Maple Power Bowl 

(Easily Veganized!!!) 

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I think this was just maple bacon bullshitted for dinner one night and became a staple meal for us once we realized how versatile it was. I am pleased to share this veggie lovers weeknight din din because it fucking rocks. It's a vegetable heavy meal but you can fit so much protein in this bad boy. -slaps power bowl- It's sweet and savory, can be served with your favorite quinoa or rice, and you can eliminate the meat very easily (with a salt adjustment to taste, because bacon brings a nice saltiness and it's good to compensate for that.) White beans, Brussels sprouts, and optional asparagus make each bite hearty and satisfying with a kick of darkly sweet heat from the maple and gochujang. You can also nix the brown sugar if you'd like it to be less on the sweeter side. I'm a fan and I hope you will be too. In order to Veganize this recipe, please see my notes below.

8 strips of thick cut bacon, cut into bite sized pieces (optional) 1 small onion

One small onion, chopped

1 can white or cannellini beans, drained, rinsed, patted slightly dry

1 lb brussels sprouts, ends cut off, and halved

¼ cup soy sauce

1 tbsp maple syrup

1 tbsp gochujang (or Sriracha)

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tbsp corn starch

Optional: 2 cups asparagus chopped into 2" pieces

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IF VEGANIZING

Skip the bacon step and you'll want to use 2 tbsp olive oil to heat and cook your onion at the beginning of the recipe. You will also want to adjust salt to taste due to the absence of the bacon. Good times to add a little bit of salt at a time are after each ingredient is added to the pan.

1. Mix together the soy sauce, maple syrup, the gochujang, the garlic powder, the ginger, brown sugar, and corn starch. Set aside.

2. In a large pan over medium heat, cook your bacon pieces until they are done to your liking. I like my bacon a little soft, but that's just me.

3. Remove bacon from pan and set aside. If you're a vegan, the recipe starts here, and you can heat your olive oil in the pan. Either way, add the chopped onions to the bacon greased pan and cook 3-5 minutes until translucent and sweaty. Add a tiny pinch of salt and stir to start developing the flavors. The bacon is already salty, so show restraint, and ALWAYS taste before seasoning!

4. Add your brussels sprout halves (and asparagus if you're doing that) and cook 5-8 minutes until you can semi-easily stick a fork into one.

5. Add your cannellini beans, and the maple gochujang sauce. Cook until the vegetables are softened to your liking and the sauce is slightly thickened.

6. Add your bacon back to the pan if you're doing that, and give it all a good toss, cooking for 30 more seconds to bring some heat back to the bacon and tie everything together.

7. Serve over quinoa or your favorite rice. I like brown rice for this bowl. It makes me feel like I have my shit together.

8. That was so easy, right? More chopping vegetables than anything else. Enjoy.