Vegan Carrot Dogs with Cheese & Chili

by | Updated: January 2nd, 2018

Feb
05

Cutting down on processed foods is always a good idea. So is upping your intake of vegetables. Who would have thought that you could stick to both health goals while eating a hot dog? With this fresh take on the ballpark favorite, you can savor the taste you love without consuming a multitude of questionable and less-than-desirable ingredients. Not a fan of boiled carrots? Don’t fret! The vinegar-based marinade gives these crispy veggies a cured flavor. In the end, you top them off with bean chili and vegan cheese sauce. You’ll never miss the conventional franks.

Vegan Carrot Dogs

Vegan Carrot Dogs with Cheese & Chili

Ingredients

¼ cup (60 ml) seasoned rice vinegar
¼ cup (60 ml) water
2 Tbsp. (30 ml) coconut aminos
1 Tbsp. (15 ml) sesame oil
¼ tsp. liquid smoke
¼ tsp. garlic powder (or ½ clove garlic, minced)
Pepper, to taste
4 carrots, cut into bun lengths
Toasted hot dog bun, lettuce or collard leaves, to serve
Bean chili or canned vegan chili, to serve
Vegan cheese sauce, to serve

Directions

  1. In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and add carrots. Cook until slightly softened, but still crisp. They should be soft enough that a fork could pierce them, but should still retain their snap.Vegan Chili & Cheese Hot Dogs
  2. Remove carrots from pot and run under cold water to cool and prevent further cooking.
  3. In a medium jar with a lid, combine vinegar, aminos, sesame oil, liquid smoke, garlic and pepper. Secure the lid and shake container until fully combined.
  4. In a container long enough for the carrots to lie flat, toss marinade over carrots and let them marinated for at least 3 to 4 hours, but no more than 24.
  5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  6. Heat the carrots for 10-15 minutes, or until heated through.
  7. Serve carrots in a bun or lettuce leaves and top with vegan bean chili, vegan cheese sauce and diced onions.

Margaret’s tips:

  1. Apple cider vinegar plus a dash of salt can work in place of the seasoned rice vinegar.
  2. Coconut aminos can be substituted with soy sauce. But, in that case, use unseasoned vinegar instead of a seasoned kind.
  3. When it comes to marinating the carrots, if they are thin, keep the marinating time short. If the carrots will sit longer than 24 hours, use half the amount of vinegar.