Are you getting your menu ready for the Fourth of July? We’ve got an idea for you!
Lifestyle and eco-friendly expert Danny Seo gave a classic meat sandwich a plant-based twist!
Seo joined the PIX11 Morning News to show us how to make a hickory carrot BLT with a cashew pimento spread.
Cashew pimento spread (yields 3½ cups)
Gather:
2 cups cashews (can substitute with raw sunflower seeds)
2 red bell peppers
½ cup refined coconut oil
2 teaspoons sea salt
4 garlic cloves
¼ cup nutritional yeast
One 8-ounce jar of pimento peppers
Make it:
• Place cashews in a heatproof bowl. Boil 4 cups of water and pour over cashews. Allow to sit for 10 minutes and drain.
• Destem and deseed red peppers. Remove white pith. Cut into a rough dice (approximately 3 cups).
• Peel and smash garlic cloves.
• To a blender, add soaked cashews, diced red peppers, coconut oil, salt, garlic cloves and nutritional yeast and process until completely smooth.
• Drain and rinse pimento peppers (approximately 1/2 cup). Pat dry and chop. Fold into cashew mixture. Cover and chill spread in refrigerator before serving.
Hickory carrot “bacon” BLT
To make carrot “bacon” (yields 1 1/2 cups ‘bacon’)
Gather:
2 large carrots, peeled
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons liquid smoke
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon organic corn starch
Make it:
• Peel carrots. Using peeler, cut carrots into long strips. Place carrot ribbons in a large bowl and gently massage with sea salt.
• Allow to sit for 5 minutes and squeeze out all excess liquid with hands.
• Toss carrot ribbons with liquid smoke, olive oil, maple syrup, and corn starch.
• Place in large nonstick pan, and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Set oven on broil function. Spread carrot ribbons on wire-lined baking tray.
• Broil for 2 minutes or until some pieces are blistering, checking often to avoid burning carrots. Note: For crispier ‘bacon,’ cook carrot ribbons in air fryer at 375°F for 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle with additional pinch of salt.
