Vegetarian Recipes Tested From Kara's Kitchen

Bar B Q Seitan

Seitan Is A Great Vegan/Vegetarian Meat Substitute Which Picks Up Many Flavors When Seasonings Are Added To Gluten Flour. Today's Photo Is Bar B Q Seitan. The Bar B Q Sauce Was Added As The Liquid To The Flour To Receive That Bar B Q Flavor. The Recipe Below Is For Plain Seitan. Check Out The Many Other Seasonings Listed Below Or Add Your Own. Great!

Ingredients:

Dry Ingredients: In Large Bowl
1 cup vital wheat gluten
3 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
Whisk together

Wet Ingredients: In Another Bowl
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup soy sauce(Braggs)
2 gloves garlic (minced)
Mix together with whisk
Note: to get that Bar B Q Flavor, add your favorite Bar B Q sauce in the place of the Braggs

Proper Broth:
4 cups vegetable broth
4 cups water Note: For More Bar B Q Flavor add 2 cups of water and 2 cups Bar B Q Sauce
1/8 cup soy sauce (Braggs)
Note: Bar B Q can be added in place of Braggs

* not incl. in nutrient facts

Directions:

Step One:

Mix the wet ingredients with the vital wheat gluten in the bowl.

Stir until mixture begins to resemble dough.

Step Two:

Dust a bread board or other kneading surface with wheat gluten flour.

Roll the dough onto the kneading surface. Knead gently until the dough is springy and smooth and tight! Let rest for a few moments.

Step Three:

Cut the dough into small squares or strips and flatten them out a little

Step Four:

Proper Broth:

4 cups vegetable broth

4 cups water Note: Replace half of water with Bar B Q Sauce for Bar B Q Flavor

1/8 cup soy sauce(Braggs) Note: for More Bar B Q flavor, replace Braggs with Bar B Q Sauce.

Pour in a Sauce Pot. Place pot on stove on medium heat and bring the liquid to a simmer.

Step Five:

Slide the pieces of dough into the simmering broth. Make sure they stay separate as they cook.

They should not stick together if they are of proper consistency.

Step Six:

Simmer the dough for 1 hour, turning occasionally.

The seitan pieces will expand and firm up as they cook.

Step Seven:

Remove the seitan from the pot with a slotted spoon and let them drain and cool in colander.

Freeze them until ready to use.

Tips & Warnings: Don't worry about overcooking seitan -- it is very forgiving. Just don't let the liquid simmer away, or the seitan will burn.

Take Care Not To Add Too Much Water. Gooey Dough Will Not Cook Properly Into Seitan.

Make Sure You Use Vital Vheat Gluten, not Regular Wheat Flour For This Recipe. (This can be made directly from regular flour if so desired. That’s another recipe all together.)

For Flavored Seitan: You must season gluten flour first: 3-4 teaspoon of seasonings below.

Indian: Cumin, Coriander, Curry, Salt and or Pepper

Italian: Oregano, Rosemary, Thyme, Basil (ground)

Mexican: Garlic, Cumin, Cayenne Pepper, Cilantro

Asian: Ginger, Garlic, Onion

First published: 2012-12-09 last updated: 2012-12-09

Vegetarian Recipes Tested From Kara's Kitchen

Black Bean Quesadillas

Here is a healthy yet plain and simple recipe for my Black Bean Quesadilla. It’s also a yummy recipe for Black Bean Chili!!. You can add any combination of veggies or spice it up anyway you like. It's up to your imagination. Also you can use any variety of tortilla and there are so many available in grocery stores. You can get spinach, sun dried tomatoes, whole wheat, whole grain, flour - practically any flavor you want. You can add diced tomatoes to the quesadilla but sometimes it makes it soggy. So, I skipped it in my recipe. Choose any color or a combo of bell peppers and it still tastes good. This is my version.

Ingredients:

1 package morning star Griller Crumbles

4 low carb whole wheat tortillas (or any variety you like)

1 canned black beans 15 oz. 

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

1 each sweet peppers, (yellow, red, orange) sliced thin

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 tsp red chili powder (optional)

1 tsp cumin powder (optional)

1 cup Mexican four cheese blend (Soy)

sea salt and cayenne pepper to taste

1/4 cup Ketchup

1 small can tomato sauce (optional) can make your own

Oil for sauté

Instructions:

1. Dice the onion and bell peppers.

2. Pour oil in a pan and sauté onion for a few seconds.

3. Then add the green bell pepper and sauté for 4-5 minutes. You can leave a little crunch in the bell pepper.

4. Add the black beans and mix well.

5. Add the paprika, red chili powder, cumin powder and ketchup. Mix well and salt/pepper and set aside.

6. To assemble the quesadilla, warm up two tortillas to begin with.

7. Place one tortilla and sprinkle cheese and spread out the veggie filling.

8. Next sprinkle as much or as little cheese as you like on top of the veggies.

9. Place the second tortilla on this and warm up both the sides. Take care while turning the tortilla.

10. Once the tortilla becomes a little hard and the cheese melts remove and set aside. Usually this takes 1-2 minutes.

11. Use a pizza cutter to cut the quesadilla into four pieces.

Optional

Serve with a dollop of sour cream (optional) or some guacamole.

Note: You will have some chili remaining. Pour into a bowl and eat along with the quesadillas!! Enjoy!