Badass John Lewis Is the New Gangster

He Says, ‘Fight for Your Right to Be Healthy’

He was a 315-pound kid working in a butcher shop in Ferguson, Missouri. But, watching his loved ones die from preventable health issues and struggling with his own inspired John Lewis to reject a food system that exploits people who live in low-income areas, keeps people sick, destroys the planet, and torments and kills billions of animals a year. Now, the co-director of the explosive documentary film They’re Trying to Kill Us (who still looks like a Division I athlete at 46) has released his first book, Badass Vegan, full of tasty recipes and a wealth of knowledge that can help anyone rebel against meat, dairy, and eggs. As he puts it, “If that’s not badass, I don’t know what is.”

Loaded Potato Casserole

Makes 6 servings

• You’ll need:
• 5 medium Yukon Gold potatoes
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 medium onion, chopped and divided
• Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
• 2 1/2 tsp paprika, divided
• 1 package tempeh, cubed
• 1 Tbsp store-bought BBQ sauce
• 1 tsp tamari
• 1 package silken tofu
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• Pinch of black salt
• 3/4 cup vegan cheese, divided
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• Chopped scallions
• Fresh chopped parsley
• Vegan sour cream

Method:

1. Place the potatoes in a medium pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, cool, peel, and cut into cubes.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add half the onion and cook until soft. Add the potatoes and season with salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon of the paprika. Cook until the potatoes are browned and crispy. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
3. In the same pan, cook the remaining onion until soft. Add the tempeh and stir in the BBQ sauce, 1 teaspoon of paprika, and the tamari. Cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the tofu, remaining tablespoon olive oil, remaining 1/2 teaspoon paprika, cornstarch, turmeric, and black salt. Stir in 1/2 cup vegan cheese and the chives.
5. Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. In a casserole dish, stir together the potatoes, tempeh, and tofu mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining vegan cheese and dot with the cherry tomatoes. Bake until bubbling, about 20 minutes. Serve topped with scallions, parsley, and vegan sour cream.

Spicy Asian Rice Paper Rolls

Makes 4 servings

You’ll need:

• 4 large rice paper sheets
• Marinated and Grilled Tofu (see recipe below)
• 1 mango, sliced into strips
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 bunch fresh mint leaves
• 1 bunch fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup shredded carrots
• 1/4 cup shredded daikon radish
• 1/2 cup sunflower sprouts or pea shoots
• 1/4 cup Peanut Jalapeño Crumble (see recipe below)
• 1/2 cup Tahini Ginger Dressing (see recipe below)

Method:

1. Dip a rice paper sheet briefly in cold water and set it on a flat surface. Across the center, layer slices of tofu, mango, and bell pepper, and top with cilantro, mint, basil, carrots, daikon, sprouts or pea shoots, and the Peanut Jalapeño Crumble.
2. Roll the rice paper up sushi style. Repeat for the remaining rolls. Cut each in half and serve with Tahini Ginger Dressing.

For the Marinated and Grilled Tofu:

1. Slice a block of super-firm tofu into 1/4-inch slices. Place the slices in an even layer in a glass baking dish.
2. In a blender, blend until emulsified: 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, 1/2 cup tamari, 2 tablespoons minced garlic, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, and 1 tablespoon ground black pepper.
3. Pour over the tofu. Refrigerate for 4 hours, turning halfway through. Preheat a grill pan to medium-high heat. Grill the tofu on each side.

For the Peanut Jalapeño Crumble:

1. In a food processor, pulse into a rough crumble: 1/4 cup roasted, salted peanuts and 1 teaspoon chopped jalapeño.

For the Tahini Ginger Dressing:

1. In a blender, blend until smooth: 1/4 cup tahini, 3/4 cup tamari, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1/4 cup grated fresh ginger, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, and 1 teaspoon black pepper.

Peanut Hoisin Seitan Sandwiches

Makes 4 sandwiches

You’ll need:

• 2 cups seitan, cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 cups Peanut Hoisin Sauce (see recipe below), divided
• 1 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup chopped baby bok choy
• 1/4 cup minced red onion
• 2 Tbsp sesame seeds
• 4 whole wheat baguettes
• Marinated Cabbage Salad (see recipe below)
• 8 leaves fresh Thai basil
• 4 sprigs fresh cilantro
• Lime wedges

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, toss together the seitan, 1 cup Peanut Hoisin Sauce, bell pepper, tomatoes, bok choy, onion, and sesame seeds. Spread the mixture on the baking sheet and cook for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.
3. Fill each baguette with the seitan, Marinated Cabbage Salad, basil, cilantro, an extra drizzle of Peanut Hoisin Sauce, and a squeeze of lime.

For the Peanut Hoisin Sauce:

1. In a blender, blend until smooth: 1/2 cup sesame oil, 1/4 cup brown rice vinegar, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup molasses, 1/4 cup unsweetened peanut butter, 1/4 cup tamari, 1 tablespoon chopped garlic, 1 tablespoon chopped jalapeño, 1 tablespoon chopped shallot, and 1 teaspoon ground black pepper.

For the Marinated Cabbage Salad:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup brown rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon coconut nectar.
2. Add 1 3/4 cups thinly sliced cabbage, 3/4 cups julienned carrots, 1 tablespoon minced yellow onion, and 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds. Toss to coat and let sit for 10 minutes.