Author: maggie black

boullion powder

basics

ingredients

  • 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 tablespoon fine grain sea salt
  • 3 tablespoons dried minced onion or 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons coconut milk powder (optional)

instructions

Combine all the ingredients in a blender. Pulse until everything is finely ground and powdery, a minute or so. Transfer to a jar and keep in a cool and dark place for up to a couple of months. Use 1 tablespoon of bouillon powder in place of one bouillon cube.

    Recipe and image from https://www.101cookbooks.com/homemade-bouillon-powder/

    (can’t believe it’s not) fried chicken!

    Seitan

    ingredients

    • 550 grams seitan (see this recipe)
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    • 2 cups soy milk
    • 1/3 cup pickle juice
    • 1 tsp poultry seasonings
    • 1 tsp dijon mustard
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    • 1/4 cup all purpose flour
    • 1 cup canola oil for frying
    • 2 cups all purpose flour
    • 4 tsp old bay seasoning
    • 1/2 tsp salt

    instructions

    1. Pull the seitan apart by hand into irregular medium size chunks about the size of small chicken breasts and wings. In a container large enough to marinate the seitan in, using a whisk, mix together the plant-based milk, pickle juice, poultry seasonings, mustard, and ¼ cup of flour. Place the seitan pieces into the buttermilk marinade, and make sure all pieces get coated. Place the brining seitan into the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight.
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    2. Preheat 1 cup of oil in a large cast iron skillet over a medium-high flame. You can use a frying thermometer to ensure the temperature is between 350-360. Alternatively, you can use a deep fryer and more oil, which will be needed if you use a deep fryer.
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    3. In a bowl mix together the 2 cups of flour, old bay seasoning, and salt. Working with one piece of seitan at a time. Take each pieces of seitan, remove it from the buttermilk marinade, coat it thoroughly in the seasoned flour, dip it back into the marinade, coating it entirely with liquid again. Then one final coating in the seasoned flour to encapsulate the batter. Place each fully coated piece of seitan into the hot oil. You will probably need to fry the seitan in 2-3 batches so there is room for the seitan pieces to not touch one another while they cook.
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    4. Fry for 2-3 minutes on the first side. Use a frying thermometer to maintain a temperature between 350-360°F.
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    5. Then flip the seitan pieces with tongs and fry on the second side. For about 2 minutes until lightly golden brown. Transfer all of the fried seitan pieces onto a wire rack to cool and drip dry. Immediately season with salt to taste. Fry any subsequent batches of seitan until it is all cooked.

      Coat with a little spicy honey and serve on ciabaitta with mayo for amazing sammies.

    Recipe and image from https://cinnamonsnail.com/vegan-fried-chicken/

    vegan chicken (seitan)

    Seitan

    ingredients

    • 15 oz can navy beans or other white bean
    • 1 tablespoon “No Chicken” bullion paste
    • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder optional
    • 1 tablespoon mirin
    • 2 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ⅓ cup unsalted vegetable stock
    • 2 cups vital wheat gluten 300 grams
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil additional
    • 2 ½ cups unsalted vegetable stock
    • 2 teaspoons tamari
    • 1 Tablespoon Chinese fermented bean paste taucu, or miso paste

    instructions

    1. Add the white beans along with all of the liquid in the can directly to a food processor, or blender along with the “no chicken” bullion paste, the onion powder (if you want it), nutritional yeast, mirin, olive oil, and salt. Puree for 2 minutes until smooth.
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    2. Add 1⁄3 cup of veggie broth and vital when gluten, and continue to process for 5 minutes. If your food processor struggles, stop it to rest halfway through to avoid overheating.
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    3. After 5 minutes, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, and process for another 30 seconds. The olive oil will coat some of the strands of gluten, and create a more tender, meatier textured seitan.
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    4. Divide the gluten dough into three roughly even parts. Press each portion of dough out flat using the palm of your hand. Allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes so that the gluten relaxes a bit.
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    5. Cut the dough twice keeping the butt end intact, and stretch it and braid it into a long three strand braid. As you braid it keep pulling the dough as much as you can without breaking it.
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    6. Once each portion of dough is braided, allow the braids to sit again for 5 minutes to relax the gluten. Then squeeze and stretch each braid to form long braided ropes of rough about 12 inches long.
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    7. Again, let the dough rest, this time just for a couple of minutes, and then knot the ropes of seitan dough at least once, but up to three times if you can. This will improve the texture of the seitan and give the strands of protein a more natural configuration.
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    8. Lightly oil 3 sheets of parchment paper. Place each portion of gluten into the center of each sheet of parchment. Roll the gluten up like a burrito, and then wrap the paper wrapped gluten with aluminum foil as tightly as you can. Tightly wrapping the dough will prevent it from becoming spongy or dense while cooking and cooling.
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    9. Place the wrapped packages of dough into your steamer, fitted with a steamer basket and cook for 90 minutes on medium heat. Check while it is steaming to ensure the steamer doesn’t run dry. After 90 minutes, turn the steamer off, and allow the seitan to cool inside the steamer for one full hour. Unwrap the seitan. It may have a somewhat uninspiring texture on the outside, but don’t worry, it’s going to be great after marinating. Place the wheat meat into an airtight container and pour the 2 1⁄2 cups of vegetable broth and 2 teaspoons of tamari, and the fermented bean paste over them. Refrigerate the seitan overnight in the marinade.

    Recipe and image from https://cinnamonsnail.com/vegan-chicken-the-ultimate-guide-to-tender-and-juicy-seitan/

    ridiculously good tahini date shake with coffee

    drinks

    ingredients

    • 1 ½ cups ice
    • 3 tablespoons tahini
    • 2-3 very soft Medjool dates
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • pinch of sea salt
    • 1.2 cup strong coffee

    instructions

    1. make the coffee; place dates in the warm water with the coffee to soften them while the coffee steeps.
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    2. place tahini, vanilla, sea salt in the blender; add coffee and dates, then ice.
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    3. blend on “smoothie” setting and enjoy!

    recipe and image from https://thefirstmess.com/2019/05/04/tahini-date-shakes-recipe/

    dave’s good seed copycat

    bread

    ingredients

    • 1 1⁄2 cups warm water (105-115 degrees F)
    • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • 2 tablespoons molasses
    • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
    • 3 cups white whole wheat flour (or 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour and 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour)
    • 1⁄3 cup vital wheat gluten
    • 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
    • 1 tablespoon yeast
    • 1⁄2 cup whole oats (not instant) or 1/2 cup oatmeal (not instant)
    • 1⁄4 cup cornmeal
    • 1⁄4 cup ground flax seeds
    • 1⁄4 cup wheat germ
    • 1⁄4 cup sunflower seeds
    • 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
    • 2 tablespoons black sesame seeds
    • 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
    • 2 tablespoons whole flax seeds
    • 1⁄2 cup seeds, for coating

    instructions

    1. Mix dry ingredients, add wet ingredients and use heavy-duty electric mixer (or your own brute strength) to mix and knead the dough for about 10 minutes. You may need more or less flour or water to make a smooth dough that you can work with (although having it a little sticky is okay).
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    2. Place the dough in a greased bowl and turn so the greased side is on top OR spray the top with non-stick spray. Cover with a damp towel and let rise until double in bulk (about an hour).
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    3. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead a few times by hand. Flatten and then roll to shape into two loaves.
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    4. Combine about a half cup of seeds (use a nice variety) and oats in a wide dish. Use a wet dish towel and roll the loaf to moisten the outside. Then press all sides of each loaf into the seeds to coat well.
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    5. Place the seed-coated loave onto a sheet pan, spray with non-stick spray, cover with a damp towel and allow to rise about 40 minutes.
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    6. Place a baking dish with an inch or two of water in it in your oven. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Place the loaf in the oven and bake for 25-35 minutes until it sounds hollow. Remove from pan and cool completely before slicing.

    Recipe lightly adapted from https://www.food.com/recipe/good-seed-bread-519326

    vegan broccoli mac + cheese

    classic american, new american

    ingredients

    • 1 lb small pasta (chiocolle or small shells or, ya know, macaroni)
    • 6 cups finely chopped broccoli
    • 1 cup whole unroasted cashews, soaked overnight or boiled for 15 min
    • 1 cup vegetable broth
    • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
    • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
    • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
    • 3/4 teaspoon chipotle power
    • 1 tablespoon onion powder
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt

    instructions

    1. Bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large pot.
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    2. While the water is coming to a boil, make the sauce. Place all sauce ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend for about 2-3 minutes, till sauce is totally smooth.
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    3. Cook pasta in boiling water for about 5 minutes, then add the chopped broccoli. Boil until pasta is cooked, 3 to 5 minutes.
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    4. Drain pasta in a large colander and add immediately back to the pot. It should still be piping hot and wet with pasta water. Do not rinse and do not wait. This part is important because you need the wet, hot pasta to get the sauce creamy and awesome and clinging to the pasta.
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    5. Add the sauce to the pasta pot and use the rubber spatula to mix. Turn the heat on low and stir for about 2 minutes to get everything warmed through. Taste for salt and seasoning and serve.

    Recipe and image from https://www.thefullhelping.com/truly-amazing-cashew-queso-sauce

    chickpea sweet potato patties

    classic american, new american

    ingredients

    • 1 1/4 cups leftover sweet potato mash (mashed sweet potato with a little coconut milk)
    • 1 1/2 cups chickpeas, cooked
    • 2 tablespoons chickpea flour (or all-purpose flour)
    • 1/3 cup bread crumbs (panko or regular), plus more as needed
    • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • 1 teaspoon cumin
    • 1/4 cup onion, chopped
    • 1 pinch salt, plus more to taste
    • 1 pinch pepper, plus more to taste

    instructions

    1. Add all ingredients but the olive oil to a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is evenly incorporated and the chickpeas are broken down, but still have texture. Add more bread crumbs if the mixture is so moist that you won’t be able to shape it into cakes.
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    2. Bake in oven on AirFryer setting at 475 for about 25 minutes.

    Recipe and image from https://www.thefullhelping.com/truly-amazing-cashew-queso-sauce

    vegan nacho cheese

    vegan cheese

    ingredients

    • 1 cup diced peeled potatoes
    • 1 cup raw cashews, soaked several hours (or 15 min in boiling water)
    • 1/3-1/2 cup water
    • 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
    • 4 tsp white vinegar
    • 1 clove garlic
    • 4 tsp lime juice
    • 1 tsp chili powder
    • 1/3 tsp cumin
    • 1 tsp salt

    instructions

    1. Boil the diced potatoes in water until they are fork-tender, which should take about 10-15 minutes. 
    2. While the potatoes are cooking, drain the soaked cashews and rinse them under cold running water.
    3. Once the potatoes are cooked and soft, drain them and add them to a high-speed blender along with the drained cashews and all remaining ingredients.
    4. Blend all the ingredients on high until the mixture is smooth and creamy. You might need to stop and scrape down the sides of the blender a few times to ensure everything is well combined.
    5. Taste the cheese sauce and adjust the seasoning with additional salt, chili powder, or lime juice according to your preferences. If the cheese sauce is too thick, you can thin it out by blending in a little more water, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. Your creamy vegan cheese sauce is perfect for drizzling over nachos, using in quesadillas, or drizzling on fajitas!

    Recipe and image from https://www.thefullhelping.com/truly-amazing-cashew-queso-sauce

    vegan queso

    vegan cheese

    ingredients

    • 1 cup raw cashews (140g), soaked at least 3 hrs
    • 3 tbsp tomato paste (50g)
    • 1 tsp chili powder
    • 3/4 tsp smoked paprika
    • 1/3 cup nutritional yeast (25g)
    • 1 cup + 2 tsp water (265ml)
    • 2 tbsp lemon juice

    instructions

    Blend all of the ingredients together in a food processor or a high speed blender till smooth. If you use a food processor, stop frequently while blending to scrape the sides of the machine down. The queso sauce will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

    Recipe and image from https://www.thefullhelping.com/truly-amazing-cashew-queso-sauce

    maggie’s magical turmeric tea

    drinks, superfoods

    ingredients

    • 1.5-2 cups water
    • 1 nub fresh turmeric, grated
    • 1 thick slice lemon
    • 1/2 tsp black pepper
    • 1 tsp honey

    instructions

    1. Boil the water, add the ingredients, let steep 5-10 min (may reheat after steeping).

    notes

    • Black Pepper: Black pepper contains piperine, which significantly enhances the absorption of curcumin (the magical turmeric ingredient) by up to 2000%. Including black pepper with turmeric, therefore, maximizes the health benefits you receive from the curcumin present in the turmeric.
    • Lemon: Lemon is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants. Vitamin C can enhance iron absorption from other foods and strengthen the immune system. The acidity of lemon may also aid in preserving the antioxidants in turmeric when steeped in tea.
    • Honey: Honey is a natural sweetener that brings its own set of health benefits, including anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties (great for Strep!) and can soothe the throat.
    • eat, don’t strain, the grated Turmeric: Consuming the actual grated turmeric root in your tea ensures you’re getting the full spectrum of nutrients, essential oils, and curcumin present in the root. It’s a more holistic approach than using turmeric powder alone, as some of the volatile oils and compounds can be lost during the drying and powdering process.
    • Why fresh Turmeric?

    A. Anti-inflammatory Properties: Curcumin is renowned for its potent anti-inflammatory effects, which can help in managing conditions associated with inflammation such as arthritis, certain digestive disorders, and possibly even neurodegenerative diseases.

    B. Antioxidant Capacity: Raw turmeric contains antioxidants that can neutralize free radicals, molecules that can cause oxidative stress and damage to cells. This antioxidant action can help protect against chronic diseases, including heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease.

    C. Immune System Support: The compounds in turmeric, including curcumin, have been shown to support the immune system. Its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral properties can help protect the body from various pathogens and diseases.

    D. Digestive Health: Turmeric stimulates the gallbladder to produce bile, which can improve digestion and reduce symptoms of bloating and gas. Its anti-inflammatory properties can also benefit individuals with digestive issues like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

    E. Wound Healing and Skin Health: Applied topically in paste form or consumed orally, turmeric can help in wound healing due to its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. It also benefits the skin by potentially reducing acne, scarring, and inflammation.

    F. Detoxification: Turmeric supports liver function and detoxification pathways. The curcumin in turmeric can help increase the production of vital enzymes that detoxify our blood in the liver by breaking down and reducing toxins.

    G. Nutritional Content: Beyond curcumin, raw turmeric is also a source of vitamins (such as vitamin C and B vitamins), minerals (including iron, potassium, and calcium), and dietary fiber. These contribute to overall health and help in the proper functioning of the body.