Lightlife Giveaway: The Ultimate (Faux) Bacon Challenge
Wednesday, February 16, 2011 at 7:26PM 
If you read my review of the Lightlife Gimme Lean Sausage, you know I've been a fan of certain Lightlife products for almost a decade now. Well, Rachael at Lightlife was kind enough to offer to sponsor February's giveaway on the VV, so here it is.
The uber-prevalent use of pork bacon seems to be one of the hottest trends in the food industry right now, and we here at Vegan Vagrant are not happy about it. We love piggys and our healthy hearts, so eating rotting pig flesh is totally out of the question. Luckily, Lightlife has two different bacon substitutes that are suitable for vegans: tempeh-based Fakin' Bacon and the more traditional looking Smart Bacon. VV and Lightlife are giving you the opportunity to win both of these fine products to cook amazing faux bacon recipes with.
In order to win, I want to hear your best/most unique/most outrageous recipes involving faux bacon. Some ideas I have, for example, are bacon-wrapped asparagus, bacon-wrapped soy bleu-stuffed dates, and maple bacon pancakes. Obviously, ripping off my amazing ideas aren't going to win you the contest, but you see where I'm going with this. Leave your ideas on this post in a comment, and don't forget a contact email if you want to win. However, for this contest, in addition to the comment, you need to leave the recipe idea on Lightlife's Facebook page wall. There is no limit to number of entries and the contest ends on February 28, 2011. Good luck!
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Fakin' Bacon, Lightlife, Smart Bacon, bacon, fake bacon, faux bacon, free, giveaway, soy, tempeh, vegan, vegetarian in FOOD, GIVEAWAYS, NATURAL PRODUCTS, NEWS, VEGAN
Reader Comments (12)
oooooooooh. I LOVED Lightlife Gimme Lean! It was available at Safeway here in Canada in the early 2000s and then disappeared around the same time as my other fave-fakey, MoTuna Veggie patties. If I come up with something stellar, will you send it to Victoria, BC?
How about bacon okonomiyaki? Okonomiyaki s a modern japanese comfort food--it's essentially a savory pancake with cabbage and carrots along with whatever else you want in there (typically egg, shrimp, etc), and topped with mayo, a think sauce (not too different from worcestire sauce, I've heard, but sold in asian shops as tonkatsu sauce or okonomiyaki sauce), shaved seaweed and fish flakes.
My vegan recipe: in a bowl, mix some flour, a touch of baking powder, and soymilk until you get a pancake-batter like consistency. Then mix in some shredded cabbage and carrots, chopped green onions, and chopped "bacon." (I'd opt for the smart bacon here) Cook like a pancake until fairly firm to the touch. Top with more chopped bacon, sauce, vegenaise, and shaved/powdered seaweed. I think it would work.
Don't laugh. Okay, you're gonna laugh. I like a fake bacon and pb sammy. Fresh bakery white bread, creamy peanut (or soynut) butter and fake bacon. Mmm nummy!!
Never had fake bacon before. But the one meal that has never been the same without it is my husband's Spinach & Mushroom Quiche. I would love to add the bacon back in it!!
Mine really isn't that outrageous or unique, but i love making grilled cheese sandwiches with swiss cheese, smart bacon, saute'd onions and mushrooms. Super easy, and super yummy.
minced bacon and tofu garlic soup! add celery, green onions, and a side of garlic bacon spread on on 'bread,' and youve got one delizzcious sounding soup.
deep dish baked mac n 'cheez' with 'bacon' and asparagus duh.!
Fake chicken breast, wrapped in fake bacon topped with fake cheese! Just needs a fake egg!!
I'm not very adventurous with my fakin' bacon, but yy favorite thing ever is toasted ezekiel bread, avocado, tomato and fakin' bacon! Simple, but so good.
Bacon wrapped tater tot with a slice of jalapeño. Take a tater tot and a slice of jalapeño, then wrap them in a piece of lighthouse smart bacon, spear them with a toothpick and deep fry them for a minute or two.
Use this sauce for Pasta Carbonara
Saute in 3 T of vegan margarine or olive oil:
Minced onion (small)
Minced fakin bacon (4 slices)
Minced garlic (2 cloves)
Once browned, Stir in 3 T of flour
Add 1 Cup of Rice Milk
Once thickened, add
1 to 2 T of Parma! Vegan Parmesan
1 Cup Frozen Peas and heat through
Add fresh ground pepper, salt and a dash of nutmeg
I can convince any carnivore to eat this dish, as it is epic:
you will need a decently large cast iron skillet, and a large pot
Farfalle w Asparagus and "Bacon" feeds 6-8 depending on belly size
1lb of your favorite brand of Farfalle (bowtie or butterfly in English) pasta
1 pkg extra firm tofu
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp soy sauce
1 pkg Lightlife Smoky Tempeh Strips (fakin bacon)
1 bunch asparagus
1 Tbsp prepared Mustard, any kind ya got
1/2 C halved Cherry Tomatoes
2 cloves Garlic
1 handful of Baby Spinach leaves, chopped big
1 Tbsp of the lightest Evoo you can get
1-2 tsp Sea Salt, start low add as you like
8 grinds of Pink Peppercorns from your trusty grinder
1 lemon, for esqueezing onto the plates
Some Forks that can hold all of the magic in each bite.
Fresh Oregano from your garden
Make it happen:
Start by washing all your produce. Cut what's needed, break the hard bottoms off the Asparagus, and chop each piece into Tootsie Roll sized morsels.
Get a 5 Qt pot going nicely at a rolling boil, this is a must for good Farfalle. Add pasta, boil it for 8 minutes- no longer!
While pasta is boiling, into a perfectly heated iron skillet, add your Oil and Cumin. When that is fragrant, add your Chili Powder.
Chop your Garlic Cloves into kinda small pieces, throw 'em in the Oil mix. Take a huge whiff of that!
When the Garlic is starting to brown a tiny bit, add your Asparagus. Give everything a good toss to combine, then add your Mustard.
When those are all making sweet music together, add your Tempeh, which you have broken into whatever size you wish to use, all over the pan.
Now the Tofu. You are going to make cute little 1/4 inch cubes out of the Tofu. Place your knife parallel to the cutting surface, and slice through the whole loaf, one section low and one high. You should now have three layers like a tofu cake! now cut sections, crosswise into the top until you form a team of cubes who are ready to fulfill your appetite with their soy goodness. Cook 'em in the delicious pan of glory.
Now that your pasta is perfectly boiled, save about 3 Tbsp of the water before you drain it as much as possible- don't rinse it! Add the pasta to the Skillet, give it a good mix or toss in there if you got big strong wrists and forearms.
Add the juicy Tomatoes, trying not to squish them in there. Mix lightly.
Add the Soy Sauce and remove the pan from heat.
Add your Baby Spinach, Sea Salt, and Pink Pepper.
It's done cooking!
Top your plates with a small bit of lemon and some of your own Oregano
You are ready to serve, with Cold Pale Ale to drink.
I also keep extra Chili Powder and Red Chili Pepper flakes on the table with this meal, for the Spice Lords.