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Ah cookouts, here we come. But if you're vegan, it can be tricky to enjoy the typical fare at 4th of July BBQs. It’s not always easy to find holiday foods at the grocery store, so making your own dishes is always the best, most delicious option!
This Fourth of July, you don't have to go without. Instead, prep one of our creative recipes to savor and share with others and bring with you for wherever you end up this summer.
Vegan Mexican Elote Salad
Mexican street corn, or elote, is a popular summer snack. The name comes from how sellers of this dish used to sell it on the streets of Mexico. Simply mix all the ingredients together until well combined, then serve immediately with tortilla chips or crackers alongside for dipping!
Ingredients:
- 5-7 ears of shucked corn
- 1 lime, quartered and juiced
- Cilantro, chopped
- 1 purple onion, diced
- 2 avocados, diced
- Vegan butter or margarine
- Salt and pepper
- Ground chipotle pepper or chili powder
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Spread butter generously over uncooked corn, season with salt and pepper all over.
- Wrap each corn cob in aluminum foil, then put in oven at 400 or on grill) for 20-25 minutes. Check corn to make sure it doesn’t burn or char the corn.
- Shave corn with a large knife down the cob.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the corn kernels with lime juice, and diced avocado, chopped cilantro and diced onion.
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Season to taste with pepper, salt, and chipotle seasoning or chili powder. Mix until well combined. Serve and enjoy!
Vegan Chocolate Cake with Coconut Frosting and Mango Sauce
If you're looking for a decadent dessert with a summer twist, this chocolate cake with coconut frosting and mango sauce is the perfect choice. It's easy to make and can be customized in many different ways depending on what you have on hand.
Ingredients:
Cake
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour blend)
- 1 cup sugar (or evaporated cane juice)
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled to room temperature 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup water 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup canned coconut milk (or other non-dairy milk)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup shredded coconut flakes,
Mango Sauce
- 1 large ripe mango, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 whole lime, quartered and juiced
- 2 cups sugar (try coconut sugar)
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9-inch round cake pan with coconut oil or nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- Add melted coconut oil and vanilla extract then stir in water until combined.
- In a small bowl, mix together cocoa powder and coconut milk then add to the flour mixture along with apple cider vinegar. Stir until combined.
- Pour batter into prepared cake pan then sprinkle shredded coconut on top. Bake for 30-35 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- While cake is baking, prepare mango sauce by adding all ingredients to a small pot, then simmer on low heat for about 4-5 minutes. Leave it in longer to make a smoother sauce.
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Let the cake cool completely before slicing, then drizzle with mango sauce and enjoy!
Vegan BBQ Portobello Burgers
These vegan balsamic portobello burgers are a delicious way to celebrate Independence Day. They're easy to make and are sure to please vegans and non-vegans alike!
Ingredients:
- 1/2 onion, sliced into rings
- 4 medium portobello mushrooms, stems removed
- 2 cloves of minced garlic
- ⅛ tsp garlic powder
- ⅛ tsp Italian seasoning
- Vegan mayo
- 1 tbsp olive oil or vegan butter
- Vegan cheese slices (optional)
- Balsamic glaze to drizzle
- Salt and pepper
- Hamburger buns
Directions:
- Peel and slice ½ of a white onion into rings. Take off stems from portobello mushrooms.
- Mix together the mayo, garlic powder, ⅛ tsp Italian seasoning, salt & pepper to taste in a small bowl until well combined. Add a little splash of water to make thinner if desired. Set aside for now so that you can assemble your burgers later on.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil (or vegan butter).
- When pan is hot, add onion rings and minced garlic. Sauté for 3-5 minutes or until onions begin to caramelize, stirring occasionally so that they don't burn.
- Transfer onions to a plate then wipe out any extra oil from the pan.
- Place mushrooms in the pan, gill-side up, and add a dash of salt and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes or until they begin to brown. Flip them over then add a bit of water (about 1/2 cup), cover with a lid and cook for another 5 minutes. Add vegan cheese about 1 minute before finished cooking (optional).
- Remove from heat and set aside while you prepare your buns.
- To assemble burgers, place 1 mushroom cap on each bun bottom followed by some caramelized onions, spread mayo mixture onto tops of buns, drizzle the balsamic glaze on the mushroom, then add top bun. Serve immediately and enjoy!
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We hope you enjoy these recipes this cookout season. Whether you're a vegan looking for some new ideas or just want to try something different this year, these recipes are sure to please everyone.
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