Seitan ~ in the Slow Cooker

Seitan ~ in the Slow Cooker
Makes 1.5 pounds
Vegan

This recipe is my "go to" recipe for making homemade seitan. It's SO easy to make and tastes like the roast that your mom used to make. If you love to use a crock-pot or slow cooker, this is the book to buy! Fresh from the Vegan Slow Cooker

I have used this book for several recipes, and there are other recipes that use this as a base!

Here I've made gyros

Here I've made 3 bean pumpkin soup

1 3/4 cups of vital wheat gluten
1/4 cup chickpea flour
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon onion powder (I use 1/2 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (I use 1 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon salt (I use a pinch)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
6 Tablespoons soy sauce (divided)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 3/4 cups water or vegetable broth (I use all the water with a whole no-chicken bouillon cube)
1 medium-size onion, quartered (I use less)

1. In a large bowl, combine the vital wheat gluten, chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, onion/garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir in 3 Tablespoons of soy sauce, olive oil, and water or broth. Stir well until mixed. Knead for 3 minutes. (All in one bowl making for easy clean-up!)

2. Pour about 2 quarts of water into the slow cooker. Depending on your preference, leave the seitan dough whole or divide into 4-6 pieces and add the remaining soy sauce and onion. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

3. Transfer the cooked seitan to a baking sheet to cool. If you are not using the seitan right away, it can be stored submerged in its cooking liquid in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or for up to 3 weeks in the freezer.

Money Saving Biscuits

Money Saving Biscuits
Vegan; Soy Free; 25 minutes

In my quest to omit Earth Balance (see prior postings) from as many of my recipes, here is a biscuit recipe that I made last night. Since I used coconut yogurt, these come out super light. Here I used Spectrum Organic Vegetable Shortening. They have it printed right on the package "... Even better are the dozen of small family farmers in Colombia who cultivate and press our palm oil in an environmentally sustainable manner...." Not that I believe everything right off the package. But going to their website and clicking the link to their parent company; they have their corporate 2012 standards for transparency.

2 cups organic all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea-salt
1 teaspoon vegetable shortening
1 Tablespoon coconut yogurt
1 cup unsweetened hemp milk

1. Preheat oven to 425 F degrees.

2. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add vegetable shortening and coconut yogurt. Taking either 2 butter knives or a pastry blender and cut shortening and yogurt into the flour. Slowly add milk and continue to combine till all the liquid is gone and a soft dough forms.

3. Drop dough, 1 1/2 inches apart, evenly onto baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes and cool. Serve with jam for breakfast!

Raw Blackberry Crumble

Raw Blackberry Crumble
Raw; Vegan; Gluten Free; Soy Free

This recipe is adapted from Getting Raw. I had blackberries on hand, so use what berries you like. This lasted not even a 24 hours in my household, with unexpected house guests (friends are always welcome) and the boys being home all day since summer holiday.... These should last about 5 days tightly wrapped and stored in the fridge! Happy Summer...

For crust and topping:
2 cups shredded coconut
1/2 cup cashews
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup agave or brown rice syrup

1. Process coconut, cashews and salt in a food processor until fine and crummy, then add in the agave or brown rice syrup until well mixed.

2. Press the 2/3 mixture into a pan that has been lined with cling wrap. Make it thick enough that it will hold up as a cookie base when done.

3. Refrigerate while making the jam. (I stuck mine in the freezer.)

Blackberry Jam

1 10 oz package of frozen blackberries thawed and drained or 1 carton fresh berries
3 TBSP date paste (see recipe in blog)
1/4 cup agave syrup or brown rice syrup to sweeten to taste.

1. Using a blender or food processor, blend berries until nicely chopped and mixed. Taste for sweetness and add more agave or brown rice syrup if necessary.

2. Once the bottom crust is set, pour the jam over and spread. Best to let this set up in the fridge before adding top layer. I didn't wait and pressed out little balls and layered over the top to keep it floating on top of the jam (because it wasn't set yet) but you could just sprinkle the crumb topping over as well.

3. Best to let the whole thing sit a couple of hours in the fridge covered to set up. Then cut and use plastic wrap to help you get it out of the pan in one piece.

Basic Cashew Cheese

Basic Cashew Cheese
Vegan; Makes 1 pound

This is the base for the sun-dried tomato basil and cashew chevre with lemon zest and peppercorns. The longer you soak the cashews, the softer they are and the easier they break down. This means you can get a creamier texture.

2 cups raw cashews, soaked in water for 3-8 hours and drained
pinch of salt
1/4 to 1/2 cup of rejuvelac

1. Put the cashews and salt in a food processor and process. Pour in just enough of the rejuvelac to process the cashews. Process until smooth and creamy, occasionally stopping to scrape the sides of the food processor. Repeating the blending process if needed.

2. To culture the cheese, transfer to a clean glass bowl, cover, and let rest at room temperature for 8 to 36 hours depending on how sharp a flavor you want. The cheese will thicken as it cultures.

3. If you will be using the cheese as a base for another recipe, simply cover and store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Otherwise, transfer to a glass mold and smooth the top. Cover and let firm for at least 6 hours.

Tzatziki Sauce

Tzatziki Sauce
Vegan

When you're craving Greek food, one simply cannot forego the Tzatziki sauce. I made this last night to go with the Seitan Gyros, and even Grant said "this is his favorite dish, and really likes the sauce." This took the longest....

1 cup cucumber, finely diced or minced
1 cup soy yogurt
1 cup vegan mayonnaise
1 oven roasted garlic clove, minced (I had left over from the pizza)
1/2 a large garlic clove, minced (I had this left over, too)
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon of parsley (I used dry)
1/4 teaspoon of paprika
1/8 teaspoon of dill
1 pinch of sea salt
a dash of Cayenne pepper

1. Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl and chill until ready to use....

Basic Vegan Pizza Dough

Basic Vegan Pizza Dough

Make any type of vegan-pizza with this basic dough. If you’re entertaining a crowd or just want to prepare extra dough for freezing, double the recipe (pizza dough freezes very well for up to a month).

Ingredients:

1 cup warm water
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon granulated sugar (optional)
3 cups unbleached all-purpose bread flour, plus more as needed
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon olive oil (plus extra for greasing bowl)

1. In a measuring cup, place warm water. The water should be warm to the touch but not too hot (water that is too hot will kill the yeast; and water that is too cold will not activate it).

2. Sprinkle the yeast into the water, add sugar, and stir gently until both ingredients dissolve (about 1 minute). When yeast is mixed with water at the proper temperature, a smooth, beige mixture results.

3. Let stand for 5 minutes, until a thin layer of creamy foam covers surface, indicating that the yeast is effective. (Note: If bubbles have not formed within 5 minutes, discard mixture and start over with a fresh package of yeast).

Found: Vegan-pizza.com

Ranch Dressing

Ranch Dressing
Vegan; Makes about 1 cup

There are some things with going Vegan that I miss, and this is one of them. I made this to go with the tofu buffalo bites and bacony stuffed dates. Even Grant and Max liked it...

1/4 cup hemp milk
1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon granulated onion powder
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon parsley (fresh or dry)
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Chill until ready to use.

Jalapeno Basil Pesto

Jalapeno Basil Pesto
Vegan

This one is adapted from Show Me the Curry. In this household, we tend to like food on the spicy side. This is the perfect pairing with jalapeno fettuccine and some garlic bread.

1 cup tightly packed fresh basil Leaves
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 large cloves of garlic
1 jalapeno pepper–or to taste, roughly chopped
1/4 cup almonds
1/4 cup vegan Parmesan cheese
Olive Oil – 1/4 cup plus additional as needed for serving
Salt – to taste
White Pepper – to taste
Lemon Juice – to taste

Method:

1. Remove Basil Leaves from the stems and wash well. Place them on a paper towel or clean kitchen towel, cover with another towel and dab dry.

2. Heat 1 tsp Olive Oil in a skillet and quickly saute Garlic and Jalapeno on high heat. Remove into another plate to cool when Garlic turns light brown and Jalapeno skin starts to blister.

3. In a food processor, add almonds and pulse lightly. Add cooled Jalapeno and Garlic and pulse lightly. Add Basil Leaves and pulse until roughly chopped.

4. Add Olive Oil slowly while continuing to pulse. Add vegan Parmesan Cheese and process for about 15 seconds until mixture is smooth but still has a little texture.

5. Remove into a bowl and add Salt, White Pepper and Lemon Juice to taste.

Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Vegan; 45 minutes

This is great as a side dish, and use flavored infused balsamic vinegar. I used a serrano pepper (which I ran out of) and then used a white wine balsamic vinegar. These came out SO good, use the ingredients below as the guideline-using as much or as little....

Ingredients:

Brussels sprouts
garlic, minced
Olive Oil
Freshly Cracked White Pepper
Sea Salt
Balsamic Vinegar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Trim the stem end off the rinsed Brussels sprouts, remove any bad leaves, then cut the sprout in half lengthwise.

2. Place in a bowl and add enough olive oil to lightly coat them – just a tablespoon or so – again depending on how many you are making. Now add a tablespoon or two of balsamic vinegar – about the same amount as the olive oil, garlic, sea salt and white pepper. Marinade for about 5 minutes.

3. Toss this all together well and place on a non-greased baking sheet cut side down. Place in oven and roast 15 minutes. Then turn the sprouts over and cooking another 15 minutes. If your sprouts are large you may need a little more time. Enjoy!

I'm So Blue Mashed Potatoes

I'm So Blue Mashed Potatoes
Vegan; Serves 4

While shopping at the farmers market on Saturday, I was able to find more of my favorite blue potatoes. Since it's Grants birthday, and needing a kid friendly side to go with the portabella mushroom steaks, I made these. Several years ago, I made these for a holiday dinner-the color is a beautiful blueish purple.... Loosely use the measurements below, every taste is different.

1 pound blue potatoes, scrubbed and semi skinned-cut into large-medium chunks
(I like to leave some of the skin on, so they don't fall apart-more rustic)
1-1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1-1 1/2 cups hemp milk
1 Tablespoon Earth Balance
1-2 teaspoons garlic powder
1-2 teaspoons rosemary
sea salt and black pepper to taste (I used 2 pinches of sea salt)

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain.

2. In a large bowl, combine vegetable broth, hemp milk (a little at a time, about 1/2 a cup) with the potatoes. (I used my hand mixer, since my potato masher is in storage.) Using a hand mixer, on the lowest speed mix until liquid is gone. Add earth balance, rosemary and garlic. (Here is where you taste it to see if you need to add more, to get the flavor and texture you want.)

Serve warm and enjoy!

Tofu Feta

Tofu Feta
Vegan; Gluten-Free

I made this (again) to go with the fabulous meal for Bruce and the boys. Even Bruce mentioned that this wouldn't slip past a Greek, but it was an amazing meal.

1 block extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed to remove any extra water (see notes in the blog for an easy tip)
3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 Tablespoons kalamata or other olive juice (from a jar or can of olives packed in water, not oil)
4 Tablespoons of lemon juice
2-3 teaspoons sea salt (I used pinches instead of teaspoons)

1. The night before, freeze the pressed tofu overnight in a freezer safe plastic bag.

2. The next day, let the frozen tofu thaw for about 4 hours and then press again to remove any moisture. (When I did this, I hand squeezed it and there was a lot of moisture.) Crumble into 1/2 inch chunks into a medium bowl.

3. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, olive juice, lemon juice and 2 teaspoons of the sea salt. Drizzle over the tofu and stir to combine.

4. Let rest in the fridge for 1 hour (I let it sit for 30 minutes), stir again and let rest 1 hour longer (I skipped this "rest" step). Add the remaining teaspoon of salt to taste, if desired.
**Will keep fresh in an airtight container for 1 week.

Found: Great Gluten-Free Vegan Eats

Tomato Basil Bisque

Tomato Basil Bisque
Vegan; 2 hrs.

1 small beet, trimmed and peeled
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped celery
6 cups vegetable broth
12 small tomatoes, coarsely chopped, or 1 15-oz. can whole tomatoes
1 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 cup cubed tofu
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Basil leaves, for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Put the beet on a baking sheet and bake until tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. When cool enough to handle, chop and set aside.

3. In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil and add the onion, garlic, and celery. Sauté for 5 to 10 minutes, until tender, stirring occasionally.

4. Add the broth, tomatoes, basil, thyme, and oregano and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool.

5. Transfer the soup, the cooked beet, and the tofu to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. This may have to be done in batches. Return the soup to the pot, gently reheat, and add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish each serving with a whole basil leaf and serve at once.

From The Candle Café Cookbook
by Joy Pierson and Bart Potenza with Barbara Scott-Goodman