A Plant-Based Pioneer’s Journey to Become an Entrepreneur

Where's The Beet? - Plant Theory Recipe

In this episode of Chef AF, I chat with Sheryn Delgado-Abalos about choosing to be vegan at an early age, why she taught herself to cook and becoming an entrepreneur.

 

When I asked her about becoming a chef, Delgado-Abalos says, “I ended up having to basically teach myself how to cook and prepare meals that were also healthy and that could sustain my new lifestyle even though I was so young and I just started experimenting in the kitchen.” She adds, “It was really myself teaching myself and when I was fifteen I had this notion, oh wouldn't it be great to have a restaurant.” 

Delgado-Abalos moved to Miami from Canada at twenty-one and while working at a hotel she met an investor that funded her first project. She says about opening her first vegan concept, “It was in Miami Beach in the nineties when the fashion world was just beginning here. It was a really good learning experience. It was basically my university for how to open up a business in Miami Beach because they don't make it so easy here. There's a lot of red tape and administration, a lot of licensing fees. So I spent a lot of my time at city hall trying to figure out how to do things correctly. I had to keep going back and I pretty much lived at city hall until we finally opened our doors.”

As far as Delgado-Abalos’ education she received formal education training from Food Future Institute, Food For Health Foundation, International School of Detoxification, SunFired Foods Academy and Ecornell Plant Based Nutrition as well as other programs. 

In 2010 Delgado-Abalos opened Thrive Juice Bar and in 2015, Plant Theory Creative Cuisine, a combination of her world travels and healthy, organic, gluten-free artisan-crafted food. Chef shares her recipe, Where’s The Beet!, made with roasted portobello, sunflower seeds and more. 

To hear Delgado-Abalos talk about plant-based and the shift in the industry and how wellness and health will have a role in the future of food, check out this episode of Chef AF “It’s All Food” or you can listen at Spotify!

RECIPE

Where's The Beet? - Plant Theory Recipe

OVEN AND FOOD PROCESSOR

Organize ingredients, spices and appliances needed

All measurements/spices/seasonings should be flat even

Remove stems from portobellos and brush or wipe dirt off

Do not wash mushrooms ever

Weigh 4C PACKED RAW stems and mushrooms, do not wash

Lightly Spray pan and spread out mushrooms

Roast on for HIGH for 5 mins, take out, flip over and cook for another 2 mins, should be tender and juicy not dried out, it will turn dark brown, let it cool down

In FP bowl add roasted mushrooms then add and

spread evenly the following over mushrooms

1 1/2 Tbsp coconut aminos

1 1/2 Tbsp hickory smoke

1/2 Tbsp & 1 tsp adobo spice

1 /2 Tbsp & 1 tsp beet powder

ADD LAST

Weigh 2 C Sunflower seed flour

Process 2 to 3 C raw sunflower seeds in food processor till flour like

Measure 2 C of Sunflower seed flour and add to rest of ingredients, and pulse till combined and sticky, scrape down sides.

Shape into Neatball, NeatBalls or Burgers

Can bake on 350 degrees for 10 mins then flip and cook for about 5 mins

Or in a greased skillet lightly pan fry both sides till crispy coating on surface

Can top off with House Marinara Sauce, mushroom gravy or sauce of your choice.