My Mom’s Seitan Dish for Thanksgiving

22 Nov

My Mom pulled this out one year and it is the BEST protein dish I have eaten for Thanksgiving.  I don’t like Tofurkey and the other fake meat deli slices, so I usually stick to fresh veggies, potatoes, and stuffing for Thanksgiving with my family.  I personally would be fine with tons of awesome vegetables.  But now I request this dish each year.  This year I will be making it, along with Brussels sprouts.

Original recipe from About.com

I will post photos later, once I’ve made mine for Thursday.  Just a heads up that the recipe calls for honey, but as a vegan I don’t eat honey, so I plan to try agave nectar or maybe even maple syrup.

Lemon Parsley Seitan

The longer you allow your seitan to marinate, the more moist and flavorful your seitan (or vegetarian “chicken”) will be, so I usually like to let mine marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

Serves 4 as an entree or 6 as a first course

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 6-8 cups vegetarian chicken-flavored broth or water
  • 2 2/3 cup vital wheat gluten
  • 2 T. nutritional yeast
  • 1 T. salt (if using broth, reduce this to 2 t.)
  • ¼ cup white wine
  • 1 ¾ cup water
  • For the Lemon Parsley Sauce:
  • 2 cups rice milk, divided
  • 2 T. flour
  • 2 T. Dijon mustard
  • 2 T. honey
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 t. salt, or to taste
  • Pepper, to taste

Preparation:

1. Pour the vegetable broth or water into a large stockpot and bring to a boil.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the vital wheat gluten, nutritional yeast and salt. In another bowl, combine the white wine and water. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry with a wooden spoon and knead until forming a sponge-like, tough dough. Knead the dough until it is slightly pliable, about 2-3 minutes. Cut the dough into 6” strips about 2 “ wide and ¼” thick.

3. In a lightly oiled skillet over medium-high heat, brown the pieces of seitan on both sides (this will keep your “meat” from falling apart in the broth). As the seitan pieces are browned, place them in the boiling broth and allow them to simmer for about 30 minutes, or until they have expanded and risen to the surface. Remove the seitan with a slotted spoon or spatula and place in a small ovenproof dish just large enough to fit the seitan.

5. While the seitan is in the boiling broth, make the lemon parsley sauce. Combine ¼ cup of the rice milk with the flour in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring well until incorporated. Add the remaining ingredients and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste, and remove the pan from the heat.

6. Pour the sauce over the seitan and allow the mixture to cool slightly. Place in the refrigerator and allow the seitan to marinate for 1 hour to overnight.

7. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Allow the seitan to sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before baking.

8. Bake the seitan until slightly browned, about 20 minutes. Serve hot, spooning extra sauce over the seitan pieces.

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Stop drinking milk and reduce your acne breakouts!

9 Aug

Here is a great article that explains the link between milk and sugar and… acne!  I know we’ve all heard it before, but it seems that there have finally been some articles published after clinical studies that show this linkage.

I didn’t drink milk as a teenager for two reasons: 1) I basically stopped drinking it at age 13 because I thought it was gross, and 2) I went vegan at 16 years old, so I definitely wasn’t drinking it then.  I didn’t have acne problems as a teen and haven’t had it as an adult either.  I know that my personal experience is anecdotal, but I really think that people need to start making connections between their diets and their skin, just like diet effects on energy levels, weight, cholesterol, blood pressure, etc.

This article is a great summary of the research findings and totally worth reading, even if you don’t care about skin health.

http://crazysexylife.com/2011/do-milk-and-sugar-cause-acne/

 

I think the author will appreciate your comments on her article, so if the article resonates with you, and you have something to say as a vegan, please post it to the article and post it here too!

Pizza Party with Vegan options at Lamplighter April 3rd!

21 Mar

RRFP Pizza Party

Pizza Tonight and Lamplighter Roasting Company present an epic pizza party to celebrate reproductive freedom. Join us Sunday, April 3rd in celebrating access to crucial funding and support.
A $25 ticket gets you a fresh green salad, a rustic wood-fired pizza of your choice from our specially selected Pizza Tonight menu and a gourmet dessert. The menu will include vegan, vegetarian, and meat options.   The Better Not Makeouts will be pleasing your ears while you dine on our special menu from Pizza Tonight and of course the coffee bar at Lamplighter will be open for all of your caffeinated beverage needs. (We hope to be able to announce a cash bar for alcohol soon!)
And the vegan part of the menu…
Cheeky Vegan Pizza – Extra virgin olive oil, thinly sliced new potatoes, freshly picked rosemary, and sea salt
Vegan Chocolate Brownies

(to see the full menu, go here http://www.bluarva.blogspot.com/)
ALL profits go to the National Network of Abortion Funds Virginia fund, the Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project, who seek to further reproductive justice by providing practical and financial support for abortion services in Virginia and surrounding communities. RRFP strives to be a resource to the community by engaging in grassroots advocacy for the full spectrum of reproductive rights.

*Tickets are limited, so buy yours now!  We can’t guarantee you a spot at this lovely party if you don’t buy your ticket ahead of time: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/165742

PIZZA PARTY!
Lamplighter Roasting Company

116 South Addison Street
Richmond, VA
April 3rd 2011
7-10pm
$25

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Lentil Loaf (Vegan Meatloaf)

7 Mar

From The New Farm Vegetarian Cookbook.  If you are vegan, you should own this cookbook.

Lentil Loaf

Cook 1 1/2 cups rinsed lentil in 3 1/2 cups of water until tender.  Partially mash lentils and mix with 2 onions that have been fried in 1/4 cup oil.  Add to lentils and onions:

2 cups cooked rice

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. salt

1/4 cup catsup or barbecue sauce

1 tsp. sage

1/2 tsp. marjoram

Press into an oiled loaf pan and spread catsup or barbeque sauce on top.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

* I made this last night and added 1/2 cup of multi-colored quinoa.  It was delish, although sometimes I like to add more salt than the recipe calls for.

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Vegan Cuts offers vegan coupons

7 Mar

I joined this today.   I can only tell you what the site says, but I’ll keep you up-to-date on whether or not the coupons are awesome.

http://vegancuts.com/index.php?ref=6ab6b5387ad9

If you’re vegan and love a good deal as much as you love animals, register now and become a Vegan Cuts member. Our members will receive special offers on vegan food, clothing, accessories, body products and more.

Vegan Cuts: A Project From Your Friends at Vegan Backpacker

Vegan Backpacker

Vegan Backpacker is a blog by Jill and John, two vegans who spent 2010 traveling around the world and writing about their eating adventures. Vegan Cuts, the second project from this vegan couple, combines their love for buying vegan products and saving money with coupons.

Do you represent a vegan company?

Vegan Cuts members are looking for great deals on vegan products and services.Send us an email if you’re interested in reaching our members by offering an exclusive discount or coupon.

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John Camp of Vegan Outreach at VCU tomorrow

23 Feb

Thursday, February 24 · 5:30pm - 7:00pm

VCU Starke House, 915 West Franklin Street 1st floor conference room

Jon Camp is Director of Outreach for Vegan Outreach. He will speak about his experiences working for Vegan Outreach, why we should focus our efforts on the plight of farmed animals, and how each one of us can use our limited time and resources to make a big impact for animals. If you are interested in being a more effective animal advocate, this is one talk that you won’t want to miss!

Jon has spent the last seven years traveling the country on behalf of VO’s Adopt a College outreach program, reaching out to college students with the plight of farmed animals. Jon has been to over 400 schools throughout North America, leafleting Vegan Outreach materials and giving talks.

*A personal note from Liz:  I really believe in outreach and direct action.   Please consider attending and you will either be inspired to take action to share veganism with others or at the least you will be able to connect with other vegans in Richmond.  I don’t personally know the organizers, but if I wasn’t working, I’d be there in a heartbeat.

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Spiced Chocolate Coffee- Yum!

11 Feb

I haven’t made this yet, but it sounds totally amazing.  I can’t wait to try it this weekend!

Spiced Chocolate Coffee
Makes 7 cups
Ingredients:

•     10 tablespoons ground coffee
•     1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•     1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
•     6 cups water
•     1/2 cup steamed soy milk
•     3 tablespoons agave nectar
•     1/8 teaspoon cocoa powder

Preparation:
Combine coffee, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a coffee filter. Brew with 6 cups of water in a coffeemaker, according to coffeemaker’s instructions.

Mix steamed soymilk, agave nectar, and cocoa.
Pour coffee into mugs, and top with steamed soymilk mixture.

*credit to Bethenny Frankel for the recipe.

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