VEGAN SEITAN PINTO BEAN ROAST WITH STUFFING

It was thanksgiving the other day in Victoria BC. Which gives me an awesome opportunity to challenge myself. My boyfriend and I usually buy a little field roast quarter loaves for the two of us but since they have ceased shipping to Canada (article will explain) I decided to finally attempt to make my own stuffed roast. WHAT A SUCCESS IT WAS. IM SPEAKING IN CAPS BECAUSE I'M REALLY PROUD OF MYSELF. Making a roast vegan stylez is hard and this one I can confidently say you could feed your meat eatin' friends and they would love it. The stuffing really stepped it up a notch and made it seem like a real roast. 

This recipe also makes enough to invite friends over and have a big meal. I already took 8 large pieces off of it and I still have a quarter of the roast in my fridge. 

The stuffing was too good. It honestly tasted exactly like the kind I used to have back in my meat eating days. 

I used silver hills kings bread for the bread crumbs. If you want to turn your bread into bread crumbs just simply cut up your pieces into small cubes.  Around 1/2 inch in size. Preheat your oven to 400 F. Prepare a casserole dish with some olive oil and toss in your bread. Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil over top. Spice with whatever you would like. I used garlic powder, pepper and salt. Stir them around well so the oil is spread evenly and bake for 7 minutes or until bread is crispy and brown. 

RECIPE

Vegan Stuffing

5-6 piece of bread cut into bread crumbs = 3 cups bread crumbs

4 stalks celery, chopped fine

1/4 white onion, chopped fine

3 cloves of garlic, minced

half a shallot, diced

2 teaspoons poultry seasoning

1 teaspoon chili spice

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 drops liquid smoke

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

4 tablespoons garbanzo bean flour

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

STEPS

In a frying pan on medium heat saute your onion, garlic, shallot and celery until soft. Around 10 minutes. Add your bread crumbs, spices, liquid smoke, vegetable broth, garbanzo bean flour and nutritional yeast. Turn to low-med heat and mix everything together really well. Your breadcrumbs should absorb a lot of your vegetable broth but not all of it so if its too dry add some more vegetable broth, 1 tablespoon at a time. Until everything is moist, not soggy. Fry until all your liquids are absorbed. Around 7-10 minutes. Once your stuffing is ready remove from heat and allow it to cool before stuffing your roast!

*This recipe is great for stuffing the roast but if you want to bake some stuff on the side heres the steps, 

Preheat oven to 350 F. Separate your dry ingredients of your stuffing mix into two even batches. One in a frying pan and one in a oiled casserole dish. Cut your liquid ingredients in half for each mix. Add vegetable broth, liquid smoke, garbanzo bean flour and nutritional yeast to your casserole dish. Stir together well and place in your oven. Bake for 15 minutes or until all liquids are absorbed. 

RECIPE

VEGAN ROAST

1 can pinto beans, drained, blended

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 cups vital wheat gluten

4 teaspoons poultry seasoning 

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 1/4 cup vegetable broth

2 tablespoons soy sauce

6 drops liquid smoke 

STEPS

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a bowl combine all your dry ingredients and stir together well. Blend your pinto beans with 1 tablespoon of olive oil until smooth. *the bigger the beans are the harder it is to mix it into the gluten

Make a well in the middle of your gluten bowl and add your vegetable broth, soy sauce and liquid smoke.  Start to mix together well and pour your beans in, mixing while stirring. Knead with your hands for 5 minutes. This helps really blend your beans in with the mix. Once everything is mixed together well and your ball of goodness has formed prepare a place on the counter with a large piece of foil. (I used one that was 18' wide) Place your roast on the foil and begin to roll it out forming a rectangle. Roll it out well. If any pieces break its really easy to make it stick back together with your fingers by pinching it. It should be around a 1/4' to 1/2' thick. Any bigger and it won't roll well!  

Once your seitan is ready place a couple big spoonfuls of the stuffing on half of your roast. Make sure theres atleast an inch left on each side of the seitan. Flatten your stuffing down with the back of your spoon. Begin to roll from the side with the stuffing inward. Roll it slightly tight so you can make sure it sticks together but don't squish it. 

Once your roll is all together begin to pinch the open end with a fork. Pressing it into your roast. Make sure its completely blended together. Using your fingers to pinch any loose ends. 

Wrap your roast in foil and bake for 1 hour. 

VEGAN CALZONES

VEGAN CALZONES

Veganmofo month has come to an end and I loved it! I can definitely say I will be doing it next year and I will be getting much more detailed in my posts! I got 800 views just in the month of September so thanks to everyone who liked or shared my blog :) Calzones are so expensive to buy and so easy to make! I bought a new kind of flour that has made my pizza crust 10x better. Its called caputo flour. A local vegan friendly pizza restaurant, FAMOSO here uses it and they are the best pizzas you can get in Victoria! Really authentic italian. Here's a picture of the store bought kind I got

Its much lighter and fluffier. Alot easier to knead the dough. Its really good for throwing in the air to thin it too. I highly recommend trying this pizza dough if you're really into baking like me:)  Here's my recipe for Vegan Calzones. I hope you enjoy them!

RECIPE

makes 2 calzones

Dough:
3 cups flour
1 cup warm water
1 package instant yeast
1 teaspoon salt
handful of fresh thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons rosemary
1 1/2 garlic powder
1 tablespoon olive oil



Filling:
Old newmans honey garlic barbecue sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 purple onion, diced
6 manzanilla olives, sliced
1 can of corn, drained
handful of artichoke hearts, chopped
1/2 orange pepper, diced
1/2 package of yves ground chicken
Your choice of vegan cheese

Me and my boyfriend got to try this new kind it rules!!!

STEPS

Preheat your oven to 400 F

Get one cup of warm water in a measuring cup and sprinkle your yeast on top. Be careful to make sure your water isn't too warm or it'll kill your yeast. Let the yeast stand in water for 10 minutes.

While your yeast is mixing you can combine all your dry ingredients in a large bowl for your dough. Mix together well and create a well in the middle. Add your yeast water mixture and your olive oil and begin to mix together to form dough. Once your dough is formed begin to knead fro 10 minutes. The longer you knead your dough the better. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. 

While your dough is rising you can prepare all your vegetables. My boyfriend and I made ours with bbq sauce but this recipe would work great with tomato paste! The nice thing about calzones is you can put anything you want inside!

Fry your chicken for 5 minutes before you put them into your calzone. I added a couple drops of liquid smoke to make mine even better. 

Once your dough has risen for 30 minutes it should be about double in size. If its not let it rise longer! Knead your dough for ten minutes and split into two equal halves. 

Roll out your dough on a lightly floured surface, nice and thin. It should be about a 1/4 inch thick. Its easier to make the calzones if you roll your dough into a rectangle rather than a circle. Once you've reached your desired size you can begin to add your toppings starting with the sauce and ending with the cheese. Add your toppings to one side of your dough so you can fold it over and seal it. 

Press the sides with a fork to seal your 

calzone completely. Place on a lightly oiled pan. Rub oil on the outside so the top browns and pop it in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes:) I broiled mine for 5 minutes at the end to make the top perfect. 

BREAKFAST GRANOLA BARS

BREAKFAST GRANOLA BARS

So last night my boyfriend and I had a sweet tooth but weren't sure what to make. I had tons of nuts and peanut butter so i figured I'd make some granola bars. He had a weird request though, Cheerios! My boyfriend LOVES cheerios. So I figured I'd be able to make something good! This was definitely a "whatever you got in your pantry" kind of dessert but its great for taking to work and munching in the morning as well! Try experimenting by putting your favorite cereal in it or maybe some agave syrup instead of jam. Its basic, easy and good for you:)

Recipe

1/2 cup quick oats
1/2 cup graham flour
1/2 cup cheerios
1/4 cup almonds
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup cranberries
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons jam
1 tablespoon almond fresh coconut milk
2 tablespoons earth balance butter, melted
1 cup peanut butter, smooth

Steps

Preheat your oven to 325 F

Combine all ingredients (quick oats-sugar) in a large bowl. Stir together well. Once mixed, add your jam, almond milk, earth balance and peanut butter. Your mixture should begin to form into a big ball. If its too dry you can add more milk or agave syrup. The more sticky stuff you put in it the better they will stay together! Stir it together very well, pushing it down while you're doing this to help make the mixture stick together well.
Rub some earth balance on a baking dish so your granola bars don't stick. Pour your entire mixture into your dish and begin to press it down with a spatula. Continue to press your granola bars for 10 minutes.
 Make sure theres lots in all the corners and edges. The longer you press them the better your granola bars will stick together so keep going as long as you can! Once your granola bars are packed enough sprinkle something on top to finish it. I used coconut shreds. 
Give them one more push to make sure all the coconut will stay on your bars and put it in the oven. Bake for 25 minutes. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before you eat. If its still steaming let it sit longer. If you cut it to soon your bars will fall apart! If you want them  to stay together really well don't cut them that night. Leave them in the dish and refrigerate overnight. Theres no way they will fall apart after that. Enjoy:)

CREAMY SWEET POTATO COCONUT CURRY SOUP

CREAMY SWEET POTATO COCONUT CURRY SOUP

Soup season is here and I've  been enjoying it the right way! Blending soups is my new favorite thing. It helps make the perfect consistency for a soup and its wayyy quicker then waiting for all those big vegetables to cook. I just kind of made this soup up to with all the ingredients in my pantry/fridge. Its that easy! Be creative with what you add and experiment! This recipe is pretty much fail proof. Have fun:)

My hot sauce heart did not work out that time. hahah.

Recipe

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large orange yam cubed

4 potatoes, cubed

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 purple onion, diced

1 piece of ginger, minced

1/2 red pepper, diced

1 broccoli head

1 cup multi colored carrots, diced

4 mushrooms, diced

2 cups vegetable broth

1 cup coconut milk

2 teaspoons turmeric

2 teaspoons curry spice

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

2 tablespoons nutritrional yeast

1 teaspoon salt

Couple of drops of liquid smoke

Steps
In a large pot add your olive oil and set at low-med heat. Saute garlic and onions for 2 minutes. Add the rest of your vegetables and saute for 5 more minutes. Peel, wash and cut your yams and potatoes. Add them to your pot then add your vegetable broth and coconut milk. Stir together well and bring to a low boil. Add your spices and allow to cook on low-med heat for 15 minutes or until your potatoes and yams are soft. Once its cooked, divide into half and blend the first half. Add back to your pot and blend the second half. The blending consistency is totally up to you! Add your other half and stir together well. Heat for another 5 minutes on a simmer and serve. :)
                                         

"CHEEZY" BROCCOLI SOUP

"CHEEZY" BROCCOLI SOUP

Today is the first day of Fall so I figured my soup was a suitable post. Plus we had it for dinner last night haha. It was amazing! First time I've ever made a quick soup and a blended one. This recipe is super filling and healthy as well extremely easy to make. I was really pleased with the way it turned out. Next time I'm making bread bowls.

Recipe

makes 4 servings

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 white onion, chopped

4 mushrooms, sliced

2 heads of broccoli

1 head cauliflower

2 celery stalks, chopped

6 red skin potatoes, peeled, cut

2 carrots, sliced

3 cups vegetable broth

2 teaspoons poultry seasoning

handful of fresh thyme

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon chili spice

4 tablespoon nutritional yeast

1 piece of Daiya sliced cheddar

For the CHEEZE sauce I used the same one that I use for my COCONUT CREAM MAC N CHEESE recipe but I used a whole can of coconut milk instead of a half to make it more creamy. I also add 2 tablespoons of spicy mustard to add to cheezy taste for the recipe. See my recipe:) 

In a large pot add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and turn on to low-med heat. Add your garlic, onion and mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes. Next add your broccoli, cauliflower, celery, carrot and potatoes. Stir together and cook for another 5 minutes. Add your vegetable broth and spices. Bring to a low boil. Once its boiling add your daiya to melt it in. Cook for 15 minutes or until potatoes are soft enough to poke with a fork. 

While that's cooking you'll have time to make your cheeze sauce. 

Once your soup is ready and your potatoes are soft enough its time for blending! Separate your soup into two bowls. *Its way too hard to get the right consistency you blend both at the same time.* Blend the first bowl. I left mine a bit chunky and it was perfect that way. I barely blended it for thirty seconds. If you want yours creamier blend it for longer! This part is totally up to you:) Once you've blended both parts combine them again in your pot and add the entire cheeze sauce to the soup. Stir together really well!!

ENJOY!

VEGAN GRAVY

VEGAN GRAVY

I thought I'd do something easy tonight for my recipe. This is just a simple quick vegetable gravy recipe. We ate ours on mashed potatoes but it would work great to bake with seitan like a vegan steak or on steamed vegetables. Have fun trying it with different things:) Happy cooking.

Recipe

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon canola oil

3 mushrooms, diced

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth (theres a link to the broth I used. Pacific Foods:) 

4 tablespoons garbanzo bean flour (theres a link to what I use. Bob's Red Mills)

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning

a pinch of fresh thyme

2 drops of liquid smoke

dash of salt

In a medium sized pot heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil on low-med heat. Add garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Add your vegetable broth then mushrooms and stir together well. Add your garbanzo bean flour - salt. Stirring while adding ingredients. Bring mixture to a low boil for 2 minutes then bring it down to a simmer. Continue to stir this entire time. Your mixture should be getting thicker by now. If its not add 1 more tablespoon of garbanzo bean and 1 more tablespoon of nutritional yeast. Continue to add until desired consistency. Allow your gravy to thicken for 5-10 minutes on min heat. Stirring occasionally. Once your gravy is nice and thick you'll notice it'll bubble a bit in the pot. Remove from heat and prepare to serve!!

VEGAN POT PIES

VEGAN POT PIES

I was so excited to try and make these for this first time ever. Pot pies are amazing and these turned out so good. The stew I made to put inside the pies were even so good we just ate the leftovers on the side. The pastry was buttery and light. Just like it had eggs but I think its all the earth balance I used. :) A little bit time consuming but certainly a challenge that is rewarded!

Its also an awesome hearty meal after a cold day:) Enjoy!

RECIPE
Makes 3

DOUGH
1 1/2 cups unbleached organic white flour
1/2 cup organic whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon organic baking powder
1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon rosemary
4 tablespoons earth balance, melted
a splash of almond milk
1/4 cup cold water (add 1 tablespoon of cold water if your dough is too dry)

FILLING
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 white onion, diced
1/2 a shallot, minced
4 mushrooms, diced
4 carrots, cubed
3 celery stalks, cubed
4 potatoes, cubed
1 can of peas
Handful of green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
2 tablespoons garbanzo beans flour
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons rosemary
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 tablespoons earth balance
2 cups vegetable broth
dash of salt
dash of pepper


STEPS
Preheat your oven to 375 F.
Combine all dry ingredients in a small bowl with a fork.  Make a little well in the middle. Melt your earth balance in a measuring cup and add it to your mixture in the well you made. Next add the water and almond milk and stir together to form a dough.
You can add tablespoons of water one at a time if your mixture is still a little dry.Your dough should be smooth, non sticky and firm. Knead the dough for five minutes on a lightly floured surface. Wrap the dough with plastic and chill for at least 30 minutes.

For your filling you need a large frying pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat. Cut up all your vegetables and add them in the order above except the potatoes. Saute for five minutes. Next add your spices, vegetable broth, potatoes, flour and peas. Stir together until well mixed and bring to a boil. Once its boiling bring it down to low-med heat and stir in your earth balance. Allow filling to thicken for 10 minutes.

This is what it should look like when its done.

Once your filling is ready its time to roll out your dough. Prepare a lightly floured surface again. Start to roll your dough out into a long thin rectangle.

The pastries for these really don't need to be thick so roll your dough out as thin as you can make it without it breaking of course. If helps if you roll it out in one large piece. Then cut that piece in half and roll each half. Then cut those pieces in half and roll them again. This helps you make sure the dough is a uniform size. Place your foil tin for baking your pie upside on your dough to make sure its big enough. You should leave a little extra around the rim to make a crust. Rub earth balance on the sides of your foil to ensure it doesn't stick and place your dough over the pan gently pressing it against the sides with your fingers to form crust. Once the dough is fitted nicely in the pan take a big spoon full of your filling and place it inside. Fill until you're just about to the top of your pie crust but be careful not to overfill or your pie will burst! Use excess dough from making the bottoms and roll it out again to form the top. Place top of pastry over filling and press the sides with your fingers lightly to form pie crust completely.

This is them prior to baking. Make sure you poke some holes in the top to release steam! Bake for 30 minutes and enjoy!

SWEET POTATO BLACK BEAN BURRITOS

SWEET POTATO & BLACK BEAN BURRITOS

W/ YVES GROUND CHICKEN

It was Mexican food night at our house! We went all out. These were amazing. The picture slightly does justice. I decided to add yves ground chicken for fun because I had half a pack from our pizzas the night before. The recipe is just as good with just beans and veggies. :) I even bought taco seasoning this time. I usually just make my own. Anyways happy vegan mofo!

Enjoy!

RECIPE

For rice

1 cup rice

2 cups water

2 tablespoons taco seasoning

2 tablespoons earth balance buttery spread

Sweet Potato

1 whole sweet potato, cubed

1 pot w/water to boil potatoes

Olive oil

Taco seasoning

Pinch of salt

Bean mixture

1 can black beans

1 can corn

4 tablespoons taco seasoning

1 teaspoon of fresh thyme

Vegetable mixture

1/2 purple onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 crimini mushroom, diced

1/2 yellow pepper, diced

1/2 package yves veggie ground chicken

Combine 1 cup of rice in 2 cups of water with 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning. Place lid on top. Bring to a low boil on medium-high heat then reduce to low-med and cook for 15 minutes or until all water is absorbed. Stirring occasionally. Add 2 tablespoons of earth balance buttery spread to add flavour and help keeping your rice from sticking once its done!

Now thats going its time to get your potatoes ready. Preheat your oven to 350 and get a baking pan. Oil the pan with olive oil. This is for baking your sweet potatoes. Prepare a small pot with some boiling water for your potatoes. Cube your sweet potato. Once the water is boiling add your potatoes and boil for 4 minutes. Drain your potatoes and place them onto your pan. Brush them with some more olive oil so the top get crispy and sprinkle some taco seasoning and salt on top. Pop those in the oven. Stirring occasionally. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes or until your sweet potatoes are crispy. 

Cut all your desired vegetables for your burritos. Get a frying pan on medium heat with some canola oil ready to fry your beans and corn. Once the pan is hot add your beans and corn and spices. Let them fry while your vegetables and potatoes cook to add flavour and make them nice and soft. Get another larger frying pan prepared with canola oil on medium heat. Add your garlic, onion, peppers and mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes. Add your ground chicken and spices. Fry for another 5 minutes. Stirring occasionally.

Next cut up any toppings vegges. My boyfriend and I did kale, stuffed olives, cherry tomatoes and alfalfa sprouts. 

By this point your rice and potatoes should be pretty much done as well as your veggies. Heat your tortillas and BAM. Dinner is served! Happy vegan living everybody:)