When I started eating vegetarian, my mother would buy me seitan and veggie burgers all the time, since we didn't have a lot of time to cook, and I didn't really know how to cook. Now I barely eat them, because I pretty much hate those things after so many years.
But, since I wanted to use what I had in my pantry (I'm watching my euros, mind you) and the package of gluten was half full (haha, I must be an optimistic!), I decided to try my hands on seitan. I used the recipe of Veganomicon, minus the nutritional yeast because I'm out and it's expensive.
The final result was just amazing. My boyfriend loved it and we ate it all in a couple of days! As you can see, I sliced it thin and made a stir fry with black eyed beans and kale (with pasta!). And also...
With carrots and potato salad (my boyfriend's parents made this, quite tasty, although by the time we ate it at home it had marinated too long, an euphemism to say it was old).
I also made cookies last week, and they came out great! I'm not going to take credit for it, it was Veganomicon's recipe for Terry's favorite almond cookies, but changed: with one tablespoon blackstrap molasses instead of the rice syrup, and with ginger but without the sesame touch. Oh! and whole wheat and with brown sugar, of course!
Last, but not least, my latest atempt to like quinoa. I want to like it, because I know it has a lot of calcium, but I surely don't enjoy it as much as millet, for example. This time, I fried garlic and onions before adding the quinoa, and I used homemade veggie stock instead of water. It was a lot better!
Phew! that was a long post, wasn't it? To prepare you for the next post... I'm gonna give a second try to an old foe of mine. Stay tuned!
28 comments:
Looks great!!
Everyone knows how to make seitan but me:( hehe
It just seems so difficult but yours looks like it belongs in Veganomicon!
I've never been able to find Seitan or gluten flour here in the UK, so I'm a recent convert, just making it in the breadmaker. I think people make it sound harder than it is.
Aredcardigan - It's really quite hypnotic to make. Google away and you'll find lots of different methods. Lots of dough washing, but it's very much the sort of thing you can do while thinking about something else! The plus point for me is it's so cheap.
Danke for stopping by.
Anyway who can make seitan is a hero..well heroine to me. I think it's just easier if you save me some left overs...IF there are any left...hehe.
MsDerious - wanted to leave a comment on ur blogs but couldnt? Thanks for the tip...I guess anything that requires more than 3 steps is beyond my capabilities.
(sorry Alice to leave this long comment)
I just received my copy of Veganomicon, and these two recipes will definitely get tested over the Holidays!
I dislike hot quinoa also, but I've found that making a cold salad out of it with finely chopped cucumber, tomato and scallion, and a "dressing" of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper, actually makes it edible (it's even better the next day). Salads are a bit unseasonable right now, though, so I try to remember to add a few tablespoons of quinoa to my soups, stews, etc.
Oh thank goodness there's another one of us... I thought I was the only one who just couldn't make myself like quinoa! I try so hard! (And I'm still not giving up.)
The kale/beans and seitan plate looks awesome!
Btw. I replied to your question on my blog.
your homemade seitan looks stellar, Alice! makes me wish my stomach didn't disagree with that much wheat gluten. always makes me sadface that seitan upsets my stomach so much. it's so frustrating - especially when i see awesome homemade yumminess like yours! i want some! :D seitan is so versitile & delicious! mmmmmmmm!
your cookies look absolutely perfect, Alice! and i love your substitutions! brilliant! molasses are my fav!
i am looking forward to your next post! superexcitedface! and i'm glad that you're getting to like quinoa a bit more. i'm trying to get to like raw carrots more. they're still not my favorite and i'm determined to like them! ahahahaha!
hope you're having a wonderful week!
It looks so delicious!!! And by it I mean EVERYTHING!
I like how you say your latest attempt to like quinoa. I feel the same way everytime I try something new with it. As soon as the quinoa I have is gone I don't think I'll be buying anymore.
Yay! I love homemade seitan. So tasty. And I'm also ambivalent about quinoa - I want to like it, but it's just not as tasty to me as other grains.
My husband is the same with quinoa - he just doesn't get into it most of the time. I dig it just fine, but his favourite was is when I do a faux tuna salad and stuff tomatoes with it - that he loves.
I want me one of those cookies!!
Mmmm it all looks so yummy! Given my tofu/soy problems, seitan is always a staple in my house (lol, I have an overloaded freezer full of it right now :P)
Love the cookies too :)
We don't eat seitan that often either, but we do like it a lot. Lately, I've been adding a little gluten flour for texture whenever I make bean based balls or burgers, Veganomicon's chick pea cutlet style.
Good luck with your quinoa project, I'm sure you'll get used to it soon! I prefer rice, couscous and bulgur, but Anni is completely hooked on quinoa, so we eat it quite often!
That looks great! I tried the seitan from Vegan planet last month and it was a total mess! The only recipe I have ever had luck with is vcon! Yours looks awesomely yummy. Might try it again on the weekend - it freezes so well.
Your seitan looks great. I hated it when I first made it, but it's something I've grown to love.
The cookies look great too, I haven't tried that recipe yet!
I've yet to try both the seitan and cookies, I've been lusting after them for some time.
what can I do to make you like quinoa? It's so awesome. Have you tried baking with it?
Oh Alice, that plate of seitan with peas and kale is making me salivate! I love your healthy combinations. I'll have to try those things together.
congrats on the seitan! So glad it worked out.
Wow your cookie looks so perfect: as a perfect round cookie. Hey, and congrat. with your first homemade seitan. Satifying isn't it? I tried the same recipe, and I liked it too. But yours look better than mine.
congratulations on your success with seitan - it's something I've had mixed results with, but intend on persevering until I have a recipe everyone likes!
Veganomicon is such a great book. It's fantastic that you found several uses for your batch of seitan. I hope it converted you back into a seitan-lover (or at least an appreciater). :)
Quinoa can be so yucky! I always have it with a ridiculous amount of veggies, so rather than eating "quinoa with veggies" I end up eating "veggies with quinoa"! :)
You are making me have a craving for some homemade seitan!!
I just love homemade seitan. Even when gluten flour is a bit expensive, it's such an economical alternative to store bought fake meats.
Sounds like lots of yummy foods! Congrats on your seitan success!
Hooray for homemade seitan! It's so worth the effort.
I'm not huge on quinoa either, but I eat it fairly often because it's so good for you, and quick to cook. I made a fried rice dish with quinoa a couple weeks ago that was really good - just a bit of rice mixed with quinoa, stir-fried veggies and lots of soy sauce. You wouldn't even know it was quinoa instead of rice, I don't think.
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