A VEGAN Bacon for Bacon Lovers

Photo from www.onegreenplanet.org

Over the past few years, bacon has become all the rage! It isn't just for breakfast anymore. Folks want it on everything and I can understand why. It's fatty, crispy and and most find it absolutely delicious. Just the aroma of bacon sizzling in a pan on the stove transports us back in time or reminds us of home.

 I must admit, I do like the smell of bacon as it cooks simply because it brings back fond memories of big country breakfasts with my family down South. I've eaten it, but I've never been a bacon fan. And obviously, because I exist on a plant-based diet, it's is a big no-no.

Now we all know bacon is made from pork which comes from pigs. Pigs are mostly fat and too much animal fat is not good for our health, wellness or weight loss efforts. Turkey bacon is a fair substitute and much leaner. I am of the persuasion that no type of bacon at all is best for everyone on the planet, but I know that's never gonna happen. You're probably cursing under your breath at me right now for even suggesting you give up your beloved bacon. I know you're not going to stop eating it, at least not completely, so I encourage my  bacon-loving clients to reserve it for really special occasions only or use it as a condiment or to add flavor to their foods rather than eating large quantities of it at one sitting.

The vegetarian or vegan fake bacon products are disappointing and usually made from soy and very often contain artificial ingredients and flavors to make it look and taste like bacon. Don't even try those. Also, be sure to read your labels when it comes to '"fake" meat substitutes.  Just because a product is "meatless" doesn't always mean it is healthy.  

So what do you do if you're the health conscious person? You love bacon, but want to cut back. Remember how I suggested using bacon as a condiment? Crumble strip or two in your homemade baked beans or a big pan of scrambled eggs. You can cut a strip of regular or turkey bacon into tiny pieces and add those and a touch of maple syrup to your corn muffin batter. Occasionally, I will do that as a special treat for my carnivorous son. He loves bacon, but I refuse to serve him strips and strips of it for breakfast.

For those who want to eliminate bacon completely from their diets, but still want the flavor added to certain dishes, I stumbled upon the most incredible recipe for vegan bacon. It is very easy to make and it's made from mushrooms. Shiitake mushrooms are seasoned with wholesome ingredients and baked in the oven until nice and crispy. So delicious and satisfying, with just a hint of coconut. This vegan bacon recipe is perfect when you want to add a smokey bacon-like flavor to your dishes, but they are so good, it will be hard to resist popping handfuls into your mouth fresh from the oven.

Here's the recipe: Shiitake Bacon

Here's to your good health.

Cynthia