For the love of Seitan

My husband has begged me to post this recipe, mainly because it’s not written down and he wants to make it for his lunches. It’s loaded with protien and all the goodness of sea vegetables, plus super-healthy sesame seeds.

Ingredients:

About a pound of yuba, fresh and sliced into 1/2″ thick ribbons
1 or 2 green onions, sliced very thin into small round slices
A handful or two of dried arame
Sesame seeds, black and white
Sesame oil
Chili oil
White vinegar or rice wine vinegar
Soy sauce
Daikon radish, jullienned (optional)

Method:

1. Saute the yuba ribbons in a bit of sesame oil with green onions for about 3-5 minutes on high heat. Add soy sauce to taste and vinegar to taste. Set aside.

2. Boil water, soak the arame in the boiled water for about 10 minutes, until soft. Drain well and place in a large bowl.

3. Add the yuba mixture plus about 1/3 cup each of white and black sesame seeds. Mix well. Add soy sauce, a few drops of chili oil and vinegar as needed. Add daikon radish, if desired. Enjoy cold or at room temperature. Keeps for 1 week in the fridge.

Tags: Uncategorized by kate
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Yesterday I went to a BBQ. The last time I had gone to a BBQ, although there were lots of vegetarian options, there was no vegan dessert, which made me cranky, as I wanted to indulge in some serious sugar. So this time I brought my own. And all I got was a small slice; everyone gobbled it up and begged me for the recipe. I only wish I had snapped a photo. But I’m sure I’ll make it again, so I’ll update this post with a nice yummy photograph at some point.

I have to admit though, the recipe is not mine. I used this great recipe from The Joy of Vegan Baking by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, which incidentally, is the best vegan baking cookbook I’ve ever found. I’ve made lemon bars, peanut butter cookies, fruit tarts, and even fudge, all vegan, and all turning out perfectly. I highly recommend it.

Ingredients for Crust:

1 cup of raw almonds

1 cup of raw pecans

1 full cup of Medjool pitted dates

1/4 tsp salt

Method for Crust:

Put nuts in a food processor, blend until it’s a coarse meal. Add the dates and salt and blend until thoroughly combined. Press into a nonstick 8 or 9 inch springform pan or tart pan. Set aside.

Ingredients for Pie:

5 cups sliced Chandler strawberries (any variety will do but Chandler are particularly sweet).

1 cup ripe Chandler strawberries, whole with the tops cut off

5 Medjool pitted dates, soaked for 10 minutes in warm water and drained

2 tsp lemon juice

Method for Pie:

1. Arrange the sliced strawberries on the prepared crust, set aside.

2. In a food processor, blend the whole strawberries with the dates and lemon juice. Puree until smooth. Pour over the sliced strawberries, smooth out to fill in any holes.

3. Refrigerate one hour at least.

Tags: Fancypants by kate
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I had a mean craving for huevos rancheros brunch this morning. This is what I whipped up. Yum.

Ingredients:

4 tbsp olive oil
1 small red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium yukon gold potato, diced
1 serrano chile, diced
1.5 tbsp fresh oregano, minced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
2 roma tomatoes, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
4oz tempeh
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1/2 cup Daiya mozzerella “cheese”
1 can refried vegetarian beans
4 corn tortillas
Tapatillo to taste
1/3 cup soyrizo

Method:

1. Saute the red onion on high in olive oil until it gets soft. Add the potato, garlic, serrano, oregano and season with salt and pepper to taste. Saute for 5 minutes, then add the tempeh and saute another 5 min or so, until the potatoes get a brown crisp.

2. Add the bell pepper and tomato, saute a few minutes more until the bell pepper is soft.

3. Heat the refried beans, set aside.

4. Add the Daiya cheese and cilantro to the tempeh mixture. Stir well, remove from heat when the cheese is melted. Add Tapatillo to taste. Set aside.

5. Heat the soyrizo in the microwave for 1 minute, then the corn tortillas for 1 minute.

6. To assemble, lay two tortillas on each plate, just overlapping at one edge. Smooth half the can of refried beans on top, then top with half the tempeh mixture. Sprinkle the soyrizo on top.

Tags: Recipes by kate
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I’m just getting into experimenting a bit with cooking. For most of my cooking life, I have been a strict recipe follower. But having taken a cooking class and having paid attention in the kitchen with my mother in-law, I am slowly learning the fun of no-recipe cooking.

I was craving soup the other day a while back. It was cold and rainy and the end of the week, so I didn’t want to take too long making dinner. I devised this soup while daydreaming about Alice’s broccoli soup and a white bean soup I had at the Ritz Carlton one evening that was flavoured with maple. Both soups were amazing, so last night I thought i’d try a combination and see what happened. It was surprisingly delicious! Good for those cold icky nights when it’s best to just stay indoors in front of a nice fire or watching QI or something.

The next time I make this recipe, I think I’ll try to substitute the maple syrup with 1/4 cup of hot water with rehydrated candycap mushrooms. Same delicious flavor, none of the extra sugar. I’ll let you know how it works out.

2 heads broccoli, cut into florets
1 shallot, sliced
3-4 cloves garlic, sliced
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, destemmed
3/4 cup fresh sage, chopped
1 can navy beans, drained
2 can cannelini beans, drained
1/4 cup maple syrup
4 cups hot water
1/4 cup dried porcini mushrooms
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Saute the shallot in olive oil on high. When browned, add garlic, rosemary and sage. After about 1 minute, add broccoli and saute until the broccoli turns a bright green. Add maple syrup, cook for another few minutes.

2. Hydrate the mushrooms in the hot water for 5 minutes. Add to the broccoli, and add the beans. Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat to boiling, then turn down heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Blend with a hand mixer. Adjust salt and pepper as needed.

Tags: Uncategorized by kate
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