Jerk is a style of Jamaican cooking that involves a super-hot spice mixture and (usually) meat. But what’s a guy or gal to do if you want that same fiery flavor without the environmental problems that often accompany meat production? Well, bring on the jackfruits! This fruit, when marinated and shredded, mimics the taste and texture of pulled pork. So this recipe offers a real culinary mash-up of ingredients—tropical fruit with Caribbean meat spices in a Mexican tortilla. You’ll never think of fruit the same way again!
Jerked Jackfruit Tacos with Grilled Pineapple
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp agave nectar
- 3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp ground allspice
- 1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 - 20 oz can jackfruit, drained
- 3 pineapple rings, fresh or canned
- 6 soft corn or flour tortillas
- 1 1/2 cups sliced red cabbage
- 12 cherry tomatoes, quartered
- Vegan sour cream, for serving
- Chopped fresh cilantro, for serving
- Fresh lime, for serving
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories524
- protein8g
- fat12g
- carbs108g
- sugar24g
- fiber14g
- sodium421mg
Directions
01
In small bowl, combine agave nectar, vinegar, olive oil and water. Set aside.
02
Combine cinnamon, black pepper, thyme, allspice, cayenne, nutmeg, garlic powder, onion powder and salt in small bowl. Place large, flat-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add spice mixture and stir for about 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Pour agave mixture into skillet and heat for 30 seconds. Add jackfruit and stir to break up jackfruit as it softens. Heat through, about 3 minutes, and set aside.
03
Heat grill pan over high heat and grill pineapple rings until lightly blackened, about 3 minutes per side. (If you donu2019t have a grill pan, just use a regular heavy-bottomed skillet and sear them for a couple of minutes on each side.)
04
Warm tortillas on stove or in microwave. Build tacos using jackfruit, grilled pineapple, cabbage, cherry tomatoes, sour cream and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.
READ THIS NEXT
SEE MORE »
Farro, Lentil, and Vegetable Soup
Adding farro, with its nutty bite, is a delicious and convenient way to increase your soup’s fibre and nutritional value. This hearty soup is the perfect remedy to a cold January day. Lemon and chervil add a bright contrast to the fibre-packed earthy flavours. Farro timesaver With a long cooking time, it’s worth it to cook a larger amount of farro and freeze it in small-portioned batches which can be thawed quickly. Using a ratio of 1:4 farro to water, cook on medium-high heat until farro is al dente, in a similar manner to the way you would cook pasta. Drain, rinse, portion, and freeze for later use. To thaw, simply run frozen farro under water or add directly to soup.
Arugula Salad with Roasted Delicata Squash, Pomegranate Molasses, and Pine Nuts
Oven-roasted delicata squash makes a crispy treat atop this green salad. As its name suggests, this squash has a thin, delicate skin that’s tasty when cooked. Pomegranate molasses, an ingredient common in Lebanese and Middle-Eastern cuisine, brings a sweet and sour flavour to the dressing. No pine nuts? Use squash seeds! Simply collect about 1/4 cup (60 mL) seeds from cleaned squash, rinse, and mix with 1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) of the spice mix used to roast the squash and 1/2 tsp (2 mL) olive oil. Roast at 425 F (220 C) on parchment-lined baking sheet for 20 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
Cardamom and Ginger Scented Farro Breakfast Porridge
Look for whole grain farro, which leaves the germ and bran intact, for this satisfying porridge that’s sure to kickstart your day. While the cooking time is longer than for pearled or semi-pearled varieties, you’ll get more nutrition. Take the time to enjoy the delicate scent of cardamom and ginger wafting through your kitchen as you prepare this. Ancient grain Farro (also referred to as emmer or einkorn) is a variety of wheat known as an ancient grain, which means that it hasn’t changed over time through breeding as is the case with many varieties of modern wheat.
Chocolate and Orange Chickpea Pudding
Spanish-inspired flavours of almond and orange and a good punch of protein make this pudding a delicious and nutritious breakfast, snack, or dessert. The tiniest amount of large-flake sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil help bring all the flavours together. Amp up the orange For some additional orange flavour, when cooking chickpeas from dry, add a few strips of orange zest to the cooking water. Tastier toast Take your toast to the next level by using this pudding as a satisfying spread.