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Reply to "50 Hearty Vegetarian Recipes (That Even Omnivores Will Love)"

Seitan

 

Seitan is a faux meat made from wheat gluten (sorry, gluten-free friends), and it’s pretty amazing. It’s dense, chewy, and when done well can be oddly similar to meat. It works great baked, fried, or tossed together with a stir-fry. These great recipes below will get you started with the heartiest option to feed your omnivore friends.

 

 

Seitan Kebabs with Sangria Tomato Salad | From The Lusty Vegan © 2014 by Ayinde Howell and Zoe Eisenberg

 

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11 - Better-than-Beef Meatless Meat

(learn how to make your own seitan!)

 

Better-than-Beef Meatless Meat

Better-than-Beef Meatless Meat
 
 

Seitan/Wheat-Meat (made from wheat gluten flour) is one of the best meat substitutes for flavor absorption as well as texture. High in protein and low in fat, seitan (when properly prepared) will win over the meat-oholics in your life, from kids to grown-ups.

 

Once cooked, it can be used fresh or frozen until needed. When it’s defrosted, you can simply slice it into strips and serve with different sauces or ground in a food processor for tacos, lasagna, chili, or any other recipe where one would usually use ground beef.

 

Wheat gluten is the natural protein portion of wheat that is extracted when wheat is milled into flour. In its processed form, wheat gluten is a fine, tan-colored flour consisting of about 75-80 percent protein. You may be familiar with it as an additive to home-made bread, because the extra gluten helps the bread to stick together and therefore rise better without collapsing.

 

As many people know, gluten can cause allergic reactions or sensitivities in some people, which means that seitan is not a food to serve to your friends with wheat allergies! But for those who don’t react badly to gluten, seitan is a good source of protein and can be a big help for those transitioning to veganism.

 

Because of its amazing ability to imitate meat, seitan is a great food to serve at educational events or meals with non-vegan friends and family. When you add it to sauteed veggies and season it up with your favorite flavors or sauces, it is bound to surprise people who are not expecting the meal to contain any meat.

 

To make an easy, delicious dish for vegan educational events or pot-lucks, you can simply sauté up some onions and garlic with thinly sliced cabbage or dark garden greens. Mix this together with some sliced seitan that has been marinating in a pre-made vegan barbecue sauce, and then bake it in a casserole dish for 30-40 minutes. We served this recently at a vegan booth at a local fair, and people went wild over it. One diner commented that it was the best food she had ever eaten. You can’t get much better than that!

 
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Seitan (basic recipe)
yields five 3″ x 3″ pieces

 

18-20 cups water (for boiling)
1/2 tsp. sea salt
4 1/2 cups gluten flour
1/2 cup nutritional yeast (optional)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. sea salt
1 Tbsp. herb salt (such as Herbamare)
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. oregano (optional)
3 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup tamari or substitute

 

1.  In a large pot, add sea salt to the water and bring to a boil.
2.  In a medium-sized bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, yeast & spices). Stir well.
3.  In a separate bowl or measuring cup, mix together the remaining liquids.
4.  Add liquid to the dry and mix thoroughly until dough is consistent (solid and firm, yet not dry).
5.  Pour onto tray and knead dough until all air is removed. Form a rectangular loaf on the tray and cut into even pieces (approximately 3″ x 3&Prime.
6.  Place the cut dough into boiling water. Boil for 45-50 minutes.
7.  Remove a piece and cut it to see if it is done. (It should be firm all the way through).
8.  Take out and cool on a tray. If not for immediate use, leave in large pieces and freeze. Keeps well in the freezer. When removing from freezer, defrost then prepare as directed in recipe.

FM
Last edited by Former Member
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