Carrot Dogs
We used to enjoy hot dogs, but now that we know how they’re made and how bad they are for our bodies we avoid them like the plague. (Want to know more about why hot dogs pose a serious health risk? Click here for some reliable information from Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine). We heard about Carrot Dogs for a while, but had a hard time believing they could taste much like a hot dog. Recently, at a vegan potluck, Kim talked with a friend of ours who raved about the carrot dogs she made. She said they were easy to make and tasted delicious. So, we decided to give them a try.
Our first try at Carrots Dogs was a great success! We used Happy Herbivore’s recipe as a guide, but changed a few things to incorporate flavors we love such as Worcestershire Sauce, stone ground mustard, ginger, and balsamic vinegar. The result was surprisingly good! You can use this recipe as a guide too, and we encourage you to include spices and sauces you enjoy. For instance, is their a certain steak rub or sauce you love? Try adding it to the marinade.
Topping Ideas
There are so many delicious toppings you can add to your Carrot Dogs! Try the classic mustard and onions. Kids love them with ketchup. Go for the Chicago Dog and add a pickle, onion, relish, sport peppers, celery salt, tomatoes and mustard. Make it a coney dog and add chili and onions–customize it and make it your own.
Those Soft Buns
Buns make a big difference in the quality of Carrot Dogs, so please find a quality hot dog bun. We love the buns from Avalon Bakery in Detroit. Food for Life makes Ezekiel hot dog buns that are free of animal products and some Arnold brand buns are vegan too. As usual, check the label because companies often change their products.
Vegans Solve Another, Serious World Problem
Here is the basic flow of our Carrot Dog recipe–steam carrots until they are just tender, marinate them for at least three hours, and then grill or heat them in a pan until they are warm. We prepare a batch of eight at a time and keep extras marinating in the refrigerator for quick meals. And did you notice we make eight at a time? And how many hot dog buns come in a pack? Eight! Not only did we solve the age old problem of ten hot dogs per pack versus eight buns per pack, we also found a healthy way to enjoy the smoky flavors of hot dogs without all the bad stuff. Go vegans!
- 8 carrotsNo need to peel.
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce, liquid aminos, coconut aminos or tamari
- 1/2cup veggie broth
- 2tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2tablespoons worcestershire sauceAnnies brand is vegan
- 2tablespoons stone ground mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 2teaspoons onion powder
- 2teaspoons garlic powder
- dash ground ginger
- dash cayenne pepper
- dash smoked paprika
- Scrub and wash full size carrots.
- Trim and cut to fit into your hot dog buns.
- Put carrots in a pot and add water until carrots are just covered.
- Cook the carrots over medium high heat just until you can poke them with a fork. (Test them with a fork often. You do not want the carrots to get too soft. You want them to have a little bite to them, similar to the texture of a hot dog.)
- While the carrots are cooking, mix the marinade ingredients together in a medium bowl.
- As soon as the carrots are fork tender, remove them from the pot and put them in a container to marinate. (You can use a ziplock bag or a glass dish).
- Add the marinade to the container with the carrot dogs and put in the refrigerator. Let marinate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.
- To heat carrot dogs for serving, place them on a hot pan or grill until warm all the way through.
- Serve with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Recipe from ChickpeaandBean.com
When shopping for carrots to make this recipe, be sure to look for carrots that are about the same width as hot dogs, similar to the ones show in the picture. It's ok if they are too long--you can always trim them.
Inspired by Happy Herbivore
Recipe from ChickpeaandBean.com
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