Dr. Bobby’s Vegan Facon Bacon ©
Ingredients
- large eggplant, thinly sliced, or several zucchini if no egg plan is available
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1/2 dried chipotle chili pepper, soaked for at least 2 hours or 1 tablespoon dried & ground (optional)
- 1/2 cup soaking water for from the chipotle peppers (optional)
- 4 tablespoons maple syrup (optional)
- 4 teaspoons of hickory smoke
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons Nama Shoyu
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- pinch black pepper
- pinch cayenne – optional
Directions
- To make the thin pieces of eggplant/zucchini use a horizontal peeler or mandolin to get straight thin pieces.
- Once you have sliced your eggplant/zucchini, sprinkle it with the sea salt and allow it to sit for 1-2 hours in a tray/bowl, or if baking put the eggplant/zucchini in the oven for 45 minutes to dry.
- Blend the other ingredients in a blender/Vita-mixer.
- After 1-2 hours-Layer your eggplant/zucchini slices between paper or cloth towels and press out excess moisture.
- Get a large zip lock baggie or bowl and pour marinade into the baggie or bowl.
- Submerge the slices of eggplant/zucchini in the marinade. If using a baggie squeeze as much air as possible out of the baggie. Marinate for 30-45 minutes.
- Carefully lay out the marinated eggplant/zucchini slices onto your dehydrator trays and dehydrate @105F degrees until crispy (24 – 36 hours-continually check the progress-depends on how thick your slices are)
- If no dehydrator you may use the oven, but it will not be raw. Set the oven to 325 for 1 hr. Keep an eye on the facon/bacon and make sure it’s not under or overdone.
Yields 15 – 20 Fakon pieces.
Serve and Enjoy! Blessings, Bobby
Health Benefits
Eggplants
Eggplants are a nutrient-rich food that contains fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They may benefit your overall health, including your heart.
One cup (82 grams) of raw eggplant contains the following nutrients (2):
- Calories: 20
- Carbs: 5 grams
- Fiber: 3 grams
- Protein: 1 gram
- Manganese: 10% of the RDI
- Folate: 5% of the RDI
- Potassium: 5% of the RDI
- Vitamin K: 4% of the RDI
- Vitamin C: 3% of the RDI
Eggplants also contain small amounts of other nutrients, including niacin, magnesium, and copper.
Zucchinis
Zucchini contains many nutrients. As a result, including it in your diet may have a variety of health benefits. Although
zucchini is often considered a vegetable, it is botanically classified as a fruit.
One cup of raw (223 grams) of zucchini provides:
- Calories: 17
- Protein: 1 gram
- Fat: less than 1 gram
- Carbs: 3 grams
- Sugar: 1 gram
- Fiber: 1 gram
- Vitamin A: 40% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI)
- Manganese: 16% of the RDI
- Vitamin C: 14% of the RDI
- Potassium: 13% of the RDI
- Magnesium: 10% of the RDI
- Vitamin K: 9% of the RDI
- Folate: 8% of the RDI
- Copper: 8% of the RDI
- Phosphorus: 7% of the RDI
- Vitamin B6: 7% of the RDI
- Thiamine: 5% of the RDI