blt with eggplant bacon

many times i hold back on posting recipes because of the poor photos. but i'm not here to win a photo contest - i'm here to show you how to make a delicious vegan blt!

did you know plant products contain little to no cholesterol? some say cholesterol is the animal's revenge. i don't know about that, but i do know that even when i was an avid meat eater, i couldn't stand to cook greasy bacon. turkey bacon was ok, but some brands i've tried were inedible.

enter eggplant bacon. after making it over a dozen times, i have finally found a recipe i love. (you can click here to see more of my posts with eggplant bacon.) the key to good eggplant bacon is slicing the eggplant thin and allowing enough time for marination. mine marinated over two days in the fridge and produced the best batch of crunchy bacon yet.

eggplant bacon marinade

3 T nama shoyu or soy sauce
2 T maple syrup
2 T extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 - 1/2 tsp chipotle powder (depending upon how much heat you like)

mix all ingredients. slice eggplant into thin circles (a mandolin slicer is ideal). for best results, allow eggplant to marinate at least six hours*. dehydrate on teflex sheets at 115 degrees until crispy on top, then flip onto mesh screens and dehydrate until dry.

alternatively, eggplant bacon can be baked in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

*at first i accidentally typed six years. in other words, the longer the better if you ask me!=)

to assemble the blt, layer bacon, lettuce, tomato and avocado (makes a nice substitute for mayo). we like to use ezekiel sprouted grain bread but have also used wraps and homemade raw breads. (matthew kenney's cumin flatbread and lisa's raw on $10 a day onion bread are my favorites.)

eggplant boasts a host of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. the beautiful purple fruit (yes, it's a fruit!) contains potent antioxidants that protect cells from damage, particularly brain cells. studies have shown that eggplant can reduce cholesterol in the arteries, effectively increasing blood flow. when switching from pork bacon to eggplant, we're not only preventing the cholesterol from entering our system, but also helping to remove it. win-win!

it's eggplant season in our neck of the woods. our eggplant isn't growing well, but fortunately the csa has plenty. i'm still waiting for red bell peppers to make roasted eggplant and red pepper dip. eggplant caponato is another delicious way to eat eggplant, especially this raw version.

how do you like to prepare eggplant? could always use a new recipe to try!