Vegan Sausage and Pepperoni

Vegan Loaf x 2
This is one of th easiest Seitan items to make so grab your ingredients.
Pepperoni Style
and
Sage-Rosemary-Thyme -Fennel Style

This style recipe has been an like open source recipe on the web for awhile.

In making Seitan items the more Vital Gluten and less other ingredients
the chewier, more dense it will be.
Density/texture is also added by kneading.
Less Vital Gluten you use per other ingredients, such as Tomato paste,
Tahini,Beans and such the less dense and flexible for forming.
Less dense Seitan is able to absorb more spices and flavorings.
Dense Seitan needs marinating + lots of dry spices in the recipe
Experiment and don't expect every single batch to be perfect.
That why I purchase Vital Gluten by the 25lb Bag at Whole Foods.

PREHEAT OVEN TO 300
Prepare a 12' length of foil , lightly sprayed, set aside.

Seitan Pepi-Roni
In a bowl blend dry ingredients:
1 1/4 Vital Gluten
2 Heaping TBSP Nutritional Yeast
2 tsp Mustard Seed
2 tsp Toasted Whole Fennel Seed
(toast in a dry hot skillet until lightly browned)
2 tsp Paprika
2 Tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Garlic Powder + 1 crushed Clove
1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Cardamom

WET: in a Food processor bowl-S Blade
2/3 C Water,room temp
2 TBSP Cashew Butter or Tahini
3 TBSP Tomato Paste or Ketchup
+I replaced this with Smoked Tomatoes just plucked form the smoker.
1 tsp Liquid Smoke or Dark Aged Soy Sauce
Hefty Splash of Red Wine Vinegar or Balsamic
1/2 tsp Maple Syrup or Raw Agave

PROCESS Wet ingredients to blend .
Add entire bowl of dry ingredients, process just to blend 5-6 twirls.

Remove from blender bowl and form a 2 inch thick length, around 8"in length.
Roll foil around but not squeezing.
Twist ends firmly closed.
Bake at 300, turning twice for
ONE HOUR AND 15 MINUTES.
Remove from foil pronto.
Allow to cool prior to slicing.

Optional: Brush log with mixture of Balsamic Vinegar + a little Agave.
Brush entire log, pat on a layer of cracked pepper or some sort of 'steak' rub.
Place in foil and bake.

The Seitan pepperoni style made for a great pizza topping
besides snacking with Dijon on Crostini or a sandwich on good rye.

Added to regular pizza dough flour:
Whole Fennel Seed, Onion Powder and a dash of Cayenne
Other times I have added a TBSP of Nutritional Yeast and even
Mexican Style Pizza I add fine diced Jalepeno Peppers to Pizza Dough.

Vegan Muffins masquerade as Cupcakes

Banana-Coconut with Vanilla Frosting

Preheat oven to 350
Prepare Muffin pan for 10
Mini 20+


Toast a cup of grated coconut in a dry hot skillet on low-set aside
Place 1 TBSP FLAX meal in 1/4 C warm water set aside
Add these ingredients to a VitaMix, beverage blender or food processor:

1/3 C softened Vegan Buttery Spread, Coconut Spread or Shortening
1 TBSP Vanilla Extract
1/2 ripe Banana
1/2 C Plain or Vanilla Vegan beverage (Rice, Almond, Soy, Hemp, etc.)
1 TBSP Flax Meal in 1/4 C warm water.(this is far better than using EGG)
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 TBSP Raw Agave or Maple Syrup
2 tsp Water

Whisk the following in a bowl to blend well
1 1/2 C Unbleached White Spelt Flour or Plain unbleached flour.
1 1/2 tsp Baking POWDER
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Allspice

Add blender ingredients to dry ingredients with a hand mixer just until blended.
Fill muffin cups to 3/4 fill

Large 20-25 min
Mini-12+ min
Test press: if it springs back they are done.
Remove from muffin pan promptly and allow to cool

Frost then dip/swirl the muffin top in a bowl of toasted coconut
ENJOY!


For these I used the always great PAMELA'S FROSTING
WHEAT FREE-GLUTEN FREE
Just to display a store bought icing to use for convenience.
Basically if you read the ingredients that is a frosting recipe in itself.

SPELT flour- Once you start using Spelt flour you won't want to use any other. The same goes for Spelt Pasta.
It is nearly double the price of wheat flour.
When I am getting low I will blend Spelt 50-50 with my unbleached Wheat flour.
I prefer the lighter Unbleached-White Vita Spelt.
When I share my baked good with people they always comment on the great flavor.
Half the credit to the Spelt flour in the simple recipe. It feels energizing.
BENEFITS: higher in protein,flavor and is easier to digest.
As a chef/baker I have been using Spelt flour for 15 years.
Read all about Spelt here:
http://www.natureslegacyforlife.com/faqs/what-is-spelt/

Vegan Reuben Bread Pudding

Vegan Reuben Bread Pudding
Elements: Corned Seitan, Vegan Sourdough and Dark Rye,
Daiya Cheese,Sauerkraut
Sauce: Cashews,Red Wine Vinegar Vegan Stock,Vegan Worcestershire,
Dijon,Cracked Pepper, Caraway Seeds and spices.
Corning: For 2lbs Seitan.
2 C Red Wine Vinegar , bring to boil and then simmer to reduce by half.
Add 1 C Vegan Stock; simmer to reduce by approx 1/3.
While those elements are reducing place sliced Simple Seitan in a
braising pan along with 1 medium Carrot, one inch pieces, one Shallot or 2, peeled and halved, 3 Garlic Cloves and a Bay Leaf or 2, Salt, Cracked Pepper.
If you desire a reddish color add a few slices of Beet here or to the reduction.
Pour reduced mix over Seitan, and braise for 30 min in a 300 preheated oven.



A 10 minute bike ride away we are fortunate to have a bakery that makes
the greatest old world rye and black breads. All natural ingredients

Just for fun here is a photo of my Grandma O'Connor holding my Father in
Killarney, Ireland from way back in the day.

Saffron Flageolet Bean w/Spinach, Basil Chickpea Frittata and more

French Flageolet Beans with Baby Spinach
Chickpea-Basil Frittata
Herb Roasted-Balsamic Tomatoes
Black-Eyed Pea -Beet Patty w/ Parsley-Cashew Sauce

Large on protein and needed after a rigorous workout.

How it went down:

Flageolet-Spinach Saute
Soak 1 C Flageolet Beans overnight and rinse vigorously.
Simmer in a white wine-Saffron stock to boil for 5 minutes.
Lower heat and simmer at medium adding vegan stock as needed..an hour+
(TIP: Once cooked to semi soft the beans can be stored and used later)
Add 1 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar at an hour simmer
to encourage good digestion/breakdown.
Reduce to about 1 C stock in simmer.


In second saute pan heat a splash of Olive Oil:
add 2 Shallots, fine chop + 1 Garlic clove, sliced
Cook for 2 minutes on low flame.

Stir 2+C Baby Spinach +
+ White Pepper, Salt + few grates of nutmeg to cure Spinach 'chalkiness'
Stir one minute and add 1/3 C Vegan Stock
+ Splash of Lemon juice-optional

Heat and stir a few minutes to soften Spinach.
Taste for Salt-Pepper balance.
Add Saffron Flageolet Beans and stir to blend.

ROASTED TOMATOES
Preheat oven to 400.
Core and quarter 4-5 Tomatoes
Place on a parchment covered and lightly sprayed baking sheet.
Drizzle a little good Balsamic, Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper,
+ Dry Herbs of your choice: Italian Blend, Oregano, etc.
Roast until blackened as pictured.

CHICKPEA FRITTATA
For this particular Vegan Frittata I used a store bought mix that does
not involve creating your own blend and has good directions.
I often begin explaining recipes from my perspective as as a career chef
and see eyes glaze over.
Understood if you have never worked in the environment or are a novice.

Whole Foods was offering a special on this 'new' product:
LUCINI Tuscan Chickpea Frittata Mix
http://www.lucini.com/products.php?ss=30&pc=30&p=52
This is a good mix with a guaranteed successful result.
I like that they instruct to 'HEAT THE PAN' in the oven for
several minutes first. Gourmet instruct.
I cut back a little on the called for 3TBSP Olive Oil.
I used Vegan Bouillon instead of water.
I added chopped fresh Basil and crushed Garlic as well.

Or trys these variations:

A few TBSP of Pesto, Italian Dry HerbBlend, Vegan Cheese,Sun Dried Tom Pesto, Olives, Jalepeno, Chipotle Spices, Chopped Olices, Spinach, Asparagus.

Chickpea Frittata is a hearty and versatile entree so feel free to dollop a bit sauce atop and serve as a full breakfast, lunch or dinner entree.

BLACK-EYED PEA-BEET PATTY
Yield:6
15oz can Black Eyed Peas-rinsed, simmered 15 min in 2 cups water,rinsed, cooled
1/2 C Beet,shredded
1/4 C Raw Walnuts, chopped
1 1/2 TBSP Flax Meal
2 TBSP Lentil Flour ( Red Lentils ground in a Vitamix)
-sub other bean flour Garbanzo Flour
1 Heaping TBSP Quick Oats-crushed by hand
1 1/2 TBSP Good Balsamic or Vegan Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 C Onion, fine dice
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
2 pinches Cayenne
1 TBSP Whole Fennel Seed
3 TBSP-Herbs-Parsley, Dill or a combination-If dried add 1 TBSP ea.
+Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, White Pepper,Salt to taste
2 TBSP of hot water or vegan stock to mix and activate Flax binder ability

Technique; Add Black-Eyed Peas,Beet,Oatmeal,Lentil Flour,Flax,Spices,Dijon Garlic, Balsamic and hot water/stock to blender.
PULSE UNTIL ALL BLENDED BUT NOT PASTY TO RETAIN SMALL CHUNKS.

Remove mixture to a bowl and stir in:
Fennel Seed, Walnuts, Parsley and chopped Onion.
Taste for Salt and Pepper
Add hot sauce at this time if you so desire.

Form patties.

If using subs-Test a patty in a 365 preheated oven for sticking variability.
If needed add a little more Lentil Flour or Oatmeal and work in with hands.

Bake @365/20-30 min on a light-oiled parchment/ covered sheet pan.
Turn once throughout.
Before serving sear the patty on a hot skillet to slightly blacken.

PARSLEY-CASHEW SAUCE:
Place 1/4 C Raw Cashews in a blender and blend for 1 minute
Add and blend to smooth the following
1 C Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley Leaves
2 tsp Lemon Juice
2 tsp Seasoned Rice Vinegar (seasoned=sweetened)
Splash of Olive Oil + water added by tsp to desired viscosity/save calories/fat
+Salt,White Pepper and a dash of Ground Cayenne.
TASTE-ADJUST IF NEEDED- AFTER ALL IS THAT IS THE ROLE OF A CHEF.

ENJOY!

Vegan Puff Pastry

 

Chef D is a graduate of The Ritz-Escoffier Culinary Program in Paris.
He attended the program back in 1992.
David was vegetarian and an experienced chef at the time.
This is where he learned to make puff pastry but with butter.
He attended the animal ingredient intensive program to further grasp
classic French technique to apply in Vegan cooking.

Pictured is his Vegan Puff Pastry dough from scratch.
Flour, water, Vegan shortening, Salt and a little Vanilla for fun.

It is a process pressing and folding the shortening in to create layers.

Success!
A perfect flaky and delectable pastry dough for:
Vegan Pan au Chocolat
Vegan Ham n Cheese Croissant
Skillet Baked Pear Tarte Tatin.

Sweets in time for Valentines Day.

Questions? Email at the sidebar.

Thanks for stopping by!