Kathryn Budig’s Vegan BLT Recipe
Carrot “Bacon” BLT
Serves 3
“My 78-year-old, Nebraska-born father was recently given strict doctor’s orders: no more pork or red meat. Since then, I’ve been on a mission to help him succeed—and to make his meals delicious. Enter carrot ‘bacon.’ It’s healthy, tasty, and a crowd pleaser for meat eaters and vegetarians alike (and I think it tastes so much better than processed bacon substitutes). To save time, roast the carrots beforehand so you can quickly throw your sandwich together for lunch on the go.”
INGREDIENTS
3 large carrots
2 tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp bourbon
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp hot sauce
½ tsp smoked Maldon sea salt flakes
3 tbsp Vegenaise
1 lemon, zest and juice
6 slices toasted bread of your choice (I like sourdough English muffins)
1 large heirloom tomato, sliced
1 avocado, thinly sliced
3 leaves romaine lettuce
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat oven to 400°.
Place carrots on a cutting board, and drag a peeler firmly from top to bottom to create bacon-like ribbons.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm coconut oil. Hold a lid just above the pan to minimize splatter. Add bourbon, letting it sizzle, 30 seconds. Transfer oil to a bowl and whisk together with Worcestershire sauce, maple syrup, and hot sauce. Add carrots to bowl and stir until fully coated; let sit 5–10 minutes.
Remove carrots, reserving marinade, and place them flat on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Season with sea salt flakes. Bake on high rack until slightly browned and starting to crinkle, 10–15 minutes. Remove from heat, flip the carrot “bacon,” and brush remaining marinade onto the other side. Return to oven and bake until crispy but not burnt (check on carrots every few minutes to avoid blackening), 5–10 minutes.
In a bowl, combine Vegenaise and lemon zest and juice. Spread Vegenaise mixture on bread slices and top with tomato, avocado, lettuce, and “bacon.” Enjoy!
NUTRITIONAL INFO 463 calories per serving, 27 g fat (10 g saturated), 49 g carbs, 6 g fiber, 7 g protein, 804 mg sodium
