Loaded Baked Potato Breakfast Sandwich w/ Chive Potato Waffles, Rice Paper Bacon, and Pesto Dairy Free Sour Cream

Difficulty: 3/5 (5 being hardest)
Spice Level: 1/3 (3 being spiciest)

Prep & Cook Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 2-4 sandwiches

The Challenge: Loaded Baked Potato Sandwiches

LOADED BAKED POTATOES. They are so darn good. Smother a fluffy potato in butter, sour cream, chives, cheese, bacon, broccoli, etc. Only issue - most of that is not plant based :( The vegan loaded baked potato is something that I really wanted to remake.

But, I also wanted to take this to the next level with a breakfast twist. The Loaded Baked Potato Breakfast Sandwich! Say what?! How does that work?

Well, we start with the potato. We turn that into a delicious potato waffle that will act as the bread for our sandwich with ingredients loaded between it. We squish in my soon-to-be world famous rice paper bacon, pesto vegan sour cream, dairy-free cheddar cheese, and a tofu scramble with some of the loaded baked potato veggies to give it that breakfast element. 

You can eat this just about anytime, but the waffle and scramble give it a loaded breakfast sandwich feeling. Either way, it is DARN GOOD. HOORAY! This thing is the perfect way to start off brunch, and its 100% vegan, 100% delicious, 100% kick asssss.

The waffle we get to be solid and firm enough to be "bread" by adding some flax eggs + AP flour, but I seem to find myself eating it knife + fork after a few bites. ITS STILL AWESOME EITHER WAY. Okay enough already...

Let's get into it!

Ingredients:

---

Chive Potato Waffle

• 4 medium, good-sized new potatoes, washed 
• 1/3 cup flour
• 2 tbl flax meal + 5 tbl water (2 flax eggs)
• 1/3 cup chives, diced
• Spices: 1 tbl nutritional yeast, 1 tsp Old Bay, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tbl olive oil (for waffle iron)

Rice Paper Bacon

• 10 pieces of rice paper (spring roll sheets)
• 2 tbl olive oil
• 2 tbl nutritional yeast
• 2 tbl liquid aminos
• Spices: 1/2 tbl garlic power, 1 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder, 3/4 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp salt, two pinches of black pepper
• 1/3 tsp liquid smoke
• 1/2 tbl maple syrup

Pesto Sour Cream

• 7 oz silken tofu
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 2 big handfuls of basil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tbl apple cider vinegar
• Pinch of salt, pepper, nutritional yeast

Tofu Scramble

• 1 tbl olive oil
• 1 medium shallot, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 14 oz soft tofu, diced small and broken up with fork
• 1 cup broccoli, diced
• 1/2 bell pepper, diced
• pinch of salt + pepper

Other

• vegan shredded cheddar cheese
• heirloom tomato, sliced
• extra chives, diced
• hot sauce (optional)

---

Equipment You'll Need:

Cutting Board . Sharp Cutting Knife . Measuring Cups . Measuring Spoons . Parchment Paper or Silpat . Baking Sheet . Food Processor . Waffle Iron . Frying Pan . Mixing Spoons 

---

Before You Cook:

• Wash and cut all fresh ingredients
• Heat up waffle iron
• Mix 2 tbl flax meal with 5 tbl water for flax eggs
• Preheat oven to 400F

1. Place potatoes into food processor and pulse until you have shreds that are similar to hash brown consistency. Remove from processor or blender and place into a medium bowl. Cover with water and soak for 5-10 minutes.

2.  While the potatoes soak start the bacon, place spring roll on cutting board, and slice each sheet into 5 equal width pieces. I use a very sharp knife. If the sheet is cracking on the edges flip it over...usually one side is easier to cut. Apply a good amount of pressure and use a very sharp knife.

3. Stack two equal sized sheets together and dip into bowl of water to wet the entire strip. Run your fingers down the strip to squeeze out excess water and stack on a parchment lined baking sheet.

4. Line your bacon pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment. They'll be damp. Leave a bit of room between each sheet.

5. Next, whisk together the marinade for the bacon - olive oil through maple syrup on the ingredients. Using a pastry brush (if you dont have one can use a spoon), paint on the marinade to each piece of bacon. Flip them and paint the other side. I use roughly one dip into the marinade worth for each two sides. Place into oven and bake  at 400F for 8-9 minutes on the top rack. Watch closely. Remove and set aside to cool.

6.  After bacon is in the oven, drain potatoes from water and place into a clean kitchen towel or several paper towels. Wrap and wring out the water in the potatoes. Continue until water stops and potatoes are dry. Place into a bowl and mix with the rest of the waffle ingredients SANS OLIVE OIL.

7. Take 1/2 the mixture and place into the preheated waffle iron. Make sure to put 1 tbl of the 2 tbl of olive oil on the waffle iron. Cook for 7-8 minutes. Done when the edges are crispy and brown and its firm to the touch. Repeat again. Optional step: I added cheese to the waffle after it was done cooking and folded the waffle horizontally, so the cheese melted in between. If you do this, though, it only makes two sandwiches as you only have only 4 wedges.

8. While the potatoes cook, add oil/garlic/shallot for scramble to a large frying pan. Cook on medium heat for 4 minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients. Cook on medium-low heat for another 8-10 minutes while we finish the rest.

9. While the scramble cooks and your second waffle, blend together in a blender or food processor all the ingredients for the pesto sour cream. Set aside.

10. To finish, use each waffle segment as your "bread" and stack on shredded vegan cheese, extra chives, a few pieces of bacon, tofu scramble, a tomato slice, and pesto sour cream. I like mine with a bit of hot sauce as well. Enjoy!