BBQ Jackfruit Tacos with Avocado Slaw and a Cashew Sour Cream Sauce

RC and I celebrated our 2 year wedding anniversary this past weekend! We went boating with Warren and his parents and went to dinner at Koto Brewing. Their food and drinks are amazing! Although not oil free, I had their smoked coconut tofu sandwich and it was SO good! Plus they gave me a huge helping of salad and plain balsamic vinegar for dressing. I try to be oil free when I can, but I couldn't pass up that delicious sandwich!

One of my favorite restaurants in Twin Falls is called 4 Roots Juice Bar and Cafe. If you haven't been there, it's a must for plant based food. However, I can't always make it to Twin to try their jack fruit tacos and I also wanted to make my recipe oil free.

I found the recipe for BBQ Jackfruit and Avocado Slaw here. The original Cashew Sour Cream Sauce can be found here.

BBQ Jackfruit

2 20-once cans jackfruit in water. I found mine at Trader Joes
1/4 cup BBQ seasoning. You can buy it or make you own (2 tbsp. brown sugar + 1 tsp paprika + tsp garlic powder + 1/2 tsp salt + 1/2 tsp pepper + 1/2 tsp chili powder)
1/2 -3/4 cup BBQ sauce (make sure it's vegan) I used 1/2 cup to reduce sugar and added more water for the sauce

Directions:
1. Rinse and drain jackfruit. Chop off the center "core" portion of the fruit and discard. Place in a mixing bowl and set aside.
2. Mix together BBQ seasoning and add to jackfruit. Toss to coat.
3. Heat large skillet over medium heat with a little vegetable broth. Once hot, add seasoned jackfruit. Toss to coat and cook for 2-3 minutes to achieve some color.
4. Add BBQ sauce and thin with enough water to make a sauce. Stir and reduce heat to low-medium and cook for about 20 minutes (up to 35 on low for a deeper flavor).
5. Remove lid and stir occasionally and shred with a fork as you go.
6. Once the jackfruit has been properly simmered, turn up heat to medium high and cook for 2-3 more minutes to get a little extra color/texture. Then remove from heat.

Avocado Slaw

2 cups shredded cabbage and carrots
1/2 ripe avocado
1 tbsp maple syrup
Juice of one lemon or lime
Salt and pepper to taste
Water to thin

Directions:
Make slaw by adding all ingredients except vegetables (avocado through salt and pepper) to a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Thin with water until a thick sauce is made, then add veggies and toss to coat. Set in the refrigerator until serving.

Cashew Sour Cream Sauce

1 cup raw cashews
1/2 c. almond milk
1 tbsp lemon juice
3/4 tsp apple cider vinegar
generous pinch of salt

Directions:
Soak cashews overnight or boil. In a high speed blender, add all ingredients and blend until nice and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides every now and then. Add more almond milk if necessary. Sour cream is best refrigerated for an hour, but it can be served right away as well.

Enjoy!

Day 10: Pasta Primavera and Kidney Quinoa Burgers with Fries and Mac and Cheese

Lunch: Pasta Primavera

Ingredients:

1 red onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can corn, rinsed and drained
1 green or red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, minced (remove seeds to reduce heat)
1 bunch fresh kale, rinsed and chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
1 large jar pasta sauce
16 oz. whole-grain spaghetti, cooked
1/2 cup raw cashews, finely ground

Saute the onion, garlic, and corn in a large skillet on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the jalapeno, bell pepper, and kale to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes and pasta sauce to the vegetables. Ladle the sauce over the pasta and top with cashews.

Dinner: Kidney Quinoa Burgers with Fries and Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:

1/4 c. quinoa
1/2 c. water
1 15 oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp. barbecue sauce
2 tbsp. ketchup
2 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp. yellow mustard
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/3 c. vital wheat gluten


1. In a small saucepan, combine quinoa with 1/2 cup of water, cover and bring to a boil.
2. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and continue to cook until fluffy and all water has evaporated, about 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, mash beans with a fork in a mixing bowl until the consistency of refried beans.
4. Add remaining ingredients in order, plus cooked quinoa, an stir to combine.
5. Preheat oven to 450 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or use a greased cookie sheet.
6. Break mixture into 6 equal segments. Roll each into a ball, flatten it, and shape it into a patty using your hands.
7. Bake for 8 minutes, flip, and bake for 8 more minutes, then flip again for 5 minutes, but only if necessary. When the burgers are brown and crisp on the outside, they are done.

I used the same recipe for fries as the first time.

Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped
1 cup cashews
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 1/3 cup water
1/2 tsp. sea salt
4 oz. jar roasted red peppers, drained
3 tbsp. nutritional yeast
1 tsp. onion powder
16 oz. whole grain elbow pasta, cooked

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Saute the onion on medium heat in a nonstick skillet for 5 minutes, until translucent. In a food processor, combine the onion, cashews, lemon juice, water, and salt. Gradually blend in the roasted red peppers, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and onion powder. Thoroughly toss the sauce with pasta. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until golden brown on top.

Enjoy! Stay tuned for my overall analysis of these 10 wonderfully healthy days!

Day 9: LEFTOVERS!

We have an over abundance of food so today was a leftover day and it was very refreshing not to cook!

Day 8: Orzo Soup and Fajitas with Rice and Guac

Lunch: Italian Orzo Soup


The original recipe can be found here. You can also sprinkle some vegan Parmesan on top too.



Dinner: Fajitas

Ingredients:

4 Portobello mushrooms, sliced into thick strips
1 large onion, sliced
2 bell peppers, seeded and sliced into thin strips
1 jalapeno pepper, diced (remove seeds to reduce heat)
12 corn tortillas or whole grain tortillas
Guacamole (can be found here.)
Salsa
Brown rice (can be found here.)

Cook the mushrooms in a large nonstick skillet on high heat for 3 minutes,  or until the mushrooms begin to brown slightly. Add the onion to the skillet and cook for 5 minutes. Add the bell peppers and jalapeno and cook for 3 minutes. Warm the tortillas. To serve, spoon the mushrooms, bell pepper, and onion strips into the corn tortillas with the guacamole and salsa. serve with a side of rice and beans if you choose.

Rice and Guacamole 

I used the same recipe for rice as here.

Day 7: FOK Hummus Wrap with Quinoa Tabbouleh and Kale Goulash with Wild Rice

Lunch: FOK Hummus Wrap with Quinoa Tabbouleh 

I found this recipe from the Forks Over Knives Cookbook by Del  Sroufe


I had left over tabbouleh from yesterday and I made the hummus fresh. I spread the hummus, tabbouleh and a little bit of the ABCD spread from yesterday on a tortilla with some red leaf lettuce.

Hummus

1 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp. cumin
Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth and creamy. Add water as needed to achieve a smooth consistency.


Dinner: Kale Goulash

This is a Marla original!! I made it one night when my husband was out and Warren and I were hungry. I just used what I had in my cupboards and wow! It was so good.

Ingredients:

1-2 bunches kale
3 tbsp. nutritional yeast
1 can no salt diced tomatoes
1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans
1 bag frozen corn
1 tsp. garlic salt


Wilt kale and add nutritional yeast. Then add the rest of the ingredients and stir for about 5 minutes until it is hot.

Serve with rice, we used wild rice. Yum!

Day 6: ABCD Wraps with Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad and 3 Bean Chili with Sour Cream and Cornbread Muffins

Lunch: ABCD Wraps

The original recipe can be found in My Beef With Meat by Rip Esselstyn

Ingredients:

3-4 whole carrots, chopped
1 cup raw cashews
6 dates, pitted
1 tbsp. nutritional yeast
2 tbsp. water
1 loaf Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Bread
1/2 bunch scallions
1 head romaine lettuce, cleaned and chopped

Directions:

In a food processor or high-speed blender, blend the carrots, cashews, dates, and nutritional yeast. Add water, as needed, until you reach the desired consistency; it should be similar to hummus.

Toast the bread. Spread a thick layer of the carrot-cashew mixture onto both slices of the toasted bread. Sprinkle 1 slice with the chopped scallions and a heap of the chopped romaine lettuce. Top with the other slice of toasted bread. Cut the sandwich in half and enjoy!

Tip: If you prefer the sandwich less sweet, add fewer dates. If you like scallions, stir them into the spread as well as sprinkling them on top. Also, try red bell pepper and sprouts, or add steamed kale.


Quinoa Tabbouleh

Original recipe from Forks Over Knives the Cookbook by Del Sroufe

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups quinoa, cooked and cooled to room temperature
Zest of 1 lemon and juice of 2 lemons
3 Roma tomatoes
1 cucumber, peeled, halved, seeded, and diced
2 cups edamame
8 green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup chopped parsley
3 tbsp. chopped mint
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Chill for 1 hour before serving.


Dinner: 3 Bean Chili with Sour Cream and Cornbread Muffins

Original recipe can be found here. I used an oil-free cornbread recipe from the Forks Over Knives Cookbook by Del Sroufe

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tbsp. ground flaxseed
1 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup 100% maple syrup
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup oat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup corn kernels (from about 2 ears)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper muffin liners or have ready a 12-cup silicone muffin pan.

2. In a small bowl, combine the flaxseeds with the almond milk and set aside, to allow it to gel, for 5 minutes.

3. In a large mixing bowl, stir the applesauce and maple syrup together. Add the flaxseed-almond milk mixture. Sift in the cornmeal, oat flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir until well combined, but avoid overmixing. Fold in the corn kernels.

4. Spoon out equal portions of batter into the muffin cups. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve warm.

Day 5: Bomb Burritos and Creamy Lemon Asparagus with a Balsamic Salad and Sunflower Seeds

Lunch: Bomb Burritos

The original recipe can be found here. I did alter it slightly for this challenge. I used half the walnuts and no oil in the rice. I also left out the miso dressing.

Dinner: Creamy Lemon Asparagus Pasta with a Balsamic Salad and Sunflower Seeds.

Original recipe can be found here. I also had some leftover Vegan Parmesan that I sprinkled on top. Delicious!

*We have been on this challenge for 5 days now, no chips, no oil, and I've been feeling really good! I get hungry more often, but we have so many leftovers that I can snack all day and not feel hungry at night. I'm excited to see what the next 5 days will be like!