Vegan MOFO #2- Jackfruit Barbecue (aka “vegan pulled pork”)

While visiting Missouri lately, David and I got to eat at two new vegan restaurants (FÜD in Kansas City and Zen Blenderz in Warrensburg). They both had dishes made with green jackfruit masquerading as pulled pork barbecue. Granted, green jackfruit doesn’t taste like pork, but it looks a lot like it when it’s shredded up in barbecue sauce. And if your barbecue sauce is tasty, that’s all that really matters.

Here’s a quick and dirty version that I made for lunch today. May I just say that I LOVE my slow cookers?

2 cans green jackfruit (in brine or water), drained
1 bottle your favorite barbecue sauce or 12-16 ounces of homemade sauce
6 or 7 medium russet potatoes, scrubbed and cut in half OR several small-medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed

Spray your slow cooker with non-stick spray if you want to make cleanup at touch easier. Then dump in the jackfruit and barbecue sauce. Throw the potatoes (whichever version) on top. Cook on high for 4-5 hours, or on low for 6-10 hours.

When the potatoes are fork-tender, pull them out with a slotted spoon. You can either mash them with a little Earth Balance and soy milk, or just serve them as is. They’ll have a slightly barbecued flavor, and if you used sweet potatoes, they’ll add a touch more sweetness to the barbecue as well.

Use your potato masher to smash up the jackfruit pieces in the sauce (which is much quicker than shredding it with your fingers into the pot like I did the first time I made this). It ends up looking like either pulled or minced pork, and is just as delicious as your sauce is.

You can serve the barbecue on the mashed potatoes (gluten-free) or on toasted buns. Slaw makes a nice traditional side dish, but we had a green salad with some homemade red sauerkraut on top.

Vegan MOFO #1- Popcorn!

I’ve thought for awhile about getting a Whirlypop pan (you know – the one with the crank that stirs the kernels & the oil) and I finally did it. Seriously – If I had known how FAST you can make old-fashioned stovetop popcorn, I would have bought one years ago. 3 minutes! As fast as the microwave, with hardly any “old maids” (unpopped kernels), The kernels pop up more fluffy, as well. (And no, I don’t have any stock in the company!)

1/2 cup organic popcorn kernels
1Tablespoon organic coconut oil
Sprinkle of popcorn salt
1/2 cup nutritional yeast

Place oil & corn kernels in the pan, heat and pop according to the directions that come with the pan. Add salt & nutritional yeast and NOM!