The Food Traditions of 4th of July with Upton Naturals - Giveaway!!!

You don't often find a 4th of July gathering without certain traditional 4th of July fare. Of course most people will be busting out the grill and we'll be no exception. I'm going to making some veggie burgers from The Best Veggie Burgers on the Planet later on today. If I can find non-GMO corn on the cob, we'll be grilling that up too!

No 4th of July picnic or cookout would be complete without BBQ Baked Beans. When I lived in the midwest, I remember just about every outdoor gathering had a pot of sweet and smoky beans. The ladies at my grandma's church started their beans with chopped, fatty bacon and added loads of sugar. These days, I opt for a much healthier non-animal version using Upton Naturals seitan bacon and agave nectar.

BBQ Baked Beans

8 servings

1 - 15 oz. can pinto beans with liquid

1 - 15 oz. can red kidney beans with liquid

1 - 15 oz. can butter beans with liquid

1 tablespoon olive oil separated

1 - 5 oz package Upton's Naturals Seitan Bacon, diced

1 medium yellow onion, diced small

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 - 8 oz. can tomato sauce

1/3 cup ketchup

1/3 cup molasses

2 tablespoon agave nectar

2 tablespoon yellow mustard

1 tablespoon vegan worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons cider vinegar

1 teaspoon hot sauce

1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

Add beans with liquid to slow cooker or casserole dish. 

In 10 inch skillet over medium-high heat add 2 teaspoons olive oil. Saute seitan bacon in olive oil until browned, stirring occasionally, about 5-7 minutes. Add to beans. Add remaining olive oil and diced onions. Saute until onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and saute until just fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add to bean mixture. In a small bowl stir together remaining ingredients and add to bean mixture, stirring to combine. If using slow cooker, cook on high for 4 hours. If baking, cover casserole and bake at 325 for 2 hours.

Upton's Naturals and a Giveaway!!!

Let's talk about Upton's Naturals for a moment, shall we. The Chicago-based company was founded in 2006. They use all natural ingredients. There seitan products are low in fat, high in protein and fantastic in texture and flavor. I was thrilled to find out they use non-GMO ingredients. Hurrah!!! Sadly, at that time, you could not find their products here in Arizona. That has all changed. Several Whole Foods locations and the Tempe Farmer's Market are now carrying Upton's. You can find their products all over the country now and even in Germany! Yay!

I first tried their ground seitan when I was visiting home (Illinois) a couple of years ago. I was really impressed with both the flavor and the texture of the crumbles. When I stumbled upon their seitan bacon at Whole Foods, I was really anxious to give it a try. It comes in a 5 oz. package of smoky slices. Fred had a hankering for BLT's, so that was the first thing I made with their bacon. 

For Father's Day I broke out another package and made Fred a breakfast fit for a king. The texture was chewy, like I remember bacon being. It is much lower in fat, so there is not greasy nastiness going on. 

Upton's is opening their new vegan cafe this summer in Chicago. Even more exciting? Kelly Peloza, the Vegan Cookie Connoisseur is going to be creating their baked goods!! Stop by Upton's Naturals website for more information on their line of vegan "meats" and where you can find them. 

I'm super excited about today's giveaway. Upton's Naturals sent me coupons for free packages of any of 4 of their seitan products: Traditional, Ground, Chorizo or Italian. Yes, REALLY! Leave a comment on today's post about what recipe you would use their awesome seitan in before midnight Sunday, July 7th for your chance to win. There will be two, yes, two winners drawn. Each winner will get 2 coupons. Make sure to leave a way to contact you if you win. Happy and delicious 4th to you!!

Seitan au Poivre

Once upon a time, I was a culinary school student. My chefs were classically trained in the European, Escoffier ways of gastronomy. The methods we learned were steeped in centuries of tradition. They were hardly vegan or heart friendly; using plenty of high fat animal products. I must admit back in those days, I loved trying all the new and exciting techniques and favors I was being introduced to.

One of my ultimate favorite meat based dishes from back then was Steak au Poivre. This was a decadent dish made with beef tenderloin coated in black peppercorns. The filet was then seared, flamed with brandy, smothered with a rich demiglace and garnished with fresh chopped parsley. We cooked it table side at the school's student run restaurant. It was one of our most popular dishes. It was quite a show! One time, my partner and I were doing several orders at once. I loved the big flame, so I used a pretty healthy dose of brandy and promptly singed my bangs. Not an appetizing smell, that burnt hair. But it was pretty entertaining.

In this more compassionate version, you can still get the big show. I am going to suggest you leave out the flaming hair. The tenderloin is replaced by seitan steak. Panko crumbs are added to the peppercorns to add a hint of a crunchy texture. The peppercorns give a wonderful peppery bite and texture to the steaks. The rich velvety sauce makes you feel like you are in a five star restaurant. Steak au Poivre is traditionally served with potatoes. Tonight toasted Israeli cous cous with walnuts worked as a fun stand in. I had some chard in the fridge that I paid far too much for at Whole Foods. This was simply sauteed in olive oil with caramelized red onion, a touch of lemon juice, salt and pepper.

I have to admit, I did this from memory and I missed a couple of components that I realized after the fact, but it was still very tasty! In the classic version there is often an addition of mustard, and you certainly can add it if you please. In all honesty, it is excellent without it. I made extra sauce/gravy for potatoes later on.

Seitan au Poivre

4 servings sauce, 2 servings seitan steaks

For the Sauce 

2 tablespoons vegan butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons shallots, minced

4 oz cremini mushrooms

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

2 cups strong vegetable broth

1 1/2 teaspoon kitchen bouquet (browning sauce)

In a 1 qt saucepan over medium heat, melt vegan butter. When butter is melted add olive oil, garlic and shallots. Saute until shallots are translucent. Add mushrooms and saute until they just soft and release their liquid, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in flour to coat. Cook for about 2-3 minutes further. Whisk in vegetable broth and kitchen bouquet until smooth. Simmer until sauce thickens, about 7-10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

For Steaks

4 - 3 oz. seitan steaks (I used the Beefy Seitan recipe from American vegan kitchen)

1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk

1 teaspoon corn starch

3 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs

3 tablespoons very coarsely ground peppercorns

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons brandy

chopped parsley for garnish

Set up breading station. Combine soy milk and corn starch in a shallow bowl. In a separate bowl mix the panko crumbs and peppercorns. Dip steaks, one at a time in soy milk mixture, making sure they are completely coated. Dredge in the panko mixture making sure the steaks are coated. Transfer to plate in a single layer.

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in 10 inch iron skillet or other heavy bottomed skillet (do not use non-stick coated pan here). The oil should be hot, but not smoking before adding the steaks. Add the steaks making sure they are not touching. Sear for about 3 minutes on each side. When the steaks are seared (browned and slightly crunchy), quickly add the brandy. Carefully flame the brandy using a stick lighter. When the flame goes out, add about 1 cup of the sauce. It will bubble a little bit from the hot pan.  Using a spatula, transfer to serving plate. Spoon sauce remaining in the pan over the steaks (and potatoes if serving). Garnish with fresh parsley.

Merry Christmas Dinner

Sheesh! Blogging has really gotten away from me. I miss the days I had lots of time to play on the internet. The kitchen has been rocking busy the last couple of weeks. Sadly, I have been very bad about taking pictures. Today I did manage to get the camera out after making dinner.

Fred has had a hankering for mashed potatoes and gravy. This was a request I was more than happy to fill. 'Taters and gravy are one of those holiday (and non-holiday for that matter) comfort foods that make me soooooo happy. We needed something green after all the holiday cookies, so we had simple steamed broccoli with a little spike seasoning. To round out the meal I had some seitan in the fridge that was a bit funky in the texture department. It was too chewy sauteed, so I decided to make it chicken fried. Now I didn't really measure, but it went something like this:

Chicken Fried Seitan Nuggets

2 seitan cutlets cut into nuggets

3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 cup soy milk
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 teaspoon dijon mustard

1 1/2 cups oil for frying in a 10 inch skillet

Preheat oil to 350 (when flour sizzles in oil).

In one shallow bowl mix panko through paprika. In a second shallow bowl combine soy milk through dijon mustard. Place seitan nuggets in soy milk mixture and soak for about 1 minute. Dredge in panko mixture and carefully place in oil. Make sure not to crowd pan (it will take 2-3 batches). Fry for about 3 minutes then flip over and fry other side for about 3 more minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan on put on paper towel lined plate. Serve with mashed potatoes and gravy or with your favorite dipping sauce.

I hope you all had a love and joy filled Christmas Day!

MOFO - Day 10 - Seitan is NOT the Devil - Giveaway Winner!!

What is this seitan that we veg types speak of? While it is pronounced like Satan, it is not evil. Seitan which can also be called wheat gluten, gluten or mock meat is a meat analog (faux meat) made from vital wheat gluten, sometimes other flours, seasonings and flavored liquids. Vital wheat gluten is quite different from regular wheat flour. It is much higher in protein content, which makes it ideal for making a high protein meat substitution. The protein content can vary a bit from recipe to recipe and brand to brand. You can expect to get 20-30 grams of protein per 4 oz serving. Impressive I know!

In the days of the dinosaur, the traditional method of making seitan was kind of a pain and took a lot of time. The poor cook would have to mix flour and water to form a dough.  Then it would have to be kneaded under running for like 30 minutes to remove the starch. After all of that manual labor, the dough would then be simmered for a couple of hours and if you were lucky, you would simmer it correctly and get an edible batch.

Thankfully, these days there are much simpler methods. A few of the most common methods are the simmering method, the baked method, the slow cooker method and the steamed method. I've tried them all. Each method yields a different texture. Which one you chose will depend on what recipes you want to make.

The first type of seitan I ever made was Isa Chandra Moskowitz's recipe from Veganomicon that uses the simmering method. Amazingly the first time I made it, it turned out perfectly. The simmering method produces a very tender and juicy type of seitan which is great for searing or using in Asian dishes. I personally find this method the trickiest of those I've listed, but if you can get it down without producing "brainy" seitan, the flavor is just outstanding.

Let's talk about brains. Brainy seitan can ruin your day and your recipe. First, make sure that you start by putting your gluten dough into COLD simmering liquid with plenty of room to expand. Brainy or spongy seitan is usually caused by letting the simmering liquid come to a boil. This is a big no-no in making simmered seitan. To prevent the nasty globs of spongy gluten, you must actually watch the pot so it never boils! Seriously, do not let it boil. Keep the heat low enough so it very, very gently simmers. Hopefully after about an hour of gently simmering, you will have beautiful and delicious seitan.

Another word to the wise: when you are measuring and using vital wheat gluten, be careful not to spill much. If you do, wipe it up with a dry towel or else you will have a sticky mess on your wet towel. That gluten is crazy sticky stuff.

This top picture shows a seitan that has gone the way of the brain. You can see that there is no true form to the gluten. It actually looks mushy and spongy:

This next picture shows perfect simmered seitan. Look at how well formed these babies look:

Throughout the week, we will look at the different seitan cooking methods and some delicious seitan recipes. There are so many things you can do with a little vital wheat gluten!

Now we can't forget to announce the winner of the Butler Soy Curls giveaway!! The winner is #20 Cadyr's Kitchen!! She adores Vegan Brunch and wants to make some Courico Tacos with her new found stash of soy curls. Please make sure to email me a good shipping address at vegintraining @ gmail dot com so that I can send you your goodies. Have a delicious Monday!

MOFO - Day 20 - Harry's in Shock Green Chili - Contest Winner!!!

First and foremost I'm happy to announce the winner of the Amercian Vegan Kitchen Giveaway.

#26 Noelle!!! Your are the winner! Noelle likes to put roasted chiles in her sketti. Now she can find some other great ideas from AVK. Thanks to everyone who commented.

I am working a 12 hour shift today, but will be making my green chili and posting it tonight, so make sure to check back later today.

My green chile recipes is a conversion of a green chili recipe I got from an old lineman from work. Harry is a tough old lineman from Kentucky. He retired a few years back just shy of 70. He would have worked until he was 90, but his lovely bride had other ideas. Harry was an incredible troubleshooter and a fantastic guy to work with. He used to bring all of "us girls" in the office lovely jewels every year for Christmas. He is quite the southern charmer. Wow, I guess I really miss having him around work. He's far from vegan, hence the name of the recipe. I'm sure he would poo poo this version, but the original was so good, I had to veganize it. Now that I have written the intro, I MUST cook this tonight.

A word of warning. This recipe can be very spicy hot. The heat is what makes it Harry's. So if you like something milder, I'd shy away from this recipe. It gets hotter as it sits too!

Don't forget the Iron Chef Challenge: Chipotles and Portobellos! Submit your entries by tomorrow at 4pm!

Harry's in SHOCK Green Chile

Makes 4-6 burritos

2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1/2 medium sweet or yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 large hatch green chiles, diced (leave seeds in if you like the heat)
2 serrano chiles, finely diced (again leave seeds in if you like the heat)
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 chile tepins, crushed
2 medium red potatoes, un-peeled, very small dice (about 1 cup)
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 pound beefy seitan (I used Savory Seitan from AVK)

In small stock pot heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, green chiles and serrano chiles. Saute until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add cumin, red pepper flakes, black pepper chiletepin and salt. Stir until combined and saute for about 30 more seconds. Add potatoes and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and simmer until potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes. While the potatoes are simmering, slice the seitan into thin strips about 2 inches long. See photo. In 10 inch iron skillet or non-stick pan, saute seitan strips until nicely browned. By this time the potato mixture should be cooked and thickened. Add browned seitan to potato mixture and simmer for about 10 more minutes.

Warm 4-6 flour tortillas (8 inch). Scoop filling into tortilla. Roll it up and enjoy!

The original version was served in flour tortillas without garnish. I recommend them that way here as well. If you are a garnisher, feel free to garnish away, but try 'em naked first.

Here's what the potatoes look like diced. See how small they are. You can cut them larger but I like the texture best when they are small.

This photo shows a good shot of the thinly sliced seitan. They should resemble a shredded style "beef"

Food Network Friday - Jamie Oliver

Hello my little blogatrons. I am so sorry I have been remiss in my blogging duties. We've had surgery recoveries, dog adoptions, and graveyard shifts to attend to. We also had a freaking awesome vegan bake sale in between, which I must blog about next. It was epic!

This week's FNF challenge was a remake of this Jamie Oliver recipe. I found it very curious that Mr. Oliver works so hard to bring healthy cuisine to school lunches but feels it is just dandy to use pork, bacon and it's grease in this recipe. Not exactly going to give him a glowing report card on healthy cuisine here. In his defense, he does also incorporate red peppers and chard which both pack a great nutritional punch. Check out Vegan Appetite website to see the other interpretations.

When I go about my conversions, I do my best to try and stay true to the original recipe as best I can. For this conversion I had to do a little math as it is written in metric measurements. He also makes use of the term a small handful which can be a bit subjective. Sometime I have to let go of my inner Virgo and just run with it.


For the chops I did a variation of a seitan tester from Isa Moscowitz's upcoming Appetite for Reduction cook book. You could really use any simmered seitan recipe that tickles your fancy. This one is nice because it is wetter than some others. It lent itself very well to being stuffed. For the "bacon" I used another tester from Julie Hasson's upcoming Vegan Diner; Smoky Curls. Yummy for the tummy. I had a hard time not eating them all before I finished the dish. I honestly think you could make a meal out of the beans alone (2 servings) if you didn't have the time or the inkling to make the chops, but they are truly special. If you have the time you should make them.

Here we go...

Moorish Seitan Chops
4 servings

For the filling
1/2 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt
a few dashes of fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sherry
1/4 teaspoon olive oil
2-3 teaspoons raisins (if raisins are dry, rehydrate in hot water for 5-10 minutes and drain)


1 recipe simmered seitan (1 lb)

Sauce:
1 tablespoon Earth Balance
1 tablespoon All Purpose Flour
1 cup Beefy vegetable broth
1 small sprig rosemary

Beans:

1/2 cup Smoky Curls or vegan bacon, plus a little extra set aside for garnish

1 Tablespoon Earth Balance
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced into 1/2 inch chunks
1 large red onion, diced small
1 15 oz. can butter beans (or other white bean)
1/2 cup beefy vegetable broth

2 bay leaves
1 sprig rosemary, leaved removed and coarsely chopped

1/2 lb baby chard or regular chard leaved coarsely chopped
As a little side note I got the chard, oregano, and rosemary out of our garden!!!!!

Using a mortar and pestal grind fresh oregano, salt and pepper. Add raisins, sherry and oil and grind until paste is formed.  Divide into 4 equal portions. Mix seitan recipe together. Divide into 4 pieces. Flatten into 5 inch rounds. Spread filling over half, leaving 1/2 inch border. Fold other half over and seal edges. Simmer as directed. Let seitan chill for several hours or overnight.

Once seitan is chilled start the beans. In medium sized saute pan or iron skillet heat Earth balance and olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and pepper. Saute 5-10 minutes until onions are translucent and pepper are just starting to soften. Add curls or bacon. saute for 2 more minutes. Add butter beans, vegetable broth, bay leaves and rosemary. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add chard and simmer for 2-3 minutes until it is wilted.

While beans are simmering. Make sauce and cutlets.

For Sauce:

Melt EB. Add flour and cook for 5 minutes on low heat to make roux. Slowly pour broth in whisking constantly until roux is incorporated. Add sprig of rosemary. Let simmer on low until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

For cutlets:

My preferred method is to use a large iron skillet on the grill. I find the grill give a beautiful even heat and sears the cutlet perfectly. Heat the grill on the highest setting. When grill is very hot put very well oiled iron skillet directly over the flame. Give it about 5 minutes to get very hot. Add cutlets and sear for about 5 minutes on one side. Make sure to spray uncooked side generously with spray canola before flipping. Sear other side for about 3 minutes. Turn grill to the lowest setting and let cook for about 5-8 more minutes being careful not to burn. As an alternate method this can be done on the stove top with an iron skillet or griddle pan.

Keep cutlets warm while you finish the other items.

To assemble:

In a shallow bowl or high sided plate dish out 1/4 recipe of beans to make a bed for the "chop". Place seared chop on top. Drizzle with 1- 2 tablespoons of the sauce. Garnish with sprig of fresh oregano and crispy vegan bacon bits.

Inside shot

The Return of Food Network Fridays - BBQ "Pork" Panini Sandwich

It has been a bit of a hiatus for Food Network Fridays. This is a little challenge started by the one and only Tami Noyes of American Vegan Kitchen (AVK) and Vegan Appetite fame. A few of us goofy food obsessed types go about converting a Food Network recipe to a much more kind vegan version. It is a lot of fun to see what all of the fantastic cooks whip up.

This week we converted this BBQ Pork Panini Sandwich from an episode of Down Home with the Neelys.

I started off yesterday with a test recipe from the upcoming Vegan Bakesale by Carla Kelly of The Year of the Vegan. Her recipe for what she calls plain bread was hailed by my number one taste tester, Fred, as the best bread he has ever had! It was darn good. Because I had my sights set on this conversion, I made the bread into French-style torpedo rolls. It had to bribe Fred not to eat all of the rolls so that we could eat them with this today.

This morning when I got home from another graveyard shift (yuck), I whipped up another tester from Julie Hasson's upcoming Vegan Diner: Smoky Sandwich Spread. This cheesy, creamy, tasty spread stood in for the cheddar in the original recipe.

For the "pork" I used Tami's Beefy Seitan recipe from AVK. If you don't have her book yet, there is something seriously wrong with you. Go buy it!

I bring you my version of

BBQ Porque Panini Sandwich

Makes 4 Sandwiches

3 tablespoons Earth Balance, softened
2 large cloves garlic, minced
12 oz Beefy Seitan roast
Rub - Recipe below
1 cup BBQ Sauce - Recipe Below
4 French-style sandwich rolls
Smoky Cheezy Sandwich Spread (or your favorite vegan cheddar)
4 large dill pickles, sliced length wise

In a small bowl, blend the Earth Balance and garlic. Set aside for later use.

Coat seitan roast with rub. Save remaining rub in airtight container for later use. Let rub soak into seitan for at least and hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In covered casserole, bake roast for about 20 minutes. Roast will be warm, but not hot. Slice as thinly as you can and return to the pan with 1 cup of the BBQ sauce. Bake for 10-15 more minutes until heated through and sauce becomes a little sticky. Remove from oven and set aside while you prepare the sandwich.

Preheat Panini press or griddle depending on what you are using. I used the griddle on my stove and a big old cast iron pan for the press.

Butter the outsides of the bread with the Earth Balance mixture. Spread a thick layer of cheezy spread on top piece of bread. Working quickly set the bottom piece of the bread on the press/griddle. Top with pickle slices and seitan (divided into four equal portions). Grill on each side for about 2 - 3 minutes until bread is golden and crunchy. Slice at a diagonal and serve with a little extra BBQ sauce for dippin' if that is your style.

Fred likes more pickles and less meat on his. This is a very flexible recipe, so add and subtract the ingredients to fit your taste.

Happy FNF!

Dry Rub

1/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
2 Tablespoons smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon granulated onion
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Can store in airtight container for future use.

Smoky BBQ Sauce

Makes approx 4 cups

2 teaspoons canola oil
3/4 cup finely chopped onion (about 1 medium)
3 cloves garlic minced
1 - 15 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes (do not drain)
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (leave seeds intact)
1/2 cup cider vinegar
6 oz can tomato paste**
2 teaspoons vegan worcestershire sauce
5 Tablespoons chili powder (hot if you like a very spicy sauce)
3 teaspoons celery salt
1 Tablespoon black pepper
1 Tablespoon prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
2 tablespoons toasted yellow mustard seeds*

In medium saucepan, saute onion and garlic in oil over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. While they are sauteeing puree diced tomatoes and chipotle together making sure chipotle is chopped fine. Pour mixture and remaining ingredients into saucepan. Bring to simmer and turn heat to low. Simmer on low for at least 30 minutes.

This sauce is even better if you can let it chill overnight in the fridge to intensify the flavors.

* Some people like thinner smoother sauce. For a thinner smoother sauce, add 1/2 cup of water and puree all ingredients except for the mustard seeds. Add seeds and then simmer.

** I have to indulge myself in a little rant here. I get so miffed when recipes call for 2 Tablespoons or less than a whole can of tomato paste. I know this has to happen sometimes, but it irks me to no end to have this small amount of tomato paste sittin' in the fridge. I purposely developed this recipe so that you, my dear reader, will not encounter this common cooking irritation. Boooooya!

Mushroom and Chickn Fried Rice with Spicy Asian Greens

Fred had surgery on his knee this week. I wanted to make him something tasty, healthy, and full of veggies. I had some leftover rice from the other day. The farmers market has had some excellent produce. Put them together and you've got some great stuff to work with. I've been craving some fried rice, but most don't have enough veggies for my taste. I thought I'd get to work and create something we'd both enjoy. Here's what transpired.

Mushroom and Chickn Fried Rice

4 servings

2 tablespoons low sodium tamari

1 tablespoon mirin

2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

3 large cloves of garlic, minced

4 ounces chicken Gardien or Chicken Seitan, diced

1 large carrot brunnoise (small diced)

1 cup snow peas, cut into 1/4 inch pieces

 1 - 8 oz package cremini mushrooms sliced

3 cups brown rice, cold

1-2 additional tablespoon low sodium tamari

In small bowl, mix tamari, mirin, ginger, sesame oil. Let sit for at least 30 minutes to marinade. In wok or large deep saute pan on high heat, pour chicken and marinade into pan. Saute for 2  minutes. Add garlic and carrots. Saute until "chicken" browns. Add snow peas and mushrooms and saute until mushrooms release their liquid. Add additional tamari. Heat until rice is heated through.

Spicy Sauteed Asian Greens

8 cups Asian greens

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

3 large cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon mirin

2 tablespoon low sodium tamari

1 teaspoon sriracha sauce

In large saute pan or wok over med high heat, heat oil. add ginger and garlic and saute for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add greens, mirin, and Tamari. Saute for a couple of minutes until greens start to wilt. Add sriracha and saute for another minute. Serve immediately.

Guess Who's Testing Again

Yep. I said I would stop testing for a while. Ha! That didn't last long. I love testing and being part of the process of helping make amazing books come to the shelf. I can't help myself.

Right now I am testing for three people...one who prefers to remain obscure and annonymous. The two other I'm hoping will offset each other. One is for Isa Chandra Moscowicz's upcoming Appetite for Reduction (I hope they keep that name - Love ya Axel), a low fat book. The other has yet to be named and it is a baking book by Carla Kelley. Both gals' recipes are amazingly good. I'll post a couple of teasers for you today.

It is St. Patrick's Day, so being the good Irish girl that I am, I must post this fantastic Irish Stew. It is not only delicious and bursting with homey, flavorful goodness, it boasts only 330 calories for a big hearty serving. It is low fat too. Bonus. I'm sure the green beer will offset any calorie savings, but hey, it's all about balance, right? (Please ignore the Smithwicks in the picture...I just found out it is not vegan...boo!)

Next comes a very fun and festive cupcake from the fabulous Carla (who you PPK folks know better as QueenV). These are a little bit on the pricey side due to the hazelnuts, but so worth it if you are a fan of them. I made these for a bake sale to benefit the Breast Cancer Fund, so the pink ribbon sprinkles were the perfect touch. I will be making these again! They are a decadent treat and are sure to impress your guests, friends, and family.

Hazelnut Latte Cupcakes

Our waistlines may not be excited about the testing, but I am. It is my way to unwind and have fun. It gives me excuses to cook, invite people over to taste test and spend some quality time in the kitchen. So you local peeps, don't be surprised if you get a desperate call from me to help eat the goods!

Course # 3 - Seitan Oscar

As luck would have it, this year I was in charge of entrees. For quite some time the classic dish Veal Oscar had been on my mind. I wanted to try and veganize this dish so it would be cruelty free, yet still delicious. It was a success, but still needs a bit of tweaking. I used a slight variation of Julie Hasson's Italalian Sausage Cutlet recipe (which will be in her upcoming Vegan Diner cookbook) to replace the veal. It was breaded in herbed panko crust and sauteed. For the crab I substituted thinly sliced marinated, alder smoked tofu. I topped it off with a Bearnaise sauce which was a variation of Isa's Vegan Brunch Hollandaise recipe. Traditional Oscar is served with steamed asparagus. This version has marinated and grilled spears.

I found some cute tiny yellow fingerling potatoes. I couldn't resist using them for this. These were roasted with garlic and herbs. Breaking from tradition, I developed a red wine reduction and sauteed some fresh shiitake mushrooms for a garnish. The recipe of the red wine reduction is MIA. I'm hoping it will re-surface. When it does I will post it here. In the mean time here are some pictures for you to feast your eyes on.

Assembly line

Seitan Oscar

Wine makes us happy.

FNF - Chicken Seitan and Bean Sopapillas

Take that GUY! This is my vegan take on a dish I saw on this episode of Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. The recipe is loosely based on a dish served at Salsa Brava in Flagstaff. I've had a chance to go there, but will have to visit next time I'm in Flag. Don't be scared by all of the recipes and steps. You can make the enchilada sauce, the cilantro cream, the seitan, and the beans a day or two before, so assembly is quick the day you put it together. I hope you decide to try this one. It is a real show stopper!

Frying up.


The finished giant sized masterpiece.


How does one go about making such a monstrous dish? The recipe(s) are below.

Chicken Seitan and Bean Stuffed Sopapillas

Makes 4 giant servings.

1 recipe sopapilla dough
1 recipe marinated chicken seitan
1 recipe refried beans
1 cup vegan cheddar (preferably Daiya)
1 recipe pasilla/ancho enchilada sauce
1 recipe chipotle cream
Oil heated to 375 for deep frying

Pre-heat oven to 500.

It is very important to have all of your ingredients set out and ready for assembly before you roll out the dough. Otherwise you run the risk of letting the dough get too wet and warm to puff up properly.

Prepare the refried beans and let them cool to room temperature. If already made and refrigerated, bring to room temperature.

Sear the marinated seitan steaks until they are brown and slightly crispy. Cool enough to be able to dice small.

Bring enchilada sauce to room temperature.

Divide sopapilla dough into 4 equal sized balls. Roll one out to about 6 inch round. Working quickly so the dough does not get wet, layer with cheese, chicken, then beans. Fold over to make 1/2 circle. Drop into hot oil immediately. Make sure to keep sopapilla submerged with heat proof tongs. Fry for about 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer to cookie sheet. Repeat 3 more times with remaining dough balls.

Once all of the sopapillas are crispy and brown ladle enchilada sauce over the top and sprinkle with cheese. Bake until cheese is melty and bubbly. Drizzle with Cilantro Cream. Serve with extra enchilada sauce on the side. This one should be served immediately or you will lose the crunchy texture of the sopapilla.

For the sopapilla dough:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup warm water

Mix all of the ingredients together to form a tacky but not wet dough. Let sit for 2 hours.

Marinated Chicken Seitan

1/2 pound of your favorite chicken seitan cutlets, steaks, or roast cut into steaks about 1/4 inch thick
1/4 cup lemon lime soda
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons tequila
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder

In a shallow dish (I used and 8 x 8 cake pan) mix all of the marinade ingredients. Add seitan making sure there is one layer and the marinade covers most of it. If it doesn't, you'll need to turn it over 1/2 way through the marinading. Marinade for at least two hours.

Holy Frijoles Refried Beans
Makes 2 cups

1 large clove garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced small
2 teaspoons annato infused oil
1 tablespoon chopped green chiles (hatch preferably)
1/2 teaspoon epazone or mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1 - 15 oz can pinto beans with liquid

Heat oil in small sauce pan. Saute garlic until it is golden brown being careful not to burn it. Add onions and chiles and saute for about 5 minutes until onions are softened. Add dried spices and saute for 2 more minutes until fragrant. Add beans. Saute for 20 minutes until beans have thickened and only a small amount of liquid remains. Cool to room temperature. Can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Pasilla/Ancho Enchilada Sauce
Makes approximately 3 cups

4 large dried pasilla/ancho chilis
2 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced medium (about 3/4 cup)
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoon chili powder
28 oz can fire roasted crushed tomatoes

Rehydrate chilis in boiling water for 15-20 minutes until soft. Once rehydrated remove stem and seeds. Roughly chop.

In medium saucepan heat oil. Add garlic and saute for about 30 seconds. Add onions and saute until slightly soft. About 5 minutes. Add dried spices and saute for about 2 more minutes. Add pasillas and saute for 2 more minutes, adding a small amount of tomatoes if it gets too dry. Add entire can of tomatoes and simmer for 20 minutes. Using an immersion blender, regular blender or food processor blend until sauce is fairly smooth making sure there are no chunks of pasilla remaining. Saute for 10 more minutes. Can be stored for 2-3 days.

Cilantro Cream

1/2 cup non-dairy vegan sour cream
2 teaspoons unsweetened soy cream (Preferably Wildwood Brand, it has the least amount of sugar)
1/8 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/8 teaspoon granulated onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (measured after chopping)

In a small bowl mix all ingredients. Let sit for at least 1/2 hour to let flavors meld. Can store up to 1 day in the refrigerator.

Food Network Friday - Beef and Horseradish Sauce Sandwich

For this week's Food Network Friday Challenge I converted this Ina Garten Recipe. With the holidays approaching, it was nice to have a fairly easy conversion this week. Once the seitan is made, this is a snap to throw together. I used Tami Noyes' Beefy Seitan Recipe that will be in her upcoming American Vegan Kitchen cookbook as the base. The rest was pretty straight forward.

"Beef" and Horseradish Sauce Sandwiches.

Makes 2 hearty sized sandwiches.

4 oz Beefy Seitan

1/2 tablespoon Earth Balance

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

Salt and Pepper

Sauce ingredients

1/2 cup vegannaise

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

2 teaspoons stoneground mustard

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

1 Tablespoon Toffutti non-hydrogenated sour cream

Sandwich ingredients

4 slices whole grain sandwich bread

1 cup arugula

1 tomato sliced thin

1/2 tablespoon softened Earth Balance

Preheat oven to 500.Mix 1/2 tablespoon EB with 1 teaspoon dijon. Coat seitan roast with mixture. Coat with pepper and salt lightly. Bake seitan for 15-20 minutes until outside gets a nice crust on it. Remove from oven.

While seitan is cooking mix together sauce ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Can keep in refrigerator for several days.

To assemble sammies thinly slice hot seitan. On one slice of bread spread the horsey sauce. Top with thinly sliced hot seitan, 1/2 cup arugula and a few slices of tomato. Butter top slice of bread and put on top (butter side down). Slice in half and serve.

Vegan MOFO - Day 28 - Dorothy's "Beef" and Barley Soup

My friend Dana sent me several recipes to convert. I may not get them done before the end of MOFO, but I plan on continuing my conversions after this month. This has been so much fun.

She sent what I am assuming is a recipe from her friend Dorothy. I did have to take a few liberties with the original recipe to make it work with seitan rather than beef. I made Tami Noyes' Beefy Seitan recipe which will be published in her upcoming book, Vegan American Kitchen. I am privvy to this recipe because I was lucky enough to test for her. Get your hands on this book when it comes out. The recipes are fun and will remind you of down home midwestern cookin'. Seitan does not need to cook forever like beef to be tender. This takes a lot of time off the cooking time. The original recipe called for an egg to make what is called an egg rivel. This is similar to the egg in egg drop soup. I used Mori-nu silken organic tofu and grated it though a large holed cheese grater to create a similar effect.

Dorothy's "Beef" and Barley Soup


8 servings

1 lb beefy seitan diced to about 1/4 inch dice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large carrots, diced small (1 1/4 cup)
1 1/2 stalks celery, diced small (1/2 cup)
1/2 medium onion, diced small (1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 cups "beefy broth" or water (or combination)*
1/2 cup cooked barley
8 oz can of tomato sauce
Salt to taste (amount will depend on the saltiness of broth used)
1/2 package Mori-nu Soft Silken Tofu

Brown beefy seitan in olive oil. Add carrots, celery, and onion and saute until slightly softened, about 5-10 minutes. If it gets too dry, add 1 tablespoon of broth. Add parsley and pepper and saute for another minute. Pour in broth, barley, and tomato sauce and simmer for 30-40 minutes. Just before serving, grate tofu through large holed grater for garnish. Serve immediately. This can be frozen or refrigerated. To reheat you may have to add water as it will thicken a bit as it sits.

*If you make your own seitan using a simmering method, I recommend using the simmering broth from the seitan here. It gives a wonderful richness to the soup.

Vegan MOFO - Day 19 - Gail's Buffalo Chickn Dip

My friend Gail always says she can't cook. She lies like a rug. She has hidden talents that pop out when she thinks you aren't paying attention. Sometimes I think she just tells me that so I'll cook for her (or just to make me feel better)!

Before I shunned the chickies Gail busted out this incredible dip at one of her and John's famous Halloween parties. It tasted like wings in a dip. I have to admit, wings were one of the things that almost made me break down more than once. I love the smell of the hot sauce steaming. I love the way the heat makes my nose run. Ahhhhhh! I no longer crave the fleshy version. This dip will take the edge of when I need a fix.

Tonight it was Monday Night Football. What better time to make something wing-esque? Another dish you want to eat in moderation as it is full of calorie rich ingredients.

Gail's Buffalo Chickn Dip

1/4 cup vegan blue cheese dressing (I made my own, still needs some tweeking, use your fav)
4 oz. toffutti non-hydrogenated cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons Louisianna hot sauce
1 tablespoon Ta Patio hot sauce
2 oz shredded blue sheeze (vegan blue cheese)
1/2 cup chicken style seitan, chopped small (could sub Butler soy curls rehydrated in chix broth)
1 stalk celery, finely diced

Makes approx 1 1/2 cups

Preheat oven to 325.

In medium size bowl cream together the blue cheese dressing, cream cheese, and hot sauces until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients until well mixed. Pour into 1 1/2 cup pyrex or other ovenproof dish. Bake for 25 minutes, until hot and just bubbly. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving. This would also work well in a mini crock pot. They usually have only one temperature. Heat in mini crock for 1-2 hours until bubbly and hot. This recipe will double nicely for a larger party.

Blue Cheeze Dressing

Makes approximately one cup

1 cup vegannaise
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon tahini
1 teaspoon mellow miso
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon blue sheeze (optional)
Black pepper to taste
If you like a thinner dressing, thin with a small amount of unsweetened soy milk

In small bowl mix thoroughly. Best if it can chill for at least an hour.

Vegan MOFO - Day 16 - "Turkey" Surprise

Thanksgiving for my sister's family was spent for years at her in laws in San Diego. Grandma G spent hours and probably even days prepping for the feast. Of course, there was always some leftover turkey. After a few days you knew you were going to get tired of turkey sandwiches.

As was the yearly tradition, the day after Thanksgiving, no one wanted her to spend a lot of time in the kitchen...especially her. I'm not sure when this fun packet of yum was conceived, but both of my sister's girls always raved about Grandma's turkey surprise when they were little. I had the opportunity to finally try one when I was invited for the feast. They are a sinful little treat.

The original version was made with a filling of cream cheese, broccoli, and of course, turkey. The filling was then encased in crescent rolls that come in the cardboard can. In this remake the turkey is replaced by chicken style seitan, the cream cheese by toffutti brand non-hydrogenated cream cheese, and the crescents with vegan puff pastry.*

"Turkey" Surprise

4 servings

2 - 8 x 8 sheets of vegan puff pastry thawed and quartered
1 - 8 oz tub of toffutti non-hydrogenated cream cheese
1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 head broccoli crowns, chopped small (Approx 2 cups)
6 oz chicken seitan, chopped to approx 1/4 inch pieces (or leftover thanksgiving vegan roast)

Preheat oven to 350.

With mixer, blend onion powder and garlic powder into cream cheese in medium sized mixing bowl. Saute broccoli and seitan in about 1 tablespoon of liquid (cooking liquid from seitan or vegetable broth is perfect) until broccoli just turns bright green. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature (this is very important, see note below). Stir into cream cheese until completely blended. Divide filling evenly over 4 of the squares of puff pastry. Top with other four squares. Pinch to close. Place two of the pouches each on a cookie sheet. Bake for 28 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

**Note**

To avoid sticking issues with the puff pastry, do not let it get too warm.

Vegan MOFO - Day 15 - Chicken Cacciatore

I had a couple of suggestions for this conversion. My friends Julia and Jerry both requested this one. Neither of them had a specific recipe, but gave me some basic ingredients. I also remember my mom making this. I didn't like it much as a kid, but as my palate matured, I came to appreciate it more.

There are as many version of this as their are Italian men hitting on unsuspecting women in lounges all over the world. I took what my friends mentioned, what I remember my mom's version being, and ideas from the internet for inspiration. The result was stick to your ribs yummy.

Seitan Chicken Cacciatore

6 Servings with pasta

12 oz chicken style seitan chunks
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 large onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil divided
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
8 oz white mushrooms thickly sliced
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper or to taste
1 - 6 oz can tomato paste
1 - 28 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes

In saute pan brown onions in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Once browned, remove from pan. In same pan add two tablespoons of olive oil to pan over medium low heat. Dredge seitan chunks in flour and add to pan. Saute until browned, turning once. Turn off heat. In large pot heat remaining olive oil. Add minced garlic and saute about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add green peppers, mushrooms, herbs, salt, and pepper. Saute until peppers are slightly soft and mushrooms have released their juices. You may need to add a bit more liquid if vegetables start to stick (use veg broth or a bit of the wine). Once the liquid starts to reduce, deglaze with wine. Saute for 2 minutes and stir in tomato paste until combined. Add diced tomatoes and onions. Saute for 20 or 30 minutes. Add seitan and saute for 10 more minutes.

Serve over warm cooked pasta of your choice. If you like, you can sprinkle with vegan parmesan and crushed red peppers.

Vegan MOFO - Day 9 - Durty Rice Cakes

I'm doing tomorrow's post a little early. I am going to be on the road and I'm not sure if I'll be able to get online. I also didn't want to forget how I made these. The flavor is really good. I still want to tweak the cooking method a bit to get the perfect texture, but they are pretty good as written. Give them a try and let me know how they came out.

I made these to go with the stuffed okra. They still need a little tweaking to make them perfect, but they were damned tasty.

Durty Rice Cakes

Makes 10 cakes

1 cup uncooked short grain brown rice
2 cups filtered water
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 green pepper, diced fine
1/2 medium onion, diced fine
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons catsup
2 teaspoons Tony C's Creole seasoning
6 oz seitan bacon
1 can black beans rinsed and drained
1 Tablespoon ground flax seed
1 Tablespoon unsweetened soy milk
1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons unseasoned breadcrumbs

Place brown rice in small saucepan with water. Bring water to a boil and cook rice 45-50 minutes until all liquid is absorbed. Let rice cool completely.

In medium sized iron skillet or saute pan, saute pepper, onion, an garlic until softened. Add catsup, creole seasoning and saute for about 3 more minutes. Add seitan bacon and black beans. cook until most of the liquid is gone. Take half of the mixture and puree in food processor. Add back to saute pan. Saute for 3 more minutes. Turn off heat.

Mix flax meal and soy milk together in small bowl. Let sit for a few minutes until flax seeds start to thicken. In a large bowl mix black bean mixture, cooled rice, bread crumbs, and flax mixture (flax egg). Stir until completely combined.

Form into 3-4 inch patties about 1/4 inch thick. Put on baking sheet lined with parchment. Let patties chill for at least an hour or they may fall apart when you cook them. Before cooking, coat both sides with bread crumbs.

Here is where they need a little tweaking. I baked them in the oven for about 15 minutes per side. They were still not quite the texture I wanted them. After baking, I sauteed them in a small amount of oil, just enough to cover the bottom of the pan. I haven't tried just sauteeing them yet. They are delicate, so make sure to use caution when flipping. Cook for about 4 minutes per side. Gently remove from pan and drain on paper towels or paper bag.

Vegan MOFO Day 8 - Is it wrong to love Seitan

When I first thought of becoming vegetarian, like many others, I worried about how I would get enough protien. I was not a fan of tofu and the though of eating only beans was not all that appealing to me or anyone who had to sit near me, if you know what I mean. As I began to lurk around the PPK I made a rather startling discovery...it was OK to love Satan oh I mean seitan. I had never heard of these lovely globs of protein goodness. After my discovery, my next trip to Whole Paycheck I picked up a package of chicken style. Anxiously I tore open the package and popped a piece into my watering mouth. Pffftttt. It was salty and a tad bit on the nasty side. Not one to easily give up on new food products, I made something with this package, it slips my mind what I made, but it was far from memorable or spectacular.

I kept reading about the wonders of seitan and remained curious. While testing for Vcon, I decided to brave making my own. The first batch I made turned out devinely. I made the Seitan Picatta and it was fantastic. Puffed up with my newfound skillz, I made a second batch only to get the infamous "brains". I was a bit discouraged, but then Lachesis renewed my faith with the Seitan O'Greatness. I set about to make seitan gyros with yummy results. I also made black bean and seitan taquitos. Oh the joys.

Not all of my experiences were good ones. I will never forget my flavorless rubbery nasty attempt at seitan pot roast in the slow cooker. Oh my that was so horrible. I did cut it into small chunks and used it for treats for Georgee. He seemed to like it. Below is a picture of my seitan of nastiness.




As time went by I was curious about other forms of this wonder protien. I was introduced to Julie Hasson's famous steamed seitan sausages. I have tried many versions of this method with great success; chorizo, cherry sage, white bean, etc.




Yet another new incarnation I have recently been introduced to is a loaf version of the steamed sausages. I can't wait to try more versions. Thank you to all of you seitan pioneers who have made my mouth so happy.

All hail seitan!