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Healthy Chicago Cooking Classes

Apps & Snacks

Mushroom Bacon

Ingredients
1 king oyster mushroom (see note below for using shiitake mushrooms)
4 tbls avocado oil (or melted coconut oil)
4 tsp maple syrup
1.5 tsp smoky paprika
Good pinch of coarse sea salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut the mushrooms into lengthwise slices, very thin.
Toss the mushroom slices with the remaining ingredients. Place on a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes, flip and bake another 15 or until crispy. Remove from oven and let cool, they will crisp some as they cool. Some pieces may get done sooner than others, keep a close on on them after flipping.

Enjoy immediately. Store in the fridge at an air tight container – place back in the oven to re-crisp as needed.

Notes
The king oyster mushroom is the only mushroom that allows for big, long slices which really replicate a full slices of bacon with both crispy and chewy factors. I’ve also done this with shiitake mushrooms, they come out as small pieces- more like little bacon bits, still great flavor and fun to top anything.

Easy Grain and Nut Free Granola

Ingredients
1/4 cup raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup hemp seeds
1/4 cup coconut flakes
1 tsp chia seeds
2 tbls coconut oil
1 tbls maple syrup
3/4 tsp ground cardamom
zest of 1 orange
1 tsp vanilla
pinch or two of flaky sea salt

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Melt the coconut oil. Stir in the maple syrup, vanilla, orange zest and cardamom.
Toss with all the remaining ingredients, except the salt. Pour on the parchment lined cookie sheet and spread into a single layer. Sprinkle just a pinch or two of flaky sea salt.
Bake until just golden brown, 10-20 minutes. Keep a close eye on it, you may want to mix it about at 10 minutes.
The granola will harden as it cools.

Coconut Bacon

Ingredients
1 ½ cups unsweetened coconut flakes
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp maple syrup
2 Tbls tamari
1 tsp smoky paprika
Pinch of sea salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Toss all the ingredient, except the salt, in bowl; be sure to coat all the coconut. Spread in a single layer on the baking sheet.

Bake for about 7 minutes, flip and bake until crispy, about another 7 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool, they will crisp some as they cool. You may need to take some pieces out sooner than others, keep a close on on them.

Notes
These super fun coconut bacon pieces are so similar to little bacon bits- toss them on your salad, in a wrap or just pop them into your mouth!