The King (Oyster) of Bacon

Hey babes,

If there’s one rebuttal to a plant-based lifestyle that makes me nearly detach a retina from the level of eye rolls it generates, it has to be, “But BACON!!”

Team, babes, citizens of Earth, come on.

Let’s just get this right out in front. Pigs are sensitive, intelligent animals. When I was a wee young babe, we raised pigs for stock shows (oh, how times have changed). These guys were smarter than any other animal I’ve raised, with maybe one German Shepherd as an exception. My first pig, Courage, would nuzzle me when I arrived to feed him, play ball with me, and even carry hay to drop in my rake when I’d clean out his pen. If dogs were kept in the same confined, inhumane conditions pigs are subjected to in their extremely shortened lives, there would be crowds with pitchforks and torches outside.

But even if you don’t think they deserve better, consider the effect bacon and other red and processed meats have on your body. The International Agency for Research on Cancer found a firm link between processed meat and colorectal cancer, to the extent that “each 50g portion of processed meat eaten daily increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 18%.” The high sodium and saturated fat content are dangerous for your risks of stroke and heart disease respectively, and the nitrates/nitrites used as preservatives have been linked to a rogues’ gallery of chronic illnesses including migraines, asthma, and more cancer. Just take a minute to consider that. Processed meat is on the same list of known carcinogens as formaldehyde, HPV, asbestos, and cigarettes.

Fortunately, humans are resourceful little creatures, and some ingenious vegans refuse to compromise on their favorite flavors or their ethics. In a previous post, I mentioned my love of Lightlife’s tempeh bacon, and have since discovered their Smart Bacon made from wheat gluten and soy. There are also other good store-bought options such as Sweet Earth and Tofurky, but for those of us who like to save money and control our ingredients, we turn to the wide world of vegan recipes.

This is really a flex on the mindset that bacon can only be made from pigs or turkeys, but I had to share. In about ten minutes of Googling, here are all the other things you can make bacon out of:

• Tempeh (duh)
• Tofu
• Seitan
• Soy curls
• Eggplant
• Rice paper
• Banana Peels
• Carrots
• Portobello mushrooms
• Coconut
• Zucchini
• And of course:

King Oyster Mushrooms

King Oyster mushrooms are one of my favorite obscure ingredients. It takes on flavors well, and it has a great, chewy texture while being very low in calories and fat. They’re also a great source of niacin, riboflavin, potassium, and fiber, among many other micronutrients. They’ve also been studied for their benefits in fighting inflammation, cholesterol, and potentially cancer. Quite a different story than the traditional bacon, huh?

While you can use this marinade recipe with other bases (see above), I highly recommend trying King Oyster mushrooms if you haven’t. Lots of people use them as a substitute for scallops or shred them to make pulled “pork”, but this is another great use of this beautiful king of the fungus.

Take a look at the recipe below and let me know how it goes for you!