Vegan-style Bacon-Jack Jalapeno Poppers

Recently, I've been craving jalapeno poppers. It was one of my favorite snacks when I was still an omnivore, and I admit, I was missing them. I had a block of Daiya Jack cheese that I wasn't fond of...at all. I love the Daiya Cheddar, but the Jack has that aftertaste I disdain in vegan cheese. 

When I concocted the idea to make vegan jalapeno poppers, I had a bag of jalapenos and that block of jack cheese to use up. So here's how I did it.

Ingredients:

10 jalapenos

For the bacon:

1/2 block tempeh, crumbled up

2 T. Bragg's liquid aminos (soy sauce or tamari is fine)

1 t. liquid smoke 

1 splash of lemon juice

1/2 t. garlic powder

For the rest of the filling:

1 container of vegan cream cheese

1 T. salt-free seasoning (any works)

1/2 c. grated vegan jack cheese

For the topping:

1/2 c. plain breadcrumbs

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Add the bacon ingredients to a bowl, mixing well. Set aside for 15 minutes.

3. Mix up the rest of the filling ingredients in a large bowl and put into the refrigerator.

4. Cut the tops off the jalapenos. Cut them in half and take out the seeds and the veins.

5. Line a cookie sheet with tinfoil and brush a tablespoon of canola oil on it. 

6. Heat two tablespoons of oil (any kind will do) on medium-high heat in a frying pan. Add the marinated tempeh bacon pieces and fry until crisp. Remove from pan onto a plate lined with paper towels until cooled, about 5 minutes.

7. Take the filling out of the fridge and add the cooled bacon pieces. Mix well.

8. Fill your jalapeno halves and set on the lined cookie sheet. They will look like this:

9. When you have filled all the jalapeno halves, sprinkle the tops of them generously with the bread crumbs.

10. Put them in the pre-heated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. After that, turn the oven to broil, leaving the poppers in the oven, and broil for just a couple of minutes, until the tops are nice and brown. Don't burn! (Skip if you might forget and burn. lol)  

These poppers are addictively good. Give them a try today!