Seitan steaks

Vegans don't often get the chance to eat something you need to cut with a steak knife - most of our food is soft enough and/or small enough that you need only a fork (tofu, beans, etc.).  Enter the seitan steak.  It's chewy and substantial, really flavorful, and a great source of nutrients.  Each serving of seitan has about 26 grams of protein (43 - 50% RDA) and 3.6 milligrams of iron (20% RDA), 2 grams of fat, 10 grams of carbs and, of course, zero cholesterol, since cholesterol is found only in animal products. 

One of my friends e-mailed me to ask what seitan steaks taste like - are they like meat steaks?  I have been trying to come up with an answer, but I just don't have one - they taste like seitan steaks!  They're savory and juicy, and they take on the flavor of the onions, garlic and herbs in the broth they're cooked in.  That's the best I can do.  These steaks have been a hit with my non-vegan friends, and they're really easy to make with inexpensive ingredients (you can get vital wheat gluten in bulk for around $2.00 a pound). 

Here, they're served with quinoa and broccoli with a little cashew cream (recipe here) and lemon zest.

In the past, I have used recipes where the spices are incorporated into the seitan, and the seitan is boiled in plain water or broth.  This recipe does it the other way around - the seitan is plain, and the broth is highly flavored - and makes a much better result: the seitan becomes fully infused with the flavor of the broth, and you don't have to contend with little hard bits of herbs in the middle of the steaks.  Here's what I do:

1.  Make broth by combining:

• 8 cups water
• 2 cubes vegan bouillon - I love this kind from Rapunzel
• 2 onions, sliced into big chunks
• 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 3/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• a tablespoon or so of whatever dried herbs you like - I use Herbes de Provence

Bring broth to a boil, then reduce heat and allow it to simmer while you prepare the seitan steaks.

2.  Meanwhile, combine in a large bowl:

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup vital wheat gluten flour

Mix it together with your hands or a fork.  Once you have a smooth ball, massage it in your hands and squeeze the little bit of excess water out.  Form the mixture into a smooth log, about 3 inches across.  Slice into 8 steaks, then flatten each steak.  They will look something like this: 

3.  Drop steaks into boiling broth.  Cover, and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes.  The steaks will double in size, so make sure you have plenty of room in the pot.  Serve with a little bit of the broth ladled on top.  You can also save the delicious broth (strain out the onions, garlic and herbs, and discard them) and use it throughout the week to add flavor to quinoa, rice, etc.

Enjoy!

Salad of the week: pears, pecans, dried cherries

I decided recently to start making a big salad for dinner once a week.  This week, we were invited to a raw vegan potluck, and I had planned to make a huge kale/beet/carrot salad for the event.  However, the produce market didn't have the dinosaur kale that's so good for salads - they only had curly kale, which is thicker and, I think, better cooked than raw.  So I changed course at the last minute and decided to build a salad around some nice-looking pears I found.  Then, it turned out that the potluck wasn't scheduled for that night - it's NEXT Sunday.  Oops!  No worry - we packed up the salad and took it to Steph's for big salad night.  I had two bowls, and Lenny and Steph each had THREE bowls, and we finished it off!  Here's a list of everything that went into the salad:

It was pretty good.  If I had it to do again I would use less of the tart cherries - they go a long way.  The lemon zest, which is my favorite thing in the world right now, was a nice touch.

Enjoy!

Fettuccine with Spring vegetables

I saw my first bunch of in-season fresh asparagus at the produce market recently, and couldn't wait to get it home and make a pasta primavera.  I was hoping to find some fresh baby peas, but the market didn't have any.  No worry - I got baby spinach instead, and some mushrooms to round it out, and some fresh lemons that I wanted to zest with my new Microplane Grater.  How I ever lived without this kitchen tool I will never know.  It makes beautiful, baby-fine lemon zest that adds a huge punch of flavor to whatever you're cooking - pasta, vegetables, rice, etc.

Here's what I did when I got home:

Cook a package of fettuccine according to package directions.

Cut asparagus and mushrooms into 1-inch pieces, then place in large saute pan along with baby spinach and some herbs - I used fresh dill and dried thyme.  Cook/steam in 1 cup of vegetable broth until vegetables reach desired tenderness.  Retain whatever vegetable broth hasn't been absorbed.

In separate pan, saute a few cloves of garlic in olive oil, then add diced extra firm tofu and cook until lightly browned.

Toss all ingredients together, then add the juice of one lemon.  Top each plate with a fresh grating of lemon zest. 

Enjoy!

Muesli

I had been buying muesli in 18-ounce bags that aren't very good for reusing, and all that waste was driving me nuts.  Now I buy all of the ingredients in bulk and mix it up myself, at a much lower cost than buying it already mixed and without wasteful packaging.  It's endlessly customizable, with different grains, nuts, seeds, and dried fruits.  This is the mixture I like.

Combine, and store in an airtight container:

• 3 cups medium or thick rolled oats
• 3 cups rolled barley flakes
• 1 cup slivered or chopped almonds
• 1/2 cup dried raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped dates (I get the ones that are rolled in flour)
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup ground flaxseeds

Lots of healthy fiber!  Serve with nondairy milk of your choice.  I love it with my homemade soymilk. 

Enjoy!

Pasta with cashew cream

I had noticed that a lot of vegan bloggers were raving about cashew cream, and decided to try it for myself.  I'm so glad I did - it's amazing.  Very easy to make with just a few ingredients, and you can pour it over pasta, vegetables, potatoes, grains, or whatever your heart desires.  It actually doesn't really taste like cashews - it's just a perfect light,versatile cream sauce.  You have to try it.

Start by soaking 1 cup of cashews in water for at least 2 hours, or overnight.  Use plenty of water, because the cashews will absorb quite a bit.

Drain and discard the water.  Put the cashews in your blender with 1/2 cup of filtered water, and lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.  I use the juice of one lemon, and white pepper instead of black pepper.

Blend in blender for a while - my blender is pretty powerful and I let it go for about 5 minutes.  It's done when it has turned into a smooth cream with no lumps.

Now it's ready to serve - no need to cook or heat it.  The blender will warm it up enough that you can pour it right over whatever you're serving it with.  It keeps beautifully in a sealed container in the fridge, and I understand that it freezes well.

In the photo above, I served it over pasta, broccoli, and Gardein Chick'n Scallopini slices, and topped it with some lemon zest.  It was really delicious and satisfying.

Enjoy!

Vegan quiche

I have been lax in taking photos of my food lately - I really need to step it up.  These are quick shots taken with my BlackBerry and they're better than nothing, but I should put more effort into making my photos look as great as the food tastes.  Stay tuned for some improvements in that area!

This quiche is hearty and delicious.  I found the recipe on vegweb (amazing source of many, many vegan recipes), and made both variations - broccoli quiche and spinach quiche.  I made the broccoli quiche first, following the recipe exactly except that I omitted the vegan parmesan cheese.  A few days later I made the spinach version; I again omitted the vegan parmesan cheese, and I added chopped artichoke hearts, more garlic, and more herbs and spices.  It's tofu-based, so it can absorb quite a bit of flavor - I recommend increasing all of the seasonings by about half.

Enjoy!

Secret-ingredient mashed potatoes

Again, on the subject of reducing kitchen waste, I was trying to figure out what to do with broccoli stalks.  We eat a lot of fresh broccoli - it's one of my favorite foods - and consequently had a lot of broccoli stalks making their way into the compost bin.  I searched online for ways to use the stalks, and found the idea of adding them to mashed potatoes.  This doesn't really change the flavor or the texture, but it does add vitamins, bulk, and healthy fiber - all from something I was going to throw away. 

Here's what I do:

Scrub some potatoes - enough to serve 2 to 3 people.  I use Yukon Gold potatoes, and since the peels are so thin, I don't remove them.  Chop into 1-inch chunks.

Use a vegetable peeler to remove the tough outer layer from two or three broccoli stalks.  Discard the peels.  Chop the peeled stalks into coins about 1/4-inch thick.

Transfer the chopped potatoes and broccoli stalks into a large pan.  Add enough water to cover, and a teaspoon of salt.  Bring to a boil then simmer until tender - about 30 minutes. 

Drain water.  Add some Earth Balance margarine, salt, pepper, and celery salt to taste.  Mash with potato masher.  Serve, and ask your guests if they can identify the secret ingredient.  They'll never guess it's broccoli stalks!

Enjoy!

Neatloaf

I have been making this for years; I think it's a combination of a couple of different recipes.  It's really delicious and flavorful - I think the parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme is what does it.  In the photo above, it's served with collard greens and leeks and secret-ingredient mashed potatoes.  I served it to a couple of people on Sunday, and we all agreed that it was best if every bite included a little neatloaf, a little mashed potatoes, and a little collards.  Then commenced a period of silence while everybody ate instead of talking - a cook's best compliment!  And they both had seconds.  It was really good.  I need to make it again soon and replace this photo, which really doesn't do it justice.

This recipe requires a lot of chopping, but I do it all in my food processor.  You can assemble your neatloaf and cover it with foil and put it in the fridge for a day or so, then bake it when you're ready.  It would probably freeze well too.

Combine all ingredients and mix well:

• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 2 cups breadcrumbs
• 1 cup finely chopped walnut
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 14 oz. firm tofu, mashed
• 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
• 3 T tamari
• 2 t stone ground or Dijon mustard
• 1/4 t black pepper
• 1/2 t each dried thyme, rosemary and sage, crumbled
• finely chopped fresh parsley to taste

Transfer mix to a loaf pan and pack it down so that the top is flat. Cover the top with a generous layer of ketchup and/or barbecue sauce (I use both, mixed together).

Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Let stand for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Soymilk!

One of my New Year's resolutions has been to reduce the amount of landfill waste that comes from our home - especially kitchen waste.  Even though most of the ingredients I use in cooking are whole foods, I was still making a lot of trips to the trash can to throw away plastic and waxy wrappers from tofu, fake meats, packages of rice and other grains, cereal, etc.  I have made a lot of progress by choosing my purchases carefully and buying as much as possible in bulk, and I'm continuing to try to improve on all of my choices and processes.

One particular source of a lot of waste was the aseptic cartons of soymilk I was using at the rate of about two per week.  That's over 100 containers - which are not recyclable - going to landfill each year just from my two-person home.  I set about figuring out whether I could start making my own soymilk.

After several batches worth of trial and error (and a lot of online research and watching people make soymilk in youtube videos), I have settled on a great recipe.  The key, believe it or not, is baking soda - it took my soymilk from beany and bitter to smooth and mild.  The finished product is truly absolutely delicious.  And very inexpensive, at just pennies a serving, and not hard to make.  And the company that makes the soymilk I was buying in nonrecyclable aseptic packages is owned by a huge food conglomerate whose practices I don't like, so I'm very happy that I'm not supporting it any more.

There are six steps - here they are:

1.  Soak.

Soak 1-1/2 cups of soybeans in a large pot of water for 8 to 10 hours.  I use organic soybeans. 

2.  Boil.

Drain the water out of the pot, and replace it with new water, filling the pot about 3/4 full.  Add 3 tablespoons of baking soda.  Boil for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently.  Keep a close eye on it, because if it boils over it will make a big mess.  Drain.  

3.  Blend.

Blend in your blender in three batches: each batch will contain 1/3 of the soybeans and 3-1/2 cups of filtered water.  Blend each batch for 5 minutes.  After each batch is blended, pour it back into the big pot.

4.  Boil again.

Once all three batches are blended and poured back into the pot, boil again for 20-25 minutes, stirring frequently.  Again, stay close by, because you don't want it to boil over.

5.  Strain.

Let the soymilk cool a bit - I usually put the whole pot in the freezer for half an hour.  Then line a large bowl with a cotton flour sack cloth, and pour the soymilk in.  Carefully gather the edges of the cloth into one hand, so that you create a pouch full of soymilk, then give it a twist to seal the soymilk in.  Use your other hand to squeeze the soymilk out.  There is no quick and easy way to do this - it's a little messy and you can't make it go faster than it's going to go.  Squeeze and squeeze until all (or almost all) of the liquid is in the bowl.  When you open up your cloth you will find a solid substance that is called okara; some people save it and bake it into muffins or bread, but I have never tried that - I just put it in my compost bin.
   
6.  Flavor.

You now have about 64 ounces of unflavored soymilk.  I add about 1/3 cup of sugar, a dash or two of salt, and a healthy splash of vanilla extract.  You can adjust these quantities to your liking.  Your soymilk will store in a container in the fridge (I have this 67-ounce container, and it's perfect) for at least 4 days. 

A few notes:

- Since the soymilk I was buying was fortified with Vitamin D, calcium, and other vitamins, I have started taking a multivitamin every day.

- This recipe may seem a little time-consuming, but most of the steps are about setting something in motion then waiting.  Still, you need to stay nearby when you're heating the soybeans or soymilk on the stove - they really do boil over very easily.  I use this time to do something else in the kitchen - either cleaning or cooking a meal.  This way, the amount of time I spend in the kitchen making soymilk is really minimal - really just a few minutes of hands-on time over the course of about an hour and a half.

-  You will notice that soybeans have thin clear skins that separate from the soybeans when the soybeans are soaked, heated, or handled.  I have to admit that these little skins seem to trigger some latent bit of OCD in me - I end up spending quite a bit of time massaging them off and picking them out, and I actually enjoy it!  It's addictive - kind of like popping the bubbles in bubble wrap.  However, from what I have read, removing the skins is not a necessary step at all, because the skins don't affect the taste or quality of the finished product.  If you want to spend just a little bit of time removing the skins, the easiest way is to do it after Step 2: pour the soybeans in a big bowl and run lukewarm water into the bowl - the skins will float to the top of the water and you can just dump them out into the sink (then scoop them out of the sink and compost them).  If you repeat this process three or four times, massaging the beans a little bit while the water pours into the bowl, you will get rid of most of the skins.

Enjoy!

Lemony spinach lentils and rice

 This was delicious, satisfying, healthy and easy, and made enough for four big portions.  Don't skip the lemon juice - it's the key to transforming a pile of lentils and rice into something special. 

1.  Soak 1-1/2 cups dry brown lentils for an hour or two.  Drain.

2.  Dice 1 large yellow onion.  Saute in olive oil for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently.

3.  Add 2 carrots and 2 celery stalks, diced, and salt and white pepper to taste.  Saute for another 4 minutes or until softened, stirring frequently.

4.  Add 4-5 cloves of garlic,* minced, and 1-1/2 cups brown rice.  Toast, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes.

5.  Add 6 cups vegetable broth and 2 bay leaves.  Stir well, bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.

6.  Add the lentils, and stir well.  Simmer 20 minutes.

7.  Add 3 or 4 big handfuls of fresh spinach (baby spinach, or regular spinach chopped into 1/2-inch strips),** and stir well.  Simmer 10 minutes.

8.  Ladle onto plates.  Add a generous squeeze of lemon juice to each serving, and a sprinkling of fresh parsley if you have it.

*  I use a lot of garlic in just about every recipe.  If you're not a big garlic lover, you can reduce it to 1-2 cloves.

** I have also made this with kale - it was just as delicious, and gave it a little more of a bite.  I added the kale a little earlier to give it a chance to get tender.

Enjoy!