Dreams can come true.
On Friday, May 20th, I made my TV debut on the Today Show, where I cooked vegan crab cakes with Al Roker. It was an incredible experience. I kept the appearance quiet until rehearsal the night before—so much felt at stake that I only told my closest family and friends in the weeks leading up to it.
The night before I rehearsed in my head until I could barely sleep. Once I arrived on set I barely had time to be nervous; the team moved quickly and professionally, and I stayed calm throughout the segment. I finished the recipe on time and felt proud of how it went.
The Today Show staff were amazing and welcoming. Al Roker, Tamron Hall and Natalie Morales were warm and kind, and the production crew made the experience smooth and enjoyable. Their professionalism mixed with friendliness made it a highlight of my career.
I’m hopeful I’ll be invited back. Tamron said, “If all vegan food tastes like this, I would become vegan tomorrow.” That kind of reaction made the whole experience even more rewarding.
Below is the vegan crab cake recipe I prepared on the show. Enjoy!
Vegan Crab Cakes
Ingredients
- 1 14- oz can chickpeas, unsalted
- 1 14- oz can hearts of palm, chopped into large pieces
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
- ¼ cup vegan mayonnaise, (I prefer Just Mayo)
- 2 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
- 1 tsp umeboshi plum vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs + ½ cup for coating
- Red Pepper Aioli
- ½ cup vegan mayo
- 4 roasted red peppers, from a jar, patted dry
- 1/4 cup fresh dill
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
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Place the chickpeas, hearts of palm and jalapeño in a food processor. Pulse until combined but not completely smooth—you want some flaky, crab-like texture.
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Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add the vegan mayo, Old Bay, umeboshi plum vinegar, Dijon mustard and 1 cup panko. Stir until everything is evenly combined.
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Pour the remaining ½ cup panko into a shallow dish for coating.
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Heat a skillet over medium-high and lightly coat with oil.
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Form the mixture into compact patties, then press each into the panko to coat the outside.
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Pan-fry the patties about 3 minutes per side, until golden brown and crisp.
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Work in batches (I usually fit 4–5 in the skillet at once). Transfer cooked patties to a plate lined with paper towel.
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For the red pepper aioli, blend the vegan mayo, roasted red peppers, dill and red wine vinegar until smooth.
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Serve the crab cakes with a dollop of red pepper aioli and fresh greens.
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