Jackfruit is about to take your diet to a whole new level of culinary satisfaction. In this vegan Philadelphia cheesesteak recipe, jackfruit perfectly takes on the flavor of steak in an animal-friendly fashion. Count this recipe as your foray into the incredibly versatile fruit that keeps on giving. 

What is Jackfruit?

Jackfruit is the largest tree fruit in the world (it can reach up to a whopping 100 pounds in weight!). But it’s more than just big in size – it’s also pretty hefty in nutritional benefits.

The jackfruit is native to South and Southeast Asia and is generally hard to find in your regular grocery store. Jackfruit is rich in protein, magnesium, vitamin B6, and antioxidants.

How to Use Jackfruit

If you look at a whole jackfruit, you’ll notice a rough, porcupine-like exterior. Its cross-section reveals numerous yellow pods, each surrounding a large seed/pit. Ripe jackfruit pods can be eaten fresh or roasted, and their taste is reminiscent of pear, pineapple, banana, and papaya.

When the jackfruit is unripe, it is popularly used as “vegetable meat”, since it bears a chewy texture and mild flavor (perfect for infusing with spices). It can be cooked down to resemble the taste and texture of pulled pork.

The jackfruit seeds can be roasted or boiled, like chestnuts, until soft and tender and then can be eaten.

How This Recipe Uses Jackfruit

As someone who exercises a predominantly vegan diet and avoids processed soy like the plague, the idea of jackfruit as a viable meat alternative intrigued me. So, I gave it a go, incorporating the fruit into one of my hometown’s most charming grubs: Philly cheesesteak.

Jackfruit acts a lot like any other meat you cook with. In this recipe, it is rinsed, dried, shredded, and sautéed with spices until it is cooked through.

What You Need

All of the ingredients in this recipe are straightforward and easy to find, save for the jackfruit. I personally could not find fresh jackfruit at my local grocery store, but I did find a canned version online. Native Forest’s Organic Young Jack Fruit is packaged with few other ingredients – just organic young jackfruit from Sri Lanka, water, sea salt, and organic lime juice. A lot of the other brands I found online included simple syrup.

I tend to avoid canned goods and often go the extra mile to make sure that when I do consume a canned good product that there is some level of assurance it is BPA-free. According to its website, Native Forest’s canned jack fruit was tested and resulted in “no BPA detected”.

If you want to make this recipe with fresh jackfruit, you most certainly can, but it will take a lot more work than reaching for a canned version. I found this video by Tropicalfood thorough and informational, although I have yet to try it myself.

I strongly advise starting with prepared jackfruit (canned or in packages, like Upton’s) and then experimenting later with the fresh version. Baby steps.

Aside from the jackfruit, you’ll have to gather other ingredients for assembly. This recipe is paired with hotdog buns (I use Rudi’s Bakery’s Wheat Hot Dog Rolls) and vegan cheese (I made this Vegan White Cheese Party Dip). For a more melted-like consistency, use for Daiya’s Provolone-Style Slices. No other add-ins are necessary, but you can get creative in whatever way you like. Enjoy!

Vegan Jackfruit Philly Cheesesteak Recipe

Serves 2

Ingredients

For the jackfruit “meat”

• 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 12-ounce can jackfruit, drained and shredded
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon liquid smoke
• ½ teaspoon maple syrup
• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon soy sauce
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper

For the assembly

• 2 whole-wheat hotdog buns
• ½ cup vegan white bean cheese or two slices Daiya provolone cheese

Directions

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, add one teaspoon of olive oil, the yellow onion, and red pepper. Sauté for about five minutes, or until soft. Transfer the onion and pepper to a plate and return the saucepan to the heat.

Into the same saucepan, add the other teaspoon of olive oil, jackfruit, garlic, liquid smoke, and maple syrup. Stir for two to three minutes. Next, add in paprika, onion powder, soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir and cook for five to ten more minutes, or until the jackfruit starts to brown. Stir in the cooked onions and peppers. Remove the saucepan from the stove and set aside.

For assembly, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the hotdog buns on the baking sheet and fill each with the jackfruit mixture. Slather each with the white bean cheese or top with a slice of Daiya provolone cheese. Put the baking sheet in the oven and broil on high for one to two minutes, or until the cheese melts.

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The post The Philly Cheesesteak Gets a Vegan Makeover With Jackfruit appeared first on EcoSalon.

Spinach and artichoke dip and a grilled cheese sandwich are two of my favorite things. Meshed together and I may just have discovered my absolute favorite dish.

This simple sandwich recipe has a bit of everything: a touch of greens, a layer of gooey cheese, a dab of garlic, a couple slices of bread, a slab of butter, a dash of salt, and a good dose of artichoke hearts. It makes for the perfect wholesome sandwich that has enough vegetables in there to keep your mind at ease with so much cheese. Enjoy!

Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 3 cups chopped fresh spinach
• 1 cup artichoke hearts from the can, drained, rinsed, and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 cup shredded provolone cheese
• 4 pieces of your choice of bread (I use whole-grain or gluten-free varieties)
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon butter

Directions

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, add the garlic and olive oil. Sauté the garlic for one minute before adding in the spinach, salt, and pepper. Continue to cook and stir the mixture until the spinach has wilted, which will take another minute or two. Add in the artichokes. Stir for a few minutes, cooking off any extra liquid. Next, fold in the sour cream. Stir until well combined and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for another two to three minutes and then set aside.

Prepare the bread for assembly. Spread butter on each side of each slice of bread. Place the bread pieces onto a baking sheet and top each slice with an equal amount of shredded cheese, spinach and artichoke mixture, and more shredded cheese. Place the baking dish into the broiler for one minute, or until the cheese begins to bubble and turn light brown.

You can serve the sandwiches closed or open-faced. If you want them to resemble a proper sandwich, flip two of the slices onto one of the other two to make to sandwiches and press down lightly. Broil the sandwiches for another minute, or until the bread is lightly brown and toasted.

Related on EcoSalon
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The post Spinach and Artichoke Dip Turns This Grilled Cheese Sandwich Into Perfection appeared first on EcoSalon.

This cucumber sandwich recipe is a vegan take on a refreshing and light snack, bursting with seasonal freshness and so fully satisfying.

Vegan cream cheese acts as a thick and creamy binding element between the sandwich bread, cucumber slices, and fresh mint. The result is a light meal or snack you can feel good about.

If you take a look at the ingredients list on the back of any mainstream cream cheese, you won’t be impressed. Besides its base in pasteurized nonfat milk and milkfat (something about that doesn’t scream real milk to me), regular cream cheese is infused with hard-to-digest whey protein, stabilizers (like xanthan, carob bean, or guar gums), and preservatives (like vitamin A palmitate). Bottom line: you can do better.

The beauty of cashews–the base of this vegan creamy cream cheese–is that when raw, soaked, and blended, they turn into a creamy spread that can take on the flavor profile of just about anything. You are only ever a few add-ins away from an array of diverse dishes, such as a savory cheese, a dense raw cheesecake, or an herb dipping sauce. The possibilities are endless. In this cucumber sandwich recipe, the cashew cream cheese sticks to the theme: vegan and light. It gets a light cheesy flavor from nutritional yeast and a burst of tasty energy from chives. Spread on as thick of a layer of this vegan cream cheese as you’d like – no one’s judging.

The cashew cream cheese recipe makes more than you’ll need for your sandwich, but it is intentionally listed that way so you can keep the extra stored in your fridge for later use throughout the week. Whenever you crave cheese or anything dense, reach for the cashew cream cheese and use it as a dip, spread, or sauce. Enjoy!

Cucumber Sandwiches With Vegan Cream Cheese and Fresh Mint

Serves 1

Ingredients

For the sandwich

• 2 slices of whole grain bread, toasted
• 2 tablespoons of cashew cream cheese (recipe below)
• 8 cucumber slices
• Dash of salt
• Dash of pepper
• 1 scallion, finely chopped
• A few fresh mint leaves

For the cashew cream cheese

• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked, drained, and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives (optional)

Directions

For the cashew cream cheese, soak the raw cashews in water overnight. Drain and rinse before using. Add the soaked cashews to a food processor or high-speed blender along with the remaining cream cheese ingredients. Blend until smooth. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until needed.

For the sandwich, spread one side of each toasted bread slice with one tablespoon of the cashew cream cheese. Sprinkle atop each cream cheese layer with scallions. Arrange a single layer of the cucumber slices over one of the bread slices. Sprinkle the cucumber slices with salt and pepper and then finish it off with a layer of fresh mint. Place the other bread slice over the cucumber bread. Slice in half and eat!

Related on EcoSalon
Grilled Salmon Panini Sandwich with Cream Cheese
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The post Cucumber Sandwiches With Vegan Cream Cheese and Fresh Mint appeared first on EcoSalon.

Rethinking breakfast, one egg at a time.

Pizza for breakfast. We’ve all been there, but this time it doesn’t involve you shamelessly munching on the cold leftovers from last night’s dinner. Instead, it’s a fried egg, cheese and tomatoes served over a whole-grain toasted bagel.

The whole-grain bagel provides you with the fiber your body craves in the a.m. and the protein-packed egg and cheese are sure to keep you fuller for longer, all the while offering the comfort of a flavor combination you know all too well. Sometimes a savory breakfast fits the bill and this recipe takes pizza and gives it a morning makeover.

Egg Sandwich Pizza

Serves 1

Ingredients:

• 1 egg
• 1/2 tablespoon butter
• Dash of salt and pepper
• 1 whole-grain/whole-wheat bagel, toasted
• 1 thin slice of parmesan cheese
• 1 slice tomato
• 3-4 sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon fresh oregano, pulled from stems

Directions:

In a saucepan over high heat, add the butter. When melted, crack open the egg into the saucepan and let cook. Pull in the edges of the egg white as it cooks and break open the yoke slightly with a spatula to help it cook through.

When the egg is cooked through, but still soft on top, season with salt and pepper and remove the saucepan from the stove and set aside.

Over a toasted sliced bagel half, begin to add the fillings – the fried egg, then the cheese, tomato slice, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh oregano.

Cover the sandwich with the other half of the bagel and slice along the middle before serving.

Bon Appetit!

Aylin Erman currently resides in Istanbul and is creator of plant-based recipe website GlowKitchen.

The post Sunday Recipe: Egg Sandwich Pizza appeared first on EcoSalon.

Put that leftover turkey to use.

In my family, the day after Thanksgiving means one thing, and it isn’t Black Friday. No, I’m talking about something far more fulfilling and far less damaging to your bank account: leftover turkey sandwiches.

Back home, we keep it simple. Turkey, dressing, and a few slices of organic whole wheat bread. But other post-turkey day eaters go nuts, throwing in avocado, gouda, and even the occasional waffle. Here, seven great turkey sandwiches from Foodspotting to inspire a little culinary creativity this day-after-Thanksgiving.

Turkey Sandwich @ Torrisi Italian Specialties

Turkey Avocado & Pesto Waffle Sandwich @ Dash Cafe

Turkey & Provolone Sandwich @ Jestine’s Kitchen

Smoked Turkey Sandwich @ Panera Bread 

Roasted Turkey And Gouda Sandwich @ Museum of Science

Turkey Pesto Sandwich @ Fresh Cafe 

Thanksgivin’ Dinner Burger @ PYT

In Foodspotting Friday we highlight one of Foodspotting’s – or our own – top picks from our Foodspotting guides. Be sure to check them out and tip us off to your own favorites in our Readers’ Picks guide. Want to start spotting food on your own? Join Foodspotting and take part in the food spotting revolution. It’s visual, it’s positive, it’s global and we are in love with it.

Images: Pei Ketron, ScottySauce, Lizz Spano, Eliahoo, Daynah, Moriza, Jedi Pearce, Ed Morita

The post Foodspotting Friday: Give Thanks for Turkey Sandwiches appeared first on EcoSalon.