DDD #32 – Vegan Carrot “Smoked Salmon” (Lox) & Carrot Hot Dogs

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.

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Ok – I have been seeing versions of these two recipes everywhere & decided I had to try them.  I have a video of my efforts on my Youtube channel.  Click the image below to watch.

 

Neither of these is difficult to pull off but for my money, neither was really worth the effort.  Despite looking as convincing as you could really hope – the flavors were not especially strong.  A fun & novel experiment.

Vegan Carrot “Smoked Salmon” (Lox)

INGREDIENTS
2-3 cups coarse salt

3 large unpeeled carrots

 

Kelp granules and/or Roasted sesame seeds & Seaweed and/or Nori sheets

for the marinade

1 TBS miso paste

2 TBS olive oil

Several dashes liquid smoke

1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp kelp granules (or use only kelp granules)

1 tsp roasted sesame seeds & seaweed (or use only this)

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Create a thick layer of salt in an oven-safe pan.  Place the carrots on top & sprinkle the carrots on both sides with kelp granules and the roasted sesame seeds & seaweed – or – wrap each carrot in a slice or nori.  Do not let carrots touch the pan.  Cover with salt & bake for 90 minutes.

Removes carrots from salt and, when cool enough to handle, slice as thinly as possible.  Even consider using a vegetable peeler or mandolin.  Mix the marinade & marinate the carrot slices for 2 or more days.  Be sure the carrots are always in contact with the moisture.

Serve as you would serve smoked salmon.  I used bagels, sliced tomato, red onion, capers, dill, lemon and S&P.

Carrot Hot Dogs

INGREDIENTS

Carrots – peeled down to a hot dog shape

Olive oil for frying

for the marinade

1/4 cup water

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

1 TBS rice vinegar

1 TBS sesame oil

1/2 TBS apple cider vinegar

A few dashes liquid smoke

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp garlic powder

DIRECTIONS

Peel the carrots down to hot dog shapes.  Boil for about 8 minutes or until they have the tenderness of a hot dog.

Whisk the marinade together & submerge the carrots in it.  Add water or soy sauce to cover them.  Marinate overnight or longer.

Fry the carrots in a little olive oil & serve as you would eat a hot dog.

 

 

 

Chicago Veggie Hot Dog Taco on a Gluten-free Cauliflower Tortilla

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2013

Follow @celisemccarthy

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

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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.

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Another way to avoid carbohydrates!  Cauliflower tortillas!  A traditional Chicago hot-dog would be served on a poppy seed bun & use something called sport peppers.  I didn’t have sport peppers (nor have I ever heard of them) but I did have leftover roasted jalapenos – so I used those.  A real Chicago dog would use white onions – but I had red.  They call for dill pickles – so I used my homemade ones.  Yellow mustard only – no Dijon or other fancy stuff & sweet relish, which I usually hate but I thought it was great on these.  And lastly, it should be sprinkled with celery salt but I discovered that I had none after it was too late.  I loved the result here so much, however, that I am buying celery salt tomorrow & I am going to look for sport peppers.

You could make these using real hot dogs or with a real bun.  But these guys are really satisfying the way I assembled them so, if you eat veggie dogs & wanna go even lighter with them – this is the way to go.

24-Hour Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickles

INGREDIENTS

1.5 lbs cucumbers (I used cocktail cucumbers – but you can try any variety you find available) – cut into spears or 1/4″ chips.

8 garlic cloves – 4 quartered, 4 left whole

8-16 sprigs fresh dill

2 TBS coriander SEEDS (not ground)

3 TBS sea (or Kosher) salt

2 TBS sugar

1 1/3 cups white vinegar

water

Jars for containing the pickles

DIRECTIONS

NOTE – these are very garlicky!!!  If you don’t LOVE garlic – cut the garlic back a lot.

In a sauce pan – heat the vinegar & add the salt, sugar & coriander seeds.  Heat, stirring, just until both the sugar & salt dissolve.  Try to get this done before the vinegar gets hot.  If it gets very hot – let it cool before pouring over your cucumbers.

Put your cucumbers in the pickling container (a mason jar, old pickle jar – or other container with a water-tight lid) – with the garlic & the fresh dill.  Pour the vinegar mix over the cucumbers.  Add water to fill the container to the top.  Seal the container & chill in the fridge for at least 24 hours.  Try one.  ENJOY!

These should last in your fridge (in a sealed container) for up to one month.  If they get too vinegary – drain the jar & replace the vinegar with fresh water.

Chicago Veggie Hot Dog Taco on a Gluten-free Cauliflower Tortilla

INGREDIENTS

Hot dogs (heated whichever way you like)

Cauliflower tortilla (or a bun) – toasted or not – as you like

Sport peppers (or roasted jalapenos)

Yellow mustard

Sweet relish

Dill pickle spears

White onions – diced

Tomato – diced

Celery Salt

DIRECTIONS

Layer the cauliflower tortilla (or other tortilla or bun) with the hot dog, mustard, dill pickle spear, onions, sweet relish, tomato & celery salt.  Shove it in your face like a competitive eater.  Smile!

250 Calorie Fancified Hot Dog with Mango Salsa & Horseradish Mustard

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2013

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

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This is less of a recipe than it is an idea.  A really good & satisfying idea.  After hiking to the Hollywood sign & back yesterday

I came home starving.  Like many people, I walk this 6+ mile walk several times a week not because it provides the spectacular reward that is that view from the top (and yesterday wasn’t nearly as pretty as it can be) nor because it gives me a two hour opportunity to reflect & naval gaze nor because it is a great opportunity to experience nature right smack dab in the center of a huge city but because I am a fat fuck & a cranky wench & that hike helps burn away both foils.

So – after huffing & puffing my way through the heat & dust – I returned home – as I typically do – feeling entitled & ready to shove something in my face.  In colder weather – I usually (and by usually I mean like 5 times a week) eat a huge bowl of my Zero Calorie Zero Carb Vegetarian Pho.

It is getting warmer now, though (it was 100 here two days ago), and soup doesn’t sound so good.  But a nice summery hot dog does!  And, if you eat veggie dogs, a huge one is only about 100 calories & the bun is likely to be about 120.  That is a pretty good deal, calorie-wise, assuming you like veggie dogs.  I posted this beauty last July

served with Cilantro Jalapeno mustard.

I could eat that mustard with a spoon!

But this time – I had mango salsa laying around leftover from my glorious Ahi Tuna Tower.

Mango Salsa

INGREDIENTS

1 ripe mango – chopped

1/2 red onion – minced

2 scallions – minced

1/2 red bell pepper – minced

1 jalapeno (or 2 serranos if you love heat) – minced

S&P to taste

Juice of half a lime

Juice of half a lemon

DIRECTIONS

Mix together.

I saw the bowl of this beautiful stuff in my fridge & asked myself why I shouldn’t use some to top a hot dog.  I am not a meat eater and even when I was – I loathed the concept of Hawaiian pizza (with ham & pineapple) and some of you may argue that this concoction is in that same ballpark – but I disagree.  The hot dog with my new favorite mustard – horseradish mustard – and this salsa is a most incredible, low calorie lunch delight!  I recommend very highly that you try it!  The salsa would also go very nicely on chicken or seafood so don’t be afraid to make a lot of it!

Hangover Cure #3 – Gardenburger & Fries at Carney’s in Studio City

 

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2012

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carneys/35455391361

http://www.carneytrain.com/

Hangover Cure # 3

Carney’s is great but, really, any old school burger or hotdog stand would do in this post.  I like Carney’s because they have a veggie burger.  And it is a cool looking train.  But – I don’t think I am teaching anyone anything here by suggesting a heart attack-worthy dosage of grease can work wonders when one awakes from an evening of being over-served.  Now, if they only served BEER!

Comfort Food – Jumbo Veggie Dog with Sauerkraut & Cilantro Jalapeno Mustard

Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2012

This isn’t difficult – obviously.   Still it is worth mentioning because it costs under $2, has about 225 calories & is delicious!  And I sincerely recommend this amazing mustard!!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Robert-Rothschild-Farm/142805829100136?ref=ts