By: Sydney Mulvenon
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — I have been tailgating for as long as I can remember. The best kinds of tailgates are the ones hosted in the SEC. Tailgates here in the South are like its own religion. Luckily growing up in Fayetteville, Arkansas, I had access to an SEC tailgate. Tailgating in front one of my favorite places on earth is Donald W. Reynolds Stadium, home of the Arkansas Razorbacks.
The Aroma of chicken wings, burgers, chips, and pulled pork sandwiches. This season there is no tailgating because of the pandemic and this goes for several universities, including The University of Arkansas. So what to do in this kind of situation?
The answer is to take the tailgating to your living room. Get ready because I am going to be sharing with you some of my personal tailgating recipes and favorite store bought snacks. Here’s the best part. Today’s recipes and recommendations are all based from a wholesome vegan diet.
Cauliflower “Chicken” Wings
What you will need:
- 1 head of cauliflower
- Tapioca flour
- Olive oil
- Pink Himalayan sea salt
- Pepper
- Lemon Garlic Sauce
- Kimchi sauce medium hot
- Coconut aminos
- Coconut oil spray
- Liquid smoke
- 1 lemon
- A mixing bowl
- Baking tray
The making of the cauliflower wings:
- First preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit.
- Chop the cauliflower in medium pieces and put into a large mixing bowl.
- Then add two tablespoons of tapioca flour to the mixing bowl and mix the flour in with the cauliflower.
- Add two tablespoons of olive oil
- Sprinkle pepper and pink Himalayan sea salt
- Once all the ingredients are mixed together in the bowl and spread on the baking tray.
- Then when the oven goes off put the baking tray in the oven and set a timer for 30 minutes.
- While the cauliflower is cooking, begin to make the sauce.
- Get a small bowl to mix the sauce ingredients
- Put ½ a cup of the kimchi sauce in the bowl.
- ¼ of coconut aminos
- 1 and ½ tablespoon of liquid smoke
- Tablespoon of the lemon garlic sauce
- Mix until all the ingredients are blended together
30 minutes later…..
- Now get your oven mites and take the cauliflower out of the oven
- Then pour the sauce of the cauliflower
- Once you have covered the cauliflower, put back in the oven for 20 minutes
- When the 20 minutes are up, take the cauliflower out of the oven and enjoy your vegan “chicken” wings.
Mushroom Burger
Ingredients you will need:
- Vegan pretzel buns which you can get at Whole Foods
- Spinach
- Pickled beets
- Lemon garlic sauce
- Olive oil
- Guacamole
- Mushroom risotto burger patties
- Coconut oil spray
- Baking tray
- Pan
- First step: set the stove to medium heat and let it heat up for 5 to 7 minutes.
- While you are waiting get drizzles some olive oil on the inside of both parts of the bun
- After the 5 to 7 minutes is up, put the pretzel bun on the pan and cook until golden brown.
- After the bun is done, leave the heat on the skillet and the mushroom risotto patty on the skillet
- Cook the patty for 5 minutes before flipping to the other side for another 5 minutes.
- Once the patty is done you can begin to decorate your burger.
Vegan Snacks
I have two favorites when it comes to tailgating snacks. Veggies straws and black bean tortilla chips. Now let’s be real who eats their chips plain. Even if you don’t I for sure do. For the veggie straw I like to enjoy them with a side of the lemon garlic sauce with some chopped cilantro to mix in it. For the black bean tortilla chips, they are great with guacamole or salsa. Or I like to get some vegan unsweetened coconut yogurt and mix it with chopped cilantro, lemon, and medium hot kimchi sauce.
I hope many of y’all enjoy these fun and delicious vegan tailgating foods while cheering on your team to victory. Come Saturday morning I’m going to be getting up bright and early to make those wings for the Arkansas vs. Tennessee game.