4th of July Menu from America Goes Vegan

THERE'S NO NEED TO EAT UNHEALTHY FOOD WHILE CELEBRATING ON THE 4TH! 

CRISPY NO FRIES, BARBECUE RIBS AND CHOCOLATE SHAKES ARE ON THE 2023 MENU AS AMERICA GOES VEGAN! 

All recipes are from the brand new book America Goes Vegan! by Glen Merzer and Tracy Childs 

CRISPY NO FRIES

Here’s an easy way to enjoy some french fries with your new American-style plant burger! The whole food fat in the Nut Parmesan makes these oil-free fries crispy! This recipe also works with sweet potatoes, but less parboiling time is required.

(makes 2-3 servings)

6-7 small/medium Yukon Gold or red skinned potatoes

¼ cup Tracy's REAL Foods Sunny Parm or Nut Parmesan (recipe below)

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

½ teaspoon turmeric

salt (optional) and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 425° F.
2. Fill a pot with water (enough to cover potatoes)
3. Clean and cut the potatoes into wedges (about 6-8 per potato) and place them in the pot.
4. Bring the pot to a boil, then parboil for 5 more minutes, or until just fork-tender.
5. Drain the potatoes well and cool to room temperature (about 10-20 minutes), then place them in a large bowl.
6. Add the Nut Parmesan or Sunny Parm and other seasonings and coat well.
7. Spread the potatoes evenly on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes or until nice and crispy and browned.

NUT PARMESAN

This is an excellent replacement for dairy-based parmesan! I always try to keep some on hand in my fridge. I keep it in a well-sealed jar.

(makes 1 cup)

½ cup sliced almonds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds or other nut/seed of choice (or a mix)

½ cup nutritional yeast flakes (unfortified)

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add all ingredients and blend to grind.
2. Remove to a container and store in the refrigerator.

CHEF’S NOTE

• I use unfortified nutritional yeast because I don’t want to consume folic acid, which all the fortified formulas contain, as well as B-12, which is a recommended supplement for all vegans (it is best to use a sublingual supplement). Research shows that folic acid, which is the man-made form of folate, can be linked to cancer. Since folate is plentiful in fresh vegetables, if you eat plenty of veggies, you do not need to supplement with folic acid.
• When I’m in a hurry and need some Nut Parmesan for a recipe or topping, I sometimes use almond flour instead of whole nuts or seeds. This avoids using the blender, so it saves time and works well as a quick substitute.

CHOCOLATE SHAKE

You won’t believe how close this guilt-free version comes to those shakes you grew up on. “Indulge” and enjoy with your next homemade plant burger!

(serves 2-3)

1 cup ice cubes

1 cup unsweetened plant milk

2 tablespoon pitted dates

3 cups frozen banana slices (about 3 bananas)

3 tablespoons cacao or cocoa powder

INSTRUCTIONS

Blend until smooth in a high-speed blender, adding more plant milk to achieve your desired consistency, but thicker is better because it thins as it comes to room temperature.

BARBECUE RIBS

Comfort food to the hilt! Making your own ribs is a bit of a process that gets easier every time you make it! These vegan ribs are a tasty treat to enjoy on special occasions like Father’s Day and the Fourth of July.

(makes about 24 ribs)

1 large onion, chopped

2 14-ounce cans jackfruit drained, rinsed

5 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup mushrooms, chopped

¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes (not bottled in oil), soaked to soften and chopped

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 cups Tracy’s Barbecue Sauce (recipe in America Goes Vegan!), or use your favorite vegan barbecue sauce, divided use

2 tablespoons Mediterranean Spice Mix (recipe below)

¼ cup ground flax seeds

½ cup water

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons mustard of choice

1 teaspoon sriracha

2 cups cooked short grain brown rice

½ cup oat flour

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat to 400° F. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper or use a silicon baking sheet.
2. Add the jackfruit to a food processor and chop into a shredded “meat” consistency.
3. Add the onion, garlic, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, and jackfruit along with the vinegar and ½ cup of the barbecue sauce to a skillet. Sauté on high for a few minutes, then reduce to low. Cover to bring out the moisture of the ingredients, then uncover and continue to sauté until mostly dry and the onions, mushrooms, and garlic are softened.
4. Meanwhile to a large mixing bowl, add flax seeds, water, tomato paste, mustard, seasonings and sriracha. Stir well and then add the cooked rice, the jackfruit mixture, and the flour and mix well.
5. Pour onto the prepared sheet and with damp hands shape into about a 12 x 9-inch rectangle about ¾ inches thick.
6. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until firm to the touch and lightly browned.
7. Remove from the oven and then evenly spread ½ cup barbecue sauce (thinly) on the top. Return to the oven for 10 minutes to dry the sauce on top.
8. Remove and cut the rectangle widthwise into thirds, then sixths (each piece is about 4 x 3 inches). Using a thin spatula, carefully flip over the pieces, return to the oven for 10 minutes then remove and evenly coat the pieces with the remaining barbecue sauce (it should be thicker this time). Return to the oven one more time for about 10 minutes, or until the top is dry.
9. Remove and cool for about 30 or more minutes before slicing each piece into 4 ribs that are about 1 inch wide by 4 inches long. They firm up and get easier to handle as they cool.

MEDITERRANEAN BASIC SPICE MIX

This mix is excellent for use in any soups, burgers, rice/bean dishes you want to have a Mediterranean essence.

3 tablespoons Italian Seasoning

1 tablespoon paprika

2 tablespoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons onion powder

¼ cup nutritional yeast

black pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix the spices together and store in a closed, labelled jar.