A comprehensive vegan feast featuring savory king oyster mushroom and tofu crabcakes, aromatic coconut rice and black beans with Jamaican spices, a fresh mango and avocado salsa, and perfectly pan-seared plantains.
Overall Meal Prep:
Ensure firm tofu is pressed to remove excess moisture for optimal crabcake consistency.
Vegan Crabcake Instructions:
1. Set your oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Begin by pulsing the 2 king oyster mushrooms in a food processor until a crab-like consistency is achieved, about 2 minutes on and off.
3. Add the pulsed mushrooms to a bowl along with the pressed firm tofu, 1 flax egg (made from 1 tbsp milled flax seed + 3 tbsp water), 1 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, fresh parsley, fresh dill, 1/3 cup wheat flour, 0.5 tbsp jerk seasoning, salt, pepper, and lemon to taste.
4. Once combined, form the mixture into large balls (crabcakes).
5. Heat a hot oiled skillet with a portion of the avocado oil. Cook the crabcakes for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown.
6. Finish off the crabcakes in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes.
Rice and Beans Instructions:
1. Add 1 tbsp avocado oil to a large pot over medium heat.
2. Add the 1 scotch bonnet pepper (halved), 1 large yellow onion (halved), and 6 garlic cloves. Cook until nice and brown, about 3 minutes.
3. Add 1.25 cups white rice and the seasoning blend (1 tbsp jerk seasoning, 1 tsp Cajun seasoning, 0.5 tsp chipotle seasoning). Mix well and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the drained 8oz can of black beans.
5. Next, add 2 cups vegetable broth, 1 can coconut milk, 3 sprigs fresh thyme, 1-2 bay leaves, and salt to taste.
6. Mix well, cover, and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to low and cook for 30-35 minutes until the rice is fully cooked. Do not mix while cooking.
Salsa Instructions:
1. Combine 1 diced avocado, 2 diced mangoes, a large handful of fresh cilantro (chopped), 0.25 cup chopped purple onion (red onion), and the juice of 1 lime. Mix well and enjoy immediately.
Plantains Instructions:
1. Slice the 2 ripe plantains in half lengthwise.
2. Heat a skillet with 0.5 tbsp avocado oil over medium heat.
3. Pan sear the plantain halves for 2-3 minutes on each side until caramelized and tender.
Serving Suggestion:
Serve the vegan crabcakes with the rice and beans, topped with the fresh mango avocado salsa and a side of pan-seared plantains. Optionally, top with chipotle sauce.
Notes:
- Be sure to press all excess moisture out of tofu to have good hold when pan searing.
- The best rice is left alone! Don't mix during cooking.
