"Fake-on" Bacon Bits

If there is one thing I miss about giving up meat, it's bacon. I truly, madly, deeply loved biting into a slice of crispy bacon and I miss it. I don't miss it enough to eat it again, but I do miss it enough to try making an odd "fake-on" version of bacon.

I'll start off by saying that it's made with a secret ingredient and it somehow looks and tastes exactly like I remember bacon tasting like. Plus, it's really much healthier!

I know I'll be snacking on this treat and coming up with tons of fun recipes to use it in. So get ready for some veggie friendly bacon recipes! You'll be seeing a few pop up here over the next few months!

Smokey "Fake-on" Bits - makes 1 cup

1 cup of unsweetened coconut flakes (not grated coconut so it resembles bacon bits)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons liquid smoke
3 teaspoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. Stir together soy, liquid smoke, maple syrup, and salt in a small bowl. Add coconut flakes and gently fold into the soy mixture to coat each piece of coconut. Let the coconut flakes soak in the soy mixture until the oven is preheated.

3. Spread the coconut flakes on the parchment line cookie sheet in an even layer. Bake for 10-12 minutes, flipping coconut halfway through.

4. Remove from the oven and let cool on the cookie sheet. "Fake-on" bits will harden as they cool.

5. Eat as a snack or use as a topper for salad, in snack mixes, or really anything you like!

Just like bacon, it's ok if some of the "fake-on" bits burn as they cook. It will remind you of the real thing. :)