As my first official post under the 'food' category on my blog, I've decided to share my recipe for vegan Animal-Style Fries, to promote healthy eating of course. HA! Just kidding. Let's be real - vegan's love their fast food and junk food just as much as anyone else. But the thing that I love the most about being vegan is that giving into those cravings isn't as much of a guilt trip as it would be if I weren't vegan; because chances are, the non-vegan alternative, would be much worse.
** to make this I was inspired by recipes online and I used pre-prepared items to make the process easier - yes this is perfect for my fellow students who dorm **
** the pre-prepared items can be subbed for your preference - these are just the specific brands I used **
INGREDIENTS
FRIES
ALEXIA ORGANIC YUKON SELECT FROZEN FRIES W/ SALT (1/2 bag)
24 MANTRA ORGANIC CHILI POWDER (2 tsp)
EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL (2 tbsp)
KIRKLAND CALIFORNIA GRANULATED GARLIC (3 tsp)
* add more salt to taste *
CHILI
VEGAN GROUND BEEF (~ 6oz)
CHOPPED RED ONION (2 cups)
EARTH BALANCE VEGAN BUTTER (3 tbsp)
GRANULATED BROWN SUGAR (2 tbsp)
SEA SALT (1 tsp)
SAUCE
EARTH BALANCE VEGAN MAYONNAISE (1 cup)
HEINZ SWEET RELISH (1/4 cup)
HEINZ KETCHUP (2 tbsp)
BRAGG APPLE CIDER VINEGAR (1 tbsp)
FRANK'S RED HOT CHILI & LIME (2 tbsp)
ONION POWDER (1 tsp)
CHOPPED CHIVES (2 tbsp)
RECIPE
I chose to use thin cut fries so that they are more authentic and I find them not as heavy on my stomach when I'm eating fries with so many toppings. Pour about half the bag of defrosted fries into a large mixing bowl and add the spices accordingly. Then add the olive oil and mix the fries with your hands to coat them evenly with seasoning. Spread them out on a large non-stick baking sheet and follow the instructions on the bag for temperature and time requirements.
While the fries are baking, melt the butter in a pan until its hot but not burning. Add the onions and sauté for around 10-15 minutes or until they become clear and brown around the edges. Add the salt and brown sugar and stir to coat evenly. Lower the heat and let the onions caramelize slowly for about 20 more minutes. Make sure the onions don't burn!
When the onions are nearly done caramelizing, add the pre-prepared vegan ground beef. These are typically pre-cooked and only need to be seasoned and reheated, so be careful to not overcook them. Add more sugar or salt to taste.
Combine all the ingredients for the sauce into a bowl and chill until ready to serve!
Assemble the fries with a bit (more like a mountain here) of chili and sauce on top and serve with a fork and extra sauce on the side! ¡Buen provecho!
