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from La Dolce Vegan! by Sarah Kramer
1/4 c flour
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 c “milk”
faux chicken (recipe follows)
3-4 tbsp olive oil (I used canola)
In a shallow dish, stir together the flour, paprika, salt, and pepper. Set aside. In a small bowl, pour “milk” and set aside. Dip “chicken” into flour, then dip in “milk,” and then into the flour again. In a large frying pan on medium-high heat, fry “chicken” in oil until well browned on both sides. Makes 2 large or 4 small servings.
Faux Chicken
1 recipe basic instant gluten
Broth:
2 c water
1/4 c nutritional yeast
2 tbsp tamari
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp celery seed
In a large saucepan, bring all of the broth ingredients to a boil. Slice gluten into 4-6 pieces. Drop carefully into broth. Reduce heat and cover with lid. Let simmer 50-60 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until broth has reduced completely.
I’ve been eyeballing this recipe ever since I made my first batch of “wheat meat.” This was the type of recipe that really got me going for chicken when I was little- it is so reminiscent of the baked chicken my mom made as an alternative to fried. But it’s fried! This is probably the second thing I’ve fried- in my 30-plus years here on this earth; the first being a batch of donuts my sister and I cooked up on the d-low while my parents were out of the house. Naughty! Fried food was saved for special occasions, so it’s generally off my radar. I don’t even know how to properly dispose of the oil! I went easy on it for this batch, so that I could just send it down the drain with suds. There was definitely a resting period on some paper towels to eliminate the excess oil between frying pan and plate. Once it got to my plate, I couldn’t photograph it fast enough. Good thing it retained its heat! As I was eating it, I made sure to slow down and really savor every bite- it was DIVINE. Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside… it’s going to be tough to resist making this each time it’s faux meat making day.
Now- about the recipes. I like to make my faux meats in big batches. Spending a few hours in the kitchen is a big commitment, so I want to get a lot out of it. I made eight batches this time! In two pots. I had a pot of “beef” and a pot of “chicken.” I’ve also tried the “ham” from this book, and it’s really REALLY good. Smoky and authentic. The faux “turkey” was really good in a Shepherd’s Pie that I made a while back. The “fish” I didn’t much care for, but Mike liked it. (BTW of all my cookbooks, I’d say this one gets the most use. Really, if you’re going vegan cookbook shopping, this is the one for quick and easy yummies.) It’s pretty easy to divide up the basic instant gluten recipe among a few pots of broth, and I highly recommend doing it. You save SO MUCH money over buying seitan in the store, and the taste and quality is so much better.
Once you have your “chicken” breasts all ready to go, the fried “chicken” recipe is really easy, and fast. And to think I was always afraid of frying food. Just make sure you have some greens to balance out the guilt!
from La Dolce Vegan! by Sarah Kramer
for the Dressing:
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp oil (e.g. flax, hemp, grapeseed)
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
for the Salad:
1/4 c quinoa, washed and rinsed
1 19-oz can black beans, rinsed
2 green onions, minced
1 large tomato, chopped
1 large celery stalk, chopped
1/4 small green bell pepper, chopped
1 small avocado, cubed
1/4 c cilantro, finely chopped
1/4 c frozen corn niblets
In a small pot of water, cook the quinoa accordingly. While the quinoa is cooking, in a large bowl, stir together the black beans, onions, tomatoes, celery, green peppers, avocado, and cilantro. Set aside. In a small bowl, stir together the oils, vinegar, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Set aside. Once quinoa is done, remove from heat and stir in the corn. Let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Remove lid and let quinoa cool. Add quinoa and dressing to salad and toss together well. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Makes 2 large or 4 small servings.
I have a confession to make. This is not a new recipe. In fact, I’ve made this salad so many times that I don’t even read the recipe anymore. HOWEVER, I’ve made a spectacular modification to the salad, that I feel deserves to be shared. Mango. I’ve omitted the corn and put fresh mango in its place, and does it taste gooood. Of course, since it’s not frozen, no need to add it to the hot quinoa. Just toss it in with the rest of the salad ingredients. I love to take this salad to family dinners, since it’s soy- and gluten-free, which my sister requires.
Of course, my version of this salad never contains cilantro. Nobody seems to miss it. There’s a lot going on here, both in the texture and flavor realms. Green pepper adds a nice crunch, quinoa a little pop, and the chili powder a nice subtle zing that’s mellowed by avocado. I’ve used grapeseed oil in the past, with the corn version, and it made it just a little lighter and fruitier. For my mango substitution I used only olive oil and it was just as tasty.
Also, it’s hard to find a 19-ounce can of beans (I think it’s a Canadian thing). I usually use 2 15-ounce cans; and I double the recipe and it still seems beany enough. To be honest my salad ingredients are never measured and are way off… whole green pepper, 1/2 cup quinoa (which, by the way, cooks ever so delightfully in your rice cooker), 2 large avocados… obviously this is a flexible salad. I’m wondering what kind of variation you might try?
Faux Beef recipe comes from La Dolce Vegan! by Sarah Kramer
So, there are actually three little recipes here…
One of my favorite quick and easy meals is the stir fry. So many variations, so easy. Usually I use a store-bought protein, but this time I put on my kneading gloves (or rather, took off my rings) and got to work. It was easy! And much easier on my wallet. I bought the vital wheat gluten flour in bulk, and it ended up costing maybe 20% what it would’ve cost had I purchased the prepared seitan. Plus, you get to control the flavor! Mine turned out pretty spicy. I think next time I’ll try baking the faux beef after cooking it, as it was just a tad rubbery. Also, I would make several of her other faux meat flavors at a time- she also has “turkey,” “fish,” and “chicken” to try… so if I’m standing over the stove for over an hour, at least I’m multitasking! I can’t wait to knead again!!!
Basic Instant Gluten
1/2 c instant vital wheat gluten flour
1/2 c water
In a medium bowl, stir together the wheat gluten and water until it becomes elastic. Knead for 5 minutes and set aside. Makes 2 large or 4 small servings.
Here’s what we have so far:

All cut up and ready for a broth bath (don’t let them sit up against each other for too long, or else they’ll glob back together!):

Faux Beef
2 c water
1/4 c tamari
2 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (I used extra)
1/4 tsp dried sage
In a large saucepan, bring all of the broth ingredients to a boil. Slice the gluten into steaks, chunks or strips and drop them carefully into broth. Reduce heat and cover with lid. Let simmer for 50-60 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until broth has reduced completely. Use “beef” immediately in your dish of choice or store in the refrigerator (for up to 6 days) or the freezer (for up to 6 months). For a chewier texture, once you’ve boiled the “beef,” bake it at 350 in a lightly oiled baking dish for 30 minutes. Makes 2 large or 4 small servings.
Here’s the broth bath, 30 minutes in:

I cooked this for just over an hour, and there was about 1/2 c of thick broth left. Perfect to add to my stir fry! I put it in the fridge to go into our dinner that night. Here’s what went in to the final dish. I didn’t measure the ingredients, so you should adjust to what feels and tastes right to you, especially when it comes to that sauce!
Faux Beef Broccoli Ginger Stir Fry
2 c brown rice
1 tbsp canola oil
1/3 c chopped red onion
1 large crown broccoli florets
1 recipe faux beef
Sauce
1 tbsp agave syrup
3 tbsp Braggs
1 tsp chili sauce (such as Sriracha)
1 tsp powdered ginger (fresh would be even better)
Start cooking your rice. Prepare your sauce and set it aside. Heat the oil in a large wok or saucepan, and add the onions and broccoli. Once the broccoli is almost cooked to your liking (we like ours pretty green and crispy still), add the faux beef and any broth you have left over. Since it’s already cooked, you just need to warm it. Then, add the sauce and cook for a minute or so. Serve on top of your rice. Makes 2 HUGE or 4 good servings.