French Toast

Another recipe from Sunday brunch today. I made this one up on the spot in an attempt to use up the Italian loaf I bought earlier this week, and then promptly forgot about, and which has been getting staler by the day. I have made French toast before with chickpea flour, but I always thought it had a weird taste (I know, I am a total wuss). This recipe worked out pretty well, I think, but would be interested in what recipes other people have used.

INGREDIENTS

- 8-10 thick slices of stale bread

- 1 cup silken tofu

- 1/2 cup vanilla soy milk

- 1/2 cup soy creamer

- 1/4 cup arrowroot powder

- 2 tbsp brown sugar

- 2 tbsp white sugar

- 2 tsp vanilla

- 1 tsp cinnamon

- 1/4 tsp nutmeg

METHOD

Heat a griddle over med-lo heat

1. Blend all ingredients (except bread, of course) in a food processor or blender until very smooth. Pour into a shallow dish.

2. Dip bread into mixture, coating both sides and letting excess drain off. Place into lightly oiled (margarined?) non-stick pan and fry for 5-6 mins, flipping every 1-2 mins. The trick here is to not let the sugar in the batter burn, but to cook it long enough for the toast to firm up. Once firm to the touch, remove from pan and serve.

Chick'n Tofu Pita Wraps

We took the boys to the Science Centre today for a final hurrah before March Break comes to an end. We always pack our lunch when we go there since vegan options are non-existent, and the food is expensive and generates a bunch of garbage. The most popular choice of the other families there today was Pizza Hut personal pizzas and Pepsi. As I sat there munching my Tofurkey wrap and banana I mused about the caloric and health differences between my meal and theirs. Well, according to the Pizza Hut website, one cheese only personal pizza has 680 calories, 28g of fat (12g of those saturated fat), 55mg of cholesterol, and 1350mg of sodium. Add a small Pepsi and you are at least 780 calories. In other words, if you are kid, you just had about all your allowed daily calories in one meal, with a huge dose of fat, sugar, and sodium.

Since we spent the day away, we needed a quick meal when we got home. This fit the bill.

Chick'n Tofu
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pkg firm tofu, pressed, cubed
- 1/3 cup flour
- 3 tbsp vegan chicken broth powder
- 1 tsp salt
- oil for frying

- large pitas
- sliced tomatoes
- sliced cucumbers
- sliced red onion
- shredded romaine lettuce
- vegan mayo
- plum sauce

METHOD
1. Heat a layer of oil in a frying pan over medium to med-hi heat. Whisk flour and broth powder together. Toss tofu cubes in flour mixture. Fry in batches in oil for about 5 mins, turning regularly to brown on all sides. Remove from oil and drain. (see pic below)
2. Cut pita halfway around the circumference, open up pocket, and fold down resulting flap. Fill pitas with fixins (whatever suits your fancy--above is what I used).
3. Tuck flap around filling then roll pita tightly.

Pizza, Four Ways

The past few days have been insanely busy, so we have been polishing off the leftovers from earlier in the week (hence no post yesterday). But we all know that kids will only take reheated leftovers for so many nights before they revolt. So, I raided the fridge and made quick and easy pizzas. The crust? Lebanese pitas. The toppings? See below.

Meatless Meatlovers Pizza
- Tomato sauce, pepperoni, sausage, chopped quick seitan, vegan cheese

Alfredo Pizza
- alfredo sauce, steamed broccoli florets, sliced mushrooms, diced quick seitan, vegan cheese
Supreme

- tomato sauce, green peppers, yellow peppers, sausage, pepperoni, sliced mushrooms, vegan cheese
Hawaiian

- tomato sauce, pepperoni, green peppers, yellow peppers, diced pineapple, sliced mushrooms, vegan cheese

Vegan Bratwurst

I know what you are thinking: this guy is going to develop a gluten intolerance with all the seitan he is making. I just can't help experimenting with steamed wheat gluten! This time the plan was to make a bratwurst-like sausage that was lighter and differently spiced than an Italian sausage. Mission accomplished! Most of the bratwurst recipes I looked up online called for mace and caraway seeds. I am not crazy about caraway, and I am not exactly sure what mace tastes like. In any event, I did not have them on hand (but will try them next time I make these). But, they are awesome just the way they are, and even better with sauerkraut piled high on top.

INGREDIENTS

- 1/2 cup white kidney beans, drained and rinsed

- 1 cup plain soy milk

- 1/4 cup ground dried shitake mushrooms (I grind mine in a coffee grinder)

- 1 1/2 tsp salt

- 1 tsp white pepper

- 1 tbsp sugar

- 1/4 tsp allspice

- 1 tsp paprika

- 1 tsp marjoram

- 1 tsp sage

- 1 tsp onion powder

- 1 tsp garlic powder

- 1 1/4 cup vital wheat gluten

METHOD

Get your water on its way to boiling in your steaming apparatus

1. Finely mash beans with a fork, then add in soy milk, mushroom powder, and spices. Mix well. Add in wheat gluten and mix well. Knead for a min or two to bring it all together.

2. Divide in 6 pieces, shape into a sausage, then wrap tightly like a tootsie roll in heavy duty aluminum foil. Steam for 35 mins.

Best Ever Vegan Alfredo!

I saw this recipe while perusing Don't Get Mad, Get Vegan last night. The recipe originally comes from Lachesis on the PPK forum. I am always on the lookout for a great white sauce, and have tried my hand at my own (see here). This one is pretty much the same idea but was oh so much better! Smooth, creamy, and totally like actual alfredo! This is what I will be serving next time I have omnis over for dinner (but I think I will add roasted garlic for more depth of flavour). The original recipe calls for mushrooms marinated in vegan Worcestershire sauce (which I can't get here), and since Son#1 complains every time he see a whole, or partially whole, mushroom I decided to leave them out. So, be sure to look at the original post. Instead, I made a half-recipe of quick seitan cutlets which I sliced with the pasta and sauce. Incredible!

INGREDIENTS

- 1/2 cup margarine

- 2 cups plain soymilk

- 1 pkg extra firm silken tofu (Mori-Nu)

- 2 tbsp white wine

- 2 tbsp onion powder

- 2 tsp garlic powder

- 2 tsp sea salt

- 1 tsp pepper

- 1/4 tsp nutmeg

- 2-3 tbsp arrowroot powder

METHOD

1. Blend all ingredients except arrowroot powder in a food processor until creamy and smooth. Heat in a saucepan over med-lo heat until just about bubbling.

2. Remove some of the sauce and mix with 2 tbsp of the arrowroot, then add back to the saucepan. Heat, but don't boil. If sauce is too thin, add the remaining tbsp (or more). Whisk smooth.

3. Serve over pasta with peas and seitan slices.