Southern Style BBQ Pecans over Garlicky Greens and Quick and Dirty Rice

Last weekend at the first ever Plant Fest at Tanaka Farms, I got to do the thing I love doing best! Teach non-vegans how to cook vegan foods that taste great! Foods that have a familiar flavor, don't have any "weird" ingredients, made with everyday home cooking tools, with ingredients you can find at any grocery store, won't break the bank, and won't keep you in the kitchen all day.

And sometimes you just have a go-to recipe that multi-tasks. For me, it's the BBQ Pecans from the Texas Hold 'Ems recipe in Vegans Go Nuts! These sassy little nuts go so well in so many dishes, from tacos, to bowls, to sandwiches, to burritos...you get the idea. So I decided to bring these bad girls back for another run. This time with some ridiculously easy Garlicky Greens, and a Quick and Dirty Rice that is a play on the Cajun Red Beans and Rice recipe from Vegan Food Gifts.

Summer Grilling with Lightlife Smart Dogs!

It's very rare that I agree to do a sponsored post here on Just the Food. So rare, in fact, that this is the first one I have done in ten-plus years of blogging! Sure, I have received sample products and cookbooks to review over the years, but I have never done a completely sponsored post. Why? Because, for me, I have to REALLY be in love with a product for me to partner with them. When I was contacted by Lightlife Foods to participate in their summer grilling series featuring Smart Dogs, how could I say no?

I absolutely love summertime in the LBC. In sunny Southern California, and especially in Long Beach, summer means barbecue, hanging out with friends outdoors, and parties in the park. I barely cook inside, at all, from the minute the time change gives us longer days, in our house, we are all about the grill. So when Lightlife offered to send me a mini grill, tools, a cooler, condiments and enough moolah to grab all the Smart Dogs we would need to get through the entire summer...we were STOKED!

Texas Hold 'Ems (BBQ Pecans and Ranch Salad Tacos) from Vegans Go Nuts!

Photo Credit: Susan and Ryan Asato of BigTentVegan.com

Over the last few weeks I have been cooking up a storm. Nope, not at home. But for people interested in learning how to cook vegan! Nothing warms my heart more than teaching people how to cook without animal products and then hearing them afterwards telling me how much they loved the food. Its the best feeling in the world.

Work Night Wednesdays: Barbecue Pulled "Pork" Sandwiches

This is freakily realistic.  I can't believe I haven't jumped on the whole "jackfruit as meat" bandwagon sooner!

Barbecue Pulled "Pork" Sandwich
Although this takes an hour to make on the stovetop, it only requires one pot, and most of the time is cook time.  You can alternately cook this in your slow cooker on low for 6 to 8 hours.

1/4 cup mild flavored vegetable oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
pinch salt
pinch black pepper
2 cans (16 ounces each) Jackfruit in brine or water (not syrup!)
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
2 cups of your favorite barbecue sauce, store bought or homemade
4 to 6 sandwich rolls, toasted
Coleslaw, optional

Heat oil over medium high heat in a pot with a tight fitting lid.
Add onion and sauté for about 5 minutes.
Add garlic, salt and pepper, and sauté for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or until fragrant.
Drain and rinse jackfruit.  Cut into bite sized chunks.
Add jackfruit and liquid smoke to the pot and toss to combine.
Add barbecue sauce, stir to combine, and bring to a boil.
Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for one hour, returning every 10 to 15 minutes to stir and prevent sticking to the bottom of the pot.  If needed, add a bit of water to prevent scorching.
As you stir, smash any large chunks of jackfruit into stringy bits.
Remove from heat.
Place coleslaw, if using, on the bottom half of the sandwich and then pile on the pulled "pork."

Yield: 4 to 6 sandwiches, depending on the serving size.

Orange Chipotle Barbecue Sauce (from 500 Vegan Recipes)

Orange Chipotle Barbecue Sauce

Soy Free & Gluten Free

Oh, so sweet! But wait, what's that kick? Ohhh, the smoky chipotle has emerged from the sweetness to leave your tongue warm...not burning. This recipe calls for a strange ingredient…grape jelly! Please, don't use jam, but jelly. This is my Gramma Jo's secret ingredient. She uses it in all of her barbecue sauces, even store-bought ones.

2 tablespoons (30 g) extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium yellow onion (about 6 ounces, 170 g), roughly chopped

1 tablespoon (15 g) minced garlic

24 ounces (680 g) tomato sauce

6 ounces (170 g) tomato paste

1/2 cup (120 ml) fresh orange juice

1/2 cup (110 g) packed brown sugar

1/4 cup (80 g) grape jelly

2 tablespoons (12 g) ground chipotle powder

In a stock pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil on medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until translucent and fragrant, and just beginning to brown. Add in remaining ingredients and stir. Bring to a simmer. Cover and reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and serve as you would any barbecue sauce. If not using right away, place in an airtight container and store in the fridge. Will last about a week in the fridge, or freeze for later use.

Yield: About 4 cups (940 ml)

VeganMoFo and Pulled "Pork" Sammiches

Watching Diners Drive-ins and Dives always makes me hungry. Always. The episode I watched yesterday was all about barbecue. Smoky, slow cooked sweet and tangy barbecue.

I can do that.



Yeah, it's a messy photo. But it was a messy sammy! Gooey and spicy and sweet and delicious piled high on a French roll on a big pile of bbq slaw.

I don't have the recipe quite refined enough to share yet, but here's the recipe for the slaw. It's cool and creamy and super simple to toss together.

BBQ Slaw
Ingredients
1 head of cabbage, cored and shredded
1 cup vegan mayo
1/3 cup barbecue sauce of choice
1/3 cup agave nectar
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions
Whisk all of the ingredients, except the cabbage, together in a large bowl. Add in the cabbage and toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
1/3 cup