My Food of the Week

Jackfruit

I must admit that jackfruit exceeded my expectations. I mean, really! I always see posts in the vegan groups that I follow on Facebook, and recipes on Pinterest, but I have yet to try the fruit myself. 

Lo and behold, I just happen to stumble across a can of jackfruit while shopping in my local Asian market. I was looking for Bittersweet Melon for my tea and it was right beside some jackfruit. I bought about six cans, two of each brand to test them out. I tried two cans so far. 

Note: I limit my use of canned products because of BPA and processing; however, I wanted to try jackfruit to see what all the hype was about.

Tip: be sure to purchase the jackfruit in water or brine only. Do not get the fruit in syrup. 

Why jackfruit is so dope!

Jackfruit is known as the jack of all fruits. It is a rich source of vitamin, minerals, phytonutrients, carbohydrate, electrolytes, fiber, fat and protein. This fruit also contains calories but no cholesterol or saturated fats.

Benefits of consuming jackfruit

• Helps to fight wrinkles, achieve flawless skin and get a glowing complexion. 
• Promotes hair growth.
• Improves digestion.
• Prevents cold and infection. 

I used almond milk with apple cider vinegar to make a buttermilk soak. Next, I used some garbanzo bean flour and spelt flour to bread the jackfruit. I added my spices to the flour mixture and fried the jackfruit in grapeseed oil. 

I did not take the time to find a sauce to accompany my fried jackfruit. I was so anxious to try it, I completely forgot about it. I love hot sauce, so I just loaded them in extra hot sauce and had some buffalo bites. They were delicious!

The full details and recipe will be available in The Borderline Vegan Crash Course. This course is FREE and accompanies the meal planning guide. 

What I'll Do Differently Next Time

The next time I prepare jackfruit, I will:

• Only coat the fruit one time. When I double coat the fruit, it makes my fingers sticky and it's way more messier. Plus, it makes the grease dirty quick, as all of the flour falls to the bottom of the pot. 
• Tear the fruit so that some stringy pieces are included. I like that texture better than the blocked jackfruit. It is a better texture than meat.
• Find a vegan barbecue or honey mustard sauce to go with them. I do not like them plain. The hot sauce tasted great, but concerns with my overindulgence of hot sauce is the sodium. 
• Use the jackfruit in water, not brine. So far, my favorite brand is the one pictured in this blog post. 
• Try to use it as a pulled bbq recipe, sliders, or tacos. 

Have you ever tried jackfruit? If yes, share your experiences below! 

Good vibes,

Ebony <3