Recipe: Vegan Chocolate Bacon Bites

Ice cube trays give you a perfect nugget of chocolate-covered vegan-bacon.

My husband almost always needs to end his dinner with a dessert, so I wanted to surprise him with a new chocolaty treat that I put together one lazy afternoon.

These vegan chocolate bacon bites are easy to make and can be customized to suit your loved one's tastes. I had some bags of Phoney Baloney's Coconut Bacon sitting in my pantry, and I wanted to incorporate their salty goodness into a recipe. What better place to put these cruelty-free bacon bits in than in some rich chocolate!

VEGAN CHOCOLATE BACON BITES

Ingredients:
2 cups of vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips, such as Enjoy Life
1 teaspoon of cinnamon (I had apple pie spice lying around, so I used that)
1 teaspoon of cardamom powder (optional)
1/4 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of cayenne (optional)
1 teaspoon of coconut oil
Salt
2 teaspoons of Magic Vegan Bacon Grease (optional)
Phoney Baloney Coconut Bacon (you can use one flavor or a mix of flavors)
Vegan sprinkles (optional)
Ice cube trays
Cooking spray
Pot of boiling water
Glass bowl

Instructions:
First, lightly grease two ice cube trays. Add some coconut bacon to the bottom of each ice-cube section. It was about 1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of flakes per section. You just want to fill about 1/3 of the section.

Next, melt your chocolate chips. I boiled a couple inches of water in a pot and placed a glass bowl over the mouth of the pot once the water was boiling and I had turned the stove off. In the bowl I had the chocolate chips, the spices (cinnamon, cardamom, cayenne, and a pinch of salt), and the coconut oil. Don't add the Magic Vegan Bacon Grease yet -- I find that the vegan bacon grease tastes better when stirred in at the very end.

Add the vegan bacon grease right before you spoon your chocolate mixture into the ice cube trays.

As the chocolate melts, stir the mixture until it's completely smooth. Then, add the Magic Vegan Bacon Grease, making sure to include the bacony bits at the bottom of the jar (if the contents have melted). Vegan bacon grease is comprised of coconut oil, so depending on the temperature of your kitchen, the contents of the jar could be melted or in a solid state.

Carefully spoon about 1 tablespoon of chocolate into each section of the ice-cube tray. Go back and fill each section if you have leftover chocolate. You want each section to be half full of the chocolate and coconut bacon mixture. Don't worry if you don't have enough chocolate or if you filled each section too much and ran out...you can either make more chocolate sauce or just fill one ice cube tray.

Gently shake the ice cube trays to settle the chocolate into the coconut bacon and to make the tops a little smoother. I like to sprinkle a little salt on top of each section, as well as some organic vegan sprinkles.

Vegan sprinkles add a little crunch to each bite.

Stick the trays in the freezer, and the chocolate hardens within 10 minutes thanks to the coconut oil. They should pop out easily, but if not, just take a knife around the edges. The chocolate pieces melt quickly in your warm fingers, so keep that in mind when you're handling the candy.

I empty the chocolate pieces into a Tupperware and keep it in the fridge for my husband to grab one or two treats whenever he has a craving for something sweet. The semi-sweet chocolate is rich and smooth, and you get bursts of salty goodness from the coconut bacon and pinch of salt on the surface of the candy. The sprinkles also add a nice crunch with each bite.

As I stated earlier, you can add whatever spices you want. Definitely leave out the cayenne if your family doesn't like spicy food. The cayenne adds a little heat that you feel in the back of your throat -- you don't feel it on your tongue. Consider adding peppermint extract for a nice minty treat, or filling the tray with vegan cookie pieces or vegan mini marshmallows.

Review: Magic Vegan Bacon Grease

Here it is in all its glory: vegan bacon grease

I purchased a jar of Magic Vegan Bacon Grease (MVBG) from Vegan Essentials last week ($7.59 + shipping). I have never cooked with actual bacon grease, but I was still curious about trying the product. It's basically coconut oil with added soy bits, spices, hickory smoke and maple extract. 

Anyone familiar with Baconnaise will be reminded of that product when they open this jar and take a whiff of the vegan bacon grease. There's a sweet, smoky flavor that comes through, and it's very pleasant.

I don't use oil in the dishes I cook for myself anymore, but when I need oil for my husband's or son's dishes, I usually turn to olive oil or coconut oil, so using MVBG will not be such a dramatic change. I used a little this morning to warm up some cooked rice. The rice had hints of that smoky, sweet goodness throughout. It's not overpowering, but it definitely has a presence. 

My house smelled faintly of cooked meat. I haven't cooked bacon in a while, so I can't say for sure that's what the smell was, but there was a savory, sweet fragrance in the air.

If you're interested in dressing up some greens, beans, potato salad, or anything else worthy of a bacon-like slap, give this grease a try. It looks and melts just like coconut oil, and it's cruelty-free. Vegans who love southern cooking are in for a treat with this oil. I hear cornbread would be amazing with this oil. I'll have to whip up a batch and sneak a taste!

Oh, if you think you'd like to try making your own bacon grease, I remember Door 86 Vegan Cheese sharing a recipe, found here.

Review: Eli's Earth Organic Drinking Chocolate and Cocoa Felice Hot Cocoa Mix by Coop's MicroCreamery

These two drinking-chocolate products taste horrible on their own, but when you combine them, you get a rich and satisfying cup of cocoa.

I’m a little disappointed in the chocolate-drinking mixes by Eli’s and Coop’s MicroCreamery. Neither one left me wanting for more, but I’m sure they will be suitable as baking ingredients. Coop’s product even has a recipe for chocolate pudding on the back, and reviewers have said this pudding is tasty. I’ll try it later and report back.

First, I’ll talk about Eli’s Earth Organic Drinking Chocolate. I purchased the milk-style flavor, but there’s also dark chocolate, almond, and hazelnut. One of those other flavors might be tastier than the milk-style, but I don’t intend to purchase them to find out. 

The good:

Eli’s Earth donates 5 percent of sales to non-profits that benefit children.

The bad:

There is hardly any chocolate flavor. There are scratch-and-sniff stickers that give off more chocolate essence than this drink. I followed the directions, which stated warming up 1 cup of milk and adding 2 tablespoons of the drink mix. I was interested in purchasing the almond or dark chocolate mix, but because I was buying this product for my young son, I thought the milk-style would be more inviting to his palette. I think this is definitely a drink for older children and adults because there’s no sweetness to it. And believe me, I don’t like overly sugary things, but this didn’t have any sweetness. I checked the label, and there are 15 grams of sugar in the product. Perhaps if you used a sweetened non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened), you’d enjoy the flavor more.

Next, is Cocoa Felice Hot Cocoa Mix by Coop's MicroCreamery. This only comes in one flavor.

The good: 

It’s twice the size (22 ounces) and $2.50 cheaper than Eli’s, which is 10 ounces and $12.99. 

The bad:

Talk about a complete opposite from the other product – this mix produces such a sweet-tasting drink that even my son didn’t like it. The recipe calls for adding 2 tablespoons to 3 tablespoons of mix to 1 cup of warmed up milk. I first made it with 3 tablespoons – big mistake! As I stated, it was way too sweet. My son eventually drank about half because I put in some Dandies mini marshmallows in it, and I spooned him the drink with the marshmallows. I had to dump out the rest. I made a second cup later and only used 2 tablespoons, and the drink was definitely more palatable. It was still too sweet, so I poured it into the mug with the Eli’s drink. 

These two drinks, when mixed together, produce a very nice mug of hot cocoa. There’s a deep rich cocoa flavor that’s highlighted with a hint of sweetness. Too bad you have to buy both products to achieve this tasty result. 

Review: Vegan Shelf-Stable Bacons

photo comes from my Instagram feed

Vegan bacon products can add a salty, smoky crunch to hors d'oeuvres, such as this date appetizer. Medjool dates stuffed with Tofutti cream cheese. I mixed 2T of cream cheese with one thinly sliced green onion, 2T of chopped water chestnuts (for texture), and a pinch of salt and pepper. I topped the dates with a few pieces of Phoney Baloney's Coconut Bacon.

WayFare'S Bacony Bits add a great crunch and a slightly smoky flavor to each bite of this pasta salad. To make the pasta salad, cook 1 cup of pasta. In a separate bowl, mix 1/2 cup each of shredded carrots, sliced black olives, peas, sauteed mushrooms, and chopped tomatoes (you can add more or less of these ingredients to your liking). For the sauce, I mixed 1/2 cup of vegan mayo with 3 tablespoons of yellow mustard, 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, and 1 salt and pepper to taste. I had 2 tablespoons of Tofutti cream cheese left, so I mixed that in as well for extra creaminess. Feel free to add other spices and hot sauce. 

Today I’m reviewing Phoney Baloney’s Coconut Bacon and WayFare’s Pig Out Whole Grain Bacony Bits.

Here are some features of both products:

• Coconut Bacon: This gluten-free product consists of 1-inch and smaller flakes of salty, smoky goodness. Upon first bite, you taste salt, and then the flake begins to dissolve somewhat in your mouth. You taste/smell the natural hickory smoke concentrate, and you get a slight kick from the spices, which include pepper. You don't taste coconut at all. The company says their product is best consumed within six months of production and is best served as a topping because “the Coconut Bacon does not hold up well in extreme heat or moisture.” The tamari used in the coconut bacon is non-GMO. The product can be purchased on the company’s website, as well as a number of other online and brick-and-mortar retailers. See the list of sellers here.

• Bacony Bits: This soy-free product is labeled as non-GMO. It’s extremely crunchy – almost like Grape Nuts cereal (if you’re familiar with that product). Upon first bite, you definitely know you’re eating bacon bits. It tastes similar to the bacon-bit products you might have tried from large commercial manufacturers. The bits are salty, but not as salty as the coconut bacon, and there’s a great smoky aftertaste that comes from the hickory smoke powder. Reviewers have said that it’s easy to snack on the product straight from the bag, and I can see why – its crunchy texture is addicting and the smoky aftertaste is satisfying. This product can be purchased from online retailers, including: veganessentials.com, vegancuts.com, and rabbitfoodgrocery.com.

I find that both products have room in the vegan-bacon market. Those who need a soy-free product can utilize the bacon bits, while those who can’t consume gluten can enjoy the coconut bacon. Phoney Baloney’s Coconut Bacon adds a nice, slight crunch and salty-smoky flavor in tomato sandwiches and as a topping on hors d'oeuvres. WayFare’s Bacony Bits keep its crunchy texture longer than coconut bacon, so it’s great atop appetizers and as a topping on pasta salad, salad greens, and anything else you where you want to add a salty, smoky, and crunchy element.

If you don’t have any diet restrictions, I urge you to try both products. You won’t be disappointed.

Recipe: Jackfruit 'Crab' Salad

If you can get your hands on a can of Young Green Jackfruit in a Brine, try making a mock crab salad. The mayo, spices, and flecks of nori (seaweed) give a wonderful seafood flavor that's boosted by the steamed-crab texture of the jackfruit.

Before I became vegan in 2013, I enjoyed the occasional seafood salad that you'd spread on crackers or eat as part of a sandwich. And, when it was a special occasion, I'd even jump at the chance to order a creamy lobster roll.

Now that I don't eat animals or animal-derived ingredients, I've learned how spices and certain plants can be used to mimic flavors and textures that I thought could only come from meat.

You can purchase cans of Young Green Jackfruit at Indian grocery stores or even at veganessentials.com, here. Be careful not to purchase ripe jackfruit, which is orange, sweet and resembles roasted red bell peppers. Ripe jackfruit is not good in savory dishes. Young green jackfruit has a stronger texture, yet subtle flavor.

Jackfruit is popular among vegetarians and vegans because the fruit has some chew to it and comes apart in chunks and even shreds when cut or pulled apart in certain ways. These characteristics make it a great substitute for meat in dishes. I've tried jackfruit pulled pork, for example, but it didn't really appeal to me. When I came across this recipe for jackfruit "crab" salad, I thought it might be another recipe that sounds good but doesn't taste that great.

I was wrong. Very wrong!

I find young green jackfruit to be juicy, almost like canned artichokes. And the fruit still retains some of that juiciness even if you push out as much liquid from it as possible. Because of this, jackfruit is a wonderful substitute for crab and lobster, which has a tender, juicy flesh when cooked.

When the jackfruit is mixed with mayo and the seasonings used with seafood, you'll think you're biting into a traditional seafood salad sandwich or even a lobster roll. This vegan version is cruelty-free and affordable food at its finest.

Jackfruit “Crab” Salad
Serves 4
(Inspired by this recipe from a blog at Vegetarian Times)

Ingredients:
1 20-oz. can Young Green Jackfruit in Brine, rinsed and squeezed dry as much as possible (about 1 cup)
2-4 tablespoons of Vegenaise or other vegan mayo (start out with 2T and add more if desired)
¼ cup fresh minced onion
2 teaspoons of dried minced onion (what you find in the spice aisle)
¼ tsp. dulse flakes or powder (I used a folded piece of nori [seaweed] -- what you use for sushi -- and grated it for powder/flakes) This ingredient is necessary for a seafood flavor.
1-2 teaspoons of Old Bay Seasoning
½ tsp. curry powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Chop the drained jackfruit with a knife until it resembles lump crab meat. Next, mix the jackfruit and all the other ingredients in a bowl. Before serving, sprinkle on a little paprika, dried parsley (I didn't have fresh), and fresh lemon juice.

The chopped jackfruit. You can see the yellowish seeds of the fruit, which are soft.

The chopped jackfruit mixed with the remaining ingredients.

Before serving, I added a little extra nori powder/flakes, some dried parsley, paprika, and a splash of fresh lemon juice.

This mock crab salad -- that even mimicked the flavor of a lobster roll -- tasted creamy, slightly sweet, salty, fishy (from the seaweed), and just plain awesome. 

Review: Vegan Smoked Salmon by Sophie's Kitchen

Vegan Smoked Salmon by Sophie's Kitchen is a milder, cruelty-free version of the original.

One of my favorite breakfast items prior to going plant-based was a bagel, lox, and cream cheese. Finding vegan bagels and cream cheese isn’t tough, but finding vegan smoked salmon is!

I was excited to try the Vegan Smoked Salmon by Sophie’sKitchen to experience that creamy, chewy texture of a protein atop tangy cream cheese and a toasted everything bagel.

The package is lovely, and the smoked salmon was equally beautiful. The slices were thin and spongy when taken out of the fridge. It’s best to let the salmon come to room texture so it becomes less spongy. The product smelled exactly like smoked salmon.

After placing the slices on a plate, I covered with a paper towel and put a plate on top to press out any extra liquid.

After 45 minutes, I toasted my bagel and got my cream cheese spread ready.

Cream Cheese Spread with Chives and Water Chestnuts

• 8 oz. tub of dairy-free cream cheese (I used Tofutti cream cheese)
• 1/4 c. of diced water chestnuts
• 1-2 T of dillweed
• Pinch of salt

Empty all the ingredients into a bowl and mix well. Add dillweed and/or salt to your taste.

I find that adding chopped water chestnuts to the cream cheese gives a crisp crunch to every bite.

I assembled my sandwich and dug right in … Yum!

While the smell of the smoked salmon is strong, the flavor is more subdued. I put two slices per sandwich, but if you want a stronger salmon flavor, you might need 3-4 slices per sandwich. When I took bites that had less cream cheese, I could easily identify that wonderful smoked fish flavor.

This product is a definite winner. 

Review: Hilary's Eat Well Original Veggie Burger

Hilary's Eat Well Original Veggie Burger is mild in flavor, which is perfect if you want to taste condiments and other toppings. I enjoyed my veggie burger with Follow Your Heart's Chipotle Spread, three onion rings (under the patty), and sliced avocado.

It can be dreadful trying veggie burgers because some are too mushy, some taste too much like one particular vegetable (too much carrot flavor, too much broccoli flavor, etc.), and some are very dry. Like Goldilocks, I'm looking for something that's just right.

Hilary's Eat Well Original Veggie Burger definitely would be the missing food item in the three bear's cottage because the patty is delicious. It's interesting that I find it tasty because, honestly, it lacks any strong flavors.

You can taste hints of the organic garlic and organic onion, but what makes this burger a winner is the texture: slightly crispy, yet soft on the inside. The mouth feel was similar to that of the breading on a perfectly executed onion ring.

The first ingredient is listed as "Love." 

It's also a pretty patty. The burger looks like a golden hash brown, with flecks of spinach throughout.

If you want substance to your veggie burger and want to taste the other toppings, such as peppers, onions, and condiments, then this is the burger for you. There are two patties in each package ($4.29 on VeganEssentials.com), and I find the price to be worth it for the quality.

Product Review: Neat Meat Replacement Is Neato-Keano Swell (also #gluten-free, #soy-free)

The three flavors of Neat, a meat replacement and shelf-stable product. From left, Mexican, Italian, and Original

One of my favorite new vegetarian products that emerged on the market in 2013 is a shelf-stable, meat-replacement product called Neat. Neat was born in the kitchen of a Pennsylvania family, and the name came about when daughter Morgan said, “This isn’t meat; it’s neat!”

Another great thing about the company is that Neat is packaged by VisionCorps at its food facility in Lancaster County, Pa. VisionCorps provides support programs and employment opportunities to people who are blind or vision impaired.

Home cooks can prepare the Mexican, Italian, or Original mix with 2 tablespoons of water and 2 eggs or 2 egg substitutes (Yay, vegan option!). Parmesan or a vegan Parmesan is needed to make Italian neatballs. Once all the ingredients are combined, the thick mixture is then cooked in a pan with a little oil. 

I'm breaking up the Mexican Neat mix into crumbles as it cooks.

I’ve prepared and tasted all three mixes, and the finished products are slightly moist and just ever-so crumbly in your mouth.

Here’s a roundup of the three flavors:

• Mexican: As I prepared the mix, the smells brought back memories of Old-Ortega taco night as a kid. The strong aroma of chili powder and onion powder automatically makes you inhale deeply to take in that awesome taco-seasoning smell. This is definitely my favorite of the three, and I plan to use the mix when I make a tamale casserole (I’ll post the recipe and photos tomorrow).

• Original: This mix has the most delicious smells as you mix it and cook it in a pan. The package only lists “spices” in the ingredient list, but whatever the “spices” are, it’s a good combination fo’ sure. You can make ground neat, which will resemble the crumbles you get when making the Mexican mix. You also can make burgers – four patties per package.

• Italian: This mix definitely makes you think of Italian food as you prepare it. I made neatballs (eight balls per package) and used Parmela’sParmesan Style Aged Nut Cheese where the recipe called for 1/3 c. of Parmesan cheese. I added the cooked neatballs to some noodles and then poured on my homemade pesto sauce. My family enjoyed this dish tremendously, and the neatballs held their own well.

Neat can be purchased at VeganEssentials, Amazon, Vitacost, and on the Neat website.

Product Review: Instant Veggie Burger Mix from Great Life by Lucinda (Roasted Garlic, Dried Tomato & Chive)

I enjoy making my own veggie burgers from canned black beans: I drain and rinse the beans; mash them in a bowl with a fork; add a squirt of ketchup, mustard and relish and some spices; and then form the mixture into patties and bake in the toaster oven for 10-15 minutes -- flipping the burgers halfway through the cooking process.

It's fun to craft sandwiches and play around with different flavors and textures: 

• Greens: For a tender bite, add spinach; otherwise, kale adds a great chew, while lettuce gives that clean, crisp bite.
• Spreads: Nothing beats Follow Your Heart Veganaise and Earth Balance Original Mayo (which is soy-free), but I'm really digging the flavors of Viana's Organic Spreads (Stay tuned for product reviews of these spreads!)
• Pickles and Peppers: Sweet relish, sweet pickles, mild banana peppers, spicy chipotles, the list goes on and on.
• Cheese: I love a tangy cheese, so I make my own with almond flour, lemon juice, and Siracha. Door 86 makes awesome vegan cheese, and I'll be testing Treeline Aged Artisanal Hard-Style Treenut Cheeses soon.
• Bread: I avoid breads that can't hold up to all the sauces and veggies I add to my sandwiches. So far, a Turkish bread from Giant Farmers Market in Hackensack has been the best for my burgers and sandwiches. It even does a good job at keeping sliced avocado and tomatoes from sliding out.

I wanted to have another shelf-stable product in my arsenal when I was craving a veggie burger, so I ordered Instant Veggie Burger Mix from Great Life by Lucinda (Roasted Garlic, Dried Tomato & Chive) from VeganEssentials. 

The ingredients are simple, and you only have to add hot water to 1 cup of mix before forming your patties. 

The cooked patty had a subtle garlic and tomato flavor. It was drier than my bean burgers, but a slice of onion and Veganaise on the bread added moisture.

If you like to have shelf-stable products at your fingertips for when you and your family crave a burger, then give this product a try. Other flavors include: Smoky Chipotle, Garden Veg, Curry, and Cajun. They are priced on VeganEssentials for $7.99 for 8 oz. package (makes about six patties per package).