Venezuelan Arepas, Vegan

VENEZUELAN AREPAS

In Venezuela, the “arepa” is so popular that they’re served every day at almost every home. This vegan version of Venezuelan Arepas, easy and quick to prepare might become your family’s favorite. Forget about process maize flour, oil or butter because “arepa” can be grilled and serve hot.

Arepas, fresh off the griddle

Please enjoy and share!

Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 2 bananas
• 1 cup of oats, flaked or ground
• 2 carrots
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup of water

Directions

• Wash your hands. You need clean hands to create these delicacies!
• In a medium bowl, slowly add water, crushed bananas, grated carrots and salt with your hands, making circular movements. Let rest 5 minutes to thicken.
• Using your clean hands, make round shapes and gently flatten to about ½” thick. The dough should be firm enough holds its shape without cracking when molded.
• Preheat a non-stick 11 inch griddle over medium heat.
• Cook the arepas for 5-7 minutes on each side. A slight golden brown color indicates perfection.

Recipe Notes

If you want you can split each arepa in half and fill them with mushrooms or tofu.

Or, choose another vegan filling. Try the plum jam recipe (scroll down) for a delicious filling!

In fact, consider you Venezuelan Arepas as a starting point, just waiting for a finishing touch!

Food & Nutrition Facts

Bananas

A single banana contains 11% of the potassium (is an essential mineral needed to regulate water balance, acidity level and blood pressure of the body), 16% of the dietary fiber, 15% of the vitamin C and 20% of the vitamin B6 recommended each day.

Bananas also have soluble fiber, which may help lower blood cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. They contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, so Bananas help counter stress.

Carrots

Carrots contain Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorous and Sulphur (the three minerals are essential for ensuring the strength of bones) and they contain a form of calcium easily absorbed by the body.

They are rich in antioxidants Beta Carotene, Alpha Carotene, Calcium and Potassium, Phytochemicals and vitamins A, B1, B2, C, and E. With this health benefits are also considered antioxidants, protecting as well as nourishing the skin and they can lower cholesterol and blood pressure.

PLUM JAM

Plums are commonly used at Venezuela. It’s easy to make jam, syrups and sauces from this fruit of the subgenus Prunus, distinguished from other subgenera (peaches, cherries, bird cherries, etc.)

Our healthy dessert recipes also include sugarcane, which is the juice obtained by crushing peeled sugar cane in a mill. These taste amazing and are quick to make!

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb of plums or “ciruelas”
• 5 cups of sugarcane or “papelón”
• 2 cinnamon sticks

Directions

• Cut 1 lb of plums in half, pit them and place in a large mixing bowl.
• Using a wooden spoon, gradually incorporate sugarcane until all are coated
• Bring to a full boil, stirring constantly. Lower heat and simmer 3 to 4 minutes.
• Transfer plums/sugar cane mixture into a large cooking pot.
• Let it cool for 30 min and serve.

Note: sugarcane adds sweetness, of course. However, you might enjoy the plums combined with another sweet fruit in place of the sugarcane. Try raspberries, pineapple, or grapes for flavor variety.

Food & Nutrition Facts

Plums

Plums are an excellent source of vitamin B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B-6, vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol), folate and vitamin K (phylloquinone). They also contain cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin, neochlorogenic and chlorogenic acid,.potassium, fluoride, phosphorous, magnesium, iron, calcium and zinc.

They contain vitamin C and phytonutrients such as lutein, cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin, neochlorogenic and chlorogenic acid, with effective antioxidant qualities.

Find more recipes from around the world here

_

Venezuelan Cuisine

Venezuela offers a diverse cuisine which varies greatly from region to region. Also, some regions remain more traditional in culture and cuisine. But other regions rely on more modern influences.

In fact, many influences have created the variety of Venezuelan cuisine. European influence stands out among most and includes Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and French. However, West African and Native American traditions appear frequently, too.

Food staples common to Venezuelan cuisine include corn, plantain, beans, rice, and yams. Also, potatoes, eggplant, onions, tomatoes, zucchini, hard squash, and spinach frequently appear. Indeed, the foods used to create the cuisine offer great variety, too.

Read about the history of Venezuela

Hashtags/ keywords

#veganrecipes

#veganarepas

#healthyfood

#healthy dessert

#bananas

#carrots

#plumjam

#papelon