“Food is not just eating energy, it’s an experience”

— Guy Fieri

When I started my vegan journey, seafood was one of the main foods I had a hard time giving up. I'm still on the fence about it but that's neither here nor there. I made it my mission to find a vegan replacement for some of my favorite seafood recipes.

In my search I found Sweet Potato Soul which had a really great crab cake recipe. After a few tries, I ended up changing the recipe so much that I created my own and it was deeeeelicious!

The main ingredient in these "crab" cakes is Hearts of Palm which is a vegetable harvested from the inner core of certain palm trees. You wouldn't think that a plant can taste like seafood, but Hearts of Palm actually has a distinct seafood flavor. Not fishy, more like shellfish which makes it perfect for recipes like crab cakes and even calamari. For this recipe, I loved using THIS brand the best.

Just a note. I know some people use chick peas as a binder but I did not like the taste of chic peas in this recipe. I used The Neat Egg instead as a binder and it works perfectly. Easy peezy!

Ok, let's get to the food......

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Bumpin Crab Cakes

by Stacey March-22-2018

Ingredients

1 Can Hearts of Palm
1/2 Cup Chia Seeds
1 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs
1/2 Cup Vegan Mayo
1 Tb Dijon Mustard
2 Tb Old Bay Seasoning
1/2 cup chopped Scallion (green onion)
1 Tsp The Neat Egg
1 Tsp Dried Parsley
1 Tsp Paprika
2 Tb Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Tb Red Pepper Flakes

Instructions

Open can and pour out water. Rinse the Hearts of Palm to minimize brine taste. In a food processor add the The Neat Egg, 2 teaspoons of water, chia seeds and hearts of palm together. Pulse just a few times to combine until it has a chunky consistency. You can also do this manually, just use a fork to combine everything in a bowl. In a large mixing bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients. Whisk until well combined. Now gently fold in Hearts of Palm in mixing bowl to combine. Taste for seasoning, add more if needed. Let it sit in the refrigerator for 15 minutes so the mixture is easier to mold when ready. Pour breadcrumbs onto a plate. Take mixture out of refrigerator and form small patties. Coat patties with breadcrumbs and set aside. Heat a large skillet with 1/2 cup of oil. Place crab cakes in oil and cook for 1 1/2 minute on each side until golden brown. Make sure not to overcrowd the pan. Place finished crab cakes on paper towel to soak excess oil. Add sour cream, guacamole or your favorite dipping sauce. Enjoy!

Details

Prep time: 30 mins Cook time: 15 mins Total time: Yield: 6

I added a simple dipping Horseradish dipping sauce to go with the crap cakes.

3 Tbsp Horseradish
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp Vegan Mayonnaise
1 finely chopped green onion

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