My potted plants could have waited and I did not need those groceries right that second. I needed to take care of my body since it was in need of some rest and repair. I would have scolded a friend if she told me that she had surgery one day and ran errands like a crazy person the next day. Why was it so easy to let myself do these things?

Now, I am fully recovered from my surgery and back to my routine but with a little more balance. There are two important things I have learned from this experience: I do not need to do everything in a day and I do not need to do it alone. Will I survive if I didn’t accomplish X amount of things on my list? Yes. Would it be an epic failure on my part if someone helped me out? Not even a little. Over the next few days of recovery, Mark was helpful with things around the house that I committed to do exclusively myself over the past three years. I had rejected his help in the past. He also helped ensure I stayed in bed by bringing me tea, watching some Brooklyn Nine-Nine together and he took my glasses off my face when I fell asleep reading. Sure, it isn’t the stuff of a paperback romance novel but it was romantic to me. Along with the importance of balance, I realized that romance did not have to be grand gestures but the sweet little things that someone does for you to make your life better. Thank you Mark xoxo.

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P.S. Though I am behind from the surgery, the eBook is scheduled to come out on Thursday, July 16th and it is FREE to any subscriber! Subscribe by adding your email address to the right side bar and click subscribe!

P.P.S I used my Maple Sriracha Tempeh Bacon recipe for this one as well. If you like, add a few dashes of liquid smoke to the marinade for a really bacon-y flavour. 

BLT + Potato Chip Salad {Vegan & Gluten-Free}

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

This dish reminds me on a super healthy version of the classic deli style meal of a BLT served with potato chips. Turns out potato chips in a sandwich are totally boss but totally terrible for you. Put it on a salad. Vegan and gluten free.

Author: Jessica DeMarra

Recipe type: vegan, gluten free

Ingredients

• 1 batch Maple Sriracha Tempeh Bacon + a few dashes of liquid smoke (optional)
• 1 sweet potato, unpeeled
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• ½ pint of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• ½ ripe avocado, pitted and sliced thin
• Greens of your choice, I used baby spinach but romaine would be good too
• Creamy Garlic Dressing:
• ¼ cup eggless mayo (I used Follow Your Heart Brand)
• 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 small garlic cloves, grated fine through a microplane
• A few cracks of black pepper
• Finely chopped chives, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. While the oven is preheating, marinate the tempeh, flipping once. Slice the unpeeled sweet potatoes very thin; I used a mandolin. Toss the sweet potatoes chips with oil + salt. Transfer to the baking sheet and line in a single layer. Transfer the marinated tempeh to the other baking sheet.
2. Bake chips and tempeh for 17-20 minutes, turning halfway. If the chips or tempeh look too dark, remove from the oven; the chips will further crisp up as they cool to room temperature. While the chips and tempeh are cooking, prepare the dressing.
3. Add all the ingredients to a large measuring cup or bowl and whisk until fully combined and smooth.
4. Divide the tomatoes, avocado and greens amongst your serving dishes. Top with chips and tempeh. Drizzle with Creamy Garlic dressing and sprinkle with chives. Serve!
5. Any leftover tempeh bacon can be stored for about 5 days in the fridge.

3.3.3077

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 “Hey baby, what’s shaking?”

“My bacon….”

“Wait, what?”

This was a recent conversation that Mark and I had while I was taking my faux-bacon out of the oven. He was confused as to what I meant until he saw all the thinly sliced and crispy tempeh bacon coming out, just waiting to be put onto my most favourite sandwich, a BLT.

Now, Mark was never a “bacon” guy when he ate meat, but I was certainly a bacon girl. There was no bacon dish I wouldn’t try. At an old restaurant I worked at, the lunch menu had a Berkshire BLT (Berkshire is a type of pig), and I swear I got this dish at least 3 times a week. Pretty serious addiction for only working five shifts. The chef even asked me if I wanted to try something else but I always stuck with the thick-cut bacon sandwich with homemade aioli.

While the thought of eating a real BLT now turns my stomach, I still crave a smoky sandwich with thick sliced salted summer tomatoes, crisp lettuce and of course a generous slab of mayo. When I Googled “vegan bacon” there are tons of variations from bacon made out of coconut, mushrooms, tempeh, tofu and eggplant.

I was experimenting with eggplant bacon on my Instagram account and while it pretty tasty it just took way too long to make a sandwich. Too high of heat, the edges were burnt and the middle soggy, any lower and it took 2 hours in the oven, well seasoned but lacked that meaty texture.

I turned to tempeh since every other vegan seemed to like it, it is protein packed and looked like the meaty texture I wanted. Tempeh was never my jam, I thought it looked strange, did not know what to do with it and avoided it at all costs but turns out, I just never had it prepared well. Mark and I went to Grasslands for our anniversary dinner and he got a corn-flake crusted tempeh. He passed me his fork with a bite of his dinner on it and told me to try it since I would like it. I begrudgingly tried it, annoyed that he forgot I did not like tempeh but I was pleasantly surprised. Now I love it and it has become a part of more of our meals. I stick to the plain tempeh and season it myself. Tempeh is like tofu in the sense that it is like a sponge and will absorb any flavouring you put into it. This marinade is quick, easy and flavourful, the tempeh just soaks all the flavours up, and a speedy time in the oven and voilà: crispy, meaty, smoky, spicy and sweet tempeh bacon.

Once that was done, I turned to the mayo but of course I was out of my precious Veganise but the sun was getting low and I needed a sauce to go with my BLT. The time constraint of VeganMoFo makes you put your thinking cap on in a hurry. I had cashews soaking for another recipe and decided to blend them up with some lemon juice, cider vinegar, water and seasonings. Simple, tangy and delightful with a touch of dill. I put it all on a bun and got ready to sink my teeth into it. I was feeling quite carnivorous for a vegan! 3 recipes down, 17 more to go….

What is a meat-based meal you miss? (It is ok to miss it!) How did you veganize it?

The post Maple-Sriracha Tempeh Bacon BLT with Creamy Dill Mayo appeared first on Sprouts & Chocolate.