I know it's humid and clearly still summer, but I'm sick of zucchini. I'll probably take the dive into pumpkin spice territory in two weeks. Until then, it's all about cranberries and apples.
I smashed together a lot of different recipes to make this one sandwich. Let's go component by component
Component 1: Vegan Cranberry Cream Cheese (Make the night before)
Inspired by Peas and Crayons and Connoisserus Veg | Makes: | Time: ~5 min + soak time
Ingredients
1 cup raw #cashews, soaked in water 4-8 hours, drained and rinsed (I did about 10 hours)
1-2 tbsp lemon juice, to taste
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
3 tbsp of cranberry sauce
Instructions
Drain cashews and place them, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, salt, and cranberry sauce into the bowl of a food processor.
Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add a tablespoon or two of water to thin the mixture as needed.
Taste test and add additional salt and/or lemon juice if you like.
Component 2: Baked Apple Slices
Winged a Cooking in Stiletttos Recipe | Makes: An apple's worth of slices, duh | Time: ~35 min
Ingredients
1 apple (I did the cheapest red apple Harris Teeter had to offer)
Splash of lemon
Dash of cinnamon
2 tsp of brown sugar
Instructions
Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. (Since the coconut bacon is supposed to go in at 350 F, I went with 375 F, and put the apples on the lowest rack)
Core and slice the apples into wedges.
Toss the apples with the lemon juice followed by the cinnamon and sugar.
Place the spiced sugared apples on a foil lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. About halfway through, toss the apples.
Component 3: Coconut Bacon (start while apples cook)
Modified Recipe by Cookie + Kate | Serves: 1 cup | Time: ~15, min
Ingredients
1 cup large, unsweetened coconut flakes (not regular shredded coconut)
1 tbsp coconut aminos
1 tbsp liquid smoke
2 tsp maple syrup
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. (Since the apples are supposed to go in at 400 F, I went with 375 F, and but the apples on the lowest rack)
Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Measure the coconut flakes out onto the baking sheet. Drizzle the coconut flakes with tamari, liquid smoke and maple syrup. Mix well. Spread the flakes into an even layer on the parchment paper.
Bake on the top rack for 12 to 14 minutes, flipping halfway, until flakes are mostly dry and turning golden on the edges. (Keep an eye on the coconut as it can go from golden brown to deep burnt brown fairly quickly. For softer bacon, you’ll probably only need to bake for 12 minutes, for crispy bacon, aim for 14.) The coconut flakes will further crisp up as they cool.
Final Step: Putting the Sandwich Together
Makes: I was going for 2 sandwiches. Depending on your love of cream cheese and fake-on, you might have leftover ingredients. I had leftovers of both. The cream cheese can keep in the fridge a few days. The coconut bacon apparently freezes well for months.
Additional Ingredients
4 slices of whole wheat bread
Spinach leaves
Maple syrup
Instructions for 1 Sandwich
Toast the 2 pieces of bread. When ready, spread cream cheese on one side of one piece of bread. Layer desired amount of spinach or other greens on top. Add apples slices and sprinkle coconut bacon and some maple syrup to finish. If you really love cream cheese, go ahead and spread another layer on the second piece of bread. Or if you hate dry bread, slather a thin layer of cream cheese on each slice of bread.
It's a d*mn sandwich. You know what you like.