Fried "Chicken"

It is incredible how intoxicating smells can be.

In all of my heart and conscious mind I have no desire to eat things like fried chicken or bacon. Any weird desire for that kind of thing is completely gone. Lucky me! But, for whatever reason, when I am in a confined space and people are cooking certain things (fried chicken or bacon) I feel like Pepe Le Pew sniffing in the air for the lady skunk (whose name is actually Penelope Pussycat).

Phew… It feels good to get that out. Does that make me a bad vegan?

The thought of eating bacon or fried chicken repulses me beyond belief, but those smells just do something to my head. It’s like a drug.

*Light Bulb*

Alas, I know better. I know that the chicken frying in the pan is a life lost from horrible treatment and factory farming. I know that bacon is a pig that is smarter than most of the people I interact with on a daily basis. They are lives, not food. So take that drug like smells! I am stronger than you!

Plus, I have a vegan “fried chicken” recipe in my arsenal that is out of this world. This little ditty uses Gardein Chicken Fillets or Scaloppini with a light breading and quick trip in the frying pan.

This recipe is a super easy one from Vegan Pandamonium that she modeled after an Argentinean recipe from her mom.  So cute! One of our friends, who happens to be a chef, tried it and said, “This tastes just like fried chicken.”

Why yes. Yes, it does.

Recipe after the jump…

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Orange Teriyaki "Beef"

I think it is only fitting after a post about Julie & Julia to talk about Meet the Shannons.

Have you heard of them?

Stop what you’re doing (after you read my post) and visit their blog. Their blog was one of my inspirations to start The Chubby Vegan. Meet the Shannons is a blog by Dan and Annie Shannon, two absolutely precious animal rights advocates who decided to veganize the entire Betty Crocker Cookbook.

Yes, veganize the entire thing; including fried eggs and every other thing your Aunt Edna made for summer barbecues.

They got the idea after watching Julie & Julia. Of course, like myself, they hated the disgusting amount of animal products used by Julia Child.

So why not take one of America’s most widely known cookbooks and show people that any of its recipes can be made vegan and totally awesome. Brilliant! I would call them vegan rock stars.

I applaud them and what they do. I would also be super happy to be invited to their house for dinner.  

Dan? Annie? I am waiting by the phone...

I tried my first recipe from Meet the Shannons last week and it was quite delish! It was my first time using Gardein Beef Tips and it was probably the most realistic looking (and tasting) fake meat I have ever used. Even though it has been over eight years since I have had hamburger, it tasted exactly like I remember it. Crazy!

So this recipe is the Shannons vegan version of Orange Teriyaki Beef from Betty Crocker. It was pretty good; give it a try and judge for yourself. Then, visit the Shannons and tell them how awesome they are.

I just did…

More pictures and the recipe after the jump.

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