Using Up What’s Left Makes Me Creative                      

My Spud delivery days are Wednesdays. When I place my order, I go back several times before the deadline and change it, add to it or cancel an item as the week progresses depending on what I have in pantry or fridge. As I get closer to Wednesday, I do my best to use what I have left and get creative with any items still remaining. Often I come up with some really good ideas and sometimes, not so much. Last night I surveyed my fridge’s contents and came up with something really yummy.

1 pkg Gardein Golden Fishless Filets

Tortilla Shells

1 Package of sprouts (or some arugula, cilantro, lettuce, whatever you have)

Vegan mayo or tartar sauce

Thinly sliced sweet onion

Thinly sliced avocado (or mashed)

Thinly sliced tomato

Vegan bacon (I will include recipe below)

I had the Fishless Filets in my freezer along with some Brown Rice Tortilla shells and in my fridge a half a cucumber, an avocado (it was just right in ripeness on Saturday so I stuck it in the fridge so it wouldn’t get overripe), some sprouts and a few other items.

I slightly warmed the shells, cooked the filets as per instructions on the package and from my vegan mayonnaise, I created a tartar sauce by adding some finely chopped dill pickles.

Cube the Fishless filets into bite sized pieces. Then begin assembling your Fishless tortillas.

I spread some tartar sauce on the shell, added some of the cubed “fish”, some sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, avocado, “Fakon” and onion. Then added the sprouts (I am not a cilantro fan but if you are I am sure it can be used) and wrapped all of the above ingredients in the shell. These were very basic but so good.

Lately there has been quite the buzz in the vegan world since someone created a vegan version of bacon aka Fakon. This is the way I made it and it is surprisingly delicious.

2 tbsp avocado oil

3 tbsp soy sauce

6 tbsp nutritional yeast

1 tsp – liquid smoke

¼ tsp smoked paprika

¼ tsp smoked salt

1 tbsp of maple syrup

water

fresh spring roll rice paper (found in most regular grocery stores in the ethnic food sections)

Mix a marinade with all ingredients in a small bowl with room enough for your hand to reach the bottom. Add water a little by little until the marinade is at a good consistency (similar to a syrup) without being too thin.

Quickly run water over two sheets of rice paper and stick them together. Don’t let it become too soft since it makes it impossible to work with. If you want really thin and crispy Fakon then use one slice of rice paper for each Fakon-strip. (I preferred the double thickness)

Using a pizza wheel or a pair of scissors, cut the double sheets into slices the width you would expect bacon to be.

Hold one end of the strip, dip it into the marinade and pull it up again.

Put the strip on a non-stick frying pan and let it fry at medium intensity for about 4 minutes or until you can feel that it starts to harden up

Using a fork or tongs turn it over. Fry it for 2 minutes or until it has become crispy.

(Apparently, these can be baked in the oven too which I will try next time. Place the strips on a tray with parchment paper and heat them in the oven at 350 degrees for 7 minutes – or until they are at the consistency you want.)

Susan Hollingshead

Susan is our resident vegan. She’s been a vegetarian for 20 years, and a vegan for 3. She has researched both lifestyles extensively and is constantly exploring new recipes, add her own twist. She is a long time Spud customer, and now our very own resident vegan blogger!