Living Vegan For Dummies - Alexandra Jamieson [88]
2 While the blender is running, drizzle in the oil until incorporated. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Per serving: Calories 156 (From Fat 137); Fat 15g (Saturated 2g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 131mg; Carbohydrate 4g; Dietary Fiber 1g; Protein 1g.
Filling Up with Some Sensational Sides
The side dishes in this section are so good that you may just want to make a meal of several of them. They’re versatile and pair well with countless main dishes. The seitan is an incredible base for numerous recipes, but it also can stand alone as a simple protein for making sandwiches or reheating for a quick snack. The rice balls can be eaten alone for a midday snack or laid on the table alongside homemade soups and casseroles. Kale chips serve as a lovely and healthy stand-in for the deep-fried potato version found in stores. Keep in mind that because you cook all these side dishes yourself, you can control the quality of the ingredients and the cooking techniques.
Homemade “Wheat Meat”
Seitan is a protein-rich, easy-to-flavor ingredient used in many vegan dishes. Making seitan at home saves you money and reduces plastic packaging waste. This useful ingredient can be bought at the store, but once you start making it at home, you’ll feel empowered and prepared for many different dishes like soup, stew, sauces, and stir-fry. The kneading process can be fun and satisfying. It hearkens back to the days when our great-great-grandparents churned butter and made their bread from scratch. You can easily double this recipe — just use a really big bowl and pot!
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours
Yield: 4 servings
Seitan
3 cups vital wheat gluten flour
1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes
2 cups cold water
1/2 cup naturally brewed soy sauce (tamari, shoyu, or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos)
1 Place the vital wheat gluten flour and nutritional yeast flakes in a large mixing bowl and stir well with a whisk to combine.
2 While stirring with a wooden spoon, gradually pour the cold water and soy sauce into the flour to form a stiff, but not too sticky, dough that can be kneaded.
3 Knead the dough for about 5 minutes to develop the gluten. The dough will become elastic. (See Figure 13-1 for instructions on kneading dough.)
4 When the dough is finished, set it aside and prepare the simmering stock (as shown in the following recipe).
Simmering stock
8 cups water
1 cup naturally brewed soy sauce (tamari, shoyu, or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos)
5 quarter-sized slices of ginger
5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 bay leaf
5 inches kombu
1 In a large pot, combine the water, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, bay leaf, and kombu.
2 Pull pieces of the seitan dough (see preceding recipe) into small billiard-size balls. Drop the pieces into the cold liquid, one at a time, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
3 Bring the stock to a boil, lower to a simmer, and then cover and cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, depending on the size of the pieces.
4 Allow the seitan to cool to room temperature in the broth and store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container, submerged in the broth.
Tip: You can buy your own seitan at most health food stores in the refrigerator section near the tofu. Some are teriyaki flavored or cut into strips for immediate stir-fry use.
Vary It! Seitan can be flavored to your liking. Instead of the traditional ginger and garlic marinade, try premade, vegan “no-chicken” broth. An Italian blend of herbs can include garlic, red wine, onion flakes, rosemary, marjoram, fennel seeds, and red pepper flakes.
Per serving: Calories 804 (From Fat 28); Fat 3g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 3,705mg; Carbohydrate 162g; Dietary Fiber 16g; Protein 34g.
Kale Chips
Crunchy, salty, and satisfying, these chips replace the deep-fried potato version in many vegan homes. Eating a leafy green vegetable while getting your chip fix is a pretty amazing feat. Kids and adults alike love these little crunchy morsels, so you may need to buy a few