Funny story, I actually spent a portion of my morning today looking through my old blog posts. Venturing all the way back to the first posts and remembering how much food and recipes were a part of my journey. Food is actually what inspired this whole, Chloe’s Countertop journey. It was my journey with food and this rediscovery of my love for food- that created all the beauty that is here now. As I scanned through my old recipes and words, I had a moment of so much gratitude. Appreciation for what I have been through and so much gratitude for food! Even though I don’t post recipes (like, ever) anymore and I don’t cater or personal chef for clients anymore, food is still a huge part of my life and continues to nourish, comfort and protect me.
When the ladies at Piquant Marketing got in touch with me about joining the Vancity Virtual Potluck, I knew I had to join. Not only because it’s an amazing idea and such a cool way to host an event, but also to re-inspire my love for food and to get back into the kitchen as I used to. Music, food, dancing, smells and all of the messy creations.
So the basics of this virtual potluck are:
- over 38 Vancouver bloggers, foodies and chefs
- a digital feast
- all posting their unique recipes at the same time
- offering you a variety of recipes that you can browse
- once you are done here, you can click to see the next (or previous recipe) or see the entire menu of the feast
So I got started on brainstorming what to make. Appetizer, main, dessert, sweet, savoury, breakfast, lunch, dinner…all of the options! The thought that kept coming up was that I wanted to share something that was visually appealing, exciting and also one that would appeal to the masses. I wanted to create something that would inspire someone outside of the holistic/blogging community to make it. Something that they might not have made before. Something that will inspire creativity and compassion. A perfect recipe for #meatlessmondays and people that are new the whole holistic and plant based lifestyle. Re-creating old favourites with health, balance and sustainability in mind.
It all started with vegan pulled pork- and basically took off from there. When it comes to recipe development and cooking for me, it really is all about what I am craving at that moment. And right now, all I want is some Southern cooking. This might be because my husband and brother are both in Austin at the SXSW conference and I wish I was with them. It also could be because Vancouver’s forecast is rain, rain, rain– and my body is looking for some good old warming comfort food. What I do know, is that when I started with one component of the idea- it just kept going until I finally ended up with these insanely delicious: Southern Sweet Potato Stacks (it’s all in the name, right?).
Here’s the thing with this recipe; it has several components to it. So, it might seem complicated. However, the amazing part of this dish is that all of the components can be made into SO many other things. I think this is why I made it. When I was creating my idea, I truly couldn’t narrow down to one thought. My mind was going from vegan pulled pork, to nachos, to mac n cheese, to sloppy joes, to burgers, to nourish bowls. The idea is really that you make enough to use as leftovers in other ways. I will include some variations and options after the recipe. Let’s get to it! Oh, and don’t forget that at the end of this recipe you can find your way to two other new recipes as well as the full menu of the feast!
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium yam, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup chickeas (soaked, drained)
- 1 cup black beans (soaked, drained)
- 1 cup pinto beans (soaked, drained)
- 1/2 cup organic corn kernels (frozen or fresh)
- tomato paste
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup vegatable broth
- handful fresh cilantro
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tbsp paprika
- 2 tbsp chilli powder
- 1/2 tbsp cumin
- 2 tsp cayenne
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1-2 tsp himalayan salt
- Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add olive oil and onion. Saute for 5 minutes.
- While heating the onion, minced the garlic and let it sit for 5 minutes before adding to the pot (to receive optimal nutrition).
- Add garlic and stir.
- Add red bell pepper, diced sweet potato, chilli powder, black pepper, cumin, garlic powder, paprika and turmeric. Stir to coat everything in the spices.
- Do not add the salt until the beans are fully cooked through.
- Next, add your beans and corn (chickpea, pinto, black), diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, vegetable broth and cayenne powder.
- Bring the chilli to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 30-45 minutes (the longer, the better). Once the beans are fully cooked, add the salt and adjust any seasonings before serving.
- 2 cans of jackfruit (in brine/water not syrup)
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- [b]BBQ spice blend:[/b]
- 1/4 cup raw cane sugar
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp himalayan salt
- 1 tsp cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- [b]Vegan BBQ Sauce:[/b]
- 1 can tomato paste (156 mL)
- 1/4 cup tamari
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 3 tbsp dijon mustard
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp himalayan salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- *mix in a bowl or blend on high in a blender
- Drain the jackfruit from the can, wash it a few times and drain. Use a clean towel to dry the jackfruit thoroughly.
- Remove the hard pieces of the jackfruit- treat it like you would a pineapple, cutting off the core. Also, remove the strange pieces such as the bulbs.
- Place the jackfruit in a bowl and use your hands or a fork to pull it apart (like they do with pulled pork)
- Mix the BBQ spice blend in a bowl and add it to the jackfruit, massaging it in with your hands. Let it sit for 10 minutes to soak in.
- Heat olive oil in medium/large skillet on medium heat. Add onion and saute for 5 minutes. Add the jackfruit and saute for another 5 minutes.
- Add the homemade bbq sauce (plus 1/3 cup of water), put the heat to low and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally (make sure not to burn).
- 1 medium/large sweet potato
- 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1/4 cup water
- Slice the sweet potato into 1 1/2-2 inch wide circles (coins)
- Heat a medium skillet and add coconut oil
- Add the rounds onto the pan, sear slightly in the oil, and then add the water. Cover and cook on medium for 5-8 minutes. Flip them and cook the other side.
- Once the water has fully evaporated- allow each side to slightly sear.
- 1/2 cup cashews, soaked
- handful of fresh cilantro
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1/2 tsp himalayan salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup almond milk
- Soak your cashews ahead of time (3-6+ hours)- if you don’t have time to soak them, place in a pot of boiling water for 15 minutes
- Add all ingredients into blender, blend on high
- 1/2 cup diced mango
- 1/2 cup diced pineapple
- 1/4 red onion, diced
- handful fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1/2 tbsp diced jalapeno
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Add all ingredients into a bowl, mix and let it sit for 15 minutes+ to soak in the flavours
- 2 ripe avocados
- handful of cilantro, chopped
- Mash avocados in a bowl and add the fresh cilantro
How To Assemble:
Once you have all of your components prepared, you can assemble. Start with a sweet potato round on the bottom, followed by a scoop of chilli (if it is slightly cooled it will sit better), followed by a scoop of pulled pork. Top each stack with guacamole, mango salsa and a drizzle of the cilantro cashew cream. Optional to garnish with green onion.
Warning: animals have shown signs of interest in this recipe!
Other ideas for these recipes:
Southern Style Nourish Bowl: add rice/quinoa and some greens and you have yourself an amazing bowl
Burrito: Combine all ingredients/components into a tortilla wrap and add some spinach if you like
Vegan Nachos: Layer nachos with the chilli, jackfruit and add some vegan cheese in each layer. Top with the mango salsa, guac and cilantro cream
Southwest Sloppy Joe: all you need is a delicious bun and you’ve got yourself an epic sloppy joe. Tip: the more sauce, the better.
Are you ready for some more Vancity Virtual Potluck Feast recipes?
Head here to check out the full menu of the feast!
