Raw vegan bacon bits. Wait, what?
Oh yes. This is a recipe for guilt free bacon but with all the flavour. Salty, smoky and sweet, with a lot of crunch.
You could of course buy vegan bacon in stores – but it’s really simple and cheap to make yourself, so why not give it a go and make endless amounts of delicious, crispy, cruelty free raw vegan bacon!
And then, possibilities with this are pretty much endless, from BLT sandwiches and wraps to add/ons for salads, soups, pasta and pizza, plus have you ever tried bacon and chocolate?
RECIPE FOR RAW VEGAN BACON
Ingredients:
- 2 cups coconut flakes * (100g or 3.5 oz)
- 2 TBSP coconut aminos, tamari (gluten free) or nama shoyu sauce
- 2 TBSP coconut syrup *
- 2 TBSP liquid smoke *
- 1 tsp sweet paprika for color
Preparation:
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together everything except coconut flakes, make sure there are no lumps left.
Add coconut flakes and toss until all pieces are coated.
Spread coated coconut flakes evenly onto non-stick sheets.
Dehydrator: Dehydrate at 42 degrees / 102 F for 12 hours or until crisp, flip halfway to ensure even & faster drying.
Oven: Bake in a pre heated oven at 170 degrees / 340 F for 5 minutes, then flip and stir through.
Bake for another 5 minutes or until golden brown and caramelised.
Let cool to become more crisp before storing it in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
If it becomes soft, dehydrate / bake for a short while – if baking, always keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn.
Notes:
* flakes, the larger the better. Not shredded, and not sweetened.
** instead of liquid smoke, you can also use 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar + 1 tsp smoked sweet paprika
*** alternatives to coconut syrup: maple syrup, rice syrup, yacon syrup, agave nectar.
C = cup, 240 ml
1/2 C = half a cup, 120 ml or / TBSP
1/4 C = quarter of a cup, 60 ml or 4 TBSP
TBSP = table spoon, 15 ml or 3 tsp
tsp = tea spoon, 5 ml
“soft dates” = medjool are usually best. If necessary, soak briefly and drain. The soaking water is super sweet by the way!