Fat-Free Vegan Gravy

 

 

 

I have a thing for seitan but sometimes just a fried, steamed or boiled piece isn't enough for me. I need to stretch out and make sure that everyone who eats this also gets a great deal with veggies and that's why I think my fat-free gravy is best. It something that I loved to use on Boca Burgers with lots of jalapenos and steamed rice for Vegan Loco Mocos (I never liked it with tofu for some reason...). You can easily make chik'en seitan, boil some beans or have some tempeh for this or some other type of seitan and smothered in the gravy. I would say it even goes great with some biscuits and a tofu omelette in the morning!

!

(Fat-Free Vegan Ingredients)

• 1/4 C. All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2-1 C. Vegetable Broth
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Minced Garlic and Onions
• Sliced Mushrooms, Green and Jalapeno Peppers & Steamed Broccoli

(Directions)

• Cook your onions until translucent, then add in your garlic and stir.
• Add in your other vegetables except for the broccoli, sprinkle on your flour and cook until it has browned and the flour has cooked out.
• Slowly dribble in your broth and allow to thicken.
• Fold in your broccoli and serve it over anything you like

Enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Seitan (Vegan Mofo)

This sandwich is really good and super big - as you can see from the seitan to bread ratio. As with all of my seitans, this is very juicy and filled with spicy flavor. Surrounding the seitan is a crisp and crunchy tempura and panko crust that makes it so good in capturing the spices and seasonings.To top it off it is baked with Sabra Brand garlic hummus, onions, kale and a delicious onion bun. I would suggest baking the sauce completely onto the seitan in an oven like I did with my second slice as it can easily irritate the system. Alright, let's get started! ^^

(Buffalo Chicken Seitan Ingredients)

• 1 C. Vital Wheat Gluten (Bob's Red Mill)
• 1 tbl. Garlic Powder
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1/2 tsp. Paprika
• 1. Tbl Veg. Oil
• 1 C. Cold Water
• 1/2 C. Hot Sauce
• 1/4 C. Sriracha

(Vegan Hamburger Helper Directions)

• Mix your dry ingredients together then knead in your wet ingredients, except for the sauces, for 35 turns.
• Boil for 25 minutes, 10 of which covered with a pot top and the rest uncovered.
• Split the seitan in half then coat in a vegan tempura batter such as this one.
• Coat in crumbs and fry in a pan for 30 seconds on each side, then dip into your mixed hot sauces and bake in the oven until crisp. Add your hummus or vegan cheese, onions, kale and bake for a few more moments before serving it upon a toasted bun.

Enjoy!

BBQ Ribz, Baked Beans & Potato Salad (High Protein)

I've been wanting to work on seitan ribz for almost two years now, and I finally got the chance over Labor Day weekend late last month. The process took longer than I thought, only because I had left town for pretty much the whole day when I planned on putting these lovelies on the smoker-grill. They were so tender with a slight chew and very juicy with a hint of smoke and a caramelized crust from the dry rub. To serve with the BBQ dinner for one, I made a big pot of baked beans and made some quick, single-potato salad for atmosphere.

(BBQ Baked Beans Ingredients)

• 1/2 pound of Navy Beans&
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 8 cups of Cold Water
• 1/2 cup of Agave Nectar
• 4 tbsp BBQ Sauce

(BBQ Baked Beans Directions)

• Combine all of your ingredients except for the salt into a slow cooker and cook for eight hours.
• Add salt after tasting.

(Potato Salad Ingredients)

• 1 Medium-Sized Potatoes(diced)
• 1/4 Minced White Onion
• 5 tbsp Vegan Cream Cheese
• A splash of AC Vinegar
• A pinch of Salt and Pepper

(Potato Salad Directions)

• Boil the potatoes until tender. Drain and rinse in cold water.
• Mix your cheese and vinegar together and toss in your potatoes.
• Fold in your onions and season with salt and pepper as you like.
• Refrigerate for at least an hour.

(BBQ Ribz Ingredients)

• 2 and 1/2 cups Vital Wheat Gluten
• 2 tsp Oil
• Garlic Powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt, Onion Powder and Black Pepper
• 2 cups Cold Veg Broth

(BBQ Ribz Dry Rub Ingredients)

• 1/4 cup Raw Sugar
• Cayenne Pepper, Black Pepper and Chili Powder
• 2 tsp Salt

(BBQ Ribz Directions)

• Mix your dry ingredients together with your oil and then slowly pour in the broth.(Don't use all of this, because you will need some later.) Knead fifteen times.
• Let your seitan rest for about 30 minutes and set your oven to 300 degrees.
• Fill a long casserole dish with more broth and your preferred seasonings, then spread out the seitan into it.
• Roast your seitan for 30 minutes, flip and cook for thirty minutes more.
• Cut into ribz and slice off anything uneven. Pop a few popsicle sticks into them, then allow to cool in the fridge.
• Coat the ribz in the dry rub. Grill/smoke for 20 minutes to an hour and serve with the rest of your meal.

Hope you have a great BBQ!

Chicken, Chorizo Enfrijoladas (Sugar-Free, High Protein)

The lesser-known sibling of the enchilada is most definitely one of the tastier variations, especially for those that aren't a lover of even mildly spicy foods. Even lesser known are the encremadas - but that's a different story. No, our hero today is the simple black bean - full of protein and barely any of the fat you might get with typical Mexican dishes. The dish, while made up of quite a few components here, is  actually quite simple and so very addictive - I even enjoyed the vegan cheese from Galaxy. Something about this dish just speaks to me, and my family enjoyed it so much that they've been asking for leftovers for lunch and dinner consistently. These are best fresh and fresh made tortillas from your local market make these even more tasty. Chicken seitan mixed with spicy chorizo wrapped in a soft yellow corn tortilla and topped with a lightly murky black bean sauce then baked to a crisp perfection with vegan cheese before being served simply with a thick and acidic salsa or your preferred toppings.

The baked sauce in the casserole after the tortillas are plated is something that could seriously be made a meal on its own. Its like the best type of refried beans that you could ever eat and you'll just want more of it. I honestly almost ran out of tortillas and totally ran out of black beans while making this, I may have even hoarded some of the leftovers for myself. This is a dish that absolutely needs to be crafted and shared on a regular basis, like many Mexican dishes this is one that will help everyone gather around the dinner and have an amazing meal. Its quick to make and you can take a shortcut with pre-cooked, canned beans but it still won't hold as much water as freshly cooked and heated beans from the crockpot. That's not to say that it isn't alright to do this, but take some time out of your morning to just place the beans on "low" on the crockpot and cook until dinner time.

(Enfrijolada Ingredients)

• Soyrizo
• Chicken seitan(recipe follows)
• Corn tortillas(as many you have to fill dish)
• Enfrijolada Sauce(recipe follows)

(Enfrijolada Sauce Ingredients)

• 1 Pound of Dried Black Beans
• Salt, Pepper, Oregano (to taste)
• 1 Red Chili (optional)

(Enfrijolada Sauce Directions)

• Wash your beans and place into your slow cooker with the water for about 8 hours until fully soft.
• Let cool until room temperature then add in your other seasonings until you enjoy the taste.
• Set aside

(Chicken Seitan Ingredients)

• 1 cup of Vital Wheat Gluten
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tbl Chili Powder
• 2 tsp Garlic Powder and Pepper
• 1 tsp Vegetable Oil
• 1/2 cup Vegetable Broth

(Chicken Seitan Directions)

• Mix your dry together, then the oil and knead in the broth. Knead about 35 times then boil for 25 minutes
• slice into pieces and cook in a non-stick skillet with extra seasonings and chorizo.

(Assembly Directions)

• Heat your tortillas if they are more than a day old.
• Fill with chicken seitan and soyrizo, roll like a taquito.
• Nestle into a casserole dish that has been pooled with the bean sauce. Top with more bean sauce.
• Top with some vegan cheese mounted on top to make the sauce even more delectable.
• Bake at 400 degrees until cheese is browned.

Serve with some nice tomato salsa, white onions and a smile - everyone will enjoy! Be sure to scoop out the leftover bean sauce and cheese from the baked casserole dish because it is pure heaven! 

Vegan Italian Beef W/ Homemade Hot Giardineria (Fat-Free Option)

This has got to be the best "slow-cooked" seitan that I have ever had - its so tender and juicy from the broth I made, with little to no chew so it literally melts in your mouth. The juiciness helps reactivate more of the creaminess and meltiness from the flavored cream cheese (chive and garlic)  that I spread upon the buns before toasting them to an utmost crispness. The light spice from the peppers and the kick from the salt and vinegar make this an extremely addicting sandwich that anyone could love.

(Italian Beef Ingredients)

• 1 cup of Vital Wheat Gluten(Bob's Red Mill)
• 1/2 tsp of Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• 1 tsp of Basil
• 2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 3 tsp Italian Seasonings
• 1 tsp Olive Oil or Chilled Chickpea Broth

(Broth Mix Ingredients)

• 5 cloves Crushed Garlic
• Black Pepper, Garlic Powder, Salt and Italian Seasonings
• Molasses to darken the broth
• 1 gallon of Cold Water

(Italian Beef Directions)

• Mix your dry and your oil together and slowly add in your cold water. Knead lightly about 30-35 times and keep whatever liquid comes out in the bowl with the seitan.
• Combine your broth ingredients together in a large pot and bring to a boil. Then add in the seitan and leftover liquid. .
• Place a pot top on the seitan and turn the heat on low, then check about 20 minutes in to see if it has expanded, if it has you can spoon a little broth on top and make sure that nothing has over boiled. Let this cook for about five more minutes until well-browned and it looks cuter.
• Remove the pot lid, then turn the heat to the highest degree and cook for exactly one minute.
• Return the pot top and cut off the heat, letting it sit from two hours to the whole night
• When you are ready, place your large piece of seitan on a plate and squeeze the water out of it - but do not drain your broth at all.
• Take a fork and a knife and cut the seitan in half, then scrape the "skin" and "meat" off from each other, away from you. If a piece gets bigger than your thumb, chop it up.
• Place into a nice pasta drainer or fryer net and allow for your seitan to warm up in the broth as you turn the heat on medium. Once it has warmed, you can get some of the extra liquid out by cooking it in a dry, non-stick skillet.
• When the seitan has come to your liking, place atop two well-toasted buns that have been schmeared with cream cheese or vegan margarine and then delicately lay on your giardineria.

(Homemade Giardineria Ingredients)

• 2 stalks of Diced Celery
• 1 small Diced Carrot
• 1/2 Diced Green Bell
• 1 (half) De-Seeded Jalapeno Pepper
• 2 cloves Diced Garlic
• 1/4 Diced White Onion
• Diced Green Olives and Cauliflower
• Oregano, Black Pepper and Salt
• 1 cup of White Vinegar
• 1/2 cup of Olive Oil (add none if you want fat-free)

(Homemade Giardineria Directions)

• Pour boiling water on your vegetables, dip them in cool water then combine all of the ingredients in a jar.
• Let it sit in the fridge, untouched, for 2-6 days or until you believe it is ready. Serve atop your Italian beef and enjoy!

Vegan Haluski & Seitan Pork Steak (German-Inspired, Sugar-Free)

This is an easy to love dish - you have thick, homemade rye noodles covered in the warm juices of pan-fried cabbage and collard greens. Mixed with it are caramelized onions, garlic, mace and sweet, sticky rutabaga. On top of that is fennel-spiced seitan "pork" that has been lightly fried with garlic powder, salt and all sprinkled with a light touch of mace and nutmeg. This is the perfect family dish that can be made into a casserole or each item eaten on its own.

(German Pork Seitan Ingredients)

• 1 cup of Vital Wheat Gluten(3/4 Arrowhead Mills 1/4 Bob's Red Mill)
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Fennel Seed
• 1/4 tsp Mace
• Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp Olive Oil
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup Ice Cold Water)

(German Pork Seitan Directions)

• Mix your dry together, including the oil, and then slowly pour the water in until all of the Vital Wheat Gluten flour is gone
• Knead lightly so that the dual-flours and spices can come together, but don't let them become too strong.
• Boil for about 15 minutes with the top on, then remove the top and boil for 15 more minutes.
• Place onto plate to let cool, slice into steaks and pan-fry in a small amount of oil after patting dry.

(Rye Noodles Ingredients)

• 4 cups of Dark Rye Flour
• 6 cups of All-Purpose Flour
• 2 tsp Salt
• Water to mix

(Rye Noodles Directions)

• Mix your dry and then knead your water in until it is a durable dough and no longer soft.
• Knead lightly so that the dual-flours and spices can come together, but don't let them become too strong.
• Place through a pasta roller then roll it through a dye-cut part of the pasta maker (or slice it yourself).
• Coat in flour and boil until they float.
• Pan-fry with your cabbage and serve under your seitan.

(Fried Cabbage Ingredients)

• 3/4 Cubed Rutabega
• 1/2 Sliced Large Cabbage
• 2 thinly Sliced White Onions
• 6 Minced Cloves of Garlic
• Salt, Pepper, Fennel and Mace
• Garlic Powder

(Fried Cabbage Directions)

• First, caramelize your onions in a dry pan then remove
• Boil the rutabaga until it changes color slightly, then add in your onions. Once they soften to being almost forkable - add in your cabbage and seasonings.
• Place a pot top on then wait until it is all cooked.
• Add in your garlic, taste, then take out what you want to pan-fry with the noodles.

Assemble everything together and enjoy!

*Mace can be replaced with nutmeg or allspice in smaller amounts*

Jumpy Ghostface Bento (Hero 108)

This bento is based on "Jumpy Ghostface" aka the Rabbit King from Hero 108, a show that I catch multiple times in the morning. I've been wanting to use rice for my bentos and it isn't until recently since I've really started to enjoy them, there's nothing like un-seasoned rice fresh from the steamer basket. To go along with Jumpy I added rice cheese face, nori appendages and eyes, kale, split green beans and of course tonkatsu. Normally Jumpy has a carrot in his mouth (as he is the boss) and a jumprope in hand but this Jumpy is too depressed as he's been made into a bento.

Jumpy Ghostface Bento Ingredients:
Dill Pickles
Watermelon
Seitan Tonkatsu
Raw Kale
Split Green Beans
Brown & White Rice
Rice Cheese
Nori

Vegan Tonkatsu Recipe (Soy-Free)

I would say that just about everyone loves tonkatsu a fried Japanese dish that is quite reminiscent of schnitzel - who can't? It can be smothered in gravy, served with green beans and rice, salad and sliced cabbage. Yesterday I really wanted to have it on a salad with very simple pickled vegetables and it was amazing. Its so simple to make, although it is most definitely only a "once in a while" treat, even if you choose to have it baked.

(Seitan Tonkatsu Ingredients)

• 1 Cup of Vital Wheat Gluten (Bob's Red Mill)
• 1/2 tsp of Salt
• 1 tsp of Garlic Powder
• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
• 2 tsp Veggie Oil
• Water to Mix

(Directions)

• Mix your dry, then add the oil and pour the water in, you can make this into segments to have more evenly sized tonkatsu steaks.
• Knead about fifty times, ensuring that it is a soft dough (add more if it isn't soft) and then pour out any excess water.
• Place into boiling water with a top and about 15 minutes in, check to see if it has spread out.
• Place the top back on after about a minute and then 12 minutes later you can take it off and allow to cool a bit.
• Slice into thin "steaks" and roll in seasoned flour (garlic powder, salt, pepper), tempura batter, back into the flour and tempura and then roll in the panko.
• Fry on medium heat until the panko soaks up a bit of the olive/veggie oil, flip and then place onto aluminum foil.
• Repeat with the rest of the steaks and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, flip and repeat.
• Serve with (vegan) bulldog sauce, cabbage and rice and enjoy.

Seitan Fajitas (Low-Fat, Oil-Free, Simple)

I had this for breakfast and used the same exact recipe for my "A Bento For Dad". The only difference being that I used no oil to cook this in my non-stick pan in. Plus, I steamed everything else for a lower fat and healthier meal, which makes me pretty happy! The seitan is extremely  soft, but still has enough 'chew' and flavor to just be eaten on its own (which I generally do). So, I hope that you like this as much as me.

(Fajita Seitan Ingredients)

• 1 cup of Vital Wheat Gluten (I used Arrowhead Mills)
• 2 tsp of Garlic Powder
• 3 tsp of Salt-Free Taco Seasoning
• 1/2 tsp of Cumin
• 1/2 tsp of Salt
• 4 tbl of Jelled Chickpea Broth
• Enough Water to mix

(Fajita Seitan Directions)

• Mix your dry ingredients together, then add in your broth and mix until there is too much gluten to mix in.
• Then you can slowly add in your water and knead with your hands about fifty times or until it is spongey.
• Cut into bite-size pieces and boil in water or broth for about an hour, then stir/pan-fry for a few minutes with olive oil or a dry pan until it has crisped to your liking.
• Sprinkle with extra seasoning, present with vegetables and fold in a nice flour tortilla, then you're done!
• Enjoy!

A Bento For Dad

As I've said before - my father is a diabetic so I decided to watch out on his carbs for this meal, and surprisingly found that seitan doesn't contain a lot of carbs (which eventually convert to sugars if not run off). Since he works for several long hours I decided to give him the seitan to also help him keep awake and only used a teaspoon of olive oil to make a small batch crispy, dry-frying the onions and peppers. On the side I have a half-whole wheat tortilla shaped into multiple hearts with the word "Dad" markered on top. Underneath is simply some spinach for a simple and basic bento. I used Mrs. Dash Fiesta Lime, cumin and some garlic powder for the seasoning as well.

Bento For Dad Ingredients:
Fajita Seitan
Garlic, Onions, Bell Peppers
Whole Wheat Tortilla
Spinach

I hope that you (and my dad) will enjoy! ^^

Dexter's Laboratory Bento

This bento was a super easy "throw into the container" bentothat I made. I decided to make it simple and it was so delicious! I made some more cheesy chickpea sauce over the weekend and poured it over some homemade farfalle noodles, then cut up some seitan sausages I made, used some masa sheets and decorated it with vegetables.

Dexter's Laboratory Bento Ingredients:
Broccoli
Radishes
Carrots
Tomatoes
Chickpea Mac
Masa Sheets
Mini Peppers
Seitan Sausage
Nori

Enjoy - and have a happy Sunday!

Vegan Nachos Deluxe for Cinco De Mayo (Carne Asada Chiccarones, Dandelion Guacamole, Cheesy Chickpea Nacho Cheese, Refried Beans - Low-Fat, Low-Sodium)

These nachos are so amazingly good - the seitan that I used is slow-cooked for about an hour in a fiery Seitan Asada broth then allowed to marinate in it for about 10 hours before finally being chopped up, lightly fried then lightly covered in the broth. Pair it with some freshly chopped dandelion greens straight from my mini-garden, chunky guacamole and lacto-fermented chickpeas with salsa, this is a sure winner. Underneath are even slower cooked refried beans, caramelized onions and some blue-corn chips.

My randomly chopped up and lightly fried seitan - so good.

(Seitan Asada Ingredients)

• 1 cup of Vital Wheat Gluten (Bob's Red Mill)
• 1/2 tsp of Salt
• A sprinkle of Mrs. Dash Seasoning and Cumin
• 3 tbl of Stewed Chickpea Broth
• Garlic Powder and Cumin to taste

(Cooking Broth Ingredients)

• 6-8 cups of Water
• 3 tbl of Mrs. Dash Fiesta Seasoning
• 1 Large Sliced Onion
• A handful of Dry Red Chillies
• 1 tsp of White Vinegar
• 1 tsp of Raw Sugar
• Salt to Taste

(Seitan Asada Directions)

• Boil your broth ingredients.
• Mix seitan ingredients, then knead for about 50 times.
• Boil seitan in the broth for about an hour.Place a pot top on and cook until it floats to the top. Turn off the heat with the top on and let it marinate for a few hours.
• Then, cut into pieces (the smaller the crispier) and fry lightly for about ten minutes, flipping ever so often.
• Afterwards put about 1/4 to 1/2 a cup of the broth over it and cook on low until everything has cooked through.
• Coat in your preferred amount of garlic powder and cumin, then set aside.

The above mentioned components with my Fry Bread (ignore the picture if you love me).

(Guacamole Recipe-just combine everything)

• 1/6 cup of Tender Dandelion Greens (Chiffonade)
• 3 large Minced Garlic Cloves
• 1/4 large Chopped Red Onion
• Juice of 1/2 Lime
• 2 Large Diced Avocadoes
• 1 Large Diced Tomato

(Refried Beans Ingredients)

• About 1-2 cups of Beans
• 1 cup of Sliced White Onion
• 1 Large Sliced Onion
• 1 tsp of Cumin
• Enough Water to cover the beans

(Refried Beans Directions)

• I didn't add salt to mine, but cook your beans until they are creamy (about 8 to 12 hours)and then mash into the crockpot that you've cooked them in.
• Let them cook a bit more in their own liquid and get started on your nacho cheese.

(Chickpea Nacho Cheese Ingredients)

• About 2 cups of Stewed Chickpeas with Broth (put it in fridge to congeal)
• 2 Vegan Probiotic Capsules (or a bit of Nutritional Yeast)
• 1 Large Sliced Onion
• 3 tsp of Garlic Powder
• 1/2 jar of Favorite Salsa

(Nacho Cheese Directions)

• Mix your chickpeas and broth with the powder in the capsules and then let ferment for about 2 hours in the window light.
• Add your garlic powder and salsa, then blend until smooth and creamy, let that sit for about another hour.
• Make any last adjustments, then serve with the enjoy!

Meatball Sub (Low-Knead, Whole Wheat Bread w/ Seitan Meatballs)

This is a super yummy and super easy recipe - the plus side is that it is much healthier than your usual meatball sub AND (for me) it is my favorite food. The bread has been steamed and then baked at a high temperature to create a moist and soft inside with a crispy, crunchy outside. A light sprinkle of sea salt mixed with garlic and olive oil runs through the cavity and then eventually sandwiches the garlicky, tomato-filled sauce and slightly chewy and fennel infused seitan meatballs.

(Low-Knead Bread Ingredients)

• 1 and 1/2 cups of Warm Water
• 1 tsp of Raw Sugar (or other Sweetener)
• 1/2 tsp of Salt
• 1 and 1/4 tsp of Active-Rise Yeast
• 3 cups of Whole White Wheat
• 1 tbl of Olive Oil

(Low-Knead Bread Directions)

• Bloom your water, sugar, oil, and yeast together for about ten minutes, then fold in your flour and salt.
• Mix until it is no longer liquidy but don't let it become a ball of dough just yet.
• Place into a well-greased bowl with a moist tea towel and let rise for thirty minutes, then let it rise in the fridge for 1-2 hours, knead for about three minutes and then let rest for 5 more minutes.
• Cut and roll into your preferred shapes, make three quick slits on the top and steam on the stove for 15 minutes each or until it has changed color and has cooked a bit.
• Bake at 450 degrees (you can brush with your preferred oil if you wish) on a sheet dusted with cornmeal for about 15 more minutes or until it has cooked to your liking.
• Let cool to the touch, split open and place in your meatballs.

(Seitan Meatballs Ingredients)

• 1 cup of Vital Wheat Gluten (I used Bob's Red Mill's)
• 1/2 tsp of Salt
• 1 tbl of Mrs. Dash's Garlic & Herb Blend
• 1/4 tsp of Crushed Fennel
• 1/4 cup of TVP/Veggie Crumbles
• 1 tbl of Olive Oil
• Enough Cold Water to mix
• Lightly Cooked Red Onion, Mushrooms and Orange Pepper

(Seitan Meatballs Directions)

• Cook off your vegetables in a dry pan first, let them cool slightly.
• Add everything except for the water together.
• Lightly toss together, add water slowly until it all comes together mostly. Knead for a moment.
• Then steam for about 45 minutes.
• Lightly fry your new seitan loaf on both sides with olive oil, then pour your favorite jar of marinara sauce onto it with a bit of water. Let it stew for five minutes and cut into chunks
• Place onto your fresh sandwich bread and enjoy!

This is a super yummy and super easy recipe - the plus side is that it is much healthier than your usual meatball sub AND (for me) it is my favorite food. The bread has been steamed and then baked at a high temperature to create a moist and soft inside with a crispy, crunchy outside. A light sprinkle of sea salt mixed with garlic and olive oil runs through the cavity and then eventually sandwiches the garlicky, tomato-filled sauce and slightly chewy and fennel infused seitan meatballs.

The Thanksgiving Plate (The Prequel To Christmas)

These are just the basic staples of a southern Thanksgiving, and what we have on Thanksgiving in this house is generally what we also have on Christmas. Delicious and extremely moist cornbread stuffing, "turkey", steamed greens, fresh greenbeans and soft and smooth sweet potato pie. Almost everything was completely homemade for this dish.

Sweet Potato Pie Crust:
1 and 1/2 cups White Whole Wheat
1 and 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1/4 cup of Sugar
1 tsp of Sea Salt
1/2-3/4 cup of Cold Coconut Oil
A few tbl of Non-dairy Milk

Sweet Potato Pie Filling Recipe:
1-2 Large Sweet Potatoes (boiled, then skin removed)
1/4 package of Silken Tofu
1/2 cup of Sugar
1 tsp of Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp of Sea Salt
Nutmeg to taste
Enough Non-Dairy Milk to mix it

Mix the dry ingredients together and flake in the coconut oil until it becomes moist for the crust. Dribble in a bit of the milk and then knead until it all comes together. Wrap in plastic and refridgerate for about 30 minutes. Roll it out and cut out your rounds, then thin it out a bit more. Pinch around the edges to make the crust and dock the bottom - or use leftover dough for the crust. Bake it for five minutes at 350 degrees then fill with the sweet potato pie filling and bake until the filling has firmed up.

Mix all of the ingredients together until smooth for the filling (some tiny lumps might be there) and set aside. Place into a pastry bag or spoon onto the crust.

Cornbread Stuffing Recipe:
[1 and 1/2 cups White Whole Wheat
1 cup of Cornmeal
1/2 tsp of Sea Salt
2 tbl of Sweetener
1 cup of Non-Dairy Milk] - Mix together and bake at 350 degrees until browned well.
 
1/2 cup of Toasted Bread Cubes
1-2 cups of Cream of Mushroom Soup (I made my own)
Equal amounts of Cooked Celery, Green Bell Pepper, Onions (and a small amount of Garlic)
Salt, Rosemary, Thyme, Basil, Oregano and Sage to taste
1-2 cups of Veggie Broth (you can use leftovers from the vegetables and water)

Mix all of the ingredients together and chop with a large spoon until it has all become a very moist amount of food. Pour into a non-stick pan or grease another large one and bake at 350 degrees until fully browned and cooked.

Vegan Turkey Legs Recipe:
1 Box of Arrowhead Mills Vital Wheat Gluten
1/2 cup of Pureed Chickpeas and Water
1/2 tsp of Sea Salt and Smoked Paprika
Enough Water to Mix (Allow some of the VWG to stay in)

Mix until you get a slight bit of spring from your seitan and split into six equal pieces. Shape into whatever you wish, cover in two long pieces of aluminum foil, wrap it tightly and then boil/steam for about thirty minutes. Crisp it afterwards and season as you like throughout the whole process, serve with whatever you like and enjoy!

Vegan Tea-Smoked Duck

Lovely and not nearly as expensive as duck, plus you don't have to worry about any of the extra fat! It practically melts in your mouth, and for an added twist I added it on top of some mashed plantains and poured on the mole sauce. Talk some about delicious culinary confusion.

(Tea-Smoked "Duck" Ingredients)

• 1 Package of Vital Wheat Gluten (I used Arrowhead Mills)
• 1/2 tsp Iodized Salt
• 1 Cup of Cold Shiitake Broth
• 1 Package (Green or Black) Tea
• Whole Five Spice Mix (Ex; Whole Cloves, Whole Anise, etc.)
• 1 tbl Sugar

(Directions)

• Mix the first three ingredients together as delicately as possible, making sure that the broth coats all of the vital wheat gluten but that you don't mix it too much.
• Steam that for about 15 minutes while you stuff your tea bag with the whole five spice mix and sugar.
• Dampen the tea bag and place it into a pan on low heat with a clear top.
• Once the fifteen minutes are up for the seitan, add it to the tea-smoker with about 1/4 cup of water and place the top back on. Once the water has evaporated, add some non-flavored oil and let that cook until one side of the tea bag is fried and the seitan is crispy.
• Remove the tea bag and flip the seitan. Once the seitan is fully crisped, feel free to spread a little bit of coconut oil on top and serve as you will.
• Enjoy!

I simply mashed some fried plantains with salt, garlic and chiles and made a quick mole sauce. The next day I had it in a delicious salad, and preferred it much better (hence no recipe)

Vegan Crab Rangoon

This recipe was only precooked because I planned on using it in soups and stews and for frying. Either way it was absolutely delicious and reminded me of some of my favorite foods that I used to get from a nearby Chinese Take-Out place. You can do what you like with it, as long as it makes you happy.

(Vegan Crab Ingredients)

• 1 jar Sweet Potato Baby Food(Make sure its vegan)
• 1 Box of Arrowhead Mills Vital Wheat Gluten
• 1/2 teaspoon of Iodized Salt
• 1/2 block of Silken Tofu
• 1 tsp of Turmeric
• 1 cup of Vegan Fish Sauce (from Sushi Quest)

(Vegan Crab Rangoon Ingredients)

• 1/2 block of pureed Silken Tofu
• 1 tbl of Iodized Salt
• 1/2 tbl of Lemon Juice
• 1/2 tbl of Apple Cider Vinegar (with Mother)
• 2 Large Green Onions minced
• 1/2 tsp of Dried Chives minced
• Salt to Taste
• 2-4 edges of Vegan Crab, finely chopped
• Your choice of wrapper

(Directions)

• For the Vegan Crab: Split the package of vital wheat gluten into two separate bowls lined with plastic wrap.
• Add the sweet potato and turmeric to one bowl and mix that together. Then add blended silken tofu to the other, make sure to add the fish sauce after the ingredients are incorporated.
• Gently shape each pieces of raw seitan into squares, and lift up the orange one by the plastic wrap, being sure to support the bottom.
• Gently place it on top of the white one and then you can place the seitan in a basket steamer for about 30 minutes.
• Pan fry the white side first (after steaming it for about 20 minutes or so), then flipped it over so that the orange one could get a nice crust. When it came out it looked like a real crab!
• Cut off the edges and then use them in a delicious vegan crab rangoon or whatever you would enjoy crab in.


• For the Vegan Crab Rangoon: Combine the ingredients together and place about half a teaspoon into the middle of a dumpling wrapper (I used Shanghai-style from an Asian Grocery), ran across the edge with some cold water.
• Form it into the star shape of the rangoon.
• Finish all of the wrappers; pan fry them and enjoy!

Mama Pita Here I Go Again

How can you resist this? Thinly sliced and lightly crisped seitan filled with the aroma of Greek oregano, rosemary, cumin and garlic topped with a healthy dollop of a creamy and cool tzatziki sauce with onions and tomatoes all supported by a fresh and fluffy piece of pita bread. The flavors all balance so well together and the sauce is practically to die for! You could eat a gallon of it or put it on your favorite salads for that Middle Eastern feel. The best part of the meal besides the amazing flavor is that it's low in fat and good for you. You get your protein, your carbs, your vegetables all on one little piece of bread.

(Vegan Gyro Meat Ingredients)

• 1 and 1/4 a cup of Vital Wheat Gluten
• 1/2 a cup of washed and mashed Pink Beans
• 3/4 - 1 cup of cold Shiitake Broth (soak Shiitake Mushrooms in hot water for a few minutes)
• 1/2 a teaspoon of Iodized Salt
• 1/2 a teaspoon of Cumin
• 1/2 a teaspoon of Oregano
• Desired amount of Rosemary and Thyme
• A few dashes of Black Pepper

Served with:

Vegan Dad's Tzatziki Sauce (not mine. I left out the dill and canola oil.)

http://vegandad.blogspot.com/2008/02/tempo-gyro-with-vegan-tzatziki.html

Pita Bread Recipe from Novel Eats (not mine):

http://www.noveleats.com/bread/how-to-make-pita-bread/

(Directions)

• Combine the ingredients together and add the cold Shiitake Broth after all of the other ingredients have been mixed together. Make sure to only mix the seitan enough to form it so as to not toughen it up.
• Prepare your steamer. You can use more shiitake broth or use plain water for this, maybe even add in a few fresh herbs for extra flavor if you like.
• Steam the seitan whole for about one hour or so, then let it cool. Pat it dry and slice it to your liking.
• Fry it up in some olive oil.
• Serve with Tzatziki and Sauce Pita Bread along with your favorite veggies.
• Enjoy!

This is an extremely filling meal but you can serve plenty of vegetables to dip into your sauce such as carrots, broccoli or cucumbers, but if you're in the mood for a few extra calories you can bake off some french fries in the oven with some garlic, olive oil and rosemary and serve them right up too!

All In Your Face

This is a huge and bold combination of Italian spices of seasonings. First, we have the homemade whole-wheat hot dog buns made just a few moments prior to the photo that are so soft and fresh its like eating a cloud made out of love and wheat. Next, we have some fresh rosemary and roasted garlic (Russet Potato) french fries covered in good quality olive oil, and to keep the balance between the two brown carbs I decided to add a nice spinach salad with mushrooms and tomatoes (dressing is optional). But the piece de resistance is the uber-texturized wheat meat, otherwise known as seitan.

Seitan is extremely easy to make, especially if you have some vital wheat gluten on hand (which you will also need for the buns). The brand I used is "Bob's Red Mill" and followed the recipe from this site - www.theppk.com/blog
(just type "Italian sausages" into their search bar if you're unsure of where you're going) and made sure to salt them to my liking (no matter what, seitan can be a bit plain tasting)

After that, I spread roasted garlic onto the still warm buns and placed some caramelized onions with fire-roasted red bell pepper (jarred) on top with a little sriracha. You can use any combination you like, but I always find roasted peppers with caramelized onions are a hard topper to beat for these sausages.

Hot Dog Buns Recipe:

1/8 a cup of Agave Nectar or molasses (I used black-strap molasses)

1/8 a cup of Vital Wheat Gluten

1/2 a tablespoon of Active Dry Yeast

Egg replacer equal to one egg (Ener-G, flax seeds, or chia seeds are fine)

1/2 a teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 a cup of lukewarm water (Too hot can kill the yeast, too cold it won't become active)

1 and 3/4 a cup of 100% Whole Wheat

Combine the water and yeast together and everything else except for the salt. Mix it together until it loosely forms, then add the salt to keep it from killing the yeast and deflating your bread.

After that, lay some flour down onto a wide surface (I used wheat, but All-Purpose should be fine) and place your dough on top of it. Make sure to cover your hands in flour and knead it for about ten minutes, or until it comes together and is slightly elastic. After that, slice the dough into equal proportions and roll them into the shape of hot dog buns. They don't have to be perfect as long as you can get the basic oblong shape. Place them on a lightly greased baking sheet (I used Olive Oil, but vegetable or canola oil should be fine) and let them proof (rise) covered for about an hour.

Meanwhile, heat your oven to 375 degrees and bake your buns for about 10-15 minutes, depending on your oven. You can also brush your buns with a bit of oil or vegan margarine and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top before baking them to give them a nice texture and shine. Take them out after they are browned enough and let them rest on a cool sheet pan or a wire rack for about 30 minutes. Test one to see if its still doughy on the inside and then you can slit them down the middle and stuff them whenever you're ready to enjoy them. Normally I would say that they're better on the first day since they contain no preservatives, but they're so good that they probably won't last a day!

(Recipe makes about six hot dog buns)

Enjoy!

 Signed, 

<3 Bou Shin <3