Lions Mane Mushrooms Are Magic
Santa Monica, Ca March 5, 2023 9:10 am PST
Lions Mane Mushrooms Replace Seafood!
Is it seaLIFE or seafood? We say seaLIFE. Are you a seafood lover, but want to eliminate fish from your plate? There is always a way to take animals off our plates and today Tonia L. Hicks shows us how to replace some ingredients in a traditionally non-vegan seafood dish with one that is 100% vegan! Today’s recipe is a Lion’s Mane Mushroom Cake! Tonia’s husband O’dell recently started a mushroom farm in their new basement so they were eager to transform those mushrooms into a tasty vegan recipe! Let’s take a closer look at how these beautiful shrooms transformed to mimic fish cakes perfectly.
Turning Non-Vegan Recipes Vegan is Simple With Chef Tonia
We love it when Tonia joins us in the kitchen. Her recipes are always so unique and flavorful, but super simple. She is incredible at showing how easy it is to turn your favorite animal-based recipes into just as tasty, and usually healthier, vegan options. Tonia is not only talented at veganizing any recipe, but she is also an accomplished hairstylist and indie filmmaker from Michigan who has been doing vegan activism since 2018. She is a powerful contributor representing the Midwest on UnChainedTV. And we love having her! Tonia has a YouTube channel called Your Vegan Friend Tonia that you should definitely check out. It is fresh and fun and filled with lots of delicious recipes, and other great videos about veganism and the vegan lifestyle. From recipes to interviews, and visits to animal sanctuaries, you can find it all on Tonia’s YouTube channel.
Lions Mane Mushrooms, A Perfect Replacement
Lions Mane Mushrooms have the perfect texture to mimic fish cakes, and Tonia shows us how to make the magic happen, very easily. If you prefer, you can use sustainably sourced hearts of palms instead of mushrooms. The mushroom cakes end up with a crispy flaky texture just like fish cakes. The Old Bay and Seaweed give it the taste of the sea. Fried up to perfection, you will have a light meal or appetizer that will impress even your non-vegan friends and family.
Lions Mane Mushroom Cakes
Ingredients
- 8 oz shredded Lion's Mane Mushrooms
- 2-4 Tbsp Just Egg
- 1/2 C panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 C diced onion
- 1/4 C diced red pepper
- 1 Tbsp vegan mayo
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 3/4 tsp Old Bay seasoning
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 3/4 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 - 1/2 C vegetable oil for frying
- 1 sheet of crumbled up nori sheet if desired to add a more ocean type taste
- 1/2 C regular flour to gently coat the pieces do not add to mixture
- Tarter Sauce:
- Vegan Mayo
- Dill pickle relish
Instructions
- shred and cut the Lion's Mane mushrooms finely. Cook in a fry pan with no oil or water for approximately 10 minutes on medium to release moisture. Press the mushroom shreds as they are cooking. When it has deepened in color a bit, remove from heat and set aside. (it should be quite dry at this point, you can also blot it a bit to remove more moisture.
- Add Lion's Mane to a mixing bowl. Add the Just Egg, seasonings, panko, soy sauce, vegan mayo, mustard, onions and peppers, (add nori if desired). Mix well.
- Pour oil into a pan and start preheating the pan on the stove.
- Start creating cakes with your hands. Press well. Dust with flour
- Gently add the cakes to the oil and cook on medium until golden brown and slightly crunchy. approximately 5-6 minutes on each side.
- While cakes are cooking, add dill relish to some vegan mayo in a side dish for dipping if desired.
Give Lions Mane Mushrooms a Shot and Take Fish Off Your Plate!
I think anyone who currently or previously liked seafood will love this recipe. Not only will they love the recipe but they likely won’t miss the actual seaLIFE in the dish because these cakes have the perfect amount of ocean flavor, without the seaLIFE. So go ahead and give it a try and let us know how much you enjoyed it. Be sure to take a photo of your finished dish and tag @UnChained_TV on Instagram. Looking for other simple plant-based and vegan recipes to try? Hop on over to our recipe page, where we have a ton of varieties to choose from. Until next time…keep cookin’!
What's Your Reaction?
Donna Dennison is an UnchainedTV writer, graphic designer, video editor, and IG contributor. Donna is also a creative in the film industry.