South-West Jackfruit
When experimenting with this exotic fruit, things can get overwhelming. Which is why i’m going to start you off easy with this South-West Jackfruit recipe!… even though I was traveling the Pacific north west while creating this dish. (P.S. Keep an eye out for my upcoming post about my latest road trip through Oregon!)
Believe it or not, after being vegan for over a year I’ve just recently started experimenting with jackfruit. Which is crazy to me since it’s the perfect food to have on deck while living van-life off the grid. It’s canned, delicious, nutritious and opens doors to so many meal possibilities! I easily paired this with my other non-perishables on the road (aside from the yellow squash, which lasts over a week) and made numerous delicious dishes. Before we get into the yum-yums, let’s learn a little more about jackfruit itself.
What is Jackfruit?
The fruit grows in tropical parts of southeast Asia, Brazil, and Africa…. but it’s not your average fruit. Jackfruit is large in size with the center having a unique smell, taste, and flesh like texture. Though I don’t recommend consuming jackfruit raw, theres loads of ways to prepare it. The fruit is commonly sold by the can in your local health food markets, and sometimes fresh in certain locations.
Whats so special about this exotic fruit? Due to the flesh like texture, natural ability to shred during the cooking process and take on any flavor you dress it with, jackfruit is the perfect plant based substitute for your so dearly missed traditional meals! Such as pulled pork and shredded chicken (the possibilities with shredded chicken are endless). Some fun ones are; Mexican style shredded “chicken” for tacos, burritos, bowls, salads, and fajitas. Buffalo “chicken” dip, pulled “pork” sandwiches/sliders, “chicken” salad, the list goes on!
Jackfruit for your health
Though this magical fruit doesn’t supply the level of protein that traditional meat would, the fruit offers numerous health benefits for both internal and topical use:
– Prevents wrinkles and slows signs of aging
– Helps with mental stress and skin diseases
– Controls blood sugar levels
– Builds muscle
– Improves hair health
– Helps prevent anemia
– Promotes healthy digestion
South-West Jackfruit Recipe
Ingredients
- canned Jackfruit, rinsed
- 1 yellow squash or zucchini, wedged
- 1/2 or whole onion, chopped (based on your preference)
- a can of unsweet or fresh corn, drained
- a can of black beans, drained (leave a little juice)
- spices: salt, garlic powder, seasoned pepper, paprika
- oil for cooking (I use avocado)
**Tip: I don’t recommend the Trader Joes canned jackfruit. For some reason it has a bitter flavor thats hard to mask even after rinsing. I recommend this brand Native-Forest-Organic-Young-Jackfruit or fresh…but that requires more prep time and is quickly perishable.**
Directions (images below)
- heat oil in non-stick pan
- add jackfruit to pan, let heat, then move around with a fork to begin the shredding process
- once jackfruit is shredded, add onions, squash, and seasonings. Cook until onions are slightly translucent
- add corn and beans
- further adjust seasonings to your liking and let cook for an additional 2minutes
- serve with avocado, hot sauce and add to a burrito, tacos, salad, bowls, buns, whatever you want! A lot of the time i’ll eat it with tortilla chips or just as is!
There you have it! Another easy recipe making vegan life attainable whilst living out your nomadic lifestyle. Check out my other recipes to inspire your plant-based meals on the road! My favorite breakfast to have while car-camping is this vegan-protein-oatmeal (omitting the fresh fruit when out in the wild for days on end). It’s simple and full of everything you’ll need to jumpstart your day!
Safe Travels! Nomadically Yours, Briana
