This recipe was inspired by my last photo shoot. The theme was bacon, and it was torture…
When I’m not developing vegan recipes and playing with my perfect pup, I’m a food stylist. For those of you who don’t know, a food stylist is the person responsible for why food always looks better on the menu than it does in real life. Last week, I had an assignment highlighting a bacon product. There I was, cooking and smelling the greasy, salty, savory pork all day. It was hard, but I didn’t eat any. It was haunting me for daaaaays until I read somewhere that coconut makes good bacon. It made perfect sense! Its slightly oily, and gets a bit savory when cooked for a reeeeeeeeeeally long time. Whats better with bacon then brussels? Please don’t answer that.
Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts with Vegan Bacon
Ingredients
- For the bacon:
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 Tablespoon liquid aminos
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
- For the brussels:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups brussels sprouts, halved
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat the oven to 300F. Its important to toast things like coconut and nuts at a low temperature so you fully develop the flavor instead of just toasting the outside.
- Step 2 Combine the coconut flakes, 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon maple syrup, liquid aminos and smoked paprika. Spread them on a sheet pan and pop them in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Keep an eye on them though! They go from pastey to charred in a hot minute.
- Step 3 Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the brussels and cook until golden brown.
- Step 4 Stir in the balsamic vinegar and the remaining maple syrup.
- Step 5 Cook for two more minutes, then top with the coconut bacon and serve!
