Can you believe we’re more than halfway through the year? I sure can’t. When it hit me that we were 6 months into 2018, I did a bit of a mental check-in on how things have been going so far this year—it’s definitely had its ups and downs. My challenges this year have been mainly with my health, but when our health is off-balance, it tends to drip over into every area of life.
There is always a silver lining, though: my health setbacks have been a huge wake-up call. For the past 5 years, my body has been either pregnant, nursing, or both, and that has without a doubt taken a huge toll on me. There have been times when I’ve neglected my physical, mental, and emotional health. There have been times when I got lazy with vitamins and just stopped caring. There have been times when my anxiety felt out of control. I’ve had a lot of inflammation and allergic reactions. A lot of illness. Things seemed to get worse after I had to take antibiotics for an infection this past winter.
About a month ago, I finally said enough is enough! I needed to stop and listen. Since then, I have committed to taking time for myself to heal. To go to those doctors appointments I’ve been putting off. It’s easy to let things slide when life is busy. Having kids can be all-consuming…they are so needy (for good reason), but wow parenthood can really make you lose yourself if you let it.
If you’re going through one of those life phases where you feel like you just can’t “get it together,” you aren’t alone. This too shall pass. And when it does, you will be stronger and wiser. And don’t lose gratitude for everything that’s going well along the way. Gratitude is definitely an anchor through the challenging times.
Meet jackfruit. Have you tried it before? I’ll admit I was a bit scared when I first saw the funky-looking fruit (and cans of jackfruit mystified me!). But after playing around with it for a few weeks, I’ve come to really love it. And I have so many fun jackfruit recipes ideas! It looks like a lot of you have been loving my Chickpea Salad recipe for summer, so I put my thinking cap on and thought about how I could use jackfruit to create another delicious salad dish that can also be enjoyed on bread, wraps, rice cakes, or crackers. And this one is also picnic-friendly! Jackfruit does lack the robust amount of protein you’d find in legumes and nuts, but I find adding hemp hearts (either by mixing them into the salad or adding on top) works great for boosting protein.
I really like the Native Forest brand of canned jackfruit. You don’t need to cook it to soften before use (unlike Cha’s Organics brand). After rinsing and draining it, I slice the spongy, firm core off each piece. If using jackfruit straight from the can, the core is a bit too firm for this recipe. You’ll only want to use the soft, stringy jackfruit that resembles pulled pork/chicken (in the photo below, that’s the stuff on the left!). With a bit of slicing and dicing, you’re ready to roll!
Smoky Jackfruit "Chicken" Salad
Yield
4 servings
Prep time
Cook time
0 minutes
Total time
I recently started experimenting with jackfruit recipes, and I discovered that jackfruit makes a fantastic sub for chicken in a traditional chicken salad. My goodness, it’s delicious (and not only is jackfruit delicious, it’s rich in Vitamin C too)! Because jackfruit has such a mild flavour, it takes on all the wonderful flavours in this dish—tangy lemon and dill, creamy eggless mayo, savoury garlic, and smoky paprika. I’ve added fresh vegetables like celery, green onion, and bell peppers to give it a great crunch and loads of fibre. Serve this salad in pieces of Boston or Bibb lettuce, in a wrap or sandwich, or on crackers. To boost the protein, I like adding hemp hearts. You can find canned jackfruit online or in health food stores, Asian grocery stores, and the international section of some chain grocers. Recipe is adapted from my favourite Chickpea Salad.
Ingredients
- 1 (14-ounce/398 mL) can young jackfruit (in brine)*
- 2 medium (140 g) celery stalks, finely chopped
- 3 medium (45 g) green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup (67 g) finely chopped red bell pepper
- 3 tablespoons (45 mL) store-bought vegan mayo or 5-Minute Mayo**
- 1 small (5 g) garlic clove, minced
- 2 to 3 teaspoons (3 g) minced fresh dill
- 2 to 3 teaspoons (10 to 15 mL) fresh lemon juice, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
- Drain and rinse the jackfruit. Place the drained jackfruit segments onto a large cutting board. Using a knife, slice off the fibrous core of each jackfruit segment. You’ll only want to use the “stringy” parts that resemble pulled pork. Discard the core and chop the remaining pieces into small 1/2-inch chunks. It should look like shredded chicken and you should have about 1 1/2 cups chopped.
- Add the chopped pieces to a bowl and stir in the celery, green onions, bell peppers, mayonnaise, and garlic until combined.
- Now stir in the dill and season with the lemon juice, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper, adjusting quantities to taste after mixing.
- Serve in a sandwich or wrap, on top of a big salad, or with crackers. I love enjoying it with rice cakes and mashed avocado too. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Stir before serving.
Tip:
* I use Native Forest Organic Young Jackfruit which comes in a 14-ounce (398 mL) can. Make sure to purchase canned jackfruit that says “in brine” as opposed to “in syrup” (or simply ensure that it’s unsweetened). Some brands (like Cha’s) recommend cooking it before serving to soften the jackfruit. To do this, gently boil it for 15 minutes and then drain and rinse with cold water. Native Forest brand can be used straight from the can without cooking.
** If you’d like a soy-free version of this salad, be sure to use soy-free vegan mayonnaise (Vegenaise makes a tasty soy-free version). Or you can make my homemade soy-free mayo.
Feel free to add finely chopped dill pickle to the mix, too! I like adding about 1/4 cup of chopped dill pickle for a tangy crunch.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
In case anyone is wondering, I served the salad on rice cakes with mashed avocado, hemp hearts, and a sprinkle of pink salt. So good!
Oooh, this recipe looks fabulous! I feel like that’s my reaction to all of your recipes but it’s true! You are so creative when coming up with new ways to take a twist on classic non-vegan recipes that people love! I’ve only eaten jackfruit plain so I’ve very intrigued to try it mixed with other things. Both my parents who still eat meat like chicken salad so if I can get my hands on jackfruit in the super market I will definitely be making it for them. (I’ve only have the fruit in China lol). Is there anything else you would recommend using if jackfruit is unavailable?
www.beingisabella.com
Well, thank you for all the recipe love! That put a smile on my face. :) This salad is a twist on my chickpea salad and flaked almond “tuna” salad so absolutely try those two out if you can’t get jackfruit. You can find canned jackfruit online or in health food stores, Asian grocery stores, and the international section of some chain grocers. Now that I’m looking for it I’m surprised by the grocery stores that carry it. Just be sure to check whether your canned jackfruit needs to be cooked (to soften it) before use.
How would Hearts of Palm work?
Yum, I never thought to use jackfruit like this! I’m going camping the next two weekends – what a perfect salad to throw together and take with! I bet it would be good with pasta mixed in there too (probably would need to increase the other ingredients for added veggies and sauce).
And I hear ya, as far as not taking care of yourself with two young kiddos, plus getting to the point where “you don’t care anymore”!! I have my vitamins sitting in front of me, waiting to be taken. I always feel SO much better after I take some time for myself – even if I have to let the kids cry for a few minutes, or even let them make whatever mess they are going to make! Cheers to you, mama! You are doing AWESOME!
Hey Stephanie, I LOVE your idea of mixing in some pasta! Genius! I am definitely going to try that out.
Thanks for your encouragement too. :) I’m glad I’m not the only one who struggles with this. Have a great time camping!
Glad you’re finding your groove and taking care. Also, this looks SO GOOD! I made jackfruit barbecue pulled “pork” sandwiches before using your OSG2 sauce recipe, and it was divine! ?? But… can we talk about what a pain in the behind preparing the jackfruit is please? Took me a solid 15 minutes for one little can (same brand)! Could it be just me!? ? Was it worth it? Questionable. Ok, probably. Maybe I’ll give it another go because time softens even the hardest memories… so they say.
hah it sure does! I say that all the time when I get fed up with a recipe that won’t work and I say I’m NEVER testing it again all dramatic…then a month or two later I find myself back at it.
As for prepping it, I don’t find it’s too bad, but a good knife definitely helps save time. I found a steak knife actually works great (or anything with a sturdy serrated blade). It helps slice through the core with ease. I hope this helps :)
Ever since Trader Joe’s started selling canned jackfruit I’ve been experimenting with it in sandwiches, fajitas, and tacos. By far my favorite has been adding it to your original life affirming nacho recipe. I shred it into a pan with some BBQ sauce and sauté it. I then add it as the base layer to the pan before pouring the cheese over top of it. Voila, jackfruit nachos. It was the most requested recipe of 2018 in our house.
OMG that sounds incredible! Thanks for sharing, Ingrid…I can’t wait to try this (the combo of bbq sauce and nacho dip sounds amazing). The nacho dip is made a lot in this house!
Can’t wait to try this! We love the chickpea version so this is a great switch up. I also never have mayo in the house so I just use hummus instead and it’s equally as tasty.
As for health, glad to hear you are taking care of yourself. So important to be able to keep up with running toddlers! :)
hummus is such a great swap for the mayo! Good call. I’m sure a creamy ranch salad dressing would be delish as well.
Oh, I soooo get what you are saying about losing yourself when you are a parent! I thought that aspect would ease off as my kids aged, but their needs didn’t go away, they just became more serious! From a broken toy to a broken bone to a broken heart, the path from little children to teenagers is a heartwrencher. Of course, we put them first, but at some point my whole body fell apart from neglect!
Your paragraph about gratitude truly warmed me. Sometimes finding those things to be grateful for seems a challenge, but when I think about it, I see them all around me,
I just have to stop the stressful things from blocking the view. Hmmmm, easier said than done but it is something I can work on everyday.
Thank you for the introduction to jackfruit! I inhaled it again today on whole spelt toast, open faced style. Love it!
Oh so true. I’ve been reading The Wisdom of Sundays (a collection of Oprah’s conversations from Supersoul Sundays) and there are so many hidden gems in there. A whole chapter on gratitude too. It’s nice because you can read little snippets at a time and keep coming back to it.
Open-faced toast is the BEST!! I got through university on it alone. ;)
Please don’t suggest we eat an exported product from a third world country. I will never eat it for it is not locally produced. Please consider this when you suggest certain food to us. It is important to know what happens to the workers in third world countries who are being forced to grow for export. Their food insecurity heightens because the land is only used for other’s food, not theirs. The workers are controlled by companies that do not have a vested interest in their country, the transnational companies who grow this jack fruit are only concerned with their own profits. Where is the jack fruit grown? It certainly does not grow in the US or Canada. Thank you for listening!
Hi Carrie,
Thank you for sharing! I would love to learn more. Do you have any resources to share?
Hi Angela,
I would love to provide you with resources! Could you email me about this? I can supply you with some websites and articles but it will take a bit of time because I have courses to peruse to find the sites I’m referring to. I would like you to vett them before you publish them so that you are ok with what I’ve found for you.
Carrie
Hi Carrie,
It’s so great to see that there are people out there like you who care about how our food is produced and the impact it has on the communities where it is sourced from. I wanted to take this opportunity to share some information with you about how we source our jackfruit at Cha’s Organics, since we do business differently than the average mainstream brand.
Our commitment to quality extends well beyond product quality, encompassing quality of life for our producer partners and communities where our raw materials are grown. Our jackfruit is purchased on fair terms from organic growers in Sri Lanka, where it is grown on biodiverse gardens and orchards. It is processed in small batches by a group of women who benefit from a stable income, medical care access, maternity leave and a clean, safe work environment in a region of Sri Lanka where most other jobs available to them are in the less appealing garment industry.
Here’s a short video we filmed last winter while visiting our producer partners in Sri Lanka, where you can see how our jackfruit is produced and learn more about this initiative:
https://www.facebook.com/chasorganics/videos/10159988970280123/
Cheers :)
Marise
@Marice May I just watched the clip you shared and am impressed. Been looking for a brand to try and I think I will start with yours. Thanks for sharing :)
I just want to mention that a lot of produce comes from countries other than the us and Canada. One of the most common are bananas. Additionally, foods labeled as from the US can still have components that are sourced from developing/other countries. My suggestion would be buy local for the things you can and everything else look for organic and fair trade.
I thought jackfruit could be grown in Florida, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands?
Angela! Thank you for being you. :) And thanks for your honesty. (we need more of that in the world…people being real!)
Wishing you happiness, peace and good health going forward. <3
Thank you Ām…that means a lot!
Well done for choosing to prioritise your health – when things get busy or stressful, it can be easy to let it go to the sidelines, but ultimately looking after ourselves is the key to thriving in all areas of life. Wishing you all the best for the rest of 2018! As for the recipe, I’m definitely saving it to try out later this week. I have a bit of a jackfruit obsession at the moment because as you said, it soaks up flavours so well and the texture leaves me speechless every time :’). Have a fantastic new week!
Maria
I so know what you mean about the texture of it…blows my mind a bit!
Just made this- so yummy! I went ahead and just mixed the hemp seeds in… I have some serious mommy brain right now!
Hey Katie, I’m glad it was a hit! Thanks for letting me know. And mom brain, what is that?! hehe
Getting to the bottom of your health concerns has to be a number one priority, glad you’re tackling that! I think it’s actually much more upsetting to have a sick mom than it is to be sick yourself as a kid.
I have been in love with this jackfruit curry that trader joe’s sells, and I really like the bbq jackfruit from Upton’s naturals (love all their stuff) so this seems like A Sign it’s time i make it myself at home!
And i was literally just telling my friend earlier today that i have rekindled my long lost love for rice cakes, so this photo is going to happen for me in real life!
Thanks for your kind words…I so agree!
I love rice cakes too..I know they get a bad rep, but they are just the perfect base sometimes!
I tried jackfruit when it’s ripe but I have never tried young jackfruit :o Thank you for sharing the recipe!
This sounds amazing and right up my alley! I have an unsweetened can and have been thinking about what to do with it. I will definitely try this!
Can’t help thinking that this shredded jackfruit straight from the can looks a lot like imitation crab! Ya know, the kind sushi places use in crab salad? This recipe looks awesome but now I’m inspired to try a vegan “crab salad”, with some spicy mayo, cucumber shreds, and maybe Old Bay? To encourage a seafood flavor? Or maybe nori flakes!
I’ve actually never bought jackfruit but with other commenters saying TJ’s has it I have no excuse lol
That sounds so good Mary! Nori or kelp granules would be an awesome addition.
Hi Angela, I’m pretty sure I’ve read close to every single blog post you’ve ever written, and I refer to both of your cookbooks that sit perched on my kitchen counter weekly. Thank you so much for the light and the love that you have infused in my life! I became vegan 4 years ago after being inspired by your genuine passion and curiosity for vegan food and recipes. I’m excited to try your jackfruit recipe this weekend!
Wishing you peace of mind and a healthier rest of 2018.
Allie
Hey Allie, Aww thank yo SO much for the super sweet note. That made my day. :) I can’t thank you enough for all your support!! And congrats on going vegan 4 years ago! I’d love to hear what you think of the jackfruit recipe.
Hi Angela. The photo of jackfruit doesn’t look like the jackfruit I have bought in the past? It looks more like Durian (ugh)….anyhow the stuff I have gotten many times is shiny and solid – kind of like a skinned bell pepper. So maybe there is more than one kind.
And yeah, it’s usually grown in SE Asia and not ‘locally’. But you know, we have to pick our ‘battles’. There are worse things going on in the world than canned jackfruit ;-) Those of us who use olive oil are challenged to find locally-made. Coffee as well. Hmmmmm.
Try a quick pasta salad with jack fruit, mayo mixed with a little Thai curry paste (red), cilantro and lightly toasted pine nuts. It’s divine.
Hey Sharon,
Hmm that’s interesting! Do you recall what brand you’ve purchased in the past? Or did you use fresh? I’ve only used Native Forest and Cha’s so far and they both looked almost identical. I love your pasta salad idea…anything with red curry paste is a winner in my books!
i have tasted the recipe to your smoked jackfruit salad and it is awsome….
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Amy!
Hi Angela,
I am a long and loyal fan. I have been for years now (ever since I walked into Chapters and saw your first book). I cooked from it for the next 30 days and that was the start of being vegetarian. Your book was a god send and you are too. If your body is raising a hand and signaling something is not right with your health, take space to not just fit in vitamins and rest but space for getting into what is truly going on for you and respond to that at a root level. Take space to tend to the beauty within you. Please know this next bit comes from a caring place: I hope we don’t see you here for at least 3 months. We will all hold the space for you while you are absent and will welcome you back with love when you return. That is the least we can offer you. We will manage with your beautiful collection of previous recipe posts and your books while you are taking a break. Your darling children need their mama and all her vibrancy, and you are worthy of living fully with that same vibrancy as a woman. Do what you need to do to not just survive this time of motherhood and womanhood but to live it well. We will be here waiting for you. Warmest wishes Carrie
Aww thank you Carrie. It means a lot to me that you took the time to leave me such a thoughtful note! I couldn’t agree with you more about wellness being more than vitamins and rest. This experience has really made me realize just how much I had been neglecting so many parts of myself. I’m a firm believer the body gives us signs and they get louder over time.
I’m so glad to hear that you’ve enjoyed the recipes over the years.
Amen, Allelujiah, I second that emotion…all that good stuff! I could not agree more with Carrie’s comment!
Wow!
What a nice recipe! This would be great in a wrap to bring to work for lunch, or for a vegetarian pot-luck :)
Just in case anyone is wondering why the Native Forest jackfruit doesn’t need to be cooked is because it has either been cooked or heated before being canned :) Cha’s Jackfruit is basically raw Jackfruit which explains the need for it to be cooked a little before use!
Both are great brands, but if you want more play with the texture, experimenting with firmer to more soft textures for different dishes then Cha’s Jackfruit gives you that opportunity.
Now away to the kitchen I go!
Aww thanks Kaay! Your comment means a lot to us.
Indeed, we don’t like to overcook any of our canned fruit, including the young jackfruit. When it’s overcooked during the canning process it can turn a dark pink colour and the texture becomes too flaky for use in other dishes such as the more traditional jackfruit curry.
By not overheating our cans we aim to ensure a better texture and a more appealing visual appearance, not to mention higher nutrient values as many vitamin are destroyed by high temperatures.
Glad you took the time to give us a shout out – we truly appreciate that Kaay :)
I have to say that prior to this recipe I had a bad taste in my mouth about jackfruit since I cant stand Durian. But after reading this recipe I have decided to keep an open mind. I just need to get that dang durian memory out of me before I try this!
Hi Angela-
This question has nothing to do with this recipe, I just wasn’t sure if there’s a way to email you. I follow your blog and from it have learned to appreciate seeds and beans such as chia, hemp, flax, lentils, etc. My question is how do you store them all? I currently have like 6 bags in a messy heap in my small pantry because I get them from the bulk section as Winco. Do you have a more organized, space efficient way to store all those things?
Also, I have heard you are supposed to store them in the fridge otherwise they can go rancid but Winco just has them sitting in their bulk section so I’m wondering your thoughts on that?
Thank you so much for all the work you put into your blog- I love being able to make delicious and wholesome recipes for my family.
Hey Abbey, Thank you! I just store them in my pantry because we go through they very fast in this house since we all eat them regularly.
Follow Organize With Tracy on Instagram. She has great ideas for food storage solutions!
Thanks Jessie!