BRAISED SEITAN IN SPICY CHILE SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

For the Spice Rub­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

• 1 tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• ½ tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced

For the Seitan Short Ribs­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

• 2 cups vital wheat gluten
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast
• 3 tbsp. chile powder
• 3 tbsp. onion powder
• 3 tbsp. garlic powder
• ½ tsp. ground black pepper
• 2 cups water
• ¼ cup almond butter or tahini
• ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. canola oil

For the Spicy Chile Sauce­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

• 1 tbsp. canola oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup red wine or red wine vinegar
• ¼ cup chile sauce
• 2 tbsp. vegan Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• ½ tsp. kosher salt
• 2 large bay leaves
• 4 cups “beef” broth
• 2 Tbs. fresh parsley, chopped

PREPARATION

1. To make the seitan short ribs: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the spice rub. Mix well and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the vital wheat gluten, nutritional yeast, spices and mix well. In a smaller bowl, combine the water, almond butter or tahini, soy sauce and oil. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined. Knead the dough lightly until everything is combined and the dough feels elastic.
2. Grease or spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Add the dough to the baking dish, flattening it and stretching it out to fit the dish. Use a sharp knife to slice the dough into ribs. Short ribs should be fat squares, not long like other ribs. Cut the dough into 4 pieces length-wise and then make 4 slices width-wise. You should end up with 16 square seitan ribs.
3. Top the dough with the spice rub and massage it in a bit. Bake the seitan for 60 minutes or until the seitan has a sturdy texture to it. Remove the dish from the oven and lower the temperature to 325 degrees. Recut the ribs and carefully remove them from the baking dish.
4. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place 3-4 seitan ribs into the pot and let brown for about 2 minutes. Don’t put more than 3 or 4 ribs in at a time or they will steam rather than sear. Turn the ribs to brown on the other side. Transfer to a plate and continue with the rest of the seitan ribs. Set aside. Try not to eat one. I dare you!
5. To braise the seitan: Add more oil to the Dutch oven. Add the onions, carrots, shallot and garlic to the pot and cook for 6 minutes until the vegetables soften. While they are cooking, combine the red wine vinegar, chile sauce, Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Add this braising liquid to the Dutch oven. Scrape up any yummy bits at the bottom of the pot. Add the thyme, oregano, salt and bay leaves. Mix and let the braising liquid cook until it reduces by about half.
6. Turn off the heat and add the broth to the pot. Carefully return the seitan ribs to the pot and make sure they are covered by liquid. Cover the pot and place it in the oven. Cook for 1 hour or until the seitan ribs have considerably softened but are not falling apart. While the ribs are cooking, prepare any side dishes you are having. These seitan ribs are wonderful over whipped mashed potatoes or polenta.
7. Carefully remove the pot from the oven and remove the bay leaves. Serve 2-3 seitan ribs over mashed potatoes or polenta. Spoon some of the sauce over everything and garnish with fresh parsley.

RAW FRUIT & COCONUT ICE CREAM CAKE WITH BROWNIE CRUST

INGREDIENTS

Ice cream

• 400 ml fresh raw coconut milk (or 1 can of store-bought)
• 1/4 cup raw cane sugar (or preferred sweetener, to taste)
• 1 banana

Brownie crust

• 1/3 cup walnuts
• 1/3 cup raw oats (or buckwheat groats for a gluten-free version)
• 2/3 cup dates
• 2 tablespoons cacao powder

Fruit

• Whatever fresh or frozen you have or like, about 2 cups

PREPARATION

Prepare the cake vessel

1. Find a bowl that can hold about 6 cups, or use a small dome cake pan and line it with plastic wrap, tin foil or whatever.
2. I used a dome shaped colander and plastic wrap, it worked fine.
3. Alternatively you can just make this using a normal cake pan.
4. Line the sides of the pan or bowl with your chosen fruit.

Ice Cream

1. Blend all ingredients until smooth.
2. Pour into your pan or bowl and put in the freezer until solid, about 3 or 4 hours.

Brownie Crust

1. Put the walnuts, oats and cacao in your food processor and pulse until they become a flour.
2. Add the dates and process until it starts to stick together.
3. Press onto the “top” of your ice cream cake (it will become the bottom when you flip it later).
4. Put in the fridge for about an hour to let everything set.
5. Then carefully flip your cake onto a plate and take off your lining – voila!
6. Decorate as you wish, slice, and let thaw before eating.

CARROT DOGS [VEGAN, GLUTEN-FREE]

INGREDIENTS

• 8 large carrots
• ¼ cup gluten-free tamari
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• A few dashes Liquid Smoke
• 1 Tbs. vegetable oil
• 8 gluten-free hot dog buns

Toppings:

• Mustard
• Sauerkraut
• I Heart New York Red Onion Sauce (See recipe HERE)

PREPARATION

1. Peel the carrots, cut off the ends and cut them into the shape of hot dogs that will fit your buns. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the carrots until they are just fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Drain them and run them under cool water to stop the cooking.
2. In an air-tight storage container, mix the tamari, water, vinegar, garlic powder and liquid smoke. Marinate the carrots in the fridge for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
3. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the carrots from the marinade and arrange them in the skillet in a single layer. Add a few spoons of the marinade and cook until the carrots begin to caramelize. Rotate them often.
4. Serve on buns with mustard, sauerkraut and red onion sauce or your favorite toppings.

PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM STEAKS [VEGAN, GLUTEN-FREE]

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Tbsp. vegan butter
• 1/2 cup vegan vegetable or vegan beef broth
• 1/2 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. mirin or sherry
• ½ Tbsp. soy sauce
• ½ Tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• ½ tsp. dried basil
• dash of ground black pepper
• 2 large, whole Portobello mushrooms

PREPARATION

1. In a large frying pan, heat the butter over medium. Once melted, add half of the broth and bring to a simmer.
2. Next, add the onion and garlic. Cook for about 8 minutes over medium-high.
3. Meanwhile, whisk together the remaining ingredients in a small bowl excluding the mushrooms and the remaining broth. Wipe the mushrooms with a damp cloth to clean them and pull off the stems.
4. Add the whisked mixture to the pan and reduce to medium heat. Bring to a simmer, and then add in the Portobello caps and their stems.
5. Cover and cook for about 8 minutes. Gently turn over the mushrooms, add in the remaining broth, cover and cook an additional 8 minutes.
6. Serve hot, topped with the juice and onions over top.

Garlic and Thyme Pan Seared Mushrooms

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb mushrooms of choice; crimini, portobello, white button, chanterelle, shiitake, etc, sliced thinly
• 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh garlic
• 1Tbsp thyme, fresh is great, but dried is fine too
• 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp black pepper, or to taste
• 1 Tbsp olive oil, or use non stick pan
• 2 Tbsp of white wine, optional
• 2 Tbsp fresh chives or green onions, finely chopped, optional

PREPARATION

1. 1. Gently heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, or if skipping oil, heat a non-stick pan. When hot, add mushrooms and cook for a good 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, depending on the water content of the mushroom you’re using. (White button and crimini cook fastest, chanterelle, shiitake, and portobello take a bit longer)
2. 2. When mushrooms have begun to release their water, continue stirring until they begin to brown. Add white wine if using, or skip and add the garlic, thyme, and salt and pepper.
3. 3. Cook an additional minute or two to mellow the garlic, and get it nice and golden. Take care not to let the garlic burn. Season to taste and sprinkle with chives or green onions just before serving. Enjoy on toast, over pasta, rice, as a side, or served as a nice appetizer. Enjoy!

Overnight Savory Breakfast Mushrooms [Vegan, Gluten-Free]

INGREDIENTS

• 4 large hand-sized mushrooms sliced
• 1 tbs tamari/soy Sauce
• 1/2 tsp maple syrup
• 1 tbs lemon juice
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped (or herbs of choice)
• 1 small garlic clove
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp chilli flakes optional, or to taste
• 1/8 tsp white pepper optional, or to taste
•  pinch coarse celtic sea salt optional, or to taste

PREPARATION

1. Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and mix together until it is evenly coated and mixed together.
2. Cover bowl and place in refrigerator for at least one hour, or overnight.
3. Serve your breakfast mushrooms with toast, baked sweet potato, pancakes, savory french toast etc
4. Click here for a video demonstration of how to make these.

BBQ Berbere Portobello Comfort Bake [Vegan, Gluten-Free]

INGREDIENTS

Berbere Sauce (makes 1 cup):

• 2/3 cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup spicy bbq sauce (not too sweet)
• 1 teaspoon berbere spice

Portobellos:

• 4 large fresh portobello caps washed with stems removed
• 2 cups mashed potatoes
• 2 cups chopped, fresh greens (I used kale)

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Place portobello caps uncovered in a glass baking dish (overlapping slightly is fine) and top each cap with 1/4 cup berbere sauce. Bake for 30 minutes.
3. Remove from oven and slice into strips.
4. Arrange greens around edge of plate. Place 1/2 cup warm mashed potatoes in center with a pat of vegan butter. Arrange portobello strips on the bed of greens, spoon on a little extra sauce from the pan and serve. So pretty, healthy and tasty!

Tourtière (French Canadian Savory Pie)

 

INGREDIENTS

Filling:

• 2 1/2 cups mushrooms (I used dried morel with fresh shiitake and crimini)
• 3-4 stalks of celery
• 1 yellow onion
• 2 yellow potatoes
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 3/4 cups homemade or organic vegetable stock
• 1 cup of water
• 5-8 sprigs of fresh thyme
• Splash of apple cider vinegar
• Salt

Crust:

• 3 cups flour of choice
• 1 cup cold water, as needed
• 1 cup cold coconut oil
• Freshly ground pepper

PREPARATION

To Make the Filling:

1. Place a large stockpot on the stovetop and turn the element on fairly high. You’re looking to get the pot nice and hot while it’s empty, so leave it to heat.
2. Meanwhile, dice the celery and the onion, cube the potatoes and turn the oven to 400°F. Once the pot is ready, arrange the whole mushrooms in a single layer (you’ll likely have to repeat this step a few times) on the bottom. If they sound squeaky touching the bottom then you’ve got the pot heated enough.
3. Turn the element down to medium and dry roast the mushrooms in that single layer until they start to have an aromatic nuttiness. Transfer to a bowl and continue until all mushrooms are soft and dry roasted.
4. While the mushrooms are cooling add the celery and onion to the pot with the coconut oil. Quarter the mushrooms (if using crimini or button) and add them back to the pot. Finish it up with the nutmeg and the allspice, then the vegetable stock and water. Cover and cook for about 30 minutes.
5. Once the liquid has evaporated and the potatoes are soft remove from the heat, squish them in the pot with a potato masher or the back of a large spoon. Chunky is good, no need to get them into a full mash.  This will thicken up the remainder of the sauce. Add the thyme and apple cider vinegar to taste, as well as a touch of salt if necessary.

To Make the Crust:

1. Arrange all crust ingredients first. Measure the water into a bowl, cut the cold coconut oil into chunks and get the flour and freshly ground pepper (a fair bit, as long as you dig pepper) into a large mixing bowl.
2. Using a pastry cutter or two butter knives start with two hunks of coconut oil and begin blending into the flour. Using a tablespoon measure out one or two tablespoons of water at a time. I used about eleven total to form the dough. Control how much you use with each cut, continuing to add water and cubed coconut oil until you’ve formed a crumbly mixture that’s starting to stick together.
3. Once you see the crumbly bits sticking, start kneading it into a ball. Separate the ball into two pieces the place them in the fridge to firm up for a few minutes.
4. Once set, flour a flat surface and begin rolling out one ball of dough into a thin sheet. Place the sheet over your pie plate and fit it to the sides.
5. Using a rolling pin, roll across the top of the pie plate – this will cut the dough to form the bottom crust’s lip. Re-flour your surface, then roll the second ball out to form the top of the crust. Set aside.

Assembly:

1. Fill prepared pie crust with mushroom filling, gently shaking the filling into the very edge of the crust.
2. Top with the second sheet of pastry, pinching the edges to form a seal. Brush with water and cut four small ventilation holes on the top.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown.  Allow it to set for about 10 minutes before slicing.
4. Serve with roasted tomatoes, garlic oil and maple syrup!

THE BEST BURGERS ARE KIND TO ANIMALS...... :)

The Ultimate Guide to Vegan Meats and Meat Substitutes

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/the-ultimate-guide-to-vegan-meats-and-meat-substitutes/

SALCHICHAS DE AVENA

Ingredientes:

– 700 grs. de avena molida

– 1.5 litros de agua

– 1 betabel

– 1 cda de aceite de oliva

– 50 grs. de pimentón

– 30 grs. de albahaca molida

– 20 grs. de salvia

– 15 grs. de laurel 

– 10 grs. de nuez moscada

– 2 grs. de anís

– 2 grs. de pimienta blanca

– 100 grs. de ajo en polvo

– 100 grs. de cebolla en polvo

– 4 cdtas de sal

– 2 cdas de maicena

– Plástico transparente

– Hilo de algodón grueso

Elaboración:

– Hervir el agua con laurel, el betabel y la sal.

– Apagar el fuego y colar.

– Añadir la avena molida y dejar hidratar con poca agua (hasta cubrir la avena) por 30 min.

– Agregar el resto de ingredientes mezclando perfectamente.

– Extender un metro de plástico adherible sobre la mesa, poner una porción extendida a lo largo y formar un churro largo en todo el metro, enrollar todo el plástico hasta que quede en una sola pieza. Con hilo de algodón, cada 15 cms, ir anudando para formar las salchichas y cortar para separarlas.

– Poner a hervir agua suficiente para colocar dentro las salchichas. Dejar al fuego durante 10 min. 

– Dejar enfriar y refrigerarlas durante 1 día.

VEGAN LONGGANISA

 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in warm water for at least 20 minutes, minced
• 5-8 pieces dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in warm water for at least 20 minutes, minced (optional)
• ½ block firm tofu, crumbled
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon coconut vinegar
• 1-2 tablespoon chili oil (or sesame oil for non-spicy version)
• 2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon pine nuts (crushed) (optional)
• 1 tablespoon liquid smoke
• drizzle of maple syrup
• pinch of black pepper
• pinch of sea salt
• 1 cup of breadcrumbs (or more if needed)
• 3 tablespoons refined coconut oil

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Using a bowl, mix all of the ingredients except for the last two ingredients. Mix thoroughly.
2. Add breadcrumbs. Thoroughly combine everything using your hands so the breadcrumbs could soak up the moisture from the mixture.
3. Set aside and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.
4. Taste mixture and adjust seasoning to taste.
5. Still using your hands, form mixture into sausage links (or whatever shape you desire). Add more breadcrumbs if needed to firm up.
6. Heat a medium pan over medium heat.
7. Once hot enough, pour refined coconut oil and let it heat for a minute or two.
8. Fry the vegan sausages until all sides have nicely browned.
9. Turn off heat and transfer sausages to a serving plate.
10. Serve hot with your favorite starch on the side.

NOTES

Feel free to taste the mixture before frying so you could adjust the seasoning to taste. 

If you don't want to fry all the sausage links, wrap the rest in foil or parchment paper and store in the fridge.

Save the broth from the shiitake you've reconstituted. You could use the broth to make flavorful soups.

I found all my ingredients at a nearby specialty store called Rainbow Grocery (which has an amazing bulk section) and at my nearby Asian grocery store. If you don't have a nearby store that carries the ingredients, you could also buy them online.

If you couldn't find some of the ingredients, feel free to see my post on item substitutions: Vegan Longganisa Sausages FAQ

Exquisito Pepperoni De Frijol

Ingredientes:

-3/4 taza frijoles cocidos
-1 cda. salsa BBQ
-1 cda. salsa de soya
-1 taza de avena
-1/4 taza levadura nutricional
-1/2 cdita. tomillo
-1 cdita. paprika
-1 cdita. chile en polvo
-2 cditas. chile seco
-2 cdita. sal
-1 pizca de comino molido
-1/2 cdita. pimienta
-1/2 cdita. de achiote
-1/2 tomate
-1/2 betabel

Procedimiento:

– Machacar los frijoles cocidos con un tenedor, agregar la salsa BBQ, la salsa de soya y la salsa de achiote. Reservar.

– En otro recipiente, mezclar la avena con la levadura nutricional, especias y sal. Agregar los frijoles a este recipiente y mezclar bien hasta obtener una masa homogénea.

– Hervir y licuar el tomate y el betabel; debe quedar un líquido espeso y de color rojo oscuro. Agregar esta mezcla a la masa para darle color al pepperoni (sólo es para darle color, no es necesario utilizar toda la mezcla).

– Partir en dos partes iguales la masa y envolverla con papel aluminio y cocinarlos a vapor durante 45 min.