Seitan Dumpling Stew with RECIPE!

Food does not have to be pretty to taste damn good. This was never more true of the simple but delicious stew that I made yesterday. It is one of those things that you look at in the pot and raise an eyebrow, but after one taste Jason proclaimed it was the best that he ever tasted. The best part was it was super simple! I love things that taste great and are simple to make.

So here it is, my Seitan Dumpling Stew. All my fellow Hobbits (and everyone else) enjoy!!

Seitan Dumpling Stew

Serves 6

1 onion

6 stalks of celery
4-5 carrots
2 packages of ‘beef’ seitan, 8 oz each (I used Trader Joes Beefless Beef Strips)
1 white sweet potato, medium (about 8-12 oz)
8-10 cups of water
1 package (8 cubes) of No-Beef Bullion

1 cup of cornmeal

1 cup of all purpose flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
½ cup of vegan butter
1 cup of UNSWEETENED vegan milk

 

Dice the onion, celery, carrots and seitan.

Add to a pot over medium heat and cook until the onions are translucent.
Dice and add the sweet potato and water.
Turn heat to medium high and cover, waiting for it to boil.
In a clean bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, salt and baking soda.
Add the milk to this mixture.
Once the soup is boiling, add the cornmeal dumplings by teaspoon fulls.
Cover pot, reduce heat back to medium and boil for 20 minutes.
Remove cover and enjoy.

 

The Muffin Addict and Oat Bran Muffins with a Recipe!

I created a monster. It happened one early Saturday when my friend Suzzi and I were out hitting yard sales and suddenly, we were both hungry! Luckily we were right by Trader Joes so I stopped by to get bran muffins. These were dense, bran-rific, and slightly sweet. I had them before, but after one bite, Suzzi was addicted. She passed that addiction onto her boyfriend Geoff, but that addiction comes with a hefty price tag. Seriously, those things are not cheap. Therefore, she said that since I created her madness, I come up with a version she could make.

I did. And I promised her the recipe in a blog. And then my life became insane.

Well, here it is. These bran muffins are not exactly like they are at Trader Joes, but they are awesome and tasty. They are also a lot less expensive. You’ll also notice that these are oat bran based. These are gluten free, and you can vary the berries.

Enjoy!

 

Oatmeal Bran Muffins

Makes about 18 muffins

18 muffin papers

1-2 muffin tins (2 will make your life better)
1 ½ cups of vegan milk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup of apple sauce
¾ cup oat bran
¾ cup rolled oats
2 tablespoons corn starch
1 cup of gluten free baking mix
1 teaspoon xantham gum
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 large apple, core removed, finely diced
1 cup berries, such as black berries, fresh

 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a cup, combine the vegan milk and apple cider vinegar.
Set to the side.
In a bowl, combine the oat bran, rolled oats, corn starch, gluten free baking mix, xantham gum, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Stir until combined. Add the fruit and toss gently in the flour.
Add the vegan milk mixture and apple sauce.
Gently combine.
Spoon into muffin tins, filling each paper about 3/4ths full.
Bake 20 minutes, cool, and enjoy.

 

Soy Whip Review

Soy Whip Review

 

Price:  $5-5.50, depending on store

What: Vegan Whip Cream

Why: It’s Vegan Whip Cream!!

Rating: 3 (out of 5 stars)

 

If someone can look you in the eye and tell you they don’t like whip cream, beware this person because they have no soul! Seriously, whip cream is one of those things that most of us have many fond memories of. When I was a chubby teenager, the very thought of a mound of fluffy white whip cream goodness melting into my hot chocolate was enough to make my toes curl (and then I wonder why I was chubby…) But when I became vegan I was worried that my days of having those happy whip cream moments were all behind me.

 

When I first discovered Soy Whip I was a college student. It was a financial commitment to buy a can, but it was SO worth it when I would get home from taking a stressful test, place a huge mound of whip cream on the back of my hand and eat it off (what? Less calories that way and more control than just squirting it in my mouth). Back then, the flavor was amazing and you could use it right out of the refrigerator.

 

Now, the flavor is still amazing. Soy whip is one of those products that mimics the non-vegan version perfectly. It is amazing and a half! However, in the last year especially I have to admit I have gotten very frustrated at how the product actually comes out of the can. In order to get it to work at all you have to take it out of the refrigerator about 15 minutes before you want to use it, and then try. If it does not come out, you have to wait some more. Calorie control? Maybe, because by the time you are done and can get some out, you’re over it. Unfortunately, sometimes it doesn’t work at all. You invest in a can and none comes out at all! This happened to us this thanksgiving. My wonderful mother-in-law got dairy whip cream for the family ‘muggles’ (non-vegans), and soy whip for us. Unfortunately, then none came out. Our desert was just berries, which was tasty, but we were pretty let down. I got another can after that, and only some came out before it just froze up.

I really hope that Soy Whip resolves the problems that they have with the can, because they flavor is amazing. But just know that it can be a frustrating adventure.