer the seitan to a plate & slather it with the BBQ sauce of your choice.

When your charcoals are ready – flop the seitan, BBQ sauce side down, onto the grill.  Slather lots more BBQ sauce on the other side.

Now just cook this until it looks the way you would want ribs to look.  I took mine off too early & found the “ribs” still not chewy enough to seem like meat so – I cut the slab into ribs and cooked them all a bit more.

And then I commenced the food orgy.  I suggest you do the same!

10-Ingredient Vegan Spicy Chinese Barbecue Chicken with Broccoli & Sugar Snap Peas

 

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2017

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To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.

All my posts now have a VERY customizable PRINT & PDF option.  Create a PDF & save the recipe to your computer or print it out.  It offers a “remove images” option & you can delete any part of the post you do not need before printing.  The button is below by the Twitter & Facebook links.

This is as easy as a dish can be!  It took me less time to make the chicken & broccoli than it did to make the rice.  Easy, delicious & as spicy (or not) as you please.  Ok – I list 11 ingredients but I only used snap peas because I had them.  Use them, lose them, substitute them with something else.  Your call.

Vegan Spicy Chinese Barbecue Chicken with Broccoli & Sugar Snap Peas

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

9 (or more) ounces vegan chicken (I adore Beyond Meat brand) – cubed

Broccoli for two – cut into florets (amount is up to you & your love of broccoli)

Sugar snap peas (optional) – as many or as few as you please

1-2 jalapenos (red or green) – diced (optional & up to your tolerance for heat)

1 scallion – sliced (green & white parts)

1 TBS olive or coconut or other cooking oil

for the sauce (double this sauce recipe if you like a lot of sauce or want extra sauce for some rice)

1/4 cup vegan hoisin sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce (or liquid aminos or tamari)

1 TBS chili paste (sambal oelek or chili garlic sauce)

1 tsp fresh minced ginger (I used bottled)

2 TBS dark berry jam (I used Marionberry jam but blueberry, blackberry or raspberry would work.  Orange might be nice, too!)

GARNISH: warm cooked rice, sesame seeds, sliced scallions

DIRECTIONS

Make rice or whatever grain you like.

Heat the oil & saute the jalapenos & scallion slices for a minute or two.  Add the remaining sauce ingredients & the chicken.  Heat for a few minutes until the chicken is warmed & the sauce thickens a bit.  Lower heat & set aside.

Boil water & blanch the broccoli & peas (if using) for 5 minutes then drain.   You can either add the broccoli to the chicken & sauce or simply serve it beside the chicken.

Plate with some rice & garnish with sesame seeds & scallion slices.

Vegan Char Siu or Chinese BBQ Pork Ribs

 

 

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2016

Follow @celisemccarthy

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To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.

One of my all-time favorite foods, since childhood, is BBQ ribs – especially of the Chinese variety.  Sticky, sweet & chewy – just delicious.  I lived above a Chinese take-out while I was in high school & smelled this shit cooking every day & never tired of it.  Even as the grease filled the air & I could feel my skin breaking out – I still craved these all the time – even if I only let myself have them on special occasions – mainly because I perceived them as extremely fattening and bad for you.

Then I gave up meat in the eighties & all ribs of all varieties fell forever from my diet.

Still – I craved that BBQ sauce & would have my mother send me the Ah-So Sauce (below)  – a brand not available in Los Angeles – and I would stir it into rice or dip vegetables in it.  It was not nearly as satisfying as ribs but I learned to live with it.

Chinese BBQ pork is called Char Siu.  Lee Kum Kee brand is widely available & certainly available online.  I saw this jar on a shelf & a great idea popped into my mind.  Why not make BBQ pork using Beyond Meat vegan chicken?  Why not, indeed!  Their chicken strips have a texture that can be experienced as chicken OR pork – as pork & chicken really do have a very similar quality.   And – I also decided to make the Char Siu sauce from scratch.  The ingredients are not terribly exotic & can certainly be purchased online – if your local ethnic or regular grocery stores don’t have them all.  The result was visually vibrant & the flavor is dead on.  I recommend this dish very highly!  You could also chop these “ribs” up & make a pork fried rice that would feel even the most deenerate carnivore.

I marinated the chicken overnight (in the bag) but that is totally unnecessary.  You can whip these up in ten minutes & feel all take-out Chinese-y & get your late night, OMG-I-drank-too-much experience right in the comfort of your own kitchen.

Vegan Char Siu or Chinese BBQ Pork Ribs

Serves 2 as an appetizer – double the marinade recipe if you like lots of BBQ sauce on your ribs

INGREDIENTS

9-12 oz vegan chicken (or seitan strips)

1/2 tsp Chinese 5 Spice

2 TBS agave nectar

2 TBS Shao Xing Chinese rice wine

1 TBS hoisin sauce

1 TBS Thai chili sauce

1 TBS dark soy sauce

2 tsp vegan oyster or mushroom-flavored sauce

2 tsp molasses

1 TBS minced garlic

1 TBS sesame oil

1 tsp red food coloring (critical for the fiery red color)

GARNISH (optional) – sliced scallions or green garlic

DIRECTIONS

Blend all the ingredients together & then add the chicken.  Marinate for a few minutes – or overnight.  I did this right in the Beyond Meat packaging.

When you are ready to cook them – heat a pan treated with cooking spray.  Add the MARINADE first & heat until it bubbles.  Add the chicken & cook, on high, turning often.  The idea is to let them get a bit blackened.  The sauce will thicken very quickly – which is why I suggesting doubling the marinade recipe if you like lots of sticky BBQ sauce.  You could even heat part of the marinade in a separate pan & pour it over your finished ribs.

Beyond Meat Korean BBQ with Beyond Chicken – Frozen Dinner – Part 1

 

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2016

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To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.

All my posts now have a VERY customizable PRINT & PDF option.  Create a PDF & save the recipe to your computer or just print it out.  It offers a “remove images” option & you can delete any part of the post you do not need before printing.  The button is below by the Twitter & Facebook links.

Ever have a bad day?  Flat tire on a rainy night?  Take the blame for someone else’s error at work?  Not get that job you really wanted?  Stuck in traffic for hours?  Diet all week & step on the scale only to discover you have gained two pounds?  Spend the day trying on bathing suits & now you feel like jumping off a bridge?  Run into an ex with their amazing new “other half” and you haven’t showered in two days?   Need a little comfort food to go with your box of wine but you can’t really cook or you are too exhausted, anyway?

Beyond Meat to the rescue!

Beyond Meat has done it again!  Very soon, 4 different, single-serving frozen meals will become available.  They might already be available at Whole Foods in the frozen meal aisle.  I was lucky enough to find one of each kind and I will talk about the Korean BBQ here today.

Zaps in the microwave in between 3-6 minutes.  It has just the right level of sweet meets mildly spicy & loaded with chunks of Beyond Chicken, rice, edamame & kimchi.   Only 320 calories & it is easy, quick & delicious!  And for those concerned about protein intake – this has 21 grams!   And it is surprisingly filling for such a low calorie count.

Non-GMO & 100% vegan – this is a welcome new dish in the convenience food market.  I highly recommend it!

5-Minute Vegan Sticky & Spicy Indian Masala Chicken Fingers

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2015

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These take 5 minutes & are completely irresistible!  I ate the entire 9 oz of chicken in one sitting.  I recommend using Beyond Meat chicken because it really is the best on the market.  Click the link to get a coupon & use their store locator.  In the pictures – I cooked these in a regular non-stick pan but I did, ultimately, transfer them to a grill pan – just for the aesthetic of the grill marks.  If you have a grill pan – use it – otherwise any pan will do.

5-Minute Vegan Sticky & Spicy Indian Masala Chicken Fingers

Serves 1-2 as an appetizer (though this would go great with rice, too)

INGREDIENTS

9 oz vegan chicken

2 TBS garam masala

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp salt

1/3 cup chili sauce (the sweet Thai kind)

2 tsp soy sauce

2 TBS sriracha

1 TBS ketchup

juice of 1/2 lime

Agave nectar

Olive oil or cooking spray

GARNISH – sliced scallions, sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS

Whisk all the ingredients except the chicken, agave & garnish.  Set the sauce aside.

If you have a grill pan (or other pan) – treat it with cooking spray or olive oil.  Put the chicken in the pan on high heat.  Add the sauce & cook, turning the strips frequently, until the sauce thickens & begins to blacken in spots – likely only a few minutes.  Just before they are done – drizzle with a little agave nectar for moisture.

Serve with choice of garnish.

5-Minute Vegan Burnt Brown Sugar Chicken Fingers

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2015

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Ok – these things were so delicious – I was almost unable to keep from eating them all as I photographed them.  They take 5 minutes and can be eaten as is or packed into a sandwich or taco.  They would go really well with my Spicy Vegan Sriracha Miso Cole Slaw, seen above.

As always, I used Beyond Meat brand chicken because it is, quite simply, the best on the market.  Click that link to use their store locator & get a coupon.

These could be baked but I think that really only works for real chicken as the grease in the chicken would keep it moist.  Faux chicken, like I used here, I think, is better served stove-top & it is faster & easier that way, anyway.  These suckers are REALLY good – I promise!

5-Minute Vegan Burnt Brown Sugar Chicken Fingers

Feeds 1 or 2 – depending on appetite

INGREDIENTS

1 9oz bag of vegan chicken strips – thawed

2 TBS olive oil

1 TBS brown sugar

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

2 tsp chili powder

2 tsp smoked paprika

1-2 TBS agave nectar

S&P

DIRECTIONS

If you have a nonstick pan – use it.  Burnt sugar is a pain to clean.  If you don’t have one – maybe up the olive oil a tad.

Mix all the ingredients (except the chicken) – reserving 1 TBS agave nectar – in a bowl.  Put the mixture in the bag with the chicken & mush it all around until all the strips are covered.

Again – use either a nonstick pan or a pan greased with some olive oil & cook on medium high, stirring occasionally, until the sugar just begins to blacken.  Toss with another TBS agave nectar to moisten things up a bit & serve!

Pasta with Pulled Vegan Chicken & Jackfruit with Blackberry Jam-Sriracha BBQ Sauce

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2015

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So, last week, I made Vegan Pulled Chicken with Jackfruit in a Sriracha and Blackberry Jam BBQ Sauce for the Slow Cooker – seen above.  It was delicious but I made a fuckton of it & needed to find more creative ways to use it.  Here is the first of three ways I used the leftover pulled BBQ chicken – on pasta!  The only real recipe here is the actual pulled chicken & jackfruit.  Beyond that – it is your favorite pasta & favorite pasta sauce.  I used these curly noodles & Rao’s Arrabbiata – THE BEST sauce in a jar ever.

Pasta with Vegan Pulled Chicken & Jackfruit with Blackberry Jam-Sriracha BBQ Sauce

INGREDIENTS

Vegan Pulled Chicken with Jackfruit in a Sriracha and Blackberry Jam BBQ Sauce for the Slow Cooker

Cooked Pasta

Pasta sauce

Garnish – micro arugula, basil, red bell peppers diced

DIRECTIONS

Make the pasta.  Warm the sauce & warm the BBQ.

Distribute onto plates.

Eat.

Vegan Pulled Chicken with Jackfruit in a Sriracha and Blackberry Jam BBQ Sauce for the Slow Cooker

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2015

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That above is jackfruit.  It is a staple in Southeast Asian diets.  It is a giant fruit that grows to 100 pounds.  If you want to read more about it – I went into some detail in my Vegan Jackfruit Spicy Szechuan Dan Dan Noodles post.  Those are the noodles – below.

I bought this jackfruit in cans for $1.39 at my favorite Thai market – Bangluck – but I hear most Asian markets carry it.  Just be sure to buy UNRIPE or young jackfruit in water or brine.  Ripe jackfruit in syrup – it seems – tastes like Juicy Fruit gum & would be awful in this dish.

I made this in the slow cooker using a combination of jackfruit & Beyond Meat vegan chicken strips.

Both the jackfruit (above) & chicken will require that you shred it using two forks to achieve the pulled chicken visual.  It is easy once they are warmed & soft.  Just fish them out of the BBQ sauce & shred them on a cutting board.

Vegan Pulled Chicken with Jackfruit in a Sriracha and Blackberry Jam BBQ Sauce for the Slow Cooker

This makes a lot but I will post 4 recipes using it over the next few days

INGREDIENTS

2 (20 oz) cans of young jackfruit

9 oz vegan chicken

4 garlic cloves – chopped

2 TBS cider vinegar

2 TBS Dijon mustard

1/3 cup soy sauce or tamari

2/3 cup ketchup

1/4 cup blackberry (or other dark berry) jam or preserves

3 TBS sriracha

1 TBS molasses

2 TBS vegan Worcestershire sauce (optional)

1 (12 oz) bottle of dark (or other) beer (optional)

2 tsp smoked paprika

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 TBS onion powder

1 TBS garlic powder

1 TBS chili powder

DIRECTIONS

Put everything in the slow cooker & leave on high for 5 hours.

At some point – you need to use two forks & shred the chicken & jackfruit.

Serve as you would serve any pulled chicken.

Chipotle Gouda and Guinness (Stout) Mac and Cheese with Vegan Pulled Chicken (or Pork) in Homemade Chipotle Apricot BBQ Sauce

 

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2014

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Macaroni & cheese.  Who doesn’t love it?  It can be customized so many ways and, even better, can be prepared in advance & baked in the last half hour so – if you are hosting a party – you can actually enjoy it, too, and not slave in the kitchen while the guests swill your liquor together.

I hosted a little birthday thingy recently & made three, count’m – THREE – different kinds of mac & cheese.  I made the one posted here and I made a Mint & Zucchini Mac & Cheese & a Smoked Gouda & Truffle Oil Mac & Cheese with Crispy Panko – seen below – respectively.

I made this pulled chicken version with Beyond Meat vegan chicken.

You could use any fake (or real) meat.  I also made a homemade BBQ sauce (which is VERY easy) but your favorite jarred variety will do.

I used chipotle gouda.  Only 8 oz.  LOTS of other cheese, though, so the chipotle part was a tad overwhelmed but the chipotle BBQ sauce more than made up for it.  If you love chipotle, maybe add a chopped chipotle pepper or two into the cheese mix of double or triple the quantity of chipotle gouda?  These kinds of dishes have lots of wiggle room so do not get all anal about this shit.  Mix it up & trust.  It is fucking cheese & pasta.  Who is gonna complain?

I used a combination of various pastas in my three dishes.  The kind you use is up to you.

My dish was inspired by this photo – but the recipe is mine.  The list of ingredients in the BBQ sauce is long but the instructions are short – so do not be intimidated.

Homemade Chipotle Apricot BBQ Sauce

Makes WAY more than you need for just the mac & cheese recipe – so keep leftovers jarred in the fridge

INGREDIENTS

1 TBS Olive Oil

1/2 onion – diced

7 garlic cloves – minced

1 4 oz can chipotle peppers in adobo – minced

3/4 cup apricot jam or preserves

1 cup tomato sauce (I used a spicy homemade pasta sauce I had around but jarred/canned is fine)

1 cup ketchup

A few shakes hot sauce ( I love Crystal)

1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce

1 cup brown sugar

1-3 TBS sriracha (or other hot sauce)

1/4 cup cider vinegar

2 TBS Dijon

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp celery salt (optional)

1 tsp ground pepper

1-3 DROPS Liquid Smoke (optional – but if you use it – GO LIGHT because this stuff gets gross fast)

2 TBS cornstarch (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Heat the olive oil in a pan & saute the onions.

Once they are soft, add everything else & bring to a boil – then lower heat & simmer for 15 minutes or so.  You could puree this in a blender if you liked – but I did not.  I then left mine in a crock pot for a few hours but a few minutes stove top is great.  If you want it thicker – stir in some cornstarch at the end.  I did not do this.

Set aside.  See?  easy!

 

OK – one thing – because I made this mac & cheese for a party, I cooked it in a large casserole pan but the ramekin images were taken the next day – when I reheated the leftovers.

This is not burned on top.  You are seeing the BBQ sauce & vegan chicken.  Mmmmmmm!

Chipotle Gouda and Guinness (Stout) Mac and Cheese with Vegan Pulled Chicken (or Pork)

INGREDIENTS

2 cups BBQ sauce (recipe above)

1 lb dry pasta – cooked & drained & cooled under running water

9 oz vegan chicken or pork (or real meat)

2 cups milk (I used almond)

4 TBS butter

4 TBS flour

pinch of nutmeg

1 tsp chipotle chili powder

1 12 oz Guinness (or other stout)

8 oz chipotle gouda

3 cups grated cheddar

2 cups grated pepper jack – divided

4 oz cream cheese

S&P to taste

1-2 cups panko or other breadcrumbs

 

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cook & cool the pasta.

Heat up 1 1/2 cups of BBQ sauce (reserve 1/2 cup to drizzle over the top later) & drop the vegan chicken in there.  Bring to a boil & the lower heat & simmer while you do the next things.  When you can, however, use two forks & shred the chicken in the BBQ sauce.

Warm the milk.

In another pan, melt the butter over med-high heat & then add the flour.  Whisk constantly & it should bet thick pretty fast.  Heat it until it starts to turn a golden sandy color.  Then, add the milk 1/2 cup at a time, whisking the whole time, until all the milk is incorporated & it is sorta thick – but still pourable.    Now add the beer the same way.  It could get frothy & bubble over so be careful.  It won’t get thick again once you add the beer.  Once it is all incorporated – add all the other ingredients – EXCEPT the BBQ chicken – and be sure to reserve one cup of pepper jack to top the dish.

Spray a casserole pan with cooking spray & put the mac & cheese in.  If it seems too dry, stir in some milk.  I didn’t have to with this recipe.  Top with panko (and I spray them with cooking spray).  The one on the left is the one for this recipe.

Bake for about 25 minutes & then top it with the BBQ chicken & the reserved pepper jack.  Bake another ten minutes or so – or until the cheese is melted.

Drizzle with reserved BBQ sauce, if you desire.

Let it rest 5 minutes or so & serve that shit up!

Boozy & Spicy BBQ Baked Black-Eyed Peas (Beans) – Vegan

 

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2014

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OK – let’s talk about these beans.  They can be made with black-eyed peas, as I show here, or with white beans or really any kind of beans you prefer.  There are lots of ingredients & none of them are critical – so – if you want to skip one or two go ahead.  Or if you do not feel like wasting beer & whiskey in a pot of beans – don’t.  There is plenty of flavor in these guys so I feel confident you will like them even if you tweak the recipe a bit.

I quick-soaked these which is to say – I covered them with several inches of water and brought it to a boil & left them to soak (off the heat) for about an hour.  Or – you can just soak them overnight.  This makes them cook faster & breaks down the stuff in them that inspired that “beans, beans – good for you heart” gem we all remember.

I cooked these for about 3 hours.  If that sounds interminable – use canned beans and these could be done in an hour but the full two hours will blend the flavors better.

 

 

Boozy & Spicy Baked BBQ Black-Eyed Peas (Beans)

INGREDIENTS

1 lb dry black-eyed peas (of which I used about 4 of the resulting 5 cups of beans post-soak) or 5 cans beans

1/2 green bell pepper – chopped

10 sweet mini peppers (or the other 1/2 of the green bell) – chopped

1 jalapeno – seeded and chopped (optional)

4 garlic cloves – chopped

1 (28 ounce) can tomato sauce

2 TBS red wine vinegar

2 TBS lime juice

1/2 cup soy sauce

1-4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce – minced (use as much as your heat tolerance allows)

1/4 cup molasses

1/4 agave nectar (or honey – if you are not vegan)

1 TBS ground cumin

1 teaspoon dry thyme

3 TBS Dijon or other spicy mustard

1 bottle dark beer (I Used Guinness but Guinness is not vegan – so if you are vegan – use a vegan dark beer) – optional

1/4 cup Jack Daniels Honey Whiskey (or regular whiskey – if the honey whiskey isn’t vegan)  – optional

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

If using dry beans – quick soak them & then bring them back to a boil & allow to simmer for an hour – while you get the other ingredients prepped.  Before draining the beans – reserve a cup of the bean water.  Measure out 4 cups of beans.  Save the rest for a recipe I will post soon!

Or just open & drain the cans of beans.

I pulsed the mini peppers, garlic & jalapeno in my food processor to mince them but a more coarse chopping is fine.  In a large bowl – combine all the remaining ingredients – except the beans & reserved bean water.

I sprayed a large (9×12?) ceramic baking dish with cooking spray & put the black-eyed peas in there and poured the liquid on top.  I baked it for two hours, stirring occasionally & added some of the reserved bean water to thin it a few times.  You may or may not choose to do this – depending on how much liquid you like in your beans.  I hadn’t boiled my beans for the hour after quick-soaking so they were still a tad more al dente than I like so I baked them another hour.  You may or may not choose to do this.

If using canned beans – all the steps above apply but they will probably be done in one hour – DEFINITELY in two.

Maybe try these with my Vegan Korean BBQ Ribs?

 

 

Vegan BBQ Ribs (Seitan) with Spicy Korean or Spicy Traditional BBQ Sauce

 

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2014

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Holy.  Fucking.  Shit.

These are so crazy easy & so freaking delicious – I might eat them every day for the rest of my life!  As a kid, BBQ ribs with that red, Chinese BBQ sauce were my favorite food on Earth.  Having given meat up 25 years ago or so – I have often longed for those fuckers but nobody seemed to have any way to replicate them.  Until now!

These will not fool a meat-eater into thinking these are beef or pork but who cares about that?  Not fucking ME.  I was very pleased with myself yesterday – having eaten the entire plate of these spicy wonders and – and sat there wondering why I put off trying to make my own seitan (wheat gluten-based fake meat) for this long.

This is the brand I bought & I got it at the local health food store.  I am certain Whole Foods & places like Erewhon must also carry it – perhaps even in the bulk items aisle.  If you live in a remote area – buy it online.  But BUY IT!

The rack of 8 ribs I made yesterday took 1 cup of this flour to make – which is only about 500 calories – plus the calories from the BBQ sauce.  Not bad for what feels like an enormous amount of meat because, remember, those ribs you see here are boneless – so that big slab is all eatin’ material.  Plus – it is really enough for two – I just completely lost my shit & shoved these down my gullet like hotdog-eating champion Takeru Kobayashi.  It must have looked obscene (had anyone been here to watch me) and I will admit to a near-sexual level of excitement as I devoured these.  It was madness!  I had become unhinged!  And I write about it now without shame or regret.  Though I still suffer from a haunting, multi-pronged depression-anxiety that clings to me like a sticky burr on a pilly Irish sweater.  So – these ribs, magical as they are, do not cure THIS feeling (photographer unknown):

Never fear – wine takes at least some of the edge off – if you also feel like that image above.  The combo of wine & these ribs will keep those demons at bay for at least a brief respite.

OK – back to the ribs.  I made two kinds of BBQ sauce yesterday – Korean & traditional.  Both were very spicy but I ended up opting to use the Korean variety on my first faux rib effort.  The Korean one was made in my crock-pot as I hiked.  The other was made stove-top.   I used 2 TBS Gochujang (seen below) in the Korean BBQ sauce but only because I had it.  It is in NO WAY critical to the final outcome.

Spicy Korean BBQ Sauce

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

3/4 cup low sodium tamari (soy sauce)

1/4 cup water

1 TBS rice vinegar

2 TBS chili paste (sambal oelek or other type)

2 TBS Gochujang (optional)

2 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp ground pepper

1 TBS fresh ginger (minced)

5 garlic cloves – minced

2 TBS cornstarch

DIRECTIONS

I put everything EXCEPT the cornstarch into a little crock-pot & left it for two hours.  Once it was bubbly – I added 2 TBS cornstarch & whisked it in.  That made the sauce very thick & gooey.  Perfect!  You can do this stove-top by just bringing everything (except cornstarch) to a boil & then whisk in the cornstarch.  It would likely take only a few minutes to come together.

Spicy Traditional BBQ Sauce

INGREDIENTS

2 cups ketchup

1 cup water

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

5 TBS brown sugar

2 TBS white sugar

1 TBS ground pepper

1 TBS garlic powder

1 TBS onion powder

1 TBS Dijon

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 TBS horseradish

1 TBS lemon juice

1 TBS vegan (or other) Worcestershire sauce

2+ chipotle peppers in adobo (minced) (use more or less to suit your heat tolerance – I used 5)

juice of 1 orange

DIRECTIONS

Bring all ingredients to a boil & simmer until thick.  10-15 minutes.  Maybe more but not likely.

Vegan BBQ Ribs

INGREDIENTS

1 cup vital wheat gluten

2 tsp chipotle powder (smoked or not)

1 TBS lemon pepper

1 TBS onion powder

1 TBS garlic powder

1 cup water

2 TBS tahini

2 TBS low sodium tamari (soy sauce)

1-2 drops (DROPS – as this shit is overpowering and gets nasty-tasting fast) – liquid smoke (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Also – get the barbeque ready.  It is the grilling of these guys that is the magic.  A regular BBQ with charcoals is best.

Mix the wet ingredients (water, tahini, tamari & liquid smoke) in a small bowl.  Set aside.

In a larger bowl – mix the dry ingredients (wheat gluten & spices) and add the wet ingredients.  Mix it up until that gooey hamburger-looking stuff comes together – which happens almost instantly.

Grease a loaf pan & press the seitan into the pan.  Smooth it flat.  Bake it at 350 for about 30 minutes.  Remove from the oven & transfer the seitan to a plate & slather it with the BBQ sauce of your choice.

When your charcoals are ready – flop the seitan, BBQ sauce side down, onto the grill.  Slather lots more BBQ sauce on the other side.

Now just cook this until it looks the way you would want ribs to look.  I took mine off too early & found the “ribs” still not chewy enough to seem like meat so – I cut the slab into ribs and cooked them all a bit more.

And then I commenced the food orgy.  I suggest you do the same!