Faux "chicken" and a pudding

Here are two more comfort food dishes from How It All Vegan!, the VegCookbook Club's current book.

Linda's Ginger "Chicken"
This wheat gluten recipe appears in the special 10th Anniversary Edition of the cookbook. However, it is also featured on the Go Vegan! app, which I reviewed (here and here). The seitan was easy to prepare and became very chewy and "meaty" in texture. It was on par with many mock meats that I've had at Chinese restaurants.

I was worried about using so much ginger (3/4 cup!) in the sauce, but the finely sliced coins did soften and took on a milder flavor. However I did think that the dish was way too salty. Both the broth and the sauce called for excessive amounts of tamari. I served this "chicken" atop quinoa with a side of roasted broccoli and mushrooms.

Faux "chicken" close-up

Sinful Chocolate Pudding
Another simple, pleasing recipe that requires only six ingredients: soft tofu, oil, sweetener, cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla. I decided to cut the oil and sweetener in half. (I used canola oil and brown sugar.) You could probably adjust these amounts even more to taste.

The photo below is of the just blended pudding before it had a chance to chill. Cold, creamy, and chocolaty, this recipe fulfilled all of my pudding requirements. My boyfriend said he could eat about six bowls.

Summer Seitan: Black Bean Burgers from Veganomicon

This hot summer I want to experiment with some seitan recipes.  I've played around with vital wheat gluten before, with limited success.  My natural food store in Baltimore, OK Natural Foods, is currently stocking the Arrowhead Mills brand.  I'm eager to try different brands, as well as commercially prepared seitan.

Here is a photo of my first experiment: the black bean burgers from Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook. The burgers are not exactly classic "seitan," but the use of wheat gluten in the recipe makes for an interesting texture.  This burger tasted better than it looks here. Although, if I make this recipe again, I'll probably add more spices. The condiments (ketchup, mustard, and chili garlic sauce) helped to add flavor. Plus, I piled on arugula and some sauteed veggies (garlic, onions, and mushrooms). Next time, I vow to use hearty, substantial buns, not soft sliced bread (so messy!).